More Than Friends

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Mal frowned around the large fire, searching for his crew and two faces in particular – he could see Zoë and Wash discussing something with two of Jayne’s brothers, and Inara was off somewhere with River and Simon…the other Cobbs were taking turns on the instruments and dancing in the middle of the clearing. No one seemed to know exactly where Kaylee had gone off to - likewise with Jayne- so he assumed they were finally working things out. If they weren’t, he’d work things out for those two idjits.

He looked over in Inara’s direction just as a group of fiddlers started tuning, and the players struck up some sort of toss dance that had the men throwing their female partners high in the air and catching ‘em. Mal couldn’t repress a grin at the thought of Inara being part of this particular dance; she’d most like tell him he could go his own way if he so much as suggested it, and he glanced back at the dancers just in time to see Jayne and Kaylee whirl on past like nothing had ever been wrong. Whu-huh? “You see that?” he blurted when Zoë and Wash came to sit beside him.

Wash was confused. “What? What’re we looking at? I do- hey, it’s Kaylee! And Jayne!”

“And do you see what they’re doing? ”

Zoë just blinked at him. “Looks as if they’re dancing, Sir.”

“But…but…they ain’t supposed to like each other any more,” and he floundered for appropriate words before throwing his hands up in the air. “Look, I give up. Someone wanna tell me how they got to be dancing together when not even three hours ago they weren’t even lookin’ at each other?”

His first mate shook her head at him and pulled on her husband’s hand. “Let’s go get something to eat, Wash.”

She knew something about this whole mess, he could feel it. “You know somethin’ I don’t?”

“Could be possible, Sir.” With a grin that was downright wicked, she left him gawping like a fish just as River sat down beside him to watch the dancers.

At least he could talk to her ‘thout getting the run around. “How goes it, Albatross?” She looked a great deal better now than she had when Jayne’d first brought her back to the ship.

River smiled, her eyes fixed on Kaylee as Jayne flung the mechanic about. “Better than the galley counter,” was all she said before Ehren came up, just about tripping all over himself to ask her for a dance. “Although the probability of being tread upon is highest with you, I believe that it is safe to accept,” she informed the youngest Cobb, who gave her a confused look and scratched his head.

“Go dance with the girl,” Mal sighed. “She just said yes.”


_ _ _ _ _ _ _


Jayne tossed her into the air easily, whirlin’ her about when she came down without missin’ a beat. A couple near them started laughin’ and gave up when they fell out of step and another stepped out when the man accidentally dropped his partner, who started scoldin’ him somethin’ fierce. Kaylee giggled as the woman went off to the side, rubbin’ her pi gu. “You ain’t gonna drop me, are ya, wenshen? ”

“Couldn’t even if’n I tried to,” he assured her. Beside ‘em another couple went sprawlin’ and he tossed her higher, Kaylee’s arms comin’ around his neck trustingly when he caught her. “How long we gotta stick around?”

“You ready to go another round already? ”

“Hell, girl…I’m always ready to roll ya,” he winked, droppin’ out of step on purpose and leadin’ her to the side of the fire where it seemed like everyone on Haven was ready to say somethin’ to ‘em.

Looked like Mattie was nearly ready to burst into tears at the sight of him with Kaylee, and his brothers just elbowed each other and grinned. Mal’s mouth opened and closed when Kaylee plopped down on Jayne’s lap. “Good. Just….good,” was all the captain said before clearing his throat loudly and movin’ off like he had something important to be doin’. Kaylee cuddled close like nothin’ had ever been wrong, and Jayne wrapped his arms around his gigglin’ lapful of meili mechanic.

“Might as well move on, there ain’t nothin’ to see,” he said calmly when Dhani started pesterin’ him with questions. After another hour, they’d finally started to get used to seein’ him with Kaylee on his lap though Mattie was about to make him sick by cooin’ over ‘em like she hadn’t never ‘seen a sweeter sight like it’ whenever she passed by on a rest from dancin’ with their brothers and some of the miners.

He reluctantly stood when a call was sent out for him to play guitar, and Kaylee gave him a kiss before wanderin’ off to one side to greet her friends cheerfully while he settled down closer to the fire with his guitar and tried to concentrate on playin’. Funny that I spent so much gorram time away from her an’ ignorin’ her, but now we got things settled I don’t wanna do nothin’ but be close enough to touch. As if she understood – and she probably did, their thoughts always seemed to work together – Kaylee came back to sit cross-legged in front of him and sing along with the song he was playin’ until he got himself so distracted by they way the firelight reflected off her skin he started messin’ up.

His brothers loudly applauded each wrong chord he struck until he set the guitar down and glared at ‘em, then went right back on playin’ til he messed up again when Kaylee started lickin’ her lips in just the same way whenever she was wantin’ to give him some quality kou jiao. “Gorrammit, you can find someone else to play for ya,” he finally said in frustration and passed the guitar to Aden, who was laughin’ like an idiot, so he could grab up Kaylee and tote her back to Serenity to love on her some more. He had better work set out for him than just playin’ a gorram guitar for other folk.


