Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: T
Notes: My latest GSD fanfic - where I shall totally change parts whereby I actually disliked in its' main series. Therefore, a total Alternate Universe - this story will be.
Pairings: Auel/Lunamaria & Athrun/Meyrin
Chapter 38 - Runaway (Part 2)
Cosmic Era 73, October 31
GMT: 16 30 hours
Venue: Gibraltar Military Hostel, Meyrin Hawke's Room
Upon the mention of Rey's name, Meyrin knew - whatever happened to Athrun today, must have had something to do with Rey's report. Although, she had no idea whom Rey's direct superior was - she knew enough to know that Rey was never a subodinate to their Captain. In fact, she had witness the Captain asking Rey for opinions on situations that required immediate attention - on more than one occasions.
Therefore, Meyrin had wisely drop the subject of questioning Athrun Zala for the reason behind him being pursued. Just then, heavy footsteps were heard coming from the corridor outside. Athrun immediately headed towards the direction of the windows, and told Meyrin.
"After I jump, you may scream as loud as you deemed fit. When being asked, just tell them that I'm holding you at gunpoint ... " Athrun informed Meyrin, as he prepared to break the window panes.
"No ... wait! " Meyrin stopped Athrun from jumping out using her room's window, instead she pulled the former towards the direction of the bathroom.
About the same point of time, knocks could be heard rapping against her room's door. Ignoring the urgent knocks, Meyrin pulled the blue-haired pilot into the bathroom after herself.
"You may hide in here ... " Meyrin told Athrun without batting an eyelid, while she started filling the bathtub with water.
"Meyrin? Wait a minute ... you can't do this ... it'll get you into trouble. " Athrun protested, when he realized that Meyrin was trying to hide him from the guards chasing after him.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine ... " Meyrin assured, still not looking at the blue-haired Coordinator.
"Still ... they won't be fool this easily ... they will find things out, eventually ... " Athrun Zala protested, unwilling to get the redhead into trouble - just for the sake of helping him out.
Meanwhile, Meyrin ignored the blue-haired Coordinator's protests and went on to the task of removing her clothes from her body. With her back against Athrun Zala, she could only imagine the former's reaction to her current actions taken. Yet, she did not hesitate - she stripped the clothes off her body without batting an eyelid. Leaving only her undergarments intact, Meyrin made a grab for the nearest towel and wrapped herself with it.
After which, she made a grab for the shower-head and proceeded to wet her hair. With water still dripping from her shoulder-length hair, Meyrin finally turned around to face the blue-haired Coordinator. Smiling a tight smile towards the fellow pilot, Meyrin braced herself for what was to come and stepped boldly out from the bathroom.
The knocks were getting more restless with each passing second, and the guards were threatening to kick the door open. Meyrin forced herself to remain calm, as she reached for the doorknob and pull the door open - revealing her half-clad body for all to see.
An awkward silence hung in the air, the few guards whom were going about the place searching rooms for signs of Athrun Zala were looking absolutely uncomfortable. Meyrin, too, was flushing a shade of crimson - probably from embarrassment at her own actions.
"Yes? May I help you ? " Meyrin eventually managed, pretending to be holding the towel up and trying to cover herself as much as possible.
"Erm ... well ... we were looking around for a spy ... and we were told to search every rooms that we came across ... " The leader of the group spoke up, coughing to hide his awkwardness.
"Oh ... I see ... so have you found the spy yet? " Meyrin asked, pretending to be oblivious.
"No ... not yet ... " The guards replied, while Meyrin appeared to be in deep thoughts. "In that case, would you perhaps ... like to come in and have a look around while I tidied up myself? I was in the midst of a shower, when the lot of you came knocking on my door ... " Meyrin said, offering them a reason for her indecent appearance.
Back in the bathroom, while Meyrin was outside dealing with the guards looking around for him - Athrun Zala was shock beyond reasoning. Staring at the pile of clothes now laying at his feet, the blue-haired pilot wondered why the redhead had went to such extent - just for his sake.
However, this was not the time for him to be thinking about the reasons behind Meyrin's actions - for he could hear the sound of footsteps outside the bathroom. Holding his breath, as he sincerely hoped that nobody would attempt to search the bathroom where he was currently being hidden within.
