Mal-Simon with theft.

[badinlatin]

Mal hates sneaking around his own gorram boat. This particular hatred keeps circling around in his brain as he makes his way toward the infirmary.

The two potions Bar gave him were gone by Saturday morning. Saturday night wasn't a picnic. What makes things more interesting is Mal now gets to hear...things; if he ever knew at all who those things belonged to, he's long since forgotten.

In the infirmary, it doesn't take Mal long to find one of Simon's smoothers. For once, Mal mutters a small thank-you for having an anal-retentive medic on board that orders the cabinets with precision.

One vial in his pocket, and the rest go nice and neat back up in the cabinet. The cabinet door closes, and Mal hears someone walking toward the infirmary door.

Comments

[simon_doctor]

It's Simon, unsurprisingly enough.

"...Were you looking for me?"

[badinlatin]

"Uh, no. Just...lookin' for Kaylee, actual enough. Wanted to see how she was. Might've worried 'er on Saturday."

It sounds valid enough.

[simon_doctor]

"...Why, what happened Saturday?"

Kaylee hasn't mentioned it to him.

[badinlatin]

"She walked in on me dreamin'." Mal runs a hand through his hair. "Nothin' big."

[simon_doctor]

"Oh."

He steps past Mal, opens a supply cabinet -- not the same one Mal's been pilfering -- and replaces a few items from his pockets inside it.

Not quite looking directly at the captain, he says "She didn't mention it, but ... I think she's a little worried about you."

[badinlatin]

After Mal exhales when he sees that Simon isn't going to find him out, he utters, "Women enjoy frettin' over men sometimes," in the most non-committal voice he can manage.

[simon_doctor]

Studiedly neutral: "Do they?"

[badinlatin]

"Yes they do. Makes 'em into good mothers; not so good with the employees."

Mentioned in just as neutral a tone.

[simon_doctor]

Ouch.

Still neutrally: "Would you like me to tell her so?"

[badinlatin]

Mal winces, and pauses noticably.

"No.

"She just...knows how to get at me. Not bad; she just - wants to know more 'n she needs to."

Said with the tone of a man who has one too many secrets to keep.

[simon_doctor]

"I see."

Just a little thinly: "That must be frustrating."

[badinlatin]

"It can be." Mal leans on his hand against the cold countertop in the infirmary, right next to the bright yellow stuffed cat leaning against the window.

Mal stares at it just long enough to realize that he needs to rub his temple to cover his tracks in front of Simon.

[simon_doctor]

There is not, in fact, a bright yellow stuffed cat anywhere in the infirmary.

"All right, then. I won't mention it to her."

A pause.

Which becomes a longer pause.

[badinlatin]

"Hmm? Duibuqi, Doc, just - y'got a pop for a headache 'round here? Somethin' mild?" Mal rubs his temple for effect.

[simon_doctor]

"Dāngrán." Simon opens a drawer, shakes a couple of pills out of a vial, and hands them to Mal.

"You shouldn't take them on an empty stomach," he adds, carefully.

[badinlatin]

"I've eaten," Mal informs. "A salad and everything.

"I really kinda wanted steak, actually."

[simon_doctor]

"Mm."

Simon's voice is the only part of him that doesn't actually say "Good."

[badinlatin]

Mal levels his gaze at Simon.

"I ain't gonna die on ya yet."

[simon_doctor]

"I'll take that as a promise."

[badinlatin]

Mal scoffs and begins to move around Simon to head out of the infirmary.

The stuffed cat is no longer visible.