entrancelogs | [LOG] Inara & Mal

Who:

crowdedinmysky
Where In Inara's room, yo.
When: Just before this, I'd wager.
Rating: PG.
Summary: Inara should really learn to accept the fact that Mal will never knock before entering.
the Story: Even after spending these weeks here in the mansion there were still some things about it that were strange, but a luxury to the Companion. One was being able to take more than a small bath, which was what she was used to on Serenity. Both of her hands rose from the water, smoothing her damp hair from her face with eyes closed in quiet relaxation. Inara couldn't help but smile to herself at the silence in the bathroom. The only light source there was the gentle sunlight pouring in from the window.

Mal hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and tried to unclench his jaw some. Everything about this mansion was shades of unwelcome and the whole thing reeked of the Alliance. Exactly how the Alliance was involved, well, he was still workin' on that. However, Alliance or no, there was one thing he couldn't stand for, and that was bein' avoided. Not when he was the captain. And captains had certain rights, even when Serenity weren't nowhere to be found. Which is why he didn't knock when he entered Inara's cabin.

It took both of her hands resting against the bathtub edges to pull herself up. Even now she could remember Kaylee's joking tone about how if she stayed in a bath too long she would wrinkle up like a raisin. So it was no surprise that this find little memory brought another quiet smile to her lips, not to mention a small pain of worry to her heart. Still so many of them were missing... "I only pray that they're all safe..." But even more she wished for things to make more sense.

The noise to his left caught his attention and he turned, his hand moving to his pistol. Old habits died hard, even in this cushy Alliance trap. However, instead of something in dire need of a bullet, he caught a glimpse of an overabundance of skin. More than Mal was used to seeing.

"That's...skin," he managed, turning away abruptly.

Her hand had cured around the doorframe as she had stepped through the doorway into her room. Her eyes widened only a fraction at the sight of the captain standing there, in her room. Did this man not learn anything from her requests before on Serenity? "So I guess you never learn, now do you, Mal?" Despite the fact her voice was cool with even the bighting undertone of sarcasm, it took quite a bit of willpower to fight down the flush that wanted to appear on her cheeks. She turned her own back to return to the bathroom in search of her a robe.

Mal hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and fought the urge to turn around. He preferred face-to-face confrontations, but as there was a lot of flesh...well, he'd learned that lesson all too well from YoSaffBridge.

"And if you really wanted to keep people out, you'd learn t'lock a door," he responded dryly.

"People here, unlike you, are polite and understand the concept of knocking on the door." Once again they were falling back into the old rhythm of biting back at each other's baiting words. Nimble fingers made quick work to tie the sash, holding the robe shut. Making not a sound as she came back into the room she closed the bathroom door behind her.

"Your world's rules. Not mine," Mal said shortly, scanning the room for any trinkets she might have acquired. "Ain't exactly home," he stated, plucking at the fringe on the draperies.

It took some will not to roll her eyes at his age-old excuse. The bottom of her robes just barely touched the floor as she walked; passing the man as he fiddled with the drapes of the window Inara had taken it upon her to open her closet, looking for something to change into.

"You ain't been honest," he said suddenly, turning to lean against the window frame. He stared straight ahead, pointedly not looking at her. "And if you got somethin' that needs said--" he let the statement fall. Was he really trying to bring up what the mansion had done to them weeks ago? He'd had another reason--a real reason--for coming up here, he was sure.

A curious stare was cast over her shoulder at the captain, a frown pursing her lips. Thoughts of what had happened those weeks previous still troubled her, which was why she tried her best not to dwell on it. Ever. And yet here he was, trying to bring it up; the idiot. "Said? What on Earth are talking about?"

Mal averted his gaze and searched for something to say. "Just 'cause we ain't on Serenity don't mean I don't got captain-y...rights."

"...You're sense of logic never fails to astound me, Mal." The color violet caught her eye, diverting her attention back the clothing hung in the closet.

"Not...everything has to be logical," he returned, quieter than he'd intended and mostly because he realized that that statement really had nothing to do with what they were currently discussing. He tried to find his train of thought, which seemed to have vanished at the sight of. Well. "Ain't got time t'dally 'round if you ain't got nothin' t'say."

byewonderland: The soft, silken feel of the cloth was a welcomed against her hands as Inara was careful to pull the garment down from the hanger. Not even bothering to look to him as she spoke, "You were the one that came here uninvited."

