Waiting for U-Day by executrix (PG)

[invisibleshrew.livejournal.com]

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Mal, mostly but not entirely gen
Length: c 700 words
Author on LJ: executrix
Why this must be read:

This is a sharp look at how Mal perceives his relationships with his crew. It is framed as a series of quick and witty pen-portraits which add up to an interesting insight into his character, and the frustration of being Malcolm Reynolds.


There were things Mal enjoyed about the war, and if they'd managed to win, he would have enjoyed most of it. Up until Serenity Valley, where—just as you'd expect from a pack of politicians—they managed to find a way to make winning the battle just as much not fun as losing it.

The measure of a man is not what he desires, but what he can get away with. Mal knows how precarious his hold over his crew is, and how much he dreads losing any of them. Not just to death, but to huffy resignation, because how can he know that he could replace them with better?

Waiting For U-Day