AUTHOR's RANT (kinda spoilerish if you havent seen destiny?): GAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH. After delaying it for literally weeks upon weeks (prolly months) i finally saw the last 6 eps of destiny (final plus ending) and i am just raging! What's the matter with the director? What does it take for Kira and Lacus to get some more decent screen time. AND WHAT WAS WITH ALL THE FLASHBACKS IN THE LAST FEW EPISODES? the fact TSR didnt end the way i wanted it does help BUT BAAAAAAHHHHH. So many lose ends. And man o man, if they try another one of those acts where kira plays a smaller 3rd party role for most of the season with little air time with Lacus in tee 3rd season, i may have to hurt someone. sigh thats why i kept off finishing destiny for so long.
Authors Note: Now then, after i got that out of my system...sorry, but literally just saw the end to destiny and now im posting this. So yeah, still uninspired. This chapter probably has some OOCness to it and lacks the depth and imagery i originally intended, but i wanted it released today seeing as i will be out of town on business and such from friday till sometime next week. I hope its not to bad, so please read and review.
The city was far nosier than Kira remembered. More people roamed the streets in huddled masses. More vehicles sped through the area as if their very lives depended on reaching their destination on time. It was as if a new hurried life was breathed back into this city, the destruction it suffered from years past now long forgotten. It was not his city anymore. It was not the same city he grew up in as a child with his adopting parents before being sent off to Heliopolis for further studies.
Kira always wondered what it would be like to return to his hometown as a hero, only no one knew who he truly was. It was not like he expected parades or a monument but everyone has a little ego that needed to be fed sometimes. Giving up the fame and wealth was worth it to Kira. His anonymity allowed him freedom that he could not otherwise have such as the simple pleasure of sitting in a crowded café with only a chair and a full cup to keep him company.
He stared down at the hot black liquid and smirked as he could think of only one person. Lacus. He took to heart a picture of her smile that was forever embedded within him. He drowned out the ruckus of the traffic as the melody of her laughter mixed with the sweet sound of her voice filled his ears. Her voice, her songs….
Did she have any regrets? A potential life, a career thrown aside for his sake alone. Her life was no longer filled with fancy dinners, lavish luxuries, and screaming fans all awaiting a glimpse of her. She sacrificed everything to take care of him. Her wealth, her power, her fame. Just because these were things Kira could do without didn't mean it was what she wanted. It was a no doubt a topic that would worry him until Lacus herself gave him a direct answer.
His smirk melted into a worried frown when he realized the consequences of having such a conversation. There was always a chance she may leave their island, however small. Kira knew she never would but that wouldn't subdue his apprehension.
What of the world? Did they too not need their pink-haired princess to restore peace and hope to the land? Kira could only fight to protect his friends. Lacus inspired all to seek a better future. If the world needed her once more could he really stand in the way for his own selfish reasons?
Should the unlikely ever happen, Kira knew he would follow her wherever her travels brought her and bring with him all the children who wished to join them. Didn't the kids more than anyone to deserve a life of riches, a life that offered them every advantage after all they have been through?
It would never come down to that, so why did the thought linger on his mind? Perhaps every man has a fear, however slight that his better may leave him for something else. Maybe it was the fear that she may come to regret not pursuing her passion. There would be only one way to find out. If she could sacrifice so much for his sake, he could certainly do the same for her.
At least it meant he would not have to fight anymore. She would be surrounded with more than enough security, enough to put his mind at ease regarding her safety, or so he kept telling himself. He knew that no matter what he told himself, he would always be scarred something may happen to her. Nothing would ever come to harm her, it couldn't. Kira needed Lacus to much to let something happen.
These thoughts tortured Kira's mind, a memento why he rarely desired to return to the mainland. He liked the island. It was like his own little world that existed outside of reality. Kira was never troubled by these thoughts in particular there, not with Lacus by his side.
His mind was so immersed into this torrent of worries that he never noticed a young man slip into the chair across from him. A red cap partially covered his bluish hair with dark shades that hid his bright green vivid eyes. He waited patiently to be noticed, speaking only once he realized his old friend was captured deep in thought.
