So here it is…The last chapter before we get into some more adventure. And mucho important stuff happens even if it's probably only going to confuse you even farther… =D
But my replies! Must reply first to my awesome reviewers!
-Mwah Z- awww, I'm glad you can connect with Cagalli =) And yes, despite all the angst, suspension and drama I put in my story I promise you there will be a happy ending…sorta…depends if I want a sequel or not =P But I don't think I will ahhaha, cause as soon as this story is done I'm going to want to jump right into my other story (which won't be published till after this one is complete, but thankyou!) And yeah, I'm trying not to make Cagalli too much of a Damsel in distress at times with all her injuries (she's a magnet for them, what can I say?) but yeah…
-WritingKnightmare- Seriously…you're like…my unofficial beta…Thankyou so much for the spelling/messup advice. Someday I really need to compile everything you said to me and go back and fix it when I have time to examine each piece of writing. =) I started reading your fiction story! It was great! I hope you update soon!
And good job! Blame it on your parents =P and my friend got her wisdom teeth removed and I remember how she acted afterwards- have fun ;)
FushionAC-I know! Maybe I should change this to an angst/romance story, lol! I write so much confusion and sadness into this story though, it's fun. And it was popular in the TV show anyway =P
Falconrukichi- This part of the story is wrapping up- and why indeed =)
Saki-hime – me too! Oh wait…I'm the one writing it….riiiiight…. duh…well then…And thanks for reviewing =)
AnimeHuntress- AWWWWWWWWW! Thankyouu! You have seriously just reduced me to a puddle of tears *sniffles* I'm so happy that you liked my story and I'm honored that you love it so much! I've read some of your works and I hope you continue writing/updating =) And yeah, I completely understand about GSD, I definitely like Gundam Seed better then it's sequel though I still wish they had made the end of GSD longer or at least had another episode to it to finish up the season on a better note then half of the main characters floating randomly in space (and perhaps Athrun/Cagalli and Lacus/Kira getting married? Then again maybe not- one can hope though..)
Baka4Anime- Do I sense a hint for some Kitalla/Kira? Then again,,, maybe not (though the idea did cross my mind once) but it wouldn't work well cause Kitalla is actually like five or so years older then Kira and I couldn't handle writing her as a romantic character towards Kira…why am I justifying myself again? Wait...then again... Hahahah I just babble on and on, I'm so stupid…
And Jona and kimi? Oooh, we shall see =).
And yeah,,, half of my brain is always like 'lets see Cagalli get in trouble' and the other half is 'SHUT UP! Don't be such a drama queen! Stay true to Gundam Seed!' it's so hard being me sometimes *sigh*
Thanks everyone for reading/reviewing! You win my heart every time and are the inspiration for every chapter (no joke!). I hope you continue to enjoy reading Tangled Fates =)
Just a heads up- cause of a back-up in my school work and a busy life, the updates might be a littler slower or the chapters being shorter or...both (laugh...) so soorrrry!
Happy Reading!
*Disclaimer- I do not own Gundam Seed…but you won't find Kitalla in any of their episodes =D
OOOOOO
Narrator POV
Aboard the Harmony.
"You betrayed me!" The raven-haired girl cried. Her expression was of hurt and pain. She shook her head back and forth as tears slipped down her cheeks.
The dirty-blonde haired boy in front of her grabbed at her hand pleadingly. "No! Kitty, listen to me, please!"
"Don't call me that!" shrieked the girl, yanking weakly on her hand.
The boy stared at her in a desperate love-sick way as if his heart was breaking at the sight of the girl's tears. "Please…please listen to me." He whispered.
"I know…everything!" The girl whispered. "I know…what you've done! What you've kept from me!" With every word, every harsh accusation full of bitter resentment her golden eyes grew wider.
"I thought you would understand," the boy whispered, his blue eyes flecked by strands of golden hair stared at her as if he was begging her with his gaze. "I thought…"
"That I would agree?" The girl demanded, rubbing her nose ineffectively. She glared at the boy through her tears. "I loved you…I lo-" her words were cut off though as the boy sprung forward, wrapping his arms tightly around her and pressing his lips against hers.
The girl froze in surprise and the boy threaded his fingers through her thick locks of black hair, moving his lips against hers as if he was trying to convey his heart's wishes to her. It was not a warm sweet kiss, it was hot and aggressive, seeking answers yet at the same time it was humble and scared and offering it's self up.
'Please' was the message. 'Please don't leave me'
The girl wanted to kiss him back so bad. She knew these lips that were kissing her lips so desperately. She knew those arms that held her so tightly and protectively- in a fierce way as if he never wanted to let her go. She knew him. Or… at least…she thought she had.
She pushed him away, her lips still stinging from the taste of his mouth, tears caught in her lashes. They stared at each other, catching their breaths silently.
The boy's eyes stayed fast on her, hope burning in them.
And for a moment she wanted to pretend that she could be that girl. The girl who gave up everything she believed in for that boy. Who put her hand in his and said: "Where ever you go, I will follow." Whose relationship would always be the most important factor, in a world…where love truly did conquer all.
And they lived happily forever after.
But not in her world for she wasn't the princess in the fairytale. She wasn't meant for that life of love and luxury.
"Thank you," she whispered to the boy, startling him. She took a step back, her eyes locked on his in a somber way. "You showed me which path I must take in life…"
The boy took a step towards her, his eyes growing huge as if he had reached the conclusion.
