Once Burned- Epilogue (Firefly fic: Mal/Simon/Jayne)
FIC: Once burned-Epilogue
Author: Ann
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing/character: Mal/Simon/Jayne
Warnings: Brief angst
Rating (This chapter): PG13
Completed Sweet Charity fic for denyce
Summary: Simon unknowingly commits an infraction that could have severe repercussions for himself, and the crew.
Thanks to bookaddict43 for the great beta. Translations in mouseover.
Previous chapters are found here
Mal was better with words, even if they did get him shot up sometimes. Better at words than Jayne anyhow; hell better than even Simon rutting well was, if Jayne thought on it. Captain had been the right person to speak to the doc, to make him the offer.
Shame Jayne hadn’t been there to see it, to hear Simon’s response though; the man‘s face had to have been a picture. One Jayne wished he could have seen. Might’ve been able to read too. Simon didn’t know how to keep himself hidden, wouldn’t’ve been hard to see where the man’s inclinations would lie. It was taking Simon too gorramn long to come up with a reply, longer than it had for him and Mal to think on offering themselves to him. Waiting around frustrated Jayne and It didn’t help that Mal was too busy sorting things through to get time for a quick rut.
Mal seemed sure the doc was going to lean their way, take them up on it whether it was one-time or more. But Jayne wasn’t so sure. Simon hadn’t stopped watching him, even if he’d backed off the chasing. Watched him with a more thoughtful look now, guarded rather than pissed, but didn‘t stray any closer. Didn‘t take up Jayne‘s jibes when he caught the doc‘s eye and let the words flow over his tongue, teasing and annoying Simon all at once. Simon didn’t come back with words that would get Jayne hard and wanting. He didn’t do more than watch.
It was harder to read him now, much as Jayne was looking.
Not that he needed to be looking much more. Mal was just shaking off the mayor’s thanks, getting them settled for some downtime on Talos. Downtime that Jayne knew would come with so many gorramn rules and feng le demands that even if there hadn’t been the possibility of getting some play with Mal and maybe Simon too, he’d’ve stuck to his bunk. It was safer that way. He was less likely to get himself in a heap of trouble he wasn’t wanting.
50 lashes
The thought still made him flinch, made his hands curl into fists at the idea of them slashing up Simon. Lucky Simon had kept his mouth shut, gone all white and pinched face when they’d suggested it; keeping him quiet meant Jayne could talk his way around the Sherriff fast. Lucky River had found him first; not Mal. Jayne wasn’t sure it would’ve gone down this way if Mal had been bedding Simon. Chances were Simon would’ve been warming Mal’s bed alone and made Jayne’s bunk a whole lot quieter.
‘Course that made him think on having the doc in his bed, the go se mess they’d both made of it the last time with the doc all unsure and hurting and him…Jayne rubbed his face, drawing in a sniff and spitting on the floor as the Mayor turned to leave. Mal turned to them, eyes on Jayne, smirk on his lips as Jayne’s eyes traveled down Mal’s arm to the money bag he gripped.
Cao, there wasn’t a prettier sight. His eyes traveled up to Mal’s face, to the doc behind him and Jayne felt his cock strain against his pants. They were better sights he was wanting right now though.
*****************
Simon wasn’t sure what he was doing. He just kept moving; walking straight past Mal’s bunk and ignoring the open hatch that beckoned him. His fists clenched as he recalled Mal words, “Would be favorable if you came to my bunk and gave us your answer.”.
It had been nearly a week since Mal had made that offer and things between them had been no different. The captain was as contradictory as ever, infuriating one moment and charming-if such a word applied- the next. It was reassuring and had made Simon seriously consider the offer.
His initial thought, the arousal the idea brought when Mal suggested it, had been fast but not fleeting. Despite his best efforts to think of ideas, of scenarios in which the offer could go wrong, he hadn’t been able to shake his first reaction: the dizzying, arousing and frankly amazed sensation that came with thinking that both men wanted him.
And yet now he was walking away from it all.
