2 Firefly: Inara/River - M
Title: Love's A Competition
Pairing: Inara/River
Prompt: All's Fair In Love and War
Rating: M
Word Count: 1,038
Summary: When it comes to love, River plays fair, but only in her terms. If you can't keep up, you have no chance in hell. (Assume that this is at least a few years after Serenity)
Disclaimer: I don't own them, none of them. ALL HAIL JOSS WHEDON!
River wasn't one to easily get jealous, but when it came to Inara, River ALWAYS became fiercely jealous. Kaylee did too. Inara never fully realised the impact she had on the two younger women, though really, she should expect it from anyone, especially these two. They who were so passionate in whatever they talked about, River, the way of life and how she saw things, and Kaylee, machines.
Inara Serra was a beautiful creature with the grace of a swan and always treated the both of them with strong affection. Little did she realise, they took it for more than a big sisterly love. It only took a fraction of a second longer hold of Kaylee's cheek than normally for River to get heated up, glaring daggers at Kaylee. Inara never noticed, or if she did, she never let anyone else know.
Kaylee was currently trying to clean herself up, so that she could talk to Inara in all seriousness. Then she encountered a locked door. "What in the loony space...?!' muttered Kaylee. She pushed hard against the door, but could not coax it upwards. She heard muffled laughter, she recognised that laugh. 'River! River, you damned little minx! Open up my door this instant!' Kaylee yelled, pounding her fists against the door.
'Why ever for, only the cows willingly to take upon themselves the yoke to benefit others. I am no cow,' came the playful reply.
Kaylee was seething, 'I know what you are going to do! Don't you DARE go to Inara's shuttle! Don't you even dare!'
River laughed, 'Oh Kaylee, you are so funny sometimes! Nothing in the 'verse can stop me. Haven't we told you that many times? Me, myself and I, yes, we've told you ever so many times but you never listen.'
River skipped off, giggling at Kaylee's ranting and raging. Kaylee was more than annoyed, in fact she was worried. Yes, she shared several special moments having Inara brush her hair, but River had been visiting Inara's shuttle a lot more in the last year.
Not only that, River had filled out, much more than Kaylee had expected. She really was a young woman now, no longer the little girl her brother seems to only ever see her as. Although still a little out of sorts at times, River had become a lot more docile with her constant popping up in places. Most of her time she now spent trying to keep Inara's attention. Inara, despite the polite and well reserved manner instilled into her from her Companion training, loved and cherished the attention.
---------------------------------
'Inara? Permission to enter?' inquired River, knocking a tune on Inara's shuttle.
'Come in, little one,' came the soft reply.
'Where is my sweet one, who possesses the most fullest...' River's voiced died off.
For once, she was speechless, the sight of Inara bathing was quite a sight. Despite the many times River had popped up in Inara's prescence, this was the first time while Inara was bathing.
'River, honey? Are you okay?' asked Inara's sweet tinkling voice.
River shook her head out of her daze and she smiled, blushed a little and sidled over to Inara's bed.
'It's alright honey, I don't mind. Could you please hand me my towel?' commented Inara, noticing River's lack of eye contact.
River lifted Inara's towel from the chair and took it to Inara, returning to her daze as she gazed at the light shining off Inara's smooth, clear skin.
'Here, my queen,' murmured River.
Inara giggled and it sounded like cute little bells to River.
She grinned, 'I tell the truth and only the truth.'
'Indeed, now. Can I help you with something, River?' asked Inara, towelling herself dry, stroke by stroke.
River's eyes followed the movements of her hand. Up and down and side to side. Suddenly, River realises that she has positioned herself behind Inara and is kissing her neck, lavishing her tongue over Inara's skin. Inara did not even stiffen, but reached a hand behind to hold River closer to her. RIver was a litle surprised at her own actions, but decided to continue in her worship of Inara's skin. Inara's other hand found River's motionless and hand, pulling it gently towards mouth. She kissed it.
River muttered nonsense into Inara's neck, 'Inara is in my intense gaze. She's got superbly salacious hips.'
