New Romance

by Jolly Bean

Shiho knew all along her feelings for a particular silver-hair Commander will not be returned. What if she is wrong? Yzak probably needs more time to put it all together. Plus, a couple of shoves from their friends and a series of incidents to make him realise. R&R please :)

3. Chapter 3

Happy New Year everyone! Thank you for your patience :)

To Sybretooth: thanks! More made-up stuff in this chapter, hope you will like it!

To Tau Warlord: totally agree! I managed to find more images of her. There will be more details on her physique in next chapter (leading up to the party scene), stay tune!

To shigatsu-sanjyunichi: hi there! Hope the grammar issues didn't ruin the story & the joy of reading too much for you. And yes, your wish has been granted with this chapter. Hope it makes the cut *fingers cross*

To Guest: tell me about it! I was kind of disappointed at first, it will be really interesting, don't you think? But I'm glad that nami tamaki rejected the role. Otherwise, there will be no Shiho left for me to write this, haha! Glad to hear that you like how Ezalia turned out to be, I faced quite a bit of difficulty writing her then.

To arika518: hehehe, thank you thank you! I was very bored from all the re-reading too! That was one of the reasons which encouraged me to start this project. Happy that you liked it so far! As for Yzak's reaction / thoughts to Shiho being all dressed up… it will be in the next chapter. BUT! I did include a little scene to grant a portion of your request, hope you will like it!

To Lieluvspie: thanks for giving this fanfic a shot! Glad to hear that you are enjoying it so far; hope this chapter will do the same! *fingers twirling each other nervously* Athrun and Cagalli was my top fav pairings until the tragedy (in my opinion) in GSD. I am not happy with their ending :( They will be mentioned in this chapter, hehe.

To Pandora154085: yay! Glad to hear that, your review made my day too! Hope you will like this chapter, hear from you soon~

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Story is mine and characters I've created to facilitate the story-telling are mine too but I do not own Gundam SEED & Gundam SEED Destiny.

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-Doorbell-

Shiho switched off the shower for a moment. Did the doorbell rang? After waiting for three seconds, she turned the shower back on for a final rinse.

-Doorbell- -Doorbell- -Doorbell-

The brunette switched off the shower and skipped the towel. Taking in the incessant ringing of her doorbell, she hastily threw on her panty and oversized tee.

Gosh! Was the person's ass on fire?

Taking big steps out of the bathroom, she wonders who could be at the other side of door. She wasn't expecting any visitors. It's not like you told your family where you are staying.

She snorted at the little voice. Her mother was at a better place now. The only family left is Granny. Her health has not been good. She does not want to make it worse by telling about her enrolment into ZAFT. Except for Granny, everyone else by the last name of Hahnenfuss would prefer her dead. She was certain that Jordan Hahnenfuss, Mrs Hahnenfuss and Chloe Hahnenfuss couldn't be more relieved when she went under radar that night, after her mother's funeral.

"Shiho?" Her heart skipped a couple of beats at that voice. She will always be able to recognise that voice, anytime and anywhere in the world. Especially that hint of tenderness when he says her name. She could be hallucinating but it didn't matter. Other than Granny and her mother, there was never a special ring to it. It simply sounded Asian, specifically, Japanese. When others said it or tried pronouncing it, it did nothing but reminded her how different she was from the rest. In name. In genetic make-up. In family dynamics. Hearing her name spoken by strangers had never stirred a giddy mix of warm fuzzy feeling and urge to cuddle, until Yzak said it. Then again, he was not a stranger. She knew him. As a colleague, comrade and your Superior.

Sigh, that little voice was right.

Speaking of Yzak, why is he here? The brunette blinked a couple of times to register the young man standing in front of her. She must have opened the door while she was deep in her mental ramblings earlier. Careless me!

She soon found herself having difficulty breathing with every passing second. The silver-haired man at her door was surprisingly lean, and had a great dress-sense. Who would have thought her Commander looked so good, correction, even better in casual attire?

The unbuttoned navy cable-knit sweater outlined Yzak's broad shoulders and hugged his slightly muscled arms. While the gentle slope of his shoulders hinted a strong back. Underneath the cosy-looking sweater was a white V-neck tee, which was stretched over what seemed to be a toned but not bulging chest.

Much to her liking and relief, Yzak has a very firm body. It was not overly-built like most men in ZAFT, who seem to have muscles bulging everywhere. The very bulky ones always reminded her of the Incredible Hulk, while those who are a level less bulky reminded her of Superman. It was disturbing to see these men in super fitting tops that hugged their upper body like a second skin. Filled up and stretched tight, she was afraid that a sudden movement from them will send the top bursting at the seams. She could picture their exposed, seemingly steroid-derived chest and abs. She doesn't know about the preference of other women but such overly-muscular physique is a major turn-off to her.

However, she is far from being turned off right now. As she dragged her eyes back up, Shiho soon found herself fighting a strange yet tempting urge to lick the part of his collarbones exposed by the V-neck of his tee. Her heart was no longer skipping but racing at top speed, sending hot blood all over her. She could feel warmth creeping up her neck and cheeks, setting her skin on fire.

The brunette was brought back to reality when she felt fingers gently tugging her wet and tangled hair behind her ears. Ghosting past the edges of her ears, she felt his fingers brushing lightly against her cheeks just before they fell back into place. She mentally sighed at the lost of contact. How she wish she could reach out and hold his hands to her cheeks a little longer.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly. Blue eye almost as pale as ice looked into her purple ones, holding them captive.

Shiho nodded, not trusting her voice to be firm at his gentle touch and voice. This is bad. Her admiration for her commander is spiralling out of control.

As his eyes flickered down her hair, she noticed those blue eyes darkened with an emotion she couldn't quite put a finger on. At the corners of her sight, a tic appeared at Yzak's clenched jaw. Following the trail of his eyes, she looked down and froze. This day couldn't get any worse.

Long tendrils of brown hair plastered to the white oversized tee. Drenched, the areas where the dripping wet hair rested on were now translucent, offering Yzak a peak of what was hidden underneath. She wanted to fling her arms as over her chest in a desperate attempt to recover some sense of modesty. However, her limbs seemed disconnected from her mind. It was probably because of the man in front of her, who had a strange expression on his face. He was looking intently at her somewhat exposed feminine parts.

Yzak felt his mouth went dry as soon as he realised the brunette in front of him was not wearing a bra beneath the oversized white tee. Yes, he was staring at Shiho's breasts, which were barely covered by the drenched material. The sight of those perky mounts of flesh awakened a certain desire in him. A warm tingling feeling washed over him and slowly enveloped his heart, reminding him of a particular evening when Shiho held him in a comforting embrace.

Despite being clad in the pilot suit, he remembered how soft and warm her body was, pressed against his. How it seemed to fit nicely when he wrapped his arms around her slender shoulder and waist to pull her closer in. He remembered the pleasant yet faint scent of her shampoo as he buried his face at the crook of her neck, not wanting her to see how frightened he was.

(Flashback)

"Major?"

"It's going to be okay... it will go away eventually. Even if it doesn't, you will be able to face it in due time. Until then, don't push yourself."

"Many... -chokes- innocent lives... If only-"

"We did what we could. Don't do this to yourself... please."

(End of flashback)

Ever since that incident, he took notice of Shiho. Well, most of the times, it was unintentional and for no reason. It slowly became personal, more than how a superior would pay attention to a subordinate. He found himself wanting to know more about her, but he never manages to go beyond the professional boundary. She was still Major Hahnenfuss, an intelligent solider and a reliable comrade. Her skills and opinions have proved valuable to the team on many occasions.

All he managed was striking conversations with her using Deep Arms as the topic. As he remembered hearing from the technicians on the cooling system for the beam cannons has been a persistent problem, and leading to other headaches such as high energy consumption and short battery life.

After a series of discussion and overtime at the hangar with her, he soon realised the brunette was not as cold and intense as she appeared to be on active duty. Sure, she was passionate about her pet project and determined to solve the problem. That aside, she was full of life. She was always smiling, laughing, and expressive - having different facial expressions throughout the conversation. Many times he wondered why was such a cheerful person in a sombre place, like the military.

Coming back to reality, he knows it was rude to stare. His parents, especially his mother, brought him up to be a gentleman, to be respectful towards women. Somehow, he was having a difficult time trying to peel his eyes away from the twin globes of flesh. He clenched his fists in a desperate attempt to keep his hands to himself, away from you-know-where.