"The coffee is pretty good here you know. You might want to try drinking some instead of just looking at it all day."
The young brunette never averted his gaze from the cup. The steam long since stopped dancing away from his beverage. "It wouldn't taste the same. They don't know how I like it." He smiled as he spoke.
It was silly, Kira realized that much. But he just didn't want to drink the coffee if Lacus had not first taken a sip like she always does. She made everything come alive, made everything taste better. He knew now more than before that her lips were truly…magical. Sure it was just a cute little ritual that the two underwent everyday but to Kira, it was more. It was special. Something the two of them shared only with each other. Even with his mind so deeply troubled he could not extinguish his thoughts of her.
Of course there was no way Athrun could have know about this "Then why did you order it in the first place?"
"They wouldn't let me stay here all day if I didn't buy anything." Kira looked up at his friend and was welcomed with a smile.
"Kira. You seem to be doing well." That stern tone immediately bothered him. Now was not the time to discus fond memories.
"No time for pleasantries? I suppose you could be called back to duty rather soon." Why was his friend so serious? This was not the gathering of comrades he earlier imagined.
"I'm sorry, but I could get called back anytime. There are things we need to discuss before we have time to catch up. I can only guess that you realize the state things are in." Athrun's voice was quick and calculated, time was of the essence.
So this how their little reunion would start. That was fair enough to Kira. Perhaps the sooner he got his information the sooner he could put some worries behind him. He had hoped to treat this trip to the mainland as a little getaway for him and his beloved. Some would call the life he lived now a vacation in paradise, one he and his intended decided they needed a short break from.
"Cagalli is in trouble isn't she? I was worried things would turn out this way. What's going on?" He had offered to help his sister behind the scenes, aid she quickly turned down. If Lacus could protect Kira, so would Cagalli. In her words, it was the job of an older sister.
"Her father had his fare share of enemies. Enemies that would just as easily seek their revenge upon his kin. Kira, she's not suited for this kind of political life. The ruling families are treating her as a pawn and she feels powerless to fight it. She needs help Kira." There were only so many places this conversation could go and Kira was brilliant even by coordinator standards.
"Isn't that why you have made those changes to your life?" His earlier worries were now buried in his memories. Only one thought dominated his mind now 'Please Athrun, don't ask me. Don't ask me.'
"Kira she needs your help. I can only do so much. Please, will you help her?" The inadequacy he felt was apparent in his voice. Kira knew how Athrun felt about his sister. Their relationship was far more obvious than the one he shared with Lacus.
Kira would have to speak with resolve, the kind he only had now when Lacus was with him. Since that wasn't an option, her strength would have to live on in his thoughts of her. "I'm sorry Athrun, but I cannot help her, not that way. This isn't an arena I can fight in. You grew up in that kind of life. You of all people should be able to guide her where I cannot." It wasn't easy to admit that Kira was unable to help one of his friends. It was the one part of himself he came to rely on.
However part of being a leader was realizing where your weaknesses lay. He could only do more harm than good by trying to help Cagalli. Athrun had to know this much, he was his best friend. So why would he ask…
Kira failed to hide the accusation in his voice directed towards his friends. Surely Athrun had not expected Kira would do that! "Tell me the truth. What do you really want? Or whom I suppose is the better question."
Now it was Athrun's turn to gaze down "I suppose I should have realized you would find me out. Worth a shot either way. Listen Kira, I'm sorry but..." He was interrupted when an overly friendly waitress asked if there was anything he wanted. The sultriness shrouded within her voice insinuated far more than she said.
Without looking at her Athrun dismissed the waitress and took no notice of the folded napkin she left on the table. Kira would not give him the chance to continue.
"Don't worry. I'm not mad. We both knew I would figure out whose help you really needed. But you know why I can't help you." So it was true, Kira's compassion was in fact infinite. As was his determination to avoid all conflict should it be within his ability to do so.
"I know I know. It's just that with her help, Cagalli would finally gain some more support with the council. Kira, would you at least think about it?" It was unlike Athrun to sound so desperate.
