i know i haven't updated in a million years but have this underwhelming drabble to cure that ok

y'know the usual shabang: pls leave kudos, comments, reviews, read my other fics, all that shameless self promotion and pleas for compliments/reassurrance

also message me on tumblr w any prompts or comments or concerns too (feliznavihart) (merry xmas let pretend new years isnt a thing)

"Maya, this is illegal."

Technically speaking, you are right. She knows that you are right, but still tries to remind you that the two of you are only breaking into the local McDonald's, not robbing a bank. Plus, you aren't even breaking in violently. Maya has a key.

Well, Riley has a key.

She had petitioned to the manager that the play place needed a supervisor a few weeks ago after landing a job as a cashier. Being Riley, she immediately noticed the lack of McDonald's employee supervision as toddlers roamed freely through tubes on the other side of the building.

("What if they fall?" "What if a parent leaves to get their tray and their little baby needs help?" "How could you do that to a child?")

She'd worked a total of four days behind the register before they created the position for her so that she wouldn't report their irresponsibility to corporate headquarters- and, as expected, as soon as they gave Riley the set of keys for the outside doors leading exclusively to the play place, Maya was creating plans to abuse them for a night.

("Huckleberry, we have to break in.)

("Maya, no.)

("Maya, yes.)

Her defense to you when you asked why she was trying to drag you to prison was, "I need to enjoy the freeness of plastic tubes without toddlers blocking my way all the freakin' time." She even gave you a cute little scoff and angry huff when she told you that. Obviously, you couldn't argue with her logic.

"Oh, c'mon, Moral Compass. Live a little!" Maya ignores your warnings while approaching the entrance. "If you really didn't want to come, you didn't have to."

You were never in a million years going to let Maya commit a crime in the middle of the night on her own, and she knows that. You'd been following her around since the summer after seventh grade and going into twelfth, you weren't stopping now.

Maya creeps up to the door with the keys out and ready, the most excited smile that you've ever seen on her lips as she slips them into the lock.

"Y'know, Shortstack, I'm only going along with this because you're the actual size of a seven year old, right?"

"Would you shut up, Eagle Scout? Come and play with me!"

You knew before coming on this adventure that Maya absolutely adores playgrounds. She forces you to visit parks with her at two in the morning weekly, and the best part is that she's the perfect height for every bit of equipment.

Therefore, she's the perfect height for making fun of her height.

Her forcing you, per se, isn't even entirely true, either, because you can't say that running around with her while she giggles and flashes the biggest and brightest smile you've ever seen is the worst thing in this world.

Hell, even if you could, you wouldn't do it.

You follow the swaying mess of blonde hair that runs straight to the entrance of the jungle gym without hesitation, hearing a squeal echoing the empty room as she kicks off her shoes.

"Come on, Huckleberry! Race me through the tubes!"