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toxic_cornSeries: Persephone
Title: Chapter Four (4/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Firefly is owned by Joss Whedon. I own nothing, sadly.
WARNING: This deals with some dark subject matter that may not appeal to everyone. Also, this is an AU where River never went to the Academy and Jayne never joined the Serenity crew. So if you're really into canon, this fic is not for you.
Summary: Fast forward a little in time during River's captivity.
Notes: Written as a gift to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sandwch__zombie. Here's to you, sweetie!
Catch up on earlier chapters at the organizational post.
CHAPTER FOUR
It had been nearly a week since Jayne had taken River away from her life to lock her up in a cold basement. She had long since stopped asking how the ransom was going; the last time she’d asked, he’d punched the table so hard that his fist had put a large hole in its flimsy plastic surface.
At least he didn’t keep her cuffed all of the time anymore. He had started to let her roam around the basement and had gotten a deck of cards for them to play Tall Card from time to time. They’d gamble for pieces of candy Jayne would buy large bags of and she’d let Jayne win occasionally just so he wouldn’t grumble. For such a large man, he really could be such a child.
And yet he could turn around and be considerate, too. He knew she wasn’t comfortable wearing the same pair of clothes so he’d gone out and bought some more for her at a second-hand store. They were all too big for her since he didn’t know her size and had been too embarrassed to ask the saleslady for help (“I was in a rush!”). Still. She appreciated the change.
She had also taken to not wearing shoes. The kind her mother always helped her buy were meant to make her feet look smaller, daintier, and they pinched. Now that there was no one to assess her footwear, she’d decided to go without. Only Jayne had pointed out that she’d freeze her toes off and had bought her big, comfortable boots to wear. She wore them when she wasn’t sleeping or dancing.
Of course, she saved some of her stretches for when Jayne was dozing or in the bathroom. The last time she’d pulled her leg over her head, his light blue eyes had turned dangerously dark and he’d acted strangely toward her the rest of the day. It had been both exciting and alarming.
Now they were playing Tall Card and River was winning yet again. Jayne had started the game in a bad mood so she wasn’t sure whether letting him win the current hand would turn things around or not.
“Jayne?” she finally asked. “Is something wrong?”
~*~
“Well, have ya called ol’ Tam yet or not?” Jayne snarled. He didn’t like keeping the girl in the basement for so long. She was a smart one and he’d been letting his guard down more and more lately. It would only be a matter of time before she figured a way out. Besides, every time he went out and came back, she’d start asking him questions about the weather and temperature and get this dreamy, longing look on her face just thinking of the outside. Keeping a girl like that locked up didn’t sit right.
“He’s next on the list,” Hatchett said, swirling the drink in his glass.
“What the hell does that mean?” Jayne exclaimed then lowered his voice as he leaned forward. “When the deal changes, yer s’posed to let me know!”
“Don’t worry, Cobb, you’ll still get paid.” Hatchett grinned. “You’ll probably get even more than you bargained for.”
Jayne’s eyes widened. “More? Who the hell wants the girl that damn bad?”
Hatchett winked at him. “You let me worry about that. Just make sure the girl’s looked after.”
“I look after her,” Jayne snapped. “So when are ya gonna let her folks know you got her?”
“I might not have to if current negotiations go our way.” Hatchett pulled out a pack of the expensive cigarettes he liked so much and started tapping them on his wrist. “Patience, Jayne. Good things come to those who wait and other such platitudes.”
Jayne frowned in thought. “Who wants the girl? Can’t be slavers; no way they’d pay five hundred for one person.”
A shadow flittered across Hatchett’s face. “Why do you care where the money’s coming from, Cobb?”
Good question. “I don’t, just how do ya know these folks’re on the level so’s we even get paid?”
“Oh, they’re on the level. They’ve been wanting River Tam for a looong time. If Daddy Dearest can match their offer then he can have her. Otherwise?” Hatchett lit his cigarette and blew a puff of smoke up into the air. “You’re about to see more money than you ever have in your miserable existence, Jayne Cobb.”
A bad feeling settled in the pit of Jayne’s stomach.
~*~
“Jayne?” River repeated, tentatively. He hadn’t so much as blinked in the last three minutes.
“What’re ya babblin’ about?” he snarled, keeping his gaze locked on his cards.
“I asked if something was wrong,” she said, quietly. “Are you all right?”
He laughed humorlessly. “‘m fine, so long as I get paid. You gonna make a move or what?”
“It’s your turn.”
Angrily, he threw down his cards. “Well, I fold!” He jumped up and knocked the chair across the room. “Do you really wanna know what’s goin’ on with yer ransom?!”
