Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ Sojourn ❯ PHASE 06 Tears of the Abandoned ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: PaolaAdara 
Because even the strong cry
Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Drama / Comedy / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.15.2006 | Updated On: 08.15.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 373 | Status: Work In Progress
Because even the strong cry
Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Drama / Comedy / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.15.2006 | Updated On: 08.15.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 373 | Status: Work In Progress
Title: Mobile Suit: Gundam SEED Sojourn (6/?)
Author: Paola
Disclaimer: Mobile Suit: Gundam SEED Sojourn is based on characters and situations that belong to Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios, and TV Asashi (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited.
“The art of living is more like wrestling than
dancing, in so far as it stands ready against
the accidental and the unforeseen, and is
not apt to fall.”
- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
PHASE 06
Tears of the Abandoned
The crew of all three ships made it safely to Morgenroete. As Erica had said, everything was prepared for their arrival. The people at the place were accommodating, too.
Miriallia stretched as soon as her feet were firmly planted on the concrete. She turned her head to see Sai doing the same, while the others were still walking down the planks. The sky was already turning a dark shade of indigo with thin streaks of orange when they reached the harbor, and was already dark by the time they got off board. The sea breeze blew through her hair, and she took a deep breath, enjoying the mixed scents of the earth, the trees, and the salty waters.
She was home. She might have lived in Heliopolis for a long time, but Orb would continue to be her homeland, just as it would continue to be where her heart was.
“Man, I missed this place!” Sai exclaimed, looking over the somewhat busy docks at the open space of the vast outdoors.
Although they were at Morgenroete, the ships were asked to dock at the open harbors rather than at the hidden ports. It was a good thing those internal docks were being repaired, because Miriallia didn’t think she could stand to see military settings anymore.
The brown-haired Natural couldn’t help but laugh happily. She threw her arms around her friend and replied, “Me, too, Sai! Cliché, but…home is where the heart is at, huh?” Out of sheer happiness, Miriallia wasn’t surprised to feel the familiar sting in her eyes.
Sai laughed as they separated. “No need to cry, Mir.”
She playfully hit him in the arm. “I’m just so happy, Mr. Argyle.” She couldn’t believe how glad she was. She saw the war though, and she was here, safe and sound. No more infinite inkiness when she looked out windows. No more waking up worried about next encounters. No more violent rocking from artillery attacks on the ship.
“So am I, Mir. So am I.” Sai looked over his shoulders to see the rest of the guys forming a loose circle a few meters from them, crowding around the captains of the three ships and a sole EA envoy. “Let’s go?”
“You go ahead.”
He smiled at her. “All right.”
Miriallia’s gaze shifted towards the Archangel as soon as Sai walked away. Yeah, definitely no more war. An unbidden pang of sadness swept over her, and she unconsciously balled her fists. And no more Tolle. She hated herself for thinking like this. She knew Tolle wouldn’t want her to be sad all the time, but sometimes, the feeling just surreptitiously wrapped around her heart.
Sighing, she unclenched her hands as she became aware of her nails digging in her palms. Stop it, Mir. Get a hold of yourself.
“You all right?” a familiar voice asked, breaking her away from her thoughts.
“Huh?” she moved her head sideways and her gaze landed upon Dearka, who was standing beside her and was following her previous line of sight. She didn’t even sense him coming. “Yeah…yes I am.” She cocked her head to the side and glimpsed at the others. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged, his hands in his pockets and his eyes never leaving the Archangel. “I dunno.” He sighed. “Really impressive, huh?”
Dearka was talking about the Archangel, and she had to agree with him. Although the ship certainly brought an onslaught of painful memories, she had always admired it. It was a beautiful work of art, evidence of fine craftsmanship, and it had also been somewhat of a home to her during the war. It protected her and everyone else in it.
Miriallia took a deep breath. “Yep!” She gave Dearka a sideways glance. “No offence, but the Archangel’s so much prettier than the Vesalius.”
He turned towards her and raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Oh?”
She smirked, “Totally! You gotta be blind not to see that!”
He shrugged. “I guess,” he answered in a non-committal tone. “I didn’t know you were into battle ships.”
The brunette looked pensive for a moment. “Well, I wasn’t.” She focused her sight back on the Archangel, looking at it with a critical eye. “But it’s true. This thing,” she waved a hand towards the ship, “is really something.” She didn’t just mean the aesthetic design of the ship, but what it was able to accomplish as well. “If I did get interested in battle ships, it’d probably be because of the Archangel.” She could feel Dearka’s eyes boring into her, presumably wondering where the heck she was getting at; nonetheless she smiled, dismissing his probable incredulity. “Yeah. Definitely.”
o-o
After the EA envoy that welcomed them had gone, the crews from the three ships were left in front of the docks. The conference was scheduled for tomorrow to let them get their well-deserved rests. Lacus had been very thankful for the break, so were Kisaka, Murrue, and Waltfeld, but Cagalli was adamantly protesting to her guardian when the envoy left.
“I thought you wanted to get on the job as soon as possible? This is a good follow up to your talk with Schroeder,” Kisaka said, confused, as they were walking towards their transportation.
It had been decided that those who had homes in Orb would be allowed to go home with a vehicle to bring them there. The three captains and the teenagers would be heading for the Athha mansion. Since Miriallia and Sai had decided to go with them and be picked up by their parents the next day, they were keeping close to the group. Erica Simmons had gone off a few minutes earlier, and the rest of the Kusanagi and Archangels crew were already waiting by their designated transportations. As for the crew of the Eternal, they would be housed at Morgenroete’s living quarters until their living conditions had been further discussed; it wasn’t a bad arrangement since Morgenroete’s quarters were very much above the temporary standard-issued military settlement.
“But you said you’re gonna take care of things and even forced me to take it slow, so guess what, Kisaka, I’m doing just that! I know I told you I wanted to attend tomorrow’s party, but, really now, seven in the morning?”
Kisaka sighed. Sometimes, he still wondered why he hadn’t yet gone crazy, what with his charge’s ever-changing behavior, mood, and decisions. “If I were to decide all this, I wouldn’t schedule the conference for at least three more hours later than that, Cagalli.” He watched his charge fume and march ahead of the group, heading towards the biggest van.
“Is she always like this?” Yzak asked, a little annoyed.
Kira laughed, along with the rest of the Archangel and Kusanagi crews. The others, specifically Yzak, Lacus, Athrun, and Waltfeld, looked at them expectantly. Dearka was also puzzled since he hadn’t known Cagalli that long as he was only aboard the Archangel much later, when Cagalli was already at Orb.
