Title: Her Portrait in White
Author: OpheliacAngel
Pairings & Characters: Zoe/Wash
Genre: Romance/Family
Rating: Teen
Summary: Pre-Series. In this very anticipatory moment, Zoe couldn't possibly be happier.
A/N: Written for Female Character Trope Fest in response to the prompt 'Firefly: Zoe Washburne, wedding dresses.' It's not much, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head.
It's happening, it's finally happening. After discussing this moment so frequently with Wash, she now takes the step to go against the orders of her captain and make a serious, life-changing decision of her very own.
She loves Hoban Washburne, wants to spend the rest of her life with him. No matter how short.
And she isn't about to hide it, she's far too anxious to become Zoe Washburne. A strong sense of pride fills her as she says the name over and over in her head; this is what she wants. After the war... let's just say she never thought she'd be getting a happy ending. She would forever be at Mal's side, no one could tear her away, but meeting Wash had been unexpected and wonderful. The connection they shared, their values and hopes for the future..., when it was just the two of them they could forget they were on Serenity and surrounded by nothing but wide-open sky. He grounded her when it was all she needed, he made her feel warm and loved and wanted.
She couldn't get those things from Mal. She wouldn't want those things from Mal.
Zoe fights back the urge to twirl just a bit as she stands in front of the long and filmy mirror. She can admire her dress with her eyes, she doesn't need to let loose her composure and act like a child. Zoe can't hold back the smile that appears of its own permeating volition though; she will never in her life openly admit it, but even she's a sucker for a nice dress.
This is no ordinary dress though.
This is her wedding dress.
An article of clothing that means a great deal more than to just merely cause all eyes to land on you when you enter the room at a festive event, more than to just admire yourself in for a brief few hours until the party's over and it can be discarded or hung back up in the closet. This is the dress she will walk down the aisle wearing, the dress that symbolizes her love for and willingness to finally start her life with Wash. From then on, she can only hope that things will continue to prosper for them, that she'll have his beautiful and adorable kids, that they'll live as happy and safe a life as they can possibly achieve, though she's not sure how much she can guarantee to herself the latter.
There's a part of her that wants to remain with her captain and crew members, for their children to be raised on Serenity, to experience a deeper sense of family than she herself and Wash could probably give them.
There's the other part that wants to settle down somewhere nice and feel a sense of security rather than adventure. For their children to not have to learn and spend every waking moment on how to run, hide and fight, while at the same time being smart enough to know when to do which. She wants to provide them with peace, a peace she feels she doesn't have the right to deprive them of.
But could she really say goodbye to her friends, her captain... her family?
And could Wash?
Zoe snaps back, honing back in on her stunning white dress. Even her hair has been trussed up with the apparent expertise of Kaylee and Inara, featuring a few lovely white flowers she's already forgotten how to name. The one day of her life she would not protest because she wanted to give all of this to her future husband. She wanted to startle Wash speechless, wanted to look so damn nice to prove to him that this would forever be the greatest day of her life. Nothing in the world could or would pressure her when she walked down that aisle, not Mal's disapproving glance or knowing that if they ever had kids, they would have some serious decisions to make.
In those moments, there would only be room for her and Wash. No one else.
The dress is pure white and it's simple, none of them can afford extravagance, but it's exactly what Zoe loves. It's a dress she could probably fight in if she had to, given the short length of it, a dress she would feel proud to let Wash admire her in.
She doesn't think about the future anymore because right here, in the present moment, as she smiles wider and allows herself to twirl just a teensy bit, when she confirms no one's watching, she doesn't think life could get any better. Because now, now Zoe very soon to be Washburne is getting everything that she has ever wanted.
No strings attached.
FIN