Title: For You

Rating: PG

Synopsis: It’s Simon and Kaylee’s first Valentines Day out in the black

Timeframe: After the movie.

Disclaimer: This story is not meant to infringe on the copyright of any person or company related to the trademarked characters and situations depicted in the Serenity movie or Firefly series. I make no money from this. OnIy done for fun - and a desperate craving to have more stories told about this wonderful ‘verse Joss Whedon created.

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Happy thoughts permeated Kaylee’s entire being; thoughts of Serenity, happiness and love – and of Simon. She smiled in her sleep, wrapping her arms around herself, content to linger in the fantasy world that was her dreams. She sighed and rolled over, intending to snuggle closer to the man whose bed she’d been sharing – or was it the other way around? – for the better part of a month. When she found the space next to her cold and empty, her eyes fluttered open and confusion passed across her face as she looked around the small room. She glanced at the clock in the little cubby by the bed and yawned. It was too early to be up and yet he was gone. Discouraged, but too tired to do anything about it, she snuggled against his pillow, inhaling the musky scent of him that clung to the material, and went back to sleep.

When she woke again a few hours later, he was still nowhere to be found. Kaylee slipped out of bed and dressed slowly. They’d been so exhausted when they went to bed last night they’d only had enough energy to cuddle and fall asleep in one another’s arms. And while that was certainly sufficient at times, the ache to feel the more intimate connection between a man and a woman filled her body. A smile spread across her face when she noticed something lying on her dresser table on the far side of the room. She padded barefoot over to it and gasped when she noticed a carved wooden box she’d never seen before sitting beside a handwritten note.

She opened the box and gasped. Inside were three of the largest, reddest strawberries she had ever seen. Her eyes brightened as she read Simon’s note.

“For my true love on this special day.”

She folded the note and pressed it to her chest, her eyes fluttering closed. “Oh, Simon.” Closing the box– they would share the fruit together later – she finished dressing and made her way to the kitchen.

Everyone was sitting at the table eating somewhat quietly and discussing the next job, when she arrived. Serenity was sitting on Greenleaf right now, having landed too late last night to go into town to conduct their business.

Inara smiled as Kaylee entered and Jayne looked up with his usual smirk. River smiled happily at her and even Mal had a small smile. Zoe’s attention was focused on her plate and Mal.

“The doc can’t let ya out a bed to eat chow on time?”

Kaylee cocked her head and opened her mouth to speak when Mal slapped the merc’s arm.

“Leave ‘er alone.”

Jayne frowned and River smiled smugly.

“Pretties. Go find him.” River winked conspiratorially at Kaylee, her comment drawing everyone’s attention.

“I think I will.” Kaylee walked through the dining area and to Simon’s bunk – rarely used these days. Finding the room meticulously clean and empty, she continued to the infirmary. He wasn’t there either and she frowned. Instead, she had one more place to check. If he wasn’t there, she would go ask someone else to help her look for him.

As she walked along the catwalk to the engine room, she smiled at the gift Simon had left for her. She wasn’t sure when he had been able to get off the ship, much less find and even afford those strawberries. They weren’t common and the Captain didn’t pay him much. And he had River to look after. But she was going to thank him right proper when she saw him next.

A sweet fragrance hit her as she approached the entrance to the engine room and she looked around sharply for the source of the smell – and for Simon. She frowned when she didn’t see him, but then she noticed an unusual spot of brightness in her hammock. Sitting in the arms of one of her little stuffed bears was a single red rose.

Kaylee’s eyes widened when she lifted it to her nose and its sweet aroma wafted around her. And then something else caught her eye. Sitting on her cluttered worktable was a whole vase of them!

Tears pricked her eyes as she walked to the table and leaned her nose into the bouquet. “Oh, Simon,” she whispered, carefully placing the stem she’d lifted from her hammock into the vase.

She didn’t hear or see him until one arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against his chest. With his free hand, he moved her hair to one side and bent to press his mouth to the soft curve of her neck.

“Happy Valentines Day, bao bei,” he whispered against her ear. He nuzzled her cheek with his and continued, forcing the sadness out of his voice. “I’m sorry I can’t give you more. One day –“

She whirled around, startling him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Momentarily startled, he simply stood there, until her tongue darted into his mouth snapping him out of his immobile state. Then he met her eager kiss with one of his own and his hands slid down the outside of her thighs to cup her backside. He pulled her against him, delighting in the feel of her body pressed against his.

They kissed for a good long while, nipping and biting at one another’s lips until Simon leaned away to look into her eyes.

In them he saw the welling of tears and was hesitant to ask, despite her apparent happy mood. He hadn’t been so good at making her happy in the not-so-distant past. “So they’re not –“

“They’re beautiful!” Kaylee kissed him again and then hugged him tightly. “No one’s ever given me flowers before.”

Simon pressed his lips to her temple and then cupped her cheeks in his hands, his eyes incredulous. “Never?” With his thumbs, he gently brushed away the tears that escaped large, bright hazel eyes.

She shook her head and he bent to kiss away those tears. “I would fill your room with them if I could.”

”Don’t have ta do that.”

He leaned his head against the side of her cheek, a sliver of melancholy filling his heart. In his old life he could have showered her with any form of flowers, jewels or silks he could find. Now, all he could afford to get Kaylee was a bouquet of roses and a few strawberries.

He kissed her ear and whispered, “You deserve so much more. I just wish I could give –“

She pulled away suddenly, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t you even, Simon Tam!”

He closed his mouth and blinked at her as she continued.

“You done everything for River. Gave up your fancy life, money, all to help her. No one I know coulda been so selfless.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. “I don’t want nothin’ from you but you.”

Simon smiled despite his solemn mood. How he had ever deserved this bright ray of sunshine in his life he didn’t know. Only that he would cling to her for the rest of his life if she let him.

“I want you too, bao bei. So much.” He leaned in and pressed a reverent kiss to her lips, mouth sliding to her neck as she tilted her head.

“You have me,” Kaylee whispered, clutching his shoulders as his mouth pressed against that spot on her neck that always sent tremors straight down her spine. She held him for a long moment before rubbing her hips against his, smiling when she was rewarded with a long, low groan. “How ‘bout havin’ me right here?” She wiggled her eyebrows at him as he warily met her gaze.

A low chuckle erupted from his throat. “Not getting caught in here again. River has seen enough of her big brother’s sex life to last me two lifetimes.” He pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth and let his lips travel, stopping briefly to nibble on her ear.

Kaylee shuddered as his hot breath against her ear sent tremors of delight and longing through her body. “River’s eating.”

“Not here.” Simon insisted, pulling away so that she could see the determined look he tried to force into his eyes.

“Okay. Okay.” Kaylee caved. If he wanted privacy, she would find it. She swept the vase off her worktable with one hand and clutched his hand with her other. “We’ll go to your room. It’s closer.”

A wide smile spread across his face and he let his gaze linger on her backside as she pulled him toward his bunk. “Anything you want, Kaylee.”

She stopped then and turned to look at him, desire simmering in her beautiful eyes. For a moment, Simon thought he’d said something wrong and his heart turned nervously in his chest. But when she smiled that big, sunny smile at him, he knew he was wrong. “Got all I want right here, Simon.”

He smiled into her eyes, that swai smile that always weakened her knees, and squeezed her hand. “So do I, Kaylee. So do I.”

END