"There is a word for what you are." Archie said to Horatio, leaning close so that their faces were a mere few inches apart.
The other midshipman was curled in the hammock, his angelic face still marred by the latest beating he'd received. His eyes fluttered behind his eyelids and his body twitched slightly at the sound of Archie's voice, but his sleep remained otherwise undisturbed.
Archie brushed his fingers across Horatio's cheek, feeling the shudder that passed through the other as he applied a delicate pressure to one of the faded bruises. He held there until it was clear that Horatio was still not waking up. Then he spoke again, "There is a word for what you are." he moved his hand further and doled out the same tender treatment to the other purplish injuries.
Horatio murmured in his sleep and tilted his head against Archie's hand.
Archie chuckled quietly to himself and rubbed softly at the other midshipman's swollen jaw, just enough to hurt but not enough to waken the man."Masochist." He declared, straightening and looking down at Horatio with stirrings of pity in his gaze.
Then he turned away and headed back to his own hammock.