browncoat2x2 | Like Thunder Follows Lightning

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Like Thunder Follows Lightning

Like Thunder Follows Lightning

by 2x2

Word Count: 1176

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: Mal/Inara

A/N: I don't really know what to say about this. It may not make sense. I think I understand it, but I've no idea if it will come across. As to the hows and whys of the situation, don't ask me. Other than the inspiration of yesterday's thunderstorm, I have no idea where this came from.

A deep rumble cracked across the dark sky, thunder rolling around above the small cabin, rattling the windows and pounding deep within Inara's chest as she stood and watched the approaching storm, weather a fitting match to the turmoil of her emotions.

She was stuck here, for the next few hours at the least, if not days. Trapped in a tiny, one-room cabin. Alone. With Mal.

Not that his presence wasn't preferable to being stuck here alone, no comm or cortex access, nor was she ungrateful for the small moonshine cabin they'd been fortunate enough to find and take shelter in, but her emotions were running high and close to the surface, and that was a dangerous thing when she was going to be spending the next God knew how long in very close proximity to Malcolm Reynolds.

He was in there, even now, collapsed on the small cot in the corner – the only bed in the cabin – exhausted. He'd saved her life today, and nearly at the cost of his own. She was not unaware of it, nor of the effect his actions had on her. That she'd very nearly lost him today, really could have lost him, had her trembling.

She'd left him sleeping, retreating outside for some air, hoping the chill in the wind would give her some measure of control over the tumultuous thoughts and feelings swirling within her; cool the heat that had suffused her body when his eyes had met hers before he'd fallen asleep, the open, honest view of his heart visible for far too long for her to chalk it up to her imagination.

Thunder cracked overhead again and the small hesitant patter of raindrops began to stir the trees around her. Inara shivered. Of the few times and scenarios she'd actually allowed herself to fantasize about, this was hardly what she would have chosen for her and Mal. Yet the inevitability of it weighed heavily on her, as if there was no question of the happening of it, just the when of it. Perhaps it had always been that way, except the When was suddenly a whole lot nearer to Now than ever before.

It wasn't that she was afraid of sleeping with Mal. She'd wanted him almost from the first. It was the consequences of such an action, the knowledge that, one way or another, most likely sooner rather than later, she would be forced to leave Serenity if she gave in. Leave him, and never come back. The chance of any other outcome, in the long run, was far too slim to hold out hope for.

It was slow torture, being on Serenity and not being with him, not being able to give in to what they both wanted. But the alternative, to live without him, was far worse. She'd learned that once already, and had no wish to have to experience it again, thus, her hesitation to allow that step between them. Because as much as she may want him, she didn't want to have to leave again.

Fate, it seemed, paid little regard to her wishes, however, for here she was, trapped with him, her control already fragile from their near-miss brush with death. She could feel the impending inevitability of it crackling in the air around her; was powerless against it.

There was a sadness in her that grieved for a more innocent time, weighing heavily on her heart. The rain poured down, heavier now as though under the burden of her grief, and she hated the fact that she could not be happy in this, that she couldn't just give into the gravity that had always drawn them together, give everything of herself to him freely, without regret. But she couldn't, because she knew what would happen.

She didn't jump or even move when his hands came to rest on her shoulders suddenly, having sensed him the moment he joined her on the porch. She said nothing as he drew his hands over her shoulders and along her arms, following them around her body until he was pressed against her back and she was wrapped in his warm embrace, the heat of him suddenly making her aware of just how cold she'd become.

She felt him press his forehead to her hair, heard his sigh as his arms tightened around her and she closed her eyes, heart constricting as she realized he knew, knew everything.

"It doesn't have to," he whispered, lips in her hair, and she wondered which exactly he meant – didn't have to happen? didn't have to mean the end? didn't have to hurt? – because it did, oh, yes, it did. It all had to. There was no other way.

She turned, taking one of his hands in hers, letting her eyes meet his gaze as she cupped his cheek, his skin appearing bright and white in the sudden flash of lightning, and she counted the seconds silently between the heat that flashed in the sky and the inevitable collision of air as it rushed into the space the lightning had created.

