Away From Convenience by monjinator (PG-13)

[stars-inthe-sky.livejournal.com]

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Simon/Inara
Length: ~3700 words
Author on LJ: monjinator
Author Website: (or a link to where more of their fic is archived) monjtales

Why this must be read: I'm usually a canon-pairings kind of girl, but this AU intrigues me. Simon and Inara don't interact much one-on-one that we see, but they have plenty more in common than was shown in the series (or the movie). That being said, I liked that this fic doesn't overplay their commonalities or underplay the strong characterizations both were given in canon. Their interaction here isn't so much romantic as deeply caring, which is truer to both characters and leaves room for Mal and Inara to dance around each other a little. A full-on romance between these two wouldn't have given them much room to develop as individual characters (thus why both are pulled from their comfort zones and set opposite a less obvious love interest in canon), but monjinator manages to find the way.

He stared blankly around his room. He had grown up with rich furnishings like this, and even though he had never been an incredibly materialistic person, he still would have said he’d spend his life in similar situations. But now it just felt…constricting, after months of searching everywhere for a way to get River out of the trap she’d willing gone into. He knew she needed his help, and he was desperately afraid that she was running out of time, and that silken throw pillows and lavender scented candles weren’t going to help him.

He looked up as Inara entered. “I thought you might like to see this,” she said, offering him the data stick she was carrying. Simon took it automatically. “I’ll have more in a few days, but this is what my contact could find on short notice.” Her voice was calm and smooth, not betraying any hint of awkwardness over their unusual situation. Then again, he would have expected nothing less of a trained Companion.

“I figured I’d have to wait until after the ‘honeymoon’ so people wouldn’t talk,” he said, trying to make it a lame joke. But he knew he hadn’t taken all of the bitterness out of his voice when he saw her forehead furrow slightly as she studied him, betraying no other sign of emotion.

“I put in a call to my closest contacts soon after our agreement,” she said. She studied him for a few more excruciating moments. “I think we need to talk,” she finally said. “About our relationship. We need to set some boundaries, for your sake as much as mine.”

Simon looked into the calm face that displayed none of the emotions he had been half-expected, swallowed, and nodded. “I think that would be good.”

Away From Convenience