Fic-Teacup [#5, River/Jayne, Firefly, PG]

[walkwithheroes]

[#5, River/Jayne, Firefly, PG]

 

Theme: 5. The effect of impact on stationary objects
Character/s or Pairing: Jayne Cobb/River Tam
Series: Firefly
Rating: PG
Notes I don’t own them. Light spoilers for ‘The Message’ and ‘Serenity Part 2’.

 

Teacup

 

Mal had pissed someone off, again. Jayne had figured that much out, because Mal and Zoe had come running back onto Serenity and that had been followed by Wash getting the boat off the ground. Twenty minutes later, Serenity was dodging a whole group of ships. Wash was flying with ease and like the pro he was, but still the ship was shaking something awful. Kaylee and Simon were in the engine room, trying to keep the ship from giving them all whiplash, but it really didn’t seem to be helping.

Jayne found River in the dinning room, sitting calmly in a chair and staring straight ahead at a teacup that someone had left on the table. The teacup was shaking, but had yet to fall off the table.

“Yer brother know where ya are?” Jayne questioned her as he grabbed onto the wall to keep from following.

“No.” Came River’s reply. Though, she didn’t look at him nor did she seem to really notice that he was there. “Simon, simple Simon, isn’t here.”

Jayne’s brow was briefly knitted in confusion, but he decided to ignore River‘s crazy speak. “Wash’ll git us outta this. Little man’s gotta us outta worse. Reavers, crocked cops, he’s out flown ‘em all.” He tried giving her a small smile, but River’s eyes were locked on the tiny teacup.

Jayne made his way over to a chair and somehow got himself in it without falling flat on his face. The mercenary strapped himself in and noted that River wasn’t strapped down. Girl really was a creature of grace and balance to not fall over; the ship was shaking like it might crash any second.

“I hear music, it’s kicking and screaming.” River whispered, more to herself then to Jayne. Her dark chocolate eyes were still on the teacup and Jayne wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or to herself.

Around them, Serenity moaned and creaked. Crazy girl was talking about the way the ship sounded. “It’s okay.” Jayne told her simply. “Wash’ll git us outta this, wit’ a little help from Kaylee and Simon.”

“Yes.” River paused and seemed to be listening to something that only she could hear. “Don’t be afraid.”

Jayne made a face. “Ain’t afraid, little crazy girl.”

River seemed to be ignoring him again. The teacup was near the edge of the table, but it had yet to fall. She was watching the damn thing in the same manner that she had stared up at the lights in the bar a couple of weeks before. “I know River’s gone. She’s getting left behind, with all the dreams and wishes of childhood. She gets confused and lost. There’s secrets and rooms with metal; things that don‘t make sense.” She glanced over at him and smiled sadly. “Don’t take it away. Don’t leave me alone in the dark.”

“Little girl, no one’s gonna leave ya.”

“Did before.” She stared deeply into his blue eyes; so deeply that she appeared to be looking into him and not just at him. “Burn the witch.”

“Now that weren’ ‘cause…the preacher he got all shot up an’…” Jayne wanted to explain to River, but all the word were coming out wrong. He made a face and growled: “We came back f’r ya an’ yer brother, didn’ we? I helped wit‘ that, ‘cause yer crew, girl.”

River gave him a look, as if to tell him that he was lying and she knew it. “Liar.” Before Jayne could respond, River gave him a bored look and turned all of her attention back to the stupid teacup. Around them, the ship jerked.

He watched her as she watched the teacup. His mind was filled with questions about what River was thinking; lately his mind was almost always filled with thoughts of what River was thinking or doing. Jayne wasn’t in love with her or anything, that much he knew. It was just…she made him nervous, uncomfortable, down right twitchy. It was enough to make him wonder why. Was it just because she was a mind reading genius that could kill them all in their sleep or was it something else?

Jayne opened his mouth, but closed it again. River was in a trance over the gorram teacup and she wasn’t about to listen to anything he had to say. ‘Sides, he really had nothing to say to her and if he did say something, she’d just say something crazy right back.

The ship jerked again. Jayne was about to make his way to the bridge and ask if they were going to actually die this time, when static came over the comm system. Mal’s voice filled the ship a second later: “We’re good, people. Coming in for a landing, prepare yourselves.”

Serenity made her way in for a landing; the landing was smooth. Jayne was about to unstrap himself, when he noticed that River had sucked in her breath and was leaning forward. Jayne watched her as she watched the table.

As if on cue, all the dishes on the table fell, though the teacup somehow fell last. The tiny thing shattered into a ton of tiny pieces. Beside Jayne, tears began to stream down River’s face.

“It got taken away.” She whispered to him sadly.

Jayne’s response was to unstrap himself. He turned his body to face River and awkwardly put a hand on the side of her face. Jayne moved River’s hair back and offered her a small smile. “We could git ‘nother one.” He offered. Then, after a beat. “A better one.”

River moved away from his touch, sniffed, and then looked at him through her mess of hair. “It wouldn’t be the same. Will you help fix it? It’ll never be what it was before, but the cracks and brokenness could be less. Simon will help, he has the glue and you have the hands.”

Before Jayne knew what was happening, he heard himself say: “Yeah, yeah, I’ll help ya and Simon fix the teacup.”

He couldn’t tell with her mess of hair covering her face, but Jayne was nearly certain that River was smiling at him. She stood and slowly made her way to the spot where the teacup had fallen. Jayne watched as she gracefully picked the pieces of the broken teacup up and gently placed them back onto the table. Jayne grabbed a small basket from beside the chair and made his way to join River on the floor.

“We’ll pu’ the pieces in ‘ere.” He told her. This time when River looked at him, Jayne knew she was smiling.

Comments

[princess-s.livejournal.com]

Meep! He's so sweet, he has no clue whats going on, but he still helps!!

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

:) Yes, Jayne does seem to turn into a sweetheart around River.

[calijirl5150.livejournal.com]

Nice analogy - River = Broken Teacup. Like how River says Jayne's hands will fix it, ya know she wants Jayne LOL

Great job. & sorry about the comment mix-up LOL

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I always liked anaogies and River's a great character for them. And yes-River wants Jayne.

[realdedanaan.livejournal.com]

I like how she wasn't just referring to the teacup and that, as usual, Jayne didn't get it. ^_^

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, Jayne still doesn't totally get what River is saying, but he'll start to.

[purpleskyfly.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!


POOR RIVER...er I meant TEACUP!

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Well, Jayne'll help put the broken River...er teacup back together. :)