Suzaku stood in the quiet hallway in his neatly ironed dress uniform and fumed.

Captain Toudou, the commanding officer Suzaku had signed up under, was being transferred and replaced by a poncey Lieutenant. It was an insult, both to Toudou and to the Eleventh Unit which, until today, he'd commanded.

Toudou had been an amazing commander, Captain and no higher only because he was a Number, despite Britannia's five-year policy about equality within (if not between) the ranks. It had been his influence and insistence that had allowed Suzaku to rise to the rank of Sergeant and gain control over three squads within such a short time. People had whispered about preferential treatment, but Suzaku's scores and obvious aptitude on the field soon quieted those. He was in charge of both Numbered and Britannian soldiers, and had their respect and their obedience. Also, he was the unofficial spokesman for the Unit.

Which was why he was standing in the hallway, tie done up to his neck, fuming.

The ceremony had been cheap and perfunctory. Toudou had been allowed to make a heartfelt speech and then had transferred command to the Lieutenant.

The young, arrogant, Britannian Lieutenant.

He'd returned Toudou's salute with a lazy air of apathy and dismissed the men without saying a single word to them. Then he'd disappeared into his office.

The same office Suzaku was standing in front of. Fuming.

Toudou had cared about his men; had saved their lives with his brilliance and quick thinking, where other commanders would have led them to their doom. The Eleventh Unit – mixed Numbers and Britannians – was one of the most effective and deadly units on the field; and most of that was due to Toudou. He was being recognized for that, in a way, with his transfer; but given his replacement, his Unit was being snubbed.

One of the other Sergeants had come up to Suzaku after the ceremony and joked that at least he was getting a proper Britannian commander. It was a promotion in a way. Suzaku hadn't punched him, because he knew he'd have to do this.

Wait outside his new Lieutenant's office. And, of course; silently and under a veneer of patience, fume.

The door opened. "Come in, Sergeant Kururugi."

This was Suzaku's first face-to-face encounter with the new Lieutenant. He looked even more bookish and fragile up close. He was Suzaku's height, but probably weighed a good ten kilos less, given how scrawny he seemed. His violet eyes were intense, standing out against the pallor of his skin, as he looked Suzaku up and down.

Suzaku snapped out a salute. The Lieutenant returned it, just as lazily as he had on the parade ground, and chuckled. "Alright. Now come in."

His office was full of books. Not even military books; books on philosophy and politics and law… Toudou's office had been filled with old relics, of battles lost and won, trophies and mementos of those who had fallen…

This didn't feel like a commanding officer's office to Suzaku. Not at all.

"Sir," Suzaku started. "Some of the men were wondering what your plans for the Unit were. Are you planning on changing anything?"

The Lieutenant shrugged. "Just what needs to be changed; I'm not going to reinvent the wheel, if that's what you're asking. Toudou did a decent job and I don't plan on undoing it." He smirked thoughtfully. "Unnecessarily, that is."

Arrogant little… "Very good sir. Will you be joining us for training tomorrow?" Toudou trained with his men. It was how he knew their strengths and weaknesses, and it was how he pulled off his miraculous victories.

A snort. "Hardly. You'll hear from me when it's needed, or when we're called to battle. Otherwise, I trust that you can manage day-to-day on your own. Sergeant." His smirk was practically a leer.

Suzaku swallowed his anger. He had what he wanted; a measure of the man. He saluted and waited for the Lieutenant to dismiss him, leaving with one thing certain in his mind:

Lieutenant Lamperouge was a dangerous, apathetic, effeminate, disgusting waste of an officer. And, somehow, Suzaku had to protect the Unit from him.

He didn't see Lieutenant Lamperouge for the rest of the week. When they were called up to battle, the Lieutenant strolled into the tent where Suzaku and the other Sergeants were strategizing.

Suzaku and the others saluted. Lieutenant Lamperouge rolled his eyes. "What a waste of time. What do you have here?"

It was imprudent, but the words were out of Suzaku's mouth before he could stop them. "It's fine, sir. We have it under control."

A long moment of silence followed those words. Then Lieutenant Lamperouge shrugged gracefully. "I'll leave you to it then, Sergeant Kururugi." His tone was bland, but his eyes were sharp as he left the tent.

"…dude. Did you just brush off the commander?" Gino asked incredulously.

Suzaku looked down at the map, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. "So what? It's not like he'd add anything to the discussion. We can handle this on our own."

Ougi shifted awkwardly and returned to the map with Suzaku. "This looks like a good place for an ambush…"

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

They were losing.

