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Entry tags:
January
Title: with you, onward
Fandom: Téméraire (Naomi Novik)
Pairing/Characters: Tharkay/Laurence, Tharkay & Laurence & Temeraire
A bit of a nothing fic for January in the 2023 Year of OTP challenge.
Even in his leisurely retirement to the life of a country gentleman, Laurence remained in the habit of rising early, and he could often be seen ambling about the twisting paths of their little park in the dawn hours, backlit against the soft pinks and yellows of the rising sun.
Of course, Tharkay was an earlier riser still.
He had no particular business to attend to in these early hours, and perhaps it was from there that their major attraction to him stemmed. He was able to step out, alone and unobserved, and in the dimness of the twilight, he could pretend that he was still a wild creature, yet undomesticated. And then the sun would rise, and he could go back inside to the many comforts of his extremely domesticated life, and he would feel that he was satisfied in all things.
This morning, though, he was not as alone or unobserved as usual.
"Tharkay? Is that you? Whyever are you skulking about? And in this chill?"
Temeraire, out of respect for the sleeping household, was attempting to speak softly, but in his eagerness that Tharkay should hear him, his voice was still loud enough that Tharkay passed over to him quickly, lest Temeraire wake not only their own household, but also their more distant neighbours.
"Simply a walk, Temeraire, to clear my thoughts. What has you awake so early, my friend?"
"Oh, Tharkay," said Temeraire, hardly seeming to hear him, "would you mind terribly if we were to speak in Chinese today instead?"
"Not at all," said Tharkay, switching to that language easily. "We will always use Chinese, if that's what you prefer." Letting the idea spin through his mind briefly, he added with no little interest, "It would perhaps make our social engagements more… engaging."
Temeraire said absently, "Do you really think so?" before he abruptly switched tracks. "It's only that lately, I've been thinking that it might be nice to go back."
"Ah," said Tharkay quietly. Of course, despite Temeraire's tremendous progress in parliament, life in China would be more pleasant for him, and he would be pleased to display Laurence's princely status. In comparison, there was little Tharkay could offer. "This is a topic more appropriate for your captain than for me."
"Oh, but not at all, Tharkay! After all, it is your work and mine that would be interrupted for the duration of our trip, and even a very brief stay would take so long due to the travel time." Temeraire sighed, his breath creating a current through the tall grasses and flowers surrounding his pavilion. "It is so very inconvenient that China is so far away."
"Quite," said Tharkay, clearing his throat and his mind simultaneously. "You are not thinking of a permanent return to China, then?"
"Oh!" Temeraire looked honestly surprised at the suggestion. "No. No, I don't think so. Or perhaps in the far future, once you and Laurence have raised an egg or two to take over our work here, but we really have far too much to do to think of it at that moment, surely? You do have some rather wild ideas at times, Tharkay," Temeraire added reproachfully.
"It seems that I must." Tharkay carefully did not let his mind linger on the question of future eggs. If Temeraire wanted human children in the family, no doubt Laurence would insist on providing them, and then it would be up to Tharkay to make the plan practical and to implement it with as little treason as possible. "Supposing that we time our trip carefully, I don't see why it should disturb our work. Indeed, perhaps it can complement it."
Temeraire considered this for a moment. "Well, I can certainly see how a trip overseas could complement my work in Parliament, but I do not see how it could be useful to you."
A dragon's honesty and directness truly were so refreshing. Somedays, Tharkay wasn't certain why he bothered to converse with any humans at all when dragons were available as an alternative.
"I shall have to dig through the dregs of my imagination for a way," Tharkay agreed, lips twitching.
"Only, I do not want to be at all inconvenient to you, Tharkay," Temeraire fretted.
Tharkay looked at the 20-tonne dragon sprawled in his tasteful but increasingly elaborate pavilion that was growing across Tharkay's grounds with the speed and intention of a virulent weed. It was already visible from a great distance, and it and its occupant had become the subject of much disquiet in their neighbourhood. An inconvenience? He burst out laughing.
