simon_doctor | (no subject)

Flipping a page idly, "Somethin' I can help you with Doc?"

He hasn't looked up from the book yet.

"I was wondering if Wash had spoken to you yet. About the prospect of visiting a hospital."

"Heh. That he had."

Mal sets his book to one side - a plain red thing, no title to be seen - and looks back up to Simon.

"Was any conclusion come to with that?"

"We've narrowed it down to two or three. The only trouble is, the best hospitals we can find are all on Core worlds."

He moves forward, and rests his folded arms on the back of one of the chairs.

"I'd planned to wave Crowley to see if he can offer us any assistance."

"Wash had showed me the list; knew 'bout the central planets bit. And wavin' Crowley's a good idea."

Mal keeps looking at Simon, hesitating.

"Just, um...I have a -- a thing, that I need to do, once we suss out where we're heading."

"...A thing."

It's a question, despite the uninflected tone.

Mal runs an awkward hand through his hair as he responds, "'Nara and I need to go to a Madrassa temple. I'm, uh...gettin' declared zui xihuan de."

Simon's eyebrows rise.

"Are congratulations appropriate?"

Mal's expression clears to one of mild surprise. Sometimes it escapes him that Simon doesn't need this thing explained to him.

"I...think so. 'S just odd." Sobering, "I have to come up with an alias to do it."

Dryly: "Well, your name doesn't lend itself to being spelled backwards, so you may be at a slight disadvantage."

Yeah, he's still a little miffed over Mr. Matnomis.

Gwion is much cleverer.

Mal rolls his eyes. "Yes, pronouncing Sdlo--sidleony--aw hell, gimme a break, huh? It was my ma."

He smiles. "Well, congratulations in any case."

Mal smiles in return. "Thank you.

"Just never thought I'd be lying in the process o' declaring with someone. Don't seem proper."

Simon sobers.

"I suppose not."

"Imagine I don't need to tell you that though, Do---Simon."

"...I don't intend to marry Kaylee under an assumed name."

Slightly snappish, "That ain't what I meant. I meant about the hiding thing. You always take things so damn literal with me."

Mal winces after his tone drops off, feeling much too awkward to say anything else for a second.

More level now, "Don't suppose now's the best time to mention that I'm invitin' the crew to the temple with us."

It's as close to a 'Sorry for flipping a shit' as Mal gets.

"... that's ... an honor."

He's a bit taken aback by it, honestly.

"Thank you."

"Mmm. You're welcome."

You're on my crew.

A silence falls between the two until Mal asks quietly, "Was there something you really did want to talk to me about besides the hospital bit?"

"...Yes."

Simon steps around the chair and sits down on it. "Kaylee said she was going to speak to you. About ... what happened with Early."

"And she did. 'Fraid I got her more 'n a little angry with me during the telling of it, but she told me."

Mal avoids any mention of Dream in the situation.

Simon's shaking his head, almost unconsciously.

"We have to do something about him."

"Ya ain't weak. Wouldn't've hired ya if you were. You keep this ship floatin' - my home and my heart, in case that part was missin'."

Mal grunts. "Been pretty much shut out o' what I'm wanting to do, but I want to talk to Bernard about it."

"...And what would that be?"

He looks like he's got a pretty good idea, though.

Mal waves his right hand to dismiss the question if not so much to hide the vague tremble of his gun hand.

"No matter, anyway - did you have any other suggestions I should hear of?"