Mal lifts the lid off the box, and pulls the key up by the leather strap, trying very hard not to let his eyes water and failing.

"Just what I always wanted."

At that second, that slice of life, for Mal, his vision of the world goes blurry and all he can see is his first mate - his best friend - sitting with him in the ship that makes him whole.

He simply gives up on making the tears stop falling. He doesn't sob or make a sound. Just lets them run over. Because Zoe understands.