AN: When I was watching the anime I've got an idea that Rolo and Gino can make a nice couple, so when I saw that there isn't many stories about them I've decided to write my own one
The action takes place on the Saint Valetines day. Rolo helps Sayoko run away from Lelouch's fangirls. I know there wasn't anything like that in the anime, but I had to add it for the sake of the story. I hope you'll like it nonetheless.
Corrupted Innocence, thank you for being a beta redaer for this story:)
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass.
It was strange how on that stupid day in the very center of the chaos that was the Ashford Academy he truly wished only for one thing. A wish, not yet fully formed and realized but desired deeply nonetheless didn't left him in peace for a moment, as well as the voice in his head constantly mumbling it can never be granted. Rolo had a very knew feeling of sadness as he watched a crowd of girls gathering near the classroom door, where is brother was, all of them chatting and anxiously glancing from the threshold into the room. Angry at himself for letting his mind be clouded by something which Rolo personally considered as inconvenient and stupid feeling he passed the girls hurriedly not even glancing at them when he heard their high-pitched giggles as a reaction to his brother's warm welcoming smile.
He could only consider them annoying. And today, on this 'special day' the irritation was going to reach a whole new level.
Yes, Rolo Lamperouge already hated them, but sadly, was forbidden to act on it, meaning kill them all while they are the most defenseless. So he restrained from doing so, even though it was becoming more and more difficult as the day passed.
Happy cries and shouting was heard from the outside and Rolo looked out the large classroom window but regretted it immediately. In the courtyard in the center of another group of giggling long-haired monsters stood the third knight of the British Empire lord Gino Weinberg.
Oh, was there anything else to make Rolo's mood even worse? When a pretty and obviously very shy girl came up to him with a small smile quivering on her determinedly pursed lips, it appeared there was.
"Um…Rolo, I was wondering…" She started timidly stumbling on every word and he only wished he had never opened her mouth in the first place. "With this event and all, you will be taking part in the celebration, won't you?…Where are you going to be today? I thought maybe we can…"
"I'm very sorry but I'm not interested." He stopped her suffering trying not sound out of his supposedly weak character. Still maybe it was a little too harshly, but with a mood like his that morning she should just be grateful he didn't stab a knife in her heart.
Finally free from all the annoyances he asked Lelouch about the last arrangements for the day and left. In the corridor he got unlucky enough to walk on Gino Weinberg and his fangirls, Rolo got a bright smile from the knight as a greeting and, with irritation bubbling with a new found force, hurried away to the student council room deciding to skip a lesson with an excuse of helping Milly with the arrangements.
*****
Rolo sat alone in the room enjoying the quietness. Milly was out somewhere persuading Suzaku to give a start to this awful holiday, a name to which was – Saint Valentine's Day. His first time celebrating it – and he already hated 'The day of love'. All that girls, who he knew for sure were going to chase his precious brother later, angered him to no end. Also he couldn't stop thinking that the same amount of love-sick female students was glued to Gino's side waiting for the sign to start their 'attack'. It made Rolo furious, the want to hurt them growing with every time he passed the group led by the blonde knight in the school corridors. He felt even angrier with himself for being so fed up with them.
Really. Why would he care who will get Gino's hat at the end of the day? He didn't have a reason to. The man was his enemy and which is even more important he was irritating to no end.
It also made him remember…
Their first meeting happened long ago, even before the idea of Black Rebellion crept into Lelouch's mind, but the knight most likely didn't remember it, thought Rolo for some unknown even to him reason did. It was also the first time he had seen the knights of the British Empire. He and some others of his lot, high-ranked assassins, best of their kind, all looking in awe at the men who were claimed to be the best warriors of the Empire, the best honorable and pure warriors, not like them, those who just came and killed without a second thought. At least that was what he thought that time. Before seeing the knights he was never bothered by the fact that he was a cold-blooded murder working on the emperor's orders, those men shining in their glory though… They were honored and cherished as the ones who brought peace and wealth to their country. But they were killing too, weren't they? So why did he feel so dirty compared to them?...
The feeling passed since then and he had forgot those ideas, but when Gino Weinberg and Anya Alstreim suddenly turned up at the Ashford Academy it all, mixing with the new feeling of hope given him by Lelouch, came crushing down on Rolo, confusing, suffocating him with new emotions. The knowledge that he had friends now also made the boy feel guilty for lying, for killing, for being who he was.
Rolo got up from his chair, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and restless and came up to the large window to gaze at the school grounds. He regretted it immediately just as before and unsurprisingly thanks to the same reason. There, yet again with more than a dozen girls around, was Gino, that annoyingly dazzling smile shining brightly even from such distance.
Such a frustrating man, but Rolo was attracted to him, even against his will. Was that the same feeling as he got back then, years before? That admiration, the way they all looked up to the brilliant knights? Or was it something else? Something entirely new and totally unnatural for Rolo's whole being.
