NOTE: Belated Christmas fic : )
AUTHOR: Merry belated Christmas! I was going to update Imaginary Christmas last week, but I wasn't really driven into writing it, so I started to write this instead. Please understand that this is an impulsive oneshot and didn't really have much planning, so the story itself might suck. I suppose the suckiest of it all is the flow of the story. But still, please read : )
WARNINGS: Unbeta read, fluffiness and AsuCaga-ness
DISCLAIMER: This story is a work of FAN-fiction. By any means, the author of this story is merely a fan, and does not (partially or wholly) own Gundam Seed (Destiny), or characters that have existed in the series. I only own the story plotline of THIS fanfiction. Any resemblance of actual events, stories, locales, news, persons (living or dead) are merely coincidental. Thank you and please read on.
Christmas Eve
By: Hades.Throne.Heiress
Ding! The speakers sounded. A small window popped up in the right bottom corner of his laptop screen. A new email was received.
Athrun, distracted from admiring the gift in his hands glanced at the screen, clicking the little blue popup before it disappeared. An internet webpage quickly appeared in replacement of the desktop wallpaper, loading the email account page where the inbox showed a new, unread mail from a small client of his.
Thinking that the email meant more work during the holiday season, Athrun first rewrapped the little gift he was holding, not wanting to accidentally crush the wrapping. It was a Christmas present for his artless little angel: a necklace she was eyeing in a magazine during one of his visits. The mere thought of his girl could bring him a smile; she unknowingly had that much power over him.
Athrun leaned back onto the sofa chair provided in the little cozy café, forgetting about the email he didn't like the existence of. Cagalli, his adorable model, loved this place; it was a place they often visited before she was admitted to the hospital several weeks ago. He let out a heavy breath of air, remembering the phone call he received from one of her modeling friends.
Both Kira, her brother, and Cagalli's moved out, living out of their parent's home; but Cagalli moved more of a distance than Kira had, closer to Athrun, a reason why Cagalli didn't see her family often. As soon as Cagalli had moved away, Athrun was immediately entrusted by Cagalli's family to take care of her when they weren't available.
Apparently, the day Athrun dropped Cagalli to the studio for her photo shoot, she fainted. Cagalli's family was contacted by the hospital, and he was contacted my one of her modeling friends who looked through her cell phone, in search of his phone number.
Hades.Throne.Heiress
Athrun looked at his cell phone as soon as it rang, by the ring tone, he already knew it was Cagalli. She usually didn't call while she was at work since her breaks in between pictures weren't long enough, but when she did, she always called the office first before calling his cell phone.
He picked it up anyways, but was greeted by a different voice than who he expected. It wasn't Cagalli, he didn't know who it was until she told him it was Teal speaking; a girl whom he's driven home a few time when he went to pick Cagalli up after work; which was never a problem, seeing as he could be counted as self employed.
Teal told him that Cagalli fainted and was wheeled into the hospital when nobody knew what to do. Things were so hysteric as most people were over reacting much more than the situation needed that she's only gotten a chance to contact him now, almost half an hour after the incident.
He immediate left his work office and nearly flew to the hospital, much earlier than Kira and Cagalli's parents arrived. The doctor has made his point clear that he wouldn't be able to reveal anything about his patient's condition unless at least one of they family members were present and would permit others to know. That nearly drove Athrun crazy. He thought of anything that could've been the cause of her blackout, and one thing came to mind.
"Does this have to do with Cagalli's eating habits?" He recalled Cagalli not eating much lately while they were together, but she always said that she's already eaten something.
The doctor glared at him, "If you knew, sir, you should've done something about it."
Athrun's head perked up when he heard that response, it would mean yes, and explained himself to the doctor. Later on after the doctor left in him the white, white hallway, on a white, white chair and before Kira and them showed up, a nurse told him that Cagalli was now awake and wanted to see him.
He nearly squeezed the life out of the girl when he saw her, perched up on the bed leaning on a pillow, telling her how worried he was when he got the call from Teal. Just moments after Athrun calmed himself, the doctor from earlier came in after a knock, with Mr. and Mrs. Athha and Kira in tow.
After death grip hugs from her family, Cagalli went back to leaning on Athrun's shoulder. The doctor, Mr. Tailor, explained the blonde's situation: she had an eating disorder. In a simpler way of defining her case, it was when her 'hungry hormones' are usually at rest and didn't do their job, so the patient doesn't feel hungry. As normal people, when you don't feel hungry, you may choose not to eat; and people with this issue often don't realize being more fatigue and weaker has to do with their lack of intake of food and nutrients.
Hades.Throne.Heiress
Athrun sipped his coffee, a drink Cagalli didn't like him drinking too much of and always took it away from him when she appeared in his office and gave him tea instead, which was actually often. Cagalli's job usually didn't need her for full office hours and on days she could actually not go to work at all, making her spending quite some time in his office. She even had her own mug and can of hot chocolate powder by the coffee machine.
Sighing again, Athrun looked at the time on the toolbar of his laptop, he should go soon, to visit Cagalli, and he would've already be there by now if he hadn't decided to stop by the coffee shop after doing some last minute shopping, cramming with people is a tiring job, he decided.
Athrun decided that he'd leave after reading the email still left untouched. Clicking on it, he quickly read over the contents and it left him mildly upset. It was Christmas Eve, but he wouldn't be having dinner with his family; his parents were on a cruise, the present from him, so he thought he could spend it with Cagalli instead. Kira already gave him the permission to do that, they were on a ski trip that Cagalli couldn't and wouldn't go on if given chance. Working and having dinner with a newbie in the business world was not in his plans, he spoke to the doctor and he's given his consent for him to take Cagalli out tonight, which wasn't something every patient that has an eating disorder had the privilege of, only those who's shown improvement. The doctors and nurses have noticed that only Athrun Zala could coax Cagalli to eat her meals, and would often spend meal time eating hospital food with her. He was the kind of visitor that the hospital staff hasn't encountered much of yet.
