Bow and Arrow

by PaolaAdara

When the season of hearts rolls in, some go crazy over what to do, some go berserk over uncalled for surprises, and still some turn into mush as Cupid hits his targets with dead on accuracy. Sequel to Here They Go Again.

1. Chapter 1

Title: Bow and Arrow (1/2)

Author: Paola

Disclaimer: Bow and Arrow is based on characters and situations that belong to Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios, and TV Asashi (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited.

Bow and Arrow: Part One - 13 February C.E. 72

"What's tomorrow again?" Yzak smirked at the pacing Coordinator from across the room. He uncrossed his legs and raised his eyebrows amusedly when Dearka glared at him.

"Shut up!" Dearka shot back, pausing for a small while to snarl at the chuckling fair-head. He continued to pace the length of the room for a few more seconds before he found the space too lengthy for his liking. He paused again before resuming his restless activity, covering only a quarter of the previous space this time.

Yzak laughed again. "I swear…if I didn't know any better, I'd say you think pacing a smaller stretch of floor is more dramatic than actually walking back and forth a long one."

Dearka rolled his eyes, deciding against telling the former Duel pilot that he kind of guessed right. He'd seen it on TV and in the silver screen, and the protagonists would always pace in a small stretch of space. Dearka narrowed his eyes at nothing, wondering why he even had the time to think of those stupid things. But what the hell, he always liked looking the coolest.

He frowned. Feh.

The fair-head adopted a scrutinizing gaze. "Why do I get the feeling that what I said was the biblical truth?"

"…Biblical truth my foot. Where the hell do you get all this crap from?" he irritably asked, sharply extending his hand in a sweeping gesture. "And stop interrupting my thoughts, you freak!" he resumed his once-again interrupted pacing

Yzak bristled at being called a freak, and he had to clench his fist to keep himself from flinging the vase on the side table beside the couch he was occupying, at Dearka. It was bad enough that Cagalli was so fond of calling him "haro man," and Dearka always calling him names was just too much. But he doubted the owner of the house would be downright happy with him destroying her property. He might be known for his short fuse, but Yzak had always known when to keep a rein on his anger and to let play his common sense.

The fair-head settled for glaring at the blonde. "I don't see the point of you stressing yourself out over tomorrow," he deadpanned after a short while. "It happens every year anyway."

"It's the first time with Miriallia. And what do you know anyway? It's not like you're romantically involved with your fiancée."

Yzak snorted. "Hearing that from you makes it sound like you're planning to sleep with Haw."

Dearka looked thoughtful for a while before eyeing Yzak slyly. "Or maybe that's why you're flying up to PLANT tomorrow…for a Valentine getaway with Hahnenfuss!" he exclaimed, clearly ignoring Yzak's comment.

Instead of seething with anger, Yzak merely looked at Dearka dully. "If visiting my sick mother means a 'Valentine getaway with Hahnenfuss,' then yes, I'm off to a night of pleasure."

Dearka was, in all practicality, shocked to the tips of his blonde hair. "Wow! You ain't trying to skin me alive with that one!"

The fair-head sighed exasperatedly. He stood up and lazily smoothed the wrinkles of his shirt. "I don't know why I waste my time on you." He shook his head before walking past Dearka and out of the room.

Dearka stood alone in the huge living room, debating whether to get offended by what Yzak said or not, but since he didn't really care what Yzak thought of him, he dismissed his thoughts and promptly went back to planning his first Valentine's Day with Miriallia. He paced once more, rejecting one idea after another as he thought each of them boring, conventional, and just plain corny.

Just before he could polish---or more like: wear away---the marble with the repeated passage of his shoes on the floor, a familiar head poked itself in the archway. He smiled when she blew away the hair that had fallen over her eyes.

"Hey, Dearka…"

He ran a hand through his blonde tresses, which were already quite messy since he'd been doing the same act every time he would get frustrated over a paltry idea. "Yeah?"

