A/N:I forgot I wrote this! I found it on my hard drive while searching for stories! I'm a little worried about the truncated -ing verbs being annoying, but I think it helps read the story in Kaylee's vernacular. Also didn't italicize the Mandarin because I thought it was more immersive this way.
Bombinate
She ain't got a blink of sleep since yesterday because Serenity's core's been actin' up again. She's been through it, couplings and lines and tian shia, but can't find the part that's makin' the loud buzzin' sound drivin' everyone crazy.
Happens early morning, durin' her third full pass of the parts, finger slip because she's such a bubn dahn and gets all cut up on a raised piece of metal. The bleedin' is the bleedin', but when the bleedin' don't stop, soakin' through the stained rag from the front pocket of her coveralls, she sighs shakin' to her feet and goes to find Simon.
He's sittin' with River, playin' a card game she wishes she could play, but she's got duties—Captain's been more than adamant that it's her job to keep Serenity in the sky.
His job is fixin' her finger, and apparently complainin' about how awful life is on the outer rim planets.
How awful life is with her.
"A red line. Two red lines." River points, droppin' her cards, and she has an inklin' that his sister is cheatin' him.
"Kaylee?" Startin' to think that it's real good show, he's just a good actor is all. Takes her hand, tuggin' the rag away. "What happened?"
"Cut it up on a yu bun duh piece of metal." Eyes scorin' the floor, oil itchin' at her cheeks.
"And you couldn't find something a little bit cleaner to wrap it in?"
"Tell you what, the next planet we land on, you can buy me a new rag."
Aims to yank away and tie the rag tighter round her finger til the bleedin' stops. What they used to do before Dr. Tam graced Serenity with his presence. But her anger simmers when he shapes to be concerned.
"I didn't mean—" sighs all irksome, trying to do a table flip, makin' him out to be hurt. Knows it just as sure as she seen River switch some cards. "—just come on."
She sits on that cold bed in the infirmary, her stomach still hurtin' a might every time she does. He pulls on a weird set of glasses, lotsa lenses slidin', drawin' his eyes big and blue and full of sorrow as nimble doctor fingers pick at her cut, cleanin' it like she cleans oil gunked up in Serenity. Got a little light on his head to shine her finger so he can see what he does. Gives her a sterile strip, then a proper bandage, feels it, doesn't see it, cause she can't watch him. Never found theatrics interestin' and instead she thinks of Serenity's heart, the part that must be makin' the buzz.
His lips peck her fingertip, grinnin'. Not professional Dr. Tam, but boyish, achin' for trouble Simon, and she's gotta grin back because that part's not actin'.
Sends her off with another kiss on her forehead. "Please be careful baobei."