Title:Reciprocation Author: bookishtype Characters:Jayne/Inara Prompt: Unrequited. Rating: PG - slight sexual innuendos

It was one of those situations that only Mal could get them into and only Mal could get them out of. But here they were trapped in Inara's shuttle in the middle of NO and WHERE with only a distress signal breaking through the darkness.

AAAAIIIICCCCCHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO!! Jayne sneezed and the incense bottle he held went flying. "Geez Inara, could that stuff stink any worse!"

Inara sighed and picked up the bottle from under her dresser. It was one thing to be stuck off Serenity on her shuttle but it was another to be stuck with Jayne in here too.

She placed the bottle down and picked up her hairbrush, sat down and began brushing her hair. It soothed her thoughts and allowed her to feel more at ease with the world and the situation she was in. Besides they couldn't do anything till Serenity showed up.

Jayne watched as Inara silently brushed her dark hair, her face began to soften and the tension that shown up when they got in trouble eased away. He approached her from behind and dragged a stool to sit behind her. He took the brush from her hand and began to brush Inara's hair. "Jayne, what are you doing?"

"Just what needs to be done. Now, sit back and lemme do this", Inara sighed and sat stiffly at first while Jayne brushed through her waves. Slowly she relaxed her posture and allowed herself a sigh of ease.

Jayne didn't take his eyes off her hair, it tumbled loosely across her shoulder blades. He stole a glance in her mirror and Inara watching him. He grumbled to himself.

"Thank you Jayne", Inara turned to him and took the brush from his hand. "that was wonderful. I should do something for you, to reciprocate what you did for me. But, ah... you don't really have hair to brush so I am not sure what I can do." Inara finished speaking, she flushed slightly in her cheeks, waiting to hear Jayne's response.

Jayne smirked. "Well, now I am sure that there's something."