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chai-berries · 5 months ago

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Come to my Lake House (#3)

Jerry bought the cabin on the lake when Abby went into middle school. The following summer, she invited her new Salt Lake City friends out to the lake. That started the tradition of going straight from the last day of school celebrations to the lake house for a long weekend. They’d come busting in through the cabin’s french doors, dropping gym bags and jansports backpacks into a perfect trip hazard pile by the door. Grabbing a slice of watermelon that Abby helped cut up and greet Jerry, who was in charge of the grill, before splitting off to do different lake house activities.

And the lake house itself is surrounded by so many things to do. From looking for newts in the water to trying out the infamous rope swing. Hiking in the forest that surrounds the majority of the house.

Don’t forget the traditional summer games like cornhole and horseshoes. Once Jerry even set up crochet — but he had to immediately return the game for the safety of the extremely competitive friend group.

This tradition continued past high school and college and budding careers. Eventually, Jerry didn’t feel the need to tag along with them and the group continued using the lake house as a place to escape from their corporate jobs and hectic schedules.

A year into your relationship with Abby, you got to see the cabin in all it’s glory. Abby didn’t have to ask you twice when she invited you, as you’ve been craving a nice cool lake for ages, work kicking your ass. You packed your swim gear, your journals, and books to keep you entertained throughout the trip. Abby had spent the drive up to the lake chattering your ear off about all the things she wanted to show you.

She wanted to take you to a cool cliff side view about three miles from the cabin. And the fire pit with the perfect view of the sky above between the trees. She was also just genuinely excited to be with you, playing in the sun. You practically radiated the star. With your silly jokes and pretty laugh. Whenever you guys went hiking, you’d practically be skipping down the trails, playing in the spotlights of the sun along the way. Your face under the light of the bright sun gave Abby butterflies every time. She couldn’t wait to share with you all the sights she loved so much.

The lake picnic happens three days into the trip. Manny, Abby, and Jordan drag Manny’s jet skis into the water. You help Nora carry the basket of sandwiches she painstakingly made for everyone, with specialty diets considered. Everyone had their beers, sodas, and sparkling waters tucked between their legs. There’s a giant wooden raft in the middle of the lake that they were using as base. Once the food is safely put on the base, alongside Jordan and Leah who were gonna swim in the water around it, the jet skis are revved up and the races begin. Manny and Whitney get on one while Nora takes the second. Abby invites you to ride with her and how could you say no?

Once you’re situated, your thighs against hers and arms around her waist, she floors it. She starts with big circles around the lake as she gives you a scenic tour of the greenery around it. But soon after, she’s pulling tricks to make you shriek. She drives by the others, causing waves that rock them. Manny almost takes you both out when he retaliates with his own jet ski tricks. The two of them start to race, with you and Whitney holding on for dear life.

Abby drops you off at the raft before doing a switch around with Leah, who takes the jet ski and Abby goes over to join you. She plops down next to you on the edge of the raft, her legs and feet submerged in the water next to yours. You had collected a bag of chips, one Pepsi and one La Croix before you sat down and you quickly pass the sparkling water drink to her before she even notices it. She thanks you with a simple kiss on your temple.

You both sit there, talking and sunning yourselves until Manny drags Abby off to a beer chugging competition with Leah and Jordan. You and Nora get to properly catch up as you wait for Abby to come back. Smiley and a little buzzed, she does come back and she immediately holds her hand out to you.

“Let’s swim, baby!” You give in once you see she’s not drunk and you trust she won’t drown on you. You guys walk over to the corner of the raft where no one is at and jump into the lake. You do a simple dive but Abby, after waiting for you to pop back up to the surface to watch her, does a running start and cannonballs into the water with a big splash. You close your eyes as the water hits your face and don’t open them until you feel Abby’s hands at your waist.

You open your eyes to see Abby’s own eyes practically glowing with mischief, the blue darker in some places and light in others. You tell her you “love her pretty eyes” and she pinks up, pressing a smooch to your smiling lips. You push away from her to float on your back, the girl doggy paddling next to you until you guys are further away from the raft.

“Hey,” Abby rasps out against the water pushing her around. “Wanna play mermaids?”

You bark out a laugh. “Okay, but I get to be the purple-tailed one.”

