Author's Notes: This has been hanging around for a while and I never felt right posting it. I'm half in/half out on the River/Jayne train – I love the idea of the couple but completely understand why some people find it squicky. I've finally got it to a place where I felt comfortable and so, here it is.
Kiss Me, Keep Me
Jayne stares at his hands.
Wonders what made him so gorram stupid. Went and got himself attached to the one person sure to get him shot. Or shoot him.
He hates it. He hates it because he wants it, more than he wants to stay on this boat. And he wants it more than he's ever wanted anything out here. He wants so much when he's with her.
Wants to take her home to meet his family. Wants to see his Ma's face when he tells her he's gone and got himself a girl.
He wants to punch Simon in the face for talkin' at her like she was stupid. Smarter than all of 'em put together and then some and just cause she don't make sense to him doesn't mean she's not sayin' somethin' important.
He wants to take back the six shot pistol he bought for her because he might as well have given her a ring, the way she smiled at him. He wants it back because that's exactly what he wanted. That smile and that look and that understanding.
He wants to go back to that day four years ago when she'd kissed him. Tell her don't do it because now, he doesn't care what she wants.
Or so he tells himself as he tries to gather up the courage to ask the craziest, most dangerous woman he's ever known if she'd do him the honor of bein' his woman.