Erring on the side of caution and letting the thoughts he’d had, the worries, guide his feet. His utmost concern was for River, for her safety. Though he never doubted that Mal would keep her safe, or even believed that Jayne may try to betray them again. He worried that were things to go sour and become intolerable, that he would have to ask her to leave Serenity. To leave her friends, the family she‘d come to believe in-however strange and confusing they could be- behind.
If things went wrong between them all - and there were dozens of ways in which they could do just that. And a dozen more in which they wouldn’t, but Simon wasn’t sure he could take the chance; could let himself risk it all. He’d denied what he wanted for so long, pushed what he’d lost and what he could have had away with a firm hand. It was almost second nature now.
His throat was dry, chest tight and stomach churning. Simon couldn’t let his steps slow, hastened them in fact because the idea of turning around was so very tempting, so ridiculously appealing, that he had no choice but to.
He cursed silently, viciously, stomach churning all the more and bringing nausea with it as he realized he was taking the coward’s way out. He wasn’t even facing Mal and Jayne, wasn’t politely rebutting their offer. Manners and common courtesy were deeply ingrained in him, yet Simon was pushing them aside now. Mainly because he knew that if he was to face both men right now there would be no refuting them, the offer in front of him, the reality that could be would be undeniable.
Simon slid open the door to his bunk, starting in the doorway as his eyes moved to the lithe figure lying along the floor, her legs propped against the bed.
“River?” He approached her almost cautiously, his focus on her closed lids as she opened them and turned her head.
“Need to stop thinking so much, Simon.” River sighed and rolled onto her side, a fond smile on her lips, “bèn dàn.”
****
Jayne was getting antsy, Mal could see it. The man was grumbling something decidedly unfavorable towards Simon. Aarms folded across his chest, brow furrowed in annoyance. Mal sighed, glancing up towards the open hatch. Simon had gone passed a time ago, the man’s squeaky, too-damn posh shoes catching Mal’s interest as they slowed and then sped up so gorramn fast you would’ve thought Reavers were after him.
Lucky Jayne hadn’t heard, the man was only tetchy from the waiting; thinking Simon was playing them, punishing or pushing them to see how far he could. Mal favored towards giving Simon the benefit of the doubt, thinking the man had just got himself cold feet and needed a moment to collect himself.
“Where the hell is he?”
Jayne’s voice cut into the moment, drawing Mal’s attention from the open hatch he’d been staring at. He turned to face the other man, eyebrow quirkeds, amusement on his lips as he watched Jayne shift from foot-to-foot. There wasn’t no denying Simon and Jayne would rub each other up the wrong way as much as the right, if left to their own devices. Chances were Mal wouldn’t have merc nor medic by the end of the week, one of other would have been killed off. If not both.
“Doc’s running a mite late is all. Nothing to fret over, Jayne.”
The glare Jayne shot him was more pouting than anything else, the man’s mouth opening likely to give some rudeness back, Mal was sure. He was waiting for the cussing but Jayne’s mouth snapped closed, his eyes moving past Mal before he opened it again to speak.
“About rutting time.”
Mal bit back his own curse, shooting Jayne a glare of his own before he turned around, unsurprised to see it was Simon in the doorway. Only the doc could have put that look of irritated relief on Jayne’s face.
For his part Simon ignored Jayne’s comment, his eyes flicking nervously to the man for one moment before they settled on Mal. Simon’s feet came to rest on the floor of Mal’s bunk and di yu Mal would’ve been happy enough to close the distance between them especially since, for all his words, Jayne was still hanging back. But it was Simon who moved forward first, nervousness giving way to focus as he purposefully wound his hand around Mal’s neck to pull him into a kiss.
And weren’t that a surprise, Simon taking the initiative and pressing his lips with a touch more force than Mal expected, his tongue nudging between Mal’s lips a moment later. Seeking, exploring, teasing…Mal would’ve thought Simon had been taking lessons from someone given the man’s sudden willingness and instigation. A bit too much tongue, Mal had to admit as his tongue flicked back against Simon’s. He slowed the kiss and tempered Simon’s quick enthusiasm. His hand was on Simon’s hip and Mal shifted forward, pressing his leg against the man’s already hard cock as Simon started against him; almost gazing his teeth against Mal’s tongue.