Badly.

Half of the Unit was pinned down, while the other half was scattered and out of formation. Gino was calm, which was never a good sign; and Ougi was not, which was even worse. Suzaku was trying to keep everything together when a smooth, confident voice rang out over the radio.

"Squads 6 and 8, flank the enemy on your right. The ground is unstable there. Squad 10, target the ridge just to the south of your position. Squad 3, you're closest to the bridge. I want it destroyed."

Before Suzaku's eyes the battlefield opened and the enemies fell back. His pinned squads were free to move and his scattered ones regrouped and started working together. The voice over the radio never stopped speaking, relaying orders in one area, then another, never losing the flow.

It wasn't until they were returning to base, victorious without a single death and only three casualties, that Suzaku recognized who that voice belonged to as it came in over a private line to him. "Sergeant Kururugi, I'd appreciate it if you could meet me in my tent after the debriefing."

Lieutenant Lamperouge.

"Sir." Suzaku stood at attention outside his commanding officer's tent. The debriefing had gone as well as possible, with Lieutenant Lamperouge showing no anger or frustration, or any emotion really, at having to save the Unit after Suzaku had kicked him out of the initial strategizing meeting. Gino kept shooting Suzaku worried looks, and Suzaku couldn't really blame him. As much as he still disliked Lieutenant Lamperouge, and hated that he'd replaced Toudou, he couldn't deny that the man was in a very good position to make Suzaku's life hell from now on; as a message to others if for no other reason. Suzaku would even deserve it for what he'd done.

But that didn't mean he had to go without what was left of his dignity. Suzaku's back was straight and his military bearing was perfect. Lieutenant Lamperouge would have nothing to complain about regarding his attitude now.

"Come in," a soft, faintly amused, voice called from inside. Suzaku set his jaw and ducked into the tent.

Even the décor inside the tent looked nothing like a commanding officer's. The light from the lamp on the desk was yellow and warm, illuminating an unnecessary amount of books and a… chessboard? In camp? The hell?

"Sergeant." Suzaku's attention snapped back to the Lieutenant. "Please, take a seat."

There was one unoccupied chair. Suzaku sat in it.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Suzaku shook his head, not willing to play mind games right now. "If it's all the same to you, sir, I'd like to know what you want from me."

Lieutenant Lamperouge laughed, low and amused. "Well. That is a very good question. I will, however, offer you that drink one more time. You may want it once I've told you why you're here."

He was playing. "Thank you sir, but I'm still underage."

The previous laugh hadn't really been amused. This one, spontaneous and almost surprised, was.

"How cute. Well then, I suppose I shall simply explain."

Lieutenant Lamperouge stood from behind his desk, waving Suzaku back down when he made to stand as well.

"You care very deeply about the men you serve with, don't you?"

…that was not what Suzaku had been expecting. He nodded. "Yes sir."

"And you must know that, had things unfolded as they were, those men would have died. Because of you."

Suzaku swallowed. "Yes sir."

Lieutenant Lamperouge moved slowly, with a languid grace around his desk. "And I saved them."

"Yes sir."

"Is that all you're capable of saying?" Suzaku's mouth opened… "Never mind. It was a rhetorical question. The point is… the point is I had no incentive to do what I did. No connection to those men, other than that brief conversation I had with you. In essence, I did you a favour. Would you agree?"

It might irritate the Lieutenant, but the only answer Suzaku had was… "Yes sir."

"Of course. And that means that you owe me a favour, does it not?"

"Yes sir," Suzaku said, resigned. He'd be made to do the dirty work, or the necessary but annoying paperwork, to emphasize the power balance between them. One moment, one foolish phrase, and Suzaku's entire military career would be stalled until he found another commander.

Lieutenant Lamperouge smiled. "You may stand."

Suzaku stood.

"Now kneel."

…Suzaku knelt. "Sir?"

Lieutenant Lamperouge ran his hand through Suzaku's hair, petting him like a dog before gripping a handful. Suzaku winced, then his eyes widened as he realized what was going on as Lieutenant Lamperouge undid his pants and lifted himself out. "Suck me off, Sergeant."

This couldn't really be happening. "S-sir?"

The grip in his hair tightened. "I want you to make me come with your mouth. I won't order you to swallow it, because I understand that some reactions are involuntary, but otherwise…"

He was already hard, the tip pointed right at Suzaku's mouth and Suzaku couldn't believe… "This is harassment."

