Maybehaps

malgalfan @ 2009-09-19T23:35:00

2009-09-20T03:39:37Z

In the Twilight

Author: malgalfan

Rating: PG

Summary: Just another potential look at the way things might have gone. Years past the Miranda Wave, two crewmembers of Serenity meet again after a long absence.

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She paused for a moment, certain in some recessed part of her brain that she heard a sound she’d thought to never hear again, the distinctive whine of a Firefly coming into atmo. Ever graceful, she blinked slowly and smiled at the children looking up at her questioningly.

“You are right, Miss Inara?” Maggie asked, her little brown eyes bright with curiosity.

“I am well, thank you,” Inara replied calmly. “Now, where were we?”

Relieved, Maggie hopped a little on her feet. “S’cussin’ proper etiqu….eti…manners,” she finished.

Inara smiled at the child gently. “Of course,” she said. “The word is ‘etiquette’. And it is a very important word indeed.” Gesturing gracefully for the little girls to take their seats around the long table, she began once again to patiently teach her young charges while relegating the hauntingly familiar sound of a particular engine to the back of her mind where it belonged.

The morning, as mornings typically did, passed quickly into afternoon and the children, eager to be free of their classes, ran down the dirt road that led from Inara’s home to the small settlement a few miles away. Inara stood in her doorway for a moment, watching them go with equal parts sorrow and relief. Every day with the small group of girls was a treasure to her, and yet their restless energy reminded her all too well of the restlessness that had once driven her from a life of wealth and privilege out into the Black. The memory was not something she allowed herself to dwell upon for very long.

Sighing, she turned back into the house just long enough to retrieve a basket and a small pair of gardening scissors. She realized that unconsciously she had been expecting to have a visitor all day long, though she knew the very idea of it was patently absurd. Blowing out a deep breath, she set out for her small garden. It was a daily ritual, much as meditation had been in years past. And she could allow that working the soil in her well-worn gloves was indeed a sort of therapy for her every day as the twilight shadows fell across the garden and edged slowly toward her little home.

She sank down onto her knees in the soft soil, heedless of the fine fabric of her dress in a way she would never have been years earlier. She bent to her task of pulling the tiny weeds that seemed to grow so prolifically in the rich soil. Within a short time, she sat back on her heels, pleased with the results of her labors. Pushing the small pile of weeds to the side, she began examining her vegetables. Beautiful little red peppers shone brightly, catching the last of the sun’s rays with their vibrant color. Her mouth began to water as she quickly harvested the tempting peppers along with the plump sweet peas and tiny, succulent heads of pak choi that would combine in a quick sauté for her evening meal. She had the fleeting thought that Kaylee would have swooned at such an abundance of fresh vegetables once upon a time, but she quickly suppressed it, chiding herself for traveling so often down memory lane in one day.

Setting the basket of vegetables down on the ground, she rose slowly, mindful of the slight stiffness in the joints at her hips, knees, and ankles that had come with age. As she stood, she slipped off her gloves and brushed off her dress, glancing absent-mindedly down the dirt road. Her breath caught in her throat and she blinked slowly, certain that her mind was playing tricks on her.

Coming down the road was a man. Not just any man either, Inara thought, her heart beating wildly against her ribcage. She swallowed thickly, her suddenly nerveless fingers dropping the gardening gloves soundlessly to the ground. She stood rooted to the ground as she watched his progress down the road, knowing his long strides as well as she knew anything in the ‘verse.

“Mal,” she said softly as he stepped to the edge of her garden, pleased that her years of Companion training allowed her to say the word almost casually.

“’Nara,” he replied, inclining his head slightly but holding her eyes steadily.

She felt, ridiculously, a slight blush stain her cheeks and she wondered when last that had happened. Pulling herself together with an invisible effort, she stepped over the small rows of tender vegetables and came to his side. “It’s lovely to see you again.”

Mal smiled, the skin around his eyes crinkling more deeply than it had when last she’d seen him. His feet shuffled softly in the dust. “Good to see you too, ‘Nara. Just thought I’d…” He paused awkwardly, reminding Inara painfully of the young man who had once been brave enough to be truthsome with her, the young man he had been before Miranda and all that had happened thereafter.

Quickly, as if to forestall the memory, she stepped away from him. Gathering her skirts in her trembling hands, she turned toward the house. “Come,” she said as she took a shaky step, knowing instinctively that he would follow.

Finding his voice again, he said, “You’ve got a beautiful little place here. Good looking garden. Soil looks to be good and rich.”

“Yes,” she replied, infinitely grateful to be discussing nothing more than soil quality at the moment. “It is.”

Mal reached down, picking up the forgotten basket of vegetables. Hovering over her gloves, his hands paused for a moment before picking them up as well.

She quickly reached to take them, noting that he held them gently as if they were made of fairy glass instead of sturdy leather. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” he said, straightening his tall frame. His smile was a bit tight around the edges. “So, I thought I’d just stop by, bein’ as how I was in the neighborhood.”

“Just in the neighborhood?” Inara said, slipping on her Companion smile like a piece of armor.

Mal chuckled, not even embarrassed to be caught in the lie. “Yep,” he said. “After three weeks’ travel, two border patrol checkpoints, and a lost primary buffer panel.”

“Ah,” Inara said, as he fell into step beside her. “I see.” They walked in silence for a moment. Reluctantly, Inara broke the silence as they stepped onto her porch. “So, what occasions the visit?”

Mal held the screen door open and she slipped past him, her heart hammering uncomfortably. Setting the basket of vegetables on the small foyer table, he sighed. “Just wanted…..to see you, is all. Had some changes in the past few months, and had some time on my hands.”

Inara retrieved the basket and headed toward her small kitchen, needing something to do with her hands. “Stay to dinner?” she asked.

Mal’s smile held equal parts relief and appreciation. “Wouldn’t mind that at all,” he said as he leaned against her countertop with one hip.

Inara swallowed thickly at the familiar sight, her mind whirring with the memory of seeing him in just such a pose a million times before, though never in this particular kitchen. As if reading her thoughts, he turned and looked around appraisingly. “It’s a nice house,” he said softly. “Cozy-like.”

“Thank you,” Inara said. “Though I would imagine you were expecting something a bit more….elegant.”

“Not especially,” he said gently. “Looks fair elegant to me, what with you standin’ in it.”

His voice was suddenly lower than it had been by an octave, and Inara felt warmth spread through her body at the sound of it.

“Zoe’s gone,” Mal said abruptly.

Inara’s hands stopped their motion of washing the vegetables and she turned to face him. “You mean…dead?” she whispered.

“No, no, nothin’ like that,” Mal reassured her. “Just decided it was time to settle down somewhere.” He sighed. “She’s right, you know.”

“Always is,” Inara replied gently.

Mal laughed. “Ain’t that the truth?” he admitted. “Can’t say she didn’t stick it out longer’n most woulda’, though. Gotta’ give her that.” He stopped for a moment. “And once Jayne left, seems like the crews we took on just didn’t…”

“They weren’t family,” Inara suggested softly.

“Yeah,” Mal admitted.

“So, when did Jayne go?” she asked, turning back to the food preparation.

“Couple years back,” Mal replied. “His mama died, and he went on back home to look after his brother. You know the one with the damp lung.”

Inara nodded. “Matty.”

“Yeah, Matty,” Mal said. Silence fell over the kitchen.

“So, where did Zoe decide to settle?” Inara asked lightly.

“Little piece of land by Wash,” Mal said, his voice hitching a little at the name of his former pilot. “Took us the better part of a year to negotiate the price of the land, but she’d been puttin’ some back ever since the funeral. Didn’t want someone to come along and dig up the….graves, she said. Wanted to be there.”

Inara swallowed the lump that rose in her throat. “I see,” she said quietly. “And Simon and Kaylee? Have you heard from them recently?”

“Stopped in to see ‘em on the way here,” Mal replied, relieved to have told her Zoe’s news without revealing how much it had taken out of him to leave his best friend there and walk away. “Got a fair passel of little ‘uns runnin’ about…in combat boots, I might add. Something they’ve picked up from their crazy aunt, no doubt.”

Inara laughed. “And how was River?”

“Still a mite whimsical in the brainpan,” he said, smiling. “But thrivin’, what with Simon and Kaylee’s little ones there to help raise. And the town is quiet-like, not much use for half-crazed government-trained assassins, so she’s shiny.” He paused. “Grew up into a right impressive woman, as it turns out.” He could not quite keep the pride from his voice.

Inara smiled. “I know,” she said. “Kaylee sends me captures, sometimes. And she waves, when she can. I’m constantly in awe of her capacity for just…enjoying life. She doesn’t seem to age at all.”

Mal smiled. “That’s Kaylee. Mama of six, or is it seven? And still fresh as a daisy.” He paused. “Guess some women just have that gift.” He stepped closer to her, the heat from his body warming her across the small space between them. “Take you, for instance. Still as beautiful as the first day I saw you.”

Inara chuckled, pleased inordinately by the compliment, absurd though it was. She thought about the fine lines that had appeared years ago around her eyes and mouth, the thin skin that stretched across her throat and the back of her hands, the streaks of gray that ran like silver through her hair. “Well, I can see that your eyesight was the first thing to go,” she said lightly.

“I see just fine,” Mal replied, placing his large hand over hers and turning her toward him gingerly.

She allowed the movement, caught in the seduction of his rough hand enveloping her smooth ones. She looked at him carefully, trying to read in the depths of his blue eyes what his purpose could possibly be. She saw the deep lines that ran from the corners of his eyes into his hairline and the ones that ran from his nose to the corners of his mouth, the years spent out in the Black on what he would have called the ‘ragged edge’ etched across his face indelibly. And yet, for all that, she thought he was perhaps the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in the ‘verse at just that moment. “Mal,” she whispered, her hands still resting in his. “Why have you come?”

He drew a deep breath. “I’m tired, ‘Nara. Been a long time in the Black. And I ain’t got the will or notion to find another crew. Gettin’ too old to be roamin’ the ‘verse.” He smiled ruefully. “Truth be told, I never thought I’d live to say that. Life we lived, don’t seem right somehow to survive it into old age.”

“Mal,” she said gently. “You’re not that old.”

“Old enough,” he replied. “’Sides, Serenity’s not in the best of shape either. Never did find anyone could fix her like Kaylee. And…it’s getting’ harder to find parts as will fit. Aren’t all that many Fireflies still flyin’.”

“What will you do?” Inara asked, something deep inside her breaking at the thought of Serenity grounded along with her Captain.

Mal inhaled slowly, noting the subtle smell of Inara’s perfume. “Not rightly sure,” he admitted. “Still workin’ it through.” He paused. “Thinkin’ maybe I’ll find my own self a piece of land somewhere quiet, out of the way of the Alliance as much as possible. Some place I can have a little farm, maybe a small herd. Lived on a ranch as a boy, you know.”

“I know,” Inara replied softly. She pulled her hands away from Mal’s with a sharp stab of regret which she instantly fought to suppress. “Any idea where you might choose?” she asked as casually as she could manage.

“You want the truthsome answer, ‘Nara, or do you want to do like we’ve always done?” Mal asked achingly plainly.

“If I want to do like we’ve always done?” she asked, letting the question hang heavily in the air between them.

“Then I’ll say that I just came to see you one last time before my travelin’ days are done,” Mal replied softly. “And I’ll walk back into the settlement and get into Serenity and go.”

Inara swallowed nervously, suddenly light-headed. “And if I say that I want the truthsome answer?”

Mal wrapped his arms across his chest in an unconsciously defensive posture. “Then I’ll say what I came to say, and hear your answer. What happens after that is up to you.”

Inara pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down on suddenly shaky legs. “I see,” she said slowly. Drawing a deep breath, she marveled at how swiftly the years since they’d last spoken melted away, leaving her as dizzy as she’d been on their last farewell. “Then, I choose truthsome,” she replied, her mouth abruptly dry.

With a speed that belied his years, Mal slipped into the chair beside her. “I came here for you, Inara,” he began, his voice filled with a tenderness that caressed the deepest part of her heart. “I know we agreed long ago that this thing between us weren’t never gonna work out. And I didn’t stop you from leavin’ that last time. Fair pushed you away, truth be told.” He licked his lips nervously. “But there ain’t been a day since, not even one, that I haven’t wished to Book’s dear sweet fluffy Lord that I’d had sense enough to make you stay.” Seeing her brow wrinkle, he added quickly, “Not that I coulda’, not if you really wanted to go. But I coulda’ tried, coulda’ made it my aim to keep you by my side, or to go wherever it was you wanted to go.” He paused for a moment, as if the articulation of his thoughts was more difficult than he had imagined. “Thing that kept me from doin’ it was…that I knew I couldn’t offer you the kinda life I thought you wanted. Only now, permaybehaps I’m a mite smarter, or just seein’ things a mite clearer. Shoulda’ laid it all out for you then…given you the choice. Let you tell me what it was you wanted.” He stopped, gathering his breath and rubbing his jaw ruefully. “’Cause I’m thinkin’ what you wanted and what I thought you wanted mighta’ been near a ‘verse apart.” His hands came to rest on the table as if the explanation had exhausted him.

Inara laid her hand gently across one of his. “I don’t know that I would have had the wisdom then to know what it was that I wanted. And I certainly didn’t have the wherewithal to articulate it if I had.”

“So, is that it?” Mal asked, his voice laced with desperation. “Were we just hopelessly ill-timed back then?” He looked deeply into her kohl eyes. “And more to the point, are we still?”

Inara sighed. “Yes…and no.”

“Well, that clears everything up,” Mal said, withdrawing his hand from hers in defeat.

“No, Mal,” she said quickly. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then speak plain, Inara, ‘cause I…I need to know,” he replied.

“Yes, we were hopelessly ill-timed years ago, and no, perhaps we’re not now,” she whispered.

A small light began to burn in Mal’s tired eyes. “You sayin’ that it ain’t too late for us, ‘Nara?” he asked, wincing at the naked longing in his voice. “That there’s a chance…”

Inara inhaled deeply. “I am,” she said.

“And you ain’t just sayin’ it on accounta’ I pushed you into it…or you felt beholden to me…or…”

“Mal,” she said, her heart suddenly years younger than her actual age. “I’m saying it…because it’s true. Because it’s what I should have said years ago. Because it’s what we should have done instead of constantly pushing each other away. Dong ma?”

She knew instantly that the smile that lit Mal’s face was the last thing she would remember on the day she died. “I’m thinkin’ you’re right at that, bao bei,” he said, his voice husky with emotion.

“Of course I am,” she said, sliding gracefully from her chair to his lap. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

Finding no argument with her logic, Mal complied, sensing deep in his soul that he had finally found his way home.

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malgalfan @ 2007-10-22T11:52:00

2007-10-22T15:55:18Z

Poetry in Motion

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. Just like to play with ‘em.

Rating: NC17-ish

Summary: Unabashed fluff for the lovely folks who wanted to see what Mal and Inara would do with his new book of poetry. Follows “Window Shopping”.

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Inara eased down into Mal’s bunk carefully, assuming that the Captain might be already asleep. She knew Simon had given him something a little stronger than usual when he’d wrenched his ankle painfully earlier in the day.

So, she was surprised to see him still leaning back against the bulkhead with a book in his hands. Upon closer examination, she saw in the soft light of the bedside lamp that he had indeed fallen asleep, the book resting lightly against his abdomen.

She tiptoed over to the bed, removing her clothing as she went. Realizing that the book he held was the book of poetry he’d procured on their morning away from Serenity a few weeks ago, she smiled as she tried to dislodge it from his lax grip.

Despite the mild sedative effect of the pain meds Simon had provided, Mal was awake instantly. “Tryin’ to steal my book, darlin’?” he asked lazily, causing Inara to jump in startled surprise.

“It didn’t look like you were reading it anyway, just then,” she said, letting go of the book and settling into bed beside him.

Mal sighed in contentment, still amazed even after all their months together that Inara chose to come to his bed more nights than not. He pulled her closer to his side, reaching to turn off the light.

“Wait,” Inara said.

Mal looked at her quizzically.

Inara’s smile was like an electric current running straight down his spine. “Read to me,” she said, her voice a sultry purr.

Mal balked at the notion. “Ain’t there somethin’ else you’d rather be doin’?” he asked, running one warm hand down her back to the base of her spine.

Inara shivered at the seductive touch, but she was undeterred from her purpose. “I want you to read to me, Mal,” she said softly, leaning up to nibble at his earlobe. “And if you read very well, I’ll read to you later.”

Having found some particularly interesting passages already, Mal figured that reading the book might be conducive to his other plans for the evening. “All right, bao bei, you win,” he said lightly.

He turned to one of the more evocative poems and began to read, his tone low and intimate, like a caress against Inara’s skin. She sighed happily, stretching like a cat against his warmth and closing her eyes in satisfaction. As he read, he could feel her heart rate increase, the erotic imagery of the poem catching her in its spell. Finishing the poem with a flourish, he leaned down to capture her lips in a slow, deep kiss. Inara melted against him as he set the book aside and moved his hands gently down her sides to rest on her hips. “Like that, bao bei?” he murmured against her neck.

“Mmmm hmmm,” she answered, her clever hands sliding like silk along his shoulders and back.

Mal pulled out of her embrace with an evil grin, leaving Inara bereft and bewildered. Her eyes popped open in surprise. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Mal held up the book. “Said you’d read to me,” he replied, his voice low and gravelly.

“Isn’t there something else you’d rather be doing?” she asked, a little breathless as she mimicked his earlier question to her.

“Just read,” Mal said, pushing the book into her hands and indicating the page.

Inara sighed, but began to read in a low, perfectly modulated voice, her eyes widening at Mal’s choice of poems. Liquid heat pooled at her center as Mal’s hands began a slow, steady exploration of her body, and her voice faltered. Instantly, Mal stopped the delicious motion.