“Well, Kira?” Lacus inquired, still confused, although a smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Yeah,” he answered in between his chuckles.
Yzak rolled his eyes.
“I think she’s funny and adorable that way,” Miriallia put in.
“I agree,” Lacus said, smiling at Miriallia.
By the time they got to the vehicles, they saw Cagalli leaning on the side of one of the vehicles, hands deep in the pockets of her sweater and eyes on the ground. Her anger had apparently evaporated when she yawned and grabbed Kisaka to the side as soon as he was within her reach. Kisaka nodded at what she said, after which they walked back to the rest of the group.
“All right, people,” he started, opening the door to the passenger side in front. “The adults are to ride on that car,” he said, holding the door open as Cagalli entered, and then he closed it when he saw her comfortably seated. He faced Murrue and Andrew then pointed at the black sedan parked at the back of the van.
“Yes, sir,” Andrew mock saluted him before walking over to the car, followed by a tired, albeit smiling, Murrue.
When the two were out of earshot, a curious Kira turned towards Kisaka. “Any problem? I mean, with Cagalli?”
Kisaka looked baffled for a moment before he realized that the boy was pertaining to the event where Cagalli had pulled him aside. He gave a small laugh. “Nothing to worry about, Kira.” Then he paused, looking at the tinted window of the car door as if making sure that Cagalli wasn’t listening. “Here’s a little secret about your sister…” he continued in a conspiratorial tone, and if Cagalli had been there to hear him, she would have ranted about his uncharacteristic deportment. Like all others, the peace must have loosened Kisaka as well.
All the other still conscious teenagers looked at him expectantly.
“As you know, I’m her bodyguard and have always been with her when she runs away from home. The last time she did was when she joined the Desert Dawn. She was away for a very long time and somehow, she got used to informing me when she’s sleepy. I’m not sure, but I think she expected me to ward off the people who were insistent on talking to her; there were some people who were more impatient than her, and they kept pestering her about the plans.”
The group didn’t know how to react to that, except Athrun, who looked amused. “Really now?” the former Justice pilot mused, then he chuckled. When they looked at him weirdly, he told them in the simplest way he could why he found Cagalli’s little secret---which wasn’t really a secret anymore---funny, “She must’ve told me a different version of that story.”
Yzak, being the person that he was, snorted. “How childish,” he scoffed. He yanked the door open and pushed it to the side then he entered.
Dearka laughed with Athrun. “That’s cute,” he said sarcastically, half referring to Yzak’s equally childish display and half referring to Cagalli’s so-called little secret.
“Okay, kids, now that you know that, get in.” Kisaka ushered everybody in.
Dearka, who was the last to step inside the vehicle, asked, “Where are you sitting?”
“In front with the princess.”
“I thought the adults are supposed to ride in the other car.”
“Don’t get smart with me, young man.”
The blonde boy laughed again, joined by the rest of the teenagers.
o-o
They reached the Athha estate in exactly one hour. It was far from Morgenroete, but since the streets weren’t busy and the driver was going almost over the speed limit, they reached the mansion quickly.
“This is a nice place you’ve got here, Cagalli,” Lacus commented, looking out the window to her right as the vehicle drove up the driveway. The many lamps that littered the edge of the grassy lawn were providing enough light for her to see some ground. She then turned to the front and looked at Kisaka through the rearview mirror, “Oh, is she still asleep?”
Before Kisaka could answer, Dearka beat him to it. “Looks like it, or you’d be hearing her voice ringing inside this van if otherwise.” His joke tickled his own fancy.
Everyone lunged forward a little when the driver hit the brakes. Kisaka was the first one to get off, and then he opened the side door for everyone to get out.
“Assist Captain Ramius and Captain Waltfeld, will you? I don’t think they have much on them except for a few stash of personal belongings,” Kisaka asked the maid who had walked up to them. The maid nodded and Kisaka thanked her. He then led them to the front doors where the other servant was waiting.
“What about Cagalli?” Kira asked, looking back at the vehicle and seeing his sister’s faint outline from the outside, still very much asleep.
Athrun lagged behind then stopped in front of the van, unsure whether to go get the princess or just leave her in the car, granted that the door was still open and that no threat of carbon monoxide poisoning was looming over her head. He looked back up at Kisaka, silently asking him what to do.
“The only way to wake her up with no fuss is to turn off the ignition. She wakes up when the air conditioning in the car is turned off, like an alarm clock of some sort,” he answered for both boys.
Just as Kisaka said this, the driver turned off the ignition and stepped out of the vehicle, seemingly used to this. Athrun then knew he was one of the Athha’s drivers and not of the EAF.
The blue-head noticed the group enter the house, but he remained where he was. Turning his attention back to the princess, he saw her stir. He walked the short distance to the car door and gently opened it.
Cagalli rubbed her eyes and her marigold orbs landed on Athrun’s face. “Mm?” She yawned.
“We’re here.”
Cagalli looked around, shivering when a gust of wind blew inside the interior of the vehicle.
“Cold?” he inquired.
She shook her head. Stepping out the vehicle, she tried to suppress another yawn, which, in the end, still made it out of her mouth. Without saying anything, she went behind Athrun and started pushing him towards the door of the house. “Faster, Athrun,” she said, her voice gaining back its frenzied excitement.
Athrun laughed, but complied, and they were inside the house even before Cagalli could say anything else. “Whereto?”
“The room to the left, most probably.”
“Hey, Cagalli! You have a beautiful home,” Lacus spoke when Athrun and Cagalli entered the living room where all of them had been ushered in.
“Thanks… I guess…” the blonde replied uncertainly, but smiled at the Pink Princess anyway.
“As I was saying,” Kisaka continued after being cut off by the entrance of the two teenagers, “you can occupy the left wing of the house, and I’ll leave you to choose your own rooms.”
Cagalli gave a little laugh. “It’s not like the extra rooms look different from each other!” She eyed the maid waiting by the door questioningly. “Unless they’ve done some redecorating when Kisaka and I were away…?” The maid shook her head no, and the princess shrugged. Then her brow furrowed, as if remembering something. “Excuse me.” She moved a few steps backward before turning around and breaking into a run, a wide grin plastered on her face.
“Is everything all right?” Athrun asked after Cagalli had taken off. He took a seat next to Kira who, like the rest of them, was still eyeing the archway.
