ORB

April 20th

Mu looked around the crowded mall with some apprehension, swallowing his nerves down and sighing weakly as he strolled absently through the huge place. He was glad that today was his 'day' off of sorts, since most of the pilots has picked their holidays and he was left with this one. He'd had plans already for that weekend, today just made it easier to prepare.

Murrue however was still at work, which made it easier for him, since the preparations had to be done in secret. He'd left for the mall the moment her car left his sight, and now that he was there he was entirely lost, having no idea exactly what he was searching for.

He eventually wandered around long enough to slip into several jewellery stores, but he always left disappointed, regardless of the fact that the several stores were quite reputable and had a wonderful array of rings. He found it odd, when he stared a the cases of jewels that nothing really seemed to speak to him. It'd been so long since he'd come already, and still nothing.

Dejected and fairly certain that he was going to have no luck, he wandered around for a bit longer before walking into a random store that he'd continued to pass by. He poked around that store for a little while, wondering why nothing he found seemed to fit. He had no idea what he was really looking for, but somehow nothing seemed to fit his thoughts, it was rather maddening.

He spied out of the corner of his eye one of the salesclerks, peeking up at him from the till every so often before ducking her head in embarrassment. He smiled a little, wondering what was flustering the young woman so much and continued to browse listlessly. The store seemed homey enough, it was a warm blue and there was a wild array of pretty much everything there, from books to pretty little trinkets, and he just continued to look around.

A shy little voice finally called out, "C-Can I help you at all, sir?"

"Huh?" Mu turned to see the young woman looking at him with wide hazel eyes, blood rushing to her face to colour it pink the moment he looked at her. She tucked a look of dark hair behind her ears and repeated her question in an awkward mumble. He sighed, having really hoped he'd be able to work it out on his own but the hours he'd spent with no results was leaving him with less and less hope. What would be the harm? He grumbled unhappily, "I'm looking for an engagement ring."

The girl looked momentarily surprised but quickly fixed her expression to make it politely curious, and she pulled her bangs back behind her ear a second time. She questioned curiously, "An engagement ring?"

He nodded, still wearing a bit of a scowl because by that point he was fairly certain nothing was going to go for him. She blushed to her ears and hastily looked away, and he sighed, instantly contrite for acting out. Running a hand through his unkempt hair, he sighed and muttered grudgingly, "I've been looking for awhile... I can't find anything for her."

"Maybe you should try the little place at the far end of the mall. They have some great stuff." The girl suggested carefully, glancing over her shoulder as if she could see the little store she was talking about. He looked at her curiously and she smiled shyly, raising her right hand to flash a silver ring she wore. "You shouldn't quit looking either you know... I'm sure you'll find something for her."

Mu grinned and nodded, hope flashing through him now at the prospect of another chance. He got directions to the store and took off nearly at a run, wondering why fresh excitement was pounding through his veins. He was slightly caught off guard when he arrived, the store was small and quaint.

He was a little surprised by the amount of rings that sat inside the glass box, and he caught himself looking at several with wide eyes. Finally he paused, his attention captured by the ring in the right hand corner. It was a fairly normal looking ring, a simple silver band topped with a elegant triangle-shaped crystal clear diamond that shone all colours of the rainbow in the light.

He could basically picture it on her hand, topped with a second ring, a wedding band this time. He smiled broadly and without hesitation he had it boxed and pocketed within the minute. He was nearly bouncing on his way out of the mall, now he had time to plan out the night and he was sure it was going to go perfectly this time.

He had the ring. He had the things he needed. Now he just had to wait until she came home.

What day is it?

And in what month?

This clock never seemed so alive.

I can't keep up,

and I can't back down,

I've been losing so much time...

Murrue rummaged through her purse, searching for the house-keys that always seemed to be buried underneath everything else and never wanted to be found. She finally found them with a grumble of disdain, wondering why the hell the house was locked anyway, she was sure Mu was home. It wasn't like him to be that cautious, normally she had to remind him to lock the doors at night.

She opened the door, fully expecting only a few moments before she was jumped by her affectionate fiancé. That was why she was surprised that the home was dark, a soft glow making odd patterns on the ground by the kitchen. She blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting to the sudden darkness, and then the seducing aroma of fresh food cooking hit her. "Oh."

"Hey love." His voice whispered from behind her and her knees nearly gave way out of surprise. His arms wound around her waist and his lips pressed against her neck through her hair, and she melted with a sigh. "I missed you..."

"I missed you too." Murrue managed to murmur back, eyes fluttering shut as his mouth travelled up her neck to her cheekbone, finally finding her lips and sharing a chaste kiss before they wandered around to her ear. She fought the whimper that was building in her throat, and his hands seemed content to wander only making it harder for her to keep herself under control. She nodded weakly towards the display in the kitchen, the table alight with candles and two plates heaped with spaghetti and a glass of red wine beside. "Did you do all that?"

"Well who else would have?" Mu teased in a low mutter, brushing aside her hair with an easy sweep of his nose before he began to pepper her now revealed skin with little kisses and nips. This time Murrue couldn't stop the soft gasp that left her, or the moan that followed shortly after that. He grinned against her sensitive skin, tugging her a little bit closer before asking huskily, "Do you like it?"

