Chapter 18

Previously…Wash looked up, "So other than the Magistrate, job went smooth?"

The Furyan chuckled and handed him the co-ordinates, "Yeah, pretty well. Got some exercise at least. Fox wants us to drop him here."

"Well it's pretty much on our way," Wash punched the numbers in. "I can do another couple hours if you want to get a nap in before your shift."

"Nah, I'm awake. Won't sleep for another six to eight hours at least," He shook his head. "Give this to Mal would you?" He fished the cash out of his pockets. "Our cut of the job."

"You got it," The Pilot smiled and gave him a jaunty salute as he left the bridge, trailing chuckles behind him.

Three hours later at the coordinates Fox gave them, the Black surrounded them with a whole lot of nothing.

"Too much to ask that people'd be on time," Riddick muttered to River. His little apprentice, protégé really, was working the cortex again (ad filters engaged just in case). And he was doing his damnedest to keep from remembering his dreams while they were alone on the bridge together. He was pretty sure she didn't need to get bombarded with those while she was all alone with him.

"On their way," She shrugged.

"Fox's expecting us to be surprised," Riddick smirked. "That'll be some fun." He frowned at the sensors and hit the comms, "Cap'n we got a ship headed straight for us, comin' in pretty hot."

Mal came up to the bridge a few minutes later, bringing Fox with him, "What've you got Rick?"

"Well…" Riddick leaned back in his seat as the ship drew up beside them. "I'd say we've got a potential situation…though I could be mistaken." The ship looked sleek and dangerous and the name emblazoned across the prow gave a huge hint as to who it had come for. "Cutty Sark." He smirked at Mal who dropped a wink at him behind Fox's back.

The Captain nodded, "Nice looking boat, puts you in mind of a shark, comin' in teeth showin'."

Fox nodded, a mischievous grin on his face, "There's no need for concern. While I do thank you for your assistance, I wasn't sure if you good people would be up to the job. I am proud to say you most certainly were. Anyway, some old friends of mine purchased my old ship when it went up on the auction block and I was able to send them a wave shortly before that unfortunate scene back on Oberon." He shrugged, slightly smug, though not so much as to really aggravate his hosts, "I hope you don't mind that I used the Cortex in my room to send them a couple updates so they would know where to meet me. Thank you again for your assistance and I must now be on my way."

Riddick smirked, "You seem to think we should be shocked."

Fox looked at Mal and then to Riddick and River in surprise and River rolled her eyes, "Thinks he's the smartest person in the room."

"Not on this boat you ain't," Riddick chuckled.

Mal nodded, "Caught your first wave in our outgoing net, sent it on once we saw it wasn't anything harmful."

River nodded, "Did the same with subsequent waves."

The Furyan shrugged, "You of all people should know, folks like us, we can't afford to go blind into any situation. Got some genius types on this boat. Saw this comin' from miles away." He looked at Mal, "No reason they can't dock I'm thinkin'."

"No, not at all," Mal smiled. "River, you go on and give Kaylee a hand with supper. I'll take Mr. Fox down to his bunk, make sure he's got all his things."

"Clothes are back from the launderers and separated from the crew's also, Kaylee left them in his bunk," River nodded as she left the room.

"I thank you again for your kindness," Fox said as Mal escorted the old Browncoat off the bridge. Riddick listened as the man took his leave of the rest of the crew. Not long after the Cutty Sark was uncoupling from Serenity and Fox was on his way.

Mal came back on the bridge and sighed heavily as he took a seat in the pilot's chair. "Well we got cargo to deliver, got Fox's fee…"

"And according to the cortex the description of the second burglar is pretty vague other than big and strong," Riddick noted. "So I guess this didn't go too badly."

"Coulda gone worse," Mal agreed. "We get this cargo delivered, got a line on a job out of Beaumonde. Give it another few weeks and we can start selling the drugs from the job on Ariel."

"Sounds good," Riddick nodded. "We're back on our regular training schedule tomorrow. You an' Zoë wanna join us you're always welcome."

He didn't usually feel restless after his shift. But now and then he liked to walk around the boat, noting any changes such as cargo that had been moved, doors that stuck, books left on tables… Serenity was a good boat. Larger inside than it looked from the exterior, strange as it was to say.

The passenger dorms were simply designed, doubles and singles, with movable walls, sliding shoji doors and their own little sink/toilet combos. A faint cry from River's dorm and his head snapped around towards it. She'd mentioned that nightmares still came calling after difficult days. Least he could do was wake her up from a bad dream.

The shoji doors were near soundless and he pushed hers open, not to see her tossing fitfully in the grasp of a terrifying dream. No, her sheets and blanket were shoved away from her body, the oversized tee shirt she wore to sleep in pushed up to expose everything from her collarbone downwards. One hand cupped and squeezed her swollen breast while the other rubbed at her clit, something he could easily see as she'd pulled her knees back and planted her feet flat on the mattress. And just that quick he was rock hard and aching.

She didn't seem to notice him standing there, and he damn well didn't want anyone else to see this so shutting the door behind him was a no brainer. She moaned again, a soft little sound as if she was stifling her reactions and he moved towards her shucking his clothing as he went.

