One-Shot: Wuthering
Firefly one-shot
pre-Rayne
The crazy girl was scuttling around like some gorram, moony-brained cockroach. Jayne continued cleaning Vera, but kept one eye on the little pest, just in case she was in a mind to try anything.
She crept up to the table, staring ahead at something no one else could see. After a moment, just before Jayne was going to snap, she announced, "Could not sleep." Her voice lowered. "They will not catch me tonight."
He grunted, a little relieved that she seemed to mean no harm. "Nightmares?"
"Horrors, ghouls, phantasms... I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas.(1) They scratch at my door - but must not let them in." She climbed on top of the table, bringing her legs to her chest. She was closer to him than He'd like, but far enough away that he wasn't any more unsettled than he usually was around her.
"Yeah, well don't expect me t' be any comp'ny." He glared at her fiercely. "Soon as 'm done cleanin' Vera, I'm goin' t' get some shut-eye."
"Rendering yourself temporarily blind? You are not plagued by the demons."
"Had a nightmare or two in my time, ya crazy thing. Jus' not of'en."
"No, not often." She scooted an inch closer. "Dreams soft and warm, filled with home and woman-flesh."
"And how would you know that, ya gorram moonbrain? Stay outta my head."
"Not my fault," she muttered petulantly. "Invasion of privacy is unintentional."
They were silent after that for a long moment. Until River, tapping out some complicated rhythm on the table-top said, "Tell me about Vera."
He brightened immediately. "Yeah, she's great, innint she? I - "
"No. Not gun - the namesake."
"How'd you know about her, crazy?" He scowled and said, "I ain't talkin' 'bout her, sos you best not bring it up again. Dong ma?"
Her tiny little hand stretched out and gently touched the gun barrel with the very tips of her fingers. "Should have called it Cathy."
"Cathy? Don't know any gorram Cathy."
River huffed, letting a thick breath out through her nose. "Parallels. The name brings you pain. One Vera cannot replace the other." With unseeing eyes, she stared at his gun. "She left you for richer, more stable. Loved greatly, but family didn't approve - life with you too uncertain."
"Jus' shut the hell up," he barked angrily. "I don't wanna hear it - an' if you ever say anything else about this, I ain't above slappin' you around."
"Heel," she said sternly, bopping him on the nose.
Jayne was struck completely speechless. "You little... Did you just ruttin' bop me?"
"Punishment suitable to the crime," she observed coolly. "Will not tolerate being 'slapped around' no matter how angry you might be." Her eyes softened and she patted his stubbly cheek in a childishly reassuring way. "Couldn't leave the resentment behind; once thought him something like a friend. But not Linton's fault she chose him over you."
"Look, girly, ain't no such person in my life as Linton. Now ya mighta got Vera's story outta my head, but I don' know - "
"Parallels!" she told him angrily. "Ape-man is being obtuse."
"Ain't no ape ya creepifyin' little... creeping cockroach thing."
She slammed her hand down on the table and said "Squish!" with a little giggle.
Jayne rolled his eyes. "With I could, crazy. Really wish I could."
"No! Too many bones! I am not exoskeletal!"
Jayne scowled. "Okay, crazy, I ain't gonna squish ya. Now why don't you - "
"Shh!" She held up a hand for silence. "The good doctor approaches."
And sure enough, a moment or two later a heavy-eyed, shirtless Simon came stumbling in. He stopped short when he spotted Jayne and his sister at the table. "Mei-mei," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I thought you were in bed."
"Simple Simon. Couldn't sleep." She gave Vera's barrel a little pat. "Heard a song - learned a history. Meet Catherine Earnshaw." She grinned up at him. "He calls 'er Vera."
Simon smiled drowsily as he went and grabbed a quick midnight snack. "That always was one of your favorites. Come to bed soon, okay? I'll check on you in a few minutes." He yawned. "Goodnight mei-mei; goodnight Heathcliff."
As he walked back out, Jayne growled. "Oh, fer th' love o' - Not him, too! You're all crazy!"
