Never a Normal Relationship…
By Lady Cleo
All Disclaimers Apply.
While setting down on Jayne's home world things go from messed up to screwed up for Jayne, River and the crew of Serenity. (Jayne River, Post Objects in Space.)
Chapter Three: The Right Timing
Jayne slowly pried his eyes open as sunlight bounced through the window onto his face. He groaned slowly, confused by the warm light, disoriented by the soft body that pressed up against his.
"Your wife." River explained his question as she felt him stir beside her, felt his need to get up and move around, but she held him down, snuggling deeper into his side. "Covers think you ought to stay, they're lonely, desire the warmth you give." She murmured against his chest.
Jayne pushed himself into a sitting position. "Jayne's stomach says somethin' else." He murmured grumpily as he swung his legs off the bed and stood. River ignored him, throwing the covers over her head she burrowed into the warm spot his body had left.
Marie Cobb had already come and gone, taking most of their clothes and leaving a pile of clean ones on the vanity chair. Grabbing the pair of cargo pants from the pile he slipped into them easily, turning his head back around to stare at the blanketed form of his wife. He got a nagging feeling that this was probably an everyday occurrence. "Gorram it, woman, why you gotta do this to me every mornin'?" Walking over he grabbed the blanket, yanking it off the bed and exposing his wife. Turning away from her Jayne slipped into the shirt his mother had procured from his father and started buttoning it.
River moaned curling into a ball as the cold air hit her. "Don't want to greet the sunshine, rather lie in an undeveloped state and receive in salutation the odes of imaginings." She declared pulling a pillow over her head.
Slipping on his socks and combat boots, Jayne crossed back over to her, reaching down he grabbed a hold of the smaller girl's ankles and pulled her off the bed. River shrieked grabbing a hold of the mattress, but unable to stop the stronger man she hit the hard wooden floor bottom first.
Leaning down Jayne dropped a brief kiss on her forehead with an evil grin, "Mornin' baby." Handing her the red flowered dress he turned, heading out the bedroom door.
"Malevolent despot." River murmured under her breath as she rubbed her sore bottom.
Jayne started down the stars with an extra bounce in his step as he listened to his wife's grumbling. It felt good to be home, even if he was missing three years from his memory banks that still left nearly twenty years of being unable to visit this rock.
He caught the sound of his mother's cheerful humming as he came to the last step and smiled. But as he stepped down, a sharp pain lanced up his right arm, the feeling spread to the center of the chest, pressure squeezing down on his heart. Bringing his hand up, he pressed down on the center of his chest, taking a gulping breath. He remained on the bottom step, breathing in and out, pain lancing through his body with every struggled breath. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
Shaking off the experience, Jayne continued on at a slower pace, working his way through the living room and dinning room to the kitchen, still rubbing at the center of his chest.
"Morning Jayne boy." Marie greeted from her position in front of the stove. She turned around, smiling at her son brightly, "Where's River?"
"Be down in a second, never was much of a one for getting up early." He explained, letting his mother set a plate of steaming eggs and bacon before him. He grinned at the sight, eagerly digging into the food. It felt like he hadn't had real food in months, much less anything that stimulated more than one taste bud.
"You two sleep okay?" Marie asked, brining over a basket of biscuits to her son.
"Had funny dreams bout things I can't remember." Jayne answered in between bites.
"That's cuz you was flashed boy!" Daniel Cobb declared as he walked into the room, wiping the sleep from his eyes he paused a moment to once again slap his son on the back of the head. "Sa gua son of mine."
"Let it go already, pa!" Jayne defended, watching as his father took a seat across from him and started digging into plates of food that littered the table.
"Mornin' River honey." Marie greeted cheerfully as River bounced into the room happily. Smiling at the three she took a seat beside her husband, gratefully accepting the plate Marie handed her.
Jayne shook his head as he watched her dig into the good food, desperately trying to remember whether her sudden change in mood was a good sign or a bad one. Then again the girl was slightly crazy, so he probably should have expected her to come down the stairs in a totally different mood. Her foot nudged his under the table and Jayne realized with a start that he'd been staring at her when he could have been solving the problem of his still grumbling stomach.
