Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Mouse (2015) or any canon characters. They are the property of their respective owners. I do own Emma White and Ms. Anderson.
Notes: I had a plan for this story to simply be a put Beatles song titles into sentences type of fic, but then it formed into something a bit more full. I blame the subject matter on my seasonal melancholy. Anyway, this fic is a birthday gift for my friend gatorblits.
This contains Dangerfold, meaning Danger Mouse and Penfold are in a romantic relationship. So, yeah. Slash warning. Also, very mild fem-slash is included due to mentioned Squawkenmoth (Squawkencluck x Danger Moth). Mild OOC happens as well.
I hope you enjoy it!
(Linebreaks hate me, so I will use DMEP.)
DMEP
London, covered by a glorious dark sky. Though it is still the early hours, our heroes, Danger Mouse and Penfold, are surprisingly wide awake. What's that? Dawn? Oh, well, here comes the sun! Why did that sound familiar? Must be to do with this being for gatorblits.
DMEP
Indeed, Danger Mouse and Penfold were wide awake. However, Penfold was in his onesie, so what happened there?
"Crumbs, I'm exhausted after our mission, but I don't feel like I'll fall asleep anytime soon," Penfold stated. He sat on the sofa, mindful of which cushion.
Danger Mouse nodded. "Not even running from Maxwell's silver hammer was enough to wear me down, and that was always coming down with a clang!"
"That Maxwell was a strange sort, eh? He kept shouting ob-la-di, ob-la-da! at us! What's that even mean?"
"I myself was more puzzled by him always shouting I am the walrus when he was clearly a marmoset!" He stretched and sat beside Penfold, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "That blighter almost escaped in his yellow submarine, but it wasn't able to outmanuoever the Danger Car and he was soon in chains."
"Wonder what made him so potty in the first place?"
"I don't know, but he gave me the feeling of a nowhere man."
"A nowhere man? How do you mean?"
"Hmm, it's hard to explain it. I guess it's because he seemed so isolated, he may as well have been in his own nowhere land."
Penfold cocked his head in confusion. "Well, at least we stopped him before he caused any trouble for Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and that nice Eleanor Rigby, eh?"
"Too right, Penfold."
The hamster leaned against Danger Mouse. "I think I might finally be feeling ready to sleep." He let out a yawn. "I'm so tired."
Danger Mouse nodded. "Then, let's get to bed and get some rest. Tomorrow never knows what may come." He rose to his feet and scooped the clearly half-asleep Penfold into his arms, carrying him to the bedroom.
DMEP
A good eight hours passed when Danger Mouse stirred. He sat up and stretched. He cast his gaze to his beloved hamster and smiled tenderly. "Penfold, are you ready to return to the World of the Waking?"
Penfold murmured "I'm only sleeping..." before turning on his side and letting out a sigh.
"Alright. I'll leave you to sleep a little longer." He leaned down and gave him a peck on his cheek. He then slid out of the bed, stretched once more and quietly left the bedroom.
DMEP
Danger Mouse stood by the large windows of the flat. He inhaled deeply, though was not actually getting any fresh air, and grinned. "Good day, Sunshine!" he uttered, pleased to see there was nothing but blue skies and warm sun. It would be perfect for taking Penfold on a little outing he had planned. "It won't be long before Penfold wakes up, I should put the kettle on. Thankfully, I can do that much when it comes to domestic duties." He stepped over to the kitchen bench and picked up the electric kettle, filled it with cold water, returned it to its port, plugged it in and switched it on.
While waiting for the water to boil, Danger Mouse fell into his thoughts. Of course, Penfold has tried to instruct me on some other domestic duties for if he should be unable to take care of them himself. I'm not as completely helpless in that regard as I used to be. I mean...when time had been changed to make it as if Penfold and I had never met, this place was so filthy! Even if I did have my missions, I still could've tidied up...and then there was the fact I couldn't find my keys or have my iPatch charged... He sighed.
A yawning Penfold entered the kitchen area. "Good morning, good morning," he muttered, wiping sleep out of his eye before replacing his spectacles.
Danger Mouse blinked out of his thoughts. "Well, it's afternoon, but good morning."
Penfold chuckled. He heard the water starting to boil in the kettle. "You put the kettle on? That's lovely of you. I'm still half-asleep at the moment."
"Well, you go sit down and I'll bring over a cuppa. Feel up to eating anything?"
"Mm...honey pie..."
