Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ Sojourn ❯ PHASE 09 A Change of Pace ( Chapter 9 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: PaolaAdara 
When things start to settle down, realizations sink in.
Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Drama / Comedy / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.22.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.5K | Visits: 344 | Status: Work In Progress
When things start to settle down, realizations sink in.
Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Drama / Comedy / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.22.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.5K | Visits: 344 | Status: Work In Progress
Title: Mobile Suit: Gundam SEED Sojourn (9/?)
Author: Paola
Disclaimer: Mobile Suit: Gundam SEED Sojourn is based on characters and situations that belong to Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios, and TV Asashi (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited.
“There are only two ways to live your life. One
is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is
as though everything is a miracle.”
- Albert Einstein
PHASE 09
A Change of Pace
Dearka yawned and blinked the somnolence from his eyes. They had nothing to do today since, as Kisaka had informed them just last night after Cagalli had given them the gist of the plans, they wouldn’t be enrolling themselves at the University until tomorrow or the day after at the latest. As much as his muddled mind permitted, he thought about how he would spend the rest of his day, and for a desultory moment, he wondered why he was even thinking of that. He had never in his entire life planned out his days. He was the sort of guy who liked surprises and the spontaneity of everyday life. Not that his life as a soldier was spontaneous, but there had always been surprises. Like the time Yzak was bombarded with all those Haros. Or when Yzak almost killed the messenger upon learning in advance that Athrun would be their commander. Or that time when he got a package in his apartment from his---surprise, surprise---admirer. That had been nice since he had been craving for chocolate cake, which exactly what the package contained. His “surprise,” however, had quickly evaporated when he remembered that he sent the cake to himself to win a wager with Yzak.
The one time that he planned something was when he wanted to go check out the new club, but that had gone down the drain when they were ordered to raid Heliopolis. He yawned again, raking his fingers through his unruly blonde locks. That was when their real adventure began.
He stretched, his mind coming up blank as it habitually refused to think of activities for him to do. Then he recalled what Yzak had told him after dinner. The pale-head had mentioned something about house hunting, or something as mundane as that, with the excuse that he wouldn’t want to stay in the Athha mansion for the entire time he would be on Earth. Dearka had laughed at Yzak’s explanation about being dependent on the Orb’s heiress, but, in reality, that had made sense. He himself didn’t want to forever stay in Cagalli’s accommodating household.
Maybe he could share an apartment with Yzak, which wouldn’t be so bad because they had done it before. And despite the Duel pilot’s mood swings, he wasn’t that bad of a roommate. Dearka just needed to refrain from saying anything stupid to the pale-haired teen in the morning, and they’d get along just fine. Same old, same old---that was how it always went when Yzak was concerned.
For a detached second, he imagined Athrun rooming with Yzak, and he had to chuckle at the thought. For some unexplained reason, whatever the Justice pilot did, the Duel pilot always seemed to find it aggravating.
The blonde Coordinator slapped his forehead. Why am I even thinking of those guys? For all he cared, they could murder each other and he still had other more important things to think about. He was a changed man. His life didn’t revolve around his team anymore…what with the emergence of a certain Natural in his life.
Dearka furrowed his brow, and then he felt his cheeks warming up. Dammit. I’m all alone and I’m blushing like a freakin’ schoolgirl!
o-o
Miriallia stretched to her full length, rumpling the sheets beneath her. The sun spilt inside her room through the thin curtains, making her squint her still sleepy eyes. Today was a new day, and Miriallia smiled, looking forward to what the day had in store for her. Then she blinked, halting in her movements, as if she’d forgotten something.
Hurriedly making her bed, she hopped towards the bathroom at the end of the hallway in her wrinkled pajamas, grabbing her bathrobe, which hung from the back of her chair, on the way.
“Honey? Phone!” her mom called, probably standing at the foot of the stairs.
“I’m in the bathroom. Get the name and I’ll call back,” she replied, washing the soap from her face.
“All right. Breakfast’s on the table.”
Miriallia finished freshening up as soon as her mom finished telling her who the caller was. Bless mom’s heart. She smiled again. She knew she wouldn’t be spending the day with her parents for they still had work, but she wasn’t bitter about it. She wasn’t a selfish daughter, and even if she just arrived the night before yesterday, she didn’t feel the need to demand their whole attention. She wasn’t a kid anymore, and she knew the responsibilities her parents had to fulfill. Besides, she wasn’t due back to any war ship any time soon. She’d be stuck here on Earth for a very long time, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Mir?” her father called, knocking on the bathroom door.
“Yes, dad?”
“Your mom and I are off to work. Sorry, we couldn’t bail ourselves out of this darned thing.”
Miriallia laughed as she brushed her hair. She opened the bathroom door and stood on her tiptoes to give her dad a peck on the cheek. “It’s all right, dad. No biggie.”
“So, have you told Cagalli yet?”
Miriallia shook her head. Yesterday, they had talked about her going back to school---aside from the usual war stories---and they had come to a decision that it would be easier if she went to the same school as her friends, seeing as how it would be easier for Cagalli to fix things, what with Kisaka talking to people who needed talking to. But, of course, she had a hand in convincing her parents to decide just that. She figured it would be easier for her to adjust with familiar faces surrounding her; after all, the last school she had attended was in Heliopolis.
“I’m going to talk to her today.”
“All right.” Her father glanced at his wristwatch. “We have to go. We don’t want to run late.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “See you later, Mir.”
Before she could resume fixing her hair, she heard her mom call from below as soon as her dad was out of sight. “Honey, we’ll see you later!’
“Yeah, folks, take care!”
When the front door closed, she looked in the mirror and smiled. Time to call Sai.
o-o
Yzak was sitting alone in the formal dining area, pouring over the morning’s newspaper. He meant what he had told Dearka, and he wanted to scout for his own apartment as soon as possible. As much as he usually didn’t care for anyone’s welfare, he never fancied being that much indebted to anyone, much less someone he hardly knew, and Athha utterly belonged in that category. She had invited them to stay in her house, but that didn’t mean he’d forever hold her to her word. Besides, he could only tolerate so much teasing. He’d given it thought that Dearka might want to room with him, and that would be, more or less, okay, since without the guys to fuel the Buster pilot’s annoying habit of vexing the hell out of him, Dearka’s teasing wouldn’t be so hard to put up with.
Last night, he’d asked Kisaka what school they might be going to so that he could look for a place that wouldn’t be so far, and upon spotting a vacant apartment ad in the newspaper, he shrugged. The address written was close to the address of the school. It must be his lucky day. He’d go check it out as soon as he could, which was right after he finished reading the rest of the newspaper.
The fair-head looked up when he heard footsteps entering the dining area and saw the princess looking at him curiously. That was a surprise. He’d thought she’d be off gallivanting with Zala, or her brother, or even Lacus.
“What’s up?” she asked.
They both were nowhere to being close, but, aside from calling him “haro man,” she hadn’t exactly done anything wrong to him, so he didn’t think it right to be hostile to her…especially since she was his host. After all, he did know his manners---though Dearka might contend that. “Just scouting for flats.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
Yzak looked at her weirdly. “Why what?”
Cagalli sat opposite him and played with her fingers on the tabletop. She rolled her eyes at him as if to say his question was stupid. “Why are you looking for a pad? I’m not kicking you out anyway.”
Again, Yzak looked at her weirdly. “You don’t have to kick me out before I go find my own place to stay.”
Cagalli let out a short chuckle. “Oh I see…you’ve got this self-sufficiency thingy going on…right? You know, just like what real soldiers do… I guess…”
He rolled his eyes but gave a resigned sigh anyway. “You can put it that way.”
She shrugged. “Okay…suit yourself.”
Yzak returned to reading the paper, expecting Athha to leave him, but, after a moment, he could still feel her presence in the room. He looked up to find her looking like she couldn’t quite phrase what she wanted to say to him.
Folding the paper, he asked, “Anything else?”
She seemed to hesitate for a second, presumably searching for the right words, but then she grinned, albeit a tad tentatively. “Say, Yzak, I haven’t given you my thanks yet…”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled at what she was saying. What was it that she was thanking him for? For all his smarts, he couldn’t think of anything…but apparently, there was something. It was just that he couldn’t figure out what that was.
Cagalli chuckled good-naturedly. “For saving my life back there.”
