The Gift

Title: The Gift
Characters: Mal/Kaylee
Rating: R (not as smutty as i could have made it...decided to leave a little to the imagination this time :)
Word count: 1126
Author's Note: I don't own any of these people. They belong to the glorious genius that is Joss Whedon. They just take over my imagination from time to time.

She made her way silently down the passage, towards the Captains quarters. She loved moving about on Serenity at night, everyone in bed, she could wander as much as she liked, without anyone bothering her. she had developed a knack for slipping in and out of rooms without anyone noticing. . . her momma always said she was as quiet as a church mouse when she wanted to be. Her plan was to slip inside the Captain's bunk, leave her present behind, and slip back out. there would be no lingering to watch him sleep this time. that had to stop...one of these nights, he was going to catch her, no matter how quiet she was. and then how would she be able to explain that?

She opened his door, and slipped inside...careful to avoid the creaky spot by the wall. she placed the neatly wrapped birthday gift on the floor next to his bed, where he was sure to see it in the morning, and turned to creep back out. Suddenly there was a hand on her wrist. she jumped, losing her footing, and fell on her backside.

"We're gonna have to stop meeting like this, Kaylee." The Captain said, obviously fully awake and alert. He sat up on the side of the bed, still holding on to her wrist. "People'll talk.." In the darkness, she could still make out a bit of a smirk.

She was mortified. She struggled up to her feet, and began to babble as he released his hold on her.
"Tzao gao! Oh Cap'n...I'm sorry...i didn't mean to wake you...just i thought i'd ---
"You usually don't wake me up, Kaylee...at least not right away." he watched her, standing in the middle of his room, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there. "I decided to wait up for you tonight. was about ready to give up."
"...just thought i'd leave the present and that way i wouldn't be feelin' as bad when you saw it wasn't fancy or anythin'...." she stopped. his words finally registering. "What? you were waiting....?"
"You been coming to my bunk most nights for a while now, never try and wake me, just sit right there on the floor." standing, he took a couple of steps towards her. Kaylee's face was a shade of crimson even the darkened room couldn't hide. "I been trying to figure out the way in that. Wanna help me along?" his voice was kind, no anger to be found, but she couldn't even look at him, let alone find the words to answer. He reached out, brushing the hair from her face, and a shiver ran along her spine at the sudden touch of his fingers on her skin. "Now, ever since you been working for me, and especially since the Good Dr and his sister came aboard this ship, i been good and proper towards you. deciding your attentions were elsewhere. keeping anything i might want to say ... or do...to myself. but it's not exactly easy to be good and proper when you're inches from my bed every gorram night, and it's all i can do to keep from pulling you up there with me." he took a deep breath, stepping even closer to her. Cards were on the table now. no sense in stopping. "I been trying to figure out why you been comin' here every night, Kaylee....and i think it may just be that you're wantin' the same things as me."
Silence filled the room. she was frozen to the spot, her gaze fell on him, and she saw the mixed emotions on his face. uncertainty, confusion., hope....and hunger. the latter emotion setting a storm of butterflies off in her stomach.
"If i'm bein' yu bun duh, and reading this here situation wrong.....then i'll apologize, back off...and we can both act like it never happened." Reaching out a hand to place on her cheek...he continued. "But if i'm right...well, then you need to speak up, cause i'm really wanting to kiss you right now."
She stared at him...her heart pounding in her chest. her eyes traveled down to his lips, and her fingers unconsciously reaching out to touch them...brushing across his bottom lip. It was all the encouragement he needed. his hand went around her waist, and pulled her close as his mouth descended on hers. she let out a wimper as he parted her lips firmly with his tongue. her mouth opening to his....pulling him in even further. she pressed herself against his body, as his hands lost themselves in her hair. their tongues dancing together, he could feel the heat, rippling through his body. his hands left her hair, as they moved to the front of her robe....pulling away slightly he watched as the fabric fell from her shoulders, and onto the floor.
her hands, shaking slightly, moved to undo the buttons of his shirt, pushing it roughly from his skin. her hands moving across his chest, and down to the front of his pants.... her fingers slipping underneath the fabric, and she was rewarded with a low, deep moan as he pressed against her. the buttons undone, her hands slipped around his hips, and pushed them down....her hands sliding over his ass at the same time. the last barriers between them removed, he pulled her close again, his mouth covering hers, with a new sense of urgency.
he positioned her next to his bed, and she took his lead....laying down before him. he stood above her, gazing at her skin, as it glowed in the sparse lighting.
"Wuh de tyen, ah",,,, you are beautiful." he breathed, heavily. at last, he lowered himself down upon her, and their bodies molded together.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"cap'n?" she whispered, a good while later.
"hmm?" he answered, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder, as she rested her head on his chest.
"You didn't open your present."
Smiling to himself, he knew he had already gotten everything he could have ever wanted. "Lemme guess..." he said, shifting to his side, and facing her...his head resting in his hand. "It's...a...scarf."
Her mouth fell open "How did...." suddenly she realized she had only recently learned to knit, and had been giving everyone gifts of her making. "Oh, right." she laughed, somewhat embarrassed.,
"Scarfs are mighty useful....out here in space." he said, deadpan. she playfully shoved him. then taking his hand in hers, she said quietly.
"Happy Birthday, Captain."
He looked into her eyes, and for the first time in a damn long while. he knew he what the word 'happy' meant.