fanfic: Temptation
Title: Temptation
Author: txorakeriak
Fandoms: Hornblower x Good Omens
Pairing: Aziraphale/Horatio Hornblower
Rating: PG
Summary: Hornblower rouses interest in an angel, but the last word hasn’t been spoken.
Word Count: 569
Author's Note: Written for pmgsdiary, who took part in my friends survey ( My Big Damn Fic/Art Table) and prompted "temptation".
Eternal thanks go to kalymura for giving the rather crappy draft of this a proper grinding and making me be at least a little satisfied with it. *glomps*
*****
When Horatio Hornblower was born, in 1776, there was no talk of the Antichrist yet. There were other, more serious and urgent problems like, for example, the job situation. Most ambassadors of Heaven and Hell had part-time jobs to make a living; only the Four Horsemen were in permanent employment.
Aziraphale thought himself lucky to have been taken for a part-time assignment as guardian angel to the newly-born Horatio Hornblower, because he knew the good Dr Hornblower and he cherished him for his ability and skill. However, he wouldn’t have taken the job quite so gladly, if he had known about the problems it would bring.
From the moment young Hornblower had left school and joined the Navy, Aziraphale had followed him everywhere; not that Horatio noticed it, but the angel was always there. There was much to do for him, much trouble to get Horatio through, but the angel never complained. The moment he had seen the young man for the first time, he had been certain that he would get him through Hell Fire itself.
Aziraphale did his best to never let anything show, but it was evident to Crowley that his colleague would have liked to be more to Horatio Hornblower than just his guardian angel. Horatio was just Aziraphale's type, with the dark, curly hair and the deep eyes, his contagious smile and the lanky body. He liked books and he was clever (no competition for the demon, of course, but it was not Crowley’s fault that Aziraphale was too blind to realize it) and thanks to his new guardian angel, the boy was a child of luck.
He survived Jack Simpson, El Ferrol and the invasion of France, was promoted to lieutenant without even knowing the answer to the only question he was asked in his examination, and he quickly learned that there was more to seamanship than just skilful navigation and thus made everyone love him. His enemies were sick or dead, and his friends gave their lives for him - when he didn’t have to rescue them first, of course.
Crowley often complained about how the angel was never at home and told him that there were other people but young Hornblower, but Aziraphale always shook his head to explain that - whereas there were indeed other people - the doctor’s son got into trouble most easily and therefore needed someone to look after him.
After twenty-two years of just looking at it from the distance, Crowley had become too jealous and too annoyed to continue doing nothing. He missed Aziraphale’s presence and the time they had spent together - even though he would never admit it, of course - and so he decided to intervene secretly.
Aziraphale never discovered why Hornblower had suddenly lost all manner of talent or luck when it came to matters of the heart. He blamed the court-martial and the difficult times Horatio had been through.
However, the angel's infatuation ceased, and - the day he received a letter from the Higher Office that his job was done - he left Hornblower’s side with just a little ache in his heart.
When Aziraphale stood on Crowley’s doorstep, making his apologies with big, sad eyes, the demon decided that it wasn’t the time to be mad at him and so welcomed him back with open arms.
Of course, he would never mention the subject ever again.
Little side-swipes excepted.
Author: txorakeriak
Fandoms: Hornblower x Good Omens
Pairing: Aziraphale/Horatio Hornblower
Rating: PG
Summary: Hornblower rouses interest in an angel, but the last word hasn’t been spoken.
Word Count: 569
Author's Note: Written for pmgsdiary, who took part in my friends survey ( My Big Damn Fic/Art Table) and prompted "temptation".
Eternal thanks go to kalymura for giving the rather crappy draft of this a proper grinding and making me be at least a little satisfied with it. *glomps*
*****
When Horatio Hornblower was born, in 1776, there was no talk of the Antichrist yet. There were other, more serious and urgent problems like, for example, the job situation. Most ambassadors of Heaven and Hell had part-time jobs to make a living; only the Four Horsemen were in permanent employment.
Aziraphale thought himself lucky to have been taken for a part-time assignment as guardian angel to the newly-born Horatio Hornblower, because he knew the good Dr Hornblower and he cherished him for his ability and skill. However, he wouldn’t have taken the job quite so gladly, if he had known about the problems it would bring.
From the moment young Hornblower had left school and joined the Navy, Aziraphale had followed him everywhere; not that Horatio noticed it, but the angel was always there. There was much to do for him, much trouble to get Horatio through, but the angel never complained. The moment he had seen the young man for the first time, he had been certain that he would get him through Hell Fire itself.
Aziraphale did his best to never let anything show, but it was evident to Crowley that his colleague would have liked to be more to Horatio Hornblower than just his guardian angel. Horatio was just Aziraphale's type, with the dark, curly hair and the deep eyes, his contagious smile and the lanky body. He liked books and he was clever (no competition for the demon, of course, but it was not Crowley’s fault that Aziraphale was too blind to realize it) and thanks to his new guardian angel, the boy was a child of luck.
He survived Jack Simpson, El Ferrol and the invasion of France, was promoted to lieutenant without even knowing the answer to the only question he was asked in his examination, and he quickly learned that there was more to seamanship than just skilful navigation and thus made everyone love him. His enemies were sick or dead, and his friends gave their lives for him - when he didn’t have to rescue them first, of course.
Crowley often complained about how the angel was never at home and told him that there were other people but young Hornblower, but Aziraphale always shook his head to explain that - whereas there were indeed other people - the doctor’s son got into trouble most easily and therefore needed someone to look after him.
After twenty-two years of just looking at it from the distance, Crowley had become too jealous and too annoyed to continue doing nothing. He missed Aziraphale’s presence and the time they had spent together - even though he would never admit it, of course - and so he decided to intervene secretly.
Aziraphale never discovered why Hornblower had suddenly lost all manner of talent or luck when it came to matters of the heart. He blamed the court-martial and the difficult times Horatio had been through.
However, the angel's infatuation ceased, and - the day he received a letter from the Higher Office that his job was done - he left Hornblower’s side with just a little ache in his heart.
When Aziraphale stood on Crowley’s doorstep, making his apologies with big, sad eyes, the demon decided that it wasn’t the time to be mad at him and so welcomed him back with open arms.
Of course, he would never mention the subject ever again.
Little side-swipes excepted.