Author's notes: A Cagalli birthday fic!

Yayy! It's Cagalli's birthday as well as Kira's! But in this fic, only Cagalli and Athrun appears. So...Sorry Kira! But happy birthday to you too!

For this fic, please watch the rating! Hehe...

Thanks to all my reviewers as well!

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny or any of it characters.

Loophole

"Cagalli, are you done yet?"

"No Athrun, I'm not done yet." Cagali replied without looking up from her desk full of papers. "And don't try getting me to stop. I know that they will pull me off work for some birthday party tomorrow so I've got to finish this today." She said.

"But Cagalli, it's your birthday tomorrow! It's natural that they would want you to have a nice rest and enjoy your birthday!" Athrun argued. "Besides it's Kira's birthday tomorrow too! Kira would feel bad if his twin was not celebrating their birthday together!"

"Yeah whatever." Cagalli answered boredly. "How are you doing looking through your stuff?" she asked.

"Huh? Er…just fine…" Athrun replied.

Cagalli looked up. "Athrun, it's good enough I consented to allow you to help me with my work after all the requests from you, Kira, Lacus, Murrue, Mirialla and whoever else who knows me. Do not give me slipshod work just because you want me to get some rest!" she gave a warning look to Athrun.

"Er…yes Cagalli!" Athrun sweatdropped and went back to his work.

There was silence in the room, only with the sounds of the flipping of pages and writing. Athrun sat on the couch going over some papers and looking up now and then. He noticed Cagalli was totally immersed in her work. He wondered how much strength she had in her, having so many sleep-deprived nights. However he seriously doubted she looked just as strong as she seems. What she needs is a shoulder to lean on, someone to care for her, someone she would allow to care for her.

Just then, the clock struck twelve. Athrun smiled. He carried a stack of papers to Cagalli's table.

"Cagalli!" Athrun said.

"What is it Athrun?" Cagalli let out without leaving her amber eyes off a document in front of her. "If it's about going to sleep then you better buzz off. You can go to bed if you want to."

"No! It's not about sleeping!" Athrun told her. "I found a loophole!"

At this, Cagalli finally raised her head. "A loophole? Where? In the judiciary system? What is it all about?" she asked curiously.

Athrun shook his head gravely. "Telling you the truth, I do not know if I should really bring it to light…"

"What is it? Hurry Athrun! Tell me!" Cagalli demanded impatiently.

Athrun was still holding his grave expression. "The loophole; it's about rape."

"What!" Cagalli burst out, rising from her chair with her palms on the table. "Where is it!" she demanded.

If there was something Cagalli hated, it was rape, molest and stuff like that. She felt that it was a man's basic force of weapon against a woman. It was like a show of the predominance of the XY chromosome to the XX chromosome. Cagalli, being a headstrong woman (although not a full-fledged feminist) hated such things to the core.

"Where is it!" Cagalli demanded again, this time in a louder voice. "Tell me! Now!"

Athrun sighed. "It seems that many men have been able to get away with it…"

"What!" Cagalli shouted, not caring that it was already midnight. She bit her thumb, thinking of ways on how to get evidence and convict those who were able to escape their punishment through the loophole in the judiciary system. "Athrun! Tell me now!"

Athrun gave a sly smile. "Oh yes Cagalli, the loophole is an expensive one too!" Cagalli raised an eyebrow at this. "This is the loophole…" With that, he brought something out of his pocket while she peered curiously.

"A…Athrun!" Cagalli blushed when she realised what was the 'loophole'. In Athrun's hand was a stunning diamond ring made of pure white gold. The diamond shimmered under the light of the room, reflecting its beauty.

"Isn't this the loophole for rape?" Athrun smiled as he neared Cagalli. Raising her left hand, he put the ring on her ring finger.

Cagalli was already blushing until her cheeks were as red as a tomato. The blush deepened when Athrun closed their distance and put the ring on her finger.

"But Athrun…" Cagalli blushed. "You did…did…did not…ra…ra…rape me… I…We…" she stuttered, her amber orbs fixed anywhere but on Athrun. Her cheeks were burning so hot she felt an egg could be cooked on them.

Athrun laughed as he put his hands across Cagalli's waist and kissed her forehead while she continued her blushing. He then gazed down lovingly at her.

"Cagalli." He said gently as Cagalli slowly raised her head to meet her amber eyes with his emerald ones. "Happy birthday!"

"Eh?" Cagalli let out, surprised. "But it's not…" she turned to look at the clock. It was already past twelve which means…it was her birthday!

"Athrun…" Cagalli gazed at him before she thought of something. "But I'm not going to marry you if you don't propose properly!" she said with a cute pout forming.

Athrun laughed again and pressed Cagalli closer. "I will definitely propose to you officially when the time comes! But now, my present for you isn't the ring, instead, it's my commitment. This will show you that I belong to you and no one else." He pecked her lightly on the cheek. "But it's also to show to the world that you're already taken!" Athrun gave Cagalli a cheeky grin which earned him a playful hit on the arm.

"Anyway." Athrun gently stroked Cagalli's blond hair earning him another blush. "Happy birthday Cagalli." He said and raised her chin. He slowly moved his lips towards hers and she accepted his kiss readily. To Cagalli, Athrun is one of the best birthday presents she had ever got.

Author's notes: For the thoughts about the rape part, it's not by me! It came from an article my teacher in high school asked us to read, or rather got us to read. It's feministic, but the quote did not come from me all right! So please do not scold me or anything if you disagree with it!

I got this loophole idea from an ad advertising rings so...

Please read and review!