The Last To Know, Alicia/Kalinda, PG
Title: The Last To Know
Fandom: The Good Wife
Pairing: Alicia/Kalinda
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They are not mine! Duh. Also, I am making no profit and will put them back just as I found them.
Spoilers: through 2x23
Summary: written for the prompt "Five people who knew before Alicia".
1.
Well, of course Owen knows first.
He calls her out on it over tequila that never used to be a feature of her house. Every time he pulls the bottle out, he asks who got her to switch to the hard stuff. When Alicia deflects, or stubbornly refuses to tell, Owen latches on like some scandal-searching bloodhound. He was clearly a tabloid journalist in another life.
Kalinda drops off some files, bringing with her one of their awkward little silences. When she leaves, Alicia closes the door behind her and hears Owen's suspicious little 'hmm'.
She ignores it.
2.
They're in some dive bar trying to track down a potential witness, and Alicia is so worried that something sticky will end up on her brand new Jimmy Choos (an indulgence; a divorce present) that she almost misses the bartender's comment.
He's serving Kalinda a whisky sour and checking them both out with a leer as he asks what her 'girlfriend' is drinking.
Alicia blushes, stammers, and asks for a Diet Coke.
3.
Diane isn't one to make a scene, unless it's in the full-throated defense of a client or cause. Perhaps that's why she tugs gently at Alicia's sleeve as they pass an empty jurors' room in the courthouse.
"Working with Kalinda on this case--it's not going to be a problem?" Diane asks, her face unreadable.
Alicia summons her best poker face and shakes her head.
"Of course not. We've always worked well together."
To her credit, Diane doesn't speak aloud any of the thoughts that flicker in her eyes. Of course she must have heard things, suspected things, because discretion only goes so far. It was a nasty falling out, and it's taking a lot of time to get even close to normal.
"If you say so. It's just--"
"Just what?" Alicia fires back, and it strikes her how confident she sounds challenging her boss. (She's come a long way, baby).
"Have you seen the way she looks at you?" Diane asks, and there's a friendly smile to go with it. She departs then, in her tide of lightly spiced perfume and tastefully loud jewelry, leaving Alicia to wonder just exactly what Diane is implying.
She has a case to argue, though, and so she carries on with her day.
4.
Will is always a problem for her, even if Alicia usually means that in the best possible way. They've had their share of awkward conversations over the years: going their separate ways after Georgetown, her asking for a job and one hell of a favor, not to mention questions about voicemails. All of those pale in comparison to the moment when Will catches Alicia staring across his office at Kalinda.
Kalinda's outside, chatting to some paralegal in that disaffected way of hers. Alicia's wondering if this is another one of Kalinda's conquests, or whether the woman just wants to be with her flirty body language and no concept of personal space. It's only when Alicia realizes she hasn't heard a word Will just said that she thinks to look back at him.
He seems confused for a moment. In court or at the negotiating table he rarely lets his feelings show, but he's always had this weak spot around Alicia. She's fumbling for a good excuse, when she should probably shrug it off, and Will comes to some kind of decision in that moment.
"You know I only want you to be happy, don't you?" He asks the question with a whole lot of sincerity, and Alicia's touched by that. They agreed months ago that one night didn't bear talking about, that it wasn't worth rearranging their lives for right now. Somewhere along the line, Alicia stopped wanting more.
"I do know that. I want the same for you," Alicia replies, cautious as she waits for the other shoe to drop.
"Then go for it," he says, with a nod towards the now-empty reception area. It's only later that Alicia realizes how much that gesture must have cost him.
5.
Alicia is in the partners’ washroom (though she isn’t a partner, but it was the nearest quiet space) when Kalinda slinks into the room behind her. They watch each other calmly in the huge mirror over the grey marble sinks, the muted lights of the room reflected in their dark eyes. Alicia’s just thinking how nice they look, standing together, when Kalinda decides to speak.
“I can’t believe I didn’t see it until now,” is how she begins, because Kalinda is never direct with words. Louisville Sluggers, on the other hand…
“What didn’t you see?” Alicia asks as she washes her hands again, for something to do. She doesn’t really know why she fled the conference room like that, except for the fact that it was getting really warm in there. It’s almost a shame Jackie isn’t around to suggest that it’s a symptom of menopause.
“You’re falling in love with me, aren’t you?”
Kalinda doesn’t even blink as she says it. Giving out her address is a Herculean task for her in terms of intimacy, but accusing someone of being in love appears to be second nature. Alicia would be commenting dryly on how au fait Kalinda is with saying that, if Alicia weren’t currently having something that feels like either a panic attack or a stroke.
Because in that moment, Alicia understands the knowing looks and loaded questions over these past few months. She has an excuse for her blushing, her fumbling, her awkwardness. She knows why it’s been so easy to forgive Kalinda for Peter (when she can’t forgive him; won’t forgive him).
She opens her mouth to deny it-to formulate the counterargument that her lawyer’s brain is already fumbling for-and finds that no such words will come out.
“I-“
“Ssh,” Kalinda interrupts. “Just…don’t talk about it. Or analyze it. I just thought you should know: that I know.”
Alicia can’t look at Kalinda now, not even as a reflection. She’s sure she looks like an idiot, staring at the remaining drops of water in the sink as though they hold the answer to all of life’s mysteries.
“Kalinda,” Alicia begins, screwing up just enough courage to turn around and face her friend. Kalinda anticipates the move, stepping closer with two swift clicks of the heels on her ever-present boots. “Kalinda-“
But Kalinda doesn’t want her to talk. Kalinda’s making that really, really clear.
Kalinda is kissing her, and Alicia really doesn’t mind.
And right there, Alicia knows what everyone else seems to. Thank God Kalinda was smart enough to point it out.