What? Then it clicked. He didn’t even know why he did it, but, during that time, it had felt right. It had also been around that time when he realized that he couldn’t just let anyone from the three ships die, and it was then that he understood they were fighting for a common cause all along. How was he to know that the girl he had saved then was his former commander’s love interest? He laughed inwardly at the prospect that Zala owed him his significant other.
Yzak waved a dismissive hand. “That was just an instinct born out of being a soldier.”
She smirked. “Whatever you say, Jule, whatever you say.” The Orb princess stuck out her hand, which Yzak looked at strangely. “I know my friends from my foes.”
That was all she said to convince the Duel pilot that he truly didn’t have an enemy in her. So, with just the slightest of hesitations, he took her hand and shook it.
Cagalli gave him one last friendly smile before turning to go to the kitchen. “But if you can’t find a nice pad, you’re welcome to stay here.”
And all was good, until she added something else…
“I always knew you’ve got a soft side in you, Mr. Softy.”
Yzak growled at the laughing princess.
o-o
“Hey, Kira?” Lacus called, stepping out in the foyer where Kira was.
The addressed turned and smiled at the Pink Princess. “Ready to go?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and offering his arm for her to take.
“Yes!” she answered, hopping towards him, her ponytail swishing behind her. She hooked her hand in the crook of his arm and asked, “So, where are we going?”
Kira angled his head, as if just now pondering their destination. “I thought you might want to look around before we start school…you know, before things get busy again. So, where do you want to head first?”
Both teenagers started walking in a leisurely pace. Although the sky was clear of clouds, the sun’s rays weren’t so harsh on the skin, so they didn’t bother bringing hats or caps. And the slight wind that blew was cool enough.
“That’s thoughtful of you, Kira,” Lacus said, smiling at the slightly blushing Freedom pilot. “I don’t really know what there is to see here, so why don’t we just walk around and see what happens from there?”
Kira shrugged at her suggestion, not really caring where they were going. “We can try that,” he agreed. And it wasn’t like he knew Orb by heart. He’d only known a few things from looking at the tourism brochures stacked in the Athha’s library. Although Orb was his homeland, he hadn’t been there for a long time.
Upon reaching the gates and stepping out of them, both paused mid-stride, thinking of where they were going to start. The two of them simultaneously looked at one another inquiringly, and Lacus laughed.
“Okay, let’s take the right one. Let’s see where this leads us.”
Kira could still detect the laughter in her voice. She was really happy to be down here on Earth with them, and he had to wonder if he, especially, played a big role in her cheerfulness. Ever since they had talked at the Archangel when he returned from unconsciousness, he’d always worried himself over trying to make her enjoy his presence. He would always find himself thinking if she was smiling because of him, of what he had said, or of what he had done, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how this was happening, or why it was happening for that matter. All he knew was that he immensely enjoyed being with Lacus Clyne. He liked it when he could make her smile, more so when he could make her laugh. He liked hearing her talk, and upon putting his gaze on her, he never doubted he liked seeing her.
“Kira?”
Kira was brought out of his musings. “Uh, yeah?”
“I was asking you if we could visit the orphanage. I asked Cagalli last night and she said there’s one nearby.” She cocked her head to the side, eyeing him. “And you’ve been staring for a while,” she added, a cute tint of pink glowing on her cheeks.
Kira promptly reddened. He didn’t notice he was staring. He massaged the back of his neck, stuttering, “Uh…huh…I was just…uh, yeah, we can go there. But I don’t know how to get there.” He opted for avoiding her last statement.
“Oh.”
“Why? You wanna go visit now?”
“Yes, I would love to go now, but if you want to walk around first, we can visit much later after asking Cagalli or Kisaka for directions.”
Kira chuckled. “That’s okay, Lacus. I don’t think it’s that hard to ask the people ourselves.”
The corners of Lacus’ eyes crinkled. “That’s wonderful! Thank you, Kira!”
“It’s nothing.” Kira spotted the waiting shed just a few meters ahead of them. “C’mon. We can wait for a shuttle there.” He tugged at her hand and they walked towards the shed where a few people were waiting. “I bet there’s a signboard there that can tell us what shuttle to take.” He led her to a vacant spot and asked her to wait while he took a look at the map.
“Oh my, I’m sorry!” Lacus suddenly exclaimed, halting Kira’s perusal of the signboard.
He turned around and saw that Lacus had been wending her way towards him, but had bumped into and elderly woman carrying a paper bag of groceries. He saw the goods fall out of the woman’s brown bag, and he hurriedly went back to Lacus’ side to help her pick up the fallen items.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” Lacus apologized, looking guilty.
The woman peered at the two of them over her thin-framed spectacles and smiled. “Don’t worry your heart, child,” she kindly said. “And thank you.”
Kira noticed a sudden movement, and, in a flash, he caught the can of beans that toppled over the grocery bag. “It’s all right. Let me help you with that,” he offered, placing back the can inside and taking the bag from the woman’s hands.
“Thank you, young man.” The elderly woman turned around upon hearing the arrival of a shuttle. “There’s my ride. Are you on this one, too?”
Lacus looked questioningly at Kira.
“No, ma’am,” he answered, following the lady as she stepped inside the shuttle. He handed over the grocery bag to the conductor who had previously escorted the old woman to her seat. Then he and Lacus stepped away from the vehicle.
“Thank you, children,” the woman waved goodbye as the shuttle moved forward.
The Songstress waved back, a smile plastered on her face. She didn’t take her eyes off the vehicle until it was out of her sight. “What a kind grandma,” she said, not knowing that the elderly woman was probably thinking the same thing about her and Kira’s actions. “So,” she turned to look at her companion, “what shuttle are we taking?”
Not a minute had passed after the previous shuttle had gone did another near them. “That one,” Kira pointed, and then they boarded when it stopped in front of them.
“I call dibs on the window seat,” Lacus said excitedly.
Kira had to laugh at that. “Sure.” When they had sat down, Kira watched the pink-head as she eyed the passing scenery, taking note of how excited she looked. “Say, have you gone on a public transport before?” He couldn’t figure out why he asked that.
Lacus looked thoughtful for a minute before answering, “I don’t think so. Up in PLANT, I’ve always been brought from one place to the next in a private vehicle. Even when we were hiding from ZAFT, the vehicle we used to move around places was not exactly a public transport.”
She didn’t sound like a spoiled girl, and Kira knew that she was only telling the truth. After all, her father was a member of the PLANTs Supreme Council, and the fact that she was a pop singer made it all the more believable that she had always ridden in a private transport---for security purposes, if for nothing else.
Kira smiled. “You’re cute when you’re excited like that.” And he had to struggle to retain his smile because he couldn’t quite tell where that came from. True, she was cute, but he never thought he had it in him to tell her just like that.
Lacus blushed, but smiled at him nonetheless. “Thank you, Kira, and you’re cute, too, when you blush like that.”
And the brown-haired Coordinator was flustered, more so when he spied a teenager, a few seats in front of them, smirking at the situation. Apparently, Lacus’ comment hadn’t been too hushed.
o-o
Miriallia waited in the living room as the maid called for Cagalli. She had told the maid that it was okay if she looked for the princess herself, but after the maid informed her that she hadn’t seen the princess since after breakfast, Miriallia knew better than to look for the blonde herself. It was a big house---a huge house, with more rooms than she could imagine---and who knew where Cagalli could have possibly decided to wander off.
She had returned Sai’s call before going to the Athha estate, and they talked about their plans of going back to school. Both of them had the same plans of going to the same university as the rest, but Sai wouldn’t be able to go tell Kisaka or Cagalli today since his family was going to see a sick relative, who lived somewhere far. That was the reason he had called earlier: to ask her if she could do him a favor and tell Kisaka of his plans. Since she was going to tell Cagalli hers, she had agreed.
They had also talked about Kuzzey. She had been slightly disappointed that Kuzzey hadn’t called her when he did Sai, but she dismissed the feeling as soon as she realized it must’ve taken him a lot of courage to even phone Sai, knowing that he had deserted them as soon as he was given the chance. But she didn’t blame her friend. Not everyone was made to face such horrific war activities, and she was glad that Sai had affirmed Kuzzey’s actions. She was just a little sad to know that Kuzzey was no longer in Orb---his family had made a business deal and they had to move to another country. But, halfway to being the optimist that she was becoming, she hoped they would see each other again. Kira, Sai, Kuzzey, Tolle, and her…they’d been good friends back in Heliopolis, and it would be too much of a waste if they just threw that away. Although Kuzzey, right after he had learnt of Kira’s genetics, became wary of Kira at times, the brown-haired Coordinator had always been forgiving of him.
