simon_doctor | (no subject)

(no subject)

"As working vacations go," he says as he closes the aircar door behind him, "that went pretty well, I thought."

His suitcases are in the back; his flight departs in three hours, giving them plenty of time to get to the spaceport.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She sees him before he sees her, and she doesn't say a thing, doesn't lift a hand, doesn't move at all.

Not quite:

She tilts her head, watching him for a few seconds.

He's a little slumped as he stands there, searching the area for her, one bag over his shoulder and the other trailing behind him on wheels; there's some weariness in his face, but there's also a kind of peace.

He'll spot her in a moment, if he keeps turning in this direction.

The point, while he was gone, was to do the things she couldn't do with him around.

And now he's back.

She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel just a little regret as she starts to walk toward him.

The motion is what catches his eye.

He brightens, and starts toward her to meet her halfway.

"You in one piece?" With a faint smile.

"One very tired piece." His own smile's not faint at all.

"Give me that bag -- " She's holding out her hand. "And we'll get you home."

He unslings the bag from his shoulder, and steps closer to hand it to her.

"How're you doing, xin gan?"

Kaylee hefts the bag. "Me?" She sounds surprised. "I'm fine. Come on, I parked this way."

Not entirely sure what to make of the surprise -- why wouldn't he ask? -- but a little too travel-bleary to think much of it, he follows her to the car.

She opens the back hatch, slings his bag in, reaches for the other. "It's open."

He hefts the second bag to make it easier to reach, murmurs "Xiexie" as she takes it.

"Sorry you had to wait," he says, opening the passenger door.

"Mm."

The hatch shuts.

A few seconds later, Kaylee opens the door and has a seat. "Not like it's your fault. And it's not like I had anything going."

"Mm," he says in turn, leaning back into the seat.

"It's good to be back."

"Did you eat?" She pulls out into traffic. "I got something I could heat up."

"I haven't eaten, no -- I was going to just go to sleep, but something to eat would probably be a good idea."

He watches the streets go by.

"Or I could make you a big breakfast in the morning." Kaylee slips into a turn lane. "Your call."

"...I may go with in the morning," he says. "I'm more tired than I've got any right to be."

Reasonable, as they head out on the tollway: "Like as not you didn't sleep all that great."

"It felt like I did, but possibly not. And of course there's the time difference."

He glances at the time readout in the car, trying to internalize it.

"Mm."

Her hand curls around the yoke; she changes lanes.

He's studying her face now, painted by the passing lights.

Soft: "I missed you."

She knows what she's supposed to say.

"I missed you, too." She doesn't take her eyes off the road.

There: a faint tremor of unease.

He pushes it down. She's probably tired too.

Simon leans his head against the headrest, and half-closes his eyes.

Traffic's light; they make it in just under twenty minutes.

Quiet: "You go ahead and go to bed, and I'll bring the bags in before I come up?"