008: [location: serenity] & [accidental visual]

[skyfrome.livejournal.com]

Here is Mal, thankfully not smashing things in a rage this time around, but instead absorbed in a much more sedate activity. Said activity involves the kitchen table on board Serenity, and a frankly bizarre array of ingredients spread out across it, with a mixing jug in the middle. He appears to be doing something ungodly involving high protein milk bars, oatmeal, sarsparilla, root beer, chocolate milk and... bourbon. An educated viewer might recognize some of these as the formula for making Mudder's Milk, the local drink of Canton. An uneducated viewer might just think he has malfunctioning taste buds.

In any case, once he's done mixing the suspect concoction, he raises the jug to his mouth and takes a deep glug, before promptly spitting a large quantity of it back out again, and wiping his lips with quite evident revulsion.

"Well, if that ain't just the most disgustin' thing I ever had in my mouth." 

Comments

[serene-grace.livejournal.com]

Inara has the urge, cruel though it might be, to simply rise from her seat, thank him for the drink and slink off back to her shuttle to figure out what in the seven hells possessed her to kiss him back.

But then he smiles, and touches her, and she's lost again.

"I don't know what either of us could say that wouldn't be." She lets her eyes fall shut again at his touch. Her heart is just pounding -- she feels deeply ambivalent, torn between gladness and fear.

[skyfrome.livejournal.com]

When Inara closes her eyes, he hesitates just a moment, then presses another brief, soft kiss to her lips. He knows her well enough to know that this must be scary for her-- after all, the last time they got anywhere near this close, she told him she was leaving Serenity. Fleeing isn't an option here in Taxon of course, but he knows that the urge to run away from... what, he's not exactly sure, maybe from somehow compromising herself? From being vulnerable? Allowing her feelings to pierce through the code she's lived by for so long, the rules, the restraint? He knows that urge must be there, and doesn't want to pressure her, so he draws back a little, reluctantly.

"Seein' as how we're not real conversational at the minute, maybe you'd like me to... leave you some time alone?"

[serene-grace.livejournal.com]

"Have I frightened you?" Inara asks, opening her eyes slowly to look at him. She tilts her head a little to the side, considering this option... and realises that he's being kind. And that -- that is quite a relief. To not have to pretend, to run.

"Who are you and what have you done with Malcolm Reynolds?" she whispers, huffing the softest not-quite laugh.

[skyfrome.livejournal.com]

"You're many things, Inara-- scary happens to not be one of 'em," he smiles at her fondly, then lets out a tension-relieving sigh. Her question provokes some amused head-shaking, as he pinches the bridge of his nose. He'd have to make more of an effort to hide his 'actually quite a decent man' interior behind more layers of gruff and dour in future.

"I honestly don't know, but if you see him, could you point him in my direction?"

[serene-grace.livejournal.com]

He'd better not make more of an effort to hide his 'actually quite a decent man' interior behind more layers of gruff and dour. Those are his least appealing traits.

Inara offers him her hand, reaching for his own, palm-down. "I will surely do that," she promises.

[skyfrome.livejournal.com]

Well, true, but he can't have everyone thinking he's nice and fluffy, can he? Something might implode.

Mal takes her hand, squeezes it softly, with affection. "I'm grateful." He means that in the context of their joke, though it carries a deeper significance too.

"That wasn't a very conclusive yes or no." He adds, after a little pause, with reference to his offer of 'time alone'.

[serene-grace.livejournal.com]

"Truly, right now, I don't know what I need. As I said -- this place. It's confusing. I don't know the rules or... or anything, really."

Inara runs her thumb over his knuckles lightly -- she's visibly wrestling with something, trying to force herself to form words. "One thing I do know, however, is that I don't want to be alone yet." She's afraid to be.

[skyfrome.livejournal.com]

If things were in any way different, he'd offer to answer all Inara's questions for her, put everything in neat, tidy boxes and tell her how it all works. The sad fact is, however, that most questions regarding Taxon simply don't have answers, and he's no more the wiser than she is. Still, the not being alone, that he can help with, at the very least.

"Well then, I'll be glad to keep you company."