Watching his tantrum, she wasn’t so sure she wanted to anymore. But she still nodded.
“Well, my partner don’t wanna give ya back to yer family, he’s sellin’ ya to the next highest bidder. I’ll give ya three guesses who it is.”
Shock stole the breath from her for a moment. “The Academy?” His angry countenance was confirmation enough. “But… the tea and dumplings! They’ll-”
“I know!” Jayne barked. “You think I don’t know?! I might not be a genius but I ain’t exactly a-”
“Please let me go!” River begged. “I can’t go there, I’m sure of it now! If it’s money you want, I can find some for you, just please don’t let them take me!”
Jayne shook his head. “You can’t possibly have what they’re offerin’, little girl.”
River stared at her hands. “Why did you choose this life, Jayne?”
That gave him pause. “What the hell does that got to do with anything?”
“It has to do with everything. You’re nearly as upset about this as I am. Why did you choose this life if it forces you to do things you don’t want to do?”
“Every life forces ya to do things you don’t wanna do,” Jayne pointed out.
River looked up at him, smiling sadly. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“It does this time.”
Oh, she’d like nothing better than to slap his stubborn face! Why would one person need that much money? It was just pure greed. Still, telling him that wouldn’t be in her best interest. He’d most likely chain her back to the bed and then leave for hours while she grew hungry and thirsty.
“Don’t you want to find serenity?” River asked, keeping her voice calm.
“I did once.” Jayne dropped down onto her bed. “Screwed it up o’ course.”
Curious, River went to sit beside him. “What happened?”
He looked at her in disbelief but relaxed a little when he saw the honest curiosity in her face. “Don’t even know why I’m gonna tell ya,” he prefaced his tale. “Was runnin’ with two other guys. Got a tip that a Firefly class ship was carryin’ some cargo we was interested in. Wasn’t too hard t’ track ‘em.” Jayne paused a moment, clearly not used to telling this story. River didn’t press him but just waited for him to continue. “Didn’t take long before we got the drop on ‘em. The captain was this really mouthy sumbitch, tried to turn us against each other by implyin’ I wasn’t gettin’ paid my fair share. It was true but that wasn’t important. So Marco put a bullet in ‘im to shut ‘im up.”
“Oh my,” River breathed.
“Yeah. The first mate tried to pull out her piece but I got her before she’d even gotten it out of the holster. Then we went on the ship to try to find the stuff ourselves, take out anyone else on board. I went up to the cockpit and did the pilot.” He frowned. “Weird little guy, had dinosaurs all over the place like he was a damn kid or somethin’. Turns out, he wasn’t the only one on board.”
River braced herself for what was coming.
“There’d been a Companion in one of the shuttles. And… and in the engine room…” he cleared his throat but seemed determined to get through this part of the story. “There’d been a little girl.”
“A child?!” River burst out before she could stop herself.
“No, I don’t think she was that much younger than you are now. It’s just, seein’ her all… And then we just tossed those bodies out like they weren’t worth nothin’. Smartass captain, loyal first mate, weird pilot, Companion, and little girl.” Jayne shook his head. “I’ve killed plenty o’ people ‘n most of ‘em had it comin’. But those folk?” He laughed bitterly. “Ship was called Serenity. I stayed about another week and then got off at the first moon we stopped. That boat gave me an uncomfortableness.”
Jayne wasn’t a good man. He wasn’t exactly a bad man, either. Yes, he’d kidnapped her but he didn’t treat her cruelly or take advantage of her vulnerability. A large part of her hated him for putting her in this situation, but another part of her saw the haunted look in his eyes and felt for him.
Without really thinking about it, River reached out her hand and placed it gently on his back.
His reaction was swift and instant. “I don’t need your gorramn pity!” he snapped, throwing her arm off.
River had never had comfort thrown back into her face so rudely before and could only stare at him in stunned surprise before gathering her wits.
“Well, you don’t have it!” she said, growling in the way he always did. “I was merely feeling empathy for a fellow human being and wished to relieve your pain. If that’s so terrible then I retract it, you ungrateful buffoon!”
They both sat, arms folded, and glared at the far wall like petulant children. Even when she and Simon had been small, she’d never had a pouting argument. She was unsure of when it was supposed to conclude and if she should storm off to the bathroom and perhaps slam the door as hard as she could. Maybe he would prefer to do that since he liked making a theatrical production out of his anger, as evidenced by the chair still tipped on its side. Maybe she should right it and give him a reproachful look to let him know she thought he was-
Jayne interrupted her train of thought by taking her hand and placing it on his back. “Means that much to ya, then go ahead ‘n empathize.”