Miriallia fully stepped inside the threshold. She placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side as she spied the unkempt locks of the former Buster pilot. "Mm…" She relaxed her arms and let them sway at her sides as she closed the distance between them. She stood erect in front of him then brought her hands up to his head. Splaying out her fingers, she raked them through her boyfriend's hair.

Stopping midway through, she held his head, and titled it backwards, grinning when Dearka raised his eyebrows in question. "Messy, messy, messy." She loosened her hold and let the silky strands slide past her fingers when he moved his head towards its prior position. "It's so obvious when you're thinking of something really serious. What are you thinking about then?"

He angled his head and grinned at her. "You." His grin grew wider when Miriallia instantaneously blushed.

"Oh yeah?" She defiantly raised her head, resting her hip on the back of the settee and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Not really."

She raised an eyebrow. "Not really?"

"I might have thought of someone else."

"Someone else."

Dearka shrugged. "Couldn't always be you."

"Couldn't always be me."

The blonde playfully flicked her on the forehead. "Are you going to keep on parroting me?"

"Of course not!"

"You sound jealous…"

"I do not!"

Dearka smirked. "Then how come you look like you can't believe that I'm thinking of someone else?" There he knew he got her since Miriallia's eyes suddenly widened.

A pregnant pause ensued, then Miriallia wisely narrowed her eyes at the smirking blonde. "It's a free country. Think what you want." She turned around to leave. "And to think I have something important to tell you. Oh well. See you around, Elsman."

"See you," Dearka intoned, believing that he still had the upper hand. His victorious smirk, however, turned into a defeated frown when it seemed that Miriallia wasn't kidding when her actions implied she really was leaving. He shot out of his position when his girlfriend's figure disappeared around the arch. "Hey!"

Miriallia slowly turned around, just in time to see the former Buster pilot stumble out of the living room. "You called?"

He stopped a foot away from her. "You really thought I was telling the truth?"

Miriallia eyed him calculatingly, noting the sliver of annoyance shining through his amethyst orbs. "Weren't you?"

Dearka dramatically rolled his eyes. "Of course I wasn't!"

"Of course."

He sighed exasperatedly…although he did put a lot of exaggeration to it. "I hate it when you play with my mind."

Miriallia looked shocked…and very much so. "I wouldn't do that! You know I know that you don't have a mind!"

Despite himself, Dearka lazily smiled, crossing his arms in front of him. "Don't be cute."

"Fine…I'll cut to the chase." Miriallia took a drag of air and relaxed her stance. She idly noticed a wayward bunch of strands sticking out quite notably from the rest of Dearka's untidy curls. She tilted her head to the side, slightly debating whether to smoothen it out or let it be. She sighed.

Dearka uncrossed his arms and stuffed his hands in his pockets, shifting his weight to another foot as he waited for her to start talking. If anybody had told him back during the war that Miriallia was playful, he would most probably be rolling on the floor and laughing his ass off. He'd have had a hard time picturing in his mind a playful Miriallia especially since she had tried to drive a knife through his face. Unless, of course, they had stepped into a twisted and perverse reality in which good playful meant sadistic actions.

Nah.

But he'd always be eternally grateful that he was given the chance to actually see her playful---on a positive note---side.

He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be opening your mouth now so you can tell me what it is that you have to tell me?"

She giggled. "I knew you wouldn't be that patient." She stepped closer and patted him on the head like how a proud owner would his pet.

He swatted her hand away and quickly stole a kiss. "I'm no dog, sweetheart. So, what do you have in mind?"

"It's about tomorrow."

"Oh?" Now he was curious. He had spent half of his afternoon trying to plan a Valentine special for her, and he didn't think she would actually approach him with a proposal for tomorrow. "So…what about it?"

"I won't be here tomorrow."

Dearka's eyes widened. What? He was utterly and unquestionably floored. Here he was thinking she had planned their day tomorrow only to find out that what she was planning was going away. Boy, did he waste his afternoon! "Pardon?" Dearka glared…she had the gall to smile!

"Aww…don't feel bad."

He peered at her through sarcastically lidded eyes. "Should I be jumping for joy? Come on, Miriallia. You know I was never a romantic sap, but…it's our first Valentine's together!" He threw his hands in the air in an emphatic gesture.

