Fic: Down this Chain of Days, Chapter 3 (Firefly, River/Mal, PG-13)
Title: Down this Chain of Days: III. Never Asked
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1500
Pairings: River/Mal, Simon/Kaylee
Summary: For Mal and River, 'happily ever after' takes some work - especially when people from their past keep turning up.
Notes: Chapter title and cut text from The Rain, by The Swell Season.
III. Never Asked
Mal's gotten used to his life being even more full than usual of ups and downs since he'd taken up with River, but even by their standards, this day's shaping itself into a hell of confusion. She still had her moods, like anybody else, but wasn't often now that she had so many of 'em in one day. She'd shut herself up in her own bunk after going running out of his, made it abundantly clear she didn't want any more of his company. And that's left him wandering his ship with, unbelievably, nothing to do, except wonder what's got her in a pet and think back to make sure it ain't anything he's done.
Coming up on the galley, he can hear Simon's voice, and groans a bit to himself. Six months gone by, and the doc still hasn't forgiven him for daring to lay hands on his sister, maintains a politeness towards Mal that's downright frosty. Still, he can hear Kaylee giggling away, and that's always a good sign.
“You told her?” Simon sounds as near to panic as he gets, and Mal stops short of the doorway, never above a bit of eavesdropping on his own boat.
“It's River, she was gonna know anyhow. And she was happy enough with it, don't you worry.” Kaylee's got on her usual cheerful tone, even as Simon sighs.
“If you're certain. But don't tell anyone else, alright? I'd still like to hear back before-”
Kaylee's laughter cuts him off as she moves towards the doorway. “Oh, Simon, you're still so dang proper about everything. Wouldn't hurt anything to- Hey there, Captain,” she says, catching sight of Mal.
“Kaylee, doc. Care to tell me what you've been discussing?” he asks, trying to pretend he ain't been standing there listening in.
“Surely don't, Cap'n,” Kaylee says, shooting a pointed look at Simon. “Ain't none of your business.”
“Everything on this boat is my business, mei mei.”
Somewhere on this ship, there might just be somebody who's still intimidated by him, but it surely isn't Kaylee, who just smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Not this time.”
Simon clears his throat, and Mal gets the impression he's refraining from rolling his eyes at them. “Is it safe to assume that since you're walking around fully clothed, it might be possible to find my sister in a non-compromising position?”
Mal grins. It's possible the doc's continued dislike of him may just have something to do with Mal's urge to get under his skin whenever possible. “Come now doc, that ain't hardly fair. We near always remember to lock the door these days. Not our fault you're more attached to your sister than some folk might find healthy.”
Simon's look, narrowed eyes and all, is definitely closer to the anger end of the spectrum. “She's been upset today, hasn't she?”
Settling himself at the table and putting his feet up, Mal reflects that, unhealthy or not, Simon does know his sister plenty well. “She has been, at that. Swear it's nothing I've done, and for once I'm fair certain of it. She's clammed up though, won't talk none to me. Maybe you'll have better luck with her, she's down in her bunk.”
“Thank you,” Simon says stiffly, before turning to Kaylee. “Bao bei, I-”
“You go on,” Kaylee says, giving him a quick kiss. “But I'd swear that ain't what's got her upset.”
“You never know, with River.” Simon's about to leave the room when Kaylee pulls him back, one of her shiny smiles spreading across her face.
“Hey. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Simon says, kissing her in return and squeezing her hand before he heads off down the passage.
At the table, Mal rolls his eyes. Feelings, getting all over his damn boat. “Feel like I'm running a gorram honeymoon cruise here, way you two been goin' around like that lately.”
Kaylee gives him a sharp look as she sits down, before wrinkling her nose up at him. “Don't be such a mean old man, Cap'n. 'Sides, we ain't the only couple on here. You 'n River must get all sweet-like from time to time.”
Mal snorts. “No, we don't. Don't ever hear us making public declarations of love, do you?”
“Don't ever hear you, no,” Kaylee says, smirking. “Think we've all caught sight of you a time or two though, way you two-”
“Alright, alright, enough 'bout that,” Mal cuts her off. “Two can play at that game, and I've seen more'n I ever cared to of Simon's backside in the engine room, this past year.”
She giggles, tracing circles on the table with her fingertip. “Can't help it, you know how I feel 'bout engines.”
“You know, I think the only one on this boat I ain't ever seen naked at this point is Jayne, and - oh god, I truly did not need to be puttin' that image in my head.”
The sly look Kaylee shoots him isn't something he was expecting. “Trust me Cap'n, ain't so bad as you're picturing.”
Honestly, Mal never knew his eyebrows could go so high. “You and - and Jayne?”
“Long time ago. Ain't always been a lot to choose from, out here,” she points out. “And when have you ever seen Zoë naked, anyhow?”
“We were in a war together,” he says, mind still refusing to depart from the truly unnatural thought of adorable little Kaylee lowering herself to Jayne, so to speak. “Ain't a lot of room for privacy in wartime, and Zoë's not a shy woman in any case. But let's go back here - Jayne? Honestly mei mei, I'd have made port for you, let you pick up a boy if I'd have known!”
