Honeymoon

[Warning: This is full-blown romance and diabetic.]

It was supposed to be a honeymoon of sorts when Jack and Lupus decided to take their first reconnaissance mission together. Under the pretence of duty, they were actually hoping to spend some wonderful time together. After all, there were no immediate threats or anything of the sort in a quiet town like Hasenwald — at least, not yet anyway.

Jack piloted his new Armatus, painted glossy silver and white, with the Hoffmann family crest adorning its shoulder armour. Its propulsion arcs flared as they soared through the air. As they reached the sightseeing spot for the grand waterfall, the Armatus hovered above the breathtaking landscape.

Opening the cockpit hatch, they settled on a picnic mat, feeling the crisp, moist air on their skin. Soon, they shared a delightful lunch, nothing too grand, just two baskets of assorted sandwiches and carrot tea inside the modified two-seat passenger compartment.

As Jack thought about it, this was the very spot where he had his first near-death experience. If it weren't for Lupus crushing his neck with her thighs that day, he wouldn't have had this amazing moment. Or perhaps that had been a kind of heaven? He couldn't care less.

He chuckled softly, mostly at their past selves; so much doubt, distrust, and tension between them. Now, Lupus, nibbling on her six or rather, seven sandwiches, became his love of his life and his purpose.

They cleansed their palates with an incredible carrot cake, its blend of sweetness, tanginess, and creamy texture leaving them in awe. In the cockpit, Lupus purred as she nestled atop Jack's body. The soft melody of the pop song they had heard on their first date at House Tasmania played in the background — the very song that had made Lupus blush back then. Her sun-kissed scent filled his lungs, brimming him with affection. He wished time would stop, freezing this moment forever. He had found what he had been longing for.

As Jack softly threaded his fingers through her silver strands, she slept soundly against him, occasionally chuckling in her sleep. Jack found this side of her utterly adorable. She was still young — only twenty-two. While he was almost twice her age, he felt the need to put in double the effort to make up for it. And, deep down, he carried a subtle guilt. One could say this was a guilty pleasure.

"I, Jack Squire, swear this undying oath. With my might, my heart, my soul, that I will never make you regret holding your essence and declaring your love for me, Lupus Hoffmann." He spoke softly before kissing her cheek.

"Mmm, you have no tact at all, saying an oath while I'm asleep," Lupus murmured as her golden eyes snapped open.

Now, she stared at his blushing face. "Say it properly this time!" She commanded playfully.

"Yes, my love. Ahem!" Jack cleared his throat, preparing himself again. He remembered every word exactly and repeated the vow, this time with full sincerity and not a single stutter.

Lupus gazed at him, unblinking, her face growing warm. "...W~where is the last part?" She asked, fully flustered.

"Last part?" Jack stammered, puzzled. He had said every word correctly and properly. How could he be wrong?

Before his denseness could be dispelled, Lupus grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss. Their passionate exchange lasted longer than it should have.

"That's the last part!" Lupus exclaimed excitedly, making Jack blush once more. They both let out soft, gleeful chuckles that filled the air with love.

***

After their short but fulfilling lunch, Jack steered the silver Armatus, scanning the perimeter, hoping to find some fallen mobile suits to salvage. The Finder Keepers protocol was engaged as the giant steel machine hovered just above the evergreen tree branches. The forests in the eastern part were more vibrant and lush compared to those in the south, where the townspeople called it Mirehaven — the haunted forest.

As the Armatus followed procedure, it automatically scanned left and right. Jack glanced away from the list of useless junk the scanner picked up and turned his attention to Lupus, who was twirling her hair, lost in thought.

"Told you, my work is kinda boring," Jack said bluntly.

"My security work is much worse! My parents had me standing by their side, attending headache-inducing meetings!" She argued, then fondled her cheeks. "Ugh! My facial muscles are all stiff from making mean faces all day!"

Jack chuckled. "Is that a requirement? To make mean faces?" He asked, amused.

"Absolutely! I'm supposed to be intimidating! Grr!" She said, imitating one of Frain's growls.

"Just a bunny pretending to be a lion," He quipped.

"Fufu!" She let out a soft laugh.

"By the way, how did you manage to pry yourself away from Frain? She's overly protective of you."

"I suppose… I lied to her," Lupus admitted sheepishly, ashamed.

"You did what?" Jack asked, shooting her an incredulous look.

"I implied that we'd be going with the magistrate on another escort duty… I told her to go ahead and that I'd follow shortly."

"But you snuck out and hung out with me instead?"

"Yes…" She replied, staring at the HUD screen.

"You cheeky little rabbit!" Jack said, quickly running his fingers along her sides. Her laughter boomed, and her body wiggled frantically like an eel.

"Ahahaa! She's fine! Ahaha! She's with my sisters!~" Lupus's plea was cut short.

[Detected! Detected! Detected!]

Suddenly, the Finder Keepers protocol blared a notification. It was alarming erratically than usual to signify the urgency within its find, this protocol was ingrained into the system for safety precautions. Jack's eyes darted to the list on the screen. His expression shifted to shock, his lips parting slightly.

"Is that… a human?!" He exclaimed, exchanging a confused look with Lupus before swiftly zooming in on the target. The camera enhanced the image — revealing a man in noticeably dark, skin-tight fabric lying motionless, face down, his hand outstretched as if desperately trying to crawl towards the river ahead.