River grasps Inara's hips and ease them towards Inara's bed, gently pushing Inara on to it. She crawled up and straddled Inara's middle.
Inara smirked, 'Oh... I see. I don't suppose that I could help you with your... clothes? Hm?'
Inara lifted her head and captured River's lips into a deep kiss, hands running over River's lithe body lightly, then grabbing hold of buttons and releasing River from her top.
River's hair all around her face, Inara took a handful and smelt it, then tucked it back behind River's ear. River grinned, leaning down to kiss Inara's face. Inara rubbed her nose against River's affectionately, 'You're so cute.'
'But I can do things to make you scream,' stated River, in a comically serious tone.
Inara laughed, but was soon moaning in delight and sure enough, screaming ensued.
---------------------------------------
After an hour, Kaylee finally found the correct combination to unlock her door. She scrambled up the ladder desperately, racing past Simon and smashing right into Jayne.
'What the gorram hell are you doing, girl?!' he demanded.
She rolled her eyes at him, picked herself up and ran to Inara's shuttle. She burst into Inara's room, gasping at the sight before her. Inara was sitting cross legged on the bed, with River curled in her lap. She had her head bent and they were kissing gently and very tenderly.
'Gorram it,' mutttered Kaylee.
'Rivers flow, gently to and fro. They can't be defeated, there's just no way,' giggled River.
Inara, pretending to be unaware of Kaylee, in an attempt to spare her feelings, shushed River and kissed her again. Kaylee hung her head in defeat and slunk away back to her room, to crawl into bed to lick her wounds.
'I win,' stated River.
Inara looked at her quizzically, 'What do you mean?'
'You're my prize. I won fair and square,' replied River, kissing Inara deeply.
THE END
Title: Awful Sorry
Pairing: River/(Inara), Inara/Kaylee
Rating: M
Summary/Warnings: Love hurts. Even River isn’t immune to unrequited love. Angst.
Prompt: What goes around comes around
Word Count: 1,172
River is filled with bliss. Blissfully filled with happiness, she is. She told Simon about her bliss. He asked her what her bliss was and then fainted from shock. River laughed as she watched her older brother keel over unconscious; however she didn’t quite understand why he did that in the first place.
When Mal found her still giggling over Simon’s prostrate form, he enquired to the goings on in his ship.
‘Simon was knocked over by joy,’ explained River.
‘And what exactly is this joy we’re discussing here?’ asked Mal quite lost.
‘Inara,’ came the simple reply.
Mal blanched for a moment, not sure whether to be annoyed or wary, ‘Er… Is this his joy?’
‘MY joy, Captain Daddy. I love her and she loves me. My joy!’ exclaimed River.
Mal didn’t need any translation for this revelation. River watched curiously as his eyes widened and then blinked a multitude so that she was, at one moment, scared of his eye lashes flying off his face.
‘Uh… River, you do know what ‘Nara does for a living, right?’ ventured Mal cautiously as he regained his wits.
‘That doesn’t matter Captain Daddy, I belong to her. They don’t. They are merely business,’ explained River, bouncing on the soles of her feet.
Mal threaded a hand through his crop of hair multiple times before swallowing his pride and cautioning another question towards his young albatross, ‘How do you know this exactly, River?’
‘The deed was done, the deed is done, the deed will be done. Forever and always. Nothing in the ‘verse can stop me. Nothing,’ replied River, promptly turning to run to Inara’s shuttle.
Mal grimaced, knowing full well what was going on behind the doors of Inara’s shuttle. He knew the reason she turned him down. How he knew is from what Kaylee showed him. She showed him a full on kiss between her and Inara. He wondered how on earth River managed to get the idea that Inara loved her in that way. Mal’s face suddenly darkened. How dare Inara allow River to believe such a thing? How dare she let their Little Albatross get so excited only to be doomed to disappointment?
He started to walk towards Inara’s shuttle, but thought better of it, ‘Awful sorry Little Albatross. You’re going to have to learn the hard way.’