"No Athrun. I won't. She was used once as just a tool in politics and she hated it. I won't be the one to ask her to do that again. If you want her help Athrun, you will have to ask her yourself. But we both already know you won't." Athrun shared the turmoil Lacus had growing up. The only blessing to arrive was the two had found friends in each other as kids.
"I know Kira, it's just. This is Orb. We should be welcome here. This is your home, where your friends live. You know you want to help your friends anyway you can, it's in your nature Kira. That's the kind of person you are. You can't deny your identity." Athrun never gave up easily once he made up his mind, a trait he shared with Cagalli. Kira did not even want to think about the arguments aired between those two, surely no council meeting could ever have been faced with such mass destruction.
"No I can not deny my identity, Alex Dino of Orb." Athrun's eyes glazed over as he recalled his conversation with Lacus on Plant while being struck in a voice drenched with an all too familiar accusation. She sat all alone in an abandoned opera house, her hair done up in pigtails. He remembered thinking she was like a cute little girl trapped within a woman's body. It seems much of Lacus had rubbed off on his best friend. Just how much would have stunned the blue haired soldier.
"So you will not help us?"
"You don't need my help Athrun, neither does Cagalli. You have the strength to embark on what needs to be done, but you can't do it as Alex Dino the bodyguard. That's not who you are. The world needs Athrun, the leader. They need his strength, his courage, his will to see Justice thrive in even the bleakest of moments. More than anything else they need his resolve."
Athrun sat speechless in front of his friend. The past year had not been kind to either yet only one of them gained the wisdom they both deserved. "Athrun you saw what needed to be achieved in the last war and did it. It was your choice, your will that confronted your father and destroyed Genesis. It was neither me nor Lacus. But now you're confused, I know, but you must find some way to help."
"I am a coordinator Kira. Nothing I say will change that. The council is run by arrogant men who refuse to open their eyes to the problems approaching them. Tensions increase everyday and yet they sit idly by." Kira could taste the passion return to his words. There was the Athrun he had befriended so many years ago.
"I am not asking you to reveal your true identity. I have no right to after hiding my own for so long." Kira would never ask another something to a task he refused to do himself "But your name is just that. A name. I am speaking of the person, not the title. Find your resolve Athrun. Find it and harness it."
Athrun sought to speak once more but was interrupted as his pager beeped. He immediately sought to answer it and drew a somber look upon his face.
"I'm sorry Kira. Our meeting here will be cut short. Please send her my regards. I'm sorry I was unable to spend more time with you."
Athrun stood up from his seat and turned around to walk back to his car, but was stopped midway when a gentle yet firm hand was pressed against his shoulder. He turned around to return the hug shared between friends, comrades in arms.
He wasn't able to extend his thanks to Kira, for helping him in ways he had not imagined. No, Kira could not return to the battle, be it in the field or in the court. The warrior within was not a side Kira nourished, a side that Athrun could tell never fully healed. The past year was not time enough.
Kira had paid his dues. He had fought the good fight. Now it was Athrun's turn. He had to take charge where his friend could not. Kira had advised as best he could leaving it up to Athrun to follow through. He departed from his violet eyed friend knowing what he must do, but unsure if he could or how to accomplish it. Cagalli. She was the answer. What was it about women that gave them the power to single-handedly turn the world upside down?
With Athrun's departure Kira once again found himself alone yet surrounded by people. He checked the watch he brought with him which alerted him of the time. It was still fairly early in the afternoon and he was not to be expected for hours to come.
Still unsure about how to feel in regards to his meeting with Athrun forced him to suspect whether the advice he had gifted Athrun held the right answers. Kira couldn't help but feel he turned his back towards his friend and sister, an act of cowardice he assumed he could never do. Had he not just accused Athrun of changing when it was true that he himself was not the man he was just a year ago?
Though the truth was Athrun had been shaken. He lacked the zeal that drove him to fight his best-friend years ago when he served under ZAFT, the same fervor he found when piloting the Justice as part of the three ships alliance.
