Jayne staid in bed for as long as he could. Hadn’t yet figured out how ta act aroun’ Kaylee. Figured it was best ta… stay out a sight.

He weren’t hidin’.

He jumped when someone kicked the hatch leadin’ down ta his bunk.

“Put some pants on an’ be in the kitchen in five minutes.”

Mal. Prob’ly gonna talk about what they was gonna do about the doc’s date that night.

Jayne groped over the side of the bed fer the pants he was wearin’ the night before. He held ‘em ta his nose an’ sniffed. Thought about it fer a second an’ sniffed again.

Good enough.

He pulled ‘em on an’ stood up. Stumbled over ta the sink an’ splashed some water on his face.

Considered shavin’. Thought better of it.

His Fightin’ Fairies t-shirt was mostly clean. Didn’t stink, anyway, as he pulled it over his head. He looked at ‘imself in the mirror again an’ ran his hand over his hair, mussin’ it up a bit.

He closed the hatch behind ‘im after he’d put his shoes on an’ clumb up ta the deck. Made sure it was shut tight an’ turned toward the kitchen.

Kaylee was just comin’ up outa her hatch.

She looked at ‘im. Her eyes were a little red. Didn’t look like she’d slept real good.

Jayne’s stomach did a little dance.

“Hi.”

Her voice was a little gravelly and real ruttin’ sexy.

“Mornin’.”

“You… uh… you headed ta the kitchen?”

Jayne nodded slowly, lookin’ around at the walls. Couldn’t quite bring himself ta look at her face, pretty as it was.

“Yup.”

“Me, too.”

The silence was real loud.

“We could… walk… together. If you want. I ain’t forcin’ ya to er nothin’. Just… if ya want.” Jayne rubbed the back of his neck and looked real intent-like at Kaylee’s feet.

“That’s okay.”

Jayne glanced up at Kaylee’s face an’ then back down. “Fine by me. Just askin’.”

“No! I mean… okay. I meant yes. That’s okay. I want you.”

Jayne’s eyes shot up to her face.

She was red as a warnin’ light. “To! I want you to. Walk with me.” She was twistin’ her hands in front of her. “I didn’t sleep real good last night. You’d think I woulda, with all the kosu weed an’ all but I didn’t ‘cause I was real wound up an’ thinkin’… ‘bout… stuff. Mal’s callin’ us.” She let out a weird little laugh an’ turned toward the kitchen.

Jayne didn’t hear Mal callin’. But where Kaylee went, he would follow. An’ he was supposed ta be walkin’ with her anyways.

Maybe.

Actually he wasn’t real clear on what the final answer was on that, but Kaylee didn’t seem ta be protestin’. She was just fiddlin’ with her hands in front of ‘er as they walked.

Couple ‘a yards from the door ta the kitchen, Kaylee stopped an’ turned ta Jayne.

He looked at ‘er. She was lookin’ hard at ‘im.

“The thing is…”

She stopped.

Jayne waited. His hart was poundin’ in his ears. Wished it would shut up a bit sos he could hear ‘er.

Didn’t matter. She turned on her heel an’ walked inta the kitchen, her mouth still open like she was gonna say somethin’.

What the hell had just happened?

When he finally walked inta the kitchen, everyone was sittin’ down ‘cept Kaylee an’ Mal. The doc had a seat open next ta him. Made Jayne feel nice that Kaylee hadn’t taken it.

He sat. There was a spot left between him an’ Zoe. He looked at Kaylee. She had her head bowed an’ her hand on her forehead.

“Someone’s got a bit of a crush.”

Jayne whipped his head around ta look at Mal.

Mal was lookin’ at the doc.

Jayne heard Kaylee let out a big breath.

Mal looked around at the rest of the crew. “For those of you who haven’t heard the happy news, the good doctor’s got himself a little date tonight.”

Crazy applauded.

The doc was scowlin’. “It’s not a date.”

Mal talked over ‘im. “Since this is a real date this time an’ not just niceties, I want ta make real sure there’s someone nearby sos they can protect ‘is honor if things should come ta that. Jayne.”

Jayne went from smirkin’ at the doc ta lookin’ over at Mal.

