Negotiations: An Ikeaverse Honeymoon Installment
Title: Negotiations
Rating: T
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Just how well do the Adamas get along riding in a car all day?
A/N: Written for the lovely afrakaday for her birthday.
A/N2: Much thanks to lanalucy for the beta and brainstorming. *hugs*
A/N3: First installment (of this arc) is here.
It wasn’t long before they made their first negotiation - the radio. On a typical day, they either drove separately, or if they did carpool, they used the relatively short ride as a time to give each other the pep talks they needed to get through their day. And on the way home, they used the time to regroup, informing each other of their progress. And if there were other passengers with them, they either interacted with or listened to them, especially when the Colonial Runners were in the back seat. For those reasons, the radio had never been an issue before.
But this ride wasn’t a short trip to school or the diner - or even Ikea. It was a long ride, across the country, and as good as they were at communicating and enjoying one another’s company, even they had started running out of things to say a half hour after leaving the diner. And the silence, while it wasn’t awkward, grated on Laura’s nerves.
She reached for the radio dial - at the same time as Bill.
They laughed at that. They really were more similar than different, and even after spending so much time together, they were still discovering little quirks about each other.
He moved his hand away from the dial. She thanked him for his consideration, and she turned to the classical music station. “Is this okay for you?”
He nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
Only it wasn’t. There was that...concession in his voice. “I’m asking you, Bill. What would you like to hear?”
“I gave you the con. It’s your pick.”
He missed the point entirely. “I appreciate that, but that’s not what I asked.”
“Fine. I like listening to the news. Classical is fine too.” He shrugged. “I also like oldies sometimes because it reminds me of my youth. Growing up, you know?”
She wondered about his definition of ‘oldies.’ Which decades that entailed, hoping to God that didn’t include the fifties because as far as she was concerned, with the exception of classical, music didn’t begin until the sixties. “Okay, then we’ll take turns.” She grinned. “We’ll probably lose signal frequently anyway.”
“And we can always pick up one of those audio books. I wouldn’t mind hearing some Agatha Christie or something.”
She hmmed her agreement. Then she rested her head against the seatback, letting Mozart wash over her.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
The miles were clicking by, and they were nearly out of New York. Almost at the hotel. When they lost the classical station’s signal, Laura relinquished control of the radio, and he found the news.
Nothing much was happening. The politicians were having another standoff. Laura shook her head as she heard it. “You know, I would take a top down approach to the whole system if I had power.”
“I think we’d be much better off under your leadership, honey.”
“I guess it’s easy to say when I don’t have to deal with it every day.”
“Even so, I’d feel much more confident with you in charge. Of course, that might have an impact on our relationship.”
“I don’t know, Bill, I think you’d make a fine First Gentleman.”
He chuckled. “We’d make a splash in Washington for sure, but I doubt I’d interview well.”
She laughed. “Can you imagine? Those poor reporters wouldn’t know what to make of you.”
They laughed until it hurt, and then Laura reached for his hand. She squeezed it once before letting go.
Bill glanced at the rearview mirror. Traffic was light. He flipped on the headlights. They were making good time. “Getting hungry?”
As if in response, her stomach growled. She giggled. “I guess so, yes.”
“We’re almost at the hotel. Do you wanna eat there? I understand it has a nice restaurant and room service.”
She nodded. “I can wait.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I would like the space to move around in the room. The privacy too.”
He nodded slightly, careful to keep his eyes on the road. “I pushed it a bit hard today.”
She snorted. “I did taunt you, though.”
“Well, we’ll make more stops, walk around. See things.”
She hmmed her approval. Then a story - another school shooting - caught their attention.
She covered her mouth with her hand, as she sighed in horror. Stories like that...hit close to home for both of them.
Bill refocused on the road. He remembered reading the entrance was tricky because the sign was covered by an overgrown bush. He needed to keep his eyes peeled.
He noticed the entrance just in time to hit the turn signal and ease into the parking lot. He found a spot in the back, pulled in, and put the car in park.
He glanced at his wife. She was still...subdued. “Ready?” he asked.
She nodded.
They exited the car and went to the back hatch. They grabbed their overnight bags and some snacks for the room. He locked the Galactica, and they headed inside to check in.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Bill was tipping the concierge as Laura walked farther into the suite. She put her overnight bag in the closet by the door. The room was...perfect.
The walls were wood - the same shade of pine as their cabin. The bed was off-white and looked very cozy. She sat on the edge. It was...just like home.
“Did I do okay?” Bill asked.
He was standing by the closet, taking in the room. She got off the bed and went into his arms. “Yeah, you did great, Bill.” She kissed him. “It’s perfect.”
“They had a nice website. Showed me the rooms, but it didn’t do this justice--”
She gasped, mockingly. “You went online?”
He pursed his lips in that Adama Pout of his. “I was taking your advice.”
“Don’t pout, honey. It’s not becoming on you.” Not true.
“I don’t pout.”
“Yes, you do. Maybe you don’t know it.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you say, honey.” She smacked his arm, and he chuckled. “Ready to eat?”
