Disclaimer: I disclaim all rights to anything Firefly, as I am not nearly as inventive as Joss and all the other ME dudes. They're pretty cool.
Sequel of sorts to my story Waiting. It's not necessary to read it.
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Aidan Tai Li Reynolds
Running through my ship. Up stairs, down stairs, around bends, down halls, sneaky in small spaces all made for me. Giggling and skirting around knees and shins that would catch me up and probably make me take a bath. Yuck.
Knowing every crook and nanny, some that Kaylee showed me and some that I discovered ALL BY MYSELF, makes me the best in the 'verse at hide and seek, better even than River – she told me. We play games together all the time and on the good days I win at everything.
Kitchen's good 'cause its got the best stuff (food), 'cept for in my room (toys). It's the best colour too, (that's yellow for those that don't know any better, like Katya who thinks that pink is) and usually has something going on in there. During my breakfast time when I'm sitting at the big table ALL BY MYSELF, (or at least pretending too) I'm the Captain and I get everything served to me and I don't have to do anything yucky like helping out by not getting my face dirty. Daddy says that even captains got to help out their mommies at breakfast and not get rice porridge all the way down the other end of the table, ("Don't know how in the suo yo you managed that!") but I know he's lying.
Katya says the bridge is hers but I can play on it if she says which I know ain't true but she is only a girl so I won't make a fuss. Wash owns the whole kingdom up where I usually can't see 'cept on good days when he lifts me up in the pilot chair with him and the dinosaurs and all the other stuff. On bad days both me and Katya get chased off the bridge and then we got to go and play elsewhere.
Doctor fingers tickle me usually 'cept for the time I got all hot and barfed EVERYWHERE 'cause then they gave me shots that I didn't think were all that shiny. I didn't cry though, well… not lots anyway. River says his shots do hurt but it makes him feel better to give them to you so I forgave him after I barfed again all over his shirt. Daddy giggled and Mommy slapped his arm and Simon sighed and stuck a thermo-thingy in my ear. I felt better after that.
Tall boots mean Zoe and she is the one after Mommy who is most likely to give me a bath. She hums nice things though, which is what I heard is called a redeeming factor. She's Katya's mommy 'cause my Mommy ain't, even though they both talk about us when they think we're not listening and say how dirty we are. I'm not as dirty as Jayne who says that a healthy layer of dirt and engine grease is good and I believe him. He's the second toughest on my ship and when I grow up I'm going to be exactly like him. Daddy says Mommy gets really worried when I say that so 'course now I say it really loud when she's around.
Dinner ends with everyone and afterward if I'm maybe a bit sleepy (which isn't often) Shepherd Book is always ready in the lounge to tell a story. River and Katya and me, we all curl up and listen and sometimes he tells about real things and planets he's been to all around the 'verse and sometimes he tells make-believe and sometimes he tells scary stories, but he always warns us because maybe I'm not always as brave as Katya is but it doesn't count 'cause she's older then me. Everyone tells me that I'M the bravest boy on my ship, and that is true.
Nights don't look any different on my ship, ('cept if we're planetside) but Mommy always knows when they come 'cause I'll be running around and before I know I will be scooped up by her and on my way to my room not to play with toys. If I maybe accidentally say that going to bed when I'm not sleepy is go se then Mommy gets REALLY angry and says whoever taught her baby (that's me) bad words like that is a niao se dub doo gway. Then she gets really red and tells me to forget what she just said. If Daddy's there he'll laugh a bit and then throw me up in the air and catch me and then I'll be in my pajamas and in bed.
There will be stuff on my face that Mommy has to wipe off but then she'll just smooth my hair and hug me goodnight. Mommy gives the best hugs and smells better then anyone in the whole 'verse. I might get more sleepy after that and just close my eyes for a bit but I know I'm not sleeping 'cause I can feel Mommy and Daddy kissing my forehead and then hear them tiptoe out of my room.
Mornings I wake up to the hum of my ship Serenity and jump out of bed to run up and down stairs.
THE END