Hello, Mayu's here! Before anything, I'd like to thank all of you that have reviewed the previous chapter. Most of you made a guess on Athrun's reason of rejecting Cagalli and in all honesty I am both surprised and overwhelmed by the fact that your guesses are actually way better than my reason that I have to revamp this chapter XD But really, thanks a lot for the feedbacks – you have no idea how much they mean to me. Alright, enough with my ramblings – go on and read!

Chapter 3 – "Are we supposed to be in love somewhere along the way?"

The extravagantly decorated ground floor of the Amalfi's mansion is filled with murmurs of praises and civil applause as Athrun's mother, Lenore Zala slips the heirloom ring on Cagalli's left ring finger. The older woman gives her daughter-in-law-to-be a kiss on forehead which Cagalli returns with a hug. As if on cue, Athrun appears into the scene, taking Cagalli's hand from his mother as he smiles at the betrothed. Noticing the blinding flashes of the camera, he gives her an honorary kiss on the cheek which Cagalli accepts with a blissful smile on her face.

"This is so tiring," whines Cagalli when they are finally left alone from the congratulating crowd.

Athrun smiles at her, perfectly understands. Actually his face is already fixed to smiling mode after having to do so for such a long time so for the time being, he would be just smiling. "I think that's the last one."

"Thank God for that. I need some food."

The matter of the last Wednesday night is long forgotten, or so it seems.

As the now officially engaged couple stuff their faces with food, two gentlemen in crisp but casual suits approach them. Cagalli is already prepared to hear "Congratulations on your engagements!" and has started to put on her "Thank you for your kind wishes" face but Athrun's face is lit up by a bright smile that is more honest than any he has shown tonight.

"Hey," he calls casually, putting his nearly empty plate to the nearby table. "So you guys came after all."

One of the men; a tanned and blonde one, tackles him playfully. "Of course, we just don't want to distract the man of the night."

The other one with silver hair smirks. "And we didn't feel like queuing just to see you either."

Athrun laughs and turns to Cagalli. "Cagalli, my friends – Dearka Elsman and Yzak Joule. They are from PLANTs, currently working with me at the Heliopolis branch."

"Cagalli Yula Attha – nice to meet you," Cagalli shakes their hands as she introduces herself with a light smile. If they are Athrun's friends then she doesn't need to be so formal. Indeed, the one called Yzak simply grunts at her in response. However, Dearka eyes her with undivided interest.

"So we finally get to meet the Miss Fiancée," he says excitedly as he looks at Cagalli from top to toe. "A college chick, through and though – Athrun, you lucky bastard!"

The said friend throws him a reproachful look but Cagalli laughs quite loudly, much to their surprise. She could not help it; never once she has been called a college chick in this kind of party. She gives the tanned man a friendly grin.

"You want one as well? I'll give you a number."

Dearka looks like a dog thrown a bone but Yzak smacks his head before turning to Cagalli, addressing her for the first time, his face solemn. "If you treasure your friends, don't."

Cagalli laughs again; she decides that she likes both of them already as Dearka rubs his head disgruntledly. Athrun, on the hand, watches the scene with a fond smile despite the heavy mood he is feeling on the inside – Cagalli had not been laughing at all when they first met.

"I treat girls well, you know I do, Yzak – it's Athrun who does those one-night stands, not me…" he hears Dearka whining and feels Cagalli's eyes are suddenly on him.

"Dearka," he calls meaningfully, which Dearka understands as a warning for him to shut up. Athrun looks at Cagalli, meeting her all-judging gaze but makes no acknowledgement of it. "Yzak here is engaged as well. Where's Shiho, Yzak? I would like to introduce her to Cagalli."

Yzak shrugs offhandedly. "The last time I saw her she was talking to my mother and hell I would like to interfere in any way."

Luckily Shiho chooses the particular time to appear. Yzak puts an arm around her almost automatically when she joins them. Shiho, looking so exclusive in a simple dark blue long dress that sets her different from those who are wearing the more common pastel coloured short dresses, extends a hand towards Cagalli.

