015 ✫ Video

[useofaswhat]

[Switch on, focus on Mal Reynolds. He looks tired, frustrated, and the half-smile he gives in greeting doesn't reach his eyes.]

Ain't much for goodbyes, but I ain't much for stayin' around in a hellhole ship seems designed to turn everyone on board crazy. I get enough of that back home an' at least there I got work to do.

[Warden filter]
Headin' off tonight, 'cause treatment like this don't work with POWs and it won't work for rehab. Now I know I look like a rat jumpin' ship, and maybe that's what I am. But I ain't enough of a rat to block the way.

You got any way to do it, you get yourself an' your inmate off this ship. If the Admiral lets me I'll take up to five more passengers on board Serenity and fly 'em to a world. [He figures he owes at least that much.]

[Private to Dean]
Didn't rack up any debt with anyone on board, so don't even think about offerin' to pay 'em off. You ever want a ride on a real ship, you look me up.

[Private to Chris]
You're gonna hold in there. [It's an order.]

[Private to Zev]
You... you feel up for one more walk?

Comments

[Spam]

[useofaswhat]

[As he admitted before, goodbyes are not his strong point, and it's taken him a long while to get through the first of them. By the time he meets Zev Mal is dragging his feet, looking pretty haggard for a man about to go home.

Partly because he's not going home to someone like her. But that thought is so awkward he tries to immediately forget he even had it.]

...hi.

[Spam]

[love_slave]

I suppose you really miss your ship? [She can't help but sound forlorn. She crosses her arms, trying to keep her eyes from welling up as she glances away.] Will you tell me about it again while we walk?

[Spam]

[useofaswhat]

Always do. [Gorrammit, this is supposed to be the easy choice. He steps a little closer, hesitating over whether to reach for her hand. After an awkward moment he returns his to his pocket.]

You, uh. Could come see it yourself if you want.

[Spam]

[love_slave]

[She might otherwise have considered taking him up on it then, but with Rassilon's current trouble abandoning him would be foolish.] I would like that. One day. [But that one day isn't today, and they both know that. At least she's sure when he goes, maybe he'll live.

That doesn't happen to the men she knows often.

She fidgets with her long nails.] But maybe I can just hear what I have to look forward to? Maybe?

[Spam]

[useofaswhat]

[Not the answer he wanted, but it's better than the one he expected to hear. This time he does reach out to take her hand and once again stops before he's actually holding it, awkwardly laying his fingers on hers.] She ain't much to write home about once you've been living on a vessel like this. Serenity might be a little fancier than this one now, though. Last I checked, least the heat worked right.

She'll fly through anything.

[Spam]

[love_slave]

[She has to make at least one last terrible jab.] I've heard its not the size that counts, anyway. [He gives his hand one a squeeze. Unintentionally it's a manly strong level of squeeze.]

[Spam]

[useofaswhat]

Wouldn't know, apart from ships. [Sure, now he can kind of flirt back. And that hurts, but it's a good kind of hurt.]

Come with.

[Spam]

[love_slave]

I can't.

Rassilon attacked Davros. He's responsible for the mental harm done to him. I can't leave him now, not when he's about to go through a backlash.

Davros destroyed his world. And I want to keep trying. [She leans against his shoulder then.] I should have tried sooner.

[Spam]

[useofaswhat]

What do you mean, tried sooner? [Oh, that is – yes, that's definitely touching. The response is to run his fingers through her hair, right?] I've seen you try a helluva lot harder'n half the wardens here.

[Spam]

[love_slave]

No, I mean this.

[She turns more towards him, lifts a hand to the back of his head, and pulls him into a kiss.]

[Spam]

[useofaswhat]

[Oh.



His initial instinct is to pull away in shock and wait for the good-night kiss effects to kick in, but this isn't Saffron trying to get rid of him. This is Zev with her gentle reassurance and silly flirting and sad past, Zev's breath against his skin and lips parted against his, and all he can do is tighten his grip on her hand and pull her closer into the kiss.]

[Spam]

[love_slave]

[She's a fantastic kisser- she is designed for it, after all. And the thing is, she only uses it for people she wants. She wants him, but knows like so many things, at least for now, she can't have him.

She's still pressed up against him when she does break the kiss.]

And it was still worth the wait.