for driftcompatible, driftsolo

[striker_eureka]

It's been a long day. His head's pounding again — probably not from his hangover, just from a stress headache, fucking paperwork, he hates it — and his face aches dully and all that Herc wants to do now is go back to his room and read a book or something, watch some TV, do anything other than focus on what's going on in his life.

But he hasn't seen Mako all day, hasn't had a text from her, hasn't heard her voice down the corridor, and he's a little worried. Not that she's hurt herself or anything, but that... Well. He's not really sure.

All he knows is he wants to see her.

So instead of going to his rooms, he turns left instead of right and heads down towards where she's still living. He could walk this route in his sleep, he's so used to it, and it factors into why he only knocks briefly on her door as a courtesy before pushing it open and letting himself in.

"Mako, sweetheart?"

He can feel the tension leaking out of his spine already as he steps into her room—

She and Raleigh are curled around each other, clinging to each other, their heads tucked in close. And while Hercules knows you'll always be physically close to your copilot, always want to touch and reassure yourself that they're really there, always want to be around them, to talk to them, to hear their voice and feel their presence beside you, that doesn't stop his heart from stuttering in his chest, a tiny voice in the back of his head crowing, hah I told you I knew this would happen you're never going to be good enough why do you even try anymore you should just give up already.

"Oh." Wow, is that really his voice? He doesn't remember sounding like that. He tries again, clearing his throat, his eyes dropping to the floor so he doesn't have to see them wrapped around each other. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd still be here..." 

He's backing up now, reaching for the door.

"I'll...try later." 

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[striker_eureka]

He feels his heart breaking when she starts to sob silently, her shoulders shaking as she turns even further away from him, hiding her face in her pillow. But there's nothing he can do about that, nothing he can say to make her feel better, so he just grimly holds on, presses his face into the nape of her neck and holds her steadily as she cries.

Finally her sobs even out and her breathing becomes steady again. He can't really tell if she's sleeping yet or if she's just exhausted herself, but either way, he nuzzles her quietly and sighs against her skin.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he whispers, pressing his hand lightly against her stomach. "I wish I could be enough for you. I wish I knew what I was doing wrong, how to fix this, how to make you happy again." God, he hopes she's sleeping. He doesn't really want her to hear this, even though yes, he does. But he doesn't. "Everything was fine until I had to go and get so fucking jealous and selfish, and god. I just. I love you. It kills me to know I've hurt you. I'm so sorry."

[driftcompatible]

She’s spent; her tears have exhausted her and she’s cried until she just can’t anymore and she’s left laying there in his arms feeling so hollow and broken and devoid of content. She wants to sleep – she should sleep – but even as her eyes stay closed and her breathing evens out she knows that she can’t quite succumb to the peace that sleep can bring. She stays like that a long time, too – long enough that he could safely assume that she’s asleep and maybe he does, because he’s talking to her quietly, like maybe he half wants her to hear and half doesn’t.

She hears him though and she wants to cry anew but she just can’t, she’s got no more tears tonight so instead she just covers the hand over his stomach and gently squeezes it before she slowly turns in his arms so that she can be face to face with him, her forehead pressed against his.

“You are my everything, Hercules,” she tells him, eyes closing as she tries to keep her breathing even. “And I will spend the rest of my days proving it to you.”

[striker_eureka]

Damn. He had a feeling she wasn't sleeping, and this just proves that. He waits and lifts his arm a little to let her shift in his arms, then curls his arm back around her when she's settled down.

He presses his forehead against hers and lets out a quiet huff against her lips.

"We're quite a pair, aren't we?" he asks, opening his eyes and trying to watch her from across the negligible space between them.

"But we'll be okay. I won't accept any other outcome."

[driftcompatible]

"Mmm."

She hums a little in agreement, nodding ever so slightly in acknowledgment. She wriggles her arm free so that she can cup his face, fingers spreading out over his cheek.She'd love to believe that statement, it sounds so nice, them being okay and right, so that's what she chooses to believe, focusing on that instead of the negative.

"You're right. We will be."

[striker_eureka]

He turns his head and presses his lips to the heel of her palm, deciding to change the subject.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" he asks, sliding his hand under her shirt so he can stroke his fingers slowly up and down her spine.