She’d won? Interesting. She was much better at sulking than she realized. Smiling, River rubbed his back in small circles but stopped when he moaned softly.
“Are you all right?”
He appeared startled. “Me? ‘m fine. That rubbin’ felt nice, though.”
“I rub Simon’s back sometimes when he comes home from the hospital,” River said.
Jayne snorted. “Well, ain’t that domestic?”
River glared at him. “I was about to offer you a backrub but if you’re going to be a pig, then forget it.”
“Why ya bein’ all sweet with me anyway?” Jayne snapped back. “You think if ya make yourself all manner o’ bendy and rub my back and act all pretty I’ll just let ya go?”
That sounded like a good plan. Why hadn’t she thought of it? Jayne submitting to a backrub meant he would be vulnerable to her; she couldn’t imagine a man like Jayne left his back open for many people to target.
“Would it work?” she asked, her voice low.
He made a scoffing noise and rolled his eyes.
“Then what’s the harm?” River smiled disingenuously.
Jayne considered it a moment. “All right. But if I feel like you’re pullin’ somethin’ then we’re through here.”
“Understood,” she chirped and arranged herself behind him. “Now just relax.”
“Yeah, right.” But Jayne tipped his head forwards and moaned the instant she started rubbing.
“Your muscles are so tight,” River observed. “Have you been tense lately?”
“Ha ha,” he answered but sounded amused.
Silence filled the room as River continued to rub Jayne’s back, except when Jayne groaned once in awhile. He was built so strong and solid that she took more time with him than she ever had with Simon, just to admire him. Normally, the men she liked – boys, really – were wiry and just a little bit taller than she. Jayne was a giant of a man in more ways than one and she really shouldn’t be attracted to him, she realized when she found herself caressing the breadth of his shoulders.
Disturbed, she pulled away. “Feeling better?”
“Ah. Yeah. ‘Bout ready to hit the sack. You?”
“I’m also sleepy.”
“Okay. Well…” He trailed off when she lay down and raised her arms without having to be prompted. Looking almost disappointed, Jayne got up to get the cuffs.
A wave of despair washed over her heart. This wasn’t how it should be. Everything about it was wrong. Tears stung her eyes as he cuffed her hands together and started to loop the other set around the headboard.
“Why?” she asked, brokenly.
He looked at her with an apology in his eyes. “The money’s too good.”
Click.
< Chapter Three : Chapter Five >
Title: Chapter Four (4/7)
Author: Toxic Corn
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Firefly is owned by Joss Whedon. I own nothing, sadly.
WARNING: This deals with some dark subject matter that may not appeal to everyone. Also, this is an AU where River never went to the Academy and Jayne never joined the Serenity crew. So if you're really into canon, this fic is not for you.
Summary: Fast forward a little in time during River's captivity.
Notes: Written as a gift to
sandwch__zombie. Here's to you, sweetie!Catch up on earlier chapters at the organizational post.
It had been nearly a week since Jayne had taken River away from her life to lock her up in a cold basement. She had long since stopped asking how the ransom was going; the last time she’d asked, he’d punched the table so hard that his fist had put a large hole in its flimsy plastic surface.
At least he didn’t keep her cuffed all of the time anymore. He had started to let her roam around the basement and had gotten a deck of cards for them to play Tall Card from time to time. They’d gamble for pieces of candy Jayne would buy large bags of and she’d let Jayne win occasionally just so he wouldn’t grumble. For such a large man, he really could be such a child.
And yet he could turn around and be considerate, too. He knew she wasn’t comfortable wearing the same pair of clothes so he’d gone out and bought some more for her at a second-hand store. They were all too big for her since he didn’t know her size and had been too embarrassed to ask the saleslady for help (“I was in a rush!”). Still. She appreciated the change.
She had also taken to not wearing shoes. The kind her mother always helped her buy were meant to make her feet look smaller, daintier, and they pinched. Now that there was no one to assess her footwear, she’d decided to go without. Only Jayne had pointed out that she’d freeze her toes off and had bought her big, comfortable boots to wear. She wore them when she wasn’t sleeping or dancing.
Of course, she saved some of her stretches for when Jayne was dozing or in the bathroom. The last time she’d pulled her leg over her head, his light blue eyes had turned dangerously dark and he’d acted strangely toward her the rest of the day. It had been both exciting and alarming.
Now they were playing Tall Card and River was winning yet again. Jayne had started the game in a bad mood so she wasn’t sure whether letting him win the current hand would turn things around or not.
“Jayne?” she finally asked. “Is something wrong?”
