The Stripper And The Anxiety-riddled Dork

Hot-Tub Family Bonding (...That sounds weird but I'm keeping the damn title)

Chapter 40
<Friday Afternoon>

Win looked to her left after hearing the sliding door open, Codi walking outside bundled in a faux-fur lined parka with the hoodie draped over her head and groved boots whose laces were untied.

"Ah, baby sister! Come to join me?" Win chuckled as she moved to the other side of the hot tub. Codi stood in front of her, crouching down so they were at near eye-level.

"Only you would be crazy enough to be in a bloody hot tub in 30 degree weather." Codi tsked as she watched Win pull her arms out of the hot tub in order to rest them against the edge. The elder of the two let out a hum as she tilted her head back, her bright-blue sun-shaped sunglasses preventing any snow from getting in her eyes.

"Come now, Codi. You should know how insane I am by now!"

"And yet, you still continue to surprise me." Codi murmured as she moved to sit cross-legged and pulled her zipper all the way up to her chin. Win moved her head back to look at her cousin, the gurgling bubbles of the hot tub being the only noise for a moment.

"What's got you shakin', Codes? It ain't the cold."

"Nicky. We have a date tomorrow."

"And? Haven't you two been on like a hundred dates already? What makes this one so anxiety-inducing?" Win questioned, Codi's hand burrowing into her coat in order to scratch the back of her neck.

"About that..."

< >

"Campbell Codi Edwards!" Win exclaimed, swiping her goofy sunglasses off her face in order to look at her little cousin with no barriers. Hesitant Hazel locked with shocked/amused Brown as Win moved to stand in front of her, her hands moving out of the hot tub in order to rest them on either side of Codi.

Seth looked up from where he was shoveling snow, his breath misting as he looked to the two cousins. His bright red trapper hat's flaps flapping from the cold breeze.

"Your fucking name is Campbell? Ain't that a fucking Soup?" He huffed, Win's eyes rolling at the man before she turned her head to look at him.

"You sound like a bloody toddler cursing all willy-nilly."

"Fuck you." He grumbled.

"Only in your dreams, toothpick~." Win hummed using Nicky's nickname for the scrawny man and made him grumble even more under his breath as he resumed shoveling snow away from the backdoors.

"I can't believe you, Codi." Win laughed as she slid down and re-submerged most of her body back into the hot tub.

"You hired a bloody Stripper to be a plus one to a wedding who you then actually fall for? That's the plot of a crappy rom-com! One with like a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes."

"Oh, cram it." Codi grumbled, Win resting her sunglasses atop of her head as the younger pulled her parka's hood further over her head.

"Though I have to say, you two should honestly get into acting what with the way you two were back home! The Chemistry!"

Win shot her hands out of the water and splayed her arms out wide, a couple of drops of water landing on Codi's nose and made her squeak as the droplets immediately dropped in temperature.

"Electric~!" The white-haired woman stage-whispered with a bright grin.

"You're a goof and the most bonkers woman I've ever encountered." Codi murmured with a huff-like laugh, Win moving her hands behind her head.

"Duh." Win waved off as Codi leaned her head back to look at the cloudy sky, the tip of her nose a steadily-deepening red while a few speckles of snow fell on her face.