Fic: Reprieve (Baltar, Roslin/MayaNC-17)

[millarific]

Title: Reprieve
Author: millari
Rating: NC-17
Characters: Laura Roslin, Maya, Gaius Baltar, Caprica Six
Pairings: Roslin/Maya, Caprica/Baltar
Warnings none
Word Count: 1700
Beta: The incredible fast and thorough lorrainemarker. Thank you, Lorraine.
Summary: “He was going to appear at her tent like a stray dog that had been kicked too many times, and Laura would give

Comments

[trovia]

Okay, first of all, before I say anything else - this fic definitely didn't appear on my flist. I have no idea if this would necessarily be true for all the flists you should be on, but I thought I'd give you a heads-up in case the fic didn't appear anywhere and you're wondering why nobody is reading it. You should crosspost anyway, though. I bet the Roslin fans would like it. :)

And, oh yeah, the femmeslash fans would definitely like it too.

I know you're not all that happy with the fic but it's really, really good. Yet again, I love how you took porn and turned it into a real story, with real meaning. Somehow you never end up writing genre fic. It's always so much closer to high literature. An excellent story to show so much of Baltar and his longings and dissatisfactions that he can't quite fully grasp, but there's also a lot of interesting characterization of Roslin in the fic for all that we never quite see her.

I'm really impressed how the way you described the sex, in Gaius' overzealous, perfectly disrespectful way,

[millari]

You know, this comment really made my night. :)

I felt like I was walking such a fine line with this scenario, and I'm glad you think that I ended up on the right side. I almost hesitate to call it femmeslash, because you're right it's so slanted to be from Gaius' masculine, consumptive view. I'm glad that ambiguity between the content and the filter of the viewer came across clearly.

It was important to me that this be an essentially frustrating experience for Baltar, and that it show how the way he views and deals with women women ultimately limits and dissatisfies him, and in a real sense, has led him to be the center of his own self-inflicted tragedy on New Caprica.

Anyway, what a wonderful comment. Thank you for taking the time to leave it.

[millari]

Thank you so much. I'm glad it brought you a little happiness.

You saw everything in this I was hoping the reader to see, so thank you for such a satisfying comment!

Also, superdeliciousLOLZ to the appropriateness of your icon. :D

[icedteainthebag]

Oh, this is just gorgeous in so many ways. Your descriptions were perfect and really painted a vivid picture of everything that was going on here.

And I hated Gaius for invading this moment that wasn't meant for him, but at the same time, I love that this turned into one of the very few things of beauty that he'd seen on New Caprica--that it instilled in him that the beauty still existed, that happiness could still be won. I also think that I've rarely seen Gaius carrying the burden of what he saw on Pegasus with him through the rest of the series. He's often not given that chance because of the other mistakes he made. It reminds me that he's human and compassionate and everything that, to me, makes him such an attractive and complex character.

Plus this was incredibly hot. I don't know who left the prompt (if it was geek or someone else) but I thank them, and you, like a zillion times. Ngh, Laura and girl sexytimes. With Gaius watching. This was actually in my head from something at rememberlaura last week so it was fantastic to see it

[millari]

I must admit, I secretly wondered if you might be one of the people to read this. :)

Thank you for the lovely, detailed comment. I loved what you said about this instilling in him that happiness could still be won on New Caprica; I think it's what leaves him so despairing at the end with Caprica - because he has no idea how to get that for himself. I'm pleased that you found his characteriztion here compelling and creepy, and still managed to find the Laura/Maya stuff hot.

I wish the show had had Gaius remember Gina even a little. *sigh*

Btw, your icon made me bust out laughing. I can't decide if it's the thought balloon or the halo that gets me more. :D

[icedteainthebag]

splodge04 made me this very specific icon and I adore it. Oh, Gaius. :D :D

I must admit, I secretly wondered if you might be one of the people to read this. :)

Haaa, there is no way I wouldn't read it.

I wish the show had had Gaius remember Gina even a little. *sigh*

Me too. He was around Caprica enough that you'd think he would have remembered Gina sometimes... plus I mean, god, she blew up Cloud 9 with the nuke HE GAVE HER and we got no reaction from him about that. Like, at all. Wow, what a plot hole.

[wishflsinfl]

This is wonderful! The guilt and despair that Gaius is carrying comes through so clearly and feels right. Tying together Gina and Laura in Gaius's memories is a nice touch.

There are so many images that really struck me but this most of all:

He hadn't known anyone in the universe could be this happy anymore.

It really summarizes what this fic was about for me: the people around Gaius who are managing to make the most of what they have even in a living hell, while he's condemned to search for a continuously elusive happiness.

[millari]

You pinpointed exactly what I wanted this fic to be about, so I'm pleased that it came through. Thank you for finding this and taking the time to comment. :)

[lorrainemarker]

You know how much I like the flow of the fic. The layering of Gaius' personality and his wonderful/horrible marriage of ego and insecurity really came through in the story. Ultimately, insecurity always wins leaving him flailing around dissatisfied not quite certain why or how. The little conversation with Caprica really nailed the point home. He knew he wasn't happy, knew other people were and really doesn't know how to be happy as opposed to simply grasping at transitory pleasure.

[millari]

Thank you again, Lorraine, for beta'ing this and so quickly too, and then leaving a comment!

I love what you said here about Gaius, how he doesn't know how to be happy so he settles for grasping at transitory pleasure. That's so perfect a description of Gaius throughout the series.