Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny.

Author's Note: Not quite sure where this idea came from but I found it floating in my head soo... (: This one-shot can actually be either post-GSD or AU so take it whichever way you want. It doesn't matter much.

Waiting for the Sunrise

Every day, Athrun Zala drove down a familiar road. He heard the familiar chiming of a nearby church, smelled the familiar scent of the ocean breeze, and saw the familiar orange-pink gradient of the sunset. It was six in the evening, the usual time for him to get off work. Unlike most individuals who finish work and proceed to have dinner with friends and family, Athrun committed himself to travel this same path every day. For the past two years, this was his routine. It was a routine that embodied the promise he made to himself, and to her.

He made a right turn, entering a small plaza that consisted of several small stores. After parking his car in the small yet empty parking lot, he marched towards the store at the very end. A floral shop. He was quickly enveloped by the smell of fresh flowers upon entering. He once found the strong and sudden scent to be rather nauseating but now, he had become accustomed to the smell.

There was a young woman in the corner, arranging a vase of orchids. Her light brown hair, which was tied in a ponytail, swished around as she turned to welcome him.

"Hi, Athrun," The young woman greeted cheerfully as she snipped at the arrangement she was working on.

"Hey, Katie. Sorry, I'm a bit early today. You don't have to worry about me if you're still busy. I don't mind waiting a bit," He informed her.

"No problem. Mum already prepared the bouquet for you; it's in the back. I'll go get it for you," Katie said as she put down her scissors on a nearby table and walked towards the door behind the cashier counter.

"Sure. Where is she by the way? Your mother seems to be out a lot recently,' Athrun asked, as he examined the different plants around the store.

"Oh, she's out on delivery," The brunette shouted from the other room. "Since Kent started college, he's been making excuses about being too busy. So, mum's been having to do the deliveries personally."

"Well, as long as Kent's actually focusing on his studies, I guess it's forgivable," Athrun shouted back. "You know, if you guys ever need a hand, I don't mind volunteering to help."

Katie laughed as she returned, carrying a bouquet of flowers with her. "I don't think that's a good idea. Girls will probably faint if someone like you randomly showed up at their doors with flowers. Plus, it's not like you don't pay for these," She said, as she gestured at the bouquet and handed it to him. The bouquet consisted of white lilies and various shades of blue-purple hydrangeas along with white lavenders and limonium.

"Thanks," Athrun said gratefully.

"You're welcome," Katie replied with a smile. "Anything specific you want for next time?"

Athrun thought for a moment as he stared out the window to his side. He could still see a small tinge of the sunset at the edge of the horizon.

"Something orange..."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It took a while for Athrun to get used to the strong scent of flowers in the floral shop. However, even two years were not enough for him to get used to the smell of this hallway. No matter how many times he walked through, the scent of this place just irked him. It was a smell of irony... a smell of people being rescued, being cured, yet also a smell of people ill and dying.

Athrun walked through the hallway lined with plain white walls, stopping at a familiar door. The plaque beside it read 'Room 4037 – Patient: Cagalli Y. Athha'. He opened the door gently, though not afraid to wake the occupant.

"Hey, I brought you flowers again," He announced as he entered and closed the door behind him. Walking over to the bedside table, he noticed the vase was empty. He figured the nurse must have cleared the flowers that he brought a few days ago. He set the new bouquet on the table and bent over to place a light kiss on the blonde lying unconscious on the bed. He then walked over to the window which only reflected him and his surroundings since it was already dark out. Reaching over, he pulled the curtains closed before returning back to her side.

Athrun spoke as he began putting the flowers in the vase. "Did you know that you can change the colours of hydrangeas based on the soil? Apparently, they become bluer if the soil is acidic. Kinda cool, hm? I bet you'd want to experiment with them in the garden. Though I'm not sure that would be a good idea... you were never good with plants," He chuckled.

Every day, he would speak to her like this. He wasn't sure if she could hear him but he secretly hoped that when she wakes up one day, she would remember at least bits and pieces of things he had told her over the past two years. Initially, he didn't know what to talk about. It felt strange to speak to someone who was in a deep slumber. It took him a while but eventually, he started talking to her with the hopes that she was able to hear him.

He often spoke about her family and friends and what they were up to nowadays. Sometimes, he would talk about the news and inform her on events that were happening in the world. He also spoke of movies and TV series that he thought she would probably be interested in. Occasionally, he came with a book and read to her. And on the days when he didn't want to talk because he felt a little broken from missing her, he turned on the radio for her.

Athrun carried the vase of flowers to the private bathroom connected to the room and filled the vase with water. After placing the vase back on the bedside table, he pulled a chair over from the side of the room and sat down beside her. He took his phone out of his pocket and set the radio on before placing it on the table. One of her favourite songs was playing.

He watched her, silently willing for her to wake. Even though she was physically there, he missed her. He missed the way she yells at him for not putting enough salt in her omelette. He missed the way she blushes when he surprises her with his affection. He missed the way she laughs at him when he loses to her in her favourite video game. In short, he missed everything about her. Most of all, he missed her eyes which used to remind him of the sunset. But now, the sunset reminded him of her instead.

Athrun reached over to hold her hand in his, lightly fingering the spot where a ring once stood.

"Will you marry me?"

"..."

"..."

"Aren't you supposed to kneel?"

"...Do you want me to?"

"Well, no..."

"..."

"..."

"So..."

"...Yeah..."

He remembered how surprised he was when she calmly, yet awkwardly answered. He knew she wasn't the type to squeal but he had expected a more emotional reply. Even after answering, she had been quiet and it made him worry whether he had done something wrong. That is, aside from not kneeling. It took a few hours after his proposal and her acceptance for her to finally feel ecstatic. He supposed the initial shock just lasted a bit longer than he thought but it became quite evident everything was fine when she started to act like she was overdosed with dopamine.

She had even praised him for getting her a unique ring, rather than the usual diamond ring which most people use for proposals. She loved the intricate design of the band and the intense ruby stone that sat in the middle. Unfortunately, she could not wear the ring at the moment. Thus, he will wear it for her, along with the amulet she had given him.

It was only two months after they became engaged when the accident happen. Athrun could still remember clearly when he received a phone call telling him that she had been in a car accident and that her condition was not very favourable. He immediately rushed to the hospital and then waited nervously for hours until the doctor finally came out of the emergency room. She was alive, but in coma.

A part of him was grateful that she was alive. Even so, he had been emotionally lost for the first couple of months as he sat in this very spot, watching over her unconscious state. The doctors told him they couldn't predict when she would wake. Thus, he stayed by her side, waiting and waiting...

Athrun was still waiting. He had grown a little stronger over time but other than that, nothing had really changed. He had hope though. She once told him that 'the hardest battle is to keep living' and he knew she lived by her words. She was fighting a long and tedious battle and he would play his part by watching over her and cheering her on. He trusted her to come out victorious because if anything, he knew she was strong. He had faith in her and so, he would continue to wait.

Author's Note:

I know this isn't the most cheerful thing to read. I didn't want to put it in the hurt/comfort category or the angst category though because this one-shot is actually quite the opposite. It's about hope. (:

Sorry if the small talk between Athrun and the florist was a bit odd. I didn't know what else to put there...x( I think I end up adding irrelevant details and things in because otherwise, my writing feels choppy... at least to me, it does. o_o

Anyway, please review. x)