Title: What's In a Name?
Author: Jmaria
Theme: Romance
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. He owns 'em
Pairing: Jayne/River
Words: 296
Summary: Little things that show he's there...
Author's Notes: set post Serenity, so spoilers for it.

What's in a Name?

Captain Daddy calls her lil Albatross. Zoe, even after everything she has brought down on the first mate, still calls her little one. Kaylee and Simon stick with mei-mei, while Inara calls her sweetie. Nicknames derived of love and affection.

He called her moonbrain, crazy, killer woman to her face. In his mind, they were worse, hurtful even, until Ariel and then Miranda. He doesn't call her anything anymore. Not since they were in the cockpit that day, certainly not since Miranda.

He barely speaks to her, and yet little things keep popping up in the cupboard on the bridge. Colored pencils, apples, even a knife. No bows or packaging, no card attached, and yet she knows they are for her. She's caught him once, when he gave her the knife.

"Why?"

"What're you goin' on about?" Jayne snapped, his back turned to her.

"The boy used to tease, but not anymore. She's a killer woman, and he won't even call her that to her face."

"I ain't a boy," he huffed trying to get past her to the weapons locker just below the cockpit. River smiled. Not a boy, not a girl, then what is he?

"No. Boys tease, call the girls names to show that they fancy them. Jayne's not a boy," she said quietly.

"We gonna fall on that Jayne's a girl subject again, River?" Jayne growled as he slammed the locker door shut.

"Boys tease, men leave trinkets and call their women by their proper names to show respect," River sighed, her voice shaking a bit as she spoke. He stiffened and she feared she'd said too much of the wrong thing again. So much uncertainty raced through her until he finally turned to face her. "And Jayne is definitely a man."