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Jan. 27th, 2006 07:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
indiana_jTitle: Constant Motion
Fandom: Firefly (Kaylee and Wash)
Characters: Kaylee (the rest of the crew)
Prompt: 044. Circle
Word Count: 1,307
Rating: G
Summary: Even when things change, life must go on, even in dreams. Spoilers for the Big Damn Movie.
Author's Notes: None of these characters are mine, sadly.
Normally Kaylee dreamed of predictable and familiar things, much like how Serenity was supposed to run. She'd dream of home, of her folks and her uncle's farm; of fixing things when they broke; things that were hot and heavy that used to wake her up wanting but with Simon there now, she finds herself not so wanting. Regular dreams for regular folk.
The nightmares splintered those dreams like how the catalyzer splintered her engine, making them jagged and dark, bleeding and hurting when she woke up. They weren't fit to be remembered, even when Kaylee did remember them, and they came and went in fits ever since Early.
And then there were the odd ones, the ones that made no sense when she woke but had clarity days later.
~~~
A strong hand, stronger than it looked, rested on her waist as the other one held her right hand in a tight grip. Her left hand mirrored the other as she laughed, closing her eyes as Wash swung her around in a circle, enjoying the feeling of the light-headedness that had some to do with the dancing but most to do with the wine.
Opening her eyes and she caught sight of Zoe, all decked out fancy in the wedding dress, trying to teach Mal how not to step on her feet. Inara's light laughter tickled her ears from behind--no, to the side, as they swung around--enjoying the show. She'd been the one to hire the band, despite protest, as a wedding gift.
Kaylee looked up into Wash's face as he beamed down at her as they stepped through complicated moves that surprised everyone that they knew. The pure bubbling happiness made her breath hitch and made tears prick the corner of her eyes. He shook his head, the meaning clear...no crying at his wedding.
Less it was him, of course.
Wash spun her around again and she clutched at him, nearly stumbling. The pace was picking up and she'd been unprepared for it. A frown wavered even as her partner laughed though the music was starting to sound wrong, off pitch and sharp.
The only reason she didn't fall when she stumbled next was the grip they had on each other. For a second, Kaylee shut her eyes willing away the slight nausea that suddenly rose in her stomach. Something wasn't right, she realized, and looked up at Wash again. The wrongness needed telling.
But there was a sadness to him that stopped her and the words died in her throat even as the cargo hold of Serenity started to spin around them faster and faster.
Or was it them that was spinning so fast and so hard they were likely to collapse at any second?
Kaylee frowned, suddenly catching a glimpse of Jayne poking at the food on the table. He hadn't been at the wedding, hadn't been on the ship yet...
Another spin, another turn, and there was Simon, looking uncomfortable but wanting to fit in. River flitted behind him, mimicking Kaylee and Wash's movements. Book stood nearby, smiling, as he held the Bible in his hands, as though he'd been the one to give the ceremony.
But none of that was right, she thought desperately, and buried her head in Wash's chest to chase away the spinning images. They were still moving in that tight circle when something so acidic hit her nose that she pulled back sharply, gasping as the people around them started to change and shift.
Zoe and Mal had stopped dancing and she was dressed in a black dress, both tired looking, both covered in blood. The happy look in her eyes had been replaced by a look of cold loss and he looked older and more ragged. Jayne passed by, blood on his arm and chest, looking lost and ornery, more than normal even.
Inara knelt on the floor and it was uncertain if she was praying or crying. Or maybe she was doing both.
There was an empty spot where Book had been standing and the bible left on the floor, covered in dust and clearly unopened for a while. Simon looked both different and the same, more sure of himself but unsure of the cost of his confidence.
River had stopped dancing as well, Kaylee noticed as Wash swung her around, and stood there staring at them. Staring at Wash as she tilted her head to the side and suddenly waved her hand as if to make him leave.
With a gasp, Kaylee suddenly found herself without a partner as the strong, familiar arms around her let go. At the speed they had been going she was unable to stop herself from stumbling to the floor and the noise of her fall echoed around the suddenly empty space. The cold floor sent chills through her as she rolled on her back unable to believe that he'd simply let go.
