This Year's Model of Humanity

Once, Twice, Thrice

Her mind wandering as she worked on Serenity, Kaylee wondered what Inara tasted like.

She'd kissed her first boy at five, but that didn't really count and she couldn't remember what it'd been like.

The first boy who'd counted had been when she was thirteen and just starting to blossom as an engineer, or so her daddy told her. On her thirteen birthday, he'd given her an old junker to fix up.

Four months later, she'd traded a kiss for a spare part she'd been needin'. Pol wasn't a bad first kiss, though he was clumsy and tasted faintly of oil. And it was worth it to see her transport up and running.

Still, it left a bad taste in her mouth, trading kisses for parts. Kissing was important enough that it should be done on its own account.

So she kissed her first girl at fifteen and that didn't have anything to do with engines at all. Mala was soft and tasted sweet, like fresh strawberries.

All these kisses in her memory...

And she just couldn't figure how 'Nara might taste.