Firefly Fic: Unification Day
Title: Unification Day
Fandom: Firefly
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Character: pre-Rayne
Disclaimer: Joss isn't here. Sorry.
Summary: You know that old cliché where one gets hurt and the other freaks out about it. This is my version of that.
P.S. There will be one short follow-up bit after this that I'll try and post tomorrow.
Flesh hitting flesh sounded satisfactorily in Jayne's ears and he felt the familiar pleasant pain in his hand, letting him know he'd just K.O.'d somebody into the next town. Course couldn't rightly celebrate yet as there were a good eight or nine more, at least. Shoulda known it was Unification Day, Mal setting down on this no account moon for no apparent reason. Then again, he didn't hardly know his own birthday 'til it'd all but passed most years. A blur of blue and Crazy Girl leg flashed out of the corner of his eye as his partner introduced a man's jugular to the bottom of her pretty little boot. Hell, with just seven left, Jayne was torn between having his own fun and letting Riv go psycho ninja while he watched. She was all sorts a shiny to watch.
Jayne grabbed the end of a broken chair leg some idgit was trying to lob at his head. Pain flared in his hand. Good reason for that turned out; he had a gorram nail sticking out of it. Glaring at the undergrown backbirth lookin' right fearful on the other end of the chair leg, Jayne growled. Without even blinking, the qingwa cao de liumang turned tail to run. Jayne grabbed the back of his collar and hit Chicken Shit upside the back of his head, then almost whimpered at the pain it caused his hand.
He pulled the nail out, angry as hell. Didn't these folk know you don't bring ruttin' nails into a tussle? Uneducated hooligans. Jayne tossed down the chair leg only for Moony to fall at his feet. Crazy girls with assassin powers don't fall down. He was all manner of confused and, for a split second, wandered if she'd gotten twisted all up in her dress like he'd always teased her would happen. That was when the sound of the gun finally registered in his ears. Walther PK380.
A deafening roar blocked out all other noise and he weren't sure whether it was coming from his throat or the blood rushing in his ears as a shot of pure rage fired through his body. Girl still hadn't moved. Jayne's eyes locked on Soon-To-Be-Dead-Guy still holding his gun outstretched, having the gall to look shocked he'd just pulled the trigger. Mabel was pulled and fired before Gonna-Die-Slowly even knew Jayne'd moved. The blow of the bullet in his shoulder knocked him back but not down. Jayne shot his other shoulder. From the corner of Jayne's eye, another gun was being pulled. A quick introduction to Gretel silenced that threat without him having to take his eye off his main target. Zoe's mares leg sounded behind him as Mabel gifted a fat gut with a nice little present. A shot to the right knee cap finally took the ta ma de wang ba dan down but Jayne'd been all symmetrical now. Wouldn't be right not hitting the other kneecap out. Jayne stood over the bleeding mess of a man and fired another bullet right between his eyes.
"Jayne!"
Mal's yell was enough to let him know it weren't the first time he'd said it. Jayne turned to see everybody needin' killin' was either dead or runned off. Cap'n was lookin' like he weren't quite sure what to make of him 'fore sayin, "I think he's dead."
Thank you, Cap'n Obvious.
"Sir!"
That was Zoe. Kneeling over a scary pale little River, who still weren't movin'. She wasn't sposed to be so still. She weren't ever not movin' less she was purposefully being creepifyin' to freak him out. Please be tryin' to freak him out. There was so much blood. Couldn't rightly see it 'cept on Zoe's hands. Riv's dress was so dark it just looked shiny over the hole in her stomach Zo was pressin' down so hard on.
"Inara, where the ruttin' hell is my ship?" Mal yelled over the comm.
Jayne wasn't sure when he'd moved but suddenly he was fallin' on his knees beside River. "Zo, she breathin?"
"She is," and suddenly he could to. Funny how he didn't know he hadn't been. "Won't be for long Doc don't get to her."
The sound of angels drummed around them to their beck and call and Serenity set down in the middle of the gorram street.
"Jayne..." Zoe didn't have to voice the rest 'cause Jayne already had River up in his arms running. Mal must have given Doc some warning who his services were for. He still started at the sight of her but Jayne couldn't hardly blame him none for that and Spooky Calm Doc took over 'fore Jayne'd made it all the way up the ramp.
