(no subject)

[simon_doctor]

Simon Tam comes stalking out of the infirmary in a cold fury, and heads in the direction of the --

wait.

A few paces into the room he slows, then comes to a stop. His hands and arms relax from their taut anger, and his eyebrows draw down slowly in bewilderment.

He looks back over his shoulder with an expression that says, as clearly as though he'd spoken aloud: what the tiān xiăodé just happened?

Comments

[flybywash]

Wash, meanwhile, gives up and starts nibbling on the end. He glances over at Simon after another moment's silence.

"What?"

[simon_doctor]

"I'm ... not sure."

He picks up another slice of cucumber and studies it.

Maybe salad holds the secrets of the universe.

[flybywash]

Does that make Milliways the garbage disposal?

"What was the guy's name?"

[simon_doctor]

Or possibly the compost heap. If you're inclined towards the cyclical model.

"The soldier? He says everyone calls him Red, and that's the name Mal seemed to know him by."

[flybywash]

He nods, chewing his bottom lip briefly.

Zoe never mentioned a Red.

Then again, Zoe never mentions many details about the war, and Wash hardly ever asks if he could help it.

[simon_doctor]

"I don't know when I last saw anyone so terrified."

[flybywash]

"Zoe...."

He falters. Reaches for a carrot stick, to occupy his hands.

"It's never been too high on the list of fun and frequent conversations." Quieter, "But I've got a pretty good imagination."

[simon_doctor]

There's something there, if he can grasp it. Red's terror, Mal's and his own anger ...

He crunches the cucumber, still frowning.

[flybywash]

"I didn't even -- "

He spins the carrot stick around his fingers, glancing at Simon.

The next words are more of a mumble, directed at his food. "Served for all of a week and that was bad enough."

[simon_doctor]

"It's not something anyone should have to go through."

[flybywash]

"Yeah."

Wash sighs, and, giving up, drops the carrot back into the bowl.

[simon_doctor]

It's tempting to think that's the whole of the explanation. Red's terror, Mal's anger: both easily explainable by the hideous stresses of the war, fresh in the one's memory, never faded from the other's.

And his own anger ... was he really that angry? Surely not. Surely he hadn't actually come out here intending to find someone on Security to have Mal forcibly removed from the infirmary.

Surely not.