Title: Looks Can Be Deceivin'
Fandom: Firefly
Pairing: Hinted pre Mal/Jayne
Prompt: "That boy's about as smart as a bag of hammers";
promptlywritingThat boy's about as smart as a bag of hammers, and as deadly as one too. Mal sighs when he remembers the first time he saw Jayne. Murderous glee, all the loyalty of an Alliance rat, thick in the skull and the poetic grace of a sack of protein powder. Zoe never figured why they got him on their side.
First of all was, of course, to avoid getting shot. That was always an important motive for Mal, even if he kept it smartly subtle at times. Or, smartly not-there. But at that point in time, not getting shot was half the thing.
The other half was the tool-brained individual with the rough voice and no bed of his own. Mal was always one to collect stray pups. Big, slurpy and bitey as they may be. Mal saw Jayne for what he was: big dumb lug with *potential*. Had to find someone to do his thinkin' for him, and Mal was happy to oblige. Muscle, *great* tracking abilities, quick on his feet if not his tongue, and yeah, just that - that li'l summin else...
Jayne packed his shit and moved aboard, and when he winked dirty-like at Zoe, she just glared at him and he stopped, and then he walked right past Mal, and winked again. Same kinda low dirty invite, promisin' all kinds of sly goods, and Mal just scowled and pretend to rebuff just like Zoe did, and to himself he thought, the boy wasn't half as dumb as he looked.
[end]