s/n: People have been asking where I got the book. I didn't get it in a bookstore; my mom bought it for me from ebay. So there... Oh and enjoy the update.

disclaimer: I don't own Gundam seed or it's sequel. I also don't own the book The Butler Did It; it belongs to its respective writer, Kasey Michaels. Note, I'll do a lot changes from the book. Beware of OOCness.


-

-

The Butler Did It

-

-

Lacus Clyne sighed a lovesick sigh—after that, she sighed again—and again—and again. Her sighs replaying like her mind. Propping her elbows on her featherbed mattress, she dreamily remembered her encounter with a certain brunette.

Her manager had always told her that she shouldn't be the type of person to wander around amongst the riffraff. But Lacus, fed up with all the superficial glamour and money-grubbing ways of the people in the hype-up world of show business, decided that it was high time to widen her horizons.

She had grown up as a rich girl, treated as a rich girl and was expected to remain a rich girl. Well enough was enough! Sick and tired of being treated like a fragile doll of porcelain—and a rather expensive one at that—she put on her best disguise and escaped the hawkish eyes of her people.

Never in her life did Lacus think that the polluted air shared amongst the populace would smell sweet—her scent of freedom! She couldn't help but smile at everything. This place was so much different compared to its glamorous counterpart. She oohed and she aahed and oohed and aahed some more. When she saw the faces of beggars and street urchins, Lacus' heart ached with sorrow. My next concerts will be for charity. She thought decidedly.

She was walking down in some bazaar place, admiring the stalls and bargains—when she saw him. Messy-haired, cloudy-eyed and disheveled—stumbling out from a sleazy hotel, Lacus had never seen such a good-looking man in her lifetime. He was more of a bishounen than any celebrity friend of hers. Her heart suddenly began to race, her palms all sweaty and her knees were about to give.

He was coming closer—making a path through the crowd. Lacus felt her face burn up so she quickly covered it with her sweaty palms.

Get a hold of yourself, Clyne! Her inner alarm bells rang. This is what your manager meant by riffraff! You can't associate with the likes of him!

But the thought of him as forbidden only seemed to make him more desirable. Lacus really wanted to slap herself.
She was acting so…so…(gasp) shameless! She shut her eyes, praying that these sinful thoughts would cease.

I am never reading shoujo mangas again!

She opened an eye—and she felt her stomach do a somersault for he was standing right in front of her. Lacus wanted to leave but she felt as if someone had glued her feet to the ground.

He stared right into her face with half-lidded eyes. Then, Lacus felt a shudder of inexplicable emotion when his voice rang out from his lips like an angel's uttering, "Move it will you?"

His breath was reeking of alcohol—beer if she was not mistaken—it made Lacus' skin flush more as she felt its invisible warmth fanning on her face.

Lacus lost herself in a daze looking at his tall figure.

"What are you looking at?" Kira's violet eyes scrutinized the pink-haired girl.
Damn! I spent too much time with that Fllay girl! Now, mom— and especially Cagalli is gonna have my head for this! I need to get home quick!

He focused his mind on the girl in front of him. What the hell is she looking at?

Deciding, not the waste any more time, Kira decided to move out, trying his best to pass through the girl's side.
But then he lost his footing. And then a rude passer-by pushed him from behind…then a cat tripped him. So many thens led him to lose his stance and his lips fell smack down on hers.

Lacus heard angels sing alleluias in that moment. His lips against hers were warm and fitted hers perfectly together. Her heart burst into a blissful interlude and she felt like she was floating in air on a pink puffy cloud.

Kira, on the other hand, panicked. And heedless of the starry-eyed girl, tore his lips from the accidental kiss and preceded to leave the scene with a trail of dust cloud.

Lacus realized, as she watched him scamper off after detaching their lips—she was in love!

Lacus sighed sweetly. Then, as the girl who wins for most-naïve, she skipped away happily all the while dreaming happily for her next encounter with the guy she was in love with…but didn't know his name…

And that's how it happened. It was love at first sight.

"Oh, my knight in shining armor!" Lacus flounced herself on the bed, hugging her long pillow, her arms and legs entangled over it. "Take me away! Away, and away and away…." She drifted off to la-la-land.


Kira sneezed. Why do I get a feeling that somewhere out there a girl is…desiring me?
He shrugged the thought off and joined the rest of the people on congratulating his sister for having persuaded the Zala guy for them to stay.

"You probably scared him off!" Via said, unpleased at the thought. "What if he spreads horrible things about you?! Then, you'll never get married!"

Cagalli gifted a snort to her mother. "Relax, mom! We'd have the last word if that happens!"

It only took Via to blink for Cagalli to guess she didn't get it right away. With a sigh, she retold her mother the story on how she blackmailed the Representative that she'd bring him up to the media regarding the situation of his manor…and behavior!
He had been silent when she declared the threat to him; he was sort of brooding actually. But then again, she didn't give a damn…or did she?

