Ursa Major, Ursa Minor
folder
1 through F › Firefly
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
34
Views:
8,788
Reviews:
21
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
1 through F › Firefly
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
34
Views:
8,788
Reviews:
21
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own Firefly, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Strangers In Mirrors
Chapter Six:
River adjusted the thin straps of her gown and looked down for about the millionth time in surprise of her cleavage. She’d bought the dress when Mal had dragged Jayne off to the tailors—using Zoë’s input for guidance. River didn’t much like the idea of wearing heeled shoes (much less shoes at all) on a job, but Zoë had reassured her that, as a dancer, she’d do fine.
Inara was smiling at her through the mirror. “You look lovely, mei mei.”
River smiled. “Thank you.”
The dress was a mid-thigh number of dark red with swishy bits here and there on the hem and waistline. Inara had just finished with her hair and makeup, and River didn’t quite recognize herself.
“There is a stranger in the mirror,” she commented.
“Not a stranger,” said Inara, “just someone who has been hiding for far too long.”
River cocked her head to the side and listened. She could hear the others in the cargo bay—Zoë and Mal were soaking up praises from Kaylee and Simon. Jayne is still in hiding. “I should go meet the others. The party starts soon.”
Inara nodded. “I’ll go and drag Jayne out of his bunk.”
River grinned.
*
“Jayne? You have to come out—Mal said he really needed your backup on this job,” Inara received no answer.
“Is it about the tuxedo? Jayne, they’re just clothes.”
“Gorramit!”
The hatch to his bunk opened and Inara peered down inside to see the mercenary standing there with an untied bowtie clenched in one large hand.
“I can’t tie it,” he admitted.
Inara held back an amused laugh and motioned for him to get his pi gu up the ladder. “You’re going to have to kneel down for me to do this. You’re too tall.”
Jayne scowled but dropped to his knees anyway.
Inara expertly tucked the fabric beneath his collar and knotted it in seconds. “There. No more excuses. Now come on.”
He whined practically the entire walk down to the cargo bay. Inara, halfway down the steps, suddenly grinned and let out a laugh.
“I feel like Henry Higgins,” she commented.
“Who?” Jayne growled.
Kaylee let out a wolf-whistle and clapped. “Lookit you!”
Jayne cringed. “Don’t… Say anything. I’m having a hard enough time as it is to keep up this upper crust Core go se,” he suddenly got a glazed look in his eye. “I just have to keep thinking about that M60 and how she’s going to sound when she tears a few new holes in some things.”
River gave a shiver as his joy washed over her. His glazed expression and incredible appearance didn’t help her imagination any. Especially when she wondered what his cheeks would feel like against hers now that they were smooth… Or what they would have felt like with his goatee.
Her own cheeks were hot.
“Do you really need any more guns, Jayne?” Mal asked, fiddling with his cravat for the hundredth time.
Jayne looked at that captain dryly. “Is Moony here seven different types of beautiful when she’s dolled up like she is now? Shee yoo, Cap, I thought you knew how my brain worked by now.”
River was blushing really hard now. She wasn’t the only one, though—Kaylee and Inara were flushed on her behalf, and Zoë was allowing her lips to curve into a secret smile.
Mal gawped. Apparently I don’t quite know how your brain works, ya big hun dan.
“Don’t we have to be there on time or something?” Jayne grumbled. He ran his hand over his eyes in an attempt to wipe his mind of the immediate smutty thoughts that came at the sight of River in a sexy red dress. He got rid of most, but that left legs legs legs legs, River legs, sexy River legs…
River had a feeling that flush to her cheeks would remain for the entirety of the night.
*
Mal was preoccupied with finding Donna in the crowded ballroom and didn’t notice the way Zoë slyly watched Jayne and River even as she walked directly beside him with her long arm looped through his. The mercenary had a large hand resting gently on the small of River’s back—his fingers practically spanned the spread of exposed flesh entirely. But it wasn’t really Jayne’s hand that Zoë was watching.
It was River’s reaction to it.
Zoë’s keen eyes caught the slight tremor the younger woman gave when Jayne first laid his hand on her so free of hesitation—then the raised goose bumps that remained with his warm touch…
River liked it.
Zoë knew that the girl may not have known it then, but she would realize it later. She liked Jayne touching her that way. And by the look on the mercenary’s clean face, he liked the touch as well.
A light tune sprouted up from the band and River twirled in Jayne’s arms to start dancing. Zoë was still surprised to see the mercenary take to his feet so well. He seemed to be naturally oafish when it came to the finer things in life…
Then again, he does move like a cat on the prowl when we’re on jobs… she mused. She idly watched as River beamed a smile up at the large man leading her across the dance floor—her mind half on finding Donna and half on the dancing pair.
