Ficlet: Real food; No clue (Jayne/Wash, PG)
Title: Real food; No clue
Pairing: Jayne/Wash
Rating: PG
Words: 733
Summary: It's real food for once.
Notes: A while back, snoopypez wondered why there weren't more Jayne/Wash fics. I wrote a quick ficlet in her comments - this is that ficlet revised and a bit longer. I'm assuming here that Wash and Zoe weren't together when Jayne joined the crew.
Disclaimer: Clearly I claim no ownership to the Firefly 'verse or its characters; nor am I making money from this fic writing thing.
The new mercenary's been onboard Serenity a few days before Wash really takes a look at him. It happens at the dinner table, which is a little unusual, but then again, the new mercenary is unusual himself.
It's real food, for once. It's cold, because everyone else had eaten while Wash was in the cockpit, but at least they made sure to leave him some.
It's real food, real vegetables and soy protein marinated in some kind of spicy, salty, sauce that Kaylee whipped up. The noodles are thick and crisp, even though they're cold, and yeah, that's real ginger in there too.
There are three whole dumplings on the side, and Wash is pretty sure they're stuffed with real pork.
He's so absorbed in his food, his bowl of tasty delights, that he doesn't notice when Jayne walks into the room. Even when he sits down, Wash barely looks up. He's eating, and thinking about what he can do for Kaylee to thank her for this.
He only gets diverted from his food when Jayne digs into the big bowl on the table. It's mostly empty now, its contents in Wash's own bowl. Or in his mouth. But still, it's the principle of the thing, and he has to say, "Hey!"
"What?" Jayne's already got his chopsticks in his mouth.
"You had yours!"
"Just cleanin' out the bowl, little man. Captain says I've got the run of the kitchen."
It's annoying, but hell, as long as Jayne doesn't start in on Wash's bowl, he can ignore it. Anyway, it's fun to watch Jayne concentrating on cleaning out the bowl, his expression determined. He's so focused it makes Wash wonder how often he's missed lots of meals in a row. So Wash just sits and watches, eating his own food, and generally just being happy about it.
It's while he's eating the last dumpling that something clicks. Specifically, that something is the way that Jayne's licking his chopsticks. He licks them slowly, carefully.
"Er. Jayne," Wash says, after a few moments. He's unable to look away.
"Yeah?" Jayne looks up from the bowl.
"You really know how to use chopsticks." Because he really does. Wash can't help but watch as Jayne's tongue licks out to get every trace of the thick sauce coating the cheap, rough wood of the chopsticks. He's savouring, that much is clear.
Jayne looks at him like he was slow. "I just joined up with this here crew, so maybe you don't know that I ain't no retard. I kin use utensils good as I can fire a gun."
There's no disputing that, though Wash is willing to bet that Jayne can't spell utensils. Not that this particularly matters. "I can see that."
Glaring at him, Jayne picks up another morsel of noodle, and sticks it in his mouth, pulling the chopsticks back out slowly. Around the food, he asks, "So what's yer problem?"
Wash sits back and takes a little more of his own food. "No problem. Just saying howdy. Making conversation. Be friendly."
"You got a funny way of doin' that, little man."
"I've got funny ways of doing lots of things," he says, just before taking another mouthful. He waggles his eyebrows suggestively as he chews.
Jayne just frowns at him, mouth full of still more food. "Yeah?"
"I'm a man of many talents. I can make people laugh in all kinds of situations." He pauses, let's his voice drop down a little. "Leave them gasping."
"What?" Jayne's expression is mostly blank, and only slightly confused.
It's almost enough to make Wash just give up altogether. No one on this boat ever picks up on subtle clues. He has to bash them over the head with everything. All the time. Looks like Jayne isn't going to be much of an exception, though that was hardly surprising. So he tries the more direct route. "You want to see my bunk?"
"Yer bunk."
He grins. "I could show you around the ship."
"Captain already did that."
"I could give you a refresher. Show you the places Mal may not have pointed out. Bet he didn't show you my bunk. I can guarantee a personalised tour. I've got some interesting things down there." He leans forward, gesturing vaguely with his chopsticks.
But Jayne just points at the food bowl. "Eatin'."
