Not making any filthy lucre with this. Don't own Tintin & Company - Moulinsart does.
Yup - the obligatory lost in the woods, find cabin, have sex story.
Well, that's how it started out any way...
But along the way it grew a plot (huh - go figure...), grew angst, grew my take on Tintin's back story, then grew some more until it became 16 chapters in all.
But don't despair, there will be sex, oh yes.
Standard grammatical apology, any mistakes are due to fumble fingers, sheer blindness and complete disregard for the English language.
Hope you enjoy, reviews are not solicitated, but are welcome.
...
Soaked to the skin, stumbling in the dark, tripping over roots, rocks, vines, craters and who knows what else, Haddock almost missed seeing it until he was almost past it. As it was it took him a moment to realize that the dark mass in front of him wasn't part of the forest.
It was a wall. More importantly, it was man-made. This meant that it could be shelter of some kind. Dragging strength from somewhere, Haddock lurched around the corner, looking for some sort of entrance and was rewarded by gazing upon an unmistakable porch, from which a door beckoned.
"Tintin? Lad? Found someplace, hear me?"
But the young man that was riding piggy back did not respond. His head lolled on Haddock's shoulder, arms hanging loose around Haddock's neck. Haddock's own arms shook from the strain of supporting the lad's legs, his back aching from having trudged up and down hills, looking for some kind of haven for the two of them.
Brow furrowing with concern, Haddock forced his shaking legs up onto the porch and surveyed the door. It had a latch, not a doorknob and somehow he managed to open it without upsetting the load he was so carefully carrying.
Entering into the small structure, it took several minutes for the Captain's eyes to adjust to the even darker interior. Finally he made out what looked to be a couch, in front of what could possibly be a fireplace. Making his exhausted way over to it, he gently deposited his cargo. For some long minutes he felt more than saw the objects on and about the fireplace until his hand grasped what he hoped was an oil lamp. Making his way to the doorway to use what little light there was, he sighed as he discovered he'd been right. Digging into his inside coat pocket, he pulled out a box of matches, hoping the contents had been protected by the deluge they'd travelled in. The first two he struck fizzled and he felt himself beginning to despair, but the third one burst into brilliant, beautiful, oh so welcome flame.
Quickly he lit the lamp and adjusted the wick and now able to see properly, Haddock closed the door against the tumultuous weather and made his way to the fireplace. First things first - get a blaze going and heat the place up. Both he and the lad were soaked through by the torrential rain storm and neither one needed to catch some cold or worse, pneumonia.
Shaking hands and blurred vision notwithstanding, he soon had a nice, comfortable blaze, the dried kindling and logs he had found next to the fireplace catching easily.
Now – next priority. The lad. Turning around he gazed down at the small figure that lay silently on what was definitely a couch, draped with a sheet. Frowning, he gently but rapidly began to divest the unconscious form of sodden clothing. Pulling the sheet around the boy's body, he used it to both dry and cover the lad. Standing up and catching himself as he swayed, he peered about the small room.
It was obviously a summer cabin, closed for the season. One room, with the door at one end and a four poster bed sporting a bare mattress at the other. In between was the couch, behind which was a small table with four chairs. The wall opposite the fireplace was all shelves, drawers and cupboards except for a small counter and sink. Looking to his right, Haddock noticed disinterestedly that there was a large chair and possibly a book case behind that, also covered with sheets.
Stumbling behind the couch, Haddock made his way to the cupboards, determined to search until he'd found what he needed, but suddenly spied a large chest at the foot of the bed. Turning, he wearily took the few steps towards it and upon flipping open the top, was rewarded with what he was looking for.
Dragging the blankets out he once more made his way to the couch, wrapped up his young charge firmly making sure every square inch was tucked in, only leaving a small space for a small button nose to poke out of, quickly took off his own soaked clothing, placing it with the lad's so it would dry out, finally wrapped himself in yet another blanket, glanced at the fire to make sure it was burning securely and dropped into the chair. He was snoring in moments.