fic: Games Adults Play (5/6)
Title: Games Adults Play (5/6)
Author: icedteainthebag
Pairings: Bill Adama/Ellen Tigh/Laura Roslin, think square dancing + Saul, Adama/Roslin
Rating: Um, super MA
Summary: Ellen's return to the Fleet brings complications to Bill and Laura's lives.
Word Count: 4,500
Notes: Written for the bsg_epics ship swap exchange in order to fulfill wishflsinfl's request of Bill/Laura/Ellen, not PWP, in canon. So basically, write the impossible. Know that going in.
Links to: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6
-
When Ellen heard about Cloud 9 being nuked, the first thing she wanted to do was find Bill. She knew he'd be a wreck and that he'd probably lost a part of himself when that bomb went off.
And, as he didn't have anyone else to turn to, she had hoped he would be willing to turn to her for comfort.
Comfort in whatever form he preferred.
She told herself if something happened, and it happened to meet a certain need he had and a different need she had, well... she could convince herself that there wasn't anything wrong with that. It would be just like old times, just this one time.
And then Laura walked in on them drinking and it was like a blessed gift from the Gods. Now it could feel like she was doing Bill a favor. In fact, despite the twinge of jealousy she felt at Bill being in love with Laura, she was impressed at her quick elevation to governmental wingman status.
Bill and Laura were pretty hopeless when it came to hooking up. But the woman had nearly died and now seemed healthier than ever-besides the touch of depression she was feeling about her election loss. It was often moments like this that made for the greatest success when it came to decisions to throw caution into the wind. Nothing like hopelessness and alcohol to kick start things.
So she was impressed when Bill moved more quickly than she'd ever seen to stop Laura from leaving. She was equally impressed when Laura said she'd stay.
This was exactly what all of them needed.
And then there was an awkward moment in which she felt she should probably leave, but as she watched Bill move Laura's hair aside and gently kiss her neck, Ellen decided there was no way in hell she was going to go.
If the only way to get to Bill was by going through Laura, then she was going to do it.
Ellen walked up to Laura, whose eyes were closed as Bill's hands moved up her sides and back down over her hips. Ellen cupped Laura's face and kissed her again. This time, Laura responded eagerly, much to Ellen's surprise. Her tongue gently darted in and out of Ellen's mouth, then her hands slipped into Ellen's hair, pulling her closer.
Ellen looked to Bill and met his eyes as he planted a final kiss on Laura's neck. He lifted his head and slowly stroked Laura's side. Ellen moved her hands to a button on Laura's suit jacket and plucked it open, causing Laura to open her eyes. She kept Ellen's gaze as she undid each of them. Bill pushed her jacket off her shoulders and it dropped to the floor.
A little teamwork would get the job done.
Ellen hadn't felt a specifically sexual attraction to Laura before-she found the woman attractive, but she certainly didn't spend nights lusting after her or even fantasizing about her, unlike Bill certainly did. But there was something that attracted her to this situation now. Ellen chalked it up to curiosity and to the idea that she could frak yet another President. Okay, former President this time. But there was an air of pretentious regality that hadn't worn off Laura yet and Ellen wanted to be the first to strip her down to her barest.
That part was sexy. And to give Laura credit, she was pretty easy on the eyes.
Then there was the tiniest part of her that got aroused from the idea of making Bill jealous.
She ran her fingers along Laura's waistband, then slid her hand beneath it, causing Laura to shift on her feet. The waistband was tight against her forearm but she kissed Laura again while her hand sought, and found, the apex of Laura's thighs and cupped her forcefully, making her gasp.
"Yeah," Ellen whispered against their kiss as Laura's eyes searched hers. "Do you really think you're ready for this, Laura?"
A spark of determination flickered across the woman's face. "I've done this before."
Secrets best kept. It was a stretch to get her fingers twisted into the fabric covering Laura's crotch, but she did it, pushing it aside and feeling her fingertips instantly wet. "You seem to like it."
Bill groaned about that one. Hearing him reminded her that he was still there and listlessly caressing Laura's hip. She looked over Laura's shoulder. "You could at least help me out here. Like get her skirt off for me."
Laura laughed then, a bit of a sputter. "This is ludicrous. What are we doing?"
"It's been that long?" Ellen felt herself smirk, warmth radiating through her abdomen as she withdrew her hand. "His rack's right over there. We could get comfortable. I'll take it easy on you."
Laura pushed past her, their shoulders brushing. She turned to watch Laura unzip her skirt and step out of it. With her back still turned to them, she removed her blouse and unsnapped her bra, tossing it to the floor.
"Thank Zeus," Bill whispered.
"Should be thanking me." Ellen followed Laura and stepped close to her back, hooking her thumbs in Laura's panties and sliding them down her legs. Her very, very long legs. And with the former President completely naked in front of her and Bill and both of them completely clothed, Ellen felt a little more in her element. She'd show Bill what he'd been missing.
"Get on the bed," she murmured against Laura's hair. "I want to frak you in front of him. He'll love it."
-
He was immeasurably hard and drunk and felt like this was all either a terrible nightmare or a dream come true. It was probably an ill-conceived combination of both. The first thing he wanted to see was Laura naked but the last thing he expected was watching her crawl onto the rack in front of Ellen Tigh.
It wasn't what he'd expected, or really wanted, but it was what was happening and he wasn't going to stop it. He knew no man in the Fleet who would.