"Hello, I'm Shiho Hahnenfuss," she introduces herself warmly as Cagalli takes the hand with a polite smile. "Congratulation on your engagement – I hope you can drag him out from the office more often."

"Hey, you are being rude to your boss," Athrun mockingly frowns at her before turning to explain to Cagalli. "She works with us in the office – we have to put up with her until she goes off to marry Yzak sometime in the end of the year."

"It will be on Christmas – Ezalia has just agreed," Shiho says, referring to Yzak's mother. She looks at Cagalli fondly. "I'll send you a proper invite later, but I wish to book you in advance for the date, Cagalli – for I so wish for you to come."

"Oh, I'll be sure to come," Cagalli beams at the older woman, giving her a friendly hug. "Congratulations, by the way."

The five of them chat for a while and Cagalli does not fail in noticing how intimate Yzak and Shiho are. Even though they are not really communicating with each other, and Yzak is as passive as ever and Shiho is equally cool, their body languages show that they are fully aware of each other's presence like how Yzak's hand never leaves Shiho's waist and how Shiho casually leans her head towards Yzak's shoulder as she talks. Cagalli feels a pang of jealousy for a moment – they look so much in love yet what is in store for her?

"Athrun!"

All of them turn to see a merry-faced green haired man striding towards them. Cagalli recognizes him as Nicol Amalfi, the only son of the family that is holding the party. He is a professional pianist and this party is actually held to commemorate his first tour that will begin next week instead of Athrun and Cagalli's engagement celebration.

"Nicol, that's a very fine piece just now," Athrun says good-naturedly - he has known Nicol back in the university.

Nicol chuckles as he glances at Cagalli. "As if you'd pay attention to my music when you got such a beautiful fiancée next to you all the time," he teases.

Athrun smiles bashfully while Cagalli finds herself blushing along, much to the others' amusement.

"Sorry, you all but I have to borrow Athrun for a while," says Nicol to the rest of them. "My father wants to see him for a while."

"Wait for me with them, okay? I won't be long." Athrun says especially to Cagalli before excusing himself from his friends, earning him some teasing catcalls and laughter from them.


Athrun returns to the spot around 15 minutes later to find Cagalli without Dearka, Yzak or Shiho – but not quite alone. She is accompanied by a blonde haired man with haughty expression who Athrun recognized as Miguel Ayman, the son of one of ZAFT's shareholders. They are acquainted due to the company even though Miguel has yet to work for the company despite having graduated two years prior. Athrun is never a fan of his somewhat arrogant nature and Miguel seems to dislike him for some or another reason as well so they have always stayed away from each other.

"Miguel," he calls as he reaches them. "So you're here in Heliopolis."

Miguel turns around to Athrun, his face ready with the superior smile he sports all the time. "Hello, Athrun. I was just on vacation when my father told me about this party so I suppose I should come to represent him. Congratulations, by the way. I was just complimenting Cagalli-chan here; how could you leave such a beautiful woman alone, Athrun? Tsk."

"Well, she wasn't really alone when I left her…" Athrun says, glancing at Cagalli who helplessly shrugs.

"Now, now," Miguel shakes his head airily. "I was just saying to her, if she is not satisfied with you, there are always other men; ZAFT got quite a number of shareholders, after all. But of course, if it's you, she should be satisfied…" He laughs mockingly at the end.

Cagalli is rendered red by the innuendo but Athrun is furious. His eyes glint dangerously as he wraps his arm protectively around Cagalli.

"I know my reputation doesn't hold it against me, Miguel but I think you are being rude to my fiancée here," he says in a low, contained voice that alerts danger to whoever it is directed to.

True enough, Miguel actually sweat-drops at the turn of event; he only wanted to joke since everyone know Athrun has his own way around women. It seems that it is not something he is supposed to do, after all – Athrun is not the one to be messed around with. He raises his hands in resignation.

