More Than Friends

A/N: Some Malnara this chapter :)


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Kaylee spent the rest of the day in her bunk, straightening her things over and over so she wouldn’t have to face Simon or anyone else…she was still a bit embarrassed at the way she had acted, but felt a little better after Jayne had let her cry all over him. He was always lookin’ after her, Jayne was. He could be real mean sometimes, that were nothin’ but a fact…but lately she’d been noticin’ that something about him was different and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe it was that she’d finally found out the truth of him, that he was nothin’ but a big softie; he sure got along loads better with the captain after Miranda – hell, he got along better with everyone, includin’ Simon… She pressed her lips together at the pain that stray thought caused and moved aside the empty plate that had held her lunch which River had brought down to her earlier.

After fiddlin’ with her Cortex screen for unnecessary repairs, she checked the chrono just as a boom resounded through the bunk along with Jayne’s bellow of “Kaylee! Food!”

“Quit kickin’ my door,” she yelled back as she started climbin’ up the ladder. Kaylee caught up with the big merc as they got to the kitchen, and helped him set the table. “Is the bread ready?” she asked excitedly, breathing in deep. “It sure smells nice.”

Jayne motioned over to the row of cabinets. “Over there; had to shoo Moonbrain away from it ‘least five times.” As they were working the other crew members were filing in and as Simon ducked into the dining area, Kaylee felt the blood drain from her face. “Anyways, I made more’n one so we can…” he trailed off to follow her gaze and rested his fingers on her arm lightly. “You gonna be okay, girl?” he asked softly.

She covered his big hand with her smaller one. “ I Think so. Hope so, anyhow. Sit with me?”

“A’course – couldn’t pass up an opportunity ta sit beside the purtiest lady on Persephone, now could I?” he teased. “Grab that there, wouldja? I ain’t got but two hands,” Jayne continued as he picked up the food to transfer it to the table.

“Yessir, Cap’n Cobb,” she joked with a salute.

“I’m likin’ the sound a’that...”

The captain arrived to sit at the table suddenly, sniffin’ the air. “Over my dead body, Jayne – is that bread I’m smellin’?”

“Hey, whatever it takes,” Jayne shot back, ignoring the question and pullin’ out a chair for Kaylee, hurlin’ himself down into his. “Don’t eat all that,” he warned Zöe when the other woman reached for the coveted bread. Kaylee noticed Wash eyeing Jayne and grinnin’ fit to kill…he probably had been teasin’ the big guy over somethin’ again, so she paid him no mind and instead watched Mal watchin’ Inara. Once or twice during the meal, she reached for dishes at the same time Simon did and they both pulled away quickly until Jayne settled the silent dispute by always givin’ whatever it was to her and glarin’ at Simon. Wash’s smile just grew even larger for some reason whenever this happened; she thought she’d have to ask him later what was so funny. Simon excused himself from the table early, Jayne helpin’ him on his way with a cheerful, “You’re an idiot, Doc.”

“So says the pot to the kettle,” Wash snorted into his soup.

“What’s that s’posed to mean?” Jayne demanded, and the next few minutes were filled with entertainin’ insults about parentage, flying ability, and gun size until Mal made ‘em knock it off.

Kaylee watched the banter between the rest of the crew, and felt herself relax enough to join in an animated conversation over whether or not Zöe really needed a bikini or not – Wash was all for it until Jayne said that he would forfeit his entire cut if she would wear it on the next job, and she took control of the situation. “That’s enough outta you, mister,” she scolded. “Let’s get this cleaned up and never you mind what Zöe might or might not be wearin’.” Jayne grumbled a bit, but obeyed.

“Um, mei mei?” Mal asked warily, eyein’ Jayne as the bigger man went into the kitchen.

She stifled a yawn and began wiping the table down with a rag. “Yeah, Cap’n?” she asked absently. “Oh, would you hand me that…? Thanks, ‘Nara.”

“How… how did you do that, just now?”

“What? I ain’t done nothin’. Jayne, we got another plate over here,” she called.

“So? Clean it your own gorramned self – I mean, toss it on over,” he joked back, snatchin’ the plate from the air when she took him at his word and flung it across the counter to him.

“One of these days, Jayne Cobb,” Kaylee threatened playfully, shakin’ her fist at him and smiling when he slapped a hand to his chest and pretended to faint in terror. She turned back to the captain in time to see Inara drawing back from him with a slight smile on her face – ever since all that Reaver business, those two had finally stopped dancin’ around the issue and gave into the feelings that everyone else had already known they had for each other. It sure was good to see ‘em so happy…Kaylee wished that she had someone who loved her like Mal loved Inara. “What were you sayin’ again, Cap’n?” she asked, blushin’ a little when Inara smiled at her knowingly.

But Mal had ceased to care about whatever it was that he’d been sayin’ in the first place. “Nothing,” he said, starin’ at the Companion by his side. The couple slipped away from the table after a few more minutes of makin’ eyes at each other, and Kaylee sighed after them enviously as she finished helping clean up. Jayne sure was lookin’ at her funny, she thought as she left for her bunk.

They picked up a few passengers as could pay, along with a job from Badger involvin’ “abandoned” cargo that needed a home, and left Persephone behind. Each day that passed made it easier for Kaylee to accept the end of her relationship with Simon, and realize that maybe they weren’t really meant to be – it still hurt like hell, but she felt grateful for the support of her crewmates. When she was feelin’ down, one of them would always be there for her if she needed cheerin’ or just someone to talk at…mostly it was Jayne keepin’ her company, and they spent more time together than ever before just talkin’ about things.

It got to the point where they were spendin’ most of the day with each other – or maybe they had always been that way? She couldn’t rightly recall; it was just that whenever she looked around, Jayne was there doin’ something – cleanin’ his girls or weldin’, whatever was needed. In her saddest moments he was there to share a joke or even give her a hug. He really did give the best hugs. Best of all, he never made her feel like she weren’t worth his time when she just wanted to talk; she’d been watchin’ the care he took with his weapons and thought about how she’d like to learn how to handle herself in a fight.
That business with Jubal Early had spooked her good, and when she finally got up enough gumption to ask Jayne about it, she’d been afraid that the big merc would laugh in her face. Instead, he just looked at her calm-like as he set down Vera and picked up the smallest gun to begin teachin’ her how to use it. A’course they couldn’t really practice unless she wanted to risk a hole in Serenity’s hull, but he promised to give her a chance to shoot up everything in sight soon as they got planetside. Well, he had actually grinned and offered to take her down to the infirmary to turn her loose on “whatever Fancy Pants Doctor might happen to be there,” but she had just thanked him for the mightily generous thought and asked for lessons in hand-to-hand as soon as the job was done.


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Inara Serra was many things, but she certainly wasn’t blind. She watched Kaylee inching closer and closer to an understanding of what Jayne offered, the love that lit up his eyes when the ship’s mechanic was anywhere near and pulled him to her side whenever she unknowingly beckoned him with her words. Inara had known of the mercenary’s feelings for her friend before even he had been aware of them, and had watched the big man’s stumbling realization as well as his subsequent heartache when Kaylee’s infatuation with Simon Tam took her farther away from him. While Jayne Cobb was certainly one of the most…interesting specimens of manhood she’d ever encountered, she had to admire him for his unfailing devotion to Kaylee and the quiet courage he showed, risking rejection with every mode he made and every word he uttered. Maybe that was why he’d been watching his mouth lately, she thought to herself with a wicked grin that she would never allow anyone else to see.

Well, perhaps Mal would get to see it. One day. She smiled over at the man currently snoring contentedly by her side and poked him in the ribs. “Mal, you’re snoring again. Roll on your side,” she advised gently.

Mal lurched upright, startled out of sleep. “Whu..? Who…?”

“You were snoring,” she repeated gently, smiling at the sight of her lover with his hair wildly sticking out in all directions.

“Were not,” he protested, falling back on his elbows.

“Would you like to bet on that, Captain Reynolds? I took a capture.”

Serenity’s captain brought up a hand to his mouth worriedly. “Was there drool?”

Inara arched an eyebrow at him. “There was, but I might forgive you if you…” She crooked her finger at him and waited for him to get the message.

He was on her side of the bed almost immediately – never let it be said that Malcolm Reynolds was slow on the uptake. “I’m only agreein’ if you give me that capture,” he negotiated before lowering his lips to hers.

“We’ll see how well you do,” was all she said before he began to kiss her in a way that left no need for words at all.

Much later she talked with Kaylee and River as Mal, Zöe and Jayne left in the other shuttle for their job – they had all agreed that the derelict they were looting looked too much like that ill-fated job where they had found the remains of the Newhall settlement, so everyone on board, with the exception of their four passengers, was on edge. Wash was in the pilot’s chair like always, the fingers of one hand fluttering nervously near the radio. Simon ducked through the door suddenly, but almost withdrew when he saw that Kaylee was there. “Oh – River. There you are.” River rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling. “Well, I’d better go make sure the infirmary is ready,” he said awkwardly.

Kaylee turned around in a flash. “How can you be so sure that something’s gonna go wrong?” she demanded.

The young doctor blinked under this onslaught, averting his eyes from River’s complimentary glare. “I – I just mean that…”

“I know what you mean, Simon. I’m sorry…it’s just that this waitin’ is really gettin’ to me,” Kaylee apologized. “When I think of the captain over there, it just really looks like that last time with the Reavers and all.” She drew in a deep breath as if steeling herself for something. “Look, can we go someplace and talk? I got somethin’ needs sayin’,” she said, a flush creeping up her cheeks.

“Um – sure, but don’t you want to wait for,,,?”

“Oh, the Cap’n? He’ll be okay til we get back.”

“No,” Simon said cautiously, “I was talking about Jayne.”

Inara saw a strange look pass over Kaylee’s face as she took that in. “Jayne? What does he have to do with anyth-” The mechanic’s blush began to deepen and she looked down at her boots. “Oh.”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“Nothin’ to be embarrassed over, we’re just friends is all,” Kaylee said hastily. “I wanted to talk about somethin’ else though, so can we…?”

Simon nodded and they left the bridge, leaving Inara alone with Wash and River. “So she’s finally noticed?” Wash asked, glancing after them. River laughed and curled up in the co-pilot’s seat, looking back at Inara.

“I suspect so,” Inara replied amiably, her eyes fixed on the screen ahead of her.

Wash turned his seat to face her curiously. “How long have you known about Jayne…you know, actually having human feelings? I’m still blown away about it, myself.”

She smiled at the pilot for his choice of words. “I have the feeling that Jayne has many more surprises in store for us.”


tbc…

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