A/N—Okay so I know I said the next update for this story wasn't coming until Monday but luckily for ya'll River and Riddick just won't shut up in my head and so my living room remains unfinished but here is chapter five.
To purple rocks- I'm with you on the Riddick/River pairing (obviously) which is why I decided to write my own, got sick of waiting on someone else to do it lol.
Sabrina1204-everyone can thank you for this update which made me decide not to keep ya'll waiting.
Side note to everyone else-you all ROCK! I've got readers from across the globe and I can't tell you how siked I am over it!
Without further ado, don't own anything, not making any cash, here's chapter 5
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Riddick did not reappear until dinner, having spent the entire day shaping new shivs from scraps Kaylee had laying around the engine room, because there was no way in ruttin' hell he would be caught wielding a sparkling pink shiv. By this time the story of the glittering shivs had circulated throughout the ship and each crew member was doing their best not to openly laugh at the six foot five assassin, all that was except for one very self satisfied reader who was gingerly picking at her roll while she hummed to herself. Kaylee decided it was a good thing River wasn't in the least afraid of Riddick's temper, and the fact he hadn't outright killed her was a promising sign. Kaylee still had visions of little Rivers and Riddicks, shiv wielding toddlers running about Serenity. She nearly laughed out loud at the thought, River meanwhile was slightly confused by Kaylee's thoughts having never once considered Riddick in that way, although he had often called her his mate in his thoughts, she decided to file it away for later consideration.
"Do you know," Simon said to no one in particular, a poorly concealed smirk on his face, "When River was nine she vowed revenge on a maid who told my mother she had broken an antiqued vase. She laced the girl's soap with a chemical stain; the maid was purple for three weeks."
"Point of the story Doc?" Riddick rumbled.
"At least she didn't dye you pink and glitter your goggles."
The little control the crew had managed to maintain was completely and simultaneously lost, even Zoe whom had seldom laughed since Wash's death nearly fell from her chair wiping her eyes at the thought of a giant glittering pink assassin.
River's eyes narrowed, "The girl lacked the required chemical components."
Mal spit the liquid in his mouth across the table.
Riddick stood muttering a string of Mandarin and English obscenities that sent the crew even further over the edge, and grabbing his plate he stormed off to his bunk to finish his shivs.
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River crawled across the prone form of a still petulant Riddick to snuggle herself between his warm body and the wall.
"The girl is still not sorry." She yawned, as Riddick pulled her closer, nestling her head beneath his chin.
He inhaled deeply, despite the fact he was still extremely pissed at the girl he had not felt right without her beside him all day, it had felt like the last five years all over again though he knew she was somewhere nearby on the ship. His beast finally settled in his cage. "Yeah well, we missed training, tomorrow morning your pig gu (ass) is mine, so get some sleep niu ye shou (little girl beast)."
"The girl is not little any longer."
Riddick grunted unwilling to allow the fact to sink into his subconscious.
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"River-girl," Riddick cooed, or rather made a noise vaguely resembling a coo.
"Optimal hours of REM sleep have not been reached. Please and thank you go away." River groaned in response.
"River," he cooed again.
"Go. Away." She swatted vaguely in his general direction unwilling to focus even long enough to truly strike at him.
"Bao bei, (treasured one, darling)," he pressed.
"Mrmrmpfromp…" she mumbled and then bolting upright screeching a moment later as Riddick dumped a pitcher of ice cold water over her head. River sputtered incoherently through her sopping wet hair.
"Told you girl, this morning your ass is mine. Get. Up."
She glared at him, "The beast should not waste our limited water supply for acts of vicious cruelty."
"Ask me, I don't think a single drop of it was wasted." He chuckled, "Up or I'll carry you to the hold myself. Training started ten minutes ago, get your gear on, and try some pants instead of those damn skirts, want the whole 'verse to see what you got?" He growled.
"And if I do," River challenged raising an eyebrow, Kaylee's daydreams drifting through her head.
"Well then seems like we'll be doin' a lot more running then necessary 'cause I'll have to rip the eyes outta every hun dan (Bastard) we come across."
River noted the wave of possessive jealousy that erupted from the beast inside, very different than that of Mal's, another thing she filed away for later consideration.
"Get up girl." He growled heading out the door, "If you make me come get your ass I promise you'll regret it." Riddick smirked, chuckling as he left, at the steady stream of Mandarin and the sound of slamming drawers.
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River stomped down the steps and into the hold wearing a pair of black cargos and a black tank with her combat boots, looking very much like a mini Riddick less the goggles and the inherent differences in their anatomy, something Riddick did not fail to notice now that she was dressed in clothes that actually fit her. It was still early enough that Serenity was running in night cycle and the crew still slept on, River envied their dreams for no particular reason other than the fact she'd give anything at the moment to be back in her bed, she was far from a morning person.
