Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Anything through Ariel is fair game.
Pairing: Let's just say it's not Kaylee/Simon or Mal/Inara, and leave it at that.
Disclaimer: The characters depicted here were created by Joss Whedon. They are the property of Mutant Enemy and the nitwits at FOX Broadcasting until someone else wises up and buys the show. They are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profit is being made from their use.
Author's Note: Merry Belated Christmas. This is total fluff, but hey, at least it's done! This one's for you, Meggie.
Deck the Airlocks
Chapter Three: Unwrapping Unexpected Gifts
Mal surveyed the cargo hold appreciatively. Kaylee had certainly outdone herself with the decorations—even if she had forgotten the mistletoe.
He heard an excited gasp behind him, and turned to see River and Simon approaching. The young woman's eyes were wide with wonder and delight, and Mal couldn't help smiling at her obvious joy.
"It looks lovely," Simon murmured.
"That it does, Doc," the captain agreed. "That it does. You need a hand with those?" he asked, gesturing to the pile of packages in Simon's arms.
"Yes, thank you. Where shall I put them?"
Mal nodded his head in the direction of the "tree" as he relieved Simon of part of his load. "I reckon over there. Leastwise, that's where I put mine."
River scampered about, examining all of the decorations, while the men deposited the gifts. Giggling, she rushed up the stairs—and smack into Jayne.
"Watch it, girlie," the mercenary growled. In honor of the festive occasion, the burly man had opted for a clean red t-shirt along with his customary work pants. Far more interesting to River, though, was the fact that he seemed to be hiding something behind his back.
She peered around him, trying to catch a glimpse of what he was holding, but he pivoted quickly, countering her actions.
"Secret?" she asked, a knowing lilt in her tone. "No secrets. All secrets are revealed."
Jayne glared down at her, but his menace seemed half-hearted. "Go on, git. You'll find out soon 'nough."
With a peal of bell-like laughter, River twirled and ran back down the stairs.
"It appears the festivities are already underway." Jayne turned at the sound of Book's voice, careful to keep the secret package hidden. Seeing the preacher overloaded with gifts, he saw an opportunity.
"Here, Shepherd, let me take those fer ya." Before the older man could protest, he commandeered the packages, allowing his own to get lost among them.
"Why thank you, Jayne," Book said, his surprise evident. "I see that not even you are immune to the Christmas spirit."
"Uh, yeah. Ooh, food," he noted, and headed down the stairs. The preacher simply shook his head, and followed him down.
The captain was browsing the buffet table, pouring himself a cup of what he fervently hoped was spiked punch, when Jayne let out a piercing wolf whistle. Mal looked up and grinned at Wash, who was sauntering into the hold looking like the cat that ate the canary. The pilot was looking quite dapper in an elegant suit, but that wasn't the cause of Jayne's appreciation.
On Wash's arm was a positively breathtaking Zoe. Mal's second-in-command was clad in a rich wine-colored gown that could only be described as "slinky."
The dress was sleeveless, and had a plunging neckline. The shimmering fabric skimmed her curves and fell all the way to the floor. A daring slit from her ankle up to her thigh revealed an expanse of smooth brown leg.
Despite the stunning display of gorgeous femininity, Mal would bet Serenity that Zoe was armed.
"Lookin' good," he commented.
"Thank you, sir," Zoe said a bit stiffly. "Wash gave me my Christmas present a bit early."
"Looks to me like the present's more for Wash," Mal noted wryly. "You do look beautiful, though, Zoe."
Jayne wandered over, munching on a slice of cheese. "I'll say. You dress like that more, might be we got less people tryin' to kill us."
"I'll keep that in mind," Zoe commented tightly.
"You best watch yourself, Jayne," Mal warned. "Christmas or no, Zoe could still kill ya without mussin' her dress."
Before the mercenary could argue, Inara stepped out onto the catwalk and called for the crew's attention.
"Merry Christmas, everyone," she began. "It is my honor and privilege to present to you the woman responsible for this festive event, your hostess for the evening, Miss Kaylee Frye."
