Author Note: If this were a movie or cartoon this song would be playing in the background as Tintin reassures Haddock of their love.
youtube (dot com) /watch?v=TTfoqTiwf80
CHAPTER 38
Tintin, Snowy, Cocoa, and Captain Haddock arrive at the Sea Breeze. Tintin takes the luggage out of the trunk quickly wanting to get settled in. Snowy and Cocoa were happy to get out of the plane and then out of the car to stretch their legs. Haddock helped Tintin with his own luggage.
"What a place Captain, the Sea Breeze!" Tintin said as it sat just up on a small hill from the bay.
"It does have a nice view of the city's bay" Haddock commented as he and Tintin walked inside to get their room.
The inside was a nautical theme and all kinds of ship memorabilia was neatly littered in differently locations of the room.
"Blisterin' Barnacles! That sword fish is huge!" Haddock was amazed.
"You've caught one like that before!" Tintin reminded him.
"I know, but still when I see fish like that it makes me just want to jump in a boat and go!" Haddock said enthusiastically.
"Captain! Look! There are your favorite books!" Tintin pointed out to a small display case with some big fancy covered books.
"By thunder! It's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Moby Dick in a rare edition!" Haddock smiled a bit amazed.
"Which book is your favorite Captain?" Tintin asked curiously unable to remember which one it was.
"Why Moby Dick of course!" Haddock smiled.
"What about you Tintin?" Haddock said noticing some other books below.
"I think if I had to choose a sea adventure story it would be Treasure Island…it has a better ending, poor Ishmael" Tintin nodded sympathetically.
"Pieces of Eight! Pieces of Eight! Ah!" Haddock said instantly giving Tintin a quick shake.
"Ah! I won't forget that!" Tintin laughed.
"Aye! I can remember a time I was almost as stubborn as old Captain Ahab himself" Haddock nodded.
"No comment" Tintin raised his right hand with a smirk on his face. Snowy barked in agreement as Cocoa just stood there wagging her tail.
"Yea lad I know, and you could definitely be a little Jim Hawkinss from Treasure Island, he was a brave young lad AR!" Haddock joked.
"Excuse me? Can I help you gentleman?" the man at the desk said getting their attention.
"Yes sir, we'll be needing a room for the night" Haddock said walking up to him.
"Fine, we serve breakfast from seven until ten in the morning...great pirate impression you have there" the desk clerk replied with a compliment.
"Why thank you, I think I get it from my ancestor, Sir Francis!" Haddock stood majestically.
Haddock continued to listen to the clerk as Tintin continued looking at the rest of the memorabilia.
"We only have a full size bed left. We have the other rooms reserved for other guests" the desk clerk mentioned.
"How many rooms do you have?" Haddock asked curiously.
"We have only seven" the desk clerk replied.
"That will be fine, we have friends staying here we're supposed to meet" Haddock mentioned.
"Who would they be?" the desk clerk asked.
"A couple of men who dress alike and a young Chinese man" Haddock replied.
"Oh I think I know who you are speaking of now… they went out four hours ago and should return soon" he said as he and Haddock finished the transaction.
Tintin thoughtfully joined the captain at the counter with Snowy and Cocoa.
"Room two will be yours, please enjoy your stay, it's upstairs on the first floor" the young desk clerk thanked.
"Come on landlubber, let's get settled in" Haddock said grabbing his luggage as Tintin grabbed his and the two packs the Professor had given them. They walked up two narrow flights of blue carpeted stairs. The room was on the right once they reached the first floor. The walls were all a nice sky blue color. When they entered there was one king sized bed with blue quilts and sky blue pillows. The drapes were a light blue color as well. There was a dresser with a vanity mirror that was painted a bright blue color. There were two lamps, a night stand and two paintings of various seascapes. One was a beach with the sunset and the other and old three masted sailing ship.
"By thunder! I could get used to such a place like this" Haddock commented taking a seat by the window pulling the drapes back.
"You mean to tell me that you would prefer this bed and breakfast over your Marlinspike Hall?" Tintin asked a bit surprised.
"It's just quite comfy here, it reminds of my old apartment some" Haddock commented.
Tintin put the the packs by the two blue upholstered chairs by the window taking the other seat staring out the window. Tintin seemed very happy.
"Looking for Chang?" Haddock asked as he opened his pack reviewing the contents of the Professor's gadgets.
"Well I would be lying if I said no, but to be honest, I just want this whole dilemma with this cult to be over with. I need to go see my brother… I feel like he needs me" Tintin confessed.
"If he ever raises his hand against you Tintin I can't promise that I will be able to restrain my anger" Haddock admitted.
"He won't captain, it's just that…" Tintin was trying to find the right words.
Haddock looked deep into Tintin's eyes in which even he seemed a bit doubtful.
"…he's an alcoholic like me, and…can't accept you and me together" Haddock said for Tintin.
Haddock could tell when it came to talking about the past they were sore issues for both of them. Tintin looked sad but determined to try.
"He's my only blood relative that I know I have captain… you say your mother's side of the family lives here in Scotland… and yet you don't go see them…" Tintin replied.