“I think so,” Kisaka answered
o-o
Cagalli swept out of the room as fast as she could. Kisaka could take care of the guests; she didn’t need to be there and accommodate them. She had better and more important things to do. How could she forget? She had been very excited to go home so she could tell him everything that had happened. The last battle. The ceasefire. Peace. Just about everything.
She took the huge staircase two steps at a time, wanting to reach her destination as soon as possible. The hallway was as how she remembered it, and she was glad they didn’t always redecorate. She had walked and run this same path too many times before that she was sure she could do it while sleeping.
There it was, the huge wooden doors to the right, just after the sunroom where she had lots of fun memories. She grinned in anticipation. Surely he was waiting for her. It didn’t cross her mind that he hadn’t been there when they docked at Morgenroete, but her mind probably considered it insignificant.
Cagalli Yula Athha pushed open the doors, bursting inside it with an excited grin. “Father!”
o-o
Kira hadn’t seen his sister since she fled the living room. During dinner, Cagalli hadn’t been around. Athrun had volunteered to go find her, but Kisaka had waved off his concern and had asked the maid to bring the princess her dinner. She was just probably in her room, minding her personal business, and since Kisaka had assured them that everything was all right, he wasn’t exactly worrying.
He looked around the room. They had finished dinner and dessert a long while ago and had even found a few minutes to spare in the lounging room, talking and laughing, until they decided it was time to unpack and turn in for the night. So here he was, staring at the scanty amount of possessions he had with him from when he was at the Archangel. Not that he was complaining, of course---since he wasn’t really vanity-concerned---but now that he thought about it, he didn’t need to wear uniforms anymore, so he had to return to everyday, normal clothing.
He kept staring while Birdie flew around the room.
He only had a few shirts, pants, undergarments, and a modest hygiene kit, just like any other boy. But unlike any other boy, Kira accepted, albeit rather grudgingly, the fact that he had to go shopping if he wanted to continue looking decent and properly dressed. He sighed. The other guys must be thinking the same thing right about now.
He finally moved from his spot and folded his clothes neatly before storing them in the closet. Even if he didn’t want to think about Lacus’ question, it kept hammering away in his mind. He had a home in Orb, but he chose to be stubborn and stay in the Athha residence. For someone who had been forced to mature faster than most kids, he was being immature about his feelings for his parents. It wasn’t that he hated them, but he didn’t know how to knock on their door. It wasn’t like he could just barge in there and go “hi, mom, dad.” It wasn’t that easy. The last time he had been on earth, he had adamantly refused to see them. He didn’t think that went well with them, but that had been his only choice back then.
Kira plopped onto the bed with the grace of a sack of potatoes. It would probably do him more good if he stayed away from his parents for now. He guessed it would take a longer while before he could find it in himself to face them again. He needed to sort out his thoughts and feelings, and there was still something about him and Cagalli, which he hadn’t told her yet.
That was his other problem. He knew Cagalli would listen to whatever he had to say, but he didn’t fancy disturbing her frame of mind right now by telling her about their father. She had just lost a second father, he wasn’t sure she would be glad to know how she lost the first one. The things he knew, those were hard to accept, and even after knowing how strong his sister was, he doubted she could get over it in record’s time.
Cagalli had a long list of things to do now that the war was over. He knew she wouldn’t let another person take over her father’s place, and that’s another reason he had to stall. Kira felt it was his duty to look out for her since he was the only family she had left. It would be selfish of him to dump everything on her and move on like nothing happened. He sat up, having decided that he’d tell Cagalli all that he knew about their past, but not now.
Kira eyed the door and got up. He better tell Cagalli he’d be staying in her house for a while. Even if he had a feeling she wouldn’t object to his decisions, he felt it was just right to thank her in advance.
Now who’s the older twin?
o-o
Kira rapped his knuckles on Cagalli’s door, the dull sound reverberating in the empty hallway. He had to make a small detour earlier to the kitchen to ask a maid where Cagalli’s room was, and now he found himself patiently waiting for his sister to let him in.
“It’s unlocked,” he faintly heard her call out as her voice was muffled by the thick wooden doors.
He gently shut the door after him then his eyes wandered around the huge bedroom. His gaze moved from the impressive armoire to the left then to the bed beside it. There he saw the blonde princess lying eagle-spread and staring at the canopy of her four-poster. Though she had let him in, she looked unaware of her surroundings, and she probably was, already forgetting his presence in the room.
Kira moseyed towards the bed, and Cagalli blinked as if she had just remembered she wasn’t alone. She turned her head and looked at him. “Did you want anything?”
He smiled. “Actually, yes.”
The blonde sat up and swung her legs off the mattress. “Shoot,” she said, patting the space beside her for Kira to sit on.
The Coordinator complied, settling himself beside her. “I wanna ask you something.”
“Yeah?”
“Is it okay if I stay here for a while?” He saw her raise a questioning eyebrow, and he quickly launched into an explanation, “I don’t know how to say it, but…you know…until I fix things…with my parents.” He gestured vaguely with his hands. “I know you’ve got your hands full seeing as how the rest are probably also staying here with you---well, except Miriallia and Sai who are going home tomorrow---but I’m not gonna be a bother…” he trailed off when Cagalli started laughing. “Wha---? What’s funny?” he asked, confused. He had rehearsed the gist of his explanation before knocking on her door, but he didn’t even get to finish it since his sister apparently found something laughable in what he was saying.
“Really, Kira! C’mon now!” she tried to get out in between peels of laughter. She laughed harder upon seeing the nonplussed look on her brother’s face. “As my brother, you needn’t ask permission to stay here!”
Kira’s confusion melted into an understanding nature.
“Stay here as long as you like,” she continued, finally getting over her chuckles. “I don’t know what happened between you and your parents, but that’s none of my business. If you wanna stay here for a long time, that’s absolutely cool.”
He smiled a smile that reached his eyes. “Thanks, Cagalli.”
She smiled back. “But if you want to stay here forever, that’s gonna cost you.”
This time, Kira laughed with her. “So you’re gonna charge your bother rent?”
“Of course! I mean, if Dearka and Yzak plan to stay here for that long, I’ll have them mow the lawn and fix the gardens. Athrun can clean the cars and drive me wherever I want to go. As for Lacus, well, girls are more sympathetic to other girls.”
“That’s unfair!”
Cagall patted him on the back with false compassion. “Kira, unless you’re willing to dress like a woman and act like one, then I’m charging you.”
The brunette involuntarily shivered at the picture Cagalli painted.