"Being alone…is a sacrifice I'm willing to make." The tears in her eyes broke forth once again and ran sticky and hot down her cheeks and she clenched her fists so hard that she felt blood bead up from where her nails cut her palm. "Goodbye and I hope you find what you were searching for in life." And then she turned and ran, the boy's cry still echoing in her ears, her heart still breaking in her chest.
The tears fell and fell and she knew no solace. She was betrayed. And she was angry.
For then on he would be her sworn enemy- that was her promise that she intended to keep.
Her heart was hardened from her misery and brittle from her anger. If someone from her past were to see her now they would be shocked at the change in her. Her new life she knew nobody in and it was just her walking the path of distraught alone until…
The captain of Harmony sat up in her bed with a gasp, clutching at her pounding chest. "Damn that dream!" she hissed before turning back over with an irritable growl and settling again into her comforts. Her hair draped over face like a black curtain, and she curled in a ball as if resisting dream's clutches.
One long lock of hair- slightly curly from being slept on- glinted wetly in the light from her clock. And a single last drop- like a tear- ran down it before seeping into the pillow making a damp spot to match the other one where the woman's face had laid on the pillow before she had awoken.
In our dreams… are we ourselves? In our dreams when we know no better to follow rules or to act in a certain way- are we true to who we are deep down? Or is it just bits and pieces making us up in our heads?
Are the things that make up our dreams just memories or restless thoughts the subconscious wants to be heard?
But if that is all true… then what inspire the feelings that course through us?
Nightmares inspire fear- we wake up with our heart racing. Is it because in our dream it's so real and we know no better then to be afraid, even if it is the simplest thing?
True love dreams inspire 'soul mate connection' thoughts- after dreaming of some we possibly fancy do we not awake with the hope that that dream meant something? That it was a sign that this…this one would be our one?
Sad dreams- What is there to possibly say? What makes us wake up crying? Why do these dreams come fewer then the rest? And why do we remember them so vividly compared to others? Why can we still feel that thorn-like pain that twisted our heart so? What inspires these dreams? What gives them life? What gives them pain?
Kitalla's eyes slid close as she let out a last uneasy sigh and slipped into good dreams, bad dreams and dreams that by the time she had woken up, wouldn't even remember.
OOOOOOOOO
Aboard the Avenger.
Narrator POV
A fist slammed down on the personal desk, making a small pill bottle fall over with a chink sound. "Damn that infuriating little girl! Who does she think she is?" Rau Le Creuset hissed, glaring at the e-mail he had received a few moments ago. Not that he was one to talk considering his own plans involving ZAFT, ORB and the EA.
The door to his bedroom slid open with a hiss and footsteps clicked inside, interrupting his train of thought.
"Lieutenant?"
The blonde took a deep breath before spinning around slowly. The upper half of his face as covered by a white mask, hiding his eyes. But a frown still showed, conveying his annoyance. "Elseman, Joule, Hahnenfus, Armandf, Aiman." He greeted his subordinate pilots and they saluted him sharply in response.
"Your orders, Sir?" Joule asked.
Creuset gazed at the motionless picture of the red-legged ship that seemed to belong to no nation. He glanced back up at the email he had received. "Our fleet can lose a ship…" he said slowly.
"Sir?"
Creuset's eyes snapped back to Joule's, staring at him intently. "Joule. I expect the best from you. You are in charge of Elseman and Hahnenfuss while I'm gone and you will lead them in battle against that bogey." He nodded to the picture on his laptop screen. "Confirm who they are, their intentions and report back to me. By then I should be back in time to help destroy them."
"But what about our original mission?" Hahnenfuss broke in, her eyes wide and she took a step forward.
"I will have already talked it over with our superiors." Creuset replied calmly.
"Where will you be, Lieutenant?" Elseman asked.
Creuset's eyes flicked to him. "I will be leading my own mission." He stated simply. He saluted again. "I will be departing in a few hours as soon as the repairs to my ZGMF-1017M GINN are finished."
Taking the cue, the pilots in front of him saluted and filed out of the room, the door closing behind them.
Creuset slipped the bottle of pills into his pocket and stood up, stretching. "Imitation is after all, the most sincere form of flattery." He murmured, pulling open a drawer in his desk and pulling out a blue-and-white EA pilot uniform, holding it up into the light. A smile slipped across his face.
She thought that she could out smart him by making her move first? Baka.
Of course, Creuset knew their original missions that their buyers wanted. And he had a good idea what their creator wanted in their own personal gain. But Creuset had lost interest in playing by their rules. He knew what he wanted to do and now that Mwu La Flaga was dead, he could get it done.
"It will take more then ORB to destroy ZAFT when I'm done." He chuckled to himself. "The Naturals will die- as I've promised, Mr. Zala."
Traitors were never looked kindly upon. Creuset was never supposed to have join the ZAFT army in the first place, never supposed to have meet Patrick Zala who had discovered who Creuset really was.
Never supposed to have his opinions and goals changed. But some Buyers offers were…better then others. The technology ZAFT offered was a lot more advanced then the EA medical-wise after all.
"I am the First and the oldest, after all." He said to himself. "I should be able to do what I want." The pills rattled in his pocket as a reminder of his 'problems' and he made a face. "They'll think that I'm finally returning home to do what I was made to do." He said to himself quietly. The smile twisted his face in a cruel way. "Let them think what they may. It's my move!"
