Okay, so this isn't as long as I said it would be. I promise it's not because I got lazy! I'll explain after this chapter, I promise! (Goes to prepare an umbrella)
Two weeks had passed since they'd gone to the beach. The day was bright, with an air of happiness that seemed so light, so delicate,... so pressurized, so anxious. Why? Because Kira was about to ask Lacus something. Nothing serious. But hell, just asking was enough to make the very air he breathed suffacating.
All he needed now was a little time. Hell, he could wait a little. Today didn't HAVE to be the day.
"Kira! Hey, how's it going!"
"Crap. Okay, here goes nothing." Kira put on the most casual smile he could muster and strolled over towards her. "So what's the big deal, calling me out here?" Lacus asked, in a fake tone of annoyance.
Kira suddenly let out the breath he'd been holding in the form of a stream of barely coherent words. "Oh, were you busy! I'm so sorry, you'd better get RIGHT BACK to what you were doing, don't worry about me I'm fine, but you should go back and finish what you were doing. I'm sorry for dragging you out here bye!"
Lacus caught his arm just as he turned and was about to sprint off in a fashion that closely resembled that of his sister's.
"No I wasn't busy. I was just teasing. You didn't drag me out, and are you sure you're okay?" Lacus questioned.
"Uh... okay sit down." He replied, motioning towards a nearby bench. After they were both seated Kira began. "Okay, well I heard that you... well no... umm lemme restart. You TOLD me that you had a gala to go to. The ones that you usually go to with Athrun? Well I thought, well I mean, if you wanted a change. Not that you'd get sick of Athrun! He's such an awesome guy! But maybe, just for a change, you wanted to go with someone else. I mean, yeah. I'm here..." He trailed off. Lacus blinked.
"Sure. I'll call Athrun. You can pick me up at 6pm all right?" She smiled. He looked up and raised and eyebrow.
"That easy?"
"This doesn't mean we're going steady." Lacus pointed out. "It's one date." Kira nodded.
"R-Right. Heh, it's just one date." He smiled, in some ways feeling more comfortable, that he didn't just drop a question the size of Antarctica. "Well that was relatively painless... Want lunch?" Kira offered. Lacus stood up and stretched.
"Lunch would be great."
"Dammit, Dammit, Dammit DAMMIT! HOLD ON!" Cagalli thundered across the room and lunged at the phone. Snatching up the receiver she screamed impatiently into the phone.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!" Hearing laughter come from the other end, her eyebrow twitched, clearly irritated as she frowned. "What do you want Athrun?"
"I'm dead aren't I?" He joked, still trying to hold back his laughter. Hearing a growl he sighed and continued. "All right all right. Sorry. I'm guessing now isn't the best time?" He smirked.
"Well generally speaking, I don't like to be on the phone when I'm taking a shower, no." Cagalli responded sarcastically. "Get to the point."
"You know how you said you wanted to know more about my life?" He asked?
"Yeah? What about it?"
"There's this gala I have to go to this weekend. A mandatory thing. You want to come?" He offered. Cagalli paused.
"Sure, I guess. Why so sudden?" She asked hesitantly.
"Um, well you know how Lacus and I have been friends for a while right? In fact she was really my only female friend... Uh, anyways, usually I go to this kind of stuff with her..." He trailed off. Cagalli frowned.
"So I'm kind of just replacing her?" She paused. She felt like she had more to say, but couldn't really get it out.
"No no! Not at all. We were supposed to go this time... we've known about this thing for ages. But then Kira asked her out-" He started.
"WHAT! KIRA! MY brother, KIRA! Asked a GIRL out?" Cagalli was hysterical, completely forgetting her feelings from just a few moments ago.
"...Well yes I believe Lacus is female..." Athrun continued, evidently confused.
"That's... I can't believe he did... THEY DIDN'T TELL US!" She cried. Athrun shrugged.