But he hadn't. Or, at least, he looked like he hadn’t wanted to.
Wash smiled down at her sadly, the hands that had been holding onto her so tightly clutched to his chest as blood seeped through the hole that suddenly appeared. He stumbled back through the group of their friends and disappeared as he brushed against Zoe's shoulder.
A shudder ran through Kaylee as she cried, curled up on the floor and not caring how she looked. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out, she thought, closing her eyes. It just wasn't. She'd stopped believing in happy endings years before but this weren't about happy endings, just a normal ending.
Strong hands touched her shoulders and she shrugged them off, curling further in on herself, but the hands were persistent and she found herself being brought back to her feet. They seemed to say Open your eyes for me, look at me. And she did though it was through tears that she saw the world this time.
Awkwardly, Mal gripped her hand in his and pulled her around with him, forcing her to dance with him. She stumbled after him as she cried, unable to tell him no. They went around in a slow and unsure circle before another hand joined theirs, resting on top of Mal and Kaylee's joined ones.
Zoe was grim faced but danced with them and they turned a little better this time around, the moves more clear and comfortable. And when they finished the second circuit, Jayne added his to the bunch, under this time, and Kaylee found that she breathed a little easier. On the third time Simon slipped in and his found a home on the side and the dance was not as awkward and not as rough.
Inara's was next and hers mirrored the last, cupping from the other side and adding her warmth and though her hand was more like Simon's than theirs, it made no lick of difference to them. Not these days and not when it smoothed the edges of the formerly ragged dance.
And, finally, River squeezed in and placed both hands, one on top and one on the bottom, in and if her dance was slightly different than theirs no one paid it any mind.
It was a different dance than before but it felt like it was working, Kaylee thought, feeling Mal's fingers in-between hers. They still stumbled sometimes but the dance never faltered.
~~~
Kaylee woke up dizzy and disoriented, her heart beating faster than it should have been. Simon murmured next to her and she forced herself to relax in his arms. One of those dreams, she realized, closing her eyes again. She'd think about it later when she was in the safety of her engine room and dreams were just distant memories.
And as she drifted off to sleep, she intertwined her fingers with his.
Fandom: Firefly (Kaylee and Wash)
Characters: Kaylee (the rest of the crew)
Prompt: 044. Circle
Word Count: 1,307
Rating: G
Summary: Even when things change, life must go on, even in dreams. Spoilers for the Big Damn Movie.
Author's Notes: None of these characters are mine, sadly.
Normally Kaylee dreamed of predictable and familiar things, much like how Serenity was supposed to run. She'd dream of home, of her folks and her uncle's farm; of fixing things when they broke; things that were hot and heavy that used to wake her up wanting but with Simon there now, she finds herself not so wanting. Regular dreams for regular folk.
The nightmares splintered those dreams like how the catalyzer splintered her engine, making them jagged and dark, bleeding and hurting when she woke up. They weren't fit to be remembered, even when Kaylee did remember them, and they came and went in fits ever since Early.
And then there were the odd ones, the ones that made no sense when she woke but had clarity days later.
~~~
A strong hand, stronger than it looked, rested on her waist as the other one held her right hand in a tight grip. Her left hand mirrored the other as she laughed, closing her eyes as Wash swung her around in a circle, enjoying the feeling of the light-headedness that had some to do with the dancing but most to do with the wine.
Opening her eyes and she caught sight of Zoe, all decked out fancy in the wedding dress, trying to teach Mal how not to step on her feet. Inara's light laughter tickled her ears from behind--no, to the side, as they swung around--enjoying the show. She'd been the one to hire the band, despite protest, as a wedding gift.
Kaylee looked up into Wash's face as he beamed down at her as they stepped through complicated moves that surprised everyone that they knew. The pure bubbling happiness made her breath hitch and made tears prick the corner of her eyes. He shook his head, the meaning clear...no crying at his wedding.
Less it was him, of course.
Wash spun her around again and she clutched at him, nearly stumbling. The pace was picking up and she'd been unprepared for it. A frown wavered even as her partner laughed though the music was starting to sound wrong, off pitch and sharp.
