Kira Yamato sat by his desk typing away at yet another speech for the next ZAFT event, this one would be particularly boring.
Around him everything was deathly silent, except for the sound of buttons pressed as his fingers flew over the keyboard and thoughts racing through his mind. Every now and then he would pause to think and then he would breathe in deeply and relish the quietness.
He just couldn't understand. They had fought a war, two wars in fact, in order to bring peace…
Peace that had never in Kira's mind included going through and typing up such boring reports.
Birdie hopped unto his shoulder as it always did. 'Hey there,' Kira smiled affectionally at it, 'you really don't think my peace should involve such dull jobs, do you?'
The birdie replied as always, 'Birdie.'
Kira smiled. He would take that as a 'no'.
Suddenly a loud bang followed by high pitched laughter interrupted his thoughts.
Kira jumped. He knocked the big mug of coffee standing next to his computer over. The hot liquid soaked his shirt and pants.
Kira let out a string of colourful curses he had picked up from a fellow silver haired commander. Letting out a small moan of disappointment at the state of his shirt, Kira stood up; none of the words had made him feel better.
Though that may have been because he never really had a clear idea of what exactly they meant. When he had asked Yzak after the silver hair commander had screamed them out loud, if they made him feel any better, the man had told him to shut his trap or he would shut it for him.
What a troublesome man indeed!
Kira looked around as his birdie flew through the open window. He really needed a paper towel to dry himself up. Picking his now empty mug up, he made his way out of the study, and towards his room.
Trudging down the stairs, annoyance prickled him, growing with every step he took. It wasn't Lacus' fault that he ruined his favourite shirt as well as not being able to finish his coffee, yet he couldn't help but feel a little bit peeved with her. Yzak was right when he stated that girls were always so loud, and for no reason at all!
He sighed as he proceeded down the seemingly endless staircase. That was another thing! Huge mansions with thousands and thousands of stairs just didn't float his boat but then, he didn't dare complain.
Cagalli came by too often. If he were to ever upset Lacus, he dare not think of what his outcome would be.
Kira paused suddenly.
Soft female voices could be heard from the lounge, but that didn't put the mischievous grin on his face and the impish glint in his eyes. The conversation they were having, however, did.
Plastering himself against the wall to avoid being seen, Kira eagerly listened to their chatter. A disheveled Shiho Hahnenfuss sat stiffly in the chair Lacus had pulled up for her, her hands were clasped tightly in her lap and her eyes were bloodshot from working past midnight the previous three days.
Lacus and Miriallia, who were both seated opposite her, had their head tilted to one side and they were curiously observing the overwrought woman.
"Shiho?" Lacus asked and Shiho met her gaze, "Just relax," Lacus said gently.
Shiho looked at her as though she was insane.
"I am relaxed!" she smiled stiffly.
Miriallia and Lacus exchanged glances.
Mir snorted, "Yeah, sure you are!" she laughed, "Oh! I am relaxed, I just happen to be so on edge that I am about to fall off!" Mir said in a
robotic voice,
"My God, what does that cranky commander make you do till so late?" Lacus asked with a concerned frown.
Miriallia let out a giggle, 'Lacus! You dirty girl. Shiho tell us, what did Commander Joule make you do all of last night?'
Shiho frowned, 'Miriallia, it's not like that at all! We wouldn't do that at work.'
'So what about after….hours?' Miriallia smirked suggestively at her.
Shiho looked away. Miriallia was acting more and more like Dearka ever day…and not in a good way.
"Miriallia…" Lacus cleared her throat.
Miriallia held her hands up in defense but there was no denying the cheeky grin on her face, "What? You said yourself she needs to relax! I'm sure if we were to ask Yzak over, he would be more than willing to…relax her." She let out another laugh.
Kira covered his mouth so that the giggle that had escaped would not be heard. When had Shiho and Yzak formed such a relationship? Why hadn't he been told? Did they do it at work like Miriallia was suggesting? They must! Probably while he was sitting there at the computer typing away all those reports! Kira shook his head; it would best if he thought of this later…
He really didn't want to miss any juicy gossip!
"Okay! Okay!" Shiho cried and cleared her throat, "Do you know what the date is?"
Lacus nodded, "Sixth of August, but Shiho, what does that have to do with anything?" she asked, her head tilted slightly to the left.
Kira frowned. Yes, what did the date have to do with anything?
"Everything!" Shiho cried, "It's two days to Yzak's birthday and I don't have an idea of what to get him!" she said glumly.
