Title: A Picture Says A Thousand Words
Author: z_janina
Spoilers: Daybreak
Rating: T
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, I'm just playing…
A/N: I apologize to anyone who actually plays rugby. I did the best I could describing the game play having never truly played the game myself. Thanks so much to taragel who one again is my amazing Beta!
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"Lee, you must be getting soft. I totally kicked your ass in that last lap." Kara bounds into the bunk room practically skipping as she celebrates her victory.
"Well, it would have been a whole different story if you hadn't cheated. How am I supposed to win if you don't play by the rules?" Lee follows Kara into the empty room and heads straight for his locker. He opens the door and reaches for a towel.
Kara turns toward him, practically beaming. "Whatever happened to winning at all costs?" Her face then scrunches into a more serious look and she uses her best drill sergeant voice. "You need to be prepared for anything soldier. The enemy does not play by the rules!"
Not able to hold the angry face for long, Kara bursts out laughing and falls back onto her bunk. Seizing an opportunity to get back at her, Lee snaps his towel at her while she tries to regain her composure. "Ow!" she squeals.
"Maybe you need to be more prepared for the enemy?" He says laughing and turns back to his locker and removes his tanks, sweaty from their run. The cool air of the bunkroom is a welcome relief to his warm, damp skin.
Lee kicks off his running shoes into the recesses of his locker. Kara opens hers to root around for something, most likely a towel or her shower kit.
"Need a shovel?" Lee quips as he removes his socks.
"Ha, ha, you're SO funny…" She retorts in her most sarcastic of voices. "I can't find my tags." Kara typically removes her dog tags when jogging, claiming they make too much noise and that everyone already knows who she is anyways if she were to drop dead. She starts searching a bit more frantically through the top shelf.
"I saw you put them in there before we left. I'm sure they haven't walked away since then." Lee walks over to help her look but stops in surprise when he sees the photo she has taped just under the mirror. There's a distinct crease down the middle of the photo. Kara must have had it folded to just show herself and Zak. Lee wonders when that changed.
His hand instinctively reaches up and touches the picture, "I can't believe you still have this."
Kara stops digging through the pile on her shelf and turns at his words. She studies the photo, silent, and her face is unreadable. After a slight pause she looks away.
"My two favourite people are in that photo." She gives him a small smile before turning back to her locker.
Lee looks closer, studying the image. It's probably the last shot ever taken of his brother. The accident occurred almost two weeks later. Swallowing hard, Lee tries not to think about the loss of his brother, trying to dwell on the positives from that day.
After all, it was one of the best days of his life…
********************************************
"Come on Kara, hurry up! Everyone's going to be waiting for us." Zak yells over his shoulder as he strides out into the living room.
Lee is waiting patiently near the foot of the stairs for the two of them to get ready. He's not even sure what he's doing here.
He's only been in town 24 hours, to use up some shore leave and check on his mom and Zak. He'd been expecting to pop in and say the obligatory hello, then be on his merry way. In and out. No harm done. Zak would be disappointed, but it seemed easier than spending too much time with a certain blonde pilot. But then Zak had called him at the last minute, insisting they needed another man for a rugby game, and sweet-talked him into coming along.
Now his brother bounds over to him, beaming and hugs Lee. Lee feels miserable. He's been dreading seeing the happy couple after the little incident he and Kara almost shared during his introductory visit last year. Dreading was the wrong word. Truth was Lee felt guilty every time he thought of them, more specifically Kara. Because Lee wanted nothing more than to see her. That evening had been the focus of all of his fantasies nearly every night for the past ten months.
Lee had been half-hoping he wouldn't have to see her at all. Kara was nothing like any of the girls Zak typically dated and he'd heard next to nothing from Zak about her for the past year. He'd been harbouring a vain hope that maybe they'd broken up.
Apparently not.
"I'm so glad you're here bro. You're never going to believe this. I'm getting married. Kara and I are engaged!!!" Shocked is the only word that best describes Lee's reaction to the words. He's thrilled for his brother. He's just less than thrilled that it's Kara he's marrying.
