Playing Hooky: An Ikeaverse Installment
Title: Playing Hooky: An Ikeaverse Installment
Rating: T
Word Count: ~1250
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Laura's having a difficult anniversary and Bill strives to give her exactly what she needs. Meanwhile, Kara worries (although she won't admit it) about her favorite teacher...
A/N: This is part of an open 'verse that begins with "Normaling."
A/N2: For afrakaday just because.
Bill rolled over and kissed Laura’s shoulder. She moaned and leaned back against him, still asleep. He started to pull away so he could get up, but she leaned back further. “Don’t go. Not yet,” she said in that sleepy voice of hers.
“You should get up too, honey. School’s starting soon.”
She moaned. “Don’t wanna.”
He smiled. They’d had a late night, and Laura Roslin definitely wasn’t a morning person, especially when she’s tired. “You don’t want to miss Starbuck. Or Billy.”
Her devotion to her students, especially those two, would get her up, for sure. “I just don’t want to face them. Any of them.”
“Why, honey?”
She gave a noncommittal sound. Something between a hum and a moan. “It’s not a good day.”
He felt her forehead. Her temperature was normal. “You’re...you’re not sick are you?”
“No, I’m fine. It’s...the anniversary.”
Oh. He gave up on his quest to rouse her from the bed. He wasn’t sure which ‘anniversary’ it was--there were at least two. Maybe he’d get that from her later. In the meantime, he was gonna do exactly what the lady asked and stay there. He pulled her closer against him, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “We’re playing hooky today, Ms. Roslin.”
That time he knew exactly what the sound was. A very satisfied hum. He smiled and let his eyes close again. Playing hooky could be great for both of them.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kara was kicked out of Baltar’s class at exactly 8:15. She asked why his definition of chlorophyll didn’t match the one in the textbook--a totally legitimate question, right? He stuttered through some bull shit answer and pointed to the door. Kara hadn’t bothered unpacking her books in the first place, so she just put her bag on her back and left.
She walked through the corridors to Ms. R’s office and knocked on the door. She’d started knocking when Ms. R. started dating The Old Man--not that she’d ever caught them doing PDA in school. They were much too smart and respectable for that, but she wanted to be respectful, or whatever. Ms. R. was cool about it too. She never brought it up or teased her about it. That wasn’t how they worked. The Old Man’s pretty cool too and really good to Ms. R.
Ms. R. wouldn’t have minded being asked about her definition of a word either. She always said teachers were human and made mistakes like everyone else.
There was no answer in the office. She checked her watch. They’d definitely be there by now. She knocked again. Nothing. She put her ear against the door. There wasn’t a sound. She put her hand on the knob and turned. It was locked.
Where are they? She went to the one place she hated more than Baltar’s class--Vice Principal Zarek’s office.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
He gave her that sneer. The one that said he knew everything she’d done. It was really creepy. “Miss Thrace, what brings you here?”
“Where’s Ms. Roslin?”
He smiled. “Why would you need to know that? She’s not your teacher this year.”
“She...we....She’s my favorite teacher at this stupid school, okay? Is she alright? She never misses school.”
He snorted. “Yes, the infallible Laura Roslin. She’s taking a personal day.” He gestured toward the door. “Why don’t you run along now. If I’m not mistaken, you should be in Dr. Baltar’s class. I’m sure you don’t want to miss his exciting lecture.”
She fought the urge to laugh. Was this guy for real? “Right. Yeah. Great. Thanks.” For nothing.
If Ms. R was taking a personal day, there must be a good reason for it. Kara exited the office and walked to the staircase, exiting the building instead. She pulled out her cellphone and texted Karl. “OK. Checking on Coach.”
He wouldn’t know what that meant, but at least he wouldn’t freak out when he saw she was gone later.
Maybe she and Ms. R’d have a conversation about boundaries. Ms. R’d always been fond of those, but first Kara’d make sure The Old Lady--and The Old Man--were okay.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
They were snuggling on the couch, watching “Downton Abbey.” Laura’d gotten him hooked on it. She didn’t care much for television and neither did he, but she gave the show a shot, and they ended up marathoning it over a weekend. It was the perfect show to watch as they played hooky.
There was a knock on the door. He gently extracted himself from under her, so he could answer it. Quickly. Carson and Hughes were talking. He opened the door and was surprised although he probably shouldn’t have been. “Starbuck? Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
He smiled. “She’s fine, Kara. It’s...not a good day for her.”
She nodded. “But she’s okay? Not sick or anything?”
