Caprican Christmas Chap 4
Laura stared in shocked astonishment at the man before her. She'd never in all her life heard or seen anyone eat food the way he was. She forced a chuckle and raised her brow into her hairline.
"Do you always make this much noise?"
"You don't eat Tauron noodles without sharing your excitement for them Laura." He smiled that endearing smirk and a light shone in his blue eyes. "Do you always cut yours and eat them with a spoon?"
"Touche`, I don't usually eat them. In fact, I couldn't tell you the last time I'd had any." She waved her hand and watched as he came around the table to stand behind her.
"Here, take the fork and spin it around a long noodle, like this. Let the rest of it lay in the bowl. Now put it in your mouth and slurp it for all it's worth. You want a good smack at the end."
"Oh for the gods' sake. You can't be serious, Bill! I don't think I'll be doing that. You're putting me on."
"I don't joke, Laura. Here I'll help you." He placed his hand firmly around hers and brought it to her mouth. "You've got to do the next part by yourself, I can't do that for you."
She rolled her eyes and did as instructed. The noodle dangled precariously over her blouse, threatening to leave a stain, then disappeared with a loud slurp. She found herself laughing at the absurdity of it all before reaching for another bite.
Bill watched in awe as she cleared the bowl. Taking a napkin, he reached up to wipe the juice off her chin and cheek where it had splattered during her ritual. Their eyes met as she slid her hand around his wrist. Stilling it in the process, her fingers danced over his skin in a rhythmic pattern. The silence was filled with all the questions and emotions they were feeling, and it was comfortable until Laura let out a nervous breath. She smiled, not breaking eye contact, and removed her hand, taking the napkin in its place.
"Now see, didn't that taste better?"
Bill gathered the dishes and dumped them into the sink. He was adding soap to the water when Laura walked up behind him.
"Okay, maybe it was," she conceded in a flirty tone. Grabbing the dishcloth from the counter she turned to face him. "I'll wash if you dry."
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Bill set the last of the dishes in the cabinet as water splashed over him. Laura had been teasing a water fight the entire time and now she had followed through. She jumped in glee as he splashed her back and made to grab the water sprayer. She ran into the living room as she felt her back being pelted with droplets.
Bill followed closely on her heels and caught her round the waist with one hand as he flicked the last drops from his fingers on her with the other.
"Billlll," she squealed in delight before she broke into hysterical laughter. She reached out to steady herself as her entire body convulsed. She bent at the waist trying to contain the cackles now bouncing from every corner of the room. She slid her arm through the crook of his elbow and took several steadying breaths.
"Oh my. Oh, sorry, hee hee, I get these giggling fits sometimes and can't stop. Oh goodness." She got relatively calm and straightened herself, bringing her eyes to meet his. The moment their eyes met, sparks flew and they were both overcome.
Several minutes passed before either was able to look at the other without bursting again. When Laura finally contained herself, she found she was face to face with Bill. She patted his shoulder and wiped her nose not sure what her next move should be.
Bill's hand slid across her cheek and rested in the crook of her jaw. Willing her eyes to meet his fully, he stroked his thumb in small circles until she acquiesced. Pulling her closer, they threw their arms around one another's neck and held on until their rapid breathing had slowed.
She stepped back to put a space between them, nervous of the closeness she felt. "Thank you Bill. That's the first time in a very long time that I've had that kind of fun."
"Maybe you should do it more often." A boyish grin spread across his face and she couldn't help but retaliate with a flirty grin of her own.
A small light caught the corner of her eye, and she turned to search for its source. Lying on the floor at the base of the tree, were the abandoned lights Bill had been trying to string earlier. Guiltily, she walked over, picked them up, and began fidgeting them between her fingers.
"You know Bill, this is your cabin and you should be able to decorate if you'd like. Besides, I'd hate to think you cut down this tree for nothing."
She began untangling the bulbs while shooting covert glances under wispy eyelashes his way. The light sounds of holiday songs drifted through her hair and tickled her ears. She let out a gasp as a strong hand made its presence known at the small of her back. She felt her hair move and the sweet heat of breath on her neck.
"Need some help," a low raspy voice cooed, sending shivers racing all over her skin. He felt her pulse quicken as his lips hovered near her neck. His nose slid up her cheek as he made his way to the corner of her eye where he placed a kiss on the lid.
"Hmm," the question rumbled and hung in the air like fog on a lake. His hand traveled from the small of her back around her waist to her hands clinging tightly to the lights. Neither spoke as he took one end and left the other in her hand. He moved to the opposite side of the tree, and untangling them as he went, began hanging the lights. He passed her the strand around the back and she passed it back around the front. On each pass, their fingers would brush skin, or grasp a finger, or a thumb would stroke the other.
The crackling of firewood, the soft sounds of Winter Wonderland, and the occasional ticking of the clock was the chorus of their night. The song vibrating between them was spoken in the quiet of their actions. No words. Only sighs, batting of lashes, blush on cheeks, grins and smiles. The tucking of hair behind the ear, the lingering of fingers on lips, the memory of a stolen kiss. There was the soul-searching stare giving and finding more than it bargained for. There was longing and hope, fear and strength, there was a question but no answer. There was nothing and everything.
The lights having been finished, were left to glow in place, for several small boxes tucked under the tree. Bill handed one to Laura and retrieved one for himself. Laura lifted the lid and eyed the contents before her. She picked up the first item and held it out to Bill, a large smile splayed across her face.
