"How many times do I have to tell you that you should separate the white clothes from the colored ones?"

The greeen-haired witch peeks at him with one golden eye as she continues to munch on her pizza that unfortunately came from his credit card. Lelouch, hangers in hand, walks in and out of the living room as he entertains a pitiful mental breakdown in the morning of his thesis presentation.

"But I did wash them, right? I fulfilled your wishes," is her nonchalant reply as she scans the TV channels and settles on a morning news show. "At least you have clean clothes to wear today."

Lelouch glares at his roommate as he passes by her lazy figure sprawled on the sofa for the tenth time that morning. "But I need a white dress shirt to match with my blue coat. WHITE, C.C..." He stands infront of her, completely blocking her view, and lifts one hanger, "... not pink."

The witch, as per his nickname for her for she is the true embodiment of a cruel and shameless witch disguising as a senior art student (alright, a pretty senior art student), just innocently tilts her head and taps her chin. "Pink and blue actually go well together. The combination will give you a friendly, cozy style without losing a sense of class. Believe me, I know my colors."

Lelouch shakes his head in agitation. "You are missing the point."

"There is a point?"

Oh, good Lord, please lengthen his patience and strengthen his resolve. For as long as he deals with this girl, he fears that his life is getting shorter and shorter.

"The point is," he says through gritted teeth as he shakes the shirt infront of her for emphasis. "This is supposed to be white. This WAS white but now it isn't because you washed your new red skirt with it."

C.C. nods thoughtfully as she chews on her second pizza slice. "I know that. Red and white make pink. I'm an art student, you know," she deadpans.

"That's not what I meant!" At this point, he can't figure out if she is being serious or she is merely trolling at him. And he does not need this kind of stress in this very important day. "You ruined my shirt, C.C. And now, I don't have anything to wear!"

"Oh, don't be so overdramatic, Lelouch," she rolls her eyes. She puts her pizza down grudgingly, slowly wipes her fingers and finally stands up. Her green head barely reaches his chin but damn everyone of the mischievousness that she possesses. Grabbing his wrist, C.C. pulls him to his room while grumbling "Such a crybaby", "For once, I washed the clothes and this is what I get", "Thank God, Nunnally is the exact opposite of you", and "I'll definitely tell Nunnally and Suzaku about this", which Lelouch all ignored. He has too much to worry about now, her ridiculous musings could wait for another day. And it's not as if he wouldn't tell Nunnally first about this ordeal. He just hopes that his own sister take his side this time.

"What did you say? You don't have anything to wear? Then maybe these are all trashes?" This is all declared after C.C. unceremoniously opened his closet and gestured at his unhealthy collection of designer clothes. "I should have put them in the garbage can instead of folding them one by one." Arms crossed, she gives him a glare of her own that sends chills to his bones. Someone must have cursed him during his dorm room application, someone must have plucked one of his hairstrands without his knowledge and gave it to a witch who cursed him to have C.C. as his roommate. Or maybe, it was the witch herself who plucked that strand and did some voodoo stuff with it. The witch infront of him. He should have been suspicious of having a girl as a roommate that first day they met in this room when the building is separated into female dormitories and male dormitories. The officer-in-charge said that it was the best he could do to accommodate them after applying far too late and having all of the available rooms occupied except for one. But being suspicous was the last thing in his mind when his eyes laid upon the mysteriously prettiest girl and after learning that she was going to be his roommate. Ah, damn it. He can't believe that he even harboured a little crush on her at the very beginning. Of course, he still becomes breathless when he looks at her in those rare times that she would give him her secret smile and lead those twinkling bright eyes at his direction. But her messy and disheveled lifestyle overpowered all that beauty and now, all Lelouch can feel whenever she is within his vicinity is perpetual annoyance and wariness.

A shirt hitting his face snaps him out of his thoughts surprising him with the force. "Wha - "

"Wear those," C.C. says as she continuously digs in his closet. Lelouch sighs. He doubts that she will fix the new mess that she made. Removing the shirt from his face, he sees that it's the one she bought as a birthday gift for him last year. "It's time for you to try a new style anyway. Those coats and slacks that you always wear make you look older than your age. Plus, you can throw the panels off their chairs but keep them intrigue when you enter looking different. Will definitely make them intrigue about your thesis, too." She is now bent over as she pulls a pair of pants at the bottom of the closet.

