Not Your Babysitter

[work_wife]

WHO: Robin Buckley
WHERE: Noth Central
WHAT: Musical Shenanigans, Stalking Aliens, Gift Shocks
WHEN: January 10th thru 17th
WARNINGS: N/A

I. Gift Investigation

Robin is not a nosy person. But you can't just let a girl into a barn house full of presents and expect her to fully keep her hands to herself. Right? Right. It's probably nothing, she's not really going to get up to too much trouble. Except...

"Ouch!"

She yelps and sticks a stung finger into her mouth, as if that will make the pain go away. Shouldn't have tried to open someone else's presents, right?

II. Alien ObservationsIt's official. Aliens. Are. Real. Don't pay any attention to her having met people who weren't human or who were human but weren't from Earth, or were from Earth but not her Earth. Aliens are Real. The Agrii are real.

If this isn't the coolest thing ever, Robin doesn't know what is. And so it's really up to her to study them, right? Are they the 'lay eggs in you' aliens, or the 'hunt you for sport' aliens, or really the 'friendly but lost and wishes they had Reese's Pieces' Aliens?

Someone had to know, and so here was Robin, bundled up in her reclaimed battle gear, peeking around the corner of a cabin to watch a group of Agrii in a snow fort building project.

It would be a shame if someone snuck up behind her, really.III. Let It Blow

Listen, if someone's going to give you a really big place where you think you can get away with practicing an instrument for old time sake without anyone walking in, who isn't going to use it? Most people? Well she's not most people.

Robin makes her way to the ice palace, a big case in her hands. Once she gets into the ice palace's main room she sits down and opens the case, pulling out her French Horn. Takes some time to inspect all of the parts, make sure it's in good working order. Then she finally puts it to her lips and starts doing warm ups with the instrument.

It's not music at the moment, just noise. But it's hers. Some small echo of the more normal days of her life.

[OOC: Robin would be a terrible babysitter. So absolutely throw your children at her however you want because she would just be hilarious to have to deal with it.]

Comments

[thepurpleone]

What a magical word! It perks Donnie right up, and he wiggles to signal he's ready to get down.

"Pizza!"

[work_wife]

There it was. He seems way more active now. Robin crouches down to let him free.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie lets go and hops down. Oh, it feels so much better in here.

He reaches out to grab Robin's hand, tugging impatiently. Wheeeereeeee?

[work_wife]

Okay, she wasn't expecting he'd want to stick by her now. But yeah, she can... probably handle this. She takes his hand and walks him slowly toward the devices further in.

"I think I can probably program a few toppings. What do you like?"

[thepurpleone]

Sorry Robin, you've been designated as the Official Adult and clearly know everything about here. Donnie seems happy once she holds his hand in turn and starts to lead the way. Pizza-making robot machine, here they come!!

"Pepp'roni..." he says, holding up a finger. "Mushrooms..." He holds up a second before staring at his thumb for a bit. No, two's enough. "That's all."

[work_wife]

Being the Official Adult is not normally her status so this was definitely an interesting day she was going to have. Or days.

"Alright. I'll see if I can make a full sized pizza for you, if that's okay."

Once she gets to the replicator she considers it.

"What's your stance on stuffed crust?"

She's heard of it, and it sounds like a great idea, you know, extra cheese and all.

[thepurpleone]

A whole pizza that he doesn't have to share with his brothers?? This child practically goes starry-eyed at the thought. Never mind that it'll hit him again later that his brothers aren't here, right now he's thinking with his stomach.

"More cheese?" he answers after some careful contemplation. That means more cheese, right? Nothing wrong with more cheese!

[work_wife]

"Way more cheese," she agrees before starting to hit buttons on the machine. "So, this only works for each of us for one meal a day. So I'm going to program it all in, read it back to you, then I need you to hit the confirmation button, okay?"

So that it's his use. And come on, she's putting in an extra large pizza. Surely that will last the kid two meals at least.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie at least looks like he's actually listening to what she says. He doesn't say anything right away as he lets it sink in, but it's not long before he nods.

"Okay!"

Most important is the fact that he gets to push the button!

