Fic: Heaven From Here
Nothing says “happy new year” better than sweet H/A fic, so here it is - it’s sweeeet, and it says HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :)
Title: Heaven From Here
Author: trusea
Pairing: Archie/Horatio
Rating: PG
Summary: Horatio and Archie are in El Ferrol. It’s cold, but they are quite warm, naturally.
Notes: The title of this story came from the Robbie Williams song of the same name.
Disclaimer: These characters (sadly) do not belong to me, and I don't make any profit by writing and dreaming about them.
He was warm. Horatio was reluctant to open his eyes, reluctant to wake up, because no one was supposed to be warm and comfortable in prison - a Spanish prison in winter at that - and he was certain it was all but a very pleasant dream, in which he was happy and at ease. Not that Horatio Hornblower was accustomed to happiness and warmth out of prison; on the contrary, he had always been alone, had always been lonely and cold all his life. A solitary boy, a solitary man. I used to be alone before I…
He opened his eyes. As Horatio’s eyes began to get used to the darkness, he saw golden hair, tawny eyebrows, honey-coloured eyelashes, almost silver in the cool, dim moonlight. He could see Archie Kennedy’s face, and it was inches away from his own.
Horatio was surprised. He remembered distinctly that the night before, they were in different beds. - Yes, he had even tucked Archie in before settling in his own hard, cold bunk. The night must have been too cold for Archie to sleep alone, and he must have sneaked into Horatio’s bunk for warmth some time during the night, Horatio reasoned to himself.
But that rational conclusion did not explain why Archie’s arms were around Horatio’s body. Beneath the too-thin blankets, Archie held his friend close, so close that Horatio could feel the blond’s heart beating slowly, steadily, against his own chest.
And he was warm. Archie’s body was warm and reassuring, like the blazing sun on a clear winter day. Some remote part of Horatio’s mind told him that he should be appalled by the other man’s proximity, disgusted by the fact that another man was holding him so… intimately in bed. But Horatio could not help but be enchanted by the gentle rhythm of his friend’s breath, tickled by the pleasantly warm air stream that came out of Archie’s equally pleasant and warm body through rosy lips. He could not help but notice the set of Archie’s square jaw, at odds with his serene, slumbering visage, as though some traces of the confusion and determination that had driven him into another man’s bed last night still remained in it, though he slept peacefully now. And Horatio could not help but feel the strength of the body that lay so close to his own; the hands that held his nightshirt in loose fists and clung to his back, as if afraid that he would escape this forbidden embrace come next morning.
Disgusted and appalled he should have been, and yet he was not. He did not push his friend away or chastise him, or lecture him on duty or the Articles, as he should. He only smiled - a genuine, irrepressible smile - and leaned his head closer to Archie’s dear, sweet face. Their foreheads touched, but Archie did not wake up; only a barely audible “hmm” came out of his lips, and he snuggled closer, sharing his warmth. Archie slept like an infant in its mother’s arms. The golden head nestled against Horatio’s shoulder, a round cheek against his heart, as if he could not bear any distance between their bodies, as if he was trying to share more than mere warmth by this innocent intimacy.
Suddenly, Horatio realised that he knew why Archie had come to his bed in the middle of the night. It was not the cold. Archie had not been too cold to sleep. Archie had been alone and far from home for more than two years, with only enemies and nightmares for company. Archie had been lonely for a long time, lonelier than the solitary Mr Hornblower.
Horatio Hornblower was not the most perceptive of men, but he understood how it felt to be alone in the world, and he remembered how Archie had saved him from a lifetime of loneliness by his kindness and cheerfulness, his friendship and warmth, all those years ago, when Horatio had been a seasick and homesick green midshipman.
The knowledge that Archie was lonely now pierced Horatio’s heart, although he did not know the reason for that sharp, sudden pain. Instinctively putting his own arms around the man so close to him, Horatio kissed a cool cheek, and whispered to his long-lost friend, “I am here, Archie.”
Easing away a little, Horatio found himself looking into clear blue eyes. Archie was awake now, but he looked confused and disoriented, as if he did not know why he was in Horatio’s bed and Horatio’s arms. And then he blinked, and realization struck him. He started, then he tried to move away from Horatio’s embrace and apologise for his improper behaviour. “Horatio, I-”
Horatio did not let him finish. “Archie, I am here,” he repeated gently, using his fingers to smooth tousled, red-gold hair. “I’m here.” He saw his friend bit his lip and shut his eyes, as though he was somehow pained by the words.
