Fic: Defenses

[ana_sedai]

Title: Defenses
Author:
ana_sedai
Disclaimer: Well, duh!
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,244
Summary: Accepting love also means accepting the possibility of loss.

Ficathon Prompt: For
_angels_touch_- 1) River warning Kaylee about Simon, 2) Assassin!River, and 3) River reading Mal’s mind on accident, then pissed-off-hunk!Mal.

Notes: This thing sort of took on a life of its own, which is one of the reasons why it’s so late. It’s my first action story (or at least, it’s my first story that has any significant action in it.) In addition, it’s the longest story I’ve ever written. Feedback is God, I mean, good! ;)

Acknowledgements:
jazzfic, I thank you profusely for your mega-beta.  This story would not have been the same without you, so I am extremely grateful.  
n0m_de_plume, you have my sincerest apologies for the delay. I will not let it happen again, if I can at all help it. 
_angels_touch_, your prompts gave me a wonderful framework to work with. I hope this is to your liking, and that I did these characters justice.

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

Mal wasn’t always sure about a lot, but there were two things that he knew to be absolutely true: life went on, and it could always get worse. Oddly enough, that knowledge had brought no bitterness, only a sense of resignation combined with a dose of amused cynicism. Not the most cheery combination, to be sure, but it compensated for that by being unflinchingly embedded in reality. And what the hell, it had worked for him so far. There were few things that really put him off-balance.

Then, of course, River Tam had come into his life. From then on, “off-balance” pretty much described his normal state of being.

Life post-Miranda had somehow managed to lurch along for the past few months, but it had been tough. Everywhere he looked there were reminders of how much things had changed.

Zoe marched through the ship with military precision, face set into a permanent expression of determined stoicism. She hadn’t exactly been the most jocular of people even before Wash had died. Now that he was gone, all her laughter appeared to have died with him. He wished he knew what to do for her, but he was afraid the only one who could’ve known was now buried on a distant planet.

Jayne was still Jayne, albeit a slightly quieter one. Shepherd Book’s death and the decimated planet had hit him with a one-two punch, and his brashness had been toned down a factor or two. While no one would be nominating him for a Most Tactful award, he now sometimes waited a whole two seconds before opening his mouth to complain about something. Fortunate for him, as Mal’s temper was still set a few notches higher than it had been before the ‘verse had turned upside down, and Jayne would be lucky to survive if it blew.

As for Inara, well, she’d been gone near two months. She had tried to fit back into the home she’d once had, but too much had changed. She had been more subdued than he could ever remember her being, and despite her continued presence on the ship, she’d seemed a million miles away most of the time. If he could’ve put a word to her manner, he might have said she’d been lost. He understood why she’d left. Her entire world had been ripped away from her in less than a day, and she’d been trying to find some way to get her bearings. He hadn’t been surprised when she’d finally figured out that she wouldn’t find them here.

Simon and Kaylee were together, of course. For a while there, Mal had thought he should be walking around with a blindfold over his eyes. He’d never actually walked in on them doing it, but it’d been close enough that he’d finally put his foot down, and ordered that they restrict any, and all, clothing removal to the dubious privacy of their bunks. Simon had turned a very interesting shade of red, but Kaylee, impish as always, had just grinned at him and said, “No problem, Cap’n. More fun there, anyway.”

Mal had decided he really didn’t want to think about what that might mean. Still, he hadn’t had the heart to work up much annoyance. At least two people on his boat were happy, despite the circumstances. He’d take what he could get.

Then there was River herself.

Of all the people on the ship, she was the one who had changed the most, or perhaps the least. He supposed it depended on how you looked it at. Purging Miranda’s poison from her mind had revealed a will and character stronger, and at the same time more fragile, than any he’d ever known. There was true wisdom behind those searching eyes of hers. There was power in her tiny frame. And there was a spirit in her that was almost otherworldly.

But despite all that, she was still normal in most ways. She teased her brother, helped Kaylee out when she needed another pair of hands in the engine room, or sometimes just sat in the cockpit, gazing at the stars. She piloted too, and while he would rather jab splinters under his fingernails than admit to it, she was better at it than he was.

She was as much a mystery to him as ever, though, and lately she’d been making him all sorts of uncomfortable. Wasn’t her fault, though, at least not entirely. It wasn’t fair to blame dreams on her, no matter how disquieting they were.

