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toxic_cornSeries: She's a Sticky-Fingered Filcher
Title: My Spot (7/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Post Objects in Space
Summary: Get used to it, Cobb. You asked for it.
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Author's Note: Last one! That makes me sad. Everyone has been so nice that I feel silly for lurking as long as I did. As always, thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
katsqueaks for being my beta. Previous parts can be found here.
My Spot
The atmosphere on Serenity was tense for a number of reasons. Well, two reasons, really. The biggest reason was that the crew had a tricky job coming up that required careful planning and very little wiggle room for any mistakes that might crop up. Mal and Zoe spent every mealtime with their heads together, going over every last detail, making sure everything was clear.
The other reason was the rift between River and Jayne. Every time he entered a room she happened to be in, she’d drop whatever she was doing and leave without so much as a glance in his direction. Mealtimes were especially charged since they were forced to be in the same room together. She’d sit on the same side of the table as him but she’d make sure to have two people between them, usually her brother and Kaylee. Everyone gave Jayne confused looks, but he’d hunch over his plate, wordlessly telling them to leave him be.
One night, Jayne was the first to the table. Book had returned from a stay at his abbey and had brought real food back with him: potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, and real beef steaks though they were small. The others trickled in one by one and helped Book bring dishes to the table.
The last to enter the mess was River, who promptly sat to the right of the head of the table, which was Zoe’s place next to Mal.
Zoe raised her eyebrows but didn’t comment, instead taking a seat between Wash and Inara.
Mal set the basket of rolls on the table as he sat down. “Well, hey there, little one. You gonna be keepin’ me company?”
“Yes,” River said, sweetly. “I love my captain.”
Every head snapped towards Jayne and he quickly set about cutting up his steak, teeth clenched.
“Uh, right. Kaylee, you wanna hand me the peas?”
“Sure, Cap’n.”
The weird moment passed and the conversation shifted to one of the lighter stories of the war Mal and Zoe had. Everyone except Jayne ended up doubled over the table, laughing.
It wasn’t that the story wasn’t funny. It was just that every time he looked up, he’d see River, all smiley and shiny and he wasn’t the one making her look that way.
Get used to it, Cobb. You asked for it.
Yeah, but did she have to look so damn happy about it?
The laughter started to die down and Mal sat back in his chair, patting his stomach. “Well, I declare preacher, this here has been the most satisfyin’ meal we’ve had on this boat since who knows when. Much thanks.”
Everyone else added their thanks as well.
“Oh, you’re all very welcome.” Book smiled. “I kept it as a surprise, but there’s peach cobbler in the oven if anyone wants dessert.”
“I think I can make room for cobbler,” Wash said, slapping his belly.
“You might wanna watch your waistband, husband,” Zoe teased.
Wash kissed her cheek. “Aw, there’ll just be more of me to love!”
Mal got up and went to the oven as Book said, “Be careful Mal, it’s very-“
“OW!”
“Hot.”
River, Simon, Inara, and Kaylee all leaped up at once and rushed to his side. Jayne snorted laughter but kept a straight face when the shepherd sent him a look.
“Cap’n, you okay?”
“Honestly, Mal, who picks up a hot pan bare-handed?”
“It’s not a serious burn, let’s just run it under the tap for a minute…”
Everybody settled down and Jayne smirked a little until he noticed that River and Mal hadn’t returned to the table.
He looked up in time to see River raise Mal’s hand to her mouth for a kiss. The kiss lasted only a second but it felt more like a year in Jayne’s mind.
“There, all better.” And her eyes sparkled.
Jayne sat up so fast he knocked his chair over.
“Jayne, wh-“
He speared the leftover baked potato onto his plate and stormed from the room. In his hurry to get down into his bunk, he nearly dropped the plate but righted it as he cursed. This night could only get worse if he spilled all this nice food on the floor.
He dropped down onto his bed and started stabbing at the potato with more force than was really necessary. Maybe if he stabbed hard enough and really concentrated, he could make Mal feel it. Like the hoo doo or whatever from Earth That Was.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the sound of his bunk opening. He didn’t look up; the soft, nearly silent steps indicated that his intruder was barefoot and only one person on Serenity disliked shoes.
“He’s wearing his mad face to hide the hurt inside.”
“And she’s gettin’ on his last nerve,” Jayne snarled. “Didn’t I tell ya to stay out of here?”
She stepped in front of him, so close her dress brushed his knees.
“He says lots of things.”
No kidding. Stab.
“Jayne? She did as you asked; why are you so angry?”
“Not angry.” STAB.
“So why are you punishing the tuber?”
“The what?” He looked up at her, frowning.
