Special Thanks: AkaiNoHana, luckless-is-me, BuffyPet, Piggy7869, Rainshi

11/12/2011 5:54 PM

III

Rubber Ducky You're The One! You Make Bath Time So Much Fun!

~Let me know before you decide to take a jackhammer to my heart—just so I can call an ambulance~

"You left." It was all that Lelouch could think to say as Suzaku walked into the back room. Sitting at the high counter top, papers still spread across the surface in an array of un-dealt with problems, Lelouch didn't look up as he heard the other approach. Lelouch didn't need to look up to know who it was that was standing there.

It surprised him clearly as Suzaku stopped at the doorway and looked up at Lelouch. He opened his mouth as if to say something but then closed it again. Instead his gaze dropped to the floor. He was framed in the dim light of the doorway. The light of the shop was behind him, but in the dark hallway he was mostly cast in shadow.

"I spent all night worrying about Rolo only to worry about you once morning came." Lelouch said. He wasn't fond of using guilt trips but at the same times— "Just tell me. When you leave, I've decided I just want you to tell me."

"I—" Suzaku started before taking in a breath and trudged on. "I didn't think you would care." Green eyes lifted from the floor boards but they didn't focus on Lelouch.

Lelouch finally looked away from the window over to the very strange boy. What was he supposed to say to a comment like that? Violet eyes narrowed as he focused on Suzaku. "Just tell me when you leave for good. Otherwise, I expect you to come back at some point in time." It was an order of sorts between them. If Suzaku didn't tell Lelouch he was leaving than he was due to come back to Lelouch.

Maybe it was because they both knew it would more than likely happen in the very near future that Suzaku just nodded in agreement, his eyes shifted just a fraction to look at Lelouch, to lock eye contact for just a split second as he nodded.

Lelouch looked away to the counter top. "Are they gone?" He asked referring to the couple that had just been in the shop.

"Yeah," Suzaku nodded. "They bought a calendar and left."

Not knowing what else to say Lelouch just nodded. Pursing his lips his eyes roved over the mountains of paperwork that need done soon or as always they were in danger of losing the shop. It was how they worked. They barely broke even every month. As much as Lelouch hated it, it wasn't all C.c.'s fault either.

"If I asked where you went would you tell me?" Lelouch made sure to zero in on Suzaku this time as he asked the question.

Those deep green emeralds stared back at Lelouch for a long moment. Suzaku didn't look rigid, didn't look tense in any way—but he did look like he already knew what he was going to say.

Lelouch conceded and looked back to the window. It wasn't like he had expected anything grand to come of the question.

"I don't want to lie to you." Suzaku spoke up.

Lelouch looked up, gaze going back to Suzaku. Gazes locked for just a few seconds. Behind Suzaku, the bell tolled at the door, and they both looked back at it.

"I'll go see to that." Suzaku said in a low voice as he turned to go back. His feet slapped against the wet floor on his way back.

~Everyone has Motives, just not the same ones…~

It was the only bookstore on the island. So it was the only place that one could go to find something half decent to read. Though as far as being much of a store was debatable, Every time Nina would go in the place was usually more than half stocked with all the photo books and calendars and tiki men of any other souvenir shop. The real books they sold had to be looked for through the stacks and to the dark rows in the back.

Nina did have to give the place credit, what book they did have and sold usually were in quite good taste. She wondered if it was Lelouch, the boy that owned the tiny store. The other partner in ownership, the odd green haired girl—she was part of the reason Nina refused to go anywhere else. She'd only seen the glam a hand full of times, usually in some form of swimsuit and on her way out. But a glimpse was always still enough. As far as personality Nina hated the girl, she was rude, childish, sarcastic and lazy. But with long apple green tresses and smooth alabaster skin—she was something worth looking at.

But this time as the bell rung and Nina wondered back to the darker stacks of the book case she noticed someone different coming out from the hall leading to the back office and to the counter. He was –untidy to begin with. There was sand encrusted on his legs and feet and his shirt looked wet and his hair—this couldn't be some new help that Lelouch had hired. The boy was so—

Nina felt her face screw in a look of disdain. The boy hadn't noticed her as he went to the counter, sitting on the stool in front of the till. With an uncomfortable look on his face as he reached up under his shirt to scratch along his ribs—the shirt lifted with his hand and there was…

Her head cocked a she took a step closer. She adjusted her glasses as she say the green shimmer under his skin like—like—scales. It was just a glimpse and it was so faint along his side. It was fascinating. Nina went to take another step closer.

"Nina?" Lelouch asked, coming out from the hall and facing her.

The boy behind him quickly snapped to attention, pulling his hand away and looking to the two of them. Nina gave a bit of a whine as those shockingly green eyes locked onto her.

Lelouch followed her gaze over to the boy and back. "Oh, this is Suzaku, he's my new cashier."

She didn't care. "I—I just dropped by to pick up those book…"

As calculated and organized as ever, it only took Lelouch a second before he nodded as he turned again. "Right, I have your order in the back, just let me go get it."

Left alone with the strange boy in the room Nina took a hesitant side step, wanting to get to the cash register, but not wanting to get any closer to the other boy in any way.

Polite enough the boy (Suzaku) gave a smile and a nod, "Hello."

Nina looked away, waiting for Lelouch to return. Which was the next moment, with several books in hand, Lelouch went straight to the cash register. "These were actually pretty cheap to ship in. It's probably because of the new flights from the bigger islands." He set the stack on the register sliding between Suzaku and the register, squeezing into the small space. His finger flew over the register, ringing everything up.