"Suppose I did," Mal said off handedly. "Y'seem to have adjusted. Guess it ain't much dif'rent from the Whore Academy I'm--like as not--not supposed to mention."

So it was a rare thing for Inara to snap, even just a little. Perhaps it could be due to the strange oddities of this place and her frustration with not knowing anything about what was truly happening. Adding on top of that Mal's incompetence-- it all led to a plush emerald pillow flying through the air to connect with the captain's face.

He was quick enough to not let the pillow hit him full in the face, but not quick enough to dodge it entirely. That alone was troubling. "You're the one who left," he said tightly. As if it was her fault.

Back to him, the Companion refused to turn and face him; or the half-truth of the matter at that. "You didn't seem to care when I had. Why start now?" It was taking everything to control her voice, to keep herself from slipping.

He cleared his throat. "Some things ain't meant t'be said," he responded quietly.
It was a very good thing he could not see her facial expression right now. "You never really do say anything, if you haven't discovered this already about yourself."

He hesitated, every instinct telling him that he should leave before somethin got wounded that couldn't be fixed. "I ain't the only one here that's true about."

For some reason she was putting off the actual changing of clothes for as long as possible; still looking through more articles of clothing that hung she pursed her lips again. "It would seem we're at a bit of a stalemate."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Now that sounds like an admission o'guilt."

"And you weren't before?" The deep crimson sash caught her attention from where it hung in the far left of the closet. She reached out to take it down carefully to examine it a bit more. The air was heavy from the tension between them, her back stiff from holding her guard up against his words.

He narrowed his eyes at the door, not wanting to risk turning around while she might be-- "If you weren't happy on Serenity, you had every right t'leave. I ain't one to..." Mal stopped abruptly. Surely, it was just the mansion messing with his head again. Someone setting the garden on fire.

The fabric was soft...softer than even silk against her fingertips. Studying the little beads sewn into it, Inara made no move to face the man. Or to change out of her robe at the moment either. She did, however, spare a glance over her shoulder at his sudden silence. "...something the matter?"

His mind was starting to wander to places where it was unwelcome. "Ain't a thing t'be done about it," he stated, his voice taking on the gruff quality that in other people would be considered a defense mechanism. Even if it was, Mal wasn't going to recognize it as such. Instead, he reached for the doorknob.

He may not admit to recognizing it, but Inara sure as all hell would acknowledge it. Just not out loud. As enjoyable their bantering was… "Except for you to walk away? Like you always do?" Finally settling upon the clothing she would wear, she turned to stand with her profile to the man, watching him with her hands resting on the knot of the tie that held her robe.

Mal clenched his jaw against her words. Why was it that she could needle him when no one else could? Before he could stop he'd turned back toward her, classic Mal accusatory stance. "Just like you never say what's on your mind until it's too late and make me look all over the 'verse tryin' t'find someone willing to sail in a firefly!"

There was something about this conversation that reminded her vaguely of other conversations between them before. ...Oh, that's right: just how unbelievably dumbfounded she was of him at his blindness to half of things before him. Turning her head away in a huff, she pointed a finger at the door. "I need to change."

"Right. 'Cause of that whole...flesh...issue," Mal said slowly.

Her free hand found its spot on her hip, her glare aimed at him as she continued to point at the door. "Out."

That was the standard close of any conversation. "And maybe if you've got time later, you could choose a new shirt for me. I think a more refined look," he said, hooking his thumbs under his suspenders, "for such a fancy place."

"Perhaps when I'm done brushing your out your hair and tying it up little ribbons." The corner of her lips twitched as she turned her back to him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get changed now."

"I think ribbons are more Kaylee's thing, but if you think they'd suit..." Mal grinned mostly to himself as he exited the room.

"Well, I really don't think anything could give you a refined look. No more than dressing a monkey in ribbons that is..." Her back to him as he left, her fingers were already making work of the knot to untie the robe-sash.

"Maybe we could try that later. But you have to hold the monkey."

And cue a second pillow flying through the air. "Out!"

Fortunately, he was already gone.