OOOOOOO
Octus Five
Narrator POV
Meer Campbell looked at herself critically in the mirror hanging from the back of her door. Her thin, dainty fingers braided her thick pink hair expertly, weaving in flowers every now and then.
Each of them had their own problem. Meer's apparently was her physique which had grown slightly differently compared to her replica.
But of course, she was sure that nobody would notice the differences come time. Her benefactor had promised that.
She had wanted to wait for the other two to make their move first- nothing would help smooth her path out like outside support- but her benefactor had disagreed. She would make her move in a few days and it would be simple and easy and she and her benefactor would both get what they wanted and nobody would notice a change in anything. And honestly, even if the other two derived from their planned paths she didn't care as long as they didn't get in the way of hers.
Meer liked things going her way, and soon, everything would be going her way.
OOOOOO
Two days later
OOOOOO
Narrator POV
Aboard the Archangel
Mwu La Flaga awoke with a groan and after trying multiple times to sit up he gave up all together.
A nurse walked in the room and he brightened. "Excuse me, Missy," he rasped. "But is there any chance I could see that lady captain?" He needed to find out what an ORB ship was doing out in space with the state-of-the-art ship if possible and try and negotiate a way back home.
The blonde nurse blinked in surprise, hesitated, glancing at his steadily-beeping monitors before nodding and exiting the room.
The moment she was gone, Mwu gave himself a one over. He had various injuries all over his body along with aches and pains but at least he was whole and what felt like completely mobile.
"Good morning,"
He lurched painfully about in his bed to face that beautiful brown-haired woman who had walked in, a clipboard under one arm as if he had interrupted her taking account of things.
He dipped his head, saluting weakly. "Lieutenant Mwu Flaga at your disposal, I suppose."
She saluted. "Captain Murrue Ramius of the Archangel." She slid into the seat next to his bedside, motioning for him to relax.
"Since I can't think of any reason for ORB to save me, I want to thank you," Mwu said hesitantly, very aware of how precarious his situation was.
Ramius nodded, not a flicker of thought in her brown eyes. A slight smile tugged at her lips in a sad way. "I believe it is we who owe you our gratitude, Lieutenant. You rescued us from a fight we did not wish to have."
Mwu made a face. "Of course, the pacifists would rather lay down and die before lift a gun."
Ramius's gaze darkened but she didn't respond. "Also as we do not take sides, we saw no reason to deny you hospitality." The implication was hardly veiled in her words and Mwu grinned.
Even battered and aching, it was hard for him to resist the calls of the siren.
Women were his specialty in every situation and despite her being an enemy force (though he did owe her for saving his life) an interest flickered in his heart at the idea of trying to win her heart like he had done to so many other beautiful women (of course in the end their hearts were always broken). Women were conquests, and for Ramius he was going to make a special case…
OOOOOOOO
Narrator POV
Aboard the Chaos.
He was a guest.
He was a favored guest.
One on temporary stay.
One with a temporary protection.
And he was certainly not snooping through the Captain's stuff.
Her Captain's room was small and plain, no pictures, no flower pots, no nothing of personal décor. Just plain and boring.
"Where are the hanging skulls? The blood smears on the wall, eh?" Kira had first said when he had walked in, comparing it to the Captain's personality. Kitalla hadn't appreciated the joke though because she asked if he wanted to be the first blood smear.
"What does it take to hack a laptop now a days?" Kira mumbled under his breath. He was waiting Kitalla's return and making all use of it in her clean little office.
Nothing of importance turned up so he had opened up her laptop with a quick prayer that the Captain wouldn't suddenly walk in any moment.
"Damn…still nothing…" Kira frowned, closing the laptop and reaching to close the open drawers of the small desk. One closed with a small thunk sound despite it being empty. Curious, he pulled it back open, feeling the inside for items.
But there was nothing…could it be a…
"A false bottom? Really Kitalla? You couldn't think of anything better then that?" he grinned, feeling pleased with himself, popping open the wooden hatch and pulling out a thin slip of paper. "Heeelloo." He murmured, holding it up to examine intently.
The picture was of a girl who had to be around Kira's age at the most with black hair that was neatly pulled back into a bun under her soldier cap. Her hand was up into a strange clenched salute over her heart and her other hand held a gun relaxed at her side. She wore a pale blue uniform of a Blue Cosmos cadet and the spark in her yellow eyes, right down to the annoyed expression on her face was unmistakable.
"Kitalla!" Kira whispered. Kitalla was part of Blue Cosmos? Was she still?
"Excuse me, Kira-san, but I doubt Kitalla will appreciate your intrusion."
Kira yelped at the musical voice that sounded behind him and he spun around to gaze into a pair of azure blue eyes that watched him steadily from the com-screen on the wall behind the desk.
"Lacus-san!" he gulped, slowly sliding the picture back into it's place in the drawer, closing the hatch and sliding it shut silently. Strangely enough he felt embarrassed and guilty to be caught by the rather kind-seeming girl in this …awkward moment.
Lacus did nothing but smile steadily at him.
"This is not how it looks…" he said hesitantly.
The pink-haired girl cocked her head. "It isn't?" she asked in a rather wondering tone.
