Mal-Simon, post Mal-Kaylee.

[badinlatin]

It's been a good long while since Mal and Simon had a conversation.

And if he's conveniently sitting out in the lounge with a knitting project hoping Simon'll pass by -- probably the first time Simon has seen Mal out in public willingly for awhile too -- then that's obviously all in Simon's imagination.

Obviously.

Comments

[simon_doctor]

Simon's on his way to see if Kaylee's still in the engine room.

He stops at the sight of Mal, though, hesitating in the corridor.

[badinlatin]

It doesn't take any of River's talents to hear Simon coming down the corridor.

"Ain't gonna bite ya, Doc," Mal offers quietly, casting on a stitch holder and putting his project to one side.

[simon_doctor]

He sounds ... not relaxed exactly, but that tight note of strain that Simon's heard in his voice so often doesn't seem to be there right now.

And oh, he hopes that's a good sign.

"Ah..."

...he has no idea what to say.

"How're you feeling?"

[badinlatin]

"Ruttin' irritated," Mal admits quickly.

Beat.

"Do you have any idea how complicated this pattern is that I'm workin' on?" An idle handwave to bring Simon closer to the book Mal's working out of -- a Christmas present from Zoe, letting Mal try and expand his horizons, more or less.

"...though I know that ain't what you meant to be askin' for."

[simon_doctor]

Every muscle between his neck and the small of his back tenses abruptly at the word irritated.

The tension's a lot slower to fade as Mal continues.

"No," he answers quietly. And waits.

[badinlatin]

"Sit down.




"Please."

[simon_doctor]

"All right."

He steps around to the front of the chair and sits, his eyes never leaving Mal.

[badinlatin]

"Kaylee and I talked. Don't know if she's had a chance to tell you anythin' yet."

A small twitch of a smile. "It went over well."

[simon_doctor]

A small, tentative answering smile. "No, she hasn't. I ... that's good to hear."

[badinlatin]

Mal's smile doesn't fade for a second or two, and only then it moves away so he can continue explaining, "Uhm...Figure there's a couple things need explaining 'tween me and you about all this." Not really waiting for Simon to respond -- if he had, Mal might not say what needs to be said -- "Crew is family. Period. Empty crates in engine rooms are not family," he starts awkwardly. "Kaylee said a lot of things she very much should not have. I did somethin' I very much should not have.

"But if you ever think I could hurt Kaylee I---"

[simon_doctor]

"No. No, I know that. You would never."

Not if you were in your right mind.

He can't say that aloud.

[badinlatin]

Mal's about to.

More or less.

"Kaylee told me she...informed you, of a few things that happened 'round about in October. With me."

[simon_doctor]

"She did. I --"

His gaze drops.

"I'm sorry I wasn't ... I didn't realize. At the time."

[badinlatin]

"I didn't want anyone to realize, Doc. Hell, you knew more 'n most, what with me not sleepin' then and all."

A clearing of his throat before, "You ain't a psychiatrist, Doc. Got nothin' to be sorry on."

[simon_doctor]

(I'm not a psychiatrist)

"Did this have anything to do with ... with Red?"

[badinlatin]

"Attacking Niska? A part of it, yes."

A useless sort of shrug. "How could it not? Somethin' like Red showin' up ain't likely to be something I forget. Y'know. Ever."

[simon_doctor]

"No, I meant --"

He studies his hands. "I meant what happened with Kaylee."

[badinlatin]

Mal's trying to connect some dots he feels like he missed somewhere.

An idea is coming to his mind, but he doesn't like it. Not that there's a whole lot of talking-about-Red to like in the first place.

"You mean like part two o' what happened with me and you."

[simon_doctor]

"That's ... what I was wondering. Yes."

[badinlatin]

Mal shakes his head slowly.

"What we were both mad about still made sense after. We both had a point, even if it didn't come off right.

"With you, it...when around Red, I don't know how it works, but -- it was just blind. First person to call me out while she was around was going down, even if I didn't understand why.

"Red saw me as a game, Simon."

[simon_doctor]

"A game."

Or a rutting playground, perhaps.

"Just to see how angry she could get you."

[badinlatin]

"He did it during the War, she did it in the bar...probably do it again, somehow."

Keeps Mal up at night, sometimes. When he's already worrying over something else.

[simon_doctor]

A pause, and Simon gives a small ironic sigh.

"I feel as though this is where I should say something determined and reassuring about how we won't let that happen."

[badinlatin]

"Thought that was my job."

[simon_doctor]

He looks up.

"Can't it be both?"