3rd Shot: Someone Other Than You

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Inspiration: Staring at the endless abyss of whiteness on the front board during English while watching The Crucible

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WARNING: AU and maybe OOC-ness (maybe so? I don't know?)

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"This place is pretty loud!"

"I know huh? Well let's get a seat shall we?"

Cagalli followed the brown haired man to a near by table. A waitress came by and asked them what kind of drink they would be having. She asked for a cocktail and he asked for a blue lagoon. Once the waitress had written down their order she left.

"So,"—the brown haired man stared at Cagalli from across the table—"Do you regret coming here tonight?"

She thought about it for a minute, calculating her thoughts and such and answered him. "No, not really; maybe I needed a night out."

He grinned. "Well aren't you glad I managed the guts to ask you out?"

Cagalli rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm enjoying the night so far. Don't ruin it with your concededness."

They both laughed as their drinks came.

"You must really like cocktails huh?" he asked eyeing her transparent drink with a green olive floating around.

Cagalli laughed. "Yeah, I do actually, very much."

"You know Cagalli, you can't stay cooped up in that office of yours for an eternity."

She smirked. "Was that pun intentional or unintentional Dresden?"

Dresden returned the smirk. "It was unintentional. But I bet you'd give me hell if it wasn't."

Cagalli brought the drink to her lips and scanned the dance floor with her golden eyes. Dresden—her long-time friend since high school years—had dragged her out of her office earlier that day demanding that she accompany him to this new nightclub (because his girlfriend was busy preparing plans for a big fashion show that was coming up) that opened; Eternity. (Which is why she asked if the pun was intentional, because you know, the club's name is Eternity and he said eternity? Get it? Aah, whatever). She relented at first because she had to get things organized for the guy who was running for president, but now that she scanned the place, she was starting to think otherwise.

"So are Kira and Lacus joining us tonight?"

Cagalli turned her attention back to her friend. "Uhh, I think so. Kira said they could run a little late though; you know with that whole new thing they're developing in the lab."

"Oh yeah, I'd heard about that. Isn't he working on a new way to travel or something?"

"Yeah. It's supposed to be some device of sorts. Wasn't really paying much attention to what he said about it."

"When do you pay attention?"

"Oh don't start that again!"

"What?! I was just saying that you almost never pay attention to stuff unless it involved politics, fashion, boys, or your favorite TV shows."

Cagalli rolled her eyes and stared at Dresden. She had to admit, he looked superb tonight; with his black dress shirt and pants, and his piercing red eyes, and that brown hair of his that always seemed to shine even in the darkness. Too bad he was taken.

"Are you implying that my I.Q. is low?"

"I wasn't implying anything."

She frowned at him and stared at the crowd of people dancing to a techno song. Then she spotted Kira and Lacus…And him.

"Oh god…" she muttered.

Dresden glanced at her and followed her gaze. Now he understood why she had said 'oh god'…It was because of Athrun.

"Kira! Lacus! Athrun! Over here!" he waved.

The said three turned their heads in his direction and headed towards them.

"Aah, sorry we're late you guys. I kind of got held up at the lab…"

"It's okay Kira, your sister forgives you,"—Dresden glanced at Cagalli—"Right sis?"

Cagalli glared at him for using a mocking tone. She drank from her drink again to hold in her tongue.

Kira, who noticed the glare she threw at Dresden, exhaled. "Geez Cagalli, you and your rudeness."

"Hey, it's who I am, deal with it."

"I have been dealing with it mind you, for twenty-four years!"

"Now, now; we came here to have fun, not to argue," Lacus reminded them.

Leave it to her brother's pacifist girlfriend to put things under control. Cagalli looked up and regretted it instantly; Athrun was leering at her.

Athrun had his piercing gaze fixed on her. He gazed at what she wore; a black strapless dress with black small high-heeled shoes that laced up to her calves.

