"I haven’t been happier in years,” Mal replied. “It’s just—I’m puzzled, Wash, you know.”
“I don’t know, Mal. What do you think, I can get inside your head?” Mal gave Wash the slightest smile. Seemed that [i]some[/i] people on the crew could get into other people’s heads readily enough. “So what’s the puzzle?”
Mal sighed again and spoke. “Well, why’s she even interested in me? I’m an angry man, broken, poor as dirt, a thief and outcast…”
“And a right selfish bastard in the bargain.”
“Yeah. Hey!—but [i]you’re[/i] not supposed to say it.”
-- EXPECTATIONS (04) Part (01) by ebfiddler