Abby laughs, agreeing. “I wanted to be green anyway.”

And like two little girls, you and Abby play mermaids for what feels like hours, swimming around each other and the logs and rocks that coat the river floor.

It is when you’re laughing so hard at her impression of her “pet seahorse” that can’t stop nuzzling up to you for “pets and kisses” that you realize you hadn’t seen any of your friends in a while.

“Wait, Abby? What time is it?”

The girl pulls back and looks at her wrist where her waterproof watch shines the time back to her. “Oh, shit we’ve been over here for two hours?!” Abby’s flabbergasted face pulls a laugh out of you. You kiss her wet pout.

You guys had managed to swim pretty far away from the raft and when you finally get to it, you notice that while the coolers were still on the raft, your friends are gone. You climb onto the raft and look around. The sun’s in your eyes and you have to cup your hand by your eyes to block it out in order to see.

“HELLO??!?” Abby walks around the raft calling for Manny and Nora or anyone.

Finally you hear Manny screaming Abby’s name. You see him on land by the house, waving his arms.

“Where the hell have you guys been?” He yells across the water.

“We were swimming!” Abby yells back. She looks back at you and rolls her eyes.

You see Manny move — his hands are now placed on his hips. “You get your asses over here! Dinner is almost done! Dios mios! No me jodas! I thought you guys died!”

“Sorry, Manny!” you yell back. You then turn to Abby.

“How are we supposed to get back?” You groan. “I’m fucking exhausted from mermaids, but they took the jet skis back.”

Abby scans the area and indeed they took both jet skis back. But that doesn’t deter her.

“I’ll go swim to get the jet ski and then come back and get you.”

Now you normally would say no but you can’t argue the fact that Abby’s stamina is way higher than yours on a good day. You’re exhausted but Abby is still bouncing around, full of energy. She dives into the water and swims to a jet ski. It takes her a quick minute to mount and start it, but soon she’s cruising towards you.

“Thank you, Abs.” You take her helpful hand to climb on behind her. And you wrap your arms tight around her waist to hold on as she drives you both back to shore. Manny is still there, looking exactly like a latina mother irritated with her children. He hands you both towels and gestures for you to follow him back up to the house.

“Thanks, mom!” Abby teases Manny. She just barely dodges his smack aimed at the back of her head and ducks behind you as protection. You put your toughest face on as you guard your girlfriend. Manny laughs at your attempt and rolls his eyes. “That’s cute, sister. Like a rottweiler hiding behind a pomeranian…”

“Aye,” you scold Manny, waggling your finger at him.

“Leave my girl alone. Pomeranians are ankle biters. Which means I’mma getcha!” you put your fists up, punching the air near his face. Manny gets into a defensive pose, bopping around in place like a video game character in create mode, which makes Abby cackle behind you.

“Hey, bitches!” You three turn your heads to the house where Nora is standing in the doorway. “Food is done. Get your asses in here,” she walks back into the house.

Manny straightens up. “Best not keep the cook waiting. She hid the chocolate for the s’mores when I kept asking when dinner would be done.” His face pulls into a deep drown like a scolded child. You laugh and shove him in front of you. Abby shuffles over to walk next to you, placing her arm over your shoulder. You slide your hand around her waist and walk the rest of the way glued to the hip. Manny was inside by the time you both got to the porch stairs. You could hear him reenacting the moment he saw you guys on the raft to the rest of the crew.

“You wanna go get changed?” Abby quietly asks. You nod and follow her up the stairs to your shared bedroom. She grabs her clothes from her bag and chivalrously goes into the bathroom to change, allowing you to have the bedroom to yourself. Making do without a shower, you put on a sweatshirt and shorts.

You’re sitting on the bed, putting on socks when Abby comes back in. She’s wearing her go to track pants and the thrifted harley-davidson shirt you bought her months ago. It has holes in the collar and along other seams, but it’s soft, light, and has a picture of a half naked lady sitting on a motorcycle. So safe to say it’s one of Abby’s favorite shirts. She joins you, putting on her own wool socks. You both get up to head downstairs but she stops you in the doorway.

“Hey, wait,” she pulls you towards her until you're close enough for her to lean in and press a long kiss to your lips. You smile into it and tug Abby even closer.

