Title: Overprotective
Series: Let it Flow
Author: Sevangel
Disclaimer: Not mine
Rating: R
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"Come in."
"See, I can knock." Mal says to Inara as he walks into her shuttle.
"Okay." Inara replies. She walks over to the small table in front of her couch and starts to pour the tea already sitting there. "Would you like some tea?"
Mal notices the way her hand shakes and reaches out to take the pot from her. "Nara, I don't think you should be doin' that." Mal says. "I don't want any tea but if you want some I can fix it for ya."
"I'm fine." Inara folds her hands into her lap and looks up at Mal, her face a complete blank mask.
"Fine, huh?" Mal repeats. "Then you wanna explain why you ain't been outa your shuttle in almost 15 hours?"
"That's none of your business." Inara replies curtly.
"That's where you're wrong." Mal argues. "It happens on my boat and it's my ruttin' business."
"Then maybe I won't stay on your boat." Inara replies.
"Never took you as one to run from your problems." Mal comments. "Thought you was better than that."
"Maybe I'm not." Inara says. "Maybe I'm more like my….Gabriel Tam than…"
"That's what this is about?" Mal interrupts. "You think you're like that piece of go-se?"
"Aren't I?" Inara whispers.
Mal laughs. "Nara, you ain't nothin' like him, I guarantee that and I only met the man for 20 minutes. He don't care bout nothin' but money and himself, you ain't nothin' like that."
Inara looks down at her hands, the mask gone and her face looking more miserable than he's ever seen it. "I always wondered what my father was like." Inara says quietly. "My mother never told me anything except that he was dead. I always assumed because it was too hard for her to talk about but now I know that's not it. She hated him and for good reasons. I can't help but think that maybe that hate has fallen down to me."
"I don't know your ma so I don't know how she feels but I can't see anybody hatin' you." Mal replies.
"I don't know, Mal." Inara whispers. "I don't know. My mother is nothing like the woman Regina described. And I can't help but think that when she looks at me, all she's seeing is Gabriel."
Mal wraps an arm around Inara's shoulders and is a little startled when she throws her arms around his neck and buries her face in his chest. His hand rubs up and down her back as she sobs against his chest.
"I can't face them, Mal." Inara cries.
"Them who?" Mal questions, slightly confused.
"River and Simon." Inara explains. "I can't look at them and…"
"Nara, River and Simon ain't gonna hate you or look at you like you're evil or somethin'." Mal cuts in.
"I'm scared." Inara whispers. "Scared that they're not going to want anything to do with me outside of being on the same boat."
"I don't see that happenin'." Mal comments. "Hell, look how overprotective Simon is of River. I'm thinkin' he's gonna be the same gorram way with you."
"But you don't know that." Inara replies.
"No, I don't." Mal agrees. "And you ain't ever gonna find out till you come outa this shuttle." Against his better judgment, he drops a kiss on her forehead as he stands up. "It's time to come out and face your family, Nara."
And with that, he's gone, leaving Inara sitting on the couch confused and scared but somehow knowing what she has to do.
-
"Baby, you okay?" Jayne runs one hand through River's hair while his other hand massages her bare ass cheek. She's still slightly sweaty from their last round but is bein' so quiet it's startin' to freak him out.
"What if she doesn't like me?" River whispers.
"Who?" Jayne asks.
"Inara." River sighs. "What if she doesn't like me?"
"Baby, she already likes you." Jayne replies. "What makes ya think that's gonna change?"
"But it's different now." River props herself up on her elbows and traces her fingers over his face. "Before she liked me because I'm me. But now we are related and she may not like me as a sister."
"That ain't gonna happen." Jayne replies. "Ain't nobody not gonna like you."
"My father doesn't." River whispers. "Not anymore."
"Your father ain't nothin' but a piece of go'se." Jayne replies angrily. "He don't deserve a daughter like you, or Nara. Or your stuffy brother, I guess."
River drops her mouth down and kisses Jayne's nose. "My Jayne."
Chuckling at her abrupt change of topic, Jayne flips them over and drops a kiss against her nose. "My River."
River wraps her legs around his hips and then runs her nails down his chest. She loves the way he growls and slightly arches into her, wanting her to do it again. She flips them back over and sits up, his hardening cock nestled between her thighs. She flicks his nipple with her finger and then bends down to bite it.
Jayne groans and arches up towards River. He feels one of her small hands slip between him to grasp his cock, leading it to her opening. He pushes up into her, his eyes slipping closed at the feel of her surrounding him.
