AN: Hi everyone, thank you to the few reviewers for sharing thier insights, they are truly appreciated. This chapter is just kind of one you have to get through to get to the good stuff. The following chapters are all ready for release, probably within a few days of this chapter's posting. The next one i am rather proud of, so let me know if you all wish to read it.
As always your reviews are very much welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for reading my story.
The sunlight pierced through the window and cast its radiance upon the room. In the bed three figures lay tightly cuddled together, the first of which began stirring awake. His eyes fluttered open, holding tightly the warm soft body which was pressed against him, not to mention a child caught in between. The flutter turned into a gasp as he finally realized…that there were three of them there.
'She's still asleep? But…but Lacus always wakes up before us. It must be late in the morning now, everyone must be worried.' He thought while he gazed lovingly onto his beloved's sleeping face. Her eyes remained tightly shut, her mouth open just a crack allowing her to breath though it making the cutest noise only a sleeping beauty was capable of.
Kira's half-grin was quickly amended into a frown. She was beautiful when she slept, especially when it was in his arms, still her face betrayed her no secrets sought by Kira. Even in her sleep, she managed to keep things veiled from him, yet he knew of their presence.
Lacus had acted strangely the past few days, though she felt her actions had gone unnoticed. Her countless stumbling over hurdles that weren't there, the worried glances that she quickly dismissed when she felt the eyes of another upon her, and now her oversleeping had alarmed Kira, forewarning him that he needed to find the answers he hunted.
He had confronted her once before, scared to death something was wrong. Of course Lacus would deny it never feeling worthy enough to have her problems shared, never wanting to agonize Kira with her strife as well. That was the first and only time she gave Kira a fake smile, the worst part being Kira knew it for exactly what it was.
Kira had endured through so much hardship in his life, a battle to the death with a lost friend, killing many for the sake of what's right, even the mind-games of his first crush. Those paled in comparison to the excruciating pain felt upon seeing her fake smile. It was the only face she had ever made that truly ached him.
A man who constantly hated confrontations, he dropped the matter but soon it became a problem that could be ignored no longer. He had to do something to help her; he couldn't remain so powerless anymore.
His mind overflowed with these thoughts, he didn't even notice her waken until she rested her dainty hand upon his cheek, a smile on her face, a genuine one.
"I love waking up to your gaze." She purred half-awake
This time in control of his body's reactions, Kira smiled and leaned over the sleeping child between them as best he could to give his love a peck on the cheek. 'I won't let her go through this alone, I love her too much' he thought determined to drive away her trials and tribulations.
"It will stay like that for as long as I remain in your favor my princess" he said, the smile so wide it was barely enclosed to just his face alone.
Lacus raised both eyebrows amused. She loved when he teased her like this, the way a boyfriend would tease his girl.
"Just stay my knight in shining armor…Sir Kira" she said in a dreamy voice openly forced, adding to the teasing. His smile took on a life of its own, as it spread like wildfire across his face. 'Her knight in shining armor….always.' He reached over and pulled aside a few locks of her soft sinuous hair behind her ears, letting the full loveliness of her face be rapt by all of his senses. Sometimes in these moments they shared, they forget that they were not actually alone.
All this rustling prompted a little brunette haired girl to stretch a little in her sleep, only to wrap her arms around her mommy, almost protectively. Adults could be so stupid at times while it was the children who always knew everything about everything. Even in her sleep she could perceive her mommy's distress and she was going to help, whether her mommy liked it or not.
"I think she likes you" he whispered still bound onto the eyes that drew him in.
"You were always her favorite though," she responded coyly as she remembered all the jealous looks she got from the girl whenever alone with Kira.
"I'm not the one she latched onto now am I?" a hint of jealousy hid in his voice. He truly had come to love her like he would a real daughter. But then again, wasn't she a real daughter to him anyways? With the feelings they held for one another it only made sense.
Lacus smiled down at the treasure wrapped around her. The little girl's true nature shown through when she slept, seeing as all the innocence displayed left no signs of a troublemaker. She kissed the top of her head, and let her continue to sleep where she lay. She rested her check against that hair, and closed her eyes while the sandman made yet another visit, causing mother and daughter to sleep the remainder of the morning away.
Kira rolled out of bed and onto to his feet, heading straight for the shower. Lacus might scold him later for letting her doze, but he couldn't bear to wake her up, not if she couldn't resist the urge to sleep herself. While adorning a robe he entered the hallway and stood still in horror.
The time! It was already noon! Classes should have started by now! He rushed to change, ran outside, and prayed the reverend had taken charge in their absence or Kira would have a pack of rowdy children to deal with. He couldn't let everyone in his life down…not again, not all on the same day.
Dressed in a very casual t-shirt he raced to the spot where classes were normally held, relieved by the melody of laughter that could only belong to kids. His relief cost him his balance, forcing him to fall forward just in front of the younglings who chuckled at their daddy's silliness.
The reverend aided Kira to his feet and spoke, "I'll leave the rest to you. Be sure to tend to her afterwards though..."
Kira was stunned. The reverend knew? He was about to ask but before he knew it, the man was already on his way back to the confines of the orphanage. He could only grin sheepishly at the children who awaited the explanation they knew they deserved.
"Sorry…guess I overslept huh? I'm saddened to say your mom isn't feeling well and won't be able to make it to class today so.."
It seems his habit to interrupt others in midsentence has been passed on to his kids as they all broke out in disappointed "awwws".
"But!" he broke in "She sends her love to you all, and that's me" he stated while he beamed proudly to his students.
That caused more than a few chuckles in the class, but this distraction had gone on long enough. Education was a serious matter.
"Now then, where were we in this lesson?"
The children perked up at the little joke, as it successfully lightened the mood. They all truly missed their mommy from the class, but it was just this once. Kira's heart was soon filled with the thrill of laughter as they had their fun that day, blissfully unaware of the heart that beat tormented in the house just beyond….
I hope i do not have to apoligize for this chapter. I promise the ones to follow are pretty good! They will be up soon. Please Read and Review! (seeing as reviewing without reading is just plain silly)