Disclaimer: Firefly & Characters aren't mine. Money sure as heck isn't mine either (gorramit!). My heart is just dancing in their 'verse for a little while.
Exchanging Words – 8
Once he found his pants, Mal stalked to the door of the bedroom where light winked. The candles were mostly gone but Kaylee was there. Mal felt the tension released from his shoulders. Though he thanked no god, he breathed easier.
Her back was supported by one of the sofas; hair spread about her as she leaned into the cushion, eyes closed, a soft smile on her face. As if expecting him, Kaylee raised her head, "Hi."
Mal crossed the room. Dropping down next to her, he found her hand in his without caring who reached first. He nudged her with his shoulder, "You got something against sleepin?"
"Not specially, no." Kaylee leaned toward him.
He could feel her chilled and frowned. "What you doing out here?"
A chuckle slipped from her across his abdomen, like a feather. Shrugging, she confessed, "I was listening to the generator, trying to decide if it is an 850 or a 950."
Mal choked over the endearment he had expected… or hoped for. Shaking her hand, he complained, "My ego ain't going to get much stoking from you is it?"
Kaylee wriggled around, ended up in his lap dripping kisses along his collarbone. "Don't. Reckon. Ego. Needs. Fuel."
Mal untangled her arms from his neck. Holding her still, not willing to seek pleasure when something nagged at him.
Her frown mutated to concern. "You want me to tell ya it was shiny?"
"No." He softened his harsh bark by caressing her cheek, "Just like you to stay or wake me when you leave."
Kaylee's smile was born again. Her fingers traced his ear, made gooseflesh cover him. "Couldn't take it all in."
"Woke up with that same feeling, only you were gone." He nudged her chin so he could see her face. Smiling, searching her face, he asked, "Okay?"
"Shiny as can be Cap'n, a-okay." Her teasing traveled to her fingertips, brushing the edge of his jaw. "You?"
Mal cleared his throat, "Other than the water in my ear, I'm right fine."
Her laughter was a caress no less potent than the hand kneading his shoulder. Nibbling at his ear lobe, she whispered, "It was worth waiting."
"I wasn't being – just wanted something special, is all. Maybe something to remember." Mal sighed.
"Special is nice. Never been treated so special…. Never." She felt the shiver fly up his spine, pulsing under her restless hand. He swallowed, twice; his jaw clenched. The tension would not ease under her hand.
Kaylee held her breath, waiting for him to say something. When time moved along, she felt the cold of the floor against her feet for the first time. She slid from his lap and poured some of the wine they'd yet to taste. Without looking in his direction, she handed a goblet to him and one for her. He set his aside, on the floor, watched her so intensely she knew she was blushing.
Gulping the dry flavor, Kaylee felt the wine flowing down her throat, fermenting in her stomach as a noose of emotion choked her. Blinking rapidly, she considered retreating to the bathroom and dressing. The closet was probably unoccupied she could take it. When he stretched on the floor, looking up at her, she tried to smile so he could say whatever was plaguing him.
His hand reached toward her but dropped to his chest when she flinched. "Kaylee?"
She shook her head. If she opened her mouth she knew she'd die of shame.
"You sorry?" He whispered. It was a harsh gasp tormenting the ends of her hair.
"God no." Kaylee gulped, stunned by his question. "Just, thought …"
He waited. Even if he couldn't fix it, he wanted to know. Better to just know….
"I never done special… or after." The words shot from her. Heat scorched her face as she jumped to her feet. Circling the table to kneel on the other side and light a fresh candle. Her hands shook so that it took several tries. In a rush, she forced laughter as she had the match, "Always been just the moment and then leaving. After was sneaking back in the house, not gettin caught. Pretending, smiling at everyone like nothin happened is… after."
Mal crawled around to sit behind her. Arms wide, allowing her to decide if it was where she wanted to be. She sighed back against him, nesting her head against his chin.
There was no mocking laughter or teasing, like she'd expected. Warmth radiated from him in little puffs of breath stirring across her shoulder, resting between her breasts. She no longer felt frozen.
He rubbed his cheek along hers. Breathing light against her neck, "I'm sorry."
Kaylee covered his hands linked across her stomach with one of hers.
"I don't share intimacies and then chuck a woman out. If she's held in passion, she's held in rest." He squeezed her middle for emphasis, chuckling. "But, I shoulda asked."
She nodded, "Just so nice. Being close."
"It is." He bent his knee, squirming to hold her closer.
"Did you ever … think on it?" She fingered his hands. Tracing the lines in his flesh, following the veins across his wrist.
"More'n the last week that's for sure." His laughter felt right. Like it had been resting, gathering strength.
"Seems like forever. Forever, not even hoping. Letting things be what they were, enough." She thumbed his elbow.
"Time moves along." Mal smiled. He could feel the heat of her blush beneath his chin.
"If I'd known, about special and after, might've said sooner." Kaylee pinched his thigh then left her hand there. It rested, still, absorbing his ease. Learning it.
