Title: Sekai
Rating: K+
Warnings: Unbeta-ed, some OOC-ness
Genre: General, Angst/Humour
Main Character(s): Rey, Lunamaria, Shinn, Athrun, Meyrin, Kira, Lacus, brief Neo, Murrue
Ship(s): KiraxLacus
Summary: In the aftermath of the war, decisions are made. One shot.
Disclaimer: Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed, Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed Destiny, characters and places are copyright to Hajime Yate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Sotsu Agency and Sunrise.
Author's Notes: I adore the Minerva Three (as I've come to dubbed them). I rather like seeing them in the friends relationship with each other instead of romance.

She always hated hospitals. They smell of antiseptic, clean and sterile, death. The infirmary, while it was not a hospital, was not much better than one. Being smaller meant the smells are much more encompassing and she hated it even more. She remembered laying on the bed in Minerva's infirmary while getting patched up after a bout of fight with the Earth Alliance and ORB fleet on earth and her ZAKU had very nearly been destroyed. At that time, Rey had came out unscathed despite the damages he took with his ZAKU. Lunamaria remembered the resentment that she had to be the one injured and out of commission for a few weeks while he was walking around, relatively free from any injuries.

Right now, she didn't feel any resentment. Just worries, fears, anxiety and a thousand other emotions that flipped-flopped in her belly as she followed after Shinn in a run. Meyrin was behind her, trying to catch up as usual but not calling out for her. They have much to resolve during their time here on board the Archangel. Ironic how this was supposedly the enemy vessel and yet they were given shelter, help and medical treatment for their injuries. Shinn had a dislocated shoulder; his arm had been put in a sling to prevent anymore damage. A swath of bandage was wrapped around his head, strands of dark hair sticking out. Luna had bruised ribs and a sprained ankle which had been taped and she was ignoring the pain as she ran.

"Rey!" Shinn had thrown open the door, after running pell mell along the length of the ship and bursting into the infirmary. His eyes scanned the place before falling on his friend laying on the bed. A man who had been sitting on a chair by the bed stood up as soon as they arrived. Shinn's eyes narrowed at the sight of their former commander, Athrun Zala but he said nothing of it as he made his way towards the bed. Luna let out a breath she had been holding, limping towards the direction as well. Meyrin hesitated then followed.

Rey looked so much smaller and much more frail than usual. His face was pale, an almost waxy hue. An IV was attached to the back on his right hand. His left arm was in a cast. Luna could see the dark bruises along his collarbone and jawline. He must have hit his head against the controls, despite the harness's supposed job to keep him strapped down. The doctors had washed out the blood from his hair but they missed some; she could see the dark brown stains coating the golden strands.

"Rey!" Shinn called again, staring down, eyes wide as if it was the first time he was seeing a comrade badly injured. Luna couldn't blame him. It was the same when he saw her.

Blurry blue eyes fluttered open, fuzzy with sleep and the morphine they gave him for the pain, blinking up at them for a moment. The bewilderment faded, replaced with recognition when he saw who they were. He tried to smile but it came out as a grimace instead. When he attempted to lift his left hand, Luna quickly placed her hand on top of his, preventing him from doing any further damage to the healing bones.

"Don't," she told him stiffly. "It's in a cast and don't yank out the IV in the other one."

He stared at her, as if trying to remember when had she even been concern for him after their friendship had been deteriorate to sniping at each other and vying for Shinn's attention, as if it was competition to sway him to each of their side.

"You're all right," Shinn cut in the tensed moment. He was either oblivious to it or he chose to ignore it. Luna guessed the latter. "I was so worried. I thought the Requiem would have blown you to tiny bits but you're okay now."

"Am I?" Rey stared at the ceiling. "Do you think that I'm okay now?"

Shinn looked flustered. "Well, I mean... they patched you up and you're– you're fine now. You're not dead."

"I'm better off dead," Rey said emotionlessly.

An awkward silence filled the room, saved for Meyrin's sharp intake of breath. Shinn's eyes had grown wide, mouth opened but no words were coming out. He looked stunned and he tightened his hands into fists as he stood there, bowing his head, letting the bangs hide his expression. Lunamaria was the one who spoke up.

"Then go ahead and die," she snapped, voice disdainful and filled with bitter resentment. "If it's what will make you feel better. You didn't even think about how worried all of us are, especially Shinn here. You're so selfish, always have been! Did you think that dying would have make it better?"

"You don't know anything!" Rey was hardly ever angry; he hardly ever raised his voice as well and this was the first time they were seeing it. Two spots of colour appeared on his cheeks and his eyes were a steely blue as he glared at her. He had managed to sit up so that he wouldn't have to face off laying down; it made him vulnerable.

