solarbaby614 | Beyond Wonderland: Chapter 9

Title: Beyond Wonderland

Author: Solarbaby

Rating: T

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot.

Words: 1540

Summary: The past has a way of returning. Rasey.

Spoilers: Series finale for Jungle Fury and (set after) Serenity for Firefly.

Note: So I realized that RJ was supposed to be courting Casey in way. So I decided to attempt something about it before we delve back into the actual plot.

Translations: kai hua- civilized

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Chapter 9: Courtship Rituals of the Wolves

It was kind of creepy in a sweet sort of way, if Casey thought about it; the way that RJ always sort of just seemed to appear where ever he was. If he was talking to Jayne in the kitchen, or hanging out with Kaylee in the engine room, or in the cargo bay with Zoe, or even sitting in the cock pit by himself trying to get some peace and quiet. He had even taken to hiding in the infirmary at times. No matter where he was, RJ was there.

And it wasn’t like the wolf master was being obvious about it. Most of the time RJ wasn’t even talking to him, either off doing his own thing or talking with one of the crew. But he was always there.

He dug through one of the dining area cabinets, hoping to god that there was a bowl still clean. Dishes were piled up in the sink, waiting for Jayne to clean them. Shoving aside what appeared to have been a grater that had probably been around pre-independent war time, he leaned farther into the cabinet.

A light glinted off something in the corner of his eye and he grinned as he picked up a metal bowl. It was in decent shape, though it probably hadn’t been used in quite some time.

Suddenly, there was something brushing against his back, startling him. A startled yelp escaped him as he jumped, slamming his head on the inside of the cabinet. He jerked back, blinking, rubbing his head.

Standing there beside him, looking a cross between concerned and amused, was RJ himself.

“Um… hi?” he offered.

RJ held his hand out, which Casey gratefully grabbed before he was hauled to his feet. “What were you doing down there?”

Casey just held out his prize. “Bowl.” It was even dirtier in the lights but that was something that could be easily fixed. He shoved some of the dishes in the sink over, watching terrified for a moment as they tipped precariously before balancing out, and flipped on the water.

All he got in reply was an amused look from the wolf. RJ grinned and shook his head.

“What?” he asked, as RJ kept staring, making him feel self conscious and shift under the scrutiny.

The wolf master just sort of reached out, pausing uncertainly before he actually touched Casey. Biting his bottom lip, RJ shook his head before rubbing the side of the pilot’s cheek with his thumb. “You had something…” he trailed off.

His hand never left Casey’s face, instead sliding down to rest on the neck. Casey didn’t even have to look to know that it had settled over the mark there.

He shifted, intending to move back away from touch, the warmth, and that insistent feeling of nicehotpleasemine, only to find the counter blocking his escape.

Then RJ was right there, mere inches from his face, eyes drawn to where his hand sat. Casey knew just how easy it would be to close those last few inches, to just move and he could shake the feeling of how okay it would make everything.

Except that it wouldn’t.

A darkened set of eyes made contact with his and RJ moved in, brushing their lips together. There was a clatter before he wrapped his arms around the wolf’s neck, moving into the embrace. Then it was gone. Casey barely had time to blink before he caught sight of the rich purple jacket disappearing out the door.

Gor’ram bipolar wolves.

He shook his head and picked the bowl up from the floor where it had fallen.

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Sweat poured off of Casey as he gasped in exhilaration. His hand slid through his hair and brushed his wet hand against his pants. Laughter escaped him as he shot forward, snatching the ball out of Jayne’s hands. He turned back in time to see the larger man lurch at him, quickly tossing the ball to Zoe and dodging out of the way. “Give it up you two. Ya’ll ain’t gonna beat us.”

Mal just sent him an affronted look followed by an eye roll while Jayne sputtered. The larger man stumbled into a crate as the pilot once again moved from his path.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Mal called to Jayne. “Careful with the cargo.”

Jayne just grunted in reply.