- - - - - - - - - - -
Kaylee moaned at the feel of Inara’s fingers trailing through her hair, rolling her head with the Companion’s motions. Inara kissed the top of her head, only to be engaged in a deeper kiss when Kaylee turned her head.
‘I did not mean to interrupt transmission,’ said a small voice.
They turned to see a dejected River. River’s eyes were focused on Inara’s hands and their current location, on Kaylee’s backside.
‘River, honey…’ began Inara.
River shook her head violently, ‘It does not compute. Captain Daddy’s instructions were very clear… but there was hope… I had hoped… my flower?’
Kaylee scooted out of Inara’s embrace, not entirely sure what River was going on about. She never was sure. She flinched at River’s sudden gaze on her.
River’s face became even more pained, ‘I would never hurt you Kaylee.’
‘Oh River, I’m sorry,’ breathed Kaylee, feeling extremely guilty.
‘Apologise to my brother. It does not compute. The sun appeared to be alive but was in fact stabbed by the stars and the moon took over,’ muttered River, no longer looking at either one of them.
Inara went to hold River, but River leapt backwards out of her reach and out of the shuttle, landing just next to the wall in the corridor.
‘Hedgehogs can’t live with others. It is too dangerous,’ concluded River, running away.
Inara let out a single sob. Kaylee touched her shoulder gently. Inara patted it absently.
‘I never meant to hurt her. I didn’t think she’d go so far as to think…’ Inara trailed off, unable to continue.
‘Well, it’s not like you two did anything, right? River is just young and idealistic. She has to learn that, she can’t just assume things right?’ Kaylee was annoyed, but understood the confusions of love.
Inara had closed her eyes when she realised that Kaylee had believed that she hadn’t engaged in intimate relations with River. In fact Inara had done so, as a present to River, for her 19th birthday. It had been a terrible decision. Inara was awful sorry she had ever thought it would be a suitable gift. Her talents had just cost her another relationship.
Inara inhaled deeply, ‘Yes, but I should have been more careful. I should have realise that appealing to her intellect would set off some flights of fancy. I just didn’t think it was right for her to put up with Mal’s simple thoughts and I’m sure River doesn’t always want to converse with her brother. Goodness knows Simon doesn’t quite pay attention to half the things she says.’
Kaylee frowned, not sure at all what to do. She didn’t like the fact that River was hurt, but she didn’t at all like the fact that Inara was now troubled. It wasn’t right for her lover to be sad.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Mal sighed heavily as he heard River racing through the corridors. He grimaced as he even heard her slamming the door to her room shut.
Zoe strode into the kitchen, ‘Was that River?’
Mal only nodded in ascent.
‘I’d better check on her,’ said Zoe.
‘No! I mean, just let her be for now, ‘kay?’ said Mal, eyes pleading Zoe.
Zoe frowned, but nodded, obeying and believing in his judgement.
Mal waited until night, when most of the crew would asleep or at least in their bunks, before he headed off to Inara’s shuttle. He knocked softly. Inara opened the door and was genuinely shocked at Mal’s presence.
‘Mal…’ began Inara, before being promptly cut off by a wave of Mal’s hand.
‘As soon as we hit planetside, I want you off my ship. Not forever, but for a while. You can keep the shuttle for this length of time of course, but I want you off the ship,’ said Mal in a dangerously quiet voice.
Inara shook her head, ‘Where is this coming from?’
‘I can’t go and let you hurt my crew and get away with it, now can I?’ replied Mal.
Inara was stunned. She understood and nodded regretfully.
‘Tell her I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
‘Tell her yourself!’ snapped Mal.
Inara nodded again, utterly ashamed. Mal lost his anger after he looked at her again. Her shoulders were hunched and she was hugging herself. She was not recognisable.
Mal sighed again and scratched his head, ‘Just promise it’s for real with Kaylee, else I’ll definitely have to kick you off my ship.’
‘I promise.’
- - - - - - - - - - -
River rocked herself to sleep, singing softly.
‘We'll begin with a spin
Trav'ling in the world of my creation
What we'll see will defy
Explanation’
THE END
The lyric is from the song Pure Imagination, sung by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), but I prefer to listen to Maroon 5's cover version.
