Lady Sally's Place, Tuesday Night [5/2]

[moonbraingirl]

Fast Eddie is playing 'Tricky Fingers' on the baby grand, his own fingers a blur on the ivory keys. A dance-off seems to be happening on the warm wooden floor, each person performing their own sets of moves, graciously dropping out when their energy is depleted and retiring to the bar on the right-hand side of the north wall, which is dispensing

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[aint_no_hero]

Jayne walked into Lady Sally's with no preconceived notions of how River would react to seeing him again. He knew she had every right to be angry with him if she indeed got it in her head to be angry. He didn't plan on arguing, he didn't plan on begging for forgiveness. He was just too gorram tired for that kind of thing.

He immediately noticed her on the dancefloor and smiled to himself as he slid into one of the plush stools at the bar. He contemplated going over to her, but decided it would probably be a bad idea to interrupt her work, especially since he wasn't sure if he was in her good graces any longer. Instead he flagged down the bartender and ordered a whiskey, neat. He figured she'd find him soon enough.

[moonbraingirl]

River didn't notice him right away. There were too many people, too much noise, both physical and mental, and she'd stopped listening for him a while ago. It was only when she stopped dancing for a drink that she felt familiar eyes on her back.

River nearly dropped the glass, but held on. She sipped her water, nodding to the bartender as she left the half-empty cup with him. Now that she wasn't dancing, her wounds began to throb, and she held her right arm against her stomach, glancing down to make sure it hadn't bled through.

She made her way through the crowd, ignoring the repeated attempts to pull her back onto the dance floor. She stopped at the bar, a stool between them. "Jayne," she said, her voice flat.

[aint_no_hero]

Jayne was unsurprised by her lifeless tone, and merely sighed. Yep. She'd got it in her head to be angry.

Or, he thought with a bit of a sinking feeling, maybe she wasn't angry at all, maybe she felt nothing toward him. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"River," he replied, keeping his tone even. He finally noticed she was standing strangely, her arm pressed tight against her middle. He frowned, making to stand. "You okay, darlin'?"

[moonbraingirl]

River looked up into Jayne's eyes, trying to understand. "It's healing. Helped Dr. Wilson with some demons. There were four." The way River said were made it quite clear there weren't any demons any more, but she still cradled her arm tightly against her body. "Only hurts when I'm not moving."

She bit her lip, trying to figure out what to say. Her eyes dropped to the floor. What was there to say? "You left," she muttered finally, her voice still monotone. "I worried."

[moonbraingirl]

"'Girl handbook', huh?" He smiled back. "Well, you can still be mad at me if you want. I won't begrudge you that." He picked up his new glass and took a drink. "When can I come see you again?"

River shrugged. "Soon?" She looked around the room at the dancing patrons and employees. "Need to see Simon soon," she said, fingering the bandage on her arm, "but the timeline is flexible." She looked up. "Do you need to clean up your shop still?"

[aint_no_hero]

Jayne frowned as his gaze settled on where she fiddled with the bandage on her arm. "I already took care of the shop," he said. "I got the windows boarded up, and an appointment with the glass company already." He scowled and shook his head. "Then I had to run to City Hall to pay for some gorram permits I done already had."

He stopped himself. River didn't need to hear him bitch and moan about things that didn't concern her none. "You got a phone, dontcha? Why don't you call me after you see Simon? That way you got more time to think about what a hun dan I've been, and more time to heal and get to feeling better."

[moonbraingirl]

"Bureaucracy," River agreed, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, I have a phone. Highly primative, but the 'Wave network is laughable here." She nodded. "I will call you. Just don't forget the present," she added, smirking, "or I might forget why I decided to let this go."

[aint_no_hero]

Jayne smirked back at her, and finished off his whiskey. "I wouldn't dare. I've seen you throw a punch."

He stood up and stretched lazily before reaching down to slide his fingers through her hair. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, stealing that brief moment to breathe in the scent of her. "Take care of yourself, River-girl," he murmured.