Miriallia thinned her lips. She had cried endless tears for Tolle, and, for her sake, she wouldn’t think of him right now. She needed a rest, and it wasn’t as if she was about to forget him. As Kira had said, he’d always be in their hearts.
With a resolute nod, she busied herself with one of the books on the coffee table, deeming it best to forego the past for the moment. She flipped through the pages, not really reading the captions. It was a book on photography collections, and she was more interested in what the pictures looked like than the titles of or the information about the photos.
Upon hearing the familiar sounds of nearing footsteps, she placed the magazine back on the table and stood up. She saw Kisaka from the archway and she called him. She jogged towards the tanned bodyguard and he met her in the archway.
“Yes? Were you waiting for Cagalli?”
“Actually yeah, but since you’re here, I might as well tell you. It’s about the school thingy…uh, are you in a hurry?”
“It’s all right. I’m headed for the University. What about it?”
“Sai and I have decided to go to the same school as the rest, and we’re wondering if it’s too much of a burden to---”
Kisaka cut her off with a gentle chuckle. “That’s all right, Ms. Haw. Cagalli had told me to include you and Mr. Argyle just in case you decide something like this.”
Miriallia smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“Kisaka’s just fine.” He looked at his watch. “I have to go. I’ll still be meeting up with Captain Waltfeld and Captain Ramius at Morgenroete after I attend to this.” Kisaka made to move, but paused immediately when the maid from earlier returned, informing Miriallia that Cagalli was nowhere in the mansion. “Cagalli left a while ago,” he told Miriallia when the maid scurried away to finish her tasks.
“Oh…”
“But the two ZAFT soldiers are still here. You’re free to stay if you like,” and with that he was gone.
Two? Her question was answered when Yzak and Dearka came walking down the stairs, talking. Figures. Athrun’s probably with Cagalli. Miriallia inwardly giggled at that thought. She wasn’t dense, and she had long ago sensed that there was something between the former Justice pilot and the Orb heiress, but she had yet to ask Cagalli about that. She figured it would be fun trying to make the stubborn princess confess to her and Lacus. Bad, Miriallia.
“Good morning,” she greeted a tad uncertainly, gaining the attention of the two former red-coats.
o-o
“Miriallia!” was Dearka’s surprised reply.
“Morning,” Yzak’s, on the other hand, was subtler.
“What are you doing here? I mean…not that you’re not welcome or anything…” Dearka stumbled over his words.
Yzak tsked and shook his head at his friend. “I’m going.” He quickened his pace and was already by the door before Dearka had the chance to regain his speech ability.
“Yzak, wait!”
“I like better privileges, so I’ll look on my own, and you,” he pointed an imperious finger at the blonde Coordinator, “are indebted to me.”
Dearka stopped by the foot of the stairs, glaring at the fair-head. “I’m not staying if I don’t like it.”
Yzak paused then looked at the Buster pilot as if he’d grown another head. “And this is a threat because…?” That garnered him a sharper glare from the blonde Coordinator.
“Oh, where are you two going?” Miriallia interjected, not moving from her spot under the archway.
“Dearka’s not going anywhere. I’m leaving,” and with that, he was gone, leaving Miriallia wondering what they were talking about.
Without the Duel pilot to diffuse the awkward air, both teenagers were ill at ease all over again.
“Where is he going?” Miriallia asked. “Not that I’m prying or anything…”
“Ah, no, it’s okay!” Dearka hurriedly assured her. “He’s looking for an apartment.” Dearka massaged his nape in a restless gesture. “Wanna have a drink? I’m kind of thirsty.” He inwardly sighed when that suggestion somewhat lightened the air between them.
Miriallia nodded, and the two of them trekked towards the kitchen. Not long after, she raised both eyebrows in question as she walked beside him. “You’re moving?”
“Well, yeah, but nowhere far. It’s Yzak’s idea, but his explanation kinda makes sense so I’m going along with it. Besides, it’s easier if I don’t have to look for my own place, and he’s not that bad of a roommate.”
Miriallia had to laugh at that. “So, you’re saying that if it would be you who would be house-hunting, you’d rather stay here?”
He pushed open the swinging doors and let Miriallia enter first. “Something like that.”
Going for the cupboards, she took two tall glasses and set them on the table. “Why not exactly like that?”
Dearka pondered for a moment as he took out a pitcher of orange juice from the fridge. He sat down opposite her and filled both their glasses. “Remember I told you I don’t want to be a burden?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, as simple as that. We’ll probably be here on Earth for a long while, and I’m not too keen about the idea of being under Athha’s care for all that time. It’s just something I don’t do,” he elucidated, watching the brunette opposite him swallow her drink before deciding that his explanation was somewhat funny.
What he had said then was true: Miriallia was cute. But now that he thought about it, she wasn’t just cute…she was pretty. Too bad they were just friends---she herself had said that the first morning they were there in the same kitchen. And now he didn’t know whether he would feel glad or highly disappointed. What did he expect? Friendship was probably the best he could hope for right now.
Maybe it wasn’t so bad. In retrospect, they hadn’t been too, too awkward with each other ever since Yzak left them alone. Pretending that there wasn’t anything he felt for her had somehow made them able to talk properly, and he enjoyed talking to her.
“Anyway, I came to tell Cagalli that we’d be going to the same university as you guys, but, apparently, she’s not here.”
Dearka felt himself smile at her news, thanking the Fates for siding with him. So, they were friends all right, but nobody had told him that that line could never be crossed. They’d start off as friends, but he’d make sure they would progress into something more. He would give her all the time she needed to recover, and, for once in his life, he would even be more patient than Athrun Zala.
What do you know…Yzak’s incredible impatience hasn’t rubbed off on me yet!
o-o
Athrun and Cagalli had been walking aimlessly for about an hour already, and if Cagalli weren’t from Orb, Athrun would’ve been worried by now thinking they were actually lost. He had somewhat thought that today would be a busy day for the blonde beside him, but, evidently, she had nothing to do.
He moved his head and looked at her. She was wearing jeans and a loose red shirt, and her hair was swaying with the breeze. She was looking upwards, squinting when the tree canopies would thin and the sun’s ray would roughly penetrate through. And every time she would bite her lip as if in sudden thought, only one thing came to his mind: cute.
“Tell me again: where are we going?” he asked her.
She scrunched up her nose for a second before looking at him from the corner of her eyes. “We were going somewhere?”
He arched both eyebrows at her question. She didn’t seem to be mocking him or making a joke, so her question sounded weird, seeing as how she was the one who had dragged him outside---not that he hadn’t been willing to come in the first place. Had she not asked first, he would’ve been the one asking her to go out, just for the sake of going out…and, of course, spending time together.
“Uh…did you want to go anywhere? Why didn’t you tell me earlier!” she halted in her tracks and looked at him accusingly.
Athrun just chuckled. “Nah. I was just asking if we were headed somewhere in particular.”
Cagalli clasped her hands behind her then rocked on her heels. “Well, no…not really… Everybody was going out and there’d be no one at home, so I thought we should go out, too, ‘cause it’s gonna get plenty boring there.”
“Everybody?”
The Orb princess looked at him strangely. “You don’t know?” When Athrun shook his head, she continued, “That’s what you get for not paying attention! Yzak’s going to be looking for a new place, and I think Dearka’s coming. Lacus asked me if there was an orphanage nearby so I’m guessing she’s going there---she really likes kids, huh?---and Kira will probably come along. I haven’t heard from Sai or Miriallia. So…there.”
He shrugged. “I don’t think Yzak will ever inform me of his activities.”
She laughed. “I swear, you did something to him that made him dislike you so much!” They had resumed walking in the same leisurely manner.
“He doesn’t dislike me, Cagalli. He hates me. Since our Academy times, he’s always considered me his rival. Don’t ask me why.”