“Well, have ya called ol’ Tam yet or not?” Jayne snarled. He didn’t like keeping the girl in the basement for so long. She was a smart one and he’d been letting his guard down more and more lately. It would only be a matter of time before she figured a way out. Besides, every time he went out and came back, she’d start asking him questions about the weather and temperature and get this dreamy, longing look on her face just thinking of the outside. Keeping a girl like that locked up didn’t sit right.
“He’s next on the list,” Hatchett said, swirling the drink in his glass.
“What the hell does that mean?” Jayne exclaimed then lowered his voice as he leaned forward. “When the deal changes, yer s’posed to let me know!”
“Don’t worry, Cobb, you’ll still get paid.” Hatchett grinned. “You’ll probably get even more than you bargained for.”
Jayne’s eyes widened. “More? Who the hell wants the girl that damn bad?”
Hatchett winked at him. “You let me worry about that. Just make sure the girl’s looked after.”
“I look after her,” Jayne snapped. “So when are ya gonna let her folks know you got her?”
“I might not have to if current negotiations go our way.” Hatchett pulled out a pack of the expensive cigarettes he liked so much and started tapping them on his wrist. “Patience, Jayne. Good things come to those who wait and other such platitudes.”
Jayne frowned in thought. “Who wants the girl? Can’t be slavers; no way they’d pay five hundred for one person.”
A shadow flittered across Hatchett’s face. “Why do you care where the money’s coming from, Cobb?”
Good question. “I don’t, just how do ya know these folks’re on the level so’s we even get paid?”
“Oh, they’re on the level. They’ve been wanting River Tam for a looong time. If Daddy Dearest can match their offer then he can have her. Otherwise?” Hatchett lit his cigarette and blew a puff of smoke up into the air. “You’re about to see more money than you ever have in your miserable existence, Jayne Cobb.”
A bad feeling settled in the pit of Jayne’s stomach.
“Jayne?” River repeated, tentatively. He hadn’t so much as blinked in the last three minutes.
“What’re ya babblin’ about?” he snarled, keeping his gaze locked on his cards.
“I asked if something was wrong,” she said, quietly. “Are you all right?”
He laughed humorlessly. “‘m fine, so long as I get paid. You gonna make a move or what?”
“It’s your turn.”
Angrily, he threw down his cards. “Well, I fold!” He jumped up and knocked the chair across the room. “Do you really wanna know what’s goin’ on with yer ransom?!”
Watching his tantrum, she wasn’t so sure she wanted to anymore. But she still nodded.
“Well, my partner don’t wanna give ya back to yer family, he’s sellin’ ya to the next highest bidder. I’ll give ya three guesses who it is.”
Shock stole the breath from her for a moment. “The Academy?” His angry countenance was confirmation enough. “But… the tea and dumplings! They’ll-”
“I know!” Jayne barked. “You think I don’t know?! I might not be a genius but I ain’t exactly a-”
“Please let me go!” River begged. “I can’t go there, I’m sure of it now! If it’s money you want, I can find some for you, just please don’t let them take me!”
Jayne shook his head. “You can’t possibly have what they’re offerin’, little girl.”
River stared at her hands. “Why did you choose this life, Jayne?”
That gave him pause. “What the hell does that got to do with anything?”
“It has to do with everything. You’re nearly as upset about this as I am. Why did you choose this life if it forces you to do things you don’t want to do?”
“Every life forces ya to do things you don’t wanna do,” Jayne pointed out.
River looked up at him, smiling sadly. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“It does this time.”
Oh, she’d like nothing better than to slap his stubborn face! Why would one person need that much money? It was just pure greed. Still, telling him that wouldn’t be in her best interest. He’d most likely chain her back to the bed and then leave for hours while she grew hungry and thirsty.
“Don’t you want to find serenity?” River asked, keeping her voice calm.
“I did once.” Jayne dropped down onto her bed. “Screwed it up o’ course.”
Curious, River went to sit beside him. “What happened?”
He looked at her in disbelief but relaxed a little when he saw the honest curiosity in her face. “Don’t even know why I’m gonna tell ya,” he prefaced his tale. “Was runnin’ with two other guys. Got a tip that a Firefly class ship was carryin’ some cargo we was interested in. Wasn’t too hard t’ track ‘em.” Jayne paused a moment, clearly not used to telling this story. River didn’t press him but just waited for him to continue. “Didn’t take long before we got the drop on ‘em. The captain was this really mouthy sumbitch, tried to turn us against each other by implyin’ I wasn’t gettin’ paid my fair share. It was true but that wasn’t important. So Marco put a bullet in ‘im to shut ‘im up.”
“Oh my,” River breathed.
