It's All Right. [ closed ]

[voiceofserenity]

Characters: Jayne, Kaylee, and Kincaid.
Time: Morning, a few days after the crazy.
Location: The neighborhood around the Hard Rock.
Content: Meeting new people, making new friends, comparing guns...
Formats: Starting with prose...
Warnings: Kaylee hitting on people, Jayne being Jayne, Kincaid being Kincaid....

Comments

[justplainfolk]

It was none of Kincaid's business to care about what was going on in the city - the three wizards didn't leave much information to really go by except "kill the witch and go home". While he had a standing contract with Ivy, he wouldn't have minded the side job - if it was actually a job and there was subsequent monetary compensation. He didn't do his job out of the goodness of his heart.

Apparently, though, the woman - one Morgan le Fay and wasn't that some messed up bullshit - had laid waste to two buildings in Chicago. Sniper shot to the skull would have ended that quickly, but since certain people were too goddamn paranoid to give good answers...

After a quick scout of the city, he had decided enough was enough - without any more information, they weren't going anywhere. Unlike the rest of Chicago's citizens, he had long ago decided to keep himself apart from the group. Besides, that one vampire with a grudge was at one of the main hotels and the Blackstaff was at another - Kincaid believed in self-preservation far too much to tempt fate with either of them.

He was nearly back to his residence when he caught sight of two people rounding a corner up ahead. The tail end of their conversation nabbed his attention and his mouth pressed into a thin, thoughtful line. Small town.

"So you're the one she's gunning for now?" he asked just before they passed him, a glint of something in his eyes. "Must've been one hell of a trinket."

[voiceofserenity]

Kaylee grinned up at Jayne and skipped for a couple steps. "Don't mean we can't try," she reminded him. Everyone, including herself, was beyond worried about what they were going to do, what was going to come next. The little things, like a walk with a friend, needed to be enjoyed more than ever. Even with how frightened she was, Kaylee still couldn't find it in her to give up completely. Everyone would do what they could.

"It's a watch," she started to explain, but trailed off at the sight of the man as they rounded the corner. It was hard not to notice him, and Kaylee doubted she would have missed him even if the street had been crowded. She even started to smile at him, as a passing greeting, but his words halted her. Without really realizing it, Kaylee shrank a little closer to Jayne. Even so, her voice remained mostly even as she replied. "Enough of one, apparently."

[needsgrenades]

He had to suppress a smile, watching her run around like that. But sure enough, that didn't last long. Whoever this guy was, whatever that look in his eyes was, Jayne didn't like him. He took a small step in front of Kaylee. Boo remained in its holster for now, but that would change with the slightest of threats.

"I don't see as to how that's any of your business."

[justplainfolk]

Kincaid held up his hands in a placating manner, snorting in amusement at the other man's suddenly hostile tone. "If you don't want your business known, you'll want to speak a little quieter next time." He crossed his arms, a feline smile slipping onto his face as he looked at both of them, studying them. "But you're right. It's not my business but I think I'm the least of your worries right about now."

[voiceofserenity]

There was something to be said about people who normally lived in a space ship and didn't have to worry about others hearing their plans and discussions. The man had a point, and Kaylee felt the smallest tinge of embarrassment at his statement. It didn't stop her from attempting a smile.

"S'alright. Bit jumpy, s'all. Hard not to be, 'specially when you ain't so good at thinkin' things through 'fore you do 'em."

[needsgrenades]

"That better not be a threat," Jayne grumbled under his breath, keeping a close eye on this guy. But since Kaylee looked like she was trying to make friends with him - shouldn't be surprised - he subsided.

[justplainfolk]

Kincaid shrugged nonchalantly. "Like I said, none of my business. But if you've got something she wants, I wouldn't try to block her path, sweetheart." His smile became a shade sardonic. "Unless there's some sort of a device to get us the hell out of here, don't think it would be worth much."

He grinned at the other man, or at least bared his teeth. "Wouldn't dream of it."

[voiceofserenity]

Jayne was almost worse than a bulldog guarding food sometimes. The mechanic refrained from rolling her eyes, and instead took a moment to properly word her reply.