After hearing the news Lee just stares at his brother, unable to speak. Zak continues to ramble on, excited to have someone to finally share their news with, "I'm sorry that didn't tell you sooner but we want to keep it quiet and all, because of the regs issue. So far you're the only one that knows."
Stepping into the living room behind the still-beaming Zak was an awkward and obviously annoyed Kara. She's wearing the tiniest black shorts he's ever seen, a simple sports bra, and a Picon Panthers pyramid hat. Closing his mouth, Lee takes a big gulp and looks at the floor. How on Caprica is Lee going to concentrate on the game at all today? She's everything and more that Lee had remembered—and imagined.
And now she's Zak's fiancé and his future sister-in-law.
"Zak, let him get in the door first." Kara scoffed and smacked his arm playfully, nervously cutting her eyes at Lee.
"You know I'm terrible at keeping secrets, babe. Plus I've been dying to tell him!" Zak said with the world's biggest grin and pulled Lee into another huge bear hug.
"Wow! Congratulations, little bro." Pulling out of the hug, he walked forward into the living room a few steps. "And to you too, Kara." Lee wrapped his arms around her for a brief awkward moment. Kara gave a small smile of thanks that didn't reach her eyes and then looked away.
She tried to cover up her uneasiness with a joke. "I guess we're going to be related soon." She stated. Lee completely understood her discomfort. The thought of he and Kara as siblings made his chest hurt.
They make their way up the stairs and into the hallway, before Kara turns to Zak. "You have your cleats?" Her own pair dangles from her outstretched index finger.
"Oh crap! I left them downstairs. I'll meet you guys outside at the truck." Zak calls dashing back into the apartment and closing the front door.
Kara's demeanour instantly changes to one of discomfort. Seizing this rare moment of just the two of them, Lee feels the need to speak about the subject that has haunted him for too long. "Look Kara, about that night, I want to apologize…"
Kara cuts him off before he can finish, "Don't, just don't." She turns to face him, looking him directly in the eyes. "That night was just a frakked-up stupid mistake. We were both really drunk and not thinking."
"Were we though?" Lee takes a step towards to her, so close he can clearly smell her perfume. Kara reacts by taking in a shaky breath, never breaking eye contact. "Because I've thought about nothing else but that night for the past year." Lee admits, guiltily.
Lee's arms instinctively reach up and caress her forearms. Kara freezes, unmoving for nearly a moment. Then she blinks and pushes his arms off hers. We can't do this Lee." She swallows, looking miserable. "No matter how much we both think we want it."
He takes a deep sigh, lowering his head and they stand absorbing the impact of her words for a moment before he adds, "I know."
He lifts his head up and raises his hand to her cheek, letting out a single laugh, "I must be some kind of masochist to do this to myself."
"My mother believed that suffering was good for the soul." Kara responds. Her lips are curved up in a small smirk. Lee can't help but respond with a smile himself; seeing hers is infectious.
"Well, then I must have the most pious soul in all the Colonies." Lee states.
"You and me both," she mutters, rolling her eyes. Grabbing his hand from her cheek and ever so slightly tugging on it she reminds him that they have a game to play. "Come on, we'd better be going. Zak'll be out any minute."
Zak. Lee had completely forgotten that his brother was going to meet them at the truck.
Kara jogs down the hallway ahead of him and up the stairs to the front door. She turns back with the most amazing smile he's ever seen, "Hurry up fly boy. I'm late for a date to kick your ass."
*****************************************
Lee had many good memories of playing rugby during his days at the academy, but he was sure that today was going to top them all. A large group of Zak's friends were already gathered on the sidelines talking. Zak approached them happily to say hello.
"Hey Eric, Mike, Aaron. This is my brother Lee." Zak says, introducing Lee to the group. "Hopefully it's alright if he plays today."
"Yeah, no problem." Eric replies. "The more the merrier."
"Great!" Zak slaps Lee on the back, "Lee's on my team!" He then looks over at Kara and winks at her. "Maybe both the Adama boys can take you down."