"I know…but---"

"Tell me you're kidding!"

"No, I'm not. Dad, mom, and I have to fly to London tomorrow for my cousin's wedding on Sunday."

Dearka rubbed his temples as he felt the telltale signs of an oncoming headache. "Great! And I was just thinking of what we could do tomorrow to celebrate the fourteenth."

Miriallia smirked. "And you thought of something real good?"

"What do you think?"

She gave a non-committal shrug.

Dearka's shoulders drooped in defeat. "All right…I haven't thought of a good thing…yet. But still…" he just hated it whenever he would start sounding whiny.

"Knew it." She walked behind him and pushed him towards the great double doors that led outside. "But you didn't let me finish earlier. What I was saying was," she pushed open one of the doors and led him through it, "I was thinking of celebrating Valentine's in advance!"

The late afternoon sun greeted them. Dearka let Miriallia pull him along as he decided to keep his frown intact for a while longer…just to show his discontent. He knew he couldn't do anything about his girlfriend's schedule, and he wasn't exactly bitter about it, but he wanted to see if his frowning could get him anything nice from the brunette. She didn't have to know immediately that he had no problems with celebrating heart's day a day earlier. As he'd said a few minutes ago, he wasn't a romantic...he just wanted them to have a fun time tomorrow, for his sake if not for her. After all, tomorrow was the anniversary of the destruction of Junius 7. He might not have loved ones who died there like Athrun, but those who were mercilessly killed in the colony were Coordinators…just like him. And, just like him, they were the ones the world had shunned before and during the Bloody Valentine War.

He shook his head. He really didn't want to think about that right now, so with a resigned intake of breath, he hurried his steps and walked just beside Miriallia. "Where are we going?"

She turned her head and just smiled at him.

o-o

"Be sure you don't do anything funny tomorrow, Cagalli. We don't want anyone knowing you're the Princess of Orb…not until you've officially taken the position at least."

Cagalli rolled her eyes as she listened to her guardian. He'd told her this a thousand times. Was she so stubborn as to need the same thing repeated to her again and again before she got it? She sighed…she guessed she couldn't blame Kisaka.

Athrun was flying to PLANT early tomorrow morning, and she'd decided to come with him. She knew how important tomorrow was for Athrun, and she just wanted to be there for the blue-head…not that that was the reason she gave Kisaka when he had first asked why she wanted to head to PLANT with Athrun. She might be open about a lot of things, but there were still some things she preferred keeping to herself…especially if it concerned her relationship with the former Justice pilot.

"You're worse than an expecting mother. Honestly, Kisaka, am I that bad?"

"Yes," Kisaka and Mana chorused, and Cagalli hung her head in utmost surrender.

"Athrun and Yzak will be there in the shuttle with me. I'm fairly sure I can behave like them. And I AM NOT A KID!"

Kisaka had suggested they rode a public shuttle to avoid suspicion and undue attention. Since Yzak was also heading to PLANT to visit his sick mother, the three of them had booked the same flight.

"Do not shout, Princess. It's unbecoming of the Heiress of Orb," Mana chided, clucking her tongue. "And Misters Zala and Jule are soldiers, so you need to do more to be able to behave like them."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you knew Yzak as much as I do. And Athrun ain't that behaved either." Cagalli tried to stare icily at Mana, but her nanny's stern visage promptly dissolved Cagalli's endeavors.

"Then behave like them when they're around us," Mana hurriedly shot back, effectively silencing the blonde's attempts at defending herself.

Cagalli saw a flash of brown pass by the open door of the library. Grabbing the opportunity to get away, she closed the book she'd been reading---reading until Kisaka and Mana decided to bear down on her---and hurriedly called out, "Kira! Help!"

Just as she expected, the brunette re-appeared by the door, looking alarmed at her frantic voice. Extricating herself from Kisaka and Mana's meaningful stares, she almost tripped as she ran towards Kira, and almost knocked him over when she flew straight into his unexpected arms in a struggle to block Mana's outraged calls. His solid presence, however, stopped her momentum, and she quickly closed the door as soon as her feet were firmly set on the floor.

