Pairing: Inara Serra/Malcolm Reynolds
Fic Title: Essential
Author: FayJay
Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4716
Rating/Warning(s): R
Genre: Angst
WIP?: no
Why This Must Be Read: This is a gorgeously written short scene, capturing Inara's thoughts after sleeping with Mal for the first time, and it's lush and clear-eyed and terribly sexy. I love Mal and Inara, but their relationship is so mired in angst (and much of the fanfiction written about them reflects that) that I love this story in particular for having the barest sheen of hope over top while still being perfectly characterized and achingly true to their complicated relationship.
