Title: What The Captain Doesn’t Know Won’t Hurt Him Authors: squishedbookaddict Pairing: Jayne/Kaylee, crew Rating: G Word Count: 701 Disclaimer: Don’t own any of this and it’s possible no one else would want to own this either.

Authors’ Note: This is a fic based on 50 prompted drabbles (100-1000 words), hopefully to form an interesting story of Jaylee-goodness!

01. Secrets

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Jayne looked up from the weapon he was cleaning as the door to his bunk opened with a hiss. Everyone knew he cleaned his weapons after a job, so someone was awful brave to be botherin’ him right now. Tiny workboots made their way down his ladder, causing him to relax and return to his work.

“What you doin’ in here, girl?” Wasn’t often that li’l Kaylee climbed down in his bunk in the middle o’ the day.

“Sorry to bother ya, Jayne, but I need to ask a favor.”

She stood at the foot of his ladder, one of those cute little smiles on her face. It made him a bit nervous to be truthsome. What was it the captain was always sayin’ about women? Somethin’ ‘bout usin’ wiles and whatnot.

“Well, what is it? Don’t got all day ya know.”

Kaylee reached into the front of her coveralls and pulled out a small kitten. “You gotta help me with her, Jayne.”

“Kaylee what’d you go an’ do? You can’t bring an animal ‘board this boat, you know that. Mal’l pitch it into space as soon as he sees it.”

Kaylee rushed over to him, holding the small brightly colored calico protectively to her. “I didn’t bring her on board, Jayne. She musta come in when we was on Santos. Didn’t find her ‘til we was already in the black.”

“He ain’t gonna let you keep it, Kaylee.” Jayne took a firm tone with her—had to get the girl to see reason before she got too attached to the cat and Mal went an’ broke her heart.

“I know that. ‘Sides, space ain’t a good place for animals. They need grass and trees and mice to eat.” She rubbed the kitten’s cheeks, making it purr loudly. “We just need to hide her; keep her a secret from the Cap’n ‘til we make planet and find her a good home.”

“We?” Jayne’s eyes narrowed, he knew they were gettin’ to the part he wasn’t gonna like.

“You gotta help me, Jayne. You’re the last person the cap’n would suspect of harborin’ a fugitive cat. We can take turns watchin’ her an’ everything.” She smiled a little more, showing him a tiny dimple and held the kitten out to him. “Please, Jayne?!”

He decided the captain was right, women have got wiles an’ they know how to use ‘em. And there weren’t a gorram thing a man could do to resist ‘em.

Jayne reached for the small kitten, wrapping two large hands arounds it’s middle and holding it high in the air to look directly in its eyes. She was a tiny thing, but all bright and shiny, a little like Kaylee, he thought. She didn’t squirm when he stared her down and he figured that was a good sign. He brought the kitten to his chest and looked over at Kaylee.

“Alright, but first planet we hit, we’re findin’ her a home.” He barely had time to get his words out before a squealing Kaylee had wrapped herself around him and the cat.

“Thank you, Jayne! This is gonna be so shiny!” She backed away and watched him holding the cat. “She’s gonna need a name and something to eat and…”

Her voice trailed off, making Jayne look at her questioningly.

“You can’t eat her, Jayne.” Kaylee said solemnly.

“Eat her?! Hell, Kaylee, you know me better than that!” He watched as she raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, it ain’t like she’s a dog or nothin’. ‘Sides, I like cats. We had one when I was a kid.” He scratched the kitten’s ear and let her think on that a while.

Kaylee finally grinned at him. “Alrighty, Jayne. You watch her while I go find her some food. But we still gotta think of a name for her.” She turned to head up the ladder.

“You let me do the namin’, I done got one all picked out for her.” Jayne grinned as he turned away to put the kitten down on his bed. Might not be so bad helpin’ Kaylee with the cat, and it sure would be fun pullin’ the wool over Mal’s eyes.

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