A violent shake of her head. Of course she didn't care!

"Whoa, sis! Didn't think you had it in you!" Kira gazed at his sister admiringly like she were a statue made of pure gold.
Uzumi was sort of pleased to hear this, which was kinda weird actually, but then again weirder things happen.
"Anyone up for snacks?" He asked and no sooner, their faces lit up with appreciation—especially the one of Mana's.

"Me!"

"Duh!"

"I do!"

"With cookies please!"


Athrun was in his study, cursing his fate—or rather cursing on a certain hay-haired girl with ocher eyes. He was insulted and appalled. How dare she think she could have him wrapped around her slim little finger. Who knew beneath such loveliness, she was a sneaky, conniving bitc—

"May I come in?" Talia asked as she strolled in without much care for an answer.

Great! Now even old biddies were thinking they could step on him! Could he be any more degraded?!

He snarled at her as a welcome.

"I see you haven't cooled off." Talia noted as she took the chair that faced his. She smoothed her skirt and helped herself to some grapes from the fruit bowl on the small side table.

"I have to say, my granddaughter sure did kick your ass." Her eyes spoke laughter as she popped a grape to her mouth.

Athrun was always taught to respect women—especially elder women—but he decided that the woman in front of him wasn't worthy of such respect, especially when they were related to blackmailing vixens.

"Your granddaughter"—He finished off the beer in his can "—is despicable."

Clearly, the old woman didn't believe him. "Then why'd you have your hand on her fanny if that's your opinion of her?"

Hand on her…! She saw that? He blushed remembering how he had treated Cagalli when he was about to "throw her out". He turned sinful blood red remembering how great it felt when his hand was on top of her soft and firm bu—

He stopped himself before he could break out into a nosebleed. He would not be swayed by such err, distracting thoughts.
Especially with present company…

He slammed the now empty can of beer of his and gave Talia an intense stare.

"Heedless of what your granddaughter probably no doubt boasted to do with me—my mind is still set on seeing her gone."

He waited for a reply.

No reply.

Athrun pressed on. "I'll kick her to the curb! I already had my hand on her ass, so it doesn't make a difference if it's my foot! She's going to get what's coming to her. So help me, God. I'll see to it that Cagalli will"—

"—Be settled with a fine man for a husband!" Talia gave her own version to Athrun's interrupted sentence with a delightful smile. Athrun, needless to say, was stunned. He clearly did not see that coming. So there he was! Gaping like an idiot.

Charming.

Talia continued with her fanciful notions. "Oh! But of course, Cagalli should be taken to some wonderful parties and attend to the most prestigious of evenings—and that's where you come in handy! You'll escort her. The Representative of December!"

Athrun's eyes widened more but Talia didn't stop.

"Yes! You'll escort Cagalli and help find a suitable partner for her. And she'll get only the best!" She paused to swallow another grape. "You'll introduce her to the finest of men"—

"You're out of your mind!" He let out in near shout. But he might as well not have been heard for she still continued to ramble on.

"My granddaughter is rather tomboyish, meaning she won't have a single dress to wear. You'll really do come in handy when you pay for her gowns, jewelries"—

"The hell is this?!"—

"—Shoes and hats…"

"Hats?!"

"She'll also need better clothes for casual wearing"—

"Casual?!"

"Oh! And I almost forgot one of the most important things—lingerie!"

"W-w-w-WHAT?!!!"

Cagalli clad in ivory lace did wonders to a man's mind, Athrun decided as he tried to hold back a strong nosebleed.
When he regained control of his err, body impulses, he hardened his fury on the elder woman.

"You actually think I would do all those things for that blackmailing vixen?" He seethed.

She smiled in her reply. "Yes. With a huge dowry to boot."

Athrun was about to scream hell when Talia added an interesting afterthought.

"We wouldn't want your father's secrets out in the open, do we?"

That got his attention.

"What are you?"

"Oh, I've lived more years than you, Mr. Zala Junior. Lived long to have witnessed Zala Senior's…shall we say, antics?"

Athrun had no idea where this was going.

"You're poor mother would be so mortified and terribly crushed if she learned how your father had a strung of discreet-yet-not-so affaire-de-amours during his time on earth!"

Athrun stiffened. His mother had mourned her father like he had been a saint. To have her know this...would desecrate everything she had believed to be dear. Athrun had always suspected his father's illicit affairs and even if he couldn't stop his father's adulterine ways, he made it a point his mother would never hear of this…her health was already fragile as it is. He had paid off all those people who knew about his father's disrespect of marriage vows—but clearly he had missed this woman.

Silence loomed above them…

Finally…

"You win…"

"What?"

"I said you"—

"Speak up!"

"YOU WIN!!!"

Talia smiled. Indeed she had.