River lay on Jayne’s chest, staring at him. It seemed an age since he’d been in their bed, and she was making the most of every opportunity, particularly since the rest of the crew were staying at Inara’s place. They had the ship to themselves, and she was taking advantage. Right now it was to see if he’d changed.

She examined the neatly trimmed goatee, the lips that could sneer or swear more crudely than anyone she knew, or make her fall again and again with just a touch. His nose, his eyes, closed in rest, a slight sheen of coital sweat on his forehead, looking more like the boy he still was on the inside than the mercenary he was without. Her gaze lingered at the line of white hair above his left ear, and her fingers hovered over it, drawn to it.

“Like what you see?” Jayne’s voice rumbled from deep in his chest, making her vibrate.

“A little.”

He opened his eyes on her, their blue different from the captain’s, yet still as full of mischief. “Only a little, huh?”

“Perhaps some.”

“You seemed to like it well enough a short while back.”

“I hadn’t had sex in a while.”

“I’m kinda hoping you ain't had sex since you left me on Lazarus.”

“I might have found someone.”

“And who would this guy be? Just so’s I can thank him for keeping you warm for me, o’ course. ‘Fore I tear him limb from limb.”

“Who said it was a man?”

He tensed under her, obviously mentally going through the options. She didn’t even have to look. Suddenly he sniffed and shook his head, relaxing. “Nah. Ain't no-one around here you’d go to bed with.”

“Are you sure of that?” River lifted her head. “Maybe I asked Inara to service me.”

“She ain't a Companion no more, remember? She ain’t likely to be doing that, leastways, not for money.”

“Maybe it was as a favour. To an old friend.”

“Freya watch?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Is that what you’d like?”

“My birthday, maybe.” He smothered a yelp as she pinched his nipple.

“Sorry,” she apologised, kissing it better.

“’S’alright.” He wrapped his arm a little tighter around her. “Ya know, I've been thinking.”

“Oh? What about?”

He smiled a little. Anyone else on board Serenity would have made some comment or other, probably ‘bout it being dangerous for him to be doing that kinda thing, or maybe they’d be complaining about the smell from underused machinery.

“I don’t do that,” River said softly. “I know my Jayne thinks. And what he thinks about.”

“Yeah, well, it ain't like I've got book learning like your brother.”

“Low cunning,” she agreed.

He grinned wider. “Got that right. Got all I need to know to track someone, take ‘em down. Or make love to a slip of a girl.”

“Woman,” she corrected him.

“Yeah.”

“Survived so much.” She touched the white line in his hair again. “Inside and out.”

“Tough old hwoon dahn.”

She nodded gravely. “So what has my man been thinking about?”

He felt an odd surge of pride – her man. Warmed him through to hear that. “Well, truth is … I was wondering if you’d like to … well …” He stopped. “Hell, River, can’t you just read it in my mind?”

“No. You have to say.”

His ears pinked. “I was … River, d’ya want to marry me?”

She gazed at him for the longest time, and he started to feel like one of the animals he’d hunted while Serenity was gone, just to keep in practice. Cross-hairs focused on him, and a finger just a millimetre away from splashing his brains all over the landscape …

Finally he coughed. “Look, it ain't like I'm waiting for an answer. But ya can say no.”

“Not going to.”

He swallowed. “Then it’s a yes?”

“No.”

He put his head back on the pillow. “That … that just ain't fair.”

“You don’t want to.”

He glared down at her. “Wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”

“You didn’t ask. You asked if I wanted to.”

“Same thing.”

“It isn’t.” She began making circles in his chest hair. “You will, one day, and then you can ask me again. But not today.”

“So … what’ll your answer be?” he asked, somewhat nervously.

“Well, all things being equal, and not having died or killed each other, then I think perhaps it might be yes.”

“So you mean –“

“I mean when you’re ready we’ll talk about this again.”

There was a faint taste of relief in his mind, and he realised she was right. If she’d said yes, he’d have gone through with it, a smile on his face and a swagger in his hips. But not actually ready for it. “’Kay.”

“But you can buy me something pretty to wear if you like.”

His brow drew together. “Like what?”

“I’ll let you decide.”

“Oh. Right.” He had no idea what the rutting hell she’d like.

She smiled slightly, seeing the thought so easily at the front of his mind.

For a while they lay quietly, just enjoying the physical contact again.

“How ‘bout kids?” he finally blurted out.

“I'm not pregnant.”

“No, I know that. Figure I’d be able to tell, skinny runt like you.”

She bit him, then kissed that better too. “I’d like children. Not sure I’d make a good mother, since I'm still crazy, but I’d like them. One day.”

“With me?”

“Of course.”

Now the pride threatened to burst out of his chest. She’d said of course. No hesitancy, no being nice about it. Just of course. “Shiny,” was all he could say.

“You want a girl.”

His heart seemed to miss a beat as he thought about a bundle of newborn, with his blue eyes, but everything else being River. “Boys is okay,” he said defensively.

“You’re not the same with Ben.”

“Ain't I?”

“No. Bethany makes you softer.”

“Hey, that ain't fair. I ain't soft.”

“You play with her.”

“I play with Ethan too.”

“You want a little girl.”

He stopped, his face softening. “That easy, am I?” He shook his head. “Ever since my sister died, I … well, I never got a chance to hold her, talk to her. And … well, it changed me.”

“It made you respectful of womenfolk.”

“Nah, now, I ain't that, moonbrain. Had too many whores in my bed to ever be called that.”

“Did you ever hurt them?”

“No.”

“Or make them do what they didn’t want?”

“No, but –“

“You came back for Freya.”

He was about to deny it, but the truth was sitting in her eyes, staring at him. “Maybe I did. And maybe I do want a little girl to dangle from my knee, have her proud of her daddy.”

“Like me.“ River nodded slowly, then said, “She’d be a Reader.”

“Why? Ethan ain’t, and look at Frey.”

“Not yet.”

There was a silence. “So I ain't wrong.”

“No.”

“Psychic?”

“He’s beginning to read strong emotions. Empathic.”

“Don’t know what that means but it don’t sound good. Freya know?”

“She suspects.”

“Guessing Mal don’t.”

“Not yet. And Ethan may grow out of it.”

“Yeah, and if wishes were horses –“

“Stop. You’ll make me hungry.”

He grinned, then went back to Ethan. “Hope he ain't. They’ve had troubles enough.”

“Jayne, I do believe you’re getting sentimental.”

“Nah, never that.” He stroked her back, his fingers lingering on the spot just between her shoulder blades that made her eyes half close. “Anyway, there’s no proof our kids’d be Readers. Not with me as their dad.”

“Kids?”

“Ain't gonna stop at one. Not once we get started.”

“Not having one yet.”

“I’ll persuade ya.” He leaned far enough forward to capture her mouth in a kiss.

“Mmn,” she hummed, vibrating against him. “Practice.”

“So you want something pretty?” he asked after a moment, as she kissed down his neck.

“Or you can make me something.” She licked his nipple.

He groaned, feeling blood ambling down towards other parts. Well, rushing, actually. “What kinda thing?”

“Up to you.” She moved so that her thighs slid open across one of his, and he could feel her dampness on his leg.

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

He lay there, enjoying the sensations, until a brainwave struck him like a lightening bolt. Yeah, that would be about right. He grinned in the darkness as River slid down his body, her tongue trailing fire across his skin. And that’d piss her brother off again. Always worth it. And just to see his face when he realised his sister was wearing a bullet with Jayne’s name on it, twin to the one he’d be wearing, with her name engraved like a beacon. Just in case they took it into their heads to kill each other.