flintsredhair:

So – I think I promised you all Chapter 14 sometime today, and here it is, polished and ready for reading! Here’s hoping that those of you celebrating Christmas today got all the things you wanted and that you get to celebrate with people you care about.

As per usual, the chapter has been posted on Ao3 and comments, kudos, likes, and reblogs are much appreciated!

To the Upper Air: Chapter 14 – Truce and Truth

He was getting too old to be running about London, but Hennessey
would never be too old, he thought privately, to be amused at the look
on James’ face when Hennessey startled him.

Both men in the room
had jumped to their feet when the Admiral entered the room. It was
instinct on James’ part, ingrained in him after over twenty years in the
Navy, though Hennessey noticed that he was slow in doing so, not out of
laziness but out of pain. He winced as he stood, Hennessey noticed –
the left knee if he was any judge, and he waved a hand.

“Sit down,” he snorted. “We’re not on the parade ground. James -” He stopped, looking James up and down. The Boy –

Well,
it wasn’t the worst bruising he had ever seen but that was hardly a
recommendation.  Hennessey felt a sinking sensation in his stomach as he
looked at his injured protegé. He barely restrained the urge to rake a
hand over his hair, amusement fading to worry and slight irritation, and
sighed instead.

“Please tell me,” he said in a patient, if somewhat exasperated tone, “that you have not been brawling again?”

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