"You gonna ride over to Jamie's after eating, boy?" Daniel asked quietly, accepting the cup of coffee from his wife.
"Figuring on doing so." Jayne replied grabbing a biscuit from the basket he set it on the corner of his plate. River grinned, reaching out she grabbed the biscuit off his plate and moved it to her own, ignoring his glare as he reached for another. "Also figured on riding back just after lunch so I could take River out and show her some of the old haunts."
Marie looked up from pouring them coffee with a smile, "That'll be nice!"
Becca and Matty skipped into the room, herding their younger siblings around the table as they both called out their good mornings. Jayne pulled his youngest siblings onto his lap with a smile as Becca and Matty chorused the other two into chairs. "You girls finish your chores already?" Marie questioned as two crowded around the table.
"Ya ma, we just fin…" Becca started to answer but paused as she watched Jayne and River. During the course of their conversation River had stolen a bite off Jayne's plate. In retaliation the mercenary had stolen her biscuit. And from there it had gone to war, with River taking his fork, him stealing her plate, her taking his coffee, him retaking his coffee plus her glass of water, her stealing his plate.
Horror overcame Marie as she realized where this was going. She was not going to clean up after a food fight. "Jayne!" Marie called out as he tossed a biscuit at the giggling River. The two froze in mid act and immediately began setting the table back to proper order. "Matty," Marie called, noticing that her eldest teenage daughter had already finished eating, "Why don't you take River outside and show her around a little bit before school. Would you like that River honey?"
River nodded quickly rising from her chair she followed after Becca, "On Earth-that-was the word for "war" means "desire for more cows" in Sanskrit." Matty giggled in response and the two girls started off for the barn.
Marie Cobb watched them go for a second with a happy smile, and then turned back to glare at her eldest son. "I still can't believe that you didn't come home to get married. You could have at least told us in one of your letters." Marie Cobb scolded as she set another cup of coffee before her son before taking her own seat.
"Aw ma will you let it go already. I can't even remember the wedding myself."
"Sa gua son of mine." Daniel muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "Getting flashed for goodness sake!"
"Was probably real impromptu, ya know, I proposed, she said yes, we got married on the ship, kind of deal." Leaning back in his chair, Jayne lifted the five year old Jessie from his lap and placed her in River's empty chair. "Why you asking bout this again, ma?"
Daniel looked up from the plate for a moment. "Ain't you got the paperwork on you boy?"
Jayne shook his head, "It's probably with Vera and all our clothes, wherever that stuff is. And in cause ya'll are forgetting, my wife's a fugitive from the damned Alliance, it ain't like I'm gonna go and broadcast her location on all fronts. We had to lay low and keep matters secret, wouldn't surprise me at all if there weren't no paperwork."
Seeing that she had touched to closely on a delicate matter, Marie rolled her eyes and tired to change the subject, "Now why on earth did you name your gun Vera, boy."
"Don't change the subject ma, and I named her Vera 'cause it suited."
"It's a nice name for a gun!" Daniel casually commented, digging into another helping of scrambled eggs he tired to ignore the glare Marie gave him as he grabbed another biscuit.
"Why this bothering ya so much ma? I thought ya liked River?" Jayne asked.
Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she gazed at her first born baby, "It's just that I've been to all four of my children's weddings, and now I found out that I missed my baby boy's. I just reckon it stings a little to know that I didn't get to see you marry that sweet little girl."
"You didn't miss anything ma, I promise!" Jayne declared, reaching out to pat his mother's shoulder comfortingly before rising. "Keep an eye on River, will ya ma? She's got a tendency to wander off into uninvited trouble." Leaning down he kissed his mother on the check, grabbed one of his father's cowboy hats and headed off for the stables to saddle a horse and find River.
Marie turned to Daniel with a slow smile. "No paperwork!"
Automatically seeing where his wife's thoughts were going, Daniel dropped his fork to the plate, "Now Marie, you know how Jayne feels about that stuff, and who knows how long he's gonna be staying here. You don't want the boy not speaking to you for three months when he's only going to be here for a few weeks."