She shook her head, setting her jaw firmly. Maybe not the most imposing or threatening figure, but it showed plenty of stubbornness. "It's somethin' could help us in the long run. Might be useful in gettin' stolen things back." Might. But a maybe was better than a not-at-all.

[needsgrenades]

The thing was good for getting things back? Where'd Kaylee of all people get a rutting thing like that?

And there it was, some sort of undercurrent of danger in the man's voice. Jayne narrowed his eyes, nervous from all the talk about magic and passing it off as restlessness. "This trinket of Kaylee's don't belong to that crazy meh lian duh jyah ji. And there ain't any way we're gonna let her just come in and steal somethin' that ain't hers." Was that hypocritical? Absolutely. But Jayne didn't care; no one stole from him or his crew and got away with it.

[justplainfolk]

Kincaid chuckled quietly, shaking his head in what could only be exasperated amusement. Self-preservation - why did it seem most people didn't have it?

"Where'd you find something like that anyway? Don't tell me it was one of the fairies." He raised an eyebrow at Jayne. "Last I checked, she came in as she damn well pleased to take what didn't belong to her. Don't know about you, but I think there are better ways to die."

[voiceofserenity]

Kaylee made a point of stepping around to stand next to Jayne, rather than continue hiding. The man didn't seem to mean any harm, and they really didn't need a nervous Jayne starting a fight out in the open like this. It would attract too much attention.

Pink colored her cheeks as he mentioned the Fae, and she couldn't quite look him in the eye when she nodded. Not one of her favorite moments in Chicago... "She didn't take all of it, though," the mechanic carefully pointed out. "We kept her from gettin' all."

[needsgrenades]

"There, y'see? If the lady ain't all-powerful enough to take all of it, then she ain't gonna be powerful enough to get take one little thing from Kaylee." Damn, but this guy just didn't understand, did he? Maybe it wasn't in his best interests, but what would even be the point of letting her hurt Kaylee for the watch? None of the crew would be able to take it if Jayne let that happen. She, and her little fairy watch - he shouldn't really be surprised by now that fairies of all things were involved in this mess - had to be protected at all costs, especially if it could help them survive somehow.

Too bad Kincaid didn't understand that.

He shifted his feet a little, the all-too-likely prospect of death suddenly falling on his shoulders with an unsettling weight. "'Sides. The only good way to die is not dyin'."

[justplainfolk]

"Ever consider that she didn't want to take all of them? She got away with a sword which last time I checked was a weapon, the four Chinese guardian animals, and Pandora's box. With those three, I really doubt she'd need the others."

That feral smile returned. "But what do I know - I'm just a mercenary."

[voiceofserenity]

"Don't matter," Kaylee replied, maybe a bit too stubbornly. They'd been in plenty of tight spots before, back home, and while this was a different sort with all kinds of pieces they didn't understand, it didn't matter. They had to have something going for them, even if it was a mechanic's naive hope.

Oh, but that smile did stop her in her tracks, and Kaylee fought the urge to shift behind Jayne again. There were plenty of people around here who were mercenaries, right? Just look at Jayne. It didn't mean they were bad...

[needsgrenades]

"If that were true, she wouldn't want anythin' of Kaylee's and she wouldn't be threatenin' to come back," he insisted. His eyes narrowed, not liking smile one bit. Or, rather, he didn't like the effect it had on Kaylee.

"What's all that matter to you, anyhow? Most mercenaries have the sense not to be stickin' their noses in where they don't belong, 'specially if there ain't any money on the line."

What if there was money on the line? This guy wouldn't be working for the lady, right, sent to talk them into giving up the watch? She was planning to kill 'em all, or damn near. But Jayne knew better than anyone what motivated a mercenary: if the price was right, anything goes. Even turning on people who might been allies.

But if this guy was working with what's-her-name... they wouldn't be able to let him keep walking around free like this. There's no telling what sort of information he'd give out while they got ready for the next attack. The only thing keeping him from making a move right now was Kaylee herself - she clearly wanted to avoid a fight, and he wasn't too keen on ruining the rest of her day just because of some vague suspicions.

[justplainfolk]

Kincaid let out a low laugh, and shrugged just enough to show the black edge of his shoulder holster. "You're right. None of my damn business unless the price was high enough."