"Dearest Temeraire," he said fondly when he recovered himself. "If my life is to be taken as proof, surely I must love to be inconvenienced, as I seem to have sought it out at every turn."
"So we have been causing problems! Oh, Tharkay, I do wish that you had mentioned. Does it have to do with," Temeraire paused for a moment here, before he continued delicately, "our neighbours' reaction to your marriage to Laurence?"
Tharkay wondered how Laurence would react if Temeraire made such assumptions about their relationship in front of him, or even implied that the neighbours might have suspicions along those lines. Probably, Tharkay should work to dissuade Temeraire, but he enjoyed the idea too much. That task was really better left to Laurence, who could explain his personal distaste for a relationship of that nature with an honest heart. "Sometimes, problems and inconveniences are the only avenue to joy. I would have trouble making inroads with my neighbours due to my own heritage in any case, and even if your presence here makes things a hundred times more challenging, I would always rather face those challenges with my dear friends than without."
"I am glad to hear it," said Laurence in English from behind him. Had they been speaking for so long? But yes, when Tharkay turned to face him, Laurence was streaked in dawn colours, his pale hair glowing a soft pink.
"Oh, good morning, Laurence!" said Temeraire brightly, that malicious creature. He must have seen Laurence come up to them, and still he let Tharkay yammer on. Though of course, Laurence had likely not understood many of the details of their conversation, as his Chinese was still rather uncertain.
"Good morning, Temeraire," Laurence said tenderly. And then, with a sly smile that instantly had Tharkay on his guard, he said, "And good morning, husband."
Well, if Laurence thought Tharkay would be the one to back down from this, he was sorely mistaken.
“And to you, dear husband,” responded Tharkay sardonically. He sketched a mockery of a curtsy. “Shall we take a turn about the wilderness?”
Laurence’s eyes narrowed at Tharkay’s exaggerated imitation of their socialite peers. He offered his arm. “Certainly, my dear.”
Tharkay accepted with a suspicious squint, and they issued temporary goodbyes to Temeraire as they walked together through their small wooded copse—small, but certainly more accurately named than the typical manicured parks their peers so flippantly applied the word “wilderness” to. Much of the grounds of Tharkay’s estate was still in a state of neglect, and except for his permanent—he hoped permanent—houseguests, he may very well have left them as they were and enjoyed the reputation of queer Mr Tharkay living in his ramshackle, collapsing home. And there would have been ghosts, of course; he certainly could have come up with a good ghost story or two to spread around. But instead, he felt obliged to present an image at least approaching respectable, to support the reputations of his friends if not himself. And so, repairs and improvements to the estate were in progress, but this little wood was certainly not a high priority, and so their "turn" felt less like a leisurely promenade and more like a hike.
It was strange to walk with his hand wrapped around Laurence’s arm, and he silently cursed himself for his unfortunate and unignorable awareness of the heat rising from Laurence and flowing through his hand in little tingles, and the way—when they made their way over some particularly unbroken ground—Tharkay tightened his grip briefly and felt the strong, corded muscle flexing beneath his fingertips. It was really unfortunate that after all the torment his hands had gone through, they still were not dulled to these sensations when he wanted them to be.
Temeraire was, of course, right yet again. Spontaneous trips across the globe? Tharkay tended towards that sort of thing anyway. Vast amounts of money spent on making his estate more accessible for persons of a draconic nature? Not worth a second thought. These feelings for Laurence, though, and knowing that others’ suspicions about their relationship were exactly what he wanted but cannot have? Incredibly, infuriatingly inconvenient.
Laurence was silent as they walked, but that was no longer so unusual. As they grew more comfortable around one another, their words flowed more easily, but so did their silences.
Finally, Tharkay said, “Temeraire intends us to holiday in China this year.”
Laurence’s eyebrows shot up. “Are we to leave before the first snowfall of the year? If so, we should have already begun preparing.”
Tharkay smiled slightly, leaning into Laurence to avoid a low-hanging branch. “Our friend has not elected to share all the details with me, but I suspect he has them all mapped out already. What do you think of the plan?”