"Oh posh." Marie answered with a bright smile. "It won't do no harm and he'll get over it." Rising from her chair Marie bustled off to finish getting the younger children ready for school.
"Ni ta ma de. Tianxia suoyoude ren dou gaisi." The captain yelled as he walked up the ramp, Wash following behind him. "Get us in the air and to the next gou cao de camp."
"Yes, Captain." Wash replied as the captain closed the ramp. Racing up the stairs he turned back to watch Mal kick a container in frustration before continuing to the cockpit. Slipping into his seat he started the engines, pulling the ship into the air as comm. static filtered over the radio, clearing into the voice of Zoe. "Shuttle two to Serenity."
Reaching up he pulled down the receiver, "Lamby toes, please tell me that you found our wayward souls."
"That's a negative; I'm assuming no luck on your side either. We're heading to the next camp."
"Trachelium, derived from the Greek meaning 'rough throat', also commonly known as 'Blue Throatwort.' From the flower family Campanulaceae and used as a medicinal herb to treat neck and throat disorders." River declared picking up pink clustered panicles of tiny flowers.
Jayne looked up as he followed her through the field of wild flowers leading the horse behind him. His thoughts were distracted, worry plaguing him as he recalled the look his ma had been given him as he'd ridden up to collect River after lunch. She was up to something; he could feel it in his stomach.
"Nothing painful!" River spoke up suddenly her head lifting up from the flowers she was gathering to stare at her husband.
"Huh," Jayne whispered, stumped by her words for a second before it dawned on him that she'd been reading his thoughts, "What's she up to?"
"Secret." River answered, ignoring Jayne's scowl as she stopped by a bunch of pretty white flowers. "Freesias, named after Dr Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a German physician, belongs to the Iridaceae family."
"Why for is it a secret?"
River ignored his question as she picked the flowers and turned heading back towards him, "Bouquet, historically derived to ward off evil and attract luck. Used as a metaphor for fertility, romance and everlasting love, commonly including ivy as symbol for fidelity. Hold please." She declared holding the arrangement of pink and white flowers towards her husband.
"Why for?"
Marie whipped her hands on her apron, watching as the sun slowly began its descent behind the horizon. "Matty, Becca, bring the little ones in now, time to get cleaned up." She watched quietly as the two teenagers gathered together their three younger siblings and steered them inside.
Watching her children scurry inside she turned her gaze back to the distant setting sun just in time to spot River and Jayne come into view. The small girl was sitting side saddle in his lap, holding a bunch of white and pink flowers as Jayne guided the horse to the porch. "Did you enjoy your ride?"
River nodded as Jayne swung down from the horse, reaching back up he grabbed her waist and easily lifted her from the saddle. Cradling the bouquet in her arms the smaller woman walked quietly over to the porch. "Gathered theses, Jayne wouldn't hold them though."
"Aren't they pretty!" Marie cooed wrapping her arm around River she started to led the girl inside, before calling over her shoulder, "Jayne, go help you pa harness the horses, then come in and get cleaned up."
Turning away from the porch Jayne started for the barn, "Damn right I wouldn't hold them." He muttered leading the horse into the building. He grunted a greeting to his father before leading the animal into an empty stall and quickly un-tacking the horse.
"Boy," Daniel called as he finished harnessing one of the wagon horses, "There's something I need to say to ya."
Jayne emerged from the stall walking quietly over to his father, "What's that?" He questioned stepping forward Jayne took the reins into his hands as his father bent over to buckle the straps of the harness.
Daniel sighed, "Your ma's got something special planned tonight, and I want you to play along with her, even though you ain't gonna like it."
"Why for?" Jayne demanded angrily, already envisioning the thousands of horrifying prospects of torture and pain his mother could unintentionally give him.
Daniel looked up from his work with a scowl, "Boy, don't make me guilt trip ya." Jayne's frown only deepened at his father's words. "You're gonna do whatever your ma says and you're gonna like it. You've been off world for too many years, and I ain't saying that we don't appreciate all that you done for us, but sending money ain't the same as visiting. Your ma's been worryin bout you since the day you left, and you showin' up flashed with a wife ain't helpin' your situation any. The least you can do is play along tonight."