It was the best distraction he could imagine, nukes and newly elected bastards be damned.
Ellen took her time removing her skirt and her blouse, making a show for both him and Laura, making them wait. Bill's eyes kept straying to Laura as she sat up against the bulkhead, folding her glasses and putting them on his bookshelf. She bent her knees to her chest and watched Ellen take off her clothes. The curve of the side of Laura's breast-that alone was making him want to forgo Ellen and touch her. But he waited because he wanted to see who would make the next move.
When Ellen had stripped down to her panties, she shot a smile at him before slipping onto the sheets and running her hands up Laura's legs, cupping her knees with her palms. Laura kept her eyes on Ellen, something Bill thought looked like a tolerant gaze. Was she just humoring her?
"Bill, I want to show you something." Ellen pushed Laura's knees apart. Laura's feet slid downward on the bed as she spread her legs. Laura looked at him and he couldn't stop himself from pressing his palm against his cock, which had been begging for attention for minutes. Air hissed through his teeth at the radiating pleasure he felt as he stroked himself through his pants.
He was so busy looking at Laura that he hadn't noticed Ellen lower herself between Laura's legs, but Laura's whimper when Ellen's face disappeared between her thighs made his cock surge again. He felt a mix of emotions swell within him-jealousy and arousal, anger and hurt pride. Laura turned her face away and one of her hands slid over Ellen's hair. Then he heard her softly moan, her head tilted back, and he nearly blew his load.
"Frak," he growled, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. He let them fall and stepped out of them while yanking his cock up over the waistband of his boxer briefs. He gripped the heated, hardened flesh and gave it a merciless tug, and then another, then watched as Laura's hips began to writhe in a beautiful rhythm. He heard Ellen's muted groans and Laura's answering whimpers.
It was too much to bear for any man. Ellen was doing this on purpose, to get him to act, to get him enraged as she frakked the woman he'd wanted for months right in front of him.
She always played these games, jerking him around. But she wouldn't win this time.
Bill walked up to the rack and Ellen, sensing his presence, lifted her head and looked over to him. Her chin was glistening and she gave it a lascivious wipe with the back of her hand. The gesture sent a jolt of anger through him.
"Rack's kinda small," Ellen said, licking her lips. "Probably not enough room for three."
Bill yanked his tanks up over his head and tossed them aside, then leaned down and grabbed Ellen's chin. He saw Laura watching out of the corner of his eye as he kissed Ellen hard, pushing his tongue into her mouth and holding back the groan in his chest at tasting Laura for the first time. He savored it and then pulled away, licking Ellen's lip once and then looking into Laura's eyes.
"There's enough," he said.
-
Laura's heart was beating in time with the throb between her legs and when Bill kissed her taste off of Ellen's lips, she almost felt faint. She watched Bill climb into the rack behind Ellen and grab her hips forcefully, pulling Ellen back toward him as he steadied himself.
"Gods," she whispered.
Bill yanked Ellen's panties down to her knees, then tangled a hand in her hair, fingers twisting until Ellen gasped. Laura saw Ellen's expression change at Bill's grunt that Laura knew had to mean that he'd just slid inside of her.
Laura's mouth hung open, eyes wide, as she tried to catch her breath. Ellen looked at her and a smile quirked her lips until Bill thrust into her hard.
And then he didn't stop.
Laura lay in front of them, still up against the bulkhead with her legs spread, the air cold against the slickness that Ellen had left behind. She looked up at Bill. It was almost like he had been waiting for her to catch his eye and he thrust into Ellen once, harder, and made a noise that sent Laura's hand between her legs, quickly and out of sheer desperation.
"Yeah," Bill muttered, giving her a nod. She bit her lip and spread herself out with her fingers, baring herself to him before dipping fingertips into her wet heat and dragging them up around her clit.
Everything was throbbing; everything was too much. She was overstimulated, almost to the point of pain, but she couldn't stop and didn't want to stop as he kept staring straight at her. She rubbed herself hard with two fingers and began moaning at him, keeping his gaze, trying to match the rhythm of her hips with the rhythm of his thrusts into the other woman.
"Frak, Bill," Ellen said through clenched teeth.
Laura's eyes didn't leave his.
"Do it." Bill ground himself into Ellen and Laura slid her fingers down and pushed two inside, palming her clit and starting to frak herself hard. This was a rhythm they could keep together. Laura felt her hand grow wet as her body began to soar. Ellen was crying out with every thrust now, the slap of flesh on flesh loud and clear. Laura whimpered at him, begging for her release. She watched his nose wrinkle and upper lip curl and knew he had to be close to coming.
She was, too, the tingling build deep in her groin encouraging her to rub harder, to frak herself harder, but it was the sound of him coming that made her body arch up and react, her orgasm hitting her hard a few moments afterward.
She kept her eyes closed as she let her legs slide lower, at ease. She heard Ellen coming and knew, was completely positive, that the woman was faking it. Had to be.
"Sweet asses of Kobol," Ellen said, her voice husky. "Bill, you never fail to impress me, but this?"
"No," Bill said, the sound of his voice sending a tingle through Laura once again. "No commentary."
Laura hadn't meant to smile, but she did.
She felt shifting on the bed and watched Bill get up, his back turned to them. "Don't you think you should get back to your own rack?"