"They're shy people. Besides it's nothing official. Apparently he turned as red as a sun-burned beet, but he still got it out. Now the gala..." He urged. Cagalli sensed a tone of desperateness in his voice.
"I already said I'd go. What do I have to wear?" She asked. Athrun grinned.
"Dress."
"Nothing doing."
"You asked."
"That's not what I wanted to hear."
Athrun chuckled. "We'll figure something out, okay?"
"If it's not necessary-!" She frowned. He hung up, the jerk.
Athrun parked in front of Cagalli's apartment building, then taking out his cell phone gave her a call. Moment later, she came running down the steps. Taking a long look at her, Athrun couldn't help but smirk.
"Wow..."
"What?" asked Cagalli, in a curious tone that still somehow reflected her irritation.
"You're wearing a dress. Didn't think you'd actually do it." Athrun replied.
"Yeah, well I figured... Well hell, I mean I DON'T like this...at all. But I already said yes to you and if there's some blasted mandatory dress code well then I don't very well have a choice now do I? But you owe me for this. You owe be BIG TIME. Like, colossally, monstrously, enormously, humongous big time." She explained, then slipping into a threat towards the end. Athrun backed away slowly.
"Sorry, sorry. Yeah I got it. I'll sell you my soul or something later. And lemme guess. No pictures?"
Cagalli smacked his right shoulder with her purse. "Damn straight." Breaking into a grin, she got into his car and they drove off.
Kira felt nervous as hell. How was he supposed to act? It's not like he'd never gone out at night with her, but not on a date. Was this a date? Sure, but this didn't mean they were serious… Did he want it to mean that? Oh gawd was he supposed to buy her something? He looked at the bouquet of white lilies framed by peach orchids in his hand. Was this enough? He'd spent $70 on it... WAIT! What if it was too much! Just as he was about to turn around and run to get something else, when Lacus opened the door.
"Kira? What are you doing? I'm right here." He turned around to face her, and suddenly melted into a smile. "Kira?..." Lacus repeated.
"You look stunning." He smiled.
"Thank you very much. I assume those are for me?" She pointed to the bouquet. Kira snapped out of his gaze.
"Oh... yeah. Sorry I didn't know what dress you were wearing or anything so I didn't know what to get..."
"They're gorgeous." She nodded. He beamed from her comment.
"Shall we be going?" He held out his hand. Bringing her delicate fingers to his lips for a moment, he gently took the rest of her hand and led her towards his car. Lacus smiled and followed him.
"Soooo where do you think they went?" Cagalli asked, holding her drink in her hand, which she really hadn't even tasted.
"Hm?" Athrun turned towards her. "What?" Until a few moments he'd been busy speaking with faculty members who were present, and other representatives.
"Kira and Lacus." Cagalli frowned. "I don't see them anywhere..."
"Hey! Athrun!" A voice called from the far back of the room. A hand waved in the midst of the crowd and suddenly two guys appeared. "How's it going man? It's been a while." One of them had blond hair and very tanned skin, the other had remarkably silver hair and looked really... cocky.
"YOU BASTARDS!" Cagalli suddenly hollered, charging up to the two guys and raising her drink threateningly. Taken aback, Athrun and the two newcomers jumped.
"Ca...galli? Something... wrong?" Athrun hesitantly asked.
"YOU! THEY! " She sputtered... unable to speak coherently in her fury.
"Huh?" Both of them blinked. The tanned guy suddenly walked up to her and looked at her carefully.
"Come to think of it... I do seem to know you from somewhere..." He studied her a bit. "Can't put a name to it." He shrugged and turned his back towards her. Cagalli continued shaking with anger. Athrun frowned in confusion.
"How do you guys know her?"
"THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HIT ME WITH THAT VOLLEYBALL AND KNOCKED ME OUT!" She screamed. Both men froze.
"Ooooh yeah. Didn't recognize you with your eyes open." The silver-haired boy nodded slightly.
"Or without a jump of your head." The other guy added.
