The Things We Do (To Make Suzaku Smile)
Author: Jusrecht
Characters: Zino, Suzaku, Anya, Nonette
Warnings: Bad humor, major making fun of characters, and possible OOC-ness. Also possible insinuations of more-than-friendship, but these are of course nothing compared to let's-drag-you-for-molesting act Zino is pulling in the R2 opening.
Disclaimer: Code GEASS belongs to Sunrise.
Summary: The length Zino goes to in order to make Suzaku smile.
A/N: I'm rather baffled that no one has made fun of Zino yet, so maybe I should start. It should be noted though, that I barely know anything about him at this point, so if he comes off rather, you know, obsessed with Suzaku… you're entirely right and the fault is entirely mine. In fact, any stupid characterization is completely my fault.
Oh, in case anyone misses the info, Anya is the Knight of Six and Nonette (I'm not sure if this is the right spelling) is the Knight of Nine. I don't think Zino needs any introduction, but yeah, he's the Knight of Three.
Zino doesn't approve of scowls. They are the minions of bad things and make people ugly and Zino is of the opinion that he shouldn't let such abominable things run rampant while he's still around. Therefore when he sees the new Knight of Round for the first time, introducing himself to the rest of the knights with something that just too much resembles a scowl, he decides that something must be done.
The first week flies past without a speck of result. His advances are all rebuffed, coldly if not rudely. It doesn't take him long to reach the conclusion that the boy wishes not for friendship but seclusion.
But Zino will have none of that. Oh no. A good fight ought to be fought and he will not abandon his cause. Everyone deserves to be happy and he likes to think that he can contribute to the overall happy state of the world by making sure that the people around him are happy.
Come the second week, Zino realizes that the Knight of Seven turns out to be a greater challenge than what he has anticipated and decides that drastic measures are in order.
Konnichiwa
"Kon-ni-chi-wa," he says to his handsome reflection in the shiny mirror. "Kon. Ni. Chi. Wa."
"What in the name of Zeus are you doing," Nonette deadpans, stopping just in front of the door to pin him with a bewildered glare.
"I'm practicing," Zino answers and re-consults the worn-out 'Japanese Language for beginner' book in his hand. "Kon-nii-chiii-waaaa. Hey, do you think I've said it right already?"
The Knight of Nine crosses her arms in front of her chest and scowls at him – and Zino promises himself that he will do something about it later, after he can get a smile out of Suzaku. "And why do you think I'm the best judge for that?" she demands.
"It's supposed to be an everyday greeting," he sighs in frustration and throws the book to the nearest sofa. "Do you happen to know anyone who can speak Japanese around here?"
"Oh, plenty," she answers sarcastically, "seeing that we're in the mainland and all my neighbours are Eleven–"
"Ah, Suzaku!" Zino interrupts her when the Knight of Seven enters the room from the other door. "Good morn– I mean, konna– uh, konnu… wait, it doesn't sound right. Where is the damn book?"
Suzaku
In Japan, there are rules to adhere to in addressing another person. To address someone only by name is sometimes considered an impertinence. Speakers must keep in mind their social standing in relation to the person addressed. For a person who is a stranger or older that the speaker, the suffix '-san' is used after his/her name. For a person of higher social status, sometimes the suffix '-sama' is used. A close male friend is also often addressed with the suffix '-kun' while the suffix '-chan' is used to address a particularly close friend, often by females.
So this is where his mistake lies.
Zino snaps his book shut and sets to experiment.
--
His target appears to be eating lunch in the mess. He wants to give a warm and friendly impression, and so he chooses to go with the 'close male friend' option first.
"Suzaku-kun"
Suzaku stops munching his food (this is an ambiguous reaction) but so does everyone else within about two-mile radius.
Zino decides that '-kun' is not a good idea.
--
Maybe Suzaku still thinks of him as a stranger. It is definitely possible, and so Zino sets off once more to search for his target and finds him in the garden of the palace.
"Suzaku-san how do you like the way I call yo–"
And realizes – belatedly – that Suzaku is speaking with the Emperor.
The Knight of Three is much too scarred mentally to repeat the same experiment.
--
Okay. So maybe for some reasons the boy considers himself higher in social status than Zino. It's definitely not outside the realm of possibility and there's no harm in trying anyway. He once more looks for his target and finds him in the depth of the Palace Library.
"Suzaku-sama"
Suzaku's eyebrow twitches and Zino can literally see the dark clouds gathering above his head and quickly retreats to safer ground.
