(no subject)

[xiao_meimei]

Kaylee had discovered that Warren made a very nice pillow, being as how her bunk was a bit too narrow and necessitated them sleeping curled up close together. Not that she were adverse to that anyway. He was warm, and the ship was more often than not a bit on the cold side. But sleeping with someone else after so long of not doing it was a bit disconcerting as well, and she found herself awake earlier than she might otherwise have been.

She smiled and stretched a little, content to watch him sleep, listening to his breathing. She weren't sure exactly when how or if this had become something more than scratching an itch, but having him here felt good. Right. The way he'd fit in so nicely so quick, and just having someone who looked at her and saw her were one of the nicest treats she'd had in a long time.

She was tempted to wake him up, but refrained, closing her eyes again to snuggle into him.

Comments

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee forced herself to finish then poked around a little and finally got up to clear the dishes away.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Both Warren and Layla got up to help her, but something occurred to Warren halfway between. He went over to intercept the smaller girl.

"Are we going to be talking about this once we get back to school?"

Layla looked up at him, wide-eyed and not understanding. "I... no? What are you talking about?"

"You don't read science-fiction, do you," Warren said, smiling, although it was a tight and unhappy expression. "We can't talk about this to anyone who doesn't know about the project. You talk about the future in the past, you screw up the timeline for everyone else."

Layla's mouth made an O of startlement and maybe a little fear. She nodded. "What... you really are going to come back here?" Their voices were lowered by now.

"Yeah." It was a whisper. A sigh. "Yeah. It's... I have to. It's better than back home, anyway. It's... I can't explain it. Yeah, I'm coming back here."

It hadn't hit Layla yet, but she was starting to realize how scared, how even hurt she was that Warren didn't want to stay at school, with them. With her. "What about the rest of us? Will, Magenta? What about..." me? "All your friends?"

Warren just gave her a look. "Come on," he sighed. "What friends? You think Will really ..."

"He thinks you're his best friend."

That seemed to take him by surprise, a little. "Too little, too late, hippie. I'm sorry."

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee tried really hard not to listen, concentrating on rinsing the dishes instead with a precise concern for accuracy that she rarely showed anything but her engines.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"Warren..." Layla said, reaching out to him. He'd already started moving over to Kaylee again.

She let her hand drop, stared at the floor.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee smiled up at him, bravely putting on the cheerful face she was best known for.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren wasn't quite sure he believed that. But he smiled, a little shyly, as if he did, rubbing her shoulder a little. Just to touch. Just to feel that connection again, and hope that it would be there when he got back.

When, not if.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

She sighed a little and rested her head on his shoulder, slipping her arms around him in a loose embrace.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Layla once again wasn't sure where to look, where to go. She couldn't escape this, not until she and Warren were back in their own time, and the more they held each other the more it hurt in ways she didn't want to look at too closely, had never wanted to look at too closely.

Warren cradled her close, unwilling to lose even a moment of this time together. Kissed her temple, stroking his fingertips along her shoulder, over her ribs where his arm rested around her waist.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee tried real hard to not resent the other girl's being there, but she'd come to take Warren away, just when she was getting the idea in her head about how nice it would be if he stayed. An' now it weren't nothing but a few minutes before he might have to go and it just wasn't enough time.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren kissed her forehead, closing his eyes. The harder he tried to push it all away until he absolutely had to deal with it, the tighter he held on, the more it seemed to hurt.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

She could put on the brave face and force the smiles, but she couldn't stop the trembles that kept running through her muscles. So different from the ones he'd set off before, and yet really, the same sort of muscle reaction to emotional stimuli. She felt almost silly, clinging to him, but she just didn't know how to let go.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren's eyes were shut tight, his face half-buried in her hair and covered in his own. Counting down every minute until Layla said, inevitably.

"Um. We should..."

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee tensed, hands closing around the material of his shirt reflexively, like she could keep him from leaving by that alone. It took a few moments before she could convince her hands to let go, palms flat against him.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren flinched, hard. Flinching turned to a grimace, turned to a scowl that would have made Layla take several steps back if she could see it.

By the time he raised his head to look at Layla it was mostly gone. Mostly.

His arm still around Kaylee, he nodded. "Right."

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

She swallowed, hard, not trusting her voice, and not sure what there was that she could say, anyway.,

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

He took a couple of breaths. Looked down at her. "Do you want to come into town...?" Softly.

Maybe a little quavery.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

She nodded, just a little. It would hurt to watch him go, but she couldn't just sit here knowing he was walking over there mostly alone.

"Yeah."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"Okay..." He took a breath, let it out more shakily than he'd meant to. "Okay. Um. I should..."

No, screw it. There wasn't anything in his backpack he couldn't replace. The longer he stayed, the less inclined he was to leave.

"I guess we should get going...?"

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee nodded again, moving away from him, but not letting go of his hand. She glanced at Layla.

"Where is this s'posed to happen?"

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"Inara said she'd fly us out to the town..." Layla spoke up, then wished she hadn't. "In her shuttle... I think it's a marketplace..."

God, she felt stupid.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Kaylee looked at her, for once her face a bit unreadable. "That's...nice of her."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren's fingertips pressed into her shoulder, holding her tight against him.

Which didn't quite fit with his next words. "Okay... should we... get going then?"

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

"I guess we should," Kaylee said softly.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren nodded, but looked to Layla to lead the way. Mostly because neither of them, clearly, were going anywhere.

Layla gave him a terrified look, trying to get him to take the lead. She only half knew where she was going.

She did start towards the door first, though.

[xiaomeimei.livejournal.com]

Kaylee swallowed again, and finally moved as well, following after Layla, still holding on to Warren.