She looked away, out into the dancing crowd, to hide the blush that spanned across her face. It was pretty stupid to feel the way she did right now, because one; Athrun and her had broken up like four months ago, and two; rumor had it that he was going out with some co-worker of his. And three, the most important one of all, was that he shouldn't have a hold on her anymore, so why was she feeling all weird and self-conscious around him?

"Hello Cagalli."

She went rigid. She looked up hesitantly and mumbled; "Hey Athrun."

She ignored the six pairs of eyes that were staring at them. She cleared her throat and turned to look at them, avoiding looking at Athrun's direction. "So, who wants more drinks?"

An hour or two had passed, and the uncomfortable silence that had followed after Athrun's and Cagalli's small greeting of sorts had dissipated and the group of friends were laughing and talking; all while drinking their delicious but somewhat bitter drinks.

Athrun glanced at Cagalli the whole time, and she just shrugged it off like it was nothing. She wanted to feel like it was nothing, but the truth was, that it really was something.

Dresden kept laughing at the jokes that Kira came up with, along with Lacus.

Then, it happened.

"Excuse me."

All six heads shot up to see a young male, of about twenty-five years of age, stand in front of the table.

Dresden was the first to speak up. "Yeah? How can we help you?"

"Actually," --he turned to look at Cagalli (who was in between Dresden and Kira)—"I wanted to know if you'd like to dance with me."

Cagalli stopped laughing and stared at him, contemplating his offer no less. She eyed him. He was about 5'8, had dirty-blonde hair, and had green-hazel eyes (or at least that's what it looked like in the light of the club).

She turned to look at Lacus, whose baby blue eyes were saying that it was up to her. Then she glanced at Kira, whose purple eyes blinked, glanced at the man in front of them, and turned back to her; approval evident in his eyes. She didn't need to look at Dresden; she already knew what he'd say. Before she let her golden eyes wander to Athrun's green eyes, she stood up.

"Alright," she said.

Dresden stood up to let Cagalli through.

The male held out his hand for her to grab; which she did.

"I'll be back you guys," she glanced back at Kira, Lacus, Dresden, and yes, even Athrun. But her gaze remained fixated on him, because in his eyes she could see rage and jealousy, which she had no idea why his eyes would reflect such emotions.

The guy's name was Gregory, and he was twenty-six. Not far apart from her own age. She swayed her hips to the beat of the music and lifted her arms in the air. She was on a slight high and she felt relaxed. Drinks almost always relaxed her. Maybe that's why she liked them so much.

Athrun stared at them as they danced. He stared at the way Gregory's hands snaked their way on to Cagalli's swaying hips, at the way he closed the distance between them and leaned his head down to whisper something in her ear for which she responded to with a giggle.

He drank his scotch, drinking away to numb the anger…But it just wouldn't go away.

"Athrun, if it bothers you that much, why don't you just go steal her away and dance with her?"

He looked at Dresden. Damn it, he forgot how Dresden noticed the littlest things about people. "It doesn't bother me."

"You're lying."

Athrun looked away from him. He knew he would end up losing to him in the state that he was in; angry, jealous, and drinking too much at a fast rate.

"Athrun, Dresden's right, if it bothers you, why don't you just do something about it?"

He looked at Kira. "Kira, not you too," he groaned.

He turned to look at all three of them; Lacus, Kira, and Dresden. "Look you guys, I'm not bothered by the fact that some guy asked Cagalli—who so happens to be my ex—out to dance alright? She and I ended four months ago."

"That's not true Athrun, and you know it," Lacus sternly told him. Her eyes were fierce and saddened in a way because she knew that the two of them still loved each other very much. What they had was something rare, something so deep and fierce that she wasn't sure if the word 'love' could quite describe it all. It pained her to see them suffer when they knew that they loved each other, it was just their stubbornness and egos that got in the way; and that had ended them in the first place.

Athrun raised his hand to order another drink. He wasn't even going to go head-to-head with Lacus. Because he also knew he'd lose against her; he'd be in a nasty catch-22 between Lacus and Dresden.

He turned his attention back to Cagalli and the guy she was dancing with.

Cagalli laughed as she danced. She twirled around and swayed her hips as she felt the music. She wrapped her arms around Gregory's neck and swayed against his hips.

Gregory's green-hazel eyes widened in excitement; he grabbed Cagalli's mid-back and pulled her close to him. A slow song came on and he swayed with her ever so slowly.

Athrun did all he could not to growl in front of his friends, because growling would indicate that he was jealous…Which he most certainly was. He was on his twelvef drink.

Lacus stared at him with worry, Kira stared at him with incredulity, and Dresden…Well Dresden was the one who was audacious enough to actually confront him about his feelings when no one else would. And Athrun resented that.

"Look man," Dresden looked staright in his eyes. "Cut the whole '-I don't give-a-shit-if-she's-dancing-with-someone-else' routine because it's starting to get on my nerves."

"Oh yeah?"

"Look, Athrun, if you like her so fucking much, do something about it! Don't just fucking sulk!" he growled. Dresden wasn't the kind of man to yell or snap or curse at anyone, unless that anyone was getting on his nerves. In which point, Athrun was.

Athrun's nostrils flared as he exhaled angrily. He glared at him. "Fuck you Dresden. You don't know anything."

Dresden laughed mockingly. "I don't know anything? Perhaps it is you who doesn't know anything!"

"Dresden," Lacus placed a hand on his arm, a gesture of pleading for him to stop.

But Dresden ignored it. He knew that Athrun needed this; he needed a bitch-slap into reality.

"What are you talking about?" Athrun snapped.

"Cagalli you fucking imbecile! Or have you not noticed the looks she gives you? You say I don't know anything, but it's you who doesn't know anything. She still loves you, maybe beyond love you if that's even possible. And we sure as hell know that you love her too!"

Athrun opened his mouth to reject that ridiculous statement…But he knew it was true. He shut his mouth and looked down at the drink in his hands.

Kira placed a hand on his shoulder, but Athrun gently shrugged it off.

Lacus looked at him. She wanted to reach out and heal his and Cagalli's wounds, but she knew it couldn't be possible; they had to mend their relationship.

"Look, I know what I said is pretty brutal and blunt," Dresden put his folded hands on top of the table. "But I had to tell you. Call it a bitch-slap to reality if you will."

"Dresden…"Kira warned.

Dresden shrugged. He grabbed his drink and drank it.

Athrun looked down at the drink in his hands; he was motionless for a couple of seconds before abruptly standing up.

"I'm going to the bathroom," he announced. He walked toward the bathroom without giving them another glance.

Cagalli brought her attention back to Gregory after she had witnessed the little mini-argument Dresden and Athrun had. She wondered what they were arguing about. Oh well, she'd find out later through Lacus.

Another techno song started to play and she started to move along with the beat.

"I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back," Gregory whispered in her ear.

Cagalli nodded her head. "Okay," she shouted over the loud music.

Gregory made his way through the dancing crowd and reached the bathroom. He sighed as he pushed open the door and walked into the tiled, anti-biotic smelling room. He looked up and saw Athrun leaning his hands on the counter of the sink.

Athrun raised his gaze up to him, his eyes narrowing down to slits.

Gregory gave him a nervous smile and proceeded to attend to nature's call.

Athrun straightened up and looked at him. "So, what are your intentions with that girl?"

Gregory looked at him. "Girl?"

"Yeah, the blonde you're dancing with, what do you plan to do with her?"

Gregory finished his business and walked to the sink that was three sinks away from Athrun's. He put his hands under the faucet and it automatically brought forth water.

"Well buddy, wouldn't you like to know."

Athrun clenched his fists hard to prevent himself from punching him square in the face. "As a matter of fact I would very much like to know."