Simon was copying his motions now, slowed down to draw out the sensation and enjoy; he was being more cautious with his tongue, making Mal’s breath come a little ragged before he pulled away with a final kiss. There wasn’t a thing Mal wanted more than to keep on kissing and work on stripping Simon; getting the Doc naked and wanting, showing him how gorramn good what he desired could be.
There was something missing though…Jayne.
Mal could hear Jayne’s breathing. It was louder now, more shuddery and Mal could imagine the man taking his own cock in hand, Jayne’s eyes on both him and Simon. The merc getting off on watching them, Mal getting hard at just the thought of that. His hand squeezed Simon’s shoulder for a moment, grin on his lips as Simon’s curved in a smile and then Mal was turning, looking at Jayne. Simon was looking too, Mal could tell, making Jayne squirm all the more and hold himself tense to avoid looking like he was.
Neither Jayne nor Simon wanted to be making the first move. That was for sure. Simon was holding back, no doubt expecting Jayne to come to him after the merc had spent days ignoring his attempts at reconciliation and Jayne…Jayne was Jayne, weren’t no way he was moving of his own accord right now; even if there was play to be had.
Mal stepped back, gaze on Simon for a moment then back on Jayne, “You best kiss him, Jayne, time you were coming to him, dong ma?”
He didn’t wait for a reply, as a sudden thought came to him, but Mal didn’t need one. Didn’t need to see Jayne take the order and invitation, stride forward and pin Simon to the wall in a deep kiss. He heard Simon’s breath come all at once and Jayne’s smug and aroused growl, and stepped up onto the ladder. Was about time one of them remembered to do this, even if the forgetting had brought them all together now.
Mal leaned up, hand curling around the metal at the top of his bunk and, with a grunt, he pulled the hatch door firmly closed.
Author: Ann
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing/character: Mal/Simon/Jayne
Warnings: Brief angst
Rating (This chapter): PG13
Completed Sweet Charity fic for denyce
Summary: Simon unknowingly commits an infraction that could have severe repercussions for himself, and the crew.
Thanks to bookaddict43 for the great beta. Translations in mouseover.
Previous chapters are found here
Mal was better with words, even if they did get him shot up sometimes. Better at words than Jayne anyhow; hell better than even Simon rutting well was, if Jayne thought on it. Captain had been the right person to speak to the doc, to make him the offer.
Shame Jayne hadn’t been there to see it, to hear Simon’s response though; the man‘s face had to have been a picture. One Jayne wished he could have seen. Might’ve been able to read too. Simon didn’t know how to keep himself hidden, wouldn’t’ve been hard to see where the man’s inclinations would lie. It was taking Simon too gorramn long to come up with a reply, longer than it had for him and Mal to think on offering themselves to him. Waiting around frustrated Jayne and It didn’t help that Mal was too busy sorting things through to get time for a quick rut.
Mal seemed sure the doc was going to lean their way, take them up on it whether it was one-time or more. But Jayne wasn’t so sure. Simon hadn’t stopped watching him, even if he’d backed off the chasing. Watched him with a more thoughtful look now, guarded rather than pissed, but didn‘t stray any closer. Didn‘t take up Jayne‘s jibes when he caught the doc‘s eye and let the words flow over his tongue, teasing and annoying Simon all at once. Simon didn’t come back with words that would get Jayne hard and wanting. He didn’t do more than watch.
It was harder to read him now, much as Jayne was looking.
Not that he needed to be looking much more. Mal was just shaking off the mayor’s thanks, getting them settled for some downtime on Talos. Downtime that Jayne knew would come with so many gorramn rules and feng le demands that even if there hadn’t been the possibility of getting some play with Mal and maybe Simon too, he’d’ve stuck to his bunk. It was safer that way. He was less likely to get himself in a heap of trouble he wasn’t wanting.
