Aki-chan: Yay! A new Chapter!
Chie: AND I START IT THIS TIME!!!
Ichigo: Aha...yes of course Chie (lol) Well, we're sorry this chapie is a little shorter than the others! It's just that if we made it any longer it would sorta butcher it a bit so...we did a little snip snip.
Aki-chan: Well then! On with Chapter 4 of Gundam Seed: Project Angel
Everyone: Enjoy!

DISCLIAMER: We do not own Gundam Seed or any of it's characters/Gundams. They belong to their respectful owners. We just own our Oc's and any of our Gundams and oh! Ichigo's ORIGINAL songs. Any others we give credit to.

Chapter 4: Little by Little a Bond can Grow…

Enjoying some, more or less, leisurely time, Yzak Jule had spread himself out on one of the couches in the pilots' lounge with the pretense of taking a quick snooze right then and there since he didn't quite want to go back to his room at the present time.

He was, however, forced to groggily open his eyes when the bright lights that had been burning into the back of his eyelids were suddenly extinguished.

Icy blue met a jade green.

"What now Haruno…?"

"Nothing! I thought that I should just give you some company!" Chieko Haruno giggled holding her long, long red hair back out of her face and so it wouldn't tumble down onto Yzak, 'Or more...hehe!'

Yzak raised a silver eyebrow as Chieko shook her head in an attempt to not giggle out loud, "Normally when people are lying down with their eyes closed it means they're trying to sleep."

"Awww…" the red-head whined crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

Yzak rolled his eyes and sat up moving over to make room for the fellow pilot, "Fine, whatever."

Chieko smiled a bit in gratitude and leapt onto the couch making the cushions bounce, 'Kyaaaa…one day…'

Yzak took one look at the overly happy look on Chieko's face and he knew in an instant that something was up, "What?" he asked as he raised his eyebrow again, "You've got that moronic look on your face again."

Chieko just made a face at him, "Pfft, like you care what I think about!"

"I feel it necessary to know when I should avoid the area near your room." was Yzak's snappy retort as he recalled one day when he was walking back to his and Dearka's room and was glomped by Chieko. Needless to say another collision with the hard metal floor wasn't toping his 'Things To Do' list.

Chieko resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him and instead decided to straighten out her skirt and socks, regardless of the fact they were already straight, "Hmphf, maybe I should just hug Dearka?"

"W-what!?" the silver-haired pilot of the Duel yelped looking like he'd just been hit in the face.

Pleased with the reaction Chieko leaned over, placing her hands on the couch along with her knees and smirked at him cattishly, "Just kidding."

Suddenly Yzak had the urge to reach into her mouth and pull on her tongue. Hard. But he settled for muttering insults under his breath quietly as he held eye contact with Chieko's green orbs for as long as he could before he was forced to turn his head away as his face turned a light shade of pink, "Hmphf!"

Chieko sat back on her heals and began to twirl a piece of red hair around her finger, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that." she muttered, 'Hmm…maybe he likes short hair…? Blondes? Brunettes?'

Noting the look of contemplation she wore and the fact that she was lifting her hair up to different angles and trying to see her reflection in the window, Yzak did not have a hard time guessing her train of thought, which caused him to sigh in exasperation. Typical. Damn women and their hair.

"If you're gunna dye your hair again…" he said in a steady voice that immediately drew Chieko's attention away from her hair and to him, though…quiet likely it was his voice in general that achieved such a feat, "Warn me before hand."

Yzak seriously hoped she'd listen to him. He wasn't looking forward to a repeat of that one day at the academy. The day when Chieko showed up with her bright red hair dyed midnight black. It was quite a rather embarrassing experience for Yzak. Even over a year later Dearka still wouldn't let Yzak live that day down. The day Dearka jokingly referred to as "The Day Yzak Gave a Damn About a Girl." Though, this "title" and the reason for Yzak's rude outburst in the middle of class had yet to reach Chieko's ears. And if Dearka didn't want to find himself without some important body parts, Chieko never would.

Chieko giggled as she recalled the certain incident Yzak wished would simple erase itself, "If you like it this way, I'll keep it."

