Special thanks to trulyanimelover06. This story would never have been half as good without your ideas and help. Thank you. And to the reviewers, thank you so much for taking the time to review. I really apologise for taking this long.
By the way, I'm changing Patrick Zala's occupation. He's the chairman of Zala Corp, the most successful business in the world. So basically he's a business tycoon instead of a politician.
... ... ...
Dedications in alphabetical: .CriMsonxLadY., Aihsire Atha, Alice, AyameRose, Blackcat8794, Byron Lancaster, cagallifangurl, colourfulgurl, Dhevz, eternalasucaga, Fii aka Ficchan, hellopanda23, Jodeist, Joker Oak, Katina Uchiha, kamille murasame, KazumiSakura, Litari Hatake, Miyu Nanami, mokonamodoki93, mrs. zala, patzie24, ren, sakurayamato1, SaKuRaYukIe, Sandyx5, Sawagi-chan, The Blue Mask-cara, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, trulyanimelover06, yuki001, Yuniee
Disclaimer: I do not own gundam seed.
... ... ...
Previously...
Cagalli was in a rush. It took her longer than expected to leave the ballroom with the other guests constantly trying to keep her in a conversation. She could only hope that she could leave before Athrun could reach the ballroom.
Just as she thought everything was going to be fine, someone had called her. Cagalli immediately stiffened and paled. She knew that voice.
"Cagalli? What are you doing here?" Athrun asked.
... ... ...
Chapter 16
"Athrun! Oh umm... Err... Well... You see... You were gone for a really long time and I got tired of waiting. Yup, that's it!" Cagalli said.
"Oh sorry about that... I got lost..." Athrun said slightly embarrassed.
"Have you met your father?" Cagalli asked. In her mind, Cagalli was thanking God for letting her slip away from the ballroom just in time.
"Yea. He didn't look particularly too happy though. He wanted me to meet the princess. If you ask me, he probably just wanted to match make us but of course I'm not interested. Athrun replied. "Besides, she's probably very stuck-up, full of herself, and spoilt rotten."
"No she's not!" Cagalli nearly shouted.
Athrun raised an eye brow. "You know her?"
"Err..." Cagalli fumbled with her words. "No... Not really... I mean I don't know her personally," Cagalli lied.
Athrun continued to look at Cagalli oddly. Feeling uncomfortable, Cagalli fidgeted around.
"But Shinn knows her!" Cagalli quickly added. "She and Shinn are friends! You know... Shinn is nobility... He's the son of a count... He told me lots of stuff about her!"
"Oh... I guess I'm wrong..." Athrun told Cagalli. "Shall we go then? Your voice sounds better now but I still want you to go home and rest."
... ... ...
"You can turn right here and stop at number twelve," Cagalli told the driver.
The black Mercedes turned into a narrow road and came to a halt in front of a metal gate. It took nearly an hour to reach there. The house was located in one of Orb's mountains.
"My parents like to live in the country side," Cagalli explained. "It's quieter here."
Cagalli and Athrun entered the property through the smaller side gate. "Watch your step," Cagalli warned as she and Athrun climbed down the curved stone steps towards the front porch. Being on a mountainous area, the ground was unlevelled. The ground of the gate to the front door was nearly a whole level down.
"Come on in," Cagalli said as she opened the front door and switched on all the lights.
The bedrooms were on a raised wooden platform on the left and a bar counter separated the kitchen and the living room on the right. Right in the middle was a giant glass sliding door leading to the veranda.
Cagalli opened the doors wide to let the cool mountain fresh air in. Walking in to the veranda with Cagalli, Athrun noticed a small lagoon shaped swimming pool below the veranda glistening in the moonlight. Cobblestones paved its way down to the pool and pine trees laid randomly across the carpet grass. Wild flowers, colours of all sorts, surrounded and lined the edges of the hilly garden.
Walking into the maple kitchen, Cagalli took out a small saucepan. "Want some hot chocolate?" Cagalli offered as she pulled the chocolate pastilles and milk out from the refrigerator.
"Wow, you can make hot chocolate?" Athrun asked surprised.
"Are you mocking me?" Cagalli glared at Athrun. "I'm not kitchen illiterate."
"I never said you were!" Athrun quickly said.
"If you do not wish to have some, just tell me," Cagalli told him annoyed.
"Cagalli, you know I didn't mean it that way..." Athrun tried to tell her. "And of course I want to have some..."
