MELTING ICE

Part Three

At first, when Suzaku had approached Shirley about Lelouch, she had been completely unfazed by his various questions. They'd seemed innocent enough at the time after all, and most people were generally pretty interested in Lelouch to begin with anyway. So, it wasn't as if that was anything new, really. However, as the days that passed since the school festival turned into weeks, Shirley couldn't shake the feeling that she'd somehow managed to sabotage herself unintentionally by cooperating with his curiosity.

Now, it had been nearly a month since the festival, and Shirley was positive that something pivotal must have happened between the "new kid" and her crush that her and the rest of the student council had inadvertently missed out on.

It was all truly rather sudden; the day of the fair had seemed average enough, for such an eventful time that it was, but that Monday afternoon, at the next council meeting, the dynamic of Suzaku's relationship with Lelouch seemed to have altered considerably.

Well, it was more like they actually had one now, rather than Lelouch continuing to simply flat-out ignore Suzaku's entire existence.

The worst part though, was that Lelouch refused to acknowledge the sudden change in himself with a very Lelouch-esque approach. And when Milly had begun to pry and pester the two, both boys had instantly developed quite a knack for avoiding the subject.

It was almost as if Suzaku were just sort of following his lead really…

At the moment, Shirley was spacing out within her English class. The teacher was reading a passage from a chapter in the book they were currently assigned, his tone flat and dragging. The classroom was so dull and uninspiring that it was no wonder she couldn't focus on the words echoing throughout the room, especially when she just so happened to share that period with both Lelouch and Suzaku. So, of course Shirley would've preferred to assess the two of them, rather than actually pay attention that day's the monotonous literature lesson. It was just so easy to spy on them too. Because, oddly enough, Lelouch had taken to seating himself beside Suzaku during the last few weeks, and Mr. Elmore was a man who was vastly patriotic and, therefore, more than happy to allow his prince to do as he pleased.

Suzaku seemed a little too thrilled with this change of pace as well; that was what really threw Shirley for a loop.

He's actually hard to read, she thought suspiciously, taking a glance at him from a across the room as she recalled the conversation they'd had before the school festival. I mean, he didn't look like he really cared… but, then again, he did ask some embarrassing questions. It was kinda weird. I wonder if he planned all this from the start…

But, even to someone like her, that seemed unlikely.

Although, the next time she snuck a peak at the pair (and thinking of them as a "pair" really only seemed to irk her all the more), Shirley's face flushed with the sight, as Suzaku seemed to whisper something to Lelouch which made him stifle a laugh.

Mind you, Shirley was mostly blushing because it was such a rarity to see Lelouch show any sort of positive emotion- as slight and inconspicuous as it may have been, but somehow she almost felt a sinister feeling settling within her. It was the same sensation as the tingle of pure affection, but by some means more akin to antagonism, not unlike when you know someone is certainly out of your league. And Shirley considered that maybe she felt so on edge because Lelouch hadn't really been Lelouch as of lately. However, that was only until she realized it was probably more-so due to the evident fact that, yes, Lelouch wasn't being Lelouch, but because of Suzaku.

It was jealousy she was feeling, mixed with a sense of endearment which made her immensely conflicted.

And though part of Shirley surely knew that she was being morphed by her resentment, she just could not stop herself from thinking that this was really all Milly's fault in the end.

The two boys had grown frighteningly close, that much could go without saying by then. They practically flaunted it, even as they pretended it didn't exist. It always looked like Suzaku and Lelouch lived in a tiny bubble of a world when they were together too, immersed in an avid conversation which usually had Suzaku smiling brightly. It was all almost insulting in a way, because it brought up the question, what made Suzaku good enough? Lelouch ignored most people, and Shirley still considered herself relatively lucky to be his friend, but (and she was also well aware that this probably wasn't true) it seemed so… arrogant of him.

Though, even fueled by the nagging little notion that Lelouch may actually prefer Suzaku because he was a boy, Shirley also could not find it in herself to dislike either of them for it. After all, gender had nothing to do with it. Plenty of guys liked Lelouch, so this was all really about Suzaku in particular honestly.

Of course, Shirley definitely wasn't a bad person, and jealous or not, she still adored Lelouch, and she still thought Suzaku was kind and fun (if not a little mysterious at times).

Besides, Shirley also thought they looked flat-out wonderful together, both handsome and fascinating in their own ways.

It's difficult to hate beauty.

And, mostly in light of her crush, despite the tension she felt for Suzaku, Shirley had never seen Lelouch look at someone the way he looked at his new "friend." It was similar to how he regarded his family, in that his gaze was soft and patient, yet with a hint of something different. When Lelouch looked at Suzaku, sometimes it was the face of a friend (or at least the Ice Prince's best rendition of such a thing), but other times he looked downright sad.

At this moment, it's important to note that Shirley had really only seen Lelouch appear legitimately sad twice.

He wasn't often happy, that was for sure, but for him to be sad?

Irritated.

Bored.

Indifferent.

That was Lelouch's emotional range.

Well, at least that was what he portrayed, but Shirley knew better.

The first time she saw him become truly upset was when he found out his half-sister, Princess Euphemia, had been shot.

(That was back in her first year at Ashford Academy, when she hardly knew Lelouch as a friend, but more of a fellow classmate who just so happened to be hands-down the most popular individual in their entire school).

The princess was in a local hospital, being treated for a bullet wound to the shoulder, when their phone rang. The event had been all over the news apparently (she had been attacked during a press conference by a terrorist, presumably from the Chinese Federation, who luckily was a bad shot), but everything occurred during class, and no one knew until Lelouch received a call from his mother.

He left the room to take it, but when he returned to retrieve his things he seemed as though he were trying not to cry, of all things.

At the time, the sight left Shirley in shock, but the more she got to know Lelouch, the more she understood it.

However, for Lelouch to be upset over a wounded sibling, that may have been normal, but it wasn't every day he showed that side of himself to someone he wasn't obligated to. Lelouch valued family, that much was blatantly obvious, but Suzaku wasn't his family. He wasn't even Britannian. Not that it really mattered, but still, if he had been, then at least this all may have had some sort of strategical, political explanation behind it, because to have a Britannian noble in his favor would've been good for his family. And, after all, that sort of thing was definitely within Lelouch's character to do.

The relationship between Britannia and Japan was completely stable though, so that couldn't have been it.

Ultimately, it appeared that Lelouch actually liked having Suzaku as company, and if that was fact, then Shirley was happy for him (albeit, a bit reluctantly), because she figured he could probably use someone like that around.

It's like they're already best friends, she pondered as she snuck yet another passing glance at the two from the corner of her eyes. I want to say it's cute, but for some reason…

Shirley shook her head, casting her negative thoughts aside.

Don't be bitter now! she scolded herself. If Lulu likes him, then there's got to be a good reason for it, right? Okay, I can't let myself get caught-up in anger just because I'm a little jealous. And it's not like they're dating or something… right?

Well, perhaps that wasn't the best path for Shirley to let her mind wander down, but for some reason it wasn't hard to imagine either. And suddenly, she could feel another blush spread across her face as she was overtaken by what-if's.

