THE SHARP SIDE OF THE APPLE

by belasera

A vague disclaimer is nobody’s friend: All recognizable characters, etc. belong not to me, but to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox, and no money is being made here. The story, however, is mine.

R, kiddies

Written for Rebecca, who wanted to see boys kissing. If you don’t, please don’t read it.

xoxo

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It was the apple. How absurd is that? It was in those days after Ariel, when I knew I was gazing at him with something too akin to worship and I couldn’t stop myself. Even after I’d begun to suspect the truth of the matter, I still fell asleep remembering that terrifying escape with a bone deep sense of security. My whole world had been turned upside down, but here on this miserable ship I had found something completely new. People who would fight for me. No, it would be dishonest to say that I had credited the captain or Zoe for our rescue, I was thinking of Jayne when I fell asleep, thinking how he fought for us like no one I’d ever seen.

It was silly and over the top, the way I felt. I couldn’t stop though, wanted to express my thanks, wanted to tell the story a hundred times. Only Jayne looked uncomfortable when I did and the captain looked even surlier than usual, and Kaylee looked bored and a mite irritated. I was alone in the pleasure of the memory.

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Jayne’s seeming humility, and then those apples…they were like little pieces of a former life, a whole crate of what I used to have. Except, in my former life they hung in a silver basket in a refrigerated pantry, and they were cored and sliced before eaten off a plate. It made me laugh, to think I ate like that. Everyone here had there own way, too, though. River nibbled, Book and Inara took the skins off, Wash held his like a bird that may fly at any moment, Zoe and Mal performed their dark apple ritual with unnerving practice and Kaylee looked to gobble hers whole. Jayne….who eats an apple like that? Like it’s a thing not to be touched, h