Riddick

Riddick looked around the bunk and then at Jack who was working on packing up everything they'd acquired in the six-week trip to Beylix. She and River really hadn't been that bad about shopping, since they'd left Persephone they'd really only had that one trip while he and Jayne had waited it out with a couple of beers. "You wanna give me some a that stuff? I can put it in my duffle along with the shirts and pants."

"No, I think I got it," Jack nodded as she rolled the last of her shirts up tightly and wedged it into her bag. "Since River bought a case for her cortex equipment we've all got more room," She added with a grin zipping the bag closed.

"Well it helps that she ain't tryin' to sneak offa this boat," Riddick chuckled. The girl in question walked into the bunk as he spoke and sent he and Jack a wicked grin as she opened and shut the drawers of the bureau, checking to see that they'd packed everything.

"No need to sneak," River agreed as she picked up her own bag. She'd slung her cortex satchel crossways over her body to keep it from slipping. The cortex equipment had wheels on its case so she could pull it along with her. Riddick noted approvingly that she had her sword on her back and her axe hooked onto her belt, her six gun opposite the axe. He and Jack were similarly weaponed up, knives and guns adorning their belts and legs.

"How far are the rooms?" Riddick asked curiously. He didn't think it mattered but he still wasn't easy about Jack's health. River had said that his partner had been more than half starved and that took time to recover from, longer than she'd had.

"Not very far away at all," River looked at Jack, "Stamina is increased but still not in the peak of health. By the time we have our ship in order Jack will be better as well."

"I don't like to complain," Jack admitted. "But I was wonderin' what the hell was wrong with me. Feel like I'm starvin' half the time and I get tired so gorram easy."

"Maybe see if there's somethin' we're missin'?" Riddick knew Jack wasn't fond of doctors and he didn't blame her but River wasn't an expert and neither were he and Jayne. Bullet removal yeah, but if Jack had picked up a bug somewhere…

River was nodding at him, "A sound notion." She looked at Jack. "My sister must see a physician for a physical. If a parasite has attached itself to her or if she is ill she must be treated. If fatigue is simply the aftermath of traumatic events then at least we will know."

Jack looked ready to argue until she was blue and Riddick wasn't gonna have it, "Jack." He shook his head, "We'll be with you. Won't make you go alone. But we are gonna go. It isn't right you still feelin' so hungry all the time. Especially since you're near done with the sproutin' River talked about."

"Wonder if she's got a tapeworm," Jayne speculated as he walked into the bunk and picked up the case with his guitar. "That'd explain a lot."

"What do you know about tapeworms Cobb?" Riddick hadn't really thought Cobb would know much about parasites or medical stuff besides bullet removal. It wasn't that the man was unintelligent, but he did seem to have preferred areas of expertise.

"My kid sister had one, got damp lung an' everything we gave her…just went to the worm," Jayne shrugged. "Simon found it when I made sure we had a job at home so Serenity would stop there."

"Wouldn't he have found it when he was examining me then," Jack wanted to know and Riddick nodded his support of the question.

"Simon wasn't doing a full diagnostic," River explained quietly and Riddick could smell her embarrassment that her brother had been less than his best for her friends. "Treated injuries only. Not pleased to have our friends on the boat."

"Why was that anyway," Jayne wanted to know. "I mean I got that he wasn't thrilled with the two of 'em but he ain't ever passed up a chance to do doctorin', even if it weren't needful like."

"Told Badger that Jack was my friend, my age and had a partner of her own, no one told her what to do," River reminded him.

Riddick growled under his breath, "And Simon was thinking along those lines? That you'd get ideas from me an' Jack?"

"Yes," River nodded. "It was at his behest that Mal spoke with you about bunking with Jack. Normal captainy concerns would be for smooth running of the boat and if Jack was willing. Simon put 'inappropriate relationship' in his head and drew the same comparison."

"No offense River, but I really ain't likin' your brother too well right now," Jack sighed. "But I guess that means first stop after the rooms is a doctor."

"Damn right it is," Riddick nodded. "We're gonna get you healthy if I gotta hunt down every doctor in the 'Verse." He was serious about it too, Jack was his, and damned if he'd let the best thing to ever happen to him slip through his fingers for lack of doctoring.

"I don't think that'll be needful," Jack told him dryly but her eyes were soft as she looked at him and he caught the scent of chocolate and maple syrup.

