![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
toxic_cornSeries: Where in the 'Verse is River Tam?
Title: The Museum (5/6)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Author's Note: The sequel series to She's a Sticky-Fingered Filcher. Previous parts of this series can be found here. The painting in the museum is this one.
Where in the ‘Verse is River Tam?
The Museum
“Would you like to sign our visitor’s book, sir?” The kindly looking octogenarian held up a beautiful book bound in leather.
Jayne shrugged. “Sure.” He took the proffered pen and scribbled. It took some squinting and head tilting for River to read: Mr. & Mrs. Jayne Cobb. The hand not clutching Jayne’s arm came up to her mouth to catch her pleased giggling and she bounced on her toes.
Thankfully, Jayne didn’t seem to notice. They hadn’t spoken about marriage or children yet. It seemed a little premature, since she had only just moved into his bunk last month. She’d never really believed in the institution of marriage anyway. Her parents’ cold, polite façade had convinced her that marriage was an out-moded practice meant only for appearing socially acceptable. Zoe and Wash’s marriage had put a few dents in that theory.
And seeing Jayne writing it out like that had caused a sudden, violent onslaught of glee that he missed as he unfolded a map of the museum. But the elderly curator winked at her and she winked back, biting her lip.
“Okay, where ya wanna go first? You wanna look at the statues or the pictures?” Jayne peered at the map and then turned it around right-side up. “I think there’s something’ on this floor worth lookin‘ at. Maybe.”
River glanced around their surroundings. The first floor was full of 26th century art that she never really cared for. She looked distastefully at a framed fast food wrapper someone had scribbled a stick figure on. She understood that art was supposed to communicate an idea, but in the relaying of that message some people got ridiculous.
“I want to go to the top,” River said, knowing that that was where the older paintings were kept under tight security.
“Okay, uh. You sure? Because there’s…” He gestured around them, not looking entirely enthusiastic. “There’s lots of stuff here that yer brother said you didn’t get to see since you were uh, away.”
River shook her head and pulled him towards the elevators.
Jayne laughed at her determination. “Okay, you’re the birthday girl.”
Waiting for their elevator, River studied her reflection in the metallic surface of the doors. The museum didn’t have any ident scanners so the federal agents wouldn’t be alerted to her presence. But in order for Jayne to bring her here, he’d included a disguise of a short red wig and thick eyeglasses in her prettily wrapped gift. She felt silly in the costume but Jayne didn’t look at her any differently and hadn’t joined in on the laughter when she’d first presented herself to the others, so she wasn’t going to complain.
Once they were upstairs, River couldn’t contain her excitement anymore. She was tireless, running from painting to painting, trying to absorb everything at once. The landscapes, the still-lifes, the portraits, the abstracts. Strokes of color, shadows, texture. Serenity was mainly browns and other earth tones so it was both alarming and exciting to be thrown in amongst such a rainbow of possibilities. The other people in the viewing rooms failed to make so much as a blip on her radar.
She paused in between paintings and took a deep breath. Simon had warned her that she might get a little over-stimulated and she reached out to Jayne to ground her. He was feeling pleased that his gift had gone over so well with her, but he was also wishing she’d slow down. He felt uncomfortable in their surroundings and wanted her with him so he wouldn’t feel so out of place, the mercenary in the art museum. Spinning around, she found that he’d long since given up on following her and had taken a seat on one of the viewing benches.
“Feel like takin’ a break?” he called to her.
Nodding, she skipped over to the bench and climbed into his lap. “Thank you for taking me here, Jayne. It’s lovely.” She kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. “Are you having fun?”
He hesitated and she giggled. She knew that museums weren‘t exactly his favorite places in the ‘verse but she enjoyed teasing him. “Well, I always heard that art was mostly nekid people. And I ain’t seen anyone in the altogether since we got in here. Believe me, I’ve been lookin’.”
“Nudes are down a floor. We can go there in a minute.” River looked at the painting in front of them. “Do you like this painting? She’s not naked but the picture is lovely all the same.”
Jayne barely spared it a glance, seemingly more interested in looking down the front of her dress. “She’s pourin’ milk. I don’t get why anyone would wanna draw that; I can go home and watch my ma do that for free any ol’ day.”
River cupped his chin in her hand and made him really look at the painting. “My Jayne, look at the light. Doesn’t she look real? Like we’re sitting at the table watching her?”
He frowned and looked ready to argue but then squinted and made an effort to see what she did. She kissed his cheek again in gratitude.
“There’s no judgment of her actions. She just is. There’s a quiet dignity to her, a working class person doing an everyday action that she may not get thanks for, but she performs anyway. The artist is honoring her and those like her.” She watched Jayne’s face as he absorbed her words and their import.
“Huh.” Jayne rested his chin on her head. “I’m likin’ this one, baby girl.”
River grinned. “I’m glad. Did you want to go see the nudes now?”
Jayne surprised her by shaking his head. “Not yet. Show me some more o’ these first. ‘S almost like stories or something, havin’ you explain it.”
Pleased, River stood up and took his hand. “Come on then, my Jayne. I know just where to start.”
END
****
River's "lecture" is pretty much my Art professor's lecture on the piece. I couldn't find my notes so I had to rely on my - probably faulty - memory.
****
Previous < The Training House : Next > Ma's House
Title: The Museum (5/6)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Author's Note: The sequel series to She's a Sticky-Fingered Filcher. Previous parts of this series can be found here. The painting in the museum is this one.
Where in the ‘Verse is River Tam?
The Museum
“Would you like to sign our visitor’s book, sir?” The kindly looking octogenarian held up a beautiful book bound in leather.
Jayne shrugged. “Sure.” He took the proffered pen and scribbled. It took some squinting and head tilting for River to read: Mr. & Mrs. Jayne Cobb. The hand not clutching Jayne’s arm came up to her mouth to catch her pleased giggling and she bounced on her toes.
Thankfully, Jayne didn’t seem to notice. They hadn’t spoken about marriage or children yet. It seemed a little premature, since she had only just moved into his bunk last month. She’d never really believed in the institution of marriage anyway. Her parents’ cold, polite façade had convinced her that marriage was an out-moded practice meant only for appearing socially acceptable. Zoe and Wash’s marriage had put a few dents in that theory.
And seeing Jayne writing it out like that had caused a sudden, violent onslaught of glee that he missed as he unfolded a map of the museum. But the elderly curator winked at her and she winked back, biting her lip.
“Okay, where ya wanna go first? You wanna look at the statues or the pictures?” Jayne peered at the map and then turned it around right-side up. “I think there’s something’ on this floor worth lookin‘ at. Maybe.”
River glanced around their surroundings. The first floor was full of 26th century art that she never really cared for. She looked distastefully at a framed fast food wrapper someone had scribbled a stick figure on. She understood that art was supposed to communicate an idea, but in the relaying of that message some people got ridiculous.
“I want to go to the top,” River said, knowing that that was where the older paintings were kept under tight security.
“Okay, uh. You sure? Because there’s…” He gestured around them, not looking entirely enthusiastic. “There’s lots of stuff here that yer brother said you didn’t get to see since you were uh, away.”
River shook her head and pulled him towards the elevators.
Jayne laughed at her determination. “Okay, you’re the birthday girl.”
Waiting for their elevator, River studied her reflection in the metallic surface of the doors. The museum didn’t have any ident scanners so the federal agents wouldn’t be alerted to her presence. But in order for Jayne to bring her here, he’d included a disguise of a short red wig and thick eyeglasses in her prettily wrapped gift. She felt silly in the costume but Jayne didn’t look at her any differently and hadn’t joined in on the laughter when she’d first presented herself to the others, so she wasn’t going to complain.
Once they were upstairs, River couldn’t contain her excitement anymore. She was tireless, running from painting to painting, trying to absorb everything at once. The landscapes, the still-lifes, the portraits, the abstracts. Strokes of color, shadows, texture. Serenity was mainly browns and other earth tones so it was both alarming and exciting to be thrown in amongst such a rainbow of possibilities. The other people in the viewing rooms failed to make so much as a blip on her radar.
She paused in between paintings and took a deep breath. Simon had warned her that she might get a little over-stimulated and she reached out to Jayne to ground her. He was feeling pleased that his gift had gone over so well with her, but he was also wishing she’d slow down. He felt uncomfortable in their surroundings and wanted her with him so he wouldn’t feel so out of place, the mercenary in the art museum. Spinning around, she found that he’d long since given up on following her and had taken a seat on one of the viewing benches.
“Feel like takin’ a break?” he called to her.
Nodding, she skipped over to the bench and climbed into his lap. “Thank you for taking me here, Jayne. It’s lovely.” She kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. “Are you having fun?”
He hesitated and she giggled. She knew that museums weren‘t exactly his favorite places in the ‘verse but she enjoyed teasing him. “Well, I always heard that art was mostly nekid people. And I ain’t seen anyone in the altogether since we got in here. Believe me, I’ve been lookin’.”
“Nudes are down a floor. We can go there in a minute.” River looked at the painting in front of them. “Do you like this painting? She’s not naked but the picture is lovely all the same.”
Jayne barely spared it a glance, seemingly more interested in looking down the front of her dress. “She’s pourin’ milk. I don’t get why anyone would wanna draw that; I can go home and watch my ma do that for free any ol’ day.”
River cupped his chin in her hand and made him really look at the painting. “My Jayne, look at the light. Doesn’t she look real? Like we’re sitting at the table watching her?”
He frowned and looked ready to argue but then squinted and made an effort to see what she did. She kissed his cheek again in gratitude.
“There’s no judgment of her actions. She just is. There’s a quiet dignity to her, a working class person doing an everyday action that she may not get thanks for, but she performs anyway. The artist is honoring her and those like her.” She watched Jayne’s face as he absorbed her words and their import.
“Huh.” Jayne rested his chin on her head. “I’m likin’ this one, baby girl.”
River grinned. “I’m glad. Did you want to go see the nudes now?”
Jayne surprised her by shaking his head. “Not yet. Show me some more o’ these first. ‘S almost like stories or something, havin’ you explain it.”
Pleased, River stood up and took his hand. “Come on then, my Jayne. I know just where to start.”
END
****
River's "lecture" is pretty much my Art professor's lecture on the piece. I couldn't find my notes so I had to rely on my - probably faulty - memory.
****
Previous < The Training House : Next > Ma's House
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 11:59 am (UTC)*Sigh.* I really do have to find my very own ginormous growly man to take me to art museums. Or any museums.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 07:15 pm (UTC)*also sighs* I want a ginormous growly man as an art museum companion, too. Maybe if I put an ad in the paper...