As Fate Would Have It

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or Gundam SEED Destiny.

AKA: Four times Cagalli fudged up majorly, and the one time she kind of did, but not really.

I imagined Kira and Lacus' wedding to be in mid-June… and the snippets at the end of the beginning chapters (8 months later) would be the next February (just after Lacus' birthday). So essentially, this would be Athrun and Cagalli's first birthday celebration! (I'm skipping the chapter where they actually start dating, SO THIS SERIES IS BY NO MEANS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER).

This is also my gift for Athrun's birthday. Athrun's part (four times he fudged up, and one time he didn't) is half-written already and much more drabble-like than this monster I've written. I really should be writing other things (like essays and applications) BUT here I am.

Warning: The following chapter contains loads of fluff and silly things, no character development whatsoever. Please read at your own risk.

One.

Grinning happily at her handiwork, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as she admired the details in her latest creation. Her friends and family could lament over her "lack of artistic sense and abilities" all they wanted, but she was an architect! A moderately successful one, at that, considering she had graduated just two years ago, and she was already employed at one of the top firms in Orb.

Cagalli gazed down at the gift she was preparing for her boyfriend. The wooden picture frame was elaborately carved, careful roses and leaves adorning the corners; her fingers suffered, but there was no denying it was well done. She knew exactly which photo she wanted within the picture frame, and she giggled as she ran into her room for the extra copy of the photo she had lying around somewhere.

There was no helping the faint blush that settled on her cheeks as she stared down at the photo. Their first date. Even now, Athrun mockingly lamented the expensive bouquet she had so unceremoniously chucked out of her apartment, and Cagalli made sure he never forgot about him unceremoniously dumping her on her derriere when he tried to be a gentleman.

They had been dating for nearly four months at this point. Cagalli had never prepared a gift for another man (except for her brother and father), and concern about her gift had plagued her. 'Is it too girly? Too cliché?' She shook her head. There were only four days left, there was no time to doubt her choices now.

Settling back on her living room couch with the photo in her hands, she flipped the wooden frame over and stopped. Horror twisted her expression as she noticed there was something very wrong.

She gulped, hoping that her fears were not true, but sure enough, the photo frame she had spent hours carving was, well… too small.

Mere moments later, the frame found itself furiously chucked at the wall, bouncing off (thus leaving a rather alarming scratch on the wall), and skidding across the floor to land right next to the couch, where the poor frame would stay, dejected, for the next couple of days.

Two.

With only three days left, Cagalli found herself panicking. She had tried to see if she could cut the photo in a way that it would fit, but no matter how she tried to crop it, there was always something that had to be cut off in the photo and it would really look too strange: Athrun would be missing an ear with a magical hand floating somewhere, or she would only have half a body. After giving up, she had been too disheartened to give it another go.

She decided that maybe she would get him a pet. He seemed to like animals, particularly small ones, considering the Haro and Tori he made for his best friend's wedding. Maybe she could get him a lizard! Or a snake! Those were cool animals. Much more interesting than cats, less work than dogs… she marvelled at her own creativity.

After dodging her boyfriend's request to have lunch together ("Can we do tomorrow instead?" "Why not today?" "Why can't you just take no for an answer?" "Did you forget to wear underwe—" "If you even dare finish that sentence, Zala…" "Tomorrow it is, then."), she spent her lunch break at the local pet store, biting her lip in concentration as she debated over what to get her loving boyfriend.

"A snake," she decided firmly as her heart was won over by a beautiful, orange corn snake. "Alright, Aegis, you're coming home with me."

She went back after work to pick up the pet and the proper tank and other necessities, and was humming cheerfully on her way home, satisfied that she had chosen such a lovely gift for her boyfriend. When she got home, she was in the mood for a long bath; she deserved it after such a brilliant idea and all that stressing out. Not bothering to read the pet guide that had come with Aegis, she set up the tank quickly and put him in before hurriedly going for the bath she had been craving, carelessly forgetting to secure the top of the tank.

When she came back out, Aegis was nowhere to be seen.

A sigh of despair followed a rather gnarly groan, and her palm found its way to her face.

Three.

"Are you okay?" Athrun asked the blonde, concern quickly making its way over his features. "What happened to your hands?"

"It's nothing," she assured him quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly, as suspicion joined the concern in his emerald eyes. "Just work problems." 'That, and the fact I don't have a present for you yet, AND there's a snake somewhere in my apartment that I can't find…'

A sigh of relief escaped her lips when he nodded slowly, apparently deciding to let the matter go for now. "Anyways, do you have any plans on Friday?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Why?"

He rolled his eyes. "I want to spend time with my girlfriend. Is that a crime?"

"But Dearka and Lacus are throwing you a surprise birthd— shit." 'Oh kebabs on a stick.'

"… they're doing what?"

Four.

"Lacus, I'm so sorry, I just told Athrun about the party you guys were throwing him. I totally forgot it was a surprise, but maybe we should call the zoo back and step it up—"

"No." A flat masculine voice interrupted her rambling and she nearly dropped her phone in her surprise. "I appreciate the effort, but I do not want to deal with a mini-zoo on my birthday."

She froze. That was definitely not Lacus. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, mentally berating herself for slipping up again. And two days before his birthday. They had gone almost two months without her accidentally misdialing numbers. Almost.

"I'll go to the party, but for Haumea's sake, please don't try any harder." With that, he hung up, and Cagalli bit her lip in worry.

Carefully dialing Lacus' number, she decided maybe they needed to change their plans.

Five.