Then they're in the infirmary and Mal's rushing in and Jayne feels too big and too ...something to be in there. Kaylee's cryin' and he's covered in blood and Zoe's running in from direction of the bridge lookin' at him like he should know something. He's afraid to turn around and find out there's something to know.
What the hell even happened? It was just a tussle. Someone toasted U-Day, Mal got all offended, and they communicated their displeasure with their fists. Same as always. Jayne replayed the moment Riv got shot over and over in his head. Didn't make no sense. Until...
No.
Crazy girls with assassin powers don't fall down, he repeated the words in his head. But they do run into a room of Reavers empty-handed to save their pansy-ass brothers. And, apparently, they run in front of bullets got other people's names on 'em, too. That dumb mudder from Canton flashed in Jayne's mind. He winced at the memory, at the unpleasantness it left in his chest, and then got ruttin' angry. Girl weren't no damn mudder. She was...
"Jayne."
That was the second time today somebody was callin' his name soundin' like they'd done said it a time or two. He looked up at Zoe, who'd sat down without his noticing.
Eying him real calm like, she said, "Your pacin' ain't helping."
Pacing? Jayne looked at his own feet, surprised to find hisself standing where he was. What was wrong with him?
"You're scarin' Kaylee."
Kaylee hardly looked like she even knew he was in the room, way she was standing outside the infirmary door gnawing her thumb off with tears runnin' down her face. Zoe looked about pushed to the hilt though and he figured that was the more likely reason she'd told him to stop. Glancing in the infirmary told him Inara'd made her own way down from the bridge now they was on route to wherever they was goin'. And now that Simon's preferred helper was in the room, Mal was the big useless hump finding his way out.
"Cap'n, River gonna be okay?" Kaylee asked as soon as he stepped out. Jayne didn't like the blood on Mal's hands.
"Yeah, Kaylee. Doc said she'll be fine. She even woke up, much as she'll wish she was still conked out now."
He wasn't completely shocked by his relief, but the sheer power of the feeling shook him a bit. Hearing Crazy was awake wasn't good enough. Jayne's gaze shot to the infirmary again. There she was, starin' all fascinated-like at her bullet wound.
Couldn't see much after that seein' as how Mal's eyes boring into him finally caught his attention. Weren't healthful for a man to be lookin' that curious and disturbed at someone like him. If'n it was anyone but the Captain he'da shot 'em just on account a how annoying it was.
Then Riv cried out. His eyes snapped back to see tears falling down her face. Doc was poking at her, stitching her up. It occurred to him girl'd never been shot before. Stubborn to a fault, she tried to pull her arm away when 'Nara came bearing a needle, even if it was full a pain meds. Then, Jayne remembered how she got that bullet wound and decided he was BEYOND furious.
"Jayne..." Mal drawled warningly.
"What?" He was about fed up with people callin' his name today.
Mal looked meaningfully down at Jayne's hand which he only then realized was resting on Gretel. Slowly, he relaxed his grip before letting go.
"You wanna tell me what happened back there?"
Captain's voice was calm, like Jayne was some bear needing to be talked soft to. Which didn't make no sense anyhow. How would talking soft to a bear make it any less likely to eat your innards for supper?
"You was there. You tell me."
"Not quite sure," Mal mused. "One minute the fightin' was all right and jovial, the next my albatross is on the ground and you're a one man death squad."
"Yeah, Mal, that was about the way of it."
"I think we're missing a few pieces then."
"I reckon we are. Know just where to get 'em though."
Jayne looked over Mal's shoulder to see Inara brushing back River's hair, talking to her as she tried to sit upright. She managed it but not without a wince. That just made Jayne madder.
Going to step around Mal and get those ruttin' answers now she wasn't bleedin' all over the gorram floor, Jayne growled when the Captain moved to block his path.
"I think you need to be rethinkin' that there, Jayne. 'Fact, you go cool off."
Deliberately slow, he said, "I'm cool as a gorram icebox. Now let me pass."
Mal stood his ground. Jayne rolled his eyes. "I ain't gonna kill her." Much.
Then deadly serious, he said, "She's my partner. You made her such. 'N that partnership ain't gonna be the worth of a turd 'less we sort out our own shit without you buttin' in."