--
There is only one option left. If this doesn't work, Zino decides that he'll give up and go back to calling Suzaku by name only.
"Suzaku-chan"
Suzaku looks at him long and hard and Zino cannot for the life of him decide if this means good or bad when the younger knight suddenly opens his mouth.
"Lord Weinberg–"
Zino decides that this is the best reaction he ever receives – he gets two words! – and exclaims joyously, "Suzaku-chan it is!"
Sushi
"But this blog says that these are the most popular food in Japan."
Zino eyes the food skeptically. "A thousand years ago, maybe?"
Anya glances up from her cellphone and deadpans, "Fire was discovered three-thousand years before that, idiot."
"But," Zino continues to remonstrate, waving toward the combination of rice and raw fish, all stirred into a perfect bloody mess on his plate, "how can anyone eat something like this? You don't think Japan is so poor that they can't afford fire, do you?"
The pink-haired girl only shrugs. "Why don't you ask him?"
"Ah, right." His face lights up when the Knight of Seven approaches their table. "Suzaku-chan, I have a question. These 'sushi' things, aren't they supposed to be, you know, cooked?"
Kimono
"It looks like a dress," Zino declares solemnly. The piece of pink fabric he's holding is supposed to be a traditional Japanese outfit which is often worn in formal occasions or ceremonies or festivals, according to 'Traditions in Area 11'. In his opinion, it can only be used as a bathrobe or a nightgown at best.
Doubt rapidly increasing, he turns toward Nonette – who is sprawled on the opposite couch and seems to have bored herself out of her mind. "Do you think the Elevens really wear this thing to their festival?"
Her face visibly darkens. "Why are you discussing this with me?" she demands.
"Because after me, you're the most fashionable knight around," he answers with a grin before returning his attention to the supposed piece of clothing. "Do you think they wear, well, unmentionables?"
"In case you've forgotten, you live in the 21st century, Zino."
He ignores the sarcasm and continues to admire the pink fabric draped on his arm. "Pink suits him very much, don't you think?"
"You know what I'll be very much surprised about?" Nonette says with a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "If you come home alive tonight."
Matsuri
"Suzaku-chan, do you want that red balloon?"
The boy wears a deeper scowl than usual (Zino proudly claims that he has, by now, catalogued many Scowls of Suzaku™ and is able to recognize each and every one of them by a single glance) but he has to say that Suzaku looks very good in pink. After getting a ten-minute crash course on how to properly wear a kimono – Nonette has fallen asleep on the couch in the duration – he then promptly drags his fellow knight to the carnival.
Zino likes to think that he looks very handsome in the dark green kimono too, but sadly, Suzaku doesn't say anything. Sighing deeply, he looks around for something which may lessen the intensity of his friend's scowl.
"Do you want to try that shooting game?"
Before there is an answer from the other knight, Zino has yanked him toward a stall with red-striped-with-white awning which displays rows of little duckling toys as shooting targets. Grinning brightly, he hands the second pistol to Suzaku. "Let's see who can bring down more."
After all, he won't mind pretending to lose if it can make Suzaku smile.
But one hour later finds them still standing in front of the same stall.
"Hey, that duck is mine!"
"Fine, the next game will decide who's the man!"
Zino
So, apparently his drastic measures aren't working as he has hoped.
Zino slumps to the couch in the Knight of Rounds's meeting room and eyes the boy sitting across the table, his entire concentration absorbed by the newspaper spread in front of him. Suzaku proves to be a tough nut to crack. Zino starts to wonder if he'll really be able to do it.
But he's very bad at giving up, so when Zino finds himself trying again, he isn't too surprised.
"So how's your day, Suzaku-chan?"
Suzaku looks up from the newspaper – the frown is still there, to Zino's frustration. "Fine, thank you," he answers but doesn't return to his newspaper like usual and adds instead, "You look tired, Lord Weinberg."
Zino is torn between an urge to rejoice at this unexpected display of concern and to tear his hair out. "Suzaku-chan– oh, the hell with it. Suzaku, I like you and I want to be your friends, so can you please, please, for the love of everything holy, just call me Zino?"
The boy looks at him, for once, with a surprised look and Zino allows himself to hope and hope and hope until he opens his mouth again.
"Zino?"
Suzaku is immediately smothered in loving, crushing bear hugs. It isn't a smile – yet – but it's a start.
End