xfirefly9x

Title: A Real Criminal Mastermind
Fandom: Firefly
Characters: Mal/Inara
Prompt: #003 Working it out
Word Count: 257
Rating: G
Summary: It was a revelation to him just how well she could blend into his world.
Notes: Written on 21/09/09.

Working with Inara on a plan to outsmart Saffron was not something he thought he’d ever have the pleasure of executing. Yet here he was, doing it. And enjoying it. It was a revelation to him just how well she could blend into his world.

She was smart and had good street sense and was arguably better at the plotting and scheming part of organising a heist than he himself. A real criminal mastermind, she turned out to be and never before would he have even considered that a plausible notion.

Unafraid to challenge him, he had enjoyed sparring with her on some of the details and fleshing out her part in it. He didn’t want her in the way of harm; she wanted an active part in the job after what Saffron put them all through the last time. She, of course, won. Feminine wiles, he was sure. Didn’t make him any less concerned.

It was lucky that’s how it went though her role, as it turned out, has much more importance than he expected. Her back up position turned into a very successful ‘Plan B’, on the front line. She saved their collective asses, well and truly.

She was amazing and if she had the field skills to match, he wondered how things would be if she was to fight on their side for real – just as a part of the crew, not necessarily by joining the Browncoats.

His only regret in their working together was missing her play out her part of the plan.