This chapter is for Lylinn who wanted France/Fem!Canada.
Song: Tale As Old As Time
It was the same story every year.
Madeline was half expecting the knock on her door that winter morning. She didn't even bother to get dressed, she padded down the stairs and down the hall in her tank top and sweats. With a snap the deadbolt was unlocked and the door opened. Madeline eyed her visitor critically. His winter coat and snow pants were purple but they looked good against his blonde hair and fair blue eyes. His black boots were frosted with snow even though Madeline had shoveled the stuff off her driveway just yesterday. A quick peek behind him revealed that it had snowed during the night and that her hard work was ruined. She didn't care, snow was awesome.
"Am I a bit early?" he asked, taking in her state of undress.
"I didn't know we had an appointment, Francis."
"Don't we?"
A small smile graced Madeline's features. "I guess so. Give me a moment."
Minutes later found them walking away from the house, both of them holding a pair of ice skates. A companionable silence fell over the two, what do you say to someone who knows everything about you? They had grown up together, going to the same school for twelve grades until their career choices had split them apart. Francis had gone back to Europe and his native homeland while Madeline had stayed in Canada to watch over the polar bears in the Arctic Circle. For a couple of years she'd thought that she would never see her friend again. She certainly didn't count on him seeking her out in Alert. So here they were. Every year he would travel to Canada to visit at her vacation home and every year they would go ice skating. A small pond lay just beyond a grove of pine trees. Their fresh scent cleared Madeline's nose and she heard Francis breath in deeply.
"How's Alfred?" Francis asked.
"Good, he's out of college and touring the world like he always wanted to do. Ran into some British girl along the way and-"
"Ohononon~"
Madeline rolled her eyes, of COURSE Francis would jump to that conclusion before she'd finished speaking. Though to be fair, he was right. Alfred had never openly admitted it but it was clear that he'd fallen head over heels for his new traveling companion. Not that Francis needed to know that. If he got any more puffed up his head would explode. That would be a shame, he was very handsome.
The pond glittered before them, clean and as yet smooth and unskated on (yes, unskated is a word, shut up). Francis dusted the snow off a bench Madeline had installed years ago before sitting. Madeline joined him and they quickly donned their skates.
Both were masters when it came to ice skating. They zipped across the ice as gracefully as any Olympic contestant. The sun feebly managed to poke it's way through the cloud cover for this annual moment, wreathing the two in a yellow glow that glittered on the ice. Madeline was the faster of two - not that it stopped Francis from trying to catch up of course - and she spanned the perimeter of the pond. Seeing an opportunity to cheat, Francis cut across the middle of the pond and grabbed her wrist. Madeline let him spin her around so they were facing each other. Raising an eyebrow she asked, "Oui, monsieur?"
"Do you remember when we first met?"
A long pause followed. Winter birds chattered with one another in the surrounding trees. "O-of course not!" Madeline gasped. "I-... We were babies when my family moved into the neighborhood, remember?"
The Frenchman shook his head, "Non, you were three and I was six. I remember seeing you for the first time. You were wearing a red shirt with a polar bear. It was hugging a pink heart and it matched your pink and white skirt." Madeline allowed him to grab her other wrist. Her breath hitched slightly as he pulled her closer. "Your hair was lighter then, a pale gold. Your mother had put it in little pigtails..." A hand moved from her wrist to rest against her back. "You were so adorable, even to my young eyes."
Stop it! A frightened voice in Madeline's head screamed. Stop it, Francis! You're changing the game! Play by the rules! A perfect friendship was being tested as a thumb brushed against her cheek and a forehead came in contact with her own.
Francis had always been a rule breaker.
The kiss was soft, featherlight. It wasn't rushed or forced, it was curious and wondering. It was playful and questioning. Is this okay? Have I ruined the game?
Another kiss followed, this time instigated by Madeline. A hand reached up to tangle in that perfect blonde hair. The scared little voice faded willingly as she was reciprocated eagerly.
No, you haven't. I love this new game.
This isn't dramatic or action packed and it's less than 1000 words but to be honest, that's what I wanted. The song I chose for my inspiration isn't about love at first sight or a drama you find in Hollywood. I love this song because it really describes how most people fall in love. It takes time and patience to find out if you're in love for goodness sake! You can't truly love someone you met two seconds ago. *looks pointedly at Snow White, The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty* Don't get me wrong, I like movies like that, I just don't like it when they're outside of a fairy tale setting.
Ahem, sorry for the long explanation. I'm sorry this took so long to finish but the evil institution known as SCHOOL *lighting flashes and thunder booms in the background* has started and it literally sucked out all of my energy... even though I now spend seven hours of the day sitting. Go figure. Ugh. Well, I'm slowly getting the will to write again so... expect at least two updates this month. Why do I get the feeling that I'm setting a goal I'm not going to accomplish. -_-;
Enough of my moaning! I hope y'all enjoyed this. Leave a review and tell me what you think!
P.S. Alert is the northern most permanently inhabited place on earth and it's in Canada! The average temperature is -0.4F (-18C) Eesh!