"Or without soda and ice cream all over your face." The first guy finished. They turned to each other and grinned. Meanwhile, Cagalli was preparing to send them flying into next Wednesday, when Athrun held her back.
"So how about an introduction!" he offered brightly, desperate to avoid blood spillage. "Cagalli, these guys are my friends from high school, Dearka and Yzak. Dearka is the blond, Yzak's the one who has silver hair but claims he doesn't dye it."
Yzak glared sharply at him. "You have blue hair. I wouldn't talk if I were you."
"Hey, yeah we really are sorry about the volleyball thing." Dearka offerend. "But we did take you to the nurse's station, right?" Cagalli nodded stiffly.
"An apology would be nice though" She fumed.
"We said sorry when we hit you, but you were probably already out cold by then..." He replied nervously, then quickly changing the subject added, "On a side note, Athrun since when do you date?"
Cagalli blinked. "Athrun... You've never dated before?"
Athrun elbowed Dearka sharply in the rib. Turning towards Cagalli, he became flustered, trying to figure out what to say.
"Uh, well... he means that I usually go with Lacus and that's not really dating. And so he means, um, like since when do I come with people that aren't Lacus."
Yzak rolled his eyes. "No. If he meant to say that, he would have said it. He meant, when did you start dating?"
"It's not a date." Cagalli explained. "Whatever, I was just curious. No need to get all flustered over this." She smiled, patting Athrun lightly on the head as if he were a six year old. Athrun raised an eyebrow.
"Stop that."
"Awww, does this bother you?"
"Are you guys sure you're not dating?" Dearka broke in. Athrun and Cagalli turned towards him at the same time.
"Yes."
The four people present all did a double take. Then as if on cue, Athrun and Cagalli began blushing.
"So... I'll finish the introductions. Dearka and Yzak are friends from high school, but they go to a different school where Yzak is the representative." Athrun babbled. Suddenly a thought crossed him. "Hey, Yzak why do you bring Dearka? I thought the invitation said that you could bring a date, not a friend."
Yzak and Dearka both shot him death glares. "What the hell are you trying to say, Athrun? The invitation says you can bring a guest." Yzak noted.
"Just saying." Athrun shrugged. "Got'em... I mean. Just comparing our 'guests'. I used to come with Lacus, but she had an invitation too, so she wasn't a guest. So my first guest is Cagalli. Yet you've consistently brought Dearka... do you HAVE any other friends?"
"You're nuts." Dearka frowned. "Idiot." then breaking into a grin, added "Same as always." Even Yzak's I-am-going-to-maul-your-eyes-out look softened a little.
"All right, enough shots at each other for tonight. We'll see you later man. Good seeing you again." Yzak nodded and walked off, and Dearka followed after giving Athrun a quick punch on the arm. Cagalli blinked, still confused. Athrun turned to her.
"They're good guys. Kinda miss them a little." He sighed.
"Are you guys... always like that?" She questioned.
"Hm? Yeah, pretty much." Athrun nodded.
"That's great." Cagalli smiled. "That's really great. You looked like you were having fun."
"Well I'm having fun now too you know. Wtih you." He grinned. Cagalli blushed, then tried to cover it up with an annoyed face.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" She asked, her blush still evident. Athrun just kept grinning. Cagalli raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever." Turning around she started walking away. "I'm going to get another drink. This one's horrible." Athrun watched her walk off, a look of amusement playing on his face. Cagalli started walking faster, feeling his gaze follow her.
"So he is happy..."
Moments after Cagalli left Athrun, Kira tapped Athrun on the shoulder. Athrun turned and smiled.
"Hey, how's it going? Where's Lacus? Lose her?" He joked.
"No, but in this crowd I wouldn't be surprised if I did. She's talking to some people now." Kira explained. "I'm surprised you aren't swamped with people."
"I've been crowded the whole night. Taking a break." Athrun explained.
"Cool. Where's Cagalli?"
