Characters: Yzak and GF, Special appearance by Dearka

Disclaimer: The usual, Gundam seed/destiny not mine.

Dearka would probably laugh his head-off if he saw him now, Yzak Jule, the hot-headed, foul-mouthed commander of the Voltaire, looking at displays of pink purses.

Well it all started while they were waiting for his girl's schoolmate to bring over the project that she was supposed to be working on. They were in his car parked in the school's parking lot, (no, they were not making out). He was listening to Dearka's report on the on-going works on their battleship via the com link while she patiently waited for them to finish. She didn't mind the intrusions, it was part of his work after all, part of him really, and she knew how seriously he took his job. Much too seriously if you ask some. He was rarely at home, and even then there were just too many people begging for a piece of him. For her though, as long as she stays as the only woman in his life (aside from his mother of course) then it's all alright by her. After all, he was already like this when she met him, who was she to demand that he leave everything behind just for her.

He was still listening to Dearka's report when her schoolmate arrived, carrying the soon-to-be-headache- piece of crap, er.. bag. It looked revoltingly pink but she seemed to gush over it exclaiming as she got out of the car how cute it was. He only heard part of the conversation as she closed the door gently behind her. When she stepped into the car once more, Dearka was just signing off and said "Hey, Happy 3rd month Anniversary to you two!" At which point it dawned on Yzak that he needed to punch Dearka for not reminding him earlier. She smiled and then pretended to pout, and teasingly said, "At least somebody remembered. Thanks, Dearka." She then proceeded to ask Dearka why is it still called an anniversary when it's not actually a year but just a fraction of it. In typical Dearka style he said it's because people tend to become illogical when they fall in love giving Yzak a cheeky grin in turn. Well, heck, Yzak thought, he's right.

He wanted to bang his head on the steering wheel. Of course, it was their 3rd month together that day and he forgot. No excuses really, he was like all other guys he supposed. Of course he remembered exactly the way she looked on that day, thin silver ribbons threaded through her hair (he still had that, having tugged it out of her hair while they kissed goodnight at her front porch, carefully kept behind a picture of her on his bedside table), her silver blue dress that seemed to cover everything and yet still reveal all her curves, her lips that seemed to be more inviting than usual that he needed to remind himself to breathe. He remembered the things they talked about (his work, his mobile suits, her fascination for all things mechanical, Dearka, Dearka and Miri, his mother, her father, what she'll be doing when she graduates, what he'll be doing once life returns to normal), the feel of her hands as she played with his fingers, the scent of her as she held her close while they danced (more like stood still and hugged in the middle of the dance floor, he thought), the food they ate. He remembered the look on her face when he asked her, the way he felt fear and despair when she saw her slight hesitation and the wave of relief that washed over him when she quietly said ok. He remembered the exultation he felt as he tasted her lips on the front porch even though it wasn't the first kiss they've shared, and the shock and embarrassment when the lights turned on revealing her father who was waiting for her. But crap, he can't remember the date even if his life depended on it.

It would not have mattered had she not given him anything on the first month. She had given him a card and a box of chocolates on their first. He wasn't expecting this at all since what did he know about having a girlfriend.

On the second month, she gave him (via Dearka since they were out on duty) a chibi drawing of the two of them. Yes he thought the chibi drawing was repulsive at first and he tried so hard not to grimace when he saw what the gift was. She knew though that it wasn't his thing but she just wanted to see the reaction on his face. The way she laughed though as he tried to suppress the way he felt was just too precious, that now he could not help but smile at the memory when he looks at that dratted drawing.

So he promised himself to be a little more thoughtful next time. And this was the next time.

They just passed by a pizza place, ordered take-out and brought the pizza home. It was a school night and she was not allowed to go out. It was too late to get her roses since it was out of the way and he didn't want to get her chocolates just from a 24-7 shop because that would just be too desperate.

He hung out at her place for awhile and did the boyfriend thing by looking over the paper that she was writing about the mecha units of the recent war. He was a little uncomfortable when she gave him his 3rd month present (a sketch of them, him in his white Zaft uniform and she in her school uniform, the Duel and his new custom Slash Zaku in the background) since he himself didn't get her anything. She just shrugged it off of course and said she didn't mind, she knew he had a lot of things on his mind.

……

So here he was spending his afternoon (she was still in school) looking for the latest, most expensive pink purse that he himself would not be too averse in carrying. (One lesson he learned from Dearka, the girls love it when the guys carry their bags for them. It doesn't matter if the guy would be humiliated by his friends when they see him carrying an offensive girly bag. For the ladies, Dearka wisely intoned, it's a sure sign that the guy is secure with his masculinity if he offers to carry her bag.) Not that she would ask him to carry it for her, she's not the type, but you know, just in case.

His eyes were twitching as he looked at the ghastly creations. How many shades of pink are there, he thought, and why are they all these hideous looking. That one reminds me of the Aegis, that one looks like the Saviour and that one's Justice. I hate them all, he thought as he looked away from the display to rest his eyes from pink-overload. As he looked up to ask from whom ever was up there to help him, his eyes saw the perfect one for her. That I can lug around, he thought a smile forming in his lips.

….

She gave him a swift peck on the lips while he held the car door for her. As usual, his brains turned into mush and his world seemed to have suddenly spun out of its axis.

"I've got something for you", he said. "Sorry this is late."

He handed the carefully wrapped package to her, his lips in a thin line anxiously waiting for her reaction. She proceeded to rip it open and she squealed in delight when she saw what it was.

"How did you know I wanted this?"

"You really love it?" He said in relief.

"Yes, thank you!" and she gave him another kiss on the lips again.

She buckled up and started reading the New Illustrated Edition of GUNDAM Models of ZAFT that he got for her.

…..