As the footsteps approached the bathroom, Athrun settled himself in the cramp space between the bathroom's door and the wall. Holding the rifle gun tightly and close to his chest, he waited. Counting mentally to five, he was about to knock the intruder out cold - when he realized that the intruder was none other than Meyrin Hawke, herself.
Directing a look of apology towards the redhead, Athrun heaved a sigh of relief - inwardly. Luckily, Meyrin had enough sense to cough aloud for his attention - rather than venturing into the bathroom without warning. Thus, had avoided the fate of being knocked out by him.
"Were they gone? " Athrun whispered, softly and discreetly - so as to prevent the others' from hearing.
Meyrin shakes her head slightly, before adding on. "No, I invited them to search the interior of my room while I tidied myself up ... During the period of time while I'm in here, they would not attempt to search the interior of the bathroom. Even if there was really a need for them to search the bathroom, the search would not be as detail as what they did - outside. Besides ... the more open I am about the idea of having them search within my room, the lesser the possibility of them being suspicious of me hiding you under their very eyes. "
"That's true ... in a way ... but you can't possibly be in here with me - all this time ... They were bound to suspect something, if you came in here for too long. A shower wouldn't take such a long time ... " Athrun pointed out kindly.
In response to which, the redhead only smiled mischieviously and said. "True ... a shower might not be sound ... but what about the idea of a bath? "
"Huh?! " Athrun stared at the redhead with a puzzling look, before realization dawns upon him. "No ... wait a minute, you are not thinking about what I'm thinking ... are you? "
Meyrin said nothing but nodded in response, while Athrun attempted to protest. Yet, his efforts were in vain - for Meyrin had literally pushed him into the bathtub causing a loud splash of water in the process of doing so. After which, the redhead stripped herself naked - removing the last of the garments covering her body and stepped into the bathtub as well.
The sight of Meyrin's feminine body caused the eighteen year old pilot to gape in shock and surprise, but before he could question the former's actions. Meyrin turned towards him, and warned. "Close your mouth ... unless you want to find yourself swallowing soap water ... "
As Athrun Zala was wearing the red elite uniform, hiding him within the bathtub would not fooled anyone - for the red clothing would be too easily spotted. Therefore, Meyrin decided to sacrifice herself for the clause. Pouring a handful of the bath soap into the water, and then uses both her hands to splash the water around to create bubbles. Meyrin immensed her body fully into the bubbles water, hiding her petite and feminine body from sight.
She had left the bathroom door closed but un-locked, such that the guards would not suspect anything out of ordinary. However, she knew she had been in here for quite some time - and it was only a matter of time before the guards felt it necessary to check the bathroom for signs of suspicious activities.
The white towel which she had used to wrap herself up earlier on, was now lying in a heap on the floor next to her pink undergarments. Although, she knew if the guards were to come in now - they would see nothing of her naked body as she had already submerged her body within the soapy water. Yet, at the same time - she was also aware that, while the bubbles water could hide her from the others' prying eyes. It would not have the same effect for Athrun Zala, whom was - at this point of time, in the same bathtub with her.
The bathtub was not very big, it was just the average size for a single person to enjoy a relaxing bath. However, due to the fact that it was now containing two persons instead of the initial one - the area would appeared more cramped than usual. Therefore, in order to ensure that Athrun Zala was completely hidden from view and - at the same time, preventing her own body from being exposed to public eyes - they would need to 'press' their bodies together.
Upon the sound of the bathroom's door being pushed open, Athrun Zala forced himself to pause his breathing and hide himself under-water. All the while, trying to keep himself from blushing and to ignore the feeling of having Meyrin's petite body against his own.
In the meantime, Meyrin allowed the few guards to search every area of the bathroom where an adult could hide themselves within - with the sole exception of the bathtub. Then again, nobody would have thought that someone would be hiding themselves in the bathtub while the owner of the room was taking a bath. Moreover, when the owner of the room was someone of the opposite gender.
Besides, Meyrin was willing to bet that nobody would have expected her to sacrifice this much - just to save the blue-haired Coordinator. In actual fact, she had not expected such behavior from herself - too. Trying to keep herself from blushing crimson, Meyrin made a mental point to ignore the blue-haired pilot's hands upon her waistline.