“Anything else?” Cagalli asked, a playful smile still playing on her lips.
He spied the half-eaten dinner on the bed table that was sitting atop a study table by the door, and he hesitated for an instant before turning towards her. “We haven’t seen you since we arrived.”
Her smile wavered, and Kira doubted Kisaka’s re-assurance. “And?”
“There’s something wrong, isn’t there?”
“Of course not! Everything’s dandy!”
Kira’s brow furrowed with concern, especially when he noticed her scooting a little farther from him, seemingly involuntarily. “It’s me, Cagalli. No need to hide it.”
Cagalli stood up and turned her back on him. He saw her hands move from her side, probably trying to swipe at her eyes in anticipation of the unwelcome wetness. “I’m really fine, Kira.”
Kira kept quiet, and the room was bathed in a thick silence disturbed only by wind slapping hard against the windowpanes. He kept his eyes on her back, just waiting. When her hands returned to her sides, he watched them ball into tight fists, but even then he kept still, as if afraid to break the quiet that had settled. He just sat there, torn between feeling awkward and alarmed at Cagalli’s sudden taciturnity.
He didn’t know how long the silence stretched before she finally spoke.
“I forgot, Kira.”
Kira had no idea what she was talking about, but he knew it was something painful just by witnessing how her shoulders sagged, losing the defiant rigidity they displayed just mere moments ago. He could almost feel the tension leave her body and be replaced by something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“I’ve always burst into his room whenever I get home from exciting adventures, and we’d spend the whole day in the sunroom, talking, laughing, and eating whatever we liked. But then I forgot.”
When she gave a hollow laugh, his frown deepened as he tried to understand what she was talking about.
“Then I took off last year, and, well, when I returned, we weren’t exactly on good terms, so we didn’t have our usual mini festivity. But I thought it was okay because we’d get another chance next time because…there’s always next time…there should always be next time.” She sighed. “But I forgot, Kira.”
She’d been repeating the same thing since she started talking. It bothered him that he didn’t have a single idea on what she had forgotten.
“Then something happened, and I regretted that time. If it hadn’t been for the war and everything that happened in space then, I could’ve gone nuts telling myself how stupid I’d been…always telling myself that there’s always next time.”
Hearing what she said, Kira now had a vague idea of whom she was talking about, though he didn’t dare voice it out. Still, he was puzzled.
She turned towards him, but the smile she put on never reached her eyes. “Then the war was over. We won! I got so excited to return to Orb! Back on the ship, I sort of got in a…row with Kisaka, and I was well aware of what happened. I mean, who can forget an event like that?”
It was a rhetorical question, but Kira wanted her to clear what exactly she was referring to. The only thing that held him back from asking was Cagalli’s crumbling bravado.
“Then we landed. I guess the euphoria was too much. I don’t know.” She shrugged, trying to mask a sniffle. “And now we’re home. You know what happened: I left you guys with Kisaka in the living room. But then I forgot.”
Kira’s heart ached at seeing his sister so sad. Where was the spunky Cagalli he was so used to? After hearing what she said, he finally understood everything. He knew what she had forgotten. She mentioned it herself. She fled the living room in a euphoric state, then she said she’d forgotten something, and he knew what she meant. He knew the event she was talking about. He’d been there, and so had Athrun.
The Coordinator had a hard time swallowing the lump that formed in his throat when the first few teardrops escaped Cagalli’s eyes.
“I forgot, Kira.” Then rivulets of tears came streaming down her face, seemingly unnoticed and most probably unbidden. “I forgot that he’s gone. I called out, and the room was dark and silent.”
He heard her draw a ragged breath, trying to calm her erratic emotions. “Cagalli…”
She gave a bitter laugh, hurriedly wiping her eyes dry, but it was a futile effort because the tears just wouldn’t stop. “Why am I crying?” Another chuckle. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this. It’s stupid.” Another angry swipe at the wetness on her eyes and cheeks. “Why doesn’t it stop?” she asked, now a little angry at herself. “I don’t know why I’m crying! It’s not like I didn’t know; I just momentarily forgot, is all!”
This was one of the reasons he had to postpone telling her about their father. She still had too much to deal with, and even if she tried to pretend everything was all right, he knew better.
Kira couldn’t take it anymore. It was just too much. He stood up, and with all the protectiveness a brother possessed for a sister, he strode towards her. She looked up at him with eyes that held so much sorrow that he felt his own tears prick the back of his eyelids.
“I won’t tell you that it’s all right, because I know it isn’t, but I’m going to tell you this: if you want to cry, no one’s judging you,” he said, remembering what Lacus had told him back in space.
“Kira…” she leant her forehead against his chest and finally let the sadness overwhelm her. She didn’t fight it anymore, and she wept the bitter tears she didn’t think she still had.
Kira enveloped her in a hug. He’d seen her dissolve in tears before, and he had been with her in her room aboard the Kusanagi when she was crying over the death of her father, but even a tough girl like her could only take so much pain. They had lost their biological parents in the hands of something they didn’t know, but he was still lucky because he had his adoptive parents, while Cagalli just lost hers. He was the only family she had now, and he would be damned if he let anything happen to her. So he held her.
Just like how a family would.
o-o
“Good night,” Kira said as he stood just outside her bedroom. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and gave her a small smile.
“Good night, Kira,” Cagalli whispered a little shakily, leaning on the doorframe for support, “and…thanks.” Her brother’s comforting smile was the last thing she saw before she shut her door.
There were times when she doubted her father’s assurance, when she stubbornly refused to acknowledge the truth behind his words, but now, she knew just how right he was. Her father wasn’t lying that time before the Kusanagi’s portal separated them forever: She wouldn’t be alone even when he was gone because she’d be with her brother.
Cagalli dragged herself to her bed then flopped onto it. She was exhausted. She had no idea how long she had cried, and she had been embarrassed about it as soon as she got her tears under control. Kira just dismissed her apologies with a wave of his hand, and somehow, that had made her feel even better.
She probably might never admit it, but the first time she had met Kira, she knew he’d have a special place in her life. She hadn’t been able to explain the protectiveness she had felt when she saw him depressed on the Archangel deck, and the impulse to comfort him and hug him at that time had been too great to ignore. As off as it sounded to her, she’d thought it was a crush, but every time they were together, it was made clearer to her that it was not. Somehow, she still couldn’t figure out what it was. There had been a connection from the very beginning, and that had puzzled her to no end.