Finally, Mal seemed to be considering, but because he was a gorram pain in the ass, he had to draw it out all Captain-like.
"We're gonna have words," Jayne informed.
Mal gave in. "Don't take long. Lil witch needs rest, not staying up plottin' to kill ya."
Jayne opened the door and stepped in. River smiled, which meant Inara'd gotten in her shot full of the good stuff. Messed with her reading abilities. Were she sobered up, her face would be strained around the eyes from the sheer force a how angry he was.
"How's the patient, Doc?"
Simon and Inara looked between the both of them warily. Unlike River, they could easily tell Jayne hadn't come with good intentions.
"She'll be fine. The bullet managed to not hit anything vital, and thanks to our recent hospital heist, I have the needed antibiotics to prevent..."
Interrupting, Jayne said, "Good. She free to move?"
"I'd like her to stay here for observation."
River frowned at that bit of news.
"'Nara, you mind gittin' and takin' the Doc with ya? Me and my partner are gonna have a little chat."
Ever the idjit, Simon asked incredulously, "Are you mad? She saved your life!"
For the first time in the conversation, Jayne looked at Simon. Whatever Doc saw there caused his eyes to widen, not in fear but in understanding. And that just made him more angry.
"Out. Or I'll toss ya out."
"This is my infir..." River's hand on his arm stopped Simon mid-word.
"It's alright, ge ge. Jayne has words. They swirl and shoot with red and I need to hear them."
"River, you should be resting." Angry companion eyes turned on Jayne. "Not dealing with ungrateful fei fei de pi yan."
Jayne's patience was well and gone. With a growl, he lifted a furious Simon by his shirt collar and dropped him outside the door.
Holding Simon outside by a hand around his throat, Jayne said, "'Nara, I ain't above man-handling you out. Hell, might even enjoy it. Not much in the mood for Mal wantin' to toss me out the airlock though so I'd be real 'preciative if you stepped out."
After glancing at River, who nodded it was okay, Inara glared at Jayne and stepped out. Pushing the Doc back, Jayne slammed the door shut. He silently dared them to reopen it and, after receiving scathing glares, they left. No doubt to tattle to the Captain.
When Jayne turned he was stunned stupid to see River laughing. She tried to stop.
"I ...apologize. I just ...have never seen ge ge's arms flail like a rabid octopus before." And then she burst into giggling again.
Any other time, that might have been rightly funny. He was not in a humourous mood. Eventually, his angry stare got through to her drugged brain and she quieted down all proper.
"You are angry."
"Ya think?"
Her head quirked to the side. "I do not understand. Objective was achieved. Though with the unfortunate hindrance of a bullet wound, we did obtain the payment owed us."
"The coin?" he roared in utter disbelief. She thought he was upset their card-counting scheme had been interrupted? "You think I'm mad about the gorram money?"
"No. I stated this would be illogical. Nonachievement of monetary means is your typical source of anger. I have simply marked this off the list. However, I am unable to determine any other variables to call this particularly shade of red in you." She looked down at where Inara had stuck her with the needle. "Perhaps the medication is hindering me."
"You got shot."
River blinked back up at him. "Yes," she finally said when it was apparent he wasn't going to say anything else.
"Over me."
She nodded again. "That is what partners do."
"No, it gorram ain't!"
Her mouth opened but he just spoke right over her. "You watch each others backs, you shoot whoevers tryin' to kill either a ya, hell, you even push each other outta the line of fire but you DON'T ruttin' get yourself shot over nobody, ya understand? Don't got a lick a sense, Riv!"
"The projectile was aimed at your life source. Billy Boy's aim is never off. There was no time to injure him in any fashion. I was too close to your person to effectively gain enough momentum to push you out of danger."
"You sayin' this is my fault?"
"Negatory. Simply that my course of action was the only one available."
"Bullshit. You could have let me get shot."
Her big eyes stared at him so intensely that the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
"No, I couldn't," she answered quietly.
His eyes darted to her wound, fueling the fire of his anger. He was so mad at her. Madder than he could ever remember bein' at anybody. And he couldn't even figure out why. Somebody wanted to be an idjit they were always plenty welcome to it before 'long as it didn't affect him none. Before what he weren't sure of either. Hell, this had even helped him.
