The Hotness Factor

by HotaruZala

AXC. Cagalli takes a quiz in one of Lacus's magazines and leaves the magazine wide open on her desk. Athrun walks in while she is at a meeting and reads what she wrote about him...and he is anything but ecstatic. What's a poor Coordinator to do?

4. An Officer And A Gentleman

Heyas everyone! Sorry It's taken so long for an update, I've been really busy with work...but trust me when I say that this chapter will truly make up for my long absence. -giggles- Since it's been so long since I updated and I'm sure you all want to get to the story, I'll just leave you with one final thought here before you begin reading and that is...is too much of a good thing bad for you? -giggles- I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! -smiles-

Disclaimer: I do not own GS, GSD, or any of the AsuCaga and Athrun hotness you are about to witness...it would be nice if I did though ne? -giggles-

-The Hotness Factor- Part Four: An Officer & A Gentleman-

-Country of Orb, May 17h CE 74. Location: Athha Estate. Time: 10am -

Cagalli had been pacing back and forth in her room a great deal now. Not only were those two councilmen still at each other's throats, but she had another issue to deal with and his name was Athrun Zala. That whole scenario that had taken place in the elevator the other day was still very vivid in her mind. All of his flirtatious comments and seductive mannerisms that simply came natural to him; had pushed her above and beyond her limits of self control. The one comment that seemed to stick the most with her was what he said after they got off the elevator as he walked away. She couldn't get that seductive tone of voice out of her mind when he had whispered: "Next time...I'll take you higher." Her face flushed a brilliant red just thinking about that. It made a shiver run down her spine the sexy way those words came out of his incredible mouth. She thought about how she'd practically jumped him right in that elevator, which caused her to smirk and giggle a bit: "I guess that surprised him as much as me given that look of shock in his eyes." She glanced at Athrun's uniform jacket that she'd hung over her chair, expecting him to come back for it some time that day. She walked over to the chair next to her bed, picked up the jacket, and then hugged it tightly to her chest as if she were embracing Athrun himself, and in doing so; she caught a whiff of the delicious cologne he had been wearing the other day. She heaved a heavy sigh and then took a seat in that same chair with the jacket on her lap as she frustratedly ran her fingers through her short golden hair: "God...what's wrong with me?"... "I'm sniffing and hugging jackets now."... "Do I really want him so much I've gone beyond words to express how I feel?"... "Damn it Athrun...where are you?...I want to see you."

Meanwhile, said Coordinator was pacing back and forth in his room on the other side of the estate. The events of the previous day still making his pulse race as wildly as it had the moment all of those things started happening. He remembered Cagalli forcefully shove him up against the wall and wreak unholy havoc upon his unsuspecting lips. Man oh man how he wished he had been more prepared for that kind of reaction. He was also very surprised with his own behavior that seemed to be becoming more and more devilish and seductive as the days of the week passed. He thought of a few sentences that had come out of his mouth the previous day: "I won't bite...unless... you want me to."... "Next time...I'll take you higher." His face turned a brilliant shade of red as he frustratedly ran his fingers

through his short blue hair: "Damn it...I can't believe I said all those things. I'm starting to sound like a sex maniac." He glanced at himself in the mirror. He was dressed in his Orb military uniform, but his jacket remained conspicuously missing. He remembered the circumstances involving the mysterious absence of his coat, which caused him to heave a heavy sigh as he continued to glance at himself in the mirror: "Maybe I am a sex maniac...but I can't help it. Any guy with eyes to see her would probably behave the same way."... "I've got to control myself...I almost lost it yesterday, but if today goes as planned, then I can get it back." A small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth as he thought to himself: "I will most definitely redeem my self control with this part of the plan." He took a deep breath, opened the door to his room, and started his long walk down the corridor to the other side of the estate where Cagalli's room resided. Step one of his plan was to retrieve his jacket, and if that went smoothly then the rest of the day would be a cake walk. While he was muttering reassurance to himself that everything was going to go well today, Athrun ran smack into the very person who happened to be occupying his thoughts: "Cagalli..."

Cagalli felt her heart skip a beat when he said her name so innocently, which distracted her so much that she dropped all of the documents she had been holding. Her inner self cursed: "Damn it Cagalli!"... "You have an important meeting to attend in a few hours...you can't be acting like this!" She knelt down and reached out to pick up the scattered papers she had carelessly dropped, and just as she did so, she felt her fingers brush across Athrun's hand.

