12 Days Of Shipmas (A Multi Fandom Compilation)

Four Calling Birds (Rayne from Firefly)

The Doc laughed at him though. "Jayne," he said fondly. "Christmas is about family."

"And we got plenty a that, don't we Tross?" the Capt'n called down at River as he pranced down the stairs to where they stood.

"Aye, Capt'n," she said in that creepy Badger voice she did, bowin' at Mal with a wink. "That right we do."

Mal came an' stood by 'em all, takin' in the twinkly lights an' noddin' his head like he ain't seen nothing so special afore in his life. "It's been a long time since we had ourselves a celebration," he said in appreciation. "I think maybe we could have a little Shindig?"

Jayne's ears perked up at that. "You mean like boozin' Capt'n?" he asked eagerly.

Simon rolled his eyes. "How about a nice meal, I think we may even have some real meat left over from the last supply run?"

"Sounds mighty fine," Mal said with a little bow.

"And how about singing?" Kaylee piped up eagerly. "And games, and presents."

"And four swans," said Moony, hoppin' on her toes, makin' her dress swirly. At least she wore proper dresses now, Jayne thought with a snort, even nice ones that Inara gave her that had sparkles on them. She was less creepifyin' when she at least looked like a woman, and not a girl.

Only a little less.

"What are swans?" Kaylee asked with interest.

Simon chewed his lip and watched his sis swish her arms out in a way Jayne was findin' it hard to look away from. Dancin' was for stampin' yer feet, not this flimsy nonsense. "A big white bird, from Earth-That-Was," he said. "I don't remember it having anything to do with Christmas though?"

River just grinned at him, an' Jayne reminded hisself that under all the crazy, she had a whole lotta brain goin' on in that skull. "Twelve days and counting," she said, which he guessed made some kinda sense to her.

"Who says we do some cooking?" Simon asked, getting a cheer from Kaylee and makin' Mal grin like a gorram xiao gou.

"There's more of River's goodies in the kitchen!" Kaylee cried, tugging Simon out of the bay.

Jayne huffed. At least if they all cleared out, he could get some work done in peace on the mule. Maybe even lift some iron, that usually made him feel better when he was twitchy and there weren't no one around for him to shoot at.

Truth was, if he was honest with hisself, the girl had been seemin' to go out of her way to make him twitchy lately, in all kindsa ways. She kept sitting with him when he cleaned his guns, or babblin' at him at the dinner table, tellin' him stupid stuff he ain't got no interest in hearin'.

An' then there were the dresses.

She were a Moonbrain, the Doc's sister and Mal's very favourite which was as good as being a sister. So why, when she started wearing pretty dresses, and not talkin' so crazy, had Jayne found her in his head all the ruttin time?

She was in everyone else's heads of course, part of what made her special, but she says she don't poke around none less she has to. 'Cept, the way she's looking at Jayne now, and it's just the two of them, he wonders how truthsome she's bein'.

"What you smilin' at girl?" he growled as she quit dancin' and started walkin' over to him, like she had a real good secret. "You ain't getting' me involved in yer Christmas nonsense."

"Jayne is very silly," she told him sincerely, like he were the kid, not her. Not that she even were a kid anymore, she was a woman, he knew, full an' grown. But...well, his belly squirmed when she looked at him like that, and he weren't sure it were right. "He's already playing along."