barbarian_qulan - Stephen and the wombat!

After the patients were transferred to the Bellona, Jack went looking for Stephen: he found him fallen asleep over the papers at his desk, the wombat nestled under an outflung arm and slumbering with him in perfect amity. It opened an eye and whiffled suspiciously as Jack tiptoed close with absurdly exaggerated care to draw a blanket over Stephen, and it watched him all the way to the door; as Jack closed it, he saw the watchful gleam waver and finally vanish.

mhari - Stephen and hedgehogs. :)

In his youth Stephen had been acquainted with several hedgehogs, which had supped at his bowl and condescended on occasion to sleep on his pillow; the recollection of this was singularly sharp as he rescued the creature from its distress and set it on its way. Its step was uncertain, but resolute; he was pleased to see it grow more confident as it became surer of its newfound liberty: such kindly inoffensive beasts, such touching, bootless courage in their arrays of spines.

stungunbilly - M&C, Jack/Stephen, mating display.

The pretty young woman at the ball had put a new spring into Jack's step; though always clean in his habits, he took more heed to the state of his linen than was his wont, and Stephen watched him leave glowing-faced for his tryst with an odd tenderness -- a handsome man still, Jack Aubrey, an imposing figure despite the gross corpulence, the tending towards apoplexy, and yet he had had his shoes shined with all the anxious care of a boy: "that naive eagerness to please will be the death of you, Jack Aubrey," murmured Stephen, but he said it without malice.