Disclaimer: Characters and ‘verse belongs to Joss, but the words are mine.

Over the past few weeks since the battle on Mr. Universe’s moon, Mal and Inara had slowly grown closer. And the day that they finally got Serenity back into the air, she had hinted at staying on a indefinite-like basis (sorta).

That was a couple of days ago.

“Mal, I’m only going to see Sheydra for a few days. A week at the most,” she said as he put another plate in the counter.

Dinner was done and everyone else had disappeared to different parts of the ship, leaving the pair to wash dishes alone.

“I’ll be back,” she said.

“You sure?”

“Yes.” She picked up the plate and proceeded to dry it with a fresh dish cloth.

He took a second to study the patterns of the chopsticks floating in the soapy water.

“Well, the other day when you said that you didn’t know if you were gonna go back… well… I had hoped…” He trailed off.

She stopped. “Hoped what?”

“That it meant you were gonna stay. Because of me.”

It was the first time either of them had verbally acknowledged their budding relationship. She gave him a soft, sincere smile then put down the plate and cloth and pulled him into an embrace. His hands dampened the back of her dress, but she didn’t care.

“You’re half the reason I’m going.”

“Oh.” He squeezed her back and put his chin on the top of her head. “What’s the other reason?”

“Because of what happened on Miranda. I can’t continue being an Alliance-sanctioned companion and not believe in a government that would do such a horrible thing to its own people. I want to properly resign.”

For the first time, Mal felt this beautiful woman, a manifestation of all his love and desire who had lived on a completely different plane of existence, was finally on his level as a proper equal. He placed a kiss on her crown and nuzzled his nose into her hair, inhaling the sent of her.

Her trip still worried him, though.

“You sure you want to go there now after what happened? The operative said himself that the parliament wasn’t forgiving. There could be a trap there.”

“If that was so, Sheydra would have warned me.”

“What if they set one in the meantime?”

“Then I’ll send you another coded wave.” She lifted her head and a playful smile spread across her face. “Though, I’m curious. Would you answer it naked again?”

“Woman, if you want, I’ll rescue you naked.”

She laughed. “Still wearing your holster and gun?”

His eyes twinkled at her. “Where’s the challenge in that?”

She laughed again, stood on her tip-toes, and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. Then, she put her forehead to his like when he held her on Miranda.

After a moment, he said with all sincerity, “I’m not giving you up without a fight, Inara. I’ve already sworn myself I would.”

She kissed him again, this time longer and deeper because she knew his words were the truth.