"Jack, sooner or later you'll figure out there's nothin' I wouldn't do to keep you," Riddick told her in a flat tone that was anything but romantic. "Means takin' care of you."

When Jack looked as if she would have argued River cut her off, "Men are funny this way." She said simply. "My Jayne is the same. Our capability and expertise has no bearing on their emotions. They feel protective. Proud that we are so skilled, willing to let us fight our own battles, but still very protective of their…mates."

"Yeah," Jayne was chuckling as he checked the distribution of his belongings over his torso and back, verifying he could still reach all of his weapons. "Don't make a lick a sense," He agreed with a grin. "That's just how we are. Like River always fusses when I get hurt. She knows it's the nature of the job but she still worries."

"Were I allowed more input into the planning stages my Jayne would not be shot nearly as often," River was scowling and Riddick wondered just how bullet prone her old crew had been.

Jayne just shrugged, "Probably didn't help that Mal never did expect anyone to double cross him." He met Riddick's gaze, "Mal was pretty simple, 'do the job, get paid'. He never did seem to get that most folks'd sooner not pay you for a job."

"Seems kinda…naïve for a Browncoat," Jack shook her head.

Riddick smiled, "First time someone tries that on us it'll be the last." He flipped one of his shivs in his hand. From the grin on Jayne's face he was fairly pleased with that notion. "Not that I mind your old cap'n's philosophy, but I'd add the addendum, 'or else someone bleeds'. Tends to make folk take ya a mite more serious."

"Long as the bleedin' ain't done by any a me an' mine," Jayne chuckled and looked around the bunk one last time. "I think we got everything."

Riddick nodded, his skin felt tight with the need to be moving, and he grabbed the case of River's equipment, "Only got the one bag, makes sense I carry this for now," He told her when River gave him a confused look. She nodded her understanding and Riddick headed for the door, "Let's get this movable feast underway."

"Rick, we're goin' from one room to another," Jack reminded him and the animal wanted to purr at the pure affection in her voice. "Don't see the rush."

"Animal's itchin' to be in the open somethin' fierce," Riddick admitted as they began to follow him through the galley and down the stairs. Jinny was standing by the airlock and smiled when she saw him, that was something he'd never get used to, Jinny seemed to genuinely like him. Or at least she liked who she thought he was, she didn't know he was a murderer or an escaped convict, but what she'd seen she liked.

"Look like you've got itchy feet son," Jinny's voice as sympathetic. "Too much time on one boat?"

"Got a powerful hankerin' for some sky," Riddick admitted. He didn't want to offend the cook though, she had been kind to him and very good to Jack, "Not that ya'll ain't been good company."

"Dì yù Rick," Jinny chuckled. "Jayne's the same way. He'd always come give me a hand but he had a need to see what was around the corner."

"Jinny's just bein' kind about how much trouble I got in as a greenhorn," Jayne shook his head as he and the girls followed Riddick into the cargo bay and waited for the ship to land. The stairs would retract then and the airlock would open. An odd arrangement to Riddick's mind but it did keep the drunks from wandering upstairs when the boat was open for business.

"Now River told me she's got you rooms at Mackie's boarding house," Jinny ignored Jayne's comment in favor of what she considered important.

"Yeah, two rooms an' a bath between 'em," Riddick nodded.

"Good, and if Mackie gives you any trouble over meals you remind him that I recommend him to folks all over the 'verse and if he don't treat 'em right I'll be more'n happy to stop," Jinny folded her arms as Big Daddy came down the stairs. "Maybe I oughta should come with you. Make sure he knows to treat ya'll right."

"We have no doubt in the honor of someone you have recommended," River made a respectful bow towards Jinny before moving towards the cook and hugging her. "Thank you very much for all your kindness, even when I was such trouble at meals."

"Oh now that weren't anythin'," Jinny was blushing but she was pleased by the hug, Riddick could smell the warmth of her joy. "You ever want any other lessons you just wave me now."

"We will wave even if we don't need lessons," River smiled and Jack was nodding as well.

Riddick found himself speaking quietly, words he might never have believed would come out of his mouth as he looked at Big Daddy and Jinny both, "You been kind to us, an' ya didn't hafta. You been good to my partner. First friends we've made 'sides Jayne an' River. You ever need help, any kind, you wave us. We'll come." His words were supported by three solemn nods from his partners.