In one, he was floating through perfectly silent, empty space, with only the cold silent stars for company. Except for her. She was there too. She took his hand and taught him how to dance among those same stars, still silent, but now warmer somehow.

In another he’d dreamed that she had become Serenity, as she’d done when Early had invaded. Except in this one, she really had been the ship, not just pretending. It should have been creepifying in the extreme, but it wasn’t. She whispered in his mind, comforted him; spoke to him of peace and freedom. He’d felt safe.

Oh yeah, disquieting was most certainly an understatement. And since coffee had lately become his drug of choice to combat self-inflicted lack of sleep, this may have explained his rather short temper regarding River’s present request.

“Please tell me you didn’t just tell me what I think you told me, albatross,” he said in a weary tone.

He massaged the bridge of his nose and wondered why one measly job couldn’t for once just go smooth. They were berthed at Eavesdown docks on Persephone, about to head out to meet Badger, who would hopefully give them their pickup spot for whatever illegal cargo he’d latched onto this time. Considering it would be their first paycheck in three weeks, he’d been hoping they would avoid any undue unpleasantness. Ha.

River just looked at him calmly. “I said I need a gun, Captain. You know he can’t be trusted, know I can tell when action is needed. It’s much easier to act when I don’t have to touch them. Ergo, a projectile weapon is required.”

River, little River, was laying all this out as matter-of-fact as if it was some kind of gorram lesson in logic. That she was right didn’t make him any more comfortable with it. Girl like her shouldn’t have to deal with a bai lei like Badger, anyhow. Not that she’d take kindly to his feelings on this.

“You know you don’t have to come with us. Badger may be a psychotic low-life, but he ain’t stupid. I’m guessin’ he needs us. Most likely couldn’t find anyone else to take this job, else he wouldn’t touch us with a ten-foot pole. Necessity like that tends to make a man somewhat more conciliatory.”

Besides, if there was any truth to what he'd heard about Badger's reaction to her the last time they'd met, he’d prefer to avoid punching out the little weasel before they’d gotten paid.

She grimaced at him. “Stop trying to protect me. Simon does that enough.”

Mal narrowed his eyes. “Thought we discussed you pokin’ in people’s minds. You said you wouldn’t, and I trusted that. Don’t make me regret it.”

She looked crestfallen for a second and then hung her head. Damn, he hadn’t meant to be that harsh. Awkwardly, he put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze.

“I know you can take care of yourself, an’ I know you could handle Badger. But you’re not Jayne, and you’re not Zoe. You’re my pilot, and a pilot’s place is with the ship. Your job’s to make tracks in case your feng le captain and crew get themselves in a heap a’ trouble. Dong ma?”

She nodded, but didn’t look up. He continued. “Doesn’t mean I won’t ever take you on jobs, but in this case, I’m keener on havin’ a quick getaway than a teensy assassin for backup.”

She looked up and smiled. Very softly, she said, “I want to keep my promise. Try to keep out. Sometimes things just come through. Emotions, strong ones. Especially when someone feels strongly for the person they’re feeling for.”

Mal swallowed. Why was her gaze always so gorram direct? “Sure thing, little one. No problem. Just you do your best, and I can’t ask for more’n that.”

Then he beat a hasty retreat to hunt down Jayne and Zoe. Strong emotions, huh? Damn. Coffee. He needed coffee.

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

An hour later, River and Kaylee were the only ones on the ship. Simon had gone out to find some supplies for his medkit, which meant the two girls could continue their friendly jacks rivalry in peace. River was good, naturally, but Kaylee had the benefit of years of practice on her side.

“So River, when’s your birthday? Simon’s never said, and I know it must be comin’ pretty soon.” She let the ball bounce and snatched up five jacks.

“Three weeks, two days, fourteen hours, and then I will be eighteen.”

Kaylee’s face lit up. “That’s right! You’ll be all grown up. Not that you weren’t before, a’ course, just that, well, you know…”

She looked a bit flustered. River took her hand.

“It’s fitting that I become an adult in age as well as in mind after I regained who I really am. I can appreciate it more.” She smiled. “But I don’t want protein cake.”

Kaylee grinned at her. “Not on your life! You only turn eighteen once, no way are we makin’ do with that la ji. I’ll talk the cap’n outta some chocolate if I have to promise him my first-born.” That last word made her falter somewhat.

River’s smile turned tender. She understood. “Simon loves you, you know. I can feel it. His thoughts feel soft and smooth whenever he sees you.”

