Fanfiction: Horatio Hornblower (PG)
Title: Orders
Pairing/Characters: John "Jack" Hammond, Charles Orrock; Charles/Jack
Rating: PG
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Word Count: 1,142
Spoilers: For Loyalty.
Summary: Charles has orders for Jack from the Admiralty.
Notes/Warnings: Written as a sequel to my fics Intervention, Interlude, Flashback, Reunited, Revision, Talk, Commendations, Sea Legs, and Promotion. Beta by mylodon.
Orders
John Hammond smiled when he saw his friend and captain enter the inn. Raising a hand, he waved to draw the other man's attention. "Over here, Charles!"
Charles Orrock, captain of the Calypso, smiled when he saw the other man and wound his way among the tables to the one by the fire that the lieutenant had commandeered for them. "Hello, Jack. I take it you had a good day?"
"Better than a good day aboard the Calypso," John retorted with a smile, lifting his beer and taking a deep draught as the innkeeper brought one over for Charles.
"Can I get you gentlemen anything to eat?" the balding man asked, using a square of cheesecloth to wipe away a few drops of beer that had fallen on the table.
The two men exchanged a glance. After serving more than ten years together at sea, they could read every glance. At a nod from Charles, John answered, "A bit of whatever you're cooking right now. It's been torturing me for the last half-hour."
"The same for you, Captain?" The swabs were easily recognizable on Charles' best coat, so neither man was surprised that Charles was addressed by his rank.
Instead, the young man simply nodded. "I'll trust my lieutenant's word on the subject."
"Thank you, Sirs." The innkeeper bowed slightly before bustling back into the kitchen, looking very pleased.
Once he was gone, John addressed Charles in a low voice. "What did the Admiralty want with you, Charles? They can't be dissatisfied with your service after all this time."
"We'll talk about it later, Jack." The other man kept his voice as low as his lieutenant's. "There're too many people here."
Frustrated at having to wait, John knew better than to press the matter. Charles would tell him when he was good and ready and not before. It was a habit that made him a good captain, but drove John positively mad at times. Still, he refused to let his frustration keep him from enjoying two shepherd's pies and a generous helping of steak and kidney pudding. By the time both men had finished their food and the bottle of wine Charles had ordered to go with the meal, they were feeling quite replete and sleepy.
Thanking their host, they climbed upstairs to the suite of rooms they'd taken. Between rich prizes and John's inheritance from both his father and uncle, neither man wanted for money, so they could afford nice rooms in better inns than those they'd visited when both were midshipmen saving money by sharing a bed in a drafty dockside tavern. Of course, that very situation had led to an understanding between them that time had yet to test.
Once the door had been closed and locked behind them, Charles swept John into an ardent kiss. This was no surprise, really. When they'd been younger, both had been eager to gain the privacy of their room and now, even as they grew older, there were times when they were hard-pressed not to simply bolt upstairs. Still, even as he returned the kiss, John could sense something different about this one, a desperation that usually only appeared when one or the other had been wounded in action. That wasn't the case this time, so John reluctantly ended the kiss, holding firmly to Charles' shoulders to hold him off. "Charles, what's wrong? What did the Admiralty tell you today?"
Though the taller of the two strained against John's hold, they were evenly matched and there was no way Charles could overpower his lover without resorting to dirty tricks, for which he was too honourable. Sighing, he reached up to cup the shorter man's cheek as he explained. "You're not goin' to be my lieutenant anymore, Jack."
"What?" John blinked and stared at Charles, his heart plummeting into his stomach. "Why? Did they find out about us?"
"No, nothin' like that," Charles was quick to reassure his lover, kissing him softly. "As you know, Admiral Stoltz passed away, which led to Commodore Bush's promotion..." John nodded impatiently. He knew all of that already. They'd attended the promotion ceremony yesterday. The man being honoured had specifically requested their presence after all. Charles continued, studiously ignoring John's obvious impatience, "...which left a ship without a captain..." his voice trailed off as he pulled a dispatch out of his pocket and offered it to John. "Admiral Hornblower thought of you, though I wouldn't be surprised if Admiral Bush or Captain Kennedy had somethin' to say about it."