Jayne clenched his jaw and stared at her long and hard so she could know good'n'all how he was feeling towards her. That strained look was startin' to come in around her eyes now. Well, good.
She looked away and mumbled something.
"What's that?"
"You would have done the same."
"No, I wouldn't! That's the point! Don't you get it? There ain't people like that out here. Just ones like me. And you gotta act like me to survive. You protect yourself above everything. Everything!" Realizing just how loud he was yelling when she winced, Jayne huffed out a frustrated breath. In a more normal voice, he said, "And everyone, dong le ma?"
Fire finally sparked behind her eyes. She leaned toward him and jabbed a finger in his direction. "Who I choose to save and how I choose to do it is my business!"
He leaned right in her space and yelled back. "Not when you choose me!"
She pfft'd disgustedly. "You should be pleased! Jayne is self-serving! Could not be yelling at me so if you were dead!"
"Exactly!" After he yelled it, he weren't real sure it made any kind of sense.
River agreed. "You are illogical! Nonsensical! I cannot figure you out!"
"You ain't sposed to figure me out. You're just supposed to ruttin' listen to me!"
Haughtily crossing her arms across her chest, his traitorous eyes noticing two full little things they had no business on, she replied, "I was not aware you had become Captain. Please forgive me for my insubordanence, sir."
He growled threateningly in the back of his throat. But she wasn't done.
"If you would be so kind as to list out your rules so that I shall not make another grievous error. I would not wish to incur your wrath!"
"Woman," he warned.
She continued yelling over him. "Your anger is disproportional to the situation! I do not understand and you will not explain it. Ungrateful! Unkind! Un..."
"River!"
"Why?" she screamed, tears she didn't have the ability to hold back falling down her cheeks.
Jayne grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "I thought you died!"
Frozen, she stared at him with wide eyes.
"I..." he started and then realized he didn't know where he was goin' with that. "To hell with this..."
Letting her go, Jayne roughly pulled open the infirmary door and left, but not before punching the wall just to try and get some of his frustration out.
qingwa cao de liumang - frog-fucking punk
ta ma de wang ba dan - fucking bastard
fei fei de pi yan - a baboon's asscrack
Fandom: Firefly
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Character: pre-Rayne
Disclaimer: Joss isn't here. Sorry.
Summary: You know that old cliché where one gets hurt and the other freaks out about it. This is my version of that.
P.S. There will be one short follow-up bit after this that I'll try and post tomorrow.
Flesh hitting flesh sounded satisfactorily in Jayne's ears and he felt the familiar pleasant pain in his hand, letting him know he'd just K.O.'d somebody into the next town. Course couldn't rightly celebrate yet as there were a good eight or nine more, at least. Shoulda known it was Unification Day, Mal setting down on this no account moon for no apparent reason. Then again, he didn't hardly know his own birthday 'til it'd all but passed most years. A blur of blue and Crazy Girl leg flashed out of the corner of his eye as his partner introduced a man's jugular to the bottom of her pretty little boot. Hell, with just seven left, Jayne was torn between having his own fun and letting Riv go psycho ninja while he watched. She was all sorts a shiny to watch.
Jayne grabbed the end of a broken chair leg some idgit was trying to lob at his head. Pain flared in his hand. Good reason for that turned out; he had a gorram nail sticking out of it. Glaring at the undergrown backbirth lookin' right fearful on the other end of the chair leg, Jayne growled. Without even blinking, the qingwa cao de liumang turned tail to run. Jayne grabbed the back of his collar and hit Chicken Shit upside the back of his head, then almost whimpered at the pain it caused his hand.
He pulled the nail out, angry as hell. Didn't these folk know you don't bring ruttin' nails into a tussle? Uneducated hooligans. Jayne tossed down the chair leg only for Moony to fall at his feet. Crazy girls with assassin powers don't fall down. He was all manner of confused and, for a split second, wandered if she'd gotten twisted all up in her dress like he'd always teased her would happen. That was when the sound of the gun finally registered in his ears. Walther PK380.