"Maybe best ya didn't." He felt her stiffen but didn't let it bother him, "Something's best left to discover along the way. I used to watch you, watching Zoe and Wash. Worried you'd wander off at some dock – looking for that. But, watching you, saw them, even when I didn't wanna. Zoe made her peace and moved on. That's right. Made me want to do the same. It ain't gonna be easy, Kaylee-girl. Not gonna lie to you.'
She nodded. "Rather know."
"I'm giving ya sweet words and you're gonna start crying?" He pinched her breast, making her jump and laugh.
Didn't do no good. Tears were running in streams down her face. She rubbed at them but they just kept pouring down. His arms moved from her waist to shift her but she resisted.
She gulped, bending forward, hiding. "Please."
"Please?" He nudged her about. Felt tears running down his chest like rain, traced her spine through the silk with his fingers.
She whispered into his neck, "Let's go back to bed."
"Sure I won't drown?" He chuckled.
The pulse in his throat pounded against her lips. She felt the hitch in his breath when she pressed closer. Lifting her face, she pushed hair from her eyes.
Her gaze was earnestly open, full of want and need and desperation to give, Mal thought he might never see anything the same again. She didn't smile but her eyes glowed with understanding that stepped beyond fear.
"No guarantee in this 'verse." She whispered.
He wiped her cheeks. His hands trembled, pink flushed his face when he whispered, "You might wanna work on them wiles."
Kaylee licked her lips, brushing his thumb with the tip of her tongue and the distance between them disappeared. Gulping for air, Kaylee's fingers grazed Mal's temple, racing through his hair and drawing away – grinning. "Really think I need to work on my wiles?"
Mal dumped her from his lap and surged to his feet. Kaylee followed. He captured her hand and backed toward the bedroom, lopsided smile on a flushed face enticing her to keep following. "Reckon you don't need no wiles."
Kaylee stumbled. He couldn't have planned to say something nicer, not in a thousand years. Delighted, she ran past him to jump into the middle of the bed. Squealing when he landed right next to her. She caught his face in her hands before he could progress further. Her smile lit up the room even after the candle gutted out.
"Notice you stopped blubbering." Mal boasted.
"That all you notice?" Kaylee whispered, breathing while she still could.
--oooo--
Mal woke, twined with Kaylee, and starving. She didn't twitch when he combed his fingers through her hair. He wanted to kiss her again, and then maybe again. But she was backside against him and he couldn't see her. The room was dark as space.
"This is nice." She rubbed her cheek against his arm.
"Except for the fact my arm is asleep, yeah, I agree." He tugged his arm from beneath her. Grinning, stupid idiot grin, he was sure - didn't care.
Shoving herself from the bed, Kaylee fumbled around the floor for her robe. "Wonder what time it is. Gotta be close to breakfast, I'm starving."
Mal snorted and tugged on his drawers and pants. "You're always starving."
Kaylee yawned, "Hope someone's making coffee."
Mal rubbed his face and stumbled around the bed. "Wonder where the hell my shirt is."
"Look in the bathroom." Kaylee stretched and yelped when Mal's arms snaked around her middle. She turned just in time to catch his kiss.
"Better than coffee?" Mal eventually asked.
"Almost." Kaylee laughed but held on tight. "Is it always like this?"
"Like what?"
"Comfortable like before but … closer." She shrugged.
His laughter popped free like a cork from shimmer whine. He reached between them and tied her robe back up. "Can't honestly say. Never woke up with someone I was working the day with. Guess we'll find out."
Kaylee slid her arms around his neck. Her fears were bare but willing to speak up. "Will we?"
He feathered kisses across her face, just couldn't help wanting to feel her skin, her smile - even if he couldn't see it. She could feel the lift of his brows, knew the moment he captured a memory when he said, "Ya Wanna?"
Her breath caught. She wasn't satisfied with nibbles; she wanted to share the loaf. She showed him that, bold as the dark encouraged.
When he drew back, before they wouldn't, she thumbed the beads of sweat from his forehead, and whispered, "Just - don't leave without me."
Mal rested his forehead on hers, nodded, unable to say more than, "Find your clothes fore Jayne walks in."
"Yes Cap'n." Kaylee mocked him.
He stubbed his foot and complained, "Don't they believe in lights in this gorram hole in the ground?"
"Switches are by the main door, left side." Kaylee called out.
"Across a minefield of furniture – ow!"
She tried to smother her giggle.
"I heard that!" He chided her, "Lights! Finally. Remind me to leave a light on next time."
Kaylee inhaled a ragged breath, not sure if she was grateful or just happier than anyone had a right to be, when he said 'next time.' He'd slept. She'd rested, imaging all the worst things in the 'verse that the morning could bring.
It wasn't like her, not looking for the shiny in the scrap. But this, this was already so shiny she was afraid of the scrap burying it. Scared her to find such joy in Mal, in herself, to see his face relax after so long of watching the lines and grooves pinching at him. She was more afraid now not to see it, touch him, hold him…. To know.