"Getting another drink." Pausing, Athrun checked if Lacus was around. "So how's it going with Lacus? You going to tell her tonight?"
"I dunno. At this rate, I'm not even going to be able to talk to her by the end of the night." Kira frowned.
"Lighten up. After people start leaving it gets less hectic." Athrun encouraged. Suddenly, Lacus appeared by Kira's side.
"Hey! You ran off. Oh Athrun, how busy have you tonight?" She smiled, knowing that it wasn't an issue of whether or not he had been talking to people, but how many he had talked to.
"Yeah, kinda. Not as bad as expected." He replied.
"That reminds me! The science department head was looking for you." Lacus said. "Sorry." She added with a sympathetic smile.
"It's fine" He insisted. "I was feeling too passive anyways. If Cagalli comes back tell her to find me." Bidding them farewell, he walked off to find the department head.
Kira resumed his conversation with Lacus after Athrun left them. This wasn't so bad. It was just like any other time they were together. Until he remembered that it was an official date, and that unlike before, this wasn't due to a project. He had asked her, on his free time, to spend time with him, with her free time. They had decided, chosen, to spend time together with their free time.
Oh man. And now, for the billionth time tonight, he got nervous.
Lacus watched Kira smiling, suppressing the urge to laugh. He had lapsed into his habit of stuttering and trying to look anywhere but at her. She recognized that symptoms well. He had gotten nervous again.
Gently, she touched his shoulder with her hand.
"Relax. Okay?"
Kira turned sharply. "Huh? Oh-... yeah." He smiled sheepishly. "This is... nice. I wish we could spend more time together like this."
Lacus nodded in agreement. "Same here."
Kira shifted around, apparently VERY fascinated by his drink. He passed it back and forth between his hands, needing something to keep him occupied.
"How often do you want to spend time together?"
Lacus blinked. "Um... more often?"
Kira looked up at her, and stared into her eyes. "How about seriously?"
Lacus would have blinked, but for some reason was unable to tear her gaze from his. Kira swallowed the remaining fear he had. "I know that this is our first real date. It's not really much of one. But I've known you for a while now, and I don't think I've ever felt closer to someone is such a... relatively short amount of time. I...I really want to give this a try. If you don't want to that's fine. But I mean, seriously as in being my...I...I don't know what I'm saying anymore." He frowned and stopped talking. "But you get the point right?"
Lacus laughed and took Kira's hand. "Yeah of course. If you ask me, it's about time." Kira smiled and put his arm around her waist.
"Relatively easy... heh. Well then, I guess that's that." Lacus have him a long look and smiled.
"Yes, it is."
Athrun finally found the Head of the Department, after weaving his way in and out of the sea of people for a good half hour. Waving at him, he approached and shook his hand.
"Hello sir. You wanted to see me?"
"Yes I did. Um... come, let's go someone a bit more secluded." Together they walked over to the side, into a private room. "Athrun, some of the professors have been raising some concerns regarding you... and your conduct as of late."
Athrun frowned slightly. "Whatever do you mean?"
The Head continued, "Well, you see, I've been told your grades have been slipping. Nothing drastic; it's not like you're in danger of failing. But they are dipping a bit. In fact, at this pace by the end of the semester you may not be the top student in the department."
Athrun froze. How was this possible? He'd noticed that his grades were dropping slightly. From perfect scores to missing a question or two. But did it make that much of a difference? His thoughts were interrupted as the Head pressed on, eager to explain the situation.
"I don't want to alarm you or anything of the sort. But since your professors have personally been coming to me regarding this matter, I thought it best that you know. You're a very prized student at this university. We have high standards for you, and so we expect that you should live up to those."
Athrun nodded. "Of course sir. That you for alerting me regarding this matter. I'll start correcting this immediately. I haven't been feeling well lately. I'll try to-" He tried to explain his way out of this. In truth he'd never felt better. But having the Head think he was sick was better than having the Head think he was getting stupid.