"And if they are not intrigued enough?" he counters.

She looks over her shoulder and smirks at him. "Well, are you going to let that happen?" She falls on her butt after several attempts of pulling the garment. "Tada!" With a triumphant smile on her face, C.C. rises and hands him the pants. Taking several steps towards him until the space between them is too close to be considered decent, the girl reaches up and caresses his already blushing cheek. "Good luck on your presentation, Lelouch. But most importantly, you owe me two boxes of pizza for this."

He hisses as he takes a step back. "Don't you have anything else in your mind other than that food?"

"Of course, I do," C.C. shrugs. "I think about my projects, Cheese-kun, the dinner you're going to prepare later, the breakfast for tomorrow..." He begins pushing her out of his room so he can change at last. He is going to be late. "... the lunch for tomorrow, your credits and if they are enough to buy more pizza..."

"Shut up."

"... and if they are, how many boxes can I buy with them, then I'll think of the flavors - "

He closes the door behind her and he hears a delicate teasing laugh on the other side.

Definitely a witch. He just hopes that she didn't accidentally put a curse on him today.

In the end, he wasn't able to present his thesis. Apparently, the faculty called for an emergency meeting and the remaining presentations, including his, are moved to a further date. Lelouch is torn between being relieved for having more time to prepare, and anxious that he still have this to worry about. The bottomline is, he will definitely not be able to sleep peacefully for a few more nights until he is done with his presentation.

"How is it?"

Lelouch puts the take out food he bought on his way back to the dorm on the center table before plopping beside C.C. on the sofa. A tired sigh came from him as he runs his hand down his face. "The schedule was moved so I wasn't able to present."

"Hmmm," his roommate hums while opening the Chinese take out. "That sucks."

"Tell me about it."

Unbuttoning his shirt, he abruptly rises startling his companion.

"Where are you going?" inquires C.C., noodles hanging from her mouth.

"I'm going to bed."

"But you haven't eaten yet."

He waves her off. "I'll just get up later when I get hungry. Clean up after you eat. Good night."

"Mmm-night."

It is exactly one in the morning when his door opens. C.C.. knows about this because the promo show she was half-watching just ended and the rolling credits was hynotizing her to sleep. Lights off, Lelouch softly walks out of his room and sits beside her. Rubbing her eyes, she utters, "Oh, you're here."

He does not respond.

"I can reheat the noodles. Wait here." Through bleary eyes, C.C. navigates the dark living room until she finds the switch and turns the lights on. Heavy with sleepiness, she gets the noodles from the refrigerator and heats it in the microwave. She glances back at the unmoving figure of her roommate and bestows him a pity look.

Poor boy. He looked so disappointed when he came back earlier. She could imagine the stress he was feeling for she herself is experiencing the same thing. She just masked her anxiety by consuming lots of pizza which strangely helps her cope up. Perhaps, she should talk to him seriously about finals one of these days. It could help them both release the tension in their minds knowing that they have each other to lean on to. Well, he does have Suzaku, but an addition of another person wouldn't hurt, right? She promises that she would hold back from teasing and annoying him.

C.C. places the bowl on the center table and hands Lelouch the chopsticks. Her brows furrow when the boy remains unresponsive.

"Lelouch?" she asks worriedly.

Still no answer.

Looking closely, she notes the empty but dazed look on his amethyst eyes. She follows his line of sight only to be greeted by the wall across them.

"Are you alright, Lelouch?"

She waves her left hand infront of him and the boy does not even blink. Wait... Is he sleepwalking?

"Lelouch?" she tries again.

She waits.

And waits.

Until...

"Yes?"

Immediately, C.C. retrieves her phone and searches about 'sleepwalking' in the internet. There, it says, someone who sleepwalks could respond though these responses come slowly. What should she do? Does she have to wake him up? The article said that it is better to do so. But... But a wild idea is developing in her mind. This might be her only chance to do this. Oh, whatever, he won't remember a single thing about it when he wakes up so might as well grab this rare opportunity.

