BSG Fic: "Lilacs"
Title: Lilacs
Pairing: Hot Dog/Gaeta
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 1000 words
Spoilers: None.
Beta: done by ebuchala. Thank you very much!
Summary: Very few people on Galactica knew that Brendan Costanza had been filthy rich before the exodus.
Author’s note: Written for the comment fic challenge on bsg_slashathon but while I liked it a lot, it was lacking beta so I thought it deserved being reposted. The prompt was Hot Dog/Gaeta and "missing".
Lilacs
Very few people on Galactica knew that Brendan Costanza had been filthy rich before the exodus. He tried to keep it that way, too. It had been awkward all his life because Brendan knew he wasn't that clever and he wasn't that pretty but he was clever enough to be irked by the idea that everybody looked at him and saw a bank account. He'd hated being the guy with the rich dad, considering he barely ever saw the man who called himself his father. That man sent him to fancy schools although Brendan didn't have the talent and got him accepted at flight school although it was clear from moment one he'd be washed out.
It was much better being just Hot Dog where what you saw was what you got. And he could fly again now - he loved flying. So Brendan didn't really miss his dad and when all was said and done, he might just be one of the few people who were happier now than they had been before.
Still, there were some things Brendan missed. He missed the Picon night sky with its two tiny moons, crashing parties with his friends who all weren't really his friends but still were a lot of fun and who always had ambrosia. He missed girls in short skirts who smiled at him on the street just because and, to his own surprise, he missed the small Picon upper class because while he'd never quite fit in there, he had still been one of them and things were so different on Galactica. Brendan didn't really know the proper way to ask a pilot for a date, for example. He either went about it directly, which made them think he was dumb. Or they didn't even notice he was trying. Starbuck would fall off the chair with laughter if he'd ever slip her a courting card, and if he ever found a gladiolus to hand, say, to Skulls, the ECO would probably think he'd lost it from stim abuse.
So he was a bit surprised when he sat in the rec room with Chuckles and Kat one day and noticed that over at the card table, there was a new guy who looked entirely out of place. He seemed to be with Baltar but very properly in uniform, with his hair in order, he couldn't be more different from the crazy scientist. Brendan watched him for a moment, the lieutenant sharing friendly smiles with people and politely getting out of the way when Crashdown stood up. He was like when a part of a picture was drawn with a different material from the rest. Also, he was sweet and pretty and not much younger than Brendan. He smiled in a friendly way when he noticed Brendan watching and Brendan smiled back, returning his attention to Kat and Chuckles and suddenly feeling pleased with himself. Later when he got up to go back to his rack he noticed the lieutenant observing him in a mix of nervousness and dread but Brendan just shot him another smile and turned away, because if you’d only met the first time, talking would be a shocking breach of protocol.
After a couple of days, Kat started noticing that Brendan and the lieutenant, who he now knew was called Felix Gaeta, had progressed to exchanging greetings in the hallways. Kat needled him about it mercilessly but Brendan just claimed there was no story behind it at all, playing dumb. He knew about the Gaetas of course, everybody heard about everybody in a group the size of Picon nobility. You never saw much of the Gaetas though because they lived up in the hills and were a bit eccentric, what with the whole bunch of them actually working in normal people's jobs, and at public universities no less. It was said they were not as rich as they were supposed to be, having lost all their money some decades ago due to a misinvestment, something to do with rubber shares. It wasn't that any of that counted anymore except it did. It was still weird to live in a place where you initiated relationships and sex affairs the very same way and where you had nothing you could use except words if you wanted to show what you felt.
Two weeks later, they bumped into each other in the memorial hall both noticeably nervous but this was still so much easier than explaining to Skulls he wanted a date, not sex. And doing so without a card.
"Sorry I couldn't bring a lilac," Brendan said, knowing that it was just a bit silly but not caring because they both had the same problem, so it was okay.
Lt. Gaeta gave him a self-deprecating smile. "I'm personally more of a viola guy."
Brendan laughed. "You know, I'd invite you out to a flight in my viper but I think Starbuck would actually kill me if I ever tried that."
"It's a bit cramped for two people in a viper anyway," the lieutenant allowed. Unobtrusively, he placed a hand on Brendan's back, leading him to a place where Brendan very much hoped was just one bed instead of eight. Not that they'd do more than talk at that point. Still, a bit of quiet would be nice. "But," Gaeta continued. "don't worry. Raptors are bigger and I have my wings."
"What's your call sign?"
"Pansy," Gaeta claimed with a deadpan look on his face and Brendan cracked up.
Maybe there wasn't a reason to miss Picon so much after all, Brendan thought. He had all the important things here on Galactica including laughter and if Kat and Chuckles would think he was a dork for thinking something like that, well, there was another reason he'd never tell them that he'd been a rich kid. He still missed the night sky and the two tiny moons, though. A couple of days later and he might have wanted to look at them with Felix Gaeta.
Author’s Note: I don’t know anything about flower language but I looked some things up before writing. According to Google results, if Hot Dog had given Skulls a gladiolus, he would have signaled that he wants a date, pure and simple. Giving Gaeta lilacs means he’s having some romantic feelings blooming for Felix which he would like to explore. Gaeta’s viola would express Gaeta is reciprocating but he’s shy so he’s inviting Hot Dog to take the initiative (bet there’d be more sex in the world if that one was still around).