It really wasn't difficult to picture them as a couple.

Of course, Lelouch had told Shirley in the past that he simply "didn't date," from a moral standpoint. His explanation had something to do with his status as a royal and all the things that were expected of him, but she had been friends with Lelouch for long enough by then that she knew it was clearly all a load of crap. He may not have been the dating type, but if he had a reason, that certainly wasn't it. After all, Lelouch didn't care what people thought of him, especially not in regards to the fact that he was a prince. When others addressed him with a title it made him visibly uncomfortable even. So, for him to say that he cared about propriety and the public's image of his royal blood? That had to be a lie.

But, regardless, the fact that Lelouch didn't date meant Shirley was just worrying over nothing, right?

Well, considering how unusual things were becoming now that Suzaku was around, she could honestly only hope.

Of course, really Lelouch was acting just downright strange; that much was completely undeniable at least. He was rarely alone for one thing, which was pretty amazing in and of itself. All of his time, which would've typically been spent sleeping or just basically avoiding people, was now spent in Suzaku's presence instead also. And he had even gone as far as to ask Suzaku to go out with him and the twins in front of the entire clubroom last weekend, leaving the rest of the group in total awe as Suzaku just smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

This wasn't their Lelouch, no way!

He had to have been brainwashed or something, because their Lelouch never invited anyone to his family dining night unless they were part of his family.

Although, at that point Suzaku might as well have been an honorary Britannian royal, because he was stuck to Lelouch like a burr from the forest.

No, he was more like a giddy puppy, and Lelouch was the burr.

Shirley did not like it though, that much was obvious. She wasn't exactly angry, per say, but somehow she'd found it hard to talk to her beloved "Lulu" as of late. Other than around Suzaku, he was still generally himself, but there were subtle changes in him that only Shirley and rest of the council had noticed. Plenty of people paid attention to Lelouch, of course, but they were the ones that knew him best; Milly had been the one to point out his decrease in outbursts, C.C., the one to point out how close together the two of them always walked, and Shirley? Well, she'd probably been the first to notice the fact that Lelouch's eyes always seemed to find Suzaku in a room before anyone else.

It's hadn't even been a full month yet, and it was like they were the sort of friends who already knew they were going to be science partners well before the project had even been announced.

Worse yet, no one had dared approach Lelouch since the school festival.

People just thought Suzaku seemed dangerous honestly. There were rumors that he had beaten up two other students that day, and while she typically didn't acknowledge that sort of gossip, Shirley had some evidence in the theory's favor.

First of all, the following Monday, when Lelouch and Suzaku showed up to their council meeting all buddy-buddy for the first time, Suzaku had a bruise on the side of his face. It wasn't too bad, a bit purple and swollen, but he was perfectly fine. Lelouch, however, proceeded to ask him if it hurt just about every hour or so.

After that, Shirley had a run-in with the boys he'd apparently fought.

Montague Topper and George Hinterland- they were two of the most infamously racist students at their school.

And boy, did they have quite an interesting story to share with her.

With that memory in mind she paused.

Yes, Shirley pondered silently. There is definitely something wrong with Lulu.

x x x

A month prior…

On the day of the festival Lelouch hadn't thought anything significant would happen, because, just like every year before, he planned to take care of his duties as Vice President and then promptly run off to hide in the dorms for the rest of the afternoon. However, unlike any other year, that was before the incident involving Montague Topper and his blond friend, George Hinterland, as they attempted to harass and bully Suzaku.

It was odd too, because even as Lelouch ushered Suzaku back to his dorm room after the incident, he couldn't help but question his own blatant frustration about what had just occurred between the four of them.

Not to mention, Suzaku seemed pretty dumbfounded by the whole thing himself, even more so because the side of his face had already begun to turn purple and swell below his eye. A drop of blood was visible now as well, barely oozing from a scratch on his cheek. And the sight alone only proved to piss Lelouch off all the more.

"Geez," Lelouch growled as he pulled Suzaku into his room, closed the door behind him, and began to examine his face. "I can't believe there are still people in this school who actually think it's acceptable to treat other people like that."

Suzaku didn't say anything, clearly still too thunderstruck by Lelouch's abrupt change in demeanor to react.

"Does it hurt?" Lelouch asked, running a finger over the bruise without really thinking about what he was doing.

Suzaku twitched in his spot, slightly pained by the touch, but mostly just unsure of how to process this new development.

"Uh… n-not really," he answered uncertainly.

Lelouch jerked away from him and furrowed his brows as if to imply that he wasn't buying it.

"Sit down on the bed," he ordered, turning to rummage through the top drawer of his dresser.

Suzaku did as he was told, almost afraid to object, and watched as Lelouch revealed a white box and placed it on the mattress beside him. He opened the tin, showing that inside was a medley of different first aid supplies which he began to look over. Then, after a few seconds, Lelouch clicked his tongue absentmindedly and pulled out a swab, some rubbing alcohol, and a small bandage before he looked at Suzaku once more with narrowed eyes.

"Here," he said, sitting next to him and pouring some alcohol on the swab. "Stay still."

Suzaku's breath hitched when the cold solution was used to dab away the blood on his face. It stung slightly, but that was unrelated, because the main reason for his reaction was the sudden diminished proximity between him and Lelouch. Sure, he'd seen him dote on Rolo and Nunnally like this before, so that side of him was nothing new, but for him to clean up Suzaku's face after a fight was strangely intimate in way which he wasn't entirely sure he was comfortable with.

By the time Lelouch finished up by placing the bandage on his cheek, Suzaku realized he'd been staring at him in awe the entire time, and suddenly he was oddly embarrassed.

"T-thanks," he stuttered, eyes still wide with wonder.

Lelouch didn't acknowledge his gratitude though, simply packing his medical supplies up and putting the box back in his drawer.

Then, out of the blue he asked, "Do you want me to report them?"

"Huh, what?" Suzaku replied unintelligently. "No, it's fine, really. I don't want to make a big deal out of this."

"It's already a big deal," Lelouch claimed adamantly, impatience rising in his tone. "People like that need to learn that they are the problem with society. It has nothing to do with nationality or beliefs."

"That sort of thing doesn't really affect me though," Suzaku explained calmly. "I've learned the best way to deal with people like that is to disregard them completely."

Lelouch didn't look pleased with this.

"Be that as it may, they still need to learn a lesson in my opinion," he said bitterly.

"Lelouch," Suzaku began then, speaking his name slowly, as if he was sure to be scolded for saying it. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," Lelouch replied in a deceivingly serious manner. "So, then go ahead and ask."

Suzaku clenched his jaw, suddenly unsure of what it was he wanted to know exactly. After all, the word "confused" didn't even come close to explaining how he felt, sitting there with Lelouch in his single-person dorm. He didn't know how to feel about it honestly, because here was the guy that had only just begun to act mildly civil towards him. And it wasn't as if they were friends (or maybe they were, because hadn't Lelouch just claimed as much?), so he didn't understand why Lelouch had gone out of his way to tend to the cut on his face. It was one thing for him to have a serious abhorrence for racism, but he could've left it alone since Suzaku clearly had the upper hand. Besides, even if he still had intervened, he didn't need to drag Suzaku off to play nurse. It seemed like something someone's girlfriend would do.