"Well we hope to see you again without needin' to take you up on that offer," Big Daddy replied his normally twinkling eyes sober. "But its mighty kind of you all the same." He braced himself against the hull as White Lightning touched down and hit the controls from the airlock, "And we're here for three days if it turns out you start missin' us." He smiled, "And if you're interested in earnin' a wage while we're docked, could still use the four of you in the bar. Things ran smooth as silk with you ladies servin' while you fellas kept folks in line."

River and Jack exchanged grins and Jack looked up at Riddick, he didn't have to be a Reader or have the Sight to know the girls wanted to work for Big Daddy a while longer, "Iffen Cobb don't mind its fine with me." He shrugged, "More coin's always good."

"Ain't gonna be able to work all night though," Jayne warned the captain. "Gotta find a ship an' we can't do that on no sleep."

"Say from sundown until one bell," Big Daddy bargained.

"Deal," Riddick nodded. "We'd better get goin' though. See you tonight." He pulled his goggles down.

"Later on then," Big Daddy nodded.

There was something in the way she moved, her hips didn't sway exaggeratedly or anything, and she didn't bend over too much so fellas could look down her shirt. But watching Jack stroll around the bar, bringing 'shine and snacks to the tables just got his blood going. She was smooth, like the wind over sand, moving things before you even knew the breeze was blowing. Her steps were soft, not a dance like River's was; Jack was graceful but she wasn't a dancer. She was like watching a cat, sleek and curved in all the ways that made his mouth water, stepping precisely where she needed and no where else.

Now and then she grinned at him, a happy look that just sent warmth through him, made the animal want curl up with her and purr, and the man wanted to pull off every bit of clothing and nibble his way across her skin. Jack must have Seen what he wanted or else the look on his face was a bit too carnal because she blushed. Riddick smirked at her and took a deep breath as she moved towards him licking her lips, "You keep looking at me like that and I'm not going to last my shift." She told him as she emptied her tray of bottles and picked up a new round.

"Doc says I ain't allowed to touch you below the waist for another eighteen hours," He reminded her. "You're still tender."

"I hardly notice," Jack shrugged off the doctor's concerns. It turned out Jayne's notion had been right, it hadn't been a tapeworm exactly but the parasite had been attached to Jack's abdomen. The tiny curve of her stomach had disappeared when it was removed. The doctor had done a thorough exam and found several more, and one on Riddick as well, souvenirs of a boat they'd sailed before the one hit by Reapers. They'd both been given shots and some nasty tasty syrup to drink. Riddick was fine but the doc had to make an incision in Jack.

Seeing as she was a girl and a pretty one at that he'd made it as small as possible and gone through her belly button. Riddick hadn't much liked watching but he'd stayed, keeping Jack's hand in his even though she'd been doped up for the surgery. River had insisted on being present and had surprised the doctor with her knowledge and ability to assist. She'd explained to Riddick exactly what the doctor was doing and how careful he was being. If the parasite had been allowed to continue for much longer it would have begun to press on her intestines and her womb. Eventually it would have grown so large that it would have killed her.

Now, Jack was walking around like there'd never been anything wrong, the only thing the doctor had told her she couldn't do was have sex for at least a week and no pressure on her belly, no touching if she could manage it, until the next day. Riddick was keeping a good track of the hours, mostly to keep himself in check.

He was glad it wasn't hurting her though. The doctor had explained that this particular parasite was very adaptive; it gave off a chemical that numbed its host to any discomfort due to its presence. So Jack had been tired, fatigued from lack of nutrition but she hadn't been in pain. The doc had just made sure that effect continued until Jack healed up. Hence the no touching rule. Pressure would negate what the doc had done.

Riddick watched as Jack wound her way around the tables again and began placing glasses on a table, chatting with the guys there as she did. One of them was a little more flirtatious than the others, his hand rising to touch the small of her back hopefully. Jack slid out from under his hand but the man was just drunk enough and stupid enough that he didn't want to take no thanks for an answer. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his lap roughly.

Jack's cry of discomfort and outrage was still leaving her lips as Riddick left his spot by the bar. Fast as he could move there was barely time for the other wait staff and patrons to get out of his way. Jack's pointy elbow hit the man's side and her hard boot struck his shin as she pushed away from him, one hand protectively over her sore belly. Riddick loomed over the man as she took a deep breath and stepped another foot way, "What makes you think grabbin' hold of a woman who told you no is tolerated?" He growled leaning over the man and wrapping the man's shirt collar in his fist.

