(no subject)

[river_meimei]

[After this.]

River's looking thoughtful. Intently so.

Mal's not on the bridge. Not in the kitchen, either. She keeps looking.

Comments

[river_meimei]

"Outside," River says, after a moment's consideration.

It's quieter, and serious, and directed at the cargo bay's high ceiling.

"Let the world keep going. All the way out."

[badinlatin]

"Fine," Mal returns finally with a shrug. "Just so long as they ain't stayin' too long."

Not that Mal begrudges Kitty by any means whatsoever -- he's just starting to get the notion that he runs a boarding house, not a spaceship.

[river_meimei]

River looks down.

Low, "Promise."

[badinlatin]

Mal gets the idea sometimes that he has an innate capacity to swallow his foot even when he's not trying to do so.

"Sure everything's alright?"

[river_meimei]

River slants a glance at him.

"It's a vacation." Said as if that's an answer to his question. Maybe, to River, it is.

[badinlatin]

"I can certainly see the need for those every once in awhile."

In an attempt to change the subject, "Dora said I could go visit her house in..." Beat. "France, if I wanted to."

[river_meimei]

River listens.

To Mal and the stairway railing both, from the look of it, but mostly to Mal.

[badinlatin]

"I'm considerin' it," Mal continues. "Especially what with Inara getting restless as hell."

"Not that I'd ever stay away for more 'n a couple of days."

[river_meimei]

"Means bad," River says absently, and tries a faint smile.

"It's a trade."

[badinlatin]

Going away for a few days with Inara in exchange for having her be happy and distracted away from things?

Or having Mal be distracted away from things?

"I'd like to think so," he replies, but he's not sure to what.

[river_meimei]

"It's traditional."

River's watching something on the floor of the cargo bay. Something at least mildly interesting, apparently, although all that's there is the grating floor and the usual assortment of crates.

[badinlatin]

Mal follows River's gaze down to the floor and the crates and the absolutely nothing remotely entertaining.

"Traditions is nice, sometimes."

[river_meimei]

River shrugs.

It's a while later -- after a discussion of traditions, France, and architecture in which River spends a lot of time staring at the floor and Mal spends a lot of time looking as if he's not entirely sure what they're talking about -- that she rises and drifts away again.

But she's looking a little more relaxed, now.

Not entirely, but a little.