Battle for the Pillow: An Ikeaverse!Puppy Installment
Title: Battle for the Pillow
Rating: T
Word Count: ~1300
Pairing: A/R
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Bill's and Laura's nighttime routine is complicated by their daughter and puppy...
A/N: Written for the awesome afrakaday for the successful completion of the bsg_epics pentathlon. Great job!
When Bill got home that night, he went straight into the living room. Work and school wore him out. Professor Cain was tough but fair. At least he thought so. He couldn’t say the same for the younger students who’d been woefully unprepared. What did they expect? It was a course in military history. He shook his head. Laura prepared him for this. She told him there would be an age difference, and the young students would likely care less than he. Although he did meet a few bright ones who seemed out of place among the rest of them.
Bill was focused, though. One of the conditions of his command of ROTC was the completion of his degree (and a demonstration of a substantial effort in doing so). With a family to help support-Laura brought in more than half their income- which seemed to be growing constantly, he knew he needed to do it. Also, it was something he’d always wanted for himself. He smiled. Laura would have been willing to take on all of the financial responsibilities while he went to school. What had he done to deserve such a woman for a wife?
He found her in the arm chair, holding Judy. Their daughter was asleep. He leaned down, softly kissing her forehead. Then he kissed his wife. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey, yourself. How was class?”
He shrugged. “Not bad. She’s a hardass, but I think she likes me.”
“Only a few more weeks.”
“Yeah, and then I start over with a new one.”
She smiled. “Unless you find one you like enough to take again.”
He looked around. Geddy was asleep on his stack of pillows on the couch. The puppy had the life of a king.
It was also very quiet in the cabin. “Where’s Starbuck?”
She snorted. “Where do you think?”
He smiled. Sam. “He’s a good kid.”
She nodded. “They both are.”
Bill approached the adjacent couch. It was brown leather and very comfortable. They both fell in love with it when they found it. It also matched Geddy’s fur; although, he’d come much later. The puppy did look good on it.
He was a handsome dog with his red harness. They had a difficult time finding a harness that was small enough to fit the tiny miniature dachshund, but they managed. He’d grown a lot in the last several weeks, but he was still tiny. Laura said he’d reach his full size in a few more weeks. She’d done her research, putting nearly as much effort into learning about puppy care as she had into learning caring for an infant-and every other thing she did.
Bill lay down on the couch.
“Bill, you’re gonna fall asleep there and throw our whole night off.”
“I won’t fall asleep. I just wanna rest a bit. Talk to you. And you’re holding Judy. It’s not like we’re going anywhere.”
Laura hummed. Their sleep schedule had become sporadic of late. There were nights when they fell asleep in the living room. It was just easier that way sometimes. Placing Judy in her crib often woke her up. Then no one could sleep. Laura said it was normal. Bill didn’t remember or experience enough of the boys’ infancy to argue. It was new for both of them, but they were doing it together-and they had help.
Kara, Zak, Billy, Sam, and Karl were all wonderful with her. Even the Tighs could be counted on to babysit, occasionally. Of course, Laura had put her foot down about Ellen ever being alone with their daughter, which Bill had to agree was a bad idea.
As soon as Bill got on the couch, Geddy woke up. He abandoned his pillow stack and moved to Bill’s abdomen. The puppy loved to sleep on Bill’s stomach. Bill stroked Geddy’s head. They’d gotten to a rocky start, but he really did love the dog, and Geddy was learning to behave better all the time.
Geddy. He never thought he’d have a dog named Geddy. He never thought he’d have a dog. Or another wife. Or a daughter-and he had two. He did alright. He smiled. His life really began after retirement.
He was just beginning to doze when Geddy leaped off of his lap, which hurt every fucking time. Geddy ran to the door, then the window. Barking at something. It was almost as bad as when he’d seen the 60 Minutes segment on polar bears: Bill’s ears still rang from that. Geddy was temperamental, but his bark was much worse than his bite-not that his bite was anything to sneeze at.
Bill sat up and glanced at Judy. She was still sleeping soundly. Thank God. He looked at Laura. She was fighting a smile. He had to grin too. Their lives were certainly interesting. “I’m gonna try my luck putting her to bed.” She gestured to the dog, who was still barking. “You’ll get him?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll grab his leash. We’ll put some of that energy to use.”
He took the baby, as Laura got up. He was afraid the transfer would wake her up, but it didn’t. When she was standing, Laura took Judith back and kissed Bill. “I’ll be back soon.”
He smiled. “Me too.” He glanced over at Geddy. “I hope.”
“Show him who’s boss, Bill.”
