Tenth Gesture:

Side by Side

The air was cool to the feel as light breezes woke him from his slumber. His eyelids flickered and in nearness, his orbs started to show. First peeking through, then after a whole minute, opening them fully yet somewhat lazily. Emanating from the half-opened window sill, he straightened his back as he scratched the side of his head. It wasn't a particularly good morning, or wake up call to him for that matter.

As he stretched both his arms side wards, his eyes wandered to that lump on his bed. Her pink locks lay unfashioned by his pillow as the clear white blanket hovered around her body.

From where he sat, he could see how peaceful her face seemed. She wore this slight smile on her face and he wondered could she be dreaming something pleasant. He smiled.

It was not long ago when she first entered his room without his knowing and not soon after when he actually had the courage to voice out his thoughts.

"Aren't you glad I'm back?" she spoke as she noticed the unexplainable expression on his face. Still holding on that bouquet, he stood idly as his eyes gazed on hers.

She pouted her cutest when all he could do was give her a muffled and unclear reply. She giggled softly at his uncanny demeanor; she knew he was not used to receiving unexpected visitors in his room especially at such late an hour.

But somehow there was something about her presence that made his stomach tingle and his heart skip a beat. Clearing his throat, he spoke with utmost clarity.

"Of course, I am."

She momentarily looked around his room and he was sure she was taking mental notes. And he figured, she never really did enter his room thus she had no idea at all what it actually looked like.

"Oh, here…before I forget." He then held out the flowers as she graciously took it from him before replying a short "thank you".

When the silence seemed unbearable, she faced him once more, after taking a dragging while to look into the roses.

"So…it's pretty late…I guess, I'll have to…" she can't seem to find the words, she was indeed stuttering. How ironic, he was the only person she ever stuttered to. Gesturing her hand to the door as she said these, she looked at the floor, taking in the details of the shined wood. She could feel he was staring at her and his gaze felt intense on her skin.

"Sure…it's all right." Somehow knowing what she was about to say, he replied. He was feeling awkward himself. It was a different feeling, seeing someone he missed for so long and finally getting to actually see her. She then walked towards the door and before fully turning the knob, she turned once more.

"Good night." With a smile, the said door slowly creaked open. She then stepped outside, as the same started to close.

"Lacus…"

"Yes?" He then approached her. He was rather breathing a bit to hard and his pitch sounded a little shy from desperate.

His purple irises looked straight into hers as he tried to calm himself down.

"Since, it's pretty late…and surely the room you've been occupying is locked. I mean, the reverend is sleeping and he's the one who's keeping your keys…what I'm saying is that, it would be a hassle to wake him up, the kids might wake up as well, and then, I'll have to put them to bed, but then, come to think of it…"

"Kira…stop. Relax…it's just me…" she suddenly interrupted as he started to mutter some words incessantly, fully aware of the nervousness that showed in his voice. She then took hold of his hand which held on to the knob.

"Now, tell me, what is it really that you're pointing out to?" in a calm manner, she asked as soon as she felt the said young man loosen up a bit.

"It might sound a little…weird or un-gentleman-likely, but, I was wondering, if you don't mind, 'cause I actually don't…" he then closed his eyes while clearing his thoughts. She waited patiently as anticipation welled up within her.

"…what I'm saying is, would you mind staying the night with me?" he tightened his hold on her hand.

He stood up as he let the blanket slide down his body. He cautiously approached her sleeping figure while taking a sit on the side of the bed's cushion. He watched as she inhaled and exhaled monotonously and adorned how her hair fell smoothly on the mattress.

He knew his head sill ached and his body still a little too stressed from the position he slept in, and the bed did look inviting, but then, he thought it was improper to lay himself beside her without her consent. He didn't want her to get the notion that he's somewhat taking advantage of the situation (which come to think of it, he did when he stole that kiss from her).

He sighed.

She moved a bit as her eyes started to open slowly. Fully registering the person who sat beside her, she gave him a smile.

"Good morning…" she was first to greet as her eyes shifted to the window.

"…you really don't have to wake up just yet. I mean, it's still early in the morning."

"Is that so…"

As she returned her attention to the brunette, she noticed the slight dark circles which made their mark around his eyes.

"You don't look like you had a good night's rest." She commented as he started to blush. He knew he should've fixed himself first before letting her see him in such state.

"Don't worry about me."

"I guess I've disturbed you far enough…"

"No, not at all, I mean, this was my idea after all." He looked at her with such assurance that the guilt she felt within started to fade. She knew she had deprived him of the privilege on sleeping in his bed. And somehow, she only thought of one way to amend for it, though she knew there was some resistance from her body.