***
1: piece of Cathy-dialogue from Wuthering Heights
written 25 July 2008
-ILB
***
pre-Rayne
The crazy girl was scuttling around like some gorram, moony-brained cockroach. Jayne continued cleaning Vera, but kept one eye on the little pest, just in case she was in a mind to try anything.
She crept up to the table, staring ahead at something no one else could see. After a moment, just before Jayne was going to snap, she announced, "Could not sleep." Her voice lowered. "They will not catch me tonight."
He grunted, a little relieved that she seemed to mean no harm. "Nightmares?"
"Horrors, ghouls, phantasms... I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas.(1) They scratch at my door - but must not let them in." She climbed on top of the table, bringing her legs to her chest. She was closer to him than He'd like, but far enough away that he wasn't any more unsettled than he usually was around her.
"Yeah, well don't expect me t' be any comp'ny." He glared at her fiercely. "Soon as 'm done cleanin' Vera, I'm goin' t' get some shut-eye."
"Rendering yourself temporarily blind? You are not plagued by the demons."
"Had a nightmare or two in my time, ya crazy thing. Jus' not of'en."
"No, not often." She scooted an inch closer. "Dreams soft and warm, filled with home and woman-flesh."
"And how would you know that, ya gorram moonbrain? Stay outta my head."
"Not my fault," she muttered petulantly. "Invasion of privacy is unintentional."
They were silent after that for a long moment. Until River, tapping out some complicated rhythm on the table-top said, "Tell me about Vera."
He brightened immediately. "Yeah, she's great, innint she? I - "
"No. Not gun - the namesake."
"How'd you know about her, crazy?" He scowled and said, "I ain't talkin' 'bout her, sos you best not bring it up again. Dong ma?"
Her tiny little hand stretched out and gently touched the gun barrel with the very tips of her fingers. "Should have called it Cathy."
"Cathy? Don't know any gorram Cathy."
River huffed, letting a thick breath out through her nose. "Parallels. The name brings you pain. One Vera cannot replace the other." With unseeing eyes, she stared at his gun. "She left you for richer, more stable. Loved greatly, but family didn't approve - life with you too uncertain."
"Jus' shut the hell up," he barked angrily. "I don't wanna hear it - an' if you ever say anything else about this, I ain't above slappin' you around."
"Heel," she said sternly, bopping him on the nose.
Jayne was struck completely speechless. "You little... Did you just ruttin' bop me?"
"Punishment suitable to the crime," she observed coolly. "Will not tolerate being 'slapped around' no matter how angry you might be." Her eyes softened and she patted his stubbly cheek in a childishly reassuring way. "Couldn't leave the resentment behind; once thought him something like a friend. But not Linton's fault she chose him over you."
"Look, girly, ain't no such person in my life as Linton. Now ya mighta got Vera's story outta my head, but I don' know - "
"Parallels!" she told him angrily. "Ape-man is being obtuse."
"Ain't no ape ya creepifyin' little... creeping cockroach thing."
She slammed her hand down on the table and said "Squish!" with a little giggle.
Jayne rolled his eyes. "With I could, crazy. Really wish I could."
"No! Too many bones! I am not exoskeletal!"
Jayne scowled. "Okay, crazy, I ain't gonna squish ya. Now why don't you - "
"Shh!" She held up a hand for silence. "The good doctor approaches."
And sure enough, a moment or two later a heavy-eyed, shirtless Simon came stumbling in. He stopped short when he spotted Jayne and his sister at the table. "Mei-mei," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I thought you were in bed."
"Simple Simon. Couldn't sleep." She gave Vera's barrel a little pat. "Heard a song - learned a history. Meet Catherine Earnshaw." She grinned up at him. "He calls 'er Vera."
Simon smiled drowsily as he went and grabbed a quick midnight snack. "That always was one of your favorites. Come to bed soon, okay? I'll check on you in a few minutes." He yawned. "Goodnight mei-mei; goodnight Heathcliff."
As he walked back out, Jayne growled. "Oh, fer th' love o' - Not him, too! You're all crazy!"
***
1: piece of Cathy-dialogue from Wuthering Heights
written 25 July 2008
-ILB
***