He shook his head. And stepped back so she could enter. “You can see for yourself.”
Kara ran into the living room, as Bill followed. “Cutting class, Ms. R? That’s so badass.”
“Hmm. I guess it is. And why aren’t you in school, young lady?”
Oh, oh. She never called Kara that. Bill got in position to referee. “I...you...you weren’t there. You’re always there.”
Laura smiled. She wouldn’t say anything for fear of embarrassing Kara, but she was touched. “I’ll be back tomorrow, I promise. In the meantime, Bill and I are gonna drive you back to school.”
“But--”
“No buts. If you miss, they’ll report you and call your mom.”
Kara nodded.
“However, I find I’m in the mood to see a movie. What do you say we take the Colonial Runners to the movies?”
Kara smirked. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll text Karl.”
Laura turned off the tv, threw the blanket off of her, and looked at Bill. “Ready, dear?”
He nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kara rode in the back of the Galactica. It was an old bucket of bolts, but she liked it. It was reliable. Kind of like The Old Man and Ms. R. She texted Karl. “Coach is fine. Tell the boys’ it’s movie night after school.”
She checked her watch. She missed the second class, but maybe Ms. R could pull some strings. She’d make it on time for third period.
Bill pulled up to the curb, and Ms. R got out with Kara. “Laura?” Bill asked.
She smirked. “I’m gonna sign Kara in.”
Kara looked at her. “Thanks, Ms. R.”
The Old Lady smiled. “Just don’t do this again, Kara.”
“I won’t if you don’t.”
Ms. Roslin put out her hand, and Kara shook it. “Deal.”
They walked in together. Ms. Roslin snowed the secretaries with some story, and Kara headed to class, thinking about what movie she wanted to see.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
“You sure you want to reward Kara for skipping school?”
They were sitting on the couch. They returned to the Carson and Hughes scene because that was their favorite.
Laura shook her head. “I’m not rewarding Kara. I’m taking the team out, and she’s part of it. I miss them, Bill.”
“The Colonial Runners or your family?”
She frowned. “Both.”
He pulled her in for a hug. “Then let’s have a great time tonight.”
He wrapped the blanket around them and turned up the volume. The Dowager Countess was talking, and they didn’t want to miss a word.
Next Installment by the lovely afrakaday .
Next Installment
Rating: T
Word Count: ~1250
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Laura's having a difficult anniversary and Bill strives to give her exactly what she needs. Meanwhile, Kara worries (although she won't admit it) about her favorite teacher...
A/N: This is part of an open 'verse that begins with "Normaling."
A/N2: For afrakaday just because.
Bill rolled over and kissed Laura’s shoulder. She moaned and leaned back against him, still asleep. He started to pull away so he could get up, but she leaned back further. “Don’t go. Not yet,” she said in that sleepy voice of hers.
“You should get up too, honey. School’s starting soon.”
She moaned. “Don’t wanna.”
He smiled. They’d had a late night, and Laura Roslin definitely wasn’t a morning person, especially when she’s tired. “You don’t want to miss Starbuck. Or Billy.”
Her devotion to her students, especially those two, would get her up, for sure. “I just don’t want to face them. Any of them.”
“Why, honey?”
She gave a noncommittal sound. Something between a hum and a moan. “It’s not a good day.”
He felt her forehead. Her temperature was normal. “You’re...you’re not sick are you?”
“No, I’m fine. It’s...the anniversary.”
Oh. He gave up on his quest to rouse her from the bed. He wasn’t sure which ‘anniversary’ it was--there were at least two. Maybe he’d get that from her later. In the meantime, he was gonna do exactly what the lady asked and stay there. He pulled her closer against him, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “We’re playing hooky today, Ms. Roslin.”
That time he knew exactly what the sound was. A very satisfied hum. He smiled and let his eyes close again. Playing hooky could be great for both of them.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kara was kicked out of Baltar’s class at exactly 8:15. She asked why his definition of chlorophyll didn’t match the one in the textbook--a totally legitimate question, right? He stuttered through some bull shit answer and pointed to the door. Kara hadn’t bothered unpacking her books in the first place, so she just put her bag on her back and left.
She walked through the corridors to Ms. R’s office and knocked on the door. She’d started knocking when Ms. R. started dating The Old Man--not that she’d ever caught them doing PDA in school. They were much too smart and respectable for that, but she wanted to be respectful, or whatever. Ms. R. was cool about it too. She never brought it up or teased her about it. That wasn’t how they worked. The Old Man’s pretty cool too and really good to Ms. R.