She then straightened her back as she sat up and faced him.

"Kira, I guess I have to go now…"

He wasn't expecting her to say such a thing as he shook his head and held her shoulders delicately.

"You need your rest. And you can't fool me if you say you already had one completely."

"But…you look awful…and…"

"Lacus, don't worry about me. All right?"

"Then, we should at least switch places…you sleep on the bed and I'll just stretch on the couch."

Kira chuckled at her persistence. He shrugged his shoulders and was posing to stand up.

"No need for that…I'm, let's just say, fond of the couch…"

But as soon as he lifted himself up, Lacus grabbed his shirt and pulled it by force, not knowing she applied too much force on it that he lost his balance and eventually…

THUG!

Well, he ended up with his back on the mattress - - - just above Lacus' legs…

Worriedly and still in awe of what just happened, the pink-haired stooped over Kira who wore this pained expression on his face. Luckily, the impact wasn't that a hurdle since the blanket provided much space to smoothen the contact.

"Kira…Kira, are you all right?" full of concern, she stared at his face with a hand on his chest and the other on his cheek, trying desperately to make him react somehow. She adjusted her position so that her legs wouldn't hinder his back from the cushion. As she did so, Kira found himself loosening up a bit.

"I'm all right…" she finally heard him whisper as he laughed hard afterwards. She didn't find anything funny at all, but somehow, his laughter was infectious as she too shared the warmth.

Arranging her position, she laid her body right next to Kira's as their heads remained inches away from each other's. Still giggling from the previous commotion, she looked at the side of his face as he had his eyes fixed on the ceiling. Obviously, he found the soft bed lulling him to sleep as his eyes started to close.

"Isn't this better? It's a win-win situation, don't you think?" as she said this, she too stared at the same direction as his and closed her eyes abruptly.

"So, three hours of rest won't be too much, isn't it?"

"I guess so." She spoke as though she found the drowsiness seeping into her being once more.

He turned to her side and noticed how calm her face looked like…especially at this proximity. Somehow, he felt the same tingling sensation as he started to blush. He never found himself in such a position with her.

Slowly, he closed the gap between them, attempting to kiss her cheek which looked so enticing to his lips. As he closed his eyes, he could by then feel the distance shortening as his heart anticipated the gesture.

"Oh, Kira, before I forget…" she turned to face him but it was a second too late as his intentional kiss on her cheek ended up on her…lips.

Her eyes widened as she was cut off by a slight force, and he felt this too as he quickly opened his eyes. Both's cheeks went wildly red as he quickly stopped the contact and turned on his side at once - - his back on Lacus.

Thoughts rushed down his mind as he remembered the first time he kissed her on her sleep. As she looked on at his contemplating figure, she remembered the same gesture she gave him before. These thoughts and memories caused them to act a little too shy.

She too turned on her side, not really knowing what to say. It was an accident, she thought, but then, was he doing what she thought he was doing? He was intending to kiss her…wasn't he?

"Lacus?"

"Kira?"

Both spoke at once, and found this coincidence a bit humorous as they momentarily shared a laughter.

"Sorry, go ahead…" he replied.

"Well, as I was saying a while ago…"

"Yes, you were saying something when I…I mean, continue…" he spanked his mind as he made a mental note not to interfere her words again. Somehow, the coherent strings of knowledge in his head began to evaporate.

"…I just want to say sleep tight."

His heart sank, he was at least expecting a reaction from her for what he did. But then, he was grateful at the same time – the gesture was completely his shame. He'd die if it were to be put up again in the future.

"And Kira…"

"Yes?"

His eyes opened startled as he listened on.

"Thank you for my morning kiss."

Hearing this, he turned to her side and unbelievingly looked at her back. Concluding that she may have fallen asleep, he simply lifted the blanket over their shoulders and faced his side, while replying a soft "you're welcome" in between breaths.

He didn't see it, but as she was certain he was on his way to the dream land, she caressed her lips as a smile painted her face. She was still blushing from the warmth as it left a pleasant feeling all over her. Unexplainable yet intoxicating.

And though it lasted a mere second, that second would eventually define the next two hours,fifty-nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds of their well-put "nap".

end

A/N: Yeah, I know. There's too much mushiness and redundancy in this one but I guess I liked it more that way. Oh, and I'm not intending to put on any AC or PC headings, I'm kinda lazy these days. Thanks!