Mal-Kaylee, outside.

[badinlatin]

Caspian is around...Mal thinks, anyway. The thought is enough - and a filled flask that is easily tucked away - for Mal to head out to the stables and not just to the paddock where some of the horses were out for the morning. A dry swallow, and the door is slid open to the stable, and the interior of the building is traversed quickly - Tequila's tack has even been cleaned, thanks probably to a meticulous stablemaster.

"Sorry I got...lazy on you, Halo," Mal says absently. Tequila does not forgive Mal until the carrots come into view.

Saddle pad, saddle and bridle and reins are fetched and harnessed quickly, and Mal walks his horse to a flat area just in front of the paddock gate. He can't decide if he wants to ride for speed or tricks today, and Tequila isn't helping - antsy for action, the horse gives a loud snort.

Of course, that may be in recognition of hearing someone else in the vicinity.

Comments

[gonna_live]

Somebody who walks kind of tentatively around horses, for all everybody else on Serenity is okay with them.

Well. Somebody other than Simon, anyhow.

Kaylee leans against the fence. "Hey."

[badinlatin]

"Wei." Mal leads Tequila closer to the gate, swinging down off the saddle by leaning into the pommel and almost vaulting to the ground.

"What're you doin' up and about down here?"

[gonna_live]

"Felt like some fresh air, and didn't feel like woods." Half a shrug, and then, darkly: "Or talkin' to the gorram shark in the gorram lake."

[badinlatin]

"Uh...Good plan. Yes."
Sorry, Lynne.
Keeping a hand constantly moving across Tequila's haunches, "Wanted to come out and get Tequila out o' the stables my own self for a spell, go ridin'. Caspian's been covering a lot for me."

[gonna_live]

"Yeah?"

Invitation for elaboration. Also lack of anything to say about this in particular.

She's still not quite sure how to act around him, sometimes. Even if it's getting better.

[badinlatin]

"Haven't been about much. In the stables, I mean."

I still thought there'd be stains on the doors.

"But Cas is around somewhere, so...I'm not alone out here, really."

[gonna_live]

Half a smile. "So what does that make me, huh?"

[badinlatin]

"You weren't here til just now. There's a difference."

[gonna_live]

"Yeah, and what difference is that?"

[badinlatin]

"If you'd been comin' out here wi' me earlier, I would have been riding Halo on my own a lot sooner, and with a lot nicer things to focus on than anythin' else that may be runnin' through my brain."

[gonna_live]

...cue blinking.

"...should I ask?"

[badinlatin]

Mal stares, one eye squinted, toward the open stable door.

"Got shot right about...there," Mal points.

[gonna_live]

"Oh." Softly. "I...didn't know."

And Kaylee feels obscurely guilty about this.

[badinlatin]

"Didn't try to tell folk. River found me, I thought she might've said somethin'."

Speaking more to Tequila now than to Kaylee, Mal runs a hand through its mane, "Thought it might be time to not infringe on Caspian's good graces anymore."

[gonna_live]

Quietly, she says, "Reckon if Bernard hired him...guess he wouldn't mind so much."

[badinlatin]

"He used to be king of a land what had talkin' horses. Can't get a better stableman than that, I think."

[gonna_live]

"Yeah?" Smiling a little. "But can't talkin' horses tell you what they need you to do? How's that translate into dealin' with horses can't talk?"

[badinlatin]

"Don't know," Mal replies simply. "Ain't ever met one before."

[gonna_live]

"Figure as long as we're comin' here there's a chance you might."

[badinlatin]

"Don't know if I'd want to," Mal admits. "Might tell me they don't like to be ridden then I could never enjoy a nice ride never again."

At this Tequila pulls away from Mal's grip on the reins just enough to be very explicit - Ride. Now.

"Or they'd tell me I don't ride enough."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee eyes Tequila, a little warily. "Seems to be doin' a pretty good job of that on his own."

[badinlatin]

Mal laughs. Surprisingly bright, Mal lets the laugh die out to a chuckle, then he looks to Kaylee.

"Don't suppose you want to ride 't all."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee suddenly looks remarkably shifty. "Xiexie, but I'm better off with both my feet on the ground."

[badinlatin]

"Tequila wouldn't drop you," Mal offers quietly.

[gonna_live]

"Don't figure as he would, but..." A helpless shrug.