(AN: My attempt at a actually SHORT story. As it is, I'm not sure I'm happy with it. I love River/Inara as much as I love River/Kaylee, I'm just not sure I like how i ended it. But I was attempting to keep myself under at least under 3 pages. Anyway, leave your thoughts! I welcome any and all.)

Disclaimer: I don't own firefly *sigh* if only I did...I'd have power over sooooooooooooo many people

Pairing: River/Inara, implied Kaylee/Simon(kinda)

Warnings: Femslash warning! don't like, don't read.

A Tender Moment

Inara watches quietly as River chases Kaylee around the kitchen, their young psychic having stolen yet another apple from the ships mechanic. Smiling softly as she hears River laugh, running around the table, staying just barely out of reach. Kaylee grinning as she pants, the two girls watching each other closely.

“Give it back River, that ones mine!”

“Not anymore! Now its mine!”

River grins, sticking her tongue out at Kaylee, darting off again, running around Inara as she heads back into the hallway. For a second glancing back at Inara as she passes her, their forearms touching ever so slightly. Her eyes finding the companions almost dark, sensual eyes quickly before she turns her head away again, running out into the cargo bay, out onto the cat walk. Inara blinking after the eye contact is broken, realizing she’d forgotten to breathe, drawing in a deep breath, shaking her head faintly.

River laughing, running down the stairs, leading to the lower half of the cargo bay, running around crates and jumping over the small ones, managing to get ahead of Kaylee a bit more, running off into the ship, hiding quite thoroughly. Kaylee huffing, going back to the kitchen, sore about losing this time, Inara looking over, fighting a laugh when she sees the look on her young friends face.

“River got away this time?”

“Yes, and I’ll never hear the end of it after what I said last time she stole my apple and I actually got it back. How is that girl so gorram fast?”

“Well, Simon did say she loved to dance mei-mei, its not hard to believe she would be fast…dancers have very powerful bodies.”

“Yeah well, now I’m apple-less, and it ain’t somethin’ I enjoy.”

Kaylee pouts, sulking. Sitting down in one of the chairs at the table, propping her chin up in her hands, elbows on the table top. Inara smiling faintly, shaking her head, glossy curls swinging across her back lightly, walking over to the dejected mechanic, tousling her hair gently. Reaching onto the table, grabbing an apple from the basket, handing it to her.

“There, now quit sulking, what would happen if a certain young doctor came in and saw that sour look on your face?”

The companion grins at the look of horror on the girls face, she laughing softly. Pushing herself up gracefully from the table.

"I'm going to my shuttle, why don't you go find the good doctor and share your apple with him, hm?"

She smiles again, glancing over as Kaylee smiles brightly at this idea, she getting up with a happy hum, hurrying down into the passenger rooms. Inara shakes her head with a smile, turning and returning to her shuttle. She takes a seat on the end of her bed with a relaxed sigh. Thinking back to Rivers haunting eyes, rubbing her forearm softly.

"Liked it too"

The companion jumps, letting out a very un-lady like squeak as River grins like a cat from a corner in the shuttle, having hidden in here from Kaylee apparently. The bright red apple still clutched in one hand carefully. She stands slowly, walking over to Inara, who fights the odd urge to blush.

"Liked what too, River sweetie?"

"Touching."

She blinks, River smiles again, sitting by the companions feet. She lifts the apple to her mouth, taking a slow bite out of it, chewing carefully. Inara tilts her head.

"Touching what?"

River grins, moving suddenly, putting the apple into Inara's mouth, placing it so the area she just bit into is against her lips. An indirect kiss bringing color to the older woman's cheeks.

"Touching you."

The teen smiles, laughing again as she had earlier, and again, as earlier, disappearing into the ship again quickly. Leaving one very confused, but oddly happy, Inara sitting in her shuttle, savoring the little treat River left with her with a small smile.

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