"No, this is abuse," Lieutenant Lamperouge corrected him. "Except that, from you to me, it's gratitude. Come now, aren't the lives of the men under your command worth this?"

They were. And Suzaku had endangered them. And Lieutenant Lamperouge had saved them. Suzaku parted his lips.

"Wider. I don't want any teeth."

Suzaku opened wider and allowed the hand in his hair to guide him forward until he was swallowing around the tip of his Lieutenant's cock.

"Use your tongue more."

This was the most horrible thing that had ever happened to him. Suzaku closed his eyes and moved his tongue tentatively. Lieutenant Lamperouge sighed.

"The more effort you put in, the better you make this, the sooner it will be over, Sergeant. Now, suck."

And Suzaku sucked. He sucked until his jaw ached and his throat felt raw. He bobbed his head over his Lieutenant's erection and let him fuck his mouth until something in his throat gave way within him and suddenly he was swallowing around the tip and his lips were stretching around the base and his nose was brushing against pubic hair and Lieutenant Lamperouge gasped, once, and came, holding Suzaku's head in place so that he had no choice but to swallow around him or choke.

He was tearing when Lieutenant Lamperouge finally released him, coughing and gagging and resisting the urge to spit for fear that it might provoke more punishment.

Lieutenant Lamperouge just smiled and tucked himself back in. "Well done, Sergeant. I see we've found your niche."

Suzaku felt like throwing up.

Lieutenant Lamperouge tossed him a few tissues. "You may leave, Sergeant. I'm done with you. For now."

Suzaku glared before he could think better of it, regretting it when he saw Lieutenant Lamperouge's sharp eyes and smug mouth. "I could report you."

"You could," Lieutenant Lamperouge agreed. "They take these allegations seriously. But you've made no secret of the fact that you adored Captain Toudou and resented me for taking his place. Perhaps, you took your own experiences with the Captain and used them to formulate an accusation against me?"

"…you wouldn't."

"I wouldn't what? Ruin a good man's career to save my own?" Lieutenant Lamperouge smiled coolly. "Don't bluff, Sergeant. You're not skilled enough at it to even amuse me. You are dismissed."

Suzaku turned and retreated.

There was nothing for the next few days. Lieutenant Lamperouge commanded the Unit to brilliant effect and Suzaku dully followed his orders and refused to talk about why he hadn't seemed to be punished, no matter how often Gino asked.

Then, Suzaku, distracted and slower than usual, screwed up.

He should have foreseen the ambush, should have read the terrain better and, at the very least, should have reacted faster once the trap was sprung.

Instead he caused two casualties and nearly died himself, returning to base as the one black mark on an otherwise spotless day.

Lieutenant Lamperouge invited him back to his tent.

He didn't invite Suzaku to sit this time.

Suzaku stood, at full attention, not letting his eyes even waver as Lieutenant Lamperouge walked around him.

"You're becoming expensive, Sergeant." The tone was mild, deceptively calm. "You cost me the use of two men for the next few days, and you're not looking 100% either."

Suzaku felt his eyes prick with the shame. He had a million excuses; he hadn't been able to sleep or focus well since that evening in this same tent, every time he heard or saw the Lieutenant, his mind shot back to those moments, kneeling before him and… and…

"Even now, you're not paying full attention," Lieutenant Lamperouge added softly and Suzaku flinched a little. "That needs to be remedied, wouldn't you say?"

Suzaku wondered if that was a pattern; if the Lieutenant made all his victims agree that their punishment was appropriate and necessary before punishing them.

Not that Suzaku's punishment wasn't appropriate or necessary. It was. He'd almost gotten two of his friends killed…

Lieutenant Lamperouge was waiting for an answer. "Yes sir."

The Lieutenant laughed. "You think you know me, don't you, Sergeant? You think you understand me and my motivations and you think you can predict my actions." His hand slid gently over Suzaku's cheek before gripping Suzaku's hair. "You're wrong."

When he leaned in and pressed his lips against Suzaku's, Suzaku froze for a moment, confused and… well, mostly confused. This kiss wasn't particularly hard, nor was it painful. Suzaku hesitated, then kissed back, surprised when he felt the lips kissing him turn up.

"Well done, Sergeant," Lieutenant Lamperouge said, pulling back. "Excellent tactical choice. It's unfortunate that you didn't exercise that on the battlefield today." Suzaku flushed with shame and… something else. The Lieutenant shrugged and stepped aside. "Pull your pants down."

…what? "N-no…"

Lieutenant Lamperouge laughed. "You're jumping to conclusions again, Sergeant. You shouldn't do that; not with me. Now. Pull down your pants."

