for striker_eureka

[driftcompatible]

Mako Mori has a secret.

Several, in fact, but this is one of the biggest secrets that she's had to deal with in quite some time, and she doesn't know what to do about it. Raleigh knows - of course he knows, he always knows even when they don't Drift -- it's that pilot to pilot thing, two minds, two hearts coming together as one in the body of that giant machine. It leaves residue, leaves her feeling like she's part of him and he's part of her. One soul, split into two bodies.

He knows. He hasn't said anything to anyone, but he knows.

She's so grateful that he keeps it to himself, but she knows that it won't - can't - stay that way for long. Herc is going to find out why she's not able to pilot right now, why she can't get in the Jaeger and why she's temporarily grounded. Right now, she's made a million excuses but it cannot go on any longer. Someone is gonna figure it out if she doesn't confess, soon.

A few weeks pass and she's put on some weight and she's throwing up every morning when no one is around and -- she can't do it any longer. She sends for him, requesting him to please come to her quarters immediately because there's something she needs to speak with him urgently about, and she waits.

It's the longest wait of her life.

Comments

[driftcompatible]

She pushes herself up to look at him, black hair falling in her face before it's impatiently pushed back.This is important, dammit, and she doesn't want her hair obstructing her view.

"Marry me."

[striker_eureka]

Hercules stares at her in shock for a minute, his brain trying to process this when he's not quite sure he heard what she said.

You know, it's cruel to drop two bombs on a man like this in such rapid succession.

However, he recovers quickly enough, because a smile starts to curl his lips and he huffs out a laugh through his nose.

"What, you don't have a ring for me?"

[driftcompatible]

She knows. It's selfish of her to ask right now, but he'd said she could ask him anything and she's asking him now.to marry her. Can't take it back.

"Will that change the answer?" She counters, hands squeezing his. "Or are you going to just tell me no?"

[striker_eureka]

"Mako..." He leans in and kisses her before just resting his forehead against hers. "I couldn't tell you no if I tried."

What the fuck is happening to his life.

"If you really want to hitch your wagon to mine, love, then yes. I will marry you."

[driftcompatible]

"Of course I do." She gives him a little smile.

"I worried I was going to grow old before you asked."

[striker_eureka]

"I wanted to get you a ring first," he protests. "This kind of bumped up my timeline a little."

Still, he's going to get her a ring. And it's going to be beautiful and ridiculous because he has all this hazard pay that he needs to do something with. It might as well go to spoiling his girlf— his fiancée.

[driftcompatible]

Mako is completely fine with him spoiling her, actually. Right now, she could do with a little bit of spoiling, because this is a crazy, weird, and a not so great situation to be in, and she thinks she fucking deserves it, okay.

"Your timeline?" Mako quirks a brow, amused but intrigued. "You had one?"

[striker_eureka]

"Well, I was still ironing out the details, but yeah. My plan to get you to marry me was great."

It had involved waiting a little longer until he was sure she was sure about this relationship. He doesn't mean to impugn her honor or anything, but this is kind of a huge deal and she's still really young. He didn't want to push her into anything.

"Mostly it involved getting down on one knee and asking you, but there was other stuff too."

[driftcompatible]

He just thinks she's 'young'.

"Other 'stuff'?" Her lips curve up. "Can I ask what this 'great plan' was? I am very curious."

[striker_eureka]

He's silent for a long moment, his expression getting more and more sheepish as it draws out.

"...I was still working on that."

As in, he had no fucking clue. This is hard for him, okay.

[driftcompatible]

Her smile starts to widen, but she doesn't openly tease. She's still too emotionally raw to do that at the moment, but later, she might make a quirk or two about poor planning and her having to do all the work.

"Soon. I would like to do it soon."

[striker_eureka]

"Okay."

He tilts his head and nuzzles her a little, wanting her to feel like he's totally, completely, one hundred percent on board, even though he is scared and guilty. She's not alone in this.

"Do you want to do it before the baby, then? Before you're showing?"

So that people think the baby happened after the wedding?

[driftcompatible]

"That...would be appropriate, I think."

Less nastiness to float around in the rumor mill, anyway. If they can pull that off, then maybe people will think they were just in a hurry to have kids instead of the reality: their Marshal has been banging a 20something and knocked her up.

