BANDIAGARA (09) Part (01)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Who stole the hot water? Mal and Inara have an uncomfortable conversation.
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 4594 RATING: 10.0 (PG13) SERIES: FIREFLY
BANDIAGARA (09)
Part (01)
Follows . Precedes . The series so far: Who stole the hot water? Mal and Inara have an uncomfortable conversation. Mouse over Chinese words in text for translations Rating: All my stories are PG to PG-13 to occasional R. You will not find detailed descriptions of blood, gore, and sex, but you will find situations appropriate for mature readers, innuendo, implication, and (gasp) swear words. This story is PG-13 to R. Thanks to my sister for beta reading. | * * * Inara docked the shuttle with Serenity. Kaylee sat in the passenger seat, still furious with Simon, but so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. When Inara finished the shut-down sequence she turned and looked over to find Kaylee drooping in her seat. She stood to tiptoe past, but Kaylee started awake, and resumed her ranting right where she’d left off. “Made me so mad, actin’ like I was too dumb to follow directions, when he didn’t have no clue what to do, neither. Just had fancier words to talk
There was this idea that Platonist and I were discussing, that once Mal and Inara got together, they still wouldn't exactly know what the relationship means to their counterpart, or what maybe the other person wants. They'd be scared to find out. So they don't deal with it, and still end up having some unresolved tension despite doing plenty of THAT. All the arguments and off-and-on and tempestuousness could continue, when in most stories they pair up and all that fun stuff is over immediately.
You write the story I'd have liked to have written if I were dealing with their longterm relationship "after."
Looking forward to more
"You can't take the sky from me!"
ZoesMom--I'd like to think that Mal and Inara's relationship is actually progressing. I mean, they did actually talk about two very important topics, marriage and children. They just weren't (either of them) completely open about their feelings on either subject. I think it's a step in the right direction that they even mentioned these things to each other. And they wouldn't be the first couple to avoid talking about difficult subjects by partaking in physical interaction.
Bytemite--Thanks, I'm glad you like the line I'm taking. I'm of the school of thought that Mal and Inara getting together does not result in automatic fluffily-ever-after. I just don't believe that the mere fact of sleeping in the same bed would work some kind of revolution on either of their characters. I think they would still have issues even if, say, they were married for 35 years and had grandchildren. It's just that the issues would have evolved. I think it's more interesting to explore what happens as they try to develop a truly intimate relationship than to answer the simple question of "will they/won't they"--which is why I answered that question in the second story in this series.
Platonist--Joys and sorrows are in store for Mal and Inara, in proportion as I'll reveal only as I go along. This story explores the developments in their relationship a bit further. Hope you like it.
Sindiks--It was nice to show Inara's fondness for Kaylee; that's a very sweet aspect of the original show. The water thievery was fun to write.
Nutluck--Sometimes I think River wonders who's really crazy here, as she observes the antics of the supposedly sane and mature adults around her on Serenity.
Yes. Also: *cross fingers!*
I've always liked to imagine that the old issues they had would lose their teeth even as the new issues appeared. Five years time, I can completely imagine Inara not even batting an eyelash at Mal's favourite insult, and her blithely answering back with thief. The meaning would be gone from the words - they never had meaning in the first place, even back when they were yelling them.
Also, I imagine Mal using Huli Jing (evil vixen) as a term of ENDEARMENT. Somehow.
I’m glad that you decided to continue the tease with Mal & Inara. I think that, that was a main selling point of the characters.
Anyway 4 or 5 children? I think the government in the future may post a limit on the number of off-spring a couple may produce. Not that I agree, or condone, only that it may become fact.
Just as I see it…BPZ
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