little girl twirling around, devastating tornado.
firefly/serenity.
mal/river.
spoilers: everything.
summary: river develops a strange habit. mal's pov.
The first thing that comes to Mal's mind when he wakes up with River's body wrapped around his is—
—oh shit.
What did I drink last night? is a close second.
-
To his relief, he realizes that they're both dressed and thankfully remembers that last night, there was no drinking involved. He's gone to bed alone after wishing Inara goodnight (and sharing one of those lust-filled stares).
It feels strange, having this even stranger kid in his bed.
(except now she's turned 18 and her figure is catching up on lost time, becoming curvier as months pass by.)
-
He's not sure how he feels about that. (or maybe he is.)
-
They're flying together most of the time.
Most of that time together, she's staring at him.
-
He's glad Simon's free time is devoted to Kaylee when he's not checking upon his sister.
They've gone months without throwing a punch.
-
He goes to bed alone and wakes up with River beside him.
He feels the age gap between them widen every single morning. She's such a beauty, he thinks as he watches her sleep, a whirlwind in the flesh of a girl.
So young, too.
-
Little albatross, bâobèi, what are you doing?
She laughs and twirls around in his bunk, her hair and the skirts of the dress flowing around her. She's a vision.
Can be just a girl anymore. I want to be a woman. Growing, blooming like a flower, opening up to you.
He doesn't know how to respond to that.
(he might know but that's something he doesn't want to think about.)
-
Only that he thinks about it all the time.
-
He splashes cold water on his face and leans on the sink, the weight of this world a heavy burden.
He watches his reflection in the mirror and sees a stranger instead. It won't end well.
-
It doesn't. It never does.