Inara entered the classroom, donning a deep purple and gold brocade dressing gown, a jewel toned satin negligee visible through the sheer material. To call the elegantly decorated space a classroom was almost an insult to her mind. A large bed sat prominently in the center, lush earth toned pillows adorned with jewels and embroidery sat ready and waiting for a patron. A small amphitheater looked down on the bed, plush cushions and pillows spread out on each tier for the dozen or so novices to have a perfect view.

This lesson was one of the hardest for her to teach. Not least of all because it required the use of all her skills as a Companion, but because she simultaneously had to explain each of them as they were used. It often acted as a distraction to her model, which could ruin the lesson completely.

She moved to the bed, trailing her recently manicured nails along the rich silk, inhaling a deep breath to gather her thoughts, exceptionally scattered by the landing of Serenity just twenty-four hours ago.

No matter that she had ample warning that they were coming, seeing Mal again, after so long was a shock to her system. And as unwelcome as the distraction was, she could never quite bring herself to wish he hadn’t come. It was reassuring to see him alive and well, his eyes darker and deeper than she remembered, but the smile, the corner of his mouth quirking into that irresistible smirk, still made her heart tumble over in her chest.

It had been a blessing to see the others as well, never far from her thoughts. She hadn’t had to look hard to see the wear on each of their faces, known that things had gotten harder for them. The jobs had gotten further and farther in between, Kaylee had told her when they had a moment alone.

Mal had said they had a contact at the training house and Inara wasn’t surprised. She had a sinking suspicion that the Head Priestess had called upon Serenity for a job merely to meet the pirate captain who’d stolen her heart, or so said the persistent rumors. It was no matter, she was almost glad they had come. A few good meals consisting of real food, solid land beneath their feet and down mattresses on which to rest their weary bodies would do them all good, she thought.

For now, however, she needed to concentrate on the task at hand. Though her world might have stopped turning the moment Serenity touched down, the rest of the training house still had lessons to learn. Her focus was sharp as the novices began to filter into the room. She knew each of them distantly, as they were younger than her usual charges. Most of her students were older, already initiated and nearly ready for acceptance into the guild. This group consisted of girls and boys around the age of sixteen, already witness to the act of love making, but not yet initiated to it themselves. Sometimes she wondered at the wisdom of teaching them how to cultivate the wine before they’d ever tasted the fruit from the vine.

It was tradition within the training house that lessons such at these be taught by a Priestess the novices had not grown to know on a personal basis. It granted them a certain authority and, in her case, a sense of awe. That awe was perhaps the reason the Head Priestess had chosen her to fill in for the ailing Vivienne who was slated for this particular lesson.

There was no one in the house more enigmatic at that moment than Inara Serra. Except perhaps for the space pirates currently inhabiting the guest quarters in the eastern wing.

Clearing her throat as her students settled themselves, she stood regally, chin raised and shoulders back, waiting for complete silence before she spoke. “This lesson is one of great import for you. The skills witnessed today will come into play countless times in your career as a companion. I want that understood completely.” Her statement was met with solemn nods, though she could see the sparks of interest alight in their eyes.

“One of the most sacred duties you have as a companion is maintaining the reputation of the Guild. We are the elite. The mysterious. The desired.” She let each word weigh down upon them. “We possess something within us that no other men or women do, and every client must be made to realize that.”

She continued to pace slowly in front of them, her gown floating after. “Though you alone make the choice of your clients, quite often you'll contract with a man, or woman, who has never seen a true Companion. These are often the most difficult of clients, as they have expectations that we simply cannot meet. Whether this is their first sexual encounter or just one in a lifetime full of them, you will live up to Guild expectations. Which far exceed those of any man or woman outside these walls.” She stopped, clasping her hands loosely in front of herself as she faced her pupils head on.

“Today’s lesson is one of control. As you already possess the skills to read a client and provide them with their deepest wants and needs, that is not the focus of this lesson. Do not mistake this for anything less that what it is.

“A new client to the registry often does not know what they’re purchasing. Fulfilling your role as a Companion often requires a delicate finesse, a subtle exertion of control, for the client to glean the most pleasure out of the experience. You will know what he or she most needs, but it is so often the case that your client does not.

“As you know, this is a lesson taught through direct observation. Once yearly, a man or woman is brought to the training house who has never been with a Companion. They are chosen specifically to demonstrate the skills needed to bring a client with no greater expectations than one would have of a common whore to appreciate everything a Companion has to offer.” She smiled serenely at the faces before her, remembering her own spark of interest so many years ago when she observed this lesson herself on a planet so very far away. “Any questions? Comments?”