Kara laughs loudly while stretching her right arm above her head, "Not likely, but I'd love to see you try." She looks directly at Lee while goading the guys on. He wonders if maybe he's in a bit over his head.
Zak seems to be preoccupied by his friends over by the bench. Lee takes the opportunity to get to know his future sister-in-law better.
"So...have you played long?" Lee asks, innocently.
"A few years. I played for short while on the varsity team at the Academy. But pyramid was always my first love." She says matter-of-factly.
Oh boy, he's definitely in over his head today. His meagre 3 years of pick-up rugby are no match for varsity level skills. But he can't wait to see her play, especially in that outfit.
Just then Zak runs over a little out of breath and rather frantic looking.
"What's the matter hun?" Kara asks, concerned.
"I totally forgot that my Thermodynamics assignment is due today. Eric just reminded me. I've got to run home and finish it and then hope I can get it submitted before the deadline." Zak explains. Thermo has never been a subject the Adamas excelled at, so Lee can totally understand his brother's uneasiness regarding the assignment.
"What about the game?" Eric asks. Not wanting to disappoint everyone Zak adds "You guys play without me. I'll try to make it back as soon as possible." He grabs Kara around the hip and kisses her quickly on the top of her head. Then he runs off towards the truck again, Thermodynamics all he can think about.
After watching him drive away, she turns to face Lee and looks him right in the eyes. He can see excitement building in those beautiful hazel eyes.
"Well, I guess it's just the two of us against each other now." She raises her eyebrows and smirks mischievously. Turning to join the others, she adds over her shoulder, "Oh and fair warning, Apollo, I'm just as good on the ground as I am in the air."
Never one to back down from a challenge, Lee follows her toward the group. He stops just behind her and leans in, lips practically touching her and whispers in her ear. "I never doubted it for a second." She takes a sharp intake of breath in surprise and then turns her head slowly to face him, mere inches apart.
"You should know, I hate to lose." She says, practically purring. Her face slightly flush, eyelids heavy. She is so amazingly beautiful in this moment, taunting him, that Lee has to bite his lip so he doesn't lean forward to kiss her.
"And I believe in winning at all costs." He replies, not sure what has come over him. All he knows is that right now his entire being seems to be focused on this woman standing before him. There is a distinct pull in his gut as blood seems to be rushing from his brain down to his groin. His heart is beating fast and his skin is tingling with anticipation. But anticipation of what? It's just a rugby match Lee tries to tell himself.
He knows, however, that this isn't just any game. Not when it comes to Kara.
The two of them continue to stare each other down, oblivious to everything around them until Eric yells from 10 yards away, "You two going to play or what?" Gaining a bit of control over himself but not breaking eye contact, Lee backs up slowly, moving away almost reluctantly. He turns and walks towards Zak's friends and the rugby game about to start.
"Sorry. Kara was just reminding me of the rules. It's been a few years since I last played." He lies, trying to cover up the fact that he was just openly flirting with his brother's fiancé.
The teams are divided and sure enough, Kara and Lee are on opposing sides. When the opposite team chooses Kara, she seems a little too eager, quickly showing Lee her "game face" and then breaking into a hearty laugh. Lee can't help but laugh himself.
Lee gets placed on the skins team along with Mike and Aaron. When he removes his tanks to ready himself for the game, out of the corner of his eye he catches Kara ogling him. Despite spending the past year on a Battlestar in co-ed close quarters, Lee's still a bit unaccustomed to being checked-out. He knows his body is in good shape – it has to be in order to fly vipers – he's just not used to anyone noticing. He doesn't try to hide the smirk he's wearing when he turns to face Kara and gets into position.
The teams line up facing each other, and sure enough Lee is directly opposite to Kara. She's in a crouching stance, eyes fierce like a predator ready to attack. She is the epitome of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. There is little doubt who her prey is.
"Ready Apollo?" she asks, tauntingly, being sure to emphasize each syllable of his call sign. Her eyes are not subtle when she looks him up and down approvingly. "I've always wondered how you got that name…"
"I'm sure you have…" His lack of an answer fuels her curiosity further and she bites her lower lip.