Laura felt instantly hurt. "I-"
"Of course," Ellen said, giving Laura a pat on her knee before standing up as well. "We're not all that into conversation," she added over her shoulder to Laura as she began to get dressed.
Laura slowly bunched his sheet up around her chest as she watched Bill walk into the head. Part of her longed to go with him but didn't want to be followed. The other part of her didn't know what he truly wanted. Maybe he wanted the both of them to leave.
Ellen finished dressing and turned to Laura, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "I'm sure Bill's okay with you sticking around for a minute," she said. "We know you don't have anywhere else to go. Unless you've got a room arranged."
"No," Laura whispered.
"It must be so hard." Ellen smiled, then walked over and kissed the top of her head, her lips lingering. Laura set her jaw and didn't move. "Take a few to figure out the rest of your life, okay?"
She walked out the door like a victor.
-
Bill brushed his teeth, unable to make out the words that were being spoken outside the head. He was still reeling from his orgasm, but he'd felt an urgent need to leave the room, to leave Ellen and her smug voice and smile behind him.
He didn't need it.
He started the water and stepped into it, letting it run over his face and body for a few moments before soaping up, starting with his sagging cock. Closing his eyes, he pictured Laura touching herself and coming in front of him, just as beautiful as he'd always imagined, but there was a wrongness about it.
Of course, the wrongness was Ellen. As usual, she was the wrench. As usual, she enjoyed it.
He'd let her reel him in, reel both of them in, and it may have been regrettable in some ways, but he had to let it pass.
He made the choice and he would live with it, even if it meant losing Laura's respect.
Bill sensed movement in the head while he was rinsing the soap from his body. His eyes snapped open, his body instinctively at alert.
Laura slipped into the shower, her profile lowered, her hair a tousled mess. One long leg, then the other, until she stood in front of him, looking intently into his eyes.
He felt completely exposed to her, more so than in the moments before, and it unsettled him. He took a shaky breath, at a loss for words.
She stepped forward, raising her hands, palms outward. An uncertain look crossed her face when he didn't move at first. He perused her fingers, delicate and thin, an ever-present silver bracelet having slipped down from her wrist. He pressed his palms against hers, one and then the other, the strange intimacy of the gesture inexplicably making him emotional.
There was a moment of hesitation before she leaned in to kiss his chest, the spot where the garish scar bisecting his chest began, her lips unmoving. He heard her barely audible sigh above the sound of water falling around them. Then she pressed their cheeks together and curled her fingers between his. He did the same.
It was then the loss hit him, sobered by this moment, and his knees weakened. So much death, so many lives torn apart, the Fleet in chaos, Baltar. His typical reactions to loss-anger, aggression, flashpoint decisions without consideration for the consequences-what had just happened... everything hit at once.
She was so quiet, her nude body against him, her breath caressing his ear.
He felt tears begin to fall. He wanted to tell her so many things, to apologize to her for what had happened. The mindless, drunk sex, the nuke, maybe even for making her admit to her guilt in the election rigging. Even for not making love to her yet. He didn't know where to begin.
His chest shook when it became too much to contain, and he heard her shushing him, her fingers gripping his shaking hands. The water streamed over their bodies.
Maybe it would cleanse them. Maybe it wasn't too much to ask.
She pulled away and kissed his knuckles, the ends of her hair wetly clinging to her shoulders. She reached behind him with her other hand and turned the water off, then led him out of the shower. He retrieved a towel from the bar and dried her off, feeling the tone of her muscle and the soft spots of her body under the terrycloth. She took the towel and did the same for him, from head to toe, wordlessly until their eyes met. Tossing the towel aside, she led him out of the bathroom and to the foot of his rack.
Their kiss was soft and slow; it was their first of the evening, and for that he felt partly ashamed, partly relieved. She kissed him with fingers that slid and tangled into the back of his hair, her mouth open and relaxed, tongue lazily caressing him. He felt himself yearning for her-her touch and taste, smell and sound.
This could make things right, at least for now.
She slid onto his sheets, lying back with her hair spilled across his pillow, quietly waiting for him. Her legs slipped apart and he looked at her-really looked at her-with different eyes this time. He noticed her doing the same, taking in his body with all of its strengths and its faults. Climbing atop the mattress, he moved over her, her chest arcing to his as her hand snaked around to pull him down to her mouth.
He settled against her, carefully, until her leg curled around his thigh.
Their hips ground together, subtle movements at first, the heat of her sex comforting. He felt his hardness pressing against soft, slick skin and listened to her moan. It sent a soft swell of arousal through his body. They broke their kiss for breath and she kissed his tear-stained cheeks.
He kissed hers.
"This," she whispered.
She slipped her hand between them, showing him the way.
-
There was a difference when he entered her; she could see him thinking, an element of concern mixed with desire. His expression had been different with Ellen, and she blushed and kissed him to avoid acknowledging anything else.
Laura was slick from earlier but the feeling of him inside of her and the sound of his groan made her pulse strengthen, heat washing over her body. With the slow motion of their hips she saw him shed his veil of reverence, revealing a more palpable lust that she shared, an ache deep within her. She squeezed him, a teasing challenge to continue.
She felt a growing desire to experience him unhinged; this buttoned-up man with his protocol and his civil manner had a side she'd seen just moments earlier. She felt a pang of jealousy at how he'd frakked Ellen so hard, right in front of her, and it made her want it harder. She wanted more.