When the thunder finally came, her lips were pressed to his, eyes shut, caught in the cradle of his palms.

She'd been counting their seconds for so long.

She felt his thumbs on her cheeks, wiping at the two tears she didn't know had fallen, saw his eyes, blue and stormy with conflicted emotion the moment she opened hers, saw the sadness echoed in them, for her, for them.

"It's all right," she whispered softly, wishing it could be. With every ounce of her being she grasped for the joy she should be feeling, tried to let the growing tide of arousal sweep away the sadness and bathe her in the love she felt for him. And for a time, it worked; she was able to share in his happiness as their bodies joined on the tiny cot, as she clenched around him, as he shuddered within her, and even after, as they lay together, caressing and whispering words that no other soul would ever hear them utter.

It was only later, as she stood on the porch again, the tempest past, that the sadness broke free, harsh and merciless, and she crumbled at the inevitability.

She tried to hide when his arms found her again, didn't want him to replace the happy memory with this, but he only held her more determinedly, soothing with soft, wordless sounds.

"It doesn't have to," he said at last, echoing his words from before, and she heard a promise in them this time, a promise that made her look up from his embrace with a plea for hope in her eyes, for that tiniest chance that things might turn out.

As the clouds broke overhead, his lips were on hers, and Inara clung to what was offered. There was no other way. When they parted, she looked up into his eyes, alive and glowing with love and a light all his own.

In the sky, the sun was shining.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well LOOK AT YOU!!!!!

This was fantastic! Is it wrong to pray for more thunderstorms to hit your area??

Let's list!

1. He was in there, even now, collapsed on the small cot in the corner – the only bed in the cabin – exhausted. He'd saved her life today, and nearly at the cost of his own. She was not unaware of it, nor of the effect his actions had on her. That she'd very nearly lost him today, really could have lost him, had her trembling.

Awww, he saved her life! ::sniff:: so romantic!

And now he's exhausted, and sleeping with those long eyelashes resting on his cheeks. He looks adorable!

And she could have lost him. This is the way of their 'verse, but it doesn't make it any easier.

2. She didn't jump or even move when his hands came to rest on her shoulders suddenly, having sensed him the moment he joined her on the porch. She said nothing as he drew his hands over her shoulders and along her arms, following them around her body until he was pressed against her back and she was wrapped in his warm embrace, the heat of him suddenly making her aware of just how cold she'd become.

Mmmmm. Such good imagery. Pressed against her back. I love that.

3. She tried to hide when his arms found her again, didn't want him to replace the happy memory with this, but he only held her more determinedly, soothing with soft, wordless sounds.

Loved how he was determined and soothing with the little sounds. ::melts::

4. "It doesn't have to," he said at last, echoing his words from before, and she heard a promise in them this time,

Ah, so sweet. Angst with hope! I can love this. I do love it. Wow. This rocks!

Well LOOK AT YOU!!!!!

*shuffles feet* heh...

This was fantastic! Is it wrong to pray for more thunderstorms to hit your area??

*blushes* aw, thanks .... and, well... no and yes, I guess.. hehehe.. if another one will give me good inspriration, than pray away, just NOT this saturday, okay? I'm gonna be outside all day long, hopefully!

And now he's exhausted, and sleeping with those long eyelashes resting on his cheeks. He looks adorable!

Mmmmmmm yeah, he does, doesn't he? So peaceful and soft asleep.... *sigh*

Ah, so sweet. Angst with hope! I can love this. I do love it. Wow. This rocks!

heeee yeah, it came out a lot more hopeful at the end, but...*shrug* the storm metaphore was kinda workin', so... it got a happier ending than it might have *G* Angst with hope... hehehe...

Thanks so much, for all your comments! I'm glad you liked so much... It certainly felt great to write it... hopefully, this is the start of more interaction between me and my muse!!! *crosses fingers*

hopefully, this is the start of more interaction between me and my muse!!! *crosses fingers*

::crosses fingers and toes::

I'm sure it is, darlin'. I just feel it.

