"Aaaaannnndddd... We're off!" shouted Luciel, slinging his son's backpack over his shoulder as they march out the door to the car. He lifted his five-year-old son into his car seat and jumped into his seat behind the wheel.
"Papa, are we going to have dinner with mama tonight?" his son asked.
"Yes. Yes we are. In fact, we are having a picnic! I made you and your mom's favorite foods too, and later, we're gonna go see your Uncle Saeyong and Uncle Saeran."
The young boy in the back seat couldn't help but clap his hands together in excitement.
"I'm sorry we haven't been able to see mama, kiddo." Luciel spoke as he started to pull outside of his driveway.
"Hey, Papa?"
"Yeah?"
"You said you met mama because of that special app you made right?"
"That is correct."
"What was mama like when you guys were together in person?"
Boy, can I tell you a wonderful thing?
"Luciel? Can I tell you something?" MC asked as they sat on a bench looking out toward the beach.
"You can tell me anything you want, babe." Luciel smiled.
"Well, if I'm being honest. When we first started seeing each other in person, I was afraid you wouldn't like me anymore. I was scared that you fell in love with the me in the chat room, and if we got to know each other more in person, your feelings would change."
"M-MC, you know that would never be the case-"
"But I can tell by looking in your eyes, that you really are in love with me. And I can't tell you how happy that makes me." she smiled turning to him. When she faced him his face was a sobbing mess. Huge tears pooling out, snot flowing out of his nose, making a lot of gross noises as he tried to clean himself up.
"I AM in love with you! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! I love you with all my heart and I'll always love you-"
MC couldn't help but smile at Luciel's embarrassed rambling.
"Wow, Papa... You were a bit of a cry baby, huh?"
"What? How dare you, child. Those were manly tears, that only the manliest of men shed."
Luciel smiled at his son's giggling, and took a deep breath as they neared their destination. He clutched the steering wheel tightly as he took the turn into the gated area. He wasn't supposed to meet up with his brother until much later, so he knew he should let his son stay here for as long as they could. He didn't know when he'd be able to come back.
"Alright squirt, you wanna carry the picnic basket?"
"Yeah! Yeah!" the boy cheered as he jumped out of the car and ran to the trunk with his dad right behind him.
He took the basket out and handed it to his son. "Okay, now let me know if it gets too heavy and then I'll carry it, got it?"
"Mh-Hm." the boy nodded.
They began their walk to see the beloved wife and mother.
"Hey, papa. How did you pur-pur... perpase to mama?"
Luciel chuckled.
"You mean, propose?"
"Yeah, that!"
Girl, can I tell you a wonderful thing?
707 was not stressed. The great 707 was never stressed. Or, at least that's what he liked to think. He was pacing up and down the middle aisle of the church, jumping at every noise he heard. Scared that MC would walk in before he was ready.
Agent 707 had faced many dangers. From cyber terrorists, to scummy politicians, Vanderwood and especially The Great Honey Buddha Chip Mission. But Luciel on the other hand...
This would probably be the most dangerous thing he's done without hiding behind 707's mask. But he wanted this more than anything. He's finally overcome his doubt, lack of self-confidence, and his past. All for this moment. He took in a deep breath, as he heard the front doors open.
He hoped that she wouldn't be upset that he did this in his church. It's just... this was where he felt the safest. He felt like he could actually go through with this if he was here. Instead of some sport stadium, on screen. Or in a restaurant right in the middle of the room. This place meant so much more to him then some random place that was common to propose in.
"Luciel, is everything okay? You texted me asking me to... come... here..." Mc trailed off, staring at how nicely dressed Luciel was. He stood at the front of the cathedral, warm light from the stained glass windows enveloping him in a light that MC could only describe as holy.
Looking at the woman he loved, who was bathed in the same light, he had never felt more at ease. It was as if God himself had given him his blessing to make this risky chance.
He began to walk down the aisle meeting MC halfway.
"MC, you know I love you more than anything, right? More than computers, more than Honey Buddha Chips, and way more than myself, right?"
"Yes." was all she could say as she looked into his eyes.
"Well, I was honestly too scared to do this at first. But Saeran ended smacking some sense into me, and now I feel like I'm finally ready for this." Luciel said as he pushed up his glasses and got down on one knee. MC covered her mouth, eyes already watering before the question was even asked. "MC, would you make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me at the Space Station?"