“Mal, please,” she said, her voice strangled.

“Read.” His tone was demanding, though his voice was soft.

Inara swallowed and began again, her own voice trembling as Mal drove her to distraction with his hands, lips, and tongue. Each time she stopped reading, he stopped his ministrations as well, until Inara was fairly certain she would die from the tender torture.

She pressed on, reading verse after verse of the maddeningly long poem, her voice hitching and her body trembling like a leaf in a strong wind. Finally, blessedly, she came to the end of the poem, drawing in a deep shuddering breath as Mal pried the book from her bloodless fingers and eased himself between her gently parted thighs.

Sliding into her with one smooth, long stroke, he murmured, “Good poem.”

Unable to form coherent thought, she moved beneath him, caught up in the sheer pleasure of this man inside her. Arching her back as he found a rhythm that hurdled them both toward utter ecstasy, she did not even notice the book falling to the floor with their increasingly urgent movements.

Waves of pleasure rolled over Inara, and she could feel the gathering momentum of Mal’s release as well. All too quickly, they reached their fall together, crying out in the intensity of the moment. Afterward, they lay quiet in each other’s arms, limbs entwined and trembling in the aftershock. “I take it you enjoyed that, darlin’,” Mal said, still a little breathless from the exertion.

Inara gifted him with a sated smile. “Poetry in motion, love,” she replied. “Poetry in motion.”

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malgalfan @ 2007-10-17T12:32:00

2007-10-17T16:34:23Z

Window Shopping

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these characters.

Rating: PG

Summary: Unmitigated fluff for a Wednesday. May promote tooth decay. Mal and Inara enjoy a morning away from Serenity.

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Mal dressed with extra care, making sure his shirt had no bullet holes and his pants were neatly pressed. He was almost embarrassed by how eager he was to escort Inara into the small town on Highgate. There wasn’t much to recommend the little settlement, but the day was fine and Mal had an unusual desire to see Inara in the light of a bright sun.

Inara, for her part, was looking at herself critically in the full length mirror of her shuttle, having chosen to spend the night away from Mal’s bunk so that she could genuinely rest up for the day he had planned for them. The rest of the crew had already left for their various destinations, relieved to be dirtside again after a long stint in the Black. So, Inara had no one to ask about the change of attire she was wearing. She wished for a moment that she had talked to Kaylee before she left.

Biting her lip nervously, she smoothed the fabric of her new pants, wondering what Mal would think of them. Since she was no longer a Companion, she had sold most of her finer clothes, having no use for them on Serenity. But pants were still a novelty to her and she wasn’t quite sure if she liked the look of them on her hips.

Mal’s knock on her shuttle door made her smile. She found it more than a little strange that he should have learned to knock only now, when they were sharing a bed almost every night, but she certainly had no intention to stop him from doing so. “Ching jin,” she called out in musical tones.

Mal entered, and she was struck by how swai he looked, his boots polished to a fine sheen and his clothes pressed so neatly. “Why, Captain Reynolds,” she said, lowering her lashes seductively, “Don’t you look handsome this morning?”

Mal bowed gracefully, not at all in the mocking way he used to do. “Why, thank you, Miss Serra,” he replied formally. Eyeing her shape in the form-fitting pants she wore, he whistled softly. “You’re quite a picture yourself.”

Inara ran her hand along the side of the pants, smoothing out a small wrinkle. “You think so?” she asked almost hesitantly.

“I most surely do,” Mal said, closing the distance between them and pulling her into his arms. “Missed you last night, darlin’,” he murmured, as he nibbled at the soft skin below her ear.

Inara shivered, the pleasure of his touch setting a small fire ablaze in her belly. “I thought we were going out today,” she sighed against his neck, breathing in the scent of him.

“And so we are,” he said, pulling away from her reluctantly. “Just got a little carried away with your charms there for a minute.” He smiled the slow, lazy smile that made Inara’s knees go just a little weak. Holding out his arm, he continued. “Shall we?”

Threading her arm through his, she walked beside him out into the bright light of early morning on Highgate. As they walked through the town, idly looking in the shop windows at the same things that seemed to be for sale in every Rim world settlement, Mal could not help but notice the appreciative stares of the men milling about on the street, and he was filled with pride, and a little wonder, that Inara should be on his arm on such a fine day.

“We’re apparently making quite a spectacle,” Inara murmured, feeling the gaze of the townspeople like a physical weight on her skin.

“You do tend to stand out,” Mal said, tightening his hold on her just a little.

“Even in these plain clothes?” she said, looking down at her white cotton shirt and black pants objectively.

“It’s got nothin’ to do with the clothes, bao bei,” Mal said, a wicked gleam in his eye. “And everything to do with how you fill ‘em out.”

Inara squeezed his arm, pleased inordinately by the compliment and wondering at what point such a simple statement acquired the power to make her blush. Temporarily bemused, she was surprised when Mal stopped walking. Turning her attention back to her external surroundings, she saw that he was looking intently at the window of a bookstore.

“Wanna go inside?” he asked.

She nodded, and they stepped into the small, cluttered store, the sudden change from bright light to dim shadow disconcerting them both for a minute. When his eyes adjusted to the change, Mal led her forward, moving among the dusty old books with the excitement of a small boy.

“What are you looking for?” Inara asked curiously, as his eyes roved around eagerly.

“Never do know,” Mal said. “But every once in a great while, you can find a real treasure in a place like this.” He trailed his hands gently along the spines of the old books, reading the titles with relish.

Inara watched him with pleasure, thinking what a strange contradiction Mal could be. By turns hard and cold as the worst of gunmen, and then a tender and gentle lover with a penchant for reading in bed, he was an enigma to her, as he had always been. She wondered briefly if she would ever truly discover all the facets of the man.

He glanced up at her to see if she was bored with his slow progress among the shelves. “What were you thinking just then?” he asked curiously.

“Nothing,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. “See any that you like?”

Mal returned to his perusal of the shelves. “Maybehaps this one,” he said, pulling out a well-worn leather-bound book. “Looks to be interestin’.”

Inara examined it, running her fingers along the creamy pages of some of the most beautifully erotic poetry ever written. “So it does,” she agreed softly, imagining long Serenity nights curled by his side as he read them to her. She shivered pleasantly at the thought.

“You cold, darlin’?” he asked, unaware of her train of thought.

“No,” she said smiled. “Not at all.”

Not sure he believed her, he hurried to purchase the book and walked back out into the late morning sun. “Should warm up quick enough now,” he said, taking her hand as they continued down the street. “See anything you’d like to look at?” he asked, indicating the few remaining shops.

Turning her face up to the sun with her fingers entwined with his, she sighed contentedly. “No, I think I’ve got everything I need right here.”

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As always, feedback would be a shiny thing!

malgalfan @ 2007-10-16T11:19:00

2007-10-16T15:21:46Z

Bad Day’s Night

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters.

Rating: PG

Summary: Mal is brooding, and Inara feels the effects.

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She found him in the galley, hunched over a tin cup which she suspected contained something that could take the paint off Serenity’s walls with no trouble. Pulling her thin robe more tightly around her, she walked into the room and reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. His flinch away made the knot of worry in the pit of her stomach clench uncomfortably. Drawing her hand back, she sat down beside him.

“What are you doing here, Inara?” he asked, his voice low and flat.

Inara swallowed nervously. She found it more than a little disconcerting that for all her skill at reading people, Malcolm Reynolds had her more than a little bewildered most of the time. “I was hoping to persuade you to come to bed,” she answered, her voice carefully neutral. “I know you must be tired after…”

Mal’s scowl made her words trail off. He sighed, the sound a heavy weight hanging in her sudden silence. “Didn’t want to come to our bed angry,” he admitted.

Inara’s heart skipped a beat as she thought back over the day. “You’re angry with me?” she asked, hating her slightly pleading tone, but unable to stop it.

“No, darlin’, not with you,” Mal said tiredly.

“Then who?” she asked, mystified.

“Me,” Mal said bitterly. “I’m mad as hell at me.” Discerning from her puzzled expression that she was not simply going to let this rest, he said, “Almost got Zoe and me both killed today, dealin’ with that hundan.”

Inara closed her eyes, remembering the absolute terror she’d felt earlier when Mal and Zoe had run up the ramp of Serenity under a hail of bullets, and she’d been certain that they were both going to be riddled with bullet wounds before Kaylee could raise the ramp. Only after River had taken them out of the world had she realized that they were miraculously unharmed. “But you didn’t…get killed, I mean,” she said softly.

“Not this time,” Mal replied. “Don’t mean it ain’t gonna happen next time.”

“Aren’t you always telling me that’s the nature of the life we lead?” Inara said, laying her hand lightly over his on the table.

“Maybehaps I am,” he said. “But,” he paused, looking up into her inquisitive eyes, his own the color of a stormy sea. “It ain’t ever bothered me like this before. Not that I’ve been tryin’ to get corpsified or anything, but didn’t seem so bad ‘til…”

“Until what?” she prompted when he fell silent.

“Until I had something like you to lose,” he whispered, the admission torn from him almost involuntarily.

Inara’s eyes misted with tears at the raw emotion in his eyes. “You’re not going to lose me, Mal,” she said.

He snorted. “You can promise that, can you?” he said. “You picked up some of River’s reading skills you haven’t told me about?”

“No, love,” Inara said, sliding out of her chair and into his lap. “I know that you’ll come back to me when you go out on a job. Because that’s just the way it is. I’ve got faith.” She kissed him softly, feeling his pulse quicken under her hand on his neck.

“I don’t,” he whispered against her lips.

“Doesn’t matter,” she answered. “I’ve got enough for both of us.” She parted her lips, offering him access to the honeyed taste of her mouth.

He kissed her hard and deep, a certain desperation leaching out of his soul through his lips and tongue. When at last his lungs cried for air, he broke away from her, panting harshly. “Ai ya, woman, what have you done to me?” he asked, wonder and a hint of wild fear in his words.

“Loved you,” she answered breathlessly, sliding off his lap and straightening her clothing as she tried to stop the trembling his kiss had elicited in her. She stood looking at him, her heart beating in time with his, wondering if her love was going to be enough to hold him when he needed to be held. She was unaccustomed to vulnerability in her lover, as Mal very rarely allowed it to show so clearly. The fact that it was on display now indicated to her the depth of fear he’d felt during the firefight. Gathering her wits about her, she said, “And I’m going to keep on loving you, every day and night until we’re both dead, and maybe for awhile after that, depending on Book’s accuracy about that sort of thing.” Her lips curved into a slow smile that she knew made Mal’s pulse race faster.

“That a fact?” he said, a small smile crinkling the corners of his mouth and eyes.

“It is,” she said, straightening her posture, and gathering her skirts in her hands. “Now I’m going to bed, and I sincerely hope I’m not going to have to be there alone for too long.” Without looking back, she swept gracefully out of the galley and went back to Mal’s bunk, her ears straining to hear her lover’s footsteps in the corridor behind her.

Mal stared after her for a moment, stunned by the words she’s spoken and the emotion behind them. He didn’t have Inara’s ability to delude himself into thinking that love alone would bring him home safely. He knew the ‘verse to be uncaring of such things. But he was also a practical man, and not apt to ignore the gift of the love she offered for as long as he had it. Shaking himself out of his earlier mood, he put his cup into the sink, and took a deep breath. Thinking of all the ways he could make that gift a pleasure to both of them, he headed with renewed life to his bunk and into the arms of his lover.

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Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

malgalfan @ 2007-09-25T13:06:00

2007-09-25T17:08:04Z

Restraint II—Turnabout

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just playin’ with ‘em for a bit.

Rating: NC17

Summary: At the request of a few nice folks, here’s the sequel to “Restraint”, since turnabout IS fair play.

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Mal stretched his arms and legs experimentally, noting with a little shock that they were slightly stiff. ‘Course, right this minute, he thought with something approaching disbelief, everything was a mite stiff.

Inara lay back on the bed, looking up at him with hooded eyes. Stretching languidly like a cat, her body looked sleek and strong, and Mal felt his pulse begin to quicken at the sight. It was fair amazing to him that she had persuaded him to let her bind him in such a fashion, and even more amazing that he should have so thoroughly enjoyed it. Mal was no blushing virgin, of course, but he was generally unaccustomed to such games. Maybehaps it was something he’d get accustomed to, he figured, being as how the woman in his bed was all manner of imaginative.

He picked up the black silk ties and ran them experimentally through his fingers. Inara watched him, wondering what was going through her lover’s head. Slowly, he raised his head to look into her eyes. “Can I?” he asked, almost wincing at the pleading sound of his voice.

Inara raised her arms above her head slowly, and lay very still as Mal secured her wrists with the lengths of silk. She noticed that he took great care in the tying of the knots, trying not to cause her discomfort. “Good?” he asked, when he was done.

“Mmm hmm,” Inara answered, wiggling a little to remind him of her free ankles.

Mal chuckled, securing one delicately turned ankle to the bed frame. “Think I’ll be having need of this elsewhere,” he whispered huskily, as he held up the last tie.

Inara looked at him, suddenly a little anxious about what he might have in mind. “Try to relax, darlin’,” he said, mimicking her command from earlier. “Close your eyes.”

Inara closed her eyes and felt him move up the bed to her head, slipping the tie around her eyes. The move was unexpected, and caused warm heat to pool between her legs. She felt the bed shift again, and knew that Mal had gotten up. She listened carefully, all of her senses suddenly attuned to her lover’s movements in the room. She heard the quiet opening of drawers and the whisper of objects being pushed about, as Mal searched for something.

“I’m getting a little cold,” she said, hoping to draw him back to the bed quickly.

“Hold your horses, woman,” Mal drawled lazily. “I’ll take care of that in a minute.”

She heard him padding back to the bed quietly, and felt the dip of the mattress as he climbed in. Suddenly hungry for his touch, she arched toward him as much as the ties would allow. He pushed her back gently, trailing his warm hands over her breasts and belly. She began to shiver, well aware it had nothing to do with the cold. “Mal,” she whispered.

“Quiet now,” he said, as his lips closed over her breast. Taking exquisite time with each breast in turn, he drew soft whimpers of pleasure from her until she felt she might burst with the beauty of it. He pulled away, leaving her suddenly bereft. And then she felt it, the lightest touch imaginable trailing across her breasts and abdomen. Her senses in overdrive, she gasped. “What is that?”

“You should know, darlin’. It belongs to you.” Mal’s voice was low and gravelly against her ear.

Mal swirled the soft bristles of the paint brush along Inara’s parted thighs, and the maddening motion made her moan. “Please, Mal,” she said, her breath coming in short pants.

Instantly setting aside the brush, he slid his hand up to her moist center, reveling in the wet heat he found there. As his fingers entered her, she pushed against his hand urgently. Feeling the trembling of her thighs and watching her arch against him, Mal knew with an instinct as old as man what she wanted. Pulling her free thigh over his hip, he thrust into her, burying himself between her quivering inner walls, deep and fast. Her hips rolled under him, matching his thrusts as they were both taken again by the wave of mind-numbing sensation that signaled their fall.

When their passion was spent, Mal rolled off of her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. When he reached to remove her blindfold and untie her restraints, Inara rubbed her wrists gingerly, and blinked in the sudden light. “Didn’t hurt you, did I?” Mal asked, abruptly worried.

“No, love, far from it,” she said, dazzling him with a smile. “That was just….incredible.”

Mal smiled shyly, and she wondered if she would ever truly know the many facets to the man. “Wouldn’t ever want to hurt you, ‘Nara,” he said softly. “Wouldn’t have ever even asked to do such a thing if you hadn’t brought it up.”

Inara molded her body against him. “Is there anything else you might enjoy that you’d never ask?” she said curiously.

Mal sighed in contentment. “Nothin’ comes to mind right this minute, but maybehaps I’ll think on it and let you know. After I get my strength back, that is.”

Inara laughed against his chest, the sound more wild and free than he could have ever hoped to hear. “You do that,” she said, as she settled herself into his arms to sleep.

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Thus ends my foray into fluffy smut, or smutty fluff, or whatever. Feedback is most welcome!

malgalfan @ 2007-09-24T13:27:00

2007-09-24T17:28:46Z

Restraint

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just like to play with ‘em.

Rating: NC17

Summary: A little piece of fluffy smut, or smutty fluff, or some variation of the two. Inara wants to try something new.

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“So, it’s time to spill,” Kaylee said, bouncing up and down as Inara brushed her hair.

“Spill about what?” Inara asked.

“You and the Cap’n, of course,” Kaylee replied. As the brush paused mid-stroke, she continued, “Come on, Inara. I wanna know what he’s like when you’re sexin’. Always have wondered. I figure he’s all…masterful and dominant. Am I right?”

“Kaylee,” Inara chided gently. “I don’t really think it would be …appropriate to talk about that.”

“Why not?” Kaylee asked, genuinely puzzled. “I tell you ‘bout what me and Simon get up to all the time, don’t I? And it ain’t like the Cap’n’s a client, so you ain’t got to keep client confidentiality or nothin’.”

Inara found herself blushing unaccountably. “Well, it’s just that I don’t think Mal would…I think it would make him very angry if he thought I would talk about…that.”

She paused for a minute, wondering at what point Mal’s prudishness about sex had rubbed off on her.

“Ain’t like I’d run out and tell ‘im,” Kaylee said, though she had already discerned that Inara would not be forthcoming about her intimacies with the Captain.

“I know you wouldn’t, mei mei,” Inara said soothingly. “I just don’t feel…comfortable with it. He is the Captain, you know.”

Kaylee smiled. “It’s okay, Inara. It’s plain as day you’re happy and he looks downright giddy most of the time, so I guess I don’t need all the juicy details anyways.”

Inara laughed, relieved that Kaylee was going to let the subject drop. “Giddy, huh?”

