Title: Wave
Series: Our Mrs. Cobb
Author: Sevangel
Disclaimer: Not mine
Rating: R
FYI: To be less confusing, I put bug spaces around the times River and Willow "talk".
-
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put you in the airlock?" Mal quietly asks Willow.
"Airlock." Willow repeats confusedly. "Isn't that the thing you just put Jayne in when you were all threatening to kill him?"
"Yes." River says quietly. "That's the whole point; he's threatening you."
"Oh." Willow mutters, understanding dawning. "You should be more specific with your death threats so that the person you are threatening doesn't get confused."
"You're supposed to be explaining why he shouldn't kill you." River leans over to whisper.
"It's not like I was turning her in." Willow defends. "I just wanted to see who the 'blue-hands' were and it wasn't like I could go knocking on the Alliance people's front door and be all like 'hey, can I meet the guys with blue hands so I can see why my friend River, you know, the fugitive you're all looking for, is afraid of them.' This was the only way I could be near them without putting everyone in danger."
"We were arrested and held for processing." Simon points out angrily. "How is that not danger?"
Willow just waves off his comments. "River said she was 97.43 percent sure that Jayne would be able to get us out unharmed, which he did."
"What?" Mal questions the genius.
"When she reported to the Alliance where we would be, she just said it would be her, me, and Simon." River answers. "They had no knowledge that Jayne would be there and were unprepared for his presence, as I knew they would be."
"When did you contact them?" Book questions.
"After Kaylee took my picture." Willow answers. "I told them when we would be leaving the imaging suite."
"So this was after you said you wouldn't make me regret lettin' you go?" Mal says to Willow. "You knew the whole gorram time; you ruttin' lied to me."
"No, see my fingers were crossed." Willow replies. "So technically, there was no lying cause the finger crossage counteracted the fibbing."
"Your fingers were crossed?" Mal bellows. "And that's supposed to make lyin' okay?"
"Well, no." Willow replies, not the least bit fazed by his shouting.
Mal glares at Willow, unsure if he's more mad at her lying to him or her not bein' afraid of him like she should be.
"You never got to 'see' them." Simon says to Willow. "You put my sister in danger for no reason at all."
"Wasn't the only reason." River says. "Needed to see."
"See what?" Mal grinds out, completely frustrated at the entire situation.
"What would happen if someone was to try and turn us in." River replies.
Eyes turn to look at Jayne.
"Why's everyone looking at Jayne?" Willow asks. "He didn't turn her in."
"But I woulda." Jayne says, not looking at River. "A few weeks ago, I woulda turned em in without thinkin' twice bout it."
"There's no need to look so guilty." River whispers. "You are not the only one who's thought about it; everyone has."
The table goes quiet.
"So, everyone is just looking at my sister and me and seeing a big old price sign flashing over our heads." Simon says, glaring at the entire crew.
"Simon, don't." River looks her brother straight in the eyes. "You've thought about it too."
"What?" Simon shouts. "Mei-mei, I've never…I would never…"
"No, you would never turn me in." River agrees. "But you have wondered what your life would be like if you hadn't rescued me; if you hadn't thrown your life away to save mine."
Simon looks down, his shoulder's slumped guiltily.
River looks over at Willow with wide eyes, unsure what to say to make everything okay.
"Look, she knows you're not going to turn her in." Willow tells the crew. "What she means is everyone's briefly thought about the reward."
The table goes quiet again, everyone lost in their own thoughts.
"Willow." River whimpers, her hands moving up to cover her ears. She rocks back and forth, muttering to herself.
"Mei-mei." Simon says worriedly.
"Too much." River screeches. "Too much. Scratching at the door, wanting to get in. Ring the doorbell but nobody answers. Shouldn't enter uninvited, it's impolite."
"River, you have to focus." Willow says, dropping down next to her. "You have to focus on what's real."
"Can't." River whispers. "Too loud."
Willow turns her head to look at the crew. "What part of 'she feels everything' are you not getting?" Willow says. "The 'she', the 'feel', or the 'everything'."
