Saturday, 27 October 2012

A - Absence (makes the heart grow fonder)

Aaaand THIS is your actual birthday present!! ...which is not-so-fashionably late, I'm so sorry. Introducing...the ABCs of Francilla!! Which is basically a series of drabbles based on random prompts of each alphabet. So sit back, relax and enjoy! (hopefully, if my writing is up to scratch Dx")
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Francis was sprawled languorously on the hotel bed. The sheets were scratchy and reeked of camphor, sure to cling onto him for days on end. What remained of his sensible, mature mind sternly warned him that if he continued in this undignified position (with his shoes still on, no less), his business suit would never be the same again.

Increasingly, this small, sane voice was sounding more and more like Priscilla, prodding him to brush his teeth, comb his hair, file all the documents in a neat stack etc etc. In short, he owed it to this little voice (or perhaps it was Priscilla?) that his day to day life didn’t implode or anything. Sure, he could always use Facetime or something, but it just wasn’t the same as having her cuddle up to him under the warm covers of their bed or when she complained about how Pierre kept fluttering about the house and annoying the cats.

He missed Priscilla.

Priscilla huffed again as she flopped onto the sofa, just in time for her favourite drama serial and armed with a much-beloved tub of vanilla ice cream. Favourite show and ice cream, what else could she possibly ask for?

(Well, Francis, for one.)

She snuggled up closer to the cushions (a pathetic ersatz for the warmth of Francis’ arms) and reached out for the remote-

The telephone burst into a fit of ringing and Priscilla jerked up, startled. She lunged for the sideboard and swiped the receiver off its stand. “Hello, Priscilla here.”

In a hotel far away, Francis smiled in equal parts fondness and relief. “Cherie. I...” He took a deep inhale, trying to sort out the knotted lump of words and emotions he couldn’t quite discriminate yet. “...I miss you.”

I miss you too, I guess...

Francis smiled to himself at how small and quavering his wife’s voice sounded over the phone, almost unwilling to admit that she needed him as much as he needed her.

Not that it means I’ll put up with you perverted nonsense when you get back.

Francis’ smile grew wider. This, they both knew, was a lie.


When are you coming back, anyway?

He noted the tinge of desperation lurking behind that seemingly offhand question. He didn’t blame Priscilla, Francis felt that he was on the point of spontaneous combustion if he had to wait any longer to get back.

“Half a week more, cherie.” He sighed over the phone, the whoosh of air echoing eerily over the receiver. “How are the cats? And Pierre?”

Aristotle and Hobbes are fine, although they seem a little sad that they can’t claw your pants off you anymore. Pierre’s alright, except he can’t seem to stop nipping my ear.

The smile was rapidly replaced by a wry twist of the mouth. “That’s one good thing about business trips, my pants stay intact. And Pierre tends to do that quite often, I think it’s a sign of affection.”

Affection, huh.

“Mm-hmm. I don’t really mind if you follow suit and start nibbling on my ear too, though~”

On the other end of the line, Priscilla nearly choked on her last mouthful of ice cream and spluttered ungracefully. She could practically hear that accompanying lascivious wink over the phone. “D-dream on, perv! The only thing you’ll get from me when you return is the laundry!” Priscilla huffed, cheeks burning a bright scarlet.

Another lie.

We’ll see about that, Priscilla, we’ll see about that.

“You incorrigible pervert.” Priscilla snapped, then relented. “Look, I gotta put down the phone, my favourite TV show is coming up now.”

A mock sniffle, a dramatised whine. “You care more for a TV show than for me, cherie? You wound me so.”

Priscilla rolled her eyes. Why were all men so immature? “Yeah yeah, I’m a heartless ice queen. But really Francis, take care. I can’t wait till you get back.”

Same here, cherie. Take care too. I miss you...

Priscilla blushed a deeper shade of red as her heart melted a little.

...especially in bed.

The abrupt end of their phone conversation was announced to Francis with a slamming down of the receiver on the other end.

64 comments:

Shesca Lin said...

>/////< *feels like I really have been absent from him* Eheehee, I'm super tired from a day out of town spent with four kids-practically-my-brothers-and-sisters so I can't say much.

But can I just say this was an awesome post to come home to? :D And heh, Francis... <3....

Starburst101 said...

Well...Francis misses you in bed, so you know what to do now, right? ;D

Shesca Lin said...

>: He's spent like, the entire week, in a hotel bed, I wouldn't have any reservations about sending him to the couch, if need be.

Starburst101 said...

But that's so cruel! D; Why subject both you and him to unnecessary torture and pain? >:

Shesca Lin said...

