Blue Sun Room FICTION - ROMANCE
Inara's Fancy Man
Thursday, November 7, 2002
Mal and Inara get together...FINALLY.
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 6289 RATING: 8.0 (PG13) SERIES: FIREFLY
Inara's Fancy Man [Firefly, I/M]
by Laura Goodwin
>> Undrape! you are not guilty to me, nor stale nor discarded,
>> I see through the broadcloth and gingham whether or no,
>> And am around, tenacious, acquisitive, tireless, and cannot be shaken away.
[From: Song Of Myself, Walt Whitman]
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Book was sitting up late, reading, when he heard a tap. He opened his door to discover Serenity's Captain, Malcolm Reynolds, leaning wearily against the wall.
"Well, good evening!" The old man was pleasantly surprised. "What's the occasion, Malcolm?"
"No occasion. Just wondered if you were up for a little company."
"Please." Book stood aside and allowed Malcolm to enter his small room. "Would you like some tea, Mal?"
Malcolm looked around, and saw that a pot was already prepared.
"I guess." Mal nodded, with a small smile.
Book set him up with a cup. Then he settled back into his favorite chair with his own cup in his hand as Mal sat nearby. He fixed his curious gaze on his visitor.
"What's on your mind tonight?" he asked, quietly. He had a hunch he knew the answer.
"Nothing special. I couldn't sleep, and rather than waste my time staring at the ceiling, I thought I'd tour the ship, spot-check a few things. I saw your light, and thought I'd pop in, see if you felt like talking."
The Shepherd grinned, flattered. "Well, I'm glad you did. What would you like to talk about?"
"This and that. Cabbages and kings." Captain Reynolds sipped his tea.
Nothing serious? Too bad. Book wasn't much for small talk, but there were plenty of serious things that Book would love to talk about. For example, Book had lots of nosy questions about Captain Reynold's latest misadventure - a sword duel over "Ambassador" Inara - but he held his tongue and gave Mal a chance to bring it up himself.
Well, Mal took his sweet time warming
Comments
Thursday, 07 November 2002 06:22
I tried to correct the typos after posting this story, but the web form won't let me update.
Thursday, 07 November 2002 06:44
Here's the same story as it appears on my website.
http://allyourtrekarebelongto.us/fancyman.htm
Black on white (easier to read), and no typos.
http://allyourtrekarebelongto.us/fancyman.htm
Black on white (easier to read), and no typos.
ANONYMOUS
Friday, 08 November 2002 00:15
finally, A mal/Inara fanfic! Good job.
ANONYMOUS
Friday, 08 November 2002 00:28
Really great story, so far, but you ended it just when things were heating up! I thought this was an NC-17 fic? You hit PG-13, maybe. Please tell me there is another chapter coming with all the juicy details?
Friday, 08 November 2002 01:53
I'll be writing more soon. I originally planned to have more sex in this one - but then I realized that the story was finished. I don't know how to explain that.
Thanks for reading, and for the encouraging feedback.
Laura
Thanks for reading, and for the encouraging feedback.
Laura
ANONYMOUS
Saturday, 09 November 2002 23:38
I'm curious as to the writer. I work in the romance field and found this as good as most books that I buy at the bookstore. Very good dialogue, captruing the personalities of the actual characters. The reader could picture these people say these lines. Kudos to you and I hope you are published or at least on the road there. If not, you should be.
KNIGHTOWL
Monday, 11 November 2002 04:08
I enjoyed this one. Keep writing.
ANONYMOUS
Monday, 11 November 2002 11:21
While there was bickering, yes, I don't think you really did get a good feel as to the characters themselves. Please, don't try again.
KATRINA
Monday, 11 November 2002 14:30
As to the above poster, it's very easy to criticize when you are hiding behind an anonymous identity. If you are going to be negative, at least have the guts to put your name to your remarks. I think this was a pretty good story that got the characters right and had realistic dialogue. I hope the author gives us more, soon.
ANONYMOUS
Thursday, 14 November 2002 02:52
that was really good!