There is was. Right in front of them. Just floating between them. The reason Yzak had a fit when Chieko first dyed her hair. He'd never admit it but he LIKED her hair. It was such, in his opinion, a near damn perfect shade of red. It wasn't EXACTLY like a strawberry; it looked a little brown if you asked him. Yet, it wasn't EXACTLY brown either…Yzak could've gone on for ages about what Chieko's hair was, wasn't and what it could be, and probably wasn't. Dearka was sure Yzak could. After all he nearly let him once, before he realized that if he let Yzak pick up steam he'd never stop. Like with anything else. Though….the experience did teach Dearka one thing…

Yzak had a fetish for hair.

More specifically: Chieko's hair.

And tampering with it was a capital crime punishable by only one fashion, as far as Yzak was concerned:

Death by ruptured ear drums.

"…Do what you want…" the platinum blond growled as he averted his azure gaze once again, his visage gaining a rosy pink glow.

Chieko grinned as her attentive emerald green eyes captured the rosy blush on the older coordinator's cheeks, "I'll take that as a 'Yes, I love your hair the way it is and would kill you if you did anything to it.'"

Yzak snorted as he glared hard at the wall opposite him, "I said, 'Do what you want.'"

There was an odd silence following Yzak's words. Silence around Chieko was a rare occurrence, and Yzak was tempted to just bask in the sweet, sweet, glorious silence until a wiser, more kind part of his brain revealed itself and told the less wise, and more outspoken part of Yzak's brain that, if you asked it ("Which no one did." Yzak would be quick to say if he was talking to a real person and not…well…himself.) silence from Chieko could mean something terrible. Perhaps she was silently crying ("As if!" 98 percent of Yzak scoffed), or she spontaneously passed out, ("..." ) ah…it seems the 2 percent of Yzak's brain won the battle, for now.

Heaving a sigh, Yzak turned his head to look at Chieko, expecting her to be crying or passed out(thanks to the 2 of his brain that won) only to find her far from either of those two things. In fact…it seemed that she was….happy, judging by the way she held her face in her hands shaking her head back and forth muttering things like "Oh! That'd be so great!" and "Kyahhh!"

In fact…Yzak was sure the only reason he turned his head was some invisible hearts she had produced had bounced off his head. So, with that thought firmly in place, Yzak snorted and stood up walking out of the room with confident strides, only becoming momentarily delayed when he noted how high up her thighs Chieko's skirt had hiked up during her attempt to "straighten it", and setting course for his and Dearka's bedroom.

First, Yzak was gunna find out what the hell Dearka put in his coffee that morning, and second….get rid of all those damn magazines of Dearka's that Dearka kept advertising saying "It's good for you!"…preferably Yzak would be able to burn them up into ashes.

Yzak sincerely hoped he would be able to, all of Dearka's perverted preaching and helpful "tips" about how to treat girls was turning him into a softie and a pervert(if his temporary "brain malfunction" and glance at Chieko's skirt were any indication).

Yes, definitely, he'd burn them…

Or at the very least tear them into tiny, tiny, little, microscopic pieces…

Upon entering his and Dearka's room, Yzak gleefully discovered his roommate was elsewhere thus leaving their room, and his magazine collection, unattended.

Smirking, Yzak reached under Dearka's bed and drew out the plastic container and set his mind on the task before him, anxiously anticipating his roommate's reaction.

Yzak was sure Dearka would never scream so much in his entire life…

-0-

It was eerily silent in the Archangel's hanger, the eerie silence only amplified by the lone figure standing atop the catwalk staring upon the face of the gundam called Strike. Sad, purple eyes focused on the mechanical, emotionless face, yet…seemed to focus past it and into some point in time only the owner knew…

Softly, very gently, as though afraid of disrupting the sacred silence of the place, Sakura slowly made her way towards the center of the cat walk, where the owner of the sad purple eyes stood still…

Quietly turning to stare upon Strike's face, Sakura stood still and perfectly silent as well, simply enjoying the calm aura of the place. She didn't know how long she and Kira stood there in silence, the later completely oblivious of the former presence, before Sakura cast her eyes upon the brunette who stood beside her.

'He's already…this is already bothering…' she thought as she noted Kira's troubled amethyst eyes, 'Oh Kira-chan…'

As thoughts of concern flitted through the blond's mind she, unknowingly, had turned and began to extend a hand slowly towards Kira's face.

