Cabin Stories
A/n: This is a collections of stories that are related, but not necessarily related, to a summer cabin owned by Yumi's family that just sort of popped up into our stories and imaginations. The gang spends every summer there for a few weeks and much trouble insures. All stories have been done role playing style by myself and abdominals, my friend and fellow authoress. We've brought Charlie back. (The equivalent of bringing sexy back) You've seen Charlie Stern in my stories as well as a few of Lune-Solei's. For those of you who don't know, she Ulrich's twin sister. She's abdominals OC. Please don't use her unless you ask her first. The majority of these stories, squibs really, will be OddxCharlie. There will probably be a lot of YumixUlrich and AelitaxJeremie because we like fluff and it just sort of happens. Please excuse slight language, Charlie's antics, and the ocassional bad grammar. Thank you and Enjoy.
The female Stern was slaving away in her dorm at Kadic Academy, packing away her bags for the annual trip to the summer cabin. She whined slightly as she tossed her second bag into the hallway, making a loud 'thump' as it bounced off the wall. "Freakin' waking me up and freakin' 8 in the morning. I'm going to kill twinny if it's the last thing I do.."
Odd's pleasant grin grew even larger as he seen a bag flung out the door of his girlfriend's dorm. She was a happy camper today. He shifted his purple backpack onto his left shoulder, hauling on of Charlie's bags onto his right.
"Good morning, sunshine."
Said girl grunted tiredly, shoving a few bathing suits into another bag along with her laptop and portable iPod speakers. "Eight o' clock in the morning?! Is my brother on drugs or something!?"
The blonde shrugged, picking up the second bag that had been tossed haphazardly into the hall. "Probably. Maybe he's just excited." He leaned against the wall, smiling as the girl stormed around her room, muttering to herself. She probably wasn't aware he was even present, making her flustered, angry, mood all the more adorable.
Charlie sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that morning, trudging over to her closet and flinging clothes that she had missed carelessly. She picked up one shirt and stared at it for a moment before putting on top of her desk, realizing that it was one of Aelita's. "Is everyone else up?" she asked with a yawn.
So he had been noticed. He leaned against the door frame; the bags were heavier than they looked.
"For the past few hours or so." He grinned. No, Charlie really didn't seem like a morning person. Yes, the yelling at Ulrich would make him smile. "All set?"
She stopped and stared at him like he was crazy when he mentioned the fact that everyone else had been awake for more than one hour. "...Yeah; I've got everything packed." With that, she picked up her backpack and her duffel bag and grabbed her keys, heading out into the hall as she closed the door.
His smile never faltered as he let her lead the way down the hall towards the parking lot. When he said 'few hours' he meant it. His bags, Ulrich's bag and Yumi's were already in the car around seven before he had even gone to retrieve Charlie after Ulrich woke her up. Aelita and Jer had come down shortly after.
She dragged her backpack along the carpeted hallway and concrete stairs, not really caring that her summer reading and work was packed inside and could possibly be damaged by such actions. "Did Ulrich tell you?" she chimed, pushing away the fact that it was early morning still.
The thing about Charlie was she was like instant coffee. It only takes a few seconds, and she's ready to go.
"Probably not. What was I suppose to be told?"
"I got a present for everyone" She grinned and nudged open the door at the bottom of the stairs with her foot, realizing she forgot once again to put on shoes.
Odd didn't bother to look down. "Your flip-flops are in the car. You left them last night. What kind of present?" He stepped in front of her, holding the door open with his hip.
"Thanks" she walked into the outside, narrowing her chocolate eyes as the sunshine penetrated them. "A good present, of course! Well, all presents are good, but that's beside the point."
"Ah, I see. That narrows it down then." The others came into view. Yumi was waving a tray of coffee slightly for them to see. He barely noticed the box of doughnuts sitting on the hood of the car. "It's not something cheesy is it? Like a clown who does balloon animals? You know how I feel about being upstaged by clowns."
"Yes, because I can really fit a clown into my bag," she rolled her eyes with her sarcasm and smiled, tossing her bags into the trunk along with Odd's before grabbing what seemed like the girl's drug; a cup of coffee. "Yumi, you are a goddess. Ulrich, she's a keeper. If you don't marry her, I might have to consider doing it myself."