“Aww…poor Athrun,” she patted his arm in mock sympathy. “I’m sure he doesn’t hate you. And I’ll bet he’s got a soft spot for his comrades!”
o-o
Yzak had just gotten off his shuttle when he bit his tongue. He winced almost imperceptibly and let out a silent curse at the dull pain in his mouth.
o-o
“You know what, if Dearka were here to hear you say that, I think you just might make his day.”
Both of them shared a laugh.
“By the way, they’re moving out? I know Dearka can sometimes be a pain, but you’re kicking them out?”
Cagalli punched his arm in a playful gesture. “I’m not that heartless! Yzak has this---how did I put it earlier?---independence thingy going on. And I think he influenced Dearka.”
“Oh, so I’m guessing I have to move out soon, too.”
Cagalli’s eyes widened, abruptly stopping in her tracks once more. “No!” she exclaimed, then blushed the second she fathomed the urgency with which she answered. “I mean…Kira and Lacus are staying, so…so it’s gonna be more fun if-if we’re a lot…yeah… And if Yzak didn’t have this-this whatever,” she gestured vaguely with her hands, “I wouldn’t mind them staying…”
Athrun couldn’t make head or tail of her explanation. He wanted to think that she wanted him to stay because of something other than it being fun---just as she had put it back in space, it would be like a big, extended sleepover---and her tone a while ago hinted at what Athrun wanted to believe in, but by the haste with which she rectified her exclamation…well, he couldn’t be too sure.
And it almost drove him nuts.
“Oh.”
Cagalli avoided his gaze. “I-I’d like it a lot…if you stayed.”
Almost.
He smiled, but he doubted she could see it for she was highly shying away from looking in his general direction. “I’d like that,” was all he said.
They went back to strolling in comfortable silence, Cagalli going back to her earlier activity of admiring the sky through the little spaces the leaves had not covered, and Athrun going back to making sure she didn’t trip, though he took note of the still visible blush on her cheeks.
“Answer me this, Cagalli: why do you hate school?” he was the first to break the silence.
Cagalli grimaced. “Aside from the obvious reason…well,” she paused, biting her lip. “Okay, there’s just that: the obvious reason. I just hate it,” she shrugged. “Okay, why do you like school?”
“I like learning,” he answered simply and truthfully. It was true. But that was just one of his reasons. When the responsibility of looking after the whole of PLANTs was given to a teenager, going back to school would be such a blessed and refreshing change.
Cagalli looked at him with laughter in her golden eyes. “You’re such a dork, Athrun!”
He smirked at her, and by the way she suddenly gulped, he was guessing he caught her off-guard. “Oh, but you like me anyway.” And the unmistakable tint that, once again, crept up her cheeks only served to boost his modest ego.
Athrun Zala was not an egotistical jerk, but that streak was probably inherent to all males, and he wasn’t immune to it. Besides, he was just teasing her, and that was how she responded to that!
He turned around and walked a little faster, leaving her to catch up to him.
“Hey! Don’t go flattering yourself, Zala!” she hurried her pace and fell into step beside him in a few seconds.
As she was about to give him a playful jab on the arm again, he caught her hand and didn’t let go. He intertwined his fingers through hers and pulled her along. “Come on, let’s check out the park,” he told her, as if just a while ago he wasn’t acting out of character.
Athrun led them and followed a path he wasn’t even entirely sure led to the park he claimed he wanted to check out. But Cagalli was not protesting, so he took that as a sign that he guessed the way right, not knowing that the object of his affections was probably silent because she didn’t trust her voice at that moment. If he just looked over his shoulders, he’d see the Orb Princess blushing even more than she was a while ago. For all his teasing, the former Justice pilot was still not aware of how much he was truly affecting the blonde heiress of Orb.
o-o
Yzak sat on his bed, looking at the wall clock on the opposite side of the room. It was only quarter to six, but somehow, he felt kind of drained. Maybe it was because of Dearka. Man! That guy can suck the energy out of anyone.
When he had gone back, he found Dearka in the living room, seemingly in deep thought. As he was about to leave him alone, Dearka had jumped to his feet and felt duty-bound to update Yzak of his whole day. Aside from the pretty boring afternoon, which he had only mentioned in passing, he had spent the entire morning talking to Miriallia about this and that, and Yzak had to wonder what was so great about it. As much as Yzak wasn’t keen on Dearka’s personal life, he knew there was still nothing going on between the meek Natural and him, so he couldn’t quite understand what was so great about spending the morning talking to someone he liked, knowing that they weren’t headed anywhere else. Of course, he never did figure out how Dearka’s mind worked, and he might as well abandon all thoughts of trying since the blonde Coordinator had a jumbled wire mesh for a mind.
Yzak felt the tug of irritation. Why was he even contemplating Dearka’s love life? Sometimes, life as a soldier was less complicated than life as a teenager…and he never thought he’d ever think that.
The fair-head fell back on his bed. He didn’t know how to describe today. He’d gone to see the apartment he’d wanted, but he hadn’t been able to secure it immediately. Apparently, someone was bidding for the same place, and it wouldn’t be for at least another day before he would be informed about who got the place.
He glared at nothing in particular. Wasn’t it his mother’s idea to make him stay on Earth? Then why hadn’t she arranged things for him? He hadn’t exactly asked for her help, but now that he was getting impatient, he couldn’t help but blame his poor, unsuspecting mother.
A knock on the door disturbed him from his thoughts.
He wrenched the door open only to find Zala on the other side, about to knock again. “You needed something?” his tone wasn’t hostile, more like clearly disinterested.
“Cagalli---er---sent me to tell you it’s dinner time.”
Yzak didn’t know whether to be amused or confused.
“Don’t ask me,” Athrun answered, apparently seeing the look on his face.
And the Duel pilot just had to chuckle at that. “That girl…I don’t know what to make of her.”
Athrun moved away as Yzak stepped out and closed the door. “That makes the two of us.”
The two former teammates walked in silence along the halls of the left wing. There wasn’t really anything for them to talk about, and back in their days at the Academy and in the ZAFT military, they never had a single decent conversation. Yzak wondered what changed now. Aside from the war being over, there were no formal apologies, nor were there events wherein both were given a chance to officially set aside their differences. Somehow, though, Yzak didn’t feel that much aggravated with the late Chairman’s son.
“Got the flat you wanted?” Athrun broke the silence.
Yzak seemed surprised that Zala knew about his plans, but he recovered quickly. “Athha told you about it?” He took a sideways glance and saw Athrun nod once. “Not yet.”
“So you’re really moving out, huh?”
He gave the former Justice pilot a weird look, as if to say he didn’t believe that Athrun had just voiced that out. “Don’t tell me you’re getting sentimental on me.”
“Perish the thought, Jule. That’s just sick.” The blue-haired teen laughed.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they paused when they saw Cagalli bounding up the steps towards them, apparently getting bored of waiting.
“Guys, what took so long? Everyone’s hungry, and you’re taking your sweet time!” She mildly glared at the two boys.
Athrun started meeting her halfway down. “We’re coming, Your Highness,” he said, taking her by the elbow and steering her towards the opposite of the direction she had been heading in.
Yzak remained a few steps behind them, watching the easy interaction between the two. He hadn’t blown his top talking to Zala a while ago, and he had to think hard what it was that had gotten him so vexed at the former Justice pilot before. He wasn’t the arrogant bastard Yzak had thought he was, and maybe, he had never been. Now that he thought about it, the rivalry he was so convinced was between them might have actually been one-sided. Zala had never vied against him, but his childish streak just got the better of him and made him think that Zala had been out to best him.
He rolled his eyes behind their backs. Of course, he’d never tell him that. He might have somehow changed his views on Zala, but Yzak was still Yzak. There was no telling if the blue-head was that perceptive and might’ve already guessed that Yzak didn’t hate him, but the Duel pilot thought it best to let him figure that out on his own. Besides, apologizing was never his cup of tea.
“Hey, guys!” came Dearka’s greeting as soon as they entered the kitchen, and to which Athrun nodded once.
Then he knew what changed: he was somehow learning to…accept…that there really was no competition between the two of them. Athrun was just being the soldier he believed he needed to be, and Yzak was just the guy who wanted to bring the former down just because he, in turn, believed he had to. Maybe the war did make them mature faster than they should, but the idea didn’t sound so bad anymore. They were robbed of their early teenage life, but Yzak was secretly glad that now he could see their situation for what it really was.
He poured himself a glass of water as he mentally shrugged. He might not hate Zala anymore, but that didn’t make him dislike the former Justice pilot any less.
What the hell…
-To Be Continued…
Author: Paola
Disclaimer: Mobile Suit: Gundam SEED Sojourn is based on characters and situations that belong to Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios, and TV Asashi (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited.
“There are only two ways to live your life. One
is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is
as though everything is a miracle.”
- Albert Einstein
PHASE 09
A Change of Pace
Dearka yawned and blinked the somnolence from his eyes. They had nothing to do today since, as Kisaka had informed them just last night after Cagalli had given them the gist of the plans, they wouldn’t be enrolling themselves at the University until tomorrow or the day after at the latest. As much as his muddled mind permitted, he thought about how he would spend the rest of his day, and for a desultory moment, he wondered why he was even thinking of that. He had never in his entire life planned out his days. He was the sort of guy who liked surprises and the spontaneity of everyday life. Not that his life as a soldier was spontaneous, but there had always been surprises. Like the time Yzak was bombarded with all those Haros. Or when Yzak almost killed the messenger upon learning in advance that Athrun would be their commander. Or that time when he got a package in his apartment from his---surprise, surprise---admirer. That had been nice since he had been craving for chocolate cake, which exactly what the package contained. His “surprise,” however, had quickly evaporated when he remembered that he sent the cake to himself to win a wager with Yzak.
The one time that he planned something was when he wanted to go check out the new club, but that had gone down the drain when they were ordered to raid Heliopolis. He yawned again, raking his fingers through his unruly blonde locks. That was when their real adventure began.
He stretched, his mind coming up blank as it habitually refused to think of activities for him to do. Then he recalled what Yzak had told him after dinner. The pale-head had mentioned something about house hunting, or something as mundane as that, with the excuse that he wouldn’t want to stay in the Athha mansion for the entire time he would be on Earth. Dearka had laughed at Yzak’s explanation about being dependent on the Orb’s heiress, but, in reality, that had made sense. He himself didn’t want to forever stay in Cagalli’s accommodating household.
Maybe he could share an apartment with Yzak, which wouldn’t be so bad because they had done it before. And despite the Duel pilot’s mood swings, he wasn’t that bad of a roommate. Dearka just needed to refrain from saying anything stupid to the pale-haired teen in the morning, and they’d get along just fine. Same old, same old---that was how it always went when Yzak was concerned.
For a detached second, he imagined Athrun rooming with Yzak, and he had to chuckle at the thought. For some unexplained reason, whatever the Justice pilot did, the Duel pilot always seemed to find it aggravating.
The blonde Coordinator slapped his forehead. Why am I even thinking of those guys? For all he cared, they could murder each other and he still had other more important things to think about. He was a changed man. His life didn’t revolve around his team anymore…what with the emergence of a certain Natural in his life.
Dearka furrowed his brow, and then he felt his cheeks warming up. Dammit. I’m all alone and I’m blushing like a freakin’ schoolgirl!
o-o
Miriallia stretched to her full length, rumpling the sheets beneath her. The sun spilt inside her room through the thin curtains, making her squint her still sleepy eyes. Today was a new day, and Miriallia smiled, looking forward to what the day had in store for her. Then she blinked, halting in her movements, as if she’d forgotten something.
Hurriedly making her bed, she hopped towards the bathroom at the end of the hallway in her wrinkled pajamas, grabbing her bathrobe, which hung from the back of her chair, on the way.
“Honey? Phone!” her mom called, probably standing at the foot of the stairs.
“I’m in the bathroom. Get the name and I’ll call back,” she replied, washing the soap from her face.
“All right. Breakfast’s on the table.”
Miriallia finished freshening up as soon as her mom finished telling her who the caller was. Bless mom’s heart. She smiled again. She knew she wouldn’t be spending the day with her parents for they still had work, but she wasn’t bitter about it. She wasn’t a selfish daughter, and even if she just arrived the night before yesterday, she didn’t feel the need to demand their whole attention. She wasn’t a kid anymore, and she knew the responsibilities her parents had to fulfill. Besides, she wasn’t due back to any war ship any time soon. She’d be stuck here on Earth for a very long time, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Mir?” her father called, knocking on the bathroom door.
“Yes, dad?”
“Your mom and I are off to work. Sorry, we couldn’t bail ourselves out of this darned thing.”
Miriallia laughed as she brushed her hair. She opened the bathroom door and stood on her tiptoes to give her dad a peck on the cheek. “It’s all right, dad. No biggie.”
“So, have you told Cagalli yet?”
Miriallia shook her head. Yesterday, they had talked about her going back to school---aside from the usual war stories---and they had come to a decision that it would be easier if she went to the same school as her friends, seeing as how it would be easier for Cagalli to fix things, what with Kisaka talking to people who needed talking to. But, of course, she had a hand in convincing her parents to decide just that. She figured it would be easier for her to adjust with familiar faces surrounding her; after all, the last school she had attended was in Heliopolis.
“I’m going to talk to her today.”
“All right.” Her father glanced at his wristwatch. “We have to go. We don’t want to run late.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “See you later, Mir.”
Before she could resume fixing her hair, she heard her mom call from below as soon as her dad was out of sight. “Honey, we’ll see you later!’
“Yeah, folks, take care!”
When the front door closed, she looked in the mirror and smiled. Time to call Sai.
o-o
Yzak was sitting alone in the formal dining area, pouring over the morning’s newspaper. He meant what he had told Dearka, and he wanted to scout for his own apartment as soon as possible. As much as he usually didn’t care for anyone’s welfare, he never fancied being that much indebted to anyone, much less someone he hardly knew, and Athha utterly belonged in that category. She had invited them to stay in her house, but that didn’t mean he’d forever hold her to her word. Besides, he could only tolerate so much teasing. He’d given it thought that Dearka might want to room with him, and that would be, more or less, okay, since without the guys to fuel the Buster pilot’s annoying habit of vexing the hell out of him, Dearka’s teasing wouldn’t be so hard to put up with.
Last night, he’d asked Kisaka what school they might be going to so that he could look for a place that wouldn’t be so far, and upon spotting a vacant apartment ad in the newspaper, he shrugged. The address written was close to the address of the school. It must be his lucky day. He’d go check it out as soon as he could, which was right after he finished reading the rest of the newspaper.
The fair-head looked up when he heard footsteps entering the dining area and saw the princess looking at him curiously. That was a surprise. He’d thought she’d be off gallivanting with Zala, or her brother, or even Lacus.
“What’s up?” she asked.
They both were nowhere to being close, but, aside from calling him “haro man,” she hadn’t exactly done anything wrong to him, so he didn’t think it right to be hostile to her…especially since she was his host. After all, he did know his manners---though Dearka might contend that. “Just scouting for flats.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
Yzak looked at her weirdly. “Why what?”
Cagalli sat opposite him and played with her fingers on the tabletop. She rolled her eyes at him as if to say his question was stupid. “Why are you looking for a pad? I’m not kicking you out anyway.”
Again, Yzak looked at her weirdly. “You don’t have to kick me out before I go find my own place to stay.”
Cagalli let out a short chuckle. “Oh I see…you’ve got this self-sufficiency thingy going on…right? You know, just like what real soldiers do… I guess…”
He rolled his eyes but gave a resigned sigh anyway. “You can put it that way.”
She shrugged. “Okay…suit yourself.”
Yzak returned to reading the paper, expecting Athha to leave him, but, after a moment, he could still feel her presence in the room. He looked up to find her looking like she couldn’t quite phrase what she wanted to say to him.
Folding the paper, he asked, “Anything else?”
She seemed to hesitate for a second, presumably searching for the right words, but then she grinned, albeit a tad tentatively. “Say, Yzak, I haven’t given you my thanks yet…”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled at what she was saying. What was it that she was thanking him for? For all his smarts, he couldn’t think of anything…but apparently, there was something. It was just that he couldn’t figure out what that was.
Cagalli chuckled good-naturedly. “For saving my life back there.”
What? Then it clicked. He didn’t even know why he did it, but, during that time, it had felt right. It had also been around that time when he realized that he couldn’t just let anyone from the three ships die, and it was then that he understood they were fighting for a common cause all along. How was he to know that the girl he had saved then was his former commander’s love interest? He laughed inwardly at the prospect that Zala owed him his significant other.