A lithe blond with hair so light it was nearly silver raised her hand, her voice was low and sultry, cultivated to that timbre since the age of twelve. “I’ve seen the ship, Serenity, and it’s Captain. Is it true you had a love affair?”

Her face betrayed nothing of her annoyance. “About the lesson, please.”

A lean boy with dark black hair repressed a smile. “Did you ever need to show your pirate the worth of a true Companion?”

“I have never contracted with Malcolm Reynolds, nor any of his crew.”

They knew my true worth, she thought to herself with a pang in the pit of her stomach. That life was behind her now, and despite their proximity, she needed to force the crew from her thoughts.

“Are there any further questions?”

She was met with silence.

“Then let me bring out our guest.“

It went unsaid that they would be on their best behavior. Silent. Observing. Any further questions would take place afterward. Gathering herself, she crossed the room to the door leading to the adjoining chamber and slid the decorative screen open, only to have her vision swim before her eyes as she came face to face with Jayne Cobb.

“’Nara?” He stood up from the delicately carved lounge chair far too small for his size and crossed the room to take her arm, as she swayed on her feet. “Whaddya doin’ here?”

She looked down at the large hand holding her arm and quickly turned, snapped the door closed behind them, her eyes wide. “I’m conducting a lesson!” she hissed, blinking the spots from her eyes. This wasn’t happening. “What are you doing here?!”

“Waitin’ to get sexed. One o’ you Companions said they needed a willin’ body for a lesson or some such.” He grinned broadly, “Ain’t no one more willin’ than me.”

A brittle laugh escaped her. “Of course there isn‘t.”

She wracked her brain for some way out of this. Short of postponing the lesson, she couldn’t come up with one. It was feasible to do so, but would bear badly on her station in the training house. She was known as the most professional and unflappable of all the priestesses, in line for Head of House in a few years. Walking away from this assignment would be a mark against her.

Jayne certainly fit the description of a man having certain expectations that would need to be curbed. He was an ideal candidate for this lesson. She skimmed her eyes over him; he’d grown leaner since she’d left Serenity, added a few lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. The familiar mischievous glint was unchanged however and that, more than anything, reassured her. Jayne may be a lot of unsavory things, and never her choice in client, but no matter how he tried to act otherwise, his heart was fixed steadfast on Serenity and her crew.

She had always respected that.

Exhaling slowly, she fixed her eyes on his. “Jayne. I’m the one teaching the lesson.”

He frowned. “You’re… I’m… with you?”

She nodded. “I want that made abundantly clear. If you’re not a hundred percent comfortable with this, I need to know now. This lesson will be in front of a dozen of my students and we will be engaging in…”

“Ruttin’ hell.” He shook his head with a lazy grin, “Aint like I never had someone watchin’ before.”

Pursing her lips, she nodded. “Very well.”

“Mal wont like it.” She averted her gaze and he bent at little at the knees to try and catch her eye.

“No. I don’t imagine he will.” She responded evenly. “But he’ll never have to know.”

Jayne smirked, reaching out a hand to tilt her chin up and bring her eyes to his. “Man’s a fool to let ya get away.”

Breaking away she smiled at him, perhaps the first genuine smile she’d ever given the mercenary. “He never had me, Jayne.”

“True ‘nough, but…”

“A companion doesn’t kiss and tell,.” She assured him, redirecting her focus to the matter at hand. “If Mal is the only thing stopping you, rest assured he will never know. To be honest, you’re perfectly suited to this lesson and I am willing to proceed if you are. If you’re not I need to know now, the class is waiting.”

“Bein’ willin’ weren’t ever the problem,” He glanced toward the door.

“If you’re afraid you can’t perform under pressure-”

“Hey! I can perform.”

“There’s nothing wrong with performance anxiety. I would understand.”

“Damn it, ‘Nara, I can perform stars into your eyes!”

“Excellent, then come with me.” She led him to the door, pausing there before turning the handle. “Try and act like we don’t know one another, it will be easier that way.”

“Hell, no. I been fantasizin’ about beddin’ you since I came aboard.”

She should have expected that, but hearing him say it aloud only reminded her that he was an exceptional choice for this lesson. His fantasies were about to be blown away. “I do need to request a certain level of cooperation, Jayne.”