Laurence slowed their pace, though their path did not seem to be increasing in difficulty. Finally, Laurence drew them to a stop. When Tharkay glanced over, he saw that Laurence was already looking at him, and he simply waited, certain that his question would be answered in time.
“What do you think of the plan, Tenzing?” asked Laurence quietly. “Our last visit to China was not kind to you.”
“War is not intended to be kind to anyone,” said Tharkay wryly. He shrugged. “As long as we return together in time, I’m not concerned with bringing up bad memories. It may be better to revisit the sites anyway, to create new memories and new associations. I am told it is a bad idea to let these wounds fester, but I have always been bad at following that particular advice.” He smirked at Laurence, who nodded back slowly.
“If you say so, then it might be good to make the trip. We are none of us used to this sedentary lifestyle; if we do not take a voyage or two every few years, we may find ourselves fighting boredom rather than the French.” Laurence waited for Tharkay’s agreement, and then he gently led them at a meandering pace once more. “And if we get married on the ship before we land in China, we will be able to avoid any extravagant, dragon-planned ceremonies.”
“Will, you injure me,” said Tharkay. “And here I had understood us to already be husband and husband.”
Laurence laughed. The slight chill in the air made his face bright and flushed, and Tharkay had to look away lest he do something… unwise. “Just so,” said Laurence. “You know, if we simply let Temeraire tell everyone that we are already married, we will be able to avoid any ceremony altogether.”
Was this still a joke? Tharkay was not quite able to tell, and the sensations rising within him were a violent mixture of sweet joy and sour pain. Nothing new there, of course. “My dear fiancé, if Temeraire tells the tale, someone will ask him about the ceremony, and then he’ll learn that there ought to have been one. And a short little British ceremony with whatever local vicar we can buy off will be nothing compared to the multi-day celebrations that would be expected in China. Forgive me, dearest Will, but I would prefer not to serve tea to your most venerated Chinese relations, if it is possible to avoid it.”
“Ah,” said Laurence. “Quite. A wedding at sea sounds like our best option, then.”
Tharkay tilted his head in agreement. If this was a joke, Laurence would have to be the one to back out. Tharkay was fully prepared to carry this through.
Laurence pulled them to a stop again. They had almost circled back around to their starting point in the wood. “Tenzing, if I am making you uncomfortable—”
Too much honesty so often soured the whole plate. But perhaps it was best to follow that old adage—when among dragons, do as the dragons do. “I am uncomfortable with the idea of joking about a relationship between us. If you are in earnest, then there is no discomfort.”
Laurence seemed to glow. “Ah,” he said. “Good. Then, if I may also be so bold…?”
From another man, in another quiet, secluded place, standing so very close to him, Tharkay might have assumed he was asking for a kiss. And yet, the idea of Laurence being the one to make the first move toward physical expressions of affection was so absurd that by the time Tharkay realised that his first, instinctual interpretation was the correct one, Laurence was already leaning in to press a soft, chaste kiss to Tharkay’s lips. It only lasted a moment, and then Laurence was pulling away to search Tharkay’s expression for any sign of displeasure.
“Will,” said Tharkay, “I have seen mothers kiss their children with more passion than that. Shall we try again with, as they say, feeling?”
Laurence huffed out a laugh, and their next kiss, though still on the more chaste end of Tharkay’s experience, was certainly nothing to complain about.
“Laurence! Oh, Laurence, are you and Tharkay making an egg? Then I shan’t bother you.”
Despite this promise, the huge eyes didn't avert or move away, and so Tharkay gently nudged Laurence away. "Go and see to our dragon," he said, straightening Laurence's collar. "We can continue our discussion after dinner."
"I see you have no intention of being the one to explain to Temeraire that we will not be raising any eggs," Laurence said drily.
Tharkay shrugged, smirking. "Will we not?"
Laurence's panicked expression was so very soothing these days.
As Tharkay returned to the house to start his day, he found that—at least this one—skipping his habitual morning time alone wasn't such a big deal after all.
