Hornblower goofiness

[perpetual_motion]

mcee and I disagree on Archie Kennedy as a sexy beast. She thinks he looks like a mole. I think he's adorable. Luckily, we both adore William Bush, so when I disagree with her, I write her a little something with no value past amusement.



"What's this now?" William stopped at a stall in the market and picked up a book. "The Collected Works of mcee." He held it up so Horatio could see it. "Weren't you speaking of her recently?"

Horatio took the book from William and opened it to first page. "I told you about her love of my work and your work. She's quite a fan."

"Ah, yes, that would be it." William looked over Horatio's shoulder as he flipped through the book. "Anything interesting?"

Horatio flipped a few more pages. "These look like survey results." He read the notes on the edge of the page. "She asked people who I should have..." Horatio trailed off as he read the end of the sentence. "William?"

"Hmmm?" William had stepped away from Horatio to pick up another book.

"What is this word?"

William looked over Horatio's shoulder again. "Which word?"

"This word. B-O-I-S-E-C-K-S."

"Boisecks?" William repeated the word a few times. "I have no idea."

"Curious." Horatio put the book back down and walked beside William to the next stall.



And this one actually got written because Friday didn't so much agree with her:



"Stop smiling."

William smiles more broadly at the slight exasperation in Horatio's tone. "And why would I do that?"

"Because we are on our way to a solemn occasion, and it will look heavily suspicious if you show up grinning like a lad at Christmas."

"I doubt any boy at Christmas has ever recieved what I recieved last night." William outright laughs when a blush flames its way up Horatio's face. "Nor do I think a boy at Christmas has ever recieved what *you* recieved last night."

"Mr. Bush?"

"Yes, Mr. Hornblower?"

"Smile off your face. That's an order."

William bites the inside of his cheek to hold in another laugh. "Aye, Sir."