Fic: Unsaid (Mal/Simon)
Yeah, that's right. Mal/Simon. From Firefly. \o/
In an effort to fulfill some wishlist requests. This one is written for... wornoutbirks. And congrats, you've set me off on an epic Firefly rewatching and omg, missing, spree. And have made me want Simon/Castiel. Or possibly Gabriel/Castiel wherein they are still kicking around in the future and helping Mal and crew kick the ass of Reavers who are actually really Croats. ;) With Mal/Simon side plot.
But yeah...just something cute and short here. Lots of thanks to lvs2read for the beta! *hugs*
Next up...something...with Wash? ;)
Oh yeah, Chinese translation is in mouse over.
Unsaid
**
When Mal first brings the idea to voice, Simon really isn't so sure about it. His one great caper involved a hospital that he knew inside and out. A system that he'd studied again and again, a society that he'd been raised alongside. Of course it had gone smooth. It had also been for his sister. There was a difference between robbing a hospital blind for River and robbing a Rim city bank blind for Mal's pockets.
Mal reminds him that that had actually been Simon's second caper, after stealing River. Simon remembers that he'd barely got out of that one with his life. For his worries, he gets a hard slap on the back that's probably meant to be reassuring and friendly but just kind of hurts.
“Suck it up, boy. Earn your keep a little, huh?” Mal tells him and Simon tries and fails not to look too affronted.
“I earn my keep already, Captain.”
“Everyone else does more than one job.”
Simon suggests that he could cook instead, but Mal just looks horrified; and from up on the catwalk where Simon hadn't even noticed him eavesdropping, Wash starts gagging until Mal orders him to get the hell out of there.
All of that just accumulates into an argument that Simon won't ever win because he knows that look in Mal's eyes. Eureka, I have a brilliant plan that will surely go off without a hitch. A lot like all of Mal's plans start but never how they finish. Simon finds himself pulled inexorably further into the ways of a criminal mastermind and plans their next heist.
He's not sure who's more surprised when that first job goes off smooth - him or the entirety of the crew. Minus Mal, who seems to have found some newfound faith in him, which Simon is sure is both misplaced and a little bit terrifying. But it does go off smooth and Wash and Zoe get together to make a dinner for the crew in celebration of Simon's sudden usefulness.
“Always been useful,” Mal tells him when Simon makes an offhand joke about this and the kindness throws Simon for another loop. Makes him wary and suspicious so that he sits next to Jayne rather than the captain. River sits next to him and prods his side all evening, asking for her share of the cut.
After that, there's a second and third job, both of which go with a minimum of trouble. Jayne gets shot once but it's just a graze, enough to warrant stitches, which Simon gives him while enduring his moaning that it's all Simon's fault. Simon suspects that's true and when Mal comes to see him once Jayne has left, he's got his shoulders braced for a scolding that doesn't come.
Mal gives him one of those painfully friendly slaps on the back, but his fingers stay for a moment, curve in and hover. “Nice job, Doc.”
Simon stares at him. “Nice job?”
Mal shrugs, uncaring of or not noticing Simon's discomfort. Nothing out of the ordinary there at least. “Got the take, didn't we?”
“I suppose...” Simon watches as Mal paces across the infirmary and wonders what the captain is still doing there, hiding his surprise when Mal hoists himself up onto the counter. Settling down for awhile? Simon has to bite back the reflex to tell Mal to watch the equipment.
“I was thinkin' on trying a train heist again next. 'Less you got something better.”
“You're asking my opinion?”
“Sure.” Like it's absolutely not a big deal or completely out of character.
**
They do the train heist which goes off with only a little delay. They lose half the take during the flight to get out of there, but it's still a better success than the last time.
Mal treats everyone to a good bottle of wine and keeps acting like Simon is someone he can actually stand while Simon is sure the rug - ship? - is going to be pulled out from under him at any minute.
**
It's all good until it just turns strange.
