Title: Smiles for the Future
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama/General
Pairings: Kira/Lacus, Ssigh/Fllay, implications of past Kira/Fllay
Word Count: 728
Summary: A chance meeting on a memorable day.

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It had been one year.

Standing in the quiet cemetery, they'd met again. It wasn't planned, it was merely fate. Then again, it wasn't all that strange that they would both show up here on that day. The day- a year later from the war's ending. The location, the grave of a girl named Fllay Allster.

At first, Kira had been surprised to know that the grave existed. He'd known Fllay had already lost her parents, but it appeared that some other relative had put up a gravestone in her name as well. He'd come, as Lacus suggested, to help put the past behind him.

It was as he stood there that the other young man approached; in his arms was a bouquet of flowers, tinted glasses perched on his nose.

"Kira?"

The brown-haired boy turned, eyes looking far older than his friend last remembered them to be.

"Ssigh?" He questioned in return.

The boy nodded, "I see you came to see her."

Kira hung his head, "I came to say goodbye."

At first, Ssigh was somewhat alarmed by those words. He'd heard stories of survivor's guilt becoming so severe that the victims of it took their own life. True, he really didn't think Kira to be that type; but as those worn eyes so told him, Kira had changed a lot in the past year.

"Goodbye?" Ssigh asked, walking up beside him. Laying down his flowers, he turned to his friend, "Why are you saying goodbye?"

"I need to let go of my past, so I can start moving forward again."

Ssigh nodded quietly, relieved to hear that the boy was still trying his best to be optimistic. That of course, he knew Kira owed to the pink-haired songstress of ZAFT. She'd saved Kira in more ways then perhaps Kira himself even knew.

"I need to forget..." Kira murmured, and at that Ssigh could no longer stay silent.

"You can't!"

Innocence shown through violet eyes as Kira blinked at the sudden outburst.

Ssigh smiled thoughtfully, looking down at the gravestone. His voice now holding an air of calm wisdom to it, "You can put it behind you, move forward; but never forget her. When someone dies, they can live on in the memories of people who knew them. So for her sake, we must remember. That way...she'll keep living."

Kira paused, hesitating a moment before he reached out and placed a comforting hand on Ssigh's shoulder.

"You loved her, didn't you?"

Ssigh nodded.

"I'm sorry," Kira murmured.

Ssigh shook his head, "Don't be. She wouldn't want you to suffer anymore," He fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Fllay would be happy to see us here like this, back together as good friends."

"She would. Do you..." Kira stopped, finding his question sudden out of place.

"What?"

"Lacus...would Fllay..."

Returning Kira's earlier gesture, Ssigh reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Fllay would want you to live, love and be happy. If being with Lacus makes you happy, then I'm sure- she'd be happy for you."

A slight smile tugged at Kira's lips, "Good."

Ssigh looked off towards the path he'd come on, "I guess that's what happens after war. There are a lot of unanswered questions. A lot of unsaid goodbyes. A lot of people we never see again..."

"Then we must rebuild our hearts and minds and work towards a better future. In time, we can live in peace again," Kira spoke up.

Beside him, Ssigh chuckled a bit to himself, "Looks like I agree with Fllay's sentiment. Lacus is one of the best things for you right now."

Kira smiled; something Ssigh noted- this time was a genuine Kira-smile like from the days before the war.

"I think you're both right."

The two looked to the grave, each silently telling Fllay how they'd been and what had happened since she'd left them. The sun began to set in the distance, a signal to them both that it was time to go.

Heading back up the path, Ssigh spoke up, "Do you need to go back or can you stop somewhere with me for dinner?"

"Dinner would be nice. We can catch up on things," Kira said, his hopeful smile still gracing his face.

And looking down on the two friends, a red-haired girl smiled; wishing them both happiness and smiles in the future.

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