After their almost-frak after their first meeting, how did Kara and Lee react when next they met? For a prompt from Wand3rlust for them to visit a carnival on Caprica

Disclaimer: I own nothing, RDM just said I could play here.

Chancy Games

The carnival had been Zak's idea.

And he'd insisted that Kara join he and Lee for a day of fun and games.

Up until now, she'd managed to make some excuse to avoid another encounter with Lee Adama since their disastrous first meeting. Whatever there was about the man, he was just too damned attractive for her own good. And while Apollo might the be known as the Sun God, this one struck her more as a god of temptation.

And Kara had never been much for resisting temptation.

So it was with misgivings that she'd let herself be finally coaxed and cajoled into this outing with both brothers. There had been an awkward moment as she and Lee had first greeted each other, but the three had since settled into just enjoying the sights and sounds of the bustling carnival. A friendly competition had sprung up as they'd made their way among the booth of games, stopping occasionally to try their hands at whatever test of skill the rapid talking huskers assured them was easy as pie.

Both guys trailed Kara in wins as her pyramid days gave her the edge. And so when Zak had pulled her eagerly to where balloons were spread across boards awaiting their fate at the tip of slightly dulled darts, she'd given him a smirk and offered to bet on the outcome. It was only as she saw Lee's slight headshake that Kara suspected that she'd been had.

Zak had laid down the terms and stepped forward to shoot first. As he'd carefully selected from the available darts, testing each for weight and line, Kara knew that this was one bet he was determined to win.

Five throws.

Five burst balloons.

One widely grinning boyfriend.

Lee went next. Three for five. And if his shrug was just a little too nonchalant, Kara let it go. She still had a turn and had no intention of just giving Zak the win; she did that for no one.

Her last dart hit high and slightly to the left. Four of five, and she heard a pleased shout of victory from behind.

"Cheater," Kara huffed at Lee as she twisted to face him full on. At his exaggerated who-me look, "You distracted me on purpose, so don't go all innocent. You know you did."

As his lips curled up again in the same taunting smirk that had shaken her concentration just a moment ago, she suddenly had the urge to lean forward to sample them. Then a voice over her shoulder reminded her exactly why that wasn't an option.

"Aw, Kara, don't be a bad sport," Zak said, hand lightly tugging on her elbow, pulling her to turn towards him as he added, "I'm just a better shot than both of you."

Shrugging off the quick lash of guilt over her attraction to his brother, Kara allowed the younger Adama to pull her close for a lingering kiss. And if she briefly wondered if Lee would taste the same, she hastily stamped on the traitorous thought. Sliding her arms about Zak's neck, she let the warmth of his embrace remind her why she'd fallen for this guy when so many others hadn't even stirred more than a surface passion.

A throat-clearing caused them to part as the lean youth that ran the game held out a stuffed gorilla to Zak. As he accepted his prize, Kara swiveled around to make a smart remark, only to find that Lee had moved over to the next booth and appeared to be intently studying the rules board. And if he looked rather stiff, standing with both hands thrust deep into his jeans pockets, Kara put it down to embarrassment at their public display.

"Ready to pay up?" Zak asked as he stepped to Kara's side.

"Frak," making a face at him, "you really gonna make us do it?" she demanded, eyes flickering to where Lee had turned back to them.

"Bet's a bet," Zak smugly said. "You and Lee lost. So, ya, I want to see the two of you wet."

Kara saw the wave of color rise along Lee's neck and wondered if hers was betraying inappropriate thoughts, too. With a mental shake, she shoved the images of a Lee, glistening with arousal, aside.

Well, Zak was right. He'd managed to outshoot both Kara and Lee in the darts game and now they faced the consequences.

The dunk tank.

Earlier, Zak had been relating a time when he and Lee were kids and how Lee had conned him into volunteering for the dunk tank. Apparently a slightly less mature Lee had taken great delight in hitting the target over and over, repeatedly plunging his little brother into the drink. Now Zak wanted payback. And Kara, in a giddy moment of overconfidence, had agreed that the two losers would both take a turn in the tank.

Well, she didn't welch on a wager. And, as her gaze strayed to Lee, the chance to see how much he really resembled his callsign brought a glint to her eyes. She knew she couldn't touch, but nothing said a girl wasn't allowed to look. When the blue of Lee's eyes took on a deeper hue as if he could read her thoughts, Kara was abruptly aware that he wouldn't be the only one sporting a wet t-shirt before Zak was satisfied.