Ulrich rolled his eyes at his sister as Odd took his own cup of coffee.
"Of course, Charlie. Yumi, do not bring anymore coffee for my sister. I don't need her proposing or something. It would make sibling life awkward."
"Oh, shut it." The younger Stern slapped her brother's shoulder. "I've already got the best guy in the world anyways." She smiled and latched herself onto said boyfriend's arm as she sipped some of her steaming coffee.
Odd grinned like a fool.
"Yes, you do. Are we ready to get this show on the road? I don't know how long Charlie can keep that clown in her duffle without it suffocating or something." Aelita pushed back her pink sunglasses and blinked at him.
"Don't worry about it, 'Lita" Charlie chimed as she opened the door and climbed into the far back seat and sliding over to make room for Odd.
The seating arrangements were never an issue with the group, save the first summer Yumi had her license and Ulrich was a very nervous passenger.
"Charlie. Odd; Ipods are for listening, not for karaoke, got it?" Ulrich asked into the rearview mirror. Jeremie and Aelita slid into the middle seats, snickering quietly.
"I'm walking on sunshine. WOAH-OH-OH!" Charlie sang loudly and off-key as response. She grinned at his glare and nodded. "Fine, fine. I'm going to be asleep anyways because you WOKE ME UP AT 8 IN THE MORNING."
Aelita's eyebrows shot up. "You got to sleep in till eight?" Her gaze moved to Jeremie with a glare, muttering under her breath.
Odd laughed as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend, setting his coffee in the cup holder.
"Go to sleep, Chare. I'll wake you up when we get close to the lake so you can taunt the old dock."
"Score!" She set her coffee in her respectable holder before lying down, using Odd's lap as a pillow. The coffee didn't do much for her as she closed her eyes, mumbling something incoherent and tired under her breath as she traced circles into Odd's thigh.
The elder Stern rolled his eyes as Yumi started the car and started to pull out of the parking lot. He could tell this summer would be much the same as other summers. Insane.
Odd smiled down at Charlie, absentmindedly stroking her hair as she slept. Three hours, two fights over which route was better, and a few random outbursts later, the girl was still much asleep on his lap.
Charlie was always one for perfect timing. They were nearing the road leading to their secluded cabin when she woke. She didn't sit up, nor did she open her eyes; instead, she started tracing circles once more, letting Odd know she was awake.
"Almost there," Odd said in a quiet voice. The car had been nearly silent and he didn't want to interrupt it. "Have a nice nap?"
She smiled in a satisfied manner and nodded. "Why's everyone so quiet?" the girl whispered.
"Same as usual. Enjoying the scenery." He tucked lose hair behind her ear. "And they agreed no-talking would keep them from saying something that would cause someone else to kill that person. So, yeah, same as usual." The lush green trees were a blur as Yumi sped down the small dirt road that led to the cabin. She giggled faintly, shifting so she was lying on her back. Opening her eyes, she flashed him a grin as she took his hand and kissed the back of it.
Odd smiled as the car came around the last bend, lacing both of their hands together.
"So what's this big surprise?" he asked. Charlie looked adorable in his lap; he bent down and planted a kiss on her forehead.
"You'll see after Ulrich and I set it up" her grin grew as Yumi parked the car and turned it off. The doors of the car opened as Yumi made her way to the trunk, opening it and finding Charlie in it; she had rolled over the back seat. Already having her three backs in her arms (or slung over her shoulders), she jumped out of the trunk, running for the front door of the cabin. "Meet me in the backyard, Ulrich!" she yelled over her shoulder before she disappeared into the cabin.
The rest of the gang got out of the car in the fashion of human beings. For the first time that morning, Ulrich's grin seemed to match his sisters. When he reached for his bag, Yumi pulled it away from him.
"I got your stuff, go help Charlie before there's an explosion of some sort." Odd laughed as he best friend ran after his girlfriend.
"What are those two up to now?"
Yumi shrugged. "I have no idea, but I have a bad feeling about it," Jeremie stated, grabbing his bags along with Aelita's.
o0o0o0o0o
"God, this thing weighs a tonnn!" Charlie whined, tossing two of her bags onto her usual bed before heading for the backyard with her duffel bag.