Her cheeks grew hot while chills ran down her spine. She was beginning to feel giddy from this potent mix of sensations. How was it possible to shudder when she was about to burst into flame? One word, Yzak.

"Shiho, your, er... b- F**k." Yzak said shakily before he stabbed his hand into his hair and turned away sharply, but reluctantly. A second longer and she will really have him up for sexual harassment. "You might want to dry your hair and change into a new top." Of a darker colour too.

At the corner of his sight, he saw the brunette quickly step to the side to hide herself behind door. "Are you coming in?"

He took a quick peek to see if she was appropriately hidden by the door before he turned to face her. A chuckle nearly slipped as he found the sight of her peeking out from behind the door was adorable. A blush staining her babyish cheeks and her twinkling lilac eyes waiting him to walk in, she looked her age 19, going 20.

He clears his throat in an attempt to break the awkwardness between them just as he entered. Once he was out of the way, the brunette quickly swung the door shut. "Take a seat, I will be right back."

With a click of the lock, the brunette sped past him in a blur of dark chocolate hair, white oversized tee, peaches-and-cream skin and neon orange-pink. Wait a minute. Peaches-and-cream skin? Neon orange-pink? He took a couple of quick steps to the hallway she disappeared to and his eyes instantly picked up her retreating figure.

Holy shit... She wasn't wearing shorts underneath the white tee! The neon orange pink was the colour of underwear she had on beneath the white top! Did he mention that it was drenched and was barely covering anything? All thanks to her dripping wet long hair pushed over her shoulder, resting on her back. Wet hair, no bra, and just a tee over her underwear. A ball of fire suddenly burst in him and ran through his veins, setting his entire being ablaze. He was all too familiar with the wave of feeling that hit him. Get a grip of yourself, Yzak Joule. You aren't Dearka.

He quickly sat down on the sofa nearby and held his head in his hands. Why did he have to turn up when she was showering? Why did she not wear a bra? Why a white tee? Doesn't she know it is going to be translucent when it comes in contact with her wet hair? What if it was another man at the door? There is no guarantee that he won't pounce on her.

Yes, like how you almost did. You couldn't take your eyes away from her boobs. The image of those rosy peaks flashed across his mind. The neon orange-pink thin piece of cloth too. Lace? Definitely lace.

Wait a minute. That was lace? Shiho and... Lace? As in his Major who wears the man's version of the elite uniform, owns and wears lace underwear? That picture should be seriously wrong but for some strange reason, he didn't think so. In fact, it was amusing... and somehow, enticing.

What the hell...? He groaned in frustration. He was pretty sure that his mind won't leave him alone and is going to replay earlier scene of her at the door and down the hallway for the next few days. It is likely that he has subconsciously associated those blinding happy colours with the brunette too. Oh boy... what is he going to do when she appears? He prays that Shiho changed to a darker colour top and wear a long bottom to cover her dangerously tempting peaches-and-cream skin.

Right on cue, he felt cold fingers wrapped around his wrists and prying them away from his head. He looked up and Shiho was seated on the floor in front of him. She leaned forward and he saw concern swimming in those purple depths. "Are you alright? Having a migraine again?"

He can't seem to find the words to reply her. As another set of emotions hit him, the warm and fuzzy feeling. It was mind-boggling because he doesn't know why he feels this way and this only happens when Shiho is around. There was something about the way she asked. It felt as if she had known him for a very long time. As if they have been together for a while. Like a long time couple. It reminded him of how his mom will always ask his late father the same thing when he rubbed his temple. The tigeress Ezalia always sheds her stripes and morphed into a soft-spoken cat whenever Isaac Joule returns home from coveted ZAFT missions. That's right, his mom always fusses over his dad and the both of them appeared as if they were teenagers dating.

Another reason behind his temporary lost of speech was the lack of distance between them. She was so close. All he needs to do is to lean forward and he could kiss her. Wait, kiss her? Where did that come from? Yzak squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of nose as he leaned back. What was wrong with him?! Why is he having such thoughts?!

Ice-cold fingers slipped under his fringe and touched his forehead. "You're not having a fever though. What happened? Talk to me."

Why are her fingers so cold? As if his hands have a mind of their own, they latched onto Shiho's wrists. He turned slightly to his side to face the startled brunette, who was behind the sofa, leaning against it to reach out to him earlier. How did she manage to get to her current position from the previous was beyond him. Letting go of her wrists, he quickly held one of her cold hands in between his two hands and started rubbing it warm. "I should be the one asking. Why are you hands so cold? Are you unwell?"

It was the brunette's turn to be lost for words. Is this what Dearka meant by Yzak responding to her in his own ways? However, she wasn't exactly doing anything to show him that she likes him, as advised by Dearka earlier today. She was just being herself. If the person was Lacus, she would have done same.

Could it be true? Her heart skipped a beat at the possibility. "He likes you. That dense man just doesn't realise it yet but his actions said so." (Dearka)

The longer she looked at him gently rubbing her hand warm, the hotter her body become. It wasn't from the rubbing motion, but from the fact that her hands were held captive in between his larger ones. That gesture sent a rush of heat all over her body. No man has ever held her hands before. Well, he wasn't exactly holding her hands but her hand was sandwiched by his. That must have count for something right?

Wow, just look at how long and sleek his fingers are... Slight callused and warm, his hands covered hers completely. The friction was fanning the fire spreading all over her body.

She was losing her mind. She was sure of it. While the fire started by Yzak was starting to burn through her skin, she was fighting the bubbles of chuckles at the edge of her pursed lips. All because the man who was gently rubbing her hands warm reminded her of a good-natured but grumpy old man. Frowning slightly, he mumbled to himself on how was it possible for a person's hands to be so chilly. A wave of tenderness washed over her, making her heart skipped a couple of beat while pushing her boiling blood up a couple of temperatures.

"Give him a chance, Shiho. He appears harsher than he really is but his heart melts like butter and as quick too. He's one big softie at heart." (Dearka)

"What?" He looked up as he continued rubbing her hands warm. There was a slight pout from his grumbling earlier. Adorable should be a wrong word to use on a man but she couldn't find a better word to describe how he look. Oh god, she could kiss him right here right now.

"Uh, nothing." She offered a small smile, mentally kicking herself for wanting to kiss him. Her feelings are messing up with her head! Then again, this is a sight which no one (except for Dearka & Ezalia) will ever witness. It belongs to her, only her.

"Am I too rough? Or is it too warm? Your hands are still cold but your face is turning red." He gave a questioning look before he stopped rubbing her hands. Her heart was about to fall from the disappointment but quickly did a couple of flips when she realised he didn't let go of her hands.

Her brain was reduced to mush with his hands wrapped around hers. It wasn't a bone-crushing kind of hold. Neither was a limp one. His grasp was solid and the pressure was comfortable. If someone was to pull her away suddenly, she was sure his hold will keep her in place. All she can do now is to shake her head.

However, the silver-haired man was not convinced. "Are you sure? If you are unwell, we can give the party a miss. Judging from Dearka's call earlier, the kids are not leaving until past second half of the session. I say that's going to be 3am."

Shiho forgot her reply when his thumb gently strokes the underside of hers absently. Despite the ongoing fire under her skin since the moment his hands touches hers, chills ran down her spine. She has never felt this way before. It was as if her body was woken up by a long deep slumber and every sensation she is experiencing now hit her like a ball-busting sledgehammer.

Oh my god... If he keeps this up, she might just hyperventilate and pass out.

He gave her hands a little squeeze, "are you alright?"

She cleared her throat and nodded. As much as she wants to talk to him, she can't think of a topic with his hands over her. Right now, she wants to ensure he didn't let go of her hands.

"Have you had dinner?" He asked, watching her intently.

Did she look unwell? If only she can tell him how his touch was affecting her. "I prepared some food but it's for tomorrow."

His eyebrow raised in surprise. "Tomorrow? Right, you mentioned that you will be spending time with your mom after the memorial service." He added, recalling the brief conversation she had with Lacus outside his office.

There was a flash of emotion in her lilac eyes before she nodded. It was too quick for him to register what it was. "When will her shuttle be arriving?"

Her pale pink lips parted but no words came out. It felt as if she was thinking how to reply him. "She won't be coming up. I will be going down to Earth, Japan." She broke their locked gaze and looked away.

