Scotch and Chocolate

Even after the last job had gone down so easily with such a lucrative payoff, everyone had still been mildly surprised at how large their individual cuts had been. With the markets of Persephone open to their coin, it was just a matter of personal taste as to what each of them was going to buy.

Inara, while originally planning on seeing a client during the heist, found herself co-pilot to River as best as she could manage. Flying the shuttle was different than backing the genius up on the hulking transport, but they'd managed to hold her steady and take off as swiftly and safely as possible.

Simon at first refused to take the small cut Mal had offered him. The captain had originally shrugged and pocketed the cut, only to have it forcefully taken and shoved into the doctor's hands by the first mate. He'd done so well with the distraction this time, she felt he needed a little something if just to calm his nerves.

River had pulled double duty this heist, handling the gun alongside Mal and Jayne on the ground, then pulling Serenity up into the sky for their escape. She wondered just how well Inara could bring her in to the meet-up point without her, but all went surprisingly smooth. She was becoming quite good at the flying bit, and she was more than a little proud when Mal would flash her that "atta-girl" look as the ground disappeared.

Zoe had uncharacteristically asked Mal to stay behind on this go, and he obliged only when River opted to take her place. It wasn't the wisest choice, letting their pilot go out and start shooting things and perhaps get shot back. But, as Jayne pointed out noisily, the girl was a walking weapon; she'd be fine. Zoe didn't voice the reason she chose to stay behind, but Mal had his suspicions.

And so they all found themselves laden with a little extra money that they could spend any way they saw fit. They all set out as one unit into the bustling main market of Persephone, and all eventually branched out on their own. Mal was most indecisive about what to spend his share on, having already purchased the necessities for the ship and for the food stores, and for the ammo and the gas... He was stumped as to what he should do for himself. He stood and stared at this very nice pair of sunglasses that would outmatch Jayne's and make him look fairly badass as well. But he moved on, pondering.

Kaylee was first back to the ship, cheerly hauling a crate of fresh fruit after her, topped off by the most beautiful strawberries she'd ever seen. The rest was to share, but the strawberries were for her. She hated to be selfish sometimes, but there were just sometimes she had to have something that was just Kaylee's. After storing them tucked nicely away to make sure nothing went bad, she pulled out her chair and perched herself just outside the ramp, enjoying the milling of people in the port, nibbling in rapture on big red strawberries.

Inara saved most of what she had been able to glean off of the job, spending only a small amount on fresh incense for the shuttle and a set of teas, since her stock had been running dangerously low. Persephone didn't boast the best selection, but she had grown fond of the local varieties, no matter what she said about outer planets. Besides, every leaf she bought was guaranteed fair trade, something that somehow had become more important the longer she spent on Serenity.

Simon gathered what he could and bought medicinal supplies to restock what dwindling stores he had left on the ship. They couldn't pull a job like Ariel again any time soon; any medicine he acquired after that would have to be completely legal for a while. The prices were exorbitant the farther from the Core one travelled, and Simon grumbled as he handed over his wages for what he could afford. God forbid someone lose another ear...

The others returned to the ship late, as the sun was setting and most of the other transports had taken off. Only Serenity and another, larger transport were left in port as Jayne lit up his cigar. He stood beside the sitting Kaylee and enjoyed the last bit of nicotine he'd have in a while. He grinned broadly as he blew smoke rings toward the pink sky, proud of what he'd been able to get his paws on that afternoon. Jayne nudged Kaylee's chair with his foot.

"What'd you spend your loot on, huh?"

"What d'you think?" She asked back brightly, holding up one of the strawberries. Jayne huffed, still smiling around the cigar hanging out one edge of his mouth.

"S'what y' always get," he muttered, kicking her chair again and heading up the ramp and into the hangar. He dropped the stub of the cigar and snuffed it out with his boot before shouldering his pack and making off for the galley. "Git in here 'fore I eat all your gorram fruit!" He called back over his shoulder to the mechanic. She was quicker than he expected, somehow beating him there.

Everyone had gathered to unload perishables in the galley, then off to their posts. Kaylee doled out her spoils, actually bringing a wide smile to Simon's face as she stuffed an orange in his hands and kissing him sweetly on the cheek. Jayne quickly stuck the offered peach between his teeth, tearing into it and flopping himself down into a chair. Mal quickly deferred the offered apple, taking a pear instead and thanking the mechanic by ruffling her hair fondly. River grinned widely at the box of cherries given to her, doing a little spin and going off to store them in her room. Zoe took the apple Mal had refused and cut it into little slices, offering pleased thanks to Kaylee with a fondness she hadn't previously been known to expose.

Finally, Jayne was the last left in the galley. He checked over his shoulder both ways, just to be sure, before reaching into his bag to pull out a big bottle of scotch, a lovely brown. He listened to it slosh around on its own for a moment, taking his time to enjoy it. He then poured a nice bit into the cup before him and took a big gulp. Ahh, scotch, the drink of champions; the man's drink. This was the ultimate celebration drink--more sophisticated than he was used to, but then, he'd had more money than usual.

For once, she didn't surprise him when she appeared out of nowhere. Even after she said she'd gotten better, she still had a way of looking at a fella with those big wide eyes of her and making him shake in his boots. She didn't talk crazy so much anymore, and the sneaking-up had lessened to where it didn't much surprise anyone anymore. He actually almost smirked as he felt her hanging over his shoulder.

