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Title: Pure Hearted Love

Author: DnKS – giRLs

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: SuzaLulu

Disclaimers: Ours? Nah… Never…

Warning: Domestic sap, really domestic sap… and this is not an MPreg story. We repeat, this is NOT an MPreg story.

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Epilogue

THERE WAS A SOUND OF GENTLE VOICE in that luxurious waiting room of the Britannia's military base. The sound came from a little kid, not much older than six years old, as he sat cross-ledged on the plush carpet while drawing something on a paper before him.

Old Mother Goose,

When she wanted to wander,

Would ride through the air

On a very fine gander.

Mother Goose had a house,

It was built in a wood

Where an owl at the door…

The little boy stopped as his brow furrowed. On a sofa not far away from the place the boy sat, His Highness Prince Lelouch vi Britannia was watching over him. He noted the sudden stop of poetry reciting with amusement and he said, "For…?"

"For a sentinel stood," the boy finished with a happy glee. The boy then turned his face to meet Lelouch's loving gaze. A pair of violet eyes sparkled with happiness regarded Lelouch as the boy asked, "Did I do well, Mama?"

Lelouch smiled as he stood up from his seat and approached the boy. Sitting on his side, Lelouch then gathered the small kid into his arms and said, "You did well, Rolo, very well."

"Yay!" the boy, Rolo, said as he nestled into Lelouch's embrace deeper. "I love you, Mama."

Lelouch smiled upon hearing that simple sentence. It really meant a lot to him because it came out of Rolo's lips. Tenderly, he pecked the little boy's cheek and said, "Mama loves you too, Rolo."

Rolo Lamperouge, that boy with a pair of dazzling violet eyes and messy chestnut hair, was smiling happily in Lelouch's embrace. Seeing that smile, Lelouch felt pride blossoming in his heart. He knew that three years before that time, Rolo would have never smiled like that. In fact, three years ago, Rolo would have never trusted anyone enough to be embraced like that. Rolo would have never told anyone 'I love you'. Rolo would have never called him Mama. Rolo would have never called anyone at all, would have never spoken anything.

The memories of those dark times made Lelouch unconsciously tighten his embrace around the little boy in his arms. He tried to assure himself that Rolo was safe now. Rolo had him and Suzaku now. He would not let that boy get hurt again. He would never let that sweet boy who always called him 'Mama' lovingly experience the horror again.

Rolo Lamperouge came to his and Suzaku's life three years ago. That boy was the son of a distant family relative from his mother's side. He still remembered that shivering and bloodied bundle of a child barely alive as his loyal guard Jeremiah Gottwald brought Rolo to him. A terrorist attack, one that he had failed to predict and one that Suzaku could never quite forgive himself for his inability to stop, had struck the house of Lamperouge and left all the members of the family killed. All of them, except for their youngest son, Rolo Lamperouge, who managed to run from the massacre with the sacrifice of his mother.

Maybe it was the tie of blood, maybe it was to redeem their guilt, maybe it was only because their heart was moved the first time they saw Rolo's pitiful condition that Lelouch and Suzaku instantly decided to take the boy into their house. But the thing was easier said than done. They were only two young men of twenty by that time and they knew nothing of raising a child, moreover a child with such a dark past like Rolo. But as Suzaku had told him with confidence, they would make it, surely. Because even though they knew nothing about raising a child, they knew everything about love and love was the thing that Rolo needed the most.

The horror of that one night had left Rolo with a trauma that was so bad he could not speak at all for the first year afterward. During that one year, Lelouch and Suzaku could only try to show the little boy how much they loved him. It was not an easy time back then. No matter what they did, Rolo still kept his silence but they both refused to give up. And their effort was not in vain for one year after they took Rolo into their house, the boy suddenly buried his face into Lelouch's lap and spoke his first word to him.

Rolo had called him Mama that day.

Lelouch was so happy about the fact that Rolo finally spoke that he did not try to correct him. So the name was stuck to him until now. But he did not mind it. If it was Rolo who called him Mama then he was perfectly all right, though he really did not appreciate it when Suzaku also tried to call him that.

"Is Papa really come back today?" Rolo asked him suddenly, ending his reminiscing.

"It's 'is Papa really coming back today', Rolo," he corrected his son's—yes, Rolo was now his son as he and Suzaku had legally adopted him three years ago—words. "He said he would come home today, that's why we are now here to pick him up."

