Title The Truth of the
Matter
Summary: Post BDM – First
Job
Prompt: Tell the truth about
something you usually lie
about.
Mal’s fingers slid along the
cool walls of the corridor
he walked through on
Serenity. There was a
slight hum beneath them that
added both a familiarity and
a sense of calm. They were
in the sky again, headed for
their first job after the
Miranda business. It felt
good to see things get to a
semi order.
The crew was off doing their
own things, settling back
in, preparing for the job
ahead. He walked almost
automated through the ship
touching as he went, his
fingertips caressing cool
steel and iron grating as if
he felt the need to
reacquaint himself with his
first love; Serenity.
It was then that he looked
up and found himself in
front of his second love.
Brown eyes stared back at
him and he held them with
his own softened blue gaze.
“I was coming to find you.”
Inara said calmly, hands
clasped in front of her.
Mal glanced at the door to
her shuttle, mentally asking
himself how he always ended
up here. “I was-“
“About to barge into my
shuttle? I know.” Inara
said.
“Well… no.” Mal’s muscles
tensed and his arms crossed
over his chest as he quickly
tried to think up an excuse
for why he’d been outside of
her shuttle. “Got better
things to do ‘sides bargin’
into your shuttle all of the
time… captain-y things. Was
up here…” He quickly looked
around the immediate area
and hit a fist against the
grated cover to a
cubbyhole. “Makin’ sure
everything is secure.”
Inara’s eyes rolled in a
very un-companion way.
“You’re always making up
excuses, Mal. I thought we
were going to try-“
“Ain’t no excuses bein’
made, ‘Nara.” Mal argued
stubbornly, his jaw clenched
and eyes narrowed. He knew
it was a lie. Every time he
came to her shuttle he
spouted one excuse or
another when all he really
wanted to do was see her.
A silence hung over them
both for a few moments
before Mal tilted his head
curiously. “Say you was
lookin’ for me?”
Inara nodded and drew a deep
breath past the almost
argument. “I was going to
see if you’d like to take
some tea with me. If you
aren’t too busy but I can
see that you are…”
“Ain’t busy.” The words
were out of Mal’s mouth a
little too quickly. He hit
his fist a few times against
the grated cover again in an
attempt to conceal his
awkwardness. “It’s secure.”
A full smile slipped over
Inara’s lips as she stepped
aside to let Mal in her
shuttle. This… whatever
they were trying was proving
to be both irritating and
amusing.
Mal sat on the sofa and
watched Inara prepare tea
that he knew he wouldn’t
drink. Someday maybe he
would be able to come in
here without making up lies
and excuses, without the
awkwardness and almost
fights. “Glad we didn’t
fight.” He said to her
back.
Inara glance behind her and
grinned. “So am I.” It was
a start. With his next
words her back stiffened in
surprise.
“Was really comin’ to see
you.”
And with that, astonishingly
enough, the universe did not
explode.
