Mal says it's a bad idea from the start.
"But Cap'n, have you seen her legs? There just –" Wash tries to sketch them out in front of him. "And her –" he makes a vague curvy motion "I mean… And that's not even including –"
Mal shoves another shot into Wash's grasping hands. "I still say it's a bad idea," he says while Wash coughs through the burn. "Shipboard romances never end well, and I'm not losing the best damn pilot we're ever going to get on account of you not keeping it in your pants."
"But Cap'n," Wash wheezes.
"'Sides," Mal continues loudly, "You don't even know If she's interested in your sorry mug. She was glaring at you something fierce."
Wash sighs dreamily. "I know."
Mal takes another shot of his own rotgut for fortification, and puts it down with a sigh. "She'll burn you, Wash."
"Oh, please mama," Wash groans.
Mal waves over another couple rounds for the both of them to try and delay his own feelings of resignation. He'll keep on saying it's a bad idea – but it's not like calling something a bad idea ever changed the mind of a Browncoat anyway.