When the plays starts and the ball is in motion, Lee's caught off guard. He's so busy watching Mike try to pass to another teammate that he doesn't see Kara coming for him until it's too late. Faster than Lee can react, Kara's hands are around Lee's waist and she slams into him, full force. Completely unprepared for the tackle, Lee is thrown backwards onto the field with Kara tumbling after.
Lee laughs to himself as he looks up at the woman currently laying atop him. She reminds him of a cat just having pounced on her prey, deciding whether to play with it or simply devour it whole. She's wearing a mischievous smile and winks at Lee before getting up quickly, running towards the rest of the pack.
Despite the uncomfortable heap they'd fallen into, his skin seems to shiver where just seconds before he felt her touch. Lee takes a second to gather his bearings and get his body under control before he himself gets up and back into the game.
Apparently someone scored in the time he was recovering from her attack. With no interest in whether it was his team, he watches Kara run back to the middle of the field and towards him. By the look on her face, Lee can tell that her team is winning.
This time, when the play starts again, Kara is given the ball from the get go, directly in front of Lee. Grabbing it, she raises her eyebrows to him in challenge and turns to run. She's gone before he can grab her or the ball, falling to the ground once more in his efforts. He watches her from his new position as turf inspector. She runs circles around nearly every guy who tries to stop her. Her movements are so quick and fluid that it's as if she's floating over the grass.
Seeing her run Lee can only imagine what piloting a viper is like for her. Stories of the great Starbuck and her flying prowess had reached Lee on the Atlantia through his brother. Apparently, back at the academy Kara earned all the same flight awards that he himself had won a few years back and she'd even broken many of his records. He'd always assumed that Zak was just exaggerating about her abilities, but now he wasn't so sure. All he knew was that one day he had to fly with this woman.
Not surprisingly, Kara scores. She runs back over to him with the biggest grin he's ever seen. "What happened to the great Apollo?" she questions as she reaches out her hand in assistance.
Taking it and pulling himself up, "Apparently he got beat by the mighty Starbuck."
"Eye on the ball, Lee. Eye on the ball." She says tauntingly. Enough is enough Lee thinks. It's time he actually puts a little effort into this game and live up to his namesake.
Putting on his best game face he stares directly at Kara while taking his crouching stance for the next play, "Thanks for the advice. I knew I was doing something wrong." He winks at her and notices that her concentration wavers ever so slightly.
This time when the play begins Lee is ready for it. When the ball is passed from Aaron to himself, he sees Kara coming for him and ducks out of the way just in time. Missing him, she takes a spill on the grass behind him. Quickly before any other opponents can tackle him, Lee takes off down the other end of the field, scoring in the end zone.
As he is congratulated by his teammates he sees Kara is right where he left her. When he gets closer he can see that she's laying on the grass propped up on her elbows enjoying the warmth of the sun. Without looking up at him when he approaches she says "Nice play. Maybe I was mistaken about you. Seems they weren't entirely wrong in giving you that call sign."
Lee reaches his hand out to help her up this time. As he pulls he says with a smile, "Thanks." She's standing mere inches from his chest, still holding onto his hand when she answers with a quiet sultry voice, "No problem." After a few seconds standing like this Kara lets go and turns to move back to the others. Before she can walk too far Lee stops her by saying "Oh and Kara," she turns back to look at him, interested, as he continues. "I'm better in the air myself."
"I don't doubt it." Is her answer, clearly amused. Raising his eyebrows in his own challenge to her, he runs past her to the group. She catches up a few moments later.
Neither of them are concentrating on the start of the next play until the ball is handed to Kara. Before she can react Lee moves straight for her, making contact with her waist and then the ground.
In the midst of the tackle she's dropped the ball and some other player has taken it and gone. Lee's not sure who. All he knows is that Kara's soft, warm, muscled body is currently pinned beneath him. Her hair is splayed out over the grass and she has a dirt streak across her cheek. She's the most gorgeous thing he's even seen. Looking down at her, Lee forgets everything – the game, the engagement, his brother. All he knows is that the feeling of her body against his is intoxicating. He wants more.
