HH Drabbley thingy
Jan. 13th, 2006 08:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalThis is really short and really random. This stuck in my head and I was just playing.
Title: Untitled Short Thing
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Rating: G
Disclaimer: These are not my boys. I only play.
Summary: Archie & Horatio, lots of water, and a head cold.
Notes: A tad more than a drabble, but not a ficlet. It's just me playing like usual and I thought I'd share because it wasn't *too* terrible a result.
With the sail brought in, there was little more they could do but wait out the raging storm and hope for the best. It had struck so quickly after an engagement with the French that the deck had been swamped and, thus, had been given only a rudimentary clearing. Now was the time to take care of that. "Secure the canons! Mend the rigging!" Horatio called out. He reached out and gripped the post in front of him only superficially. Even with the tilting and swaying of the ship, Horatio had learned how to keep his balance and footing.
"Secure the canons!" Archie called out at the top of his voice, echoing Horatio's orders to the men. "Mend the rigging!" His voice was rough and uneven. And as soon as he finished, he turned and cupped both hands to his face, praying style, and sneezed. Twice. Viciously. He doubled over under their power.
Horatio cleared his throat and a badly-timed wave splashed up onto deck, though Horatio was already drenched from the pouring rain and the tormenting wind. He headed down the ladder to the quarter deck and towards Archie. "Mister Kennedy!" He shouted just as loudly, even though he was nearly beside the man.
Archie rubbed the back of his hand against his nose and worriedly looked over the men. "They are working as fast as they can, Horatio!"
Smiling mildly with amusement at the misunderstanding, Horatio shook his head. "No. I want you to get below and warm up! Change into dryer clothes and nurse that head cold!" Archie looked around again. There was always something to do on a ship, especially in the middle of a storm. He hesitated to abandon his post during the chaos. Horatio leaned closer, putting a hand on Archie's back. "Are you waiting for your illness to get worse?"
Archie gave a chuckle, and then coughed. Hastily he cupped both hands to his face again. "huh-huhhCheh! huhhChihhh!" He gave a terribly wet sniffle and lowered his hands. Then he gave Horatio a smile and reluctantly headed belowdecks.
It was nearly an hour before the storm calmed down a little and Horatio was relieved by the First Lieutenant. He did not make his way straight to Archie, but wound up at Archie's side eventually anyway. The man was not asleep but was in his hammock. He had changed and dried his hair and was wrapped in heavy blankets.
"I brought you some lime juice." Horatio offered over the dented metal cup he'd received from the ship's physician. Archie stared at it, clearly noticing that there was more than usual. "It is my helping as well." Archie gave him an appreciative smile, then downed the contents. He pulled a face at the taste as he handed the empty cup back.
Then Archie pitched forward again. "hihhChuh! huhhhChuh!" The hammock swayed from the movement and Horatio reached out to steady it. Then he ran his hand through his hair, darker and slightly straighter for its wetness.
"Sorry, Horatio," Archie apologized, sniffling. "You're still dripping wet. You don't need to be looking after me." It was Horatio's turn to look hesitant, and it was Archie's turn to chuckle. "Are you waiting to catch cold yourself?"
Acknowledging the foolishness of standing about while cold and wet, Horatio stripped off his shirt and turned to his hammock and belongings. Despite being in the middle of changing, Horatio reached out to still the hammock and offer a clean, dry handkerchief when Archie gave another strong double-sneeze.
Title: Untitled Short Thing
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Rating: G
Disclaimer: These are not my boys. I only play.
Summary: Archie & Horatio, lots of water, and a head cold.
Notes: A tad more than a drabble, but not a ficlet. It's just me playing like usual and I thought I'd share because it wasn't *too* terrible a result.
With the sail brought in, there was little more they could do but wait out the raging storm and hope for the best. It had struck so quickly after an engagement with the French that the deck had been swamped and, thus, had been given only a rudimentary clearing. Now was the time to take care of that. "Secure the canons! Mend the rigging!" Horatio called out. He reached out and gripped the post in front of him only superficially. Even with the tilting and swaying of the ship, Horatio had learned how to keep his balance and footing.
"Secure the canons!" Archie called out at the top of his voice, echoing Horatio's orders to the men. "Mend the rigging!" His voice was rough and uneven. And as soon as he finished, he turned and cupped both hands to his face, praying style, and sneezed. Twice. Viciously. He doubled over under their power.
