Blue Sun Room FICTION - GENERAL

When River Cries

Friday, January 20, 2006

What happens to Serenity's crew when River cries? Mal tells us in his own words.

CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 4588    RATING: 9.0 (G)    SERIES: FIREFLY

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Disclaimer: The 'verse belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant. I just like to fly in it from time to time.

Rating: G

Authors Note: When River cries, I cry, too. Can't help it.

When River Cries

When River cries, her big brown eyes well up and fill her whole face, like to break your heart. Her forehead creases as she tries to hold back, but there's no stoppin' it. Her lips begin to tremble and her head tilts as her shoulders sink in. She's all shook up and don't even know why; the fear and bewilderment sweeps across her and she crumbles.

When River cries, it makes me mad, makes me want to just shut her up. Sometimes I wanna slap her. I know it ain't her fault. She's innocent, all tore up with what they did to her, and that just makes me madder. 'Cause I want to be angry with her, tell her to quit it. And I can't. It ain't her fault. I'm the Captain of this ship, but I can't order her to stop bawlin'. Wouldn't do no good if I did.

When River cries, Jayne scoots away from her. He'll turn his back and I see his shoulders square. I think he wants to belt her one, to make her stop. Wonder if it's for the same reasons I do, but I doubt it. When River cries, Jayne just gets pissed and walks away.

When River cries, Inara approaches slow on her knees and wraps the girl up in her arms, in her shawl, in the flow of her hair. She tries to comfort her, even while her eyes are up, on me. She's looking past me, trying to find Simon so he can make it all better, then back at me like she's thinking maybe I can make it better this time, but I don't know how. Never do.

When River cries, Zoe and Wash exchange glances, hold hands. Zoe's eyes get wide, her mouth frowns down. Scares me. Scares me more to see her vulnerable like that than it does me to see her rush into a room full of armed men with her guns out. Zoe don't scare Wash. He holds her hand, maybe kisses it, as he watches River cry. Sympathy fills his bright eyes, and a kind of sadness, and that hurts me, too, to see all his funnin' sli

Comments
Friday, 20 January 2006 05:17
...perfect. Just perfect!
JOY
Friday, 20 January 2006 05:40
It's beautiful! you captured everyone masterfully! But no more sad Rivers, please! . . . I think i'm somewhere between Kaylee and Simon, myself.
Friday, 20 January 2006 07:00
sad and perfect and wonderful.
Friday, 20 January 2006 10:14
wow perfect just perfect, I think you got every one of them specially mal so on the dot.
Friday, 20 January 2006 10:31
Wow, brilliant, and spot on characterisations. All through reading this fic I kept hearing the song "Cry me a River" in my head. Bravo! Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me
Friday, 20 January 2006 13:13
It's beautiful and sad, how all the characters in their way feel her pain.

The mark of good fiction, I feel like crying too.
ANONYMOUS
Friday, 20 January 2006 13:35
You portray all the characters emotions really well. Very sad but I loved it
Friday, 20 January 2006 14:40
Ohhh, so sad, so true, so wonderfully written. Just beautiful! *leaves to find kleenex*
Friday, 20 January 2006 15:26
gorgeous! so true to each character!
Friday, 20 January 2006 16:52
I read this and I started crying. It's just so... I can't even think of the right word it's beautiful


(Also on a personal note- I wish whoever "anonymous" would have signed in so I could tell them not to be so damn cold about reviewing it)
Friday, 20 January 2006 18:50
Amazing, powerful stuff. A moment captured in the most prosaic fashion.

If I can come half as close to that quality with my own fics, I'll be a happy man! *bows down in reverence*
Saturday, 21 January 2006 03:48
Very very good, very bittersweet. Seems to be a theme with me tonight. You did a lovely job.
ANONYMOUS
Sunday, 22 January 2006 04:22
Awesome job. it was sad, but brilliantly written.




~Dr5700, im just too lazy to sign-in all the time i come here.
Wednesday, 25 January 2006 20:05
"When River cries, I feel like cryin' too."
ditto *wipes eyes*

b

ps. on a purely technical note, i like the way you started each paragraph with "when river cries..."
Wednesday, 15 February 2006 02:14
Wow! This is so very beautiful. :) Brilliant writing, yes; but the most touching part, for me, was the last sentence; because when River cries, I cry along with her. Always. River makes me cry. In good ways; in ways that make me want to cry again.

River was made to be Loved. And when River cries, I remember I was made to Love.

Thank you so much for your touching words. Now YOU made me cry; and that makes me very happy. Go figure. :)
ANONYMOUS
Monday, 27 March 2006 17:39
Sad...bittersweet...and...perfect in every way. *wipes away a tear* It was perfect.
Monday, 15 May 2006 04:51
Brilliant...
Wednesday, 07 June 2006 04:59
I read this a few weeks back and loved it... reading it a second time I still got goosebumps. Excellent fic!
Thursday, 21 December 2006 22:42
I think the prose and characterisations are just impeccable.
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 17:51
"Scares me more to see her vulnerable like that than it does me to see her rush into a room full of armed men with her guns out. Zoe don't scare Wash."
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 17:52
ok, don't know why the post went prematurely, but i was going to say, after i quoted your words, how much i really love that line and that comparison between Wash and Mal and their approach to Zoe.

... that in addition to my general love for the piece. good work.

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