She headed to their bedroom, and he went to the door, grabbing the leash off of the hook on the door. “Come on, Geddy. You wanna know what’s out there, let’s go.”
He hooked the leash onto the harness, and opened the door. Geddy led him to the corner of the yard closest to the cabin and took care of his business. “That’s what you wanted, huh? It’s hard to tell with you barking at everything.”
Geddy just looked at him. He got what he wanted. Then he led them back up the front steps like he was in a hurry to get inside. He didn’t like the dark or the cold. Or the rain or snow. Or wind. Motorcycles and trucks terrified him, but he could handle thunderstorms okay. He didn’t like it when the oven was on. Or the griddle pan. Bill shook his head. His dog was a wuss. But he was cute and sweet (most of the time), and he loved Laura as much as Bill did.
Bill opened the door for them, and Geddy ran right to the bedroom to find Laura. He could hear her cooing over him like he was their baby instead of Judy. Seriously, their daughter was less maintenance.
He dropped back down on the couch. His eyes closed instantly.
Then he heard mewling near his head. He turned to see Geddy. Laura was back in her chair. “I knew you’d fall asleep there.”
“You know me too well, honey.” He looked down at Geddy. “And what do you want?”
Geddy looked like he wanted to get on the couch but couldn’t.
“What’s wrong, boy? You can’t jump up here?”
The dog could jump perfectly fine any other time. Maybe he was tired. Bill reached down to grab him, but Geddy backed away.
“Do you want to get up here, or not?”
Geddy mewled again. Bill got off the couch, determined to pick him up. Geddy ran past him and jumped on the couch, laying on the pillow where Bill’s head previously was.
Bill shook his head, trying to figure out how he’d been outsmarted by a puppy. He caught Laura’s glance. She giggled. Bill saw the humor in the situation, but he wasn’t going to lose his spot. It was time Geddy learned who the alpha was.
He moved to scoop up the dog. Geddy growled. Bill didn’t stop, though. Neither did Geddy.
The next thing Bill knew, Laura was standing next to him. “Geddy! You don’t growl at Daddy.”
Geddy lowered his ears, and he licked Bill’s fingers. Bill scooped him up, and reclaimed his spot, letting the dog lay on his chest.
“See, Bill, you just gotta let him know who’s boss.”
Bill looked at his wife. “Oh, I think he knows, honey.”
Rating: T
Word Count: ~1300
Pairing: A/R
Disclaimer: don't own them.
Summary: Bill's and Laura's nighttime routine is complicated by their daughter and puppy...
A/N: Written for the awesome afrakaday for the successful completion of the bsg_epics pentathlon. Great job!
When Bill got home that night, he went straight into the living room. Work and school wore him out. Professor Cain was tough but fair. At least he thought so. He couldn’t say the same for the younger students who’d been woefully unprepared. What did they expect? It was a course in military history. He shook his head. Laura prepared him for this. She told him there would be an age difference, and the young students would likely care less than he. Although he did meet a few bright ones who seemed out of place among the rest of them.
Bill was focused, though. One of the conditions of his command of ROTC was the completion of his degree (and a demonstration of a substantial effort in doing so). With a family to help support-Laura brought in more than half their income- which seemed to be growing constantly, he knew he needed to do it. Also, it was something he’d always wanted for himself. He smiled. Laura would have been willing to take on all of the financial responsibilities while he went to school. What had he done to deserve such a woman for a wife?
He found her in the arm chair, holding Judy. Their daughter was asleep. He leaned down, softly kissing her forehead. Then he kissed his wife. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey, yourself. How was class?”
He shrugged. “Not bad. She’s a hardass, but I think she likes me.”
“Only a few more weeks.”
“Yeah, and then I start over with a new one.”
She smiled. “Unless you find one you like enough to take again.”
He looked around. Geddy was asleep on his stack of pillows on the couch. The puppy had the life of a king.
It was also very quiet in the cabin. “Where’s Starbuck?”
She snorted. “Where do you think?”
He smiled. Sam. “He’s a good kid.”
She nodded. “They both are.”
Bill approached the adjacent couch. It was brown leather and very comfortable. They both fell in love with it when they found it. It also matched Geddy’s fur; although, he’d come much later. The puppy did look good on it.
He was a handsome dog with his red harness. They had a difficult time finding a harness that was small enough to fit the tiny miniature dachshund, but they managed. He’d grown a lot in the last several weeks, but he was still tiny. Laura said he’d reach his full size in a few more weeks. She’d done her research, putting nearly as much effort into learning about puppy care as she had into learning caring for an infant-and every other thing she did.
