Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Go sue someone else.
So, I'll try to make this quick. The 10whores thing is just some writing challenge that I picked up because I thought it looked like fun. What I have to do is write ten fics about the same character (in my case Cagalli) with a different character. (Golly, I hope that made sense). Anyways, this is pretty experimental and most the pairings are total crack so read at your own risk, ok?
"There you are, Princess," Gilbert Dullindal greeted warmly, "I was wondering where you'd run off to this evening."
Cagalli gave the chairman a questioning look and took a sip of her champagne.
"En-hunh," she responded, uninterested. The older man laughed at her antics.
"That's a lovely dress you have on," he said, pointing to the blonde girl's lavish red gown, "though it's a bit too mature for you, if you don't mind my saying so."
Cagalli took another sip of her champagne.
"Say what you want," she muttered, sounding strained.
Gilbert ignored her politically incorrect response and extended his hand towards her.
"If you wouldn't mind," he began, "I would be greatly honored if you were to do me the courtesy of putting down your glass and joining me for a dance, Princess."
The blonde girl pondered his proposal for a moment, and then downed what was left of her drink.
"Please don't call me Princess," she said, accepting his offer.
Placing her girl's hand in his gentleman's one, Cagalli let Gilbert lead her out onto the dance floor, earning intrigued (and somewhat outraged) glances from the few men who had asked her to dance earlier, namely one Alex Dino. Paying them no attention, the young representative followed her partner to the center of the ballroom.
A waltz began to play and the two danced.
"Is this Mozart?" asked Cagalli as they danced, trying to concentrate on the tune.
"I really wouldn't know," replied Dullindal with a shrug, "though some may adore their Mozart and their Bach, I've never felt too much about Classical music." He paused, suddenly, causing the blonde girl to wonder.
"Is everything alright, Chairman?" she questioned.
"Yes, yes, everything is fine Princess," he assured the girl, making her sulk at the word 'princess', "I was just pondering the idea that the Cagalli I know doesn't care to difference Mozart from Lacus Clyne, isn't that right Miss Attha?"
The Orb representative felt herself flush. She glared at the older man.
"You saying that I'm too stupid to recognize great classics from pop songs?" she demanded dangerously, but under her breath so that no one else could hear.
At this, Gilbert stopped dancing, and stopped Cagalli with him. He put his hands on her shoulders protectively and looked her in the eye.
"Of course not," he said.
The young girl nodded, her amber eyes wide. The older man sounded sincere. She knew the chairman through both business and reputation (as she imagined he knew her) and his most outstanding trait by far was his forever-deceiving personality – it was unheard of him to act like this. Part of Cagalli wanted to trust Gil and believe in what he said, while another part of her, the quick to judge part, was against it and warned her to stay one her toes. Though this ball had supposedly nothing to do with politics, there were still many politicians here and the game was still on.
"There are two sides to you, Princess," declared Dullindal, sounding like himself again. Removing his hands from the blonde girls shoulder, he took hold of her hand and they began to dance again. "Though I don't believe I need to name them out to you for after all, no one knows you better than you do yourself."
Cagalli stared at skeptically.
"Don't pretend to know me so well," she spat. Gilbert smirked, frustrating the Orb representative. "Don't mock me!" she exclaimed, 'forgetting' herself.
"I am neither pretending to know you or mocking you," defended the more experienced politician, "if anything, I am mocking myself."
"Yourself…?" questioned the confused girl.
"Yes," answered the Chairman, "I like to pride myself in thinking that I have a gift when it comes to understanding people, but sometimes I take it a little too far and then I end up mocking myself."
"Right…"
"However, I don't believe that I was wrong when I, for lack of a better word, accused you of having to sides to yourself…or was I Princess?" Cagalli glared at the older man, silently telling him to back off. The Chairman however, wasn't fazed. "For example, just a moment ago, when we stopped dancing, you were waging a war within yourself, weren't you?"
The blonde girl, whose face had been vivid with different reactions all evening, became stony and emotionless – the way it only did when someone had understood her too well for her personal liking.
"I take it I was right," whispered Dullindal, a proud smile well hidden behind a kinder one.
He and Cagalli finished their dance in silence. It had been a long waltz.
"I suppose you'll want to return to your corner and champagne," said Gilbert. Cagalli nodded and smiled slightly, he did the same. Suddenly, he lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Don't drink too much," he advised her before letting her scamper off.
It was only a few days later, when she found herself ballroom dancing all alone, that Cagalli realized how much she had enjoyed the evening.
...And what kind of a fanfic writer would I be if I didn't ask for a review?