So, in the end the only thing that Suzaku could think to ask was, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Lelouch was clearly taken aback by his question; his face scrunched in bewilderment before he cast his gaze to the ground, almost visibly insulted.

"I'm not being nice," he insisted coldly.

"Well… No, but yeah," Suzaku said. "You actually really are."

"I'm not being nice!" Lelouch snapped, suddenly glaring at him. "I'm doing the right thing and being a decent human being."

Suzaku looked on in slight disbelief, skepticism even.

"Sounds pretty nice to me," Suzaku stated bluntly. "Besides that, you don't even like me. So, why would you bother cleaning up something as small as that scratch?"

He pointed to his cheek.

Lelouch groaned, standing up and taking a few steps away from the bed.

"Nunnally likes you," he said.

"What?" Suzaku answered flatly. "What does she have to do with this?"

"Look," Lelouch practically hissed. "If Nunnally likes you then I can't very well find it in myself to say that I hate you."

Suzaku laughed sarcastically.

"And why's that?"

Lelouch paused for a moment, deciding how he should reply, wondering if it was really okay to answer him truthfully.

"Nunnally is a good judge of character, and I trust her," he finally stated, leaving it at that.

Suzaku stopped, taking a moment to examine the way Lelouch's expression twisted. He didn't look angry so much as exhausted, but whatever the reasoning behind it, Suzaku found that he couldn't help the swell of interest which, once again, was rising in his chest. After all, if Nunnally really held so much power over her brother (the power to make him change his mind about Suzaku so abruptly), then that brought up the question of "what else can she make him do?"

And while he was aware of how rude and downright creepy it was for him to think such a thing, Suzaku suddenly saw a door open up before him. Perhaps with the help of Nunnally, the person Lelouch probably trusted most, he'd be able to see past his defenses more. Maybe he could ease his way into Lelouch's life, and maybe Suzaku could do the impossible. In fact, most of all he wanted to know if he had it in him to do what no one else had ever done. That was the driving force which led his actions. It was the only explanation for his intense craving to understand Lelouch more than anyone else. That really, truly had to be it, because otherwise Suzaku saw no way to justify his enthrallment with Lelouch.

In the end, he too had been sucked into Ashford's cruel game of "Catch the Prince."

That was all there was to it.

And Suzaku was ready for the fight, because he loved that sort of thing.

"It's surprising how much you dote on your brother and sister, ya know that?" he began again, eyeing Lelouch inconspicuously.

Well, of course they still had a long way to go.

"Isn't that what family does?" Lelouch barked in defiance, shooting him a pointed look. "What? Do you not have any siblings?"

Suzaku shook his head.

"No," he said casually, taking note of the way Lelouch's posture stiffened.

"Oh," he muttered lowly, a strangely bitter look on his face.

Now, Suzaku wasn't really the sort of person to pry at or manipulate people; he liked to think of himself as a generally good person, and he knew his place. However, the opportunity to take advantage of Lelouch's strong sense of family values was just sitting there before him, waiting to be seized. And how could he say no to such an offering? It was almost as if it was meant to be. Suzaku couldn't believe how well everything lined up, because if anyone could tug at Lelouch's heartstrings, he knew he could. After all, if he really was that soft hearted in the matter of domesticity then Suzaku had the perfect story to tell.

"I guess my mom always used to dote on me though," he spoke up again, snapping the awkward silence. "I think I get it."

Lelouch looked at Suzaku uncertainly.

"You asked me a question," he said coldly. "So, now it's my turn."

Suzaku consciously held back a grin of triumph.

"Sure, what is it?" he wondered harmlessly.

Lelouch paused once more.

"Why would you transfer here at the end of the year?" he asked, voice wavering as he tried to sound authoritative. "And all the way from Japan to boot…"

Suzaku's lips formed into a line as he attempted to act surprised by the question, as if he hadn't been baiting it.

"Hmm…" he hummed thoughtfully. "That's kind of a hard question to answer."

Lelouch furrowed his brows and backed away from Suzaku ever so slightly. He seemed almost skittish in that moment, rather like a cat in an unfamiliar house.

"It's fine not to say," he huffed.

"It's alright," Suzaku chuckled casually. "The truth is that I wasn't really 'happy' in Osaka."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lelouch pressed on, looking as skeptical as always.

Then Suzaku turned away from him though, gazing at the door on the other side of the room with an expression Lelouch had never seen him wear before.

"Up until recently I was homeschooled," Suzaku finally stated in a somewhat distant tone. "I only ever really saw my father when I was needed for appearances' sake, since he lives in Tokyo and all. So, originally it was just me and my mom at the estate."

"Originally?" Lelouch prompted for clarification without really meaning to.

Suzaku sighed.

"Yeah," he continued. "We basically had everything I could ever need there too, so I didn't leave much at all until recently."

Lelouch swallowed hard, perhaps regretting his own curiosity once he realized there was so much more to the story. Honestly, what right did he have to ask in the first place anyway? After all that he had said and done to Suzaku, he should've just waved Lelouch off and told him it was none of his business. However, (unlike him) Suzaku was being an open book, and that wasn't really helping the fact that Lelouch wanted to hear all he had to offer. And, even if he tried to explain it away, saying the only reason he was so interested in Suzaku was because Nunnally liked him, that didn't exactly make it okay.

Besides, deep down even Lelouch knew that that was utter bullshit.

Suzaku glanced at him again though, and he smiled cheekily, even if it didn't completely reach his eyes.

"You wanna know the truth?" he asked when Lelouch refused to talk.

Lelouch raised a brow, afraid to admit just how curious he truly was about all of this.

However, nevertheless he nodded curtly.

Suzaku laughed once, but it came out somber and nearly harsh in tone.

"I've never had friends, because of my living situation," he explained smoothly. "Honestly, I thought I was perfectly okay with it too… I was really busy all the time anyway; I always had lessons and training and stuff to keep me busy. My mom was my only real company though. So, in the end, after she died, it kinda hit me just how alone I really was."

Lelouch's breath hitched and he could feel the way his visage morphed into something akin to concern.

It made sense to him now, definitely.

And when Suzaku felt the change in the atmosphere between them, when he saw the way Lelouch's face fell and the way his eyes dropped, Suzaku did a mental cheer of victory.

Mission "Sympathy" was a success.

x x x

To put it lightly, Suzaku was incredibly impressed with himself.

How he had managed to befriend Lelouch was still all too far-fetched to him, even if he was aware that it was mostly because of Nunnally's positive influence.

