Hey there everyone!...Hope everyone is ready cause this chappie is gonna be riddled with happiness not only for Kira and Lacus, but for Athrun and Cagalli as well! I'll leave you with this thought to ponder as you read: "Is too much of something good a bad thing?" winks lol...just think about it. Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own GS,GSD, or the Athrunliciousness that is Athrun Zala...but I totally wish I did! Lol

The Zala Files – Chapter 9: Confessions Over Hot Cocoa

-The Country of Orb, Athha Estate, March 2nd, 1:15am. Location: Cagalli's room -

The amber eyed lioness cried out in desperation: "Athrun!"... "I need you!"... "My back!"... "It – it hurts again!"

Athrun entered the den of the lioness, a towel draped over his head and clad in nothing but his boxers and a white cotton bathrobe. He rubbed his wet navy hair in an attempt to dry off quicker, he sighed heavily in the irate blonde's direction: "If you keep moaning that loud people are gonna think that..." He trailed off as a slight blush dusted his face. He reminded himself not to tell her about running into Kira in the hall just a few moments ago...or what Kira may have perceived was going on in his sister's room.

Cagalli blushed a little also, but because she'd just noticed the Coordinator's appearance...freshly out of the shower, water droplets clinging to his blue locks and eyelashes. She shook her head to clear her mind and cut him off with a growl: "No. Only you would think like that. I don't give a damn what other people might think is happening...but I do know that my back hurts now!" She flopped down onto her full size bed and commanded: "Okay."... "I'm good to go."... "Assume the position."

Athrun turned beet red in embarrassment: "Cagalli." ... "It's not like I'm frisking you." He shook his head at her agitated, pouty face and chuckled: "Alright."... "Fine."... "Just give me a sec to..." H glanced down at his attire...or lack of it...then at the fiery girl laying on the bed, and began to blush furiously in a futile attempt to cover up what kinds of thoughts were running through his head. He quickly shook the bad thoughts out and finished his sentence abruptly: "I need a sec to throw on a pair of pants." He retreated back to the bathroom and emerged two minutes later in his black pants from earlier and quickly located, and pulled on a black dress shirt from his suitcase, leaving it unbuttoned in his haste to cover himself. He rolled his sleeves up, took a deep breath to prepare himself, and turned towards the bed. He nervously stood at the foot of it: "I-it's just your back...right?"

Cagalli mumbled frustratedly into the pillow: "Don't be so nervous." "It's only a massage." "You just did one not ten minutes ago...and if I'm not mistaken, you made it into a joke and pickup line at the same time." ... "Now get over here and just get to it!"

Athrun blushed slightly, nodded, and heaved a heavy sigh: "Okay!"... "Alright!"... "Just relax yourself like last time." He crawled onto the bed, and threw his legs on each side of her; pinning her down. He realized how this would look to someone if they were to come in...but Cagalli had already made her feelings apparent on how she felt about that, so he had to honor her wishes. He poked her shoulder gently: "Umm...Cagalli?"

Cagalli grunted into the pillow: "What?"

Athrun's face tinted a rosy color as he stated: "If you want me to do this right...the shirt has to come off."

Cagalli normally would have turned beet red and backed away, but at this point she was so tired she didn't seem to care. Her back still facing him, she removed her tee shirt and tossed it aside exposing the back of her black lace bra to the innocent eyes of the ZAFT ace. She carefully unhooked it so that he would be able to get at her back easier, then she then flopped back down face first onto her comfy bed: "Here." ... "Now go."

Athrun felt himself begin to flush from head to toe, and he had to again shake out the naughty thoughts that remained ever present deep within the confines of his subconscious mind. He began to rub Cagalli's tense back, doing his best to work out all the kinks and knots, his fingers noticeably trembling against the warm, soft feel of her skin. When he got to the small of her back, he felt her draw in her breath. He asked her in a soft voice: "Does it hurt...when I touch you here?" Leaning over her, he gently caressed the small of her back again.

The golden haired lioness trembled under Athrun's exquisite touch, and feeling his warm body that close to hers almost made her remember what had happened after the last time she'd asked him to do this three years ago. A blush covered her face, a blush that she made to keep carefully hidden from his sharp, emerald eyes that she could feel on her even with her back turned. She nodded in response to his question and suddenly felt his fingers trail delicately down the length of her back and then press down firmly as they began to gently, yet forcefully; rub the tension away. She let out a loud moan sh had been suppressing: "Mmmmm!"... "Yes!"... "Yes!"... "God Athrun!"... "You...are...sooo...amazing!" She felt his hands knead at her back even harder: "Mmmmmm!"

