A/N: I'm sorry for not updating, but see I'm not dead just lazy and I have writer's block. Here's chapter NINE! (The plot will begin moving next chapter!)
Chapter 9: Yzak and Karissa"Okay so where are we headed to?" asked Yzak. Karissa just looked at Yzak a little surprised as she had heard that he was relatively cold from Lacus.
"Is it okay if we go to the mall?" asked Karissa thoughtfully.
"Umm… Okay." Replied Yzak although reluctantly. 'Doh! Why did I just say yes?' thought Yzak. 'But how could you say no to that face?' replied a second voice. Yzak began to drive again perplexed by the voice that had talked to him.
Karissa was now looking through her purse, her hair creating a curtain around her face. Just as Yzak thought everything was going to quiet down, a certain pink ball shot out of Karissa's purse on a collision course with Yzak's face.
"Holy shit!" snarled Yzak as he grabbed the ball out of midair centimeters away from his face. "What the hell is this, this thing doing here?"
"Well Lacus asked me to take care of it, and since she's my boss I naturally said yes." Replied Karissa saddened that she had angered one of such a high status. Yzak's hard expression softened as he saw the tears threatening to fall.
"Sorry, I just overreacted a little that's all." apologized Yzak. At this point Yzak was still wondering why he could never bring himself to be completely detached from this girl. He just could not look her in the eye and say no.
"It's all right Mr. Joule. Haro can be quite annoying sometimes. I completely understand you sentiments toward it." Responded Karissa.
"You don't need to be so formal. Just call me Yzak." Returned Yzak as he swerved around the corner.
Karissa's lips quirked at this as she tried to hide her smile. Then as she looked at the scar on Yzak's face she realized how much pain he must have endured. And to not have it removed? He must have been really ashamed of it.
"You want to know the story behind my scar don't you? And why I didn't have it removed?" inquired Yzak as he caught Karissa staring at it.
"I'm sorry." Muttered Karissa afraid of incurring the wrath of Yzak once more. Yzak just looked at her his heart screaming he was sorry and yet his head held no pity. His heart won.
"Don't be, you did nothing wrong. Everybody who sees me looks at it. It's almost impossible not to see it." Replied Yzak letting out a small smile to quell the fears that Karissa had.
Emboldened Karissa ventured to inquire, "Why didn't you have it removed?"
No one had ever directly asked him that and to be honest, he was quite surprised. He had the urge to snap at her, but he suppressed it. He had no idea why he could never bring himself to hurt or be cold to her. Whenever she was near he always got a warm sensation that enveloped him.
"I just didn't feel the need." Replied Yzak. It was a lie, but he couldn't just tell her that it was a scar of shame and despondency.
"That's not all is it?" countered Karissa laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.
All of a sudden Yzak felt at ease as if he had known her all his life. He never felt this way around anyone. He even forgot that the damned Haro was there. The dam that held all of his repressed emotions broke. All of the control he had had over his emotions was gone.
"I kept it because of my humiliation on the battlefield. I've gotten over it, but I guess I could never really forget." replied Yzak truthfully. Karissa smiled at Yzak and yet something still did not feel right.
"I'm sorry. Oh, I know let's go get it removed today!" exclaimed Karissa giving Yzak the puppy-dog face, the idea dawning upon her as they were heading to the mall anyways.
Yzak corked an eyebrow at her, but seeing the look on her face finally made him give in. At this point Karissa just did a happy dance in her head. Yzak did not know why, but whenever she looked happy he felt happy inside as well.
"Okay we're here." stated Yzak blandly not looking forward to hours of shopping and probably bag carrying as well.
"Oh, don't look that depressed. I don't take hours to shop." Giggled Karissa seeing the long face Yzak was putting on.
Yzak let out a sigh of relief and began to walk calmly at a steady pace towards the entrance. Enveloped in his own thoughts he suddenly realized what had been bothering him, Karissa's eyes. Her eyes were sad when she laughed. His thoughts were shoved aside as they entered the mall. Yzak had never been to a mall of this size and frankly, he was amazed.
"Come on let's go to that shop over there." Said Karissa quickly dragging Yzak into one of the many clothing stores situated on the first floor.
Within five minutes of entering Karissa had already gone through the entire store and selected her tentative purchases. Within this time period Yzak had also become the living clothes rack. With a groan he finally sat down to wait for Karissa to try on her clothes. Soon Karissa emerged wearing a light summer dress that made her look absolutely stunning. Yzak was so awed at her beauty that he did not even know he was gaping like a goldfish. Karissa did not notice as she was too busy looking at her feet blushing.
"How do I look, Yzak?" asked Karissa still not looking up afraid that Yzak might say she looked horrible.
"Y-you lo-look ab-absolutely stunning." stuttered Yzak still recovering from the initial shock. It was true a couple of other guys in the store were drooling at the sight of Karissa.
"Thanks, Yzak." replied Karissa in a light tone. In the next fifteen minutes Karissa had tried on every last piece of clothing she had picked out and each time she looked more beautiful to Yzak.
"Get a grip on yourself. You're a soldier, not a hormone crazed teenager." muttered Yzak darkly to himself.
As Karissa walked up to the register, Yzak's gentlemanly instincts kicked in, and before he knew what he was doing he was paying for Karissa's purchases. Soon they had walked out of the store and the sad look in Karissa's eyes had dissipated.
"You shouldn't have done all that for me, Yzak." smiled Karissa.
