BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

JOLY

Capacity Chapter 2
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Get into a few heads, suss out some motivations. River beats up Jayne, just a little.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2048    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

Chapter 2

Xiaofan was sitting in her room thinking. Specifically about Jayne. What he wanted, why he wanted it, what she was going to do about it.

Well, it was obvious what he was interested in, and she wasn’t exactly unfortunate looking so that would be why, but as for what to do… She was at a loss. Simon had been more her ‘type’ back on Osiris. But things had changed since then. She found a broader range of men attractive now, depending on their attitude and temperament. Jayne was still outside that ‘type’, what with his ability to alienate anyone at will and rough language.

Though that had seemed to change. A bit.

Normally, Jayne wouldn’t have followed her from the ship, but now, he seemed interested in her well-being. Just so he could have her? Long way to go for sex, the man usually has the prairie harpies throwing it at him. Why else would he have followed her?

Xiaofan was definitely not in his usual category of women. But there was still something alluring about Jayne. Maybe.

Xiaofan had to admit, she would not have come up with the plan Jayne had. And it’s possible the ‘old’ Jayne may have just escorted the two women back to Serenity and dropped it in Mal’s lap. But he didn’t, he calmed Xiaofan and came up with an idea to solve the problem, with only minimal prodding from River.

She could not deny, further, that she found Jayne physically appealing. Strong, ropy muscles of his forearms, the hard chest and abdomen she’d felt when they kissed, and his legs were… And his lips… His hands… If this went on much longer she’d jump from her bed and head to crew quarters. So, she calmed herself. She thought about something else.

Like what in the name of Heaven she was going to do now? Being officially ‘dead’ was not all it was cracked up to be. She had all the money from her accounts, but what would she do with it?

She had a fear of settling down in one place, being easier to find. But she wondered how long the money would last if she stayed on Serenity. Granted, it might be safer to always be on the move, but they had a physician, and a damn good one. What would she do, other than be a passenger?

This was not actually as calming as she hoped it would be. She was just now panicking herself in another direction.

‘Time for a soother and some sleep’, she decided, injected herself and lay on her bed.

~~~~~~~~

Simon sat stewing on the new ‘Terrence’ situation. He’d even declined Kaylee’s invitation to her bunk tonight, he was so wound up. They weren’t going to be on Rosetta regularly, so when would River see him? But that was good, right?

That however lead to the thought that she’d just pick a boy/man at every stop. And that horrified the young doctor. Not that he believed River would become promiscuous, he was sure she would be sensible about sex. But… Well, that she was growing up. Not needing him anymore.

He’d dedicated so much of himself, given up everything for her, and now he had to live with the fact that she was not just his strange little sister. But coming into her womanhood, and he was helpless to assist her.

River had Kaylee, Zoe and Xiaofan to teach her about the things she needed to know. Simon would doubtless be lost. Hell, he couldn’t figure out that Xiaofan had been interested in him back on Osiris, and that had been during the best of circumstances.

He loved River, wanted her be as normal as she could be, but was afraid what a bad experience with a man would do to her fragile psyche. So, Simon thought it was just best she avoided the whole thing. Look how he was fouling it up with Kaylee. Still sticking his foot in his mouth every other day.

Finally, he’d had enough. He quit castigating himself over things that had yet to happen and closed his eyes. He could worry more tomorrow.

~~~~~

Zoe had them on a schedule. Well, actually, they could make love whenever the mood struck them, but they had to on certain days and at certain times. Wash tried not to think of it as work. Making love to his wife was not work, he told himself.

Wash sat at the controls, staring out into the black. He still found himself fighting back the urge to flee when Zoe talked baby stuff. He forced himself to sit and relax and enjoy the thought of a child with Zoe’s eyes, or her lips. Any child from her body would be beautiful, his genes not withstanding. When he started to panic he thought of a pretty little girl, sitting on her Mama’s hip, smiling at him. He’d think of a son, sitting on the floor of the bridge playing with Daddy’s dinosaurs. He’d get all wistful and smile stupidly at the thoughts.

He forced the nightmares away. Zoe being hurt while she was pregnant, losing the baby. Zoe being killed on a job, or any of the various dangerous undertakings Mal would have them involved in. Wash was fairly sure that Zoe would get along with out him, but he wasn’t sure how he would get along with out her, if he could.

Wash shook his head and blanked his mind. He stared out into the black and thought of nothing.

~~~~~~

Mal had to come up with a job.

They were getting low on funds and even though it seemed Doctor Lo would be with them indefinitely, he couldn’t count on her fare forever. And one fare? Wouldn’t refill a power cell, much less put food on the table.

Badger was in no position to offer jobs. He was still putting a crew together in the wake of the tall man and his pet psycho. No one really wanted to work for Badger, and Mal didn’t blame them.

There was Fanty and Mingo, but they were hinky bastards to begin with. Liked to change the percentage at the last minute and tell you how lucky you were to be doing business with them at all.

Sanchez’s? Li Chen? Preacher? He held the next thought back as long as he could. Inara?

What could she possibly need with them? He’d have to wave her to find out, and he certainly wasn’t going to do that. Was he? Would Inara want him to wave?

‘Never mind’, he told himself. ‘Find a gorram job, get some cashy money and feed your gorram crew.’

He resolved the next day to get on the cortex and start waving folks. Pride be damned.

~~~~

Jayne laid in his bunk, staring at the ceiling. He heard the door open and held his breath, sitting up, hoping for Xiaofan.

His face fell when he saw River descending the ladder.

“I told you ‘bout comin’ into my bunk, moonbrain,” he said. “Now git.”

River ignored him entirely and took a seat in the rungs of the ladder.

“Xiaofan is not easy.”

“Huh? You been stickin’ yer nose in where it don’t belong? Spyin’ and what not?”

She looked at him, and Jayne felt stupid.

“What then?” he asked.

“She’s not a pick up girl. Won’t go with you just because. She needs reasons.”

He harrumphed and said, “Don’t see how it’s none of your business.”

“The girl likes Xiaofan. Owes her. Accidentally hurt her. Won’t be hurt on purpose.”

Jayne got her meaning.

“I ain’t lookin’ to hurt Xiaofan. I… I guess. Well, she’s good lookin’ an’ all. Kinda exotic…”

“Just a pretty face…”

Jayne looked down at his hands.

“I think she’s pretty, yeah.”

River gave him another ‘You’re stupid’ look.

“What, moonbrain?” he asked “Why am I- Why don’t you just git lost. Go on” he said, standing to make her leave, “git.”

River disentangled herself from the ladder and launched herself at the big merc, knocking him to the floor. Jayne was too surprised to react immediately. By the time he came back to himself, River was kneeling on his chest.

“Behave yourself,” she said. “Gentleman.”

Then she stood and dashed to the ladder, and scampered up.

Jayne scrabbled to his feet and thought on chasing her. No point, he decided. She knew every hidey hole on this ship, he wouldn’t find her anyway. And what if he did? She wasn’t lying about anything. Just poking her nose in where it might not belong.

So, Jayne just settled back onto his bunk and stared at the ceiling some more.

‘Better to think about guns than women,’ he thought, and mentally catalogued his weapons.

COMMENTS

Tuesday, May 27, 2008 11:38 AM

ANGELLEMARCS


i got to read the beta and I loved it, especially when River beats up on Jayne 'a little'...LOL.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008 9:38 PM

JANE0904


Some nice introspection here, especially Wash. His thoughts are spot on, especially when he feels Zoe could probably get by without him, even if he couldn't without her. I know this is AU, but do wonder how close to the canon you're going to take it, because I think in this tale, Wash needs to survive.


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