sliceitwithwind | Zoooooooooo (Kiddie AU)

Aya wrapped her arms around Braig's shoulders and clung. She knew the boys better than she did Sannish, which meant it was okay to be a little afraid! "I like not being eaten. It's a good thing. And you all jumped in to help me. Thanks!"

"Of course we did." Braig said quietly, burying his face in her hair, "You're our Ayay. Nobody will ever hurt you if we're around. Nobody and nothing."

"Yeah." Dilan agreed, leaning against his great-grand uncle's neck. Sannish petted Aya's hair, then turned to the zoo official who approached them.

"I am so sorry." the man started, "Please, come with me and we'll see what we can do to make this up to you."

"And no lions get to eat us." She nodded against Braig's neck, still happily clinging. "Ever. Or bears. Or Llamas."

The zoo official was joined by another who already had complimentary memberships and certificates for the souvenir store. It wasn't a solution, but it was a start toward not getting sued?

"No lions or llamas, or anything else at all." Braig promised, sincerely and deeply.

Sannish set Dilan down so that he could join Braig and Aya, while Sannish...proceeded to bilk the officials for every possible concession.

"Cross your heart?" Aya asked, feeling every one of her very few years all of a sudden. Older people made promises that made the okay, so she needed to hear that!

The kids really wanted to be life time members right? And on the events lists? And always able to eat at the cafe for free? And attend summer camp? And Sannish wanted to be on the planning board right and DEAR GOD THEY DID NOT WANT A MEDIA CIRCUS OKAY?

"And hope to die." Braig said, and Dilan echoed while drawing a cross on his chest. "Together forever."

Sannish smiled, and nodded, and managed to angle for potential internships if the kids wanted them when they were older. Then, satisfied (and leaving baffled zoo staff behind him) he collected his young charges and headed for the restaurant.

"Nobody gets to die!" Aya was adamant about that! But hey, still a good promise. "And ever and ever."

She thought it was a little funny that no one wanted to yell at them for scaring the lions, but she guessed no one wanted to make Sannish mad. Not that Aya could blame them! "Do they make sushi here?" She'd never eaten at the zoo before!

"No death." Dilan promised, and Braig kissed Aya's hair.

"No, Aya, they do not." Sannish said, "We will have that for supper instead. Would you like to see anything else before we leave today?"

Aya smiled happily at the pronouncement and hooked her arms in both the boys. Her swinging was interrupted by the question though, so she had to pause and think. "Ummm...I think the reptile house and bat house? Did we see those last time?" The katzu wouldn't want to eat those right? And they couldn't fall in?

Decisions at the zoo were suddenly VERY HARD okay?!

"Yeah, but bats are cool." Dilan pointed out. "We could go see them again."

"Bats are cool, and the Bat house is really neat too, all dark and cool with glow in the dark stuff on the wall..." That was totally a vote for going there next. Or after food. Whatever.

"Before or after food?" Dilan asked, giving her hand a squeeze. Sannish leaned down towards Braig and asked, "How much trouble do you think I would be in if we leashed those two?"

"I unno, are you hungry?" Aya asked back. It would be a main determining factor!

Watch a sharp eared vendor nearby obviously arrange the zoo-animal-themed child leashes to best advantage!

"Always." chorused the boys, then Braig looked up at Sannish, "Dunno. Mom would probably love it."

"Then FOOOOOD!" Aya giggled, raising her hands (and Dilan's since she was holding one of his) in a victory cheer.

The nice, hopeful sales clerk had monnnkey leashes. And lion leashes. And tigers. And bears. And even a penguin leash though it looked really weird!

Sannish paid for three. One monkey, one penguin, and one lemur.

Braig, with a put-upon sigh, allowed himself to be leashed as well. He and Dilan gave each other long-suffering looks. This is completely for Aya's sake.

MONKEY ON HER BACK!

There was now a very wiggly Aya trying to figure out the straps. It was even odds for her staying strapped in more than ten minutes. Naturally she'd need a distraction!

Or she could end up utterly distracting herself by playing with Braig's new tail!

Braig sighed and handed his leash to Sannish. Dilan sighed and handed his to Braig, then he held his hand out for Aya's leahs.

Both Aya's hands were busy wagging Braig's lemur tail! She didn't even notice the leash-end passing thing. "It tickles my nose!!" It was a very ticklish tail.

Dilan grabbed Aya's leash on his own, then. Braig shook his head, "Ready to move out, Ayay?"

" 'Kay!" She called brightly, bouncing up and down while still holding onto Braig's lemur tail. Hey, she had a tail! Dilan could grab hers too! "I bet they have hot dogs!"

"Probably." Dilan agreed, walking with the rest of the group towards the food court. Braig was just glad that Aya seemed to be recovering well.

Of course she was recovering fine! They hadn't actually gotten hurt and the boys weren't crying so there was no reason to cry right? RIGHT! She'd be scared and worried if people hadn't been acting normal.

They did indeed have hotdogs. Even better though they had little corndog nuggets they called lion bites! That was, naturally, AWESOME.

Lion bites for Aya, then, and a burger with everything for Braig. Sannish and Dilan looked at each other, then got several rare burgers with tomato. Each.

It's been a stressful day.

Well, Lion Bites and then french fries, and then bits of salad...there wasn't a single person at the table that didn't have a crazy metabolism and it showed in the number of empty plates and bowls they racked up. Of course given the stresses of the day and a full belly Aya ended up sagging against Braig in the booth and...passing out.

Yep, the six year old was out like a light. She'd apologize later for being a baby or something.

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sliceitwithwind - 2011-07-29 04:42 (UTC) - Expand