Athrun bit his lips as he waited for Cagalli's response anxiously. He should have known better then to comment on Cagalli's cooking.
Cagalli continued to ignore Athrun as she made the hot chocolate. In all honesty, hot chocolate was the only thing Cagalli knew how to make. For a girl who couldn't differentiate domestic appliances, it was weird that Cagalli could do something such as using a saucepan to melt some chocolate.
"Where are your parents?" Athrun asked trying to get Cagalli to talk. The silence was killing him.
"Overseas," Cagalli replied.
Suddenly, Athrun heard a growl.
BOOM! CRASH! BANG!
Everything happened so fast. The next thing Athrun knew, he was lying on the ground with a burning sensation on his chest.
"No Leo!" Athrun heard Cagalli shout. "Naughty Leo! Out! Get out of the house! Go!" Cagalli shooed the cub away. "Oh my gosh Athrun! Are you alright?"
"Yea I think so," Athrun replied at he got up. "What was that?"
"My overweight cat," Cagalli lied. "Wait here ok? I'll go check up on Leo and get some stuff for your burns."
A few minutes later, Cagalli came back with a cold towel and some cream. She ordered Athrun to take off his shirt.
"Does it hurt?" Cagalli asked Athrun as she treated his burns.
"No, don't worry," Athrun assured her.
"Liar..." Cagalli accused. "I know it hurts. I'm really sorry. Leo's not used to strangers... Don't get mad at him ok?"
"It's alright really," Athrun said.
"No it's not!" Cagalli insisted. "It's my fault! I'll make it up to you somehow!"
"Well if you insist..." Athrun said. "How about you take me around Orb tomorrow?"
"Like on a date?" Cagalli blushed.
"Yes," Athrun confirmed turning crimson as well. "Just the two of us... No Kira... No Shinn... No Leo..." he smiled.
"Yes," Cagalli smiled back. "I would like that."
... ... ...
"Sis! I'm home!" Kira suddenly burst through the front door.
"Kira? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be..." Cagalli said surprised.
"Shinn called me and told me that Athrun was bringing you home because you were not feeling well. What kind of a brother would I be now if I were to leave you home alone?" Kira told her.
"A very good one," Cagalli retorted. Of course, Kira was checking up on her. There was no way he was going to let her spend the night alone with Athrun.
"But as you can also see dear brother, I am perfectly fine now," Cagalli told him clearly annoyed.
"Well it wouldn't hurt to make sure," Kira replied. "Where is Athrun anyway? I don't see him."
Just then, Athrun came out from the bedroom half naked. "It's really alright Cagalli. You don't have to..." Athrun stopped immediately when he spotted Kira standing at the doorway with his jaws dropped.
"You two? You... You didn't! No!" Kira was hysterical. He misunderstood the situation.
"Kira, no. You're getting it all wrong," Athrun tried to explain.
"B-but you promised me!" Kira yelled.
"WOULD YOU CALM DOWN AND GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF?" Cagalli yelled back.
"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN? MY BEST FRIEND AND MY SISTER JUST..." Kira shouted but he was cut off by Cagalli.
"FOR GOODNESS SAKE KIRA! WE DID NOT HAVE SEX! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M ALL DRESSED UP?" Cagalli screamed at him exasperated.
That seemed to have calmed Kira down. "You didn't?" he asked.
"Yes we didn't. Athrun was burnt by some hot chocolate and he had to take of his top. Just what were you thinking Kira? Seriously, you've been watching too many soap operas! Admit it!" Cagalli said.
... ... ...
The next morning...
"What took you so long?" Kira nearly yelled at Shinn. "They left two minutes and three seconds ago!"
"Sorry!" Shinn apologised. Pointing to a paper bag, Shinn continued. "I had to get these... We can't go recognised now can we? Here, put this on."
"What? Why do I get the long pink one?" Kira complained.
"Because you can pass off better as a girl than I can," Shinn replied putting on his own short green coloured wig.
"But why can't both of us be guys?" Kira said still feeling indignant that he has to be the one to dress up as a girl again.
"Because these were the only ones I could find," Shinn told him. "Now quit whining and let's get moving!"
"I'm not whining!" Kira said acting very childishly.
"Alright fine. Whatever. You do know where they're going right?" Shinn asked.
"Yea. Cagalli said they're going to the movie house," Kira replied.
"Ok, let's go," Shinn said.
... ... ...
"What movie should we watch?" Athrun asked Cagalli.