Closer, and closer her hand neared…yet both Kira and Sakura were oblivious to anything going on beside their turbulent thoughts…

Suddenly, Sakura's hand touched chocolate colored strands of hair, and both of them jerked back to their senses as though an electric shock had passed through them. Startled and gasping, Sakura recoiled, drawing her hand to her chest and clutching it as though it had been wounded, "A-Ah! I-I'm so sorry! I-I…" Sakura looked around in all directions for an escape as she fumbled with her words, though, upon finding none, she decided to just apologize and hope for the best, "I-I'm so sorry!!"

"Oh…no…it's alright…" Kira assured the bowing girl before him in a breathless voice. He hadn't expected her to be there, or for her to touch his hair the way she did.

It….was….inexplicable to him…

The way she had wordlessly, gently sweeped back his hair as softly as the wind would…

The feeling when their eyes connected….the sudden electric shock…it was all just so sudden he was breathless….

Then again….Sakura Rie always had such a power over him. Even when they met at the tender age of four…somehow….in the subtle ways of a child…she had guided his heart…

And, what scared him was….he wished she would continue to guide it…in her subtle ways.

"I-I see…um….you see…um…"

"Huh?" Kira asked as he snapped out of his reverie to find a fidgeting Sakura before him.

"U-Um…y-you know…um…a-after what Hikaru-chan said…do you…do you…" she paused swallowing and closed her eyes tight, clenching her fists at her side, gathering her courage, "Do you…do you remember me!?"

Even though Sakura had stopped speaking, her voice echoed, bouncing off the metal walls of the desolate room. The sacred silence had been shattered.

It took a moment for Kira to accurately process Sakura's words, but before he knew it he felt a smile work its way onto his face, "Sakura Rie, the girl I've always thought had such a sweet singing voice?" ...apparently he didn't think things quiet thoroughly enough. His proclamation had just stumbled out on his own, earning him a stunned look from Sakura and a rosy blush upon his own cheeks, "Y-Yeah…" he said in a poor attempt to take back what he said.

"Y-You like my voice…?" the blond asked, her blue eyes widening as Kira cast his eyes to the catwalk beneath their feet and nodded, "Thank you…it's…been awhile…huh Kira-chan?"

Kira was silent for awhile, unsure what to do or say. He felt he had already said something wrong, he didn't want to ruin such a fragile moment.

At the back of his mind a tiny tug was telling him to trust his body just this once, to let his feelings act on their own.

Deciding he had nothing to lose by doing so, he did…

…and before Sakura knew it she had been swept into Kira's warm embrace.

"I haven't seen you for so long…" Kira muttered beside her ear in a sorrowful, yet somehow joyous voice as he held his childhood friend close.

"…it's been four years hasn't it…?" Sakura muttered softly as she returned his embrace, swallowing a bit as Kira's only reply was to nod and hug her tighter. It was now or never, she had to try and explain herself and why she hadn't communicated with him at all during those four years, "I missed you so much….I…I wanted to write…b-but…but…"

She really did try to continue. Really she did. But when Kira's amethyst eyes caught her own blue ones, and smiled at her…continuing seemed impossible…

"It's okay…" Kira reassured her as he ran the fingers of one hand through her hair and used the other to rub her back soothingly, "It's okay…I understand."

"Really…? You're really not mad…?"

"Don't worry," Kira smiled with a nod, "I understand."

"Thank God…" she muttered as she pulled away from the embrace and began wiping at her eyes as tears mysteriously began to spill forth, "I-I'm sorry…I don't know why I'm…u-uguui…"

Kira could only chuckle as Sakura continued to attempt to explain herself while wiping away tears and muttering "uguui" as almost every second word. She truly was the same Sakura that left all those years ago…

Still shy, still adorable…still childish, yet somehow mature…

Still the tiny girl named after an equally tiny flower that had reached across the table in kindergarten, grabbed his hand and Athrun's hand and asked them to be her friend…

Somehow, in the midst of all the chaos, he'd found something precious.