Athrun packed his stuff and decided to leave, he'll worry about the dinner meeting later, he shouldn't keep Cagalli waiting, he booked a table at her favourite restaurant ahead of time. Driving down the busy streets, he stopped in front of the flower shop he's a regular customer to. He needs to pick up the flowers he ordered last week, and was off to the hospital, all the while with his dilemma in mind.
Hades.Throne.Heiress
A knock resonated from the door and the occupant was immediately on her feet. The door opened and Athrun nearly got run over by a leaping Cagalli, the flowers almost squished by her hug if he hadn't accepted her embrace in time and moved the flowers out of the way.
The presence of her body of warmth was enough to push aside any other stray thoughts. She was always one to do that to him, he thought, it would be his weakness if he admitted it, but she can most definitely distract him from anything if she wanted to. Such great power in a woman's hands, he smiled at the thought.
His neck was still roped by her arms when she pulled away slightly to pout at him, "You're late," she stated with a fake upset voice.
Athrun chuckled, "Your favourite flowers," he merely stated, seeming to have ignored her accusing words as he pulled the bouquet of sunny yellow jonquils, with little arbutuses and forget-me-nots surrounding it.
Slender arms that were around his neck instantly retreated and wrapped them around the large bouquet instead. Smilingly, Cagalli skipped towards the large window ledge and started to remove the flowers from its wrapping and placed them beautifully in a spare vase after rushing to the bathroom to fill it with water.
Athrun, pretending to be jealous of the flowers he got her, wrapped his arms around her from the back while she was sticking the flowers one by one into the vase. "What about me? Don't I get some attention?" He murmured, sounding like a mistreated pet.
The blonde in his arms giggled, but otherwise ignored him and continued to fix the flowers so that they spread all around. When he put a bit of distance between them to fish for the necklace in his pocket, she suddenly turned and gave him an unexpected peck on the lip, then turn back to what she was doing.
Athrun dropped the necklace on her collarbone and clasped it behind her neck, pecking her on the cheek, "Merry Christmas," he whispered softy. Around her neck, laid a chain of bells made of crystal, each a shade different of the rainbow from the previous. Athrun took a compact mirror he found on the bedside table and handed it to Cagalli, keeping an arm around her.
Athrun, still standing behind Cagalli, saw her little smile stretch wider. Turning in his arms to face him, Cagalli resumed the position from when Athrun first came in and hugged him, "Thank you Athrun, Merry Christmas to you too."
"Wish we don't have to go to dinner yet…" Athrun replied, soothing the nonexistent wrinkles of her seasonal white spaghetti strap dress lined with fur and layered with a tight sweater.
"But I don't want to stay," Cagalli replied with a little whiny tone he couldn't stay strong to.
Athrun glanced at his watch and nodded, "Almost time for dinner," but his mind was also on the email he received. I'm sorry for taking you away from your family at a time like this, but my flight is scheduled at five tomorrow morning and I was hoping we could get the problem with the money sorted out in person. Please give me a call when you get this.
Athrun let go and reached into the closet for her jacket, helping her put it on, she grinned childishly and put on a fluffy Santa hat along with matching white fur lined mitts. Her green leather boots left her looking like she was filled with holiday spirit, which she most definitely was.
Their dinner was filled with laughter and Athrun made sure she ate a fair amount of her food. Cagalli and Christmas was the only thing he had in mind. After dinner, they went back to the little café Athrun had previously been and ordered a hot chocolate: Cagalli's favourite, and headed towards where they can both call home: Athrun's apartment.
Cagalli drank her warm drink in tiny sips, offering it to Athrun occasionally. He wouldn't drink much, he didn't like sweets as much as Cagalli did, but it was just easier to take a few sips when she offered it than to reject. Their hot chocolate was can get people easily hooked up on it; Cagalli's obsession was lured by their premium grinded Belgium chocolate.
Cagalli quickly eased out of her boots as she stepped into the large apartment, not bothering to do anything else, such as turning on the lights, which Athrun eventually did and rushing to the unidentified living room, she put her hot chocolate on the coffee table and got behind the couch.
Athrun came in chuckling silently after he hung up his coat; Cagalli was like this every year, she would always be the first to decorate and light his tree. He put the lights on last Friday evening before he went to pick up Cagalli for the weekend when she decorated it with the colourful ornaments and candy canes.
"Turn off the lights Athrun," Cagalli excitedly called, and Athrun did as he was told and joined her in front of the tree. She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes in a praying stance; Athrun smiled and did the same thing. Wishing on a star became a regular practice on Christmas Eve for them after Cagalli mused that the star on the highest limb of a Christmas tree has always been the biggest and brightest star – save for the sun.
He was done first and wrapped an arm around the blonde who was still wishing. She opened her sparkle filled eyes and asked what he wished for, which he replied that he wasn't telling, when he asked her what she wished for, she grinned cheekily and said that if she told him, it wouldn't come true. He then accused her of trying to ruin his dream. They fooled around for some time before Athrun had to bring Cagalli back to the hospital to report.
Hades.Throne.Heiress
Every morning, Athrun went to the hospital to visit his angel, just to have breakfast with her. She didn't like eating without company, and she wouldn't eat without him there; during mornings where he couldn't come, he would have to give her a call and visit at lunch. The hospital was an inevitably lonely place, no matter how many people were in it, Athrun understood that.
But he didn't come on Christmas day…
Only because Athrun never left the hospital, and he ditched his client because to him, Cagalli was more important then.
AUTHOR: Happy new years eve! Please drop a review. Anonymous accepted.
Post Date: Dec. 31st '07