toxic_corn (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
toxic_corn) wrote2007-02-04 02:40 pm
toxic_corn) wrote2007-02-04 02:40 pm
Entry tags:
Firefly fic: The Present (River/Jayne), R: Chapter Eight
Series: The Present
Title: Chapter Eight (8/11)
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
toxic_corn
Rating: R
Pairing: River/Jayne
Disclaimer: Firefly belongs to Joss Whedon. I own nothing and earn no money from this.
Summary: A mysterious package from Jayne's past will change the course of his future.
Notes: Another AU. This time, I didn't kill the crew. :D Everything is pretty much the same except River and Simon aren't on board the ship. At least, not right away.
Catch up on earlier chapters at the organizational post.
CHAPTER EIGHT
At the graduation ceremony earlier in the evening, River had promised to leave her window open for him and once he'd reached the top of the ladder, he was able to slip into her room without any trouble. Not that there was ever any trouble; since they'd started this, River had been careful to keep the area around the window free of any objects or furniture he might stumble over once he was inside. She'd been pretty upset when he'd accidentally smashed her dollhouse's breakfast nook.
River was already in bed waiting for him. "Good evening, Jayne."
Jayne grinned at her, shedding his t-shirt and unbuckling his belt. "Evenin', apple blossom. Miss me?"
She rolled her eyes but said, "Yes. It's only been three hours since I saw you last."
He chuckled as he kicked off his remaining clothing and slid under the covers with her. "Gonna give your Jayne a kiss?"
"Of course." She cupped his cheek and gave him a sweet, soft kiss that made his insides glow and his already hurting heart rip just a bit more.
When he broke the kiss so they could breathe, he glanced across the room to where her bags were packed. Little matching suitcases all in a row. "Looks like you're all set," he said, trying to keep his tone light.
"It didn't take very long," she said. "There's not much I felt like bringing with me. Just the necessary items."
He played with a lock of her hair, tickling the end of her nose with a curl to make her giggle and swat lightly at him. "What necessary items would those be?"
"Underwear, my favorite dresses, my dance shoes, my Jayne artifacts, a little money, my address b-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up a minute." Jayne tipped his head to the side. "Jayne artifacts?"
She turned pink, making him smile. "Yes. The letters you've written me over the years. I have them tied together with a blue ribbon. Also, little gifts you've given me. And um, a stick."
"A stick?" he asked in disbelief.
River nodded, turning pinker. "After the first time we played, I returned after supper and found the stick you'd used as your sword. I kept it."
"I didn't know that," Jayne said, not knowing what else to say.
"Well, I never told you." She smiled and bit her lip before quietly admitting, "I've loved you for a long time."
Jayne touched her bottom lip with his thumb. "Don't do that so much, you're gonna hurt yourself." Once she'd released her lip he dipped his head to brush her mouth with his. "Same goes for me, too. Loved ya before I ever realized it."
"I'm glad you waited to tell me," River said, dreamily.
He grinned at that. The first time he told her he loved her was the first time they'd had sex. River had wanted it to be perfect and for some reason wanted it to be where they'd first met. Jayne didn't know if kids had taken over their secret spot or not so he'd built a tent for her, so they could have a little privacy. It'd been autumn and chilly so he'd gathered all the blankets he could find and built them a cozy little nest. Before going inside, he'd held her hand and said the words. It'd been the best damn day of his life.
"Glad I waited, too. It was worth it just to see the look on your face." He kissed her cheek. She'd looked so wonderstruck and had started to cry. He'd been worried he'd said the wrong thing but then she was all wrapped around him, telling him she loved him too. And she'd smiled at him the way she was right now, like he was the one who made the sun rise and set every day.
"I'm going to miss you," she whispered. Tears welled up in her big brown eyes and it took everything he had not to cry right along with her.
"I'll miss you, too," he answered, tracing a tear that slipped down her cheek.
"If- if you don't want me to go then I won't."
