Kav_100: Reasons of the Heart (047: Heart)
Title: Reasons of the Heart
Words: ~1578
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Timeline: Early Season 2 of SG-1. Set a few weeks before Details in the Fabric
Prompt: #047: Heart
Brooks wasn't sure how she managed to fall in love with him. For the three months that she'd worked with him before he’d been transferred to another department, he'd constantly proven to be callous and rude towards others, including those who held power over whether or not he continued to work at the SGC. So how had he managed to dig a niche into her heart? She didn't usually go for guys like that; especially guys with ponytails and bad attitudes.
Somehow, though, he'd gotten past her defenses and integrated himself into her daily routines. She would see him at lunch or in the hallways, and when he caught sight of her, he would nod or give some indication that he recognized her. It was odd, she was sure, since he didn't seem to do that with anyone else. Of course, thinking about this at a time when she was trapped off-world in a small cell with him and with two other people nearby probably wasn't the best idea.
She and Kavanagh were tied back-to-back, as were Rosland and Brauer. They had been on a scientific mission to P3V-294 where the locals had some intriguing devices that the contact team had thought might be of Ancient design. Almost as soon as they had stepped through the 'Gate, the four scientists and SG-19 had been captured by a large group of men dressed in masks and cloaks. The Marines of SG-19 had attempted to fight back, but the sheer numbers of the group attacking them had overwhelmed them. Brooks hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Marines since then.
Rosland and Brauer were sitting in a cell across from Brooks and Kavanagh; Brauer was sleeping with her head slumped against her chest, and Rosland was idly trying to untie himself. He wasn't making much progress with the knots that Brooks could see, but given the fact that her sightline was limited by position she was in, she couldn’t see how far he had gotten. Brooks could feel Peter- Kavanagh, She corrected herself- breathing lightly, and tried to keep as professional as she could when she could feel his body heat against her back. It was oddly comforting, knowing that he was there, but Brooks tried to shove that thought into the dark corner of her mind where she kept all the others she deemed too unprofessional about her co-workers.
Besides, she thought with a slight sigh, I doubt he’d be interested in dating me. He’s never seemed the least bit interested, save for when I’ve done something clever. When he smiles like that- She sighed and shook her head, rousing Kavanagh from a light slumber.
‘Hnuh? You okay, Doctor Rice?’
Damn. She hadn’t meant to wake him, and she really didn’t want him to know she had been thinking about him.
‘I’m fine, Peter.’ She replied, forcing a smile into her voice. ‘And I’ve told you before, you can call me Brooks.’
Kavanagh shifted, and Brooks could feel his hair brush her shoulders. ‘I- Um, sorry. I’m kind of nervous, what with being tied up and all.’ He said. ‘This is one of my first times off-world, you know.’
‘Same here.’ Brooks gave a short laugh. ‘This wasn’t how I pictured it.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Kavanagh muttered, shaking his head. ‘I was kind of hoping to avoid this sort of situation.’ He sighed, and then continued on. ‘If you want to try to go to sleep, I’ll keep watch.’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ Brooks said, smiling slightly. ‘I might take you up on that.’ She tried to relax, focusing on the soft sounds of Kavanagh’s breathing. It was soothing, as was the warmth coming from her fellow scientist. Sleep slowly took hold and she rested her head awkwardly against his shoulder, feeling somehow safe even though their situation was exactly the opposite.
Nate felt Brooks’ body relax, and gave a gentle sigh of relief. She’d been up for over thirty-six hours, the length of time they’d been on the planet, as well as at the SGC. They’d left Earth at 0700 MST and had arrived at around 1400 local time. Judging by the small sliver of moonlight he could see through a high window, it was some time after sunset on the third day they’d been on the planet. He’d managed to cat-nap a bit, but had been woken by her movements. Now that she was asleep, he found that he could relax a bit. Brooks’ breathing was even and regular, and somehow reassuring. It meant that she trusted him enough to fall asleep near him- something none of his girlfriends had ever done, even if all they had been doing was sitting on the couch and watching a movie.
