When in Rome
Jayne had been dropping hints. Considering that this was Jayne and not a genius of inter-human relationships, this was a feat. It was also a step in the right direction, and no one but Simon had ever seen River so happy. Of course, no one but River knew how to decipher these hints, and therefore no one seemed to know why River was so perpetually buoyant. But they let it slide, seeing as a happy River was a non-destructive River.
Mal let everyone know at dinner that their eminent landing on Persephone was to be quick and painless, and he was ready to make sure it was just that. He, Zoe and Jayne were to head over to Badger's and pick up a job. The others were advised to stay on the ship, seeing as Mal planned to be off again as soon as possible.
After a brief negotiation, it was agreed that River was to come along with the three of them on the basis that Badger "liked her." This seemed to ruffle Jayne's feathers slightly, and he excused himself to his bunk before set-down. River's smile fell for the first time in a week.
She returned to her room before they landed to find a note; a hint. She brightened immediately and picked it up to read. In Jayne's heavy, scrawling hand it simply read "when in Rome." She smiled, running her thumb over the words, pondering their meaning as always. It never took her more than a day to decipher, and it always set her mind on fire to know that he would send her such wonderful puzzles. He knew her too well, and she loved it.
Serenity set down in a quiet, shady spot at the edge of the dock. Mal shrugged on his brown coat, feeling a winter chill in the air. It wasn't unusual to see snow this time of year, but he was glad to see it had decided not to show its white, chilly face. He was joined a moment later by Zoe, who had bid her husband farewell in the warmth of the cockpit. Her breath fogged as she looked out at the nearly empty dock.
"Slim pickin's, sir," she said as she jerked a thumb outward. "Means Badger'll be quick with the offers."
"Doubt it," Mal returned absently, rubbing his hands together to generate heat. "Likely he'll pretend he ain't got any good jobs left in the cold season, make us bargain for less. S'why we got her." He nodded at River as she came toward them down the loading ramp. She was wearing a black overcoat that obviously belonged to her brother. Walking behind her with a heavy gait was Jayne, already shivering at the change in temperature.
"Shit, this ain't the kind 'a weather for dealin' with Badger," Jayne said as he glanced about at the lack of ships.
"Never good weather to deal with Badger," River said as she toyed with a strand of hair dangling before her eyes. Mal chuckled, and Zoe offered a smirk. Jayne's face did not change, but he pulled his mother's homemade hat off of his head and plopped it down on hers.
"Ain't no use if y' freeze t' death, girl," he told her, crossing his arms and looking generally chilly. He paused to ignore the strange look Mal was giving him. They began walking the relatively empty market streets of the dock area. "Think it was this gorram cold when Hades stole Persephone off her farm?"
He didn't look at River when he said it, but she knew it was for her. She twiddled her thumbs, looking down at her feet to hide the pleased little flush that came to her cheeks.
"Stole her from her mother. Demeter. Wept piteously, and cursed the land so that it was infertile. Hated Hades for taking her daughter away."
Mal and Zoe could only watch in strange fascination as the two continued their conversation without looking at each other.
"Hell, he prob'ly didn't care what the hell her mama thought. Saw a pretty girl and thought he ought'a be hittin' that." Jayne managed a grin, and tried to rub heat into his arms.
Unbelievably, River giggled in return. Her breath froze in a white cloud, and she was silent afterward with a smile stuck to her lips. Still walking briskly for Badger's, Mal exchanged an odd look with Zoe.
"Oookay, that was informative and frightening. Any reason you're spoutin' myth at my psychic, Jayne?"
Jayne shrugged, ignoring a full-on shudder that wracked through his chest. "When in Rome, Cap'n," he replied.
River's heart hitched up into her throat, trying not to look as giddy as she felt. She looked up to find that Jayne's eyes were locked on her, watching her in a way she hadn't seen before. Then the edge of his mouth turned up--dangerously? Her all-knowing mind went blank for a flash, and that was all that Jayne needed.
