#small ficlet

Yet duty calls as the ORB National Defense Forces had came by, while indirectly and not so very subtly requested for Mu's presence at a commemoration event. Much to the new father's displeasure. However, it was a request that he was unable to turndown when it was directly from Cagalli who had helped them so much. Murrue also thought its best for him to make an appearance, its their duty afterall. So off Senior Colonel Mu la Flaga went. The man with a duffle bag in hand, leaving his dear partner and child behind tearfully for sometime. Although he calls back often to check in on them with the occasional AA crew dropping by as well. Their ever protective hawk.

"Uh!" "Mhm, I miss papa too, Astella." Murrue sighs. Everything is peaceful.But its just not the same without Mu around.

It was then, an idea struck. "Shall we give your papa a surprise? I know! Let's go on a mission together with mama?" The mother turns to her baby eagerly.Her body has recovered and everything is well since her confinement was over.To be honest, Murrue is getting rather restless until she is cleared for work again.

Well, the doctors did say that exercise and fresh air would do them good. A mother and daughter outing sounds fun, no?

Astella babbles happily back with bright eyes the colour of the dazzling sky.

---

"Oh...its really crowded, isn't it?" Murrue blinks. It was rare for her to be in a visitor's perspective rather than an officer afterall.

Autumn is dreadfully warm this year, so Murrue has a simple flowing white one piece one and comfortable leggings. Their precious star dressed in a lavender dress (a present from Kira nii-san) while tucked safely in her carrier in front. Haro just keeps rolling carefully beside them quietly.

Astella blows a bubble in response as she takes in all the sights around her. Before pointing up at some Murasame units flying over head and started babbling excitedly, absolutely unbothered by the noise.

"Eh! Eh!"

"Yes! Astella is so smart! Those are Murasame units." Murrue laughs, giving her daughter's cheek a kiss as they headed into the ORB military's event venue. They slowly made their way to the entrance for the security check. Where the guards nearly had an aneurysm once they looked up from the baggage check to see Captain Ramius smiling sweetly back. A swift finger to her lips, trying to prevent a commotion.

They are here to give a surprise afterall.

With some casual talk and a quick thanks to the young soldiers for working hard. The officers swapped out the standard visitor pass for a special one and handed the tag to the Captain instead, after she declined kindly for an escort to accompany her.

The two soon headed inside, but not before the little girl gave the amused guards on duty a toothless smile and wave. ---

Just a little longer. Grin and bear with it. Its all almost over now.

At least, Mu hoped so. The veteran pilot freshened up and out of his pilot suit, tossing his bottle back into the locker. With ORB's national day and the Defense Forces military academy's founding day all in the same time frame, things have been hectic. It would not have been an issue considering he is technically not a soldier on active duty.

But nope! The brass had the amazingly bright idea of showcasing the special ops team Mu had a hand in, as well as some pilots for their military recruitment showcase and open house event. Which meant that Mu unfortunately had to be called in from his leave.

"Commander, its almost time." Shikishima pops his head inside the locker room and calls out, breaking up his old superior's inner grumblings.

"Yeah, I got it!"

The man adjusts the last of his medals and sighs, tidying his appearance and resists the urge to tug at his sleeves. He misses Murrue. He misses his little starlight.

Better get it all over and done with soon. The Mobile Suits showcase is over now. All that is left is the meet and greet and his duties for the most part is done.

Mu and the pilots leave the restricted area to one of the hangars open to public where a few Murasame and Astray units are stationed for viewing. Akatsuki however, have already been moved back to a secured hangar away from public.

There were initial concerns using Akatsuki for the aerial showcase earlier, since ORB's flagship gundam is still considered classified. However, Cagalli thought it would be good for citizens and morale after the terrorist attack awhile ago for the golden gundam to make an appearence. So with this rare opportunity in line with the country's national day, hopefully this will create some good PR too.

The Colonel is not personally keen as he looked at the gathering of excited civilians out there wearily. He loves flying, he loves operating MA and MS, and accepts his duty as a career soldier. But these publicity stunts?

