that thing with feathers
Yeah, yeah, bugsfic, don't even say it. I should know better.
For ar_drabbles challenge 65, "sequel." Sequel to the AU stories Battlefield Cross and Singing in the lifeboat.
Laura knocked at Adama's door. A scrawny man opened it with a bottle and a leer.
"I'm here for Bill."
"Lucky frakker. What's he got I don't?"
Bill's voice slurred an answer. "Cancer."
"You missed your treatment."
"Didn't go, didn't miss it."
"And alcohol. You know that--"
"Bad as a wife, nagging--"
"At least a wife gets you laid," said the other man. "Speaking of..."
"Go," Bill dismissed him. "Maybe Ellen will be home."
The man left, taking his bottle. Bill raised his glass in salute and drained it. "Ellen left a year ago. Saul's a fool for hoping."
"It's not foolish to hope."
"Hope's a lie in fancy dress."
"Don't talk that way."
"Got cancer, got no hope. If I'm going to be sick as a dog, I'd rather ambrosia than diloxan."
"You can survive cancer. Your son did."
"Your mother didn't."
She made a sound, deep in her throat, before clearing it. "Strip."
"Not going to wine and dine me first?"
"Last thing you need is wine. You're going to shower and sober up and tomorrow you're going for diloxan. Where's your coffee?"
"Coffee's carcinogenic."
"Life's carcinogenic."
"Only if you do it right. You going to stay here overnight, make sure I go tomorrow?"
"If need be."
"Do this for all your patients?"
"Only the ones I hope will live."
"Didn't ask you to hope."
"I know."
"I'm not your responsibility."
"Actually, you are."
"It's your job. I'll pay you to leave me alone."
"Won't work."
"Why should I sober up?"
"I brought you something." She opened her bag and handed him a book. "A review copy of Prima's latest. We could read it together."
He turned the book over in his hands. "It's long."
"That's okay, Bill. We've got all the time we need."
For ar_drabbles challenge 65, "sequel." Sequel to the AU stories Battlefield Cross and Singing in the lifeboat.
Laura knocked at Adama's door. A scrawny man opened it with a bottle and a leer.
"I'm here for Bill."
"Lucky frakker. What's he got I don't?"
Bill's voice slurred an answer. "Cancer."
"You missed your treatment."
"Didn't go, didn't miss it."
"And alcohol. You know that--"
"Bad as a wife, nagging--"
"At least a wife gets you laid," said the other man. "Speaking of..."
"Go," Bill dismissed him. "Maybe Ellen will be home."
The man left, taking his bottle. Bill raised his glass in salute and drained it. "Ellen left a year ago. Saul's a fool for hoping."
"It's not foolish to hope."
"Hope's a lie in fancy dress."
"Don't talk that way."
"Got cancer, got no hope. If I'm going to be sick as a dog, I'd rather ambrosia than diloxan."
"You can survive cancer. Your son did."
"Your mother didn't."
She made a sound, deep in her throat, before clearing it. "Strip."
"Not going to wine and dine me first?"
"Last thing you need is wine. You're going to shower and sober up and tomorrow you're going for diloxan. Where's your coffee?"
"Coffee's carcinogenic."
"Life's carcinogenic."
"Only if you do it right. You going to stay here overnight, make sure I go tomorrow?"
"If need be."
"Do this for all your patients?"
"Only the ones I hope will live."
"Didn't ask you to hope."
"I know."
"I'm not your responsibility."
"Actually, you are."
"It's your job. I'll pay you to leave me alone."
"Won't work."
"Why should I sober up?"
"I brought you something." She opened her bag and handed him a book. "A review copy of Prima's latest. We could read it together."
He turned the book over in his hands. "It's long."
"That's okay, Bill. We've got all the time we need."