Inara prided herself in her ability to read the faintest flicker of emotion in a man’s eyes. It was one of the traits that made her the most sought after companion in House Madrassa . It was a skill that had never once failed her.

Until now.

The galley was, as always at meal times, chaotic. People talking over one another, the scrape of chairs on the floor, the clink of dishes being shared. She sank elegantly into the seat on Mal’s left, surveying the table and noting that Simon and Kaylee hadn’t yet joined them.

A few moments later they’d attempted to slink in unnoticed, but it didn’t take a companion to read the happy glow radiating from Kaylee, or the sudden and inescapable aura of satisfaction surrounding Simon. The others exchanged knowing looks and pointed jibes and even River was lucid enough to tease her brother.

Listening to the good-natured laughter around the table, Inara had filled her plate with the usual assortment of protein and raised her eyes to Jayne seated across from her. He joked with the rest, his teasing louder and cruder than anyone else’s and he managed to turn Simon four different shades of red by the end of the meal.

But he never touched his food.

Inara had watched him push it around his plate for near an hour, and each moment that he didn’t take a single bite, she felt the prickle of dawning realization. Suddenly, life aboard Serenity was making a hell of a lot more sense.

~

She gave it a few days, let him adjust a bit to the change in ship dynamics. Of course, adjusting for Jayne meant getting meaner and by the time Inara invited him to her shuttle, she was the only one on speaking terms with him.

When the knock came on her door, she sat up straighter and arranged her skirts around her. Her heart gave a surprised twist when he entered, instead of the bright orange t-shirt, worn pants and plethora of weapons she expected to see, he wore his one and only button down shirt, his boots were clean and his chin freshly shaven.

He lingered in the doorway, his