That stopped Jayne cold. It was a tempting offer. Have River stay, marry her, get a place of their own and start having babies. River would look so beautiful cuddling a child that looked like the both of them. Sitting on the porch watching them play in the yard, River pausing to push her hair behind her ear and smile at him...
No. They had plenty of time for that.
"I can't ask ya t' do that, apple blossom," Jayne said, shaking his head. "You gotta go to your school and outsmart all the other eggheads. Live up to your full potential like your brother says."
"The Academy will still be there," River pointed out. "I could spend a year here with you and we could-"
"If you spend a year here with me, you're not gonna be able t' leave." Jayne took her hand and squeezed it. "I want like hell to have ya by my side always, don't get me wrong. But if I ask ya to do that, you'll be throwin' away a major opportunity. You'll regret it the rest of your life and... I don't want ya hatin' me for takin' that away from you."
"I could never hate you!" Her eyes widened in horror at the very idea.
"You think that now," Jayne said. "But couple years down the road, you'll start thinkin' 'what if' and wish you'd gone to the fancy government school. I'll be the handiest thing to blame your regrets on and you'll get resentful of me. I seen it happen before and I don't want that t' be us."
River stared into his eyes a long moment, as if she was trying to figure out if this was how he really felt or if he was just saying what she wanted to hear. She must've realized he was being sincere because she nodded, the tears starting to fall again.
"All right, Jayne. I'll go. But... will you write to me?"
"Oh, you know I will, apple blossom. And you better write back t' me, dong ma?"
She nodded again and ran her fingers through his hair. "Will you make love to me, now?"
He grinned, wolfishly. "Be my pleasure."
~*~
Early the next morning, Jayne slid out of bed and started dressing. He had to get home, take a shower, then come back and pretend like he was saying goodbye to River in front of the Tams. She was still sleeping and he just didn't have the heart to wake her.
Before leaving, he placed an apple blossom on the pillow.
Hours later, Jayne held River in his arms for the last time, whispering sweet things in her ear to make her smile. She was crying again and he didn't want his last look at her to be her in tears. He liked his River smiling and laughing, not weeping because of him.
"River," Mr. Tam said. "It's time to go or you'll miss your transport."
Slowly, she loosened her hold on Jayne and stared up at him with shining eyes. "I love you, Jayne Cobb."
"I love you too, River Tam." He let her go and took a step back. "Go show them Core folks how it's done."
He got his wish and his last look at her was all smiles and laughter.
~*~
Jayne opened the mailbox and peered inside without much hope. Going on a month and River hadn't written back to him. He'd kept his promise and wrote to her nearly every day. Spent most of his paycheck on stamps but he still wasn't hearing anything from her. Apparently she wrote to her family because Simon called him the other day asking if he'd noticed anything strange about her letters. Simon hadn't called him again when Jayne reported he hadn't been hearing from her at all.
Guess she didn't want to be tied to a country bumpkin when she had the whole 'verse at her feet.
He wrote to her faithfully for two years before he gave up. It hurt too much living on Pomona; he'd walk through town and every shop and insignificant spot had some tie to him and River. When he was twenty, he took the first transport ship out of there and in the years that followed, he never went back.
He hardened his heart and never let anyone inside again. It could get a mite lonesome but enough coin could satisfy his baser urges. He didn't need any friends so long as he got paid and could just keep going.
And he never allowed his mind to wander to River Tam ever again. At least not consciously.
< Chapter Seven : Chapter Nine >
Title: Chapter Eight (8/11)
Author:
toxic_cornRating: R
Pairing: River/Jayne
Disclaimer: Firefly belongs to Joss Whedon. I own nothing and earn no money from this.
Summary: A mysterious package from Jayne's past will change the course of his future.
Notes: Another AU. This time, I didn't kill the crew. :D Everything is pretty much the same except River and Simon aren't on board the ship. At least, not right away.
Catch up on earlier chapters at the organizational post.
