Long Distance Relationships:
It was amazing how good sitting on a soft but firm settle, basking in bright, warm firelight after being lost in the Wild Woods, in the middle of a sopping wet snowstorm, could make one feel. The mole and the water rat truly did get lucky. Oh so lucky.
They'd been walking around for hours, hunger and fatigue long since setting in. If they (or rather Mole) hadn't unwittingly stumbled upon Mr. Badger's frosty front door they could have perished from hypothermia. But they did stumble upon Mr. Badger's house, and their friend did kindly offer them a safe haven for the night.
After filling their stomachs with a hearty meal and filling the tall man in on the details of their tale, they sat in front of the Woodlander's fireplace, both its light and its warmth bathing the night gowns all three men wore.
Mole got his wish after all. He got to meet Badger, though perhaps not the way he would have liked. And the striped mammal listened with concerned, opened ears as they told him everything about Mr. Toad's dreadful path to either self-destruction or ruin.
Like Badger said, they were his friends. They couldn't let him continue on the way he was. There was only one thing to do.
"We'll take Toad hand in hand. We'll stand no nonsense whatsoever. We'll bring him back to reason, by force if we have to. We'll make him be a sensible toad, and then we'll…", Badger decided, before turning his startled gaze towards Rat. "Well, you're asleep Rat!", he noted.
Rat's eyes flew open, having been closed solid just seconds before, and the riverbanker blinked. "No I'm not. I'm still very much awake", he insisted with a jerk of the head.
Not believing him, Badger only his raised an eyebrow while Mole chuckled.
In contrast to Rat, who seemed to be growing sleepier by the minute, Mole was still feeling very lively. Being an underground animal, he found Badger's home a lot like his own and relaxingly earthy, while Rat, who was used to the cool, breezy atmosphere of the river bank, thought the whole place was very still and confined.
He was immensely grateful to have protection from the darkness and the cold outside, but to tell you the truth, the water rat felt almost boxed in by all the dirt walls and the low ceiling. And the heat from the fireplace was making him lazy, reminding him of just how tired he was.
Still, he certainly wasn't going to admit to his friends he was feeling sleepy, so the rodent put on a non-too-convincing act of being wakeful with a little grin plastered on his face. But as soon as Badger looked away towards Mole and started talking to his fellow underground animal, Rat's vision blurred again and his eyelids began to sink. He blinked a few times and tried to keep them open, but he was fighting a losing battle.
After talking some more about what they would do about Toad, Mole decided to change topics.
"So, you and Rat seem like good friends", he observed.
Badger nodded in confirmation. He'd been doing a lot of nodding that evening.
"Have you known each other long?", Mole asked.
"We go back more than a few years", Badger replied, folding his legs and glancing at the water rat in question. He smiled at what he saw.
"Ratty's fallen asleep again", he declared. Except Rat was too far gone this time to hear him.
Mole saw he was indeed correct and laughed. "He has two or three times now since supper", the stout fellow added jovially.
Badger slowly stood up out of his settle, stretching as he did. "Well, I think it's time we were all in bed. It is very late, and you two have had a long night", he reasoned.
Silently agreeing with him, Mole got up as well, feeling a bit regretful about having to leave the fire but comforted by the knowledge that there were two equally warm and comfortable beds were awaiting him and Ratty.
Badger walked over to Rat's armchair and shook the nodding riverbanker, who awoke with his usual disoriented stare.
"Come on, I'll show you to one of the guest rooms", the badger informed him and Mole.
"You two go ahead, I'll catch up. I just want to tidy up a bit", Mole decided.
Surprised, Badger glanced back at him in confusion, and Mole figured he ought to explain himself.
"I am a guest in your home. I don't want to leave a sizable mess in your kitchen for you to clean up in the morning", Mole said. Of course the mess (namely the remains of Badger's hearty supper) had already been there when they arrived, and because of them Badger had put off cleaning it. Feeling responsible, Mole felt he ought to be the one to ratify the problem.
"The Patient Centurion" by Murray Gold begins.
"Alright, but I'll be back anyway, so you don't get lost", Badger decided, helping Rat to his feet and lighting another candle. But before he led Rat to the door, there was one more thing he had to say. "You can sleep in late tomorrow morning; breakfast is served whenever you like", he promised the pair hospitably, as he led his river-dwelling friend to his 'hallway'.
Whilst his host was busy with that, Mole tended to the many, many dishes on the kitchen table (Badger was a large animal, but he had no idea the man ate so much).
