Serenity
No challenge just my fic for Serenity, character. Most canon pairings, rated PG.
Serenity: (f. noun) se·ren·i·ty 2. the quality or state of being utterly calm
Calm is those nights. The soft ones, after a good fight, when Jayne isn’t plagued with Reaver-dreams and Book reads quietly to himself; looking up every so often. She likes to believe it is for her, that that comfort is a slight thanks for carrying them away from death.
On those nights, River rarely wakes up, and when she does, she places her hand on Serenity’s cool sides, and smiles. Sometimes she thinks she loves River best of all.
After a fight, Kaylee stays up late, keeping her “the shiniest ship you’ll ever see.” She knows Kaylee understands. Understands that is was her who saved them.
When River is sleeping on a gentler night, Simon feels secure enough to tiptoe out of the room and bring Kaylee a hot drink in her Engine Room. They smile hopefully at each other and Serenity decides that a slight tilt would bring them close enough together. But, she knows that Kaylee would only spend too much time looking through her, trying to figure out where that tilt came from, so she stays steady.
On nights like these, Zoë and Wash lie tangled together, celebrating being alive. She wants them to know it was her, not Wash, who created this tranquility.
It is only Mal and Inara who don’t sleep well on the calmer nights. They toss and turn with want for each other. Mal finally sits up in bed, sighing in frustration. He leans against her, and she comforts him, humming her love and trust until he sleeps.
Because that is her; calming those who’ve found Serenity.