The silver-haired man was puzzled. Why did she have to think about saying that? It struck him, there was more of it and Shiho didn't want him to know. A small ache grabbed his chest. Why did she not want him to know? The gears in his head started turning. That was not how Shiho operate. If she doesn't want anyone to know, there is no way people will even feel or have a slightest hunch that there is something.

Unless he asked about her day or how she was coping, he recalled she doesn't talk much about herself. She will always offer him that beautiful smile, whenever he approached her or they happened to be at the same place. He remembers how quickly those purple-hued steel melted into bright liquid amethyst orbs. It felt as if she was happy to see him. She makes him feel welcomed.

That must be it. She must be uncomfortable. Otherwise, how will a straight-talking woman like Shiho pause to think about her response? As curiosity took the better of him and the little tinge of hurt stemmed from her earlier response, he took another approach.

"Do you want to extend your leave?"

She went rigid for a second and turned to him. Her eyes were widened in surprise.

"Unless you own a private shuttle, it will take awhile to reach Earth and back to PLANTS."

She nodded and shifted her weight to stand on her right leg. There was a pause again. Her purple orbs locked on to his blue ones. She was assessing him, just as he was trying to learn more about her.

She still wasn't speaking, which left him no choice but to talk. "It also depends on where the arriving and departing shuttle port is. Will it be the same?" He wasn't much of a talker. Even when he hangs out with her, she tends to do the talking. Right now, she seems to be watching him while fighting a war in her head.

She doesn't trust you.

The tiny tinge of hurt was back. He hated this feeling. Hell, he hated all emotions and stupid little voices. Those emotions make him throw rational-thinking out of the window. Like now, he was slowly but surely getting annoyed with the woman's silence. He knew he shouldn't be. They were out of their uniform and she has all rights not to answer him. He knew that but he still wanted an answer from her. Simply because he needs to know that she will be safe. Besides, what's with the secrecy? They fought two wars together. Hell, he even helped bandaged her up when she returned from her crazy stun against EA's Sakura Burst!

He remembered how she put a front and slightly limped to her room.

(Flashback)

The bathroom door swung open with such force he recognised all too well. It could only be from frustration. Right on cue, he heard a sharp hiss. A woman with dripping wet hair appeared from behind the door. With gritted teeth, she turned to face the basin. Her back to him, she started looking through the first aid kit. She was completely oblivious to his presence. Her senses were far sharper than this. It was probably due to the long gash at bottom of her left rib. Stretching diagonally down to the side of her waist and finally stopping two inch above her hips. Wet hair, black sports bra and loose running shorts, Shiho showered with an open wound.

An injury she did not report when she returned DEEP ARMS back into the hatch. An injury she sustained to buy some time for the Ground Corps ship, which the entire Joule team was on board, to escape. An injury she could have avoided, if it wasn't an ambush led by Earth Alliance's infamous trio, Sakura Burst.

"Tell me you have checked for debris before you went to shower." He finally spoke up.

Despite being in pain, she turned around sharply upon his voice. Utter shock was written all over her face. It goes to show the intensity of pain. It was enough to dull the senses of a sharp soldier like Shiho Hahnenfuss. He has no solid evidence to prove his theory but the brunette's senses are always on point. If someone was approaching them, she became silent or changes the topic all together. A couple of seconds later, someone appeared. Sometimes it was her sixth sense. If she say that she isn't sure whether the situation will turn out as what he and Dearka has anticipated, it's safer to listen to her and plan for something else. Without fail, it didn't turn out the way they expected but how she has anticipated.

"Commander! I didn't know you were looking for me." With each word, the shock on her face slowly morphed into the poker face she was known for.

"I wasn't until I saw you walking stiffly away from the hangar." He replied quietly, barely keeping a rein on the growing anger. His eyes narrowed at the sight of wound. "I presume you are not going to report the injury until it becomes obvious. Perhaps, the pilot suit is soaked with your blood?"

She blinked once and that was her only response. Complete opposite of how others would normally react. She doesn't wince or let his sarcastic remarks get to her. That was another thing about her which he found intriguing. Never, has she ever retaliated. If there was any response, it would be those she just did or her eyes grew colder. When she did the latter, the room dropped a couple of degree Celsius. Something which he thought was humanly impossible. It was probably his mind playing tricks on him. Yes, it was definitely her calm expression and steely gaze. He heard from Dearka that she unnerved several senior male officers with her poker face and cold gaze.

"I will report if it is serious enough, sir. I have this under control." She replied with no trace of emotions. Recalling her sharp hiss earlier, he knew she was reining it in. He had personally experienced the degree of pain brought by such a wound. A single movement felt like a thousand needles piercing deeper while it felt tearing wider apart. It hurts like crazy. It was probably burning and throbbing as they speak. She was either too stubborn to show it or she feared his impending remarks. He doubts the latter; she was the least affected by his temper. Hell, she was on par with Dearka. Probably, better.

A thin line of red trickled from the wound and down peaches-and-cream skin brought him back to reality. 'I have this under control.' Fists clenching, his narrowed eyes morphed into a frown. This woman really knows how to push his button.

You are just irritated that there's one less person who fears your temper. The little voice laughed, fanning the fire in him bigger.

"Under control? I can see blood trickling down your stomach now and you said that you have it UNDER CONTROL? WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE TO YOU? BLIND OR STUPID?

Her wet, side-swept bangs revealed that she raised an eyebrow at him. "If I may, sir, that's not what I meant-"

The balls she have to dare raise an eyebrow at him! "Shut it, Major. Go to your bed and lie down!"

She shot him a questioning look, "wh-"

What the freaking hell? Did she just question him with her furrowed brows? "NOW!"

She wasn't budging, not even a quarter of a step towards her bed. Goodness, what was this woman made of? She didn't even flinch when his voice bounced off the walls of this tiny room. "With all due respect, sir-"

He should write her in for insubordination. "Don't make me repeat myself, Hahnenfuss. I mean it."

Shooting him a pointed look for a second, she shut her mouth. She stiffly walked to her bed and lay down as instructed. He eyed her the entire time she reluctantly moved to her bed. She returned with a pointed stare. Satisfied that she did as commanded, he disappeared into the bathroom and returned with the first aid kit.

He sat at the edge of the bed and started looking through for alcohol swap and bandage. The item he first found had been stupefied. "How on Earth did you get this?" He took out a medical stapler and directed a disbelief look at her.

His grip on the medical stapler tightened at her immediate response. There she did it again. She raised an eyebrow at him, defiantly. "I borrowed it from the infirmary."

Seriously, did he do something before that imply he was stupid? "Define borrow, Major."

"Taking something..." He could feel the smug look slowly surfacing as he nailed her. "With the intention of returning later." WHAT?! He went rigid with utter surprise and a sudden wave of anger washed over him. Boiling hot blood ran through his veins. He cannot believe what his eyes picked up.

"I will sterilise it after use, before I return it. If that's what you are concern about."

He clamped his mouth shut and clenched his jaws tight to prevent expletives from slipping. This woman will be the death of him! Her verbal retort was at least a hundred times more annoying than Dearka's smart-ass remarks! Throw in that poker face of hers.

He was so mad that he didn't know what to do. He wanted to throttle her but he will be charged for manslaughter should he accidentally killed her. He wanted to yell at her but he will look less of a Commander and more of a lunatic. He wanted to hit her gash but she wasn't Dearka, whom he will do so and not regret one bit. Argh! This woman is driving him crazy.

He took a deep breath before he put the medical stapler aside. Finally locating the alcohol swap, he leaned forward to the brunette. Just before the alcohol swap contact the wound, he felt something thin, cold and solid pressed against his throat. "Try any thing funny and there won't be any heir left for the Joule clan."

From what he can gather at the corner of his sight, it was a butter knife from the ship's cafeteria. He didn't know if he should laugh or feel insulted. "Seriously, woman. A butter knife?"

"I can always demonstrate but I hope Ezalia did freeze some of the necessary items to make another heir."

Two things. Since when was she on a first-name basis with his mother? He needs to speak with her about this brunette the next time they meet up. Second, there is something in her eyes that told him not to try her. They were shining with a cold, murderous glint. A shiver ran down his spine.

