Work Text:
Lenore was very appreciative that, finally, Ira was allowing her to take Annabel on short walks around town as dates within the engagement. First, because her tolerance for her future father-in-law's nonsense was rapidly diminishing and, more importantly, being alone-even if they were still in a public space-allowed Annabel to relax a bit.
To be frank, although rationally it could be said that this was the right thing to do, Lenore couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable with Annabel's behavior when Ira was present: it seemed so disingenuous and unnatural to what she knew about her. It made her feel helpless to think that she could not give Annabel more opportunities to behave as she really was, without wearing that ridiculous mask of a perfect lady.
After they were married, she told herself, Annabel wasn't going to have to lie or hide to please anyone.
Speaking of the queen of Rome, Annabel slowed her steps, this made Lenore turn to look at her: she dawdled with the window display of a children's toy store for a moment before resuming her walk.
A block further on, they both stopped at a small Coffee House. Annabel ordered earl gray with blueberry jam-filled scones with cream; Lenore had a coffe with mill and a steak sandwich.
"Did you see anything in the store that you liked?" Lenore asked after chewing her sandwich, Annabel didn't answer right away, since she was amused with a white fan with yellow flowers that she had bought from a woman's small stand.
"Don't you think it's cute?" she asked. Lenore immediately recognized the position of the fan: they're watching us . Lenore searched slyly with her eyes until, finally, she recognized outside the coffee house a maid pretending to be a stray passerby.
Well, she supposed Ira wouldn't risk her taking her precious daughter to a hotel.
"At least she can't hear us from there. That's a relief" she commented sipping her mug. After setting it down on the plate, she added "and yes, it's cute" she said resting hier chin on her hand with a smile "but come on, don't evade my question, what were you looking at?”
"Oh, it’s a silly thing" Annabel said "you see, when I was little I had a stuffed rabbit that I really liked, it was white with red eyes. They had one very similar" she explained "that's it" she waved her hand to emphasize that it wasn't relevant.
"I imagine that little friend is now in a dark drawer" Lenore said with a hint of mockery "oh, Annie, let me out, I promise I won't eat the stuffed grass" she said with a dramatic gesture, that made Annabel laugh.
"Not really " she explained "my dad threw it away, he said I was too old for toys like that" it was almost imperceptible, but Lenore could make out a small, tiny hint of sadness in Annabel's words. That not only wiped off her smile, it also made Lenore feel suddenly furious: if Ira was in front of her, she would have easily punched him, what did he think he was doing to take Annabel's things away according to what he saw fit?
"Pet?" Annabel's concerned tone brought her back to reality.
"Sorry, just..." an idea crossed her mind, Lenore smiled in a bold way "you know what? That's right, I'm your fiancé now, give me a moment" she stood up supporting herself with the chair and grabbing her cane "I won't be long, okay? Wait for me here. Go on with your tea, it's going to get cold."
"Where are you going, your coffee is going to get cold too!" complained Annabel.
"It's a surprise! I promise you'll like it" Annabel pouted.
"You better" she whispered as she watched her fiancée leave the place.
At least Lenore kept her word and returned almost immediately with a paper bag and a smirk on her face.
"Here you go!" she said placing it in Annabel's hands "it was that one, wasn't it?”
She opened the bag and pulled out from inside a realistic-looking stuffed rabbit, enough so that, if you left it on the ground surrounded by grass, you could mistake it for a real rabbit. She smiled shyly.
"No" she whispered stroking the fabric of the stuffed animal "it wasn't this one" Lenore disarmed her hair a little.
"No? Blaze. It was the other one, wasn't it? The one that looked like a rag bunny. Please give it to me, I told the owner that could happen and he told me to exchange it if it was" she reached out to take it, but Annabel put it in her lap.
"I want this one, it's a gift you picked out for me" she said with a little smile, she looked a little embarrassed "although...I'm a old for things like this" Lenore took her seat again.
"You said it, it's a gift I gave you" she said sipping her coffee, which luckily was still warm "you don't have to sleep with it like a child, you can put it as an ornament in your room."
Annabel smiled softly, Lenore even seemed to blush a little when she said in a whisper:
"Thank you, pet.”
Lenore felt her face heat up, probably the red had completely covered her cheeks. She hid behind her sandwich.
"Y-You're welcome, Annie" she whispered feeling oddly shy, something that seemed to rub off on Annabel.
"So...do you feel like walking on after this?"
"S-Sure. We could go to a bookstore, how about that?"
"Wouldn't you prefer something more active?"
"Mmm...the walk is enough for me in that sense, so the bookstore is fine."
As they chatted, Lenore told herself that she would like to give Annabel gifts more often.