Certainly he had to want her more than he wanted Ellen.
She slipped her arms around his waist and dug her fingernails into the hard muscles of his back, her teeth clenched as she twisted hard against his hips, awaiting and receiving his answering thrust that jolted her head against his pillow.
"More of that," she panted, feeling a smile quirk the side of her mouth.
"Yeah?" He thrust into her again and she gasped, his answering chuckle making her lower body tingle. Laura shifted with growing impatience.
"Frak me like you frakked her."
He stilled as he rocked slowly into her, back and forth. "Not like that."
Her confusion must have been evident, so he leaned down and kissed her jaw and her cheek, up to her ear, over to her mouth. "I'll frak you, but not like that."
She knew, then, that this was different.
"Is this what you wanted when you asked me to stay?"
His breath across her lips made her shiver.
"Yes."
-
They emerged from a tangled mess of sheets and sweat apart from each other, lying on their backs, cooling off. Bill had to remind himself that she was no longer the President so he had every right to go tell the small pangs of guilt related to fraternization of leadership to frak themselves.
What he did feel guilty for, just for a brief breath or two, was his satisfaction that she'd lost the election because it meant that it led them to this moment. He was convinced that under the constraints of their previous professional relationship, this never would have happened.
Of course, Ellen helped. He was such a bastard that he needed a wingman to get into Laura's pants. A wingman and an excuse. He surely was good at making a mess of things.
At this point, though, regret was far from his mind, as he watched her nude chest rise and fall, her chin tilted upward as she examined the top of his rack like it was a mural.
"How long have you and Ellen been involved?"
The first thing she said after they frakked had to be that. He should have expected nothing less from Laura Roslin-she not only would get to the heart of an issue, but she would stab it with a sharp stick until it bled for her, all with that smooth, calm tone of voice like she was asking you about your favorite ice cream.
"'Involved' isn't the right way to describe it." That seemed too formal to him.
"How long have you been frakking?"
When he remained silent, though he knew ignoring her question wasn't going to make it go away, she propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at him with a smirk. "It's obvious this wasn't your first time with her, Bill. Did it start when she arrived in the Fleet?"
"No," he said quickly. "I haven't... this hasn't happened since she arrived."
His interrogator chewed on her lower lip, eyebrows raised. "This used to happen before... this."
"Once in a while." He took a deep breath as she watched him. He felt exposed under her thoughtful stare. She was trying to figure him out, trying to evaluate on her own personal scale what a piece of shit he was for doing this to his best friend. "And no, Saul doesn't know. Didn't know. I don't think so, anyway."
"Hmmm." He was used to that noise she made when she was deeply contemplative. She ran her finger across his chest, tracing each of his nipples until they were hard, then placed her hand between them. "I'm not here to pass judgment, Bill. I've got no right to do that."
"Maybe you should."
She shook her head once. "I can't." She settled herself into the crook of his arm. "Doesn't she love Saul? It seems like he loves her."
"Yes, she does."
He took a quiet moment to realize that Laura was sidled up next to him, naked, talking like they hadn't just made a row of terrible mistakes in the past few days. Like they were lovers, not embattled fighters. She was relaxed, as relaxed as he was. "Maybe your definition of love is different from mine," she murmured.
"How many times have you been in love?"
It was much easier to ask her this when he couldn't see her face.
Her leg slid over his thigh, seating herself closer to him. "Once. How many times have you, Bill?"
"Once." He ran his fingers over her back in circles, the confession more comfortable than he expected.
"What happened?"
He thought for a moment. "Life."
"Hmmm." He felt her nuzzle her nose into his neck and he pulled her more snugly against him. His father used to tell him to get it while the getting was good, and that was one word of advice he so rarely had the chance to follow. "So is Ellen going to be jealous about this when she finds out?"
He chuckled at that. "I'm not going to announce it over the wireless."
"She's going to come around expecting... more things to happen." Laura's voice was serious, slightly wary. Bill knew she probably wasn't regretting what had happened, but wasn't looking for a repeat of events. He wasn't either. Ellen had used them both and he'd fallen into her trap like the idiot he always is around her. She walked away with what she wanted-she'd conquered him, something she'd been vying to do since she arrived on Galactica, not to mention Laura, which was just another notch in her belt. He wouldn't be at all surprised if she actually kept count of her successes, probably on a hierarchical tree.
"She knew it was a one-time thing." Bill wasn't sure it was a good idea to be telling lies this early, but it was a lie that would soon be a truth. "She knows this changes everything."
He felt her head rise off his shoulder. "What does this change?"
He opened his eyes, expecting a look of confusion from her but what he found was curiosity and expectation. Maybe hope.
"Everything."
"Admiral, when it comes to pillow talk, you're a man of few words."
"I gotta shut my trap sometime."
"I don't mind it open." She kissed him slowly, her tongue twirling against his until she pulled away with a soft sigh. Then she turned her back to him and pressed her ass against his groin, inspiring a muted tingle of arousal within him. She reached back for his arm, pulling it around her waist. "Some things will change. Some will stay the same. They have to."
He knew what she meant and he knew it was true, as much as it depressed him. He tucked his hand under her belly and pressed closer to her, closing his eyes. She began stroking his arm and the strokes diminished as she fell asleep. Her breaths became even and soft and he was reminded of not so long ago, when every breath she'd taken was followed by a hollow rattle in her chest.