“Yes, sir.”
Next Installment
Rating: T
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Just how well do the Adamas get along riding in a car all day?
A/N: Written for the lovely afrakaday for her birthday.
A/N2: Much thanks to lanalucy for the beta and brainstorming. *hugs*
A/N3: First installment (of this arc) is here.
It wasn’t long before they made their first negotiation - the radio. On a typical day, they either drove separately, or if they did carpool, they used the relatively short ride as a time to give each other the pep talks they needed to get through their day. And on the way home, they used the time to regroup, informing each other of their progress. And if there were other passengers with them, they either interacted with or listened to them, especially when the Colonial Runners were in the back seat. For those reasons, the radio had never been an issue before.
But this ride wasn’t a short trip to school or the diner - or even Ikea. It was a long ride, across the country, and as good as they were at communicating and enjoying one another’s company, even they had started running out of things to say a half hour after leaving the diner. And the silence, while it wasn’t awkward, grated on Laura’s nerves.
She reached for the radio dial - at the same time as Bill.
They laughed at that. They really were more similar than different, and even after spending so much time together, they were still discovering little quirks about each other.
He moved his hand away from the dial. She thanked him for his consideration, and she turned to the classical music station. “Is this okay for you?”
He nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
Only it wasn’t. There was that...concession in his voice. “I’m asking you, Bill. What would you like to hear?”
“I gave you the con. It’s your pick.”
He missed the point entirely. “I appreciate that, but that’s not what I asked.”
“Fine. I like listening to the news. Classical is fine too.” He shrugged. “I also like oldies sometimes because it reminds me of my youth. Growing up, you know?”
She wondered about his definition of ‘oldies.’ Which decades that entailed, hoping to God that didn’t include the fifties because as far as she was concerned, with the exception of classical, music didn’t begin until the sixties. “Okay, then we’ll take turns.” She grinned. “We’ll probably lose signal frequently anyway.”
“And we can always pick up one of those audio books. I wouldn’t mind hearing some Agatha Christie or something.”
She hmmed her agreement. Then she rested her head against the seatback, letting Mozart wash over her.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
The miles were clicking by, and they were nearly out of New York. Almost at the hotel. When they lost the classical station’s signal, Laura relinquished control of the radio, and he found the news.
Nothing much was happening. The politicians were having another standoff. Laura shook her head as she heard it. “You know, I would take a top down approach to the whole system if I had power.”
“I think we’d be much better off under your leadership, honey.”
“I guess it’s easy to say when I don’t have to deal with it every day.”
“Even so, I’d feel much more confident with you in charge. Of course, that might have an impact on our relationship.”
“I don’t know, Bill, I think you’d make a fine First Gentleman.”
He chuckled. “We’d make a splash in Washington for sure, but I doubt I’d interview well.”
She laughed. “Can you imagine? Those poor reporters wouldn’t know what to make of you.”
They laughed until it hurt, and then Laura reached for his hand. She squeezed it once before letting go.
Bill glanced at the rearview mirror. Traffic was light. He flipped on the headlights. They were making good time. “Getting hungry?”
As if in response, her stomach growled. She giggled. “I guess so, yes.”
“We’re almost at the hotel. Do you wanna eat there? I understand it has a nice restaurant and room service.”
She nodded. “I can wait.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I would like the space to move around in the room. The privacy too.”
He nodded slightly, careful to keep his eyes on the road. “I pushed it a bit hard today.”
She snorted. “I did taunt you, though.”
“Well, we’ll make more stops, walk around. See things.”
She hmmed her approval. Then a story - another school shooting - caught their attention.
She covered her mouth with her hand, as she sighed in horror. Stories like that...hit close to home for both of them.
Bill refocused on the road. He remembered reading the entrance was tricky because the sign was covered by an overgrown bush. He needed to keep his eyes peeled.
He noticed the entrance just in time to hit the turn signal and ease into the parking lot. He found a spot in the back, pulled in, and put the car in park.
He glanced at his wife. She was still...subdued. “Ready?” he asked.
She nodded.
They exited the car and went to the back hatch. They grabbed their overnight bags and some snacks for the room. He locked the Galactica, and they headed inside to check in.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Bill was tipping the concierge as Laura walked farther into the suite. She put her overnight bag in the closet by the door. The room was...perfect.
The walls were wood - the same shade of pine as their cabin. The bed was off-white and looked very cozy. She sat on the edge. It was...just like home.
“Did I do okay?” Bill asked.
He was standing by the closet, taking in the room. She got off the bed and went into his arms. “Yeah, you did great, Bill.” She kissed him. “It’s perfect.”
“They had a nice website. Showed me the rooms, but it didn’t do this justice--”
She gasped, mockingly. “You went online?”
He pursed his lips in that Adama Pout of his. “I was taking your advice.”
“Don’t pout, honey. It’s not becoming on you.” Not true.
“I don’t pout.”
“Yes, you do. Maybe you don’t know it.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you say, honey.” She smacked his arm, and he chuckled. “Ready to eat?”
“Yes, sir.”
Next Installment