As Charles had been speaking, John opened the dispatch and read the contents with wide eyes. "I'm being promoted? I'm a commander now?"
"Yes, you'll have your own ship," Charles confirmed with a quiet sigh, slumping into one of the chairs before the fire.
"I won't have you, though," John added after gazing thoughtfully at his lover. "I'll be alone."
"Except for your crew, you know," the taller man reminded him with a wry smile. "You'll hardly be alone."
John crossed to Charles' chair and sat down on the floor so he could rest his head in his lover's lap, closing his eyes as long, slender fingers began combing through his curls. "That's not what I mean and you know it." He sighed, glancing at the dispatch again. He didn't have a choice. He couldn't refuse the commission. He'd joined the Navy for this, but he hadn't expected to fall in love with a fellow officer. Still, he wouldn't change any of it for the world. "I'll miss you."
"We'll still be in the same fleet, under Admiral Hornblower's command, you know." John could hear both the smile and the sadness in Charles' voice. "We'll still see each other."
The new commander nodded, sitting up so he could meet Charles' eyes, a wicked smile growing and chasing away the temporary gloom that had fallen. "You know, this will be the first time we'll be of equal rank since you were promoted two years ago."
"Are you suggestin' that I take advantage of a fellow captain?" Charles assumed an affronted look, but the gleam in his grey eyes told John that his lover had guessed what he really intended to suggest.
John gave him an innocent look. "Not a fellow captain yet, Sir. Not until I have the swab to show for it."
"That's an excellent point." Charles gazed thoughtfully at John before standing and offering his hand to his lover. "Come, Jack. It's time to give Lieutenant Hammond a proper send-off before Captain Hammond take his place."
Smiling, John placed his hand in his lover's and allowed himself to be led to the bedroom. He knew their times together would become fewer and farther between now that they were both captains, but their love was strong. It would last through all the separations. He was sure of it.
End
Pairing/Characters: John "Jack" Hammond, Charles Orrock; Charles/Jack
Rating: PG
Fandom: Horatio Hornblower
Word Count: 1,142
Spoilers: For Loyalty.
Summary: Charles has orders for Jack from the Admiralty.
Notes/Warnings: Written as a sequel to my fics Intervention, Interlude, Flashback, Reunited, Revision, Talk, Commendations, Sea Legs, and Promotion. Beta by mylodon.
Orders
John Hammond smiled when he saw his friend and captain enter the inn. Raising a hand, he waved to draw the other man's attention. "Over here, Charles!"
Charles Orrock, captain of the Calypso, smiled when he saw the other man and wound his way among the tables to the one by the fire that the lieutenant had commandeered for them. "Hello, Jack. I take it you had a good day?"
"Better than a good day aboard the Calypso," John retorted with a smile, lifting his beer and taking a deep draught as the innkeeper brought one over for Charles.
"Can I get you gentlemen anything to eat?" the balding man asked, using a square of cheesecloth to wipe away a few drops of beer that had fallen on the table.
The two men exchanged a glance. After serving more than ten years together at sea, they could read every glance. At a nod from Charles, John answered, "A bit of whatever you're cooking right now. It's been torturing me for the last half-hour."
"The same for you, Captain?" The swabs were easily recognizable on Charles' best coat, so neither man was surprised that Charles was addressed by his rank.
Instead, the young man simply nodded. "I'll trust my lieutenant's word on the subject."
"Thank you, Sirs." The innkeeper bowed slightly before bustling back into the kitchen, looking very pleased.
Once he was gone, John addressed Charles in a low voice. "What did the Admiralty want with you, Charles? They can't be dissatisfied with your service after all this time."
"We'll talk about it later, Jack." The other man kept his voice as low as his lieutenant's. "There're too many people here."