Ulrich smirked as she came out the door. "You insisted that you could 'keep it safer' than me," he taunted his twin.
"I'll keep my size 8 shoe safely up your ass," she teased right back, tossing the bag over between two, tall trees.
Her brother cringed. "Let's just get this set up before the others finish unpacking." He unzipped the crammed duffle.
"'kay!" she grinned and took out the hammock, throwing it off to the side before taking out the tools and hooks. Staring at them for a moment, she extended them to her brother. "You know how I am with tools"
"That bird house was never the same," he said dryly taking the hammer and hooks and starting on the first tree. He glanced over his shoulder; so many ways a project so simple could go so wrong.
"That bird house was amazing and you know it," Charlie grinned as she unfolded the thick gray strings that made up the hammock, laying it on the ground.
Ulrich took the second hook from his mouth and moved to the other tree in a few swift steps.
"That bird house was a death trap, Charlie."
"Tch. You're just jealous. Besides," she smirked, "I used pages from your school books to line it." The girl lay back, folding her arms underneath her head.
Ulrich missed the hook and succeeded in hitting his finger as he glared at the girl. "Ow! Charlie Mariah! I told you about using my school books for things destructive or non-school related."
"And I told you never to mention my horrid middle name. We're even"
He huffed, hanging the hammer from his back pocket by the claw. "I'm sure you let Odd-" the hammock hit him in the back of the head. It was heavy for a bunch of rope.
"Shut your mouth before I tell Yumi your middle name," she let out an 'hmph', standing up and retrieving the hammock to put it on the hooks.
Ulrich wrinkled his nose as he put the hammer back in her duffle.
"You shouldn't threaten your brother like that."
"Can we come out yet?!" Odd yelled from the kitchen window, hands over his eyes.
She smirked at him, putting the hammock on one hook and then on the opposite one.
"Yeahhh!" the younger Stern called back with a grin before dragging her brother onto the hammock with her.
Odd bolted out the back door, smiled plastered on his face. "Sweet! You got a hammock!" He ran to them, squishing himself between the two. The others made their way a little less excitedly. Yumi blinked.
"A hammock. You.. Two. Put up a hammock? And nothing died? Or blew up?" She eyed the hooks on the tree that didn't budge under the weight on it.
"Ulrich's finger died," she said, grinning triumphantly. That earned her a shove from said boy, which ended with her on the ground. "Hey, be nice, twinny!"
Odd slung his arm around the boy's shoulders. "If that's the worst of the situation, I'd say the hammock is a great idea." He looked down to his girlfriend. "Uhm… You ok, Chare?"
"Ahh perfectly fine" her grin grew as she pulled Ulrich's ankles, sending him down onto the ground next to her. "IIII win!" she giggled before plopping herself on the hammock next to Odd.
Aelita giggled at the display. "Charlie, that was childish," Odd scolded playfully. He poked the girl in the side, looking through the hammock at Ulrich sprawled out on the ground.
She laughed, playfully shoving him away before jumping onto her brother and sitting on his stomach.
"Chare!" Ulrich squeaked. "You're crushing my internal organs and I may need them some day," he said in a put-on strangled voice.
o0o0o0o0o
Charlie was cuddled on the hammock under the fluffy comforter that she stole from her bed, watching the fireflies as she waited for Odd to come outside from changing into dry clothes. [She swears it was an accident when she pushed him off the dock and into the lake! The sky was growing darker fast, the only colors that littered the black sky were small traces of oranges and pinks from the sunset.
Odd's hair drooped slightly from the dampness of the lake water. He pushed it out of his eyes and looked out into the yard at Charlie. He sighed quietly, a small smile grazing his features. Moments like these he wish he carried a camera at all times. He moved from the deck down onto the grass, careful not to disturb her peaceful mood.
She stretched her arms behind her head before folding them and tucking them beneath her, much like a pillow. Charlie was happy Ulrich agreed to let them sleep on the hammock, as long as "he didn't have to burn the hammock the next morning." She laughed faintly, shaking her head slightly.
Odd leaned down, kissing Charlie lightly. "The hammock was a wonderful idea, love," he murmured in her ear. She hummed, grinning.
"All of my ideas are wonderful, if I do say so m'self," the girl retorted, moving over to make room for her boyfriend.
