Trick or treat for ladymarshy

[splix]

Trick or treat for ladymarshy A Sharper ficlet, ~500 words.

Title: Waiting
Author: Alex
Pairing/Character(s): Sharpe/Harper
Rating: PG
Written as a Halloween treat for ladymarshy. Also fulfills the sharpe_thinking prompt table, prompt #15 [blood]




*


The night had almost drawn in, and Harper had done his best to make impromptu camp, concealing their whereabouts behind a high deadfall of branches. He’d kept himself busy, not once glancing at his captain who sat perched wordlessly on a flat rock, his face white with pain and anxiety. But at last it couldn’t be avoided. He smiled encouragingly at Sharpe. “There we are, sir. Nothing to do now but bed down for the night.”

Sharpe nodded and hoisted himself to his feet, wrapping his greatcoat more firmly around himself. All at once he gasped and swore vilely, and Harper knew the reason: the wound in his side had broken open.

As fast as he could, Harper hastened to Sharpe’s side, grasping his arm. “Now, now, sir. Lie still. Give that scratch a chance to heal. Come on now, you’re white as a sheet.” Gently, he bore Sharpe to the ground, arranged his pack beneath Sharpe’s head, and examined the wound in the fading light, pressing his hand to it to stanch the bleeding. “Lie still, there’s a good lad, and it’ll stop in a wee bit. There we are. I wish I could build a fire, sir, but the Frenchies would be on us before you could say Fionn mac Cumhaill, so they would.”

“Doesn’t bloody matter,” Sharpe growled. “I’ll be dead before dawn anyroad.”

“Now what sort of talk is that? Sure it’s only a flesh wound, nice clean gouge. You’ve had worse hurts, so. You’ll only be dead if you keep moving around, so just lie still, will you, and let me take care of it.” Brave talk, but in truth Harper worried. The wound was anything but clean, and if bloody Simmerson and his troops didn’t run interference within the next two days, Harper would be hauling his captain’s corpse back to camp.

Sharpe smiled, a pallid ghost of his usual grin. Harper saw that he was starting to feel woozy from the pain and blood loss, but he’d never own it. “Pat, you think I don’t know when you’re lying?”

“Hush, you silly bugger. You’ll faint from talking so much.”

“Stop bloody fussing, you’re like a mother hen.” Sharpe closed his eyes, shivering on the cold ground.

Harper covered Sharpe with their blankets and peered down at him, quiet now, though still trembling. Now and then Sharpe moaned quietly, his brow knotting in pain. Careful not to touch the wound, Harper half-lifted him, cradling Sharpe in his arms, humming a sweet air, crooning softly when Sharpe moaned again. It was so quiet, so still, too cold for singing birds or insects. The stars twinkled above, brilliant, but offering only cold fire, nothing to stave off the night’s chill.

After a while, Sharpe slept deeply, his breathing regular, his brow smooth. Harper lowered him, brushed back a bright lock of hair, and gazed at the hard, proud features, now softened by slumber, for long moments. “Someone’s got to look after you,” he whispered, then bent and touched his lips to Sharpe’s. He sighed, his heart aching. “Silly bugger.”

*




My table is here

Comments

[govi20.livejournal.com]

What a lovely, lovely Sharper. So emotional and loving, the way Harper takes care of Sharpe.

“Lie still, there’s a good lad, and it’ll stop in a wee bit. There we are. I wish I could build a fire, sir, but the Frenchies would be on us before you could say Fionn mac Cumhaill, so they would.” *grins*

After a while, Sharpe slept deeply, his breathing regular, his brow smooth. Harper lowered him, brushed back a bright lock of hair, and gazed at the hard, proud features, now softened by slumber, for long moments. “Someone’s got to look after you,” he whispered, then bent and touched his lips to Sharpe’s. He sighed, his heart aching. “Silly bugger.” That had me almost i tears and I am at work!

What a great ficlet, Alex; I love it.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you, dear! I love a little Sharper h/c. :D Thank you.

