Title: From Lunch to Dinner
Pairings: ShinnCaga (implied KiraCaga/AsuCaga)
Word Count: 2277
Rating: T
Summary: A look at Cagalli's relationships, from past, present to future in the form of dialouges over a bowl of spicy noodle.
Comments and Constructive Criticism are welcomed
Disclaimer: I don't own Mobile Suit Gundam SEED/DESTINY or any of its characters
Warning: Might find it boring... I think.
Inspired by an AsuCaga fanfic Chasing Stars by Crookedsmile. An AsuCaga fic, you read it right, I did read some AsuCaga lately... I really took a liking in her style... It also helped that I was introduce to her writing though one of her KiraCaga lol
From Lunch to Dinner
A flood of spicy scent floods their senses, and waters their eyes as two figures emerge into a Thai fast-food joint. The restaurant is packed with college students off from class to grab a cheap spicy lunch. The two figures blend right in with the others, both of them look like they're no more than eighteen. The male wears a simple black unbuttoned shirt over a long red T-shirt with a pair of jeans. A pair of blue framed glasses covers his ruby eyes giving him a bookish look. His female companion wears a pair of tea-stain shades with a cap covering much of her face. With a simple print T-shirt and a knee length skirt, she looks no different from the college school girls across.
The two pushes through the crowd and settled on a table deep in the restaurant. The male tipped the host for making sure they are far from any windows.
The waitress came shortly, and asks for their orders.
"I would take the Hell-Fire Chili noodle," the black hair male orders without looking at the menu.
"How spicy?" the waitress asks, this restaurant is known for its many levels of spiciness for each dish.
"Make it ten chili." Shinn smirks, ordering for the spiciest level, and tossing a dare look at his companion.
"Are you sure, Mister? You might regret it," the waitress scribbles down the order and looks to the girl.
"I'll have the same thing," the girl returns Shinn's smirk with an unchallenged look.
"Ten chili too? Are you sure?" The waitress shakes her head. She has seen this happen all too often.
"I'll be fine. I won't back down on a challenge for spicy food." She gives the male beside her another playful glare, as the waitress leave them to their own device.
"I didn't challenge you, I merely stated a fact. I can take more spicy food than you, since clearly you've never even been to Volcano Pitt before." Volcano Pitt is the name of the restaurant they are currently dinning in and it is known for making the spiciest food in Orb.
"It's not like I don't want to come here!" Cagalli protests, as she takes off her hat but keeps her shades on so as to not drop her disguise. After all, no one expects the Princess of Orb to stop by at a Thai fast-food joint.
"Well, we're here, so let's not try to get caught," Shinn grabs her hat and puts it back on. "Because god knows that Kira will have my head if this gets to the press."
Cagalli rolls her eyes, and the waitress interrupted their conversation as she delivers their food and two tall glasses of ice water.
"I have a question," Staring at her food intently, Cagalli grabs the hot sauce and starts squeezing an unhealthy amount into her bowl. "What does it mean when a man gives a girl a ring?"
"To propose I suppose," Shinn takes the hot sauce from Cagalli's hand and begins to pour the same amount into his bowl, "what else can it mean?"
"Even if he's going leave her all alone to fend for herself?" she stirs her bowl fiercely.
Shinn raises an eyebrow without his sight leaving his bowl which is rapidly turning blood red. "What are you trying to ask anyway?"
"Okay, forget about that. What do think the man would think if he saw the girl took of the ring later?" Cagalli takes a first bite, and her eyes shoot opened. She wants to split it out immediately but her pride would not allow it. Her tongue has gone numb instantaneously.
"That the girl doesn't want to marry him isn't that obvious," Shinn answers and grins at her reaction before taking his first bite. His reaction is no less repulsive than Cagalli's.
"Beside, why are you asking these questions anyway, is this some IQ test? If it is you might forget it, my IQ is above 150." Taking a swig at the water, Shinn continues.
"If that's the answer you're giving me, you obviously don't deserve it," Cagalli rolls her eyes and return to her food. She takes a deep breath before braving another bite.
"So who's this man you're talking about," Shinn asks and takes another bite; somehow his spicy food is starting to taste bitter.
A moment of silence as Cagalli nibbles on her food, buying her time.
"Athrun," Cagalli mutters causally after some hesitation. She heaves a sigh, she can feel her eyes water up because of the spice.
"Why do you care what he thinks all of a sudden?" Shinn has suspected there was something between the old ZAFT Ace and the Head Representative back when they first met. He just never thought that they were to the point where he would propose to her.
He didn't understand why Athrun stayed in Orb to body guard Cagalli back in the days, and he doesn't understand why he had walked out of her life and return to PLANT after the war. He has always assumed that they had become history some where along the way. Three months past since he has started taking up the blue hair coordinator's job, and not a trace of him bothered to show up in her life.
"I don't know, maybe because I actually have time for a life now," Cagalli takes another deep breathe trying to blink back the tears caused by her bowl from hell. "Now that Kira is also a Representative, and is taking over half of my job."
"You know, I always wondered why you trust him so much?" somehow he changed the topic without himself knowing why.
"Who? Kira? Of course I trust him, he's my twin brother!"
"Kira is your brother?" Shinn look at her incredulously. Obviously no one has cared to inform him.
"I always thought you knew, I thought Kira would have told you."
"No, he doesn't even have the same last name as you. I always thought he had something for you. What with the kidnap and those battles he kept protecting you from. But then, there's Lacus… arggg… you guys are so messed up."
"No, you're messed up. Kira is my brother and we're off topic."
"So what, you want to get back with him," Shinn asked, feeling irritated.
"I don't know," Cagalli stares at her blood red bowl that she's not even close to finish.
"What do you mean you don't know!" Shinn begins to raise his voice.
"I don't know if I want to get back with him!" Cagalli fires back, equally loud. Fortunately the restaurant is busy and noisy and no one cares.
"Well, do you love him?" Shin drops his utensils and looks at her.
Cagalli looks away from Shinn equally frustrated because she knows she doesn't have a satisfactory answer. She bites her numb lips. Her eyes feel wet.
"I don't know," she mutters in a small weaker voice.
Shinn turned her around and lifts her chin.
"Look at me, do you love him?" Shinn looks sternly into the golden orbs, searching for answers. He knows Cagalli cannot lies.
"I don't know, I don't know. I don't know if I love him. I don't even know if I ever loved him," She closes her eyes and covers her face with her hands. Her fingers push underneath her shades.
"If you never love him, why were you with him in the first place," Shinn can't help but criticize.
"I don't know… maybe because my father just died when he asked. Wait, he didn't even ask, he just… tackled me."
Despite the misery seeping from her cracking voice, Shinn can't help but smile at her choice of words. Then memories of his own surface as he remembers the kiss Luna and him shared. He feels like a hypocrite.
"And then there's Kira, I just found out we were related. And I was…" Cagalli stopped, too embarrassed to continue.
"And you…?" Shinn prompts and continues for her. "You liked Kira didn't you?"
"What?" Cagalli try to deny, but it is futile, her blush is betraying her. Maybe she can blame it on the spicy food.
"You know, it's pretty obvious. You guys always act more like exs than sibling."
"Coming from a guy who still uses his sister's cell phone? Give me a break," Cagalli feels the need to retaliate.
Shinn holds back abruptly. And the restaurant's noise filled their heavy silence. Cagalli regrets her words immediately.
"That was uncalled for!" Shinn turns his face away and merely mutters quietly. He knows if Vino said that half a year ago, he would have punched him in the face. But it is Cagalli here, and it is also four months after the war. And he realizes how things have change. How he has changed.
"You're right, I'm sorry," Cagalli lowers her head and apologize. She knows what she did was wrong. What she felt for Kira was wrong. And she can't help but react defensively. Maybe she should not have started the whole conversation, but for some odd reasons she wants to talk to him about it. And she is actually glad that at least the most awkward part is over.