Danger Mouse noted the drowsy murmuring and led his fiance to the table. "I don't think we have any. How about jam sandwiches instead?"
"Mm..."
He helped him sit down and wasn't surprised to see him resting his head on the table. "You know, you can go back to bed if you still feel so tired you can barely keep your eyes open."
"No, it's fine. I just...need to wake up..."
Danger Mouse chuckled affectionately. "Alright. Some coffee should help with that. How many jam sandwiches?"
"Mm..."
"One to start. If you want more, we can work it out then."
DMEP
Danger Mouse set breakfast (or lunch) and the cup of coffee right by Penfold, though making sure it couldn't be spilled or knocked on the floor. He wasn't too surprised when he saw his fiance was dozing. He placed a paw on his shoulder and gently shook it. "Penfold?"
"Hey, Bulldog!" Penfold called as he sat up quickly.
Danger Mouse praised his quick reflexes, he'd be nursing an aching nose if he hadn't moved back in time. "Still stuck in your dreams?" he chuckled lightly.
Penfold blinked and finally returned to reality. "Oh! DM...did I say something strange?"
"Not really. Here. Some coffee should help you shake off the fatigue and I made you a jam sandwich."
"Oh, thanks!" He tilted his head up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
Danger Mouse sat beside him. He had a cup of coffee and a plate of cheese sandwiches sitting in front of him. "Normally, I'd be across from you, but until I can be sure you won't fall asleep on your food, it'd be better if I stayed here."
Penfold chuckled. He picked up the mug by the handle and blew on the hot liquid before having a sip. He turned to Danger Mouse. "This is yummy, you're getting better at it!"
"So, what were you dreaming about?" He picked up his own mug and did likewise.
"Oh. Well, it started with seeing Emma and her doll. Emma was very happy."
His smile became slightly melancholy, noticing likewise was the same for Penfold, as the hamster spoke of the deceased orphan they loved like their own daughter.
"She kept pointing up at her doll Lucy and exclaimed look at Lucy in the sky with diamonds all around her! So pretty! and I could only smile at that. But, then Emma had to go, but told me there is a place that I should consider having a look at before she said goodbye after getting Lucy back. So, I went where she told me and it was a number of red fields. I recognised the scent."
"What was it?"
"Strawberries. There were strawberry fields forever, as far as the eye could see and beyond! I thought to myself cor, I could make a lot of jam using these! and went to pick some, but I was stopped by a woman crying she's leaving home!. I turned to see what was going on and there were a man, a woman and a younger woman. The younger one had a suitcase and looked like she was leaving for university or a new job or something." He had some more coffee. "Her father called, Martha, my dear, please do be cautious! and she agreed she would before having to say goodbye to her parents."
"Did anything else happen?"
"A strange voice kept calling hello! Goodbye! which really ticked me off, so I eventually burst out don't bother me!. A bulldog was approaching me and then...that's when I woke up."
"That sounded like a rather interesting dream."
Penfold nodded. "I can understand why I had a dream about Emma with it being her birthday today, but the rest...it certainly was peculiar. How about you? Any interesting dreams?"
"I did have one about Danger Moth. The way it started, she came in through the bathroom window, which is odd in itself since we don't have a window in there, and she knows the door is always open to her. But, she came over in such a way because she wanted to make sure Squawks didn't know."
"How come?"
"She needed some advice on how to best propose to her."
"Aww!"
"In the end, we told her it doesn't matter if you do it extravagantly or in a very private way; she loves you and would say yes either way. She accepted that and left through the door. That was about it, really."
"Short dream."
"I probably had many others, but I can't remember them. Anyway, we'd best finish our breakfast, or maybe we should call it lunch. I want to take you somewhere today."
Penfold nodded and resumed his lunch.
DMEP
Sometime later, the pair were in the Mark IV. Danger Mouse handed Penfold a pamphlet."This is where we're headed."
Penfold accepted. He had a look at the cover. "Come one and all to the concert being held for the benefit of Mr. Kite and his charity for homeless youths?" He looked up at Danger Mouse. "A benefit concert?"
"Indeed. Mr. Kite is a friend of Ms. Anderson from the Children's Home. When he'd heard about how there are many children and teenagers who have decided to just live on the streets or are unaware that there are services for them, he decided to start his own charity to help support them and their needs."
"That's nice!"
"Ah, there's the field! Hm, looks rather packed, I'd say!"
"Cor! This event's going to go well, I reckon!"
"I should hope so, at least. Now then, I'm taking us down."
