The Playground in the Park, Thursday Afternoon

[glacial_queen]

Yesterday, Karla had made a very important promise. She'd promised Val a day at the playground and there was no way she was going to renege on that. Thus, Thursday afternoon found Kayla swinging on the swings in the park, while Karla sat on a nearby bench, holding Nommy, and pushing Kayla's swing with Craft. At her feet was a sizable picnic basket

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[endsthegame]

"And behold," Ender called - and though he was looking right at Karla as he walked towards her, he was actually talking to Val - "The playground."

"Play!" Val proclaimed, dashing forward. "K'yla!"

[glacial_queen]

"Val!" Kayla cried. "Mama, down! Down, Mama!" She had to go greet her friend, who was much less annoying than her new little brother.

Sadly for Kayla, her mother still wasn't letting her just leap out of the swing. She had to wait for Karla to come over and help her down a process again, slightly impeded by said new little brother.

"There," she said, placing Kayla on the ground to scamper over to Val. "You're free. Run like the wind, munchkin."

To Ender, she asked, "How was your first class, darling?"

[endsthegame]

"Cosy and quiet," Ender said, "And interesting, considering I'm teaching my own partner's mother right now."

Val let out a shriek of delight and barreled towards Kayla for a hug. A slightly clumsy one.

[glacial_queen]

"I taught her about poisons last semester," Karla said. "I feel you."

Because how do you say, 'Hi, I taught your mom to be a more efficient assassin'? Other than hoping a shrug and a 'It's Fandom?' does the trick.

"Val! Val!" It was going to be a toddler collision. Karla was almost tempted to take bets on who would remain standing.

[endsthegame]

All of Ender's money was on Kayla. Val wrote a lot of checks she couldn't actually cash yet, so he was peering past Karla at her as they spoke.

"I spend a lot of time biting my tongue," he said, and then he was moving. "Val, honey, careful--"

[glacial_queen]

A dark gray weave of Craft sprang into life behind Val, meant to keep her upright if she started to fall. It appeared before Karla even had a chance to check with Ender to see if it would be appreciated--habit.

"Kayla--!" she called, hoping that between the two of them, they could prevent a collison. "Only run at people who are bigger than you, remember?"

Since Darkness knows that asking her not to fling herself at people was not feasible.

[endsthegame]

Val kept going. "Slow!" Ender called. "You're both running, so you'll hit harder--"

At least in the end, Val slowed down a little bit before attempting to grab hold of Kayla very, very firmly?

[glacial_queen]

Kayla squealed, more with delight than fear as the force of the impact spun them around and around. Karla let her own hands drop, Craft falling away from her fingertips. The girls were fine, they didn't need her direct interference.

"Somehow, I doubt this physics lesson will stick," Karla said wryly.

[endsthegame]

"Maybe the next one," Ender said, just as wry. "Or the one after that."

"Kayyyyla!" Val screeched happily. "Gots Kayla!"

[glacial_queen]

"Always were the optimist," Karla teased.

"Val! Val! Val, you gotsta come to the swings!" Kayla urged, her arms around Val half in a hug and half in an attempt to drag her bodily to the swingset. "Gotta go high."

[endsthegame]

"Kay kay kay," Val chanted. Maybe it was Kayla's name. Maybe it was 'okay'. Maybe it was both. Who knew? She immediately trundled along, still a little unsteady on her legs, hand outstretched for the swing.

"I should probably watch this a little more closely," Ender sighed, walking towards the swingset.

[glacial_queen]

"Yes," Karla agreed. Fervently. "And make sure Val knows not to listen to Kayla's ideas about swinging." There was a pointed look to her daughter, though it was entirely wasted, sigh. "We wait for the swing to stop before getting off."

We certainly didn't try to jump. And extra not when the swing was very high!

[endsthegame]

"I keep hoping her Wiggin blood calms the Skywalker end," Ender said ruefully. He took a hold of the ropes of the swing. "C'mon, Val. Get on."

"Wanna go high!" Val giggled.

[glacial_queen]

"The Worthington blood didn't do much to mitigate the DiGlacia," Karla mumbled. "Though Warren has more of the idiot daredevil in him than he really wants to admit."

Karla settled Nommy into his stroller and helped Kayla clamber on as well. She was chattering to Val a mile a minute, doing her best to relate the entire history of fun she'd had on swings.

"And what happens if we try to jump off again?" Karla prompted.

"Not 'llowed to go swingin' till I'm twenty," Kayla answered.

"Damn right."

[endsthegame]

"I know," Ender said, "I remember when Ben played Angry Birds with him."

He smiled down at Val. "No jumping for you either," he said, "It's a long fall and you might get hurt."

He gave the swing a little push.