River whimpers and wraps her arms around her head.
"What's wrong with her?" Jayne asks Willow.
"You guys." Willow replies. "You guys with your guilt and regrets. You're just pushing everything into her and she can't find herself because of all the thoughts and feelings; I'm surprised her head hasn't exploded yet."
"Thoughts?" Mal repeats. "What's our thoughts got to….gorramit, she can read our ruttin' minds too?"
"Willow." River half whimpers, half scolds.
"Oops." Willow says sheepishly. "You hadn't caught onto the mind-reading thing yet, did you? I so suck at the secret thing."
"She can read our minds?" Jayne shouts, thinking back on everything he's thought about her in the past while.
Book and Inara both glance at the genius nervously, trying to figure out what she may have read from them.
Simon steps back to look down at his sister with a horrified expression.
"NO!" River screams. "STOP! You have to stop, please stop. I can't….the numbers have been miscalculated and chaos will soon rain. You're not allowed in here without identification; this is a code blue area…"
"River, it's just a wave." Willow forces the genius's face around until she can see her face. There are tears running down her face and her eyes have a lost, painful look to them. "You have to stop fighting it, you're not strong enough yet. Just let it wash over you and walk through it."
"It's pulling me under." River manages to squeak out.
"Stop fighting it." Willow orders. "It's only a wave; just flow with it."
"I can't." River chokes out.
"River Marie Tam, we don't say the word can't." Willow scolds. "You will grit you teeth and you will come through this."
River looks up at Willow, a small smile crossing her face. "Resolve face."
"Darn tootin'." Willow replies. "You know what it means."
River nods shakily and closes her eyes. Her face relaxes and she looks as though she's actually being washed over by waves.
The crew watches mesmerized as River seems to visibly calm down without the aide of drugs or force.
River's eyes snap open and she looks at Willow, a somewhat relieved look crossing her face.
"How are you doing?" Willow asks, concerned.
"Okay." River answers.
"You did wonderful." Willow praises. "I'm so proud of you."
"Not so good." River replies quietly, glancing about the mess nervously.
"Go." Willow says, understanding the genius's discomfort. "I'll take care of everything."
River nods and then runs out of the mess without another word.
"Let her go, Simon." Willow says, stopping the doctor from chasing after her.
"Where's she goin'?" Jayne questions.
"To hide." Willow answers. "She'll hide somewhere dark, quiet, and small until she can get her bearings back."
"How long have you known?" Simon asks angrily. "Because that wasn't the first time you've done that, was it?"
"No." Willow agrees. "I've known since I got here. It was one of the first things we talked about."
"And you didn't tell me?" Simon shouts. "She's my sister and my patient. I should have been informed."
"You shoulda been informed?" Mal bellows. "This is my ruttin' boat and everything that happens on it I should be informed of first thing."
"You think I don't know this?" Willow yells back, completely pissed off and frustrated. "That I didn't think the same thing? I had to do what was in River's best interests and she couldn't have handled you knowing then."
"Then?" Mal replies. "You ain't been here longer than a month; how much could've changed in that time?"
"More than you would think." Willow says. "But that's not the point.."
"The ruttin' point is you keep lyin' to me on my own gorram boat and that ain't sittin' well with me." Mal interrupts. "I shoulda been told first thing that she was a gorram mind reader."
"Mal, what's the first thing that popped into your head when you realized she could read minds?" Willow asks.
Mal's mouth opens and closes a few times. "That don't matter none."
"Yes, it does." Willow argues. "That's the whole point. The first thing you thought about was whatever you wouldn't want her to know. Then you tried not to think about it, which is pretty much just yelling it into her head. Every one of you did that. A month ago, that very could have drove her insane."
"What's changed?" Book questions.
"We've been working on building up her defenses." Willow answers. "It's been hard for her, although it makes sense why now."
"She has no defenses." Simon argues. "They were cut out, remember?"