Athrun blushed bright red in embarrassment as he wiped the sweat that had began to form at his brow once again. He managed a small devilish smile as he pressed down harder and whispered: "I could do a full body massage."... "How does that sound?" He continued to rub her bare back, but more intensely.

Cagalli, so hypnotized, and intoxicated by the wonderful feel of his hands across her back; she softly moaned: "Mmmmm."... "That sounds so..." He massaged the sore spot even more intensely, and her soft moan turned into a loud satisfied one as she blurted out: "Mmmmm!" ... "Yes!"... "Oh God!" ... "Yes!"... "Mmmmm!" "Athrun!" ... "You...are...amazing!"... "Mmmmm!"... "Yes!" "Just!...Just take me now Athrun Zala!" She quickly covered her mouth in shock as she felt his hands abruptly stop moving.

Athrun, the sweat dripping from his brow, felt as if steam might come out his ears, and blushed bright crimson. His inner self screamed nervously and anxiously: "Had she really just?..." He touched her bare shoulder gently as he managed: "C-Cagalli..." ... "I..."

Cagalli sat up quickly, re-hooked her bra, and threw her tee shirt back on. Her once frustrated face now a noticeable red in embarrassment as she quickly apologized, facing away from him as she did so: "I..." ... "I'm sorry about that."

Athrun, a light, awkward blush still staining his face, simply shook his head and smiled: "No."... "It's alright...really." He smirked: "You helped me realize a new method ti interrogating a woman." He winked in her direction and flashed her a small smile: "I'll call it... the "magic touch."

Cagalli's face burned bright red, the fire in her amber eyes ever eminent as she growled: "Athrun!"... "You are so!..." Before she could finish reprimanding him, he poked the small of her back with one finger. She moaned softly and nearly dropped to her knees as she managed to back away quickly from the nimble fingered Coordinator, she blushed again and stammered through another growl: "C-Cut it out!"

Athrun smiled sweetly and chuckled: "See!"... "I knew it would work!"... "I see the Princess of Orb has an Achilles heel after all."

A blush once again found itself creeping into the pouting face of the "Goddess of Victory." She pouted angrily in defeat as she asked: "I feel like hot chocolate." ... "You want some?"

Athrun smiled and nodded: "Sure." He quickly scanned the room: "But first...just let me check around the room again. I think I missed something when I looked before. Somethings' been nagging me in the back of my head." His curious emerald eyes wandered around the room and abruptly came to rest upon a black lace night dress hanging on Cagalli's coat hanger. He quickly turned his head away, blushing as he did so.

Cagalli caught him red handed and eyed him: "That's not a clue you know."

Athrun blushed in embarrassment that he'd been caught so easily. He turned to Cagalli and smiled playfully: "I know." ... "But it still intrigues me."

Cagalli rolled her eyes: "I swear."... "Some things never change."... "You still cover everything up with that shy act of yours." ... "I'm not wearing that." ... "So just get it out of your head."

Athrun, still smiling devilishly responded: "It wouldn't be on for that long anyway."

Cagalli's face burned bright crimson: "A-Athrun!"... "Knock it off!"... "You need to focus!"

Athrun chuckled: "Alright." ... "We'll get back to that."

Cagalli rolled her eyes and ignored that as she said: "How about we think about what Miss Meyrin brought up?"

Athrun nodded firmly: "You mean...about what Miss Allster was doing out of her room last night when she'd said she was with Kira the whole time?"

Cagalli nodded: "Yeah." ... "And didn't you hear the fight they had in his room about 45 minutes ago?"

Athrun shook his head: "No."... "I think I was in the bathroom." ... "It was after you'd asked me to fix your back the first time." He turned red briefly, he noticed her do the same and then turn away. He continued: "Anyway...I think I came out after the whole thing cause I ran into him in the hallway before." He silently cursed himself for not keeping that under his hat like he was originally going to...but he found himself to be a terrible liar whenever he was in Cagalli's presence.

Cagalli raised a golden eyebrow, her amber eyes dancing with curiosity: "What happened?"... "What did he say?"

Athrun had to fight back the urge to laugh as he explained: "I went for a towel and found him hiding in the linen closet."