She eventually pulls away and you watch her lick her lips. Her cheeks are rosy red. She doesn’t say anything, just scans her eyes all over your face.

“You good, baby?” you ask, playing with the hairs at the nape of her neck, comforting her without hesitation.

“Yeah,” Abby coughs. “I’m just, like, really gay, sorry.”

“What?!?” you squawk out. The snort that she pulls from you is embarrassing but the way Abby’s face is so serious makes it come out of you. “You're dumb as hell! God, I love you.”

“Aw,” Abby cooes. She brushes a finger along the apple of your cheek. “I like you too!”

You roll your eyes at her smirk. “Shut up!” you joke, shoving her shoulder back. She barely moves, her stance planted.

“Hey! I was kidding! C’mere! I am sorry baby!” Abby apologizes. “I love you so so much!” She kisses your temple repeatedly.

You can’t help but pout at how fast you are able to forgive her, jokes aside. You’re a fucking sap for her.

You guys head back downstairs and into the dining area where everyone is devouring Nora’s gourmet tacos. There’s a spot for you and Abby saved, with empty plates waiting. The cups are filled with something non-alcoholic that sits in a glass jug next to your place mat.

“Damn, Nora,” Abby comments when she sits down. “My plans for my dinner seem subpar to yours.”

Nora smiles. “Shut up. But thank you. I’ve made these a few times already and they hit every time. So please, y’all, eat it up!”

The rest of the table cheers unanimously and then they settle back down, eating and enjoying the company around the table as the sun sets. It turns into twilight, then dusk, before everyone finally disperses from the table. Since tonight is Jordan and Leah’s turn to do dishes, Abby invites you to sit outside with her. The stars are bright out here and you take a moment to look at all of them in the sky. Abby takes that time to look at you.

“Do you know any of the stars?” She asks

You continue looking upwards. “I wish but no. You?”

“Nah,” she clicks her tongue. “I was honestly hoping you’d know.”

You laugh at her response, looking away from the sky. Abby’s holding back a smile when you look at her. She points over your shoulder.

“We have some chairs over here.”

There are lounge chairs sitting on an overlook of a small cement patio and campfire area. Abby tells you about building the fire pit a few summers ago with her dad. She sits down on one and before she even has time to say something, you nudge her thigh with your knee.

You look positively bashful. Abby’s thankful for the lanterns surrounding the area that alight your face for her. “Can I sit with you?”

“Of course, yeah, c’mere,” Abby scoots a bit back on the chair and spreads her legs so you can sit between them. You eagerly settle in against her warm chest. It’s not too hot or cold tonight — perfect summer night weather. She wraps her arms around your shoulders. Goosebumps arise on her skin where your hands run down her arms until you bring her forearms up to your chin, encouraging her to snuggle closer. Abby smiles into the back of your head and she tightens her arms around you. You both lay there, Abby pressing random kisses onto your head and you respond to them with kisses of your own to her arm.

“Thanks for coming up here with me. I know it can be a bit overwhelming with everyone but I’m happy you’re here,” Abby says into the night. You lean your head back so you can look up at Abby. She looks down at you, instinctively closing her eyes when you put a hand on her cheek.

“Thank you for inviting me. I’ve been having a lot of fun. It’s nice to see the crew… unleashed.” You shoot her a wry grin. Abby knows exactly what you’re referencing as she was also witness to Leah and Manny’s rock, paper, scissors turned arm wrestle turned into actual wrestling over who got to have the big inflatable dragon. Apparently, Abby had told you, they had to take turns because this wasn’t the first inflatable those two fought over but it is the only one that still inflates.

Abby leans her head back, groaning. “God I was so embarrassed when they did that!”

You snort. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” Abby shrugs, looking sheepish. “I wanted to impress you with this trip and there goes my best friends fighting over an inflatable floatie.”

“What are you talking about?” You move your entire body 90 degrees around so you can look at her, your legs now swung over one of Abby’s. There’s an exasperated but extremely adorable expression on your face. “I love your friends. They are your family. And they’re funny as hell. You have to come camping with my family — we get crazy on the river. Just you wait,” you hum, looking up at the sky.

Abby slyly leans closer to you. She can’t help the grin that grows on her face. “Yeah? I’m going camping with your family now?”