"Okay, I got it. I'm sorry, Cagalli-san. Perhaps I should leave you two alone now. Congratulations again, and have a good night," he says before scurrying away before any of them get to say anything in return.

Athrun sighs in relief but Cagalli groans, having to spot just another trouble making his way to them. Soon enough, a purple-haired man pompously stands before them and even though Athrun doesn't recognize him from anywhere, he immediately feels a strong dislike towards the man. He looks at Cagalli, asking for an introduction and sees Cagalli's face is mirroring his feeling of displeasure. But that also tells him that the man before them is Cagalli's acquaintance of some sort; since Cagalli would not make that face to strangers, especially not in social parties like this.

"Jona Roma Seylan," the man introduces himself to Athrun with an extended hand. "I'm the son of Unato Ema Seylan, one of Orb's main investors."

"Athrun Zala," Athrun returns the introduction. "Of ZAFT."

Jona gives him a sweeping look before turning completely towards Cagalli. "I am just dropping by to tell you that we have to leave now; me, Father and Mother."

"I think you should tell that to the Amalfis," replies Cagalli coldly. She knows Jona since forever and never likes him even at the slightest. He always tries to show to her how good he is in something while he cannot do anything right. Annoying as he is, she doubts Jona actually comes over simply to bid her goodbye – there must be something infuriating he has to say.

"Oh, yes, but I want to congratulate you again. It's good that your father came with this idea before they go on with the original idea; you know – engaging us," he says almost mockingly, much to Cagalli's fury – as if she would like to marry him! But he doesn't notice that and actually adds, "By the way, Mother wants me to tell you that your dress is indecent in the chest area and if you please mind your appearance even though you are engaged now, you are still an Attha. Though to be honest, it looks fine to me – mighty fine, I must say."

Cagalli's eyes widen in shock and Athrun could actually feel her body trembling with anger. Maybe Jona senses it too that he hastily bids them goodnight and leaves, his eyes lingering a bit lower than Cagalli's face for a few moment.

"That wretched woman…" Cagalli hisses under her breath. "Just because she is Father's cousin…"

Athrun squeezes her arm to calm her down but his eyes scan her outfit. Surely he had made sure the dress was decent enough. But then he notices the chest area does indeed look like a bit tight, enunciating Cagalli's breasts obviously. He purses in annoyance under his conscience.

"Let's talk a walk in the garden," he says, leading Cagalli away with his hand now on her waist. Cagalli who is still muttering furiously under her breath simply follows. The Amalfis have quite a spectacular garden – very well-tended and beautiful indeed. There are some other people who decide to enjoy the scenery of the garden as well but the dim (yet amazingly nice) lighting would give them some privacy.

At some point, Athrun stops and that is only when Cagalli notices his look on her – or more like, her front. She crosses her arms automatically on defence, glaring at him. "What?"

Athrun moves his eyes away and to Cagalli's face with such difficulty. "Did you alter your dress?"

Cagalli has a decency to look bashful for a moment but then she looks as unimpressed as ever. There is something in Athrun's voice that ticks her off – an air of superiority that seems like chiding her.

"Yes, I did. The front was too loose that it's unflattering," she says, her tone challenging as if saying 'so what'. Athrun should not be bothered; she takes the dress to Stellar all by herself the next day to have the upper bodice altered to fit.

The older man sighs as he runs his eyes over her body again. The dress really fits her – hugging her at the right curves and Athrun secretly wishes it doesn't. He has just realized how beautiful she looks; oh with the hair clipped up that makes her neck so accessible, her red glossed lips enticing, the bare shoulders inviting and those damn mounds of hers – oh he really just means that she looks beautiful but…

He desperately wants to mess her up like she has just messed up his head.

"Cover up with your scarf," he hears himself say, almost his conscience retorting 'what the hell Athrun'.

"Pardon me?" Cagalli asks a raised eyebrow, perplexed.

Athrun reaches for the wrap that has been hanging around Cagalli's arm, encircling her at the back and put it so that it covers her from the shoulders. "Isn't it supposed to be worn like that? Cover yourself up more, Cagalli."