Gregory looked up at him as he dried his hands. "Well, seeing as your persistent, I plan to dance with her the whole night and then nailing her."

That hit his last nerve. This guy planned to nail Cagalli? Athrun clenched his teeth. Well Dresden did say that if it bothered him so much…..

The bathroom's door banged open and out came Gregory, skidding across the floor. The crowd gasped as they stopped dancing and the dj stopped playing tracks as he looked up and pulled his headphones down.

Cagalli looked up from the center of the dance floor to see what the commotion was about; as did Lacus, Kira, and Dresden.

"Do you want to repeat what you said?!" Athrun snarled as he hovered above Gregory.

Gregory shook his head and blinked from the shock of the blow. He got up to his feet and leaned close to Athrun's face.

"I said I was going to nail her so hard she'd scream my name so many times it'd be hard to erase me from her memory!"

Athrun looked to the side, laughing humorlessly, and then lounged at him.

Cagalli looked to her side and saw that Dresden, Kira, and Lacus were there. "What the hell is happening?"

The trio looked at one another knowing all too well what it could be.

"I think we should go and look," Dresden spoke.

Athrun and Gregory were rolling on the ground, trying to hit the other first as much as possible; Athrun seemed to be winning that game.

"Gregory! Athrun! Stop!" Cagalli pushed through the crowd and tried to pull Athrun off of Gregory.

Dresden and Kira came behind her to help.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!!" Cagalli shrieked.

Athrun panted heavily as did Gregory. Dresden and Kira were holding Athrun back just in case he would try to lash out again.

Cagalli looked at him and then at Gregory, still expecting an explanation. "Well, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?!"

Athrun looked at her and then nodded at him. "This bastard was going to sleep with you! That's what! He said he was going to nail you." Athrun sneered.

Cagalli blinked and looked at Gregory. "Is that true? Were you really planning to…?"

Gregory looked at her. "Ch. Well you're hot. Who wouldn't want to? And you seemed to be an easy giver."

Oh hell no he didn't just say that she was a slut.

Cagalli narrowed her eyes. She walked up to him and slapped him hard across the face. "You disgusting pig! I'd never sleep with you even if you were the last guy in the world!"

Gregory smirked. "Doesn't matter anymore honey, because you ain't worth all the trouble anyways."

She raised her hand to slap him again but he grabbed her wrist, hard. She squirmed and tried to pull away form him.

"Let go you asshole!"

"Don't you ever hit me again!" he pushed her and she staggered back.

Athrun ripped away from Kira and Dresden and punched Gregory square in the face.

"Oh fuck! My nose!" he cried.

Athrun was going to punch him again but someone grabbe

d him from behind.

The security guards threw him out the back where he hit the wall and landed on the ground. Cagalli chased after them and knelt down beside Athrun.

"And don't come back tonight buddy," one of the big muscular guards yelled as he closed the door.

Athrun sat up, with the help of Cagalli, and looked down. Wow he screwed things up big time.

He looked out the window as he saw lights blending into each other. From the corner of his eye he saw Cagalli's silent tears running down her cheeks.

They had gotten a cab after they, well, he had gotten thrown out of the club and were heading towards her apartment. Cagalli had assured Lacus, Kira, and Dresden that they would be fine and that they should enjoy the rest of the night.

The cab stopped in front of an apartment complex. Cagalli paid the cab driver and got out. She held the door open for Athrun so he could get out.

She sighed as she opened the door to her living room. She walked in and Athrun followed behind her. "Get anything you want," she threw the keys onto the coffee table. "I'll be back; I need to get the medicine kit for you."

Athrun blinked. Medicine kit? Why would he need the medicine kit? He touched his lip and saw his arm. Oh. Oh. He was cut. His lip was somewhat bloody and his arm had a cut on it. It must've been from when they threw him out of the club.

Cagalli came back with the kit. "Sit down on the couch."