Cagalli let out a triumphant breath and slowly turned towards her brother. The brunette looked lost and Cagalli cocked her head to the side. "Kira? You look dazed."

"…I got the wind knocked out of me. Lose some weight, Cagalli."

"WHAT!"

Kira almost shrank at the glare Cagalli was dealing him, and he all but ran as he tried to parry the punches being thrown at him.

o-o

Dearka eyed the sign high above the entrance skeptically. He never had the impression that Miriallia was the kind of girl who enjoyed these kinds of things, though he didn't exactly figure her out as the type to look for classical dates like fine-dining dinner, movies, plays, et cetera, either. He'd actually expected her to be one of those few who'd rather enjoy a valentine's night at home with her significant other. And he wouldn't mind that either since he really thought---with every cliché and corny and mushy fiber in his being---he'd have fun just being with her. After all, she really was full of surprises…just take now for example.

"Miriallia?" he finally spoke, still allowing the brunette to pull him along.

She looked over her shoulder but continued pursuing the direction she was taking. "Yes, Dearka?"

"Cagalli hasn't been influencing you, right?"

Miriallia paused, just a few feet shy from the end of the queue. "What's Cagalli got to do with this?" she asked, looking cutely flummoxed. Then her eyes twinkled and she waved their tickets in the air. "Oh, you mean this?"

"…Not really. But let's hear about the tickets."

Miriallia mockingly glared at him. "You're acting weird." She waved their tickets in the air again in a dismissive motion. "Let's you and I line up." She pulled him and they stood at the end of the queue. "It's the amusement's park's anniversary today. Cagalli bought two tickets a week ago for her and Athrun, but since they're leaving for PLANT tomorrow, she gave it to me. Said she'd probably be spending the day trying to placate Kisaka and Mana…and something about Athrun I didn't quite catch. Now we're here," she answered as the line progressed steadily.

"Oh."

Miriallia handed their tickets to the man by the turnstile, retrieving their stubs right after the man ripped them off the main tickets. They entered past the turnstile as soon as the man stamped the back of their palms with the park's emblem.

Dearka sidestepped to avoid being run over by two hyperactive kids gallivanting around with a colored balloon in each hand. He inspected the scene before him with a casual eye, stuffing his hands in his pockets as the noise of laughter and excitement invaded his personal space. Even if he had yet to see the entire park, he suspected just how enormous the place probably was. Off by the distance was the large Ferris wheel and to his far right was the humongous roller coaster, whose passengers' screams were heard all the way to where the blonde was standing. And just in front of them was the carousel, which, according to Dearka, should only be ridden once since it would wreak havoc to anyone's stomach. Other rides were scattered here and there, and the queues were unsurprisingly organized.

He followed a cobbled path to the right, pace relaxed, just like the brunette beside him. "I didn't know you like amusement parks."

She giggled, eyes wandering over the different things in the park. "Not particularly. But I go now and then. It isn't all because of Cagalli, you know." She snidely looked at him. "Why, you think I don't have an exciting bone in my body?"

Dearka's eyes widened and he hurriedly shook his hands in front of him in a defensive gesture. "No! Of course not! Wherever do you get those silly ideas?" He massaged his nape, laughing uncertainly.

Miriallia smiled immediately, proud of herself for once again making Dearka fidget in his skin. For some twisted reason, she just liked doing it. And, of course, she wouldn't tell him about it. Let him figure it out himself. "Good to hear that."

Dearka let out a relieved sigh then inwardly shrugged. "All these months and still there are lots about you I don't know squat about."

"Mm." Miriallia hooked her arm around the crook of his elbow. "No rush. Plenty of days ahead."

"Hn."

"But let's start today. See that?" Miriallia pointed at the speeding cars of the gigantic roller coaster.

"Yeah…"

"It's one of my favorite rides. Let's start with it."

Dearka allowed himself to be pulled again, and by the time they were almost near the roller coaster, he spied a guy throwing up on the grass some odd feet away from them. "You sure about this?" he asked, casting an uncertain glance at Miriallia, then at the loopy tracks of the roller coaster, then back at the barfing guy.