"It would be less hypocritical of you if you have not been feasting your eyes on me, Athrun Zala," Cagalli snaps at him as she pulls the scarf down again. What the hell is he thinking – deciding things for her like that? They are just engaged, not married!

"Well, I don't want other people to be feasting their eyes on you," Athrun defends himself. "I'm just thinking about you –"

"Look," Cagalli cuts off, nose flared in anger. She tries her best not to raise her voice but it sounds vehement enough anyway. "I'm 21, Athrun, not 15 – just because you are a lot older don't think you can have your way with me just like that!"

Athrun stares at her in surprise, not expecting her to explode like that. He is telling the truth; he is just thinking about her – she looks so tempting to him and hell would he let any other men see her the same way. Maybe he comes a bit demanding but Athrun could feel like she is not pissed off just about it; there is something in her eyes that tells him there is another unresolved issue. He tries to calm down - at least one of them should be cool-headed – and touches her arm lightly.

"I just don't want people to look at my fiancée the wrong way, Cagalli," he says gently, glad that she is not pulling away. "You look damn vulnerable right now."

Cagalli throws him a look. "So what? They can hit on me all they want and I won't care. I don't sleep with random men, Athrun – one-night stands is your thing, not mine."

Athrun flinches at the mention. But at least he knows what her problem is now. Remembering to kill Dearka afterward, Athrun pulls her closer. "You are bothered by that?"

"No, not really. Not as much I am bothered by the fact that you have the decency to blow me off and fuck some random stranger afterwards," Cagalli is being quite honest in her snarl. She recalls her conversation with Dearka after Yzak and Shiho left to greet some family acquaintances.

"So Dearka," she says familiarly. "What about Athrun and one- night stands, eh?"

Dearka grins. "Oh, he is a well-known master. Never has a string attached, that guy – so you don't need to be worried of some crazy exes. He chooses them random. Like last Wednesday, he actually called me around 10 and demanded a woman immediately."

"Last Wednesday?" Cagalli repeated slowly, her eyes sharp.

"Yes, last Wednesday," Dearka reaffirms. "I know I have a lot of contacts but that short of notice on a weekday night is just unreasonable…"

That actually takes Athrun by surprise – he does not expect her to know that. It has been in his conscience for days; rejecting her advance and finding someone else to spill his lust on. Now staring deep at her amber eyes, he sees the hurt that he saw when he left her on Wednesday. His heart clenches – he need to set her right, he decides as his hand moves to her face, caressing her face gently.

"Would you listen to my reasons?"

That gets Cagalli to stare at him, considering the options. She is mad, damn mad at Athrun when she comes to know what he had done. But she might as well gives Athrun chance to explain when he is honestly asking for it; since there is nothing else she can do about it anyway. She looks away, staring at the ground between them – she would rather be not affected by his sinfully stunning eyes, after all.

"You have five minutes," she says.

She expects Athrun to talk, not pulling her so close that there is almost no space between them and trails his long fingers from her face to her delicate neck, almost making her shiver on the spot.

"You have no idea how much I wanted you that night, Cagalli," he whispers in her right ear in that husky voice of his. Her heart is already screaming 'this is not fair' but she lets him continue. "I wanted you there and then, especially when you were so willing. But the timing was not right. Weekday night; I have work the next day, and you have school…"

"Didn't stop you to find some other woman, though," Cagalli cuts him off, earning her a kiss on the very nape of her neck that sends her flinching.

"She's different," Athrun carries on, hiding his amused smile at her reaction. "I can leave her as soon as I'm done like I always do. I won't treat you like I treat them – you are different. I'd want to stay till morning, have these awkward morning afters and everything. That's why - if you are to seduce me then please do so during weekends." Like right now, he almost cheekily adds.

Cagalli finally looks up, her expression unreadable. "So it's not because I don't turn you on?"

Athrun almost laughs out loud as he looks at her being so damn adorable but he manages to keep it as a small chuckle when he realizes she is being serious. "Why do you think I needed a woman so bad, then?"

