Title: Play of the Fates (9 of ?)
Author: Paola
Disclaimer: Play of the Fates is based on characters and situations that belong to Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios, and TV Asashi (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited. Beliefs and points of view found in the story do not necessarily reflect those of the author's. Characters not found on any official Gundam SEED/Gundam SEED Destiny character list belong to the author unless otherwise disclaimed.
The idea to make the chapter titles begin with "The One…" is from the TV show, F.R.I.E.N.D.S
This may, in all possible intent, be differently written compared to any of the author's previous literary ventures.
Rating: Rated M for language and adult situations. You have been warned.
Play of the Fates
Chapter Nine
Sometimes, she pitied herself. She was such a pushover. Cagalli pressed her hands down the front of her dress to keep the skirt from being blown up as a gust of wind rolled by — it was the dress her supposed friends forced her to wear because, according to them, expansive grassy lawns should be graced by women in dresses. Their logic wasn't always reliable and logical, but their combined power of persuasion was unrivalled, especially when there was the threat of bodily harm.
Some friends…
She had grown from her days of hating wearing dresses, but she usually limited them to gowns that needed to be worn in some formal event or cocktail dresses that only needed to be worn once in a blue moon because she could almost always get away with a business suit, either in a corporate skirt or a pantsuit. On some occasions, she might even agree to wear practical dresses when she had yet to retrieve her dry-cleaning. What she was wearing today, however, was a sleeveless, white, puffy confection with a French blue sash ribboned at the waist and a matching pair of blue flats. This was Jennifer-Love-Hewitt-kind of cute, and she didn't do any kind of cute. The only saving grace of the hideously cute dress was that it was clean lines everywhere — no laces, no ruffles — but still, she hated it with a passion. Matt had taken one good look at her and had decided that he would be the only one teeing off this afternoon.
"Your hat's been blown away," Matt mock-seriously said, adjusting his glove as he followed the arc of the ball as it sailed through the air.
Cagalli rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. Aside from stealing her chances of golfing — and a brief disbelieving inquiry about her participation in a certain fashion show that Orb Aesthete apparently covered — Matt had also been teasing her about her nonexistent wide-brimmed sun hat that he said should have been on her head to complete her outfit. Of course, he'd laughed at her silly that if he weren't her friend, he'd be pulling his golf clubs from where the sun didn't shine.
"I swear, I look like a Stepford wife," she dispiritedly observed.
Matt chuckled, clamping a gentle hand by her elbow and pulling her towards the golf cart. "You look fine. Pretty. Like frosted cake."
"Ha-ha, very funny, Matt. You know what, you should fire Miriallia. She was one of two who forced me into this. I didn't even know I had a dress like this!" It was true. She didn't think she'd ever buy a dress this cute unless she was bribed, or crazy, which she had probably been since she did have it in her closet.
"I think I should change her department. Put her maybe in the fashion column. She did a good job on you." He winked at her.
"Wow, thanks. You make it sound like I'm usually a fashion disaster."
Matt turned the ignition then drove off down the path. "It's not that, but they say that a girl has to wear her skirts sometimes," he replied, chuckling at the frown on his former employee's face.
"You're a chauvinistic pig, Matt, let me tell you that," she glared at him, but Matt only laughed at her.
"So, kid, how are you?"
"Fine, fine. A little stressed out, but fine."
"You don't look stressed out in that little sundress of yours."
"Give it a rest, Matt," Cagalli exasperatedly replied.
Matt tried to suppress his chuckles. "All right, all right."
"By the way, who's your new secretary?"
Matt shrugged. "Still Sheila. Haven't held interviews for another. And let me tell you, I think she's loving the fact that she doesn't have any competition."
Cagalli giggled at Matt's conspiratorial tone, but then she glared at him, albeit a touch playfully. "And you thought you needed another one when it was just me? And now that it's just her, she's suddenly efficient enough? I'm offended, Matt. Deeply so." She placed a hand on her heart for effect.
Matt reached out a hand to pet her hair. "You weren't really the best secretary, cupcake, no offense."
Cagalli didn't know whether to get offended by the slur or by the nickname, which was really a jab at her outfit. She swore Matt was having a field trip at her expense, and she swore she was going to get Miriallia and Damien for this. "Tell me, at which jeer should I be offended?"
