Jayne wrinkled his nose. Lifted up a hand ta bat at whatever it was that was ticklin’ it.

His hand hit somethin’ soft. He closed his fingers around it and opened his eyes.

“Whatcha doin’ that fer?”

Kaylee’s head was tipped ta the side. She wiggled her fingers that was all wrapped up in Jayne’s hand. “I’m hungry.”

Jayne stretched and rolled onta his side, pullin’ Kaylee against ‘im so their bodies fit perfect together, her back ta his front. He tightened his arm around her waist an’ closed his eyes again. “No ya ain’t.”

She laughed and squirmed in a way that made Jayne near see stars. “It ain’t my fault you didn’t sleep last night.”

Jayne sighed an’ slipped his hand under her shirt. Trailed his fingers real light across the scar in her belly. “The hell it ain’t.”

Kaylee slipped her hand over his. “I didn’t force ya ta stay awake an’ watch me… all creepy-like.”

Jayne could hear the smile in her voice. He smiled back eventhough she couldn’t see. “Guess it’s yer mama’s fault fer makin’ ya so pretty.”

Kaylee shifted an’ rolled onta her back. Jayne opened his eyes an lifted up on his elbow so he could look down at ‘er.

She was still smilin’. Jayne liked makin’ her smile.

She reached up with one hand an’ touched his cheek. Slid her fingers down his jaw.

She slid her fingers behind his neck an’ pulled him down, leanin’ up ta meet him halfway. She kissed ‘im again. Sucked his lower lip between her teeth in that way that made him go all funny inside.

He slid his hand down her side an’ grabbed her hip. He couldn’t help but scowl when she pulled away.

“I’m hungry.”

Jayne sighed and rolled back onto his back. He stretched again. Kaylee was watchin’ him.

She slid her hand up his shirt an’ leaned over ta kiss his ear. “So swai.”

“Mm.” Jayne pulled her back on top of him. “Swai enough ta get that fool idea about eatin’ outa yer head?”

Kaylee giggled. “A girl can’t live off Jayne alone.”

Jayne raised his eyebrows. “Won’t know ‘til you’ve tried.”

She pretended ta hit his shoulder. He pretended it hurt.

She rolled off him an’ walked over ta his mirror. She stood there a bit, tryin’ ta make sense of the hair Jayne’d spent all night mussin’ up. He rolled onta his side ta watch her. After a bit, he got up an’ walked over ta her. He stood behind her an’ wrapped his arms around her. Kissed the side’ve her head.

She smiled at him in the mirror.

“This is weird.”

“Yer hair?”

She laughed. “No. This. Us. Me an’ you.”

Jayne’s eyebrows dropped.

“Not a bad weird! Just… yanno.” She shrugged. “Unexpected.”

Jayne let go’ve her an’ stepped away. “You ain’t never pictured yerself with me?”

“Well… no. Not until… I don’t know. Maybe.”

Jayne turned away an’ headed toward his bed.

“Don’t get all mad!” Kaylee caught his wrist. Jayne turned ta her. “I ain’t complainin’.” She smiled.

Hard ta feel ornery with a smile like that around. But Jayne tried.

She leaned up an’ kissed him real light.

Jayne cleared his throat ta hide his smile. “Better get up there before someone eats all that de-lightful protein we’ve got.”

Kaylee grinned. “I ain’t hungry.”

“You ain’t?”

Kaylee shook her head an’ leaned up ta kiss him again.

***

It was past lunch when they finally made it into the kitchen. River an’ the doc was sittin’ in the little room off ta the side. The doc got up an’ pried River’s fingers off his wrist from where she’d grabbed ‘im. He walked up ta Kaylee an Jayne.

“Afternoon.”

If looks coulda killed, Jayne wouldn’t’ve been around ta hear what the doc said next.

“Kaylee, I think we should talk.”

Jayne stepped forward. “Reckon yer talkin’ right now.”

The doc didn’t even look at Jayne. “Alone.”

Jayne snorted.

Kaylee stepped up beside Jayne. “Ain’t much privacy on this boat. May as well talk in the open, seein’ as everyone’ll hear anyway.”

The doc folded his arms. “Fine.”

Kaylee put her hands in her pockets an’ looked at the ground.

No one said nothin’.

Jayne let out a breath. “This is talkin’?”

The doc looked over at ‘im. “Shut up, Jayne.”

“Don’t you tell him ta shut up.”

The doc turned back ta Kaylee. “Jayne? JAYNE? Out of all of the people in the universe, you leave me for JAYNE?”

“Out of everyone on this BOAT, which ain’t got a lot of options, as I recall you tellin’ me once, yes. I left you for Jayne.”

That stung. Jayne looked over at Kaylee. “You picked me ‘cause you ain’t got options?”

Kaylee looked at ‘im. “That’s not what I meant.”

The doc broke in. “You had plenty of options! Mal. And… um… Inara.”

Kaylee snorted. “Inara?!”

“Or you just could have stayed with me.”

“No, I couldn’t have.”

Jayne was still on what Kaylee’d said about options.

“Why not, Kaylee? Why? Because I’m not… manly enough for you? Because I’m not… smelly and… gun-wielding and… what does he have that I don’t?”

Kaylee folded her arms. “Me.”

That shut the doc up for a bit. Made Jayne feel a little better, too. ‘Cept the bit he’d said about bein’ smelly.

The doc’s voice was real quiet when he spoke again. “But why?”

“Because you never saw her.”

The doc turned around. Jayne’d forgotten Crazy was even sittin’ there.

She had her hands folded in her lap an’ was lookin’ down at them. She looked up.

“Even when she was over you. Under you. You never saw her. Not with your brain.”

The doc took a step toward her. “River…”

“Your brain was here.” She pointed to her head. “You looked. But you were too busy to see.” She turned her eyes ta Jayne. “Jayne sees. Even when he looks somewhere else, he sees.” River smiled. She looked back at the doc. “You accepted.” She turned back ta Jayne. She pulled her knees up to her chest an’ wrapped her arms around them. Her smile got bigger. “Jayne loves.”

Her smile dropped an’ her face turned stern as she looked back at the doc. “Don’t be selfish.” She put her feet on the ground an’ stood up. She walked over ta the doc. She took his hand. “Come on. Let’s go look at my brain.” She smiled at him like it was some kinda treat an’ pulled him out the door.

Jayne just stood lookin’ at the place where she’d been sittin’.

“You love me?”

Kaylee’s voice was real quiet.

Jayne couldn’t look at ‘er. Wasn’t sure why. He cleared his throat. “Yep.”

They stood in complete silence for a bit.

“I didn’t pick you because my only other options were Mal an’ Inara.”

He glanced at her outa the corner’ve his eye. “Thanks.”

“Want some soup?”

Jayne turned an’ looked at ‘er. He smiled. “Sure.”