[msdavidwenham.livejournal.com]

And Harper is always taking care of Sharpe when he is hurt. Harper is (second to Sharpe)my favorite on the shows. Cannot say much about Simmerson I do not like him at all.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Where would Sharpe be if Harper wasn't there to take care of him? Pat is fabulous. I agree on Simmerson - arrogant prick, that guy.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

This is endlessly beautiful, Alex. You voiced my image of these men. Oh yes, where would Richard be? Who would appear by his side in the good and in the worst?
Thank you very much!

[splix.livejournal.com]

That's so sweet of you! I'm so glad Richard has his Pat to look after him. :D Thank you.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Beautiful, and bitter-sweet! Good job we know they survive... You have Harper's voice perfectly. And what a lovely pic - where did you get it?

[splix.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Harper's a lot of fun to write. I'm sorry, I can't remember where I found the pic, just digging around on the net somewhere, I'm sure. You're welcome to snag it as you please. :)

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I know all about pics of unknown origin - I have quite a few... I even have some Sharpe, or rather, Harper, icons and have lost their 'provenance'.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Oh, me too! Internet-acquired pictures are like notes on scraps of paper. :)

[bluegerl.livejournal.com]

Lovely truly Sharpe story. as Govi says, that last paragraph says it all, for all the series too! Patrick did SO matter. Thank you, a simple tale, so well told.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Yes, Patrick and Sharpe are a wonderful couple, so true and brave and devoted. Happy sighs all round. :)

[mooms.livejournal.com]

What a lovely treat! I adore the relationship between these two and the way that Harper takes care of Sharpe. This is wonderfully tender. Thank you.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Oh, bless! I'm so glad you liked it. They do have a lovely relationship. Thank you ever so much. :D

[ladymarshy.livejournal.com]

Wonderful - what a treat.

This is the line I really loved -

The stars twinkled above, brilliant, but offering only cold fire, nothing to stave off the night’s chill.

- the perfect way to point out that it is only the real fire of Patrick's love and Sharpe's bravery between Sharpe and death.

Thank you so much.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it.

the perfect way to point out that it is only the real fire of Patrick's love and Sharpe's bravery between Sharpe and death.

What a nice thing to say - thank you! :)

[peersrogue.livejournal.com]

Tender and loving an exquisite piece gently showing the trust and care between these two. Lovely read.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Pat is such a steady fellow - Sharpe definitely needs him, I think. I'm very glad you liked it - thank you for saying so!

[j-flattermann.livejournal.com]

I can only but agree to all the comments before mine.
Pat is to Sharpe like a good old Irish whiskey to the belly.
Warming and soothing.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's sweet. I agree. Thank you so much!

[alex-quine.livejournal.com]

A touching scene, layered with love and courage and common humanity. You've caught the tone of their relationship, Harper both soothing and teasing his man because they both know that for him to become serious will only worsen the situation, when they need Richard to be able to relax and stay still enough for his body to begin to stabilise itself.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Alex! I think that lightness between them - well, it's mostly on Harper's side, isn't it? Sharpe is sort of a grumpy bugger - is integral to their relationship, and Sharpe needs it much more than he probably thinks.

[kimberlite.livejournal.com]

Just lovely! You write their relationship so well, I always end up feeling drawn in and invested in the scene. The contrast between the beauty of the stars and the lack of warmth from them or a fire was chilling and gorgeous.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, sweets! This weekend we are going to watch a Sharpe episode if it kills me. :D

[helena-s-renn.livejournal.com]

that was a good read. sharper as a pairing goes so much deeper than sex, even than love. when people get thrown into a microcosm together, it makes them that much closer. the fear and nerves are palpable, along with harper's concern.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I agree - there's something special about that sort of camaraderie - the interdependence, I guess, and the necessity to act as a team no matter what your emotions are.

[offski.livejournal.com]

Well, Pat and Richard may be cold but I'm lovely and warm now. You have their voices captured beautifully.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's nice of you! Thanks much.