Horatio had never been particularly good with words. He saw the struggle on Archie’s face, but he could not think of anything to say to him at that moment to comfort him, so he gently caressed his sad, beloved friend’s silken hair, his smooth cheek, quietly. Archie made a choked little sound as if he was not sure whether to laugh or cry, buried his face into Horatio’s neck, and placed a tiny kiss there. When he raised his head to look at Horatio again, those bewitching sea-blue eyes were a little wet, but they were hopeful too.
“Horatio…” he could not finish, but Horatio understood. At last, he knew what he really wanted to say to his dear friend, what he should have said years ago.
“Archie, I love you.”
“’Ratio…” Archie whispered, gazing deep into his eyes, and then he tugged his lover’s head down. Their lips met, both gentle and passionate. Archie’s lips were bitter from unspoken pain and sweet with untold love, and Horatio tasted them eagerly, intoxicated by this new, exciting sensation of kissing and being kissed, loving and being loved.
When their lips parted, Archie sighed contentedly, and Horatio could not help kissing his flushed apple cheek and holding him tight, burying his head in golden tresses. They lay in peaceful silence then, just holding and touching and caressing skin that was familiar and new at the same time, until Archie pulled away a little, putting an end to the silent scene.
“Why didn’t you kick me off your bed when you woke up?” He asked his lover, half teasingly, half seriously.
Horatio chuckled softly. “Well, I was frozen to the marrow, and you were warm. Couldn’t stand losing you.”
He had not expected his voice to break at the last word. He paused, and his lips began to quiver. Emotions threatened to overwhelm him as a scene flashed through his mind: Archie, thin and weak, starving himself, refusing even water, dying, leaving Horatio behind because he was tired of the world...
“Archie, please don’t leave me again…”
“Sh…” Gentle fingers pushed his curls gently from his face. “I won’t.” He looked into his friend’s eyes expectantly, and -
“I- I love you,” Archie confessed in a small voice, coming to terms with his heart at last. Seeing Horatio’s happy smile, Archie smiled almost bashfully and snuggled closer, allowing himself to be loved and held by his beloved.
“I am here, Archie,” Horatio said again, running his hands over Archie back as if he needed to reassure Archie as well as himself that they were truly together, and this was more than just a lovely dream.
“Yes, you are here,” Archie’s arms tightened around him gratefully. “And it feels like home.”
“Better. Better than home.” Horatio murmured in reply, and pulled his lover as close to him as he could, protecting them both from the cold and the loneliness. Feeling Archie falling asleep against him, Horatio pulled the blankets up and closed his eyes, succumbing to the lullaby of his lover’s gentle steady heartbeat.
*
When Horatio woke up again, it was to the feeling of the man in his arms squirming, getting up. It was dawn, and his friend was leaving him. Leaving him! - Horatio’s arms tightened in thoughtless response, not wanting to be left in the cooling bed.
Archie felt his lover’s reluctance to let him leave and greeted him cheerfully, with a dazzling smile on his pretty face. The morning sunlight, though weak and pale, made the blond even more golden and lovely, if it was at all possible.
“Good morning, Horatio. You are missing me already?” He kissed his brunet’s forehead. “I’ve got to get back to my own bed, you know. I can’t stay in yours all day long.”
Archie was right, of course. Of course it would not do for their Spanish jailers - or anyone, for that matter - to find Midshipman Archie Kennedy and Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower in the same bed. His blond friend was only doing the sensible thing by leaving his bunk before anyone could discover them. Realising his own foolishness in wanting his lover to stay, Horatio blushed. Archie laughed softly at that.
“Now don’t you blush, Horatio, it makes you look too much like a bride on her wedding night. Conduct most unbecoming to an officer.” Seeing that his words had succeeded in painting his brunet’s face a deeper scarlet, Archie added, “Speaking of wedding nights and unbecoming conduct, I believe that it is your turn to come to my bed tonight, Mr Hornblower…” The bold invitation reached Horatio’s ear as puffs of deliciously warm and sultry breath, and he shivered in anticipation of mysterious future delights. Though he did not know exactly what to expect from his whimsical friend, he knew that, whatever it might be, it would be wonderful.
“Aye, Mr Kennedy. Tonight it is.”
An amused, self-satisfied chuckle, one last lingering kiss, and Horatio watched Archie leave his bed with wistful, longing eyes. He wanted to have his friend close to him again - he was already missing the warmth of that strong, sturdy body - but he took comfort in the promise of closeness, warmth and love beneath ragged blankets in the night - nights - to come.
And as they started tucking into their dismal breakfast half an hour later, he caught Archie’s hopeful smile from the bunk across the prison cell, and Horatio knew, deep in his heart, that he would never be lonely again.
