Author's Note:
Resurrected from the dead! I'm still woefully out-of-touch.
Nevertheless, do enjoy. :D
Disclaimer: I do not own the GundamSEED characters, however much I wish I did. :D
Chapter 1
Athrun adjusted his tie, loosening it. Glancing over at his watch, he sighed.
Punctuality. First impressions were crucial, and this lady was blowing it big time.
He signalled to the waiter for another triple expresso, pondering at the same time why his father would insist upon this meeting. He massaged his temple, sighing exasperatedly, before a voice interrupted his train of thought.
"Yo. Sorry I'm late." The blond lady violently dragged the chair to the side, made herself comfortable on the chair and grabbed the menu from Athrun's hands, flipping through it.
Athrun paused. This couldn't be who he was meeting. Her hair was a complete mess, with the tangles in her hair making her seem as though she'd never heard of a comb in her life, her dressing outlandish and her mannerisms practically non-existent.
"Excuse me. I have no idea how to put this politely… but who in the world are you?"
"Cagalli. You're the Zala-dude I'm supposed to meet, aren't you? Blue hair, green eyes. You were skinnier in the picture they gave me. You seem to have gotten…. rounder. " She remarked casually, gesturing to the waiter to take her order.
The waiter sauntered over, oblivious to Athrun's expression of absolute horror and shock.
"I want the chicken kebab, mac & cheese, a burrito….do you have tacos?" She read off, tapping her fingers impatiently on the menu.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, we do. Will that be all?" Cagalli nodded, and the waiter cast a sidelong glance to Athrun, who was still in the midst of recovering from his shock. He gave a snort before walking off.
Cagalli diverted her attention back to the stunned man sitting in front of her.
"So. Let's dothis thing. What's your name?" Her eyes remained fixated on the ant on the table that was crawling towards her. "Damn thing's been annoying me since I sat down." She muttered incoherently.
Narrowing her eyes and aiming for the ant, she flicked it away with her index finger with unbelievable accuracy, sending it flying across the table – landing right in Athrun's cup of coffee.
"….A..Athrun."
"I see. So we're supposedly 'made-for-each-other', according to my father." She snorted contemptuously, reaching over the table, grabbing Athrun's wine glass and taking a gulp of the red wine, using her sleeve to wipe her mouth thereafter.
Athrun couldn't find the words to verbalise his thoughts. The only word that kept popping out in his mind was "run". She was uncouth, unladylike and the farthest thing from his ideal companion.
She laughed at Athrun's horrified expression, snorting in the process.
"Seriously, this happens all the time. Happened with that purple-haired freak of nature that I had to meet for some obligatory marriage thing. It never works out anyway. I keep telling Dad that I don't want to get married right now, but no, he just won't take no for an answer." Her eyes brightened up upon seeing the waiter place her burrito in front of her, with a side of mashed potatoes.
She grinned toothily, grabbed her fork and started wolfing down the burrito that she held in one hand, while shoving potatoes in her mouth. She continued for another 5 minutes, leaving Athrun sitting there with his mouth agape.
"Oh shoot, I think I snorted the mashed potato up my nose." She cringed, trying to forcefully sneeze the potato out of her nose.
Athrun, being from a refined family with impeccable manners, stared at her, mouth agape, facial expression aghast.
"....What...? It happens." She carried on, ignoring Athrun.
He felt like throwing up on the sidewalk upon looking at Cagalli try to force it out her nose.
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"Never, Father! It is simply out of the question! It would be equivalent to being married to a caveman from prehistoric times! This is not happening, period. I shall be wedded to a lady of a fine background; a lady who is graceful and elegant and not one who snorts potatoes up her nose."
Lenore giggled upon hearing that.
"How could you subject me to such humiliation; dining with that....that unsightly …savage with no manners whatsoever?!" Athrun reasoned with his father.
"Now, Athrun. I'm sure it wasn't that bad. Cagalli's a very sweet girl." Lenore tried to pacify him.
"I respectfully decline. I will not get married to such a barbaric woman." Athrun declared indignantly.
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The doorbell rang on a Sunday night. Patrick and Lenore were out at a charity function, and decided to give Athrun some time to simmer down before re-visiting the subject of his marriage with Cagalli.
Athrun headed downstairs and opened the door, only to find the tear-stained face of Cagalli looking in his direction, casting him a withering stare that sent shivers down his spine.
"What are yo---"
"Marry me."
"...What in the wor---"
"I said marry me."
"You...you coarse and unrefined barbarian, yo--"
Athrun paused upon seeing her tears stream down her cheeks.
"Stop staring at me, you …you ridiculous blue-haired baboon..." She managed between sobs.
He paused for a moment and let out a sigh.