"Well, duh." Willow replies. "I'm not senile. But the human brain is a remarkable thing, especially with one like River's. They're not very strong but she's building them."
"Okay, so you're saying she can tell what we're thinking right now?" Wash asks.
"No, it doesn't work like that." Willow answers. "Okay, think of your brain as a pot of boiling water; all your thoughts and feeling are the water and the pot is your brains natural defenses. River doesn't dive into the water; she doesn't have that ability. It's the steam that she reads; whatever you happen to push out at her. And right now, she doesn't have the option to fight or push the steam away. She's not strong enough but we're working on it."
"This is somethin' you've been doin' a lot?" Mal questions.
"Every night." Willow answers. "We do a few exercises before we go to sleep."
"What type of exercises?" Simon questions, his tone taking on the one he uses when examining someone.
"Um…it's..we..do.." Willow rakes her brain, trying to figure out an answer that's not going to reveal her witchiness. "You know, it's kinda hard to explain and rather boring, trust me, it wouldn't interest you in the least bit."
"I'm interested." Mal replies. "Explain."
"Mediating." Willow squeaks out. "And I kinda push my thoughts and stuff at her and…trust me, it's way too confusing to explain. I'm helping her; you just have to trust that."
"You ain't givin' us many reasons to trust you." Mal replies. "Give us one good reason why we should trust you're helpin' her and not hurtin' her."
"She didn't have to be sedated." Zoe says, surprising everyone with her defense of the redhead. Zoe stands up to walk over to Willow, looking down at the younger woman with a blank expression. "I can't say I agree with what you've done, cause I don't. And I ain't sayin' I trust you, cause I don't but that's the first time River's had a screaming fit and not had to be sedated. I don't know what you're doing but whatever it is, seems to be helping her."
"Zoe's right." Book agrees. "River seemed to calm herself on her own, something she's never done before. I agree that whatever you're doing is helping rather than harming her. But what I'm not sure about is how you knew all this. How did you even begin to know how to help her? And why would she tell you, a virtual stranger, compared to her brother?"
"I've had experience with mind-readers." Willow answers. "And she told me because she could, because my thoughts don't bother her unless I actually push them at her."
"She can't read your mind?" Simon questions.
"Nope." Willow answers.
"Why not?" Kaylee asks, speaking for the first time. She's a little bit freaked out but there really ain't nothin' River can read that she wouldn't tell.
"Every person has natural defenses that protect their thoughts." Willow replies. "There are people like Book and Inara, who've both worked very hard to make those defenses stronger and don't let many things leak through. Then you have Jayne, Mal, and Zoe who all have things they don't like remembering and have naturally built walls around those things. The only time anything gets out is when they're highly emotional, for example being pissed or upset. There's Simon, who as a doctor has trained himself to be unemotional but that's sometimes worse cause when you do feel something it's almost like hitting her over the head with a sledgehammer. And lastly, we have Kaylee and Wash, both who almost have no defenses whatsoever. Everything you feel and think, pretty much just floats off as you feel it."
"Still don't explain why she can't your mind." Mal says.
"She can't get passed my defenses." Willow explains.
"You tryin' to say your better at defendin' yourself than we are?" Jayne's face scowls as though he's been insulted.
"Yes, in this way I am." Willow replies. "I wasn't always, I used to be like Kaylee and Wash, but after some things happened, I built up my defenses. They're impenetrable."
"Mind reading and building up defenses in your brain?" Wash comments. "This is sounding like something out of science fiction."
"We live on a space ship, dear." Zoe points out.
"Yeah." Wash agrees. "But it just seems a little….too witchcraft-y to me."
Willow's hands fist, her nails digging into her palms as she tries not to panic. 'Oh, goddess, they know.' Willow says to River. 'They know and they're going to burn me at the stake and I don't wanna turn into a rat to get loose or have to turn everyone else into a rat cause I'm not real sure if I could turn them back….'
'It works when I'm not in the room?' River says back.
