FIC, BSG: Unfinished Business
Disclaimer: All their base aren't belong to I.
Characters: Laura, Bill. Maybe even Laura/Bill, your choice.
Rating: M
Timeframe: Early season 4. No actual spoilers though.
Archive: Want? Take. Tell.
Note:
It's another story that popped up and insisted on being written and posted right away. So, again, no beta or anything fancy like, say, repeated revisions. Early season 4, but no actual spoilers.
Inspired by Trialia's "Held For a Dreamer", so thank you for writing that story!
Unfinished Business
Admiral Adama's steps approaching his cabin were heavy and tired. It had been a long day, as usual. It had also been one of these days that really made him feel his age. All of this was true, but all of this still didn't include his main reason for willing the day to end. End of the day equaled returning to his cabin equaled seeing Laura. Things really had been this easy lately. Well, thinking about things had, but that was better than nothing, wasn't it? Still busy with his thoughts he turned the heavy handle and entered. He wasn't really surprised to find her still sitting at her desk, her attention firmly on some report. So firmly in fact, that she hadn't even noticed him, quite a feat given his door was anything but silent.
"Laura." he said in a way that made it a greeting.
With a jerk she looked up, gave him a smile and went back to her work. Not even five seconds, but they were enough to have him know something was wrong. That had been the President smile, the one she could pull out pretty much any time. He had seen it often enough, though it had been quite a while since it had last been directed at him. They were way past putting up facades like this - if she didn't feel like smiling, she just didn't. He pulled up a chair next to her, not too close and not too far either. She was still looking firmly at the piece of paper she held. The piece of paper she held upside down.
"Are you okay?"
Her head turned in the same unnatural, jerky way it had before. That same fake smile was pulled out again, not even fast enough to conceal the transition. "Sure! I'm fine." Back to the paper for a very few seconds, back towards him. "Really." And paper again. Just who did she think she was kidding? That show wouldn't even convince any reasonably bright five year old.
"Laura, don't do this. You're flushed. You're not coming down with a fever, are you?"
This time she didn't even look up.
"I'm not."
"Laura!"
Despite being worried sick he felt his anger starting to rise. It had taken them long enough to come to this point, he was not going to go down that bumpy road again. The change in his voice, slight as it had been, had obviously been enough to cut through her shell. She dropped the paper with a resigned sigh and turned to really look at him. Stare at him, in fact.
"Trust me, Bill. You do not wanna know."
Inspite of the rejection he felt relief flooding through him. Laura face was back. They were talking. He savored sight the for a moment. Huh. Laura lips were kinda twitching a little. Upwards. And her eyes.... that frakking woman was fighting laughter! The worries leaving him were instantly replaced by determination. Two could play that game. He settled back comfortably, careful not to break eye contact. "Try me!" And just like that, the twitch was gone. Gotcha, Roslin! Time to up the ante: "Come on now, I dare you!" Woah, hello there, 'don't mess with me' face.
"You're daring the President? Risky move, Admiral."
Oh no, Laura, I'm not gonna let you off the hook that easily. "I'll take my chances, Madam President."
Staring. The time-honored game of Chicken was about to climax and he sure as hell wasn't going to budge. Finally, she dropped her gaze. Set, game and match, Adama!
She looked up again and one look at her eyes was enough to wipe his smug smile from his face. This wasn't 'don't mess with me' face anymore, sure enough. This was 'I told you not to mess with me' face. Frak! Not giving him another chance to pull out she started:
"Being around you, this closely, this often, certainly has its effects on my ... body chemistry. I was just busy relieving those."
Gulp. Set, game and match, Roslin, I humbly admit defeat.
She was leaning forward now, closing the distance between them until her face was just inches from his. Then: "You'll have to excuse me now, Admiral. I've never been a friend of unfinished business."
He saw her get up, felt her walk past him with decisive steps, heard the door to his cabin's head open and close again. And he still hadn't moved a single muscle when her barely muffled laughter reached his ears.
