Title: What If...

Author: hadnuit

Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply: neither the characters nor the 'verse are mine, I just borrowed them from His Awesome Benevolence, Joss Whedon, to play with for a while.

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“Mal…” She whispered against his shoulder as he held her tightly. “Mal, we shouldn’t—”

“Shh…” He whispered back, cradling her against fragile body against his. “It’s gonna be all right. I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you safe.”

No, that wasn’t right. She wasn’t weak. And even if she were, she sure as hell wouldn’t let him know until long after something started between them. If things ever got that far. He sighed and propped one boot up on his bunk.

He’d have to be direct if he wanted this to work. He spat on his hand and rubbed a bit of dirt off the side of the sole of his boot. He’d have to be direct.

“Inara, I gotta talk to you.” She turned towards him, that gorgeous playful smile full on her lips.

“You didn’t knock,” she accused, pouting so perfectly that he thought he might die.

“No, I didn’t knock. There’s something that’s gotta be said—right now.” He shifted back and forth on the balls of his feet, enjoying the expectant look from her, the power that he—for once—held over her.

“What is it, Mal?” God he cherished the way his voice sounded in her voice.

“You know damn well what it is. I love you. You love me. So let’s damn well do something about it.”

“Oh! Mal!” She gushed, promptly pulling him on top of her, miraculously removing his clothes instantly, and straddling him, pushing…yearning…

Wrong again. Mal brought himself back to reality with a jerk and grimaced at the way his pants seemed even tighter than usual. Captain Tightpants, indeed…He debated for a moment stopping there, like so many previous nights, going back to his bunk and finishing the job with efficiency. But no. Not tonight. If he were going to spend one more night without her, it would be because she said so. Not becaus