This chapter is a bit confusing. If necessary, I'll explain everything next chapter before the actual chapter, but that would give some spoilers. So try really hard to keep up with what's going on. Thank you!
Chapter 3 - His Reflection
Kira walked into the bedroom he and Athrun shared, closing the door behind him. He leaned against it, taking deep breaths. It was hard to breathe. He could feel sweat trickling down his forehead. His hands were behind him on the doorknob and he felt them slip due to his sweat. He tightened his grip and let out a gasping breath.
"Ah…" he felt his legs giving out and sank to the floor. "I…."
He couldn't breathe! His hands let go of the doorknob and landed on the ground in front of him, trying to keep him from falling to the floor. He felt so weak! Kira gasped again. His head felt like it would explode! He couldn't hear anything except the rushing blood, couldn't see because his eyes were blurry, couldn't breathe…
"Kira?" Athrun's worried voice came from the other side of the door. "Kira are you alright? You rushed off so fast….You feeling ok?" he asked, not yet entering the room.
Kira shook his head, though Athrun couldn't see him. He was in so much pain….So much…He gasped and let out a short cry, falling to his elbows and knees when his hands could no longer hold him up. Athrun opened the door.
"Ki-Kira!?!" he knelt down next to Kira, but did not touch him. He was almost afraid to, thinking he would somehow hurt the man he loved. "Kira what's wrong?"
Kira shook his head. It was all he could do. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't speak. Kira took a shuddery breath, trying so hard not to pass out.
"I….." he coughed and tried to breathe, but it didn't work. He shook his head. "C-can't….br…."
Kira knew he was crying. He could feel the tears running down his face. And that didn't help his situation at all. It made breathing even harsher. His vision was going blotchy.
"Kira?!" Athrun yelped when Kira suddenly collapsed to the floor, breathing ragged and hardly at all. He jumped up and grabbed the phone. It rang and picked up. "Hello? 911? My boyfriend just passed out on the floor. He doesn't seem to be breathing very well. Yes. Yes. Please hurry." He was talking fast, but luckily they understood him. Then he hung up and practically threw the phone towards it's stand.
Kira's breathing was harsh. Athrun could hear him wheezing painfully and every now and then Kira let out a little whine.
-
Kira had been lain on the hospital bed, now breathing properly and no longer in pain. Athrun's face looked drawn as he turned to the doctor.
"Thank you." he bowed. The doctor shook his head and waved his hands to dismiss it.
"No need." he assured the blue haired man. "It's a pleasure….saving lives."
"What's wrong with him though?" Athrun looked at Kira worriedly as the brunette coughed in his sleep once.
"I'm not sure," the doctor admitted. "According to the data we collected, it was like…." he took a deep breath, wondering how to explain. "….like his brain was trying to do too much at one time. It was…pulling in two different directions, if that helps. I've never seen anything like it, even in mental patients or people with chronic illnesses. In simple terms, his body couldn't take the strain his brain was putting on it. He was trying to breathe, but his brain was so overloaded it couldn't process the need for air."
Athrun looked distraught. "Will he be alright?" The doctor shrugged.
"We've given him something to help him sleep, but keep an eye on him from now on. Don't let him overexert himself, and make sure he takes these-" he pulled a bottle of pills from his white coat pocket. "-everyday. They should help him stay calm."
Athrun accepted the bottle of pills from the doctor and inclined his head, showing he understood. The doctor left and Athrun turned to look at Kira. A machine was measuring his heart beats, another his blood pressure, and other machines he didn't understand. One machine was odd, and Athrun couldn't believe it was a normal machine. Based on what the doctor had told him, he guessed it was reading Kira's brain activity.
He knew too much brain activity was dangerous, but he'd never heard of something like Kira's experience happening before…apparently neither had the doctor!
Kira groaned and turned his head to the side, his right hand clenching and unclenching. Athrun walked over, placing the bottle inside his own jacket pocket, and took Kira's hand in his own.
"I'm here Kira….I'm not leaving you, I promise." Athrun was surprised when he saw Kira's face light up with a smile even though he was asleep.