((()-()))
Rat, close to unconsciousness, absentmindedly followed Badger back to his central hall, unable to pay attention to any of the details beyond Badger's back this time. In fact, a few times his eyes slipped again and he accidentally bumped into his friend, apologizing as soon as it happened. However, Badger wasn't annoyed, only amused by his clumsiness.
As Badger singled out the door that led to the guest room, Rat decided one way to stay awake and alert a little while longer was to make conversation.
"Guest room…", he said out of the blue, repeating Badger's words from earlier. "I take it sharing yours is out the question?", he joked lightheartedly.
Badger quirked a brow and glanced back at him. "I think we both know what would happen if I let you do that, and I'm fairly certain it counts as doing something active", he replied in good nature.
Rat snorted. "It's hardly in my interests tonight. I'm just saying, I want to enjoy being in your company. The riverbankers hardly ever see you, including me. I advised Mole to be patient about coming to see you, but the truth is old friend I've missed you myself", Rat explained sleepily.
Badger didn't reply; the usually gruff but tale-telling look in his eyes obscured by the shadows cast from the candle he held. And he was awfully quiet as he took Rat by the hand and led him to another one of his plentiful rooms.
The one he picked looked to be half-bedchamber and half-loft. Despite having plenty of it, Badger obviously didn't like to waste space. His kitchen was also his den of sorts, and his guest room doubled as his winter stores as well. Stacks of honey jars and numerous boxes of apples, turnips, and potatoes lined one side of the room, while two white beds, soft and inviting, lied waiting on the other side.
Stepping out of his slippers, Rat wasted no time in walking to his bed and claiming it for his own; lying down in great joy and contentment on the soft mattress and wrapping himself in layers of sheets and blankets. Badger walked up, pillow in hand, and slipped it under Rat's head, so he was all prepared for the rest of the night (though it probably wouldn't be night for much longer, considering just how late it currently was).
However, even though one half of Badger's task was now done he didn't leave to complete it. He didn't go back to fetch Mole; he just stood by Rat's bed, deep in thought, as the intrigued water rat looked at him – forgetting about his desire to sleep for just a moment.
Finally the badger spoke. "I've missed you too", he replied belatedly. "But I've been neglecting you, haven't I?", he asked guiltily.
"Maybe", Rat replied with uncertainty. "I know you don't like to leave the underground, and I know you don't like company, but do you think I could see more of you in the spring?", he requested.
Badger, face lifting just a little, reached down and rubbed his little chum's furry head. "I promise you you will", he agreed. Lifting Rat's chin, he leaned in further and kissed the riverbanker. Something he hadn't done in quite some time.
((()-()))
Neither animal noticed they left the door open. Or they just didn't care.
But poor Mole got the shock of his life.
He had finished putting things away in the kitchen and went into the central hall to wait for Badger like he asked, when he noticed an open door that hadn't been open before, guessed it was the guest room and walked towards it. When he heard his two friends talking amongst themselves, he stopped just outside the door. Just out of sight. Hidden by both the door frame and the darkness.
But the candle Badger had set on top of Rat's bedside table allowed him to see everything that transpired.
And he backed away.
Not because he was disturbed or appalled, rather because he was spying on a most private moment – watching something he had no business seeing without his friends' consent.
No, he was not disturbed. A man loving a man like he would a woman was uncommon in the woodlands, but not unheard of. Something not even he, a creature who spent most his days underground, was ignorant to - but something he felt rather indifferent about. Neither for it or against it.
He had never suspected (and never had any reason to suspect) Rat and Badger viewed each other that way, but it hardly bothered him. Except perhaps for the fact that they hadn't told him. But as he walked back to Badger's kitchen, he assumed they had their reasons. Most likely they didn't feel comfortable discussing it with anyone. Or maybe it was none of his business, no matter how close a friend he was (and technically he had only known Rat since spring, and Badger for all of one night).
Still, he knew their secret now, and he would keep that knowledge itself a secret from everyone, including them. He owed them both a great deal (none the least for rescuing him that night), and the loyalty he now felt towards them forbade him from letting them know he knew of their secret affair. He'd go on like he saw nothing, let them keep their privacy and sense of comfort until they were ready to tell him, and not a moment before. If they ever did.
He was just curious about one thing. Since they were both men - strong, strapping blokes at that - he wondered which of them actually…
Again, it was none of his business. Animal etiquette and everything.
((()-()))
Rat fell back onto his pillow, in a state of bliss from just one kiss.
