not!fic: ridiculous Die Hard Harlequin AU.
I mentioned a couple days ago that I had this idea for a Die Hard AU set more-or-less in the late-Medieval Highlands.
This is not that story. This is, I think, a ficlet that ties together two separate novella-length stories that I wasted way too much time pseudo-researching for the past few days.
Life continued, as it always does. Alicia made the journey north in the fall, and for the second attempt to retrieve his bride-to-be James sent four of his men to accompany her and her maid, taking no chances although even Matthew believed that their journey would be uneventful. They're married before Michaelmas, and Alicia was confidently running the household by the time that their activities were confined indoors to wait out the winter. Her Gaelic was no better than it had been at the time of her betrothal, but she'd abandoned her court manners and charmed everyone, James most of all, and Matthew was pleased to be able to retreat to his rooms and to less practical concerns.
Alicia had brought the books and papers with her that Matthew had been forced to leave behind, and he resumed his studies with diligence, if less enthusiasm than he'd used to have.
John was clearly restless in the keep, and in his continued convalescence. Once the weather progressed from frigid and wet to merely cold and damp, he spent more of each day outside the walls. Matthew missed John's presence in his days. Bizarrely, he missed the endless hours of his near-captivity, when he would talk or read aloud and John would pretend not to listen.
When he returned in the evenings, McClane was visibly ill-at-ease in the presence of Alicia and her companions, and scarcely less so around the others.
Matthew should not have been surprised to learn that McClane intended to leave the keep, and should not have been surprised that his days had been spent readying his cottage for habitation. McClane hadn't been in the yard with the guards, and yet when he returned each night he was especially taciturn, and moved in a careful way that implied aching muscles. He favored his shoulder as he hasn't since the coldest days of winter, and rejected all of Matthew's offers to ease his discomfort.
When McClane's belongings started to disappear from their room, Matthew wasn't surprised, but he had to wait nearly three days before he could catch John alone to address it, as he'd taken to sleeping somewhere else as well. The room and the bed were empty and cold without McClane's presence.
"You're not allowed to leave me behind," Matt said. "You're not allowed to drag me up here-"
"I didn't drag you. I tried to get rid of you."
"-far from my family and-"
"Your sister is here. Would you really prefer to be living with your dolt of a brother and his wife?"
"-friends, not to mention the amount of time it takes to communicate with anyone in England."
"Because I'll gladly return you to them."
Matt held up a hand to halt John's words. "We have an agreement, McClane. You'll not abandon me here in the keep. I go with you."
John waited a moment, and when no more words were forthcoming, shrugged his shoulders and turned to head out the door.
Matt just sighed and began gathering his scattered things into trunks and bags. If wooing McClane was going to be an annual event, Matthew was going to have much less time for his studies than he'd thought.
I think this concludes my spammityness for the day.
This is not that story. This is, I think, a ficlet that ties together two separate novella-length stories that I wasted way too much time pseudo-researching for the past few days.
Life continued, as it always does. Alicia made the journey north in the fall, and for the second attempt to retrieve his bride-to-be James sent four of his men to accompany her and her maid, taking no chances although even Matthew believed that their journey would be uneventful. They're married before Michaelmas, and Alicia was confidently running the household by the time that their activities were confined indoors to wait out the winter. Her Gaelic was no better than it had been at the time of her betrothal, but she'd abandoned her court manners and charmed everyone, James most of all, and Matthew was pleased to be able to retreat to his rooms and to less practical concerns.
Alicia had brought the books and papers with her that Matthew had been forced to leave behind, and he resumed his studies with diligence, if less enthusiasm than he'd used to have.
John was clearly restless in the keep, and in his continued convalescence. Once the weather progressed from frigid and wet to merely cold and damp, he spent more of each day outside the walls. Matthew missed John's presence in his days. Bizarrely, he missed the endless hours of his near-captivity, when he would talk or read aloud and John would pretend not to listen.
When he returned in the evenings, McClane was visibly ill-at-ease in the presence of Alicia and her companions, and scarcely less so around the others.
Matthew should not have been surprised to learn that McClane intended to leave the keep, and should not have been surprised that his days had been spent readying his cottage for habitation. McClane hadn't been in the yard with the guards, and yet when he returned each night he was especially taciturn, and moved in a careful way that implied aching muscles. He favored his shoulder as he hasn't since the coldest days of winter, and rejected all of Matthew's offers to ease his discomfort.
When McClane's belongings started to disappear from their room, Matthew wasn't surprised, but he had to wait nearly three days before he could catch John alone to address it, as he'd taken to sleeping somewhere else as well. The room and the bed were empty and cold without McClane's presence.
"You're not allowed to leave me behind," Matt said. "You're not allowed to drag me up here-"
"I didn't drag you. I tried to get rid of you."
"-far from my family and-"
"Your sister is here. Would you really prefer to be living with your dolt of a brother and his wife?"
"-friends, not to mention the amount of time it takes to communicate with anyone in England."
"Because I'll gladly return you to them."
Matt held up a hand to halt John's words. "We have an agreement, McClane. You'll not abandon me here in the keep. I go with you."
John waited a moment, and when no more words were forthcoming, shrugged his shoulders and turned to head out the door.
Matt just sighed and began gathering his scattered things into trunks and bags. If wooing McClane was going to be an annual event, Matthew was going to have much less time for his studies than he'd thought.
I think this concludes my spammityness for the day.