A deafening roar blocked out all other noise and he weren't sure whether it was coming from his throat or the blood rushing in his ears as a shot of pure rage fired through his body. Girl still hadn't moved. Jayne's eyes locked on Soon-To-Be-Dead-Guy still holding his gun outstretched, having the gall to look shocked he'd just pulled the trigger. Mabel was pulled and fired before Gonna-Die-Slowly even knew Jayne'd moved. The blow of the bullet in his shoulder knocked him back but not down. Jayne shot his other shoulder. From the corner of Jayne's eye, another gun was being pulled. A quick introduction to Gretel silenced that threat without him having to take his eye off his main target. Zoe's mares leg sounded behind him as Mabel gifted a fat gut with a nice little present. A shot to the right knee cap finally took the ta ma de wang ba dan down but Jayne'd been all symmetrical now. Wouldn't be right not hitting the other kneecap out. Jayne stood over the bleeding mess of a man and fired another bullet right between his eyes.
"Jayne!"
Mal's yell was enough to let him know it weren't the first time he'd said it. Jayne turned to see everybody needin' killin' was either dead or runned off. Cap'n was lookin' like he weren't quite sure what to make of him 'fore sayin, "I think he's dead."
Thank you, Cap'n Obvious.
"Sir!"
That was Zoe. Kneeling over a scary pale little River, who still weren't movin'. She wasn't sposed to be so still. She weren't ever not movin' less she was purposefully being creepifyin' to freak him out. Please be tryin' to freak him out. There was so much blood. Couldn't rightly see it 'cept on Zoe's hands. Riv's dress was so dark it just looked shiny over the hole in her stomach Zo was pressin' down so hard on.
"Inara, where the ruttin' hell is my ship?" Mal yelled over the comm.
Jayne wasn't sure when he'd moved but suddenly he was fallin' on his knees beside River. "Zo, she breathin?"
"She is," and suddenly he could to. Funny how he didn't know he hadn't been. "Won't be for long Doc don't get to her."
The sound of angels drummed around them to their beck and call and Serenity set down in the middle of the gorram street.
"Jayne..." Zoe didn't have to voice the rest 'cause Jayne already had River up in his arms running. Mal must have given Doc some warning who his services were for. He still started at the sight of her but Jayne couldn't hardly blame him none for that and Spooky Calm Doc took over 'fore Jayne'd made it all the way up the ramp.
Then they're in the infirmary and Mal's rushing in and Jayne feels too big and too ...something to be in there. Kaylee's cryin' and he's covered in blood and Zoe's running in from direction of the bridge lookin' at him like he should know something. He's afraid to turn around and find out there's something to know.
What the hell even happened? It was just a tussle. Someone toasted U-Day, Mal got all offended, and they communicated their displeasure with their fists. Same as always. Jayne replayed the moment Riv got shot over and over in his head. Didn't make no sense. Until...
No.
Crazy girls with assassin powers don't fall down, he repeated the words in his head. But they do run into a room of Reavers empty-handed to save their pansy-ass brothers. And, apparently, they run in front of bullets got other people's names on 'em, too. That dumb mudder from Canton flashed in Jayne's mind. He winced at the memory, at the unpleasantness it left in his chest, and then got ruttin' angry. Girl weren't no damn mudder. She was...
"Jayne."
That was the second time today somebody was callin' his name soundin' like they'd done said it a time or two. He looked up at Zoe, who'd sat down without his noticing.
Eying him real calm like, she said, "Your pacin' ain't helping."
Pacing? Jayne looked at his own feet, surprised to find hisself standing where he was. What was wrong with him?
"You're scarin' Kaylee."
Kaylee hardly looked like she even knew he was in the room, way she was standing outside the infirmary door gnawing her thumb off with tears runnin' down her face. Zoe looked about pushed to the hilt though and he figured that was the more likely reason she'd told him to stop. Glancing in the infirmary told him Inara'd made her own way down from the bridge now they was on route to wherever they was goin'. And now that Simon's preferred helper was in the room, Mal was the big useless hump finding his way out.
"Cap'n, River gonna be okay?" Kaylee asked as soon as he stepped out. Jayne didn't like the blood on Mal's hands.
"Yeah, Kaylee. Doc said she'll be fine. She even woke up, much as she'll wish she was still conked out now."
He wasn't completely shocked by his relief, but the sheer power of the feeling shook him a bit. Hearing Crazy was awake wasn't good enough. Jayne's gaze shot to the infirmary again. There she was, starin' all fascinated-like at her bullet wound.
