(Untitled)

[flybywash]

Say what you want about Milliways, but never forget that it can have a phenomenal sense of timing when it wants.

Just over three months since the last time he was around, and two years to the day from when he walked into the bar for the first time, the door slides open -- like it always does for the Serenity crew -- and a tousled blonde head peeks

Comments

[silvia_broome]

Unfortunately for him, a yuppie epedemic is about. Which means, doubly unfortunate for him, a very tall, very pink blonde is giving his attire a dissaproving stare.

[flybywash]

Pfft. Wash has spent pretty much his entire adult life in Hawaiian print. He's immune to disapproving stares.

In fact, they just goad him to smile even more brightly and give the woman in pink a cheerful wave.

"Wei!" he calls. "Have we met? I don't think there's been meeting."

[silvia_broome]

"No," she says curtly. A bony hand is extended in his direction. The curve of it invokes the image of a queen who expects her hand to be kissed. "My name is Silvia Broome."

[flybywash]

"Wash. Gāoxìng jìandào nĭ."

He takes her hand, and...gives it an enthusiastic shake with a hand that's been good and roughened by years of flying. "How long've you been around?"

[silvia_broome]

Um, ew. Silvia quickly pulls her hand away. "About seven months. And yourself?"

She rubs her hand, as if something disgusting had just touched it.

[flybywash]

Okay, this? This is just funny. It's like dealing with the elder Tams those first few months, only much less with the anger and the awkward, since he doesn't have to play nice if he doesn't want to.

"'Bout two years," he says as if she never even reacted, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels (more his left heel than his right; he left his cane at home). "Just got back after being away for three months, I miss anything exciting?"

[silvia_broome]

Silvia begins to play with a pretty pink necklace around her neck. "I don't know."

Beat. She looks him up and down, again with dissaproval, before she asks, "So what is it that you do?"

[flybywash]

"Oh, I fly a spaceship in between raising my daughter, robbing people blind, and romancing my wife. Also, I make every effort possible to work at least one instance of overabundant alliteration into daily conversation."

:D!

[silvia_broome]

"Oh ha ha ha!"

Shrillest. Fakest. Laugh. Ever.

"You are such a funny guy!"

[flybywash]

"Thank you! I get that a lot!"

Equally fake, and it instantly drops away into mock-realization, completely with forehead-smacking.

"Oh, ex...cept for the part where that was the truth, yeah. Sorry. I forget that sometimes."

[silvia_broome]

"What was the truth? You being a funny guy?"

Because she refuses to believe that someone makes their living on a space ship! How silly!

[flybywash]

He scratches the shell of his ear. "Yeah, but also the part about the spaceship and the robbing. The wife and the kid, too, but mostly the spaceship and robbing."

Bright grin.

[silvia_broome]

"So are you an actor of some sort? On a science-fiction television show?"

[flybywash]

"Nope. And I have this great story for you," he adds, stepping in just a liiiiittle too close as he gestures enthusiastically. "We've got a psychic living on board the ship, right? Well, a couple weeks ago, the mercenary who works for my captain was cooking dinner, and she comes walking into the kitchen wearing about five layers of clothes, so he asks her -- "

[silvia_broome]

Silvia leans back. "So-so you're a comedy writer?"

[flybywash]

"Mostly I just make it up as I go. So he asks her what's going on, and in response, she just takes off her mittens, artfully sticks them on his ears, and walks out without saying a word. And then -- "