Fic post: Patterns, Wild Roses and Wishing, Firefly/BSG
Title: Patterns
Fandoms: Firefly/BSG
Characters: River, Leoben
Rating: G
She met him for the first time in a bar in a dusty mining colony. Zoe and the Cap’n were off negotiating over their latest contract, and the others had a few hours in which to occupy themselves. Jayne had headed straight for the bar, and at first River had sat with Simon and Kaylee at the table in the corner.
But she soon got distracted, and started to walk around the room. For a few moments she looked in wonder at her surroundings. Then she saw him.
There was something about the man sitting alone in the corner, something unusual. She took a step closer, studying him curiously. He stood up, crossed the space between them, looked at her with a faint frown.
“You see the patterns,” she murmured. “You see it…”
“Who are you?”
She smiled, shyly. “River,” she said, with a curtsey.
“You’re not like the others, are you?”
“No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m broken,” she added.
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. You see what they cannot. That’s a gift.”
She saw, in his eyes, that he wanted to talk longer with her. But they were disturbed when a few of the locals walked in and started to set up musical instruments nearby. As the musicians started to play, River reached out to the strange man.
“Do you dance, Leoben?” she asked.
He frowned. “You know my name?”
“I know what you are,” she whispered to him. “Do you dance?”
“I can,” he replied as she took his hand. Before he knew it they were dancing together, and it seemed as if they were dancing in harmony with the patterns of the universe itself.
River had to leave after that first dance, as the Cap’n was anxious to get off-world as soon as they could. Later, Kaylee asked her who her new friend was. River just smiled and said, “Just a friend.”
~~~
Title: Wild Roses
Fandoms: Firefly/BSG
Characters: River, Leoben
Rating: G
She meets him again in the bustle of the street market on Persephone. Her eyes widen a fraction when she sees him and his mouth curves in the tiniest of smiles.
Her hand brushes his, light as a feather. “You’re tired,” she says.
“My path is a difficult one.”
“The stream takes the path of least resistance,” she says with a smile.
A delivery cart came by, and they moved a short distance away. River tensed up. “It’s too loud here.”
“Do you trust me?” he said softly. She nodded, and he continued, “Don’t panic. You’re safe, understand?”
“I understand,” she murmured, as he touched her arm gently. River shut her eyes instinctively, but opened them again when she realised that the noise of the market had vanished.
When she opened her eyes, she was standing in a garden full of wild roses, on a warm summer day. She smiled as she looked around. “A virtual projection… never seen one so complete before. You did this?” she asked him.
“Yes. All my people can do this.”
“It’s beautiful…”
Suddenly she cried out. “I have to go. Cap’n wants to get going…” She looked at him. “Leoben… you could come with us. I’ll talk to the captain, and we have room. You wouldn’t have to be alone any more. I don’t think I should leave you alone.”
He doubts her ability to convince the captain of her ship to let him join them, but says that he will at least take her back to the ship. He ends the projection, and they walk the short distance to the dock.
He looks on, amazed, as she talks to Captain Reynolds. It works, because soon Serenity takes off with Leoben on board.
He spends most of his time with River, though Zoe and Kaylee prove to be interesting company also. River’s brother and the ship’s mercenary seem to distrust him, and he avoids them when he can.
On his first morning on the ship, River pulls him to one side, and tells him urgently that there are razors in your head, and that she’s glad he came with them, because the roses will die if he’s left alone.
It takes him some time to realise that she’s worried about him.
~~~
Title: Wishing
Fandoms: Firefly/BSG
Characters: River, Leoben
Pairing: hinted River/Leoben
Rating: PG-13
He knew just by looking at their expressions that the crew weren’t used to River being sick. Oh, they were accustomed to what Kaylee called her strangeness, and they all knew that the Alliance had done things to her head, but they weren’t used to the idea of River just being ill.
Serenity had been one of the last ships to leave Westridge Dock before the quarantine. Captain Reynolds hadn’t been keen to go there at all - something about an old foe and a serious argument, he gathered - but they needed cash, and the run from Boros to the Dock should have been an easy one. Once the job was done, they’d refuelled and stocked up on food, and those who weren’t occupied had a couple of hours of free time.
It was the street market where River must have picked up the sickness. She’d been fine at first, but had collapsed as they were getting ready to leave. They’d rushed her to the infirmary, and her brother had hurried to find out what was wrong. It turned out to be an infection. Fortunately they had the meds necessary on board, so Simon was able to administer the right dose.
Leoben helped him to carry her to her room, where they laid her gently on the bed. Outside her room, Simon slid the door shut and turned to him.
“Thank you for your help. She should be fine.”
“I hope so.” He went to his own quarters, slid the door shut and sat down on the floor. He had never really been one to make wishes, but then he’d never had anything to wish for. Now he did, and he wished for River to wake up.
That night, he lay awake thinking of the sleeping girl in the next room, and wondering how he had come to feel so strongly about her. There was something about her, he decided, a strength that belied her apparent fragility. The crew couldn’t see it, they saw only the broken girl, and her brother saw only his damaged little sister, who needed his protection.
None of them saw how powerful she was, and how powerful she could be. He wished again that she would wake up and be all right, and that she would become everything that she was meant to be.
The next morning, River opened her eyes to see him sitting at her bedside.
