A/N: Hi everyone, and welcome to my next big project. (I'm tired of the Oneshots.) I know, I'm already in the middle of something bigger. To those of you who have been keeping up with "Alchemic Reaction," my crossover between SEED and FMA, I thank you. I promise I'm still chipping away at that, so you won't have to wait much longer.
This is my first try tackling the famed Triangle. Since it is, I decided to do a third-person limited omniscient POV and focus solely on telling the story from Mir and Yzak's perspective (for the purpose of simplicity). Let me know if things get confusing.
Also, THIS STORY CONTAINS SHOUNEN AI! Let me reiterate: Although this story will have moments of Dea/Mir, there will also be instances of Dea/Yza in great abundance as well. If you don't approve of boy-on-boy pairings, please show yourself out. I will however, be working very hard to equally balance the attention I give to both relationships.
With that said, I hope you enjoy the little mess I've cooked up here. The first chapter is mostly fun, but I do intend for it to get serious later. Onward!
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Yzak Jule watched through narrowed eyes as Dearka slid an arm around the waist of Miriallia Haww, his girlfriend of three months and counting. He just didn't understand it. Then again, he didn't need to. It wasn't his business.
As the steady buzz of voices increased and his friends went on talking, he settled deeper into the cushions of the sofa, sidling as close to the edge of it as he could in order to distance himself from Yamato. To think that it had been mere months since the Freedom pilot had christened him with his scar, and now they were sharing the same sofa at a social gathering. He tried his hardest to ignore the pounding in his head and concentrated on the drink in his hand.
Athrun nudged him from his spot on the ground, where he was sitting with one arm flung loosely about Cagalli's shoulders. "Yzak, let's hear you say something for once," the Coordinator urged, and the pale boy met the suggestion with a poisonous glare of annoyance.
"All right then," the blue-headed male decided, turning back around to poke Lacus in the side. "Your turn."
Yzak nearly choked on his cocktail when the songstress hiccupped loudly and let out an uncharacteristic giggle of glee. Then he rolled his eyes. He ought to have expected it, in any case. For one thing, it was Dearka that was holding the get together, in his new apartment. His best friend was never the type to let a fun opportunity go to waste. And for another thing, none of them had gotten a decent chance to relax since the war's end. Cagalli was constantly being harassed by representatives from both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance, neither of which were quite ready to accept the neutral ideals of the Orb Union. Lacus was still on the run from those that wanted to hunt her down. And he and Dearka were still registered members of the ZAFT military, ready to be called back to duty at any time.
"Let's play Spin-The-Bottle," the Buster pilot suggested impishly, pouring himself another drink as he did so.
"Oh my," Lacus said, her pale eyes widening while Kira blushed behind her in his spot on the sofa.
Cagalli smirked at him over the rim of her glass. "What are we, twelve year olds? That game is for kids."
Dearka merely took hold of Athrun's empty beer bottle and placed it in the center of the floor. "Any game can be fun when you're drunk."
For a moment, Yzak almost admired the blonde's effort to bring them all together in a stress-free atmosphere. It allowed them to forget the pain of the war, if only for the time being. Then he remembered Dearka was hanging all over Miriallia, and that he hated socializing. He frowned and blocked out the loud results of the commencing game as Cagalli was forced to kiss her own brother.
Across the room, Miriallia was laughing at a comment made by the cheeky blonde at her side. Suddenly she felt a wave of something unpleasant hit her, and she instinctively turned toward the silver-haired Coordinator. Yzak sat mute, utterly detached from all shreds of conversation. No doubt he was seething at something internal, judging by the dark look that engulfed his features. The Natural female began to wonder again why he did not like her, but her nervous sentiments did not last. Dearka sprang forward to plant a kiss on her cheek, and she blushed furiously.
"What was that for?" she asked him, suddenly aware that all eyes were on her.
Her boyfriend grinned. "Pay attention. The bottle landed on you, my sweet. Now it's your turn."
She felt a playful smirk creep onto her face and wondered if her boldness was a direct result of the alcohol. "You can't get off that easy, buster," she said, gripping the blonde's shirt collar and dragging him forward. "I want a real kiss."