"I miss Papa," Rolo said. The little boy was silent for a while before he suddenly wriggled his way out of Lelouch's embrace. Lelouch let his little boy go and watched in curiosity as Rolo picked his drawing paper from the ground. The paper was then presented to him, and upon seeing the sketch drawn on that piece of white paper, Lelouch's smile grew brighter.

"I drew Mama and Papa and myself," Rolo said proudly, explaining the drawing to his Mama. Lelouch traced his fingers on the drawing. It was done with crayons and had a child's innocence in it. The drawing was portraying a man with dark hair and purple eyes and another man with brown hair and green eyes holding the hands of a little boy who was smiling wide between them. There was no doubt about the identity of those three people in the drawing, moreover with Rolo's curly handwriting describing the drawing as 'Rolo's family' on the bottom right corner of the paper.

"I hope Papa likes it," Rolo said, looking up to Lelouch. "I hope Mama likes it too."

"Of course Mama likes it," Lelouch said fondly to Rolo. "And Mama is sure Papa will like it too. Papa will like anything that Rolo draws because Papa loves Rolo."

"Oh, good," Rolo said with a satisfied grin. "Because I love Papa too."

Lelouch ruffled Rolo's hair affectionately and the boy squealed in delight. He was so glad that Rolo could now express his love so freely like that. He was so glad that Rolo was finally able to accept Suzaku as his… well, Papa.

It was harder for Rolo to accept Suzaku than for him to accept Lelouch. Maybe it was because of his memory of that certain night when he saw people in uniforms killing each other before his eyes. Even after he accepted Lelouch, Rolo still refused Suzaku's touch. He oftentimes stared at Suzaku with fear mixed with hatred in his eyes. But Suzaku, his stubborn, idiot Suzaku, was tougher than that to give up only because a kid whom he loved so greatly glared dagger at him.

Lelouch thought that he should have known better. After all, Suzaku was the one who had managed to conquer his heart. Patiently, kindly, Suzaku had slowly but surely managed to get into his heart and let him know that he was loved. The same also happened with Rolo. With patience and kindness that was almost impossible for a man to posses, Suzaku slowly tried to make Rolo accept him, never waver even if he met so many rejections on his way.

Rolo only called Suzaku Papa a few months after he opened up to Lelouch. It was during a certain peace conference that was held in Vietnam. Due to Rolo's condition, Lelouch did not quite feel at ease to leave the boy alone back in Britannia so he and Suzaku had brought him along with them. He still could not decide until now if their decision that time could be considered a good one or a bad one. For during the conference, a separatist group revolted against the peace declaration and led an attack to the building where the conference was held. The fact that it was a peace conference and thus the envoy from Britannia did not brought many weapons made them face a grave danger. That attack left Rolo so petrified for days afterward, but it also made him accept Suzaku.

Lelouch smiled as he thought of his Suzaku, his dear husband, who at that time grabbed the two of them and moved them to a save place. Without thinking of his own safety Suzaku had carried him and Rolo amidst the bullets and shouts of battle. He remembered how that time Suzaku had fought valiantly to protect them. He remembered how Suzaku never faltered, never left their side even for a second, never even when blood poured from his many wounds. In the end, both he and Rolo came out of the struggle unscathed, yet Suzaku had to be admitted to Emergency Unit immediately. But his Suzaku, his strong, idiotic Suzaku, only smiled and kissed his and Rolo's foreheads tenderly as he said how glad he was that his beloved ones were not hurt at all.

His Suzaku was so kind to the point of idiocy sometimes, but Lelouch knew Suzaku's kindness was his greatest strength. His kindness was also the one that managed to make Rolo finally open up to him. And it was not only Suzaku who had tears in his eyes when Rolo hugged him and said how he wished his Papa to get well soon.

The soft sound of knocking stopped him from thinking of the past. He watched the closed door and could not help a hopeful feeling when he thought what the knocking possibly might imply. Gracefully, he brought Rolo and himself to their feet before he called.

"Enter."

The door opened and he could see a familiar soldier saluted to him.

"Excuse me for intruding your time, Your Highness," the soldier said. "I am to inform you that His Lordship Brigadier General Kururugi has landed safely and is expecting your presence."

Lelouch smiled, his hope was answered, it seemed. "I thank you for the information, Sir Jeremiah. Would you mind accompanying me to greet His Lordship?"

Sir Jeremiah Gottwald, the head of his Palace Guard, smiled at him. "That would be my pleasure, Your Highness."

