Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.
A/N: Thank you Fllay Fan, anon, Dhevz, missfk21, and Lycoris-47 for your wonderful reviews. :)
" " for speech
Italic for flashbacks, thoughts, and opinions.
I apologize for bad grammar and the delay... Sadly, the chapter didn't exactly turn-out how I pictured it would be (I fail! OTL), but still I hope you guys get to enjoy it.
Cucumber & Cantaloupe: Chapter 3
Approximately four months later, one fine weekday afternoon, at a street corner near University ground.
"Brit, do you think this will get Stan to notice me?" The girl asked the other, dangling the bracelet she was trying on.
"Mmm... If it doesn't, I'm not sure what will. I'm starting to think I should get one as well..."
"Oh, you should, Brit, you should! You won't know... It might just get Orga to ask you out." The other girl singsongy said causing the one called Brit to blush.
"It might, doesn't it?" The girl paused, considering. "... I'll take a pouch!"
"Good luck to us!"
And so the two giggled girlishly.
00000
Meanwhile, same area, three meters to the side.
Yzak Joule's brow creased in concentration. Ignoring everything else around him, intently, his eyes narrowed as he focused on the small trinkets all lined-up neatly on the makeshift table.
Love charms— brings bearer good fortune, fulfillment of love or wish for finding a partner. Only six Orb Dollars a piece.
Sure enough, after having accommodated the girls, the peddler turned to her next customer, looking pleased.
"Love charms, sir? Powerful stuff... Helps set the fire... Perfect for romantics."
This made Yzak jerk up and glare at the plump-looking woman with the bandana. He had- never ever been accused of being a romantic. During his twenty-three years on earth, he had never written a girl's first name with his last; never tried to act sweet; never done anything for the sake of pleasing another.
Eventually, Yzak turned to look at the rest of the women there, six at least, who were now looking at him like they've just spotted— the most adorable thing in the world, for being the only male there, dammit! He glared at them too!
"No! I was only looking!" He shouted at all of them, blushing, before quickly stomping away as if insulted. Their eyes followed him. He never looked back of course, only compressed his already tightened fist.
Darn. It's hard to be a guy.
00000
"Sorry, man. Love to but can't. I got a date with Milly on that day." —Dearka
"Sorry, Yzak. I promised to help Cagalli with charity work. Maybe next time?" —Athrun
"Sorry, Yzak, but I can't." —Miguel
...
"Yzak?"
The male concerned absentmindedly flicked another biscuit crumb on the table.
"Yzak, are you okay?"
The guy sent more pieces flying until he felt a delicate hand touch his fingers. He blinked at the hand, roused, flushed, and then abruptly pulled back, yanking his entire arm out of its reach like he'd been bitten by some kind of infectious bug. In that instant, he was reminded of where he was and who he was with: At A&A's, on the second floor, spending breakfast with Flay Allster who sat across from him; same time; same table like they've been doing frequently and discreetly for some time now.
"I told you not to do that!" Yzak shouted at Flay. He meant- being touchy-feely with him. It made him edgy, she knew that already!
"That's because you weren't listening." Flay faked a pout and took a biscuit while he rubbed his hand grumpily.
"You know, I'm not entitled to listen to you all of the time!"
She took a bite off the cookie indifferently. "I know."
He gave her ten seconds.
"So I was saying, I'd like to get Lacus and Kira together next. The theme will include: the auditorium, pornography, and community service," Flay said when she was positive that she had his attention. "I bet you fifty that I can get those two together in a week." She smirked at him.
He glared at her.
Their eyes locked seriously.
Basically, that simply sums-up their routine during breakfast— talk, bet, plot and... if fortunate, talk some more.
To be frank, they were never close to begin with... The set-up was done only because back in earlier days, he had accidentally caught Flay secretly playing cupid for some hopeless idiots in communication class. And instead of exposing the scheming witch that she was, he had been foolish enough to be egged into betting against her. So the rest built-up from there.
Admittedly though, Yzak had actually found the hobby entertaining. Of course, what better ways was there to past the time than to mess around with Athrun's and Dearka's love life, right? So yes, it had been amusing at first; now however, not so much, especially when he's left to live alone with the bitter taste of aftermath. All thanks to Flay's mad emotional quotient and his soft idiotic friends. Yzak swore by his grandparents' grave— he'll never bet on those idiots again.
"Yzak?"