River slowly rides Jayne, just enjoying the feel of his hardness inside her. She runs her nails down his chest again, though this time harder, and then bends her head down to lap at the red marks she left.
"Again." Jayne orders huskily.
She does it again.
Jayne's hands move to grip River's hips in a death grip and he literally slams her body down onto his. He tries to open his eyes but she scratches him again and he can't. He ain't ever felt anything like this; the pain of her nails lightly breaking his skin somehow turnin' into one of the most pleasurable things he's ever felt. He's always enjoyed a little rough sex but nothin' like this; he knows his chest ain't gonna be nothin' but red marks but he don't care, just wants more.
River can see the pain/pleasure cross Jayne's face as she scratches him. She no longer worries about being too rough; he loves it. She runs her nails down his side and then drops her mouth to lick up the blood pebbling along the wound. Then she bites down hard, his skin breaking under her teeth. She sucks at the wound for a few moments until she feels Jayne's hands fist in her hair and tug harshly. It hurts but to her complete surprise, she finds she enjoys it.
"C'mere." Jayne orders.
River licks her way up Jayne's chest to his mouth and drops her mouth onto his. She mewls against his mouth when he bites her lip, his tongue instantly soothing the pain.
Jayne breaks the kiss after a few minutes and flips them back over, his hands moving under River's ass to tilt her body towards his.
"Jayne." River moans.
"Yeah?"
"Harder." River orders. She bends her legs and plants her feet on the bed, her knees completely spread. "Harder."
Jayne pounds into her, his forehead dropping down to rest on hers.
"Jayne." River whines.
"Huh?" Jayne mutters.
"Bite me." River orders. She tilts her head to one side, baring her smooth, bare neck.
"Baby, I ain't gonna…." Jayne's comments trail of with a groan when her nails dig into his back.
"Please." River whimpers. "Want to feel your teeth."
Jayne sees the stubborn look on her face and knows he ain't gotta choice. His mouth drops down to her throat and he licks a trail down to the top of her shoulder. His teeth gently clamp down onto her smooth skin.
"Harder." River orders, her eyes closed and fireworks bursting behind her lids. "Please Jayne…..oh, it feels so…"
"I know, baby." Jayne mutter against her shoulder. "I know." He bites down harshly and can taste her blood in his mouth.
"JAYYYNEE!" River screams as she comes wildly and violently. It's part pleasure and part pain and she can't tell which is which; all she knows is its pure ecstasy.
Jayne can feel River's nails digging into his back again and her walls clenching his cock violently. He pulls his mouth away from her shoulder and shouts her name as he comes. He then collapses on top of her, his body completely spent. He rolls over after a few moments and cuddles her against his chest.
"You alright?" Jayne pushes her hair aside and examines her neck, guilt automatically filling his chest. "Jesus, baby, you shoulda stopped me."
"But it felt good." River replies. She touches the bite mark with a small smile. "You marked me as yours; now, nobody else can touch me."
"Ain't nobody else gonna touch you anyways." Jayne growls. "Not if'n they wanna still have hands."
River traces a finger over the red marks on his chest. "I hurt you."
"Yeah." Jayne laughs. "I liked it."
River giggles and lays her head over his heart. "My mother loves me."
"Yeah, she does." Jayne agrees. He's a little startled by her changing the subject again but just goes with it. "Didn't you know before?"
"I wasn't sure." River replies. "It's nice to know."
-
"Simon, whatcha doin'?" Kaylee asks.
"Organizing." Simon answers, turning around to smile at her. "What are you doing?"
"Nothin'." Kaylee walks into the infirmary and moves beside him. "Want some help?"
"Sure." Simon replies. He hands her a box of assorted objects. "I found this in one of the cabinets. I need to sort out the things that go in here as opposed to elsewhere."
"Okay." Kaylee pulls out the first thing on top and squeals happily.
"What?" Simon can't help but smile at excitement.
"It's a compression coil." Kaylee explains. "Cap'n never told me he had one."
"Maybe he didn't know." Simon replies.
"Probably." Kaylee agrees. "Cap'n wouldn't know a coil if'n it jumped up and bit him in the pigu."
"He's not the only one." Simon replies. "Besides you, River, and Wash, I doubt anybody knows anything about the engine."
"Shepard Book does." Kaylee says as she continues to dig through the box. "Simon, you okay?"