Thanks! I hope you're right!!

Omg! That was just...beautiful! You're writing just flows so smoothly! I love it! It's weird because while this in centered on Inara, I can see Mal through it too since our little chat about him. Heh. *claps* Well done, well done. Brava!

She'd been counting their seconds for so long.

That's my absolute favourite line. It's *so* true. *le sigh*

Love the happy note there at the end. =) More, please? Always more. I love teh Mal/Inara fluffangst! =D

Thank-you, dearest!! I'm so happy you liked it.

And that's kinda my favourite line too... one of those lines that just comes to you suddenly... :o)

And, Squeee! 'fluffangst'!! My new favourite word!!!!

thank you!!!!

You can only use it if you write it. That's the only terms associated with it. 0:-)

You come up with the best lines though, I swear. Hehe.

:o.

Restrictions!!!! ;o)

Very well, I promise... which, you know, most likely means I'll never have the opportunity to use it again, considering how frequently I write the fluff!! :oD

Why haven't you posted this on mal_inara yet?

hehe I just did!!!!

Okay. You did it while I was trawling for more fic. :-)

hee hee!!

Whoa, that was emotionally draining just to read! Not sure if I even breathed during that, it was simply beautiful! You really brought out Inara's internal pain over a possible relationship. I loved reading that!!

Thank-you so much! I'm so glad all that turmoil and emotion came through... this turned out so completely differenty from where I started it.. I'm never sure things entirely work, so... thank-you!

Beautiful, just beautiful. *sigh* Oh, if only...

Thunderstorms can be such wonderful inspiration. *g*

Thank-you!!

They certainly can... I had the making of this fic in my head as I watched the storm yesterday, and while it came out completely different than I expected, it was wonderfully inspiring :o)

thunderstorms make the muse happy! hee!

I've been reading this again. It's so good. But you know what??? I wanna know about the life saving now. What did he do that saved her life but nearly cost him his own?

You don't have to write it, but do you know what it was?

No... I don't actually... I don't know why the two of them had to run, and be lucky enough to find this cabin, or what's going on, how it was such a close shave, anything...

AAAANNND...since you've fallen into my trap and asked...

TAG!!

Why don't you write it? *EG*

AAAANNND...since you've fallen into my trap and asked....
TAG!!
Why don't you write it? *EG*

::Reaches into Black Suit and removes a shiny, cylindrical object::

Please look this way, ma'm. ::BLINDINGFLASH::

Now you just about to write a stunning adventure novel featuring Malcolm Reynolds and his true love, Inara Serra. It will be action-packed and there will probably be some smut - and fluffangst - and if there is really bad angst you'll feel compelled to write an alternative ending which is happy.

And I was never here. ::gently nudges a bunny under the sofa::

bwaahaaa!

Nice try....

but, nope.... all I had to do was go back and read my previous comment, and... *nod nod* yep, I still think TAG is a good idea *EG*

Oh, and... *picks up bunny* You dropped this. *EG*

::SULKS:: I don't think you appreciate the power of the flashy thing.

::takes bunny and hugs him::

I hate being "it". Probably, I'll just withdraw the question. :-D

I do have some voices in my head again, though. Mal and Inara are glaring over the Guild thing and he's yelling that he's not hauling anything for the Whore Academy and Kaylee's shaking her head 'cause she thought they'd stop yelling and fighting after they finally blew off the sexual tension. :-)

There's always a party in my brain.

Oh, I appreciate it, but, it's not my fault I'm so shallow and in need of external validation that I was re-reading the comments here, and so remembered the whole thing!!!! Sorry! *G*

OOOOH voices!! Squeee!!!

tsk at Mal for Whore Academy, not to happy with him for that one!!

Party party party!!!