It felt like a dream almost, because the Lelouch Suzaku thought he knew was nothing like the Lelouch he knew now. He was actually incredibly sweet, in a muted, stoic sort of way which was all his own, and astoundingly naïve sometimes, for the genius he was. Lelouch liked to appear as if he understood everything too, but the truth was that he really only understood what he could research. So, he didn't exactly have a handle on how people worked, and Suzaku found it hard to believe that Lelouch still hadn't realized why everyone was suddenly avoiding him.

Of course, they weren't really avoiding Lelouch, per say, but more so Suzaku for what it was worth.

The thing was, though, that Suzaku felt a small swell of pride in his chest with that information alone, because he somehow enjoyed knowing that he was the sole reason literally no one had asked Lelouch out in well over three weeks. And the best part was that Lelouch seemed genuinely pleased with all of this, whether or not he was aware of what was actually going on, because when he got his desired amount of solitude, then that seemed to put him in a much better disposition

Or, at least Suzaku liked to think he noticed Lelouch's typical sour demeanor lifting a bit more often nowadays.

"Do you think Shirley's upset with me?"

The sudden question brought Suzaku from his thoughts.

"Huh?" he answered dumbly.

He and Lelouch had just left their English class, the eighth and final period of the day. As the two continued on their way down the hall and towards the dorms, Suzaku caught Lelouch glimpsing over his shoulder. He thought, perhaps, he was checking for eavesdroppers.

"She's been avoiding eye contact with me lately," Lelouch mused, seemingly off-handedly, though Suzaku could tell it was bugging him.

He laughed.

"I think it's my fault," Suzaku said.

Lelouch stopped walking and scowled at him.

"And what, pray tell, did you do?" he asked cautiously, as if he didn't really want to know the answer.

Suzaku turned and shrugged.

"Nothing… at least nothing on purpose," he replied lightheartedly. "I think she's just jealous."

"Jealous of what?" Lelouch continued to press disbelievingly.

"Of me," Suzaku laughed again. "I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm stealing you away from everybody or something."

Lelouch gave him a disgusted look and scoffed, turning to walk out the building once more.

"That's gross, Suzaku," he said, though he didn't sound particularly bothered by it. "As if you even could do such a thing… Besides, the phrase 'stealing away from everybody' implies that I belong to someone other than myself, which would be utter nonsense."

"That's true," Suzaku agreed. "'Course, the Emperor probably says you belong to Britannia, don't you think?"

Once again, Lelouch emitted a scoff.

"That's even more disgusting," he muttered as Suzaku pushed the door to the courtyard open.

"Is it?"

"Yes," Lelouch insisted. "How would you like to belong to Japan-?"

Though, he looked as if he were going to continue, Lelouch cut himself short, immediately regretting his words.

"Wait," he recovered. "Forget I said that."

Suzaku blinked, a bit surprised, before he smiled again and sped up to match their walking paces.

"It's fine," he assured him, even though Lelouch hadn't actually apologized. Words weren't really necessary when Suzaku could see the regret on his face.

"You're right, anyway. I wouldn't want to belong to my country… not in that way," he added, watching the way Lelouch's lip twitched inconspicuously.

It was a quick save, but Lelouch seemed to accept it, promptly dropping the subject in a manner that was very much like him.

He released a soft humming noise of concurrence, but otherwise continued to stare on at the grass below his feet without another word.

To Suzaku it was weird how not-weird it was walking with Lelouch like this though. Their silences were just about as content as their conversations it seemed, and Suzaku suddenly wasn't sure how he had gone so long without having any actual friends.

He found it amazing, the way the two of them had really just sort of "clicked," so to speak. It was kinda cool too, because Lelouch's intelligence was refreshing to Suzaku, and he felt smarter simply by talking to him some days. Of course, honestly (other than because of the sympathy part of it all) he wasn't sure why exactly Lelouch liked him though, because Lelouch was Lelouch and could've been friends with anyone. Yet, for some reason he seemed to legitimately enjoy talking to Suzaku, of all people.

Suzaku didn't have much of an ego either; he wasn't exactly on Lelouch's level as far as brain power went, and he had no real talents to speak of (aside from fighting, but that was hardly something to call a 'talent'). And nevertheless, Lelouch willingly chose to hang out with him.

It was kind of empowering to think about.

Lelouch was really beautiful too, and, frankly, that made it all the worse.

He caught himself staring a lot, especially during those valuable silences when he studied in Lelouch's dorm. Suzaku simply couldn't help it. The quiet surrounding the room was tempting him, because it made his mind wander. He realized, somewhere along the lines, he had begun to enjoy merely watching Lelouch as he read. He was pretty like a girl after all, and sometimes Suzaku couldn't resist dwelling on those nasty thoughts which formed when he took in all the tiny details of the boy in front of him.

Ultimately, if Lelouch where to find out about any of the bizarre dreams Suzaku had experienced within the past few weeks (which almost always ended with him waking up in the dark with the unpleasant feeling of a cold sweat sticking to the back of his neck), their relationship would probably be even worse than it was before. In fact, he would absolutely despise Suzaku if he heard of any of the disgusting things that went through his mind as he lay in his bed in the middle of the night.

Yet, that also kind of confused Suzaku, who had never really thought of other boys in such a fashion. He wasn't a virgin by any means, obviously, but those times had all been meaningless one-night stands that were more or less just to burn off excess frustration. Still, the random noble girls he met at banquets weren't anything like the challenge that was Lelouch vi Britannia. And whether or not Suzaku wanted to sleep with him was irrelevant, because Lelouch was, for all intents and purposes, off limits.

He was also far too curious a person. It had already been enough of an adventure befriending him; Suzaku didn't want to think what would happen if he were to actually begin pursuing him next.

Picturing the repercussions made him want to cringe.

Lelouch was a breath of fresh air though, that was for sure, and Suzaku honestly didn't think it was all that weird that he was attracted to him aesthetically, as well as mentally.

Most people wanted Lelouch, physically that was, so it wasn't as if it didn't make sense in that regard.

Of course, Lelouch, himself, didn't seem to appreciate the utter devotion some Britannian citizens held for him simply because he was a prince of their country. So, even if they didn't like him for his looks, that didn't mean they wouldn't annoy the hell out of him.

However, Lelouch's being royalty wouldn't have mattered much to Suzaku either way, he who was used to being around people of high status as it was. And Lelouch was still just a person. Prince or not, genius or not- he certainly wasn't perfect, that was for sure.

The fact that Suzaku had honestly just gotten extremely lucky was irrelevant.

Lelouch was sensitive too though, very much so actually, and he was a bit emotionally stunted when it didn't involve his family. Not to mention, even if he was gorgeous and elegant as far as looks were concerned, sometimes he had a downright repulsive personality, and when he got riled up he tended to become awfully clumsy. Lelouch could be intolerably cruel as well, and he knew exactly what to say to really hit a person where it hurt. Well, at least that was how he acted when people were bothering him, but Lelouch was also extremely weak-hearted and clearly very afraid of karma coming back to bite him where it hurt.

And furthermore, he was kind of a mother hen when it came to his younger siblings, but Suzaku knew if he were to say that to Lelouch's face, he would almost certainly get slapped.