She wasn't even looking when she answered in a breathless whisper, "I love it." She felt than rather heard his low chuckle, and had to force her eyelids open so she could look over her shoulder at him, her nose just barely skimming his. She murmured questioningly, "What's the occasion?"

"I can't be romantic?" Mu asked with a hint of fake incredulity, raising his eyebrows and looking thoroughly shocked. His expression twisted into playful dejection quickly after that, and he hung his head on her shoulder, grumbling unhappily, "Well okay... Guess it's the last time I try to surprise you..."

"Oh hush, it looks beautiful." Murrue laughed softly, twisting around in his arms so she could wind her own around his shoulders and hug him properly. He didn't seem to mind that much, chuckling again and hugging her so tightly her feet left the ground for a few moments. She didn't really mind that, grinning up at him when he smiled down at her, standing on tiptoe to give him another kiss. She added after they broke, "It smells delicious too, did you do all the cooking?"

"Why is it that I don't look like I can do a damned thing?" Mu whined, not letting her go as she walked towards her seat, arms loosely draped around her waist as he shuffled after her.

"Because you're a klutz." Murrue replied playfully, turning her head to kiss his cheek, smiling when he grumbled and buried his face in her hair. She could tell he was on a high, his eyes were twinkling and he couldn't keep his hands off of her, not that she minded that. He had something planned, and the dinner was just an interlude. She really didn't mind waiting, it all seemed incredibly romantic and she was pretty sure she knew where else they would probably end up spending awhile, and that was all good also. She had to admit she was a bit stunned, she didn't expect something like that to be waiting for her when she came home, it was a delightful surprise.

He drew out her chair for her, gallantly extending his arm to show she should sit. With a quiet laugh she followed his direction, earning a swift kiss before he served her the plate and the glass, then he took his seat next to her, grinning like a little child, eagerly waiting for her.

Murrue felt her mischievous side tell her to wait and see his face drop, but he'd done so much she couldn't think of teasing him yet. There would be plenty of time for that later if her suspicions were right... She leaned towards him, telling him she wanted him to move closer and he obliged without a word, moving his chair as close as it would go to hers, shoulders as close as possible and legs brushing every so often.

She dug in rather heartily, the scent coming off the fresh pasta nearly made her mouth water, and it tasted delicious. She was amazed first, then oddly smug, she recognized the taste of the sauce, she had a little book of recipes she'd filched from her mother once upon a time, and it was the exact same one. He'd been digging through her cookbooks.

They both finished the pasta quickly, drank the wine and enjoyed each other's presence for a little while afterwards. He'd muttered something about dessert but she was content to wait and snuggle a little with him, and he didn't seem to mind that at all.

She could sense that something was still wrong though, he still seemed anxious, like he was waiting for something to happen, or for the right moment. She snuck a peek up at him after a moment, studying his expression anxiously. He noticed her worried gaze and smiled reassuringly, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips before slipping out of her arms and into a kneeling position in front of her, both her hands enclosed in one of his.

Her eyes widened.

"I know I did this once already, and I hope your answer's still the same but I just wanted to do it properly this time." Mu laughed weakly, pressing a gentle kiss to her hands before he pulled out the tiny black velvet box he'd gotten from the store hours earlier. He opened it with a swift flick, and he heard Murrue gasp sharply, marigold eyes growing even wider as she stared at the jewel. "Murrue... Will you marry me?"

"M-Mu..." Murrue stammered awkwardly, heart pounding all over again for some strange reason she couldn't even fathom. She knew her answer, she'd given it to him already, what was with the sudden burst of nerves? She wordlessly let him slide the ring onto her hand, the weight was barely even noticeable, she couldn't tear her gaze away from his delighted eyes. She just nodded.

Mu was on his feet in an instant, and he swept her up into his arms without another word, kissing her furiously. She managed a strangled squeak before that melted and she sighed, arms winding around his shoulders, the ring glinting softly in the candlelight as he spirited her up the stairs and into their bedroom. Dessert could wait.

Natarle's Apartment

Glancing around, the change that had been made to her normally exceptionally clean apartment was fairly obvious, and oddly she didn't really mind his clutter. Of course, it was his clutter, he'd invaded her home with his little things that he'd had at his hotel, she'd noticed immediately what was happening to her home.

At first it'd been the odd discarded piece of clothing, and that was normal, considering how often they spent their nights together entwined in both the sheets and each other. But then it had kind of gathered and spread out. It didn't bother her though, strangely enough, she liked it. His presence in her small home, the odd little things that made her notice that she was no longer alone, the way her bedsheets always smelled like his cologne now and she was no longer cold while she slept, his arms always around her.

Yes. The change was definitely a good thing.

She was surprised at how quickly he'd adjusted there, how soon he'd made her home their home. They never discussed him going back to Copernicus, it was almost as though they silently agreed that his home was there now. He'd certainly made his claim there without even doing anything. She didn't care, she liked waking up to his arms around her, the little caresses he'd give her when he noticed she was awake, the way he smiled around her.

