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Once upon a time, Mal gave Kaylee a pink iPod mini.

She has joined the ranks of the headphone-wearing masses, on the couch, curled up half-asleep, a book open on her lap. Even if it's bad for the binding.

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"Stayin' on the couch would be less work," Kaylee points out.

River makes a face at her.

That solution, she clearly feels, is boring.

...Says the girl who has not yet moved from her limp huddle on the armchair, except for her facial muscles.

"Yep," Kaylee says, woefully. "I'm into laziness. What can I say." Beat. "What about you? How're you doin'?"

River considers.

"Industrious," she says solemnly.

Also, inaccurately.

Yep.

Kaylee eyes her. "You don't look all that industrious."

River gives this due consideration.

And sticks her tongue out at Kaylee.

Without moving.

"...yep." Kaylee is grinning.

River looks satisfied.

Argument won!

"So, you're enjoyin' bein' lazy too, huh?"

Uh-huh.

It's broody more than lazy, really. So 'enjoying' is not the most accurate term.

River's not going to mention that to Kaylee.

"It's very comfortable."

Well.

Kaylee has a semblance of tact. And if she can tell, she's not saying.

The fact that River is wearing Roland's coat is maybe not the best sign ever.

"Usually is."

She does wear it when she's in a good mood, too. Huddling + Roland's coat + Roland's favorite armchair != good mood, however, as a general rule.

"Blame the cotton," River informs her seriously.

Kaylee blinks. "For what?"

River looks confused.

"What should I be blamin' the cotton for?"

River exhales, and slumps a little more against the chair, turning her eyes to the fabric.

"It's inherent," she says to the cloth. "Sub-osseous atmospheric density."

Kaylee isn't following.

Mostly because she's looking at River a little more closely, now.

"You sure you're doin' all right?"

River's eyes slide down to the chair's arm, and work their way over to Kaylee again.

Soft, "You're worried."

This is not an answer.

"Usually am, about somethin'." Beat. "You didn't answer, though."

That first part is a little telling.

The second part...well. Kaylee knows it wasn't an answer.

"I'm okay."

She is.

Not great. Not cheerful.

But she's okay.

"...okay."

Kaylee tightens her grip on the book.

River watches her, or rather the air just in front of her shoulder.

A little troubled.

Well, then 'troubled' is two for two.

Because River is perceptive. And that's just about the understatement of the year.

River is also good at keeping things to herself. But River is perceptive. And Kaylee doesn't know what River might know.

And Kaylee isn't supposed to say anything.

Silence stretches.

Then, "It's okay."

A little frustrated; a little helpless.

Kaylee's eyes flick up.

No it's not, she doesn't say.

It is so long as she's in Milliways.

But that means that everybody else is still back there with Mal, and Kaylee doesn't know what Mal will do.