As Nina took a couple of steps closer to the counter she noticed that that boy had his hand, not so discretely, on Lelouch's hip. It rested there, Lelouch seemingly comfortable with it since he didn't move or brush that tan hand way, instead looking up as Nina came closer to the counter.

She didn't even wait for Lelouch to give the charge she just handed over the debit card.

As Lelouch processed the card the boy on the stool sighed. "Can we go home after this?"

Lelouch handed the card back as he chuckled, but gave an uncharacteristically easy shrug. "maybe," He said quiet before fitting the books into a bag and handing it over. "Thank you, Nina."

With a nod Nina didn't look up into Lelouch's eyes as she spoke. "You're welcome."

"I read about what happened with the research team."

Startled Nina did look up this time. "Oh—uh yeah. I was in the office so I didn't have any affiliation with it, but Dr. Ashplund had promised me that he'd take me with him after this run. Though now—I'm not sure there is going to be another run out to open sea until after this is all sorted out."

Lelouch just watched her dismissal of the horrific event. "Well, I'm sorry that it happened."

"I didn't know anyone or anything. It was just some new crew out of Samoa. So to be honest I wasn't affected by it at all. " That sounded worse, so quickly Nina corrected in stutters. "I—I mean it's awful but yeah, I didn't know any of them." Still not better. Nina just couldn't—to her world nothing had really changed.

"Alright," Lelouch said a little awkward himself this time.

"Yeah, well I'll drop by later this week for another order." Nina hastily turned to go out the door. This was why she generally stuck to books. People didn't talk back to her in books. She'd almost reached the door when she heard it.

"Goodbye,"

When Nina looked back she saw that the boy had stood. Lelouch was well on his way to the back, but at the doorway Suzaku stood waving to Nina. The only thing that Nina noticed though was—the skin again, it was so obsolete just barely peaking out from the surf shorts at his knees, but it was such a luminescent green color under the skin.

Nina quickly turned away and out the door.

~Making a splash!~

He was on the phone—again. Lelouch gave a sigh slumping back to lean against the counter. It was Rolo again. He hadn't shown up for school, despite the fact that Lelouch had sent him off that morning. The problem was that it wasn't just Milly that had started to make house calls.

"Yes, I know." Lelouch scowled as a hand went to rub at his fore head.

"Have you tried to get this boy to do any homework? I can't even get him to do assignments in class! Even just watching a movie and writing down what he thinks of it! I get nothing."

"Yes, I realize that he can be difficult." Lelouch wasn't even trying to hide his aggravation at that point. There wasn't much that he could do about any of it until Rolo made and appearance and as it seemed that wasn't going to be happening.

His second problem, Suzaku, had somehow disappeared, again, as well. Not that Lelouch could really blame him. He'd been on the phone since they had walked through the door. Suzaku had mumbled something his hand scratching at something up his shirt before trailing back to the bedroom. Lelouch suspected another nap was his most likely destination. Tearing the bed apart and putting it in a haphazard semblance of back together was Suzaku's specialty in the house.

With a shudder Lelouch also remembered that the same boy he was on the phone about had also never had the pleasure of meeting Suzaku. Not only that but when Lelouch did get around to an introduction it would unfortunately probably come down to the fact Lelouch had already lied to his brother about the stray. But as always with Lelouch's life there was no way to skirt around it all. It had to be dealt with at some point or there would be an even worse hell to pay.

"Lelouch!"

Dark hair slid out of his eyes as Lelouch tilted his head to peer up at Suzaku. Dripping again. Only this time his cloths were soaked clean through. Lelouch tilted his head to the side a little more as eh looked at the boy. Life had only gotten stranger since living with Suzaku for a full two days. The water trailed from down the hall to the room all the way up to the clear puddle in which Suzaku stood in the middle of.

"Mr. Lamprouge are you there?" the teacher on the other end of the phone snapped.

"Hang on." Lelouch said as he pressed the phone to his shoulder. He couldn't even speak for a moment as he looked over Suzaku sopping from head to toe. "Do you-We have towels, Suzaku."

"Yeah I know I found one in the bathroom." Suzaku nodded before his smile dropped and he pointed to the kitchen sink. "Can I have bubbles?"

Lelouch followed the direction Suzaku's finger to find the dish soap sitting next to the faucet. "Well I—I guess…" Lelouch trailed picking the dish soap up to hold it out to Suzaku. It was the closest thing they had to bath bubbles.

It was snatched out of his hand before he could ask what exactly Suzaku wanted the bubbles for and Lelouch head the squelch as Suzaku made his way back to the bedroom, and probably back into the bathroom. As he left Lelouch noticed as Suzaku started to scratch at the skin around his knee again.

Pondering what was causing the incisive itching would have to wait for a different time. There were too many things happening at once and Lelouch could multi task but not like this—not with Suzaku doing God knows what in Lelouch's bathroom!

"I'm sorry ma'am what was that?" Lelouch finally huffed as he raised the phone back to his ear.

And the dial tone answered him.

First he closed his eyes then he hung up the phone. He took in a breath knowing this wouldn't be the last of his problems with the school before he opened his eyes again and decided it was probably best to go check on his stray. He surveyed the stagnate stream of puddles on the floor leading back through the kitchen into the living room. They continued down the hall as well, but now that Lelouch was standing bare foot in them he could only look down in confusion. How could one boy be so wet? He'd said he'd found towels, why didn't he use them?

