Hello, everyone. My second Gundam SEED story, though not a sequel to my first. The sheer absurdity, hilariousness, and joy of seeing Athrun and Cagalli solidly reaffirm their relationship in SEED Freedom overrode my desire to write a sequel to Angel's Respite. It's been talked and memed about to the sky at this point, but it must be said again, Athrun of all people is the horny one. Who'd have thought it? Well, this is a little story idea I cooked up after the movie's ending focusing on our favorite red/yellow couple. We've all known what likely when on after the former returned to Orb, but there's a nice, written out account of how things could have gone. I hope you enjoy it!
I do not own anything.
As Sure as the Sunrise
Fighting to make it back home, and ensuring there's a home left to go back to. These were things Athrun learned early on in his life as a soldier. Both were things he felt strongly about, as did many ZAFT soldiers. The latter was perhaps the motive that fueled him the greatest. Watching an entire PLANT colony, one holding his mother, disappear in an inferno of fire and glass left him with a deep desire to protect his homeland. Junius Seven's destruction left him with a deep fear of what would befall the rest of the PLANTs. And all that was before the Alliance well and truly fell into extremism. His own country had done the same, led by his father.
Athrun knew that he'd fire GENESIS at Earth and destroy the planet. He knew it down to his bones, even as he secretly nursed the hope that he could talk him down. That hope evaporated when the doors to the Jachin Due's command center opened and he saw his father's body floating about in front of him, blood trailing from the gunshot wound in his chest. His last words were a command for him to fire GENESIS, "Make the world ours," as he'd said with his last breath.
By destroying it? By scorching the planet with radiation to the point nothing would be able to survive there for hundreds of years, if ever? It was madness that he knew would cost more lives than all those lost in the war, even as the battle raged outside the base.
So, why did it repeat itself? Why did he pledge his loyalty to a man who rebuilt GENESIS and fully planned on using it as a tool of domination?
The first one, he still didn't have an answer to. As for the second question, Athrun did-he was simply being an idiot. As he'd accused his own protégé, he was wrapped up in his own problems to the point he was blinded to what sort of man his father's successor was. Because he was so blinded, he turned his blade toward the second place he'd come to call his homeland. It burned and the woman he loved cried for it.
At least he could say he was there to make sure it wasn't destroyed for a second time, even if it resulted in him nearly dying from exhaustion and blood loss. Personally, it'd have been worth it. Fortunately, he'd lived, albeit it was straight back to an infirmary bed until he was fully rested. He was glad that wouldn't be his destination this time, though the same couldn't be said for his machine.
It'd been a while since a mobile suit he'd piloted lost a limb. In the piloting world, how much damage your suit incurred on the battlefield was a measuring stick for your abilities and those of your enemies. Mechanics groaned and complained, but ultimately set about repairing the mobile suit so it could be ready for the next battle; sometimes that had to be done in minutes as the battle was still raging. Having been someone who sent his fair share of mobile suits into retreat mid-battle, Athrun held some sympathies for those mechanics.
For most of his life, home had been the PLANTs-a common belief amongst Coordinators. Equally common was change amongst some who'd been to Earth. For the past four years, he'd been a member of that group, and he would continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
Never would he have imagined that home would be the island nation of Orb. He never imagined that the thought of any harm coming to it would invoke such a strong reaction in him, the same protective fire that burned hot when he enlisted in the military. Luckily, he was far past the point of realizing what it meant. He wasn't that much of a fool anymore. Granted, he had a hunch that a certain someone would say he was still a fool, but of a different sort.
Words couldn't describe how much he was looking forward to seeing that person when they finally touched down on Earth. He knew that someone was just as eager as he was, though again, probably for differing reasons. A smile crept onto his face as he pictured the grilling that he knew awaited him. Complete with a face so red it would make his mobile suit seem insufficient. Athrun was looking forward to all of that.
"You and Dearka are just masochists." Yzak had once deridingly called him and his former blond teammate. All he and Dearka had done was laugh it off, though in private the latter had offered a tepid confirmation. After all, their pivotal first interactions with their respective others had involved murder attempts. Athrun always took small solace in the fact that he hadn't said anything stupid that set off said murder attempt. For him, it'd just been good 'old fashioned chance encounters between enemies. And the fact that he was far more skilled in hand-to-hand combat. He'd been the one who did the tying up.
"Anything you want to tell us? Any advice we can give?"
"Gah, Dearka! Get your mind out of the gutter! Show some class!"
"Hey, I'm just doing what I have to do. It's not like I haven't had this talk with Kira, or you Yza-"
"Enough! Not another word!"
Surviving a battle was one thing to be grateful for. Your friends surviving as well was yet another one. He knew all too well the pain that came with losing friends on the battlefield. It was a pain that he'd quietly braced himself for this time, but he had no intention of letting it happen. Even while he fought what been the toughest opponent of his life so far. He almost felt bad not letting Shura know that. Almost. His greatest pity for the man was reserved for the fact that he didn't know what this feeling was. He didn't know what it felt like to feel this anticipation in his chest that grew stronger as he and his comrades returned to Earth.
The ever-growing sense of joy that came with gazing at the crowd that'd gathered to welcome them back. Amongst them, one held his interest the most. His HUD zoomed in on her, on her smiling face that further caused the flame of happiness in his chest to burst into sheer joy. It seemed to be too great for his body to contain, yet somehow, he managed to wait long enough for the Cavalier Aifrid to touch down and the cockpit to open. His eyes were on her as she forced her way to the forefront, toward him. Before he knew it, his feet had touched the ground and his arms were thrown wide open. Even if he got a punch to the face or a likely well-deserved dressing down, he'd still take her up in his arms.
"Athrun!"
Despite having heard her voice in his ear, there was something undeniably special about hearing it in person. Not to mention seeing her face. Finally, there was holding her in his arms, and having her arms wrapping around him.
No pre-hug yelling. Aren't I lucky. While he knew there were others present, Cagalli was the only person he saw, the only person in his world. "Like I promised, I'm back." He spoke in a cool voice that belayed the joyful thundering of his heart. "And thank you for giving me the strength to make it back." Athrun added, fully knowing that might end whatever peaceful interlude they were undergoing.
