e_delmar | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's nice on Shadow, quiet. Work's good, even if he ain't sleeping much.

But not sleeping's better'n what happens when he sleeps.

He don't need anything more'n what he's got there, but sometimes when he stares at the ceiling - or the night sky - he can't help but think about a thing or two left behind that maybe he don't want got rid of.

So it could be that it's late one night (on Shadow, anyway, who ever knows how times match up) Ennis sneaks into the bar, headed back towards his (their) room.

He's quick, and he's quiet, but could be you could catch him.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"We was there, about six months back." Her smile is easy, even if it's small. "I know she's glad of the help." Beat. "You just...checkin' back in and whatnot?"

He nods again, gestures towards the staff hall with his head, and could be she can get a look of him when he does.

"Pickin' up a few things."

...so he's not doing all that great.

Quiet: "Oh."

"You -- got time for a cup of coffee? Or somethin' else?" Purposefully structured so he can have an easy out, if he wants it.

Voice in his head's saying no, but all he's got in front of him's the (empty) room so he takes a deep breath and looks up at her and nods.

Back to warmth.

With a side order of relief.

"Okay. Just coffee? Or do you want somethin' else."

"Coffee."

The word comes out like gravel and he clears his throat again and brings his non-shaking hand up to light a cigarette as he looks for and finds a chair to sit in.

A minute later and she's got a mug in front of him, and pulls out the nearest chair for herself. " -- you take it black? Or did you want somethin' to go in it?"

He shakes his head no and almost chuckles at the idea of tryin' to get anything in your coffee up in the mountains; hell, most times you were lucky if it was recognizable as coffee. Ain't nobody could ruin a decent pot of coffee like J-

"Black," he finally says, and stirs the spoon in the cup over and over and over again.

"Figure that's how it ought to be taken -- can't quite bring myself to do it." Regretfully. (There's milk in hers.) "Tea, though -- that's a whole other story."

A slight smile. "I'm a little curious, hope you don't mind -- how'd you meet Sallie? Just -- around?"

He wraps his fingers around the coffee

warm so warm

and takes a long sip.

"Jack met'r first."

"Bet they got on real well."

There's a sadness in his smile, but it's there, even if it don't reach his eyes.

"Made him a pie, right off."

Yes. It's there.

"...don't suppose he shared any of it."

"Sallie made him."

Though could be Ennis would've taken his share anyway, and it's likely that shows.

Kaylee laughs. "You know -- I'm not sure if the best part of us visitin' was her feedin' us, or the stories she told on the captain. You met him yet?"

He grunts something in the affirmative, and can't help a small smirk at the memory of Mal's reaction to the pie.

"So -- inquirin' minds want to know -- she fixed you any pie this time around?"

"Could be."

Could be he just ain't had much of an appetite, and it shows.

Could be.

Very quietly, and not without a lot of sympathy, and concern:

"You gonna make it?"

His eyes glance quickly over to the wall, to something maybe even he don't see, and his words are almost a whisper.

"Ain't nothing else to do."

Kaylee reaches out. Can't not.

He sounds like Mal.

Resting a hand on his arm, she says, still quiet, "It'll be all right."

"Yeah."

He says it, but it don't sound much like he believes it right now.

Kaylee figures she's not going to be able to convince him, either.

Almost as though she doesn't want to hear the answer:

"Has it got any better at all?"

Ennis' silence probably answers that question for her.

A very soft sigh.

"It will. Just...gotta have faith."