A knee on the bed and her eyes flew open, shock and lust bright in that dark gaze and she shivered as if his eyes could actually touch her skin.

"Stop that," He ordered in a low voice. "You've got me to play with your hot little clit." He grabbed her hand and began to lick and suck her juices from her fingers until she was clean of them before he covered her tits with his hands, palmed them and squeezed gently.

Her eyes drifted half closed and she arched up to his palms as if begging for more. He'd give her more, teasing her slit with this fingers and using her slick to lube that pretty ass, rubbing and stretching her body for his cock. "You know how long I've been thinking of having this perfect ass," He muttered as he pushed several fingers into her cunt and felt her body ripple in pleasure around them. "Ever since I saw you at that fucking hospital."

She couldn't seem to speak, could only moan, and he covered her with his body and took her cunt hard and fast, hips smacking to hers, teeth on her tits, tugging roughly. A choked scream of pleasure and she gushed around his dick, squeezing him tight until he snarled and emptied himself inside her.

A minute, just a minute and he needed her again, hard and ready, stretching her slit around his swelling cock. "Such a perfect tight pussy you've got woman," He growled and nipped at her neck. "I'm betting your ass is just as tight. And you're gonna take my cock up it aren't you?" She nodded and he sucked on her tits again, oh she liked that, her cunt rippling around him in reaction.

Pick her up, so slender, delicate but strong in his hands, and put her on her belly, pull her hips up and kneel behind her, presenting her ass to his dick. "Fuck yes," He spread her cheeks and began to push in, listening to her rising whine of shock, inhaling the scent of her pleasure and kept going until his hips met those curved white cheeks.

Pull her up and scrape his teeth down her neck, pull on those pretty tits and use his fingers on her slit and clit, listen for that catch of her breath that meant she wanted more, and begin to pound into her ass like a freight train. Over and over until she was keening and begging for him to let her come. Fuck, hot, so wet, soaking his hand as she came again and he shuddered in anticipation of filling her ass with his cum for the first time.

Shirah's laugh rang low in his ears as he cursed the damned alarm and resolved that it was about time this crazy no-mans-land of sexual frustration ended. Somehow.

Two months. Two months of Serenity flying hither and yon. Of Shirah prodding him to listen to his Furyan side, to take some action. He didn't like being pushed, wanted to make up his own mind, although he was pretty sure the animal (animal, primal, Furyan—whatever!) in him had made a decision without consulting any higher brain function. Certainly, the vivid dreams he'd been having suggested that. He didn't see anything wrong with wanting to be sure about what he was doing. If this went bad… Mal would likely try to throw him off the boat. Jack would go with him, because that's how she was, so he had more than just himself to think on. Mal's tone and attitude would set off the Furyan (or whatever it was). He'd have to keep himself from gutting Mal, and then Zoë and possibly Wash. And for damn sure Simon would be less than thrilled. They were friends but he was under no illusions as to his worthiness to be in River's bed.

So making sure he'd thought the whole thing through before he made a move seemed like the wisest course. No matter how much Shirah prodded him. Or how much he wanted River Tam under him while he buried his dick in her. He'd dreamed of fucking her so often it was getting ridiculous. No way to get her off his mind between sparring with her, trying to figure a way around the triggers, and those goddamned dreams.

Thankfully Shirah didn't get aggravated with him. So either she didn't care about the result or she knew something he didn't. She seemed more amused by his stalling. Disregarding the primal in favor of the civilized, she called it. Insulting him didn't exactly endear her to Riddick. Not that she cared if she endeared herself to the last (almost) Furyan or not. Supremely unconcerned with his opinion of her was Shirah. He'd noticed she was quintessentially female in that regard. (Big surprise.)

Two months of daily sparring with River Tam, one of the most beautiful, deadly and graceful women he'd ever met. Two months of training and close proximity while he determined just how difficult it would be to dig out or break down those triggers she had buried in her mind. ('Not easy' had been the conclusion of that mental debate.) Two months of hot sweaty dreams that had him waking hard and ready for her. Dreams of fucking her all over the damned ship. Hell, they'd moved cargo and that night he'd dreamt of fucking her in the cargo bay, bent over a crate.

Squaring off with River to spar was also doing something fairly disturbing to his libido. She was so damn good at fighting… Fighting with Jack was enjoyable as an exercise but did nothing for him as far as rousing his blood. Hell he'd actually gone toe to toe with Zoë once or twice, and that had been fun, but he hadn't gotten the urge to grind against her when he'd put her on her back. Make her scream his name as she came around his cock. Or bite down on the nape of her neck and claim her. And that was a new (and slightly startling) impulse. Part of what Shirah called the primal he guessed.

He swore he could hear Shirah laugh in his mind when he got up cursing. His little apprentice murmured, "You call it hope—that fire of fire! It is but agony of desire." A question came into her eyes and River looked at him with a tilt of her head, "Conflict." She pushed herself to her feet gracefully. "Still unresolved."

"You might could say," He shrugged, borrowing one of Mal's phrases. "Don't usually have trouble doing what I want. This is different. Too much could go wrong." Her nod of understanding eased his agitation some. River at least seemed to get that this would change everything. That this decision could be a problem with the rest of the crew.

