[fic] Chunnel Tunnel
Title: Chunnel Tunnel
Author/Artist: ~Luciole_Solange
Character(s) or Pairing(s): Francis, Arthur; FrUk
Rating: T
Warnings: None... Well- Slightly pervy France and England's mouth slightly.
Summary: It took almost two hundred years to successfully build, and they still find things to bicker about. Based on the construction of the Chunnel (or Le tunnel sous la Manche).
November 1802
“So Angleterre…” Francis started one foggy day, sitting on Arthur’s living room couch and sipping on some wine he had brought as a peace offering. “I trust you ‘ave gotten word of my engineer’s proposal?” he questioned cheerfully, the idea to him seemed a wonderful one, he had never been fond of boats and if you don’t want to go over the channel, what better way than go under it?
Arthur kept his scowl on, poster proper and face disgruntled. “No way in bloody hell you git.”
July 1875
“I’m only doing this because it’s going to help my people. I don’t rightly trust it still,” the Englishman argued still, even after years of a decent relationship with Francis. He didn’t like the idea of an easier way into England, he was sure he would never get rid of the Frenchman after the tunnel was built.
Francis just smiled easily, watching the work from the French side of the waterway with some interest. There was an odd contraption, huge really, a big drill- They told him it was named the Sangatte, a very fitting name and much more eloquent than “Samphire Hoe”.
May 1882
“S’il vous plait reconsider Angleterre! Why are you changing your mind now?” Francis stands in front of Arthur’s desk, face fallen and posture
tense. He had been so excited for this project for the past seven years, they hadn’t even begun to tunnel on his side yet!
“No,” Arthur shook his head, “I finally made my people realize how stupid this whole business is. All it will do is compromising my national defense. I’m not going to expose myself because you are bloody afraid of heights!”
“But Anglet-“
“No Francis.”
February 1955
“Good morning Angleterre…”
Shifting closer to the Frenchman, England grumbled slightly and pulled up the covers over his head, the poor Englishman probably had a terrible hangover. “Sod off.. Stupid… frog…”
Francis smirked silently, the construction would begin again soon, in a matter of years actually. All he had to do was suck up to the Brit- Well, if getting him drunk and telling him how superior his air power was and how he had such a dominance of the skies counted for sucking up…
January 1975
“I’m sorry Francis. You know I want to continue this- It’s just… We’re trying to get used to this ‘Labour Party’ business- And-“
“You’re just using another excuse!” Francis crossed his arms indignantly, glaring at the Englishman in his office. It was true that Arthur’s economy wasn’t doing the greatest but Francis was sure that it was partly due to Arthur’s paranoia as well.
“The cost has swollen to 200% Francis! I mean- My government just can’t pay for this damned project you git!” Arthur bit back, clenching his fists.
“There is more than one way to skin a cat mon cher,” Francis purred, his face shifting from upset to a calm, pleased expression. “I will ‘ave mon Manche.”
Arthur sighed and shook his head, turning on his heel to head out of the office before he had to hear anything more from the Frenchman, but before he could take a third step, Francis was on him.
“Let’s think up ideas… Shall we?” Francis grinned at Arthur, pulling him back to his desk and pressing him onto it.
December 1988
It had took a while of ‘convincing’ on the Frenchman’s part, but it only took a few years for Arthur to find another way to fund the expense and both of their bosses had worked together to set up a working group for privately funding the project. They had managed to find promoters in 1985 and they were again on their way to start the construction.
“You’ll see mon cher Arthur,” Francis smiled, arm wrapped around the Brit’s scrawny shoulders and holding him close on that cold winter day as they watched the first tunneling start in France. “It will be a good thing!”
Arthur just grumbled and kept his hands shoved in his pockets, he had his doubts. “There’s already protesters- And they raise valid points; ventilation issues, accident management,” he paused, “Driver memorization…” He looked over at Francis, grinning a little bit and shoving him away as he started to walk.
Taking a while to realize the insult, Francis snorted and hurried after Arthur, “Angleterre! S’il vous plait do not be so uptight!”
"Yeah yeah you wanker…” Arthur laughed and looked at the Frenchman before bumping into Francis’ hand. The Frenchman laced their fingers together and they continued down the walkway, silent for once.
May 6, 1994
“And so we open the Channel Tunnel Rail Link!” the speech ends from their respective bosses as Francis and Arthur sit behind them, both smiling for once and both still quiet. The ceremony was more just show, the tunnel had broken through four years before and the two Europeans felt an odd, new connection through it- Besides just the ease of traveling between their countries.
