#031 A Million Pieces (Mal/Inara)

[xfirefly9x]

Title: A Million Pieces
Fandom: Firefly
Characters: Mal/Inara
Prompt: #031 COLD bloody destiny
Word Count: 303
Rating: PG
Summary: He stared as she fell to the ground, as if in slow motion.
Notes: Written for 30_angsts. Thanks to fansquee for the beta! :D

He had seen it happen a million times before: the expression on someone’s face, cleared away in a second as a bullet cracked through the air or someone else’s hands wrapped around their neck from behind.

He had seen realisation hit those unlucky enough to find themselves in such a situation before they fell to the ground in a pool of their own blood. The screams, the pain, the death…it was stained into the fabric of his very existence.

He should have been used to it all and he sure as hell should have been prepared for the worst in the case that the next victim was one of his own.

He was far from ready.

When the blast ripped the air around him and a spot of red immediately appeared on the front of Inara’s blouse, he choked. He literally stopped, in the line of fire, as bullets buzzed past him, ridiculously close, and he stared.

He stared as the red blotch spread, soaking the cloth like red dye in snow.

He stared as Inara’s eyes went wide in shock and as her knees buckled out from beneath her.

He stared as she fell to the ground, as if in slow motion.

In that moment, their eyes connected and Mal knew it.

He loved her.

He loved Inara.

And she was dying right in front of him.

A burst of energy shot through him and he raced to her side, still, surprisingly, unscathed. His strength gone just as quickly as it had come, he collapsed next to her.

“Don’t leave me,” he pleaded with his eyes.

He watched as she smiled grimly at him, eyes fluttering in a hopeless attempt to keep eye contact with him.

As her eyes closed for the very last time, his heart broke into a million pieces.

Comments

[leonhart-17.livejournal.com]

awww i could totally see something like this happening with them but its still heartbreaking!

great job!

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Thanks!!

[odakota-rose.livejournal.com]

You're the angst queen, aren't you?
Nonetheless... wow. Because there's something really perfect and heartbreaking about Mal suddenly realizing how he feels when it's too late.

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Well, the Mal/Inara fics I'm writing are for 30_angsts... That's my excuse for excessive angst when it comes to these two. (It's actually the fic challenge I've most enjoyed writing for, to be honest. Is that bad?) *g*
Anyway...thanks! Had the series gone on, I always thought Joss would put them in a situation like that one with the death and the no words to admit feelings - only eye contact. *nod*

Aaaand I should go sleep now. 4am. D'oh.

[odakota-rose.livejournal.com]

Riiight. So that's your excuse? hee..
But you know, I really do like the angst fics lately. And no it's not really bad at all.
Yeah, you're probably right. They're not exactly one of the pairings I can see always having a happy ending.

Go to bed, birthday girl. =)

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it. *nod* :P
I'm loving the angst as well (or the writing of, at least - I haven't been reading much lately - got any recs? ;)) Angst can be so fun. Torturing people in somewhat less violent ways than that just sounded.... Who wouldn't love that? *snigger*
Mal and Inara really aren't one of the ships I'd ever expect to see together and truly happy. So they work perfectly for this type o' writing. Might have to work on some more fluff though. Haven't done that since the "Moving Forwards" fic. *ponders*
Erm...anyway...
*bounces off* :D

[odakota-rose.livejournal.com]

Doesn't mean I have to believe it :P
Yeah, and this is me wondering how many Jayne icons you have stashed somewhere, what with the inflicting of pain and all..
I hate going back to tragedies a la Shakespeare for so many ships where you just know it's not going to work out nicely, but if the shoe fits I suppose.
(as to fic recs, depends what you're looking for, I've been reading tons of sparky and bookmarking the others lately lol)

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

*g*
Jayne icons...? *goes to count* Erm...that'd be 49. :P
That's understandable. *shrugs* I just can't help but go back to those ships though. *luvs them*
(fic recs...anything is good.:))

[odakota-rose.livejournal.com]

*nods* That really doesn't surprise me, hehe.
Yep, and it's a good analogy I suppose for awesomesauce ships of angst ;)

(okay then.. *evil grin*
fic tag for 'sparky' aka, anything by mylittleredgirl And.. there's a couple of others that are more specific. I just have them in a different list so I'll link those in the morning. *is sleepy*)

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

:)
Yup yup!

Oooh, mylittleredgirl has some great Sparky fic! I've been meaning to go back and check out more of her stuff. Thanks!! :)

[odakota-rose.livejournal.com]

Definitely. I was reading one of them last night, it was this one: Atmospheric Composition, it's an awesome mix of angst, fluff, and it's set mainly earthside so it's a different view of them. I loved it.

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

*runs over* Shiny!! :D

[phyrelight.livejournal.com]

So heartbreaking! :'(

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Awww. *Hands tissues*

Thanks for reading!

[lattelady6.livejournal.com]

You took my breath away. I can't believe you killed off Inara, though you did it beautifully. Is Mal next to go?

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Thanks!!

Is Mal next to go?

*wibbles* I think one death is enough for now.

[songandsilence.livejournal.com]

GUH. That's not even fair.

God that was tragic and yet somehow perfect.

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

Awww *huggles*

Thanks.