She pulled back, and to his surprise, and joy, all he saw was relief as boundless as the stars in space. "You know what would have happened if you didn't make it back to me." Not a hint of anger in her voice or her eyes. "As for helping bring you back…" She pulled him back into her embrace, and he readily returned it. She didn't need to say anything else, Athrun already had a strong idea of what was running through her mind, what she wanted to say. It was easy to die for something, but as she told him all those years ago, the hardest battle was to keep on living. They knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that wasn't easy, nor would it ever be, but it was a fight that was always worth it.
When they pulled away seemingly hours later, he took notice of the fact her pilot suit was opened at the chest just like his. With that opening, a necklace akin to his own proudly hung around her neck. From it hung a familiar ring, a ring that he'd gone to great pains to pick out, yet so easily slid onto her finger in a tension-filled moment. His own necklace held not a ring but a gemstone, one that he'd equally cherished. They were promises they always kept on them, but especially when they went into battle.
Grinning, he slid his arms lower and lifted, a feat he'd done dozens of times before. And just like before, Cagalli let out a surprised yelp as she found herself hoisted higher up than she intended. "A-A-Athrun! H-Hey, w-warn me when you're going to do that! Huh, Miriallia, don't take a picture of this! Or at least don't make it public!"
They had an audience, but the moment he laid eyes on her, Cagalli was the only person in the world. Practically the whole of Orb could have been watching, and his attention still would have been entirely on her. Given that Miriallia had a camera on her, he wouldn't have been surprised if this scene did end up findings its way into the public. It wouldn't have come as a major shock though. His close relationship with Cagalli was something of a well-known fact, much to his quite pride.
He knew where he belonged, and Cagalli knew as well, even if at the moment she was protesting it. Her protests came to a relieved end when he finally set her down, though his arms remained wrapped around her waist. Her own looped around his neck for the second time. He smiled at the all-consuming blush on her face as she eyed him.
"You've been waiting to do that, haven't you?" She tried to play off the obvious redness that he, and everyone else, could see. They all knew it was no effect of the setting sun on the horizon.
"Yep, though I don't think I'm the only one who's been a little eager for this." Athrun calmly yet proudly shot back. He felt her hands gently combing the back of his head as their eyes locked. No matter how many times he gazed into them, he was never not amazed by their flame-like glow. The warm fire that sucked him in and made him feel like he was standing in within the epicenter of a hearth. Greedy as it was, he loved those times it felt like that flame burned for him alone; now was certainly one of those times, and he knew a similar flame burned in his own eyes for her. The drumming of his heart grew louder while his face began to half-consciously lean forward.
Their kiss was near instantaneous, and amazingly, a solitary affair. Sure, there were a few hushed whispers, but only within the first five seconds of the kiss. Though everyone was watching them, they were still giving them as much respected privacy as they could. Athrun appreciated it, and so did Cagalli.
On a subconscious level, Athrun also knew this was probably going to be the last intimate moment they'd be sharing for a couple of hours. The battle was over, but as per usual, there was going to be a lot to cleanup in its aftermath. As Cagalli's partner, he'd learned that hard and well over the years. They'd learned to make the most of what time they could spend together, and that certainly included now. That was another reason why they remained tightly held in one another's arms after their kiss ended. Their first one, anyway. They knew it wasn't going to be the last one they shared, even if they had to be a little discrete about it.
She was certainly discrete when she spoke to him. "That little stunt you pulled in battle."
He kept on smiling as if he wasn't bracing himself for whatever punishment was to come his way. While he might have deserved it, he didn't regret it in the slightest.
"I forgive you, you idiot."
Five simple words he hadn't been expecting to hear, but he was practically over the soon-to-be rising moon that she'd spoken them. Like her, he remained discrete. What he used to beat Shura's mind reading would stay between them and them alone. He especially didn't want any of their friends to hear about it.
"Thank you, Cagalli." He whispered back, then took her in another kiss.
"You're welcome," she said in-between quick breaths. "But we're still talking about it."
Given their lingering, actually growing, audience, he knew she wasn't going to call him a pervert on the grounds someone might hear them. Like all their senses, Coordinators had enhanced hearing. Every word they said could have been overhead, so it was undoubtedly for the best they kept it as secretive as possible.
"So, uh, any chance you were just as worried about me?"
Breaking apart, he couldn't help but chuckle at his own teammate's voice. Cagalli did the same, and together, they looked back at the other reunion unfolding. It'd been clear as day why Dearka had chosen to return with him to Orb instead of the PLANTs with Yzak and Shiho. Unfortunately for him, Miriallia wasn't quite as openly affectionate as Cagalli had been. A fact Dearka found out when he received no hug but only a half-hearted glare and congrats on his survival. Her attempted demeanor was rather undercut by the blush the brunette sported on her cheeks. A fact that didn't go unnoticed by anyone, least of all Dearka. It was reason enough for him to remain upbeat in the face of Mirialla's apparent rebuttal.
He and Cagalli shared a quick look between them. Their secret was safe, especially now thanks to Dearka and Mirialla stealing the spotlight.
"A-Athrun," She whispered. "Y-Your hand."
"Sorry, just couldn't help myself." He really meant it, though Cagalli was probably skeptical. Now conscious, his hand slid up to her waist, looping around it. She leaned into his embrace, a happy sigh passing her lips. He took another mental snapshot of her, one of the many that he'd shown to Shura when he tried to read his mind. The likes of which had sent him into a complete mental breakdown that allowed him to win, and return home to the beautiful woman beside him.
He may have been an enemy, but he really did pity the man. He never knew what it felt like to have someone like Cagalli in his life-someone that gave him a reason fight on, to live on. Someone to make every breath of life worth living.
As the two of them knew, there was little rest to be had once the Foundation had been stopped. Rather ironic, but it was a natural result of a nation attempting world domination only to fail in a climatic battle that saw heads of government killed. It was actually the third time they'd been in this situation before, so Athrun and Cagalli would say they were something of experts at dealing with it.
Throughout the entire meeting with the world's heads of state, Earth and space alike, Cagalli had to bite her tongue in saying, "I knew it." Surprisingly, a handful of leaders didn't thus she was able to enjoy the spectacle of grown men and women temporarily bickering with each other over how a seemingly small, insignificant nation came close to ruling humanity. For "veterans" like her, it was something that was openly bemoaned as this was the third time in a row. More so considering that the threat, once again, came from a giant space laser commanded by an egomaniac. She was glad no one said it was also the third time said egomaniac was a member of a genetic-enhanced race, essentially a Coordinator. The PLANT representatives certainly were aware and displayed by it. After all, they certainly weren't happy with being roped into another world domination ploy.
