Contagion
Written for Manon, Erin, and Jenn.
It was a dark and a stormy night. The good ship Renown creaked in all its timbers, and rocked in a manner that might have lulled the sailors to sleep, saving only that it didn't. In the mind of third lieutenant Horatio Hornblower, a great turmoil was taking place. Quietly, his one true love and fellow lieutenant, Archie Kennedy, was peering over the edge of his hammock and watching Horatio.
There was a long silence.
"Horatio?"
Horatio sneezed loudly.
"Mister Hornblower!" Buckland appeared in the doorway, looking agitated. "Really, can't you do something? I can't sleep." He gazed around the room in perturbation, frowning as if he'd a headache, didn't seem to notice Archie, and left.
Horatio sneezed again.
"You're quite frightening when you sneeze, Horatio," Archie said solemnly. "It's dreadfully loud and sudden and you make us all jump. You might make a bit of an effort."
"I can't help it, Archie," said Horatio thickly.
"Poor Horatio. I know you can't. No one will get any sleep to-night, least of all you. I suppose it's from all the rain, isn't it?"
"I think so." Horatio screwed up his face and sneezed again.
"I don't like rain," Archie murmured, getting out of his hammock and coming over beside Horatio. "Oh, dear. You're rather flushed. Are you warm at all?"
"No. I just can't breathe." Horatio pulled himself up, putting the side of his finger to his nose uncomfortably. With a wheezy sort of sigh, he looked up at Archie. "How soon do you suppose it'll clear up?"
"Your father was the doctor, not mine," Archie laughed softly. "I'm sorry. It's disgusting to be only half-ill. One feels like hell but no one has any pity." He rested one hand on Horatio's shoulder, and bent a little to kiss his hair.
Horatio was slightly comforted. He sneezed yet again, and Archie found him a handkerchief. Upright, though, he didn't feel as sniffly, and he leaned against Archie gratefully. "It's damned."
"Yes, and Buckland isn't helping, is he?" Archie was unable to resist grinning. "I do believe the poor man's rather fretful. He seems about to snap and begin wailing about how he can't possibly get a good night's sleep like this."
"He can't get a good night's sleep!"
"I know, Horatio. Of course you can't get a good one either. Oh, I am sorry, Horatio. My unfortunate Horatio." He began to stroke Horatio's hair, carefully, but sadly. It was quite easy to hear the rain, and the ship was cold, and he did suddenly feel sad. "No wonder you've a cold. It's not very warm down here, and it has been wet. It's no good being ill, even half-ill."
"Archie, are you all right?" asked Horatio, frowning and holding the handkerchief to his dripping red nose.
"Yes, of course I am."
"Are you sure?"
"Quite sure, Horatio." Archie smiled his special smile, which made his face content and wistful all at the same time.
Horatio didn't really notice. He sneezed, and muttered through the handkerchief, "You haven't been having fits again? Nothing of the sort?"
"No, of course not, Horatio. I'm fine. You're the one who's not, madman. You're the one with a runny nose." Archie smiled again half-heartedly. For a moment, they were quiet, with no sound but Horatio blowing his nose, and then Archie said, "Horatio. I am... very glad that--oh, never mind it. I'm a fool, Horatio."
Before Horatio could protest, Archie kissed him.
"Mmph. Archie, you are not--"
"I certainly am. A greater fool never lived." He put a hand to Horatio's cheek and kissed him again.
"Archie--"
"Don't argue with me, Horatio. Hush."
Horatio obeyed for a few minutes, kissing Archie softly while trying to hold the handkerchief to his nose. Suddenly he pulled away, and sneezed tremendously, with Archie left quite tousled.
The door opened. "For God's sake, Mister Hornblower--Oh. Excuse me." Buckland left, eying them both with a sort of high-strung disconcertion.
Archie let out a deep sigh, and then laughed breathlessly. "Poor Mister Buckland. Poor man." He shook his head. "I suppose this is a divine command for us to try and be sensible, godly people. Ah well. Good-night, my dear Mister Hornblower." He leaned over and kissed Horatio's cheek once more. "We don't want to risk it again, and all that."
"That's so. Good-night, Archie," said Horatio incoherently, looking at Archie over the top of the handkerchief as he blew his nose.
Two days later, Archie Kennedy awoke in the middle of the night, sneezing.
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