A/N: OP, i read your request in a really blue mood, grumpy and dissatisfied, and immediately cheered up! I'm new to a love of Tintin, and new to writing for Belgium, but I hope you like this short little oneshot that cheered me up to write. Thanks for the ADORABLE prompt. Take care!
Pop!
“What was that?”
Even Francis heard Ned's astounded squawk on the other end of the phone line. Grimacing in response to his Belgian co-conspirator, he resumed setting the wine cork aside and retrieving – quietly – glasses for them each.
“Nothing, nothing,” Bel told him, still scowling deeply at Francis. “Ned, really, it's okay. I'll see you when the planes are up again, okay? Nothing to worry about! I can handle Christmas Eve on my own. I'm a big girl, remember?”
Francis listened to a few more placating lines before Ned seemed satisfied and hung up.
“What have you done to him, little sister? He natters almost as much as you do.”
“Natter – is that British slang?”
Francis swore. Bel smirked playfully. “Anyway, I figured this would happen when the storms started getting so bad! Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
Deftly handing her a glass of wine, he chinked the brim of his own against hers. “What is a stuffy hotel compared to the comforts of home?” He gestured to Bel's tiny living room. “I am glad to have been in the area at your time of need,” he said, toasting her in gesture and sipping the wine.
Sipping her own in turn, Bel grinned, and gestured toward the little living space a couch and television had once occupied. “Shall we?”
Francis grinned. “You have the goods, do you not?”
“And you've got the wine?”
“And you, the snacks?”
Retrieving a large bowl of a childhood favorite, she held it in front of herself. “Yes I do!”
“Well, then, milady,” Francis bowed and extended a hand gracefully. “I would be honored if you joined me tonight in this sacred and most secretive of unions.”
Giggling, and blushing a little, she took his hand and curtseyed back, as well as she could holding a bowl under her arm and a wine glass in her hand. “It would be my pleasure.”
Relieving her of the wine glass and managing to hold both in one hand, he led her down into the most elaborate fort of blankets, Christmas lights and pillows known to man and tiny living rooms.
When it became apparent earlier that afternoon the planes were going to be snowed in in the Netherlands as well as in Belgium, Bel realized she would probably spend Christmas Eve, and possibly Christmas Day, alone. Lux was out with friends, Antonio laid up in bed with a bad case of the Lovinos, and so on.
The fort began simply enough. Initially, she had curled up on the couch with a blanket and a book and found it... lacking somehow. Still cold, still lonely. Two hours later, her TV was in the kitchen, her sofa bunking with the kitchen table in its little nook. Her mattress had been sprung from its boudoir prison and laid out on the floor, covered in every pillow she owned. Then came the sheets. The extra blankets. A few bathroom towels, guest bedding, and a discovery of three boxes of white fairy lights in the bottom of a faux leather ottoman that served as a storage compartment for things immediately forgotten.
By the time Francis called to wish her joyeux noel and let her know he'd be in the city a bit longer, as per the trapped planes, she was munching on snacks and reading her book again in the middle of a giant fort.
Naturally, knowing he shared her favor of that particular book, she invited him forego the hotel fees and visit her instead. They could read their favorite books, drink their favorite wines, eat their favorite snacks and forget all the reasons winter sucked more than usual this year.
And now, they were doing just that.
Once more practically settled and her hands free, Bel turned off all the lights except the little strung Christmas lights and fetched a couple of empty, clean canning jars and some candles. With a candle in each jar and lit, she nestled them on a tray just outside the fort door. When her hands were free again, Francis held up the empty half of the quilt he was snuggled in under and Bel crawled carefully in beside him. Francis had already set up with a pillow under his chest: Bel did the same and snared a little stuffed plush of a white dog and settled it between them. Francis gave it a look of approval and withdrew a stack of books from his side of the fort.
“Which one first, ma cher?”
This was not an easy decision. Finally, she pointed. “That one. Nature isn't so mean in that one.”
“Ah, but she is very tricky.”
“Shall we read it out loud?”
“But of course. In parts though.”
“Agreed. Which would you like?”
“I will take the secondary role,” Francis smiled. “You take the titular role.”
Bel grinned. “Are you sure?”
“Would I offer it if I was not?”
“All right then,” Bel said, and opened the book. “But you have the first line, Captain.”
Francis grinned and took a sip of wine. Bel munched a handful of her snacks. In his best seaman's voice, Francis began, “Ah, the merry month of May! Spring, the sweet spring music. Cuckoo, jug-jug, tu-witta-woo! The chorus of birds... The woodland flowers... the fragrant perfumes... the sweet-smelling earth! Breathe deeply, Tintin, Fill your lungs with fresh air...”
OP here: Oh anon~ this is wonderful! I loved how it was written and I love how you had France and Belgium in this! Thank you so much for filling this out, I didn't think anyone would do it, but you did so that makes you awesome~ :3
And I love Antonio having a bad case of the Lovinos, that's such a great line. XD
Oh gosh, i didn't think it'd be discovered so soon! Thanks so much! It was a pleasure to fill out, it really cheered me up. :) I'm really glad this request was here. One doesn't always want to fill for smut. XD
oh god i don't know where that line came from, but i hope there's more! :D
thank you so very much, OP, you seem to have a gift for improving my day. <3
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Wine, Snacks, and a Good Book - 1/2
(Anonymous) 2012-05-01 07:23 am (UTC)(link)Pop!