She hated being afraid almost as much as she hated being shot! That made her smile. Shaking away her fears with a determination few would have thought she possessed; Kaylee looked for her cloths fore Jayne showed up.
--oooo—
Breakfast, Jayne, Monty and the King arrived all at once. Fess trailed in a few moments behind with Kaylee's poncho and coveralls. She thanked him when he said she looked nice in her dress. She wore that short dress every time they came to Beaumonde, or anywhere else for that matter, but Fess was like that.
"She's just thinking to distract me over the haggling." The King laughed, "Won't work though. I'm passed such frivolousity."
"Does your fifth wife know that?" Monty prodded, fluffing his beard.
"She does." Feron smirked.
"Did you get the troublemaker?" Mal tucked into eggs like he'd never eaten.
"Won't be long." Feron watched Monty sopping gravy with his bread and grimaced. "Miz Kaylee, come on up to the store, we'll finish our haggling. Fess bring coffee and some of those sweet breads."
Kaylee placed her hand on Mal's shoulder, feeling for the tension that would mean she should convince the King to haggle with him present. Was harder to do that, but he was the Cap'n. Mal covered her hand with his, raised an enquiring eye at her.
She shook her head, grinning when she realized he wasn't thinking about the job, just didn't want her to go. It made it easy to tease him, "Wrong person might be distracted. Can't afford that."
The smirk on his face made her laugh. "I'm not giving in on item number two. Don't even think about it."
Kaylee bounced across the room to the Scrap King. Calling over her shoulder, "Wouldn't bother thinking bout it, Cap'n."
"Ain't gonna let the girl eat?" Jayne leaned back, tossing his napkin on the table.
"Keep the competition weak with hunger, enhances negotiations." Feron's laughter echoed from the corridor.
"Kaylee'll wrap him around her finger fore coffee's poured." Jayne boasted.
Fess sniffed indignantly and followed his King.
"Monty, you know this Ty?" Mal asked, settling back with his coffee.
"Know of him." Monty shrugged and leaned back into the cushions, setting his feet up on the low table. "Nothing to concern us."
Jayne was slouched and snoring. Mal decided they had the right idea and set his cup on the floor beside the chair. Kaylee didn't need him for chattering distraction. Like that would ever happen, Mal rubbed his head into the cushion. Might as well get some actual sleep….
--oooo--
"Captain Reynolds! Woe! Don't shoot!" Fess skidded to a halt inside the door as three, instantly alert men aimed weapons at him.
"What?" Mal was already moving. Jayne and Monty behind him.
"We got trouble up in the store, best come." Fess was out of range before he'd finished the sentence.
The King was on the dusty wood floor, yelling at a doctor tending the wound above his left knee. Plugged but good, Fess had said. He sported a busted lip and a ragged gash on his left cheek but he was still able to shout at the skinny old doctor.
"Where the hell is she?" Mal grabbed a fistful of Feron's lapel.
"Came up through the tunnel – Ease up, man - there's some tunnels." Feron gasped as the doctor wound bandages around leg. "He claimed I was trying to steal her, sell her. He was calling her Rosa. She talked at him gentle, got him to quit shooting. Then begged him to get her out. I hollered at the men outside to let 'em go. But, I swear, she was fine, Malcolm, you hear me? She was fine, not a scratch on her."
Jayne's grip on Mal's arm strained to keep the Captain from pounding King Feron to paste. Not that Jayne objected to that – but it would waste time. Jayne voiced his reasoning, "Not gonna hurt someone he's been chasin for years across the gorram 'verse."
Mal shook Jayne off, "Less he figures out she ain't his."
"Took the fat wheeler, no doubt headed out to his pap's place. My boys will show you where." Feron shoved the doctor aside and inched up the wall to his feet. "She done good – you tell her that. Might also tell her that skipping and hopping around kept my sharp shooters from plugging him. She needs to learn to be still, Malcolm."
Mal ignored the King. Overcome the obstacles, get the job done, he knew it by heart. By- hell done burnt it out once already- heart. Calm as a Shepherd, he issued orders, "Jayne, get the mule. Monty, get a tracker. Feron, you got cover on the ground out there?"
"I do. In the trees and three on the ground across the river. Good eyes, steady hands." Feron let Fess sidle under him, supporting his bulk by sheer willpower. "Malcolm, that boy, he's wheezing like he's been working mines or something. I think he's passed needing a booster."
"Great, crazy and sick." Mal stalked out the front door, cursing Jayne for being too gorram slow fetching the mule.
Jayne ignored the Captain's complaining. Mal paced while they waited, waited! He'd boasted about waiting, how long ago? A few hours? Precious head start minutes wasted, waiting for Monty and the tracker.
No guarantee in the 'verse, she'd said. Mal knew there was a guarantee: Trouble always found you, no matter how deep you buried yourself. It'd tunnel to you if it had to.
--oooo—