Couldn't see much after that seein' as how Mal's eyes boring into him finally caught his attention. Weren't healthful for a man to be lookin' that curious and disturbed at someone like him. If'n it was anyone but the Captain he'da shot 'em just on account a how annoying it was.
Then Riv cried out. His eyes snapped back to see tears falling down her face. Doc was poking at her, stitching her up. It occurred to him girl'd never been shot before. Stubborn to a fault, she tried to pull her arm away when 'Nara came bearing a needle, even if it was full a pain meds. Then, Jayne remembered how she got that bullet wound and decided he was BEYOND furious.
"Jayne..." Mal drawled warningly.
"What?" He was about fed up with people callin' his name today.
Mal looked meaningfully down at Jayne's hand which he only then realized was resting on Gretel. Slowly, he relaxed his grip before letting go.
"You wanna tell me what happened back there?"
Captain's voice was calm, like Jayne was some bear needing to be talked soft to. Which didn't make no sense anyhow. How would talking soft to a bear make it any less likely to eat your innards for supper?
"You was there. You tell me."
"Not quite sure," Mal mused. "One minute the fightin' was all right and jovial, the next my albatross is on the ground and you're a one man death squad."
"Yeah, Mal, that was about the way of it."
"I think we're missing a few pieces then."
"I reckon we are. Know just where to get 'em though."
Jayne looked over Mal's shoulder to see Inara brushing back River's hair, talking to her as she tried to sit upright. She managed it but not without a wince. That just made Jayne madder.
Going to step around Mal and get those ruttin' answers now she wasn't bleedin' all over the gorram floor, Jayne growled when the Captain moved to block his path.
"I think you need to be rethinkin' that there, Jayne. 'Fact, you go cool off."
Deliberately slow, he said, "I'm cool as a gorram icebox. Now let me pass."
Mal stood his ground. Jayne rolled his eyes. "I ain't gonna kill her." Much.
Then deadly serious, he said, "She's my partner. You made her such. 'N that partnership ain't gonna be the worth of a turd 'less we sort out our own shit without you buttin' in."
Finally, Mal seemed to be considering, but because he was a gorram pain in the ass, he had to draw it out all Captain-like.
"We're gonna have words," Jayne informed.
Mal gave in. "Don't take long. Lil witch needs rest, not staying up plottin' to kill ya."
Jayne opened the door and stepped in. River smiled, which meant Inara'd gotten in her shot full of the good stuff. Messed with her reading abilities. Were she sobered up, her face would be strained around the eyes from the sheer force a how angry he was.
"How's the patient, Doc?"
Simon and Inara looked between the both of them warily. Unlike River, they could easily tell Jayne hadn't come with good intentions.
"She'll be fine. The bullet managed to not hit anything vital, and thanks to our recent hospital heist, I have the needed antibiotics to prevent..."
Interrupting, Jayne said, "Good. She free to move?"
"I'd like her to stay here for observation."
River frowned at that bit of news.
"'Nara, you mind gittin' and takin' the Doc with ya? Me and my partner are gonna have a little chat."
Ever the idjit, Simon asked incredulously, "Are you mad? She saved your life!"
For the first time in the conversation, Jayne looked at Simon. Whatever Doc saw there caused his eyes to widen, not in fear but in understanding. And that just made him more angry.
"Out. Or I'll toss ya out."
"This is my infir..." River's hand on his arm stopped Simon mid-word.
"It's alright, ge ge. Jayne has words. They swirl and shoot with red and I need to hear them."
"River, you should be resting." Angry companion eyes turned on Jayne. "Not dealing with ungrateful fei fei de pi yan."
Jayne's patience was well and gone. With a growl, he lifted a furious Simon by his shirt collar and dropped him outside the door.
Holding Simon outside by a hand around his throat, Jayne said, "'Nara, I ain't above man-handling you out. Hell, might even enjoy it. Not much in the mood for Mal wantin' to toss me out the airlock though so I'd be real 'preciative if you stepped out."
After glancing at River, who nodded it was okay, Inara glared at Jayne and stepped out. Pushing the Doc back, Jayne slammed the door shut. He silently dared them to reopen it and, after receiving scathing glares, they left. No doubt to tattle to the Captain.