"I'm fine with any movie, so you choose," Cagalli smiled at Athrun.
"Gosh, what movies do girls like? Think Athrun think! I can't possibly bore Cagalli on our FIRST date! Argh!" Athrun thought to himself.
"Umm, I'm fine with anything as well..." Athrun told her. "So you choose."
"Good job Athrun! Make her choose so she will surely like the movie!" Athrun smiled to himself, satisfied with his decision.
"You choose Athrun," Cagalli said.
"No it's alright, you choose Cagalli," Athrun replied.
"No, you choose," Cagalli insisted.
"No, you."
"You."
"You."
"You."
"You."
"You."
"Alright, I'll choose," Athrun decided. "How about confessions of a shopaholic?"
"What? Why of all the shows did he choose a bimbotic show? Don't agree Cagalli! Don't agree!" Cagalli screamed inside her head.
However, she did the exact opposite. "Sure, I would like that," Cagalli said.
"What were you thinking? Now you have just doomed yourself to two hours of torture! Argh! Please let the fire alarm sound! Please!" Cagalli thought.
Athrun and Cagalli sat right at the back of the cinema, waiting for the movie to start.
"Is that Miss Ramius and Mr La Flaga?" Athrun whispered, pointing to a couple a few seats in front of them.
"Yes I think so too!" Cagalli whispered back. "Eww! What do you say we change movies? I don't think I can sit here and watch..."
"Yea sure," Athrun said gladly. Truth be told, he didn't want to watch confessions of a shopaholic and he was glad that their school teachers were there to save him from watching the show.
... ... ...
Kira and Shinn were sitting a few rows behind Cagalli and Athrun.
"Thank goodness they changed movies!" Shinn told Kira. "I would die if I had to sit down there and watch confessions of a shopaholic..."
"Oh my gosh Shinn! Look!" Kira interrupted pointing to Cagalli and Athrun in front.
"What? What? What's going on?" Shinn asked alarmed.
"Shh!" the people around the two boys were hushing them to keep their volume down.
After muttering a few apologies, Kira said, "H-He's doing t-that thing!"
"What thing?" Shinn asked not getting what Kira meant.
"You know... That thing! The thing boys do when they try to make a move on the girl!" Kira said.
"Huh?" Shinn replied.
"Oh just let me show you!" Kira told him.
Shinn stared intently at Kira, wondering what the brunette was going to do. Just then, Kira yawned as he stretched his arms.
"W-what are you d-doing Kira?" Shinn panicked when Kira's arms found their way to Shinn's shoulders.
"I'm showing you what Athrun's about to do to Cagalli!" Kira replied.
"Hey you two!" someone shouted making the two boys jump. "No gays allowed in this movie hall! Didn't you read the sign?" the man pointed to the wall. There was a sign saying: No Gays Allowed On Thursdays.
"W-We're not gays!" Shinn defended.
"I don't care if you're gays or girls! I want you out!" the man said.
"Who the hell are you to tell us what to do?" Shinn countered.
Suddenly the man stood up and his full size was revealed. He was three times the size of the boys.
Shinn and Kira gulped.
"Look, we don't want trouble..." Kira told the man. "Can't you see I'm a girl?" Kira said stroking his pink long hair.
"I know. And unless you're blind, your friend here too is a girl," the man pointed to Shinn.
"What?" Shinn exclaimed. "I'm a hundred percent guy!"
"And I'm a hundred percent goose," the man retorted.
Before Shinn and Kira could say 'Jack Robinson', the two boys were kicked out of the movie hall.
"I can't believe he thought that I was a girl! A girl for f***ing sake!" Shinn cursed.
"Oh shut up Shinn," Kira said. "We can't spy on them now. Who knows what might happen the whole time we're not watching!"
... ... ...
"Why are we leaving now? The movie hasn't ended yet," Athrun questioned Cagalli when she dragged him off half way through the movie.
"Because my dear twin brother has taken the liberty to invade my private life," Cagalli replied.
"Huh?" that was Athrun's reply.
Cagalli sighed. "Kira and Shinn are spying on us. I paid someone to kick them out. Let's grab this opportunity to lose them for good while they're distracted."
... ... ...
"Where are we?" Athrun asked Cagalli. They seemed to have come to a party.
"I don't know..." Cagalli replied. She had no idea how they managed to come here. One moment they were running away from Kira and Shinn and the next, they were in some party.
