OST ~ The Glory Days ft Tia, supercell

Politics were worse than any of humanity's enemies.

Such was the conclusion Fen reached when the accursed meeting was finally over, and he and Kane were left alone in the meeting room. Officially, to discuss private matters. Unofficially? So Fen could speak his mind about the table of overweight, idiotic, undeserving-of-the-oxygen-they-breathed sycophants.

Kane held his belly and laughed his head off the whole time, and the fool needed a few moments to catch his breath when Fen finished with an annoyed huff.

"I'm gonna be honest, I forgot how much you hated them. We worked pretty well together when the war was still going on, y'know?"

"Tch. Peace has a way of turning even the most competent into blundering fools."

"Oh yeah? Even you, Mr. Married-my-would-be-assasin?"

Fen scoffed, closing his eyes and taking his monocle off to wipe with a cloth. He didn't miss the way Kane chuckled.

"Am I any less competent, Kane?"

"Hah! No, I guess you're not." Kane removed his tie and ruffled his hair out of place, looking less like the president now and more like a homeless ruffian. "Welp, time to head home. Hey, say hi to your better half for me, 'kay?"

Fen pointedly ignored his friend and simply stepped out of the room. Behind him, loud guffawing was muffled by the heavy doors closing.

How many times has he heard those exact words by now? Kane would always say 'Better half' with an exaggerated wiggle of his eyebrows, a ridiculous grin, and the occasional chuckle, knowing it annoyed Fen to no end. That, and, as much as Fen hated to admit it, Kane also knew it would make him just a little bit happier at the end of an unbearable day.

It was pathetic really, how sentimental he got over such a simple phrase. But, even if it made him more vulnerable, he wouldn't trade his love for her for all the power in the world.

Years ago, she had become a fixture in his life, and despite knowing her motives were not her own, he found that the comfort they had together was genuine. When the time came, when the curtains fell and the choice had to be made, he didn't doubt for one second the choice she would make.

Between the church or Fen, she chose him. She chose them.

And now, years later, just the very thought of her name was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

Of course, things weren't perfect. They were still two emotionally damaged individuals who were better at creating false faces than being genuine with each other, but it had become their own little game by now, to take turns making cracks in otherwise perfect masks to reveal the truth beneath.

Plus, even during a time of peace, both of them were still haunted by ghosts of their past. But unlike before, now they were no longer alone. It only takes a moment for her to notice when he was back in that decrepit village, alone and afraid, and another moment for her to cuddle up next to him or to force him to lie down on her lap and stroke his hair until the pain disappeared.

Fen… he was still trying to catch up to that, to show her that he loved her more than anything else in the world. Like her, he could tell whenever something wasn't right, but unlike her, it took him a decent amount of time to figure out the right move.

For example, for a few days now, his love had been feeling unwell.

As he stepped into the warmth of their home, his eyes immediately landed upon her. Whilst not as boisterous as some of their comrades, she always had a certain energy about her, one that was beautiful, charming, and made him relaxed despite all the thoughts clouding his head.

Today however, she sat on their sofa, shoulders sagged and a half finished cup of tea in her hands.

"Mel, I'm home."

She turned to him with a small smile. "Welcome home, my general."

Carefully, Fen takes the cup away from her and sets it on the living room table. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, drawing a satisfied hum from his love, and used one hand to rub her shoulders.

"Feeling better, my assassin?"

"Now that you're here, yes."

They both laughed, but Fen focused his eyes on hers, making sure she knew he didn't buy it. His love, who he knew better than the back of his hand, and who knew him better than she knew her own, crumbled so easily. She barely had the strength to maintain her fragile smile, and her usually perfect grace.

"I had trouble sleeping last night. I've had some time to rest, so I feel a little better."

Fen's eyebrows furrowed, his heart pumped adrenaline as though it was preparing for war. His emotions were stomped down as his mind that earned him the title the Logical Monster of Gramenia came up with a hundred ways to enact vengeance.

He knew why she had trouble sleeping. Her past was an ugly one, even worse than his, and the nightmares that still plagued her to this day brought out an animalistic fury in him that threatened to tear him apart unless he brought the entire kingdom of La Riiz down.

Alas, they were no longer within his reach. Besides that, his love took priority. Vengeance could wait.

"I shall tend to your every need, Melia. I'll have a warm bath prepared, and while you soak in it, I'll make us a light dinner."

His reward was her true smile, with her eyes closed and dimples that made her look so much younger, and all the love and trust that came with it.

He kissed her on the cheek once more before heading towards the bathroom to do as he promised. Yes, this was his life now, his and Melia's. And though it wasn't perfect, it was everything he didn't know he needed.

~oOo~

Melia was coming home today.

A week. That was how long the blasted morons had kept her busy with their latest time wasting mission. They claimed it would only take three days at most, but their incompetence, the lack of proper reconnaissance and consequently horrendous information, and did he mention their utter incompetence, had made his love's job significantly more difficult than it needed to be.

