Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.
A/N: I admit- it's been a long time so I'm way rusty.
Now, this isn't going to be much, though I'm hoping this would be enough as a conclusion. (Technically, I'm not even sure if this could be considered as a sequel).
I can't promise updates so sorry.
" " for speech
Italic for flashbacks, thoughts, and opinions.
As always, I apologize for bad grammar. (I found so many on Redemption1 :( but didn't bother to correct them anymore.)
REDEMPTION: Again the Magic: Chapter 1: Another Beginning
Shinn stared at Dearka; his potato chip suspended between wrapper and mouth until the tiny chip unconsciously slipped from his fingers.
The most shocking news to date-
"The Commander is getting what!" Shinn sprang as fast as Dearka tugged him back down, silencing him.
"Shhh... Not so loud." Dearka put a finger to his lips and looked round mock-nervously, wondering if anyone had overheard them before returning his attention back to the brunet. "Not everyone knows about this yet." Dearka explained causing Shinn to frown with confusion.
"So why tell us?" Shinn asked, referring to himself and Lunamaria, who looked completely dumbfounded by the news as well.
Noticing that the coast was clear, Dearka gradually straighten back up to his full height, allowing Shinn to do the same.
"I'm telling you this because I'm encouraging both of you to take the time to go see her during your time-off."
Shinn frowned, seriously confused. "Why?" He asked which led Dearka to stare at him, a perplexed expression on his face.
"Seriously?" Dearka's brain wandered off due to disbelief. To show some concern? ... Consideration? ... Involvement?
The corner of Dearka's lips curve up into a cunning smirk.
"You won't know... taking the time to go visit the fiancée might help you get into your Commander's good graces."
Given the fact that Shinn's ace pride has been terribly wounded, the younger male made a face. He immediately opened his mouth as if to retort. But before he could actually get an obnoxious remark out, Lunamaria had restrained him with a hand over his supposed loud mouth.
"We would love to pay her a visit!" Lunamaria announced for them both with a big smile. "Isn't that right, Shinn?" she added, giving the other a menacing squeeze, insisting that he show some form of agreement with her.
Unable to say anything, Shinn pinned Lunamaria a nasty look.
Whether she was aware of this act or not, Lunamaria went on. "Please excuse us, Captain, but Shinn and I should be heading back to section B now. Thank you very much for looking out for us." She finished with a half bow before ultimately dragging a refusing Shinn backwards with her hand still over his mouth.
00000
Seven. No. Approximately ten meters away from them now, Dearka stood at the same spot. He planted a hand on his hip and observed the pair with an amused expression on his face then, after a while later, turned on his heel.
Lunamaria twisted around a little and lifted her head just enough to catch a peek of their Captain disappear. But to be on the safe side, it was only when she was certain they were far from any prying eyes and ears did she decide to release Shinn.
Refraining herself from smacking him on the head, "Geez..., Shinn. Would it kill you to show some courtesy once in a while? Dearka may be all friendly to everyone but he's still a senior officer!" Lunamaria said, looking right at the teenage brat as she spoke.
Shinn of course shrugged off her words as if it didn't mean very much. And when he made no effort to answer or argue with her, Lunamaria blew out a short breath. "Really now..." she scorned, but resolved to simply let the issue hang for now.
Heels clicked away as they proceeded to section B of armory one. Only a minute had passed when Lunamaria was forced to look up at ceiling, thinking.
"You know, I never thought Commander Joule was even interested in women... Seeing as he's always cooped up in his office for long hours. I don't believe he even goes on dates, do you? ... Then suddenly we hear that his engaged and getting married… wow… really wow… I wonder what's Commander Joule's fiancée is like."
Taking Lunamaria's previous not-interested-in-women comment to note, Shinn scowled with disgust having managed to paint a picture in his head as they walked. "Probably some huge muscular butch."
00000
"Promise me you will open it later, okay? Not now, mama! Later! Later!"
Flay withheld a laugh as Kaitlyn's words lingered back into her memory. The silly girl. Flay leaned back on her pillow.
After reading the bold letters encrypted on Kaitlyn's latest card- a simple MAMA GET WELL SOON! and an I LOVE YOU!-, She couldn't help but smile inside and out.