“Captain Reynolds.”
Zoë whirled at the softly accented voice that came from behind her.
Mal took Donna’s outstretched hand and bowed curtly to her knuckles. “Lady Donna.”
She was not a plain woman. Mal had figured that the wave had been overly flattering to her—seeing as she was related to a low-level weasel. But her hair was a wavy brunette piled stylishly in a knot on the left side of her head. She wore a sensible gown that showed off what she had to offer and stood atop a pair of spike-heeled shoes.
She’s nowhere near as gorgeous as Inara, though. Mal risked a glance at Zoë and amended his thought to include her. Zoë certainly was a stunner.
Donna got right down to business. “Things go down at 1900. That would be fifteen minutes from now. Everything is located in the east wing and there is a back door that your mule can be parked at without being noticed. Once you get back to Persephone my cousin will collect what I hired you for. I’m assuming you are wearing mikes?”
Zoë tugged lightly on one of her long silver earring and gave a sly smile. “They can hear everything around me.”
Mal risked a look back at the dance floor where River and Jayne were gliding to a new, slower tune. That don’t look like my mercenary… he marveled. Jayne looked like he actually belonged among the crowds of Londinium natives that pranced about the dance floor without purpose. And River…
He hadn’t seen the girl smile like that in… Had he ever seen her smile like that?
“Good,” said Donna, “The clock will chime for 1900—just before that, head toward the east wing to start gathering everything up. When the clock chimes for 1930 you two will have to be out of here and your distraction,” she pointed a well-manicured finger at Jayne and River as they started up a jive, “will simply leave when the party ends.”
Zoë and Mal nodded.
“They certainly are distracting,” said Donna.
Indeed, there was a crowd gathered to watch the big man twirl the little woman around the ballroom floor with a grin and an occasional wink. Spectators were clapping in time with the music and the few that had joined in with the style were slowly stopping to join the observers.
“That’s them,” said Mal—not really liking that grin Jayne was sporting.
“They make a handsome couple,” Donna added—nudging Mal lightly in the ribs with her elbow.
The captain opened his mouth to say something to the contrary, but Zoë’s hand tightened around his bicep.
“That they do,” she said. And Mal could see by that look in her eyes that she absolutely meant it.
TBC
Translations:
Mei mei: Little sister (affectionate in this case)
Pi gu: butt/ass
Shee yoo: Jesus
Hun dan: Bastard
River adjusted the thin straps of her gown and looked down for about the millionth time in surprise of her cleavage. She’d bought the dress when Mal had dragged Jayne off to the tailors—using Zoë’s input for guidance. River didn’t much like the idea of wearing heeled shoes (much less shoes at all) on a job, but Zoë had reassured her that, as a dancer, she’d do fine.
Inara was smiling at her through the mirror. “You look lovely, mei mei.”
River smiled. “Thank you.”
The dress was a mid-thigh number of dark red with swishy bits here and there on the hem and waistline. Inara had just finished with her hair and makeup, and River didn’t quite recognize herself.
“There is a stranger in the mirror,” she commented.
“Not a stranger,” said Inara, “just someone who has been hiding for far too long.”
River cocked her head to the side and listened. She could hear the others in the cargo bay—Zoë and Mal were soaking up praises from Kaylee and Simon. Jayne is still in hiding. “I should go meet the others. The party starts soon.”
Inara nodded. “I’ll go and drag Jayne out of his bunk.”
River grinned.
*
“Jayne? You have to come out—Mal said he really needed your backup on this job,” Inara received no answer.
“Is it about the tuxedo? Jayne, they’re just clothes.”
“Gorramit!”
The hatch to his bunk opened and Inara peered down inside to see the mercenary standing there with an untied bowtie clenched in one large hand.
“I can’t tie it,” he admitted.
Inara held back an amused laugh and motioned for him to get his pi gu up the ladder. “You’re going to have to kneel down for me to do this. You’re too tall.”
Jayne scowled but dropped to his knees anyway.
Inara expertly tucked the fabric beneath his collar and knotted it in seconds. “There. No more excuses. Now come on.”
He whined practically the entire walk down to the cargo bay. Inara, halfway down the steps, suddenly grinned and let out a laugh.
“I feel like Henry Higgins,” she commented.
“Who?” Jayne growled.
Kaylee let out a wolf-whistle and clapped. “Lookit you!”
Jayne cringed. “Don’t… Say anything. I’m having a hard enough time as it is to keep up this upper crust Core go se,” he suddenly got a glazed look in his eye. “I just have to keep thinking about that M60 and how she’s going to sound when she tears a few new holes in some things.”
