It Was All Arranged [R. Sakamaki]

Rekindled

The coronation had gone well and Athena had eventually moved into her apartment with the help of Yui. "We live so close!" The blonde beamed as she emptied the cardboard box which held china cups, plates and bowls. Athena squinted at it, ponytail swinging as she moved to stand beside Yui. "These are Reiji's," she said, caressing the handle of a beautiful teacup, "why are they here?"

"Reiji brought them," shrugged Yui, "perhaps it's a gift from him."

"Maybe…" frowned Athena as she watched Yui load the china into the cupboards up above. She shrugged it off as she returned to her half-filled bookshelf where she'd been sliding her beloved books into place.

"What's happening between you two?" Yui asked, "I know you want to sort yourself out and everything but… you love him, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Athena sighed, kneeling as she filled the lower shelves, "I do, it's just… so much has happened between us - a whole war broke out."

"A lot of bad things have happened to me and Ayato too," frowned Yui as she wiped down the kitchen counters, "the Cordelia ordeal, the separation whilst I was pregnant, him nearly dying. It's nothing compared to what you've been through, but Ayato is worth every argument, every tear shed, every heartache. I'd go through hell and back for him."

"I have been through hell and back," scowled Athena.

"That wasn't Hell, Athena, that was purgatory."

"What?"

"I wasn't there as long as you or Reiji were," she said, "it felt like a dream in all honesty… it was terrifying, I was alone and had no idea what was going on."

"Your Father didn't visit you?"

Yui stopped what she was doing as she looked at Athena with furrowed eyebrows. "My Father isn't dead."

"Oh," Athena gulped, "I must've been thinking of someone else."

"You must have been…" Yui pursed her lips, "I met a lovely lady there though, her name was Malory." Athena froze as she turned to look at Yui.

"Malory… Jacobson?"

"I think so, yes," nodded Yui as she placed the glass kettle in the corner, plugging it into the socket, "she said she was my grandmother."

"She was," nodded Athena as she cleared her throat, "a truly lovely lady."

"So you did know her?" Yui's eyes lit up, "What was she like?"

"Radiant," smiled Athena as she slid her last book in place, standing to place her white blanket on the couch, "the definition of jolly - very clever too."

"Did you meet my father?" 

"His name was Casper," whispered Athena, "the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen." She cleared her throat, "It's late, you should head home - thank you for helping me out."

"Oh it's no hassle," said Yui, "are you okay?"

"I have school tomorrow, I should settle, I'll see you another day."

"Well okay," Yui said as Athena pressed a kiss to the woman's cheek, "rest well."

"You too."

Athena cried for the rest of the night.

-_-_-_-

Athena felt the knot in her stomach grow as she sauntered through the pristine corridors of her beloved school. Her auburn hair had been tied into a low, bouncy ponytail, secured with a butterfly clip and her makeup had been soft with black lining her lower waterline and orangey-red lip gloss spread over her lips. She wore a pair of black flares with a lovely green knitted sweater which reached her knuckles and a white shirt underneath, its collar poking out.