"So… Athrun was a rebound," Shinn continues, trying to revive the conversation.
"No! Well…At least I don't want to think of it as that way." Cagalli wants to deny. She wants to believe that there was something more substantial in their relationship. So many things has happened when they were together, the label feels like it is trivializing their relationship.
"But that's what it was, isn't it. You needed a shoulder to lean on, and he was there." Shinn states it plainly in a quiet voice as if this is his retaliation. "Just like I needed a girl to protect, and Luna was there."
"What's going on between you and Luna anyway," Cagalli asks, glad to temporary change the subject.
"I don't know. I have not called her for two weeks. Last I know, Meyrin told me she has just started dating."
"Shouldn't you do something," Cagalli looks up at him concern and incredulous at the same time.
"Do what? She's in PLANT, and I'm in Orb. She doesn't want to leave her family, and I want to stay in Orb. What can I do?" Shinn glares back at Cagalli, daring her to give him a solution.
"Don't you guys want to make it work? I mean, you guys just gave up because there's a difference between you two?"
"Well, what do you expect me to do? Go back to PLANT, work for ZAFT after what happened, just so I can pursue a relationship which I don't even know why I was in, in the first place? I know she helped me a great deal in the war, and I wish things would have worked out differently, but we drifted apart, and I moved on. That's just the way it is. Dating"
"I hate dating."
"Then don't bother with relationship."
The spicy food leaves a sour taste.
The waitress comes, Shinn drops the bills and they walk off leaving the bowls which are almost untouched. Too much spice, too hot – it burns their senses and despite their numbing taste, they still feel sore.
Shinn and Cagalli gets into the car. Cagalli looks out at the window, thinking quietly.
"So… how will I know if I love Athrun?" she breaks the silences with the one million dollar question before Shinn starts the engine.
Shinn stops the car and turns to her.
"Do you really want to find out?" he eyes bore into hers. She can feel the seriousness in them.
He held her gaze, and she can sense him leaning close. She does not move away, as she can feel his body closing in on her, their face mere inches away.
She can feel his breathe on her, the smell of mint that he just had, as his lips gingerly touched hers. Their eyes still opened as he places the lightest kiss on her – a mere graze on the lips. Then he places his lips on hers again, this time she can feel a slight movements of his lips. And again and again, from light to deep, her numb lips begins to feels the electricity he sends through her spine as he deepens each contact by endless factions of tenths and hundredths. And she closes her eyes and drowns in his kiss before they are out of breathes. And reluctantly they let go after three last short kisses.
And he held his face, a mere centimeter from her, their nose still touching.
"So does it feel the same as his?" he whispers.
She blushed, too shocked at what just happened.
"No…" she looks away and bites her lips, slightly ashamed, not because of what happened but because she enjoyed it.
"Better than his?" Shinn grins.
"Oh, shut up!" She rolls her eye, "You're so insufferable and arrogant, you know."
He laughs and places his thumb on his lips.
"So, would you like to go on a date with me tonight?"
She gasps; she cannot believe how unbelievable he is. But then again, she also cannot believe her heart just skipped.
"Didn't I just told you I hate dating?" she shakes her head at him
"You also asked me if you still love Athrun, and I think I gave you a pretty good answer."
"Shinn Asuka, you are unbelievable!" She is not going to go down without a fight.
"Cagalli Yula Athha, how about French for dinner?" He knew he already won.
She rolls her eyes, why does she bother.
"Italian."
"Deal."
Author's Note
Yeah... so I didn't really know why of all the stories I mean to write, I've choose to write this one... when it almost have zero plot... . ; I really wrote this as a character's observation/report sort of... injected with my views of Cagalli relationships through out GS/GSD. Worse yet, it's so damn long... I wonder if anyone would actually suffer through the whole fic.
Maybe I should have stick to humorous story... or maybe I should have written my "Sibling not acting like Sibling KiraCaga" drabble... I am also told that Shinn is kind of OOC... sigh
