Hi!

This is my first attempt to write a fic in english so don't be so harsh with me, ok? I'm not english or american. It's going to be a 2 chapter story, so is really short. I'll try to update soon.

One english friend of mine told me that I was too much used to write in spanish (¬¬ I can't imagine why... sarcasm) so perhaps the style is different or something.

I'm waiting for your rews!

BETWEEN WARS (I)

It was getting dark.

The sun, standing against the sea in its centuries old journey, made orange, pink and violet shadows in the sky, and the clouds seemed to burn in colours as fast as the planet moved and showed its secrets to the approaching night. The waves were lapping on the white soft beach that stretched before the orphanage porch. In the porch, sitting on a chair, a young man of little more than 18 years old has his violet eyes fixed on the multicoloured horizon.

"Stop time... Right now..."

His thoughts were wandering. He didn't want to focus on anyone in particular. He was just letting time pass, the seconds, absorbed with the sunset. Perhaps it was going to get cooler, but it didn't bother him. His mind continued flowing, not daring to touch the ground, so covered with memories checked so many times they become his obsession. But that had already finished. It was hard. During the first months of peace after the war, he shut himself off. He smiled, talked and played with the children and, well, his life went on. But he wasn't himself. He was a sort of iron mask that kept a relative stability in his life after all he had suffered.

Until the mask broke off.

He cried for two days with its two nights, incessantly. Lacus was then an amazing support. Without her he would had sunk deep. It was weird how essential some people became, how absolutely indispensable they were ever for breathing. If Lacus didn't exist, he wouldn't have any reason to wake up every morning. She rescued him. She took him away from his own shadows, from his guilt, from his fears. She helped him see the things with enough detachment to learn from them. And then he started to check his memories form a different point of view. Though they hurt. Even though he found himself crying. Even though he didn't want to go on.

And he learnt. And he continued learning. Every time he thought about all that, he felt like the world around him became clearer, simpler. The brief scraps of news that arrived to his oasis of peace would have disappointed him time ago, but not now. Now, all that seemed a come back to the tensions between PLANT and Earth Alliance, was fitting into a great jigsaw. And that jigsaw, he felt gloomily, ended with him.

If something had puzzled him in the war, it was the discovery of his origins. He wasn't only a Coordinator, but moreover he had been conceived as the Ultimate Coordinator. Many of "unsuccessful attempts" had died before him. Tests about cloned human beings still haunted his dreams. All that just to "make" him. So much grief... for him. But no. That wasn't true, and he had needed a lot of conversations with Lacus and a lot of reflection, to get it into his head. He was himself. He felt, he breathed, he lived his own life and he had his own character and his own personality. He was an individual human being. Whatever the intentions of his "creators" were when they conceived him.

He knew that very well.

However, the fact that he knew that, didn't mean that those who "designed" him in the past didn't expect "something" from him. But that was not in his hands and, to be honest, he didn't event want to acknowledge it. Anyway, he took his place in the war into account very well.

The hate between PLANT and Naturals started with George Glenn and, in some way, ended with him as Ultimate Coordinator.

But in that sunset all that didn't matter. With his gaze still fixed in the horizon, he looked on, pensive and sleepy, letting his thoughts flow, enjoying the fragrant air of the Orbian coast at the end of the summer.

"Kira." The calling was soft, faint, like a butterfly flapping its wings. That voice seeped into his ears like a healing balm and he felt so warm inside that suddenly, the breeze seemed cold.

"Athrun is here."

Kira stood up and walked to where Lacus stood, in the doorjamb. When he reached her, he intertwined his fingers with hers and kissed her softly on the lips. She smiled and passed her arm round his waist and then, they went to the room where their guest was waiting.

Athrun stood in front of the window, his hands in his pockets. He was relaxed and when he heard them enter the room he turned calmly and smiled.
"Hi."

"Hi." Kira gestured him to sit down. Both boys took a seat. Meanwhile, Lacus went out discreetly. "It's been a while."

Athrun sighed and looked at his friend for a moment before turning his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"How is Cagalli doing? I haven't seen her lately."

That "lately" was filled with meaning and, probably, it was the reason of Athrun's annoyance, but Kira wanted Athrun speak the words aloud. The guest sat up and put his hands in his pockets again as he paced, quietly. It was obvious that he was more nervous that he seemed, but it was a matter of time before he started to talk.

"She worries me."

"Cagalli?"

"Everything… actually."

Kira nodded understandingly. Athrun and Cagalli were still together, but it was very complicated for both because they had to keep their relationship in secret. In fact, Athrun, outside those walls, wasn't called Atrhun, but Alex Dino. Everything was very frustrating and, although they had grown with that situation for almost two years, it had become harder and harder until now. Kira could see it in his friend and could imagine it in his sister. Besides, the latest news about PLANT and Earth Alliance didn't look good. They hadn't started any kind of hostility yet, but he knew Cagalli was worried. In fact, she was thinking about making a visit to Gilbert Dullindal -the new PLANT Council's chairman- soon to meet him and gauge his intentions. Athrun would go with her as her bodyguard.

"What do you think will happen?" asked the brown haired boy.

"I don't know." The emerald green eyes of the last of Zala looked at him with a glimpse of concern. "I suppose we'll form an opinion when we go to PLANT."

Kira remained silent. In that moment Lacus arrived with tea. When they were all served the girl sat down next to Kira.

"Perhaps we should go to visit Cagalli," she suggested. "She surely feels alone surrounded with politicians all the time."

"I don't think it would be a good idea, Lacus." Athrun said shaking his head slightly, "It's because of that Yuna. He knows Kira and his relationship with Cagalli. He's waiting for any chance to use him against her and withdraw her from power."

Lacus looked sadly at Kira, who sipped his tea quietly. The young man left the cup in the table and gazed at his friend. Then, he smiled.

"Don't worry, Athrun. I'm sure we'll find the right moment."