Wow, time for another update. The time seemed to pass so quickly! I'm happy to see that it looks like most people were happy with the last chapter, yes? Haha, even though I wanted tension, and I honestly had planned on separating them for a bit, when I came to write it I just couldn't do it! But anyways, once more, I'll get on with the story and do more of my rambling at the end.
Kira drove up the street to the cafe, where he was supposed to meet Athrun, Cagalli and Lacus. Frustrated, he found that for some reason it was literally impossible to get a parking spot. After driving around the block for a good 15 minutes, he had still failed to find a place that was reasonably close to the cafe. Glancing down at his watch he frowned.
"I'm 10 minutes late..."
He pulled quickly into an open spot and ran the rest of the way. Finally arriving, he found Athrun and Lacus in front, Athrun leaning against the large window and Lacus sitting on one of the outside chair. She was drumming her fingers against a table and Athrun checked his watch every... 3 or so seconds. Seeing Kira coming, Lacus got up and ran towards him, giving him a quick hug. Athrun gave a short wave.
"Have you seen Cagalli?" He asked. Kira blinked.
"Isn't she supposed to be here?"
"Haven't seen or heard from her all morning." Athrun replied.
"Maybe we should go to her apartment, and check up on her. Something maybe have happened." Lacus suggested. Athrun nodded in agreement and began to hurry off. Suddenly, Kira remembered something, and reached out to grab Athrun's shoulder.
"Slow down there man. It's a Saturday, isn't it?"
Athrun nodded. "So?"
Kira chuckled. "How long have you known Cagalli?"
Lacus blinked. "Neither of us have known her terribly long. Certainly not as long as you have."
Kira kept grinning. "No rush man. Lemme just say that is was a mistake to try to arrange a meeting with her before 12 on a Saturday."
Cagalli rolled over lazily as Athrun, Kira and Lacus stood at the doorway of her bedroom. Lacus blinked in disbelief.
"You're kidding!... It's 11:30 and she's STILL asleep?"
Kira nodded. "It's practically impossible to get her up before 12 on a Saturday."
"Practically?" Athrun raised an eyebrow. Kira nodded.
"Yeah there's one way. But I don't know if it works anymore... she kinda grew immune to it because I had to do it so much. Unless..." Kira seemed to have an idea. "Okay, let's try this."
Cagalli tried to roll over again, but promptly bumped into something. She groaned. "What the hell is that?... Oh... it must be Kira trying to wake me up again. Just like when we were kids. Get real Kira. Climbing into my bed isn't going to work anymore..." She half-smiled at her own cleverness in her state of half-consciousness.
However... she still wanted to roll over. It was her own damn bed. "Get off." she muttered. Nothing. Frustrated, she rolled over forcefully until she felt herself hit the lump. Angrily she began pushing against the lump, all the while holding onto the blanket with a death grip and still half asleep. Taking a deep breath she prepared to give a final shove... until...
"Wait a minute".
"This isn't Kira... This isn't Kira's scent. He's my brother. I'd recognize his scent anywhere."
"And this isn't him."
"This is..."
"This is..."
"Also someone familiar..."
"This is... Ath-"
"ATHRUN!" Cagalli bolted upright and gave an angry kick to the lump. It rolled off her bed and suddenly she heard laughter erupt around her. Her gaze shifted sharply towards the door, where she was Lacus laughing so hard that she was barely standing, and Athrun already doubled over on the floor.
"But if Athrun's there... then..." She kicked the lump, which was also laughing mercilessly. Slowly the blankets unraveled, to reveal...
"KIRA!" Cagalli shrieked, lunging for his throat. "Why the hell? How did you?" She gave her brother, who was still laughing hysterically, a long look. "Athrun's...jacket? YOU PUT ON HIS JACKET!"
After laughing for a good five minutes straight, Kira, still with tears in his eyes and chuckling took of the jacket and handed it back to Athrun. "Thanks man. Couldn't have done it without you."
"Anytime." Athrun replied, still recovering from his fit of laughter himself. He took it back and put it on. "Certainly entertaining."
