Happy Holiday to everyone! Here's a gift for you!
Chapter 8 – That's hardly enough, don't you think?
Athrun glances at his Mont Blanc watch and sighs before looking around; spotting a couple that is leaving the store with satisfied looks on their faces; the same couple that had entered the store half an hour after them, and the third to leave so far. Yet he is still there, waiting for his fiancée who seems to be making a life decision, with thinning patience as the clock ticks. Sighing again, he approaches the young woman a feet away, whose expression shows some deep thinking.
"Are you done?" he asks as amicably as a man who has been waiting for almost 2 hours can be.
The blonde frowns at him. "What are you rushing for? I have to choose this properly…"
Athrun returns her an exasperated look. "It's a fucking table lamp, Cagalli."
"It is my table lamp, so I can choose how I want," counters Cagalli.
The two hold gazes for a while, Athrun imploring and Cagalli adamant. After a few moments, Athrun looks away.
"If you don't choose in ten minutes, you don't have to buy one at all," he decides with an air of finality, before sparing Cagalli a firm glance, "because we'll be sharing room."
"…So, that's it, I suppose. If there's anything else, we should cover it in the next meeting. I'll have my secretary confirm it with yours later on, is that alright?"
Athrun nods professionally as his hands gather the files. Even as fellow businessmen, the man before him is on an absolute different level so in all his respect, the interaction between them is still very formal. But Uzumi Nara Attha is not called the Lion of ORB for nothing; he who single-handedly brought up the company without any family support at the beginning is really respected among the corporate, especially the like of Athrun who is on his position mainly because the company is a family business. That's also the reason why Athrun couldn't refuse a meeting, albeit sudden and unplanned, with such a man; even though it means cutting short his lunch hour since Uzumi has favoured him a quick drop at his office. Well, not that he takes his lunch break seriously, anyway.
"By the way, Athrun,"
Athrun looks up, surprised as Uzumi leans back on his seat, smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"I heard you proposed to move in together with Cagalli," he continues after a few seconds.
"Ah, that," is all the navy-haired young man can say at first as his brain processes the sudden attack. He clears his throat, trying to compose himself. Somehow this situation is totally out of his expectation; perhaps because of the matter of Cagalli is buried deep back in his mind due to the more demanding workload that welcomes him after his long absence. Plus, Cagalli hasn't contacted him at all since Sunday so he had assumed that she hasn't discussed it with her father - seems that he's wrong, after all.
"Yes, I proposed so," says Athrun after he collects his thoughts. "I suppose it's easier for us to know each other that way."
Uzumi smiles at the composure Athrun is showing, or rather the composure he's trying to show. After all these years in the business, Uzumi has become a rather good judge to one's body language and it is clear to him that the young man before him is holding back his nerve.
"You two are getting on better than I expected," he confesses truthfully, much to Athrun's fluster. To be honest, being Cagalli's father isn't easy. When he first brought up the matter of the engagement, he had expected Cagalli to kick a fuss or rebel in some other way. But surprisingly, she took the deal well; the only thing she asked is for him to let her has her way with the relationship. So he obliged, and thus his surprise when he saw the intimate interaction between them during the engagement party and even at his house last Friday. Back then, he didn't know that Cagalli would reveal an even bigger surprise for him; the Cagalli who refused to live together even with her best friend for life is asking if it's alright if she moves in with her newly acquainted fiancé.
Despite everything, Uzumi has nothing at all against the idea. Athrun Zala is the man he has approved for since the start, after all; the engagement wouldn't happen otherwise. ZAFT is indeed a family business of the Zalas but Uzumi knows Athrun doesn't get to man the Heliopolis branch just because he is the son of the current leading top of the company. He had seen the way Athrun work, and he had come to conclusion that if Athrun can handle things the way he does, then he probably can handle Cagalli who frequently gives Uzumi headaches more than his business ever does.
"Yes, I'm very glad so," Athrun's respond breaks Uzumi's little bubble of thought.
"I have nothing against it, anyway," says Uzumi good-naturedly and he could almost see Athrun's sigh of relief. "But it won't be easy, so have yourself warned."
Athrun smiles grimly. He should know that by now already. "Yes, sir. I'm quite prepared."
Uzumi let out his guffaw. It seems that Athrun is pretty set in his decision. "But her expenses should be under me still. What do you plan to do on that?"