Across the corridors of Britannia military base, Lelouch walked with the loyal Jeremiah on his one side and a chipper Rolo on his other side. He had a smile on his face when he thought that soon, he would see his Suzaku again. Soon, he would have his Suzaku by his side again after two weeks of being deprived of his presence. Soon, he would have Suzaku's smile greet him every morning again. Soon…

"Papa!" Rolo's sudden happy squeal snapped Lelouch out of his reverie. Blinking, he then saw the sight of his Suzaku, arms spread wide to catch Rolo who was running to his direction. Readily, those strong arms caught and then lifted Rolo's body up to the air, smiling wide all the while.

"Hello, Rolo," Suzaku said as he kissed the boy's cheek lightly. "It's nice too see you again."

"I missed you, Papa," Rolo said with laughter in his voice.

"Papa missed Rolo too," Suzaku said sincerely, touching the tip of his son's nose affectionately. He then adjusted Rolo's weight in his arms before he walked to the direction where Lelouch was standing with Jeremiah on his side. For a moment the two uttered no word before Jeremiah saluted.

"I beg your apology, My Lord," Jeremiah said. "I was informed you were waiting in the hangar so I am about to bring His Highness there."

"I was impatient so I decided to meet my dearest family in their way. There is no need for apology," Suzaku said good-naturedly. "I thank you for your hard work, Sir Jeremiah. You are now dismissed."

With a final salute, Jeremiah turned his body and walked down the hallway away from them. Suzaku watched the receding form of the man until it disappeared around the corner before he gave his most seductive smirk to Lelouch, his beloved Lelouch who still stood speechless.

"Now, my son has greeted me, my loyal guard has greeted me," he said as he approached Lelouch with still carrying Rolo in his arms. "But why oh why my dearest Lelouch has not said any word at all?"

Lelouch blinked upon hearing those words and he blushed hard upon seeing Suzaku's smirk. It seemed even after five years of marriage, that trait wouldn't disappear from him. Suzaku would always manage to make him blush, and smile, and cry, and everything in between. That was why, he thought, he loved him so much.

"Your Lelouch is just too happy to see you back he forgot how to find his voice to greet you," he said with a smile, "Welcome back, Suzaku."

"I'm home," Suzaku said. "Now would you please grant your husband his well-deserved hug?"

Lelouch laughed but he let Suzaku pulled him with his one arm and afterward embraced him. He realized that he had really missed his idiot of a husband so the embrace was more than welcomed. But when Suzaku kissed him with Rolo still watching between them, Lelouch gently pulled away.

"Suzaku!" he chided softly. "Not in front of our son, you idiot."

"I thought you were also not supposed to call your husband 'idiot' in front of your son," Suzaku said with a smile. Lelouch threw him a glare but Suzaku only laughed. That idiot.

"Okay, I understand," Suzaku sighed. It seemed the message of that glare was clearly received. "Shall we go home now? Hm? Rolo, do you want to go home together, sweetheart? We will go home together and Papa will surely pay up for those times Papa has been away."

"Yay!" Rolo exclaimed. "Promise?"

"Promise," Suzaku said before he offered his one hand, the one not carrying Rolo in front of his chest, to Lelouch. "Lelouch?"

And who was he to deny his Suzaku anything, Lelouch thought fondly. Therefore he took the hand and together, the three of them walked out of the building to the waiting car that would bring them back to the palace. The ride was pleasant with Rolo chirping happily to his parents and showed Suzaku his drawing. There was laughter, there was happiness, and Lelouch knew his family was one of the best things ever happened in his life. His Suzaku, his Rolo, his beloved husband and son. They were his precious, precious people and he knew he would do anything to protect that happiness between them.

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NIGHT WAS SURELY LELOUCH'S MOST FAVORITE TIME OF THE DAY. When the sun had set and beautiful stars graced the dark sky, Lelouch vi Britannia could finally shake off the responsibilities that he had to do during the day time and pursue his personal quest for leisure. He would have fun with his son and husband, chat with his sister if she was at the time visiting his palace, or maybe play the grand piano on the west antechamber, his old hobby that he could not quite able to say farewell to. And when it was getting even later, he would tuck Rolo to bed before he himself retired to his bedroom to read or sleep or, he thought with a blush on his cheeks, have some alone time with his dear husband.

Lelouch tried to hide his blush when he heard the door leading to the room opened. He saw Suzaku entering the room before his husband approached the bed on which he lay.

"I have tucked Rolo to bed," Suzaku said as he dropped his body to lie on Lelouch's side. "I swear we have to tell Nunnally not to give him that much sugar or it would be impossible to calm him down. She spoils Rolo too much."

