After the Election

[falafel_musings]

Intro: Secrets & Whispers. The third in a series of Baltar/Gaeta missing scenes fics. These stories may be read together or as stand-alone oneshots.
Chapters: 1. Devotion to Good, 2. Return from Kobol, 3. After the Election, 4. The First Intern, 5. Day Zero, 6. A Walk at Midnight, 7. Awaiting the Verdict, 8. Voices in the Mind, (more to follow beyond S4 part one...)
Synopsis: A few hours after Gaius Baltar has been voted President of the Colonies he invites Gaeta back to his quarters and makes him a tempting proposition. 
Characters: Baltar/Gaeta, with appearences from Six.
Rating: NC-17 for explicit sex (yeah baby)
Disclaimer: I don't own BSG and Romo Lampkin will be my lawyer if anyone tries to sue me!
Author's Note: Thanks to lls_mutantwho betaed this for me.  

 

3. After the Election

Gaius had been President of the Colonies for exactly two hours. Already he was depressed and bored with it. Adama had summoned him to his quarters in the later part of the evening to inform him of the highly suspicious voting error and the newly amended results to the election. It was only in that moment that Gaius realised how he truly felt about it all. Yes, he had to admit it…when he had heard the wireless news of Roslin’s win his reaction had been one of quiet relief and grudging acceptance. It was Zarek who had thrown up his hands, ranting that the result was a fix and sending out his sources to investigate. Gaius couldn’t care less. He had left his lab and retired for an early night. It was only after he was woken to the news of his victory that he started to fear that his candidacy had been a very bad idea.      

 

Gaius stepped out of the toilet cubical, clutching a bottle of whisky to his chest. He had been hiding there for the last twenty minutes. The function room was crowded with a selection of his campaign team and his high profile supporters; the last-minute guests to his belated celebration party. Gaius cringed a smile and shook their hands, whilst threading his way through the crowd, like he was performing a ritual dance. They all wanted to talk politics with him. Gaius had forgotten how much he loathed the subject. Four more years of this? He could barely contemplate it. He insisted to them that he was very tired and would soon be returning to his quarters. His eyes swept the room for the one guest he had invited himself.                

 

Gaeta was standing in the far corner at the end of a small buffet table. He had found a bowl of nuts, which he was rhythmically popping into his mouth whilst he examined the surrounding walls. Gaius smiled and approached him slowly. Gaeta didn’t notice his presence until he was only a step away.

 

“It's good to see you, Mr Gaeta…” Gaius began, regarding him fondly. “I’m so pleased you could attend at such short notice.”

 

Gaeta quickly swallowed his nuts and reached for a glass of champagne from the table, which he raised in a clumsy toast.

 

“Congratulations, Mr Pres...” he began.

 

“Oh, never mind all that…” Gaius cut in. He rolled his eyes, waving a hand dismissively, as he clanked his whisky bottle against the brim of the champagne glass. “How have you been, old friend? I haven’t seen you in months. They’ve got you so busy with DRADIS and star charts and jump co-ordinates in the CIC. You never visit my lab anymore.”  

 

Gaius pouted at him. Gaeta blinked in surprise to learn that he had been missed. The truth was Gaius hadn’t thought all that much about Gaeta. The man hadn’t really crossed his mind until his conversation with Zarek an hour earlier.    

 

“How are you enjoying the party?” Gaius continued.

 

“The party? Yes, well…it’s…” the young officer faltered, looking nervously about him, “…I don’t really know anyone here.”

 

“Gods, neither do I,” said Gaius. “They’re all Zarek’s cronies. We didn’t have time to invite anyone else. No Galactica crew apart from yourself Felix. We feel you’re the only military serviceman we can trust these days.” 

 

Gaeta lowered his eyes, his cheeks flushing with colour. Judging by this reaction, Gaius was willing to believe that Zarek had been right in his suspicions after all. He sighed, taking his cigar case from his pocket and offering a Caprican Imperial. He placed a hand to Gaeta’s back and drew him into a quiet corner.  

 

“Listen…since neither of us is feeling particularly sociable this evening, what do you say we slip away to my room and catch up? Hmm?”  