"Come on. The tank's over here." Taking her hand, Zak led the way among the stalls, retracing their earlier course.

"They probably won't let us, you know," Kara said, pulling back against the onward pressure.

It wasn't that she really objected to the idea. She just didn't like the feeling of being rushed into something she hadn't instigated. There had been other similar moments since she'd first reluctantly agreed to a drink with the persistent cadet from her Basic Flight class. Each time, the warmth of his smile and the assurance in his eyes had melted her misgivings. Zak had a way of silencing the voices in her head that constantly told her that she wasn't good enough.

"Oh yes they will." And as he turned his head, mischievous grin increasing his good looks, her resistance again ducked for cover. Not that she was going to just let him continue to drag her along.

Planting her feet, Kara tugged her hand free, bringing their forced march to a halt.

"And just what makes you so sure, mister?" her belligerent tone belied by her inability to keep her lips from twitching.

"It just so happens I noticed they're doing a fundraiser. Taking donations from the crowd to dunk anyone willing," he explained, then winked, "or not so willing."

"Ha! I was setup." She closed the two steps that separated them, and lightly poked a finger into his chest. "You planned this."

"Maybe, but you can't prove it." He captured her hand and raised it, turning it over to brush her palm with a feather light kiss. It tickled and a giggle escaped before she could help herself.

Leaning in close, "Bet I can make you confess," she whispered into his ear, hearing the quick intake of his breath. Two could play this game.

As Kara looked over his shoulder, she stiffened. Lee was watching their byplay and the naked longing in his eyes drew her own sharp inhale. When he abruptly wrenched his gaze away, the snap of disconnect caused her to jerk backwards.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Zak's concern reflected in the way his brows drew down and he reached for her.

Kara gave herself a mental shake, forcing a smile to reassure him.

"Nothing. Just don't like to be setup." She grabbed his hand. "But I honor my bets," she said, pulling him forward this time. "Let's go and see if your aim with a ball is half as good as with a dart."

She refused to glance behind to see if Lee was following. Kara was determined to leave Zak's brother in her wake, hoping the assorted emotions he evoked would be submerged if she just kept moving in the opposite direction.

Spotting the dunk tank just beyond the next booth, Kara heard the attendant calling out to the crowd, encouraging them to step up and take a turn at dropping a loved one into the icy bath.

Damn! And the frakker's right. Open for business and taking volunteers.

Kara let her breath out in a silent huff. No avoiding it now.

Pulling Zak forward, "Your idea, you pay."

"It's worth it to get you wet," Zak murmured to her as he pulled his wallet out and then handed an ID chit to the carnival man. Transaction complete, he swung back to them. "So, who's first?"

"Ladies first," Lee said, with a grin and slight bow.

"Momma said I'd never be a lady," and if her smirk was just a little tight, neither man said anything. Resolutely shoving those thoughts away, she added, "But, since I'm first in everything—" at Zak's lifted eyebrows, "everything but darts, I'll go first." And if there was just a bit more swagger in her walk as she strode away, she didn't need to look over her shoulder to know that both Adama men were watching her.

A changing tent with shorts and t-shirts in various sizes and degrees of dampness awaited her. The ones she chose were a bit tight, but she shrugged, knowing that if she got dunked, not much would be left to the imagination anyways. Maybe she could distract them enough to throw off their aim. Any advantage to win. And Kara had never believed in a fair fight if she could help it. She'd been taught long ago that fair got you a handful of nothing, while a fist of dirt in a bully's eyes meant she finished on top.

Kara settled on the drop board over the tank of water and gave both guys a cheery wave. As the vendor handed a smirking Lee two balls and pointed to the round target that would plunge the dunkee, Kara's eyes narrowed. She considered what Zak had told her about his older brother.

As Lee took his place before the tank, Kara yelled out, "Come on, daddy's boy. Show me whatcha got!" She saw him stiffen then send the ball flying with a hard, fast throw. It easily missed the round bullseye. "Swing and a miss!" she mocked. But as Lee circled his shoulders, the determination in his expression told her the same tactic wouldn't fly a second time.

Fine.

Closely watching, Kara flipped the hem of her borrowed shirt up just as Lee shift his weight back for the next throw. She'd left her bra in the tent to keep it dry. By the time his arm released the ball and it struck the backboard with a solid thunk of a miss, she was decently covered again.

Kara cackled, her laughter further darkening the pink shade of Lee's neck and face as Zak elbowed him.

"Sorry, Lee, but your timings a little off," she said, then, "but, hey, thanks for playing!"