“Oh, I’ll be cooperatin’ all right.”

“I’d like you to act as you would if you and I were alone together. Do whatever you would in that instance. I only ask that when I stop to address the class, you do your best to put your libido on pause.”

“My what?”

She released a sigh, allowing herself a measure of amusement. “Just do your best to stop whatever it is we’re doing so I can teach. I promise that we will resume at the earliest convenience.”

Nodding, he glanced at the door. “Should I get nekkid now?”

Smiling, she shook her head and opened the door. “I’ll take care of that out there. Remember, it‘s just you and me.”

Crossing the short distance to the bed, she smiled calmly at the class assembled in front of her. About to address them, she was unprepared for the large hands that gripped her waist and tossed her easily onto the bed. “Jayne!”

He crawled over her with an easy grin. “What?”

She put both hands on his chest, surprised at how easy it was to hold him at bay. Turning her head slightly she addressed the class. “This is a prime example of the eagerness with which some men will come at you. You could grant them the instant gratification, but it’s only what they think they desire. You may option to grant them this, and then explore their truest desires after they’ve satiated their lust. While that is often the easiest path, it sometimes weakens the satisfaction of the entire experience.”

She heard the scratching of quill on parchment as she spoke and looked back up at Jayne. “In this instance, delaying gratification will exceed all the best expectations.”

“It will, huh?” Jayne muttered. “’Cause I like the sound of that instant stuff.”

“Carefully note the exchange here.” She addressed the class and then raised her lashes back to Jayne, rubbing her palms along the stripes on his shirt. “Proceed however you like.”

A growl emanated from the back of his throat as he reached between them for the ties of her robe. She let him pull them apart, her fingers smoothing over his shoulders, her nails dragging over his neck as she pulled his mouth down to hers and he jerked his head away before contact was made.

Again she stopped him with her hands to his chest. “Note the reluctance to kiss.”

His eyes flashed in challenge.

“Don’t like kissin’.”

“A kink in the armor.” She instructed the class. “Use it to regain control.”

“Hey, there ain’t no kinks!” He protested. “Least not that kind. You wanna talk ‘bout others, I’m all ears.”

She stroked his chest, her voice lowering to a purr. “Perhaps later.”

Next thing he knew, she was perched over him, her nimble fingers busy working down the buttons of his shirt. “The key here is to make him understand you’re as eager for him as he is for you.”

Jayne slid his hands over her legs, spread to accommodate his torso, pushing up on the material to reach the softer skin of her thighs. “Awful lot of eager then.”

He parted her robe, tugging the sheer material down her shoulders. She let him draw the material down her arms and toss it away before returning to the last of his buttons, pausing every few seconds to skim her fingers under the folds of the material.

“Make sure to show appreciation for all his… parts.”

He seemed to smile a little wider at that as she slid down his body, her thighs coming to hug his hips as she tugged the tails of his shirt out from the rim of his pants. She could feel him hard beneath her, but held herself still, skimming her fingers along his chest. She traced his rib cage before leaning down to press a kiss to his abdomen.

“That ain’t a very interestin’ part.” He mumbled, beyond them there was a faint whisper of giggles.

“Interesting to me.” She replied, looking up at him through lowered lashes.

Her dark eyes slid over his chest again and down, finding the circular scar on his abdomen from the battle on Niska’s skyplex. She stared at it a long moment, not even realizing he’d gone completely still, before lowering her mouth, her tongue circling the ridge of skin, her lips a whispered caress as she paid her thanks the only way she knew how.

Hearing his sigh, she looked up to see his eyes closed and his hands knotted at his sides, reaching for one, she used both hands to pry open his fist, her mouth sliding over his wrist and into his palm. Her lips parted over fingers that had pulled triggers, broken bones, and taken lives.

She felt him shudder beneath her as she swept her tongue over the pad of his index finger, sucking it into her mouth. Hands that had done dirty deeds to darken his soul.

The quiet murmur from her left broke into her consciousness. Reading her client was instinctive, but she’d never meant to understand Jayne so completely. Hadn’t expected something so simple and basic as honest appreciation would crumble his walls so absolutely.

Swallowing, she kissed his wrist lightly before pulling back, needing the space to remind herself that she had a class to teach as well as a man that needed maybe more than she could give.

Beneath her she could feel his muscles coil and tense and, quite suddenly, he sat up, his hands roving everywhere as his lips latched on to her neck, licking and sucking and biting. Grasping her to him, he molded her body to his, and she let him take what he thought he wanted, her lashes fluttering closed as she absorbed his need.

