simon_doctor | (no subject)

"This is horrible," Kaylee announces, flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

Simon's emerging from the bathroom in his pajamas. His clothes for the next day are neatly folded on top of his duffelbag, in the corner.

"I know," he says with a sigh.

"Even spending the night at the port would've been better." She folds her arms.

"Probably," he agrees, setting down his shoes next to the bag.

"...maybe I'll just sleep on you."

"Interesting suggestion. Am I that much more comfortable than the sleeping bag?"

He doesn't seem too put out by the idea, as he comes to sit down next to her.

"You're that much more comfortable than the floor." Wry. "Congratulations."

"I'll add it to my resume," he says peaceably.

"Along with some other stuff," she says, shifting onto her side. "Unless you already did that."

His smile's small, and proud, and almost completely involuntary.

"No, not yet."

The exam scores came in two days ago, along with official certification. The brand new portable imager was delivered the following day. It's back in its crate, in all its original packaging, ready and waiting with the rest of their luggage.

Kaylee studies him, something almost predatory about her expression.

"Gives you somethin' to do on the trip out."

"I guess it will."

He looks up at her, and one eyebrow flicks up slightly at the look on her face.

"You're cute when you're proud of yourself," Kaylee says. Airily.

"Really," he says, and his smile starts to widen a little.

"Should I try to be proud of myself more often, or do I run the risk of crossing the line into full-of-myself?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that." Lazily. "I'll make sure you know your place."

"And where's that?"

Rather closer to her all of a sudden, apparently.

"Get full of yourself and you'll find out," she says, threading her fingers through her hair.

He leans in to kiss her, cupping her cheek in one hand.

And it's not like she's not a willing participant.

However.

"That ain't full of yourself." She shakes her head a little. "Reckon you'll have to live in suspense for a while."

"I guess so," he says, with every evidence of regret.

He leans back, wincing slightly at the hardness of the floor under them. "You may be right," he tells her, "about spending the night at the port. Or maybe we should have left the bed here, instead of sending it for storage with the rest."

Glumly: "We could've sent it for storage in the morning."

"We're leaving too early in the morning for that," he reminds her. "They wouldn't send anyone."

Bureaucratic regulations: one thing Simon is not sorry to be leaving. Mostly.

Kaylee makes a face.

"Well. Guess I'm back to the sleepin' on you plan."

Simon holds out an arm.

"Come here."

Her smile goes a little crooked, but she inches his way.