(no subject)

[flybywash]

[After this.]

They check and re-check that Ace is comfortably settled in before returning to their own bunk. Wash scoots down the ladder first, hopping down each rung on his left foot, hands tight around the frame.

He's gotten good at it over the past six months.

Once he's reached the floor, he makes a beeline for the sink, fiddling with the latch a bit before pulling it out and switching on the faucet.

And then he just lets it run; and, after a moment, scoops up a handful of water to dash across his face.

Comments

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

"...In plain English, fake ones." She lays a hand over his, squeezing. "Nothin' t' panic about, honey."

[flybywash]

"Oh. Right."

It's all he can say, because anything else he might try to say at the moment would only be audible to dogs and some long-extinct species of dolphin.

Eventually: "Okay. Not panicking. See me? This is me not panicking. I'll just...breathe, and maybe work on avoiding that heart attack I almost had."

Thunk goes his head against her shoulder.

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

Zoe snorts, but pats his hair sympathetically.

"Hey, I'm the one who just had the damn thing."

[flybywash]

"Mmph. Curse you and your good points."

His heart's still thudding uncomfortably fast from the scare. Wash raises his head enough to kiss her neck, then sighs and pulls back a little.

"Are you okay?"

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

Zoe's free hand rubs her stomach again.

"Yeah. Little shaken up, but...yeah."

[flybywash]

"So I can still hold off on the panicked middle-of-the-night calls to Simon for another six weeks. Good."

He runs his hand over her back in small circles.

With false cheer, "On the bright side, though, I'm wide awake now."

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

"Oh, good. So glad my third-trimester pregnancy makes for a good alarm clock."

Zoe's tone is dry, but she's smiling as she leans into him.

[flybywash]

"It's kinda like a Swiss army knife." Just as cheerful.

And to stave off any potential glaring, he brushes some of her hair back and wraps his other arm around her.

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

Zoe settles for poking him in the side before slipping her arms around him as well, tucking her head against his shoulder.

It's been a wacky fun-filled evening.

[flybywash]

Uh-huh.

Can he vote that they not do it again, ever?

Wash settles closer, closes his eyes, and breathes.