FIC: Always With the Complications... [Firefly]
Title: Always with the Complications
Author: KaraB
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Firefly
Summary: Mal and Inara share a few moments under fire and after.
Author’s Note: Written for the Mal/Inara ficathon.
************************************************************
”I never much cared for firefights myself,” Mal was replying to Inara’s complaint about their current situation. He never liked being on the losing end of any situation, especially a firefight and the odds weren’t looking all that good at the moment.
The day had started off innocently enough. That was, until the buyer for their merchandise decided that he’d rather appropriate it without payment.
Of course, at that point in time, they had just landed and Mal was walking around with Inara. He couldn’t explain why he’d decided to do that, at least not in a reason he could admit to himself. Anyhow, when they’d returned to the ship, they were fired on from the cargo bay. Apparently his crew had managed to lock them out… but not completely out of the ship. Fortunately, the merchandise was hidden in a secret smuggling compartment.
“If we live through this, at least we’ll get paid.”
“Is that all you ever think about?” she responded in disbelief.
“Woman, I’m in the middle of a firefight. You can’t hold a man accountable for what is said.”
Inara rolled her eyes. If only the man knew how much she held him accountable for… her feelings for one.
************************************************************
They made it through the firefight alright… yet again. Zoe and Jayne had finally gotten the chance and taken the initiative on kicking the unwanted visitors out of the ship. Mal was sitting in the infirmary nursing a wound. His shoulder had been grazed by a bullet and he’d let the doctor stitch it up, after making a lot of noise, of course
He was surprised to look up and see Inara standing in the doorway. “What’s going on?”
“Mal, how can you sit there and ask that so calmly? You’re lucky you just got grazed by a bullet.”
“I’ve done been shot more than once,” he replied gruffly, intended to hit his emotions. “I figure on living through bein’ shot a few more times before I go.”
“I worry about you,” she confessed.
“In this life, we face danger. No need to carry on worryin’,” was his reply. “We’ll barely be deviating from your schedule any at all.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she replied forcefully. “And you know it.”
“Mayhap I do,” he admitted. “But do we really want to have this discussion right now?”
“We need to have it at some point,” Inara pointed out. “Wash is dead and I watch what Zoe deals with on a daily basis. She misses him and always will. I don’t want to go through that, especially not having ever had you in my life like that.” She was toeing around the issue poorly but it was enough that he’d understand. Whether he’d accept her feelings were another matter entirely.
“Women… always with the complications…” Mal sighed, cursing in Chinese. “What do you want me to say? And don’t your guild regulations have something to say about dating? And don’t you think I’d have something to say about your work.”
“Have you ever considered giving me a reason to quit?” she responds calmly.
“You would consider quitting?” He was surprised by this confession.
“With a good reason, of course.”
“Suppose you found a good reason,” he replied. “What would you do on the boat? I don’t got no one on my boat who can’t hold up their end.”
“I’m a fair pilot and as you have observed yourself, the potential for a fine criminal mind,” she reminded him.
“I don’t want you involved in none of that.”
“What is your criminal enterprise too good for a lowly whore.”
His look is serious when he raises his head. “More like you, Inara, are too good for it.”
She cocks her head in surprise, shocked by his admission. “Why Mal...” she starts.
“Don’t say nothin’,” he replied. “Just don’t say nothin’ at all.” With that, he turns and exits the infirmary, having had more than enough emotional conversation to satisfy him for the day.
************************************************************
Author: KaraB
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Firefly
Summary: Mal and Inara share a few moments under fire and after.
Author’s Note: Written for the Mal/Inara ficathon.
************************************************************
”I never much cared for firefights myself,” Mal was replying to Inara’s complaint about their current situation. He never liked being on the losing end of any situation, especially a firefight and the odds weren’t looking all that good at the moment.
The day had started off innocently enough. That was, until the buyer for their merchandise decided that he’d rather appropriate it without payment.
Of course, at that point in time, they had just landed and Mal was walking around with Inara. He couldn’t explain why he’d decided to do that, at least not in a reason he could admit to himself. Anyhow, when they’d returned to the ship, they were fired on from the cargo bay. Apparently his crew had managed to lock them out… but not completely out of the ship. Fortunately, the merchandise was hidden in a secret smuggling compartment.
“If we live through this, at least we’ll get paid.”
“Is that all you ever think about?” she responded in disbelief.
“Woman, I’m in the middle of a firefight. You can’t hold a man accountable for what is said.”
Inara rolled her eyes. If only the man knew how much she held him accountable for… her feelings for one.
************************************************************
They made it through the firefight alright… yet again. Zoe and Jayne had finally gotten the chance and taken the initiative on kicking the unwanted visitors out of the ship. Mal was sitting in the infirmary nursing a wound. His shoulder had been grazed by a bullet and he’d let the doctor stitch it up, after making a lot of noise, of course
He was surprised to look up and see Inara standing in the doorway. “What’s going on?”
“Mal, how can you sit there and ask that so calmly? You’re lucky you just got grazed by a bullet.”
“I’ve done been shot more than once,” he replied gruffly, intended to hit his emotions. “I figure on living through bein’ shot a few more times before I go.”
“I worry about you,” she confessed.
“In this life, we face danger. No need to carry on worryin’,” was his reply. “We’ll barely be deviating from your schedule any at all.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she replied forcefully. “And you know it.”
“Mayhap I do,” he admitted. “But do we really want to have this discussion right now?”
“We need to have it at some point,” Inara pointed out. “Wash is dead and I watch what Zoe deals with on a daily basis. She misses him and always will. I don’t want to go through that, especially not having ever had you in my life like that.” She was toeing around the issue poorly but it was enough that he’d understand. Whether he’d accept her feelings were another matter entirely.
“Women… always with the complications…” Mal sighed, cursing in Chinese. “What do you want me to say? And don’t your guild regulations have something to say about dating? And don’t you think I’d have something to say about your work.”
“Have you ever considered giving me a reason to quit?” she responds calmly.
“You would consider quitting?” He was surprised by this confession.
“With a good reason, of course.”
“Suppose you found a good reason,” he replied. “What would you do on the boat? I don’t got no one on my boat who can’t hold up their end.”
“I’m a fair pilot and as you have observed yourself, the potential for a fine criminal mind,” she reminded him.
“I don’t want you involved in none of that.”
“What is your criminal enterprise too good for a lowly whore.”
His look is serious when he raises his head. “More like you, Inara, are too good for it.”
She cocks her head in surprise, shocked by his admission. “Why Mal...” she starts.
“Don’t say nothin’,” he replied. “Just don’t say nothin’ at all.” With that, he turns and exits the infirmary, having had more than enough emotional conversation to satisfy him for the day.
************************************************************