She raked her nails down his neck, eliciting a gasp from his throat as she pulled the material of his shirt down his arms. Twisting within his grasp, she slipped from his arms like water through his fingers. Graceful, as was everything she did, she slid onto her knees behind him, her fingers falling into place on his shoulder, massaging the thick muscles there.

Leaning forward, her mouth grazed his ear.

“Breathe.”

His lungs expanded as he took a deep breath. “Not like I forgot.” He whispered. “You're good, but you ain’t that good, ‘Nara.”

Amusement laced her soft reply, “We’re not done yet, are we?”

Addressing the class, she continued to work loosen the muscles in his neck and back. “New clients require a balance of give and take.” She explained. “He thought he wanted everything at once. And I gave him everything for a few moments before I took it away and gave of what I know he needs.”

Jayne had reached around her, his large palm smoothing back and forth over her thigh, she shifted to give him more access. “Somethin’ to be said for goin’ quick like.”

“There’s also something to be said for going slow.” She responded, her hands beginning to wander from his back around his front to stroke his chest. She spread her thighs to accommodate his body she pressed her breasts full against his bare skin, her hips flush against his lower back.

“This is an example of another potential problem, what to do if your--” she gasped when his hand unexpectedly drifted from the outside of her thigh to graze the inside, his long fingers finding her open and damp for him.

“Client,” she continued, although suddenly breathless, “tells you precisely what they want, with the--”

She swallowed back a moan. The man really did have talented fingers.

“Expectation that you will fulfill those--” She should have known he wouldn’t abide by the one rule that he stop everything when she tried to teach. “Wants.”

Her lips found the nape of his neck, pressing a lingering kiss there as she caressed the length of his arm, feeling the flex of muscle as she drew his hand from her and brought it to her mouth. His moan as she licked and sucked the taste of herself from his fingers filled the room and she continued.

“You must comply and then redirect. If you are truly giving them what they desire, nearly all clients will have forgotten that they had asked for something else entirely ”

Releasing his hand, she reached for the zipper on his pants, her mouth pressing soft, wet kisses along the column of his throat, smiling at the guttural growl against her lips when she brushed against him.

“I think, perhaps, we can lose some of this clothing.” She murmured against his skin.

“Thinkin’ maybe that’s a good idea.” He echoed, lifting his hips from the down mattress and shoving his pants and boxers down, kicking the material from the bed.

She smiled, shifting out from behind him, gliding her body along the length of his, her warm skin contrasting with the cool silk she still wore. “I meant to do that myself.”

“Well, you ain’t quick ‘nough,” He countered, reaching for her, his fingers sliding beneath the thin straps of her negligee and pulling them down to bare her breasts. He only looked and she brought her hand to his cheek, her thumb smoothing over his lower lip. She would kiss him there, before the night was over.

Silently, she shed the rest of the negligee, the material a pool on the sheets as she pressed him back to the mattress. All that was left of the lesson was observation. There were no words she could speak more articulate than those that went unsaid. She told him with her mouth and her hands and her whole body what he was worth to her.

And he told her with his that he heard.

***

Afterward, the students filtered from the room, leaving Inara and Jayne alone in the bed. Class would reconvene in an hour for discussion. One that she wasn’t looking forward to leading. Sleeping with a stranger would have been easier, she reflected, still nestled in the shadow of his body. And perhaps more effective as a learning tool.

It had been too effortless to read Jayne, to find those parts of him that needed a Companion’s soothing touch. Even despite that, he still required nearly all her skills in order to provide him with the love and warmth she was trained to give and, perhaps, some that was her very own.

The notion that she had spent almost two years aboard Serenity with this man without ever truly understanding him, struck her as ironic. She felt somewhat a failure for missing something a novice would have pointed out a mile away. He had gotten under her skin, as had the rest of the crew, but she hadn’t truly seen him. But then, sometimes that was the way with people you cared for.

He stirred beside her and she allowed herself a stretch, resting her chin on her hand to look down at him. Blue eyes were gazing up at her from beneath a furrowed brow, confusion co-mingling with a sadness that should have been banished by now. She found her fingers smoothing along his forehead in answer to questions he didn’t ask.

She knew even now, that she’d missed something fundamental in all that they‘d shared. But perhaps Jayne would always be more than he seemed.

Perhaps it was better that way.