“I love him too, River. So much it hurts sometimes.” She looked wistful. “I never thought about marryin’ before. Bein’ in love, sure, I knew how that felt, but never anythin’ that made me want to stay with one person the rest of my life. It’s scary.”

“Most good things are, sometimes even more than bad things. You can withstand the trials because they always end, sooner or later. But the good things, you want them to stay, would give almost anything to make them stay. And sometimes they end, too.” River’s eyes turned dark with simultaneous painful memory and present longing.

It was Kaylee’s turn to understand. “Captain’s a stubborn man. He don’t like latchin’ himself onto anything that might blow away. But I’ve seen the way he looks at ya sometimes. He feels somethin’. You gotta be the one to convince him, though, ‘cause he sure as hell isn’t the kind to make the first move.”

River nodded. She had figured that out about two seconds after she had realized that she loved him.

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

“Alright, Badger, we’ve dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s, so to speak. Now how’s about you tell us exactly where this super secret pickup of yours is?”

“Patience, Mal. Remember, no one likes a grabby customer.”

“Yeah, and no one likes bein’ told where to go and then have nothin’ to show for it, so let’s just finish this, get a drop-off point, and we’ll all be out of each other’s hair.”

Mal was liking this whole deal less and less by the second. Badger was even twitchier than normal, which was no mean feat, and the back of his neck was starting to prickle, which was sending out alarm bells of its own. He was beginning to really wish he’d brought River along, potential scuffle or no.

Badger attempted a look of wounded feelings, but he just ended up looking like he had indigestion. “Why Mal, one would think you suspected I wasn’t trustworthy.”

It took everything he had to keep a straight face instead of howling with laughter ‘til he busted a gut. “I do and you’re not. Now enough with the stall.”

All at once, Badger smiled at someone over Mal’s shoulder. “Ah, Mr. Keyes. Glad to see you could make it.”

Mal turned. And looked down. An extremely short, bald man in an extremely expensive suit with an extremely displeased expression on his face was looking him up and down (well, more up-like, actually) as if he were the sorriest steer at the meat market.

“This is who you’ve selected to move my cargo? I specifically request a discrete transport, and you call in the ‘verse’s Most Infamous?”

Mal’d say one thing for the tiny hun dan, what he lacked in stature, he made up for in sneering. He would’ve felt like punching him if he wouldn’t have had to kneel down to do it.

“Look mister, I appreciate your concern, but you got no cause to be fretting. Jobs we take money for always get done.” After all, they’d paid Niska back, hadn’t they? And then some. “You tell us where you want whatever it is you got, and it’ll get there.” Hopefully.

Keyes looked like he’d swallowed a lemon, but he snapped out, “Oh, very well. No time to find a replacement, anyway. Here’s half the payment. My cargo is two streets down, next to the marketplace, third warehouse on the left. Be there in ten minutes. You’ll receive your destination at that time.”

With that, he stomped out back the way he came. Mal got a fleeting image of midgets on parade. He flipped through the bills the diminutive shen shi had handed over. Not bad. His neck was still itching, though.

“See, Mal? No worries.” Badger was all smiles now, and that made him more nervous than ever.

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

Simon scanned the medical supplies being offered at the market stall, and let out a sigh of dismay. Pathetic. He’d much rather have gone to an actual supplies store, but their shoestring budget had begun to fray in the last few months, and the market was cheaper. Even with that, he’d be fortunate to afford half of what they needed, and there wouldn’t be anything left over for River’s present. Damn.

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

Mal drove the Mule, with Jayne and Zoe in back. He constantly scanned for anything that might even remotely resemble the possibility of a problem. So far, so good. He still kept the second of his two maxims in mind, though.

He pulled up to the warehouse where Keyes had said the cargo would be. Keyes was waiting outside, looking impatient. Mal had the impression that may have been his permanent expression.

“Right then. Captain Reynolds, the cargo is inside. I need it delivered to Sturgis Layden on Boros as soon as possible. You’ll receive the rest of your payment on delivery.”

He unlocked the door and then took himself off in what Mal considered a mite too hastily a fashion.

“Okay, Jayne, you and I’ll haul out whatever it is that’s in there. Zoe, you stand point. Let’s hope this stuff ain’t too heavy.”

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

Simon finally finished laying out the meager funds he had, and bundled everything up in his bag. Hopefully the bare necessities would hold them until Mal’s latest caper got them some extra spending money.