"She were flirtin' an' bendin' in front a me," The guy wheezed. "Thought she was..."

"She told ya 'no thanks'," Riddick snarled the words. "Or don't ya speak plain English?"

"She was..." The man was turning a little purple and idly Riddick wondered if he should relax his grip. But he'd hurt Jack and damned if he'd tolerate that.

"She's mine," He snapped the words out. "Mine. You touch her...I'll touch you. You hurt her...I hurt you back if she don't get to it first."

"Rick," Jack's gentle hand on his shoulder was the only thing that could get his attention. "Please. Killin' him'd make an awful mess." Her voice was amused and affectionate. She knew he didn't care about the man's life. He cared about her, he liked River and Jayne, and peripherally he liked Big Daddy and Jinny and their crew. He growled one more time and shoved away from the man, tumbling the now purple faced fella backwards in his chair to the floor.

"All right," He snarled. "No blood on the floors." He glared at the rest of the table and looked at Jack, "Mì Táo, you all right?"

"Sore but I'll live," She nodded and looked at the chronometer on the wall. "Shift's nearly over anyway."

Big Daddy was watching from the corner and motioned for the two of them to take off. River and Jayne were already standing near the airlock, Jayne's hand on his gun, River's sword in her hand. They'd obviously been ready to take on all comers if Riddick's actions had precipitated a bar fight.

Riddick grinned, "Now that woulda been fun." He remarked to his little partner.

"Oh yeah," Jack rolled her eyes at him. "Fun."

Jack

Jayne was glaring around them while Riddick's expression was fit to kill. The walk back to the place they were staying hadn't been uneventful. Apparently drunks thought that any woman walking on the street was a potential date. Or else they thought she was a whore. That Jayne and Riddick were walking along with River and Jack hadn't seemed to matter much to the drunks. The men had felt compelled to do a lot of threatening and some actual punching before they'd reached their destination. Jack shook her head as they entered the boarding house. "We're all right you two," She reminded them. "I was sore for a bit but I'm fine now. And River's great. My biggest problem is going to be how to sleep. I can't sleep on my stomach; no pressure remember?"

River tilted her head, "Riddick will figure a way." She rubbed her forefinger over Jack's upper arm, reminding her of the injection site, "No swelling?"

Jack shook her head, "Nope. Two years' worth of safety, no blood an' no babies." She grinned, "So when yours runs out mine will too."

"Long as none of us forget," Jayne muttered. "Not that I'm opposed to little 'uns, but it'd be nice to plan for 'em an' not be taken by surprise."

"God no," Riddick shook his head. "Animal gets its head about that an' I can't promise Jack won't be round in the belly before its two years an' three months. I'm not anxious to get kicked in the balls."

Jack couldn't help laughing at the expression on her partner's face, "Why would you think I'd kick you Rick?" She barely remembered to not use his surname, "I'd probably be encouraging you. It'd only be after the fact that I'd get irritated."

"Somebody just do somethin' so that two years from now we all remember to either visit the doc or figure a way to keep flyin' with kids on board," Jayne muttered as he wrapped River in his arms.

Jack rolled her eyes, "Like you'd ever forget something like that."

River got their room open and pushed the door open, "Rick, sleep on your side, hold Jack like that, pressure not on her belly anymore." She advised before Jayne tugged her into their room impatiently and closed the door. River's giggle faded into a sigh that Jack could barely hear.

Riddick had gotten their room open and a bit more gently than Jayne had, tugged her inside, "How's the stomach Mì Táo?" He pressed a very gentle kiss to her lips. "Sore from the bar still?"

"Aches a bit but it's fading," Jack admitted. "I'll be fine by tomorrow." She began to strip off her clothes, keeping an eye on her partner. He was looking uneasy for the first time in months, "What's wrong?"

"Just worried I'll hurt you," He admitted taking off his boots. "It's gonna be gorram hard to get into bed with you and not touch the way we have been." Jack knew exactly what he meant. Ever since he'd first kissed her the two of them had been unable to keep their hands off each other. And while they hadn't had sex yet they'd done nearly everything else, something almost every night. Her partner was insatiable and she wasn't much better.

