Merry Christmas to everyone! Here's a somewhat early gift for all of you! You guys are the best!

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Chapter Three – A Talk over Some Milk and Coffee

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Several minutes and meters later, Cagalli found herself sitting in a coffee shop, drinking milk, with Athrun (of all people). The walk had been uneventful, with Athrun slightly humming happily to himself and with her wondering why on God's green earth did she agree to a midnight snack.

"So, how's life, in general?" Athrun asked her amiably.

Cagalli shrugged as she sipped some of her warm milk. She had to give Athrun credit. The quaint, little café located near the apartment complex was more than she had expected. Its lighting, as well as the choice of furniture, gave off a homely and comfortable ambience. There were couches and loveseats with great reading material on one corner.

They chose to seat on the usual chairs near the entrance. There was no need for privacy because at one o'clock in the morning, they got all the privacy that they needed. There were two other students on separate seats other than them, both of whom seemed to be engrossed in their books studying for whatever exams they had tomorrow.

Athrun stirred his black coffee ('How boring,' Cagalli had thought). "Well, you could at least tell me what you're doing here. Shinn didn't say."

Cagalli snorted. "That's a surprise. I didn't think Shinn's huge mouth could get any bigger. If you're feeling particularly nosy, sorry but I'm not in the mood to talk about it."

"I understand," he nodded simply, and then sipped some of his coffee. "So, anything on the safe side that you want to talk about?"

"How's life, in general?" she asked wryly, shooting back his question at him.

Athrun laughed. "I've got a killer test and I'm not studying."

She put her elbow on the table and supported her head with her right hand. "Why then are you wasting your time getting me to talk about my secrets when you should be studying?"

"Are you nuts? I'd choose anything over studying!" he answered jokingly. "But seriously, I just wanted to talk to you. You know, talk about the old days and do some catching up." He sipped some of his coffee. "How's Kira, by the way?"

Cagalli rolled his eyes. "Kira? He's okay as long as his fiancée isn't around. His brain turns into mush and he stops acting like a normal, breathing human being."

Athrun leaned back in his chair and gave her a wide-eyed stare. "Fiancée? Kira's engaged? No kidding!"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Cagalli shot back dryly.

"Not when you look like that," Athrun answered genially. He took another sip. "And what about you? Are you engaged?"

Cagalli froze mid-sip. The fiend was getting closer and closer to the truth! She concentrated on drinking her milk to prevent herself from saying anything. She was about to tell him to 'mind his own goddamn business' when Athrun spoke up.

"Do you find Shinn's room comfortable enough?" he asked, acting as if he never asked his previous question. He smiled encouragingly at Cagalli as if to say, 'That moment never happened.'

"It's okay. But Shinn's really messy and he doesn't stock up on food," she answered automatically, her mind in anagrams at Athrun's thoughtfulness.

He could've pressed the issue further or even made a big deal out of it, but he didn't. Come to think of it, she had been all but polite the whole time and Athrun did not even seem to mind. He always smiled at her, took her insults in stride and never got annoyed.

'Look who's the snobby one, now,' a little voice at the back of her head taunted.

"Ah… tell me about it. Shinn lives off on fast food. It makes me wonder how the heck he manages to stay alive during breaks when he lives on your house."

Cagalli only managed to raise an eyebrow questioningly, her mind still quite pre-occupied.

"I remembered Shinn once told me about your cook, Mana, and how much you love her dishes."

"Oh, that. Well… it makes me wonder whether or not his parents fed him normal food, when they were alive…" Upon realizing what she just said, she groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead. 'Open mouth, insert foot!'

There was an awkward silence. She took a deep breath and asked in a soft voice, "Did he ever tell you about that?"

Athrun sighed. "It's a touchy subject for him… but yes, he told me once, although he was very vague about it."

"Oh…" Cagalli took a deep breath. "He's still a little bitter towards my Father… He was the one who sent them on that trip after all…"

"Yes. But I think that Shinn's quite old enough now to understand that it was an accident," Athrun offered consolingly.

"I guess…" She chuckled softly. "I think he's just being really stubborn and impolite towards my Father out of habit."

