Jayne sat at the dining table havin’ a drink to relax. He liked this time of night, it was quiet, gave him time to sit and think.

The last coupla days had been confusin’. Everyone was treatin’ him real strange and he couldn’t figure out why. Wash had asked how he was feelin’, Captain hadn’t made him feel stupid once. The crazy girl kept pattin’ him on the shoulder; Zoë sat and talked to him ‘bout weapons. And the doctor smiled at him, the doctor never smiled at him. It was downright unsettlin’.

The only one treatin’ him the same was Kaylee. When she’d wanted to play cards last night he’d been glad as can be. Only half in fun he’d suggested they play strip poker, but Kaylee just giggled and punched him on the arm. He’d had to settle for playin’ little fun card games, sharin’ a jug of booze and talkin’ half the night.

At one stage the doctor had wandered in to get a cup of tea. He’d had his eyes glued to some book and had hardly noticed they was there at all, not even when Kaylee spoke to him. How could anyone not notice Kaylee?

Jayne couldn’t understand Simon; if Kaylee was his girl no way would he leave her to play cards all night with another man. He’d keep her so busy in their bed she’d never want to leave.

Thinkin’ of little Kaylee that way weren’t good ‘specially since he could hear her step in the passage right now. He frowned. It wasn’t her happy ‘everythin’ is shiny’ bounce, or her purposeful ‘I’m fixin’ things’ stride. It wasn’t even the ‘I’m goin’ to talk to Simon’ skip, he hated that one. Kaylee’s feet were almost draggin’, a weary sound that worried him and had him payin’ full attention to her when she came through the door.

********************

She’d had one of those days, nothin’ really upsettin’, just a day when little things annoyed ya, went wrong for ya, the sorta day where ya felt lonely and homesick.

That night to feel better she’d put her favourite pyjamas on, the ones her mama sent her, and fell into bed. An hour later she woke up with a shudder, the dreams were back again.

Kaylee was sick of the stupid dreams and the scared feelin’ she got from them. She got up from the bunk grabbed her hairbrush and headed for Jayne’s bunk.

She stood hesitatin’ outside Jayne’s door, hairbrush in her hand. She didn’t want sex this time, or not much, she just wanted Jayne, to be with him. Ever since she’d watched him brush that girl’s hair back at Heart of Gold, Kaylee wanted to know what it felt like.

“Not this time” she muttered. She didn’t want to force nothin’, make him uncomfortable. Maybe she’d just go the kitchen for somethin’ to drink.

Kaylee felt her whole mood lighten and a smile sweep across her face, when she saw the man himself sittin’ in the kitchen. When he smiled back at her a weight lifted off her shoulders.

“Hi Jayne, what ya doin’ here?”

********************

She was covered, sort of, in teddies ‘n’ sunflowers again. Little shorts showin’ off her legs and just a hint of curvy bottom. Little shirt smoothed over breast and stomach showing off her creamy skin. He casually picked up his jacket and offered it to her.

“It’ll keep ya warm while we talk.”

“Thanks Jayne” Kaylee snuggled into his jacket likin’ the familiar scent, the feelin’ of comfort. “We’re gonna talk?”

Jayne groaned mentally. He’d wanted to cover up that distractin’, temptin’ body, but Kaylee wearin’ his jacket was just as desirable as the other. She was so all fired cute, covered now from neck down to her knees, hair all mussed from sleep.

“So, ya goin’ to tell me how come ya look so tired?” he asked.

“I’ve been dreamin’ again, ‘bout Early. The dreams just make it hard to sleep, that’s all.” Kaylee shrugged. “Then I got kinda lonesome down in my bunk.”

She stopped and Jayne knew that she weren’t gonna say anythin’ else for now. He gestured at the hairbrush forgotten in her hand. “Want me to brush your hair?”

*********************

Kaylee sat on the floor her back to Jayne as he brushed her hair. His touch was firm but gentle, the brush strokin’ through her hair, tines massaging her scalp. Kaylee’s body hummed with the relaxin’ rhythm. The steady motion of the brush runnin’ through her hair from the nape of her neck right to the tips made her languorous, her eyes kept closin’ as they talked.

She’d fallen asleep on him again; it was gettin’ to be a habit, not that he minded. Jayne eased her head off his lap, picked her up layin’ her on the couch, hands lingerin’ on her hair. Makin’ a quick trip to his bunk Jayne grabbed a rug, drappin’ it over Kaylee’s legs when he got back. He made sure she was comfortable before he sat down with his back to the lounge so she wouldn’t fall off and he could listen to her breathin’.

Her dreams weren’t goin’ away anytime soon, they needed workin’ through. He weren’t too sure what to do ‘bout that.

But Kaylee had other problems too. He wasn’t stupid, he knew the signs of sexual tension when he saw them and was feelin’ guilty. If he hadn’t been so gorram xin yan xiao and done what the girl asked she wouldn’t be havin’ these problems now.

‘Cause if the doctor did what he was supposed to, there would never have been any problems. Jayne made up his mind to have a talk to the man, and if Simon didn’t step up this time…if Kaylee asked him again…he weren’t goin’ to refuse her. Even if she didn’t want him permanent, it didn’t matter no more. He’d do anythin’ to make her happy.

Xin yan xiao = selfish