Horatio raised an eyebrow and crooked a half smile in Archie's direction. "I should have known your silence on deck was far too good to last."

"Yes, I suppose you should have." Archie's body was stiff with the sudden influx of tension, held at bay until now by need and adrenaline. "You've yet to answer my question."

"Not one to be taken lightly on this ship, Mr. Kennedy."

"Quit…" Archie inhaled sharply and forced himself to exhale slowly, releasing the dangerous anger that seemed to vibrate beneath his skin. "Quit humoring me, Horatio."

"I assure you, Archie, when it comes to the question of sanity on this ship, humor is the farthest thing from my mind." He sighed and raked his hand through his curls, damp with sweat and sea water, the ribbon holding his queue falling loose. "And, for the sake of your question, no. I'm not mad. As I said above, we were dead as it was."

"Dead in the water does not automatically mean dead in the grave, Horatio." Archie's voice snapped, emotion threatening. "Or did my coming back to haunt you fail to register that particular lesson?"

"You don't haunt me, Archie." Horatio offered him a slight smile, the simple curve of his lips revealing nearly as much as the rare emotion flickering in his eyes. "My choices, perhaps, but never you."

"You could have died."

"Not at Sawyer's hand, Archie." He took a tentative step toward Archie and reached out, touching the back of Archie's wrist. "I would mutiny first."

Archie laughed softly, shaking his head. "You're likely to be the death of me, you know." He raised his hand, licking his lips as he let his fingers grace the sharp line of Horatio's cheekbone. "Bloody fool."

"It seemed a prudent course of action at the time. Was the only way I could get Clive to actually commit himself to anything." Horatio let his eyes close, tilting his head into Archie's gentle touch. "It is done now."

"Oh, Horatio." Archie sighed softly. "What have we done?"

"What must be done." He opened his eyes, assurance dark in the deep brown. "As always. Discounting the personal costs for the good of the Navy, the King, Britain."

"I could not discount this cost were your life the price I was asked to pay." Archie let his hand slide down, his thumb following the line of Horatio's lower lip. "Horatio…"

"Archie. No. Not here. Not…not now."

"What does it matter what they hang us for, Horatio?" Archie laughed softly, his free hand moving up to unbutton Horatio's waistcoat. "Let me see for myself that you're all right. No errant bullets scoring your flesh."

"Only the wound from Simpson."

Archie smiled slightly, his eyes a cool blue for a moment. "We both wear those." He let his fingers move to the collar of Horatio's shirt, undoing it slowly, his touch light on the smooth skin. "Nothing here."

"There's nothing to see, Archie."

"Not true, Mr. Hornblower. There is much to see." Archie leaned in, letting his breath gust over Horatio's shoulder, the slope of his neck. "Skin and scars and more." He tugged the fabric aside, exposing more of Horatio's flesh. "Besides, Horatio, the entire crew was given a view of what I'm asking only to see a piece of, something small to assure me that you're all right."

"No shot fired, Archie."

"I'll be the judge of that." Archie carefully began tugging Horatio's shirt free of his trousers, one hand unbuttoning the placket to ease it loose. "It's not as if you're fit for any sort of duty or presentation in this state, Mr. Hornblower. You're quite ill-dressed for acting second lieutenant."

"And your job at this juncture, Mr. Kennedy?" Horatio's eyes closed momentarily as Archie's palms lay flat against his stomach, easing his shirt off with infinite care. "Is to make sure I'm properly outfitted?"

Archie's hands moved over Horatio's stomach, feathering along the smooth, pale skin. "Something along those lines," Archie assured him. He traced the lines of Horatio's muscles, climbing his way up his stomach to his chest. His fingers played over Horatio's sternum before stroking over across his left nipple. "Here?" He asked softly, fingers barely ghosting over the hardened flesh. "Did the muzzle touch you here?"

"T-" Horatio stopped, closing his eyes as Archie caught the skin, this time with the edge of his nail, sending a visible shudder through Horatio. "The other side."

"Oh." Archie nodded seriously and then let his fingers move across Horatio's chest to the opposite side, his thumb circling the nub of flesh. "Here then?"

"N-not quite. Mr. Kennedy, y-you…you mustn't."

"You're quite correct, Mr. Hornblower." Archie's voice was low, caught in the private space between them as he let his fingers cross the nipple. "I mustn't do this. Mustn't touch you." His thumb swept across now and Horatio's body reacted, jerking roughly with his breath. "Order me to stop."

"A-Archie…"

"Order me, Horatio." He stepped closer and leaned in, his breath mingling with Horatio's, his lips parted as Horatio's tongue wet his own.

Archie held Horatio's gaze until the dark eyes drifted closed and he swayed forward, surrendering. With a low sound, Archie claimed the kiss, his palm warm on Horatio's hot flesh as his other hand moved up to curve around Horatio's neck. Horatio groaned softly, mouth opening to the assault of Archie's tongue.

They pulled apart slowly, Horatio's eyes gone dark as they opened, his breath choppy between his parted lips. Archie smiled and let his hand slide down Horatio's chest; his fingers continuing their slow exploration, the light, erotic discovery of Horatio's chest. He slid them along every divot of skin, trailing over every line and imperfection.

Horatio caught his breath, holding it for a long while before giving in and inhaling Archie's slow, labored exhalations, the air between them rife with emotion and excitement, passion and danger.

"Here." The word gusted over Horatio's lips in the moment before Archie kissed him again, harder this time, with the familiar hint of possession and aggression that had been theirs since their return from Muzillac.

"Here?" Horatio managed with a gasp as the kiss broke, fighting to suppress the heavy breaths that would give them away just as plainly as the picture they currently presented.

"Here." Archie bent his head and placed his lips against Horatio's chest, mouth forming a muzzle against his flesh, far more dangerous than the one Sawyer had pressed there. "Can feel it shudder in your skin."

"W-we were dead," Horatio offered again. "Either way."

Archie smiled up at him, holding Horatio's gaze as he traced the spot again, this time with his tongue. "We still are, Horatio." He pulled back and smiled, eyes bright and knowing, hot with promise.

He reached out, caressing the line of Horatio's jaw before letting his fingers slide down, tracing flesh and muscle until he caught Horatio's hand. He gave a quick, sharp tug and led Horatio toward the thin canvas that separated their cots from the wardroom. Horatio followed, arguments dying on his lips as Archie kissed him again.

"Here or in Kingston. We are dead men. The only difference is that here, Horatio, we're still alive to enjoy it."