Simon is becoming a usual facet in the planning committee of heists, hanging out usually up in the bridge. The other members consist of Wash and Zoe and occasionally Jayne. Though he's usually happy just to be given a gun after the plan is made and told who to shoot. No one raises an eyebrow at Simon's inclusion anymore except for Simon himself. Though their silence about it might have to do with the fact that Mal has taken to forcing Simon into the co-pilot's seat of the cockpit and then leaning against the arm of it, all stern-faced and arms crossed over his chest while his thigh spends the entire meeting pressing against Simon's arm.
It's weird.
This time the job should be an easy one, a real in and out sort of deal. Should take a day tops, Mal assures and the rest of them groan, Wash the loudest.
“Tsway-niou, Mal. That's what you always say before someone gets shot or captured or...or...poisoned.”
“Don't exaggerate, honey. It's never gotten us poisoned. Yet,” Zoe adds in, staring back at the captain while Mal gives his usual affronted eye-roll, their protests heard and discarded. There's not much stopping Mal once he's had an idea put in his head. Simon covers a laugh with a cough while Mal clears his throat and moves on.
“Anyway...”
The job is out on a small rock pretty far back on the Rim, a bunker for an Alliance security payroll. Nothing Mal hasn't done before except it's a little more high security. But that's where Simon comes in, finding 'ingenious' - Mal's word, not Simon's - ways around the alarms and lasers. The planet is a few days out from them so they have time to work on it.
“It'll be the easiest job we've had in months,” Mal states and Simon firmly believes this is the reason they both get captured four days later before they even get near the bunker. Chased into a steel cage by a large angry dog on a farmer's land, actually.
“Settle in, boys,” the man tells them once the cage door is locked tight and the man's dog is growling by his side. “No one trespasses on my land. Fed's be by soon enough to pick you up.” He tosses a command for his dog - whose name does just seem to be Dog, no love lost between owner and animal - to stay and guard the cage.
“Well, this is brilliant, Mal.” Simon had tried to wrap his fingers around the bars of the cage once but the dog had taken that as an escape attempt and tried to snap them off. He's standing carefully in the center of the cage now and they've been in here for an entirely silent five minutes.
“Jayne and Zoe'll come get us, Doc.” And then Mal puts his hand on Simon's shoulder and Simon can't actually take it anymore.
He turns and knocks Mal's hand away a little harder than he'd meant. “Okay, stop it.”
Mal's eyebrows shoot up and he probably has every right to look at Simon like he's lost his mind. “Stop...what?”
“This...this...being nice to me. You're never nice to me.” Not until after Ariel and since then, Mal has been too friendly, too accommodating, too...hands on. Too... Simon feels his face fall for a moment in shock while Mal scoffs out something about Simon being crazier than River but Simon isn't listening to that. “Oh my god, Captain...are you... Lao tian ye, Mal.”
“What?”
Simon would answer if he wasn't so busy laughing his way through his shock and they're only in the cage a total of maybe fifteen minutes before Zoe comes and lets them out.
It's doesn't come as a huge surprise when after that, Mal takes to ignoring him. Something that isn't easy on a ship the size of Serenity but Mal manages it, ducking back down a hall when he hears Simon's footsteps (and Simon tries not to think about Mal knowing what his heeled shoes sound like on the grates) or quickly making an excuse to leave a room if Simon walks in. Or just leaving without a word, only a glare as if this predicament were all Simon's fault.
But Simon understands now. All the smiles and extra looks and lingering touches and “Saved a spot for you, Doc” at the table. Mal's courting him and now he's annoyed that Simon figured it out before he was ready. It isn't a good plan to take the control from the captain, Simon thinks. And yet this time, Mal might just have to live with that.
**
Over the next couple weeks, Mal reckons Simon's lost his mind when the good doctor starts courting him. Can't be nice to no one these days without them getting the wrong idea in their ego inflated brains. Avoiding the boy doesn't work and when Mal gives in - well maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.