Miriallia followed his line of sight. "Don't tell me that's likely to happen to you!" Her eyes widened as she moved a little away from him, her hand covering her mouth as if in shock.

Dearka appeared cutely miffed. "What am I? A five-year-old?" His sarcasm came back and bit a big chunk off his pride when his "nice" girlfriend placed a finger against her chin as if to contemplate his words.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Dearka slightly narrowed his eyes at the brunette before unexpectedly seizing the aforementioned finger to pull her closer. He then placed a small kiss on the side of her mouth. "If you think some sissy ride scares me, then, by Genesis, Miriallia, we have to work on your familiarity skills," he whispered, playfully nipping at her ear after the last word had been uttered.

The brunette blushed beet red as the contact proved to be a sharp contrast to the cool afternoon winds.

"Answer what again?" Dearka asked smirking that sexy smirk that almost made Miriallia want to whack him senseless...at least she would want to do that if her mind weren't so unfocused.

Dearka noted how Miriallia's eyes remained a tad hazy. It would always amuse him how she could easily get flustered by intimate contacts when they were out in public…especially since she was getting so confident with him behind closed doors.

"Huh? What?"

"Nothing. Let's go ride that roller coaster of yours," Dearka intoned, this time pulling a slightly dazed Miriallia by her wrist.

By the time Miriallia finally snapped out of it---with the help of an excited cry from the teenager in front of them---she was already strapped in her seat and was only allowed a small range of movement, thereby making it difficult to bop Dearka on the head. She settled for stepping on his toes instead.

"HEY! What was that for?"

Miriallia haughtily looked the other way. "You weren't supposed to get the ball from my court!" she harrumphed.

And so began their advance celebration of the day dedicated to lovers all around the globe.

o-o

Athrun entered the library in search of a book to occupy his mind. As much as possible, he didn't want to think of why they were flying up to PLANT tomorrow. He'd deal with his emotions when he got there, but for now, he'd be the soldier he was made to be, and that meant facing the things that mattered at the moment and not his feelings and sentiments.

He was slightly surprised to see Yzak sitting on one of the leather couches with is feet propped on the Queen Anne coffee table and crossed at the ankles, looking very much immersed in the book he was reading. Yzak didn't appear to have noticed him entering so he walked quietly towards a particular shelf so as not to disturb him.

"No greetings?"

Athrun was subtly surprised at his words. He should have known better than to assume that the fair-head didn't notice him; after all, Yzak was a soldier, too. He turned his head towards the former Duel pilot, whom he knew didn't even bother to look up upon voicing out his thoughts.

"It's creepy to know someone's staring at you," Yzak continued, again surprising Athrun.

"What are you reading?" Athrun finally asked.

"Something that doesn't concern you," Yzak deadpanned.

Athrun almost sighed exasperatedly. Of course, what the hell did he expect? He even wondered why he even asked that in the first place…and he wondered, too, why Yzak was being uncharacteristically quiet. Usually, the fair-head would be raising fire and brimstone by now.

Preferring to ignore Yzak's sarcasm, Athrun shook his head and tried to find a book to entertain him. They continued pursuing their activities in silence, but Yzak spoke again after a while.

"Zala," he called.

Athrun retuned another book back to the shelf after reading the blurb. "Yeah?"

Yzak seemed to hesitate for a second. "…Do me a favor, will you?"

For the third time that night, Yzak Jule managed to surprise the former Justice pilot. "…What favor?"

Yzak turned a page, and the sound it caused reverberated in the once-again quiet room. "You're visiting the Valentine Memorial tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah…"

The Valentine Memorial was built to honor those who died in Junius Seven. All the little things the ZAFT Reconnaissance Team could gather from the wreckage were brought back to the PLANTs, and each of the items' owners were identified. Those memorabilia were buried at the Valentine Memorial in lieu of the bodies that could scarcely be recovered. It was also where Siegel Clyne had declared that he would resist the Earth Alliance to the very end.

