Word: abound
Definition: to exist in great numbers
Pairing/Character(s): Gino x Kallen
Rating: K+
A/N: I had a completely different idea for this one and truthfully it was a lot better, but I couldn't bring myself to write it. When I started typing THIS thing came out. Dx I'll fulfill my Suzaku x Kallen request next time, promise! :)
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.
After Lelouch's death, Kallen felt as if she couldn't, shouldn't, live. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. She had already lost him so many months ago, but he was still out there somewhere. Witnessing his death was much, much worse than that. She felt as if the sword the false Zero had plunged into him had gone through her as well. With every passing day it felt like she herself was dying. It was like a fog had covered her eyes, like she was walking around lost and unable to see anything. It covered her on all sides, pressing down on her, suffocating her, until she could no longer take on the pressure. It was while she was nearly crushed when he had come to rescue her.
Gino Weinberg.
He had come so suddenly she didn't know how to react. He was different than Lelouch in more ways than she could count; he was someone she was unprepared for. For months she had immersed herself in her memories of Lelouch, only going out to see places from these memories. She had circulated her life around him until he was in her every thought, every dream, every breath. Gino had barreled through her wall unabashedly, tearing down her self-made seclusion with ease. He had done it so quickly she couldn't even stop him. All she could do was watch in shock as he abruptly took over her world. Once she had caught her breath, she had realized that he had effortlessly replaced Lelouch in her heart. No longer did she close her eyes and see violet irises; she was now met with such a strong blue she often wondered if she was staring at the sky. The change had been so natural despite its startling haste. It was easy to see why.
Gino was like the sun.
He was bright and bold and obnoxious and no matter how much people complained about him, he was still there. If you stared straight at him for too long it felt like your eyes were burning because he was just so full of life and energy no matter how annoying it became. When he laughed or he talked or simply just smiled it was like a sudden ray of light grew quicker and quicker until it was all you could see. And just like that, you were dazzled. With no effort at all, he could captivate you until you stared because you needed to, because you couldn't bear not to.
He had taken his light, his heart, his brilliancy, and enclosed her within it until the fog had become nothing but a distant memory. His luminescence seeped into her and filled her up completely, soothing any pain along the way. Because that was all Lelouch had ever done for her, whether it was purposely or not. He was like a drug to her. Just his presence had her thoroughly intoxicated and she yearned for the feeling recklessly, ignoring the suffering she endured to gain it. And having him with her introduced so many different things with the same drug-like effects.
Gino's light pushed all of that away. It caressed her softly and wrapped around her securely, relieving her instantaneously. The world was abound with the harmful influences extremely similar to those Lelouch had unknowingly pushed upon her. But Gino was the sun. He was pure, natural, healing sunlight.