Athrun couldn't help but muse on the irony. Four years ago, during the First Bloody Valentine War, he knew some attitudes were very different. The wonder of what four years of peace and war could do.
Cagalli saw it that way as well. Likewise, she knew that after the Foundation, everyone was going to be a bit more cautious, especially about some seemingly unknown power showing up out of nowhere. On the positive side, hopefully, it'd give COMPASS more support since, again, it fell to them to save humanity. Also again, she was by now an old hand at it, as was Athrun staying beside her.
Damages to Orb had been all but nonexistent thanks to all the fighting taking place in space. Cagalli and Athrun knew the country owed a boundless debt to Kira, whose surprisingly bold taunting of the Foundation's mad queen saved the country from annihilation. Athrun knew that if present, Kira would have humbly downplayed the entire thing, and shown nothing short of forgiveness towards the very voices that once lambasted him. Cagalli knew it as well. Thus, they both concluded the male brunette was receiving a far better reward in his absence.
By the time either of them were able to gaze a clock, they found it was an hour past midnight. Neither of them were complaining about it. Cagalli genuinely expected things to run on until three to four in the morning. She'd had her long night meetings, but this one wasn't going to be one of them despite the situation. Somewhere in the back of her head, she felt like it was just the calm before the post-storm. The good news was they were all able to have these talks in a world they could still live in and whose future they could create with their own hands.
Speaking of hands, Athrun practically took hers and guided her to the car the minute they seemed to have the rest of the night to themselves. That could easily change, so they couldn't squander the moment. Nor could they allow Toyah's very clear encouragement for them to take the night off to go unappreciated and unused.
"You told me thank you, but I'm the one who should be thanking you, Athrun." A beautiful day became a beautiful evening, and that had finally turned into a beautiful night. One never would have known that the future of humanity had been at stake, or that there'd been so much death for what could have been called a victory for freedom.
"I just did what I've always done, and what you would have done. I'm just glad that we call came out of it none the worse for wear." He calmly replied while keeping his eyes on the road. The thin smile he wore was proof that he wasn't quite looking at the same thing she was.
Then again, maybe he was as Cagalli also held a similar smile on her face, albeit a little broader. "I'd say maybe we came out of it better than when we went in." Simultaneously, they shared a hearty laugh at the unspoken heart of their conversation. "Hey, do you think…this is the last time we'll have to deal with something coming out of the Mendel Colony?"
Athrun knew full well how she seemed to be tiptoeing around the issue. Frankly, he didn't blame her as he could sympathize with what she was dealing with, even if their situations were still different. When her late father, Uzumi Nara Athha had handed her the photograph of her and Kira as children, it'd unleashed a whirlwind of doubt and confusion that'd marred their time in space after the Alliance's invasion of Orb. It's been soothed, but it'd flared up again when Kira finally told them of what transpired at the Mendel Colony. Her, his, their biological mother, and biological father. The Mendel Colony, where the late Chairman Durendal once worked as a scientist as well.
"It does seem like an awful lot of things keep on coming back from there to threaten the world, doesn't it?" He said in response to the mental recollection.
"Kind of fitting when you think about it, though. So much genetic research when on there, so many people had different ideas about how to change the world. It always seems like that's where the trouble starts." Even Cagalli could tell how drained her own voice was. Maybe she was just tired by this point of people ranting and raving about how imperfect the world is and how they could fix it. Usually with the deaths of millions of people. As much as she hated to think about it, she wondered if her biological gather ever thought so much death would be a necessity. Then again, maybe she was better off not thinking about it, least she jinx all of them. "Athrun, did your father ever talk about the place?"
"Maybe once or twice. He mentioned it as an old facility where groundbreaking research was once done, but after the Blue Cosmos attack, it was totally abandoned. Given how well Aura was at covering her tracks until the Foundation was strong enough, I'm sure he wouldn't have found anything even if he looked into it. All the best were already working for the government, so he didn't see a need to look elsewhere. Obviously, he'd have been pretty blindsided by the Foundation, assuming they survived GENESIS scorching the planet."
"Or assuming they'd been on Earth." Personally, Cagalli could have seen a quiet coup that saw the late Patrick Zala overthrown from within. One thing Aura had made clear was that she and her Accords would be ruling over Naturals and Coordinators. The latter would have been an arrangement he never would have allowed. "Athrun," she tenderly called.
He was also looking drained, though he managed to force a smile onto his weary face. "Two insane dictators potentially fighting over a giant gamma ray laser. Glad we avoided that scenario."
Though he was driving, she couldn't help but reach forward and gently place her hand on his arm. Though sun was gone for the night, her touch made him feel like he was basking in the first rays of morning light. "Yeah, that makes two of us. Maybe more if we asked around."
The rest of the drive was pleasantly quiet. Just them and the serenity of the night. The bustle of the city wasn't too far from their ears. All the shelters had opened up hours ago with people quickly returning to their daily lives, even if the military was still on the lookout for Foundation remnants. If said remnants attacked, Cagalli and Athrun knew they'd be called in. It was optimistic of them, but they were hoping that wouldn't be the case. Their optimism held all the way to their home, and then through the door.
Within her first breath, Cagalli felt her feet leaving the floor. "Not too drained, are you?" She humorously asked as she reached up and wrapped her arms around Athrun's neck.
"The ride over helped with the recharge." He jested back. Even in the dark, he knew the path to their bedroom, having walked it dozens of times. Including in the dark. Although Cagalli had installed a clapper, temporarily unhooking her hands from his neck to activate it. "You always enjoy using that."
"What can I say, simple but effective." She proudly proclaimed.
It made getting to the bedroom easier than it already was. Upon reaching it, Athrun fell forward and let gravity do the rest. Cagalli immediately curled against his side, both his arms moving to wrap around her. Finally, they felt the true loosening of every muscle in their body, their souls even. Such was customary of finally making it back to the bedroom, particularly the bed. Given the intensity of the last battle, the relaxing was hitting them in greater ways than it had before. From the bottom of their shared hearts, they welcomed it. Neither said a word as for the first several minutes all they did was bask in the quiet enjoyment of being back together. Of the peace that they'd protected and returned to. Not to mention the privacy.