"Don't flatter yourself, Major. Date or fling, you are not my type." He retorted, masking that brief moment of fear with a look of sheer ridiculousness. He wanted to roll his eyes but decided against it. He has to keep an eye to the metal pressed against his throat, even if it is via his peripheral vision. This woman has some, correction, humongous balls to threaten him. "And I don't fraternize."

Much to his surprise, she wasn't reacting to his response one bit. Her purple eyes were still focused on him. Any slight movement or one which she deems as unfavourable, he was a goner. He could knock the butter knife out of her gasp but the risk was too great. He remembered her reaction time clocked in during battles. Against his timings, there is a moderately high chance that he might not be able to get away from the knife when she flicks her wrist. Nonetheless, he wasn't going to back down just because an ice queen points a knife at him

"Two choices, Major. One is to let me clean it up, seal the wound, I leave and you rest. The other is get the medical team in and filed a case against you for not following procedure. Now, choose." He clipped, with chin tilted upwards in an act of defiance. He wasn't going to let a knife and a woman scare him.

That insufferable woman stared at him for three seconds. The butter knife was still pressed against his neck. Just when he thought she would give in, she spoke. Her words wiping the slowly surfacing smug look off his face, for the second time. "This stays put. You make the choice, Commander."

He gritted his teeth in frustration, so much for trying to corner her. How dare this woman throw the ball back at him? Wasn't she a tiny bit worried about the wound being infected? This insufferable woman! He was very tempted to walk away and let her see to the wound herself. However, he was brought up with manners. His parents, especially his mother, had drilled into him to provide aid to those who needed it. He will never know when he will be the one in need of assistance.

"If it makes you happy, keep the butter knife there. I don't want my subordinate's absence to be extended by an infection." He retorted with a flat tone.

"Have you checked for any debris?" He added, keeping a poker face, refusing to show how affected he was by the butter knife.

"Checked." Her voice was as flat as his.

With a shrug, he proceeded to dab the alcohol swap at the wound. Much to his surprise, she did not hiss in pain. He knew for certain that he would have. He stole a quick sideways glance and saw that she was still eyeing him with unwavering focus. The butter knife was where it was.

Satisfied that the wound is cleaned, he reached into the first aid box for an antibiotic cream and a hand sanitizer. He squeezed a blob of gel-based sanitizer and began disinfecting his hands. He then squeezed blobs of antibiotic cream on four of his fingers. Due to her long wound, he dabbed the cream along the length before he gently spread it. It wasn't going to make the wound heal faster but it can discourage infection and help the body's natural healing process.

He stole another sideways glance at her and he was speechless. Why is she even frowning? What is with that constipated look? Instead of showing appreciation for his not-like-the-usual-violent-forceful ways, the brunette frowned. This woman was impossible to comprehend!

Before he could rein it in, those words in his head slipped past his lips. "What? Are you experiencing some form of irritation or pain?"

She shook her head while keeping her eager-like gaze on him. The butter knife was still there, not budging one bit. "I can take care of the bandage myself, sir."

"I'm not going to take advantage of you, if that's your concern." He half-sneered, using her words back at her. And there she did it again, she blinked once. There was no other expression on her face.

A frustrated sigh slipped as he reached for a sealed packet of dressing. "Are you allergic to adhesive dressings?" Seriously, why did he even bother?

"No but looking at the length of the wound..." Her words trailed off. He immediately directed his attention and took in the length of the wound. Stupid me! The adhesive dressing is too short for such a wound. He will have to go old-school. How on earth can he missed it? It must be the butter knife and the ice queen.

"I know! I know! I wanted to be sure." He retorted loudly, using anger to hide his embarrassment. A smile ghosted over the brunette's lips before she nodded. He almost wanted to question what was so funny but decided not. He quickly searched for bandage, paper tapes, and rolled gauze. Estimating the amount of bandage he needed, he began tearing an adequate number of paper tapes. He worked quickly and the wound was nicely covered with bandages held by paper tapes. All that was left is to wrap it up.

Unrolling the gauze, he locked gaze with the woman's questioning purple orbs. "You are not sitting up. Can you lift your hips so I can wrap the gauze around your waist?"

Without a word, she tried doing so gingerly and a tic immediately appeared along her jaw. For someone who didn't flinch when he cleaned the wound and applied the antibiotic cream that reaction goes to the movement must have hurt. A lot.

Studying the length of the wound, there was no other way. He inhaled and blew out a frustrated breath. "Tell you what. 3 rounds, that's all I need."

Her face immediately scrunched into a frown. "What?" It was as if she can't believe what ears were picking up. "I need the gauze to go around your waist 3 times. That's the minimum for such a length."

"Meaning I have to lift my hips 3 times?" She looked confused and sounded lost too. Does it sound stupid? Come to think of it, the thought of it looks stupid. Yzak Joule, just where did your brain disappear to?!

Not wanting to admit it appeared stupid, he rolled his eyes, "at least you will have a second in between to rest or catch your breath." When silence stretched on and she pursed her lips contemplating, his short fuse was almost burnt out.

"Would you prefer to lift and hold it there for me to finish wrapping 3 rounds?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Yes, lesser movement for me."

His jaw dropped. This woman is either dying to get rid of him or she has high threshold of pain.

"On your mark, Commander." She added, lowering the butter knife. Don't be mistaken though. While her hand was resting on her bed, she was still holding on to the knife in her hand.

"If you intend to stab me later, make sure it is straight for kill. Otherwise, I will make sure you suffer a hundred times worse." He clipped.

She flashed him a smirk, "I've never missed."

He glared at her and seethed. How dare her! And yet, he couldn't do anything to her. Argh! T-this insufferable woman! He slapped one end of the gauze at a side of her waist. Much to his surprise, she jerked suddenly and the corners of her lips tilted upwards in an awkward fashion. It disappeared as soon as it surfaced. It can't be... The Major Hahnenfuss of Joule Team is easily tickled?

He maintained his stern look to mask the little amusement. He stood up with a knee on her bed, leaning over. "Up"

She did as she was told and he was done within a couple of seconds. Once the gauze made the third round, she quickly lowered her hips and landed with a light thud. Although she didn't hissed in pain, he knew. He clipped the gauze in place and left to grab a dry towel from her bathroom.

When he returned to her bedside, the brunette was giving him that questioning stare. The knife was gripped tight in her hand. Any minute now.

Instead, he rolled his eyes. "I'll be mindfuxked if you decide to stab me for trying to clean your perspiration." Her hard stare softened a little. "I can do it myself, thanks. Give me the towel."

It was his turn to glare at her. Why this woman does keep making simple tasks so challenging? What is her problem? "Just keep still." He pushed her damp bangs to the side and started dabbing away the droplets of cold sweat. It must have been from the pain.

She froze instantly. If it wasn't the sound of her breathing, she would have resembled a statue. He didn't need to look at her to know that she was keeping an eye on him. One suspicious move, even if she doesn't kill him, she can easily cancels his future Father's Day celebrations permanently. When he was done, he lifted her head up gently and wrapped her wet hair with the towel. "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry; I don't have a fetish for hair. One more thing and I will leave." He sighed in defeat. He began to wonder if he had somehow left a questionable reputation or bad impression on her. She was highly weary of him.

He went into her bathroom again and unplugs the hair dryer. As he returned to her bedside, she shot him a ridiculous look. It was as if he walked out of her bathroom in a dress. He blew out a tired breath as he plugged in the hair dry to the socket closest to her bed. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Major. It's not good to sleep with wet hair."

He gestured for her hand and she reluctantly opened her free hand. "The towel is not going to help much. You should get your hair half dry before you sleep." He placed the hairdryer in her open hand.

Finally, he got a 'big' reaction from her. Her lips parted in surprise while her purple eyes widened and melted into liquid amethyst. Gone was the cold hard glint. With her bangs side-swept, he came to realise her eyes were doe-like. Big, round and bright purple orbs, when the owner wasn't being an Ice Queen.

"Thank you..." Her voice lost the usual flat, no-nonsense tone. It was soft. Not pitchy and kiddish-sounding like Lacus but soothing and surprisingly, feminine. He found his annoyance with her completely gone. An awkward smile crept onto his face. He quickly hid it by looking at his watch. "I will be back at 2000 hours."

"I will be at the hangar by then. My shift starts at-"

"Tsk! I'm the commanding officer here. Of course I know the time your shift commences! I don't want to see you anywhere but here."

