All this space...and it's just the two of us...

Sure, they'd bought everything they needed, bedding, towels, crockery, food...but things still felt strange. They'd only been living here in this house for a few hours, after all, and it didn't feel like home just yet. Of course, neither of them were all that sure what 'home' should feel like, but Mwu, as always, thought he had the answer.

"Home is wherever you are..." he'd told her, wrapping her up in a warm embrace. "For me, Archangel was home, just as much as the kid's house or this place. 'Cause you were there.." She hadn't quite known how to respond to that, instead blushing slightly and looking away. But it was a nice thought, and when she really thought about it, his simple way of looking at things made sense. A house didn't really make a home - it was the people you shared the house with that was important. Of course, she mused as she sat on the side of the ornamental bath, beginning to run warm water into the enamel tub, it still felt strange to be suddenly sharing her life with someone after being used to solitude (self-imposed) for so long, but she was sure she'd get used to it. Murrue smiled, swirling her hand in the water. Yes, things would be all right.

Shedding the white dress she wore, she slipped into the tub, sighing as she leaned back against the smooth sides, relishing the faint tickling of the bubbles against her skin. It had been months since she'd been able to take a bath, and the sensation was incredibly relaxing. Or at least, it was until the door clicked open, and a familiar grinning face peeked into the steamy bathroom. "Hey.." he said cheerfully. "Can I come in?" Murrue sighed, but smiled. She'd known, hadn't she? That if she didn't lock the door, he'd sneak in? But then again, that was the whole reason she hadn't locked the door...

"You like it here?" Mwu asked, resting his chin on the side of the tub. She nodded, tawny eyes closed. He chuckled, swirling a finger in the water, and reached down to tickle her. Murrue gasped, squirming and giggling as he tickled her wet skin. "Stop it!" she shrieked, flicking water at him. When their impromptu water fight was over, she smiled. "What about you? Do you like it here?" He beamed, leaning forward to kiss her. "Course I do. 'Cause I have the two things I wanted most. Peace, and you"

"That's very flattering," she told him, leaning back in the tub and closing her eyes again. "Now scat. I need to get washed." She knew, of course, what his answer would be. And sure enough...

"Can I help?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After her not-exactly-relaxing bath, Murrue sat curled up on the large blue sofa in their bedroom, thin fingers wrapped around a mug of hot cocoa. She could hear Mwu whistling in the shower, and smiled. Things weren't so different, now were they?

"You didn't make some for me?" he asked as he walked out of the steamy room, rubbing long blonde hair dry with a towel. She shrugged. "I didn't know you wanted any," was all she said.

Mwu pouted, slumping onto the sofa. He laid back until his head was resting in her lap, smiling happily. "Never mind. This is better than cocoa..." he sighed. His eyes were closed, and Murrue giggled, setting her cup down on the coffee table. "I'm sure it is..." she said softly, beginning to stroke his hair.

"Your scars don't hurt anymore?" she asked after a while, her gaze drawn to the livid gashes visible on the bare skin of his arms and legs. He smiled, regarding her with his lazy blue gaze. "Nah, they're fine now. Don't worry about it.." Murrue smiled, leaning down to kiss him. "We'll be okay here, like this, won't we?" she asked.

"We sure will," he replied, closing his eyes again. "Cause we're together."

The two of them stayed like that for a long time, perhaps minutes, or hours, neither of them were sure. But they didn't care. They spent that time together, in their bedroom, in their own house, talking about everything and nothing. About how they had come to be here after all that had happened, about what they could do in the future, which now seemed so limitless, while her forgotten cocoa sat cooling on the coffee table.

The window was open, letting in the warm night air. For the first time in a long time, it was almost silent. No quiet hum of ship's systems, no sound of waves breaking upon the beach. Just silence, occasionally broken by the gentle buzz of a cidada. Murrue smiled, gazing down upon her lover's face, which was now peaceful and drowsy. "You tired?" she asked, still caressing his hair. "It's pretty late..." Mwu murmured something incoherent, and eventually, he prised open his eyes. "It is?" he asked sleepily. "You wanna go to bed?"

She shrugged. "I'm okay. But you look exhausted. I guess it's been a busy day, huh?" He chuckled at that, reaching up to squeeze her hand. "I keep forgetting..you're a night owl. But ya know..now that you can get more sleep, you really should.." He yawned, stretching out on the plush sofa, and sat up. "C'mon," he said, holding out his hand. The couple climbed the small wooden steps to the loft where their bed waited, the new white comforter soft and inviting. Murrue flushed slightly, not really knowing why. The two of them had spent so much time together back on the Archangel...why did she feel nervous now?

Before she could think of a reason, Mwu reached out and pulled her close, sitting down on the bed. "It's okay, sweetheart. I know, it feels weird. But it's just the same as it was back then. Only the setting's different.." As he spoke, he pulled back the covers, inviting her to slip in beside him. Murrue hesitated for a moment, then smiled, climbing into the bed.

"This is great..." he mumbled as she snuggled up close to him. "Much better than those bunks on board ship, or that mattress at the kid's house. More room to stretch out..or do other stuff.." The woman beside him blushed again, and poked him in the ribs. Mwu just laughed, pressing a kiss to her dark hair. "But it is nice, isn't it?"

Murrue nodded, closing her eyes with a soft smile. "It's home.."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

( Moar waffle XD. Hope it's not too incoherent...

Please read and review! )