Kira flushed. "Well… it is exactly how it appears." He gestured to the Captain's desk. I won't deny it nor defend myself." He tried to glare indignantly at the beautiful girl but he found it impossible and he swallowed.
"Very understandable." Lacus said after a moment. "Just make sure such doesn't happen again. Next time I won't save you from the Captain's wrath." The dark look in her eyes surprised Kira and he realized just how serious she was being. "Kitalla-dono's private life is her own and even I don't know the full extent of her world. But I would be careful- she doesn't take too kindly to those who nose into things where they don't belong."
"But she's Blue Cosmos!" he gaped at the Coordinator in the flickering screen. "She can't be trusted!"
Lacus shook her head defiantly. "Trust isn't really part of this operation anymore, Kira-san. But right now she is all you have. Either you are here and live or…if we hadn't shown up you would be dead."
"Is she a spy for you?" Kira demanded- like a pitbull, he wouldn't let go.
"No…It was hard enough to get her to rescue you and your friend let alone endanger herself even more thoroughly for things she doesn't hold any interest in." Lacus-san said with a heavy sigh.
Kira's hands clutched the armrests. "Then how can you be so confident?"
She cocked her head. "Does it matter to you? If you are so quick to assume that she is the bad guy then I suppose I must be one with her."
Kira flushed hotly as he realized the point she had made. Why was he excluding Lacus-san from the list of 'enemy-maybes'?
"Oh um, Kitalla should be back soon," he added hurriedly to the Coordinator and she smiled.
"I'll wait," she said cheerfully and she scooted out of sight only to appear a moment later pulling a chair with her. She sat down neatly, back straight, legs crossed and beamed at Kira who felt suddenly untidy with his shaggy-cut hair, his, slightly bent posture, and flopped position. "How do you like it aboard?" she asked.
Kira straightened up. "Uhm, it's good. The crew is nice," he paused. "I notice it's a mix of Coordinators and Naturals." He dared to ask.
Lacus nodded. "Kitalla-dono has a reason for everything that takes place on this ship, though you might not realize it. The crew, the organization they represent is called Peace."
Kira snorted. "Getting a little on the cheesy side aren't we? Not to mention the irony…"
Lacus cocked her head and shrugged. "Kitalla-dono has always been the one for dramatics. It's part of the reason she agreed to rescue you guys. She likes to be apart of things that might change the world one day. Peace. Harmony. And she calls herself along with her GUNDAM, Chaos. Harmony, the ship, where Coordinators and Natural's work together for Peace. See? Everything has a reason."
"A mercenary working towards peace?" Kira snorted. "And no offense, Lacus-san, but I hardly think that we'll change the world."
"Well I wouldn't tell that to Kitalla-dono," Lacus said teasingly. "Truly, though, Kira-san. I believe that you are very important to the world. Everyone is. But you…are needed now." She hesitated. "Chaos…. To balance Peace…that is her own story to explain, Kira. Just keep in mind that everyone has their reasons."
Kira clenched his fists, scowling. "You don't know me." He muttered.
Lacus's brow furrowed. "Kira-san?" she asked politely.
"How can I trust her with Cagalli's life?" he demanded, trying to forget memories of his own past. Oh yes…he understood exactly what Lacus meant about 'pasts'. And even better he understood that some should just stay buried. Some secrets were meant to be forgotten.
"Like we've said before. You have no choice. And it's only a matter of time before ZAFT catches onto something."
Kira shook his head. "Cagalli's different then other Naturals. She was trained for this life."
Lacus's expression darkened and she reached forward out of the camera's view. Straightening, he noticed something like a paper in her hand. "Do you think we're the only ones who got this?" she demanded, holding up the object she had retrieved in front of the camera, filling it up screen.
Kira gasped, his violet eyes widening. It was a black-and-white picture of Cagalli at the docking system in Octus five. He gritted his teeth, his nails biting into the palms of his hands.
"Do you understand, Kira-san?" Lacus asked, quietly. "We are doing everything we can."
Kira stared up at her wordlessly then shook his head, giving up. "Fine…but I want to help."
Lacus opened her mouth but Kira cut her off. "As soon as Cagalli is aboard I will follow her orders but for now, I'm helping!"
Lacus stared at him in surprise then smiled, her gaze flickering to over his shoulder.
"Truly…I'm honored." Drawled a sarcastic voice behind him and Kira spun around the chair to see the raven-haired Captain watching him from the open doorway.
"Kitalla-sama!" he yelped, lurching forward at being caught at her desk.
Kitalla snorted. "No, please don't rise. Not when you were just getting so comfortable in my chair." Sarcasm dripped off her tone like honey from a spoon.
Lacus sighed. "Kitalla-dono, we don't make friends with barbed tongues." She rebuked the prickly woman.
"Friends? Bah! Who needs them?" Kitalla swaggered up to the desk, hopping up to perch on a corner of it, her body turned towards the pink-haired girl and Kira. "Now you, how are you planning to be an asset to us anyway?"
Kira bit his lip, feeling hesitant with revealing his prowess. "Well…I'm a Coordinator." He hedged.
"Yeah? And I'm a Natural- want to see who can kick whose ass first?" Her golden eyes rolled. "Try again and this time tell me something I haven't figured out."
"Kitalla-dono!" Lacus hissed and Kitalla shrugged.