She looked bewildered and opened her mouth to retort but he was quicker. "Have I made myself clear, Major?"

She bit back her words and nodded, "got it." Her voice still contained the warmth from earlier. He took a quick glance at the bandaged wound and headed towards the door. The sound of blanket and mattress shifting drifted to his ears and then, there was her soft voice again. "Thank you, Commander."

He couldn't help but to smile. He didn't know what made him this happy but he sure didn't want her to know. With his back still facing her, he nodded curtly and punched a few codes into the keypad beside the automated door. "Unless you allow it, no one else will be able to enter and disturb your rest."

"Except you." She added nonchalantly. Somehow, it sounded... accusing? It was an obvious fact, which doesn't need to be mentioned. Does he really come across as stupid to her? He quickly turned around and faced her. "I'm being responsible as a medic here. That's why I'm visiting you later."

Surprise, surprise! She laughed, "I didn't mean it that way. Just saying."

His face grew hot, but he didn't know whether it was from embarrassment or anger. "Do you really have to? Whatever. You talk too much. Go get some rest."

Just then, she smiled and he froze. Everything around him faded out when she smiled at him. He was not expecting that, really.

She has a nice, warm smile. It made her pale purple eyes twinkled. It sounded cheesy but those orbs twinkle like hundreds of stars combined. Her cheeks were no longer a pale. It flushed into full rosy cheeks. She looked her age now – 16 years old, a year his junior, youthful and full of life. He then felt a tingle of warm fuzziness at his chest. Something he found strange. He has never felt like this before, not when he was with Brenda, his fiancée. Yeap, something is wrong here... he was probably too tired.

"Commander?" Her voice snapped him back to reality. As his vision re-focus, he found himself looking into a pair of round and bright eyes. Wow, she really is doe-eyed.

He cleared his throat and quickly headed to the door. Just as the door slid open, he took one last look at her before stepping out. "Get well soon."

(End of flashback)

"It's just a visit." She finally replied. "Besides, I've excellent time management skills. I will be in time for night shift, that is if I lose to Dearka later." The casual shrug and a small smile, which did not reach her eyes, was enough to tell him that Shiho did not really want to answer him but was polite enough to give him a decent answer. She did not tell him which port she will be landing at and departing from.

"Are you landing in Orb Union or Japan? If it's the latter, you should know they are still pretty pissed with us for using their fleet to test the enemies last time." He pressed on, not wanting to give in to Shiho's evasive ways.

"With the schedule I'm working with, I presume it's easier to pass through custom at Orb Union. They are supposed to be a neutral state." There was a hint of sarcasm towards the end. He wasn't surprised that she, like any ZAFT personnel, is still pissed with Orb for allying with EA. However, that acid he picked up in her tone sounded more dangerous more than anger.

Yzak gave an amused grin, "you too, huh?"

"It was the first war back then... I was with Ground Corps, waiting for the transfer to the Le Creuset team. Everyone was hoping Orb hold off EA or crumble under the Atthas – either way, there was no new enemy for us to contend with. No one would have expected the remaining four royal families were pro-EA all along." Her voice went flat and cold. If Yzak didn't know her, that matter-of-fact tone would have deceived him into believing that she was battle-hardened, the twist and turns of war no longer affect her. However, he worked with her through two wars. He was long attuned to her expressions. Saying that she is pissed was tip of the iceberg.

"The people of Orb and the military are loyal to the Atthas but everyone else, especially the government, is with the remaining four royal families." She added, surprising the silver-haired man. It seems she was familiar with Orb's affairs.

"Not that I'm banking on Orb after all that has happen, there's still the Princess of Orb. She is the last Atthas. For once, I'm thankful to Yamato... for kidnapping her during the ceremony." There is no way he is going to consider working with someone who is married to a pro-EA guy, on sifting out LOGOs-loyalists.

"The ceremony is legally binding, you know." She gave him a bored look but he knew her blood was probably boiling. Her slightly-warmed hands balled into fists.

"What?! You mean she signed the papers?" Yzak was utterly shock.

"The wedding ceremony will be a scam if she didn't sign the papers. Wouldn't that add on to the scepticism she was facing from the people back then?" The brunette pointed out.

Looks like he will have to call off the supposed meeting with Cagalli Yula Attha. Then it struck him. Her last name remains the same. "Orb's law states that a married woman is to take her husband's last name. Unless you are telling me that she is exempted because she is a crown princess, her last name should be Seiran."

She blew a tired breath, "yes, the late Chief Representative makes that exception. Princess of Orb will never take her husband's name. Neither will her children."

"Geesh, that man has got to be something to put up with this arrangement. The children can't take on his family name!" He lamented, looking rather offended too.

A chuckle slipped before the brunette could rein it in. Outbursts like this always amuse her no end. One was Yzak's comment and the other thing was his expression. It was comical. Most of the time, he reminded her of a kid. How they appear adorable even though their thought pattern or response was anything but appropriate in adults' standard.

"If Zala marries her, he is nothing but a glorified sperm contributor. I'm not surprised that he won't be sharing her royal status." He snorted at how ridiculous it sounds. Athrun may not be a close friend but Yzak felt undignified for him.

She wanted to laugh, really. Yzak can be so blatant but she found him funny anyway. "When she becomes Queen, he will be conferred with the title of a prince. The children will be directly in line for the Crown after her."

The platinum blonde rolled his eyes in reply.

"That is provided Cagalli wants him back." She added, and much to her surprise, Yzak went rigid with anger.

"She was the one who agreed to marry that Seiran donkey! I heard from Dearka that Zala gave her a ring and she didn't wear it ever since she took it off for the wedding. Why are you making it sounds like Zala is the one at fault?"

Shiho smiled at the man in front of her. He may have unfounded rivalry with Athrun Zala but he sees him as a friend, in his own ways. Perhaps, the thing he has against Athrun Zala was not as bad as her dislike towards him.

"Cut her some slack. She lost her father not too long ago and was forced to become a nation's leader overnight. She will never allow herself to wallow in self pity and be a victim but she was completely lost and clueless. If he did not leave Cagalli on her own, all that wouldn't have happen. So much for the reasoning of being her personal guard to be with her." She scoffed. She didn't care if she surprised Yzak with her dislike towards Athrun Zala. Cagalli will never admit it but she really needed someone to lean on back then.

Uncomfortable silence filled the entire living room as Yzak looked at her intently. No doubt he was digesting all she had told him. "You sounded like you knew her."

Surprise, surprise. She thought he will retort and defend his friend. "Something like that." She clipped.

"Something tells me that you knew her even before the war started." He added, his keen blue eyes locked on hers.

Shiho returned his gaze squarely. Her resolve to keep her background from him was weakening by the second. Why does he want to know? Does it matter which shuttle port she will be arriving and departing? Does it matter how she knew Cagalli? She was torn; a part of her wants to share everything about her, including her complicated family dynamics, to him. Another part of her wants to keep it locked up and bring it to grave. The former will only make her feelings for him grow, having the delusion that maybe, just maybe, something will come out of it.

"Royal Academy of Fine Arts." She clipped. She was tired from thinking of ways to evade his questions. There is no point but she wasn't going to elaborate further. Hopefully he will get it and quit asking about her.

"I can't picture you, and especially Princess of Orb, being art student." Yzak looked surprised and began laughing a little. How his blue eyes twinkle should be illegal.

"I was on scholarship, like Lacus. Cagalli was there because she is a Princess. You know, learning to do what is expected of a Princess. Paintings and playing one or two instruments, that kind of stuff." A small smile surfaced as memories returned. Those were the days, before the war started and the world went crazy. Funny how Cagalli and Lacus never knew each other back then. Both were her friends.

"Is that how you came to know Lacus?" He asked with child-like curiosity.

"She was my neighbour when I was a little girl." The pink hair woman was her only friend and playmate when she was a kid. Aside from Granny, there was no one in the Hahnenfuss estate whom she can talk to or hang out with. The caretakers and servants were polite and nothing else.

Yzak instantly recalled what Chloe had shared about Shiho. The brunette was an illegitimate child, whom her mother placed in the care of old Madam Hahnenfuss. "The Hahnenfuss estate is quite a drive from here. Will you be going back there? We are based here for quite a while."

The brunette's doe-like eyes narrow immediately. "How do you know I'm from the Hahnenfuss clan?"

Shit.

