AN: Kaylee/Inara femmeslash. There, i said it twice, you've been warned! =) This is my first attempt at writing femmeslash and I had fun writing it. There is possibly a part two in this works. Enjoy. ^^

Kaylee could see the annoyance in Mal before she'd even gotten near him, just from the way he was standing. He was leaning against a support beam rising from the catwalk on which he stood, his arms crossed in front of him, and once she got close enough to see, a grimace on his face.

Loud metallic clanks echoed around them, and Kaylee winced from the volume of them as she came up beside Mal. He glanced down at her, giving her a small, forced smile, then looked back at the shuttle door, staring at it as though he could see right through it.

"What's she gettin' done in there, Cap'n?!" Kaylee shouted, as it was the only way for her to be heard over the loud bangs and clangs echoing from inside the shuttle. Mal didn't answer at first, though she saw annoyance and his usual stubbornness flickering in his eyes.

"She won't tell me." he said bitterly. Kaylee tried not to smile. Aside from Inara, he'd never let anyone install something somewhere in the ship without his exclusive permission. "Says it'll help business." he said, his tone disbelieving. Kaylee smiled, but didn't say anything. She knew what he was thinking, about Inara's career choice and what it entailed; he was clearly trying to imagine what could possibly aid in what she did. Kaylee was wondering too, but unlike Mal, she was curious and excited to see the new addition to her shuttle.

Kaylee smiled a characteristic Kaylee smile and took Mal's hand. "C'mon Cap, let's go get somethin' ta eat." she suggested, pulling him along. After a moment of resistance, he came along on his own, and Kaylee lead him into the dining area, the bangs getting fainter as they walked away.

****

Later that day, an hour or two after supper, Kaylee was lounging in her hammock in the engine room, dozing lightly, the hum of the engine having lulled her to sleep. Inara wandered in, looking for Kaylee, and stopped when she saw her lying there, a small, peaceful smile on her face. Inara watched her for a moment, smiling at how innocent and young she looked then. Not that she didn't always; Kaylee's face was a picture of innocence; but she just looked so angelic in this moment. Inara almost didn't want to wake her, but she also knew that the mechanic would love the new addition to her shuttle. So she stepped forward and lay a gentle hand on Kaylee's shoulder, shushing her gently as the younger woman jumped, startled at her sudden appearance.

"Oh... hey 'Nara." Kaylee said sleepily, smiling up at her.

"Hello yourself." answered Inara, returning her smile. "They're all done in my shuttle, I was wondering if you would like to see it for yourself." she offered in her usual calm, kind voice. Kaylee beamed.

"Sure!" she agreed, swiveling so she could sit up, her legs hanging over the edge of the hammock. Inara held out her hand and Kaylee took it, slipping off of the hammock and walking along with Inara, swinging their hands merrily between them. It only took a minute to walk over to Inara's shuttle, but as Kaylee stood outside the door, waiting for Inara to open it, she could hear a low rumbling sound from inside. She frowned slightly, her eyebrows contracting in confusion. Inara laughed softly at her expression and opened the door, tugging on Kaylee's hand and pulling her into the shuttle.

Upon entering the shuttle, Kaylee immediately felt a pleasantly warm, humid air greet her, softened by the smell of incense. Inara tugged her over to the other side of the shuttle and draw back a large, red satin curtain, to reveal a large Jacuzzi style bath tub. Kaylee's mouth fell open and she gaped at it, watching the water froth and bubble, an amazed look in her eyes. Inara smiled at her reaction with a soft laugh, urging Kaylee towards it for a better look. The two stood over it, the tub reaching to their mid thighs, looking down into its constantly moving depths. Kaylee let go of Inara's hand, bending over to watch the water closer, putting one of her hands in the waves, squealing slightly at the feeling of the jetted water pushing against her hand. Inara laughed, watching her, loving her friend's reaction.

Kaylee stood up, wiping her wet hand on her pants, and turned to face Inara, excitement still shining in her eyes. "Its amazin', Inara!" she exclaimed, her eyes glittering. Inara smiled softly and nodded. "I'm glad you think so." Inara began, taking Kaylee's dry hand. "How would you like to be the first to try it?" she asked generously, grinning at Kaylee's shocked look, giving her hand a squeeze. "Me?! Really?!" exclaimed Kaylee, looking back at the tub and then back at Inara. "Right now?!" she asked excitedly. Inara nodded, laughing as Kaylee let out a happy squeal.