He rolled his eyes, laying down next to Charlie, careful not to flip the hammock.
"You think so, don't you?" He wrapped his arm around her, chuckling playfully.
She put her head on his shoulder, flipping the blanket over him. "Mhm"
He rested his head against hers, snuggling under the blanket. "Love you, Chare."
"I love you too, Odddd--!" she jumped in surprise as lighting flashed the sky, causing them to flip off the hammock. It was a few seconds before she laughed uneasily; she hated thunderstorms.
The blonde rolled his eyes and laughed, dragging her closer to him on the grass. "It's only thunder," he stage whispered, pressing his face to hers.
"It's not only thunder. We could die!" she exclaimed, hiding her face into his shoulder.
He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. His eyes danced in the approaching dark. "I'll protect you."
Another flash of lightning filled the sky, this time the bolt was ridiculously close, hitting one of the trees that the hammock was attached to.
Startled, Odd pulled Charlie off the ground in a hurry. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, hurrying her into the house.
"And now I'm going to protect you in the house, c'mon." He practically dragged her towards the house.
"Odd," she said, looking back at the tree. "Odd! Look." Charlie spun him around so he could look at the symbol that had been put into the tree.
Odd glanced off her should. "Fuck!" he cursed. He gave Charlie a shove towards the house. "Wake up Jeremie and then get into the cellar and don't move until we come and get you." He looked up at the quickly forming storm clouds. No wonder she hated storms.
She started to go into the cabin before looking back. "What about the others?" Charlie yelled over the growing wind.
He looked back at her, eyes heavy with concern. "He'll get them. Now, I need you out of harms way, Chare. I can't think if you're running around trying to find everyone. He's after us. Go!" He turned away from the house, running out to start the car. "Be safe, Charlie," he whispered into the wind.
She gave a small smile before going into the house, wincing as thunder roared loudly. Screeching to a stop outside of the genius' door, she rapped on it, heavily. "Jeremie?" Reaching for the door knob, her chocolate eyes widened as she retracted her hand. "Fuckk!" She kicked the door open, and her heart stopped as Jeremie laid there, surrounded by electricity from the storm. A crackle sounded as she took a step inside; he wasn't breathing.
Yumi woke with a start, skin prickling from the electricity in the air. She fought back the haze of sleep that had only just barely been able to set in. A crackle pulled her out of her bed. 'That is not a good sound.' She pulled back her bed comforter, swept hair up into a makeshift bun, and walked out into the hallway. She could see Charlie standing in Jeremie's doorway.
"Charlie? What are you doing? I thought you and Odd were sleeping on the hammock?"
"Yumi! Oh, thank God." Charlie seemed out of breath, her face pale and scared. "Xana... Xana's attacking. You guys need to go."
Yumi blinked. "Yeah, ok. Yeah. We're on our way. Where's Odd? Jer, up and at 'em. Xana's on the offe- Jeremie?!" She turned horrified to the younger girl.
"Odd's outside in the car. Wiill you... guys be able to manage without Jeremie there?" she asked quietly, looking up at the elder girl.
The older girl took a deep breath, fighting back the urge to puke. "Charlie. I need you to go wake up Aelita and Ulrich and tell them to go without us." She took another deep breath and then moved into Jeremie's room. She glanced over her shoulder quickly. "Don't let Aelita come out this way."
"But... he's after you, too, isn't he? You need to go with them. I've got everything under control here." Before Yumi could retort, the younger girl went to wake up her brother and Aelita.
Yumi drew a jagged breath and got onto the floor next to Jeremie. She put her ear to the boy's chest. He still wasn't breathing.
"Don't do this to us, Jer." She started CPR, hearing voices in the hallway.
"Ulrich. Ulrich, come on. Wake up," she whined, grabbing his arm. "Xana's attacking!"
Ulrich opened one eye to his sister. "Very funny." He rolled back over. "Don't make jokes like that."
"I'm not kidding. Get your ass up and out of bed!" she sounded exasperated as she went across the hall to wake up Aelita.
Ulrich cursed under his breath, throwing off his comforter and slipping into his shoes.
"Charlie?! What's going on? Everyone get up!"
"Go to the car, please," she faced him. "Take Aelita with you, and make sure you don't go down the back hallway."