[work_wife]

Of course he does. She doesn't think it's that cool though. Once she's done she reads back everything there and points to the button.

"Power her on."

[thepurpleone]

Clapping his hands eagerly, Donnie hops over closer to the machine, reaching, tippy-toeing. Almost...! He gives a little jump and smacks the button.

[work_wife]

She was just about to offer to lift him. But now the replicator is doing it's 'shimmering' noise like Robin calls it, and bam. A big platter of pizza. She carefully lifts it.

"Go pick a table."

[thepurpleone]

"Ooooooh..." Donnie stares, not that it seems there's much to look at as the Replicator does its thing, but there had very clearly not been a pizza there a moment ago, and now there is! A big beautiful pizza! He gasps, reaching out like he'd take it, but then Robin directs him to find somewhere to sit, so he scrambles off to do so.

There doesn't seem to be any shortage of tables at least, so the hard part is just picking one! Who knows what process of elimination he's using, but finally he counts off from one end and then wanders over to the third one nearest them, pointing to make sure Robin saw before he goes to clamber up to sit.

[work_wife]

She watches the kid, sees him pointing, and nods as she moves to follow. Once he's situated she puts the pizza down in front of him then goes to collect a plate from nearby.

"Here," she says. "I'm going to get you a drink. Water okay?"

[thepurpleone]

The turtle foregoes sitting for the moment, standing instead on the bench so he can better reach the pizza, dragging over a slice onto his plate. He nods. Water sounds good, yes.

"Yes please," he says.

[work_wife]

Alright then. Robin goes off to do that, and returns with water for him. Then she's gone again to replicate a meal of chicken tacos before she sits down across from him.

"You happy with your pizza?"

[thepurpleone]

By then, Donnie's sitting properly, his little boots kicking back and forth happily as he munches away. He smiles brightly at Robin when she returns, nodding enthusiastically. He even points at the pizza, a silent offer if she wants a slice.

[work_wife]

He really does look happy. ANd not as bad as Steve's gremlins. So that's good.

"If there's still some left after my tacos, I'll have a slice," she says. "I want you to enjoy it first."

[thepurpleone]

So long as he's not reminded about his brothers not being here, he's fine.

Donnie finishes the rest of the current slice in one enormous bite, beaming as he nods. He's about to put greasy hands on the table to help push himself to stand on the bench again for another slice before thinking better of it, instead leveling himself up by leaning his arms on the tabletop. Once he's got another slice, he plops himself down again. Oh, he's definitely enjoying it.

[work_wife]

Damn, he's almost cute like this. But no, she won't say that. Little boys hate that.

"Well, make sure you don't eat so much that you make yourself sick."

[thepurpleone]

Donnie's no Raph, and his appetite's nowhere at the level it would be at his normal age. Leftovers would certainly be had.

He takes Robin's advice to heart with an emphatic nod, even as he takes another huge bite of pizza. Once that's all gone, he remembers his water, greasy little fingers being very careful about picking up the glass and tipping it to drink.

[work_wife]

At least the kid is fed and he has water and whatever else he needs. What are you supposed to do after that?

"We'll make sure that anything you don't eat gets set aside for you or something. You like cold pizza?"

[thepurpleone]

Don't feed him after midnight and never get him wet. Wait-

"Cold pizza's okay," Donnie says after what seems like some serious consideration. There's been plenty of times when he and his brothers felt like a snack and since they weren't allowed to play with the microwave, cold pizza had been just fine in a fix.

He licks at his fingers before stifling a yawn. His tummy is nice and full but the sleepies haven't completely gone. Walking in snow is tiring!

[work_wife]

Yeah, that's a whole other situation than this one is. But at least he knows about the goodness of cold pizza.

"Then we'll make sure it's all wrapped up for you. When you're ready I guess we can get you to a cabin to get all warm and sleep."

[thepurpleone]

The proposition instantly gets an emphatic headshake. He doesn't want to go back to a cabin. He doesn't even remember which one he came from, but there was no one there, and he doesn't want to be by himself again. The thought threatens to summon tears. Pizza only solves so many things, but it doesn't seem to have brought his brothers magically out of hiding. If they were even here.