Jack and Simon were still sparring, she was doing a good job and Simon was a different enough partner that he could surprise her now and then. He turned to look at them, mostly to avoid looking at River, and snarled to himself. "Meet me in my bunk," He told her without looking back as he began to walk. "We are gonna settle this one way or another." His decision did pretty much depend on her after all.

He heard her move, deliberate on her part he was sure, her step on the metal stairs as he walked towards Jack and Simon. They were winding down, Simon ducking a punch rather than blocking and Jack called a halt a moment later. "Good," He praised them. "You're both getting better. Need to start getting Zoë and Mal working with us more, give us all different opponents. And work more on the multiple opponent thing too. Shifts don't line up so we can do it enough to satisfy me but we'll get there."

"I'll get cleaned up," Simon nodded at Jack. Book had been watching them with some interest and nodded at Riddick as he passed the preacher on his way to the stairs. Riddick chuckled as he recalled Book meeting Jack. Book had not been what she expected.

Jack had initially been wary of meeting the Shepherd, insistent that Riddick be there when the preacher got back on the boat. Book had been surprised to see Riddick but pleased too. "I might have known you'd slip those chains," He'd greeted Riddick with a chuckle. "Good to have you back." He'd clapped the convict on the shoulder and smiled when he saw Jack. "And this can only be your Jack." He'd cocked his head, "Rick, I must say, she's a bit taller than you described."

Riddick had chuckled and nudged his little sister, "Yeah, she grew some while I was gone. Jack this's Shepherd Derrial Book."

Book had extended his hand with every evidence of being pleased to meet Jack and she'd taken it a bit hesitantly. "Don't worry, I'm not much on sermons to an uninterested audience," He'd smiled at her. "The Captain has no use for God, and Rick has made plain that belief doesn't equate respect."

"Let's just…say I'm in between the two of them," Jack had responded.

Book's chuckle warmed the air between them, and he'd picked up his small bag, "I look forward to getting to know you."

Whatever else he might be, Book was not unobservant, so he knew that some new tension had developed between Cobb and Mal in his absence. In the months between then and now it had not abated overmuch. He hadn't commented on it, not to Riddick at least, so there was no knowing his opinion until he did.

And here he was thinking of everything but the girl/woman waiting in his bunk. Pushing the hatch open and climbing down the ladder Riddick turned to see River sitting on his bed, right where he'd left her when Toombs and his mercs had come to the boat.

Day and night, the difference between the half-trained waif she'd been compared to the lithe lethal woman he saw now. All that dark hair braided into a bun at the base of her neck instead of surrounding her face so she looked half drowned. Her clothes weren't too big, if anything they were a little too small in places. Her slender curves strained the fabric of the teeshirt even with an athletic bra under it and a slice of skin at her waist showed beneath the hem.

"He stares," She mused. "But is he pleased by what he sees? Is she Penelope or Circe?"

He shut the hatch and locked it, moving towards her and pulling her up to press her against his chest, his hands gripping that tight little ass. How'n the hell did she feel better than his dreams? "Fuck," He growled as she pushed his goggles up to his forehead. "It's all I can do to not bury my cock in you."

"Doesn't answer the question completely," Small calluses on her hands, gentle stroking down his cheekbones and jaw to loop her arms around his neck.

"Still got some problems. Gotta keep training," He reminded her. Not that his dick gave a damn, steel rod hard and pressed against her belly. "You got triggers and we'll have to deal with them; it won't be fun. Not for either of us."

"She does," But she wasn't pulling away. Staring up at him with those dark eyes. "Does that matter to him?"

A shake of his head in answer, "What do you want?" It wasn't a question he often got a chance to ask. The women he'd been with weren't exactly ambiguous regarding their intentions towards him. A night of hard fucking and nothing beyond that. The thrill of being under a bad man, a man on whom civilization hadn't made much of a dent.

"She wants the Furyan, Richard B Riddick," Whisper soft, she gave her answer. "She wants Lóng Wáng, Odysseus."

"You got any clue what that means?" He let one palm press between those curved cheeks, fingers teasing at her slit and felt the heat of her, body trembling against his. No fear in her, not for him.

"No," She was honest at least, soft and firm both pressed against him, he could feel her nipples, tight under her shirt and athletic bra rubbing against his chest. He dropped his mouth to her forehead, tasting the sweet and salt of her skin, trailing his lips over her face.

"Means mine. Only mine," He spoke against her cheek. "You got a problem with that?"

Her hard pinch to the back of his neck and the little snarl in her throat put a smile on his face, "If he is not hers in return, then it is a problem."

"So you don't want me whoring around," He smirked against her neck, nipping at the skin. Part of him had hoped she would take issue with his possessive nature or at least the way he'd phrased the question. He had no use for a woman willing to accept something so one sided.

"Would he allow her to do the same?"

The snarl of rage that burst out of him at that little conversational bomb surprised even him, "You take one step in that direction and I'll tie you to the damn bed and fuck you until you're too tired out and satisfied to even think of another guy."