He was passing by the warehouses that lined the street when he saw the Mule parked outside one of them and Zoe standing next to it, looking watchful as she always did. He thought about going up to her, but decided they were most likely picking up their cargo, and she wouldn’t appreciate the distraction. He raised his hand to wave anyway, and then froze. Behind Zoe, a man was rising up from behind some crates, gun in hand.

“Zoe! Behind you!” he yelled. She didn’t hesitate. Crouching, rolling, and pulling her gun all in one movement, she shot at the same time her would-be attacker did. He missed. She didn’t. All of a sudden, there were shots being fired in all directions. Zoe dashed toward the open door of the warehouse, yelling for Mal and Jayne.

As he was about to make a run for the ship to warn the others, Simon felt a sudden punch in his side. He knew that feeling. As he collapsed to the ground, he dazedly wondered how it was possible for someone to get shot in the same place twice within the space of three months.

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

River was laughing with Kaylee over Simon’s recent attempt at cooking, when a sudden jagged lance of pain speared through her mind.

“Simon!” No. Not again. She couldn’t go through this again.

“River, what’s wrong?” Kaylee looked scared. River was already moving, running for Jayne’s bunk and the extra guns he stored. She quickly chose the lightest of the bunch, grabbed some bullets, and just as quickly raced for the open cargo bay doors.

“Simon’s hurt. The others are in danger.  Have to go help.”

“What do you mean? How bad’s he hurt?” Kaylee’s eyes were wild, but she desperately tried not to panic. “What can I do?”

“Just get the engine started. Be back soon. Shouldn’t take long.” And River took off at a dead run, a one-woman rescue mission in a flowy dress and combat boots.

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

He chu sheng za jiao de zang huo!

Qing wa cao de liu mang!

Mal was running through every curse he’d ever heard as he considered their options. They weren’t good. There were at least a dozen of them, they had a perfect line of sight to the warehouse door, and Simon was dead unless they got him back to Serenity hen kuai. Not to mention what the law’d do to them if they got here before they got away. Oh yeah, they were humped.

He wondered if River would figure out what was going on. He didn’t know the extent of her reading ability. Might not be able to pick things up from more than a few feet. Lovely.

Zoe and Jayne had taken positions on either side of the door.

“Sir, do we have a plan?” She didn’t sound too optimistic.

“Still workin’ the details.” This was true, since he didn’t as yet have any kind of idea that would require details.

“Mal, I gotta tell ya, we get out of this, I’m personally gonna rip Badger’s head off and stuff it up his pi gu.”

“Can’t say as I blame you, Jayne, but I’m a mite more concerned with actually gettin’ out of here at this particular moment.”

Suddenly he heard screams and a flurry of gunfire from outside.

“What the hell…?”

Sounded like a gorram free-for-all out there. But there was no more shooting in their direction, at any rate. He stood up and cautiously poked his head around the corner.

And saw his little River dancing and spinning between bullets as every single one of hers found its target. For a second all he could do was stand there with his mouth open. He’d seen her in action before, but in the Maidenhead he’d been too busy going for his gun to really see her, and all he’d seen of her encounter with the Reavers were the results.

This, this was truly terrifying beauty. She was no longer bound by gravity, it seemed. She jumped from crate to ground to Mule in one fluid motion, firing as she went. Behind boxes, around corners, on the roof, there must have been eight men shooting at her at once. Well, make that seven, six… He watched her move, the controlled fury of her, the fierceness.

Suddenly he felt the bottom drop out of his world, turn inside out, and resettle upside down. He saw her. Perhaps for the first time, he really saw her.

Oh God. Not now. I can’t handle this now please God…

“Gorram, that Crazy’s really somethin’, ain’t she?” Jayne’s admiring tone snapped him out of his stupor. Deal with it later, man.

“Yeah, really somethin’. C’mon, let’s move, people! Jayne, you get the Doc. Zoe, get the Mule. Take Jayne and Simon back to Serenity and get her prepped for launch. River and I’ll catch up.”

While Jayne slung the semi-delirious Simon into the Mule, Mal took up position and began doling out some violence of his own. By that point, there were only three left, but River had run out of bullets and was forced to seek cover with him.

He shot her a grin that he hoped looked somewhat more normal than he felt. “Weren’t sure you could pick up trouble long-distance. Had me kinda worried there for a second, albatross.”

“Felt Simon. Felt you. Both of them at once were too strong to miss.”