Right. Wash sighs and returns to his own bowl.
Pairing: Jayne/Wash
Rating: PG
Words: 733
Summary: It's real food for once.
Notes: A while back, snoopypez wondered why there weren't more Jayne/Wash fics. I wrote a quick ficlet in her comments - this is that ficlet revised and a bit longer. I'm assuming here that Wash and Zoe weren't together when Jayne joined the crew.
Disclaimer: Clearly I claim no ownership to the Firefly 'verse or its characters; nor am I making money from this fic writing thing.
The new mercenary's been onboard Serenity a few days before Wash really takes a look at him. It happens at the dinner table, which is a little unusual, but then again, the new mercenary is unusual himself.
It's real food, for once. It's cold, because everyone else had eaten while Wash was in the cockpit, but at least they made sure to leave him some.
It's real food, real vegetables and soy protein marinated in some kind of spicy, salty, sauce that Kaylee whipped up. The noodles are thick and crisp, even though they're cold, and yeah, that's real ginger in there too.
There are three whole dumplings on the side, and Wash is pretty sure they're stuffed with real pork.
He's so absorbed in his food, his bowl of tasty delights, that he doesn't notice when Jayne walks into the room. Even when he sits down, Wash barely looks up. He's eating, and thinking about what he can do for Kaylee to thank her for this.
He only gets diverted from his food when Jayne digs into the big bowl on the table. It's mostly empty now, its contents in Wash's own bowl. Or in his mouth. But still, it's the principle of the thing, and he has to say, "Hey!"
"What?" Jayne's already got his chopsticks in his mouth.
"You had yours!"
"Just cleanin' out the bowl, little man. Captain says I've got the run of the kitchen."
It's annoying, but hell, as long as Jayne doesn't start in on Wash's bowl, he can ignore it. Anyway, it's fun to watch Jayne concentrating on cleaning out the bowl, his expression determined. He's so focused it makes Wash wonder how often he's missed lots of meals in a row. So Wash just sits and watches, eating his own food, and generally just being happy about it.
It's while he's eating the last dumpling that something clicks. Specifically, that something is the way that Jayne's licking his chopsticks. He licks them slowly, carefully.
"Er. Jayne," Wash says, after a few moments. He's unable to look away.
"Yeah?" Jayne looks up from the bowl.
"You really know how to use chopsticks." Because he really does. Wash can't help but watch as Jayne's tongue licks out to get every trace of the thick sauce coating the cheap, rough wood of the chopsticks. He's savouring, that much is clear.
Jayne looks at him like he was slow. "I just joined up with this here crew, so maybe you don't know that I ain't no retard. I kin use utensils good as I can fire a gun."
There's no disputing that, though Wash is willing to bet that Jayne can't spell utensils. Not that this particularly matters. "I can see that."
Glaring at him, Jayne picks up another morsel of noodle, and sticks it in his mouth, pulling the chopsticks back out slowly. Around the food, he asks, "So what's yer problem?"
Wash sits back and takes a little more of his own food. "No problem. Just saying howdy. Making conversation. Be friendly."
"You got a funny way of doin' that, little man."
"I've got funny ways of doing lots of things," he says, just before taking another mouthful. He waggles his eyebrows suggestively as he chews.
Jayne just frowns at him, mouth full of still more food. "Yeah?"
"I'm a man of many talents. I can make people laugh in all kinds of situations." He pauses, let's his voice drop down a little. "Leave them gasping."
"What?" Jayne's expression is mostly blank, and only slightly confused.
It's almost enough to make Wash just give up altogether. No one on this boat ever picks up on subtle clues. He has to bash them over the head with everything. All the time. Looks like Jayne isn't going to be much of an exception, though that was hardly surprising. So he tries the more direct route. "You want to see my bunk?"
"Yer bunk."
He grins. "I could show you around the ship."
"Captain already did that."
"I could give you a refresher. Show you the places Mal may not have pointed out. Bet he didn't show you my bunk. I can guarantee a personalised tour. I've got some interesting things down there." He leans forward, gesturing vaguely with his chopsticks.
But Jayne just points at the food bowl. "Eatin'."
Right. Wash sighs and returns to his own bowl.