BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

TUJIAOZUO

Lilac Syndrome: Chapter 11
Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The New Haven Series; Post BDM; M/I, S/K: Meilin gets the comfort she wants, River finds Fiyero good company, Simon realizes that Fiyero is a boy, Ghostified Wash presses a delicate subject and Mal does some talkin'


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2707    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

Well, this is the second attempt of posting this, the first time I got ready to hit the submit button, corrections, chinese translations done and all, and the computer decided to hate me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mal’s feet hit the steps as they went up.

He saw the crews mixing nicely at the table, the Rising Sun’s wide awake as they were running on morning hours while Serenity’s winding down as it was night hours for them. A large group was playing tall card; Sterling, Wren, Virgil, Jayne and Roxy were all smoking cigars while working on their hands, the latter two also knocking back shots of mudders milk and exchanging various unsavory stories in a bout of ‘you show me yours, I’ll show you mine’ in regards to their battle wounds. Simon and Pike were still talking their medical jargon, swapping opinions and reminiscing about their training, Emma was off somewhere (being silent and creepy no doubt, she gave Mal an unpleasent feeling), and Kaylee and Jovie and were talking while River slipped towards the engine room and Fiyero followed.

Inara was coming from the engine room with Meilin who was fussing louder than the last time Mal had seen her.

He walked towards her, her wrought face as Meilin had been upset for half a day. “She’s still at it?” He rested his hand on the small of Inara’s back and watched his daughter’s red face as she rubbed against her dress and howled.

“I think we’re going to fix a bottle and lay down.” She explained as everyone in the room flinched at the child’s noise.

He kissed her forehead. “Go get ready in the bunk, I got the bottle.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

River sat herself on Kaylee’s hammock, the manchild she had attracted peering in from the doorway.

She scowled at him.

“What did I do to receive such hostility?” Fiyero asked, perching himself on some sort of clunky metal housing. “I thought we were seven shades of shiny, you the witch, I the witch loving pseudo prince. You know you can’t just hate me on a whim. I’m a delicate soul, you’ll disturb the precarious balance of my emotions and send me spiraling into dejection.”

“You’re a reader.” She growled.

“Of the pitiful sort.” He admitted. “I can lock people out of my mind and read and project to the furry beings of the ‘verse, that’s it. I’m not human compatible.” He looked to the cat, silently communicating with it.

Boston glared at Fiyero, he didn’t like the way River was being looked at as he was a possessive little ball of cross eyed fluff.

“Did Em talk to you?”

River blinked.

He sighed, his shoulders dropping. “So she did the creepy mind talking? Don’t be so offended by that. She took a vow of silence that she has to break from time to time due to the fact the others in the crew can’t be projected to. If you can be projected on, she does it, regardless of the fact that it feels like a complete violation of privacy.”

“You know how to control your abilities?” She asked shrewdly.

“Yes, and I’m trying to build them up.” He divulged. “Now, you’re a reader?”

The dark head of River Tam nodded.

“And as I’ve heard you’re quite all powerful but no finesse?”

River took offense.

Fiyero smiled teasingly.

“I’ll kill you.” She mock threatened, glimmer of mischeiviousness that fed off of his good nature.

“I’d like to think finesse would win over all powerful. Besides you wouldn’t want to kill me, I’m a rather amiable human, ain’t too many of me out there. All sweet and nice like.”

“You attacked me.”

“Cause you attacked my mentor, I was only doing what was right.” He defended passionately, though still sarcastic “Being a loyal student and protecting her and all that jazz. Fighting, being all terse in the face is my job. Can’t have a grinning pirate monk, that just wouldn’t go over well.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mal fixed a bottle and headed down to his bunk, also carrying a mug of hot tea that would aid in Inara settling in for sleep.