Meanwhile, Lacus was trying to console a furious Cagalli, who was determined to kill her brother. "I'll STEP ON HIM! LIKE THE WORM HE IS! You almost gave me a HEART ATTACK!"
"It's your fault. Don't suggest 11am if you know you can't get up that early." Athrun teased.
"I didn't suggest it! YOU did!" She protested.
"But you agreed."
Cagalli blinked, frowned slightly. Then as soon as she felt Lacus' grip loosen, she made another lunge at Kira, causing the room to erupt into laughter again.
"But why would you think, ever for a minute, that Athrun would be in your bed?" Kira teased, taunting her from a safe distance. Cagalli blinked and blushed furiously.
"That... that's why I was so surprised..." A similar shade of bright red could also be seen on Athrun's face. They exchanged looks briefly and Athrun turned to leave.
"We should get going. Umm still the cafe, right?" He managed, hiding his face. Kira nodded and followed him out. Cagalli scuttled to her bathroom. Lacus sat onto the bed and sighed.
"They're soo... them."
Finally arriving at the cafe, Kira pulled out Lacus' chair for her and then took his seat. Athrun moved to do the same for Cagalli then caught himself. "Wait... am I supposed to do this?"
Cagalli sat down herself and began chatting with Lacus. Frowning slightly took his seat lamely.
Kira went to buy their drinks: An iced coffee for Cagalli, a coffee for Athrun, a lemonade for Lacus and a cappuccino for himself. Meanwhile, the three left at the table began to chat lightly.
"Sorry for dragging you into this Lacus... but Athrun said that you could help me with my compositions." Cagalli explained.
"It's not problem at all, really. I'm glad to help." Lacus assured.
"Well that's good to hear. Happy to know that we aren't troubling you and Kira too much." Athrun smiled and gave a quick wink. "From uh... your personal affairs..."
They laughed light-heartedly. "Yeah right. The day Kira tries anything like that will be the day you start dating." Lacus joked. Cagalli blinked.
"Whoa. You mean Dearka and Yzak weren't kidding? You've never dated before?" Cagalli stared in amazement.
"Eh… well…I-I've never had a serious relationship, n-no. But it-it's not like I've never given it an honest effort. It-It's just that-" Athrun stammered, slightly blushing.
"You're too shy." Lacus finished, rising to help the returned Kira distribute the drinks. "I remember. You dated some girls on and off, but were so clumsy. Whenever they even started flirting mildly you freaked out and suddenly lost the ability to speak."
Kira chuckled and nodded in agreement. "That sounds like Athrun all right. 'umm..err...uh...'" He did an uncanny impression of Athrun, to which Lacus, Kira and Cagalli all laughed at. Athrun however, couldn't' be anymore embarrassed.
"It's not my fault! Those girls... I mean. Geez... they're all nuts! I swear!" he struggled.
"But you've had plenty of offers, right?" Cagalli persisted.
"Well they aren't really fair... no wait. What's that supposed to mean?" Athrun frowned.
"Wow Athrun. I never knew you were such a relationship dunce!" Cagalli teased.
"If I recall Cagalli... you aren't much better." Kira remarked. Cagalli shot him a glare. Athrun, suddenly out of the spotlight grinned.
"Oh? Is that so Kira?" He laughed.
"Mmhmm. In high school she barely dated anyone. Whenever someone even suggested that they liked her she froze up." Kira smiled. "Kinda like you Athrun."
Lacus smiled. "Wow, so both of you have never had a serious relationship?"
"Well... that's not it exactly!" Athrun and Cagalli protested simultaneously. They stopped and looked at each other in surprise. Kira and Lacus burst out laughing.
"My my... isn't that interesting?" Lacus smiled.
"Change of topic please." Cagalli muttered under her breath, trying to hide the color of her face.
"Whatever floats your boat." Kira offered. "I still get to make fun of you as much as I want later." He broke into a grin. Athrun stood up suddenly.
