Chapter Six: Siegel

Lacus liked to go on long walks around Orb. The small country, located on a very small island in the vastness of the world and the universe, was still trying to rebuild itself after Uzumi Nara Attha had burned it down, refusing to hand it over to be used by the Earth Alliance during the previous war. In many areas in Orb, there were still obvious signs of destruction. During these long walks, Kira would watch as Lacus did whatever she could to make the place better than yesterday. Over time, he began to feel human again, and his hands, if possible, seemed to be less stained with the blood of those he had killed.

It happened one day among the most badly damaged areas of Orb.

They had been going on one of their usual walks around the town areas and Lacus had crouched down to stroke a stray kitten that was mewling pathetically. Kira looked around, noting the way people were beginning to repair their broken homes and help each other. Somehow, they, like Kira himself, had found reasons for staying alive and surviving after the war.

A child, a boy no more than eight years old, suddenly appeared from a small alleyway, clutching a wrapped loaf of bread desperately against his chest as he sprinted through the rubble. Lacus stood in surprise and the boy suddenly lost his footing, instantly crashing into the startled pink-haired songstress. Kira's eyebrows shot up as Lacus caught the boy, and an angry shout echoed through the alleyway, followed by a bulky man with burning brown eyes. He glared at the child who was trying to get away from Lacus's arms – it was evident that the boy had stolen the loaf of bread.

Kira stepped forward instinctively, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. He took out a few notes – more than enough for perhaps many loaves of bread, and pressed it into the man's hand. "I'm sorry," Kira said apologetically, smiling slightly. "He's with us."

The man wasn't convinced, of course, but decided that it wasn't worth the trouble. "You better keep an eye on him, then," he grunted, turning away angrily with the money in his hand.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of him," Kira promised. He meant what he said.

"I didn't need your help," the boy spat angrily. Kira turned in surprise, but he noticed that the boy was wearing a wounded expression on his face. Kira felt sorry for the boy – clearly, the child was desperate to be stealing like that. "Thanks," the boy added grudgingly, though his voice was barely audible.

"Haro! Haro! No way!"

Lacus smiled and crouched down, her hand moving gently to dust away the dirt that stuck to the boy's clothes. "You are definitely brave," she said kindly, smiling affectionately at him. "Are you alright?"

The boy blushed. "I'm fine."

"I see. Can I have your name?"

"Siegel," the boy answered shortly.

Kira noticed that Lacus's hand froze ever so slightly, but she was dusting the boy again, so quickly that he thought he must've imagined it. Lacus's expression was that of shock, Kira knew, but now she wore the same pleasant smile as she regarded the boy. "Siegel, is it? It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lacus Clyne. This is Kira Yamato. And this is my friend, Haro," she introduced.

"Haro! Haro! How do you do?"

Siegel frowned at the pink Haro. "Well… thank you. Can I go now?" he asked, clearly uncomfortable with the situation they were in.

"Certainly," Lacus stood, catching Haro in her hands. "Will you show us where your house is? We must make sure you arrive safely."

The boy refused. Lacus, surprised, had gently asked why and then learned that Siegel had no home to speak of, and that his parents died during the battle in Orb. When she prodded further, they eventually learned that he was staying in an abandoned, run-down building with his younger sister, and that he needed to get back to her soon to give her the bread.

Lacus's eyes were sad. "Siegel-kun… We have a small house beside the beach. There are a lot of kids living there with us," she said. Kira moved to stand beside the pink-haired Coordinator, smiling warmly at the young boy. "Will you come and live with us? We'll take care of you… and your sister. And I know Haro would like a new friend," she invited.

"Let's play! Let's play!"

The boy's eyes widened, and Kira could see hope in the bronze orbs. His eyes softened, the sorrow crushing his heart again. The boy had looked so mature just then, but the proposition of having a home and someone to care for him again finally made him look like the boy he really was. He bowed his head, his voice very soft as he agreed to go back home with them.

