one step dance (Firefly) 5
"I knew you were coming back," River said to Mal.
"That's more than your brother did," he grunted. He stirred more sweetener into his tea.
"I knew you were coming back," she said, letting her fingers slide down the table to the teapot.
"I thought your brother sedated you," Mal said.
River opened her palm, disclosing slightly mashed tablets. "I cheeked them."
"Told him the needles..." her eyes unfocussed for a moment, then refocussed. "The needles. I hate needles. He knows about the needles. I don't remember to explain, sometimes I just---that's why I knocked the tray out of his hands."
She stood behind Mal and began kneading his shoulders, slipping her fingers under his suspenders and getting the precise spots that most appreciated the touch.
"They're all around, but they aren't here," she said.
"Who?" Mal asked.
"The rest of the crew," she said, with an edge of impatience. "I disagree with you. I think this is a very good idea after last time."
Mal tilted his head back, so it nestled between her breasts. "You did have a bad day."
"I liked the cows," she said, her hands sliding down from his shoulders, down inside his shirt and making him shiver.
"Where is the rest of the crew?" Mal asked, standing up and pulling her with him.
"Not thinking about the galley," River said.
"That's more than your brother did," he grunted. He stirred more sweetener into his tea.
"I knew you were coming back," she said, letting her fingers slide down the table to the teapot.
"I thought your brother sedated you," Mal said.
River opened her palm, disclosing slightly mashed tablets. "I cheeked them."
"Told him the needles..." her eyes unfocussed for a moment, then refocussed. "The needles. I hate needles. He knows about the needles. I don't remember to explain, sometimes I just---that's why I knocked the tray out of his hands."
She stood behind Mal and began kneading his shoulders, slipping her fingers under his suspenders and getting the precise spots that most appreciated the touch.
"They're all around, but they aren't here," she said.
"Who?" Mal asked.
"The rest of the crew," she said, with an edge of impatience. "I disagree with you. I think this is a very good idea after last time."
Mal tilted his head back, so it nestled between her breasts. "You did have a bad day."
"I liked the cows," she said, her hands sliding down from his shoulders, down inside his shirt and making him shiver.
"Where is the rest of the crew?" Mal asked, standing up and pulling her with him.
"Not thinking about the galley," River said.