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As Inara finished up the supply list for Serenity’s stopover on Boros the next day, Kaylee’s question about Mal’s inclinations kept replaying in her head. She couldn’t help but wonder if Kaylee’s guess was completely correct, or if Mal might be amenable to a change of pace. In the short months they’d been together, she had discovered many things that gave Mal pleasure and he had done the same with her. But there was a vast unexplored territory that Kaylee’s questions had brought to Inara’s mind. Perhaps it was time to do some exploring, she thought with a little flush of anticipation.

When Mal climbed down into their bunk after his last check around the ship, Inara was waiting patiently. Seeing she was still awake, Mal walked over to kiss her. “Evenin’, darlin’,” he said, setting about to undress.

Watching the process with a hunger that would have surprised her two years ago, she licked her lips nervously. “Mal,” she said in a low voice, “I was wondering if you might like to try something new tonight.”

Mal looked up at her, a half-smile on his lips. “What might that be?” he asked, his own imagination beginning to supply several possibilities. When Inara reached behind her back and held out four lengths of black silk, Mal’s eyes widened.

“I thought we might use these,” she said seductively.

Mal swallowed. “You want I should…um…tie you up?” he said, his voice cracking despite his best efforts to sound calm.

Inara shook her head. “I thought maybe I could use these on you,” she suggested, her heart hammering in her chest as she waited for the reaction.

Mal stood frozen to the floor for a moment, his mind processing the information in slow motion. “Uhh, darlin’,” he began hesitantly. “I ain’t real sure about that.”

“Why not?” Inara asked. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Ain’t so much a matter of trust, bao bei,” he said, trying to figure the best way out of the conversation. “It’s just…well, with the life I lead, gettin’ tied up don’t hold much charm for me. Generally it comes a second or two before all manner of unpleasantness, if you know what I mean.”

Inara walked over to him and kissed him gently. “I can assure you this would not lead to anything remotely resembling unpleasantness for you,” she whispered against his ear, as she trailed one of the restraints softly across his back.

Mal shivered with the sensation. “You make it sorta hard for a man to resist, darlin’.”

Inara smiled. “Is that a ‘yes’ then?”

Mal took a slow, deep breath. “Reckon it is,” he answered. Nervously, he added, “What exactly is it you want me to do?”

“Just lie down on the bed,” Inara answered, delighted he’d agreed.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it,” she said. “I’ll do the rest.”

As she positioned Mal as she wanted him, he couldn’t help but notice how adept she was at tying the restraints. When she turned her back briefly, he gave them a surreptitious tug, and found, to his consternation, that they had gorram little give in them.

Feeling his body tense with the knowledge, Inara turned back around. “Just relax, Mal,” she said softly.

“I am relaxed,” he said too quickly.

Inara rolled her eyes. “You’re tense as a bowstring,” she said, as she began to run her hands lightly across his shoulders and chest. “Close your eyes for me, air en.”

Mal closed his eyes reluctantly. But as Inara slowly worked her way down his body with her clever hands, Mal found himself relaxing into her magical touch. When she was satisfied that his initial defenses were lowered sufficiently, she replaced her hands with her mouth, painstakingly tracing patterns with her tongue and lips. As she took his hard length into her mouth, Mal’s hips bucked up involuntarily and he jerked against the restraints. “Ai ya, woman,” he breathed out. “That’s just…” He suddenly found it impossible to form coherent thought, as Inara swirled her tongue in wicked patterns over his engorged manhood.

Inara paused and looked up at him, to see that his eyes had popped open and he was staring speechlessly at her, harsh pants ruffling her hair against his thighs. “Like that, do you?” she asked in a sultry whisper as she slid up his body and straddled his hips. She slowly sank inch by inch onto his length and she saw his fists clench in the restraints, as he tried to maintain some control. Rocking her hips in a rhythm she knew would send him catapulting over the edge, she held his gaze. “Let go,” she said.

Well beyond any ability to do otherwise, Mal felt his release ripping through him like a hurricane as Inara continued to move over him. After what seemed an eternity of intense pleasure, Inara slumped over him bonelessly, trying to catch her breath in the aftermath of her own release.

Eventually, when ability to speak returned, Mal shifted as much as the restraints would allow. “Um, darlin’?” he said softly.

Inara lifted her head, looking at him with something akin to wonder. “Yes?” she asked.

“Think you might let me go, now?” he asked, shaking the restraints a little.

Inara smiled lazily. “Depends,” she answered saucily. “What are you going to do if I do?”

“Oh, I’m thinkin’ maybehaps turnabout’s fair play in this little game,” he said, grinning wickedly.

As Inara untied the restraints, she thought that she would really have to remember to thank Kaylee in the morning.

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A little feedback, if you please!

malgalfan @ 2007-09-23T14:00:00

2007-09-23T18:02:42Z

Something of Use

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just play with ‘em for fun.

Summary: Just a little piece of Mal/Inara fluff for the weekend. Inara finds a way to be of use.

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Mal sat at his desk working on Serenity’s ledgers, both the real ones and the ones for the occasional Alliance inspection. It was a job he disliked immensely, not because he was not proficient in accounting procedures, but because he found it tediously boring. The long columns of figures did nothing to engage his mind, and he generally put completing the work as far down his list of things to do as possible. Hence, when he did manage to get around to it, there was always enough work to keep him busy for several hours. Rummaging around the desk in search of the receipt for Kaylee’s latest parts purchases, he did not hear Inara enter until she rested her hands lightly on his shoulders.

Startled, Mal jerked in the chair. “Ye su, ‘Nara, it ain’t wise to sneak up on an armed man like that.”

Inara laughed lightly. “You’re not armed, Mal. Your holster’s hanging on the back of the chair. And I wasn’t sneaking, just stopping in to say ‘hello’.” She kissed him softly, just barely pressing her lips against his until she felt a smile replace his scowl. “What’re you doing down here?”

Mal sighed. “Just, you know,…Captainy things.”

“Such as?” Inara asked, peering over his shoulder at the neat columns of figures in the ledger.

“Seein’ to the accounts, such as they are,” Mal replied as he turned back to the books. “Been puttin’ it off for awhile. Now I gotta play catch-up.”

Inara rested her elbows on the desk. “I take it you don’t like doing the bookkeeping?”

“Not exactly my idea of a good time,” Mal said. Pulling her into his lap, he added, “I can think of more pleasant activities for an afternoon.”

Inara wrapped her arms around his neck. “Are you just using me as an excuse not to work?” she said sweetly.

“Maybehaps,” he admitted, nuzzling his nose into the heady scent of her hair. “Have to say I’d do most anything not to have to do the books.”

“Anything?” Inara whispered against his ear, sending a jolt of pure lust straight to his groin.

Mal moaned with the sensation. “That just ain’t in no way fair, darlin’,” he drawled.

“Perhaps I can make it up to you,” Inara said as she unwrapped her arms from around him. “What about if I help you with the books, or better yet, just do them for you?”

Mal looked at her quizzically. “Got a head for figures, do you?” he asked.

“I do,” Inara said, beginning to feel an unaccountable excitement as the idea took shape in her mind. “I’m quite adept, as a matter of fact. I’ve always managed my own finances with no trouble. How hard can it be?”

“Well, there’s a mite more to the job than just writing down figures in columns, ‘Nara,” Mal began. “There’s two sets of books to keep, bein’ as how we don’t rightly know when the Alliance will call for an audit at one of their checkpoints. And there’s the inventory of ship’s supplies to see to, and the makin’ of the duty roster for the crew, and the…”

Inara shook her head eagerly. “I can learn to do all that, Mal. And it would free you for other things, things that you prefer to do. This is a way I could be of use to you.”

Mal smiled. “’Nara, I keep tellin’ you that you don’t have to be doing ship chores to be of use to me.”

“But I want to, Mal. I’d like to try my hand at it.” She looked at him with her bewitching eyes. “And if I can handle this for you, then you’ll have more free time to pursue other afternoon interests.” She licked her lips deliberately.

“The accounts won’t be fallin’ for your wiles like I do,” Mal said mildly, knowing he was caving to her wishes. “Can’t make a column of figures add up by battin’ those pretty eyes of yours.”

“Won’t have to, Mal,” she said. “Trust me.” She slid out of his lap. “Now, let me sit down, and you show me where everything is.”

As Mal showed her the general set-up, Inara listened intently to his instructions. When he was done, she nodded. “I think I can manage this. Go ahead and do whatever else you need to do, and I’ll work on it.” At Mal’s dubious expression, she added, “You can always check behind me later, if it will make you feel more comfortable.”

Mal nodded, noting with not a little satisfaction how intent she seemed on doing this for him. And it would be a real relief not to have to do it, if she really was willing and able, he thought. “I’ll be back in awhile,” he said as he climbed the ladder. When she didn’t answer, he looked back to see her head already bent over the books in concentration.

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When everyone except Inara had assembled in the galley for the evening meal, Mal went to check on her. Climbing down the ladder of his bunk, he found her asleep, head resting on the top of the closed ledger and a pencil still clasped in her hand.

Cradling her head gently in his hand, Mal whispered in her ear, “Wake up, darlin’. Time for dinner. You can finish this up later.”

Inara opened her eyes slowly and yawned widely. “That won’t be necessary,” she said, with a touch of pride. “It’s done. I was just re-checking everything and must have fallen asleep.”

Mal looked quickly through the pages of entries made in Inara’s graceful handwriting. Scanning through the columns, he was amazed to see how much had been accomplished in such a short time.

“How does it all look?” Inara asked, running her fingers through her hair to comb it into submission.

Mal smiled broadly. “Looks like I got me a new accountant,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose. “Thank you, darlin’.”

Inara’s smile shone like the sun. “You’re welcome, Mal. I’m glad to be of use.”

“You’re more than that, bao bei,” he said, pulling her close to him. “Much, much more.”

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As always, feedback would be all kinds of shiny!

malgalfan @ 2007-09-21T19:59:00

2007-09-22T00:00:48Z

Learning Curve

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just play with ‘em now and again.

Rating: PG

Summary: Takes place after the events of “Walking After Midnight.” Part of a loosely continuing storyline, but can stand alone if you prefer. Mal and Inara still have some learning to do.

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“Why we still talkin’ ‘bout this? It’s been decided,” Mal said, more than a little irritated that Inara was still blocking his path.

“It has not been decided, Malcolm Reynolds,” Inara said angrily. The only thing stopping her from stamping her foot was years of Companion training.

Mal took her by the shoulders and set her out of his way physically. Climbing the ladder of his bunk, he said, “Ain’t arguing the point any more, woman. Just ‘cause I’m putty in your hands down here don’t mean I ain’t Captain of this boat everywhere else. And long’s you’re crew, you’d best learn not to fight me when it comes to the job.”

Inara let out a huge sigh of frustration as his feet disappeared up the ladder. That man could be the most infuriating man she’d ever met. He was categorically opposed to her joining him on jobs, and now that she was not a Companion anymore, that left her with very few options as to employment. They had argued for the two days it had taken them to get to the drop point, and Inara had made absolutely no progress in getting him to budge from his recalcitrant position. To be truthful, she had never met a man that she couldn’t persuade to her way of thinking, given time and opportunity, but Mal was a different sort altogether.

She pondered the problem while he and Jayne were gone, trying to figure a new angle of convincing argument. She could think of nothing, and went to her shuttle, in no mood to hear the recounting of the tale of thrilling heroics that they would no doubt have on their return.

Though she closed her shuttle door, she could clearly hear when he returned, as he was bellowing orders at the top of his voice. Yelling something about getting the hell out of the world, he sounded none too happy by whatever had happened. She pulled the pillows over her ears to block out the sound, and fell asleep still annoyed.

Sometime later, in Serenity’s night watch, she was awakened by Mal’s heavy steps outside her shuttle. Stepping inside, he crossed his arms and leaned against the bulkhead. She sat up, automatically reaching to comb her fingers quickly through her hair. “What are you doing here, Mal?” she asked.

“Could ask the same of you,” he shot back, something in his voice making her spine stiffen.

“I was sleeping,” she said sarcastically. “At least until you awakened me stomping around.”

Mal looked at her steadily, the blue glint in his eyes not altogether as pleasant as usual. “You planning on doing this any time you don’t get your way?” he asked. His tone made her feel suddenly like a disobedient child.

“Doing what?” she said with as much defiance as she could muster. “Sleeping in my own bed?”

“No,” Mal answered. “More like not sleeping in my bed.”

Inara swallowed, uncomfortable with the tone of the conversation. “I fell asleep, Mal,” she said, backpedaling a bit.

Mal puffed out a small burst of air. “I ain’t over fond of games of this sort, ‘Nara.”

“I’m not playing a game, Mal. What is it you want me to do?”

Mal took a deep breath. “We’ve been together a little while now, darlin’. And I’d like to know that, even when we don’t part on the best of terms, I can count on you to come and check on me when I get back. Count on you to be in my bed, and not somewheres else sulkin’ like a child.”

“If you don’t want me to act like a child, then don’t treat me like one,” Inara said flatly.

Mal uncrossed his arms and came off the bulkhead as if he’d been shot. Closing the distance between them, he towered over Inara. Nostrils flaring and blue eyes flashing like laser lights, he said, “Of all the things I’ve done with you and to you, I don’t recall any of ‘em being in any way how I’d be treatin’ a child.”

Inara stood up, forcing him to take a step backward. “If you consider me a capable woman, why won’t you let me come on a job with you? You have no problem with Zoe accompanying you, or even River, who really is still close to a child. And yet, you make me sit here with absolutely no purpose while they go with you.”

“First off,” Mal began. “Zoe goes with me because she’s a trained soldier who’s proven herself in battle many a time at my side. Ain’t likely I’ll ever be wantin’ to go on a job without her. And as for River, she may be young in years, but she’s a gorram government-trained killer-woman. I ain’t got to worry on her whilst we’re gettin’ shot at. I don’t take Kaylee on jobs, and she don’t seem to have this outstanding issue with it.”

“That’s because Kaylee has a job here,” Inara said. “She knows what she’s supposed to do. She keeps Serenity flying, and that’s of value to you. It’s not the same at all.” She looked at Mal, suddenly too tired to fight anymore.

Mal, seeing the slump of her shoulders, finally let the meaning of her words penetrate. “’Nara,” he said, his voice much more gentle now, “Just ‘cause you don’t go on jobs with me doesn’t mean you aren’t valuable to me. Don’t you understand what would happen if I took you on a job?”

Inara stared at him with her large, brown eyes. “What would happen, Mal?”

“I’d get shot, most like,” Mal said simply. “You don’t mean to be, but you’re all manner of distractin’ to me, darlin’. Only way I’m still alive is that I don’t get distracted whilst folk try to kill me. I don’t know but that maybehaps you could handle yourself fine out there, but I know I couldn’t handle myself with you there. And that’s the simple truth of it. It don’t have nothin’ to do with what you can do. It’s about what I can do. Dong ma?”

Inara looked intently into his eyes, and saw the honesty in them. “Then what am I to do, Mal?” she asked in a small voice. “I need a purpose, like everyone on this ship.”

Mal ran his hands down her arms. “We’ll figure something out,” he said. “We just need some time to adjust to things, I’m thinkin’. Nothin’s gotta be decided right this very minute. We got time, don’t we?”

“I suppose we do, if you’ll promise to help me find something that is of real use,” Inara admitted.

“Deal,” Mal said. “Now, would it be too much of a bother to ask you to come to bed? I’m a mite tired from gettin’ shot today.”

Inara looked at him in shock. “You got shot today?”

Mal pulled up his shirt tail to reveal a fresh white bandage. “See what you miss when you hide in your shuttle?”

Inara rolled her eyes, but ran her hands gently over the bandage. “Does it hurt much?” she asked worriedly.

“Not so much you need to sleep in another bed,” Mal said, grinning wickedly. “Maybehaps you could nurse me back to health.”

“I don’t know,” Inara said, smiling seductively. “That might be a big job to handle.”

“Oh, I’m fair certain you got all the right qualifications,” Mal said, beginning to nibble at her neck. “Guess I’ll just have to put myself in your capable hands.”

“I’ll do my best, Captain Reynolds,” Inara said, as she began to show him just how very capable her hands could be.

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As always, I’d love a little feedback!

malgalfan @ 2007-09-07T10:52:00

2007-09-07T14:53:58Z

Walking After Midnight

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just playin’.

Rating: PG

Summary: My contribution to a fluffy Friday. Just a little tidbit of fun before the angst starts again.

***************

Mal climbed down into his bunk to find Inara already there. Now that it was obvious the crew knew about their clandestine activities, there was no need to go sneaking about in the wee hours. And Mal thought that it was all manner of pleasing to know someone was waiting for him when he finished his last check each evening.

“Everything secure?’ Inara asked, oddly comforted to know Mal always made sure, even when Serenity was dirtside, as it was tonight.

“Yep,” Mal said, pushing his suspenders off his shoulders. Noticing that Inara was still fully dressed, he frowned. “You plannin’ on sleepin in all that?”

“No,” Inara answered. “I thought it might be nice to take a walk.”

“It’s after midnight, Aberdeen time,” Mal protested. “Where you gotta go?”

“I don’t ‘have’ to go anywhere,” Inara said, sliding up next to him, enveloping him in her intoxicating scent. Pulling his suspenders back up with her slender fingers, she traced little circles on his chest. “I just thought you might like to come with me for a little stroll.”

“Last time I left Serenity for a little ‘stroll’, I ended up swingin’ from chains in Atherton’s little playroom,” Mal grumbled, though he knew he would cave at any minute.

“Don’t worry, dearest. I’ll protect you,” Inara said, the smile on her lips just begging to be tasted.

“All right, woman, I’ll go with you. Just stop with the wiles,” Mal said.

Inara widened her eyes innocently. “What wiles?”

“You know gorram well what wiles,” Mal replied, opening the hatch and climbing back out into the corridor. He smiled at the sound of Inara’s laughter as she followed him out.

