Fic: Better Than a Fuzzy Blanket, Kara/Karl, no warnings

[lanalucy]

Also posted at AO3.

Theme: Breakups
Prompt: Kara/Karl - one last time before she breaks it off to get serious with Zak (singerdiva)

Right in the middle of a sloppy, sweaty, post-orgasmic cuddle, Karl realized Kara was crying. He pulled her on top of him, hugging her tighter, knowing if he said anything now, she’d clam up or leave in a huff. He stroked his fingertips up and down her back; she loved the sensation - said it relaxed her in a way nothing else did.

When she sucked a deep breath in and released a gusty sigh, then kissed his neck, he knew it was safe to talk. “You have another fight with your mom?”

She shook her head, sniffled, and said nothing for a few minutes, before sitting up, uncharacteristically bringing the sheet with her.

“What’s up, Kara?”

She shook her head again. “You’re going to hate me.” She looked ready to cry again.

“I won’t. I promise.”

She pulled herself into a ball, no longer touching him anywhere. “I’m…I think I’m…” She fumbled for words, then sat up straight, putting on Starbuck, and he knew he would hate what she was getting ready to say, even if he couldn’t hate her. “I’ve been seeing someone, Karl, and I think I might be in love with him.”

The bottom dropped out of his stomach. He’d known the end of this would come, had long since decided the trust he’d earned from her, the friendship, was worth more than any frak, but he hadn’t seen it coming so soon. He steeled himself. “Okay. Tell me about him.”

Kara tilted her head. “You’re not mad?”

“Of course not.” Liar.

“His name is Zak. He’s a cadet.”

“At flight school?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice.

“Yeah.” She shrugged a shoulder up and held it for a moment. “He’s…he’s one of my students.”

“Are you insane, Kara?!” Karl sat up, holding out a hand toward her. “If you get caught violating frat regs - Kara, you know why you’re planetside - if you get caught violating frat regs, nothing will stop them from kicking you out.”

“I know.”

“Then what are you doing? And what about his career? He’ll have a permanent black mark.”

She hung her head. “I don’t know, Karl.” She crumpled the sheet in her fist, then swiped it across her face. “I’ve never felt like this before.”

Gods. She was crying again. “Hey. Come here.” He wasn’t sure how to feel when she didn’t hesitate, practically throwing herself into his arms. He rocked her until she calmed down again, wondered how long it would take before the smell of Kara Thrace didn’t turn him on. If he’d known the last time was the last time, he’d have made it more memorable for both of them. Kara’s lips touched his chest and he hoped. Didn’t even know what for.

“Karl?”

“Yeah?”

“Does it make me a terrible person if I want to frak you again?”

He held her head against his chest and laughed. Tried to make light of the situation. “Can’t give up old Agathon yet, huh, Kara?”

She squeezed her hand softly on his arm. “That’s it. The Agathon charm strikes again.” She sat up and looked him in the eye. “You know where everything is. It’s not new anymore.”

He raised a brow. “So sex with me is boring? Gods, Kara. Way to kill a guy.”

“No! Not boring. Comfortable. We don’t have to impress each other.”

“Comfortable. Like a fuzzy blanket?”

A sneaky grin flitted across her face. “Well…I’d take you over a fuzzy blanket any day, Karl. Fuzzy blankets don’t make me come.”

“Really? Must just be me, then.”

He couldn’t help the hitch in his chest when she laughed, loud and uninhibited again.

“If you want one more for old times’ sake, we should get it over with, Kara.” He tipped her chin up to kiss her.

Kara put her arm around his neck and kissed him back, slow and sweet and seductive. She pushed him onto his back and settled on him, clearly intending their last time to be leisurely.

He dragged his fingers up and down her back, loving the playful growl he got in return. He put her revelation out of his mind and pulled out everything he’d ever learned about what turned Kara on. When she couldn’t even say his name anymore, he pushed slowly in, savoring the sensation for the last time, committing everything to memory.