They're both lost in laughter for a moment, til Kaylee sobers up, looking at him like she's searching her mind for something. “You know, Cap'n, I don't think I've ever heard you 'n River say you love each other.”
“Likely cause we don't. Say it, that is,” he amends. “Feelin' it's a different matter.”
Kaylee's eyes have gone all wide, with that accusing look in 'em that means he's done something awful, like forgetting to buy some vital engine part or not noticing her new hairdo. “Mal! You mean to say you've never told that girl you love her?”
He shifts in his chair, feeling like he's getting called out for a crime he ain't committed. “Flew through a mess of reavers for her, put my home and my crew at risk. Hell, I even got myself run through with a gorram sword, what more could a woman want?”
She waves her hand, like his declarations don't have no more weight than a fly she's looking to swat. “That was just you bein' all noble, crusadin' against the Alliance. Ain't like it was exactly a personal proclamation of undying love.”
“Sometimes it ain't a thing that needs to be said, when you got other ways of showing it. Conjure there's gotta be a reason why she puts up with me even when I'm drunk and don't pick at me when I'm feelin' poorly. Same reason I don't mind when she insists on flyin' her own way, or stealing all my favorite shirts.”
“You got no romance in your heart,” Kaylee says, shaking her head. “Sometimes a girl just likes to be sure she's appreciated, you know? Simon's always doin' little things for me, little bits of courting rituals like they do in the Core. It's sweet.”
“See, there you go again, getting feelings all over my boat. Like trying to breathe syrup, air in here's so sweet.”
Kaylee just sticks her tongue out at him and gets up to make tea. She's amazingly silent for once, but Mal's not taking that as too much of a kindness, since all it's doing is letting thoughts of the misery in River's face and her words about not sharing things build up in his head.
“Kaylee - you don't really think she might be worryin' on it, wantin' more of that kinda thing from me, right? I mean, she ever said anything to you 'bout it?”
Her smile, and the way she pats his hand as she sits back down, are a mite too sympathetic for his taste. “Don't you go gettin' bothered over it now. River's a smart girl. She ever have a problem tellin' you what she wants before?”
“She does have a way of demanding things as can't be ignored,”
“Well then I'd say you got nothin' to be fretting over, Cap'n.”
“Prob'ly right, li'l Kaylee,” he says, smiling at her.
But deep down inside, now there's a bit of him wondering.
Chapter 2 - Master Post - Chapter 4
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1500
Pairings: River/Mal, Simon/Kaylee
Summary: For Mal and River, 'happily ever after' takes some work - especially when people from their past keep turning up.
Notes: Chapter title and cut text from The Rain, by The Swell Season.
III. Never Asked
Mal's gotten used to his life being even more full than usual of ups and downs since he'd taken up with River, but even by their standards, this day's shaping itself into a hell of confusion. She still had her moods, like anybody else, but wasn't often now that she had so many of 'em in one day. She'd shut herself up in her own bunk after going running out of his, made it abundantly clear she didn't want any more of his company. And that's left him wandering his ship with, unbelievably, nothing to do, except wonder what's got her in a pet and think back to make sure it ain't anything he's done.
Coming up on the galley, he can hear Simon's voice, and groans a bit to himself. Six months gone by, and the doc still hasn't forgiven him for daring to lay hands on his sister, maintains a politeness towards Mal that's downright frosty. Still, he can hear Kaylee giggling away, and that's always a good sign.
“You told her?” Simon sounds as near to panic as he gets, and Mal stops short of the doorway, never above a bit of eavesdropping on his own boat.
“It's River, she was gonna know anyhow. And she was happy enough with it, don't you worry.” Kaylee's got on her usual cheerful tone, even as Simon sighs.
“If you're certain. But don't tell anyone else, alright? I'd still like to hear back before-”
Kaylee's laughter cuts him off as she moves towards the doorway. “Oh, Simon, you're still so dang proper about everything. Wouldn't hurt anything to- Hey there, Captain,” she says, catching sight of Mal.
“Kaylee, doc. Care to tell me what you've been discussing?” he asks, trying to pretend he ain't been standing there listening in.
“Surely don't, Cap'n,” Kaylee says, shooting a pointed look at Simon. “Ain't none of your business.”
“Everything on this boat is my business, mei mei.”
Somewhere on this ship, there might just be somebody who's still intimidated by him, but it surely isn't Kaylee, who just smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Not this time.”
Simon clears his throat, and Mal gets the impression he's refraining from rolling his eyes at them. “Is it safe to assume that since you're walking around fully clothed, it might be possible to find my sister in a non-compromising position?”
Mal grins. It's possible the doc's continued dislike of him may just have something to do with Mal's urge to get under his skin whenever possible. “Come now doc, that ain't hardly fair. We near always remember to lock the door these days. Not our fault you're more attached to your sister than some folk might find healthy.”
