Disclaimer: Gundam Seed © Mitsuo Fukuda. Amarante and Amaranta © Kurenai-Yuhi sensei
Amarante and her sister Amaranta are modeling for a famous fashion company.
Amarante sighed as she entered the famous Glamour Life Modeling Agency.
"What are you sighing about?" Her sister asked walking beside her. Amarante shot her a glare, quickening her pace.
"You know Nicol would have loved to be here," Amarante said opening the door for her sister.
"Yes, he would have but you know he-"
"He Died!" Amarante yelled.
"Calm down Amarante, I know his death is still affecting you," Amaranta said softly. Amarante felt tears sting her eyes as her sister pulled her aside.
"But he died for a good cause, right?" Amarante said feeling tears spill out of her eyes.
"Yes he did. Hey, do you want me to cancel this appointment? It's New Years Eve and you should be at home," Amaranta reasoned.
Amarante dried her tears on her sleeve, "I'll be fine and the appointment has been canceled three times already." Amaranta sighed looking at her sister. She dearly loved Nicol, even though they were in an arranged marriage.
"Well at least stop crying before you go in there," Amaranta ordered patting her little sister's shoulder.
"Excuse me for interrupting," a familiar voice said behind them. Amarante looked behind her to see Athrun Zala, Nicol's best friend, during the war. Amarante hugged him tightly crying on his shoulder.
"It's so nice to see you Athrun," Amarante said trying to sound happy. Athrun hugged her back knowing what she was really crying about.
"I'm sorry Amarante, it should have been me. I was supposed to die not him. Nicol was a good guy and he was supposed to married to a good girl named Amarante Haruka Takahashi," Athrun said softly.
She wiped her tears away from her eyes, "Thank you Athrun. Are you stay for the photo shoot?" she asked as the broke apart.
"Yes, I wanted to see you and your sister together," Athrun said patting her head. With her tears dried and a smile the three walked to the elevator. Amaranta pushed the button for the elevator. Athrun noticed that Amarante was shaking greatly leaning against here sister.
"Are you okay Amarante?" Athrun asked taking her off her sister.
"I'm fine, I just want…I just want to do the shoot badly," Amarante lied.
"I think you should go home," Athrun said with his hands on her shoulders, "it would be for the best." Amarante shook her head, thinking of Nicol. A man walked up behind them, he wore a lot of clothing to hide his appearance. The man stood in front of Amarante placing a hand on her face.
"Do I know you?" she asked trying to see the man's face. The only thing she could see was the man's smile.
"I'm sorry but can you take your hand off her?" Athrun asked him. Like Nicol Amarante and Amaranta were like his little siblings. The man nodded patting Amarante's cheek before placing his hand at his side. The elevator chimed and the doors opened. The man walked into it before, the twin sisters and Athrun. The trio wanted to go to level 16 and suspiciously so did the man. He stood in the corner as more people gathered in the elevator. The elevator made stops on level 3, level 4, level 10 and level 12 before level 16. Athrun escorted Amarante out as Amaranta and the suspicious man followed. Athrun began to get a sick feeling about the man following them. He seemed to go where ever they were went. Athrun opened the door for the two ladies looking back for the man following them.
He was gone, causing Athrun sighed with relief.
"Don't worry about that man Amarante, I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore," Athrun told her with comfort. Amarante nodded as the photographer walked over to them.
"Hi I'm Makoto Tanaka, your photographer. Your father informed me that I'm your new fiancée," he said happily. The man just had to emphasize the word new, Athrun thought standing between them.
"New fiancée? I'm not getting married to some photographer. I'm going to marry my Nicol if that means I have to die!" Amarante screamed. Athrun hugged Amarante tightly trying to console her.
"She's trying to cope with her loss and you're not helping her," Athrun said as Makoto came close to her.
"Please leave Amarante alone she loved Nicol deeply. I don't think she'll ever get married after what happened," Amaranta said hugging her sister. The man sighed trying to get close enough to console Amarante.
Eventually she calmed down excepting her unfortunate fate.
"Can I speak to Amarante alone?" Makoto asked placing a confident hand on Athrun's shoulder.
"Al-Alright, but if you hurt her mentally or physically, I'll kill you she's been through a lot," Athrun threatened.
"And I'll make sure to help him," Amaranta said pushing Makoto to the floor roughly.
"I won't hurt her," Makoto said with fear. Athrun and Amaranta left waiting down the hall for them to speak in privacy.
"I'm not marrying you," Amarante said weakly. Makoto laughed as he played with Amarante's hair.