As always, feedback would be nice. :)
Pairing: Hot Dog/Gaeta
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 1000 words
Spoilers: None.
Beta: done by ebuchala. Thank you very much!
Summary: Very few people on Galactica knew that Brendan Costanza had been filthy rich before the exodus.
Author’s note: Written for the comment fic challenge on bsg_slashathon but while I liked it a lot, it was lacking beta so I thought it deserved being reposted. The prompt was Hot Dog/Gaeta and "missing".
Lilacs
Very few people on Galactica knew that Brendan Costanza had been filthy rich before the exodus. He tried to keep it that way, too. It had been awkward all his life because Brendan knew he wasn't that clever and he wasn't that pretty but he was clever enough to be irked by the idea that everybody looked at him and saw a bank account. He'd hated being the guy with the rich dad, considering he barely ever saw the man who called himself his father. That man sent him to fancy schools although Brendan didn't have the talent and got him accepted at flight school although it was clear from moment one he'd be washed out.
It was much better being just Hot Dog where what you saw was what you got. And he could fly again now - he loved flying. So Brendan didn't really miss his dad and when all was said and done, he might just be one of the few people who were happier now than they had been before.
Still, there were some things Brendan missed. He missed the Picon night sky with its two tiny moons, crashing parties with his friends who all weren't really his friends but still were a lot of fun and who always had ambrosia. He missed girls in short skirts who smiled at him on the street just because and, to his own surprise, he missed the small Picon upper class because while he'd never quite fit in there, he had still been one of them and things were so different on Galactica. Brendan didn't really know the proper way to ask a pilot for a date, for example. He either went about it directly, which made them think he was dumb. Or they didn't even notice he was trying. Starbuck would fall off the chair with laughter if he'd ever slip her a courting card, and if he ever found a gladiolus to hand, say, to Skulls, the ECO would probably think he'd lost it from stim abuse.
So he was a bit surprised when he sat in the rec room with Chuckles and Kat one day and noticed that over at the card table, there was a new guy who looked entirely out of place. He seemed to be with Baltar but very properly in uniform, with his hair in order, he couldn't be more different from the crazy scientist. Brendan watched him for a moment, the lieutenant sharing friendly smiles with people and politely getting out of the way when Crashdown stood up. He was like when a part of a picture was drawn with a different material from the rest. Also, he was sweet and pretty and not much younger than Brendan. He smiled in a friendly way when he noticed Brendan watching and Brendan smiled back, returning his attention to Kat and Chuckles and suddenly feeling pleased with himself. Later when he got up to go back to his rack he noticed the lieutenant observing him in a mix of nervousness and dread but Brendan just shot him another smile and turned away, because if you’d only met the first time, talking would be a shocking breach of protocol.
After a couple of days, Kat started noticing that Brendan and the lieutenant, who he now knew was called Felix Gaeta, had progressed to exchanging greetings in the hallways. Kat needled him about it mercilessly but Brendan just claimed there was no story behind it at all, playing dumb. He knew about the Gaetas of course, everybody heard about everybody in a group the size of Picon nobility. You never saw much of the Gaetas though because they lived up in the hills and were a bit eccentric, what with the whole bunch of them actually working in normal people's jobs, and at public universities no less. It was said they were not as rich as they were supposed to be, having lost all their money some decades ago due to a misinvestment, something to do with rubber shares. It wasn't that any of that counted anymore except it did. It was still weird to live in a place where you initiated relationships and sex affairs the very same way and where you had nothing you could use except words if you wanted to show what you felt.
Two weeks later, they bumped into each other in the memorial hall both noticeably nervous but this was still so much easier than explaining to Skulls he wanted a date, not sex. And doing so without a card.
"Sorry I couldn't bring a lilac," Brendan said, knowing that it was just a bit silly but not caring because they both had the same problem, so it was okay.
Lt. Gaeta gave him a self-deprecating smile. "I'm personally more of a viola guy."
Brendan laughed. "You know, I'd invite you out to a flight in my viper but I think Starbuck would actually kill me if I ever tried that."
"It's a bit cramped for two people in a viper anyway," the lieutenant allowed. Unobtrusively, he placed a hand on Brendan's back, leading him to a place where Brendan very much hoped was just one bed instead of eight. Not that they'd do more than talk at that point. Still, a bit of quiet would be nice. "But," Gaeta continued. "don't worry. Raptors are bigger and I have my wings."
"What's your call sign?"
"Pansy," Gaeta claimed with a deadpan look on his face and Brendan cracked up.
Maybe there wasn't a reason to miss Picon so much after all, Brendan thought. He had all the important things here on Galactica including laughter and if Kat and Chuckles would think he was a dork for thinking something like that, well, there was another reason he'd never tell them that he'd been a rich kid. He still missed the night sky and the two tiny moons, though. A couple of days later and he might have wanted to look at them with Felix Gaeta.
Author’s Note: I don’t know anything about flower language but I looked some things up before writing. According to Google results, if Hot Dog had given Skulls a gladiolus, he would have signaled that he wants a date, pure and simple. Giving Gaeta lilacs means he’s having some romantic feelings blooming for Felix which he would like to explore. Gaeta’s viola would express Gaeta is reciprocating but he’s shy so he’s inviting Hot Dog to take the initiative (bet there’d be more sex in the world if that one was still around).
As always, feedback would be nice. :)