whisted | for jollyboat: anywhere you go

He doesn't quite fit.

Horatio had known, of course, that he wouldn't. Even if he had managed to make his way onto a ship years ago, everyone would have known he was odd. Perhaps it's for the best that he's clearly just a bit skittish, just a bit uncertain of himself unlike the other young men his age. Perhaps that would distract the human mind from looking to see just why, exactly, this one didn't seem to be quite entirely right.

It was, nonetheless, one thing to know and another thing to live. Being bundled in heavy unfamiliar fabric is surprisingly uncomfortable. The uniform is far more restrictive than the clothing he had forced himself to become accustomed to while hovering around the port. The sensation of being on a boat, despite the familiarity of the sea, is throwing his stomach through something of a loop. He can't shift and change direction. He can't twist along with the waves, comfortable and easy, or cut through below the discomfort of breakers tugging in the wrong direction. It's unnatural, here on a warped version of the surface. It's twisting something uncomfortable in his shoulders, almost dizzying as he tries to find his feet under him.

This is what he wanted, and it doesn't quite fit.

For the most part, feeling his skin in the sack slung over his shoulders is reassuring. His fingers can worry against the familiar softness with each odd rush of discomfort. This, after all, is the back-up plan. This is the fail-safe if everything falls completely to pieces and he needs to throw himself simply back into the sea. This is the piece of himself which will always fit properly, no matter where he is.

That's why it's resting at the top of his sack as he scrambles up properly into the ship. That's why, in the bluster of humanity, the young selkie doesn't notice that his skin has spilled out onto the deck.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

betteralready

“You go ahead.”

It’ll look less suspicious, if they aren’t always seen wandering about together. They’d done it on the Indy, safer though she’d been.

It’s a far different reason now, though. Archie can’t help but hate it.

From:

midship

Horatio does shift away. It's just that he shifts to listen to the creaking and complaining of the ship just outside the wardroom, straining for any sign of footfall.

Hearing none, he moves closer again to press a gentle kiss against Archie's lower lip.

"We'll sort it tonight."

But for now, he'll head back to the deck alone, turning the concern over in his mind.

From:

betteralready

"I love you."

It's a whisper as they pull apart from one another. It's a truth that he gets to hold in his heart.

It's a thought that comforts, even when they have to stand apart once he returns on deck. It's a thought that he does his best to express by directing his attention to the midshipmen when the captain comes up topside.

From:

midship

Carrying that whisper with him helps. Carrying this little piece of truth through the tension of the deck helps.

Seeing the truth of it in every line of Archie's face and in the careful way the man carefully drags the midshipmen into his orbit doesn't just help; it makes Horatio's heart soar.

There's no forgetting that wonderful truth even as he begins to study more intently for patterns in the captain's behaviour they'll be able to exploit.

From:

betteralready

He'll keep an eye on the midshipmen. He'll guide them gently, a portion of his attention still carefully on the captain.

He knows Horatio's got a better eye for this sort of thing, but it doesn't hurt to try, anyways.

From:

midship

They've gotten better at their protective balance over the years. They've gotten better at reading one another across distances as well.

Hopefully, Archie's also gotten good at reading the little flicker in Horatio's features when he's got the beginning of a plan sliding into place.

From:

betteralready

Archie certainly has. Archie's also gotten very good at keeping his expression calm when he needs to-- especially when Horatio has a plan to create.

Archie does, however, have to take a moment to raise a brow Horatio's direction. He'd like to know if there's anything to do to help, after all.

From:

midship

The look gets an absent nod. It might well be in response to something the first lieutenant is muttering in Horatio's direction, but he suspects that Archie will know it's for him.

And he suspects that they'll meet before either of them are meant to be catching their sleep.

From:

betteralready

He knows. He doesn't let it distract him from cautiously defending the midshipmen when the Captain turns his attention to them, but he knows.

It'll have something tense in his shoulders when he comes back to Horatio before they sleep, but knowing the plan will help with that.

From:

midship

There has to be a first moment of breathing. They can't quite cling together, but it helps to take a few deep lungfuls of Archie's scent once they're together for more than a second.

"--you're okay?"

From:

betteralready

His shrug is a rough thing. It helps to get him just briefly more into Horatio's orbit.

"No-- worse than usual."

Which means probably nightmares again, but that's grown usual for this ship.

From:

midship

Now would be a good time to curl Archie in protectively against himself. Now would be a good time to press kisses against every inch of Archie's skin until a smile came back to the other man's lips.

Standing here will have to be enough.