Once outside the ship, they stood for a moment to look up at the stars. “They’re beautiful in the Black, but sometimes I forget how they look dirtside,” Mal said, squeezing Inara’s hand. Turning to look at her instead, he asked, “Got any particular direction you aim to take?”

“No,” Inara replied. “You lead the way.”

Mal nodded, and started off down a small path away from Aberdeen’s settlement. “Noticed this path today when we were in town. Wondered where it might lead.”

A warm breeze blew pleasantly from the south, and the two lovers walked for awhile in companionable silence. Mal marveled at the ease of it, with Inara’s hand in his and moonlight illuminating their path. “Man could get used to this,” he said, breaking the silence.

“To what?”

“To walkin’ about with a beautiful woman in the moonlight,” he said, brushing his lips lightly against her ear. Inara shivered deliciously, leaning into his touch. “You cold, darlin’?” he asked.

“Not at all,” she replied. “Quite the contrary, in fact.” She ran her hands around his sides and up his back.

“That a fact?’ he said, his voice suddenly two registers lower.

“Umm hmm,” she answered, her fingers impatiently tugging at his suspenders and shirt tails.

“You are a wanton woman, you know that?” he asked as he helped her out of her clothing as well. Inara just smiled as she saw the desire flare in Mal’s eyes. Spreading their clothes out like a blanket, Mal held out his hand. “Come lie with me.”

Inara took his hand, and arranging herself beside him, pulled him to her. Mal went willingly, his hard body pressing against her soft curves in that most wonderful of juxtapositions. Reveling in the sensuous slide of skin against skin, Inara knew she would never tire of the feel of this man inside her, giving and receiving pleasure in equal measure. She knew that were she to express the novelty of the sensations he created in her, he would never believe it, not truly aware of the value of what he offered to her.

Mal paused to look at her, trying to decipher the play of emotions across her moonlit face. Urging him on with a well-placed roll of her hips, Inara snapped him from his momentary musings. “Mal,” she breathed against his neck, sending desire curling down his spine. He knew he’d never get enough of the sound of his name rolled so deliciously off her tongue.

In a moment of mind-numbing perfection, they reached their release together. “Ai ya, but we’re good at that,” Mal gasped, still breathless from the exertion.

“Yes, we are,” Inara agreed, a little winded herself.

They lay on their backs for a time, watching the stars until their breathing calmed again. Mal turned on his side to look at Inara. He smiled the slow, lazy smile that turned her knees to jelly, as he picked grass from her tangled hair.

Inara reached up, self-consciously patting her riotous hair back into place. “I must look a real mess,” she said.

“Most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Mal said softly, cupping her face in his hand. And the wonder in his voice made Inara believe it.

*******************

malgalfan @ 2007-09-05T16:56:00

2007-09-05T20:58:25Z

Revelations

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just play with ‘em on occasion.

Rating: PG

Summary: Sequel of sorts to “Blaze of Glory” for the kind folks who asked so nicely for a little more. Mal and Inara decide to tell the crew about their new relationship.

*******************

Mal awoke to the sound of the crew moving about to start the day on Serenity. Stretching muscles pleasantly abused by his evening of passion with Inara, he smiled at the memory. There were certain advantages to sharing a bed with a former Companion, he mused, for once not letting his disdain for the profession sour the thought.

Opening one eye to check the chronometer, he was startled to see Inara still curled up under his covers, dead to the world around her. “’Nara,” he said, nudging her with his leg. “’Nara, darlin’, it’s past time to get up.”

Inara mumbled incoherently and pulled the sheet up over her head. Mal peeled it back gently, and leaned forward to kiss her. “Come on, sleepyhead,” he whispered against her ear. “Time to get up.”

Drawing a deep breath, Inara opened her eyes and smiled lazily. ‘What’s the hurry?” she asked, stretching like a well-satisfied cat.

“Crew’s already up and about,” Mal replied calmly.

Inara jumped out of the bed, frantically searching for her clothes. “Mal,” she said, exasperated. ‘Why didn’t you wake me before?”

“Only just woke up two minutes ago myself,” Mal replied. Giving her a lop-sided grin, he added, “Guess I was all tuckered out from last night.” He ducked as Inara’s slipper sailed past his head. “Whoa now, no need to get all tetchy,” he said.

Inara gave him a look halfway between anxious and annoyed. “I thought we were going to keep our relationship a secret for now,” she said, brushing a trembling hand through her tangled hair.

“I thought so too, darlin’,” he said, discerning she was more nervous than angry. “But I overslept, plain and simple. And so did you.” He padded over to her and took her into his arms. “Ain’t the worst thing in the ‘verse to have to admit to beddin’ me, is it?”

Inara leaned into the embrace, relaxing into the warmth of it. “Of course not,” she said, sighing. “It’s just that so many things have changed so suddenly. I suppose I’m just a little dizzy from the spin.”

Mal chuckled lightly. “Now you know how I’ve felt ever since you walked onto my boat. Welcome to my ‘verse.”

Inara rolled her eyes, but she graced him with a smile nonetheless. “So, how are we going to break the news to everyone? Just blurt it out over breakfast?”

Mal gave her a mock frown. “Well, if you think that’s best, I reckon I could do that,” he replied. “Or maybehaps you’d rather I just fling you onto the table and…”

Inara punched his arm. “I’m serious, Mal. What are we going to say?”

Mal sighed. “I ain’t altogether convinced we gotta say anything in particular. They’re fairly smart folk…well, ‘ceptin’ Jayne of course, and Kaylee can explain it to him, if need be. Why don’t we just act natural-like and let them figure it out?”

Inara nodded her assent. “I just wish we could have waited a little longer before complicating everything again.”

“It ain’t gotta be complicated,” Mal said easily. “’Sides, how long do you think it would be ‘fore Kaylee notices your shuttle ain’t exactly work-ready anymore?”

“I suppose you’re right,” Inara said. “Might as well face the music.”

Mal grabbed her hand and spun her about. “Maybehaps they’ll be playin’ our song,” he said, laughing as her spin landed her against his chest awkwardly. Inara couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up in her own throat in answer.

***********************

“Think they’re ever gonna quit ruttin’ and come to breakfast?” Jayne asked, his mouth full of protein mush.

Simon sighed. “Why must you be so crude in the morn…all the time?”

Smirking, Jayne replied, “Oughta’ be grateful I ain’t still talking ‘bout you and Kaylee.”

Simon’s ears turned an alarming shade of red, while Kaylee just smiled sunnily. “Well, I think it’s just the shiniest thing that the Cap’n and Inara are sexin’ each other.”

Zoe surprised everyone by adding a rare personal comment of her own. “I’d say it’s about gorram time.”

“Time for what?’ Mal asked, sauntering into the galley hand-in-hand with Inara.

River grinned and rose from her chair to peck Mal on the cheek. “Time for the music to start,” she answered breezily, dancing out of the room.

“Time to get to work on that compression coil,” Kaylee covered for Zoe, trying not to stare at the Captain and Inara’s entwined hands.

“Yes,” Simon said, hastily pushing back his own chair. “I have some re-organizing to do in the infirmary myself,” he said, not quite meeting Mal’s surprised eyes.

“I’ll be in the cargo bay,” Zoe said, taking her bowl to the sink. “You comin’, Jayne?”

Jayne looked up, still shoveling mush into his mouth. Seeing Zoe’s threatening look, he said sarcastically, “Yeah, got that important cargo bay thing to sort out.” He rose reluctantly to follow the scowling Zoe out.

Inara looked around the suddenly empty galley. “I thought we’d been so careful. But they already knew, didn’t they?” she asked in amazement.

“Ya’ think?” Mal asked, cocking one mischievous eyebrow as he pulled her closer for a proper good-morning kiss.

*******************

As always, feedback would be shiny!

malgalfan @ 2007-09-01T15:37:00

2007-09-01T19:38:57Z

Blaze of Glory

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just playin’.

Summary: Just a little piece of fluff to counterbalance the recent angst flowing from my pen. Mal and Inara set aside their complications, at least for one night. Rated NC17.

******************

Mal did not let Inara’s hand go until climbing down the ladder to his bunk made it absolutely necessary. Once on the floor, he turned quickly to set the lock, determined not to allow any distraction to hinder him from his intended goal.

Inara was of a similar mind, hastily pushing his suspenders from his broad shoulders and unbuttoning his shirt and pants, even as he slipped her robe and gown from her shoulders. Pausing only long enough to step away from their scattered clothing, Mal pulled her to him, breathing heavily at the sheer pleasure of her body molded onto his like a second skin.

Inara looked up at him, her glistening red lips parted slightly as she tried to breathe normally. Possessing her mouth with all the pent-up passion of five long weeks, Mal tasted the honey sweetness of her lips and teeth and tongue. He fisted his hands into her hair, angling her head to give him the access he craved like water in a desert.

Inara sighed, suddenly boneless with the power of his kiss. Her knees buckling under the intensity of her own desires, she went limp, trusting his strong arms to support her. Feeling the surrender, Mal’s arms tightened around her as he carried her to his bed. Sparing no time now to look at the beauty of her laid out so open and vulnerable before him, he continued his relentless assault on her senses, licking and nipping his way to all the spots that he’d catalogued in their time together to drive her to her fall.

Inara trembled and moaned beneath him, losing all sense of anything else in the feel of the slow slide of his body against hers. Reaching between them to caress his arousal, she felt the swift jerk of his hips as he gasped against her neck. She shifted her own hips, widening the spread of her legs to accommodate his girth. Hooking an ankle around one muscular thigh, she urged him wordlessly to consummate their mutual desire.

Sliding into her welcoming heat, Mal groaned with the perfection of the fit. Controlling the impulse to reach his own climax quickly, he set a slow and steady pace, acutely attuned to the effect his thrusts had on Inara’s body. They moved thus for a long while, Inara’s fingernails digging into the smooth skin of his shoulders and back as she controlled her own rhythm, contracting around him strongly. A long, low moan escaped her lips even as she bit them to try to suppress it.

The sound alone nearly bringing him to release, Mal adjusted the angle of his thrusts, slipping one warm hand between them to find the sensitive nerve bundle at her core. Arching beneath him with a cry, Inara began to unravel in his grip, buffeted by the storm of her climax. Mal increased the pace of his thrusts, his own release thundering through his body. After moments that stretched out into a seeming eternity of ecstasy and then contracted again into a semblance of normal time, Mal lifted his weight from her, still breathing raggedly in the intensity of the moment.

Inara breathed deeply, her body thrumming still with the sense memory of Mal moving urgently inside her. Wordlessly curling her body into the curve of his, she placed small, sweet kisses across his sweaty chest. Brushing the tickle of her hair from his neck, he pulled her closer still. “I haven’t told you today how gorram much I love you, darlin’,” he said, the rumble of his voice vibrating pleasantly against her cheek.

He felt Inara’s smile against his chest. “I thought you just did,” she whispered, closing her eyes in sheer contentment and going to sleep.

********************

I’d greatly appreciate any feedback you’d like to give!

malgalfan @ 2007-08-29T11:55:00

2007-08-29T15:58:24Z

Bridges Burned

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just playing with ‘em.

Rating: PG13

Summary: Sequel of sorts to “Fire Sale”. Mal discovers the true price Inara paid for her freedom.

***********************

Pulling away from Inara’s kiss-swollen lips, Mal drew a shaky breath. “I’m thinkin’ we’d best move this offa this bitty sofa and over to the bed.”

Inara nodded, her heart singing with the love she had for this man. “It’s a little smaller than the other one,” she said by way of an apology of sorts.

“Looks big enough for what I aim to do in it,” Mal said, winking wickedly to remove the slight worry on Inara’s face. “Course, there’d be more room if we didn’t have to worry with clothes and such.”

Inara rolled her eyes, but there was merriment in them. “Well, let’s see what we can do about that.”

Quickly divested of all encumbrances, the lovers slid into the crisp cotton sheets. Picking up where they’d left off on the sofa, Mal kissed Inara, tongues entwining in a dizzying dance of desire. Trailing open-mouthed kisses down her neck and to her breasts, Mal marveled at the honey-sweet taste of her skin on his tongue.

Inara sighed with pleasure at the feel of his work-roughened hands against her silky skin. Arching upward to offer him better access as he latched onto one taut nipple, she ran her fingers through his hair, sending an electric jolt straight to his nethers.

Pulling away panting, he stopped to admire the perfection of the woman in his arms. And then, he saw it.

“Mal, what is it?” Inara asked, abruptly alarmed by the expression on his face.

Sitting up and pulling completely away from her, Mal answered in a hollow voice. “Guess that’s what I should be askin’ you, only I ain’t firmly convinced I’m gonna like the answer.”

Inara followed the line of his vision, looking down at her left breast to discover a half-healed bite mark on its side. Blushing violently, she gulped in a deep breath, and said, “Mal, please, let me explain.”

Mal could barely hear her for the blood rushing through his ears. When he spoke, his voice was low and deathly calm. “Oh, I conjure it don’t require all that much of an explanation. I ain’t been with you for five weeks now, so I’d be more than a little surprised if that was my mark on ya’.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached down to pick up his scattered clothes. “Course, I guess it ain’t my place to be demanding an explanation of you. I’m just the fool who thought you’d made up your mind.” By the time he had finished his sentence, he was pulling up his suspenders.

Inara, feeling desperately vulnerable under the heat of his glare, pulled the sheets around her and reached out to touch him. Her heart shattered as he flinched away. Drawing her trembling hand back to her side, she said, “It wasn’t as you imagine it, Mal.”

Mal’s voice was like a razor across her heart. “Oh, I don’t know ‘bout that, Inara. Ain’t but so many ways to get a mark like that, I conjure.”

Cut to the quick, Inara blinked back tears. “I did what I had to do, Mal,” she said, hating the tremor in her voice. “Did you imagine that my things were really worth twenty-eight thousand credits? After everything of any value was sold, I was still several thousand credits short.” Taking a shuddering breath, she continued,” “Where was I going to get that kind of coin?”

Mal swallowed thickly. “You coulda’ come to me, trusted me to help you. We coulda’…”

“Could have what, Mal? Been indebted to the Guild together? While that’s a lovely romantic notion, they would never have accepted it. Nor would I have asked you to help me, knowing you’d have agreed to some foolish job that would probably get you killed trying to earn enough coin to bail me out.” She met his eyes, a small fire blazing in her own. “So, I earned the coin as quickly as I knew how.”

His anger tempered by sorrow, Mal said bitterly, “By whoring yourself out to the highest bidders.”

Inara could not escape the truth of his words because for the first time, she had felt, not like a legitimate Companion, but like a common whore when she had serviced her last clients. “Yes,” she answered almost inaudibly. Clearing her throat, she added, “But I’m free now. The debt has been satisfied.”

Mal looked at her with anguished eyes. “But at what price, Inara? At what price?” So saying, he walked out of her shuttle, leaving Inara clutching her sheets about her like protection from a storm wind.

*********************

Mal made it to his bunk without encountering any of the crew, a merciful kindness to his embattled heart. Anger at the people who would force Inara to sell herself battled with his despair that she would make such a sacrifice. And added into the tangle of emotions was his certainty that no matter what Inara had done or might yet do, his heart was bound to her beyond his power to control. Slamming his fist against the bulkhead until it was raw and swollen, he was glad of the distraction of the physical pain.

Exhausted from the emotional upheavals of the day, he lay on his bunk, one arm slung across his red-rimmed eyes. After a time, Kaylee knocked on his door, asking him if he’d like some supper. Responding as normally as he could, he sent her on her way, offering no explanation for his absence in the galley.

The sleep cycle began on the ship, and he could hear the crew going about their night-time routines and finally settling down to sleep. Too responsible to skip his nightly walk about Serenity, he trudged up his ladder and through the corridors, giving a cursory glance to each section. When he reached the bridge, he saw River sitting in the pilot’s chair, staring out at something he could not see.

“Everything okay up here, li’l Albatross?” he asked, his voice hoarse from hours of silence.

“Broken,” River said sadly. “Thinks the sacrifice was made to a lost cause.” She turned accusing eyes to him. “Can’t heal alone. Needs you to help, but won’t ask. Afraid you’ll break too.”

Mal swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. “What have I told you about reading my crew?”

River shrugged. “Can’t help it. Screaming too loud.” A single tear fell down her cheek. “You could stop it, if you wanted. Patch the hurt, heal the breech.”

Mal nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. Turning on his heel, he left River staring after him sadly.

***************************

Inara moved lethargically in the galley, feeling as if her limbs were suddenly made of lead. She hadn’t eaten any supper, and the insistent growling of her stomach had prompted her to eat, though she felt no hunger. In point of fact, she felt nothing at all except a huge ache deep in her soul that she thought she’d never be able to ease.

She sat staring at the table, forcing down the crumbly protein bar on her plate. Oblivious to her surroundings, she did not see Mal standing in the shadows of the corridor outside.

Mal looked at her intently, noting the lines of sorrow etched on her lovely face, and some hard knot inside him began to slip loose. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the galley. “Evenin’, ‘Nara,” he managed to get out with an evenness he did not feel.

Inara jumped in her seat, startled out of her morose thoughts. “Good evening, Mal,” she said blandly.

Mal pulled up a chair beside her, careful not to brush against her. “So,” he said slowly, “here we are.”

“Where, Mal?” she asked pitifully. “Where are we?”

Mal’s blue eyes bore into her brown ones. “Out here on the raggedy edge, I reckon,” he replied. “With a choice to fall over it or pull back from it, best as I can figure.”

Inara’s heart, so overburdened before, beat hopefully in her chest. “The edge is a frightening place to be,” she said softly.

“It is at that,” Mal replied truthfully. “Think you can see your way clear to step back from it?”

Inara saw the small glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. “Only if you hold my hand and walk me through it,” she whispered.

