All the Desires
It's a little rushed, but I think it came out decent. And Jayne was a pain in the ass. :)
Kaylee picked idly at the last little bit of...whatever that was on her plate. She laughed at Wash's story, same as the rest, but her mind wandered some. Her heartbeat quickened just a little as her foot traced slow, delicate circles on Simon's leg. A deep intake of breath and a slight straightening of the spine were all that marked Simon's reaction. He casually shifted his weight and dropped his hand below the table, resting it on her thigh, theoretically out of the sight of the others.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before they drew apart again, each with a faint, satisfied smile.
Zoe watched Wash as his extravagant gestures drew another round of laughs from those at the table. He felt her steady, warm gaze upon him, and reached over to squeeze her hand. He began embellishing less, wanting the story to end as soon as possible.
Mal sat at the head of the table, smiling vaguely, nursing his drink. Half of him was enjoying himself, wanting to stay; the other half wanted to get away, to be alone. He didn't want to be attached to these fragile people; only the sky could never be taken from him.
Shepherd Book felt relaxed, peaceful. The warm laughter of this family kept his past at bay.
River sat untouched in the ocean of camaraderie, listening to different stories entirely. One voice surfaced in her mind, drowning out the others for a moment. "It just got lost. No one can find it." River became aware of the awkward silence and the seven pairs of eyes that looked at her. She stared intently at her fork.
"I bet Jayne is the one who lost it. Happens all the time," Wash piped up. Jayne snorted. All eyes drifted back to Wash, and he picked up the story where he had left off.
Jayne didn't hear the rest of the story, or care much. I ain't never lost nothing, he thought, moody now. Ain't never had much to lose. As he took another swig of his drink, he saw a house in his mind. Just a small house, simple, plain, but it was his. There was a woman there, and maybe a few little ones underfoot. A place of his own.
Inara drifted into the dining room, drawn by the sound of laughter. To her, the laughter sounded like freedom.
New desire, bright and exhilarating. Familiar desire, warm and comforting. Fear of desire and the loss that it might bring. Hiding from desire and the temptation of power. Lost in the desires of others, and desiring escape. A simple desire, for a home, a family, a place where one belongs. The subjugation of one's desires to the desires of others.
All the desires intertwined and danced together, while the most powerful desire of all hummed softly around them: Serenity's desire to keep flying.
Kaylee picked idly at the last little bit of...whatever that was on her plate. She laughed at Wash's story, same as the rest, but her mind wandered some. Her heartbeat quickened just a little as her foot traced slow, delicate circles on Simon's leg. A deep intake of breath and a slight straightening of the spine were all that marked Simon's reaction. He casually shifted his weight and dropped his hand below the table, resting it on her thigh, theoretically out of the sight of the others.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before they drew apart again, each with a faint, satisfied smile.
Zoe watched Wash as his extravagant gestures drew another round of laughs from those at the table. He felt her steady, warm gaze upon him, and reached over to squeeze her hand. He began embellishing less, wanting the story to end as soon as possible.
Mal sat at the head of the table, smiling vaguely, nursing his drink. Half of him was enjoying himself, wanting to stay; the other half wanted to get away, to be alone. He didn't want to be attached to these fragile people; only the sky could never be taken from him.
Shepherd Book felt relaxed, peaceful. The warm laughter of this family kept his past at bay.
River sat untouched in the ocean of camaraderie, listening to different stories entirely. One voice surfaced in her mind, drowning out the others for a moment. "It just got lost. No one can find it." River became aware of the awkward silence and the seven pairs of eyes that looked at her. She stared intently at her fork.
"I bet Jayne is the one who lost it. Happens all the time," Wash piped up. Jayne snorted. All eyes drifted back to Wash, and he picked up the story where he had left off.
Jayne didn't hear the rest of the story, or care much. I ain't never lost nothing, he thought, moody now. Ain't never had much to lose. As he took another swig of his drink, he saw a house in his mind. Just a small house, simple, plain, but it was his. There was a woman there, and maybe a few little ones underfoot. A place of his own.
Inara drifted into the dining room, drawn by the sound of laughter. To her, the laughter sounded like freedom.
New desire, bright and exhilarating. Familiar desire, warm and comforting. Fear of desire and the loss that it might bring. Hiding from desire and the temptation of power. Lost in the desires of others, and desiring escape. A simple desire, for a home, a family, a place where one belongs. The subjugation of one's desires to the desires of others.
All the desires intertwined and danced together, while the most powerful desire of all hummed softly around them: Serenity's desire to keep flying.