"Yes." Simon answers. "It's a lot to take in and I can't help but….never mind, it's not important."
Kaylee stops digging through the box and turns around to look at him. "What?"
Simon runs his hands through his hair with a sigh. "I've always known my father is a bastard, that's not news to me." He says. "But I never knew he was so…cruel. And I can't help but think I'm just like him."
Kaylee tries to stay serious but she can't help but laugh.
Simon starts to walk away, offended by her laughter.
"Simon." Kaylee says as she grabs his arm. "I ain't laughin'…okay I am laughin' at you but not for the reason you think. It's just funny that you think you're anything like your father. I only met the man for a few minutes but he's nothin' like you. You are not your father."
Simon pulls on his arm until he can lock his fingers with hers. "I can't help but wonder." He mutters. "My father is a workaholic and so was I. I didn't realize River hadn't been writing for months because I was so absorbed in my work. I can't help but wonder if I could have stopped so many of the things that happened to her if I had paid attention to anything besides work."
"Okay, so you was a hard worker." Kaylee replies. "But you ain't like that now. You're a good man, Simon."
Simon smiles down at Kaylee and to her complete surprise, pulls her against his chest. "You're too good for me." Simon says as he bends his mouth down to hers.
Kaylee sighs happily and wraps her arms around his neck.
Simon's hands slip down to play with the small of her back as he gently but deeply kiss her. He's not sure if he agrees with her but he can't help but hope she's right. He doesn't want to be anything like his father.
-
"I need all personal in the bay." Mal's voice says over the com.
"What's going on, sir?" Zoe questions.
"Just wanna have a little meeting." Mal replies as he walks towards the bay.
"You're planning on butting in where it's not any of your business, aren't you?" Zoe asks.
"Yep." Mal smirks. "Them three ain't gonna do nothin' without a little bit of a push and I'm pretty gorram good at the pushin'."
"We know." Wash agrees.
Mal glares over at Wash for a second before walking into the bay. Everyone but River and Jayne are all ready gathered, Simon and Kaylee standing off to one side while Book and Inara stand off to another.
"What the gorram hell is this bout?" Jayne grumbles as he walks in, River right beside him.
Mal glances over and then does a double take, his mouth dropping open. "What the gorram hell?" He yells. "Little witch, you can't go walkin' round my boat without pants on."
"I have short on, captain daddy." River says, pulling up the bottom of Jayne's t-shirt to reveal a pair of shorts that Jayne bought her.
"Them ain't shorts." Mal replies. He turns to glare at Jayne. "You're lettin' her walk round like that?"
"Didn't want her to but she's pretty gorram stubborn." Jayne says. "But she knows the rules; she ain't allowed off the boat in them, ain't that right, baby?"
"Yes." River rolls her eyes and shakes her head at Jayne's silliness.
"Mei-mei, what is that?" Simon asks, walking across the room to stop in front of his sister. He pushes her hair back and gasps at the bite mark on her neck.
Mal looks at River's neck and curses under his breath before grabbing the front of Jayne's shirt. "What the gorram hell do ya think you're doin'?" Mal yells.
"STOP!" River screams, moving in between Jayne and Mal. "Captain daddy, he didn't do anything."
"There's a gorram bite mark on your neck." Mal yells.
"She knows that." River replies, rolling her eyes. "But he only bit her because she told him to."
"You told him to?" Simon repeats. "Why?"
"It felt good." River answers honestly.
Mal lets go of Jayne and steps away with a disgusted look on his face. "Oh, little River, I didn't wanna know that."
"Me either." Simon agrees.
"You did ask." River replies.
"You let him…hurt ya?" Kaylee asks with wide eyes.
"She hurt him first." River says, slipping her hands into the bottom of Jayne's t-shirt. She pulls it up, despite his protests, until his entire chest is bare.
"Holy hell." Mal mutters. Jayne's chest is covered with scratches, from the top of his chest down to the waistband of his shorts and there's a large bite mark on his side.
"They really are mating." Wash gasps, his eyes wide.
Jayne pushes River's hands away and pulls his shirt down. "I ain't somethin' to use for show-and-tell." Jayne glares down at River.
"He's mad at her?" River's bottom lip trembles as she looks up at Jayne with wet eyes.
"Gorramit, that ain't gonna work." Jayne growls.
River sniffles.
He pulls her against his side and wraps a big arm around her small waist. "Ain't mad at ya."