"If he goes whoring she will not stay to watch," Her teeth had found his jugular and pulled gently on the skin over it. "He is hers or she is gone."

"Oh fuck me blind," He groaned. Who knew her teeth on his neck would set the animal purring and pulsing under his skin; all his blood turned to fire in his veins. Her teeth and those words, just as possessive as he was. Just as determined to be his equal. That he belong to her. Wanted him to put her on her back and fuck her full of his cum.

"She would, but uncertainty combines with inexperience," Her husky tones tinged shy and he lifted her up, wrapping her thighs around his waist and holding her tight, prick aching and trapped between their bodies. He'd suspected (no matter what his dreams suggested, talk about wishful thinking) she was untouched…though inexperienced could mean other things too depending on how early she'd started getting interested in boys.

"Luckily I've got plenty," He informed her wickedly. "Enough for both of us." If it came down to it he'd come right out and ask. Damned if he'd plow into her hard and rough if he would be her first.

"And what will he do with her?" Her body rubbed against his, her need a hot sweet scent in his nostrils.

"Depends on you," Riddick had never wanted to fuck someone into the mattress more in his life. The animal was clamoring to claim her, but while she smelt of need, her trembling combined desire with nerves.

"She…" She hesitated, a tiny moan in her throat, still shivering and pressing against him. "She needs…tán liàn 'ài… duì qīn. Before…consummation…please…"

He knew enough Chinese to curse (when he remembered), tell someone to shut up (again, when he remembered), other bits and pieces of conversation, mostly picked up from the crew. But he hadn't come across these phrases before, "Can you translate that for me?"

Her moan of embarrassment didn't sound half as sexy as her moan of need and it irritated the hell out of him. She was fucking wrapped around him, his cock pushing against her, his hands cupping her ass and between her legs, if she could trust him to do that… She'd pressed her forehead to his collarbone in her chagrin. His annoyance must've gotten through to her. Dark eyes looked up at him, light sparking in their depths. "Hard enough to say the first time. To say what is needed when he is used to sex upon almost immediate acquaintance. Dating." She threw the words at him like a gauntlet. "Courting."

Okay now that he got, and yeah he could see how she'd be shy of demanding the time she needed. And it made sense to a degree. How long she wanted courting to go on would be a sticking point. Learning each other as a man and woman and not teacher and apprentice (or drill sergeant and raw recruit) was one thing. Drawing it out like a tease or a powerplay was not going to fly with him. Then she added another caveat, "Kissing."

Now that he could do. Not that he was an expert or anything. The women he'd been with usually hadn't wanted anything so gentle or intimate as a kiss. It had been a while… He expected it was something River and him would be learning together. But he'd give it a try, starting now. Experimentally he brushed his lips over hers; lightning. Another…lingering over her mouth, her lips soft, hot under his, fuck she tasted good…

Heat, sweet, stinging, burning through him as he slanted his lips over hers and took her mouth for his, greedy for her. Instinct drove him forward, his tongue thrusting between her lips, teasing her until she imitated him, a gorgeous moan of pleasure rising in her throat. His chest was working like a bellows, panting as if he'd run the surface of Crematoria and carried Jack the whole way. "Fuck," He tore his mouth from hers. "Fuck." She was like a volcano against him and burning to ashes inside of her would be so fucking perfect…

"Riddick," She moaned his name. No one ever had, no one had ever known him and moaned for more of him like that. How would she sound when she came? How would she taste, feel under him, her touch on his skin. Dreams couldn't tell him that, not really. He wanted nothing more than to find out.

"River…" He growled her name and turned, sitting on the bed and keeping her in his lap. "Wanna hear you come." He needed it, to bring her, make her his…somehow. He kissed her again, couldn't get enough of her mouth. He could feel her slick, the cloth covering her hot and damp against his hand. He pushed his other hand under her shirt, shoving the damned elastic of the athletic bra up and cupped a surprisingly full breast in his palm. Her moan was a near shriek of surprise in his mouth.

His. All these moans and tiny screams and shivers of need were for him. She was his. Reveling in that thought he sucked on her tongue like he would her clit and palmed her breast, rubbing the nipple against his callused palm. She arched her tit into his hand, silently asking for more and he groaned and pulled his mouth away from hers, panting still. "Take these fuckin' clothes off." He was in no mood for an argument. If she didn't get rid of them he just might cut them off her body. They might not fuck, not yet, but he was damn well going to hear and feel her come because of him. He needed that like he needed to breathe.

"She will…if…if he will…" River's breath came as hard and fast as his and he nodded his agreement.

Tearing off his shirt and hers, boots and cargo pants, the fucking bra that had compressed her gorgeous tits to half their size, shucking his shorts and nearly ripping her panties off took less than three minutes. If it had taken any longer he'd have gotten a shiv out and cut the damn things off.

