houseofpast_rp | Late Summer/Early Autumn 1987 || let's go to the beach beach

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Late Summer/Early Autumn 1987 || let's go to the beach beach

There's just a little bit of a chill in the air that's starting to touch the waters. That's what Rachel's using as a partial excuse for the long-sleeved nature of her swimsuit, at least. Andrew had accepted the statement with a smile that only just hinted at the worry behind it-- he was just glad she was coming out with them at all, at this point. She'd been cooped up and more than a little withdrawn from the for too long.

But she's easing out of the heartache, now. She's stopping short of making her way all the way to the shoreline because she's too busy taking in the beauty of the water.

"Oh, it's beautiful."

"Told you so," Andrew says with a rough kiss to her cheek, "C'mon. Let's go play."

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It's not perfect. It would be better if Rachel were feeling more comfortable--more open. But, really, it's so much better that she's out here at all that he can't begin to think of complaining.

Besides, it's been too long since the four of them went out and just enjoyed themselves. Too long since they all actually relaxed the way children are supposed to.

Argine, for her own part, has literally let down her hair, laugh soft on her lips as she moves to set out the blankets properly on the sand. Edgar, for his own part, is absolutely not going to wait for that, just dropping the bags he'd been carrying and tugging off his coat. "Race you t' the waves."

"You're on," Andrew says with a grin as he sets his own bags down, careful not to get sand all over the blankets Argine is working on.

"Need help, 'gine?" Rachel queries her best friend.

Because if she doesn't, Andrew's absolutely going to tug his cousin down to the water with him.

"I'm good," Argine replies cheerfully enough, kneeling to smooth at the corners. "I'll meet you down there."

Because racing won't actually get her there that much faster. The beach is hardly the largest thing in the universe.

Which isn't at all stopping Edgar from bolting down toward the water with a cheerful whoop.

"All right," Rachel agrees with a hum, shrugging off the dress she'd been wearing over her swimsuit.

"C'mon, Rach," Andrew will tug at his cousin's hand insistently, before starting a dash down towards the water himself.

Rachel will shake her head with a faint hint of amusement in her eyes before taking off at a run as well.

Edited 2014-07-14 15:56 (UTC)

The water isn't so far that it isn't fallen into quickly--shirt and pants and all. Which, of course, is part of why Argine's still up with the blankets--to pull out the towels they'll all need and the change of clothes Mrs Eicheln packed with full knowledge her eldest didn't know how to wait to change properly into swim trunks.

It also means Argine will, at least for now, be the only one not getting dragged into the ocean and splashed at.

She won't get dragged in. She will, however, be called down by both Andrew and Rachel once it looks like she's got things more settled.

In between the shrieking that comes as a result of Andrew splashing his cousin, that is.

And down Argine will come, grinning ruefully and settling in the sand just where the dry grains start to turn into wet sand. No sense all of them getting drenched.

Much sense, however, in Edgar dragging Andrew down under the water only to burst back up laughing.

Andrew will come back up sputtering and with a thirst for revenge. It's hard to tackle his best friend when he's still working his way back up again, but he can give him a good shove, or at the very least a good splash.

Which will earn a bright laugh from Rachel, free in a way that it hasn't been in a while.

And that? That's all distracting. It's distracting for Argine to watch Andrew come up shaking water from his hair. It's distracting for Edgar to hear Rachel actually properly laugh again.

It's absolutely a good way to spend the day.

And it's something they'll have to drag Edgar away from once the air starts to get cool and it's time to come out of the water.

They all have their moments of distraction. Andrew will go momentarily speechless when he catches the light hitting Argine's hair at just the right angle. Rachel will have hers when Edgar finally ditches his shirt.

And she'll definitely help to coerce Edgar out of the water again.

"C'mon, Ed. 's cold!"

At least the giddiness of a day properly relaxing to themselves will make the slight haziness feel less obvious. It's just relaxing that has Argine faintly flushed and content when she hands Andrew a towel. It's just enjoying the day that has Edgar pausing, shirtless, to just grin with a crooked smile up the beach at Rachel.

It will all feel completely obvious looking back. Now, it all just feels painfully confusing somewhere deep in the pit of guts.

"'s fine. Y're all really done?"

"Looks like."

Though she can't quite check, because the way he smiles at her makes her feel like her stomach is doing backflips. It's an odd sensation to handle.

Luckily, Andrew will be getting over his own moment of being flustered by Argine handing him the towel, so he can fill the pause that almost ensues with a familiar refrain, "'m hungry, Ed. Let's go."

What more can there possibly be in life? What's better than these golden moments of having nothing to worry about but each other?

It takes a moment to get his pants changed from behind the towel. "You guys go. I'll catch up."

Argine isn't remotely adverse, clearly. One hand pats at Andrew's elbow in gentle prompting. Walking ahead would be a good thing, right?

