Ficlet: No Words to Convey
Author: rivlee
Title: No Words To Convey
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Chadara, Duro, Saxa. Chadara/Saxa.
Summary: Chadara’s had a no-good very bad day. Part of the Modern!AU.
Disclaimer: This is all fiction based off the characters as portrayed in the Starz television series Spartacus. No disrespect or harm is meant or intended. Title from Tracy Chapman’s For You.
A/N: Unbeated.
Chadara needed a bath, a stiff drink, and a nap, in whichever order she could get them. Between the general bullshit of annual reviews at work and the construction crew breaking her windshield, she was ready to use her authorized service weapon in many unauthorized ways.
Duro patted her shoulder when he pulled up to her apartment building. “At least you have the weekend off. Plenty of time to rest-up before the family dinner on Sunday.”
The Metzger Family Dinners always turned into miniature disasters and remained the highlight of her Sundays. The only reason the whole family wasn’t banned from all restaurants in the D.C.-Metro area was due to their collective charm and attractiveness. And Nasir’s ability to talk anyone down from threatening lawsuits to offering free desserts.
“Saxa’s still three days out from returning.”
Duro rolled his eyes. “You’re family and are to attend with or without my crazy-ass sister. Besides, Nasir’s stuck in Chicago this weekend so Diona’s going to need the extra support in case we get into a situation.”
Chadara laughed. “I knew all your chaos was pre-planned.”
“No,” Duro said shaking a finger, “not always. Agron did not mean to start that fire at the crab shack. Completely unintentional. It’s their own fault for sitting us in a corner near open flames.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Go, relax, wash away all the paperwork hell that was today. Don’t let the stress keep you up. Don’t worry about your windshield. Camilla’s got it covered and you know the motor pool peeps are scared shitless of her.”
She nodded and squeezed his hand. “You’re not too bad, Duro.”
He grinned. “Best Brother-in-Law Ever?”
“You know Nasir wins that one.”
“It’s because of the hair, right? I tried to make mine all fluffy and shiny like Nasir and Gannicus but Diona said I looked like a poodle and refused to let me back into the house until I got it fixed.”
She tapped his forehead. “Never, ever, ever change Duro.”
The trudge up to her fourth-floor apartment took far too much effort. She just had to live in the historical building because of the architecture. Inside the apartment it was dark, only Milo the tabby’s yellow eyes shining in the lowlight. She dropped her work bags, toed off her shoes, and headed to the kitchen with Milo at her heels.
“A beer for me and a can of tuna for you,” she toasted.
The soothing sound of Milo’s purring as he devoured his treat filled the room as she sorted through the mail. Bills, junk, a shoe catalog for Saxa, and a postcard from Drusa. Apparently she’d made it Germany without getting lost, abducted, or surprised married. It was always something with Drusa but hell, Chadara loved her cousin like no other.
Chadara could feel the weariness in her bones. It’d been a long month, really. This day was just the stereotypical shitastic ending. She curled up on the couch, Milo in her lap, and took a moment to rest. She’d make dinner soon. Then the bath. Maybe another beer. Now, though, rest.
**************
Chadara felt like she was going to sneeze. Something soft was tickling under her nose.
“Milo,” she rasped, “if you bite my nose again there will be words.”
“What if I bite it,” Saxa teased.
Chadara squinted and wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think I needed to know that kink.” She moved to sit up but Saxa waved her off and curled up next to her. “You’re home early.”
They both ignored Milo’s meow of protest and truly insulted march to the kitchen.
“So astute.”
“I am exhausted and you woke up. Do not go there.”
Saxa nuzzled her neck. “Don’t you want to welcome me home?”
“I want to know why you’re home three days early from a training mission.”
Saxa kissed her hair. “God save me from suspicious NCIS agents. The weather wasn’t cooperating. They don’t want us flying in storms if we can avoid it. Mission was scrubbed and we were sent home.”
Chadara leaned into Saxa’s hands that were expertly working out the tension in her shoulders. She couldn’t stop the pleased noise when Saxa got to one of the stubborn knots. She could feel her eyes drooping again.
“I knew it; you’re only with me for my hands and all they do.”
“That is not a false statement.”
Saxa playfully bit right behind Chadara’s ear. It was a favorite spot of hers, easily hidden due to Chadara’s penchant for wearing her hair down at work.
“Duro said your windshield got smashed.”
“Construction workers dropped a massive wrench on it.”
