(no subject)

[lastgunslinger]

He never had much opportunity to skip stones, growing up.

This doesn't mean he's bad at it.

Roland stands on the shore of the lake, by the large rock he likes to sit on sometimes, and practices skipping flat rocks across the surface of the water.

Current personal best: six.

Comments

[lastgunslinger]

Roland turns. "No, say true." Pause. "Kaylee, aye?"

[gonna_live]

"Yeah." Kaylee beams, pleased. "And...you're Roland, but...we all know that."

[lastgunslinger]

He inclines his head slightly. Then: "Heard about the dream." Quiet, and -- not apologetic. Understanding, maybe. "Are you well?"

[gonna_live]

Kaylee is quiet for a long moment.

"Don't seem like anybody's going to let that go any time soon."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland studies her. "You wish they would?"

[gonna_live]

"We needed to know about it, yeah." Kaylee's voice is steady. "It's only -- I'm guessin' Alain told you?" At Roland's nod, she continues, "They keep lookin' at me like I'm gonna break." A small, crooked smile. "Gets old, after a while."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland returns the smile. "I know."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee is surprised at this. "Yeah? Really? I mean, it don't seem like -- I mean, you're a gunslinger. And -- don't mean to offend or nothin' -- seems like it's your job not to get all squealy when stuff like this happens."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland nods. "I know, yar."

He gestures to the rock, and takes a seat. Kaylee joins him after a moment. "My life's not been...orthodox. I grew up with Alain and Cuthbert, but...our world moved on. And I've been on the move ever since...and I've seen strange things, and had stranger things happen." Pause. "So. I know."

(how close you sit to me -- like lovers, or warders in a gaol)

[gonna_live]

Kaylee sits there for a moment, hugging herself gently, not looking at Roland.

She nods.

"It -- some of 'em couldn't look at me for a while. And Mal, he -- he started bein' nicer, all of a sudden." Another crooked half-smile. "Kinda like they feel guilty for somethin' that they didn't do. That nobody did. I ain't gonna break if they look at me the wrong way. I'm not her."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland nods.

Quietly: "It was a hard thing to see, for all of you. And no. You're not her."

His voice is sure.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee tilts her head up at him now, the smile losing its mirthlessness.

"You remind me of the captain."

[lastgunslinger]

"We've our similarities, say true." And Roland seems amused. "Your captain's a trig man, aye. And brave, to take on Simon and River."

[gonna_live]

Her smile widens. "Yeah. Yeah, he is. And -- he says all the time he's a mean old man, but...he ain't. 'Cause a doctor comes in useful all the time, sure, but...we got along well enough with Zoe, before they came on. And we could do it again." Pause. "The captain, he don't like the Alliance very much. And that's part of it, too. But...it's like once you're his, you're his forever. He was in the war. Kinda like that."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland understands this very well, say true.

"But they're his, you say."

[gonna_live]

Her smile is bright, now. "Yeah. Part of the crew. They ain't goin' nowhere."

[lastgunslinger]

"So -- Mal likes River, then?"

He seemed to, the day that Roland met Mal.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee considers this.

"Seems to. Fights more with Simon, when it comes down to it -- but it's kinda hard to fight with River. You know?"

[lastgunslinger]

Roland snorts. "Aye. I kennit well." Pause. "How often does she have bad days?"

It's not a clinical interest. It's personal.

This comes across.

[gonna_live]

"...less often than she used to." Kaylee shrugs. "I...I dunno. You'd have to ask Simon about that."

She looks at him, wondering.

[lastgunslinger]

Roland nods...and sees her look.

"We're friends, she and I." Calm.

[gonna_live]

"'Course you are -- both gunslingers, and whatnot." Kaylee smiles, a little.

It doesn't reach her eyes.

[lastgunslinger]

Roland notices.

"There's that, certainly -- and more besides. We get along well." Pause. "Though -- I suppose the touch isn't as common in your where and when. I'm fairly used to it, say true."

[gonna_live]

"The touch? You mean Readin'?"

[lastgunslinger]

"Psychics. Mind-reading. Alain does it, though he can control it, and does -- it's not polite, you ken. To touch someone's mind without their permission. River...can't control it, and I imagine that gets odd, at times, for one who isn't used to it." Calm.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee nods. "Yeah. I...we ain't used to it. There was a time when we didn't all believe it...but...somethin's in front of your nose long enough, you start believin' it's true."

Pause.

"Or if somethin's shockin' enough."

She looks at him.

"I...told Alain a while back that I'd help you out any way I could, even if the rest of 'em didn't. Why'd I still have the dream?"

[lastgunslinger]

Roland is quiet for a long moment, considering.

Then he looks at Kaylee.

"What did you do when you awoke, Kaylee?"

[gonna_live]

"I..."

A shaky breath.

"I went to the kitchen. Had my blanket with me. Didn't...feel much like sleepin'. And I thought I'd make a cup of somethin' hot, but...hands were shakin' too hard. So I turned on all the lights, and I went in and sat on one of the couches, and..." A slight shrug. "That's where I was when Simon came in, and then Wash and Zoe and the captain, and then Simon and I went and found River."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland nods slowly.

"Might be they had to see you affected so before they could be convinced."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee turns to him, eyes wide. "Is that -- that's why -- you think that's the only reason I had to -- "

[lastgunslinger]

Quietly: "Kaylee, it is very well that you said you'd help us, and I say thankee-sai, and I say it sincerely. But...did you truly understand what we work for, before the dream?"

[gonna_live]

Kaylee looks down.

She shakes her head.

[lastgunslinger]

Still quiet: "Then there you are."

[gonna_live]

She looks up at Roland, and nods.

Not good to tell him of her misgivings. He's like the captain...and yet not.

Kaylee's scared of Mal, sometimes, when Mal gets angry.

Kaylee's a little scared of Roland all the time.

"Reckon...I ought to be gettin' back."

[lastgunslinger]

Roland inclines his head slightly. "Then I'll wish you long days and pleasant nights, Kaylee." Pause. "My regards to River, if you would."

[gonna_live]

"Sure." And the smile's back. "See you 'round, Roland."

Kaylee heads inside, unsettled...and she can't quite put her finger on why.