The hold echoed with applause, catcalls, and whistles as Kaylee stepped forward, her eyes downcast and her cheeks flushed. When she came fully into view, the noise abruptly ceased as everyone gaped at her.
Mal's breath caught in his throat. It was easy to forget sometimes that Kaylee wasn't a little girl, nor was she one of the guys. The last time he had seen her all dolled up, she looked kinda like an experiment in frosting gone wrong. Tonight…tonight she looked like the beautiful young woman that she was. His vision narrowed, and as clichéd as it sounded, he felt like he was seeing Kaylee for the first time.
Simon regained his composure first, and mounted the steps to offer her his arm. "You look lovely, Kaylee," he murmured.
As the young mechanic blushed prettily and allowed Simon to escort her down to the floor, Mal's blood began to boil. Gorammit, who the ruttin' hell did Simon think he was? Kaylee'd been moonin' over him for ages, and he never gave her a second glance. And now that she was all prettified, he thought he could just sweep in and steal her from Mal?
The captain gave his head a sharp shake. What was he thinkin'? Kaylee weren't his. She weren't no man's. And besides…
"You never looked at her either," River sing-songed as she danced past him.
Mal gave the girl a penetrating glance. It was unnervin' the way she seemed to know what folks was thinkin'.
Unnoticed, Inara remained up on the catwalk, observing the people below. She hadn't missed the look of complete awe on Mal's face when he beheld Kaylee. It might be time for her to reassess her matchmaking schemes. She had always interpreted Mal's treatment and protectiveness of Kaylee as brotherly. Inara was trained to recognize lust, though, and the way Mal was looking at Kaylee now was anything but brotherly.
She was brought out of her reverie by Simon, who, after depositing Kaylee down below, had remounted the catwalk. "Would you care to join the party, Inara?"
"I would love to, Simon." She took his arm, and commented, "Kaylee looks beautiful, doesn't she?"
He glanced down quickly, and then returned his focus to Inara. "She looks very nice," he said casually.
It took a great deal of effort for Inara to keep her eyebrows from shooting up. It seemed that Kaylee's assessment of her relationship with Simon had been dead-on: they were friends, nothing more.
* * *
The party had been underway for about an hour, and Kaylee was ready to start opening presents. She took a quick glance around the room to see what everyone was doing.
Jayne was camped out beside the buffet table, just as he had been most of the evening. Wash and Zoe were completely wrapped up in one another, swaying gently to the Christmas music Kaylee had dug up and piped through the ship's intercom. River and the Shepherd were sitting on the floor beside the "tree," debating…something. Kaylee wasn't sure what. Simon and Inara were tucked into a shadowy corner, talking. They had spent most of the evening together, which didn't bother Kaylee as much as she would have thought. In fact, it didn't really bother her at all—she was too busy wondering what was wrong with Mal.
The cap'n had been actin' like a skittish colt since she got there. He would start to walk over, then stare at her like she's grown a second head, and then scurry away. It was a routine he'd repeated four times in the past hour. She was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with her.
Kaylee placed two fingers between her lips and let loose a shrill whistle. Instantly, all eyes were on her.
"Hey, ever'body," she began. "Y'all havin' a good time?" She paused, and waited for the clapping and shouting to die down. "I was thinkin' that since Jayne's pretty much eaten all the food, now might be a good time for presents."
There were nods of approval all around, and they quickly gathered near the makeshift tree.
Kaylee caught Mal be the arm, noting the way he started at her touch. "Cap'n, I was thinkin' maybe you could play Santa."
He was silent for a moment, and then he finally seemed to comprehend her words. "Santa? Oh, sure."
"Thanks, Cap!" she squealed. He jerked violently as she began to reach her arms up around him, then stilled when he felt her tugging a hat onto his head. He reached up and grimaced when he felt the furry tassle.
"A Santa hat?"
"'Course! You can't be Santa without a hat."
"'Course not. Don't know what I was thinkin'," he mumbled, allowing her to take him by the hand and drag him over to the "tree."
When they reached the rest of the group, Kaylee sat down beside River and threw her arm around the other girl's shoulders. "You're on, Santa."
