#Sorry if you're an Onedin Line fan

[guiltypleasurefandomface]

Would you ever write something with poly!queen? (Platonic or no, its up to you :)) youre so good at writing their cheeky banter, but id love to see what youd write about their softer moments?

Right. I wrote this, and then I felt stupid because it's not exactly soft and shippy. And I've spent the most of the last few days trying to write another story for you and it just didn't come together. So, it might not be what you were expecting and I'm sorry for that. But it is intended to be poly, so it's something.

For those who don't know - The Onedin Line was a budget british show done by ITV. It's a show about a man who opens his own merchant shipping company in Liverpool, set in the 1800s. Hardcore fans absolutely loved the show, some of us more sensible people think it's the worst filmed ITV drama ever to be filmed.

It started with Brian mindlessly watching the Sunday omnibus of a show called The Onedin Line whilst lying down. He's not sad, just a bit drained from their busy touring life. Not soon after the second half of the second episode, Roger came back home and joined him in the living room.

Joined him on the couch, actually. Lifted Brian's legs up and then sidled in to sit down, then placed Brian's legs down to be across his lap.

"Do you mind?" Brian asked, after watching this unfold without any word between them,

"No, I babysit."

Brian snorted, "You mean you're babysat."

Roger gently swatted him, and Brian swatted him back, then companionable silence settled as they returned their attention to the television.

John was the next to join him. Unlike Roger who had gone to visit other friends on their return, John had got up early to do some fiddling with broken electronics, to see if he could either fix them as was or frankenstein them into something new that worked. Freddie didn't like the mess it made in the kitchen, where John used to do it, so he made himself a little area in the shed after a good clear out session. (Which Freddie did not join in with, thank you very much, on the very real reason that the build up of dust was bad for his skin, and it had nothing to do with the family of spiders that were living harmlessly under the shed's window)

He came back in, through the kitchen and peered around in to the living room. "I'll make the tea then, shall I?" and dissappeared back behind the door.

"Thanks Deaky!" Brian shouted, trying not to feel guilty.

"Yeah, thanks Babe! Oh hey, can you bring the digestives in with you?"

A long suffering sigh that long since lost it's edge was the only reply, before being drowned out by the noise of water filling the kettle.

"Should we help him?" Brian asked Roger.

"Hmm... We'll make the next pot."

They went back to watching the television, though Roger did get up when John came back into the living room with the tea tray and helped him put it on to the coffee table. Roger leaned with a kiss of thanks, and then plucked the digestives off the tray before sitting down. Brian sat up properly so Deaky could sit on the couch with them, and they shared a warm smile.

"What's this?" John asked, looking at the television at last. "Oh not the Onedin Line!"

"It just came on after the news." Brian said defensively.

John sighed again.

"Biscuit?" Roger asked, passing the packet over Brian to John.

"I suppose."

None of them got up to turn off the television or change the channel.

On the last episode of the omnibus, finally Freddie returned from his parents. Shoes kicked off and coat hung up before he passed by the living room and went straight into the kitchen.

"Hello, darlings, no don't get up i'm fine. There's no dishes of food to put in the fridge, my parents have suddenly-"

Brian got up first, followed by Roger. John eventually followed them in to the kitchen, just finishing the last swig of his tea first.

"decided we're rich enough to feed ourselves. Oh hello, dears, did you miss me?"

"You left before I got up!" Roger shouted, and then hugged him

"I said I was going out early. You deserved the lie in."

"Here, let me take those." Brian offered and then started playing tetris with the stuff that was already in the fridge to fit tin foil wrapped dishes in.

"Oh, good news Fred,” Said John, “I fixed the silver clock."

"Oh that is good news. Hello darling." Freddie replied, kissing John.

"The bad news is, I couldn't save the alarm clock from Manchester."

"Alas poor Quartz," Roger interjected solemnly. "We knew him... Cassio Digital."

"I'm sure we'll get on just fine without it."

"Want a cup of tea, Freddie?" Brian offered.

"We've also got the biscuits out." Roger pointed out, pointing in the direction of the living room.

"Ahem".

"Deaky got the biscuits out." Roger corrected.

"Sounds good to me."

Brian, and Roger, finished making the tea as Freddie and John returned to the living room. Brian half expected the television to be off, or the channel to be turned over but to his surprise, The Onedin Line was still on.

"We're still watching this, then?"

Roger said, as he stepped around Brian to sit next to Freddie. John was between the arm and Freddie on Freddie's other side, that left just enough room for Brian on the other end. It was a good job the couch was long, and he was skinny.

"What is it? Oh not The Onedin Line." Freddie said exasperatedly.

"It's been on all day. Brian was watching it." Roger said, defensively

"I just put the news on and this was on after it." Brian added, also defensively.

“I just really couldn’t be arsed turning over.” Admitted John. 

"hmm," Freddie said, "Alright. I suppose one of us should get up and change the channel. Something better should be on by now."

"No, wait, hang on." Roger said, "We've invested our whole afternoon to this, we need to know what happens to Callon.*

"I.... what?" Freddie said.

"Roger does have a point." John replied.

"Oh alright. I see you must have missed me something terrible if you sought comfort in the Onedin Line."

They all readily agreed in a chorus, all found a way to share space with Freddie without looking away from the television, and then continued their afternoon in comfortable mindlessness.

Freddie vowed to take them all with him next time.