[She's been working herself to the bone these days; there's been public event after public event, a perpetual train of jobs to be done, meetings to attend, papers to sign, hands to shake. Peace is an ongoing effort, not a state of affairs. If they relax for just a moment, it could all come crashing down. Cagalli is doing her best, but Athrun worries about how much she can endure before burnout becomes a real problem. Doesn't anyone in Orb know how to delegate? She's a person... even the simplest of retail jobs include days off. When does she get a vacation?
He thinks about it a lot, but that moment in front of the cameras, when he felt that slight, secret tug on the back of his jacket, he's reminded. It's so much. Too much.
He knows better than to push his luck in public, to cross a line that would net her (not him, he doesn't care what trouble he gets in but if his behaviour reflects poorly on her, it's she who pays the price) any kind of scolding. Once they're out of the public eye, though, even for just a few minutes, as she takes a breath out of sight he reaches out, lightly curling his hand around hers. He's here.]
Page 1 of 3