He looked at Badger with ever-dulling eyesight. The smile on the man's face was the last thing Ratty remembered before he got his well-deserved rest.
While Badger on the other hand walked back to kitchen, finding Mole just where he left him, putting away the last of the now-clean dishes into his cupboard. He had no way of knowing this was in fact the second time Mole had done this. And Moly certainly didn't let on.
The next morning, by the time Mole and Rat awoke, the sun had long since risen (though it was impossible to tell while underground). They smelled the delicious, unmistakable aroma of bacon and ham being cooked just down the hall. Badger was already up and in the kitchen, making them breakfast, just like he promised, and what followed was a very pleasant morning between friends.
A few months later, when the snow melted away, revealing vibrant greenery and life everywhere once more, and the animals were all rested and free to leave their homes safely again, Badger kept another promise – appearing on the doorstep of Rat's riverside home, dressed rather spiffily, and proclaiming that the time had come to do something about their mutual friend, Mr. Toad.
Their rather extreme intervention and attempt to get Toad to see reason was of course a miserable failure. Partly because of Toad's stubbornness and partly because of Rat's gullibility.
But even as Toad ran wild, sure to get himself into even more trouble, his three friends found they really didn't care that, that much. If Toad wanted to make complete ass of himself, then so be it. He was no longer their responsibility. But Toad Hall was, and they were going to keep a close eye on it until he inevitably returned.
A task that turned out to be harder than they expected.
The Wild Woodlanders did not take the news of Toad's arrest well. His friends now had more reason than ever to safeguard his manor until the amphibian came back.
Rat helped both Badger and Mole move their things into Toad Hall, everything they would need for their short (or perhaps long) stay at Toad Hall, and by the time he was done helping Mole, the sun was already beginning to set. And he'd yet to help Badger. He would never make it back home before nightfall; he would just have to spend the night. So it was a good thing Toad Hall had plenty of guest rooms as well.
Later, despite having 'turned in' a while before, Rat didn't bother to change into his night clothes; he doubted Badger had either. With what they had planned, Rat didn't think they would spend much of the night sleeping.
He waited until long after Moly had turned in, when he was certain the mole was asleep, to slip out of bed – sneaking out the door he opened oh-so-carefully and tiptoeing past Mole's room (even though his lodger's door was closed). And on the other side of that door, Mole cracked an eyelid as he heard his friend creep down the darkened hallway.
((()-()))
Two animals, two men, laid in one bed, side-by-side. They both agreed this was how they wanted to spend the night.
"You sure you wouldn't like to stay here too old fellow? There's plenty of room", Badger offered, he was indeed still in his day clothes but his tweed jacket was now absent.
"No… my place is by the river", Rat insisted, albeit regretfully. "I'm used to living alone. Besides, visiting you here will be a lot safer and easier than in the Wild Wood", he added.
"Don't get too used to it. I suspect it won't be long until Toad gets tired of whatever nonsense he's up to", Badger said disdainfully.
Ratty turned over on his side, looking up at the larger woodland creature. "Well let's just enjoy tonight then", he decided, tracing circles on Badger's chest and fiddling with his braces – hinting at just what he had in mind.
Badger smiled and firmly embraced the smaller rodent.
They were kissing in no time at all, and naturally things escalated from there. After all, the chaps had hardly seen or touched each other in months. Clothing was quickly removed, and a rather sticky mess was made by the both of them that they really couldn't be bothered to clean up until later. Before morning.
Mole, meanwhile, paid little attention to the muffled, barely discernible sounds coming from Badger's room – sounds Badger couldn't be making by himself. Instead, he tried to focus on getting some sleep while his more motivated friends stayed up late. His pillow did an excellent job in blocking things out, and giving him the peace and quiet he needed to rest properly.
He would just make sure Ratty washed his paws thoroughly before breakfast.
The End.
Author's Notes:
I'd like to dedicate this fic to Red Aigh. Like how "Love Takes Flight" influenced my own SWAT Kats fic, "Deleted Chapter of Wind in the Willows" rekindled my old childhood interest in Kenneth Graham's classic novel. It was a pleasure to write a fic taking place in such a unique and old-fashioned setting with a warmth not many novels have had since "Bambi" and "Anne of Green Gables". And considering how I watched a lot of British TV shows growing up (PBS has a 'British night' every Saturday evening), finally writing for British characters just felt right (though I always thought my first experience with writing for Brits would be a Doctor Who story).