Cagalli gave him a puzzled look: "What the hell was he doing in there?" ... "It's full of spiders...and he's afraid of spiders."

Athrun began to snicker: "I-I don't know..." "He made a bad joke and then I closed the door on him." Athrun turned slightly red again: "Remember when I that you were being...too loud?"... "Well...I think he thought we were..." His voice trailed off as he simply blushed and looked down at his feet in order to avoid her gaze.

Cagalli felt her face grow hot as she stammered: "S-stupid Kira." She quickly averted the subject back to Kira and Fllay: "Anyway...I heard Fllay scream: "If you keep this up...the engagement is off!" Then Kira exclaimed: "All I said was that I needed some time to think. My father was just murdered for god's sake Fllay!" Cagalli snickered: "Then he told her that he didn't appreciate her trying to threaten him by abstaining...he called her... "The Sex Nazi."

Athrun chuckled, then sighed heavily: "I wish I had more to go on than a few arguments and an empty tea cup. Maybe I should check all the cups out again." He examined the fine china resting in front of him once again, and sniffed the tea cup. He nearly fell backwards at the odor: "Wait!"... "This wasn't here before...its a different china pattern...and it reeks of Chanel number 5." He eyed Cagalli and stated: "It was arsenic. Just enough to shut down the nervous system and kill a man."

Cagalli's raised a golden eyebrow: "The police said that it appeared to be as if he was poisoned."... She shook her head, refusing to believe someone would do something so horrible: "I watched the staff make the tea!"... "I saw nothing strange in the kitchen!" ... "I never took my eyes off them!" ... And what does Chanel number 5 have to do with anything!"

Athrun eyed Cagalli seriously: "I get the feeling that this isn't over. Whoever did this will do it again." He glanced at her worriedly: "Their new target may either be Kira...or you."

Cagalli nodded firmly, amber eyes full of determination: "Let them come. I'll be ready." "Kisaka's on duty 24/7. Nobody can sneak past him...not even me when I go rummaging for midnight snacks."

Athrun nodded intently: "Let's hope that's the case." "However...I think it's best that I keep a close eye on you." "That's probably why Kira put me here."

Cagalli sighed heavily as she thought: "Yeah...sure...that's the reason." She eyed Athrun curiously: "So..." ... "What's the deal about this Chanel number 5 smell?" ... "Nobody in this house wears that."

Athrun nodded: "Exactly." ... "That fragrance has a particular accent to it." He cringed at the thought as he continued: "There's only one person I know who wears that. But...why on earth would they be here?"

Cagalli raised a golden eyebrow and asked anxiously: "Who is it?"

Athrun held up his hand in thinking position: "You don't need to know yet...but I can safely say that if my hunch is right...they'll do whatever I ask. And when they do..." He pretended to reel in a fishing line: "When they do...we'll reel them in."

Cagalli sighed heavily in defeat and asked: "So..." ... "You up for that hot cocoa yet or what?"

Athrun smiled happily and nodded: "Sure." ... "Lead the way."

-Meanwhile, in the kitchen... -

Kira poured the hot water in his and Lacus's cocoa filled mugs. He laughed nervously: "You're gonna think I'm weird...but I put both caramel and mint in my hot cocoa."

Lacus giggled, her bright blue eyes lighting up as she did so: "Not at all." ... "I actually am quite fond of the same combination."

Kira's violet eyes widened in surprise as a smile spread across his face: "Really?"... "Fllay can't stand the smell. She thinks it's too sweet and has a million calories."

Lacus chuckled: "Well...it does have a rather sweet odor to it...but that's part of its appeal. It is true that it isn't exactly the healthiest drink in the world...it makes people feel warm and good inside. Is that how it makes you feel...Kira?"

Kira smiled sweetly at her as he responded: "Yeah." ... "It's my one weakness." ... "It's sweet and makes me forget all my problems." He blushed as he continued softly: "Just like you...Miss Lacus."

A blush tinted the songstress's delicate face as she looked away. She whispered: "Kira..."

