Silence [open]

[almostluver.livejournal.com]

She'd been met by silence. Silence so loud that it hurt.

That's all there seemed to be.

It was eerie walking around Serenity and not running into Zöe or Wash, strange not seeing Simon in the infirmary, and it felt wrong not seeing Shepard Book studying his bible at the table. It was even strange not running into a leering Jayne.

Inara was finding that she missed them all. Missed the cheeriness that at most times could not only be found, but felt aboard Serenity.

That's part of the reason she found herself standing beside the ship, her hand resting lightly on the hull and staring up at it - her eyes wide and dark. Her fingers brush slowly against the cool metal and she shook her head. It wasn't right not having the whole crew there.

Comments

[am-alwaysfree.livejournal.com]

Always with the defensive reply... Mal hadn't expected anything else, really, but he wondered why she was looking at him like he was the last person she wanted to see. Well, maybe he was, but he figured their current situation would change things a bit.

"No reason. Sorry for pointin' it out, but you look like someone knocked you over with a broom." Mal shrugged lightly as he replied.

[almostluver.livejournal.com]

She turned her head slightly away from him, "Well I did only just recently find out that everything I've ever known is no longer there."

She turned back to fully look at him, almost defiantly. "I'm sorry if I'm unable to just pretend that I didn't."

[am-alwaysfree.livejournal.com]

That was enough. Mal crossed his arms as an irritated expression crossed his face. He was tired of Inara treating him like he was constantly offending her by talking to him. After all, it wasn't just her who had lost her entire world.

Mal squared his shoulders, staring her right in the eyes. "Zāogāo, Inara. Did I offend you by walkin' up to you today? Or did you forget that this is my gorram ship? Seems all you've been lately is angry." His frown grew more pronounced. "This ain't the best situation, but there's more people who're upset than just you. Snipin' at each other ain't gonna help things, dŏng ma?"

[almostluver.livejournal.com]

Inara shook her head in frustration - not at Mal, but at herself. She'd once again allowed her feelings to seep into the conversation, allowed them to make her snippy.

She hated when he was right.

She took a deep breath, and pulled herself perfectly erect. "Wŏ dŏng," she said softly. "I apologize Captain, it was inappropriate of me to behave in such a manner."

Inara frowned slightly, and resisted the urge to reach over and just touch Mal's arm, to assure him she was sorry. But she didn't. "Perhaps here we can learn to be civil toward each other."