Five months, I know, I'm sorry.
Chapter 9 – "This is Athrun. I'm going to marry him."
Athrun has been listening to Yzak's misery for almost fifteen years and he can conclude that 80 percent of the things Yzak has ever complained about is Shiho's love for shopping. It started way back before their engagement since Yzak, being a family friend and all, has always been trusted to act as Shiho's some sort of personal bodyguard. He claimed it troublesome most of the time but he growled at those guys who merely glanced at Shiho almost too readily; witnessed by Athrun the two times Yzak dragged him on to release him for utter hell he thought the shopping trips were. Athrun never stayed till the end for both times so he had no idea how long do Shiho's shopping trips usually last but back then he thought it was just a momentarily thing; though he wasn't sure if he expected Yzak to stop complaining or Shiho to grow up from her shopping habits.
Yet it continues till the very nowadays when they are all in their late twenties; Athrun has often wondered if it would ever change. For the past few years, Dearka has taken up stance to disagree to Yzak's complaints of those long shopping trips – they are not that boring, Dearka has always said, you just have to learn to enjoy yourselves. Yzak counters by saying that Dearka hasn't been to those trips with same woman twice, thus his ability to enjoy the moment; to which Dearka has no objection whatsoever. Athrun has always been in neutral state since he has no experience at all; he hasn't dated for years and he has no female siblings (actually, no siblings at all) plus his mother shops online all the time – Athrun has no such worry in his life at all. He sympathises for Yzak, though, deep in his heart, unannounced, because it does sound boring; walking around from shops to shops, heavily laden with things that aren't even his and even worse, few hours spent without a thing bought.
Well, he used to sympathise – now Athrun thinks Yzak is merely exaggerating.
This is the fourth stop they have been into this morning and he still thinks Cagalli's scrunched up face when she analyses whatever item she has in her hand is cute.
It was a shopping trip a day overdue; they were supposed to go yesterday but Athrun was suddenly called in for a sudden rescheduled meeting with a client so he had to sacrifice his precious sleeping-in Sunday instead. He remembers groaning inwardly about it few hours ago when Cagalli woke him up, a memory of Cagalli choosing between two table lamps for two hours resurfaced in his mind. But somehow he enjoys it this time. Perhaps it's because of the fresh morning air, perhaps it's because they are going to open air Sunday market instead of stuffy furniture stores this time, or perhaps it's because Cagalli hasn't let go of his hand since he entwines their fingers together the first time.
It's also probably because he has been so busy he hasn't seen enough Cagalli nowadays that he cannot really takes his eyes off her now.
"If you would stop staring and help me choose it would be nice, Athrun," says Cagalli suddenly, earning herself a chuckle from her fiancé as the blue-haired man looks down to the thing she is touching on the table.
"Scarves?" he asks, running his free hand on the hand-knitted rolls of scarves before him. "Aren't these couple scarves, though?"
Cagalli's forehead creases to frown lines. "I told you we are buying presents for Milly's anniversary with her boyfriend."
It seems like that piece of information has slipped from Athrun's mind among those worksheets he was looking over last night.
"Oh really?" he says with an apologetic smile. "These are nice, then."
"You're just saying that so that we can go home, right?" Cagalli eyes him suspiciously.
Athrun chuckles; if he was few years younger he think he would probably just kiss Cagalli right there and then before the crowd and the elderly storekeeper – why is his fiancée so adorable? "How do I prove that it's not true, hmm?"
There goes Athrun's favourite sight again; Cagalli's scrunched up face as she thinks. It doesn't last long, though – the girl is up with a satisfied smirk after a few seconds.
"You choose the gift, then," she decides with an air of finality, her eyes gleam in a way that tells Athrun she won't take no for an answer. "You should choose the gift well; Milly is my best friend, she's been with me forever so you should match her taste somehow, you know, to make sure that we last."
Athrun is stumped for the first time for the day. He honestly has thought that Cagalli couldn't come up with anymore absurdity than what he has experienced before it seems like he has been underestimating the girl.
