Title: Remember
Rating: K+
Warnings: Unbeta-ed, some OOC-ness, ignore character death
Genre: General, angst
Main Character(s): Rey, Kira
Ship(s): None.
Summary: It was the anniversary of the second Bloody Valentine War. One shot.
Disclaimer: Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed, Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed Destiny, characters and places are copyright to Hajime Yate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Sotsu Agency and Sunrise.
Author's Notes: I just love Angst!Rey too much. He makes a much cuter broody boy than Kira or Athrun.
It was the anniversary of the end of the second Bloody Valentine War; it was also the anniversary of Gilbert Dullindal's death, though not many will remember that. Everyone will remember that day had been the day that the year long war had ended, after claiming many casualties on both sides, friends, enemies, and allies. Nearly everyone had turned up at the memorial. The day had been declared a day of remembrance by Cagalli, as a day for everyone to remember their lost loved ones and to remember the reason why they should not engage in another senseless war.
The service had ended a little over 11, the crowd having disperse some time ago, leaving only the handful behind. The sky was overcast today, the wind blowing from the sea rather cold, signalling that another downpour would start soon. The weather had been unpredictable lately, one moment a false sunshine cheer and the next, a dreary rainy sky.
Rey crouched down to place the floret of irises among the many flowers that had been placed there earlier by the people; he had supplied his own white rose to the pile earlier but this one was personal. It was for the man that the world would rather forget and not remember, the man who will be forever etched in the pages of history as someone who had instigated the second Bloody Valentine War and who had broken off the already shaky alliance with ORB. PLANT's new chairman was now patching up the relationship between PLANT and ORB, once again, forming an alliance between the two.
He stood up, reaching up a hand to tuck the wayward hair behind his ear as he looked at the smooth marble surface of the cenotaph. Whoever had been commissioned to make this had been more than just talented, carving each and every name of person who had died in the two wars on the surface. The way the names were carved into the marble were done painstakingly and lovingly, as if the person wanted those who came to the cenotaph to remember them all.
PLANT was holding its own memorial service up there as well. He had seen it earlier on the news as he waited for Murrue and Mwu to be ready. He had wondered, as Murrue ushered him towards the front door, all the while saying they were going to be late, if those at PLANT will remember him today.
Perhaps not.
War heroes were remembered.
Those who instigated the wars were remembered but it's more like remembering the sour taste of lemons in your mouth. Or the bitterness of medicine on your tongue.
Men like Patrick Zala, Jibril and Gilbert Dullindal were remembered for their atrocities and their hands at the wars. They won't be remembered for whatever past greatness they had done or the smallest good deed they did in the past. No one will remember that.
Touching the cool surface of the cenotaph, Rey wondered if he will be remembered in the years to come, how he will be remembered by. Someone who is associated with Gilbert Dullindal, who fought against ORB's ideals? Or someone who had realized his mistake and is now trying to turn things around? Or just a clone of Rau Le Cruest and nothing more? He wondered, how was Gilbert remembered on this day?
He remembered it clearly like it was yesterday, his memories of the man whom he had come to respect and even love, as the father he never had. Gilbert never coddled him during his childhood, hardly ever need to hide the truth from him but there was only one time he did; when Rey had been seized by the sudden attack, and had wondered, wheezing and in pain, why. That was the first and last time Gilbert had ever lied to him that day. It was also the day that he knew he was different from everyone else.
Gilbert had been kind but his kindness had not extended beyond Rey or Talia. Everyone else around him was a pawn to be used accordingly in his plan, to set things in motion.
Rey had been a part of it, one of the pawns used until the last moment. Kira Yamato had broken that fragile belief of his existence, shattered it to tiny shards until he could never gather them back, had no choice but to move forward on his own two feet.
A shadow fell across him, and he saw who it was from the sideway glance.
Kira Yamato placed a single white rose on the pile, put his hands together in a prayer, head bowed briefly before lifting his head up.
"He will want to be remembered," he said, simply.
Rey smiled. Trust Kira to be empathetic enough to know and understand.
"I know he'll be glad to know that," said Rey, quietly.
Owari.