50 lashes
The thought still made him flinch, made his hands curl into fists at the idea of them slashing up Simon. Lucky Simon had kept his mouth shut, gone all white and pinched face when they’d suggested it; keeping him quiet meant Jayne could talk his way around the Sherriff fast. Lucky River had found him first; not Mal. Jayne wasn’t sure it would’ve gone down this way if Mal had been bedding Simon. Chances were Simon would’ve been warming Mal’s bed alone and made Jayne’s bunk a whole lot quieter.
‘Course that made him think on having the doc in his bed, the go se mess they’d both made of it the last time with the doc all unsure and hurting and him…Jayne rubbed his face, drawing in a sniff and spitting on the floor as the Mayor turned to leave. Mal turned to them, eyes on Jayne, smirk on his lips as Jayne’s eyes traveled down Mal’s arm to the money bag he gripped.
Cao, there wasn’t a prettier sight. His eyes traveled up to Mal’s face, to the doc behind him and Jayne felt his cock strain against his pants. They were better sights he was wanting right now though.
*****************
Simon wasn’t sure what he was doing. He just kept moving; walking straight past Mal’s bunk and ignoring the open hatch that beckoned him. His fists clenched as he recalled Mal words, “Would be favorable if you came to my bunk and gave us your answer.”.
It had been nearly a week since Mal had made that offer and things between them had been no different. The captain was as contradictory as ever, infuriating one moment and charming-if such a word applied- the next. It was reassuring and had made Simon seriously consider the offer.
His initial thought, the arousal the idea brought when Mal suggested it, had been fast but not fleeting. Despite his best efforts to think of ideas, of scenarios in which the offer could go wrong, he hadn’t been able to shake his first reaction: the dizzying, arousing and frankly amazed sensation that came with thinking that both men wanted him.
And yet now he was walking away from it all.
Erring on the side of caution and letting the thoughts he’d had, the worries, guide his feet. His utmost concern was for River, for her safety. Though he never doubted that Mal would keep her safe, or even believed that Jayne may try to betray them again. He worried that were things to go sour and become intolerable, that he would have to ask her to leave Serenity. To leave her friends, the family she‘d come to believe in-however strange and confusing they could be- behind.
If things went wrong between them all - and there were dozens of ways in which they could do just that. And a dozen more in which they wouldn’t, but Simon wasn’t sure he could take the chance; could let himself risk it all. He’d denied what he wanted for so long, pushed what he’d lost and what he could have had away with a firm hand. It was almost second nature now.
His throat was dry, chest tight and stomach churning. Simon couldn’t let his steps slow, hastened them in fact because the idea of turning around was so very tempting, so ridiculously appealing, that he had no choice but to.
He cursed silently, viciously, stomach churning all the more and bringing nausea with it as he realized he was taking the coward’s way out. He wasn’t even facing Mal and Jayne, wasn’t politely rebutting their offer. Manners and common courtesy were deeply ingrained in him, yet Simon was pushing them aside now. Mainly because he knew that if he was to face both men right now there would be no refuting them, the offer in front of him, the reality that could be would be undeniable.
Simon slid open the door to his bunk, starting in the doorway as his eyes moved to the lithe figure lying along the floor, her legs propped against the bed.
“River?” He approached her almost cautiously, his focus on her closed lids as she opened them and turned her head.
“Need to stop thinking so much, Simon.” River sighed and rolled onto her side, a fond smile on her lips, “bèn dàn.”
****
Jayne was getting antsy, Mal could see it. The man was grumbling something decidedly unfavorable towards Simon. Aarms folded across his chest, brow furrowed in annoyance. Mal sighed, glancing up towards the open hatch. Simon had gone passed a time ago, the man’s squeaky, too-damn posh shoes catching Mal’s interest as they slowed and then sped up so gorramn fast you would’ve thought Reavers were after him.
