Chapter One: Favour
Kira opened his eyes slowly. After the destruction in GENESIS in Jachin Due, he had found himself floating in the vast space filled with twinkling stars that reflected the past and had thought himself dead if not for Torii that managed to find him, ultimately leading to Athrun and Cagalli collecting him with the Strike Rouge. A deep feeling of sorrow penetrated his chest as he tried to block out the thoughts of Rau Le Crusset and the last look on Fllay's face before she was killed. He had passed out just as he grasped Athrun's arm and had come under a heavy fever which he was just beginning to recover from. The fever had been terrible. Nightmares, snatches of blood and loss and pain and suffering kept on plaguing his mind, and he wondered if he would be truly sane again. He had woken earlier to find Athrun by his side, but soon lost his consciousness again. This was the second time for him to wake after the dreaded war.
At first, Kira thought he was alone. His mind, despite being a Coordinator's mind, seemed to be working unusually slow. He registered the white ceilings of Archangel's infirmary. He registered the faint smell of antiseptic and other chemicals fit for a hospital. He registered that he was lying down, seemingly unable to move. He registered the unusual warmth that came from the thick blanket covering him, most likely due to the fever he had come under earlier. He registered pain – dull, physical pain that seemed to scream from afar, clouded by drugs. He registered the deeper pain gnawing at his insides, one that could not be dealt with drugs, and he tried his hardest to push that pain away. And that was when he registered the next thing.
A pair of calm azure eyes was watching him, gentle and soft. Kira turned his head, his violet eyes meeting her blue/grey ones. Lacus. He was still wearing the ring she had given him around his neck.
"Lacus..?" Kira whispered, almost as if trying to make sure that she was really there in front of him.
She relaxed considerably and smiled. It was such a simple gesture, but she had that strange aura around her that made him feel instantly peaceful, as if the gnawing pain in his chest could leave him upon her command. "Are you alright, Kira?"
"Yes," Kira answered, an automatic answer to a standard question.
Lacus wasn't fooled. She was never fooled. She reached forwards and stroked his hair gently so that his fringe was no longer covering his forehead. "I'm not talking about your body, Kira," she said quietly.
Kira immediately turned his eyes away. He refused to cry. He refused. How could he cry for Fllay, when he had Lacus beside him? What would that make him? He clenched his teeth instead and could hear Lacus sighing softly to herself. She knew the answer already. Of course she knew. But she said nothing as she continued to stroke him smoothly, her hand moving back and forth, back and forth... like a rhythm that was lulling him to sleep. He was about to doze off again when he felt her standing beside him. "Rest, Kira," she whispered.
"Lacus..?" Kira mumbled, half-awake.
"Yes..?" The same, gentle tone.
"Stay with me."
He could almost hear the smile in her voice. "Yes."
She never left.
Author's Note: Yes, yes, I know that there's another fic I'm working on currently. XD Don't worry, Gundam SEED Destiny: Renegade will still be my main fic for now. These are all one-shots, simply put, which I would like to write in-between writing for Renegade because my ideas tend to go wild. :D This can be related to my other fic, The World's Dream, in which case it takes place after the fic. I'm writing this because I didn't think there were enough Kira/Lacus moments throughout the series, yet they're a really strong couple. I want to focus on the two years between GS and GSD and what happened between them. :D In any case, I hope you like it! Please let me know, and I'm always, always open for suggestions. Next chapter: Nightmares.