Title: Tangled Need Summary: Fairly post BDM. He can’t stay away from her for long. He’s never been able to. Rated: PG-13 fairly tame Prompt: Jossverse 100 Truth

He came to her shuttle, his usual bravado replaced with a single knock on the door. He tried to let her make the first move. He tried not to push, not to need, but he’d never been able to stay away from her for long, even when it hurt so much to see her.

“Qingjin.”

Her invitation was subdued and he hesitated before stepping inside the shuttle. His head was bowed, his entire posture withdrawn and distant. She rose from where she sat in meditation, concern worn around her eyes like spectacles.

“Mal…” Her question went unasked, seemingly foolish in light of what they’d been through. Her hand went to his forearm, offering silent support.

He shook his head, pain burdening his entire being. He couldn’t speak, could barely breathe, for fear he’d shatter.

“Mal…” she said again, stepping closer, concern turning to fear that made her body tremble.

“Can’t…just-need…’Nara,” he choked out, pulling her close and burying his nose in the crook of her neck. Her arms went around him, unaware of how much she needed this contact until he was in her arms. She felt the warm trickle of his tears against her skin and was unable to hold back her own.

It was unlike anything she’d ever done, salty desperate kisses, filled with such need and pain that she wasn’t sure there were words for it. They ended up on the floor, half clothed, sticky with sweat and tears and clinging to each other as if they needed to be touching to breathe.

“Mal…I-“ she started.

“’Nara, don’t. Just-need you so gorram much and don’t want to push you or make you do anything but I ain’t in the mood for anything but raw truth. Don’t know what you got planned but I’m needin’ you to know that-“ his voice broke, shards of glass slicing through her. “Jus’ needin’ you.”

She closed her eyes, drawing him closer. Raw truth. “I’ve needed you for a long time, Mal. It’s why I left and why I came back.”

Mal fisted his hand in Inara’s hair and took a deep breath. “That mean you’re stayin?”

“That means I don’t think I could leave even if I wanted to.”