Pop Up Factoids...Firefly!

[catko]

Fandom: Firefly
Words: 542
   "Anyway, how the gorram hell can a body keep anything private on this boat, ereone livin' in your lap like we are?" growled Jayne, chewing on a stick and picking his nails with a large hunting knife.
   "​Not that, just maybe hold back on the TMI all the time," Wash said plaintively. "Like, none of us are interested in your digestive system."
   Jayne barked out a laugh and belched, as if in defiance. "All’s I'm saying is that we can't have no secrets round here. One of you prove me wrong, I dare you." He bit down on the stick and gestured with the knife, around the table at the others.
   Mal, who'd been rolling his eyes, looked suddenly alert. "Happen you'd put down some coin on that there dare?" he asked, rising slowly to his feet. Jayne looked up at him in slow surmise. "One credit to any one of you's can pull a secret outta your pocket," he growled. "Or...whereever," he added with a leer at Inara, who herself rolled her eyes and shook her head.​
   Mal pointed his finger and wheeled to stride out of the room, Zoe hard on his heels.
   "So them two, maybe," drawled Jayne. "Gotta be a secret to everyone, though, that's the rules. How's about the rest of you? No one else here got something they never told no-one?" His eyes slewed around the room. "How 'bout you, Doc? You keep things pretty close to the vest, and a silky vest at that." Barking out another laugh at his own wit, Jayne stared challengingly at Simon.
Simon rubbed his forearm and returned Jayne's stare. "I'm quite sure I have a surprise or two up my sleeve," he said smoothly. "But I'm not sure it's worth a thin credit to put it out in the open."
   Kaylee leaned forward excitedly. "I'll tell mine, and you don't even need to pay me for it. This is fun!" She leapt up, put her hands on her hips, and declared,"I'm a fan of….”
   “Engines?” interjected Wash. “Stuck up prissy doctors,” put in Jayne. “No, shut up,” Kaylee rejoined, cuffing Jayne on the shoulder. “No, I’m a fan of…Mixed Martial Arts!”
   The rest looked at her in surprise. “That is a well-kept secret!” said Wash congratulatingly. “Lil Miss likes to watch sweaty men goin’ at it, who knew?” muttered Jayne. “Waal, so mebbe there are some surprises here. How ‘bout you, Ms. Inara? Bet a Companion got plenty secrets.”
   “And knows how to keep them, Jayne,” rejoined Inara with a small smile.
​   "Some secrets don't need to be told," said Book soothingly. "But here's one for you all." He too stood up, and with an elegant pose, belted out in a strong baritone: "Some enchanted eeeevening/You may meet a straaaaaaanger!"​
   ​In the ensuing laughter and applause, Mal and Zoe dashed back in--Zoe holding an armful of tattered, actual real-life books, and Mal clutching a handful of woolly yarn and knitting needles.​ As their crewmates looked at them in surprise, they looked around, held up their goods, and even managed to high-five each other.