 

Gaeta raised an eyebrow, his face lighting with possibilities. It seemed he still remembered their fumblings after Gaius's return from Kobol. He didn’t need to be asked twice. He followed behind Gaius as he made a hasty exit from his own victory party. They continued furtively down the corridors, managing to reach his quarters unnoticed. Once Gaius had turned the lock on the door, he sat the young lieutenant down on his mattress, lit his cigar and poured him a tumbler of whisky.

 

For a while, they did little else but drink, smoke and exchange idle pleasantries. But they both knew what they were building towards in this room. For his own part, Gaius had to admit he really needed to frak somebody tonight. The Six in his head was still being cold and fickle with him. Gina was probably never going to allow another man to touch her after the degradations she had suffered on the Pegasus. Of course, Gaius could have chosen any one of his campaign groupies to satisfy his desires, but there was another matter that he wished to discuss with Mr Gaeta. He might as well kill two birds with one stone.       

 

“You know, Zarek has a theory,” said Gaius, shifting closer to Gaeta on the mattress. “The fellow's convinced that this election was rigged for Laura Roslin. I insisted to him that the current administration and the Colonial military were not so corrupt. But Zarek has uncovered some interesting rumours from an acquaintance of his onboard the Zephyr. Something about a misprint on their ballots…something about a phone call made to the supervising officer of the vote count…” 

 

Gaeta slugged back his whisky, not offering anything up.

 

“You were that supervisor, were you not, Lieutenant?” Gaius nudged him.

 

Gaeta winced. “I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss…”  

 

“Yes, yes, I understand your position," Gaius sighed. "You’re very loyal to them, Mr Gaeta. I just don’t like to see your loyalties abused. They take you for granted. You’ve been so dedicated to the service. You’re brighter than any other officer working in that CIC. You really ought to have been promoted beyond your current station by now. Of course, the Admiral does like to play favourites, doesn't he?”

 

“Yes sir,” Gaeta admitted. “But I still can’t say anything.”

 

Gaius didn’t press him further. He already had all the confirmation he needed. Gaeta had bristled at the word favourites. And who might have been involved in this election conspiracy? Gaius could easily guess. Could it be Colonel Tigh, the drunken crackpot who clung to his position as XO through his enduring friendship with Adama? Could it be Petty Officer Dualla, all set for a transfer and a big promotion now that she was frakking the Admiral’s much-pampered son? What chance did poor Gaeta have in the military when his commanding officer was so biased towards these colleagues of his who had gone behind his back in an attempt to corrupt the democratic system? What was his honesty worth to these people?  

 

“You’re an idealist, Felix,” he said softly. “If you feel that you might need somewhere else to invest your ideals now that, well..." He left the implication hanging. "Zarek has reminded me that I need to appoint someone as my Chief of Staff…” He smiled, awkwardly. “I’ve never had any staff to speak of on this vessel apart from you, Mr Gaeta. To be honest, I doubt there’s a better man for the job...”

 

Gaius coiled an arm around his shoulders. He was clinging to Gaeta like a security blanket now. The truth was that Gaius didn’t trust Zarek. He didn’t trust any of the dubious characters that Zarek had brought into his political circle. He didn’t trust Gina or her fringe group of cylon sympathisers. Most of all Gaius didn’t really trust himself with the daunting responsibilities that the people of the twelve colonies had thrust upon him.

He needed someone that he did trust or this whole thing was going to fall apart.      

 

“I’ll think about it, Doctor Baltar,” Gaeta answered evasively.

 

“Actually…it’s President Baltar now. Or Mr President Elect. I haven’t decided which honorific I prefer.” He pursed his lips. “But you can call me Gaius…because you’re my friend…and because you know how to spell it.”   

 

Gaius treated him to a knowing wink. He decided that he would think of him as Felix now too. He was weary of the titles and formalities between them.

 

Felix nodded, acceptingly. “Gaius…”

 

He breathed out the word; softly, experimentally. Gaius leaned in close and kissed his lower lip, catching his own name as it fell from his mouth. The kiss was delicate and tantalising. It had none of the abruptness of the kiss they had shared all those months ago; the kiss that neither of them had mentioned since. Gaius allowed this new kiss to hang in the air, his breath warm against Felix’s cheek, enticing him to reciprocate. When he failed to move Gaius whispered into his ear.       