Athrun smiled his usual warm and gentle smile, only this time his emerald eyes contained a hint of a mischievous glint within them: "Let me give you a hand with that." However, instead of reaching for the papers, he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it sweetly.

Cagalli felt her face burn red hot: "A-Athrun...listen...umm...about yesterday...I was..."... "I mean...I'm sure Kira gave you a hard time."

Athrun shook his head and chuckled: "Nah...I bolted out of there before he even opened his mouth. I've been avoiding him for most of the morning, except for that one time at 9am during the officers meeting when he kept giving me funny looks." He helped her gather all the papers off the floor and placed them carefully in her awaiting arms.

Cagalli laughed a bit: "Yeah...me too...I was getting those looks too. God... he just jumps to the craziest conclusions. You know what he was probably thinking when he saw me with your coat on?"... She paused mid sentence, her voice slightly nervous: "He...He thought we were...that you and I want to..."

Athrun gently tucked a strand of her short blonde hair behind her ear and whispered in it hotly: " Have sex?"

Cagalli felt her heartbeat quicken and her lower half tingle at the feel of his hot breath against her ear. Maintaining her self control, she nodded and replied in as calm a tone as she could muster: "Y-Yeah...that's it."... "Stupid huh?"

Athrun, gazing directly into her amber eyes, kept inching closer and closer to her until she was up against the wall, his lips inches from hers: "Everything I said the other day...do you remember?" He

placed a quick, yet heated kiss on her honey colored lips, his tongue wrapping around hers as he took it deeper. He heard a slight moan escape her mouth and decided then to pull away and finish his sentence by whispering seductively in her ear again, that devilish smirk on his face: "Someday...I will make love to you...Cagalli."

Cagalli's eyes widened as she felt her face grow warm for what seemed to be the umpteenth time that day...and the lower half of her body was now tingling so much that if she didn't get away from him right now, she would probably have him right then and there. She wanted to pull away, her mind told her to...but the rest of her body didn't seem to be responding to her brain's request. She absentmindedly let her index finger trail across Athrun's lower lip: "Y-Yeah...I remember."

Athrun turned a slight red at her delicate touch as he helped her to stand up along with him, their bodies inches apart. He could hear people approaching them in the hallway, so he finished by briefly drawing her close and whispering in her ear: "We'll finish this later...when I pick up my jacket." He broke the hug first and handed her the rest of her papers.

Cagalli, a slight tint of pink on her face; nodded and relpied: "Ummm...yeah...yeah...okay...but I'm not sure when this meeting's gonna end...it could take awhile."

Athrun smirked playfully: "That's okay...I'll wait...maybe take an elevator ride." He noticed Cagalli's face turn beet red before she quickly turned away from in an attempt to try and hide it from him.

Cagalli, her face as red as an apple; stammered in a hiss: "T-That was a one time deal you know?!"... "So don't get any ideas!" She turned on her heels and stalked off down the hall in her usual manner.

Athrun chuckled as he thought to himself: "No ideas huh?" A devilish smirk crossed his face yet again: "We'll see about that."

The rest of the day for the golden haired Goddess of Victory seemed to drag on as slow as it possibly could. The two bickering councilmen only added to the stress that was already building up inside her. She could no longer deny it...even though Athrun was constantly around her, she felt a want, a desire for him so great she couldn't seem to think straight...especially this day. The more the two councilmen in front of her argued, the more she wished she could be anywhere but there. It was noon time now and she sat gazing out the large bay windows of her office during her lunch break, aching to catch a glimpse of the handsome blue haired gentleman, but he wasn't out there. Her friend Miri, who sat in the room with her sitting on one of the sofas; noticed the distracted look in Cagalli's eyes and asked in a friendly tone with a small smile on her face: "Looking for something?"... "Or maybe...someone?"... "If it's who I think it is, then he's usually out there at around this time you know...out by the pool."

Cagalli heaved a heavy sigh and waved her hand dismissively: "Yeah...Yeah...I know that. I guess...I'm just bored." She turned her eyes back to the paper work and sandwich in front of her and took a bite out of it as she reread the document in front of her looking for any errors.

Miri shook her head and ran her fingers through her short auburn hair as she chuckled at the lovesick state her friend was in. She then took a glance out the same window Cagalli had been staring out of just moments before and her baby blue eyes widened at the sight in front of them: "Oh...my...god."... "Cagalli...you have to turn around right now."

