Firefly Fic: Humor an Old Man
Aug. 17th, 2006 08:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
toxic_cornTitle: Humor an Old Man
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Joss owns all that is Firefly, I just own the kiddies.
Summary: Takes place a few years or so after "Bad Moon Rising" in the Songs From a Firefly series. I was feeling mushy.
Humor an Old Man
“Oh, hey! I love this place!”
Lady sighed in relief as Wash dropped down next to her in the sand. She turned to him and smiled at the way his bright blue eyes gazed out at the water. He took a deep breath, clearly enjoying the ocean air, and faced her, smiling back.
“Hi, Daddy,” she whispered.
Wash reached out and traced a finger down her face. Lady realized he was tracking the path of a tear she didn’t know she’d shed.
“Hi, Ladybug. Come here.”
She threw herself into her father’s embrace and buried her face into his neck. He smelled like the soap he’d always used.
“I miss you,” she whimpered. In a strange way, it felt nice to be this vulnerable. Usually, she had to be the strong one for the other kids and for Mom so she wouldn’t worry. She had enough to worry about as it was.
“I miss you too, Lady.” He kissed her temple. “Are you helping Mom with the other kids? Of course you are. Stupid question.”
Lady giggled and wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “Besides, you’re always watching us anyway, right?”
“Not when you’re in the bathroom.” Wash considered this for a moment. “Well, only when your mom-”
“Ew!” Lady shoved him playfully.
Wash tapped the corner of her mouth. “There’s that smile. You should show it off more often.”
Lady shrugged. “Don’t have as much to smile about most days.”
“Aw, sure you do. You got sixteen people who love you. That’s nice, right?”
“Well, yes. But-”
“No buts. Haven’t you heard Mal’s ‘love keeps the ship in the air’ speech? It’s sappy but true for the most part.”
Lady looked at him for a long moment. He seemed so real, the wind blowing his hair around. “Why did you have to die?”
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I didn’t really have much say in the matter, sweet pea.”
“But why couldn’t you have bent over to pick something off the floor at the last minute? Or why couldn’t you have got up right away ready to run? Or-”
“Ladybug, you can’t think like that.” All trace of humor was gone from his face. “I’m gone now and no amount of ‘what if’ is gonna bring me back. I’m sorry.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Now, if you knew any voodoo spells…”
“Dad.”
“Okay, sorry, not funny.”
They sat together like that in comfortable silence, watching the sun dip down closer to the horizon.
“You were supposed to teach us how to surf.”
“I was, wasn’t I? And here I thought I was being the nice guy, waiting for all of you guys to be old enough so no one would get left out. Now I’m dead.” He sighed. “Figures. Nice guys do finish last.”
“What’s it like?”
“Surfing?”
“Dad!”
Wash chuckled. “I can’t help myself.” He frowned as he gathered his thoughts together. “It’s like dreaming in a way. You can be anywhere with anyone at any time. But there’s limits. You can’t make anyone living see you. Not unless they’re open to it.”
“Do you see Mom and Ben and Vee?”
“I see everyone. But I only visit you and Ben.”
This surprised her. “Why?”
“Well, I’m teaching Ben to fly so-” He caught Lady’s eye and got serious. “Your mom’s not ready to see me yet. And Vee’s not open enough.”
“Because she’s so angry?”
Wash nodded. “She needs to forgive River first.”
“But it wasn’t River’s fault!”
“Of course it wasn’t. But that’s not how your sister sees it.”
Lady straightened her shoulders. “I’ll talk to her.”
Wash ruffled her curls. “That’s a good girl.”
After a few moments, Lady asked, “So what do you do with your days?”
“Well, I sometimes visit the shepherd and Mr. Universe. But mainly I watch you guys. And worry.”
“Worry? Why? Is something going to happen?”
“Ooh, no! No, nothing like that.”
“Then what?”
“Just… Dad stuff.”
“Such as…?”
“Well, I worry about you.”
“Me?!”
“Yeah, you.”
“Why me? If there’s anyone to worry about, worry about Vee.”
“Oh, I worry about her plenty. But I worry for you too sometimes, sunshine.”
Lady looked perplexed.
“I worry that you’re not having any fun while you’re young.”
Now she just looked annoyed. “I have fun.”
