Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny and any of its characters.

Warning: A bit of swearing here and there and some slightly mature themes, that is why it is Rated T.

Good Morning, My Groom!

Chapter One: The Bloody Accident

"Cagalli, you know very well that today is at its peak, I do expect you to behave." A tanned hand reached for a blonde headed girl and patted her soft locks gently, "Please go home early. I don't want you to get in trouble."

It was more of a command interlaced with enormous hints of concern coming from the tanned, chocolate haired twin of hers. Cagalli fumed as she replayed her brother — her twin's instructions while she walked on her way to school. She was donning the school's intended uniform for girls minus the black coat—white buttoned up blouse, a black tie and a pleated black skirt that is, quote unquote, "ridiculously short for a schoolgirl's own good." The wind was blowing heftily that she had to tug her skirt often to keep it from uncovering her underwear, much to some pervert's dismay. Her short blonde hair was also dancing in the wind. She scowled; her efforts to keep her hair tidy today are futile, much to her dismay.

The blonde haired girl sighed as she entered the school's threshold thinking that she's already safe from the winds raging outside. She rounded to the corner and went to the locker rooms. She was rather early today seeing that not much people are flocking on the said room so she went straight to her locker. A deeper scowl adorned her face; the usual sight greeted her, an overflowing box full of letters of admiration, some chocolates and flowers, all in front of her locker.

"I already cleaned this up yesterday, damn it." She picked up the box and went to the nearest trash bin and started throwing out the letters and the flowers, "What's wrong with those bloody people, anyways?" She muttered a string of curses while doing her task at hand. When she finished, only a few boxes of chocolates remained, she smiled to herself and silently thanked her admirers for giving her everyday supply of chocolates, one of the things she really loved the most.

Cagalli Yula Attha, simply Cagalli, is one of the more famous students in one of ORB's prestigious high schools, ORB International High School – Girls' Division. She is famous for her athleticism and intellect, as well as her exceptional looks and spunky attitude, heck, even girls drool when she passes her school's hallways!

Actually, Cagalli never wanted to be famous, she really didn't know how it happened, it was just suddenly one day she found some letters and flowers in front of her locker all coming from the Boys' Division on the other side of the school compound. She read some few letters, blushing a bit here and there when her eyes scanned on the clumsy scrawls on papers confessing their admiration to her. After that, it got worse and better at the same time. It was worse because the letters and flowers gradually piled up, not only from the students from the Boys' Division, but also girls here in her division, she was thankful that the students from the Boys' Division were not allowed in their school premises during class hours, of course unless there is a co-educational gathering going on, because if they were, it would be a tougher battle going to school everyday, until now, she still can't stand girls blushing and staring at her whenever she passes by. It was better because some of her admirers started giving chocolates as a complement for their letters or flowers or both. She chuckled quietly at the thought.

After getting things from her locker, she went out of the locker room and decided to go to the courtyard first since it was still less than an hour before the bell rings. While walking on the hallway, she returned with a smile, a nod and or a simple wave all of the greetings that were thrown to her by some of her schoolmates, all girls of course. Reaching the courtyard, she sat down on one of the almost hidden, unoccupied benches and closed her eyes. Her heart hammered in her chest even though her outside appearance made her look really relaxed, she was really not. The slightly tanned hands resting on her sides were shaking uncontrollably if one is to pay closer attention. She tried to breathe to calm her raging situation. She was not mad, she was not nervous; it was just that she is different. And today is one of those many days that emphasize her difference. Today is one of those days where her pheromones, as well as the others' of her own kind, go uncontrollable unless they already have attained such satisfaction. Today is one of those days where people, no, creatures like her hunted for their mate, a human being or their creature alike, a bride for the male kind and a groom for the female kind. She was trying to close her lips to a tight line, she needed to. Her fangs are slowly lengthening making her susceptible to much trouble her twin was talking about earlier. Her twin's words echoed in her head while also trying to tell herself to block the effect of the pheromones that is fast controlling her body. "Come on, Cagalli, you can do this. You have been suppressing this thing for two years already, this is nothing." She repeated this on her head like a mantra, again and again and again.

Actually, she didn't know how she managed for two years fighting the said urges to find herself a mate. It was probably because she still hasn't met the right vampire for her, her vampire groom. She didn't want to have a human groom because it causes too much trouble, too much inside and outside the vampire circle. Human beings didn't know that vampires exist; they thought it was just a figment of their imagination, a faux notion to creep themselves out during Halloween or at horror movies. Vampires exist, in this world, in this time, and the blonde haired girl with closed eyes and clenched hands is a proof. Yes, Cagalli Yula Attha, one of the most admired high school students in Orb International High School is a vampire, and actually, her whole family is.