Jack watched his nostrils flare and knew he was taking in her scent, she was half aroused already just from thinking about him. "I guess you'll just have to be really careful with me then," She unhooked her bra and watched his eyes gleam in the shadows, silver going molten as he looked at her. She pushed her panties down her legs and grinned. "It's not like you don't know how to be gentle yìng hàn."

Her partner, one of the most feared men in the 'verse, had his eyes glued to her body like she was the first, last and only woman in the 'verse. "Yeah, just worried I'm gonna hurt you yì zhōng rén," He admitted, his dark voice tense as she moved towards him.

"Well its either gentle, or we can't do anythin' at all," She reminded him. "So should I put my clothes back on?"

"Cào dàn no," Riddick nearly snarled as he pulled off all his clothing but his shorts. "But you ain't gonna be touchin' me much Jack. Ain't chancin' losin' control with you Mì Táo."

Jack sighed as his big hands began to touch her curves, tenderly helping her into the bed and lying beside her, all the tension of the day leaving her limbs and rendering her limp with exhaustion. "Hmm..."

"Yeah," Her big man sounded amused and rough, his whiskey and chocolate voice pressing kisses to her neck. "Yeah I thought once I got you horizontal you'd be tired." He drew her body so her back was against his chest, spooning up to her and holding her in place. "Get some rest qīn 'ài. I've got you."

Jack found his hand on her thighs and slid hers beneath it before exhaustion took over.

Blue hands. Blue tiles and white walls, chilling, like the coldest winter sky and ice frozen beneath it. Faces frozen without expression and dead shark's eyes but the mouths still moved. A dead world, bodies unmoving, a hundred thousand faces screaming out their silence while tens of thousands more broadcast their rage and hate. Needles and steel and falsely soothing voices, and pain. The pain was worse than a thousand cuts or bullet wounds.

"Jack," Riddick's voice. He couldn't be here. If he was here they'd found him and if they got Riddick they'd have the power to make her do anything. Run, run. She tried to tell him but her tongue was frozen and her lips wouldn't move and she was in that chair with screws through her hands and feet and skull holding her in place for the needles and chemicals.

"Run, please run, don't..." She moaned, knew she'd gotten the words out this time and was so grateful for it. "Please, don't let them take you. Go, please go. Just go. Leave me and go!" She was screaming it at him, why wouldn't he go? Why wouldn't he save himself? Didn't he understand that if they took him she'd never disobey them again? He had to save himself or she'd be completely lost.

"Jack!" It was a shout, right in her ear, and his mouth hot and hard on hers, drew her out, forced her eyes open.

"Riddick?" Her voice was small and scared and she wanted to cry with how childish she sounded. "You okay yìng hàn?"

"Am I okay?" He was incredulous, his expression and voice shocked at the question. "Jack, you were..."

"Nightmare," She shuddered in his arms and realized that through all of it he'd kept hold of her so she wouldn't hurt herself, wouldn't hurt her healing belly. "God that was a bad one. River must be..."

"Yeah," Riddick was kissing her neck again, his mouth brushing over the fear chilled flesh, warming her. "She's been cryin' in her sleep, beggin' and pleadin', same as you. Wantin' someone to leave her." His voice, that gorgeous voice she'd loved since she first heard it, went dark and angry, "You an' she better not be talkin' about me an' Cobb. You'd better not be tellin' me to leave you Jack, not even in your sleep."

Jack shuddered, "Please, Riddick. Its not that I think you would." She turned her head to kiss his shoulder. "It's not something we'll be able to explain in a place we're not safe. We've got to be somewhere we can't be overheard, can't be tracked or..."

"Somewhere we know for sure is just the four of us," Riddick nodded his understanding. "All right," He pressed a kiss to her cheek and hair. "Get some more rest, Cobb an' me'll talk on that tomorra."

"Hmm...I love you Riddick." Jack whispered, "That's why I always tell you to leave. They can't get a hold of you yìng hàn. Or else I'm just...lost." She knew, she'd Seen it, what would happen if the Academy got she or River back, what would happen with their men. Jayne, formidable in his own right, someone who impressed even Riddick, would become a killing machine, his emotions disconnected from his body, cold and distant. And her man, her beautiful Riddick with the animal inside him would be worse than an ancient Berserker in his rage, the man driven out until only the animal and the savagery to which it was driven remained. She couldn't let that happen.