Cagalli hadn’t understood why she felt very at ease around him back then, but now she knew. Before they were friends, and now, they were more…
…They were siblings.
-To Be Continued…
A/N:
Please leave a comment. Thanks!
Author: Paola
Disclaimer: Mobile Suit: Gundam SEED Sojourn is based on characters and situations that belong to Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios, and TV Asashi (and other production affiliates that have the right of ownership). No money is being made, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Considerations: Similarities to other stories/events/passages are purely coincidental unless otherwise cited.
“The art of living is more like wrestling than
dancing, in so far as it stands ready against
the accidental and the unforeseen, and is
not apt to fall.”
- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
PHASE 06
Tears of the Abandoned
The crew of all three ships made it safely to Morgenroete. As Erica had said, everything was prepared for their arrival. The people at the place were accommodating, too.
Miriallia stretched as soon as her feet were firmly planted on the concrete. She turned her head to see Sai doing the same, while the others were still walking down the planks. The sky was already turning a dark shade of indigo with thin streaks of orange when they reached the harbor, and was already dark by the time they got off board. The sea breeze blew through her hair, and she took a deep breath, enjoying the mixed scents of the earth, the trees, and the salty waters.
She was home. She might have lived in Heliopolis for a long time, but Orb would continue to be her homeland, just as it would continue to be where her heart was.
“Man, I missed this place!” Sai exclaimed, looking over the somewhat busy docks at the open space of the vast outdoors.
Although they were at Morgenroete, the ships were asked to dock at the open harbors rather than at the hidden ports. It was a good thing those internal docks were being repaired, because Miriallia didn’t think she could stand to see military settings anymore.
The brown-haired Natural couldn’t help but laugh happily. She threw her arms around her friend and replied, “Me, too, Sai! Cliché, but…home is where the heart is at, huh?” Out of sheer happiness, Miriallia wasn’t surprised to feel the familiar sting in her eyes.
Sai laughed as they separated. “No need to cry, Mir.”
She playfully hit him in the arm. “I’m just so happy, Mr. Argyle.” She couldn’t believe how glad she was. She saw the war though, and she was here, safe and sound. No more infinite inkiness when she looked out windows. No more waking up worried about next encounters. No more violent rocking from artillery attacks on the ship.
“So am I, Mir. So am I.” Sai looked over his shoulders to see the rest of the guys forming a loose circle a few meters from them, crowding around the captains of the three ships and a sole EA envoy. “Let’s go?”
“You go ahead.”
He smiled at her. “All right.”
Miriallia’s gaze shifted towards the Archangel as soon as Sai walked away. Yeah, definitely no more war. An unbidden pang of sadness swept over her, and she unconsciously balled her fists. And no more Tolle. She hated herself for thinking like this. She knew Tolle wouldn’t want her to be sad all the time, but sometimes, the feeling just surreptitiously wrapped around her heart.
Sighing, she unclenched her hands as she became aware of her nails digging in her palms. Stop it, Mir. Get a hold of yourself.
“You all right?” a familiar voice asked, breaking her away from her thoughts.
“Huh?” she moved her head sideways and her gaze landed upon Dearka, who was standing beside her and was following her previous line of sight. She didn’t even sense him coming. “Yeah…yes I am.” She cocked her head to the side and glimpsed at the others. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged, his hands in his pockets and his eyes never leaving the Archangel. “I dunno.” He sighed. “Really impressive, huh?”
Dearka was talking about the Archangel, and she had to agree with him. Although the ship certainly brought an onslaught of painful memories, she had always admired it. It was a beautiful work of art, evidence of fine craftsmanship, and it had also been somewhat of a home to her during the war. It protected her and everyone else in it.
Miriallia took a deep breath. “Yep!” She gave Dearka a sideways glance. “No offence, but the Archangel’s so much prettier than the Vesalius.”
He turned towards her and raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Oh?”
She smirked, “Totally! You gotta be blind not to see that!”
He shrugged. “I guess,” he answered in a non-committal tone. “I didn’t know you were into battle ships.”
The brunette looked pensive for a moment. “Well, I wasn’t.” She focused her sight back on the Archangel, looking at it with a critical eye. “But it’s true. This thing,” she waved a hand towards the ship, “is really something.” She didn’t just mean the aesthetic design of the ship, but what it was able to accomplish as well. “If I did get interested in battle ships, it’d probably be because of the Archangel.” She could feel Dearka’s eyes boring into her, presumably wondering where the heck she was getting at; nonetheless she smiled, dismissing his probable incredulity. “Yeah. Definitely.”
o-o
After the EA envoy that welcomed them had gone, the crews from the three ships were left in front of the docks. The conference was scheduled for tomorrow to let them get their well-deserved rests. Lacus had been very thankful for the break, so were Kisaka, Murrue, and Waltfeld, but Cagalli was adamantly protesting to her guardian when the envoy left.
“I thought you wanted to get on the job as soon as possible? This is a good follow up to your talk with Schroeder,” Kisaka said, confused, as they were walking towards their transportation.
It had been decided that those who had homes in Orb would be allowed to go home with a vehicle to bring them there. The three captains and the teenagers would be heading for the Athha mansion. Since Miriallia and Sai had decided to go with them and be picked up by their parents the next day, they were keeping close to the group. Erica Simmons had gone off a few minutes earlier, and the rest of the Kusanagi and Archangels crew were already waiting by their designated transportations. As for the crew of the Eternal, they would be housed at Morgenroete’s living quarters until their living conditions had been further discussed; it wasn’t a bad arrangement since Morgenroete’s quarters were very much above the temporary standard-issued military settlement.
“But you said you’re gonna take care of things and even forced me to take it slow, so guess what, Kisaka, I’m doing just that! I know I told you I wanted to attend tomorrow’s party, but, really now, seven in the morning?”
Kisaka sighed. Sometimes, he still wondered why he hadn’t yet gone crazy, what with his charge’s ever-changing behavior, mood, and decisions. “If I were to decide all this, I wouldn’t schedule the conference for at least three more hours later than that, Cagalli.” He watched his charge fume and march ahead of the group, heading towards the biggest van.
“Is she always like this?” Yzak asked, a little annoyed.
Kira laughed, along with the rest of the Archangel and Kusanagi crews. The others, specifically Yzak, Lacus, Athrun, and Waltfeld, looked at them expectantly. Dearka was also puzzled since he hadn’t known Cagalli that long as he was only aboard the Archangel much later, when Cagalli was already at Orb.
