River-Mal, working out.

[badinlatin]

No dreams last night.

Not that he doesn't have some tension to clear off.

This is why Mal adds another ten pounds to each side of Jayne's steel barbell and leans back for another set of reps.

Comments

[river_meimei]

Bare feet are silent, even on metal grating of Serenity's cargo bay.

There's suddenly a face peering at Mal over the top of the barbell.

[badinlatin]

Mal finds himself lucky he hadn't pushed the barbell off the stand yet.

"River, you can't do that. I coulda hit ya." Mal still has his hands placed as if he were still thinking of doing his set of 20.

[river_meimei]

"I'm spotting you."

River says this very seriously, despite the fact that she is probably in no way capable of lifting that heavy a barbell.

[badinlatin]

"You wouldn't manage it."

[river_meimei]

"It's proper procedure."

[badinlatin]

Giving up the pretense that he's actually going to get her to move, Mal pulls himself up, grabbing a nearby towel to wipe the sweat from his face. He'd been going for awhile.

"You been watchin' me long?"

[river_meimei]

River perches on a nearby crate.

"Yes."

[badinlatin]

A scoff. "Hope you managed to be entertained by it."

[river_meimei]

"The choreography needs work."

Totally serious. Yes. Not impish at all.

[badinlatin]

Mal torques his wrists in turn in order to crack them and plops down on the bar, tossing the towel off to the side.

Mal completely lacks of anything to say and chooses to run a hand through his hair to stall.

[river_meimei]

River's okay with this. Or distracted by the inside of her own head; either is possible.

She pulls her knees up to her chest, and watches him.

[badinlatin]

Watching Mal causes Mal to be Unnerved.

"Me sittin' here is entertainin' too?"

[river_meimei]

River shrugs amiably.

[badinlatin]

"Good to know then."

More stalling, then, "Shouldn't you be off wi' Kaylee or Simon or some such?"

[river_meimei]

She just looks at him.

The stalling is kind of transparent, Mal.

[badinlatin]

The thought does occur to him, yes.

"Look, just...what do you want from me?"

[river_meimei]

River looks faintly confused.

"Nothing."

She wraps her arms loosely around her knees, and curls her toes over the edge of the crate.

"I was spotting."

[badinlatin]

Mal wrinkles his forehead.

"Duibuqi."

[river_meimei]

River's gaze slews sideways a little bit, to focus on... well, either another crate or empty air.

"You're fretting," she says, after a minute.

Her eyes slide back to him.

"You shouldn't."

[badinlatin]

Mal's expression doesn't change.

"And why shouldn't I, o wise one?"

[river_meimei]

"It's not rational."

She glances away, shoves her hair back with an absent hand.

"You don't have to listen."

[badinlatin]

"Yes I do. I have to listen to everything. It's part o' my job; listen 'n learn."

There is a distinct How can I not? as Mal studiously avoids staring at the yellow stuffed cat on the stairway behind River's head.

[river_meimei]

"Can't listen to everything," she whispers.

She knows. The hard way.

[badinlatin]

Mal's given up being the Captain. Slightly.

The yellow cat disappears the next time Mal looks beyond River.

"Can't for my health or can't 'cause I ain't capable?"

[river_meimei]

"It's a symbiotic relationship."

[badinlatin]

"Of course it is."

Mal is done with staring at River, and bends back down along the weight bench.

Maybe he'll do 30.

[river_meimei]

It is, says her face.

A little impatiently. But only a little.

She watches. Mal apparently doesn't want a spotter to help.