In an effort to fulfill some wishlist requests. This one is written for... wornoutbirks. And congrats, you've set me off on an epic Firefly rewatching and omg, missing, spree. And have made me want Simon/Castiel. Or possibly Gabriel/Castiel wherein they are still kicking around in the future and helping Mal and crew kick the ass of Reavers who are actually really Croats. ;) With Mal/Simon side plot.
But yeah...just something cute and short here. Lots of thanks to lvs2read for the beta! *hugs*
Next up...something...with Wash? ;)
Oh yeah, Chinese translation is in mouse over.
Unsaid
**
When Mal first brings the idea to voice, Simon really isn't so sure about it. His one great caper involved a hospital that he knew inside and out. A system that he'd studied again and again, a society that he'd been raised alongside. Of course it had gone smooth. It had also been for his sister. There was a difference between robbing a hospital blind for River and robbing a Rim city bank blind for Mal's pockets.
Mal reminds him that that had actually been Simon's second caper, after stealing River. Simon remembers that he'd barely got out of that one with his life. For his worries, he gets a hard slap on the back that's probably meant to be reassuring and friendly but just kind of hurts.
“Suck it up, boy. Earn your keep a little, huh?” Mal tells him and Simon tries and fails not to look too affronted.
“I earn my keep already, Captain.”
“Everyone else does more than one job.”
Simon suggests that he could cook instead, but Mal just looks horrified; and from up on the catwalk where Simon hadn't even noticed him eavesdropping, Wash starts gagging until Mal orders him to get the hell out of there.
All of that just accumulates into an argument that Simon won't ever win because he knows that look in Mal's eyes. Eureka, I have a brilliant plan that will surely go off without a hitch. A lot like all of Mal's plans start but never how they finish. Simon finds himself pulled inexorably further into the ways of a criminal mastermind and plans their next heist.
He's not sure who's more surprised when that first job goes off smooth - him or the entirety of the crew. Minus Mal, who seems to have found some newfound faith in him, which Simon is sure is both misplaced and a little bit terrifying. But it does go off smooth and Wash and Zoe get together to make a dinner for the crew in celebration of Simon's sudden usefulness.
“Always been useful,” Mal tells him when Simon makes an offhand joke about this and the kindness throws Simon for another loop. Makes him wary and suspicious so that he sits next to Jayne rather than the captain. River sits next to him and prods his side all evening, asking for her share of the cut.
After that, there's a second and third job, both of which go with a minimum of trouble. Jayne gets shot once but it's just a graze, enough to warrant stitches, which Simon gives him while enduring his moaning that it's all Simon's fault. Simon suspects that's true and when Mal comes to see him once Jayne has left, he's got his shoulders braced for a scolding that doesn't come.
Mal gives him one of those painfully friendly slaps on the back, but his fingers stay for a moment, curve in and hover. “Nice job, Doc.”
Simon stares at him. “Nice job?”
Mal shrugs, uncaring of or not noticing Simon's discomfort. Nothing out of the ordinary there at least. “Got the take, didn't we?”
“I suppose...” Simon watches as Mal paces across the infirmary and wonders what the captain is still doing there, hiding his surprise when Mal hoists himself up onto the counter. Settling down for awhile? Simon has to bite back the reflex to tell Mal to watch the equipment.
“I was thinkin' on trying a train heist again next. 'Less you got something better.”
“You're asking my opinion?”
“Sure.” Like it's absolutely not a big deal or completely out of character.
**
They do the train heist which goes off with only a little delay. They lose half the take during the flight to get out of there, but it's still a better success than the last time.
Mal treats everyone to a good bottle of wine and keeps acting like Simon is someone he can actually stand while Simon is sure the rug - ship? - is going to be pulled out from under him at any minute.
**
It's all good until it just turns strange.
