Mal-Inara. "Is this a wedding or not?"

[badinlatin]

After the conversation he had with Kaylee, Mal's had a list of questions rolling around in his head.

This may be why he's knocking on the hatch to Inara's shuttle instead of walking straight in.

Comments

[badinlatin]

Mal levels his eyes at Inara.

"Denton."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

Inara sucks in a breath. "Yes, Denton. I'd forgotten, I'm sorry."

She takes his hand again. "Would you like me to send her a wave? I guess I'm the next best person to tell her."

[badinlatin]

A quiet "Would ya?"

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"I would be honored to. After all, we need to know each other better."

[badinlatin]

"lao po and muqin. Fantastic."

Note the sarcasm.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She smiles sweetly at him. "Oh come on, zhè bìng bù huài. We'll only discuss you as a baby, more embarrassing stories from your childhood, hopefully there will be pictures involved..."

[badinlatin]

"Nevermind then," before chuckling.

"You know," Mal calms, still with a tone that insinuates a proclamation, "You and me; we'll be fine."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

Inara grips his hand tightly. "Yes, yes we are."


"I love you, Malcolm Reynolds. And that isn't going to change."

[badinlatin]

"Good."

Mal could revert to some pithy quote, or possibly some endearing commentary about how he doesn't need anything else to change in his life, so he's glad of Inara for this.

He can't really see how it's needed, though.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

It's been a hard day and Inara needs some comfort, physically. She slowly leans in and kisses Mal gently on the lips, massaging his fingers with hers.

[badinlatin]

Mal returns the kiss, but doesn't press it. He's here for her, but his mind hasn't turned toward anything more than that.

"We're fine, Inara..."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"I know." She looks at him, not quite pleadingly, but close. "Will you stay here a while?"

[badinlatin]

"Shi a."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

Inara scoots closer to Mal and leans into him, resting her head on his chest. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, letting the tensions from the fight flow out of her body.

[badinlatin]

Throughout all of this - Inara here, Mal running his hand down her back, calming her - Mal is only convinced of one thing.

He will never. Ever. Understand women.

But he's more ready to try than he's ever been.