"All right." So Andrew will be off, falling in step with Argine almost unconsciously.

It's Rachel that lingers behind. Finds her heart leaping quite suddenly as he gets changed and starts to follow after her cousin, herself.

She's considerably slower than the two ahead, though. Almost as if she were more than half waiting for him to catch up.

It's so easy, having someone to walk next to. It's even wonderful, Argine's been realizing, when that person is Andrew. Even moving silently and slowly, when it's just the two of them, there's something genuinely contenting about it.

And, in Edgar's book, there's something heart-stopping and overjoying about seeing Rachel waiting for him. Not waiting standing still, no, but definitely waiting.

It takes a tiny bit of trotting to catch up, one arm slinging boldly around her shoulders. "Hey."

She's expecting him to show up at her side-- hoping for it, really. Which means that when he falls into step beside her and his arm finds its way across her shoulders, she'll ignore the leap in her heart that's one part fear and two parts general excitement and looks up at him with a smile.

"Hey."

It's a smile that, unbeknownst to the two of them, is being mirrored on her cousin's face as he steals the occasional glance Argine's way.

Edited 2014-07-23 22:20 (UTC)

The smile is all that matters. The fact she doesn't push him off is also completely wonderful. It keeps his own grin contentedly in place as he gives her the tiniest bit of a squeeze. "You had a good time today?"

Up ahead, Argine is missing the mirrored smile as she glances over her shoulder back at the other pair. "Hey." Her fingers reach gently to catch at Andrew's for a tiny squeeze. "Look at that."

Andrew will glance back as well, his smile turning into a proper beam at the sight, "Well, what d'you know."

Finally, he almost adds-- but he doesn't think he really needs to.

It's a sentiment of which the two other young people are blissfully unaware, because Rachel is doing her level best to get herself able to settle more properly against his side without freaking herself out.

"I did. Thanks for actually getting us all out here."

Both her and Andrew-- albeit her, more specifically-- had needed a bit of a kick of convincing.

It feels a lot like a 'finally.' And that's certainly what Argine is grinning about, even as she turns to look forward again--and even though her fingers are absolutely lingering around Andrew's without thought.

Edgar would be happy to take note and see and be ready to tease forever, of course, but that there's still Rachel smiling right next to him. Her grin is beyond captivating.

"Thanks for actually coming."

Andrew certainly won't point it out, because he certainly doesn't mind it. May even give a bit of a squeeze back, in response.

Something which Rachel, too would be definitely teasing about, if it weren't for the fact her attention is very much on the dark-haired young man beside her.

"'m really glad I did."

They're on vacation, so to speak. They're somewhat removed from the rest of their lives. They're surely allowed to be a little bold, a little careless, a little free.

Surely no one will notice if Argine's fingers wrap just a little more snugly for the moment around Andrew's. Surely no one will object if Edgar's arm squeezes a little tighter around Rachel's shoulders.

Or, hopefully, if his lips manage to brush briefly against her temple before he lets go completely. "This mean you'll come out with us more often, then?"

There'll be no objections from Andrew. There'll be a bright grin from Rachel as her skips a beat from the touch of his lips to her temple.

"I'll definitely think about it."

The hand-holding is actually quite easy to see, even from farther back where Edgar is wandering with Rachel. Catching up would also actually be quite easy, if they wanted to.

But... maybe hanging back together isn't the worst thing in the world. Maybe it's actually incredibly nice. "Don't just think. Promise, okay?"

They can all stay where they are, for now. They can all cling close to the person they care about more than feels right to say.

It only takes Rachel a moment to think on his plea and nod, her own lips lifting to kiss him on the cheek, "Promise, Ed."

She's going to have to give Edgar a second. And then another second. He's at a good age, generally, for using his charm as a defense mechanism--a forcible attempt at 'playing things cool'--but everything utterly fails him for a moment.

Apart, of course, from a beaming grin.

It's nice to see him flustered, for reasons she's not quite willing to acknowledge for herself.

Better to just grin back at him for a little while, before letting her attention be caught by the fact her cousin's still holding Argine's hand.

"Hey-- look."

It's good to have something else to focus on. It's impossible not to let out a barely-stifled 'whoop' of amusement.

Clearly, it's not quick enough; Argine's head absolutely whips around, fingers startled from Andrew's.

Rachel's elbow digs into Edgar's side to no avail, an apologetic glance aimed at Andrew. Her cousin flushes nonetheless, turning bright as a tomato as Argine's hand falls away.

"Guess we should wait for 'em," he says, attempting at lopsided smile at the young woman beside him.

"Sorry!"

Edgar's moan--obviously pained from the intensity of Rachel's elbow to his ribs, complete with a bit of stumbling and dramatics--is clearly audible from further down the beach. Argine's cheeks will join Andrew's in turning a brighter shade of read. "Y-Yeah. I-- think so."