'Yeah, I gotta couple miles radius on the mind talking thing.' Willow replies.
'Huh.' River says. 'Now, you can't panic. No babbling or they will know you are trying to hide something.'
"Witchcraft?" Simon repeats. "You mean like broom-riding, black pointy hat wearing, and wart having witches that sacrifice goats under the light of a full moon?"
"Hey!" Willow protests.
'Willow, don't.' River screeches into Willow's head.
'I changed my mind.' Willow replies. 'I'm going to turn your brother into a rat. And I never sacrificed anything.'
'Fawn.'
'Okay, a fawn.' Willow agrees. 'But I hate that stereotype and you know, I never thought your brother would be so….mean.'
'Simon's a boob.' River replies. 'But no turning him into a rat.'
"Hey what?" Mal says. "Gorramit, Willow, what the gorram hell is wrong with you?"
"Huh?" Willow mutters before turning her head to look at Mal. "Hey what what?"
"You said hey." Simon replies.
"Oh, I was just going to say 'hey, Simon's right." Willow lies. "River doesn't look like any witch I've se…read about, yeah read about in a book."
"It's all fiction." Simon adds. "Stories based on fables from Earth-that-Was."
"You don't believe any of it's real?" Inara asks Simon.
"No." Simon replies with a laugh. "They also had legends of aliens living in space and we all know that's not true."
'Are you sure…'
'No, Willow, you can not turn my brother into a rat.' River interrupts.
'Come on, he'd be a cute little rat.' Willow says. 'He'd be all fancy and polite; you know he'd never run over your foot just to scare you cause it would be all improper.'
'He'd starve to death after a week because Simon would never dig through trash looking for food.' River replies with a giggle.
Mal stares at Willow, trying to figure out why the redhead is all of a sudden giggling.
"Don't try to figure it out." Jayne advises. "Her and moony do it all the ruttin' time. Bet ya money if'n we go look for moony, she'll be giggling too."
Willow fakes a yawn and stretches. "Oh, I'm getting bushed." She says. "I'm going to hit the sack. See you all in the morning." Then she's gone before anybody can say anything.
"Sir, what are you going to do?" Zoe asks Mal.
"I ain't sure yet." Mal answers honestly. "Gonna keep an eye on her for now but after that, I don't got a ruttin' clue. Something's strange bout that girl."
"That girl?" Jayne snorts. "Try both of em. Them two are the strangest girls I've ever met and I've known some strange people."
"Yeah." Wash mutters. "Yourself."
Jayne turns his head to scowl at Wash. "I was actually talkin' bout you."
"Hey!"
-
Jayne yawns widely as he stumbles into the mess in search of something to drink. The crew went to bed a few ours ago but he can't sleep; he can't help wonderin' what she's read off him, how much she knows. He opens a cabinet door, aimin' to get a glass, and jumps back with a manly squeal. "Gorramit, what the ruttin' hell are you doin' in there moony?"
"Hiding." River answers. "But I fear too much time has lapsed."
"Huh?" Jayne mutters.
"I'm stuck." River explains.
"Course you're stuck." Jayne rolls his eyes as he reaches in and pulls her out. "When the gorram hell did you crawl in there anyways?"
"After everyone went to bed." River answers. "It feels safe in there."
Jayne sets River on her feet and turns around to grab the glass he was reaching for before. He fills it with water and takes a large drink before turning around to see River stretching side to side with a pain-filled look on her face.
"What's wrong?" Jayne questions.
"I hurt." River answers. "I'm all tight and sore."
Jayne closes his eyes briefly and tries not to let his mind wander where he don't want her knowin' it wants to go but it's pointless. His brain automatically supplies another situation where she'd be all tight and sore.
"Jayne?" River whispers.
"Yeah?" Jayne grunts.
"Will you rub me?" River questions.
Jayne chokes on the water in his mouth. "Will I what?"
"Rub me." River repeats. "I am sore and tight and would like for you to rub the tenseness from my body."