He didn't protest. The Buster pilot kissed her full on the lips, a searing affair that tasted slightly of gin and tonic water but was pleasant nonetheless. The move drew a catcall from Cagalli, who had always been the first to tease the two at the beginning of their tentative relationship. When the tanned youth pulled away, she was breathless. Dearka had always been an expert when it came to making her weak with pleasure.
"Now you go," he said to her when it seemed she'd come back to the present.
The former CIC shook her head. "I don't want to. The only person I want kissing me is you."
At first the blonde appeared baffled. Then he shrugged. "Fine," he said, "I'll take your turn. More for me. Geez, Mir, you suck the fun right out of it."
She knew he was kidding, but she slapped him playfully on the shoulder anyway. "Suit yourself, but don't blame me if you end up kissing Athrun or Kira."
"I'll kiss Kira," Athrun volunteered, much to his childhood friend's great terror, "But there's no way I'm kissing Dearka."
"My," Lacus observed with a hand to her cheek, "I really think all of us have had too much to drink."
"It's a little late for that." Dearka grinned and left his spot at Miriallia's side, making his way to the waiting bottle as Yzak watched from his unchanged position.
The Duel pilot couldn't tell whether his fellow Coordinator was drunk or not. He knew from experience that it was nearly impossible to tell. Dearka was the same Dearka, drunk or not. For now he'd sit back and wait. No doubt if the blonde was drunk it'd turn out amusing at some point.
The bottle rocked and spun along on its spiral path, finally ceasing its journey with its neck facing Yzak. At first the silver-haired male failed to respond. Then he realized Dearka's gaze was fixed on him, and the room had gone quiet. He resisted the urge to curse aloud.
"Well," Dearka let the words slip off his tongue in a simple monotone, the look on his face blank as he met his best friend's icy stare.
"I'm not playing," Yzak said flatly, arms crossed over his chest in a defensive stance.
Cagalli snorted. "I should have known you'd be the chicken that'd spoil the game."
Yzak fumed. If he'd hated the Princess of Orb before, it was nothing compared to the loathing he felt for her now. Miriallia had somehow been allowed to give them the slip. He'd be damned if he didn't get to do the same thing.
"I'm not…" But the words died on his lips as he caught a glint of something in Dearka's violet eyes.
The blonde stood passively, awaiting his former teammate's decision as if any sudden movement might set off a slew of invisible bombs. At once Yzak felt a jolt of something course through him. Regret? Impossible. He'd buried all feelings he'd once harbored for the tanned youth long ago. He'd detached himself once he'd learned the blonde had gone MIA during the war, and was damn glad he did, because when they'd reunited Dearka had already become involved with Miriallia Haww. His choice had been sound. But was it possible now that Dearka was the one suffering second thoughts?
"Spin it again," Yzak demanded, breaking eye contact and brushing the contemptuous looks from his comrades aside. "I'm not going to kiss you."
Miriallia lost her patience. "Just do it," she commanded, and Yzak pinned her with a withering glare.
The Natural had no idea why she'd said it. Perhaps it was because she was mildly curious. Sure, she'd heard rumors of Dearka's past relationship with the bad-humored male, but there was no doubt in her mind that Dearka now genuinely cared for her. So why did she feel the sudden need to test her theory? She had no further time to contemplate her own actions, however. Yzak was watching her every move, and she was careful to arrange the features of her face into an uncaring grin.
"Go ahead," she urged, "Dearka's taking my turn, remember? I'd kiss you without being a baby about it."
Yzak's face contorted into a venomous sneer. "What makes you think I'd ever let you, Haww?"
Dearka was immediately jolted from his silence. "Easy, you two," he ventured, but other than that he didn't move.
Yzak sprung from the sofa, straightening as he made for the kitchen. He planned his exit to carry him around the other side of the coffee table, separating him from his best friend.
Dearka was on his tail within seconds. "Now just hold on…"
Yzak felt a light tug on his wrist. He jerked his arm away, tripping over Kira's extended foot in his haste. The Freedom pilot yelped a belated apology as the two boys tumbled down atop each other in the center of the floor.
