HH Ficlet/Drabble
Mar. 1st, 2006 02:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalI'm having a love/hate relationship with my HH giftfic at the moment and it's going to take slightly longer to finish... so hopefully this will make good in the meantime.
Title: Passing Honors
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Rating: G
Disclaimer: They belong to C.S. Forester and A&E, not to me. I get nothing for this.
Summary: A ficlet/drabble wherein Horatio is ill one morning and William is attentive
Notes: Dedicated to girlwithtulips. As I’m struggling to finish up her now quite late holiday giftfic I thought this might help tide her over a little at least. I don’t think this fits properly anywhere in canon, so I apologize. It just stuck in my head and, as GWT’s giftfic is set before Bush comes onto the scene, I thought it might be nice to get this out of my head.
Passing Honors
Horatio was unsure he wanted to open his eyes. If he did, he risked coming awake fully and not being able to fall back to sleep. He was certain it could not possibly be morning yet, perhaps not even midnight. But he heard something moving about the birth and was sure it wasn’t just a rat. So he pried his eyes open and saw William Bush a few feet away.
The man was already up and halfway through changing into his full uniform for the day. “Good morning,” Bush said gently. “I hope I did not wake you.”
This made Horatio smile. The ship was always loud, even at night, and one of the first things Horatio had learned as a Midshipman was how to sleep through just about anything. Sleep was far too precious a commodity to lose because someone was moving around one hammock over. Now it was only the hammock in-between them as Bush pulled off one shirt and pulled on another, buttoning up the top few buttons and the cuffs.
“Water or rum?”
Horatio blinked with confusion. “I’m sorry?”
“I am going to get you one or the other, so which do you fancy? Water or rum?”
Horatio scrubbed his palm over his face a few times. “What is the hour, Mister Bush?”
“Eight bells of the mid-watch and All Is Well, Mister Hornblower,” Bush replied, noticing Horatio’s surprise at the time. He also noticed Horatio struggling to free himself from the blankets and extricate himself from the hammock. “Oh no you don’t,” he said, placing a hand on Horatio’s chest and easing him back down. “You forget: I was here when the doctor declared that you are to stay in bed today. You may have performed honorably and saved our necks yesterday, but you are ill now.”
“I only have a cough and a bit of a temperature,” Horatio objected a bit too strenuously to be believed. He coughed deeply a few times but continued quickly. “I am not made of glass. It will not kill me to work today.”
“No, but I might,” Bush said.
With another cough, “I don’t quite see the logic in that.”
“Naturally. Your mind is off because you are feverish,” Bush explained with a kind smile. “There is already tension and unruliness amongst the men. The last thing we need is for one of the ship’s upstanding lieutenants to pass out on deck… again.”
Horatio sighed, knowing Bush was right. But that sent him off coughing, which shook him and his hammock. He fumbled about in his pockets to find a handkerchief and cover his mouth with it. He barely had the energy to hold it in place, and knew he would be lucky to make it up to the deck feeling like this.
Bush adjusted his scarf around his neck and grabbed his hat, patting it into place on his head. “So, I ask you again. What’ll it be: water or rum? And do not avoid the question further.”
“I did not avoid last time—”
“Horatio!” Bush laughed, the question still largely unanswered.
“Water!” burst Horatio quickly, coughing again. He waited for the coughs to pass. “However, there is no need for you to—”
Shaking his head, he promised, “I will be back within a minute and no longer.” He started away and paused, smiling back at Horatio in the hammock. “If you have need of anything more before I need to go on duty, I would gladly be your legs. I expect to find you as I leave you.”
Horatio nodded back, though rubbing at his neck. “Both left and found, I am once again honored to share a birth with you, William.”
:-)
Title: Passing Honors
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Rating: G
Disclaimer: They belong to C.S. Forester and A&E, not to me. I get nothing for this.
Summary: A ficlet/drabble wherein Horatio is ill one morning and William is attentive
Notes: Dedicated to girlwithtulips. As I’m struggling to finish up her now quite late holiday giftfic I thought this might help tide her over a little at least. I don’t think this fits properly anywhere in canon, so I apologize. It just stuck in my head and, as GWT’s giftfic is set before Bush comes onto the scene, I thought it might be nice to get this out of my head.