“What was that?”
Even Francis heard Ned's astounded squawk on the other end of the phone line. Grimacing in response to his Belgian co-conspirator, he resumed setting the wine cork aside and retrieving – quietly – glasses for them each.
“Nothing, nothing,” Bel told him, still scowling deeply at Francis. “Ned, really, it's okay. I'll see you when the planes are up again, okay? Nothing to worry about! I can handle Christmas Eve on my own. I'm a big girl, remember?”
Francis listened to a few more placating lines before Ned seemed satisfied and hung up.
“What have you done to him, little sister? He natters almost as much as you do.”
“Natter – is that British slang?”
Francis swore. Bel smirked playfully. “Anyway, I figured this would happen when the storms started getting so bad! Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
Deftly handing her a glass of wine, he chinked the brim of his own against hers. “What is a stuffy hotel compared to the comforts of home?” He gestured to Bel's tiny living room. “I am glad to have been in the area at your time of need,” he said, toasting her in gesture and sipping the wine.
Sipping her own in turn, Bel grinned, and gestured toward the little living space a couch and television had once occupied. “Shall we?”
Francis grinned. “You have the goods, do you not?”
“And you've got the wine?”
“And you, the snacks?”
Retrieving a large bowl of a childhood favorite, she held it in front of herself. “Yes I do!”
“Well, then, milady,” Francis bowed and extended a hand gracefully. “I would be honored if you joined me tonight in this sacred and most secretive of unions.”
Giggling, and blushing a little, she took his hand and curtseyed back, as well as she could holding a bowl under her arm and a wine glass in her hand. “It would be my pleasure.”
Relieving her of the wine glass and managing to hold both in one hand, he led her down into the most elaborate fort of blankets, Christmas lights and pillows known to man and tiny living rooms.
Re: Wine, Snacks, and a Good Book - 2/2
(Anonymous) 2012-05-01 07:27 am (UTC)(link)The fort began simply enough. Initially, she had curled up on the couch with a blanket and a book and found it... lacking somehow. Still cold, still lonely. Two hours later, her TV was in the kitchen, her sofa bunking with the kitchen table in its little nook. Her mattress had been sprung from its boudoir prison and laid out on the floor, covered in every pillow she owned. Then came the sheets. The extra blankets. A few bathroom towels, guest bedding, and a discovery of three boxes of white fairy lights in the bottom of a faux leather ottoman that served as a storage compartment for things immediately forgotten.
By the time Francis called to wish her joyeux noel and let her know he'd be in the city a bit longer, as per the trapped planes, she was munching on snacks and reading her book again in the middle of a giant fort.
Naturally, knowing he shared her favor of that particular book, she invited him forego the hotel fees and visit her instead. They could read their favorite books, drink their favorite wines, eat their favorite snacks and forget all the reasons winter sucked more than usual this year.
And now, they were doing just that.
Once more practically settled and her hands free, Bel turned off all the lights except the little strung Christmas lights and fetched a couple of empty, clean canning jars and some candles. With a candle in each jar and lit, she nestled them on a tray just outside the fort door. When her hands were free again, Francis held up the empty half of the quilt he was snuggled in under and Bel crawled carefully in beside him. Francis had already set up with a pillow under his chest: Bel did the same and snared a little stuffed plush of a white dog and settled it between them. Francis gave it a look of approval and withdrew a stack of books from his side of the fort.
“Which one first, ma cher?”
This was not an easy decision. Finally, she pointed. “That one. Nature isn't so mean in that one.”
“Ah, but she is very tricky.”
“Shall we read it out loud?”
“But of course. In parts though.”
“Agreed. Which would you like?”
“I will take the secondary role,” Francis smiled. “You take the titular role.”
Bel grinned. “Are you sure?”
“Would I offer it if I was not?”
“All right then,” Bel said, and opened the book. “But you have the first line, Captain.”
Francis grinned and took a sip of wine. Bel munched a handful of her snacks. In his best seaman's voice, Francis began, “Ah, the merry month of May! Spring, the sweet spring music. Cuckoo, jug-jug, tu-witta-woo! The chorus of birds... The woodland flowers... the fragrant perfumes... the sweet-smelling earth! Breathe deeply, Tintin, Fill your lungs with fresh air...”
bonne nuit, my dears
Re: Wine, Snacks, and a Good Book - 2/2
(Anonymous) 2012-05-01 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)And I love Antonio having a bad case of the Lovinos, that's such a great line. XD
A!Anon here
(Anonymous) 2012-05-02 02:25 am (UTC)(link)oh god i don't know where that line came from, but i hope there's more! :D
thank you so very much, OP, you seem to have a gift for improving my day. <3
Re: Wine, Snacks, and a Good Book - 2/2
(Anonymous) 2012-05-19 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)A!Anon here
(Anonymous) 2012-05-24 05:00 am (UTC)(link)