(Untitled)

[flybywash]

The diagnostics are done. Now there's just the sorting-through part of it left

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[ruinous_fortune]

Look who's watching him with mild interest.

Just mild.

Sipping his drink, steel grey eyes focused.

[flybywash]

He kneads his forehead with his fingertips and uses the stylus to page down.

More sensor glitches on Serenity's belly, right near the landing gear. Not bad ones, but the reading's fluctuating too much to be in perfect shape.

Wash marks it as medium priority and glances up, inadvertently locking eyes with him.

[ruinous_fortune]

Ruin smiles his nice, semi-sane smile in greeting, lifting his glass.

"How ya doin', buddy?" he asks, voice thick with an accent resembling Scottish, but... not... quite.

[flybywash]

"Been better," he replies, neutrally, one shoulder lifting in a half-shrug. He fiddles with the stylus. "Been worse."

There's something about his eyes that's weirdly unnerving. He just can't figure out what.

"What about you?"

[creator_raven]

There is a quiet thump, and Raven peers at Wash, head tilted.

"You are, perhaps, wanting tea instead?"

[flybywash]

"Not enough caffeine per square inch," he says without thinking, and then the stylus comes crashing to a halt when he realizes who's speaking.

Wash looks up, and swallows hard.

[creator_raven]

Raven looks back, unblinking.

"Ah, so it is for the staying awake, then."

He smiles, just a little.

"I had been wondering, I think."

[flybywash]

"Long night," he says quietly; he doesn't take his eyes off of Raven. "Kind of a horrifically bad one."

Wash ducks his head long enough to put the stylus behind his ear.

"You ever have those nightmares where you think you've paid up a debt, only you haven't, and you don't find out about it until they stop by for a friendly chat and a kneecap-breaking?"

[gone_byebye]

Ray's still on the drippy and goopy side at the moment, but he's gotten rid of most of it. It's just his hair that's still looking awful. He spots Wash, turns on one heel, and heads upstairs.

He's got a blue bag stamped with a little gold logo on the side when he returns, but he's not any cleaner.

[flybywash]

Wash doesn't notice the departure, but he does notice the arrival.

Ray gets a crooked half-smile and a small wave with the datapad stylus.

"Wei."

[gone_byebye]

"Hi yourself," Ray says, putting the bag down on the table. "I'm sorry I didn't remember this sooner, but I kind of took my nephews to the Natural History Museum a week ago. How're you doing?"

Yes, in his head, that makes sense.

[flybywash]

"I'm, uh..."

And that's when he gets a good look at the logo on the bag.

" -- suddenly a hell of a lot better," he finishes, eyes wide. "That's for me?"

Incredibly muted glee. Still: glee.

[nitro_is_ace]

"Well, look who's saved me a trip over t'Serenity. Brought y'candy. 'Cause, y'know, I've heard gettin' things for folks what are not there is the thing t'do when y'hit up a resort town." She was in Lake Tahoe, or at least that's what the brown-and-white striped bag says.

There's a couple of caramel apples and chocolate-dipped fruit pieces inside.

See? Ace is thoughtful.

[flybywash]

"There are things? You got me things?"

Wash...doesn't exactly brighten, but the smile's there as he tucks the stylus behind his ear and reaches for the bag.

After a glance inside, "You got me good things," he says with approval.

[nitro_is_ace]

"I should think so, I've got class, I have." Ace snorts, plopping herself down next to Wash with a satisfied 'there, I've done right by the universe today' air, and peers curiously at Wash's work.
"So what are we workin' on then?"

[flybywash]

"Um." He scrubs a hand over his face, the smile disappearing. "Diagnostics. Lots and lots of..."

And he trails off, suddenly biting his lip much harder than he shoulder.

Quietly, "Ace, I have to tell you something."