Ah, I guess I was confused about what you meant by "it never became canon" (that the Mal/Inara relationship never got resolved, not that canon didn't set it up to be there :) ).

The reason I asked was, I was imagining this as Inara/Mal only, with Inara & Kaylee's relationship being no more than we see in canon, but I realize that the way it came out, it could easily read as Inara having the sort of feelings for Kaylee that Mal is having for Inara. And while that's not what I intended, I also chose not to edit in a way that would more clearly shut down that interpretation, so I expect some people will read it that way. But that made me curious about how you actually were reading it. :)

(And I think your point about canon Inara&Kaylee having *resolved* sexual tension is a good one -- they're not having a romantic relationship or wanting one, really; what they have is a friendship with some sexual, or at least sensual elements, which seem to be at a mutually-agreeable level without being an issue. Because both of them are generally comfortable with sexuality and sensuality -- and willing to engage in them casually -- in a way that Simon and even Mal are not. Where Inara and Kaylee get tense is when emotional relationships enter the picture -- Kaylee only in so far as she's not sure about Simon's feelings, Inara (I think) more generally about the concept of getting truly intimate or committed to anyone at all. So, no tension between Inara and Kaylee, because both their attitudes and what they want from each other are compatible.)