This time, Matt didn't hold back his laughter. "You're very easy to tease, do you know that? You know you were a good employee, and stop worrying over your dress. It's rare anyone gets to see you in something like that, so allow me my moment of fun."
Cagalli waved a breezy hand. "Whatever, Matt. Anyway, I have a favor to ask of you, and it would be really great if you could grant me it."
"And what do I get in return?"
"For real?" Cagalli seemed skeptical.
This time, it was Matt who sighed exasperatedly. "I'm kidding, Cagalli," he uttered slowly, as if talking to a child. "What do you want?"
Cagalli explained her problem and how she needed a place to hold her benefit, stressing how pressed she was for time.
"Isn't this place a little out of the way? It's out of the city."
"I know, but all the acceptable places in the city are booked. I was thinking, since this place is classy and swanky enough for those snooty bastards that are attending the benefit, it'll do."
"Snooty bastards?"
"I'm exaggerating, okay? But those events mostly consist of people who are too rich and want public applause so they go to charity benefits like this one."
Uzumi Athha's company always held a bi-annual charity event that sponsored a few children's foundation. If there were anything that Cagalli liked in her father's company, it was this thoughtful event, but at the same time, Cagalli hated the pretentious way some big-shots attended and flaunted their capability to extend their wealth to the needy when they were really just doing it not out of sympathy but out of pride smeared with arrogance. Those were the type of people that was permanently on Cagalli's hate list.
"And, since I'm asking you this, I thought I'd let your magazine cover this event." Cagalli smiled.
"Hm, that's a good deal."
"Of course. And it's easier for me, too, since I wouldn't have to talk to other publishing executives to request for pages."
Matt chuckled. "So it's not really out of the goodness of your hear that you're doing this. More like, 'let's take advantage of the fact that I'm friends with Matt'."
Cagalli shrugged. "Eh, all for the sake of convenience."
"Cheeky blob of icing."
Cagalli started then paused as if to re-consider. "Huh, guess what, I'll let that pass. I have a place to hold my benefit, so tease away. I don't care."
o-o
Lacus poured tea for Dearka as the blonde golf player took a seat near the polished wooden railing of the patio. Kira sat beside her, discussing something with Yzak who was too impeccably dressed just for an afternoon round of golf. He had explained earlier to Kira and Lacus that he had just come from a photo shoot and hadn't had time to change since if he stayed longer at the studio, he'd have more unwanted cameras flashing at him; he was chosen to be the advertising personality behind the new and exclusive men's perfume, and he hadn't been paparazzi-free for a whole week already. Even at work, he was being hounded. It was only his luck that Lesseps Country Club had tight security and respected the privacy of its members and its members' guests.
"Athrun really didn't come, did he?" Dearka asked, popping a tea biscuit in his mouth then wiping his fingers with the cream-colored serviette.
Lacus sat back with her own cup of tea. "Well, not yet, but he promised me he'll come if he finishes early."
"I bet he did!" Dearka laughed.
"What time are we teeing off?" Kira piped in.
"Let's see…" Dearka started, looking thoughtful. "Maybe when Yzak realizes we're here to play golf and not to attend a gala," he continued in a jibe, every inch the smartass he grew up to be.
"Piss off, Elsman," Yzak spitefully replied. "Excuse me, Lacus, let me go change."
Once Yzak was safely out of earshot, Dearka turned towards the engaged couple in front of him. "Why's he looking so formal anyway?"
Kira chuckled. "He was so pissed a while ago that Lacus had to calm him down first. That's when he realized he had a change of clothes in his car. He just came from a photo shoot, by the way."
"Why'd he not change after?" When Lacus giggled, Dearka understood. "Oh…I get it. That new commercial's rearing its ugly head, huh?"
"I suppose you can put it that way," Lacus replied, shaking her head. "Oh by the way, Dearka, thanks for letting us abuse your membership."
Dearka waved an airy hand. "You're always here, so the staff already knows you're my guests, even if it's Kira who actually invited me instead of the other way around. Really, you guys are welcome."
"You know what, Dearka, one day, that sarcasm will come and haunt you," Kira quipped, shaking his head.
