The critter stared at him, ears drooping as it tried to fight its bleary eyes.
The cats had seemed to be followin' him of late, but he knew that sounded spaced. Besides, any time he went up to one it ignored him, like – well, like a cat. Still, they'd been there any time he looked, and he felt their eyes when he turned his back. Tweren't right. He wondered if River'd put 'em to it.
He had found this one curled up in the cold, its mewing pitiful. He'd looked around furtively, but there were no other cats in sight.
The thing had continued to squeak, and he'd just stood there and looked at it for a spell. No mama came to grab it, no other people came by lookin' for it.
With a sigh, he stooped and grabbed it by the scruff, stuffing it into his hat. The mews intensified as it shoved its head up, staring at him. He swore the thing was smirkin'.
Jayne stalked through town, ignoring the stares and murmurs of those he passed. He supposed he made a right comical picture as he held his hat out in front of him, carrying it by the earflaps while the kitten stared at him and tried desperately to smother a yawn. The merc found that a smile had somehow plastered itself to his face and grappled with it.
This were crazy, he told himself. He had no idea what to do with a cat, 'specially such a little one. Such a cute little one…
Stop that, he growled. He'd no use for a kitten, not in his line of work. And there weren't no way he could keep it in his room, not with all of his blades. Still, he couldn't justa left it out there, not with the rain startin' to pour. The critter blinked as a drop splattered against its nose and began to wail again. Jayne grimaced and held the hat to his chest, cradling the critter as he hunched over it – just to keep it quiet, like.
He'd give it to Kaylee, that would work. She'd coo and cuddle it, and if'n she didn't know how to care fer it, Inara would. Or Simon. Maybe even Wash.
And if he just so happened to sneak down to see it every now and then, well, who'd know?
The thought was enough for him to ignore Mal's stare as he walked past the Cap'n onto the ship.
Mal stared as Jayne walked past, grinning like an idiot at the kitten curled up inside his hat. "Ai-yah tyen-ah…" he groaned. "I thought it was Kaylee I'd have to stop from bringin' back pets!"
Yellow eyes had followed the merc all across town, slinking through shadows and darting across rooftops unnoticed. She watched as he warmed to her spy, as all eventually did. When the big merc started to hum, something about 'the hero of kittens, the man they call…', her lips rose in a feral grin of victory. That should keep the crew distracted, she mused. And with a ship that big, there were so many hiding spots…no one would notice her.