Yzak waved a dismissive hand. “That was just an instinct born out of being a soldier.”
She smirked. “Whatever you say, Jule, whatever you say.” The Orb princess stuck out her hand, which Yzak looked at strangely. “I know my friends from my foes.”
That was all she said to convince the Duel pilot that he truly didn’t have an enemy in her. So, with just the slightest of hesitations, he took her hand and shook it.
Cagalli gave him one last friendly smile before turning to go to the kitchen. “But if you can’t find a nice pad, you’re welcome to stay here.”
And all was good, until she added something else…
“I always knew you’ve got a soft side in you, Mr. Softy.”
Yzak growled at the laughing princess.
o-o
“Hey, Kira?” Lacus called, stepping out in the foyer where Kira was.
The addressed turned and smiled at the Pink Princess. “Ready to go?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and offering his arm for her to take.
“Yes!” she answered, hopping towards him, her ponytail swishing behind her. She hooked her hand in the crook of his arm and asked, “So, where are we going?”
Kira angled his head, as if just now pondering their destination. “I thought you might want to look around before we start school…you know, before things get busy again. So, where do you want to head first?”
Both teenagers started walking in a leisurely pace. Although the sky was clear of clouds, the sun’s rays weren’t so harsh on the skin, so they didn’t bother bringing hats or caps. And the slight wind that blew was cool enough.
“That’s thoughtful of you, Kira,” Lacus said, smiling at the slightly blushing Freedom pilot. “I don’t really know what there is to see here, so why don’t we just walk around and see what happens from there?”
Kira shrugged at her suggestion, not really caring where they were going. “We can try that,” he agreed. And it wasn’t like he knew Orb by heart. He’d only known a few things from looking at the tourism brochures stacked in the Athha’s library. Although Orb was his homeland, he hadn’t been there for a long time.
Upon reaching the gates and stepping out of them, both paused mid-stride, thinking of where they were going to start. The two of them simultaneously looked at one another inquiringly, and Lacus laughed.
“Okay, let’s take the right one. Let’s see where this leads us.”
Kira could still detect the laughter in her voice. She was really happy to be down here on Earth with them, and he had to wonder if he, especially, played a big role in her cheerfulness. Ever since they had talked at the Archangel when he returned from unconsciousness, he’d always worried himself over trying to make her enjoy his presence. He would always find himself thinking if she was smiling because of him, of what he had said, or of what he had done, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how this was happening, or why it was happening for that matter. All he knew was that he immensely enjoyed being with Lacus Clyne. He liked it when he could make her smile, more so when he could make her laugh. He liked hearing her talk, and upon putting his gaze on her, he never doubted he liked seeing her.
“Kira?”
Kira was brought out of his musings. “Uh, yeah?”
“I was asking you if we could visit the orphanage. I asked Cagalli last night and she said there’s one nearby.” She cocked her head to the side, eyeing him. “And you’ve been staring for a while,” she added, a cute tint of pink glowing on her cheeks.
Kira promptly reddened. He didn’t notice he was staring. He massaged the back of his neck, stuttering, “Uh…huh…I was just…uh, yeah, we can go there. But I don’t know how to get there.” He opted for avoiding her last statement.
“Oh.”
“Why? You wanna go visit now?”
“Yes, I would love to go now, but if you want to walk around first, we can visit much later after asking Cagalli or Kisaka for directions.”
Kira chuckled. “That’s okay, Lacus. I don’t think it’s that hard to ask the people ourselves.”
The corners of Lacus’ eyes crinkled. “That’s wonderful! Thank you, Kira!”
“It’s nothing.” Kira spotted the waiting shed just a few meters ahead of them. “C’mon. We can wait for a shuttle there.” He tugged at her hand and they walked towards the shed where a few people were waiting. “I bet there’s a signboard there that can tell us what shuttle to take.” He led her to a vacant spot and asked her to wait while he took a look at the map.
“Oh my, I’m sorry!” Lacus suddenly exclaimed, halting Kira’s perusal of the signboard.
He turned around and saw that Lacus had been wending her way towards him, but had bumped into and elderly woman carrying a paper bag of groceries. He saw the goods fall out of the woman’s brown bag, and he hurriedly went back to Lacus’ side to help her pick up the fallen items.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” Lacus apologized, looking guilty.
The woman peered at the two of them over her thin-framed spectacles and smiled. “Don’t worry your heart, child,” she kindly said. “And thank you.”
Kira noticed a sudden movement, and, in a flash, he caught the can of beans that toppled over the grocery bag. “It’s all right. Let me help you with that,” he offered, placing back the can inside and taking the bag from the woman’s hands.
“Thank you, young man.” The elderly woman turned around upon hearing the arrival of a shuttle. “There’s my ride. Are you on this one, too?”
Lacus looked questioningly at Kira.
“No, ma’am,” he answered, following the lady as she stepped inside the shuttle. He handed over the grocery bag to the conductor who had previously escorted the old woman to her seat. Then he and Lacus stepped away from the vehicle.
“Thank you, children,” the woman waved goodbye as the shuttle moved forward.
The Songstress waved back, a smile plastered on her face. She didn’t take her eyes off the vehicle until it was out of her sight. “What a kind grandma,” she said, not knowing that the elderly woman was probably thinking the same thing about her and Kira’s actions. “So,” she turned to look at her companion, “what shuttle are we taking?”
Not a minute had passed after the previous shuttle had gone did another near them. “That one,” Kira pointed, and then they boarded when it stopped in front of them.
“I call dibs on the window seat,” Lacus said excitedly.
Kira had to laugh at that. “Sure.” When they had sat down, Kira watched the pink-head as she eyed the passing scenery, taking note of how excited she looked. “Say, have you gone on a public transport before?” He couldn’t figure out why he asked that.
Lacus looked thoughtful for a minute before answering, “I don’t think so. Up in PLANT, I’ve always been brought from one place to the next in a private vehicle. Even when we were hiding from ZAFT, the vehicle we used to move around places was not exactly a public transport.”
She didn’t sound like a spoiled girl, and Kira knew that she was only telling the truth. After all, her father was a member of the PLANTs Supreme Council, and the fact that she was a pop singer made it all the more believable that she had always ridden in a private transport---for security purposes, if for nothing else.
Kira smiled. “You’re cute when you’re excited like that.” And he had to struggle to retain his smile because he couldn’t quite tell where that came from. True, she was cute, but he never thought he had it in him to tell her just like that.
Lacus blushed, but smiled at him nonetheless. “Thank you, Kira, and you’re cute, too, when you blush like that.”
And the brown-haired Coordinator was flustered, more so when he spied a teenager, a few seats in front of them, smirking at the situation. Apparently, Lacus’ comment hadn’t been too hushed.
o-o
Miriallia waited in the living room as the maid called for Cagalli. She had told the maid that it was okay if she looked for the princess herself, but after the maid informed her that she hadn’t seen the princess since after breakfast, Miriallia knew better than to look for the blonde herself. It was a big house---a huge house, with more rooms than she could imagine---and who knew where Cagalli could have possibly decided to wander off.
She had returned Sai’s call before going to the Athha estate, and they talked about their plans of going back to school. Both of them had the same plans of going to the same university as the rest, but Sai wouldn’t be able to go tell Kisaka or Cagalli today since his family was going to see a sick relative, who lived somewhere far. That was the reason he had called earlier: to ask her if she could do him a favor and tell Kisaka of his plans. Since she was going to tell Cagalli hers, she had agreed.
They had also talked about Kuzzey. She had been slightly disappointed that Kuzzey hadn’t called her when he did Sai, but she dismissed the feeling as soon as she realized it must’ve taken him a lot of courage to even phone Sai, knowing that he had deserted them as soon as he was given the chance. But she didn’t blame her friend. Not everyone was made to face such horrific war activities, and she was glad that Sai had affirmed Kuzzey’s actions. She was just a little sad to know that Kuzzey was no longer in Orb---his family had made a business deal and they had to move to another country. But, halfway to being the optimist that she was becoming, she hoped they would see each other again. Kira, Sai, Kuzzey, Tolle, and her…they’d been good friends back in Heliopolis, and it would be too much of a waste if they just threw that away. Although Kuzzey, right after he had learnt of Kira’s genetics, became wary of Kira at times, the brown-haired Coordinator had always been forgiving of him.
