Collection of Unlikely Conversations
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Disclaimer: Don't own Seed, don't ask
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Chapter 1: Political Matters
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Author's Note: Before you go on any further, please be aware that this is no ROMANCE fic and has nothing whatsoever to do with Destiny and the two characters in each chapter may act extremely OOC. This is just a good friendship between two people, and the story itself has absolutely no plot and is written purely out of sheer whims. If you don't like what you read, then do NOT flame me, please. I will be sure to get rid of it sooner or later, if I find, when I come back to read again, it too weird to stand. So, that's my warnings to you. You may choose now – to read or to return…
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"It's been a while," a politely cheerful remark with a faintest note of deep weariness. "How have you been doing?"
He nodded absently, watching as each cup was filled with the steamy dark liquid, its rich aroma tickling his senses. "I am quite well. Thank you for your concern. How about you, though? I heard you had been rather…busy."
"More than I would like it to be," was her rueful reply as she took a sip of the bitter drink. "But yes, I have been busy. Ever since that day that I got tied down, I never got to get back up again. I'm sorry but I couldn't just find the time to see you and the others at all these days."
"It's not your fault," he regarded the sugar and the milk on the tray quizzically as if he did not understand why they were there at all. "It never was. But you shouldn't say that."
"Say what?"
"Getting tied down. You know you can get out of this anytime you want to, but it's actually because you don't want to and because you let yourself be tied down, that's why you have all this mess here now." He brought the cup to his lips and nodded approvingly. "This is better than last time. Been practicing?"
"I guess you can say that," she replied, then sighed. "And maybe you're right."
"I know I am."
She cast him an annoyed glare. "Remind me again why we were ever on a friendly term?"
"Because I had saved your sorry hind back then? Because we have to pretty much work together, even though neither of us like one another that much if at all? Because, as much as we both hate admitting it, we do have things in common more than we first thought?"
"……I think I still hate you."
"I know. I hate you, too. Now, what were you saying again?"
She rolled her eyes. "You don't really need me to tell you to know what I meant to say."
"No. But it's better hearing it from your mouth. I don't want to be too assuming."
"You have always been too assuming, hot-headed, and stubborn. Don't try to deny it."
"I can say exactly the same thing to you, Princess."
"Call me princess again and see if I don't kick your ass all the way back to where you come from."
A mocking bow. "My apology, then."
"Anyway…" she leant back in the chair, a slight scowl on her face.
"You want to get out of all this, but you think you can't because you feel it's your obligation as his daughter and as your duty as a princess and 'successor' of this country to achieve what he wanted for everyone and all sides but was never able to make it come true?"
Normally she would have thrown at least one big breakable thing at him for such remark, but…this was not normal. Always when it was them like this, nothing was ever normal nor was it ever meant to be. So, she merely gave him a withering look. "That's not all."
"Enlighten me, then."
"Unlike you, I am not all voluntary and eager to be in this position. Part of me wants to do this because I think – or I hope – that I can make a difference. Maybe if I try hard enough then perhaps I can at least bring peace to the people and the country somehow. Especially if this means they can be happier…"
His cold, uncaring eyes were unusually gentle as he watched her silently.
"There's nothing I won't do for them," she continued, her hands gripping the delicate porcelain cup tight. "Nothing. I don't want to see them hurt ever again. Not Kira, not Athrun, not Lacus, not the children… They have suffered more than enough already."
"But…?"
"But more importantly, I don't want anyone else to have to suffer like them. I don't want anymore death and loss. I don't want to see tears, I don't want to hear cries, and I don't want to have to…lie to them. To the families, to those who are left behind. But I don't know… I don't know how to do that. I don't know how to help them or if I can help them at all. I screwed things up a lot and I tried to make up for all of them…"
"But you are still only a human," he leant forward and gently pried the half-empty cup from her grasp then took her hands in his. "And don't you think you are being a little too hard on yourself?"
She bit her lip. "With the position I am in now, I am not allowed to make any more mistake than I already have. One more and it might mean the end of everything. I am trying to do well, I am trying very hard but it never seems enough…"
"It's enough," he said quietly, firmly, tightening his hold on her slightly trembling hands. "You try, you don't give up despite what may happen, and that's enough. More than enough. Thinking and worrying too much about the future won't help, if not making things worse. Besides," he let go of her hands, finished the rest of his coffee, and put the cup down next to hers. "Know it or not, you are treating me more and more like I am your personal therapist or something."
That drew a shaky laugh from her. "Considering what happened last time, I think I can say the same to you, too."
Smiling a small sincere smile, he got up, chuckling softly. "What I won't give to see the look on Zala's face if he ever finds out what's going on between you and me."
She got up as well and quirked a brow at him; she seemed calmer now as she said, "There's never anything going on between us, Commander."
"No. No, of course not, Representative Athha," he agreed, a teasing note in his mockingly serious voice.
Cagalli smiled. "Can you believe it, though, that it's been already two years since that time that we had to come to a truce to stamp down those bastards who wanted to start more wars?"
"We almost killed each other during the first two weeks," he shook his head. "It's a miracle we made it this far and actually became friends."
"Isn't it?" she laughed. "More unbelievable is that we actually don't have to wear masks to talk with the other like we have to with most people."
He stopped adjusting his coat and turned to look at her seriously. "You sure you are all right now?"
"I will live," she replied. "But I do feel better after this little chat. Thanks for dropping by, Yzak."
Looking at her a little longer, he suddenly pulled her into a hug.
"Maybe this is how it feels like," he said to the confused Cagalli with a soft smile, after pulling away. "If I ever had a sister. Hang in there, won't you? Like everything else, it's going to pass and," his blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Tell me if ever Athrun doesn't treat you right, huh?"
She laughed. "Oh, you just want an excuse to beat him, Yzak. Or actually, to be beaten by him."
Yzak growled, playfully. "Watch it. Just because I start to think you are tolerable doesn't mean I am not going to throttle you again."
Cagalli was about to retort back when came the knocking sound on the door.
Both returned to their respective roles in a blink of an eye, acting all serious and business-like once more as the door opened.
"I shall contact you as soon as I learn more of the situation," he said crisply as her secretary came into the room with an armful of paperwork.
"Thank you, Commander. I appreciate your cooperation. I hope this problem will be resolved soon," she said gravely.
"Don't we all, Representative?" he made a wry face at her. "Don't we all?"
"I don't know really. Do you?"
It was not too strange a sight to see – Commander Yzak Jule and Representative Cagalli Yula Athha exchanging such remarks (or mild rebukes, to be more precise). But if anyone to see him casting in her direction a look of gentle concern and hearing a whisper of "Take care" from him, they would be quite startled indeed. Even more so, if they ever caught how she nodded, smiling a brief rueful smile at him and whispering back, "See you."
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Thanks for reading this far. It's finished. Congratulations! Reviews and comments are much appreciated.
Again, NO FLAME, please.