"Would you like to come in?" He gestured to the foyer, another hand massaging his temple.
Composing herself, she said, "…Just tell me your answer."
"I don't have an answer for you, Cagalli."
"You have an answer, and you know it. Tell me." She pressed on.
He sighed.
"In all honesty, I don't think we'd be a compatible match." He peered at her expression. "Besides, you don't seem to like me either."
"That's not important. What about me don't you like?" She snapped.
"I wouldn't know where to begin…"
"Fine. Tell me, and I'll change my habits. Now will you marry me?"
" Didn't you say that you didn't want to get married?"
"Do I look like I want to get married? That's not important now. Just say yes."
" How could it be none of my business when I'm the one you want to get married to?"
" My father is dying, and he wants me to get married to you, alright?!" She yelled, a single tear falling from her eye.
His eyes widened as her breathing became increasingly erratic. He kept silent, not knowing what to say. She stared at him, knowing full well that no civilized human being as prim and proper as Zala would ever agree to her proposal. She had nothing that would possibly attract someone like him, and he seemed as though he would only date women with bodies rivaling that of Gisele Bundchen.
"Fine."
She glanced up at him with a blank expression, not able to find the words.
"I said fine. Please go home and rest. We will have to prepare for our wedding starting tomorrow." He stated plainly, before closing the door on a stunned Cagalli.
He sighed, leaning his weight on the door, burying his head in his hands.
Someone should nominate me for the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm such a saint.
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" NO . BLOODY . WAY." She stubbornly folded her arms and scoffed, casting a disapproving look to the renowned designer holding up 2 wedding gowns.
The designer, Martinez, pleaded with Cagalli to try on both gowns.
" Please, Miss Attha. Mr Zala will be here soon to try on his suit, and I believe he would like to see how you would look in these gowns."
"Like hell I'll wear them for him!"
"But…but you're getting married to him in 2 weeks. You can't be wearing jeans and flip-flops down the aisle!" Martinez exclaimed.
Just as Cagalli was about to retort, Athrun strolled into the bridal shop in a business suit, looking incredibly dashing and drop-dead gorgeous. Cagalli snapped back into reality as Athrun walked towards her, chuckling to himself as Martinez collapsed on the ground in utter defeat.
"Sorry I'm late. The business meeting was never-ending." He shifted his gaze to Martinez, lying motionless on couch with his eyes closed. "Our princess giving you problems, Martinez?" Athrun smiled.
"Zala, come on. Look at these hideous dresses! Can't I wear a suit?" Cagalli interjected.
"I'm afraid not, my dear. Please try on both dresses."
"Let's play a game then, my dear." Athrun met her venomous, spine-chilling gaze and shuddered. "If I win this, you'll have to agree to what I want."
"Which is?"
"Regarding the dresses."
This should be no problem for me.
"Fine. What's the game?"
"It's simple. Arm-wrestling."
He chuckled to himself. " Arm-wrestling? Are you serious?"
"Dead serious, my darling. Dead serious. " She sniggered.
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Athrun folded up his sleeves and positioned his arm on the table.
"BRING IT ON!" Cagalli yelled abruptly, startling Athrun.
She positioned herself, rolling her eyes at Athrun's smug look plastered all over his face.
"Chauvinist pig." She muttered, grabbing his hand roughly and motioning for Martinez to be the judge.
"We'll see about that soon enough, my princess." Athrun laughed, squeezing her hand gently.
Martinez's eyes widened in amusement. He had never seen a couple such as this – using arm-wrestling to get what they wanted. He grinned to himself. "Ready…get set…go!"
Cagalli hastily attempted to forcibly push Athrun's hand down, but realized that he was much stronger than she had previously thought.
"My my. Exactly like I thought. You really do have the strength equivalent to that of Godzilla. Cagzilla." He lowered his voice, mockingly imitating the grunting noises that of Godzilla, chuckling to himself.
Cagalli smirked to herself.
You underestimate me, Zala. If you're that naïve to believe that I'd choose a game I was weak in, you deserve to lose!
She applied more force, and Athrun was startled by the sudden increase in force. His arm was pushed down just a few millimeters away from the table, and he struggled to regain his position. Cagalli had the upper-hand now, and he was close to losing.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Just as she was about to claim victory and end the match, she took a last glance at Athrun, expecting to see a pathetic look of defeat upon his face. Instead, Athrun smiled at her and leaned across the table, while still holding her hand.
He whispered, "It wouldn't be nice if a woman is stronger than her husband, don't you think?" Chuckling to himself upon hearing Cagalli mutter several expletives and about sending him to hell after they were done, he pulled his face away from her for a moment, meeting Cagalli's expression of fury.
Then he planted a kiss on her forehead.
Author's Note:
Till next time! J