Kira frowned, feeling irritated he glared furiously up at Kitalla. And then it him... At the sight of the amused smirk, the taunting arch of her eyebrows, the triumphant glitter in her eyes, and the confident way she sat, he realized that this was her way of challenging him and winning! She was purposely getting under his skin to see how he reacted. She enjoyed these fights, enjoyed making people snap out and say too much whether in voice or body language.
She was a puppeteer and he was the puppet, doing exactly as she wanted and expected him to do at the lightest tug of the string.
Was that why Kitalla respected Lacus? And perhaps her whole crew, which Kira had started to notice, seemed to only treat Kitalla cheerfully despite her barbaric personality.
Being nice… was it really that hard?
He smiled to himself. "I look forward to fighting along side you, Kitalla." He cocked his head to one side and forced a smile.
For the first time since he had met her, Kitalla looked taken-back and her eyes narrowed as she struggled to adjust. "We-ell, what do you mean fight?"
Lacus looked amused and from the corner of his eye, Kira noticed Lacus smiling, her azure eyes on him in a rather proud way. It made him feel warm, as if he finally was starting to understand the game that Kitalla played.
"I'm an ace Mobile Suit Pilot." He stated simply to Kitalla.
Despite his revelation, Kitalla kept her face passive this time. She had let him surprise her once- it wasn't going to happen again. "And what did you pilot before you came here?"
Kira struggled not to grin. "The Strike. A GUNDAM."
Lacus gasped, her hands clapping together but Kitalla's face didn't so much twitch. All that she moved was her arms that crossed loosely over her chest.
"Wonderful, then I expect no less then the best from you, Kira Yamato." Her smile was razor sharp in return and Kira flinched at the implication in her words. "I believe we have a GINN in our hangar which you can modify for your personal use. I expect you to be ready for a fight by tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Expecting an attack?" Kira's eyebrows raised.
"No but they should be," Kitalla nodded. "Got to strike while the iron's hot- don't I? Tomorrow it is."
Kira took a deep breath, feeling Kitalla's and Lacus's gaze trained on him. "Of course, Captain."
Sorry, Cags. Slight change of plan.
OOOOOO
Cagalli POV
"One-two-three-one-two-three- are you sure you're not getting tired?" Athrun paused in his steady beat though he kept moving to the pattern of the waltz he was teaching me. Rhythmic music played in the background.
I stumbled slightly, wincing before smiling though I felt like my body was trembling in his arms. "I'm fiiiine, Athrun. It's not like my other wound- I'm feeling perfect." In fact I was- with one hand in one of his, and the other resting on his shoulder, my body feeling snug against his, one of his arms around my waist holding me close… I felt…content and peaceful and gloriously alive.
The day had started like any other though instead of sparring, Athrun had insisted that he taught me how to dance after he learned that I couldn't. He thought it was pretty unfair that I shouldn't know how to dance and was horrified with my first couple attempts.
An hour passed and I had finally completed the box-step with out stepping on Athrun's feet (dancing isn't exactly a forte I'm proud of).
He smiled, his arm tightening, pulling me slightly closer. He had been doing that this whole time, we had started with our bodies hardly touching and now, we were close enough that he could rest his forehead against mine. Not that he should…or that I would want him to…
Ugh why was I even thinking this? It was totally unneeded and unhelpful to be so close…and liking it.
No! Not liking it!
Honesty isn't a forte I'm proud of either…
But despite the groggy butterflies, and the blush still coloring my cheeks I settled against his body like a hand to a glove- he was a perfect fit. I felt…alive under him, as if I was the violin string and he was the bow. All of my senses were perfectly aware of the brush of his skin, the heat of his body burning against me, his breath coming out soft and evenly in my ear and his warm, dark green gaze like glittering jade never leaving mine.
My hair was standing on end at how aware I was- how electrified and exhilarated just being this close to made him feel. God, I was such a loser it was pathetic.
"You're getting really go-" Athrun shut his mouth wincing as I trotted accidently on his toe.
"You weren't just about to say 'good' were you?" I snickered, slightly bopping my forehead to his in retribution.
"The thought never crossed my mind." Athrun promised, bopping me back gently and I smiled to myself.
Once upon a time I would have played with the mental image of kicking him in the shin in vengeance- hell I wouldn't even be in this position with him now would I?
So I think I surprised both of us when I ignored my normal tendencies.
"One-two-three." I reminded in a low sing-song voice, humming the beats while trying to keep my mind off the subtle ach in my stomach and the warm flush that wasn't just a blush on my skin.
There were two things that were scaring me recently.
How I was feeling towards Athrun completely bewildered me. It hit me like a tidal wave every single time, making me want to gasp for breath and only leaving me wanting more. (Lord, I sound so stupid) I didn't know how to handle this hot, overwhelming and growing feeling that was spreading through me like a wild fire. I didn't know if I wanted to handle it- like I just wanted to let it run loose in me and let myself get caught up in the churning, roaring flow. It was driving me crazy, making me unsure.
Over the past two days I had some off and on headaches and I was afraid I was catching something. Which was NOT good. Because Coordinators don't get sick very easy and when they do they are rushed away to the hospital before it can spread. I on the hand, am a Natural which means I can catch more diseases then a Coordinator can and which also means I CAN'T be taken to a hospital or any form of medical help.
Even now I was starting to feel sorta nauseous from all the spinning.
Whoop-dee-freaking-doo!