Suzaku's fingers fumbled as he undid his pants, letting them fall. If Lieutenant Lamperouge went too far, he could always…

"If you strike me, I'll replace you with that cheerful blond." Suzaku felt everything tense at that. "Underwear down too, please."

That chessboard was still sitting there. Checkmate Suzaku thought, only partially ironically, as his underwear slid down his legs to join his pants.

"Bend over the desk."

It almost would have been better if Lieutenant Lamperouge sounded like he was getting off on this. But he didn't; he sounded bored and apathetic, as if this was a chore that he didn't particularly enjoy. Suzaku grit his teeth and placed his palms on an empty space on the desk, leaning forwards. He was fully aware of his bare ass, sticking out in the air. Lieutenant Lamperouge's hand smoothed over one of the cheeks.

"Lovely." He sounded genuinely appreciative. "Full and eager and unmarked. Sergeant Kururugi, do you believe you have a high tolerance for pain?"

Suzaku glared at the desk, because anger was better than fear. "Yes sir."

"Good." Lieutenant Lamperouge stroked him again. "Do try to keep as quiet as possible, then."

And then, Suzaku heard a sound like a twig snapping and a sensation like fire raced up his spine from his upper thigh.

"One."

It took Suzaku to the count of 'five' to realize he was being whipped.

It wasn't the he didn't notice the first four strikes, just that he couldn't place or understand them. It was the type of sensation that inflamed the senses, but didn't give any specific hints as to the cause. Lieutenant Lamperouge had a steady, practised hand (horses or…) and the blows landed rhythmically with the exact same strength on different, random parts over Suzaku's thighs and buttocks.

On the fifth stroke, Suzaku's eyes widened as he realised what was happening and he fisted his hands, determined not to cry out. The next few strokes were, strangely enough, easier to take now that Suzaku knew what they were, could picture the Lieutenant, in his neat greens, watching Suzaku's body with detached interest as he landed blow after blow, those amazing eyes narrowed and focused…

The eighth blow made Suzaku cry out. Even more embarrassingly, it wasn't entirely in pain. Suzaku bit the inside of his cheek and hoped like hell that Lieutenant Lamperouge hadn't noticed…

"Ten."

The silence that rang with the absence of leather meeting flesh was broken only by Suzaku's panting. It hurt, true, but that wasn't the main problem…

"Sergeant." Lieutenant Lamperouge's voice sounded amused and almost mockingly affronted. "Are you getting hard from this?"

Suzaku wanted to deny it but he could feel his cock, heavy and throbbing with blood, standing out between his legs. Still, he bowed his head and refused to answer.

Lieutenant Lamperouge's hand smoothed over his ass again, only this time, it left fire and pain in its wake. "You're not bleeding. This isn't a flogging," he said, still sounding amused. "But it was supposed to be a punishment. Now that it clearly isn't, I'm at something of a loss as to what to do with you." He ran the tip of the crop lightly down Suzaku's spine, stopping just at the top of his buttocks. "Any suggestions?"

Suzaku was screwed. He knew it, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. Might as well… "Go fuck yourself."

"Interesting suggestion." The Lieutenant turned Suzaku around by the shoulder and pinned him against the desk, the hard wood digging into Suzaku's abused ass. "I may try a slight variation on that idea…" He grabbed Suzaku's hair and kissed him, hard and violent this time, when Suzaku instinctively opened his mouth to complain. His other hand wrapped around Suzaku's cock and started jerking him off, fast and rough and Suzaku was in complete sensory overload and… pretty much came in self defence.

All over Lieutenant Lamperouge's pretty greens.

"Ugh. Disgusting." The Lieutenant's voice cut through Suzaku's post-orgasmic haze. Suzaku opened his eyes to see him cleaning his hand with a tissue, not even bothering with the mess on the front of his uniform. "You're dismissed, Sergeant."

Suzaku, naked and exposed from his waist to his knees and his rear still smarting from the abuse, was amazed that he'd gotten off so lightly. As it were. "Th-thank you sir."

"Hmm…" Lieutenant Lamperouge looked at him, his eyes narrowed and appraising and Suzaku's cock was too tired to react, thank goodness. "Don't thank me, Sergeant. I'd hate to think the meant anything to you other than an expression of my disappointment with your performance earlier."

"Yes sir," Suzaku stammered, blushing. "Won't happen again sir." He pulled up his pants, not even bothering to tuck his shirt back in as he stumbled out of his commanding officer's tent.