Right, I hope you don't think I'm a stalker, but I was all happy to see something new from you - again! and of course was not disappointed. I love jumping into the middle of a scenario without knowing the hows and whys of how they got there, both as a writer & a reader. Your imagery was stunning, and as was surrounded by a thunderstorm as I read, well, it was perfect. I like the inevitability that Inara acknowledges, lurve the imagery of the heat and collision of air and counting the seconds, like the bittersweet and note of hope you give us at the end. Thanks!

heheheh

Stalk away! *G* If it means I get such loverly feedback, who am I to complain? ;o>

I'm so happy you enjoy it! And thank-you about the imagery....reading it in a thunderstorm your own self is awesome!!! *G*

I'm glad you liked the whole 'inevitability' theme... that was the main thought behind it all.. the storm analogy just came after, and seemed to fit so perfectly...

And somehow, I had to give that hopeful bit at the end... happier than I originally intended, but... I think it would have been too damn depressing otherwise, and while I love the angst... a little hope does not go astray at times :o)

Thanks for reading!!!

ooooooh! :o>

Well, as I'm oppposed to any form of slavery my own self, I can't rightly take ownership of you, but... ;o>

I appreciate the sentiment! hehehehehe

I don't actually know what else to say. It was so heartwrenching and beautiful and hot...

those three words work nicely for me ;o) - and the guhs' of course ;o>

Thanks so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!! heeee!

As always this was simply wonderful! The thunderstorm was just the perfect metaphor (?? is that what I mean? analogy? something like that) for their relationship.

And of course I love the angst, the realization she has that this most likely won't end well between them and the knowledge that Mal understands that too. (okay and the little spark of hope at the end was also good!)

awwww *blush* thanks :o)

The thuderstorm metaphor/analogy just worked itself in as I was writing it, and then became really obvious and right feeling to me, for this piece... I'm glad it worked for you too!!

this most likely won't end well between them and the knowledge that Mal understands that too.

Yes, that's what makes it even sadder to me, that he knows it too... *sniff sniff*

and the spark of hope I think was needed otherwise this would've been just too depressing *G* even for me ;o>

thanks so much!!!

Me likey!

As others have said, using the thunderstorm as a device was a really nice idea. And the writing is lovely!

Thank-you so much! I'm glad you liked it! *blush* and thank-you for your lovely comment! Thanks for reading!!

Well, that was just all kinds of lovely. That was truly beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

Thank-you so much! I'm so happy you found it beautiful an lovely! *glows*

Oooh. You certainly managed to capture that sense of weather there! I had no trouble at all envisioning that storm and the cold and wet air and the sense of isolation for these two.

And then that sense of the inevitable. Being so uncertain and certain at the same time. I loved Mal being the optimistic one about this, because it wants to seem odd but really isn't. When Mal knows something he knows it, bt Inara's world is more fluid than that.

And whee for sunshine endings. *G* I want to quote bits but the computer won't let me for some reason, but I just loved that second to last line to death!

Oooh. You certainly managed to capture that sense of weather there! I had no trouble at all envisioning that storm and the cold and wet air and the sense of isolation for these two.

Yay! Imagery! hehehe.. I'm glad it was so realistic... heee!

And then that sense of the inevitable. Being so uncertain and certain at the same time. I loved Mal being the optimistic one about this, because it wants to seem odd but really isn't. When Mal knows something he knows it, bt Inara's world is more fluid than that.

Yes! Yes, he does, doesn't he? thank-you thank-you!

And whee for sunshine endings. *G*

LOL You're lucky it's there... I wasn't going to end it on a positive note at first.. but... well, it fit the storm analogy well, so... Otherwise, I couldn've been totally evil about it! *G*

I want to quote bits but the computer won't let me for some reason, but I just loved that second to last line to death!

Yeah, I don't know why that is, and it's pissing me off.. I'm gonna have to find another journal style, I think.... I've actually been considering going to a paid account so I can completely customize it, and be through with all this crap...

As the clouds broke overhead, his lips were on hers, and Inara clung to what was offered. There was no other way. When they parted, she looked up into his eyes, alive and glowing with love and a light all his own.

So, you mean the very second last line? Or this general paragraph??

Either way, thank-you.... it has a certain degree of fluffiness to it *G* but I'm okay with that, I think ;o>

Thanks darlin'!

This was amazing!