“Well, Kira?” Lacus inquired, still confused, although a smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Yeah,” he answered in between his chuckles.
Yzak rolled his eyes.
“I think she’s funny and adorable that way,” Miriallia put in.
“I agree,” Lacus said, smiling at Miriallia.
By the time they got to the vehicles, they saw Cagalli leaning on the side of one of the vehicles, hands deep in the pockets of her sweater and eyes on the ground. Her anger had apparently evaporated when she yawned and grabbed Kisaka to the side as soon as he was within her reach. Kisaka nodded at what she said, after which they walked back to the rest of the group.
“All right, people,” he started, opening the door to the passenger side in front. “The adults are to ride on that car,” he said, holding the door open as Cagalli entered, and then he closed it when he saw her comfortably seated. He faced Murrue and Andrew then pointed at the black sedan parked at the back of the van.
“Yes, sir,” Andrew mock saluted him before walking over to the car, followed by a tired, albeit smiling, Murrue.
When the two were out of earshot, a curious Kira turned towards Kisaka. “Any problem? I mean, with Cagalli?”
Kisaka looked baffled for a moment before he realized that the boy was pertaining to the event where Cagalli had pulled him aside. He gave a small laugh. “Nothing to worry about, Kira.” Then he paused, looking at the tinted window of the car door as if making sure that Cagalli wasn’t listening. “Here’s a little secret about your sister…” he continued in a conspiratorial tone, and if Cagalli had been there to hear him, she would have ranted about his uncharacteristic deportment. Like all others, the peace must have loosened Kisaka as well.
All the other still conscious teenagers looked at him expectantly.
“As you know, I’m her bodyguard and have always been with her when she runs away from home. The last time she did was when she joined the Desert Dawn. She was away for a very long time and somehow, she got used to informing me when she’s sleepy. I’m not sure, but I think she expected me to ward off the people who were insistent on talking to her; there were some people who were more impatient than her, and they kept pestering her about the plans.”
The group didn’t know how to react to that, except Athrun, who looked amused. “Really now?” the former Justice pilot mused, then he chuckled. When they looked at him weirdly, he told them in the simplest way he could why he found Cagalli’s little secret---which wasn’t really a secret anymore---funny, “She must’ve told me a different version of that story.”
Yzak, being the person that he was, snorted. “How childish,” he scoffed. He yanked the door open and pushed it to the side then he entered.
Dearka laughed with Athrun. “That’s cute,” he said sarcastically, half referring to Yzak’s equally childish display and half referring to Cagalli’s so-called little secret.
“Okay, kids, now that you know that, get in.” Kisaka ushered everybody in.
Dearka, who was the last to step inside the vehicle, asked, “Where are you sitting?”
“In front with the princess.”
“I thought the adults are supposed to ride in the other car.”
“Don’t get smart with me, young man.”
The blonde boy laughed again, joined by the rest of the teenagers.
o-o
They reached the Athha estate in exactly one hour. It was far from Morgenroete, but since the streets weren’t busy and the driver was going almost over the speed limit, they reached the mansion quickly.
“This is a nice place you’ve got here, Cagalli,” Lacus commented, looking out the window to her right as the vehicle drove up the driveway. The many lamps that littered the edge of the grassy lawn were providing enough light for her to see some ground. She then turned to the front and looked at Kisaka through the rearview mirror, “Oh, is she still asleep?”
Before Kisaka could answer, Dearka beat him to it. “Looks like it, or you’d be hearing her voice ringing inside this van if otherwise.” His joke tickled his own fancy.
Everyone lunged forward a little when the driver hit the brakes. Kisaka was the first one to get off, and then he opened the side door for everyone to get out.
“Assist Captain Ramius and Captain Waltfeld, will you? I don’t think they have much on them except for a few stash of personal belongings,” Kisaka asked the maid who had walked up to them. The maid nodded and Kisaka thanked her. He then led them to the front doors where the other servant was waiting.
“What about Cagalli?” Kira asked, looking back at the vehicle and seeing his sister’s faint outline from the outside, still very much asleep.
Athrun lagged behind then stopped in front of the van, unsure whether to go get the princess or just leave her in the car, granted that the door was still open and that no threat of carbon monoxide poisoning was looming over her head. He looked back up at Kisaka, silently asking him what to do.
“The only way to wake her up with no fuss is to turn off the ignition. She wakes up when the air conditioning in the car is turned off, like an alarm clock of some sort,” he answered for both boys.
Just as Kisaka said this, the driver turned off the ignition and stepped out of the vehicle, seemingly used to this. Athrun then knew he was one of the Athha’s drivers and not of the EAF.
The blue-head noticed the group enter the house, but he remained where he was. Turning his attention back to the princess, he saw her stir. He walked the short distance to the car door and gently opened it.
Cagalli rubbed her eyes and her marigold orbs landed on Athrun’s face. “Mm?” She yawned.
“We’re here.”
Cagalli looked around, shivering when a gust of wind blew inside the interior of the vehicle.
“Cold?” he inquired.
She shook her head. Stepping out the vehicle, she tried to suppress another yawn, which, in the end, still made it out of her mouth. Without saying anything, she went behind Athrun and started pushing him towards the door of the house. “Faster, Athrun,” she said, her voice gaining back its frenzied excitement.
Athrun laughed, but complied, and they were inside the house even before Cagalli could say anything else. “Whereto?”
“The room to the left, most probably.”
“Hey, Cagalli! You have a beautiful home,” Lacus spoke when Athrun and Cagalli entered the living room where all of them had been ushered in.
“Thanks… I guess…” the blonde replied uncertainly, but smiled at the Pink Princess anyway.
“As I was saying,” Kisaka continued after being cut off by the entrance of the two teenagers, “you can occupy the left wing of the house, and I’ll leave you to choose your own rooms.”
Cagalli gave a little laugh. “It’s not like the extra rooms look different from each other!” She eyed the maid waiting by the door questioningly. “Unless they’ve done some redecorating when Kisaka and I were away…?” The maid shook her head no, and the princess shrugged. Then her brow furrowed, as if remembering something. “Excuse me.” She moved a few steps backward before turning around and breaking into a run, a wide grin plastered on her face.
“Is everything all right?” Athrun asked after Cagalli had taken off. He took a seat next to Kira who, like the rest of them, was still eyeing the archway.
“I think so,” Kisaka answered
o-o
Cagalli swept out of the room as fast as she could. Kisaka could take care of the guests; she didn’t need to be there and accommodate them. She had better and more important things to do. How could she forget? She had been very excited to go home so she could tell him everything that had happened. The last battle. The ceasefire. Peace. Just about everything.
