This is my first in a collection of pieces for Duncney Week.
Today's Prompt is 'Origins'.
This will be a multichapter story, tackling Duncan and Courtney's relationship from the end of Action, and provide some explanation for World Tour.
I hope you enjoy it!
Courtney is curled up against Duncan on her couch. Duncan runs his free hand through Courtney's hair.
"I can't believe you haven't seen this movie" Duncan chides.
"I can't believe you have" Courtney replies, her fingers intertwined with his. "Princess Bride is hardly a movie I'd associate with you."
"I saw it when I was like five" Duncan says. "It was the closest to horror I was allowed. Pirates! Giant rats! Quick sand! Sword fighting! Breaking rules!"
"Giant rats?" Courtney snaps as the movie begins. "This movie has giant rats?"
"Among other things" Duncan chuckles, tracing her side with his hand "It was kind of the reason I started calling you Princess."
"Explain" Courtney demands. Duncan can't help but smile. He loves when she's demanding.
"Just watch the movie" he teases.
"Fine" she pouts, resting her head on Duncan's shoulder. He kisses the top of her head and she turns red.
They watch the movie, and Courtney seems to be enjoying it. Duncan is, it feels good to sit here with Courtney, on her couch, watching a romantic comedy that didn't make him vomit.
"So when he says 'as you wish' she knows it's him" Courtney asks.
Duncan nods "Yeah, basically."
"Well it could be anyone" she argues.
"No because when he says it he means 'I love you'" Duncan replies. Courtney rolls her eyes.
"But that's not logical, I mean it could -"
Duncan kisses her lips to silence her. "Don't be a party pooper" he teases. "I thought all girls were supposed to soon during romantic movies." She frowns at him, and looks away. He pulls her closer.
"Duncan" she says a few moments later.
"Yes Princess?" he asks.
"I think I might get why you call me Princess" she replies.
"Oh really?" Duncan presses. "Why?" She doesn't answer. He elbows her. "Huh Court?"
She turns to him, red in the face. They stare at each other for a second, and then Courtney presses her lips against Duncan's and his hands fall to her waist. They aren't kissing for very long, when Duncan remembers they're in her parents house. And they're awake.
"Wait" Duncan says "The movie is still on."
"I'll pause it" Courtney says, feeling around for the remote before Duncan gets up.
"Duncan!" she says, a frustrated look in her eyes.
"I've got to hit the bathroom anyway" he pushes, but she shakes her head. "Keep watching the movie!" he gestures to the television.
"I'll pause it" she repeats in a different tone than earlier.
"No, Court-"
"I am pausing it and that is final" she states, and he grins, loving the way she takes charge in all situations.
"Fine Princess" he says with a mocking bow before heading down the hall to the bathroom. It isn't a long trip, and pretty soon he is walking back down the hallway towards Courtney's living room.
"Well I like it" he hears Courtney say. He stops.
"Well of course you do" a voice Duncan recognized as Courtney's mother's says. "It's the type of garbage boys show girls when...you know..."
"I think it's sweet" Courtney argues.
"It's sweet because it's a movie Courtney, it's not real. No one loves anyone forever. Especially when you're young. It's just life." There's a long silence. Duncan holds his breath, as he waits, waits to hear something. "When is Duncan going home tonight?"
"After the movie" Courtney lies, and Duncan rolls his eyes. "But he's coming back tomorrow."
"That's right..." her mother begins "Who is he staying with again?"
"Some cousins" Courtney answers, more smoothly than Duncan would have expected.
"Well I'm going back to the office-" Courtney's mother was saying, and Duncan realizes their conversation is coming to an end. Alarmed he runs back to the couch, not wanting to be caught eaves dropping by either of the women.
"Sorry" Courtney sighs as she enters the room "got caught up in the kitchen."
"It's cool" Duncan answers. "Let's finish up the movie, so I can head out."
"But I'll see you in the morning" she adds, sitting down on the couch and leaning on him.
"Maybe" he teases. Courtney glares at him. "Kidding Court" he says, as she restarts the movie with a scowl on her face. He squeezes her in closer to him. She fights for a moment, but then shifts into a comfortable position against him.
Courtney's alone in her room. Duncan is climbing up the wall as per the usual. He doesn't have a cousin in town. He lives a little bit over an hour out of the way. He was willing to drive the distance, until he found out Courtney was more than willing to have him stay the night.
"Well look who it is" Courtney says as she searched through her drawers. She turns to glance back at him, a smile on her face. She tries to hide it as she returns to her drawer.
"Surprised Princess?" he plays along, closing the window. He walks over to her closet.
