Simple Pleasures: Annie Leonhart x Reader

Chapter 6: Challenges, Part 2

As you board the rusted, metal rowboat, you grab a few extra life jackets, just in case. You were not taking any chances. You also invited your parents to come with you on the boat to watch Annie on her swim. They both agreed—your dad out of excitement for the entertainment, and your mother out of concern. You cannot decide which side you fall on.

"Alright Doll, you ready?" you ask apprehensively, oars in hand. You know that you need to kick it into high gear to even stand a chance at keeping up with her.

"Ready," she responds, cracking her neck.

"Okay, on three. One, two, THREE!"

Annie dives into the water, and you pump the paddles into the water as hard as you can. Damnit! She's already ahead of you. You continue pumping, trying to gain momentum. After only a few minutes, your arms are burning, your neck stiff with tension. It is at this point that you wish that you had committed to joining Annie's morning workouts. If you had just put in a little extra work, she would not seem so far away. You would not even need to entertain the idea of her getting too tired, or the idea of her looking up for you only for you to not be there, or the idea of her head slipping below the surface of the water, eyes frantic, or her—no. You are not doing this right now. She is going to be fine, and you are going to watch her be fine from only a foot away from her. You will reach her.

Filled with a newfound sense of grit and passion, you push past the pain in your arms and the fire spreading in your lungs. You will reach Annie, even if she doesn't need you. You will always be by her side, even if she doesn't know it. Always. With your eyes only set on the shore growing further and further away, you force your arms to go back and forth, back and forth. You repeat it in your head like a mantra: "back... and forth. back... and forth." After a few more rows, you hit a stride. You are soaring through the water, and gaining on Annie. Though she is still ahead of you, you are nearing the halfway point of the lake: the point you thought she might need help at. Speeding up, you notice you are catching up with her. Is she slowing down?

"Annie, you all good?" you ask, more curious than concerned. She did not seem to be struggling for air, nor did she seem to be cramping up. So why was she slowing down, and why were you about to pass her?

Her head breaks the water from her freestyle stroke, and suddenly, she starts treading water, staying in one place. Shit! As you reach for a life jacket and begin to take off your shirt, though, you hear a laugh. Your head jerks to where you last saw Annie, and you still see her. Except, she's floating on her back. Between her giggles, which are now echoing all around the lake, she speaks:

"This lake is amazing!" she exclaims. "Hope I didn't scare you; just wanted to enjoy this spot more—it's so much cooler in the middle," she says, closing her eyes and soaking in the sun.

You are silent for a moment. Did she swallow water? Is it getting to her brain? Did she just say she stopped after nearly half a mile of consistent swimming because the water felt good?

"Wait, what?" you ask. "So you're not tired? You don't need help or anything?"

She stops laughing, and dives beneath the surface again, taking off. After a few seconds, you see her hand break the surface of the water nearly thirty feet away before it plunges back down again. And, a few moments after losing sight of her, your boat rocks. You look behind you.

"Nope," responds a water soaked Annie, who is now holding onto the side of the boat. She is barely out of breath.

You don't even know what to say. She's toying with you, you know, but surely she has to be a little tired, right? Your parents do not know how to respond either, but without explanation, your dad starts clapping.

"Oh, ho, ho, incredible! Y/N, did you see that?!" your father cheers, clearly enjoying the entertainment he was expecting.

Your mom begins clapping too, taking a deep breath. She was clearly just as worried—probably more so—than you. You decide to join, too, and begin clapping with your parents.

Annie, taking in the applause, grins a knowing smile and looks at you. You smile back at her, and make your way to the side of the boat. You grab her cold, wet hand and squeeze it. She squeezes it back, grabs it with both hands, and plants a chilled kiss on it.

"Alright," you say, shrugging. "You're right. You can do it." You concede.

Instead of hopping back into the boat, though, she lets go of your hand. Before you can ask why, she speaks.

"Not done yet. Try to keep up this time."

She pushes off of the boat and smiles at your parents, taking off for the shore. Chuckling to yourself, you shake your head. You're convinced that if she told you she could fly, you would believe her. Your mom is less convinced.

"Go! Go! Y/N, what are you doing? Hurry up! She's getting too far from us! Oh my God, what if—Y/N, Jesus, hurry!" your mom yells.

You laugh, trusting fully in Annie's abilities. While you still row quickly, you allow your muscles to rest slightly and instead coast when you can, capitalizing on whatever momentum you built to sneak some glances at the mountains encompassing the lake. Annie was right; the middle of the lake provides a totally different view of the nature surrounding you, and the breeze bouncing off of the water is incredibly refreshing. Sure enough, by the time you get to the shore, she is already on land, stretching and retying her hair. And once again, before you can congratulate her, she speaks.

"Alright, one more length."

She dives into the water, and books it for the opposite end of the lake. You are still out of breath from rowing, even if you did take it easy this time around—you've already asked yourself this question too many times today, but how the hell does she do it?

You repeat that question to yourself the entire rowing length back. She remains ahead of you, but seemingly slows down so that she is always within eyeshot of the boat. Looking at your mom, you figure that she intentionally slowed down to put your mother's heart at ease. Well played, Annie.

Just like last time, by the time you reach the shore, Annie is already there, sitting on a rock and waiting for you. The second the bottom of the boat scratches the gravelly shore, you jump out, leaving your parents to get out by themselves. They can handle it. You quickly walk towards Annie, but unlike last time, she is not the one that will be interrupting you. Instead, before she can let out some cocky taunt that you know she has prepared, you lift her up, cup your hands together underneath her bottom, and kiss her. She lets her arms relax and fall over your shoulders, returning the kiss. And, even though she is cold, wet, and a little slimy from the weeds that were peeking through the surface of the lake, there is no other place you would rather be than pressed against her, body to body, lips to lips, and heart to heart.