Bad Day
Title: Bad Day
Prompt: #97 Fudge
Rating: G
Word Count: 1105
Title: Bad Day
Prompt: #97 Fudge
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done
Rating: G
Word Count: 1105
“River! Mei mei, just open the door!” Simon pleads, his head resting on the outside of his sister’s bedroom door. Kaylee stands beside him, holding on to his arm with a worried look on her face. Zoë watches from a few paces away, arms crossed over her chest.
“Still not out yet?” Mal asks, catching the eye of his first mate while striding down the hallway towards the passenger dorms.
“Not yet, sir,” she responds. They watch as Simon tries to wheedle his sister with promises of presents, a new paint set or a trip out somewhere next time they’re planet side.
“We can go play a game,” Kaylee offers sweetly, “Maybe jacks or horseshoes?” There’s still no response from the other side of the door.
“That’s enough of that,” Mal grumbles impatiently as he approaches the door and pounds on it with his fist. “You here me in there little witch? Come out right now, or I swear by my fine brown coat, I will make you come out.” The threat is a little lame, but he hopes the intimidating sound of his voice will be enough. Hearing heavy footsteps down the hallway, they turn to see Jayne walking confidently towards them a small wooden box in his hands.
“Jayne, great,” Mal says as soon as he catches sight of the merc, “I need you to go get the blowtorch.” He turns his attention back toward the door, assuming his orders will be taken without question only to be pushed aside as Jayne elbows his way towards the door.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doin’?” Mal demands.
Jayne gives him an annoyed look and answers gruffly, “I’m getting her outta there without ruinin’ the door.” He rolls his eyes at the captain and knocks quickly with his knuckles. “Hey girl, open up,” he shouts. She doesn’t respond, so he continues, “I can bust this door down and drag you out, like the captain wants, but let’s say we do this the easy way instead.” He gestures to the box in his hands, despite her being unable to see it and resumes, “I’ve got somethin’ here you might like, and if you’re as much of a mind reading genius as you say than you already know what it is.”
Jayne remains waiting patiently for River to acknowledge his offer while the rest of the crew looks to one another, trying to figure out if any of them have a clue as to what’s in the box. After several head shakes and shrugs their attention goes back to the door. A shadow has appeared under it and they know River has approached it on the other side. When she finally speaks her voice is muffled and it sounds like she’s been crying and has a stuffed up nose.
“You can come in,” she starts, “but only you,” she finishes forcefully.
Nodding, Jayne gestures for the crew to step back from the door. “Ok, girl, it’s just me.”
The door opens a crack and they can see River’s wet watery eye peek out. She looks hungrily at the box then glances up at Jayne’s face. Her slim pale arm reaches out and grabs him by the front of his shirt, dragging him forward with a strength that surprises them all. Before anyone has a chance to react, Jayne’s been yanked into the room and the door slammed behind him. After a moment of stunned silence, they rush forward to press their ears against the door.
Inside the room, Jayne stumbles from being hauled in so quickly and attempts to find his footing while River releases him from her grip and steps back. She doesn’t meet his eyes, preferring to stare at the box in his hands instead. He shoves the box towards her in invitation. Eyeing him warily she debates whether to trust him or not; the second she reaches for the box he might grab her and throw her out of the room. But ultimately her desire trumps her suspicion and she snatches the package out of his hands, throwing herself on her small bed.
With the box in her lap she slowly lifts the lid. Her mouth waters as the chocolatey smell wafts up to her. Grabbing the largest piece of fudge in the box she unceremoniously shoves it in her mouth. Her cheeks puff out to accommodate the large chunk as she chews it slowly, savoring the rare treat. Jayne smirks at her reaction to the sugary confection and moves to sit next to her on the bed.
He picks a piece out of the box and holds it up to inspect it carefully. “My Ma just posted this to me the other day,” he says conversationally. “It’s homemade, ya know,” and pops the morsel in his mouth. River nods vigorously at his commentary as she eats another piece. Chewing thoughtfully, Jayne turns towards her. Now that she doesn’t seem like she’s going to burst into tears at any moment, he can’t contain his curiosity anymore.
“So what’s all this carryin’ on about anyway?” he asks around the melted fudge in his mouth.
She swallows thickly and looks up at him, surprised that he’s actually concerned about her. “Bad day,” she replies softly. “Nightmares took away my sleep and I can’t keep the voices out, everyone pushing in on me. Can’t get a moment of peace.”
He nods understandingly, “Yeah, I’ve had my share of bad days, too.” He looks down at her, meeting her eyes with his solid gaze. They’d been getting along more and more lately, but this newfound understanding of each other unnerves them both. Quickly diverting their attention back to the box of candy, they root through it to find the best pieces. Jayne pulls out a large hunk and can see River looking at it enviously. Her eyes are still watery and bloodshot and her little nose is pink from all her crying and he feels an unusual pang of sympathy in his chest.
“I’m not gonna drag ya outta here,” he clarifies while breaking the piece of fudge in two, “but they’re awful worried about ya and, I mean, it’s not like I care or nothin’,” he adds hastily, “but ya should come on out soon,” he ends seriously. “Who knows, the day might end better than ya thought it would.” He offers her half of the fudge square in his hands.
Taking the offered chocolate shyly, River lets her fingers touch his a little longer than is necessary. “The day is getting better already,” she agrees, smiling up at him and taking a bite.