She felt his big, calloused hands fit around her waist and he lifted her with no more effort than he might lift a crate of cargo. She only had time to gasp a breath before she was fitted against his chest, her feet dangling inches above the ground. Instinctually, her arms fastened around his neck, and fastened them together. In close quarters, their misting breath mixed and mingled. And just like that, they were gone.
Mal turned, halfway through his sentence to Jayne, to find that both his mercenary and his psychic were gone. Where they had once stood was only empty street and two pairs of boot prints in the swirling dust. As the mixed emotions boiled in Mal's red face, the first snowflakes of winter descended on Persephone.
The alley was dark, shaded by a draping cloth tarp two stories above them. The wanted posters and posted announcements fluttered to the ground at their feet as River's back fell against the wall. Her breath fogged intensely as Jayne kissed hot and fierce at her neck, his big hands still holding her close at the waist. Her eyes fluttered closed, snowflakes coating her eyelashes.
"Don't think your mama cared for me stealin' ya, Persephone," he muttered against her skin, trailing slow kisses across her collarbone. She sucked air in through her teeth to maintain composure.
"Mal will curse the earth; never grow anything again." She had to stop her speech as Jayne bit at her ear.
"Saw a pretty girl," Jayne breathed in her ear purposefully. She melted then.
"Jayne," she whispered, pawing with cat-like claws at his hair. He grumbled in a pleased way against her throat, his own breath warm on her cold skin. "Jayne," she said again, more insistent. His head came up slowly, both sets of eyes watching the other as breaths heaved in their chest and sublimated in the air between them.
"What?" he asked, raking his eyes across her face like all he wanted to do was return to her neck, to kissing her.
"When in Rome?" she asked. He nodded, as if he didn't understand her asking. A pretty, slinky smile curled over her lips. "Hades and Persephone are Greek."
His eyelids felt heavy as he stared at the beautiful genius girl before him. "Don't ruin a good thing, baby," he muttered at last. He pressed her back against the wall again and finally kissed her straight on the lips.
"Tricked with pomegranate seeds," she murmured between hot kisses that melted the snowflakes on her cheeks.
"Wha?" He asked, apparently unable to fully form words.
"You did. Hades," she said as she ran her thumb across Jayne's bottom lip.
"That's me," he said as he pressed his forehead against hers. "King 'a the whole gorram Underworld. And you're my girl."
She smiled wonderfully, beautifully. He hated to kill that smile, but he also had a powerful urge to kiss that girl. And he did, with fervor. The snow fell in sheets above them, caught by the hanging drape with only a few cold stragglers daring to fall on the Gods of the Underworld. Their heat kept them warm in the lingering cold, the melted snow running down their faces like cold tears. It was his myth this time, and he played it in full.
Mal and Zoe returned to Serenity to find the two they'd thought lost sitting on the loading ramp, huddled up underneath the same heavy coat to keep warm. River dozed cozily, curled up against Jayne's chest, and he quietly smoked a cigar as the pure white snow fell all around them. The flakes dulled the noise of their approach, but Jayne smirked as they walked up to him. Zoe shook her head and walked past them and into the warmth of the ship.
The captain and the mercenary stared one another down, neither relenting. After a long silence, Jayne removed the cigar from the side of his mouth and said only three words.
"When in Rome."
Mal didn't say anything in return, only growled something unintelligible and vaguely threatening. He stomped past them and into the ship, and the silence returned. Jayne popped the cigar back between his teeth and hugged the girl close to his side as he watched the snow bury the port at Persephone.
AN: Just an idea that came into my head late at night. I liked "Robin and Marian" (and apparently y'all did too) so I decided to write a wee follow-up. Yey for Jayne messing up the origins of myths! I love these two... Oh, yes, and the title refers to a Nickel Creek song YET AGAIN. I don't know, they just seem to write really Rayne-y songs. Enjoy, thanks for reading, and (as always) stay awesome!!