(no subject)

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ it's after his meet-up with his supervisor that he gets a call from robin to babysit alice. of course he says 'yes' -- he has nothing planned for the day & would never consciously turn down time with his niece. & like he told robin before, more free air should do him some good; who knows, if he's feeling better in mind, the body might follow. (he didn't really believe that since the damage from the accident has been said to be absolute, but a little bit of feigned hope wasn't too heavy to carry around.)

that's the context to their current scenario: at the park with alice, doing whatever she wants until it's time for lunch & ice cream. time with uncle nick is the time to get spoiled, so he doesn't worry too much about feeding her nutritional things; he's pretty sure his mom sis has that covered anyway. ]

Comments

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ raises her arms up more to show her delight. ]

Good! I want to be just like uncle.

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ reaches over to carefully give her a pat on the head. ]

Yeah? I think you're pretty close already.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ wiggles her fingers at him, trying to stretch out so he can help her down. ]

So I can be an archi-- arcee-- [ stops wiggling her fingers, thinking. when she thinks she's got it: ] Arch-ee-tectur?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

Very good. [ loops his arms around her so he can tuck her close to his chest (not really trust his hands to carry someone so precious properly--) so that he can get her down as requested. bends down to a knee so that he can set her down properly. ]

And sure. If that's what you want to do when you grow up.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

I want to be just like uncle! But I am only five years old! [ pauses. thinks about it... ] When can I be an arch-ee-tectur?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ gives her hair a ruffle & then pulls away to look like he's thinking. ]

Hm. Probably when you're as old as your uncle is. So you have a long time to prepare.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ reaches for his hand. ]

How old is uncle?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ takes it, curling his fingers around hers as best as he can. ]

Hm. How about you guess first?

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ lifts their hands up enough so she can (awkwardly) try to twirl around. (it's more like shuffling, but--) ]

More than ten.

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ quirks a smile at her antics & tries to help her along, guiding her movement with his arm's. ]

Exactly right.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ skips a little here and there, yammering absently as she goes along: ]

Okay. I can't count more than ten. So uncle is ten plus another number...

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ raises a brow. ]

Can my doodlebug add already?

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ nod nod nod. ]

One plus one is two. One plus two is three. One plus three is four...

[ stops her skipping, squinting a little as she tries to rack her brain for the next number. ] Uh...

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ waits for a moment before deciding to help out (lest he have a heart attack from the cuteness): ]

One plus four is?

1/2

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ looks down at her free hand, counting on her fingers. ]

Four is one and one and one and one... so one more one would be...

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ lightbulb goes off, jerking her head upward. ]

Five!

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ huffs out an amused breath of laughter. ]

Perfect. So what would you like for your prize?

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ bounces a little in place, clearly pleased. ]

Ice cream, please!

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ raises an eyebrow. ]

We're getting ice cream after lunch. Are you sure you want more?

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ contemplates her options. and then: ]

Can I have a hug instead?

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ stops to blink down at her briefly & then gently pries his hand from hers. squats down & opens his arms, gesturing. ]

How about I give you two? One for now, and another for later.

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ automatically waddles into his hug, wrapping her arms around him as best as possible. her words are a little muffled as her face plants itself into his chest. ]

Yes please!

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ hugs back gently, giving her a little squeeze at the end. ]

You can pick when you want the next one, okay?

[butterflydoodle.livejournal.com]

[ nods up at him, giving the thumbs up after she pulls away. ]

Good idea, uncle. You are the smartest.

[ ... and then she scurries away to go play on the swings again. ]

[cityblocks.livejournal.com]

[ gets back to his feet & walks after her at a leisurely pace. at least up until he spots the drinking fountain nearby. glances briefly at alice & then decides that a drink wouldn't hurt.

this is the worst choice he'll make in his life. turns away briefly to take that drink of water, fiddling with the handle a little when he finds that the water is barely coming out as a trickle. ]