milliways_bar | In which Ace tells Wash she's getting married

In which Ace tells Wash she's getting married

It's nearly a quarter to one, and Wash's mun has work at 9:30 AM. So what does she do? Throw him in the bar, of course!

...yes, she's well aware she's doomed.

Anyway! He's in his booth, sans datapad this time, but with some coffee and a copy of the Washington Post to make up for it. Taking a sip, he flips to the Metro section and studies the "Bomb Scare Disrupts Captiol" headline.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ace swears it wasn't her. Really.

She does however drop into the opposite side of the booth. Despite how awkward she's been around him lately, he is one of her dearest friends here.

She's beaming at him. This could definitely be defined as strange.

Wash glances up and takes in the bright grin. Well, this is definitely an improvement over the last time he saw her. Good.

"You're looking decidedly chipper," he notes with a smile. "Fun new developments happening in Ace-land?"

Best to go for the truth, short and sweet. Makes things so much easier.

"You could say that... Tim asked me to marry him."

Wash stops in mid-reach for his coffee. His eyes widen.

"He asked you to -- "

And then his whole face is lit up just as bright as hers, and he's leaning across the table to squish Ace in what's a rather awkward hug (considering there's a big plank of wood between them), but a hug nonetheless.

"Ace, that's fantastic! Congratulations! When did this happen?"

Ace returns the hug whole-heartedly, grinning like a loon.

"Last night. I still can't quite believe it m'self. He wants to marry me, Wash!" Yes, Ace is surprised as anyone else. Maybe moreso.

She sounds so much like he did right after Zoe said 'yes,' with all that radiant, disbelieving joy in her voice, that he has to laugh.

"Of course he does," he says. "The guy's crazy about you. Oh my God," and he starts laughing even harder, "you're getting married, this is surreal -- good, definitely good, but surreal. Any idea when it's gonna happen, or am I asking way too soon?"

"Entirely too soon. Gods. A wedding. For me. Me and Tim." She laughs giddily. "I'll just stick with 'pleasantly stunned' for a bit, yeah?" She sounds completely overwhelmed, mostly because... well... she is. This is one situation Ace never planned for.

"You know, I'm feeling kind of left out now, all these weddings happening everywhere -- first Bernard and Tonks, now you and Tim. Makes me want to go and get married, too."

Beat. Deadpan: "Oh, wait. I already am."

Then the grin's back, and he squeezes her shoulder as he adds, "And hey, you go and be as pleasantly stunned as you want. You've earned it."

"Nevermind Isabel and Warren, and Snow and Bigby..." Ace grins. "Careful, or you might end up with another wife one of these days." She teases cheerfully. "Speaking of which... whenever it is... you have to be there. Please?" Ace gives him her best version of puppy-dog eyes.

His grin fades into a gentle smile.

"Of course I'll be there. Trust me, even if you said I couldn't come, I'd sneak in anyway and spend the whole time shouting obnoxious comments from the back row. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"Good. Goodgoodgood. Gods. Wash, am I completely insane? Just... let me know if I am. I can take it. Really." It's not easy classifying the expression on her face... it might most adequately be described as 'Help!'.

"Yes. Completely, totally insane. Just like everybody else who's ever done this -- I think it's like some kind of marriage defence mechanism, survival through temporary craziness.

"But it's gonna be worth it, even after you're sane again. Especially after you're sane again."

"Alright. Yeah. That sounds right..." She stops, and beams at him again. "So, now that we've established that I'm nutters, and enjoying being nutters entirely too much... whatcha been up to?"

"Agh." He rolls his eyes and scrubs a hand through his hair; the tone is light, and his smile's still there, but it's dimmed by a fraction. "Sadly, not nearly as much fun as you. Between that duel thing and...that duel thing -- did you hear about that? It's absolutely fēng kuáng de in the least fun way possible."

Ace winces. Yes, she'd heard about that.
"Yeah... err... you sure you don't want some nitro? I mean... It's her." Ace is not entirely sure why someone so completely out of it and dangerous to the bar in general is allowed to wander around free, but figures there must be some reason, somewhere. Surely.
"Though, would you hit me horribly if I say I'm very very sad I missed seeing a gal hand the gunslinger's arse to him?"

Wryly, "You know, the fact that I almost want to say yes means there's something horribly, horribly wrong here."

And then, a chuckle. "Somehow I thought you might be. I didn't see any of it -- just heard about it from Eddie. Sounded like she, uh...." Wash shakes his head again. "I'm not surprised. Alarmed, but not surprised."

"Just... don't eat anything she makes. Or drink anything. Or... blast. Am I going to have to be worried about you lot too?" Not that she isn't already. Especially after the elder Tam incident.

Now the smile's definitely gone. Wash looks down at his hands.

"Yeah. I, I talked to Simon about it. Or." His lips twitch. "Yelled at him, more like. About the possibility of bringing her on Serenity, 'cause that's the whole reason River fought for her, you know. So Simon could try to fix her.

"He said he wouldn't do it unless he doesn't have any other choice. But."

Wash taps his thumbs against one another and finally raises his head.

"Did you know Anthy was responsible for Nyarlathotep?"

Ace pales, and stares, horrified. No, she didn't know.

"Oh... oh... no. No, Wash, he can't..."

"I tried to tell him. He said he'd sedate her if it came down to it to make sure she wouldn't be able to do anything."

With a tinge of bitterness, as he rubs the back of his neck, "He also helpfully reminded me that I'm just the pilot and it's not up to me who comes and goes on the ship. If he wants her to come aboard, and Mal ends up siding with him, ain't much I can do about it."

Maybe you should go.

"You could stay here, if she has to be there. You and Zoe both. On my tab, if you're worried about it. Just go back when you have to go on duty. You shouldn't have to stay there with her." Her eyes are wide and frightened, but her expression's determined. There has to be a right answer to this one.

He sighs heavily. "I've thought about it. I've really, seriously thought about it."

Never mind that Zoe would never leave her captain behind to face as serious a perceived threat as this -- or that Mal would willingly do the same to Serenity, for that matter. That's not something Ace needs to hear, nor something Wash really wants to acknowledge himself.

He does give her a slight smile, though. "You don't have to pay for it if we do, though," he adds. And, teasing: "Gonna have to save up for that honeymoon fund, y'know."

"Two points." She flashes a small grin at him. "I'm marrying one of the most powerful wizards in the bar. He could create the whole island getaway himself, if it came down to it. Second... I time travel. I know what banks are. Somewhere, sometime, there's a very nice account waiting. And..." She reaches into her coat pocket, and pulls out a thin rectangle of plastic and magnetic strip. "I've got this to access it."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

In which Ace tells Wash she's getting married

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject