#arthlas

“I reckon I did.” 

Of course. Before he left, I paused and fished a tenner out of my pocket. “Here,” I said, handing it over fair and square.

“And what lesson have we learned?” Mock seriousness.

“Don’t bet against Douglas Richardson. Unless he lets you win.”

“Precisely.”

Funny, cause I usually have a lot of luck, in my own way. And attitude helps. But, if I had his skill and his style and his brains, that’d help too.

***

Helsinki

When he threw his arms around me over a fishcake, I recognized I’d done quite a bit to help his helter-skelter, twinkly flight go off a bit better than planned. “You’re welcome,” I said. 

I wouldn’t have tried to unite my family like that. It took a lot of misplaced bravery, and a heart that was not only big but also very open about it.

He pulled away from the embrace, but his hand gripped my shoulder for a second with a sudden seriousness on the way out. “Douglas.”

“What?”

“Candles,” he said with gravity.

What I think a lot of guys could benefit from, if you get down to it, is treating girls and guys like we’re all the same. I mean, not exactly, but definitely not that very different. That’s why I’m in pony club; cause I don’t care. And that’s why girls are drawn to me.

They’re drawn to Douglas, still. I get it. He’s really smart and confident. I think maybe he’d have an easier time being married if he didn’t have this way of distancing himself from himself and women. He’s been married to three and might have a better time playing more pranks on them. It’s sort of his way of showing he cares, at times, that he’s interested.

I run back inside to check on the miniatures for Mum. I hope I haven’t lost Mister B his Talisker again. 

Not that it ever matters, in the end. And I do like that Douglas takes it from him.

Fitton

Strange, to think Arthur had cracked the code of not just true cheeriness, but happiness as well. He spends the flight not touching anything, naturally, but he’s glad to be up front and glad to be playing captain. 

How would he have done, had he tested? Likely not well. His lack of knowledge of any of the safety procedures is legendary. But he does like to travel, and, what’s more, he likes to be on a plane. Do what you love, and life’s not so bad.

“Dad offered to buy GERT-I again.” 

“Oh?” I said with actual interest, shaken from the line of thought of my anniversary plans. “How much, then?”

“It was a hundred pounds.”

An easy correction. “A hundred thousand.”

He shook his head. “No. Definitely not. I really checked. A hundred. And, then....”

“Then?”

“It was one.”

“I see.”

“And the debts gone.”

“I see.” Interesting. Hard to pass up entirely.

“Mum asked me what I thought, though, and,” he let out his breath in a sigh. “If you were me, and got to...to go places and just...be in a plane—well,” he reconsidered. “Clearly, you do.”

“I think I get your point, Arthur. Debts, practicality, that has its place. Sometimes, you’ve just got to fly.” Job secure, then, for now.

“Yeah,” he said, staring out ahead at the sky. “Sometimes you’ve just got to fly.”

I sit back down with my friends at the table.

“Must you?”

“Must he what?” Douglas asks with interest, and maybe not just cause it gets everyone’s ire away from him for all his scheming.

Mum had some entertainment planned that fell through. I could do some entertaining. “Pasta art.” Obviously. I spread the contents of the bottle out on the table. “I have the wheels. There’s still the curlicues, if you like, Martin.”

“What on earth do I want with some dried pasta?”

I started working quickly.

“Is that...one of us? No, wait,” Douglas murmured.

I kept going, and his attention was all on the little wheels.

“Snoopadoop,” he said with finality.

“Yeah,” I breathed. “Sure is.” I moved some of the wheels toward him, messing up her picture. “Your turn now.”

“Arthur, I’m not going to—“

But, at the look on Mum’s face, he did. Can’t say I minded why.

“Miss Macaulay,” I said easily.

It took him a second, eyeing me suspiciously, to say, “Yes.”  

“It’s not macaroni,” I admitted, “But I’d know that face anywhere.”

***

Douz

“Oh, yeah?” I breathed. Tipsy, mostly-naked cricket players are really something else. He was still a bit sweaty from moving the firetruck, and a bit quieter than his teammates, a bit easier to get away from the pack. Not that I’d tried! But not that I was complaining.