"Go get a change of clothes, I'll get this ready for you." she gave Kaylee a gentle push towards the doorway. Kaylee didn't need any encouraging; she scurried from the room and through the corridors towards her bunk as fast as she could, nearly knocking Simon over as she rounded a corner. He looked alarmed and confused, but she didn't stop to explain herself. She whipped expertly down her ladder, jumping the last couple of rungs. Kaylee hurried over to her dresser, pulling out a pair of cargo pants, a pair of underwear, a bra, and a pink sleeveless t-shirt. She balled them up and tucked them under her arm, hurrying back up her ladder and through the corridors again, not seeing anyone in the halls this time.

"I'm back!" she announced as she flounced into the shuttle, slightly breathless. Inara emerged from behind the red silk curtain, wearing a dark green silk dressing robe, laughing softly. "I see that. You can put your stuff on the bed... here, I have a robe for you." Inara said, gracefully moving to one side of the room and plucking a dark blue silk robe, identical to the one she was wearing, out of the closet. She handed it to Kaylee, who gaped at it for a second, before Inara glided over to the door of the shuttle, firmly locking it. "We don't want any intruders." she said kindly, knowing Kaylee would be certainly bashful if Simon or Mal decided to wander in when Kaylee was in the tub. Kaylee grinned at her and began to strip, not shy at all in front of Inara. She tossed her clothes in a pile by Inara's bed, pulling the silken robe on slowly, savoring the feeling of the slippery material sliding over her warm skin, cooling it as the fabric settled into place.

"Mmm, wow.." she breathed, hugging the robe to her. "I wanna be a Companion just for the clothes..." she said breathlessly, smiling at Inara, who was chuckling. Inara walked over to the curtain that concealed the tub, pulling it back to reveal how she'd prepared it. The first thing Kaylee noticed was the bubbles that floated on top of the water; clearly Inara had added bubble bath. Kaylee also saw that on tiny shelves of varying height, there was many candles, burning brightly and giving off a nice scent, something like vanilla, and... "Strawberries?" Kaylee asked, surprised. Inara nodded.

"Just for you, since you like them so much." Inara said softly, brushing a strand of hair out of Kaylee's eyes. Kaylee beamed and spontaneously hugged her. Inara laughed, hugging her back, before pulling away and nudging her forward. "You go ahead... I'm going to get us some wine, to relax." Kaylee raised her eyebrow curiously.

"Why the pampering, 'Nara?" Kaylee asked, walking over to the bath and slipping out of the robe as Inara walked over to the other side of the room to retrieve a bottle of wine. Kaylee gasped slightly at the heat of the water as she dipped her foot in, carefully sliding down the side until she felt herself sitting in a formed seat at the edge, the waterline just under her shoulders, the bubbles reaching to her shoulders, her body completely disappearing under the layer. She giggled at the feeling of the water swishing around her and wiggled her legs around, loving it.

"'Cause you work so hard on the ship." said Inara, returning with the bottle and two glasses and smiling at Kaylee's elated expression. "Because you're always happy, even though sometimes there's nothing worth smiling for..." She continued, setting the glasses down on a small shelf protruding from the tub and pouring them each some wine. "And because you're my friend, and you deserve it." she concluded, smiling warmly and handing Kaylee a glass. Kaylee raised a hand out of the water, bubbles slipping down her arm as she did so, taking the glass from her.

"Thanks, 'Nara..." she said, truly touched, smiling as Inara nodded. It was nice to spend some alone time with Inara, too. It'd been hectic recently and they hadn't had enough time to spend together as they normally liked. They clinked their glasses together with a soft laugh and sipped their wine in silence for several moments, both enjoying each others silent company, Kaylee having the added pleasure of the jets of hot water massaging her body as she reclined in the tub.

"Do you want me to wash your hair?" Inara asked, setting her mostly empty wine glass down on the table nearby. Kaylee smiled and nodded, handing her glass to Inara. Inara set it on the table and then carefully rolled up the sleeves to her robe, retrieving a glazed ceramic jug from the counter next to the bath. She dipped the jug into the water, filling it, and pulled it out, full to the brim. "Close your eyes." Inara warned softly. She waited until Kaylee obliged, closing her eyes tightly to block out the water, and gently tipped the jug over Kaylee's head a little at a time, watching the water slowly cascade over the young woman's head, thoroughly soaking her hair and running down her face in rivulets. Kaylee spluttered slightly as the flow stopped, blinking rapidly as she opened her eyes, droplets of water clinging to her eyelashes and making her eyes look bigger. She closed her eyes again as Inara refilled the jug, tipping it back slowly over her head again, her drenched hair clinging to the back of her neck and her shoulders, smiling at the feeling of the warm water slipping over her skin.

"Scoot forward." ordered Inara calmly, and Kaylee obeyed, scooting forward in the tub, her feet still nowhere near the edge. It was also huge from side to side; she bet two, easily, maybe three of her could fit in there comfortably beside each other. Inara removed a small bottle of rich shampoo from a shelf, squirting some in the palm of her hand before flicking the lid back on and replacing it on the shelf. Inara sat carefully on the edge of the tub, dipping her hand in the water to wet it before rubbing her hands together, spreading the shampoo evenly over them. She placed her hands on either side of Kaylee's head, slowly and gently beginning to massage the shampoo into her scalp. Kaylee sighed in content, closing her eyes, a small smile on her face as she enjoyed being pampered. Inara's expert hands carefully made sure each strand of Kaylee's hair was thoroughly washed, while giving her head an exquisite massage. Kaylee breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of the shampoo.

"What is that?" she asked, meaning the scent. Inara gently continued massaging for a moment before she answered. "Lavender... its a flower. Some women find it soothing, others find it works as an aphrodisiac." she explained, figuring Kaylee might want a little information. Kaylee smiled, wondering what affect it was having on her. It was hard to tell though, the excitement of the jets of water still not worn off. "Alright meimei, close your eyes tightly... I don't want you getting any soap in them." she said protectively, smiling as Kaylee squeezed her eyes shut. Kaylee stayed as still as she could as Inara slowly poured jugs of water over her head, one of the Companion's hands ruffling her hair as the water poured over, getting all the soap out. After a while she was done and Kaylee opened her eyes, wiping them free of water and looking up at Inara with a typical Kaylee smile. Inara put the jug aside and looked down at Kaylee, smiling at her friend.

"You're very beautiful, Kaylee... did you know that?" Inara asked softly, pushing a few strands of her hair away from where they were attached to her cheek from the water. Kaylee's cheeks reddened and she shook her head.

"S'not true." she said bashfully. Inara shook her head. "It is true. You don't have to be glamorous to be beautiful, meimei... the sooner you learn that, the better." Inara told her solemnly, cupping Kaylee's opposite cheek in her hand. Kaylee blushed still, then nodded, accepting the compliment. A flicker of mischievousness shone in her eyes, and she put her hand over Inara's where it still lay on her cheek.