Passing Honors
Horatio was unsure he wanted to open his eyes. If he did, he risked coming awake fully and not being able to fall back to sleep. He was certain it could not possibly be morning yet, perhaps not even midnight. But he heard something moving about the birth and was sure it wasn’t just a rat. So he pried his eyes open and saw William Bush a few feet away.
The man was already up and halfway through changing into his full uniform for the day. “Good morning,” Bush said gently. “I hope I did not wake you.”
This made Horatio smile. The ship was always loud, even at night, and one of the first things Horatio had learned as a Midshipman was how to sleep through just about anything. Sleep was far too precious a commodity to lose because someone was moving around one hammock over. Now it was only the hammock in-between them as Bush pulled off one shirt and pulled on another, buttoning up the top few buttons and the cuffs.
“Water or rum?”
Horatio blinked with confusion. “I’m sorry?”
“I am going to get you one or the other, so which do you fancy? Water or rum?”
Horatio scrubbed his palm over his face a few times. “What is the hour, Mister Bush?”
“Eight bells of the mid-watch and All Is Well, Mister Hornblower,” Bush replied, noticing Horatio’s surprise at the time. He also noticed Horatio struggling to free himself from the blankets and extricate himself from the hammock. “Oh no you don’t,” he said, placing a hand on Horatio’s chest and easing him back down. “You forget: I was here when the doctor declared that you are to stay in bed today. You may have performed honorably and saved our necks yesterday, but you are ill now.”
“I only have a cough and a bit of a temperature,” Horatio objected a bit too strenuously to be believed. He coughed deeply a few times but continued quickly. “I am not made of glass. It will not kill me to work today.”
“No, but I might,” Bush said.
With another cough, “I don’t quite see the logic in that.”
“Naturally. Your mind is off because you are feverish,” Bush explained with a kind smile. “There is already tension and unruliness amongst the men. The last thing we need is for one of the ship’s upstanding lieutenants to pass out on deck… again.”
Horatio sighed, knowing Bush was right. But that sent him off coughing, which shook him and his hammock. He fumbled about in his pockets to find a handkerchief and cover his mouth with it. He barely had the energy to hold it in place, and knew he would be lucky to make it up to the deck feeling like this.
Bush adjusted his scarf around his neck and grabbed his hat, patting it into place on his head. “So, I ask you again. What’ll it be: water or rum? And do not avoid the question further.”
“I did not avoid last time—”
“Horatio!” Bush laughed, the question still largely unanswered.
“Water!” burst Horatio quickly, coughing again. He waited for the coughs to pass. “However, there is no need for you to—”
Shaking his head, he promised, “I will be back within a minute and no longer.” He started away and paused, smiling back at Horatio in the hammock. “If you have need of anything more before I need to go on duty, I would gladly be your legs. I expect to find you as I leave you.”
Horatio nodded back, though rubbing at his neck. “Both left and found, I am once again honored to share a birth with you, William.”
:-)
no subject
Date: 2006-03-01 09:28 pm (UTC)Consider taking some medication and joining the real world.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-01 09:47 pm (UTC)Ah, anonymous insults! Really warms up a cold winter's day... and on my own journal for that matter. Thanks ever so! :-)
Since you mentioned it, the Pearl Jam story was written at request- I'm not feeling that particular one myself. And I never claimed to be writing incredible works of art here. We've all got our own tastes & interests and life would most assuredly be boring were that not the case. For example, trolling on other people's personal journals isn't my cup of tea.
Have a great day!
you're fucked up
Date: 2006-03-01 10:11 pm (UTC)You write fucked up stories about a fucked up fetish.
You write these and post them on the internet, so millions of people can read it.
When someone gives you negative feed-back, you get upset? If you don't like it, deal with it or shut up and stop writing your fucked-up stories.
Re: you're fucked up
Date: 2006-03-01 10:51 pm (UTC)And, uh, yeah I'm fucked up. So what's new? The fact that I have a few sexual fetishes and like hurt/comfort fics is supposed to be insulting to me? LOL To each his or her own. If you don't like what I write, Anonymous, I'm not making you come to my journal to read it though I certainly appreciate you taking all this time to do so and leave me feedback. After a hard day of work and moving, it was definitely good for a laugh. Thanks.