 

“You saved my life, Felix," he reminded him. "I know that you saved my presidency too. Now won’t you allow me to do a little something for you in return? Please?”

 

Felix tensed for a moment. Slowly he inclined his head in a nod.

 

“Okay…” he whispered in reply.

 

A murmur of consent; it was all that Gaius needed. He placed the whisky bottle on the nearby table and dimmed the lights in the room. He gently teased the uniform away from Felix’s skin. He even took the time to fold it for him. He snatched a tube of lubricant from his washroom cabinet and placed it in a reachable spot beside the bed. Felix watched his preparations with nervous eyes. Gaius didn’t sense any reluctance in his stare, but there were little hints of shyness, trepidation and embarrassment; a cocktail that Gaius fancied was called virginal.     

 

Oh, he couldn’t say for sure whether this was the lieutenant’s first time. He suspected as much and the mere thought of it filled him with vainglorious rapture. Gaius could barely remember the loss of his own virginity. He had been fourteen years old. It had been in a haystack on the outskirts of Cuttle with a little milkmaid called Lottie, who had cried afterwards, complaining that he had gone to fast and it had hurt her. From that moment Gaius knew he was a selfish lover. But with Felix he felt compelled to make it perfect. This was a different kind of indulgence. Gaius could see his own face reflected in Felix’s pupils. In the glittering mirrors of those eyes Gaius was a hero. He was a dream and Felix held this impossible dream inside his head. If this was indeed his first time, then Gaius knew that it must be no less than sublime.

 

Gaius pressed him gently to the mattress. He didn’t roll him over. He held his stare and whispered reassurances in his ear. Gaius didn’t think he had ever been so tender with a woman. Felix lay braced and willing as Gaius laid a trail of kisses down his neck, onto his collar bone and then his chest. He was pleasantly surprised to find the tiger tattoo. He licked it in approval, tracing its shape with his tongue. It seemed that Felix had taken his advice about having a little more fun.

 

Gaius draped himself more comfortably between Felix’s legs. He reached one hand up to cup his cheek and one hand down to wrap around his cock. He felt its heat, its throbbing, the yearning which spread in ripples through his entire body. Gaius clasped those vibrations in his hand and soon they became a fierce pulsing in his own loins. He could no longer bear it. His hand fell away from Felix’s erection and dipped down between his thighs, fingering at his entrance. Felix gasped and writhed against the touch. His body was like an instrument with all its strings tuned too tightly. Gaius held him still, pressing another finger inside him; issuing sharper notes from his lips. Felix’s eyes were wide and blurry now. His warm olive skin was dewy with sweat. Yes, Gaius had fogged up his own mirror now. He was perilously close to shattering its glass. He stroked Felix’s body from his temples to his sternum, resting his palm flat against his stomach; feeling it quiver.        

 

“Gaius…” Felix echoed once more.

 

It was no longer a whisper, but a moan, a desperate plea. Gaius drew back his hand. He wasted little time greasing his cock and Felix’s hole with the lubricant. Then he leaned forwards and pushed himself inside…pushing all the way into those dark tender unexplored places of Felix Gaeta. It was alarming how much he was savouring this. Gaius had never realised the virtue of patience until now. His thrusts were slow and measured. He squeezed his eyes shut. His lips tumbled onto Felix’s gasping mouth; his hair forming a curtain around his face.    

 

Gaius felt his mind slipping out from his body. He felt his senses spiralling away to his old house by the lake in the fairest suburb of Caprica. Gaius wandered through the empty rooms. He stepped through the sliding doors and out onto the sunlit porch. He found Six lazing on the deck chair in the setting sun. She had a bottle of champagne on ice resting by her elbow. She smiled up at him, lifting the bubbly from its bucket, popping the cork and pouring them each a glass.

 

“Congratulations Gaius. You finally sealed the deal.”

 

Gaius sat beside her, taking a sip of his drink and nodding resolutely.

 

“Yes...indeed,” he murmured. “But listen…I don’t think it’s really appropriate for me to stay here and chat with you. I...I’m supposed to be making love.”