I love the pain and the beauty you've woven throughout the piece and that little last bit of hope at the end. *sigh* It's just so indictive of their relationship. Pain, beauty and a tiny bit of hope when you think it's all lost.

Beautiful job.

Oh, thank-you so much!!!

Such beautiful words! I'm all glowy :o)

Really, thank-you!

Did you know it takes 21 strokes to write 'thunder' in Chinese?

http://community.livejournal.com/dailycharacter/27392.html

That is toooo cool!!! What a cool comm idea!!!

Okay, so... I read this yesterday, and was all AGAH! TOO INTENSE FOR ME TO FEEDBACK NOW, MUST LEAVE THE CHOSEN ONE (uh, my computer's name). Right - anyway, I did so, but upon arriving back to feedback you - I am again left with those wayward and snuffly emotions just by re-looking at it again.

Have I mentioned yet how much I love your Inara? I'm picky about Inara, because I feel like most people only have a sort of outside grasp of her character, but I think you always manage to grasp her complexities. She's so rational, and always thinking, constantly thinking and analysing and trying to distance herself from her emotions, become all head and no heart, so to speak. And you just get that, all the time - while making it all so clear that she's so in love with Mal. *sniffs* Theirloveissoperfectandtragic.

I loved your sense of inevitability - that is wasn't really giving into her feelings for Mal, it would mean losing the person she'd tried to shape herself as.

I really want to quote that whole bit about her going outside afterwards, and breaking down and Mal being the reassuring one, but your LJ layout hates me and I can't. But just know that I died a little inside at that description, and my shippy heart felt like bursting.

Ohh!

*is melted by the loverly feedback*

Thank-you SO much, sweetness!! I'm so, so, happy that you like my Inara, and you think I get her right! That just makes me *sigh* with so much pleasure... thank-you!!!

And, I've switched back to my old layout, I'll put up with the little things that got switched that I didnt' like, cuz, this keeps happening, people aren't able to copy and paste, so... I hate missing that!!

but, yeah, that whole scene... this whole fic, really.. just all came, flowed, like the golden days of my fic writing, and it was almost a stream of consciousness thing, and stuff was happening and I didn't even have to think about it, so, thank goodness it made sense and worked, and was good! hehehe... there's just something about Mal being the comforting one that really gets me, too... sigh.... so nice...

Anyway, thank-you so much!! you've really brightened my evening!!!!

*smooshes you*

With every ounce of her being she grasped for the joy she should be feeling, tried to let the growing tide of arousal sweep away the sadness and bathe her in the love she felt for him. And for a time, it worked; she was able to share in his happiness as their bodies joined on the tiny cot, as she clenched around him, as he shuddered within her, and even after, as they lay together, caressing and whispering words that no other soul would ever hear them utter.

Wow, I was immediately struck with that. That is how to write a love scene as opposed to a sex scene...Guh, thud! Beautiful, just beautiful.

Oh, wow.. thank-you so much! I really appreciate that! *blushes*
Thank-you!

Loved it! I'm a huge sucker for good Mal/Inara fic, but most writers seem to find ways to mess it up somehow. This was excellent, and I absolutely loved your images of the thunderstorm....I can almost feel it around me!

Thank-you! I'm so glad this one didn't 'mess it up' !! :o)

So happy you liked the imagery... very pleased that you could almost feel the storm, that's great!!! yay!

Thank-you so much!

*jaw drops*

The Mistress of Pain starting out angsty but ending up fluffy and shiny and hopeful??

*pinches self*

Kidding aside though, this was lovely. The way the thunderstorm metaphor flowed with the fluid nature of their relationship--the pain, the fear, the beauty, everything. And I think I like the inevitability of the final step the best--the way Inara knows she's going to give in, someday, and that it'll likely be the end--or an end of a sort.

I do have to keep you on your toes... *G*

but, Oh, such pretty pretty feedback! Thank-you so much! I'm glad you liked it, and the metaphor and the inevitability of Inara's surrender... so happy that all came through :o)

Thank-you!

loved it :)

Thank you!

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Like Thunder Follows Lightning

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