The only reason she didn't fall when she stumbled next was the grip they had on each other. For a second, Kaylee shut her eyes willing away the slight nausea that suddenly rose in her stomach. Something wasn't right, she realized, and looked up at Wash again. The wrongness needed telling.
But there was a sadness to him that stopped her and the words died in her throat even as the cargo hold of Serenity started to spin around them faster and faster.
Or was it them that was spinning so fast and so hard they were likely to collapse at any second?
Kaylee frowned, suddenly catching a glimpse of Jayne poking at the food on the table. He hadn't been at the wedding, hadn't been on the ship yet...
Another spin, another turn, and there was Simon, looking uncomfortable but wanting to fit in. River flitted behind him, mimicking Kaylee and Wash's movements. Book stood nearby, smiling, as he held the Bible in his hands, as though he'd been the one to give the ceremony.
But none of that was right, she thought desperately, and buried her head in Wash's chest to chase away the spinning images. They were still moving in that tight circle when something so acidic hit her nose that she pulled back sharply, gasping as the people around them started to change and shift.
Zoe and Mal had stopped dancing and she was dressed in a black dress, both tired looking, both covered in blood. The happy look in her eyes had been replaced by a look of cold loss and he looked older and more ragged. Jayne passed by, blood on his arm and chest, looking lost and ornery, more than normal even.
Inara knelt on the floor and it was uncertain if she was praying or crying. Or maybe she was doing both.
There was an empty spot where Book had been standing and the bible left on the floor, covered in dust and clearly unopened for a while. Simon looked both different and the same, more sure of himself but unsure of the cost of his confidence.
River had stopped dancing as well, Kaylee noticed as Wash swung her around, and stood there staring at them. Staring at Wash as she tilted her head to the side and suddenly waved her hand as if to make him leave.
With a gasp, Kaylee suddenly found herself without a partner as the strong, familiar arms around her let go. At the speed they had been going she was unable to stop herself from stumbling to the floor and the noise of her fall echoed around the suddenly empty space. The cold floor sent chills through her as she rolled on her back unable to believe that he'd simply let go.
But he hadn't. Or, at least, he looked like he hadn’t wanted to.
Wash smiled down at her sadly, the hands that had been holding onto her so tightly clutched to his chest as blood seeped through the hole that suddenly appeared. He stumbled back through the group of their friends and disappeared as he brushed against Zoe's shoulder.
A shudder ran through Kaylee as she cried, curled up on the floor and not caring how she looked. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out, she thought, closing her eyes. It just wasn't. She'd stopped believing in happy endings years before but this weren't about happy endings, just a normal ending.
Strong hands touched her shoulders and she shrugged them off, curling further in on herself, but the hands were persistent and she found herself being brought back to her feet. They seemed to say Open your eyes for me, look at me. And she did though it was through tears that she saw the world this time.
Awkwardly, Mal gripped her hand in his and pulled her around with him, forcing her to dance with him. She stumbled after him as she cried, unable to tell him no. They went around in a slow and unsure circle before another hand joined theirs, resting on top of Mal and Kaylee's joined ones.
Zoe was grim faced but danced with them and they turned a little better this time around, the moves more clear and comfortable. And when they finished the second circuit, Jayne added his to the bunch, under this time, and Kaylee found that she breathed a little easier. On the third time Simon slipped in and his found a home on the side and the dance was not as awkward and not as rough.
Inara's was next and hers mirrored the last, cupping from the other side and adding her warmth and though her hand was more like Simon's than theirs, it made no lick of difference to them. Not these days and not when it smoothed the edges of the formerly ragged dance.
And, finally, River squeezed in and placed both hands, one on top and one on the bottom, in and if her dance was slightly different than theirs no one paid it any mind.
It was a different dance than before but it felt like it was working, Kaylee thought, feeling Mal's fingers in-between hers. They still stumbled sometimes but the dance never faltered.
~~~
Kaylee woke up dizzy and disoriented, her heart beating faster than it should have been. Simon murmured next to her and she forced herself to relax in his arms. One of those dreams, she realized, closing her eyes again. She'd think about it later when she was in the safety of her engine room and dreams were just distant memories.
And as she drifted off to sleep, she intertwined her fingers with his.