Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly. 'Nuff said.
Author's Note: If my translations are wrong, I sincerely apologize. Oh, and a big thanks to all my reviewers. You guys are the best!
It was an hour or so before Jayne dared to move from his hiding spot. He cautiously peered over the crates, glancing both ways to make sure no one was coming. He stood up slowly, his limbs stiff after being cramped for so long, but the sound of a footstep on the catwalk made him freeze. Jayne stood absolutely still, hoping that if he didn't move, he would blend in with the floor.
"I see you."
Jayne dared to glance upward only to see River peering through the bars at him. His eyes narrowed slightly, but his shoulders relaxed as he heaved a sigh.
"Gorramit, girl, nearly gave me a heart attack," he growled.
"Not right," she said.
Jayne decided to play along. "What's not right?"
She stared at him a moment before she said, "Myocardial infarction usually results from blockage in a coronary artery which severs blood flow, causing the myocardium to die from oxygen depravation."
Jayne stood with his mouth open, a bewildered look on his face. "Huh?"
River rolled her eyes. "Heart attack's not usually caused by surprise."
"I knew that," Jayne growled, trying to regain his composure. "'S just an expression." He moved away, heading towards the door down to the passenger dorm. It wasn't the way he wanted to go, but it was the quickest route away from River.
"That's not the right way. Shouldn't take the low road," River called after him, but Jayne ignored her.
"Ruttin' crazy," he mumbled. He turned the corner and ran straight into Mal.
"Goin' somewhere?" the captain asked, giving him one of those looks that tended to freeze the blood.
From behind him in the cargo bay, Jayne heard River say in a sing- song voice, "Told you."
"Just...ya know, goin' to my bunk," Jayne said, his eyes flicking back and forth, in search of an escape route. He didn't know which was worse, withstanding Mal's wrath or River's lunacy.
"That a fact?" Mal said, crossing his arms over his chest, and taking a menacing step forward. Jayne automatically took a step backwards.
"Yep, just...goin' straight to my bunk. Not takin' no detours or nothin'," Jayne affirmed, trying to sound casual.
"Not even to the engine room?"
"Why'd I wanna go there?"
Mal took another step forward. Jayne stepped back again, but this time his boot caught on the threshold of the door. He landed soundly on his backside with a loud thump.
"How's about you and me don't play games, Jayne," said Mal, standing over the mercenary. "I don't know what you and Kaylee is up to, but I want it to stop, dong ma?"
"There ain't nothin' between me an' little Kaylee," Jayne said, holding up his hands in placatory gesture.
"You're not lyin' to me, are you, Jayne? We both know how I feel 'bout that."
"It ain't a lie, Mal," Jayne argued, trying to keep the whine out of his voice. He paused, gauging the captain's reaction, then realizing that Mal wanted more, he muttered, "Alright, might have a small crush...but that's it, I swear! Ain't nothin' more than that," he finished hurriedly.
"See that it stays that way," Mal said. He walked away, muttering, "One romance on this boat is more than enough." He made his way up the stairs and through the corridors to the dining area, where he found Inara making herself a cup of tea.
"So, I assume all has been revealed?" she asked him, not looking up.
Mal reached passed her to grab a mug for himself. "How did you—"
Inara raised her eyebrows. "In case you hadn't noticed, voices tend to carry."
"That so?"
"It is."
Mal nodded, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "And I suppose your knowin' had nothin' to do with the little scheme you and Kaylee were cookin' up earlier in your shuttle."
An inscrutable smile played at her lips. "You'll have to ask Kaylee; a Companion never reveals her secrets." With that Inara glided passed him in the direction of her quarters.
Mal watched her go before he shook his head. "Ta men xu yao ai hao," he muttered. "Too much ruttin' time on their hands," and went to interrogate his mechanic.
*******************
Translations:
dong ma: understand
Ta men xu yao ai hao: They need hobbies.
Author's Note: If my translations are wrong, I sincerely apologize. Oh, and a big thanks to all my reviewers. You guys are the best!
It was an hour or so before Jayne dared to move from his hiding spot. He cautiously peered over the crates, glancing both ways to make sure no one was coming. He stood up slowly, his limbs stiff after being cramped for so long, but the sound of a footstep on the catwalk made him freeze. Jayne stood absolutely still, hoping that if he didn't move, he would blend in with the floor.
"I see you."
Jayne dared to glance upward only to see River peering through the bars at him. His eyes narrowed slightly, but his shoulders relaxed as he heaved a sigh.
"Gorramit, girl, nearly gave me a heart attack," he growled.
"Not right," she said.
Jayne decided to play along. "What's not right?"
She stared at him a moment before she said, "Myocardial infarction usually results from blockage in a coronary artery which severs blood flow, causing the myocardium to die from oxygen depravation."
Jayne stood with his mouth open, a bewildered look on his face. "Huh?"
River rolled her eyes. "Heart attack's not usually caused by surprise."
"I knew that," Jayne growled, trying to regain his composure. "'S just an expression." He moved away, heading towards the door down to the passenger dorm. It wasn't the way he wanted to go, but it was the quickest route away from River.
"That's not the right way. Shouldn't take the low road," River called after him, but Jayne ignored her.
"Ruttin' crazy," he mumbled. He turned the corner and ran straight into Mal.
"Goin' somewhere?" the captain asked, giving him one of those looks that tended to freeze the blood.
From behind him in the cargo bay, Jayne heard River say in a sing- song voice, "Told you."
"Just...ya know, goin' to my bunk," Jayne said, his eyes flicking back and forth, in search of an escape route. He didn't know which was worse, withstanding Mal's wrath or River's lunacy.
"That a fact?" Mal said, crossing his arms over his chest, and taking a menacing step forward. Jayne automatically took a step backwards.
"Yep, just...goin' straight to my bunk. Not takin' no detours or nothin'," Jayne affirmed, trying to sound casual.
"Not even to the engine room?"
"Why'd I wanna go there?"
Mal took another step forward. Jayne stepped back again, but this time his boot caught on the threshold of the door. He landed soundly on his backside with a loud thump.
"How's about you and me don't play games, Jayne," said Mal, standing over the mercenary. "I don't know what you and Kaylee is up to, but I want it to stop, dong ma?"
"There ain't nothin' between me an' little Kaylee," Jayne said, holding up his hands in placatory gesture.
"You're not lyin' to me, are you, Jayne? We both know how I feel 'bout that."
"It ain't a lie, Mal," Jayne argued, trying to keep the whine out of his voice. He paused, gauging the captain's reaction, then realizing that Mal wanted more, he muttered, "Alright, might have a small crush...but that's it, I swear! Ain't nothin' more than that," he finished hurriedly.
"See that it stays that way," Mal said. He walked away, muttering, "One romance on this boat is more than enough." He made his way up the stairs and through the corridors to the dining area, where he found Inara making herself a cup of tea.
"So, I assume all has been revealed?" she asked him, not looking up.
Mal reached passed her to grab a mug for himself. "How did you—"
Inara raised her eyebrows. "In case you hadn't noticed, voices tend to carry."
"That so?"
"It is."
Mal nodded, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "And I suppose your knowin' had nothin' to do with the little scheme you and Kaylee were cookin' up earlier in your shuttle."
An inscrutable smile played at her lips. "You'll have to ask Kaylee; a Companion never reveals her secrets." With that Inara glided passed him in the direction of her quarters.
Mal watched her go before he shook his head. "Ta men xu yao ai hao," he muttered. "Too much ruttin' time on their hands," and went to interrogate his mechanic.
*******************
Translations:
dong ma: understand
Ta men xu yao ai hao: They need hobbies.
