The only reason Mal was out n' 'bout the compound was he'd taken Shadow t' get some exercise. 'twas the first time since all the gorram jīng shén cuò luàn with 'em Reavers n' such had taken place that Mal'd gone so far from Serenity. He hadn't wanted t' leave none o' his crew far from his long arm 'r his eyes, e'en Simon, but t'day he just felt as though he needed some o' the distance.
Found he didn't get much o' that in the compound kitchen. Mal'd no sooner poured himself a drink n' began t' sip it 'fore he caught sight o' Jayne workin' on somethin'.
"Are m' eyes deceivin' me?" he asked, steppin' closer t' Jayne. "'r are y' actually formin' words n' such with that there pencil?"
Jayne looked up and scowled. "I'm writin' a letter t' my ma." Then he remembered there was some stuff about Mal in the letter, and with his usual lack of subterfuge, covered it with his hand.
"What're you doin' off th' ship, anyway? Gettin' bored or somesuch?"
Mal didn't miss the lack o' subterfuge, not by nothin'. Tiltin' his chin a touch t'ward the letter, he quirked a brow but said nothin' 'bout it. He could certainly bide his time where that there letter was concerned.
"Oh, nothin' o' the sort," he said casual-like, rockin' back on his heels. "Came checkin' t' see y' weren't blowin' thin's up. Went by the inventory this mornin' n' saw a few o' y'r grenades were missin'. Put two n' two t'gether, that's all."
He was bluffin', but Jayne didn't need t' know that.
"There's grenades missin' 'cos I was usin' 'em to kill Reavers. You remember 'bout the Reavers, Mal? I know it was a whole week ago and you're an old man, but you c'n remember if y'try real hard." Jayne rolled his eyes.
"Oh, but I ain't talkin' 'bout those grenades," Mal said automatically. "'m talkin' 'bout others. I took int' 'ccount what we used t' fend off 'em gorram Reavers."
Quirkin' a brow all expectant-like, Mal tapped his foot.
Most times 'twas easier'n makin' Kaylee cheerful t' pull a fast one o'er Jayne, but sometimes when he was bein' particularly thick-headed, Mal had no choice but t' give up 'fore he wasted a few few rounds 'r bruised his knuckles 'r somethin' gettin' out the frustration o' dealin' with a bullet head.
"Nothin', 'pparently," Mal said sullenly, sittin' down quick-like 'n the chair opposite Jayne. Jerkin' a thumb 't'ward the paper, he added, "Writin' t' someone?"
"I just told ya, I'm writin' t' my ma," Jayne said impatiently. "I think somethin's come loose in your brainpan, Mal. You get hit on th' head or somethin'?"
Actually, Jayne was convinced that something'd gone wrong with Mal's brainpan a long time ago. Right around the time he started shacking up with River Tam.
Jayne snatched the letter away before Mal could get ahold of it. "Since when did you care 'bout what I got t' say t' my ma? Ain't none o' your business nohow."
He suddenly remembered how they'd all spied on Mal talking to Inara that one time. But that was different. (Wasn't it?)
"Aw, hell." Jayne slapped the letter back on the table. "Go 'head an' read it. But remember you're th' one that wanted to go pokin' your nose in other folks' business."
Mal merely grunted as the letter was slapped on the table. Pullin' it close, Mal leant t'ward it n' got t' readin'. Weren't like the letter'd e'er be delivered if'n they were stranded here fore'er, but Mal still hoped that someday they'd get back t' the black where they belonged.
When he got t' the part 'bout River n' him takin' a fancy t' her, Mal's jaw clenched somethin' awful. He didn't say nothin' 'bout it, but he sure as hell filed that 'pinion o' Jayne's 'way for later.
Surely there'd be use for it later.
When he was done, Mal shoved the letter back at Jayne, bitin' down a comment pointin' out that Jayne himself were pokin' in other folks' business by that River comment in his ma's letter.
"Would be real nice t' have Zoe n' Wash here 'gain," Mal said finally, eyein' Jayne steadily.
Found he didn't get much o' that in the compound kitchen. Mal'd no sooner poured himself a drink n' began t' sip it 'fore he caught sight o' Jayne workin' on somethin'.
"Are m' eyes deceivin' me?" he asked, steppin' closer t' Jayne. "'r are y' actually formin' words n' such with that there pencil?"
[jīng shén cuò luàn = insanity]
Reply
"What're you doin' off th' ship, anyway? Gettin' bored or somesuch?"
Reply
"Oh, nothin' o' the sort," he said casual-like, rockin' back on his heels. "Came checkin' t' see y' weren't blowin' thin's up. Went by the inventory this mornin' n' saw a few o' y'r grenades were missin'. Put two n' two t'gether, that's all."
He was bluffin', but Jayne didn't need t' know that.
Reply
Reply
Quirkin' a brow all expectant-like, Mal tapped his foot.
"Older...old...man."
Reply
"What th' hell are you gettin' at, Mal?"
Reply
"Nothin', 'pparently," Mal said sullenly, sittin' down quick-like 'n the chair opposite Jayne. Jerkin' a thumb 't'ward the paper, he added, "Writin' t' someone?"
Reply
Actually, Jayne was convinced that something'd gone wrong with Mal's brainpan a long time ago. Right around the time he started shacking up with River Tam.
Reply
Made him a touch jealous out o' the blue, knowin' Jayne still had a Ma t' write home t' while he didn't. Ma 'n Shadow were long gone.
Reply
He suddenly remembered how they'd all spied on Mal talking to Inara that one time. But that was different. (Wasn't it?)
Reply
Reply
Reply
When he got t' the part 'bout River n' him takin' a fancy t' her, Mal's jaw clenched somethin' awful. He didn't say nothin' 'bout it, but he sure as hell filed that 'pinion o' Jayne's 'way for later.
Surely there'd be use for it later.
When he was done, Mal shoved the letter back at Jayne, bitin' down a comment pointin' out that Jayne himself were pokin' in other folks' business by that River comment in his ma's letter.
"Would be real nice t' have Zoe n' Wash here 'gain," Mal said finally, eyein' Jayne steadily.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment