Competition: Part 6
Title: Upping the Stakes
Series Title: Competition
Author: Jayneswoman
Rating: PG13
Fandom: Firefly
Word Count: 1045
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 River/Jayne/Mal 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!!!!
*************************
Upping the Stakes
Jayne was mad enough to spit. He thought he had gotten the best of Mal by getting up close and personal with River in his bunk, but now the Captain had outdone him.
Mal was taking River to some fancy shindig in Capital City. He and River had spent the day together getting outfits for the evening, and Jayne was explaining to Shepherd Book why he was less than pleased.
“He’s bin with River all day buying fancy clothes an’ shoes, an’ he’ll be with her all this evenin’. I thought we was supposed ta be sharing River’s time, all fair an equal. What Mal’s doin’, well them sure ain’t kosherized rules!”
“I agree, Jayne. If Mal spent the whole day with River today, then you should have a whole day with her too. Do you have any idea where you could take her for a day?”
“Well, I have a few,” Jayne smirked.
“Anywhere other than a whore house or hotel.”
“How about a picnic? On ma home planet, there’s a real nice place with pastures that go on fer miles, an’ ya can ride horses, an’ there are plenty o’ shady trees ta sit under, an’ even a swimmin’ hole, if’n it’s sunny.”
“Sounds perfect. River loves the outdoors.”
“We just need a reason ta go ta go ta Kerry.”
“How about asking the Captain if you can visit your family, then you could take River to visit them, and take her riding and on this picnic too, maybe even stay the night, if they’ve got room.”
“Xie-xie, Shepherd.”
“Jayne, this isn’t just a competition between you and the captain is it?”
“Wha’d’ya mean?”
“Do you have feelings for River?”
Jayne nodded, “Reckon they’ve bin buildin’ fer sometime now. Just never noticed it ‘till I saw her fightin’ them Reavers on Miranda.”
“So you want to build a life with her, take care of and protect her.”
“Reckon she don’t need much protectin’,” Jayne grinned.
“It’s true, in some ways River is stronger even than you or I, but in others, she still needs to be looked after and protected.”
“I know what ya mean. Like when she hears them voices, an’ they git too loud in her head. The Doc reckons she needs medication ta calm her, but I seen her control her fears with ma own eyes. She done that herself, just by lookin’ into ma eyes and breathin’ deep an’ slow along with me.”
“Sounds like you have a way with that girl, and a healin’ touch.”
Jayne blushed, “Ain’t nothin’.”
“I think it’s quite something, and River would be a lucky woman to have you looking out for her.”
*************************
“Bao-bei, ya havin’ a good time?” Mal asked.
River nodded, “But she’s missing Serenity.”
Mal bristled, “Just Serenity, or the people on it?”
River shuddered with the strength of Mal’s jealousy, “Both,” she whispered.
“Ya cold?” He took off his Browncoat and slipped it across her shoulders, slowly rubbing her arms to warm her up.
Shivers of another kind travelled up and down her skin wherever he touched her.
“Let’s go back and get changed.”
River’s eyes lit up, “Back to Serenity?”
Mal nodded. “Kaylee and Inara can help ya get all dressed up.”
“To please my suitor,” she whispered.
*************************
“How was your date with the Captain?” asked Kaylee.
“Very pleasurable,” sighed River.
“Did he hold ya hand?”
“He let her rest her hand in the crook of his arm.”
“How romantic,” Kaylee sighed.
“What is ‘romantic’?” asked River.
“When a man does little things to make you smile, just because he knows it will please you.”
River smiled, “Like when Jayne winks at her and makes her laugh.”
“Or when the Captain takes you to a ball, and buys you a lovely dress to wear to it,” explained Inara, her heart aching that Mal was taking River, and not her, to the ball.
“They are both very romantic. But how does she decide? She must choose one.”
“River, we can’t choose for you. It’s up to you,” Kaylee told her.
River sighed. “The decision is very hard. Many pros and cons for both candidates.”
“Perhaps you’d like to talk it through,” Inara suggested.
“A women’s moratorium to weigh the pros and cons of prospective suitors, very appropriate.”
“Do you know what she means, ‘Nara?” whispered Kaylee.
“She just wants to tell us how she feels. Talking it through may help her decide: Jayne or Mal.”
Kaylee grinned. “You can tell us about Jayne and Mal as we get you dressed.”
“This is acceptable.”
“So, who do you want to start with: Mal or Jayne?”
River looked up with a winsome smile on her face, “Jayne,” she sighed.
Kaylee and Inara just looked at each other and smiled. The choice, the look and the sigh spoke volumes, more than a thousand words ever could.
“Jayne admires her; his eyes dilate and his heart beats faster whenever they are together. He gives her chills. He always wants to kiss and touch whenever they are alone together. Now she feels chills in anticipation of the next touch. He wants to protect her, but thinks she has no need because she is so strong. She wants to show him she needs protecting in her heart, not her body. She feels safe with him. He takes good care of her and helps her through her pain. He is the healer of her heart.”
Inara nodded. “I see. What about Mal?”
“Mal is strong in his heart and mind but he has been hurt many times before. He doesn’t want to overwhelm her; doesn’t let her feel the chills like Jayne. He wants to protect her heart and body, but is afraid. Afraid she will break again. Wants to love her but Mal holds back. Does not know what to do when she breaks; calls Simon who shatters her with his needles. Jayne is not afraid. He picks up the pieces, makes her whole, gives her everything, and does not hold back.”
“Do you know who to choose?”
“Jayne is strong and full of chills. Mal is courageous, yet full of fears.”
“River, if you have made a choice, you must tell Mal and Jayne.”
“No decision, only an uncomfortableness,” said River, unconsciously quoting Jayne.
*************************
To be continued...
