Day Fourteen - Dinner

[imeantosay]

Who: Simon, prodding Kaylee
When: Dinner time
Where: her room, eventually the Italian restaurant
Rating: PG
Invasion: *giggle* not so much

Status: Closed, Finished
Summary: Simon picks up Kaylee for dinner and Jaime is there helping her get ready, complete with plan to follow after them with Mal later.  The four go to dinner separately but at the same

Comments

[and_snow_fell]

Jaime giggled madly at the knock before she moved to answer the door, pulling it open only a crack to peer out to ascertain that it was, in fact, Simon, and not Mal coming to check on them. Well, her.

"Just a minute," she said, hiding herself behind the door so that he wouldn't see she was dressed for dinner, too. No sense in making him more uncomfortable than Kaylee assured her he'd already be.

Kaylee rolled her eyes, smoothing down the dress as she studied herself in the mirror. The black dinner dress - with the pink sash and bow that Jaime had tried to argue her out of still firmly intact - wasn't really her style, she didn't think.

Though she had to admit it was nice, and Jaime insisted she had pretty shoulders that she should show off. Kaylee thought that might be too much skin for Simon in public, so the younger girl had finally consented to allowing a gauzy scarf to provide some illusion of coverage.

Kaylee adjusted it over her shoulders, spritzed on a bit of the perfume they'd bought, and slipped her feet into her shoes.

She was as ready as she'd ever be.

[and_snow_fell]

Simon was a little surprised to see Jaime there, but he supposed he shouldn’t be; she and Kaylee had been spending a lot of time together. And with the captain having … well actually he didn’t want to think about what the captain did with Jaime, really. He still didn’t really think it was proper. Not that there was much the captain did that was proper.

“Jaime,” he said conversationally, “What a pleasant surprise; helping Kaylee get ready, I assume?”

Which meant that she’d likely dressed up. He caught a glimpse of her as she stepped into her shoes and swallowed a bit. The bow was … a bit much, but otherwise she actually looked quite nice, if a bit uncomfortable in it.

"Ahuh," Jaime agreed. "She'll be out in a sec," she promised, grinning wickedly as she closed the door. She ignored the way Kaylee rolled her eyes, and instead she gave the other girl a last once-over before nodding her approval.

"I still don't like the idea of you an' Mal bein' in the same place," she muttered crossly.

"I promise we'll stay out of sight and be completely discrete." She stretched up to kiss Kaylee's cheek before nodding her toward the door.

"'Mal' an' 'discrete' ain't ever been two words as are comfortable in the same sentence," she pointed out to Jaime before flashing her a little glare. With that taken care of, she put a smile in place before she opened the door, easing out into the hallway. "Sorry 'bout her. She gets a litle over eager ... 'bout everythin'," Kaylee murmured, her eyes flicking over Simon's attire before selfconsciously touching at her own.

"I feel kinda silly," she admitted sheepishly. But she had to admit she looked nice, and Jaime said she looked nice...so she put up with it.

[and_snow_fell]

“You look lovely,” he assured her, smiling lightly, “And I’m sure Jaime did a fine job of helping you get ready.”

Though he did wonder what kind of things a girl who bedded men twice her age might be filling Kaylee’s head with. Not that Kaylee didn’t have her own ideas; he knew that much.

Offering her an arm, he began to lead them out of the dorms.

Kaylee flushed slightly at the compliment as she took his arm lightly. She started to walk along with him. "Really, a little more trouble than it was worth, lettin' her help me get ready. Jaime's got some ... well, some ideas as to what's appropriate and what ain't," Kaylee murmured.

Sure, they were similarly minded, and most of the time, Kaylee would agree, but ... with Simon, she wanted to try to be a little more respectful about what she wore and acted like.

[imeantosay]

"I'm sure she had good intentions," he insisted, smiling to her and generally trying to ignore the pink.

It was very Kaylee, he had to admit to that at least, and for that reason he didn't mind it so much as he might have on someone else.

