Yuletide reveal: "Below the waves, the ocean" (Master and Commander)

Well well well, look who got to write Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin for Yuletide this year! :D :D :D

(Spoiler: it me)

Below the waves, the ocean (8273 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin
Characters: Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Angst, Drowning, First Aid, Trust, Feelings Realization
Summary:

How long since the bubbles had died? It felt too long, a deadly eternity. But Stephen couldn't count, and didn't: he simply rolled himself over the edge of the gaping hatchway and fell.

It was like an early present just for me, to get to write Jack/Stephen hurt/comfort slash feelings realization etcetera, with a focus on protectiveness, guilt, and who gets to sacrifice himself for whom (Jack: "Me, duh" Stephen: ">:["). I mentioned to some friends that, as happens so often in the hurt/comfort I write, especially for these guys, the physical injury is really the least of anybody's problems. ♥

I'm grateful to marycrawford for her cheerleading and beta help, and to the_shoshanna and msmoat for discussions and cheering-on! The whole process was such a pleasure, even when I was having my typical late-story "OPE, DIDN'T THINK THROUGH HOW THIS BIT IS ACTUALLY SPOSED TO HAPPEN" feelings.