"It ain't gonna happen Jack," Riddick's dark voice murmured in her ear. "Sleep some more Mì Táo. Talk about it in the morning."

"Don't let go," Jack threaded her fingers into his tightly. "Please don't let go of me," She whispered. She hated that the nightmares made her cry, made her weak in front of him, but it was always such a relief to wake up and find he was safe, that she wasn't back there. The tears came out of sheer release from the fear.

"Never," His grip tightened on her flesh and she sighed in contentment. "You're mine Jack. I'll never let you go."

She didn't even realize when she'd slipped into dreams, but she was aboard Serenity, watching as Mal shouted and Simon seethed while the first mate remained stoic and Wash sat quietly. Kaylee was cooking at the stove, her face troubled. "We're nearly to White Sun and there's no sign of her," The captain's voice was angry. "If she's on her way to Blue Sun we'd have picked up her trail by now."

"She's been friends with Jayne for a while Cap'n," Zoe's quiet voice pointed out. "If the girl don't want to be found he's been teaching her plenty about hidin' her tracks."

"More an' more I'm wonderin' if I shoulda thrown him out the airlock when I had the chance," Mal muttered and took a seat finally.

"Aw don't say that cap'n," Kaylee said sadly. "We wouldn't a lived through Miranda 'thout Jayne. An' he's been real good to River, lendin' her his guns an' teachin' her trackin' and to cook an' all. It ain't his fault he fell in love with her. He ain't ever done a thing about it. He left so's he wouldn't."

Wash threw in his opinion though his tone made it clear he didn't think it would count for much with the captain, "Jayne wouldn't ever hurt River. I'm pretty sure he'd cut off his hands before he hurt her." He smiled as Kaylee put a plate in front of him, "But nobody ever really told River why Jayne wasn't good enough for her. So when he left...is it any wonder she was upset and wanted to leave too?"

"Girl is near twenty years old," Zoe said quietly.

"Yes but she's still unstable," Simon's tone was cool and more than a little condescending. "None of you have heard her talking to herself in her room. She wanders around, dancing to no music, fiddling with her cortex and talking to nothing. These are not the actions of a sane woman. She's a girl with a damaged mind regardless of how adult she appears."

"I've heard her talkin'," Wash said quietly. "But it always sounded like an actual conversation," He looked at Kaylee. "Those earwigs you said River worked on, how many did she have?"

"Six I think," Kaylee took a seat and grabbed a set of chopsticks. "Cain't find 'em though. Went through her room an' everythin'."

"Are you saying my sister was using a comm to talk to someone when she was supposed to be in her room asleep?" Simon's voice was cold and set with anger.

Jack shuddered in her sleep and whimpered, that cold anger was part of why she hadn't liked River's brother, she'd Seen that in him from the first time he'd touched her. The Sight wasn't something she could always turn off and when he'd touched her to set her leg she'd gotten a flash of his face, set and furious, cold and self-righteous, spitting words like venom. She wouldn't have gone near him again even if she'd known about the parasite.

Riddick's hand squeezed hers, and even in sleep she felt it, his body warm and possessive cradling hers. Jack heard his voice murmuring, gentle, reassuring, his deep coffee and chocolate voice saying words no one would ever expect from the tongue of a hardened killer. "Mine," She murmured the word. "You can't take him from me. He's mine." His voice was amused now but still gentle, telling her he wasn't going anywhere, that he was hers, that she was his.

Dreams reached up and dragged her further under, and Jack let herself go.

Author's Note: Simon's a tricky bird to write. He can be very loving but stiff or very narrowminded when it comes to how he does things versus how others behave. I don't want to make him solely responsible for all the evils in the 'Verse but I do think that he might find it a little too easy to overlook things that a general practioner of medicine wouldn't. Not caring for the influence Jack and Riddick have on his little sister would also make it easy for him to avoid thinking about any medical difficulties Jack would be having.

But our gang is making a start on their search for a ship. Exciting times.

Chinese Translations:

Dì yù (Hell)

Mì Táo (Honey Peach)

yìng hàn (man of steel/tough guy)

yì zhōng rén (sweetheart / one's true love / the person of one's thoughts)

Cào dàn (fuck/damn it)

qīn 'ài (dear/beloved/darling)