Siegel had led them to the run-down building, which Kira noted looked almost dangerously on the verge of collapse. A small girl was there, lying down on the only mattress there, clearly under a heavy fever. The boy had been doing odd jobs for food, but the fever worried him too much that led him to steal the loaf of bread. Lacus's eyes were deep with sorrow when she saw their condition, and Kira immediately picked the girl into his arms, hushing her and reassuring her that she would be safe and well cared for.

.

The two children settled easily enough in the orphanage. They were fed, cleaned, then were whisked away by the other kids as they were shown around the orphanage – Siegel's sister, however, had to remain indoors, still recovering from the fever. That night, some time when he had been reading, Kira had dozed off, and by the time he opened his eyes and looked around the study, it was already nighttime. He stretched, checking his watch – it was nearing 1AM. The kids would have been well asleep by now. Kira stood and exited the study – he was about to move to his own room when he spotted a figure standing at the balcony, staring up to the stars. The wind blew outside, and he could easily see that it was Lacus. He didn't expect her to still be awake.

Kira moved close to her, and her gentle voice reached his ears as she sang softly to herself;

"hoshi no furu basho de
anata ga waratte irukoto wo
itsumo negatteta"

At the place where stars fall,
I'm always wishing for your laughter.

She was singing Shizukana Yoru Ni, admittedly one of the only songs that Kira had ever really heard her sing since the start of the war. Lacus liked to hum new tunes, and occasionally, he would get snatches of her singing new bits and pieces from a new song that she was trying to compose. But out of the many times he heard her sing, it was always this song that she always sung. It had eventually became one of his lullabies that helped him to sleep as he dreamt of the pain and suffering of the war.

"ima tookutemo
mata aeru yo ne"

Even though we're apart now
We can meet again, right?

"Lacus?" Kira called her gently, reaching her side. Lacus looked up in surprise and he noticed that her cheeks were streaked with tears.

She had been crying. Lacus had always cried, but Kira had seen her as such a strong figure that the reality never truly sunk with him before this. It was a strange sight, to see her cry, to see her in pain. Usually, she cried because she was sad with what the war did to those around them, but it was rare for Kira to see her crying over her own losses and for the traumatic things that she had gone through. Now, thinking about it, he realised that she must be hurting deeply inside as well. She had lost her father. She had been driven away from PLANTs, hunted down and her house had been ransacked, partly due to her belief in Kira that led her to give him the Freedom Gundam.

Lacus looked as if she wanted to laugh, to appear pleasant again and embarrassed that he had found her crying. But Kira had already seen the tears, and she knew as well as he did that he knew of the truth now: that Lacus, too, was hurt.

Without saying anything, Kira embraced her tightly, cradling her head as he buried his face into her hair, the sweet scent calming him. She froze, but then her shoulders shook and she cried into his chest, her arms circling him. The boy's name had been Siegel… the same name as Lacus's late father. The way she had appeared so strong, as if it hadn't bothered her, had surprised Kira, even now. How could one be so strong?

He stroked her gently, tears flowing down his cheeks. "It's okay, Lacus…" Kira whispered softly. "I promise… I'll never leave your side. I'll protect you… forever…" he said gently.

Kira never viewed himself as a strong person. But he would be strong, if only to comfort the gentle soul now resting in his arms.

Author's Note: Thanks so much to Xx Meisha xX for the review, which ultimately led to the inspiration for this chapter. :D It's so easy for all of us to forget what Lacus must've gone through and the hardships she had faced, mainly because she's just an amazingly strong character. It's nice to see Kira being the strong one, for once. :D Again, thanks also to those who read this fic, and to those who alert-ed and favourite-d. I hope this one was enjoyable - let me know? ;D

PS: To those who have checked my profile, you'd know that I'm having major problems continuing RENEGADE right now. It's not because of writer's block (thank goodness) but due to other problems plaguing my life now. It's a very long story, but I hope I'll be able to write again for it as soon as I can. As soon as I can write again, as soon as I re-write the notes and re-design the mobile suits that I've lost, I'll do my best to write up a new chapter. I'm uploading a chapter here to let you all know that I haven't abandoned you. :D