Ulrich nodded. Aelita stumbled into the hall. "Xana attack.. The back hall is faster; Charlie what's happened?"
"Damn it, what's with everyone and questions?!" she growled, pointing to the front door. "Go play hero! Please!"
Ulrich threw his arms up. "Come on Princess, we have work to do." He pulled the girl towards the front door, eyes open for Yumi, who was no where in sight. Odd honked the horn from the car.
Charlie went next to Yumi. "Please, go with them, Yumi. They need you out in the battlefield."
Yumi looked up, face red from sharing oxygen. They were going to need her without Jeremie on the supercomputer.
"Listen to me, Chare… you have to keep his heart beating or he won't come back with the return. Ok?" she asked between compressions.
"Gotcha," she shot a reassuring smile at her. "Go ahead, they can't wait forever."
She moved out of the way to let Charlie take over. She hugged the girl with one arm.
"We'll hurry." She ran out the back to meet the others.
The storm was calming, the only trace of it was the grey that covered the early-morning sky. Charlie yawned, rubbing her eyes before pressing her ear against Jeremie's chest; his heart was beating normally. Smiling faintly, she leaned against the wall behind her, a hand on the blonde's chest as she waited for the others to get home.
Aelita's hand shook as she held her cell to her ear. The energy for the return trip had been rerouted from the supercomputer, to the nuclear power cell's shield after a power surge from Xana's electrical storm caused it to short circuit, threatening nuclear disaster. The only damage was Jeremie, and she was about to find out exactly how much that damage was as she waited for Charlie to pick up.
She felt the vibration and searched for her phone with her free hand, not feeling like opening her tired eyes. Grabbing it, she flipped it open and held it to her ear, mumbling a 'hello'.
"Charlie?" Aelita squeaked out. "It's Aelita. How's Jer?"
"Alive and well, princess. Merely sleeping now," she smiled faintly. "Told me to tell you not to worry about 'im."
Aelita sighed, tears free falling from her eyes. "Consider yourself my hero. With my track record it's not a title easily earned. Thank you, Charlie." Odd smiled at the younger girl tiredly.
"Think nothing of it, 'Lita. It was a pleasure," the brunette managed a chuckle. "How far away are you guys?"
The pinknett pulled her feet up onto the seat, tucking them underneath her.
"Ten minutes, less if Yumi decides to drive faster." Yumi glared teasingly into the rearview mirror.
"See yah then. I'm gunna go put Jeremie in a bed. The floor can't be too comfortable." Charlie chuckled at her own lame joke.
The cell phone was promptly kissed and held in a tight hug. "Jer is ok," she declared in relief. Yumi sped up a little as they hit the dirt road for the second time that day. She sighed. "Xana better start paying me for the gas he's making me waste."
Charlie hung up, shoving it into her pocket before standing and lifting up the snoozing genius. Trudging to her room, she laid him down on her bed and put the covers on him, taking off his glasses and setting them on the nightstand. Rubbing her sore eyes, the brunette made her way to the living room, laying down on the couch and falling asleep in seconds.
The car had barely stopped when Odd jumped out, rushing for the front door. As he got inside, he noticed a lump on the front couch. Even exhaustion couldn't dampen the happiness that washed over him. While he probably should have left the girl sleeping, he couldn't contain himself as he rushed over the couch, dropping on his knees and threw his arms over the sleeping girl.
Said girl nearly jumped out of her skin as she woke up, opening her eyes and looking down at him. Running a hand through his hair, she smiled. "Welcome back," Charlie whispered.
He hugged her to him tighter, tipping his head to place kisses along her collar bone. "You did such a great job," he murmured against her.
She squirmed against him, obviously ticklish in the spot he had placed his kisses. "It was nothin'. You do stuff like that basically every day" she mumbled back.
"Yes, but," he gave her one more kiss before pulling away to look at her. "You saved the day this time. I'm so proud of you." He brushed her hair away from her face. "Go back to sleep now."
Her eyes already closed, she nodded. "Where's everyone..?"
"Lita went to check on Jer, and Yumi and Ulrich started clean up. I should probably go help." He traced circles on the side of her leg.
Charlie nodded once more. "Odd...?"
He rested his head to the side. "Yes pumpkin?"