 

Six rolled her eyes. “This isn’t love, Gaius. It’s politics.”

  

He returned to his bed in a spluttering of breath and the tremors of ejaculation. Gaius was so disorientated that he couldn’t tell if the experience had been as ideal for Felix as he had wanted it to be. But Felix’s expression was perfectly serene as he wiped their sticky orgasmic puddles away from the mattress; as he plumped up the pillows and allowed Gaius to recline on his back. Felix curled up against his chest, draping a lazy arm around his hip and tucking his head beneath his chin, like a cat that has found itself a warm lap to sleep on.

They lay like that in silence for a moment. Gaius imagined he had been quite masterful as a lover even though he hadn't really been concentrating. He stroked the younger man’s head with his fingertips. His soft dark scalp was like velvet to touch.      

 

“You have lovely hair,” Gaius remarked to him. “You know...if you left the military, you could let it grow longer. You might look like one of those pretty curly-haired boys who sing in the Caprican Opera.”

 

“I said I’ll think about it, Gaius,” Felix shot back.

 

“Yes, of course,” Gaius said briskly. “You’re thinking about it. You’re lying naked in the President’s bed just toying with the idea.”

 

Felix erupted in giggles. Gaius felt the laughter tickling at his skin. The body in his arms was loose and relaxed, like a spring that had been uncoiled. 

     

Felix’s laughter stretched into a yawn. “Well, it’s not like I believed in Earth or Pithia anyway. I guess I need something new to believe in. Something real this time.”

 

Felix hugged him closer. Gaius suddenly felt himself stiffen. Felix was clinging a little too tightly now. He was expecting a little more than was being offered to him. Gaius didn’t wish to spoil the enchanting moment he had created, but he felt the need to set a few ground rules before things got out of hand.

 

“Listen Felix,” he began tentatively. “I’m sure you realise we are going to have to be very discreet about this.” He chose his words carefully. “As a matter of propriety…it would be quite the scandal if it were known that the new President was having these sorts of relations with his Chief of Staff. You know…the Gemonese and Sagittarons still have some very hostile views about this kind of affection between two men. It could cause a big upset with the religious contingent. Not that I approve of those tired old prejudices, but...as President, I must remain a neutral figure in the public eye. I’m sure you understand that, Felix. I have my reputation to think about.”       

  

Gaius chewed his lip, fearing that he had put this across in the wrong way. Felix’s hands were looser on his waist now. His quietness seemed solemn and pensive.

 

“I understand, sir...” said Felix, his voice tinged with disappointment.

 

Gaius squeezed his shoulders, trying his best to reassure him.

“Look all I’m saying is…this is going to have to be our little secret.”

 

Felix lifted his head, meeting his stare in the dim light. The sparkle had returned to his eyes now. A little secret just between them…like their secret cylon detector project which Felix had taken such a pitiful delight in. Felix cherished all these little secrets that he kept with Gaius Baltar; secrets that nobody else would ever know. With those words, Felix was content again. He snuggled close to him and sighed.     

 

“I love you, Gaius…”

 

Felix’s voice was barely a whisper, but screamed with sincerity. Gaius felt his jaw clenching in the shadows. He wasn’t sure if he was smiling or cringing. He hoped Felix was drunk and would forget these words in the morning.    

 

“Love you too…” he forced out.

 

He could feel Felix’s smile against his chest and Gaius was definitely wincing now.

He felt sure this would only be the start of the lies. 


4. The First Intern

 

Comments

[jaspreetpink.livejournal.com]

Whoa boy...reign your heart in a little there, Felix. *wibble*

[blue-crow.livejournal.com]

That's so tragic and heartbreaking, and exactly right. I think you're really succeeding on capturing sort of the definitive Gaius/Gaeta, how things are most likely to have been. This is exactly why I can't write them like this, because its just too tragic, but I'm so pleased that you have.

[pacejunkie.livejournal.com]

Little needy Felix. You're really reading my mind with thse fics. I just finished season two the other day and saw the election and New Caprica. I was wondering how Felix became Gaius' Chief of Staff and what had happened between them in that missing year. Once again you deliver. Felix must have been falling over himself with pride to be offered a job like that. He still admired him so much. This was fabulous and I love the way you used Six.

