Rated NC-17! This story contains TORTURE and a slightly Non-con sexual situation. You have been warned.

Disclaimer: This is Joss's universe, I just play in it.

Set During "War Stories”

The Better Man

"AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The jerking, trembling voltage ripped through their muscles, stripping away coherent thought and Mal felt his teeth clenching as his body struggled impotently in the restraints.

The electric jolts faded from his body and Mal forced himself to hold on to what sanity was left between his ears. Wash... had to keep Wash thinking...had to keep him fighting. He relaxed his arms against the restraints and tossed careless words, meant to sting, "Zoe and I got history, and I figure you gotta be askin yourself some fundamental questions about that history."

"You never slept with my wife?" It wasn't a question, in spite of how it sounded over the anguish in his voice. It was a certainty. A declaration.

Oh holy hell. Don't let him go there. Please don't let him go there. Mal tried desperately to listen to Wash's words, to hear what he was saying without crashing it all down both around them. Wash's jealousy, his anger, his frustration...

And he never knew. Never guessed. It wasn't Wash who was jealous of Mal. Never. Not half as jealous as Mal. Mal who had HAD her. Held her. Tried to keep her and lost her as though she was a ghost in his arms. Dammit, Wash. Don't go there. Don't make me tell you the gorram truth. He prevaricated, fought back, did everything he could to just fight without letting Wash know. Without the truth.

"This whole Captain thing isn't Zoe's trouble. It's the guy she never slept with thing." Wash's voice broke, choking on his own saliva, "Hell, Mal, I wish you had slept with her. Then at least she'd be over it."

Over it? Oh, she was long over it. Never really been into it.

I humped her, Wash! I fucked her and I used her and I lost her. And now she's yours. And you're the better man. Does THAT make you feel better? Mal forced the words