"You're amazing," she murmured to him, smile growing.
He laughed quietly. "I must get it from you, then." He kissed her brow. "I'm sorry you were involved with another attack."
"It happens. I knew I hated thunderstorms for a reason," she smirked slightly before nuzzling her head into her pillow.
"That was Xana induced. And look, we made it." He stood up. "I'm going to go help Ulrich and Yumi. I'll wake you up later?"
"Sounds good, love," she whispered, yawning.
Odd gave her one last glance before heading out the door to see what could be done with Charlie's hammock.
Charlie yawned as she heard Ulrich walk into the house through the screen door on the other side of the room, talking rather loudly on his cell phone; no doubt to the parentals. "Ulrich, shut upp," the girl whined, though still asleep.
Odd grinned from the deck room, pulling another hook from his back pocket. Jeremie and Aelita's rolled their eyes good humouredly from where they sat on a loveseat.
"Rise and shine, Sunshine!" Odd called, looping the last bit of rope on the hook.
"I don't wannaaaa," she whined, throwing a pillow in the direction of his voice, though it stopped many feet in front of him.
"But you should," Odd whined back. He got down off the chair he was standing on and strolled into the living room. "It's almost six. We're going to make dinner."
"...waitwhat?" She opened her eyes. "It's six?!" With that, she promptly fell off the couch; not surprising.
Odd squatted down to her level. "You were so adorable. I couldn't wake you up. 'Sides, you deserved your sleep."
The girl sighed, kissing him before grinning. "What's for dinner."
He shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Ulrich's cooking." He rocked side to side with her.
"..Oh God. Ulrich's cooking?" she laughed. "Who wants to call the pizza place down the street?"
"Charlie, shut up!"
Yumi grinned from the kitchen, across the island into the living room, at the girl. She waved her cell phone teasingly.
"Yumi!" Ulrich seized her waist.
"Kidding!" Odd laughed at his friends.
"I wasn't! I wanna eat some food that's actually, y'know, edible? Ever heard of the concept, bro?" Charlie grinned, dodging a spatula that was thrown at her.
Odd chuckled again, pulling her closer and out of Ulrich's aim. "Come on. I have a surprise for you."
Her eyes widened in excitement. "Realllyyyy?" Oh, the girl loved surprises; almost as much as coffee.
"Really." He spun on his heal, taking both of her hands behind him and leading her out to the deck room.
"Should I close my eyes?" she asked, doing so anyways as he led her.
Odd laughed. "As long as you don't trip."
She stuck her tongue out at him, but had no reply. Charlie was known to be clumsy.
He stepped to the side as they got to the door and wrapped one arms around her waist. "You can look now."
And so she did, and her eyes sparkled at the hammock, now fixed. Turning to him, the girl grinned. "You fixed it!" She wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.
Odd laughed. "Of course I did. I thought maybe this would be better instead of sleeping outside. This way we can still see the stars." He pointed at the glass roof.
"And less bugs!" She had an undying hate for bugs. "I'd like to pull my previous statement back into the conversation?"
The blonde smiled. "Which one would that be?"
"The one where I said that you're completely, utterly amazing and I'm so lucky to have you," she looked up at him and smiled, pressing her lips to his before dragging him over to the hammock and sitting. He pushed back into her kiss, sitting down next to her, caught slightly off guard. She giggled, pulling away from him slowly and grinned up at him.
"What did I do to deserve someone so brave?" Odd rested his forehead against hers. "I couldn't ask for anything more that this amazing girl I have in my arms."
She laughed, kissing the tip of his nose. "You're such a sweet talker, Odd."
"I am, and you like it," he chuckled. "I'm sorry Xana, once again, ruined your night. How can I make it up to you?"
"Just lay here with me," Charlie said, smiling and resting her head in the crook of his neck.
"I think I can do that." He lifted his feet off the ground, letting the hammock rock slightly. "I love you, Chare."
She kissed his jaw bone, smiling. "I love you more than words." He hugged her closer, fingers dancing on her side. There was a crash from the kitchen. He grinned against her.
"Maybe we should ask Yumi if we can borrow her car and go pick up that pizza now."
"Probably!" She got up, pulling Odd up with her before they headed into the house to get the car keys.