"Tintin my boy, if you only knew the truth…" Haddock said taking out a flask and a long swig.
"Then maybe you can tell me the whole story instead of bits and pieces and then clamming up on me" Tintin replied.
"They're in Inverness, I don't think it would be a good idea to go see them…" was all Haddock would say.
"Don't you miss them?" Tintin asked.
"Of course I do…but they aren't Haddocks. The last time I was there was to see my mother buried" Haddock remembered.
"I'm sorry captain" Tintin reached out touching Haddock on the shoulder affectionately.
"That's just it Tintin, they would be much less accepting than your brother" Haddock said flatly.
"Well captain…" Tintin took a deep breath. "If Benton chooses to not accept us, then I will walk away knowing at least I tried. No one will come between us" Tintin said boldly.
Snowy and Cocoa sat both listening intently.
"Poor Captain Haddock" Cocoa looked sympathetically to Haddock.
"I've watched them grow together…I don't want to see either of them hurt" Snowy whispered back to Cocoa.
Haddock looked lovingly at Tintin, took his hand, and kissed it gently. Haddock wanted to believe Tintin, but somewhere in the back of his mind he still had his doubts. Tintin could see the bit of insecurity in his captain's eyes and didn't know what to say that would clear all doubts from his mind. Tintin could feel the swelling excitement of butterflies in his stomach at the thought of seeing Chang again, but at the same time couldn't stand to see his captain in such a state. Tintin started to feel torn, but at the same time felt after all of these years the captain should know better.
Tintin remembered someone telling him this when they were discussing love, "When both of you can't bear to be apart then you know you have something real" Haddock took another swig as he continued to look through the pack.
Tintin realized that sometimes speaking without words seemed to work much better, so he got up and stood in front of Haddock. Haddock looked up, "What is it landlubber?"
Tintin just embraced him pressing himself against his captain, and Haddock took Tintin in his arms. Tintin laid his head on his captain's shoulder as Haddock held him tightly yet gently.
"I love you Captain" Tintin whispered in his ear.
"It's always good to hear it from you lad" Haddock whispered back.
XXXXXXXX
The ride back to bed and breakfast was a bit scary at first since Thompson's driving was erratic and reckless scaring Chang and Thomson. He was swerving in the road since he was more than a bit tipsy.
"HIC-Look out!-UP" Thomson shouted while having a case of the hiccups.
"Please Detective, pay attention and be more careful!" Chang covered his face after two close calls.
"I'll have you know that—hiccup—I am quite capable!" Thompson said defensively.
"Perhaps I should drive?" Chang suggested.
"Do you know how to drive? HICCUP!" Thompson asked drunkenly.
"I've driven once or twice in my uncle's car so I think I can stay on our side of the road since I am not intoxicated" Chang reasoned.
Chang was relieved then the drunken detective pulled the car over and traded places with him. Fortunately for Chang, driving the car was amazingly easy.
"Please Detectives, I don't remember the way back to the bed and breakfast" Chang replied realizing not knowing the directions could also be problematic.
"Oh…turn right!" Thomson shouted.
Chang quickly turned right almost missing the turn.
"No! HICCUP! You go forward!" Thompson strongly disagreed.
"Make up your mind where you're going you imbecile!" Someone shouted beeping their horn as Chang tried to resume his original path.
"Good…HICCUP…boy Chang…now make a left after this next street…" Thomson instructed.
"No! It's this one…HICCUP!" Thompson suddenly shouted.
Chang slammed on the brakes causing a couple of cars behind him to do the same and the Detectives to experience a minor case of whiplash. "Oi!" More drivers screamed out of their window in discontent.
Chang turned left almost passing the street.
"Please Detectives, we want to get back to the Bed and Breakfast in one piece" Chang pleaded.
Chang drove until the he saw a familiar landmark and ignored the Detectives.
"Park there!" Thomson pointed suddenly.
"No…HICCUP…park there!" Thompson.
"No silly! ...HICCUP…park here!" Thomson argued.
The Detectives antics caused Chang to back into to someone else's car.
"Oops!" Chang covered his mouth.
"Don't…don't…worry Chang, you did…HICCUP!" Thompson started.
"…good" Thomson finished.
Chang got out of the car to check the damage. Despite the ruckus it made the car didn't seem affected. Chang inspected the back of their car which had only a couple minor scratches. The Detectives were staggering out of the car.
"No, Detectives this way!" Chang said trying to get both of them arm and arm to lead them inside.
"We're home! HICCUP!" Thomson shouted.
"PRE-HICCUP! –CISELY! HICCUP!" Thompson agreed.
"Shh… this way Detectives" Chang whispered.
XXXXXXXXX
Tintin had dosed off in his seat while the Captain had persuaded the desk clerk to let him borrow the copy of Moby Dick in the display out in the lobby. When he returned, Tintin was still sleeping peacefully it appeared until he sat down. He noticed Tintin's face was contorted in anguish and fear while Snowy and Cocoa lied sleeping under his chair.