But along with the dizziness there was also some nostalgia.
It reminded me only too clearly of when my father would gather me in his arms, set me down slightly so that my feet rested on top of his and began to dance, swinging me around the room.
"And spin." Athrun added, twirling me out. When he pulled me back in again, I was even more closer- close enough to kiss.
HOLY- where the hell had THAT come from?
Athrun's green eyes swam before me and I felt my body shiver in a slightly delirious, feverish way.
"My…" I murmured. "What big eyes you have!"
Athrun's green eyes sparkled with the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. "My," he repeated back. "What a red blush you have!"
Of course I only reddened farther, ducking my head against his chest.
He chuckled and I felt the sound vibrate through his chest as he laughed. Peeking up out of the corner of my eye at his face I felt my heart squeeze in side of my chest at the sweet, amused expression in which he was watching me with.
So I kicked him lightly in the shins 'cause what can I say? I'm not used to this sorta treatment that left me bewildered and quivering.
Athrun skipped backwards, snickering at my bemused expression.
Kira…I thought to my lost friend. What is happening to me? What is this warm feeling of…What would you call it? Hope? Confidence? Joy? Warmth. Kira… what would you think of me now? I decided…to abandon it all. I will…hurt him when it's time to leave…but Kira…I want this feeling of being needed- this feeling of needing. It reminds me to live and until I return to ORB…then I am no other then Akira Yamato, Athrun Zala's subordinate.
"Yamato?"
So we were back to last names? The warm feeling dimmed in my chest as I felt something inside of me deflate with a weary wheeze. "Yes, Dumbass?" I said with a roll of my eyes, this time purposely stepping on his foot.
Athrun made a face to let me know he knew I had done that on purpose before saying. "I've been meaning to tell you-"
"Ahah! So you do think my dancing is good!"
Athrun broke the steady tempo to give me a long look before rolling his eyes and continuing. "Anyway, I got word from my father concerning the ORB scout ship."
Wonderful. Two sore topics all in jammed into the same sentence- just lay it on me, why don'tcha?
"And?"
"Well… he says that there are suspicions that the ORB scout ship wasn't exactly here to spy. There is no evidence of it."
I tried to keep my body from rippling with fear, my face an innocent mask as he twirled me carefully through the small dojang room. "Oh? Then what other reason did they conclude?"
"Well, they're not sure. But you would think that if they wanted to steal information they would head closer to a main base, ya know? Where we were there wasn't really that important info wise."
I cocked my head, as if enlightened. Should I argue against it? No…that might lead to suspicion on me. So with it I was. "I guess that makes sense…Unless they did that on purpose to confuse us?" I shrugged. Hey…it was what I would do. "Though it really doesn't matter much now since they are…de-dead and all." I struggled not to stutter on the word 'dead' but with a quick glance at Athrun's distracted frowning face I knew that he hadn't noticed.
"May I cut in?" called a voice and I looked up in surprise to see Tobias, and the girl Uru from the other day stepping into the room, a teasing grin on his boyishly handsome face.
Before I could awkwardly save myself from dancing with him, Athrun promptly threw me to the sharks by clearing his throat and backing up in a gesture of 'she's all yours'. Which of course 'the hell she is'. Men… They bring out the worst in me.
Tobias came up and I shot a dirty look over his shoulder at Athrun who seemed to be brooding as he watched us.
I mouthed: TRAITOR!
The intense look in his eyes as he watched Tobias's arm going confidently around my waist didn't lessen but the corner of his lip twitched slightly.
Uru, arms linked behind her back, came up beside Athrun, rocking on her toes, a smile on her face.
"You dance horribly." Tobias informed me with a cock-eyed smile.
I frowned. "Nobody asked for your opinion, Mr. Expert."
"I can't help but notice when my toes are being hammered on….unless it's on purpose?" he raised an eyebrow.
I jammed my heel into his foot and smiled sweetly, struggling to ignore the pain clamoring in the back of my mind. "And what if it is?"
We stared at each other hard, glaring with our eyes while keeping sweet smiles plastered across our faces.
"It's on!" I hissed.
OOOOOO
Narrator POV
Athrun was regretting letting go of Akira the moment he had seen the competitive gleam in her eyes and the satisfied smirk on Tobias's face. Parts of him were worried that things would go too far in one direction and it would be an all out war…another side of him was worried it would go too far in…well… a more positive direction. Not that that was a bad thing- no it was good that Akira was socializing (if that's what you want to call the miniature foot-stomping war anyway) but still, the uncomfortable prickles lurked there.
"Want to dance?" Uru asked Athrun, smiling.
He shrugged. "Why not?" he slid his arms awkwardly around her and she draped hers politely around his neck. Her body felt too thin, to small in Athrun's grasp. Like he could break her- not like Akira who had a presence, a sturdy form yet still curvy.
He led her gracefully in a simple pattern and not once did his feet feel the clobbering blow that Tobias's were getting a few feet away.
If Akira was his tiger then Uru was a pixie and Lacus…
Is your freaking fiancé, genius!
He paused, breaking out of Uru's gentle hold. He bowed at the waist. "Thank you for the dance but there are some things I need to get to." He straightened up and Uru smiled a completely friendly smile.
"No biggie, you owe me though." She teased before turning her attention to watch the would-be-amusing routine that Akira and Tobias were having.
