Challenge fic of the random sort ;)
Last night, koalathebear issued a random-thoughts challenge in this post. She assigned me the words "redux" and "panna cotta." The original thread is here.
This is what happens when you mix my "stayed up way too late again" brain with her challenge. :D
Non-fandom Fiction, entirely original:
The Five-year-old Heart
"L'avventura," she said quietly and squared her shoulders.
"L'avventura," he repeated as he came to stand beside her. They glanced at each other, shared a knowing smile and stepped into the morning sunlight.
It was more than a game - rather, it resembled ritual, a talisman against growing stale, stiff and cranky.
"How old are you?" he asked her sometimes, shaking his head ruefully.
"I'm five years old!" she would exclaim in a fake, over-bright child-like voice.
"Crazy puppy," he grinned at her and she grinned right back with an open cheerfulness that was hard to resist.
***
"I'm bored," he complained.
"I can tell." Her tone was dry as her eyes followed his restless figure. He picked up the miniature soccer ball and bounced it off the floor and caught it.
"Come on, then." She crouched opposite him and mimed a goal keeper; he immediately followed her lead and kicked the ball, which hit the wall behind her with a resounding thud. They both burst into helpless laughter. She stumbled forward against his chest, and they giggled in each other's arms until they exchanged laughter for a kiss.
"Come on, you," he said, slinging his arm over her shoulders. "Get your shoes on and let's kick a ball outside where we can't dent the walls."
"The things I do to stave off your boredom," she sighed happily.
***
"Come on!" she exclaimed.
"What's the password?" he teased, holding the bowl just out of reach. She dived at him with her chopsticks.
"My boyfriend is an alien?" she asked hopefully, latching on to one arm and trying to reach for the bowl.
"Nope," he laughed. "Try again."
"I can't remember! Was it Swedish? Franco-Prussian?" She bit her lip in frustration as he danced away from her, the bowl balanced lightly as he evaded her once again.
"Italiano," he replied.
"Of course. Fine," she pouted and thoughtfully sucked on the tips of her chopsticks. "But I'm hungry! Want gyoza!"
"Password," he insisted firmly.
"Matto," she hissed, "Minchia! Okay, fine, let me think. Frutti di mare?"
He shook his head and waved the bowl under her nose.
"Bastardo," she frowned. "Ricotta? Panna cotta?"
"Well, yes," he said with a big smile. "Got it in...three. Your gyoza, signorina."
She seized the bowl from his unresisting fingers and happily dug in.
***
Redux
"But I'm five years old!" she smiled. "Or at least I was."
"You'll always be five years old to me," he replied, intertwining his fingers with hers. "And my only crazy puppy."
"I'd better be the only one," she teased, in a mock-stern voice. "Besides, all these bright, young things - they just don't know how to do it right. There's a certain spirit that's lacking..."
His flashing grin caught her: open, warm and genuine, and she responded by taking his hand.
"L'avventura," he said firmly.
"L'avventura," she agreed, and together they stepped out onto the twilight path.
Note: L'avventura is Italian for "adventure."
This is what happens when you mix my "stayed up way too late again" brain with her challenge. :D
Non-fandom Fiction, entirely original:
The Five-year-old Heart
"L'avventura," she said quietly and squared her shoulders.
"L'avventura," he repeated as he came to stand beside her. They glanced at each other, shared a knowing smile and stepped into the morning sunlight.
It was more than a game - rather, it resembled ritual, a talisman against growing stale, stiff and cranky.
"How old are you?" he asked her sometimes, shaking his head ruefully.
"I'm five years old!" she would exclaim in a fake, over-bright child-like voice.
"Crazy puppy," he grinned at her and she grinned right back with an open cheerfulness that was hard to resist.
***
"I'm bored," he complained.
"I can tell." Her tone was dry as her eyes followed his restless figure. He picked up the miniature soccer ball and bounced it off the floor and caught it.
"Come on, then." She crouched opposite him and mimed a goal keeper; he immediately followed her lead and kicked the ball, which hit the wall behind her with a resounding thud. They both burst into helpless laughter. She stumbled forward against his chest, and they giggled in each other's arms until they exchanged laughter for a kiss.
"Come on, you," he said, slinging his arm over her shoulders. "Get your shoes on and let's kick a ball outside where we can't dent the walls."
"The things I do to stave off your boredom," she sighed happily.
***
"Come on!" she exclaimed.
"What's the password?" he teased, holding the bowl just out of reach. She dived at him with her chopsticks.
"My boyfriend is an alien?" she asked hopefully, latching on to one arm and trying to reach for the bowl.
"Nope," he laughed. "Try again."
"I can't remember! Was it Swedish? Franco-Prussian?" She bit her lip in frustration as he danced away from her, the bowl balanced lightly as he evaded her once again.
"Italiano," he replied.
"Of course. Fine," she pouted and thoughtfully sucked on the tips of her chopsticks. "But I'm hungry! Want gyoza!"
"Password," he insisted firmly.
"Matto," she hissed, "Minchia! Okay, fine, let me think. Frutti di mare?"
He shook his head and waved the bowl under her nose.
"Bastardo," she frowned. "Ricotta? Panna cotta?"
"Well, yes," he said with a big smile. "Got it in...three. Your gyoza, signorina."
She seized the bowl from his unresisting fingers and happily dug in.
***
Redux
"But I'm five years old!" she smiled. "Or at least I was."
"You'll always be five years old to me," he replied, intertwining his fingers with hers. "And my only crazy puppy."
"I'd better be the only one," she teased, in a mock-stern voice. "Besides, all these bright, young things - they just don't know how to do it right. There's a certain spirit that's lacking..."
His flashing grin caught her: open, warm and genuine, and she responded by taking his hand.
"L'avventura," he said firmly.
"L'avventura," she agreed, and together they stepped out onto the twilight path.
Note: L'avventura is Italian for "adventure."