Her head tilted to the side. “I didn’t want the Captain, you know. I wanted Jayne.”
“Why?” Jayne exploded. “Why the hell do ya want me? I ain’t… I ain’t a good man. Everybody wants better for you and I ain’t it.”
River sighed. “You make me happy. That’s enough for everyone. But this doesn’t concern them. Just Jayne and River.”
Jayne stared at her, stupidly. “You sayin’ the crew’s fine with…”
“Well, Simon isn’t. But it’s none of his business. And he’s a boob.”
He dropped his gaze back down to his plate. This was a joke, right? Months ago, everyone noticed the way he’d been watching the girl and they’d all come up with this plan to jerk him around. Hell, he’d done enough underhanded things to deserve something like that.
“Jayne?” She’d dropped to her knees in front of him. “If you like the girl, just say so.”
Right, here’s where he tells her he hasn’t been able to think of another woman but her and everyone pops out to point and laugh.
Scowling, he looked back up at her to tell her to buzz off but stopped.
Her big, pretty eyes were so hopeful and shiny that this had to be for real. A woman wanted him not for the coin he could pay or to be a warm body to scratch an itch and chase away loneliness for a short time, but for the simple reason that he made her happy. She hadn’t had a whole hell of a lot to be happy about the last few years and to think he could give her that was downright humbling.
Not to mention she made him happy, too. The last few weeks without her around had been miserable.
There was no choice to make, really.
“I like the girl,” Jayne said, quietly.
River’s answering smile was so dazzling he had to blink. Then she cupped his face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together.
“Took you long enough,” she whispered against his smiling lips.
THE END
*****************
"You ended it THERE?!" Yes. Because around the beginning of the month, I played two mean pranks on my beta. TWO. I'm surprised she didn't kill me. ;) Because of scaring her so badly, I have to write a sequel to make it up to her. It's already plotted out so really, I just need to write it. But firstkatsqueaks wants Raynekid!fic, so if that's your fic kink, I hope you enjoy it, whenever I post it. Otherwise, be on the lookout for the sequel.
*****************
Previous < Handbook : Next > Where in the 'Verse is River Tam - The Dance
Title: My Spot (7/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Post Objects in Space
Summary: Get used to it, Cobb. You asked for it.
Disclaimer: All the characters are belong to Joss.
Author's Note: Last one! That makes me sad. Everyone has been so nice that I feel silly for lurking as long as I did. As always, thanks to
katsqueaks for being my beta. Previous parts can be found here.My Spot
The atmosphere on Serenity was tense for a number of reasons. Well, two reasons, really. The biggest reason was that the crew had a tricky job coming up that required careful planning and very little wiggle room for any mistakes that might crop up. Mal and Zoe spent every mealtime with their heads together, going over every last detail, making sure everything was clear.
The other reason was the rift between River and Jayne. Every time he entered a room she happened to be in, she’d drop whatever she was doing and leave without so much as a glance in his direction. Mealtimes were especially charged since they were forced to be in the same room together. She’d sit on the same side of the table as him but she’d make sure to have two people between them, usually her brother and Kaylee. Everyone gave Jayne confused looks, but he’d hunch over his plate, wordlessly telling them to leave him be.
One night, Jayne was the first to the table. Book had returned from a stay at his abbey and had brought real food back with him: potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, and real beef steaks though they were small. The others trickled in one by one and helped Book bring dishes to the table.
The last to enter the mess was River, who promptly sat to the right of the head of the table, which was Zoe’s place next to Mal.
Zoe raised her eyebrows but didn’t comment, instead taking a seat between Wash and Inara.
Mal set the basket of rolls on the table as he sat down. “Well, hey there, little one. You gonna be keepin’ me company?”
“Yes,” River said, sweetly. “I love my captain.”
Every head snapped towards Jayne and he quickly set about cutting up his steak, teeth clenched.
“Uh, right. Kaylee, you wanna hand me the peas?”
“Sure, Cap’n.”
The weird moment passed and the conversation shifted to one of the lighter stories of the war Mal and Zoe had. Everyone except Jayne ended up doubled over the table, laughing.
It wasn’t that the story wasn’t funny. It was just that every time he looked up, he’d see River, all smiley and shiny and he wasn’t the one making her look that way.
Get used to it, Cobb. You asked for it.
Yeah, but did she have to look so damn happy about it?
The laughter started to die down and Mal sat back in his chair, patting his stomach. “Well, I declare preacher, this here has been the most satisfyin’ meal we’ve had on this boat since who knows when. Much thanks.”
Everyone else added their thanks as well.
“Oh, you’re all very welcome.” Book smiled. “I kept it as a surprise, but there’s peach cobbler in the oven if anyone wants dessert.”