"The girl is present and accounted for, though she is not pleased." She grumbled at him.
"Start stretching." Riddick ordered and begrudgingly with a few mumbled attacks against his virility and references to his uncanny resemblance to a mentally deficient ape River complied.
"The beast is not participating." It wasn't a question, it was an accusation.
"The beast had plenty of time to stretch while he was waiting for his ballerina," he smirked.
River continued to whine and grumble, "Hold please," she requested kicking her ankle up to his shoulder and pressing against it into her stretch.
Riddick tried to think of anything and everything other than her slender well toned leg resting against his body, and slammed his mind shut against River and the sudden onslaught of images.
River quirked an eyebrow but thankfully did not remark on it, instead she switched legs.
"Ain't a little girl anymore Dickey-Boy," his beast whispered, and the man banged against the bars of the cage, reminding the beast who was in charge.
Riddick stepped away quickly when River removed her leg. "Done?"
River nodded having caught the inner monologue; she resolved to have some serious 'girl-time' with her Jei-jei (big sister affectionate) as soon as she was able.
"Good," he grunted, "Laps, move." He ordered leading the way around the perimeter of the hold as they circled until they had completed what Riddick judged to be five miles.
In actuality they had only run four point three miles, but River for once was in no mood to correct someone's erroneous calculations as she leaned against the mule for support panting. Weeks on end in the black had done nothing to help her stamina. Riddick however, appeared unfazed, she glared at him accordingly.
"Pull ups." He grunted, just a stimulating wealth of conversation this morning, River thought to herself as Riddick impatiently jerked his head over towards Jayne's makeshift bars.
"The beast is a vile and detestable creature." River whined when he finally allowed her to drop from the bars, her arms feeling like little more than the vile substance Kaylee had called jello.
"Ain't my fault you got lazy, crunches girl."
The endless crunches were followed by an eternity of pushups before Riddick finally called a halt and River collapsed against the metal grating not bothering or caring enough to worry about the coldness of it, it actually felt like bliss. "The girl will die if the beast does not cease." She complained every muscle in her body screaming, while Riddick who had performed everything right along side of her still looked as fresh as daisies, she hated him.
The rest of the crew had started to rise by this time and Serenity had turned herself over to day cycle, she could hear Simon and Kaylee laughing as they prepared breakfast together but all she could think of was how desperately she wished to crawl into bed and die for a few hours.
Riddick crouched down low, chuckling he pushed a sweaty lock of hair away from her face tucking it behind her ear. She purred with pleasure when his massive hands began to work the muscles of her shoulders and neck, "Not done by a long shot, sure are a lot whiner than I remember girl." River didn't even bother to glare; afraid it would stop the delicious sensations his hands on her body were beginning to cause. "Come on ballerina, stretch out and then we'll get you some grub, can't die on me yet, that was just the easy part."
This time she did groan, "If the girl said she was truly sorry for improving on the beast's claws would he cease his excessive and unwarranted retribution?"
Riddick barked out a laugh, "ain't a chance in hell River-girl, and as much as I'm enjoyin' it, this is for your own good, you got comfortable here, lazy. Don't you look at me like that River-girl you know it, nothing but cushy smuggling jobs and sittin' back in a pilot's seat, comfortable gets you dead girl and I can't have that."
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River dawdled over her breakfast prolonging the inevitable.
"How long 'til we break atmo?" Mal asked glad that Kaylee had taken breakfast out of Simon's hands.
"Five hours, forty seven minutes, three seconds." River replied leaning heavily on the table.
"Lookin' a mite tired Lil 'Tross," Mal observed, concern evident in his eyes and voice as he shot a warning look at Riddick.
"The beast is a cruel master." She complained draining the last of her green tea.
"Master," Riddick chuckled, "yeah, I could get used to that, up girl, no more wasting time, got work to do."
River moaned.
"Mei-mei if you're not up to it you don't have to listen to the beast man." Simon hovered.
"Quit fussin' doc, worse than a housewife." Riddick said.
"Ain't that the truth." Jayne snorted.
"Come on' girl." River groaned but complied.
"Hold on a minute," Simon protested, "the medicine she takes can leave her weak."
"That's another thing me and you are gonna have some words over some time, ain't pleased with the amount of drugs you're pumpin' into her, ain't no good if her brain's all foggy and some gou shi (shit) hits the fan."