"What d'ya want?" He asked, half tempted to shoo her away like a persistent fly. Upon having been discovered, she shifted to his side, peering down at the bottle of scotch.

"This is your prize?"

"Bet your ten little toes it is," he said triumphantly as he held it up in salute to some invisible force. "Best damn scotch on the planet. Best stuff in the 'Verse comes from a place back home, but that's a fair piece away, and Mal ain't gonna go outta his way just for a taste 'a scotch." He suddenly stopped and pondered why he was telling the girl where to find the best alcohol. Hell, she couldn't even be old enough to--

"My eighteenth birthday was one week and three days ago," she said under her breath, looking sardonically amused. "You toasted me."

"Was I drunk?"

"Highly."

"Makes sense." He poured himself another drink, having finished the first one. "I like gettin' drunk, 'specially when it's a special occasion."

"You kissed me," she said as plainly as possible.

It was the first time she'd seen anyone actually pull a spit-take, and she broke out into bright gales of laughter. Jayne wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking at the girl with plate-eyes.

"Girl, you lyin' t' me?" She didn't think she'd ever seen him look embarrassed. Guilty, yes, but not embarrassed.

"Yes," she admitted, twirling away with her hands behind her back. Jayne glared at her retreating figure, seeing something silver clutched in her hands as she moved away. He stood and grabbed her wrist before she could disappear completely. She spun at the confinement, pouting angrily at being held back. He glared down.

"That sauce cost me a pretty penny, girl, and you makin' me waste just a spit's worth means you owe me, dong ma?" Before she could protest, he grabbed the little silver wrapper in her hand and jerking it away to examine it. She gasped, fighting to get it to back.

"My spoils! Unfair!"

"Keep your panties on," he growled, opening the wrapper and revealing dark brown chocolate underneath. He laughed loudly at revealing the well-guarded spoils. "Chocolate?"

"Jayne doesn't have to share his scotch!" She tugged against his grip, almost reaching out and grabbing her chocolate back. He held it up above her head and out of her way. She growled, standing on her toes to reach for it. "Not fair!"

"Yeah?" Without warning, he put the chocolate bar to his mouth and took a large, Jayne-sized bit out of it. River gasped, stopped her struggling, and stared open-mouthed at her demolished chocolate bar. "There, all paid back now." He grinned, finishing the bite of chocolate and swallowing it. With his revenge completed, he placed the bar back in River's hand and released her wrist. Just as he turned his back to return to his scotch, he heard River's voice thin and angry behind him.

"I will have that back!"

"Oh yeah?" He turned to face her, half a grin cracked on his face. "And just how--"

That was when she tackled him. Hitting him at his center of gravity, he was knocked flat to the ground with a thud and a grunt. She had him pinned, staring down at him angrily. Thoughts of her back in the Maidenhead flashed through his mind, and he was suddenly afraid at what she could do to him.

He didn't expect her to duck down to kiss him fiercely.

Shock went through him like he'd been dunked into freezing water, and his hands first went to her shoulders to try and pry her away. But she was relentless, digging her own fingernails into his shoulders and pressing herself further in to kiss him. All of a sudden, his brain seemed to recognize just what she was doing to him, and he was more than a little surprised to find he liked it. His fingers trying to press her away went suddenly lax and his eyes rolled all funny back in his head.

All at once his defenses were down, and she had him. Before she was sure of what he was doing, his fingers curled on the back of her neck and pulled her in even closer. It surprised her, and she gave a little gasp. He took the chance that was given to him, and he drove forward into her open mouth. It was her turn to get that funny look into her eyes, and she just let it happen. She couldn't keep track of his hands, only that they made something inside her shiver pleasantly. He tasted hot, like good scotch, and her chocolate.

Then, they paused. One looked at the other, both not quite sure just what had happened. She looked from his eyes to his lips, suddenly remembering why she'd initiated it in the first place.

"Success," she muttered, pressing fingers to her own lips. "Retrieved my spoils." A sly little smile curled over her lips. Comprehension came into his eyes like she'd hit him with a brick.

"Aw hell," he groaned. "All that for your gorram chocolate?" He looked disappointed and frustrated at the same time.

"Yes," she said simply, ducking down to pull one long, sweet kiss from him before she was suddenly on her feet. She spun across the room, picked up what was left of her chocolate bar, and was out of the galley before he could even sit up.

When he did, he sat there and he actually thought. He stared at the empty space the girl had just disappeared through, and he thought. At last, he groaned again in defeat, running a hand over his face and pulling himself to his feel.

"I'm gonna need a hell of a lot more 'n this..." He held up the bottle of scotch and took a large swallow, still tasting her chocolate on his lips. "Gorramit..."

AN: Howdy all, its me again, here with more Rayne than I should legally be allowed to dish out. This was just a little idea that struck me while I was listening to Nickel Creek's "Scotch and Chocolate" (they are a fantabulous band that is not quite blugrass; excellent for writing Firefly fics) and I just had to write it, no matter how bad I need to write the next chapter of "Vice and Virtue." Hopefully I'll have that up soon too. Thanks for reading, and leave me some love! Much thanks, The Shoeless One.