"Edgar," Rachel huffs at him, "You are the least subtle person I've ever met."

"Suppose here's a good place," Andrew says, still clearly flushing.

There's no attempt made to argue. It's a fairly true statement, after all; particularly with matters of the heart. Edgar's not sure it'd be worth to try anything else. "Honestly, though, don't you think they-- need a push?"

Not unlike, perhaps, someone closer to home. Like himself.

And not like Rachel will be given a huge amount of time to answer. Argine's very much angling to catch hold of her friend's hand now, after all, while trying to force the red from her cheeks.

"Not like that," she says, and she might've said more, but she's being grabbed hold of and can't.

Andrew will have to swoop in instead, trying to raise a brow to cover his blush, "So."

Holding hands with Rachel isn't at all the same as holding hands with Andrew, but it's also a whole lot easier in quite a few ways. It's more natural already; easier to just swing their linked fingers quietly as she pulls them to walk just a bit farther ahead of the boys.

Throwing an arm around Andrew's shoulder isn't at all the same as around Rachel's shoulder, but it's as instinctive as breathing. "So."

It's easy to hold hands with Argine. It's absolutely comfortable to grin briefly at her best friend as they get to walking.

It's just as easy for Andrew to settle into Edgar's hold, blush fading just a bit in lieu of the easy smile that he can't help but have around his best friend, "Good day?"

There's something entirely perfect, Edgar's certain, about leaning here with Andrew and watching the girls wander ahead. There's something beyond comforting about having all of them here together--and knowing how many lines are being drawn between them in all directions.

"Really-- really good day. Don't you think?"

"Really good day," Andrew agrees, his head settling contentedly on his best friend's shoulder as he watches Rachel and Argine up ahead.

"'m glad we did this."

"Have t' do it again." There's sheer determination in Edgar's voice, albeit underneath the softer contentment. "No buts. 's-- 's really good. For--"

And the forward jut of his chin is somewhat noncommittal. It could mean for the pair of girls before them generally. It could mean for the burgeoning Somethings that seemed a little easier in the air out here.

It does actually mean those things a little, of course, but more than that, he means it's good for Rachel.

"It is good," Andrew agrees, with every sentiment it possibly could be. But more specifically, it really has been good for his cousin, "She looks--"

Happy, with her hair still more than a little soaked and another free laugh echoing back towards them. It's been so long since they've seen that spring in her step.

"--yeah."

And, now that she's smiling again, they have to keep it that way. There's absolutely a briefly tight set of determination in Edgar's jaw about it.

"'sides, Argine spent the whole day on the beach."

"She did."

And some part of him is really disappointed in that. He doesn't look into it too deeply, for once. He's too busy feeling reassured by the determined set to Edgar's jaw.

He always hoped his cousin would find someone who cared about her being happy just as much as Andrew himself did.

"So we've got t'get them both out here again, clearly. Or-- do something else that's fun."

"Just seems like this'll be the easier fight. They already know they had fun, right?"

Because all of them--Andrew included--sometimes needed to be convinced that they'd actually have fun doing a fun thing. Proof positive couldn't hurt.

And look what a good job not talking about Argine in a bathing suit. Rachel should be proud of the actual attempt at subtle.

"Very true."

It likely would be easier to convince now they'd done it. Maybe they could even convince Argine into a bathing suit.

Edgar doesn't mention it-- and Rachel would be proud of the subtlety-- but Andrew's mind still goes there anyways. Maybe if he's lucky his friend won't comment on the sudden flushing.

Alas, he's used up all his subtle. Thankfully, the unsubtle is just a bright grin and a tight squeeze, with the slightest smack of a kiss against his best friend's cheek.

"Dork. We'll come back before summer's over, at least."

At least it's the sort of unsubtle Andrew can handle. He smiles just a hint ruefully back at his friend, rubbing at his cheek.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Gotta do it quick, though, before the water gets too cold."

It's mostly subtle. Mostly.

And it's followed up by a squeeze and a quick letting go to jog ahead and throw his arms around the girls instead.

"Definitely."

Even though he'll keep blushing just a little bit when Edgar runs off to the girls. He'll let Rachel greet him with a bright smile before catching up himself.

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Late Summer/Early Autumn 1987 || let's go to the beach beach

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also i owe you a million tags but if anyone in vi's fluff meme/who should be added, give pokes <3

i will attack so many people when i get there again \o

<3!

<333!

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and now i am actually asleep :3

but are you asleep now, 22 hours later :|a

I should be but I'm not B|

We're both bad at that game, admittedly.

That we are!

But it's cool when we're bad in the same timezone~

It's the best o/

/smothers with snuggles

/all them all :D

And one day we'll learn to actually sleep. Maybe.

Anything's possible!

<3!

<333

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