2: "Somewhere I Belong"

"He appears to be preoccupied. Sneaking up on him may not have the desired result. Discontinue this course of action." Scarab's mechanical voice advised, more like ordered. It was always more like an order with Scarab.

"Shut up!" Jaime hissed. At the sound of Jaime's voice Mal turned around, a smile already set on his face. Jaime had only a moment to sigh and silently curse Scarab for ruining this for him. All he'd wanted to do was sneak up on his…were they considered "boyfriends" yet? Not that Jaime really liked the sound of that. It made him feel like a girl.

At that, Scarab began to rattle off a list of other names for Jaime and Mal's relationship, as well as starting to present species that had homosexual tendencies, all the while chastising Jaime for having this relationship at all because it made them vulnerable. NOT helping. Jaime thought viciously, smiling awkwardly up at Mal. He had only wanted to sneak up behind Mal and hug him, but now his courage was depleted.

"Jaime." As always, Mal's deep voice managed to sound soft and…something Jaime couldn't quite put his finger on, but which made him feel very warm. Mal always said Jaime's name as if it were a treat to have it roll off his tongue. It made Jaime feel special-wanted-as if he belonged nowhere more than in Mal's arms, and really, that was all that Jaime had wanted out of this venture. To be in Mal's arms.

"Then demand it," Scarab piped up, "Our power is greater than his, so you have the right to anything you wish from him." Again. NOT. HELPING. Jaime mentally corrected Scarab so ferociously that he feared for a moment that he might have growled it aloud, but Mal was still smiling at him, though his head was tilted to the side inquiringly, as he held a spatula in his hand.

"H-hi," Jaime offered suddenly, after realizing that he had not yet responded to Mal. Hands clenching and unclenching at his own silliness, Jaime tried his best to make his smile sit better on his face, more like the charming way Mal's smile simply curved ever upwards without a care.

"Hello." Mal replied warmly, his tone practically vibrating with mirth. Jaime's cheeks flushed and he hated them for it. All Jaime's brain offered at the moment was babbling about how he didn't understand how Mal could look at him that way, and how he didn't care that there were six years between them, or how they were both guys, or that there was a stupid, violent thing attached to his spine because it shut up when Mal was touching him, and all he wanted was for Mal to hold him. Jaime was so very happy that his mouth chose that moment to stop working.

"Did you need something?" Mal asked softly, always softly (even with such a deep voice) with Jaime, and Jaime loved him for that.

Wait. Love?! Jaime's brain latched on to that and tried to wrap around it. He and Mal had only been together for a little over a month. It was too soon for-for…for the was Mal was looking at him just then. Nervously, Jaime 's eyes fell as his hand reached out, landing gently, almost reverently, over Mal's rib cage. Jaime could feel the strength gathered there. The warmth and the love. All of the beautiful things that made Mal Mal.

Jaime let his gaze sneak back up, desperately seeking Mal's reaction. Mal only smiled down at him, so warm and…loving, so unbelievably loving that Jaime lost the ability to breath in the wake of it, but soon it was filling his lungs and breathing for him. Emboldened, Jaime's hand curved slowly around to rest on Mal's back.

I want you to hold me. Jaime silently pleaded, and as if Mal were a mind-reader his dark, powerful arms were enclosing surely around Jaime, encasing him with the warmth, safety and love that is Mal. Slowly, Jaime let out a breath that he hadn't been holding, and wrapped both of his arms around Mal, letting his hands rest on Mal's solid shoulder blades.

Mal always seemed to know just what Jaime needed, so they went to the couch, where Mal held him, and Jaime burrowed into Mal's chest, savoring the peace he found there. If the spatula came with them, Jaime paid it no mind, too pleased and comfortable being pressed so close to, and being held so tightly by, Mal. They lay there, undisturbed, for quite some time. It was only when Jaime began nodding off, Mal watching him closely, so pleased to call Jaime his own, that Mal realized that he had let the food burn.