"But pa…"
"Don't make me have to whip your ass, son."
The Chinese Moon Festival was one of the few gathering's that the entire town tended to show up for as it was the last good reason to enjoy oneself before the hardships of winter set in. Considerin that it was, all the stops were generally pulled out.
The women of Ellsinore spent days in advance preparing cool pies, mooncakes and any other treats that could be thought of. Everybody else worked on erecting a temporary dance floor in the center of town and building a small puppet theater for the children of Ellsinore. Red lanterns were strewn across the streets to provide ample illumination, and every sort of whiskeys, alcohols or sweet wines poured in from cross world.
As Jayne pulled the horses to a halt near all the other wagons he couldn't help but remember several of these he'd attended in the past. The held quite a few first time memories; first time he kissed a girl, first time he'd gotten drunk and passed out, first time he'd laid with a woman. And some rather painful memories too, first time he'd nearly been beaten into a pulp, first time he met Duncan the backstabbing hun dan, and consequently the first time he'd said goodbye to his mother and family.
Pushing off the memories Jayne jumped down from the wagon and turned to help his ma. Seeing Marie settled on solid ground he reached back up to help River down. He'd scarcely set her feet on the ground before Marie, Isabella and the two teenagers had swept her off, leaving Jayne to stare down at the place where she'd stood, momentarily confused.
"Come on boy, lots of people you ain't seen in twenty years." Daniel declared leading his son away from the wagon and into the festivities. The tables of mooncakes, pies, and other delectable treats were already crawling with children of all ages and sizes. The puppet theater was in full swing, surrounded by the little ones and their watchers. A lively jig filled the air coming from the small little band that stood up on the dance floor, where young and old couples swirled their partners in a disarray of patterns and dances.
Daniel proceed to drag his son around the gathered company of people, quickly pointing out the faces of those Jayne had grown up alongside. But thankfully before the older man could reintroduce his son to a single familiar face, the music abruptly died down as Shepherd Jargon clapped his hands together, calling attention to himself on the dance floor stairs. "Gathered friends, neighbors and family, Mrs. Marie Cobb had just informed me of some splendid news."
Jayne groaned as he realized what was about to happen. Seeing that his pa was engrossed in the Shepherd's words he decided to make a break for it, weren't no way n hell he was going to go through with this. Jayne slowly started to back away from the crowd, managing one or two steps at a time before he suddenly found a brother on each arm. William smiled "Now where you think you're going?" he asked, dragging Jayne forward to the front of the crowd.
"Jayne Cobb, a head strong young lad you may all remember, has returned after his rather long departure to visit his family for a few weeks." The Shepherd declared, motioning to where William and Jamie dragged their elder brother forward.
The crowd stared at Jayne, their eyes searching for some sign of the young man that had left twenty years ago, and consequently making him mighty uncomfortable. "His mother also informs me that he denied her a certain pleasurable sight, and we would now attempt to mend that." The Shepherd continued, "So if you would all play along, you would be honored with the sight of young Jayne's re-matrimony to a right pretty young lass." Jayne groaned as a burst of applause and cheers rose from the gathered crowd.
"Settle down, ya'll." Daniel called out interrupting the joyful crowd. Once quiet had resumed he nodded to the preacher, "We're ready to begin when you are Shepherd."
With the elder man's nod of consent Daniel turned and walked back through the crowd, making an impromptu isle for the bride, before disappearing. He reemerged seconds later with River tucked neatly on his arm. Jayne couldn't help but grin as he watched the shock settle over the crowd, their gazes fixed to the pretty young woman who'd agreed to marry him. River was still wearing the same old red dress, but her hair had been neatly braided and a crown of daisies lay atop her. She carried the self same bouquet she'd picked this afternoon, a bright loopy smile on her face.
Father and daughter-in-law proceed down the makeshift isle to the soft strains of a flute, the crowd staring at them in awe, probably wondering where Jayne had managed to pick up the pretty young lass, and why she'd chosen him.