The tickly song of the long silver metal wind chime out the door caught his attention. Lelouch looked up at the relic of the home for a long moment, caught in the sway of that the breeze outside had caused. Shaking his head Lelouch focused enough to remember the boy—in his bathroom—doing god only knows.

His own feet slapped on the hardwood as he traveled along the trail of water to his bedroom. The door was open and from inside it looked that for once Suzaku had left the bed well enough alone. The bathroom door, though, was not open. Lelouch approached, noticing the nice little pond that had seeped out from under the door. Stepping precociously around it best he could Lelouch approached the door. He rasped lightly on the white door hoping for an answer.

"Suzaku?" Lelouch asked a second later.

The only answer he received was the sound of—water hitting the floor… more than already was on the floor.

Deciding that he'd already seen the boy naked anyway, Lelouch didn't have anything to fear as he opened the door taking a step in.

His jaw and his cell phone may have both hit the floor at the same time. "..zaku."

"I've never had bubbles before." A smiling Suzaku informed Lelouch from the bathtub. Bubbles covered his hands as he gave a happy swish of his tail, with the movement a new wave of water splashed over the edge of the overflowing tub and onto the tile floor.

~Problems on all fronts tend to back already desperate people into corners~

"Lelouch…?" Suzaku asked again, his teeth were showing as he worried his lip. He lifted himself to the edge of the tub reaching his long arm over to Lelouch.

Lelouch was in the corner, between the bath tub and the porcelain sink. His eyes wide he curled over his knees and his hands at his face, on either side of his face acting like blinders. He gave a quick glance up before looking down twice as fast. His blinders weren't working.

If he had seen correctly—which he still wasn't correct that he had—Suzaku was… Lelouch looked back up again. This time he actually tried to see and confirm. Yes, where Suzaku's feet were supposed to be there was indeed a tail. Very long and shiny and green and iridescent and—and—and connected to Suzaku somewhere under all those bubbles.

"Lelouch?" Suzaku asked again.

This time Lelouch looked up at the boy, especially once he felt Suzaku's fingers on his cheek. Bright eyes, warm toned skin and cinnamon hued curls met Lelouch's gaze and slowly he let his hands down.

Suzaku's fingers ran through the fringe of Lelouch's hair at the side of his head as he spoke. "I'm sorry about the floor." Suzaku looked over the nice new flooded bathroom he'd provided. "I thought I'd fit…" he trailed off sheepish with one of those charming smiles.

His attention drawn back to the—tail, Lelouch gave it a better run over this time. The scales were just as bright as Suzaku's eyes and gleamed in the sunlight coming through the window. It gave almost a golden gleam in the refracting the light, and it darkened to almost a blue in the shadows. And the structure was—Lelouch didn't know a lot about marine life, but this wasn't any kind of fish tail Lelouch had ever seen. It was constructed like almost a porous tail—like a dolphin almost, but nothing like a dolphin. As thick as a dolphin's tail that was for sure. But it acted almost like the body of an eel in the way it would twist and curl over the edge of the bath tub. But then again, the end—it was like the tail of a lion fish, but in shades of green with golden little flecks.

Lelouch had to look back to Suzaku's face. With his entire midsection under the inches of bubbles and a bath tub full of water it was easier to image Suzaku as the human he'd known just a few minutes ago. He gave one last glance at the tail.

"You thought you would fit in my bathtub?" Lelouch asked a bit shaky. Suzaku didn't fit at all anymore. When he had feet Lelouch and Suzaku could have probably fit in that bathtub—but not with that long gleaming flipper.

Suzaku gave a shrug. "I've never been in a bath tub before. And feet distort everything. I just got used to being smaller."

With a nod of acknowledgement Lelouch rested back against the wall. "Right." What was there really to say? His stray turned out to be a fish. There weren't many words to cope with that. There was a couple of questions though, foremost—"Why are you here?"

And he was being kissed. Suzaku tugged Lelouch up so it was easier to kiss from over the edge of the tub. All questions as always—well, Lelouch's brain found itself on ice for just that moment as Suzaku pressed warm soft lips to Lelouch's own lips.

Breaking just about an inch, Suzaku beckoned as he reached his other arm out of the tub to get a hold on Lelouch, "Come here." He tugged at Lelouch's collared button-up shirt to get him to follow his own example and get in the tub as well. He managed to curl one arm around Lelouch's neck

With a content sigh, Lelouch cracked his eyes open and found himself struggling up on his knees to try and climb over the edge and into the too full bathtub. There wasn't enough room for Suzaku and his new—features, let alone another person, but that wasn't what Lelouch noticed most. His hand spread over Suzaku's chest and slid upwards, smoothing over Suzaku's skin as he went before Lelouch felt it at his fingertips first, the slick scales and then—

Lelouch shot back in a splatter of water as he scrambled away. This time his eyes locked onto Suzaku's neck. He'd felt—felt an open gash, and it had moved, opening, expanding and then smoothing closed. Confused, Lelouch found himself on his back again soaked from his flooded floor already and watching Suzaku.

"No, no, no, no, no.." Suzaku mumbled under his breath heaving himself to the edge of the tub again. That massively long tail curled around the opposite side of the tub, trying to hold itself from falling out and onto the floor as he stretched to reach Lelouch again. "It's okay, come back." Suzaku spoke quiet and calm. Then it opened again, right at the side of Suzaku's neck, it spread open for just half a second and at the same time Suzaku's chest swelled just slightly with a breath then smoothed closed again with exhale of breath.

"Gills…" Lelouch affirmed to himself, eyes still wide as he stared.