She took the huge staircase two steps at a time, wanting to reach her destination as soon as possible. The hallway was as how she remembered it, and she was glad they didn’t always redecorate. She had walked and run this same path too many times before that she was sure she could do it while sleeping.
There it was, the huge wooden doors to the right, just after the sunroom where she had lots of fun memories. She grinned in anticipation. Surely he was waiting for her. It didn’t cross her mind that he hadn’t been there when they docked at Morgenroete, but her mind probably considered it insignificant.
Cagalli Yula Athha pushed open the doors, bursting inside it with an excited grin. “Father!”
o-o
Kira hadn’t seen his sister since she fled the living room. During dinner, Cagalli hadn’t been around. Athrun had volunteered to go find her, but Kisaka had waved off his concern and had asked the maid to bring the princess her dinner. She was just probably in her room, minding her personal business, and since Kisaka had assured them that everything was all right, he wasn’t exactly worrying.
He looked around the room. They had finished dinner and dessert a long while ago and had even found a few minutes to spare in the lounging room, talking and laughing, until they decided it was time to unpack and turn in for the night. So here he was, staring at the scanty amount of possessions he had with him from when he was at the Archangel. Not that he was complaining, of course---since he wasn’t really vanity-concerned---but now that he thought about it, he didn’t need to wear uniforms anymore, so he had to return to everyday, normal clothing.
He kept staring while Birdie flew around the room.
He only had a few shirts, pants, undergarments, and a modest hygiene kit, just like any other boy. But unlike any other boy, Kira accepted, albeit rather grudgingly, the fact that he had to go shopping if he wanted to continue looking decent and properly dressed. He sighed. The other guys must be thinking the same thing right about now.
He finally moved from his spot and folded his clothes neatly before storing them in the closet. Even if he didn’t want to think about Lacus’ question, it kept hammering away in his mind. He had a home in Orb, but he chose to be stubborn and stay in the Athha residence. For someone who had been forced to mature faster than most kids, he was being immature about his feelings for his parents. It wasn’t that he hated them, but he didn’t know how to knock on their door. It wasn’t like he could just barge in there and go “hi, mom, dad.” It wasn’t that easy. The last time he had been on earth, he had adamantly refused to see them. He didn’t think that went well with them, but that had been his only choice back then.
Kira plopped onto the bed with the grace of a sack of potatoes. It would probably do him more good if he stayed away from his parents for now. He guessed it would take a longer while before he could find it in himself to face them again. He needed to sort out his thoughts and feelings, and there was still something about him and Cagalli, which he hadn’t told her yet.
That was his other problem. He knew Cagalli would listen to whatever he had to say, but he didn’t fancy disturbing her frame of mind right now by telling her about their father. She had just lost a second father, he wasn’t sure she would be glad to know how she lost the first one. The things he knew, those were hard to accept, and even after knowing how strong his sister was, he doubted she could get over it in record’s time.
Cagalli had a long list of things to do now that the war was over. He knew she wouldn’t let another person take over her father’s place, and that’s another reason he had to stall. Kira felt it was his duty to look out for her since he was the only family she had left. It would be selfish of him to dump everything on her and move on like nothing happened. He sat up, having decided that he’d tell Cagalli all that he knew about their past, but not now.
Kira eyed the door and got up. He better tell Cagalli he’d be staying in her house for a while. Even if he had a feeling she wouldn’t object to his decisions, he felt it was just right to thank her in advance.
Now who’s the older twin?
o-o
Kira rapped his knuckles on Cagalli’s door, the dull sound reverberating in the empty hallway. He had to make a small detour earlier to the kitchen to ask a maid where Cagalli’s room was, and now he found himself patiently waiting for his sister to let him in.
“It’s unlocked,” he faintly heard her call out as her voice was muffled by the thick wooden doors.
He gently shut the door after him then his eyes wandered around the huge bedroom. His gaze moved from the impressive armoire to the left then to the bed beside it. There he saw the blonde princess lying eagle-spread and staring at the canopy of her four-poster. Though she had let him in, she looked unaware of her surroundings, and she probably was, already forgetting his presence in the room.
Kira moseyed towards the bed, and Cagalli blinked as if she had just remembered she wasn’t alone. She turned her head and looked at him. “Did you want anything?”
He smiled. “Actually, yes.”
The blonde sat up and swung her legs off the mattress. “Shoot,” she said, patting the space beside her for Kira to sit on.
The Coordinator complied, settling himself beside her. “I wanna ask you something.”
“Yeah?”
“Is it okay if I stay here for a while?” He saw her raise a questioning eyebrow, and he quickly launched into an explanation, “I don’t know how to say it, but…you know…until I fix things…with my parents.” He gestured vaguely with his hands. “I know you’ve got your hands full seeing as how the rest are probably also staying here with you---well, except Miriallia and Sai who are going home tomorrow---but I’m not gonna be a bother…” he trailed off when Cagalli started laughing. “Wha---? What’s funny?” he asked, confused. He had rehearsed the gist of his explanation before knocking on her door, but he didn’t even get to finish it since his sister apparently found something laughable in what he was saying.
“Really, Kira! C’mon now!” she tried to get out in between peels of laughter. She laughed harder upon seeing the nonplussed look on her brother’s face. “As my brother, you needn’t ask permission to stay here!”
Kira’s confusion melted into an understanding nature.
“Stay here as long as you like,” she continued, finally getting over her chuckles. “I don’t know what happened between you and your parents, but that’s none of my business. If you wanna stay here for a long time, that’s absolutely cool.”
He smiled a smile that reached his eyes. “Thanks, Cagalli.”
She smiled back. “But if you want to stay here forever, that’s gonna cost you.”
This time, Kira laughed with her. “So you’re gonna charge your bother rent?”
“Of course! I mean, if Dearka and Yzak plan to stay here for that long, I’ll have them mow the lawn and fix the gardens. Athrun can clean the cars and drive me wherever I want to go. As for Lacus, well, girls are more sympathetic to other girls.”
“That’s unfair!”
Cagall patted him on the back with false compassion. “Kira, unless you’re willing to dress like a woman and act like one, then I’m charging you.”
The brunette involuntarily shivered at the picture Cagalli painted.
“Anything else?” Cagalli asked, a playful smile still playing on her lips.