Well…Tobias seemed to be having a good time annoying the younger girl.
But wasn't that Athrun's job? After all she was his rookie subordinate.
Athrun shook his head, dragging a hand through his thick midnight locks. "Driving me crazy." He muttered, before turning and walking towards the stairs.
OOOOO
Cagalli POV
By the time the song had come to an end (God, what was with it with these classical songs? They just went on and on!) my feet felt black and blue and I was all 'funned-out' not to mention if I was twirled one more time I think I was going to throw up. Talk about a pretty picture.
"That was great! We should do it again sometime!" Tobias exclaimed an Uru laughed.
I glared from the lump on the floor I made. "No we should not."
Uru held out her hand. "Up, Akira!"
I stuck out my hand and she dragged me to my aching feet.
"Where's Athrun?" I asked her, biting my bottom lip. He had walked out earlier I had noticed but I hadn't realized till now that he hadn't come back.
Tobias smirked slightly. "I chased him away from-" Uru elbowed him and he coughed, amending whatever he was going to say. "I mean, I scared him away with my awesome dance moves."
I stared at the two of them with my brow furrowed in confusion. I felt like I was struggling to keep my eyes open- heat waves kept washing over me and I tugged at the stiff collar of my uniform's jacket. "I hate to break it to you, Tobias-san, but those awesome dance moves you're talking about… just about broke my toes."
"Hence the scary part."
Uru chuckled. "I think Tobias-san wins that one." She winked at me, pushing Tobias away. "Go away, Toby. We're about to have a big-sister-to-little-sister chat."
Tobias jumped up and down in mock excitement. "OH-MY-GOD! I always dreamed of seeing one of these in actions! I thought they only happened in teeny-bopper movies!" he squealed.
Uru gave him a dirty look and kicked him sharply in the butt. "MOVE!" she roared and it stunned me to see such a loud voice come from such a small pixie-frame.
Tobias winked at me then shot towards the stairway.
Once he was gone, I sank to the floor in a weary sigh, grateful for the stable, support the ground seemed to offer. "What do you want Uru-san?" I asked the older girl who sat neatly down besides me with her legs folded. She grinned widely.
"He belongs in a highschool shoujo, doesn't he?"
I blinked. "I dono." I said slowly. Come to think of it…what exactly was a highschool shoujo?
She shrugged. "I think he just acts so happy all the time in defense. You know…cause of our work and everything." She sighed.
"Great…why are you telling me this?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I think he likes you." Uru confided to me and my eyebrows shot up, my face getting red.
She laughed at my open-mouth expression. "Nooo, not like that. But like a little-sister. I think that's why he's always trying to cheer you up."
"Cheer me up?" I repeated slowly, swallowing slightly. What I really wanted was to head back to my room and flop on my bed with an ice pack on my forehead.
The blue-haired girl nodded furiously. "You always look so grave half the time." She explained.
I looked down at my toes. Grave?
"Well, except when you're with Athrun." Uru amended and my head snapped up.
"Um…what?" my voice cracked slightly.
Uru shrugged. "You glow when you're around him- and you guys share a room." She stared at me prompting but my brain was frozen and was too busy trying to wrap it's self around the idea of 'glowing' for it to finish her words.
So she made a suggestive hand-gesture and things clicked.
"Eyeeeeh!" I scooted back, pointing at her with my mouth open. "NANI? NANI? It's not like tha-thaaat! Baka!" the room seemed to spin around me and I gasped for breath, feeling on the blood rush to my head, coloring my cheeks.
Uru cocked her head in surprise. "Huh? But everyone on the ship has been saying…." She trailed off at my horrified expression. "You mean you guy's aren't lovers?"
And then I fainted.
OOOOO
Narrator POV
Athrun was in the midst of explaining his idea of how to take down the Chaos to the Captain when Uru burst in, huffing and puffing.
"Athrun-san!" she gasped. "Akira-san-!"
Athrun frowned slightly. If it had anything to do with Akira and Tobias then he didn't want to hear it. "What?" he snapped slightly impatiently.
She waved wordlessly over her head then grabbed his hand and yanked him from the room, dragging him ruthlessly, words streaming from her mouth. "We were just talking one second- though she didn't look so hot! And then I said something- I don't know if it was what I said or what!- and she keeled over!"
"What?" Athrun demanded. "What do you mean she keeled over?" Dammit! He knew he should have convinced Akira to get an X-ray the moment she had gotten out of her GUNDAM. What if the Chaos's strike had damaged some of her internal organs? He should have made her get a check-up- he had told her to! But she wouldn't listen! Stubborn idiot!
"Akira!" he burst into the dojang a few minutes later to see the girl slightly propped up on one elbow, her face red and her eyes wide.
"Akira!" he and Uru exclaimed, dropping down to her side.
When she didn't respond, Athrun grabbed her face, tilting it to the light. Her eyes dilated and he breathed a soft sigh of relief to see that she was quite aware.
Then he felt the thin sheen of sweat on her skin.
"Akira, what's wrong?" he murmured.
She stared at him for a long scary moment then shook herself and stumbled to her feet in a drunken manner. "M'okay." She mumbled, stumbling towards the stair. Athrun bounded to her side, pulling one arm over his shoulders.
"Let's get you to the doctor!" he murmured.