Mal’s large calloused hand covered her smaller one. “I think I can manage that, darlin’,” he said gently. And pulling her up from her chair, he led her back to his bunk.

***************************

Just a little reminder---I adore feedback!

malgalfan @ 2007-08-28T18:10:00

2007-08-28T22:13:15Z

Fire Sale

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Just playing.

Rating: PG

Summary: Inara settles affairs with the Guild, while Mal waits anxiously back at home.

*******************

Mal shifted restlessly in his bunk. Having gotten shockingly used to the luxury of stretching out on Inara’s huge bed while recovering from his unpleasant second encounter with Atherton Wing, he felt more than a little cramped in his own narrow bunk.

Pleasuring Inara was just about the most amazing thing he could ever have imagined happening in his life, but he had found that simply lying beside her on those decadently cool satin sheets, whispering in the dark, was a gorram close second. Problem was, it made the nights he spent alone seem all manner of long and torturous.

Inara and her satin-sheeted bed were gone. Having come to her decision to retire from her profession in favor of a life spent with him, she had taken her shuttle to Sihnon to settle her business affairs at the Guild House there. Mal had offered to accompany her, eager to do anything that would aid her progress, but Inara had quickly and inarguably refused his company, saying only that his presence would further complicate matters. What matters those were exactly, he did not know, and it was painfully obvious to him that she did not wish him to learn. Punching his pillow into submission, he fell into a fitful sleep, the last thought in his mind the mysteries of the woman whose absence had been stealing his sleep for two weeks now.

*****************

“It is the decision of the counsel to accept your resignation, Inara,” the house priestess of Madrassa said. “Though I personally must say I am highly disappointed by your choice. To demean yourself in such a manner shows a certain…base nature I would never have expected of you.”

Inara, stung by the words, blinked back unwanted tears. Though she of course did not agree with the older woman, Inara had spent years conforming to the opinions of people of position in the Guild, and she had a certain amount of ingrained respect for them. She bowed her head in deference. “With your permission, Honorable Mother, may I speak freely?”

The older woman barely contained a snort. “You’ve certainly had no trouble speaking freely to this counsel before, or flouting the standards of this honorable institution, for that matter.”

Inara gazed at her steadily, her own formidable temper infusing her spine with sudden steel.

The older woman, well-versed in body language, relented, pursing her lips in disdain. “You have leave to speak as you wish.”

Inara took a deep breath, and began. “I understand entirely that my actions might seem irresponsible and my choices illogical, but I wish you to understand, with no possibility of misinterpretation, that I do not believe that choosing to retire from the Guild is in any way demeaning. Nor is it intended to be at all a reflection of how I feel about this honorable counsel or House Madrassa as a whole. I make this choice because I cannot in good conscience perform my duties in a manner that would befit a representative of the Guild at this point.”

“As you wish,” the house priestess said dismissively. “However, as you are aware, there will of course be stipulations to our acceptance of your resignation.”

Inara inclined her head slightly. “I had assumed that to be the case.” She hoped that her nervousness about the nature of those stipulations was not betrayed on her face or in her voice.

“Very well. It is the decision of this counsel that the following conditions be met prior to our formal acceptance of your resignation.” As the woman droned on, ticking off the requirements with an undue amount of glee, Inara’s heart sank.

*********************

As he regarded her carefully on the screen, Mal thought that Inara’s face looked pale and drawn. “I miss ya’ darlin’,” he said, the longing in his voice warming Inara despite the chill that had settled around her heart in recent days.

“I miss you too, Mal,” she replied. “But I still have several things to handle here before I can rendezvous with Serenity.”

Curious as to what could possibly take so long, Mal was careful not to reveal his impatience. “Take all the time you need, bao bei. I’ll come for you when you call.”

Inara’s smile was bright and somewhat false, he thought, an alarm going off in his head. “You okay, ‘Nara?”

“I’m fine, Mal. Just a little tired, I suppose.” Inara gathered her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. “I’ll wave again when I can.” She reached to turn off the screen.

“Inara, wait,” Mal said.

“What, Mal?” she asked, weariness etched in her face.

“Just…I wanted to say that I love you,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

This time Inara’s smile was genuine. “I love you too.”

*********************

Hearing Inara’s shuttle lock onto Serenity with a satisfyingly solid sound, Mal practically ran to meet her. Five weeks had passed since Inara’s departure, and Mal had found the time insufferably long. He felt like a teenager standing outside the shuttle door, embarrassingly eager to see her again.

“Ching jin,” she called in answer to his knock.

Mal stepped into the room purposefully, planning to sweep her up into his arms for a proper welcome. But his first glance at his surroundings drew him up short. “Inara, what happened? Where are all your things?”

Inara stepped forward to meet him, drawing him into the shuttle further. “It’s all right, Mal. I wasn’t robbed,” she said softly. “I sold them.”

Mal looked around the almost bare space. Where rich tapestries had hung, there was the gunmetal gray of the shuttle walls. The opulent couch had been replaced by a simple little sofa. And Inara’s ornate bed was gone. In its spot sat a much smaller bed, covered in what to Mal’s shocked eyes looked suspiciously like plain cotton sheets. Realizing that his mouth was gaping open, Mal gathered his wits about him. “Why? I thought you loved all that…stuff.”

Inara sat on the sofa and patted the cushion beside her. She had seriously debated telling Mal a complete and utter lie, but rejected the inclination at the last moment. “Come sit, and I’ll explain.”

Mal sat down, sweaty palms resting on his knees. He noted with relief that Inara still had one of the tea services she favored, and he silently watched her prepare the aromatic liquid, knowing that the familiar ritual had a soothing effect on her nerves.

Finally, handing him a cup, she spoke. “Mal, I…I don’t want you to be upset.”

Mal swallowed the scalding liquid, and replied, “Then maybehaps you’d best just tell me what happened.”

“Of course,” Inara said. “As you know, I went to House Madrassa to tender my formal resignation.”

Mal nodded, but held his peace, watching the emotions scrolling across his lover’s face.

Inara took a deep breath. “What I failed to mention when we discussed it is that it isn’t simply a matter of saying I intend to quit.”

“What do you mean?” he asked in bafflement.

“Well, as long as a Companion is active, she pays a small percentage of each contract amount to the House where her training took place. It is a way of repaying the time and expense of the training one receives. A productive Companion can usually eliminate her debt to the Guild by the time she contemplates retirement. However, for those who choose to retire early, the outstanding amount can be quite …large.”

“You tellin’ me you’re indentured?” Mal asked, a bitter tone in his voice.

“No, it’s not like that at all,” Inara denied. “A Companion is free to choose her own clients, and choose her repayment options. It is not indenture, as such.”

“Okay,” Mal said, not at all convinced by her line of reasoning, but unwilling to argue the point. “So, how much?”

Inara swallowed thickly. “I don’t see how it matters…”

Mal interrupted her. “It matters to me.”

“The stipulation was twenty-eight thousand credits,” Inara answered abruptly, wanting to get it over with quickly.

Mal rocked back in his seat, narrowly avoiding spilling his tea. “Wu de tyen ah, Inara. How do they expect us to pay…”

Inara broke in. “They don’t expect ‘us’ to pay, Mal. It was my debt only. You needn’t worry in any case. It’s been taken care of.”

Mal looked at her intently, sadness replacing the anger in his eyes. Inara saw the transformation, and her heart was warmed by it. ‘It’s all right, air en.”

“I don’t think it’s all right that you were forced to sell your things,” he said, regret in his tone.

But Inara placed a long, slender finger delicately to his lips, halting his words. “I didn’t need those things, Mal. Not like I need you.”

She leaned forward, her lips replacing her finger. Mal set his cup aside, freeing both hands to pull her to him. As he deepened the kiss, Inara offered a small prayer to Buddha that he would never discover that her possessions had only been a portion of what she’d had to sell to come back to him a free woman. Pushing the memory aside, she sank gratefully into the love and warmth of his embrace.

***************************

Feedback would, as always, be greatly appreciated.

malgalfan @ 2007-08-24T15:53:00

2007-08-24T19:57:08Z

Conflagration—Part Five

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these characters.

Rating: PG

Summary: Mal and Inara make it back to Serenity, and have a moment of truth. This is the conclusion, because I didn't want to leave those few brave readers hanging over the weekend.

*****************

Still able to hear the distant crackling of the burning building behind them, Inara held Mal’s head in her lap as Serenity’s mule bounced along the bumpy terrain. Though he had not regained consciousness, she saw his abused muscles tense each time the mule hit a particularly rough patch of road.

Inara had the time now to examine his body more carefully, damning Atherton to all nine levels of hell as she took in the extent of his savagery. Mal’s normally fair flesh was covered with deep purple contusions and the angry reds and whites of blistering burns. Small, deliberate cuts tattooed his torso, and viscous attention had been paid to his abdomen and groin as well. She dared not turn him over to examine his back, but she could see what looked suspisciously like the marks left by lashes of a whip curling around his sides. She wept silently with the pain of it, her tears spilling down onto his cheeks.

Mal’s eyelids fluttered open. “’M’I dead’?” he asked almost inaudibly, trying to get his eyes to focus properly.

Inara wiped her tears away hastily. “No, Mal, you’re not. We’re headed home to Serenity.”

Mal took a few minutes to process the information. “You drugged me,” he said, slight surprise in the statement. “Good night kiss.”

“Seemed like the thing to do at the time,” Inara replied, stroking her fingers soothingly through his hair.

Mal fought to keep his eyes open. “Wing?”

“Dead,” Inara replied.

Mal nodded, the movement causing him to wince.

“Go back to sleep, Mal. Or I’ll have to kiss you again,” Inara said tenderly.

Mal’s cracked lips tilted into a lop-sided smile. “Kissin’s good,” he said, his speech slurring as he fell back to sleep.

“Yes, it is,” Inara whispered softly, looking out toward the horizon.

****************

Two days later, Mal still slept most of the time, his body craving the recuperative power of sleep. Once Simon had repaired what damage he could, Inara had insisted on moving Mal to her shuttle, where the bed was more comfortable and she could keep a constant eye on his progress.

Mal drifted in and out of consciousness, unaware of his surroundings through the haze induced by Simon’s pain meds. Each of the crew took turns sitting with their Captain, but Inara refused steadfastly to leave his side. River, who knew about their relationship of the past two months, was the only one who did not try to persuade Inara to leave. Inara found comfort in her presence.

On the third night, deep into Serenity’s sleep cycle, Inara slipped gingerly into bed beside him, careful not to jostle him more than necessary. As if feeling the weight of her worried gaze, Mal stirred. Opening his eyes, he turned his head to face her.

Inara saw that his eyes seemed more focused than they had been since he’d been home. “Hey, you,” she said softly.

“Hey, yourself,” Mal answered. “Am I dreamin’, or am I in your shuttle?”

“You are not dreaming,” Inara answered.

“Somehow I knew you’d get me into this bed sooner or later,” Mal said, the faintest hint of a smile playing at his lips.

“Yes, this was all an elaborate ruse to get you where I wanted you,” Inara answered dryly.

“Thought so,” Mal said. After a moment, his eyes turned serious. “Did he hurt you?” he asked, the words catching painfully in his throat.

“No,” Inara answered. “Zoe and Jayne came. Can’t say which one made the shot that killed him, but he died just the same.” She paused for a moment, relieving the memory. “We burned it all. The body, the recording equipment, the…tools he used, the building.”

“Must have been quite the conflagration,” Mal said quietly. “You okay, darlin’?”

Inara nodded, unable to speak for a moment. “I’m sorry, Mal. Sorry I brought that monster into our lives, sorry he hurt you so badly. Sorry I couldn’t get there sooner.”

Mal reached a bandaged arm to touch her. “You did good, bao bei. I’m still alive, and I had my doubts as to whether I’d be able to say that for awhile there.”

They were silent for a long time, their fingers entwined on the bed. Taking a deep breath, Mal said, “It was my fault anyway. Shouldn’ta’ left the ship without my gun. That’s just a recipe for unpleasantness.”

“Why did you?” Inara asked, suddenly afraid of the answer. “Leave the ship, I mean.”

Mal sighed. “Needed to get some fresh air, clear my head.” He looked over at her again, his intense blue eyes smoldering with emotion he’d long repressed. “I couldn’t just sit and wait for you to come back from your client.” Clearing his throat to hide the sudden tremor in his voice, he added, “I ain’t got it in me, ‘Nara. I love you more’n I’ve ever loved another living thing, but I don’t think I can deal with knowin’ I ain’t enough for you, that what we got between us ain’t enough for you.”

Inara’s heart twisted painfully as she saw the absolute sincerity of his words reflected in his eyes. “Mal, this thing between us is more than enough. My decision to take on clients is not about that at all. I meant what I said to you back there. I love you, Malcolm Reynolds.”

“Then why, Inara?” he asked. “Explain it to me, ‘cause I can’t wrap my head around it.”

Inara moved closer to him, carefully aligning her body to his so as not to cause more pain. Resting her hand against a relatively undamaged patch of skin on his chest, she tried to form an answer. “When I was a little girl,” she began, “the Companion house was very close to where we lived. And when Mother and Father would take me to the ballet or the theater, I would see them. They were so beautiful, so elegant and poised. And I admired that and wanted desperately to be like them. As I grew and developed, it became obvious to my parents that an education at the Guild House would suit my temperament and my ambitions.” She shifted against him, momentarily lost in her story. “And it did, Mal. It suited me very well. Soon, it was apparent to everyone that I was very skilled at the various arts required of Companions. I devoted myself completely to it, foregoing any other dreams I may have had, until it was literally all I had, all I was.”

Mal pulled his arm up painfully to draw her closer, but held his silence.

“And then I met you. And you made me yearn for something…something I couldn’t even name. And when the wanting became strong enough to consume me, I left, before I lost the last bit of me to it, and before it destroyed us both. I went back to the Guild House for protection, Mal.”

“And then I pulled you back out of it,” Mal whispered.

Inara nodded against his shoulder. “After Miranda, I couldn’t go back, couldn’t bear to leave you again.”

She felt the rapid beat of Mal’s heart against her palm. “That still doesn’t explain why, Inara,” he persisted.

“Mal, I have no place in your world. Being a Companion is not just what I do. It’s who I am. I thought long and hard about what I could do if I stay here with you. If we were dirtside, I could teach, or perhaps be a counselor. But I can’t ask you to leave Serenity, and I don’t want to either. So, if I’m going to stay here, I have to take more clients. Do you understand?”

“Inara, I hear the words, but you’re wrong, darlin’. You do belong in my world. You’re a Companion, but that ain’t in no way all you are. You’re my heart, woman. I’ll look after you. I’ll protect you long’s I’m drawing breath. You don’t have to take on clients anymore. Lean on me. I’ve got you.”

“Then I’ll be no better than your whore, Mal,” she said sadly.

“No, that ain’t the way of it at all,” Mal said, his voice cracking with the need to make her understand. “You won’t be my whore. You’ll be my partner, my reason for getting up every morning, the soul of me.” Reaching to catch the tears that fell on her cheeks, he added, “You’re all those things, bao bei, and so much more besides. Please don’t turn your back on all that.”

Inara’s lips trembled as she spoke. “Are you saying that if I choose to take clients, you’ll consider it ‘turning my back’ on what we have?” she asked in a small, desolate voice.

Mal swallowed thickly, holding onto her as tightly as his injured arms would allow. “I know I got no right to ask you to give it up, but I ain’t ever gonna be able to make my peace with it this side of the grave, Inara. I ain’t proud of it, but that’s the pure truth of it,” he said honestly.

Inara knew, lying there in that moment, that he spoke the truth from his bared heart. And given the strength to find her own truth, she answered quietly, “Then I choose you.”

*****************

That’s it. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading and I appreciate very much the ones who have taken the extra minute to comment! Those comments make me want to keep writing!

malgalfan @ 2007-08-24T12:19:00

2007-08-24T16:21:58Z

Conflagration—Part Four

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these lovely characters.

Rating: R

Summary: Atherton takes Inara to Mal and violence ensues.

****************

Inara tried to concentrate on her surroundings to gain insight as to Mal’s whereabouts. Blindfolded and sitting beside Atherton in a hovercraft, she heard the sounds of the city dissipate to be replaced by the stillness she associated with the largely uninhabited area beyond the city’s eastern border. But vaguely disoriented by the loss of sight, Inara had trouble gauging how much time had passed since they had left Atherton’s estate.

Thankful that Atherton had been too busy pawing her body and then her clothes to pay much attention to the beading on her sandals, she hoped that the tiny transmitter Kaylee had placed in one of the stone settings would have a long enough range that Zoe and Jayne could follow her trail. She uneasily considered the possibility that they might be quite some distance behind her, as Wing’s craft could fly in a more direct route than Serenity’s dirtbound mule could follow.

After what seemed a small eternity with Atherton’s thigh pressed unnecessarily close to hers, the hovercraft stopped and Inara was manhandled out of the vehicle. Atherton ripped off her blindfold, catching some of her hair along with it. She blinked in the sudden bright light, and a small shack swam into her field of vision. Grabbing her arm, Atherton jerked her forward and opened the door of the small building, flooding it with light.

Inara could not contain her gasp at what she saw. Mal, naked and battered beyond any nightmare Inara could have conceived, raised his head slowly to look at her through bloodshot eyes.

Inara, forgetting her earlier plan to feign indifference in front of Atherton, tried to jerk her arm free, needing with every last molecule of her being to go to the man she loved. But Atherton’s grip was vise-like, and he held her back, enjoying her obvious distress.

“’Nara,” Mal rasped through cracked lips. “What are you…”

“She’s come to rescue you, Captain,” Atherton said, an almost cheery lilt in his voice. “It would seem your whore wanted to examine the extent of the damage before we discuss the terms of your release.”

