Too much time on my hands
With too much time*g* on my hands and the invaluable support of friends,I came up with a tiny fic of oakum.That's really all I can do.Maybe you will enjoy
A difference of opinion
Characters: movie Jack/Stephen, and Blakeney
Disclaimer: No infringement of the following characters and situations is intended. The Characters belong to Patrick O’Brian, the movie to Peter Weir and the looks to the actors. I am writing merely for my own enjoyment. All mistakes are mine
Rating: The following contains material rated PG (?); there’s m/m implied,a kiss,an embrace
Thank you: to q_skud for betaing above and beyond the call of duty, including setting my English to rights and to the gentlebeing from this community who wrote down some of the dialogue from the movie. Otherwise I would have had to guess at the English words, what with the dubbing round my part of the world.
Stephen lay in his cot, reading about cormorants. Indeed nowhere in the text was there a mention about a flightless species. The laughter of his fellow officers was heard through the thin wooden partition. After the words he and Jack had had, he had not wanted to follow the invitation to dinner. Over the many years their arguments had been numerous; so far none had hurt as much as those they had in the recent days, not even the one that had brought them close to a duel.
He put the book down in his lap and contemplated Jack's words when they had left the Galapagos. "I do not have time for your damned hobbies, sir. “To have his studies classified as hobbies had cut into him, leaving him speechless. Jack had given his word only to take it back "Subject to the requirement of the service,” once the chance of catching Acheron had presented itself. More recently Jack had spat the words at him. "You have come to the wrong shop for anarchy, brother. “
Jack's laughter could be heard from next door. "He is certainly in high spirits,the miserable creature; now that I am not at the table to remind him of his breach of word and his injustice.I never believed Jack might succumb to the corruption of power." In his mind he came up with an astonishing number of names by which he might easily call Jack. He would not be the one to apologise. Then he put the book down to sleep, but sleep would not come. Stephen pondered on his reactions, as devil's advocate, so to speak. "Why has Jack's reaction so surprised me? I had told him not long ago that he was not accustomed to defeat and that the pursuit of Acheron smacked of pride. For him it was a question of duty, of keeping together this little wooden world."
Jack's laughter intruded in his thoughts. "He sounds louder than usual, even strained.“The sight of Jack's blazing anger stood before his mind's eyes and thinking more about it, he saw something different. Behind that anger had been Jack's wish to be understood, he had even said as much to Stephen. "Can it be that in the past weeks and months I had forgotten, that he is, after all, the captain?" Stephen sighed and compassion with his friend welled up, only to be squashed ruthlessly. "He does not deserve to be let off lightly, and for the sake of the ship I will stay polite." Stephen put out the light;his mind made up,he was now able to sleep.
Sick bay was quiet, so the next day Stephen started in the small study in the orlop. His books were strewn all over the place and he began to put them back into their shelves. There was a cough, and then a low "May I have a word with you?" Jack was in the door,in his old coat,shirt open,hair severely tied back.Stephen had not heard him coming and turned, book in hand.Had Jack been in the right frame of mind he would have delighted in the sight presented to him: Stephen in shirtsleeves, arms bare to the elbows. Instead lines around Jack's eyes and the frown upon his forehead told the doctor that he had not been sleeping well.
"Yes." Stephen did not give an inch.
Jack still filled the doorway, hesitant to enter the room. "Stephen, please. What has happened to us?” He swallowed. “We can no longer talk without disagreeing vehemently. I know how much the Galapagos meant to you.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I also know that you only had the best interests in mind when you spoke of Nagle." He continued with deliberate care. "My duty as this ship's captain must come first, but I have been remiss in my duty as your friend. I should have made myself clear, found the right words to explain. I should not have spoken so harshly. Must I beg for your understanding?" Stephen had several remarks on his tongue, none of them complimentary. He decided against them when he looked more closely at his friend. He knew what these words must have cost Jack, stubborn and proud as he was. Jack looked older than his years as if he had been awake all night. Stephen nearly relented.
None of these thoughts were visible on Stephen’s face. "Come in, Jack, do not stand there." Jack turned sideways and grabbed a book to give his hands something to do.
