Remix Challenge #3 - Chocolate Magic
Chocolate Magic -- a remix of Chocolate in the Afternoon by carenejeans
Author: beeej
Fandom: Highlander
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Rating: teens
Disclaimer: Don't I wish they were?
Much thanks to lastrega for the beta. :)
I hope this is better late than never? ;)
Methos stuffed his hands into his pockets against the autumn chill as he walked along the sidewalk. The narrow streets and alleys of the old part of the city were a favorite haunt of his. A warm, golden glow shone out from the windows of the many tiny shops and cafes, reminding him of places and faces long gone. Some of the store fronts were decorated with pumpkins and bundles of colorful dried ears of corn. It was a beautiful evening for a walk, he thought as he looked around. The sky was bright with stars that shown even over the lights of the city, and the waxing moon would be full in another day or two.
Methos noticed a very large and noisy family making their way up the street in his direction. Decided to avoid the crowd, he turned down the nearest alleyway. The alley led into an older neighborhood of shops, one that he couldn’t remember ever seeing before. The narrow street was paved with bricks, and the shops had a worn look, as though they may have been there for a hundred years or more.
One shop caught his eye - or rather, his nose. The sweet scent of chocolate perfumed the air around its entrance. It reminded him of...hell, what did it remind him of? Another little chocolate shop he'd found somewhere. Dordogne. Yes, that was it. A wash of pleasant memories brought a smile to his face, and he found himself pushing through the door without much conscious thought.
Chocolate. Everywhere he looked, was chocolate. Display cases filled with all shades and shapes of chocolate. There were candied fruits that had been dipped in chocolate, and bins of chocolate-coated nuts. At a round table off to one side, he paused to admire a seasonal display of chocolate acorns, which appeared to be small balls of milk chocolate that had been dipped in dark chocolate. Next to them was a glass vase filled with chocolate molded in the shape of magic wands. When he looked up from the display, his eyes met those of a woman watching him from behind the counter.
She smiled warmly at him. "Are you looking for something special?"
"Not looking for anything, really."
"Are you sure?" she eyed him from behind a fringe of dark bangs. "There must be something I can tempt you with. Maybe a gift for a friend, or a lover?"
Methos almost smiled at that. Present Mac with a box of chocolates? That would definitely be on the list of things Methos didn't do. Still, the trays of candies displayed in the glass cases were nothing short of beautiful. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate. Tiny molded chocolates in intricate flower shapes. Truffles filled with fruits and liquors, some with delicate designs piped on top. He peered closer at a tray of dark truffles decorated with tiny, white chocolate designs. "Are those runes?" he asked.
"Yes." She smiled warmly at him. "Would you like to try one?" She pulled the tray out and appeared to ponder a moment before selecting one and setting it on a tiny plate on the counter in front of him.
Methos picked up the chocolate. "Tir," he said.
"For the warrior."
Methos looked at her warily, but popped the truffle into his mouth. The sweet, intricate mixture of dark chocolate, honey, chestnuts and...yes, brandy melted on his tongue. It was so wonderful he hated to swallow it, and he kept the flavors trapped in his mouth as long as possible. "That is truly amazing," he said, licking his lips.
"I knew you'd like it," the woman said with a smile.
"What are those?" Methos asked, pointing to a tray of chocolates so dark they were almost black.
"Ah. I call those 'Witchcraft'. I make the chocolate from arriba cacao beans. The very best chocolate has the highest cocoa content, and the cocoa content of that chocolate is ninety percent. Here, try one."
Methos took the chocolate she offered and put it into his mouth. He bit into the most amazing taste. He didn't quite know how to describe it...dark and rich and just slightly bitter. A gentle feeling of warmth slowly spread from his tongue throughout his body. The sensation was languid, and sensual. He had to clear his voice before he could speak. "What else is in those?" he said with a grin.
"I blend the chocolate with Strega, an Italian herbal liqueur. And just a little bit of magic," she added with a wink.
"Do you have these just for Halloween?"