You look over at her and smile. “I mean yeah, my family already invited you without me even asking. It’s going to be twenty of us so you better be prepared for that whole circus,” you tease. Abby shares your smile. She’s met some of your family but only in short bursts. She met a few of them before you guys even started officially dating. They loved her as much as she loved them. “Just be prepared for the fly fishing because it’s a requirement while camping with us.”

Abby scoffs. “Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll catch the biggest fish.”

You cup her cheek and bring her face closer to yours. “I’m sure you will, baby.” You coo. You lean forward and press your lips against hers in a slow kiss. She keeps you there with a hand on your neck, nudging your lips open with hers, your tongue enthusiastically meeting hers. You can’t help the moan you let out that vibrates against Abby’s lips, encouraging her own moans. It’s deep, slow, and full of love as she keeps you firmly tethered to her. When you finally pull away, it’s to look at Abby’s pretty face in the flickering lantern lights.

“Did you know,” you start. Your hand is still on Abby’s cheek and you take the time to delicately brush your thumb against the apple of her cheek. “That you are so fucking pretty?” You lean in to kiss her freckled cheek. The smooch is exaggeratedly loud in order to bring a laugh out of Abby. She pretends to lean away from you but is secretly enjoying the attention you give her face as you lay kisses all over her face, repeating “so pretty” under your breath after each kiss.

You continue to smooch her face until she is giggling so hard that you can’t stop smiling at the sound, which makes keeping your lips puckered very difficult. You reluctantly pull away, taking the time to brush loose hair from Abby’s face. Her giggles subside and she watches as you comb her hair back.

The stars and tree line behind you give Abby a view she could stare at all day, your soft expression as you look at her warming her more than any bonfire could. This is exactly what she wanted when she invited you to come up here with her. You, her, the stars, the soundtrack of a summer night floating around you. No work, no appointments. No other distractions besides her best friends, who adore you and have no problem leaving you two alone to enjoy your time together. No real interruptions for an entire week. And Abby is going to take full advantage of the full week to love on you as much as she can.

She presses a kiss to your cheek. “C’mon,” she gestures for you to go back to your earlier positions, your back against her front. You both spend the rest of the evening sharing kisses and inventing random constellations out of the stars above you.

#🏕️ 🧜‍♀️ 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩🌌🇺🇸#the format is a little wonky but i’m gonna blame the internet and not my formatting skills <3 #abby anderson x reader #abby anderson #abby brainrot era #mads’ headcanons #abby anderson fluff #the number game #number 3

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elderberries-and-honey · 9 months ago

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After the shock wore off, Winifred invited both men inside for tea. Harold, who insisted she call him Harry instead, was incredibly thankful for the hospitality after their travels, and he and Winifred got on straight away.

They shared stories of their mother & sister happily and seemed genuinely curious about each other’s lives. As they talked, they began to notice little quirks in each other's mannerisms that made both of them realise Alice's spirit was still alive and well within them.

Lawrence listened curiously, watching his wife warm up to her Uncle the more they got to know each other.

Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set over the hillside, a beautiful orange glow cascading into the dining room, and as they chatted and drank their way through an entire pot of tea, they almost forgot any mention of money or business.

However, not everyone at the table was keen on taking a stroll down memory lane.

Gerald didn’t bother to remove his hat or drink a single drop of tea; he seemed to have no intention to make himself cozy in their home. Instead, he lowered his head and glowered the whole time, arms crossed as some sort of defense mechanism, not uttering a word until he’d finally had enough of their small talk.

He leaned in towards Harry, bushy eyebrows somehow furrowing even tighter before speaking. “Shall I remind you of the reason we’re here, brother?” He enquired, impatiently.

Harry sighed, bringing his hands together before he explained everything, starting with the night Alice first fled the Bloomsburg home.

Of course, Winifred had heard this story as a girl, and later on, began asking questions once she was old enough to be curious about her mother's family and where she came from. Hearing it through an unfiltered lens as an adult was very different though, and somehow worse than she’d ever thought. As Harry recounted the tale, she realised just how cruel her maternal grandmother had truly been to her mother.