“Oh, really? Do you sneak off with David and make out?”
“Dad! Me and David aren’t-”
“No, but you should be. He likes you and you like him. Boom.” Wash clapped his hands together. ‘When you hear Nettie, Nova, and Vee up late giggling, do you ever join them?”
Lady frowned. “No, because we usually have a job the next day and have to be up early.”
“Always so responsible. Ladybug? You have the whole rest of your life to be a grown up; take my advice and be a kid while you still can.”
“So if I make out with David and stay up late, you’ll worry less?”
Wash pretended to consider it. “Maybe, I can’t make any guarantees.”
“And if I’m not having enough fun, you’ll come remind me?”
Smiling, Wash nodded. “Right. I’ll be here if you need any advice. Just as long as it isn’t financial advice.”
“Got it,” Lady said wryly.
They watched the sun disappear into the ocean and smiled sadly at one another.
“Until next time, then.” Wash kissed Lady reverently on the forehead. “I love you, Lady.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
~*~
Lady’s eyes opened just as her alarm went off. She got up and showered, dressed, brushed her teeth.
She found David just climbing down the ladder from his room. “Morning.” He grinned. But faltered when she curled herself around him.
“Meet me in the spare shuttle after breakfast,” she whispered in his ear.
David nodded, dumbly.
Releasing him, Lady continued on to the mess, smirking. Following Daddy’s advice was going to be… fun.
END
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Joss owns all that is Firefly, I just own the kiddies.
Summary: Takes place a few years or so after "Bad Moon Rising" in the Songs From a Firefly series. I was feeling mushy.
Humor an Old Man
“Oh, hey! I love this place!”
Lady sighed in relief as Wash dropped down next to her in the sand. She turned to him and smiled at the way his bright blue eyes gazed out at the water. He took a deep breath, clearly enjoying the ocean air, and faced her, smiling back.
“Hi, Daddy,” she whispered.
Wash reached out and traced a finger down her face. Lady realized he was tracking the path of a tear she didn’t know she’d shed.
“Hi, Ladybug. Come here.”
She threw herself into her father’s embrace and buried her face into his neck. He smelled like the soap he’d always used.
“I miss you,” she whimpered. In a strange way, it felt nice to be this vulnerable. Usually, she had to be the strong one for the other kids and for Mom so she wouldn’t worry. She had enough to worry about as it was.
“I miss you too, Lady.” He kissed her temple. “Are you helping Mom with the other kids? Of course you are. Stupid question.”
Lady giggled and wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “Besides, you’re always watching us anyway, right?”
“Not when you’re in the bathroom.” Wash considered this for a moment. “Well, only when your mom-”
“Ew!” Lady shoved him playfully.
Wash tapped the corner of her mouth. “There’s that smile. You should show it off more often.”
Lady shrugged. “Don’t have as much to smile about most days.”
“Aw, sure you do. You got sixteen people who love you. That’s nice, right?”
“Well, yes. But-”
“No buts. Haven’t you heard Mal’s ‘love keeps the ship in the air’ speech? It’s sappy but true for the most part.”
Lady looked at him for a long moment. He seemed so real, the wind blowing his hair around. “Why did you have to die?”
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I didn’t really have much say in the matter, sweet pea.”
“But why couldn’t you have bent over to pick something off the floor at the last minute? Or why couldn’t you have got up right away ready to run? Or-”
“Ladybug, you can’t think like that.” All trace of humor was gone from his face. “I’m gone now and no amount of ‘what if’ is gonna bring me back. I’m sorry.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Now, if you knew any voodoo spells…”
“Dad.”
“Okay, sorry, not funny.”
They sat together like that in comfortable silence, watching the sun dip down closer to the horizon.
“You were supposed to teach us how to surf.”
“I was, wasn’t I? And here I thought I was being the nice guy, waiting for all of you guys to be old enough so no one would get left out. Now I’m dead.” He sighed. “Figures. Nice guys do finish last.”
“What’s it like?”
“Surfing?”
“Dad!”
Wash chuckled. “I can’t help myself.” He frowned as he gathered his thoughts together. “It’s like dreaming in a way. You can be anywhere with anyone at any time. But there’s limits. You can’t make anyone living see you. Not unless they’re open to it.”
“Do you see Mom and Ben and Vee?”
