Me: Hey all thanks for the reviews! I still have ways to go in the difficult ways of writing, but I shall try my best.
Haru: I think your best lacks.
Me: Why did I create a muse that has to give me crap everyday?
Haru: Why not? /grin/

Me: Sorry for the long wait btw. Everyday life gives crap about something or another so please be understandable. DX

Warnings… yeah, you know the drill.

Somewhere

By mimiru12

White was everywhere.

Everyday he woke up to be greeted by white wallpaper and was bid goodnight by white wallpaper. He didn't hate the color actually. He thought white looked clean and pure. But it also looked too neutral and easily tainted. Pros and Cons, he guessed.

He preferred red; the color that looked warm and strong. It represented things like love, anger, power, even holiness. And …

He paused with his thoughts, trying not to image red rotten liquid in his head. He could almost smell it, his stomach flipping inside. He had nightmares that were all dark red blood, and his friends and family completely drowning in it. He could only cry for them - his arms or legs wouldn't move no matter how much he tried and begged them to work.

He shuddered.

The strange woman who worked as scientist and part-time doctor here had said that he was in trauma. It was usual for a kid like him to have these kinds of nightmares after experiencing near death, and death for someone close to him. He didn't like the tone she used, like she didn't care at all, or the smoke from her pipe. But she was the doc, and he really did not have any control of what was happening to him. He was, to his dismay, only a kid.

Why was he thinking of all this anyway? Being trapped in this room has turned him loopy. He was beginning to feel like he was in an asylum.

But he continued, for a lack of better description, stare at the ceiling.

He thinks if he doesn't heal up soon he just might go insane from nightmares.

-

But thanks to his amazingly fast healing speed, he was saved from insanity.

The doctor had stared amusingly at him, forgetting that her opium was burning away. She commented on how fast he had recovered – it has been only a week since the surgery. His recovery was fast even if she had used her best cybernetics on him; the amount of blood he had lost and him being an underage should have at least took him a month to heal. She smoked her pipe still looking at him with entertained eyes. She breathed out white smoke, creating small unpleasant haze around her.

"Well little boy, it looks like you got a quite a body there. It has very high survival rate…" She looked at him with eyes of scientist, analyzing his possibilities. "You could be very good Knight."

"Knight? What's that?" Suzaku stared at her questioningly, his curiosity always asking questions and wanting answers. She breathed out some smoke again, making Suzaku's eyes squint as he involuntarily inhaled its scent. "It is a word referring to those who drive Knightmare Frames." She smirked at him, seeing his fascinated face.

"But… that's Britannia's …" His faced hardened as he said that. "I don't want to…."

The scientist shook her head disapprovingly and sighed. "Little boys shouldn't act proud. It doesn't fit. Besides we are fighting something that's greater than us. Underdogs can't decide what they want. They need to grab every chance and bounce. If they don't," She smoked her pipe again, "They wont' survive."

Suzaku carefully replayed her words in his head. She was right. Pride should be in way of chances yet the dishonor it would bring to his family name - it made him dizzy.

What would his father think?

But if it was something that will bring end to all this misery, he is going to take it, grab hold of it, and cling to it. While being amazed at his own choice, he looked up to see her, who smirked again at his determined face.

Before he could say anything she was walking away. He called out for her but she just waved and said before getting out. "Come to Technology and Development department tonight. I will give you a test."

Suzaku swallowed hard. He hoped it was not a paper test.

-

Unstably walking down the hallway of the airship, he marbled how large it was.

Being stuck in his little white room made his unaware of the other places like the large room filled with people talking on the phone and typing away madly on laptops or the hanger that held impressive Knightmare Frames. He spotted some people he recognized from the short encounter in the woods. The guy named Tamaki walked up to him and smacked on the boy's little back, almost making him fall down flat on the shiny floor. He introduced himself and talked, well boasted, about himself and the Black Knights. He could only give him a wary smile and responses. Then he was alone walking down the long hallways again. But it seemed like he was going around in circle – he was sure that he had seen that pillar before. Suzaku looked around, but he had no idea where he was.

He was lost.

He slumped down against the wall depressingly. He should have known that he would get lost on big airship like this. He must have made a wrong turn or took a wrong path. He could feel panic seep through his brain.

What was he going to do?

The hallways he marbled suddenly looked oddly empty and cold. He was alone.

No one was with him.

He curled up and buried his head in his arms. After he rested a little he would stand up again. Then he will go onward.

But he was alone.

A heavy rock in his chest got heavier and he couldn't breathe. Tears were threatening to slip out of his eyes. His face must be red from trying hold back.

It was pathetic: crying. But he couldn't stop the tears. They come with force and he couldn't stop them like always.

He was a cry-baby.

The silence surrounding him seemed to absorb him and he slowly submerged into the darkness.

-

The Brigade had gained some more recruitment, and the organization was slowly growing. But the invasion of Japan had caused its black market to crash creating a chaos. This meant that for some time, a year or two perhaps, the market for Sakuradite was lost. Although he had decent amount of them in stock, he didn't want to risk losing any of Knightmare frames. But this meant that he had to stay on minimum activity mode. This could somewhat create a problem for his plan. Decisions, decisions.

It was very normal day for Zero.

He read the reports from the Squad Three, a grim face hidden by the mask.

His head aches and he sighs, putting down the report on the table and heading out.

He needed some fresh air. He thinks and pulls himself together. The door opens automatically, the sound it makes somewhat refreshing.

He moved his legs in direction to the bridge, his head still feeling heavy.

Then he spots a small body curled up into a ball. He recognized who it was immediately, walking swiftly towards him.

He checked his pulse and heartbeat, and breathed out in relief when he realized that the boy was just sleeping. Suzaku's round cheeks are stained with tears, and he can't help but to gently rub the tears away from his closed eyes.

Zero sighs softly and whispers. "Trust me Suzaku, for Nunnally and for you… I shall create the world I promised. Until then, stay strong."

He embraced the child, rose to his feet, and carried Suzaku through the dim hallways. The boy snuggles closer to the source of the warmth, namely the teen who was carrying him. Zero stiffens a little, but gently, almost hesitantly, caresses Suzaku's curly locks, tucking them behind his ears.

Under his mask, he smiled genuinely – something he hadn't done in a long while.

-

Suzaku is dreaming.

For once, he isn't drenched in blood or crying in pain. He is surrounded by warm and comforting darkness; its silence is a lullaby that calms his raging fear.

Someone is holding him ever so lovingly. He vaguely remembers being held like this.

But all he can remember are … sunflowers.

-

The promised paradise - the one that belongs to only two of us

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