02-Nov-2001
Tradition #2: Haunted House 216AC
"What happened?" Quatre asked anxiously, meeting the troupe of chibis as they exited the black-tarped haunted house. Tristan was hugging his sobbing little sister to his side; Dylan Maxwell was trailing shortly behind, almost reluctantly, looking extremely guilty and sorry.
"It's my fault, Uncle Quatre," the 7-year old piped up before any of the others could answer.
His sister glared back at him, holding little Calista's hand. "Dylan jumped out in front of Callie and scared her," Mara Jade explained, guiding the crying child over to her father.
"I didn't mean to!" Dylan cried out in self-defense. "I mean, I didn't think she'd get so scared!"
"It's okay, Dylan," Trinity smoothed back her brother's sweaty, unruly bangs away from his face. "It was pretty scary in there. Callie knows you didn't mean to upset her."
"Hmphf."
"I was just playing!" the boy continued.
"She jumped and fell down," Tristan explained to his father who was cradling the 6-year old. "I think she scraped her knee but she wouldn't show me."
"She'll be fine," Triton announced, hanging back behind Trinity and Dylan.
"Auh, c'mon, baby. It'll be okay," Quatre cooed, rocking the girl from side-to-side. "Your dads are over at the target booths," he told the rest of the children.
"Ooh! I wonder if there are any good prizes!" Trinity cried before racing off in the game booths' direction.
Quatre smiled, hugging his daughter to him as he followed the other excited children back in the direction he'd just come from. Between the five men, they'd pretty much cleaned out all the booths already.
The End
Andrea Readwolf
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