"Come here, let me see your hand." Suzaku spoke as he reached a little farther out to Lelouch on the floor.

After a second to collect himself, to remember that he had found this boy bloody and unconscious on the beach. He'd mumbled and spoke of the tide coming in and Lelouch had thought this boy was crazy—still kind of thought he was crazy. But now it was just all falling together. Suzaku had been—Lelouch sat up letting Suzaku take his hand. With a smooth motion Suzaku slide back into the water and onto his back, coaxing Lelouch along with him. It was also a surprisingly smooth transition as Lelouch found himself sliding into the water, clambering over the high edge of the old bath tub and through the bubble wrap padding of dish soap bubbles.

Suzaku directed his hand down into the water so he could slide it down along his side. Lelouch's hand jerked as he felt it again. It was bigger this time, longer.

"There is two sets, one up here," Suzaku lifted his chin with a big smile and the two gills at his neck spread wide like matching grins on either side of his neck. "And some down here," Suzaku made sure to slide Lelouch's fingers right along the slender and long powerful gill that curved over with the edge of his rib cage.

Lelouch floundered for a moment, before he settled into the tub. His knees slid apart along either side of Suzaku. Lelouch was quite sure now that there was one seamless flow from torso right down to the tail. Balancing himself on what used to be Suzaku's lap, Lelouch had to place his hands on Suzaku's abdomen. The scales ran all the ways up Suzaku sides to the gills and even speckled up at his neck but not as visibly green. In his khaki shorts and button up shirt still Lelouch had to take a minute to breath.

With his head leaning back, Suzaku grinned at Lelouch. The swish of water was the only warning before Lelouch was forced to slide up as Suzaku's tail flipped back, sliding for just a second against Lelouch's back, and that thin, long tresses for a fin brushed against his face, right up over the sensitive skin at his cheek. It had been surprisingly soft Lelouch realized before sliding up to Suzaku's more human side and the tail slide back into the water, the long translucent fin as well as a couple of feet of tail still hung over the edge of the tub.

Lelouch leaned forward finding he was easily accepted into Suzaku's arms as he rested his head on Suzaku's shoulder. Thankfully all the bubbles were going down and the water just rimmed around their shoulders as Suzaku leaned down nuzzling to get another kiss.

And Lelouch leaned up ready for the kiss, until….

"Lelouch!" It echoed through the house and was very distinctly—

"Rolo," Eyes snapped open wide Lelouch shot ram-rod straight up in the tub as he realized the boy had finally made it home—a few hours late, but better late than never anymore. "Shit…"

Getting out of the tub wasn't as smooth as it had been getting into the tub. But Lelouch managed throwing off the soaked shirt as he did. He couldn't look soaked to the bone after all—that would imply too much. In his wake he'd left a blinking Suzaku, hands empty and big green eyes trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Stay in the bathroom." Lelouch directed as he spun on Suzaku, working to get the shorts off. "And change back or whatever—"He scooped up the gaudy orange shirt from the floor, dripping wet as it was and tossed it to the—boy. "And put a shirt on."

Scrambling to his room, Lelouch managed to find a shirt and pull it on, hopping into a new pair of shorts on his way into the hall as well.

~Give me a Hand-up, not a Hand-out~

"Where have you been?" Lelouch said as he came into the kitchen. "I was on the phone for an hour with your English teacher," He growled, making it clear hopefully to Rolo that Lelouch knew he'd never showed up for school.

Rolo seemed to root to the spot as he was faced with Lelouch. Lelouch crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow to imply his impatience with Rolo's lack of answer. Slowly, with deliberate action, Rolo averted his eyes as he pulled that messenger's bag from over his shoulder and set it on the table.

Fiddling with the zipper, Rolo didn't look up as he answered. "I went with some friends this morning."

"Ah," the cabinet behind him made it easy for Lelouch to lean back on it and to keep observing his little brother. Friends again. Lelouch gave a sigh. "Which that makes it perfectly sanctioned to not tell me where you went?"

"We just went to the beach." Rolo mumbled. "I thought that one day would be fine."

One day, would probably be fine, one day of skipping would be something Lelouch would have rolled his eyes at when he received the phone call. "You're so close to failing almost every one of your classes, Rolo, and I've lost count of how many Saturday's they want you in detention, because you've missed school. You don't have the luxuries of 'one days' anymore."

Shifting his feet, Rolo kept his eyes down as he occupied himself with the flap on his bag.

On the other hand, Lelouch watched every move that Rolo made, keeping a keen eye for the subtle body language. He loved his brother, he would always love his brother, but he wasn't stupid enough to think that Rolo wouldn't lie to him.

"It's not like we were getting into trouble," Rolo peaked up at Lelouch as he gave a deep swallow.

He threw his arms out from crossed over his chest as Lelouch gave a huff. "You missed class all day, Rolo." Lelouch knew that there was little that got through to Rolo, there was always little that got through to him. Lelouch just hoped that one day he wouldn't find out that was because of Lelouch.

"It was just one day!" This time Rolo actually raised his voice.

"I don't believe you," Lelouch hissed. "It's never one day, it's never just one class, one pocket knife, one missed assignment." His hand rose to rub across his forehead, a bad habit in development, as Lelouch looked down to the floor again for just a moment to collect his thoughts.

But now on the defensive, Rolo struck back. "I said it was one day and I meant it! I'll go to school tomorrow."

"And what about the knives?" Lelouch was abrupt this time as he took a step forward and his hand dropped to his side. "The last one was a switchblade. I don't even know where you get a switchblade!"

