Firefly Fic: Snowflakes
*Squeezing in just under the wire*
I suppose at some point I should also apologize to my muse for all the name calling. *g*
Title: Snowflakes
Rating: PG
Summary: Mal hated snow.
Spoilers: None. Takes place mid season 1
A/N: Many thanks to the wonderful daera23 for her lightening quick beta and for putting up with me and my tendency to make up words. Written for carmen_sandiego's Mal / Inara Ficathon over at truthsome_fic.
Mal hated snow.
Mostly because it tended to make mechanical things not work, but also because it was white and cold. He probably hated the fact that it was white most of all because being white, it tended to be shiny and hence made people happy and distracted from the mechanical things there were flying in, causing them crash in snow covered lakes. The end result was of course, that they got to walk in the snow and enjoy the cold first hand.
With his next step, Mal's leg sunk all the way down into the snowdrift. "J iào ni shēng háizi méi pìgu yan."
Jayne snorted his agreement, while Inara only hiked her skirts up a little further and stepped carefully in the footprints they'd already made. The snow was falling stronger now; he could barely see more than an arms length in front of him. The thought of having to make the return journey made him twitch. He just hoped they could find a mechanic with a good winch, and that they wouldn't have to wait for the spring thaw. If spring even happened to come on this forsaken piece of rock.
"So tell me again why we have to take this nice stroll and can’t just call the ship?” Jayne asked, tucking his neck further down into his collar.
“Cause there’s no sense in risking Serenity ending up in the same lake with that shuttle. Storm would screw with her Nav system just the same.”
“I promise, once we get to the main town, Mister Gwendon will find us someone to rescue the shuttle,” Inara said.
"Mister Gwendon," Jayne grunted, swinging his rifle over his back so both hands were free to help him keep his balance. "Don't see how anyone could have any sexual-type urges when it's this cold. My privates have climbed so far into my body they'll be coming out my ears."
Mal groaned. "And we thank you for that lovely visual."
Climbing on top of a steep hill, Mal found some secure footing and then extended his hand down to help Inara. She was just a few paces back, but he could hardly see her because the snow was coming down so thick. He felt her grab his hand, so he clasped her tight and hauled her up the ridge.
He was so caught up in the circumstances of their situation that he was unprepared to find her face mere inches away from his.
It took him a beat to remember to breathe. Even in a blizzard, Inara looked like she could be walking through the doors to a ball. Her only concession to the weather had been to wear closed shoes instead of her usual slippers, but she still managed to walk daintily, all without a word of complaint. She’d even accepted his help up the ridge and didn't wipe her hand afterwards when he let her go.
"Stupid gorram snow, stupid gorram planet-," Jayne rambled on, mostly to himself, stopping only to hock in the snow and wipe the snot from his mouth and nose on his sleeve.
Inara caught his eyes when he looked up and smiled, and Mal couldn't help but smile back. As they stood there, snowflakes collected on her eyelashes, and he momentarily forgot about the hole in his boot that he’d never quite mended so well. They were standing close enough that he could see the design of the perfect crystals decorating her face and hair, like little jewels, sparkling in the setting sun. The snow covered him as well; hid his rough clothes and the trusty pistol at his side and allowed them to share a smile.
"Well, what are you two waiting for? This rich man's pecker's gonna freeze off and I ain't waiting to find out how much colder or how much less unfriendly the locals get when the sun goes down."
Inara rolled her eyes, making the snowflakes melt away when she blinked and the moment passed. Grabbing the hem of skirt again, she continued past him, her jaw set, letting him see for the first time, how wet and tattered her clothes had gotten from their trek through the snow.
He clenched his teeth as her faint perfume lingered in the air around him. His ears were ringing and he berated himself for forgetting. Disguises only hid so much before they melted away, and the truth was she was just a whore and he was just a thief.
He needed to stop believing she could make things otherwise.
That the snow made him forget was just one more reason to hate it.
~~~
Translations
1. "May your child be born with an imperforate anus"; Wikipedia
I suppose at some point I should also apologize to my muse for all the name calling. *g*
Title: Snowflakes
Rating: PG
Summary: Mal hated snow.
Spoilers: None. Takes place mid season 1
A/N: Many thanks to the wonderful daera23 for her lightening quick beta and for putting up with me and my tendency to make up words. Written for carmen_sandiego's Mal / Inara Ficathon over at truthsome_fic.
Mal hated snow.
Mostly because it tended to make mechanical things not work, but also because it was white and cold. He probably hated the fact that it was white most of all because being white, it tended to be shiny and hence made people happy and distracted from the mechanical things there were flying in, causing them crash in snow covered lakes. The end result was of course, that they got to walk in the snow and enjoy the cold first hand.
With his next step, Mal's leg sunk all the way down into the snowdrift. "J iào ni shēng háizi méi pìgu yan."
Jayne snorted his agreement, while Inara only hiked her skirts up a little further and stepped carefully in the footprints they'd already made. The snow was falling stronger now; he could barely see more than an arms length in front of him. The thought of having to make the return journey made him twitch. He just hoped they could find a mechanic with a good winch, and that they wouldn't have to wait for the spring thaw. If spring even happened to come on this forsaken piece of rock.
"So tell me again why we have to take this nice stroll and can’t just call the ship?” Jayne asked, tucking his neck further down into his collar.
“Cause there’s no sense in risking Serenity ending up in the same lake with that shuttle. Storm would screw with her Nav system just the same.”
“I promise, once we get to the main town, Mister Gwendon will find us someone to rescue the shuttle,” Inara said.
"Mister Gwendon," Jayne grunted, swinging his rifle over his back so both hands were free to help him keep his balance. "Don't see how anyone could have any sexual-type urges when it's this cold. My privates have climbed so far into my body they'll be coming out my ears."
Mal groaned. "And we thank you for that lovely visual."
Climbing on top of a steep hill, Mal found some secure footing and then extended his hand down to help Inara. She was just a few paces back, but he could hardly see her because the snow was coming down so thick. He felt her grab his hand, so he clasped her tight and hauled her up the ridge.
He was so caught up in the circumstances of their situation that he was unprepared to find her face mere inches away from his.
It took him a beat to remember to breathe. Even in a blizzard, Inara looked like she could be walking through the doors to a ball. Her only concession to the weather had been to wear closed shoes instead of her usual slippers, but she still managed to walk daintily, all without a word of complaint. She’d even accepted his help up the ridge and didn't wipe her hand afterwards when he let her go.
"Stupid gorram snow, stupid gorram planet-," Jayne rambled on, mostly to himself, stopping only to hock in the snow and wipe the snot from his mouth and nose on his sleeve.
Inara caught his eyes when he looked up and smiled, and Mal couldn't help but smile back. As they stood there, snowflakes collected on her eyelashes, and he momentarily forgot about the hole in his boot that he’d never quite mended so well. They were standing close enough that he could see the design of the perfect crystals decorating her face and hair, like little jewels, sparkling in the setting sun. The snow covered him as well; hid his rough clothes and the trusty pistol at his side and allowed them to share a smile.
"Well, what are you two waiting for? This rich man's pecker's gonna freeze off and I ain't waiting to find out how much colder or how much less unfriendly the locals get when the sun goes down."
Inara rolled her eyes, making the snowflakes melt away when she blinked and the moment passed. Grabbing the hem of skirt again, she continued past him, her jaw set, letting him see for the first time, how wet and tattered her clothes had gotten from their trek through the snow.
He clenched his teeth as her faint perfume lingered in the air around him. His ears were ringing and he berated himself for forgetting. Disguises only hid so much before they melted away, and the truth was she was just a whore and he was just a thief.
He needed to stop believing she could make things otherwise.
That the snow made him forget was just one more reason to hate it.
~~~
Translations
1. "May your child be born with an imperforate anus"; Wikipedia