Pandorica: An OTP Challenge Prompt

The trip up north was unexpected. Matt had come home one day and told A to pack her belongings, and the two were off to the northern part of Japan for a week. Although A was accustomed to the bustling, heavy and brightly lit heart of Tokyo where she and Matt lived, the north was a breath of fresh air.

The mountains were high and the weather was a comfortable kind of chilly. They had booked into a cozy place, both of them coming back only to sleep or stay in for a day or two. With that, they had spent all nineteen pieces of Instax film on various places (mostly of themselves) goofing around, a few containing sweet kisses.

Sitting on the bed while Matt brewed coffee for both of them, A studied the pictures in her hands with a slight smile on her face. The Instax she had bought proved to be pricey – she hated to run out of film so quickly – with the two boxes of film she had bought running out.

Now, only one film remained.

Footsteps came, and she looked up to see him with a towel on his shoulders, bearing no shirt underneath. Blue eyes smiled at her and she allowed herself to smile back, gently fixing the Instax photos into one neat pile and scooting so he could sit next to her.

“How many left?”

“Just one.” Both of them looked at the baby pink camera.

“Doesn’t matter.” He handed the mug to her and kissed her forehead, “We could get more film once we get back and mess around more. We should spend it tonight.”

“Tonight? We’re hardly going to go out tonight,” she retorted after taking a drink. “We’re staying in and watching something on the telly. I thought we agreed on that?”

“Well,” he shifted on the bed, “Could be. Maybe if you still had some energy in you…”

“I’m exhausted.” Another drink. “And I’d rather spend our last film doing something memorable. Like having tea somewhere out there or maybe letting me drive back home.” With that, she nudged him. Matt couldn’t help but laugh.

“You know I’m much more comfortable at the wheel, babe.”

“Don’t change the subject or imply that my driving skills are weaker than yours. I drive a freaking motorcycle.”

“I let you keep the motorcycle.”

“I let you smoke at home.”

“Fair enough,” he shrugged, “But let’s go back to the film.”

“I already told you,” she replied calmly, finishing her mug, “Let’s spend it on something great.”

“We have nineteen pieces of kisses.”

“Four,” A corrected. “Two for you, two for me.”

“Alright, four. So that leaves fifteen of us doing things.”

“Three of scenery.”

His face fell. “Twelve of us doing things! Come on, darling, think within the box for a bit.” He set his half-empty mug next to hers and grabbed for the camera, her green eyes widening, “We can build a blanket fort. Pillow fight.”

“Give that back – oi!” she growled, attempting to grab it from him, but he kept his hands above his head, “Matt, you better give that back or I swear–”

“I’m not,” he insisted, attempting to dodge a pillow thrown at his face. “Jeez, babe – calm down!”

“My camera, my rules,” another was thrown. “Give it back right now.” And another.

“My money!”

“Correction: mine.”

Matt let out a shocked sound upon having her wrestle it from him, she diving in and trying to tickle his sides. Both of them messed around on the mattress, she demanding for him to give it back and he laughing as he did his best to hold on to the object.

“Don’t make me use force–”

“I’ll me glad if you did,” he teased. She blushed brightly and scowled at him, her hands aiming for his ribs and looking for a spot to tickle. “N-Not there – A, don’t you even–”

His finger slipped.

Bright light filled his gaze for a moment and he blinked, A freezing at the sound, gaping at him as he struggled to rub his eyes with one hand (the other still holding on).

“You didn’t…”

“It was completely accidental,” he grunted, sitting up once she had done the same. Wearily looking at the innocent pink camera, he took out the film that had emerged and gave it a small shake.

“You don’t shake it,” she managed.

“It’ll speed up the process.”

They waited, Matt holding it in his hand quietly.

Finally, a picture emerged.

A began laughing hysterically, Matt shaking his head in disbelief at the sight.

Tickling.

A mess of black hair.

Her angry face.

His eyes scrunched shut in response to the overwhelming sensitivity.

“Well,” she breathed after her laughter, “I’m glad that happened.”