Masks and Mirrors by Andraste (PG)

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: Stark/Zhaan
Author on LJ: andrastewhite
Author Website: Altogether Elsewhere
Why this must be read:

There are sadly few Stark/Zhaan fics out there, and even fewer that explore the relationship from Zhaan's perspective. It seems fairly obvious that there were things Stark saw in Zhaan (starting, perhaps, with the fact that she didn't run away from him), but what did she see in him? Stark's grief after Zhaan's death has been examined in both fanfic and canon, but what about Zhaan's feelings when he was apparently killed in "The Ugly Truth?" In this short, moving piece, Andraste gives us the answers to those questions in a way that provides fresh insight into both characters.

(Note: It says in her author's notes that this one was written for me, but I can take no credit for it at all. All I did was provide her with the prompt her to finish something she'd already been thinking about. And I'm very glad she did!)

An excerpt:

When she first lifted the mask away from Stark's face, Zhaan had been surprised to find it cool to the touch. It seemed incredible that the light that flowed out from him did not produce tangible warmth to match the warmth it created within her. Now, it feels not merely cool, but cold. Dead. She holds it up against her face and examines the resulting effect in the mirror. Ill-fitting, but perhaps no more so than the one she wears under her skin. Her reflection looks back at her, calm and blank, displaying nothing of what she feels. For now, she has run out of tears.

Masks and Mirrors