(Ima casually skip to the next day... I wanna get to the drama xD)

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Mercy had stayed up until a few minutes before midnight, sitting on the couch, curled up. As usual, every possible thing and thought ran through her mind. After she had enough sense to drag herself into bed, she cuddled up to Ajax and managed to get about 7 hours of sleep before his warmth was gone. She woke in his absence, shifting gently beneath the covers and rubbing at her eyes. After a moment, she it finally hit her; she was getting married. She offered a small grin to herself and slid out of bed, curling her arms around him from behind and laying her head against his back. "Morning, love." She murmured softly into his back, cuddling into him as per usual.

Ajax honestly was not prepared for Mercy to just come out and lay her head on his back because he was way to busy thinking about what might happen and how he should help and what they were going to set up. When she did he jumped a little, startled, which was extremely rare. There's a first time for everything. "Good morning, person who creepily sneaks up behind people." He answered with a small shake of his head and a grin, moving an arm to gently rest around her back. "How was your night of sleep?" Ajax inquired, pulling upon his special ability to talk and yet still think about other things. He thought it was called something magical like.. multitasking.

"I'm your almost-wife, I'm not creepy. You're just jumpy." Mercy muttered indignantly, cuddling up to him as he curled an arm around her. "Pretty good, actually. I'm assuming yours wasn't? You were moving around a lot last night." She said softly, her tone hinting faintly at concern. She stood faintly on her tip toes to press a kiss against his cheek, setting her head against his chest.

Ajax let out an indignant snort at her words, which sounded similar to her muttering. "I'm not jumpy." He answered haughtily, although the truth was, when he wasn't expecting anything, he did startle easily. "Well I'm glad you slept well. You assumed correctly, but hey, here I am, 100 percent alive and totally energetic." He quipped with a small grin, although even on his tanned face the shaded circles under his eyes still showed, proof he spent an entire night worrying needlessly. "I have a single question that we might've forgotten to think about, but it really isn't a big deal... where are we having the wedding? I'm assuuuuuming here but I always tell myself never to assume. It has gone wrong ways before." Ajax made a face as he remembered some of the *wrong ways* it had gone.

"Liar." Mercy snorted, rolling her eyes at his tone and settling her head on his chest gently. "You're gonna fall asleep at the altar, dingbat." She huffed, looking up at him and brushing her fingers gently beneath his eyes with worry. Why couldn't he sleep? Regret? Worry? Shame? None of those were something she wanted him to feel about their marriage. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet and moved away from him, rubbing her face anxiously. What if he changed his mind? What if he didn't want to marry her any more? She curled her arms around herself uncomfortably and leaned against the kitchen counter. She was tempted to bite her nails, but the simple, pale blue manicure stopped her from doing so. She glanced over at him for the question, answering absentmindedly. "Oh. It's here. Well; not here. It's down at the lake." She shrugged, staring anxiously at her hands.

Ajax winced, though he shook his head firmly at her second sentence. "I will NOT fall asleep. Believe me, the adrenaline will keep me awake." He joked, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in concern as Mercy moved away, her happiet mood disappearing and her whole worried temperment coming back. "I really wish I could read your mind right now, but I can't so I'll just have to trust that you answer my questions truthfully. What are you worrying about and what can I do to help?" Ajax asked gently, walking back over to her and leaning against the counter next to her, his eyes trailing across her face as he tried to figure out what could be troubling her. Of course, there were many things, but which one specifically was she worrying about? He didn't add to her answer, instead taking her hand. "Hey, there's nothing to worry about. Well, as long as you figured out what to say." He smiled slightly but his voice went back to being serious. "I mean it, Mercy. Make that worrying look disappear and enjoy the day." He said firmly, tracing a finger down between her eyes before pulling back slightly.

"That won't stop you from being tired." Mercy muttered, rubbing at her knuckles and keeping her gaze fixed on her hands. She blinked in surprise when Ajax spoke, bringing her gaze back up to him. "It's no big deal." She shrugged, watching him take her hand quietly, a familiar surge of affection flooding her veins. She flashed the softest of smiles at his joke, biting her lip quietly. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as his finger traced down the bridge of her nose, letting out a soft sigh. "I know, I know." She muttered, opening her eyes slowly and interlocking their fingers. "I'm just worried about you. You didn't sleep very well last night, and I have no idea why, or if it was my fault, or what. I don't know, it's stupid." She muttered, shaking her head and stepping into him so she could nuzzle her head quietly into his chest. She curled her arms around his torso quietly, breathing in the scent she had come to love so much.

Ajax had to roll his eyes slightly at her very unconvincing *its no big deal*. She could have at least tried to go with a better lie. Even him, who was horrible at emotions and affection, could still tell night and day that her words were anything but true. At her small explanation he resisted to urge to yet again look mystified at how her brain worked, instead thinking up an answer that excluded any teasing jokes his brain and quickly brought up. "You don't have to worry about me one bit, and don't always assume the worst of every situation. If I assumed the worst when you met me- mind you, I was trying to think it would end well but I was STILL thinking about how you were probably just being nice because of my stupid curse- then I would have left immediately and we would never be where we are now." He paused to let it sink in before continuing firmly. "If you need an explanation about my night-of-no-sleep to stop worrying, here. I have always worried about this but it has become way stronger lately. I never have had any idea how you could stay around me or why you'd want to. In no perfect world do I deserve you. You are sweet, and kind, and romantically adorable, and helpful, and you put up with my silly antics over, and over, and over. All I have to offer is a shoulder to lean on and some grumbling and griping. I don't feel anywhere near worthy to even be friends with you. That's why I couldn't sleep. So yes, okay, it technically WAS your fault, but not in the ways you were imagining." Ajax explained quietly, his eyes darkened slightly. "And it is not stupid to worry in a normal relationship, I just had HOPED that you'd learn by now I will love you no matter what happens." He smiled slightly, closing his eyes a moment and letting out a small breath. "Is it just me, or have my encouraging speeches gotten better?" He finally asked with a teasing tone.

Mercy tilted her head up at him in a slightly skeptical manner as he started on his sweet little diatribe. She kept her arms curled around him softly, her head leaning gently against his chest so she could hear his heart and also look up at him. By the end, her eyes were a little watery, and an emotional smile was painting her lips. "You think I'm romantically adorable?" She grinned faintly, fighting happy tears. She squeezed him slightly as he finished, letting out a soft laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, they have." She nodded, gently reaching up to set a hand on either side of his face. She stood up tall, her head tilted slightly up at him. "I don't think you realize just how much I love you. And God, do I wish you could. I love you so much, Ajax." She said softly, getting on her tip toes to press a soft kiss to his lips.