"Ho ho ho," Mal grumbled. He crouched down, and took stock of the gifts. "Looks like the preacher did his shoppin' in bulk." He carefully extracted the eight identical packages from the pile and distributed them to the crew. "One for ever'body."
After exchanging skeptical glances, they all tore into their packages. There wasn't much enthusiasm generated from receiving Bibles for Christmas, but they all smiled politely and thanked Book. Simon, however, burst out laughing.
"You find God's word amusing, Doctor?" Book asked, his tone disapproving.
Simon sobered instantly. "Not at all, Shepherd. It just seems appropriate to give you this now." He reached past Mal and picked up a gift with a suspiciously familiar shape and size, and handed it to the preacher.
Everyone was amused, although not particularly surprised, when Book unwrapped a Bible identical to the ones they had all just received. "It's to replace the one River, um, modified."
"Thank you, Simon," the older man said sincerely. "I appreciate it very much."
The next hour was a flurry of paper, gifts, and expressions of thanks. River was delighted by the ceramic ballerina figurine Inara had bought her, while Inara was greatly amused by the captain's gift of a doorknocker for her shuttle. Jayne immediately opened the bottle of whiskey he got from Kaylee, who was busy exclaiming over her new toolbox from Simon. Wash received a gaudy silk Hawaiian-print shirt from Inara, which he adored, and Zoe was equally pleased with the bottle of perfume she got from the Companion.
Mal breathed a sigh of relief when Simon opened his present from Kaylee—a new doctor's bag. He'd been worried she's bought him something romantic or sentimental. His mood darkened, however, when only one gift remained beneath the "tree," and he had received nothing from his mechanic.
Of course, her gift from him was still tucked safely away in one of his pockets.
The last gift was causing a bit of a stir. The package had River's name on it, but there was no indication of whom it was from. She unwrapped it carefully, a solemn expression on her face.
It was a small, highly polished wooden box, the dark surface gleaming with a satiny sheen. With delicate fingers, River opened the lid, and a soft, tinkling melody filled the cargo bay. Her lips formed a surprised "o," and her large eyes were luminous. "No secrets," she whispered.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, she got to her feet and walked over to Jayne. Without hesitation, she leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. Without another word, she ran away, clutching the music box to her chest.
The rest of the crew stared at Jayne in shock, but wisely, no one said a word.
* * *
The party was winding down, and Kaylee was exhausted. Liberal distribution of alcohol had resulted in hours of revelry, and now she just wanted to crawl into bed.
Simon and Inara had wandered off hours before, ostensibly to search for River. The Shepherd had excused himself at about the same time everyone started to get really drunk, and Wash and Zoe, who became more affectionate with every drink, took their leave shortly after Book.
Jayne had finally passed out ten minutes ago, leaving Kaylee alone with Mal. She scowled. The cap'n was still treatin' her like she had the plague, and she wanted to know why.
Gathering up her skirt, Kaylee walked somewhat unsteadily over to the stairs. The cap'n was slouched on the second step, his forehead resting against the railing.
She flopped down unceremoniously on the step beside him, the right side of her body leaning rather heavily against his left.
"Cap'n, why're you mad at me?" she asked, her words slightly slurred.
He turned to gaze at her, his eyes hazy and unfocused. "Not mad at ya," he mumbled.
"Why ain't ya talked to me all night, then? Didn't even get me a present."
"Didn't get me one neither," he countered.
"Sure did," she replied, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Why'n't you give it t' me?"
"'Cause I thought you were mad."
"Not mad."
"Then I guess you can have your present." She got to her feet, wobbling only slightly. "C'mon, Cap'n Tight Pants." Kaylee held out her hand, and Mal accepted it, standing up slowly. She led him over to the "tree," and reached beneath the green sheet, where a small wrapped box was cunningly concealed with the wire frame. Kaylee presented it to Mal with a wide smile.
He opened it slowly, carefully, enjoying the feeling of having her attention focused solely on him. He wanted to relish the moment, revel in it, make it last.
Soon enough, though, the wrapping paper had been discarded, revealing a small box that looked like it had come from a jeweler. Mal flipped open the lid and stared.
