Been Caught Stealing
for "something stolen, something freely given." Look ma! A title! Okay. 466 words. Set anytime, really, though I guess I'm assuming that some of the stuff in HofG has been resolved or would've been...
* * * * *
Mal stood by Serenity's heavy bay door and stared at Inara. He couldn't help it. She looked amazing. He was normally happy to let most things about her - about all women - remain impenetrable. But seeing her now, as she floated down the stairs of the cargo bay on her way out to visit a new client, he wanted to know how exactly, in this dingy ship devoid of natural light or a proper way to bathe, she managed to glow.
"Shiny," he said under his breath.
"You think so?" Inara called out from the landing.
"Soon you'll be able to hear my thoughts too," Mal replied bitterly. "Though there's a bit too much of that going around as is."
"Who says I can't now?" Inara asked. She smiled deviously as she finally reached him.
"Well, you probably wouldn't be speaking to me if you could."
"Oh? Were you entertaining less than generous notions about me, Mal?"
"Never, Inara. Never." Mal finally smiled back.
They paused, both unwilling to say anything else. There were just so few words that couldn't be taken the wrong way.
Inara looked down, and Mal took the opportunity to steal one last look at her before she left. His gaze settled on her face, and without realizing it, his breath caught in his throat. At the slight noise, Inara looked up, her eyes suddenly locked with Mal's. Caught in the act, Mal immediately began to try to talk his way out of it, like he would with any job.
"No, I, uh - you had something on your... and I thought I'd... but... it's gone."
Inara let the words sit there for a moment.
"Smooth," she said.
"Not so much." Mal coughed.
"I should go... the Colonel's driver will be here soon."
Inara pressed the control panel lightly, and the door began to lower.
"Inara, wait."
She turned back to find Mal behind her, bending over to gather up the long trail of her silk dress. "Didn't want it to drag... to get dirty."
He awkwardly placed the fabric into her hand, his fingers lightly touching her palm.
"Xieh xieh," she said softly, looking up into his face. But Mal kept his head level, refusing to make eye contact.
Beyond her, he could see the Colonel's cruiser approaching the ship quickly. He cleared his throat. "So. Right. Off you go!"
Mal had been hoping he would sound chipper, like Kaylee, but it'd come out sarcastic.
"Zaihjian." Her tone was even; she was unreadable again. Mal turned, suddenly tired of watching Inara, tired of watching her walk away.
But then her heard her voice carry toward him: "You don't have to be a thief with me too, you know... It's free to look."
Mal paused and then walked up the stairs.
* * * * *
Mal stood by Serenity's heavy bay door and stared at Inara. He couldn't help it. She looked amazing. He was normally happy to let most things about her - about all women - remain impenetrable. But seeing her now, as she floated down the stairs of the cargo bay on her way out to visit a new client, he wanted to know how exactly, in this dingy ship devoid of natural light or a proper way to bathe, she managed to glow.
"Shiny," he said under his breath.
"You think so?" Inara called out from the landing.
"Soon you'll be able to hear my thoughts too," Mal replied bitterly. "Though there's a bit too much of that going around as is."
"Who says I can't now?" Inara asked. She smiled deviously as she finally reached him.
"Well, you probably wouldn't be speaking to me if you could."
"Oh? Were you entertaining less than generous notions about me, Mal?"
"Never, Inara. Never." Mal finally smiled back.
They paused, both unwilling to say anything else. There were just so few words that couldn't be taken the wrong way.
Inara looked down, and Mal took the opportunity to steal one last look at her before she left. His gaze settled on her face, and without realizing it, his breath caught in his throat. At the slight noise, Inara looked up, her eyes suddenly locked with Mal's. Caught in the act, Mal immediately began to try to talk his way out of it, like he would with any job.
"No, I, uh - you had something on your... and I thought I'd... but... it's gone."
Inara let the words sit there for a moment.
"Smooth," she said.
"Not so much." Mal coughed.
"I should go... the Colonel's driver will be here soon."
Inara pressed the control panel lightly, and the door began to lower.
"Inara, wait."
She turned back to find Mal behind her, bending over to gather up the long trail of her silk dress. "Didn't want it to drag... to get dirty."
He awkwardly placed the fabric into her hand, his fingers lightly touching her palm.
"Xieh xieh," she said softly, looking up into his face. But Mal kept his head level, refusing to make eye contact.
Beyond her, he could see the Colonel's cruiser approaching the ship quickly. He cleared his throat. "So. Right. Off you go!"
Mal had been hoping he would sound chipper, like Kaylee, but it'd come out sarcastic.
"Zaihjian." Her tone was even; she was unreadable again. Mal turned, suddenly tired of watching Inara, tired of watching her walk away.
But then her heard her voice carry toward him: "You don't have to be a thief with me too, you know... It's free to look."
Mal paused and then walked up the stairs.