Disclaimer: Damn Fox, those nincompoops. Firefly's no longer there's but it's not mine either.

Author's note: Just… Mal and Inara without all the complications. To the point.

            "Do you love me?" Inara kept the gun trained at the man who had just tried to kill them. Mal had his gun pointed at the guy's buddy.

            "Inara."

            "Answer me."

            "Not right now, I'm kind of busy."

            "Do you love me?"

            "Why are you doing this now?"

            "I'm tired of waiting, Mal."

            "No."

            "Okay."

            "Damnit Inara. I was talking to that guy," he waved his gun in his captive's direction.

            "Oh."

            "You know, this isn't the best time or place to be doing this."

            "Why not?"

            "Well in any other situation,  if I say yes, the obvious follow up would be to kiss you. Now, if I answer yes, I won't be able to do anything, and we'll just stand here pointing guns at two dangerous idiots. And the question and answer will just sit there, awkwardly."

            "So what?"

            "Fine. Yes."

            "Yes what?"

            "Yes, I do."

            "Do what?"

            "Inara!" 

            "What?" She grinned.

            "I do love you."

            "Good."

            "Good? Is that all I get?"

            "I love you too." Inara said.

            "That's better."

            "Now what?"

            'We stand here and point guns at these two idiots and wait for Zoe and Jayne to save us."

            "You know what?"

            "What?"

            "It's really not that awkward."