"Shiny." River replies happily, snuggling her face against his side.
"Okay, as cute as all this is, it ain't the reason we're here." Mal says. "Jayne, Book, Kaylee, Wash, and Zoe, follow me. The rest of ya ain't leavin' this bay till ya work somethin' out, dong ma?"
After a few minutes, the bay clears out, Jayne kissing River lightly on the forehead before following the rest of the crew out.
Simon stares at his sisters, unsure of what to say. River is watching him in that way she has, just waiting to see how he's going to make an ass out of himself this time. Inara isn't looking at either one of them; instead she's staring at her hands. "Inara, are you okay?" Simon questions, concern automatically taking over his nervousness. "You are looking rather pasty." He realizes what he said and tries to back peddle. "I didn't mean it that way. You look beautiful as always, not that I'm attracted to….."
River's giggling cuts Simon off and both him and Inara turn to look at their little sister. "What's so funny, mei-mei?" Simon questions.
"You." River answers. She looks at Inara with amused eyes. "Simon is a boob but you probably already know that. He is also very overprotective and if you even sneeze, he's going to be beside you, checking your stats."
"I've noticed that." Inara replies with a smile. "And I'm fine, Simon, just a little tired."
"Are you not sleeping well?" Simon questions. "If you're having problems sleeping, I should give you a physical to see why."
Inara laughs. "I'm fine." She assures him. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."
"Me either." Simon agrees.
"I did." River comments. "But then Jayne always makes me tired."
Inara laughs while Simon covers his face with his hand.
River walks over to Inara and stands in front of her. "Mother was right." River tilts her head to the side to examine Inara's face. "You do have father's eyes." Then she wraps her arms around the companion of a quick but tight hug. "But that's all. You are not Gabriel Tam." Then she turns to look at Simon. "And either are you."
"Thank you, mei-mei." Inara whispers, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
"You're welcome." River replies happily. "Now it's your turn, Simon."
Simon looks at Inara, his gaze completely serious. "I don't want you to feel pressured into being more than you're comfortable with." Simon tells the companion. "If you want things to continue as they were, I will understand."
"I don't want to pressure you two into accepting me as more than just another person on this boat." Inara replies.
River rolls her eyes. "Inara, you are our sister." She says. "We want you to be our sister, right Simon?"
"If she wants to…."
River steps on Simon's foot.
"Yes, I want you to be our sister." Simon agrees with a wince. "And hopefully a less violent and bratty one than River."
River sticks her tongue out and then runs over to hide behind Inara when Simon tries to tickle her.
Inara laughs at the siblings but can't help but feel jealous; she never had this and she doesn't think they ever will. Too much time has passed and they're all too grown up to bond that way.
River can feel the sadness rolling off Inara and frowns before she finally understands why the companion is so sad. Then, she digs her fingers' into Inara's belly, searching out a ticklish spot.
"River, what are you doing?" Simon questions, smiling when River finally finds a spot and Inara burst out giggling. "River is the most ticklish on her sides."
"Hey!" River protests and then starts giggling when Inara tickles her sides.
Simon watches as his sisters, he's still getting used to that, tickle each other until they both collapse on the floor, tears rolling down their faces.
"What's goin' on?" Jayne questions from the doorway. "Why's my girl on the floor?"
"Tickle war." River pants out. She kisses Inara on the forehead, jumps up and kisses Simon's forehead before starting over to Jayne. She launches herself at him, laughing when he catches her and smacks her ass. She wraps her legs around his waist, arms around his neck, and bends her head backwards to address her siblings. "I'm going to go play with Jayne now; we can bond later."
Jayne hoists River closer to his chest and carries her out of the bay, his mouth biting lightly on her neck on the way.
Mal rolls his eyes at the couple as he passes them on his way into the bay. He takes one look at Simon helping Inara to her feet and smiles. "Well, now, it looks like my plan worked."
Inara rolls her eyes. "One of these days you're going to butt your nose in where it doesn't belong and get it knocked off."
"Probably." Mal agrees with a smirk. "But I'm guessin' everything is okay here and I'm hopin' I'm right."
"We're fine." Simon assures him. "As River said, we're going to 'bond' later but for now, we're fine, right Inara?"
"Yes." Inara agrees, smiling up at him.
"Although." Simon says, looking at her expectantly. "I really would like to make sure you're okay. Are you sure you don't need a physical?"
Mal laughs. "Told you he'd be all overprotective."
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