There was a rustle as Rolo fisted his hand in the messenger bag. "I told you I wouldn't take those to school anymore—"

"You lied to me." Lelouch could feel the rage as it started to boil up. He turned to the table, to look for the knife among the unpaid bills, and the left newspapers and the cluster of dishes that hadn't been cleaned. "Milly handed me—"

"Milly?" Rolo snarled. "Now you're on a first name basis with –her."

The knife suddenly became insignificant as Lelouch turned that baleful glare up to his brother. "yes, because it's my fault that I have to talk to her about your grades, about your lack of attendance, about the recurrence of not only the dismissal of lethal weapons but you flashing them around every chance you get, and about your utter lack of friends—"

"I have friends!" Rolo shouted this time. As his jaw locked his chin gave a tick up, in a gesture so reminiscent of their family.

"Yes," Lelouch hissed, almost feeling the click of that silver tongue. "The kind of scum friends that you skip school all day with and stay up all night with and God knows what else! I'm sure you have just peachy friends, Rolo!"

As expected, there was a rise out of his brother. Lelouch could see that jaw locked still, start to ground on his teeth and this time a sour downturn of Rolo's lips accompanied. It was an ugly expression, possibly one of the worst he'd ever seen on Rolo's face. But he'd gotten through, broken through that iron-clad wall of disinterest and passive agency.

"How would you even know?" Rolo snarled at him. "I never see you anyway! Even when I come home all you do is bury your nose in another book and ignore me."

"Rolo!" this time it was a threat in his voice.

And for the first time that threat went ignored as Rolo plowed his way forward. "No! I know what you want." That same ugly expression was still on Rolo's face as he took a step back, away from Lelouch. "All you ever did was pander to her! And now that she's not here all you do is mope."

They were aiming well this time around. Lelouch wouldn't take that kind of accusation though as he took another long stride forward. He never made it though as a strong hand clamped down on his shoulder, pulling him back to stay standing right where he had started.

Craning his neck back, Lelouch saw as Suzaku pulled the white shirt up onto his shoulders. Another article of clothing Lelouch wasn't sure where it had come from but he was just glad the Suzaku had decided to put cloths on. The boy was still dripping wet, his skin damp against Lelouch's shoulder and there was still a wet gleam to those curls. He didn't have shoes and had pulled those same khaki shorts back on, but again, he had cloths and even better was that he had feet so Lelouch wasn't going to be too knit picky.

"You lied to me!" Rolo snarled again, bringing the attention back to him.

There was no denying that accusation. So for once it was Lelouch that shrunk back, he was also well aware that when he did it was directly into Suzaku's arms.

"You lied when you told me that no one was here!" Rolo hollered back. His expression had made a second shift this time. Not just ugly, he was—disgusted.

Lelouch let his hand rest at the jut of Suzaku's hip, glad to feel that warm skin again. It was shameful that he was folding into Suzaku's hold and running from the problem of his little brother. Wasn't family supposed to come first? Wasn't blood supposed to run thicker than salt-water?

"I know he's spent the night here. I know he's been here today and yesterday and probably before that! You won't talk to me, you tell me you're so busy you don't have time. But somehow you have time enough to cuddle up with him at night? You're a fucking liar Lelouch!"

"Have fun with your fuck buddy," Rolo snarled as he pulled the messenger bag back over his head and turned towards the door. Not watching where he was going, Rolo hit the side table just off the front door.

The room went quiet as the silver framed photo toppled, a clear cracking sound following. Eyes wide Lelouch watched as Rolo looked at the fallen frame before giving a snort and stepping over it to storm through the door. He slammed the door and stomped down the porch steps.

It took a second but Lelouch pulled away from the beach boy and with his own bare feet approached the broken picture frame. He slid down on his knees, his hands careful as he picked up the frame from the pile of broken glass and pieces of the frame. He let a frown deepen on his face as he looked at the cracked and partial pieces of glass still left in the frame. Behind him he could feel as Suzaku slid into sit on the floor next to him.

The frame was cradled in Lelouch's lap as he looked over the mess of glass before him.

It startled Lelouch when he felt Suzaku hand over his own. He looked up as he heard Suzaku slide across the wood floor, closer to him. He didn't protest when Suzaku took the frame from him. It was clear that there was no recognition in Suzaku's face as he looked at the picture of the little girl.

"That's from my home." Lelouch said in a quiet tone.

Green eyes met his own for a few seconds. When Suzaku looked back down at the frame he held it steady for just a moment before he started to pry the frame apart.

"Don't—" Lelouch cried and his hands flew to stop Suzaku.

But it was too late and the sound of a decisive snap echoed in Lelouch's ears. His hands frozen on Suzaku wrists, eyes wide while watching Suzaku smoothly pick the pieces of the frame away, setting them with the pile of broken glass. When Suzaku pulled the unharmed photo out he immediately presented it for Lelouch to take. Lelouch had to calm just long enough to unclench from Suzaku's wrists and extend his hands out to receive the photo.

Suzaku left the photo at the tips of Lelouch's fingers and surged forward to place a kiss at his cheek. Head spinning from the whirlwind of emotion, Lelouch could just watch as Suzaku stood and reached out to him.

He took a breath, one full breath. Then Lelouch reached out and took Suzaku's hand, letting the other help him to stand.

~Oh, look it's a pearl!~

The beach was a nuisance. The entire beach was just a nuisance. And it was everywhere, circling the whole island—except here. The docks were the only place Nina could go to avoid the annoying nuisance of the beach.