Pairing: Inara/River
Prompt: All's Fair In Love and War
Rating: M
Word Count: 1,038
Summary: When it comes to love, River plays fair, but only in her terms. If you can't keep up, you have no chance in hell. (Assume that this is at least a few years after Serenity)
Disclaimer: I don't own them, none of them. ALL HAIL JOSS WHEDON!
River wasn't one to easily get jealous, but when it came to Inara, River ALWAYS became fiercely jealous. Kaylee did too. Inara never fully realised the impact she had on the two younger women, though really, she should expect it from anyone, especially these two. They who were so passionate in whatever they talked about, River, the way of life and how she saw things, and Kaylee, machines.
Inara Serra was a beautiful creature with the grace of a swan and always treated the both of them with strong affection. Little did she realise, they took it for more than a big sisterly love. It only took a fraction of a second longer hold of Kaylee's cheek than normally for River to get heated up, glaring daggers at Kaylee. Inara never noticed, or if she did, she never let anyone else know.
Kaylee was currently trying to clean herself up, so that she could talk to Inara in all seriousness. Then she encountered a locked door. "What in the loony space...?!' muttered Kaylee. She pushed hard against the door, but could not coax it upwards. She heard muffled laughter, she recognised that laugh. 'River! River, you damned little minx! Open up my door this instant!' Kaylee yelled, pounding her fists against the door.
'Why ever for, only the cows willingly to take upon themselves the yoke to benefit others. I am no cow,' came the playful reply.
Kaylee was seething, 'I know what you are going to do! Don't you DARE go to Inara's shuttle! Don't you even dare!'
River laughed, 'Oh Kaylee, you are so funny sometimes! Nothing in the 'verse can stop me. Haven't we told you that many times? Me, myself and I, yes, we've told you ever so many times but you never listen.'
River skipped off, giggling at Kaylee's ranting and raging. Kaylee was more than annoyed, in fact she was worried. Yes, she shared several special moments having Inara brush her hair, but River had been visiting Inara's shuttle a lot more in the last year.
Not only that, River had filled out, much more than Kaylee had expected. She really was a young woman now, no longer the little girl her brother seems to only ever see her as. Although still a little out of sorts at times, River had become a lot more docile with her constant popping up in places. Most of her time she now spent trying to keep Inara's attention. Inara, despite the polite and well reserved manner instilled into her from her Companion training, loved and cherished the attention.
---------------------------------
'Inara? Permission to enter?' inquired River, knocking a tune on Inara's shuttle.
'Come in, little one,' came the soft reply.
'Where is my sweet one, who possesses the most fullest...' River's voiced died off.
For once, she was speechless, the sight of Inara bathing was quite a sight. Despite the many times River had popped up in Inara's prescence, this was the first time while Inara was bathing.
'River, honey? Are you okay?' asked Inara's sweet tinkling voice.
River shook her head out of her daze and she smiled, blushed a little and sidled over to Inara's bed.
'It's alright honey, I don't mind. Could you please hand me my towel?' commented Inara, noticing River's lack of eye contact.
River lifted Inara's towel from the chair and took it to Inara, returning to her daze as she gazed at the light shining off Inara's smooth, clear skin.
'Here, my queen,' murmured River.
Inara giggled and it sounded like cute little bells to River.
She grinned, 'I tell the truth and only the truth.'
'Indeed, now. Can I help you with something, River?' asked Inara, towelling herself dry, stroke by stroke.
River's eyes followed the movements of her hand. Up and down and side to side. Suddenly, River realises that she has positioned herself behind Inara and is kissing her neck, lavishing her tongue over Inara's skin. Inara did not even stiffen, but reached a hand behind to hold River closer to her. RIver was a litle surprised at her own actions, but decided to continue in her worship of Inara's skin. Inara's other hand found River's motionless and hand, pulling it gently towards mouth. She kissed it.
River muttered nonsense into Inara's neck, 'Inara is in my intense gaze. She's got superbly salacious hips.'