“And it was review time.”
“So far I’m still employed.”
“Good. I fancy being a kept woman.”
“If by kept you mean Hanes multi-pack socks and Pabst Blue Ribbon, then yes, you are a kept woman.”
Saxa slapped her ass. “Come on, you, to bed. You’re beyond crabby right now. You’re approaching Leckie-levels and we can’t have that. I plan on enjoying our reunion once I know you won’t fall asleep in the middle of it and I can’t do that if you plan on sleeping here and throwing your back out.”
“You just want me to throw my back out in much more pleasant ways.”
“I have plans, Chadara, and they will take all of Saturday. And most of Sunday.”
“This is why I love you.”
Saxa winked and scrambled off the couch. She picked Chadara up, both laughing as they stumbled-walked to the bedroom.
This, Chadara knew, was what love felt like. It wasn’t all a big romance. It was being with someone who completely understood that your shitastic day wasn’t going to leave, even with their company, but a good smile and a nice distraction didn’t hurt. It was knowing someone, down to the tiniest nuances of their actions and emotions. It was breathing in the Saxa-scent of sweat, stale air and cigarettes and feeling better about the world. It was home in an over-cluttered fourth-floor walk-up with a spoiled cat named Milo. It was feeling loved, adored, and desired even when she knew she had pillow creases on her face and hair like a troll doll.
She watched Saxa from their bed. She was out in the main room checking all the locks on the doors and windows. She shucked off her clothes as she went, leaving them in a trail around the apartment.
“I really do love you, you know,” she said when Saxa finally came to bed. It was important she knew.
“I know,” she said. She traced the lines of Chadara’s face with her finger. “I also know you’re overtired and completely sentimental right now. I know you love me. You know I love you. I’m stopping before that godforsaken children’s song gets stuck in my head. We’re good, even if necessity dictates our reunion sex gets postponed. I’m just as happy to have you here. Memories like these keep me as warm as the others when I’m out there.”
Chadara wanted to respond to that, she really did, but thoughts weren’t properly forming in her head.
“Go to sleep, babe.”
She drifted off to the feel of Saxa’s hands running through her hair.
It wasn’t until she met Saxa that she’d ever felt this cherished. She had no plans of ever letting her go.
Title: No Words To Convey
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Chadara, Duro, Saxa. Chadara/Saxa.
Summary: Chadara’s had a no-good very bad day. Part of the Modern!AU.
Disclaimer: This is all fiction based off the characters as portrayed in the Starz television series Spartacus. No disrespect or harm is meant or intended. Title from Tracy Chapman’s For You.
A/N: Unbeated.
Chadara needed a bath, a stiff drink, and a nap, in whichever order she could get them. Between the general bullshit of annual reviews at work and the construction crew breaking her windshield, she was ready to use her authorized service weapon in many unauthorized ways.
Duro patted her shoulder when he pulled up to her apartment building. “At least you have the weekend off. Plenty of time to rest-up before the family dinner on Sunday.”
The Metzger Family Dinners always turned into miniature disasters and remained the highlight of her Sundays. The only reason the whole family wasn’t banned from all restaurants in the D.C.-Metro area was due to their collective charm and attractiveness. And Nasir’s ability to talk anyone down from threatening lawsuits to offering free desserts.
“Saxa’s still three days out from returning.”
Duro rolled his eyes. “You’re family and are to attend with or without my crazy-ass sister. Besides, Nasir’s stuck in Chicago this weekend so Diona’s going to need the extra support in case we get into a situation.”
Chadara laughed. “I knew all your chaos was pre-planned.”
“No,” Duro said shaking a finger, “not always. Agron did not mean to start that fire at the crab shack. Completely unintentional. It’s their own fault for sitting us in a corner near open flames.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Go, relax, wash away all the paperwork hell that was today. Don’t let the stress keep you up. Don’t worry about your windshield. Camilla’s got it covered and you know the motor pool peeps are scared shitless of her.”
She nodded and squeezed his hand. “You’re not too bad, Duro.”
He grinned. “Best Brother-in-Law Ever?”
“You know Nasir wins that one.”
“It’s because of the hair, right? I tried to make mine all fluffy and shiny like Nasir and Gannicus but Diona said I looked like a poodle and refused to let me back into the house until I got it fixed.”
She tapped his forehead. “Never, ever, ever change Duro.”