High as her station was, like most people, her home was her bastion of privacy. Scratch that, their home. Just the two of them, not as pilots, not as a leader and her champion, the lady and her knight, just Cagalli and Athrun. So many roles they'd taken, but at their core, that's who they always were, and who they'd chosen to be, come what may. It hadn't been easy, but they'd managed.
They'd especially been through their rough patches where something like this seemed like an impossibility.
"I…don't think the thought will ever go away. At least amongst Coordinators. The idea's just too tempting."
She immediately knew what he was talking about, although she chose to give her two cents on the matter as well. "I don't think it'll ever just be Coordinators. You know that old song, 'Everyone Wants to Rule the World,' whoever wrote it didn't know how right they were."
Athrun let out a short yet hearty laugh at her statement. "You're right on both accounts, but I just feel like when it comes to Coordinators and the like, the idea is always going to be there."
Silently, Cagalli moved atop of him. His hands automatically rose to her hips as hers caressed his face. In relaxing, the weariness hit him in full force. She'd never forget the time she saw those green eyes wide with horror as they came upon the commander seater of Jachin Due. The horror shifted to sheer heartbroken as they were witness to the last words of Patrick Zala. No cries for forgiveness from the son whom he'd shot and condemned to imprisonment and death, no calls to the wife he lost, just a plea to fire GENESIS again. That was bad enough, but then two years later came Patrick's equally fanatical loyalists dropping the remains of Junius Seven on Earth.
He was right. The dream of Coordinator supremacy would probably never die, more so since the racism between Naturals and Coordinators might never truly die out. But that wasn't cause to lose hope.
With her gentle hold on his face, she leaned down to place a tender kiss on his lips. Athrun returned it, letting the inner warmth of the blonde wash over him. With it came the incineration of the twinge of sorrow that began gnawing at him. "It may never go away, but someone, from both sides, will always be there to stop it. That we can always rest assured of."
Maintaining his loving gaze, Athrun rolled them over. Cagalli didn't mind the changeup-she knew it was going to come eventually. "Yeah. It's just nice being reminded of that."
"You want to know what else it's nice to be reminded of? You're not the only one, and you've got nothing to feel guilty about."
It felt like it'd taken him ages to accept that. The nagging guilt had been what drove him into the clutches of Durandal, who'd easily preyed upon it without remorse, something he learned he was quite good at. Athrun knew if he never broke away from him, the feeling probably never would have gone away; Durandal would have found subtle ways to bring it back to keep him under his control. He knew it'd have been no different from how Aura seemingly kept the Accords under her own thumb. Athrun shuddered at the eerie comparison.
"Mind sharing what was so uncomfortable?" Came the voice of his constant light in the darkness.
"Just thinking about the similarities between Durandal and Aura, and how they tend to use the people beneath them while keeping them on a short leash." He honestly answered. Cagalli returned to her resting place beside him. "That's the other trend I don't think will ever stop."
"Nope, but I'm glad you won't be a part of it." There was a certain possessiveness in the way her hold on his body tightened. Smiling, Athrun placed a loving kiss atop her forehead. It sparked a natural blush that Cagalli half-heartedly tried to hide. "So, like I said, I think it's about time we had that talk."
"If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd have beaten Shura." He nonchalantly confessed.
"Is that right?"
Grinning, he confirmed what she already knew. It wasn't a coincidence that she straddled him as he gave her a recount of his battle with the Black Knights' silver-haired ace pilot. To her credit, Cagalli remained straight-faced while he never stopped smiling. Neither of them broke eye-contact until the story was finished. Once it was, Cagalli groaned as she ran her hands over her face.
"So exactly what I thought it was." From the moment he heard her over the comms, he knew she'd figured out exactly what had happened. "Seriously? Of all the ways you could counter their stupid mind reading powers, you chose that?"
He gave a nonchalant shrug while still smiling at her in a way that implied he regretted nothing. She knew he didn't regret it, and if given the choice, he'd go back and use the exact same tactic to beat Shura. Or hell, he'd probably use it on any Foundation member he fought.
"…At least they're dead so…"
"I'm back to being the only one." The sultry tone of his voice, coupled with the sudden enveloping of his arms around her body caught her off-guard. And sent a wave of arousal through Cagalli that left her breathless; however, she wasn't unresponsive. Immediately, her arms coiled around Athrun's abdomen, her heart slamming against the interior of her chest. She felt the resulting heat surging into her cheeks painting them a deep shade of pink, bordering on red. Athrun may not have seen it, but she knew he knew it was there. "I'm just glad that you made it back…to me."
Pulling away, he got a look at the rapidly-growing blush on her face. However, that wasn't where his focus was, it was on her eyes. His own were blazing with an emerald light of their own, one she found herself utterly captivated by. "I promised you I always would." Once more, their kiss was mutual, both leaning forward and meeting each other's lips at the exact same time. The already pulsating euphoria within her ignited into a full-on inferno. Cagalli felt the second of those reverberating heartbeats in her ear, though it was competing with the sound of her lips suckling Athrun's and vice versa. Her hands moved over his body, guided by an inner relief that she hadn't yet voiced. She didn't need to voice it, though, Athrun already knew of it. It was why he'd been so quick to get them back home. It was why he was so attentative while still unleashing his own pent-up desire.
They were loosely aware of how stifling their clothes were, particularly her uniform. While she no doubt had the look of a professional leader, that wasn't who Cagalli wanted to be at the moment. It also wasn't nearly as appealing to Athrun as her alternative looks. She knew several in particular that he desired to see.
He laid back down, though he still held her against him. Quiet pants passed their lips as they recovered from the brief, passionate embrace they'd just shared. Even still, it was merely a prelude to what they both knew was coming. That said, they still took the time to enjoy simply holding each other in their arms.
"I pitied him. Despite everything the Foundation did and planned on doing, I pitied them, including Shura." She knew that quiet, contemplative voice. Truthfully, it was actually something about him that she admired. In the past, he'd been prone to being a tad cynical, but it always came with an air of silent and hard-edged wisdom that she was drawn to. "Shura said he existed only to win, and I'm pretty sure he was designed that way." There was a slight tightening of his hold on her. "I knew there was no room in his existence for anything other than fighting, and winning. Realizing that, I just couldn't help but find him pitiful, especially after I showed him why I was fighting."