Frustrated at having to wait, John knew better than to press the matter. Charles would tell him when he was good and ready and not before. It was a habit that made him a good captain, but drove John positively mad at times. Still, he refused to let his frustration keep him from enjoying two shepherd's pies and a generous helping of steak and kidney pudding. By the time both men had finished their food and the bottle of wine Charles had ordered to go with the meal, they were feeling quite replete and sleepy.
Thanking their host, they climbed upstairs to the suite of rooms they'd taken. Between rich prizes and John's inheritance from both his father and uncle, neither man wanted for money, so they could afford nice rooms in better inns than those they'd visited when both were midshipmen saving money by sharing a bed in a drafty dockside tavern. Of course, that very situation had led to an understanding between them that time had yet to test.
Once the door had been closed and locked behind them, Charles swept John into an ardent kiss. This was no surprise, really. When they'd been younger, both had been eager to gain the privacy of their room and now, even as they grew older, there were times when they were hard-pressed not to simply bolt upstairs. Still, even as he returned the kiss, John could sense something different about this one, a desperation that usually only appeared when one or the other had been wounded in action. That wasn't the case this time, so John reluctantly ended the kiss, holding firmly to Charles' shoulders to hold him off. "Charles, what's wrong? What did the Admiralty tell you today?"
Though the taller of the two strained against John's hold, they were evenly matched and there was no way Charles could overpower his lover without resorting to dirty tricks, for which he was too honourable. Sighing, he reached up to cup the shorter man's cheek as he explained. "You're not goin' to be my lieutenant anymore, Jack."
"What?" John blinked and stared at Charles, his heart plummeting into his stomach. "Why? Did they find out about us?"
"No, nothin' like that," Charles was quick to reassure his lover, kissing him softly. "As you know, Admiral Stoltz passed away, which led to Commodore Bush's promotion..." John nodded impatiently. He knew all of that already. They'd attended the promotion ceremony yesterday. The man being honoured had specifically requested their presence after all. Charles continued, studiously ignoring John's obvious impatience, "...which left a ship without a captain..." his voice trailed off as he pulled a dispatch out of his pocket and offered it to John. "Admiral Hornblower thought of you, though I wouldn't be surprised if Admiral Bush or Captain Kennedy had somethin' to say about it."
As Charles had been speaking, John opened the dispatch and read the contents with wide eyes. "I'm being promoted? I'm a commander now?"
"Yes, you'll have your own ship," Charles confirmed with a quiet sigh, slumping into one of the chairs before the fire.
"I won't have you, though," John added after gazing thoughtfully at his lover. "I'll be alone."
"Except for your crew, you know," the taller man reminded him with a wry smile. "You'll hardly be alone."
John crossed to Charles' chair and sat down on the floor so he could rest his head in his lover's lap, closing his eyes as long, slender fingers began combing through his curls. "That's not what I mean and you know it." He sighed, glancing at the dispatch again. He didn't have a choice. He couldn't refuse the commission. He'd joined the Navy for this, but he hadn't expected to fall in love with a fellow officer. Still, he wouldn't change any of it for the world. "I'll miss you."
"We'll still be in the same fleet, under Admiral Hornblower's command, you know." John could hear both the smile and the sadness in Charles' voice. "We'll still see each other."
The new commander nodded, sitting up so he could meet Charles' eyes, a wicked smile growing and chasing away the temporary gloom that had fallen. "You know, this will be the first time we'll be of equal rank since you were promoted two years ago."
"Are you suggestin' that I take advantage of a fellow captain?" Charles assumed an affronted look, but the gleam in his grey eyes told John that his lover had guessed what he really intended to suggest.
John gave him an innocent look. "Not a fellow captain yet, Sir. Not until I have the swab to show for it."
"That's an excellent point." Charles gazed thoughtfully at John before standing and offering his hand to his lover. "Come, Jack. It's time to give Lieutenant Hammond a proper send-off before Captain Hammond take his place."
Smiling, John placed his hand in his lover's and allowed himself to be led to the bedroom. He knew their times together would become fewer and farther between now that they were both captains, but their love was strong. It would last through all the separations. He was sure of it.
End