She approached the young tanned man with a stutter in her voice. She carried a tea tray and straightened her back 'til she could no more; she was going to go ask the handsome gentleman if he wanted to order. All her friends working there had pushed her to go ahead, since she hadn't dated in such a long time, but did she really have a chance with him? She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully upon his fine chin. He kept looking at his watch as if to meet someone…and sitting at this coffee shop alone in a table-for-two by the window wasn't a good sign for her.
"Would you like to order?" she asked as sweet as she could, but not cute, because desperate as she was for a boyfriend, she wasn't going to let go of her standards.
The blond guy looked up. "Uh…" he looked around, "…no, thank you. I'm waiting for someone," he replied with a grin.
She let out a small gasp. He's so hot dammit!
The waitress felt rejected, but not sad. In fact, his reply just made her wonder who he was waiting for more! She smiled back and walked steadily back to behind the counter where her friends were, about to tell them of a mutual rejection.
No doubt they're going to be talking about me. Heh, well, can't blame them. I did give that cute waitress a nice grin, mused Dearka as he stared at the young waitress's ass as she walked back behind the counter.
If it was years ago, before the war, he would've gladly dated the waitress, no question. Now though, he felt different about girls—could it be respect?-- and stopped flirting with them every time a pretty one comes by. Dearka wasn't sure why he stopped liking all girls in general though; did he become picky? How does one become choosy on this kinda subject?
He looked at his watch. She was late. Where could she be doing that would prevent her from meeting him on time! Isn't he important to her? Getting lost is no excuse. Hell, this was Orb, so she should know her way around here!
Dearka looked out the window, hoping for any sign that might signify her presence, but instead, he found a familiar blue-haired comrade walking in a slumping fashion in a mass of crowd.
"Athrun!" he cried out loud without knowing. What was he doing here? And why was he not with Cagalli! After that fool-proof plan!
He banged on the shop window, and saw Athrun look his way with an equal surprising expression.
"Come---here," mouthed Dearka, trying to get his message across, signaling with his hands for Athrun to come into the coffee shop.
"ARgh…" he grunted, noticing that people in the shop were staring at him, "come—HERE—"
At last, Athrun entered the shop. He looked around and parked himself across from Dearka.
"Dearka! Why da hell are you doing here!" asked Athrun immediately.
Same thing I was going to ask you, dumbass! I chose another city in Orb so I wouldn't have to run into anybody I know!
"I'm meeting someone here," Dearka stated simply, upon deciding that he wasn't going to let Athrun know that he wasn't going to let him know who he was meeting. "But, seeing as you are 'Cagalli-less'," he said skillfully, changing the subject, narrowing his eyes, "I assume that you blew it?"
Across the table, Athrun's eyes looked down and saddened quickly. Shame filled his whole sight and complexion.
…Crap! He looks sad! That means he REALLY blew it!
"Hey! You look down!" no use in denying it, "What happened!"
At this moment, Dearka knew to wait. This was his feelings they were discussing here; there was no use rushing it: it'll come out when it wants to. If it was him in his blue-friend's shoe, he would never think to share his heart with anybody, even if they person in question were exceptionally close to him.
…Athrun… Dearka thought as he folded both his hands under his chin, supporting his face as questions rambled through his mind. The most important being "WHAT DA HELL DID You DO ATHRUN!"
He let that thought go. Athrun's problems were more important right now.
"Well, see…how do I say this…where to begin?"
"You might as start with what happened after you left for Orb," grumbled Dearka.
"Er…everything went according to 'plan' I guess, but…hm…"
"Come on," he whined. He felt like he was talking to a kindergartner. He couldn't push it or yell at him otherwise Athrun, being shy by nature, would just go back into his shell. "Just start telling me the story."
"Okay. I met her at the designated place you wrote, and we ate ramen together, or rather –"
"You ate ramen together? Phft, so un-romatic. I would never do that to the girl of my dreams."
"—she forced me to eat some cause I told her I wasn't hungry," finished Athrun with an annoyed look, quite sure that Dearka would do much, much more to the girl of his dreams.
The little coffee shop was loaded with people right now, all who seemed to be the average, typical couple in love—a boy and a girl. Sunshine of fair fall strewn in from the windows in forms translucent to some human eyes. Being the young waitresses with no life they were, they noticed that the cute blond and the blue-haired distinguished person who just joined him were the only two-some not in love, or, atleast, that was what they thought.
Her friend leaned in towards her ear as they both watched the two handsome young guys in conversation, "So, do you think they're gay?"
"What!" she exclaimed quietly, as to not disturb the customers. "I—what!"
"Come on, gay or not?" her friend pursued. "You've gotta admit they do kinda look like it. Two good looking guys at a small romantic coffee shop who uses—" she picked up a white fluttery thing, "—doilies," she finished aggressively. "How did I come to work at this place?"
"You had no money? Remember?"
"Riiight, I remember. So anyway, gay or not?"
"Well…why do you care what I think? Personally, I never thought they were gay, more like two long lost friends, you know?"
"Yeeess" her friend answered skeptically. "I'll take that as a 'not gay'. I'll put you in the bet 'k? We could sure all use some money."
"What bet?" she asked suddenly, turning to look at her friend's huge giddy smile.
"We've all got a pool going around back, saying if they're gay or not. It's fifty dollars on not gay and eighty dollars on definitely gay."
"What! When did this --"
"Yes! If you wanna join the pool, do it now," her friend said as she walked briskly into the back with a parting wave.
She sighed. She had no idea what her friend was thinking half the time, let alone all the other waitresses working there. It was true though: everybody there was almost broke, if not, exceptionally poor.
Her eyes landed on the hot two guys again. Having no work to do until someone ordered, she watched their lips move, trying to decipher what they were saying.
"—so I went to that gathering of nations with her, and I saw Kira and Lacus there."
"Kira? Lacus?"
"Yea', 'cause of Lacus's important position on the Plant's?"
"Oh right."
"And then we met Yuuna Roma Seiyran, one of the representatives for Orb, and er…we kinda argued…"
"(cough) Argued?" asked Dearka, raising his eyebrows, 100 in doubt that wasn't what happened.
"We yelled…and I almost punched him."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted to marry Cagalli and kept insulting me. He's lucky I didn't land a punch on his fat ugly face," spat Athrun.
Dearka grinned. It was nice to see his friend fight for love the old-fashioned way: punches and kicks….hm…he didn't know about Yzak though…That guy is just so serious and angry all the time. How will he get his white-haired friend to confess his love for that brunette and make a fool of himself?
Of course, he doesn't really know if Yzak likes Shiho. These were just ramblings and going on's of Dearka Elsman's mind.
"Uh huh, and? Keep going in your story."
"Well, I was angry."
"Obviously," snorted Dearka.
"And Cagalli's attitude towards the whole situation didn't help either. I don't remember, but I was angry at her or something. So when we went to her room…"
Dearka's eyes opened wide. Was it what he thought it was? Did Athrun really sleep with Cagalli? Was his assumption correct? If it was, well!
"YOU SLEPT WITH HER!" cried Dearka out loud, letting all his surprised emotions go, making everyone in the parlor look their way. "How could you!"
Meanwhile, the waitress of the chapter frowned; she had betted on the wrong side, that guy is gay. How could she let that good looking hair and chin complexion fool her? She ran through the door to the back quickly to change her bet on the matter.
"Quiet!" shushed Athrun hastingly, completely and totally aware of the stares they were receiving from his back.
"But—you—slept---with the—princess! –of ORB!" whispered Dearka harshly, barely making an attempt to keep his voice down.
"Shut up, I didn't sleep with her!" he muttered quickly.
"Oh yea? The what did you do Athrun? Play peek-a-boo? Tickle her?" continued Dearka in a humorous, yet accusing manner and a big sly grin, "snuggled on the bed? Strip her? Had sex with her? With the princess of Orb? Lick pudding of her—" he suddenly stopped, because Athrun had just kicked him hard under the table.
"Shut up! God, why am I even telling you this?" he sighed, exasperated, though half disgusted at the idea and half excited and venturous of the idea of licking food off of Cagalli…
"Because I'm your friend and I spent a ton just to buy your ticket here."
Athrun eyed him. "Phft, but you're rich?"
"Don't change the subject, so what did happen?"
"I didn't sleep with her, and I certainly didn't lick jello off her."
"Pudding," corrected Dearka, "the food of lovers."
"Where did you get that from? You're sick, like why would lick stuff off your girlfriend? Maybe that's why girls don't like getting close to you."
"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm romantic and charming, unlike you, who treats your girl to ramen and is a total klutz. I sometimes watch those soap operas to study what girls like. Well, atleast you're better than poor Yzak, who can't even express his own feelings in the right way. Last time he saw that brown haired pony tail girl wearing a bikini at the get together at the beach, well," trailed off Dearka with a laugh, "it looked like he was trying to choke himself by not breathing hahaaa!"
Dearka looked up and didn't see Athrun laughing. Usually something funny like this –especially about Yzak, would have his friend laughing along with him in tears, but he didn't.
"I can see that you don't want to tell me about what happened between you guys," he said seriously.
"Nono, it's just that it's kind of awkward talking about this kind of thing."
"C'mon, what's awkward about this? We're mature young men at the age where women interest them the most," he put it scientifically, "so naturally, sex is everything and only thing that comes out of our mouth."
"Hahaha, okay. Hmm. Okay, I sort of…forced her….yeah…" he said with shame on his face.
Dearka's face fell dramatically. He didn't really expect that one from Athrun—the goody two shoes Athrun, the Athrun that opened doors for girls and polished his shoes and got along with Nicol, and…
Dammit! You're supposed to be the gentle and shy one!
"Heh…I must be the worst guy in the world," smiled Athrun weakly, trying to suppress what he was really feeling inside.
"Athrun…"
Dearka was stumped, and for the second time in his life, he honestly didn't know what to do. He looked at Athrun's face sincerely.
Under normal circumstances, he would just tell him to get back on his ass and show up and Cagalli's doorstep with a huge bouquet of red roses, but the matter was serious and difficult to comprehend—even for him—so the typical "box of chocolates" idea wasn't going to work here.
But…
If he went on and told Athrun to give up because he screwed up big and there was no possible way to repair the damage, he would have to live the rest of his life seeing that sad and shameful face on him. It was unbearable to Dearka; he just wanted to rip his hair out. He couldn't stand the fact that he had helped ruin a happy, slow moving relationship between a perfect, destined-to-be couple.
However, wouldn't it seem a little insensitive and blunt to just tell Athrun to say apologize?
"Hm. Okay. This is what you're going to do," announced Dearka.
Athrun looked up, surprised, but also hoping for a way to get rid of this disastrous mess once and for all.
"Huh?"
"Swallow whatever guilt you're feeling, and," Dearka edged nearer to Athrun's face until their noses were only an inch apart from touching, "get—your—ass—over—there."
"But—"
"BUP BUP--!" Interrupted Dearka, motioning his finger, shushing Athrun; he wasn't going to let him cut him off at his heroic speech dammit!
"Forget fear and guilt and march your ass over to her place and A.P.O.L.O.G.I.Z.E! One magic word is all it takes! She DID kiss you before, and fall asleep right beside you before, which means that she DOES love you! Girls don't tend to forget about their crush until, jee, I don't know—FIND SOMEONE ELSE THEY LIKE! So get on your feet and say sorry, or so help me god, I'LL DRAG YOU THERE MYSELF!"
Athrun was white in the face and his eyes widened with shock. It seems like he will have to "march your ass over to her place and apologize."
Dearka sat down, again, unaware of the pairs of staring eyes, and readjusted up his collar professionally.
"By the way," he added, "if you don't go Cagalli, I think Yzak will go for you. Now isn't that a scary thought?"
"OKAY—okay!" cried Athrun. He was desperate for Dearka to shut up; the waitresses were tapping their feet angrily and ready to throw them out.
"I'm going now," said Athrun, getting out of his seat and pushing his chair away carefully, as to not anger the customers and waitresses anymore. He sure didn't want to be here next to Dearka when he did something drastic.
"That's my man! Now go!" he said as he patted Athrun on the back, then watching his blue-haired run out of the Café.
Athrun ran and ran. Although Dearka had overreacted a bit in that café, he had the right idea. He was right; he needed to make amends with Cagalli now, and he wouldn't stop until she trusted him again.
She was an important part of him, and hopefully, he, her's.
Thinking and running by plans and thoughts on how to win Cagalli back, he didn't notice where he was going and bumped the shoulder of an orange-headed girl.
"Ow—watch where you're go—" she said as she looked up: the tall blue haired person gone behind her, running at a fast speed. "—ing…"
Was that person…?
Athrun looked back over his shoulder. The young girl he had just bumped accidentally while deep in thought strangely resembled that short haired, blue-eyed girl he saw aboard the Archangel…the one that worked on the upper deck beside Murrue Ramius.
He hadn't seen anybody from the other side since the war was over, so seeing one suddenly was no ordinary thing for him; it just didn't happen every day.
What would she be doing here? He thought.
He continued speeding on down the street, regardless of the obvious piece of information there on his friend Dearka. Behind him, the orange girl walked into the little café, welcomed by a waitress warmly with tea.
She walked over briskly to his table, picking and landing each step with grace. She hasn't seen him in so long, and wanted to get close to him, to be in his presence. Even though they met during t he war, and he was from the opposite side, she still wanted to be near him. Just talking to him today would be enough. Agitation squeezed her heart as she saw his face—the familiar tanned face that she had grown so accustomed to during the war.
Now though, she pushed these feelings aside for just a moment. The encounter a minute ago was still fresh in her mind.
"Was that---" she asked, panting, barely able to get all her words out, placing her hands on her knees to support herself.
"Yeah…it was Athrun," Dearka replied with a pair of content eyes at her, trying to calm him self, because she was finally in front of him, just like the way he pictured it for months now.
Those months with Athrun, when they'd go out to clubs just so Athrun could get a girl, where he spent in waves of lightened sorrow. It was unbearable at the time; all the girls he met couldn't compare with her—they were all nothing against her—regardless of how they were actually were in the eyes of others instead of him. If he hadn't met her yet, he would've gladly rubbed his hands with glee and settle with one, but their meeting changed his whole view on the opposite sex entirely.
They're trash compared to her! ….well, no…but….!
She showed him to respect them--females, and that there were also good-looking and nice girls out there—not just the slutty ones. She was the perfect example of what he wanted, and so, he would do anything, just for her to be in his arms.
"Hello Dearka," she said with a smile, with a shine in her magnificent eyes, matching her orange hair like it was born-to-be.
Her eyes showed the essence of wanting to be there, wanting to be there, in front of him, and not anywhere else in the world.
Maybe it was just the atmosphere, them being at a coffee shop for couples, on a warm morning. It did him good in the heart though, just to see that.
"Hi, Miriallia," was all he say at that moment.
Rate & Review as always, thanks everyone! The reviews were all (turns around to hide 'something' my eyes), "nice" is the only word I can think of right now, to describe all you readers' support, thank you!