Athrun has planned to talk about these things with Cagalli as soon as she gets the okay from her father but this could do as well. "I'm thinking that she could still have her allowances, but I'll have the living expenses covered. She's just moving into my current place, after all, so it doesn't make any much difference to me."
"Then, let's do it that way," Uzumi closes the matter as he stands up, followed closely by Athrun. He walks towards door, ushered by his host. He assures Athrun that he could make his way to the awaiting car by himself, the latter waves it away as he escorts Uzumi to the ground floor.
"Thank you for taking the trouble dropping by, Uzumi-sama," says Athrun politely as Uzumi gets into the car.
"It's no trouble," Uzumi assures kindly. "By the way, Athrun,"
"Yes, sir?"
"We're talking about moving in together and everything but my daughter will have a room to herself, right?"
"I can bring things of my own, too, right?"
Athrun gives Cagalli a look of disbelief. "After everything you've bought? You know that room is not that big, right?"
Cagalli pouts. "Well, it's bigger than my room, at least."
Is there any other option when she does that? Eventually Athrun has to give in. "Can you bring everything by yourself tomorrow?" The plan is for Cagalli to come over tomorrow with her luggage since all the furniture she has bought will be delivered in the morning. It will also mark the first day they are living together.
Cagalli thinks for a while. A Porsche isn't the most convenient car for moving purposes. She hasn't packed everything but even so she knows the poor car most probably won't hold everything she plans to bring along. Her clothes alone would take most space and what with her collections of shoes and sneakers…
"Alright, alright…"Athrun's lazy drawl startles her thought. "Should I take some?"
Considering the starry look Cagalli is giving him, it seems like he has got just the right idea. He sighs in resign.
"Is there anything I can take with me now?" he asks since he's already in the compound of her apartment building, sending her home after the whole day shopping for every single stuffs Cagalli wants to have for her new room.
"Hmm," the girl muses before looking at her fiancé apologetically. "Why don't you have a cup of coffee upstairs while I decide?"
Athrun stands at the door of Cagalli's room, hands at hips. "If there's anything else, my car won't hold them, Cagalli."
Cagalli turns around from her rummaging of things, frowning. "Really?"
The older man nods as he approaches her. "You don't have to bring everything over at once, you know. You can always go back time to time. We'd agree to let this place be, right?"
The blonde thinks for a while before nodding. "Fine, then. Are you leaving now?"
Athrun smiles teasingly. "Would you rather if I don't leave?"
"You wish," Cagalli huffs, despite the faint blush on her cheeks.
The two exits the room and Cagalli sends Athrun to the door.
"If you want to stay, I wouldn't mind, though," says Cagalli as Athrun puts on his shoes.
He straightens up and smiles. "We need the sleep, Cagalli – it will be a long day tomorrow, considering all the stuff you put on my tabs."
"I wanted to pay for them myself – you wouldn't let me," counters Cagalli at once. She has started to acknowledge the fact that Athrun wouldn't let her pay for anything when they're together and has given up insisting. "Suppose you want to bring some other girl over for the last time, eh?"
Athrun's face darkens considerably even though he knows Cagalli is just fooling around. "Do you plan to have him over for the last time?"
Both of them stares at each other as Cagalli considers the jab well returned. Athrun closes the distance between them as he leaves a kiss on her cheek.
"The cases closed, remember?" he asks and Cagalli nods. "I'll see you tomorrow, Cagalli." And everyday afterwards, too.
"There, done!" Cagalli exclaims happily, dusting her hands as she places the last of her boots into the wardrobe.
Athrun looks at her, impressed. "You actually can fit everything in that; I thought I'd have to buy another."
Cagalli makes a face at her fiancé as she approaches him. She's beat tired but it feels worth it at the sight of her new room. "What are we doing for dinner?"
"If you're asking if I'd be cooking; then I'm not," says Athrun lightly.
"I know you can't cook; Shiho-san told me," Cagalli rebukes, rolling her eyes. She rubs her grumbling stomach; nothing's been in since lunch and that was like, six hours ago. "I feel like having pizza."
Athrun thinks for the nearest Italian restaurant atop of his head. "Then, we could go to that place I took you before – but I don't know if we can get seats without reservation; it's weekend after all."
The blonde sighs. "I'm talking about Mr. Pizza's pizza, though."