Things were going to change.
Author: icedteainthebag
Pairings: Bill Adama/Ellen Tigh/Laura Roslin, think square dancing + Saul, Adama/Roslin
Rating: Um, super MA
Summary: Ellen's return to the Fleet brings complications to Bill and Laura's lives.
Word Count: 4,500
Notes: Written for the bsg_epics ship swap exchange in order to fulfill wishflsinfl's request of Bill/Laura/Ellen, not PWP, in canon. So basically, write the impossible. Know that going in.
Links to: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6
-
When Ellen heard about Cloud 9 being nuked, the first thing she wanted to do was find Bill. She knew he'd be a wreck and that he'd probably lost a part of himself when that bomb went off.
And, as he didn't have anyone else to turn to, she had hoped he would be willing to turn to her for comfort.
Comfort in whatever form he preferred.
She told herself if something happened, and it happened to meet a certain need he had and a different need she had, well... she could convince herself that there wasn't anything wrong with that. It would be just like old times, just this one time.
And then Laura walked in on them drinking and it was like a blessed gift from the Gods. Now it could feel like she was doing Bill a favor. In fact, despite the twinge of jealousy she felt at Bill being in love with Laura, she was impressed at her quick elevation to governmental wingman status.
Bill and Laura were pretty hopeless when it came to hooking up. But the woman had nearly died and now seemed healthier than ever-besides the touch of depression she was feeling about her election loss. It was often moments like this that made for the greatest success when it came to decisions to throw caution into the wind. Nothing like hopelessness and alcohol to kick start things.
So she was impressed when Bill moved more quickly than she'd ever seen to stop Laura from leaving. She was equally impressed when Laura said she'd stay.
This was exactly what all of them needed.
And then there was an awkward moment in which she felt she should probably leave, but as she watched Bill move Laura's hair aside and gently kiss her neck, Ellen decided there was no way in hell she was going to go.
If the only way to get to Bill was by going through Laura, then she was going to do it.
Ellen walked up to Laura, whose eyes were closed as Bill's hands moved up her sides and back down over her hips. Ellen cupped Laura's face and kissed her again. This time, Laura responded eagerly, much to Ellen's surprise. Her tongue gently darted in and out of Ellen's mouth, then her hands slipped into Ellen's hair, pulling her closer.
Ellen looked to Bill and met his eyes as he planted a final kiss on Laura's neck. He lifted his head and slowly stroked Laura's side. Ellen moved her hands to a button on Laura's suit jacket and plucked it open, causing Laura to open her eyes. She kept Ellen's gaze as she undid each of them. Bill pushed her jacket off her shoulders and it dropped to the floor.
A little teamwork would get the job done.
Ellen hadn't felt a specifically sexual attraction to Laura before-she found the woman attractive, but she certainly didn't spend nights lusting after her or even fantasizing about her, unlike Bill certainly did. But there was something that attracted her to this situation now. Ellen chalked it up to curiosity and to the idea that she could frak yet another President. Okay, former President this time. But there was an air of pretentious regality that hadn't worn off Laura yet and Ellen wanted to be the first to strip her down to her barest.
That part was sexy. And to give Laura credit, she was pretty easy on the eyes.
Then there was the tiniest part of her that got aroused from the idea of making Bill jealous.
She ran her fingers along Laura's waistband, then slid her hand beneath it, causing Laura to shift on her feet. The waistband was tight against her forearm but she kissed Laura again while her hand sought, and found, the apex of Laura's thighs and cupped her forcefully, making her gasp.
"Yeah," Ellen whispered against their kiss as Laura's eyes searched hers. "Do you really think you're ready for this, Laura?"
A spark of determination flickered across the woman's face. "I've done this before."
Secrets best kept. It was a stretch to get her fingers twisted into the fabric covering Laura's crotch, but she did it, pushing it aside and feeling her fingertips instantly wet. "You seem to like it."
Bill groaned about that one. Hearing him reminded her that he was still there and listlessly caressing Laura's hip. She looked over Laura's shoulder. "You could at least help me out here. Like get her skirt off for me."
Laura laughed then, a bit of a sputter. "This is ludicrous. What are we doing?"
"It's been that long?" Ellen felt herself smirk, warmth radiating through her abdomen as she withdrew her hand. "His rack's right over there. We could get comfortable. I'll take it easy on you."
Laura pushed past her, their shoulders brushing. She turned to watch Laura unzip her skirt and step out of it. With her back still turned to them, she removed her blouse and unsnapped her bra, tossing it to the floor.
"Thank Zeus," Bill whispered.
"Should be thanking me." Ellen followed Laura and stepped close to her back, hooking her thumbs in Laura's panties and sliding them down her legs. Her very, very long legs. And with the former President completely naked in front of her and Bill and both of them completely clothed, Ellen felt a little more in her element. She'd show Bill what he'd been missing.
"Get on the bed," she murmured against Laura's hair. "I want to frak you in front of him. He'll love it."
-
He was immeasurably hard and drunk and felt like this was all either a terrible nightmare or a dream come true. It was probably an ill-conceived combination of both. The first thing he wanted to see was Laura naked but the last thing he expected was watching her crawl onto the rack in front of Ellen Tigh.
It wasn't what he'd expected, or really wanted, but it was what was happening and he wasn't going to stop it. He knew no man in the Fleet who would.