He did as told.

She sat on the coffee table and pulled out a cotton swab dampened with alcohol. "Now, stay still, it's going to sting a bit." She patted the cotton swab lightly on his lips; cleaning the blood.

Athrun looked at her the whole time. He could still see that her eyes were somewhat red. His eyes studied her face. She still looked the same; light make-up, eyes bright, perfect. But his eyes stopped at her lips. They were beckoning him, taunting him with the idea of just crushing his lips to hers in a ravenous kiss.

She pulled away as she fished for a cloth. She pulled out the alcohol bottled and dampened the cloth with it. She cleaned his cut on his arm and bandaged it up with gauze. "There," she said.

"Cagalli."

She looked up at him.

"I'm sorry. I acted like such an idiot. I didn't mean to…"

"No, don't. I guess it's a good thing that you did or else I would've slept with that jerk," she whispered. More tears started to fall against her will. "Damn it, stupid tears," she laughed as she turned her head away, trying to wipe them away.

Athrun just about had it. He couldn't stand to see her cry anymore. Dresden was right after all; if he wanted her, he had to fight for her.

"Cagalli," he placed a hand on her cheek and gently turned her face to look at him. "I…I still love you, god, I tried to stop thinking about you…But I couldn't. I still want you, I need you."

She looked at him; her eyes widened. "Athrun?"

He leaned in to her face and captured her lips. He kissed her softly at first, but then it turned into a ravenous kiss.

Cagalli pulled him toward her. She leaned back until she was flat on her back on the coffee table. She pulled her legs up to his waist to allow him to situate more comfortably.

Athrun kissed her fiercely, his tongue savoring her. He placed his hands on her thighs and ran them up her dress. He ran them up until he reached her breasts.

She moaned as he skimmed his hands over her chest; it was like a butterfly's touch. She arched her back to lean into him more. Her hands dropped down to the hem of his shirt and she ran her hands under it. She touched his chiseled chest, feeling the abs he had.

He pulled down her dress to reveal her chest and tore his lips away from hers. He placed kisses down her throat until he reached her collarbone. He sucked at it and pulled away. He left his mark.

Cagalli opened her eyes to see him staring at her. She lifted her hands and placed them on either side of his face. She sat up and leaned her chin on his shoulder.

"Make me yours Athrun," she whispered into his ear.

That was all it took. Athrun pulled his shirt off (with the help of Cagalli of course) and pulled her dress down to her stomach. He shrugged out of his pants and had only his boxers on.

They lay on top of the table; admiring each other's bodies, and savoring one another, never wanting the moment to end. But then the desire, the hotness rising from the pit of their stomachs was becoming too much to bear…

Athrun started the tempo, entwining his fingers with Cagalli's and placing them above her head.

Cagalli panted and whimpered as he took her time and time again. She missed these moments with him. It was like making love in a sense, but it wasn't. It was more like they were infusing with each other. Like lovers do. Yes, she had her lover back, and she would be crazy to let him go again.

Athrun looked down at her. Her eyes were half-lidded and hazed. Her mouth was slightly agape, sweet sounds tumbling out of it. He leaned down to kiss her. He had missed her so much.

As their tempo sped up they could feel the knot in their stomachs growing tighter and tighter. They knew they would fall from their cloud nine soon enough….And sure enough, they did.

Cagalli moaned out loud, filling the room with her cry as she came down from her state of passionate rapture. She arched her back and tightened her hold on Athrun's hands.

Athrun grunted as he came down after her. He closed his eyes and drew in a shaky breath. He stopped, staying there for a moment to calm down, and let go of her hands. He exhaled as he traced her lips with his thumb.

"Cagalli, I promise I'll never make you cry again."

She smiled up at him. "I know Athrun, I know."

The both of them lay there, and later made love again, because after all, they had their lovers again.

And yes I DO OWN DRESDEN AND GREGORY. And this collection is officially done.