"I still caught a little bit of that." She mused with a laugh. "Thinking about what we get up to in the bedroom while on the battlefield. He was right about you being utterly shameless." Still smiling, she leaned up and pecked him on the lips. "But I'm glad you didn't lose sight of what you were fighting for, Athrun."
That was what made him flip them over. It was quiet and benign, but the look in his eyes was anything but benign. His eyes held that same verdant fire that they had moments earlier. "I lost sight of you once before, and I vowed I'd never do that again. From now until the end of my life, I promised I'd stay beside you. That I would live beside you."
Her arm shot up and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him low for another kiss. It was hungry and wild, and entirely recuperated on both ends.
Their lips were as red as their faces when the kiss finally ended. Laughing, they pumped foreheads. For as horny as they both were, they were rather enjoying this slow descent towards the inevitable.
"Do you think you'd have turned out as arrogant as him if you'd stayed by your father or Durandal's side?" She humorously asked.
"I like to think I wouldn't. I'm not an arrogant person."
"I think Shinn and maybe some of the others would beg to differ." His response to that was a hearty laugh of his own. Neither an admission or a rebuttal, which she found oddly cute. "Well, I'm perfectly fine with you the way you are, Athrun." Her blush intensified as she felt his right hand moving up a certain part of her body. Before, she'd stopped him before he could cop a feel, but now, he practically had free reign to do as he wanted with her. Cagalli relished the opportunity to do the same with him.
"Really?" He challenged while giving her that look that set her blood ablaze more so than it already was.
Laughing in sheer defeat, she looped her arms around his neck. Steadily, she leaned in close. "Yes, Athrun, really. You're strong, kind, reckless to a fault, and a damn pervert to your core…but I love you."
There was a time he thought he'd never hear those words again. In fairness, Athrun felt like he'd done a pretty good job in losing the right to hear Cagalli ever speak them to him. To his immense relief, that hadn't been the case. For the second time in his life, he realized what a fool he'd been to one of the most important women in his life. Thankfully, Cagalli was willing to put up with him. No matter what, she was always there waiting for him to come back alive, and that thought gave him an extra boost of strength.
It cut both ways as he gave her strength as well. Even if she'd cut back on her mobile suit piloting, his life gave her the power she needed to push on as well. That was their relationship, that was them living for each other.
And this was them enjoying the moment after that love had seen them through another bout of conflict.
Cagalli pulled away to stand at the foot of the bed, a seductive glint in her caramel eyes. The burgundy suit she wore as customary of Orb officials seemingly vanished in the blink of an eye. It unceremoniously fell to the floor, as did almost everything else until the blonde was left in nothing but her bra and undies-a sight that Athrun knew quite well. And always relished seeing. With a pounding heart and growing hardness between his legs, he began to do the same.
Though a small part of her was saddened Athrun chose not to sit still and watch her show, Cagalli was more than happy that he'd decided to give her one of her own. He knew she was just as enamored with his body as he was hers.
He stopped short of his pants, leaving his upper body exposed. His amulet hung over his broad chest just as her ring sat mere inches above her bra-covered breasts.
With their significantly less covered bodies, they embraced one another. Naked skin from the waist up, hearts pounding so fiercely they could feel it through their touching skin. All of it urged them toward the steaming hot utopia they'd steadily been approaching since they reunited.
Fully aware of the protrusion poking at her, as well as her own growing wetness, Cagalli made a single declaration that rung out in the heated atmosphere of the room. "No condom tonight. I want to feel all of you."
A bullet of pure concentrated joy shot through him, ending right in his heart. Despite the impeding explosion, Athrun was coherent enough to come up with a rather relevant question. "Are you still on contraception?" When she shook her head, he felt a strange mixture of relief and bewilderment. "So…you think it's time to finally give it a shot?"
"I mean, why the hell not? It's not like we're getting any younger." She answered.
Smirking, he slowly began rubbing his hand over her buttocks, electing a shuddering moan from her. "You wouldn't happen to be competing with Kira, would you?"
"N-No. I-I-If anything, I'm just glad he and Lacus are finally at that point." Following a deep-seated moan, she leaned into the nap of his neck and kissed him. "Besides, I've…I've always thought it'd be great to have a cute little pink-haired niece to dote on."
Athrun chuckled. "Pink-hair, huh? And a girl? You sure that's who their firstborn will be?"
"Call it a hunch." She whispered back.
He believed her, though Athrun found he was just happy at the thought of any extended family to have around. While he couldn't say for certain, Athrun had a hunch Kira and Lacus would finally affirm their relationship in the most intimate way possible when the former went off to rescue the latter. It wasn't like he or any of their friends pushed them to it, but he always knew there was a certain barrier between the two of them when it came to physical intimacy. It was more on Kira's part than Lacus as he saw she was clearly more eager than him. He wondered why there seemed to be some hesitancy on the his part until Mirialla informed him of his best friend's previous…troubled relationship.
When he learned of his involvement with Flay Allster, Athrun wondered if Kira's memories of that affair had factored into his actions during the second war. Namely his drastic intervention in Cagalli's wedding and scolding him. What would have happened if the wedding to Yuna Roma Seiran had gone through? The thought had always filled him with unspeakable horror, anger, and revulsion. It probably would have hampered his ability to be intimate with her, and vice versa.
They'd all been through so much, including a great deal on the long and complicated road of romance. Not just him and Kira, but seemingly everyone in their inner circle, including of all people, Lacus. They knew that few things were certain, but Athrun wanted to believe they'd all finally found the people they belonged with. His best friend and former fiancé had, his former teammates had, and he sure as hell had with Cagalli.
One hand fell on her cheek, slowly guiding her into another kiss while the other moved to her backside. Four years of practice and he'd gotten rather good at discretely unhooking her bras. The same went for her undoing his pants while still being intimate with them. Their skill was one they were rather proud of, but for obvious reasons rarely boasted about. Unless it was in the presence of close friends. Cagalli could proudly recall a few such talks with her soon-to-be sister-in-law. She never not took pride in the scandalized blushes Lacus showed as she listened to her.