As he spoke, he shoved Inara forward, causing her to stumble into Mal. Hissing with pain at the contact, Mal swung again in the chains until Inara reached out to steady him as gently as she could. While Mal fought for breath enough to thank her, Atherton pulled her away again.

Mal followed her with his eyes, wishing she was anywhere in the ‘verse rather than pinned to Wing’s side. “Let her go,” he croaked.

“You are in no position to make demands, Captain,” Atherton said, pinning Inara’s arms with one hand while running the other deliberately slowly across her body. “This is a business transaction between Inara and me. You have no say in the matter.”

A murderous rage swept over Mal, giving him the strength to surge forward against the chains. “I said let her go, you liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze fuh ur-tze,” he ground out, heedless of the blinding pain the movement caused.

Atherton did let her go as he surged forward to yank Mal’s head backward by the hair, stretching the tendons of the man’s neck until they stood out in sharp relief. He hissed into Mal’s ear, “Tell me what to do just once more, and I’ll have you beaten to death while she watches. And then, my heroic Captain, while she weeps over your carcass, I’ll take her, and I’ll do things to her body you can’t begin to imagine.” Releasing his hold slightly, he continued. “And when I am through with her, I’ll give her to my men. Dong ma?”

Inara could not hear what Atherton was threatening, but she saw Mal’s reaction as his hair was abruptly released. Looking at her with more anguish than she thought she could bear to see in his eyes, he whispered hoarsely, “Go away, ‘Nara. Leave me.”

“Mal,” she said past the lump in her throat. “I’m not going to…”

Mal interrupted her. “Inara, I’m begging you. Just walk away. Now.”

Inara moved closer to Mal, while Atherton looked on, enjoying the agony of the moment. “Mal, I can’t just leave you here to die. Please don’t ask me to. Not when it’s within my power to stop it. I can’t leave you, any more than you could leave me,” she said, unaware of the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Mal ached to wipe those tears away, but he knew he had to convince her to go. Setting his jaw wearily, he said, “Listen to me. If you give yourself to this hundan to save my life, it’ll be for nothing. ‘Cause I can’t live with that kinda’ sacrifice. I may be walkin’ and talkin’, but I’ll be dead inside. Dong ma?” Taking a ragged breath, he went on. “I ain’t asked you for much up ‘til now, bao bei. But I’m askin’ you with every last scrap of strength I’ve got. If you care about me at all, walk out that door right now.” His blue eyes bore into her brown ones, willing her to obey. The silence stretched agonizingly between them.

“Well, as much as I’ve enjoyed this touching little moment,” Atherton said, coming to stand in front of Inara, “The time has come for you to make your decision. What’s it going to be, Inara?”

*******************

“I think I see it up ahead,” Jayne said, squinting into the noonday sun. “Looks like there’s only one vehicle there, too.”

“Any guards outside?” Zoe asked, unable to look farther that a few feet ahead as she maneuvered through the rocky terrain.

Jayne retrieved a set of binoculars from the front compartment of the mule. After a minute, he replied, “Not any I can see, leastways. Guess the hundan figures won’t nobody be liable to stumble onto this little place. Course, that’s not to say there ain’t a passel of guards on the inside.”

Zoe nodded. “S’pose not,” she said. “But it don’t look big enough to house more bodies than we got bullets.”

Jayne grunted in affirmation, fingering Vera with anticipation.

*********************

Inara stepped past Atherton and gazed directly into Mal’s tortured eyes. “I love you, Malcolm Reynolds,” she said, gently tilting his head to place a soft kiss on his bloodied lips. She let her mouth linger there for a long moment, and then whispered softly, “Trust me.”

Mal looked at her, confusion written across his features. Opening his mouth to respond, he felt a vaguely familiar sensation, and the world went suddenly black.

Atherton seized Inara’s arms, and shook her like a rag doll. Feeling cheated of his moment of sweet revenge, he shouted, “What have you done, whore?”

Before Inara could form a reply, the door burst open and Jayne stepped into the room. Still holding Inara’s arms, Wing turned toward the disturbance in time to see Jayne pull the trigger, Zoe’s gun echoing with its own blast.

Atherton’s lifeless hands slipped from Inara’s arms as he slumped to the ground in a bloody heap. Inara knelt beside him, trembling hands seeking the key to release Mal from his shackles.

When the task had been accomplished and Jayne laid Mal’s unconscious body in the back of the mule, Zoe turned to Inara. “You got a plan as to what to do about all this?” she asked, indicating the building and its occupant with a sweep of her hand.

Inara looked at her steadily. “I say we burn it to the ground,” she answered, wiping Atherton’s blood off her stony face.

**********************

One more part to go, and this one’s a wrap. I’d appreciate any feedback you’re willing to provide.

(Click here for Part Five.)

malgalfan @ 2007-08-23T12:57:00

2007-08-23T16:59:25Z

Conflagration—Part Three

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these lovely characters.

Rating: R

Summary: While Mal’s life hangs in the balance, Inara tries to find a way to save her lover.

**********************

“It ain’t gonna happen,” Zoe said flatly. “You’re not going in there alone.”

Inara’s voice bristled with frustration. “Zoe, I’ve been there before. Atherton’s security system is practically invulnerable. And he has a large contingent of very well-trained man who act as bodyguards at his offices and his estate. He’s a man who’s made enough powerful enemies to know that he needs good protection. He won’t let you through. But he might just let me get through.”

“Yeah, he might,” Zoe agreed. “But if he does, what’s to say he won’t just do to you whatever he’s doin’ to the Captain?”

Inara took a deep, cleansing breath. “I don’t believe he will. But in either case, I’m not going to stand by and let Mal die without even trying to do something. So, unless you have a better plan, I’m going in.”

“But didn’t River say the Cap’n was somewheres isolated?” Kaylee asked. “How will going to his estate do any good if’n the Cap’n ain’t even there?”

“I can persuade him to take me to him,” Inara said with certainty. “I know I can.”

Silence fell around the table for a moment as the crew thought about the implications of such a statement. To everyone’s surprise, it was Jayne who supplied the plan. “If Moonbrain’s right and Mal is somewhere out in the countryside, and Inara can get the hundan to take her to him, we might have our way in.”

“I can’t imagine Wing would be stupid enough to let Inara see where she would be going,” Simon observed.

“She wouldn’t have to if’n we could rig up some way to track her. Then, she gets to Mal and we follow. Prolly won’t be a big group of men guardin’ the place if’n it’s in the middle of nowhere.”

“That’s a lot of ‘ifs’, Jayne,” Zoe replied grimly.

“Well, let me give you one more,” Inara said decisively. “If we don’t do something soon, Atherton will kill him. Count on it.”

******************

The small room was filled with the sound of Mal’s shallow breathing and the constant whir of the recording equipment. Wing’s men had left for the night, placing their bloody instruments on the table as they went. Wing himself had stayed longer, walking around Mal’s tortured body admiring the handiwork of his employees and occasionally reaching out to press down viscously on a particularly livid bruise or burn. Mal had tried not to moan or twist his body away from Wing’s cruel touch, as it seemed to give the man an almost sexual satisfaction when he did. Finally, Wing’s desire for a decent meal and his own bed persuaded him to stop the torment until morning. So, delivering one final blow to Mal’s ribcage that sent him swinging from the chains in agony, Wing had left.

When Mal finally stopped swinging, he tried to assess the damage done as best as he was able. Wing’s men had been most proficient in the art of torture under Wing’s watchful eye. When one grew tired, the other took over seamlessly, giving Mal no time to brace himself or catch his breath between each different device. Coming to the brink of unconsciousness several times, Mal had been unable to reach the blessed oblivion it would have offered him. Even Niska had let him die for a few minutes, he mused, wondering if he was on the thin edge of sanity to even have such a thought. Too weakened to stretch his legs and feet out to the floor now, his weight rested excruciatingly on his battered shoulders and raw wrists, and a cold sweat burned like fire in his open wounds.

As the night wore on, a cold wind blew through the cracks in the walls, and Mal began to shake violently, his teeth clattering together hard enough that he was surprised they didn’t simply shatter. After a long time, the shaking stopped, leaving him limp as a rag doll in its wake. Trying not to think about what tomorrow would bring, he closed his eyes and attempted to sleep while he had the chance.

***************

Inara surveyed her appearance in her full-length mirror. She remembered Atherton’s preferences with regard to hair and make-up, and knew exactly what style of dress he preferred. And she hoped that the skills that made her an exceptional Companion would at least help her gain entrance to his estate this morning. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of Serenity into Persephone’s early morning sun, and hailed a driver to take her to Atherton’s estate.

Standing at the gate, she requested entrance from the head of Atherton’s household staff. “I’m sorry, Miss Serra,” the man said. “Mr. Wing is not yet awake. Perhaps you could come back later.” He looked uncomfortably at the screen.

Inara stood her ground. “Perhaps I could wait in the morning room,” she suggested sweetly. “I’m certain Mr. Wing will want to see me.”

Atherton’s voice overrode the man’s next comment. “Let her in, Neville,” he said, loudly enough that Inara could hear. “Through the servant entrance. And send her to my bedchamber.”

Neville looked at Inara, an apology in his eyes. “Miss Serra, if you’d be so kind as to…”

Inara smiled brightly. “It’s perfectly all right, Neville. I heard Mr. Wing’s request. I’ll come around back.”

“Very good, ma’am,” Neville replied with relief.

*******************

Inara’s heart hammered in her throat as she was escorted through the mansion. Though she’d been here several times before, she had never made the trip knowing what she knew now about the ugly underbelly of Atherton’s personality. She had made a personal vow after their last encounter to do everything within her power to avoid ever setting eyes on him again, but that vow had become a moot point the moment she knew he had Mal.

Steeling her resolve, she stepped into the huge bedroom that was the most private place in Atherton’s house. Her eyes adjusting to the dim light, she looked carefully around the room. Where once it had seemed a pleasant place to spend an evening, now it resembled nothing so much as a tomb. As that dismal perception entered her mind, a hand clamped bruisingly over her shoulder, causing her to jump in surprise.

Atherton turned her around to face him. “Well, well,” he said, his voice sliding like a snake along her spine. “What an unexpected delight to have you here again, bao bei.”

The term of endearment, such a mockery of the way Mal said it so lovingly, made Inara shudder in revulsion for this man. The motion was not lost on Atherton. His expression became brittle. ‘What do you want, whore? Be quick. I have business elsewhere.”

Inara swallowed thickly, realizing that he would brook no pretense on her part. “I want to see Captain Reynolds. I want you to release him to me.”

Atherton looked at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Why, pray tell, would you think I have your precious Captain?’

“I know you have him,” Inara said, biting back her need to rage at the man.

“Let us say, for the sake of argument, that that is true,” Atherton said, warming up to this new game. “What are you prepared to offer in exchange for him?”

Inara had known such a question would come. “I’m not prepared to offer anything at all until I know he’s alive. Take me to him, and then we’ll discuss the terms.”

Atherton towered over her, predator to prey. “My dear, I believe you flatter yourself. I am not in the habit of acceding to the demands of whores. Leave me.” He turned his back to her.

Silently cursing him and all his ancestors, Inara knew exactly the part he wished her to play. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat, and walked around his forbidding form to face him. Placing her hand lightly on his chest, she arranged her face in a submissive expression. “Please, Atherton,” she said, forcing the words to sound penitent.

Raw pleasure coursed through Atherton at her demeanor. Grinning ferally, he said, “Strip.”

Inara’s heart hammered as she stood frozen for a moment. Atherton laughed low in his throat. “Don’t concern yourself overmuch, my pet. While I fully intend to issue that same command to you at a later date for a more pleasurable purpose, that is not my intention now. Your Captain is not here. We’ll have to take a little trip to see him. And while you are quite charming, I’m well aware of your penchant for deception. Hence the need for the search.” Motioning with his hands, he continued, “Remove everything. Now.”

Telling herself that it didn’t matter, that this man had seen her naked many times, and that this was the only way to get to Mal, she took off her clothes and stood before him. Atherton, very much aroused by the thought of how Inara would react when she saw what he’d done to her precious lover, walked around her slowly, clucking with appreciation. “Lovely as ever. My compliments,” he said.

Silently repeating like a mantra that this would get her to Mal, Inara forced herself to stand perfectly still as his intentionally rough hands roamed across her chilled skin. She closed her eyes and stifled a cry as his fingers pushed up into her brutally. Withdrawing them slowly, he smiled malevolently, but said nothing.

He turned his attention to her clothes, pawing them in search of weapons or tracking devices. Finally satisfied, he turned back to her, throwing the wrinkled garments at her feet. “Get dressed. Wouldn’t want your precious Captain to see you like this.”

Swallowing back a scalding retort, Inara bent to retrieve her clothes.

******************

To be continued---Feedback would be appreciated greatly!

(Click here for Part Four.)

malgalfan @ 2007-08-22T12:56:00

2007-08-22T16:58:10Z

Conflagration—Part Two

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these lovely characters.

Rating: PG13

Summary: Mal wakes up to an unpleasant situation, and the crew sets out to find their Captain.

*****************

A deep ache in Mal’s shoulders and arms ruthlessly pulled him out of his drugged sleep. Blinking through the disorienting residual haze, he lifted his head. A jolt of excruciating pain raced from his neck down his spine at the movement. While more than unwelcome, it at least had the effect of clearing his vision.

‘Go se,’ he thought, ‘this don’t bode well’ He found himself suspended from a beam running the length of the room, hanging naked by irons at his wrists placed a shoulders-width apart. His ankles were similarly cuffed. Experimenting gingerly, he discovered that if he stretched his legs and feet as far as possible, he could just barely reach the floor. Resting on the tips of his toes, he tried to ease the ache throbbing between his shoulder blades. The room was dark, but cracks in the walls and ceiling allowed a feeble early morning light in. Unfortunately, they also allowed a chilling breeze to blow across his exposed flesh.

Whoever had him, he thought uneasily, had less than no interest in seeing to his comfort. The room gave no clue as to its owner, and Mal was more than a little anxious to see the person or persons responsible for his current predicament.

Time passed slowly, and Mal measured it by the progression of the light across the floor over which he hung. The early morning breeze gave way to the stillness of midmorning, and still Mal had no indication of life anywhere nearby. Alternating between resting his weight on his toes and hanging from his wrists, he waited.

Finally, at what Mal estimated to be about noon, the door swung open, and two men walked in silently. Looking to be at least Jayne’s size, they stood staring at him expressionlessly. Realizing they were simply muscle for some as yet unknown enemy, Mal stared back, trying not to look at all intimidated in his vulnerable position.

The door opened again, revealing a face with which Mal was all too familiar. “Hey, Ath,” he said, as casually as if they were meeting over tea and cakes.

Atherton Wing looked no less angry than he had when Mal had last seen him. Carefully setting down a large box on a table by the door, he approached Mal. The scar on his left cheek was a vivid white line against the tan of his skin. “Captain Reynolds,” he said icily, “I cannot tell you how long I’ve waited to see you again. We have so much catching up to do.” He smile was thin and snide.

“Well, if it’s another sword fight you’re looking for,” Mal said, pointedly staring at Wing’s scar, “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m over that phase.”

“On the contrary, Captain,” Wing answered, his voice menacing. “I’m not looking for a sword fight. I have other activities in mind. Something new for my amusement.” He pushed Mal’s bare chest with the palm of his hand, causing Mal to swing slightly and pain to ripple through his arms and shoulders. Turning back to the box on the table, Wing began to withdraw objects almost lovingly. “I don’t know if Inara ever told you,” he said conversationally, “but I’m a collector of sorts. I’ve always been interested in weaponry and also in instruments of torture. It is a constant amazement to me the methods men have devised to cause pain and suffering to other men.”

Mal’s mouth went suddenly dry as he recognized several of the devices Wing was carefully arranging on the table. “Yeah, it’s a real puzzlement,” he said, his voice deceptively calm.

Holding up one such instrument to catch the light, Wing continued, “For instance, this little device. Its history is rather interesting. It’s been in use for centuries now. It’s called, oddly enough, a ‘brass knuckle’, though I believe this particular one is made of steel instead. Very efficient for causing deep tissue damage, I’m told. But we’ll see.” So saying, he handed it to one of his men. “Of course, being a swordsman myself, I’m partial to the cutting tools. There’s nothing quite so elegant in its simplicity as a well-balanced flaying knife.” He held it up for Mal’s inspection. “Of course, we’ll have to wait on this one for at least a couple of days, I think. Perhaps it can be our coup de grace, so to speak.”

Mal’s face remained impassive, but his pulse beat rapidly under his skin. He had not even the slightest illusion that Wing wouldn’t do exactly as he said. It was obvious the hundan was psychotic. Inara sure knew how to pick ‘em, he thought bitterly.

Wing’s next comment intruded on his thoughts. “The evolution of torture is also an interesting study,” he went on. “For instance, this little beauty.” He pulled out what looked like an ordinary metal rod. “Once upon a time, for this to be of use, we would have to lay it in a very hot fire and wait for several minutes. Now, we can achieve the same result much more quickly by pressing this little button.” Within seconds the lower third of the rod glowed violent red. Mal could feel the heat from it from where he hung. “Ah, the benefits of modern technology,” Wing said. He handed the rod to the second man, whispering detailed instructions in his ear.

The man nodded and stepped forward. “Wait,” Wing commanded. Turning back to Mal, he smiled. “I need to set up my recording equipment. I’m really not quite sure how long you’ll be able to last, so I want to be certain to capture every precious moment for later enjoyment.” He reached up on the wall and flicked a light on. Pushing a button beside the light panel, he activated the recording device. Fiddling for a moment to adjust the angle of the lens, he finally stepped back, satisfied. “Have you anything to say before we begin, Captain?”

“Nothing comes to mind,” Mal replied flatly.

Wing folded his arms across his chest and leaned casually against the table with one hip. Nodding at his men, he said simply, “Begin.”