Yzak closed the book with a soft thud. He stood up and looked at Athrun without the slightest trace of the usual hostility saved just for the blue-head. He slid his hand inside his trouser pocket and retrieved a small, fine, white gold chain. He raised it to his eye level then held it out to Athrun.

Athurn took it and eyed it with a critical eye. It was a simple, white gold filigree with a unicorn pendant suspended from it. He looked up and stared at Yzak funny. "I didn't know you cared."

Yzak scowled, and his even voice ascended when he spoke, "It's not for you, asshole!"

The former Justice pilot had the gall to laugh, and it was so obviously written on Yzak's face how much he wanted to throw the book at Athrun. "I know."

Yzak scowled once again then unceremoniously plopped down the seat he had vacated. "There's a gravestone there with 'Jule' on it."

Athrun understood what he had to do with the bracelet, which was small and seemed to be for a toddler. "Who is it?"

Yzak remained silent, and Athrun wasn't surprised that the fair-head didn't want to talk about it. Through all the years they had known each other, Yzak never shared anything personal to him, and he doubted Yzak did to any other person for that matter. It was because of this that Athrun was highly surprised when Yzak's voice sailed though the air.

"Mother adopted a kid and sent her to a small school in Junius Seven. She wanted her far away from anything politically related, and we would often visit her there. I don't think I'll be able to visit her this time though."

Athrun remembered some of Yzak's files for leaves of absence. Some of the files had Junius Seven written on the location where Yzak had informed ZAFT he would be.

When the pale-head didn't add anything after a few more seconds, Athrun knew better than to pry. "All right." He returned to perusing the titles of the books in the shelf.

Just before Yzak could thank Athrun, the library door opened and in came Lacus, pink hair bouncing in a neat ponytail as she tried to hush Mr. Pink.

"Lacus," Athrun greeted, hand poised over the spine of the book he was about to pluck from the shelf.

The pink princess looked up and smiled upon seeing the two former Reds, and was more than happy to notice that there was no apparent scuffle and no life-threatening injuries on either boy. "Hello, Athrun! And hello to you, too Yzak!"

Yzak merely grunted to acknowledge her presence before he returned his full attention to the book he was reading.

"Mm," Lacus hummed as she pressed a finger against her chin. "Cagalli was looking for you a while ago," she informed Athrun, clasping Haro in her other hand securely.

Athrun pulled out the book that caught his interest. "Is that so?"

Lacus beamed at him. She walked over the side table at the opposite end of the couch Yzak was occupying and picked up the paperback that lay atop it. "If I remember well, I think she said she needed you to help her 'beat the living daylights out of Kira.'"

The blue-head gave an amused smile, half because of how Yzak scooted farther to his side of the couch when Haro bounced out of Lacus' hand and onto the dark settee, and half because of his significant other's dire need of him. "Why am I not surprised?"

Lacus wagged her finger disapprovingly at her toy when Haro began nearing Yzak. "Let's not disturb Yzak, Mr. Pink." She scooped the pink toy in her hand.

"Uh…thanks…?"

Athrun absent-mindedly thumbed the edges of the book he was holding as his attention was currently held captive by the funny display in front of him. Yzak, at the moment, looked more like an uncertain kid than a soldier that Athrun had to swallow his laughter or he'd really be staying permanently on Yzak's hit list.

"Anyway, I just came to get my book." Lacus swiped her bangs away from her eyes as she had forgotten to wear the golden clip that usually did the job. She walked back towards the door. "I'm going to see if Kira is still alive."

Athrun laughed and followed her. "I'll go with you."

"I hope it's not because you're going to give Cagalli a hand."

"I doubt she still needs it."

Lacus smiled at Athrun and waved a hand at Yzak before disappearing out the door. Athrun, on the other hand, lingered for a second. He turned towards the former Duel pilot as he pocketed the bracelet Yzak had handed him a while ago.

"What?" Yzak irritably asked when he noticed Athrun.

"I'll get this to her."

Yzak paused in the middle of turning another page. He looked up and nodded his thanks. "I'll even be more grateful if you can keep Athha off my nerves for the entire trip tomorrow."