ANONYMOUS
Wednesday, 20 November 2002 19:29
Well done. I thought you captured Mal's rakish charm nicely.
I thought his remark to Inara about her being a "kissing bandit" was dead-on.
Albertina
I thought his remark to Inara about her being a "kissing bandit" was dead-on.
Albertina
Thursday, 21 November 2002 05:32
I just had to read!!!
I love Mal! You did a right fine job with this tale. LOL! Keep up the fabulous writing.
I love Mal! You did a right fine job with this tale. LOL! Keep up the fabulous writing.
ANONYMOUS
Wednesday, 04 December 2002 00:53
I thought the story was excellent and your dialogue captured the style of the characters very well. This is not jsut good fanfic, it is good writing. The line about a "women's tender regard" is particularly well done--insightful and new, perfect in the context of the character and an interesting reflection. Please do write more!!! Thanks. :)
ANONYMOUS
Sunday, 09 February 2003 18:09
My immediate thought upon finishing this story - "I'll be in my bunk!"
Great job! I want to see Mal and Inara together too, even though I know it would lead to no end of trouble for both of them. Please write more and go for the R rating, I'll be waiting to read it.
Great job! I want to see Mal and Inara together too, even though I know it would lead to no end of trouble for both of them. Please write more and go for the R rating, I'll be waiting to read it.
Sunday, 13 April 2003 05:05
I always admire anyone who writes a story and posts it, and this was very good , we need more Inara/Mal romance, but a lot of the diologue didn't seem to fit to me. It seemed like Inara was almost throwing herself at Mal, begging him not to hate her and she would never become uncomposed enough to do that, even in the heat of emotion, I don't think. When Zoe talked to Mal, even when she was warning him aganst something strictly, there would have been a lot more "sirs" and dead-pan sarcasm. But it was good as far as romance goes, better than most romance novels. Watch what the characters say more, is all.
Saturday, 20 December 2003 10:19
I thought this was a good read :) There were some zoe/mal bits that i agree with what devalis said, more sirs and the like, and Inara was a bit too sappy at times, but their thoughts were well read and I did like how mal was written as well...and PLEASE ignore what that anon person wrote way back when, that was just lame, plus to hide behind the anon word is stupid....Keep writing!! :)
ANONYMOUS
Monday, 23 August 2004 02:15
"He leaned back and took in the sight of her beauty and just let it move him like it was music." Simply gorram lovely. The anonymous drive-by fruiter was ill-mannered and wrong. Tianna! You did right well with our star-crossed capn and his lady love. Only whine I have for you is...Where's the tab a into slot b? Dang, but I was left hanging worse than Jayne on his way to his bunk. Gimme some more of that ol' magic horizontal mambo, ok? I understand tho, about the story just having to end there. Have heard from other authors that the story does what the story has to do. But a sequel is what I'm craving. Got one? Thank you for this. I loved it. :0)
-Roving Eye
-Roving Eye
ANONYMOUS
Wednesday, 06 October 2004 18:25
I thought that it was a REALLY well-done fic. The dialogue was great and seemed very realistic- although it did seem like it was going "somewhere" at the end, if you get my drift...which means there MUST be a sequel coming. Please??! There just isn't any quality Mal/Inara fic out there- I finally found one. Keep up the good work.
From alicia-1121 (not anonymous)
From alicia-1121 (not anonymous)
ANONYMOUS
Monday, 11 October 2004 00:02
AHHHHA and then what hapend???????
ANONYMOUS
Wednesday, 27 October 2004 21:04
Very beautiful and tender. I am torn between wanting "the details" and having them distract from the tenderness. Both of them need that more than sex per se.
ANONYMOUS
Wednesday, 27 October 2004 21:38
Hi, I'm the author. Thanks to everyone for giving me feedback.
I originally intended to go into the details about their lovemaking, but I finally decided to stop short of that to require you all to use your imaginations instead. I regret that that disappointed some of you. I didn't do it to frustrate my readers, I ended it where I did because the story felt "finished" to me.
