AN: Sorry it took me so long to update guys. Just wasnt all that inspired. Still wasn't when i wrote this, sorry. I hope the lenght is good enough. It has a bit more dialouge than i am used to so if stuff seems different and repetitive, go easy on me! Please read and review
I do not own the characters from Gundam Seed.
The pink-haired princess remained bored in her room awaiting the arrival of someone to occupy her time. She was no longer used to spending so much of her time alone anymore. The children and Kira often filled her with so much joy she never felt the isolation that should have accompanied the secluded island. She sat on the soft bed that was to be theirs this upcoming night with her legs dangling off the side like a childs. The thought weighed heavily upon the girl who wrinkled her soft brow in anticipation. It would be the first time the two shared such a thing alone.
She trusted Kira with her whole heart; it was her own emotions that clouded her judgement. A blush quickly ran to her already pinkish soft cheeks as she contemplated the mischief they could cause that evening. Her face quickly solemned when she realized the consequences of such actions. He was not ready, there was no way he could be.
Though in her heart of hearts she realized that even if he was, Kira would never seek to take advantage of Lacus, whether she was willing or not. She could sense that beneath his past there was a meek and shy boy who felt such things should be special, that such things should wait till marriage.
Her skin turned icy pale as one word danced around in the confines of her mind. Marriage. It was ridiculous to think of such things when they were so young, wasn't it? However wasn't she engaged to Athrun just a few years ago? But, times were different then. She was just a pawn in the chess game of politics unable to make her own moves. Now the choice lay in her hands. So where does that leave Lacus?
Of course she already knew the answer. More than anything she wanted to be Kira's as much as she wanted Kira to be hers. Whether or not they had a ring or a ceremony would make little difference to the princess so long as she could spend the rest of her life with the person she chooses, the person who chose her.
He had never said it, those three simple words. That was fine. Words meant nothing. Like her songs, Lacus cared little for the lyrics but rather the raw emotions inspired by hearing them. For people to experience what she did while she sang, that's what was important. No it didn't matter to her that Kira never said he loved her so long as she could feel the love emanating from his gentle touch and his welcoming kiss.
Her daze was shattered by the approach of footsteps that stopped right outside her door. They were slightly muffled but still seemed to be light on their feet. She peered on towards the door as curiosity mixed with the fleeting haze. The seconds passed yet no one announced their presence, no further sounds could be heard, and no explanation given.
"Please come in Captain Ramius. I am feeling a little awkward knowing you are just standing out there." Replied the princess in a flat tone.
A tall young woman with chestnut brown hair and a voluptuous figure slowly crept into the open doorway. Her gaze was directed to the floor only exposing an embarrassed smile. "How did you know it was me?"
Lacus plopped off the soft mattress and approached her old friend with open arms and a warm hug. She wrinkled her nose before she spoke, displaying as well as speaking her answer "Your perfume. You never changed it."
A single tear traced her cheek as it flowed down from the young captain's eye. "Yes, it was his favorite. He said it always smelled better on me than anyone else." Ramius' smile grew wider as she recalled fond memories of someone special from her past.
"I understand if you do not feel like speaking of him. I didn't mean to bring back such memories." Lacus was not fooled by her fake smile, a skill she had long ago mastered as a pop star.
The two sat side by side on the bed Kira and Lacus would share later that evening. No! She would not let those thoughts plague her mind yet again. There were matters to discuss with the captain. Matters the young Murrue Ramius obviously did not want Kira to overhear.
It was a funny sight, to see a young pink-haired beauty with a slender figure still on the cusp of her teenage years to sit facing an alluring brunette who had matured in many ways. One was raised the rich daughter of the former Chairman of Plant, while the other was raised in a more militaristic fashion on earth. The younger found a life with her music while the other made her service her creed. And while one had finally found the love of her life, the other had lost the first man she ever let herself fall for.
These two had little in common yet so much to share. Like Murrue, Lacus too found herself thrust in charge of a ship to manage a crew who thrived and trusted in her leadership. Like Lacus, Murrue too found a man to be her knight and her love and lead the front lines into battle.