It was the best distraction he could imagine, nukes and newly elected bastards be damned.
Ellen took her time removing her skirt and her blouse, making a show for both him and Laura, making them wait. Bill's eyes kept straying to Laura as she sat up against the bulkhead, folding her glasses and putting them on his bookshelf. She bent her knees to her chest and watched Ellen take off her clothes. The curve of the side of Laura's breast-that alone was making him want to forgo Ellen and touch her. But he waited because he wanted to see who would make the next move.
When Ellen had stripped down to her panties, she shot a smile at him before slipping onto the sheets and running her hands up Laura's legs, cupping her knees with her palms. Laura kept her eyes on Ellen, something Bill thought looked like a tolerant gaze. Was she just humoring her?
"Bill, I want to show you something." Ellen pushed Laura's knees apart. Laura's feet slid downward on the bed as she spread her legs. Laura looked at him and he couldn't stop himself from pressing his palm against his cock, which had been begging for attention for minutes. Air hissed through his teeth at the radiating pleasure he felt as he stroked himself through his pants.
He was so busy looking at Laura that he hadn't noticed Ellen lower herself between Laura's legs, but Laura's whimper when Ellen's face disappeared between her thighs made his cock surge again. He felt a mix of emotions swell within him-jealousy and arousal, anger and hurt pride. Laura turned her face away and one of her hands slid over Ellen's hair. Then he heard her softly moan, her head tilted back, and he nearly blew his load.
"Frak," he growled, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. He let them fall and stepped out of them while yanking his cock up over the waistband of his boxer briefs. He gripped the heated, hardened flesh and gave it a merciless tug, and then another, then watched as Laura's hips began to writhe in a beautiful rhythm. He heard Ellen's muted groans and Laura's answering whimpers.
It was too much to bear for any man. Ellen was doing this on purpose, to get him to act, to get him enraged as she frakked the woman he'd wanted for months right in front of him.
She always played these games, jerking him around. But she wouldn't win this time.
Bill walked up to the rack and Ellen, sensing his presence, lifted her head and looked over to him. Her chin was glistening and she gave it a lascivious wipe with the back of her hand. The gesture sent a jolt of anger through him.
"Rack's kinda small," Ellen said, licking her lips. "Probably not enough room for three."
Bill yanked his tanks up over his head and tossed them aside, then leaned down and grabbed Ellen's chin. He saw Laura watching out of the corner of his eye as he kissed Ellen hard, pushing his tongue into her mouth and holding back the groan in his chest at tasting Laura for the first time. He savored it and then pulled away, licking Ellen's lip once and then looking into Laura's eyes.
"There's enough," he said.
-
Laura's heart was beating in time with the throb between her legs and when Bill kissed her taste off of Ellen's lips, she almost felt faint. She watched Bill climb into the rack behind Ellen and grab her hips forcefully, pulling Ellen back toward him as he steadied himself.
"Gods," she whispered.
Bill yanked Ellen's panties down to her knees, then tangled a hand in her hair, fingers twisting until Ellen gasped. Laura saw Ellen's expression change at Bill's grunt that Laura knew had to mean that he'd just slid inside of her.
Laura's mouth hung open, eyes wide, as she tried to catch her breath. Ellen looked at her and a smile quirked her lips until Bill thrust into her hard.
And then he didn't stop.
Laura lay in front of them, still up against the bulkhead with her legs spread, the air cold against the slickness that Ellen had left behind. She looked up at Bill. It was almost like he had been waiting for her to catch his eye and he thrust into Ellen once, harder, and made a noise that sent Laura's hand between her legs, quickly and out of sheer desperation.
"Yeah," Bill muttered, giving her a nod. She bit her lip and spread herself out with her fingers, baring herself to him before dipping fingertips into her wet heat and dragging them up around her clit.
Everything was throbbing; everything was too much. She was overstimulated, almost to the point of pain, but she couldn't stop and didn't want to stop as he kept staring straight at her. She rubbed herself hard with two fingers and began moaning at him, keeping his gaze, trying to match the rhythm of her hips with the rhythm of his thrusts into the other woman.
"Frak, Bill," Ellen said through clenched teeth.
Laura's eyes didn't leave his.
"Do it." Bill ground himself into Ellen and Laura slid her fingers down and pushed two inside, palming her clit and starting to frak herself hard. This was a rhythm they could keep together. Laura felt her hand grow wet as her body began to soar. Ellen was crying out with every thrust now, the slap of flesh on flesh loud and clear. Laura whimpered at him, begging for her release. She watched his nose wrinkle and upper lip curl and knew he had to be close to coming.
She was, too, the tingling build deep in her groin encouraging her to rub harder, to frak herself harder, but it was the sound of him coming that made her body arch up and react, her orgasm hitting her hard a few moments afterward.
She kept her eyes closed as she let her legs slide lower, at ease. She heard Ellen coming and knew, was completely positive, that the woman was faking it. Had to be.
"Sweet asses of Kobol," Ellen said, her voice husky. "Bill, you never fail to impress me, but this?"
"No," Bill said, the sound of his voice sending a tingle through Laura once again. "No commentary."
Laura hadn't meant to smile, but she did.
She felt shifting on the bed and watched Bill get up, his back turned to them. "Don't you think you should get back to your own rack?"
Laura felt instantly hurt. "I-"
"Of course," Ellen said, giving Laura a pat on her knee before standing up as well. "We're not all that into conversation," she added over her shoulder to Laura as she began to get dressed.
