Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.

Between the Stars: I Missed You

Athrun comes into the apartment and sees Cagalli pacing rapidly at the sitting room, her cell phone pressed against her ear. She has a hand fisted on her blond tresses, obviously frustrated at the person at the other end of the line. Her purple blazer is placed carelessly over the arm of the couch, and a few buttons of her white dress shirt have been undone. Words shoot out of her mouth aggressively, and Athrun approaches her in amusement and caution. She hasn't noticed his presence.

Cagalli heaves a huge sigh before ending the call and tossing the phone on the couch, intent on having it buried in the cushions. She flops on the sofa, glaring at nowhere in particular and muttering incoherent words, though Athrun is quite certain those words aren't fit for children's ears. She raises her eyes to meet his. She isn't surprised to see him. Perhaps she did notice his presence.

Athrun smiles at her and takes a seat beside her on the couch. He caresses her hand, trying to soothe her. "How was your day?"

Cagalli rolls her eyes and says exasperatedly, "Boring."

He has a hard time believing that, considering the scene he's witnessed, but he decides to stay on her good side. "But your schedule for today is full."

"Yeah, full of boring stuff." Cagalli stands up, and Athrun follows her lead. She takes a few steps toward the kitchen. "And you know what's worse? I did all those boring stuff with sinfully boring people." She raises her arms way above her head. "I mean, I could deal with it if you were with me, but no!" She turns around to face Athrun, and her hands are placed on either side of her face, as if compressing it. "I had to be stuck with the dullest beings that ever walked the universe." She pouts, and Athrun blinks, his heart beating faster. "Why did you have to have a date with Kira today? Why did I let you go on a date with Kira?"

Athrun clears his throat. "You know Kira has issues. He's almost at the brink of death when I met up with him this morning." That was true. Kira was having a crisis with his love life and needed somebody to talk to. Personally, Athrun hadn't wanted to hear all about his relationship woes with Lacus, but a whining Kira on the phone all day was not something he wanted to deal with either, and not answering his calls would mean Cagalli would have to be stuck with Kira's whining, and he cared about Kira too much to willingly leave him to suffer in Cagalli's wrath, and so he picked the lesser of the two evils, which, in actuality, didn't have much of a difference.

His answer makes her lips quirk up into a tiny smile. All of a sudden, she wraps her arms clumsily around his neck, and he struggles to lift up both their weights. It feels like she is trying to drag him down to the floor with her. She looks up at him with a lazy smile and kisses him squarely on the lips. "I missed you."

Athrun chuckles, and he pulls her up. "I missed you too."

Athrun almost doesn't hear the doorbell. Almost. For a moment, he is stunned and wonders who's at the door at nine in the evening, then he remembers that Cagalli had called earlier that afternoon, telling him that she had forgotten her key to the apartment. She and the girls had gone on a weekend trip to a local hot springs resort for 'some bonding time', as Miriallia had put it. Athrun turns off the shower and hurriedly dries his body. When the doorbell rings a second time, he puts on his pyjama bottoms and sprints towards the door. He looks into the peephole – just in case, and when he sees his impatient girlfriend at the other side, he quickly opens the door.

Cagalli looks at the man in front of her and eyes him from head to toe. She tilts her head and puts a hand on her hip. She opens her mouth then closes it. She opens it again, an amused smile lighting her features. "Don't tell me you've been lounging about half naked all evening."

In a way, Athrun has expected that answer. He grins at her, letting her through the door. "I actually just came out of the shower, if you must know. I was finishing when you rang."

Cagalli snorts, taking off her jacket and dropping her overnight bag on the couch. "Then why didn't you answer the door in your towel?" She is challenging him, he knows. "You knew it'd me at the door. You didn't need to go through such lengths for little ol' me."

"And subject myself to more ridicule from you, Princess?" He narrows his eyes. "No thank you."

Cagalli laughs heartily, and she gives Athrun a peck on the lips. "Haumea, I missed you."

They are in their pyjamas and getting ready to retire for the night. Athrun looks up from the book he is reading and glances at Cagalli, who is climbing in beside him on the bed. She wedges herself in the blankets and fluffs her pillow, making herself comfortable. Athrun, sitting up on his side of the bed, sets the book down on the night table. He exhales a sigh and hesitates for a moment before opening his mouth. "Why me?"

Cagalli arches an eyebrow at the random question, and she pushes herself up a little, her elbows supporting her weight. She purses her lips and looks at him pointedly. "Why you what?"

He stares down at the blankets for a moment and later directs his gaze toward her. He says quietly, "Why did you choose me?" He pauses, as if conflicted to whether or not say what's on his mind. "You're the princess of Orb, and I'm a runaway fugitive whose father is a genocidal maniac."

Cagalli gives out a sigh of relief, chuckling softly. She gives him a look that makes him feel stupid, and she smiles sweetly. She tells him, "Because I like you." She grins at him widely. "And I love annoying you."

Her response makes Athrun laugh, and she kisses him on the cheek. He reaches toward the night stand and switches off the lamp, wrapping an arm around her while they lie in bed. He shrugs. "Fair enough."

A few minutes later, Cagalli whispers into his shoulder, "I love you."

Smiling in the dark, he hugs her tighter.

Just because I miss Athrun and Cagalli.

Please note that these three scenes are merely snippets from the two years in between - they are not related in any way, unless you count the "I Missed You" theme in the first two shorts.

Everything is really random, so forgive me for that.

Thank you for reading; I really hope you enjoyed it, and please drop a review! I'm always glad to hear from all of you!

Cheers!

~Aly