One of the best backsides in the bunch, which was clear from the photo I’d taken.

“Yeah,” he said. “New aeroplane rule. Everyone needs to take a seat.” He pat his knee.

“That’s not really what we here at MJN Air call appropriate,” I said with a bit of a giggle.

“Well, can the winner get a kiss at least?” Cheering from a few of his teammates. I went red; I know I went red.

Sure. A soft kiss, not very claimy. Nice. I rested a hand on his shoulder. “I guess it’s only fair,” I murmured after we were done. I looked at him.

“That pilot won,” the closest teammate said, nudging Jack, “really, so, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Oi!” he nudged back.

“I think I will have a seat, actually, now that you’ve mentioned it!” I agreed and then I yelped slightly as he helped spin me around and sit me on his knee. “Temporarily,” I added. I was still stewarding.

I was also avoiding thinking about who really won.

“You ever kiss that pilot?” Jack’s teammate teased from the side of me, as I sat on Jack.

“Whoa, Tiger. That would be the most inappropriate of all!” I said quickly. “And he’s even married.” Another cheer, that got. They cheered at most things a bit naughty. And called themselves things like Tiger.

I remembered Douglas calling me brilliant for my plan, and tried hard to not remember as I remembered. “He’s good at everything,” I muttered. “He wins all the games, even the silly ones between the pilots. Today, I had a good plan, though. I really did.”

“Hey, More Beer,” Jack teased, and I turned slightly to see his face. “You’re not paying attention to me.”

“That what?” I gestured to the scratches. “Oh!” Arthur raised a hand to it. “I suppose I should. I haven’t seen it. Is it very bad?”

“It certainly adds character to your face. Come.” He followed easily, and sat when I gestured for him to do so. He waited for me to get the first aid kit out.

“Wow. Your hands are so steady, Douglas,” he said, quieter than usual. I shifted my gaze from my work to make eye-contact, and we both held it. 

“I suppose they are,” I acknowledged.

“Medical school. I remember.”

“Well, I’ve set you right now,” I told him after a long minute.

“Thank you, Douglas.” He flashed a grin. I packed up the kit. I pushed the lingering from my mind.

***

Boston

Arthur and I are sitting across the tiny between-chairs table in the terminal while Martin is being dealt with and Carolyn tries to help. 

“B-E-R-N. You know. Like the capital of Switzerland.”

“I agree with you. Spelled right and everything.” Which is a bit impressive, considering. “My side doesn’t say BERN, however,” I point out.

“Oh, does it spell NREB?” he says with interest,

I shake my head. “Rearranging them a bit, all I can spell is...BONE.“

Arthur leans toward me over the table, in my personal space, to see. “Oh! Right.”

That, or ONE. There’s such a thing as liking wordplay too much. 

Arthur’s handing me pieces of Toblerone, which are piling up a bit as I’m trying to savor it. “That’ll probably do it, chap,” I say. 

I eat the B. I don’t know if ONE sounds any better.

Helena respects what I do. She’s fine with who I am. She thinks I’m brilliant, as does Arthur.  

Everyone thinks I’m brilliant. 

And I’m stuck on some immature pun.

douz - I kind of see what you mean. wants to take some pictures of douglas just in case. 

edinburgh - Mr B said he'd never date anyone. watch the game together. thinks the stealing is brilliant.

fitton - douglas makes arthur tea, arthur is easy to please whereas helena is not, they were in the cockpit together. 

gdansk - douglas owns arthur's car. seven dwarfs so maybe they both like Disney. douglas feels bad about the lying to helena. 

helsinki - gives Arthur one of the fishcakes. maybe he saved him an orchid too (for carolyn). Douglas is really proud of all the work arthur put in. 

ipswich - "our gallant steward". "Hello there, Arthur." "Am I really the weakest link?" "yes." "

johannesburg - vocabulary offs? candy brick. the way douglas explains the hot water. "That's where you say, 'Woof woof!'" douglas impression. what the animals say. douglas washed a car.

kuala lumpur - loves mysteries. "what a brilliant place, douglas!" "but why didn't you tell me?" arthur can't lie. douglas tries to teach arthur how to lie. what's your name? Douglas Richardson. she's being my mystery passenger--let us know if you work out who she is. apple juice and pineapple juice. arthur prefers apple juice. douglas pours him some "talisker" and he starts to protest, then grins and settles a little closer. "is there a mrs manercatserman?" maybe they could act out a little scene. arthur's pretty good at being in charge and ordering people around hee. wanted the car to take out a girl, but changed his mind. 

limerick - delta oscar uniform golf lima alfa sierra 

molokai - Arthur is 29. Learns to change up words in a song to amuse Arthur. Sad about being lonely at Christmas and missing his wife. Douglas's resourcefulness. "Turkey". "not arthur. douglas." "oh good lord, it's catching." Doesn't want to get Arthur anything because if you give someone a Christmas gift, it means something. A gift for no reason doesn't. EXTRA PRESENT of a lie. They hang out on the beach together. Douglas is pissed about the wine. Carolyn thinks it's actually rather good.

newcastle - herc recognized arthur, maybe arthur asks douglas about opera, 

ottery st mary - "we'll need a piano shover" "brilliant", douglas screwed up and was a clot, thinks that Douglas can play is brilliant, wants Douglas to play Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines, arthur brings up douglas playing the piano again and douglas shows off a little by saying to arthur remember when there was that time there was something you didn't know whether or not i could do and then it turned out that I couldn't, when douglas is lying about the otters and arthur asks if they're eating her douglas says well not always, "now make yourself useful" "*slightly sassy* I'm already useful", douglas really isn't in a good mood this episode (makes fun of carolyn too), needs to apologize for making arthur feel bad about himself when he wasn't wrong, proud of Arthur for figuring out the fridge thing for the final otter, and Arthur asked about how to get the piano there from the airfield "ah...", played arthur's favorite song for him. 

paris - arthur is more impressed by douglas than upset for his mum's money, feeling lonely so a little mean still and he's probably wanting Arthur, birling things douglas and arthur are captain and cabin boy ha, suggestively tells Martin "though he is REALLY sneaky" maybe they have kissed, thinks douglas might be magic, maybe douglas always gives arthur a little of the whiskey profit, "finest brains" - douglas is now more open to dissing him rather than being kind due to attraction, Arthur loves Miss Marple, knew what Arthur would say, Martin points out that Arthur can't lie, "I see I've underestimated you." "And me." "No, not you.", upset because they did kiss but he thinks arthur doesn't remember cause he'd been drinking. but arthur does remember, douglas is definitely miss marple, 

qikiqtarjuak - remembering how fun arthur is compared to martin, dying to see polar bears, 

rotterdam - use the word paramount

"I'm sorry, Douglas," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I do have a case of Christmas brain."

"I forgive you," I assured him. "But don't worry too much about the party, alright?" Our first Christmas party since we'd started living together was going to take place whether he was ready or not. "Sure, you're hosting it, but who's your little helper?"

"You," he said, like it was a question.

"Yes, me. And, between the two of us, there shouldn't be any real disasters, should there?"

"No," he said carefully, then slowly smiled at the thought. "There shouldn't be. Here, I'll get new mugs for us. I'll just heat up some of the cider. And I'll really concentrate."

"Third time's the charm," I called as he left for the kitchen with the mugs.

"But, Douglas," he said, pausing, turning round again. "This is the second time. Second time's the charm."

"I know what I said," I said.

His face fell a bit. "Oh."

"We finished the cider already," I pointed out.

"Oh," he said again.

"But what about cocoa?"

"OH! Do you mean it, Douglas? Really?!"

"Why not? It is, after all," I reminded him, since he'd only told me a dozen times already, "Christmas Eve Eve."

"Yes, it is! And tomorrow'll go really well. Relatively."

"Arthur," I assured, "your amount of Christmas cheer is unmatched. You're going to be the life of the party, and a wonderful host. Just don't worry, and try to focus, and if you screw up, well, that's what you keep me around for."

"Do I?" he said thoughtfully, biting his lip in a moment of insecurity. "Keep you around, I mean?"