DISCLAIMER: See previous.
PRIMAL INSTINCT
Lee entered the bunks. He'd gone straight to the showers because he couldn't stand the smell of himself. He also needed to shave. The stubble on his face was itchy and he wanted to be rid of it.
He got back into the bunk and noticed the majority of the beds with their curtains pulled, signaling most of them were probably sleeping.
Lee carefully put his towel in his locker. He decided to sleep in his boxers. He put a clean shirt at the foot of the bed, just in case he needed it. He put the uniform on the bottom of the locker. He'd have to get it cleaned before he'd wear it again. He was seriously thinking of burning it after the last 135 hours of wearing it.
He took a peek into Kenzi's bunk. He noticed her tank had slipped from her shoulder and he saw what looked like a tattoo on her shoulder. He wasn't sure, but he thought it was a curve of laurel leaves. He smiled at the meaning. According to what he'd been taught, Apollo had been shot with an arrow and fallen madly in love with Daphne. She was shot with an arrow that made her rebuff Apollo. Apollo relentlessly chased Daphne until she called for help from her father who changed her into a Laurel tree, stopping Apollo's chasing. This made Apollo deem the Laurel tree sacred. To think that his Daphne had a tattoo of the laurel on her shoulder held special meaning for Lee. He saw she had been looking at a picture. Fearing she'd drop the photo, Lee reached in and took the picture from her hands. He noticed it was of Kenzi and Kara as girls. He smiled at the innocent look in Kenzi's eyes. She'd still have that innocence if not for him. He was about to put the picture on the shelf when he noticed the back wasn't on correctly.
He took the back off to adjust it when another photo fell out. Lee figured it was of Kenzi and her father or something along those lines until he flipped it over.
There was the same picture he had managed to keep with him all the time. He was never sure why he had to take that one item that reminded him of Kenzi when he'd left Caprica. He didn't know why he'd held onto it and even packed it into his belongings when he'd come aboard Galactica for the ceremony. It was a picture of himself and Kenzi in front of one of the many bodies of water on Picon.
He smiled at the memory of that trip. He didn't know it then, but the night before, Kenzi and he had conceived the child they had lost. Lee carefully replaced the picture, not wanting to cry at what had happened.
He covered Kenzi up and noticed she wore a ring on her thumb, much like Kara. He looked closely and realized it was the wedding ring she'd chosen for him to wear when they were to get married. He absently reached for the ring he'd picked out for her that he'd hidden with his dog tags on his chain.
He slipped into his bunk, shocked that Kenzi still had a photo of him and had his wedding ring, despite everything they'd been through. He closed his eyes and despite the exhaustion tugging at his body, he dreamed of a future with Kenzi.
When Kenzi's alarm went off, she knew it was too soon. She pulled the curtain back and headed off to shower and head to the mess.
Lee saw Kenzi get out of her bunk and head for the shower. He decided he was going to join her. He grabbed his stuff and headed out to the showers right behind her.
Kenzi put her stuff in front of a locker and proceeded to the showers.
She tossed off her clothes and wrapped herself with her towel. She stepped into the shower and hung the towel over the door where it wouldn't get wet.
Lee entered the shower and found Kenzi's stuff on the bench. He entered the shower and got himself ready for his shower.
"Lieutenant," he said, causing Kenzi to jump.
"Captain," she said, obviously surprised at his appearance.
"Carry on," he said, making a discrete peek into Kenzi's shower. Kenzi tried to ignore the look, but was finding it impossible.
She finished and exited the shower, putting her cargo pants and tank on and lacing up her boots.
Lee had come out of the shower a few minutes later and Kenzi was trying to get herself ready so she could leave before he saw her.
"Kenz, you don't have to run away. I don't bite," Lee said.
"Trust me, Lee, that's the LEAST of my worries when it comes to you," she said, gathering her stuff. She decided to finish dressing in her bunk and took off in that direction. She hoped Lee wouldn't follow, but in the back of her mind, she knew he would.
She headed to her locker and took her tank and cargo's out of the clean box in the bottom of her locker. She put the other uniform in the bag to take to the laundry. She started brushing her hair to put it up in a ponytail. She looked down from the mirror to get her band for her hair. When she looked back up, she wished she could say she was shocked to see Lee standing behind her. Right behind her. His hand touched the side of her stomach making her shiver despite her resolve not to cave to his touch. There was something about Lee that made her reactions seem almost primal, primitive. It was almost instinctive for her to react to Lee. Caving to his touch was a reflex for Kenzi. She couldn't stop it, even if she had wanted.
His arm found it's way around her waist, his mouth kissing the nape and side of her neck. He spun her around and kissed her, leaving no chance for her to back away. Her hands found their way into his hair and the comfortable way that he made her feel, made her forget that she was mad at him or she missed him or anything she had thought. She could only feel how he made her feel at this very moment and, gods be damned, she wanted him.
He pulled away and looked into her eyes. His blue eyes flashing with desire and passion as they gazed into her green ones that reflected the same thing. Their senses on overload, they ignored the voices in their head.
Lee couldn't stop himself from touching Kenzi. He had to. Seeing her in the shower, he knew that he had to be with Kenzi. He had a primal drive that wanted Kenzi, wanted to claim his territory. He touched her bare skin and, relished the touch. He closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her neck and, sensing she was giving in, spun her around so his mouth could claim hers in a kiss that showed how much he wanted her.
He tugged at her shirt, hating the offending fabric for being in his way. Once it was off her, he pulled the band for her hair. He loved the way her soft curls fell around her face.
Kenzi pressed her fingers into his back, not believing this moment was real. She toyed with the back of his neck, just below his hairline. The gooseflesh on Lee's arms was enough to prove Kenzi still knew what he liked. She looked into his eyes and found his eyes burning with desire. Such emotion was reflected in those beautiful eyes that Kenzi was scared. Not scared of Lee, but scared of letting him down, once again.
Suddenly, his mouth claimed hers again and Kenzi's fear and self-doubt flew out the door.
She didn't resist as Lee pushed her down onto her bunk, pulling the curtain closed around them.
This moment, to Kenzi and Lee, wasn't about love. It was just about want. They needed each other if to do nothing more than to relieve the frustration from the last six months. In the back of Kenzi's mind, she knew the pain would remain, but right now, she just wanted Lee. Nothing else matter to either one. They just had to be together.