Simon was becoming crimson again, but Riddick cut him off pulling a sheet of paper out of his pocket, "Good news is Doc, you're off the hook, bad news is the ballerina here, well it no longer matters if she's alive or dead, just so someone shuts her up. Think about that before you go sedatin' her." That being said Riddick lead River out of the mess calling over his shoulder, "Zoe, Jayne, could use you for this next round." Curious Zoe and Jayne followed.
"Ta de ma (Fuck.)" Simon and Mal swore in unison over the latest bounty on River Tams head, the words DEAD or ALIVE printed beneath the amount.
"Ain't the Alliance wants her anymore Doc, says here private parties."
Simon angrily crumbled the paper tossing it down the incinerator, "Blue Sun no doubt."
"Best we be careful, avoid the law like the plague."
"Somehow I think Captain; the law is the least of our worries."
Mal shuddered remembering Jubal's blatant violation of his ship and crew in the months before Miranda.
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River sat blindfolded, her arms tied behind her back and her legs at the ankles, she stretched out her senses.
"What do you smell?" A gravelly voice whispered sending chills down her spine, his breath warm against her neck.
She focused, "Sandalwood, musk, shaved metal, my beast."
"And?"
"Tobacco, whiskey, sweat, the man named Jayne."
"What else?" The voice demanded as Jayne sniffed himself.
"Gunpowder and flowers." Zoe made a mental note to stop buying floral scented shampoo.
"Good." The voice was harsh but full of pride urging River on.
"What do you hear?"
"Three sets of footsteps, Serenity's heart, the sunshine needs to check her bearings, the beast has pulled his shiv, Jayne favors his right leg, Zoe has unclipped her holster but has not drawn."
"And what does that tell you?" The whisper asked it had moved nine degrees to her left.
"Zoe hesitates, it is unusual, the girl assumes this is because it is only a rehearsal. The girl knows from experience the warrior would not hesitate in battle, the Captain is our leader but Zoe is our strength. Aim for Jayne's left side, just as fast but weaker, the girl should keep her distance from the beast with the claw, he has drawn his shiv first because he has no other weapon, don't let him get close."
"Good." The voice seemed satisfied.
River smiled, she had been working her hand restraints against a loose piece of metal in the grating, as she spoke she had been rubbing the ropes against it, covering the noise to even Riddick's well trained ears. Her free hands shot to her left, wrenching Riddick's wrist and claiming his shiv for her own, in one fluid movement she slashed the rope at her ankles rolling hard to her right and pushing herself up.
Jayne and Zoe blinked in surprise.
"The ballerina now has two of the beast's claws." She taunted, "he must be more careful."
Riddick was impressed, he had not expected that at all and rewarded her with a genuine smile, "You've just won your freedom Bao bei, training's done for the day."
"The ballerina is not as derelict as the beast suggests."
"That's it girl, never let 'em know how strong you are. You look small, you look weak, they'll watch you less the ones that don't know you, but by the time your through they won't ever forget, and the ones that know you, they won't believe the stories until you've slit their throats while they've slept." He grinned a particularly sadistic smile and the inner beast purred in approval, oh yeah their girl was good. "Hit the showers girl, after you've landed this boat we go for some proper gear and I believe I owe good on a promise I made five years ago."
River's eye lit up, "The beast is going to take her dancing!" She squealed jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist hugging him tightly.
"Riddick is taking River dancing." He corrected dropping her to her feet and patting her on the ass, "Not smellin' like that though." He chuckled.
River stuck her tongue out at him but ran up the stairs bumping into Kaylee on the walkway, she squealed in delight calling out, "Kaylee, You must help the girl prepare tonight! The ballerina goes dancing!"
"Shiny! Think we can drag your brother along?"
"Ge-ge will be made to dance!" She hugged her Jei-jei tightly.
Below Jayne chuckled, "Ain't pictured you a dancing' man Riddick."
"Only for her." He smirked basking in the joy which was rolling off their girl in waves, noticing and not caring that Zoe was giving him a rather pointed look, she decided to have a few words with the man over his relationship with their River.
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"Riddick, need ya on this trip, first time we're meetin' this contact, like to put on a face that we're not to be crossed. Jayne, we'll drop you off some distance, keep a close eye on these folks, you get the signal, start pickin' 'em off. Zoe, you're driving and Albatross we'll need you to get a good read on these folks, these silk runs got a whole 'verse of potential to bring us coin." Mal issued orders glad that Kaylee had overhauled the mule to carry six and feelin' good in a way that only doin' his captainy duty could make him feel.
Riddick tossed River a spare set of goggles to keep the wind out of her face and shook his head at the silk baby doll dress she had selected for the outing. "Up girl." He rumbled lifting her into the mule and taking the place next to her. Jayne leapt onto the edge of the back, while Zoe and Mal took the front seats.