What the hell had that been?

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

They were called back to base before Suzaku got any answers.

Base life was more regulated. There were no emergencies or surprise attacks or even many drills. Suzaku allowed himself to fall into the routine and managed to avoid thinking about the fact that he never saw Lieutenant Lamperouge apart from the necessary parades and meetings.

He even managed to train himself not to remember what he thought about as he jerked off in the shower or quietly in the barracks room he shared with Gino and Ougi. If he came to the vision of narrowed purple eyes and soft hands handling him roughly, he wanted to forget it and go on with his life.

Lieutenant Lamperouge was pretty and knew his way around another man's cock (no surprise there, really). It didn't mean anything more…

Which was what Suzaku kept telling himself as he waited outside the Lieutenant's office (again), this time for his field evaluation. Gino had just completed his, and was surprisingly chipper at the feedback. Ougi was in there now, and then it would be Suzaku's turn.

…what was taking so long?

When Ougi finally came out, he looked… enlightened. More at peace than Suzaku could ever remember from before. Ougi, good enough at his job, had always had a bit of a confidence problem; one that he hid reasonably well in front of his men, and one that Toudou had been trying to remedy for years. It looked like Lieutenant Lamperouge had made some significant progress there.

Well. Good for him.

Ougi smiled and held the door open for Suzaku. "He's waiting."

Well, that was… creepy. Suzaku took the door from Ougi and hesitated only a moment before stepping in, not saluting as he crossed the threshold.

Lieutenant Lamperouge didn't even notice, his head bowed over a sheet of paper as he jotted something down. "Take a seat, please, Sergeant."

Not the exact wording, but close enough that Suzaku's cock jerked at it. Suzaku mentally hissed at it to shut up and sat.

The Lieutenant stood and handed him a few sheets of paper. "Your evaluation. Any questions?"

Suzaku looked it over. It wasn't as good as the ones he got from Toudou, but he also hadn't exactly been at his best since Toudou had left. It was still respectable. "Sir, I don't understand…"

"Yes?"

Suzaku took a deep breath. "My insubordination, the ambush I failed to predict or counter… they're not on here."

"Momentary glitches." The Lieutenant waved it off. "Overall, you've done a tolerable job, although likely not up to your usual standards. If that's all…" He placed on hand on the doorknob.

Gino's assessment had taken fifteen minutes. Ougi's, more than thirty. It was as if Lieutenant Lamperouge was eager to get Suzaku out of the room… "Thank you sir." Suzaku stood and moved hesitantly to the door, where Lieutenant Lamperouge was waiting, his eyes patient and watchful and…

Suzaku slammed the door closed and shoved the Lieutenant up against it. "What the hell are you playing at?"

Lieutenant Lamperouge laughed breathlessly. "Whatever do you mean, Sergeant?" He didn't resist at all, staying loose and warm and relaxed under Suzaku's hands. "Was the evaluation not satisfactory?"

"This isn't about the damn evaluation!" Suzaku hissed, furious for some reason, and Lieutenant Lamperouge's amused expression certainly wasn't helping, and, god, he was so hard that it hurt and…

…and now he was kissing his commanding officer; all demanding dominance and probably more pressure than was necessary and certainly more teeth than was appropriate, and Lieutenant Lamperouge was…

He was kissing back, just as hard, just as hungry. His leg shifted and suddenly Suzaku's cock was pressing against his thigh and the odd contrasting sensation of firm and soft made Suzaku moan as his hips rocked forward, thrusting against Lieutenant Lamperouge's leg, and was this really happening?

It was. Lieutenant Lamperouge broke the kiss and smiled, looking less like Suzaku was pinning him down and more like he was somehow holding Suzaku there. "I've been waiting for this, Sergeant." And his arms wound around Suzaku's neck as he leaned forward again. "How do you want me?" Suzaku could feel the shape of the words on the air that rushed past his lips.

He groaned and, to his complete embarrassment, came in his pants.

There was a moment of silence, when Suzaku half basked in the post-orgasmic bliss and half braced himself for what he was certain would come next; Lieutenant Lamperouge's mocking, taunting laughter.

Instead, he got a soft, gentle hand caressing his cheek and a light kiss. "How long until you can get hard again for me?"

What? No, really… what? "Uh… what?"

And then Lieutenant Lamperouge laughed, just a soft puff of air, slightly self-deprecating. "Was that really enough for you? Don't you want more?"