Still, Lelouch genuinely cared about people, despite what he led everyone to believe. You just had to give him a reason to care, that was all.

Obviously, Nunnally was the reason he'd given Suzaku a chance, along with a small dose of a sad story and a subtle guilt trip.

But, once again- irrelevant.

"Nunnally asked me to invite you to dinner with us again tonight," Lelouch changed the subject offhandedly, pulling him from his thoughts. "It was her specific request, so even Rolo refrained from protesting, because he knows how much she enjoys your company."

Suzaku grinned at him, finding amusement in the way Lelouch's brother and sister were so predictable.

"Nunnally is so cute and sweet. I bet she's already pretty popular with the boys in her class, huh?" he speculated innocently. "I mean, your entire family is nice to look at, but, now that I think about it, I noticed you don't look like the twins at all."

"That's because I take after my mother more," Lelouch stated in a tone which suggested he was bored of the subject.

Suzaku was feeling lucky however, so he decided to press a bit harder.

"Your name is French, isn't it?" he asked, examining Lelouch's profile curiously. "Does that mean your mother is French?"

Lelouch nodded faintly, refusing to make eye contact with him for whatever reason.

"Her maiden name is Lamperouge," he sighed in resignation. "She was a commoner born here in Britannian, so she is technically a citizen, but my mother is a pureblooded French woman really. So, Nunnally, Rolo, and I are all only half Britannian, and some of our siblings alienate us as a result."

Suzaku furrowed his brows and finally Lelouch looked at him once more, stopping to place himself beneath a tree near the edge of the courtyard. It seemed he wasn't in the mood to return the dorms just yet.

Suzaku followed suit, plopping down in the grass beside him.

"What's up with that? It's not like your gene pool affects them," he reasoned. "The Britannian hierarchy has a messed up sense of family values."

Lelouch huffed in a manner which suggested he was withholding a laugh, casting his eyes back to the ground.

"Yes, well," he began. "Unfortunately for that part of my family, my mother is also the Emperor's favorite wife. So, the three of us tend to be spoiled a bit more regardless."

Suzaku chucked under his breath at that comment.

"It figures," he concurred.

When Lelouch smiled then, it took every ounce of Suzaku's willpower not to simply touch him. His palms felt clammy, and his hands kept twitching anxiously as a deep desire to merely graze the tips of his fingers against Lelouch's skin, even for just a moment, began to overwhelm him. But Suzaku held back, because he knew better than to push his luck too far, especially when he had just recently gained a fraction of Lelouch's fragile trust.

And, if he overstepped any boundaries, Suzaku was sure he would never be able to break down Lelouch's walls.

"So, can I expect to meet you later?" Lelouch asked again then, attempting to distract from his momentary lapse in persona.

"Yeah, of course!" Suzaku chimed merrily. "Thank Nunnally for inviting me, okay?"

"Thank her yourself," Lelouch deadpanned. "Oh, and as for Rolo… I'm going to have a talk with him about his blatant disregard for manners, just so you know."

Suzaku narrowed his eyes, failing to hold back an amused cough this time.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, glaring in return.

"Oh, like you're really one to talk about manners, Lelouch," Suzaku taunted with a shrug. "At least your little brother doesn't totally ignore the fact that I'm alive."

Although, while the harmless jab had meant nothing in his eyes, when Suzaku turned to see Lelouch's face drop, he realized that his statement may have come out the wrong way. After all, Lelouch refused to look him in the eye once more, his mouth drawn into a thin line which told Suzaku he was in deep thought. And he considered that perhaps he should've known better at that point, since Lelouch already had a habit of subtly expressing his shame in regards to the entire ordeal. It wasn't as if Suzaku had really been affected by the situation anyhow. He had at least a vague understanding of why Lelouch acted the way he did by then too, so that made his actions easier to disregard at least. Plus, if anything he was already making up for his previous attitude, essentially just by favoring Suzaku above most other people now.

So, Suzaku wasn't exactly about to go around complaining either way.

After their sudden anxious pause, Lelouch finally chose to speak again.

"What should I say to that?" he muttered. "It's not exactly some appalling secret that I'm not a people-person."

Suzaku snorted humorlessly.

"You could be if you wanted to," he said. "You just don't want to. But I guess there's nothing wrong with needing to be alone. I think about that sort of thing a lot when I go to stuffy overcrowded political parties with my dad. But I doubt most people really enjoy those things anyway."

Lelouch ran his hand lightly over the top of the grass they were sitting on, looking somewhat daydream-y.

"Well," he sighed. "I suppose I can't really argue with that. People like to put on a farce in order to please each other, but in the end it just seems to create more distance between us."

"That's politics," Suzaku stated bluntly, leaning back on his hands to stare at the cloudless sky.

Lelouch appeared as though he wanted to say something else then, finally glancing at his face when he thought Suzaku wouldn't notice. But he did notice, and he knew by his expression that Lelouch was clearly extremely conflicted, as if he couldn't find the right words to construct whatever was on his mind.

"Is something wrong?" Suzaku finally questioned, unable to bear the still tension a moment longer.

Lelouch shook his head dismissively.

"Not really," he replied. "I just find it a bit… peculiar."

Suzaku raised a brow, not sure what to make of Lelouch's ambiguous answer.

"What is?" he asked.

"Nothing," Lelouch insisted frivolously, quickly standing up. "I forgot to tell you, I won't be around for summer break. I'm spending the week out of town."

"Oh, I kind of figured," Suzaku answered simply, though silently taking note of the second change in topic. "Where are you going? I'm probably just gonna stay on campus."

With this, Lelouch allowed their eyes to meet.

"We're going to my mother's villa out in the country," he said in a strangely confused tone of voice. "You're honestly just going to stay here by yourself?"

Suzaku laughed and adjusted his position on the grass, using Lelouch's shadow to block the sun from his eyes.

"Don't you think it would be a waste of time to go all the way home for just one week?" he inquired rhetorically. "It's a long flight… I don't know what I would do there anyway, besides maybe just go back to training with my teacher."

"Is that really fine?" Lelouch mused, clearly unconvinced.

Suzaku shrugged.

"It doesn't bother me that much," he explained. "I like to be alone sometimes too."

"I see…" Lelouch said, looking away. "Anyway… I have to go pick up Nunnally and Rolo now, so I suppose I'll talk to you later."

"Uh huh," Suzaku agreed, still staring up at him from the ground warily. "I'll call you."

As Lelouch walked away however, Suzaku felt a foreboding sensation running up the back of his neck. He knew something was amiss, that wasn't hard to deduce, but Lelouch had never been an open book to begin with of course. So, whatever was irking him so much could've consisted of a vast number of pet peeves and/or strong opinions that he held. And, unless he found a way to weasel answers out of him, Suzaku knew for fact that Lelouch (as well as his fundamental thought process) would continue to confound him.

But hey, at least he'd made some progress, right?

x x x

C.C. was a notoriously mysterious figure at Ashford Academy.

No one could say for sure that they knew who she really was or where she really came from, but that made sense considering they were all too terrified of her to ask.

