Disclaimer: We must all find ourselves resigned to the concept that I'm not actually Hergé.
I apologise for any potential misunderstandings we may have had over this.
A/N: I'm tempted to publish this in 'Only Him', but I may or may not continue with this later on. So. No. I hope you enjoy reading!
The Inscrutable and Meretricious Disposition of The Valentine
PART ONE
xXx
"So, Tintin!" the Captain began deliberately, entering the room and casually sauntering up to where his friend was sitting in the lounge-room, paper calendar in hand. He lent one arm on the back of the couch, fixed Tintin with a raised eyebrow, and waited; it was a clear indicator for a conversation that, to anyone else, would have either evoked suspicion or at least some form of warranted apprehension. Tintin, however, failed to notice the expectant expression on his friend's face, his attention intensely focused on the book he had started reading that morning.
"Tuesday, isn't it?" he replied dismissively, without looking up and turning the page carefully. "It said so, on the Calendar last time I checked."
"The date, I meant," the Captain clarified.
"Tomorrow? The fourteenth, I think. Does it matter?"
"It might."
"Might it?" Tintin asked vaguely, squinting more closely at the page he was on.
The Captain sighed. "Well, it could matter. For you," the Captain said pointedly, attempting again to prompt the desired response of at least something akin to curiosity.
"Oh, right, of course," Tintin replied without looking up, preparing to the turn to the next page.
The Captain really didn't want to be too direct with this, but he had no intention of standing there for the next half an hour utilising all phrases of implicit small talk until his friend grasped what he was trying to say. He was just about to open his mouth to continue speaking when his words finally registered and Tintin's eyes flickered up from the book. He frowned slightly, as though contemplating what the Captain has said, and then slowly looked up at his friend.
"Wait, what do you mean for me?"
"See, look at this!"
The Captain thrust the calendar in front of his friends face and held it up for him to see, the February page almost hitting him in the face. Tintin lent back slightly, an odd feeling of unease began to form in the back of his mind. "What am I looking for?" he asked, sounding unsure.
He reached out a hand to steady the calendar and narrowed his eyes, his mind searching for what he was meant to be acknowledging.
'Oh, crumbs, I've forgotten something, and it's probably important because otherwise the Captain wouldn't be pointing it out to me. Is it the Captain's birthday? No, hold on, the Captain's isn't until April. My birthd- no, already been… what could he possibly-?'
"Here, take a closer look," the Captain said, interrupting his thoughts, gesturing for him to take the calendar. "You might find it easier if it's in your own hands."
Tintin nodded in response, taking it from the Captain and lowering it down to his lap. He glanced over each week, hoping to find any notes he may have missed, his frown deepening in concentration.
"The fourteenth?" he said quietly, staring closer at the blank squares. There were no handwritten markings, no plans, and no notification that he could find.
"What am I supposed to be looking for?" Tintin finally asked, sounding bemused. He fixated on the 14th square, trying to compare it with the others for any difference. "I don't see what- oh."
He fell silent for a moment in realisation. "So, that's what it is?"
"You see?" the Captain asked, sounding oddly triumphant.
"I do."
"Are you sure?"
"Well, quite sure."
"It's Valentine's day!" the Captain declared, gesturing widely as though revealing a magnificent revelation. Tintin glanced at the Captain, and then back at the page. The 14th of February had printed decorative hearts lining the otherwise blank square, which honestly didn't seem festive enough for the Captain's seemingly disproportionate level of enthusiasm for the holiday.
"Yes, so I've figured, tomorrow isValentine's Day," he agreed with mild amusement, hoping to reach the point of the conversation soon.
"So?" the Captain asked expectantly, giving a nod towards the door pointedly.
Tintin stared at him in response, puzzled. "You… you want me to take you out for Valentine's Day?" he tried uncertainly, forming a polite smile and folding the calendar before placing it aside.
"What?! Thundering typhoons, that isn't what I meant, lad!" the Captain said, waving his hand. "That wasn't what I was saying, I didn't mean me! Blistering barnacles!"
"No?"
"No! What I meant was: what are your plans for tomorrow?"
Tintin observed the Captain and raised an eyebrow.
The Captain waved a hand. "It's long past my time when I was interested in these sorts of things, but you're still young, Tintin. You should plan something for Valentine's!"
There was a long pause.
"… plan something?" Tintin said at last.
"Yes."
"So, a date, you mean."
The Captain nodded. "Yes, a date, lad!"
"For tomorrow?" he said, as though still unsure what he was being asked.
"Yes, for tomorrow!" the Captain repeated, beginning to sound exasperated. Surely the boy had been on one before? "Blistering barnacles! It's not that difficult to understand!"
"But what if I don't want a date?" he asked earnestly, leaning back.
"It was just a suggestion," the Captain finished. "I'm not going to force you to leave the house, lad, but you shouldn't stay indoors when you could be making better use of your time."
He studied the Captain as he spoke, carefully considering his idea. "Yes, well… we'll see," he said eventually, his tone light.
Tintin normally didn't have any interest in these sorts of fanatical public celebrations, but life at Marlinspike Hall had been rather dull lately, so he supposed any excuse to explore something out of the ordinary could be seen as a welcome change. He understood the purpose of Valentine's Day as a simultaneously sentimental and commercial holiday, which could potentially supply the means for an adventure. From what he could recall, each year a story would emerge around this time from at least one of his fellow reporters, although the subject of the story would commonly involve a scandal or promotional company piece. The Valentine's Day celebration really wasn't worth the effort to seek easy stories pertaining to peoples personal businesses; nonetheless, it was about time he took a break from indoors, and maybe he could put his reporting and detecting skills to the test and perhaps emerge with a story worthy of publication.
Sensing the end of the conversation for now, the Captain turned to leave. "Well, if you change your mind I'm sure you could easily make the most out of Valentine's Day, Tintin," the Captain said, giving his friend a brief pat on the shoulder before walking towards the door. "I bet you could charm any young lady if you put your mind to it," he called out over his shoulder as he left.
Tintin gave a quiet laugh and just shook his head, returning to his book. "I dread to think."
Edited: 16/12/2015, because my capacity to write since 2012 has improved dramatically.