Fandom: The Good Wife
Pairing: Alicia/Kalinda
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They are not mine! Duh. Also, I am making no profit and will put them back just as I found them.
Spoilers: through 2x23
Summary: written for the prompt "Five people who knew before Alicia".
1.
Well, of course Owen knows first.
He calls her out on it over tequila that never used to be a feature of her house. Every time he pulls the bottle out, he asks who got her to switch to the hard stuff. When Alicia deflects, or stubbornly refuses to tell, Owen latches on like some scandal-searching bloodhound. He was clearly a tabloid journalist in another life.
Kalinda drops off some files, bringing with her one of their awkward little silences. When she leaves, Alicia closes the door behind her and hears Owen's suspicious little 'hmm'.
She ignores it.
2.
They're in some dive bar trying to track down a potential witness, and Alicia is so worried that something sticky will end up on her brand new Jimmy Choos (an indulgence; a divorce present) that she almost misses the bartender's comment.
He's serving Kalinda a whisky sour and checking them both out with a leer as he asks what her 'girlfriend' is drinking.
Alicia blushes, stammers, and asks for a Diet Coke.
3.
Diane isn't one to make a scene, unless it's in the full-throated defense of a client or cause. Perhaps that's why she tugs gently at Alicia's sleeve as they pass an empty jurors' room in the courthouse.
"Working with Kalinda on this case--it's not going to be a problem?" Diane asks, her face unreadable.
Alicia summons her best poker face and shakes her head.
"Of course not. We've always worked well together."
To her credit, Diane doesn't speak aloud any of the thoughts that flicker in her eyes. Of course she must have heard things, suspected things, because discretion only goes so far. It was a nasty falling out, and it's taking a lot of time to get even close to normal.
"If you say so. It's just--"
"Just what?" Alicia fires back, and it strikes her how confident she sounds challenging her boss. (She's come a long way, baby).
"Have you seen the way she looks at you?" Diane asks, and there's a friendly smile to go with it. She departs then, in her tide of lightly spiced perfume and tastefully loud jewelry, leaving Alicia to wonder just exactly what Diane is implying.
She has a case to argue, though, and so she carries on with her day.
4.
Will is always a problem for her, even if Alicia usually means that in the best possible way. They've had their share of awkward conversations over the years: going their separate ways after Georgetown, her asking for a job and one hell of a favor, not to mention questions about voicemails. All of those pale in comparison to the moment when Will catches Alicia staring across his office at Kalinda.
Kalinda's outside, chatting to some paralegal in that disaffected way of hers. Alicia's wondering if this is another one of Kalinda's conquests, or whether the woman just wants to be with her flirty body language and no concept of personal space. It's only when Alicia realizes she hasn't heard a word Will just said that she thinks to look back at him.
He seems confused for a moment. In court or at the negotiating table he rarely lets his feelings show, but he's always had this weak spot around Alicia. She's fumbling for a good excuse, when she should probably shrug it off, and Will comes to some kind of decision in that moment.
"You know I only want you to be happy, don't you?" He asks the question with a whole lot of sincerity, and Alicia's touched by that. They agreed months ago that one night didn't bear talking about, that it wasn't worth rearranging their lives for right now. Somewhere along the line, Alicia stopped wanting more.
"I do know that. I want the same for you," Alicia replies, cautious as she waits for the other shoe to drop.
"Then go for it," he says, with a nod towards the now-empty reception area. It's only later that Alicia realizes how much that gesture must have cost him.
5.
Alicia is in the partners’ washroom (though she isn’t a partner, but it was the nearest quiet space) when Kalinda slinks into the room behind her. They watch each other calmly in the huge mirror over the grey marble sinks, the muted lights of the room reflected in their dark eyes. Alicia’s just thinking how nice they look, standing together, when Kalinda decides to speak.
“I can’t believe I didn’t see it until now,” is how she begins, because Kalinda is never direct with words. Louisville Sluggers, on the other hand…
“What didn’t you see?” Alicia asks as she washes her hands again, for something to do. She doesn’t really know why she fled the conference room like that, except for the fact that it was getting really warm in there. It’s almost a shame Jackie isn’t around to suggest that it’s a symptom of menopause.
“You’re falling in love with me, aren’t you?”
Kalinda doesn’t even blink as she says it. Giving out her address is a Herculean task for her in terms of intimacy, but accusing someone of being in love appears to be second nature. Alicia would be commenting dryly on how au fait Kalinda is with saying that, if Alicia weren’t currently having something that feels like either a panic attack or a stroke.
Because in that moment, Alicia understands the knowing looks and loaded questions over these past few months. She has an excuse for her blushing, her fumbling, her awkwardness. She knows why it’s been so easy to forgive Kalinda for Peter (when she can’t forgive him; won’t forgive him).
She opens her mouth to deny it-to formulate the counterargument that her lawyer’s brain is already fumbling for-and finds that no such words will come out.
“I-“
“Ssh,” Kalinda interrupts. “Just…don’t talk about it. Or analyze it. I just thought you should know: that I know.”
Alicia can’t look at Kalinda now, not even as a reflection. She’s sure she looks like an idiot, staring at the remaining drops of water in the sink as though they hold the answer to all of life’s mysteries.
“Kalinda,” Alicia begins, screwing up just enough courage to turn around and face her friend. Kalinda anticipates the move, stepping closer with two swift clicks of the heels on her ever-present boots. “Kalinda-“
But Kalinda doesn’t want her to talk. Kalinda’s making that really, really clear.
Kalinda is kissing her, and Alicia really doesn’t mind.
And right there, Alicia knows what everyone else seems to. Thank God Kalinda was smart enough to point it out.