Cupid, and Nietzsche, and Chocolate. . .Oh My!
OK. . .back in 2011, I wrote a Valentine's Day story for Boris and Annabelle. I decided to "tweak" it a bit, before I post it. I know it's off-season. . .but I just wanted to write SOMETHING?! ENJOY!
Annabelle is a character I created back in the first season of "Royal Pains". If you want to check out the very beginnings of Boris and Annabelle's romance, check out "Boris & the First Invitation".
Enjoy!
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Disclaimer: I don't own Boris or any of the "Royal Pains" characters.
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Cupid, and Nietzsche, and Chocolate. . .Oh My! - Chapter One
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Boris stood in the connecting doorway, looking into the bedroom that Annabelle used. She was curled up on the upholstered chaise, looking out the French doors at the snow. She was holding something in her hand, but Boris couldn't see what it was; her back was to the door.
"What has captured your attention, Prinzessin?"
Annabelle looked over her shoulder at Boris and smiled. "Oh. . .I came in here looking for a book, and I found some pictures I had forgotten about. I started looking at them. . .and I guess I just lost track of time?!"
Boris walked over to the chaise. Annabelle moved her feet, and he sat down. "Valentine's Day. . .last year!" She handed him the packet of pictures. "Romances I never read like those I have seen!"
"Ah. . .Lord Byron!" Boris smiled warmly at Annabelle as he took the pictures from her, and thought back to their 'celebration'; it had started in the conservatory. . .and ended in his bedroom. Most of the pictures had been taken in the conservatory; Annabelle had wanted to have dinner there among the hothouse flowers. Boris slowly thumbed through the pictures. He hated having his picture taken – he had always been self-conscious about his ears! – but Annabelle usually insisted. . .and she could be VERY persuasive! "I had forgotten about these, as well! Dieter took them, did he not?"
Annabelle chuckled, and nodded her head. "He did!" She hesitated, and then continued. "Well. . .he took MOST of them!"
Boris continued looking at the pictures. There were several pictures of the two of them together; in one, Annabelle appeared to be whispering in his ear. Boris held it up to show Annabelle. "I remember this one; I believe you were making an indecent proposal, ja?!"
"Ha! You should be so lucky?!" She nudged him gently with her foot.
Suddenly, his eyes widened, as did his grin. "Oh, Annabelle. . .regarding that indecent proposal?!" Boris held up one of the photos.
Annabelle looked at the picture Boris was holding, and chuckled. "Ah, yes. . .well. . .Dieter DEFINITELY did NOT take that one!" Annabelle made a playful grab for the photo; chuckling, Boris held it out of her reach.
"Did we really. . .?!"
"Yes, Boris. . .we really did! I think last Valentine's Day was our most. . .hmmm. . .adventurous?!" Annabelle could feel herself starting to blush as she thought about their Valentine's Day celebration last year. "Yes. . .definitely adventurous!"
"Well. . .how shall we celebrate Valentine's Day this year?"
"Oh. . .BUGGER! Why do we have to celebrate at all?!" Boris started to answer, but Annabelle stopped him. "Boris. . .you know I HATE Valentine's Day?!"
"Still?! Annabelle, I would have thought that having someone with which to share Valentine's Day would have changed your feelings?!"
Annabelle regretted her flippant response the instant she saw the look on Boris's face. "Oh, Boris, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sound quite so. . .ungrateful. And, you're right! I don't DREAD Valentine's Day nearly as much as I used to?! I STILL don't love it, but. . .?!" Annabelle's voice trailed off, her sentence left unfinished.
"Hmpf?! High praise, indeed!"
Annabelle's guilt evaporated like dew on a hot summer morning. "Oh, bloody hell, Boris! You know what I meant! The fact that I hate Valentine's Day is NOT a reflection on you! And this is why I LOATHE Valentine's Day! It's a ridiculous, made-up holiday; people expect too much, and they're ALWAYS disappointed!"
"Well! I think, perhaps, Prinzessin, that Cupid would disagree!"
"Oh. . .THBTTTTTTTT! Cupid is nothing more than a pudgy homunculus!" Boris opened his mouth to respond, then, shaking his head, closed it again. "Don't give me that look, Boris! Ambrose Bierce said it first; more than a hundred years ago, I might add. I'm just. . .giving him the validation he so richly deserves?! A pudgy homunculus, Boris. . .NOT the god of desire?!"
"Ah, I see!" Boris watched Annabelle stuff the photos back into the envelope. "Well, 'pudgy homunculus' would be the answer to the question, 'what is your opinion of Cupid?' It does NOT, however, answer the question, 'how do you want to celebrate Valentine's Day' THIS year! So, Annabelle. . . we have a decision to make, you and I. Because, pudgy homunculus or god of desire. . we WILL be celebrating Valentine's Day – together!"
Annabelle sighed, and threw her hands up in mock surrender. "Boris. . .you're like a dog with a bloody bone!" She glanced out the window again; it was snowing harder now. "All right, Boris; if I get a vote, then, I vote that we just stay in?!" She gave Boris what she considered to be her most seductive smile! "You know I love having you all to myself!"
Boris looked skeptical. "Are you sure, Prinzessin?! I do own a jet! We could go anywhere in the WORLD to celebrate Valentine's Day!"
Hmmm?! Annabelle stopped to consider for a moment; maybe she was being selfish?! "Boris. . .is that what YOU want to do for Valentine's Day?! Do YOU want to go away?!"
