disclaimer: I wished for it on my birthday, but sadly I still don't own the Firefly Verse
Kaylee eyed the big merc suspiciously when she walked into the kitchen. He didn't even raise his head from the paper he was writing on when she dropped yet another unlabeled can to the counter.
"What ya workin' on, Jayne?" She opened the can and, glad to see beans rather than a fruit of some sort, poured its contents into a pot as she spoke.
"Huh? Oh. A letter," Jayne still didn't look up, even when he spoke. "Writing home. Ya know, like always."
"Oh. Tell yer Ma we all say 'hey' then. Any idea how many cans River stripped this time?" The tiny mechanic added a second can to the mixture and turned the heat up beneath it. "Because I do not want Wash mixing spinach and peaches for breakfast again."
"Ugh," Jayne grunted. "I got a iron stomach and even I couldn't eat that go se. I ain't sure but I think she only got the cans in that little locker. I'll tell Ma you send your best an' all that." He looked up from his letter. "Oh, she sent you something, too."
The merc pulled a small box out of the larger one at his feet. "Here. Said it's from her and Matty."
Before taking the package, Kaylee filled a pot with water and set it to boil. Then she sat at the table and gingerly opened the box. Pushing back the packaging, the mechanic removed a familiar looking hat. Where Ma Cobb had used orange and red for her son's hat, Kaylee's was teal and deep royal blue.
Jayne grinned as the mechanic ran her fingers over the brightly colored yarn. Unable to speak, Kaylee turned to him with glistening eyes and threw her arms around the man's thick neck in a strangling hug before returning to the kitchen.
"Told ya she liked you." Jayne maintained his deadpan focus on the paper before him.
When Kaylee squeaked in delight, spilling the rice she was about to pour into the water across the counter, he couldn't help smirking.