Tedious.Tiring.Troublesome.

Its more so without Murrue by his side.

Which reminds him, there had been a strange feeling bugging at him for a while since the showcase, but it did not seem to be something to worry about.

Mu pulls himself back from his thoughts as he leads the pilots to the greeting area. Half hoping that the younger and eager pilots would help make the crowd easier to handle too. A hopeless thought of course, especially when its his name is slapped on the marketing brochures as a special appearance, leading to such a huge turnout.

Oh, that long chat he had with the army's PR and marketing bureau was fun alright. With a deep breath, Mu la Flaga puts on his best diplomatic mien, and carries out his role. Either with enthusiasts or casual visitors. Yet it was those with little eager kids and boys full of wonder in their eyes that makes the event less stressful.Afterall, he remembers how he was like those kids, watching the boundless sky.

As the event starts to wrap up and radio announcement of the closure of the area is underway. Mu watches the families leave as the sun begins to set, and starts to feel himself missing his own keenly. There it was that little spark again. He had felt it since earlier, but it started fairly faint... Now its bigger and near- "Mu!"

Mu turns towards that voice he knows. His senses alert but instantly drops it as he feels his heart lighten by the sight of that figure before him.

Murrue!

"Captain!"

"Captain Ramius!"

The pilots starts to get rowdy and gather around the beloved Captain. While some of the NCOs and staff have gotten bold and gathered around to greet their superior and the rumoured little one.

Haro rolls, avoiding the stampede of curious military personnel.

"Murrue! What ar-" Mu starts and approaches Murrue but is stopped when he sees his beloved quickly putting up a hand A small gesture urging him to stay where he is at. Only confusing the man more just as his child tries to reach a chubby hand for him from her spot on Murrue's chest. "- Pwa!" Mu blinks, baffled. Still trying to process seeing his Murrue and daughter before him that he almost missed that little sound amongst the racket the pilot squad is making.

It almost sounded like Astella is trying to call him? Murrue is smiling as she takes the little one out of her carrier, letting Astella's bunny sneakers touch the ground. Her gentle palms supporting those tiny warm hands, before letting the chubby fingers slip out gently.Those tiny feet are standing shakily but strong, as his child takes the first few shaky steps towards him.

No way. Mu is speechless as he kneels down, while the peanut gallery grows quiet, supporting eagerly by the sides. The father ignores them and focuses straight ahead, keeping a sharp eye watching over the little one toddle her way over towards him.

Two hands reaches out, scarred and calloused but always protecting the light of those he loves with every bit of his strength in him. Ever whispering encouragements to the child. Another strong figure follows closely behind those determined tiny feet, guiding hands ready to grab the innocent star from falling too far. A scrunch of a button nose, and just a few more steps! But the unsteady feet stumbles over themselves, as the onlookers gasps.

It did not matter, Mu's combat reflexes grabs Astella safely and the man laughs brightly. Strong arms hugging his child tight, kissing the chubby pink cheeks and praising her for her first steps. Before he turns and pulls his lover and partner in as well, giving Murrue a sweet kiss on those soft lips that he had dearly missed. Letting the familiar scent of this strong woman envelop his senses as he holds them close.

"Surprise." Murrue then whispers into his neck.

"Thank you." Mu smiles back, pressing his lips once more onto her forehead.

A younger pilot in that white EA uniform ever wandering aimlessly in those skies would never have dared to imagine the life he has now. However, Mu knows this is what his heart had long yearned for.

The two figures here in his arms are his sky now.

---

Omake:

"Ah!Ah!"

"Yes, that one is Akatsuki! Papa pilots that big mobile suit!" Mu grins proudly back at his daughter in his arms, who is absolutely fascinated by the large shiny unit. All bright and sparkly under the hangar lights.