"You are right, Galapagos meant a lot to me. The discoveries that might have been made on the islands would,I am certain, have been of immeasurable value to science. It was not for me, my damned hobbies, as you called them. Just think of the new knowledge for mankind." Stephen spoke matter of fact. "And I am opposed to corruption of power everywhere.“ He did not let his anger at the more recent conversation surface. "And I had counted on your word."
Jack put the book down and reached out hesitantly and lay his hand on his friend's chest."Surprise is a man-of-war. Whatever I say and do must be subject to the requirements of the service.I cannot and will not change this for you." In the dim light his eyes shone with sincerity. Stephen drew a deep breath.
"How does he do this?" Stephen said to himself. "I should be ranting, giving him a share of my mind. Instead I wish to make him sit down and take him in my arms. I cannot resist his eyes, such a brilliant blue."
He steeled himself. "Jack, you cannot expect to come in, apologize and think that all is forgiven. Since our conversation after Warley you are acting as though you have to prove something." Jack looked up, about to say something. Instead he pulled himself visibly together and remained silent. Stephen continued. "You have said so yourself, when you stated that your orders were to follow him as far as Brazil and that you had exceeded them long ago."
"So you will continue to hold my decisions against me?" Jack sounded tired. "Stephen, this cannot be the end of our friendship.Do I have to live having lost it?"
"Never in life, joy, never in life." Stephen relented then and caressed Jack's brow and the side of his face. "But you must live with the fact that we will continue to differ in our opinions. As will I."
He offered a smile, then reached over to pull at Jack, who closed his eyes. He planted light kisses on his lover's eyelids. His lips wandered to the slightly parted mouth. He nipped at the lips offered to him and slid his tongue slowly inside. Their breaths mingled. Jack's arms drew him into a close embrace. Their tongues did not duel for supremacy but instead twined around each other gently. Their kiss was an expression of forgiveness, of their feelings for each other, not of any urgent physical need.
When they separated, they knew their differences were not resolved, but their love might see them over this rough terrain. They looked at each other, lost for a moment in their own private world. Then they heard noises. Jack grabbed the book from the table to look into it and Stephen continued arranging the rest of them in their shelves.
"Sir, it's Mr. Hollum." Mr. Blakeney called.
A difference of opinion
Characters: movie Jack/Stephen, and Blakeney
Disclaimer: No infringement of the following characters and situations is intended. The Characters belong to Patrick O’Brian, the movie to Peter Weir and the looks to the actors. I am writing merely for my own enjoyment. All mistakes are mine
Rating: The following contains material rated PG (?); there’s m/m implied,a kiss,an embrace
Thank you: to q_skud for betaing above and beyond the call of duty, including setting my English to rights and to the gentlebeing from this community who wrote down some of the dialogue from the movie. Otherwise I would have had to guess at the English words, what with the dubbing round my part of the world.
Stephen lay in his cot, reading about cormorants. Indeed nowhere in the text was there a mention about a flightless species. The laughter of his fellow officers was heard through the thin wooden partition. After the words he and Jack had had, he had not wanted to follow the invitation to dinner. Over the many years their arguments had been numerous; so far none had hurt as much as those they had in the recent days, not even the one that had brought them close to a duel.
He put the book down in his lap and contemplated Jack's words when they had left the Galapagos. "I do not have time for your damned hobbies, sir. “To have his studies classified as hobbies had cut into him, leaving him speechless. Jack had given his word only to take it back "Subject to the requirement of the service,” once the chance of catching Acheron had presented itself. More recently Jack had spat the words at him. "You have come to the wrong shop for anarchy, brother. “
Jack's laughter could be heard from next door. "He is certainly in high spirits,the miserable creature; now that I am not at the table to remind him of his breach of word and his injustice.I never believed Jack might succumb to the corruption of power." In his mind he came up with an astonishing number of names by which he might easily call Jack. He would not be the one to apologise. Then he put the book down to sleep, but sleep would not come. Stephen pondered on his reactions, as devil's advocate, so to speak. "Why has Jack's reaction so surprised me? I had told him not long ago that he was not accustomed to defeat and that the pursuit of Acheron smacked of pride. For him it was a question of duty, of keeping together this little wooden world."
