(no subject)

[gonna_live]

Kaylee is sitting at the bar with a cookbook and a beer.

Because there's a nice kitchen at her disposal at Southdown Abbey, and no doubt the Shepherds wouldn't mind if she did a little bit of cooking practice. Especially if they got to eat the results.

And if she's a little bit distracted by the whole getting-married-in-a-few-days thing...suppose that's forgivable.

Comments

[thatseemright2u.livejournal.com]

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so be armed, for heaven's sake.

Jubal Early steps inside not long after she settles. He's not quite sauntering. He's not quite walking.

He starts toward the bar, in the same long easy stride, aiming for the stool one down from Kaylee's.

[gonna_live]

It depends how you define 'armed', really. There's guns. And then there's belonging to an Endless.

There's a lot of noise behind her; the bar is busy, as it usually is. Kaylee can't make the distinction between one set of footsteps and another when they're not on Serenity.

[thatseemright2u.livejournal.com]

That's not so much "armed" as "protected," but only one of them scans.

Someone settles next to her, not so far down.

There's the creak of thick leather as well as the clump of his boots on the rungs of the stool; he's taken to wearing the pressure suit again. No telling when an opportunity might present itself.

[gonna_live]

This is not your moment, Jubal Early.

Probably.




Kaylee turns her head.

And stiffens.

[thatseemright2u.livejournal.com]

Early orders himself a nice meal. Rice, still steaming, and protein chunks -- dog-flavored, but the smell's not that strong -- and a can of processed juice.

And then he sets himself to eating it.

So far, no indication he's aware Kaylee exists.

[gonna_live]

The smart thing to do would be to get up, open the door, and go back to Southdown and leave Early behind.

But dammit -- this is her place as much as his. And she wants her beer and to keep perusing her cookbook. And he can't hurt her, because Dream takes care of his own.

And maybe -- just maybe -- Kaylee wants to be stubborn, and not scared.

So she sighs (it's quiet, and shaky), and turns a page.

And says, "Evenin'."

Guardedly.

[thatseemright2u.livejournal.com]

"Evenin', Kaylee."

He swallows a forkful of rice, topped with a chunk of protein.

Only then does he actually look at her, sideways and smiling.

"Recipe's an odd thing."

[gonna_live]

Smiles are supposed to reassure people.

His don't.

"How so?" Still guarded.

[thatseemright2u.livejournal.com]

"You follow the same recipe ten times," he says, "you get ten different meals."

"Odd thing. Ain't nothing's changed, but it don't come out the same."

Amiable. He pushes some rice onto a sliver of protein with his fork, and scoops them up.

[miss-eyre.livejournal.com]

Out of nowjhere, several large, unladylike sneezes echo through the bar, emanating from a small woman doing needlework, and looking rather sheepish.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee's got more than a passing acquaintance with unladylike; also with sneezing. There's a lot of noise in the bar, though -- people laughing, people talking, glasses clinking; and Kaylee is concentrating -- cookbooks, and daydreaming, and maybe a little worrying.

All told, sneezing maybe isn't all that distracting, especially when Kaylee's at the bar and has her back to the rest of the room.

[miss-eyre.livejournal.com]

Jane takes a moment to sip the remainder of her tea and regain her composure, finding herself largely ignored for her outburst. Gathering her skirts, she rises and proceeds to the bar in the attempt to acquire another cup of tea. While waiting for her cup to be refilled, Jane glances over towards the woman she is standing near, and her cookbook.
"French onion soup," she comments almost as if encouraged by some pixie of compulsiveness. "My favorite soup."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee looks up, startled a little. "Shenme?"

[miss-eyre.livejournal.com]

"I am terribly sorry. I did not mean to scare you, miss. Your recipie happened to attract my attention, as a favorite dish of mine." The look on her face is earnest, with a large portion of reserved mixed in. Her clothing is simple and her hair severely kept back. She is the epitome of non-assuming.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee looks down at the book. "Never tried it. Don't seem like it'd be good to try for a bunch of folks." A slight shrug. "Maybe there'll be some other time for it."

[miss-eyre.livejournal.com]

"No, perhaps later. Also, I have not properly introduced myself. My name is Jane Eyre."

[gonna_live]

"Kaylee Frye. Good to meet you."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hear_no_evil/]

A little further down the bar, a scrawny sort of young man sits down, and takes out a pad of paper and a pen, scribbles something, and lays it on the counter.

The note disappears, and a beer appears.

He pulls it towards himself, and offers her a small smile, and nods when he notices her.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee smiles; Kaylee's friendly. "Evenin'."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hear_no_evil/]

Nick lifts one hand in a friendly sort of wave.

Her smile is a little like Frannie's.

He shifts his gaze to the book, and then back to her, and lifts both eyebrows quizzically.

[gonna_live]

He doesn't exactly look like the strong silent type...but Kaylee gets the point. Maybe some people just don't like to talk.

"Cookbook. Finally got access to a place with a good kitchen, good stuff to cook with, and more than eight folks to eat, so -- " Here her head turns a little as she looks down at the cookbook, tapping it with her right hand. " -- I figured maybe I should see if there ain't -- " And back up at him. " -- somethin' new I can try, since I got the chance and all."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hear_no_evil/]

He looks a little puzzled when she turns her head back to him, his gaze much more intent.

No, not intent. Concentrating. On her mouth, of all things.

And then he looks up, and gives a lopsides sort of smile, shrugging with his head to one side, before taking out his pad of paper, and writing quickly.

The page he tears off and hands to the woman says, "Sorry, I didn't catch part of that. My name's Nick Andros. I'm deaf-mute, but I can read lips. It's nice to meet you."

And he offers his hand, once she's read the note.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee looks down at the note, up at him --

-- and meets his hand, smiling. It's a little sheepish. "Sorry. I'm Kaylee. Kaylee Frye. Good to meet you." She nods to the cookbook. "Was just sayin' that I got the chance to cook in a good place, so I figured maybe I should do a little research."

Now she's being careful to face him the entire time.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hear_no_evil/]

He smiles back, relieved. Some people--not many, in the post-plague days, but some still--had a thing about deaf-mutes.

At least, he thinks, I haven't run into any of those yet.

He writes out a note, and turns the pad towards her.

"Are you planning on leaving soon?"

He makes a point of looking around the bar, and then tilts his head slightly.

[gonna_live]

"Not for a little while -- I mean, I got to head back soon, otherwise folks'll wonder where I am, but I wasn't gettin' ready to pack up or anything, if that's what you're gettin' at." Mildly cheerfully.