River grasps Inara's hips and ease them towards Inara's bed, gently pushing Inara on to it. She crawled up and straddled Inara's middle.
Inara smirked, 'Oh... I see. I don't suppose that I could help you with your... clothes? Hm?'
Inara lifted her head and captured River's lips into a deep kiss, hands running over River's lithe body lightly, then grabbing hold of buttons and releasing River from her top.
River's hair all around her face, Inara took a handful and smelt it, then tucked it back behind River's ear. River grinned, leaning down to kiss Inara's face. Inara rubbed her nose against River's affectionately, 'You're so cute.'
'But I can do things to make you scream,' stated River, in a comically serious tone.
Inara laughed, but was soon moaning in delight and sure enough, screaming ensued.
---------------------------------------
After an hour, Kaylee finally found the correct combination to unlock her door. She scrambled up the ladder desperately, racing past Simon and smashing right into Jayne.
'What the gorram hell are you doing, girl?!' he demanded.
She rolled her eyes at him, picked herself up and ran to Inara's shuttle. She burst into Inara's room, gasping at the sight before her. Inara was sitting cross legged on the bed, with River curled in her lap. She had her head bent and they were kissing gently and very tenderly.
'Gorram it,' mutttered Kaylee.
'Rivers flow, gently to and fro. They can't be defeated, there's just no way,' giggled River.
Inara, pretending to be unaware of Kaylee, in an attempt to spare her feelings, shushed River and kissed her again. Kaylee hung her head in defeat and slunk away back to her room, to crawl into bed to lick her wounds.
'I win,' stated River.
Inara looked at her quizzically, 'What do you mean?'
'You're my prize. I won fair and square,' replied River, kissing Inara deeply.
THE END
Title: Awful Sorry
Pairing: River/(Inara), Inara/Kaylee
Rating: M
Summary/Warnings: Love hurts. Even River isn’t immune to unrequited love. Angst.
Prompt: What goes around comes around
Word Count: 1,172
River is filled with bliss. Blissfully filled with happiness, she is. She told Simon about her bliss. He asked her what her bliss was and then fainted from shock. River laughed as she watched her older brother keel over unconscious; however she didn’t quite understand why he did that in the first place.
When Mal found her still giggling over Simon’s prostrate form, he enquired to the goings on in his ship.
‘Simon was knocked over by joy,’ explained River.
‘And what exactly is this joy we’re discussing here?’ asked Mal quite lost.
‘Inara,’ came the simple reply.
Mal blanched for a moment, not sure whether to be annoyed or wary, ‘Er… Is this his joy?’
‘MY joy, Captain Daddy. I love her and she loves me. My joy!’ exclaimed River.
Mal didn’t need any translation for this revelation. River watched curiously as his eyes widened and then blinked a multitude so that she was, at one moment, scared of his eye lashes flying off his face.
‘Uh… River, you do know what ‘Nara does for a living, right?’ ventured Mal cautiously as he regained his wits.
‘That doesn’t matter Captain Daddy, I belong to her. They don’t. They are merely business,’ explained River, bouncing on the soles of her feet.
Mal threaded a hand through his crop of hair multiple times before swallowing his pride and cautioning another question towards his young albatross, ‘How do you know this exactly, River?’
‘The deed was done, the deed is done, the deed will be done. Forever and always. Nothing in the ‘verse can stop me. Nothing,’ replied River, promptly turning to run to Inara’s shuttle.
Mal grimaced, knowing full well what was going on behind the doors of Inara’s shuttle. He knew the reason she turned him down. How he knew is from what Kaylee showed him. She showed him a full on kiss between her and Inara. He wondered how on earth River managed to get the idea that Inara loved her in that way. Mal’s face suddenly darkened. How dare Inara allow River to believe such a thing? How dare she let their Little Albatross get so excited only to be doomed to disappointment?
He started to walk towards Inara’s shuttle, but thought better of it, ‘Awful sorry Little Albatross. You’re going to have to learn the hard way.’
- - - - - - - - - - -
Kaylee moaned at the feel of Inara’s fingers trailing through her hair, rolling her head with the Companion’s motions. Inara kissed the top of her head, only to be engaged in a deeper kiss when Kaylee turned her head.