Right now, her simple, but not too small private hospital room was filled with four extravagant set of flowers. The first two came from Fuyu and the Atlantic Foreign Minister while the rest was from Yzak's friends. Placed closer to her bedside was the adorable bear given by Dearka; and next to it was the fresh basket of fruit Ezalia had recently brought over; all bearing get well wishes. But of course, none of those gifts would compare to the simple joy of receiving a honest encouragement from her baby, or at least that was what Flay thought.
The automatic door lifted not long after the previous.
"You look happy." Yzak said upon entering. His eyes swept the room, noticing the additional fruit basket that now accompanied what he dubbed as 'the dumb bear' on her side table.
"Kaitlyn made me a card." Flay continued to smile at the mere thought of it. "She's really getting better with her drawings... Oh right," Flay sat forward, turning her attention to Yzak. "You just missed your mother."
"I know." Yzak paused at a long trestle table and set down his military jacket on it. "I ran into them on my way here. And apparently, you agreed to let her take Kaitlyn out again."
Flay's shoulders dropped unintentionally. "Mmm... Your mother can so be persuasive." She explained with a defeated sigh. "I couldn't say no."
"You are aware that my mother's intentionally dragging Kaitlyn all over town just to brag to her colleagues in case they run to each other, right?"
"Ezalia's just proud." Flay couldn't help but laugh a little. "I see no harm with her showing Kaitlyn around, though it would seem your mother finally found a new favorite." She smirked at him.
Yzak shrugged at fact. "Mother is seriously going to end up spoiling her."
"And what's wrong with spoiling her?" Flay asked.
From the looks of things — she and Yzak, both of them, without a doubt have been spoiled as children and yet take a look at them now. Both of them had managed to grow up not quite as bad as some would believe.
Yzak appeared to be thinking this over and he returned Flay's carefree smile with a daringly look.
Crossing his arms, he glanced away. "... Nothing of course."
Silence stretched out. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Flay took this as an opportunity to stash Kaitlyn's card into her bag while Yzak glanced around the plain looking room, looking rather anxious until he confessed, "I- actually got something for you as well..."
This made Flay looked up at Yzak with surprise. As much as she sincerely enjoyed being showered with gifts, she did not want to be anymore indebt to him. "I thought, I mentioned, no, we have specifically discussed that you wouldn't have to get me anything. You've already done so much —. You took care of our visas; welcomed us to stay at your home; insisted on paying for my medical—"
"Well I did! And guess what, it's way better than that dumb animal!" Yzak snapped out of topic, darting an accusing finger towards the get-well bear from Dearka as he did every time he dropped-by to check on her.
"Really, Yzak, the dumb animal again?"
Frowning, Flay turned her attention to the stuffed-animal as well and tilted her head, examining the poor little guy. Why Yzak hated the bear so much was beyond her. It was brown, soft and fuzzy; it was an unorthodox gift, yes, but all and all it was still just a bear. Who didn't like bears? Which part of repeatedly mentioning not to get her anything have to with Dearka's dumb bear? Unless…
Having placed two and two together... Flay propped her arms on her knees and leaned her cheek against her fist. Watching the other with a teasing glance, "Yzak, could you actually be jealous of Dearka?" she asked, curling her lips at him as she noted that speculative-look form on his handsome face.
"Me. Jealous of Dearka?" Yzak made an exasperated noise as if her conclusion pained him. "Why in blue blazes would I ever be jealous of him!"
Flay could not help but giggle a little. She knew Yzak had not meant it to be funny; however, he could deny it all he wants but the truth was written all over his face and she secretly liked him like this. Unfortunately, with Yzak's temper, she knew it would be best to rid of possible misunderstandings as soon as possible.
"I assure you that there's nothing going on between Dearka and I. All we do is talk-"
"Too much chitchat with someone you've recently gotten along with." Yzak said, interrupting her.
"So you are jealous..." She grimaced.
Yzak snorted, still with his arms crossed and still scowling. "Like I said. There is no reason for me to be." But the look on his face clearly contradicted him that moved her to let out a resigned breath.
"No, really, Yzak. I mean- I tend to boast about you all the time and, surprisingly, so does he." Flay added to assure him, but his expression remained cynical.