Simon is becoming a usual facet in the planning committee of heists, hanging out usually up in the bridge. The other members consist of Wash and Zoe and occasionally Jayne. Though he's usually happy just to be given a gun after the plan is made and told who to shoot. No one raises an eyebrow at Simon's inclusion anymore except for Simon himself. Though their silence about it might have to do with the fact that Mal has taken to forcing Simon into the co-pilot's seat of the cockpit and then leaning against the arm of it, all stern-faced and arms crossed over his chest while his thigh spends the entire meeting pressing against Simon's arm.
It's weird.
This time the job should be an easy one, a real in and out sort of deal. Should take a day tops, Mal assures and the rest of them groan, Wash the loudest.
“Tsway-niou, Mal. That's what you always say before someone gets shot or captured or...or...poisoned.”
“Don't exaggerate, honey. It's never gotten us poisoned. Yet,” Zoe adds in, staring back at the captain while Mal gives his usual affronted eye-roll, their protests heard and discarded. There's not much stopping Mal once he's had an idea put in his head. Simon covers a laugh with a cough while Mal clears his throat and moves on.
“Anyway...”
The job is out on a small rock pretty far back on the Rim, a bunker for an Alliance security payroll. Nothing Mal hasn't done before except it's a little more high security. But that's where Simon comes in, finding 'ingenious' - Mal's word, not Simon's - ways around the alarms and lasers. The planet is a few days out from them so they have time to work on it.
“It'll be the easiest job we've had in months,” Mal states and Simon firmly believes this is the reason they both get captured four days later before they even get near the bunker. Chased into a steel cage by a large angry dog on a farmer's land, actually.
“Settle in, boys,” the man tells them once the cage door is locked tight and the man's dog is growling by his side. “No one trespasses on my land. Fed's be by soon enough to pick you up.” He tosses a command for his dog - whose name does just seem to be Dog, no love lost between owner and animal - to stay and guard the cage.
“Well, this is brilliant, Mal.” Simon had tried to wrap his fingers around the bars of the cage once but the dog had taken that as an escape attempt and tried to snap them off. He's standing carefully in the center of the cage now and they've been in here for an entirely silent five minutes.
“Jayne and Zoe'll come get us, Doc.” And then Mal puts his hand on Simon's shoulder and Simon can't actually take it anymore.
He turns and knocks Mal's hand away a little harder than he'd meant. “Okay, stop it.”
Mal's eyebrows shoot up and he probably has every right to look at Simon like he's lost his mind. “Stop...what?”
“This...this...being nice to me. You're never nice to me.” Not until after Ariel and since then, Mal has been too friendly, too accommodating, too...hands on. Too... Simon feels his face fall for a moment in shock while Mal scoffs out something about Simon being crazier than River but Simon isn't listening to that. “Oh my god, Captain...are you... Lao tian ye, Mal.”
“What?”
Simon would answer if he wasn't so busy laughing his way through his shock and they're only in the cage a total of maybe fifteen minutes before Zoe comes and lets them out.
It's doesn't come as a huge surprise when after that, Mal takes to ignoring him. Something that isn't easy on a ship the size of Serenity but Mal manages it, ducking back down a hall when he hears Simon's footsteps (and Simon tries not to think about Mal knowing what his heeled shoes sound like on the grates) or quickly making an excuse to leave a room if Simon walks in. Or just leaving without a word, only a glare as if this predicament were all Simon's fault.
But Simon understands now. All the smiles and extra looks and lingering touches and “Saved a spot for you, Doc” at the table. Mal's courting him and now he's annoyed that Simon figured it out before he was ready. It isn't a good plan to take the control from the captain, Simon thinks. And yet this time, Mal might just have to live with that.
**
Over the next couple weeks, Mal reckons Simon's lost his mind when the good doctor starts courting him. Can't be nice to no one these days without them getting the wrong idea in their ego inflated brains. Avoiding the boy doesn't work and when Mal gives in - well maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.