Fandom: Téméraire (Naomi Novik)
Pairing/Characters: Tharkay/Laurence, Tharkay & Laurence & Temeraire
A bit of a nothing fic for January in the 2023 Year of OTP challenge.
Even in his leisurely retirement to the life of a country gentleman, Laurence remained in the habit of rising early, and he could often be seen ambling about the twisting paths of their little park in the dawn hours, backlit against the soft pinks and yellows of the rising sun.
Of course, Tharkay was an earlier riser still.
He had no particular business to attend to in these early hours, and perhaps it was from there that their major attraction to him stemmed. He was able to step out, alone and unobserved, and in the dimness of the twilight, he could pretend that he was still a wild creature, yet undomesticated. And then the sun would rise, and he could go back inside to the many comforts of his extremely domesticated life, and he would feel that he was satisfied in all things.
This morning, though, he was not as alone or unobserved as usual.
"Tharkay? Is that you? Whyever are you skulking about? And in this chill?"
Temeraire, out of respect for the sleeping household, was attempting to speak softly, but in his eagerness that Tharkay should hear him, his voice was still loud enough that Tharkay passed over to him quickly, lest Temeraire wake not only their own household, but also their more distant neighbours.
"Simply a walk, Temeraire, to clear my thoughts. What has you awake so early, my friend?"
"Oh, Tharkay," said Temeraire, hardly seeming to hear him, "would you mind terribly if we were to speak in Chinese today instead?"
"Not at all," said Tharkay, switching to that language easily. "We will always use Chinese, if that's what you prefer." Letting the idea spin through his mind briefly, he added with no little interest, "It would perhaps make our social engagements more… engaging."
Temeraire said absently, "Do you really think so?" before he abruptly switched tracks. "It's only that lately, I've been thinking that it might be nice to go back."
"Ah," said Tharkay quietly. Of course, despite Temeraire's tremendous progress in parliament, life in China would be more pleasant for him, and he would be pleased to display Laurence's princely status. In comparison, there was little Tharkay could offer. "This is a topic more appropriate for your captain than for me."
"Oh, but not at all, Tharkay! After all, it is your work and mine that would be interrupted for the duration of our trip, and even a very brief stay would take so long due to the travel time." Temeraire sighed, his breath creating a current through the tall grasses and flowers surrounding his pavilion. "It is so very inconvenient that China is so far away."
"Quite," said Tharkay, clearing his throat and his mind simultaneously. "You are not thinking of a permanent return to China, then?"
"Oh!" Temeraire looked honestly surprised at the suggestion. "No. No, I don't think so. Or perhaps in the far future, once you and Laurence have raised an egg or two to take over our work here, but we really have far too much to do to think of it at that moment, surely? You do have some rather wild ideas at times, Tharkay," Temeraire added reproachfully.
"It seems that I must." Tharkay carefully did not let his mind linger on the question of future eggs. If Temeraire wanted human children in the family, no doubt Laurence would insist on providing them, and then it would be up to Tharkay to make the plan practical and to implement it with as little treason as possible. "Supposing that we time our trip carefully, I don't see why it should disturb our work. Indeed, perhaps it can complement it."
Temeraire considered this for a moment. "Well, I can certainly see how a trip overseas could complement my work in Parliament, but I do not see how it could be useful to you."
A dragon's honesty and directness truly were so refreshing. Somedays, Tharkay wasn't certain why he bothered to converse with any humans at all when dragons were available as an alternative.
"I shall have to dig through the dregs of my imagination for a way," Tharkay agreed, lips twitching.
"Only, I do not want to be at all inconvenient to you, Tharkay," Temeraire fretted.
Tharkay looked at the 20-tonne dragon sprawled in his tasteful but increasingly elaborate pavilion that was growing across Tharkay's grounds with the speed and intention of a virulent weed. It was already visible from a great distance, and it and its occupant had become the subject of much disquiet in their neighbourhood. An inconvenience? He burst out laughing.