MC couldn't find the words to even respond. She was so happy. She was starting to think he was never gonna ask. She leapt over and tackled him to the ground in a huge hug.
"I take it that that's a yes?" Luciel asked, laughing.
"Of course!"
"Did you guys really get married at the Space Station?"
"No, but I wish. It was more of a joke I'd tell your mom back when we used the RFA chat. But I honestly wish we could've. Pictures of our wedding up there would be a pretty awesome show-and-tell, huh?"
"Yeah! Everybody in class would be so jealous 'cause none of their parents are as awesome as you are, papa!"
"You really think your old man is awesome?" Luciel blushed, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, of course! You're the most awesome-est papa! You tell such cool stories about Agent 707 and how cool he was!"
"You think he was cool?"
"The coolest! One day I wanna meet him and tell him that I wanna grow up to be just like him!"
"I don't know about that, buddy. Agent 707 was always busy and he wasn't aloud to see his friends or family. You could always take my job when you get older. Fixing and building computers is a lot of fun. It's kinda like what Agent 707 did, just not as dangerous."
"Hmmmm, I guess you're right. I wouldn't wanna not be aloud to see you anymore, papa. It would get boring."
Luciel looked down to see his son starting to struggle with the picnic basket, they still had a bit of a ways to walk.
"Hey buddy, let me carry that. It looks kinda heavy." he said as he took the basket from his son's hand.
They walked together in a comfortable silence.
"Hey, papa?" the boy asked, reaching up to hold onto his papa's hand. "Why isn't mama with us anymore?"
Boy, can I tell you a terrible thing?
Luciel sat in the nursery, rocking his baby boy back and forth in a rocking chair. Waiting for MC to come back from the doctors. Their son was born last month and ever since she hasn't been doing well. She kept telling him it was nothing, but after passing out for the third time yesterday, he begged her to go see a doctor. He offered to come with her, but she said that their son may get fussy and it would be best for the two of them to stay home.
He hummed some random song to lull his son to sleep. He finally drifted off to sleep, but Luciel didn't really feel like putting him back into his crib. He wanted to hold him just a little bit longer.
He heard the front door open and his wife put her keys onto the table. He would yell to her that he was in the nursery, but he didn't wanna wake the little ball of adorable sleeping in his arms.
After a few minutes she walked up to the door and watched him rock their son back and forth. She was smiling, but Luciel knew from experience that it was extremely forced.
"MC, is everything okay? You were there almost all day."
MC pulled up the other chair in the room and sat in front of him.
"The doctor said I'm sick. Very sick, actually. It could've been treatable if we noticed the symptoms earlier on, but it's too late now. I was told I only have weeks. But please know, that you are the greatest thing that could have ever happened to me, and that I love you so, so much." She smiled, tears silently running down her face.
Luciel was shocked into silence.
They were finally nearing the resting place of MC. The boy ran ahead of Luciel and hopped in front of the gravestone.
"Hi, mama! I've missed you, and I got so much to tell you! Oh, also papa packed a picnic! How cool is that? He's the coolest, right?"
As his son was rambling random stories to the grave, Luciel began to unpack the picnic he had packed. It was definitely nowhere near as good as food as MC would make, but he tried.
They lit some candles in front of the grave and began eating.
"Mama was super cool, right papa?"
"Yeah, she was pretty amazing. She helped so many people, it made me feel like she was too good for me."
"I'm gonna meet someone as amazing as mama one day, and I'll propose the way you did!"
Luciel stopped eating. He slowly set his sandwich down on a napkin and looked down at his lap.
"Papa, are you okay?"
"N-No..." Luciel replied quietly
"Huh?"
"No. Please don't." Luciel muttered, moving to sit on his knees in front of his son. "Don't, please don't. Don't grow up to be like me, please don't make the same mistakes I did."
Luciel was sobbing by this point.
His son grew a bit nervous at this. He had never actually seen his dad cry before and here he was, openly sobbing onto his shoulder."
"Wh-Why, papa?"
"I couldn't take it. My heart wouldn't be able to take watching the same thing happen to you. I'm begging you, baby. Don't be like me."
Now son, I'm only telling you this because life, can do terrible things.