The retort was stolen from Dearka's mouth when he heard a familiar-sounding laugh nearby, and when he turned around to look, he saw her coming up the patio stairs, talking animatedly with a sharp-looking man. "Cagalli!" he called, and he could almost hear Yzak's mother reprimanding him for his rude interruption of another's conversation, especially since he didn't know one of the parties. He'd grown up with just his father, but since he had been friends with Yzak since they were kids, he'd been subjected to Ezalia Jule's incorruptible sense of propriety — that woman was a tough nut to crack when it came to etiquette, and if Yzak hadn't known Dearka, the fair head would probably be walking a chalk line that would make his dear mother burst with pride.
Cagalli seemed surprised for a second before turning to face him and giving him a big smile. She gestured to her companion, and when he nodded, the pair made their way towards Dearka's table.
"Hello there, luv," Dearka stood up and made a show of kissing Cagalli on the nose.
Cagalli rolled her eyes, smacking him playfully on the shoulder. "Matt, this is Dearka, and those two are Lacus and Kira," she introduced, motioning at the respective persons. "This is Matthew Atwood, my former boss."
Matt, like the gentleman that he was, shook hands with the three of them. "Ms. Clyne, is it? And Mr. Yamato? I've heard of the engagement. Congratulations."
"Why, thank you, kind sir," Lacus beamed.
Cagalli giggled at Kira's puzzled expression. "He knows because he owns one of the magazines that published your engagement story."
"Ah, of course," Kira smiled.
"Why don't you join us for tea, Cagalli, Mr. Atwood?" Lacus offered.
"Thanks, Lacus, but we both have to return to our offices already," Cagalli declined. "We were just on a business meeting."
"Be bad, Cagalli, and skip work," Dearka plainly said. "It's a fine afternoon for tea and tee." He chuckled at his own joke. "Besides, Matthew — assuming your whole name is Matthew — won't report you to your superiors, will he?"
Matt laughed. "Yes, yes, it is, and don't worry, I won't," he easily replied, inducing the rest to laugh as well.
"Funny, Matt," Cagalli deadpanned, casting an inconspicuous eye around.
"Looking for someone?" Dearka asked, his tone between teasing and simple curiosity.
Cagalli's breath hitched, then she slid into an easy smile after noticing that it was only she and Dearka who were paying attention to the turn of the conversation as the three others moved to a new topic. "You would think, huh?"
Dearka shook his head before flashing Cagalli a roguish grin. "Cheeky imp."
"Ha, takes one to know one!"
Dearka shrugged insouciantly. "Anyway, come on, stay and play golf with us. Besides, I doubt you're really returning to the office."
"And why is that?" Cagalli crossed her arms over her chest.
"No one goes to work wearing something as cute as that!"
Cagalli fought the urge to snap at him. "Okay, I'm definitely going back to work."
"I'm kidding! Come on, tee with us. Besides, I'm rarely in the country. Haven't you missed me at all?"
Cagalli gave a small smile at her friend's familiarly boyish grin. That one never changed since they met, but she just hoped that the other things about him changed. He was too cocky for his own good, and one day, he was really going to aggravate someone so badly that they would really panic about his trampled attitude. She inwardly shook her head. It was a good thing she liked him, or she wouldn't have known how to deal with him.
"Let me thi—" Cagalli's voice died in her throat upon hearing Lacus' exclamation.
"Athrun! You made it!"
"Lacus, Kira," he greeted. "Matt! I didn't know you knew them."
"Athrun," Matt acknowledged. "We were just introduced."
"Ah. Hey, Lacus, I won't be staying long. I went to the construction site a little away from here, and I just dropped by to say hi. I need to be back in the city in forty-five," Athrun hurriedly explained, referring to the location where a new branch of Motor Genesis was going to be constructed. "Dearka," he added when he noticed him.
Cagalli had remained unseen until now because sometime during her conversation with Dearka, the golf player had moved, resulting in her being safely blocked by his form.
"Hey, man, you ponce. You went here but you won't be playing," Dearka grinned, turning around and revealing Cagalli, after which he put his arms around her shoulders. "What, did you and Cagalli catch the same bug? The I-have-to-work-work bug?" He rolled his eyes.
