new fic: Dono/Olivia

[ollipop]

So I can't seem to get this couple out of my head. Here's a missing scene from A Civil Campaign about Dono getting himself into Vorpatril House after the attack. (Which has more emotional content than it than I'm describing.)


Title: Even on a good night
Author: ollipop
Fandom: Vorkosigan Saga
Series:  Please receive me on my feet
Rating: T (and warned for reference to Richars' past rape attempt)
Word Count: 905

Summary: You get up and you give blood, even on a good night.

On AO3

Dono sat numbly in the passenger seat of the groundcar, avoiding Olivia’s gaze. The adrenaline from the attack was beginning to wear off, and though the bleeding had slowed, Dono felt tired and dizzy.

The three armsmen and Joris had been no help whatsoever. Ivan and Olivia had been more help than any of them. Dono looked over at Olivia, feeling stunned and ill. Gentle Olivia, what did I bring you into?

The window beside him rolled down suddenly and Ivan stuck his head into the groundcar. "Here we are. I'll go in first and get someone to help the wounded get inside. I don't want Szabo trying to carry you in and doing himself more damage. Olivia, you okay out here?"

Dono saw Olivia nod gravely. So Ivan had a plan. Was he still looking for a girl’s honor to defend? Dono shook his head at the insanity of it all. Once again, rescued by some over-earnest boy.

Dono had been alert for the entire attack. From the stunner buzz, to the shove that threw him off balance, to being pinned against the back of the lift van, watching the nauseating smirk of the bravo who was wielding the vibraknife. During all the other attacks Dono had survived, that alertness had been the saving grace at the time, and the curse afterwards. As a girl, she’d been able to smell the attack coming, or see it, when a certain glint in the man’s eye had become more calculating than appraising. No one had ever needed to come after her out of the shadows, when they could do so in the broad light of evening.

I knew there would still be fights, and that I would probably spit blood. But I never thought I’d feel so helpless again, since I stopped being a woman. That was one more thing I was happy to ditch on Beta. I planned for threats, for derision, for attacks. But to strip me down and maim me? Does Richars look at everyone this way? Or is there something wrong with me, that I’ve always been his target?

Dono considered going inside and telling Count Vorpatril. He won’t believe me. No one will believe me, except maybe for By. Where is By? I bet he would have seen it coming. Yes, By was never safe from Richars either.

Dono's breath huffed in a morbid parody of a laugh. "No one can say I didn’t ask for this." I can’t tell anyone. They won’t believe me, or they’ll laugh. I'll have to show them the wound. What if they just want to finish the job? "Let's go home and get Pierre's doctor--it'll be safer."

Olivia: "Come on, you can make it a few steps. This is faster than going home. We need to get inside for help."

"Your dress..." Dono’s gaze fixed on Olivia's shredded dress, her bare knee below a torn hem. His teeth began to chatter. Olivia would have jumped in if Ivan had failed. They would have hurt Olivia too. She's not safe with me either.

“My dress is nothing.” Olivia’s eyes glinted, challenging. “Want to see me out of my dress?” She leaned forward, desperately trying for a distraction. When she saw him remain blank, her voice softened.

“Come on, Dono, he can’t hurt you anymore. He can’t hurt you any more than this, what he’s done tonight, and it won’t have been enough. You win here, he loses.” Her voice grew more determined. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re stronger than Richars, you’re the better leader. Make this be your proof.”

Dono shook his head.

"We need to at least get your Armsmen inside. They need attention, and they're your responsibility. Bring them inside for help."

His Armsmen. Dono's face flooded with shame, having momentarily forgotten. He'd gotten his household involved in this too. He'd damaged everyone. And then he'd forgotten about them. If I can’t do this, how can I lead a district? How can I stand up for my subjects, knowing that any four of them could try this again?

"Just go in and tell them what happened."

Dono pulled back and hunched his shoulders towards his knees.

"I can’t speak for you, in there. You’ll go in, they’ll call for medical attention. Soon there will be guards and they’ll want to take your witness. Then there will be the same questions from different people, and someone will finally offer you clothes, and then we’ll go home. But first you have to explain the attack."

"I was walking back from Vorfolse’s door and got jumped from behind. I don’t know why I stopped, or why I left the groundcar in such a tight spot. We talked on the intercom, so anyone could know I was there."

Olivia waved her hand and pursed her lips. "It's not your fault, it doesn’t matter why you were there. Start over."

"Two thugs hit me. Pulled me back to a van. Spit on me. Tried to cut me..." his voice trailed off.

"This was a vicious and unsuccessful attack to undermine your candidacy." Olivia enunciated carefully, as if prompting Dono.

"This was a vicious and unsuccessful attack to undermine my candidacy," Dono reluctantly agreed.

"Good. Stick to that, okay? We’ll deal with the rest later."

Dono nodded. “Okay. Let’s get the men inside.”

Olivia put a hand through Dono's arm and pulled him into Vorpatril House.