The music died down as the two came to a halt in front of the Shepherd and Jayne, "Who gives this woman?" Jargon questioned with a bright smile.
"Since her own pa ain't here," Daniel declared as he reached out to place her hand in his son's, "I guess I do." Marie let out a tearful sob as she stepped forward to link her arm with Daniel's. Matty and Becca giggled, while all the rest of Jayne's siblings simply grinned up at the sight.
"Very well then," Jargon began and then spotting the chance for a sermon continued, "Marriage is a great and harmonious event, meant to sanctify the union of two people. But it is also abused. Used for lustful and carnal ways of sin and greed," His eyes sought out those of his parish who'd taken to more demonic and sinful ways.
Jayne blocked out the old man's words and shifted nervously on his feet, he wished to god that he'd brought his gun, then maybe he could have had a say in these dealings. Maybe he could've grabbed River and gotten the hell outta here. Instead he felt like a side show, a spectacle to amuse his folks, and he hated the thought that they were using River like this too. Marriage was a private thing between man and woman, there weren't no need to drag it out in the public like this. He got a pain in his chest just from thinking about it.
Damn, his mother was gonna give him a heart attack.
Leaning in close Daniel dropped his voice as the Shepherd continued to rant on the subject of matrimony, "Why you look so nervous boy? It ain't like this is the first time you got hitched!"
"Feels like it." Jayne muttered under his breath as he silently prayed to whatever power there was to get the ceremony over with before he strangled somebody or she said something crazy. Unfortunately the preacher had moved from the subject of matrimony to that of treating neighbors properly and Jayne felt the urge to act before he was forced to listen to a three hour sermon. "Hey preacher man," Jayne declared leaning forward, "Ya might wanna move it along, ain't got all night!"
Jargon stumbled back a step, quickly collecting his thoughts he smiled wearily at the taller man and refocused his attention, "We are gathered here to unite these two in holy matrimony. Do you Jayne take this…" He paused staring down at the girl in confusion.
"River." Jayne growled.
"Do you Jayne take this woman, River, to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do." He answered gruffly, his hand tightening its hold on River's arm.
"Do you River take this man, Jayne, to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
River turned her head, grinning up at Jayne with an adorable, albeit slightly loopy, smile, "For all the stars in all the skies, I do."
"Then by the power invested in me through the planet of Terra Five and local authorities, I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Turning away from the grinning man Jayne looked down at River almost nervously.
Gorram it, this was his wife, he'd probably kissed her a thousand times over, he shouldn't be feeling this nervous.
Deciding to get it over with Jayne leaned down, capturing her lips with his own before another thought dared make an entrance. From that moment on he deiced that he never wanted to stop kissing her. Wrapping his hands around her waist he pulled the smaller woman closer, unintentionally lifting her feet of the ground as he deepened the kiss, exploring the curve of her lips, tasting the warmth of her mouth as her arms wrapped securely around his neck. He vaguely caught the sound of her moan against his lips as one of his hands slipped down to run the length of her thigh.
Daniel cleared his throat stepping forward, "Son, you're in public, plenty of time for that later." Jayne's eyes went wide and he quickly released River. "Right," Daniel declared turning back to the beaming group of settlers, "Now let's get to the celebrating!"
The crowd broke up slowly, several of the familiar faces stepped forward to congratulate the couple. As Jayne listened to them gush over his pretty bride he felt the greatest desire to escape and finish what he'd started with kissing her. He slipped his hands around River's waist, his hands playing with the soft cotton of her dress, greedy for a feel of the skin beneath.
Shepherd Jargon suddenly stepped forward into view and smiled. 'Well there goes that plan' Jayne thought as the Shepherd handed a document to the couple, "Sign this and it'll all be official on the planet of Terra Five."
Jayne furrowed his eyebrow, "Didn't ma tell ya we were already married?"
