Competition: Part 3

Aug 10, 2006 19:05

Title: Mal’s Dilemma
Series Title: Competition
Author: Jayneswoman
Rating: PG13
Fandom: Firefly
Word Count: 810
Summary: Malcontent: Jayne and Mal compete for River’s affection.
Warning: The aim of Malcontent is to put Mal through as many painful situations as possible.
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. I’m just borrowing his characters for fun!!

Authors Note: Thanks to
bookaddict43 for betaing.

And thanks
romanceguru for the Mal/River/Jayne plot bunny!

Remember, this story has been posted to the Summer of Malcontent over at
firefly_fiction community.
So I think you can guess that Mal's gonna suffer!!!!

Go To Organisational Post Here



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

Mal’s Dilemma

Mal was looking for River. He wanted to continue the conversation they had earlier. Grinning, he rubbed his cheek, remembering the kiss she had given him, a kiss filled with promise. He knew there was an attraction between them, and knew that the Doc would not be best pleased that Mal had designs on his little sister. But she wasn’t so little any more, she was quite a woman.

“Shepherd, ya seen River?”

“I wanted to talk to you about her. We had a very interesting conversation earlier, which started me thinking about special hells and all manner of things, about her being too young, and any relationship between you being inappropriate. The position of Captain gives you authority over her, and you can’t take advantage of that, that and the fact that she looks up to you, wants guidance from you. She’s always seen you as a surrogate father figure, but she told me you can’t be that any more, so she gave me that responsibility. A responsibility I take very seriously.”

“So what exactly did River tell ya?”

“She told me that two rivals were competing for her.”

“Huh? What does she mean?”

“Told me that both you and Jayne are competing for her affections.”

“Jayne?”

Book nodded, “Seems you have a rival in love, and River hasn’t decided who she chooses. So I suggested that she spends equal amounts of both of you, telling you that you are competing for her, asking you both to let her know why she should choose you. Then she can make up her own mind.”

“But, Jayne?”

“They’ve been getting awful close lately. Laughing and joking together, and dare I say it, flirting.”

“So, she’s with him.”

“I don’t know, she left in an awful hurry, in the general direction of the cargo bay.”

“Thanks, Shepherd.”

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

Mal walked down to the cargo bay, and saw Jayne kissing River, and worse she was kissing him right back. Passionately. They drew apart and laughed, high on the exhilaration of their mutual attraction. Jayne whispered something in her ear and they went right back to kissing. Mal sighed. How could he compete with that? Jayne was sweeping her off her feet, fulfilling every young girl’s fantasy of being swept away on a tide of passion. And he knew every woman on this boat thought Jayne was swai, judging by the female crew members usually standing on the walkways whenever the man worked out.

Mal cleared his throat. Jayne and River immediately jumped apart, and Mal smiled that he had broken up their little love fest.

“Captain Mal, I need to talk to you,” River said, needing to clear the air between them.

“Reckon ya do, lil albatross, an’ I need ta talk ta Jayne.”

She rested her hand on his arm, “No fighting, Captain.”

“No fightin’, River darlin’,” Mal smiled at her.

Jayne tensed at hearing Mal call her a pet name. River turned to him, “No fighting, Jayne,” she warned, squeezing his bicep.

“No fightin’, River girl,” Jayne squeezed the hand still on his arm.

“Come find me after you have challenged each other,” she told Mal first.

Then she said to Jayne, “See you after I have explained things to Captain Mal.”

She walked out of the cargo bay, down to the engine room to visit Kaylee.

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

Shepherd Book explained to me what’s happened,” Mal told Jayne.

“Shepherd Book? How does he know?”

“Guess there’s a lot River hasn’t explained.”

“Well, ya can s‘plain now.”

“We’re in competition against each other for River.”

“What d’ya mean? I’m the only one interested in River.”

“As it happens, that’s not exactly true.”

“You?” Jayne snorted, “She thinks of you as her Daddy on this boat.”

“Well, explain to me why she’s asked Book to be her father figure, now I can’t be that to her.”

“She said that, to Book and to you?”

“Guess ya were too busy kissin’ fer her ta tell ya that.”

Jayne grinned, “She’s a mighty good kisser. Might just well convert me ta the pleasures of kissin’ on the mouth.”

Mal drew himself up and brought back his hand to slug him one.

“Now, Captain, didn’t ya promise River no fightin’?”

“Gorram hun dan,” Mal muttered under his breath.

Jayne bristled, “What d’ya call me?”

“Hun dan,” he repeated, louder this time.

“Lookin’ fer a fight, Mal?”

River had slipped in quietly, unnoticed. She touched Jayne’s shoulder, “You promised, no fighting,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

“Mal was gonna hit me.”

She shook her head as she led Mal away.

Jayne hung his head in shame, he had disappointed her, again. Mal was a better man by far. She was sure to choose the security of an ai ren who was a Captain, rather than a rough and ready Mercenary who could git killed at a moments notice.

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

To be continued…

Next chapter: River's Explanations

competition, river, rayne, malcontent, plot bunny, angst, jayne, firefly, mal

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