He spied the half-eaten dinner on the bed table that was sitting atop a study table by the door, and he hesitated for an instant before turning towards her. “We haven’t seen you since we arrived.”
Her smile wavered, and Kira doubted Kisaka’s re-assurance. “And?”
“There’s something wrong, isn’t there?”
“Of course not! Everything’s dandy!”
Kira’s brow furrowed with concern, especially when he noticed her scooting a little farther from him, seemingly involuntarily. “It’s me, Cagalli. No need to hide it.”
Cagalli stood up and turned her back on him. He saw her hands move from her side, probably trying to swipe at her eyes in anticipation of the unwelcome wetness. “I’m really fine, Kira.”
Kira kept quiet, and the room was bathed in a thick silence disturbed only by wind slapping hard against the windowpanes. He kept his eyes on her back, just waiting. When her hands returned to her sides, he watched them ball into tight fists, but even then he kept still, as if afraid to break the quiet that had settled. He just sat there, torn between feeling awkward and alarmed at Cagalli’s sudden taciturnity.
He didn’t know how long the silence stretched before she finally spoke.
“I forgot, Kira.”
Kira had no idea what she was talking about, but he knew it was something painful just by witnessing how her shoulders sagged, losing the defiant rigidity they displayed just mere moments ago. He could almost feel the tension leave her body and be replaced by something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“I’ve always burst into his room whenever I get home from exciting adventures, and we’d spend the whole day in the sunroom, talking, laughing, and eating whatever we liked. But then I forgot.”
When she gave a hollow laugh, his frown deepened as he tried to understand what she was talking about.
“Then I took off last year, and, well, when I returned, we weren’t exactly on good terms, so we didn’t have our usual mini festivity. But I thought it was okay because we’d get another chance next time because…there’s always next time…there should always be next time.” She sighed. “But I forgot, Kira.”
She’d been repeating the same thing since she started talking. It bothered him that he didn’t have a single idea on what she had forgotten.
“Then something happened, and I regretted that time. If it hadn’t been for the war and everything that happened in space then, I could’ve gone nuts telling myself how stupid I’d been…always telling myself that there’s always next time.”
Hearing what she said, Kira now had a vague idea of whom she was talking about, though he didn’t dare voice it out. Still, he was puzzled.
She turned towards him, but the smile she put on never reached her eyes. “Then the war was over. We won! I got so excited to return to Orb! Back on the ship, I sort of got in a…row with Kisaka, and I was well aware of what happened. I mean, who can forget an event like that?”
It was a rhetorical question, but Kira wanted her to clear what exactly she was referring to. The only thing that held him back from asking was Cagalli’s crumbling bravado.
“Then we landed. I guess the euphoria was too much. I don’t know.” She shrugged, trying to mask a sniffle. “And now we’re home. You know what happened: I left you guys with Kisaka in the living room. But then I forgot.”
Kira’s heart ached at seeing his sister so sad. Where was the spunky Cagalli he was so used to? After hearing what she said, he finally understood everything. He knew what she had forgotten. She mentioned it herself. She fled the living room in a euphoric state, then she said she’d forgotten something, and he knew what she meant. He knew the event she was talking about. He’d been there, and so had Athrun.
The Coordinator had a hard time swallowing the lump that formed in his throat when the first few teardrops escaped Cagalli’s eyes.
“I forgot, Kira.” Then rivulets of tears came streaming down her face, seemingly unnoticed and most probably unbidden. “I forgot that he’s gone. I called out, and the room was dark and silent.”
He heard her draw a ragged breath, trying to calm her erratic emotions. “Cagalli…”
She gave a bitter laugh, hurriedly wiping her eyes dry, but it was a futile effort because the tears just wouldn’t stop. “Why am I crying?” Another chuckle. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this. It’s stupid.” Another angry swipe at the wetness on her eyes and cheeks. “Why doesn’t it stop?” she asked, now a little angry at herself. “I don’t know why I’m crying! It’s not like I didn’t know; I just momentarily forgot, is all!”
This was one of the reasons he had to postpone telling her about their father. She still had too much to deal with, and even if she tried to pretend everything was all right, he knew better.
Kira couldn’t take it anymore. It was just too much. He stood up, and with all the protectiveness a brother possessed for a sister, he strode towards her. She looked up at him with eyes that held so much sorrow that he felt his own tears prick the back of his eyelids.
“I won’t tell you that it’s all right, because I know it isn’t, but I’m going to tell you this: if you want to cry, no one’s judging you,” he said, remembering what Lacus had told him back in space.
“Kira…” she leant her forehead against his chest and finally let the sadness overwhelm her. She didn’t fight it anymore, and she wept the bitter tears she didn’t think she still had.
Kira enveloped her in a hug. He’d seen her dissolve in tears before, and he had been with her in her room aboard the Kusanagi when she was crying over the death of her father, but even a tough girl like her could only take so much pain. They had lost their biological parents in the hands of something they didn’t know, but he was still lucky because he had his adoptive parents, while Cagalli just lost hers. He was the only family she had now, and he would be damned if he let anything happen to her. So he held her.
Just like how a family would.
o-o
“Good night,” Kira said as he stood just outside her bedroom. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and gave her a small smile.
“Good night, Kira,” Cagalli whispered a little shakily, leaning on the doorframe for support, “and…thanks.” Her brother’s comforting smile was the last thing she saw before she shut her door.
There were times when she doubted her father’s assurance, when she stubbornly refused to acknowledge the truth behind his words, but now, she knew just how right he was. Her father wasn’t lying that time before the Kusanagi’s portal separated them forever: She wouldn’t be alone even when he was gone because she’d be with her brother.
Cagalli dragged herself to her bed then flopped onto it. She was exhausted. She had no idea how long she had cried, and she had been embarrassed about it as soon as she got her tears under control. Kira just dismissed her apologies with a wave of his hand, and somehow, that had made her feel even better.
She probably might never admit it, but the first time she had met Kira, she knew he’d have a special place in her life. She hadn’t been able to explain the protectiveness she had felt when she saw him depressed on the Archangel deck, and the impulse to comfort him and hug him at that time had been too great to ignore. As off as it sounded to her, she’d thought it was a crush, but every time they were together, it was made clearer to her that it was not. Somehow, she still couldn’t figure out what it was. There had been a connection from the very beginning, and that had puzzled her to no end.
Cagalli hadn’t understood why she felt very at ease around him back then, but now she knew. Before they were friends, and now, they were more…
…They were siblings.
-To Be Continued…
A/N:
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