After a few minutes of almost being lost in the brink of self-control, Cagalli, still with eyes closed, unclenched her hands and breathed more evenly, more peacefully. A small smile adorned her face; she had won over the urges once again. She opened her eyes and was surprised to concerned emerald eyes looking down at her.

"Are you okay?" A questioning, masculine voice accompanied the concerned emerald eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Cagalli's smile got wider. She wasn't fond of smiling to stangers, let alone talking to one, but she was just so happy that the fight with the hormonal urges was over with.

"Good. I thought you were constipated or something." The owner of the voice sighed. He seemed relieved. "You've been unmoving and breathing heavily for a few minutes now, I was kind of…"

Cagalli looked at the stranger in front of her who was currently babbling at the moment. He is wearing the uniform from the other division, the Boys' Division from the other side of the school compound, white long sleeved shirt rolled up to his elbows, black pants, and a black tie. ORB International High School was designed in such a way that the boys and girls buildings were separated but is still in the same compound. They share the courtyards, gymnasium, track oval, and other facilities except lecture rooms on the separate buildings. It was an all girls' school and an all boys' school but not really, since interaction between the male and the female population of the school isn't significant unless there is a school-wide activity or they know each other personally, however, most of the time, the female students barely know anything about the male half of the school and vice versa.

The boy in front of her has a well-kept midnight blue hair framing his face generously, with those emerald eyes and somewhat pale skin. He suddenly stopped from his babbling when he noticed Cagalli looking at him. "I'm sorry, I was talking too much. I was just worried." He smiled a bit.

Cagalli blushed, and she tried suppressing it by clearing her throat, "Well, I'm okay. Thank you for your concern."

The first bell rang and then Cagalli took her stuff sitting beside her and stood up from her seat. "So, uh, see you later." She smiled a bit and started walking balk to the Girls' Division building.

"Hey!" Cagalli spun around, the midnight haired boy called her attention, "My name's Athrun. Athrun Zala!"

"Cagalli. Cagalli Yula Attha!" Cagalli shouted back to his unasked question and continued her walk back to the building.

***

The classes were over and Cagalli is already on her way to one of her clubs' meeting when she felt the urges coming back. Stupid hormonal urges, Cagalli's lips formed a tight line. She took her mobile phone from one of her bag's pockets and dialed someone's number. She was calling Shiho Hahnenfuss, one of the Karate Club's members, a close friend of hers, and also, secretly, a vampire. The series of rings stopped as someone from the other line answered.

"Hello, Shiho?" Cagalli asked, controlling her labored breathing at the same time; she was inside one of the girl's restroom cubicles.

A low snarl greeted her, "Cagalli, what the hell do you want?" It was Yzak, breathing heavily also controlling the rage in his voice. Cagalli blushed, Shiho and Yzak are together, and were probably doing things, things that vampires will do right now with the urges high in the air, and she probably disturbed them making Yzak angrier.

Yzak Joule and Shiho Hahnenfuss, though quite an odd pair, is a couple, a vampire couple, a bride and a groom to each other. They are two of Cagalli's closer friends since they are of the same kind and they go to the same school. Though Yzak has this angry demeanor most of the time making him and Cagalli argue over silly things, Shiho surprisingly can calm him down, and then the conversation will continue in a breeze.

"I… uh… Yzak, I need Shiho, please." She heard another snarl from Yzak followed by a faint shuffle, Yzak's probably handing Shiho the phone. She heard Shiho's faint chuckle.

"Hey, Cagalli." Shiho was suppressing her heavy breathing.

"Shiho. Err… I can't attend the Karate Club's meeting today because I'm not really feeling well, as you may know." Cagalli explained nervously, fisting her free hand tightly.

"Oh, yes, don't worry. Yzak and I are on our way to the meeting, I'll just explain your absence when we arrive." Shiho heard Cagalli's brief thanks from the other line. "Yzak's mad at you right now, obviously."

Cagalli gulped, "Yes, I know. I'm sorry for disturbing you two."

Shiho chuckled, "Hey, it's okay, Cagalli, we're done anyways. Joule just wanted to cuddle a bit." Cagalli laughed as well whilst trying to manage her raging heartbeat. "By the way, Cagalli, go home. I don't want you to get into trouble here in school, okay? It's a good thing I have Yzak here right now." Shiho groaned the last part.

"I'll just deal with this for a while and I'll go home. I'm in the girl's restroom so I'm safe, somehow." Shiho heard Cagalli's heavy sigh from the other line, and she sighed knowingly. Vampiric urges are troublesome things, and a young vampire like Cagalli needed to learn how to control those impulses, as she and Yzak had years ago. The best way to elude those urges is to get a mate, a groom or a bride, and Shiho has thankful that she has Yzak.