Lucky Jayne hadn’t heard, the man was only tetchy from the waiting; thinking Simon was playing them, punishing or pushing them to see how far he could. Mal favored towards giving Simon the benefit of the doubt, thinking the man had just got himself cold feet and needed a moment to collect himself.
“Where the hell is he?”
Jayne’s voice cut into the moment, drawing Mal’s attention from the open hatch he’d been staring at. He turned to face the other man, eyebrow quirkeds, amusement on his lips as he watched Jayne shift from foot-to-foot. There wasn’t no denying Simon and Jayne would rub each other up the wrong way as much as the right, if left to their own devices. Chances were Mal wouldn’t have merc nor medic by the end of the week, one of other would have been killed off. If not both.
“Doc’s running a mite late is all. Nothing to fret over, Jayne.”
The glare Jayne shot him was more pouting than anything else, the man’s mouth opening likely to give some rudeness back, Mal was sure. He was waiting for the cussing but Jayne’s mouth snapped closed, his eyes moving past Mal before he opened it again to speak.
“About rutting time.”
Mal bit back his own curse, shooting Jayne a glare of his own before he turned around, unsurprised to see it was Simon in the doorway. Only the doc could have put that look of irritated relief on Jayne’s face.
For his part Simon ignored Jayne’s comment, his eyes flicking nervously to the man for one moment before they settled on Mal. Simon’s feet came to rest on the floor of Mal’s bunk and di yu Mal would’ve been happy enough to close the distance between them especially since, for all his words, Jayne was still hanging back. But it was Simon who moved forward first, nervousness giving way to focus as he purposefully wound his hand around Mal’s neck to pull him into a kiss.
And weren’t that a surprise, Simon taking the initiative and pressing his lips with a touch more force than Mal expected, his tongue nudging between Mal’s lips a moment later. Seeking, exploring, teasing…Mal would’ve thought Simon had been taking lessons from someone given the man’s sudden willingness and instigation. A bit too much tongue, Mal had to admit as his tongue flicked back against Simon’s. He slowed the kiss and tempered Simon’s quick enthusiasm. His hand was on Simon’s hip and Mal shifted forward, pressing his leg against the man’s already hard cock as Simon started against him; almost gazing his teeth against Mal’s tongue.
Simon was copying his motions now, slowed down to draw out the sensation and enjoy; he was being more cautious with his tongue, making Mal’s breath come a little ragged before he pulled away with a final kiss. There wasn’t a thing Mal wanted more than to keep on kissing and work on stripping Simon; getting the Doc naked and wanting, showing him how gorramn good what he desired could be.
There was something missing though…Jayne.
Mal could hear Jayne’s breathing. It was louder now, more shuddery and Mal could imagine the man taking his own cock in hand, Jayne’s eyes on both him and Simon. The merc getting off on watching them, Mal getting hard at just the thought of that. His hand squeezed Simon’s shoulder for a moment, grin on his lips as Simon’s curved in a smile and then Mal was turning, looking at Jayne. Simon was looking too, Mal could tell, making Jayne squirm all the more and hold himself tense to avoid looking like he was.
Neither Jayne nor Simon wanted to be making the first move. That was for sure. Simon was holding back, no doubt expecting Jayne to come to him after the merc had spent days ignoring his attempts at reconciliation and Jayne…Jayne was Jayne, weren’t no way he was moving of his own accord right now; even if there was play to be had.
Mal stepped back, gaze on Simon for a moment then back on Jayne, “You best kiss him, Jayne, time you were coming to him, dong ma?”
He didn’t wait for a reply, as a sudden thought came to him, but Mal didn’t need one. Didn’t need to see Jayne take the order and invitation, stride forward and pin Simon to the wall in a deep kiss. He heard Simon’s breath come all at once and Jayne’s smug and aroused growl, and stepped up onto the ladder. Was about time one of them remembered to do this, even if the forgetting had brought them all together now.
Mal leaned up, hand curling around the metal at the top of his bunk and, with a grunt, he pulled the hatch door firmly closed.