AU part 4646415

[bigdamnherosir]

Six weeks of sleeping with the pilot isn't turning out to be half bad. Because as it so happens, he's better in bed than she ever would have thought, and attentive too. He talks so much outside of bed, she didn't know what to expect. But she's been surprised - better than surprised really. Happy...is a word she hasn't used to describe herself in a

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[likeswifesoup]

Wash had watched Mal yell at Zoe for... well, nothing. Well, he'd been on the bridge, and walked back into the galley late for dinner for Mal to be at full voice, yelling. He'd heard it back on the bridge, but not the specifics. Zoe had left before he could say anything, and he just stared at Mal.

"What?" Mal said, turning on Wash, who had taken a step backwards. He couldn't very well say anything too much, because that would betray just what he and Zoe had been doing with their spare time.

"Just... I think the whole boat is well aware of how you feel," Wash said. "Sir."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mal demanded.

"Just... weren't there three of you out there?" he asked, grabbing his plate and heading back to the bridge. He knew he couldn't check on Zoe, not until everyone else had gone to bed. He just hoped that she didn't think he was abandoning her.

[bigdamnherosir]

Zoe doesn't really expect anyone to have her back. Not even Wash, because as far as she knows, he likes having sex, and they get along pretty good, and that's as far as it goes.

She doesn't even realize it though when she's listening hard to what's going on outside of her bunk. She hears Kaylee and Jayne bickering, then their respective hatches close. She hears Mal clomping around, and she's still irritated, so when he knocks, she doesn't answer. Eventually his footsteps fade in the direction of the bridge, and after about ten minutes head back her direction. One more knock goes ignored before he goes into his bunk, the door slamming shut.

That's when she realizes she's been waiting on Wash. Even pissed off, her stomach flips a little, knowing that any minute, he'll be able to come down.

[likeswifesoup]

Wash had been up on the bridge, listening to the night time noises on the ship, listening to hatches open and close. After Mal knocked on Zoe's hatch for the first time, he took his plate and mug back to the galley, washing them up, and was just about to head to Zoe's bunk when Mal tried again.

Glad he waited, he went back to the bridge for a few moments, until Mal went to bed, then crept along, not even bothering to knock on Zoe's bunk. He hadn't for the last six weeks, so why now? He quietly opened her hatch, then went down the ladder, closing it behind her. "Zoe?" he whispered, in case she was asleep.

[bigdamnherosir]

She's definitely not asleep. And something is eating at her that she's been anticipating this, waiting for it, waiting for him. Even though, not two hours ago, she was mad at him for apparently getting in her head and making her forget how to do her job right.

"I'm up," she says, turning a light on low so she doesn't temporarily blind herself.