A/N: I felt like changing it up a bit, so here's a one-shot I wrote a while back - my take on how exactly Simon and Kaylee wind up snuggled on that bench in "Jaynestown."

Enjoy - and comment, there are more where this came from!

And thanks to Leiasky for the beta and neverending encouragement!

***

Kaylee’s eyes watched the captain walk away, making sure the slightly overprotective man ascended the stairs out of the now dimly lit and crowded bar. Only once she was satisfied he was indeed leaving her with the doctor did she turn back to regard her companion.

With a flush on her cheeks, she met Simon’s blue eyes which had apparently not stopped studying her since she’d chased the captain away. Gripping the earthen mug she held a bit tighter, Kaylee shifted her knees so they were pointed towards Simon, scooting over a bit on the bench so there was barely any space between them. When Simon made no move or sound to try and deter her from getting closer, Kaylee simply settled where she was, a brilliant smile once again lighting her face.

“So,” she began huskily, dropping her voice. “Where were we?”

At the tone in her voice and the glimmer in her eyes, Simon’s features blanched for just a moment. Even his inebriated brain realized exactly where he was and who he was with and reminded him he was normally an idiot in these types of situations. Straightening a bit, he began to stammer, missing the disappointed pout that flashed across Kaylee’s features as he tried to sit upright and failed, falling back against the bench and a bit closer to her in the process.

Giggling at him, she placed a steadying hand to his shoulder and said, “Jeez, Simon, you really can’t hold yer liquor.”

Turning twinkling blue eyes in her direction, he smiled, that swai smile, and murmured, “You have no idea.”

Settling in to listen, Kaylee prompted, “Oh yeah?” As Simon continued to stare at her instead of sharing his story, Kaylee nudged him a bit with her knee and said, “C’mon spill. I wanna hear ‘bout h