[EM] 12 - Trust

Well, let’s see...I been, in my illustrious career of thievin’, run about by a Fed lookin’ for fugitives on my boat, married against my will, betrayed by members of my own crew, and deceived by more of the same.

I ain’t even gonna get cute...I got a lotta gorram trust issues.

Now maybe that don’t sound too peculiar-like comin’ from a man livin’ mostly out in the black, but you can wrap me up in any kinda packing you got a mind to, I’m still a soldier. In the War, I had to trust my life to men I didn’t know from Adam. Part of battle, more or less...and as I found out later when I was commanding my own patchwork troops, it’s part of being a leader.

Now blind trust like that, handin’ it out to total strangers ain’t never wise ‘less the circumstances are real ruttin’ special. Trustin’ Zoe Alleyne when we all first met was one such circumstance. Turned from a good gun to a great friend to the backbone of all I’ve said and done in nigh on the last decade.

Still, vital a pal as Zoe is and good as we get on? I’m still a believer in a trust that takes time...believe you me, us two come a long gorram way since we was trustin’ each other to stand guard while the other slept. Folks like Jayne and Kaylee...and even Inara...that trust took time. Yes, I trust Jayne, long as he can keep his room, keep his cut, and get seconds ‘n thirds at most meals. Especially with one like ‘Nara...trust don’t exist in her world. Everybody lies ‘bout somethin’, and everybody knows it. It’s all one great big game of make believe...say pretty things about the snakes you face so’s they don’t leap up and bite you in the pi-gu.

I prefer honor amongst thieves...ain’t always reliable? But when a man double crosses you, least you don’t gotta pretend he didn’t. And relyin’ on a man t’ be unreliable? To me, that’s *real* trust.

Muse: Malcolm Reynolds
Fandom: Firefly/Serenity
Words: 351