Next Chapter: Quality Time
Series Title: Competition
Author: Jayneswoman
Rating: PG13
Fandom: Firefly
Word Count: 1045
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 River/Jayne/Mal 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!!!!
*************************
Upping the Stakes
Jayne was mad enough to spit. He thought he had gotten the best of Mal by getting up close and personal with River in his bunk, but now the Captain had outdone him.
Mal was taking River to some fancy shindig in Capital City. He and River had spent the day together getting outfits for the evening, and Jayne was explaining to Shepherd Book why he was less than pleased.
“He’s bin with River all day buying fancy clothes an’ shoes, an’ he’ll be with her all this evenin’. I thought we was supposed ta be sharing River’s time, all fair an equal. What Mal’s doin’, well them sure ain’t kosherized rules!”
“I agree, Jayne. If Mal spent the whole day with River today, then you should have a whole day with her too. Do you have any idea where you could take her for a day?”
“Well, I have a few,” Jayne smirked.
“Anywhere other than a whore house or hotel.”
“How about a picnic? On ma home planet, there’s a real nice place with pastures that go on fer miles, an’ ya can ride horses, an’ there are plenty o’ shady trees ta sit under, an’ even a swimmin’ hole, if’n it’s sunny.”
“Sounds perfect. River loves the outdoors.”
“We just need a reason ta go ta go ta Kerry.”
“How about asking the Captain if you can visit your family, then you could take River to visit them, and take her riding and on this picnic too, maybe even stay the night, if they’ve got room.”
“Xie-xie, Shepherd.”
“Jayne, this isn’t just a competition between you and the captain is it?”
“Wha’d’ya mean?”
“Do you have feelings for River?”
Jayne nodded, “Reckon they’ve bin buildin’ fer sometime now. Just never noticed it ‘till I saw her fightin’ them Reavers on Miranda.”
“So you want to build a life with her, take care of and protect her.”
“Reckon she don’t need much protectin’,” Jayne grinned.
“It’s true, in some ways River is stronger even than you or I, but in others, she still needs to be looked after and protected.”
“I know what ya mean. Like when she hears them voices, an’ they git too loud in her head. The Doc reckons she needs medication ta calm her, but I seen her control her fears with ma own eyes. She done that herself, just by lookin’ into ma eyes and breathin’ deep an’ slow along with me.”
“Sounds like you have a way with that girl, and a healin’ touch.”
Jayne blushed, “Ain’t nothin’.”
“I think it’s quite something, and River would be a lucky woman to have you looking out for her.”
*************************
“Bao-bei, ya havin’ a good time?” Mal asked.
River nodded, “But she’s missing Serenity.”
Mal bristled, “Just Serenity, or the people on it?”
River shuddered with the strength of Mal’s jealousy, “Both,” she whispered.
“Ya cold?” He took off his Browncoat and slipped it across her shoulders, slowly rubbing her arms to warm her up.
Shivers of another kind travelled up and down her skin wherever he touched her.
“Let’s go back and get changed.”
River’s eyes lit up, “Back to Serenity?”
Mal nodded. “Kaylee and Inara can help ya get all dressed up.”
“To please my suitor,” she whispered.
*************************
“How was your date with the Captain?” asked Kaylee.
“Very pleasurable,” sighed River.
“Did he hold ya hand?”
“He let her rest her hand in the crook of his arm.”
“How romantic,” Kaylee sighed.
“What is ‘romantic’?” asked River.
“When a man does little things to make you smile, just because he knows it will please you.”
River smiled, “Like when Jayne winks at her and makes her laugh.”
“Or when the Captain takes you to a ball, and buys you a lovely dress to wear to it,” explained Inara, her heart aching that Mal was taking River, and not her, to the ball.
“They are both very romantic. But how does she decide? She must choose one.”
“River, we can’t choose for you. It’s up to you,” Kaylee told her.
River sighed. “The decision is very hard. Many pros and cons for both candidates.”
“Perhaps you’d like to talk it through,” Inara suggested.
“A women’s moratorium to weigh the pros and cons of prospective suitors, very appropriate.”
“Do you know what she means, ‘Nara?” whispered Kaylee.
“She just wants to tell us how she feels. Talking it through may help her decide: Jayne or Mal.”
Kaylee grinned. “You can tell us about Jayne and Mal as we get you dressed.”
“This is acceptable.”
“So, who do you want to start with: Mal or Jayne?”
River looked up with a winsome smile on her face, “Jayne,” she sighed.
Kaylee and Inara just looked at each other and smiled. The choice, the look and the sigh spoke volumes, more than a thousand words ever could.
“Jayne admires her; his eyes dilate and his heart beats faster whenever they are together. He gives her chills. He always wants to kiss and touch whenever they are alone together. Now she feels chills in anticipation of the next touch. He wants to protect her, but thinks she has no need because she is so strong. She wants to show him she needs protecting in her heart, not her body. She feels safe with him. He takes good care of her and helps her through her pain. He is the healer of her heart.”
Inara nodded. “I see. What about Mal?”
“Mal is strong in his heart and mind but he has been hurt many times before. He doesn’t want to overwhelm her; doesn’t let her feel the chills like Jayne. He wants to protect her heart and body, but is afraid. Afraid she will break again. Wants to love her but Mal holds back. Does not know what to do when she breaks; calls Simon who shatters her with his needles. Jayne is not afraid. He picks up the pieces, makes her whole, gives her everything, and does not hold back.”
“Do you know who to choose?”
“Jayne is strong and full of chills. Mal is courageous, yet full of fears.”
“River, if you have made a choice, you must tell Mal and Jayne.”
“No decision, only an uncomfortableness,” said River, unconsciously quoting Jayne.
*************************
To be continued...
Next Chapter: Quality Time