River gave a shiver as his joy washed over her. His glazed expression and incredible appearance didn’t help her imagination any. Especially when she wondered what his cheeks would feel like against hers now that they were smooth… Or what they would have felt like with his goatee.
Her own cheeks were hot.
“Do you really need any more guns, Jayne?” Mal asked, fiddling with his cravat for the hundredth time.
Jayne looked at that captain dryly. “Is Moony here seven different types of beautiful when she’s dolled up like she is now? Shee yoo, Cap, I thought you knew how my brain worked by now.”
River was blushing really hard now. She wasn’t the only one, though—Kaylee and Inara were flushed on her behalf, and Zoë was allowing her lips to curve into a secret smile.
Mal gawped. Apparently I don’t quite know how your brain works, ya big hun dan.
“Don’t we have to be there on time or something?” Jayne grumbled. He ran his hand over his eyes in an attempt to wipe his mind of the immediate smutty thoughts that came at the sight of River in a sexy red dress. He got rid of most, but that left legs legs legs legs, River legs, sexy River legs…
River had a feeling that flush to her cheeks would remain for the entirety of the night.
*
Mal was preoccupied with finding Donna in the crowded ballroom and didn’t notice the way Zoë slyly watched Jayne and River even as she walked directly beside him with her long arm looped through his. The mercenary had a large hand resting gently on the small of River’s back—his fingers practically spanned the spread of exposed flesh entirely. But it wasn’t really Jayne’s hand that Zoë was watching.
It was River’s reaction to it.
Zoë’s keen eyes caught the slight tremor the younger woman gave when Jayne first laid his hand on her so free of hesitation—then the raised goose bumps that remained with his warm touch…
River liked it.
Zoë knew that the girl may not have known it then, but she would realize it later. She liked Jayne touching her that way. And by the look on the mercenary’s clean face, he liked the touch as well.
A light tune sprouted up from the band and River twirled in Jayne’s arms to start dancing. Zoë was still surprised to see the mercenary take to his feet so well. He seemed to be naturally oafish when it came to the finer things in life…
Then again, he does move like a cat on the prowl when we’re on jobs… she mused. She idly watched as River beamed a smile up at the large man leading her across the dance floor—her mind half on finding Donna and half on the dancing pair.
“Captain Reynolds.”
Zoë whirled at the softly accented voice that came from behind her.
Mal took Donna’s outstretched hand and bowed curtly to her knuckles. “Lady Donna.”
She was not a plain woman. Mal had figured that the wave had been overly flattering to her—seeing as she was related to a low-level weasel. But her hair was a wavy brunette piled stylishly in a knot on the left side of her head. She wore a sensible gown that showed off what she had to offer and stood atop a pair of spike-heeled shoes.
She’s nowhere near as gorgeous as Inara, though. Mal risked a glance at Zoë and amended his thought to include her. Zoë certainly was a stunner.
Donna got right down to business. “Things go down at 1900. That would be fifteen minutes from now. Everything is located in the east wing and there is a back door that your mule can be parked at without being noticed. Once you get back to Persephone my cousin will collect what I hired you for. I’m assuming you are wearing mikes?”
Zoë tugged lightly on one of her long silver earring and gave a sly smile. “They can hear everything around me.”
Mal risked a look back at the dance floor where River and Jayne were gliding to a new, slower tune. That don’t look like my mercenary… he marveled. Jayne looked like he actually belonged among the crowds of Londinium natives that pranced about the dance floor without purpose. And River…
He hadn’t seen the girl smile like that in… Had he ever seen her smile like that?
“Good,” said Donna, “The clock will chime for 1900—just before that, head toward the east wing to start gathering everything up. When the clock chimes for 1930 you two will have to be out of here and your distraction,” she pointed a well-manicured finger at Jayne and River as they started up a jive, “will simply leave when the party ends.”
Zoë and Mal nodded.
“They certainly are distracting,” said Donna.
Indeed, there was a crowd gathered to watch the big man twirl the little woman around the ballroom floor with a grin and an occasional wink. Spectators were clapping in time with the music and the few that had joined in with the style were slowly stopping to join the observers.
“That’s them,” said Mal—not really liking that grin Jayne was sporting.
“They make a handsome couple,” Donna added—nudging Mal lightly in the ribs with her elbow.
The captain opened his mouth to say something to the contrary, but Zoë’s hand tightened around his bicep.
“That they do,” she said. And Mal could see by that look in her eyes that she absolutely meant it.
TBC
Translations:
Mei mei: Little sister (affectionate in this case)
Pi gu: butt/ass
Shee yoo: Jesus
Hun dan: Bastard