"Excuse me for a moment... uh... I uh.. forgot to wash my hands." He bolted towards the bathroom, desperately trying to use his hair as some sort of curtain to cover the embarrassed look on his face. Lacus and Kira merely kept laughing and even Cagalli cracked a smile under her blush.
"You guys... are really sadistic." She frowned, turning towards them. "Maybe it was a mistake to ask for your help after all... if all you're going to do is scare away my physics tutor."
Kira gave her a grin as a silent apology and Lacus merely stifled her laughed into bursts of giggles. Cagalli sighed and took a sip of her drink.
Athrun frowned in front of the sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror, checking to se if the blush had subsided. "Geez... those guys..." he muttered.
A spot on the hem of his jacket caught his eye. Taking it off to examine it, he brought it up to his eye. "Must have... gotten it on there when I stood up..."
Suddenly, he sniffed the jacket. "Weird..." he thought. "It smells like Cagalli..." Suddenly remember the events of today's lively morning, he chuckled. "Must be from when Kira worn it."
He turned to leave the washroom, then froze to a stop. "Wait... how do…why would I know how Cagalli smells?..." he felt his face heat up and he ran back towards the sink, splashing water onto his face. "Damn...blush. I must be losing it."
After Athrun returned to the table, the topic of conversation had changed. The four talked casually while eating, then went back to Cagalli's apartment, as planned, for a study session.
"Okay, so you can see the conflict between the Einstein's theory of gravitation, which explains the behavior of large objects, and Quantum Mechanics, which explains the behavior of really small ones, right?" Athrun pointed to a few diagrams in Cagalli's text, and Caglli put her nose close to the page and squinted.
"Ye-Yeah. I think so." Falling back, she collapsed onto the back of the couch. "Enough physics. Lacus, get over here."
Athrun chuckled and began to clean up her notes. "Okay that's fine. We'll take a break."
Lacus smiled and sat down. "So where do you want to start?" The two women began talking and going over Cagalli's past papers, and comments written on them. Meanwhile, Athrun had walked over to where Kira was and started chatting.
"So Athrun. Some people I know want to have a party in like 2 weeks... you know. Spring break and all." Kira had barely spoken when suddenly Cagalli stood up.
"Hooooooooooold it! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HIS SOCIAL COACH!"
Kira and Lacus blinked. "Social coach?"
Athrun tried to hide himself by burying his head into the couch.
"Yeah that's right!" Cagalli continued.
"NO! NO IT'S NOT!" Athrun hollered, emerging from the couch.
"Eh?" Kira and Lacus still wore the same confused expression.
"I decided that if Athrun helped me with Physics I'm help him with society."Cagalli explained proudly. Athrun tried to hide himself again.
"Well what a great idea! Can I help?" Lacus offered encouragingly.
"No, no you can't." Athrun's muffled desperate voice was heard, whimpering slightly from mortification. Kira laughed and sat next to him on the couh, tearing away Athrun's grip on a cushion.
"It can't be that bad. Why not let Cagalli get started with you, and Me and Lacus will go into the kitchen and refill on snacks?" He laughed. He walked over to Lacus and they headed towards the kitchen. Cagalli plopped down beside Athrun and stretched.
"Okay! First lesson: Dating!" She grinned. Athrun frowned.
"Why is dating the FIRST lesson?"
"Because apparently, you don't have must experience." Cagalli teased. Athrun bit his tongue to keep himself from retorting a similar response... because apparently her situation wasn't much different from his.
"Fine, what do you have for me?"
"Questions... to see how much you know already. Okay?"
"Shoot."
"Mmm... Do you kiss on the first date?" Cagalli asked. "If he can't get this question right I'm going to kill him."
"No." Athrun replied curtly.
"Ahhh, good! I don't have to slaughter you yet! Okay, first date, any physical contact?"
"Eh? you mean, at all?" Athrun clarified. Cagalli nodded. "Oh okay, well sure I guess. Nothing too intimate, but at least a hug or something." He finished.
"Right again! You're not that bad at this!" Cagalli remarked. "Okay, now for a VERY importnat one. on the first date, do you let the girl pay from both you and her?"
"No." Athrun replied. Cagalli paused.
"Do you let her pay for herself?..." She asked cautiously.
"No." He repeated.
"What if she offers to pay?"
"Still no."
"Ever let her pay?"
"Never."
"Wha... NO!" Cagalli protested. Athrun raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"NO!" She insisted.
"Why not?"
"What are you TRYING to suggest that she's not CAPABLE of paying for herself! Women are capable of paying their own way!"
"EH!" Athrun cried. "What the... no. Not at all. What on earth?... I mean. Why would I let her pay? The guy should always pay on a first date!"
Lacus and Kira re-entered the room. Upon seeing the pair bicker, Kira took a step back and Lacus carefully placed the plate on the coffee table and took a step back."
"You can't assume that she can't pay! What if she really wants to?"
"It doesn't matter! It's not proper manners to have her pay! Especially on a first date!"
"I'm the social coach! You're supposed to listen to me! Not argue with me!"
"Stop calling yourself that! You're not a coach. You're horrible! You've had just as much experience dating as I have! Which is currently... NILCH!" Athrun emphasized. Cagalli stared at him incredulously.
"Nilch! NILCH! Is THAT SO!" She glared.
"Yes! From what Kira and Lacus said-" Athrun paused and gave them a look. Cagalli took a quick glace their way. Both of them took a step back.
"Not involved man. Not involved." Kira raised his hands, palms open and facing them, defensively.
"We didn't mean for the earlier conversation to erupt into this..." Lacus admitted, a bit regretful.
"Fine! Whatever! Even if I have less experience, I could gain experience anytime!" Cagalli argued.
"ANYTIME! Well isn't SOMEONE getting cocky! You think you're that socially capable?" Athrun frowned.
"Compared to present company, most assuredly!" She shot back.
"What's that supposed to mean!" He demanded an explanation.
"I mean, I bet I could get a boyfriend.. a steady boyfriend sooner then you could get a steady girlfriend! Despite your fangirls!" Cagalli quipped. Athrun's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Oh? Care to make a wager?"
"Wonderful. Name your price. How much are you willing to lose?" Cagalli threatened mildly.
"A dare. The winner can dare the loser to do absolutely anything. And the loser must accept."
"Sounds good to me." Cagalli grinned, confidently matching the sure expression on Athrun's face. Extending their hands, they gave a firm handshake.
"It's a deal!"
So then, place your bets! Who's going to come out the winner of this bet, and more important, do we WANT there to be a winner?
I wrote this chapter, originally to emphasize the idea that Athrun and Cagalli are not a couple at this point? Why? Because a couple wouldn't dare each other to go and date someone else seriously! Haha, I also wanted to have more interaction with the four of them, and also get moving in a more focused direction.
So next chapter: The terms are set. The rules are agreed upon and the terms are signed. Let the games begin! Also, one of them might actually get started in the next chapter. We'll see how much I decide to cram in.
Now, regarding the last chapter, I think in general people were happy with how it turned out. But I think some people were disappointed with how there was such a speedy resolution to such an evident problem. Well Athrun and Cagalli… truly probably would drag it on a little longer. But at the same time, I don't think the last chapter was too OOC, was it? Cagalli probably would come upfront with it and force Athrun to talk. Whether or not it was too sudden, well that's up to you. I can certainly understand why some people would think it was too easy of a solution though.
So I present this chapter. Believe me, the next few chapter will not have an easy solution and I will drag this on. Why? Because I have high hopes for this new plot direction so I hope I can do a lot with this.
Now, shoutout to my reviewers! From the last chapter:
Kira52, peachy, asga, invain, HimeHikari, mariad, MyouseiSeed, jenniferseedlover, stuntsheed, gseedlover, animemistress419, XxBeyndTheCloudSxX, Susan, xoxoanimeluber, koali aloalo, clumsy kelli, ANONYMOUS and RoGuE-WhItE-DrAgOn.
You guys all give me such great feedback and it's such a pleasure reading your comments. I look forward to hearing from you guys with every chapter!
As usual, a huge thank you to the people that are just reading this.
Thank you all for reading!