He chuckled with nostalgia as he wrapped his fingers around a round clay ornament. He flipped it over, running his hand over the grooves of the tiny fingers and palm imprinted on the opposite side. Three small letters and a number was printed at the bottom. "Zak 5" His eyes moist with love, he smiled a large crooked grin and held it up for Laura to see.
"He made that for his first Festival of Joy and Merriment in school. He was so excited to show us the bright yellow ornament. He almost broke it when he ran in to bring it to us that morning. He tripped over Lee in the living room. Zak tumbled and fell to his knees, but he held on to this thing so tightly. He shoved it high above his head and kept it there until he'd placed it in my hands. His sweet face was beaming with pride. Didn't cry, just shouted 'Happy Joy Day, Daddy!' Lee, without skipping a beat shouted 'It's Merry Christmas, Zakkie!' Needless to say they fought after that and the ornament was forgotten. Of course, the memory has lived on in its hand."
With one more pass over the groove, Bill placed it on a branch at the front of the tree. Laura eyed him admiringly, feeling the love for his sons radiating from him in waves.
"It's a lovely memory Bill, thank you for sharing it with me. I've not heard you talk of Zak before. He's your youngest, right?"
"We lost him almost five years ago in a Viper accident. A child's not supposed to be the first to go. He was too young."
He picked up his box and began putting the ornaments in various locations. Laura followed suit, reading the signs that Bill wasn't willing to say any more yet. She found Lee's "hand" and placed it lovingly next to his brothers. She chuckled at the memory of an odd phrase Bill had said during his story, and as she bent to reach for another box, she asked him about it.
"Bill, you said an odd phrase I've never heard before. Lee said something or other about 'Merry Cristus.' What gave him the idea the Festival was called that?"
He laughed at her mispronunciation, chucking her under the chin in a gesture of flirtatious goodwill.
"No, it's actually 'Merry Christmas'. It's something my Tsattie would say to me as a boy. She taught it to my mother and they taught it to me. I suppose it was something she'd learned on Tauron as a young girl and decided to keep it going in the family. I tried to ask her where it came from, but she would revert to her old language and I didn't speak it. She always did that when she was lost in thoughts of her home world. I do know a few word, but they're mostly of the colorful variety. Well perhaps a few terms of endearment as well, but I haven't spoken any of those in many, many years.
"Well, I don't know what it is either, but I like it. Maybe I could use that from now on. It makes me feel light thinking it. 'Merry Christmas' oh, it makes me happy saying it too. Do you mind, or is it just for family?"
"Family, yes. Say it again."
"Merry Christmas, Bill!"
His eyes danced as a thought floated through his mind. He'd tuck it away for later, but it was something he'd be visiting again. One word, Family. Hanging the last ornament, Bill stepped back to admire the tree. He walked toward Laura and slid his hand to the small of her back, the place he was beginning to associate with comfort.
She nestled her arm in the crook of his elbow, the warm place she was finding held certain comfort she missed as soon as it was gone. She relaxed her head against his chest and stared at the tree, with its lights twinkling their reflection in her eyes. Bumping his head against hers, his voice gravelly from emotion broke the silence. "We work well together Roslin."
"Yes we do, Commander." She smiled, content for the first time in years.
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"It should stay warm all night, so I won't put anymore wood on than this. If you feel cold, the cabinet with towels has extra blankets on the bottom shelf. You know where that is, right? That looked like one of mine earlier."
She batted his arm at his teasing words then fixed him with her best political stare she could muster. He simply set his face in stone and gave her as good as he got. They stayed that way, until the threat of another giggle fit took over.
"Will you be warm enough down here tonight? I feel bad about taking the bed when it is yours after all. I should take the couch."
"I slept in a rack on a BattleStar for years. A couch is a luxury."
"Okay, if you insist. Perhaps we can take turns. Okay, okay we can discuss it tomorrow. Goodnight Bill, and thank you." She stuck her hand out waiting for his in return. He was surprised but showed no outward signs, and instead gave her a solid shake. He nodded his head and raised a brow in response. Laura strode toward the stairs, turned back once to allow their eyes do the talking, then walked up to bed. Bill stood resolutely, expression unchanged, eyes watching her every move until her silhouette faded into shadows.
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Laura had been lying in bed for nearly two hours. She was wide awake and restless with a nervousness she couldn't put her finger on. Not that she wanted to admit to yet, anyway. With a deep sigh and even deeper eye roll, she called out to the semi-darkness. "I can't sleep."
Bill had been lying in the same cramped spot listening to her tossing and turning. Her huffs and puffs had gotten louder and her sighs deeper with each minute. He sat up at her words, stretched his creaky body and got up from the couch. He scanned the items for what he needed and crept across the floor.
The sound of a match being struck and the flickering of a small flame caused her to turn her head in wonderment. The cabin had remained quiet after her outburst and she was taken aback to see Bill sitting in a straight back chair at the side of the bed.
"Dark Day by Edward Prima." He opened the book to the first page and she smiled.
"Ah, it's one of those classics I never got around to reading I'm afraid. I'll have to borrow it another time."
"Mmm," Bill held the book up to begin, and Laura snuggled deeper into the blankets. A contented look on her face, she felt as though this was right.