Cagalli shook her head and waved her hand as she continued reading her paper work: "I already looked. I know he's not there...so stop teasing me about it."

Miri frustratedly walked over to Cagalli's chair and whirled it around so she was facing out the window: "Geez girl...take a break and revel in the beauty that...lucky for you...can be seen right outside your very own window."

Cagalli looked up from her sandwich and paper work in her hands. Her golden eyes instantly widened at the sight as she felt herself lose her grip on her sandwich as it fell to the floor along with the papers that resided in her other hand. There, right outside her second floor window; she has a perfect view of the pool and of the shirtless person stepping slowly out of it. There stood Athrun Zala in his black swim trunks, water dripping from his gorgeous blue hair and also slowly running off and dripping down his slim and well toned body. She watched, with her mouth agape as he casually ran his fingers through his wet hair and then threw a towel over his shoulders. He took a seat on a deck chair, placed his sunglasses on, and began to read a book he'd seemed to have brought along with the rest of his stuff. Her inner mind theater was going crazy at this point: "Oh god!"... "Look at that sexy body!"... "It's just begging me to get some honey and lick it off him...slowly."

Miri noticed Cagalli's face turn a slight red and could immediately tell what she was thinking in her dirty inner mind theater: "Told you it was worth your while huh?" She received no response from the golden haired girl sitting next to her, so she waved her hand back and forth in front of her face and giggled: "Earth to Cagalli!"... "Are you there?!"... "What are you thinking about?"

Cagalli, still in a state of ecstasy and euphoria from the sight in front of her; responded with a dazed and day dreamy: "I'm thinking about this hot ass..." Her eyes widened and she blushed embarrassed as she caught herself before she could finish that statement and stammered loudly in embarrassment as she tried to cover up her Freudian slip: "I- I mean...!"... "This assignment that I need to get done before I get back in that meeting later."

Miri rolled her eyes, a small smirk on her face as she chuckled: "I see...so..." ... "What about this assignment then?"... "What are you planning to do?"

Cagalli, back to gazing out the window hungrily at the luscious sight in front of her; responded with a distracted: "I'm gonna... let him put his tongue in all the right places..." Her eyes widened again at the suggestive comment that had just come out of her mouth for the second time that day: "I- I mean!... "I'm going to let him put his tongue on me in the elevator!"... "No!"... "I...I mean I'm going to!..."

Miri laughed out loud and covered her friends' mouth: "Relax...it's okay. I know what's on your mind, so you don't have to try and hide it from me."... "You still have lots of time before the meeting starts up again, so why don't you go down there and get what you want." She smirked and winked playfully at Cagalli: "Perhaps something sweet and tasty."

Cagalli felt her face turn a slight red again as she hissed in an embarrassed tone while she was rushing out of her office: "S-Stop it Miri!"... "You're teasing me again!"

Miri giggled as she watched Cagalli take off down the hallway: "Maybe I am...but then again...maybe I'm not..." She glanced out the window and smiled: "My job is now done...the rest is up to you...Athrun Zala."

-Meanwhile-

Athrun was enjoying his free time to himself since all of the meetings he had to attend were finished for the day. Not having any more stuffy meetings to go to for the rest of the day was really a great feeling...a feeling he wished he could share with Cagalli. It was at this point that he was beginning to have trouble relaxing the way he wanted to. His mind was on the golden haired princess who had to be in and out of meetings all day. When they'd been standing so close earlier, he had found himself having a hard time controlling his feelings. He actually felt kind of relieved when he'd heard people coming down the hallway, but at the same time he was also disappointed. He glanced up at the window where Cagalli's office was and noticed she was no longer there. He thought to himself: "She's probably back in that meeting already." He heaved a frustrated sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. It was then that he looked up from his book and noticed the very person he had been thinking about, who was now getting ready to relax in the hot tub on the other side of the pool. He pushed his sunglasses to the bridge of his nose, his emerald eyes widening, his face reddening, his pulse quickening at the sight in front of him. He watched as she slowly let her uniform top slide off, revealing a red bikini top. She then slid her purple pants off to reveal a pair of short swim shorts of the same color as her top, that showed off her strong and slender legs. Athrun could feel a nose bleed coming on, but managed to suppress it as she stepped into the hot tub. He smirked as he eyed her, his inner self chuckling: "She must've been watching me before. I knew I felt someone watching me...and now I see what she's trying to do to me...well...two can play at that game." He placed his book down on the edge of his chair as he stood up to make his way over to the golden haired Goddess of Victory.