Unfortunately her way home, from the docks, was through the beach, the sandy, dirty, sun glaring way home. There was no way to avoid it unless she wanted to walk another twenty minutes more. It was either the annoyance or a waste of Nina's time. There was always a bit of calculation, but in the end Nina valued her time in the end over the need to remain comfortable.

She pulled the tote over her a shoulder and adjusted the white bucket sunhat before taking a deep breath and venturing out into the fierce sun. She'd slicked on the sunscreen and had long ago made sure that her glasses had UV protection, but that never seemed to turn down the harsh feel of heat against her skin. She had even pulled on a jacket, the claustrophobia was better than the scorch that just freckled across her skin.

She could even feel the heat wafting up from the sand as she counted her steps to her small apartment.

It was all chance that she looked up. A seagull gave a distant cry and if it hadn't been for an abrupt shift in light she may have passed without ever noticing it and her life would have flowed as it normally did. No fuss, no muss. But as it turns out the light caught her eye, gleaming off of—scales…

Nina shifted as she saw the pale refraction off of lavender scales as they slid back under the water. The sun was still scorching but for once in her life Nina followed her curiosity and scrambled through the shore to the rocky edge part of the shore. The volcanic rock had formed in odd sculptures around the small cove in the landscape.

Once she found her way through the maze of black rock her breath caught.

Lavender eyes blinked before a sweet, soft smile broke, and the girl raised her hand out of her sunset-hued hair, "Hello,"

Nina had a hard time getting over the fact that the girl, perched atop an outcropping of black volcanic rock—was completely naked.

~Finders keepers—too bad when morals and values apply that's called stealing~

The fire in front of them crackled and spit sparks into the cool night air. Rolo sank to one of the drift wood logs they used as seats with a slump and a sigh. He wondered if it would be possible to spend the night on that beach. Gino managed to do it most nights so Rolo knew it was indeed possible. It was just doing it that was the problem. He wanted to go home, he wanted to fall asleep in his own bed with his sheets wrapped around him, he wanted to eat dinner with his brother across the table from him and he wanted to say goodnight and get Lelouch's customary goodnight kiss on the forehead before trailing back to the room that was just right across from his brothers, Rolo dearly wanted to drift off to sleep knowing Lelouch was just across the hall, safe.

The idea just left a sour taste in his mouth as he thought of now who would be sleeping across from him as well. That beach scum, Rolo wasn't even sure of his name, was now occupying his home, taking his things and living with his brother like he belonged there. That scum didn't belong there in their home. He had no idea what lengths Lelouch had gone through to get them that house or to get Rolo into school or to set up that little bookstore.

Across from him, Anya sat down, ignoring Rivalz next her, who was blathering as usual about how he really wanted to bend the school principal over a desk sometime. Rolo tilted his head as he looked at her over his knees. That bubblegum pink hair shone in contrast to the dark night and looming palm trees behind her. The breeze fluttered at the sheer, white cover-up she'd pulled on shortly after climbing out of the water just minutes ago. Rolo could even make out the lines of her halter top bikini underneath. It was of course hot pink as well. A swallow begged at Rolo's throat as he squinted, just barely making out the line of cleavage under all those layers. Those rose tinted eyes flicked just enough and Rolo's breath caught as they made eye contact. She looked perfect. Right down to the wet fringes in her hair and the yellow scrunchie she'd pulled the bubblegum mess back into.

In an abnormal burst of courage, Rolo pushed himself up off of his seat and strode around the fire to slide in next to the small girl. The cover-up was sleeveless so when Rolo accidentally brushed their arms it was skin on skin contact. For the first time that day a real smile tugged at Rolo's lips as he looked over at Anya.

"Hey," He breathed. He kept smiling hoping that it would pay off.

Anya had her phone out, her thumbs going wild across the key pad. She looked up, her eyes flicking over Rolo's appearance, her own face expressionless. "Hey," she said back before turning back to her phone. She was on the internet again, another blog post of only photos taken from the day.

Despite the fact Rolo could clearly see what she was doing, he peered down at her phone before opening his mouth. "What—what are you doing?"

With an audible snap Anya shut her phone and stood. "I'm tired, I'm going home." She announced to Rolo and everyone else around the drift wood fire.

Left without a thing to say Rolo's mouth hung open as he watched Anya stride past him and out of the glowing light of thee fire. "Bye," Rolo murmured, watching Anya fade off towards her bag. Rolo squinted as he watched her heave the duffel up onto her shoulder than start towards the road, bound for her house down the street.

He felt very small as he looked back to the fire crackling in front of him. Pulling his knees back up to him, Rolo wrapped his arms around his knees and leaned his head down, hiding behind his folded arms. Reject felt like it pelted him from all fronts. Was it really too much just to want to be wanted? Rolo didn't feel like he was asking too much. But his school didn't want him, all they did there was yell at him about his grades and his lack of attention. His brother didn't want him, he'd just let Rolo walk right out the door, not even bothering to try any kind of protest. And then Anya—

Rollo glanced back over his shoulder, affirming that Anya was well out of sight.

"What's up, buttercup?"

Rolo was startled out of his daze, arms flailed as the log underneath him was a bit unstable for half a second.

"Whoops!" Gino chuckled. He was now seated next to Rolo, a little too close for comfort but of all things, Gino was not one to respect personal boundaries of any kind. "Sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I don't know my own strength." Just for emphasis Gino rocked the drift wood log again underneath them.

