Thank You

23

A/N: This might just be one of the longest chapters of the story, so that's fitting since I owe you guys a big update since I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, sorry. But nonetheless: here you go :)

Kirstie is still waiting for Avi to ask to come and see the show, she can't understand why he hasn't yet. Does he not care enough to come and see her do something she's wanted to do her whole life? No, she knows that he cares, that's why she can't understand. Maybe she should just ask him if he wants to come along one day? She doesn't know and she wouldn't want him to reject her offer that would be so much worse.

     Kirstie walks into the lounge in workout gear, she sees the instant slump in Avi. She knows he hates the exercise classes they go to, but she loves them. Today though they were going to do something Avi would enjoy, he just didn't know it yet.
     Placing a backpack on the kitchen bench she turns to the pantry, pulling out a few healthy-ish snacks, then gets bottles of water from the fridge.
     "What kind of torture are we headed for today?" Avi asks, his voice bland.
     Kirstie tries to hide her smirk, "It'll be fun today, you'll enjoy it."
     "And that's what you always say."
     "Well today I mean it."
     "Kirstie I don't want to go," he says firmly.
     "Aw come on Avi, today's my day off and I really want to go do this and I really want you to come," she tries and even give him puppy eyes and a cute pout.
     "Uhgg, fine," he huffs.
     "Yay," she squeals, shoving things into the backpack. She gets Olaf and Pascal's leashes, clipping them in while Avi gets changed in the bathroom. She pulls on a puffer jacket because it's bound to be cold up there.
     "They're coming to?" Avi asks, pointing in confusion to the dogs.
     "Yep, fun for everyone," she smiles smugly.
     Avi's eyes narrow and he speaks slowly, "Okay." He takes one of the leashes from her and they leave the apartment.

"It's a little out of town but I thought you'd like it." Kirstie tells Avi as she leads him to the beginning of a hiking track.
     "No, I fricken love it," he replies with a growing smile. This is exactly the kind of exercise that he prefers, the type with a view and that doesn't even feel like exercise. Avi takes a deep breath of fresh air, happy to be out of the city, finally.
     They embark on the path, all smiles and energetic dogs. This is going to be great and Avi knows it.
     The walk is refreshing, even for someone like Kirstie who loves city life. For Avi it's just bliss, exactly what he needs right now, it's perfect. It's beautiful and green and the weather is actually nice, it's warmer, it finally feels like spring is coming.
      Avi takes a lot of photos, like a lot, he is going to have to do some major editing later. He may even post a couple and not tag the location, but none of the ones with Kirstie will go up. He reckons he can get over the being hidden thing, he knows she cares, she did this for him today, brought him here and it means the world to him, he can't even describe it.
     Happy tears threaten as they reach the end of the trail.
     Avi turns to Kirstie, "Thank you Kirstie."
     She smiles, "You're so very welcome Avi."
     He pulls her in for a tight, long and meaningful hug.

"No one will be in there now," Kirstie is ridiculously excited.
     "Still doesn't mean we should strip to our underwear and jump in Kirst," Avi half laughs, half scoffs.
     "Um yeah it does, where's your spontaneity?" Her eyebrow goes up.
     "It dies with my weed habit."
     "You don't need to be high to have fun."
     "This doesn't sound fun to me," he shrugs.
     "Aww, come on Avi please?" She pouts, clasping her hands together.
     "You cannot do that to me twice in one day!" He laughs and lightly jabs her shoulder.
     "And why not?"
     "Because it makes me say yes."
     Kirstie squeals and pulls him into the pool room, which is indeed as empty as she said it would be.
     "What a way to cool down after a big walk huh?" She smirks, watching him out of the corner of her eye.
     "Yeah a walk we didn't get that hot on."
     "Stop being a buzzkill!" She groans, going to shove him, but he moves out of the way too quickly. She stumbles while trying to regain her balance, she grabs at the bottom of his t-shirt as she falls to her knees.
     Avi spins to face her, full of laughter, "Oh god, are you okay?"
     She smiles, trying to hold back laughter, "Yeah, now you definitely have to get in the pool, you owe me!" She takes his hand that he offers to help her up. Kirstie brushes her hands together even though there's no dirt on them, they do sting a little from slapping the tiles, nothing a little pool water won't fix. "Come on," she ties Olaf and Pascal to the bench off to the side, they're not allowed in the pool. Then she yanks off her jacket and her shoes and socks.
     Avi starts getting undressed too, but he is not in as much of a rush as Kirstie is. He takes his t-shirt off at a normal pace, pulls his sweatpants down: at a normal pace, remembers he's supposed to take his shoes off first, but at a normal pace.
     Kirstie waits for him, impatience written on her face, she's in her sports bra and panties, ready to jump in.
     "Do you alternate?" Kirstie asks, blatantly watching him undress.
     "Alternate what?" Avi throws his stuff in the general direction of Pascal and Olaf's bench.
     "Boxers and boxer-briefs?"
     "Alternate how? I wear boxers when I sleep and these during the day," he taps the waistband of his underwear. "Do you always wear sports bras?" He counters.
     "Nope," she pops the 'p', "Only when I exercise and not even always then."
     "Okay," he replies.
     "Alright," she nods.
     "How cold is the pool?" Avi asks, looking over the edge.
     Kirstie resists everything in her body telling her to push him in, so she instead replies with a snide comment, "What, afraid of shrinkage?"
      "I could probably use some shrinkage," he laughs.
     "Okay, I wasn't gonna do this, but that comment deserves it." Avi turns around as Kirstie moves to push him in. Her hands land on his chest and as he's falling backwards he grabs her arm so she's going in too.
     "No!" She screams before she's under,
     They resurface, both flicking water from their eyes.
     "It's fucking cold!" Avi shouts.
     "It's the deep end!" Kirstie squeals, thrashing at the water to get closer to Avi again, she isn't the strongest swimmer.
     Avi takes her hand and pulls her closer to drag her to the shallower end, he'd remembered.
     Kirstie is instantly calmer when her feet can touch the bottom. "Why are pools in a place like this even that deep?" She asks angrily, still clutching Avi's arm.
     "Because they don't expect short people to jump in like that," Avi jokes. It earns a small smile from Kirstie she is so very used to the short jokes by now. "Are you okay?" He asks.
     She nods, "Yeah I'm alright. Like I can swim, just not strongly and I semi-panicked there," she chuckles nervously.
     "Yeah," Avi nods, "You need to practice more, swim laps while you're living in this building," he suggests.
     "That's actually a good idea, and you'll help me right?"
     "Of course I will, I literally have nothing better to do," he smiles.
     "Avi could you do something for me?"
     "Anything," he shrugs. "Well there'd be a limit, but you know what I mean."
     She giggles, nodding, "I'm not gonna ask you to kill someone or anything. But you were right that night about me not being able to take the boys for long enough walks anymore, and I'd really appreciate it if you could take them for a nice long walk every day." She glances over at Olaf and Pascal, "I'm not naming names but someone's putting on the puppy-pounds."
     Avi bursts out laughing, knowing exactly which one she is talking about. "I'd be happy to walk them for you Kirst," he says as he composes himself.
     "Thank you, she smiles at him warmly. "Okay I've had enough of the pool now."

A/N: How well do you think Kirstie is doing at hiding her feelings for Avi from Avi?

Hope you enjoyed :)

Hannah.