The grand stateroom shone with the lights from half-a-dozen crystal chandeliers, the glow reflecting from the polished marble floor. The walls were hung with tapestries, the wooden tables lining these walls laden with food and drink. The elaborate three-tiered chocolate cake held pride of place in this display, the beautifully created confection covered with dozens of sugar flowers. A young woman stood gazing at this cake, a small smile to pink lips. This was hers. Well, not just hers. This cake had been made for her..and her new husband. She turned to look around herself, the satin skirts of her wedding dress rustling as she did so. This stateroom...it was more than she had expected. She and the others had expected to celebrate the wedding in the slightly less grandiose surroundings of the small wooden beach house belonging to Kira-kun and Lacus-san. But as soon as Cagalli-san had found out, she had descended on the tiny house like an avenging angel, practically insisting that the reception be held in one of the staterooms of Government House. The newly-married couple had protested, of course, but the young Representative wouldn't hear of it.
"The two of you have been through so much...and you both helped save this country. There's so little I can do to repay you for it...so please, let me do this..."
Murrue hadn't been able to say anything to that, taken aback by the girl's earnestness. Mwu had grinned, reaching out to ruffle the young leader's hair. "Thanks, missie.."
Which was why they were here now, although the room was far from full. The two of them had invited only their closest friends to their wedding, Kira-kun, Lacus-san, Captain Bartfeld, as well as the Archangel and Eternal's bridge crew. The orphan children too were there, running around dressed in their best. Murrue smiled gently at the sight of all her friends enjoying themselves, as well as her new husband. He was standing there near the impromptu bar, his jacket and cap discarded on a plush red chair nearby. His blonde hair was all rumpled, his scarred face flushed with drink, and perhaps happiness. This isn't quite how I imagined my wedding reception, but then again, I never thought I'd ever have a wedding, let alone a reception afterwards...
Pushing aside the lacy veil, she set off across to join Mwu, her white slippers tapping on the marble floor. "Having fun?" she asked gently, as she approached him. He turned to her and smiled, the expression lighting up his face. "Hey, sweetheart.." he said happily, moving to wrap her up in his arms. "You want a drink?" She giggled at that, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Maybe later." Peeking over his broad shoulder at the table full of drinks, she smiled again as she saw that a lot of the glasses and bottles were already half-empty. "Although there might not be a later," she scolded him affectionately. "How much have you had to drink?" She poked his nose, and his face fell. "Not much, honest!" he whined. Murrue couldn't help giggling again at his childishness, and kissed him again. The crewmembers lining the drink table chuckled, muttering amongst themselves about henpecked husbands. The blonde man scowled at that, turning to the others, but they immediately assumed innocent expressions and looked away.
"Here, come on," she said softly, breaking out of the embrace and taking his hand. "You'd better get something to eat, or you'll have a terrible headache in the morning.." The two of them walked back across the shiny floor to where the food waited, and Mwu grinned as he saw the wedding cake. "The princess outdid herself, huh?" Murrue nodded, gazing again at the cake. Her husband wrapped a warm arm around her waist. "You gonna try it when we get to cut it?"
But she shook her head, wisps of auburn hair escaping from the elaborate braid to frame her face. He looked surprised at that. "Oh? Why not?" She smiled, looking down at the floor and blushing. "It's another superstition.." she replied, and wouldn't say anything further, despite his questions.
After he had eaten, the two of them wandered outside onto a terrace, the hem of her dress whispering on the stone floor. The moon shone in the sky, a slender white crescent surrounded by thin clouds. Murrue smiled, gazing up at the moon and closing her eyes. "What are you doing?" he asked, tone amused. The moonlight shone down on her, reflecting from her white dress. She looked beautiful, angelic even, and he just sat down on the terrace wall and looked at her.
"Making a wish," she replied quietly. "That the two of us...can always be like this. Always be together.."
"You don't need to wish on the moon for that," Mwu told her, standing up to join her. He wrapped his arms firmly around her waist, breathing in the scent of her hair and the white roses that crowned it. "If death couldn't keep us apart, I doubt anything else would stand a chance.." He glanced down at her thin left hand, smiling at the two golden rings that circled the third finger. As his new wife snuggled against his chest, he too gazed up at the moon.
Later that night, at the home the two of them shared, Murrue stood on the balcony, again gazing at the moon. She still wore her silken wedding gown, and her hair was still braided with flowers, although her make-up had been removed, as had her slippers. Chuckling softly, Mwu walked up to stand beside her. "How many wishes do you need to make?"
"Not a wish this time," she replied with a smile. "I was just thinking how beautiful it is." The blonde man looked up at the moon, then back at the woman beside him, and grinned. "It is. But you," he said softly, leaning in close to nuzzle at her neck, "look even better." Murrue giggled at the tickle of his lips, and turned to wrap her arms around his neck. "Flattery will get you nowhere, mister." He raised an eyebrow at that, and bent to kiss her gently. "How about that?" he asked when they broke. Her pale face was flushed pink, but she was smiling. "That could work..." She kissed him again. "You taste like chocolate.." she mused. "How much of that cake did you eat?"
Instead of answering, Mwu bent and lifted her up in his arms, moving back inside the bedroom and closing the balcony door. His wife smiled gently, leaning forward to brush her lips against the scar winding across his nose. "Oh, so now we get to the 'wedding night' part of the evening?" Again, he didn't answer, just smiled wickedly, and carried her up the wooden steps to where their bed waited. Carefully setting her down on the fluffy white comforter, he trailed a finger over her cheek, the simple touch causing her to blush. "How come you're still blushing?" he asked, sitting down beside her. "We're married now, Mrs La Fllaga..." Murrue's blush deepened from deep pink to poppy red at those words. "Funny.." she murmured. "I never thought about my name changing.."
Mwu laughed at that, leaning in close to kiss her neck and bare shoulder. "Well, you're gonna have to get used to it.." he told her, reaching behind his new wife to start unfastening the little white buttons at the back of her dress.
Murrue smiled, closing her eyes happily at his caresses. "Mmmmmm..." But after a moment, she cracked open one eye to fix him with an amber gaze. "Are you stuck?" Mwu grumbled under his breath, thick fingers unable to unfasten the fiddly buttons. "This isn't very romantic.." he said apologetically, and Murrue laughed, pushing him away. Standing up, she pulled the satiny garment up over her head, placing it over the side of the loft railing. "Is that better?" she asked, and Mwu grinned saucily, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back onto the bed.
"Much better," he replied, letting her rid him of his own clothing. Pulling the comforter over them both, he ran a finger down her bare stomach, followed by kisses, which made her gasp softly. She closed her eyes, a small smile on her face.
"What, you thinking of falling asleep?" he asked, his hands moving lower. Murrue gasped again, eyes shooting wide, and Mwu chuckled, moving back up in the bed to kiss her again. "So, did you enjoy today?" he asked. Catching her breath, she smiled at him, reaching up to brush aside a lock of his long blonde hair. "Of course I did. And if I know you, it's not over yet.."
He smirked at that, moving down to nuzzle at her neck again.
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( This was completely random, and I have no excuse for it. But it was fun to write...
Please read and review! )