It was being affectionately referred to as the “week of repairs”, though Mal would have preferred the “week of hell.” First was the forward bulkhead plating, some of which detached during reentry, and should have been considered a harbinger of bad to come. Within hours of that happening, every klaxon, every sensor, every gorramn siren on Serenity went off at earsplitting volume. Kaylee eventually was eventually able to shut them down via some fancy override, but that opened a new can of worms. With no sirens or sensors, Serenity could no longer tell her crew what was wrong. Of course the best solution was to search the ship, inside and out, for anything damaged or in need of replacement. When this was done, it was found that more was damaged, than undamaged, and thus the week of hell began. And to top it off, the shower was broken as well. A boatload of sweaty, cranky crew, performing round the clock repairs and no shower. Considering that this was a recipe for unpleasantness, Mal took it upon himself to repair the shower. And it was taking him a considerable amount of time to do so. “Yo cho yo ying fei tie,” Mal bellowed. His wrench had yet again slipped from the shower head, causing his had to careen into the wall of the shower. After a fair share of curses, he began to shake his smarting hand in some attempt to alleviate the pain. When his hand began to smart less, Mal took up the wrench once more. “Okay,” he said aloud. “Look you gorramn piece of fei yu, my ship is crumblin’, I’ll admit it. So all you have to do is just slip right into place and—“ But the pipe was not the one not slipping into place, but rather the wrench again, sending the wrench into his hand, the same he had just banged up off the wall. A string of curses spilled out of his mouth as he clutched his throbbing hand. A small snicker slid into the bathroom. Mal instantly composed himself and whipped to the source of the voice. “I guess the shower head isn’t the best listener, Mal,” Inara said with a grin. “Oh, hey,” Mal answered with a crooked, yet awkward smile. He took a moment to consider her. She was wearing a pair of Kaylee’s grease-stained coveralls, one of her own shirts underneath, and her hair was pulled back into a loose pony tail, a few of the dark curls falling over her shoulders. “Um, what are you doing,” Mal asked, remarking on her garb. Inara rolled her eyes in sarcastic weariness. “I’ve been drafted,” she said with a slight laugh. “Kaylee had me help her a bit with the engine, but when the doctor offered his services, I figured it was time to let them work alone.” Mal chuckled, “Not if you actually want to get the engine repaired.” Inara smiled, “I suppose, but considering all the other repairs that need to be done, I think the engine is the least of our worries.” “Hmm,” Mal grunted flatly. “So you, helping.” “Yeah,” she inhaled, “ Figured I should help. You know, actually earn my keep, now that I’m not—“ “Whoring,” Mal said, it came out like a question, and without implication, as it often had. “Practicing,” Inara corrected, though not as icily as she once had. “And I was looking for a shower, but –“ “Yeah,” Mal said slightly vacant, “It’s…uh…broke.” “I can see,” she replied. “Here, let me take a look at it.” Mal stepped into the shower, the wrench firmly in his hand, “No, no let me get it.” “Mal.” “No really, I think I’m real close to a breakthrough,” he grinned as he began cranking at a nervous pace about the shower head. “Don’t be ridiculous, Mal,” Inara said. She too entered the shower, placing a hand on the vigorously rotating wrench. Their bodies collided in the cramped shower space as the two awkwardly, but respectfully, squabbled over the wrench and the duty connected to it. Just as before, the wrench’s grip slipped from the shower fixture, causing Inara to stumble into Mal’s chest and ultimately, sending both of them to the floor of the shower. “Oh gosh, are you alright,” Inara asked. “Yep… yep,” Mal confirmed. “You?” “I’m fine.” Inara’s face was precariously close to Mal’s, her breath was dancing about his face. He could feel the contained space growing warmer, which was not exactly a comfort considering the proximities of their bodies. Then as if to answer the heat issue, an ice cold spray emitted from the shower head soaking the pair within moments. Inara gave a smirking glance to Mal. “I loosened it up,” he defended. It was odd. Considering their histories, everything that had transpired between them on this ship, this situation should have been awkward beyond all measure. Well it was, but neither had attempted to remove themselves, even with the uncomfortable freezing water. “You have something on your face,” Mal pointed out softly. He placed his hand lightly on her face, wiping away a smudge. “Thank you,” she said softly. His hand still lingered by her face. Every fiber of his being was aching; the very thing he had desired for so long was now so near, so susceptible. It was wrong, he had told himself on many occasions. Even now as she was so near, the thought passed through his head. Plain and simply put, it was because he cared for her, because he respected her and admired her so much. She deserved more, more than he could give her. She deserved the propriety and the courtship rituals that could be offered by her clientele, not by a smuggler-transport ship captain with little more than a reputation. His mind often went back to that instance on Persephone; the fancy party that had gone so wrong. But before that, Mal looked upon the scene in awe. The luxurious gowns, the palatial ballroom, the exotic and rare fruits, and the company of the rich. This was Inara’s world, not because she had chosen it, but because she deserved it. Mal could never offer her those things, and it was unfair, no, simply wrong, to take what he wanted and offer none in return. He backed his hand away giving a pleasant but short smile. “You’re probably freezing,” he offered. “Mal. I --” She looked away for a moment. “I want this,” she said at last. Mal fumbled about his words for a moment before saying, “Sure you don’t want some core world dandy, because I’m sure that you could—“ Inara silenced him with a kiss. Mal’s reaction was honest shock at first, but within moments, he found himself kissing her back, throwing away every qualm he once had. Mal reached beyond Inara’s frame to swivel the hot water on, instantly creating soft tendrils of steam rising from the shower’s floor. Well if he was finally going to have this moment, the water better be warm. Cold showers are just unpleasant.