[driftcompatible]

The touch feels good and it's welcomed. She relaxes under the het of his hand, sighing quietly like its some kind of confirmation that things will be okay.

"I never thought this would happen." She hadn't thought about it much. Not really.

"But...I think I would like a girl. You?"

[striker_eureka]

He's so unbearably relieved when he feels her relax against him.

"A girl would be nice," he agrees, smiling a little. "She'll have your hair, soft and silky. And probably your eyes too. You've got strong genes, love."

[driftcompatible]

Her arm moves from his face to loop around his shoulders, pulling him close to her before she presses back, nudging him onto his back so she can drape herself over him.

"Your smile, your nose..."

[striker_eureka]

Hercules is more than happy to let her roll him over onto his back, his arms sliding around her as she settles above him.

"My nose?" He laughs, shaking his head. "Oh no, poor thing, not my nose. My nose is awful." He thinks it's stupid, all upturned at the end. "Your nose is much cuter." He demonstrates by dropping a kiss to the tip, letting his lips smack obnoxiously.

[driftcompatible]

She sprawls easily, a leg over his and her palm smoothing over the flat planes of his stomach.

"Yes, your nose."

She gently swats his hip.

"It is not. I'm rather fond of it, actually."

[striker_eureka]

"No, it's terrible, I wouldn't want to saddle anyone with my nose."

He's definitely playing this up, his nose is a little more cute than he would like but it's a perfectly fine nose, but finally, finally the mood of earlier has lifted a little and he wants to encourage this.

"I bet she'll freckle, though."

[driftcompatible]

He's earned himself a little pinch.

"It's a good nose," she says firmly, though the idea of her freckling is too sweet to bear.

"I think she'd be perfect."

No matter what - no matter the gender, Mako will be happy.

[striker_eureka]

That makes him yelp a little and flinch away from her fingers, but it's all him being ridiculous, her pinch didn't hurt at all.

"Yours is still cuter. Especially with freckles."

This is the best part of parenthood, when everything is rosy and golden and there's no need to worry yet, when you can pretend you're going to be the best parents ever and your kid is going to be perfect no matter what.

"Well of course she will, she's going to be your daughter."

[driftcompatible]

He's got her laughing at least, the smile on her face is genuine.

"And yours," she adds, pulling him closer to kiss him, needing the reassurance that at the very least, he is still in love with her.

[striker_eureka]

As is his.

"But mostly yours," he insists, his words getting muffled against her lips as he kisses her happily, his hands smoothing up her back.

[driftcompatible]

"That makes no sense," she laughs as she nibbles on his lip, hands roaming to tickle up his sides.

"It takes two."

[striker_eureka]

His smile widens into more of a grin and he lets himself squirm a little under her fingers.

"Shh, don't contradict me, I'm the Marshal."

Which counts for nothing here, really, but whatever.

[driftcompatible]

She rolls and slides on top, legs effectively straddling his hips. She leans down, fingers lingering in a place she knows makes him laugh, and murmurs in his ear.

"You can't pull rank with me, Hercules."

[striker_eureka]

He does laugh, low and rumbling, still squirming a little beneath her fingers.

"Watch me."

Watch him try, he should say. Because he's never wanted to pull rank with her before and he would never do it seriously, but he's a man, he can't help attempting to do some posturing, here and there.

[driftcompatible]

"Is this you pulling rank?"

She digs her fingers in - not enough to hurt, but enough to notice, and she leans over him and smiles, mouth finding his.

[striker_eureka]

He arches a little into the sharp press of her fingertips, humming against her lips.

"This is me hoping you'll pull rank, sweetheart."

[driftcompatible]

Her brows inch up her forehead and her teeth come down momentarily on his lower lip before releasing.

"I am so very tempted."

[striker_eureka]

"Oh yeah?"

He hisses a little when she bites his lip, but they've been together long enough for her to know he responds well to that.

"I don't know if I believe you."

[driftcompatible]

Her hands are creeping along the edge of his shirt, fingers teasing at the hem and brushing at his skin. Her hips roll once, pressing down against him.

"Yeah."

[striker_eureka]

His hands have fallen to her thighs, his fingers digging gently into her flesh as he watches her with blue eyes rapidly becoming more pupil than iris.

"Prove it, then."