She suddenly felt her own cheeks heat as Lee's gaze sought and held hers. The memory of their almost-frak seemed to connect them, and Kara was certain that he also was wondering how things might have been different if Lee had met her first. Sucky timing all around.

Kara's flush abruptly chilled as the board beneath her dropped, plunging her into the cold water.

Coming up sputtering, "What the frak!" she gasped out. She'd been so lost in the pair of turquoise eyes that she hadn't noticed Zak preparing for his turn. "I wasn't ready," she protested while pushing wet bangs back from her face.

"And that, bro, is the trick with Kara," Zak said, casually tossing the remaining ball from hand to hand. "Gotta stay one step ahead. Hesitate, think too long, and she's like gone. Persistence and surprise." Turning back to Kara as she gingerly set herself back on the board again. "Right, babe," he called out.

"Babe me again, Adama, and it'll be you out in the cold—tonight," she warned. Then, as his expression became contrite, her temporary bad humor evaporated. She never could stay mad at Zak. "Ok, let's see what you can do when I'm ready for you." She gave a beckoning wave with both hands. "Bring it on, snuggle-bear."

She saw Lee's eyebrow arch up at the nickname, but it didn't seem to faze Zak at all.

"Lee, did Zak ever tell you about the time we did it in—" before she could even finish, the ball hit smack on target and she was going down.

"…ittle frakker!" again she came up with curses flying along with sopping strands of hair as she shook her head.

She heard Zak say, "Think we'd better not go another round. Don't want to get kicked out because her mouths too dirty for a family park." He gave Lee a push towards the back area. "Your turn, big bro."

Lee had to wait outside the tent while Kara changed back into dry clothes. As she stepped out still fastening the buttons of the black jeans she'd worn today, she collided with him. Lee's hands grasped her waist to steady her as she rocked back from the impact.

She sharply inhaled as a shock flowed between them again. Frak! Why did a touch—or even just one of his intense glances—send tingles of awareness along suddenly over sensitized nerves? As she jerked her chin up, his hands fell away and he took a quick step back.

"Sorry, I—"

"No problem, Adama," she interrupted, tone carefully teasing, "though Zak never told me that you were a klutz."

"I…" as he faltered, his eyes flicked back towards where Zak stood watching them from his place in front of the tank.

Kara's own gaze followed his and the familiar ribbon of shame knotted her gut. She loved Zak, didn't she? Then why was there this…thing…with his brother? Biting down on her inner lip, she decided that whatever it was, she wasn't going to let if frak up the first good relationship she'd found.

Giving Zak a brief wave, she pulled a smirk forth and gave Lee a wink.

"Come on, Apollo. Your turn in the drink."

"In your dreams, Starbuck." And the moment passed as Lee ducked into the tent and Kara joined Zak, linking an arm possessively around his elbow.

When Lee took his place above the tank, Zak went first.

Despite Lee's teasing, each of the throws went true and Lee was dropped into the water twice in quick succession. Cheering Zak each time, Kara was surprised a little by his vehement determination to put Lee down. She privately wondered if it was just sibling rivalry—or if he might have sensed some of the sexual tension between she and his brother.

Even with those thoughts in mind, Kara found herself unable to resist staring as a bare-chested—and dripping—Lee resumed his seat on the once again horizontal board. He had opted for just a pair of shorts and his torso really did belong to that of a god.

Despite the distraction of all that well-cut muscle, Kara's first pitch struck dead center and she was rewarded by a splash.

"Nice!" Zak leaned in and brushed her lips with a congratulatory kiss. "Of course, you have to hit your next one, too, or I win," he added, eyes alight at the prospect of pulling another victory over his girlfriend and brother.

When her eyes drifted to see Lee run a hand through his hair and watched as water glistened in rivulets down his chest, guilt again tightened its hold in her chest.

She pasted a bright smile on for Zak's benefit and prepared for her last throw. The target looked huge after years of Pyramid practice. It wasn't even a real challenge. From her peripheral vision, she could see both brothers intently watching her, the weight of their regard constricted the coil further, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Kara made a decision. She loved Zak and would give him what he wanted.

After her second pitch slid past the rim of the target, Kara turned her back on the barely clad brother and gave a nonchalant shrug and moved into Zak Adama's embrace. His arms enfolded her and she felt safe, something that was still a novel experience and one she wasn't going to risk because of a strange attraction to his brother.

As Kara Thrace rested her forehead against Adama's chest, she knew this was where her future lay.

The End