Ms. R. wouldn’t have minded being asked about her definition of a word either. She always said teachers were human and made mistakes like everyone else.
There was no answer in the office. She checked her watch. They’d definitely be there by now. She knocked again. Nothing. She put her ear against the door. There wasn’t a sound. She put her hand on the knob and turned. It was locked.
Where are they? She went to the one place she hated more than Baltar’s class--Vice Principal Zarek’s office.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
He gave her that sneer. The one that said he knew everything she’d done. It was really creepy. “Miss Thrace, what brings you here?”
“Where’s Ms. Roslin?”
He smiled. “Why would you need to know that? She’s not your teacher this year.”
“She...we....She’s my favorite teacher at this stupid school, okay? Is she alright? She never misses school.”
He snorted. “Yes, the infallible Laura Roslin. She’s taking a personal day.” He gestured toward the door. “Why don’t you run along now. If I’m not mistaken, you should be in Dr. Baltar’s class. I’m sure you don’t want to miss his exciting lecture.”
She fought the urge to laugh. Was this guy for real? “Right. Yeah. Great. Thanks.” For nothing.
If Ms. R was taking a personal day, there must be a good reason for it. Kara exited the office and walked to the staircase, exiting the building instead. She pulled out her cellphone and texted Karl. “OK. Checking on Coach.”
He wouldn’t know what that meant, but at least he wouldn’t freak out when he saw she was gone later.
Maybe she and Ms. R’d have a conversation about boundaries. Ms. R’d always been fond of those, but first Kara’d make sure The Old Lady--and The Old Man--were okay.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
They were snuggling on the couch, watching “Downton Abbey.” Laura’d gotten him hooked on it. She didn’t care much for television and neither did he, but she gave the show a shot, and they ended up marathoning it over a weekend. It was the perfect show to watch as they played hooky.
There was a knock on the door. He gently extracted himself from under her, so he could answer it. Quickly. Carson and Hughes were talking. He opened the door and was surprised although he probably shouldn’t have been. “Starbuck? Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
He smiled. “She’s fine, Kara. It’s...not a good day for her.”
She nodded. “But she’s okay? Not sick or anything?”
He shook his head. And stepped back so she could enter. “You can see for yourself.”
Kara ran into the living room, as Bill followed. “Cutting class, Ms. R? That’s so badass.”
“Hmm. I guess it is. And why aren’t you in school, young lady?”
Oh, oh. She never called Kara that. Bill got in position to referee. “I...you...you weren’t there. You’re always there.”
Laura smiled. She wouldn’t say anything for fear of embarrassing Kara, but she was touched. “I’ll be back tomorrow, I promise. In the meantime, Bill and I are gonna drive you back to school.”
“But--”
“No buts. If you miss, they’ll report you and call your mom.”
Kara nodded.
“However, I find I’m in the mood to see a movie. What do you say we take the Colonial Runners to the movies?”
Kara smirked. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll text Karl.”
Laura turned off the tv, threw the blanket off of her, and looked at Bill. “Ready, dear?”
He nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kara rode in the back of the Galactica. It was an old bucket of bolts, but she liked it. It was reliable. Kind of like The Old Man and Ms. R. She texted Karl. “Coach is fine. Tell the boys’ it’s movie night after school.”
She checked her watch. She missed the second class, but maybe Ms. R could pull some strings. She’d make it on time for third period.
Bill pulled up to the curb, and Ms. R got out with Kara. “Laura?” Bill asked.
She smirked. “I’m gonna sign Kara in.”
Kara looked at her. “Thanks, Ms. R.”
The Old Lady smiled. “Just don’t do this again, Kara.”
“I won’t if you don’t.”
Ms. Roslin put out her hand, and Kara shook it. “Deal.”
They walked in together. Ms. Roslin snowed the secretaries with some story, and Kara headed to class, thinking about what movie she wanted to see.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
“You sure you want to reward Kara for skipping school?”
They were sitting on the couch. They returned to the Carson and Hughes scene because that was their favorite.
Laura shook her head. “I’m not rewarding Kara. I’m taking the team out, and she’s part of it. I miss them, Bill.”
“The Colonial Runners or your family?”
She frowned. “Both.”
He pulled her in for a hug. “Then let’s have a great time tonight.”
He wrapped the blanket around them and turned up the volume. The Dowager Countess was talking, and they didn’t want to miss a word.
Next Installment by the lovely afrakaday .
Next Installment