Right! Kira. Lacus. Fifty Orb dollars. One week. Yzak face crumpled, suddenly recalling the annoying fact that his so-called buddies got no time for him now that they've got their women.
Money wasn't an issue. Time doesn't matter really. What did bothered him though was— Kira? She wants to set up his friend, Kira, this time!
Yzak smacked the table with agitation as he jumped.
"Forget it!" He snapped.
Flay frowned. "What's wrong?"
Yzak gritted his teeth. Everything! He wanted so much to shout. "I'm not helping you pair off anymore of my friends!" He declared, somewhat accusingly, which led Flay to look at him, turn away, amusement overriding her should be- disappointment.
"Well, someone's grouchy this morning."
He didn't back off. If anything, his jaw hardened.
"I mean it, Flay! I acknowledge your effectuality to read people, but these dumb bets ends now!"
In response, Flay only shrugged. She leaned back, hands pressing on the cushion of her seat.
"I don't understand what the big deal is about or why you're getting so angry. It's not like anyone's getting hurt or anything."
"Athrun, Dearka, Rusty, Miguel, Heine!" Yzak scowled, naming some of his friends whom she— and he had guiltily helped her— paired off for the past six months! "If this keeps up, I wouldn't have any friends left to hang-out with!" despite they were a bunch of idiots...
They shared a long pause.
Yzak bored his icy-blues at Flay hard trying to prove a point which she returned instead with a blink of realization.
"Could it be that your feeling lonely, Yzak?"
Yzak's face stoned as if Flay had just stabbed him with the fork on the table. That— that was uncalled for! A critical hit! Not that he was going to admit she was right. He was not about to get all soft and start discussing about his feelings! He had much pride in spite troubled times.
"Oh, I can help set you up!" Flay streamed on enthusiastically, driving more imaginary blows into his being.
If it wouldn't make him look so pathetic in front of her, he would probably have dramatically dropped down on his hand and knees due to pain, but the situation, his dignity, demanded that he kept his head held high; thus he settled by dropping back onto his seat, silently withholding the mental agony.
Please God, let Dearka show-up just so he could have someone to punch. Yzak gritted.
"So tell me, who's the lucky girl?" Flay leaned forward with her elbows expectantly. "Do I know her? Could she be a literally major? Would it be Juri from Folkloristics?" No? Arts, maybe? Asagi from Culinary?"
Listening to Flay babble, Yzak bit his lower lip and consciously felt his cheeks turn beat red when the image of his current crush intruded his head. He quickly eyed away. "Mind your own business!"
"What's her name?" Flay insisted.
He flinched. "Nobody!" He felt himself growing unnecessary defensive. "There isn't one!"
Flay looked disbelieving. "You're lying. I'm guessing she lives close by."
"If I said there isn't one then there isn't one!"
"Fine." Flay replied grimly. "How about an ideal then?"
"I'm not like those who can just conjure up an image!"
"Really?" Flay raised a brow. She didn't believe him again; he knew instantly when he caught her eyes flicked from his face to his hand, and instinctively pulled away out of her reach yet again to protect his appendage before Flay could make a move on it.
"Why are you being so difficult?" Flay pouted.
"Why do you care?" He countered.
Flay didn't reply. What she did instead- was pushed herself up close on their table, almost as though she was actually leaning on it and began twirling a finger on a loose strand of her hair.
Unsure of what his natural-scheming companion was trying to pull this time, Yzak reacted defensively, by pressing his rigid back to the support of his chair, thinking that whatever Flay was planning to do won't work on him. He'd seen all of her tricks and they were in fact getting old. Or not! Yzak had realized this too late when Flay held a smoldering gaze at him and followed it with a smile.
"You want to know why I care?" She picked up from where they last stopped.
Surprised by how he was instantly reminded of how pretty she was, Yzak grounded to a halt, beat red.
"Because it's you, Yzak." Flay answered simply. "So please?" She finished with a coo, batting those amazing lashes of hers that she frequently used shamelessly on unsuspecting guys to do her bidding.
His chest thumped unwillingly.
What were they talking about again?
What? NO!
No, don't fall for it! Don't look at her face!
