Hawke should have suspected Leandra would find a new way to punish her. After being caught sneaking in the house after hours, her mother had decided they needed to spend the day together as a family. The renewed bond would help them work out the kinks in their relationship, Hawke was promised. However, when it turned out both Bethany and Carver needed to work, Leandra had decided that visiting them would be a fun excursion.
Which meant going to the one place Hawke hated above all: Happy World Land.
She honestly hadn't minded the place as a kid, but now 17, she felt it was silly to spend her afternoon at an amusement park.
As Leandra dragged her from exhibit to exhibit looking for her other two children, Hawke watched the people around her, hoping desperately to run into one of her friends.
She had nodded appreciatively as Seamus as she watched his father lecture them as they walked on, Seamus eating cotton candy and trying to ignore him. She had sent him a quick text of "hang in there, bro".
When Leandra made her watch the cartoonish production of the 1st blight, she had turned her head and noticed the crowd of people wearing ghastly neon green shirts that read "6th annual Theirin/Mac Tir Family Fun Day!". She met the glance of her neighbor Loghain and they shared a grimace as the crowd cheered around them.
As they went on, Hawke saw Anders and wanted to say hello. She waved, but Anders was too busy with his new boyfriend to notice her.
"Nathaniel! You're such a good archer, why can't you hit that target?"
"It's fixed, I tell you. I should be able to hit that from twice the distance!"
"You told me you would win me that bear!"
"I will still, pet, but it's going to cost me twice the amount as if I had just bought it…yes dear. Sir, another two games, please?"
Hawke smirked and sent Anders another quick text: "Go easy on him."
A few minutes later, she saw an unhappy Fenris in line for the carousel, a girl she didn't recognize on his arm, fawning over him. She was smoothing out his hair and he tried to keep a straight face. He made eye contact with Hawke and she shrugged, making a slight face at him. He affectionately flipped her off and went back to his new love interest as she pointed out the horse she wanted them to share.
It was at that moment that Leandra spotted Aveline just outside of a lemonade stand. She brought Hawke over, who blushed slightly and protested. Their eyes met and both look down at their shoes, Aveline scuffling her shoe in the dirt.
"Hello Mrs. Hawke," Aveline said awkwardly, "It's nice to see you."
"I hear you and my daughter had quite the adventure last night," Leandra said, folding her arms, "I caught her coming in through the bathroom window last night, drunk as a skunk."
Aveline went scarlet, "I am sorry, Mrs. Hawke, I'll try to take better care of her next time."
"Are you here by yourself?" Hawke asked.
"I was here with Dad," Aveline said, "But he wasn't feeling well…and I didn't quite feel like going home…"
Hawke smiled sadly at her and nodded.
"Why don't you come with us, then?" Leandra said cheerfully, "I always want to get to know my children's friends. We'll have a lovely time."
Aveline looked to Hawke who nodded.
The two teens followed behind Leandra as they made their way to the water park, their arms linked as they went through the crowd. Aveline giggled as she pointed out the golem dressed in park uniform, chasing after a pigeon with a broom.
"You will not crap in my lovely park! Get out of here, foul creature!"
Leandra beamed, "Look! There's Bethany! Doesn't she look lovely?"
Leandra was right. Bethany looked right in place in swimsuit and sunglasses, watching over the children swimming as she worked on her tan. She waved at them, but then turned back and whistled.
"Connor! Stop trying to drown that boy. I'm warning you, if don't you stop that right now-"
"She seems busy," Leandra said diplomatically, "Let's go see Carver. He should be nearby too."
Indeed he was, dressed as a giant penguin and struggling with the children who kept trying to climb over him. In a singsong voice, he tried to ask them to stop, but they simply ignored him.
"Doesn't he look so adorable," Leandra said cheerfully, "I remember I made him a little pj set that looked just like that once. Wasn't he so cute then, Marian?"
"Yes mom," Hawke answered, giggling behind her hand.
"Marian, why don't you get us some ice cream? I'm just going to say hello to Carver. He seems like he could use a bit of adult company."
Aveline and Hawke went off together, looking for an ice cream stand. What they saw instead was Merrill and Isabela getting in line for a massive wooden roller coaster. Merrill was bouncing up and down in excitement, Isabela laughing beside her.
"Okay," Merrill said, "We do this one three times and then we go to the one that spins us and then we go to the water slides and then we get some funnel cake!"
"Alright, kitten, though I don't think you'll want the funnel cake after all of that. Oh look, there's Hawke! And the battering ram."
Aveline flipped Isabela off as they came over to say hello.
"I heard you got busted," Isabela said with a smirk, "Surprised to see the Warden let you out after all."
"Oh, she's still here, she's just sent us on an errand we're going to take our time getting back from."
"Oh come with us on this one," Merrill said cheerfully, "Just a quick little ride. I love this one, it's my absolute favourite."
"That's what you said about the last three," Isabela reminded.
Aveline looked at Hawke and smiled, "Want to?"
Hawke's heart flipped a little, "Yeah, let's do it."
The four girls raced to the ride, which thankfully was quite empty. Isabela and Merrill went to the front of the four seater and Aveline sat beside Hawke. As the guards went down, Hawke felt a little panic and Aveline squeezed her hand affectionately. They looked at each other with a smile as the ride jerked forth.
The ride clicked as they went up the hill, Merrill's arms already in the air and Isabela went to tell her to keep them in when they plummeted down. Hawke screamed and laughed and squeezed Aveline's hand tighter. Aveline looked over with a smile as they started on the next hill.
At the apex of the hill, Hawke's heart pounded. Right as the car began to speed, she reached over and kissed Aveline. They parted, grinning as the ride plummeted and they screamed with the other two as they made their way down the track and to the end of the ride.
Merrill jumped out of the car, "Let's go grab our pictures!"
Hawke paled, "Pictures?"
On the various screens around them, Hawke immeadiately saw their car. Merrill with her arms up, Isabela winking at the camera, and Aveline and Hawke mid kiss and grinning.
Isabela elbowed Hawke and grinned, "You dog."
Aveline blushed and she and Hawke ran out, holding hands. Hawke noticed out of the corner of her eye Isabela going to the counter.
At the end of the line, she saw Leandra standing there, arms folded, Carver attempting to do the same within the confines of the penguin suit.
Isabela ran out and said, "Sorry, Mrs. Hawke. We ran into them and made her go on the ride. Let me treat you all to the ice cream, we'll make up for it."
Leandra's face softened, "That will be lovely. Come on, then, let's all go for a treat."
As they walked off towards an ice cream stand, Carver waddling beside them, Isabela slipped the folded photograph in Hawke's pocket. Hawke looked up at her and Isabela winked, racing ahead to Merrill, who was skipping in front of them.
She unfolded the photograph. She smiled. Maybe she didn't hate this place as much as she once thought.