FIC - Variations on a Theme (B5, Susan/Lyta)
Title: Variations on a Theme
Fandom: Babylon 5
Characters: Susan/Lyta
Rating: R
Word Count: 1000
Spoilers: Goes AU at the beginning of the fifth season.
Author’s Notes: This was written for the Babylon 5 Rare Pairings Ficathon, hosted by the wonderful ruuger. I was writing for dz_crasher.
"I need you here, Ivanova," says John.
"No, you don't. The war is over, and I'm sure Lochley is running the station fine without me."
"Please. Just think about it," he asks before hanging up the phone.
She sighs and thinks of all the reasons she shouldn't go back. The place holds too many bad memories of betrayals and dead friends, but it's the closest thing she has to a home. She had hoped that leaving would solve some of her problems, but the cold vacuum of space has not brought her the peace of mind she was hoping for.
She sighs, and begins to pack her things.
*****
"There are telepaths here, John," she hisses, and he backs away slightly.
"They hate the PsiCorps as much as you do, probably more. You don't have to worry about them," he says in a calming tone of voice, as if he is dealing with a wild animal. It isn't helping her mood much.
She slams a fist into the doorframe as she leaves, and it makes her feel marginally better. She's not going anywhere near brown sector, not even if her life depends on it.
*****
"Hello, Ivanova," says Lyta as she slides into the seat next to Susan at the bar. She seems cheerful and worn down at the same time, just the way that Susan remembers her.
"Hi," says Susan, and she clamps down on the urge to ask why exactly Lyta has chosen to speak to her. Susan doesn't want the company; she just wants a chance to finish her drink in peace.
"So," says Lyta, "I can't help but notice that you've been avoiding brown sector."
"Lots of people avoid brown sector," says Susan. "It's a hell hole."
"That's not what I'm talking about," says Lyta, and Susan knows she should leave now, because she doesn't like where this conversation is heading.
She leans over close, and whispers in her ear, "I know you're like me, Ivanova."
Susan slams her drink down as hard as she can on the bar before she gets up and stalks of. She wants to be alone, but Lyta follows her quickly and grabs her wrist.
"Look, I'm sorry," she says, even though she seems more irritated with Susan's violent reaction than apologetic. Susan doesn't respond, and it takes all of her energy to keep from slapping the other woman.
"It's not like I could help from knowing," says Lyta. "I can feel everyone, now. You're not strong, but it still stands out, and it has for a while. I realized you where touchy about it, but Ivanova, I'm not the PsiCorps."
Susan wrenches her hand out of Lyta's grip and leaves, and this time Lyta doesn't follow.
*****
Susan always makes the same mistakes, over and over again. She is doomed to have relationships with the wrong people at the wrong time. And that's why Susan falls for Lyta - she's beautiful, she's nice enough, and she's completely the wrong person.
But this time, she isn't going to make the mistake of falling in love. This time around Susan wants the sex but she doesn't want the intimacy, which is frustratingly difficult for telepaths. Susan tries so hard to keep her shields up as Lyta runs her tongue over the spot between Susan's breasts, but even though Lyta isn't pushing, she isn't exactly holding back either.
Lyta stops for a moment, and looks up at Susan with her soft, dark eyes.
"You're making this much harder than necessary," she says, and Susan is annoyed by the pity in her voice. "Everything would be much simpler if you could just learn to live with the fact that you're a telepath..."
"You don't get to tell me how to live my life," responds Susan.
Lyta sighs. "Fine. Suit yourself." And then her mouth is back where Susan wants it, tracing shapes against her skin.
*****
She knows it's going to end badly, but she keeps seeking Lyta out anyway.
There is a certain ritual to their encounters. Lyta has been listening to Byron more and more, and she wants Susan to listen too. So Susan always has to tell her that, no, she doesn't really want to join up with the other telepaths, and she doesn't need her people. She's fine alone, always has been and always will be.
Lyta probably knows that Susan is always lying, but eventually she will stop talking anyway. Then they'll fuck on Susan's bed, because Lyta's quarters are too cramped for two people to feel comfortable in.
Sometimes, Susan thinks that this thing with Lyta is too much trouble for what it is. But she lets it go, because what else is there for her to do?
*****
Their pattern continues for months as tensions mount within the station. Susan knows that her relationship is not the only thing that is going to end badly.
And one night she almost tells Lyta that yes, she's fucking tired of keeping her telepathy a secret. She wants to revel in it for a while, as small and insignificant as her talent is.
And that's when she knows that it's time to leave again.
It doesn't take her very long to pack her bags because she did not bring much with her, and she is walking to the transport when they stop her. Lyta and Byron and a handful of other telepaths she's never meet before. She feels the others, even though they aren't within eyesight, and she does not appreciate their attempt to influence her decision with their numbers.
"You belong with us, Susan," says Lyta.
"No, I don't think I do," she says. Susan walks away, half expecting Lyta to say something or to reach forward and try to stop her. It makes leaving easier when Lyta makes no move, but she thinks that she might be a little disappointed.