Something to cherish and protect…

He'd found a flower, soft and delicate. One that he was determined to keep in bloom even if he had to reattach her fallen petals…

And as he gently grasped Sakura's small hand in his larger one, her pale peach skin contrasting against his tan skin, he didn't think the feelings stirring inside his heart would change…

He was still…very much in love...

-0-

Pssshhhsh…

Slowly air hissed as the motorized door swooshed open, and the room's occupant, a tired Athrun Zala, set his eyes immediately on his bed on the far right of the room and collapsed on it, hiding his face in his pillow, determined to have a moment to sort himself out. Even if Akira had once again escaped her confinement and had taken refugee in his room. It was a miracle that they hadn't thrown her in the brig yet, somehow Athrun had a feeling he owed his commander, Rau Le Creuset, a thank you for that.

With a sigh Athrun rolled over onto his side, staring intently at the wall as one of his arms draped over his head, 'Things are just getting worse and worse…'

Silence. Completely, utter, impregnable silence. Not a word was spoken between them. There was the occasional shuffling sound of fabric as Athrun adjusted uncomfortably on his bed and Akira folded up Rusty's old uniform for Athrun ( a duty she did not think Athrun would want to do in this situation).

"You're…quiet…" Athrun offered meekly as a conversation starter.

Akira was silent for a moment, busying herself with retying large sections of her hair into low pigtails and memorizing the minute scratches and marks on the floor below her feet, "I have things on my mind, and I don't think you'd appreciate me bouncing around and being hyper when…" she trailed off as her eyes caught sight of the bright red uniform neatly folded on the empty bed and sighed sitting down on the edge of Athrun's, "You know…I'm here for you if you need to talk…"

Athrun's eyes widened significantly and suddenly he was craning his neck to try and catch sight of Akira's face from his position on the bed. No luck, her head was bowed again towards the floor and her back was to him. He'd have to take her words at face level and assume she was being sincere…

"Thank you….I'm here too…for when you feel too worried about Sakura to keep it to yourself…no one'll mind…it's just me for now…" he offered and forced himself to chuckle to try and ease his pain and hers but the effect was nullified when his voice cracked half way through and turned the laugh into a choke.

Akira smiled, touched at his attempts to comfort her, and swiveled her body round and reached over and softly pressed her finger to Athrun's lips, allowing a ghost of a smile to grace her pale peach skin, "Having you is enough…"

"I-I see…" Athrun muttered, his cheeks dusting pale rose as she lowered her digit from his lips.

Then there was silence…until…

"…I hope….that she stays out of this…Sakura, that is…" Athrun whispered, not sure if he wanted to dare to hope, 'I'd hate to have to swear to shoot her down…' he thought. After all, she and Akira looked so alike…it would be like shooting his own heart.

Trapped in his own thoughts Athrun was oblivious to the ramrod state of Akira's spine as her senses reached red-alert, "Y-Yeah…"

"I'm sure she will…" Athrun began, sounding more and more like he was trying to convince himself, "I mean…she's smart…a little headstrong…but smart. She won't get involved….right?"

Akira was planning on reassuring Athrun and quelling his developing fears when reality hit her full force and she suddenly remembered her mission. Sakura's mission. She shouldn't even be talking to Athrun. Normal people don't understand them…right?

'Damnit…' she thought.

Athrun swallowed hard as Akira fidgeted with her hands, "Akira…?"

It was a horrible silence. Athrun was determined to wait for a reply but found his eyes sliding shut of their own accord, sending him spiraling into a much needed sleep.

Taking her cue to leave Akira stood up without so much as a glance as Athrun's troubled sleeping face and slipped from the room, slowly sliding down onto the floor, her back resting against the floor, "I don't know what to do anymore…" she whispered in a forlorn, morbid voice.

The voice of someone who didn't expect God to give them the time to figure things out before the thread of their life was cut….

-0-

Ichigo: Well...did you like it?
Aki-chan: Did ya!? Did ya!?
Chie: Don't forget to comment please!
Everyone: Stay tuned for our next chapter!

PS: "Uguui" utter jibberish. And the flower references in the KiSaku(Kira and Sakura) scene were a reference to Sakura's name which means "cherry blossom" which is a flower with only a two week lifespan that blooms in the beginning of April generally.