010 ✫ Video

[useofaswhat]

[When the feed comes on it catches a shot of the winter landscape in the CES. In the foreground, Mal's stepping out of the room and brushing off his overcoat, singing a song as he does – not exactly well, but enthusiastically and happily enough that it doesn't matter that he's a little off-key, or that he only remembers half the lyrics.]

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
La da something something
When a baker came in sight
And gave the king a dumpling.

[Grinning cheekily, he shakes the snow out of his hair. New flakes take their place nearly immediately and he presses on, occasionally running his hand through his hair as he speaks.] It's been such a spell since I last sang songs this time o' year that I forgot the words. I know one of y'all has to know 'em – own up.

Also, anyone got an extra hat?

[Private to the Admiral]

We got you playin' Saint Nick, huh? If you're really holdin' up your end of this, I got a few requests. Natasha could do with a recording of a ballet – a Russian one, an' not the one about the Firebird – on whatever video tech they've got in her time. Dean's gonna need a compass pretty gorram bad, and... if Steve and the Barnes kid don't have the medals they'd'a gotten, I think they deserve 'em. Ariadne could use a file about buildings from the 2100s onward. [Because friends help friends get ahead by ripping off concepts from other universes, right?] For Wanda... Hell, I feel like that kid needs a month-long supply of whatever treat she best likes. And, uh, a flower for Zev, maybe not a dead one? 'Cause I don't want her green friend makin' me into mulch.

Right.

So xie xie in advance – I'm trustin' you.

Comments

[useofaswhat]

Darn. Guess it's frozen ears for me then. Pretty scarf you got there.

[love_slave]

There's a comment I could make here about warming those up for you, but I'm a respectful lady and not supposed to flirt with you. I remember. [She's going to indirectly tease anyway though, and do so with a waggy finger.]

And thank you.

[useofaswhat]

And I'm – thankin' you for that in advance. [Way to make his face go as pink as his ears!] Not that the offer ain't appreciated.

[love_slave]

[Aw, the pink gets its own little grin.] I'll find you a hat. I've seen a couple of the red floppy cone ones with the fur lining around. It should match your sweater.

[useofaswhat]

Hey, no need to worry. You don't trouble yourself over my hat.

[love_slave]

Nope, too late. Now I'm on a mission, so you'll have to owe me a favor.