Author's Notes: Yeah, well, it's Teek's fault. She mentioned Puss from Shrek 2, and, well... Also, these drabbles of mine seem to be becoming a sort of series. As of so far, it's:
Insecurity
Meow
Sleepy Moments
And more seem to be coming. It's Izzy's fault, I swear...
Disclaimer: Not mine. Except the kitten, who was borrowed for the purpose from Will Turner.
Something in the apartment meowed.
Riddick sat straight up in bed. There was nothing in the apartment that made any sort of noise similar to a meow. Nothing. There were no other noises, so Jack couldn't be watching a film or the news.
He slid out of the bed and soundlessly moved to the door of his bedroom. He opened it; it too made no noise, and he moved down the hall to Jack's bedroom swiftly.
Her door was ajar. A dim light shone through – Jack rarely had her lights on full, in case for some reason Riddick went in without his goggles.
She was sitting on the bed, head bent over something. She was murmuring something, indistinct words that Riddick couldn't pick up. There was more meowing, and then – then something purred.
Riddick pushed the door open all the way. Jack jumped and turned around, hands behind her back. The meowing increased.
"Jack. What is that sound?"
Jack smiled nervously. "Um, well, it's..."
He raised an eyebrow expectantly and leaned on the doorpost. "I'm waiting, Jack."
With a mulish expression on her face, Jack brought her hands around in front of her. In them was a small, black kitten. It meowed pitifully up at Riddick.
"No."
Jack visibly drooped. "But Riddick, she was all alone on the street, some bastard dropped her and her brothers and sisters off in a cardboard box, the others were all dead, she's all alone."
Riddick closed his eyes momentarily. Jack's empathy for the ones that were 'all alone' just kept on getting him into trouble.
"Jack, it's a cat. How are you going to look after a cat?"
"I've been reading up on it." She stood up and handed the kitten to Riddick, who stared down at it, disconcerted. Jack moved to her desk and tapped a button on her computer. "Here, it's got everything the cat owner needs to know." She turned back round and cooed. "Oh, she likes you! Look!"
Riddick dared a look down. The kitten was curled up in his cupped hands, purring.
"Fuck," he swore softly. "No. No little kitten likes me. I'm a badass, Jack. Badass and kitten do not go together. They do not!"
Jack pouted. "But Riddick! She's all alone, those cruel people just abandoned her! We can't just do the same!" She swooped in and gathered the kitten close to her chest. "Please?"
Riddick couldn't find words for a moment. Both Jack and kitten were watching him.
When did I become such a softie? he demanded of himself, sighing. "Alright," he said grumpily. "The cat can stay." Jack beamed and flopped backwards onto her bed, picking up a piece of string and beginning to play with the kitten, as she had been before Riddick had discovered them. "But," Riddick continued warningly, "it's your responsibility. You feed it, you wash it, you clean up after it, and you take care of any babies that come along, you understand?"
Jack nodded. "Sure thing." She hesitated. "What're we gonna call her?"
Riddick raised his eyes skyward for a moment. "I'd hate to see what you're like with babies," he muttered, and left the room. He needed a drink.
Finis