(Untitled)

[river_meimei]

It's been a while since River was in the bar.

But now Serenity has lifted off from Southdown Abbey with a fresh store of fruits and vegetables in the kitchen and wedding rings on Simon and Kaylee's fingers, and the crew is shipbound again, with a door to Milliways around any corner

Comments

[saionjisenpai]

It's too damn cold and windy outside for kendo, so Saionji is just getting lunch. He's also got a peice of driftwood he's started carving in his pocket for after, maybe.

He sits at a handy table with his bowl of tasteless noodles and begins to eat.

Saionji is not very perceptive.

[river_meimei]

River is content to be unnoticed for a while.

Then he shifts his feet.

River scowls.

From underneath the table comes: "You're on my paper." Mildly irritated.

[saionjisenpai]

Saionji, for his part, is startled. He pulls back from the table and peers underneath. There's a lot of green hair hanging down.

"You're under my table," he counters.

[river_meimei]

"Nomenclature's incorrect."

She hasn't looked up.

[_bloodyrose]

Big brother is coming.

Touga pauses by the table and squats down with elbows on his knees. He smiles politely. "Counting wood patterns?"

[river_meimei]

"No," River says without looking up. Slightly impatient. "That was last week."

Beat.

She glances at him.

Her drawing, for the record, consists at the moment of arching lines forming a structure. It might be a greenhouse; it's too early to be certain.

[_bloodyrose]

He tips his head at her drawing. "What, are you planning your dream house?"

Her very small house. Hm.

"A growing girl like you should have more space."

In the distance, the distinct sound of a cow bell.

[river_meimei]

River gives him a weird look.

"I don't live there."

Beat.

Helpfully, "It's a drawing."

[redhorserider]

She's sitting on the table, her legs dangling over the edge, a glass of red wine in one hand and the other used as a resting place for her chin.

Her red hair falls in tresses over her left shoulder as she peers down, examining the very carefully detailed apple tree that River is drawing.

"Mmm, temptation. My favorite kind of fruit." It's a lie, but only a small one.

[river_meimei]

River glances at her.

And then her eyes narrow, her fingers twitch on the pencil, and she looks with sharper interest.

[redhorserider]

She smiles at her, sharp as a knife.

"What's the matter, Reaver got your tongue?" She sips her (blood) red wine.

[river_meimei]

It's not just her fingers that twitch at that. Her grip tightens.

"No."

She inhales.

"I. I know you. I don't but you do."

One hand pushes back her hair, a little too roughly.

[is_a_boy]

The frog on the bar is watching the girl under the table. The coloring reminds her of Queen Sunny.

[river_meimei]

As well it should. They are QUEENS TOGETHER.

Not that the frog would have any way of knowing this.

River continues to color. A pile of perfectly geometric boxes, each a different color, all carefully shaded.

[is_a_boy]

Robert hops down from the bar and works her way over to River. She stops next to the paper and seems to be examining River's drawing.

[river_meimei]

River glances at her.

It has an air of ...Well? about it.

[mapmakerchur]

Furry feet walk past River's table.

After a moment, they walk back, and Chur crouches to peer under the table. "H'lo, ker River," she greets.

[river_meimei]

River glances up at her, and then beams.

Solemnly, "I listened to your book."

[mapmakerchur]

Chur purses her lips in delight. "I thought you might have finished it by now," she says, and twitches an ear. "Did you enjoy it?"

[river_meimei]

Seriously, "There were logistical flaws in the argument."

Which, because River enjoys a challenging puzzle, is not a 'no'; this is spoken more as a confidence between two colleagues.