Prompt 111 Fic: Stay

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Title Stay
Author xfirefly9x
Rating T+
Word Count 171
Prompt 111: Your Favourites
Characters/Pairing (if any) Mal/Inara

"And I just can't let you go
I can't lose this feeling"
~ Pop! Goes My Heart by Hugh Grant (Music & Lyrics)

"Don't go. Don't leave again."

There. He's said it. He's told her how he feels.

He well and truly has her under his skin. Inexplicably.

Mal swallows and continues to stare into the depth of her brown eyes, hands wringing nervously in front of him.

Inara opens her mouth to reply and then closes it. She watches him. Her face flushes slightly.

"Well? Are you going to say something? Will you stay?"

She says nothing.

"Please stay?" he tries.

Her lips twitch up into a small smile and he has the sudden urge to push her into a wall and kiss her hard.

Inara reaches for his hand. She squeezes it gently. Her smile widens.

Mal studies her, concerned about her answer - or rather, lack thereof.

"Of course I'll stay," she finally says. "Since you asked so nicely." There's a teasing undertone to her voice.

"Yeah?" he asks, beaming.

"Yeah."

He sighs in relief and grips her hand a little harder. "Good answer. You had me worried for awhile there."