Her leafy-green bra was more easily discarded than his pants were. Athrun laid down so she could pull them off. Cagalli was like the wind, swift and invisible until her mark had been left. Athrun felt the unmistakable breeze of air touching his manhood. His full erect manhood at that. The feel of the air was suddenly replaced by something else-warm and soft, a sensation he knew all too well.
It forced a gasp from his lips. "C-C-Cagalli,"
"This is what you wanted, isn't it, Athrun?" Long gone was the girl who was something of a flustered mess in the bedroom. He almost missed her, almost.
He groaned in sudden ecstasy feeling her massaging his tip. She knew all his weak points, an honor held by no one else in the world. It went without saying she was proud of herself.
Athrun knew this was payback from before. It was written all over her face. Instead of a broad, ear-to-ear grin as her personality might have pertained to, her smile was akin to a fox. Though worrying, he found it far sexier. He called out her name again, and got a stronger rub against his manhood for it. In an instant, he'd gone from one of the best mobile suit pilots in the world to an obedient, groaning puppy. It was a transformation he quietly enjoyed, as did Cagalli.
Still servicing him with her hand, she leaned forward to connect their lips in a new kiss. It hovered in an odd place between gentle and erotic, every few seconds it would tip in one direction. That back-and-forth marked the next several minutes. Nothing but their tongues and her nonstop servicing of his member-the touch of a rose mixed with the warmth of the sun.
Athrun could barely keep his eyes open, but when he was able to open them, he saw golden. Sweet, fiery gold that made him feel like the sun was directly above him. Groaning and panting, he reached up and felt its softness beneath his fingers. Moments later and he felt it against his lips. As pleasurable as the kiss was, it ended as he felt a sharp tightening between his legs. If not for a last-second bout of restraint, he knew he'd have came right there.
Cagalli was quite amused by it, though it was clear that she planned on breaking his restraint. She set out to prove that by crawling down to his waist, her moist lips less than an inch from his mast.
"C-Cagaaaaah~!" He knew it was coming, though that still didn't save him from the tidal wave of pure ecstasy that slammed into him. Several minutes, maybe hours, and he was able to lift his head up. Again, he could barely keep his eyes open. The sight of Cagalli's golden blonde hair was the only constant in his eyes, albeit his vision was still blurry. "Ahh…you've…you're…" Even he didn't quite know what he was trying to say. Every coherent thought was sucked up into a swirling tornado and lost forever. Realizing that it was futile, he focused on what he could do-continuously chant the name of his beloved.
Cagalli loved each it. She had to admit, a part of her always felt a tad possessive of Athrun. During the Second Bloody Valentine War, those feelings had only intensified as the two of them ironically entered their first rough patch. Those feelings had been amongst the biggest clues that her feelings weren't dying, that they probably never would. To hear him chant her name in such a hot and hushed tone made her heart soar with glee. That joy went into her servicing of his member. Though she'd switched from her hands to her mouth, she found reason to use the former once more. Athrun's screams grew louder, a clear sign that his orgasm was approaching. He'd managed to hold it back the first time, but Cagalli had no intention of letting him mount a defense.
He wanted this, and he was going to get it, and so was she.
For what he knew would be the final time, Athrun squeezed his eyes shut and howled. It was a good thing the house was empty, and they owned no pets (yet), because everyone inside would have heard him. His hips involuntarily thrusted upward; Cagalli immediately responded with her mouth. Her lips tightened and her tongue flicked over his tip and down his side as he pushed it through her mouth. It heightened the already mind-blowing orgasm that ripped through him. It was so powerful it left him lying on his backside, panting like he'd just ran a marathon around Yalafath.
It was a sense of exhaustion he welcomed, though. Plus, it didn't last too long.
Green met honey-yellow, mutual smiles grew along their faces. "So," Cagalli spoke. "Was it everything you hoped for?"
"And so much more." Instead of groans and screams, it was sweet laughter that now filled the room. Though Cagalli still had her undies, for the most part she was just as naked as he was. She knew that last bit of clothing wasn't going to last for much longer, but she hardly cared. Her hands went up and down Athrun's chest while his slid across her backside. A hot gasp left her whenever he'd grasp her buttocks. Cagalli knew it was a sneak peek at what lay in store for them when her final piece of clothing vanished.
That promised moment grew a second closer when Athrun rolled them over. Thankfully, in the opposite direction as if they'd kept going to her left, they'd have rolled off the bed. The last time was bad enough, so she was glad that he was still coherent enough to avoid that little bedroom mishap. Not that it'd ultimately made them stop that night.
With Athrun leering above her like a hungry lion, she knew exactly what was going to happen next. "H-H-Hurry up." She half-heartedly commanded. Chuckling at her attempted bluster, he started slow, pelting her neck with butterfly kisses. For Cagalli, each kiss was a spike of red-hot pleasure that shot deep through her skin. They came like raindrops, leaving her gasping and shuddering beneath him. "A-Athrun, Athrun~" came her repeated chanting. Hands rose and clawed at his naked backside, occasionally bearing down when she felt the extended pressure of his lips on her neck. Oh, he was definitely going to leave her with more than a few hickeys. At least she had enough clothing, professional and casual alike, to cover up such markings when she went out. "Aaaaaahhhh~! Ooooohh~! A-A-Athrun~! P-P-Please,"
She felt him chuckle into her shoulder, though the slow and tender kisses continued. It actually lulled her into a moment of weakness. Cagalli hardly felt him sliding his left hand down her abdomen until she felt the sudden, breath-taking intrusion of his fingers into her womanhood. Eyes wide, she instinctively thrusted her hips upward, driving his fingers deeper into her silt. Her legs kicked off before curling inward as Athrun's fingers worked at a steady pace-it wasn't nearly enough for her, though. She'd have commanded, or begged, for more, if she wasn't too busy panting like a dog.
"AAAAHHH~!" With a single, all-powerful thrust of his fingers, her boyfriend turned those pants into a long, echoing scream. Its reverberations hung in Cagalli's ears to the point she never noticed Athrun's chuckling. Not until he pulled away and smiled down at her did she realize just how much he enjoyed his little stunt. Well, he was entitled to that borderline shit-eating grin.
Following his sudden lowered gaze, she realized what he wanted to do next. All too eagerly, she lifted her legs up and allowed him to slide off her green-colored undies. Finally, she was as naked as him, and just as horny.
"A-A-Athrun," she called while spreading her legs out.
"Thanks for being so cooperative, Cagalli." He joyfully commended.