"See, now, that's gonna cost you." Athrun opted to drop his teasing and immediately shut the door when Yzak finally seemed like he was ready to throw the hardbound book at him.

o-o

After five rounds on the roller coaster and other rides---not to mention the short time it took for Dearka to hit the bull's eye on the firing range to get Miriallia a colorful and squishy jester's hat---the blonde Coordinator found himself drinking orange juice with the said Natural at the portico of an almost empty juice bar a block from the amusement park. He surveyed his surroundings and spied a few odd numbers of customers still inside the establishment and an elderly couple at the far end of the portico. It was already late and a few stars dotted the expanse of velvety sky the awnings allowed him to view.

He returned his gaze to Miriallia, who was contentedly sipping her tall glass of ice-cold orange juice. Itching to straighten her jester's hat that had fallen askew, he reached over the table and flicked one side of the hat. He slightly frowned when nothing happened.

Miriallia looked at him, amused. "And what are you doing, might I ask?" she smiled, fixing the hat herself. She'd seen it at the display and had promptly asked Dearka to win it for her.

He propped his elbow on the tabletop and rested his chin on the heel of his palm. "I was trying to get it straight."

"Hn." She took it off and held it in front of her with both hands, eyeing it affectionately before turning her green orbs at Dearka. "Thanks for this again."

Dearka blushed when he noticed the affectionate quality in her eyes was far greater than when she was staring at the hat. "Ah…it-it's…noth---it was too easy to get anyway!" he answered, starting off with an awkward stutter and finishing with a bragging display.

Miriallia giggled. "Arrogant bastard." She noted Dearka's empty glass then stood up, offering her hand to the blonde. "Let's walk home." Miriallia waited while he checked his watch, and she inwardly smiled when she noticed it was the same watch he'd worn on New Year's Eve---the ordinary digital watch she'd bought him.

He nodded, setting aside the receipt of their purchase---at least that was what it was before he'd torn it into a hundred pieces. He clasped her hand in his and pulled himself up.

"Heavy," Miriallia jokingly muttered. As they stepped out of the protection of the awnings, the cold night breeze blew, sending dried leaves skittering across the concrete. She shivered a little and retrieved her hand from Dearka's to pull her jacket tighter around her.

"Still cold?"

She looked at him and almost bopped him on the head upon seeing that he had not brought a jacket with him. Why she hadn't noticed earlier was beyond her. Frowning for a second, she took off her jester's hat, stood on her tiptoes, and plopped the squishy headpiece on her boyfriend's head, promptly garnering a questioningly glance from him. She shrugged. "…At least wear it so you won't catch a cold."

"I'm a Coordinator."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked uncharacteristically. "Is that supposed to have an effect on me? If I remember well, it wasn't me who couldn't tell spoilt milk from not because of a super bad cold!"

Dearka instantly blushed at the reminder. He moved his head the other way to hide the red tint that had viciously crept up his tanned cheeks. "It's not gonna happen again," he weakly retorted.

"Sure…" Miriallia didn't sound convinced. "But wear the hat anyway so it really won't happen again." She giggled when Dearka allowed a small defeated nod, still not looking at her.

They strolled down the sidewalk in comfortable silence. Surprisingly enough, there were only a few vehicles coming up and down the road. The streetlamps provided a soft luminescence as both teenagers walked side-by-side toward the residential area of that side of the city.

"This isn't such a bad way to spend Valentine's, huh?" Miriallia asked, swinging their entwined hands to and fro.

Dearka adjusted the hat with his free hand and sighed. He looked over at her and took note of the small smile gracing her lips. In retrospect, they spent the entire afternoon like those usual dates they went to. They talked, they laughed, they joked around. There weren't even enough romantic sessions to consider their day a Valentine celebration, but Dearka thought that irrelevant. Most people would probably disagree with him on that one, but the two of them were not most people. "Yeah."

Miriallia suddenly turned her head to stare straight at Dearka's amethyst orbs as she felt him eyeing her. "What?"