In fact, up until recently, she had been the only person capable of actually warding off Lelouch's "followers," so to speak, for that sole reason.

It had never been a guaranteed thing of course; there were still those who would dare to brave the Green Haired Witch's presence in vain attempts to consult their beloved prince. However, C.C. worked rather like a good dose of aspirin after a basketball to the head, in lengthy intervals. So, maybe that was why she was Lelouch's (unofficial) best friend. Or perhaps it was because from the moment they met two years ago, C.C. could find nothing which entertained her more than toying with Lelouch's emotions. For as long as she'd know him he'd been like a dramatic plot twist in the middle of a book, always fickle in his actions.

C.C. and Milly had much in common in regards to the subject of Lelouch as well, but C.C. was certain that it was somehow different on her part. Milly was the sort to force her way into a person's life, looking to drain all their regrets by wringing them dry. But C.C. was smarter than that. Lelouch wasn't most people. It was his technical way of processing things which made Milly's head-on approach futile, because in order to understand Lelouch you had to think like him first.

You had to be quick, witty, passive aggressive- anything which showed him you weren't intimidated by his "angry face."

You can't wring out a frozen rag.

Of course, even with her (unofficial) position in his life, C.C. wasn't ignorant to the fact that Lelouch kept secrets from her. However, she also liked to think she understood him well enough. It wasn't from observation alone that she'd come to learn more about him after all. He'd told her things, not everything, but things. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was hiding something about his past obviously, but C.C. had a firm grasp on his personality. It was probably more than safe to assume someone important to him had broken his trust.

Ergo, Lelouch no longer fully trusted anyone.

And maybe it was rude to want to peel away at his hard exterior so badly, but C.C. simply couldn't help herself and, quite frankly, didn't care.

At least she wasn't the only one; Milly was much worse than she and now… now even Suzaku was a part of this?

As far as C.C. was concerned, the future looked bright.

BANG! BANG!

"Let me in, C.C.! I know you're in there!"

C.C. snorted at the incongruity.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered under her breath.

Lazily slipping from her bed, C.C. walked to the door, leaning her cheek against the cold wood.

"Is there something you want?" she asked through the barrier between them.

"C.C.," Lelouch hissed. "Let. Me. In."

C.C. couldn't help but laugh.

"Fine," she sighed, opening the door for him.

Although, before she allowed him to enter, she did have to sneak a peek outside, just to catch a glimpse of all the girls in the general area who had their eyes plastered on them. They were chatting and whispering, and some even looked on in blatant fear. It was like some big celebrity had waltzed off the street and into their school.

So, everything was pretty much the same.

"Quite an audience," C.C. mused as she moved out of the way, tossing her hand in a dismissive, flippant gesture. "How can I help you?"

"Let's discuss something," Lelouch demanded firmly, arms crossed once he'd slammed the door shut behind him.

She knew what that meant- that was his way of saying he had a problem.

"And what is it we're discussing?" C.C. prompted offhandedly.

Lelouch groaned and turned away.

"It's about Suzaku," he said.

"Called it," C.C. scoffed. "Isn't everything about Kururugi these days?"

"Be quiet," Lelouch spat. "I shouldn't even be here telling you any of this right now. Of course, I could have predicted that you'd mock me."

"Fine," she replied with a huff, shaking her head. "I promise, no jokes, I'll be 100% serious."

"An endeavor impossible for one such as yourself," he quipped in return, crossing his arms.

She rolled her eyes.

"So, what is this 'Suzaku Problem' you're having?" C.C. said a bit too sweetly, making sure to use the proper air quotes. "It's not every day you come to me for advice, of all things."

"I was right. It's impossible for you to take anything seriously," Lelouch griped, shooting her a glare.

C.C. frowned, recognizing the classic patterns in his speech. He was certainly good at changing the subject, since he did it so smoothly that most people forgot what they were talking about beforehand. But, calling him out on it always had seemed to work in getting the conversation back on track. After all, Lelouch had come to her. There was no point in him clamming up now, just because she threw some of her typical jabs his way.

"Lelouch," C.C. said lowly. "You sought me out, remember? Stop trying to divert."

Lelouch paused, staring at her distrustfully for a moment.

"Fine," he relented. "He's going to be alone on campus for the spring break."

"What?" she asked plainly. "Kururugi is?"

"Yes," Lelouch sighed as he sat by C.C. on her bed. "I'm worried about it… but more than that, I'm worried about the fact that I'm worried about it."

C.C. scoffed again.

"And here I thought you had a real problem."

"Excuse me?" he growled. "This is a definite problem for someone like me."

"What are you so worried for anyway?" she wondered. "Kururugi's a big kid; he can make his own decisions, and I doubt anyone is forcing him to stay here… Or are you just worried he'll be lonely?"

Lelouch furrowed his brows, but he didn't deny anything.

C.C. took note of that.

"That isn't the point," he grumbled. "A few weeks ago we ended up on the topic of family…"

C.C. frowned, examining Lelouch's expression curiously. There was something there which was certainly new, cloaked only by a silk lining of fondness. It was soft, foreign, and somehow very troubling. He wasn't sad, that was too simple. It wasn't sympathy or empathy, more akin to hesitation and a fear which yearned to be reconciled.

She didn't speak; allowing Lelouch to divulge whatever information he was comfortable with.

"No details," he went on with a faint shake of the head. "I just think… a lot has happened to him recently."

Well, that was out of the ordinary to the say the least.

She still wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but it was clear now to C.C. that Lelouch was actually genuinely very concerned. And while she knew nothing more about Suzaku, the only people who typically triggered that side of Lelouch's true self were his family members. If the subject was in regards to a dysfunctional domestic situation, then that might explain it, but C.C. didn't feel that she knew enough about the full story to make any valid guesses as to why he really cared. Not to mention, though she hated to admit it, if her assumption was wrong and Suzaku's "troubled life" had nothing to do with his family, then the entire ordeal may end up vexing her a bit.

After all, she knew next to nothing about Suzaku, and therefore she simply couldn't understand what made him so special.

"A lot of things have happened to a lot of people," she replied sarcastically, donning a perfect poker face.

Lelouch was far from amused.

"Look," he started again. "Let's just say, being around people was his reason for coming here in the first place. It feels wrong to leave him by himself."

"Riveting tale," C.C. said in a flat tone. "And while I'm sure Kururugi's life story is both dark and depressing, he's more or less an adult. So, I'm going to go ahead and assume that he can handle having the entire campus to himself for a while."

She sprouted a disdainful grin.

"That is… unless you want to take him with you to your mother's villa," she added. "How cute; I'm sure the Empress would be positively tickled to meet your new boyfriend."

Lelouch narrowed his eyes and sneered, but he did not dignify her baiting words with a response.

"I was considering staying here actually," he admitted reluctantly, glaring at the wall. "Euphemia is going to the Villa as well, so Nunnally and Rolo won't need me to accompany them. She's supposed to meet us here at the end of our last day of classes."

C.C. was gaping.

