:Punish:
"Come on you guys, I'm begging you!" Mu La Flaga called out to the mechanics as he was working on fixing hisSkygrasper.
"Commander!" He heard a familiar voice call out as he turned his head to see the Captain running up behind him.
"I will not allow you to take off!" She stated firmly while coming to a halt in front of him. "Give the mechanic's a chance to get some rest," He turned his back on her and continued to work.
"Any word from Orb yet?" He questioned without so much as a side glance in her direction.
"No, but- She took a step forward.
"And the ships out of danger, so what's the problem?"
"No, I will not allow it," She spoke coldly, making sure that he would not disobey her.
"But what if those guys were somehow able to make it out in time!" He yelled while whipping around, his arms spread out widely as if to emphasize his point, his unzipped jacket flopping around loosely.
"Yes, I know, and if I could I'd be the first to volunteer to fly over and try to save them! But right now, that's impossible," Her voice started to treble at the end, her eye's welling up.
"Captain," His features softer, he once scrunched up eyebrows loosening and raising silently trying to understand.
"And given the circumstances I can't allow you to go out their alone either!" Her voice rose to a high pitch at the end, her voice finally giving way completely.
"Commander, if you didn't come back and we lost you as well, I don't- She stopped herself, her confused and upset face relaxing if only slightly as she diverted her gaze.
"Have faith in Orb, pray for Kira and Tolle, and stay here," She trembled as she grasped her right arm with her left hand.
La Flaga put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, "Understood," He knew for a fact that this wasn't just because of those boys anymore. Did she care about him more than just a comrade?
He would've continued helping the mechanics with the Skygrasper if not for him feeling her begin to tremble with the hand resting on her shoulder. Her tears started to stream down her face as she cried. She put her face in her hands as she began to sob, the loss of the two kids weighed heavy on her shoulders, as if she was blaming herself. Mu put his other hand on her shoulder and sat her down on a lone crate next to his machine while kneeling in front of her, hands still resting firmly on her shoulders.
"This isn't your fault Captain; none of this could've been prevented. You couldn't have possibly known the fate of those two, so there's no reason for you to punish yourself like this," He looked her in the eyes as she lifted her face up from her hands to look at him.
"They-they were only children, Commander, THEY WERE ONLY CHILDREN!" She broke down crying again. Mu looked around, glaring at the mechanics who were staring, sending them back to their jobs. Murrue leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder as she cried. He was frozen, not knowing what to do; she was his Captain after all. He eventually settled for wrapping an arm around her shoulders and patting her hair with his other hand.
"It's alright, they've got to be alright, they're smart kids, Captain, they can't be, there's no possible way.
They stayed like that for a while longer, her head resting on his chest, his arms around her. She then lifted her head, and he awkwardly reached his hand up to wipe away her tears. She smiled at him as they both stood up.
"Thank you, Commander,"
"It's not a problem," He smiled back at her.
She turned to make her silent unnoticed leave, but then stopped abruptly.
"Commander, please, go back to your quarters, get some rest, you need it just as much as these mechanics. Give yourself and the rest a break,"
"Captain, what it the enemy- She cut him off when she rose her hand up to silence him.
"Come on, I'm going to personally escort you down to you living quarters so that I know that you're in there,"
"That doesn't mean I'll stay there," He retorted while stepping forward a few paces so that he was standing a little bit behind her.
"I'm sure I can convince you to stay put,"
"Oh really, how's that?"
"If you don't stay in your quarters, I'll tell the mechanics not to fix it,"
"You know you'll need to sometime," He smiled.
"I know, but it will keep you in there long enough to get the sleep you need," She smiled as well, trying to match the brightness in his.
They walked off in the direction of the officers' quarters, Mu getting his rest, and his Captain seeing to it that he did. He realized now that this was the proof he needed to know that she cared for him, more than just her Commander, but as Mu La Flaga.
:I felt that moment from phase 31 needed to be taken a bit further than him just giving her a pat on shoulder, as cute as it was, it simply wasn't enough.