"Despite my last name, no one associated me with them right away. Just you." She added. With her standing up and him sitting down on the sofa, her intense gaze felt almost like she was staring down at him. For once, Yzak felt like a tiny bug. Insignificant and completely at the mercy of a giant human who caught sight of him. That giant human was Shiho and her suspicion filled the room with suffocating tension. It felt like the living room was closing in on him.

Me and my big mouth.

He decided not to risk it, honesty is the best policy. "My mom invited Chloe and your father over for dinner. Afterwards, Chloe and I had a quick chat. She asked about you."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure she wasn't asking about my welfare." Never had he seen the brunette so caustic.

"Not exactly. It wasn't a conversation anyway." He kept it short, not wanting to her to know Chloe had accused them of fraternizing. Purple eyes looked straight into his and narrowed. He swallowed involuntarily. It felt like he was a taste of his own medicine. Shiho resembled him in uniform while he was some poor personnel at the receiving end of intense scrutiny. He felt even smaller and less insignificant than a bug. No wonder people called her 'Terror of ZAFT's Work Wife'. Her terrorizing ways now resembles his.

The brunette was baffled. Chloe wasn't supposed to know she was in ZAFT. Even if Jordan Hahnenfuss, who was responsible for R&D of ZAFT's weapons, had heard of Shiho, he would not be bothered to speak about her to Chloe or anyone in the Hahnenfuss household. After all, she was a living proof and a walking reminder of the terrible thing he did to her mother. The nightmare he had put the poor woman under for all those years.

"How did she know I was in ZAFT?" She said calmly. It was too calm for his liking. One wrong move and Shiho is going skin him alive. How did the situation turn out like this? He skewer people, not the other way around. He opened his mouth in response but close it again. How was he going to tell her the embarrassing thing he did?

Her stare was unnerving. "I asked a question."

Shit. Guess he doesn't have a choice. "Jordan Hahnenfuss mentioned that he brought his daughter along. Since you have the same last name, I thought you came. In the end, Chloe appeared. Before I knew it, I wondered out loud - asking where Housenka was. Everyone asked who or what that was, so I explained by mentioning about you and that you are in my team." There he said it. How he wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. The brunette stared at him wide-eyed, looking surprised.

She was momentarily speechless. Could it be that Yzak wanted to see her? From the sound of it, he was expecting her and was disappointed that it turned out to be Chloe instead of her. "You did that?"

He tilted his head upwards slightly to meet her gaze squarely. Several seconds passed before he looked up at the ceiling briefly and sighed. He looked defeated. "Yeah... the same reaction when I returned to frontline and found out you returned to Frigore." He didn't know why he sounded so sad but it mirrored the emotion that threatens to suffocate him. He never like to recall that particular memory. It brought back the poisonous, choking mix of lost and disappointment. Up till now, he wasn't sure why he felt that way. There was nothing between him and Shiho. They started as superior and subordinate but the dynamics quickly morphed and he saw her as his loyal comrade in arms. Now, they are friends. How sure you are that she sees you as a friend, Yzak Joule?

Surprised gripped her heart first. She was floored by the sadness in his voice. He sounded upset, in a heartbroken way. As if they were an item and that she left him for another man. The look on his face matches the emotion in his voice. A dull ache then replaced the surprise. She was tempted to hug him again. It hurts to see him in upset, especially along the line of sad, confused, disappointed, shaken, and frightened.

Her mind must be playing tricks on her. There was no way Yzak could have sounded like this. However, the clenched jaw and disappointment swirling in his blue eyes said otherwise. The ache was back again, tightening its grip on heart. She wanted to apologise to him but she couldn't. She had her reasons. Well, there was just one reason. To forget about Yzak Joule. Her feelings for him will get her nowhere.

Meanwhile, the silver-haired man was looking intently at her. His thumb continued brushing her now-slightly warmed hands, as he held his breath and waited for her response. It felt as if he had just confessed his romantic feelings to her – like those silly shows or movies. But it wasn't that kind of feelings. Or was it?

Okay, he did revealed a little of himself which he made sure no one, not even Dearka, was aware of. About how he was affected by a certain brunette's absence. The fact that she returned to Frigore's team was a bigger blow to him. He wanted to know why she did it but he could never find the courage to ask her. Yes, this is the one and only time the feared Yzak Joule did not have the guts to do something. Something as simple as asking a woman why she left him – correction, his team.

The woman flooding his thoughts looked surprised. Judging from the softened purple orbs, she seems touched by his little revelation. Good Gods, he so wanted to grab her face and kiss her senseless. Before he could mentally kick himself for that thought, the soft expression was gone.

"What exactly did she say or asked about me?"

Yzak shifted uncomfortably. Why did she have to ask about it? He cleared his throat, "does it matter? It wasn't a real conversation to begin with."

"It doesn't, on most days. Since it's coming from Chloe and she was conversing with you, I'm curious."

His grip on her hands tightened. "Like I've said, it was hardly a conversation. She talked and I listened. I spoke only when she was out of line." His voice hardened. It was a sign that he was getting irritated. She was pushing his button by making him repeat himself. And she knew it.

"No one from the Hahnenfuss household talks about me, other than Granny. The servants too, but that's for the sake of passing time and gossip." She revealed coldly, seemingly unfazed by his rising temper.

"What did she say that was out of line?" She pressed further. Just as she has expected, the silver-haired man snapped.

"Damn it, woman! She said she wasn't surprised if you and I are fraternizing! Do you really have to know?" He was expecting her to be stunned silent but he was wrong. Shiho was full of surprises. She laughed dryly, "I bet she went on saying that I'm probably as much of a slut as my mother."

Seeing Yzak went rigid and his blue eyes widened with surprise, she knew that she was spot on. "It's alright; she repeats the same line to whoever that pointed out my last name was identical to her. Well, that comes after she tells them not to be bothered about me. That was in elementary school. She repeated the same thing over and over again, until we went to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts."

He was dumbfounded. How can she speaks of this so casually? If he was in her shoes, he would be very upset. It goes to show that Chloe must have said it so many times and Shiho became immune to it. He regretted not hitting her earlier. Really. "I don't give a shit about what she speaks of you."

She offered him an appreciative smile. "I'm not worried."

A puzzled frown appeared on his face. "Why?"

"If you want to know, you would have asked me in person. No matter how awkward it will be. Going by the back door is not your style, especially when it's personal matters." That small smile turned into a full-fledged one. The warm smile that made her purple eyes twinkle. He returned her smile. That tingle of warm fuzziness was back again.

"Why was she bothered whether you and I are fraternizing?"

His smile disappeared completely.

Then it struck her and her heart fell. "The two of you..." He looked up at her immediately. "Have a thing or two going on." Her voice trailed as the gears in her head started turning.

"Wait a minute... Ezalia invited Chloe and Jordan over for dinner..." Cold wave of dread washed over her. What Dearka said earlier was true. She was on a hunt for a daughter-in-law by matchmaking some politician's daughter with Yzak. And that woman was none other than her half-sister. Heaven love to play cruel jokes on her. First was through her mother and now, it was directly at her.

As much as she wants to remain in Yzak's warm grip, she took a step back from the sofa. Her arm stretched as his firm hold on her hands tightened. "It's not what you think it is."

A dry laugh slipped. "It doesn't matter. I'm just a subordinate. Your personal matter is none of my business." With a sharp jerk, her hands slipped free and quickly turned cold. She began walking towards her room, "I'll be ready in a couple of minutes. Make yourself at home."

Turning around to see her retreating figure, he gritted his teeth in frustration. He hated it when she abruptly draws the line with him. It felt like a slap on his face and there wasn't anything he can do about it. It is a fact, she is his subordinate. His personal affair is none of her concern but does she really have to say it to his face? Why is she drawing the lines with him when they are off duty now? It baffles him no end. It pissed him off. No, it drives him crazy.

That's it. 'Make yourself at home.' Yeah, he is going to. He immediately stood up and headed towards her room. He is going to erase that line she has so coldly drew a few moments ago. No, he needed to. They fought two wars together. Weren't those ups and downs they have endured enough to make up for the years of drama and nonsense typical and necessary of a friendship?

Most important of all, it hurts. It felt as if he was hit by a ball-busting sledgehammer and had he momentarily stunned. Perhaps, the friendship was one-sided. He thought Shiho and him were friends after all they have been through but the brunette had never taken it that way. A sharp pain, resembling one executed with a surgical scalpel. He hated that.