"Maybe because you don't tell us anything!" Lunamaria shouted back, eyes brimming with tears. She was so furious, she wanted to kick someone, something or maybe even hit him but she didn't. She just curled her hands into fists, nails digging into the palms of her hands. "How can you expect us to trust you when you hardly ever told us anything! He's dead, Rey! Live with it!"

Rey recoiled as if he had been slapped, eyes widening, something akin to horror crossing his face. He opened his mouth to say something but a choked sound came out as he lowered his eyes, looking at the floor instead of their faces. His shoulders shook with suppressed anger and possibly tears.

"Luna!" Shinn snapped, head snapping back up so fast he might break his neck. There was stunned disbelief on his face and undisguised anger at her remarks. "Stop. Just stop."

She made a sound at the back of her throat, her scowl deepening at them both. They've always been that way, even back at the Academy. They kept their secrets, exchanging those knowing looks and left her out of the loop.

"Rey, please, don't fight with her anymore," Shinn continued, this time in a much quieter tone. "I know you both have your issues and I hate to see you both fight. You're both my best friends. Just let it go, Rey. It's over. The Chairman... he's dead."

"And if you want to join him so much, you're welcome to it," Lunamaria added spitefully, unable to help herself.

"Oneesan!" This time, it was Meyrin. She looked between them, trying to understand. She hadn't been there at the Minerva for the last several weeks. She didn't really know what had happened between them but she knew that she disliked seeing them fight among each other. They used to be friends, all of them. What had happened while I was gone? she wondered, bitting her lower lip.

"He has no use for me in the end," Rey finally said, voice low and filled with such a hurt that Luna's anger abated and she felt the ache start in her chest. "Just like that girl, Mia Campbell. Everyone's useful to him as long as he wants us to. I'm nothing more to him than just being a tool."

"That's not true." Shinn sat down next to him. "Rey, you know it's not true. The Chairman... he did care for you. I know he did."

"In that strange way of his," Luna added with a sniff; it was not as contemptuous as before. She fell silent for a beat before she continued. "Rey, I know we haven't seen eye to eye in the last several weeks but I don't want you to hate me anymore and... and I don't think I want to hate you as well. We're friends. We all used to be such good friends. What happened?"

"The Chairman happened." Athrun Zala finally spoke up. "He lied to all you, to everyone of us. His words, they may sound true and good but they're not. He was good at swaying those to his side. Once he had his uses with you, you will be thrown to one side or be killed."

"But it's over now," the man cut in, tone light-hearted, clearly trying to break the sombre mood. He knelt by the bed, placing a hand on Rey's shoulder. "He's dead and you're free of him."

"What makes you think I want to be free of him," Rey grounded out, clenching his right hand, despite the IV in it. He looked away, letting his hair fall on his face, hiding his emotions from them. Gilbert... he had fired the Requiem at Archangel, and Rey had actually been in the way, fighting with Strike Freedom. He didn't even bother to check whether Rey had been safely out of the beam's way or not before firing. Rey had jerked Legend back but couldn't avoid the searing heat that melted the gundam's arm and leg, destroying them. He had been so stunned by Gilbert's callous act that he didn't even react when Strike Freedom disabled Legend, rendering it useless.

"Because you do," the man said, his tone earnest and sincere. "He was someone to you, wasn't he? More than just the Chairman."

"He's no one to me now." Rey loosened his fist, curling his fingers lightly. His voice was hushed, choked with unshed tears. He refused to cry. He would not show weakness before them, least of all to this man. "Just like I'm no one to him."

"Don't say that!" Luna said, a bit more sharply than she meant to. She looked angry but the anger was not directed at him. Not anymore. "You're Rey Za Burrel. You're someone to me, to Shinn, to everyone on Minerva," she continued with conviction. "You're our friend. My friend." She ended softly. "Don't ever think that. It doesn't matter anymore. He doesn't matter anymore."

"Isn't this the world we wanted?" Shinn said, a smile on his face. "It may not be the world he had wanted but it's the world we wanted, isn't it? You're here, so am I and Luna and Meyrin. We're the only family now... that is, if you want us." He scuffed his boot nervously on the floor.

Lunamaria watched as Rey struggled with his emotions; saw the various expressions that flitted across his normally stoic features until it settled on one. He nodded slowly. "Aa."

Shinn's face lit up, a wide grin spreading across his face. He turned to Lunamaria. "Do you hear that, Luna? We're a family now!" She rolled her eyes at him, inwardly happy for him as well. All of them had gone through a hard time in the past year.

