The Pleasuring of Kaylee, Part 3

Malcolm Reynolds met Kaylee while she was walking head down and concentrating in the corridor outside Jayne’s quarters. She looked to be dirt-smeared but cute in a spring-born lamb kind of way. “Hey, Kaylee. What’s news?”

His mechanic stopped short and squeaked in surprise, putting out one hand against the hallway wall, “Uh, hi, Cap’n. Didn’t see you, I musta been wool-gathering.” She shifted from one foot to the other, placing hands on hips. “Ummm, how’s Jayne doing?”

“Good, real good. Doc’s been to see him so I know the verdict ain’t just wishful thinking. According to Simon and Jayne, it seems your good works’ve been part of the cure. Benefits of that’ll be paying off in credits if my plans for ill-gotten gains go shiny. Jayne’s gun-hand representing our little group looks to be a key element so his bein’ healthy’ll be the difference between paid and broke.”

He smiled at her absent-mindedly, thoughts locked on the further workings of The Plan.

“Inara told me you took him something to eat this morning. Did he get it down alright,?” she asked, making conversation but also wanting to find out if Jayne still needed her to bring him something to break his fast.

Trucking a meal down to him yesterday had been a means to communion between them. Might work that way again. Doing for him today might be a good way to get said what needed saying.

There was talking to be done. Inara had been right to suggest it. A quick ripping of the bandage and then she (and he) could go on from there. Which ever way the wind blew them.

No matter what happened, Jayne’s little lover was tired of the waiting, the wondering and the wounding it brought to her mind.

“Ate four strawberry baos, some powdered eggs Book liquefied and scrambled up for him and downed two cans of milk,” Mal answered, one side of his mouth smiling at her as he spoke. “I’d say he did alright, inhaled it all as if it was air and he was suffocating from the lack.”

No meal-taking