Well, choosing a gift shouldn't be that hard – if he has at least met the girl. But no, Athrun hasn't met this girl called Milly (much less her boyfriend), he has heard Cagalli talk about her a lot yet he couldn't even recalled her full name (Milly is a nickname, Athrun remembers at least that; her actual name is Miliyyah or Millenear or something that sounds like that) so Cagalli is really being absurd right now.
"Alright," Athrun sighs; he'll think of something later, preferably after he has his lunch. He glances at his watch. "Alright, but let's have lunch first, okay? It's almost one now."
For a moment Athrun thinks Cagalli is about to say no; that he has to find the perfect gift before they could think about having lunch but it seems like the girl is hungry as well since she agrees almost at once.
Athrun has never been more relieved.
Athrun considers stumbling upon Cagalli's friends at the café they're going to have lunch at as a blessing in disguise. A blessing, because when he slides on his seat on the shared table, he knows the two flustered girls with different shades red of hair would help him in the quest to find the perfect gift for that best friend of Cagalli, but yes, it is in disguise because Athrun doesn't need to see that black-haired boy that's with them.
And if he's not 28, he would totally throw a tantrum about having to sit with the said boy but Cagalli has taken the seat next to the girls so Athrun has no choice but to share the opposite seat with Shinn, who is looking disgusted and is pinning himself to the window to make as much as possible between him and Athrun.
All Athrun wants to do is to let Shinn knows that the feeling is mutual.
The tension is most probably lost to the girls who are chatting so animatedly as if they haven't seen each other all the week. It's only when the waiter comes to take the order that they cease the chattering and finally take a look on their menus. Athrun makes the first order; he thinks he has managed to have the appetizers memorized already for staring at the menu so long, avoiding any interaction with the boy next to him. It seems that Shinn is pretty much in the same boat because Athrun realizes that he's making his order with the menu closed – not that Athrun wants to check out what he's doing or anything; it's really in range of his side vision.
"That's too spicy for you," Shinn comments on Cagalli's choice of food when the waiter strides away with their order. Cagalli simply rolls her eyes at her friend before digging into her handbag.
"Shut up or I'll just keep this to myself," she says cheekily, waving what Athrun thinks a Polaroid photo on Shinn's face.
Athrun is literally taken aback when Shinn leaps, actually leaps, to snatch the photo away from Cagalli's grasp. Cagalli pulls it out of reach first time but let Shinn has it the second time because the boy is almost climbing on the table, warranting a terrified look from the others. Only when Shinn finally has the photo in his hand and returns to acceptable civilised sitting posture that Athrun can let himself breathe freely.
Back when Athrun was a kid, he had a Corgi Welsh puppy and despite his mother's warning, Athrun used to give the puppy his treats by throwing it as far as he can so that the puppy can run to catch it.
Shinn's face right now reminds him greatly of the puppy when it returned back to him, treat between his fangs, tail wagging in the speed of light – and Athrun hadn't thought about the puppy for more than a decade already.
"What's that?" The girl with short magenta hair, Lunamaria as Athrun remembers her, asks, her eyes squinting at the photo that Shinn is staring at as if it's the photo of his long lost mother.
"I took a Polaroid with Stellar the other day," says Cagalli like it explains everything. "You know me and Shinn got this agreement that every photo I take with Stellar goes to him – I've always had to take two shots of Polaroid with Stellar now."
Athrun squints his eyes slightly to see the photo that the boy next to him is still beaming at. True enough, there's the blonde girl he knew as Stellar from the dress shop but there is another blonde that Athrun knows too well, wrapping her arms around Stellar from behind with a smile so dazzling – his fiancée.
And something in his chest growls as he wonders which one is Shinn looking at actually.
"It's probably a high time for you to move on now, you know," Lunamaria tells Shinn, annoyance laces her words. "How long has it been; a year?"
Shinn rolls his eyes as he puts the photo in his wallet, and Athrun sees another Polaroid in the photo section, of the same two blondes and his bad premonition just grows stronger; he might not be in love with Cagalli as of yet but he's pretty sure that no man would like to know that some other man is keeping a photo of his fiancée in his wallet, no matter for what ridiculous reason.