Her body tensed in his grasp and she made a hissing sound, yanking backwards out of his grip. Uru who was close behind them jumped backwards with a yelp as Akira stumbled towards her.
"No doctors!" Akira spat, and her spirit seemed to return in that moment, revitalizing her. She straightened up, wiped her face and her eyes narrowed. Taking a deep breath she shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just a little dizzy from all the dancing." She shot Uru a funny look and Athrun glanced back and forth between them curiously.
"Are you sure you don't need help?" Athrun asked again but the blonde only shook her head.
"No thanks- I'll see ya." Like a blur, she vanished and Athrun and Uru listened to the clunking sounds of her shoes echoing up the stairs in surprised silence.
"Damn, that girl can move!" Uru gaped at Athrun.
Athrun frowned. "She didn't look too good."
"Heh…"
Athrun's eyes focused in on the suddenly antsy looking girl beside him. "Uru?" he said slowly.
"Yes?"
"What exactly were you talking about before Akira fainted?" he said delicately.
"Nani?" she squeaked. "Look, for Akira's sake…I really don't want to tell you."
Athrun raised an eyebrow and the girl took her moment to dart under his arm and a couple steps ahead of him.
"But…" Uru paused, glancing back down at him. "If you like her…maybe you should…you know…say something to her."
Athrun gaped in astonishment and she grinned. "I don't know you really well, sir, but neither do I know her. But the one obvious thing is that you guys are just super happy when you're next to each other. It's like something out of a story. That's pretty cool!"
Athrun stared incredulously at her and she flushed. "Wow, I can't believe I just said that to a guy." She frowned. "Wait…aren't you supposed to be engaged?"
Athrun sighed, feeling older then his years as the older girl hit the nail precisely on it's head. "Whatever I feel doesn't matter because of that." He said carefully. "And I don't…like her."
The woman rolled her eyes. "Take a piece of advice, Lieutenant, from someone whose lost someone on the battle field." Were those tears sparkling in Uru's eyes?
"Uru?" Athrun took a step forward, his eyes widening at the look of suppressed sorrow on the woman's face.
"The guy I loved died before I could even say something to him. Killed in a single gun shot from an EA soldier." Uru's tiny fists clenched. "I didn't even get to tell him how important he was to me. I didn't even know if he felt the same way."
Bewildered Athrun stammered. "May-maybe that was a good thing, ya know? Maybe it would have caused you more pain?"
The woman shook her head furiously. "I'm not much of a help in ZAFT, it's true. I'm not very useful in anything. But I take my time on these missions to build friendship and love despite the fact that I might never see that person again one day. Cause even now, I regret that I didn't tell that man I loved him, even if he didn't like me. 'Cause now I'll always carry that unshared love for him in me, and it will always be for him- I can't give the love for him away to anyone else. It doesn't work like that." She shook her head.
This wasn't Athrun's field of work. He didn't know how to comfort a crying woman, nor console her. And he was hating how her words seemed to sting at him.
"Athrun Zala, forgive me for my impudence but it's important to make friendships, even if we may lose that person, or ourselves. Everything can change just because of that, no matter how simple. So if you like her… then don't let her go." Uru gazed at him seriously as if trying to convey something to him and Athrun's breath caught in his throat.
After a long pause where his heart seemed to be frozen he said softly. "You don't quite understand…" Akira…might not be who she says she is. He was engaged. Akira might have her own lover for all he knew.
But he did like her. And more so every day. How he hung onto every word, feeling so connected and whole at her side. Like she was the missing puzzle piece to his life. She held the answers to all his questions. She held the missing key to his locked-up heart.
The memory of wrapping his arm around her small shoulders and pulling her closer into the shelter of his body gripped him. He had been furious with himself when he had reacted with out thinking and had kissed her- even if it was on the forehead.
But he had been so tempted to move down, to graze his lips across her light violet eyelids, then her blushing cheeks and then her soft, pale-pink lips… The smell of her skin and her hair like lilacs with a hint of coconuts, her blonde hair strands soft under his tentative fingers.
Athrun reddened, trying to forget the memories that were now flooding his mind; dancing so close that he could practically taste her in a single breath.
"What's to understand? Every relationship is complicated- it's we who choose to let the small things and the big things stop us from feeling what made us fall in love in the first place." Uru smiled then stretched up on her toes (and even from a few steps higher it was still a struggle) and pecked him on the cheek. "See ya, Athrun. Don't be a dummy." She saluted in a merry fashion before departing up the stairs in a whisper of movement leaving Athrun to confront his problems alone.
OMMMMMGG! SORRRYYY!
okay, for those who read this before i re-edited it, YES, i make notes in my writing to myself such as 'write bla bla bla in bla bla's POV" hahahha i apologize for making such a stupid error and forgetting to erase it, normally i always remember to erase my notes.
Ohhhmy goshhh, I'm so hungry after writing that chapter (weird) and it's sooo late right now (3:22 in the morning to be exact) and I have to be up at 8 for work, woe is me, bleeeeeeeh.
Annnywaaay, sorry for the late-ish update again, school+summer= total suckage. And honestly…since I'm not planning to do anything math-related…do I really need to know these function thingies? Eh? *slams face against floor* bluuuh tired.
Anywaaay, again,,, Hope you enjoyed the chapter =)
If you have any questions, comments or problems review or PM me and I'll be happy to get back to you
Thanks and have a great weekend!
-Azetta