Kaylee was flirtin’ with him, he thought.

Long before the doctor came on board him, Mal and Wash had catalogued all the little signs that said Kaylee were flirtin’.

The little dress she was wearin’ went swish, swish as she walked showin’ off her pretty legs. She was lookin’ at him from under her lashes and givin’ him that coaxin’ grin. Her eyes were all starry like and her smile was more sultry than sunny. He’d seen all the little tricks she used on fellas, just never thought she’d be usin’ them on him.

But maybe he was wrong; Kaylee had never showed any interest in him.

Until that time at the Heart of Gold he’d never thought of Kaylee and him together. Liked her too much, she was his friend. Sex ‘n’ workin’ together never worked too well he thought. ‘Sides he’d never liked complications.

Course he’d looked and had a few thoughts. Who wouldn’t? The girl was beautiful through and through.

He never known anyone, ‘cept his Ma, and she sorta had to, forgive him for everythin’. Kaylee might snap at him, be disgusted at him and the very next day, or sometimes even sooner, she’d be back smilin’ and chattin’ again.

Maybe Kaylee was just bein’ friendly, he didn’t always understand girl folk. Be best to ask what she was up to.

“Ya flirtin’ with me Kaylee?” he asked.

Kaylee was surprised that Jayne had already noticed what she was doing. She’d only just started her ‘please-flirt-with-Kaylee’ campaign.

Her smile widened and she purred “Yeah Jayne, I am.”

*******************

“Bi zui.” the captain was standing there “What’s with all the yelling, can hear you all over the boat.”

Jayne never yelled at Kaylee, an occasional snap, maybe a few arguments but no yelling.

“Jayne’s tellin’ me I can’t go out alone dressed like this.” Kaylee glared at the big merc like an angry kitten.

“I didn’t say dressed like that” Man was gorram near snarling.” I said with your arm like that ya’d be an easy mark.”

“Um, well I hate to agree with Jayne, but he’s right.” Both of them looked at him dumbfounded. “It’s a rough planet out there Kaylee and with that broken arm you would be an easy mark. But seeing as I’m going out for a drink, you can come with me.”

Kaylee tossed her head and ignoring Jayne completely followed the captain out the door.

“Ni shi bai chi” Jayne said to himself. He’d been downright shocked when Kaylee had said she was flirtin’ with him and wanted to go out on the town. He’d have no problem goin’ out with her as a friend, but as somethin’ else. No.

He knew he’d hurt Kaylee’s feelins’, had seen it on her pretty face. Couldn’t explain his reasons to her, couldn’t explain ‘em to hisself, since he didn’t know what they were. He’d just reacted and they’d ended up yellin’ at each other.

He sighed and made his way to the weight bench in the cargo bay. May as well work out while he was waitin’ for them to come back, try and think out an apology for Kaylee.

*************************

If he’d walked in on Zoe and Wash arguing like that he would have thought it a lover’s quarrel, but Kaylee and Jayne, he didn’t think so.

Kaylee was stamping along beside him muttering to herself with a cross expression on her face. If she stamped any harder she’d break an ankle. “Do you want to tell me what all that was about?”

“I made a pass at Jayne.” Stamp, stamp. “Gorram dummy!”

“You” the captain felt light-headed “made a pass at Jayne.”

“Yes Captain, lots of girls do, ya know. But ya don’t have to worry, he said no.” Kaylee was still smartin’ ‘bout that.

The man had acted like she had the plague or somethin’. ‘Course she had sort of sprung it on him all unexpected like. And she knew, if he had the chance, Jayne liked to be able to think over things.

Still he had no right, Kaylee thought indignantly, to be tellin’ her what to do. She was goin’ with the captain and find some fellas who would dance ‘n’ maybe do other things with her. She’d have no trouble there, never had any problems attractin’ men, ‘cept the one’s she really wanted. She was tired of waitin’ around. So she was goin’ back to bein’ the Kaylee she was before, before the doctor came on board, before gettin’ interested in the mercenary.

No need to be thinkin’ on Jayne anymore.

Bi zui = shut up Ni shi bai chi = you are such an idiot