Miriallia thinned her lips. She had cried endless tears for Tolle, and, for her sake, she wouldn’t think of him right now. She needed a rest, and it wasn’t as if she was about to forget him. As Kira had said, he’d always be in their hearts.
With a resolute nod, she busied herself with one of the books on the coffee table, deeming it best to forego the past for the moment. She flipped through the pages, not really reading the captions. It was a book on photography collections, and she was more interested in what the pictures looked like than the titles of or the information about the photos.
Upon hearing the familiar sounds of nearing footsteps, she placed the magazine back on the table and stood up. She saw Kisaka from the archway and she called him. She jogged towards the tanned bodyguard and he met her in the archway.
“Yes? Were you waiting for Cagalli?”
“Actually yeah, but since you’re here, I might as well tell you. It’s about the school thingy…uh, are you in a hurry?”
“It’s all right. I’m headed for the University. What about it?”
“Sai and I have decided to go to the same school as the rest, and we’re wondering if it’s too much of a burden to---”
Kisaka cut her off with a gentle chuckle. “That’s all right, Ms. Haw. Cagalli had told me to include you and Mr. Argyle just in case you decide something like this.”
Miriallia smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“Kisaka’s just fine.” He looked at his watch. “I have to go. I’ll still be meeting up with Captain Waltfeld and Captain Ramius at Morgenroete after I attend to this.” Kisaka made to move, but paused immediately when the maid from earlier returned, informing Miriallia that Cagalli was nowhere in the mansion. “Cagalli left a while ago,” he told Miriallia when the maid scurried away to finish her tasks.
“Oh…”
“But the two ZAFT soldiers are still here. You’re free to stay if you like,” and with that he was gone.
Two? Her question was answered when Yzak and Dearka came walking down the stairs, talking. Figures. Athrun’s probably with Cagalli. Miriallia inwardly giggled at that thought. She wasn’t dense, and she had long ago sensed that there was something between the former Justice pilot and the Orb heiress, but she had yet to ask Cagalli about that. She figured it would be fun trying to make the stubborn princess confess to her and Lacus. Bad, Miriallia.
“Good morning,” she greeted a tad uncertainly, gaining the attention of the two former red-coats.
o-o
“Miriallia!” was Dearka’s surprised reply.
“Morning,” Yzak’s, on the other hand, was subtler.
“What are you doing here? I mean…not that you’re not welcome or anything…” Dearka stumbled over his words.
Yzak tsked and shook his head at his friend. “I’m going.” He quickened his pace and was already by the door before Dearka had the chance to regain his speech ability.
“Yzak, wait!”
“I like better privileges, so I’ll look on my own, and you,” he pointed an imperious finger at the blonde Coordinator, “are indebted to me.”
Dearka stopped by the foot of the stairs, glaring at the fair-head. “I’m not staying if I don’t like it.”
Yzak paused then looked at the Buster pilot as if he’d grown another head. “And this is a threat because…?” That garnered him a sharper glare from the blonde Coordinator.
“Oh, where are you two going?” Miriallia interjected, not moving from her spot under the archway.
“Dearka’s not going anywhere. I’m leaving,” and with that, he was gone, leaving Miriallia wondering what they were talking about.
Without the Duel pilot to diffuse the awkward air, both teenagers were ill at ease all over again.
“Where is he going?” Miriallia asked. “Not that I’m prying or anything…”
“Ah, no, it’s okay!” Dearka hurriedly assured her. “He’s looking for an apartment.” Dearka massaged his nape in a restless gesture. “Wanna have a drink? I’m kind of thirsty.” He inwardly sighed when that suggestion somewhat lightened the air between them.
Miriallia nodded, and the two of them trekked towards the kitchen. Not long after, she raised both eyebrows in question as she walked beside him. “You’re moving?”
“Well, yeah, but nowhere far. It’s Yzak’s idea, but his explanation kinda makes sense so I’m going along with it. Besides, it’s easier if I don’t have to look for my own place, and he’s not that bad of a roommate.”
Miriallia had to laugh at that. “So, you’re saying that if it would be you who would be house-hunting, you’d rather stay here?”
He pushed open the swinging doors and let Miriallia enter first. “Something like that.”
Going for the cupboards, she took two tall glasses and set them on the table. “Why not exactly like that?”
Dearka pondered for a moment as he took out a pitcher of orange juice from the fridge. He sat down opposite her and filled both their glasses. “Remember I told you I don’t want to be a burden?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, as simple as that. We’ll probably be here on Earth for a long while, and I’m not too keen about the idea of being under Athha’s care for all that time. It’s just something I don’t do,” he elucidated, watching the brunette opposite him swallow her drink before deciding that his explanation was somewhat funny.
What he had said then was true: Miriallia was cute. But now that he thought about it, she wasn’t just cute…she was pretty. Too bad they were just friends---she herself had said that the first morning they were there in the same kitchen. And now he didn’t know whether he would feel glad or highly disappointed. What did he expect? Friendship was probably the best he could hope for right now.
Maybe it wasn’t so bad. In retrospect, they hadn’t been too, too awkward with each other ever since Yzak left them alone. Pretending that there wasn’t anything he felt for her had somehow made them able to talk properly, and he enjoyed talking to her.
“Anyway, I came to tell Cagalli that we’d be going to the same university as you guys, but, apparently, she’s not here.”
Dearka felt himself smile at her news, thanking the Fates for siding with him. So, they were friends all right, but nobody had told him that that line could never be crossed. They’d start off as friends, but he’d make sure they would progress into something more. He would give her all the time she needed to recover, and, for once in his life, he would even be more patient than Athrun Zala.
What do you know…Yzak’s incredible impatience hasn’t rubbed off on me yet!
o-o
Athrun and Cagalli had been walking aimlessly for about an hour already, and if Cagalli weren’t from Orb, Athrun would’ve been worried by now thinking they were actually lost. He had somewhat thought that today would be a busy day for the blonde beside him, but, evidently, she had nothing to do.
He moved his head and looked at her. She was wearing jeans and a loose red shirt, and her hair was swaying with the breeze. She was looking upwards, squinting when the tree canopies would thin and the sun’s ray would roughly penetrate through. And every time she would bite her lip as if in sudden thought, only one thing came to his mind: cute.
“Tell me again: where are we going?” he asked her.
She scrunched up her nose for a second before looking at him from the corner of her eyes. “We were going somewhere?”
He arched both eyebrows at her question. She didn’t seem to be mocking him or making a joke, so her question sounded weird, seeing as how she was the one who had dragged him outside---not that he hadn’t been willing to come in the first place. Had she not asked first, he would’ve been the one asking her to go out, just for the sake of going out…and, of course, spending time together.
“Uh…did you want to go anywhere? Why didn’t you tell me earlier!” she halted in her tracks and looked at him accusingly.
Athrun just chuckled. “Nah. I was just asking if we were headed somewhere in particular.”
Cagalli clasped her hands behind her then rocked on her heels. “Well, no…not really… Everybody was going out and there’d be no one at home, so I thought we should go out, too, ‘cause it’s gonna get plenty boring there.”
“Everybody?”
The Orb princess looked at him strangely. “You don’t know?” When Athrun shook his head, she continued, “That’s what you get for not paying attention! Yzak’s going to be looking for a new place, and I think Dearka’s coming. Lacus asked me if there was an orphanage nearby so I’m guessing she’s going there---she really likes kids, huh?---and Kira will probably come along. I haven’t heard from Sai or Miriallia. So…there.”
He shrugged. “I don’t think Yzak will ever inform me of his activities.”
She laughed. “I swear, you did something to him that made him dislike you so much!” They had resumed walking in the same leisurely manner.
“He doesn’t dislike me, Cagalli. He hates me. Since our Academy times, he’s always considered me his rival. Don’t ask me why.”
“Aww…poor Athrun,” she patted his arm in mock sympathy. “I’m sure he doesn’t hate you. And I’ll bet he’s got a soft spot for his comrades!”
o-o
Yzak had just gotten off his shuttle when he bit his tongue. He winced almost imperceptibly and let out a silent curse at the dull pain in his mouth.
o-o
“You know what, if Dearka were here to hear you say that, I think you just might make his day.”