She definitely wanted him to stay.

He'd gotten himself a job at Morgenroete, test piloting like Mu had, his first flight would be the next day and he was eagerly looking forward to it. She didn't have any reservations at all, he was so delighted she couldn't make herself feel worry. So she was waiting patiently in their little apartment for him to come home, missing him every moment he was gone.

It was too easy to fall in love.

The door opened with sigh and she immediately became alert, dropping her book on the table in an instant and looking up to see him in the doorway, flashing her that broad smile that was just for her. She'd been used to losing some dignity every once and awhile around him, it was funny what a few weeks did to her. She hopped up from the couch and ran straight into his arms, pouncing on him.

Justin chuckled loudly and caught her effortlessly in his arms, swinging her around before setting her on her feet and wrapping his arms around her in a tight bear hug. He nuzzled into her neck while she laughed softly and muttered cheerfully, "Glad I'm home?"

"Always." Natarle answered truthfully, smiling when he pulled away to study her face. Seeming to be satisfied, he made do with giving her a swift kiss and then sweeping her up into his arms and flopping onto the couch with her curled in his lap. She laughed at the contented smile on his face and gently kissed his cheek. "You seem glad to be home too."

"Always." Justin answered cheekily, earning a soft whack behind the ear for his attitude. He caught her hand before she could pull it away and pressed a warm kiss to her palm, grinning happily up at her. "I love you."

"I love you too." Natarle answered with a shy little smile, curling back into his arms with a soft sigh of contentment. He immediately wrapped them around her again, pulling her as close as she could get and then sighed his own happiness before resting his chin on top of her head. They were silent for a little while, him toying with her fingers absently, running his thumb over her sensitive skin before kissing the crown of her hair. She finally spoke up, her voice lower than a whisper, "Justin...?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you planning to stay here...? With me...?" She was hesitant to ask, she spoke in halting tones, nerves getting the best of her. An icy fear would grip her stomach each time she thought about it, the anxiety of suddenly being alone all over again, after the warmth he'd shown her. It was unbearable, to think of him leaving, she couldn't imagine it, she didn't want to. The silent commitment was nice, but she wanted to hear him say it, to tell her he would stay.

Justin's gesture startled her, he laughed and then kissed the tip of her nose, smiling so warmly it took her breath away as well as the rest of her common sense. She had an odd suspicion that he'd been taking that away from her bit by bit since she'd met him, because she was in short supply of it whenever the idiot was around.

"Of course I'm staying. Why else would I basically invade your place? I was worried you were going to get pissed off and kick me out one of these days!" Justin exclaimed brilliantly, kissing her again and smiling at her awed expression. He chuckled and gave her a little squeeze, fairly amused by the stunned look she had on. "What?"

"You figured I'd kick you out?" Natarle repeated, rather dumbstruck. She scowled with fake anger, and she could tell he knew she was joking, she had a hard time even glaring at him because he had melted her so. She poked him hard in the sides and he whined, flopping back on the couch as she proceeded to tickle him. "Here I've been scared to death that you were going to leave me and you were thinking I was going to kick you out?"

"Well c'mon!" Justin hollered, wriggling away from her clever hands but she was too quick for him, tickling him in the ribs and earning a loud hoot of laughter. She tried to escape but she pounced on top of him in a rather uncompromising position, but she didn't seem to care very much, continuing to mercilessly torture him.

"Are you sorry?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry! I give, mercy, white flag!"

Natarle snickered but stopped tickling him, grinning smugly when he started to finally get his breath back, glaring up through tears of mirth at her, trying his best to look intimidating. It didn't work at all, she simply sat on top of him and continued to smile innocently at him. "Good job."

"Yes ma'am." Justin grumbled back sarcastically before a devilish smirk appeared on his face and before she had time to jump off him, he seized her around the waist and traded positions, now straddling her breathless form. It was her turn to shoot him a glare but he just grinned back at her and covered her lips with his own.

She didn't even try to get away, simply melted into him and pressed her lips against his, fingers running restlessly through his messy hair, sighing when he parted his lips to give her more. Her body moulded into his without any effort, and it wasn't long before his hands were moving down her shirt and popping the buttons of her blouse loose.

"On the couch...?" She managed to question him breathlessly, squirming against him as the fire in her stomach grew hotter and more wild with each touch.

"Why not...?" Justin growled back between kisses, hands opening her shirt and running carelessly down her sides, sending shocks of pleasure up her spine and causing her to moan into yet another kiss.

"Justin Halberton, you're turning me into a sex addict." Natarle murmured into his mouth, her left leg casually curling around his as he pushed her into the soft fabric of the couch, now easing her out of her shirt and caressing the scar on her side tenderly. Even as she said it, part of her laughed.

Who cares?

AN

Yeah, lol, I'm bad. No comment. XD The song was "You and Me" Lifehouse (I love that song, lol), and I have problems. Woot! Thanks for the sugar sis, this is a partial thank you for the awesome bday present!

Sky