Kira gasped out loud. Well, no one had mentioned this to him before either! Hmpf, Kira thought angrily, and there wasn't even time for him and Athrun to get together to give Yzak a proper gift!
"It's the beast's birthday?" Mir gawped and Shiho sent a glare her way.
Kira sneaked a little closer so he could hear more clearly.
"What?" Miriallia asked, "He isn't exactly Mister Sunshine now, is he?"
Shiho glared, "Yes, and Dearka is the most wholesome little boy in the universe!" she retorted.
"You have a point," Miriallia replied, "but at least he knows what a smile is!" she stuck out her tongue.
Shiho snorted and rolled her eyes, "I'd be grinning like baboon too if I only knew half as many sick dirty jokes as he does," she scoffed flipping her dark hair.
"Okay!" Lacus interrupted with a smile just as Miriallia opened her mouth to reply. She gazed at Shiho.
"So Shiho? Do you know of anything Commandeer Joule wants or needs?"
Lacus, don't brother asking her. We all know he needs classes for anger management, or some serious therapy.' Mir muttered under her breath.
Shiho thought hard, "No! Nothing!" she said, she wondered if there really was nothing or if she just couldn't think straight from lack of sleep.
"What would you guys do for someone special on his or her birthday? And I want it to be really special, sort of a let'stakeittothenextlevelIaminterested gift, you know?" she asked looking at the pair.
Kira smiled. Ah, so Shiho wanted Yzak to know that she liked him in that way! How romantic!
"Whoa!" Mir exclaimed, "You and the beast are actually on a level?" she asked gawping.
"No! This is the kind of gift that I want to give him that would suggest we should take the next step!" Shiho cried in exasperation.
Mir shook her head, "You keep saying next," she remarked, "If you really want to get to the next level, all you need to do is…'
"Hang on a moment," Lacus whispered cutting Miriallia off in mid sentence, she had an odd glint in her eyes, "Kira? Would you please go make us some coffee?" she called.
Haro bounced out of the lounge and the three women could hear a surprised yelp and a loud thump coming from the next room. Everything became deathly quiet and the three of them exchanged puzzled glances with each other.
Haro bounced back into the lounge, "No problem!" he cried happily as he landed in Lacus' hands.
A blushing Kira followed.
He smiled guiltily at the three women like a little kid caught stealing from the cookie jar, "Sure Lacus," he mumbled and trudged into the kitchen.
"Thank you Kira!" Lacus called after him.
Kira pouted as he walked over to get some coffee. What was Miriallia going to suggest? Darn, now he'll never know.
Shiho frowned, "Do you think he heard?" she asked urgently.
"No, I think you're safe, besides Kira never really understands…these things. And even if he did, my Kira isn't one to gossip!" Lacus replied trustingly with a smile.
Shiho nodded, "Hopefully!" she said, "So? What would you guys give to someone like that?" she asked eagerly.
Miriallia frowned and Lacus cupped her chin deep in thought.
'I have an idea. What don't you make him a haru? And Kira could help you write instructions for him…so that that incident on your birthday wouldn't happen again.' Lacus said thoughtfully.
'What incident?' Miriallia leaned forward in her seat with excitement.
'Oh well…' Lacus let out a small giggle while Shiho looked intently at her hands, 'Yzak made Shiho a Haru for her birthday…but then…well he doesn't really know how to make one! By the time Shiho got it, there were sparks and wires already coming out of it! It was hilarious. Shiho came by so that Kira could fix it, and Kira honestly spent hours and hours on it. He just couldn't understand what Yzak did. We finally had to bury it, and promised…'
'And promise that we wouldn't speak of it again!' Shiho snapped angrily.
'No wait,' Lacus' face was pink with excitement, and laughter completely ignored Shiho's upset face, 'the best part was that he had recorded his own voice singing Happy Birthday! You should have heard him, Mir, it sounded like a whale blowing!'
Miriallia laughed right out loud.
'It was like…' Lacus was gasping now for air, 'ohhhaghhh.' Lacus laughed as she attempted to imitate Yzak's voice.
'Look, it's not that funny. Yzak spent a lot of time on it…he's just not that great with tools.' Shiho clenched her fist, but blushed at her weak excuse. Yzak had been devastated when the haru wouldn't work properly. Lacus and Miriallia had no right to poke fun at him.
'Ok, we'll stop talking about it.' Miriallia let out another small laugh promising herself silently that she would tell Dearka this story.
'Thank You,' Shiho frowned at both of them with pressed lips, 'now will you please help me?'