******************

Though outwardly calm, Zoe Washburne was as close to frantic as she ever got. As near as she could figure, Mal had been missing for almost a day now, and Serenity’s crew had found no trace of where he could be. More disquieting than that was the fact that his gun lay on the desk of his bunk, which meant that, wherever he was, he was unarmed. And for the past several hours, River had been in fits, alternating sobbing and screaming, and effectively fraying Zoe’s last nerve.

Now, however, the girl sat silent, staring off into the distance, rocking back and forth. “Hurts,” she whimpered suddenly.

“What hurts, mei mei?” Simon asked for the thousandth time.

River surprised him with an answer. “Captain Daddy,” she whispered, tears shining on her cheeks.

Zoe knelt beside her on the floor. “You can feel him, little one?” she asked, her voice a hollow rasp.

River nodded, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

“Can you tell where he is?” Inara asked. The hope in her voice was palpable in the sudden quiet.

River tilted her head, trying to focus through the maelstrom of emotion coming from the crew. “Building,” she said after several agonizing minutes. “Old, run down. Isolated, so no one will hear the screaming.” She shuddered, trying to hold on to the slender thread of Mal’s thoughts in her head. The crew stared at her silently, willing her to find the answer they sought. “Swordsman,” she said finally.

“What the di yu does that mean?” Jayne asked, his clam damaged by her creepifying manner.

River shook her head in frustration. “Don’t know,” she wailed, jumping up and sprinting from the room before anyone could stop her.

A cold dread clamped around Inara’s heart. “Atherton,” she said with sudden certainty. “She means Atherton.”

********************

To be continued. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

(Click here for Part III.)

malgalfan @ 2007-08-22T00:39:00

2007-08-22T04:41:56Z

Conflagration—Part One

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these lovely characters.

Rating: PG13

Summary: This story takes place two months after the events of “Fever”. Mal and Inara have a strong disagreement that leads to a troublesome event.

**********************

As Inara reached up to retrieve the tin of tea from one of the galley cabinets, Mal’s arms encircled her waist from behind. She leaned back into his warmth and purred softly as his hands cupped her breasts.

“Mornin’, darlin’,” he whispered against the shell of her ear. “Why didn’t you wake me before you left?”

“I thought you could use the extra sleep, with Badger’s job coming up today,” she said, pulling away from his grasp. “And I knew Zoe and Jayne would probably be up earlier than usual as well.”

Mal frowned, reaching out for her again. “What’s wrong, bao bei?” he asked.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she answered defensively.

“Uh huh,” Mal said. “Then why are you pullin’ away when I touch you?”

Inara looked up at him, a faint flush on her cheeks. “It’s nothing,” she said. At his skeptical look, she added, “I thought we agreed to keep our…relationship a secret. Anybody could just walk in here and catch us together. We are in the galley, after all.”

Mal chuckled low in his throat, pulling her to him again. “Didn’t seem to bother you two nights ago,” he said, ghosting his lips along her throat. “When we were in here and you were pushed up against the…”

“That was in the middle of the night, Mal,” she protested, breathless from the path his hands were taking. “Everybody was asleep.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of a midnight snack?” Mal asked teasingly, nibbling at her earlobe.

“Mal,” she said as firmly as she was able.

Sighing, he let her go. “I was thinkin’,” he began. “After the job today, the crew might like a little time to pick up sundries and such. Thought we might stay dirtside for the night. Maybehaps you and me could go out on the town, have a meal with actual food, find a little inn or somethin’. Whaddya say?”

Inara smiled prettily. “That sounds lovely, Mal. It truly does. Perhaps another time. I’m…” She took a deep breath, having dreaded this moment since she’d come to her decision a few days ago. “I’m not sure I’ll be back in time.”

Mal had the horrible feeling he was going to really hate her next words. “Back from where?” he asked softly.

Inara wrapped her arms across her chest in an unconscious defensive posture. “I have an appointment with a client,” she said softly.

Mal’s heart lurched painfully against his ribcage. “You what?”

“I have an appointment with a client,” Inara repeated.

The silence stretched between them like a chasm too wide to cross as they stared at each other, both painfully aware that this moment could potentially crush the fragile, precious thing growing between them.

Wanting to scream with the pain of it, Mal’s voice cutting through the silence was low and deadly. “You mean to say,” he ground out, “that you intend to go back to bein’ a…” He almost said the hateful word, but somehow reined it in. “Bein’ a Companion after what we’ve been doin’ for the past two months?”

Inara squared her shoulders, ready to do battle now. “Mal, I’ve given this a lot of thought. I never intended to stop being a Companion. But after Miranda, I needed some time to pull myself together. And now I have. So, I’m ready to go back to work. And Persephone seems an ideal place to start.”

“You expect me to just stand here and let you do this?” Mal asked, the anger in his voice like a lash across her heart.

“I don’t expect you to ‘let’ me do anything,” Inara said, the steel in her voice matching her resolve. “I’m perfectly capable of making my own choices, Mal. And being a Companion is my choice. It is a profession for which I have trained, and one in which I excel.” She tossed her head defiantly, fire flashing in her eyes. “And not you, nor any other man, has a right to dictate to me what I can and cannot do.”

Mal’s fists clenched at his sides, as he took an involuntary step forward. “So, what is it exactly we been playin’ at the last two months, ‘Nara? You just been honin’ your skills? Didn’t wanna get rusty? That it?” he spat out.

Inara drew her body to its full height and replied venomously, “My skills don’t require any honing, a fact which should be patently obvious to you.” With that, she turned on her heel and swept out of the galley, leaving Mal staring stonily in her wake.

*****************

Through sheer dent of will, Mal got through the job without giving in to the urge to kill Badger. Never a big fan of the pompous, little double-crossing hundan, Mal was amazed that this time Badger seemed to have no ulterior motives. Or perhaps it was simply that Badger, ever sensitive to danger to his own hide, could detect that Mal was in a semi-murderous mood when he walked into Badger’s lair. Either way, the job went well enough, and Mal had given everyone their cut of the coin and sent them off for some much needed downtime. Most often when Serenity was dirtside, Mal stayed aboard unless there was a specific job to do, and it was usually pleasant to him to have Serenity to himself for awhile. But now, he found himself staring at the clock, willing Inara to come back from her client more desperately with each passing minute. Admittedly, he and Inara had, over the course of their acquaintance, spent more time quarreling than not, he thought. But since they had allowed themselves to become physically intimate, they had rarely exchanged unpleasantries. And now, what Mal had feared most about opening up to her had come to pass. He felt as if he had been stabbed through the heart, and he had given Inara the weapon to accomplish it. He had fallen in love with her.

Pacing through Serenity’s corridors, he struggled with himself about how to handle the situation when she returned. He knew, with the reasonable part of his brain, that he didn’t have the right to demand that Inara choose him or her profession, but another more primitive part of him was angry that there would even be any question about the matter. How could she ask that he share her with other men? he thought, his heart raging at the idea. And yet how could he not accept her decisions? His mind flashed to the defensive way she’d held herself under his verbal assault.

Thinking that a walk in the fresh air might calm his fevered thoughts, Mal stepped out quickly into the bustle of the Eavesdowne docks. As he walked aimlessly through the crowded streets, he shivered in the chill night air. Having left his coat and gunbelt on Serenity in his haste, he felt somewhat naked and turned back toward the direction he had come. Maybehaps Inara would be back by now, he thought, the notion carrying both hope and trepidation.

Suddenly, from the shadows, two men appeared, blocking his path with weapons drawn. “Malcolm Reynolds,” the first man said calmly. “Come with us.”

Mal opened his mouth to protest, but snapped it shut as he felt the cold steel of a gun muzzle placed behind his right ear. Two men flanked him from behind as well. “Whoa now,” Mal said lightly as he held up his hands. “No need to get tetchy.”

The first man replied flatly, “Captain Reynolds, I’d advise you to come with us without any undue fuss.” He motioned with the gun for Mal to step forward.

Mal walked between the men, weighing options as he went. Within scant minutes, the four men had herded him toward a waiting hovercraft. Knowing his chances of escape narrowed considerably if he allowed himself to be pushed into the craft, he balked at the door. Almost immediately, he felt the prick of a needle to the side of his neck. Then, the ground tilted up to meet him.

******************

To be continued. Please leave feedback, if you’d be so kind.

(Click here for Part Two.)

malgalfan @ 2007-08-20T12:15:00

2007-08-20T16:17:28Z

Fever

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these lovely characters.

Pairing: Mal/Inara

Rating: NC17

Summary: Mal gets ready for Inara’s visit to his bunk.

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Mal dropped down into his bunk, having rushed through his meet and greet with their new client. Almost embarrassed by how eager he’d been to get back to Serenity before the night cycle began, he looked carefully around his personal quarters with a critical eye. He was a neat man by nature, having been the only son of an ever-vigilant mother. Even so, he quickly inspected the room, wiping all the flat surfaces to remove the thin layer of dust that had settled there.

Quickly stripping the bed of the sheets he’d slept on since Miranda, he stuffed them into the small hamper he kept in the bottom of his closet. He hastily re-made the bed with a second pair of sheets, ruefully noting they were threadbare in spots. Maybehaps Inara wouldn’t notice if the lights were dim enough, he thought. At least they were clean.

He hadn’t specified a time for her arrival, but he was confident she’d wait until the rest of the crew retired for the evening. With River manning the helm, Simon and Kaylee would most likely be in the passenger dorms, he figured, as he’d had occasion more than once to complain about the noise of their coupling in such close quarters. Making a mental note to show some restraint in that department, he felt his pulse quicken at the thought of actually spending the night having to suppress such sounds from his own mouth.

Stripping off his sweaty clothes, he turned warm water into the sink and scrubbed his skin vigorously with the coarse soap he generally used. He took great care to shave closely, remembering the faint signs of irritation appearing on Inara’s cheeks and chin from his early morning stubble. She hadn’t complained, and it had been artfully concealed by the time she’d mingled with the crew at lunch, but Mal had no wish to cause her any discomfort.

Realizing that he was primping like a school girl before a dance, he shook himself out of his reverie. Quickly cleaning the sink and pushing it back into the wall, he donned fresh clothes and climbed out of the bunk for his nightly walk around Serenity.

Satisfied that everything was in order, he waited impatiently for Zoe and Jayne to finish their card game and turn in for the night. While he was pleased that Zoe had not chosen to go straight to her bunk with a bottle of rotgut, he desperately hoped she wasn’t planning instead to play cards with Jayne all night. Thinking of no readily apparent way to suggest they go to bed without raising suspicion, he walked on through the common area and up to the bridge for his final stop.

“Hey there, li’l albatross,” he said, coming to a halt beside the pilot’s chair. “Everything good up here?”

River nodded, her hands ghosting lightly along the console. She looked at Mal sideways, a playful smile gracing her features. “Fever,” she said.

“Huh?”

“You have a fever,” she replied calmly.

“Nope,” Mal answered. “Not sick at all. Feel shiny, in point of fact.”

“Not sick,” she said, as if he were a dim-witted child. “But highly contagious, all the same.”

“That so?” Mal asked, drawn in despite his better judgment.

River winked. “She’s caught it too. Can only get relief by…”

“I’d take it as a kindness if you didn’t finish that sentence, little girl,” Mal said, feeling the tips of his ears turning red.

River laughed, the sound like water bubbling up from a fountain. “Will keep your secrets. Good at keeping secrets now. More room for them up here.” She pointed one slender finger at her forehead.

“’Spect that’s so,” Mal said, smiling wryly. “ Night, albatross.”

“Night, Captain Daddy,” he heard as he headed to his bunk.

Thinking it was all manner of disturbing how easily River slipped in and out of his mind, and even more disturbing for her to call him Daddy, Mal climbed down the ladder to his bunk and flipped on the small lamp on his desk.

He sat to pull off his boots and socks, wondering how much further he should disrobe before Inara got there. Some small part of him wondered if she’d even come at all, given the normal backward course of their relationship. If he stayed completely clothed, he reasoned, she may think he’d forgotten his invitation. On the other hand, he wasn’t exactly easy with the idea of greeting her wearing nothing but a smile and a…

He stopped the thought ruthlessly, needing no encouragement in the form of a mental image. Ye su, if the woman doesn’t already have me tied up in knots, he thought, frustrated by his propensity to over-think the situation. Shucking his clothes quickly, he pulled on a pair of loose sleep pants and sat on the bed to wait.

A half hour later, he was still waiting, becoming more agitated by the minute. Was the heartless woman going to stand him up on his own gorram boat? he thought miserably. No sooner had the thought formed than he heard the hiss of the hatch opening and the heavenly rustle of silk followed by the scent of jasmine. Taking a deep breath and thanking the God he no longer believed in, he saw Inara’s tiny feet descending the top rungs of the ladder.

Standing at the bottom of ladder, Mal put his hands around Inara’s waist, lifting her the last few rungs. Setting her on the floor, he reluctantly moved to let her go.

But Inara was faster. Catching his hands, she pulled him to her. “It’s been a very long day,” she whispered against his ear before sucking the lobe gently between her teeth. Abruptly grateful he’d changed into a loose pair of sleep pants, Mal responded with a low growl, running his hands down her sides to settle at her hips. Leaning down to kiss the soft skin under the curve of her jaw, he was rewarded by the suddenly rapid rhythm of her pulse beneath his lips.

“Thought about this spot all day,” he breathed against the hollow of her collarbone as she leaned her head back, giving him better access. Her long, slender fingers ran through the soft short hair at the back of his neck, as she guided his head lower down to the plunging neckline of the flimsy nightdress she wore.

Mal licked the tender skin along the line of the fabric, brushing his fingers lightly across her tightening nipples and eliciting a small, soft sound from her for his efforts.

“’Nara,” he whispered, the wonder in his voice sending warm tendrils of desire curling down deep in Inara’s belly. “Wuh de tyen, ah.”

She thought fleetingly that it was odd he should call upon the devine when he no longer believed. But then, all rational thought ceased as she felt the wet warmth of his mouth close over her breast, soaking the thin material as he suckled there.

Needing skin to skin contact, Inara pulled away only long enough to push the thin straps of her gown down, allowing it to pool at her feet as she reached out for him again. Her fingers dancing across the smooth skin of his chest, down his sides, and finally to the small of his back as he closed the short distance between them, she trailed fine lines of fire along his nerve endings. Sweeping her up into his arms, he walked her across the room and laid her effortlessly on his bed, stopping to look at his prize for a long moment.

Inara laid still, her luxurious dark hair fanning out across Mal’s pillow. She regarded him through half-closed eyes, more aroused here with this man than she’d ever been before. Aching with the need for him, she held her breath, suddenly self-conscious under his intense gaze.

Mal eased onto the narrow bunk beside her. “So beautiful, bao bei,” he murmured, his hands moving slowly over her breasts and belly. Inara moaned as his mouth followed the same trail, igniting a blaze of desire in its wake. Determined to prolong the delicious hunger for both of them, Mal slid his hand gently between her thighs, resting it at the moist center of her.

Inara wriggled her hips, desperate for more, but Mal simply pressed soft kisses along her belly and the line of her hipbone.

“Mal,” she whispered urgently, hips canting against his immobile hand.

“Shhh.” His hot breath blew through the curls at the apex of her thighs. “Relax, darlin’. We’ll get where we’re goin’ soon enough.” He lifted his head to smile at her, a slow smile that set her pulse racing even faster.

As he turned his attention back to the task at hand, something deep inside Inara stirred to life. She realized suddenly that, for all the men and women she’d lain under and all the times she’d performed the steps of this particular dance, no one had ever truly made love to her before. She could feel the granite length of Mal, his manhood straining against her body heavily, and yet, he was not seeking to secure his own pleasure first. The generosity of it shattered the last of her defenses.

Mal felt the subtle shift in her body as she surrendered herself to the sheer pleasure of his ministrations. Sliding back up along the length of her silky skin, he kissed her breathless as his fingers slipped into her warm folds, moving with a steady rhythm until she arched beneath him with a soft, pleading cry.

Lifting her hips, Inara wrapped her long, shapely legs around Mal’s waist, as he sank his aching length deep inside the core of her. Moving together in exquisite rhythm, changing pace and strength in tender harmony, the new lovers rode the waves of pleasure together until both fell back on the narrow bunk, sweat-soaked and sated.

When the blood meandered back to Mal’s brain, he turned onto his side and propped his head on one elbow. Planting a soft kiss on the tip of Inara’s nose, he was delighted at her appearance. Hair mussed in a wild tangle around her shoulders and lipstick smudged across her chin, she had never looked so thoroughly undone. A surge of pure male pride ran through Mal at the sight. “You got any notion how amazing you are, darlin’?” he asked, his voice low and gravelly.

Inara smiled up at him softly, no artifice in the expression. She stretched like a cat, and molded her body into the warmth of him, sighing contentedly. “Not so bad yourself, Captain Reynolds,” she murmured against his chest as her eyelids drooped shut.

With a sigh of his own, Mal settled back against the bed, his arms full of the most intoxicating woman he’d ever known. “Fever, sure enough. Hope to heaven there’s no cure,” he thought as he drifted off to the deepest sleep he’d had since Miranda.

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Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

malgalfan @ 2007-08-19T01:29:00

2007-08-19T05:31:22Z

Incendiary

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these lovely characters.

Rating: PG

Pairing: Mal/Inara

Summary: Short sequel to “Burn”, in which Mal and Inara arrive at the fabled morning after.

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Mal awoke the next morning, stiff and sore from sleeping on Inara’s shuttle floor. Peeling his tongue from the roof of his mouth, he opened his eyes and looked around. Inara was gone.

Feeling strangely bereft without the weight of her draped across his body, he got up slowly. The skin on his abdomen felt uncomfortably tight, so he rummaged around trying to find the tube of ointment that had been the catalyst for the extraordinary events of the previous evening. Mal had not intended for things to progress as they had, and he was fair certain that it had taken Inara somewhat unawares as well. He smiled, remembering some of the more impressive moments of last night’s unexpected activities.