Prompt: #97 Fudge
Rating: G
Word Count: 1105
Title: Bad Day
Prompt: #97 Fudge
Author: Cricket
Disclaimer: I’m just playing with Joss’ toys, but I promise to put them back when I’m done
Rating: G
Word Count: 1105
“River! Mei mei, just open the door!” Simon pleads, his head resting on the outside of his sister’s bedroom door. Kaylee stands beside him, holding on to his arm with a worried look on her face. Zoë watches from a few paces away, arms crossed over her chest.
“Still not out yet?” Mal asks, catching the eye of his first mate while striding down the hallway towards the passenger dorms.
“Not yet, sir,” she responds. They watch as Simon tries to wheedle his sister with promises of presents, a new paint set or a trip out somewhere next time they’re planet side.
“We can go play a game,” Kaylee offers sweetly, “Maybe jacks or horseshoes?” There’s still no response from the other side of the door.
“That’s enough of that,” Mal grumbles impatiently as he approaches the door and pounds on it with his fist. “You here me in there little witch? Come out right now, or I swear by my fine brown coat, I will make you come out.” The threat is a little lame, but he hopes the intimidating sound of his voice will be enough. Hearing heavy footsteps down the hallway, they turn to see Jayne walking confidently towards them a small wooden box in his hands.
“Jayne, great,” Mal says as soon as he catches sight of the merc, “I need you to go get the blowtorch.” He turns his attention back toward the door, assuming his orders will be taken without question only to be pushed aside as Jayne elbows his way towards the door.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doin’?” Mal demands.
Jayne gives him an annoyed look and answers gruffly, “I’m getting her outta there without ruinin’ the door.” He rolls his eyes at the captain and knocks quickly with his knuckles. “Hey girl, open up,” he shouts. She doesn’t respond, so he continues, “I can bust this door down and drag you out, like the captain wants, but let’s say we do this the easy way instead.” He gestures to the box in his hands, despite her being unable to see it and resumes, “I’ve got somethin’ here you might like, and if you’re as much of a mind reading genius as you say than you already know what it is.”
Jayne remains waiting patiently for River to acknowledge his offer while the rest of the crew looks to one another, trying to figure out if any of them have a clue as to what’s in the box. After several head shakes and shrugs their attention goes back to the door. A shadow has appeared under it and they know River has approached it on the other side. When she finally speaks her voice is muffled and it sounds like she’s been crying and has a stuffed up nose.
“You can come in,” she starts, “but only you,” she finishes forcefully.
Nodding, Jayne gestures for the crew to step back from the door. “Ok, girl, it’s just me.”
The door opens a crack and they can see River’s wet watery eye peek out. She looks hungrily at the box then glances up at Jayne’s face. Her slim pale arm reaches out and grabs him by the front of his shirt, dragging him forward with a strength that surprises them all. Before anyone has a chance to react, Jayne’s been yanked into the room and the door slammed behind him. After a moment of stunned silence, they rush forward to press their ears against the door.
Inside the room, Jayne stumbles from being hauled in so quickly and attempts to find his footing while River releases him from her grip and steps back. She doesn’t meet his eyes, preferring to stare at the box in his hands instead. He shoves the box towards her in invitation. Eyeing him warily she debates whether to trust him or not; the second she reaches for the box he might grab her and throw her out of the room. But ultimately her desire trumps her suspicion and she snatches the package out of his hands, throwing herself on her small bed.
With the box in her lap she slowly lifts the lid. Her mouth waters as the chocolatey smell wafts up to her. Grabbing the largest piece of fudge in the box she unceremoniously shoves it in her mouth. Her cheeks puff out to accommodate the large chunk as she chews it slowly, savoring the rare treat. Jayne smirks at her reaction to the sugary confection and moves to sit next to her on the bed.
He picks a piece out of the box and holds it up to inspect it carefully. “My Ma just posted this to me the other day,” he says conversationally. “It’s homemade, ya know,” and pops the morsel in his mouth. River nods vigorously at his commentary as she eats another piece. Chewing thoughtfully, Jayne turns towards her. Now that she doesn’t seem like she’s going to burst into tears at any moment, he can’t contain his curiosity anymore.
“So what’s all this carryin’ on about anyway?” he asks around the melted fudge in his mouth.
She swallows thickly and looks up at him, surprised that he’s actually concerned about her. “Bad day,” she replies softly. “Nightmares took away my sleep and I can’t keep the voices out, everyone pushing in on me. Can’t get a moment of peace.”
He nods understandingly, “Yeah, I’ve had my share of bad days, too.” He looks down at her, meeting her eyes with his solid gaze. They’d been getting along more and more lately, but this newfound understanding of each other unnerves them both. Quickly diverting their attention back to the box of candy, they root through it to find the best pieces. Jayne pulls out a large hunk and can see River looking at it enviously. Her eyes are still watery and bloodshot and her little nose is pink from all her crying and he feels an unusual pang of sympathy in his chest.
“I’m not gonna drag ya outta here,” he clarifies while breaking the piece of fudge in two, “but they’re awful worried about ya and, I mean, it’s not like I care or nothin’,” he adds hastily, “but ya should come on out soon,” he ends seriously. “Who knows, the day might end better than ya thought it would.” He offers her half of the fudge square in his hands.
Taking the offered chocolate shyly, River lets her fingers touch his a little longer than is necessary. “The day is getting better already,” she agrees, smiling up at him and taking a bite.