(Untitled)

[gonna_live]

Jordie's over for dinner. And it's fun. And he helps, which is best of all; it offsets any strangeness there might be with the whole entertaining people thing. Jordie rides over protests and sets the table; he even dries dishes. And after dinner they all settle into the living room with wine and start to tell stories. Kaylee finds herself telling a

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[simon_doctor]

"It's too late for snow," says Simon, coming up behind her and sounding bizarrely indignant.

"...And yet."

[walk_ins]

Jordie stands (a little unsteadily -- he didn't eat much). "We might have to cut this short -- you think the trains will still be running?"

[simon_doctor]

"I'm not sure. Come see this."

He glances over his shoulder. "I don't think you should try to make it home in this weather."

[walk_ins]

"Don't be ridiculous." He comes over and peers out the window.

"And look, you're not being ridiculous."

[gonna_live]

"He's not very good at it," Kaylee says, cheerfully. "And I think the couch is gonna be long enough for you. It's real cushy."

[simon_doctor]

"And we have spare sheets, and blankets...."

He gives Jordie a slightly closer look, as though to gauge whether he intends to be unreasonable about this.

[walk_ins]

Jordie runs a hand through his hair, and reaches in his pocket. "I suppose -- thank you. I need to let Aunt Tildy know, so she doesn't think I was eaten by wolves on the side of the turnpike."

[simon_doctor]

"Dangran," he says, and exchanges a quick glance with Kaylee. "I'll set up the couch?"

[gonna_live]

Kaylee nods. "And I'll fetch the linens." She disappears into the bedroom.

And sticks her head out again. "You know, for... whenever. Not like we're shovin' you into going to bed early against your will or nothin'."

[walk_ins]

"It's fine," Jordie says, absently, pulling out his handheld. "Aunt Tildy's probably going to bed soon anyhow -- better now than later."

He steps toward the kitchen, one arm folded across his chest.

[simon_doctor]

They've got everything out and ready by the time Jordie emerges from the kitchen; linens and spare blanket stacked on one end of the couch, leaving room to sit at the other end.

"Are we good?" asks Simon, looking up from the pillow he's setting atop the stack.

[walk_ins]

"I've been threatened within an inch of my life. Also she says thank you." Jordie reclaims his seat on the armchair.

[simon_doctor]

"If you set foot out into that storm, or ...?"

Simon sits between the stack of linens and Kaylee, and if that means they have to sit fairly close together, well, neither of them minds much.

[walk_ins]

"Something to that effect." Jordie stretches. "It's been a while since they've missed the forecast quite this terribly."

[simon_doctor]

The conversation segues naturally into stories about unlikely weather -- probably topped by the time it snowed on a spaceship -- and thence into stories about improbable things you can do with atmospheric controls even in a building that isn't airtight, and somehow it's about three hours later before anyone looks at a timepiece again.

[gonna_live]

Smug and sleepy are warring with Kaylee; looks like sleepy's winning. She stretches, and works her way standing. "I'm thinkin' I'm gonna pack it in." And aims a smile at Jordie. "You just knock, you need anything."