"How can you guys live off of this stuff?" Annie complains as she plunks down a few mugs of poorly-brewed Blue Sun coffee and takes a seat on one of the couches. A second pot's on the stove, waiting to be taken downstairs to Keane and Phoebe.
Ace is extra bouncy at the moment. She might have to do laps around the cargo bay later. "Oh, look, people. Even people I don't know. Hullo!" There is WashandZoebaby coming. Now is not the time for shyness.
...
Of course, according to Ace, there isn't a time for shyness, but that's beside the point.
Mal studiously avoids explaining exactly how Ace and Raven arrive on Serenity by actually introducing the pair.
"Annie, this is Ace - good friend of Wash's, and the rest of us keep 'er 'round too." Mal sidesteps quickly to avoid a potential Ace-slap in retaliation. "And this here is Raven," Mal points to the man standing next to Ace. "He's a..."
Slowly, her eyebrows creep up her forehead in an expression strongly reminiscent of her brother's. "A...what?" she asks with a tiny grin, looking back and forth between Mal and Raven.
"Good, 'cause otherwise, we'd have to chase you out of here." She stands, offering a hand. "I'm Anneliese -- I'm Hoban's sister. It's great to meet you both."
"Hey, it's mutual." She shoves her hands into her pockets, still grinning. "And why am I not surprised he didn't tell you his real name? He hates it. Always has." Affectionately teasing, "So, naturally, I call him that every chance I get now.
"Either of you want coffee? It's fèiwù, but it'll keep you awake."
Kaylee does not truck with coffee that Blue Sun is responsible for packaging.
Kaylee says, cheerfully, "We got renovations in progress, with crew bunks. Got to make room for Naomi and whatnot. Real mess down there, though -- stuff's goin' a little slow. Ace is good at gettin' us in anywhere we want to go, and Raven's...our consultant." With a grin. "And if anybody wants tea...I can make plenty. And it'll sure as hell taste better."
"But will it have ungodly amounts of caffeine per square inch? I think not," she teases, moving back toward the table so she can hand Ace one of the coffee mugs. "Of course, if you're really going for disgusting, you could -- "
Abruptly, she cuts herself off, wrinkling her nose. "Does Hoban still do that trick where he mixes coffee and tea together when he needs to stay awake for a really long time?"
"How can you guys live off of this stuff?" Annie complains as she plunks down a few mugs of poorly-brewed Blue Sun coffee and takes a seat on one of the couches. A second pot's on the stove, waiting to be taken downstairs to Keane and Phoebe.
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Until, suddenly, it wasn't.
Three sets of heavy footsteps emanate from the hallway, and Mal is the first to appear, leading Ace and Raven into the lounge.
"Any news?" Mal asks to the room in general, not really expecting a response.
Belatedly, to Annie: "Hey."
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"Oh, look, people. Even people I don't know. Hullo!" There is WashandZoebaby coming. Now is not the time for shyness.
...
Of course, according to Ace, there isn't a time for shyness, but that's beside the point.
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"There is not much screaming, I do not think."
Beat.
"Likely it is early yet, yes?"
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"You got an extra set of bunks down there I don't know about?" she asks.
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"Annie, this is Ace - good friend of Wash's, and the rest of us keep 'er 'round too." Mal sidesteps quickly to avoid a potential Ace-slap in retaliation. "And this here is Raven," Mal points to the man standing next to Ace. "He's a..."
Uh oh.
"..."
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(Five seconds counts as "patient," right?)
Slowly, her eyebrows creep up her forehead in an expression strongly reminiscent of her brother's. "A...what?" she asks with a tiny grin, looking back and forth between Mal and Raven.
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A plaintive look to Raven. "Help me out here?"
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"Mostly, I think--at least here--I am a friend."
It seems simple enough, from the inside.
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"Good, 'cause otherwise, we'd have to chase you out of here." She stands, offering a hand. "I'm Anneliese -- I'm Hoban's sister. It's great to meet you both."
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Prime source of blackmail material here against one Hoban Washburne. Bwah.
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Raven frowns, blinking for a moment.
Then he grins, very brightly indeed.
"Oh. It is a thing with names, then."
This next smile is directed more toward Annie.
"I am always glad to meet new people, I think."
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"Either of you want coffee? It's fèiwù, but it'll keep you awake."
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"Sure, just s'long as there isn't any of that kiwi gunk on the side." Ace grins, ducking away from Mal in case there's any Mal-slap in retaliation.
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Kaylee does not truck with coffee that Blue Sun is responsible for packaging.
Kaylee says, cheerfully, "We got renovations in progress, with crew bunks. Got to make room for Naomi and whatnot. Real mess down there, though -- stuff's goin' a little slow. Ace is good at gettin' us in anywhere we want to go, and Raven's...our consultant." With a grin. "And if anybody wants tea...I can make plenty. And it'll sure as hell taste better."
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Abruptly, she cuts herself off, wrinkling her nose. "Does Hoban still do that trick where he mixes coffee and tea together when he needs to stay awake for a really long time?"
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