Vows

Script taking place approx. a week after the end of Icarus (I'm pretty sure it's kinda rough, and hence apologize to the wooorld!)

Scene 1:

A shot from above, of Mal and Inara, asleep in her bed. They’re tangled up together sort of confusingly, with Inara’s head tucked underneath Mal’s chin, holding each other. The shot goes down to show Inara’s face. She smiles without opening her eyes, then slowly does so. Reality hits her suddenly, and she glances around without moving her head, trying to figure out where she is and who she’s entwined with. She remembers, and a look of intense embarrassment, mixed with a dollop of humor she finds in the position she’s in, crosses her face. She half-bites her lip.

Inara: (quietly) Um, Mal?

Mal moves closer. Inara half-laughs, still embarrassed.

Inara: (louder) Mal?

She moves her head so that his chin tilts, and sort of tries to push away. He wakes up suddenly.

Mal: (sleep-mouthed) Danger? Where?

Inara: Mal, you’re squashing me.

He looks down, sees her, lets go, and jerks away, somehow managing to roll himself off the bed and onto the floor in a tangle of sheet.

Mal: Aii-yah! Pins and needles, pins and needles.

He shakes his arm vigorously. Inara clutches the remaining sheet to her chest and sits up. She looks straight in front of her, nervously avoiding Mal’s gaze, a bit exasperated. He stops shaking his arm, looks down at himself, then up at her. He sees her back and her profile, and his gaze goes hot.

Mal: ‘Morning.

Inara: (stiffly) ‘Morning.

Mal: (responding by getting equally stiff, though he doesn’t know why they’re fighting again) How are you?

Inara: (snapped) I’m fine.

Mal stares at her for a second.

Mal: (muttered) Well, fine then.

He attempts to get up, but then gets re-caught in the sheet and falls back on the floor heavily. Inara scrambles over the bed toward him worriedly. She leans her head over the side.

Inara: Mal?

Mal sits up quickly and their heads crack together. Inara cries