Work Text:
It was agonisingly loud. Horrifically even.
Babies, toddlers, children ran about in disharmony, running around the play structure with constant screams and shouts which always followed with the odd wail when a child hit another when coming down the swirly colourful slide.
Alicent Hightower scowled from her place at the make-shift desk at the gate, avoiding every obnoxiously bright poster of the Wacky Warehouse’s mascot as her fingers lazily brushed against the clipboard which had guests names and signatures on. God, she was bored, but it was either here or work at the cafe section.
“Fuck my life,” Alicent grumbled, massaging her fingers into her temples once a shrill hit her ears once again - she genuinely believed she was going deaf due to this job - Then all troubles stopped once a woman came in, slightly older it seemed yet still beautiful, pushing a pram while having two energetic brown-haired boys at her side.
Alicent attempted to hide her grimace and moodiness, but she still slouched, huffing lazily as she grasped a pen and tapped idly against the wood of the clipboard once the woman came close with a weary smile on her face.
“Hiya, I think I booked in three?”
“Mhm,” Alicent grimaced, pinching the bridge of her nose instinctively at the harsh attitude. She gave the beautiful woman a weak tight-lipped smile that seemed so painfully British, running the end of the pen down the tables to find a name before realising she never received one, “Sorry, what’s your name?”
“Oh, sorry, should be booked for Rhaenyra Stro—Targaryen,” Rhaenyra had corrected herself, giving the worker her own smile while pushing the pram slightly to prevent any cries from the infant concealed by the hood of the object.
Alicent hummed as her gaze fell onto the whining yet eager boys who were clawing at the gate, eyes widening with stars at the large play structure just within reach. She shook her head, wondering the tip of her index finger down before nodding to herself with a lazy huff—ticking it, before setting the pen down.
“Two hours, red wristband,” Alicent’s voice was forced, too tired of repeating the same work-enforced lines every second of every day. However, Rhaenyra didn’t seem to mind, shamelessly checking the worker out as she was passed the red wristbands to place on her son's wrists.
They locked eyes for a moment — Alicent nearly snorted when the song (I just) died in your arms tonight began to play, shaking her head as she managed to barely soften her facial features to hardly hit the button on the wall. The gate opened due with ease to the two boys eager shoving, allowing Rhaenyra and her family to head through to the overstimulating structure.
Not before Rhaenyra turned and looked back with a little smirk.
Alicent rolled her eyes, looking down at the clipboard again to finish off some minor notes before she leaned on the counter in utter boredom. Her face contorted into a sneer when she locked eyes with a random cardboard cut-out of a character from Kpop demon lovers, or whatever it was — it was disgusting, it made Alicent genuinely want to die whenever the loud colours met her eyes.
“Hightower! You’re on cafe!” A shout from her co-worker woke Alicent up from her whines, and she genuinely wanted to bolt. But to her luck, she merely sighed, slipping through the employee-only counter to reach the cafe.
She was in hell.
Alicent was barely there for five minutes and she had already had to deal with presumptuous parents who yelled at her for not having the haribos they wanted in stock — greedy fat cunt, was what Alicent really wanted to say to some of them.
Then came Rhaenyra, having the worlds most longest debate on fucking fruitshoots. They had two flavours, orange and blackcurrant, yet she made an excuse every time she placed one on the countertop; just to take it back.
“Jace wouldn’t like orange—but he dislikes blackcurrant.”
“Hm, Luke wouldn’t be pleased with either..”
“Oh my god, it’s a fucking fruitshoot—“ Alicent’s eyes widened at what she had said aloud, head shooting up to meet the slightly startled Rhaenyra who had one blackcurrant and one orange fruitshoots placed on the counter with a six month old asleep in her arms.
“I’m so sorry—“
Rhaenyra snorted. She shook her head as she bit her lips, waving a free hand out before burying her face within her son’s brown curls to with-hold her laughter, “it’s — it’s fine, you’re right.”
Alicent’s own lips twitched even as she looked around quickly to see if her boss was around - she wasn’t - Then her hand reached forwards to grasp the card scanner, putting in the total before Rhaenyra reached a hand out.
“Can I get a coffee? No, tea, no, uh, Americano—“
“You are killing me here.”
“Latte, please,” Rhaenyra said breathlessly, grinning as Alicent turned around to fiddle with the coffee machine while getting one of the cardboard coffee cups. Rhaenyra watched, lazily drifting her gaze over the back of the worker before pinching herself on the wrist — startling her son which resulted in a constant stream of hushes.
“Here,” Alicent murmured when she placed down the steaming cup, about to offer to help the woman who clearly had her hands full before her sons rushed over with excited and infectious grins — Alicent was immune to it, she saw too much everyday and it drove her insane.
Alicent lazily nipped her nail polish off whilst Rhaenyra paid weakly before the boys - she presumed Jace and Luke - had grasped their fruit shoot and eagerly drank it before setting off again into the ball pit to attack random other children. Alicent’s eyebrows furrowed before she reluctantly uttered:
“I can take these to you, if you’d like?”
“Bless, thank you, sweetheart.”
The world rolled off Rhaenrya's tongue with ease while Alicent blinked in shock for a moment before clearing her throat. Her hand grasped the cup carefully while managing to gather up the half-drunken bottles and followed Rhaenyra to the table she was seated at. Alicent idly manoeuvred through the copious amounts of bags, coats and shoes littered around in the seating spots before being able to set down the drinks.
“You’re lovely,” Rhaenyra grinned lazily, quietly placing the wide-awake baby in the borrowed high-chair and turning to stare at Alicent who’s cheeks stilled carried a hint of redness from the pet name—but she was still in a mood, so the resting bitch face returned.
It seemed Rhaenyra wished to say more, her fingers itching towards her phone as if going to give Alicent her phone number - she wasn’t, she was going to see her messages but Alicent really wanted the milf’s phone number - but they were interrupted by a worried looking Luke.
“Mama, Jace fell off the swing now he’s crying —“
Rhaenyra rushed off without a thought, leaving Luke with his baby brother which meant Alicent stood like a fool. She narrowed her eyes at the child who interrupted her moment before groaning loudly when she saw more people at the front now.
“Hightower, gate!”
“I know!”
Alicent staggered off to the desk, grasping the clipboard and preparing to press the button for a random large family before her head turned — meeting Rhaenyra’s gaze again.
Rhaenyra winked while pressing tissues to her son’s tear-soaked cheeks and Alicent wondered about what the fuck had just happened.
“Fuck my life.” Alicent whispered before attempting her best friendly grin.