More? Images, too fast for Suzaku to properly grasp, flitted across his mind; Lieutenant Lamperouge bent over the table as Suzaku pushed into him, or on his back with his knees up by his ears as Suzaku moved over and inside him, or in moving up and down on Suzaku's cock while sitting in his lap, or…

"Well. I guess not that long," the Lieutenant commented, brushing his fingers lightly over the renewed hardness in the front of Suzaku's pants. "Perhaps we should remove these before they become soiled again."

He sounded calm and collected and Suzaku was so done with being his plaything. He slid his hand between his Lieutenant's legs and groped him, hard and rough. "How long, exactly, have you been hard… sir?"

The soft gasp was a rather nice reward. "What would you like to hear, Sergeant? From the moment you walked in? From when you threw me against the door? From when you kissed me?"

Suzaku tightened his grip until the next gasp contained some pain. "The truth might be nice."

"The truth?" Lieutenant Lamperouge laughed lowly and started bucking into Suzaku's too-tight grip. "The truth is, I want you to fuck me, Sergeant. Is that enough truth for you?"

And Suzaku knew this was just another way he was being played, but he'd never been that good at this part of the game; the prelude. He was much better at…

He undid Lieutenant Lamperouge's pants and yanked them down, palming the hot, exposed flesh they'd been covering and kissing his Lieutenant hard enough to prevent him from speaking. Lieutenant Lamperouge tore down his pants as well, fumbling for his cock, but Suzaku had just come and wasn't about to lose control again so soon. He pulled back just enough to turn Lieutenant Lamperouge around and press against his ass, grinding into him. "This what you wanted?"

"Something very similar," Lieutenant Lamperouge admitted easily, his voice muffled by the wood of the door. "I was rather hoping to see your face as you came inside me, but that's merely a preference, not a necessity."

There was something so very wrong about this… "I don't even like you."

"Do you have to? It's certainly not stopping you from dry humping me."

…point. And it felt so good; the press of flesh-on-flesh, the soft smoothness of his skin, the way he trembled slightly as Suzaku gripped his hips…

Suzaku gave in. "You want me to fuck you?" he whispered into the soft shell of his Lieutenant's ear. "Ask me. Nicely."

The slight shudder of either lust or amusement under Suzaku's hands didn't feel like victory, nor did the words he got in response. "Please, if you would be so kind, Sergeant. And, incidentally, there's some lubrication in the left hand drawer of my desk. Please take me and fuck me." The tone was still even. "Please take your cock and thrust into my ass until I can't take it anymore and I come while you're still pounding into me. Please shoot your load, as it were, into me and make me full with your… shall I continue? I can keep going if you like."

Suzaku wanted to hit him so badly… "You're an ass."

"For goodness sakes." Lieutenant Lamperouge sounded exasperated. "You want it as much as I do. And yes, you can walk out of here with your cum-stained pants and leave me to my hand, but that's hardly pleasing anyone, is it?" He managed to turn around and kiss Suzaku. "Fuck. Me. Hard. If nothing else, because it's what you want to do, and what do you care how I feel about it? Use me, Sergeant, for your own pleasure."

Suzaku had not looked at it that way. And now that it was presented to him like that, he knew why. "Fuck you. Sir. When I have sex, I generally prefer it to be good for my partner as well. Ass."

"How noble." Lieutenant Lamperouge rolled his eyes and gestured to the desk. "Well then? Yes or no, Sergeant?"

This was the moment of truth. The moment that would change everything. The moment when Suzaku had to choose between his desire and… and his desire to deny his Lieutenant. Tough choice.

A soft, impatient huff, and a rolling of violet eyes made the choice easier. Suzaku was sick and tired of Lieutenant Lamperouge looking at him with disdain and condescension. He'd fuck him, and he'd make him like it!

(Yes, he knew he was falling for a trap, but dammit, his cock was aching and, really, Lieutenant Lamperouge was very pretty.)

The lube wasn't even hidden, lying on the top of a pile of folders, unopened. Suzaku took it out and looked at it. Then at the Lieutenant. "You… have done this before, right?"

Lieutenant Lamperouge rolled his eyes again, clearly losing patience. "If you're too timid to carry this out, Sergeant, please don't fish for excuses."

Suzaku bristled. "My most humblest apologies, sir. Now." And here he grinned, barring his teeth aggressively. "Where and how to you want me to take you?"

If he'd been going for intimidation, he'd failed. "The rug is thick enough to be comfortable," Lieutenant Lamperouge said, kicking off his pants and settling down on it, looking perfectly composed and comfortable except for his erection standing out between his legs. "In your own time, Sergeant."