"It's none of your business, Luna," says Shinn, slightly irritated.
Lunamaria seems like about to retort but the waiter just comes in time with their drinks and the girl is forced to swallow back whatever she has wanted to say earlier. Athrun is glad for the drinks as well; he needs something to distract him from forming plan to make a certain black-haired boy suffers and his iced Americano should be able to do just that.
"It's okay, anyway," Cagalli says over her orange smoothie. "Stellar doesn't seem to like anyone at the moment as well. There's still hope for our Shinn here."
"If you've forgotten, that girl was the one who asked for the break up so the chance of her changing her mind should be pretty low, right?" Lunamaria counters mercilessly, her hand stirring up her lemon tea, successfully ignoring the glare Shinn is throwing her way. "A real man should just accept that fact and stop pinning for her like she's the only girl on this world."
The glares might have scared her sister Meyrin, though for the younger girl has resorted to tug at Lunamaria's sleeves and mutters a soft, "That's quite enough, sis." That seems to put Lunamaria in a better judgement, together with a deep breath – and she diverts her attention to the other man instead.
Athrun gulps – he doesn't really like that look on her face.
"So how's living with Cagalli, eh?"
The man knows Lunamaria is implying something less innocent and the girl is expecting some juicy info – though she should know full well that Athrun wouldn't provide that for sure – but albeit the slight blush, Athrun chooses to remain on the safe and vague route.
"It's fine so far, we haven't got any problem – nothing major, anyway," he says collectedly, wondering in back of his mind if Cagalli has been saying the same thing around her friends.
Lunamaria grins some more and Athrun actually could feel the creeps now. "No problem eh? Are you sure? I swear Cagalli doesn't seem to get enough sleep this late –"
"Lunamaria!" Cagalli exclaims, cutting her friends off with her face deep red. "You know it's the assignments that are keeping me!"
"Lies," Lunamaria rebukes quite easily. "We've submitted the last one last week and we're getting none more."
The blonde freezes for a moment before being resolved to spluttering mess over her hastily grabbed drinks, much to the sisters' amusement, though their black-haired friend doesn't seem to approve.
As for Athrun – he figures that keeping his mouth shut would be the best choice. It's not as if he got anything to deny anyway.
His chance comes after lunch, when Lunamaria and Cagalli go to browse the buffet dessert counter. Athrun actually prefers Lunamaria, no matter how tactless she has sounded, over this forever blushing sister of hers but beggars can't be picky so he tries anyway.
"Meyrin, right?" he asks, slightly cautious and Meyrin levels up another shade of red as she nods. "You know Milly, I suppose?"
Another nod – Athrun prays she won't combust and wonders if he should lower his pride and just asks Shinn instead but he should finish what he has started.
"It's her anniversary with her boyfriend soon right? Well, Cagalli wants me to find them perfect presents but I haven't even met this Milly so I wonder if you could tell me what does she like and whatnots, I'd be really glad."
Athrun hears Shinn snorts next to him and sees bewildered look overtaken the girl in front of him as her blush miraculously increases by a notch – as if not believing Athrun would actually ask a favour of her –and Athrun dares himself to hope for a proper answer from the girl.
Which, if it will ever happens at all, will takes a while; Athrun would have to thank Cagalli's indecisiveness for making her stay rooted deciding on macaroon flavours, hopefully long enough for Meyrin to finally talk.
Hopefully.
Athrun knows he's nailed it; when Cagalli leans on his arm without any words as they return home, Milly's anniversary gift safely tucked in Cagalli's Burberry handbag. It's easy once Athrun can get the info out from Meyrin (she survived the ordeal but Lunamaria had been eyeing Athrun suspiciously upon how red her sister has become); apparently Miriallia is into photography and her boyfriend Tolle enjoys soccer and both of them go everywhere together so Athrun made a phone call to Dearka – who got dubbed 'the phone directory' due to his extensive contact list – and all they had to do afterwards to pick the a pair of tickets to the Guest-Only exhibition by the most coveted photographer Setsuna F. Seiei and the VIP ticket plus backstage passes to the next match of UEA FC vs OMNI FC which was dubbed as a match from hell; as the pun goes.
