Chapter Text
Qi Heng knows the drill.
All week, he scours the Starship Ruins. Gathering data about Olympia, his dream discovery. Working from before the sun rises until well after the sun sets. Reading every word on every sign, every piece of paper that drifts into his path from moving boxes out of the way. Scribbling pages and pages of notes for later reference, with quick doodles to illustrate anything that may help to realize the dream of travel amongst the stars. Completely embedding himself into the mystery that is the spaceship he knew only from legend.
Weekends, though - those belong to Marnie.
He and the builder became lovers a few seasons ago, the attraction between them electric both physically and metaphorically. He’d never thought he would find love - in fact, he had calculated the probability and convinced himself that the tragically low number may as well have been zero. But that spark the first time they danced.
That lightning. Pure, powerful energy transferring between them.
There was no denying it, no matter how hard he tried. He finally found something more captivating than his research. And the fact that she reciprocated his feelings was more unexpected and exciting than any satellite that had crossed his path through the eyepiece of the telescope she had retrieved for him.
But - this was OLYMPIA. Surely, she would understand that this was going to take more of his time than just the standard data discs and diagrams. They had discussed it at length before he ventured there for the first time, and he presented what he believed to be reasonable arguments as to why he needed to spend nearly every waking moment absorbing as much knowledge as he could from the site.
Marnie, however, was not sold on the idea. Which should have come as no surprise - she already was used to competing with the Gung….mobile suit for his time and attention. Now she also had to contend with an entire space station? “Unacceptable terms,” she said flatly.
“I’ve presented the data in its entirety. I’d be more than happy to entertain your suggestions regarding ways I can conduct my research while also maintaining peace between us.”
Marnie twirled a piece of hair in between her fingers, trying to formulate a response that would be agreeable to the eternally stubborn Director. Finally, a smirk materialized on her face.
“How about this - you have all week to go and play around in the ruins. But on the weekends, you belong to me.”
“That seems perfectly reasonable. We will rest on the weekends, and I will catch up on compiling my findings from the ruins for the week.”
“No, sweetie. You misunderstand me. On the weekends - YOU. BELONG. TO. ME.”
Qi cocked an eyebrow, clearly still not understanding the point that was being made. “Could you please elaborate on this? Seeing as how we’ve already taken our marriage vows, I presumed that I already did in a sense?”
“Happily. You see, dearest, you use that big old brain of yours all week long.” Marnie gently tapped two fingers on his temple as she spoke. “Constantly thinking. Stressing. Fretting. Making countless decisions to further your research. What I’m proposing is that every weekend, you let me do the thinking for you. Pilot your mech, so to speak.”
Qi contemplated this for a moment. The prospect of this would be absolutely absurd were it coming from literally anyone else. But Marnie - he trusted her completely. He knew from experience that everything she did for him came from a place of love. He also knew from the times that she had exercised a bit more control in the relationship, she’d managed to make him realize that he liked to have her calling the shots.
“Very well. Weekends it is. You’re the boss.”
Marnie’s mouth turned upwards in to a sly grin, “You’re going to either love or regret calling me that, sweetheart.”