Disclaimer: I don't own this wonderful, wonderful show.
Just a small drabble-y thing. Might be more to come.
It's the anniversary of Simon's first year—and his sister's first year—on Serenity when he realizes how much the ship has become a home for River and him.
The minute River got to exploring the ship beyond her room and the infirmary, Simon could tell she was in love with it. It had an indefinable charm, something warm and inviting about the mismatched kitchen chairs and the steady thrum of the engine beneath their feet. Maybe it was the scent of roses from Inara's shuttle, mixed with the traces of gunsmoke that originated from the cargo bay. The walls seemed to glow burnished copper, as if light pulsed behind them. The ship had life.
He could now understand how Kaylee was so head-over-heels for it—for her. Serenity had become as real as anybody to him. The name Serenity had once only meant a ship, but to Simon and her crew, she meant the world.
Simon had become a part of that crew. So had River. It was home, and all was right.