Fandom: My Time as Sandrock (oh look, something other than SWtOR lol). Kinda spoilery but tried to keep it vague.
Characters: Mayzee (Builder OC) x Owen
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Water was a precious commodity in Sandrock, even after the landscape's rebirth two years ago. Conserving water was just as crucial now as it had been years prior, ensuring that the town and land would continue to thrive after years of hardships. The people had been given a second chance after fighting so hard and they were not going to risk it. Caution increased as the war finally broke out between their Alliance and the Duvos Empire.
Right now, one of the town's Builders, who also doubled as a Civil Corp member, was using some of that valuable resource to scrub her white shirt. Some of the splotches of blood were her own, but the bigger mess on the front belonged to another: a Duvos soldier who had infiltrated their town and tried to sabotage all that they had done. This hadn't been the first time the people had dealt with Duvos in a fight; however, the confrontation hadn't gone down as she had hoped.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Mayzee froze. From the touch alone, she could guess who was behind her before he uttered a word. A strand of her light pink hair was tucked behind her ear as his low voice called out gently:
"Moonlight." The affectionate nickname was spoken in a very familiar, concerned tone. Usually applied when discussing her overworking and sleeping habits. If only it were the case this time. Mayzee turned her head, lifting it a little as Owen knelt beside her, his soft blue eyes fixed on her deeper blue hues. Silence, followed by unintentional synchronized exhales. His hand moved from her shoulder to the opposite side, cupping her head and bringing her in to plant a long kiss on her temple. Warmth spread in her face and chest from the gesture, a comfort.
"Is Selene okay?" she inquired about their two-year-old.
"Yes, she's with Zeke right now. She kept pointing and calling for him, so he and Elsie took the kids away from town center to look at the plants." Good, Town Center would still be a mess to clean. It was fortunate that some of the adults in the town had the foresight to keep the children away from the conflict. Yet nobody had truly predicted this outcome.
"It's not like this was my first fight," she justified quietly.
"No, but I believe it's the first time it ended in a death." Silence again. She averted her gaze and attempted to return to scrubbing, however her husband's arms wrapped around her and shifted so they both sat on the ground, using his height and build to his advantage. Again, a move he sometimes used when he believed she was pushing herself too hard. Admittedly, it was effective. No matter if she struggled or desired to keep working, there was a sense of security and calm when he held her. The only difference this time is that she just couldn't relax.
"You're shaking," he whispered.
"Adrenaline crash."
"How are you feeling?"
"Sleepy, honestly. Kinda… rattled. At myself." Admitting this was not desirable to her, but the truth was what he deserved. She watched the small trail of water trickle from her shirt through the dirt. "I know we've had battle before, gone through pretty much waves but… I didn't know I had it in me to… I mean, it just- happened! No hesitation." Unable to rub her hand on her face, she settled for pressing the back of her head against his chest. "Is that normal?"
"I'm… not sure. In this situation, perhaps. He wasn't going to stop. We saw how far he was willing to hurt innocent folks." The image of the decimated apartment flashed in her mind. Residents like Grace and Ernest were still under Doctor Fang's care. Rebuilding hadn't been an issue, but the trauma inflicted had already taken its toll. Whispers of leaving start circulating once more, a fear she thought they had quenched a couple years back.
"It makes no sense. Why there? What was the tactical advantage? Not to say I'm not thankful we stopped him in time; however, trying to burn our forest made sense given the damage it would have done. Why attack people first?"
"That's something Civil Corp will have to report to the Alliance so they can investigate."
"If he were alive, we could have interrogated him."
"Mayzee, it's not your fault." His fingers cupped under her chin, lifting so their gaze met again. "He made those choices. Peaceful surrender was offered by you, Justice, Unsuur and Mayor Trudy. He responded in further violence. You were protecting our town, our family."
"But Duvos is going to know. Sandrock is an area they can use to their advantage and now we- I've given them more reason to fight us again. A battle. What's that going to do to our environment, our livelihood? Selene's future?" Her eyes fluttered shut as he placed a kiss on her forehead, pressing against her bangs.
"We'll work together to find a way," he spoke against her skin. His hands shifted to lace with her blood-tipped fingers. "Just like we've all done in the past. We're a strong, resilient community. A classic tale of second chances and overcoming the bad. Thankfully, our hero doesn't have to carry the burden on her own." He smiled, and her cheeks got warm again as she returned the smile. Guilt still clawed into her chest, and her blinks rapidly fought against tears. Though her body still shook, she was still able to kiss him firmly.
"I believe your hero needs to get back to work then. Got those commissions to fill.”
"Mm, mm." He denied with another kiss. "Rest first, Moonlight."
