Title: Make someone happy with a Book
Notes: Response to Skripka's Firefly slogan challenge. (on live journal)
One of the slogans I got was 'Make someone happy with a Book'. Here's the result.
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In bright bold blue letters the sign proclaimed 'Make someone happy with a book'.
"Aw, don't you think that would make a good present?" Kaylee said with a huge smile on her face.
Shielding his eyes against the noon sun, Wash squinted. Looking confused he asked "We're going to give book to himself for his birthday?"
Kaylee gave him an exasperated look; they had spent all morning searching for a birthday present and the boys had been no help at all.
Wash caught her look and flashed a smile.
While all this was going on Jayne pulled at the bobble on his hat thoughtfully. "You mean we could buy him a mirror?"
Kaylee giggled and began to walk into the bookstore, beckoning Jayne and Wash to follow her.
***
An hour later and the three of them were still looking around the store.
Kaylee and Jayne were comfortably settled on the floor surrounded by piles of books of various heights.
Wash plucked a ragged green book off the shelf. He opened it and was overcome by a cloud of dust. Sneezing he said "I hope book appreciates us braving this musty old bookstore for him." Jayne grabbed the book off him.
"Hey, don't be a sourpuss!" Kaylee exclaimed.
"Yeah" Jayne drawled, backing up Kaylee "Look what I found"
Wash peered over Jayne's shoulder to look at the green picture book resting on Jayne's lap. Wash's eyebrows rose up into his hair "Well. Trust you Jayne to find the porn"
"Well you…"
Mostly ignoring the boys banter Kaylee wondered aloud "perhaps book would like a bible"
A calm, coffee-like voice carried towards them "something tells me Shepherd Book already has one of them, Kaylee."
Wash quickly grabbed the book out of Jayne's hands and threw it over a bookcase.
"Hey!" exclaimed Jayne
Wash then turned with a bright smile towards his wife "hello, darling wife."
Zoë just stood there with a slight smile and an inquiring expression. Wash turned slightly in the direction the book had gone "oh….evil book" he said with gravity.
Zoë smiled with a knowing look and nodded in reply "ah, I see. An evil book."
"Yeah" Jayne piped in "It was going to eat me!"
The others stared at Jayne in disbelief.
"Well, it might have!" Jayne insisted quietly as he went back to looking at books.
"We still haven't found anything" Kaylee sadly told Zoë.
"That's ok" Zoë replied "the captain thought you might be having trouble"
"Did the cap'n send ya?"
"Yes, he has an idea of his own."
"Ooh, sounds interesting" Wash said sarcastically.
They walked out of the store, leaving Jayne behind in his pile of books.
***
A week later Book noticed Jayne studiously reading a ragged, dusty green book.
"What are you reading there, son?"
Jayne looked up "A book"
Bemused Book asked "and what is it about?"
Jayne looked puzzled for a moment. "It's …uh…"
Book gave him an encouraging nod.
"It's about a person…who does some things"
Book raised his eyebrows "I see".
Jayne nodded vigorously and bent his head to continue looking at his book.
Just then River glided into the room. She grabbed an apple and as she left again she stared at Jayne "that's a dirty book" she said in a matter of fact tone.
She walked out and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Book coughed discreetly "It is a mite dusty."
"Yeah" Jayne drawled.
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Seraphina Pyra: It's my first ever Firefly fic so I've still not quite got the feel for the characters but I still hope you liked it. R & R please!