“Right. Strong emotion. Gotcha.” He cursed as a ricochet almost took off his ear. “I’ll tell you somethin’, River. We get outta this, and you can go on any job you damn well please.” She smiled, a great big one that lit up her whole face. He felt his heart twist inside his chest a little more.

He spotted some movement out of the corner of his eye. Ah, there was the last one. He took careful aim, fired, and watched as the last of their attackers took a nosedive into a horse trough.

“Right then. Let’s get, ‘fore anyone figures out who was here.” And he had to figure out how he was going to cope with this.

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

Twenty minutes found them out of atmo and headed for Boros. The only good piece of news in all this was that the cargo had been loaded on the Mule before the shooting started. Given that a significant number of individuals seemed to be hankering for the goods, Mal wanted them off his hands pronto.

Simon was in the infirmary, doped up but mostly still lucid.  Kaylee sat next to him, his hand clenched in hers. River hovered close by, worried but not wanting to intrude. Simon was hazily trying to convince Zoe to just sew him up

“Missed all the vital organs, went strai’ through, and didn’t nick any major art’ries. Couldn’t ‘a been shot in a better place if I’d tried.” Zoe had to stifle the tiniest bit of amusement at the normally precise man’s speech dysfunction.

“You’re the doc, Doc.”

His smile was loopy. “Sure am. Big damn doctor. River? You there?” She came to his side, her worry evident. “Did so well, mei mei. Wish you didn’ have to, though.”

“I am what I am. I do what I have to do, Simon.”

He nodded woozily. “Know you do.” He turned his head to peer at Kaylee. “Hey, Kaylee. Don’t cry, ‘kay? I’ll be fine…”

He finally passed out. Zoe shook her head ruefully and began efficiently stitching him up.

“He’s gonna be okay, right Zoe?” Kaylee face was pained, but there was hope in her voice.

“Yes, ai cheng, he’ll be alright. He’ll have another scar to add to his growin’ collection, but he should be on his feet in a couple of days.”

Kaylee bit her lip. “I was so scared, Zoe. River said he was hurt, an’ I panicked. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t know if I can lose him.”

Zoe finished the stitches and cupped Kaylee’s face with her hand, her own face hard, but kind. “Don’t go on worryin’ over things you don’t have a say in. You know better than that. Just be happy with what you’ve got while you have it.”

Kaylee’s smile was weak, but her gaze was strong as she nodded. “I will. I do.” She wiped her eyes and looked around to see if River wanted to talk. “River?”

River had silently left the room.

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

Later, River and Mal were piloting in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Mal was remembering how River had looked, like some whirling dervish similar to the wind-borne ones back on Shadow, which came and went almost before you could blink. You always remembered how it felt to be in one, though. It tugged at you from all directions, twisted you around ‘til you couldn’t recall which way was up. That was how he’d felt watching this girl…young woman. Funny thing was, he’d enjoyed chasing those dervishes as a kid, but the thought of chasing after River scared the ever-living la shi out of him.

Watching her, all of the mirrors he’d put in his mind to reflect only what he had wanted to see about her had shattered. He saw her now; all that she was, how he felt about her, everything. He didn’t know what to do. He had nothing to give her beyond this life, and while he knew that she was happy in it now, she was still young, little more than half his age. How could he ask her to give up all that she might ever be, just to go rampaging around the ‘verse with a beat-up old smuggler for the rest of her life?

For her part, River was remembering the feeling of absolute terror as she’d run from the ship to the warehouse. She’d been terrified that she’d be too late, terrified that when she got there all she would find were their bodies riddled with bullets. The thought of Simon’s death made her heart wither inside her chest, but the thought of Mal’s wasn’t one she could even bear to contemplate.

Genius she may have been, but her heart was the same as every other woman’s in love. Ironic, for so long all she’d wanted to be was normal, and when she received a small bit of normality at last, it was the one thing that had the power to utterly destroy her. It was the chance she had taken, falling in love with him. She had known it, accepted it, and she could never regret it.

But now she had to determine what to do. She glanced at Mal. His face was in profile, his expression tense. The cacophony of emotions practically radiating off of him in waves were of no help at all. It would be so easy to press, just a little bit…

“Don’t, River. Don’t even think about it.” Mal’s voice was hard, but shaky, like tiny pieces of flint. He turned to her, and she could have wept at the desperation she saw in his eyes. “You don’t want this, believe me.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause what I’m thinkin’ right now ain’t right. I don’t want you havin’ to deal with somethin’ that’s mine to sort out.”

