Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

the socks

Mal stood from the table.
"Thank you, Lou. That must have been the best food we have had at this table," he said with a half-smile.
"Or the last table that got smashed... or the table that got smashed before that," Wash said leaning back rubbing his belly in an obvious gesture of satisfaction.
Shepherd Book stood up and begun collecting the plates to be washed. Kaylee and Inara stood up to help him.
Lou looked around enjoying the sense of community.
"And," Wash wiggled his foot in the air. "Thank you for the absolutelly wonderful socks! My boots finally feel all soft and comfortable."
"What socks?" Mal looked between Wash and Lou.
Zoe shook her head in exaspeation and smiled at Lou.
"Lou gave Wash and me hand knit socks," Zoe explained wiggling a bootclad ancle with the top of a sock poking up over the top of the boot.
"I got some too," Book smiled.
Mal looked seriously at Lou.
"I have a pair for you as well, Captain," Lou assured him. As she looked around the room several faces were expectantly turned towards her.
Even Jayne was sat there trying not to look hopeful.
Lou laughed out loud at their expectant faces.
"I think I have socks for all of you if you want them," she said, feeling like a mother holding chocolate.
The crew all started leaving the table to go about their business. Book nodded at her before leaving while fingering his prayer-beads.
Catching River at the corner of her eye, she remembered something else in her pack.
"River, if you are cold I have a jumper in my pack that would fit you," she said softly laying a careful hand on the girl's bony shoulder. Simon tensed up as she touched his sister as if he expected some negative reaction from River. Lou gently squeezed the girl's shoulder and ran a hand accross her hair.
River looked up at her with tears in her eyes.
"You are really here? Aren't you?" River asked broken voiced.
Lou turned herself to fully face the frail little creature at her side.
"I am," she said, studying the obviously broken young girl in front of her.
River started counting silently on her fingers while rocking gently back and forth. Lou put an arm gently around her and gave her an akward hug.
"Oh, great... another member of the crazy girl fan club," Jayne mumbled.
"Shut up, Jayne," Simon snapped.
Jayne shot Simon a surprisingly hostile look before standing up and leaving the room.
Lou made a mental note of their hostility and to make sure to stay out of it. She had a tendency of trying to mediate in arguments as a consequence of growing up as the only girl among boys.
Turning her attention fully on River, she found herself wondering what this girl had gone through to become so broken. Judging by her brother's immaculate appearance, well bred behaviour and good education, there was no logical reason why either of them should be on a shabby vessel making rounds in the outer rim. River should be on a central planet, getting care and treatment.
Skinny as a sparrow and jumpy with fright at every sound. Yet there was a watchful intelligence in her eyes and a playful side to her nature.
"You don't pity me," River said and reached a hand up to Lou's face. Lou gave her a warm smile.
"You don't need pity, sweetheart," Lou told her.
River cocked her head, studying Lou intently before turning to Simon.
"Where the moonflower blooms and the power of hearts is present, that is the only place we will need," she said looking him in the eyes before standing up and walking out.
"I am sorry. I have no idea what she meant by that," Simon said to Lou before going after River.
Kaylee gave a deep sigh.
"Goodbye, Kaylee. I will see you this evening, Kaylee. How about a drink, Kaylee? Kaylee, will you please do me the honor of sharing my bunk tonight?" she muttered while continuing to wash up.
Inara giggled and bumped her playfully.
"You must talk to him, Kaylee. Men do not generally read minds," Inara said while keeping her own face firmly turned away from Mal.
"Oh, I swear my nethers will grow shut if he does not show any interest soon," Kaylee huffed. Lou made herself busy cleaning the table and worksurfaces, trying to pick up a sense of who her crewmates were as people. General gossip was not her interest, but she had discovered that paying attention to conversations generally helped in getting to know people.
"Besides... you could do well heeding your own advice there," Kaylee teased Inara making Inara blush. Lou began to wonder who Kaylee was making allusions to when she noticed that Mal, who had been sat at the table reading some papers, suddenly stood up and rushed out mumbling about chatty women.
"Oups," Kaylee said with a huge teasing grin on her face.
"Worst kept secret on Serenity," Kaylee smiled.
Inara gave her an annoyed look, mixed with a smile. They both looked up at Lou as if they suddenly remembered she was there.
"Men, eh?" Kaylee laughed.
"I just wish they didn't complicate things so much," Inara sighed.
What is complicated anout it?" Kaylee asked. "You like him, he likes you. You are both just too proud!"
"He doesn't want me," Inara sighed.
"Oh, he wants you all right! He just doesn't want to ruin your independence. And he's not sure how to get his head around your job," Kaylee said.
"Oh, he hates my job!" Inara giggled.
"How about you?" Kaylee asked Lou. "Any men complicating your life?"
Lou laughed.
"The last one I got myself messed up with, you met at the warehouse. Can't claim any grand romance there but it was fun for a while untill he paid his debts using my belongings..." Lou shrugged.
"How about your husband?" Inara asked.
"Now, there was a man to be proud of," Lou said dreamily. "He used to be a mercenary, you know. Tough as old boots and at the beginning I thought he was rude and obnoxious. Could not stand him. He had been in on all sorts of smuggling and lived a truly dishonest life."
"Then why did you marry him?" Kaylee asked.
"Because after trying to be rude to him and offended by him for about a year, he fell down a cliff trying to rescue a calf and muggins here had to set his leg." Lou smiled.
"He had delivered the calf and we all thought it was stillborn, but he had stayed up all night rubbing the little mite with hay untill it came to life. After that he kept an eye out for that little rascal. So when the stupid calf went too close to the cliff, the dumb man went after him." Lou explained.
The two women at the sink had finished their task and came closer.
"So, his love for that calf made you love him?" Inara said.
"Sort of," Lou said. "Him breaking his leg for a calf forced him to stay indoors for a while with only a mostly sulky me for company. He had to think about what kind of person he had been and what kind of person he wanted to be."