I'm happy that so many of you enjoyed it, despite its flaws.
BTW, regarding one reader's complaint that Zoe should have said "Sir" more often in her scene, I respectfully disagree. That was a private confrontation between two friends in their personal time about a personal matter, and was not a military situation.
Zoe and Mal are more than comrades, they are friends. I don't believe that it's appropriate for them to play rank roles in that scene. Zoe is not subordinate by nature, and she doesn't call Mal "sir" for fun, nor because they have some kind of kinky relationship. She is technically second-in-command aboard Serenity, and that's the reason she calls the Captain (whom she respects) "sir". She's probably called him "sir" since they served together in the war.
Nevertheless, she wouldn't resort to calling him sir (IMHO) in that private argument between two friends, UNLESS he pulled rank and put it on that footing - which you'll notice he doesn't do in my story. He's tempted to, once or twice, maybe.
I might be wrong to write her that way, but it was intentional, not an oversight.
I originally intended to go into the details about their lovemaking, but I finally decided to stop short of that to require you all to use your imaginations instead. I regret that that disappointed some of you. I didn't do it to frustrate my readers, I ended it where I did because the story felt "finished" to me.
I'm happy that so many of you enjoyed it, despite its flaws.
BTW, regarding one reader's complaint that Zoe should have said "Sir" more often in her scene, I respectfully disagree. That was a private confrontation between two friends in their personal time about a personal matter, and was not a military situation.
Zoe and Mal are more than comrades, they are friends. I don't believe that it's appropriate for them to play rank roles in that scene. Zoe is not subordinate by nature, and she doesn't call Mal "sir" for fun, nor because they have some kind of kinky relationship. She is technically second-in-command aboard Serenity, and that's the reason she calls the Captain (whom she respects) "sir". She's probably called him "sir" since they served together in the war.
Nevertheless, she wouldn't resort to calling him sir (IMHO) in that private argument between two friends, UNLESS he pulled rank and put it on that footing - which you'll notice he doesn't do in my story. He's tempted to, once or twice, maybe.
I might be wrong to write her that way, but it was intentional, not an oversight.
ANONYMOUS
Wednesday, 27 October 2004 22:03
Me the author again:
I think the real problem with getting Mal and Inara together is that they are both hard-headed, independent people who like to be their own boss. Much of the conflict between them seems to be a kind of dominance sparring. They both have control issues. That kind of thing can complicate a sexual relationship.
I think the real problem with getting Mal and Inara together is that they are both hard-headed, independent people who like to be their own boss. Much of the conflict between them seems to be a kind of dominance sparring. They both have control issues. That kind of thing can complicate a sexual relationship.
Wednesday, 09 February 2005 22:36
I loved your story. The "stealing kisses" bit was wonderful! =o)
Tuesday, 10 May 2005 15:44
erm, teeny constructive criticism: Shindig was before Our Mrs Reynolds, so Inara hadn't kissed him...
ANONYMOUS
Tuesday, 10 May 2005 18:54
Hi, I'm the author:
Dear Duchess,
Our Mrs. Reynolds was aired in Oct, and Shindig was aired in November. I realize the episodes were aired "out of order", but I stand by my story as written.
Thanks for reading, and for the FB.
Dear Duchess,
Our Mrs. Reynolds was aired in Oct, and Shindig was aired in November. I realize the episodes were aired "out of order", but I stand by my story as written.
Thanks for reading, and for the FB.
ANONYMOUS
Tuesday, 13 September 2005 19:35
Great story! You had Mal and Inara down almost perfectly, love the bickering! To bad it couldn't have been an episode, great writing!!
ANONYMOUS
Thursday, 10 November 2005 16:35
I really liked the story. I thought you had Mal down pat and for the most part you captured Inara.
Sunday, 06 April 2008 17:48
i thought mal was kinda out of character,
and, yeah there was bickering, but you didn't really capture them
and, yeah there was bickering, but you didn't really capture them
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