"So have you been to this restaurant before?" he said conversationally as they headed out of the dorms.

[and_snow_fell]

"I'm sure she did," Kaylee agreed. She really did imagine Jaime only had the best of intentions, but ... well.

Squeezing his arm slightly, she shook her head lightly. "I haven't been there yet," she admitted. "I've been doin' okay in the cafeteria. Never had much of a reason to venture out. No special guys in my life," she teased lightly. "At least, none as had asked me out."

[imeantosay]

"Well we'll have to change that," he replied, smiling down to her, "I have no problem at all taking you to dinners or other such, Kaylee."

He was slightly uncomfortable. Scratch that. He was really uncomfortable. He didn't know what to say to her, how to engage her in a proper conversation.

"So ... ah ... how was your day?" he tried weakly.

[and_snow_fell]

She grinned. "It was all right. Nothin' special or anythin'," she reported. "Spent a little too much time with Jaime, I think, but we had a fair bit of arguin' about the dresses. She seems to like showin' a lot more skin than I'm comfy with," Kaylee admitted.

"How was yours?" she inquired, glancing up to him as they walked along. She did wonder if Mal and Jaime were going to be within hearing range ... and she sort of hoped not.

[imeantosay]

"Not bad," he admitted, "The medlab was slow.today, so I reorganized everything by category, alphabetized ..." He cleared his throat; that was rather awkward.

He looked away a bit, wondering if he'd do any better in the restaurant. He suspected not.

"I don't think I'm very good at this talking thing," he ventured, wincing slightly.

[and_snow_fell]

Kaylee smirked a little. He talked just fine when he had a drink or two in him. Maybe he'd get something at the restaurant. "I think you're just over thinkin' everythin'," she said quietly. "Ain't nothin' to be nervous about, Simon. It's just me, an' you already know I like you."

Well. Like. Love. Whichever.

She squeezed his arm lightly, glancing to him before she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

[imeantosay]

He let out a sigh, trying to relax. Which was difficult when he was trying to be proper.

"I suppose," he agreed, "I just ... get so nervous and I don't know what to say. Except scientifically describe cows in jars..."

He chuckled weakly in recollection; she'd told him off that day because he'd said something else stupid. Apparently that was just what he was good at.

[and_snow_fell]

Now why'd he have to go and bring that up? Her lips twisted briefly before she shook it off. "Well," she murmured. "Don't think that'll be comin' up here. No cows in jars, and ... I ain't the only girl in the world to you," she pointed out.

If he was going to bring it up, she'd follow along. "So guess you can't stick your foot in your mouth over that one this time."

[imeantosay]

"Guess not," he agreed, "Well there's hope for me yet, then."

He clasped her hand briefly, bringing it to his lips and kissing it.

"If it helps," he offered, "I still want you, even if you're not the only girl in the world. Especially if you're not the only girl in the world."

Of course, he wondered if that made it any better.

[and_snow_fell]

"I'm glad to hear it," she said sincerely. She was, too. "Think there's hope for you yet," she teased him, lightly bumping her shoulder against his as they walked along.

She could already smell the food from the restaurants, and she heard her stomach rumble in anticipation. Grinning a little, she smoothed her hand down her dress, over her belly.

[imeantosay]

"Guess we better hurry up," he suggested, "Sounds like you might be hungry."

He was glad that she was being casual about this. He was uptight enough for the two of them. But then, he supposed that had always been Kaylee's way. He'd just never noticed.

[and_snow_fell]

"So, just so I know, for after ... am I stayin' in your room, or am I headed to my own alone t'night?" She completely expected to be sent to her room with no Simon, and if that was what he needed to be comfortable, she'd comply.

At least to a certain point.

She did still want him, after all. And after having him? She knew what she'd be missing.

[imeantosay]

"Kaylee, I think it'd be best if ... if we kept things slow," he admitted, "I mean, I know we've already ... well, you were there. But I can't just do that again like that. It's not proper. I need time to ... acclimate."

Which essentially meant she was going to her own room. Strange how he couldn't just say that.