"Oh crap!" Cagalli cursed when she saw a familiar blonde. It was her cousin Stella! Cagalli had two choices. One, go to Stella first and make sure she does not reveal her identity. Or two, hide and run away immediately.
However, Cagalli was left only with the first choice. Stella had seen her and was walking towards her.
"Hey I just saw my cousin. Stay here ok?" she told him as she rushed off to meet Stella, leaving Athrun behind.
"Cagalli!" Stella ran to give her a hug. "Stella missed you!"
"I know and I miss Stella too," Cagalli replied. "Listen Stella, can you do me a favour?"
Stella nodded her head.
"I came here with my friend and he doesn't know I'm the princess. So don't go blabbing about those stuff to him ok?" Cagalli told Stella. "Understand?"
Stella nodded and then a sly smile was plastered on her face. "Is he Cagalli's boyfriend?"
Cagalli immediately blushed.
"Stella's right!" Stella said with glee. "Stella wants to meet him!"
Athrun was surrounded by girls. Even though he told them to get lost, they became more persistent saying, "How cute! He's playing hard to get!" He was wondering when Cagalli would come back and save him from those annoying girls. Cagalli was sure taking her own sweet time.
Suddenly, one of the girls literally threw herself at Athrun. Atrhun cringed in disgust. How low could those girls get? Turning around, he saw two blondes. Cagalli stomped off fuming while the other blonde shook her head and said, "Tsk tsk."
"Cagalli wait!" Athrun called out as he attempted to lose those clingy girls. However, by the time he managed to escape, Cagalli had disappeared. The other blonde who was with Cagalli earlier was shaking her head in disapproval at Athrun.
"Where is she?" he asked the other blonde.
The blonde continued to frown at Athrun.
"Please," Athrun begged.
Sighing, the blonde pointed to the left.
Cagalli was seated at one of the bar stools fuming in rage. She did not know why she was so jealous. That was so not like her.
"Hey baby! Care to join me?" a man was hitting on Cagalli. Just as he was about to place his hand on Cagalli's waist, Athrun caught his arm.
"Hands off. She's mine," Athrun growled tightening his hold on the man's hand..
The man was shaking. It was hard to tell if it was due to fear or pain. Athrun looked absolutely intimidating and the man's wrist looked as if it was about to break.
After letting go, the man ran off in fright.
"Let's go somewhere else," Cagalli said to Athrun.
Athrun only nodded as he followed Cagalli out of the party.
... ... ...
Athrun was alone in the convenience store. The people there were looking at him suspiciously for he was looking very flustered and uncomfortable.
"The things Cagalli make me go through..." Athrun mumbled to himself as he looked left and right.
"Can I help you young man?"
Athrun jumped up in surprise as an old woman suddenly appeared before him.
"Umm yes. No! I mean no!" Athrun nearly shouted. "I think I'll just leave now..." Athrun said embarrassed as he left the shop in a hurry. That was just too humiliating. People probably thought he was a robber.
"Just suck it up Athrun! You have to do this for Cagalli!" Athrun had a mental debate in his head.
"No don't do it! What kind of a man does this? Its bad luck you know to touch this kind of private girl's stuff!"
"You have to do it Athrun! You can't leave Cagalli in the lurch!"
Flashback
Athrun was waiting for Cagalli outside the ladies. Suddenly, his phone vibrated and caller ID reported that the incoming call was from the blonde herself.
"Cagalli? What's wrong?" Athrun panicked.
"Umm Athrun..." Cagalli started.
"Yes?" Athrun said.
"I have a problem," Cagalli told him.
"What is it?" Athrun asked worried.
"I have my thing..." Cagalli said quietly.
"What thing?" Athrun asked puzzled.
Cagalli took a deep breath. "You know... That monthly thing girls have," she told him embarrassed.
End of flashback
And that was how Athrun found himself back in the convenience store.
"Ahem, it's you again young man," the old lady eyed Athrun. "How can I help you?"
"Umm... Well... You see... Err... Umm..." Athrun stuttered.
"Oh just get on with it young man! I don't have all day!" the old woman snapped.
"I need those woman things," Athrun said quickly.
"What?" the old woman said.
"It's for the monthly thing girls have," Athrun turned into a brilliant shade of red.
"Are you referring to the pills or the pads?" the woman asked.
"Err what do the pills do? It's not birth control is it?" Athrun asked alarmed.
"No. It's for menstrual cramps," the old woman laughed. "So that was what you were looking for..." She chuckled. "I haven't put up the new stock in the shelves yet... That's why you couldn't find it... What brand are you looking for? Do you want with wings or without? And how big do you want it to be?"
