workworkwork | For Zoe

16th March

Dull routine had taken over quickly, something Wash was used to. His wild imagination helped him fill in the days at the helm of Serenity when he had to pull long, tedious shifts. His wild imagination helped him here as he imagined what the things that they had found strewn across the station could do.

Between that, the cleaning up and figuring out of the station, and the fact that his wife was here with him, Wash was as close to content as he could expect to be. Mostly. If he could now get Zoe to relax, and drop being so paranoid, life would be better still.

He was currently strewn on the bed in the room they'd claimed as their quarters, watching his wife. Something he could never get enough of.

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"Zoe, I think that since neither of us are in control of where we're goin' or who we see, we ain't got nothing to fear about being comfortable." Wash loved being amongst the stars, but the lack of control over where he was going was starting to get to him. "But I don't want us to shut each other out."

Zoe frowns a little. "I'm sorry," she says, fingers wrapping around his collar gently, keeping him close. "I didn't realize. Didn't mean to shut you out." Because she's realizing his use of 'us' is just being polite since she's the one who's been panicking and paranoid.

"I hate it when you do it, that's all," Wash said with a shrug. "Cause I'm tryin' to understand what's goin' on in that brain of yours, but just as I get it figured out, this happens. An' now your brain is all twisty again."

"Brain just doesn't like it when things happen I can't even wrap around."

As close as they are now, she's suddenly very aware that they haven't been, and she breathes him in deep, arms wrapping around him, closing her eyes.

"I love you, lao gong. For puttin' up with someone hard-headed as me."

Wash grinned at her, before hugging her tightly. "Just so you know, I think very few people would be willin' to do it," he pointed out with a laugh. "I am the most patient man ever."

And that is something Zoe is very aware of. It just makes her more grateful. She still can't believe this is the man who just wouldn't give up.

"You are. But don't doubt that you bein' here does wonders for how I'm feelin'."

Wash grinned back at his wife. "Yeah?" he asked her. "I ain't goin' anywhere. Not gonna leave you alone with all these guys here."

For the first time, really, since they've been here together, Zoe affectionately nuzzled with a smile.

"None of these guys could handle me. But you, now. You're an expert."

"I ain't ever been called an expert in it before," Wash grinned back at her, grabbing hold of her collar and pulling her closer to kiss her.

Zoe lets him, kissing him back for a second before speaking.

"Can think of a couple things, actually...." she starts before kissing him again. And now, with the kissing, she's realizing exactly how long it's been.

"You can? Oh. That. Well, yeah," Wash said with a grin. "Now that I definitely am an expert in."

"I really am sorry, husband," Zoe says again apologetically. "I didn't mean to shut you out."

Wash just smiled at her in return before kissing her again. "Just how relaxed are you feelin', wife?" he asked curiously.

"I'm..." She pulls back a little to take stock of how she feels, right now in this moment. And she nods, looking back at him, a hand reaching out so that her fingers trail across his wrist.

"I'm okay. You're good for me, but we both know that," Zoe says with a little smile.

Wash gave Zoe a wicked grin. "Wonder how many people we've confused?" he mused. "As in them not gettin' us." A common misconception.

"Course, they don't know us," Wash grinned, pushing her back on the bed and kissing her again.

"Let 'em be confused. None of their gorram business," she says. When he pushes her back, Zoe kisses him in return, her fingers tugging him close by the fabric of his clothes.

Wash let himself be pulled close to Zoe, the most intimate moment they'd had for what had seemed like weeks. "I love my wife," he murmured.

"Even when she's actin' crazy, so that's a plus," she says with a small smile against his mouth before kissing him again.

"Stuck in one place. Both of us are gonna be actin' crazy," Wash admitted.

"Think I know a way to take our minds off of it," she says with a little grin before kissing him again, this time with pure intent behind her motives.

"If I'm thinkin' what you're thinkin'... then yeah. Good way to take our minds off it," Wash laughed as he moved to unzip her hoodie.

Zoe's hands move to his to reciprocate. It's been a while, longer than they've ever gone without having sex in their marriage. And once she realizes it, she makes quick work of his clothes, kissing him again, one hand curving around the back of his neck.

It's a fact that Wash was sometimes painfully aware of, especially first thing in the morning. Ever since they'd first fallen into bed together all those years ago, they'd always been highly sexual, and it had been a strain on Wash not to push Zoe when she was still so paranoid about this place.

Arousal flared as she kissed him, and he moved quickly to remove her clothes.

Lips moving up and down his neck, Zoe flips them over, straddlig Wash's hips. "Ain't been very attentive, have I, husband?" she asks, mouth dragging down throat slowly.

Zoe taking charge like that had Wash gazing up at her, then arching his neck as he felt her lips on his throat. "Nope," was his comment in a strangled voice, his hands resting lightly on Zoe's hips. "But makin' up for it now."