She leaves, and this time she knows she won't be coming back to Babylon 5 again.
Fandom: Babylon 5
Characters: Susan/Lyta
Rating: R
Word Count: 1000
Spoilers: Goes AU at the beginning of the fifth season.
Author’s Notes: This was written for the Babylon 5 Rare Pairings Ficathon, hosted by the wonderful ruuger. I was writing for dz_crasher.
"I need you here, Ivanova," says John.
"No, you don't. The war is over, and I'm sure Lochley is running the station fine without me."
"Please. Just think about it," he asks before hanging up the phone.
She sighs and thinks of all the reasons she shouldn't go back. The place holds too many bad memories of betrayals and dead friends, but it's the closest thing she has to a home. She had hoped that leaving would solve some of her problems, but the cold vacuum of space has not brought her the peace of mind she was hoping for.
She sighs, and begins to pack her things.
*****
"There are telepaths here, John," she hisses, and he backs away slightly.
"They hate the PsiCorps as much as you do, probably more. You don't have to worry about them," he says in a calming tone of voice, as if he is dealing with a wild animal. It isn't helping her mood much.
She slams a fist into the doorframe as she leaves, and it makes her feel marginally better. She's not going anywhere near brown sector, not even if her life depends on it.
*****
"Hello, Ivanova," says Lyta as she slides into the seat next to Susan at the bar. She seems cheerful and worn down at the same time, just the way that Susan remembers her.
"Hi," says Susan, and she clamps down on the urge to ask why exactly Lyta has chosen to speak to her. Susan doesn't want the company; she just wants a chance to finish her drink in peace.
"So," says Lyta, "I can't help but notice that you've been avoiding brown sector."
"Lots of people avoid brown sector," says Susan. "It's a hell hole."
"That's not what I'm talking about," says Lyta, and Susan knows she should leave now, because she doesn't like where this conversation is heading.
She leans over close, and whispers in her ear, "I know you're like me, Ivanova."
Susan slams her drink down as hard as she can on the bar before she gets up and stalks of. She wants to be alone, but Lyta follows her quickly and grabs her wrist.
"Look, I'm sorry," she says, even though she seems more irritated with Susan's violent reaction than apologetic. Susan doesn't respond, and it takes all of her energy to keep from slapping the other woman.
"It's not like I could help from knowing," says Lyta. "I can feel everyone, now. You're not strong, but it still stands out, and it has for a while. I realized you where touchy about it, but Ivanova, I'm not the PsiCorps."
Susan wrenches her hand out of Lyta's grip and leaves, and this time Lyta doesn't follow.
*****
Susan always makes the same mistakes, over and over again. She is doomed to have relationships with the wrong people at the wrong time. And that's why Susan falls for Lyta - she's beautiful, she's nice enough, and she's completely the wrong person.
But this time, she isn't going to make the mistake of falling in love. This time around Susan wants the sex but she doesn't want the intimacy, which is frustratingly difficult for telepaths. Susan tries so hard to keep her shields up as Lyta runs her tongue over the spot between Susan's breasts, but even though Lyta isn't pushing, she isn't exactly holding back either.
Lyta stops for a moment, and looks up at Susan with her soft, dark eyes.
"You're making this much harder than necessary," she says, and Susan is annoyed by the pity in her voice. "Everything would be much simpler if you could just learn to live with the fact that you're a telepath..."
"You don't get to tell me how to live my life," responds Susan.
Lyta sighs. "Fine. Suit yourself." And then her mouth is back where Susan wants it, tracing shapes against her skin.
*****
She knows it's going to end badly, but she keeps seeking Lyta out anyway.
There is a certain ritual to their encounters. Lyta has been listening to Byron more and more, and she wants Susan to listen too. So Susan always has to tell her that, no, she doesn't really want to join up with the other telepaths, and she doesn't need her people. She's fine alone, always has been and always will be.
Lyta probably knows that Susan is always lying, but eventually she will stop talking anyway. Then they'll fuck on Susan's bed, because Lyta's quarters are too cramped for two people to feel comfortable in.
Sometimes, Susan thinks that this thing with Lyta is too much trouble for what it is. But she lets it go, because what else is there for her to do?
*****
Their pattern continues for months as tensions mount within the station. Susan knows that her relationship is not the only thing that is going to end badly.
And one night she almost tells Lyta that yes, she's fucking tired of keeping her telepathy a secret. She wants to revel in it for a while, as small and insignificant as her talent is.
And that's when she knows that it's time to leave again.
It doesn't take her very long to pack her bags because she did not bring much with her, and she is walking to the transport when they stop her. Lyta and Byron and a handful of other telepaths she's never meet before. She feels the others, even though they aren't within eyesight, and she does not appreciate their attempt to influence her decision with their numbers.
"You belong with us, Susan," says Lyta.
"No, I don't think I do," she says. Susan walks away, half expecting Lyta to say something or to reach forward and try to stop her. It makes leaving easier when Lyta makes no move, but she thinks that she might be a little disappointed.
She leaves, and this time she knows she won't be coming back to Babylon 5 again.