Shivs… she had no less than three hidden under her clothes and he couldn't help grinning (so fucking sexy) every time she uncovered one. Smallish bunk, single bed, barely wide enough that he could stretch her out on it and lie on his side next to her. Fucking beautiful, white skin, she damn near glowed in his sight, dark hair and eyes… lips that matched her nipples…

"Fuck me blind," He cursed, and she shivered bringing her hands up to cover her breasts shyly. "No, I want to see you," Riddick tugged her hands away. "Don't you ever hide from me." He smirked at her, "Do that again and I'll tie your hands over your head so you can't." Her blush went from her cheeks down to her tits and he groaned. As beautiful as she was in his dreams, somehow she was more so in reality. He hadn't been able to imagine the glory of those ripe pretty breasts and sweet dark tits. How pale her skin would be in contrast to his. Hips and long legs that led his eyes to her pussy and all he wanted was to touch and taste, feel her against him. Before he did…best settle that lingering question.

"Gotta tell me, you ever done this before," He regarded her naked body in a pointed question. "Don't want to hurt you. Not if I can help it."

"She has never…" Fuck, that blush… he wanted to follow it down her neck to her tits with his mouth, forced himself to pay attention. "He is her first…in everything."

"Everything," He tilted his head, eyes going to her mouth thoughtfully.

"Every part of her…untouched, only for him," River nodded. "He is…displeased? That he must be careful?"

"Hell no," Riddick nearly snarled the denial. Only for him… that suited the primal, the Furyan, down to the ground. To be her first and only. The only man to ever have her, know how she felt and sounded when she came… "Fuckin' makes you even better. Mine. Only mine." The thought occurred to him that she might want the same thing of him and that he couldn't give to her. He couldn't imagine being a clumsy kid having his first time with an innocent like River, hurting her through ignorance. How'n the hell he'd ask her that…

"She does not expect the same of him, knows this is unlikely and ridiculous, given his age and history," River's fingertips traced his jaw. Right. Reader. "But he has never belonged to another? Never took another woman as his?"

"No, never," He shook his head. He'd never wanted that. Never been even remotely interested in something permanent. Promises were nothing but trouble when made to someone who wasn't equal, wasn't able to keep up with him. But this woman, his little Furyan woman, she was worth promises. Worth waiting to have her completely. And she smiled up at him, scent warm with joy, naked in his bed.

He couldn't wait anymore, bent to kiss her, stroked a hand from her shoulder to her hip and up again, lingering over her breasts, careful there, so sensitive, nipples tightening as his finger circled them. All the details of her filled his mind, her breathless moans into his mouth, the swell of her breasts under his palm, restless shifting of her thighs as her need built.

Fuck she was beautiful, and his…his woman. Dreams be damned, he couldn't be rough with her, not until she was more used to him. Not until she wanted it as bad as he did. His mouth trailed down her neck noting the sensitive flesh at her nape and under her ear (perfect little shivers of pleasure under his mouth), moved to her breasts and wrapped his lips around one tight nipple, flicking with his tongue and warming her skin. Her breath caught in her throat as he gently sucked her tit and she moaned his name as if he'd done something amazing, "Uhghh… Riddick…āi yā…"

"So good," He praised. "So beautiful." He'd rested his palm on her belly, heavy, letting her feel the weight of him. Slide it down to cup her pussy, slick bare lips (and that was a fucking erotic surprise), a swatch of damp darkened curls above her engorged clit, and her legs tightened instinctively. "Let me in River. Lemme have you…" He coaxed and lifted his head to kiss her again before moving to her other breast. The renewed sensations were a good distraction from his hand. Rub his thumb carefully over her clit, tease it while he sucked on her tits, back and forth, her moans hot and good in his ears. Sink his thick index finger into her slick hot slit, feel her body clutching at him, her gasp of surprise at being penetrated.

"Riddick," Her hips rolled to his hand as he thrust his finger into her gently. She had the remains of a barrier to shield her opening, enough that she'd need preparation to take his dick. She'd likely still bleed a bit the first time he had her. All the more reason to make it good for her now. She was tight around his finger, gasping, and he added another, stretching her.

"Oh!" Her surprise would have been amusing if watching her wasn't so fucking erotic. He lifted his mouth from her tits and blew cool air on the damp flesh, tightening her nipples instantly and she gasped again. "Tián mì de xié 'è cào."

"Come for me River," Riddick growled. He needed it, needed to see her, feel her, know that he'd given her that. He found that little rough spot that mirrored her clit, the underside of that bundle of nerves, and rubbed it with his fingertips with each stroke, doing the same to her clit with his thumb. "Come for me."

Her gasps were coming faster, hips rolling to his hand as he fucked her with his fingers, she was panting for it now, Chinese spilling from her lips in moans and pleas he couldn't understand. When she came it was with a scream he hastily swallowed with a hard kiss to her mouth, thrashing against his hand as her body shook and erupted with it.

He'd seen meteor showers, sunrises over the curve of a planet from space, triple moons over a green sea, once he'd even seen a distant star flutter into life. He'd dreamt of having her over and over. But nothing compared to the sight of River Tam experiencing her first orgasm at his hands. "Fucking beautiful," He crooned to her, holding her close as she shook against him. Unable to help himself he licked her slick from his fingers and groaned as his cock throbbed in reaction.

"He…" She touched his chest shyly. "For her?"