There was no snappy retort or call for him to hurry up, only another throaty cry as he took her womanhood into his mouth. His tongue shot forth like one of his beam sabers, and like in battle, he used it with all the skill of a master fighter. She was utterly helpless before him, each slash cutting away a portion of her, yet also injecting her with wondrous ecstasy. Cagalli thrashed her head about as the flicks continued, already too numerous for her to count. Her back arched and her legs kicked out, appearing as briefly outlines before her blurry vision. Turning said vision to Athrun graced her with an image of his dark blue hair, a sight that been the object of her dreams and what she'd woken up to several times over the past two years.
Airheaded, she reached for that mop of blue hair, but his hands were faster, and firmer. Instead of his head, Cagalli slammed her hands down upon both sides of the bed. She gripped the sheets as Athrun palmed her breasts, all while continuing to eat her out.
She was exposed and pin downed, crying out in bliss with fiber of her being. Seconds quickly blend into minutes, then those minutes felt like they'd turned into hours. Cagalli knew with his superhuman stamina, Athrun could keep her screaming for that long, and he most definitely would. Whatever plans they had for the following day be damned. She found herself praying that this was one of those nights.
However the hell long it was, she felt a tightness building within her loins. She bit her lip in a vain attempt to hold it off, but as with him, Cagalli knew it was in vain. Part of her attempt was ripping her hands away from the sheets (before they tore) to grasping his hands as they palmed her breasts. Her hold tightened as she felt the intensifying of the knot within her. With what little sanity she had left, Cagalli thrusted her hips toward Athrun's mouth, though it wasn't like he needed the help. If anything, she was the one that was going to need help so much as lifting a finger when this was over with.
"A-Athrun~!" Her toes curled, her eyes shut, and her back arched. Her juices flowed out and straight into his waiting mouth. Through the thunderous roar of her orgasm, Cagalli could have sworn she heard him lapping it up. He'd been so thirsty for it, and he was more than happy to drink himself drunk on her juices, not that she would have wanted it any other way. With what strength she could muster up, she wrapped her legs around his head.
He'd loved to have toyed with her breasts before, but Athrun was more eager than he was willing to admit. To eat her out to his heart's content was simply too strong a temptation for him to go with a little bit of foreplay. Given the delicious nectar he'd readily gulfed down, he'd say he made the right move. More so as his girlfriend's silken legs were wrapped around his head. Though she was lying on her backside seemingly winded, Athrun wasn't surprised she still had the strength to move her legs. In her movement he saw another plea-don't stop. He sure as hell didn't stop.
It was incredible to continue to eat her out while having her legs pressed so tightly against her face. While her femininity was something people, including him, liked to poke fun at, there was no denying Cagalli was a beautiful woman. In both body and soul.
After he'd finished licking up her pussy, he drunk in the former, and parts of the latter through her eyes. She watched him as if he were the sun emerging above the horizon. The seeming exhaustion that'd gripped her moments ago was no more as she pushed herself upward.
He practically fell upon her, kissing her with reckless abandon, and she returned the sentiment with her own flurry of kisses. Now truly naked as the day they were born, their bodies shamelessly grinded against one another. Eyes briefly locked only to close as the kissing resumed. Their lips occasionally slid to one another's cheeks and shoulders, but still, they always returned to where they were meant to be. Their hands did the same, although they couldn't settle on where they wanted them to be. One spot simply wasn't enough.
Each other's hands seemed like a good spot for the moment. Arms raised above their heads, hot breaths mingling together thanks to the proximity of their faces. Hearts beating in unison within their chests. Their respective necklaces were the only pieces of clothing that remained through their respective stripping. By odd chance, the necklace and amulet lay beside each other atop Cagalli's chest, both steadily rising and falling with her breaths.
"You know there's no taking it back once we do this." The words were a final warning, and a promise. Once he was inside of her, Athrun knew he wasn't pulling out until both he and Cagalli were spent. The odds of that resulting in a pregnancy were damn near a hundred-percent.
Knowing that, Cagalli squeezed his hand. "Like I'd want to go back. Never."
Smiling, he thrusted forward, immediately feeling the sweet enclosure of her vaginal walls around his manhood. A hiss of approval left Cagalli's lips as her legs quickly wrapped around his waist, almost entirely locking him in place. Almost.
Holding fast onto her hands, Athrun began his thrusting. Tired from the battle he may have been, he had more than enough energy for this. Especially this. And Cagalli certainly had enough on her own to keep up with him. Her hips began moving in tandem with his, magnifying the bliss they were already feeling from the intimate connection. Athrun groaned in gratification at her participation. This wasn't going to be one of those nights where she was ideal and simply let him do all the work. Though he was still probably going to be taking the lead-she was following his lead in terms of rhythm.
Their hand lock broke. Cagalli's went to their old but treasured position across his backside. Athrun welcomed it as it made it slightly easier to thrust into her. On top of that, the fire-like touch of her nails furthered his already manic thrusting-they'd only intensify when he felt her nails break the skin. He always loved feeling her nails dragging across his skin while his fingers prided every corner of her body. That didn't stop even now as he thrusted into her, once more intent on leaving his arm on her. She did the exact same, squeezing his dick for all it was worth.
It was most likely Shura had seen a handful of flashes of these intimate moments when he read his mind. Based on the flustered outrage he exploded into, he had, and he clearly had no idea how to handle it. The thought of being this intimate with someone had seemingly never even crossed his mind.
There in was where his pity for the man lay. This carnal joy, this emotional euphoria, was something he never knew and would never know.
Someone to return to. Someone to share a life with outside of the battlefield.
"A-ATHRUN~!" Her voice shook the room, just like her body shook from the vigorous, piston-like thrust. Even amongst the nonstop barrage of battering ram-like thrusts, this latest one stood out. The ecstasy-laced shockwaves traveled throughout her body, right up into her brain. Cagalli felt it nearly on the verge of a meltdown; funny to think about since it felt like they'd only gotten started a little while ago. That was something she loved about sex with Athrun, he was just that good at it that their first few minutes could feel like an entire round condensed into a few minutes. Which also meant that there was still plenty more to come.
