due South snippet: "Barrier"

[luzula]

Title: Barrier
Pairing: Fraser/Thatcher (can also be read as gen)
Rating: PG
Prompt: gather
Length: 273 words
Summary: The disadvantages of rank.
Notes: A quick snippet, not beta read. Possibly I am procrastinating from my holiday fic exchanges.


"Sir?" Constable Fraser stood before her, his back straight, his face attentive.

"How did things go with the Canadian citizen who was complaining about her treatment in US customs?" Meg asked.

Fraser reported on the case--US customs was sometimes shockingly arbitrary in its application of the regulations--while Meg listened.

Sometimes she resented his perfect posture, his ability to present such a mask of obedience. It was probably her own fault. In her early days at the Consulate, she'd insisted on strict observance of rank. It was her first command, and she'd been afraid that her subordinates wouldn't respect her otherwise.

Meg had found the quasi-military structure of the RCMP a relief when she first came to Depot. One always knew who was in command, and the distribution of responsibility had seemed clear and transparent. Later she had realized it wasn't that simple--there were always informal ways to gain power, and a young female officer seldom had access to these networks.

Not in ways that she cared to exploit, at any rate.

Constable Fraser finished his account. "Good work, Constable," she said.

"Thank you, sir."

Meg wished she could ask him out to dinner, or something. Connect to him as a human being, not just a subordinate. Unfortunately, it seemed to take mortal danger to accomplish that, and her office during a routine report was decidedly not the time.

"Was there anything else, sir?"

Meg gathered her thoughts--she'd let him wait too long. She looked up into his face, perfectly composed, and wondered what he was thinking.

Then, because there was nothing else she could say, she said, "No, Constable. You're free to leave."

Comments

[thursdaynext_27]

Nice insight into Thatcher.

[luzula]

Thank you!

[exbex]

I love exploring Meg, both in my own writing and in others'. Nice work.

[luzula]

Yeah, she is an interesting character (though I can't help feeling that she's a bit unevenly written on the show).

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Lovely snippet. It captures the essence of Fraser/Thatcher--intriguing, sweet, but gah, frustrating. These two need to ditch the proper and let down their hair a little. Trust me, guys, you'll be happier for it. :D

ETA: Post to fraser_thatcher?

[luzula]

Thank you! I do think it would be hard for Thatcher to set aside the fact that she's his superior officer, so yeah, frustration abounds.

[icepixie]

primroseburrows said pretty much everything I was going to. Very nice.

[luzula]

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it.

[magsyb.livejournal.com]

Oh the frustrastion of UST.. damn the regs... I say Mount each other and get it on already... ;).. love this little snippet.

[luzula]

Thank you! : )