"Go home, Cagalli. I don't want you to make any mistakes or cause unnecessary accidents." Shiho said, concern evident in her voice.

"Yes, yes. Later, I will, after I have enough control to go. Well, thank you Shiho, please say sorry to Yzak for me. Thank you. Bye." Cagalli cut off the line and stuffed her mobile phone back inside her bag. It was way past dismissal time and here she was, locking herself inside a cubicle, sitting in the ceramic toilet bowl, and once again, calming herself down.

She closed her eyes once more, her hands white from gripping the hem of her skirt tightly, her breathing was heavy, her heart was thumping fast, and her lips were closed forcibly. She repeated her self-introduced mantra in her head, again and again and again, "You can do this, Cagalli."

Maybe her surrogate mother was right, she should already find herself a mate, a groom, so her life will be easier. She is eighteen anyways, somewhat legal to be committed to her another half, a man. Yzak and Shiho have been together since they were young, her twin, Kira has found his bride a few years ago, and they couldn't be happier, and their lives ever so much easier.

Her heartbeat gradually slowed and her fangs reverted back to being common canines, the urges have subsided, and then she opened her eyes. She looked at her wristwatch; it was already past six in the evening. She sighed, has it been that long? Almost two hours of being cooped up inside the restroom just to regain her sanity? She stood up and grabbed her belongings lying on the tiled floors and let herself out. She looked really disheveled, the mirror never lied. She went to the sink and opened the faucet. She rinsed her face and dried herself using the sleeves of the black coat she had on right now. She scowled at her useless attempt to arrange her blonde locks. She went out of the restroom and was greeted by the dimming hallways due to the setting sun. There were no more students in the building, she thought since it was already way past dismissal time. She went down the staircases, went out of the Girls' Division building and proceeded to the parking lot at the back of the Boys' Division building where she decided to park her car today.

Her mind was flying when the wind blew. She caught a whiff of a man's perfume which shook her out of her stupor, and then it happened again, for the third time this day; her heart rumbled like thunder underneath her ribcage, her hands started to shake, her canines slowly lengthening, her breathing labored.

She focused her senses and tried walking again, with the mantra rolling in her head whilst the urges slowly taking over her body and her mind. Just a few meters to go and she will be in the parking lot, inside her car, probably safe from lashing out like a mad vampire. Her steps became urgent as if she was already half running, and then the manly scent registered once again, nearer this time, her heart thumped faster if it was possible. "Concentrate, Cagalli, you can do this, just a bit more". The mantra again, playing in her mind repeatedly like a broken recording. She walked faster.

"Hey, Miss Cagalli!"

Shit. She didn't need to be noticed in the current state she is in. She looked up and saw the guy from earlier this morning, waving at her, a small smile adorned his face, and his midnight blue hair looked inky black, darkened because of the setting sun. He was infront of the Boys' Division, wearing the black coat and his black body bag hung on his right shoulder. He was probably on his way home from some club meeting of sorts. Athrun Zala, was it? She muttered some curses in her mind as she waved back, stiffly, and produced a forced smile. The hormones were threateningly taking a toll and she needed to go, now.

Damn her car, damn Athrun Zala. She turned and ran to the courtyard in the middle of the school, there was a small forest of sorts there, and maybe she could find a bird or a squirrel, or any animal, which can satisfy her thirst of blood right now. She ran fast as her life, as well as Athrun Zala's life, depended on it. She didn't want to make a dim-witted accident herself.

She arrived in the threshold of the said forest and she tried steadying herself on one of the trees there. She was breathing heavily, both from running and the hormonal urges. She dropped her bag on the dry soil beneath her and then her knees gave in, she was now slumped in the forest floor, her skirt dirtied. Her heartbeat was still raging furiously, she was now perspiring. She scanned the small forest with her eyes, left to right, up and down. She sensed that there were a couple of birds' nests on some of the treetops; she had to leap high to get there and right now, her energy is already mostly spent from running. She closed her eyes and tried, tried hard, to breathe more evenly as she can manage. Her mouth was ajar so she can breathe in more air. As she inhaled, she noticed the manly scent once again, Athrun Zala's scent.

She closed her slightly parted mouth and looked up. She saw him leaning against the tree using one of his hands for support, he was panting, and there was a layer of sweat forming on his forehead. He had run after her, Cagalli scowled.

"Hey, why'd you run? I wanted to ask something." His breathing became erratic as he spoke, "And you run so fast too, I can't keep up much." He slumped on the dry forest soil beside Cagalli and used the tree's trunk as a sufficient backrest; his mouth was ajar to take in more air and then he raised his head showing the strong cords of muscles of his neck, also bathed in sweat. Cagalli's heart rate soared violently. Her golden eyes were now transfixed on Athrun's damp neck. "Is there something wrong?"

