Prompt #16- Colour
He remembers his world before River came along. Remembers it in terms of darkest grey and plain black. There was white in his world but it wasn't meant for him. No. For him was the black of space and the grey of dirt and occasionally the haze of red when he was wounded.
Now she's emerged in his life and there are so many colours he's almost blinded. It's like a rainbow exploding into his world and he is swamped by the experience.
His cornflower eyes are wary as he takes the burnt-sugar cookie, the deep mocha colour of the chocolate chips melding with the soft honey-coloured biscuit to entice him to take it.
River's pale pink lips widen in a smile as his thick tanned fingers place it gingerly on his tongue, like he's afraid the sweet confection will be laced with one of Simon's more colourful poisons.
The blue orbs are intent on her hazel ones as he bites down, off-white teeth crunching on the biscuit.
She tries to stifle a laugh behind her own pale fingers, so long denied the sunlight, as his eyes widen so much that all she can see is egg-shell white and cadet blue.
Sky and clouds.
He swipes at his mouth with the back of his hand, crumbs tumbling onto fine black hairs to tumble onto a maroon shirt.
"Uh thanks," he says, his words swirling purple in the air. Purple for loyalty and honour. Respect. "Them's good cookies. Ain't had sweets like that since my ma made 'em." He licks his lips and looks away, black lashes making half-moons on his ruddy cheeks.
"Made them for you," she whispers in pale blue—words frightened of making contact with the air— and his eyes jolt back to hers.
He swallows. "Really?"
River nods and stalks around the weight bench, her fingers trailing on the hard metal surface, the silver all tarnished and dirty but so very functional.
Jayne feels like he's being stalked by an animal. A tawny lion, no, a midnight ebony panther. Dark, deadly, dangerous. A predator who prowls around him, shimmering in the light as if an illusion, making him feel safe no matter that he knows he isn't.
Being a hunter by nature, Jayne knows that you must never show weakness around fierce creatures, those capable of opening their jaw to show shiny white teeth, sharp enough to slice bone and blood-soaked sinew.
He stays perfectly still, unmoving as she gets closer and closer to him.
Just under the long deep sienna curtain of her hair River smiles and his throat goes dry.
"Wanted to say…"
"Yeah?" he prompts when she trails off.
"Thank you."
He wonders if the cookie was poisoned after all. "Huh?"
River twists her hands together, lines of rose flesh appearing as she twists her skin. "At the Academy they took away the parts that made her a girl. They made her weapon, smart and savage. Sometimes she… I forget that I am human too. Forget that I am skin and heart and blood and brains. Simon makes holes with his needles and they heal." She smiles and her whole face lights up, gold and sunshine yellow breaking through. "They Heal! Not broken beyond all means."
"You… you're doin' better," Jayne adds softly, his eyes glued to expression of wonder on her face, her cherry lips a beaming expression of joy.
"But still she doesn't think like a girl, and they don't always see that she is. But you do." Her eyes catch his and he is astonished to see tears sparkling there, delicate crystals of clearest azure. "You saw. You see. You looked at Kaylee before now and looked at Inara and Zoë and Saffron and Nandi and others. Now you look at me. She's … I'm real."
"You were always real."
"You made me feel it. I see myself in your head and I'm real and I'm a girl."
"Woman," he corrects and her mouth opens, pearly teeth and raspberry tongue evident.
"It's nice to be wanted, even in a dream," she says those perfect pearls biting down on plump cherry lips. "So thank you."
She turns to leave but, before he can even think about it his hand reaches out to grasp her arm. His sun-darkened skin looks like a ebony mar against her snow-white complexion and absently he thinks that she should get dirt-side more often; a healthy glow would set off that peach complexion exquisitely.
"Jayne?" she prompts when he says nothing and just stares at her mindlessly.
"Le's get this straight. I have … thoughts about you and 'stead of going ta Mal or Simon or even Kaylee. Ya bake me cookies and thank me?"
River nods, confusion at his words set on her face. Why should he be worried that she'll go to Mal or Simon? It's none of their business what he's thinking.
He shakes his head. "Damn it, River, you're as confusing as all get out."
"Sorry?" she offers and he just huffs, a crisp puff of ivory smoke expelled into the cool cargo bay air.
Their eyes lock with a sharp silver padlock and a golden thread appears, entwining them together inexplicably, inescapable. Inevitable.
"I liked what I saw," River confesses as he doesn't let go of her. She wonders if there will be a bruise there come morning. Plum and olive mottled blood beneath the surface, edging with angry red and copper.
She doesn't mind.
"Yeah?" His voice is gruff; like the bears, darkest brown and homely, earthy.
She smiles to reassure the man and just like that the golden thread breaks.
He pulls her to him, her soft pink body colliding with his hard chocolate one and he ducks his head, his lips intent on hers.
As red meets red, his world explodes.