Lelouch chuckled and he laid his head against Suzaku's shoulder. "Says someone who always gives Rolo candy whenever he asks for it."

Suzaku only hummed and put his hand on Lelouch's head, bringing him even closer against his shoulder. He placed a kiss amidst those fine threads of midnight hair that he loved so much and he could hear Lelouch sighing in contentment.

"I guess it's impossible to deny those pair of violet eyes," Suzaku said as Lelouch snuggled deeper against him. "I'm almost sure he learned how to use his eyes so well from you. Not that I mind, of course… I love your eyes. They are so beautiful."

"And after all this time you are still so corny," Lelouch said. He looked up to meet his husband's gaze and asked, "So, how is Japan?"

"As wonderful as always," Suzaku answered. His latest mission had been to guard some diplomatic envoy of Britannia to Japan due to the preparation for the celebration of those long years of bilateral relationship the two nations had developed. "Father sent his best regards for you and Rolo. He said you were not visiting him often enough, and it was plain disrespectful to deprive him the presence of his only grandson."

Lelouch snorted at those words. He did not know if he should laugh or cringe upon the fact that both his father and father-in-law seemed to try to beat each other up in spoiling Rolo. Even though Rolo was not really their grandson by blood, both Charles di Britannia and Kururugi Genbu loved him immensely. Not only them, his mother, his sisters, and brothers, all of them tried their best to spoil that little boy until Lelouch was almost afraid his little Rolo would grow up as an arrogant snob. But so far, his dear little boy still remained the same, a sweet and good-natured child who was always more than ready to show people his love to them.

"I missed Japan… and father," Lelouch said thoughtfully. "How is he dealing with business lately?"

Suzaku laughed as he remembered the sight of his father mumbling about something amidst piles of legal documents, "He was doing so wonderful that I can smell envy from all his rivals."

Lelouch also laughed. He did not have a hard time believing Suzaku's words about his father-in-law's success. Kururugi Genbu now had retired from his position as a Prime Minister and he spent his days by working as a part time romantic novel writer and land-broker. He did not have much success with the former but he created a good fortune with the latter. He knew that his father-in-law was surely good in making a deal. If he could get the Royal Prince of Britannia as the bride for his only son, of course he could get any piece of land he had his eyes on.

"I will try to go to Japan with Rolo next month," he said and jabbed his finger to Suzaku's chest. "And you are going to go with us. I won't let you escape this time."

"I won't," Suzaku said sincerely. He raised Lelouch's chin and gave a long kiss on his lips, one that could make them both quite breathless yet yearned for more when ended.

Lelouch whimpered when Suzaku released his lips. He tried to embrace Suzaku but his husband gently caught his arms. With questioning eyes he stared at Suzaku, but his husband only smiled.

"Wait," Suzaku said before his hand reached under the bed. Lelouch did remember Suzaku had placed a brown paper bag there upon entering the room. As to the content of the paper bag, it was still unknown to him. Yet When Suzaku pulled his hand out, Lelouch could see a wreath of snow white flowers and a nostalgic smile began to form on his lips.

"In Japan they called these flowers Fuji no Yuki," Suzaku said as he presented the wreath of flowers to Lelouch. "You could not possibly have thought I forgot, right?"

Lelouch did not say a thing when he accepted the flowers from Suzaku's hands. He only gave his husband the smile that he reserved only for him, a smile to let him know how much he loved him. He might not be able to give Suzaku any flower in return, Lelouch thought as he circled his hands around Suzaku's neck afterward, but he knew his love was the most beautiful, most sincere, and most untarnished flower he could give to his beloved Suzaku.

And of course, he thought as Suzaku captured his lips in a kiss yet again, he would give all his love for Suzaku, only for his Suzaku.

- the end -

(A/N: this is, finally, the end of Pure Hearted Love. We thank you for your support for this fic all along. We also want to apologize for our delay in delivering this epilogue, but there is a reason for that. We, like some hopeless authors we are, have found out that leaving this universe entirely is too hard of a task to do so, yes, you guess right, we have made some one-shots for this universe. We have yet to post it in this site, and to tell the truth, we are still debating whether we should post it here or not. But should you want to read the pre-final-edit version of it, you may go to our livejournal community, the link of which you can find in our profile. Hope this simple offering of ours might be of some consolation for our delay. Thank you for reading Pure Hearted Love until the end. Any review that you might give us will be highly appreciated.)