A joint Jaylee story project between squish and myself click here for the previous chapter and prompt table.

Prompt #6 : Callow – lacking adult maturity and experience __________________________________________________

As The Perseus dropped into position behind Serenity, Rich thanked Buddha he had him a hot shot pilot that could fly. The tricky manoeuvre of stayin’ in the wake of the larger ship kept them out of detection range, but weren’t somethin’ an ordinary pilot could do.

Tom weren’t an ordinary pilot, and Rich never stopped bein’ glad that he’d hired him. The man never asked questions, could fly like a demon and didn’t mind killin’. He was real efficient at the tech stuff too, somethin’ Rich needed if he were gonna track Jayne.

“Where’s it heading?”

“Towards Columbus.”

Columbus was good, he had contacts there; contacts who owed him. He was gonna need more men, professionals. Tom and the other two he had with him were good, but Jayne hadn’t stayed alive this long by being lucky and by all accounts the crew he was runnin’ with were no pushovers either.

“Keep an eye out.” He ordered his pilot, “I wanna know if they change direction.”

Tom nodded in answer, movin’ uncomfortably in his seat, this job was makin’ him antsy.

One of the reasons he’d joined up with Rich was ‘cause the man kept things impersonal. He did the job, no emotions involved, got paid and left.

This job was different. Rich was involved, so focused on catchin’ the mercenary he could think of little else. Tom wondered what in the ‘Verse Jayne Cobb could’ve done to earn such undyin’ enmity. It worried him.

*******************

“Columbus is our next stop.” The Captain announced.

“Columbus?” Jayne groaned “I hate that place; it’s always so gorram cold.”

“We ain’t gonna be there long enough for you to get cold Jayne.” Mal gave his second command a sideways look. “Zoë and Wash are doing the contact stuff. Jayne you and Kaylee take the mule and get the parts she tells me she needs.”

“How come ya ain’t goin’ Captain?”

“I got me a few folks round about that would prefer me to be dead.”

“Enemies.” Zoë interjected.

The Captain grinned at Kaylee and frowned at Zoë. “So I’m stayin’ on board this time and doin’ Captainy things.”

“Very sensible Captain,” Book approved. “It’s best not to provoke enemies unless you absolutely have to.”

“Glad you approve Shepherd.” Mal gave Kaylee a reassuring smile on his way out.

It didn’t comfort her much, she never liked to think that her friends could be hurt, could be in danger. “Ya don’t have enemies do ya Shepherd, or ya Jayne?”

“Can’t speak for the Shepherd but I sure do girl,” Jayne gave him a quizzical look. “So does most everyone in some way or t’other.”

“People that might kill ya?”

The Shepherd heard the underlying fear in her voice even if Jayne didn’t. Kaylee alternated between being worldly-wise beyond her years and remarkably callow. Even after their experience with Niska, it had obviously never occurred to her that enemies could carry a grudge for years or wish to kill you over a trifle.

“They might, I guess, but most don’t bother.” Jayne had caught the worry in the girl’s eyes after all and sought in his way to help her. “’Sides if anyone tries to kill me, I’m gonna try and kill ‘em right back.”

***********************

“How long to Columbus?” Jayne asked that evenin’ while Kaylee was feedin’ the kitten.

“Wash says one more day,” she answered.

“When we get there, we have to start lookin’ for a home for Misty.”

“I guess we gotta.” Kaylee sighed.

“Ya said yerself that the ship ain’t no place for a cat.”

“She’s just so cuddly and lovin’, I’m gonna miss her is all.”

“Told ya not to get attached,” Jayne didn’t need to look at her to know she were all teary eyed, so he changed the subject a bit. “I’m thinkin’ it’s ya who should be askin’ folks to take her.”

“Why?”

“Folks don’t like me; I’ll just scare ‘em off. Most everyone likes ya.”

Kaylee knew what he said were true, but she didn’t like him thinkin’ that way. “I’ll do the askin’, but will ya come with me when it’s time to take her?”

“Alright.” He’d better go or the girl’d be makin’ all kinds of excuses to keep the cat.

“I’m still gonna miss her.” Kaylee flung over her shoulder as she climbed up the ladder.

Jayne wouldn’t admit it ifen ya set him on fire, but he was gonna miss the little critter too.

‘Cause he wouldn’t miss the little needle claws on his skin as she made her bed, or the loudest purr he ever heard on a kitten buzzin’ in his ear. But he sorta liked havin’ her in his bunk, made it feel more homey somehow.

With the kitten gone though, Kaylee’s visits might get a little less frequent, and he was thinkin’ that would be a good thing. ‘Cause if Kaylee weren’t comin’ round so much, his dreams were sure to stop.

He figured it was their bein’ together so much lately that was makin’ him dream ‘bout her. He didn’t like it.

The wakin’ up hard ‘n’ horny, that was common enough. But the hollow feelin’ in his stomach that came with it, he weren’t used to that.

Jayne frowned to himself, the hollow feelin’ made him do stupid things.

Last night in his bunk, he hadn’t been asleep the whole time. Wakin’ at Kaylee’s gentle touch he’d sleepily pulled her down to him. He’d woken up with a vengeance when she melted into his arms, there had to be somethin’ wrong with him,he hadn’t even tried anythin’! He’d just cuddled her close, likin’ the feelin’ too much, till he’d noticed her tryin’ to get away.

Misty weren’t the only thing on Serenity that were cuddly, lovin’ and needful of care. The little mechanic craved love and belongin’ more than anythin’ else that’s why she’d melted. Not ‘cause of him, thank Buddha. He didn’t want anything to complicate his friendship with Kaylee.