English is not my first language. Please bear with grammatical errors.
And for your information, my fic is based on the remastered version (but I watched the original version, too).
Disclaimer: I don't own GS/GSD.
Valentine's Day Meals
Taking off his coat and entering the living room, Athrun found his mother reading a book at the table.
"Mother, I'm home," he said to her back.
"Athrun? You're early. I thought you and Kira-kun—" She looked up from the book and turned around with a puzzled face which became panicked. "Oh, no." Glancing at the clock, she quickly got on her feet to rush toward the kitchen.
Unfazed, he watched her back disappear from sight. She must have been wrapped up reading and forgotten she was cooking. It wasn't an unusual occurrence.
After putting his belongings in his room, he looked in the kitchen. "Can I help?"
"Yes, will you set the table?" his mother answered with a smile. It seemed she had been in time to save the dinner.
He went to the living room, removed the book she had left from the table, put it on a shelf next to the Valentine's Day card he had given her this morning, and started to place tableware after wiping the table. As he was about to finish his task, his mother came back to the living room with graceful steps, quite different from when she had run into the kitchen.
"Today's dinner is special," she announced cheerfully, carrying a tray with two plates and a pitcher of tomato juice.
Looking at the plates she was placing on the table, he tilted his head. "Is this...cabbage rolls?" he asked uncertainly. What was on the plates seemed like cabbage rolls, but the sauce was black and looked quite like chocolate.
"It's chocolate cabbage rolls," she explained, smiling, "Since it's Valentine's Day, I wanted to make something fit. I've heard of this cuisine called chocolate steak, and it seems some people like cabbages covered with chocolate. So I thought, why not cabbage rolls?"
He just nodded, unsure about how to respond.
His mother was a rather curious person, maybe because she was a scientist. She often conducted experiments at their home as well as her lab. He had never minded it partly because he could understand the fun of experiments, for he himself liked to test his ideas about robots, though not bold or dangerous ones, and partly because the experiments usually took place in the garden since her specialty was agriculture. Not to mention the experiments made her spend longer at home.
Being experimental with food, however, seemed rather risky to him, and chocolate cabbage rolls didn't really sound like a good idea. But maybe he was wrong, if his mother thought it was a good idea.
They seated themselves and started dinner. Feeling nervous because he had no idea how it tasted, he timidly took a small bite of his rolls.
He instantly covered his mouth with his hand to stop himself from spitting it out, which his ingrained manners forbade. It tasted sweet, though not very. There was also the taste of cabbage, meat, tomato, and other things. It might possibly be good if he had the sauce and the rolls separately, but combined...well, it was hardly the best food in the universe.
Swallowing it without really chewing it, he drank nearly half of his glass in one gulp in an attempt to get rid of the taste in his mouth. Feeling a little better, he casted a glance at his mother who was staring at her rolls with a frown on her face after taking her own bite.
She put another slice into her mouth, which deepened her frown. After carefully chewing and swallowing it, she sighed sadly, and looked at him. "I guess chocolate cabbage rolls wasn't a good idea. I'm sorry. I should've tasted rolls before serving them. The sauce alone tasted good enough, and I thought it was okay."
"I, er, don't think it's that bad, Mother," he hastily said, trying to lift her mood. Sure, it tasted weird—really weird, if he was honest. But it wasn't like it was inedible. Especially when he put a lot of tomato juice in his mouth with it, which he did with his second bite to show her he could eat it.
"Athrun..." She looked like she didn't know what kind of face she should put on. "I'm touched by your consideration...but I'm starting to worry about your eating habit."
He looked at her in confusion.
"It's all right. You don't have to bear with this." She collected both plates before he could protest and stood up.
"Just wait a moment. I have extra cabbage rolls." She winked mischievously, disappearing into the kitchen. "No chocolate sauce this time."
Left alone at the table, he felt bad about the cabbage rolls he had not finished. His father had taught him he shouldn't waste food and had to finish what he was served. Well, since his mother had taken the plate away from him, at least his father wouldn't scold him even if he found out about this. Athrun really hoped so.
And he couldn't deny he was mostly relieved. Chocolate cabbage rolls were probably one of the worst foods he had ever had.
His mother came back from the kitchen with new plates of cabbage rolls with tomato sauce. "Here you go. Let's eat."
Exchanging a smile with her, he put a slice of his new rolls in his mouth. This time, it tasted usual, and good.
"—Valentine." The word his ears caught stopped him dead, though only for several moments. He slowly resumed his training program, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand: shooting at the moving targets.
As soon as he finished the program, however, he stopped the machine and started to leave without taking a look at the result as he usually did. He didn't want to stay here any longer.
He left the training room with brisk steps as if escaping from the word he had heard. Since the instant he had woken up this morning, he had known all too well that he was going to hear the word many times today, much more than he had for the last several days. It was, after all, a very special day for them. Not in a good way.