When Jayne turned he was stunned stupid to see River laughing. She tried to stop.
"I ...apologize. I just ...have never seen ge ge's arms flail like a rabid octopus before." And then she burst into giggling again.
Any other time, that might have been rightly funny. He was not in a humourous mood. Eventually, his angry stare got through to her drugged brain and she quieted down all proper.
"You are angry."
"Ya think?"
Her head quirked to the side. "I do not understand. Objective was achieved. Though with the unfortunate hindrance of a bullet wound, we did obtain the payment owed us."
"The coin?" he roared in utter disbelief. She thought he was upset their card-counting scheme had been interrupted? "You think I'm mad about the gorram money?"
"No. I stated this would be illogical. Nonachievement of monetary means is your typical source of anger. I have simply marked this off the list. However, I am unable to determine any other variables to call this particularly shade of red in you." She looked down at where Inara had stuck her with the needle. "Perhaps the medication is hindering me."
"You got shot."
River blinked back up at him. "Yes," she finally said when it was apparent he wasn't going to say anything else.
"Over me."
She nodded again. "That is what partners do."
"No, it gorram ain't!"
Her mouth opened but he just spoke right over her. "You watch each others backs, you shoot whoevers tryin' to kill either a ya, hell, you even push each other outta the line of fire but you DON'T ruttin' get yourself shot over nobody, ya understand? Don't got a lick a sense, Riv!"
"The projectile was aimed at your life source. Billy Boy's aim is never off. There was no time to injure him in any fashion. I was too close to your person to effectively gain enough momentum to push you out of danger."
"You sayin' this is my fault?"
"Negatory. Simply that my course of action was the only one available."
"Bullshit. You could have let me get shot."
Her big eyes stared at him so intensely that the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
"No, I couldn't," she answered quietly.
His eyes darted to her wound, fueling the fire of his anger. He was so mad at her. Madder than he could ever remember bein' at anybody. And he couldn't even figure out why. Somebody wanted to be an idjit they were always plenty welcome to it before 'long as it didn't affect him none. Before what he weren't sure of either. Hell, this had even helped him.
Jayne clenched his jaw and stared at her long and hard so she could know good'n'all how he was feeling towards her. That strained look was startin' to come in around her eyes now. Well, good.
She looked away and mumbled something.
"What's that?"
"You would have done the same."
"No, I wouldn't! That's the point! Don't you get it? There ain't people like that out here. Just ones like me. And you gotta act like me to survive. You protect yourself above everything. Everything!" Realizing just how loud he was yelling when she winced, Jayne huffed out a frustrated breath. In a more normal voice, he said, "And everyone, dong le ma?"
Fire finally sparked behind her eyes. She leaned toward him and jabbed a finger in his direction. "Who I choose to save and how I choose to do it is my business!"
He leaned right in her space and yelled back. "Not when you choose me!"
She pfft'd disgustedly. "You should be pleased! Jayne is self-serving! Could not be yelling at me so if you were dead!"
"Exactly!" After he yelled it, he weren't real sure it made any kind of sense.
River agreed. "You are illogical! Nonsensical! I cannot figure you out!"
"You ain't sposed to figure me out. You're just supposed to ruttin' listen to me!"
Haughtily crossing her arms across her chest, his traitorous eyes noticing two full little things they had no business on, she replied, "I was not aware you had become Captain. Please forgive me for my insubordanence, sir."
He growled threateningly in the back of his throat. But she wasn't done.
"If you would be so kind as to list out your rules so that I shall not make another grievous error. I would not wish to incur your wrath!"
"Woman," he warned.
She continued yelling over him. "Your anger is disproportional to the situation! I do not understand and you will not explain it. Ungrateful! Unkind! Un..."
"River!"
"Why?" she screamed, tears she didn't have the ability to hold back falling down her cheeks.
Jayne grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "I thought you died!"
Frozen, she stared at him with wide eyes.
"I..." he started and then realized he didn't know where he was goin' with that. "To hell with this..."
Letting her go, Jayne roughly pulled open the infirmary door and left, but not before punching the wall just to try and get some of his frustration out.
qingwa cao de liumang - frog-fucking punk
ta ma de wang ba dan - fucking bastard
fei fei de pi yan - a baboon's asscrack