[striker_eureka]

"We'll need to get you a dress then, love," he points out, mind already turning this problem over now that he's had a chance to freak out quickly.

"I wonder if Tendo is a licensed officiant..."

He's going to go off base tomorrow and get her a ring, something pretty and sparkling and beautiful, something that's delicate but strong, something that she can shove in the face of anyone who makes a smartass comment about their relationship. He wants her to be happy so badly, wants her to feel secure and loved.

"Do you want it to be a big thing?"

[driftcompatible]

"I can do that."

A dress. She hasn't work a dress in years. That's going to be interesting.

"It doesn't have to be." It'd probably be better if it wasn't a huge thing.

[striker_eureka]

He's silent for a moment, thinking, then shifts to slide his arm around her again and bundle her up against his chest.

"Did you ever dream about your wedding?"

Because while he doubts they have the time to get something huge and extravagant and picture-perfect up and running, he still wants to make this as beautiful as possible for her.

And don't little girls dream about their weddings?

[driftcompatible]

"I...don't remember." She sounds thoughtful, because that was a long time ago and she's been very involved with the war since she was young.

"I wanted to be happy. I remember that. I would help with my family's land, and think that one day, maybe I would have something similar, and that I would have someone that made my heart sing." She pauses.

"I have one part of that equation, anyway. I don't need a big plot of land. Just you."

[striker_eureka]

"I'm not much of a farmer, love," he teases, his fingertips stroking up and down her spine nice and slow. "Even less of a swordsmith."

But still, he finds himself smiling as she speaks.

"I make your heart sing?"

[driftcompatible]

"Yes." A blush is creeping up her neck and she's glad it's dim in the room.

"You do. If you didn't, we wouldn't even be here."

[striker_eureka]

"Oh Mako."

He presses his lips to her forehead, hugging her close.

"I'm sorry this wasn't something we planned, I don't want you feeling rushed or trapped. But I love you, and I think we can make this work."

[driftcompatible]

"Rushed on one part, maybe." Namely children.

"I really do not think you were ever going to ask."

[striker_eureka]

Herc feels guilt and regret shoot through him in a painful pang, his stomach tight. He's glad he's got her basically tucked under his chin so she can't see the wounded expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," he replies quietly, half a whisper in the darkness.

"I don't ever want you to think I'm ashamed of you. And I do want to marry you, and I would have asked, just... I hadn't planned on it being so soon."

[driftcompatible]

"Don't be sorry." She's equally quiet, curled in close. "I didn't want to push you into anything."

She had thought he was ashamed of her, actually. She isn't bringing that up, though. Not now.

[striker_eureka]

"No, I am," he insists.

"I'm... Not very good at talking." Fucking understatement of the century, look how fucked up his relationship was with Chuck because they couldn't talk about things. "Sometimes I forget that people need things said out loud. And so I don't say things even though I think them and..."

He's not explaining this very well. Dammit.

"The only reason I've been hesitant to tell other people about our relationship is because I don't want them to question your work, your position, your skill. You're very young, sweetheart, and I'm no spring chicken. It would be logical — wrong, but logical — to assume that you being with me meant that I gave you special treatment or promoted you over someone more deserving who wasn't sleeping with me. You're so brilliant, the last thing I wanted was for someone to dismiss your work because they thought you got to where you are on your back."

He winces, knowing he'd fucking this up most likely, but deciding to plough on ahead anyway.

"I should have realized how it might seem to you. I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. I love you, Mako. You're the most important person in my life, and it kills me to think I've hurt you because I'm stupid and slow."

[driftcompatible]

Mako sighs, just a little bit, because even though he’s not exactly saying it in the best way possible, she knows what it is he’s trying to convey.

“It’s okay.” She shifts a little, wriggling in his arms so that she can prop up on her elbow and look at his face, one finger tracing a line from his ear to his chin and back again.

“I understand.” And she does, now. Whereas before, yes – she’d thought he was ashamed, now it…makes a little more sense. And he’s right, unfortunately. She’s in her mid twenties and he’s double her age – it is logical, yes. She hates it.

“And…you aren’t so bad at talking.” Not anymore. Admittedly he isn’t the best, but…they’re getting there.