All Standing

[idler_1814]

TITLE: All Standing
AUTHOR: Idler
CHARACTERS: Hornblower, Bush
RATING: G, gen
DISCLAIMER: Not mine, not for profit
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Book canon, set between chapters 16 and 17 of Lord Hornblower, as Hornblower returns to England.

With many thanks to Quarterdeck, the finest beta reader anywhere.

Comments

[sarlania]

*Takes deep breath*

One. Two. Three.

I had tears in my eyes at the end. This is just. WOW! ♥

He had the sudden certainty that Bush had faced eternity--whatever that might mean--as he had faced life: all standing.
THIS. THIS line just blew me away. So true. So very Bush, always the consummate sailor, always ready for whatever was thrown at him.

Please, please crosspost this at following_sea?

[idler_1814]

Thank you!!

So very Bush, always the consummate sailor, always ready for whatever was thrown at him.

I have to admit, I came across the phrase 'all standing' a few months ago....and guess who immediately came to mind???

Please, please crosspost this at following_sea?

I'd love to--and I suppose I should have--but I've already crossposted to ltbush, and I really do hate to pester folks with this thing showing up just everywhere!

[sarlania]

...and guess who immediately came to mind???
Do I even have to? *g*

I really do hate to pester folks with this thing showing up just everywhere!
There are quite a few people on following_sea who don't watch ltbush and would really love this!

[idler_1814]

There are quite a few people on following_sea who don't watch ltbush and would really love this!

I deeply appreciate that, but I'm really not comfortable with crossposting all over. If you really want to post a link, though, feel free.

[ashley_pitt]

Oh, my...oh my..

Everything that sarlania said.

Because I can't see the keyboard through the tears.

Well done!

[idler_1814]

Awwww.....thanks!

But no tears, please! This thing is positive. Really!

[ashley_pitt]

Oh, it was!

But it just rang so true and was so eloquently stated.

[anteros_lmc]

Beautiful. And very, very moving. Even though I haven't reached this stage in the books :}

Bush had been an honest and open soul, utterly and fundamentally incapable of deceit or subterfuge, but still, an intensely private man.
I love this contrast between openness, honesty and privacy.

it was wholly unlike him to loosen the tight-fisted control he customarily exercised upon on his emotions, an act which he could only attribute to the unaccustomed stresses imposed upon him as temporary governor of Le Havre.
This is so very Horatio. He could use some of Bush's honesty when examining his own conscience.

Oh, and just to echo sarlania's comment, I'm sure there are folks at following_sea who would love this but I fully appreciate your discomfort with cross posting.

Thanks for another very accomplished and moving piece of writing.

[idler_1814]

Thank you so much!!!

Even though I haven't reached this stage in the books :}

*sigh* I'm sorry: Welcome to Spoilerville. I'm afraid that reading the fanfic assures that not a bit of the books will be a surprise to you.

I love this contrast between openness, honesty and privacy.

I can hardly even imagine Bush and Hornblower simply relaxing together, shooting the breeze. To me, their relationship always seemed to have a distinct formality about it....particularly from Bush's perspective. And I think there are some subjects which Bush would not dare broach, given Hornblower's penchant for withering sarcasm and derision.

This is so very Horatio. He could use some of Bush's honesty when examining his own conscience.

Indeed he could!

Oh, and just to echo sarlania's comment, I'm sure there are folks at following_sea who would love this but I fully appreciate your discomfort with cross posting.

Thank you....I just hate to be "that girl who posts eeeeeeverywhere". ;-)

[anteros_lmc]

*sigh* I'm sorry: Welcome to Spoilerville.
Heh, no worries. You're right, I do know most of the major plot developments already but there's certainly no lack of surprises. I'm finding CSF's writing continually astonishing, and often very funny.

To me, their relationship always seemed to have a distinct formality about it.
That's interesting. Does that formality evolve as their careers progress? I'm only half way throughHotspur and you can certainly see their relationship starting to become more formal. Certainly more formal than it was at the end of Lt H.

I just hate to be "that girl who posts eeeeeeverywhere". ;-)
But you can't be. That's me! ;)

[idler_1814]

I'm finding CSF's writing continually astonishing, and often very funny.

It is! I find his writing to be deceptively simple. It seems straightforward, but it isn't always, and he often says as much by what he *doesn't* write. Either that, or I'm overthinking the plumbing.

Does that formality evolve as their careers progress? I'm only half way through Hotspur and you can certainly see their relationship starting to become more formal. Certainly more formal than it was at the end of Lt H.

It seems so to me, anyway, that both were careful not to cross the bounds of what was right and proper within the hierarchy of rank. But that's just *my* POV.

I just hate to be "that girl who posts eeeeeeverywhere". ;-)
But you can't be. That's me! ;)

Oh. That's okay...I'm probably too old to be a *girl* these days, anyhow. :(

[black_hound]

I always know when I see a fic by you freshly posted that I'm in for a treat.

THIS IS NO EXCEPTION.

*wipes a tear*

But Captain Bush bein' as he is--as he was, sir--well, he never would be caught out, nor found unready.

GAME. SET. MATCH.

Bush .... just ....... YES.

[idler_1814]

Wow. Thank you!

"But Captain Bush bein' as he is--as he was, sir--well, he never would be caught out, nor found unready.

GAME. SET. MATCH.

Bush .... just ....... YES."

I ran across the phrase 'all standing' a while ago and thought immediately of Bush, but I didn't know quite why. When the connection finally struck, it just seemed...well....right. I'm honestly and thoroughly delighted to find that it worked for you too.

[katriona_s]

Thank you very much for this... quiet, very beautiful piece.

>Bush's enviable courage in battle was due primarily to a lack of imagination...

Hornblower might be right here, partly. Like his own fear in battle was due to his imagination and ability at foreseeing.
But Bush's courage is not from insensitivity nor senseless heroics, I've always seen some calmness, quiet and sincere confidence of a man who knew his own ability and that he had done everything he could, and sheer delight to do what he should do, what he was born for. Confidence of a man who knows both of his capacity and limit.
I've never found the proper word for such his attitude but it seems you gave me the one.

By the way I added you as my LJ friend, hope you would not mind...

[idler_1814]

Thank you very much!

Hornblower might be right here, partly. Like his own fear in battle was due to his imagination and ability at foreseeing.

And I would agree with you. Hornblower was always imagining the worst that could happen. CSF never gave us much insight into what Bush was thinking, though the bits he did provide seem to suggest that Bush was primarily concerned with getting the job done. Hornblower certainly could call that 'lack of imagination' though it might be more charitably interpreted as 'not allowing imagination to act as a distraction'.

But Bush's courage is not from insensitivity nor senseless heroics, I've always seen some calmness, quiet and sincere confidence of a man who knew his own ability and that he had done everything he could, and sheer delight to do what he should do, what he was born for. Confidence of a man who knows both of his capacity and limit.
I've never found the proper word for such his attitude but it seems you gave me the one.Personally, I think you just expressed it far better than I