Kira stared deep into her baby blue eyes, blushing furiously, yet shyly, as he continued: "There's just something about you... I don't know...I- I'm sorry I can't fully describe what I feel...but I do know that there's something missing in my life...and Cagalli said that I could find that missing piece in you. I've tried to forget about you for the sake of Fllay's feelings...but then I realized...that wasn't me. I wasn't being true to myself. The truth is...I'm not in love with Fllay. It was a forced love because we were just thrown together one day. I had a silly little crush on her as a kid and I think that part of me took over. I wanted to believe so badly that she was loving me back, but I knew that wasn't true. I knew her real reasons for being with me...but I was off in my own little world and somewhere in there I got lost." He carefully wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He'd sworn he wasn't going to cry anymore...but everything seemed to be happening on its own tonight. He gathered up his courage and continued to speak: "I must sound so selfish...like a little baby...but...when I'm with her...I...I get a cold feeling. A vacant, cold feeling in those gray eyes. When they stare at me...and when we..." He blushed as he stammered: "When we...m-make love...those eyes...they're tearing me apart inside. I can see the truth behind them...the truth she hides from me...how she really feels. Those eyes tell me: "I'm only doing

this to marry into a wealthy family." His hands began to tremble as Lacus covered over them with her own. Kira continued further: "Truth is...I'm not his legitimate son. She won't end up with anything if she marries me. I know she'll leave me as soon as I tell her." He looked down at Lacus's hands resting on top of his and squeezed them gently: "And then...there's you. Everytime I see you...hear your voice, your songs, your kind words...it just feels so right somehow." He gazed deeply into her eyes as he concluded: "M-Miss Lacus...I...I've been in love with you ever since I first laid eyes on you...and that's the only thing I know is true right now."

Lacus's face burned bright red: "Kira..."

Kira shook his head and smiled sadly, waving his hands in an attempt to cover it up: "It's too late though...isn't it?" ... "I was too late." ... "I understand I put you in a difficult position...so...just forget I said anything." He turned to leave, but Lacus grabbed his arm.

Lacus exclaimed: "W-Wait!" She blushed embarrassed at her loud tone. Kira turned around and before he could respond, she stood up and threw her arms around him, holding him close as she calmly replied: "Kira." ... "I've enjoyed seeing your smiling face ever since I came to stay with the Athha family six months ago. In these past few months, I've noticed that when you enter a room, you seem to bring just a little more light into it. You care more about the people around you than yourself...but, like Lady Cagalli; you tend to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders." She smiled as she continued: "Your smile is the reason I've been able to get up everyday since the news of my father's death reached me. That smile that lights up a room and instantly makes people feel better. Sometimes...I feel that...when Kira is not smiling...the world isn't either."

Kira blinked a few times in awe of her beautiful statement, and then blushed furiously: "Lacus..." ... "I..." He felt himself being irresistibly drawn to the tempting lips of the pink haired princess.

Lacus whispered as his mouth was inches from hers: "Kira..." ... "Wait..."

Kira apologized as he cupped her face in his hands, he whispered: "I'm sorry."... "Please forgive me." Then he pressed his soft lips to hers in a chaste kiss.

Lacus's blue eyes widened at first...then closed as she relaxed in his arms. She ran her fingers through his short, messy, brown hair...and then wrapped them around his neck as his arms encircled her waist as he deepened the kiss.

-Meanwhile, from just outside the kitchen -

Athrun and Cagalli, who were about to enter the kitchen for hot cocoa as well, felt their eyes widen in shock at the scene that had just played itself out like a romance novel in front of them. A startled Cagalli knocked over a vase in the hallway. Athrun quickly rushed up and pushed her out of the doorway and threw himself up against the wall, his arms at her back drawing her tightly against him. She looked up at his relieved face as he heaved a heavy sigh. Her face grew hot at she inhaled the intoxicating scent of the Aramis cologne that left its traces on him after his shower. She shook the bad thoughts out of her head and scolded herself: "No."... "Too much of a good thing is bad for you."

Athrun blushed at how close they were and glanced over his shoulder into the kitchen, noticing another familiar face standing there...her glass had shattered to the floor and she wore an expression of pure shock upon her face. Athrun motioned for Cagalli to take a look and when she did her eyes widened as Athrun

whispered the question she couldn't form on her lips: "Damn." ... "What happens now?"

Well...that's chappie 9! I hope everyone enjoyed all the AsuCaga/ Kir/Lac happiness! I know I did! Lol. Oh...and btw...my birthday is March 2nd, that's why I chose to use that date... it was easy enough to remember. Lol. Gotta love Athrun and his deliciously hot hands! Yum! Yum!...I want one of his massages now too! Lol ...anyway...see you all in chappie 10 which will be out when I get back from England next week! TTFN! Which is Tigger for "See you when I get back!"