Dx I didn't say I /would/ do it... just... 'if need be'... <///<

Starburst101 said...

But you don't need to, so that's settled. U____U

Shesca Lin said...

>/////< But it's up to me to decide when 'if need be' happens... D-don't forget that.

Starburst101 said...

You won't find the need to, because egad, you'll be /needing/ him as much as he needs you. U___U

Shesca Lin said...

Oh, NOW you choose to understand innuendos, you scallywag... But what I'll bet is that you and Matthew need each other just as much, if not more than as much as Francis and I need each other. U___U

Starburst101 said...

It wasn't intended as an innuendo, but you can take it as one if you want to. :D

Shesca Lin said...

._O Oh, was it now... And uh, I will.. if you will for Mattelle. U___U

Starburst101 said...

And what purpose would that agreement serve? O:

Shesca Lin said...

Fulfillment for both sides of this shipping rivalry. U___U

Starburst101 said...

Hmmm...but it doesn't seem worth it... >.>

Shesca Lin said...

I'll accept your innuendos if you accept mine, it's an equal exchange, mate! Dx What's not to like?

Starburst101 said...

Nooope. It just doesn't seem worth it...

Shesca Lin said...

Fine, but I guess that just means that we'll be able to /force/ innuendos onto each other without any limitation in our attempts to force an non-equal acceptance of them. U___U I hope you know what you're getting into... or who's getting into you. ;)

Starburst101 said...

B| I think we have come to a consensus that all relationships are monogamous here?...

Shesca Lin said...

xD They are, they are.

Starburst101 said...

So...I think I should know the answers to the questions you posed earlier?... >.>

Shesca Lin said...

Yes, so you should realise that it would probably be more beneficial to simply agree to the earlier proposal.

Starburst101 said...

Nope, I reject that notion.

Shesca Lin said...

Well, fine, then you get the less beneficial option. U___U PREPARE FOR BATTLE, S.S Mattelleftw and PREPARE to STRENGTHEN the HOLD!

Starburst101 said...

So dramatic, you. xD

Shesca Lin said...

That's because I'm professional. ;D

Starburst101 said...

O RLY.

Shesca Lin said...

Yes.

Starburst101 said...

Blegh.

Shesca Lin said...

Do you need proof?

Starburst101 said...

Gol awayzh. :C

Shesca Lin said...

:C I'm sowwy. About the double post.

Starburst101 said...

D< You better be.

Shesca Lin said...

:C I deleted a post.

Starburst101 said...

Fwine. >C

Shesca Lin said...

:C You don't have to sound so grumpy about it...

Starburst101 said...

>: Sowwy. *huddles in corner of apology and shame*

Shesca Lin said...

.___. Only some one like you can make me feel guilty about you saying '>: sowwy' to me.

Starburst101 said...

...Be that a good thing?

Shesca Lin said...

For you, yes. >: ... *huggles* ^^; I'm sorry too.

Starburst101 said...

D'aww, don't be. *huggles back and pats your head*

Shesca Lin said...

Okay, I'm not. U____U

Starburst101 said...

Well. That was fast. :/

Shesca Lin said...

You said 'don't be'. I complied. U___U

Starburst101 said...

Yes. I was commenting on your compliance, actually.

Shesca Lin said...

I comply EASILY /some/ of the time. U___U;;; Got a reput for being easy-going to keep up.

Starburst101 said...

Then why just /some/ of the time. You need to make it /most/ of the time. U___U

Shesca Lin said...

But /most/ isn't neutral.

Starburst101 said...

You can't be neutral, or you'll lose your reput cuz it wouldn't stand out anymore.

Shesca Lin said...

Dx But that's the plan.

Starburst101 said...

So you wanna lose your reput of being easygoing? D:

Shesca Lin said...

No, no, it was the plan to not stand out. Stealth of a villain and all that.

Starburst101 said...

But you'll lose your reput of being easygoing. Do you want that? >:

Shesca Lin said...

Sacrifices must be made.

Starburst101 said...

But surely not such a drastic one? D:

Shesca Lin said...

It's not drastic.

Starburst101 said...

It is. It demolishes your reputation.

Shesca Lin said...

Well, a small reputation gives me maximum Stealth. U___U

Starburst101 said...

And minimum Friends. :C

Shesca Lin said...

That's alright. You're already more than enough. U__U

Starburst101 said...

:D I'm awesome.

Shesca Lin said...

You're also a handful.

Starburst101 said...

Of awesome. :DDD

Shesca Lin said...

That's one way of looking at it.

Starburst101 said...

Yupyup. :)