DMEP
They found their seats and waited for the concert to begin. "I spoke with Mr. Kite not too long ago and have something special planned," Danger Mouse stated.
"Something special?"
"I'm sure if Emma was with us, she'd enjoy it greatly. Considering today's her birthday, it's appropriate."
"Is it a song from her favourite film?"
"No, but it is the song she kept singing to herself."
"Oh! You mean..."
"Ladies, gentlemen and children of all ages! I'd like to thank each and every one of you for purchasing a ticket to this charity concert. The show will begin in a couple of minutes, please make yourselves comfortable," a voice over a speaker stated.
"That was Ms. Anderson's voice!"
Danger Mouse nodded. "She, as well as the children in her care, have contributed to this concert. The ones singing Emma's song were good friends to her."
"So, their performance is a tribute?"
"You could say that...Penfold? What's the matter?"
He sniffed and removed his spectacles so he could wipe his eyes. "I'm just...I just..."
He smiled sadly and pulled him into an embrace. "I understand."
DMEP
It wasn't until the concert was almost over when the boys and girls from Ms. Anderson's Children's Home stepped on the stage, accompanied by Ms. Anderson holding an acoustic guitar. Ms. Anderson stepped up to the microphone. "This next song is being performed as a tribute to a child who was once in my care. A sweet little girl by the name of Emma White who, today, would have turned nine years old." She spotted Danger Mouse and Penfold in the audience and nodded to them. She then stepped away from the microphone and moved to a chair nearby. She started strumming the guitar. "Okay, children, all together now!"
Penfold's eyes widened as he reached for Danger Mouse's paw. The performance really would've been something Emma would've loved.
Danger Mouse firmly, though tenderly, held Penfold's paw as he fought back some tears building in his eye. This is for you, Emma.
DMEP
After the concert, and the good news that the charity raised quite a hefty amount of money, the pair were headed home. "You know, DM, I hope to keep doing this when I'm sixty-four."
Danger Mouse nodded. "I'm sure we'll keep doing this even beyond then."
"That tribute was lovely, eh? I found it hard to keep myself from getting a bit emotional."
He nodded. "I was the same. I just know Emma would've loved it."
"Emma would've loved everything offered for her. I know that for a fact!"
"You do? How?"
"It's easy to give Emma something to make her happy! All you need is love!"
Danger Mouse smiled and nodded. "You're right. Well, I'm sure that today, she enjoyed her special gift. There's one more stop we need to make."
"The cemetery?"
He nodded, steering the Mark IV on the right course. "We'll get some flowers on the way."
DMEP
They soon arrived at the cemetery and solemnly made their way to the grave Emma shared with her parents. They knelt down and placed their bouquets of white lillies before the headstone. "Happy birthday, Emma. I hope you don't think we forgot. You're constantly on our minds. We love you as much as if you were our daughter and will never, ever forget you. I hope you enjoyed the song your friends performed," Danger Mouse murmured. "Though, I'm sure you saw me making arrangements with Ms. Anderson about it and saw your friends rehearsing." He chuckled.
Penfold also chuckled, though he could feel himself getting a little emotional again. "I wish you were able to share a birthday cake and party with us, but I hope your birthday with your parents was a nice one."
Danger Mouse wrapped an arm around Penfold's shoulders. "Are you alright?"
"A little sad, but I'm alright."
He nodded. "That makes two of us, dear."
They stayed for another ten minutes, but then, they had to leave. Uttering their goodbyes, promises to return for more visits and their words of love for the girl they loved like their own, they rose to their feet and made their way out of the cemetery grounds. The dark clouds forming in the sky seemed to reflect their moods.
DMEP
The pair had returned home. Feeling a bit emotionally drained from the cemetery visit, they decided to just go back to bed and have dinner later. They cuddled under the covers as the first drops of rain of the evening fell.
DMEP
It was only a matter of time before the rain fell again. At least the good weather suited the sunny personality of little Emma on her birthday. But, what will come next? Who knows? Maybe you'll find out in the next narrative of...Danger Mouse!
DMEP
After notes: I hope you enjoyed your gift, gatorblits! Sorry it started getting heavy there, but I tried making it a lighter story than the last ones concerning Emma. Like I said, I blame my seasonal melancholy for that. Still, hope you enjoyed it! Hope you had fun finding the titles of the songs too!
Thanks for reading! You don't have to review, but please don't flame if you do want to say something. Constructive criticism is welcomed as always!