A/N: Please review.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed.
Also, The Rome is based on a real place that is now closed, it was at one point in Columbia, Missouri.
Chapter 7: Tears
Ethan looked around, "Where'd Kira go?" He asked a moment later.
"Don't worry about her, she's fine." Alex responded in a calming tone.
"But-"
"You know she was wanting to talk to Athrun, leave her be." He cut Ethan off, before redirecting the conversation again.
Patrick smiled, glad that this young man had been observant enough to know when and with who Kira had left with. He's got a good eye, and good instincts. He deserves that uniform.
Kira's POV
"I'm sorry." I said after a while, and I just felt him squeeze me tighter in response. There was another long pause where I tried to just enjoy the comfort.
"You're angry." I said, knowing.
"Furious." He agreed. "I want to just start screaming, but I want to hold you more. I missed you. Why didn't you tell me?"
"You would've tried to stop me, it would've just caused a fight."
"You're right. Why… Kira." He pulled back from me then, and placed one hand on my shoulder and the other under my chin, "Kira… why did you think this was a good idea?"
"Athrun… think about it. With no training I managed to hold off four of ZAFT's best pilots. I may not make a huge difference, but I think I can help end this war. I want the fighting to stop!"
"So you think risking your life is the answer?!"
I was startled by the amount of anger in his voice, but I did understand. "Do not raise your voice at me, Athrun Zala. It may work with your teammates, but it will get you nowhere with me. On that same note, the same could be asked of you. Did you think that joining ZAFT and risking your life was a good idea?!" Athrun opened his mouth to respond, but I continued before he could get a word out, "There is no difference! So don't even start!"
"No, Kira, there is a difference. It doesn't justify it, but I thought you were dead when I joined. As far as I knew you were on the moon!"
"So, you broke your promise to me because you thought I was already dead. That's no excuse, Athrun."
"I know it's not. I hate that you are in the military now. Hate it. I have no way to keep you safe. I can't trust you to do it yourself if you're so willing to join a war you hate!"
"It's not your job to protect me, Athrun. I'm a big girl I can do it myself." I said, his last comment stinging harshly, but I refused to let him see that it bothered me.
"Did you know what team you were being assigned to before today?" He asked, his jaw clenched tightly.
"I had my suspicions but none of us knew for sure, we weren't even sure if we'd be put in the same squad or if we'd be separated."
"I wish you had been assigned to my team, then I could protect you."
"Smother me, you mean," I snapped back. "Athrun, I am an elite soldier of the ZAFT military. You're going to have to just accept that. I know it's hard for you, but you have to trust me, trust my team. They can protect me."
"I don't know that." He said with a stubbornness in his gaze that i couldn't fight with.
"Ahem." What the hell Jacob. I pulled back from Athrun and turned to look at Jacob who was standing next to the door with a critical frown, "What is it Jake?"
"We're getting ready to go to dinner, you two coming?" Athrun glanced at me before nodding, "Yeah, of course we are." I said, Jacob nodded before slipping back into the room.
"He doesn't like me." Athrun said after a moment.
"None of them do." I told him.
"Why?" he asked me, a strange note in his voice.
I looked at him closely, studying his face. "It's not because they're after me…" I said watching his expressions for a clue, "They're like my brothers. They just don't like 'sisters boyfriend'."
"Heh. I don't care if they like me." he said.
"I think they would if they knew you, and not just the stories they hear about you."
"Stories?" He asked looking at me curiously.
"Mhm. The academy has you portrayed as a bit of a legend, with all your top scores." He just shook his head and sighed, and I just smiled.
The door opened then and I saw Alex coming out and he glanced at us and frowned before asking, "Ready to go?"
"Ya, where are we going?" I asked as I took Athrun's hand and we walked over to where the rest of the group was coming out.
"I think The Rome is where we are going to go tonight." Patrick said as he smiled at us, and I felt Athrun's arm wrap around my waist, "That sounds great," I said.
"We are going to be joined by some of the other member's of my team, and some of the members of the council." Le Creuset said, looking at Athrun.
"Who else will be coming?" Athrun asked.
"Siguel and lacus Clyne, Jami, Mya, Dearka and Tad Elsman, with Tony as well. Yzak, Nicol, Rusty, Miguel and Olor, and their parents, and Alyssia and Shyra of course." Patrick said.
"So about 35 of us all together," Athrun said, "I'll go ahead and call." he said as he pulled away from me and pulled his cell phone out and dialed a number.
"I think we need to change out of our graduation outfits at least." I said, noticing the odd silence that had fallen over us.
Alex looked at me worried, and voiced his agreement quickly. Patrick smiled and told us to go, and wear something casual. "Athrun needs to change as well, as do I." Le Cruset said. "We can all meet back here in a half hour." My mom said suddenly, "There's a few things we'd like to do as well." she said. Everyone agreed and I watched as Athrun got off the phone and walked off, to go change I assumed.
Alex's POV
I watched as Kira turned quickly and headed back towards the elevator and I could feel the tension pouring off of her. I waited until we were in the elevator before I spoke.
"Kira?"
"Yeah?" She whispered staring at the ground, I could hear the tears in her voice and I pulled her to me, "I'm sorry." I whispered to her. I knew he was upset but he doesn't deserve her if he's just going to make her cry. I never should have let her go with him alone.
I felt Ethan and Jacob move closer and put a hand on her shoulders and back. Just then she lost her composure and I felt her begin to sob against my chest; and all I could do was just pull her closer to my chest and let her cry it out. The elevator dinged shortly after and the door slid open.
"Move." I grunted at the boys before I picked Kira up, careful of her skirt, I knew there might still be some academy kids hanging around and the last thing they needed was an eyeful of Kira's underwear. I'd have to shoot them and hide the bodies.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and continued crying. I think I'd rather get shot than have to deal with her this sad. It's heartbreaking. I might have to murder Zala for making her cry like this. He doesn't deserve her if he can hurt her like this.
Ethan pulled open the bedroom door, and I walked over to her bunk and sat down holding her tightly. Jacob started changing immediately, but Ethan hesitated. I met his eyes and shook my head. Go ahead and change. I've got her. I thought at him, he seemed to get the message because he started changing.
"...trust me…" I heard Kira whisper against my chest.
"What?" I whispered, pressing my lips to the top of her head.
I heard her sniff before she answered me, "He said he can't trust me." she whispered, her voice cracking and the tears flowing more.
"What?!" I heard Jacob snarl, from where he was standing. I frowned at him, hearing Kira take a stuttering breath. Trying, and failing, to calm herself so that she could stop crying.
Ethan walked over and lifted her from my lap and sat down with her, wrapping his arms around her and rocking her back and forth. I changed quickly and sat down next to them again. Kira had calmed by now, and she pulled back. "Sorry, guys." She whispered, wiping her eyes, "I just…"
"Never expected him to say something so cruel and heartless?" Jacob finished for her, sounding angry. Before she could answer there was a knock on the door, "Is everything okay in there?" A voice called from the other side.
"We'll be out in a minute!" Kira called, standing up and going over to her things to look for something to change into. She glanced at us and noticed that we were all changed, and she smiled before saying she was sorry for taking so long and laughing. I shook my head as I headed out of the room to see two young men standing there. Maybe in their 20's?
I recognized them as Rusty Mackenzie and Miguel Aiman from the Le Creuset team. "Everything alright?" Miguel asked, with a knowing look. He could hear Kira crying… I realized after a second. "Fine. Kira will be out in a minute." Ethan said softly, glancing at the door. We could hear Kira moving around in the room, she wasn't trying to be quiet.
Fuck him! Kira thought to herself, almost irrationally angry. Can't trust me, huh? You can just go to hell Athrun! I can take care of myself. She threw a shoe across the room in a moment of rage, before pulling out a black skirt, and low-cut red blouse. I pulled out a pair of red heels with black lace on the edges. I smiled and slipped them on, walking into the bathroom to look in the mirror. I smoothed down my skirt, and brushed my hair out; adding a small amount of makeup around the eyes, and some gloss on my lips. I love these shoes. She thought happily as she slipped on a necklace that was a simple silver chain.
One more moment of primping and she was walking out of the bathroom and going straight through the bedroom and out the door. I noticed that Rusty and Miguel were standing there too, waiting. "Sorry! I'm ready now." She said with a smile.
"Always waiting on a woman." Rusty said with a smile, "Let's get out of here." he said before he offered Kira his arm and escorted them to the front of the building where everyone else was waiting.
-Back to Alex's POV-
Always stunning, Kira. Knock him dead.
I noticed right away the attention that Kira was drawing from some of the other recent graduates and other soldiers. Oh, fools, just try getting close to her. You don't stand a chance.
As we drew closer, I noticed that Athrun was looking around, noticing, I assumed, all the men in the room checking out his fiancé. She should leave you, for upsetting her like that. Bastard.
The amount of venom in my thoughts surrounding Athrun surprised even myself, I really had no reason to hate him. Kira's relationship was none of my business. But she was crying on my chest because of him, that makes it my business.
I knew I was glaring at him, and I knew that he would notice eventually. Do I really care though?
Just as the thought passed my mind, his eyes met mine. His eyes narrowed on me, and I just smiled at him, like ice. I hope that he knows I hate him.
I looked away from him unconcerned, and saw that Kira was talking to Victor, Ethan's brother. He had changed into more casual clothes as well, but it was obvious in his stance and mannerism that he was a soldier. The gun on his hip is a dead giveaway, not that we're any more discreet. I glanced and saw that Ethan and Jacob had their guns on them as well. I wonder if Kira has any weapons on her? She's really good at concealing them.
I brushed the thought off, thinking it better not to dwell on it. She was smiling at Victor, and I noticed that she was laughing and shaking her head.
I watched her a for a few moments, wondering what was so funny before Councilman Zala directed all of us to the vehicles waiting outside. By some terrible twist of fate, Kira ended up in a car with her parents, Lenore and some woman named Mya that she seemed to know well. She had mostly silver white hair, with black and purple streaks in it. Her eyes were dark, and she had dark makeup around her eyes, and dark lipstick. The look suited her well. She looks so young, but she is the assistant to Patrick Zala, so she can't be as young as she appears.
I was directed into another vehicle, with Ethan, Victor, Athrun, Rusty, and Miguel. Just perfect. I thought as I rolled my eyes and took a seat next to Victor and Ethan. Rusty, Athrun and Miguel were seated in the row in front of us. I noticed then that Jacob was climbing into the front passenger seat, and an unknown man in a suit was driving.
A short second later the car was pulling away, and I had a sense that Zala wanted to say something, and I just waited, but he didn't. Instead it was his teammate, Miguel, that turned to look at us and asked, "So, one of you wanna tell me why Kira was crying so hard that I could hear her through the walls?" his tone was calm but there was an underlying current in it that spoke of a kind of protective rage. Oh, you're in for a nasty eye opener.
Ethan glared at him, "That's not your concern," he said simply.
"I think we deserve to know what caused her that kind of pain, we care about her as well you know!"
"If that's the case, then you need to be talking to Zala there. It's his fault she was crying." Jacob spoke from his place at the front, not turning around to look at us, but watching us all in the rearview mirror.
I saw Athrun's body tense as both his teammates and Victor's eyes cut over to him. Victor had a deep frown on his face, and it looked like he had something to say but he kept silent. "Athrun?" Rusty asked tenseness clear in his voice.
He stayed silent, and I was sure that I knew why. "What's wrong Zala?Don't wanna admit to it, that's fine. Kira told us all about how you said that you couldn't trust her. Even though she'd doing all of this because of you."
"Excuse you?!" Athrun snapped, "Where the hell do you get off saying-"
"Because she never would have joined, if you hadn't broken your promise to her not to!" I was rising from my seat, wanting to beat his face in and damn the consequences but as soon as I was rising I felt Ethan grab ahold of my shoulder and Victor grab my other side, restraining me.
Athrun was watching me, surprised. I saw Jacob shift in the front, ready to interfere if he had to. "Hayden, sit. back. down." he snapped at me, and I just glared at him. I shook off Victor and Ethan pulled me back down into the seat.
The rest of the ride was spent in a tense silence, the urge to beat the shit out of him sitting heavily with me. I could see the tenseness in his teammates as well.
"I don't like you." I said, glaring at the back of his head, "You've hurt Kira, and that is unforgivable."
"I don't care what you think of me, what is between Kira and I, is none of your business." he said softly.
"No, Zala. You made it my business when Kira came to me crying."
"Stay out of it." Athrun said before turning back to the front. The car stopped then, and we all got out quickly.
I glanced around and saw that Kira was talking to a young man, he looked about 19; and had short strawberry blonde hair. He had on a black uniform, it was a special division of ZAFT. He had his hands on Kira's arms and I noticed then that Athrun had noticed them too. Just as this thought crossed my mind, I saw that Kira threw her arms around him in a hug. Who's this guy? I wondered, it was unlike Kira to be so open except with people she knew really well.
I made my way over to them, and I wondered if Athrun was behind me. As I drew closer I could hear them talking.
"Josef! How have you been?!"
"I'm good Kira, you look great! And Congratulations on your graduation!"
"Thanks! I see you've been promoted since I saw you last."
"Yup, about a week after I saw you last. I was at the ceremony but I noticed that you had more than a few visitors. So I was just gonna catch up with you later."
"Well, I'm glad I saw you! I missed talking to you."
"Same here." he said with a smile, holding onto her hand.
I reached them then, glancing at their hands curiously, "Who's this Kira?" I heard Jacob asked, hearing the smirk in his voice.
I glanced to see why, and I saw that Athrun and his team were there as well. "Oh, this is Josef! I met him the day I enlisted, and we've been talking ever since." Kira said with a smile.
"Josef, these are my teammates, Jacob, Ethan and Alex. This is my fiancé, Athrun, and the rest of the Le Creuset team, Dearka, Yzak, Nicol, Miguel and Rusty." She said, gesturing to each one in turn. She didn't look at Athrun when she introduced him, and I think that everyone else noticed as well.
"Nice to meet you all," he said as he saluted, "And congratulation on your graduation. I know Thompson is a real pain in the ass. 90% of all the drop-outs and failures are due to him."
"I'd believe that. He's such a hard ass, I'd have gladly taken any other drill sergeant." Ethan was saying with a grin.
"I just gotta say, I'm not gonna miss his 0200 surprise inspections, then 10 miles in the freezing cold." Kira said, with a false smile.
"Right! He was terrible."
"Hey! We need to go," I said, seeing that Commander Le Creuset was gesturing at us and the building.
"Oh, well it was great to see you Josef!" Kira said hugging him once again, "Text me soon, kay?"
"Of course," he said as he left, and Kira led the way to the entrance of the restaurant."
End chapter 7.
The next update will be on September 6th! And we'll be meeting some new people!
Word Count: 3,374