"And the sooner you learn not ta lean over a bathtub like that, the better!" Kaylee grinned, grabbing hold of Inara's arm and yanking her forward. The Companion gave an alarmed yelp as she lost her balance and fell sideways into the water, submerging almost all the way before managing to right herself. She looked at Kaylee in shocked amusement, her silken robe clinging tightly to her skin, half of her hair drenched and clinging to her, the other half still dry. Kaylee grinned, laughing, and Inara splashed her. "I should have seen that one coming!" she laughed, sitting down where she was instead of getting out of the tub. Kaylee half-swam, half-crawled over to her and sat beside her, pushing her hair away from her neck, where it was sticking. A sudden silence fell over them as their eyes met, and Inara's hand came up to touch Kaylee's face, her fingers gently brushing over Kaylee's cheekbone, a few droplets of water slipping down her skin, the mechanic's grin fading as she found her eyes locked deeply into Inara's. The Companion's hand gently cupped Kaylee's cheek, her thumb stroking her cheekbone, a small, curious smile playing on both of their lips as they looked at each other. Kaylee suddenly guessed what was going to happen seconds before it did, and was prepared as Inara slowly leaned forward, their noses nuzzling each other for a second before Kaylee's eyes closed. Their lips finally met, brushing gently against each other, barely touching, as Kaylee's hand found its way to Inara's side, her fingers lying gently under the water on the Companion's ribcage. Inara leaned in closer, pressing her lips more firmly to Kaylee's, and was pleased to feel the mechanic reciprocate, the Companion's free hand slipping up Kaylee's arm to tangle in her wet hair, pulling her closer. Kaylee could feel shocks going through her; since when did she want to kiss Inara?! But clearly it didn't matter what she had wanted before... the fact was she was kissing Inara, and better yet, she was enjoying it. She had goose bumps despite the high temperature of the water, and shivers ran down her spine every time the hand of Inara's that was tangled in her hair moved. Kaylee's hand slowly slipped up to Inara's neck, her hand resting there for a moment before slipping into Inara's hair, her wet fingers sticking on the dry strands. After a few more moments, Inara pulled away slowly, her eyes opening and looking down at Kaylee, wondering how she would react to it all. Kaylee's eyes fluttered open, and she looked slightly dazed for a moment before she focused on Inara, awe flickering in her eyes.

They looked at each other silently for a few moments, before Kaylee surprised Inara by taking initiative and leaning in first, her hand in Inara's hair pulling the Companion close, their lips massaging each other's this time. Inara wrapped her arms around Kaylee, pulling the mechanic close, the water that continuously swirled around them heightened the feelings they were experiencing. Inara was far too practiced to let out any sounds unless she wanted to, but Kaylee whimpered slightly, completely affected by their loving embrace. A moment more of kissing and Kaylee became slightly more daring; the hand that rested on Inara's side trailed up over her chest through the water, her hand slipping under the fabric of Inara's robe at the shoulder, pushing the fabric away. In a moment it had slid from her shoulder, and Kaylee removed her hand from Inara's hair, pushing off that side of the robe as well. Inara unwrapped her arms from around Kaylee, and, without breaking their embrace, undid the ties in the front of the robe. Kaylee's hands slipped down Inara's arms, pulling the fabric along as she went, the water that swirled around them making it easier as it fluttered the fabric. Kaylee whimpered again as Inara's hands slipped up Kaylee's bare sides, the Companion's fingers massaging the sides of her rib cage as Kaylee continued to undress Inara.

The robe slipped off to float on the top of the water, Inara's chest and above now exposed. Inara pulled away for a moment, standing up, her long hair settling over her breasts, hiding them from view as she pulled the robe all the way off, tossing the sodden garment off to the side and looking back at Kaylee, who was looking at Inara's slim, tanned body in awe. Inara playfully tackled Kaylee, making the younger mechanic shriek with joy, the water enveloping them as Inara's weight forced them both under the water. Though the jets created massive amounts of tiny bubbles under the water, Kaylee's lips somehow found Inara's, and they emerged soaked to the bone but kissing, Inara gently guiding Kaylee to the side of the tub so she was laying down, her head gently propped on a bath-pillow. Inara lay over her and decided to deepen the kiss, her tongue delicately tracing over Kaylee's lips, seeking entrance. After a moment Kaylee let her in, and their tongues clashed gently, lovingly, Kaylee moaning softly into the kiss as she felt things she'd never thought she'd feel with another woman. Inara's hand roamed over Kaylee's torso, her fingers lightly brushing over the smooth skin, learning the dips and curves and contours of her body. Her hands brushed experimentally over Kaylee's breasts, the mechanic whimpering in response, the kiss and touch combined making her shake with passion. The water rippled smoothly over their bodies, and as Inara slowly pulled away, Kaylee looked up at her, chest heaving, amazed at what was happening.

Instead of kissing her again, Inara decided to pamper her with touch. Inara knew she did her job as a Companion well, and she took advantage of that to pamper Kaylee. Inara's hands started at Kaylee's breasts, massaging them slowly, carefully, knowing she wasn't crossing any lines as Kaylee's features became relaxed, the mechanic closing her eyes, letting Inara massage her. Inara spent several long minutes caressing each of Kaylee's breasts, gently poking and prodding, massaging carefully and firmly. The benefit of them both being women was that Inara knew exactly how a woman wanted to be touched, and she knew she was pleasing Kaylee as such.