“Yeah. The first mate tried to pull out her piece but I got her before she’d even gotten it out of the holster. Then we went on the ship to try to find the stuff ourselves, take out anyone else on board. I went up to the cockpit and did the pilot.” He frowned. “Weird little guy, had dinosaurs all over the place like he was a damn kid or somethin’. Turns out, he wasn’t the only one on board.”
River braced herself for what was coming.
“There’d been a Companion in one of the shuttles. And… and in the engine room…” he cleared his throat but seemed determined to get through this part of the story. “There’d been a little girl.”
“A child?!” River burst out before she could stop herself.
“No, I don’t think she was that much younger than you are now. It’s just, seein’ her all… And then we just tossed those bodies out like they weren’t worth nothin’. Smartass captain, loyal first mate, weird pilot, Companion, and little girl.” Jayne shook his head. “I’ve killed plenty o’ people ‘n most of ‘em had it comin’. But those folk?” He laughed bitterly. “Ship was called Serenity. I stayed about another week and then got off at the first moon we stopped. That boat gave me an uncomfortableness.”
Jayne wasn’t a good man. He wasn’t exactly a bad man, either. Yes, he’d kidnapped her but he didn’t treat her cruelly or take advantage of her vulnerability. A large part of her hated him for putting her in this situation, but another part of her saw the haunted look in his eyes and felt for him.
Without really thinking about it, River reached out her hand and placed it gently on his back.
His reaction was swift and instant. “I don’t need your gorramn pity!” he snapped, throwing her arm off.
River had never had comfort thrown back into her face so rudely before and could only stare at him in stunned surprise before gathering her wits.
“Well, you don’t have it!” she said, growling in the way he always did. “I was merely feeling empathy for a fellow human being and wished to relieve your pain. If that’s so terrible then I retract it, you ungrateful buffoon!”
They both sat, arms folded, and glared at the far wall like petulant children. Even when she and Simon had been small, she’d never had a pouting argument. She was unsure of when it was supposed to conclude and if she should storm off to the bathroom and perhaps slam the door as hard as she could. Maybe he would prefer to do that since he liked making a theatrical production out of his anger, as evidenced by the chair still tipped on its side. Maybe she should right it and give him a reproachful look to let him know she thought he was-
Jayne interrupted her train of thought by taking her hand and placing it on his back. “Means that much to ya, then go ahead ‘n empathize.”
She’d won? Interesting. She was much better at sulking than she realized. Smiling, River rubbed his back in small circles but stopped when he moaned softly.
“Are you all right?”
He appeared startled. “Me? ‘m fine. That rubbin’ felt nice, though.”
“I rub Simon’s back sometimes when he comes home from the hospital,” River said.
Jayne snorted. “Well, ain’t that domestic?”
River glared at him. “I was about to offer you a backrub but if you’re going to be a pig, then forget it.”
“Why ya bein’ all sweet with me anyway?” Jayne snapped back. “You think if ya make yourself all manner o’ bendy and rub my back and act all pretty I’ll just let ya go?”
That sounded like a good plan. Why hadn’t she thought of it? Jayne submitting to a backrub meant he would be vulnerable to her; she couldn’t imagine a man like Jayne left his back open for many people to target.
“Would it work?” she asked, her voice low.
He made a scoffing noise and rolled his eyes.
“Then what’s the harm?” River smiled disingenuously.
Jayne considered it a moment. “All right. But if I feel like you’re pullin’ somethin’ then we’re through here.”
“Understood,” she chirped and arranged herself behind him. “Now just relax.”
“Yeah, right.” But Jayne tipped his head forwards and moaned the instant she started rubbing.
“Your muscles are so tight,” River observed. “Have you been tense lately?”
“Ha ha,” he answered but sounded amused.
Silence filled the room as River continued to rub Jayne’s back, except when Jayne groaned once in awhile. He was built so strong and solid that she took more time with him than she ever had with Simon, just to admire him. Normally, the men she liked – boys, really – were wiry and just a little bit taller than she. Jayne was a giant of a man in more ways than one and she really shouldn’t be attracted to him, she realized when she found herself caressing the breadth of his shoulders.
Disturbed, she pulled away. “Feeling better?”
“Ah. Yeah. ‘Bout ready to hit the sack. You?”
“I’m also sleepy.”
“Okay. Well…” He trailed off when she lay down and raised her arms without having to be prompted. Looking almost disappointed, Jayne got up to get the cuffs.
A wave of despair washed over her heart. This wasn’t how it should be. Everything about it was wrong. Tears stung her eyes as he cuffed her hands together and started to loop the other set around the headboard.
“Why?” she asked, brokenly.
He looked at her with an apology in his eyes. “The money’s too good.”
Click.
< Chapter Three : Chapter Five >