_ _ _ _ _ _


Kaylee laughed and darted out of reach when Jayne tried to scoop her up and haul her off. “Jayne! We should stay around; it ain’t right to just run off again after only a few minutes.”

“You ain’t been doin’ nothin’ but tease me,” he complained. “How’m I supposed to concentrate on anything?”

He pulled her against him and gave her that look she never could resist. “Just a few more dances more, then we can go back,” she promised, meltin’ against him to rest her head against his chest. Tien, she’d missed him. A sudden thought struck her and she looked up at him. “So, when you was off bein’ a hundan, how many whores did you visit?”

Jayne winced and shifted uncomfortably. “Well…”

“I knew it,” she hooted.

“No, it weren’t nothin’ like that, baby girl – I swear,” he protested. “It was just… this one time, and… well, it didn’t work out proper.”

She started giggling at how uncomfortable he looked, and at how he thought she figured it was a big deal about him sexin’ someone else. Well, she could admit deep down inside that she didn’t really like it – Jayne was pretty much all hers and she liked to keep it that way, but she’d never been the type of woman to get jealous easily. “What d’ya mean, didn’t work out? Hydraulics-wise? You ain’t never had no problems with that; I think you’re probably too excitable.”

Jayne looked sheepish, scratchin’ his head. “Well, I know it – most of the time I just didn’t want nothin’, but then… hell, we didn’t even get to it an’ she started remindin’ me that she weren’t you.”

“Really? You couldn’t get it up ‘cause she weren’t me?”

“Yeah…”

“I think that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” she said softly, snugglin’ up against him. River and Simon came over to further derail Jayne’s plans for more sexin’, and she embraced the younger Tam happily. “You feelin’ alright, girl?” she asked, concerned. The last time she’d seen River, the other girl’d been screamin’ so loud it’d broken Kaylee’s heart not to be able to do anything to help her.

River smiled tentatively. “I feel much better – just like both of you.”

“Hey, look – sorry I had to smack ya. No hard feelin’s, right?” Jayne asked with a worried-lookin’ frown. “I ain’t gotta watch out for no knives, do I?”

“Jayne!” Kaylee scolded. River assured him he had nothing to worry about if he’d only dance with her, and Jayne made a big show of rollin’ his eyes before pulling her out in the middle of the others and flingin’ her around while Kym snagged her for a dance the moment he saw Jayne leave her side.


_ _ _ _ _ _


Wakin’ up on the hard, cold floor of Kaylee’s bunk was probably the best thing that had ever happened to him in the past six months – granted, he’d rather be actually in the bed with her an’ a gorram sight warmer, but still. Jayne smiled and sat up, yawning as he eyed the little woman takin’ up all the mattress space. He eased himself under the covers with her as she started to wake up and pulled her into his arms – Kaylee smiled and snuggled up to him, as happy about wakin’ up with him as he’d felt about wakin’ up with her. “Mornin’, ai ren,” he whispered.

“Mmmmmmm,” she murmured contentedly, buryin’ her nose in his neck. “Like wakin’ up with you…wish you weren’t so cold, though.”

“Then quit shovin’ me out the gorram bed! Don’t seem right that such a bitty little runt could take up so much space.”

Kaylee struggled free of his arms and pounced on him. “A runt? You take that back, y’hear? I’ll tell your momma,” she threatened

He looked up at the ladder of the bunk, pretendin’ not to notice her. “Next time I see Mal, I’ll have to tell him ‘bout the teeny bugs in Kaylee’s bunk – one just landed right on me.”

“I’ll give you a ‘teeny bug’,” Kaylee giggled, tuggin’ at his pajama bottoms and shovin’ a hand inside.

“Well, I reckon they ain’t that bad – hope they ain’t the bitin’ kind though,” Jayne teased, more than willin’ to play along with her. He rolled on top of her after he shoved his sleep pants down to his ankles and kicked ‘em off, and she opened her legs to him eagerly. The playfight had fired her up enough so that he slid in easily, rocking gently as soon as he’d seated himself fully inside her. “Aiya, you feel so good,” he groaned out. Kaylee’s hands settled on his hips, the sound of her whimperin’ urging him on as he loved on her slowly.

They’d just rolled apart when Kaylee started whisperin’ to him how glad she was that he was there to stay, and his eyes widened in horror as he remembered what he’d done right before he’d left Silverhold. “...an’ I know Mal won’t object to it,” she finished softly.

Oh, no; I gotta tell her. “Uh, xin gan? I dunno if’n I can come back so soon…” he quickly explained about signing the contract for the transport, and how he had to leave to come to her.

“Saints alive, Jayne Cobb!” she was more horrified than angry at him, but he scooted away a bit just to make sure she wouldn’t start smackin’ him none. “You’re a contract jumper! Why in the ‘verse didja have to sign anything to begin with?”

