"Ember in the Ashes" (Baltar/Gaeta, PG-13)

[demonqueen666]

Title: Ember in the Ashes
Pairing: Gaius Baltar/Felix Gaeta
Rating: PG-13 for mentions of sex and adult situations
Prompt: #20, Caprica
Length: 1,690 words
Summary: Hope is such a precious thing. And one so easily taken for granted.
Notes: set in the missing year on New Caprica; real spoilers only for S2 but with implications of downright anvil-

Comments

[millari]

Wow, I finally finish my final school project, turn it in, come home, go on LJ, and what's the very first thing sitting atop my flist? Felix and Gaius! In the missing year!

It's just like a graduation present. An irony-filled, break-my-heart melancholy graduation present.

Ok, the thing that most got me about this fic was how right from the beginning, Gaius was totally oblivious to the irony of even asking that question. I mean, asking Felix what he missed the most about before the Colonies were destroyed? Um, the destruction he had a major hand in??? Dude, I know you didn't know she was a Cylon and all, but still...you kinda got his entire family killed! You just don't *ask* that kind of question.

Yes, yes, I know. If you're Baltar, you do. The cognitive dissonance Gaius exhibits here hurt my soul to contemplate was really affecting, actually

[demonqueen666]

Well, I'm certainly glad to hear I made your day complete ;)

Dude, I know you didn't know she was a Cylon and all, but still...you kinda got his entire family killed! You just don't *ask* that kind of question.

That and, even then, it's really not the kind of question that warrants the careless, offhand tone Gaius uses when he asks, is it? "What do you miss the most from our entire way of life that got destroyed?" is not interchangable with "If you could be any animal/go back in time/sleep with one celebrity", really.

You managed to capture hints of the Gaius that was to come by LDYB, of his utterly disinterested attitude about his presidency even at this early stage when he was still managing to hold it together.

The thing with Gina and Cloud Nine pretty much sealed it, but regardless of whatever big dreams and positive attitude Gaius might have had at the start...he never wanted to be a politician in the first place. At all. He's 100% attracted to the power and trappings of the office and has no interest whatsoever in any of the

[crickets]

This was incredibly well done! I love the grasp you have on their voices. It's so spot on! I think what struck me most was Felix's almost, naivety, about the whole situation and Baltar's nonchalance and irresponsibility. Those parts really struck me as very real to the characters. Nicely one!

[demonqueen666]

Well, on the one hand, I could say I've written a ridiculous amount of fic for these two already. But interestingly, this is actually the first attempt I've ever made to capture them at this particular point in their characterization (everything else has been written post "Taking A Break" at least), so I was in fact a little nervous that I managed their voices correctly.
So yeah, thank you for that ^_^ And I'm glad you enjoyed.

[crickets]

Well you've done an excellent job of capturing that time. It really worked.

[cynthia_arrow]

Such perfect characterizations here. Nice. Especially the different views they have of what's important to civilization. I can really believe Baltar would be thinking this way, and it's perfect because it's ridiculously and selfishly idealistic, but it also feels sincere. Because, you know, he's sincerely self-centered. :)

I like the squirmy feeling of being in Gaeta's head here, how you want to be seduced by Baltar's ideas, but they're just not realistic. The exchange about the phoenix was a stroke of genius.

Now, really, why is it I don't read more Baltar/Gaeta? :)

[demonqueen666]

Yeah, why don't you?? Especially mine? Heh, I kid, I kid.

Seriously though, thanks for commenting. I glad that the voices rang true to you, especially the nuances between them. I'm, uh...also really relieved that you apparantly liked the phoenix thing, because I was honestly a little worried about that part. I kind of wanted to scale it back somehow, like, I was afraid it came across too ham-fisted. But had no clue how to do so. But, I guess, I may have been freaked out over nothing? ;)

Because, you know, he's sincerely self-centered.

HA. He really is, isn't he?