"I moved your duffel" Courtney tells him, changing into her pajama shirt "It's under the bed." He gets down under the bed and pulls out his duffel bag. He wonders for a moment if Courtney's mom had been poking around, but he chooses not to ask. Instead he takes off his shirt and shoves it into the duffel.
When Duncan looked up Courtney was sitting on her bed with her laptop. He climbed onto the bed and kissed her shoulder. She shut her laptop.
A few hours later Duncan and Courtney are lying in bed, breathing heavily. Her eyes are fluttering closed.
"Courtney" he asks, his eyelids hanging low. "What were you and your mom talking about earlier?"
"Nothing really" she yawns rolling into him. "Why?"
"Oh nothing" he lies just as smoothly. He kisses her on her head, and her hand reaches up above him and runs through his mohawk.
"Did you set the alarm?" Duncan asks Courtney, but she doesn't answer. He looks down and she's asleep. He smiles and sighs, reaching for his phone to set an alarm.
"Dinner with your family was fun" Duncan says while they sit at the stoplight.
"Stop changing the subject Duncan" Courtney snaps "I demand to know where we're going!" Duncan chuckles to himself.
"Relax Court" he teases as he turned the corner. She grumbles to herself. "You've been really pouty lately. What's been going on?"
"Just a lot" Courtney sighs. She is tense. He is a bit tense too. She is either going to love this, or hate this, he thought to himself. He grips the wheel when he sees it down the street.
"I heard you and your mom talking the other night" Duncan says.
She looks away "Duncan!" she says with more spirit than she had a moment ago "You were eavesdropping on my-"
"Yes" Duncan cuts her off. "But that's not the point. Your birthday present...it's not..." Courtney sees he's struggling and her facial expression softens. "I'm not going to be some guy who's just-" he's thinking, grasping for words. The idea was so simple but telling it to her, it's a whole other thing. He parks the car, and she watches him from the corner of her eye. When he pulls the key out of ignition he takes a deep breath.
"Courtney, I'm here for the long haul" he says. Courtney looks confused for a moment, but when she looks to her right, her eyes grow wide with panic and excitement.
"A tattoo parlor?" she exclaims. He gets out of the car, and she follows his suit. She seems overwhelmed when she takes his hand and follows him in.
"I wanted to give you something permanent" he explains before pushing open the door. It's a small place, with a few guys he knows, and dim lighting. There aren't many customers at the moment.
Duncan talks George at the desk. he had arranged everything earlier in the day over the phone so there's no wait. George leads them to a leather chair and Duncan sits down in it. Courtney stands straight up, stuck some place between the thrill of the danger and the fear of being seen in a tattoo parlor.
The man works on Duncan's arm for about an hour. Courtney's eyes are glued to Duncan, a miss of worry and excitement in her eyes. There's a good amount of blood, and when it's done Courtney is struggling.
"What's wrong Court?" Duncan asks as the man goes into a back room.
"Duncan this is so-" she pauses looking at the heart on his arm. "It's so romantic and weird, but I love it!"
"Really?" says Duncan, his tone a bit shocked. "Well good because it's your turn next."
"Me?" Courtney exclaims.
"I bought two" he responds "One for me and one for you."
"I don't know Duncan" she says, looking around worriedly while the man was gone.
"Don't worry, mine came out fine"
"Well you've gotten a tattoo before! I am not a delinquent!" Courtney snaps "I mean, I want to be a lawyer, and if-"
"So you don't want to get it?" Duncan asks.
"No" she says her voice trailing off, "I want you to let me squeeze the crap out of your hand"
"For you Princess" he says. Her eyes light up at her nickname, and she smiles at him.
His tattoo is bandaged and Courtney gets into the chair next. Duncan holds the hand of her free arm. She doesn't cry at all, and her eyes remain focused. When it's done Courtney looks down.
"Oh crap!" she says, thrilled. "It looks great!"
Duncan laughs. "What happened to 'I'm going to be a lawyer'?"
"I can always cover it up during meetings" she argues, shooting him a glare for using her own words against her. She kisses him on the lips.
"Happy Birthday Princess" he says.
So, for those of you who didn't get it because you haven't seen Princess Bride I'll explain.
Princess Bride is about this beautiful girl who lives on a farm, and this farm boy who works there. The farm boy tells her 'as you wish' in response to all of her demands, and what he means every time he says it is 'I love you'. Then all this other stuff happens, but I don't want to spoil the whole movie (however it is good and you should see it- the Princess reminds me a lot of Courtney the the farmboy of Duncan)
What I was attempting to allude to was that when Duncan says 'Princess' it's the equivalent of 'As you wish' which is the equivalent of 'I love you'
So I was attempting to tackle to origins, the meaning of Princess, and the origin of the tattoo (which in the end are Duncan's form of a commitment).
Anyway, I hope you liked it! please review and go check out Duncney Week!