(no subject)

[flybywash]

[Not too long after this.]

Nighttime's coming up planetside. Shuttle Two's out on business, leaving the port dock well and clear.

A Firefly has all kinds of safeguards to prevent the inner door from opening when the shuttle's not docked, but there are just as many emergency overrides programmed in there, too. It's a matter of ten seconds' work to pop the door and step out.

The new extender and thruster look unnatural, gleaming as they are next to Serenity's familiar tarnish. Wash moves carefully, crutches squeaking against the metal. He should probably be tethering up just to be safe, even on something as mundane as this, but that isn't a thing he's looking to affirm right now.

When he reaches the curving wall of the port thruster, he shifts his balance and reaches out, putting his palm flat against the engine.

It's still faintly warm from touchdown. He smiles.

In silence, he eases himself to a sitting position, legs dangling over the edge of the extender, and sets the crutches aside as he watches the sunset.

Comments

[gonna_live]

An inquiring look as she settles back, leaning on her hands again.

[flybywash]

Once he notices:

"What?"

This man right here is the picture of innocence.

[gonna_live]

"Lookin' like you got somethin' on your mind."

There is eyeing.

"Don't tell me you got somethin' planned for Simon, too."

[flybywash]

"Oh, don't worry, nothing besides the cross-dressing stripper."

Cheerful.

[gonna_live]

...

"You know, I can't decide whether I'd want to see pictures of that or not."

Mostly because Simon would turn a very interesting shade of purple.

[flybywash]

"You would." Firmly. "I couldn't help noticing you forgot to decorate the front hall during your long and tiresome weeks of repairs."

[gonna_live]

"Had other things on my mind."

That was your job anyhow, she doesn't say.

[flybywash]

"But...but there's always time for taping inappropriate, embarrassing pictures to every available surface," he says, with false injury. "What will the visitors think?"

Beat.

"...probably that we're a sane, stable, and respectable bunch. But! That's all the more reason why this catastrophe needs correcting as soon as possible."

[gonna_live]

She cracks a smile. "Anybody visitin' would know us already anyhow."

[flybywash]

"Yeah. Except for those pesky stowaways. But we won't cater to that audience."

There's only a thin sliver of red left above the horizon. Another minute, and it's disappeared.

[gonna_live]

"Who's ever stowed away 'cept Early?"

Pause.

"And...whatever her name is."

Pause.

"And Tracey."

Pause.

"And I guess River if you want to get technical."

Pause.

"Can we cater to River?"

[flybywash]

"Shi a."

Pause.

" -- of course you realize that means I gotta think up something even more embarrassing to do to your fiancé," he adds, brightly.

[gonna_live]

"...please don't embarrass him too bad."

Though it's really Jayne that Kaylee should be worrying about, and Kaylee knows it.

[flybywash]

"I won't," he says, the smile softening. "Promise."

It's kind of startling how fast the temperature drops after sunset. Wash shivers a little, one hand absently rising to rub his other arm.

[gonna_live]

"Speakin' of." There is eyeing. "If we stay out here much longer, it's gonna be hard for us to get you back in, and you'll catch a cold on top of it all, and Simon needs to be restin' up, too, and I can't imagine Zoe'd be too happy about it, either."

[flybywash]

"My one salvation is that she's not allowed to beat me up yet." He chuckles. "I think I still got another couple weeks before the 'but I came back from the dead' excuse wears out."

He picks up his right leg and scoots back a few feet before reaching for the crutches.

[gonna_live]

"You need help?"

Kaylee's getting a little practice with it, what with Mal and Simon.

[flybywash]

"I think I -- " He props the crutches up, wiggling around in an attempt to get his left leg under him without falling.

"Yeah," he admits when this doesn't quite go as planned. "A little."

It's one hell of a drop if he loses his balance.

[gonna_live]

It is.

Kaylee kneels at his right side and slides an arm around his shoulders. "Slow's what does it -- up we go -- "

The view's different, once they're standing. Stars everywhere. And way off on the horizon, there's the glow of a distant city. More a town. But it's visible, out here.

[flybywash]

Wash tucks the crutches under his arms, and, for a little while, just looks.

(And ye'd always know where you are, that way, and never be lost.)

The constellations down here aren't nearly as familiar as the ones up there, but there's one with a sharp hairpin turn that, if somebody took it and stretched it out across the length of every quadrant, would correspond to a gentle arc pointing toward the Core.

(Ye'd be home, wherever ye were.)

Mona Lisa's Eye.

Wash smiles, a little watery.

"Thanks for the company," he says.

[gonna_live]

"Shi a."

Kaylee's got her hands in her pockets. She turns her head.

Her smile is bright.

"Welcome home."