supernova, kara/leoben, rated pg
Set during/after Sometimes a Great Notion.
supernova| kara/leoben | rated pg
Supernova
She finds him after the body (mine) has burned, after the smoke has faded into the dead-dark sky and the ashes (in my hair, my lungs) have fallen to the poisoned earth beneath her feet.
"You ran from me," she tells him, body chilled from a cold that no fire will warm. Exhaustion drags at her like the sea she can hear, distant, relentless waves pounding at an uncaring shore.
"I know." Leoben's fingers trace her cheek--his skin is warm, and that makes her angry. He's a machine, he's a thing, and he feels more alive than she does.
What am I?
Leoben leans forward, breathes out warm against her neck. Shivers race over Kara's body. "I'm sorry. I was frightened. I saw the stars scattered in the night sky, patterns broken into nonsense." His lashes lower, veiling the bright blue of his eyes. "I saw you dead and yet alive, the stream dammed and yet ever-flowing forward towards I sea I do not know."
"Frakking prophet-speak," Kara growls, grabbing at his neck. "Look up, Leoben. There are the frakking stars. You want to see the frakking ocean? I'll go throw you in it, you crazy toaster." She's panting, pressing closer. "The stars are dead. The ocean is probably poisoned. Everything here is dead. I'm dead."
Leoben winces--Kara's fingers are digging into his skin--but he leans forward, lips a hairsbreadth from her mouth. "And yet, you breathe," he murmurs, close, so close.
Kara feels a shudder of sweet warmth rush through her, and she hates him but she's too tired to reason out this attraction she's always felt to him, despite the darkness and blood that lies between them. "You didn't answer me. Come on, Leoben. What was it you said? You see everything? All of God's plan? Fine. Then what am I?"
Leoben's hands settle on her waist. He draws her forward, his breath coming faster, nuzzling against her neck. Kara feels his tongue touch her pulse, tracing upwards, tasting her heartbeat that races faster with each passing moment. "I don't know. There are stories of those who walk in death, who breathe with no lungs." His hands slide beneath her layers of clothes, and she feels him smile against her skin. "There is too much fire in you for that, Kara. Even in death, if that is what you are."
Fires make her think about her body, burned to a cinder on the shores of this dead planet. Kara pushes him away, breathing hard, missing the warmth of his body. "Go figure it out," she snaps, arms wrapped around herself. "Make yourself useful and find out what the frak this means."
Leoben steps forward, cupping her cheek with one hand. "Maybe it is not meant for me to know," he says simply, and there is something strange in his eyes, like a light trapped beneath water. "Maybe I have brought you as far as I am able, and the pattern is broken because you are now the only one who can see it."
Kara hears something, a half-forgotten melody, echo briefly in her mind. She turns her back on him, unsurprised when he speaks again.
"Stars are brightest when they are dying, Kara," he says quietly, his prophet's voice thick with reverence. "A beacon, perhaps, to guide those who seek."
You are the harbinger of death, Kara Thrace.
Kara turns and looks at him over her shoulder. "I brought us here," she says, indicating the planet with a wave of her hand. "And look what happened." She laughs harshly. "No one should follow me anywhere, clearly."
Leoben smiles, almost sad. "And yet, your light burns still. I cannot see the path before you, but I do not think this is the end."
You will bring them all to their end.
Kara bites back something sarcastic and turns away again. She walks towards the ship and leaves him behind. She breathes out, slowly, inhaling the bitter sea air just to prove that she still can. Her mouth still tastes like ash.
supernova| kara/leoben | rated pg
Supernova
She finds him after the body (mine) has burned, after the smoke has faded into the dead-dark sky and the ashes (in my hair, my lungs) have fallen to the poisoned earth beneath her feet.
"You ran from me," she tells him, body chilled from a cold that no fire will warm. Exhaustion drags at her like the sea she can hear, distant, relentless waves pounding at an uncaring shore.
"I know." Leoben's fingers trace her cheek--his skin is warm, and that makes her angry. He's a machine, he's a thing, and he feels more alive than she does.
What am I?
Leoben leans forward, breathes out warm against her neck. Shivers race over Kara's body. "I'm sorry. I was frightened. I saw the stars scattered in the night sky, patterns broken into nonsense." His lashes lower, veiling the bright blue of his eyes. "I saw you dead and yet alive, the stream dammed and yet ever-flowing forward towards I sea I do not know."
"Frakking prophet-speak," Kara growls, grabbing at his neck. "Look up, Leoben. There are the frakking stars. You want to see the frakking ocean? I'll go throw you in it, you crazy toaster." She's panting, pressing closer. "The stars are dead. The ocean is probably poisoned. Everything here is dead. I'm dead."
Leoben winces--Kara's fingers are digging into his skin--but he leans forward, lips a hairsbreadth from her mouth. "And yet, you breathe," he murmurs, close, so close.
Kara feels a shudder of sweet warmth rush through her, and she hates him but she's too tired to reason out this attraction she's always felt to him, despite the darkness and blood that lies between them. "You didn't answer me. Come on, Leoben. What was it you said? You see everything? All of God's plan? Fine. Then what am I?"
Leoben's hands settle on her waist. He draws her forward, his breath coming faster, nuzzling against her neck. Kara feels his tongue touch her pulse, tracing upwards, tasting her heartbeat that races faster with each passing moment. "I don't know. There are stories of those who walk in death, who breathe with no lungs." His hands slide beneath her layers of clothes, and she feels him smile against her skin. "There is too much fire in you for that, Kara. Even in death, if that is what you are."
Fires make her think about her body, burned to a cinder on the shores of this dead planet. Kara pushes him away, breathing hard, missing the warmth of his body. "Go figure it out," she snaps, arms wrapped around herself. "Make yourself useful and find out what the frak this means."
Leoben steps forward, cupping her cheek with one hand. "Maybe it is not meant for me to know," he says simply, and there is something strange in his eyes, like a light trapped beneath water. "Maybe I have brought you as far as I am able, and the pattern is broken because you are now the only one who can see it."
Kara hears something, a half-forgotten melody, echo briefly in her mind. She turns her back on him, unsurprised when he speaks again.
"Stars are brightest when they are dying, Kara," he says quietly, his prophet's voice thick with reverence. "A beacon, perhaps, to guide those who seek."
You are the harbinger of death, Kara Thrace.
Kara turns and looks at him over her shoulder. "I brought us here," she says, indicating the planet with a wave of her hand. "And look what happened." She laughs harshly. "No one should follow me anywhere, clearly."
Leoben smiles, almost sad. "And yet, your light burns still. I cannot see the path before you, but I do not think this is the end."
You will bring them all to their end.
Kara bites back something sarcastic and turns away again. She walks towards the ship and leaves him behind. She breathes out, slowly, inhaling the bitter sea air just to prove that she still can. Her mouth still tastes like ash.