Cagalli sat in the tub with her head tilted back and her eyes closed relaxing in the bliss that was her hot tub..the turbo jets working their special magic on her sore back and legs. Suddenly, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and a soft voice ask: "Mind if I join you hime-sama?" A slight smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth: "Yeah...sure...do whatever you want." This was going just as she wanted it to...but little did she know Athrun had plans of his own.

Athrun slid directly next to her in the hot tub, his sunglasses still resting on the bridge of his nose: "So...you in a bathing suit huh?" He took the sunglasses off and placed them on the ground behind him: "I never thought I'd be around to see this day."

Cagalli playfully punched his arm: "What would you rather see then?"... "Would you rather I sit in here naked?"

Athrun's face instantly turned a slight red in embarrassment: "I...I never said that...you're putting words in my mouth...although..." He paused and looked her square in the eyes when he smirked devilishly: "Now that you mention it...it would be nice."

Cagalli's amber eyes widened and she gulped as she felt Athrun's bare shoulder brush against hers: "W-Well...forget it."... "It's not gonna happen...not today."

Athrun leaned closer to her, his lips inches from hers now as he whispered hotly: "Well...when it does..." He placed one of his most seductively long kisses upon her lips, then finished by murmuring against them: "I'll be waiting."

Cagalli turned a bright shade of red, not knowing how to counter that response, and stood up quickly to get out of the hot tub. She suddenly felt herself beginning to lose her footing and just as she was about to hit the pavement, she felt a pair of slim, yet strong arms wrap around her from behind saving her from what could have been a severe head injury.

Athrun asked worriedly as he held her: "Are you okay?"... "You almost took quite a spill there." He smiled and closed his eyes as he continued to hug her from behind: "I've been looking for an excuse to do this all day."

Cagalli felt herself begin to relax in his warm embrace, another blush creeping its way up her face as she stood there for a few more moments letting him hug her before trying to get away again, which resulted in Athrun losing his footing this time, causing him to slip and fall on top of her in a suggestive position. Her face felt so hot she thought she might be getting a fever as those concerned and innocent emerald eyes gazed into hers as he hovered over her, water dripping down his well toned chest: "A-Athrun...please...I need to get back . I have to prepare for the rest of the meeting."

Athrun, still hovering over her in that suggestive position; shook his head like a stubborn child who was getting his play thing taken away: "No...not again...I..." His eyes had a slightly hurt look within them when he said that and he began to feel his self control beginning to slip away again, only this time..he couldn't stop the truth from coming out of his mouth, so he blurted out everything he was feeling at that moment all at once: "I can't deal with these distractions anymore!"... "I love you!"... "I want to be with you!"... "If...If I have to wait for an answer for much longer...!" He looked directly at her with his intense emerald eyes: "...I think I'll go insane!"... "I know it sounds like I'm being selfish, but sometimes...I just...!"... "...want you all to myself." He immediately turned a slight shade of red in embarrassment as he managed to pull himself off of her before they ended up doing the same stuff they had done in the elevator: "I...I'm sorry. I have to go. I'll pick up my jacket later." He grabbed his book, sunglasses, and towel before he turned abruptly on his heels and walked away. Once he was out of sight, he leaned up against a wall, frustratedly ran his fingers through his damp navy blue hair, and cursed to himself: "Damn it!"... "Not again...I lost control again!" ... "What's wrong with me?!"

Cagalli still lay on the ground next to the hot tub, staring up at the blue sky, her mouth agape in shock as she thought to herself: "What the hell just happened?!"... "Did he just confess again?!" She slowly sat up and saw he had disappeared from her sight. She whispered as she gazed in the direction he had left in: "I want you all to myself too...Athrun."

- Later on that day: Time: 2pm -

Athrun sat at the desk in his room back in his Orb uniform, minus his jacket of course; scolding himself for losing it earlier: "I can't believe I said all those things to her just because she mentioned that meeting. I might've just ruined the whole plan with that outburst." He laid his head down upon his

hands that rested on his desk: "What am I supposed to do now?"... "Can I really go on with this plan and continue acting this way?" He glanced over at the magazine that started all this and picked it up as he asked himself: "Is it good that I found this thing?"... "I guess this is my conscience's way of punishing me for reading her personal thoughts." He shoved the small magazine in his pants back pocket and heaved a heavy sigh: "I suppose I should go see how that meeting is going." It was at that moment when he was just about to step outside the room when Miri came bursting through his door, a worried look on her face: "Athrun!"... "You have to come with me right now!"... "It's Cagalli!..."