"She enlightened me on the entire matter." The Shepherd responded winking at the couple in a conspiratorial manner. "Your secret is safe with me young lady. And don't worry bout the Alliance, the actual documentation I send won't list her full name, just her married name. The Alliance doesn't much care for wedding documentations, only birth ones, they won't ask too many questions, if any. But I'll give you a copy with her proper maiden name and all, just in case this mess ever clears up."
Jayne reluctantly signed his name to the paper. Handing it over to River, he watched her quietly scrawl her name across the bottom and felt a bad feeling seep into his bones. He couldn't quite shake the feeling as the Shepherd walked off, but he pushed it to the back of his mind for later.
River suddenly pulled on his shirt, bringing his attention back down to her she smiled up at him, "Hunger goes in a straight line, desire turns in circles."
Confused by her words he quickly glanced out across the group of people in search of clarity, and found it. His father stood in line for food and his mother was currently being spun around the dance floor by one of his younger brothers. Seeing as they were the only two who meant to keep him here, the time to escape was now. "Gorram it, why didn't I bring my own horse?"
"Jayne Cobb." The couple turned at the sound of the voice and Jayne cursed loudly, his gripping tightening around River's waist as he glared down on the shorter man who approached. "Now is that any kind of welcome for an old friend."
"Never was a time when I called you friend Jonah, and I ain't ever planning on being your friend." Releasing River Jayne stepped forward to stare down intimidating like at the strange man, "Fact, if I had my way you wouldn't be breathing right about now."
"Can't let go of old grudges, huh old man?" Jonah declared, moving his gaze away from Jayne he stared down at River. "Now ain't she a pretty thing, why don't you introduce us."
"Don't see no reason why I should." Jayne answered darkly; once again confused as to why he in the seven hells of Buddha he'd left his own gun home and desperately wishing someone at this local shindig had brought one so that he could blow the man's brains out.
River tensed up, sensing the history between them, but not the reason. It confused her, as this man's thoughts were dark and frigid, frightening her with their intensity of hate. And in return she felt Jayne's mind go cold in response, felt his desperation for a weapon held at bay only by his desire to keep the girl River safe.
"Now ain't that up to her?" Jonah questioned, turning to River he smiled a kind of condescending smile as he held out his hand to her. "Names Jonah Arnold, and yours?"
River stared down at the outstretched hand, "Covered in shadows," she whispered, "red blood smeared over them, the lives of innocent children, stolen from the nurtured care of a mother's womb."
Jonah's mouth gaped open for a second before he reacted to her words, "Ruttin' bitch…" He stared to say, swinging his hand forward to slap her he suddenly found it unable to move, caught in the tight grip of Jayne's hand as Jayne's fist descend on his face, sending the shocked man crashing backwards to the ground.
Jayne glared down at the cursing form of Jonah as he flexed his fist in preparation for another hit, "You were about to say somethin?"
"Jayne!" The sound of his mother's panicked cry put a stop to any further damage the mercenary had been planning on delivering to the bleeding man at his feet. "What happened?" She questioned racing over to the two with a whole parcel of town folk following after her.
"Boy had a little too much to drink is all." Jayne explained as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and started to lead her away, "Ain't nothin' to fuss about."
"What do think they're doing right now?" Simon asked Kaylee quietly, staring out the window at the dark night sky, worry plaguing his features.
"Well I suppose, hopefully, they're sleeping by now. Or, knowing Jayne, he's trying to figure a way outta their predicament." She watched the frown deepen over his face, guessed where his thoughts were headed, "I know you don't like Jayne too much, he's rude and course and he ain't very refined. But Jayne's like a big brother. He'll tease and heckle ya, he'll even hurt ya sometimes, but in the end when ya need him most he'll be there to help ya." Kaylee declared walking over to wrap her arm about Simon she leaned into his shoulder. "I'm sure he'll keep River safe, sides he knows what the Captain would do to him if she got hurt. Jayne won't do nothin' to harm her!"
River moaned as Jayne pushed her back against the bedroom door, his lips eagerly kissing down her pale neck line. His arm caught between her waist and the door, keeping a steady grip on her smaller form as the other one inched up along her leg, bunching the red dress up as he trailed his fingers across the tight smooth skin of her thigh. River moaned again arching her back as her long nails dug into the exposed flesh of his shoulders.