Eventually, the guards nodded to her and left the bathroom - leaving her behind to bathe in peace. After a while, Meyrin heard the door leading to her room opened and closed. The guards had obviously decided to leave, when they can find no possible signs of the spy being in her room.
"Athrun, you may come up now ... they'd left ... " Meyrin said, as she tried to remove herself from the bathtub.
Upon hearing Meyrin's words, Athrun Zala allowed his head to rise above the water and took a deep gulp of breath before hoisting himself up from the water. His red elite uniform was fully wet now, dripping water as he stepped out from the bathtub. At the same time, he was trying to avoid having his eyes roaming over the naked body of Meyrin Hawke as the red-haired Coordinator rinsed the soap off her body with the shower-head.
After which, he watched in silence as Meyrin made a grab for her discarded towel and wrapped herself up with it - before turning to face him. Despite the redhead's attempt to keep a strong facade, Athrun knew - Meyrin was dying from embarrassment within. She had literally stripped herself naked in front of him, and now - she had to pretend that her actions matters not - to them both.
However, Athrun knew. He could never forget what Meyrin had done to help him out - today. The timid and shy redhead that used to follow him from behind, had sacrificed her own chasity and reputation - just for the sake of saving him. To say that he was not at all touched by the fellow Coordinator's actions, would be a complete lie. Yet, he knew that this was not the time for him to think about being responsible and to make promises towards the former. Promises that he knew - he might not be able to keep.
After all, he still had no idea if he can make his escape - safely. Now that, he was safe for the time-being - he need to act fast. Leaving now would be best, lest he ended up getting the redhead into bigger trouble. However, he still felt the need to ask and straighten things out between them. Making a grab for the bathrobe that hung by the side of the bathroom's wall, Athrun wrapped the robe around Meyrin's petite figure.
During which process, he could easily felt the redhead shaking under his touch. Finally, the redhead's strong facade gave way to her vulnerability. Dropping down to her knees, the redhead wept. Athrun said nothing but held the weeping girl close to his chest, vowing right there and then that he would protect the redhead from harm - in future.
"Why? " Athrun whispered, so softly that nearly went unheard.
Yet, the redhead whom was currently in his embrace heard it - clearly. Smiling a watery and shaky smile, Meyrin answered. "Was there really a need for you to ask? "
Athrun shuddered, he could felt his heart skipping a beat as he listened to the redhead's response. Yes, there was no need for him to ask - he knew. If he had not known it before, he would certainly knew it now. The redhead had helped him willingly, all because she love him. For him, she was willing to sacrifice nearly and absolutely everything that she owns.
Her reputation, chasity - those that seems important to her matters not; as compared to his life. Yet, despite knowing all these - Athrun Zala still felt the need to ask, and to know the reason why the former was willing to risk her life in exchange for his.
"Still ... there's no need for you to do these things ... Why did you do it? You could have gotten yourself killed by doing these things ... " Athrun whispered, sounding tortured.
The sheer notion of what could have happened if the guards had found him, earlier on - and the kind of fate that might befalls Meyrin for her actions taken to help him, caused him to break out in cold sweat. The feeling was fear, not for himself but for Meyrin. He knew then, he was trapped.
Trapped in a web of relationship, something which he had been avoiding for ages. Just when exactly did he allowed the redhead's entry to his heart? That, he had no idea - and he had no time to be thinking about such things, either. He was contemplating on what to say next, when the redhead's voice broke into his train of thoughts.
"Athrun ... its' alright, it really is ... " Meyrin assured, as she regained her usual calming self.
"Thanks ... " Athrun whispered, as he attempted to leave and made his escape.
However, he felt himself being held back by Meyrin's strong grip. Turning towards the redhead in question, the redhead muttered only the term 'hangar' before asking him to stay on longer.
Pulling the stunned pilot with her, Meyrin headed towards her computer system and proceeded to hack into the ZAFT internal security system. Using her skillful techniques, and tactics - Meyrin managed to hack into the 'Ragnarok' database first, before triggering the alarm over at the port.
"Wait for me while I get changed, afterwards I'll be getting the car ready ... You'll jump out as soon as you heard me honking the car ... " Meyrin informed the blue-haired Coordinator, while she headed back towards the bathroom where her clothings were left lying untouched and forgotten, on the ground.
~ to be continued~
Date started: 17/08/08
Date completed: 18/08/08
Date edited: 20/08/08