Bill lay down on the couch.
“Bill, you’re gonna fall asleep there and throw our whole night off.”
“I won’t fall asleep. I just wanna rest a bit. Talk to you. And you’re holding Judy. It’s not like we’re going anywhere.”
Laura hummed. Their sleep schedule had become sporadic of late. There were nights when they fell asleep in the living room. It was just easier that way sometimes. Placing Judy in her crib often woke her up. Then no one could sleep. Laura said it was normal. Bill didn’t remember or experience enough of the boys’ infancy to argue. It was new for both of them, but they were doing it together-and they had help.
Kara, Zak, Billy, Sam, and Karl were all wonderful with her. Even the Tighs could be counted on to babysit, occasionally. Of course, Laura had put her foot down about Ellen ever being alone with their daughter, which Bill had to agree was a bad idea.
As soon as Bill got on the couch, Geddy woke up. He abandoned his pillow stack and moved to Bill’s abdomen. The puppy loved to sleep on Bill’s stomach. Bill stroked Geddy’s head. They’d gotten to a rocky start, but he really did love the dog, and Geddy was learning to behave better all the time.
Geddy. He never thought he’d have a dog named Geddy. He never thought he’d have a dog. Or another wife. Or a daughter-and he had two. He did alright. He smiled. His life really began after retirement.
He was just beginning to doze when Geddy leaped off of his lap, which hurt every fucking time. Geddy ran to the door, then the window. Barking at something. It was almost as bad as when he’d seen the 60 Minutes segment on polar bears: Bill’s ears still rang from that. Geddy was temperamental, but his bark was much worse than his bite-not that his bite was anything to sneeze at.
Bill sat up and glanced at Judy. She was still sleeping soundly. Thank God. He looked at Laura. She was fighting a smile. He had to grin too. Their lives were certainly interesting. “I’m gonna try my luck putting her to bed.” She gestured to the dog, who was still barking. “You’ll get him?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll grab his leash. We’ll put some of that energy to use.”
He took the baby, as Laura got up. He was afraid the transfer would wake her up, but it didn’t. When she was standing, Laura took Judith back and kissed Bill. “I’ll be back soon.”
He smiled. “Me too.” He glanced over at Geddy. “I hope.”
“Show him who’s boss, Bill.”
She headed to their bedroom, and he went to the door, grabbing the leash off of the hook on the door. “Come on, Geddy. You wanna know what’s out there, let’s go.”
He hooked the leash onto the harness, and opened the door. Geddy led him to the corner of the yard closest to the cabin and took care of his business. “That’s what you wanted, huh? It’s hard to tell with you barking at everything.”
Geddy just looked at him. He got what he wanted. Then he led them back up the front steps like he was in a hurry to get inside. He didn’t like the dark or the cold. Or the rain or snow. Or wind. Motorcycles and trucks terrified him, but he could handle thunderstorms okay. He didn’t like it when the oven was on. Or the griddle pan. Bill shook his head. His dog was a wuss. But he was cute and sweet (most of the time), and he loved Laura as much as Bill did.
Bill opened the door for them, and Geddy ran right to the bedroom to find Laura. He could hear her cooing over him like he was their baby instead of Judy. Seriously, their daughter was less maintenance.
He dropped back down on the couch. His eyes closed instantly.
Then he heard mewling near his head. He turned to see Geddy. Laura was back in her chair. “I knew you’d fall asleep there.”
“You know me too well, honey.” He looked down at Geddy. “And what do you want?”
Geddy looked like he wanted to get on the couch but couldn’t.
“What’s wrong, boy? You can’t jump up here?”
The dog could jump perfectly fine any other time. Maybe he was tired. Bill reached down to grab him, but Geddy backed away.
“Do you want to get up here, or not?”
Geddy mewled again. Bill got off the couch, determined to pick him up. Geddy ran past him and jumped on the couch, laying on the pillow where Bill’s head previously was.
Bill shook his head, trying to figure out how he’d been outsmarted by a puppy. He caught Laura’s glance. She giggled. Bill saw the humor in the situation, but he wasn’t going to lose his spot. It was time Geddy learned who the alpha was.
He moved to scoop up the dog. Geddy growled. Bill didn’t stop, though. Neither did Geddy.
The next thing Bill knew, Laura was standing next to him. “Geddy! You don’t growl at Daddy.”
Geddy lowered his ears, and he licked Bill’s fingers. Bill scooped him up, and reclaimed his spot, letting the dog lay on his chest.
“See, Bill, you just gotta let him know who’s boss.”
Bill looked at his wife. “Oh, I think he knows, honey.”