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Kaylee started it; her wantin' to make Serenity into a family and maybe they are but Jayne ain't going to admit to that. He's a mercenary, proud of it and not likely to forget that he – and they – make their livings smuggling what they can, when they can get the jobs. The Cap'n promised him more than those he used to ride with and yeah, most times the Cap'n comes through but there's only so much Jayne is willing to bend on and this, this isn't one of them.
"Gorram it Kaylee! It ain't none of your business when my birthday is!" he finally yells at her, after she corners him one lazy afternoon when he wants to be in his bunk, polishing his guns and thinking of that whore he visited when last they made planet side. He don't need her with her big eyes, looking at him all reproachful like, as if he just killed her pet.
"Jayne!" the Cap'n calls out, warning like and Jayne shuts his mouth. He respects the Cap'n, respects the boundaries he sets, just as the Cap'n lets him do what he needs to and only reins him in when it's necessary. Jayne is a mercenary and as long as the Cap'n pays, he's willing to stay on Serenity. They ain't family and the sooner that nonsense is done with, the happier he'll be. Kaylee still looks at him, waiting for an answer he's not givin, so he leaves the mess. He heads to his bunk and wonders why Kaylee is so interested.
The Cap'n tells Kaylee when Zoe's birthday is and in retaliation, she informs on his and Wash. Wash doesn't complain, just smiles his goofy smile and Inara looks surprised when asked, but then her Companion training takes over and she smiles as she tells the mechanic. Jayne just snorts at their silliness. Birthdays? Ain't they all a little old for that?
"But don't you want to celebrate your birthday?" Kaylee asks him plaintively as he once again, rejects her attempt to discover the date. She's getting trickier and damn it, now he's gonna have to make sure she don't ambush him with alcohol again.
"Don't know why you care," he counters, slurs really as he peers at her, hand on the bottle, determined she ain't gonna take it if she don't like his answer.
She looks at him, her mouth slightly open as if she can't imagine why he wouldn't want to celebrate his birthday with them. He thinks maybe she don't understand what he is, what they are and wonders how in the hell the Cap'n had gained her as a mechanic.
The thing is, Jayne's momma didn't raise no fool and he stopped thinking of happily ever afters long ago. He's a merc and damn proud of it; and yeah, he still loved his momma and she can bring a shine to his eye that no one else can, but he ain't moonfaced and he ain't a gorram child. Birthdays are for kids and for families and he ain't been the one for a long time and the crew sure as hell ain't the other.
That don't mean he doesn't appreciate the extra bits that show up when the others have the birthdays roll around and yeah, maybe, just maybe he slips a little somethin' into their bunks, all anonymous like, but for him? No need for celebrations.
When the fancy doc comes on board, Jayne thinks it's too good to be true and the Cap'n all tense like because of the preacher man and while Jayne don't have no problem with those that preach from the Book, he also likes a Cap'n who knows what's what. When it turns out that the pretty face has a crazy as anythin' sister who can't pay her way and the Alliance's after 'em, Jayne is all for dumpin' 'em on the nearest planet. They don't need no more problems and he thinks life on Serenity has changed and he don't know if it's for the better. None of the troubles they cause make up for the fact that Serenity now boasts a fancy doctor.
River creeps him out, plain and simple. She looks at him, her finger twirling a strand of hair as she dances to a beat only she can hear. The doc hovers, watchin' careful like, makin' sure she ain't gonna go half baked like she's done before. Kaylee's badgerin' him about dates again and Jayne nearly snarls at her before the Cap'n catches his eye and shakes his head no. He throws his arms up in frustration and stalks to the door, intent on heading for some place that's quieter than here. Serenity is alive, humming with energy it ain't had since he started traveling with the Cap'n.
"May 21," River calls out as he walks past her and he freezes in mid step, wondering how in hell she knew.
"What's that mei-mei?" the doc asks, hoverin' over her as if she's made of glass and Jayne's gonna break her in two.
"His birthday," she replies, pointing at Jayne and looking at him all intent like, her eyes boring into him and making him think she sees more than she should. "Your momma would want you to celebrate," she continues and Jayne shoots her a nasty look. Ain't no way she's gonna put words in his momma's mouth, he don't care who she is.
"Keep her away doc," he advises before he heads to his bunk. Cleaning his guns should calm him, keep him from doing something the Cap'n kick him off of Serenity for.
'Course now that River's gone and told everyone and his birthday is in a week, Kaylee's going around makin' plans. Nothing he says stops her and he's almost hoping for some type of trouble just to make her stop. The others ain't any help and laugh at him when he complains. They don't understand and he ain't gonna tell 'em why he don't want to celebrate his birthday.
It's not tragedy or nothing that keeps him from celebrating with his birthday with them, but he grew up believing birthdays are for celebrating with families and his family is his momma. She ain't on Serenity and he don't feel it's right to go on with the festivities without her. His birthday is just another day if she ain't there and he's of half a mind to remain in his bunk the whole day.
Except then River and Kaylee come and drag him to the mess and he can't hurt either of 'em because then the Cap'n'll kill him and his momma didn't raise no foolish boy.
"Good of you to join us Jayne," the Cap'n tells him as he's pushed into a chair by Wash and Kaylee emerges from the kitchen area with a meal using the last of the fresh food they picked up on Whitefall. Jayne can't help but be a bit touched at the effort they all make and even without the looks from the Cap'n and Zoe he tries to enjoy himself.
Again, it's River that pounces on his feelings of unease. "Your momma's still your family," she tells him, looking at him as if he should understand something more from her words. The others quiet, looking on with curiosity. Jayne can feel himself flush with embarrassment and yes, a bit of anger that she's talking about things again that she ain't got no right to.
"I know that," he responds belligerently.
River sighs as if he is a particularly slow child. "Serenity isn't replacing your momma. Just expanding your family."
Jayne looks at her with some puzzlement, working her words in his head. It takes him some minutes, minutes where the rest of the crew quietly talk to themselves, and leave him be but he nods, as he finally understands what she's saying. Celebrating his birthday here and now with the crew ain't betraying his momma. More, he realizes with a pang his momma would be ashamed at him for causin' Kaylee so much trouble and heartbreak. It's just that he's not found any to call family since he left his momma at home all those years ago to be a merc. And while he still waves home to her and sends her what he can, she's all he's got left and he ain't seen her in years.
"Thank you Kaylee," he finally says to her, thinking he should wave his momma later tonight and tell her about these people he's traveling with. He thinks she'd like 'em more than those he went off with.
She beams at him, a smile that lights her face. "Ain't a spot of bother Jayne. Ready for some dessert?" she asks and suddenly everything's all right. He nods as Wash takes his empty plate, stacking it with the others. Jayne leans back in his chair and watches the crew, watches as they talk and smile and jeer at one another and he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he's not on Serenity just for the money.