“I think I can make room for cobbler,” Wash said, slapping his belly.
“You might wanna watch your waistband, husband,” Zoe teased.
Wash kissed her cheek. “Aw, there’ll just be more of me to love!”
Mal got up and went to the oven as Book said, “Be careful Mal, it’s very-“
“OW!”
“Hot.”
River, Simon, Inara, and Kaylee all leaped up at once and rushed to his side. Jayne snorted laughter but kept a straight face when the shepherd sent him a look.
“Cap’n, you okay?”
“Honestly, Mal, who picks up a hot pan bare-handed?”
“It’s not a serious burn, let’s just run it under the tap for a minute…”
Everybody settled down and Jayne smirked a little until he noticed that River and Mal hadn’t returned to the table.
He looked up in time to see River raise Mal’s hand to her mouth for a kiss. The kiss lasted only a second but it felt more like a year in Jayne’s mind.
“There, all better.” And her eyes sparkled.
Jayne sat up so fast he knocked his chair over.
“Jayne, wh-“
He speared the leftover baked potato onto his plate and stormed from the room. In his hurry to get down into his bunk, he nearly dropped the plate but righted it as he cursed. This night could only get worse if he spilled all this nice food on the floor.
He dropped down onto his bed and started stabbing at the potato with more force than was really necessary. Maybe if he stabbed hard enough and really concentrated, he could make Mal feel it. Like the hoo doo or whatever from Earth That Was.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed the sound of his bunk opening. He didn’t look up; the soft, nearly silent steps indicated that his intruder was barefoot and only one person on Serenity disliked shoes.
“He’s wearing his mad face to hide the hurt inside.”
“And she’s gettin’ on his last nerve,” Jayne snarled. “Didn’t I tell ya to stay out of here?”
She stepped in front of him, so close her dress brushed his knees.
“He says lots of things.”
No kidding. Stab.
“Jayne? She did as you asked; why are you so angry?”
“Not angry.” STAB.
“So why are you punishing the tuber?”
“The what?” He looked up at her, frowning.
Her head tilted to the side. “I didn’t want the Captain, you know. I wanted Jayne.”
“Why?” Jayne exploded. “Why the hell do ya want me? I ain’t… I ain’t a good man. Everybody wants better for you and I ain’t it.”
River sighed. “You make me happy. That’s enough for everyone. But this doesn’t concern them. Just Jayne and River.”
Jayne stared at her, stupidly. “You sayin’ the crew’s fine with…”
“Well, Simon isn’t. But it’s none of his business. And he’s a boob.”
He dropped his gaze back down to his plate. This was a joke, right? Months ago, everyone noticed the way he’d been watching the girl and they’d all come up with this plan to jerk him around. Hell, he’d done enough underhanded things to deserve something like that.
“Jayne?” She’d dropped to her knees in front of him. “If you like the girl, just say so.”
Right, here’s where he tells her he hasn’t been able to think of another woman but her and everyone pops out to point and laugh.
Scowling, he looked back up at her to tell her to buzz off but stopped.
Her big, pretty eyes were so hopeful and shiny that this had to be for real. A woman wanted him not for the coin he could pay or to be a warm body to scratch an itch and chase away loneliness for a short time, but for the simple reason that he made her happy. She hadn’t had a whole hell of a lot to be happy about the last few years and to think he could give her that was downright humbling.
Not to mention she made him happy, too. The last few weeks without her around had been miserable.
There was no choice to make, really.
“I like the girl,” Jayne said, quietly.
River’s answering smile was so dazzling he had to blink. Then she cupped his face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together.
“Took you long enough,” she whispered against his smiling lips.
*****************
"You ended it THERE?!" Yes. Because around the beginning of the month, I played two mean pranks on my beta. TWO. I'm surprised she didn't kill me. ;) Because of scaring her so badly, I have to write a sequel to make it up to her. It's already plotted out so really, I just need to write it. But first
katsqueaks wants Raynekid!fic, so if that's your fic kink, I hope you enjoy it, whenever I post it. Otherwise, be on the lookout for the sequel.*****************
Previous < Handbook : Next > Where in the 'Verse is River Tam - The Dance
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Date: 2006-04-17 12:52 am (UTC)I rather like T-Rex myself.
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Date: 2006-04-17 04:05 pm (UTC)Chele
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Date: 2006-04-29 07:33 am (UTC)I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel :)
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Date: 2006-05-26 08:56 pm (UTC)Great, you just made me choke on my Cesear Salad. XDD
This was an adorable series, I really enjoyed it!
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Date: 2006-09-04 02:24 pm (UTC)Good job :) *hugs*
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