Athrun was not looking forward to the party. Every single year, they managed to make a mess of his apartment, or enough of a public spectacle he felt too embarrassed to leave his room. A zoo would have made everything so much worse.

In truth, he had forgotten it was his birthday until his girlfriend let it slip. He never really cared for his birthdays (too busy, other things to worry about) and that was likely the only reason his friends always managed to throw him a surprise one… until this year.

Cagalli hadn't called since two days ago, after she had misdialed him again. He wasn't really mad at her, per se, but perhaps he overreacted. He sighed as he reached his apartment. His 24th birthday was going just spectacular. Bracing himself for the confetti and flashing lights and rowdy music, he opened the door warily.

There was nothing. His apartment was just as clean as he had left it this morning. No hidden Dearka with his stupid masks, no Lacus with too many sparkles and a smile wider than her own face. Nothing. His apartment was dark and empty, and as bad as he felt, he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh of relief.

As he put his bag and jacket away, he noticed a card sitting on his kitchen table. Glancing down at it curiously, he read it briefly. Without even thinking twice, he dashed out of his apartment, car keys at the ready.

When he reached her apartment door, he couldn't help but notice there was a faint beeping sound coming from within, and a rather curious smell. His eagerness had somewhat faded into concern and he quickly knocked on her door, hoping that everything was alright.

His only response at first was a long train of profanity. Waiting patiently, he was finally rewarded with a rather haggard-looking Cagalli, the smell of burnt cooking, and the annoying sound of the smoke detector.

"Um. I got your note," he greeted sheepishly.

She sent him a deadly glare before reminding herself that it was his birthday.

"Sorry," she answered tersely. "I'm… having some difficulties at the moment."

He chose not to comment but simply followed her inside.

"Happy… er… birthday?" She offered awkwardly, as they stood at her kitchen table. Everything was going so well until she fell asleep as she was waiting for the cake to finish baking. The frantic and persistent beeping of her smoke detector woke her up just seconds before she heard the knocking at her door.

After opening the windows in the unit, Athrun managed to convince the alarm to shut up and Cagalli had taken the cake out, which was not at all the lovely shade of yellow she was hoping it would be.

To make things worse, the expression on Athrun's face was unreadable; totally blank. He was staring down at the blackened cake, and Cagalli cringed. "I'm so sorry, this is probably not at all what you were hoping fo—"

His loud laughter cut into her apology, and before she could register what was happening, he had wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, burying his face and laughter in her shoulder. Taken by surprise, she subconsciously returned the hug, arms pulling him even closer to her.

After the call two days ago, she was worried that he was really mad at her; she wouldn't have blamed him. She ruined the surprise party, misdialed his number, failed to get him a present, and burnt the cake that was meant for him. But the hug said everything.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear, once his laughs subsided. "I really didn't mean to make you mad—"

"It's okay. I'm sorry, too," he replied, pressing his lips firmly on the top of her head before pulling away and meeting her worried gaze.

"I was going to have the cake and dinner all ready, but I fell asleep and then now nothing is ready and you're already here—"

Interrupting her once again, he tilted his head down and kissed her on the lips.

After a few minutes, she pulled away, cheeks flushed and eyes only the slightest bit teary. "Athrun—"

"I love you," he breathed, a goofy smile stretching his face. "This is probably the best birthday I've ever had."

She blushed, her face turning even redder, and she swatted at him playfully.

"Let's get takeout," he suggested, his hand finding hers and locking them together tightly. "Then we can go rescue that poor cake."

She nodded, struggling not to cry at that honest expression on his face that radiated pure bliss and love. "Happy birthday, Athrun."

BONUS! Post-Athrun's birthday.

Six (AKA the one where Cagalli's fudge up #2 comes back).

Athrun groaned as he felt a weird and cold sensation on his leg. "Cagalli, stop doing that…"

She stirred but did not stop. He opened his eyes blearily, gazing at the woman beside him. She was tucked underneath his chin and curled up against his chest, but she was unmoving apart from the soft rise and fall of her breathing.

As his senses woke up, he realized the weird sensation was still there. Throwing the blanket off of the both of them, he sat up in alarm as he noticed a snake.

A snake. In their bed. On his leg. Making its way up north on his body.

He nudged Cagalli gently. Once. Twice. "Mmmm?"

"Cagalli, dear, can you please tell me why there is a snake in our bed?"

The blonde was silent for a couple of minutes as the question registered in her still sleepy mind, but when she finally understood the question, she sat up in surprise. "Aegis!"

Athrun fought the urge to swear, lest he startle the snake that was too close to particular parts of the blue-haired man's body for his liking.

Seven.

Athrun was yawning as he reached his apartment. He was reluctant to leave the warmth of his girlfriend's bed – they had snuggled back under the covers after putting Aegis back in his tank (and securing the top this time), but he really need to get a change of clothes if he was going to stay over at Cagalli's, and he did need to at least get his laptop so he could quickly finish typing off some emails that needed to be sent before Monday.

Fumbling with the keys, he finally managed to open his door when suddenly, he was greeted with confetti, sparkles, and was that a pig in his apartment?

"SURPRISE!"

Athrun resisted a groan as he spotted a certain blonde with glimmering and mischievous amber eyes.

Eight.

The next time Cagalli visited him at the office, she couldn't help but notice a certain wooden frame sitting beside his laptop. She threw him a reproachful glare before he pulled her in for a kiss that silently reaffirmed what was etched so honestly and adoringly at the bottom of the frame.

'I love you.'

Fluff. Clichéd fluff.

Happy birthday, Athrun Zala! :')

Thanks for reading, and I hope y'all read lots and lots of AsuCaga in celebration of this special day.

Lavellia.