Sitting straighter, she makes sure that her voice comes out soft and lulling.

"Hey, Lelouch, what do you think of C.C.?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"She's a witch," is his lazy response.

C.C. raises an eyebrow. "A witch? Why?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"She put a curse on me."

"How is that?"

"She is messy, she spends my cash and credits, all she does is eat pizza, and she likes to tease and annoy me. Her curse is for me to suffer on her presence."

C.C. stops herself from laughing. So this is how he perceives her, as a witch. Oh, how adorable but very much in character of him. She definitely takes it as a compliment.

"But you look cute when you're annoyed."

Lelouch grumbles something incoherent.

"What is it?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"She should take a lesson of finesse from Shirley."

An image of an orange-haired girl pops in her mind. Shirley, one of his classmates who was briefly introduced to her during a party. But C.C. can clearly remember how the former's eyes lit up everytime he paid her attention.

"Are you close to Shirley?"

"... Yes."

"Do you like her more than a friend?"

C.C. waits with bated breath for zombie Lelouch's answer. Yes, she will call him a zombie for now.

"No."

C.C. exhales.

Zombie Lelouch stays unblinking and C.C. worries for his eyes to dry. How long does sleepwalking actually last?

"Okay, back to C.C. Is she a good roommate?"

She already expected what his answer would be given how his first one was, so she is completely taken aback when his opinion takes a different route.

"Yes. She can be thoughtful sometimes."

"Thoughtful... I like that."

"... Tolerable."

C.C. nods. "Go on."

"... Smart."

She smiles.

"..."

"..."

"Quick-witted."

"I know."

"Helpful... sometimes."

C.C. glares at him. "I always help you, you just don't appreciate my ways."

"And pretty."

She stops, eyes wide open, mouth hanging.

"You find her pretty?" she whispers.

She waits nervously.

A nod. "... very pretty... Beautiful."

Her cheeks instantly heat up and for a moment, C.C. runs out of questions. He never tells her that when he is conscious. The way he always looks at her is a mixture of annoyance and cry for help. Sometimes, she thinks that he fears her and her wilfulness. But never this. Never had it struck her that he finds her pretty. Beautiful even. And... And she feels extremely happy despite this is Zombie Lelouch talking.

After all, our subconscious is more honest than our day self, correct?

"Thank you. You're quite a looker yourself, too," she shyly says. Her eyes catches the clock and finds that it's almost two in the morning. Should she wake him up now so he could properly go back to sleep, or should she assist him back to his bed in his current state? She vaguely remembers him talking about having an early class tomorrow and she wonders if this sleepwalking would count as a lack of sleep. She doesn't want him exhausted and grumpy when she wakes up in the morning.

But first, she'll ask him the question that's been bugging her ever since they became close.

"Lelouch, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

It is a mystery, not only to her, but also to Nunnally, Suzaku, and the entire female population in campus why this handsome bachelor hasn't have a single girlfriend since freshman year when most of the girls are willing to be one. Sure, he is a diligent student who juggles academics and extra-curricular activities in his tight schedule. He's also a very doting brother to his younger sister, which actually made the girls swoon over him more. A girlfriend is definitely not in his top priorities in the past years, but certainly, he had thought or imagined of having one, hadn't he? Kallen had asked her once if he was dating someone. Anya thought that Lelouch and C.C. were dating which the former profusely denied.

"Because I don't need one."

"You don't need one?" she echoes.

"... I will think about it when it is necessary."

Necessary? What does he even mean by that? Oh God, that is such a 'Lelouch' way of considering things.

"But at the very least, you liked someone, right?" she prods. C.C. twirls her hair while waiting for his answer.

"..."

"... Yes, I do."

Do?

"Who is it?"

No response.

She prompts, "Kallen?"

"... No."

"Kaguya?"

"..."

"... Not her."

"Well... Milly?"

"No."

Huh, she cannot think of anyone else. Shirley is definitely out of the choices already. "Do I know her?" she tries again.

A nod.

Hm. They only have a handful of mutual friends because of their different courses and C.C. had exhausted all of the names she can think of. Looks like even when sleepwalking, Lelouch is stubborn at keeping secrets.