"So, all that hostility is a habit?" Athrun shook his head ruefully. "You should've seen him when he first entered this university. I was just being the nice person that I naturally am, offering to help him should he encounter any problems, when he snarled at me and told me to 'Fuck off!'"

Cagalli laughed openly, not just because of the anecdote but also because the serious moment had passed. Athrun was a good conversationalist; that was for sure.

When she had regained her composure, she drank some of her milk and proceeded to inspect the man in front of her out of the corner of her eyes. They haven't seen each other in so many years – thirteen to be exact. The last time they saw each other was when they had that shouting match at the bus that involved moving to other planets. The man in front of her looked just like the mature version of her schoolmate. His hair, although slightly longer now, was still the rare shade of black and blue and his eyes were still the intense green that she remembered. His eyes…well, now that she noticed it, looked different.

They were no longer the cold, proud and condescending ones that she remembered. They were warm, earnest, livelier, and happier and seemed to twinkle with amusement.

Shinn was right. Athrun Zala -had- changed. And for the better, it seemed.

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"…and from then on, Shinn told me he never opened his windows ever again," Athrun finished with a flourish.

Cagalli burst out laughing. So that was why all of Shinn's windows were closed! Athrun was just telling her of Shinn's misadventures as a college freshman. The latest was of Shinn waking up in the dead of the night with various insects flying around his room. "I bet if I give him a cricket, he'd faint!"

Athrun laughed. "He might. He looked genuinely scared."

"This smells blackmail, you know." Cagalli giggled gleefully, looking as if Christmas had come earlier. "Ah, I could go on for hours researching about good blackmail material for that idiot!" she stated smugly. "Why do you put up with him anyway? I mean, you don't even have to watch over him or help him with school stuff."

Athrun gave her a wistful smile. "He's like the little brother I never had – or wanted," he added jokingly. "He reminds me of me, somehow."

"I never thought I'd say this but, you couldn't be more wrong," Cagalli mumbled sheepishly.

"I take that as a compliment," he replied pleasantly.

She smiled genuinely. "Don't worry. It is." Then her smile turned wicked. "So…anymore juicy stuff? Shinn's ego is just waiting to be crushed."

"Well, if you buy me coffee the next time, I -might- consider regaling you with another tale of Shinn's misadventures."

That made Cagalli stop. Next time? There will be a next time? She hadn't expected for this small reunion to have repercussions. But blame it on PMS, boredom, her situation of whatever, but she found herself strangely looking forward to it. She grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "It a deal."

"What about you? Any embarrassing stories to tell?" Athrun teased.

Cagalli scoffed, ignoring that videotape of her singing to 'Baby One More Time'. "As if! What about -you-? I've got a lot of stories that would make the hairs of your fan girls curl. Shinn tells me you're quite famous among the ladies."

Athrun smiled again, but this time, it looked quite strained.

Cagalli laughed at the look on Athrun's face. "I see that being extremely nice is finally taking its toll on you! Come on, you could just brush them off and give them the cold shoulder."

"But… that would be quite rude."

"You never had that problem when we were kids," she pointed out.

Athrun raised an eyebrow. "That's right. When we were -kids-." He put emphasis on the last word.

"Aw, I was just teasing you!" Cagalli rolled her eyes. "It just feels weird talking to you after not talking for, well, for -forever-. You weren't exactly friendly or talkative, you know."

Athrun mock scowled, but his eyes were full of mirth. "You weren't exactly the epitome of all that was nice, when were children either."

"True, true. But I was an angel compared to you," Cagalli countered. "What the heck – just admit that you were a brat when you were a kid!"

"Okay."

"What!" Cagalli almost spit out the milk that she was drinking, her eyes wide in surprise. She had added the last part as a joke. She didn't mean anything by it!

"I admit that I was a brat when I was a kid," Athrun stated unflinchingly.

"W-wait!" she sputtered. "That was meant to be a joke, idiot!" It would've been nice hearing that more than a decade ago, but now that they were adults, it didn't seem so…satisfying.

Athrun's serious face gave into laughter. "I know! I was just kidding. Now, you have an embarrassing story to tell."

Cagalli ignored the heat creeping up her neck and focused instead on glaring at the young man in front of her. "You better thank your lucky stars I'm such a nice person."

"Duly noted." He mock saluted.

She shook her head, quite perplexed at the laughing young man drinking coffee with her. Cagalli opened her mouth to say her thoughts aloud when she was cut short by the shrill ringing of her phone. She took it out and immediately groaned when she saw who it was from the caller I.D.

It was Kira.

Cagalli was very tempted to dump her phone in the glass full of water in front of her. 'Hmp. Maybe he's thinking of catching me off-guard. Maybe he's thinking that I'd answer it with my mind half-asleep. What does he take me for – a freaking idiot?' She turned it off and then pocketed it.

Athrun gave her a curious stare but otherwise said nothing.

For a brief, possibly insane, moment, Cagalli considered telling Athrun the real reason why she was here. She quickly stepped on the urge. 'Why the hell would I tell him that? Sure, he's changed and now very nice but that still doesn't justify why I should trust him with my impending doom – er – marriage.'

Athrun sipped some of his coffee and then glanced at his wristwatch. His eyes widened in surprise. "I can't believe it!" Then he turned his bewildered stare to the window. "It's quarter to six in the morning! So much for thanking my lucky stars…"

Cagalli's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"

His lips curled up in a wry smile as he shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Look –" he pointed at the window where the horizon was turning lighter "– the sun's about to rise."

She craned her neck to gaze at the pinkish sky. "You're right. We've been talking here for hours," she muttered in awe. Then realization dawned on her. She slapped her forehead in frustration. "Crap! I'm sorry!"

"Huh?" was Athrun's not-so-intelligent reply.

"You have a killer test later, right? And I wasted your time," she mumbled morosely. She shook her head regretfully. "I'm sorry. I forgot."

Athrun let out a short laugh. "Oh, don't worry about it. I had a fun time."

Cagalli gave him an apologetic smile. "I did, too…but we should head back now," she suggested. She was surprised that she felt somewhat saddened by the fact that their little reunion had to end. She was having so much fun talking to, of all people, Athrun Zala! Who'd have thought that he was such a good…friend?

He smiled and stood up. Being quite the gentleman, he pulled Cagalli's chair for her. They exited the quaint café with smiles on their faces and with Cagalli clutching the homemade chocolate-chip cookies that Athrun bought for her. She had refused vehemently but he had insisted. "For breakfast," he had said smilingly. He went on to comment how Shinn's choice of food revolved around potato chips, pizza, burgers and soda.

The walk home was uneventful. They made small talk and Athrun was such a gentleman that he walked with Cagalli until they reached her room. Cagalli stood by the doorway, face beaming and her spirits incredibly lighter than they had in days.

"Thanks, Athrun. Really," she said graciously.

Athrun shook his head. "I should be the one saying thank you. It was nice talking to you."

"Same here."

"Well, good night." And with that, he proceeded to walk down the hall, to where the elevator was located.

Cagalli stared at his back and just before he disappeared around the corner, he turned and waved. She was caught in surprise, but she waved back nonetheless. After that, she went inside Shinn's room, yawning childishly – not the very least bothered by how messy it was or how the paint job sucked or how it was incredibly boring in there or how it didn't have any food whatsoever. For the first time since her stay there, she felt happy.

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Author's Notes: THANKS to all who read and reviewed: i.inspire, CAT, purple1, ANONYMOUS-gsd, CelicaChick, MXC – the show – rocks my socks, asga, thousandbirds, duel-gundam, The Angels' Princess, Moonee, Genny-chan, Lalalu, HimeHikari, Maryam Khanoom, and MissRule.

Special Thanks goes to my best friend/critic, Lee.

If you're up for something deep and introspective, go read her fic, 'That Summer'.

So… that's chapter three. I'd like to thank the ones who gave me some mighty-helpful constructive criticisms/suggestions. I'll put them into heart. Many reviewers asked about Cagalli's attitude. Hehe. I guess she was pretty judgmental. But please give my portrayal of Cagalli one more chance. She's going through a lot (her arranged marriage, in particular), not having breakfast ready in the mornings (hehe), and seeing Athrun as more than the spoiled brat she knew.

I hope I explained that fairly well. But don't worry; she'll start to 'warm up' to Athrun (hint, hint).

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! Tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks!