(no subject)

[simon_doctor]

The ship isn't really any quieter than usual, he tells himself.

It's the truth: at this hour of ship's night, in their bunk with the door closed, it's always this quiet. There's the constant low hum of the engine, and the almost subliminal vibrations through the floor of River moving quietly about in her room across the hall, and little else. When there's no crisis aboard the ship, this level of quiet is normal.

It doesn't change anything.

Simon sits on the edge of the bed, his forgotten shirt hanging loosely from one hand, and stares at the far wall.

Comments

[gonna_live]

"And you didn't."

[simon_doctor]

"...No. I didn't."

He turns slightly to put an arm around her.

[gonna_live]

She kisses his cheek, and turns in a little. "Come here?" Half a question as she rests a hand on his side, meaning to hold him close, if he's amenable.

[simon_doctor]

He is. Oh, he is.

"Love you."

[gonna_live]

"Love you, too." Her arms tighten around him; it's almost a sigh.

[simon_doctor]

He hasn't needed a hug this badly in quite some time.

It's nearly a full minute before he says, a little reluctantly: "We should sleep."

[gonna_live]

"Can't say I'm opposed." Kaylee pulls back a little, and kisses his forehead before standing. "I'll be back in a minute?"

[simon_doctor]

"All right."

[gonna_live]

It's a little more than a minute (say sorry) before Kaylee comes back, pajama-clad and hair pulled back, and slides in her side of the bed.

She looks at Simon with a little concern, but mostly love.

"It's okay." Gently.

[simon_doctor]

"I know."

He reaches to shut off the light, and turns just slightly to slide an arm around her.

[gonna_live]

They started out sharing a much smaller bed. By now Kaylee is used to the feeling of Simon's breath on her neck.

Tonight she lies awake thinking about the last year, and how in the hell they survived it all, and why all this is worse.

Mostly, though, she's thinking about Simon, and Niska, and how much of a difference there really is between letting someone die and actually killing them.

Before she closes her eyes for good, she thinks, sleepily, You think you know somebody you love, and then it turns out you do.

And then she draws the blanket tighter over their shoulders, and Simon pulls her closer in his sleep, and Kaylee settles into a dream about flying kites with Anthony and Andronicus Crowley both.