"Actually Athrun, there's something else. We've never had a problem with who you associate yourself with. Ms.Clyne for example, was a wonderful influence to have. However, in addition to informing me regarding your grades, you professors have also informed me regarding your company as of late."
Athrun heat forgot to beat for a moment. Could they possibly be talking about?...
"Ms. Attha, I believe her name is?"
Athrun felt something break and drop inside of him. Oh god... oh god please not...
"She's a wonderful person, I'm sure. All of these professors spoke to me about what a ebullient personality she has. However, her own grades, I'm afraid are less then perfect."
Athrun was unable to speak. He wanted to speak and defend Cagalli, but he didn't know how. But hearing someone talk about her like this... knowing people were talking about her like this. As if she was just a-
"Distraction. I believe that may be the best word to describe what we're looking at. As nice as she is, if she's interfering with your studies, perhaps it would be best to not-"
"Associate myself with her." Athrun finished in a lame tone. "Right?"
The Head nodded curtly. "Yes, well that's essentially what the staff feels would be best for you. It's, again, not that we don't like her. But her grades are only average and you are anything but average. Perhaps it would be better to find more... suitable company?"
Athrun nodded. "I..I'll consider your wishes very carefully sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go." He walked out of the room in a hurry, eyes fixed to the ground, needing time to sort his thoughts...
Unaware that a certain blond haired woman, who he had told to come to find him, had found him for a while now. Her eyes dark, she turned in the other direction and walked away.
Kira smiled, sitting at the table with Lacus and holding her hand casually. Both of them spoke in light tones, letting out the occasional laugh. Suddenly, his eye caught the glare of light off of a blonde head of hair for a moment.
"Hey, Cagalli! Did you find him!" he called out to her, waving her over to joined him and Lacus.
Cagalli jumped, as if startled to hear someone call her name. Shaking her thoughts out of her head, she walked over.
"Yeah I found him... he was busy though."
Lacus tilted her head in mild confusion. "Why didn't you wait for him?"
"Um... he was busy." Cagalli tried to shrug off the question. "I'm going to go outside for some fresh air... Athrun can come and find me if he wants." She added the last sentence bitterly, as if only saying it out of need.
Kira and Lacus did not fail to catch her tone. However, Cagalli stalked off before they could press the issue. Only moments later did Athrun wander out of the crowd and approach them.
"Hey have you guys ummm seen-."
"Cagalli?" Kira finished for him. Athrun jumped slightly at the sound of her name.
"Umm.. yeah sure I guess." He tried to shrug it off casually, similar to Cagalli. However, contrary to how Cagalli seemed to be frustrated, he seemed to be concerned.
"She said she was going outside." Lacus explained. Athrun nodded, still avoiding eye contact.
"I'll go... uh, I'll go find her." He paused for a moment. "Later. I'll go find her later." He then walked away in the opposite direction.
Kira and Lacus exchanged looks.
"So even though things with us are better..."
"It looks like it's just beginning with them."
They both stood up and hurried off.
Cagalli sat outside, on the edge of a fountain, splashing the water with her right hand. She picked up the occasional penny inside and after watching the lights from inside the fountain bounce of the glisten of the edges, she tossed it back in.
"No wishing for me please." She muttered.
"Everything okay?"
Cagalli jumped slightly and turned around, finding herself facing her brother, who had his jacket slung over his shoulder and his other hand in his pocket.
"Hm? Oh... yeah it's fine." She nodded shivering slightly. Kira draped his jacket over her shoulders.
"What's up?"
"Just... stuff. Nothing serious."
"Really?" Kira raised an eyebrow testily. Cagalli looked at him.
"You can tell huh?"
"Oh yeah." He closed his eyes and nodded. Cagalli let out an amused laugh briefly and smiled.
"So what do you want to know?"
"What do you want to say?"
"Can I just ask questions?"
"If you want to."