Confusion and anger – two feelings in his heart, Lelouch Lamperouge and Gino Weinberg - two persons constantly on his mind. His brother and his who? Enemy? Yes, definitely. But they had never met on a battlefield and sometimes Rolo thought they will never have a chance, especially since Lelouch insisted on him staying in the school. He hated Gino but not for being an emperor's knight. He couldn't stand the way the man made him feel. The guilt and the vulnerability caused by close proximity of Gino confused Rolo's thoughts, the gaze of his bright blue eyes, seeming so open to the world even if the man himself held a lot of secrets, felt like it was breaking all the defenses the violet eyed assassin mastered since he was born, looking straight in his heart. No wonder Rolo wanted to get as far as possible; but he couldn't. Couldn't, because Lelouch wanted him at the academy; couldn't because being near he had a chance to spy on the enemy; couldn't because who else would stop Sayoko from disturbing his brother's ordinary life?...Couldn't because he didn't want to.
*****
Rolo ran through the school grounds across Sayoko's path trying to get in time to the arranged place so that she'd be able to get away from the crowd of screaming girls. He was panting heavily and his head started spinning but he needed to get to the place. Running wasn't his thing. His ordinary tactic was to stop the enemy with his geass and then get close to them. Not chase! That super-maiden was the one to run, chase and fight, and she was damn good at it.
Even feeling his heart beating furiously and his lungs give out Rolo couldn't throw away Gino from his thoughts. Every time he tried, he heard someone around call the knight's name or noticed the sight of him in the distance.
There! Finally! He got just in time stopping all the students in mid-action giving Sayoko, or as everyone thought Lelouch, a nice opportunity to successfully escape.
Good. The job done. Rolo relaxed and slumped against the nearest wall, closing his eyes, trying to even out his breathing.
"Are you not feeling well?" A soft voice asked somewhere to his left.
"Just a little dizzy." Rolo answered as softly, feeling comforted by a stranger's care.
"Maybe I should take you to see the nurse?"
"No, no. Thank you." Rolo took a deep breath and stepping away from the wall opened his eyes…
And found himself face to face with the only person he didn't want to see at that moment – Gino Weinberg, whose worried bright blue eyes were fixed on his surprised face.
"You sure?" The knight asked with concern.
"Um… yeah."
Not wanting to feel even more down than he already was the younger boy stepped away, haven decided it was time to leave. Gino made a move, to step away from the path or to stop him, Rolo didn't understand and even hadn't a chance to find out, as he suddenly felt like he was falling…Falling straight ahead, with blonde knight catching him. A strong arm sneaked around his waist preventing the lighter boy from crashing into his chest. With peripheral vision he noticed how the stupid blue hat fell from his head.
Oh…
"You definitely are not feeling well." He heard Gino say, his gentle but stern voice sounding like from far away barely suppressing the sound of his beating heart.
"I…um…" Dizzy. He felt hot and dizzy, and couldn't utter a word like that stupid girl he met that morning. And the knight was so calm and collected, standing so close, closer than Rolo ever let any person get, his arm still around the brunet's waist.
"Rolo."
The called boy lifted his head and found himself staring right into the blue eyes of the knight, he tried to move away at least a bit, but found himself too weak to do so.
"I stumbled." He finally uttered, and it was true, he stumbled over one thing on his path – that being Gino Weinberg , literally or metaphorically, doesn't matter.
"Are you feeling pain? Hurting? Maybe dizziness? You look pale…"
"No, I'm fine."
Now when Rolo was able to see anything other than the dazzling blue of Gino's eyes, he took in the serious expression, brows furrowed just slightly, lips half-parted and his breath reaching Rolo's sensitive skin. His hat was missing too, probably taken by some eager girl…The younger boy didn't like that idea.
"You can let go now." He breathed out, sounding too unsure for his liking.
"Are you sure?" Gino asked, and Rolo caught in his voice something resembling regret, or maybe he just imagined it. "You are not going to faint?"
"Of course, not!" The irritation was coming back again and with a new force, so Rolo pushed harder this time finally releasing himself from the knight's embrace. The blonde did not resist and let go easily and took a little step away giving Rolo some space. "I'd better go…"
Gino only gave him a smile as an answer, not as bright as the ones he flashed at the girls, not that Rolo wanted to see that happy smile. No. Why would he?
A sudden confusion flooded him as Gino lowered to one knee, a lot of silly and girly ideas flashing before his mind's eye. But then he noticed two blue hats lying on the ground and the blonde was reaching for them.
"Oh, that's where yours was…" Rolo murmured absentmindedly.
"What?"
"No, nothing…"
"Take this." Gino handed him one of the hats. The other boy glanced at it warily, not wanting to wear the stupid thing, but then noticed something odd. It seemed too big for him.
"Are you sure this is-"
"Just take it." The knight insisted and with his own hands put the hat on the smaller boy's head. "See you."
And with that he flashed another smile, a bright one this time, put another hat on and turned away. Rolo watched the figure of the blonde knight leaving, the oversized hat falling in his eyes. He felt stupidly happy.
And later when a huge discussion in the student council room was held about all the events of this Saint Valentine's Day, Rolo couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips when Milly was with astonishment questioning Gino why didn't any girl succeed in taking his hat…
AN: Please, tell me what you think about this story. This pairing is used rarely so I'd like to know if anyone liked it. I also have another story about them, but I haven't decided if i'm going to submit it:)