-
The next day, Kira was released from the hospital with strict orders to rest for a few days at home. Kira wasn't sure what had happened and when he'd arrived in this strange place Athrun had taught him was a 'hospital.' He'd never been in one before, but he knew what they were for. He knew something had gone terribly wrong yesterday when he couldn't breathe, but what had caused it? Athrun said the doctors weren't sure yet…
"What do you want for dinner?" Athrun asked when they got home. It was late. They'd gone on a walk in the park before coming home. It had been, in the very least, relaxing. Kira looked like he was sleeping already.
"Hmm…" his normally quiet voice was softer than ever. "Something warm…." he smiled at Athrun as he was sat down in a chair at the table. Athrun shrugged.
"Gives me a lot of choices then." He smiled and gave Kira a little peck on the lips before heading into the kitchen and out of Kira's view. Kira frowned.
He wouldn't admit it to Athrun, but he was scared. He never wanted Athrun to leave his sight. He was so afraid something would happen to Athrun and he would be left all alone. He was so afraid of getting hurt and Athrun not being there for him. He just wanted Athrun to hold him, to let him cry out all his worries and fears, until he was stronger. He just wanted Athrun.
Kira flinched at a pain in the back of his head. Like someone had hit it, or poked it with a needle, or a mix of both…He rubbed his head and stared at the table. Kira yawned. He'd felt tired since yesterday morning, and the pills given to him by the doctor were not helping. He constantly felt weak, like he needed to lie down. He had a headache….
Athrun walked out of the kitchen and set one bowl of Macaroni and Cheese in front of Kira and one in front of himself. He smiled at Kira, who smiled back, glad that Athrun was back in the room. Really, it took very little to please the brunette, especially when it came to Athrun.
"I wanted to make something kinda quick. I didn't want to leave you alone for too long." Athrun picked at his noodles for a moment before he spoke again. "I'm scared for you Kira…Ever since that nightmare a few nights ago, things have been weird."
Kira stopped his slow eating and looked up at Athrun in surprise and slight fear. What?
"Is it because of what we did?" Athrun asked. "Do you regret…?" he sounded hesitant. Kira nearly jumped from his chair.
"No!" he yelled, then blushed. "Never. I would never….." Kira sank back down into his seat looking mortified. Athrun settled his shock at Kira's almost violent answer.
"Alright then…" he took a deep breath. "But…if something's bothering you….lemme know ok? I want to be there for you, protect you….I wanna help you."
'He doesn't need your protection, piss ass! Stay the hell away!' Kira shook his head to clear it of the sudden anger he felt.
"Ok." he smiled at Athrun. Athrun let out a breath of relief.
"Now, don't think too much, you might over excite your brain. Which might be pretty easy since it's so small." Athrun teased. He gasped when a cheesy noodle smacked him right below the eye.
"At least I have good aim." Kira joked, laughing.
-
'Kira….'
Kira jumped. He had just finished taking a shower and was getting dressed in the foggy bathroom. He looked around in fear as he hurriedly pulled his shirt on, now fully clothed.
'Kira, I think you're being unfair.'
Now thoroughly freaked out, Kira leaned against the bathroom wall.
"No…" he muttered to himself. "Go away….Make it go away…."
'I think you're going to betray me with that mouth of yours…..' the voice sounded like it was taunting him.
"Athrun…." Kira whispered, closing his eyes. He felt sudden anger, but he knew it wasn't his own. His eyes snapped open. The anger he'd been feeling wasn't his own! It must be the voice's anger!
'I think you're talking too much.' the voice said angrily. Kira gasped and held his throat. It felt like the air was being sucked out of it.
Kira reached for the bathroom door and turned the knob. He felt like he was about to pass out from lack of air. Someone was suffocating him! The door came open, cold air flew into the bathroom, and Kira could breathe again.
"Ath-……" Kira gasped, touching his throat. "A-…." His eyes widened and he stared in horror at his reflection, now visible in the mirror before him.
The hair was a shade lighter than it normally was, the eyes held no light. But worst of all was the maniac grin plastered on the face of the one who looked so much like him. His reflection.
No update on Cagalli, but I promise there will be one next chapter! Lacus will come in soon, hopefully, and more on who this mysterious enemy is.
If anyone can guess it, kudos to them! And even better if you can guess why all the bad things are happening!