Simon's look, narrowed eyes and all, is definitely closer to the anger end of the spectrum. “She's been upset today, hasn't she?”
Settling himself at the table and putting his feet up, Mal reflects that, unhealthy or not, Simon does know his sister plenty well. “She has been, at that. Swear it's nothing I've done, and for once I'm fair certain of it. She's clammed up though, won't talk none to me. Maybe you'll have better luck with her, she's down in her bunk.”
“Thank you,” Simon says stiffly, before turning to Kaylee. “Bao bei, I-”
“You go on,” Kaylee says, giving him a quick kiss. “But I'd swear that ain't what's got her upset.”
“You never know, with River.” Simon's about to leave the room when Kaylee pulls him back, one of her shiny smiles spreading across her face.
“Hey. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Simon says, kissing her in return and squeezing her hand before he heads off down the passage.
At the table, Mal rolls his eyes. Feelings, getting all over his damn boat. “Feel like I'm running a gorram honeymoon cruise here, way you two been goin' around like that lately.”
Kaylee gives him a sharp look as she sits down, before wrinkling her nose up at him. “Don't be such a mean old man, Cap'n. 'Sides, we ain't the only couple on here. You 'n River must get all sweet-like from time to time.”
Mal snorts. “No, we don't. Don't ever hear us making public declarations of love, do you?”
“Don't ever hear you, no,” Kaylee says, smirking. “Think we've all caught sight of you a time or two though, way you two-”
“Alright, alright, enough 'bout that,” Mal cuts her off. “Two can play at that game, and I've seen more'n I ever cared to of Simon's backside in the engine room, this past year.”
She giggles, tracing circles on the table with her fingertip. “Can't help it, you know how I feel 'bout engines.”
“You know, I think the only one on this boat I ain't ever seen naked at this point is Jayne, and - oh god, I truly did not need to be puttin' that image in my head.”
The sly look Kaylee shoots him isn't something he was expecting. “Trust me Cap'n, ain't so bad as you're picturing.”
Honestly, Mal never knew his eyebrows could go so high. “You and - and Jayne?”
“Long time ago. Ain't always been a lot to choose from, out here,” she points out. “And when have you ever seen Zoë naked, anyhow?”
“We were in a war together,” he says, mind still refusing to depart from the truly unnatural thought of adorable little Kaylee lowering herself to Jayne, so to speak. “Ain't a lot of room for privacy in wartime, and Zoë's not a shy woman in any case. But let's go back here - Jayne? Honestly mei mei, I'd have made port for you, let you pick up a boy if I'd have known!”
They're both lost in laughter for a moment, til Kaylee sobers up, looking at him like she's searching her mind for something. “You know, Cap'n, I don't think I've ever heard you 'n River say you love each other.”
“Likely cause we don't. Say it, that is,” he amends. “Feelin' it's a different matter.”
Kaylee's eyes have gone all wide, with that accusing look in 'em that means he's done something awful, like forgetting to buy some vital engine part or not noticing her new hairdo. “Mal! You mean to say you've never told that girl you love her?”
He shifts in his chair, feeling like he's getting called out for a crime he ain't committed. “Flew through a mess of reavers for her, put my home and my crew at risk. Hell, I even got myself run through with a gorram sword, what more could a woman want?”
She waves her hand, like his declarations don't have no more weight than a fly she's looking to swat. “That was just you bein' all noble, crusadin' against the Alliance. Ain't like it was exactly a personal proclamation of undying love.”
“Sometimes it ain't a thing that needs to be said, when you got other ways of showing it. Conjure there's gotta be a reason why she puts up with me even when I'm drunk and don't pick at me when I'm feelin' poorly. Same reason I don't mind when she insists on flyin' her own way, or stealing all my favorite shirts.”
“You got no romance in your heart,” Kaylee says, shaking her head. “Sometimes a girl just likes to be sure she's appreciated, you know? Simon's always doin' little things for me, little bits of courting rituals like they do in the Core. It's sweet.”
“See, there you go again, getting feelings all over my boat. Like trying to breathe syrup, air in here's so sweet.”
Kaylee just sticks her tongue out at him and gets up to make tea. She's amazingly silent for once, but Mal's not taking that as too much of a kindness, since all it's doing is letting thoughts of the misery in River's face and her words about not sharing things build up in his head.
“Kaylee - you don't really think she might be worryin' on it, wantin' more of that kinda thing from me, right? I mean, she ever said anything to you 'bout it?”
Her smile, and the way she pats his hand as she sits back down, are a mite too sympathetic for his taste. “Don't you go gettin' bothered over it now. River's a smart girl. She ever have a problem tellin' you what she wants before?”
“She does have a way of demanding things as can't be ignored,”
“Well then I'd say you got nothin' to be fretting over, Cap'n.”
“Prob'ly right, li'l Kaylee,” he says, smiling at her.
But deep down inside, now there's a bit of him wondering.
Chapter 2 - Master Post - Chapter 4