Anime: Cowboy Bebop

Summary: Just another day on the Bebop. Oneshot.

A/N: Ugh. I wanted it to mean something.

permanent vacation

by tani

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Just another day on the Bebop.

One lazy afternoon following dutifully after one quiet morning, as the ship stood solidly in the baking heat of the sandy edge of the desert. In fact, the only interruption that day had occurred at around ten o'clock, when Spike Siegel had staggered into the main deck of the ship... looking exhausted from a long night's absence.

"Hey! You look you've like been up allllll night," Edward exclaimed, grinning, as he slouched into their so-called 'living room'. "Welcome back!"

"Hi, Ed," he managed to mumble before collapsing onto the couch. Ed tilted her head to one side and gave him a long, long stare, but Spike was gone. His long, skinny limbs sprawled out over the sofa, his eyes closed in complete unconsciousness.

Faye Valentine stalked into the room a few minutes later, her glossy lips pouting slightly when she saw Spike on the couch. "Honestly," she muttered. "You'd think he didn't own a bed."

Ed pushed her goggles back down with a mysterious smile.

It was five o'clock in the afternoon by the time Spike was roused from his sleep, and even then, it wasn't by choice.

Bang!

"Hello everybody, and welcome back to Big Shot, for the biggest bounty heads around! This week we have –"

"Why did you turn that on?" Spike groaned, pulling one of the couch pillows over his head. He already knew the guilty culprit of this affair -– Jet would never be so cruel to him after such a long night.

"It's important to know what's going on in the outside world, you know," Faye's voice echoed through the lumpy cushion.

Spike's headache pounded as he tossed the pillow aside, rubbing his head and tangling his fingers in unruly black curls. "Ugh…"

Faye smiled sweetly at him through the TV, her legs crossed on the opposite couch. "Good afternoon, then."

Spike narrowed his eyes at her acidly, just to show her who was boss. Faye simply continued to radiate attitude. God, he hated that smirk.

The babble of the TV continued to be the only sound in the room, until finally, Spike broke the silence.

"Well, what time is it?"

Faye shrugged her smooth, round shoulders. "There are only three times. Eating, smoking, and watching this show to find our next bounty head."

"Our next bounty?" Spike protested, but, as it had so many times before, his protest went unnoticed by Faye. It was becoming a moot point.

"Don't you think that's a good way of simplifying our schedule?" Faye continued as if she hadn't heard his objection. "You keep such weird hours, I thought it would suit you."

Spike stomach growled as he listened to her explanation, watching her through half-lidded eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Is it time to eat?"

"I don't know. Ask Jet." Faye looked a bit miffed at his lack of enthusiasm.

Spike raised his voice a few decibels. "Jet! Is it time to eat?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid," Jet called back from the kitchen. "How are you feeling?"

"Annoyed," Spike replied blandly, causing Faye to shoot him a dirty look, which he ignored. "And hungry."

Jet just chuckled at his tone, and turned back to the stove. In Spike's mind, there was no doubt that Jet had a wide smile on his face, which was almost as irritating as Faye's presence. He frowned at the sound of that chuckle, his mouth a straight line. What an unhelpful person.

After a moment of thought, he turned back to regard the purple-haired menace that was calmly watching the TV.

"Well, what's on?" he asked her, leaning back on the couch. Faye reached over and switched the TV off grumpily.

"Nothing but small fry," she complained, flicking her hair back. "I'm going outside."

With nothing better to do, Spike followed her out to the outer deck, shielding his eyes from the late afternoon light with one hand. The Bebop was parked on the edge of a desert, and the sand dunes were marred with deep, scoring shadows below a sinking golden sun. Despite it being so late in the day, the sands were probably still hot enough to fry an egg on. If you were inclined to do such a thing.

Or, in the Bebop way of thinking, if you had an egg.

Despite the scorching heat, Spike leaned against the cabin's outer wall and lit his cigarette gratefully. Faye, however, seemed to be having a problem with her lighter; it sparked a couple of times, and then just stopped working altogether.

"Stupid thing," she muttered angrily through her cigarette, throwing the lighter to the ground. Spike raised an eyebrow, and held out his for her to take. And after a moment, she did.

The light of the flame flickered across her creamy skin and for a moment, both were silent as their smoke drifted in the wind.

"Thanks," Faye mumbled finally, returning the lighter to Spike's outstretched hand. "Mine must be outta fuel."

"So, Faye, what time is it now?" Spike asked, taking his lighter back.

She shrugged with the cigarette between her fingers. " You know, I think it's time to take a vacation."

"Like, travel?" he raised both eyebrows, blinking at her. "What a novel idea."

Faye scowled and ashed her cigarette in his hair.

Just another day on the Bebop.