I suspect that seagulls don't fart over the Hotspur without Bush knowing about it, but yeah. I'd like to think that he does believe in Hammond, deep down, and that he pushes Hammond so hard becaue he has some kind of belief in Hammond's potential.

And one of the times they're alone, would Hammond ever chance reaching out a hand to Bush?

*makes ama;lkdjfgdf* dfjdfad. Man. It could go either way -- on the one hand, I can totally see how Bush would completley freeze him out. Even if Hammond steps a little closer one time, I can imagine Bush just looking at him with that completely closed off expression you mention except for, maybe, a little bit of a sneer creeping out.

Or. On the other hand. Whatever drew them together on land might be changed, not possible in this environment, but oh man oh man -- Bush is even more in control and a man in this environment than he was on shore. As Hammond sees it, much of what was attractive about Bush before is still there, and it's now combined with this urge to please that wasn't there before. And man, for Bush now. Hornblower. So close now, but not a lieutenant. The morning walks, the sense of isolation that you talk about in your Bush/Hammond fic.

Is it too plebetastic to wonder at Cotard's place in all this?