'Yes,' Miriallia smiled sweetly at Shiho, 'and I just thought of a perfect gift.'
'What?' Shiho stood up straighter. She would make sure she got Yzak's gift done perfectly.
'Get him a book of instructions on how to make a haru! Can you imagine his face Lacus when he opens it?' Miriallia burst out laughing again.
Lacus literally stood up while Shiho attempted to stop her, ' Wait, Miriallia, Kira already got him that for Christmas! He's been reading it during his spare time, I've seen him!'
Both girls were laughing so hard now; neither of them paid much attention to the blushing brunette beside them.
'And he still can't make a Haru?' Miriallia looked appualled…though that didn't stop her laughter.
'No!' Lacus almost screamed with laughter.
'Stop it you guys.' Shiho spoke in a low but clear voice. Both girls settled down, but they had large smirks on their faces as they did so.
'Ok, for real this time.' Miriallia promised, 'So we know he probably won't want any tools or anything, as he's proven he's no good with them.'
Shiho's eyes flashed dangerously at Lacus who had let out another small laugh at Miriallia's words.
'Seriously though you guys…I want to get him something special…that would you know…help…' Shiho stopped uncertain as to how to voice her feelings.
'How to help get him into bed with you?' Miriallia finished for her.
'Not exactly…but kinda. No, I don't know.' Shiho again clasped her hands in uncertainly. Miriallia and Lacus both exchanged a glance. Never before had they seen Shiho look so doubtful, so tentative.
Sitting up straighter, Miriallia and Lacus both seriously thought of what gift they would give to a special guy.
"Oh! I'd make them a beautiful song!" Lacus exclaimed.
Mir, at the exact same time, said, "I'd get an amazing picture of an unforgettable time!"
Lacus gasped.
"I've got it!" she cried in excitement.
Mir raised an inquisitive eyebrow and Shiho frowned; how could Lacus have thought of an answer to a question that had been dogging Shiho for almost a
week in just two seconds?
"What?" Miriallia asked.
"Don't you see?" Lacus asked and the pair shook their heads, "We join forces! Give him a great picture and a song written especially for him!"
Lacus cried happily.
Mir and Shiho exchanged thoughtful glances.
Lacus narrowed her eyes, "It needs a little something though…" she mumbled.
A meditative silence fell over them as each one tried to think of something to add to it.
Suddenly Lacus' eyes lit up and a wide smile appeared on her face, "We should make a show!" she exclaimed, she caught Shiho and Mir's odd looks.
Mir snorted, "What? Like a peep show?" she asked.
"No, a show with pictures and music!" she cried.
Miriallia nodded slowly, mulling the idea over, "I get where you're going with this!" she said, "It'll be spectacular!"
"Yes!" Lacus said, "We could ask Athrun for pictures, I'm sure he still has a lot of them from when they were kids," Lacus said and Mir nodded
eagerly in agreement.
Shiho eyed the pair of them in bewilderment, what in the world were they planning to get him? She had caught the excitement in their voices and the
eagerness on their faces but other than the fact that it, whatever it was, would be sensational she still had absolutely no idea what they were talking
about.
"So, what am I giving him?" she asked cautiously when both of them had quieted down after discussing every possible thing there was to discuss about
whatever they were planning to make Shiho give him.
Suddenly Kira strolled back into the lounge again carrying a tray carefully, he placed it on the little coffee table in front of them.
Lacus smiled, "Don't worry Shiho, we'll take care of everything, it's going to make his day!" she winked and reached forward to take her cup of
coffee from the tray.
"Thank you Kira," she said sweetly and Kira nodded.
Shiho swallowed and took a cookie from the tray, worriedly she nibbled on it, she hoped she could trust the pair of them with something as immensely
important as this!
Kira grinned to himself as he trudged back upstairs again. How very interesting! It was only a pity that he hadn't heard exactly what they were planning to make Shiho give the grumpy commander.
Inside his head cogs were turning as he tried to figure out what they were thinking to give Yzak.
Something that would make his day? Something to take it to the next level? Something for someone special…who was that someone? What was that something?
Was Yzak Shiho's someone special? Was she going to let him know by doing something that would make his day thus taking it to the next level?
He frowned, if only he had been stealthier.
Kira shrugged and a smile tugged at his mouth again, no matter, he was willing to bet the next day would be even more interesting and amusing. He
would mention the conversation to Yzak and together as friends they would figure it out!
And while they were at it, he could even teach Yzak how to build a proper haru! Kira sighed happily.
Now this is what peace should be offering!