"Don't think I could stop myself," He kissed her and wrapped that soft hand around his cock. Teaching her how to stroke up and down his dick, watching her face, remembering how she'd felt coming around his fingers with a groan. "Fuck…River…" Don't go off in five minutes jackass, stay calm and fucking enjoy this. She deserved to play with him like he had with her if she wanted. Good advice and he followed it, for a while.

He took her mouth, groaning as he kissed her, moving her hand faster on him and shuddered as her tongue sliding against his threw his control out of the airlock. "River… 'm close… fuck…baby…oh fuck…" His hips pumped desperately, and fire boiled through him, covering her belly with his seed. "River…oh fuck…" He pressed his forehead to her hair and struggled to breathe normally for a moment.

"Hmm…" She kissed his cheek. "What is the protocol now? After they have both fallen?"

"Fallen…" It took a minute for him to remember that was how Core folk referred to an orgasm. "Ah, well, I'm not sure. For us… like to stay with you." He took another breath and felt some more of the blood return to his brain. "This courting…dating… we'll work out what it means for us." He bent to kiss her. "Usually…with actual sex there's less, well, slightly less mess." Another kiss and he forced himself to get up and grab a towel, dampening it at the toilet/sink combo in the corner and helped her get cleaned up.

She tilted her head at him, "He has dated before?"

"I've been on the run most of my life," Riddick helped her sit up and pressed a kiss to her collarbone. He could really get addicted to kissing her. "So no. I'm figuring on hitting up Wash for advice. Confidentially."

River smiled impishly, "She could ask Kaylee for ideas?"

"Well I know sharing meals privately is one thing you can do," Riddick shrugged. "We'll figure it out." He looked at the clothes on the floor. "First thing is getting you some gear of your own."

"Triggers," River reminded him.

"Yeah so?" He didn't see why triggers would be an obstacle to getting new clothing that fit her properly.

"Not safe for the public," She was clearly quoting someone. "Zoë, Simon, Man with the girl's name…" She frowned, "Wash, Kaylee, Inara and Book did not speak. Worried but did not voice concerns."

"And Mal?" Riddick hadn't heard his name listed.

"Captain has concerns, but believes the girl needs belongings. Sees much improvement from initial introduction and believes it can continue, especially with Riddick's help." She shrugged.

"I've got a few ideas about how to break down the triggers. Been looking into it, making sure I remembered right," Riddick looked towards the hatch as he heard Mal's step. He wasn't sure how he felt about the rest of the crew knowing he was claiming River Tam as his. Hiding it didn't feel right though.

He was distracted from his thoughts by River's soft lips on his. "Discretion is not the same as hiding," She decreed. "New aspect of the relationship. Slow steps. Treats the girl as his, but not lustfully in public yet. Dating/courting… crew will catch on or not. Not their business."

"And Simon?" Simon was her brother, adored her, wanted her safe and he would definitely have something to say about a convict dating/courting his sister.

"Simon will understand that she is for him and he is for her. Sooner or later," River didn't seem worried about it. Her lips brushed against his again and her breasts rubbed against his chest and the blood started draining out of his brain.

River had her legs wrapped around his waist, hot wet pussy rubbing against his cock. "Fuck," He growled and took her mouth again.

He'd put her on her back, back on the bed, cradled between her thighs, so he could feel her under him while he kissed her. Hot slender curves, perfect under his chest, slick wet nether lips putting her scent on his dick. River Tam, moaning under him, trembling as he kissed her tits and kneaded her ass in his hands.

Rolling his hips against hers put his prick grinding against her clit and every move sent shudders through her and thickened the scent of her need. "Beautiful," He growled. "Fuck you're beautiful."

"Riddick…please…" River moaned and he felt his cock throb with blood at the sound of her moaning his name.

He wouldn't go back on his word, he told himself. He'd said he would court her. He was not going to fuck her before she was ready. But damn she was fucking tempting. Just the feel of her, the sound of her…

A boot kicking his hatch in lieu of a knock set him snarling, "Go the fuck away."

"Rick, dinner," Mal called. "And we gotta find River before we eat."

"Fuck," Riddick growled. "Gimme five minutes." He looked down at River, flushed and panting, "I got five minutes to make you come."

She shook her head regretfully, "Not enough time for them both." She kissed him, sweet and soft. "But she will come to him, or he to her, after lights out?"

"Bad idea," He considered it because the idea of having a whole night with her was definitely something he wanted. "Don't want to start sneaking around like we're ashamed of being together. Like we're doing something wrong."

"Greedy for you," She admitted shyly. So fucking sweet to hear her say that, to know it was for him. Only him.

"Yeah, me for you too," He grinned down at her. "So let's take a couple of breaths, get dressed and calm down." Funny how something as simple as River admitting she wanted to spend more time with him put him in a good mood despite his frustration.

She nodded, sighing a bit reluctantly but unwrapped her legs from his waist.

This time around they actually got dressed and she redid her hair quickly to hide the fact that it had gotten mussed from his pillow. He couldn't resist stealing one more kiss before he pulled the ladder down and opened the hatch. Mal was waiting in the hall by the galley door, "Rick, we've gone all over the ship, can't find River."

"Don't worry, I found her," Riddick climbed up and extended his hand down to help River out of the hatch.