"I'm not sure..." Athrun replied honestly.
"This young man's not a robber! He's here looking for a pad for his girlfriend!" the old woman announced to the people in the store who were looking weirdly at Athrun.
If it was possible, Athrun would have dug a hole in the ground and stick his head in it. This was the most humiliating thing in his whole life.
"Here you go son," the woman came back with a small package. "Do you want the pills as well?" she asked.
"Yea sure," Athrun said quickly. Right now, all he wanted to do was to hurry away from here.
... ... ...
It was nearly twelve midnight.
Athrun said to Cagalli, "You've had your turn to choose. Now it's mine."
"Fine, it's your turn," Cagalli agreed.
... ... ...
"What are we doing?" Cagalli asked panicking. They were in the business district sneaking off into one of the office buildings.
"Shh, relax. We're in the the Zala Corp," Athrun told her.
"Then why are we sneaking around?" Cagalli whispered.
"Because I didn't really ask for permission to go snooping here at night," Athrun chuckled.
Cagalli gave Athrun a frown.
"Do you trust me?" Athrun looked intensely into those amber orbs.
"Yes," Cagalli replied. "But..."
Athrun silenced Cagalli by putting his finger on her lips. "Shh..." Athrun smiled at her as he pulled Cagalli away, ducking from the security guard and sneaking up into the rooftop.
"Wow, the view here is amazing," Cagalli told him. They were sitting up on the rooftop and had an unobstructed view of the city's night sky.
Athrun was checking his watch constantly, earning him a puzzled look from Cagalli.
"Look Cagalli!" Athrun shouted excitedly, pointing into the sky. "Meteor showers!" Bright hues of light were shooting across in the night sky.
Cagalli breathed, "Wow..." Looked affectionately back at Athrun, she smiled, "You planned this didn't you?"
Athrun smiled back at Cagalli. Leaning closer to Athrun, Cagalli rested her head on his strong shoulders."
"Athrun?" Cagalli said.
"Mmm?" Athrun replied.
"Thank you," Cagalli said quietly.
"For what?" Athrun asked.
"For everything..." Cagalli replied. "I had fun today..."
"Really?" Athrun said in delight. "I'm glad..." he said.
... ... ...
"Ahem!" the lights suddenly went on when Cagalli and Athrun entered the house.
"Do you have ANY idea what TIME it is now?" Kira said angrily.
"Umm... a quarter past two?" Cagalli replied innocently.
"IN THE MORNING!" Kira exploded. "IT'S TWO FIFTEEN IN THE MORNING!"
"Yea yea, ok ok, I get the point," Cagalli said waving her hand in the air. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow Athrun."
"Hold on there a second," Kira commanded. "You two are not going anywhere just yet."
"Come on Kira!" Cagalli protested. "It's late or should I say very early in the morning! Can't it wait till sunrise? I'm really tired."
"No." Kira said firmly. "What did you two do the whole day? Where were you?" Kira questioned.
"Umm... Watching a movie?" Cagalli replied.
"Liar!" Kira accused pointing his finger at his sister. "You two suddenly disappeared halfway through the movie!"
"How do you know that?" Cagalli tried to sound horrified. "You didn't!" she faked a gasp.
"W-What? D-Don't be ridiculous!" Kira stuttered. "Shinn and I just happened to be there! Where is he anyway? Ah there he is!" Kira pointed to a still form snoring away on the couch. "Hey wake up!" Kira yanked Shinn out of the bed. Shinn sure was a heavy sleeper.
Shinn fell on the floor with a thud. "Huh? What happened? Are they here yet?" Shinn asked.
"Idiots!" Cagalli screamed at Kira and Shinn. Taking the nearest thing she could reach, Cagalli hurled it at the two boys. "Is it that hard to leave me alone for the day?"
"H-Hey!" Kira stammered as he ducked out of the way. "T-that's an antique China vase!"
To be continued...
Hey folks! I'm really very busy so updating once a week is really hard. I'm so sorry. But I'm using my profile page to update everyone on the progress of my story (the date of estimated update etc). It's estimated so no guarantees I can update on the day itself but I will try my best. And I may change the estimated date anytime depending how busy I am...
Please review! Tell me how I can improve it... How is this chapter? Thank you in advance!
And I have a new story called Entwined Souls. Please read it too and tell me what you think of it as well. Thank you.