Chapter 29: A date with my spouse

Two people of the opposite gender strolled side by side, enjoying the quiet evening spent in each other's company.

The evening sun bathed the riverside in a warm orange glow, comforting and soothing to their hearts, bringing temporary shelter from their hectic lives that had no room for idling in a park on quiet evenings. A cool breeze blew past, sending ripples across the glass still water surface, disturbing the trees and distorting the reflection of the sun in the pool. He looked up, and spotted birds flying south in a V-formation towards the trees on the other side of the water.

The two of them walked on, savouring the peacefulness; as their shadows stretched out almost indefinitely behind them on the uneven, gravel pathway. Slowly and hesitantly, one shadow reached out towards the other, and linked the two black figures together by what we know as the joining of hands; Athrun held on to Cagalli's hand, and walked on nonchalantly as Cagalli shot him a death glare, and uttered under her breath, "Give it back…"

"Give what back?" He asked quietly.

"My hand." She hissed in return.

"No." He replied with a light smile.

"Hey…" She said warningly, flustered. "People are gonna see!"

"Let them, no one can recognize us anyway…" He waved off her concerns coolly. She looked defiantly back at him for a moment as a red hue claimed her cheeks, and sighed, for it was true.

They were in Orb, in her own country, in a park to be precise, where hundred percent of the population will recognize Representitive Athha and Chairman Zala. But both of them don't look like themselves… Cagalli wore this collared shirt ,three quarters and a beige hat in which she collected all her hair into, giving her the overall presentation of a boy. Athrun wore a green wig and sunglasses with casual outgoing clothes. So the two of them looked like brothers, only they were holding hands…And Cagalli wasn't about to admit it, but she liked him holding her hand, she liked him loving her this way. Subconsciously, her hand began to tighten around his in return and when Athrun noticed the grip, he chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she demanded immediately.

"Nothing."

"Out with it!"

"Hmm…it's really nothing…it's just…" he replied hesitantly, "You're so…funny. Can't you just admit that you like it?"

"Oh…Well I'm not funny and I Don't!" She replied indignantly as she snatched her hand away and stopped walking, "…and I tell you what's funny! Your wig is funny, it's apple green for heaven's sake!"

"Serious?"

"You look like a clown!" She insisted, sensing her success in turning the tables. Unexpectedly, Athrun's expression hardened, and walked away with replying.

"Hey…HEY! Wait!" Cagalli called to him as she chased after him and stopped him by standing in his way. "You're offended?" she asked gingerly.

"Offended?" he spat in disbelief, "I'm angry!"

"Because I insulted your…hair colour?"

He looked away, and did not reply for a full minute as Cagalli waited for an answer. At last he uttered, "Actually…it's nothing. This is…" he fingered a strand of the green hair, "…Nicol's hair colour." And started brisk walking away again… Cagalli stood rooted to the spot as her brows furrowed, trying to recall where she first heard the name. Realization hit her hard in the face; it was Athrun's friend whom Kira killed…

"Ath…I mean Alex!" She shouted as she caught up with him again, grabbing his arm. "I'm…" she muttered as she bit her lip, realizing that her insensitivity must have hurt him, he continued walking as she spoke again "I'm really… Will you just stop and listen?" She demanded as she yanked his arm forcibly and made him face her.

"I'm sorry, okay. I didn't know, and I'll make up for it…You can ask me to do anything that can appease you…"

"Anything?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Anything. Just don't be angry anymore." She promised, trying to show her sincerity. He studied her for a moment with a stern face before gesturing at the lake behind her, "Jump in."

"What?" She asked incredulously, as if trying to ensure she didn't hear him wrong. He gave her shoulder a light push to indicate his impatience, "Well, please do so now."

"Ath…!You… Are you serious!"

"Very." He replied with a straight face. She frowned as she studied the waters, then glared at him defiantly as an idea hit her.

"All right." Were her parting words as she turned around and leaped into the waters with a big splash. Athrun gasped in surprise as he tried to hold her back by grabbing her collar from behind but he missed. Totally flustered, he yelled, "Hey, I wasn't serious! Cagalli, get up!"

He leaned over the side worriedly as she didn't surface for a time, shouting, "Cagalli!" She broke the water surface, gasping for air and Athrun sighed in relief as he stretched his hand out towards her, "I wasn't serious…I was just kidding with you, who knew you'd really jump! Cagalli?" He asked when she didn't catch his hand, but continued trashing in the water as if she couldn't swim…

"I'm not about to fall for it." He uttered in warning, "We both know you can swim as well as me." But Cagalli didn't respond to that either, and between surfacing to draw staggering breaths, she managed to utter, "Help…got…cramp…!"

Alarmed, Athrun quickly took off his sunglasses and jacket and jumped into the water, drawing his knees towards himself to brace for the impact; he was utterly surprised when he foot struck land prematurely. And he surfaced swiftly, but could only glare as Cagalli laughed, the water only reaching her waist level, "GOTCHA!"

"Cagalli, this isn't funny, I believed you!" he replied testily, wiping the water from his brow as the green wig floated by…

"Well, so did I." She laughed even louder as she jabbed a finger at his waist, he evaded her attack successfully and poked her back. She lost balance in trying to avoid his blow and slipped and fell, her foot sliding backwards and landing on him. Athrun caught her deftly as they fell and he used his other arm to push himself up. When he recovered his stance enough to look, he found her face just centimeters away and his heart started pounding in his ears.

She gazed at him quietly with equal interest, a small smile beginning to light up her face, her arms curled in tighter about his neck, pulling him so close that the tips of their noses were almost touching. Athrun blushed, and turned away, slightly uncomfortable with her so close to him, but she responded by cupping his face with one hand, wanting him to look at her as her lips drew closer...

"..Wait." He whispered hurriedly, "We are both supposed to be guys, right?". She rolled her eyes, mildly irritated with his hesitance and she whipped off her hat, allowing her wet hair to fall to her shoulders in locks. "Better?" She asked sarcastically.

"Much better." He answered as he laid his hand at the back of her head and wheeled her in for a kiss. Cagalli smiled as she responded enthusiastically, her hands reached to explore the texture of his jaw and trailed down his neck and chest. While their lips were locked in passion no fire can express and hunger not even the water could quench. Athrun closed his eyes, enjoying every moment of it, not caring if they were in a public lake…At one point Cagalli broke away briefly and whispered into his ears, "We haven't smooched since what…a week ago?"

"It doesn't matter…" he answered swiftly as he caressed her neck playfully, she giggled as she removed strains of wet hair sticking to his temples, tucking it behind his ear. And he stopped what he was doing, and just looked at her, wondering what she was doing. Cagalli loved the way those beautiful, emerald green look at her with puzzlement. She liked the way the water is dripping off locks of his hair and tip of his nose; she even liked the water that was straining down his bare, wet neck.

She leaned forward, pressing her fore head with his and closed her eyes, cupping his face in her hands. He responded by fingering her chin, tilting her head backwards, and just as their lips were about to touch, Athrun heard the unmistakable sound of a camera click… and the two of them turned sharply to find Dearka holding a camera.

Dearka smiled and explained, "Do continue, Miria is looking for something to report on and news about the Chariman of PLANTs and the representative of Orb French-kissing in a public park will make headlines…" He announced gleefully and he turned to talk to an imaginary person beside him, "Miss, did you read the newspaper lately…WOAH!" He darted aside as Cagalli's boot missed his face by a few inches, and she leaped up from the water, sending a punch into his face. "Hey!"

He ducked and ran, and as a girl and a Natural, she naturally couldn't outrun Dearka. "Come back with the film DEARKA!" She screamed in frustration as she turned back towards Athrun who was still in the water and shouted, "Aren't you gonna do somethin' about it! HUNT HIM DOWN!"

"I can't." He answered quietly.

"WHY NOT? You're a frickin' Coordinator!" She demanded as she wiped the water off her face testily.

"Cause…" he replied softly, as if embarrassed. "I think I sprained my ankle…"

"WHAT! DEARKA !"

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I know the updating speed is next to unbearable, I just joined a cheer dance competition lately and is having a lot of difficulty juggling work, practices and three stories…Three Stories you ask? Hee, I have decided to write a sequel to this one, just keep a look out, kay…

Mingathur