This was written a little while after the first two chapters (a week or so later), and is somewhat more brief. This is told in a swap-in-swap-out alternating between Athrun and Luna. I'll leave you to work out who is who.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destiny. I do, however, own the apartmen... o wait, that's in PLANT, so it belongs to Bandai as well. Drat.

Despite the façade, the truth was that they really did care for one another. Both of knew that they were being used. But at the same time, neither of them minded, since they were just as guilty of the said crime.

At first, neither of them really saw much more than a friend-with-benefits in each other. He was using her to forget Cagalli; she was using him to forget Shinn. Yet there was some comfort in being with one another. Maybe it was because they could understand each other's loss due to first-hand experience.

She didn't really know what he thought, but she definitely noticed a change that night. While he was around, although she didn't forget Shinn entirely, the sense of loss wasn't as immense. She was even smiling the next morning.

He'd done it the first time out of pity, as he did have an indirect hand in Shinn's death. But her presence helped lift some of the burden on his shoulders. For some reason, he didn't feel guilty when holding her in his arms.

For the first few months after meeting at the ORB cemetery, it was mainly a phone call, a dinner and a night at either person's apartment. It was just a service, and the other party was always happy to oblige. Things changed, however, when the "nights" became a bit too frequent for living apart to really work. On one occasion they spent four consecutive days in his apartment.

Although wasn't really sure if she'd accept, he figured that given the nature of their relationship, sharing an apartment wasn't that much of a change. Heck, it wasn't as if there was anything of hers he hadn't seen before.

She accepted, because secretly she'd wanted it too. Although the look in his eyes told her that it was out of convenience, it didn't really matter. For some reason, being in his arms made it just that much more bearable. After all they'd gotten to know each other reasonably well, right?

How wrong they were – about each other.

It was after they'd moved in that that accident occurred.

When she'd found out about the ring, she didn't know what to think. Was he taking the entire thing that seriously? Was she ready to move on? As it turned out, she didn't need to worry. He wasn't angry with her finding the ring, but something about his reaction told her she'd just defiled a sacred sanctuary to him. But he did tell her why he kept it.

So it was a shock to him when she produced the phone and explained to him how she was holding on to a relic of the past as well.

It wasn't that neither of them had moved on that was holding them back. It was that neither of them had let go.

Although the situation broke them apart physically, emotionally it brought them closer. The incident made them re-think what the other person meant to them.

To her, it was apparent that he wasn't the friend with benefits anymore. He had somehow worked his way into being an indispensable part of her life. Although she wouldn't say she loved him just yet, she was sure that she did want to be with him.

Being brought up by a strict father, he had always been taught that a de facto relationship was a big no-no. Yet here he was, in one, and breaking all the boundaries he had been taught as a little boy. He wanted to be with her, but could he really let go of Cagalli?

I got to here and decided to end it, but felt it was a little... lacking. Which is how the next chapter came about.

Again R&R appreciated.