"I ain't sure…couldn't you get somebody else?" Jayne sits down to hide the instant hardening of his body.
"Everyone else is sleeping." River replies. "I could wake Willow up; she wouldn't mind rubbing me."
Jayne grabs her wrist before she can leave. "Ain't no call to go wakin' her up." He growls. "I'll do it."
River smiles and pulls him out of his chair. She drags him across the room to the couch in the corner and plops down on her belly. "You must straddle me." River says when Jayne doesn't do anything for a few moments.
"I know." Jayne growls as he rubs his hand over his face. He straddles lower back, being careful not to drop his weight on her. He stares at her almost completely bare shoulders for a few seconds before reaching up to massage them gently.
"Harder." River orders.
Jayne swallows heavily, his body now hard as a gorram rock and kneads her shoulders harder.
"Mmmm.." River moans. "Oh…that feels…mmmm."
Now he ain't a rock; he's gorram steal. He ain't ever heard somebody moan and whimper as much as she does, not even when he's sexin' em up.
As Jayne's hands move down her back, River can't hold in the sounds that escape on their own. His hands somehow seem to know and find all her sore places. Her body feels relaxed and languid although at the same time she still feels some tenseness. It's nothing she's ever felt before and while she wouldn't call it painful, it is making her uncomfortable. She shifts her lower body against the couch, hoping it will help relieve the discomfort. It doesn't. Instead, the cushions rubbing against her body makes her whimper.
"Gorramit, girl." Jayne growls, his hands stopping their movements. "What're ya doin'?"
"I don't know." River whines. "I don't know Jayne; something is wrong with me, I think."
"Did I hurt ya?" Jayne asks, wondering if'n maybe he didn't get to rough.
"No." River replies. "You did not hurt me but something is still wrong."
"What?" Jayne flips her over to stare anxiously down at her.
"I feel tight." River whispers, looking up at him with confused eyes.
"Ya done said that." Jayne replies. "That's why I was massagin' you, remember."
"No, not tight there." River huffs. "In other places."
Jayne's brows furrow and he rakes his eyes over her body. He understand instantly what she's feelin' when he sees her nipples tight and pokin' the front of her dress. He brings a thumb up and rubs one swollen tip.
"Ohhh…" River moans and arches towards him. "Jayne….I don't understand…what's wrong with me?"
"Ain't nothin' wrong with you, moony." Jayne chuckles. "You're just turned on is all."
"It's uncomfortable." River replies. "How do I cure it?"
"There ain't a cure for it, moony." Jayne says. "You can relieve some of the tension but it'll come back."
"Sex." River announces, making Jayne's eyes widen. "I can relieve the tension with sex."
"Well, yeah." Jayne agrees. "But we ain't gonna…gorramit, moony, you got any idea what Mal'll do to me if'n even saw us like this let alone heard us talkin' bout sex."
"But you are my husband." River argues. "You can not neglect your husbandly duties."
"That ain't gonna work, moony." Jayne grabs onto the little bit of self-control he has and starts to move off her.
"But it's starting to hurt, Jayne." River whines. "And I will never be able to sleep." She pulls him back and pushes on his chest until he's sitting on the couch. She then straddles his lap and wraps her arms around his neck. "Kiss me."
Jayne obeys; he's got no other choice. His arms wrap around her body and pull her against him as he literally eats at her mouth. She's drivin' him insane; the way she smells, the way she walks, the way she looks, and especially the way she tastes. And now she can add in the way she feels, what with her rubbin' herself against him like she is.
River understands the mechanics of sex so she does understand why her heart is pounding and why she feels lightheaded and so very warm. But what she doesn't understand is the feelings, the pleasure. Jayne's tongue rubbing against hers sends tingles down her spine. His hands on her back feels pleasant but she wants more. She wants what she felt before, when he touched her nipple. It wasn't for more than a moment but it felt so good and she wants it back. She presses her chest against his and rubs back and forth but it's not the same.