He had prepared himself, and thought he could take it fine enough, which proved not so true. Every time he came across the word, his stomach was twisted into a knot. Especially when the word was used to refer to one specific day. This day a year ago. The unforgettable day for all Coordinators. The day that had completely changed his life.
Unlike many of his friends, he had never taken a special interest in Valentine's Day prior to that day. He had not eagerly waited for the day or resented it. But now, this day was the day he hated most in the whole year.
He came to a halt for he had almost run into another soldier. As he was about to go back to walking, his eyes caught sight of the cafeteria, which reminded him that he had not had any meals today. He wasn't in the mood to eat and was tempted to just return to his room and take some nutrition bars if necessary.
Unfortunately, however, his brain dug up a memory from several weeks ago. One of his comrades had been worried about his eating habit and suggested he should eat in the cafeteria more often; his commander who happened to be present had agreed.
Sighing, Athrun turned his course to enter the cafeteria. It was his obligation as a soldier to maintain a good condition, and he should try not to let his personal affairs get in the way.
To his slight relief, there weren't many people around, which meant relatively little risk of hearing that word. Determined to finish the meal as quickly as possible, he took a tray a kitchen staff had placed on the counter, and froze.
He stared at the food on the tray. "Cabbage rolls?" he said only to make sure it was actually what he was seeing.
The kitchen staff responded without looking at him. "Yeah, we got some fresh supplies, you know? And someone requested for this."
"I...see." His eyes were fixed on the food which had once been his favorite. But right now, the sight of the food did nothing but worsen his mood.
Why did they have to have this today of all days? If it had been another day, he might not have found a mere food so offending.
Complaining about the choice of today's menu wouldn't change anything, though. It was still an edible food, and he shouldn't waste it. He released a resigned sigh, wishing he had not remembered anything at the sight of the cafeteria or he had chosen another route. Then, he could have returned to his room safely.
But it was too late now. Telling himself so, he took a seat and started to eat, which was as unpleasant as he had predicted. He couldn't find the food tasty at all. Probably he wouldn't be able to enjoy cabbage rolls ever again. They seemed to make him feel nauseous even, and every bite felt like quite a hard work.
He almost wished the warship was attacked right now so that he could excuse himself from finishing it. Fighting seemed like a better option. Although he had loathed going into a battle recently, he didn't have to worry about fighting against someone he knew anymore. Well, for the time being, at least. The only person he knew among the enemy had descended to the Earth, and he was still in space.
The thought of his old friend—who had been like family to him—dampened his already non-existent appetite even further, and he stopped his hands to gaze at the unfinished meal for a while.
"Do you mind if I join you, Athrun?"
At the cheerful voice of his comrade, he broke the stare and looked up. "No."
Smiling as usual, Nicol took the seat opposite of him. "I'm glad you're eating at the cafeteria. It's really good to have fresh food after a while, isn't it?" Nicol said while cutting one of his cabbage rolls with a folk.
"Yeah." He politely offered a little smile to the younger boy who was chewing his meal happily.
"Oh, by the way, have you heard we may be going back to PLANT soon? I'm hoping—"
Hearing Nicol talking, he slowly moved his hands again and put another piece of his rolls in his mouth as if imitating what his companion was doing. Somehow it tasted a little better, more bearable, than the previous ones.
Maybe he was being affected by Nicol's cheerfulness or enthusiasm for the food, or maybe he was just distracted by Nicol's chatter. Whatever the reason was, he felt grateful about having the company of his green-haired friend.
Slightly softening his body, which he realized had been stiff, he took another bite.
At the sound of running steps, he turned his body from the valet holding his coat to the person hurrying toward him. As he had already known before looking, for she was usually the only one who ran around in this manor, it was Cagalli.
"Welcome home, Athrun." Smiling, she ran into his arms and hugged him. The words and gesture warmed his heart as he hugged her back and kissed her cheek. It made him quite happy to get home and find his wife waiting for him, which didn't happen often.
There were always servants who welcomed him back, but it was different. She was his family, his loved one, and being in her presence felt exceptionally good this day, the day he wanted her with him most in the year. Although he had never told her so, she tried to make some time for him every year. Not that it was always successful, but he appreciated her effort.
"Come on. Dinner is ready, and you must be hungry." She started to walk toward the dining hall, pulling his arm.
"Sorry I was late. Something came up when I was about to leave," he apologized, circling his arm around her waist to keep her at his side.
He had been at work just as he did on Valentine's Day every year. For the first few years they had shared, his wife—then girlfriend—had urged him to take a day off. However, he had rejected the offer repeatedly, and she had stopped. He preferred to be distracted by work and didn't regret working today as usual. But he wished he had been able to come home earlier since he seemed to have missed several hours with her.
"It's okay. I had a snack."
"And yet, you are still going to have dinner, too?" He raised teasing eyebrows.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" she answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe. He chuckled.