At the graduation ceremony earlier in the evening, River had promised to leave her window open for him and once he'd reached the top of the ladder, he was able to slip into her room without any trouble. Not that there was ever any trouble; since they'd started this, River had been careful to keep the area around the window free of any objects or furniture he might stumble over once he was inside. She'd been pretty upset when he'd accidentally smashed her dollhouse's breakfast nook.
River was already in bed waiting for him. "Good evening, Jayne."
Jayne grinned at her, shedding his t-shirt and unbuckling his belt. "Evenin', apple blossom. Miss me?"
She rolled her eyes but said, "Yes. It's only been three hours since I saw you last."
He chuckled as he kicked off his remaining clothing and slid under the covers with her. "Gonna give your Jayne a kiss?"
"Of course." She cupped his cheek and gave him a sweet, soft kiss that made his insides glow and his already hurting heart rip just a bit more.
When he broke the kiss so they could breathe, he glanced across the room to where her bags were packed. Little matching suitcases all in a row. "Looks like you're all set," he said, trying to keep his tone light.
"It didn't take very long," she said. "There's not much I felt like bringing with me. Just the necessary items."
He played with a lock of her hair, tickling the end of her nose with a curl to make her giggle and swat lightly at him. "What necessary items would those be?"
"Underwear, my favorite dresses, my dance shoes, my Jayne artifacts, a little money, my address b-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up a minute." Jayne tipped his head to the side. "Jayne artifacts?"
She turned pink, making him smile. "Yes. The letters you've written me over the years. I have them tied together with a blue ribbon. Also, little gifts you've given me. And um, a stick."
"A stick?" he asked in disbelief.
River nodded, turning pinker. "After the first time we played, I returned after supper and found the stick you'd used as your sword. I kept it."
"I didn't know that," Jayne said, not knowing what else to say.
"Well, I never told you." She smiled and bit her lip before quietly admitting, "I've loved you for a long time."
Jayne touched her bottom lip with his thumb. "Don't do that so much, you're gonna hurt yourself." Once she'd released her lip he dipped his head to brush her mouth with his. "Same goes for me, too. Loved ya before I ever realized it."
"I'm glad you waited to tell me," River said, dreamily.
He grinned at that. The first time he told her he loved her was the first time they'd had sex. River had wanted it to be perfect and for some reason wanted it to be where they'd first met. Jayne didn't know if kids had taken over their secret spot or not so he'd built a tent for her, so they could have a little privacy. It'd been autumn and chilly so he'd gathered all the blankets he could find and built them a cozy little nest. Before going inside, he'd held her hand and said the words. It'd been the best damn day of his life.
"Glad I waited, too. It was worth it just to see the look on your face." He kissed her cheek. She'd looked so wonderstruck and had started to cry. He'd been worried he'd said the wrong thing but then she was all wrapped around him, telling him she loved him too. And she'd smiled at him the way she was right now, like he was the one who made the sun rise and set every day.
"I'm going to miss you," she whispered. Tears welled up in her big brown eyes and it took everything he had not to cry right along with her.
"I'll miss you, too," he answered, tracing a tear that slipped down her cheek.
"If- if you don't want me to go then I won't."
That stopped Jayne cold. It was a tempting offer. Have River stay, marry her, get a place of their own and start having babies. River would look so beautiful cuddling a child that looked like the both of them. Sitting on the porch watching them play in the yard, River pausing to push her hair behind her ear and smile at him...
No. They had plenty of time for that.
"I can't ask ya t' do that, apple blossom," Jayne said, shaking his head. "You gotta go to your school and outsmart all the other eggheads. Live up to your full potential like your brother says."
"The Academy will still be there," River pointed out. "I could spend a year here with you and we could-"
"If you spend a year here with me, you're not gonna be able t' leave." Jayne took her hand and squeezed it. "I want like hell to have ya by my side always, don't get me wrong. But if I ask ya to do that, you'll be throwin' away a major opportunity. You'll regret it the rest of your life and... I don't want ya hatin' me for takin' that away from you."