Characters: Laura, Bill. Maybe even Laura/Bill, your choice.
Rating: M
Timeframe: Early season 4. No actual spoilers though.
Archive: Want? Take. Tell.
Note:
It's another story that popped up and insisted on being written and posted right away. So, again, no beta or anything fancy like, say, repeated revisions. Early season 4, but no actual spoilers.
Inspired by Trialia's "Held For a Dreamer", so thank you for writing that story!
Unfinished Business
Admiral Adama's steps approaching his cabin were heavy and tired. It had been a long day, as usual. It had also been one of these days that really made him feel his age. All of this was true, but all of this still didn't include his main reason for willing the day to end. End of the day equaled returning to his cabin equaled seeing Laura. Things really had been this easy lately. Well, thinking about things had, but that was better than nothing, wasn't it? Still busy with his thoughts he turned the heavy handle and entered. He wasn't really surprised to find her still sitting at her desk, her attention firmly on some report. So firmly in fact, that she hadn't even noticed him, quite a feat given his door was anything but silent.
"Laura." he said in a way that made it a greeting.
With a jerk she looked up, gave him a smile and went back to her work. Not even five seconds, but they were enough to have him know something was wrong. That had been the President smile, the one she could pull out pretty much any time. He had seen it often enough, though it had been quite a while since it had last been directed at him. They were way past putting up facades like this - if she didn't feel like smiling, she just didn't. He pulled up a chair next to her, not too close and not too far either. She was still looking firmly at the piece of paper she held. The piece of paper she held upside down.
"Are you okay?"
Her head turned in the same unnatural, jerky way it had before. That same fake smile was pulled out again, not even fast enough to conceal the transition. "Sure! I'm fine." Back to the paper for a very few seconds, back towards him. "Really." And paper again. Just who did she think she was kidding? That show wouldn't even convince any reasonably bright five year old.
"Laura, don't do this. You're flushed. You're not coming down with a fever, are you?"
This time she didn't even look up.
"I'm not."
"Laura!"
Despite being worried sick he felt his anger starting to rise. It had taken them long enough to come to this point, he was not going to go down that bumpy road again. The change in his voice, slight as it had been, had obviously been enough to cut through her shell. She dropped the paper with a resigned sigh and turned to really look at him. Stare at him, in fact.
"Trust me, Bill. You do not wanna know."
Inspite of the rejection he felt relief flooding through him. Laura face was back. They were talking. He savored sight the for a moment. Huh. Laura lips were kinda twitching a little. Upwards. And her eyes.... that frakking woman was fighting laughter! The worries leaving him were instantly replaced by determination. Two could play that game. He settled back comfortably, careful not to break eye contact. "Try me!" And just like that, the twitch was gone. Gotcha, Roslin! Time to up the ante: "Come on now, I dare you!" Woah, hello there, 'don't mess with me' face.
"You're daring the President? Risky move, Admiral."
Oh no, Laura, I'm not gonna let you off the hook that easily. "I'll take my chances, Madam President."
Staring. The time-honored game of Chicken was about to climax and he sure as hell wasn't going to budge. Finally, she dropped her gaze. Set, game and match, Adama!
She looked up again and one look at her eyes was enough to wipe his smug smile from his face. This wasn't 'don't mess with me' face anymore, sure enough. This was 'I told you not to mess with me' face. Frak! Not giving him another chance to pull out she started:
"Being around you, this closely, this often, certainly has its effects on my ... body chemistry. I was just busy relieving those."
Gulp. Set, game and match, Roslin, I humbly admit defeat.
She was leaning forward now, closing the distance between them until her face was just inches from his. Then: "You'll have to excuse me now, Admiral. I've never been a friend of unfinished business."
He saw her get up, felt her walk past him with decisive steps, heard the door to his cabin's head open and close again. And he still hadn't moved a single muscle when her barely muffled laughter reached his ears.