Trust. He thought about that for a moment, a frown forming when the thought hit him that while Brooks trusted him, he hadn’t been so free with his own trust. Hell, he hadn’t even told her his real name, preferring to let her continue to think that Peter was his true first name. He wasn’t sure why; Brooks was one of the few people he’d come to actually respect and think of as a friend since the time he’d arrived at the SGC. They had similar tastes in books and music- though he still couldn’t figure out her odd likings for trashy romance novels and bouncy Japanese pop bands- and they were both part of the small chapter of the SCA within the SGC called the Stronghold of Astria Porta, giving them yet another thing to talk about. It was good, but Nate still winced inwardly whenever he heard her call him Peter. It wasn’t right, and he decided right then that, if and when they ever got out of the cell, he’d tell her his real name. She deserved the truth.
‘Brooks, wait up!’
Brooks turned to see Kavanagh coming towards her, his ponytail bouncing slightly as he hurried along the hallway. It’d been four days since their return from P3V-294, and she’d barely seen him since. She paused outside of her lab, readjusting the box she was carrying so that it rested on her left hip. Kavanagh came to a halt, a half-smile quirking his mouth.
‘Can I help you, Peter?’ she asked, and noticed that he flinched slightly at the name.
‘Actually, I came to talk to you about something.’ He said, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Could we step inside?’
‘Sure.’ Brooks led the way into the lab, setting the box down on a nearby counter. She took a seat in her rolling chair and looked up at him. ‘Take a seat, Peter. You look like you’re about to fall over.’
Kavanagh sat down, running a hand over his hair before talking. ‘Okay. Um, I may have not been totally truthful with you when we first met.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah. So, you know how I told you my name is Peter?’
‘Yes…’ Brooks drew out the single syllable of the word, leaning back in her chair. She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so.
‘I lied. Um, it’s actually Nate. Well, my full name’s Nathaniel, but I prefer Nate.’
He waited for her to say something, biting his lip nervously. Brooks regarded him coolly, her expression inscrutable. Nate twisted the hem of his shirt in his hands, and then got up. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have- I’ve got to go.’ He turned to leave, and made it to the door before Brooks said something.
‘Why?’
He paused, one hand coming to rest on the doorjamb. ‘It’s what the SGC recorded. Peter is my middle name.’ Nate ran a hand over his face and then turned around, leaning against the doorjamb. ‘There was a snafu with the paperwork, and they switched my first and middle names around.’
‘And you didn’t tell me your real name because-?’
‘I- well, I don’t know, really. I guess I didn’t know what to say. I usually only tell people my actual name if I trust them.’
‘And you trust me now?’ Brooks leaned forwards, a slight smile on her face.
‘Well, after P3V-294, you showed that you could trust me, and I thought that it was high time I told you the truth.’ Nate told her.
‘I showed that I could trust you? How do you mean?’ Brooks looked confused. ‘I don’t remember anything happening.’
Nate smiled, ducking his head briefly before looking up at her. ‘You fell asleep. You trusted me enough to let your defenses down around me. Not many people have done that.’
‘Ah.’ Brooks’ cheeks were tinged with pink as she blushed slightly. ‘I was too tired to stay awake.’
‘I figured.’
Brooks glanced at a notepad laying nearby on the counter before turning her gaze back to Nate. ‘Thank you for telling me.’
‘You’re welcome. I actually feel better for telling you.’ Nate said, a relieved expression crossing his face.
‘I’m glad. Now get back to work, you idiotic man.’ These last words weren’t delivered with any true venom, but Nate nodded anyways. He left the robotics lab, a slight smile on his face and a small spring in his step. God, he felt so much better.
Brooks watched him go, a fond smile on her face. She hadn’t realized that falling asleep in a dank, cold cell off-world would’ve brought her closer to Nate, but it had. Odd, that. The world certainly worked in odd ways.