“I see everyone. But I only visit you and Ben.”
This surprised her. “Why?”
“Well, I’m teaching Ben to fly so-” He caught Lady’s eye and got serious. “Your mom’s not ready to see me yet. And Vee’s not open enough.”
“Because she’s so angry?”
Wash nodded. “She needs to forgive River first.”
“But it wasn’t River’s fault!”
“Of course it wasn’t. But that’s not how your sister sees it.”
Lady straightened her shoulders. “I’ll talk to her.”
Wash ruffled her curls. “That’s a good girl.”
After a few moments, Lady asked, “So what do you do with your days?”
“Well, I sometimes visit the shepherd and Mr. Universe. But mainly I watch you guys. And worry.”
“Worry? Why? Is something going to happen?”
“Ooh, no! No, nothing like that.”
“Then what?”
“Just… Dad stuff.”
“Such as…?”
“Well, I worry about you.”
“Me?!”
“Yeah, you.”
“Why me? If there’s anyone to worry about, worry about Vee.”
“Oh, I worry about her plenty. But I worry for you too sometimes, sunshine.”
Lady looked perplexed.
“I worry that you’re not having any fun while you’re young.”
Now she just looked annoyed. “I have fun.”
“Oh, really? Do you sneak off with David and make out?”
“Dad! Me and David aren’t-”
“No, but you should be. He likes you and you like him. Boom.” Wash clapped his hands together. ‘When you hear Nettie, Nova, and Vee up late giggling, do you ever join them?”
Lady frowned. “No, because we usually have a job the next day and have to be up early.”
“Always so responsible. Ladybug? You have the whole rest of your life to be a grown up; take my advice and be a kid while you still can.”
“So if I make out with David and stay up late, you’ll worry less?”
Wash pretended to consider it. “Maybe, I can’t make any guarantees.”
“And if I’m not having enough fun, you’ll come remind me?”
Smiling, Wash nodded. “Right. I’ll be here if you need any advice. Just as long as it isn’t financial advice.”
“Got it,” Lady said wryly.
They watched the sun disappear into the ocean and smiled sadly at one another.
“Until next time, then.” Wash kissed Lady reverently on the forehead. “I love you, Lady.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
Lady’s eyes opened just as her alarm went off. She got up and showered, dressed, brushed her teeth.
She found David just climbing down the ladder from his room. “Morning.” He grinned. But faltered when she curled herself around him.
“Meet me in the spare shuttle after breakfast,” she whispered in his ear.
David nodded, dumbly.
Releasing him, Lady continued on to the mess, smirking. Following Daddy’s advice was going to be… fun.
END
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-18 05:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-18 07:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-19 03:27 am (UTC)(Well, not really. Joss is the truly evil one. I mean really, in the movie he kills off Wash and Book, and only gives us shirtless Nathan and Sean as consolation??? Where was our shirtless Adam??? Tragic, I tell you... What were we talking about, hmm?)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-19 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-19 03:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-19 03:45 am (UTC)I have to go watch "Jaynestown" sometime tonight so I can see shirtless!Jayne. I already saw shirtless!Marcus Hamilton today. Too bad I don't own any other movies Adam Baldwin is shirtless in. For some reason he insists on staying in his stupid uniform throughout Independence Day and you only get a hint of tummy in My Bodyguard.
Wow, I should try to write some fic soon while I'm in a good mood for it. XD
no subject
Date: 2006-08-19 05:12 am (UTC)I know! I mean, every good military man knows that when aliens are attacking you build up a sweat and have to take your shirt off!
Aww, tummy? :( I'll never see that movie. Curses!
Jayne fic, or other Adam character fic? Because Bug teased me with Above and Beyond and ID4 fic but she's in a dry spell now. :(
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 07:07 pm (UTC)I'm glad the dream was sweet for her, the killer's are the ones where you dream they are alive and then have to wake up.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-05 09:22 pm (UTC)I hate those dreams. I recently dreamt about my friend who passed away last winter and waking up, it took me a second to realize she was gone.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 07:44 am (UTC)oooh can we have more Lady/David? Agh I'm in such a mushy mood tonight!
no subject
Date: 2006-10-06 05:11 pm (UTC)I can guarantee you'll be seeing more Lady/David. It plays an important part in Jamey's story.