Title: Heaven From Here
Author: trusea
Pairing: Archie/Horatio
Rating: PG
Summary: Horatio and Archie are in El Ferrol. It’s cold, but they are quite warm, naturally.
Notes: The title of this story came from the Robbie Williams song of the same name.
Disclaimer: These characters (sadly) do not belong to me, and I don't make any profit by writing and dreaming about them.
He was warm. Horatio was reluctant to open his eyes, reluctant to wake up, because no one was supposed to be warm and comfortable in prison - a Spanish prison in winter at that - and he was certain it was all but a very pleasant dream, in which he was happy and at ease. Not that Horatio Hornblower was accustomed to happiness and warmth out of prison; on the contrary, he had always been alone, had always been lonely and cold all his life. A solitary boy, a solitary man. I used to be alone before I…
He opened his eyes. As Horatio’s eyes began to get used to the darkness, he saw golden hair, tawny eyebrows, honey-coloured eyelashes, almost silver in the cool, dim moonlight. He could see Archie Kennedy’s face, and it was inches away from his own.
Horatio was surprised. He remembered distinctly that the night before, they were in different beds. - Yes, he had even tucked Archie in before settling in his own hard, cold bunk. The night must have been too cold for Archie to sleep alone, and he must have sneaked into Horatio’s bunk for warmth some time during the night, Horatio reasoned to himself.
But that rational conclusion did not explain why Archie’s arms were around Horatio’s body. Beneath the too-thin blankets, Archie held his friend close, so close that Horatio could feel the blond’s heart beating slowly, steadily, against his own chest.
And he was warm. Archie’s body was warm and reassuring, like the blazing sun on a clear winter day. Some remote part of Horatio’s mind told him that he should be appalled by the other man’s proximity, disgusted by the fact that another man was holding him so… intimately in bed. But Horatio could not help but be enchanted by the gentle rhythm of his friend’s breath, tickled by the pleasantly warm air stream that came out of Archie’s equally pleasant and warm body through rosy lips. He could not help but notice the set of Archie’s square jaw, at odds with his serene, slumbering visage, as though some traces of the confusion and determination that had driven him into another man’s bed last night still remained in it, though he slept peacefully now. And Horatio could not help but feel the strength of the body that lay so close to his own; the hands that held his nightshirt in loose fists and clung to his back, as if afraid that he would escape this forbidden embrace come next morning.
Disgusted and appalled he should have been, and yet he was not. He did not push his friend away or chastise him, or lecture him on duty or the Articles, as he should. He only smiled - a genuine, irrepressible smile - and leaned his head closer to Archie’s dear, sweet face. Their foreheads touched, but Archie did not wake up; only a barely audible “hmm” came out of his lips, and he snuggled closer, sharing his warmth. Archie slept like an infant in its mother’s arms. The golden head nestled against Horatio’s shoulder, a round cheek against his heart, as if he could not bear any distance between their bodies, as if he was trying to share more than mere warmth by this innocent intimacy.
Suddenly, Horatio realised that he knew why Archie had come to his bed in the middle of the night. It was not the cold. Archie had not been too cold to sleep. Archie had been alone and far from home for more than two years, with only enemies and nightmares for company. Archie had been lonely for a long time, lonelier than the solitary Mr Hornblower.
Horatio Hornblower was not the most perceptive of men, but he understood how it felt to be alone in the world, and he remembered how Archie had saved him from a lifetime of loneliness by his kindness and cheerfulness, his friendship and warmth, all those years ago, when Horatio had been a seasick and homesick green midshipman.
The knowledge that Archie was lonely now pierced Horatio’s heart, although he did not know the reason for that sharp, sudden pain. Instinctively putting his own arms around the man so close to him, Horatio kissed a cool cheek, and whispered to his long-lost friend, “I am here, Archie.”
Easing away a little, Horatio found himself looking into clear blue eyes. Archie was awake now, but he looked confused and disoriented, as if he did not know why he was in Horatio’s bed and Horatio’s arms. And then he blinked, and realization struck him. He started, then he tried to move away from Horatio’s embrace and apologise for his improper behaviour. “Horatio, I-”
Horatio did not let him finish. “Archie, I am here,” he repeated gently, using his fingers to smooth tousled, red-gold hair. “I’m here.” He saw his friend bit his lip and shut his eyes, as though he was somehow pained by the words.