He would kill them. Or at the very least, Kane would allow him to teach them a lesson they could never forget. The president quite liked Melia as a friend after all, and would understand Fen's murderous rage. A few hours. That was all he needed. He wouldn't even need Efkeria, that was how incompetent they were!

Fen took a calming breath. Regardless, today, Melia would be home. Thus he had taken it upon himself to cook a spread of her favourite food. Seared fish, grilled meats, sauteed vegetables, and homemade pie with the freshest of apples.

Fen had just finished plating the last of it when he heard the click of her heels announcing his love's return.

"Welcome home Mel," he said. "You're just in time for dinner." He helped remove her cloak from her shoulders and set it on the side of the sofa before placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

Melia looked past him, to the dining table piled high with plates, the aroma reaching across the room. "Oh my. That's quite a lot, Fen." Melia said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Ah. Well, I felt it was necessary, given your mission took longer than expected. Both to celebrate, and to make up for lost time."

Melia giggled into a hand. The melodious sound made Fen stand up straighter. He tried to tell himself that, no, she did not so easily embarrass him. Preposterous.

"Thank you, dear. I'll make sure to enjoy it."

Melia took a quick shower before they sat down. Immediately, Fen began to pamper her, taking a little bit of everything to fill up her plate and making sure she only needed to put effort in enjoying the meal. Melia chastised him, saying that she could handle herself and that he needed to eat too. He only gave in when she allowed him to pour her the wine.

It was a little into their meal and pleasant conversation when Fen noticed something wrong. Melia hadn't touched the pork at all after her first bite of it. Not only that, she had avoided the wine. It was strange, as good food was a luxury, one of the few that they both indulged in due to their pasts. He voiced his concerns, and Melia once again didn't even try to hide it.

"I love you, Fen, and I appreciate this more than you know. But… I just don't feel like eating that much today. Or at least, not some of the heavier things."

The only thing Fen could imagine would ruin her appetite was the mission being more draining than she let on. That, or he needed to try new recipes. But there wasn't much he could do about it now, so instead he insisted that she only ate what she wanted instead of trying to please him by finishing everything

Melia laughed, but agreed. Not without one last parting comment however, making him blush despite the years they spent together. "I'll make it up to you tonight." She said with a sly wink.

~oOo~

Fen was awoken by the sound of hurried footsteps and the bathroom door opening. The sound of horrible retching reached his ears soon after, and it caused him to snap upright. He didn't have time to realise before his hands were reaching into the freezer to grab some ice, crushing it, and returning to the bedroom with chips of it in a cup.

Melia was bent over the toilet, her face pale as she continued to vomit. Fen rubbed her back in an effort to soothe her, his other hand pulling her hair to try and prevent any puke from getting onto it. When she seemed done, he helped her up to the sink and waited for her to finish washing herself and the taste out of her mouth.

Fen handed her the cup of ice chips, and she slowly placed a few in her mouth, the cool liquid cleansing her throat bringing her much-needed relief.

"Are you okay, my love?" Fen asked, one hand on Melia's shoulder and the other caressing her cheek.

"The lack of sleep must've caught up with me." Melia replied, frowning when she noticed she made a mess of her clothes.

"You should shower." Fen leaned in to kiss her lips, but thought better of it and instead kissed her forehead. "I'll clean up here."

Melia tried to smile. "Do you want to join me?"

"I'll join you in bed once you're done. You need the rest, Mel."

Melia pouted, upset that he saw through her plan. He appreciated the attempt to alleviate some of his concern nonetheless, and he tried to tell her so with a smile. His love understood of course, and with a nod, went into the shower.

As Fen got to cleaning, the gears in his mind began turning. Melia didn't fall sick so easily, but over the past few weeks, she hadn't been in good health. Was something wrong? Were his worst fears coming to fruition, was someone trying to fracture the delicate peace?

God forbid, was it poison?

His mind began to compile a list of symptoms he had observed, desperate. His breathing quickened, fist clenching so hard knuckles turned white. But as the shower ran behind him, the gears finally, painfully, clicked into place, and all his fears were rapidly replaced by new ones.

When the love of his life stepped out of the shower, he opened his mouth to tell her his suspicion, but when he saw how tired she was, decided against it. They could talk about it the next day instead.

Slipping into the bed with her, Fen presses one last kiss to her forehead before cuddling up to her, his arms wrapping around Melia's waist as he pulls her into him. Her head rested against his chest, and her breathing soon evened out. Fen closed his eyes, his mind no longer allowing him to sleep.

Fatigue, changes in appetite, and nausea and vomiting. Fen knew what was coming, and he wasn't sure if he was ready. But seeing the love of his life sound asleep beside him, his insecurities were mere insects that were easily crushed under the weight of the affection he held for Melia.

Fen steeled his resolve. His whole life, he had masterminded the greatest victories Gramenia had seen. This would be no different. Already his mind was working overtime, formulating plans upon plans, creating the future where he succeeded.

Melia was the love of his life, and he would bend the world to his will and more for her. He was prepared to do the same for their child.

That night, he dreamt of a family of three.