They both knew of the pains and stress involved with assuming the role of a leader, a niche neither gained through favorable circumstances. Despite their obvious physical differences their minds were almost of one being, connected by a bond that only battles could forge.
The captain's hands rested upon her lap as she focused upon them with her eyes. Her lips struggled with the thoughts she found hard to vocalize.
'She is just like Kira in some ways. I guess that's why Kira always talks about her like she was his older sister that he never knew he had' Kira always maintained that he was older than Cagalli, just to tease his twin like any good brother should.
"What is troubling you so much captain?" Lacus already felt she knew the answer. Few things could keep her companion so quiet.
"Lacus…I" She cleared her throat mid-sentence, and changed the topic she had on mind. "How has Kira been since moving out to the orphanage with you? I hope he has been able to control himself having someone as ravishing as you around."
Lacus giggled as she used one hand to cover her mouth. She couldn't help but wonder why so many people felt her too sweet and innocent to take the offensive with her weary knight. While she was not one to seduce she was still a young girl with needs and fantasies. All of them involved a certain young man with chocolate brown hair and deep penetrating violet eyes.
"I see you and Bartfeldt think quite alike. Kira has treated me just like a lady." Her smile drew a mischievous nature upon it. "Though I am helping him change that, just a little bit."
Captain Ramius was nothing short of astonished. She stared wide-eyed at the princess that sat before her wondering if her hearing had failed at such a young age. Lacus continued to giggle at the captain's expense, thrilled by the reaction she had stirred.
"Lacus! I never thought, wow. I guess I shouldn't be surprised it took you to initiate anything. Kira was always so shy around girls. Well, most girls. So I take it things are getting serious between you two?" Murrue could see love between the two before Kira and Lacus could admit it to one another. When you found the right one, why take time to dawdle?
"Well Kira is still getting better. Those dreams…They never stopped but they don't haunt him as often anymore. I just don't want to rush him into things faster than he would want them to go." She had called Murrue a few days after finding out about his dreams. She relied on Murrue's strength and experience to help them both through the hard times to come. Despite her role in ending the last war, she was ill prepared to deal with the aftereffects the combatants were damned with.
Captain Ramius' voice was now that of concern "And Lacus, what about you? Has everything been ok?" It was never easy to bare ones own burden, harder still to share that of another's.
Lacus slowly turned her head and looked out the open window that let some daylight break through. Outside she could hear the chirping of birds to welcome the onset of the afternoon accompanied by a slight brisk breeze. "I am doing fine, thank you. Kira…he helped me, protected me. Just like he always does for everyone." Her voice wavered as she spoke with memories of the war rushing to her mind.
The captain's guilt was quickly consuming her. "Lacus, does he…does he hate me for putting him through such things?"
The princess would not turn her head to face her, instead only shook her head slowly. "No, of course not. You never forced him to do anything. Kira did what he felt needed to be done. It would have killed him to have just stayed onboard the ship knowing he could help but lacked the courage to do so. Helping people is just what Kira did."
Murrue sighed when she realized Lacus would not make things easy for her. She unintentionally segued the conversation to the topic she both intended and feared.
"Lacus, we need you both to help yet again." Her voice was hurried
The princess would respond in a stern voice she long forgot she had as she continued to gaze out the window. "I said that's what Kira did, captain." Her fears were realized.
The captain looked away from the young girl accompanying her, finding even the back of her head too agonizing to look at. "I'm sorry. Its just, well, you know how things are looking right now. You and Kira wouldn't be here looking for answers if you didn't."
"I won't let him go through that hell again. He paid his dues. He served the greater good. He protected his friends as best he could. And for all his troubles he was left without a nights peace." Lacus' resolve was absolute.
"Lacus please, try to understand! We are not asking either of you to fight like before. Just, well we need your support. Cagalli is being overwhelmed by the other houses of orb. Athrun could only do so much as the infamous pilot of Justice since he could never show his face, but as I am sure you are well aware, there is a reason there are no coordinators in the leading houses of Orb."
The captain's words rang true with Lacus. Despite the seemingly welcoming nature of Orb to people of all skin color, race, or genetics, the ruling families were all naturals. It was an issue easily overlooked during the times of war when all in the country were satisfied to remain independent to the massive conflict.
