No taking it back now. The words were out there. Wash blinked, time held it's breath. Why oh why had he said that to the captain? He blinked again and then it came in a whoosh. He felt the fabric pull tight across his back as Mal's hands wrapped around his shirt, lifting and slamming him into the cool steel of the bulkhead. His feet barely touched the ground as Mal held him in place by the sheer force of his anger. Wash didn't mind so much. At least he had Mal's undivided attention.
He knew what they thought, his wife and his captain. That he was jealous about their relationship. That what Mal and Zoe shared made him insecure about his own relationship with his wife. That he believed it would take one come hither look from Mal to ruin his marriage.
Right ammo, wrong target.
Sure, his heart would constrict when Mal would bite off one word, punctuate it with a nod and Zoe'd answer "sir," knowing exactly what he wanted and doing his bidding without a backward glance. Sure as shootin' he was jealous of the warm timber Mal's voice took on when he spoke about Zoe, how there was no one else he'd ever trusted with his life the way he trusted her.
Thing was, it wasn't Mal appreciating the wonder that was his wife that rankled Wash, cuz really, even a blind man would know she was a ruby among rubes. He burned with jealousy because Mal would never give him such an appreciating look. He knew his own name would never roll around Mal's mouth like high quality whiskey. He'd always just be Zoe's husband.
While back, there'd been a real good day. Mal had clapped him on the shoulder and called him "a damn fine pilot." He'd flushed under the praise, gripping his steering column way too tight, nearly shoot Serenity right out of orbit. For a while he'd been able to call up that thrill and relive it, but lately it'd grown elusive.
Maybe that's why he'd said what he'd said. If he couldn't get the reaction he wanted from Mal, he'd settle for getting a rise out of him.
"Do I make myself clear?" Mal barked out, eyes still blazing as he unceremoniously released his grip, already turning away.
Wash slumped against the wall. "Crystal clear, Captain. Crystal clear."
He knew what they thought, his wife and his captain. That he was jealous about their relationship. That what Mal and Zoe shared made him insecure about his own relationship with his wife. That he believed it would take one come hither look from Mal to ruin his marriage.
Right ammo, wrong target.
Sure, his heart would constrict when Mal would bite off one word, punctuate it with a nod and Zoe'd answer "sir," knowing exactly what he wanted and doing his bidding without a backward glance. Sure as shootin' he was jealous of the warm timber Mal's voice took on when he spoke about Zoe, how there was no one else he'd ever trusted with his life the way he trusted her.
Thing was, it wasn't Mal appreciating the wonder that was his wife that rankled Wash, cuz really, even a blind man would know she was a ruby among rubes. He burned with jealousy because Mal would never give him such an appreciating look. He knew his own name would never roll around Mal's mouth like high quality whiskey. He'd always just be Zoe's husband.
While back, there'd been a real good day. Mal had clapped him on the shoulder and called him "a damn fine pilot." He'd flushed under the praise, gripping his steering column way too tight, nearly shoot Serenity right out of orbit. For a while he'd been able to call up that thrill and relive it, but lately it'd grown elusive.
Maybe that's why he'd said what he'd said. If he couldn't get the reaction he wanted from Mal, he'd settle for getting a rise out of him.
"Do I make myself clear?" Mal barked out, eyes still blazing as he unceremoniously released his grip, already turning away.
Wash slumped against the wall. "Crystal clear, Captain. Crystal clear."