bibliodragon: (Oliver)
bibliodragon ([personal profile] bibliodragon) wrote2012-04-03 03:23 pm

Ficlet: Never Good Enough

Title: Never Good Enough
Rating: Gen.
Characters: A/R
Word Count:300

For [livejournal.com profile] ar_drabbles 'Guess what's coming to dinner' challenge.


Bill had always wanted a daughter. He loved his sons, no matter how frustrating they were(he'd forgotten that) but sometimes he would wonder what things would have been like if he and Carolanne had tried for a third, instead of just talking about it, and the inevitable parting shot of "you're hardly ever here for the two you already have!”" Would she have been quiet and studious, with her nose constantly in a book at the breakfast table, or would she be loud and determined to hold her own against her brothers?

If he was in a particularly self-aware mood, he might acknowledge the teen years might be difficult. But he would have been good at putting the fear of the Gods into anyone she brought home. He’d been on the receiving end a few times to know the drill, and had the benefit of a thousand yard stare well practiced on Cylons and errant officers which should translate well over the dinner table. Along with the righteous fury that anyone could think themselves good enough for his daughter.

Whenever he had thought of taking part in that particular battle, he had never expected to be on the familiar side from his youth, facing disappointed and stern glares at just what their daughters had dragged home.

He never expected to be losing to a teacher.

But with three daughters, Edward Roslin must have been well practiced at putting suitors in their places. Even with the effect the lack of passing time in this place had on the generation gap, he had the advantage.

In amongst conversation and laughing and passing of plates of food, Laura would catch the corner of his gaze and just smile that diplomatic smile of hers that told him just how terribly amusing his discomfort was.

[identity profile] newnumbertwo.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay! Great use of the prompt.

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. I must say, your icon is awesome!

[identity profile] newnumbertwo.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. I stole it from Laura Roslin's Facebook page.

[identity profile] hollywobbles.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw, hee, adorbs! I'm a sucker for adorable AU, and I love the way this one builds.

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you :).

[identity profile] defyingnormalcy.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
This is great! Awesome use of the prompt. :D

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad you liked it!

[identity profile] redrockcan.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Love this drabble!! I was reading wondering where and when are we in this and then the payoff was great. I love the idea of Bill coming to dinner at Laura's early on. Wonderful idea and perfectly written!!

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, it's kind of a bit of both in that is is set "on the other side," where linear timelines are for suckers ;). Glad you liked it.

[identity profile] k-d-456-345-a.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Ok, am I right in thinking this is a story set "on the other side"?

"Even with the effect the lack of passing time in this place had on the generation gap, he had the advantage."

I took this to mean that Roslin's father has not aged in the afterlife although Bill is his age on the show so feels sheepish to be the courting suitor in his 60s and technically dead to boot?

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Yep, that's it. Drabbles and their exact word counts do tend towards vaugeness for me.

[identity profile] akachankami.livejournal.com 2012-04-06 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
OMG the cuteness of bill's discomfort XD fantastic use of the prompt! =D

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-06 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. It's amazing how cute Bill can be!

[identity profile] ozzyj.livejournal.com 2012-04-07 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Poor Bill! I enjoyed this take on the prompt - Great drabble :0)

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-07 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :D

[identity profile] fragrantwoods.livejournal.com 2012-04-11 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
There is something endearing and so hopeful (for them and for us) about an afterlife that's so rich with possibilities, and I love that Bill sees this from the POV of the father to a daughter he could have been as well as from the suitor POV. How sweet that he would still get nervous, and how "Laura" that she would find this amusing! I'm loving this Shore AU so much.

[identity profile] bibliodragon.livejournal.com 2012-04-12 11:44 am (UTC)(link)
Shore AUs are my weakness! Though AU? I see no AU, that's totally what happened! ;)