"Witchcraft isn't only for Halloween," she said with a twitch of her lips. "You can find them here every day. They are quite popular."
"Yes, I can imagine," Methos said, amused.
"You should buy some. Share them with your lover. They will help to bind him to you."
Methos eyes narrowed slightly. "I never said there was a -he- involved."
The woman pretended to consider his words. "Didn't you? Hmm…that's odd."
"Yes, it is," Methos said, and while he tried to level her with a penetrating stare, she wasn't raising any of his internal alarms. On the contrary, he felt quite comfortable here. He decided to plunge onward, if somewhat cautiously. "But isn't attempting to bind someone to oneself somewhat against the rules? I mean, it's not very sporting, is it?"
"Only if it is against their wishes. You should never try to force love; that is true. Messing with the free will of others can have nasty consequences," she said with a wrinkle of her nose. "But as long as he loves you, and already wants to be with you, and you act with a pure heart..."
Methos snorted. "Sorry," he apologized for interrupting. "I'm afraid I haven't had a pure heart for a...for quite a long time."
"Pure intent then," she said with a wink. Besides, what better way to spend an afternoon than by sharing chocolates with the one you love?"
Remembering the effect just one of those chocolates had on him, Methos had no doubt of that. In fact, he couldn't keep the smile from his face at the thought of it. "All right. Half a pound, then."
The woman beamed at him. "Excellent!" She weighed out his order and packaged the chocolates in a small black box, slipping a band of gold ribbon around it to keep it closed tightly. The box went into a small, black bag, and she handed it to Methos, taking cash from him in return. "Thank you, I know they'll give you great satisfaction. Come back soon," she said and winked at him again.
Methos left the shop with his bag of chocolates. He may be the world's oldest living cynic, and he didn't believe in a lot of things. Then again, he had seen some strange things in five thousand years. He licked his lips, remembering the delectable taste of the chocolate, and the feeling as it seemed to slowly melt into his bloodstream. A slow smile spread across his face. Maybe he'd take them over to Mac's tomorrow afternoon. If nothing else, they were damn fine chocolates after all.
Author: beeej
Fandom: Highlander
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Rating: teens
Disclaimer: Don't I wish they were?
Much thanks to lastrega for the beta. :)
I hope this is better late than never? ;)
Methos stuffed his hands into his pockets against the autumn chill as he walked along the sidewalk. The narrow streets and alleys of the old part of the city were a favorite haunt of his. A warm, golden glow shone out from the windows of the many tiny shops and cafes, reminding him of places and faces long gone. Some of the store fronts were decorated with pumpkins and bundles of colorful dried ears of corn. It was a beautiful evening for a walk, he thought as he looked around. The sky was bright with stars that shown even over the lights of the city, and the waxing moon would be full in another day or two.
Methos noticed a very large and noisy family making their way up the street in his direction. Decided to avoid the crowd, he turned down the nearest alleyway. The alley led into an older neighborhood of shops, one that he couldn’t remember ever seeing before. The narrow street was paved with bricks, and the shops had a worn look, as though they may have been there for a hundred years or more.
One shop caught his eye - or rather, his nose. The sweet scent of chocolate perfumed the air around its entrance. It reminded him of...hell, what did it remind him of? Another little chocolate shop he'd found somewhere. Dordogne. Yes, that was it. A wash of pleasant memories brought a smile to his face, and he found himself pushing through the door without much conscious thought.
Chocolate. Everywhere he looked, was chocolate. Display cases filled with all shades and shapes of chocolate. There were candied fruits that had been dipped in chocolate, and bins of chocolate-coated nuts. At a round table off to one side, he paused to admire a seasonal display of chocolate acorns, which appeared to be small balls of milk chocolate that had been dipped in dark chocolate. Next to them was a glass vase filled with chocolate molded in the shape of magic wands. When he looked up from the display, his eyes met those of a woman watching him from behind the counter.
She smiled warmly at him. "Are you looking for something special?"
"Not looking for anything, really."
