(Untitled)

[crazyspacegirl]

One good thing about Serenity's change from spaceship to manor house was the large room full of toys: dolls and toy soldiers, a child sized table and chairs with a large fancy tea set, marbles and tops and skipping ropes, a rocking horse, an elaborate doll house, and small clockwork train that circled the room

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[plntfood]

As the butler shows them in, Mathias can't help but turn and watch him go again, still vaguely unsettled by his presence. There were many things he liked about this change, but there were just as many that left him feeling as if things were just a bit too strange.

Sam, on the other hand, doesn't seem to notice anything strange and she marches happily into the room, carrying the wrapped present she'd picked out for Zoe all by herself. Mathias isn't sure River is going to be too happy with the toy drum, but Sam had insisted it was the perfect gift and Mathias can't argue with that.

[crazyspacegirl]

River watched Mathias watching the ghostly butler, and had not problem following his thoughts. "Weird, isn't it? I'll be glad when it's just us real people living on a spaceship again."

It took a lot more weirdness than that to ruffle Zoe, even when she wasn't being distracted by presents and her favorite people. She nearly tackled Sam to the ground with the enthusiasm of her hug. "Cake party!"

[plntfood]

"Party!" Sam agrees before Mathias can answer River, the present dropped and forgotten in favour of the hug and Mathias can't help but grin at them. So far Sam has been happy with the change, happier with this than what happened on Halloween and they've spent much of their time out in the snow.

"She seems very excited," he says, then rescues the gift from the floor and offers it to River. "I apologize for this in advance, but Sam insisted it was the best."

[crazyspacegirl]

"She is excited. I tried to explain birthdays to her, but I'm not sure the concept of aging is one she's quite ready for. Cake, however, she's already grasped."

River took the package and looked at it curiously, wondering what anyone could give Zoe that needed to be apologized for. "If Sam says it's good, I'm sure it is. Do you want to open your present, Zoe?"

Zoe most assuredly did want to open her present, and plopped to the floor with the package in her lap as she ripped off the paper.

[stoicsidekick]

William Bush had never much known what to do with children. His eldest sister, only a year younger than him, had two sons who had been quite small last he saw them, and they had always seemed strange, fragile creatures not quite of this world. Now, surrounded by children, he kept awkwardly to the edges, thinking it best in order to avoid trodding on any tiny hands and feet. He was glad to see River so happy and glowing, as airy and otherworldly here as she had been when Serenity was a space ship, and not a grand manor. He caught her eye when she neared and smiled politely with a hint of a raised eyebrow, hands clasped officer-like behind his back.

[crazyspacegirl]

"Hello, Mr Bush!" He was someone who River was always very pleased to see, especially at the moment when he seemed so out of place in this sea of cake-fueled youngsters. She thought she'd get him in on some of the action eventually. "I'm glad you could come, and as soon as Zoe gets tired of those soldiers and notices you're here, I'm sure she'll be pleased, too."

[stoicsidekick]

William chuckled and ducked his head. "No need to fret, I know better than to be offended by the tempers of little ones," he told her with a wry smile. River, in a thousand small ways, was a sister as dear as the ones he had lost, and that made Zoe something special as well. And that made all the awkwardness worth something. He watched the child across the room. "She does seem to be enjoying herself."