As he continued, he informed them that unbeknownst to anyone, Herbert, Winifred’s grandfather, never wrote Alice out of the will as he was instructed by his wife and she was the heir to both his vast fortune and successful business, however neither could be turned over to her until Ada passed away, and she outlived her husband for many years. It seemed he had less than traditional beliefs and wanted his daughter to be able to support herself without needing a husband to do it for her.

But, after a series of faulty investments, it seemed the company had become less than profitable over the years and was due to go under at any moment.

"So you mean to tell us that my wife has inherited the Bloomsburg fortune?" Lawrene asked, more enthusiasm in his tone than Winifred would have liked.

"Well technically speaking, Mr. Baudelaire, since Miss Winifred is married, you have." Harry answered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

For the first time since they'd sat at the table, Gerald chuckled darkly to himself. "Rightfully so, if you ask me. Leaving this company to a woman in the first place was a load of codswallop."

"But neither Mrs. Baudelaire or I know the first thing about running a business, much less one doomed to fail." Lawrence replied, paying no mind to Gerald's terribly sexist comment.

Both Bloomsburg brothers went on to explain a deal of sorts. If the Baudelaire's signed the company over to them, they would take over the legalities of closing a business, and handle all other affairs concerning the estate, if they split the inheritance with them.

While the men discussed the finer details, Winifred sat in her chair silently. She didn't care about the business itself, truthfully she wanted nothing to do with any of it, even the money. But Lawrence hadn't even stopped to ask what she thought, or consider her feelings on the matter.

Quietly, she excused herself outside for a breath of fresh air and time to process everything she’d learn that afternoon.

It felt queer to doubt what seemed to be a once in a lifetime chance to escape poverty, for her husband never to work long hours or do back breaking work. To send her children to school and give them a life of opportunities that she could have never imagined even in her wildest dreams. It was surreal to envision such a different life, and as she tried to picture it, she could only think of her mother who had been robbed of it.

After a while, Harry came out to find her. “May I sit?” He asked, gesturing to the seat next to her on the wooden bench. She nudged Thistle out of the way and scooted over to give him some room to join her.

“I know we don’t know each other all that well, Winifred, but I did know your mother’s face; how you resemble her…it’s as if I'm looking at a photograph." He smiled to himself at how true it was before observing her expression again. "And I can recall the look on her face when something puzzled her. Will you tell me your troubles?”

As she looked back at Harry, she wasn't sure what to expect. It wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination for him to be disinterested in her concerns and only inquiring over her dismay out of politeness.

Except, instead of a troubled expression like her own, she only saw a face wanting to comfort. She had not seen that face for such a long time, and she was surprised to recognize it so easily, for she too recognized Alice's face in his own.

“I…I don’t know what to make of this.” She admitted once she decided she could trust his intentions. “But my husband has already made up his mind and since I am just a woman, it seems I have no say in the matter.”

Harry listened while she expressed her concerns until he was sure she'd gotten out all that she needed to say. It felt nice to be vulnerable with someone, her relief over having someone to express these things to was almost tangible.

In return, he shared with her how nearly inseparable he and Alice had once been, how much he missed her, and that he regretted not doing more to keep in contact with her before she passed.

Afterwards, he turned to her with a bittersweet expression, pain and regret glowing in his eyes, yet a subtle softness painted on his lips. "I might not have spoken to your mother for a long time, Winifred, but I do know this... everything she did, she did for you. She would want you to have a good life, no matter what."

"Even if that means taking money from my very estranged family?" She asked with a slight laugh, noticing how ridiculous it sounded to say out loud.

He chuckled, also realising the ludicrousness of the situation. "Even then." He assured her.

“And, Miss Winifred, if I may say one more thing, don't pay any mind to my brother. He's nothing but a chuckle head, you understand?” He added, waving his hand as if to dismiss his older brother. Winifred giggled in response, feeling much less guilty than she had only moments ago. "You are more than just 'some woman'. You are Alice Monet's daughter."

Before Winifred could ask what he meant by that or how he came to know the last name her mother had chosen for herself, he reached inside the pocket of his coat to retrieve what at first glance appeared to be a crumpled piece of paper. "I thought you might want this." He said, handing it to her quickly.

There in her hands was a photograph of herslef as a girl, dated February 13th, 1876 - her 7th birthday. "I found it while going through my father's things." He mumbled, trying to hide a playful smile before heading back inside.

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