The tunnel had a few issues along the way, but it had been a wonderful success- Granted it had cost more than previously expected- but
Arthur and Francis were happy for once. At peace for the time being.
November 1996
A phone call rings loud and echo’s through Francis’ office. He already has too much paperwork to do, too many things to sign, and too many people to call. He answers the phone with a curt grunt and receives a earful of British insults and swears so loud he has to hold the phone away from his ear until it slowly dies away. “Angleterre…” the tired, and now annoyed, Frenchman says into the phone.
“What the bloody hell are you doing you frog?! Shouldn’t you be working on cleaning this damned mess up?!” he received.
Francis sighed and leaned back in his chair, fingering the curly cord of the phone. “I am Arthur. Do you not think zat I ‘ave been attempting to settle this since zat damn fire broke out? I am up to my neck in paperwork!”
There was a long silence on the phone before Francis heard a cough and a slight rustle. “Well- Alright then good! Damn bloody git. Fuckmytoehurts.”
Unable to control the small chuckle, Francis shook his head and tried not to smile. “Are you alright Angleterre?” he asked quietly.
“Sod off! I can hear that bloody smirk France! Don’t think I won’t come over there and-” a loud thud and more cursing, “Christ!”
“I would not try to walk if I were you Angleterre, it may be hazardous to your health~” Francis laughed as the English nation attempted to say something, only to hang up quickly, shaking his head and smiling as he returned to his work.
No one had to know that he played that little prank.
Novemeber 2006
Stepping off of the High Speed 1, France smirked. So much for Splendid Isolation hmm Angleterre?
He walked through the streets of London; luckily enough for him it wasn’t raining and only a light fog and overcast skies were marring the cool fall afternoon. Thinking of the past few years, a small smile made it’s way onto his face as a disgruntled Englishman pushed through the crowds, stomping up to him.
“Just because I let my boss put in that rail don’t think you can come over anytime you want you bloody frog!” Arthur threatened hollowly. “Who invited you here anyway you git?!”
“Why I just thought we might celebrate your new link hmm? It is not everyday zat you allow a direct line into your heart… no?” Francis smiled as the Englishman flushed and finished,
“I never pinned you for one to give a heart to heart…”
August 2007
Darkness.
Silence falls on the shuttle as people silently panic.
Fire? Cave in? Are they all going to die a hundred feet under the ground in some horrific, hellish way?
The radio crackles suddenly, drawing the attention of passengers, and more specifically, the nations that have happened to be traveling on the Eurotunnel Shuttle this fateful day.
“Hello, this is your operator speaking. We are sorry for the abrupt stop but it seems that we are having a power outage. Please be patient as we try to fix the problem as quickly as we can. Thank you for your patients.”
The radio starts to repeat the message again in French but it is drowned out by the quiet chattering and murmuring of the passengers. What happened? We’re stuck? We can’t be stuck! Oh I knew I should have stayed home today…
“Well this is an interesting development, isn’t it Angleterre?” Francis is trying to hide his worry, his secret fear that the tunnel will collapse any minute and they will all be buried alive deep down in the Chunnel.
Arthur just grunts, frustrated that he has to wait and annoyed at the twitch in France’s foot.
“Told you this idea was a bloody stupid idea you frog.”
December 18, 2009
“This is all your fault you stupid git!” England yells at the shivering Frenchman as they evacuate their shuttle into a service tunnel directly in the middle of the Chunnel.
“I-I..” Francis shivers and shakes his head. “It is not my fault Angleterre! I cannot help zat I ‘ave fluffy snow!”
Arthur tries not to laugh, tries to stuff the smile that is slowly creeping onto his face down and continue yelling at the French nation but he can’t. Oh he just can’t and he slowly starts to laugh, laughter echoing down the tunnels as he holds his stomach and bends slightly forward because his stomach just hurts so much. “O-oh-oh… You- you are such… you frog…” he manages to say.
Francis just stares and glares- It is not his fault! Why is Arthur laughing so hard…?
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Side-notes: It took me way to long to work on this and I'm not completely happy with it. There were a few more events I wanted to add but I couldn't think of a way to make them bicker uniquely so~
The Chunnel is actually something I'm not sure I would take, it just recently see the last date? had a power outage and being underground for that long... Does not interest me. XD;; But here's my research!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Tunnel