And so the siblings sat there for a while, their hands wading in the fountain. Finally Cagalli gathered her words.
"Do you ever worry? About how you affect Lacus?"
"Yeah, all the time." Kira responded curtly. Cagalli blinked.
"Then why... why aren't you going insane like I AM!"
Kira laughed. "Why do you think it took so long for me to ask her out?" Cagalli grew quiet.
"So then..."
"Just wait." Kira finished. "It's all you can do." He gathered her in his arms and gave her a long hug.
"I'm not a patient person..." She muttered.
"You'd be surprised how easy it is." Kira smiled. "Whether or not Athrun likes the way you affect him, that's his choice. And when he figures it out, he'll tell you."
Meanwhile, Lacus had found Athrun leaning against a large window, which led out to a balcony.
"Hey." She spoke aloud, making her presence noticed. Athrun turned sharply and looks at her.
"Hey." He waved weakly. "It looks like you and Kira finally settled it. That's great."
"Yeah." Lacus nodded. "How bad is it?"
"Bad." Athrun responded. "I had no idea..."
"We rarely realize it ourselves. But now that you have, what are you going to do?" she questioned.
He frowned. "It's not fair. This kind of thing. My grades..."
"There's always an effect."
"But just because-"
"Yes." She answered his question. It hurt him, it really did. He didn't think about it that way. But if he didn't do something...
"Okay." He sighed. "Okay. There's nothing I can do except...that."
By the time Athrun had found Cagalli, it was time to go home. They talked casually the rest of the way. 'Did you have fun?' and other empty dialogue.
When he finally pulled up in front of her apartment complex they both fell silent.
"Well, thanks." She reached for the door handle and made a motion to leave. He put his hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"We need to talk." he spoke simply, eyes not leaving the dashboard.
"Your conversation with the head?" She asked, still not turning to face him.
Athrun jerked his gaze towards her, then realization hit his face and his expression softened. "You heard?..."
Cagalli nodded.
"How much?..." He asked out of curiosity.
"All of it." She answered plainly.
He smiled and shook his head lightly. "Okay then... Okay. So then, you can understand why I'm doing this." He said, speaking more to himself then to her.
"I think it may be best, if we stop spending time together."
(Pulls out the said-prepared umbrella to block the hail of rotten cherry tomatoes being thrown at me.)
Quite a departure from my usual stuffs huh? But face it, there's bound to be SOME conflict. I know I promised and uber-long chapter last time, and to tell the truth, this was an uber-long chapter. BUT, the original chapter I had didn't end here. But then I thought it might be fun to end with a cliffhanger at least once. Sorry! This is kinda long though. Longest thing I've written so far, even with the ending chopped off.
The good news is that because I ended here, and the other "half" is written I'll be updating earlier, so you don't have to wait a whole week. Since the next part is only a half of a full chapter (like this) it's going to be shorter. It's also going to be, purely Athrun and Cagalli stuffs. But until then, I'd like to torture some people. Ahahaha…. Uhh no, not really. I just want to have SOME sort of suspense, and maybe even prod some of you passive readers into reviewing!
I know the Dearka and Yzak thing was kind of random, but still: I love those guys. Sorry that Dearka and Mirillia aren't together, but Milly clobbering Cagalli with a volleyball? I just don't see it… As for my next cameo I really have no idea who to stick in. Any suggestions?
Thank you again to my wonderful reviewers! (mariad, stuntsheep, animemistress419, gseedlover, kura52, RoGuE-WhItE-DrAgOn, HimeHikari, loverofasucag, Icey, FenrirX13, SEEDSummoner, Fingers905, cloudymind, Taraneh. ) I'm getting more and more with every chapter! Yes I do take the time to read and consider absolutely every single one and every single one counts! So keep them coming!
Also, thank you to the casual reader. You guys all count too!
Finally, I can't update the song page on my profile because… sadly I can't find the lyrics. So sorry to anyone who even cares.
So, until next chapter! Bye bye!