Horatio had never been particularly good with words. He saw the struggle on Archie’s face, but he could not think of anything to say to him at that moment to comfort him, so he gently caressed his sad, beloved friend’s silken hair, his smooth cheek, quietly. Archie made a choked little sound as if he was not sure whether to laugh or cry, buried his face into Horatio’s neck, and placed a tiny kiss there. When he raised his head to look at Horatio again, those bewitching sea-blue eyes were a little wet, but they were hopeful too.
“Horatio…” he could not finish, but Horatio understood. At last, he knew what he really wanted to say to his dear friend, what he should have said years ago.
“Archie, I love you.”
“’Ratio…” Archie whispered, gazing deep into his eyes, and then he tugged his lover’s head down. Their lips met, both gentle and passionate. Archie’s lips were bitter from unspoken pain and sweet with untold love, and Horatio tasted them eagerly, intoxicated by this new, exciting sensation of kissing and being kissed, loving and being loved.
When their lips parted, Archie sighed contentedly, and Horatio could not help kissing his flushed apple cheek and holding him tight, burying his head in golden tresses. They lay in peaceful silence then, just holding and touching and caressing skin that was familiar and new at the same time, until Archie pulled away a little, putting an end to the silent scene.
“Why didn’t you kick me off your bed when you woke up?” He asked his lover, half teasingly, half seriously.
Horatio chuckled softly. “Well, I was frozen to the marrow, and you were warm. Couldn’t stand losing you.”
He had not expected his voice to break at the last word. He paused, and his lips began to quiver. Emotions threatened to overwhelm him as a scene flashed through his mind: Archie, thin and weak, starving himself, refusing even water, dying, leaving Horatio behind because he was tired of the world...
“Archie, please don’t leave me again…”
“Sh…” Gentle fingers pushed his curls gently from his face. “I won’t.” He looked into his friend’s eyes expectantly, and -
“I- I love you,” Archie confessed in a small voice, coming to terms with his heart at last. Seeing Horatio’s happy smile, Archie smiled almost bashfully and snuggled closer, allowing himself to be loved and held by his beloved.
“I am here, Archie,” Horatio said again, running his hands over Archie back as if he needed to reassure Archie as well as himself that they were truly together, and this was more than just a lovely dream.
“Yes, you are here,” Archie’s arms tightened around him gratefully. “And it feels like home.”
“Better. Better than home.” Horatio murmured in reply, and pulled his lover as close to him as he could, protecting them both from the cold and the loneliness. Feeling Archie falling asleep against him, Horatio pulled the blankets up and closed his eyes, succumbing to the lullaby of his lover’s gentle steady heartbeat.
*
When Horatio woke up again, it was to the feeling of the man in his arms squirming, getting up. It was dawn, and his friend was leaving him. Leaving him! - Horatio’s arms tightened in thoughtless response, not wanting to be left in the cooling bed.
Archie felt his lover’s reluctance to let him leave and greeted him cheerfully, with a dazzling smile on his pretty face. The morning sunlight, though weak and pale, made the blond even more golden and lovely, if it was at all possible.
“Good morning, Horatio. You are missing me already?” He kissed his brunet’s forehead. “I’ve got to get back to my own bed, you know. I can’t stay in yours all day long.”
Archie was right, of course. Of course it would not do for their Spanish jailers - or anyone, for that matter - to find Midshipman Archie Kennedy and Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower in the same bed. His blond friend was only doing the sensible thing by leaving his bunk before anyone could discover them. Realising his own foolishness in wanting his lover to stay, Horatio blushed. Archie laughed softly at that.
“Now don’t you blush, Horatio, it makes you look too much like a bride on her wedding night. Conduct most unbecoming to an officer.” Seeing that his words had succeeded in painting his brunet’s face a deeper scarlet, Archie added, “Speaking of wedding nights and unbecoming conduct, I believe that it is your turn to come to my bed tonight, Mr Hornblower…” The bold invitation reached Horatio’s ear as puffs of deliciously warm and sultry breath, and he shivered in anticipation of mysterious future delights. Though he did not know exactly what to expect from his whimsical friend, he knew that, whatever it might be, it would be wonderful.
“Aye, Mr Kennedy. Tonight it is.”
An amused, self-satisfied chuckle, one last lingering kiss, and Horatio watched Archie leave his bed with wistful, longing eyes. He wanted to have his friend close to him again - he was already missing the warmth of that strong, sturdy body - but he took comfort in the promise of closeness, warmth and love beneath ragged blankets in the night - nights - to come.
And as they started tucking into their dismal breakfast half an hour later, he caught Archie’s hopeful smile from the bunk across the prison cell, and Horatio knew, deep in his heart, that he would never be lonely again.