Kira & Shinn - Athrun
„He socked me in the face, you know."
„Huh?" Kira looked up from the waves and to his side, where Shinn was standing next to him, his red eyes set on the ocean in front of them.
„Athrun did."
Kira only blinked in response. What on earth was he talking about? Why would Athrun-
„After our fight. When everything looked like the Archangel had sunk, and that I had killed you."
Kira's mouth shaped a little 'o', and for a moment neither of them spoke a word. Only the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore in front of them resonated through the air. Shinn rested his arms on the railing in front of them, shifting his weight on his other leg, his eyes never leaving the horizon. Kira wasn't quite sure what to say. The picture of Athrun hitting someone seemed so foreign, but so had the thought of either of them killing other people, a long time ago. His amethyst eyes wandered around until they finally settled on the beach spreading in front of them.
„I see."
Shinn shot him a glance, as if he was deciding on what to say next.
„He asked me why I did it. Said that you never wanted to kill me, or anyone, for that matter. Neither did the Archangel, and that you weren't our enemies."
Kira gave a little nod. He couldn't exactly deny that what Athrun had apparently said was wrong, but he also couldn't deny that he couldn't understand Shinn's position at the time, to some extent. The boy next to him hadn't known what had really been going on at that time, he had done what he had thought was right. And if his superiors, the people he was trusting to do the right thing because most of them didn't know what was happening around them, had told him that Kira and the Archangel were enemies, then it was only logical that the black-haired boy next to him would follow the orders given to him. He didn't hold it against Shinn, he only thought it was sad that it had come to that.
„I asked him if he would've rather seen me dead. That was when he hit me."
Was he imagining things, or did Shinn sound like he was about to laugh? Kira looked at his younger friend wondrously.
„Two people had to restrain him, or else he would have done it again. Well, they had to restrain me, too, because I was about to hit back."
Indeed, Shinn gave a small chuckle that didn't quite hide the irony of it all. A tiny, crooked smile graced his lips when he raised his hand to cup his cheek where Athrun's fist had connected so many weeks ago. His eyes flickered to Kira who looked back with an unreadable expression.
„Rey... went between us and talked to Athrun, tried to make him see reason, but Athrun...wouldn't listen. Rey dragged me away and Athrun just stormed off. I've never seen him so angry."
He paused, and Kira carefully observed the other. A certain bitterness had appeared, but he wasn't sure where – or whom – it was directed to. Red met purple, and after some long seconds, Shinn averted his gaze back to the ocean, resting his head on his palm at the same time.
„I didn't get it at all, at the time. If the captain and everyone else said you were an enemy, then he, too, should have been happy that a strong enemy was dead now, right? At least that's what I thought."
Shinn remembered it as if it had been yesterday, the pain and anger (and despair?) in Athrun's eyes when they had been standing face to face. But only now he finally understood where those feelings had come from, after the war was over. After everything had come to light, and especially after he had seen the two of them interacting. Now he understood what he had almost done to someone he now considered a 'friend'. Shinn didn't even want to know what would have happened to all of them if he had actually succeeded in killing Kira.
„I see."
Kira's eyes never left the young soldier beside him. He couldn't help but smile a little at what he had just heard, even if that smile was tainted with bitterness. He hated the fact that he had worried Athrun like that, but he also hated the fact that Athrun hadn't been able to see more clearly earlier than he finally did. He wasn't angry with his best friend, not at all, he just... wished that they could have fought next to each other sooner. If he and those he cherished had to fight, then he wanted to fight next to those he loved. Not against them.
„Hey... can I ask you something?"
Kira watched as Shinn stood straight and turned to him, one hand resting on the railing. The wind was blowing through his black hair, messing it up. Kira cocked his head.
„What is it?"
The sound of children's laughter suddenly filled their ears, and their gazes swept across the beach in search for the source of it. Not too far away they saw Lacus and Athrun with the children from the orphanage returning after taking one last walk before it was time for dinner and lastly, bed. They had been thrilled to see their 'Athrun-onī-chan' again and had instantly draped themselves all over him, dragging him outside to play. Poor Athrun didn't stand a chance. Kira smiled at the memory.
„Why-"
Shinn had only started speaking when they suddenly heard shouting from the beach. One of the kids had apparently jumped on Athrun's back and was clinging to him, causing the man to sway in an attempt to hold his balance. The children however seemed to have other plans and more of them started to literally siege him. Kira couldn't help but laugh when his friend finally lost his balance and fell down into the sand, children climbing all over him. He saw Lacus kneeling down next to the heap of bodies, apparently trying to help her former fiancé to escape from the onslaught, but it was no use. Their conversation temporarily forgotten, both Shinn and Kira continued to observe the spectacle. The pile of people on the sand started to shift and shuffle, and a moment later Athrun emerged, holding the evildoer who had started this 'raid' in his hands and up above him. They could hear him laughing, even as the other children tried to take revenge for their 'fallen' comrade. Kira could see Shinn shaking his head from the corner of his eye.
„Nevermind. Let's continue this some other time."
Kira wondered what this was about, but decided to humour his young friend when Shinn seemingly nodded to himself, his red eyes never leaving the scene unfolding on the beach. Lacus was now ushering the children away from Athrun, reminding them both very much of a shepherd with his sheep, before she held her hand out to her 'fallen' friend to help him up. Kira turned to Shinn and nodded, placing a hand on the younger boys' shoulder.
„Sure."
They shared a small smile before stepping away from the railing and back into the building to welcome their returning friends.
