seldear: (Default)
[personal profile] seldear
FANDOM: Battlestar Galactica
TITLE: Fitful
AUTHOR: Sel
SUMMARY: Kara doesn't like moments. They leave surprises where you're not expecting them.
CHARACTERS: Kara, Helo
CATEGORY: Vignette, Thoughts, Missing Scene
SPOILERS: 2.02 - Valley of Darkness
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I woke up two hours ago with this in my head. I don't know if it's in-character, if it works, if people will like it. But the muse wanted out and so it's out. Not my usual style.

Fitful

She nearly suggests that they share a rack. It's gonna get frakking cold tonight.

A glimpse of his eyes and she refrains. He looks (bruised betrayed suckered) exhausted beyond renewal.

It's unusual restraint for her (perhaps she's going soft) but the rules have changed, even if the game is more or less the same.

"I'll take the floor," he says, glancing out at the setting sun.

Kara huffs out a stream of cigar smoke. (gotta cut back don't have too many) "Very gentlemanly."

The figure in the other worn armchair pauses. He's caught by a memory (frak you Sharon-or-whatever-you-were frak you back to your frakking toaster friends) and she opens her mouth to add that he wouldn't fit in the rack in this place anyway.

"I wouldn't fit in your rack anyway," his mouth curves in the (bitter sweet pained) smile that she's become accustomed to seeing in him. It hurts. (the cylons have a way of making us all look like idiots) But she smiles, relieved that the moment has passed.

Kara doesn't like moments. (that bum knee of yours is looking pretty good and the other one's not so bad either) They can leave surprises where you're not expecting them.

No more surprises.

The Arrow of Apollo is heavy in her hands, the weight of hope and belief and trust. The President asked her, challenged her, tore the veil from her eyes and changed her perspective of the world.

But Kara's still not sure why she did it.

Betrayal for betrayal? (I believed in you believed in Earth)

Hope of a future? (I'm dying)

To prove she's not just trouble with tits and two legs? (I need every pilot I have even the screw-ups)

She doesn't know. She can't be sure.

She did what she thought she had to, and got way more than she bargained for.

(she never thought she'd have a weakness for Adamas)

Helo stares out the window behind her as shadows crawl across the floor. (he churns with the loss of what he thought was love) He has his own thoughts and doesn't share them. Their communion only goes so far.

She stubs out the cigar and rises, stripping off her jacket and tossing it on the chair. "I'm out." (too much thinking not enough acting) "Get some sleep."

He glances up from his (useless pointless hopeless) shadow-watching. Smiles. (weary bittersweet rueful) "You, too."

Tomorrow, they're on the move again. Get a ship, get back to Galactica, hand over the arrow, face the music. (could do it in her sleep)

Sleep is fitful.

- fin -

ENDNOTES: The story lengthens the time between when Kara and Helo arrive at her pad and when they leave, but the idea of them sticking it out overnight before moving on isn't a bad one. By the time they reach her pad, they've had very long days. This story was unbeta'd because I know lots of BSG people, but didn't know how many would be willing to beta, let alone able. If you're willing and able, drop me a comment.

FEEDBACK: Please.

Date: 2005-08-02 01:10 pm (UTC)
ext_14712: (I love you always)
From: [identity profile] unanon.livejournal.com
(she never thought she'd have a weakness for Adamas)

Oh yeeessssss!

Even if you might have been thinking Lee here over the 'Old Man' (or hell...Both apply!) I'm still really glad you left it ambiguous. While I enjoy the Starbuck/Apollo dynamic in the new BSG, Kara Thrace doesn't really shine for me except in scenes in which she's playing opposite Commander Adama.

*twirls* Happy morning-fic joy! Thanks for getting my a.m. going!

Date: 2005-08-03 08:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Welcome! Thanks for leaving feedback.

I really like the individual and collective dynamics between Adama, Lee, Kara, and Roslin - it's almost like a bizarre little family. Not quite dysfunctional, but definitely not a-okay. And then there's the ghost of Zak Adama who occasionally looms even when his name isn't invoked...

Date: 2005-08-02 01:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chiroho.livejournal.com
Very cool. And while I agree it isn't what you usually write, it's very good. I think you've captured the characterization well of both people. I guess we have to see what really happens and how they get back to Galactica.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Do you know if they're getting back to Galactica this season?

*wonders if she wants to know*

Date: 2005-08-03 08:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chiroho.livejournal.com
I do know the answer to that question. You'll have to decide whether you want to hear it.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
LOL. Oh, what the hey, I might as well find out.

Are Kara and Helo going to get back to Galactica this season?

Date: 2005-08-03 08:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] chiroho.livejournal.com
Yes, Kara and Helo will make it back to Galactica this season.

In fact, I don't think it's all that many episodes away. Certainly before the two part mid-season break.

Date: 2005-08-02 02:27 pm (UTC)
mtgat: (Default)
From: [personal profile] mtgat
Very nice.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Thanks! :)

Date: 2005-08-02 02:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meeshy.livejournal.com
I like this. :)

Date: 2005-08-03 08:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Thanks. :)

Date: 2005-08-02 09:00 pm (UTC)
ext_40147: (Default)
From: [identity profile] sjhw-tolerance.livejournal.com
Very nice. I think the characterizations are good.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Thanks, Sue! I worried 'cos I've never written this style before.

Date: 2005-08-02 09:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lytarules.livejournal.com
Very nice, Sel, and intriguing.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:05 pm (UTC)

Date: 2005-08-02 09:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tweets.livejournal.com
Thank you! For a wonderful end to a horrible day! I love well written characters and I love BSG! You got the emotions perfectly in this piece, that's exactly the emotions I would have ascribed to them, while watching that scene.

And the line about a weakness for Adamas; sheer poetry! ~G~ As Unanon says, I lvoe the dynamic of the three of them playing off each other!

Date: 2005-08-03 08:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Woohoo! Glad I gave you a happy end-of-day!

Date: 2005-08-03 02:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meghatron.livejournal.com
I love it. The parentheticals really sell the space the story exists in and fall in all the right places. Well done.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Thanks, hon!

Incidentally, do you know if PSP or PS was used to make your icon and what font is used for the text?

Date: 2005-08-03 08:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meghatron.livejournal.com
I don't know the answer to either question -- [livejournal.com profile] taraljc made it way back when the miniseries first aired.

Date: 2005-08-03 05:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] svilleficrecs.livejournal.com
Mmmmm. Lovely. I liked a lot.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Thanks for leaving feedback. :)

Date: 2005-08-03 08:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Glad you liked it!

Date: 2005-08-03 04:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] adafrog.livejournal.com
Wonderful, wonderful story. Really captured them, I think.

Date: 2005-08-03 08:01 pm (UTC)

Date: 2005-08-03 06:02 pm (UTC)
woodface: (belly kara)
From: [personal profile] woodface
Hm, one nitpick. Kara's rack in her apartment? It's just a matress on the ground. Helo would fit just fine as there's nothing to fit in.

Date: 2005-08-03 06:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seldearslj.livejournal.com
Ah well. No beta and no chance to rewatch the episode where I am, so going from memory.

Date: 2005-08-04 03:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spacefiend.livejournal.com
Oh, very nice! I loved this.

Date: 2005-08-08 12:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pixiesio.livejournal.com
Very nice, good characterization. I'm always available for BSG (or any fandom, really ;) beta-ing, unless I specifically tell ya otherwise.

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