Boris hesitated, then answered. "I want to do whatever will make you happy, Prinzessin?!"
"Good answer, mein herr!" Annabelle Boris a speculative look, and then decided to take a different tack. "Boris. . .do you remember our first Valentine's Day together?"
"I do indeed, Prinzessin. I remember every detail!"
Skeptical, Annabelle raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Oh, please?!"
"You doubt me, Prinzessin? You wound me deeply!" Boris rubbed his eyebrow with his thumb, gathering his thoughts. "I see that I must PROVE my love and devotion?!" Annabelle made a noise that could only be described as a snort, and Boris continued. "Bitte. . .ask me anything about that evening!"
"All right. . .let's start with something easy! Where did we celebrate our first Valentine's Day?"
"Ah! You disappoint me, Annabelle! We celebrated here. . .at Shadow Pond! I WANTED to take you to Paris. . .but you refused to go!"
"No. . .I didn't actually REFUSE to go. I just didn't WANT to go! There IS a difference, Boris; a HUGE difference! You KNOW I hate Paris!"
"Ja, I know that now. . .as you have told me. . .many, MANY times! Ask me another question; something a bit more challenging this time!"
"Hmph?! All right. . .your wish is my command! What did we have for dinner?"
"Hmmmmm. . .I believe. . .we had filet mignon, ja?! And fresh asparagus. There was an exquisite French champagne. . .and some sort of decadent dessert, with chocolate, and cherries!"
Annabelle gave Boris a sheepish grin. "Bloody hell. . .I remember that champagne! I think I got a little tipsy?!"
Boris returned her grin. "Ja. . .and you get delightfully amorous when you get tipsy!"
"Hmpf?! You WOULD remember THAT?!" Annabelle smiled, and wagged her finger at Boris. "All right, mein herr; prepare to be challenged?!" Annabelle paused, for dramatic effect. "And you'll NEVER get this! WHAT. . .was I wearing?!"
The corner of his mouth tugged into one of those little half-smiles that Annabelle found irresistible. "Well. . .if I recall correctly. . .you were wearing black satin pants – cigarette pants, you called them – and a red. . .a red tank top, ja? It had. . .was ist das wort?!" Boris made a little gesture with his hands, as if he were juggling his words. "They. . .sparkled in the candlelight?!"
Annabelle shook her head in amazement! "Paillettes! It had red paillettes. And I am absolutely gobsmacked?!"
Boris chuckled, enjoying his small victory. "When will you learn to trust me, Annabelle?! I TOLD you. . .I remember every detail of that evening! I remember that your eyes looked like the rarest of emeralds in the candlelight. I remember that your perfume was. . .spicy. . .and exotic. And I remember the red satin lingerie that you were wearing!"
Smiling. . .Annabelle put her hand over his mouth. "HA! You WOULD remember my knickers?!" Boris playfully batted her hand away. "That was truly impressive, Boris! I am in awe! Most men wouldn't remember all those details!"
"Danke schön, Prinzessin. . .but I am NOT most men! Now. . .quid pro quo, Annabelle! What do YOU remember about our first Valentine's Day?"
Annabelle smiled warmly at Boris. "Well. . .I remember. . .there were rose petals everywhere – red rose petals – and a giant box of Butlers Chocolates on my pillow!" Annabelle had been lounging back against the end of the chaise. Suddenly, she sat up and pointed her finger at Boris. "AND. . .I remember. . .we bought each other the same gift!"
"I thought that was very romantic!"
"Hmpf?! Yes, romantic. . .just like an O. Henry story?! I gave you a first edition collection of Edna St. Vincent Millay's poems in German. . .and you gave me the same bloody book. . . in English!"
"Two perfect gifts!"
"Hmmmmm. . .the whole evening was perfect! Boris. . .PLEASE?! I really don't want to argue with you! I'm begging you; let's just stay in for Valentine's Day! We BOTH hate crowds! The food here is better than any restaurant in the Hamptons. And I really do LOVE having you all to myself! No cell phones, no computers; just you, and me, and that big old antique bed of yours! Oh. . .and chocolate! There MUST be chocolate!"
"Chocolate?!" Boris stretched his arms out to his sides, and then crossed them over his chest. "Your proposal IS tempting! But. . .I am not yet convinced?!"
Smiling, Annabelle reached out, and, grabblng his necktie, pulled Boris towards her, kissing him as she spoke. "Well. . .for every man. . .there exists a bait. . .which he cannot resist swallowing?!"
"Ha?! Annabelle. . .it is a rare woman who can make Nietzsche sound seductive!"
"Boris?"
"Ja?"
"If you stop talking, we could start celebrating Valentine's Day?!"
"But. . .Valentine's Day is not until next week?!"
"Oh, Boris. . .just shut up. . .and kiss me!"
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I know. . .it's a little corny. . .isn't it?! But. . .feedback is still appreciated! Let me know what you think! THANKS!
I don't know where to go next. I have a number of options:
*writing another chapter for the Valentine's Day story I just tweaked
*writing another chapter for the Halloween story I started last year
*tweaking the story when Annabelle meets Dmitry for the first time
*tweaking the story when Annabelle and Boris go to the Anderson School to visit her pony
*tweaking the story when Annabelle goes to Shadow Pond for the first time for dinner
Any thoughts?! I'm leaning towards the Halloween story.