Jack's laughter intruded in his thoughts. "He sounds louder than usual, even strained.“The sight of Jack's blazing anger stood before his mind's eyes and thinking more about it, he saw something different. Behind that anger had been Jack's wish to be understood, he had even said as much to Stephen. "Can it be that in the past weeks and months I had forgotten, that he is, after all, the captain?" Stephen sighed and compassion with his friend welled up, only to be squashed ruthlessly. "He does not deserve to be let off lightly, and for the sake of the ship I will stay polite." Stephen put out the light;his mind made up,he was now able to sleep.
Sick bay was quiet, so the next day Stephen started in the small study in the orlop. His books were strewn all over the place and he began to put them back into their shelves. There was a cough, and then a low "May I have a word with you?" Jack was in the door,in his old coat,shirt open,hair severely tied back.Stephen had not heard him coming and turned, book in hand.Had Jack been in the right frame of mind he would have delighted in the sight presented to him: Stephen in shirtsleeves, arms bare to the elbows. Instead lines around Jack's eyes and the frown upon his forehead told the doctor that he had not been sleeping well.
"Yes." Stephen did not give an inch.
Jack still filled the doorway, hesitant to enter the room. "Stephen, please. What has happened to us?” He swallowed. “We can no longer talk without disagreeing vehemently. I know how much the Galapagos meant to you.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I also know that you only had the best interests in mind when you spoke of Nagle." He continued with deliberate care. "My duty as this ship's captain must come first, but I have been remiss in my duty as your friend. I should have made myself clear, found the right words to explain. I should not have spoken so harshly. Must I beg for your understanding?" Stephen had several remarks on his tongue, none of them complimentary. He decided against them when he looked more closely at his friend. He knew what these words must have cost Jack, stubborn and proud as he was. Jack looked older than his years as if he had been awake all night. Stephen nearly relented.
None of these thoughts were visible on Stephen’s face. "Come in, Jack, do not stand there." Jack turned sideways and grabbed a book to give his hands something to do.
"You are right, Galapagos meant a lot to me. The discoveries that might have been made on the islands would,I am certain, have been of immeasurable value to science. It was not for me, my damned hobbies, as you called them. Just think of the new knowledge for mankind." Stephen spoke matter of fact. "And I am opposed to corruption of power everywhere.“ He did not let his anger at the more recent conversation surface. "And I had counted on your word."
Jack put the book down and reached out hesitantly and lay his hand on his friend's chest."Surprise is a man-of-war. Whatever I say and do must be subject to the requirements of the service.I cannot and will not change this for you." In the dim light his eyes shone with sincerity. Stephen drew a deep breath.
"How does he do this?" Stephen said to himself. "I should be ranting, giving him a share of my mind. Instead I wish to make him sit down and take him in my arms. I cannot resist his eyes, such a brilliant blue."
He steeled himself. "Jack, you cannot expect to come in, apologize and think that all is forgiven. Since our conversation after Warley you are acting as though you have to prove something." Jack looked up, about to say something. Instead he pulled himself visibly together and remained silent. Stephen continued. "You have said so yourself, when you stated that your orders were to follow him as far as Brazil and that you had exceeded them long ago."
"So you will continue to hold my decisions against me?" Jack sounded tired. "Stephen, this cannot be the end of our friendship.Do I have to live having lost it?"
"Never in life, joy, never in life." Stephen relented then and caressed Jack's brow and the side of his face. "But you must live with the fact that we will continue to differ in our opinions. As will I."
He offered a smile, then reached over to pull at Jack, who closed his eyes. He planted light kisses on his lover's eyelids. His lips wandered to the slightly parted mouth. He nipped at the lips offered to him and slid his tongue slowly inside. Their breaths mingled. Jack's arms drew him into a close embrace. Their tongues did not duel for supremacy but instead twined around each other gently. Their kiss was an expression of forgiveness, of their feelings for each other, not of any urgent physical need.
When they separated, they knew their differences were not resolved, but their love might see them over this rough terrain. They looked at each other, lost for a moment in their own private world. Then they heard noises. Jack grabbed the book from the table to look into it and Stephen continued arranging the rest of them in their shelves.
"Sir, it's Mr. Hollum." Mr. Blakeney called.