Re: you're fucked up
Date: 2006-03-02 08:47 am (UTC)All this talk of Horatio Hornblower has me very interested in seeing what it is that is so appealing to so many people. I paused over the DVD boxset in Best Buy the other day, but ended up not being able to justify the price right now, especially not knowing if I'll end up liking it. I definitely need to look into Netflix.
HH
Date: 2006-03-02 02:49 pm (UTC)Absolutely! And thank you :-)
All this talk of Horatio Hornblower has me very interested in seeing what it is that is so appealing to so many people. I paused over the DVD boxset in Best Buy the other day, but ended up not being able to justify the price right now, especially not knowing if I'll end up liking it. I definitely need to look into Netflix.
It was one of the first things I added to my list when I got the Blockbuster Online service. Snowshie's SF fic and so many great comments about the series in the community and out really made me curious. I'm glad I looked it up because I instantly fell in love. Not to mention soooo much h/c & angst and slash potential and adorable cute boys all over the place. I highly recommend it! I'm definitely going to buy the full box set when I actually have money, though I'll probably buy it from Amazon or DeepDiscountDVD. I certainly wouldn't advise you to drop all that money on it before you know if you like it or not! But definitely thinking about renting it somehow. I'm almost positive you'll absolutely adore it. *giddy bounces*
Re: HH
Date: 2006-03-03 01:13 am (UTC)I really liked your fic tg...I've never been able to capture Horatio's voice to my liking but you do a wonderful job-the word choices and mannerisms are perfect!
Flammers aside I love your fics tg...you were the first person who taught me I wasn't as odd as I thought-and there were others like me *g* You've helped make me more comfortable with myself than I would have thought possible.
Also, I have the Horatio box set [two collections in fact] and if you or Lady K wish to borrow them I'd be more than happy to lend them...let me know.
Bright Blessings all around!
BVB
Re: HH
Date: 2006-03-03 07:42 am (UTC)I was a bit surprised as well, considering all the effort the Anonymous person put into it with little/no return. I would have assumed it would make more sense to troll communities- more people to potentially piss off there.
I really liked your fic tg...I've never been able to capture Horatio's voice to my liking but you do a wonderful job-the word choices and mannerisms are perfect!
Awww, thank you! I must admit I don't think I quite have the characters down yet, but your comments are encouraging. It probably didn't hurt that I had Loyalty playing as I was writing much of it. It means a lot that you liked it. I'm such a newbie in the fandom :-)
Flammers aside I love your fics tg...you were the first person who taught me I wasn't as odd as I thought-and there were others like me *g* You've helped make me more comfortable with myself than I would have thought possible.
Awwwww. You're going to make me cry!! Especially since I know exactly what you mean. It was such a relief to me to know there were others who liked what I did (once I admitted it to myself). And it's so fantastic that I have somewhere to share my 'guilty pleasure' writing with people who appreciate it for what it is. I know what I write aren't fantastic works of art and I don't post them because I need validation... but I'm truly glad you enjoy so many of them :-) Because I do enjoy sharing them as well.
Also, I have the Horatio box set [two collections in fact] and if you or Lady K wish to borrow them I'd be more than happy to lend them...let me know.
Well, I'm definitely buying my own set when I have money to do so. And I've seen every episode now multiple times but the last one (which is next on my Blockbuster list). So I don't need to borrow the set. What a sweet, incredibly generous offer, though!!!!! *hugs*
Thanks again :-)
Re: you're fucked up
Date: 2006-03-03 01:53 pm (UTC)Anway.... *uses flames to make yummy Smores treats to share* - *I* personally think that it is Awesome that you have the talent to be able to write giftficts. I would Love to be able to do that. Furthest I've branched out was actually writing a slash fict (which actually You were the first person who got me into slash at All).
Onto Horatio.... I was SQUEEEEEE when I saw it- I so love Horatio.... and a sickly Horatio- mmmmmm.... even better *grins* I am really enjoying it thus far- and would Love to see more.
*hugs and Smores*
tma
Re: you're fucked up
Date: 2006-03-05 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-05 03:15 pm (UTC)Only one little nitpick - it's 'berth', not 'birth' :)
This was so much bouncy, squee-y fun, thank you! :D
*looks forward to more HH fics from you now that you've seen the series ;)*
OT - Numb3rs fic
Date: 2006-03-05 04:17 pm (UTC)