Why Indeed?
Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly or any of the characters. If I did, I might be able to afford college. Alas, it was not to be.
Author's Note: Just a little story with some Kaylee/Jayne hints. Might be later chapters if people review.
"Inara?" Mal said, strolling casually into her quarters one day. "Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"
Inara glanced up at the captain of Serenity. "Other than the fact that you continue to barge in here when I keep telling you not to?" she asked with barely hidden sarcasm before turning back to the letter she was writing.
"That's not unusual," Mal pointed out. "I do that on a regular basis."
"Is this why you came here?" asked Inara. "To pester me?"
"Pester you?!" the captain gasped in mock dismay. "My lady, I'm hurt."
"You are nothing of the sort," the companion retorted calmly.
Mal's look of dismay quickly turned into a roguish grin. "You're right. I just was wonderin' if you'd noticed anything unusual lately-- specifically, Jayne's behavior."
"What about it?"
Mal began absent-mindedly tinkering with the items on Inara's dresser. "He's bein' all...civil and such."
"And that's a bad thing?"
Mal shook his head. "Didn't say it was bad, just...strange."
"I suppose he has been a little more courteous than normal, but for Jayne that is not saying much. And please don't touch that."
Mal had been reaching for an expensive-looking china vase, but obediently moved his hand back.
"Kaylee has been a little more flighty than she usually is," Inara observed, with a sly sideways glance. "But I doubt there is a connection."
Mal gave her a sharp look. "You don't think--" he trailed off with a sudden dawning expression. "I mean, they wouldn't, would they? Jayne wouldn't--with Kaylee--and--and..." He turned on his heel and stormed out, yelling angrily, "Jayne!"
The beautiful companion watched him go while trying not to laugh. "You can come out now."
Kaylee popped her head up from behind a couch. Her face was beaming with a cheerful smile. "Do you think we fooled 'im?"
"From the way he hurried out of here, I could safely assume he has gone to have words with Jayne."
Kaylee laughed. "Good. Thanks for your help, Inara." She turned to leave, but Inara stopped her.
"Why the ruse, Kaylee?"
The mechanic shrugged. "It's always fun tricking Captain. And gettin' Jayne in trouble. That's fun, too."
"And no ulterior motives?"
"Like what?"
"Attention," said Inara matter-of-factly.
"Who's attention? The captain's?"
" Perhaps. Or maybe Jayne's."
Kaylee laughed, but this time her laughter sounded a little forced and a might uncomfortable. "Why would I want to attract Jayne's attention?"
"Kaylee!" the captain's voice was heard calling her name from down the corridor, giving the mechanic an opportunity to escape. Inara had never seen the girl look so relieved, even though, from Mal's voice, it sounded like Kaylee was in trouble.
"Why indeed?" the companion said mysteriously watching the young mechanic go.
Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly or any of the characters. If I did, I might be able to afford college. Alas, it was not to be.
Author's Note: Just a little story with some Kaylee/Jayne hints. Might be later chapters if people review.
"Inara?" Mal said, strolling casually into her quarters one day. "Have you noticed anything unusual lately?"
Inara glanced up at the captain of Serenity. "Other than the fact that you continue to barge in here when I keep telling you not to?" she asked with barely hidden sarcasm before turning back to the letter she was writing.
"That's not unusual," Mal pointed out. "I do that on a regular basis."
"Is this why you came here?" asked Inara. "To pester me?"
"Pester you?!" the captain gasped in mock dismay. "My lady, I'm hurt."
"You are nothing of the sort," the companion retorted calmly.
Mal's look of dismay quickly turned into a roguish grin. "You're right. I just was wonderin' if you'd noticed anything unusual lately-- specifically, Jayne's behavior."
"What about it?"
Mal began absent-mindedly tinkering with the items on Inara's dresser. "He's bein' all...civil and such."
"And that's a bad thing?"
Mal shook his head. "Didn't say it was bad, just...strange."
"I suppose he has been a little more courteous than normal, but for Jayne that is not saying much. And please don't touch that."
Mal had been reaching for an expensive-looking china vase, but obediently moved his hand back.
"Kaylee has been a little more flighty than she usually is," Inara observed, with a sly sideways glance. "But I doubt there is a connection."
Mal gave her a sharp look. "You don't think--" he trailed off with a sudden dawning expression. "I mean, they wouldn't, would they? Jayne wouldn't--with Kaylee--and--and..." He turned on his heel and stormed out, yelling angrily, "Jayne!"
The beautiful companion watched him go while trying not to laugh. "You can come out now."
Kaylee popped her head up from behind a couch. Her face was beaming with a cheerful smile. "Do you think we fooled 'im?"
"From the way he hurried out of here, I could safely assume he has gone to have words with Jayne."
Kaylee laughed. "Good. Thanks for your help, Inara." She turned to leave, but Inara stopped her.
"Why the ruse, Kaylee?"
The mechanic shrugged. "It's always fun tricking Captain. And gettin' Jayne in trouble. That's fun, too."
"And no ulterior motives?"
"Like what?"
"Attention," said Inara matter-of-factly.
"Who's attention? The captain's?"
" Perhaps. Or maybe Jayne's."
Kaylee laughed, but this time her laughter sounded a little forced and a might uncomfortable. "Why would I want to attract Jayne's attention?"
"Kaylee!" the captain's voice was heard calling her name from down the corridor, giving the mechanic an opportunity to escape. Inara had never seen the girl look so relieved, even though, from Mal's voice, it sounded like Kaylee was in trouble.
"Why indeed?" the companion said mysteriously watching the young mechanic go.