"Billions of blue blisterin barnacles! What's that boy dreaming about now?!" Haddock wondered. He opened the hard back cover book and began to flip through the first pages until he found the first chapter. Haddock smiled to himself remembering how long ago it was when he had first read this book. Haddock began to think about the comment about him being a bit like Captain Ahab then Haddock shook his head. "I don't think I've ever been that crazy have I?" Haddock said rhetorically.
"No…don't take my…brother…" Tintin quietly mumbled in his sleep.
Haddock only understood the word 'brother' and he could clearly see Tintin's facial expression became more horrified with each passing moment.
"By thunder!" Haddock closed his book and walked over to his chair.
"Tintin! Wake up landlubber!" he said gently shaking him.
"Please no!" Tintin cried out then waking up.
"Tintin! You're having a nightmare again" Haddock gently shook him.
Tintin opened his eyes seeing Snowy and Cocoa both with cocked heads and concern looking up at him.
"You see landlubber you even got Snowy and Cocoa worried about you too" Haddock sighed.
Tintin didn't respond immediately, as he was still catching his breath.
"Talk to me lad?" Haddock knelt down next to his chair looking deep into his green eyes.
"I don't want to worry you Captain…" Tintin nodded slowly getting up.
Haddock grabbed Tintin gently and forced him back into his seat.
"Thunderin' Typhoons! How many times do we have to do this? I'm not just 'The Captain' I'm your lover too!" Haddock whispered.
"I don't know what any of these dreams mean Captain, it's just I feel like telling you everything will just make you worry needlessly" Tintin explained.
"Hehehehe!" Haddock laughed.
"What's so funny?" Tintin looked a bit surprised.
"I always worry about you… I want to know what's bothering you" Haddock said taking each of Tintin's hands in his.
Tintin sighed shaking his head uneasily.
"I dreamed about Rastapopoulos kidnapping my brother and trying to do to him what he almost succeeded in doing to me back in Ischia…" Tintin finally mentioned.
Haddock swallowed hard remembering those dreadful moments his heart almost stopped for he thought he almost lost Tintin forever as he desperately held Tintin trying to revive him after all that material was poured all over him.
"You see Captain I don't want you to have to relive that…" Tintin opened his mouth not knowing what else to say.
"Thunderin' Storms! Tintin! Why do you think I'm still with you?!" Haddock said in frustration.
"Captain please!" Tintin pleaded.
"We laugh together! We get mad together! We cry together! I'm here for you just as you were for me when I needed you when Allan was using me!" Haddock stopped and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry Tintin, I have a problem expressing myself sometimes you know that…" Haddock kissed Tintin's hand and got up and turned around rubbing his eyes.
"It's ok Captain, that's how I know you love me so" Tintin finally smiled.
"I'm glad you do lad, but remember what happens when you keep things from me. I can't be there for you one hundred percent like I want" Haddock explained avoiding Tintin's gaze hiding his tears.
Tintin knew this to be true, he and Haddock had a few misunderstandings during in the beginning of their relationship along with inside and outside forces that had tested them almost to the breaking point since they've been together.
"It's hard Captain when we both want to protect each other" Tintin laughed as Snowy and Cocoa suddenly jumped in Tintin's lap when a ruckus outside grabbed their attention.
"What's that?!" Tintin said standing up with Snowy in one arm and Cocoa in the other.
Haddock quickly walked over to the window and put one hand on his face.
"Those two will never do! Drunkards!" Haddock shook his head.
"Two!? You mean two as in Thompson and Thomson?!" Tintin quickly put Snowy and Cocoa down and darted for the window.
"The two and only," Haddock announced. Their window was just a few of meters above and adjacent from the ground floor front of the bed and breakfast. Tintin and Haddock could hear hiccups as Tintin looked to see another face that brought tears to his eyes. Tintin opened the window quickly.
"CHANG!" Tintin shouted out the window.
The shout startled Chang and caused him to instantly jump back letting go of the Detectives causing them both to stumble forward and fall. Chang looked up and could see Tintin's familiar face.
"TINTIN!" Chang shouted waving but dutifully returning to help the Detectives back up.
"Captain?" Tintin looked apologetically to Haddock.
"Go see your friend…your son of Heaven…" Haddock smiled bitter-sweetly.
"Thank you Captain!" Tintin ran over to hug and plant a deep unexpected kiss on Haddock's lips.
"Go lad before I change my mind!" Haddock teased smacking Tintin's buttocks.
It was only three seconds and Tintin was out the door. Snowy and Cocoa ran after Tintin but he closed the door before they could come dashing out and they both whined in misunderstanding.
"Sorry Snowy, Cocoa, let's give Tintin a couple of minutes before we go down to greet them too" Haddock said taking out his pipe while fishing out some of Chester's daughter's cherry flavored tobacco.
"The Captain doesn't look so happy Snowy" Cocoa whispered.
"It's really complicated Cocoa, I don't even know if I understand it" Snowy whispered back.
"Human love is so strange" Cocoa commented quietly as the two stood by Haddock's side.