Characters: Meyrin Hawke, Miriallia Haww, Arnold Neumann

Pairings: Implied KiraxLacus, less implied AthrunxCagalli

Time frame: post second battle of Orb

On the Archangel

Meyrin doesn't quite know what to think. She has seen the interaction between them and the relationships between the four of them are almost painted out with neon-signs, but it somehow still sends Meyrin's mind to a screeching halt, tumbling in confusion.

In other words, she needs some clarifications.

Athrun-san has been confined to the sickbay yet again with strict captain's orders to rest and anyhow Meyrin still mostly lacks the courage to even speak in his presence never mind to ask personal questions.

So she goes to the next best source. Miriallia Haww, the Archangel's CIC officer, is very nice and has spend a lot of her time tending to Meyrin when she has been sick, and the former ZAFT thinks she is the only person she can approach.

This is why she is now sitting in the canteen, some food before her as she wonders how to best bring the subject up without seeming rude or inconsiderate. Or making it look like she wants to poke her nose into business that isn't hers. How private are things here?

She doesn't know why, but suddenly Miriallia and a blue haired man, who she knows to belong to the bridge crew, look at her expectantly. Also kindly. So far Meyrin has not met a single person on this ship that has been anything but sincerely nice to her, and not in a sense of pity.

"What is it, Hawke-san?" The man asks, and Meyrin wonders how long they have been watching her lost in her own mind.

Meyrin bites her lip and shifts in her seat. Luna isn't here to hide behind, she thinks as she blurts out what has been on her mind since Infinite Justice has come from space. "Isn't Athrun-san engaged to Lacus-sama?"

The Orb officers look a bit taken aback by the question, having probably expected something less…gossip like.

The man leaves the conversation up to Miriallia and turns to his coffee, a grin playing on is lips.

Miriallia-san is smirking and abruptly Meyrin wonders if the Archangel has gotten amusement out of watching…Meer-san.

"They were," the brunette agrees, "but it was broken off years ago. It is quite obvious, I think, but even if that agreement hadn't been formally dissolved, sticking with it would have been...awkward."

That is what Meyrin has wanted confirmed, but she isn't sure what to believe now. Athrun-san is…

"I remember, Arnold-san," the CIC continues, grinning, directed at the man, "didn't Murdoch-san start a betting pool? On if Cagalli would choose Athrun or Kira?"

"Now that you mention it," Arnold-san grins too, eyes laughing as they get lost in memories. "There was something. I remember Dearka trying to abort it when Lacus-san joined? He said something about it being a fraud now because-"

"-even a blind man wouldn't bet against those two. He complained about the money lost for weeks afterward. Believe me, I know." Miriallia-san rolls her eyes good naturedly.

"And it only got worse when Cagalli lost that picture once. You know, in the hanger. Half the crew had already seen it by the time she got it back. Captain Ramius almost had a full-blown rebellion on her hands because everyone demanded their money back, didn't she?"

"And the four people in question never noticed."

"Who never noticed what?"

All three winch at the new arrival and Meyrin bits her lip as Miriallia-san expertly switches topic. "Oh, nothing Kira. How is Athrun? Did you talk him into staying or did you have to execute Representative Orders and tie him to the bed?"

Kira-san smiles fondly, a sad tinge to it. "He was tired enough that I didn't have to resort to drastic measures so for now I got him to stay in exchange for bringing lunch. I wish he wouldn't always ignore his body, though. It's not healthy," he frowns.

Meyrin sees the others throw the Coordinator disbelieving looks. Meyrin thinks she rather has to agree; Kira-san is in no position to criticize anyone's working habits.

Miriallia-san voices the unspoken thoughts with a snort. "I'll remind you of that the next time you are being unreasonable."