The traditional obligatory offering to Boss Joss. Love his work, got bored, and decided to to run with it!

This is a story co-written with a very good friend of mine, aka DeanWinchester here at FF.net. Humor, smut, jealousy, with just a dash of angst thrown in later chapters to make things interesting. ;-D Bask in the Mal/Inara-ness!

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Inara lay back on the silk burgundy coverlet adorning her bed, laughing out loud for the first time in a very long while. Feyden was seated across the mattress from her, equally overcome with laughter at their amusing stories from their time as children.

And you call me a demon!” Feyden insisted with a chuckle. “The looks that you got from the training house instructors when you went barreling in there…”

Inara shook her head, pointing at the young man sharply. “Now, you’re the one that brought up the dare in the first place! You’re just as at fault for that damage as I was! You didn’t have to follow me in, you know.”

“No of course not,” he shot back sarcastically. “Not after you threatened me.”

Inara’s mouth gaped open in shock. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She bit back a guilty grin.

Feyden eyed her critically. “Don’t give me that. Back in the day, you were quite the rotten little zhao shi zhe!” Inara quickly lifted herself up on her elbows, smacking the boy ruthlessly in the arm. “Ow!” He yelped out with a smirk, rubbing the sore spot on his arm gently. “Still as violent as ever, I see,” he muttered with a smirk.

Inara rested her cheek against her hand, looking up at Feyden from her spot on the bed. They let themselves calm down after a little while, and a relaxed silence filled the room. Feyden caught the stillness in her expression, and lifted a hand to brush several strands of her ebony hair from her face.

“Seems as though it’s been far too long since you were able to laugh like that.”

Inara narrowed her eyes at him jokingly. “Am I that transparent?” she asked with a