Suzaku took a moment to consider this insane scenario. Then he shut off his brain; he likely wouldn't be needing it, and if he had to match wits with Lieutenant Lamperouge, he'd lose in any case. "Spread your legs. Sir."

"It's 'Lelouch'," Lieutenant Lamperouge said, following Suzaku's orders. "Don't worry; I won't call you Suzaku if you don't want me to."

"N-no, that's fine, si- Lelouch," Suzaku stammered as that, of all things, made this somehow more real. "Suzaku's… fine."

Lieut- Lelouch smiled. "Suzaku certainly is fine," he said, and Suzaku nearly groaned at the utter awfulness of that pun. He was soon distracted by Lelouch's lips as they pressed against his, Lelouch's hand guiding Suzaku's to settle between his legs, over his cock (and that made his breath hitch in the sexiest way) and down lower, until…

"One at a time," Lelouch instructed him before kissing him again. Suzaku only slightly resented the reminder and pressed one lubed finger into Lelouch's ass.

Nice. It was hot and tight and beautifully reactive. If Lelouch had done this before (he must have; a virgin wouldn't act like this…) it hadn't been recently. "I can't wait to get my dick in there," Suzaku moaned against Lelouch's lips, making Lelouch laugh.

"That is the idea, Serg- Suzaku." Ha! Suzaku grinned and didn't care that Lelouch could feel it. He'd screwed up!

Lelouch recovered by kissing Suzaku harder and arching into his finger. "More."

"Yes sir," Suzaku responded reflexively, wincing when that provoked another puff of laughter against his lips. "Shut up." The second finger distracted them both, as the tight heat got tighter and hotter and Lelouch bowed his head over Suzaku's shoulders and groaned. "…you okay?"

"Fine." Lelouch's breathing was shaky and his voice trembled a little, even on that single syllable, but his legs stayed open and his cock stayed erect. "Keep going."

Suzaku wasn't about to second-guess him now. Not if he'd be mocked for it. "You look amazing like this." He… hadn't meant to say that.

It was worth it, though, for the sudden surprise on Lelouch's face, making him look almost as young as Suzaku. "W-what do you…"

"Your tie's still done up all the way," Suzaku pointed out, loving the way Lelouch's eyes looked when he was caught off guard. "From the waist up, you look like the perfect officer, but from the waist down…" He twisted his fingers and Lelouch gasped and clutched at him. "You're mine."

"Suzaku," Lelouch gasped out, and hearing that made Suzaku's cock remind him that this was really just a step in a process. "You…"

Suzaku kissed him and thrust his fingers in deeper. "Right now you're mine, sir. Lelouch."

And Lelouch sighed and shuddered slightly and lay back, watching Suzaku silently.

There was an incredible feeling of power, looming over his commanding officer like this, preparing him for… the very idea was nearly overwhelming. As hard as Suzaku was, the temptation to draw this out, to make it last as long as possible, was compelling.

Lelouch was less patient. "Again, Suzaku, if you're too timid to do this, you know where the door is."

Suzaku had far preferred him wide-eyed and pliant. That hadn't lasted long.

"I just don't want you limping on the parade square, sir," he shot back, crooking his finger and watching Lelouch squirm.

"It –ah– I told you, it's Lelouch," Lelouch reminded him. But his hands were fisted and his hips were trembling with the effort of not thrusting up into Suzaku's touch and he was so ready…

Suzaku kissed him, hard. "Lelouch," he whispered against Lelouch's lips as his fingers slid out and, still slicked, quickly coated his cock as he positioned himself at Lelouch's entrance. "Do you have a high pain tolerance?"

Lelouch was smiling. "Oh, yes."

"Then do, please, try to keep quiet." And Suzaku thrust in, burying himself to the hilt in one smooth, strong movement.

Lelouch arched and choked off a cry, one hand flying to his mouth to dampen the sounds, the other one grabbing onto the back of Suzaku's uniform jacket. Suzaku bit back his own sharp curse. It was insanely hot and tight, more than he had expected, and more than he thought he could take. "Lelouch… fuck…"

It took Lelouch a moment, but he managed a retort. "That is the, ah, idea, Sergeant."