Laura slowly bunched his sheet up around her chest as she watched Bill walk into the head. Part of her longed to go with him but didn't want to be followed. The other part of her didn't know what he truly wanted. Maybe he wanted the both of them to leave.
Ellen finished dressing and turned to Laura, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "I'm sure Bill's okay with you sticking around for a minute," she said. "We know you don't have anywhere else to go. Unless you've got a room arranged."
"No," Laura whispered.
"It must be so hard." Ellen smiled, then walked over and kissed the top of her head, her lips lingering. Laura set her jaw and didn't move. "Take a few to figure out the rest of your life, okay?"
She walked out the door like a victor.
-
Bill brushed his teeth, unable to make out the words that were being spoken outside the head. He was still reeling from his orgasm, but he'd felt an urgent need to leave the room, to leave Ellen and her smug voice and smile behind him.
He didn't need it.
He started the water and stepped into it, letting it run over his face and body for a few moments before soaping up, starting with his sagging cock. Closing his eyes, he pictured Laura touching herself and coming in front of him, just as beautiful as he'd always imagined, but there was a wrongness about it.
Of course, the wrongness was Ellen. As usual, she was the wrench. As usual, she enjoyed it.
He'd let her reel him in, reel both of them in, and it may have been regrettable in some ways, but he had to let it pass.
He made the choice and he would live with it, even if it meant losing Laura's respect.
Bill sensed movement in the head while he was rinsing the soap from his body. His eyes snapped open, his body instinctively at alert.
Laura slipped into the shower, her profile lowered, her hair a tousled mess. One long leg, then the other, until she stood in front of him, looking intently into his eyes.
He felt completely exposed to her, more so than in the moments before, and it unsettled him. He took a shaky breath, at a loss for words.
She stepped forward, raising her hands, palms outward. An uncertain look crossed her face when he didn't move at first. He perused her fingers, delicate and thin, an ever-present silver bracelet having slipped down from her wrist. He pressed his palms against hers, one and then the other, the strange intimacy of the gesture inexplicably making him emotional.
There was a moment of hesitation before she leaned in to kiss his chest, the spot where the garish scar bisecting his chest began, her lips unmoving. He heard her barely audible sigh above the sound of water falling around them. Then she pressed their cheeks together and curled her fingers between his. He did the same.
It was then the loss hit him, sobered by this moment, and his knees weakened. So much death, so many lives torn apart, the Fleet in chaos, Baltar. His typical reactions to loss-anger, aggression, flashpoint decisions without consideration for the consequences-what had just happened... everything hit at once.
She was so quiet, her nude body against him, her breath caressing his ear.
He felt tears begin to fall. He wanted to tell her so many things, to apologize to her for what had happened. The mindless, drunk sex, the nuke, maybe even for making her admit to her guilt in the election rigging. Even for not making love to her yet. He didn't know where to begin.
His chest shook when it became too much to contain, and he heard her shushing him, her fingers gripping his shaking hands. The water streamed over their bodies.
Maybe it would cleanse them. Maybe it wasn't too much to ask.
She pulled away and kissed his knuckles, the ends of her hair wetly clinging to her shoulders. She reached behind him with her other hand and turned the water off, then led him out of the shower. He retrieved a towel from the bar and dried her off, feeling the tone of her muscle and the soft spots of her body under the terrycloth. She took the towel and did the same for him, from head to toe, wordlessly until their eyes met. Tossing the towel aside, she led him out of the bathroom and to the foot of his rack.
Their kiss was soft and slow; it was their first of the evening, and for that he felt partly ashamed, partly relieved. She kissed him with fingers that slid and tangled into the back of his hair, her mouth open and relaxed, tongue lazily caressing him. He felt himself yearning for her-her touch and taste, smell and sound.
This could make things right, at least for now.
She slid onto his sheets, lying back with her hair spilled across his pillow, quietly waiting for him. Her legs slipped apart and he looked at her-really looked at her-with different eyes this time. He noticed her doing the same, taking in his body with all of its strengths and its faults. Climbing atop the mattress, he moved over her, her chest arcing to his as her hand snaked around to pull him down to her mouth.
He settled against her, carefully, until her leg curled around his thigh.
Their hips ground together, subtle movements at first, the heat of her sex comforting. He felt his hardness pressing against soft, slick skin and listened to her moan. It sent a soft swell of arousal through his body. They broke their kiss for breath and she kissed his tear-stained cheeks.
He kissed hers.
"This," she whispered.
She slipped her hand between them, showing him the way.
-
There was a difference when he entered her; she could see him thinking, an element of concern mixed with desire. His expression had been different with Ellen, and she blushed and kissed him to avoid acknowledging anything else.
Laura was slick from earlier but the feeling of him inside of her and the sound of his groan made her pulse strengthen, heat washing over her body. With the slow motion of their hips she saw him shed his veil of reverence, revealing a more palpable lust that she shared, an ache deep within her. She squeezed him, a teasing challenge to continue.
She felt a growing desire to experience him unhinged; this buttoned-up man with his protocol and his civil manner had a side she'd seen just moments earlier. She felt a pang of jealousy at how he'd frakked Ellen so hard, right in front of her, and it made her want it harder. She wanted more.
Certainly he had to want her more than he wanted Ellen.