"Dearest Temeraire," he said fondly when he recovered himself. "If my life is to be taken as proof, surely I must love to be inconvenienced, as I seem to have sought it out at every turn."
"So we have been causing problems! Oh, Tharkay, I do wish that you had mentioned. Does it have to do with," Temeraire paused for a moment here, before he continued delicately, "our neighbours' reaction to your marriage to Laurence?"
Tharkay wondered how Laurence would react if Temeraire made such assumptions about their relationship in front of him, or even implied that the neighbours might have suspicions along those lines. Probably, Tharkay should work to dissuade Temeraire, but he enjoyed the idea too much. That task was really better left to Laurence, who could explain his personal distaste for a relationship of that nature with an honest heart. "Sometimes, problems and inconveniences are the only avenue to joy. I would have trouble making inroads with my neighbours due to my own heritage in any case, and even if your presence here makes things a hundred times more challenging, I would always rather face those challenges with my dear friends than without."
"I am glad to hear it," said Laurence in English from behind him. Had they been speaking for so long? But yes, when Tharkay turned to face him, Laurence was streaked in dawn colours, his pale hair glowing a soft pink.
"Oh, good morning, Laurence!" said Temeraire brightly, that malicious creature. He must have seen Laurence come up to them, and still he let Tharkay yammer on. Though of course, Laurence had likely not understood many of the details of their conversation, as his Chinese was still rather uncertain.
"Good morning, Temeraire," Laurence said tenderly. And then, with a sly smile that instantly had Tharkay on his guard, he said, "And good morning, husband."
Well, if Laurence thought Tharkay would be the one to back down from this, he was sorely mistaken.
“And to you, dear husband,” responded Tharkay sardonically. He sketched a mockery of a curtsy. “Shall we take a turn about the wilderness?”
Laurence’s eyes narrowed at Tharkay’s exaggerated imitation of their socialite peers. He offered his arm. “Certainly, my dear.”
Tharkay accepted with a suspicious squint, and they issued temporary goodbyes to Temeraire as they walked together through their small wooded copse—small, but certainly more accurately named than the typical manicured parks their peers so flippantly applied the word “wilderness” to. Much of the grounds of Tharkay’s estate was still in a state of neglect, and except for his permanent—he hoped permanent—houseguests, he may very well have left them as they were and enjoyed the reputation of queer Mr Tharkay living in his ramshackle, collapsing home. And there would have been ghosts, of course; he certainly could have come up with a good ghost story or two to spread around. But instead, he felt obliged to present an image at least approaching respectable, to support the reputations of his friends if not himself. And so, repairs and improvements to the estate were in progress, but this little wood was certainly not a high priority, and so their "turn" felt less like a leisurely promenade and more like a hike.
It was strange to walk with his hand wrapped around Laurence’s arm, and he silently cursed himself for his unfortunate and unignorable awareness of the heat rising from Laurence and flowing through his hand in little tingles, and the way—when they made their way over some particularly unbroken ground—Tharkay tightened his grip briefly and felt the strong, corded muscle flexing beneath his fingertips. It was really unfortunate that after all the torment his hands had gone through, they still were not dulled to these sensations when he wanted them to be.
Temeraire was, of course, right yet again. Spontaneous trips across the globe? Tharkay tended towards that sort of thing anyway. Vast amounts of money spent on making his estate more accessible for persons of a draconic nature? Not worth a second thought. These feelings for Laurence, though, and knowing that others’ suspicions about their relationship were exactly what he wanted but cannot have? Incredibly, infuriatingly inconvenient.
Laurence was silent as they walked, but that was no longer so unusual. As they grew more comfortable around one another, their words flowed more easily, but so did their silences.
Finally, Tharkay said, “Temeraire intends us to holiday in China this year.”
Laurence’s eyebrows shot up. “Are we to leave before the first snowfall of the year? If so, we should have already begun preparing.”
Tharkay smiled slightly, leaning into Laurence to avoid a low-hanging branch. “Our friend has not elected to share all the details with me, but I suspect he has them all mapped out already. What do you think of the plan?”
