Mal sneezed.

That was the first indication there was a problem. Next was the lengthy bout of cursing from the normally composed captain of Serenity. It brought several looks from the crew, most notably from Inara, who glanced at her erstwhile beau and shook her head.

“Who’s got an animal on my boat?” Mal asked the crew one night after supper.

He looked at everyone carefully, waiting for any signs of recognition in their faces, or more correctly, to see who looked guilty.

He cleared his throat, then: “I’m asking again, is there a gorram animal on my boat without my Captain-y permission?”

He glanced at the crew again, Zoe, Wash, Kaylee, Jayne, even Simon and River looked all manner of innocence. Sheppard Book just stared back at Mal with an fixed expression. Inara, answered. “The only pet I have is three planets away, Captain. And he doesn’t have an appointment.” She muttered a curse about some people being tight asses and walked away.

“I don’t have one, Cap’n.” Kaylee ventured, with a bit of a sulk. “Not that you’d ever let me have one, horrible old tyrant-“

“Good reason,” Mal replied, nonplussed, “I’m allergic.”

“To everything?” Wash asked with amusement. “Cause I’ve still got that idea for the Beagles…”

“Never mind.” Mal replied, shooting Wash a warning look. Zoe just smirked.

“It’s cats, to be on the point.” Mal stated. “Conjure there better not be a cat on this boat, or there’s gonna be a drop in percentages, mark me.”

Jayne remained silent, and again the crew said nothing. Mal stared at the doctor and his sister. River, for some reason, looked like there was something on her lips she was dying to say, but would not get out.

“River?” Mal was on her like a principal in a lower ranked high school, waiting for the one student who liked to be in trouble. “You got somethin’ to say on this?”

“Could, but won’t.” The younger Tam replied. She just sat there, making cat’s cradles with her fingers, a bit of blue string leftover from dinner packaging intertwined on her thumbs