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She doesn't like him, the new pilot… Wash. And what sort of name is Wash anyway? But Mal needed a pilot, and this one seems capable, and more importantly, willing to sign on. Zoë knows why he signed on. She saw it in the way he sneaked looks at her as Mal interviewed him. She also suspects that Mal had her there as bait, and that's annoying. So Zoë waits for the inevitable come-on. She's had plenty of practice at shooting men down; she's been doing it since she was twelve and the only female in Zephytus military outpost. She amuses herself by imagining how she'll do it: a long diatribe about how she wouldn't if he were the last man alive, or a curt explanation about not fraternising with the 'hired help', perhaps just a dismissive 'no' before he's even finished asking. The fantasies are so entertaining that Wash has been aboard for a week before Zoë notices he hasn't actually said anything to her. She's peeved, she was looking forward to crushing him like a beer can. That night at dinner she watches him. He chews on the vaguely meat-like protein with the same suppressed disgust as everyone else, but he's still sneaking looks at her. She looks back, and he drops his eyes. Interesting. So Zoë spends more time around him. Nothing obvious, just things a first officer would be doing anyway. The first thing she notices is that he actually is a good pilot. He's one of those people who loves to fly, it's not just a job for him. He showers Serenity with an equal number of endearments and oaths. The first time he calls Serenity 'tah ma de' in front of Zoë he apologises to her. She bursts out laughing. After a month or so, they start to talk a little. Zoë notices that his hands are square and capable, yet graceful when dancing over the consoles. Wash shaves off his moustache. One night Zoë is up late and catches Wash coming out of the tiny shower tucked behind medical. He clutches his towel tightly around him, and blushes. Zoë grins, and notes how the blush goes all the way down. A few days later Wash brings out his collection of antique dinosaur toys and arranges them around his workstation. When Zoë asks about them he tells her about his great grandmother who had been one of the last people to leave Earth, and how she'd had a box full of old toys. Now the fact that he hasn't made a pass at her isn't just annoying, it's frustrating too. Zoë picks her time carefully. Mal has taken everyone out to get supplies on some almost deserted, go seh planet in the middle of nowhere. Since the planet is harmless she's staying behind, and since Wash is allergic to the native grass pollen, he's staying too. Zoë has a dress. It's been hidden at the bottom of her old army chest for four years, bit it's still good. Simple, clean lines, and it fits like it was made for her. She doesn't bother with underwear, she knows she wont need it. Wash is in the cockpit and he stands up with his mouth open when he sees her. Zoë smiles as he tries to say something, but all that comes out is a small whimper. She shoves him back against the console and unbuttons his pants, which fall conveniently right off down to his ankles. He's hard already, so she just climbs onto him and slides down, tight and wet, and so turned on she almost comes immediately. It's clumsy, and uncomfortable, and they're on the gorram console,
but it's the best it's ever been. And once it's over, and Wash stutters
out a proposal, Zoë says 'yes' before he's even finished asking.
tah ma de – motherfucker go seh – dog shit
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