category: Gundam SEED
disclaimer: I don't own it.
FORTY-SEVEN.
They played in the open fields behind the house – a lively girl with fair hair and dancing green eyes; her clever brother who was an exact copy of their father; their quiet cousin with the smooth brown hair and inquisitive blue eyes. They ran down the hill and tried to catch darting orange butterflies and tumbled together into a warm heap on the bright grass, laughing with the sun in their eyes and on their faces and in their outstretched hands.
"They're beautiful," Cagalli said, and saw the peacefulness of her voice mirrored in the expressions of those around the table. It was as if the world was kneeling down and whispering to them patiently, indulgently, this is happiness. Light breezes and cool waters, white teacups and matching saucers painted with pink flowers, sleeping under the sun-dappled leaves of a tree in a faraway golden garden.
"Our children," Lacus breathed, sending a tremor through everyone.
Yes, their children. Their children who were too young to know about the wars, too innocent to realize that their parents had the blood of others creased permanently into their hands and their memories and their very souls. They, who mistakenly believed the streaks in the night sky to be shooting stars, and unknowingly made wishes on the broken debris of previous colonies and ships and mobile suits, on death itself. Their children still smiled freely and loved unconditionally because they had never found a reason not to.
"We'll tell them someday." Athrun stirred his tea. "In a way that'll make them stronger."
"It'll be all right," Kira added quietly. "Because knowing always brings courage."
The laughs of their children sounded up from the meadow, carefree in the wind. The four looked up at each other, taking in the faces of lifelong friends, and smiled together in the frame of a brilliant summer day.
notes: Moving right along. Hope you enjoyed this glimpse of happy children in flowery meadows.
NEXT PHASE: The globe is constantly spinning and people are always moving but there are instances worth noting – still points in the turning worlds of their lives.