Inara's fingers slowly moved down Kaylee's middle, massaging her ribcage a bit before moving down to her stomach, her fingers gently prodding the soft skin there.

"How does that feel?" Inara whispered as her hands slipped lower, her fingers massaging Kaylee's abdomen just where it began to dip, the water swirling around her hand. " 'mazing..." breathed Kaylee, her eyes still closed as she felt almost overwhelmed by the feelings of Inara's touch. Inara smiled, and after a few more moments of massaging, ceased, laying down beside Kaylee and wrapping an arm around her waist. Kaylee's eyes opened and she flipped onto her side, looking Inara in the eye as the Companion pulled her close, their bare bodies pressed together, barely enough room for any water to be between them. Kaylee leaned her forehead against Inara's, nuzzling her nose alongside the Companion's, their lips meeting briefly a few times.

"What jus' happened?" whispered Kaylee, her forehead still pressed against Inara's, both women's arms wrapped around each other. Inara breathed out a laugh, rubbing Kaylee's back gently.

"I think it'd be called magnetism..." she replied softly, nuzzling Kaylee closely and giving her a soft kiss which the mechanic gladly returned. Kaylee smiled after they broke apart, and was about to say something else when a pounding on the shuttle door made both of them jump. They sat upright at the same time, Inara's arm still around Kaylee's waist as they waited silently.

"KAYLEE? ARE YOU IN THERE?" yelled Mal's voice through the door. Kaylee sighed. So much for not being interrupted.

"YEAH!" she yelled back, waiting to see what he wanted. "GET THE HELL OUT HERE, I NEED YOU IN THE ENGINE ROOM NOW!" came his voice. Kaylee sighed again, looking at Inara apologetically.

"Its okay, meimei," she soothed, leaning closer and kissing Kaylee deeply. Kaylee's hand floated up to Inara's neck, and they kissed passionately for a few moments before Kaylee reluctantly pulled away.

"I gotta go 'fore he kills me..." she said softly, regrettingly. She really didn't want to leave, not now, not when she had just discovered all these new feelings. Inara smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Its okay, go." she nudged Kaylee gently, helping the mechanic stand and climb out of the tub. Inara grabbed two towels and wrapped one around Kaylee, wrapped her arms around the mechanic from behind, hugging her close, burying her face into the back of the mechanic's neck. Kaylee nuzzled her cheek into Inara's wet hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her.

"Can I come back later?" Kaylee whispered into her ear, clutching the towel around her. Inara laughed softly. "Of course, baobei. You're always welcome in here." she said seriously. She pulled away and rubbed Kaylee down, drying her off before wrapping herself in a towel, watching Kaylee pull her clothes on quickly. Kaylee hurriedly pulled on her shirt, the final garment of clothing, and walked over to Inara, planting a quick kiss on her lips.

"Thanks for everything." Kaylee whispered, trailing a hand over Inara's cheek before giving her a smile and hurrying from the room, the back of her pink sleeveless shirt a darker colour than the rest from her wet hair. Inara watched her go, a curious, satisfied smile on her face. The Companion sat down on her bed, still wrapped in her towel, gently brushing her fingers over her lips. It was surprising, that they had connected like that, yet at the same time, not really, they had been so close for so long. Inara let herself fall back onto her bed, her hair fanning around her head, staring up at the ceiling with a pleased smile on her face.

***

"What in the good gorram took you so long?!" asked Mal in annoyance as Kaylee hurried into the engine room a minute later.

"'Nara let me try her new bathtub!" she said truthfully, grinning at him. Mal rolled his eyes.

"I told her that gorram thing WASN'T staying..." he muttered angrily, pointing at the part of the engine Kaylee needed to fix. "She ain't ever gonna use it." he muttered darkly. Kaylee grinned to herself as she picked up a wrench and set to work on the part. "Somehow I doubt that, Cap'n." she said, a sly smile on her face. She said nothing more as Mal shot her a confused look, instead focusing on the part so she could get finished and just maybe pay Inara another visit...

Please review =)