He enlarged his eyes a little at the sight of the dining hall. Tables and chairs were placed in a different way from usual. She led him to a small table set for two in front of the window, and announced excitedly, "We have cabbage rolls for dinner, and they are special cabbage rolls!"
The words stirred a memory and he braced himself as she removed the covers from the plates. To his relief, though, chocolate didn't seem to be involved with these cabbage rolls. They looked just normal.
"How special are they?"
"It's a secret. You should eat and find it out yourself," she answered mischievously.
Regarding the rolls closely, he found that they actually didn't look as usual as he had thought. The shape was somewhat crude, and he wondered whether something had happened to the chef, like injuring his hands. But he decided to ask about it later since Cagalli appeared quite eager to get dinner started.
As soon as he took the first bite, she asked anxiously, "How is it?"
He chewed it, swallowed it, and then answered, "It's good." He thoughtfully added, "It tastes different from usual."
"That's because I made these rolls," she said with a proud smile all over her face.
He stared at her with wide eyes. "You did?"
"Yes. Well, the kitchen staff helped me, but I did most of the work. I had my aids adjust my schedule, and fortunately, nothing unexpected came up for me. So I had enough time this evening to prepare dinner before you came home," she explained, still smiling widely. Then her smile turned into a pout as she begrudgingly added, "Though I might not have been in time if you hadn't been late."
He was so touched that he was nearly speechless. "Thank you," he managed to say.
The happy smile back on her face, she gestured toward his plate. "You should still find out what's special about the rolls."
"Right." He nodded and took another bite though his eyes were still glued to his wife's face.
But the next instant, his attention was forcefully directed to his mouth by the burning sensation in it.
"You...you put...chili inside?" he asked, grabbing the glass of water which was mercifully set next to his glass of wine probably thanks to a foresighted maid.
She answered with a baffled face, "Yes. But I didn't put that much. I know you don't like very spicy food. I also made the staff taste the rolls so that...oh, wait." She hurriedly cut one of her cabbage rolls into half and took a bite while he was trying to save his mouth from the ruthless fire.
She looked up at him sheepishly. "Um, sorry... This plate is supposed to be yours."
"I...see," he answered, pouring himself another glass of water.
With a worried face, she came over to his side to pat his back. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah..." Thankfully, the several glasses of water had eased the burning to an extent. "Well, it wasn't as bad as chocolate cabbage rolls, at least," he said with a sigh, though he started to wonder if it was true as soon as he said it.
She tilted her head. "Chocolate cabbage rolls? I never heard of it."
"Good for you." He quirked his lips wryly, stopping his mind from trying to decide which cabbage rolls were worse, which was just a waste of time and probably a question he could never answer.
"Will you give me your plate, and take this?" He motioned toward his plate, primarily because he didn't want her to probe for chocolate cabbage rolls. It posed a risk that her curiosity would be stimulated and she would insist they try the food.
Fortunately, he seemed to have succeeded in distracting her. "Sure."
They exchanged plates, and the rest of the dinner went peacefully.
As they walked out of the dining hall, leaving the cleaning up to maids, Cagalli said with disappointment, "I'm sorry you didn't get to enjoy the dinner." Since his tongue was still burned, he had not been able to appreciate the taste of the foods afterward, including the dessert which was a slice of peach tart, another favorite of his, made by the chef as usual.
He smiled at her. "It's fine, Cagalli." He took her hand and laced his fingers with hers. "Actually, it was a good dinner."
He believed that eating it with your loved one was what made a meal enjoyable more than anything. Even though he didn't have much interest in eating—and often skipped meals, for which she reprimanded him—he enjoyed every meal he shared with her. Well, almost every meal, except for the few times she had made him try her extra super spicy food.
But anyway, today's dinner wasn't one of the exceptions. Her effort to cook his favorite food despite her busy schedule was enough to make the meal one of the best for him.
She raised her eyebrows. "You know, you have a weird definition of good."
"Hm, I don't think it's as weird as your taste in food." He teased her and successfully drew a childish pout from her.
"Liking spicy food isn't weird!"
As they fell into the familiar banter, he had a genuinely happy smile on his face, which lingered for the rest of the night.
Valentine's Day was hardly his favorite day of the year. However, he didn't hate the day so much now. Just because one Valentine's Day was one of his worst memories, it didn't mean every other Valentine's Day had to be a bad day as well. There were as many good memories on this day as sad ones. And he was sure that with her at his side, the number of good memories was going to keep increasing.
The End
A/N: The idea of cabbage rolls with chocolate sauce came to me in my sleep. I don't know if it's a creation of my imagination or something I had read somewhere but forgotten. Do some people actually make and eat it? Since a google search told me someone had invented something such as chocolate-covered sprouts, I guess it's not impossible. There seems to be a lot more foods with chocolate than I thought.
Thank you for reading. If you've written a review of my previous fics, thank you for that, too.