Dollhouse fic: The Start of A Smashing Adventure; pg-13
Title: The Start of A Smashing Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Adelle, Topher, Dominic
Words: 946
Disclaimer: Not mine, not ever.
Notes: Written for whedonland's "These Are A Few", wherein I crossover Dollhouse with The Mummy. Because I'm insane and that's how I roll.
I lifted lines from the movie. I apologize if it isn't ~authentic (ya know, historically, language-wise) and if its riddled with mistakes. Apologies
1926
Giza Port, Cairo
“Do you really think he’ll show up?” Adelle DeWitt huffs as she carries her luggage to the port. Her younger brother, Christopher, trails behind her, obviously admiring the steamboat (she can’t understand it; he encountered steamboats all the time throughout his travels).
“Oh, come on Addie.” He says, “He may not be up to par with your standards of decency-which is quite high, even I can’t reach it.” She rolls his eyes at his comment, “but he’s a trustworthy chap… I think. You know, even with the punch to the jaw.”
She glances at him. He’s sloppily dressed and instead of wearing his hat, he’s carrying it. His hair looks like a bird’s nest, “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Christopher.” Exasperated, she puts down her bags and starts fussing with his hair and his hat, “Why must you insist on keeping yourself unkempt?”
Christopher puts up his hands, “Do you really have to do this in front of all these people?” he asks when she starts straightening his coat.
“If you dressed yourself up properly, there wouldn't be a need to do this.” She answers. They lost their mother at a young age, and even though their father had asserted that they’d do fine (he had refused to re-marry), little Topher needed someone who’d stand in as his mother. She was the most obvious choice.
“You know, despite what you might think-that this epical expedition is all about me seeking Egypt’s lost treasure to fund my desire to make films in America - about mummies, of all things-I also did this for you.” He starts when she begins fixing his ascot, “The Bembridge scholars want you to have enough experience in the field before they accept you into their esteemed presence and this… this is the golden experience.”
“That’s touching.” She says with slight amusement. Her brother has proven to be a brilliant young man, but also someone who has his head up in the clouds most of the time. His manners might need a little improving, but he’s sweet.
He touches his neck, “Thanks,” he mumbles. His brows furrow as she picks up her bags and they start walking again.
“And besides, he may be a cowboy, but that kind of man,” Christopher says, “His word is his word.”
She looks around. It’s dusty, it’s crowded and there are too many horses, “Personally, I think he’s filthy, rude… a complete scoundrel. I don’t like him one bit.”
“Anyone I know?”
They both turn towards the voice. A tall, clean-shaven, dapper man stands before them. A bit of a shock goes through her she realizes who he is.
“Mr. Dominic.” She manages to say and he looks at her with a brow raised, “Hello.” She distractedly puts down her bags and looks at him.
“Smashing day for a start of an adventure, eh, Dominic?” Christopher brightly greets and shakes Mr. Dominic’s hand rather enthusiastically.
“Yeah. Smashing.” He says, the sarcasm not lost in his voice. He’s quite tall. And quite very dashing, once cleaned up. He doesn’t look like the man she saw yesterday, almost barbaric with greasy hair, rough whiskers and even rougher lips.
She immediately pushes away thoughts of the non-kiss from her mind.
He reaches for his inner pocket and takes out his wallet and she hears Christopher chuckle nervously.
“Oh, no, I’m never going to steal from my partner, partner?” he says, giving him a slight punch in the arm. She thinks it’s an attempt to show manly affection.
“That’s… good to know.” He says, returning the wallet back to his pocket.
“Mr. Dominic.” She says, finally, “My brother might think you’re a dependable man-”
“-even when you punched me in the jaw.” Christopher interjects.
She gives her brother a stern look and he makes a face. She then turns her attention back to Mr. Dominic, “But I don’t. Let me make something very clear to you: if this turns out to be some sort of wild goose chase, I promise you-”
“-you’re threatening me?” he dryly asks.
She lifts her chin up indignantly, and straightens her back, “Yes, I am.”
He tears his gaze away from her and looks to the side, shoving his hands inside his trouser pockets. He leans back slightly, resting his weight on the heels of his feet. She sees a somewhat amused smile appear on his face, which disappears when he straightens his posture and looks back at her,
“Let me put it this way, Ma’am.” He starts, “My whole damn garrison believed in this so much that without orders, they marched halfway through Libya and into Egypt to find this city, and when we got there, all we found was sand, sand, and hell of a lot of blood.”
She finds the conviction in his voice and the intensity of his stare… unexpected. She doesn’t turn away from him; she doesn’t even blink. Because if he wants her to take him seriously, then he should also take her seriously. She might not have completed her threat, but she’s going to make it sure he knows she’ll follow through with it-even if he doesn’t know what it might be.
Also, Mr. Dominic has very blue eyes.
Christopher clears his throat.
“I’ll take your bags.” Mr. Dominic says roughly, before taking her luggage.
She feels Christopher stand beside her as she watches him go up the ramp and into the ship. “You’re right. He’s filthy, rude, and a complete scoundrel. Nothing to like there at all.” Her brother teases. She looks at him and he grins.
