Disclaimer: all things Firefly/Serenity are the property of Whedon et al. I'm not making any money off this, just playing with the toys.

Set: post-Serenity

A/N: Written for the Friday challenge prompt "art".

It was the giggle that stopped him in mid-stride. With a slow turn, he glared at the young woman. “Somethin’ funny?” he growled.

Her smile widened then was quickly covered by a small hand. “Sorry, Jayne.” Another giggle escaped. Another hand slapped over the first.

Jayne’s eyes narrowed further. “Don’t much like bein’ laughed at, ‘specially not by little girls with teddy bears on their work coverin’s.”

Kaylee pouted. “That were just mean, Jayne Cobb.”

“No meaner’n makin’ fun,” he shot back. He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped, seeing the woman’s face fall like that.

“Weren’t makin’ fun. Not really.” She stood nearer, only a kitchen chair separating them. “It’s just...” She pointed a tentative finger towards the bottom of Jayne’s hat.

He reached back and felt the hair curling out from under the wool. It needed cutting something awful and that was why he was wearing the knitted cap from his mother. He hated how his hair went all wild and curly when not cut regularly. Only way he knew of taming it was to hide and cover it.

“Yeah, I know all right. Just let a man be.”

Kaylee moved back at the harshness in Jayne’s voice.

“Hell, Kaylee. Didn’t mean t’yell. Just don’t like when people point an’ laugh.” Too much a that my whole gorramn life.

The awkward silence was thick until River floated into the kitchen. She stopped, cocked her head to look at Jayne’s locks. “Shortening of the follicle growths will produce a positive and desired result.”

“What she sayin’?” He shook his head. “Nevermind. Like as none t’be crazy talk.” People makin’ fun.

“Haircut,” River said.

Kaylee’s eyes brightened. “Sure! We could give ya a haircut, Jayne. Then you wouldn’t be so snippy.”

He was going to regret this. This was not going to go well. This was going to cause irreparable harm to his calm.

But damn it all if he couldn’t say no to that shining face.

River stood to the side of Jayne, watching and observing many things. Kaylee’s cuts were slow and measured, ensuring she made the right cut. Each clip took the mechanic an average of 4.2 seconds to complete. When further contemplation was required, the woman stepped back, bit her lower lip then went forward after seeing in her mind the desired course of action.

River also observed Jayne. His heartbeat increased 28% as Kaylee poured water through his hair and massaged his scalp with the shampoo. It was raised further as she combed out his wet hair, slicking it back. Blood pressure rose as the scissors squeaked across each tuft of hair.

But there was also memory. His mother sitting him at the table, telling the boy to be still or he’d lose an ear as she sheered the mass of hair. Her singing little songs to help relax a nervous boy fearful of what the local kids would think on having his ma cut his hair. Her smiling down and saying what a fine young man he would come to be and believing it.

Thoughts became hazy and blurred; body relaxed and tightened at the touch. River smiled and swayed a little at the emotional wave.

Setting the scissors down, Kaylee stepped back to admire her work. She grinned broadly, her nose crinkling in that way. “Handsome.”

River joined her friend. “Art.”

Kaylee looked to the young woman. “Ya think so?” She faced Jayne again, her grin widening at seeing the big man squirming under the stare of the women. “Hmm, maybe it is a work a art.” She wiped away some fallen hairs and pushed some down at Jayne’s temple.

He gritted his teeth. Ta ma da. If Kaylee didn’t have to have such a soft touch, makin a man feel all manner of aroused. He needed t’get outta here ‘fore he did somethin’ worthy of a space walk without a suit. “If you two cri-tiques are ‘bout done gawkin’...”

“Don’t be mean, Art,” River scolded.

Jayne quickly turned to the young woman. “Whad’ya call me?”

“King of the round table,” River chimed.

Kaylee pulled away the towel from Jayne’s shoulders, drawing his attention away from the young pilot. “You know, some folks might say thank-you fer doin’ somethin’ nice.” She looked to her hands as she folded the cloth.

Woman had a way of wormin’ inside him, remindin’ him of his ma’s manners. He ran a hand through his now short-cropped hair. Didn’t feel too bad. He pulled out Binky and looked at his polished reflection. He smiled at Kaylee.

“Say thank-you, Arthur,” River said.

Kaylee blinked. “Arthur?”

Jayne knew this was a bad idea. Told himself not to. Weren’t nothin’ good comin’ from a haircut remindin’ him of home an’ ma an’ her warmth. Didn’t need her words runnin’ through his brain, ‘specially with a ruttin mind-reader on board.

“That’s my handsome boy, Jayne Arthur Cobb.”