Instead of pushing him off right away, Kara lays still beneath him, looking intensely up into his eyes. His body shudders a little at that thought. He's feeling warm and light headed and completely unlike himself – the man whose emotions are always in control and every action is methodically planned. Right now, in this moment, Lee seems to be functioning purely on instinct.
Without even thinking about it, Lee leans in towards her, getting closer to her heady scent. Kara's features seem to soften the closer he gets, anticipation evident on her face. She licks her lips slowly and upon seeing her tongue, Lee feels his groin twitch in response. Kara notices, of course, but she smiles, biting her lower lip.
He's never wanted anyone more that he does in this exact moment and he can tell that she feels it too. Leaning in further, Lee moves towards her, wanting to taste those teasing lips. Kara raises her head to meet his.
Suddenly Lee hears a noise off on the sideline, breaking his concentration.
"Hey everyone, I'm back! I got my assignment done just under the wire." Zak. Having completed his work he must have rushed back here as quickly as he could. And why wouldn't he – he'd wanted to spend time with his visiting brother. The one who is currently atop his fiancé.
Kara and Lee both look at each other quickly. The realization of what was just about to happen again is visible on both their faces. Lee takes a deep breath to try and bury the guilt and shame he feels right now, and rolls off Kara. She's getting up herself and trying her hardest to not make eye contact with him. Lee doesn't blame her.
Lee stands up and brushes himself off. He makes his way over to Zak slowly. The rest of the group seems to have put the game on hold due to Zak's arrival and are gathered around him. Seeing the game ball left where the play stopped, Lee picks it up and walks over to his brother.
"Glad to see you made it back buddy." But Lee doesn't really mean it. He tosses the ball over to Zak, who quickly reacts, catching it easily. "We could have really used you earlier."
"I don't doubt it." Zak says looking directly at Kara who's walking towards him and smiling. Zak reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small camera. He tosses it over to his friend and passes the ball back to Lee. "Hey Aaron, do you mind taking a picture of the three of us? Lee's not home that often so I'd like to document this rare event."
"Sure, buddy, no problem" Aaron answers, setting up the shot.
"Great!" Zak replies, and with a giant grin moves over to where Kara and Lee are both standing. He grabs Kara quickly and pulls her in close. She's a little surprised by the embrace and ends up laughing into Zak's chest. Unable to immediately recover from earlier, Lee watches the interaction beside them awkwardly. The two of them look happy together. The realization that Kara never was his to start with and never will be hits him hard.
It's in this moment - the most painful of Lee's life -- that Aaron takes the photo.
************************
Lee continues to stare at the photo, with a distant look on his face.
"That was a great day, wasn't it?" Kara states, pulling on her dog tags whish she just finally salvaged from her locker floor.
"Mmm hmm." Lee agrees.
Caught up in a moment of nostalgia and honesty he turns to face Kara. She's wearing a very similar outfit to the one that day in the photo-- running shorts, sports bra, and tanks. Her skin is damp with sweat from their recent run and her cheeks are flushed. She's never looked sexier than this moment, he thinks.
Looking at this beautiful woman standing in front of him, the intense feelings from that day come rushing back and hit Lee like a wave. His feelings for Kara never truly went away after Zak died, he's just been used to repressing them for so long that he's tried not to think about them. But now that he finds himself at the end of the worlds – improbably with her- what the frak is stopping them?
The sudden realization that he has nothing holding him back, that there is no reason why he can't be with the woman he loves instils a confidence in Lee like he's never known.
He smiles slightly and looks her directly in the eyes. "That day meant everything for me."
"What are you talking about?" Kara replies, looking a slight bit uncomfortable by the hard gaze Lee is suddenly fixing on her. "All we did was play rugby. And you lost, quite badly if I recall."
