TITLE: The Pirate Lord: A Love Too Proud
AUTHOR: Spittle is Unclean
DISCLAIMER: We do not own the rights to the Hornblower books or miniseries.
NOTES/WARNINGS: This story, set at an indiscriminate point in time between the first two seasons of the Horatio Hornblower miniseries, deals with serious issues. The world of illness is filled with gritty hardships and night sweats, and the sailor sex is hurried and fraught with the danger of discovery. Please do not read this fic if you do not feel fit to deal with the emotional repercussions.
CHAPTER TWO: Trusting Archie
You seem troubled, Horatio, Archie said sweetly as the two lay side by side in their hammocks that evening.
That is because I am troubled, Archie, Horatio replied, fiddling aimlessly with a lock of Mr. Kennedy's long and womanly mullet. But it is not your burden to bear.
With such a friendship as ours, Horatio, I should hope that all your burdens might be mine as well. Do tell me!
But Horatio seemed to have fallen asleep, and Archie was left to listen to the angry complaints of the undergarmentless midshipmen.
The next morning, however, he re-approached Horatio, who was picking sadly at his hardtack as he leaned picturesquely against some stinking barrels.
Hello, Archie, he murmured distractedly, pitching the hardtack to a band of surly sailors who had been glaring in the youths' direction.
You are still troubled, Archie said, getting right to the point. Please trust me!
said Horatio. Captain Pellew is a consumptive.
It was far worse news than Archie had expected.
he said softly, pulling his friend into his arms, Oh, I'm so sorry, my love.
Horatio buried his curly head in Archie's chest and found that he was crying. His own tears surprised him, and he was grateful when Archie helped him to a more secluded area, far from the prying eyes of the ungarmentless sailors.
Nothing was more comforting than being wrapped in Archie's embrace, and Horatio was aroused even before his friend began to fiddle with his breeches.
he whispered into Archie's mullet, while Archie kissed his way down Horatio's white, swanlike neck.
Archie possessed him in one fell swoop, and Horatio, pressed against a grimy, rotting wall, felt searing pleasure. With every thrust, his screams grew louder, and, in his excitement, he kicked over a barrel of hard cheese. Horatio felt his own breeches being pulled up and, turning to ask Archie what was wrong, saw that, further down the corridor, gnarly Matthews was coming to investigate the noise they were making.
Horatio said, but Archie covered his mouth and pulled him into the store room, where they quickly finished having passionate monkeysex.
said Horatio, and kissed Archie spryly on the mouth, that made me feel a lot better. He stepped instinctively out of his friend's reach, though, when Archie stretched his arms forward.
Archie frowned.
How come you never hold me after sex? he said. I am not simply a toy, you know, to be used to satisfy your base urges and uncouth desires, only to be cast aside afterwards!
Base urges? Uncouth desires?!?! Horatio's eyes flashed. You came on to me, Archibald!
Archie's lip trembled. If I remember correctly, Mr. Hornblower, it was a joint decision. You -- you don't remember? The first time we made love? You were so beautiful that day, your mane billowing in wispy tendrils about the open collar of your nightgown. You took my hand in yours and said it was...the most wonderful thing two men could have... He paused in this lengthy monologue to wipe away the tears that, without warning, had sprung from his eyes.
Horatio looked on smugly as Archie humiliated himself by succumbing to his emotions. Did I say that? he asked, as Archie sobbed brokenly into his sleeve.
Everything all right in there, lads? came Matthews' chipper voice through the thin door. Seems to have been a little accident with the cheese barrel again...STYLES! They heard his footsteps disappear as he made his way above decks.
Archie had pulled himself together somewhat and was re-bundling his luxurious tresses into their beribboned ponytail. His eyes were red, his face grim.
You should see to the captain, sir, he said formally. I have other duties to attend to.
He walked out briskly, his left shoulder twitching slightly. There was an unseemly damp patch on the leg of his trousers. Normally, Horatio would have stopped his lover from leaving a tryst with such incriminating evidence on his person, but not today.
As the door shut behind Archie, Horatio Hornblower crumpled to the floor and wept against a cask of salted beef, wracked by loss and the pain of his forbidden want.