‘I did not mean to interrupt transmission,’ said a small voice.
They turned to see a dejected River. River’s eyes were focused on Inara’s hands and their current location, on Kaylee’s backside.
‘River, honey…’ began Inara.
River shook her head violently, ‘It does not compute. Captain Daddy’s instructions were very clear… but there was hope… I had hoped… my flower?’
Kaylee scooted out of Inara’s embrace, not entirely sure what River was going on about. She never was sure. She flinched at River’s sudden gaze on her.
River’s face became even more pained, ‘I would never hurt you Kaylee.’
‘Oh River, I’m sorry,’ breathed Kaylee, feeling extremely guilty.
‘Apologise to my brother. It does not compute. The sun appeared to be alive but was in fact stabbed by the stars and the moon took over,’ muttered River, no longer looking at either one of them.
Inara went to hold River, but River leapt backwards out of her reach and out of the shuttle, landing just next to the wall in the corridor.
‘Hedgehogs can’t live with others. It is too dangerous,’ concluded River, running away.
Inara let out a single sob. Kaylee touched her shoulder gently. Inara patted it absently.
‘I never meant to hurt her. I didn’t think she’d go so far as to think…’ Inara trailed off, unable to continue.
‘Well, it’s not like you two did anything, right? River is just young and idealistic. She has to learn that, she can’t just assume things right?’ Kaylee was annoyed, but understood the confusions of love.
Inara had closed her eyes when she realised that Kaylee had believed that she hadn’t engaged in intimate relations with River. In fact Inara had done so, as a present to River, for her 19th birthday. It had been a terrible decision. Inara was awful sorry she had ever thought it would be a suitable gift. Her talents had just cost her another relationship.
Inara inhaled deeply, ‘Yes, but I should have been more careful. I should have realise that appealing to her intellect would set off some flights of fancy. I just didn’t think it was right for her to put up with Mal’s simple thoughts and I’m sure River doesn’t always want to converse with her brother. Goodness knows Simon doesn’t quite pay attention to half the things she says.’
Kaylee frowned, not sure at all what to do. She didn’t like the fact that River was hurt, but she didn’t at all like the fact that Inara was now troubled. It wasn’t right for her lover to be sad.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Mal sighed heavily as he heard River racing through the corridors. He grimaced as he even heard her slamming the door to her room shut.
Zoe strode into the kitchen, ‘Was that River?’
Mal only nodded in ascent.
‘I’d better check on her,’ said Zoe.
‘No! I mean, just let her be for now, ‘kay?’ said Mal, eyes pleading Zoe.
Zoe frowned, but nodded, obeying and believing in his judgement.
Mal waited until night, when most of the crew would asleep or at least in their bunks, before he headed off to Inara’s shuttle. He knocked softly. Inara opened the door and was genuinely shocked at Mal’s presence.
‘Mal…’ began Inara, before being promptly cut off by a wave of Mal’s hand.
‘As soon as we hit planetside, I want you off my ship. Not forever, but for a while. You can keep the shuttle for this length of time of course, but I want you off the ship,’ said Mal in a dangerously quiet voice.
Inara shook her head, ‘Where is this coming from?’
‘I can’t go and let you hurt my crew and get away with it, now can I?’ replied Mal.
Inara was stunned. She understood and nodded regretfully.
‘Tell her I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
‘Tell her yourself!’ snapped Mal.
Inara nodded again, utterly ashamed. Mal lost his anger after he looked at her again. Her shoulders were hunched and she was hugging herself. She was not recognisable.
Mal sighed again and scratched his head, ‘Just promise it’s for real with Kaylee, else I’ll definitely have to kick you off my ship.’
‘I promise.’
- - - - - - - - - - -
River rocked herself to sleep, singing softly.
‘We'll begin with a spin
Trav'ling in the world of my creation
What we'll see will defy
Explanation’
THE END
The lyric is from the song Pure Imagination, sung by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), but I prefer to listen to Maroon 5's cover version.