"You're sure?"

From:

betteralready

"I'm tired."

And more the kind of weariness that comes with dealing with a hard time rather than sleepiness, but he knows Horatio knows the difference.

"And I doubt I'll-- sleep well, tonight. But that's-- normal, now."

Awful though it is.

From:

midship

There's no help for it in the moment, but the affirmation curls back Horatio's lips for a heartbeat, flashing long and almost snarling in the darkness. What a horrible thing, to be kept back from comforting the man he loves. What a cruel thing, that the man he love is hurting like this.

"Be sorted soon, Archie."

From:

betteralready

It's an indication of the danger they're in, really, that Horatio is feeling on edge enough to let himself snarl like this. It's just he also can't help but feel a wave of affection towards the man for his protective impulses.

Touching briefly at Horatio's elbow is all they can allow themselves, for now.

"What're you-- thinking, then?"

From:

midship

"That it has to be-- different."

Simpson had been the type to be charmed by mermaids. He had been full of exactly the sort of weakness the beautiful creatures fed on like an aperitif before the meal of men's flesh. Sawyer was dangerous in an entirely different way.

"Someone will have to push."

Horatio knows who he thinks ought to take on the act. He also knows that Archie would be displeased if this hadn't been a conversation in advance.

From:

betteralready

Horatio is right. In fact, the statement itself is clearly something that displeases Archie; his expression dropping instantly into a proper frown.

"You-- really don't think he'll just-- go?"

He can see why, he supposes objectively. He imagines that seeing the mermaids would probably get Sawyer brandishing his pistols, rater than jumping over the side. That thought gets him frowning all the more.

"That's going to be-- a lot harder t'hide involvement in."

From:

midship

That little shift between the question and the statement is enough to serve as an answer. Horatio's lips press together lightly for a moment, nodding through the quiet truth.

"So I will."

He can leave, if he has to. He can leave quickly and completely.

From:

betteralready

It's sensible. It's a good plan, even.

Archie just can't help the frown that touches his lips, nonetheless.

"Might 's well just-- both of us go, then."

If Horatio was caught (which would be difficult to avoid,) then he'd leave, and Archie would be forced to deal with being in the Navy alone. That, in turn, would inevitably lead to Archie disappearing himself to try to find Horatio again.

He loved the Navy well enough, yes, but given the choice he'd always choose Horatio.

From:

midship

It isn't so much that Horatio bucks at the thought as that it twists something unhappy through his spine. The trail of Archie's thoughts is easy enough to trace, but that doesn't mean Horatio has to like it.

He's had a protective streak since the beginning, after all.

"It will get ugly, Archie."

From:

betteralready

The laugh that escapes his lips is a bitter, exhausted thing.

"Isn't it already, 'ratio?"

But, no. He knows what he means.

"How will I-- find you again,'f you have to leave?"

From:

midship

They're alone enough. It isn't the end of the world to risk reaching to squeeze briefly at Archie's elbow.

"...hm." His fingers linger just a moment before dropping away. "They'll find me."

The mermaids didn't always follow their ship. The pods were sometimes different as they moved farther and farther from home. But all of them laughed and bubbled beneath the waves about the odd little selkie who lived so much among men--and the man he had taken up with.

"Just-- leave, when you get to port. Lie low for a few days. Then-- go to the docks and tell them to find me."

They would help with whatever became of Sawyer. Asking them to spend time in a harbour waiting for his lifemate wouldn't be an easy sell, but Horatio thought the meal might be worthy of the price.

From:

betteralready

That earns an almost instant shake of his head.

"The Navy'll be looking for me at the docks, if I go," he answers softly, "I'll meet you at Plymouth. I'll go to the docks every day at sunset t'try and find you."

It's imperfect, but it also helps to keep them from relying too much on the mermaids. They have helped them incredibly over the years, but they're fickle creatures.

From:

midship

It's imperfect, but it's a shade more perfect than where they'd started. That had always been a part of what made them such a good team.

He can't stop himself from leaning in, just for a heartbeat. It's a quick thing to nudge his forehead against Archie's, but it helps stop the impulse to cling.

"You're sure?"

From:

betteralready

It also helps Archie to breathe just a little more easily. That's a plus. It doesn't entirely stop this bitter laugh that escapes his lips.

"No," he replies, and at least it's honest, "But it's-- what we've got, mm?"

So it has to be enough.

"Just-- try to do it when there's a storm or-- late at night. Both, ideally. 'f I don't have to-- lose you at all it'd be better."

Being separated is always terribly difficult, after all.