Inara was still tending to Meilin who had been stripped down to her diaper as it was plenty warm in the room. The mother was exhausted and fretful, as she had slipped on her night robe and stood over the water filled sink. Singing gently and trying to pacify her baby as she wiped the fair skin clean with a damp cloth. Turning, she saw Mal and his expression of pity.

“Still won’t stop?” He asked, setting the cup down and gesturing that he would take the baby and try to calm her. Occasionally, Meilin wanted someone specific to coddle her.

“I have one more trick up my sleeve.” The companion announced in a way that sounded as if she felt it would be fruitless, exhausted as she finished wiping the miniature arms before leaving the cloth on the side of the sink. “If it doesn’t work…”

“I’ll stay up all night pacing with her.” Mal finished for her, taking a seat on the bed next to her whilst she sat down and passing the bottle over. He watched as Inara untied her robe with a tug of the sash, the fabric falling back to reveal the torso and chest nude. Holding Meilin close to her breasts she gave the baby her bottle, humming, rocking her body.

Meilin pressed her nearly nude body into Inara’s warm, comforting skin as she drank heartily. In between slurps, she let out a sigh of relief and her fingers pulled and kneaded her mother, holding on tight.

“There we go, finally.” Inara smiled, thankful for the calm.

Meilin’s eyes shut as she breathed through her nose the sweet smell of her mother, she groaned through a formula filled mouth and curled her toes. She loved being close, nothing to separate them.

“De tai chong, zhi you shi yi chang he wo-men dou dei xiu.” She whispered lovingly.

“Well now don’t she like that.” Mal smiled, reaching out and stroking the back of Meilin’s head with his fingers. His daughter whined at his touch and settled closer to the warm body she appeared she wanted to meld into.

“She thrives on skin contact.” Inara explained. “I like to use it as bonding time since I can’t nurse her. Though I didn’t want her to associate it with being upset and immediately being pacified by this.”

“Well I’d like a little skin on skin contact like that too if it was me.” He teased.

Meilin exhaled deeply through her nose and her eyes began to flutter. She felt clean and warm, safely flush against Inara’s soft skin and listening to her rhythmic heart beat. It was a familiar sound, and she was comforted by it as much as the nearness of her mother.

The parents both watched, and fell silent.

“I know, you know that what happened today was partially based on a matter of the heart.” Mal finally said uncomfortably. “But it ain’t something ta worry about. Who I was all sour over, she’s not... that aint... who I ..."

"Loved?" Inara supplied as strongly as she could muster without sounding jealous. Suddenly she felt glad Meilin was so close, it was giving her added strength and comfort.

"Yeah..." He exhaled wearily "that person I did, have feelings for... reckon she died inside and… people jus change.” He looked at her sincerely. “Like how I changed from some rudderless ol’ cad into a lovestruck ol’ hun-dan that is madly in love with this woman that’s gotta have a ‘verses worth of patience to put up with me and my paradoxies as well as singlehandedly balance motherhood all at the same time.”

“You don’t have to flatter.” Inara said quietly, eyes trained on her daughter.

“I figured it helps. Seeing as I wasn’t the most sensible man today.”

“I sense you have your reasons.” Inara listened to the gurgle and looked down at her babe more closely. “What they are I doubt anyone will ever know, but I’m making myself believe you had justifiable reasons.” She gazed up for a second to get her point across.

Meilin was asleep, her bottle wasn’t empty, but her tongue had relaxed over the nub and the formula was backed up, which gurgled every time she exhaled.

“Oh, and if you didn’t believe?”

“You’d be sleeping in the common room.” She announced non-chalantly, taking the bottle out of the small mouth, Meilin's head lolled to the side and her lips rested themselves against her mother's skin.

“Sounds right.” Mal reached over and took Meilin to burp her. She squirmed immediately, wanting Inara. “Easy, easy. You’ll get back to her soon enough.” He unbuttoned his shirt with a spare hand as he stood up, letting his suspenders fall off his shoulders as he set Meilin and a towel on his shoulder. “Shhhhh xiao xiong-mao.”

Meilin calmed down, his skin would do too.

With his hand patting her back he walked the room as Inara slid out of her robe and gave herself a sponge bath as well. He watched her, her tempting lines and seamless skin.

Mal smiled as his bitterness had faded away in the small time he had spent with his girls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zoe, had spent the entire time on the bridge with Wash.

With her in his lap, relaxed with arms around his shoulders and face near his, they had spent time catching up, for months and moments had occurred after he had passed. Wash knew about everything, but he was willing to listen to his still very mortal wife as well as add his little remarks. Including his joke regarding Jayne as the elder of Tehatchepi.

“Well I mean, they really don’t gotta choice to look up to him, metaphorically... physically.” He chimed."I'd be horrified if also they did spiritually."

“So, do ya know if it works out future wise?” She eluded. “You bein’ in heaven and all.”

“I know what’s going on right now over there.” Wash explained. “I can see the present in every angle that’s possible, but not so much with the future.” He gestured out to the stars that were just beyond the windshield. “The future changes all the time, because nothing’s set in stone and it’s affected by everything anyone does. There’s more futures than the stars themselves, Babycakes. Every second it alters and goes about a thousand new ways. Some are good, some are bad, but they’re never the same way twice.” He grew serious and pained in the face, reaching out, he cupped her cheek.” Which is what I’ve been trying to get across to you.”

Zoe, not wanting to hear any of it, got up out of his lap. “Wash,” “I know you wanna go, that you think no one’s going to miss you down here and you just can’t wait to spend the rest of your days all ghostified.” He shook his head. “But Zoe, you’ve got so much life left in ya Sweetums. You don’t have to give up and just float away with me. You can fight it! And I want you to fight it! You gotta live the life for me. Live out the rest of your future, and you could have some exciting ones, let me tell you…”

“Without you?” She emphasized, injured and not wanting to let go.

“Without me.” He told her softly, gently. “Trust me, if you wake up and play your cards right, you’re gonna meet someone new.” He took her hands and squeezed them earnestly. “Someone to do all the things we never did.”

Horrified at that thought, Zoe shook her head and pulled away. “I can’t.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simon went to the engine room.

He had prepared for bed, dressed in pajamas since there were people about. Heading up the stairs, when he reached the corridor that went from the galley to the engine room, he heard talking.

River and the Rising Sun boy.

Pausing mid stride, he stood in the corridor, one hand on the doorway to the warm engine room, eyes keenly fixated on his sister’s smiling, blushing, crushing face.

His mouth opened, closed, and opened again. Brows pushed together in bewilderment as the lower half of his face slackened and his eye twitched, looking as if he had been struck with a blunt object. Simon was completely aware that River was growing up and coming into her own, but he never thought of boys.

Boys.

Kaylee ducked out from the engine room, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him in like a rag doll.

“Did… did you… the.. he… she… she’s… River’s..” He babbled.

Kaylee gave a knowing smile and rubbed his chest to calm him down. “It’s a good thing.”

“A good thing?!” he squeaked, eyes snapping wide and round.

“Honey.” Kaylee gave him a peck on his cheek. “It’s natural, she’s near eighteen, her bein’ interested in boys means she’s normal.”

“But boys?” He whispered harshly, looking back as if reluctant to accept the new turn of events. “She’s… no, she’s just a child.”

“Eight. Teen.” She enunciated. “Eighteen years old and finally mature enough ta crush on someone. It ain’t bad, hell she’s slow compared to me. But it means she’s growin’ up.”

Simon seemed to relax, but still managed to look like an overwhelmed parent. Kaylee kissed his chin, and he finally blinked and looked down at her.

“Remember how happy we are now because she’s all mature and growin’ up?”

He blinked a few more times, though his lip curled awkwardly, still contemplating the large step. “We are?”

Kaylee nodded her head slowly.

Simon followed the nod, stupidly. He blinked a few times and seemed to finally find his composure. “She’s, she’s growing up.” He swallowed, and gave a small smile that looked absolutely terrified.

“It’s good.” Kaylee kissed him gently on the mouth and gave him a tug towards their hammock. “Now come on, I’m bushed.”

“But…” He paused, turning his neck to look back at the door. “Should we… leave them alone?”

The mechanic rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “You’re way too parental.”

“I’m just… Yes I’m parental.” He admitted, “But I think I have the right.”

“He’s harmless.” She dismissed his worries. “He don’t got the look of a fella that’s been around too many girls, he’s too green ta pull anything. Plus Serenity’s fulla people, there ain’t any place they can sneak off to do anything.”

“This is a smuggling ship.” He pressed out dubiously. “There’s half a dozen places.”

“Nothing’s gonna happen.” She pulled him to the hammock and urged him to lie down. "In ten minuets some filk'll be in the galley, disruptin' anything romantic if they try it, which I highly doubt."

From his place in the hammock, he gazed up at her. "You doubt?" He said with hope.

Leaning in, she kissed his forehead and ran his fingers through his thick, silky hair. "They're too gorram innocent, both of 'em." She continued to pet his scalp to sooth him. "Those two'll just circle 'n crush on one another till they finally work up the nerve. That's a ways away, I promise."

Simon gave a huff that was more of a noise a father made about a daughter coming into her own than anything else, and Kaylee laid alongside him, her fingers curling against his chest. Looking down, he kissed her warm reddish hair and let out a sigh as he held her close and grabbed the blanket on the shelf. Draping it on them, he felt her snuggle in. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

As Kaylee closed her eyes and fell into a restful sleep, as her most restful sleep was either brought by Simon or the engine room and she had both.

Simon stretched his foot out of the blanket, sighed and gazed up at the ceiling with an uncomfortable face.

Boys.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

River shook her head at her brother’s thoughts, he was such a fretful goose.

Fiyero turned his head as Emma slid into the doorway, her hand gesturing for him to come.

Invite her along as long as you don’t become addled.’

“Hey Riv.” He asked, hesitantly as his face was captured by her brown eyes. “Would you like to go to the cargo bay and train?”

“Train what?”

“Well, Emma’s been teaching me the exercises of the Qian Shan monks. Control, form, finesse.”

River stuck her tongue out at him.

“What was that?”

“Was this.” She stuck her tongue out again.

“Ah yes, you’re quite the fierce some all powerful being, tongue hanging out and all. I can see the finesse lacking.”

“You dou de shou.” She responded in playful aggression.

Fiyero feigned skepticism. “Really?”

“I’m a dancer.” She announced proudly, nobily with her nose slightly tilted in the air.

“No…. really?”

River smacked him, giggling.

“Well come on then,” He smirked, egging her on “let’s see you show off your steps, Tuff Stuff.”

’No showing off.’ Emma’s mind rang through their heads like a watchful tutor.

River and Fiyero jumped up and briskly walked over to the cargo bay door, competitive and smiling.

’Children.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inara had fallen asleep.

Meilin however decided she wanted her father instead of her mother. So, Mal was sans shirt, with her nestled in the crook of his arm. The child was curled into a near fetal position, gripping his skin as she let out slow, warm breaths against his ribs, and didn’t seem to want him to lay down. So he told Inara good night, and climbed the ladder to walk about Serenity with Meilin. The galley was quiet. Wren and Jovie were in the helm, talking there as River was off the clock for sleep. Genevieve was at the table, cleaning a pile of guns she had taken out of a duffle bag while Sterling was standing at the kitchen. He had a pot on the stove, steam curling up in thick, herb scented clouds, and he was at the counter and fixing a toaster.

“Glad she’s happy.” Genevieve announced, she couldn’t help but smile at the tiny daughter all tucked against his body.

“So am I.” Mal sighed.

