simon_doctor | (no subject)

(no subject)

"He says he's not mad at you."

They're sitting on the green couch in the upstairs room at Milliways that he's come to think of as theirs. Simon's cradling a teacup between his palms.

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Kaylee's on the other end of the couch, sitting sideways with her legs tucked under her.

She was sitting comfortably, with her elbow on the back cushion and her fingers threaded through her hair. Now she's sitting straight up, with her hands in her lap.

"Then he needs to be man enough to tell me to my face."

"Maybe he should."

Simon doesn't look away.

"But he asked me to tell you, and I'm telling you."

"Okay. You told me. Are we done?"

Soft: "Are you mad at him?"

"I don't think that matters." She doesn't move.

"To him or to me?"

A beat.

"I'd like to know."

"It doesn't matter to the situation." Her mouth tightens, and she looks away.

He lowers his gaze, and takes a sip of tea.

"It may not make a difference to what we do," he says, low. "That doesn't mean it isn't important."

"You don't have a reason to worry about it."

"No?"

He looks up.

"It's not your problem. It's not my problem. It's his problem."

"It's his problem if he's upset that we're leaving."

(He tries hard to keep the stab of guilt out of his voice.)

"But if you're angry at him ... that's something else."

Her eyes narrow, and she tilts her head. "What exactly's that?"

"I'm not telling you 'don't be.'" His hands turn palm out in a gesture of surrender. "I'd just like to know. And maybe to know why."

"It don't affect you." She glances at the door. "Are we done?"

Very softly: "Kaylee, please don't shut me out of this."

"I don't have anything to say about it."

(She's starting to sound angry.)

"And I'm not shuttin' you out of nothin'. Because there's nothin' to shut you out of."

Still soft: "You're telling me that it doesn't affect me and I don't have a reason to worry about it. Instead of answering my question."

Simon puts down the teacup.

"You could just say you don't want to talk about it."

Immediately: "I don't want to talk about it."

"All right."

He doesn't look up.

"Are we done?"

For the third -- and Kaylee hopes the last -- time.

I don't see how we can be done, we never started.

"Hăo ba."

Without a word she gets up and heads for the door.

"Kaylee --"

He starts to get to his feet.

She stops with her hand on the door. Half-warning: "You said we was done."

"I know, I just --

"Kaylee, are you mad at me?"

The tension goes out of her shoulders.

She turns around.

"No," she says. More quietly, and with some apology. "No. I'm not."

He moves closer and holds out a hand to her.

Searches her face, but doesn't say anything.

"I'm not talkin' about it," she warns him as she puts her hand in his.

"We don't have to," he says immediately.

If he looks troubled, it isn't on purpose.

"We're not gonna," she tells him. "Or I leave. I got work to do anyhow."

"All right," he says again, and this time works at making it sound firm and certain.

His thumb strokes the side of her hand.

"...What are you working on?"

"Avionics." She lets out a sigh. "Be easier with Wash. But I'm not gonna bother him with it. I'll just... have more coffee and make it a late night."

... So Kaylee doesn't want to talk to Wash either.

Simon tries to push down the cold lump rising in his chest.

"I could help," he offers, "if another pair of hands would be useful."

"Wash knows more'n I do about avionics." Wry. "Although... I managed to do it last time."

A crooked smile.

"I guess it won't be much different."

Pause. Last time; something about the way she says that....

"Wait," he says, "you mean on the ship in the garage, here?"

Kaylee gives him a strange look.

"If it was at home we'd be grounded."

"Oh."

The tight coldness in him starts to unwind.

"...Haven't you done in-flight work on the avionics before? Or is that only in emergencies?"

"Emergencies, and not so big an overhaul as I got to do now." She eyes him. "You tryin' to keep me here?"

"...The thought did cross my mind," he admits. "But if you want to get started on work...?"

Kaylee shrugs. "I told you I wouldn't have much time to spare if you want me to be able to come with you in a timely fashion."

Simon nods. "You also told me you could use my help, at least from time to time?"

"And unless you woke up this mornin' with an in-depth knowledge of circuits and hardware repair, you need to be somewhere else."

Kaylee doesn't sound like she's in the mood for an argument.

A beat.

"Okay," he says, and his smile's only a little rueful, "I'll leave you to it."

He reaches to open the door.

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