Murrue stays at the side as she talks to the NCOs, but keeps an eye on her husband-to-be and their daughter. A sense of warmth and bliss filling her heart watching her love ones together and full of joy. Under that shining mobile suit that have kept him safe and helped them bring peace-

"-So does Astella wanna touch Akatsuki?"

"Mu- COLONEL FLAGA, NO!"

He knew of course that you had been considerably swamped lately, but he had nonetheless expected that you’d be fast asleep at this time of night, especially because he himself had worked far beyond the point where it was advisable to handle hot metal and heavy equipment.

“My love,” he sighed dejectedly under his breath, shrugged back into his already discarded robe, and resigned himself to venturing forth again despite his earnest desire to curl up on the soft piece of furniture and sink into oblivion.

Every step he took jostled his tired bones and, as he finally reached the heavy door barring outsiders from your sanctuary, he leaned his forehead against the cool wood in overwhelming exhaustion. 

Without knocking, he entered the room; you sat slumped over on a chair, your chin cradled in your palm, and your complexion waxen with fatigue.

“Fëanor?” you cried out, alarmed, as you sat up straighter and blinked owlishly into the bright light falling through the open door in his wake. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s time to go to bed,” he declared decisively, “you’ve worked too much already. Rest is the sister of productivity and just as important.”

Lifting both your hands, stained by your relentless labours, pleadingly, you breathed: “Let me just finish this really quickly.”

Fëanor smiled but shook his head slowly; he remembered all the times it had been you who had dragged him out of the forge or from behind his desk when he had neglected his own health.

“No,” he insisted gently, “it’s enough! Come now.”

Your brow darkened and you simply turned your attention back to your work – as you had seen him do a thousand times – but it was hard to eclipse his presence, radiating like a beacon and filling every corner of the room with his warmth, try as you might.

After a few moments, he started speaking once more; in fact, he narrated – in great detail – every step of his own endeavours of the day in the forge.

Soon, his melodic voice drew your eyes back to him and he grinned wickedly.

When your eyes drifted shut, he bit back the triumphant cackle bubbling up in his throat; his sons knew this dark power of his only too well for he had used the bundled might of his most boring descriptions on them many a time before.

“I am fascinating,” he mumbled when he lifted you into his arms and pressed a tender kiss onto your brow, “when I choose to be.”

As he put you down on the soft mattress and, throwing his own garments onto the floor in his eagerness to join you, slipped under the covers beside you, he kissed you once more very gently so as not to wake you.

“Sleep well, beloved,” he whispered, “and may we both have another gloriously productive day come tomorrow.”

As it's not my request, I thought I'd rather not be too forward.

If you see this, dear anon, and you want my take on Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, or Caranthir, let me know.

I can also offer erm...Fingon? Finrod? Any of the dwarves? lol

Let me know.

Hannibal watched as the strange creature fluttered around his office, barely even registering the seat he had most of his patience occupy. There was a familiarity about him; fidgety and cold and appearing weighted down by a bucket of water even while dry. However, there were some stark differences. Where his William was unsure of himself; hiding behind a sense of chilly indifference- Adam Faulkner-Stanheight was nearly cocky. At the very least, he was able to put on a cocky front. There was that air that followed him about the room- an air of filth and blood.

Court ordered therapy seemed to be a specialty of Hannibal’s lately. Though this time, he was rather happy Adam landed in his lap so to speak. He had been keeping close eye on the Jigsaw killer as of late, especially considering it covered his own work. While Hannibal himself was flamboyant in his displays, this “Jigsaw”, tended to go even further than himself. They were called “games”; a form of rehabilitation through torture. There were multitude of survivors that came out the other side worshiping Jigsaw like a god.

Not Adam though. No, he was furious. He cursed and spewed out bile in the form of words every time he stepped foot into Hannibal’s office. The doctor had a feeling it was not the “game” Adam was in that caused this anger. It seemed far more deeply rooted.