Horatio cleared his throat and a badly-timed wave splashed up onto deck, though Horatio was already drenched from the pouring rain and the tormenting wind. He headed down the ladder to the quarter deck and towards Archie. "Mister Kennedy!" He shouted just as loudly, even though he was nearly beside the man.
Archie rubbed the back of his hand against his nose and worriedly looked over the men. "They are working as fast as they can, Horatio!"
Smiling mildly with amusement at the misunderstanding, Horatio shook his head. "No. I want you to get below and warm up! Change into dryer clothes and nurse that head cold!" Archie looked around again. There was always something to do on a ship, especially in the middle of a storm. He hesitated to abandon his post during the chaos. Horatio leaned closer, putting a hand on Archie's back. "Are you waiting for your illness to get worse?"
Archie gave a chuckle, and then coughed. Hastily he cupped both hands to his face again. "huh-huhhCheh! huhhChihhh!" He gave a terribly wet sniffle and lowered his hands. Then he gave Horatio a smile and reluctantly headed belowdecks.
It was nearly an hour before the storm calmed down a little and Horatio was relieved by the First Lieutenant. He did not make his way straight to Archie, but wound up at Archie's side eventually anyway. The man was not asleep but was in his hammock. He had changed and dried his hair and was wrapped in heavy blankets.
"I brought you some lime juice." Horatio offered over the dented metal cup he'd received from the ship's physician. Archie stared at it, clearly noticing that there was more than usual. "It is my helping as well." Archie gave him an appreciative smile, then downed the contents. He pulled a face at the taste as he handed the empty cup back.
Then Archie pitched forward again. "hihhChuh! huhhhChuh!" The hammock swayed from the movement and Horatio reached out to steady it. Then he ran his hand through his hair, darker and slightly straighter for its wetness.
"Sorry, Horatio," Archie apologized, sniffling. "You're still dripping wet. You don't need to be looking after me." It was Horatio's turn to look hesitant, and it was Archie's turn to chuckle. "Are you waiting to catch cold yourself?"
Acknowledging the foolishness of standing about while cold and wet, Horatio stripped off his shirt and turned to his hammock and belongings. Despite being in the middle of changing, Horatio reached out to still the hammock and offer a clean, dry handkerchief when Archie gave another strong double-sneeze.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-15 07:36 pm (UTC)I loved how you *got* their relationship. And their personalities too. I could completely see Archie getting in a chuckle or to at the way Horatio acts even if he is feeling miserable.
If the muse for this fandom comes knocking again- I would *love* to see more. This was terrific.
Thank you
tma
no subject
Date: 2006-01-16 01:37 am (UTC)I so agree with you about the wet, sneezy boys *G* And I'm SO glad you thought I did alright with Archie and Horatio and their relationship. I'm perfectly happy slashing them, but they're terribly nummy just the way they are as friends as well. They're a lot of fun to play with, so I'm glad you thought they came out all right here. Thank you for that- it's very helpful as I look to write longer fics in the fandom.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-16 02:48 am (UTC)So have I mentioned that I'm all a-squee now that you're writing Hornblower? 'Cause, you know, dude. Squee. ;P
no subject
Date: 2006-01-18 04:00 am (UTC)LMAO! I'm so glad! Especially as you're 95% to blame for making me get into this fandom in the first place.
Ahem. Now that tha'ts out of the way, what a perfectly lovely little ficlet. <33
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me :-)
I love Horatio's concern, and Archie's confusion. But what did it for me characterization-wise? Horatio's moment of hesitation at the end. It's just so perfectly in character for him to doubt himself and for Archie to tease him. So damned adorable.
*G* I'm thrilled. I'm still very new to the characters- that's just my second attempt at the boys- so I'm really glad they came out feeling true to you. And I just love Archie's smiling and playful moments, so I'm really glad that came through and worked for you, too.
So have I mentioned that I'm all a-squee now that you're writing Hornblower? 'Cause, you know, dude. Squee. ;P
I'm personally so thrilled to finally be able to get into it, myself. I've been wanting to do so ever since you wrote that sneezefic for the annual challenge years ago (and I've read it several times since getting into the fandom, and have been meaning to send feedback somewhere for that). The fandom is so very squee-worthy in and of itself, so adding in a little more Horatio-torture and some sexy sneezing.... believe me, I'm squeeing, too. ANd I'm thrilled you're excited about it. I hope you enjoy my next attempt as much :-)
Thanks!