"You know... You really shouldn't be so quick to doubt Dearka. I mean- he is your best friend. And you should know he thinks highly of you... And getting back to the issue, I said, no more gifts! No more favors! I wouldn't be able to pay you back!"
"My wife doesn't need to pay me back!"
They hesitated for one quivering instant, then settled. That certainly shut her up.
Yzak sat down and inched closer to her on the bed. Like her, he was unable to look at her directly, and then he lifted one hand from his lap roaming it to where her hand rest on the mattress. His fingers hovered, an inch from hers, then, very gently, almost as if he wasn't sure her hand was real, he touched her fingertips to the back of her hand. His fingers didn't grip, didn't tug- they simply touched and Flay took pleasure in savoring the comforting brush until Yzak grasped her wrist then secured his hold, dug his other hand into his pocket and inexpertly slipped something cold through her fourth finger.
Of course, it was exactly what Flay realized it was... it's just that everything had happened so fast she could not get herself to believe it.
"I know you said you wanted to choose your own ring, but..." Yzak inclined his head. Acutely focused on her, he finished sliding the platinum ring onto her finger more gently this time. "I couldn't wait."
The ring fit perfectly. And Flay clumsily pulled back her hand only to feel Yzak stare up at her.
"You... This... This is..." relatively awkward- she couldn't say it so instead, she alternatively stared long at her new accessory. Her right thumb glazing over the sapphire center stone that was brilliantly cut in a tear drop shape and bezel set into the delicate plate backing, then onto the three separate openings at the leaf shaped front; while not failing to admire the two strands of glimmering diamonds that frame the blue center piece just until the awkward feeling subsided, or until she could come up with something else to say.
"But... isn't this too soon? Wouldn't this make it official...?" Lousy choice of words as if him sliding the ring onto her finger was not obvious enough.
"That's the whole point!"
When she turned to him again, Yzak's face looked almost shy. In exchange, Flay felt her face heat up. Yzak had never been bold with words before; never been bold with his heart; and she found the bashful unorthodox ways he displayed affection rather adorable.
"You're not saying anything... you don't like it?"
Flay shook her head, somewhat lost for words and brought the glamorous ring that now adorned her slim finger closer to her heart. "It's beautiful..."
"Well, it should be. I picked it out!" Yzak snapped.
"And I love it! it's exactly what I would have wanted. Thank you." She went ahead and pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek initiatively, only to pull back as quickly as she had leaned in when uncalled-for shyness had struck. And for a brief moment, she met Yzak's gaze with something akin to embarrassment, though why she should feel such, she couldn't imagine.
…..
"Were you thinking about the surgery or were you thinking about him?"
"Huh? Sorry what?" Flay blinked twice before realizing that Yzak had gone back to the trestle table and had poured himself a glass of water.
"You spaced-out there."
Suddenly recalling what had caused it, Flay felt her cheeks warm again. She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear; for a reason she could not quite explain. "I… hadn't realized..." She confessed, and then deflected her gaze from Yzak's to the equally pretty ring that was now hers, her fingertips sliding over it again. "I guess... I just got a lot on my mind." This was a lie, though technically not exactly on other days, for most of the time she was always-always worrying over something, because since war happened everything around her, including her life had been moving faster than she anticipated.
Nonetheless Yzak accepted the reason.
"I see..."
He stared at her, studying her form, her expression, and then he sighed. He folded his arms, leaning on wall, Yzak turned to look pass the window. "Flay, whatever you are thinking, it's going to be fine." He said it so easily and with so much certainty in his tone that she wanted to believe him and smile.
00000
Meanwhile at a gift shop located in the heart of Aprilius City.
Lacus Clyne stood back from the tables unable to decide on which gift basket to purchase: fruit, flowers, or goods. Lacus pondered on the choices again before- "Kira, which do you think would be the most appropriate to give?"
Kira Yamato separated himself from Lacus' bodyguards and went to look at the decorated baskets with baby Lara on his arms. He made a quick glimpse at the variety then frowned. "I don't know, Lacus. You're usually better at these."
This made Lacus glance over at the choices once again, looking thoughtful. "Hmm... I suppose you are right... Let us go with the fruit basket then." She announced, smiling at her husband.