simon_doctor | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's one of his late days. Sometimes Kaylee's already asleep when he gets home at this hour; more often she's in between dinner and bed, doing some work for the house or the business or just relaxing with a book, and they get to talk a little while he gets his own dinner.

There are lights on in the lower level of the house, he sees as he makes his way from the aircar to the door, which means there's a good chance she's still up.

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She's staring at the wall as quiet pop music plays.

It's starting to get on her nerves.

(There are a few empty beers by her hand.)

He shuts the door behind him; doesn't call out, in case she's asleep. Hears the music playing, and follows the sound to the living room.

"Kaylee?"

Oh, good, a reason to turn off the music.

Kaylee flicks at her pad; the house gets quiet. "Hey. I'm in here."

"Wei," he says, stepping in and moving to sit next to her on the couch. "How was your day?"

He already suspects that the answer is going to be some variant on not good.

"He don't want to sell." Kaylee sounds bitter. "And he says he'll buy any time I want. Like he expects me to fail."

"... aiya. I'm sorry."

He reaches out to touch her hand.

She reaches up and grabs his hand. "So I been sulking some."

(At least she's trying for wry.)

"Come sit? -- did you get anything to eat?"

He squeezes her hand back, and slides over next to her. "I had a sandwich. I was thinking I might have something else in a little while."

Sulking; he wants to correct the word for how self-disparaging it sounds, but doesn't.

"I put up some leftover soup, if that sounds good. Lentils."

"That sounds nice," he murmurs. "Want to come sit in the kitchen with me while I warm it up?"

"Oh, it's like you want to spend time with me or somethin'?"

With a small smile, Kaylee shifts herself up.

"It's exactly like that," he tells her, smiling back as he gets to his feet, and holding out a hand.

In response she slips her arm around his waist. "How scandalous."

"It's perfectly legal," he protests cheerfully, putting his arm around her in turn.

"Also perfectly legal to go in late so I can make you breakfast," Kaylee says, serene.

"... I might be persuaded to do that." Grinning.

"...really?" Surprised.

"Well, tomorrow's a shorter day for me, and I don't have anything scheduled before noon -- I could just shift my hours to a little later in the day."

Or work through lunch, but having a rare breakfast with his wife would definitely make up for that.

Kaylee being Kaylee, she has some additional designs on Simon.

But she figures he knows that. "I think you ought to." She stretches up and kisses him on the cheek.

(Oh, he has some idea.)

He returns the kiss, and says cheerfully "Then I guess I'll be sending a scheduling wave in tonight."

By this time they're in the kitchen, and he disengages to go find a bowl and spoon.

A quiet, happy sigh as she drifts over to the table to sit. "I got to come up with somethin' fancy, then, to make it worth it."

"Like what?" he asks over his shoulder. "Or is it going to be a surprise?"

"I got to come up with it first." Wry. "So we'll call it a surprise."

"That works." Ladling soup into the bowl.

Kaylee rests her chin in her hand. "When you need to be in? Ten? Eleven?"