“Wear your hat.” She says before following Mr. Dominic up the ramp.
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Adelle, Topher, Dominic
Words: 946
Disclaimer: Not mine, not ever.
Notes: Written for whedonland's "These Are A Few", wherein I crossover Dollhouse with The Mummy. Because I'm insane and that's how I roll.
I lifted lines from the movie. I apologize if it isn't ~authentic (ya know, historically, language-wise) and if its riddled with mistakes. Apologies
1926
Giza Port, Cairo
“Do you really think he’ll show up?” Adelle DeWitt huffs as she carries her luggage to the port. Her younger brother, Christopher, trails behind her, obviously admiring the steamboat (she can’t understand it; he encountered steamboats all the time throughout his travels).
“Oh, come on Addie.” He says, “He may not be up to par with your standards of decency-which is quite high, even I can’t reach it.” She rolls his eyes at his comment, “but he’s a trustworthy chap… I think. You know, even with the punch to the jaw.”
She glances at him. He’s sloppily dressed and instead of wearing his hat, he’s carrying it. His hair looks like a bird’s nest, “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Christopher.” Exasperated, she puts down her bags and starts fussing with his hair and his hat, “Why must you insist on keeping yourself unkempt?”
Christopher puts up his hands, “Do you really have to do this in front of all these people?” he asks when she starts straightening his coat.
“If you dressed yourself up properly, there wouldn't be a need to do this.” She answers. They lost their mother at a young age, and even though their father had asserted that they’d do fine (he had refused to re-marry), little Topher needed someone who’d stand in as his mother. She was the most obvious choice.
“You know, despite what you might think-that this epical expedition is all about me seeking Egypt’s lost treasure to fund my desire to make films in America - about mummies, of all things-I also did this for you.” He starts when she begins fixing his ascot, “The Bembridge scholars want you to have enough experience in the field before they accept you into their esteemed presence and this… this is the golden experience.”
“That’s touching.” She says with slight amusement. Her brother has proven to be a brilliant young man, but also someone who has his head up in the clouds most of the time. His manners might need a little improving, but he’s sweet.
He touches his neck, “Thanks,” he mumbles. His brows furrow as she picks up her bags and they start walking again.
“And besides, he may be a cowboy, but that kind of man,” Christopher says, “His word is his word.”
She looks around. It’s dusty, it’s crowded and there are too many horses, “Personally, I think he’s filthy, rude… a complete scoundrel. I don’t like him one bit.”
“Anyone I know?”
They both turn towards the voice. A tall, clean-shaven, dapper man stands before them. A bit of a shock goes through her she realizes who he is.
“Mr. Dominic.” She manages to say and he looks at her with a brow raised, “Hello.” She distractedly puts down her bags and looks at him.
“Smashing day for a start of an adventure, eh, Dominic?” Christopher brightly greets and shakes Mr. Dominic’s hand rather enthusiastically.
“Yeah. Smashing.” He says, the sarcasm not lost in his voice. He’s quite tall. And quite very dashing, once cleaned up. He doesn’t look like the man she saw yesterday, almost barbaric with greasy hair, rough whiskers and even rougher lips.
She immediately pushes away thoughts of the non-kiss from her mind.
He reaches for his inner pocket and takes out his wallet and she hears Christopher chuckle nervously.
“Oh, no, I’m never going to steal from my partner, partner?” he says, giving him a slight punch in the arm. She thinks it’s an attempt to show manly affection.
“That’s… good to know.” He says, returning the wallet back to his pocket.
“Mr. Dominic.” She says, finally, “My brother might think you’re a dependable man-”
“-even when you punched me in the jaw.” Christopher interjects.
She gives her brother a stern look and he makes a face. She then turns her attention back to Mr. Dominic, “But I don’t. Let me make something very clear to you: if this turns out to be some sort of wild goose chase, I promise you-”
“-you’re threatening me?” he dryly asks.
She lifts her chin up indignantly, and straightens her back, “Yes, I am.”
He tears his gaze away from her and looks to the side, shoving his hands inside his trouser pockets. He leans back slightly, resting his weight on the heels of his feet. She sees a somewhat amused smile appear on his face, which disappears when he straightens his posture and looks back at her,
“Let me put it this way, Ma’am.” He starts, “My whole damn garrison believed in this so much that without orders, they marched halfway through Libya and into Egypt to find this city, and when we got there, all we found was sand, sand, and hell of a lot of blood.”
She finds the conviction in his voice and the intensity of his stare… unexpected. She doesn’t turn away from him; she doesn’t even blink. Because if he wants her to take him seriously, then he should also take her seriously. She might not have completed her threat, but she’s going to make it sure he knows she’ll follow through with it-even if he doesn’t know what it might be.
Also, Mr. Dominic has very blue eyes.
Christopher clears his throat.
“I’ll take your bags.” Mr. Dominic says roughly, before taking her luggage.
She feels Christopher stand beside her as she watches him go up the ramp and into the ship. “You’re right. He’s filthy, rude, and a complete scoundrel. Nothing to like there at all.” Her brother teases. She looks at him and he grins.
“Wear your hat.” She says before following Mr. Dominic up the ramp.