"I'm sure you can find some way to make it up to me." grinned Yzak as they walked on the second floor down to 'the place' as Karissa called it. A very strange thought occurred to Yzak as they were walking. Firstly, was that he was carrying two large shopping bags full of a girl's clothing. This was very unusual not only because he rarely went on dates, but because he was known for being very cold and indifferent. Secondly, Yzak had come to Orb at his mother's wishes as a ZAFT representative and yet here he was on a date with a girl he had just met the day before. Inside Yzak knew that this girl was special. She had done something to him and it was causing many changes to occur.
"Okay we're here." stated Karissa stopping in front of a laser cosmetic office. "This place comes very highly recommended."
"Wait a second, we walked all the way here to get my scar removed?" asked Yzak incredulously.
"Yup. You kind of spaced out while we were walking so I already called ahead and told them you were coming so why don't we head inside?" asked Karissa already opening the door and striding inside.
"For a place that comes so highly recommended it sure is empty." Replied Yzak surveying the nearly empty waiting room.
"Well, it is pretty late in the day, I mean people are probably anxious to get off work and go home." explained Karissa softly not wishing to disturb others
Suddenly a voice rang out, "Commander Yzak Joule?"
"That's you, silly." giggled Karissa seeing Yzak with an alert and confused face. Yzak nodded, stood up, strode over to the nurse and into the surgical room.
"Oh, wait." Yzak suddenly stated as he pulled out his cell phone and handed it to Karissa. "I'm expecting a call from one of my subordinates, so could you please take it for me if she calls?"
"Sure thing." responded Karissa as she looked at Yzak striding back towards the surgical room.
"So, you must be Yzak Joule of ZAFT right. I'm honored that you would choose us to remove your scar. This process is simple. Just lie back and wait for it to be over. It may be a little tingly, but not anything too out of the ordinary. Just sit back and relax and I'll be back when it's over." explained the doctor as Yzak looked at the machinery uncertainly. As the doctor left the surgical tools whirred to life. The laser positioned itself directly over Yzak's eyes and began its process.
Outside, Karissa was nervously waiting. 'I hope Yzak will be okay. He really is a nice guy considering what others have said about him. I wish he'd open up to me more. I wonder what he'll look like without that scar of his. If he was already so handsome with the scar then…' Karissa's thoughts were cut short by the ringing of Yzak's cell phone.
"Hello, this is Commander Joule's cell phone. May I ask who's calling?" greeted Karissa in her professional secretary voice.
"Karis? That you?" came a cheerful voice in the other end. There were loud construction noises in the background.
"Shiho Hahnenfuss? Is that you?" shrieked Karissa as she shot up in her seat. Shiho and she had been friends since they were three while Karissa still lived in the PLANTs.
"So it really is you Karis. Gosh, I haven't seen you in six years!" shouted Shiho from the other side of the phone.
"Yes, it's me. I didn't know you enlisted in ZAFT or that you were Yzak's subordinate." responded Karissa.
"On first name terms already? I sense a relationship." taunted Shiho.
Karissa furiously blushed as she retorted, "Yeah, well…ummm…yeah…"
"Geez, trailing off. I heard you were Lacus Clyne's secretary, thank you very much. How come you didn't tell me about that, huh? Anyhow is Commander Joule there? I need to talk to him." asked Shiho just as Yzak walked out of the surgical room in all his glory without the scar.
"He's coming." responded Karissa; "I just had his scar removed so go ahead and ask about it." added Karissa as an undertone.
"The call's for you Yzak. How come you didn't tell me you knew Shiho?" asked Karissa as she handed him his phone.
Phone Call- Secured Line. Commander Joule Shiho Hahnenfuss
Shiho- "Commander Joule, how come you did not inform me that you knew my friend Karis?"
Yzak- "Shiho, I did not know you knew her. Did you have something important to say?"
Shiho- "Yes, sir. The Buster and Duel XFs are being moved to the ship now and I will be coming to Earth for my time off to join Sami."
Yzak- "All right. And I know what you're thinking, 'Why do I let Karissa call me by my first name?' I met her last night at the ball and during the Blue Cosmos crisis. You heard about it right?
Shiho- "Yes, sir. You also reminded me that your mother is sending me as your bodyguard until the whole situation is solved. So I will be accompanying you on your vacation."
Yzak- "All right then I have to go."
Shiho- "Sir, I will be seeing in a few days. Good Bye"
End Call
"So, aren't you going to tell me how you know my friend?" asked Karissa kindly as she looked into Yzak's now scar free face. Then she added, "Great, now you don't look like Al Pacino."
"Al what? Oh, crap let's go." Grunted Yzak as he pulled Karissa's hand as he picked up the bags. "Oh, yeah and thanks brining me to the scar removal. I really appreciate it." smiled Yzak looking into Karissa's warm blue eyes with affection.
"Sure no problem." Responded Karissa graciously as she entered the car and they drove off towards the palace once more to meet Kira, Lacus, Cagalli, Athrun, Dearka, and Miriallia for their evening plans.
A/N: I'm so, so, so, so sorry for not updating. (Takes the Strike Freedom's Super Powered Beam Cannon and fires at myself.) I had so much work and I was lagging behind. Just for those of you who don't know, I'm a GUY. I just have some friends and classmates that are extremely girlish (mind you, they are girls not transvestites). Anyhow I will be updating soon as I have already started the next chapter. Thanks you guys!
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