He's goin' to hell. Sure as he knows anything, Jayne knows he's goin' to hell. Cause there ain't no way he's gonna be able to keep his hands off her, specially with her rubbin' against him. Her hard little nipples are pokin' against his chest and his hard cock is only inches away from rubbin' against her cunt.
After a few moments of rubbing her chest against his, River growls with frustration. It feels nice but it doesn't feel like before; doesn't send little shots of pleasure straight to her groin. She wants to feel those again. She breaks the kiss and drags her mouth down Jayne's face to attach to his neck. "Hands." River orders.
Jayne groans at the feel of her mouth biting and sucking at his throat. "What?"
"Touch me with your hands." River repeats, moving up to nip at his earlobe.
"Jesus." Jayne mutters. It's like he ain't got no control round her; whatever she says, he does. His hands slip around from her back to rub up her stomach. He massages the underside of her breasts with his thumbs for a few moments before giving in and rubbing them over her nipples. Her hot, breathy moans echo into his ears.
"Yes…uhhh…Jayne.." River moans. She arches into his hands, trying to deepen the contact.
Jayne rubs his thumbs back and forth over her little buds and is rewarded with breathy moans and gasps. She's unlike any girl he's ever touched; she don't seem to care bout anything but the pleasure he's givin' her. She's ain't a bit self-conscious or got a bit of self-control. Hell, if the entire ruttin' crew were to walk in here, he doubts she'd even care. He pinches her right nipple between his thumb and forefinger and she groans deep in her throat.
Flooded. River feels flooded, leaking into her panties. And when he pinches her nipple, it shoots straight to the area between her thighs. Now she feels tight and swollen and she aches.
Jayne rolls her nipples between his fingers, smirking as she mewls and babbles incoherently.
"Stop." River orders as she pulls away from his hands.
Jayne leans his head back against the couch with a frustrated groan. He knew they were movin' too ruttin' fast; she's probably scared or somethin'.
River reaches up and pushes her dress straps down her arms. She wiggles her upper body until her dress is pooled around her waist. "Okay."
Jayne's mouth drops open and he stares lustfully at her naked chest. Her breasts are small and high; firm little globes topped with hard, pink little nipples. Her skin is flushed pink and her breathing erratic.
"Jayne." River whines. "Hands."
"Oh, I got better than hands." He doesn't care bout what's wrong or right anymore; she's half-naked and practically orderin' him to touch her. He places his hands on her back and arches her chest towards him. Then he drops his mouth down and sucks a tight nipple into his mouth.
"Ohhhhh….ohh god…what is…" River moans and arches more into him. And in the process, rubs her aching lower half against something large and hard, something she knows to be his penis. The double pleasure makes stars appear behind her closed eyes. She rocks herself against his body, her mouth hanging open and her hands holding Jayne's head to her breasts. His mouth is sucking and biting at her aroused nipples until she's panting on top of him.
He's gotta know. She seems completely lost in her pleasure but he's gotta know. One hand slides down her back and moves around her body to slide up her leg. She don't even hesitate; just spreads her knees wider. He massages her firm thighs and realizes once again Willow was right; legs don't come better than this. He can smell her arousal, thick and sweet in the air but he wants to feel; needs to feel it. He needs to know that this is her want and not somethin' she's pickin' up from him. He knows the answer before he even reaches her cunt; her thighs are sticky with her arousal. He pushes aside the front of her panties and slips a finger between her folds. She screeches.
River's eyes shoot open and she pulls on Jayne's hair until he releases her breast with a 'pop'.
"Somethin' wrong, moony?" Jayne asks, his voice coarse and husky.
"Again." River orders, pushing her lower body against his finger resting on top of her folds. "Touch me again."
Jayne slips his finger back between her folds and moves it slowly until he finds her tight core. Her knees spread even further as he slips his finger inside.
"Ohhh…mmmm…" River murmurs. "Jayne, it feels so good but more, I need something more."
Jayne pumps his finger and uses his thumb to rub against her swollen clit.