"You…"

She wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. It was like there was a different person in front of her, because when had Lelouch ever cared so much about anything? It made no sense. And of course she (and everyone else) had established that the two of them weren't related by any means. So, how had Suzaku done it? How come one minute he was the enemy, and the next he was Lelouch's shadow? Was Lelouch being manipulated? That didn't sound probable; he would never fall for something of that nature. Was he being drugged? Also unlikely- there was no drug in the world that could make him obsessed with a single individual, was there?

And what made Suzaku so goddamn special?

"You're really serious about this," C.C. uttered disbelievingly. "What exactly has he been telling you? I think you've been brainwashed."

"Excuse you?" Lelouch practically growled. "You really want to know what he told me?! He told me that his mother just di- !"

He didn't need to finish that statement in order to know it was too late to go back. C.C. was smart enough to deduce what he had been saying. It would simply be a waste of time to deny it. Still, Suzaku had specifically asked him not to divulge his secrets to anyone else, mostly because he didn't want people to worry over it. So, Lelouch felt a bit guilty knowing he'd broken that promise, even if it was just in the heat of the moment.

Well, at least it all made sense now.

C.C. swallowed hard and her face scrunched, stuck some place between confusion and sudden comprehension.

"Oh," she said slowly. "So, what are you going to do?"

Lelouch sighed.

"I don't know," he replied in exasperation.

x x x

It was 9AM that Sunday when his phone rang.

"Hello Mother," Lelouch answered in the voice of a dutiful son, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

"Lelouch, dear," the Empress chuckled. "Must you always sound so stiff, even with me? I'm not your father you know."

Lelouch's relationship with his mother, Marianne, was rather unique, at least as far as he was concerned. He loved his mother dearly, but unlike his siblings, there had always been a strange invisible barrier between the two of them. Lelouch mostly blamed this on himself, but somehow he couldn't help but wonder if she too had a secret she was keeping from him. Because Lelouch hid many things from nearly everyone in his family now, his mother most of all, and he kept his distance in order to spare her from the truth, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to think she was doing the same.

It seemed a bit unfair, but Lelouch didn't think that life was supposed to be fair. So, even in regards to his mother, whom he cared for so deeply, it was for the best.

"I take it this is about my vacation," he said, avoiding the subject tactfully.

"Indeed it is," his mother chimed. "The car will be there to pick you up tomorrow morning at seven, after Euphemia of course. So, do make sure that you and the twins are ready to leave on time. The drive is rather long after all."

Lelouch's grip on his phone tightened, realizing he had to make a decision about what to do for his break at that very moment. He considered telling the Empress a lie, a little white one which would explain away his absence from the Villa, but he could think of nothing believable to tell her. Besides, even if he was able to trick his mother into thinking he wanted to stay on campus for a reason other than because he felt bad for Suzaku, Lelouch knew that Euphie (at least) would be able to see right through him if she were to find out. Then she would feel the need to investigate, and he certainly didn't want that. But for Lelouch to tell his mother the truth was simply out of the question, and so he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Uh… about that," he stammered uncharacteristically. "I'm not sure I… that is to say, I think I may need to stay here for the week."

The line went quiet then, and Lelouch would easily picture the look on Marianne's face.

"Lelouch… is something wrong?" she questioned him with a voice laced in concern. "I thought you despised staying at school."

Lelouch began to panic, utterly unprepared for the situation he was in.

What should he say to her?

What could he say?

"Well, it's just that my friend is-" he blurted out before he could think better of it, but he was swiftly cut off.

"Your friend?" his mother nearly gasped. "This is about a friend?"

Shit, Lelouch inwardly cursed at his slip up.

"Well…" he began again, no longer seeing any way out of the ordeal. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"And you want to stay at school because of this friend?" the Empress pressed on, and Lelouch could hear the amusement in her voice. "Is there a reason for this?"

He swallowed hard then, feeling a cold sweat forming on the back of his neck.

Regardless of the secrets that Lelouch hid from Marianne, he was still her son, and he knew that she could see through him to some extent. This was an easy case as well, since Lelouch hardly ever missed a chance to escape to his mother's place in the country, and over a "friend," of all things. It was no great feat to figure out that this was no ordinary situation, and therefore he was guaranteed to be pestered for details by not only the Empress, but probably Euphie as well.

As an awkward moment of silence dwelled between them, Lelouch realized too late that he had let it drag on more than he should have.

"Lelouch?" his mother asked, probably checking to make sure he was still on the line.

"Um, yes," he said, trying to play it off. "It's not much of a reason really. It's just that he's too far from home to bother returning for vacation and I thought…"

Lelouch trailed off when Marianne let out a breathy laugh.

"So, you're worried for him," she teased.

Well, Lelouch figured it was meaningless to try and hide it at that point.

"I…" He paused. "I suppose I am. Really, I just think it's cruel to leave him there by himself."

Marianne sighed affectionately.

"It's strange to imagine you caring so much about a friend," she said. "This boy must be very special to have you making such a fuss over him."

Lelouch instantly felt his face warm up at her statement, and suddenly he was immensely grateful that they were having this conversation over the phone. He was positive his expression would've given him away in a matter of seconds…

Wait, he thought. Given away what?

"Mother…" Lelouch drawled warily. "It's not that he's necessarily 'special.' I simply feel bad considering his circumstances…"

Once again the Empress cut him off.

"Lelouch, dear," she hummed. "Why not invite your friend to join us at the Villa?"

Lelouch's breath hitched at that.

"Really?" he said without thinking. "You're fine with that?"

"I insist!" Marianne laughed. "I know you, you are my son after all, so I'm sure your friend will be more than welcome to stay with us. Tell him he's been personally invited by the Empress of Britannia herself."

Lelouch could make out the glee in her voice easily. She was excited to hear that Lelouch had a real friend most likely, because even though she wasn't aware of his exact situation at school, his mother did know that he hadn't exactly been the most social person in a very long time. He certainly never spoke of friends after all, so for him to voice such concern about someone she had no previous knowledge of already was probably a bit mind-boggling.

"I'll offer," Lelouch confirmed with a wavering tone. "I'm not sure he'll feel comfortable with it though."

"And does this friend of yours have a name?" his mother went on cheerfully. "I'd like to know the identity of the person I've just invited to my home."

Again, Lelouch paused.

"Uh…" He hesitated. "It's Suzaku."

This time it was the Empress's turn to go silent, causing Lelouch to stiffen up once more.

"You mean Suzaku Kururugi?" she asked, sounding like she wasn't sure how to process the information she'd just been given. "You mean the Prime Minister's son?"

"Yes," Lelouch replied as though he too were asking a question.

"Ah, I see," Marianne said in a slightly solemn voice. "I understand- now it makes sense."

"Then… you know what happened?" Lelouch pressed. "I guess I should have assumed you would."

"Yes," she stated. "I know… So, tell Suzaku he is certainly welcome to stay with us for the spring break if he isn't comfortable being at school."

Lelouch bit the inside of his cheek and stood up to pace his room a bit.

"How much do you know exactly?" he asked.