Before he registered what he was doing, a startled Shiho came into view. Her purple eyes were wide in shock. "What the fuxk, Yzak?!" Right, he basically stormed into her room and pushed open the sliding door of her bathroom. Too bad, she didn't lock it.

"Did it ever occur to you that I could be naked? I told you that I'm getting ready! You can't just walk in here and pushed open the door!" She half-yelled with hands to her hips. Her face was flushed with annoyance written all over.

He eyed her from head to toes. Smooth peaches-and-cream skin, luscious swells of flesh barely held in place with a black lace bralette, and an aztec print bandage skirt that clung on to her slender waist and gentle flare of her hips. She was partially clothed – not naked as she had exclaimed. Then again, he can enjoy the view later. That was not the reason he barged into her room and the bathroom. He wasn't a pervert.

"Aren't we friends?" He shot, folding his arms across his chest. The brunette froze with her lips parted.

Her mind went blank for a second when that question sounded. Did he come in here just to sort out what happened earlier? What for? Does it really matter? The part of her, who likes him to bits, was touched beyond words. She must have meant something to him, since he pulled such a stun. She was tempted to give him a chance to explain. However, the rational part of her dunk a bucket of ice cold water by insisting that she was overthinking and it doesn't matter. The lesser she knows, the easier for her to wake up from this crazy crush.

"Are you serious?" She did what he dislikes a lot. She raised an eyebrow at him. It never fails to send his blood boiling at a whole new level, which amuses her. It was mean but entertaining too. Before her brain register what was going on, he unfolded his arms and placed them on the basin behind her. She was imprisoned between him and the basin. That move brought him closer to her; he has invaded her personal space. His blue eyes were burning with determination. It was clear that he is not leaving until he got an answer, an acceptable one. There was a spark of anger in those orbs. What was he pissed about?

She tilted her chin up defiantly. The thought of leaning forward to kiss him was dangerously tempting. Even though he was too close for comfort, she was not going to let him have his way. There was nothing more to say about earlier incident.

"If you would excuse me, I need to get dressed." She directed a pointed look at him. She raised one of her hand, holding a cream-coloured blouse.

"No, you are not excused." He clipped.

"Really?" She challenged and quickly pulled the blouse over her head. Hell bent on ignoring his closeness and question, she shifted her sight downwards and focused on adjusting her clothing. You can do this, woman. He is not there. He is not in front of you. You are alone in the toilet.

The usual her will be as red as a tomato by now. Bloody hell, she would have ran into another room and locked the door to change. Neither will she ever attempt to adjust her bralette in front of a guy, especially when the guy is less than an arm's length away from her. Worse, the guy is her boss and apparently, her crush.

While the brunette is mentally bashing herself, Yzak couldn't help but to drag his eyes slightly downwards. Her 'twins' were barely covered by a black lace bralette. The dark colour contrasts sharply against her peaches-and-cream skin, highlighting the dainty flower embroidery. It was very distracting. She either has no regards for him as a healthy male or she was too stubborn for her own good. Otherwise, she has become too used to his presence. She was utterly oblivious to the growing itch in him - to run his fingers along the edge of the black soft fabric and then holding the two globes in his hands. He was pretty sure they fit nicely. Not overly large and saggy. Perky and soft with a firmness that becomes evident after a gentle squeeze.

"If you are done looking at my boobs, I need you to get out so I can do some finishing touches."

His blood went cold. He was caught staring. Was he that obvious? Now what is he going to do? Should he ignore the earlier part of her comment or push her buttons? After all, the brunette has this adorable expression when she's feeling awkward or embarrassed. Her cheeks turned rosy in colour and her lips formed a half-slanted pout.

He decided that he wants to see the adorable look. "You have some serious balls, Housenka. Which woman in the right frame of mind adjusts her boobs when she's having a conversation with a guy?"

Much to his surprise, her cheeks didn't go red. She held her chin high. Neither was there a slight pout on her rose-hued lips. Instead, a smug appeared just before she gave a casual shrug. "That wasn't a conversation in any situation. Besides, the guy is you. It's fine."

He frowned, earlier spark of lust morphed into a growing flame of anger. "What was that supposed to mean?"

She instantly took a step back to put some space between them but found out she was already leaning against the basin. With his current posture, she was trapped.

Refusing to be intimidated by him, she shrugged casually again and gave a small yet mischievous smile. It was bound to send his temper off the roof but she didn't care. There are times where an angry Yzak is amusing and funny. This is going to be one of those moments.

She was in process of turning around to face the mirror when a second later, she found her hands in front of her - on Yzak's chest in a subconscious attempt to put some distance between, while she felt his warm and hard body against hers. He was holding her in his arms. Her legs felt like jellies now.

"What about me, Shiho? First, you draw the line. Second, you didn't answer to my question. Now I'm confused, what am I to you?" He said in a quiet voice, almost like a whisper. The tinge of anger lacing his voice faded with each word. By the time her name slipped past his lips, he doesn't sound annoyed anymore. There was something else swimming in his blue eyes but she couldn't put a finger on it. It was probably his hands on her waist, holding her in place, pressing her to him. The warmth was burning past her skin and straight into her core. It felt as if she was having fever, her body burning up. Throw in his pale blue eyes into the mix and her mind was messed up. It didn't felt like this the last time they were this close – when she hugged him after seeing him shaken by the firing of Requiem. This sensory overload is definitely the fault of her feelings for him. There is no better explanation for it. This is bad, she really likes him.

"Date or fling, I'm not your type, remember?" She finally sounded, looking up at him. Her purple orbs holding his gaze. If he didn't know her, it will appear as if she was simply stating a fact. However, he was familiar with her nuances and antics more than anyone in the team.

Well, one will assume that he knows the personality of every crew in his team, officer or not. It was expected of him, to make it easier to manage them as their commanding officer. For the brunette's case, he was familiar with her on a more personal level. Being the third in command, and involved in the beam weaponry development program (DEEP ARMS), they had spent more hours together at the bridge, hangar, his office and meeting room than the hours they spent apart.

Taking in her purple eyes and a slightly arched eyebrow, it didn't occur to him that it was just a simple question. There was a tinge of sourness. He must have offended her when he said it in the past. He recalled it was also one of the first conversations they had. He didn't mean to say offensive or hurtful stuff to women, but it was necessary then. She was extremely cautious of him and he had to make it clear to her that he wasn't interested in her. Neither was he trying to take advantage of her. Given the situation they were in, he didn't blame her. It was amusing though. The thought of Shiho holding it against him was something he would never expect from her.

Despite the awkward situation he placed himself in, a chuckle slipped. "Seriously? That was almost 2 years ago." The corners of her lips tilted into a small smile. One that he hated to see. One that did not reach her eyes. One that was filled with sadness, which went away as quickly as it appeared.

"It's almost 2 years..." She repeated after him quietly. And none of it has change. It never will, wake up Shiho! With a sharp intake of breath, she lightly pushed against his chest. "Let me go, or we will be late."

Dull ache gripped his heart as she struggled. "There are times I don't get you at all. Why are holding me at arm's length?" He tightened his hold on her, making her look up at him.

"The war is over, Yzak. From the looks of it, it is going to be for good. Sooner or later, we will have to go our separate ways. You will climb the military or political ladder while I quit ZAFT and..." She broke their eye contact and looked away as she trailed off. Her eyes began to water and it felt as if something big was wedged in her throat. Her heart was breaking into pieces at the thought of near future. She didn't know what she was going to do when she leave ZAFT but one thing was sure, she will no longer be by Yzak's side. The pain left her speechless. She had not expected herself to be so affected. She was too used to hanging around him.

Her thoughts were cut short when she felt his fingers caressing her cheeks, then sliding down her jaw and stopped at her chin.

"What's going on? Why are you quitting?" He tilted her chin upwards, only to find himself looking into purple orbs shining with unshed tears.

Chills shot up his spine. His entire being frozen. He, just like any other guys, panic at the sight of girls crying. Worst of all, the girl was Shiho, whom he came to know as a strong and independent woman. It wasn't just her glassy eyes that left him feeling helpless. Her intention to leave ZAFT was another cause. It felt as if someone hit him in the gut, knocking the air out of him. His chest felt tight, he couldn't breathe.

