Drabble: Love and Loathing [B5, Londo & Susan]

[amatara]

Title: Love and Loathing
Fandom: Babylon 5
Characters: Londo Mollari, Susan Ivanova
Rating: G
Word Count: 400
Notes: For maspalio, who wanted to see me put words to this scene over at b5fanworks, involving, basically, Londo, Susan, and booze. Naturally, I hastened to oblige. *g*
Set in mid-season 2, just after the episode "Soul Mates" (aka the one with Londo and his wives).

Again, not strictly a drabble, but hey, you try channeling Londo into a measly 100 words! This guy just talks too darned much (and don't we love him for it ;)).


Love and Loathing

"Ah, Commander!" Londo swept into the Zocalo, plastering on his most jovial face. "You seem like a person in dire need of company! May I…?" He took possession of the chair before she could open her mouth.

In truth, Susan Ivanova looked as if the last thing she wanted was company, but Londo needed an ally, and he did not think the commander would turn him down. He was not supposed to be drinking, Franklin had said. Not until the poison was fully out of his system, and Vir, dutiful as always, had taken it as a clue to remove every drop of Brivari from Londo's quarters. But he had just seen Timov off to the transport, and frankly, this whole affair had left him a craving a stiff drink. Not to mention a few words with a kindred spirit. Lacking the latter, an equally affronted spirit would do nicely enough.

"If I may ask, commander, something appears to be troubling you?" Londo gestured at a passing waiter and ordered a Brivari – let's make it a double, yes? And a vodka for the lady – before turning back. He found Ivanova glaring at him over the rim of her drink; not her first one of the evening, by the looks of it.

"Goddamn Talia Winters." She downed the contents of her glass in one swallow. "Thinks a little boot-licking can make her my friend."

Londo blinked; he hadn't actually expected a reply other than 'mind your own business'. This sudden ebullience had to be the alcohol speaking, but, now he thought about it, the commander had been displaying a hostility towards miss Winters that seemed out of proportion. In his experience, there were only two reasons why people would claim to loathe one another. Either because they did – as, for instance, himself and that cursed Narn who called himself ambassador – or as a refusal to admit they were, in fact, feeling something entirely different. It was not always easy to distinguish the two. Take Timov. Until today, Londo had been fully convinced she belonged to the first category. Now, he no longer dared to say. Which did not mean he could not tell precisely what was brewing between the commander and Talia Winters. The only question was what to do about it.

"Allow me to give you a hint of advice, commander," he said, conspiratorially, and dragged his chair closer.

 

Or read it at AO3.

Comments

[selenak]

LOL about Londo seeing the subtext with Susan/Talia and missing it with himself and G'Kar. It's a neat drabble. In one of the audio commentaries, Claudia Christian mentions she basically had one scene with Peter Jurassik in four years, which was when I realized that yes, we never see any Ivanova and Londo interaction, and at the very least, a caustic sharing of bottles would be quite likely and priceless. So thanks for this drabble!

[amatara]

Thank you! And yes, Londo strikes me as one of these people who are very keen observers when it comes to seeing through others, but can be entirely clueless when it comes to themselves. *g* And it pains me to no end that we get so little Londo and Susan interaction (in fact, I don't think I can recall a single scene - what was the 'one scene' Claudia was referring to?) because something tells me those two could really have hit it off together. :) Glad to hear this made you smile.