Laurence slowed their pace, though their path did not seem to be increasing in difficulty. Finally, Laurence drew them to a stop. When Tharkay glanced over, he saw that Laurence was already looking at him, and he simply waited, certain that his question would be answered in time.
“What do you think of the plan, Tenzing?” asked Laurence quietly. “Our last visit to China was not kind to you.”
“War is not intended to be kind to anyone,” said Tharkay wryly. He shrugged. “As long as we return together in time, I’m not concerned with bringing up bad memories. It may be better to revisit the sites anyway, to create new memories and new associations. I am told it is a bad idea to let these wounds fester, but I have always been bad at following that particular advice.” He smirked at Laurence, who nodded back slowly.
“If you say so, then it might be good to make the trip. We are none of us used to this sedentary lifestyle; if we do not take a voyage or two every few years, we may find ourselves fighting boredom rather than the French.” Laurence waited for Tharkay’s agreement, and then he gently led them at a meandering pace once more. “And if we get married on the ship before we land in China, we will be able to avoid any extravagant, dragon-planned ceremonies.”
“Will, you injure me,” said Tharkay. “And here I had understood us to already be husband and husband.”
Laurence laughed. The slight chill in the air made his face bright and flushed, and Tharkay had to look away lest he do something… unwise. “Just so,” said Laurence. “You know, if we simply let Temeraire tell everyone that we are already married, we will be able to avoid any ceremony altogether.”
Was this still a joke? Tharkay was not quite able to tell, and the sensations rising within him were a violent mixture of sweet joy and sour pain. Nothing new there, of course. “My dear fiancé, if Temeraire tells the tale, someone will ask him about the ceremony, and then he’ll learn that there ought to have been one. And a short little British ceremony with whatever local vicar we can buy off will be nothing compared to the multi-day celebrations that would be expected in China. Forgive me, dearest Will, but I would prefer not to serve tea to your most venerated Chinese relations, if it is possible to avoid it.”
“Ah,” said Laurence. “Quite. A wedding at sea sounds like our best option, then.”
Tharkay tilted his head in agreement. If this was a joke, Laurence would have to be the one to back out. Tharkay was fully prepared to carry this through.
Laurence pulled them to a stop again. They had almost circled back around to their starting point in the wood. “Tenzing, if I am making you uncomfortable—”
Too much honesty so often soured the whole plate. But perhaps it was best to follow that old adage—when among dragons, do as the dragons do. “I am uncomfortable with the idea of joking about a relationship between us. If you are in earnest, then there is no discomfort.”
Laurence seemed to glow. “Ah,” he said. “Good. Then, if I may also be so bold…?”
From another man, in another quiet, secluded place, standing so very close to him, Tharkay might have assumed he was asking for a kiss. And yet, the idea of Laurence being the one to make the first move toward physical expressions of affection was so absurd that by the time Tharkay realised that his first, instinctual interpretation was the correct one, Laurence was already leaning in to press a soft, chaste kiss to Tharkay’s lips. It only lasted a moment, and then Laurence was pulling away to search Tharkay’s expression for any sign of displeasure.
“Will,” said Tharkay, “I have seen mothers kiss their children with more passion than that. Shall we try again with, as they say, feeling?”
Laurence huffed out a laugh, and their next kiss, though still on the more chaste end of Tharkay’s experience, was certainly nothing to complain about.
“Laurence! Oh, Laurence, are you and Tharkay making an egg? Then I shan’t bother you.”
Despite this promise, the huge eyes didn't avert or move away, and so Tharkay gently nudged Laurence away. "Go and see to our dragon," he said, straightening Laurence's collar. "We can continue our discussion after dinner."
"I see you have no intention of being the one to explain to Temeraire that we will not be raising any eggs," Laurence said drily.
Tharkay shrugged, smirking. "Will we not?"
Laurence's panicked expression was so very soothing these days.
As Tharkay returned to the house to start his day, he found that—at least this one—skipping his habitual morning time alone wasn't such a big deal after all.