Entry tags:
Biggles/EvS fluff ficlet
This is a follow-up for Keeping Promises, the Biggles in the Terai tag I posted a couple of weeks ago. ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
philomytha wrote in a comment, I like to think Erich showed up at the airport to welcome Algy home, and I've had that floating around in my head ever since I read that. <3
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It wasn't the finest weather to welcome them back to England. There was rain coming down nearly sideways, and after fighting a tough headwind all the way across the Channel, they were over an hour behind schedule and it was getting dark when Biggles, flying the Auster, touched down at the aerodrome.
Bertie had flown ahead of them in the second Auster with, as always, perfect form; he landed a few minutes ahead and had already taxied out of the way by the time Biggles touched down. As they pulled in behind him, Biggles glanced over at Algy in the second pilot's seat, silent and pale.
"Ready to sleep in your own bed?" Biggles asked.
Algy managed a smile. The journey from India had been hard on him, despite frequent stops to rest, and it was clear that the long, difficult flight across the Channel had wiped out what little reserves of energy he had started with. "That's the best thing you've said all day," he said, and bending down, had to try twice to retrieve the crutches that he had laid down between the seat and the door.
Biggles noticed when he reached to unlatch his door that his own hands were shaking with exhaustion. It had been a long journey for all of them. He stepped out into the chilly rain. When he came round to Algy's door, Algy had already opened it, and Biggles reached up to give him a hand down.
A door was open at the aerodrome office, spilling light out into the rain and gathering gloom. Biggles was completely unsurprised to see Bertie talking to Ginger just outside the door; it only made sense that Ginger would have come to welcome them back. And there was the familiar figure of Air Commodore Raymond behind him, who Biggles had ceased to be surprised to see at any of their homecomings.
But as Biggles and Algy started for the office—Algy in front, Biggles lagging behind him a bit to make sure he didn't slip or stumble—Biggles was unprepared for the other person who stepped out onto the tarmac to meet them: tall, slim, and limping slightly, one hand resting on a walking stick.
Von Stalhein inclined his head in a nod to Biggles, but Algy was the one he spoke to first. He held out a hand. "Welcome back."
Algy looked too dazed to react. He freed up a hand from the crutch and shook von Stalhein's hand.
Air Commodore Raymond had reached them by then. "I hear you had a challenging flight in," he remarked.
"We've flown in worse, sir," Biggles said, smiling.
"Welcome back, Sergeant Lacey."
Algy shook Air Commodore Raymond's hand as well. Biggles turned to have a quiet word with Ginger about bringing the car to the side of the office.
In the office, there were several other pilots, who had clearly stayed despite the dismal weather, having heard they were coming in. Biggles fielded their good wishes, running interference for Algy, who by now was clearly flagging badly. After a quick word with Air Commodore Raymond about reports to follow on the incident, Biggles finally found a moment to strip off his gloves and damp scarf. By now the others were trickling out, and he wasn't entirely sure where von Stalhein had got off to, but just then Ginger came round to say that the car was ready and Bertie had Algy in it already.
"Good work," Biggles told him. "I'll be a little while yet. I have to debrief, and the Air Commodore is busy at the moment. Just get Algy and Bertie back to Mount Street, and get something hot in them. I'll see myself home."
After Ginger left, the aerodrome office seemed very quiet. There was a light still on in the office that Air Commodore Raymond had taken over, but the door was closed. Biggles could feel his energy fading quickly. There was a battered old sofa shoved into a corner of the office's waiting area, and he sank down onto it with a sigh.
A slight movement made him look up. Von Stalhein was approaching with a cup of tea. Biggles, who hadn't even realised he was still there, was too tired to do more than look at him with mild bemusement as von Stalhein placed it into his hands and then sat next to him.
"Hot, sweet tea is the thing in these circumstances, I believe," von Stalhein said. "There's plenty of sugar."
"Thank you," Biggles said. "It's—yes. It's the thing."
With the cup seeping warmth into his fingers, he leaned against von Stalhein's shoulder. There was a moment when he felt von Stalhein stiffen in surprise, but then came a slight relaxation, and a very cautious sense of von Stalhein leaning back against him.
That was all Biggles really needed to sag into the support of the slim, upright body next to his own. After a moment, he turned his face into von Stalhein's neck and closed his eyes.
He felt a cautious arm go around him; a long-fingered hand rested lightly against the back of his head, fingers stroking through his hair.
"Long day, was it," von Stalhein said softly.