There will no longer be a stoic brunette who quietly assists him in everything. There will be one less person in the team whom he can speak freely to. No one, not even Dearka, will make him feel at ease like the way a certain straight-talking yet lively brunette do. Even though that side of her only surface when they are alone, those brief moments were like a soothing balm to his tired soul.

She didn't treat him as the sole heir of one of PLANTS' wealthiest families, and the son of former political powerhouse, Ezalia Joule. She didn't idolise him as one of the legendary top scorers in ZAFT Academy, whose scores were left unconquered until now (Athrun being the top). Neither did she turn to him (like how fresh graduates or inexperience officers do) as a battle-hardened, well-decorated war veteran. She holds her own.

She always reminds him not to be too hard on himself, saying he is a human being with a mere 20 years of experience. She never fails to pull him out of that overwhelming sense of guilt and failure, when someone in his team dies. She will gently place a hand on his shoulder that he isn't God - mistakes are bound to happen, especially in a war, people die. She is the only one who made him feel like an ordinary 20 year old human being, who was transiting from the rosy world of teenager into the harsh reality and cruel world of adults. Whenever she is around, he feels assured and confident. There is no need to prove himself to her. There is no need to dominate. There is no need to play tricks to ensure cooperation and consensus.

She drew a shaky breath and shook her head slowly.

"Talk to me, Shiho. What's going on? You are doing fine. Why are you going to leave?" He tightened his hands around her waist, urging her to reveal the answers.

"I'm not resigning now... but that day will come. I will resign and leave ZAFT someday. I'm not going to spend the rest of my days-"

"I won't allow it." He cut her off.

No word was able to describe how he felt when those words sounded. That suffocating mix of fear, shock, and puzzlement was back to haunt him. He didn't want her to leave ZAFT. He didn't want her to leave his team. He didn't want her to leave his side. She did it once and things were in a mess.

Dearka was not as efficient as she was, when it comes to paperwork. He sucked as being his right-hand. That blonde was terrible at liaising with his secretary to keep him on schedule for different meetings and work engagements. Frankly speaking, he was in a mess himself. He was caving from all that expectations, pressure and responsibilities of being a Commander, a member of the Supreme Council (representative of Martins City), and a member of the National Defence Committee. All because a particular brunette wasn't around to help him. There were times she couldn't help but her little thoughtful gestures made his day. Such as leaving a bento (takeaway box of dinner) with a post-it note, telling him the number of minutes he should heat it up before consumption. Plus, she comes in at the start of her shift to remind him of his bed and that his work desk is not a good place to sleep. Dearka is too busy juggling work and finding time to meet his girlfriend to be bothered about him. His secretary is too new to know his habits. He knew every secretary assigned to him won't hang around long to pick up all these, so he didn't bother.

He can't go through those days of her absence again. He can't deal with it for the second time.

"I don't think I can..." he said softly, his voice shaky. He brought a hand up to her face, brushing the back of his hand against cheek. His fingers tugging her damp hair behind her ear, sliding along the shell of her ear and down to trace the side of her jaw. She looked up and he found himself drowning into a pair of eyes with the most hypnotising shade of purple.

She drew a shaky breath again.

The brunette felt her heart was about to beat right out of her chest. His face was only inches away. The warmth of his breath lit her up like a candle. A rush of heat started in her chest and slowly spread through her body, reaching every limb. She could feel the intensity of his gaze as he watches her every move, from the slight twitch of her lips to the way her chests rose and fell as her heart and breathing began to race.

He leaned forward slowly as his hands slid upwards to hold her face in his hands. The warm flush of her cheeks were burning against his palms. Her perfectly shaped bottom lip quivered and in an instant, his lips were on hers. Her mind went blank.

They were smooth and soft, they were perfect. Wanting more, the platinum blonde applied more pressure into the kiss, pressing his lips harder against hers. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he began a slow trail of butterfly kisses, pressing and brushing his lips on her soft ones as he took his time to make his way to one end and then the other. Letting his instincts take over, his arms went back to her waist, pulling her in, pressing her body against his. She reminded him of butter, firm and soft all together.

She melted as soon as he held her possessively in his arms. Her hands slid their way up his chest and lingered at his collarbones for a moment before circling his neck. She pressed her soft body against his warm unyielding one, giving into the burning need to be as close to him as possible.

He could feel the softness of her front pressing against his, teasing him on how they are within his reach but he couldn't touch them. He could feel her heart racing; her breathing was deep and loud in his ears. She was mimicking his assault on her lips, letting it tangled with his as her hands unwrapped themselves from his neck and slipped into his hair. All the sweet friction fried his nerve endings. A shiver ran through his entire being and a rumble of soft moan slipped. She did too, but it sounded like a purr, a heady mix of a moan and a defeated sigh. Someone save him, he has never felt this way before. He wanted to hear it again, and gently nipped on her bottom lips. She jumped a little and a breathy moan sounded. "Yzak..." Her hands fell back to rest on his shoulder. Her eyes were half-lidded. Her cheeks flushed. Her perfect pout was no longer the natural rosy shade. It was several shades darker and her lips were swollen.

He leaned his forehead against hers and looked into those cloudy purple eyes. He kept an arm around her waist while the other made his way up to the back of her neck. His thumb caressing her cheek, "don't go." His voice husky from the sweet contact earlier.

Her heart did a somersault at his request. Was she dreaming? First he kissed her and now, he told her not to leave. It was too good to be true. Yes, you stupid woman. He is probably too lazy to look for your replacement. However, the part of her giddy from the kiss refused to believe Yzak was such a despicable man. Why kiss her just to ask her to stay? She swallowed, mustering courage to ask the question, praying the negative voice in her head was wrong. "Why?"

He pulled back a little, with his arms still around her waist. "What?" Bewilderment was written all over his face, lacing his voice too.

She willed herself to look into his blue eyes. "Why did you do that?" She needs to know, to make sure he wasn't making a fool out of her.

The puzzled expression morphed into one of utter lost. As seconds pass by, her heart began to fall while the lost look on his face became a frown. His jaw was clenched tight and a tic appeared every few seconds. She knew he couldn't answer her. However, she believed that it wasn't because he was guilty of a despicable act. She drew comfort from the tense silence and the look on his face, he couldn't answer her because he couldn't find the words to. His lost for words only goes to show that he doesn't know what he was doing.

"You have no idea what you were doing."

He frowned. "How can I not know what I did? I'm just-"

"You just don't know why." She continued for him, not sure how she should feel about. A part of her felt hopeful. Maybe he did have feelings for her, as mentioned by Dearka. Another part of her wanted to cry because he couldn't explain himself, leaving her to contend with the thought that it could be a mistake. Something he did in heat of the moment.

Space. She needs space – breathing space, and to be away from him. She closed her eyes to savour the comforting warmth and pressure of his hands around her waist. "I need to finish dressing up or we will be late." She said as she opened her eyes. However, she looked away. She could not bring herself to look at him, at least not for now.

A couple of seconds later, she heard him sigh in defeat, and felt his hands fell away from her waist. His warm firm body backed away from her colder one. She inwardly grimaced at the loss of warmth, while a wrenching ache held her heart in a death grip. It was only a kiss and it left her in such a messed up state.

God help her, she was in too deep.

END

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Thank you for reading this chapter :) I know it has been months since chapter 2 and I apologise. This chapter has been very challenging to write – mental ramblings of Yzak & Shiho, the flashbacks, Shiho's background, and the kiss. I hope you like the chapter, especially the kiss scene. It was the toughest portion. I lost count on the number of times I've revised it. The kiss scene started out as a light-hearted, typical fluff scene – our favourite couple kissing ONLY after the party with all that expected build-up of attraction and mild-sexual tension. However, I wanted something more 'real'. I wanted to show Yzak getting there and Shiho struggling with her feelings, while waiting for our favourite (currently hopeless) guy to realise his feelings for her. I know you want to bash me up right now... Put up with this for a little while more, pretty please? *Hugs in gratitude*

Next chapter will be interesting but I've got a feeling some of you will want to shoot me for putting Shiho through such a situation.

Until then, I hope you like this chapter and felt that it was worth the wait. Share with me your thoughts (or complaints), alright? I was pleasantly surprised by the feedbacks I've received so far. All of you have been very supportive and encouraging :)

Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. It really makes my day, hear from you soon! Fill that blank space below people & hit the button:P