[true_writers: 12. B. 1.]
OOC: Prompt is in the AU!Verse, and features AU!Leoben.
all these walls//are coming down
Kara hardly ever relaxes, Leoben notices. When she's at home and not occupied with some task, she paces, measures the distance of their house, twists her hands together. One night, Sam is out and he's making dinner, so he asks her to come help him just to give her something to do. Having a task, some sort of purpose, it's one of the few things that settles her. There are other things, but he's actually hungry for food at the moment.
She's talking to him about flight school, and her voice isn't angry, isn't tense. Leoben smiles at her, gives her some vegetables to slice for dinner. The vegetables are new, having just received the seal of approval for human (and, he assumes, Cylon) consumption. Kara has quick hands while she slices. He likes the way she pushes her hair out of her face while she works, the low timbre of her voice while she talks.
Leoben turns just as Kara finishes with the vegetables, in time to see her standing behind him with a knife in her hand, the blade pointed at his back. He takes a step back out of instinct, the glint of the light shining on the cool metal blade, and feels his back hit the counter. He realizes his mistake when she flinches like she's been slapped.
They stare at each other for a long moment. Kara puts the knife down and turns away from him. "Frak me," she says quietly, and he can see her hands are shaking.
"Kara," Leoben says, and then, when she doesn't raise her head--she's staring resolutely down at the vegetables, her fingers still resting on the hilt of the knife--he says again, more sharply, "Kara."
She looks up at him, her eyes bright, face flushed. He doesn't know if she's upset at him for his reaction, or if she's upset at him for New Caprica. Perhaps it's both. Leoben holds his hands up, palms forward, and his voice very, very calm. "You just took me by surprise."
She's watching him warily, and doesn't speak. He tries again. "This was bound to happen, sooner or later." Leoben holds his hand out, patiently, waiting. Kara hands him the knife hilt-first.
"I'm finished with these," she says, unnecessarily, waving towards the vegetables. She's watching him, watching the knife. Leoben lays it on the counter, point facing away from either of them, and gestures for her to hand him the plate.
"I think I'm going to go paint," she tells him, stepping away, backing towards the door.
Leoben nods. "I'll call you when dinner is ready," is all he says. There are many things between them that are sharp, painful. A knife is just one of many.
all these walls//are coming down
Kara hardly ever relaxes, Leoben notices. When she's at home and not occupied with some task, she paces, measures the distance of their house, twists her hands together. One night, Sam is out and he's making dinner, so he asks her to come help him just to give her something to do. Having a task, some sort of purpose, it's one of the few things that settles her. There are other things, but he's actually hungry for food at the moment.
She's talking to him about flight school, and her voice isn't angry, isn't tense. Leoben smiles at her, gives her some vegetables to slice for dinner. The vegetables are new, having just received the seal of approval for human (and, he assumes, Cylon) consumption. Kara has quick hands while she slices. He likes the way she pushes her hair out of her face while she works, the low timbre of her voice while she talks.
Leoben turns just as Kara finishes with the vegetables, in time to see her standing behind him with a knife in her hand, the blade pointed at his back. He takes a step back out of instinct, the glint of the light shining on the cool metal blade, and feels his back hit the counter. He realizes his mistake when she flinches like she's been slapped.
They stare at each other for a long moment. Kara puts the knife down and turns away from him. "Frak me," she says quietly, and he can see her hands are shaking.
"Kara," Leoben says, and then, when she doesn't raise her head--she's staring resolutely down at the vegetables, her fingers still resting on the hilt of the knife--he says again, more sharply, "Kara."
She looks up at him, her eyes bright, face flushed. He doesn't know if she's upset at him for his reaction, or if she's upset at him for New Caprica. Perhaps it's both. Leoben holds his hands up, palms forward, and his voice very, very calm. "You just took me by surprise."
She's watching him warily, and doesn't speak. He tries again. "This was bound to happen, sooner or later." Leoben holds his hand out, patiently, waiting. Kara hands him the knife hilt-first.
"I'm finished with these," she says, unnecessarily, waving towards the vegetables. She's watching him, watching the knife. Leoben lays it on the counter, point facing away from either of them, and gestures for her to hand him the plate.
"I think I'm going to go paint," she tells him, stepping away, backing towards the door.
Leoben nods. "I'll call you when dinner is ready," is all he says. There are many things between them that are sharp, painful. A knife is just one of many.