"Not so long as all that," Biggles murmured into his neck. "I'm home now."
philomytha wrote in a comment, I like to think Erich showed up at the airport to welcome Algy home, and I've had that floating around in my head ever since I read that. <3--
It wasn't the finest weather to welcome them back to England. There was rain coming down nearly sideways, and after fighting a tough headwind all the way across the Channel, they were over an hour behind schedule and it was getting dark when Biggles, flying the Auster, touched down at the aerodrome.
Bertie had flown ahead of them in the second Auster with, as always, perfect form; he landed a few minutes ahead and had already taxied out of the way by the time Biggles touched down. As they pulled in behind him, Biggles glanced over at Algy in the second pilot's seat, silent and pale.
"Ready to sleep in your own bed?" Biggles asked.
Algy managed a smile. The journey from India had been hard on him, despite frequent stops to rest, and it was clear that the long, difficult flight across the Channel had wiped out what little reserves of energy he had started with. "That's the best thing you've said all day," he said, and bending down, had to try twice to retrieve the crutches that he had laid down between the seat and the door.
Biggles noticed when he reached to unlatch his door that his own hands were shaking with exhaustion. It had been a long journey for all of them. He stepped out into the chilly rain. When he came round to Algy's door, Algy had already opened it, and Biggles reached up to give him a hand down.
A door was open at the aerodrome office, spilling light out into the rain and gathering gloom. Biggles was completely unsurprised to see Bertie talking to Ginger just outside the door; it only made sense that Ginger would have come to welcome them back. And there was the familiar figure of Air Commodore Raymond behind him, who Biggles had ceased to be surprised to see at any of their homecomings.
But as Biggles and Algy started for the office—Algy in front, Biggles lagging behind him a bit to make sure he didn't slip or stumble—Biggles was unprepared for the other person who stepped out onto the tarmac to meet them: tall, slim, and limping slightly, one hand resting on a walking stick.
Von Stalhein inclined his head in a nod to Biggles, but Algy was the one he spoke to first. He held out a hand. "Welcome back."
Algy looked too dazed to react. He freed up a hand from the crutch and shook von Stalhein's hand.
Air Commodore Raymond had reached them by then. "I hear you had a challenging flight in," he remarked.
"We've flown in worse, sir," Biggles said, smiling.
"Welcome back, Sergeant Lacey."
Algy shook Air Commodore Raymond's hand as well. Biggles turned to have a quiet word with Ginger about bringing the car to the side of the office.
In the office, there were several other pilots, who had clearly stayed despite the dismal weather, having heard they were coming in. Biggles fielded their good wishes, running interference for Algy, who by now was clearly flagging badly. After a quick word with Air Commodore Raymond about reports to follow on the incident, Biggles finally found a moment to strip off his gloves and damp scarf. By now the others were trickling out, and he wasn't entirely sure where von Stalhein had got off to, but just then Ginger came round to say that the car was ready and Bertie had Algy in it already.
"Good work," Biggles told him. "I'll be a little while yet. I have to debrief, and the Air Commodore is busy at the moment. Just get Algy and Bertie back to Mount Street, and get something hot in them. I'll see myself home."
After Ginger left, the aerodrome office seemed very quiet. There was a light still on in the office that Air Commodore Raymond had taken over, but the door was closed. Biggles could feel his energy fading quickly. There was a battered old sofa shoved into a corner of the office's waiting area, and he sank down onto it with a sigh.
A slight movement made him look up. Von Stalhein was approaching with a cup of tea. Biggles, who hadn't even realised he was still there, was too tired to do more than look at him with mild bemusement as von Stalhein placed it into his hands and then sat next to him.
"Hot, sweet tea is the thing in these circumstances, I believe," von Stalhein said. "There's plenty of sugar."
"Thank you," Biggles said. "It's—yes. It's the thing."
With the cup seeping warmth into his fingers, he leaned against von Stalhein's shoulder. There was a moment when he felt von Stalhein stiffen in surprise, but then came a slight relaxation, and a very cautious sense of von Stalhein leaning back against him.
That was all Biggles really needed to sag into the support of the slim, upright body next to his own. After a moment, he turned his face into von Stalhein's neck and closed his eyes.
He felt a cautious arm go around him; a long-fingered hand rested lightly against the back of his head, fingers stroking through his hair.
"Long day, was it," von Stalhein said softly.
"Not so long as all that," Biggles murmured into his neck. "I'm home now."
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I especially love that EvS is unreservedly glad Algy is back. He would be!
This moment is so touching, when Biggles who's himself exhausted steps up, yet again:
In the office, there were several other pilots, who had clearly stayed despite the dismal weather, having heard they were coming in. Biggles fielded their good wishes, running interference for Algy, who by now was clearly flagging badly.
And that ending *_*
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T_T
♥♥♥
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