Kaylee was growin’ more and more upset by the second, and he tugged her over into his arms to stroke her back soothingly. “Weren’t no other way he’d let me have a job, girl – ‘course now I wish I’d never signed nothin’, but ain’t like it’ll be forever… just three months an’ I’ll ask Mal to take me on again. Maybe Ma can spare one of the boys to crew for ya ‘til then…” he hid his distress at the thought of bein’ separated from her again so soon, since he’d heard Wash talkin’ about heading back to Silverhold after a week of layin’ low. Jayne wondered aloud whether Mattie would agree to crew for Mal – he knew she could handle it, and she’d be real shiny company for Kaylee. But maybe not, since she was nearly as bitty as Kaylee was… Mattie could handle herself and whoever else needed handlin’, but she weren’t real intimidatin’. Maybe Sascha or Aden? “I’ll get Ehren to stay on ‘til I’m free and clear,” he decided. “He could bear some watchin’, but he could use the experience and he’d do good.”

“Rather just have you,” Kaylee seethed, and he laughed.

“Me too, baby girl. Me too.” She clung to him suddenly like she was afraid he’d leave right then and there, and he pushed her back in the blankets gently to reassure her the best way he knew how.

When he told them, the rest of Serenity’s crew reacted almost the same way Kaylee had, but he was prepared for it and just let it slide on past him when Wash started up makin’ fun of his brain size again. Shepherd approved, said a man should keep his word, an’ that went a decent way to ease Kaylee’s mind about it as the week passed far too quickly for his taste. All too soon they were loadin’ back on Serenity and his brothers were sayin’ their goodbyes to the new friends they’d picked up. The Daison’s Second answered the Wave Jayne sent, like the man was surprised or somethin’ that he kept his word, and arranged a meetin’ in the Silverhold docks with him; Mal offered to go along, make sure terms stayed fair, but he declined. He’d deal with the mess he made by himself; sooner that was done, the sooner he could come back to Kaylee.

The last day on Serenity with her was one of the hardest times he’d ever gone through, even knowin’ for true that she loved him – he guessed it was just knowin’ what he’d miss that did it. He didn’t let an hour pass that he didn’t remind her how much he loved her, ignorin’ the looks he was gettin’ from everyone else. He’d probably get about a million Waves from his Ma when she heard about all this, he thought ruefully. He planned to tell her to just Wave Kaylee and get it over with.

He bent to kiss Kaylee one last time before he pulled on his clothes and climbed up the ladder of her bunk, hearin’ her big boots come clompin’ up after him slowly. “No snifflin’, girl,” he warned her as he helped her up onto the Mule. Four of his brothers were comin’ with him to catch transports back to the moon his family lived on; Ehren was stayin’ with Serenity like Jayne’d asked, and Mattie was subbing for one of Monty’s crew who was on leave. He and Kaylee held hands the whole way there, and it was hard to tell which of ‘em was hangin’ on harder. Wode Tian, I don’t wanna go.


_ _ _ _ _ _

Zoë stood apart with Wash as Kaylee and Jayne said their farewells, glancing over at her husband as Kaylee suddenly flung herself in the big merc’s arms and struggled visibly not to burst into tears. “Can we move it along?” the captain, so skinny she could almost see through the man, asked her irritably.

“Girl’s saying goodbye to her man – wouldn’t rush it if I were you and didn’t want a bullet behind my ear,” she said calmly. She wondered just how long the man would last in Jayne’s presence, given that he’d doubled his service time for a contract jumping penalty – didn’t make sense, since most jumpers never returned to take up their original commission. He should have just been grateful that Jayne came back to honor the contract he’d signed.

It had been hard enough on Kaylee to face losing Jayne again for only three months; now it was six… she figured he’d serve well enough for his original time before starting to raise Almighty Hell at the beginning of the fourth month. Actually, Zoë secretly hoped he would – she’d placed a bet against Wash on it, and a hefty load of chores were riding on Jayne’s behavior.

Jayne led Kaylee back over to them with an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll be seein’ ya,” he said in farewell, nodding to each of them in turn. “Appreciate you lookin’ out for Ehren; he ain’t a bad kid, just a bit too lively for his own good at times. He’ll do ya proud, don’t worry.”

“Reckon if we can handle you, we can handle your kin,” Zoë smiled. After a few more parting words and embracing Kaylee a final time, Jayne shouldered his pack and walked back up the ramp, the hatch nearly closing right on his heels as the Daison’s captain was plainly anxious to leave. Kaylee sniffled miserably as they walked to a safe distance to watch the ship launch, and Zoë put her arm around the younger woman’s shoulders comfortingly just as Wash moved to her other side. “He’ll be back before you know it to cause trouble and make the captain threaten to space him.”

The mechanic dashed the tears from her eyes and smiled bravely. “Yeah, I guess.”

Wash spoke up then, and his words reminded Zoë exactly why she married him in the first place. “Don’t forget about Ehren being on board with us – that way you can get him to tell you more about Jayne,” he suggested. “I’m sure he’d love to talk about his big brother when he can’t be yelled at for it.”

Kaylee brightened instantly. “That’s so – I bet he’s got lots of stories Jayne would never think to tell me.” She smiled as she walked ahead of them to the Mule, and Zoë looked over at Wash.

“Now that, Husband, is why I love you.”

Wash widened his eyes at her innocently. “And here I thought it was because of that thing I can do with my back.”

Sighing and shaking her head, Zoë Washburne gave her beloved husband a slight shove into a nearby mud puddle.

tbc…
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