Nestled among black velvet folds was a gold pocket watch. His initials, MR, were engraved in elegant, ornate script.
"Kaylee, it's beautiful," he murmured. "You didn't have…"
She cut him off. "Turn it over."
He obeyed, and discovered a tiny, perfect depiction of a Firefly-class ship on the opposite side. He looked up, and met her dancing eyes. "Where did you find this?"
She shrugged. "I saw it in a shop window on Helios."
"It's too much…"
Again, she interrupted him. "I had it inscribed on the inside, too," she offered shyly. She held out her hand, and he passed her the watch, allowing her to show him the small latch that sprung open the cover to reveal the watch face.
Mal peered closely at the engraved words. "To my Captain. Love always, Kaylee," he read aloud. "Kaylee, this is amazing. It's the best present I've ever gotten."
She blushed. "Aw, go on."
He brushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes, his fingers lightly grazing her cheek. "I'm serious, Kaylee. I love it. Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Capn'."
"My name is Mal. You're allowed to use it, you know."
She giggled nervously. "Okay…Mal."
"Now it's your turn." He pulled a small package from his pocket. "Merry Christmas, Kaylee."
She eagerly tore into her gift. Seconds later, she was opening the box to find a pair of silver hair combs encrusted with emeralds. Her eyes went wide, and she squealed. "Oh, Cap—I mean, Mal, they're so pretty! But…they must have cost a fortune."
"No matter. I saw 'em, and thought of you."
"They're so sparkly."
"Just like you. You sparkle, Kaylee."
"Naw, I don't."
"Sure ya do," he insisted.
"Well, maybe tonight. But I ain't sparklin' when I'm covered in grease."
He rested his hands gently on her shoulders. "Kaylee, you keep Serenity flyin'. You'll always be beautiful to me."
"You're sweet. You're a liar, but you're a sweet liar."
"I mean it," he said, suddenly quite serious. "Kaylee…when I saw you tonight…and when Simon walked you down the stairs…"
"What are you talkin' 'bout, Cap'n?"
"Gorramit, Kaylee, I told you to call me Mal!"
She shrank back, startled by his harsh tone. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
His face clouded with remorse, he grabbed her and pulled her close. "No, I'm sorry. I'm a ruttin' fool, Kaylee, and I ain't got no pretty words like the doc…"
"I don't understand."
He pulled back slightly, and looked her in the eyes. "Are you in love with Simon?" he asked, his voice anguished.
"Mal, no. I told you, Simon and I…we wouldn't work. We're friends, nothin' more. I need…I need somebody who chooses this life, not somebody forced into it 'cause he ain't got nowhere else to go. Somebody who loves flyin', who loves Serenity, somebody…" She paused, as though something had just dawned on her. "I guess I want somebody like you, Mal."
His heart clenched when he spotted the tears in her eyes. "Kaylee…"
She stepped away from him abruptly, swiping away the tears with her hands. "G'night, Mal. I'm gonna go to bed."
He watched her walk away, his heart pounding painfully, "Ruttin' hell," he groused.
* * *
A pounding on her door roused Inara from a sound sleep. Untangling herself from the warm, lean body at her side, she pulled on a robe and crossed the shuttle.
She opened the hatch to reveal a very frustrated Malcolm Reynolds. "I need to talk to you," he declared, barging into the shuttle.
"Come in," she said wryly.
He pulled up short when he came upon a naked body sprawled across Inara's bed. "What in the ruttin' hell is goin' on here?" he shouted.
A very sleepy, confused Simon Tam sat bolt upright, and immediately began pulling the sheet tighter about him. "H-hello, Captain. Is something wrong?"
Mal shook his head, his brain far too addled to contemplate this surprising new development. He whirled around to face Inara. "I need your help."
The beautiful Companion was calm, unruffled, the very picture of composure. "You've just realized that you're in love with Kaylee, and you don't know what to do."
He gaped at her. "How did you know?"
She shrugged elegantly. "Years of training."
"So what do I do?"