Words: ~1578
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Timeline: Early Season 2 of SG-1. Set a few weeks before Details in the Fabric
Prompt: #047: Heart
Brooks wasn't sure how she managed to fall in love with him. For the three months that she'd worked with him before he’d been transferred to another department, he'd constantly proven to be callous and rude towards others, including those who held power over whether or not he continued to work at the SGC. So how had he managed to dig a niche into her heart? She didn't usually go for guys like that; especially guys with ponytails and bad attitudes.
Somehow, though, he'd gotten past her defenses and integrated himself into her daily routines. She would see him at lunch or in the hallways, and when he caught sight of her, he would nod or give some indication that he recognized her. It was odd, she was sure, since he didn't seem to do that with anyone else. Of course, thinking about this at a time when she was trapped off-world in a small cell with him and with two other people nearby probably wasn't the best idea.
She and Kavanagh were tied back-to-back, as were Rosland and Brauer. They had been on a scientific mission to P3V-294 where the locals had some intriguing devices that the contact team had thought might be of Ancient design. Almost as soon as they had stepped through the 'Gate, the four scientists and SG-19 had been captured by a large group of men dressed in masks and cloaks. The Marines of SG-19 had attempted to fight back, but the sheer numbers of the group attacking them had overwhelmed them. Brooks hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Marines since then.
Rosland and Brauer were sitting in a cell across from Brooks and Kavanagh; Brauer was sleeping with her head slumped against her chest, and Rosland was idly trying to untie himself. He wasn't making much progress with the knots that Brooks could see, but given the fact that her sightline was limited by position she was in, she couldn’t see how far he had gotten. Brooks could feel Peter- Kavanagh, She corrected herself- breathing lightly, and tried to keep as professional as she could when she could feel his body heat against her back. It was oddly comforting, knowing that he was there, but Brooks tried to shove that thought into the dark corner of her mind where she kept all the others she deemed too unprofessional about her co-workers.
Besides, she thought with a slight sigh, I doubt he’d be interested in dating me. He’s never seemed the least bit interested, save for when I’ve done something clever. When he smiles like that- She sighed and shook her head, rousing Kavanagh from a light slumber.
‘Hnuh? You okay, Doctor Rice?’
Damn. She hadn’t meant to wake him, and she really didn’t want him to know she had been thinking about him.
‘I’m fine, Peter.’ She replied, forcing a smile into her voice. ‘And I’ve told you before, you can call me Brooks.’
Kavanagh shifted, and Brooks could feel his hair brush her shoulders. ‘I- Um, sorry. I’m kind of nervous, what with being tied up and all.’ He said. ‘This is one of my first times off-world, you know.’
‘Same here.’ Brooks gave a short laugh. ‘This wasn’t how I pictured it.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Kavanagh muttered, shaking his head. ‘I was kind of hoping to avoid this sort of situation.’ He sighed, and then continued on. ‘If you want to try to go to sleep, I’ll keep watch.’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ Brooks said, smiling slightly. ‘I might take you up on that.’ She tried to relax, focusing on the soft sounds of Kavanagh’s breathing. It was soothing, as was the warmth coming from her fellow scientist. Sleep slowly took hold and she rested her head awkwardly against his shoulder, feeling somehow safe even though their situation was exactly the opposite.
Nate felt Brooks’ body relax, and gave a gentle sigh of relief. She’d been up for over thirty-six hours, the length of time they’d been on the planet, as well as at the SGC. They’d left Earth at 0700 MST and had arrived at around 1400 local time. Judging by the small sliver of moonlight he could see through a high window, it was some time after sunset on the third day they’d been on the planet. He’d managed to cat-nap a bit, but had been woken by her movements. Now that she was asleep, he found that he could relax a bit. Brooks’ breathing was even and regular, and somehow reassuring. It meant that she trusted him enough to fall asleep near him- something none of his girlfriends had ever done, even if all they had been doing was sitting on the couch and watching a movie.
