Bed and Wine: Part 1

By Kaynara

It’s Joss’s verse--I just borrow it. And if any of you know the Joss-God and want to put in a good word for me--well that’d be gorram shiny! Leave feedback~

***

When it was done, when the lot of them lay dead on the metal grating, Gideon led her to the tiny bathroom. He held her slender hand beneath the warm spray--powerful hand, bringer of darkness--and cleansed gently, washing away the blood. After, he lifted her hand to his face, blew softly on the torn knuckles. Warm breath. It stung a little, made her tingle in places.

“Ready?” he asked.

River nodded, following him past the pile of bodies: eight this time, a good gainful attack. Gideon spoke into his recorder, noting the ship’s ident code, the number of kills. A blond-haired, blue-eyed angel of death. River fingered her own dark locks, chopped off to end above the shoulders. When she’d done it, cut it herself, she’d thought of Inara, pictured that beautiful face despairing. Inara had loved River’s hair, the straight shiny length of it, having always disliked her own curls. She’d be sad if she knew. But then, Inara was always sad now.

River waited for Gideon to finish speaking and led him back to their ship. There was more to be done this day.

***

Late at night, when his eyes ached from pourin’ over news ‘ports from the cortex, when he couldn’t trust himself to read anymore lest he miss somethin’ crucial, Mal lay down alone in his bunk. How had he, in such a short time, grown accustomed to sleeping beside her? One hundred pounds sopping wet--how was it she soothed him, lulled him to dreamless rest? His body still ached for her. He concentrated on the physical need--gorammit, if it wasn’t easier than thinkin’ on the other parts of him hurtin’ for her.

***

This was the first one in more ‘n a week. She told Simon that as he stroked her back, brushed wet hair out of her face and smoothed it back behind her ears.

“I can give you something to help you sleep,” he offered.

She shook her