The blonde turns bright red and looks away again. Athrun grins as he sweeps down to kiss her on rosy cheek.

"Forgive me already?" he asks softly.

"Did you even apologize?" Cagalli snaps but not as firmly as she has been; her legs are threatening to turn jelly once again thanks to all the teasings. Why does he affect her that much, she grudgingly curses, why must he be so damn good…

Athrun takes her face into facing him gently and kisses her lightly on lips, knowing by one experience that it drives her crazy.

"I'm sorry. I make it up to you tonight?"

It only takes that for her to wrap her arms around his neck and tiptoe, crashing her lips into his with much force that she almost topples forward if Athrun has not be holding her. Doing this might make her fickle, but damn, fickle she would be then – she wants him, for now that's all matters.


Athrun opens his eyes slowly, and unwillingly, as he feels something moving softly on his face. As his sight returns, he catches a glance of yellow, blinding yellow almost like sunshine and he blinks twice to clear his vision. When he opens his eyes again, he finds Cagalli tracing his face with her finger.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she says cheerfully. "It's already 11."

"Good morning, beautiful," he replies with a smile. "Sorry, Sundays are my sleeping in days."

Cagalli retracts her hand off his face and repositions herself into a more comfortable spot. The movement however makes her winces, slightly but does not escape Athrun staring eyes. He looks at her with concern.

"Does anything hurt?"

The blonde glances at him with a smirk. "Weren't that concerned last night, were you?"

Athrun returns the smirk. "Not if you keep screaming at me for more; to go faster, harder, or deeper or whatever else – "

"Shut up!" says Cagalli as she shoves his shoulder, blushing bright red. She remembers Athrun did tease her for being loud as well the first time they did it. It's not that she can help it; she believes in speaking up for what she wants so…

The blue-haired man laughs as he stretches his hand to touch Cagalli's striking golden locks. "Really, does it hurt?"

Cagalli notices the real concern in his voice and shakes her head amicably in response. "Just a bit sore. Nothing I cannot handle."

"Sorry," Athrun apologizes, really meaning it.

"You don't see me complaining, do you?" responds Cagalli with a comforting grin. She looks thoughtful for a while. "Do you do this to everyone?"

"Define this."

"This – sleeping in, teasing, asking if it hurts, apologizing."

Athrun sighs as he runs his fingers through his unruly hair, courtesy of Cagalli's grabbing on the night previously. He turns around to face her bedroom ceiling. "I thought I told you – I never stay."

He remembers saying it last night but if is acceptable for Cagalli not to be able to recall – it was quite a night, after all. After the amazing kiss Cagalli had initiated, Athrun almost wanted to take her there and then but his mind still got him better than that. He took Cagalli to ask permissions from their parents to leave the party earlier than they should; both of them would be doomed to hell if they had the gut to disappear without telling anyone. Cagalli had to fake a headache and came with a whole bunch of reasons why Athrun should be the one sending her home, and to her apartment instead of the family mansion. Luckily they were able to leave soon, thanks to Athrun's mother who seemed to get some ideas with her shrewd, keen eyes. Driving with a hard-on was another thing to Athrun – it was so frustrating to have to keep his hands on the steering wheel when Cagalli was so vulnerable and provoking next to him. As soon as they reach her unit, they were so all over each other that they would not come off even if someone pries them off.

Athrun was pleasantly surprise to find out how exciting is it to have sex for the second time with a same person; for he had not done so for quite some time – he remembers where Cagalli likes it and where she doesn't, he knows where to touch to make Cagalli grips so hard that she leaves scratches on his back and he is well acquainted to what to do to render her helpless. It was so stimulating, with her endless moans and occasional screams, that he wouldn't remember hurting Cagalli in his frenzy, thus the apology.

"If you are bothered by it," he says after a while, still staring at the white top of the room. "I can stop, you know, sleeping around."