The ball was once again passed to him. Casey shot past a startled Mal and made it in the basket. Zoe laughed beside him as the other two groaned and River and Kaylee cheered from the sidelines.

“What are they doing?”

River and Kaylee turned to find RJ standing behind them, staring at the scene in the cargo bay with interest. “Playing,” River replied, somehow managing to sound like she was both exasperated and giggling at the same time.

“They’ve been at it for about an hour now,” Kaylee added. “It’s Zoe and Casey against the captain and Jayne.” She grinned up at him as he watched the game.

“How do tell when someone’s won?”

“When one team finally gives up,” the engineer answered, blushing when the Chancellor looked down at her. River cheered from beside her, bouncing slightly. Both their feet hung over the edge of the metal landing and they had long since kicked off their shoes.

“Governor!” A out of breath voice called, catching the wolf master’s attention.

He glanced back to see the game had stopped and the four had turned to watch him. “Chancellor,” he corrected Mal automatically. Casey was grinning up at him, looking happier than he had seen the tiger since he came on the ship. He could help but stare at the man, who had apparently abandoned his shirt some time earlier in the game. Sweat glistened in the light and RJ could clearly make out the claw tattoo on his arm.

“Wanna play?” Casey called up at him.

Before RJ could say anything Jayne snorted, “Naw, the man’s probably too kai hua for this game.” He grabbed the ball from Zoe’s grasp only to get it snatched back with a glare.

RJ sent the mercenary a frown but shook his head just the same. “I think I’ll pass.”

“Afraid to lose?” the pilot teased. The others laughed in response. But Casey just watched the wolf with a raised eyebrow, waiting for his reaction.

“I never lose,” RJ replied as he crossed his arms. He stared down at the tiger as a look of amusement was sent up at him.

Casey caught the double meaning with ease, not even blinking. “Then prove it,” he challenged, meeting the wolf’s eyes stare for stare.

They held gaze for a few moments before RJ finally cracked, “Fine.”

Mal shook his head as the Chancellor began to pull off his expensively decorated jacket to reveal a shirt that was probably just as expensive. He looked over to his pilot who shrugged.

“Game on.”

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It was invigorating and exciting and so many more things that Casey didn’t know what to call it. The others usually tried to give him a good game but it wasn’t the same. But Casey had to admit, playing with RJ brought things to a whole new level. It was great to have someone who played on his level, even if the wolf seemed a bit rusty on such games. Casey didn’t have to hold back with him because he knew RJ wouldn’t either.

Mal and Zoe had bowed out of the game not too long after RJ joined, having turned into more of a challenge than they knew they could handle. And Jayne had just sort of disappeared during it all. This just left RJ and Casey to the game.

The wolf literally growled at the tiger as the ball was taken from his grasp. Casey just laughed at him and took a shot at the basket. It bounced off the rim and RJ caught it mid-air, pushing off of one of the crates. The next thing he knew, the tiger master had knocked the ball from his grip as he tackled him and run after it.

RJ was gasping as he scrambled to his feet. It had been quite a while since he had really played a physical contact sport. Sparring didn’t count but know that he thought about it, it had been a while since he had sparred as well. Things like this weren’t really approved for the ‘elite’.

And damn it if he hadn’t missed it.

There was a laugh Casey managed to dodge his grasp once again and he was startled to realize that it had come from him. He managed to snag his arm around the tiger’s waist, pushing the ball out of his grasp before bounding after it.

Casey shot after him, only to slam right into the wolf when he stopped dead, peering at the boxes of cargo, and sending them flying forward.

“Ow…” the tiger groused. There was a tangle of limbs and skin and sweat as he rolled over off of the wolf with an ‘omph’.

RJ let out a gaspy laugh, breathing hard. “Does this mean I win?”

The tiger just glanced over at the wolf before chuckling. “Not a chance.”

Yeah, he had missed this alright.

Beyond Wonderland: Chapter 9

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