Title: Repercussions Author: Humbug Rating: PG-13 Fandom: Firefly Word Count: 460 Summary: Malcontent (for Firefly Fiction) Warning: The aim of Malcontent is to put Mal through as many painful situations as possible. Disclaimer: Joss is Boss. I’m just borrowing his characters for fun!!

Thanks to bookaddict for betaing this for me.

It started off as a one off, but after an enthusiastic response for more at ff_fanfiction, I wrote a sequel...

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Repercussions

“What the hell?” Mal practically shouted.

Jayne and Inara didn’t stop their passionate kissing. All open mouthed, lips and tongues, kissing, licking, sucking and pressing against one another.

Mal tried again, “’Nara, with Jayne?!”

They sprang back from one another, their breathing still heavy with desire.

“Mal, I…” Inara began.

“Nothin’ ya can say will excuse this!”

“Hey, I’m still here,” interrupted Jayne.

“I’m tryin’ not ta notice that. I’d take it as a kindness if ya’d take ya self some place else.”

“’Nara, ya ‘kay?”

Inara squeezed Jayne’s hand. “Just leave us.” She turned to Mal, “we’ve got a lot to talk about.”

“Just holler, if’n ya need help.”

“Jayne, if ya wanna keep ya looks, get outta here now!”

Inara reached out to touch the man she had hurt so deeply. “Mal.”

“’Nara, how could you?”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I never wanted to reach out to someone else.”

“But ya did!” Mal lashed back.

“I’m so sorry. Jayne fills a need in me, a need to be loved and desired.”

“I love ya. I desire ya. Have done since ya came aboard.”

“You never showed me that side of you. You just pushed me away.”

“And Jayne coaxed ya into his bed.”

“I invited him into mine. We only ever make love in my shuttle.”

“Make love! With Jayne it’s only ever sexin’ with a willin’ woman.”

“He makes love to me.”

“Ya ever thought of askin’ me into your bed?”

“Many times. After Saffron married you and nearly stole the ship from under us, I thought you were going to kiss me. But you accused me of kissing Saffron. I kissed you, you stupid man, not Saffron!”

“What?”

“And I thought I would die when I discovered you coming out of Nandi’s room.”

“Ya never said.”

“I shouldn’t have to. If you really wanted me, nothing would have kept us apart.”

“I want ya, ‘Nara, but ya outta my league!”

“You think I’m in Jayne’s league? He fought to be with me, risked being thrown off Serenity. Jayne wants me, and I love the way he wants me, despite everything that should keep us apart.”

“There’s nothin’ more I can say. You and Jayne can leave soon as we hit New Haven.”

“But Mal”

“Can’t have ya on ma boat no more.”

“I understand.”

“Tell Jayne ta pack up and be ready ta ship out, I can’t talk ta him right now.”

Mal left Inara’s shuttle as Jayne walked into it. Jayne was the lucky one, the one with the qiang du (strength / intensity) to walk into Inara’s life and be the ai ren (soulmate) she needed.

Mal was a broken man; he’d lost the love of his life, just because he weren’t willing to take a risk.

(Word Count – 460)

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