Cagalli is taken by a surprise. She has not meant to make Athrun stop – he is full grown man with need, after all. But is she bothered by it? In all honestly she has to say yes, albeit for unknown reasons. "I have no right to make you stop, Athrun."

Athrun glances to her. "You are my fiancée; of course you have the right to."

"What would you do if I ask you to stop?" asks Cagalli, half-serious, half-teasing; what would he do without his source of sexual entertainment?

"I'll stop," answers Athrun, smiling lightly. "It's no big deal. It's time for me to settle down, anyway."

Cagalli thinks for a while. Athrun makes it sound so simple yet she is still not sure if she could trust him. No matter how gentleman he seems like so far, he is still a man after all; and at 21 Cagalli should know how far men should be trusted. But of course, it's not like there is anything romantic going on between them except for the arranged marriage…right?

"Then, are we going to do this regular?" she asks almost naively.

Athrun smirks at her meaningfully, rendering her red after realizing that her question sounds suggesting. He feels the urge to tease her some more since she is looking so damn adorable trying to hide her flushed face but he decides against it, knowing that it is something they have to talk about sooner or later, considering how the events have turned into – he, for one, had not expected to have sex with her even once before marriage, let alone twice; and now she is asking if they would do it regularly.

"I like the sound of that," he says honestly but still with a smirk. "But it's up to you, really."

"Athrun, may I ask?" Cagalli looks up tentatively after a while. Athrun nods and she continues. "Why are you doing this? You could have just left me alone until our wedding; there is no need to bother yourself with me before the time – it's just an arranged marriage after all."

Athrun chuckles, not because Cagalli has said something hilarious but he is reminded how Yzak asked the same question before. His answer still stands, anyway.

"I want to get know you," he says gently, his eyes directly on Cagalli's amber ones. "I don't want to get married to a stranger, and I doubt you do. None of us planned for this, but at least I want to be happy; I want you to be happy, I want us to be happy. That's why I think we should get along from now; getting know each other, spending time together – things like that; and not just, you know, this."

It takes some time for Cagalli to absorb the answer into her head. She should have asked this the first time, really but she only thought about it now – and glad she asked, anyway. His reason sounds sincere - he sounds sincere – and for a moment she's glad that he is the one she is engaged to. Perhaps it is because he is much older that he thinks so maturely ahead; Cagalli thinks it complements nicely to her own impulsively childish thinking despite her age of 21. There are still many things she doesn't understand about Athrun, but he wants her to be happy – would she be foolish enough to deny that herself?

"Are we supposed to be in love somewhere along the way?"

Athrun is startled by the seemingly naïve question; clearly not expecting her to ask the question – he should stop underestimating Cagalli's straightforwardness. He has not heard the word love for such a long time yet surprisingly it still reminds him of spring and white roses, of songs and melodies. He closes his eyes to shake off the images only to find them more vivid, forcing him to open them again.

"No," he shakes his head, his smile slipping off. "I'd rather not, Cagalli – I'd care about you like I should but being in love is out of question." He wants to apologize but Cagalli might be offended so he let it be.

If Cagalli is surprised the she does not show it. All she looks like is curious. "Do you already have someone else you're in love with? Then…"

"No," Athrun cuts her off, putting on his smile again albeit a bitter one. "There's no such person. I just don't want to, and I hope you do the same, Cagalli – because the last thing I want to do is to hurt you."

Confusion clouds Cagalli's amber eyes as they stare deep into Athrun's emerald ones but then she forms a smile quite smiliar to Athrun's. "Alright, then."

There you go. I have enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as well. I'm pretty sure there are still many loopholes, though /sighs If you guys have enquires I will explain in the next chapter, so post me some reviews! I have just done with the next chapter anyway and here's a hint – there will be lots of drama and the appearance of Cagalli's little friend (which some of you guys have guessed correct even without any hint; yes, I am that predictable lol) and angsty Athrun so look forward for it! Anyway, thanks for reading and…reviews? Hee.

p.s. Sorry for any grammar or spelling error – I have re-read it like so many times but suppose there are some that I missed.

-Mayu