Athrun did not even bother to ask Dearka how he managed to get his hands on these passes; he knows any price Dearka would name later in office will be worth Cagalli's contentment.
But it's weird; he is supposed to be happy because he has just achieved something Cagalli expected him to (Cagalli totally knows he would ask her friends; it might be her point all along – though she probably had wished he would ask Shinn instead) but the growing purr in his chest when Cagalli tugs him for a needy kiss as they close the door feels more like arrogant pride more than anything.
Cagalli is not a file on his upcoming project lists, he knows, but he couldn't help but to think this is nothing he cannot handle, after all.
It's almost too easy, even.
"Athrun?" Cagalli asks cautiously as if not believing her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
It's a misplaced question, actually, because they have been cohabiting for a little over a month and Cagalli shouldn't really be asking why Athrun is there in living room watching morning news when the place is basically his. But it's 9 in the morning of a Wednesday so by all means Athrun really should not be there in the living room watching morning news; he should be in his office making million dollars contracts or having meetings about these million dollar contracts or something similar.
Athrun draws a smile as he stands up from the couch and only then Cagalli realizes that he is wearing all black today and the realization finally dawns to her.
"How did you know?" she asks, quiet, averting her gaze not unlike a little kid admitting to her secret mischief.
"Your father told me yesterday after a meeting," replies Athrun lightly. He offers his hand. "Come on, let's go together. We'll take my car, alright?"
It's the 15th anniversary of the death of Cagalli's mother.
Athrun has been through anniversary services before – thought it was many years ago when he was still back in PLANTs – but it's his first time going to someone's he has never met before. Cagalli has been uncharacteristically sombre, cleaning the tomb in her crisp ironed black shirt and matching knee-length skirt in same colour; Athrun hasn't seen her quite that formal before. There is also Uzumi Nara Attha out of his suits for a change; the sleeves of his plain black shirt casually rolled back as he clears the weed around the grave.
"She hated me looking so formal; though she would cry in joy to see Cagalli in those," Uzumi whispers, his eyes twinkling in a dim merriness and reminiscing fondness as Athrun helps him with the weeds.
Athrun smiles in respond, not quite sure what exactly to reply. Cagalli talked about her mother, yes, but not by much – and it was a memory of a six-year-old, moreover.
Cagalli probably doesn't think much about sharing her sentiments of her mother to him as well, seeing how she didn't even bother to tell Athrun about the service beforehand – perhaps thinking that Athrun might not be interested; though to give her credits, she looks awfully guilty about it now, which explains the deafening silence on their way earlier.
Uzumi kneels and offers his prayers first and it takes quite sometimes before he rises with subtly hidden moist eyes and Cagalli has her turn. Athrun supposed that he would say his quick prayer after Cagalli but it seems like his fiancée has another plans as she tugs Athrun to kneel down with her. There is quite a long gap of silence as Cagalli closes her eyes, eyebrows burrowed deep in concentration that one moment Athrun steal a glance on her before he does the same, wishing the bless upon the soul of a woman he hasn't get to meet.
"Mother," Cagalli says softly and Athrun takes it as a cue to open his eyes. "This is Athrun. I'm going to marry him. It's a Father's doing but I'm – we're trying to make it work. He is nice and treats me well and a younger version of Father so I think you should like him. Please look after us."
Cagalli talks some more but Athrun's mind is pretty much frozen. He hasn't experience talking to a passed-away before. Should he say amen or should he introduce himself? What should he say anyway?
'Hello, my name is Athrun Zala and I work for ZAFT. I'm marrying your daughter in few months time. I like it that she's feisty and she comes handful sometimes because I don't really know how to treat a woman right but honestly, she's nothing as much as the messed up client from Scandinavia earlier this year so it's nothing I can't cover – you don't have to worry,' wouldn't be it, would it?
