Susurrus [Netherlands/Norway]
Feb. 13th, 2014 10:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roesslyngTitle: Susurrus
Characters/Pairing: Netherlands/Norway
Rating: 10+
Length: 630 words
Summary: Prompt was "Netherlands takes Norway on a boat ride in Giethoorn."
Other: Written for the APH Valentine Exchange on Tumblr. My recipient was Dennoring.
Susurrus
It was a calm autumn day. Bright, cloudless, with a light breeze. Warm, as the bite of the changing season hadn't set in yet. But not busy. The tourist season had already wound down, and that meant the canals of Giethoorn were quiet.
Good. It was better when things were quiet enough to make it seem like there was nobody around but the two of them.
Netherlands steered the flat-bottomed boat through the canals slowly, taking a roundabout way with it, showing his guest around without making a show of it. No point in rushing. They weren't in a hurry, and besides, the weather was nice. The spring flowers had long faded, but the trees were still lush, thick with leaves that hadn't started to turn colour.
If he kept his eyes turned forward, it wasn't just to tell where he was going.
Norway sat at the bow, his hands folded neatly over the paperback novel in his lap. He hadn't said much on the way, and even less since they'd got on the water. Just sat back and watched, and looked, and said nothing.
Netherlands bit at the inside of his cheek. All that silence made him want a smoke. He liked quiet, but it was a pain in the ass not knowing what was going on in that guy's head. For a moment he thought about asking, but dismissed the idea. It was Norway; he wouldn't get a straight answer. But at least it wasn't a bad view: the sunlight on Norway's hair, the way a few strands brushed across his face as they were nudged by a breeze and compelled him to tuck them behind his ear. His dark eyes wandered over the surroundings as they passed, taking in the trees and the little old houses, and even if his expression didn't change much, he seemed to like what he saw.
Not bad.
Soon the place where they'd be staying came into view; a small house tucked behind hedging and large trees, with a well-tended garden. Netherlands pointed it out, indicating it with a mutter. He'd been impressed when he came down to see it. Best part was that he hadn't had to pay a cent. Not that he would have asked Norway on this trip otherwise. It helped, knowing a guy who owed him a favour or two. And if he was right, this weekend would be damn worth calling that favour in.
"'S nice," Norway said. "That garden." Netherlands almost jumped out of his skin.
"Yeah?"
"Mmhmm."
Nothing else. Damn it. Netherlands fished around for something to say, once again wished like hell he could have a smoke, and glanced at Norway's face to see if there was anything he could use. Even with all the years they'd known each other, he still couldn't read the guy. But there was a soft look to his face; that was good. "We could have lunch outside," he said. "If you want."
A nod, and a glance in his direction, their gazes meeting for a moment before Norway turned his attention back again. "Sounds good."
Pretty eyes, Netherlands thought, and kicked himself for thinking about it. He looked away from Norway, instead focusing on easing them in alongside the narrow dock.
"What d'you say to a game of chess after?"
Netherlands snorted. "You mean, what do I say to you beating me at it."
"Can put it that way if y'like."
"Then that's how I'll put it." Netherlands hazarded a glance at Norway. He was smiling.
As he stepped up to tie them off, Netherlands decided that he didn't give a damn if he lost ten times, or if he'd had to call in a favour to put this weekend together. For that smile and the sun in Norway's hair, it was worth it.
End
Characters/Pairing: Netherlands/Norway
Rating: 10+
Length: 630 words
Summary: Prompt was "Netherlands takes Norway on a boat ride in Giethoorn."
Other: Written for the APH Valentine Exchange on Tumblr. My recipient was Dennoring.
Susurrus
It was a calm autumn day. Bright, cloudless, with a light breeze. Warm, as the bite of the changing season hadn't set in yet. But not busy. The tourist season had already wound down, and that meant the canals of Giethoorn were quiet.
Good. It was better when things were quiet enough to make it seem like there was nobody around but the two of them.
Netherlands steered the flat-bottomed boat through the canals slowly, taking a roundabout way with it, showing his guest around without making a show of it. No point in rushing. They weren't in a hurry, and besides, the weather was nice. The spring flowers had long faded, but the trees were still lush, thick with leaves that hadn't started to turn colour.
If he kept his eyes turned forward, it wasn't just to tell where he was going.
Norway sat at the bow, his hands folded neatly over the paperback novel in his lap. He hadn't said much on the way, and even less since they'd got on the water. Just sat back and watched, and looked, and said nothing.
Netherlands bit at the inside of his cheek. All that silence made him want a smoke. He liked quiet, but it was a pain in the ass not knowing what was going on in that guy's head. For a moment he thought about asking, but dismissed the idea. It was Norway; he wouldn't get a straight answer. But at least it wasn't a bad view: the sunlight on Norway's hair, the way a few strands brushed across his face as they were nudged by a breeze and compelled him to tuck them behind his ear. His dark eyes wandered over the surroundings as they passed, taking in the trees and the little old houses, and even if his expression didn't change much, he seemed to like what he saw.
Not bad.
Soon the place where they'd be staying came into view; a small house tucked behind hedging and large trees, with a well-tended garden. Netherlands pointed it out, indicating it with a mutter. He'd been impressed when he came down to see it. Best part was that he hadn't had to pay a cent. Not that he would have asked Norway on this trip otherwise. It helped, knowing a guy who owed him a favour or two. And if he was right, this weekend would be damn worth calling that favour in.
"'S nice," Norway said. "That garden." Netherlands almost jumped out of his skin.
"Yeah?"
"Mmhmm."
Nothing else. Damn it. Netherlands fished around for something to say, once again wished like hell he could have a smoke, and glanced at Norway's face to see if there was anything he could use. Even with all the years they'd known each other, he still couldn't read the guy. But there was a soft look to his face; that was good. "We could have lunch outside," he said. "If you want."
A nod, and a glance in his direction, their gazes meeting for a moment before Norway turned his attention back again. "Sounds good."
Pretty eyes, Netherlands thought, and kicked himself for thinking about it. He looked away from Norway, instead focusing on easing them in alongside the narrow dock.
"What d'you say to a game of chess after?"
Netherlands snorted. "You mean, what do I say to you beating me at it."
"Can put it that way if y'like."
"Then that's how I'll put it." Netherlands hazarded a glance at Norway. He was smiling.
As he stepped up to tie them off, Netherlands decided that he didn't give a damn if he lost ten times, or if he'd had to call in a favour to put this weekend together. For that smile and the sun in Norway's hair, it was worth it.
End
Tags:
