Kira's Change of Heart
By: Scarlett Skylar (Formerly Blood Scarlet Dark)
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed, or any other related characters/objects.
Chapter 3:
Athrun was gone when Kira awoke next but he did have company. The blonde pilot of the Buster was sitting in the corner of the room in a very uncomfortable looking metal chair. He was no longer in the pilot suit from earlier and was in the red ZAFT uniform that Kira was accustomed to seeing in all the news brodcasts about the ZAFT elites. For a few moments the two teens simply stared at each other before Kira noticed to meal trays that he assumed were from the dining hall. Dearka picked one up and handed it over to Kira before speaking.
"It's been a few hours, thought you might wanna try to eat something. Athrun had to go speak to the Commander, he should be back before much long."
"Oh, okay." Kira said softly in reply, and he started picking at his own food as Dearka did the same.
"Kira… where are you planning on staying when we get back to the PLANTs?"
Kira blinked surprised, he hadn't really thought about it. "Uhm… I'm not sure. I haven't really thought about it."
"Ah. Well us pilots were all talking, and we all were kinda assuming you'd be staying with the Zala's but I thought that might be a little awkward… with the inquiry and everything…" He trailed off, unsure if he should continue.
"Yeah. It might be, especially since I haven't seen them in so long…" Kira trailed off, suspecting where Dearka was going with this, but not certain enough to speak out first.
"Ya. So. Uh, I was just thinking, if you wanted, you could come stay with me. Both my parents are on the council, but, ya know, they could act kind of like character witnesses for you, or something, if you wanted that is. I just thought you might want an option other than a hotel, or with Athrun's family…" he trailed off, unsure of how Kira would react to this. In truth Kira was surprised that Dearka was offering, for all he knew Kira really could be a spy for the Earth Alliance, and he was still inviting him into his family home.
Kira smiled, "Thanks Dearka. That's really nice of you to offer, but I'd hate to put you, or your family in that position."
Dearka smiled, "It really would be not trouble. Athrun's vouched for you, and while I might not like Athrun all that much, I do trust him as a fellow soldier." He finished with a smile.
Kira nodded, "That's a very nice offer, but no thanks."
"Alright." Dearka said with a smile, he glanced at the clock, and frowned. "Damn. I gotta go. I'll talk to you later Kira." He said, as he grabbed both now empty trays and waved as he left.
Shortly after Dearka left, Athrun came in. "Hey."
"Hey."
"Sorry I was gone so long. The commander had me filling out paperwork, and was asking a lot of questions."
"It's alright, I was talking to Dearka most of the time you were gone."
"Oh? About what?" He seemed surprised, and weary at the same time.
"He offered to let me stay with him and his parents when we get to the PLANTs."
"Oh. Are you going to?" Athrun looked concerned.
"No. I don't think it's the best idea right now."
Athrun nodded sagely, "I understand, although you would really like Dearka's mom, she's just like Auntie."
"That's good… how are uncle Pat and auntie Lenore?"
"There doing well. As you know, dad is the supreme councils head chairman; and he loves every minute of it. Although, I think he'd enjoy it more if this war wasn't happening. Mom still does a lot with agriculture and self sufficiency. She's helped the PLANTs out a lot."
"Wow. That's good. Sounds like she's still the angel I knew her as." Kira said with a find smile, remembering Athrun amazing mom from when they were children.
"Ya. She's still the great mom we both knew so many years ago. She's misses you, ya know."
"Ya. I've missed her too." Kira said with fondness. "She was great."
"You probably won't get to see her before the hearing though." Athrun told Kira with a disturbed frown.
"Why's that?"
"She's going to be helping dad with some things regarding your hearing. Everyone's kinda pulling together, everyone's spouse's are all helping out. It's rather strange, but it's good. The odds are in your favor this way. Dad asked for as much help as he could get when he found out you were the Strike's pilot. He demanded we remove you from the Earth Forces as soon as we could."
"Well good. Maybe you can chill out and stop acting crazy." Kira said with a teasing wink.
Someone laughed behind Athrun, and he turned and saw that Yzak, Nicol and Dearka had come in.
"Athrun? Acting crazy? Are you sure about that?" Dearka said laughing.
"Oh, yes. Very sure." Kira said with a smartass tone, that only made him laugh harder.
"Athrun, when we arrive back home, the Supreme Defense Council is meeting us at the base. They're waiting for us now."
