Showdown
Title: Showdown
Prompt: #25 Fog
Rating: PG
Word Count: 604
Title: Showdown
Prompt: #25 Fog
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done
Rating: PG
Word Count: 604
The early morning fog settled in the valley like a blanket and the air was thick with humidity that made Jayne’s joints ache. His lessening agility and graying hair, he refused to accept his age had any affect on his job. Way he saw it, as long as he was standing, he was working. They heard the horses before they saw them and even then they were gray ghost-like shadows riding through the mist, their hooves beating against the wet grass underfoot.
Their shadowed faces made him uncomfortable, but he kept his ground, attempting to look as fearsome as possible while Mal exchanged words with who was assumed to be the leader. His voice seemed strangely familiar though for the life of him Jayne couldn’t figure out where he’d heard it before. He returned his attention to the words being said as the pitch and volume increased steadily throughout the transaction. The next thing he knew, one of the men had leapt off his horse and jamming a gun in his face. His own pistol was out and ready before the man was halfway to the ground, but he continued to advance.
As his focus slid from the barrel pointed at him, up the arm holding it and to the face behind the weapon as it emerged out of the fog, his eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t seen that face in five years. Jayne mentally added up the years and came to the conclusion that the man, no, boy, in front of him must be twenty years old by now. He looked different now, taller, leaner and had an angry scar up the right side of his face, but it was most definitely still him.
“Davy.” His voice revealed little of the surprise he felt.
“Dad.” Davy’s brown eyes looked tired and a little wild.
He looked so much like River that it made Jayne’s heart ache, remembering the last day he saw the boy, the same day River left. She had kissed both boys on the forehead, Davy and little Sam, then she’d hugged Jayne fiercely and told him to take care of their family. She said she had to go, those blue hand hun dans would never leave them alone if she stayed with them and it was the only way to keep the boys safe. He’d let her go. Sam sobbed relentlessly, while fifteen year old Davy had only gotten angry. Angry at the ‘verse, angry at the Alliance, but most of all angry at his father for letting her leave. He’d jumped ship that day, running out into the fog the same way he’d come through it today.
Jayne put his gun down. He wouldn’t shoot his own son, even if the boy decided killing his father was just fine with him. But luck was on his side today as Davy lowered his own revolver in turn. His eyes watered a little and he took a small uncertain step forward before looking into Jayne’s familiar face and lunging forward. Jayne closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack only to find himself being squeezed tightly in a desperate hug. He lifted his arms and wrapped them around the young man, patting his back comfortingly. When Davy finally stepped back from the embrace his face was rigid and emotionless. He followed them back to Serenity after the deal was finished and made his way down to his old bunk without a word to the crew, the people he’d grown up with, his patchwork family of blood relatives and friends alike.
“Welcome home,” Jayne sighed at the boy’s retreating back.
Prompt: #25 Fog
Rating: PG
Word Count: 604
Title: Showdown
Prompt: #25 Fog
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done
Rating: PG
Word Count: 604
The early morning fog settled in the valley like a blanket and the air was thick with humidity that made Jayne’s joints ache. His lessening agility and graying hair, he refused to accept his age had any affect on his job. Way he saw it, as long as he was standing, he was working. They heard the horses before they saw them and even then they were gray ghost-like shadows riding through the mist, their hooves beating against the wet grass underfoot.
Their shadowed faces made him uncomfortable, but he kept his ground, attempting to look as fearsome as possible while Mal exchanged words with who was assumed to be the leader. His voice seemed strangely familiar though for the life of him Jayne couldn’t figure out where he’d heard it before. He returned his attention to the words being said as the pitch and volume increased steadily throughout the transaction. The next thing he knew, one of the men had leapt off his horse and jamming a gun in his face. His own pistol was out and ready before the man was halfway to the ground, but he continued to advance.
As his focus slid from the barrel pointed at him, up the arm holding it and to the face behind the weapon as it emerged out of the fog, his eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t seen that face in five years. Jayne mentally added up the years and came to the conclusion that the man, no, boy, in front of him must be twenty years old by now. He looked different now, taller, leaner and had an angry scar up the right side of his face, but it was most definitely still him.
“Davy.” His voice revealed little of the surprise he felt.
“Dad.” Davy’s brown eyes looked tired and a little wild.
He looked so much like River that it made Jayne’s heart ache, remembering the last day he saw the boy, the same day River left. She had kissed both boys on the forehead, Davy and little Sam, then she’d hugged Jayne fiercely and told him to take care of their family. She said she had to go, those blue hand hun dans would never leave them alone if she stayed with them and it was the only way to keep the boys safe. He’d let her go. Sam sobbed relentlessly, while fifteen year old Davy had only gotten angry. Angry at the ‘verse, angry at the Alliance, but most of all angry at his father for letting her leave. He’d jumped ship that day, running out into the fog the same way he’d come through it today.
Jayne put his gun down. He wouldn’t shoot his own son, even if the boy decided killing his father was just fine with him. But luck was on his side today as Davy lowered his own revolver in turn. His eyes watered a little and he took a small uncertain step forward before looking into Jayne’s familiar face and lunging forward. Jayne closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack only to find himself being squeezed tightly in a desperate hug. He lifted his arms and wrapped them around the young man, patting his back comfortingly. When Davy finally stepped back from the embrace his face was rigid and emotionless. He followed them back to Serenity after the deal was finished and made his way down to his old bunk without a word to the crew, the people he’d grown up with, his patchwork family of blood relatives and friends alike.
“Welcome home,” Jayne sighed at the boy’s retreating back.