"Who are you and what have you done with Shinn Asuka?" Rey mock-glared at his best friend. "The real one is always so angry and confused."

"Are you saying I have problems with my anger?" Shinn said indignantly.

"No, I'm saying Meyrin should stop make eyes at Zala and go for it." Rey watched with satisfaction as Meyrin turned as red as her hair and Athrun suddenly found the wall next to him interesting. Lunamaria stifled her giggle while Shinn just looked bewildered at the sudden change of topic. The man coughed lightly, clearly amused as well.

The door opened once more, this time admitting the pilot of Strike Freedom, the real Lacus Clyne (it was uncanny how the false one was identical down to the cherry-pink hair) and the Archangel captain. Shinn and Lunamaria immediately snapped a salute to her. Rey would have but with an IV tube attached to one hand and the other in a cast, he simply tilted his head in a greeting.

"I'm glad to see everyone is feeling better," Lacus said with a warm smile at them.

"A-arigatou, Lacus-san and Ramius-kanchou," Shinn stuttered a bit. "For taking us in, even though we– "

Captain Ramius raised a hand to stop him. "No formalities. Just Murrue-san will do. And all of you are no longer enemies, ne?" She tilted her head to one side in a playful manner that wasn't seen in Captain Gladys, a smile on her face. "The three of you are welcomed to stay on Archangel until your injuries are healed."

"Thank you, Captain," Rey said quietly. She nodded.

"The Minerva..." Shinn looked to her, biting his lower lip.

"Gladys-kanchou gave permission for you three," Murrue told them. She saw the relieved expression on Lunamaria and Shinn's faces while Rey's was impassive. "Although, she would like a word with you, Meyrin."

Meyrin started, shot a worried look at her older sister and Athrun, mouth open to say something but Murrue beat her to it. "Later. After everything and everyone has settled down."

"H-hai."

"I'll leave you all here. Neo, would you mind accompanying me back to the bridge?" Murrue gave him a meaningful look.

Neo? Shinn realized with a start this was the man that Stellar had been calling out during her time on board the Minerva's infirmary. Rage welled up inside him when he remembered the promise the man had made then broken, by making Stellar fight once more. Then, the anger deflated. Everyone had lost, not only him and he had a feeling that Stellar's death affected the man much more than him. It must have hurt to lost someone you've grown attached to, maybe even love. He turned to his friends, wondering how it would have been like if he had lost them both. The two adults left the room, leaving the seven of them in the awkward silence.

Lunamaria wasn't sure what to say to Athrun and Meyrin. She missed her sister terribly but while they had bantered like they used to just now, it just wasn't the same anymore. So much had changed between them.

"You were dead," Luna said, surprising them. She looked directly at the two. "Both of you."

"We survived," Athrun answered. "One of ORB's fleet picked us up."

"I'm... sorry," Shinn said, looking down. "I didn't..."

"You were given an order," Athrun said kindly. "Although you didn't help much," he added accusingly at Rey, though his tone was light. "You can be his very own pep cheerleader next time. 'Shinn, don't listen to Athrun! He's confusing you!'"

Shinn made a face at that. "I'm not confused all the time!" he protested weakly. "Am I?" he asked Meyrin who shrugged. Lacus Clyne giggled. Next to her, the Strike Freedom pilot smiled.

Rey raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing, knowing it a stab at the teasing he did just now but still... "I had my orders as well," he murmured. "I never... I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's over, that's what counts," Athrun told him. "I forgave you. Dullindal... he wasn't exactly the model of a perfect father figure with that warped mind of his."

This was getting too sombre and Meyrin could see it as well. She turned to her sister. Luna fixed a bright, cheery smile on her face (it was genuine) and threw her arms over Athrun's shoulder and the other over Shinn's. Athrun gave her a look which she ignored. Shinn merely sighed.

"Bygones be bygones!" she chirped. "It's over isn't it? We shouldn't let it bring us down. We should look forward to the future and move on. No sense in dwelling in the past."

"Luna is right," Rey said. "Dwelling in the past doesn't change anything." He lifted his head, smiling at them. "This is the world we wanted, isn't it? Then, we need to do our best to live in it."

Meyrin nodded with a smile while her sister grinned.

"We can start over," the pilot of Strike Freedom said, stepping forward, breaking his silence. Shinn nearly jumped. The guy was even quieter than Rey, and that was saying a lot. He had a sincere smile on his face as he held out his hand to him. "Kira Yamato."

"Shinn Asuka."

Owari.