Disclaimer: The creators of Cowboy Bebop all breath a collective sigh of relief because I was not and am not among them.

Comfortable

With an earsplitting bang that shook the Bebop, the entrance hatch slammed shut. On the ratty sofa, a lanky, tousle-haired bounty hunter muttered something and shifted, dozing with his feet on the table.

Faye was in a rotten mood. She stormed down the corridor toward the common room, swearing venomously. For the third time in two days, the casino she had been ripping off discovered her cheating and had thrown her out. No winnings meant no money, no money meant she'd be stuck wearing the same old clothes until the next bounty. Ein let out a small whine and skittered away from her, sensing her foul disposition. Judging by Ed's giggling as the gambler passed her room, there was one person who was oblivious to Faye's entrance. Then again, Ed was rather oblivious to a lot of things.

Reaching the common room, Faye vaulted over Spike's sofa, clearing the table and plopping onto the other couch across the room. She stretched out on her back, glaring at the smoke-stained ceiling. Suddenly, an upside down dark face born to wear an eternal sardonic look filled her vision.

Jet looked down at her, raising an eyebrow and remarking, "I take it I'll have to repair the entrance hatch again?"

"Shut up, Jet. I'm having a bad day," grumbled Faye. "Any coffee around this joint?" She shifted to scratch an itch on her back.

The metal-armed man shook his head. "Ed found out she likes it and drank about ten cups today," he replied, running his steel fingers over his brow tiredly. "For her protection and Spike's sanity, I locked her in her room."

"Ha," snorted Fay, rubbing her back against the sofa cushions again. "I'll bet. What have I lain in?"

"Oh yeah. Don't use that couch if you don't want dog hair all over you. Ein's shedding." With that, Jet left for the cockpit.

Faye groaned, getting up and frantically brushing the hair from her clothes. Then, she glared at Spike who failed to open his eyes. She sighed in frustration and sat on the couch next to him, unable to spread out because of all the space he took up. "Spike?"

Yawning, the bounty hunter didn't open his eyes or raise his chin from his hand. "Uh?"

"Budge up."

"Oh, bugger off, woman," muttered Spike sleepily. "Some of us have had a hard day."

"Ha!" snorted Faye again, in the mood for a good argument. A fight with Spike might cheer her up again. "Funny how that is, since you were sleeping when I left and you're still sleeping now."

To her irritation, she failed to get a rise out of Spike. The gambler shifted again, grudgingly admiring how the bounty hunter could sleep in such an uncomfortable looking position. "Come on, move over a little, will ya? I want to stretch out my legs."

"Put 'em on the table."

Grumbling, Faye complied. There was silence for a while; Spike was just dropping off to sleep again when Faye shifted once more, obviously still uncomfortable. He sighed quietly. Unless he did something, there would be no sleep for him for quite some time.

Lost in her grumpy thoughts, the gambler was surprised when a hand went around her shoulders and pulled her down. Faye found herself resting her head on Spike's chest, his heartbeat thumping softly in her ear and his arm around her stomach. On his worn blue jacket, the smell of ancient cigarette smoke and starship grease was strangely comforting. Before, she had preferred the smell of a fresh deck of cards or the reek of a drunk mark, but now…

Faye breathed in deeply, gazing up at his face to see Spike looking at her through half open eyes. A lazy smirk crossed his face as he gazed down at her. "Comfy now?"

Faye wrapped her arms around his torso and snuggled closer. "Very."