Old Soldiers
Rated: PG
Category: Gen, Mal/Zoe Friendship.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Mal's Pretty Good At Hiding His Troubles, But There's Always One He Can't Fool.
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Mal didn't know how many shots he'd downed.
Things were more than a bit fuzzy at the moment, but he didn't mind.
He picked up his bottle of rice wine and poured himself another libation with a stupid grin on his face. He knew he'd pay for this, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
He downed his shot, then slammed his glass on the table with a thud.
His head joined it shortly, and suddenly the world was no more.
A short while later, Wash slept alone.
Mal woke in his bunk the next morning, with no clear recollection of how he got there.
A vague notion of dark curls, strong arms, and the strange exchange of 'Sarge' for 'Captain' swirled though his mind, but it refused to solidify into actual memory.
However, a note and a vial on the table next to his bunk brought a smile in spite of his pounding head.
The vial was painkillers, and the note was more.
Get over this, sir. I'll carry Serenity for a while.
Tired eyes met hung-over ones at breakfast that day, and gratitude was given and accepted without words.
And two old soldiers lived to fight another day.