"Yes I heard what Athrun had to do in order to help Cagalli. I am saddened to hear that even Orb is not as welcoming to the words of a coordinator as I hoped. But what makes Kira any different? He is a coordinator too. The council has no more reason to listen to either him or myself." Lacus could only hope Murrue had overlooked the obvious.
Murrue Ramius was soon abandoning all rationale and was dominated by a pleading voice. "But no one knows what the Pilot of Freedom looks like. All anyone knows is that he fought under your command to help end the war. You had both coordinators and naturals in your faction and the Freedom resembled Orb mobile suits. No one would have to know he is a coordinator. The fact his TWIN sister is a natural would provide more proof." Hoping had not been enough.
"Ramius, we…he would never have his privacy ever again. You know why Athrun had to remain hidden so long as he had that name. Kira isn't well enough to handle that kind of pressure yet. But you know that. You knew how this conversation would go, didn't you? That's why you asked me instead of talking to Kira yourself, isn't it? That's why you hid from us when Kira and I arrived earlier today." Lacus tried her best to avoid sounding accusing, but her passion overcame her attempts in matters related to Kira.
Murrue hadn't expected to have been found out so easily by someone so young at heart. Her cheeks reddened with shame having been caught within her deceit. "How did you know I was there?"
With her slender pale arm, Lacus tapped her nose with one finger. "Your perfume. I could smell it nearby. You're lucky Kira is hopeless when it comes to such things." Lacus was more right than she would have liked to admit. She often tried to gain his attention by using different alluring scents, all equally failed the task at hand. Kira more than made up for it when he said he preferred her natural scent over anything else. It was just another reason she loved him.
The captain's voice tried to display the appreciation she held. "Thank you…for not telling Kira. I couldn't face him without knowing how he felt about me…the guilt, it would have been too much."
"And what of the guilt you should feel now captain? Do you think you will be able to face him now?" The captain felt like she was being berated by a superior officer, not the innocent looking young girl who was beside her.
Ramius looked on in disbelief. Where she expected to find comfort and reassurance she met a harsh and commanding tone. "Lacus…I"
"I understand that without Mwu things have changed, you've changed. But Captain Ramius it is now that things need to stay the same more than ever before. Before you never once asked Kira to fight when he did not want to. You would have never tried to use me to change his mind. We need the Captain Ramius that guided Kira through those perils, the one whose concern for him trumped all else. Your intentions now were noble, but so were those of the Atlantic Federation before they activated Cyclops. So were those of Patrick Zala when he fired his weapon to protect Plant. The road to hell is paved with good intentions Captain Murrue Ramius formerly of the Atlantic Federation. You must decide what path you walk before asking for help traversing down it."
The captain meekly stood up, still in disbelief to have been lectured by someone so many years her younger. She understood now more than ever why Kira was so much in love with her. "I'm sorry." She made her way slowly over towards the door as she left with more wisdom than she came in with.
Her walk was halted as two arms wrapped around her waist and a shapely figure forced herself into a comforting hug around the young captain. The sweet angelic voice that suited the young princess so well returned. "Don't worry too much Murrue. Everything will be ok in the end. We will get through this. I know since he died everything has felt different, but remember. You have friends. You have family with us."
The captain let tears escape from the brig of her eyes as she cried freely onto the head of the one who provided her with comfort, which was buried into her chest. Lacus looked up at Ramius with giant watery orbs of blue. "Murrue, would you like to hear of our life at the orphanage? Maybe I can convince you to visit us after we go back."
With a slight sniffle to stifle her, the brunette responded. "Yes, I would love to."
The two who had nothing and everything in common would fill the room with bliss and laughter as they recounted the silliness of the past year, leaving behind them the troubles of the world outside. It was not the orphanage that provided safety or comfort. Not the walls, the ocean or even the solitude that their beloved island could offer was the source of their sanctuary, but the memories made and shared with friends new and old. They took their sanctuary with them wherever they went, so long as they had friends.
Ok, so please don't be too hard on me! I tried my best but i just wasn't feeling it. I figured i should release something right? Well let me know what areas warrent improvment. Thanks for your support. Please review, i enjoy all comments.