Finding his clothes before he found the ointment, he pulled on his trousers and laid his shirt across Inara’s couch, thinking that there was no need to put it on until he’d done some doctoring to the burn. Triumphantly, he pulled the tube of medicine from between the couch cushions, where it had apparently fallen when he’d jumped away from Inara’s intoxicating touch the first time. Rubbing the gel carefully across the sensitive skin, he couldn’t help but think how much more pleasurable it had been when Inara’s soft fingertips were doing the job instead of his own calloused ones. Sighing at the sense memory, he put his shirt back on and pulled up his suspenders.

As if conjured by his musings, Inara appeared at the shuttle entrance, balancing a tray filled with breakfast items gracefully on one hip.

“Mornin’,” he said, reaching to take the tray from her hands. He couldn’t help but notice that Inara was perfectly put together, face painted and not a hair out of place. He supposed it was a sign of his peculiar brand of perversity that it should disappoint him slightly. Somehow, when he had dared to envision this moment, he had imagined waking up with her lying in his arms, hair mussed and face patterned by the wrinkles in her pillow. Warm and inviting, open as she had been last night, not this perfectly coiffed, controlled Companion who was offering him breakfast like she must have done a thousand times before with her clients. A small knot of sickening dread settled in the pit of his stomach. He tried to dismiss it.

“Good morning, Mal,” Inara said, her honeyed tones hiding the anxiety she felt. How she had so completely lost control to this man was a mystery she was afraid to unravel. As she took in his generally disheveled appearance, her heart began to beat dizzyingly in her chest. Reining in the rising flood of emotions threatening to drown her, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin in an unconscious defensive posture.

Her body language was not lost on Mal. Setting his jaw against the hurtful sight, he said, “So, about last night…”

Inara cleared her throat nervously. “Mal, let’s not…”

“Not what?” he said, throat suddenly tight.

Inara swallowed thickly. “Let’s not discuss it right now. Let’s just…It doesn’t have to mean…”

Mal felt his pulse beating punishingly in his temples. “You think it doesn’t mean anything,” he said flatly. “Just maybe a little cut-rate business, servicing a petty thief such as me.”

Inara flinched as if he’d slapped her, the movement twisting his heart painfully. “That’s not what I meant, Mal,” she said, every ounce of control she possessed in the simple denial. “It’s just…”

“Just what?” Mal asked past the lump in his throat.

“I’m not sure what it meant,” she said, losing her resolve at the last moment. “I don’t think either one of us really intended things to happen as they did.” She looked up at him, her kohl eyes apprehensive.

“That’s a pure truth,” Mal acknowledged. “But whether it was planned or not, I know what last night meant to me.” He was horrified to hear the slight tremor in his voice. “I care about you, ‘Nara. More than I ever meant to, more than I’m able to admit most times. I ain’t got a thing in the ‘verse to offer, ‘ceptin’ what I’ve already given you, my friendship, my home, …my heart.”

Inara’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh Mal,” she said, her own lips trembling treacherously. “I’ve made such a mess of things. I intended to come back in here this morning and just…be with you, here, in this moment.” As his eyes glittered with a more intense blue light, she continued, “Whatever it is between us, it doesn’t change the way we are. It doesn’t solve anything. Everything is so…complicated,” she ended helplessly.

“Why does it have to be?” Mal asked, closing the distance between them and enfolding her in his arms.

Inara rested her head against the comforting warmth of his chest. “It just is,” she answered sadly.

Finally willing to fight for the promise of what could be, Mal laid his cheek on the top of her head, inhaling the heady scent of her hair. “Why don’t we start the mornin’ over, and see if we can simplify a mite?” he asked, the rumble of his voice vibrating pleasantly through his chest and along Inara’s skin.

She smiled tentatively up at him, and he brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumb. “Mornin’, darlin’,” he whispered, brushing his lips lightly across hers. “What’s for breakfast?”

Inara smiled a dazzling smile, and they turned together to the tray she’d brought in earlier. The stifling tension broken, Inara curled up beside Mal as the nibbled on the fruit-flavored protein bars that were standard fare for Serenity’s crew. Inara thought, with a measure of surprise, how much more pleasant this breakfast was than any feast she’d ever shared in polite society.

Glancing at the chronometer, Mal realized that the rest of the crew would be stirring in a short time. The thought caused him a moment of consternation. Unsure about Inara’s feelings on the matter, Mal was reluctant to face the inquisitive stares of their friends. Until he had some idea what the di yu he and Inara were actually doing, his preference was discretion. Shifting uncomfortably on the couch, he disentangled himself from Inara’s embrace. “Well,” he said as casually as he could manage, “While I can’t think of a thing I’d rather do today than stay here with you, I conjure I’d best go and do..Captainy things.”

“Of course,” Inara said, discerning the cause of his sudden eagerness to leave. “Mal, I…I wonder if you’d mind if we…didn’t say anything to everyone for a little while.”

Relieved more than he would admit, Mal agreed. “I ‘spect that’d be best,” he said. “Always did kinda’ fancy the notion of a secret romance,” he added, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Inara smiled, pleased they were in agreement at least on this one point. “So, you’re anticipating a romance, are you?” she asked playfully.

“I’ll have you know I have a deeply romantical nature,” Mal said. “Remember, I am a man of mystery.” Pulling her close, he kissed her laughing lips. Almost without volition, her arms wrapped around his neck as she molded her body to his. Forgetting his intent to leave before the crew discovered where he’d spent the night, Mal deepened the kiss until they both pulled away breathless.

Gathering his wits back about him, Mal said, “You gotta quit doin’ that if you expect me to be able to walk outta here.”

“Doing what?” Inara asked, giving him an innocent look.

“Ai ya, woman,” he said, backing away from the temptation of her body still so close to his. “You know exactly what it is you’re doing.”

Inara smiled, deliberately licking her lips with the pink tip of her tongue. Mal suppressed a groan, remembering just how very skilled that tongue was. Before he lost the last bit of his control, he stepped quickly to the door. Turning to look at her one more time, he said softly, “So, I was thinkin’ we might move this little shindig to my bunk tonight, if you’re willin’, that is.”

Inara’s eyes shone like the sun over Sihnon as she nodded her head wordlessly. Mal smiled the soft smile that went all the way to his eyes and straight through Inara’s heart. “It’s gonna be a gorram long day, I’m thinkin’,” he said, winking wickedly and whistling a tune as he walked out into Serenity’s corridor.

As soon as he was out of sight, Inara sighed softly. It most certainly was, she thought, already shockingly hungry for him again.

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Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

malgalfan @ 2007-08-17T23:13:00

2007-08-18T03:16:57Z

Burn

Author: malgalfan

Disclaimer: Don’t own anything, much less these wonderful characters.

Pairing: Mal/Inara

Rating: NC17

Timeline: Set one month post-BDM.

Summary: Mal and Inara have a minor accident in the galley that leads to something else altogether.

*****************

Malcolm Reynolds was half-drunk and all-the-way tired. It had been a month since he’d dug Wash’s grave and watched his best friend and rock crack into tiny fissures only he could see. One month since he’d been able to draw a deep breath without feeling like a drowning man.

Zoe did her drinking and grieving in the quiet of her bunk, pretty much like she’d always done everything else. First few nights back on the ship, he’d sat with her in the galley, both of them too gorram numb to do anything but stare into their cups. But the fifth night, Zoe had sighed from somewhere deep down in her soul and gotten up, wishing him good-night and snagging the bottle on her way to her bunk. Mal knew she’d pull through. Weren’t nothing that woman couldn’t handle given time and space to do it, he thought. Maybehaps that’s why she’d been able to abide being with him all this time.

He listened to the hum of Serenity’s engine, steady and true just like Zoe, despite dings and dents of its own. Closing his eyes, he pictured River, his little albatross, sitting graceful as a dancer in the new pilot’s chair, staring out at the Black with much more lucid eyes since vomiting out Miranda’s secret. She didn’t have Wash’s experience yet, but in pure natural ability she was turning out to be a fine pilot. Just as well, seeing as how he didn’t seem to have the heart to hire anyone else on for the job.

Running his hands over his face and through his hair, he had the vague idea that he should go to his bunk and try to get at least a few hours of sleep. It didn’t seem likely that he could actually accomplish such a thing, but he supposed it was worth at least a try. Taking one last sip of Kaylee’s latest batch of inter-engine brew, he glanced up to see Inara gliding gracefully into the galley.

“Oh,” she said, vaguely startled to see him at the galley table. “Good evening, Mal.”

“Evenin’, ‘Nara,” he said, wondering how it was that she always managed to look so gorram beautiful, even in the middle of Serenity’s night at the ass-end of the ‘verse. “Want some of Kaylee’s brew?”

“I think I’ll pass,” Inara said, smiling as she reached up to retrieve a tin of tea. “Can I make you a cup of tea?”

“No thanks,” Mal replied, standing to go. “Just headed off to sleep.”

Inara fixed him with her steady gaze. “And can you?” she asked. “Sleep, I mean?”

“No so as you could tell it,” Mal replied wryly. “You?”

Inara shook her head, the motion sending her long, dark tresses swinging enticingly around her face. “No, not really,” she admitted, as she poured boiling water into her cup.

Mal nodded in acknowledgement, moving to go out the door at the same moment Inara turned to place her cup on the table.

“Ai ya,” Mal hissed as the two collided, causing the steaming liquid to pour down the front of his shirt and into the waistband of his trousers.

Inara gasped, embarrassed by her unaccustomed clumsiness. Without thinking, she reached to pull the soaked material away from his skin. “I’m so sorry, Mal. Here, let me…” She pulled his shirt open, revealing an angry red swath of skin along Mal’s abdomen. Drawing in a sharp breath, she touched the tender flesh with her fingertips.

Mal grabbed her hands, pushing them away. The sensation of those soft fingers on his skin was playing havoc with his whiskey-soaked senses. “’S’alright,” he said, much more throatily than he’d intended. “I’ll see to it.” He pulled his shirt front back together like a virgin on her wedding night.

“At least let me get you some ointment to soothe the burn,” Inara said, strangely disappointed he’d pushed her hands away.

“No, go on and make yourself some more tea,” Mal said. “I’ll get something from the infirmary.”

“I’m not sure I’d do that if I were you,” Inara replied. “I believe that Simon and Kaylee might be…”

“Never mind,” Mal interrupted quickly. “I’d take it as a kindness if you wouldn’t finish that sentence.” The thought of walking in on the two like he’d done a couple of weeks ago in the engine room caused him to shudder.

Inara laughed, a sound which Mal had not heard since Miranda. “Please Mal, let me get it for you,” she insisted. “It’s the least I can do after scalding you. Come with me.”

Before Mal could form another protest, he found himself herded along through the corridor and up to Inara’s shuttle door. Thinking he was a mite too drunk for this to be any kind of good idea, he hesitated at the door.

“For goodness sake, Mal, it’s not like you don’t barge in here all the time,” Inara said, pulling him in with a slightly exasperated tone. “Lie down on the…” At his widened eyes, she finished. “…couch.”

Reassured, he lay down gingerly on the couch, as she rummaged around finding the ointment. Thinking he was more tired than he’d thought, he closed his eyes.

Inara came to his side, admiring despite herself the extravagant length of his lashes against his cheeks. Noting the rhythm of his breathing, she realized he was almost asleep. Pulling his shirt tails gently apart, she took an extra moment to observe his smooth, muscled chest and abdomen, sprinkled with fine sandy hair. Unconsciously moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue, she squeezed some of the ointment out of its tube and began to rub it gently over the blistered skin.

Startled partially awake by the contrast of the cold ointment with the heat from his skin, Mal opened one eye and rose up on his elbows. “Here, give it to me. I’ll just…”

“Hush,” Inara said, pushing him back against the cushions. “I want to do this for you. Just relax. Close your eyes.”

Mal was suddenly too sleepy to argue the point. Within minutes, he was hovering on the edge of sleep, only dimly aware of Inara’s soothing hands tending the injury.

Feeling his muscles relax beneath her fingers, Inara moved lower, working the ointment gently into the skin just above the waistband of his trousers. With nimble fingers, she unbuttoned the first two buttons of his pants, and holding her breath unconsciously, she ghosted her hands further down.

A soft moan escaped Mal’s lip as he felt the magical hands soothing the last of the burn away. For just a moment, he surrendered to the heavenly sensation of it. But abruptly, he remembered where he was and whose hands were making their way closer to a spot that hadn’t been touched for a long while by anyone but him. Jerking upward suddenly, he caused Inara to jump.

“Whoa there,” he said shakily, hastily buttoning up the two treacherous buttons. “That’s far enough. I mean, not that it ain’t thoughtful and all, but I’m thinkin’ it’s time for me to go.”

He was surprised to see a faint flush going from Inara’s cheeks down into the neckline of her robe. Trying not to think about what else was under that robe, he stood up quickly, gathering his shirt around him. Inara looked up at him, an expression in her eyes he’d never seem there before.

“Are you sure you want to go?” she asked, her voice low and soft. Something in her tone made Mal ache with a need he’d tried desperately to ignore for a gorram long time.

He swallowed thickly. “I’m fair certain I don’t,” he answered. “But I’d best go anyway.”

Inara sighed, setting aside the last of her own considerable defenses. “Why?” she asked, her gaze open and longing.

Mal drew in a harsh breath. “You know why.”

“No, I don’t,” Inara said, closing the distance between them. Gulping once, she continued, “I want you to stay.”

“What are you sayin’, ‘Nara?” Mal asked, his heart hammering loudly in his ears.

Inara lifted her chin and looked directly into his impossibly blue eyes. “I’m saying to you what I wanted you to say to me after…Nandi. Don’t go.”

Mal’s eyes glittered with a hungry light. “I ain’t a man to be played with, ‘Nara,” he warned, feeling the last of his barriers crumbling beneath him.

“Who’s playing?” Inara asked, rising up on her tiptoes to brush her lips along the firm line of his jaw.

As the silk of her robe brushed against his partially bare chest, Mal caught Inara’s head in a strong grip. Leaning down to capture her bottom lips between his teeth, he was aroused even more by her small mewl of pleasure. Plundering the warmth of her mouth with his lips and tongue, he pulled her closer still, marveling at the way her curves fit perfectly against his body.

Eager to feel his bare skin against her own, Inara pushed his suspenders down and his shirt off his shoulders before he could think to help. Breathing heavily, he reached to untie the sash of her robe. Gasping as his strong hands moved to push the robe away from her shoulders, Inara looked at him with a hunger of her own.

He stopped, suddenly motionless as he stared into her eyes, his breath coming in ragged puffs. Seeing the question in his expression, she shrugged her shoulders, causing her gown to fall to the floor in a puddle at her feet. Mal stood, rooted to the floor by the sight of her body, trembling with desire. He had dreamed endlessly of the way she might look under her finery, but he realized how limited his imagination had really been when he saw the glory of her.

Before he could stop it, a low moan escaped his lips. As if understanding his desire to look his fill, Inara stood perfectly still, offering herself wordlessly to this man she had come to care for more than she had ever intended.

Almost in a trance, Mal moved the step it took to bring himself to her, reaching out gentle, calloused hands to touch her. Inara leaned into his embrace, tugging insistently at the waistband of his trousers. When they were both finally free of their clothes, Inara took his hand, pulling him toward her bed.

But Mal resisted the pull, turning suddenly shadowed eyes downward. “Not there,” he whispered in an anguished tone. “Not the first time.”

Though cut to the quick by the sentiment, Inara nodded. “All right,” she acquiesced, as he pulled her toward the couch instead.

“Wait,” she whispered. “Give me just a moment.”

Mal’s heart sank, but he let her go, fully expecting her to bolt as she’d done so many times before.

Inara opened her closet, pulling blankets and two pillows down from the upper shelf. “More room on the floor,” she said, flashing Mal a smile that made the blood rush to his nether regions. As Inara knelt to spread the blankets, he lowered himself behind her, his arousal pressing into the crease of her buttocks. Moving her hips slightly, she rubbed against his erection, feeling the rock hard length of him straining against her sensitive skin.

Mal, dizzy with the scent of her, ran one hand lightly along her inner thighs, spreading her warm, moist folds with one finger. Inara gasped at the contact, her thighs beginning to tremble as Mal spread them wider with his knees. Easing his fingers into her entrance, he curved them slightly, reveling in the way Inara writhed under his touch. Feeling the slick wetness of her and the contraction of her inner walls around his fingers, he withdrew them, causing Inara to whimper with need.

“Please, Mal,” she breathed out.

Thinking those were the most wonderful words he’d ever heard, Mal grasped her hips in a strong grip and slid into her until his hips were seated firmly against her backside. Pulling her up against his chest, he began to thrust into her with a steady, strong rhythm. Her own hips rolling in time with his, Inara lost all track of time and place, connected in this most primal of ways with the man she knew had claimed her as his own. Feeling the gathering momentum of his release coming, her own muscles began to tremble in climax. Muffling his cry of release in the soft skin of her neck, Mal heard her cry, something free and wild in the sound of it. He thought he’d never heard anything so achingly beautiful.

Pulling out of her carefully, he released her hips and laid her gently on the blanket before laying beside her. “You okay, darlin’?” he asked, when he saw the tears spiking her eyelashes.

“More than,” she whispered, shaken to the core by the intensity of the emotion she saw in his shining blue eyes.

He cradled her to him, and flinched slightly as her nails scratched to burn mark across his abdomen. “Oh, Mal, I’m so sorry I burned you,” she said, touching the skin tenderly.

“Can’t say as I feel the same,” he replied. “I’ve got a notion it might be the best thing’s ever happened to me.”

So saying, he set out to make sure Inara would feel the same by morning.

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