Mal-Wash, Southdown Abbey.

[badinlatin]

Sometimes the days move too fast even for Mal.

This may be why he absconded with a cup of tea into the gardens behind one of the main buildings of the abbey, propping his feet up on a stone lining one side of a walkway and occupying a bench for no particular reason at all.

His attention seems divided between the leather-bound book on his lap and the gold hoop he keeps fidgeting with.

Comments

[flybywash]

"Yeah."

He turns his hands palm-up, spreads his fingers as he examines them.

Silence.

Then, very softly, "If I had the nerve to go back to Jethro, I think I would. I want to."

[badinlatin]

Mal is very, very surprised at this, and blanches wordlessly.

[flybywash]

"You guys got to pay your last respects."

He rubs a thumb over his life line.

"I didn't."

And there had been no other time to mourn, between Haven and Miranda and Jethro. He realizes, acutely, that he hasn't mourned, not properly; so much tumbled and kept tumbling and is still tumbling on top of him that he's never stopped, and breathed, and fully understood.

It's harder to leave that stage of denial when the dead can walk in Milliways, or he can touch his wife again after hearing the noise of wings.

[badinlatin]

"I don't feel like I did. Not really. Sayin' good-bye to folk, for me -- 's far more personal than what we had on Jethro."

pictures and stones and paper flowers

Then, bizarrely enough, Mal chuckles.

"Think about it. Persephone. Where we picked up Simon 'n River, 'n Book. Everythin' started here, you could say."

Mal holds up his ring in one hand. The engraving might be visible if Wash squints.

"Look at how much changed."

[flybywash]

Wash exhales a faint laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching up.

Airily, "And through all this struggling and fighting and captaining and other things ending in -ing, you came out of it as the same old hundan you always are. I'm proud of you." He puts a hand over his heart. "Someday, some year, I'll aspire to that same greatness and -- "

[badinlatin]

Mal handwaves Wash into silence.

Torn between being slightly defeated at this reaction to Mal being so serious, and blushing with the indirect compliment at Wash's words.

"Ahh, Wash," Mal settles, let out in one extended breath, and replaces his ring on his finger. "What are we gonna do, huh?"

It's Mal's turn to look to the sky, in as loving a manner as he ever looks to anyone on the ground.

[flybywash]

Wash's smile dims, becomes warmer to compensate. He laces his fingers together, loosely, and glances up at the stars without moving.

"What we've been doing," he says. "Keep flying."

It's the one thing that truly hasn't changed.

[badinlatin]

Faintly, "'S a good plan. You have good plans."

Still staring upwards, "Suppose I should wear Companion robes to the weddin', now that I'm official and all?"

Beaming.

[flybywash]

He grins. "Nah. I just don't know how to do anything except fly. Firefight? Fly. Deadly viral outbreak in the cargo bay? Fly. Baby daughter going on a glittery rampage through the ship? Fly!" Beat. "Unless there's too much glitter clogging up the nav."

And then he regards Mal thoughtfully.

"You know, it depends. Am I gonna get my camera confiscated first?"

Ridiculously hopeful.

[badinlatin]

More grinning.

"No. I expect lots of pictures at this shindig here."

Mal sounds rather paternal at, "Kaylee's gonna make a gorgeous bride."

[flybywash]

"She ain't wearing that huge pink frilly thing again, is she?"

Wash is grinning again.

Frankly, only Kaylee could have made something that hideous look so adorable.

[badinlatin]

"You know what? I almost hope so. Shoulda seen 'er at that shindig - before I punched a guy, o' course - she had so much fun in that getup."

[flybywash]

"And far be it for any of us to deprive us of her fun on her wedding day. Whenever it happens." He shrugs. "You know, this is gonna leave Jayne as the only unmarried man on the ship? Almost enough to make me feel sorry for him."

Wash thinks this over.

As if it's just occurring to him: "Oh, wait, no. No it isn't."

[badinlatin]

"You saw 'im at the Temple though, right? He sprinted off somewhere as soon as he said hi at me and Inara. Wonder where he ran off to."

Beat. Again, with the blinking this time.

"You don't think -- ? A Companion -- ?"

[flybywash]

Thanks a lot, cap'n. Just when the brain-melt was starting to get a little better.

"Well, I didn't until you said that right this very second. And now I'm going to develop temporary amnesia and pretend you didn't. Aiya."

[badinlatin]

Mal laughs aloud, with, "Y'know what? 'Bout time he met up with someone, though - We ain't hardly ever somewhere where he isn't on a job."

Mal's much with the 'good will to all men' at the moment in this department.

[flybywash]

"You look after all of us so well," Wash comments dryly, but with humor, straightening up so he can lean back against the bench again. He flops both arms out across its back and watches the stars.

[badinlatin]

Mal looks down at the Bible again.

"I try."

Looking to Wash, "I got a contact out by Athens, maybe set up a job out Muir way."

[flybywash]

He nods.

"Crowley told me Annie's running a stable. If you, y'know. Wanted to see it. I don't think she'd mind."

A little bit of hesitation on the last words, though he masks it admirably. The Annie he knew over a decade ago wouldn't have minded; and he hopes she won't, still.

But thirteen years is a long time.

[badinlatin]

Mal smiles a bit, hearing the hesitation.

"Shiny - if ya wanted, I could help ya braid some bridles as a present for 'er."

[flybywash]

A chuckle. "Help make up for all those missed birthdays and New Year's, you mean?"

[badinlatin]

"'S not what I had been intending by it, but I suppose, if you want to think on it like that."

[flybywash]

He shrugs again, and is silent.

Just watching.

[badinlatin]

"I know a couple o' things about seein' family again, Wash. Can promise ya, what you might bring for presents won't be half as entertainin' to 'em as what Zoe's bringin'."

[flybywash]

He snorts out a loud laugh. "Shiny. I'm gonna get outclassed by somebody that's not even born yet."

And softer: "So that's three more people who're gonna spoil her shamelessly. I am not minding this at all."