Kaylee decided to keep the first question simple. If things were to work out right, they’d have to ease into this whole honesty business. “Why ya so against crew relations, anyway?”

Mal didn’t even stop to consider his answer before he replied, “Things get messy. When things get messy, people get distracted. Sloppy. Stuff don’t run way it should and that leaves everyone open for all sorts of trouble we don’t need. Little bit of fun between the sheets ain’t worth all that.”

He believed everything he said and Kaylee knew it. She’d heard him go off enough on the subject to recognize that no matter how many times he said it, the message remained the same.

“What about Wash and Zoe?” She followed up.

Mal’s face clouded. “Exceptions to every case. Still, didn’t turn out too well in the end, did it? Now I got me a first mate who walks around like half of her is missing ‘cause it is.”

They both stared at their cups and silently made the mutual decision that now was the perfect time for their first shot. It wasn’t expensive enough to go down smoothly, but it was likely to do its job all the same.

“What’d you come on this boat lookin’ for?” Mal took his turn to ask a question.

Kaylee turned her cup over in her hands as she answered. “Wanted a place to be I felt I belonged. I love my momma and papa and family back home, but the black always gave a powerful tug on my insides. It called to me. Needed to find a home offworld ‘n Serenity was it. Thought it’d make me feel whole but it didn’t. The black filled a hole in me but once it did I found out was more’n one in my heart. Ain’t managed to fill that one yet.”

Mal greeted her confession with silence. Clearing her throat, Kaylee moved to refill their cups. “Why ain’t you ever told ‘Nara that you fancy her?”

Mal’s reaction was immediate. “What? I don’t have any such notions for Inara and I’ll thank you not to go puttin’ meaning somewhere it don’t belong.” He tried desperately to look affronted at the suggestion.

“That’s a lie and you know it. You’