Yzak groaned. He hadn't consumed as much alcohol as the others, but the sudden drop made his head whirl. He squeezed his eyes shut and remained still as the stunned blonde shifted above him.
Quite a long time had elapsed since the last instance he'd been this close to Dearka. The memories were still fresh, lingering like the scent of the blonde's strawberry shampoo when he emerged from the shower, glistening with droplets. His heart pounded. It was incredibly stupid of him to be thinking of those memories at a time like this.
"Get the hell off me." The silver-haired youth struggled as Dearka propped himself onto his elbows to relieve some of the pressure.
Miriallia blinked. She hadn't expected that. Maintaining her cool while the two men kissed was within her limits. Watching two former lovers sprawled across each other on the floor was another matter altogether. Her mouth went dry, but she ordered herself to remain calm. Dearka cared for her. And she held nothing against Yzak, regardless of what he thought of her. The Buster pilot would not allow himself to be seduced by something so trivial. It would all be over shortly.
"Shit," Dearka muttered as he shook his head to clear it. "I'm sorry, Yzak."
The Duel pilot froze. An apology was the last thing he'd expected. A snide remark, yes. Maybe even some sort of innuendo. Not an apology. The sudden seriousness of their situation worried him.
"Just get off," was all Yzak said, turning his head to one side to avoid the other male's violet gaze.
Dearka's cool breath tickled the side of his neck. "First I have to kiss you." He didn't give his quarry time to object.
Yzak felt Dearka's palm press lightly against his cheek and pull him into a deep kiss. His blue eyes flew wide with alarm, and he fought it. He fought it with all his might, even as his felt his will power draining. He desperately, desperately wanted to give in, but if he did…
"Oh my," Lacus twittered, turning away as the kiss was drawn out longer than expected. Cagalli let out a laugh in response.
Yzak barely heard them. His control was shattering. It all felt so good, so despicably delicious it was almost sinful. Dearka's firm lips against his own, their bodies pressed together on the floor, the way the blonde's fingers automatically took up the familiar task of running through his silver locks…
His eyes flickered shut. He couldn't help but let out a small sound of satisfaction as Dearka allowed his tongue to penetrate his mouth. Damn it all to the deepest pits of hell — he had to get the blonde to stop before they made a spectacle of themselves. Just then Yzak caught a glimpse of Miriallia from the corner of his eye as she growled something and shifted from her seat in a panic. That's right, she was his girlfriend. He was kissing someone he wasn't supposed to be locking lips with. But it wasn't his fault, was it? Dearka kept on with his vigorous routine and he submitted with half his consciousness.
"Dearka," Kira called, clenching the arm of the sofa tightly after witnessing Mir's anxiety. The brunette swapped glances with Athrun, who was watching the scene unfold with sheer horror plastered over his features.
The two Coordinators waited to see if the blonde would respond before taking action. Athrun stood, and Kira followed suit. Within seconds they had pulled the Buster pilot away from his position atop the silver-haired male.
Yzak gasped for breath, trying hard to quench the mad fluttering in his midsection. He swiped a hand violently across his mouth as if trying to cleanse himself of his sin, thanking whatever gods there were that the other two had thought to step in. He vowed to go easier on Zala in the future. Miriallia looked calmer now, he observed humorlessly. It wasn't that he was afraid of her. If anything, he feared himself. Had Dearka kissed him for any longer than he did…
"I think that's all for tonight," Kira announced to the entire room. "No more fun and games."
Dearka looked momentarily horrified with himself. At the sound of Kira's voice, however, he regained his composure. "I guess Yamato is right. Heh, looks like I got carried away. Thanks for coming though, all of you. We'll do this again sometime." He winked at Mir good naturedly before ushering the rest out the door.
Miriallia glanced dazedly at Yzak, who was still breathing hard on the floor. Then she studied her nonchalant boyfriend at the door. Both she and the prostrate ZAFT soldier were staying the night at Dearka's apartment, even though Yzak himself lived just down the hall in the same complex. The three of them would have to have a talk in the morning.