Kira wonders whether he's real. Athrun wonders whether it was a dream.
His eyes shot open at the hiss of the door.
He threw the cover out of the bed as a distraction then got into a defense position, pointing his gun at the intruder.
"Athrun…"
Athrun's brows frowned and he lowered his gun a little. "Kira?"
"I'm sorry."
He lowered his gun completely and stood at ease. "What's the matter?"
"I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry. I'll come back later, it's ok."
Kira quickly turned and left.
Athrun shot forward and grabbed Kira's wrist, making him turn.
"Kira, what's the matter?"
"Iie, it's not that important."
"If you came here during your little hours of rest that means it's important. Now, tell me," Athrun said, pulling him back into the room and closing the door.
Kira was looking at the ground.
"Kira?" Athrun said, waiting for eye contact.
Kira lifted his head. Athrun was met with a very broken expression.
"What is it, Kira?" Athrun asked, pulling Kira to sit on the bed.
"It's just… I… can't sleep."
"Why not?"
"I… Athrun… I…"
"What is it, Kira?"
"A couple of years ago, Rau Le Creuset lead me and Mu-san to… the genetic engineering labs… I'm not human, Athrun," Kira said, his eyes welling up.
Athrun frowned.
"I'm not human! I was created by Dr. Ulen Hibiki as… a weapon. I'm a weapon, Athrun!"
"Demo, I was also engineered in that lab, does that make me any more human than you?"
"I… was never in a womb."
Athrun's eyes widened slightly in the dark.
"I was in an artificial womb, preconditioned to be a weapon… I… When Dr. Hibiki made me, I was to be the ultimate human-made human, coordinator, and so many died, not able to withstand the artificial womb. I did and… I…" Kira exhaled.
"However, Kira," Athrun said, attracting Kira's attention. "There was a great flaw in that." Kira cocked his head to the side slightly. Athrun picked up the cover and put it back on the bed.
"Flaw?"
Athrun nodded, slowly. "If you were the ultimate weapon, "not human", as you say, wouldn't your personality be closer to Le Creuset's? Wouldn't you be just as vicious and uncaring to consequences? I'd assume you would have to d be just as merciless."
"Athrun, have you seen me fight?" Kira said, almost comically.
"Aa, aa." Athrun smiled. "Have you seen me fight?"
"I'm better," Kira said sticking his nose up. Athrun rolled his eyes.
"Baka, that's beside the point. You wouldn't be this loving, caring person that anyone can easily fall in love with. You wouldn't be so kind and sensitive as you are. Only humans can be, so where you were born has nothing to do with how human you turn out to be. Cagalli, for example, is a Natural, but look how much more human you are than she is."
Kira snickered.
Athrun smiled. "Get in," Athrun said, nodding towards the bed.
"Hmm?" Kira glanced behind him.
"I said, "get in,"."
Kira looked behind him again.
"Take your slippers off first. You went out in your slippers? Aww. I'm hoping the bed's still quite warm."
Kira blushed. He slid off his slippers and brought his legs up on the bed.
"Baka." Athrun pushed him down and Kira fell over on the bed, sprawled.
"Mou, you better not be this violent with your ladies, Athrun. No wonder you're still single," Kira complained, trying to get more comfortable.
Athrun snorted. "No worries in that department."
"Eh?" Kira said, pausing. A pillow flew at his face. "Hidoi," Kira whined through it.
He felt the bed shift and stayed motionless. He then felt the cover come over him. And then… he felt nothing but comfort as tire started seeping out of his body.
"Ultimate or not, you might want to breath there, buddy."
A few seconds later, the pillow was removed. Athrun hitched.
Kira was asleep already.
He smiled and put the pillow under his head then lied down on his back, staring at the ceiling.
"Oyasumi, Kira."
Kira's warmth snuggled against him as his arms wrapped around Athrun's arm. Did he just purr? The corners of Athrun's mouth lifted and his eyes gradually closed to blissful dreams of his best friend's smiles and laughter.
"Oyasumi, Athrun."
Athrun sighed contently, his subconscious registering that moment between his wake and sleep, and so… he'll never know.
Kira put his head on Athrun's shoulder and exhaled.
"Thank you."