Athrun's question distracted her from examining the said tempting body part. Cagalli grimaced; she clenched her fists tighter as to fight the urge on making an impending mistake. "Go away." Her voice was a bit shaky, raspy even. She was a bit surprised that she can still produce a coherent statement even in the situation she's in.

"Did I do something wrong?" His voice carried the same anxiousness as earlier that morning when he asked if she was okay. She avoided Athrun's stare and said in the gravest of tones, "Just leave me alone." Athrun didn't even fidget a bit on her command, her scowl deepened. If he's not leaving then she is. She stood up hastily using the tree as a support, she was thankful to regain some energy from her brief rest. She started walking away when a hand landed on her right shoulder, Athrun's hand. She stiffened at the sudden contact; he was in the middle of saying an apology when she felt something snap inside of her, all of her wits vanished, the urges unleashed, the hormones taking control. She turned around rapidly and then tackled Athrun to the forest ground.

***

Athrun was at loss for words when Cagalli suddenly threw herself on him. He was now on his back, on the forest soil, Cagalli's legs were pinned on his sides and she is somewhat sitting on his abdomen, making it harder for him to breathe. She was also pinning his hands over his head, her upper body was bent, her face a few inches away from his shocked face, her short blonde hair falling freely on the sides of her face like a curtain. Athrun then noticed Cagalli's eyes, her pupils were constricted making her golden irises stand out more, but right now, they were cloudy. He then noticed that her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily. The hands pinning his own hands down tightened their grasp. She was looking straight down at him and then suddenly, the gap between them disappeared.

Cagalli crushed her lips against his, and Athrun whimpered. He didn't expect that that would happen; he was expecting more like a punch on his face for invading her personal bubble, but right now, she was kissing him, quite roughly in fact, and to think that he was fantasizing that his first kiss would be sweeter than this. He tried to wiggle his hands from her tight grasp to stop the growing fervor that is happening, only to know that all energy left him and to somewhat think that he might as well kiss her back.

When he responded, for some unknown drive making him do so, Cagalli's grasp loosened, and the said hands found their way to his hair and his black tie. Cagalli's hand expertly loosened the knot of his black tie and hastily started to unfasten the first three to four buttons of his white shirt, her sweaty hands now roaming on the exposed skin of his neck and chest.

He heard himself produce a guttural moan when Cagalli's lips left his, her lips now leaving a searing trail of kisses on his jaw going down on his neck. His own hands found their way to Cagalli's blonde hair, clutching a handful of locks with each fist. Cagalli was now kissing the flesh of his neck, he can feel the heat emanating from her lips somewhat focused on a certain part of his neck, above his carotids.

And then, he moaned. He moaned when he felt a piercing pain on his carotids, two pin pricks of some sort, and he then felt Cagalli's tongue, swirling about the said spot. He felt a sucking sensation made by Cagalli's soft lips, and he then opened his eyes only to be greeted by the night sky slightly hidden by the treetops. He blinked twice to allow his eyes to adapt on the dark surroundings. He then felt something warm wetting his shirt collar, the source coming from the pin pricks on his neck.

He didn't know how but his energy suddenly left him, he felt a bit colder than usual, his grip on Cagalli's locks loosened. He then tried to push Cagalli off of him with the energy he had left; he pushed Cagalli's shoulders upwards using his nearly limp hands, and was quite stunned on what he saw. Cagalli, who was sitting on top of him looking much disheveled, quite dazed, a dark liquid staining her white shirt and her flushed face. She blinked slowly as if waking up from a trance. She then focused her golden eyes once more on Athrun's emerald ones. She frowned, her eyes seemed to water. Her right hand went to his wet neck and then looked at the spot dejectedly. Athrun's hand instinctively went to the spot which Cagalli's shaking hand rest. It was wet and then he rubbed his hand a bit on the said spot and felt two small punctures on the flesh in which the liquid slightly leaks. His heart beat faster; he was beginning to be nervous. He raised his hand slowly in front of his face to inspect the liquid currently staining his pale hand. He already knew what it is but still wished otherwise. All his senses crashed down on him when he saw blood, his blood, that dark red liquid on his hands. And then suddenly, he didn't know what to do anymore, all the questions that were raised earlier on his mind was now abruptly flushed out. He looked at Cagalli, more shocked than ever, he felt that she was suppressing tears from erupting out of her eyes. She looked at him sadly and said with a very low voice, raspy too, "I'm sorry."

And then darkness as his eyes drooped and closed, probably forever.

End of Chapter One