“This isn’t love, Gaius. It’s politics.”

Just a small bit but perfect.

[trovia.livejournal.com]

It's so interesting to read your fic and lls_mutant's fic at the same time and compare. Gaeta's amount of sexual experience makes such a difference. Your Gaeta is so painfully naïve. He doesn't have any capability to judge the events or at least execute some healthy caution, while in the other story, the existence of Skulls makes all the difference in that department. However, the different POVs make comparison a bit tricky.

I liked Baltar's flashing to Six. It makes Gaeta's redundancy in Baltar's world all the more poignant.

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

Yay- you posted!

Like I said, I think this is the strongest of your series so far. Not because of the sex, but just because the writing is so tight in this. (Although the sex is hot, too.)

Now, for those other comments I mentioned.... :)

What chance did poor Gaeta have in the military when his commanding officer was so biased towards his colleagues who had gone behind his back, attempting to make a mockery of the democratic system? What was his honesty worth to these people?

This is such an eloquent summation of Gaeta's plight, and I have a nasty feeling it's going to come back and bite a lot of people in the ass. I think that this is very much the truth, and I think it's part of what makes Gaeta very vulnerable to manipulation.

Since I know you know about the Season 4.5 Gaeta-Zarek alliance, one of the things I wanted to say is that I suspect Zarek is very much going to use this. I'm really wondering- especially when Starbuck comes back and doesn't get punished, even though Adama is pretty sure she's lying about how Gaeta gets hurt, nothing seems to happen. No consequences for Starbuck, no consequences for Sam. Even though he was mutinying, that's gotta freaking hurt. And then no "you can pull through this, kid" speech from Adama as well... I just really suspect this is what's going to take Gaeta to that "dark place" that AJ mentioned. (It also makes me think more that the "good thing" is Zarek recruiting him, but I freely admit to TOTAL bias ;) ) But yeah, this section is just perfect.

Gaius couldn’t say for sure whether this was the lieutenant’s first time. He suspected as much and just the thought of it filled him with vainglorious rapture

We've chatted about this before, but oh my God, I love that. I know like you said above that it's Baltar's POV, and whether or not Felix is a virgin is debatable, but that's actually kind of what I love about it. This, again, just sums up any reason I would think Baltar's a good lover. I think, if he does things that are considerate for his partner, it's because either a.) he wants payback, or b.) he wants them to say, "wow, that Gaius Baltar is the best lover EVER!" But obviously it's more subtle than that, because Gaius isn't anywhere close to that honest with himself, and this portrays that perfectly.

And, as I mentioned, I love how you write Six.

Great stuff- looking forward to part 4!

[zelda-zee.livejournal.com]

I checked out the show's website, just to get a quick visual and read the character bios before reading this. It might seem odd to read fic for a show I don't know, but you'd said this chapter was your first explicit slash and I was curious how you'd handle it.

I think it probably goes without saying that one would never guess it was your first explicit slash - it doesn't read that way at all.

What I think was especially well done was your characterization which is so very strong throughout - and you enhance the characterization through the sex, which is awesomely done. After reading this single chapter I really feel like I know these characters even though I was pretty unfamiliar with them before starting.

Great job and congrats! It's always fun to try something new. :)

[kajam.livejournal.com]

“This isn’t love, Gaius. It’s politics.”

Uh-oh, poor Felix. I can already see him having his heart ripped out of his chest in the upcoming parts, huh? But like I said in the previous part, it's very true to the original story and to the original characters, so the heartache is unavoidable. I'm a sucker for heartache-filled and angsty stories though, so I'm definitely looking forward to more of it! ;)
This was yet another great part, very well written (as always, of course!) and quite bittersweet. Keep up the great work, hon!

[millari.livejournal.com]

I loved this from the very opening line, which totally sucked me in and really captures Baltar at his quintessential. He is all about the pursuit, not so much about the followup, isn't he? Anyway, I like how you have Baltar from the very first night of his win cringing at what's required of him, even though it's just a party. And the image of him hiding in the toilets with a whisky bottle! Priceless! You really get the sense, wow, how's this guy going to be able to handle the true day-to-day drudgery of the Presidency, if he can't even handle *this*? Then, his relief at seeing Gaeta there is palpable and believable, in this context, even though he clearly hasn't given much thought to Gaeta before.

