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hmsloop_hotspur2019-03-11 09:03 pm
sanguinity) wrote in hmsloop_hotspur2019-03-11 09:03 pm
[fic] HMK Nonsuch
My fill for the March prompts, a ficlet somewhat inspired by tgarnsl's contribution, "Enthralled." Set in the same universe as HM Kraken Hotspur.
HMK Nonsuch
Bush/Nonsuch
General audiences
280 words
As anyone who knew him could have foretold, Bush loved Nonsuch before he ever set eyes on her. A command of his own, entrusted to him and no other, Nonsuch could have been the ugliest and least desirable ship on the Downs and yet Bush would have found some point of hers to love. That she was a brave fighter and gracefully built was not the source of his affection, but added a certain sweetness to it.
Nonsuch, for her part, was more reserved on their first meeting. A lady of mature years, long past her second moulting, she had been captained by her share of asses and fools during her years in the Service, and was not greatly impressed by a pair of pretty epaulettes. (Or in Captain Bush's case: one. It was moderately interesting to be assigned so new a captain, but for him to receive a seventy-four so early in his captaincy spoke more of his patronage than his worth.) She behaved with perfect decorum during his piping-aboard and reading-in; it was only his unusual gait across her deck that caused her to reach out with a curious tentacle to examine him more closely.
Bush stood quietly for her inspection, stroking her arm and murmuring his pleasure at meeting her; she was more business-like, tasting him briefly before withdrawing in puzzlement. He was a creature of wood and flesh, as she was. She had not known men could be made so.
All that first day, she stayed near, a tentacle two steps beyond Bush's reach, apparently as disinterested as a cat.
Bush only grinned, and like any good lover, set himself to wooing her.
tgarnsl's contribution, "Enthralled." Set in the same universe as HM Kraken Hotspur.HMK Nonsuch
Bush/Nonsuch
General audiences
280 words
As anyone who knew him could have foretold, Bush loved Nonsuch before he ever set eyes on her. A command of his own, entrusted to him and no other, Nonsuch could have been the ugliest and least desirable ship on the Downs and yet Bush would have found some point of hers to love. That she was a brave fighter and gracefully built was not the source of his affection, but added a certain sweetness to it.
Nonsuch, for her part, was more reserved on their first meeting. A lady of mature years, long past her second moulting, she had been captained by her share of asses and fools during her years in the Service, and was not greatly impressed by a pair of pretty epaulettes. (Or in Captain Bush's case: one. It was moderately interesting to be assigned so new a captain, but for him to receive a seventy-four so early in his captaincy spoke more of his patronage than his worth.) She behaved with perfect decorum during his piping-aboard and reading-in; it was only his unusual gait across her deck that caused her to reach out with a curious tentacle to examine him more closely.
Bush stood quietly for her inspection, stroking her arm and murmuring his pleasure at meeting her; she was more business-like, tasting him briefly before withdrawing in puzzlement. He was a creature of wood and flesh, as she was. She had not known men could be made so.
All that first day, she stayed near, a tentacle two steps beyond Bush's reach, apparently as disinterested as a cat.
Bush only grinned, and like any good lover, set himself to wooing her.
no subject
:-D
As any cat owner will tell you - this is VERY disinterested.
no subject
I wasn't aiming to get all three prompts in there? But lo, I finished it and realized I had all three prompts in there. :-)
The two of them deserve much more than this little ficlet, but this little ficlet is what they get for the moment.
no subject
Even if Nonsuch had been ugly as sin and cantankerous to boot Bush would've still thought the sun shone out of her stern. I love that she's playing at being disinterested - at least in my experience, the cat that pays the least attention to you is the one most likely to be found at the foot of your bed the next morning, purring and kneading away, until they realise you're awake and then the game begins anew.
I love this marvellously strange universe. (Hey, if someone did Napoleonic Wars with dragons, krakens aren't too far a stretch!)
no subject
And yes, you have exactly the way of it: he's likely to wake up some morning aggressively cuddled by a tentacle that has crept in one of the gallery windows.
And yay, Krakenverse! I get a ridiculous delight from it, and I'm glad others enjoy it, too. :-)