"What? Already? Why?" Athrun sounded worried. That's really strange behavior for a defense council. What is going on!?
"We think it's because they're worried about Kira's safety. The whole story hasn't been aired yet, but apparently it got leaked that the pilot of the mobile suit working for the Earth Alliance was a 1st gen coordinator. It's caused an uproar. It was also leaked that he was brought onboard. But there weren't any details. It's caused a big uproar in the PLANTs." Yzak said calmly. "Mom sent me a notice about an hour ago."
"Damn. That's bad. Any idea where the leak came from?" Athrun sounded furious, and Kira could see the muscles in his back had tensed so he stood up and grabbed Athrun from behind, surprising him.
"Kira?" he sounded so confused.
"There's no point in rampaging now Athrun. What's done is done. We can't change it or take it back now. We just have to deal with the cards we're given." Kira was surprised by how diplomatic it cae out sounding. Athrun frowned and muttered 'I guess.' So Kira let go and sat back on the bed, Athrun following suit.
"So, what now?" Dearka asked, curiously. The commander walked in then, "There is a press confrence being held now. The council members think it will help us relate to the people better. Make them less hostile towards Kira, and that's what we want. They've forgone the hearing; they did their own investigation, and decided Kira is not guilty of any charges, and since he helped protect Miss Lacus and Athrun when we were not there, and therefore were unable to help, really made them realize that Kira doesn't want to hurt anyone, or see anyone hurt." He turned to Kira then. "You're going to be surrounded by press as soon as we get there. I have to advise you not to say anything though. It will just be twisted into something you didn't say or mean."
Kira agreed with LeCruset and he left taking Athurn, Dearka and Nicol with him. Yzak was just standing there, looking at Kira, who just stared back at him, not sure how to react to him, his calm eyes were piercing. Calculating, honest.
"You'd be an amazing soldier, Yamato. Not even I can deny that, and that's saying something. If you chose to join the ZAFT military, it might help end this war. And then maybe Athrun would stop being crazy, but it could also make it worse, I'm not real sure." Kira gave him a startled look and he elaborated, "Ever since Athrun found out you were the pilot he's been driving us all crazy. He was terrified you'd get hurt, we weren't really allowed to do ANYTHING. If we fired in your direction at all he went nuts. He and I don't see eye to eye as it is, but we came to blows several times in the locker room. If you were around, he might settle down, knowing you're safe, and nearby." He paused, as if he wasn't sure if he should share the next part. "But, on the other hand, he's been insanely worried you would get hurt, before he could make you see you were being used. It haunted him, and we could usually tell if you got hurt in a fight, and it haunted him. He was never himself, until he saw you out there again. So he knew you were okay."
He paused again, almost hesitating, as if what he was about to say wasn't really his story to share. "He's been having nightmares about it."
"How would you know? I know he rooms with Nicol."
"All of us on the team know. We all want to help, but he'll only talk to Nicol. He's woken up all of us, in the middle of the night, screaming bloody murder. Like he's dieing. Nicol says that sometimes he cries in his sleep to, and says your name a lot. He won't really even tell Nicol anything, but he has dreams about you dieing, or getting hurt badly. We know that much for sure. I know one time, Athrun told Nicol he thought it was his fault for pulling the trigger. He's terrified of him being the one to hurt you. Or kill you, by accident."
"Why are you telling me this?" Kira whispered, not sure what else to say, horror filling his heart and tears in his eyes. He had no idea his best friend was going through something so horrible.
"You need to know, he does care about you, and it was killing him, having to fight you. We actually had this really elaborate plan to capture you, but you came over before we had to do it, thank god. Kira, Athrun loves you. You love him, I can see it in your eyes. Don't pass up this chance you have at happiness because you don't want to fight. Athrun's only here because his mom was almost killed in the bloody valentine. That was why he joined the military. Why a lot of us did actually. We just want peace."
Athrun walked back in then, and immediately sensed the tenseness in the air. He turned to me, but I just looked at Yzak. "Thank you, for telling me."
"Just think about it. Things aren't always as black and white as they appear."
Kira nodded not trusting himself to speak just yet, and Yzak left, Athrun looked confused, and all Kira could do was just smiled reassuringly at him, and took the clothes he brought for me to change into; and I went and changed in the bathroom.
What do I do now?
End chapter 3
Well? What do you think?
Anyone have any questions that they want asked in the press conference? Let me know in a review.