Chapter 3

Breakfast Fiasco

The breakfast table was crowded, Cagalli had invited most if not all the acquaintances of the past war to the ball of the night before and allowed some to stay at her home. Orb's representative was kind enough to accommodate many of her closer guests and assigned to each of them one of her many bedrooms.

Athrun stirred in his seat uncomfortably, a cloud of uneasiness plagued him. Cagalli hadn't come down yet for breakfast and almost everyone was seated except the supposed hostess. He sighed.

"Is something wrong Athrun?"

"Huh?" Athrun brought himself back to reality, he looked at Kira who was seated across from him, his best friend eyed him strangely.

"Uh, nothing. I guess I didn't get much rest last night." He lied.

Kira stared at him for a while and then looked at the empty seat at the head of the table where his twin sister should be in by now.

"Is everything alright?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know. I'm an idiot remember." Athrun answered desperately.

Kira tried to conceal the humour he found in his best friend's and sister's arguments, mostly a combination of Cagalli's fits of rage and of Athrun's miserable sulking. "I'm sure everything will be cleared up. Speaking of which here she comes."

Athrun swallowed hard, and forced his eyes to look up and see the figure approaching. What he saw was a complete indication that today she would be in a ghastly mood. Cagalli stomped into the dining hall, and where there once was the buzzing of people in conversation now was silenced into an awkward stillness. She was wearing a summer dress, and Athrun knew that she hated dresses well enough. Mana must have forced it on her. Athrun gave up, he would have to build up the courage another day to face Cagalli.

She practically whipped the chair back and sat violently down. She paid no attention to anyone and no one would dare say anything in fear of risking her anger.

She stuffed her face with food and kept to herself. Lacus who was right next to Kira couldn't help but be shocked at the way Cagalli was forking her food like a mad woman. No one said much, Dearka himself had cracked a joke to lighten the mood but only received the dirtiest looks from everyone, not to mention a hidden kick under the table by Miriallia.

Finally breakfast from hell had ended and everyone thanked all that was holy that Cagalli had left the table first. No one dared get up in fear the silver wear would start flying.

Most of the guests left on their own excursions, some lingered on the estate gardens, or in the mansion. Others went around seeing and touring Orb.

"What do you think was the matter with Cagalli this morning?" the pink princess asked her amethyst eyed companion, as she bounced her Haro up in the air and down back again in her open palms.

"I have a feeling it's just Cagalli being Cagalli." He said simply, seating himself comfortably next to Lacus on the wooden bench nearest to the rose gardens.

"You're probably right Kira. But I do hope Cagalli will be herself self again." She said sweetly, intertwining her arm with Kira's.

Back indoors the mood was all but serene. Athrun paced back and forth in the living room, stopping everyone now and again, staring up the staircase leading up to where Cagalli's study was. But each time he hesitated, she had locked herself in her study and according to Kisaka she didn't want to be interrupted by anybody. He threw himself lazily down on the sofa, leaning his head back he stared blankly up at the cathedral high ceiling. Thinking to himself, for all his training and strategic knowledge when it came to figuring out women it was a mind blocker.

Athrun heard the soft tapping of feet coming down the stairs, expecting Cagalli he only found Kisaka. The older man walked up to him.

"I believe you should go see her, Alex." He said, smirking.

"I don't think she would want to see me, I being the cause of her bad mood."

"Really? How did you play a role in this?" Kisaka questioned noticeably interested.

Athrun couldn't dare say why. Quickly standing up he made up his mind, he was going to barge in the study and he was going to explain everything. Tell her that his intentions, what intentions? He would tell her that everything was a complete misunderstanding. She knew him better then that didn't she? Of course she did.

Kisaka just stared strangely as Athrun's form walked past him and up the large staircase disappearing when he reached the top.

"Kids today…" Kisaka mumbled, slouching on the couch.

Athrun brought his fisted hand to the door, but reluctantly pulled away. Then he brought it up again, and without holding back he knocked. Nothing. He heard nothing, he then felt comfortable enough to knock a little harder.

"I'M BUSY!" a loud muffled voice was heard from the other side of the door. He stepped back startled. His heartbeat quickened, it's beating pounding hard against his rib cage.

"It's me Cagalli." He said, his voice surprisingly normal to his astonishment.

He heard the knob being unlocked and then silence. Taking the hint he opened the door and let him self in.

"Well took you long enough." She said while looking over some files.

"I thought you were mad, so I didn't want to bother you because it was my fault to begin with."

"Idiot, it's not always about you, you know." She said, putting the files down on her bureau. She stood up and opened up one of her drawers, and slid her hand inside and revealed a box, a gift wrapped box, a moderate sized box. She walked around her desk, and pressed the box roughly against Athrun's chest. "It's for you, open it. You better like it, after all the hell I went through to get it."

He was stunned but did as he was told. He tore the wrapping paper and opened the box, revealing a nice black dress coat, with black silk lined borders on the collar and sleeves.

"So?" She asked irritably, waiting impatiently for his reaction.

"It's really nice, this must of cost you a fortune. What's the occasion?" he wanted to mentally kill himself when the words came out of his mouth, was it his birthday…no that was months away. Anniversary? No that couldn't be it was still summer.

"Athrun! I told you I would buy you a new jacket, because the chlorine completed ruined your other one. So…do you forgive me?" she said, her eyes pleading sweetly.

"Wait, shouldn't I be saying that?" he asked, smiling down at her.

"What for?" she said completely oblivious.

"This morning."

"Oh that, that was nothing. You just scared the hell out of me. But that's all forgiven. You thought I was mad about that," she let out a heart felt laugh, "No that was not it, I wanted to get you the jacket before breakfast, but that didn't work. But it was awful, one store didn't have your size, the other there wasn't in the color I wanted. And they were all pissing me off. I went home empty handed and I was so angry at myself for not keeping my word."

Athrun couldn't help but smile at her, she had gone through all that trouble…for him.

"So I asked Mana after breakfast to figure something out and it turns out she knows these clothes people in high places. I knew Mana would be good for something." Cagalli teased with hidden affection.

"And well after breakfast it was sent to me and there you go. So I'm glad you like it…" she had gone on and on with her story that she hadn't taken the time to see that Athrun was staring at her. Those eyes, she thought, they could always muster a blush out of her. "Umm, earth to Athrun, Athrun? You in there, Ath—

Before she could finish her sentence he had enveloped her in his arms. Holding her tightly, burying his face in her wonderful scented hair.

"Thank you." He breathed out appreciatively, tightening his hold around her.

"You already thanked me!" she said struggling in his arms.

"I know, I just wanted to thank you again…for everything." He said. Cagalli was certainly surprised but soon calmed herself in his arms and returned his embrace.

"You idiot…" she said affectionately through a growing smile.

Detaching himself from her, he gazed down at her, smiling knowingly. "I know." He said leaning in and placing a soft gentle kiss on her lips.

Author's Note: Chapter 3 y'all! Lol I hope you liked it. I shifted a bit here bringing in other characters too. As few of you maybe have noticed or not, who knows, I deleted my "Love After Life" fic, for the simple reason that it repulsed me, lol. I was like 'omg that is so outta of my fangirl obssessed ways! DELETE!' lol my sexy couple will never die...and Destiny is so slow paced and it's almost done, and nothing is happening...urgh. Ok...anyways please review, I totally love to get your opinions! ciaoz lol