Author: lj user=Gilove2dance
Title: 7. Jia Ting – Family
Table: 03 – Translations over at livejournal community 2by2fics
Characters: Jayne, River
Pairing: Rayne
Rating: G
Word Count: 580
Disclaimer: You know the drill. Joss is boss.
A/N: This started off as a totally different prompt but it kinda deviated and took a life of its own and became this prompt. So the beginning and end might feel disconnected; but I really want to post something so this is it.
Jayne Cobb took another dreg of beer. The last rays from the sun were creeping over the hillside, casting the little village in a bright orange light. He was standing outside the town's only saloon in the hopes of catching a stray breeze. This planet was overly hot.
He could feel a drop of sweat making its way down the side of his brow. Jayne ran his hand through his hair, causing his curls to spike up.
"The hero of Canton, the man they call...Jayne," River dang softly. She came up beside him and smiled dreamily.
"That's me," he grumbled under his breath. "You doin' okay, girl?"
"Hot."
"Hell yes. I could melt into a gorram puddle."
"The human body is composed 72% of water. You have already started expelling H2O." She reached up and wiped the bead of sweat from his head. "And you are drinking beer. Alcohols dehydrate the body. You will run out of water, shrivel up and die."
Jayne chuckled. "Nah, I'll be fine. Got me some water on me right now." He patted his water skin strapped to his belt. "'Sides, I'm only gonna have the one."
"You like being overly warm." River didn't say it as a question.
"Feels good." Jayne shrugged.
"Reminds you of boyhood. Why?" She was looking at him with her head tilted as if to see him at a different angle.
It was a while before he answered. River waited beside him. "My home planet was like this," Jayne said softly. "Where I grew up, no rain an' hotter than hell."
"Didn't want to leave. Forced to adventure out in the hoped of saving your family." River looked at him sharply, pain in her eyes. "Save them from slavery. Little Mattie is too young and innocent to be someone's doxy. Don't want her to grow up with that life."
Jayne started to back away, anger rolling off him in waved. He stopped when River reached over and grabbed his arm.
"I'm sorry. I did not mean to go into your mind. I have no control over mental functions. I'm sorry." River's big eyes filled with tears and trickled down her cheeks to land on the dusty ground. "I'm sorry."
Jayne felt his resolve crumble. "Aww hell, girl. I know it. I jus' forget sometimes is all." He took her hand and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. His heart squeezed tightly as River buried her face in his chest and held on.
Without really understanding why, Jayne looked down and kissed her head. "I jus' get ornery when I think of my family." River looked up at him.
"Jayne-man worries about them and takes care of them in any way he can. They are doing fine." Jayne couldn't stop the hope from flooding his chest.
"Are they really?"
"Yes."
Jayne was silent for a moment, thoughts racing behind his ocean blue eyes. "Thank you."
"Jia ting is important to the stone mercenary. You are an oxymoron." River smiled up at him.
Jayne snorted. "I know what an oxymor'n is, Crazy. Ain't gonna take that bait."
River pouted. "But I enjoy pulling Jayne's tail."
"Ain't got a tail," Jayne grinned. He then dug his fingers into her ribcage and wiggled. She shrieked with laughter and ran down the steps with Jayne in hot pursuit.
Family was important to him; Jayne reflected later as he caught River and tickled her mercilessly. And he was lucky enough to have two.