milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

Yes, it is a Cap'n.

Might be hard to recognize really, as he is not wearing his traditional duster and suspenders; can't deal with 'em sitting over his fun new soon-to-be pretty scars, y'see.

Slipping his way to the Bar pretty much unnoticed - he thinks - he picks up some hot tea and finds an overstuffed chair and ottoman somewhere near the observation window.

[OOM: Mal is off for the night, as mun cannot sleep through her alarm clock again tomorrow. If one is particularly interested, tag for a slowtimed convo tomorrow.]

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At some point after Cuthbert is settled on the couch and talking comfortably with friends, Susan notices Mal in the chair near the window.

And oh, but the smile that suddenly appears is very bright-- with a murmured word to the others, she comes across the room.

"Long days and pleasant nights, Mal."

Mal looks up to Susan, and promptly stands to offer a hug.

"'S good to see ya, Susan," Mal beams. "How is Cuthbert?"

She hugs him back, gently and with care for his injury. Susan's smile is bright.

"It's good to see ye-- to see ye awake, and here," she clarifies.

"'Bert's doing all right, if fidgety. He'll be better soon, we hope."

"Shiny - and I'm always fidgety, what with lead gettin' removed and all. Fidgety's good."

Mal sits back down and motions for Susan to follow.

"How's everyone else? Anthy, Tom, Roland, River? Ain't seen a one of 'em about yet."

"River's fine," she assures him, but Susan's looking out the observation window as she talks.

"Tom and Anthy-- I didn't understand clear what it were-- but they're all right, I think."

Softly, oh so softly, she adds,

"Roland's gone."

"No, I heard that from Wash," Mal adds, although his face has lost a bit of the smile. "When's he back?"

Susan shakes her head silently, and when she looks up at him, the grief is undeniable.

"He's-- he's gone, Mal," she repeats. "He's not-- he's on the road to the Tower."

(the tet is broken)

"He'll not be coming back, I wot."

Mal's face drops, crumpling to match his distress at seeing Susan's grief.

"Duibuqi, Susan. Wo de ma."

"It's--"

All right, she wants to say, but it's not and never will be, not truly, for they've lost --

(and by the wind grieved)

-- lost him, even though they knew this day would come-- they all knew, and very well indeed, say true.

She swallows, and tries again, reaching out a hand to Mal to comfort or for reassurance or both, mayhap.

"It's-- we knew he'd go, someday. And we knew-- we knew we were to lose someone in this, do'ee ken? Ka-shume, it were. We-- we knew."

(I chose the Tower.)

When faced with a lady such as Susan in despair, no matter how strong he knows she is, Mal's heart tears a little bit. He felt the same for Kaylee when she would come to him upset. River too. Mal may have a soft spot.

"Don't matter if you know beforehand. Still's a pain on your shoulders." Mal does try to say 'soul', but he's not up to that.

Tears glitter in her eyes for a moment before she blinks them back, and Susan nods.

"Thankee-sai." A soft breath, and she manages more clearly,

"But-- but he's not dead, just-- gone, to the Tower, and -- and all the others are safe--"

Now, she does not say, but her quick glance across the room at Cuthbert and then back to Mal himself may speak for her.

"It's well enough."

Mal does understand, oh aye. Same way he feels when he remembers Kaylee's mosquito bite so long ago, and her smilin' at him on an infirmary bed, tellin' him to have faith.

"Well enough's best place to start."

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