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Biggles and the charming quirks
A snippet from Biggles and the Gun Runners that I found particularly cute is under the cut. Context is a bit spoilery for the plot, but only in a vague sort of way.
Context is that they're stranded in a swamp. At this point they've been there overnight.
“Biggles straightened his crumpled clothes and getting out of the plane sat on his favourite tussock of grass. With slow deliberation he lit a cigarette.”
HIS FAVORITE TUSSOCK.
I just find this immensely charming. Biggles is absolutely the sort of person who would have a favorite tussock for sitting on and smoking, even in the middle of being stuck in a swamp.
I think one of the things that makes these books so fun is that they're full of these little quirky human details. Johns clearly enjoys putting in these bits, and giving his characters these little, relatable quirks and mannerisms. A lot of us probably have a favorite tussock or something similar.
Update: There is now commentfic about this.
Context is that they're stranded in a swamp. At this point they've been there overnight.
“Biggles straightened his crumpled clothes and getting out of the plane sat on his favourite tussock of grass. With slow deliberation he lit a cigarette.”
HIS FAVORITE TUSSOCK.
I just find this immensely charming. Biggles is absolutely the sort of person who would have a favorite tussock for sitting on and smoking, even in the middle of being stuck in a swamp.
I think one of the things that makes these books so fun is that they're full of these little quirky human details. Johns clearly enjoys putting in these bits, and giving his characters these little, relatable quirks and mannerisms. A lot of us probably have a favorite tussock or something similar.
Update: There is now commentfic about this.
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The shadow falling across Erich in the morning sun turned out to be Lacey looming over him. Erich looked up calmly from stirring sugar into his coffee. "What?" he said.
"You're on Biggles' rock."
Of all the things Erich thought he might have done to transgress, this was not anywhere on his list. For a moment he thought he had misheard. "Biggles' rock?"
"His rock. He was sat on it last night and he'll be wanting it this morning when he's done washing up."
Bertie looked over from poking at the campfire with a stick. "No need to be hard on him, old top. You know the skipper won't mind."
For some reason this seemed to annoy Algy even more. "He minded perfectly well when I sat on his log."
Ginger, laying out their breakfast supplies on a flat rock, remarked, "Didn't you do that to see how long you could tweak his chain and get away with it?"
Erich was genuinely unsure if he was being hazed or not, but just then Biggles came up the trail from the stream, a towel draped round his shoulders and the kit of shaving things in one hand. "Beautiful mornin'," he greeted them.
"Isn't it," Ginger said brightly.
Erich removed himself from the rock. "No, don't get up," Biggles said. He took the mug Bertie handed him. "There's room for two."
Algy swiped the shaving kit on his way past. "I can't watch this. I may be a while."
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Erich very sensibly wondering if he's being hazed!
YOU CAN SHARE MY ROCK.
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I love this completely <3
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Can this be considered nesting? XD