Her body shakes, her vagina clenches, and then something explodes and she's flying. It's bliss; pure, mind-numbing, breath-stealing bliss. All she feels is pleasure and Jayne underneath her. There's nothing pushing in on her, nothing overwhelming her until she loses herself.
Jayne watches River as she comes, his body pulsing so harshly he has to grit his teeth against the pain. He ain't never been this turned on before and wants nothing more than to bury himself in her hot, tight body. But he don't. Her body may be ready but she ain't and honestly, he ain't sure he's ready. He ain't ready to cross that line, too gorram afraid once he does, he'll never get back.
River leans against Jayne's chest with a happy purr. She doesn't think she's ever felt this way; this safe and calm. Her arms wrap around Jayne's body and she closes her eyes.
Jayne rubs his free hand against her back for a few minutes, his eyes closed as he tries to gain some control. When he finally gets some, he looks down to see her snorin' lightly against his chest. He smiles and shakes his head, completely amused. He puts her arms back through the straps of her dress and adjusts it until she's completely covered. He kisses her forehead lightly and stands up to carry out of the mess and down to her room.
"Huhhh." Willow sits up and looks around the room she's sharing with River to see Jayne lying River down onto her bed. "Where was she?"
"Hidin' in a cabinet in the mess." Jayne answers as he covers River up.
Willow stands up and stretches before following Jayne out of the room.
Jayne glances over his shoulder, scowling at the sight of Willow behind him. "What're ya doin'?"
"Following you." Willow answers cheerfully.
"Ya know, it ain't right to be this gorram cheerful so soon after wakin' up." Jayne comments.
"I know." Willow agrees.
Jayne sighs heavily. "Why're ya followin' me for?"
"I need to talk to you." Willow answers.
Jayne stops and leans against the wall, an eyebrow raised as he waits on her. "Well?"
"Something happened between you and River, just now, didn't it?" Willow says.
Jayne glances nervously about the hall and then glares down at her. "How the gorram hell do you know that?"
"I recognize the look." Willow replies. "You know, the 'I'm going to burn in hell for taking advantage of an innocent girl' look."
"This ain't none of your ruttin' business." Jayne growls as he starts to walk away.
"Jayne, you didn't take advantage of River." Willow says, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm not sure how far you've gone but however far it is, River wants it as much as you do."
"She didn't even ruttin' understand at first." Jayne says. "Didn't know what bein' aroused feels like."
"Jayne, she was fourteen when she went into the academy." Willow replies quietly. "Too young to have really experienced any sexual feelings. And then she was in the academy and that wasn't a place for dating and stuff. She's probably never been in the position to experience any sexual feelings."
"Yeah, I kinda noticed that." Jayne agrees. "And can't help feelin' like I'm takin' advantage of her or somethin'."
"Jayne, you get shot a lot, right?" Willow asks.
"Uh, not as much as Mal but every so often." Jayne answers, completely confused by what this has to do with anything.
"Do you understand what Simon's doing when he operates on you?" Willow asks. "Do you understand why he uses one instrument as opposed to another?"
"Well, no." Jayne answers honestly.
"So, if you don't understand, maybe next time Simon shouldn't operate on you." Willow replies. "Cause if you don't understand then…."
"Enough." Jayne interrupts. "I ain't that stupid, I get your ruttin' point. Just cause she don't understand don't mean she don't know what she wants."
"Yep." Willow agrees.
"You're a pain in the ruttin' ass, you know that?" Jayne mutters.
"Yep." Willow replies. "But you'll grow to appreciate me." She pats him on the arm and starts to walk away when Jayne grabs her arm. "Yes?"
"Thanks." Jayne grunts.
"No problem." Willow waves at him and walks back to her room.
Jayne runs a hand through his hair and starts to his bunk. Between his inability to control himself round moony and red's habit of pushin' him towards admittin' he's cares bout the little genius, he's got the feelin' he's gonna be crossin' that ruttin' line and probably pretty gorram soon.
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