Sterling looked up as Roxy came in smoking a cigarette. Looking at Mal, Meilin, then at the foul smoke being admitted by the mechanic. “Fer the luv ‘o the ‘verse Roxy, put out that cancer stick when yur a’round tah babe.” He rumbled, snatching the tobacco from her fingers and crushing it in a fizzle in his metal hand.

“Hei ni dai kuai de hui-shou.” She snapped in a surly manner, curling her lip in a peevishly.

“Ya can’t be blowin’ all that smoke out ‘ere.” He tossed the bits of the cigarette in the trash bin, his face firm. “Wo-men shi bin-ke. When we git bawk on th’ Risin’ Sun you can smoke tu yer heart’s content ‘n try ta blow us up.”

“Fine, somethin’s gotta take it’s place though.” She kept walking and grabbed a green bottle from his crate of things. “’Mister Gin’ll do just fine.” She grabbed a chair and sat down across from Genevieve. “Guns?”

“Grog?” Genevieve took apart a sniper rifle. Checking the chamber with a keenly trained eye.

“My liver’s lonesome.” Shrugging, she grabbed a used cup on table and screwed off the cap. “You know that little pip is cute when it ain’t shriekin’.” Her smokey eyes lifted up for a moment to glance at the infant.

“Poor thing had ta be scared outta ‘er wee mind.” Sterling went back to fixing the broken toaster he had found. As his stew was slow cooking his mechanical appendage whirred and clicked and was a series of wire cutters, screw drivers and tweezers for grabbing miniscule partsas it tinkered. “’Ad every right tu cry.”

“Glad you feel that way.” Mal said as Meilin groaned and slept on. “So I…”

He heard something going on in the cargo bay and stopped, looking to the corridor thoughtfully.

“Excuse me.”

Mal left the with Meilin in tow, his barefeet padding softly on the metal as he crossed into the cargo bay and looked out. Down below he saw Emma, Fiyero and River, doing a training exercise of some sort. It was a slow repetitive form, with a pause ever few seconds as Emma went over to River and critiqued her. Raising her hand up slightly higher, adjusting her stance slightly, the monk was very precise as well as silent.

He also saw Virgil sitting on the middle level of the catwalk, watching.

Going down, he stopped right next to the other captain and sat down. "Care for company?"

"Long as this don't end in a brawl." Virgil sipped a tin mug of amber liquor and let out a deep breath. Looking sideways, he saw Meilin and smiled. "Ain't she a precious little shaver, thank buddha inherited her looks from her momma."

"Hey, I'm a sight cuter than your ugly mug." Mal announced cooly, though with a twinge of defensiveness. "Only reason dolls ever flocked to you was because Virgil East was a pilot. Space jockey in a snappy uniform and a shiny fighter ship. Kong-jun shu de dou de rong he gu-niang."

"I'm just prettier Mal, what can I say." He teased, relaxing as there was no longer aggression from either side.

Meilin yawned, snuggling in as her chest and belly heaved.

Virgil gave a sideways smirk. "You don't gotta worry about your looks though, seems she likes ya well enough. When'd she come?"

"Few months back, before winter hit our world." Mal watched his daughter fondly. "Hate to sound soft in fronta the mighty pirate captain, but the best thing that happened to me since I found this old boat."

"So," Virgil sighed. "where'd you get a reader?"

**** **** **** TRANSLATIONS/DEFINITIONS

De tai chong, zhi you shi yi chang he wo-men dou dei xiu: get your fill, it has been a long day and we both need rest

hun-dan: bastard

xiao xiong-mao: little panda

You dou de shou: Have plenty of finesse

Hei ni dai kuai de hui-shou: hey you stupid piece of recycling

Wo-men shi bin-ke: We are guests

Kong-jun shu de dou de rong he gu-niang:air force rats got all of the glory and girls

****As always, the writer appreciates all comments whether they be positive, negative, or suggestions.**

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