The blonde's eyes widened and he blushed yet again as he got caught. "N-nothing…" he trailed off.

Giggling a little, Miriallia spoke, "Don't worry your blonde head, I'll call you when I get to London." She giggled more when his cheeks turned redder.

"I wasn't worrying about that!" Caught yet again.

Miriallia rolled her eyes in response.

"Honest, I wasn't!"

They crossed the wide intersection as soon as the red light for the vehicles blinked on. Miriallia continued to laugh at him, and he was torn between telling her the truth and keeping it to himself. If her told her the truth, she would have more ammunition against him, so he very wisely opted for the second choice.

They turned another street and found the wide and long expanse of asphalt and sidewalks empty. Dearka halted, making the laughing brunette stop dead in her tracks since their hands were still linked together. Tugging slightly at her hand, he made her face him, and he quickly flicked her nose.

Miriallia jolted out of her laughing spree.

"You're having too much fun at my expense."

She blinked.

He waited.

Then she giggled again. "It's really funny to get you so flustered."

"Is that so?" he let go of her hand and quickly assessed their empty surroundings, all the while keeping his girlfriend unaware of his actions.

Miriallia's laughter was cut off when she felt a sudden tug, and next thing she knew, their personal spaces were non-existent and Dearka's face was hovering just inches above her face. Her eyes widened, but before she could utter a word, Dearka beat her to it.

"Happy Valentine's, Miriallia Haw," he whispered.

The husky tone sent shivers running up and down her spine, and Dearka's next move obliterated all coherent thoughts, including the observation of the falling jester's hat. She had a nanosecond of a chance to witness the naughty glint in his eyes before hers shut in their own volition.

The brown-haired Natural succumbed to the enticing pull of the former Buster pilot's kiss, only to have her system revert into alarm mode when she felt the trail of hot kisses moving on her neck.

Dearka smirked when he sensed Miriallia turn rigid. He knew how uncomfortable she got during intimate encounters in public, but he was having too much fun to let her have her way at the moment. "Relax," he breathed against the creamy flesh of the base of her throat. "We're the only ones here." That didn't work just yet, and he immediately landed a playful lick on the hollow of her collarbone where he knew he would receive a sensitized quiver from her. Then and there, his lovely brunette turned into mush.

Miriallia felt the all too familiar weakness in her knees as Dearka worked her into an irrational frenzy, and she almost hated him for knowing just how to do that. He always surprised her with his knowledge of the right spots to kiss, lick, and nip.

She sensed him drawing an invisible line down her sides while his other hand rested comfortably on her hip. And she almost jumped when he let his hand wander inside her shirt, tracing intricate patterns on the small of her back.

Dearka smiled against her jaw. No matter how many times he had touched her, he always got that same surprised reaction, which, he had long ago discovered, only served to fuel his naughty streak.

A light tug on his hair made him lose contact with the skin he was presently having fun kissing.

Through sensually hazy eyes, Miriallia looked at Dearka. "I'm gonna get you for this next time."

Dearka briefly wondered if she was talking about him getting her to agree to make-out in public or---his thoughts came to a dead halt when she wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and sealed their lips in a searing kiss.

God, he loved that woman. Although the celebration of their first Valentine's together was quite unexpected, he'd had the most fun since the day they got together. And as they kissed under the glow of a streetlamp, Dearka belatedly realized what had really curtailed his thoughts a little earlier…

It was Miriallia's words before she locked her lips with his…

"I love you, Dearka."

-To Be Continued…

Reference/s:

"Haro man" is from my multi-chaptered story: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Life After War

Author's notes:

…Better late than never…Sorry, sorry. Please drop a review if you can. And I'd appreciate, too, if you'll read and review What Weakness Is Not and all my other literary ventures.

For those who are reading my Holiday specials for the first time: To fully get the significance of the "ordinary watch" scene, read Here They Go Again, and for the "spoilt milk" scene, read The Yuletide Comes A-Wassailing. All my Holiday fics are inter-connected, though each can stand independently. You can check my profile for the order of the Holiday fics.

Much thanks!