Fic - Samson and the Scissors
Title: Samson and the Scissors
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing/Characters: River Tam, Shepherd Book
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do but borrow from the mighty Joss
Summary: post-Jaynestown, a little humorous night-time exchange between River and Book
Derrial traces the text lightly with one finger, words old and familiar and worn like the edges of the pages. The black leather binding of the Bible has warmed in his hands from the reading and the passenger dorm is quiet and still, yellow light falling softly down the staircase. Even the rustle of a turning page seems a little too loud. He exhales slow.
"Are you like Samson?"
He jumps a clear foot off the sofa. "Lao tian!- River, what are you doing up?"
She stands up from behind the arm of the sofa and perches on the edge of it, studying her hands for a moment before glancing at him.
"Couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts in my room." She pauses, as if to ponder her own words. "It's crowded."
"Did you really have to sneak up on me?"
River looks incredulously at him. "You were reading."
Derrial blinks, and frowns slightly. Apparently oblivious, River slides off the arm and onto a sofa cushion, stretching her legs out and yawning lavishly. There's silence, and he turns back to the Bible.
"So. Are you like Samson?"
He looks sideways at her. "What do you mean, am I like Samson?"
"Samson was a man," River says slowly. "A man who had-" she glances nervously at his head "- very long hair. And he could never cut it off, ever, else he'd get weak. Might even die." She sits up slightly, and gives him an admonishing look. "You ought to know this, Shepherd. It is in the Bible."
Derrial raises an eyebrow. "I'm quite familiar with the book of Judges, thank you River."
"So why didn't you answer my question?" She pouts. "Is it because it's a secret? You don't want the others to find out in case they cut it off?" She leans towards him conspiratorially. "I promise not to tell. Not even Simon."
"River, I don't cut my hair because my order-"
"Fine!" She rolls her eyes and slumps back to her end of the sofa, arms folded. "No telling secrets then." A pause, then she says scornfully, "It's very bad to lie, Shepherd."
He sighs, and shakes his head. "It's symbolic, it shows that I-"
"No!" Suddenly, she leaps up from the sofa and heads towards the staircase. He starts after her, dropping the Bible on the low table.
"River, where are you going?"
She looks back darkly from the top of the stairs. "To find some scissors."
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing/Characters: River Tam, Shepherd Book
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do but borrow from the mighty Joss
Summary: post-Jaynestown, a little humorous night-time exchange between River and Book
Derrial traces the text lightly with one finger, words old and familiar and worn like the edges of the pages. The black leather binding of the Bible has warmed in his hands from the reading and the passenger dorm is quiet and still, yellow light falling softly down the staircase. Even the rustle of a turning page seems a little too loud. He exhales slow.
"Are you like Samson?"
He jumps a clear foot off the sofa. "Lao tian!- River, what are you doing up?"
She stands up from behind the arm of the sofa and perches on the edge of it, studying her hands for a moment before glancing at him.
"Couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts in my room." She pauses, as if to ponder her own words. "It's crowded."
"Did you really have to sneak up on me?"
River looks incredulously at him. "You were reading."
Derrial blinks, and frowns slightly. Apparently oblivious, River slides off the arm and onto a sofa cushion, stretching her legs out and yawning lavishly. There's silence, and he turns back to the Bible.
"So. Are you like Samson?"
He looks sideways at her. "What do you mean, am I like Samson?"
"Samson was a man," River says slowly. "A man who had-" she glances nervously at his head "- very long hair. And he could never cut it off, ever, else he'd get weak. Might even die." She sits up slightly, and gives him an admonishing look. "You ought to know this, Shepherd. It is in the Bible."
Derrial raises an eyebrow. "I'm quite familiar with the book of Judges, thank you River."
"So why didn't you answer my question?" She pouts. "Is it because it's a secret? You don't want the others to find out in case they cut it off?" She leans towards him conspiratorially. "I promise not to tell. Not even Simon."
"River, I don't cut my hair because my order-"
"Fine!" She rolls her eyes and slumps back to her end of the sofa, arms folded. "No telling secrets then." A pause, then she says scornfully, "It's very bad to lie, Shepherd."
He sighs, and shakes his head. "It's symbolic, it shows that I-"
"No!" Suddenly, she leaps up from the sofa and heads towards the staircase. He starts after her, dropping the Bible on the low table.
"River, where are you going?"
She looks back darkly from the top of the stairs. "To find some scissors."