"Well," she started. "I know about his mother… and a few other things. In fact, it's probable that I know even more than you, depending on what he's told you. I do have my various sources after all, dear. There was a large scandal surrounding the Kururugi family not long ago."

"A scandal?" Lelouch muttered in question.

Marianne sighed again, though this time it seemed rather melancholy and helpless.

"It isn't my place to say what happened," she explained. "I will allow Suzaku to tell you at his own leisure if he hasn't yet."

Lelouch was rather irritated by this, but he otherwise did not protest, knowing she was right to do so. Besides, there was no question about the fact that Lelouch and Suzaku had steadily been forming an interesting sort of relationship, and so even though it hadn't been long since it had begun, there was almost no doubt in Lelouch's mind that he would eventually be told whatever Suzaku thought was important for him to know. And if there was some large scandal around him, then it was only a matter of time, right?

"Right," Lelouch said. "Thank you; I will pass your message along."

"Of course," Marianne chirped. "Then I should probably let you go now, since I have yet to call your sister. Do keep me informed about what you two decide."

"I will," he assured her. "Bye, Mother."

"Goodbye, love," she returned right before the line went dead.

Lelouch sighed loudly, staring at the phone in his hand with soft eyes.

He couldn't think straight, unsure about offering to bring Suzaku along with him to the Villa. Even though Marianne seemed completely onboard with the plan (it had been hers after all), Lelouch somehow couldn't shake the feeling that Suzaku wouldn't be too keen on the idea of spending the week with a group of utter strangers. Despite being the royals of Britannia, Lelouch knew his family was an odd bunch, maybe a bit too much so for Suzaku, who was relatively normal from what he could tell.

He had to at least offer though; otherwise Lelouch knew he would be wrought with guilt for the entire holiday. So, he set his mind to it.

Lelouch quickly left his room, heading down the hall towards the dorm that Suzaku shared with Rivalz, surprisingly enough. And Lelouch prayed to the God he wasn't sure if he believed in that Rivalz wouldn't be the one to answer the door when he knocked, knowing there was no way he could ask what he wanted with that loudmouth around to ruin everything. There was no question that he would pick on Lelouch if he heard, and then he would definitely tell Milly, which would spell doom for both of them.

Luckily though, Lelouch's prayers were answered, as Suzaku opened the room to him, seemingly alone.

"Oh, hey," he said, gawking slightly. "What's up?"

Lelouch unwittingly fixed his posture, failing to look as demanding and assertive as he typically did.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Um, yeah, sure," Suzaku replied, stepping aside to clear the way for him.

Lelouch closed the door, shifting uncomfortably on his feet as they stood before each other, now completely alone.

"I know it's a bit sudden and weird," he forced out. "But my mother has invited you to join us at the Villa."

As if on cue, Suzaku's eyes widened comically.

"The Empress did?" he asked as if he thought it were a joke. "But why?"

"I know, I know, it's strange," Lelouch went on, trying not to sound as uncomfortable as he felt. "But she wanted me to tell you that she insists, since she says she's heard all about your… situation. It would be awkward though, wouldn't it? I certainly wouldn't want to spend a week someone else's family."

"It's not that it's strange," Suzaku said, raising an eyebrow. "I just don't understand how the subject would even come up in the first place."

Lelouch tensed again.

"Does it really matter?" he stammered, suddenly feeling rather defensive.

"Kinda," Suzaku replied plainly.

Lelouch rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he nearly spat. "That isn't the point. If you don't want to it's fine."

"It's not that I don't want to," Suzaku replied, shaking his head. "I just don't want to put you in an awkward situation."

Lelouch looked away, crossing his arms childishly.

"I offered, didn't I?" he asked.

"I thought the Empress offered," Suzaku laughed lightly.

Lelouch scoffed.

"Honestly though, Lelouch," Suzaku went on. "I really don't want to intrude on your family or be a bother. So, you don't have force yourself to…"

"I'm not forcing myself," Lelouch bit out. "It's just cruel to leave you here by yourself."

At this, Suzaku beamed.

"Then yeah," he all but cheered. "I'd love to come."

And Lelouch found himself struggling to fight off another blush as it threatened to overtake his cheeks. That was the last thing he wanted at the moment, for Suzaku to realize how flustered that smile made him feel, and how the thought of the upcoming week was already filling him with a distinct nervousness which had no specific reasoning behind it. A large helping of what-if's and worries were already beginning to pile up in his head, making his hands shake.

And, to be completely honest, the thing that worried Lelouch most was the thought of Suzaku meeting Euphie.

AN: Here it is guys… faster than anticipated (at least as far as I'm concerned), mistakes and all! Hahaha… I originally wanted to add 3 more parts to this chapter, but it was starting to drag out too long, and I kept developing different ideas, so I'm just gonna leave it at this. The next part is going to be an interlude, taking place at Marianne's Villa, and it's also going to be pretty short comparatively- maybe 5-7k words. This part is roughly 12k… which is the longest chapter so far… go figure. I hope the wait was worth it, because I know it's gonna take a while before I can force out the Interlude. And apart from that, I still have to start the next part of Lost Kitten, because I've been putting that off in favor of finishing this.

Once again though, and as always, none of my stories have been abandoned unless otherwise stated in my profile. I update it frequently too, so it's always reliable. If you're ever uncertain about the status of a story, then I implore you to go check it out there.

In the meantime, we'll soon be learning more about dear Suzaku's dramatic past. So far we know that his mother is dead, but there's more to it so just wait and see! I hope I've made it clear by now too that, while Lelouch thinks he is just some poor broken child, Suzaku is really pretty devious in all of this. Let's just say that he definitely isn't innocent. Can you blame him though? Especially because this is Lulu we're talking about here; you'd be curious too.

Lelouch also has a lot of back-story going for him, unless you couldn't tell from C.C.'s part in all of this. She's right in saying that someone broke his trust, but who was it? And how did they do it? I know the answers to these questions, but you obviously don't. So, stay tuned for that! We'll probably be exploring his part in all of this more in part four, so yeah! Part four was also when I planned to have him start realizing that he likes Suzaku as more than a friend too. So, I'm excited for that at least.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the next part is going to introduce Euphie, and let me tell you now (while I don't dislike her as a character and will certainly not be bashing her at all), she isn't exactly going to be a positive influence on Lelouch's relationship with Suzaku. After all, as you probably guessed already, she's going to fall for Suzaku pretty quickly… very much so actually. So, I think you can see where I'm headed with that idea.

Oooh… there's so much jealousy in this story already, isn't there? It's rather concerning…

Whatever.

Anyway, I'll probably be returning to edit this in the near future, so bear that in mind as well, because this is really just a rough, rough draft and I still feel like it's really rushed (as per usual). I've only really read through it once as it is too, and not even all of it. I skipped two parts. The beginning (with Shirley) is the part that I reread the most, but its honestly pretty old now compared to the rest of this chapter, which I wrote within the past two months or so probably…

Aside from that, thanks for reading, review if you'd like, and hopefully I'll see you in the Interlude!

Bye then my dears!

- fae