Chicago, Thursday evening

[mparkerceo]

"Angelo...." Was ignoring her. And coaxing Esme around an obstacle course."You do realize you're insane, right?" Angelo's pout had her revising her statement. "It's not like they give out gold medals for this

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[swerval_zero]

Was that Parker's phone ringing? It so was. She needed to pick it up and entertain Zero.

[mparkerceo]

Because that's what she was there for!

Dirk & Nikki's last hit played on Parker's phone, and she took a break from glaring at Angelo to answer it. "Please tell me your day is less weird than mine."

[swerval_zero]

"My day has been really frakkin' boring," Zero told her. "So tell me about yer weird day so's I can be jealous."

[mparkerceo]

Parker watched her rabbit bounce over a cushion barrier, and rubbed her eyes. "We just completed a security job. Jarod has taken off from New Zealand. And Angelo is training Esme for the Olympics."

[swerval_zero]

"They have bunny Olympics?" Zero sounded excited by this prospect, because, who wouldn't be?

[mparkerceo]

"Apparently! Either that, or Angelo has lost it--"

Her twin pointed at his laptop and scowled, so Parker rolled her eyes and walked over. YouTube was open, so she hit the clip, and stared. "Okay. If he's lost it, he's not the first one. I have the Danish finals on his laptop in all their boingy glory playing in front of me."

[swerval_zero]

Zero was now officially confused. "Danish finals? Of the bunny Olympics?"

[mparkerceo]

Parker stopped and e-mailed her the link, and said, "I am not making this up! ... Also, Esme is doing frighteningly well at this."

There were carrots involved. Of course she was.

[swerval_zero]

Zero happened to have her computer in her lap, so she was soon watching... "That is the cutest sport in the entire squallin' universe." She glanced at her bird. "Why don't you do anything like that?"

"ARE YOU MY MUMMY?" Fish asked, probably loud enough to be heard over the phone.

[mparkerceo]

"I have to admit, it is," Parker said, then snickered at Fish's usual question. "Six years, you'd think he'd have it figured out or be less creepy when he asks by now. Go Esme, go!"

Look, it was a big cushion there!

[swerval_zero]

"He's teachin' ESME to do this?" Zero was thoroughly delighted. "Send video!"

[mparkerceo]

"Angelo, have you been--" He pointed at the little camera on the laptop, and Parker paused. "Hang on, I'm gonna stream this to you..."

Antics ensued. Parker laughed. A lot.

[swerval_zero]

"I wanna bunny that jumps things!" She thought Fish looked alarmed, so she assured him, "Not really." Then to the phone, "That was for Fish."

[mparkerceo]

Parker snickered. A lot. "Angelo gets to play with Esme more than I do these days, so I guess I can't really object to the two of them developing a hobby together," she said, shaking her head. Although she might have been considering what kind of accessories to get Esme for her next competition now.

"Do you think a jade-encrusted collar is too much?"

[swerval_zero]

Zero's parents had taken their millions and moved to the suburbs. Zero was not good at ostentation. "Yes. It would be heavy," she pointed out.

[mparkerceo]

"True. It might throw her off her stride," Parker mused. She considered. "We should go to the Championships and make a weekend of it. It looks like it's in September or something."