After a second's pause that no one but Cagalli noticed, Athrun greeted her, "Cagalli."
Cagalli opened her mouth to fend off her incoming fluster, but no words came out. In the end, all she was able to give was an uncertain wave of her fingers and a wavering smile.
"Excuse me," Matt piped in when his mobile phone rang, then he moved away from the group.
"So, you're really not staying?" Kira put in, weaving an arm around Lacus' waist.
Athrun plucked his sunglasses off his nose, folding one of the stems and inserting the other in the neckline of his button down. "I can't. Sorry, Lacus, Kira."
"Athrun, you hardly have time to unwind," Lacus held onto her workaholic friend's sleeve.
Smiling genuinely, Athurn answered, "I went to your fashion show, didn't I? Besides, how come you guys have so much free time?" He sounded really puzzled.
"No tournament yet." That was Dearka.
"I'm on leave," Kira shrugged.
Lacus giggled. "I think I'm the one who really has her work time in her hand!"
"And I just finished a project," Yzak uttered upon nearing the group. "Zala, didn't think you'd make it."
"Yzak," Athrun nodded, "yeah, I won't be staying long."
"Let me guess, work?" Yzak shoved his hands in his trouser pockets. He had changed into casual khakis and a powder blue polo shirt and his golf shoes.
"Unfortunately."
"Cagalli, excuse me." Matt returned to the group.
"Hey, Matt this is Yzak. Yzak, Matt," Cagalli introduced.
Matt gave Yzak the usual nod men used before shaking his hand.
"Matt?" Cagalli called.
"Ah yes, are you leaving? I'm afraid I may not be able to drop you off at your office. I have an emergency. I'm going up north."
Cagalli looked thoughtful for a short while. "Oh, anything bad? Anyway, it's all right. I'll take a cab." She gave an embarrassed giggle. "Don't worry yourself, Matt."
"I can drop her off," Athrun suddenly offered. "Uzumi's office, right?"
Before Cagalli could deny and lie, Matt clapped Athrun in the back. "I'd appreciate it, Athrun. Well, Cagalli, I'll go ahead. I need to hurry."
"Uh, yeah, take care, Matt…" Cagalli waved weakly as Matt said his goodbyes to the others as well.
Cagalli couldn't believe she had to rely on Athrun to bring her back to her office. Recently, her life had been a series of crappy event after even crappier event. What exactly did she do to piss off the Fates in her past life? She wasn't supposed to see Athrun again. She wasn't supposed to ride in a car with him, and he wasn't supposed to offer in the first place! How the hell would she survive that? How could Matt leave her in the hands of the devil himself? Not that Matt knew why he shouldn't have done what he did, but still, they were friends, weren't they? Matt should be able to read the subtle signals she'd given.
Cagalli heaved a great sigh that went unheard. What was she thinking? Matt was a guy, and he was as dense as they come.
Athrun checked his watch. "I guess we'll be going, too, then." He dropped a kiss on Lacus' cheek, then he nodded at the men. "I'll see you around."
Cagalli was sorely tempted to renege her earlier statement about having to go back to the office right away, but she really did have to get back to work, even if it meant having to work in her cutesy outfit. Company policy dictated that she needed to dress properly, but if she still went back home to change, she'd be wasting time, and she'd miss another day of work, which she couldn't afford. She had to go over the guest list again and finalize the details now that she had a place to hold her benefit. The raw copy had to be sent out to the printers today so the invitations could be delivered tomorrow afternoon at the latest. The charity event was scheduled this coming Saturday, and if the invites couldn't be delivered right away, she'd have a disaster in her hands — it was already late as it was. The only consolation she had was that she brought along a coat with her to cover what she was wearing and the thought that she had extra practical pumps waiting in her office so she didn't have to walk around in shoes the color of some bubblegum.
She followed Athrun all the way to the lobby where the doorman had retrieved her coat and was seemingly waiting for her. Matt must have informed him on his way out, and Cagalli sent a silent thank you.
It was probably odd of her to think how weird it was for them to be this silent, but she didn't fancy breaking the quiet that had settled either, so she remained mute as she once again followed him to his car. Besides, after what she had done to him, he was probably just bringing her to her office out of ingrained courteousness and a favor to a friend, which was really fine with her for she honestly believed they were better off being estranged — not that they were genuinely affectionate with each other in the first place, of course.