The trudge up to her fourth-floor apartment took far too much effort. She just had to live in the historical building because of the architecture. Inside the apartment it was dark, only Milo the tabby’s yellow eyes shining in the lowlight. She dropped her work bags, toed off her shoes, and headed to the kitchen with Milo at her heels.
“A beer for me and a can of tuna for you,” she toasted.
The soothing sound of Milo’s purring as he devoured his treat filled the room as she sorted through the mail. Bills, junk, a shoe catalog for Saxa, and a postcard from Drusa. Apparently she’d made it Germany without getting lost, abducted, or surprised married. It was always something with Drusa but hell, Chadara loved her cousin like no other.
Chadara could feel the weariness in her bones. It’d been a long month, really. This day was just the stereotypical shitastic ending. She curled up on the couch, Milo in her lap, and took a moment to rest. She’d make dinner soon. Then the bath. Maybe another beer. Now, though, rest.
**************
Chadara felt like she was going to sneeze. Something soft was tickling under her nose.
“Milo,” she rasped, “if you bite my nose again there will be words.”
“What if I bite it,” Saxa teased.
Chadara squinted and wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think I needed to know that kink.” She moved to sit up but Saxa waved her off and curled up next to her. “You’re home early.”
They both ignored Milo’s meow of protest and truly insulted march to the kitchen.
“So astute.”
“I am exhausted and you woke up. Do not go there.”
Saxa nuzzled her neck. “Don’t you want to welcome me home?”
“I want to know why you’re home three days early from a training mission.”
Saxa kissed her hair. “God save me from suspicious NCIS agents. The weather wasn’t cooperating. They don’t want us flying in storms if we can avoid it. Mission was scrubbed and we were sent home.”
Chadara leaned into Saxa’s hands that were expertly working out the tension in her shoulders. She couldn’t stop the pleased noise when Saxa got to one of the stubborn knots. She could feel her eyes drooping again.
“I knew it; you’re only with me for my hands and all they do.”
“That is not a false statement.”
Saxa playfully bit right behind Chadara’s ear. It was a favorite spot of hers, easily hidden due to Chadara’s penchant for wearing her hair down at work.
“Duro said your windshield got smashed.”
“Construction workers dropped a massive wrench on it.”
“And it was review time.”
“So far I’m still employed.”
“Good. I fancy being a kept woman.”
“If by kept you mean Hanes multi-pack socks and Pabst Blue Ribbon, then yes, you are a kept woman.”
Saxa slapped her ass. “Come on, you, to bed. You’re beyond crabby right now. You’re approaching Leckie-levels and we can’t have that. I plan on enjoying our reunion once I know you won’t fall asleep in the middle of it and I can’t do that if you plan on sleeping here and throwing your back out.”
“You just want me to throw my back out in much more pleasant ways.”
“I have plans, Chadara, and they will take all of Saturday. And most of Sunday.”
“This is why I love you.”
Saxa winked and scrambled off the couch. She picked Chadara up, both laughing as they stumbled-walked to the bedroom.
This, Chadara knew, was what love felt like. It wasn’t all a big romance. It was being with someone who completely understood that your shitastic day wasn’t going to leave, even with their company, but a good smile and a nice distraction didn’t hurt. It was knowing someone, down to the tiniest nuances of their actions and emotions. It was breathing in the Saxa-scent of sweat, stale air and cigarettes and feeling better about the world. It was home in an over-cluttered fourth-floor walk-up with a spoiled cat named Milo. It was feeling loved, adored, and desired even when she knew she had pillow creases on her face and hair like a troll doll.
She watched Saxa from their bed. She was out in the main room checking all the locks on the doors and windows. She shucked off her clothes as she went, leaving them in a trail around the apartment.
“I really do love you, you know,” she said when Saxa finally came to bed. It was important she knew.
“I know,” she said. She traced the lines of Chadara’s face with her finger. “I also know you’re overtired and completely sentimental right now. I know you love me. You know I love you. I’m stopping before that godforsaken children’s song gets stuck in my head. We’re good, even if necessity dictates our reunion sex gets postponed. I’m just as happy to have you here. Memories like these keep me as warm as the others when I’m out there.”
Chadara wanted to respond to that, she really did, but thoughts weren’t properly forming in her head.
“Go to sleep, babe.”
She drifted off to the feel of Saxa’s hands running through her hair.
It wasn’t until she met Saxa that she’d ever felt this cherished. She had no plans of ever letting her go.