Kira couldn't help but feel he knew why. Lacus. When she was near the world no longer felt the cold cruel place all felt it to be. Just as she had done for Kira, she had given Athrun the tenacity he needed.
He certainly had fallen for a very exceptional woman. There was no doubt in his mind that should her safety be threatened he would once again take up arms to protect her, though now he lacked the sword to do so..
An idea struck him as his mind inevitably fell back towards the pink-haired beauty. Realizing he would have only one chance to give life to his idea, Kira burst into action not leaving a single second wasted. While Kira had one more appointment to make before he intended to return home, this task ranked first in his mind.
He quickly paid the bill and darted off in search for a store that had the item he was looking for. Kira ran from window to window peering in, never discouraged when he saw the stores lacked the piece he wanted. Since his emotions clouded his judgment, it never occurred to the young hero to enter the store and merely ask for help.
His hasty search quickly ensnared hours as the sun's reign dwindled that day, each store lacking that one special article that so far only existed in his mind. Then finally as the hour drew near, he saw it out of the corner of his eye stuck behind a store's display window. It was perfect, as if a sculptor picked away at the cluttered thoughts in his mind leaving only the perfection of that dress materialized just a few yards away.
Lacus often turned a pouty lip to Kira whenever she bought new clothing. With every dress she actively sought his approval and determine his taste, only to receive a mere "That looks good too" every time. His words were always sincere but he failed to show his enthusiasm in ways Lacus had hoped. Maybe this would show the young princess that he had more than a few surprises left with him.
However it did mean he would see her soft pink lips pursed in such a fashion less often. That was alright. Surely a man of Kira's intellect could devise a few plans to make her lips come together in such a fashion again, with far more gratifying results.
In the window a mannequin was fitted with a short sleeveless dress that would expose the long silky legs he knew Lacus had. The raven colored dress shimmered as the fleeting rays of sunlight reflected off it reminded him of the stars he and Lacus found themselves gazing at night after night in their special time reserved just for one another. The edges were outlined by a bluish purple color he knew Lacus would adore, followed by a pink lining. The dress was accentuated by black arm warmers that dared to trick the eyes into feeling they exposed more than they hid. Finally Kira could see Lacus' slim waist accented by the pink wrapping that curved around it, sporting a bow in front.
It was perfect. Lacus would make that dress look breathtaking, just like everything else she wore. He quickly ran into the store just in time to catch the clerk ready to close up shop. Luck was on his side as the clerk had often seen that desperate plea on the faces of many gentlemen and agreed to stay open a few moments longer in order to help the young man.
He purchased the dress without taking into consideration Lacus' size knowing that in such situations, it would just be right. He left the store with a rectangular white box fitted with a red bow with hints of gold. The store had run out of pink. The priceless smile he would see on Lacus' face made any woes he encountered on the mainland well worth the effort. It was the first time he had ever bought her anything. It was like that last little tidbit missing from their relationship that made him feel like they were a real couple, finally. Often it was the small things that mattered just as much as the grand gestures, if not more.
Box in hand he walked away from the car that would take him back to his friends at the mansion. Kira still had one more pressing matter that demanded his attention before he could return home. One more place he needed to find closure. He only realized now the box in hand would certainly raise a few questions.
He neared his destination but it only seemed as if he was walked aimlessly despite the fact the source of his current hesitation was a place he was well familiar with, one he avoided returning to for years. He slowly made his way up the porch and reached a pale white door that intimidated him far more than any number of zaku's ever could. He composed himself and reached to press the doorbell when it opened just a second before.
In the doorway stood two people he had avoided for so long, two people he loved very much.
"Hello Mother, Father. I'm back."
So yeah. Once again, i apoligize about the quality. I extend my thanks to those who have sought to review much of my works on a continuos basis, you have been very kind. Oh btw, i should mention the spelling of char names are based on what i found at (which oddly has two spellings for our desert tiger buddy.) Sonext update should be in a week. IF you guys dont like it just lemme know and ill take this story down. I should be released the prologue to my knight based GSD sometime before the update for this char, so look out for it. I have yet to name it though. Anyways, thanks and enjoy! Have a great weekend guys and gals!