“You were so taken by the best little whorehouse on this rock that you left your beautiful wife behind ta pay a little visit. Just so happens ta be the night of the party.” He looked at Zoe. “Jayne doesn’t get in, you’ll be waitin’ up at the same spot as yesterday. Now I want transmitters in all’ve ya, but I got a feelin’ that’ll be a little hard ta do with the close proximity the doc’ll be havin’ ta Mr. Pink.” He looked at the doc. “Lucky for you, Zoe’s got a real attractive pair of earrings left over from the war.”

He held out his hand.

The doc looked at the little dot in Mal’s hand, then back up at his face.

“That’s nice.”

“It’s a transmitter.”

“Oh.” The doc just kept lookin’ at Mal. Mal didn’t say anythin’. It was like a gorram starin’ contest. “You’re not sticking that through my ear.

“No, I’m not.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“You are.”

Jayne snorted.

The doc was lookin’ mighty pissed. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t have medical experience. Don’t want you gettin’ an infection ‘er nothin’.”

Mal smiled.

“Give it to Jayne!”

“Damn sight more important ta listen ta what Mr. Pink’s sayin’ than listenin’ ta whatever Jayne’s doin’. And what if Jayne can’t get in?”

“So stick something in my ear!”

“That’s the plan.”

“No! InSIDE my ear. Like last time.”

Mal sighed. “Reckon I already mentioned how Mr. Pink was likely ta notice somethin’ in yer ear if he got too close.”

“But I don’t—“

“You can all go now. Jayne… Zoe… be ready at 1600.”

Jayne nodded an’ stood up as Mal turned back ta the doc, who was still yammerin’.

“I will shove this through your ear with force, doctor. Just figured you’d want ta try another way.”

Kaylee caught up with Jayne as he walked back ta his bunk.

Truth be told, he’d be walkin’ kinda slow on purpose.

“The man whines like a kitten.”

Jayne looked over at her an’ smiled.

She smiled back. Held his eyes for a while, then looked down.

“You don’t suppose he likes it, do ya? Actin’ all sly. It is an act, don’t ya think?”

Jayne shrugged. Didn’t much feel like talkin’ ‘bout the doc just then.

He felt her eyes on the side of his face. “You wouldn’t complain if the Cap’n tried ta pierce your ear, would ya?”

Jayne shrugged again.

“Don’t reckon ya would. You’ve had worse.”

Jayne stopped an’ turned ta Kaylee.

“Is the only reason you talk ta me because I ain’t the doc? Because I’m all… manful an’… whatever it is you think you’re lookin’ for?”

Kaylee blinked up at ‘im.

“N-no.”

“’Cause it don’t really seem like you’re talkin’ ta me. Seems like yer not talkin’ ta him an’ I’m the closest one ta overhear ya.”

She just looked at ‘im.

Hadn’t meant to sound as mean as he did. Didn’ stop ‘im, though.

“I don’t want ta talk about him. I don’t want ta talk about what he is er ain’t er anythin’. I don’t want ‘im around. I don’t like ‘im. So when you get ‘im all outa yer system an’ feel like talkin’ ta me, let me know. It’s like I said last night. You an’ me an’ that’s all.” He softened his voice. “I’m greedy like that.”

Kaylee was chewin’ on her lower lip.

Jayne wanted ta reach out an’ touch her hair.

He didn’t.

“He knows, anyway.”

Kaylee looked up at ‘im, her mouth open a little.

“What’d you say to 'im?”

Jayne shrugged. “I didn’t say nothin’.” Not right to ‘im, anyway. “But he knows.”

Kaylee folded her arms an’ scuffed her shoe. She sniffled. Looked up at Jayne.

Broke his heart ta see her eyes all wet like that.

“I thought…” She shrugged an’ looked back down.

Jayne wanted ta hold ‘er. Wanted ta wrap her up an’ keep her safe an’ warm forever.

Instead he shrugged again. “I’ll be here.”

An’ he walked away. ‘Cause his words’d run out.

**author's note** i would just like you all to know that everyone's so damn emotionally constipated that it's pissing even me off. stupid fics that take on a life of their own.