Fanfiction: Horatio Hornblower (G)
Title: O is for Obedience
Pairing/Characters: William Bush, Archie Kennedy, Horatio Hornblower; Bush/Côtard, Horatio/Archie
Rating: G
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Word Count: 481
Spoilers: For Mutiny, Retribution, Loyalty, and Duty.
Summary: When William was admitted to the captain's cabin, he wasn't surprised to find Archie there already.
Notes/Warnings: Written as a continuation of William Bush Alphabet Soup. In re-watching Duty, I realized how important this bit was to include. So here it is. No beta.
O is for Obedience
When William was admitted to the captain's cabin, he wasn't surprised to find Archie there already. Judging by the fact that Archie had the 'English bulldog' set to his face and Horatio looked like he'd been sucking lemons, William gathered it hadn't been a typical meeting between the two. Rather than mention it, he instead simply said, "The boats are ready, Sir."
"Thank you, Mr Bush," Horatio replied, stiff and terse, as if they were on the quarterdeck. Oh, damn. He's still upset about what happened with Wolfe... "A moment, if you please."
William stiffened to attention, his eyes flicking briefly to Archie. The second lieutenant was staring at Horatio as if he'd lost his mind. Whatever the captain was about to say was only his opinion, then, and not both. It was very rare when the two disagreed on anything. "When Wolfe held his gun to me, you should have shot him. Damn it, man, he could have taken the whole ship."
"I couldn't do it, Horatio." He didn't have Archie's way with words, but he tried anyway.
The dark eyes flashed with anger as Horatio paced. "Don't disobey me, William. Never again. I command the Hotspur, and that is all that matters to me."
"Is it, Horatio?" Archie demanded then, his voice angry. In his bright blue eyes, though, William could see that Horatio had wounded him. Consternation flashed across Horatio's face as he realized what his words meant to Archie. His second lieutenant wasn't finished, though, his hands balled into fists at his sides as he continued. "Captain Bracegirdle has lost his ship and he's only half a man without it. Would you really share his fate if you lost the Hotspur or any other ship you might command?"
Horatio, looking stricken, took a step towards Archie, one hand extended. "No, Archie, of course not."
"I think your previous statement was correct, Captain." Archie swallowed hard and stepped back, ignoring Horatio's hand. "Part of me has always wondered if I mattered more to you than the sea. Now I have my answer."
With that, he turned and left the cabin. Horatio started to go after him, then stopped and sighed. "I'm an idiot."
"You'll have to make amends," William only dared to offer the advice because whatever anger Horatio bore towards him had been wiped away by the conflict with Archie.
Horatio rubbed his eyes. "I don't have time now. I'll talk to him when we get back."
"We, Sir?" William repeated, surprised. He'd expected that Horatio would take Archie with him to investigate, like he had before.
The captain nodded. "Yes, we, William. You're coming ashore with me while Matthews will go with Captain Bracegirdle. Archie will have command."
"Aye-aye, Sir." As he followed Horatio from the cabin, William wondered if this would ever happen between him and André. We'd probably find other things to fight about...
End
Pairing/Characters: William Bush, Archie Kennedy, Horatio Hornblower; Bush/Côtard, Horatio/Archie
Rating: G
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Word Count: 481
Spoilers: For Mutiny, Retribution, Loyalty, and Duty.
Summary: When William was admitted to the captain's cabin, he wasn't surprised to find Archie there already.
Notes/Warnings: Written as a continuation of William Bush Alphabet Soup. In re-watching Duty, I realized how important this bit was to include. So here it is. No beta.
O is for Obedience
When William was admitted to the captain's cabin, he wasn't surprised to find Archie there already. Judging by the fact that Archie had the 'English bulldog' set to his face and Horatio looked like he'd been sucking lemons, William gathered it hadn't been a typical meeting between the two. Rather than mention it, he instead simply said, "The boats are ready, Sir."
"Thank you, Mr Bush," Horatio replied, stiff and terse, as if they were on the quarterdeck. Oh, damn. He's still upset about what happened with Wolfe... "A moment, if you please."
William stiffened to attention, his eyes flicking briefly to Archie. The second lieutenant was staring at Horatio as if he'd lost his mind. Whatever the captain was about to say was only his opinion, then, and not both. It was very rare when the two disagreed on anything. "When Wolfe held his gun to me, you should have shot him. Damn it, man, he could have taken the whole ship."
"I couldn't do it, Horatio." He didn't have Archie's way with words, but he tried anyway.
The dark eyes flashed with anger as Horatio paced. "Don't disobey me, William. Never again. I command the Hotspur, and that is all that matters to me."
"Is it, Horatio?" Archie demanded then, his voice angry. In his bright blue eyes, though, William could see that Horatio had wounded him. Consternation flashed across Horatio's face as he realized what his words meant to Archie. His second lieutenant wasn't finished, though, his hands balled into fists at his sides as he continued. "Captain Bracegirdle has lost his ship and he's only half a man without it. Would you really share his fate if you lost the Hotspur or any other ship you might command?"
Horatio, looking stricken, took a step towards Archie, one hand extended. "No, Archie, of course not."
"I think your previous statement was correct, Captain." Archie swallowed hard and stepped back, ignoring Horatio's hand. "Part of me has always wondered if I mattered more to you than the sea. Now I have my answer."
With that, he turned and left the cabin. Horatio started to go after him, then stopped and sighed. "I'm an idiot."
"You'll have to make amends," William only dared to offer the advice because whatever anger Horatio bore towards him had been wiped away by the conflict with Archie.
Horatio rubbed his eyes. "I don't have time now. I'll talk to him when we get back."
"We, Sir?" William repeated, surprised. He'd expected that Horatio would take Archie with him to investigate, like he had before.
The captain nodded. "Yes, we, William. You're coming ashore with me while Matthews will go with Captain Bracegirdle. Archie will have command."
"Aye-aye, Sir." As he followed Horatio from the cabin, William wondered if this would ever happen between him and André. We'd probably find other things to fight about...
End