Rating: PG13

Disclaimer: the usual, all Joss's

Spoilers; the timeline is probably post-BDM, but Wash is here, 'cus I love him, even though I can't really write him.

Author's Note: Can be taken as following Tingles/Shivers, though I think River's voice is a little different in this.

Sleep Study Part 1 of 2

“You’re provin’ how crazy ya are, girl, ‘cus I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No I don’t!”

“You do. Boob.”

The argument was loud enough (Jayne’s side of it, at least) to be heard down the corridor and into the mess. But it cut off abruptly as its participants reached the door into said mess. When they both tried to fit through that door at the same time, querulous voices resumed as each claimed right-of-way. Jayne, being so much larger than River, shoved through and was champion of the Battle for Entry. His glory, and smirk, lasted approximately 2.5 seconds, just until River had brought her swiftly elevated and precisely aligned leg alongside his skull, causing him to stagger backward with the impact. She followed up with a low-diving tackle to his knees which ended with him below, her above, and her supercilious expression inches from his face. But her gleeful enjoyment of their grappling shone clearly in her brown eyes. He felt his heart hitch when she tipped her chin down and smiled, sweet and soft.

Jayne, rather pleased also at the exertion and the excuse for contact, let himself smile back. Just for a second. Then he bucked his torso but he couldn’t push her off without doing real damage to her - or she to him. So he resumed their argument from his supine position, while working his wrists out of her gripping fists.

“There’ve been dozens, no hundreds of times”- he paused to smirk again, and caught her around the waist –“someone could’ve told me. No one ever has.”

River shook her head remonstratively, even as he flipped her off and his body over to hold her down. But for all his size and strength, she had agility