"They say you never forget your first love, but who says that second can't be as good, or even better, than first?"

AN: I love the relationships in GSEED, and how they're all different, but in some aspects, similar. This is a collection of drabbles on romantic relationships in SEED with theme of "second love", focusing on 4 such couples. It will be in two parts, each with 4 chapters; the first part is from the view of the one who loves a second time, and the second part will be from the person who is the second love.

Happy reading, and please drop a line and tell me what you think!

ATHRUN: MEETING

-----------------

Kira-sama, I'm rather fond of him…

Athrun had looked surprised as the pink-hair princess uttered those words.

They were engaged, destined to become one. Even though the choice hadn't been theirs, and they had no say in the matter, Athrun had learned to accept it. He had learned to be kind to her, to impress her, and perhaps, even to love her.

He created Haros for her, remembering the surprise and delight in her eyes as he presented her the robot, painted pink, her favourite colour.

And when he heard the news that her ship went missing on its way to inspecting Junis Seven, he had felt pain in his heart, and fear for the girl.

So when he had heard those words being uttered by his fiancée, he felt his heart clench slightly.

Even though he may have loved her, he never knew if she felt the same way about him. Sure, she accepted the fact that they were to be married, and she liked him enough, but he was never sure whether or not she truly loved him.

Then he had sighed, it didn't matter whether she loved him or not. They were to be married, and that was that, so what if she was less willing than he was.

But it all changed when he met her.

Perhaps it was coincidence that brought them together on that remote little island in the middle of nowhere, or maybe it was Fate.

Either way, their meeting was an unforgettable one. They were enemies, fighting on opposite sides of the battle. But for one moment, they put aside their differences and saw each other for who they were, just two kids in the middle of a conflict created by adults. Neither fully understood the meanings behind the war, and both had conflicting views on it.

But despite that, she had impressed him. She was everything that Lacus was not. Cagalli was a tomboy, a girl who was not afraid to speak her mind, to use a gun, and to rush headlong into battle.

Their meeting was brief. And even though she had tried to kill him—and vice versa—it ended in a good note, with the girl telling him her name, and calling that she hoped they'd meet again.

And indeed, they did meet again. This time, he was injured, and she had threatened him with a gun, tears flying as she demanded to know where the pilot of the Strike was. There were tears in his eyes as well as he explained his actions. They cried together, her yelling at him for killing his friend, and him desperately trying to justify his actions.

He killed Nicol!

Someone's killed for killing another, then that guy's killed for killing him. How is that kind of twisted thinking ever gonna bring us peace!

Her words struck him hard. They made him think about, and regret, his actions.

When he had heard that Lacus had risked everything to help Kira, he knew it was over.

Yet, it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would, because on his mind and in his heart, there was another girl.

Of course it hurts, you were shot by your own father…But it's not too late, there's still a chance.

She gave him her pendent to protect him, and she was there to assure him, to comfort him, and made him realize that this time, he had a choice.

I'm really glad to have met you.