"Tell her," Inara said simply. Smoothly, she ushered him out of the shuttle. As she closed the hatch, she added, "Tell her now."
Dumbfounded, Mal stared at the hatch for a minute, and then turned and walked away.
Inside the shuttle, Inara slipped out of her robe and slid into bed beside Simon. She trailed a hand along the smooth skin of his back, and commented in a low voice, "Since we're both awake now…"
The rest of her words were swallowed by Simon's mouth descending upon hers.
* * *
Mal stood outside the door of Kaylee's quarters, desperately hoping for some sort of sign he was doing the right thing. With a sigh, he carefully pushed in the hatch and descended the ladder.
There was a soft glow from a small bedside lamp, and he caught sight of the emerald combs glittering on a table. Kaylee was fast asleep, her red hair splayed across her pillow. Mal paused and just gazed at her for a moment, marveling once more at how amazing she was, and how stupid he was for not noticing it sooner.
As he was staring, Kaylee stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Hey, Cap'n," she said sleepily. "What're you doin' here?"
He perched on the edge of her bunk, and began absently running his fingers through her hair. She smiled at the sensations, her eyes drifting closed once more, and she hummed softly with contentment.
"Just wanted to see you again, an' talk t' you."
"'Bout what?"
"'Bout us."
Her eyes opened again. "Whaddya mean?"
"I mean I was tryin' to tell you somethin' earlier. Kaylee, I ain't no good at this sorta thing, but…well, ya know you're my best friend, right?"
She nodded slowly, trying to mask her disappointment. "Friends. Yep, that's what we are."
"But that ain't all we are, y'know?"
She shook her head.
He raked a hand through his hair, frustrated by his inability to express himself. "Gorramit…"
She pushed herself up onto her elbows. "Take yer time. I'll wait."
Mal stared at her, marveling at her patience when he had none. Finally, he gave up and simply bent down to kiss her.
The moment their lips met was electric. The kiss was like coming home, and in the back of his mind, Mal wondered why he hadn't done this sooner.
For her part, Kaylee was thoroughly enjoying the kiss, though she couldn't be certain she wasn't dreaming. Deciding to just enjoy it as long as she could, she deepened the kiss, opening her mouth and probing Mal's lips with her tongue.
Mal thought his head might explode from the taste of her. He definitely should have done this sooner.
When they finally broke apart, they were both gasping for breath.
"Am I dreamin'?" she asked.
He shook his head.
"I thought you were in love with 'Nara," she said reproachfully.
"I thought you were in love with the doc," he countered.
"Guess we were both wrong," she said sheepishly.
"We were at that," he said firmly. "I love you, Kaylee Frye, more than anything, and I don't want you to ever forget that."
"You love me more 'n Serenity?" she teased.
"Of course," he said soberly. "There wouldn't be no Serenity 'thout you."
Once more, tears spilled down her cheeks. "I love you too, Malcom Reynolds."
Mal grinned and kissed her thoroughly again. "Merry Christmas, Kaylee."
"Merry Christmas, Mal." She ducked her head and gazed up at him through her lashes. "Stay with me tonight? I just—I wanna fall asleep in your arms."
"Of course." He stood up and shucked off his shoes and suit coat, then lay down behind her so their bodies were spooned together, his arm secure around her waist.
"What'll we tell the crew?" she asked quietly.
"The truth. We're in love, and anyone that's got a problem with that can go jump out an airlock."
She giggled. "Think Inara will be okay with this?"
He chuckled. "I think Inara and Simon will be just fine, considerin' they were both in rather interestin' states of undress when I dropped by her shuttle for a bit of advice tonight."
"Inara and Simon?" Kaylee squeaked.
"Hey, it ain't no odder than River kissin' Jayne."
"I s'pose that's true," she mussed. "Seems that most ever'body got a little romance this Christmas."
"That may be, but I'm the only one as got you," Mal said.
"Ain't you the poet," she teased.
"Shut up and kiss me, woman," he growled.
"Yes, Cap'n," she giggled, and happily obliged.
And the Serenity sailed silently through the blackness of space, with only the stars to guide her that Christmas night.
The End.