Firefly Ficlet: Grow Together
May. 16th, 2025 07:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kat_lair***
Firefly ficlet in the year 2025? More likely than you think.
Title: Grow Together
Author:kat_lair
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing: Kaylee/River/Simon
Tags: Ficlet, Sibling Incest, Pre-Relationship, Gardens/Gardening
Rating: G
Word count: 501
Summary: Kaylee brings her the seeds but it’s Simon who hauls in the compost.
Author notes: Picked some spring themed prompts to get me out of a writing slump. This was for the prompt 'germinate'. Unbetaed so if you spot a typo or mistake you should tell me.
Grow Together on AO3
Kaylee brings her the seeds, a little pouch tied with a string, weighing almost nothing and yet so heavy with possibility.
“It’s a surprise mix,” she says, depositing the pouch on River’s open palms. “The seller said they were all hardy plants though, good for the suboptimal conditions of deep space.”
River cradles the seeds against her breastbone. “They’ll still need sunlight,” she says. “To photosynthesise.”
Kaylee nods, smiling so bright that River thinks maybe it would be enough to make whole meadows grow. “We’ve got a few broken growing lamps in storage. Give me a couple of days and I’ll get them working for you again.”
Kaylee brings her the seeds but it’s Simon who hauls in the compost, later that afternoon. “Are you just going to stand there and watch?” he asks, dragging the large sack through the doorway. The back of his shirt is damp with sweat, clinging to his muscles like a second skin. “Or are you going to help?”
“I’m going to watch,” River says.
The back of Simon’s neck is flushed pink from the exertion. She thinks about Kaylee’s hand cupping it, pulling him close, her fingers stained with engine oil, leaving smudges behind.
Simon huffs, familiar irritation tinged with fondness as he deposits the bag inside the threshold of River’s cabin.
“There,” he says, stretching out his back. “Captain said there were some old empty containers you could have.” He eyes the mostly empty space of River’s room. “Do you want to go get them now?”
River knows the Captain didn’t just say that, knows that Simon had asked, had probably made arguments, something about rehabilitation and mental resilience and the proven benefits of green, growing things. There had probably been citations.
“Yes,” she says and slips her hand into his.
Kaylee comes through with the solar lamps within forty-eight hours, likely aided by the lack of any ship-related emergencies. They’re having a relatively quiet run on the way to the next job and everyone is taking the opportunity to rest.
All the items for planting are ready. River organises them just so, for optimal access, and then pauses to memorise the details, the exact angle of the compost sack, the small bag of seeds on the corner of her desk, how the brown fabric of it seems to glow orange thanks to the lamps. There’s something hopeful about it all, something expectant; the empty pails waiting for soil, the soil waiting for seeds, the seeds waiting for water and light, and River herself…
“Would you like us to help?” Kaylee asks. She’s standing shoulder to shoulder with Simon. Their hands are linked, but both of their smiles are soft and aimed at River.
“Or should we just watch?” Simon adds. His gaze is familiar, reflecting the years he’s spent doing just that, watching after River. Watching River.
“Let’s do it together,” River says, and reaches out, pulling them to kneel on the floor with her. She’s done waiting.
Time to grow something new.
***
Firefly ficlet in the year 2025? More likely than you think.
Title: Grow Together
Author:
kat_lair Fandom: Firefly
Pairing: Kaylee/River/Simon
Tags: Ficlet, Sibling Incest, Pre-Relationship, Gardens/Gardening
Rating: G
Word count: 501
Summary: Kaylee brings her the seeds but it’s Simon who hauls in the compost.
Author notes: Picked some spring themed prompts to get me out of a writing slump. This was for the prompt 'germinate'. Unbetaed so if you spot a typo or mistake you should tell me.
Grow Together on AO3
Kaylee brings her the seeds, a little pouch tied with a string, weighing almost nothing and yet so heavy with possibility.
“It’s a surprise mix,” she says, depositing the pouch on River’s open palms. “The seller said they were all hardy plants though, good for the suboptimal conditions of deep space.”
River cradles the seeds against her breastbone. “They’ll still need sunlight,” she says. “To photosynthesise.”
Kaylee nods, smiling so bright that River thinks maybe it would be enough to make whole meadows grow. “We’ve got a few broken growing lamps in storage. Give me a couple of days and I’ll get them working for you again.”
Kaylee brings her the seeds but it’s Simon who hauls in the compost, later that afternoon. “Are you just going to stand there and watch?” he asks, dragging the large sack through the doorway. The back of his shirt is damp with sweat, clinging to his muscles like a second skin. “Or are you going to help?”
“I’m going to watch,” River says.
The back of Simon’s neck is flushed pink from the exertion. She thinks about Kaylee’s hand cupping it, pulling him close, her fingers stained with engine oil, leaving smudges behind.
Simon huffs, familiar irritation tinged with fondness as he deposits the bag inside the threshold of River’s cabin.
“There,” he says, stretching out his back. “Captain said there were some old empty containers you could have.” He eyes the mostly empty space of River’s room. “Do you want to go get them now?”
River knows the Captain didn’t just say that, knows that Simon had asked, had probably made arguments, something about rehabilitation and mental resilience and the proven benefits of green, growing things. There had probably been citations.
“Yes,” she says and slips her hand into his.
Kaylee comes through with the solar lamps within forty-eight hours, likely aided by the lack of any ship-related emergencies. They’re having a relatively quiet run on the way to the next job and everyone is taking the opportunity to rest.
All the items for planting are ready. River organises them just so, for optimal access, and then pauses to memorise the details, the exact angle of the compost sack, the small bag of seeds on the corner of her desk, how the brown fabric of it seems to glow orange thanks to the lamps. There’s something hopeful about it all, something expectant; the empty pails waiting for soil, the soil waiting for seeds, the seeds waiting for water and light, and River herself…
“Would you like us to help?” Kaylee asks. She’s standing shoulder to shoulder with Simon. Their hands are linked, but both of their smiles are soft and aimed at River.
“Or should we just watch?” Simon adds. His gaze is familiar, reflecting the years he’s spent doing just that, watching after River. Watching River.
“Let’s do it together,” River says, and reaches out, pulling them to kneel on the floor with her. She’s done waiting.
Time to grow something new.
***