He's absent. He's falling. He's trying.
"Athrun, hurry!" Kira called as he locked his GUNDAM and left the suit to enter the underground structure while the others kept the fight for them.
Athrun followed suit and ran through thte knocked out security at the entrance. They ran further through the entrance tunnel and entered what seemed to be a fully equipped medical establishment.
"Something isn't right," Kira said.
"It's abandoned..."
"No... something else... the air..."
"Come, let's check! They have to be in here. Those are the coordinates we received from MINERVA before it was ordered to leave the area."
They looked into the rooms and through corridors.
"It's an abandoned hospital or something..."
"But why is it underground?"
They walked further down.
"You check the doors on the right and I'll check the ones on the left."
Kira nodded and went to the right side of the corridor.
As he looked through, Kira frowned.
"Athrun, there's nothing in here." He turned to Athrun, who was very silent and a few doors behind him. "Athrun?"
Kira approached Athrun, who was looking into a room without blinking.
"Ath..."
"Don't come here." Athurn held his hand out and while the other closed the door.
"What's..."
Athrun walked to the next door and peered in before closing it too.
"Athrun?"
Athrun went to the next door and did the same.
"Tell..."
"Kira."
Kira looked directly at Athrun.
"Something is definitely wrong. We must find them and leave."
"But..."
"Kira... quick...!" the urgency in Athrun's voice didn't escape Kira. He just nodded and ran with Athrun down the corridor, peering into rooms on his side, which were empty and cold.
Whatever Athrun saw... his thoughts were interrupted when a thud came against a door on Athrun's side. His body tensed solid and adrenaline almost dizzied him before he spun towards Athrun, who had his gun out and was signalling caution.
Muffled voices came through the door, barely making any sense.
Kira whipped out his gun and stood on the other side of the door. The look in Athrun's eyes disturbed him, but he stayed intact. The next furry of action ended both of them in a room with freshly shot soldiers, an awful stench, and a bloodied slmost immobilised figure.
Athrun ran into the room.
"Shinn!" He kept echoing the name as he sat next to the figure. Kira checked the surrounding few rooms before returning.
"No…"
"Shinn?"
"No…"
"Shinn… open your eyes." Please...
"No…"
"Look at me. Focus."
"No…"
"Shinn, look at me."
Another "no" came out in a wail.
"Focus, Shinn. Look at me." He reached out and touched the naked shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH ME, NO!"
Athrun pulled his hand away like he would from a scorching surface.
"No… no…" Shinn kept sobbing as Athrun, lost, couldn't do anything.
"Shinn, it's me, Athrun."
"Luna… Rey…"
"They're gone, Shinn," Athrun replied, "You're safe."
Shinn abruptly backed away and screamed. He pushed himself against the wall. He shook his head and wailed before sobs and helpless blubbering wracked his exhausted body.
What did they do to you, Shinn? Athrun sat on his knees next to him.
"Why didn't you find me?"
Athrun looked into Shinn's accusing eyes.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU FIND ME?"
"They didn't make it easy." Athrun closed his eyes in silent pain.
"YOU'RE ATHRUN ZALA, WHY DIDN'T YOU FIND ME?"
"I did."
"You're LATE!"
"I'm sorry, it was impossible for me do earlier."
"YOU'RE SORRY? REY AND LUNA ARE DEAD!"
"I know. I'm sorry."
"SORRY WON'T BRING THEM BACK!"
"I know. I'm sorry! I wasn't there, I'm sorry! Please let me take you to be treated. You need medical attention."
"JUST KILL ME!"
"I can't do that."
"WHY THE HELL NOT?"
"Because I want you around for a long time."
"Sadistic BASTARD."
"I'm sorry."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU COME EARLIER?"
"I'm sorry. I spent the past 39 hours looking for you."
"AND WHY DIDN'T YOU FIND ME?" he screamed before falling into broken sobs once again.
"Shinn, please don't cry this hard, you'll get sick…" What am I supposed to say, Shinn?
"You don't care!"
"I do…" Athrun said, his heart dropping in a deep sea of guilt.
"LIAR!"
"I swear, Shinn. I swear I do…"
"NO!"
"Athrun, we have to go," Kira said, approaching.
"I'm sorry… I tried… I'm sorry."
Shinn's eyes got lost once more and his hands grabbed his head.
Athrun cringed as tears left his own scrunched eyes when a tortured wail broke out from Shinn. "I'm sorry…" I'm sorry… I'm sorry!
"Athrun?"
Athrun. Athrun.
"Athrun."
Athrun.
I'm sorry.
"Athrun."
I'm sorry!
"Athrun, wake up, Athrun."
"I'm sorry!"
"Shh… calm down. It's me."
He opened his eyes and kept trying to focus. "Ki…ra?"
Kira smiled. "Bad dream?"
Athrun kept looking into the purple orbs, as if they were the only string connecting him to sanity. "Kira... Shinn..."
"Is asleep right here next me. It was just a nightmare, Athrun... Everything's ok, now."
"But Kira..."
"Shh... it's ok Athrun."
"I felt like I was falling... don't leave me, Kira..."
"Shh... I'm not going anywhere."
"I tried to save them, I swear..."
"I know you did, Athrun. I believe you, and so does Shinn."
"I'm sorry..."
Kira kissed the top of Athrun's head and held him against his chest as he slowly fell back to sleep. How can I help them heal? How can I mend all the distruction these wars brought to such beautiful minds? Kira tured to his left when he felt stirring and smiled when Shinn's head found its place against his chest, where Athrun's was. He smiled. I'll just keep trying. This war ain't winnin', he added with an accent he recalled from some film.He closed his eyes and rested as they finally settled for the rest of the night.