The dynamic between Felix and Gaius in that scene where he's trying to toast Gaius' win is so them in Season 1-2: Gaeta seeming such the inexperienced, socially awkward kid trying to play by all the rules, while Baltar's the suave one who doesn't play by any of them. Btw, this line: “But you can call me Gaius…because you’re my friend…and because you know how to spell it.” So awesome. I wish I'd thought of it.

I loved the mirror imagery. I remember us talking about this during your questionnaire and I really liked how you went and used it, and how you went back later in the fic and made that reference to fogging up his own mirror. And I like that from the beginning, you made Gaius fully aware of how much of a heroic dream he was to Felix. It makes his betrayal of him later on so much more full of pathos. But even though he's pretty mercenary in this fic, the shipper in me couldn't help feeling all woobie at how Gaius wanted to make this moment for Felix perfect, and how in an unselfconscious moment, he refers to their sex as "making love". Baltar does seem to have those romantic ideals hiding deep inside his soul, underneath the very thick sheen of selfishness and cynicism on top. I think it's one of his few saving graces. You shifted between those different depths of him quite believably. Oh, and on a baser note: Damn, you write some fine slash. Not virginal at all. :) It was beautiful, tender, heartbreaking in places, and nevertheless, very very hot.

The end reminded me of when I was in journalism classes, actually. One of the things they told us about interviewing was to let the silences between questions hang, because people tend to get nervous at awkward silences and try to fill them up with anything, so that's when you're going to catch someone saying something they want to hide. That's sort of what happens to Gaius here. Felix is so silent and somber, that Baltar's guilt makes him jump in all panicky and he tries to fill up that space with anything to appease Felix, even saying things he knows he has no business saying. Baltar does not strike me as a person to use the words "I love you" easily, even as a lie, so it really speaks to how out of control the whole post-coital moment between them has become for Baltar and generally speaking, how much Gaius wants to be liked, even by people he doesn't really respect. Btw, this is *such* a bad quality in a president, so it even works as some more subtle foreshadowing of how bad a president Baltar's going to be.

I'm curious to see what the next chapter is like, to see how far Baltar takes this "little secret" between them before he just gives up on it altogether.

And poor, poor, drunk Felix. You can see how eager he is for Baltar's love, even before he tells Gaius he loves him. And how painful is it that he's calling him "Sir" while he's naked and post-coital in Baltar's bed? That being said, I liked the little hint of backbone he shows when Gaius pushes him about taking the Chief of Staff job, although you can see how Gaius doesn't believe for a second that Felix is not going to take the job. He's already referring to him as Chief of Staff before Felix has actually taken the job, like it's a fait accompli.

Finally, on a purely awww note, Felix giggling in fic is about the cutest thing ever.

Great fic! Write more soon! I promise to get to commenting on it faster next time. RL is finally slowing down.

[nicole-anell.livejournal.com]

AAAAAH, I missed this when you first posted it, and today I was like "I wonder if falafel_musings wrote any more of that fic and I didn't see it?" And you did! And there's sex!

“But you can call me Gaius…because you’re my friend…and because you know how to spell it.”
Heh. I would frak him.

Interesting to think about Gaius being so isolated upon becoming president and Gaeta being the only person he trusted, if only because Gaeta's so darn innocent and enamored with him. Also, the story of Baltar losing his virginity - uh, yep. Insensitive twat. I like the rare times when he secretly owns up to being a selfish person. Which ties into how much I love the convo with Six and the gut-punch at the end, because he has this... uncomfortable awareness that he's using Gaeta.

Great as always. :)

[nai-is-not.livejournal.com]

Oh man, oh man, that was lovely! Usually, I don't ship Gaius/Gaeta because I can't see it actually happening, but this was done so well. I could actually buy it. I was glued to the computer for all three of the stories. Their voices are wonderful, the narrative is wonderful... excellent job!