"Mei-mei be careful." Simon worried.
"Aww Simon, ain't nothin' to be frettin' on, River's got Riddick watching her, won't let a lick of harm come to her right?" Kaylee attempted to sooth his nerves.
"River's more than capable of taking care of herself but if it makes ya feel better Doc, anyone taking a shot at her has to cut through me first."
Simon found himself oddly grateful for the beast man's presence. "I'll hold you to that Riddick."
"Ge-ge's worries are unfounded. No harm will come to the girl, the beast has promised her dancing." River called out as Zoe started up the mule and guided it out of the bay.
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Antheia was adeptly named for one of the Greek Charites, the goddess of flowers and flowery wreaths, one of the fortunate ones that had taken well to terra forming and rivaled Sihnon for its beauty, had it not been so far from the Core Worlds it probably would have been just as prosperous. However, as it was the world was populated mainly by wealthy farmers and plantation owners, though the luxuries that came with wealth such as the silks being hauled behind the mule currently, were scarce, more so since the Alliance had pulled its presence from the Rim Worlds.
The mule was now parked at the coordinates given by the contact though the contact himself was more than twenty minutes late. "Don't like it Sir." Zoe stated, eyeing their surroundings. They had found themselves in a well concealed grove, away from prying eyes but perfect for an ambush should the contact be feeling greedy.
"'Tross?" Mal looked to the girl who was hanging upside down from a tree branch holding her skirt in place with her hands.
River swung herself down off the tree, Riddick grumbling at the amount of leg she had exposed, "The girl feels nothing amiss, the contact will arrive in ten minutes sixteen seconds."
Mal nodded satisfied but still wary, but relaxed slightly at the sound of a mule in the distance precisely at the appointed time River had given. Pretentious did not even begin to describe the ridiculous contraption that came into view. All chrome metal with gaudy gold trimmings.
"Nihao! (Hello)" Mal greeted the pudgy man who stepped down from the vehicle.
"Captain Reynolds I assume?" He held out his sausage like fingers for Mal's grasp.
"Guilty, and you must be Bradshaw."
"You have my cargo?" The man was curt, River scowled at his derogatory assumptions of Serenity's crew but did not speak, her attention had refocused on the four men who had accompanied him.
"That I do, though I'm a mite put off 'bout being made to wait." Mal answered using his best captainy voice.
"Something's cannot be avoided." The man made no move to apologize.
"So's long as you got my coin." Mal responded just as curtly.
River had edged behind Riddick, one of the four men had taken a liking to her legs and she was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"Marcus!" The man snapped his fingers, and the man who had been thinking on River's legs stepped forward with a bag of cred chips, his eyes roving as he did so.
"Best keep those eyes were they belong boy." Riddick growled, pushing River behind him further, "What you're lookin' on ain't yours to be lookin'."
"Ain't for you to decide, is it sweet thang?" He shot back and River snorted in disgust.
"Bradshaw, my man gets a mite tetchy at times, might want to make sure your boy there turns his attention elsewhere." Mal very nearly mimicked Riddick's growl.
"I'm not payin' you boys to stand around git to them crates." The man snapped.
Riddick kept a steady growl rumbling in his chest, the beast paced furiously, River had opened her mind to his allowing the flow of thoughts into his consciousness and he was just waiting for an excuse to rip the hun dan's throat out.
"Boys will be boys, pretty little thing to have on your crew." Bradshaw smirked.
Zoe stepped in this time, "Ain't your concern." She sneered giving him a look that had withered many a greater and tougher men.
"Just makin' conversation is all."
"No need to talk, we got our creds and you got your cargo, business is done." Mal said, his fingers resting unapologetically at his gun.
"Man of little words, can respect that, got a load of produce has to fine it's way to New Mecca, around customs that is, if you're interested." Bradshaw asked checking the time on a gold pocket watch.
"Might be we are," despite the circumstances Mal was pleased to be able to line up another job and smirked to himself over River gettin' her way after all.
Riddick scowled. River beamed.
"Good." Come 'round the yard in the mornin' you'll find it ten miles south of here, we'll bang out the details then."
"Alright then, let's move people." Mal hopped back up into the mule, Zoe and River right behind him, Riddick paused a moment to glare at the boy called Marcus before jumping in next to River and wrapping an arm possessively around her shoulders. River smiled at his thoughts, there was much to discuss with Kaylee later.
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Next up chapter six a little shopping, a little dancing, some fluffy goodness with a few surprises thrown in, for those of you waiting on some REAL action I promise it's a coming just bare with me…much luv, til after now.