Yzak broke off eye contact only to fall inevitably aware of how the girl's torso was angled over the table, unintentionally giving him an excellent view of her damn! He push the lurid thought away then... For the love of- GAD! He witnessed Flay sweep her hair to one side, purposely showing-off the sensual skin of her neck! He started to sweat. It was a war lost; she was making him ho-... "All right! All right, I'll tell you! Now, will you stop doing whatever the hell you are doing!" Anymore crazy movements from this woman and he would have tipped-over his chair!
And to his utter relief, Flay had kindly pulled back retaining the two meters distance, allowing him to do the same.
"Well?" Flay said, looking utterly pleased of herself.
Yzak on the other hand, glared at the girl. If it's not too much to ask, he would appreciate if she'd give him time to relax first, but then again, watching Flay eagerly watch him was enough to keep him edgy. And he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that. So in rebel, he resulted to fold his arms like a shield.
"D- dark straight hair, okay!" He said hesitantly at first with a blush and a growl, initiatively, because the person in front of him had wavy bright red-colored hair. "Tall, slim, and athletic!" He added momentarily glancing over to Flay before avoiding contact all over. "She has to be quiet. She should know how to listen and follows orders. Someone who doesn't go around minding other people's business!" He continued, eyes slithering back forth to Flay again. "She should know how to dress practically. And—" pause. "And—" Shit! "And a smaller cleavage!"
The last compelled Flay to glanced down at the inner slope of her breast as to measure them.
"Ah. Someone not like me."
Yzak impulsively jerked up to his feet yet again. "Obviously someone not like you!" He shouted at her. That had been clearly obvious!
Maybe because it was early, he hadn't slept much, and his defenses were down, he found himself telling her things that he had not intended.
"I'll let you know when I find her though." Flay's eyes flickered again. Yzak blanched slightly. if she expected him to fall at her feet from gratitude, he rid her of the notion with his remark.
"Seriously, don't bother!" He let the subject drop by shoving his chair forward; he took his coat and computer into arms, and furiously stormed away without another word.
Tsch. Seriously, if he had wanted Flay's help, he would have asked already, but he didn't want her help! If only it hadn't been about— what he meant to say was... if Flay knew what he'd been dealing with in his head, surely …. Shit. Nevermind. He was helpless with girls, especially societal ones like Flay. No, actually, it was more because— Shit. Shit. Shit! Forget it! Just forget it!
Yzak halted at the stairs. Hold that thought.
He marched right back to the table he and Flay had shared, grabbed his almost-forgotten coffee-in-a-cup without giving Flay much of a glance before ultimately striding out of A&A's, feeling extremely annoyed of himself.
SLAM! tinkle. tinkle.
"Hey, take it easy on the door!"
00000
Two weeks passed.
Flay Allster made her way to the campus' indoor swimming pool, to look for a friend. It was movie with Stellar and Lunamaria at five o'clock. And unfortunately, Stellar had gone astray again, not on purpose, just lost track of the time like she usually does. And it just so happens that it was her turn to look for Stellar because Lunamaria was finishing-up an assignment at a computer lab.
"She's probably at the pool; found her there a couple of times dazing at water." Luna told her with a sigh. "You know how she is."
Flay drew a breath, but smiled nonetheless. Stellar's absent-mindedness can be quite problematic at times, but what can they do? Dazing out was also part of the girl's innocent charm.
Sounds of water splashed. And like Lunamaria had said earlier, Flay found Stellar Loussier seated on pool's edge with arms caressing her knees, just staring vastly at water.
Tipping her head to the side, what was she looking at? Flay wondered, but before she could go over and find out, someone else had asked for her attention.
"Excuse me, miss. Could you by chance know where the volleyball court's located?" This tall slim girl with long straight brown hair asked, showing her what looks like the official brochure slash map of the campus.
"First day?" Flay smiled accommodatingly.
"Possible transferee." The girl smiled back. "The coach here generously offered me a scholarship and a varsity position so I came to look around."
"Wow. You're that good?"
The girl laughed. "I probably just got lucky."
They turned back to the map. "So anyways, the gate here is temporarily closed. So what you would want to do is take a left here to get to the other building. Or if you want, you can go through the Archangel building, through that hall over there," She pointed to the open hall across them. "and cross the bridge there to get to the Dominion building. It's the gym on the third floor. You can't miss it."
Flay handed back the map.
The brunette nodded, assert. "Great. Thanks for the help. I better get going." The girl turned to leave.
And Flay amiably sent her off with a little wave.
"No problem. Hope to see you around." She was being honest of course because it would seem she had found the resident hothead a probable match.