To stabilize himself Rolo returned his feet to the sand, clutching at the white washed wood surface as well. "It's alright." Rolo mumbled. He eyed the very much larger boy next to him carefully, sliding half an inch away as discretely as possible.

"Wanna swig?" Gino offered the glass bottle beer out to Rolo.

All of them there except Rivalz, Rolo, and Anya were out of school, either dropped out like some of the boys on the beach still playing Frisbee, or like Gino graduated and had taken up the occupation of beach bumming. It was nice, especially since having mostly older friends meant that they could get into any movie they wanted to see, or get in to any beach and never hounded by the officials for not having supervision. The best was that there was alcohol almost always just one simple request away. Or in Rolo's position, the alcohol was readily offered out to him.

"No, my brother—" Rolo froze. His brother wouldn't approve of him drinking, at all. Lelouch didn't even drink. He thought that alcohol was a vile substance and avoided it like the plague. It wasn't surprising taking in account their fathers temper and never ending thirst.

Rolo did glance around him though. His brother wouldn't approve of any of this. He wouldn't like that Rolo was hanging out with kids much older than him and that they occupied their time with sitting around a drift wood fire, couples in the middle of smearing their lips together and conversation consisting of nothing over a seventh graders level. None of this was anything that Lelouch would approve Rolo being a part of.

…and Rolo wanted more of it. He snatched the beer out of Gino's hand and knocked it back, gulping it down in deep audible swallows.

"Woe, slow down there short stack." Gino chuckled and took the bottle back in playful turnabout.

"Hey!" Rolo hollered, and reached out for the bottle again.

He was stopped by Gino holding him off one handed, chuckling and giggling the entire time. Then Gino slid his hand over Rolo's cheek, and Rolo realized how close to each other they were. Gino scrapped his nose over the bare flesh at Rolo's neck.

Of course, Rolo froze again. As if his wish was granted-Rolo realized that Gino was flirting with him. He was a little off, slurring his words, and his big brutish hands were clumsy with the influence of several prior beers, but he was still showing Rolo interest. Tilting his head, Rolo could smell the alcohol on Gino's person, but he could feel the heat of his skin as well. Gino was proudly only wearing his neon green swim trunks. Rolo's eyes moved down, realizing that all that time Gino spent swimming and surfing and playing whatever sport the rowdy group of boys was involved in had an effect on his body. Toned and a nice warm tan defined his features. It wasn't like the dark bronze tan that intruder in Rolo's house had, it was warm, but subtly, just enough to give Gino a happy, cheery hue.

The opportunity was too much to pass up on. This boy was everything that Lelouch disapproved of, everything that he yelled and swore at Rolo to stay away from. Rolo scrambled his way into Gino's lap, no longer intent on the alcohol as he hooked a hand around Gino's neck and hauled him down, mashing their lips together.

Rolo hadn't the slightest idea what he was doing. His only experience with kissing, at all, was what he'd seen on TV, and since they had moved to the little island Lelouch and he had never bothered to get a TV at all. So his experience with kissing had more or less been absolutely nothing for the past couple of years.

Gino broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to Rolo's as he chuckled. "Slow down, everything's not a race." He slung an arm around Rolo's shoulders, pulling him into a more comfortable position on his lap. Looking away, Gino took another swig from the beer bottle.

Glancing around, Rolo shrunk into Gino's embrace just a little bit more. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Lelouch had worn off on him to some effect and his need for privacy was one of the outcomes.

Clutching at Gino's chest, Rolo turned into the older boys neck. "Can we go somewhere else?"

The glow of the fire reflected in those sky blue eyes as Gino turned to look at him. The warm colored rays refracted in those gleaming ocean irises, sparking a whirl wind of emotion to rampage through Rolo's veins. Rolo had never considered himself attracted to any boy but—but Gino wanted him, and it was so attractive just to be wanted.

"I mean, like go for a walk or something," Rolo tried to reiterate, looking down in embarrassment. He wasn't sure how to suggest that they take this elsewhere any other way than to just out right an ask for it. It had never been in Rolo to be subtle, that was Lelouch after all.

A bright, promising smile broke on Gino's face and he nodded. "Yeah, we can go for a walk."

Gino stood, taking Rolo with him and interlaced their fingers as he pulled Rolo away from the fire.

As they disappeared into the darkness, Gino towing Rolo behind him as he strode straight on down the beach, Rolo looked back. The light of the fire could still be seen. A thought flashed that he could turn back now. Rolo could call for a halt and go back right then and there. But instead he turned back to Gino, picking up his pace to at least try and stay on equal footing with the bigger boy.

~ "Don't worry Wilson, I'll do all the paddling. You just hang on." ~

After things had finally calmed down, after Lelouch had stumbled out of his daze, he finally had noticed who had really been injured out of it all.

"You don't have to do that," Suzaku chuckled. Despite his words, he sat on the edge of the bed and dutifully held out his injured hand for care.

"Shhh." Lelouch directed a stern glare at Suzaku. He was at the boy's feet, on his knees between Suzaku's legs as he lavished all his attention and care through the slow, methodical wrapping of Suzaku's hand.

"It will heal within the hour," Suzaku went on. "By the time you get that wrapping all on you'll just have to take it all off." The sound of Suzaku laughing echoed through the room.