Athrun turned pale as a ghost and nearly felt all the blood drain from his body and his heart leap into his throat as he exclaimed worriedly: "What is it?!"... "Is she alright?!"... "Did something happen?!"

Miri nodded: "She's fine, but something did happen. The two councilmen that had been arguing turned on her and now they're scolding her for being too distracted...by you."... "Kira's doing his best to fend them off, but it's not working this time."

Athrun slammed his fist against the wall, emerald orbs radiating with anger: "Damn it!"... "I knew this would happen!"... "This is my fault."

Miri shook her head frustratedly and grabbed his arm, dragging him down the hall as she ran: "No!"... "No it's not!"... "Why should they make such a federal case about two people who love each other...who just want to be together?!" They paused just outside the meeting room door, where they could hear Cagalli arguing her hardest, but getting nowhere. Miri placed a supportive hand on Athrun's shoulder: "It's up to you now Athrun Zala. You can just give up, forget any of this ever happened, and continue to love her from a distance saying nothing...or you can go through with the plan you told me about."... "This is your decision."

Athrun nodded and smiled: "Thank you Miri...for everything." He then turned to face the large oak doors in front of him and violently kicked them open as if he were on a raid, causing a stir in the meeting room and shocked expressions from both Kira and Cagalli, and even their bodyguard Kisaka when he shouted angrily: "What is this an inquisition...?!"... "...Because if it is...I should have been called here as well since I'm the guilty one here!" He heard one of the two bickering councilmen scoff arrogantly: "Guilty of what?"... "This has nothing to do with you. This is about her responsibility and...!"

Athrun flashed him a death glare so violent that it even made Kira take a few steps back: "Oh cut the bullshit!"... "Everyone here knows what this really is!"... "You two can't settle your personal differences, so you take it out on her because you don't think she'll fight back and frankly...I'm damn sick and tired of it!" He walked calmly over to Cagalli and grabbed her arm: "C'mon...let's get out of here...we'll go someplace quiet."

Cagalli,with a slight blush and a look of shock still on her face; stammered in a hiss: "B-But...I can't just leave!"... "I'm running this meeting!"

Kira shook his head at his sister and then flashed a wink and a nod in Athrun's direction: "I'll take care of this Cagalli...I can handle it."

Cagalli hissed, amber orbs flashing angrily: "No you can't!"... "I have to!..." Before she could finish speaking, Athrun silenced her with the same seductively sweet kiss he had given her in the elevator, and then lifted her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style towards the doors while she was blushing and telling him to put her down. The other of the two bickering councilmen, who were both in shock over this whole scene; shouted: "Who do you think you are barging in here like this?!"... "You can't just take her!..."... "We're not finished here yet!"

Athrun, his eyes still in SEED mode; flashed them another malicious death glare and in his usual calm tone, and with just a hint of sarcasm; he stated: "Who am I?"... "You should know by now that I am Athrun Zala...and it's pretty obvious what I came in here for." He looked them all square in the eyes as he finished his sentence: "I came for what's mine...for what I want right now. I love Cagalli Yula Athha and she loves me...so just shut the hell up and deal with it!" With that, he slammed the doors closed and took off with her still in his arms to his machine the Infinite Justice.

Cagalli, her face still a slight red from what had just happened; hissed: "W-What the hell was?!..."... "Hey!"... "Where are we going?!"

Athrun simply smiled sweetly and winked as he sat her on his lap and started his red mobile suit: "It's a surprise."

Okies everyone! That's the end of this chappie! -smiles- I hope everyone had as much fun reading it as I had writing it. This chappie is dedicated to my friend Beth (aka Miri), since she came up with the clever line of Athrun's at the end where he said: "I came for what's mine...for what I want right now."...so props to her for coming up with that! -smiles-& -HUGS- Thank you so much sweets! The last chapter is coming up, so there is going to be a lot of AsuCaga happiness coming up...make sure you stay tuned for that! -smiles- and don't forget to press that little button on the bottom that says review because I'm sure Athrun would love and appreciate it if you rated his performance for this chapter. -giggles-