Her fiancé gives her a blank look. "Mr. Pizza as in…?"
"Well, the pizza chain?" Cagalli rolls her eyes again, more dramatically this time. "Seriously, Athrun – you never ordered a pizza delivery before?"
Athrun does a thinking face for a split second. "Well, I know such things exist…"
"Athrun!"
The man laughs at the Cagalli's widened eyes, clearly in disbelief. Of course he is just pulling her legs; her reactions never fail to amuse him. "Kidding, Cagalli, I'm kidding. I was once a college student, too, you know – what would I do without fast food delivery. But that's a long time ago and I don't know what do you have here in Heliopolis, so…"
"Geez," Cagalli cuts off impatiently, blushing slightly for being laughed at. "I'll call them, then – you go and take shower. What do you prefer – beef, chicken or seafood?"
"Veges," answers Athrun with a twinkle in his eyes as he makes his way out of the room. At one point, he turns, his rare cheeky smile resurfaces. "You can join me when you're done placing the order."
"ATHRUN!"
An hour later, Athrun and Cagalli find themselves forcing the last piece of pizza down their throat – it seems like Cagalli had gone a bit overboard in ordering those pizzas, driven by her hunger. They are sitting on the floor in Athrun's living room, pizza boxes occupies the whole table but two cans of chilled beers; Harry Potter's third movie on the DVD player.
"Ugh," Athrun groans as he climbs onto the couch with a fresh can of beer. "This is such an unhealthy meal – what are you doing to me, Cagalli Yula Attha?"
Cagalli follows him suit, joining him at the centre of the three-seat couch. She grins teasingly. "You really should hit the gym, Athrun – look at that tummy."
The man smirks in return. "Are you referring to my abs that you can't stop tracing on when we…"
"Athrun Zala!" Cagalli cuts him off with an octave higher note, blushing furiously as she shoves her fiancé. "You're so indecent!"
Athrun laughs a hearty laugh and stops for a second to remember when was the last time he has laughed so. The air around them seems to be unbelievably good, despite Athrun's initial assumptions that things will be awkward at first. But it feels so natural, and the place feels so much warmer now with Cagalli's presence, though it used to be the just somewhere Athrun would sleep and wake up at. Unlike whatever everyone's been assuming, Athrun never bring women to his place; it spells attachment to him, even one-sided, and that is totally not what he was seeking for.
"You do this often?" he asks after a while. "Pizza delivery plus movie for dinner, I mean."
Cagalli nods without taking her eyes off the TV screen. "Yeah, when my friends come over to hang out, or when Shinn doesn't feel like cooking…"
Perhaps Cagalli has realized that she has said something she shouldn't, for the last words trails away slowly to the silence. After a few moments, she braces herself to glance slightly to see Athrun's expression. Not much to her surprise, Athrun doesn't show any apparent expression, though there's unmistakeably stiffness in the way their bodies touch. Cagalli rakes her brain for something to say just to clear the air.
"What do you do for dinner usually, Athrun?" she asks, genuinely curious. He claims to never order home delivery before and Cagalli just couldn't picture Athrun having dinner alone in some posh restaurants he seems to frequent.
"Most of the times I got business dinners to attend," answers Athrun casually. "And sometimes, Dearka would drag me out for the night, either to clubs he hasn't yet marked his presence or to Yzak's place, our favourite free diner."
Cagalli chuckles; she could actually imagine Yzak's displeasure upon seeing the two uninvited guests. Sometimes it hits her funny how the three of them get along so well despite the apparent difference in their stance. Suppose the lack of friends and family here in Heliopolis makes the bond tighter, though according to Athrun, the three of them have been long way back, anyway.
"So suppose I'll be having dinners alone, then, huh?" she muses verbally.
Athrun looks at her, smiling. He honestly hasn't thought about it – but he mostly likely will stop arranging business dinners to fill up his mundane nights like he's doing all this time now; now that he has got someone to return home to.
"Not if I can help it," he says reassuringly. "I can't do anything about the business dinners but I finally have a reason to decline Dearka and I think Yzak will have a reason to thank you."
"Well, if it's work, then I can understand," says Cagalli considerately, her eyes still glued to the movie. "Father used to be never home for dinners, too. I bet you are just as workaholic as him. That's okay, though – I've always wanted to marry someone like Father, anyway."
"I thought you find people like us uptight, overly formal and suffocating?" Athrun teases, purposely using her own words. He receives a painful jab from his pouting fiancée but simply laughs it away. "Well, honestly, I am nowhere near Uzumi-sama's level, though – so maybe I'm not up to your expectation."
Cagalli purses her lips furthermore; even though she knows Athrun is just being honestly humble like he actually is. "Father says nothing but good things about you, though. He really thinks that you got it in you – you know, business-wise and everything; he wouldn't go on with the merger otherwise. Well, I suppose that you are so much like him that he likes you – he never thought much about Ahmed before, probably because Ahmed wasn't doing Business or anything related."
The smile that is on Athrun's lips slips slightly at the last part, though he tries not to show much. "And Ahmed is…?"
"My ex, remember? I told you before," answers Cagalli offhandedly. She doesn't talk much about her ex-boyfriends but she doesn't mind talking about them. It is a matter of past, after all and over time, she has learned to forgive and forget, realizing that the resentment is just weighing her down.
Athrun considers the answer for a while. He is pretty surprised himself that the little piece of information goes missing on him but somehow it is quite understandable; he is concerned about no one but a certain of Cagalli's friend, after all. But when the matter is brought up, he finds himself quite curious about the said boyfriend - what type of boy did she date, what kind of relationship it was and how did she act around him.
Now he understands Cagalli's obsession on his ex, a little.
"That's the one who cheated on you right?" he asks, recalling the information from the back of his mind. "Where's the boy now?"
"He's doing internship at an oil gas company somewhere in Northern Africa," Cagalli maintains her casual stance but continues quite apprehensively when Athrun raises an eyebrow. "People told me; it's not like I keep in touch with him or anything."
Athrun smiles at her quick defence that has, for some reason, relieves him. "An oil gas company…he's an engineer?"
Cagalli nods. "He's taking Petroleum Engineering – which is probably why Father didn't like him. Father seems to dislike engineers; he thinks they are all lazy bunch of people."
A laugh escapes from the blue-haired man, which is due to Cagalli's I-don't-get-it expression rather than Uzumi's less than favourable view on engineers. Cagalli is so expressive that sometimes her mere expressions can tell explain more than her words ever do; though she's not lacking any words either – actually she talks so much that Athrun finds himself talking as twice as he usually would, just to keep up with her pace.
"They're not lazy bunch of people; they are just too laid back for their own good."
A look of reminiscences clouds Athrun's face as he says this and it doesn't go unnoticed by Cagalli. It's a mixture of fondness, and a bit of bitterness and also – Cagalli wavers for a moment –is that regret? Athrun never talks about someone engineering related from his past; it's all about his family, Yzak and Dearka, and sometimes Shiho and Nicol Amalfi and another guy named Rusty – all involved in business, with exception of Nicol who pursues music. It suddenly occurs to Cagalli that Athrun is probably thinking about someone he has not yet talked about to her; and there's only such person she can think about.
"Did your ex take engineering?"
"What? No, she –"Athrun catches himself just in time. He sighs, both in relief and slight annoyance as he glances at his fiancée, eyes narrowed. "How did this become about my ex instead of yours, hmm?"
Cagalli grins sheepishly; she has naively hoped that Athrun would not notice and slipped an info or two about the mysterious girlfriend – seems like Athrun's guard is still set really high regarding the matter. "Well, I was just wondering…"
"You do wonder a lot about my ex," Athrun cuts her off, a bit more snappily that he would like to sound but he doesn't really care anymore. "If you're hoping that she would come and take me off your load then sorry, that's not happening – you're stuck with me for the rest of your life like you've agreed with."
"You know that's not the case…" Cagalli whines but Athrun's attention is back on the movie, his jaw set a little too hard to Cagalli's liking. Perhaps she has crossed the line, again, she thinks as she leans on her back, returning to the movie as well. It's nearing the end; Cagalli's favourite scene of the headmaster giving Harry and Hermione the Time Turner but she cannot focus anymore. This time around she couldn't even glance his way but judging from their bodies' lack of contact, she knows Athrun is putting half of his weight on the arm of the couch; whether it is purposely done to avoid her or he is just seeking for a more comfortable position.
"Athrun," she tries calling but there is no even a grunt from the man though she knows that he could hear her perfectly. She tries again, but yields the same result.
Is this him, sulking?
Athrun shifts slightly on his position, his right side of the body is missing the previously constant warmth but he preserves –if this can make Cagalli shut up about his past relationship then be it. He thought he has made it clear he doesn't want to talk about it, he thought they had a deal about it already but it seems like it has escaped Cagalli's mind. He doesn't understand why she is so caught up with his past when he is so looking forward to his future; their future…
A cloud of golden masses fills up his sight, killing all his thoughts and the familiar smell of shampoo robs him off his breath and before he knows, a chaste, one-second kiss is placed on his lips, gone as quickly as it has come.
"I'm sorry, I won't ask again."
Five seconds. "That's hardly enough, don't you think?"
"She's not answering," says Meyrin as she touches the End Call button her smartphone, turning to her older sister worriedly.
"Of course she's not answering – they're probably fucking real hard right now," Lunamaria huffs in annoyance, not towards Cagalli, who they are trying to contact but to the huge mess of a young man, slumped to bar counter, face buries into the arm of which the hand holds and empty glass excepts for some ice cubes. "That's it, Shinn – Cagalli's not coming. Come on, now; sober up."
Shinn grunts something inaudible but refuses to move. He is usually a good drinker, but today he reaches his limit too fast for a record which is quite understandable considering the rate he is drinking. It's not that Lunamaria or Meyrin didn't try to stop him –the reason why they bother to come is to make sure that he isn't doing something stupid, after all – but there's nothing they can do; the only one who can hold against Shinn is Cagalli. It is also the name Shinn keeps muttering in his drunken stupor, which prompted the girls to try calling Cagalli and see if she could come and knock some sense into Shinn's head. But she couldn't be reached and now both Lunamaria and Meyrin are at lost of what to do.
"If you can make him drink this, it will help," a bartender slides a cup of steaming hot black coffee towards them. He has been watching the two girls trying to get the young man to his conscience for almost an hour and decides to help. "It's on the house."
Lunamaria smiles appreciatively at the bartender but only for a second as she tries to move her friend again. "Come on, Shinn…"
The next time Cagalli's mind is clear again, she is snuggling comfortably on Athrun's bed, blanket covering up to her neck with Athrun's arm casually draped on her waist. She guesses that it must be a little past midnight, probably around 1 at the latest –they couldn't possibly have went on for more than few hours, could they? Blushing slightly at the thought, Cagalli suddenly remembers something on top of her head.
"Athrun," she calls, hoping that he isn't sleeping yet despite the closed eyes. Much to her relief, the eyes flutter open, revealing the brightest emeralds she has ever seen and an enquiring look. "Did I leave my phone in the living room?"
"Think so," Athrun's voice is slightly hoarse and all Cagalli can is does her best to ignore the temptation it causes. "Do you want me to get it?"
Cagalli shakes her head. "It's okay. At what time you're going to the office tomorrow?"
"Have to reach the office before 8 so I'll be leaving around 7.30 – why, do you need a lift?" Athrun asks curiously –Cagalli's college is just one station away and she most probably hasn't got a class that early, anyway; being a third year student and all.
"No," Cagalli shakes her head again and stifles a yawn. "Can you set the alarm to 7, then? I'll make you breakfast."
"You know you don't have to, right?" Athrun asks rhetorically but if he is against the idea at the slightest, it doesn't show, not with the wide smile plastered on his face like of a child on Christmas. "But my alarm has always set to 7 anyway."
Cagalli chuckles at his apparent delight. "Yeah, right. I need my sleep now so keep your hand still, Athrun Zala."
Athrun returns the chuckle before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Alright, goodnight, Cagalli."
"Goodnight, Athrun."
I'm looking forward to the morning already.
So, yea, that's it. Sorry for all the fluff – just to make up for all the angst before lol I hope it doesn't bore you guys out, though. Do tell me if you want more drama –well, actually do tell me what you expect for next chapter because from here it's a clean slate and I have way too many things to insert to the story and I can't decide lol If I were to insert everything this story will be a mess (if it isn't already is, that's it) So, yea, waiting for your feedbacks now while I'm sitting for my final exam starting next week (yay, first semester is over already!) and thank you for reading!
p.s. Lacus, Kira and Meer will be mentioned…someday /evil laughs
-Asuka Mayu