Lelouch stopped for a moment, as he pondered on that. A very long and possibly weird conversation would have to be had sometime within the near future. Looking up through his fringe, Lelouch saw the last golden rays of the sun gleaming around Suzaku's tanned and natural edges. The golden light streaming in through Lelouch's large open window gleamed off those soft cinnamon swirls of curls. It reminded Lelouch how vastly attracted he was to Suzaku. Suzaku had an odd sort of awkward charm, leaping through boundaries of relationships and stirring Lelouch with his easygoing persuasion.

Blushing, Lelouch looked down to Suzaku's hand. "I'm finished." He murmured under his breath. But Lelouch did not let Suzaku's hand fall. Instead he kept Suzaku's injured hand in his grasp, stroking his fingers on the inside of Suzaku's palm.

Another peak through Lelouch's long, dark fringe stirred another blush as he caught the warm smile Suzaku was directing at him. That red tint in Lelouch's face only deepened as Suzaku's fingers contracted, hooking on Lelouch's fingertips. Yet another surge of warm affection graced Lelouch's cheeks as he felt Suzaku stroking over his knuckles with his thumb.

"I'm sorry," Suzaku effectively broke the calm, warm moment as he heaved a sigh.

Lelouch averted his eyes. Rolo's apologies were always mumbled under his breath; usually he wouldn't even face Lelouch as they were given.

Suzaku had his eyes focused on Lelouch sitting on the floor before him. He wore a sad smile as he repeated again. "I really am sorry, Lelouch." He paused before bringing his wrapped hand to the side of Lelouch's face, running a soft caress along Lelouch's cheek. "I'm afraid I might have chased your brother away."

"No," Lelouch murmured low, still refusing to look up. "Rolo and I have been—" Stopping, Lelouch looked to the floor, his mouth open as he thought of which words would be the best. "We've been drifting for a long time."

"Drifting?" Suzaku cocked his head.

"Yeah," Lelouch said as he stood. He didn't want to clarify as he gathered the remains of the first aid kit. But as he caught Suzaku's confused expression, he gave a sigh and sat down next to the odd boy on the bed. "We drifted here. I never really chose anywhere specific, just bought a plane ticket as far away as I could get then repeated that three times."

A sweet but obviously confused smile tugged at Suzaku's lips. "You mean like drift wood?"

Lelouch sat back, leaning on his arms, and let a smile graced his face as well. "Yeah, kind of like drift wood."

Turning away for a moment, Suzaku thought about it before he vocalized again. "I drifted here." He cast a look behind him to the large window. Outside the sun was sinking still over the ocean water, so very close to sinking all the way and immersing the world in dark. "I drifted up on your shore on mistake. I never thought I'd end up anywhere that someone would find me."

Lelouch's eyes focused on Suzaku, a little taken back by the sudden confession. They had talked about why Suzaku was there almost less than they had talked about the fact he was a—Well, Lelouch would come to terms with that issue later. He still wasn't completely convinced that early in the bathtub wasn't a dream, or an illusion, or a hallucination, or-or-or well, just something other than the fact Suzaku was a—fish.

But Lelouch didn't have time to contemplate anything more as Suzaku took hold of Lelouch and pulled him onto his lap. There was a moment of fumbling struggle. Lelouch still had to get over the idea that whenever Suzaku wanted him to do something or be in a specific position, instead of asking like most people, he just used that boyish, brutish strength and set Lelouch where he wanted him, which at that moment was settling Lelouch into his lap.

Then Suzaku was tipping Lelouch's chin down. Trembling, Lelouch's fingers tightened on the white collar of Suzaku's shirt, fisting in the open shirt as Suzaku moved in closer. It wasn't like Suzaku hadn't done this before it was just—it was just hard to get used to constant affection.

Suzaku smiled, chuckling as he nuzzled up closer to Lelouch, scrapping the tip of his nose against Lelouch's face. "I am glad I found my way here though."

He always said such embarrassing things! All the time! And then he did little cute, embarrassing things! This boy was incorrigible! Completely incorrigible!

Lelouch looked away to the window. "Well…"

He didn't make it that far, and Suzaku was kissing him again. Like on the beach Lelouch just froze again. Lelouch's entire life had focused on what his brain could do, how he could think his way out of something or think his way into something—and then there was kissing Suzaku.

Suzaku placed both his hands at either side of Lelouch's face and broke the kiss just long enough for a breathless smile before he pulled Lelouch back into another kiss and this time almost demanded Lelouch's own involvement. It was so different than the kisses they had shared in the past. This wasn't a mere press of lips or the pecks Suzaku was so fond of bestowing at surprise moments.

Leaning back on his elbows, Suzaku reluctantly let their lips part, though he was still smiling coaxing Lelouch follow him with one hand still at the side of his face.

"Oh my god," Lelouch said as he averted his wide eyes. "I'm making out with a boy I found on the beach."

Lelouch was becoming everything that Lelouch hated. When he was younger, as all children do, he had of course planned his life, making out with practically strangers had not been in that plan. Actually in that plan he wasn't even making out with another boy at all.

Suzaku hooked an arm around Lelouch's neck, humming in acknowledgement. He clearly didn't care as he moved back to nuzzling along Lelouch's neck, pandering for more making out.

There was a yank and Lelouch was flailing onto his stomach, lips sealed against Suzaku's.

Sliding Lelouch up his body, Suzaku wrapped his arms around Lelouch's neck and back. More embarrassing things, Lelouch's cheeks flared, and he clamped his eyes closed. It was better if he couldn't see how much he liked this and he let his own arms slide up alongside Suzaku's head, kissing back.

This is sorely overdue I know. But hey at least I came through in the end! :D

~Reviews are Awesome!~