She slipped her arms around his waist and dug her fingernails into the hard muscles of his back, her teeth clenched as she twisted hard against his hips, awaiting and receiving his answering thrust that jolted her head against his pillow.
"More of that," she panted, feeling a smile quirk the side of her mouth.
"Yeah?" He thrust into her again and she gasped, his answering chuckle making her lower body tingle. Laura shifted with growing impatience.
"Frak me like you frakked her."
He stilled as he rocked slowly into her, back and forth. "Not like that."
Her confusion must have been evident, so he leaned down and kissed her jaw and her cheek, up to her ear, over to her mouth. "I'll frak you, but not like that."
She knew, then, that this was different.
"Is this what you wanted when you asked me to stay?"
His breath across her lips made her shiver.
"Yes."
-
They emerged from a tangled mess of sheets and sweat apart from each other, lying on their backs, cooling off. Bill had to remind himself that she was no longer the President so he had every right to go tell the small pangs of guilt related to fraternization of leadership to frak themselves.
What he did feel guilty for, just for a brief breath or two, was his satisfaction that she'd lost the election because it meant that it led them to this moment. He was convinced that under the constraints of their previous professional relationship, this never would have happened.
Of course, Ellen helped. He was such a bastard that he needed a wingman to get into Laura's pants. A wingman and an excuse. He surely was good at making a mess of things.
At this point, though, regret was far from his mind, as he watched her nude chest rise and fall, her chin tilted upward as she examined the top of his rack like it was a mural.
"How long have you and Ellen been involved?"
The first thing she said after they frakked had to be that. He should have expected nothing less from Laura Roslin-she not only would get to the heart of an issue, but she would stab it with a sharp stick until it bled for her, all with that smooth, calm tone of voice like she was asking you about your favorite ice cream.
"'Involved' isn't the right way to describe it." That seemed too formal to him.
"How long have you been frakking?"
When he remained silent, though he knew ignoring her question wasn't going to make it go away, she propped herself up on her elbow, looking down at him with a smirk. "It's obvious this wasn't your first time with her, Bill. Did it start when she arrived in the Fleet?"
"No," he said quickly. "I haven't... this hasn't happened since she arrived."
His interrogator chewed on her lower lip, eyebrows raised. "This used to happen before... this."
"Once in a while." He took a deep breath as she watched him. He felt exposed under her thoughtful stare. She was trying to figure him out, trying to evaluate on her own personal scale what a piece of shit he was for doing this to his best friend. "And no, Saul doesn't know. Didn't know. I don't think so, anyway."
"Hmmm." He was used to that noise she made when she was deeply contemplative. She ran her finger across his chest, tracing each of his nipples until they were hard, then placed her hand between them. "I'm not here to pass judgment, Bill. I've got no right to do that."
"Maybe you should."
She shook her head once. "I can't." She settled herself into the crook of his arm. "Doesn't she love Saul? It seems like he loves her."
"Yes, she does."
He took a quiet moment to realize that Laura was sidled up next to him, naked, talking like they hadn't just made a row of terrible mistakes in the past few days. Like they were lovers, not embattled fighters. She was relaxed, as relaxed as he was. "Maybe your definition of love is different from mine," she murmured.
"How many times have you been in love?"
It was much easier to ask her this when he couldn't see her face.
Her leg slid over his thigh, seating herself closer to him. "Once. How many times have you, Bill?"
"Once." He ran his fingers over her back in circles, the confession more comfortable than he expected.
"What happened?"
He thought for a moment. "Life."
"Hmmm." He felt her nuzzle her nose into his neck and he pulled her more snugly against him. His father used to tell him to get it while the getting was good, and that was one word of advice he so rarely had the chance to follow. "So is Ellen going to be jealous about this when she finds out?"
He chuckled at that. "I'm not going to announce it over the wireless."
"She's going to come around expecting... more things to happen." Laura's voice was serious, slightly wary. Bill knew she probably wasn't regretting what had happened, but wasn't looking for a repeat of events. He wasn't either. Ellen had used them both and he'd fallen into her trap like the idiot he always is around her. She walked away with what she wanted-she'd conquered him, something she'd been vying to do since she arrived on Galactica, not to mention Laura, which was just another notch in her belt. He wouldn't be at all surprised if she actually kept count of her successes, probably on a hierarchical tree.
"She knew it was a one-time thing." Bill wasn't sure it was a good idea to be telling lies this early, but it was a lie that would soon be a truth. "She knows this changes everything."
He felt her head rise off his shoulder. "What does this change?"
He opened his eyes, expecting a look of confusion from her but what he found was curiosity and expectation. Maybe hope.
"Everything."
"Admiral, when it comes to pillow talk, you're a man of few words."
"I gotta shut my trap sometime."
"I don't mind it open." She kissed him slowly, her tongue twirling against his until she pulled away with a soft sigh. Then she turned her back to him and pressed her ass against his groin, inspiring a muted tingle of arousal within him. She reached back for his arm, pulling it around her waist. "Some things will change. Some will stay the same. They have to."
He knew what she meant and he knew it was true, as much as it depressed him. He tucked his hand under her belly and pressed closer to her, closing his eyes. She began stroking his arm and the strokes diminished as she fell asleep. Her breaths became even and soft and he was reminded of not so long ago, when every breath she'd taken was followed by a hollow rattle in her chest.
Things were going to change.