Every time they were together it was a breathtaking, and loud, engagement. She was already seeing stars, hundreds of them flashing in the ceiling above them as if it were the night sky or the canvas of space. Their brightest flashes came when she felt Athrun's manhood smashed into her G-spot; her voice was loud and echoing, calling his name as ecstasy swept through her body. Crying out his name once more, she thrusted her hips against his, her vaginal muscles putting a greater squeeze on his manhood. It wasn't enough to stop him from maintaining his thrusts into her, much to her delight.
"AAAAAAHHH~! AAAAH~!" Excitement was running high in his veins. This was everything he'd been hoping for and more. Cagalli's nails dug into his backside as he continued to pound away at her core. He knew what the end result would be when he came inside of her. No protection, no restrictions, just his seed mixing with hers. The image gave him an extra boost. "Ca…galli!" He lunged for her lips after calling out to her. Tongues slapped together with as much vigor as their hips were. Unfortunately, they were forced to separate before the latter were, hot-blooded cries exploded from their mouths when they did. "I'M…GETTING…CLOSE TO-"
"ME TOO!" That certainly explained the increased tightening of her arms and legs. She reached up and grabbed the back of his head, angling it so they were eye-to-eye. "Don't…you fucking dare think of stopping, Athrun!" her eyes briefly shut as another one of his thrusts hit home. "I WANT…EVERY LAST…DROP INSIDE OF ME! GIVE IT TO ME, ATHRUN! EVERY LAST BIT!"
His hips were already moving at a heightened speed before she'd finished, but once she had, he felt himself reach a whole new level. "GLADLY!" The buildup was reaching its critical point, he felt it. As eager as he was to cum inside of the woman he loved, he didn't want to. Athrun didn't want it to end, not just yet.
Ironically, his reluctance was burnt to cinders by the kiss she initiated. Given her continued hold on his face, it wasn't too surprising, yet Athrun still felt himself utterly starstruck by the feel of her lips on his. Athrun immediately gave into it, subconsciously knowing it was the final match that ignited the orgasmic explosion within them. Said explosion went off while they remained lip locked; the inevitable separation of their lips was followed by anear desperate grasp for breath as their juices mixed together.
Being the quicker of the two, Athrun recovered faster, and promptly used that recovery to madly thrust into her. "CAGALL!" He triumphantly shouted as he made sure every drop of his masculine essence was blasted into her womb, just as she wanted.
"ATHRUN~!" She felt it, every last shot entering her womb and undeniably impregnating her. After so many nights, she knew in the depths of her soul this would be the one where they would create a new life, one which she'd bring into the world several months from now. With that thought came sweet amazement. The future joy was compounded by the immediate sense of gratification that came with her and Athrun's shared orgasm. It left her lying flat on her back, daftly holding onto him as he lay above her. She felt the continued stuffing of his manhood inside of her, still shooting ropes of cum into her. "Ahhh…aaahhh~"
She'd get the strength to move again, but Athrun had regained his faster. Holding her in his arms, he rolled them over. Cagalli welcomed the positional change, and rewarded her boyfriend for it with a tender kiss to the lips.
"You know, now you've really got to try hard to make it back to me at the end of every mission." She teased.
"Oh, I know, and I've got another reason to look forward to making it back home. I just…"
Once more, she framed his face using her hands. The warmth in her eyes drew him in and wrapped him up in a hearth-like blanket. "Athrun, you're going to be a great dad. You know why? Because you're you, and I'll be right there with you every step of the way. Heh, well, me and everyone else, including a totally doting aunt and uncle."
He sat up and pushed her deeper against him. "Thank you, Cagalli. Just…thank you for everything." The rest of the night could have been spent thanking her, but Athrun knew there was a better way to do that. Not to mention a more thorough way of ensuring that they had indeed just did what they set out to do. The glint was obvious in his eyes.
Cagalli saw it and seductively rolled her hips against his. A heartbeat later and their mouths muffled one another, but the lewd smacking of their hips began anew. It'd be so time before that smacking came to an end. By then, the bedsheets had been stained and ruffled in various ways, none of which was a first for the couple. Still, in the end, they ultimately managed to crawl beneath the covers, sweaty and exhausted, but happy none the less.
That's how they would greet the morning sun, whose rays picked through the blinds of the bedroom. It signaled the start of a new day, a continuation of the long road to recovery the world was still on. Regardless, Athrun and Cagalli looked forward to it, just as they looked forward to talking with their friends; amongst those talks, they were pleasantly curious if they'd be getting a message or two from their opposite pair. If not, they wouldn't be surprised, nor would they panic. Kira and Lacus had more than earned their time off, Athrun and Cagalli knew their own time for a little get away would come eventually. Both were ready to work for it, just as they were for the peace that they'd vowed to uphold, and enjoy. A peace that they were also intent on passing down to future generations.
Fin
Over the years, I've noticed a lot of Gundam Seed stories tend to focus on Athrun and Cagalli. Given the ambiguous nature of their relationship at the end of Destiny, it's not hard to see why. Ironically, in all that time, Kira and Lacus (and Shinn and Lunamaria) always seemed to be the beta couple to them, but come SEED Freedom, they were the beta couple to Kira and Lacus. All the couples had their trials and tribulations before they could really solidify.
I used some material from the movie's novelization, which went into a great bit more detail about things, such as how the Foundation was really a caste system society as well as Aura's deep-seated grudge against Ulen Hibiki. Likewise, in the novelization Athrun actually expressed pity toward Shura since he realized he was essentially created to do nothing but fight and win, no life beyond that. I did a bit of a deep-dive into that since Aura was also a clear parallel to Patrick Zala in terms of being a superhuman supremacist with dreams of bloody world domination. With that in mind, I decided to write Athrun quietly musing on how he could have ended up like Shura, likely in an attempt to earn his father's love. As a guy who loves foils and evil counterpart tropes, I really enjoyed the fact that the Foundation were all something of dark reflections and foils to the heroes of SEED. Of course, the biggest thing dividing them were the latter's bonds of genuine friendship and love, which was beautiful to see after two series' worth of trauma, misunderstandings, and guilt. That was especially true seeing Athrun and Cagalli's now stabilized, and surprisingly very romantic relationship in full bloom.
I hope you all enjoyed the story, and until next time! Now that I've done Athrun and Cagalli, I'm thinking I might do a story for Kira and Lacus one day. Maybe Dearka and Miriallia too since I threw the former in since all the beloved SEED couples got a resurgence thanks to the movie.