"Are you sure?" she eyed him from behind a fringe of dark bangs. "There must be something I can tempt you with. Maybe a gift for a friend, or a lover?"
Methos almost smiled at that. Present Mac with a box of chocolates? That would definitely be on the list of things Methos didn't do. Still, the trays of candies displayed in the glass cases were nothing short of beautiful. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate. Tiny molded chocolates in intricate flower shapes. Truffles filled with fruits and liquors, some with delicate designs piped on top. He peered closer at a tray of dark truffles decorated with tiny, white chocolate designs. "Are those runes?" he asked.
"Yes." She smiled warmly at him. "Would you like to try one?" She pulled the tray out and appeared to ponder a moment before selecting one and setting it on a tiny plate on the counter in front of him.
Methos picked up the chocolate. "Tir," he said.
"For the warrior."
Methos looked at her warily, but popped the truffle into his mouth. The sweet, intricate mixture of dark chocolate, honey, chestnuts and...yes, brandy melted on his tongue. It was so wonderful he hated to swallow it, and he kept the flavors trapped in his mouth as long as possible. "That is truly amazing," he said, licking his lips.
"I knew you'd like it," the woman said with a smile.
"What are those?" Methos asked, pointing to a tray of chocolates so dark they were almost black.
"Ah. I call those 'Witchcraft'. I make the chocolate from arriba cacao beans. The very best chocolate has the highest cocoa content, and the cocoa content of that chocolate is ninety percent. Here, try one."
Methos took the chocolate she offered and put it into his mouth. He bit into the most amazing taste. He didn't quite know how to describe it...dark and rich and just slightly bitter. A gentle feeling of warmth slowly spread from his tongue throughout his body. The sensation was languid, and sensual. He had to clear his voice before he could speak. "What else is in those?" he said with a grin.
"I blend the chocolate with Strega, an Italian herbal liqueur. And just a little bit of magic," she added with a wink.
"Do you have these just for Halloween?"
"Witchcraft isn't only for Halloween," she said with a twitch of her lips. "You can find them here every day. They are quite popular."
"Yes, I can imagine," Methos said, amused.
"You should buy some. Share them with your lover. They will help to bind him to you."
Methos eyes narrowed slightly. "I never said there was a -he- involved."
The woman pretended to consider his words. "Didn't you? Hmm…that's odd."
"Yes, it is," Methos said, and while he tried to level her with a penetrating stare, she wasn't raising any of his internal alarms. On the contrary, he felt quite comfortable here. He decided to plunge onward, if somewhat cautiously. "But isn't attempting to bind someone to oneself somewhat against the rules? I mean, it's not very sporting, is it?"
"Only if it is against their wishes. You should never try to force love; that is true. Messing with the free will of others can have nasty consequences," she said with a wrinkle of her nose. "But as long as he loves you, and already wants to be with you, and you act with a pure heart..."
Methos snorted. "Sorry," he apologized for interrupting. "I'm afraid I haven't had a pure heart for a...for quite a long time."
"Pure intent then," she said with a wink. Besides, what better way to spend an afternoon than by sharing chocolates with the one you love?"
Remembering the effect just one of those chocolates had on him, Methos had no doubt of that. In fact, he couldn't keep the smile from his face at the thought of it. "All right. Half a pound, then."
The woman beamed at him. "Excellent!" She weighed out his order and packaged the chocolates in a small black box, slipping a band of gold ribbon around it to keep it closed tightly. The box went into a small, black bag, and she handed it to Methos, taking cash from him in return. "Thank you, I know they'll give you great satisfaction. Come back soon," she said and winked at him again.
Methos left the shop with his bag of chocolates. He may be the world's oldest living cynic, and he didn't believe in a lot of things. Then again, he had seen some strange things in five thousand years. He licked his lips, remembering the delectable taste of the chocolate, and the feeling as it seemed to slowly melt into his bloodstream. A slow smile spread across his face. Maybe he'd take them over to Mac's tomorrow afternoon. If nothing else, they were damn fine chocolates after all.