Authors Note: contains consensual quazi-sexual activity between minors. Y’all don’t know how lucky you are that I warn you of anything at all. Please leave feedback, no matter what you thought.

“Not in the mood for whining, Jayne.” Mal was unable to shake Jayne as he strode through the ship.

“Ain’t whinin’, Mal. Just don’t see why I have to do it. There’s gotta be crates to move or guns to load or …somethin’. Somethin’ not that.”

“There's none of either, which you plainly know. We’re only going to the meet. This fella likes to deal with family businesses, so that’s our caper today – actin’ the picture of a big, happy family.” He stopped and whirled about-face, nearly being plowed down by Jayne in the process. “Everyone’s hands are full right now getting ready. Everyone’s but yours. Look, queer as it may be –and it may be mighty queer-- this is a job. If this is a job, that means everybody works...everybody who’s looking to get paid, at the very least. Now, you wanna get paid?” It was not really a question, since Mal never asked and Jayne never missed the chance to make money. “Go brush River’s hair and make sure she’s dressed right.” Mal turned on his heel and walked off.

“Go tsao duh hwoon dahn. Kuh-oo duh lao bao-jun-“

“And Jayne,” Mal called back without turning, “play nice.” He laughed at the growl that wafted down the corridor, followed smartly with the successive percussions of heavy boots.

Jayne tried to calm himself as he stalked to the passenger dorm. “Calming” was not a strong area for him. He knocked needlessly hard on the flimsy door to River's berth. “Shu mu?” came a bird-like voice.

“Um,” Jayne found his orders suddenly difficult to reiterate as he slid open the door, seeing River sitting in profile to him on the edge of her bed, hands folded perfectly in her lap. She was already in the knee-length calico dress Kaylee had found for her, though it hung billowously off her front in a strange way. He braced one forearm on the top of the frame