“Please. Stop protecting me. What hurts you hurts me. Don’t have to be alone.” The longing she felt then, both from Mal and for herself, almost doubled her over.

Tears beginning to fall, she stood and held Mal’s face in her hands. Their eyes locked and she could see the battle raging in his heart and his mind. His hands came up and loosely grasped her waist, almost completely encircling it.

“Oh, River. River you’d better be damn sure you know what you’re askin’.” He sounded like a man who wasn’t sure if he was facing his execution or his acquittal.

“I am.”

“Then look. And God help us both.”

And River looked. She saw. And she knew.

Being in Mal’s mind was like swimming in an ocean, an ocean of thoughts and memories. She saw the child who had loved to ride with the wind in his face, the boy who had gone to war for freedom and honor, the man who had emerged broken yet not beaten by what he’d endured. She saw shattered hopes, disillusioned dreams, a relentless will, and a heart that, despite all, had not completely closed itself off. She saw pain, and longing, and desperation.

She saw herself, as Mal saw her, as he’d only recently allowed himself to, and was amazed. How can that be me? She was everything, woman, fighter, flyer, lover. She was light and dark, fragile and strong, crazy and sane. She was power, and eternity, and salvation. Everything washed over her all at once.

And then she felt it.

There it is.

She felt love.  Love in such a raw, pure form that it staggered her with its enormity.

Oh, Mal.

He watched her as she gazed into his soul, laid bare for her to scrutinize, all defenses down. What have I done?

A heartbeat or an age later, she collapsed into his lap, sobbing. He put his arms around her, holding her to him, silently rocking her as she recovered from what she’d seen. He had absolutely no idea what to say.

Eventually she stopped shaking, and she raised her face to his. He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the last of her tears. “You alright, little one? Kinda gave me a fright, you know.” His attempt at levity fell a bit flat. He was uncertain as to whether her breakdown was a good or bad thing. What was he supposed to think when someone read his thoughts and then fell all to pieces?

She nodded. Her eyes were still watery but her smile was bright. “Saw bits before, but never the whole. You’re beautiful.”

Mal chuckled, embarrassed. “Uh, thanks, but I gotta question your conclusions there. I’m a mean old man, remember?”

“Shouldn’t argue with a psychic genius.”

His smile faded as he took her in. She was radiant, no fear at all. “What’re we gonna do, albatross?”

“I love you, Mal. You love me. The rest will work itself out from there.”

“Oh, honey.” He traced her features with a gentle finger, heart aching. But he didn’t contradict her. “Love ain’t always enough. I’m a thousand different kinds of not good for you. You know that. This is what I am. This is probably all I’ll ever be.”

“Don’t want anything else, anyone else. My decision, not yours.”

He felt dazed. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“You saw me. You knew me. Saw what I could be, not just what I was. Like Serenity.  Broken, but you fixed her.”

“You fixed yourself, bao bei. Rest of us just tried to make things right.”

“And that’s what fixed me.” She put her fingers over his lips. “Stop fighting it. Accept it.”

With that, she softly pressed her lips to his. He started at first, eyes wide. This must’ve been her first kiss, but there was no hesitation, and only a bit of awkwardness that was disappearing quite rapidly. He let out a muffled groan and gave into it, into her. She tasted like all the things he’d never let himself want, and he wanted more. He snaked his arms back around her, crushing her body to his and kissing her so hard that he thought for sure some physical law about how two bodies couldn’t ever occupy the same space was being violated.

Eventually they broke away from each other, gasping. Mal chuckled a bit shakily, “Damn, girl.”

She grinned and snuggled into his chest, wanting to be a part of him. Sighing, she closed her eyes and breathed him in deeply. “You never said it, you know.”

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand her. “You already know, don’t you?”

“Means more when you say it, wu nei xin.”

He tilted her chin up, his deep blue eyes meeting her deep brown ones. He could see forever in her, and he was at peace.

“River-girl, xiao niao, I love you.”

The End

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Translations:

bai lei - degenerate
feng le - really crazy
Dong ma? - Understand?

la ji - garbage
hun dan - bastard
shen shi - gentleman

He chu sheng za jiao de zang huo! - Filthy fornicators of livestock!
Qing wa cao de liu mang!- Frog-humping son-of-a-bitch!

hen kuai - quickly
pi gu - rear end
mei mei - little sister
ai cheng - pet name, little one

la shi - crap
bao bei - treasured one
wu nei xin - my heart and soul
Xiao niao - little bird