"Then it must be C.C.," she says offhandedly as she stands and stretches her arms. As much as she is enjoying this 'one-sided' conversation, it is time for them to go to sleep. She decides to just assist him back to his room and not speak of this conversation when morning comes. But truth to be told, this night will be in her thoughts for a while.

"Yes, she is."

Right, time to sleep. She's already hallucinating and hearing voices.

"I do like her a lot."

She freezes mid-stretch.

"Eventhough she often teases me, I like the smirk she gives me in the end."

"Lelouch?"

She waves her hands infront of him, checking if he is still unconscious. His eyes does not even blink, his head does not even turn towards her.

Sitting down, she examines his side profile as she asks the next questions.

"But she annoys you," she utters, confused.

"... Always."

"You still like her despite that?"

"..."

"..."

"Yes."

"Do you want her to be your girlfriend?"

"... Maybe."

Oh.

Oh.

Her heart pounds erratically in her chest as his words sink in. He's sleepwalking/talking, right? Everything he is saying shouldn't be taken seriously, correct? But... there is a tickling flutter in her stomach. Something is burning in her cheeks.

"Do you plan on asking her to be your girlfriend?" she murmurs.

"... I will try."

C.C. sighs.

She bites her lips and closes her eyes.

Shakes her head then leans it against his arm.

"Lelouch Lamperouge," she mumbles. "Such a puzzle you are."

Lelouch accidentally closes the bathroom door loudly startling his roommate who is eating breakfast in the kitchen.

"Sorry," he apologizes as he dries his hair with the towel.

"It's fine," she murmurs.

Feeling playful, he sits across from her and snatches the toasted bread in her hand and quickly puts it in his mouth.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Just make another one, I'll be late."

"That's your fault for waking up late," C.C. says under her breath while murdering her other toast with the fork.

"Speaking of which, I don't know how I ended up sleeping on the couch last night. I swear to God, I was in my room." Ah, he really loves how she makes her toast. If only she can make an amount good for two people. After all, he always cooks for her. It's about time to ask for some payback.

Without looking up at him, she asks, "You don't remember?"

He shakes his head. "No, I don't. Do you know anything about it?"

She said something he doesn't catch.

"What?"

"I said, I don't."

Before she could crush the toast into sand, Lelouch steals it from her plate and eats it.

"What's wrong with you?" If looks could kill, Lelouch could be dead by now with the way the witch is glaring, and hopefully not cursing, at him.

"No, what's wrong with you? You've been acting strange this morning."

Sighing, she puts her fork down and finally meets his eyes. He then notices the black bags under her eyes as if she didn't even blink last night. "Sorry. Just lack of sleep. I stayed up late last night.

"Hmmm. You should avoid doing that. I read online that it can cause sleepwalking."

Suddenly, C.C. coughs incessantly.

Worried, Lelouch quickly gets her a glass of water and lifts it to her lips himself. "Slowly... Slowly."

Once she recovered, C.C. comments, "You are oddly in a good mood today."

"Actually... I don't know why, but I felt like something was lifted off my chest. Like a secret had been finally unraveled." Lelouch scrunches his nose at his words. They sound cheesy even to him, so he anticipates C.C. to tease him. But when she remains silent, his worry for her grows more.

Before he can utter a word, C.C. speaks. "You should get going. Don't worry about dinner later, I'll cook this time. Now, shoo! Shoo!"

C.C. continues to push him until they are standing in the doorway, she, grabbing his bag on their way and handing them to him while he protests against her forceful hands yet secretly enjoying her touch against his skin.

"Good bye, Lelouch Lamperouge."

"Good bye, C.C."

Yet, they continue to stand there, staring at each other as if waiting for someone to give in.

C.C. crosses her arms. "What are you waiting for?"

He shrugs. "Nothing. I'll see you later."

He is a few steps away from the door when the witch calls his name. Turning around, he is surprised when a kiss landed on his left cheek. Completely startled, Lelouch could only stare at her, wordless, as her signature smirk appears on her lips and those golden eyes twinkle with merriment. "I guess, that's what you are waiting for."

Of course not.

A good bye kiss from her?

He isn't waiting for that.

Lelouch would never.

Or maybe, he is.