Trust. He thought about that for a moment, a frown forming when the thought hit him that while Brooks trusted him, he hadn’t been so free with his own trust. Hell, he hadn’t even told her his real name, preferring to let her continue to think that Peter was his true first name. He wasn’t sure why; Brooks was one of the few people he’d come to actually respect and think of as a friend since the time he’d arrived at the SGC. They had similar tastes in books and music- though he still couldn’t figure out her odd likings for trashy romance novels and bouncy Japanese pop bands- and they were both part of the small chapter of the SCA within the SGC called the Stronghold of Astria Porta, giving them yet another thing to talk about. It was good, but Nate still winced inwardly whenever he heard her call him Peter. It wasn’t right, and he decided right then that, if and when they ever got out of the cell, he’d tell her his real name. She deserved the truth.
‘Brooks, wait up!’
Brooks turned to see Kavanagh coming towards her, his ponytail bouncing slightly as he hurried along the hallway. It’d been four days since their return from P3V-294, and she’d barely seen him since. She paused outside of her lab, readjusting the box she was carrying so that it rested on her left hip. Kavanagh came to a halt, a half-smile quirking his mouth.
‘Can I help you, Peter?’ she asked, and noticed that he flinched slightly at the name.
‘Actually, I came to talk to you about something.’ He said, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Could we step inside?’
‘Sure.’ Brooks led the way into the lab, setting the box down on a nearby counter. She took a seat in her rolling chair and looked up at him. ‘Take a seat, Peter. You look like you’re about to fall over.’
Kavanagh sat down, running a hand over his hair before talking. ‘Okay. Um, I may have not been totally truthful with you when we first met.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah. So, you know how I told you my name is Peter?’
‘Yes…’ Brooks drew out the single syllable of the word, leaning back in her chair. She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so.
‘I lied. Um, it’s actually Nate. Well, my full name’s Nathaniel, but I prefer Nate.’
He waited for her to say something, biting his lip nervously. Brooks regarded him coolly, her expression inscrutable. Nate twisted the hem of his shirt in his hands, and then got up. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have- I’ve got to go.’ He turned to leave, and made it to the door before Brooks said something.
‘Why?’
He paused, one hand coming to rest on the doorjamb. ‘It’s what the SGC recorded. Peter is my middle name.’ Nate ran a hand over his face and then turned around, leaning against the doorjamb. ‘There was a snafu with the paperwork, and they switched my first and middle names around.’
‘And you didn’t tell me your real name because-?’
‘I- well, I don’t know, really. I guess I didn’t know what to say. I usually only tell people my actual name if I trust them.’
‘And you trust me now?’ Brooks leaned forwards, a slight smile on her face.
‘Well, after P3V-294, you showed that you could trust me, and I thought that it was high time I told you the truth.’ Nate told her.
‘I showed that I could trust you? How do you mean?’ Brooks looked confused. ‘I don’t remember anything happening.’
Nate smiled, ducking his head briefly before looking up at her. ‘You fell asleep. You trusted me enough to let your defenses down around me. Not many people have done that.’
‘Ah.’ Brooks’ cheeks were tinged with pink as she blushed slightly. ‘I was too tired to stay awake.’
‘I figured.’
Brooks glanced at a notepad laying nearby on the counter before turning her gaze back to Nate. ‘Thank you for telling me.’
‘You’re welcome. I actually feel better for telling you.’ Nate said, a relieved expression crossing his face.
‘I’m glad. Now get back to work, you idiotic man.’ These last words weren’t delivered with any true venom, but Nate nodded anyways. He left the robotics lab, a slight smile on his face and a small spring in his step. God, he felt so much better.
Brooks watched him go, a fond smile on her face. She hadn’t realized that falling asleep in a dank, cold cell off-world would’ve brought her closer to Nate, but it had. Odd, that. The world certainly worked in odd ways.