"It's your fate, don't try to run from it," Makoto whispered in her ear. It gave her a sick feeling as chills ran violently down her spine. She flinched multiple times as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I said I'm not marrying you!" she said breaking out of his grasp. Makoto punch Amarante in the stomach causing her to stumble and fall.
"I getting tired of you saying that," He said becoming annoyed. Makoto made it look like Amarante accidentally ran into the desk. She gagged, glaring at him.
"I'm going to tell Athrun about this," Amarante said trying to stand up.
"I don't think you want to unless you want to be dead," Makoto said taking out a gun placing it at her neck. Amarante didn't shake or cower in fear from the threat.
"You can kill me, I just want to be with my Nicol," Amarante said holding her engagement ring that Nicol gave her.
"Your Nicol? Why do you always talk about him?" Makoto asked with jealously.
"He's my one and only true love," Amarante said. Athrun and Amaranta waited in the hall when the suspicious man reappeared. He grabbed Athrun's hand and Amaranta's pulling him to the room where Amarante and Makoto were.
"I'll change your feelings when we get married and we have our 8 children," Makoto said smirking,
"Eight?! Nicol and I wanted 3 and the numbers will stay the same," Amarante said as Athrun, Amaranta and the mysterious man entered.
"It's a pleasure to have you rejoin us," Makoto said smiling. Amarante stood up holding her aching stomach. She softly repeated "ow, as the mysterious man rushed to her. He hugged her gently placing a hand on her stomach. The man seemed familiar to her.
"Get your hands of my fiancée!" Makoto said angry and annoyed. The man rubbed Amarante's bruised stomach before he let out a growl. Amarante stared at the man's concealed face. Who was he? He was too short to be her cousin Mu and he was too light to be Kira. Athrun was right in front of her so it wasn't him. The man let go of her walking up to Makoto.
"This is for hitting her!" the man yelled punching Makoto in the face. Makoto stumbled backwards staring at the man. Amarante fell to the floor with pain. "Amare," the man mumbled.
"Are you alright Amarante?" Athrun asked going to her side. Amarante's face was full of distress as she held her stomach. Her eyes closed as she weakly laid on the floor.
"Amarante, are you okay?!" Makoto faked. The mysterious man punched Makoto again this time rendering him unconscious. The man went back to Amarante's side placing his hand on her stomach softly.
"I'm sorry Amarante. If only I got here before he hit you," the man whispered in her ear.
"Who are you?" Amarante asked as she opened her eyes weakly.
"Your knight in shining armor," he said taking off his hat and sunglasses.
"Nicol?!" Athrun asked.
"Yes, it's me Athrun," Nicol said with a smile. Amarante began to moan causing Nicol's smile to fade.
"You're supposed to be dead!" An awake Makoto said pulling Amarante close to him.
"Amarante!" Nicol said as Makoto placed the gun at the crook of her neck.
"I'll shoot her, because I don't need to marry Amarante. I can always marry her sister" Makoto laughed.
"Amarante, hold on," Nicol mumbled as her groans became louder.
"I'm going to kill Nicol first then, your male friend over there and then your sister Amaranta!" Makoto laughed.
"Stop, stop fighting," Amarante pleaded as her sister picked up Makoto's large hard camera case.
"Shut up girl!" Makoto said aiming the gun carefully at Nicol's head.
"Please stop," Amarante pleaded once again.
"I said shut up!" Makoto yelled. Amaranta took this time to hit Makoto in the back of the head with the camera case. He slumped against Amarante unconscious. Athrun quickly pulled Amarante away from Makoto. Amaranta continued to hit Makoto with the camera case swearing and crying.
"Amaranta stop hitting him!" Athrun yelled pulling her away from the unconscious man.
"Amarante Haruka Takahashi, I still hope you're going to marry me," Nicol said kissing Amarante gently. When their lips parted Amarante opened her eyes seeing Nicol's smiling face.
"Of course Nicol," Amarante said with tears in her eyes. Nicol wiped them way before kissing her lips again.
"Happy New Year, Amarante," Nicol whispered as he picked her up. She cringed but she didn't want to show her pain.
"Let's take them home," Athrun said helping Amaranta away from the unconscious man.
They arrived at the Takahashi Manor with in 10minutes. Amaranta opened the door as Nicol carried Amarante to her room. Athrun stay with Amaranta to give her company and to give Amarante and Nicol privacy.
"Nicol can you lay with me?" Amarante asked gently.
"I was going to let you sleep on me, if you wanted," Nicol said climbing on to her bed. He laid down on her pillows before laying Amarante on his chest. She sighed lovingly before she fell asleep.
"Happy New Year, Amare-chan, Happy New Year," Nicol said kissing the top of her head.