Both of them shared a laugh.
“By the way, they’re moving out? I know Dearka can sometimes be a pain, but you’re kicking them out?”
Cagalli punched his arm in a playful gesture. “I’m not that heartless! Yzak has this---how did I put it earlier?---independence thingy going on. And I think he influenced Dearka.”
“Oh, so I’m guessing I have to move out soon, too.”
Cagalli’s eyes widened, abruptly stopping in her tracks once more. “No!” she exclaimed, then blushed the second she fathomed the urgency with which she answered. “I mean…Kira and Lacus are staying, so…so it’s gonna be more fun if-if we’re a lot…yeah… And if Yzak didn’t have this-this whatever,” she gestured vaguely with her hands, “I wouldn’t mind them staying…”
Athrun couldn’t make head or tail of her explanation. He wanted to think that she wanted him to stay because of something other than it being fun---just as she had put it back in space, it would be like a big, extended sleepover---and her tone a while ago hinted at what Athrun wanted to believe in, but by the haste with which she rectified her exclamation…well, he couldn’t be too sure.
And it almost drove him nuts.
“Oh.”
Cagalli avoided his gaze. “I-I’d like it a lot…if you stayed.”
Almost.
He smiled, but he doubted she could see it for she was highly shying away from looking in his general direction. “I’d like that,” was all he said.
They went back to strolling in comfortable silence, Cagalli going back to her earlier activity of admiring the sky through the little spaces the leaves had not covered, and Athrun going back to making sure she didn’t trip, though he took note of the still visible blush on her cheeks.
“Answer me this, Cagalli: why do you hate school?” he was the first to break the silence.
Cagalli grimaced. “Aside from the obvious reason…well,” she paused, biting her lip. “Okay, there’s just that: the obvious reason. I just hate it,” she shrugged. “Okay, why do you like school?”
“I like learning,” he answered simply and truthfully. It was true. But that was just one of his reasons. When the responsibility of looking after the whole of PLANTs was given to a teenager, going back to school would be such a blessed and refreshing change.
Cagalli looked at him with laughter in her golden eyes. “You’re such a dork, Athrun!”
He smirked at her, and by the way she suddenly gulped, he was guessing he caught her off-guard. “Oh, but you like me anyway.” And the unmistakable tint that, once again, crept up her cheeks only served to boost his modest ego.
Athrun Zala was not an egotistical jerk, but that streak was probably inherent to all males, and he wasn’t immune to it. Besides, he was just teasing her, and that was how she responded to that!
He turned around and walked a little faster, leaving her to catch up to him.
“Hey! Don’t go flattering yourself, Zala!” she hurried her pace and fell into step beside him in a few seconds.
As she was about to give him a playful jab on the arm again, he caught her hand and didn’t let go. He intertwined his fingers through hers and pulled her along. “Come on, let’s check out the park,” he told her, as if just a while ago he wasn’t acting out of character.
Athrun led them and followed a path he wasn’t even entirely sure led to the park he claimed he wanted to check out. But Cagalli was not protesting, so he took that as a sign that he guessed the way right, not knowing that the object of his affections was probably silent because she didn’t trust her voice at that moment. If he just looked over his shoulders, he’d see the Orb Princess blushing even more than she was a while ago. For all his teasing, the former Justice pilot was still not aware of how much he was truly affecting the blonde heiress of Orb.
o-o
Yzak sat on his bed, looking at the wall clock on the opposite side of the room. It was only quarter to six, but somehow, he felt kind of drained. Maybe it was because of Dearka. Man! That guy can suck the energy out of anyone.
When he had gone back, he found Dearka in the living room, seemingly in deep thought. As he was about to leave him alone, Dearka had jumped to his feet and felt duty-bound to update Yzak of his whole day. Aside from the pretty boring afternoon, which he had only mentioned in passing, he had spent the entire morning talking to Miriallia about this and that, and Yzak had to wonder what was so great about it. As much as Yzak wasn’t keen on Dearka’s personal life, he knew there was still nothing going on between the meek Natural and him, so he couldn’t quite understand what was so great about spending the morning talking to someone he liked, knowing that they weren’t headed anywhere else. Of course, he never did figure out how Dearka’s mind worked, and he might as well abandon all thoughts of trying since the blonde Coordinator had a jumbled wire mesh for a mind.
Yzak felt the tug of irritation. Why was he even contemplating Dearka’s love life? Sometimes, life as a soldier was less complicated than life as a teenager…and he never thought he’d ever think that.
The fair-head fell back on his bed. He didn’t know how to describe today. He’d gone to see the apartment he’d wanted, but he hadn’t been able to secure it immediately. Apparently, someone was bidding for the same place, and it wouldn’t be for at least another day before he would be informed about who got the place.
He glared at nothing in particular. Wasn’t it his mother’s idea to make him stay on Earth? Then why hadn’t she arranged things for him? He hadn’t exactly asked for her help, but now that he was getting impatient, he couldn’t help but blame his poor, unsuspecting mother.
A knock on the door disturbed him from his thoughts.
He wrenched the door open only to find Zala on the other side, about to knock again. “You needed something?” his tone wasn’t hostile, more like clearly disinterested.
“Cagalli---er---sent me to tell you it’s dinner time.”
Yzak didn’t know whether to be amused or confused.
“Don’t ask me,” Athrun answered, apparently seeing the look on his face.
And the Duel pilot just had to chuckle at that. “That girl…I don’t know what to make of her.”
Athrun moved away as Yzak stepped out and closed the door. “That makes the two of us.”
The two former teammates walked in silence along the halls of the left wing. There wasn’t really anything for them to talk about, and back in their days at the Academy and in the ZAFT military, they never had a single decent conversation. Yzak wondered what changed now. Aside from the war being over, there were no formal apologies, nor were there events wherein both were given a chance to officially set aside their differences. Somehow, though, Yzak didn’t feel that much aggravated with the late Chairman’s son.
“Got the flat you wanted?” Athrun broke the silence.
Yzak seemed surprised that Zala knew about his plans, but he recovered quickly. “Athha told you about it?” He took a sideways glance and saw Athrun nod once. “Not yet.”
“So you’re really moving out, huh?”
He gave the former Justice pilot a weird look, as if to say he didn’t believe that Athrun had just voiced that out. “Don’t tell me you’re getting sentimental on me.”
“Perish the thought, Jule. That’s just sick.” The blue-haired teen laughed.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they paused when they saw Cagalli bounding up the steps towards them, apparently getting bored of waiting.
“Guys, what took so long? Everyone’s hungry, and you’re taking your sweet time!” She mildly glared at the two boys.
Athrun started meeting her halfway down. “We’re coming, Your Highness,” he said, taking her by the elbow and steering her towards the opposite of the direction she had been heading in.
Yzak remained a few steps behind them, watching the easy interaction between the two. He hadn’t blown his top talking to Zala a while ago, and he had to think hard what it was that had gotten him so vexed at the former Justice pilot before. He wasn’t the arrogant bastard Yzak had thought he was, and maybe, he had never been. Now that he thought about it, the rivalry he was so convinced was between them might have actually been one-sided. Zala had never vied against him, but his childish streak just got the better of him and made him think that Zala had been out to best him.
He rolled his eyes behind their backs. Of course, he’d never tell him that. He might have somehow changed his views on Zala, but Yzak was still Yzak. There was no telling if the blue-head was that perceptive and might’ve already guessed that Yzak didn’t hate him, but the Duel pilot thought it best to let him figure that out on his own. Besides, apologizing was never his cup of tea.
“Hey, guys!” came Dearka’s greeting as soon as they entered the kitchen, and to which Athrun nodded once.
Then he knew what changed: he was somehow learning to…accept…that there really was no competition between the two of them. Athrun was just being the soldier he believed he needed to be, and Yzak was just the guy who wanted to bring the former down just because he, in turn, believed he had to. Maybe the war did make them mature faster than they should, but the idea didn’t sound so bad anymore. They were robbed of their early teenage life, but Yzak was secretly glad that now he could see their situation for what it really was.
He poured himself a glass of water as he mentally shrugged. He might not hate Zala anymore, but that didn’t make him dislike the former Justice pilot any less.
What the hell…
-To Be Continued…