“Is there a McDonalds near here?” The sound of Adam’s voice came floating softly from the loft where he was seated out of view. At first, Hannibal wondered if he heard him correctly from where he was seated at his desk. It was clearly a day where Adam had no intention of speaking about his time within the bathroom; that space of about a week that he was left to drink stagnant water in the pitch blackness beside a body he had killed that slowly rotted away.

When Adam was having one of those said days, Hannibal simply sat and got work done. He did not particularly care either way. If Adam was within the room, that was considered therapy; it was not as though Hannibal was going to rat him out or anything- doctor patient confidentiality and everything that entailed.

“There is.” There was not. Well, it was not close; perhaps a ten minute drive. Silence followed his answer, then the voice that responded was slightly clearer.

“I’m gonna go get some of that shit and be right back. I won’t run away doc. I would really prefer for Judge Hartley to get off my nuts; hard ass bitch was about to be me black and blue last time.” He muttered under his breath as he scrambled down the ladder and then out of the room before Hannibal could respond.

Hannibal knew that Adam would be back, he had done this in the past after all.

And just as he predicted, it was around twenty minutes later when Adam strolled right back in with a brown bag in his hands. Instead of sitting in the “patient chair”, the young plopped down upon the floor right in front of it.

At least he understood that Hannibal could clean his floors far easier than the soft leather of the chair. He even had grabbed a load of napkins from the fast food restaurant to lay out like a picnic blanket. It was clear that Adam had done something similar in the past.

Nevertheless, Hannibal took his chance and moved back to his usual seat across from Adam. For a few moments, he simply watched the man; observing how truly young he looked. As he ate the burger, Adam looked more like 21 instead of his 27. He also could not help but huff a quiet laugh at how much Adam looked like William; the two of them could very well near be brothers.

“Would you like to speak on the matter of the end of your “game” Adam?” Hannibal asked in an attempt to get some therapy done within this session.

However, he understood that was going to go nowhere when Adam’s soulful dark eyes, rimmed by a red and dark purple, looked up at him.

“Fuck that shit doc. My stomach has been aching like I just got dicked down hard. Maybe next time.” Adam curled up against the couch that rested at his back.

Perhaps Hannibal just had a type, perhaps he simply liked the version of life he never experienced considering his background, but it seemed as though Adam was growing on him like William had when they first met.

So Adam ate quietly, commenting on something he spied within the office and listened even quieter as Hannibal answered to the best of his abilities.

Before too long however, the door at his back opened and in walked two sets of footsteps; one he recognized and the other he did not-especially the off rhythmed clacking of a cane.

“Larry? What are you doing here?” Adam asked right when the two newcomers rounded Hannibal’s seat. There stood William, and a taller blonde man that appeared to be Hannibal’s age, if not a few years younger.

He recognized this “Larry” person immediately. Doctor Lawrence Gordon was the other person in that bathroom where Adam nearly died. Unlike Adam, the good doctor seemed to have come out of the bathroom much more put together than the brunette.

Hannibal noted the prosthetic on the doctors leg and stood to shake the blonde’s hand. “It is a pleasure to meet a colleague.” He said. “Hannibal Lecter.”

“Lawrence Gordon. I apologize for interrupting.” He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Adam, before looking back at Hannibal. “Mr. Graham and I were just speaking. The FBI in New York needs all the help they can get profiling Jigsaw, and William Graham is the best after all.” William looked down since he was so odd about taking praise. Meanwhile, Adam had stood and walked over to them. Now that he was beside Lawrence, Hannibal could see the expression that they youngest was wearing.

He loved Lawrence Gordon. Clearly, they had imprinted on one another in that bathroom. “Can I bum a ride from you Larry? My car shit out on me a couple of blocks from here.” The blonde doctor simply nodded with a heated look, eating the other man with his eyes.

It was then that Hannibal realized something, as Adam left the room before Doctor Gordon.

Hannibal felt he was looking into a mirror when he gazed upon Lawrence Gordon.

He knew that unbridled rage that wanted to rip straight through the skin.

He saw the blood upon Lawrence’s hands.

The good doctor knew more about this Jigsaw than he was letting on.