"Wha—but—she…" Mal sputtered a moment and started again. "What'n the hell's she doin' in your bunk?"

"Told her before I got taken off ship she could use it or any of my gear," Riddick shrugged and put a hand her lower back as they walked towards the galley. "She was there when I went down. Didn't know you were looking or I'd've told you she was there."

"River, what were you doing in Rick's bunk," The Captain was coming over all parenty and had Simon now standing behind him nodding his agreement to the question.

"Used Riddick's bunk before, to meditate," River reminded them. She wasn't lying. She just hadn't said that's what she was doing this time. "Riddick came down, did not tell her to leave."

"River, I don't know that it's…appropriate for you to spend time in a locked bunk with Rick," Simon was being polite but at the same time it was easy enough to see he was disturbed by what he was hearing.

"Rick'd never hurt River," Kaylee shook her head at them.

Jack came down the hall, followed by Wash and Zoë, "What're you talking about?" She looked at Riddick and then at River. His little sister had sharp eyes, taking in his hand on River's back. What everyone else took as good manners, possibly picked up from Simon, Jack knew as a sign of Riddick's possessive nature. Her eyes narrowed at him, and he stared back at her, the dim light of the hall making the silver of his eyes clear. It was a message plain as day, 'don't fuck with me about this'. Jack nodded and looked at the Captain, "So River was in his bunk. So what?"

"You don't think that's just a bit…not right?" Mal was rubbing his chin, his go to move when he was thinking something over.

"Riddick wouldn't ever do anything River didn't want him to," Jack dismissed that thought as if it was ludicrous. "And if she wants him to do something well that's her choice isn't it? She's a grown woman."

"She's only…" Simon scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. River's expression could only be described as mulish, Riddick could feel his face settle into his most murderous.

"Thought you said dinner," Cobb stomped into the galley from the hall to the engine room. "What're ya'll standing around for?"

River was very good at pretending everything between them hadn't changed. He wasn't sure he liked that much. He understood it but he wanted to drape an arm over the back of her chair, nuzzle her neck, steal a kiss. Everything that Wash was doing with Zoë across the table.

River offered him a bowl of rice and gave him a smile, "He said he had ideas about the triggers." She reminded him.

He took the bowl of rice and dished up some of it for himself before passing it on to Jack. Unable to help himself, or maybe he just didn't want to, he dropped his free hand to his side and laid his palm on River's thigh, rubbing circles with his thumb. Her scent immediately sweetened with heat and he took a deep breath, "Yeah I did." Just touching her calmed the animal, eased that need to show that she belonged to him.

That got everyone's attention pretty damn quick, "You did?" Simon wiped his mouth giving Riddick his undivided attention.

"Yeah, half the work is done," He looked at River. "She knows when she's being triggered. We know what activates it. At least with that one." He didn't take his eyes off his girl as he explained, "Took me a bit to figure out if it's just the logo or if it's the cortex adverts but I think it's just the logo based on the way you reacted to the canned goods labels."

"Okay," Zoë frowned. "So how does that help?"

River shifted her leg under his hand and put her hand over it, halting the movement of his fingers. Her fingertips traced over his knuckles and his groin tightened. So she was repaying his teasing, he guessed it served him right. He took a deep breath, "Right. So the way you break a trigger… it's like when you need to stop yourself from having a spontaneous reaction to stimuli. Same type of process as when you try to desensitize folks to something that brings on anxiety attacks. You're breaking down a Pavlovian response." He shrugged, "It's essentially healthy behavior modification."

The crew was staring at him and he sighed, "What?"

"You're talkin' like you're Core," Kaylee couldn't have sounded more astonished than if a cat had started spouting Mandarin.

"And using words like Simon uses," Wash added.

"More to him than meets the eye," River smiled at him proudly. "Very intelligent. Looks like a big man with no brain, uses it. To be underestimated is to have the advantage."

"Exactly," He smiled back at her. It wasn't like the rest of them hadn't seen him use his brain before.

"Right," Mal at least hadn't gotten distracted by incidentals as he regarded them. "You're saying the way to break down the trigger is to wear it down like water on a rock. So when it happens River can just…bypass the trigger?"

"Pretty much yeah," Riddick nodded. "We find that advert, show River, you all start talking about Core, and when she gets triggered I'm there. She's good but I'm still better." He gave her leg a little squeeze, "She'll be my equal sooner or later. Best to get this figured out before then. We'll have to determine if there are others, and there likely are, deal with them. But we start with this."

"All right," The Captain nodded. "You're in charge of that. But you have Simon standing by each time, just in case."

"So long as everyone is out of reach but me," Riddick nodded. He ate some then, easing his hand out from under River's so nobody would catch on to the flirting going on under the table. "What's our next stop?"

"We've got a deal for some of the drugs on Lazarus," Zoë told him between bites of her dinner. "Why?"

"River needs gear of her own," Riddick shrugged and ran a hand over her head and down her spine. "She can't keep wearing Kaylee's pants and Simon's shirts."

"I don't mind—" Kaylee began with a smile. Nice of her but not what he meant.

"Not the point Kaylee," He shook his head. "She's a grown woman. She should have things of her own, things that fit."

"She ain't got any plat," Cobb stopped stuffing his face long enough to make that comment before he resumed shoveling food into his gaping maw.

"Actually she does," The Captain disagreed. "She and Rick did a job on Triumph while you were getting drunk off your pì gu." He nodded at Riddick, "Rick's been keepin' it for her."

River nodded, "The attempt at keeping chickens aboard ship was deemed not feasible due to lack of true gravity. But eggs were acceptable, and the chickens were welcomed by the settlers."

Cobb glared at the two of them and Riddick stared back at him, daring the man to say anything, before the merc dropped his gaze and went back to his food. "Got enough to get you outfitted," Riddick told River gently. "Clothes and ammunition, some side arms and good knives to go along with what we picked up then." He had money left from Crematoria too, enough to help River even if he wished it was more. But fuel cells weren't cheap and it had been a long trip from Helion Prime to Ariel.

"If you have enough, you could buy more of that paper, the kind we used to make the false papers for the cows," Book suggested. He'd been quiet during most of the meal, as had Inara.

"Could make fake idents," River suggested. "For other jobs like Ariel?"

"Rick, perhaps you'd like me to accompany you?" Inara offered in her elegant tones, "You have a thorough understanding of appropriate work clothing I am sure. But there are certain things that a young lady needs. Things that are uncomfortable to purchase with a male escort." She smiled kindly at Jack, "I'd be happy if you would accompany us as well Jack."

"Lazarus run to the type a shopping you're thinking on 'Nara?" Kaylee asked curiously.

"Perhaps not, but Paquin is only a hop away and they most certainly do," Inara replied.

"Paquin's the stop after Lazarus," Wash offered. "Maybe wait and do it all there? Prices'll be more competitive."

"Sounds like a good idea," Riddick looked at River and Jack. "That all right with the two of you?"

"She does not mind a delay," River shook her head. "If the result is a smaller expenditure of funds."

That got blank looks from everyone but him, Simon and Inara as they worked through what River'd said. He sighed in irritation, how did River put up with this? "She's sayin' she can wait if it means she doesn't have to spend so much money."

Simon smiled, "I have some saved too, if you need it mèi mei."

"I can cover her," Riddick shrugged, "Jack too if she needs it." River was his woman, he wanted to be the one to buy her things, take care of her. Don't snarl at Simon for wanting to do the same. Think of something else… He glanced at the Captain, best at least pay lip service to the idea that Mal was in charge, "That work for you Mal?"

Mal was watching the two of them thoughtfully, "I think it's a good idea." He said finally, "How about we stay on Paquin a day or two. All of you get whatever gear or clothes or things you need. Zoë an' me, we'll scout out some more work. Inara, you might could find a client or two, we can adjust how long we stay if need be. That way, time comes we can't set down for a week or two, it won't be any trouble. So try to get enough clothing for at least two weeks."

"Ship don't run to laundry," Kaylee explained to Jack. "There's usually services at the docks for washin' clothes."

"Too bad we can't fit a washer somewhere," Jack mused. "With water hookups at the docks, we could just hang the laundry to dry after we did wash."

"It'd save money for sure, water hookup rates are set," Wash agreed. "And we always have someone on the boat anyway."

Book smiled, "Why don't we take a look around, see if there's a place we could tuck one away."

"If you four can figure out where to fit a washer, dryer too even, without leaking water everywhere, and without pulling the ship apart, we'll find something to fix up and install," Mal agreed after a moment's consideration. "So long as everybody keeps in mind that laundry has to wait until we're on a regulation dock, not set down outside some tǔ lǎo mào town. No laundry without water hookups. Got me?"

He was given a round of solemn nods. "All right. Rick, you're on the bridge after dinner. River, if I'm not mistaken you still gotta finish that course you been workin' on so you're with him until lights out."

River nodded, "Shì."

Mal continued, "Everybody else, you got things need doing, let's get to 'em. Jayne, it's your night for dishes."

Author's Note: So Riddick finally decided he'd take the risk. I thought it would be something he'd really put some thought into, even if it did feel like struggling with the inevitable. He values his place on Serenity so deciding if the game is worth the candle takes some time.

Now…how the rest of the crew not to mention her brother react… That's another kettle of fish entirely.

In other news, I got a job! I'm very excited because the HR manager I've been talking with is just a sweetheart and very reassuring. The benefits start right away except for the 401K which starts ninety days after my start date. I'm supposed to start on the 25th. Very excited. And relieved beyond belief.

Chinese Translations:

Lóng Wáng (Dragon King (mythology))

tán liàn 'ài (to court / to go steady / to be dating)

duì qīn (courting / meeting for purpose of marriage / to settle into a relationship)

āi yā (interjection of wonder, shock or admiration)

Tián mì de xié 'è cào (sweet unholy fuck)

pì gu (butt)

mèi mei (little sister)

tǔ lǎo mào (hillbilly / yokel / redneck / bumpkin)

Shì (is / are / am / yes / to be)

Quote Sources:

You call it hope—that fire of fire! It is but agony of desire. – Tamerlane – Edgar Allen Poe