She leans her back against the table in the centre of the room, smirking and crossing her arms over her chest as she recalls her victory. Determined to make her understand the importance of that day and how he's always felt Lee leans in and places both arms around her on the tabletop, trapping her.
His face is inches from hers when he whispers. "It was never just a game to me Kara."
Her breathing starts to increase and her eyes darken. She blinks rapidly. "Lee, you're not making any sense."
"Aren't I? I know you feel it too. I saw it in your eyes that first moment we met. And I've seen it every time I look into them since then." His hand rises to her face and caresses her cheek. Without thinking, Kara leans into it, closing her eyes momentarily at his touch. Her reaction makes Lee smile.
Unsure if his words are having an influence or just his actions, Lee continues, "I lay awake at night and wonder how different our lives would be if I'd been the one to meet you first, and not Zak." He takes a long pause and looks down at the floor as he considers his statement. When he looks up at her again he sees the woman he's always dreamed of standing in front of him. She's looking at him so intently, waiting for him to continue that his chest actually hurts. He curses himself for not having the courage to go after her before this moment. They've wasted so much time lying to themselves.
Both hands grasp her forearms, pulling her towards him gently as he emphasizes his next point. "Why do we keep fooling ourselves Kara? What are we so gods damn afraid of? Losing one another?" He lets out a fake laugh. "The cylons already seem to have a pretty good handle on that."
Kara's still watching him, rounded eyes studying him intently.
Lee takes a deep breath and continues, "Some strange twist of fate allowed us to survive the initial attacks and then kept us together. It's obvious that we were meant to be with each other. We've just been lying to ourselves trying to deny it."
Her hands have moved from her chest to the edge of the table behind her, gripping it so tightly her knuckles are white. She takes a deep breath, looking up at him with apprehensive eyes, but her jaw is set. "What do you want from me, Lee?"
He brushes a stray piece of hair behind her ear, then slides his hand down along her earlobe, to her neck. Leaning in so closely their cheeks are practically touching he whispers, "I want to kiss you Kara. Like I've wanted to kiss you everyday since that first night we met."
This time though, his hand has moved to her lower back and he pulls her even closer towards him when he says. "And I know you want it too." She doesn't resist.
Lee pulls back so that he's looking into her eyes once again. There's vulnerability in her look that Lee has only seen a handful of times and knows that she has lowered the Starbuck façade for him.
She leans in quickly and kisses him. Like she's been waiting for this barrier to be dropped between them. Lee stumbles a slight bit backwards at her unexpected advance but quickly returns the kiss, just as intensely.
Lee was sure he was the only one who felt this strongly, that he'd need to convince her, but apparently Kara is just as good at concealing her true feelings as he is.
When their lips meet, Lee feels a spark of electricity tingle all the way down to his toes. It makes him smile as her lips ravage his. He's never kissed anyone quite like this. But then there's never been anyone quite like Kara.
Reaching up with both hands, he grasps her neck, then twines his fingers in her hair, pulling her even closer towards him. Kara lets out a small moan when their bodies touch, heat radiating from them. When her lips part slightly, he finds his opening and delves his tongue into her mouth, exploring her. She tastes like sweat, mint, & honey and Lee feels like he could get drunk off of just the smell of her skin.
After what seems like an eternity, they both come up for air gasping. Lee rests his forehead against hers and draws lazy circles across her back with his fingers. Kara's hands are spread across his chest.
Lee breaks the silence "That was unexpected." She doesn't answer, just smiles at his words. Feeling the need to explain what just took place, Lee continues, "Kara…"
She cuts him off before he can get a chance, "You were right. About everything. I have been afraid. I've been so damn terrified of losing you that I forgot what we've been fighting for. A chance at life." She squeezes him a little more tightly at the next words. "At this." Unable to contain herself any further Kara beams at Lee, "I'm just glad one of us wasn't afraid to break the rules."
He can't help but return the smile, his heart feeling like it could explode out of pure happiness. "Now, where were we…?"
"I think you were getting to know the enemy a bit more…" she says, backing up and pulling him down. The two of them tumble onto her bunk, laughing the entire time.