Damn, no wonder he'd married her, she felt like some kind of euphoric drug in his embrace. His heart pounded in his ears, his fingers trembled with desire; his entire body pulsed with the need to feel her. Of all the woman he'd had over his life not a one had brought him this kind of heart aching need. He lifted her thigh, crushing his hips to hers, already addicted to the quick feel of pleasure that shot through his body as their hips came into closer contact.
River was lost in the tumbling feelings that pulsed through her head, lost in the feel of his hands on her body, the desire and pure need that radiated off him. She felt the girl within her shudder with delight as his hands danced across her flesh, as his lips again sought hers. There was no time for coherent thought, only the desperate knowledge that as their minds had already been joined, their bodies should soon follow suit.
Realizing that their current position was not helping move things along, Jayne flipped them, turning so his back was now pressed up against the door, his hand leaving the soft skin of her thigh to traverse to the back of her dress, tugging frantically at the stubborn zipper. River followed his example, releasing her grip on his shoulders her nimble fingers flew forward to make quick work of unbuttoning his shirt, pushing the soft material off his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor as he finished unzipping her dress. His hands swept across the soft exposed skin of her back, his mind losing itself among the soft curves.
Yet, he couldn't stop one thought from bouncing though his head before surrendering to the feel of her skin beneath his fingers. "Mal's gonna kill me." He whispered before pressing his lips to hers again. Course he couldn't figure out who in hell Mal was and didn't much care at that moment.
Jayne woke just before dawn. Slowly untangling his legs from his wife's he sat up, grinning down at her smaller form for a second. Damn she was cute all cuddled up, hair all mussed from last nights event, the grin across his face grew larger. Swinging his legs off the bed he stood, quickly pulling his boxers on before searching for where his pants had landed.
Spotting his pants across the room he padded over, reaching down to pick them up. A pain laced down his shoulder briefly and he looked over, trying to figure out what had caused it. He couldn't help but grin at this sight of her bite mark. He only prayed that they hadn't been as loud as their actions. Things had gotten a little bit out of control, hadn't really meant to… images flashed through his mind as his thoughts dwindled and a larger grin spread across his cheeks.
Shaking off his thoughts he tried to concentrate as he quickly pulled on his pants. Course the sight of her sprawled across the bed tangled in the sheets wasn't helping him much and the grin quickly returned. Grabbing his boots and shirt he slipped out of the bedroom. 'Today was going to be a good day!' He decided before heading out to the barn to help his pa with the chores.
"What the hell do you mean they ain't here, gotta be here, this is the last gorram camp on the list." Mal yelled angrily at his gathered crew, his gaze sweeping around the small mining camp in hopes of spotting his wayward crewmembers.
"They ain't here sir." Zoe answered calmly. "We tore up every inch of this camp; no one even recognizes the photo of River."
"Ni ta ma de. Tianxia suoyoude ren dou gaisi."
"Have you tried the homesteaders?" Mal turned towards the sound of the voice and found himself facing off with the stocky and bulky man who called himself the foreman of this little outfit. "Been known to intervene, rescue any poor soul they can."
"Ya don't say?" Mal declared, quietly calming himself down. "And the reason you're providing this information would be?"
The foreman glared up at Mal, "Not everybody takes in those that are flashed, too much trouble if you ask me." Turning the foreman headed back towards his mines without a second glance at the rag tag crew.
"We got a list of those homesteaders?" Mal questioned turning his glances to Wash and then to Zoe.
Notes…
Hunger goes in a straight line, desire turns in circles. Is a Romanian proverb
And thanks to the reviewers… Ya'll have been great.
Coshuko thanks for the note about the Chinese…
Chinese Translations…
"Hun dan" means "jerk"
"Ni ta ma de. Tianxia suoyoude ren dou gaisi" means "Fuck you. Damn everyone in the 'verse." or "Fuck everyone in the universe to death." Again depending on who you talk to.
"Gou cao de" means "Dog-fucking"