“I dreamt of roses,” she murmured with a smile.
Fandoms: Firefly/BSG
Characters: River, Leoben
Rating: G
She met him for the first time in a bar in a dusty mining colony. Zoe and the Cap’n were off negotiating over their latest contract, and the others had a few hours in which to occupy themselves. Jayne had headed straight for the bar, and at first River had sat with Simon and Kaylee at the table in the corner.
But she soon got distracted, and started to walk around the room. For a few moments she looked in wonder at her surroundings. Then she saw him.
There was something about the man sitting alone in the corner, something unusual. She took a step closer, studying him curiously. He stood up, crossed the space between them, looked at her with a faint frown.
“You see the patterns,” she murmured. “You see it…”
“Who are you?”
She smiled, shyly. “River,” she said, with a curtsey.
“You’re not like the others, are you?”
“No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m broken,” she added.
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. You see what they cannot. That’s a gift.”
She saw, in his eyes, that he wanted to talk longer with her. But they were disturbed when a few of the locals walked in and started to set up musical instruments nearby. As the musicians started to play, River reached out to the strange man.
“Do you dance, Leoben?” she asked.
He frowned. “You know my name?”
“I know what you are,” she whispered to him. “Do you dance?”
“I can,” he replied as she took his hand. Before he knew it they were dancing together, and it seemed as if they were dancing in harmony with the patterns of the universe itself.
River had to leave after that first dance, as the Cap’n was anxious to get off-world as soon as they could. Later, Kaylee asked her who her new friend was. River just smiled and said, “Just a friend.”
~~~
Title: Wild Roses
Fandoms: Firefly/BSG
Characters: River, Leoben
Rating: G
She meets him again in the bustle of the street market on Persephone. Her eyes widen a fraction when she sees him and his mouth curves in the tiniest of smiles.
Her hand brushes his, light as a feather. “You’re tired,” she says.
“My path is a difficult one.”
“The stream takes the path of least resistance,” she says with a smile.
A delivery cart came by, and they moved a short distance away. River tensed up. “It’s too loud here.”
“Do you trust me?” he said softly. She nodded, and he continued, “Don’t panic. You’re safe, understand?”
“I understand,” she murmured, as he touched her arm gently. River shut her eyes instinctively, but opened them again when she realised that the noise of the market had vanished.
When she opened her eyes, she was standing in a garden full of wild roses, on a warm summer day. She smiled as she looked around. “A virtual projection… never seen one so complete before. You did this?” she asked him.
“Yes. All my people can do this.”
“It’s beautiful…”
Suddenly she cried out. “I have to go. Cap’n wants to get going…” She looked at him. “Leoben… you could come with us. I’ll talk to the captain, and we have room. You wouldn’t have to be alone any more. I don’t think I should leave you alone.”
He doubts her ability to convince the captain of her ship to let him join them, but says that he will at least take her back to the ship. He ends the projection, and they walk the short distance to the dock.
He looks on, amazed, as she talks to Captain Reynolds. It works, because soon Serenity takes off with Leoben on board.
He spends most of his time with River, though Zoe and Kaylee prove to be interesting company also. River’s brother and the ship’s mercenary seem to distrust him, and he avoids them when he can.
On his first morning on the ship, River pulls him to one side, and tells him urgently that there are razors in your head, and that she’s glad he came with them, because the roses will die if he’s left alone.
It takes him some time to realise that she’s worried about him.
~~~
Title: Wishing
Fandoms: Firefly/BSG
Characters: River, Leoben
Pairing: hinted River/Leoben
Rating: PG-13
He knew just by looking at their expressions that the crew weren’t used to River being sick. Oh, they were accustomed to what Kaylee called her strangeness, and they all knew that the Alliance had done things to her head, but they weren’t used to the idea of River just being ill.
Serenity had been one of the last ships to leave Westridge Dock before the quarantine. Captain Reynolds hadn’t been keen to go there at all - something about an old foe and a serious argument, he gathered - but they needed cash, and the run from Boros to the Dock should have been an easy one. Once the job was done, they’d refuelled and stocked up on food, and those who weren’t occupied had a couple of hours of free time.
It was the street market where River must have picked up the sickness. She’d been fine at first, but had collapsed as they were getting ready to leave. They’d rushed her to the infirmary, and her brother had hurried to find out what was wrong. It turned out to be an infection. Fortunately they had the meds necessary on board, so Simon was able to administer the right dose.
Leoben helped him to carry her to her room, where they laid her gently on the bed. Outside her room, Simon slid the door shut and turned to him.
“Thank you for your help. She should be fine.”
“I hope so.” He went to his own quarters, slid the door shut and sat down on the floor. He had never really been one to make wishes, but then he’d never had anything to wish for. Now he did, and he wished for River to wake up.
That night, he lay awake thinking of the sleeping girl in the next room, and wondering how he had come to feel so strongly about her. There was something about her, he decided, a strength that belied her apparent fragility. The crew couldn’t see it, they saw only the broken girl, and her brother saw only his damaged little sister, who needed his protection.
None of them saw how powerful she was, and how powerful she could be. He wished again that she would wake up and be all right, and that she would become everything that she was meant to be.
The next morning, River opened her eyes to see him sitting at her bedside.
“I dreamt of roses,” she murmured with a smile.