Athrun hasn't realized that Cagalli has gotten up so he gets into his feet a few seconds later but just in time to see a silhouette of a boy in black leather jacket joining their small group. The boy's raven hair is ruffled by the air and he's slightly panting but Athrun couldn't miss the way his eyes shine as he locks eyes with Cagalli and something in Athrun flips threateningly.
"I thought you wouldn't make it this year, kiddo," Uzumi says along with a warm smile of a father that catches Athrun by surprise. So Uzumi knows Shinn – does he also know that Shinn used to sleep with her daughter? "I thought you've manned up and given up on us."
Shinn laughs lightly as he shakes hand with the older man and has his shoulders patted fondly. "How could I?"
Uzumi gives him a brief hug before passing him to Cagalli. Athrun notices there is a look that resembles greatly of relief on her face and proceeds to wonder why. He swears nothing seems to make sense to him when it comes about Cagalli and Shinn.
"You said you got a project discussion," says Cagalli as Shinn pulls her into a hug. Shinn's shiny jacket feels cold when she rests her head on his shoulder but Shinn himself feels warm; a kind of warm she has gotten familiar to on these days like today because Shinn has always been there.
Shinn has always been there for five years and Cagalli had been worried if anything would change with Athrun now being in the equation but here Shinn is comforting her on the day she feels the most down.
"I said it wouldn't take long," Shinn rebuts as he runs his fingers through Cagalli's silky hair before disengaging himself from the hug. "I'll say hi to your mother first; she must've missed me."
Cagalli chuckles as Shinn goes to kneel down in front of the tomb but the merriness in her eyes fade when her gaze meets Athrun's.
She knows she's got a lot to explain – but she wonders if she could ever put whatever she's feeling right now into words.
There is something in Cagalli's eyes that scares Athrun.
It's the shine that Athrun has never seen before, twinkling in her amber orbs behind her thick eyelashes as she apologizes profusely for not telling him about her mother's death anniversary. "It's on a weekday; I suppose you'd be busy. I don't want to make you feel like you have to come – it has nothing much to do with you anyway; you've never even seen her," she reasons among her rambling before resorting to thank him endlessly for coming along.
Athrun assures her that it's okay; that he wants to come and a day off to spend on her expense isn't really something she should be worshipping him about. He doesn't mention that he actually does it solely because he thinks it's a right thing to do but he also doesn't question why Cagalli seems to think it's okay for Shinn to go all out of his way to make it to the service when the boy clearly hasn't been acquaintance with her mother as well.
But Cagalli continues to thank him like he has done some heroic deed and Athrun tries not to think about the Shinn's look of concentration when he prayed as if he was praying for his own mother and how he deserves the thanks more than Athrun ever does.
How Shinn deserves Cagalli more than Athrun ever does.
Cagalli, however, couldn't see it even when her eyes are open and even more when her eyes are closed as she falls into slumber in Athrun's arms.
Athrun likes it better now she has her closed not only because she looks like angel but also to the fact that Athrun couldn't see the new glint that makes him question the whole thing all over again.
It scares him – because he knows then Cagalli has fallen and she has fallen for someone as despicable as him.
Firstly, yes, I'd like to apologize for the super long gap. I checked and apparently I started this chapter on January5th . To my defence, well, my mother had been sick (she passed away on 23rd last month) so I couldn't really sit and write all I want. There's also college being bitchy even though I'm taking less credit hours this semester. But yay, second semester of first year is almost done so I'll have, like, a little over two months break I hope I can write more then. Okay, enough with my excuses.
And I'd like to thank you all for the lovely reviews; you have no idea how much it keeps me going. I'm happy that at least one person got my hint on the engineering guy /winks
I'm sorry Shinn is still in the story I think he's going to fade away soon because next chapter will reveal a character that may or may not be Athrun's ex lol Keep your guess coming on and please anticipate a lot!
Lastly, thank you for still reading and bearing with late updates so I'm giving you all passes to flame me all over so reviews, please? ^^
