Little Dipper Campfire [Wednesday Evening]

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Earlier in the day, Ned had decided he'd spent entirely too long holed up in his alcove. Of course, it took him several hours after that initial realization before getting up and out of bed, changing and heading outside, Digby at his heels.

The dog was, possibly, happier than anyone that Ned had decided to get out of his stupid funk. He lit a fire as best he could and took a seat.

He started contemplating baking sweets over an open fire. He decided that would only lead to tears.

Comments

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Just the man I was lookin' for!" Kaylee greeted, peeking out of the cabin and grinning at him.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Ned look over his shoulder to see if there was someone behind him before catching on and pointing at himself.

"Me?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee nodded. "Hang on a sec."

She ducked back in the cabin, snagged the clock she'd finished working on, and headed back out to the campfire to hold it out to him. "Here y'go."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"You fixed it?" Ned asked, reaching out to take the alarm clock. "Or was it a lost cause?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Fixed it," she chirped. "An' 'less I did it wrong, which I don't think I did, it should stay shiny for the rest of its cute little clocky life. Which should be longer, too, now that I took out all the extra crap they shove in there." Kaylee rolled her eyes. "People like t'make this stuff so complicated, adding extra parts in like that."

It might also be noticeable that on the bottom of the clock, in a corner, there was a little, purple K in a very feminine hand, with a flower beside it.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," he said after a quiet moment spent staring at the top of his clock. "I didn't think it'd ever be fixed. I just...resigned myself to everyday wake up calls."

He smiled up at her genuinely. "Thank you."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Welcome," she told him, grinning. "It was fun."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Did you want to sit?" Ned offered, still holding tightly to his clock like it might run away or someone might take it.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee did take a seat, watching him with the clock. "It don't fly or nothin'," she pointed out, giggling at how he was holding onto it.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"No, it's not that," he said, looking down at the clock again. "It's. It's just been a long time since someone did something nice like that for me."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "It weren't no bother, and I had fun," she promised. "You need anything else tinkered with, you bring it to me, okay?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I will," he said, very carefully letting go of his clock so it rested against his outstretched legs. "How are you?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Good!" she said cheerfully. "I finished those little cakes."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"All of them?" Ned asked, laughing quietly.

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "They're gonna have to find a good freight ship to send me home, at this rate."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Did you find a favorite?" Ned asked. "Or did you just like everything?"

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Chocolate," she decided, nodding. "I need to try other kinds, though."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Everyone likes chocolate," he said, smiling. "There are a lot of flavors. You'll be trying new kinds for awhile. Could become a hobby."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"I could form a club," she mused.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"And be the President," he decided. "With a crown."

Wait.

"Wait, no, presidents don't get crowns. Queens get crowns. Presidents get...stuffy suits and a pile of debt. You could be Queen of the club."

But.

"But queens are old and stuff. Um. You could be...Cupcake Captain."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

Kaylee liked that. "Would I get a shiny hat, still?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I'll get you one," he promised. "It'll be very outlandish."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"You can be my second," she promised, grinning.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"You're pretty brave, letting me in your club," he said. "I was always picked last."

[weefeetbigboots.livejournal.com]

"Why?" she asked, frowning.