Disclaimer: Firefly and all related elements, characters and indicia © Mutant Enemy Productions and 20th Century Fox Television, 2003. All Rights Reserved. All characters and situations—save those created by the authors for use solely on this website—are copyright Mutant Enemy Productions and 20th Century Fox Television.

Author's Note: For Tara and Aly, because they're always with the complaining. Beta'd by the lovely sffan.

Shiny
by dirty diana

After Jubel Early, while he was recuperating in his quarters, Kaylee brought Simon all his meals each day, arranged neatly on a thin metal tray.

"Kaylee," he says one day as she lays his lunch by his bed, "you know that you don't have to do this."

"I know," she answers. "I want to. You don't really want to be limping around to the mess on that sore leg, do you?"

He stares at her for a moment, hazel eyes sharp. "Kaylee," he says finally, "you do realise that you have nothing to apologise for?"

"But it's my fault," she says quietly.

"What's your fault? That my sister is wanted by the Alliance?"

"No, but..."

"Or that a madman managed to board the ship? Was that your fault?"

Kaylee comes to sit on the edge of his bed, and sighs. "I shoulda been stronger. I shoulda helped..."

"You did help."

She shakes her head, unconvinced. "I shoulda been stronger."

"You did exactly right," Simon assures her. Hesitantly, he brings his hand to rest on top of her slender fingers. "If he had hurt you, I would never have been able to forgive myself."

Green eyes widen in surprise. "Really?"

"Really."

And there's a pause of several moments, in which both their thoughts are loud enough to hear. Finally Simon leans over, and kisses her. It's sweet, and gentle, like their other kisses, but this one has a purpose too, a message she can barely taste.

"Really," he says again, when he pulls away.

"Simon..." she begins, but he's kissing her again. It's rougher and sharper this time, and Kaylee thinks that maybe she started that, but she's not quite sure. She moves closer to him, brushing against his chest. His hand reaches out, stroking her face, the length of her neck, moving around to cup her left breast.

Suddenly, with a gasp, Kaylee moves away.

"I'm sorry," he says quickly, a look of panic beginning to settle in his eyes. "It's much too soon. I shouldn't..."

"Chûnrén," she answers, tenderly. "It's been much too long, already. But I...I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," he whispers.

"Yeah, but..."

He laughs gently. "Kaylee, who's the doctor here? You're not going to hurt me. Come here. Sit in my lap."

Kaylee smiles. "I bet you say that to all the girls."

"Well, as a matter of fact..."

"Bastard." Giggling, she smacks him on the arm with the flat of her palm.

"Ow," he says, in mock annoyance. "What happened to not wanting to hurt me?"

"I changed my mind," she answers, hitting the other arm, but softer this time. "Perhaps I'll just go, and you can call one of your other girlfriends..."

"Kaylee." He uses both hands to grasp her, as she rises from the bed, and pulls her back towards him. "I don't have any other girlfriends."

"In the room, you mean."

"Yes," he says quietly, and he's pulled her closer now, in his space, breathing his scent. "That's what I mean."

He wants to watch her undress, and she lets him, laughing slightly as she unhooks the buttons on her overalls, and pulls off the pink flowered t-shirt.

"You're so beautiful," he says, as her clothes fall to the floor, and Kaylee stands bare, all smooth skin and curves, peaches and cream.

She blushes. "Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not," she repeats, as she comes to join him on the bed. Carefully she pulls off his black jersey, grey slacks, running her hand lightly along smooth white skin. Then she straddles him gently, taking care to keep her weight off his injured leg.

"I said that you weren't going to hurt me," he reminds her.

"Oh?" She pinches a pink nipple between curious fingers, and he gasps out loud. Kaylee bends her head, her hair brushing his skin, and draws her tongue along the hollow of his chest. She sucks lightly at his nipples, feeling them harden in her mouth. "You're so warm," she whispers, pressed against him, her tongue teasing, searching.

"You're so cool," he answers, his arms around her, as if to draw her inside him. He strokes her smooth creamy skin, the small of her back, the curve of her ass. Kaylee moans and leans back slightly, as sure hands move up her thighs, finding her warm and wet where she rocks gently against him.

He slips a finger inside her, and watches as she closes her eyes, lips slightly parted, small moans escaping. Gently he works his hand against her, cupping her as the milky wetness of her dampens his fingers, running down her thighs, until she lets out a surprised gasp and climaxes, trembling and shaking in his hand.

"Alright?" he asks her as she opens her eyes.

"Shiny." He touches his fingers to her lips, tracing her soft smile. Her tongue darts out, tasting herself, sweet and salty. "Just shiny, doc." And she reaches out a hand to stroke him, hard underneath her. She holds onto his hips, to steady herself, and he enters her with a gentle groan. Kaylee grinds against him, gently at first, riding him, moaning with the heat of his cock inside her. Simon is holding onto her tightly, they're holding onto each other, as she thrusts again and he bucks up to meet her, again, harder and faster, until Simon moans her name and lets go.

They stay like that for a long time afterwards, tangled together, breathing slowly. He strokes her soft hair as it falls over bare shoulders, while her curious fingers trace the edges of white bandages on his thigh.

"You shouldn'ta tried to attack him," she chides him gently.

"That's what River said."

"S'pose you'll have a scar," she says.

"I suppose I will."

"Mine's real neat." She gestures towards the scar on her belly. It lies nearly flat, pale and slightly puckered at the edges. "Nearly invisible."

"You must have had a good surgeon." Gentle fingers reach out to touch her stomach, his thumb running light along the cicatrix. The nerve endings aren't the same there, and it tickles. She giggles.

"S'pose I must have."

"Kaylee," Simon whispers. She loves the way that he says her name, soft like a prayer. "Are you... I mean, was this..."

"Yes," she answers softly, as she leans her head against him, and closes her eyes. "Shiny."

Translation Notes