Because of his sudden taciturnity, she was surprised when he remembered to open the car door for her; she thought for sure he was sort of ignoring her, but then she recalled that a man of his stature probably had etiquette lessons since the day he was born and was probably only showing her politeness out of habit than anything else.
By the time they were out of the parking lot and onto the street, Cagalli was a mass of uncertainty. This sure was awkward, and if she knew herself well, awkwardness was something she couldn't stand. It was either she would spout unnecessary drivel or she'd fidget nonstop that she could probably lose weight from it. At this moment, however, Athrun's reticence precluded her from vocalizing the minutest of sounds, so she was left to perfect her devil's tattoo on the armrest on the side of her door, between crossing and uncrossing her legs.
The drive to the city was fast and painfully quiescent, and Cagalli thanked all her lucky stars that there was hardly any traffic — she thought she'd cry if she had to endure a longer time inside the suddenly stuffy car. All Athrun had to do was turn right at the stoplight, drive three blocks in the same direction, and they'd be arriving at the tall building of Akatsuki Insurance where it was safe and Athrun-free.
Just as her optimism started to soar, it plummeted straight away when Athrun went straight past the stoplight then turned left at the next junction. "My office is that way," she jerked a thumb behind her head. "You should get a driver if you don't know your way around the city!" she almost shouted, though secretly glad that she had broken the oppressive silence.
"Yes, of course."
The nonchalance with which he replied grated on her nerves. "Turn around! I'm already giving you directions, aren't I?"
"The Justice, it's done. You can get it now," he calmly explained.
"The wha— Oh. Oh." A pause. "All right. I've been meaning to ask what's happened to it, but I guess there's no point now."
"Hn."
Athrun took another turn, and they were at the back of the Justice building. He stopped at the metal gate and waited for the sensor to recognize his plate number. When they reached the second basement, Athrun parked his car and opened the lock.
"Here," he handed her a pair of keys, both with the emblem of Justice as keychains, after pressing a button and the sound of an unlocking car was heard. He then proceeded walking towards a car with a deep alizarin red finish.
"That's…that's really…pretty…"
"Of course. It's a Justice, and no one would expect anything less," he held the door to the driver's side open.
Cagalli slipped in, putting great effort into maneuvering around so she wouldn't touch Athrun, and just then, she realized how childish she was being, but she couldn't care less. Before trying to scrutinize what exactly was customized in her new car, she pulled close the door, only to have Athrun maintain a firm grip to keep it open.
"Wha—" she was cut off when Athrun bent forward so he was eye-level with her.
"Go on a date with me," he proposed unceremoniously — no smirk, no knowing smile, no nothing.
She couldn't quite comprehend what he was saying. Shouldn't he be just…politely mad at her? But there was something in his voice that was telling her he wasn't exactly asking, and neither was he commanding her to go out with him. He somehow sounded like he was just saying what had suddenly occurred in his head.
"What?"
"I'll take that as a yes. I'll see you around, Cagalli," with that, he closed the door.
Furrowing her brow at being suddenly dismissed, Cagalli revved up the car and drove out of the basement parking without another glance at Athrun, and it was only when the late afternoon sun made her squint did she realize that he didn't even tell her when. Nor where. Nor did he let her decide. She gritted her teeth.
She stopped at a red light, sinking into the soft leather of the seat. She took a cursory glance around, and so far, she hadn't noticed anything that was supposedly adjusted to her personal specifications, and that was really because she hadn't had any. She hadn't met with Athrun about anything concerning her Justice, so if it took this long before she could take home her purchase, something new must have been probably done with it. She'd take a closer look later; after all, her mind wasn't quite on the subject of her fresh wheels.
Go on a date with me. That was, without question, completely thrown from the left field, and she almost regretted not running him over with her new car. But the tone with which he said it…there was something about it that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Cagalli gripped the steering wheel tighter then let go with a resigned sigh. There was no understanding that man.
Placing her gaze back on the road, Cagalli, then and there, decided to chalk their conversation up to Athrun's weird sense of humor. Yeah, it's probably just a bad joke.
The light turned green.
xxxxx