"I could never hate you!" Her eyes widened in horror at the very idea.
"You think that now," Jayne said. "But couple years down the road, you'll start thinkin' 'what if' and wish you'd gone to the fancy government school. I'll be the handiest thing to blame your regrets on and you'll get resentful of me. I seen it happen before and I don't want that t' be us."
River stared into his eyes a long moment, as if she was trying to figure out if this was how he really felt or if he was just saying what she wanted to hear. She must've realized he was being sincere because she nodded, the tears starting to fall again.
"All right, Jayne. I'll go. But... will you write to me?"
"Oh, you know I will, apple blossom. And you better write back t' me, dong ma?"
She nodded again and ran her fingers through his hair. "Will you make love to me, now?"
He grinned, wolfishly. "Be my pleasure."
Early the next morning, Jayne slid out of bed and started dressing. He had to get home, take a shower, then come back and pretend like he was saying goodbye to River in front of the Tams. She was still sleeping and he just didn't have the heart to wake her.
Before leaving, he placed an apple blossom on the pillow.
Hours later, Jayne held River in his arms for the last time, whispering sweet things in her ear to make her smile. She was crying again and he didn't want his last look at her to be her in tears. He liked his River smiling and laughing, not weeping because of him.
"River," Mr. Tam said. "It's time to go or you'll miss your transport."
Slowly, she loosened her hold on Jayne and stared up at him with shining eyes. "I love you, Jayne Cobb."
"I love you too, River Tam." He let her go and took a step back. "Go show them Core folks how it's done."
He got his wish and his last look at her was all smiles and laughter.
Jayne opened the mailbox and peered inside without much hope. Going on a month and River hadn't written back to him. He'd kept his promise and wrote to her nearly every day. Spent most of his paycheck on stamps but he still wasn't hearing anything from her. Apparently she wrote to her family because Simon called him the other day asking if he'd noticed anything strange about her letters. Simon hadn't called him again when Jayne reported he hadn't been hearing from her at all.
Guess she didn't want to be tied to a country bumpkin when she had the whole 'verse at her feet.
He wrote to her faithfully for two years before he gave up. It hurt too much living on Pomona; he'd walk through town and every shop and insignificant spot had some tie to him and River. When he was twenty, he took the first transport ship out of there and in the years that followed, he never went back.
He hardened his heart and never let anyone inside again. It could get a mite lonesome but enough coin could satisfy his baser urges. He didn't need any friends so long as he got paid and could just keep going.
And he never allowed his mind to wander to River Tam ever again. At least not consciously.
< Chapter Seven : Chapter Nine >
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PS SO adorable with him sneaking in through her window!!!
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*tears, sobbing, etc*
This is SOOOOOO good! Want more!
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Wonderful and heartbreaking!!!
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I have sadness now.
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and i can't lie, there were a couple tears at the end. I can't stand seeing Jayne hurt. *hugs him*
but everything about this fic is gorram amazing. so i can't (and won't) complain.
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Jayne artifacts!
And... he made the sacrifice, and it came around, and it bit
em both in the nicely formed asses! Oh, my God... *scuttles away to cry in a corner until the next update*
Please, please, tell me big!Jayne will handle things... augh, the angst!
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Now, back to the present!
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this made me happy, then sad..... more please!! (this so better have a happy ending!!!)
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*sniffle*
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Eleven chapters was the tentative outline but it could very well grow into more. Thanks for reading!
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I love this. Please update soon!
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...He wrote to her faithfully for two years before he gave up.
*BEARHUGS JAYNE*
Two years is a LONG LONG time. Wow, I'm getting all teary-eyed
but I can't cry cos I have mascara on.*patiently waits for chapter 10*
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Bloody alliance screwing things up for them mutter, mutter, mutter
Yes I know it's fiction but still.
*sniffs*
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Poor poor Jayney and poor River, because we *know* what's happening to her there :-(
*cries*
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