"Suzaku," Suzaku reminded him and started thrusting. It wasn't that different from being with a woman. His hips moved the same, his cock surrounded by hot inner walls, his lover's (really, was that what they were?) body seemed to both welcome and push him away… and yet it was completely different. The erection that slapped against Suzaku's stomach at the apex of every thrust, the look of challenge rather than submission in Lelouch's eyes, the hard angles as Suzaku ran his hand up Lelouch's side, and the way Lelouch's tongue fought his for dominance as they kissed… it was exciting.

Not that Suzaku was planning on doing this with other guys, or even Lieutenant Lamperouge again. Not at all. It was just… now that he was doing it, it was exciting. And he… god, he was close…

Some combination of instinct and Suzaku's innately considerate nature directed his hand to wrap around Lelouch's cock, jerking him off in time to his thrusts.

And Lelouch, maddeningly enough, was still covering his mouth, muffling his cry as Suzaku drove him over the edge, wringing his orgasm from him and making him clamp down around Suzaku's cock. It was more than enough to pull Suzaku over with him, moaning wordlessly.

They lay on the floor of Lieutenant Lamperouge's office, panting and covered in sweat and come. Lelouch ran his fingers lightly through Suzaku's hair. "This isn't going to improve your evaluation, you know."

Suzaku was too flabbergasted to take offence. He… he'd just fucked his commanding officer. In a busy office, in the middle of a work day, and he didn't… "I don't even like you."

"You mentioned," Lieutenant Lamperouge said, somehow still the Lieutenant even half naked and under Suzaku. "You never did say why, though."

This was so not the time or place, but… "You're not Toudou. You're just some upstart Lieutenant who… how old are you anyway?"

"Older than you."

Suzaku figured that. He was barely seventeen and officers needed to be eighteen at the youngest. "You're still damn young to be commanding your own Unit."

Lieutenant Lamperouge frowned and stopped petting Suzaku. Suzaku only noticed how nice that had been when it was gone. "Well. I won't be here long."

Suzaku started at him. "What do you mean?"

The Lieutenant shrugged. "Schneizel's already called me back to Pendragon. I'm leaving within the week."

"…you just got here."

"I will be replaced by Major Kusakabe. He's an Eleven who served with Toudou before. That should satisfy you."

It should. Somehow, it didn't.

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

The next few days passed in a blur.

Suzaku's days were filled with a numbed kind of routine, broken only by brief and meaningless, but oddly satisfying, sexual encounters with Lieutenant Lamperouge; sometimes in his office, sometimes in the nearest empty room, and even twice in Suzaku's shared barracks room (the last time on Ougi's bed because it was closest to the door. Suzaku had changed his sheets, but still felt awkward about it).

Suzaku's nights were restless and yearning, leaving him sticky and sweaty on the good mornings, and hard and aching on the bad ones. He was having more sex than he'd ever had in his life and his body, somehow, wanted something more.

Lieutenant Lamperouge didn't even tell them himself the day he was set to transfer. It was Major Kusakabe, swaggering into the parade square and zeroing in on Ougi, who let them know that today was their last day under Lieutenant Lamperouge, and tomorrow he'd hand over the reigns of power. Suzaku felt cheated and spurned until Lieutenant Lamperouge, after pulling him aside after a briefing and sucking him off in a female washroom, pressed a key into his hand. "My quarters are in the south wing of the Officer barracks. Room 124. After supper."

It was a good thing Suzaku had just come down his throat, because he still had hours to go before then and, according to doctors, erections weren't supposed to last that long.

No one questioned Suzaku as he entered the Officer barracks, walking with that military gait that said louder than words that he was supposed to be there, and unlocked the door to room 124. When the door closed behind him, he placed the key carefully on a nearby table and walked into the small apartment.

It was neat, clean, and utterly devoid of anything personal. The kitchen was small and bare, the living room larger but more bare, and there was a light coming from under one of the other doors.

…bedroom? Suzaku swallowed and approached.

His hand was on the doorknob when Lelouch… no, Lieutenant Lamperouge's voice rang out. "Come in, Sergeant."

Suzaku opened the door and paused at the sight of his Lieutenant in dress uniform standing by his desk. Even his boots were polished until they shone and every crease was perfect, begging to be rumpled and soiled…

"Was there something?" Lieutenant Lamperouge asked, and Suzaku realized he'd been staring. And, embarrassingly enough, licking his lips.

"Sir." Suzaku saluted, not entirely sure how this was going to play out. "I was instructed to report, sir."

"Report what?"

Suzaku had no idea. "I was… just…"

Lieutenant Lamperouge sighed. "Insubordination again, Sergeant? I thought we were past this point."

"I'm not… I don't mean…" Suzaku floundered, genuinely lost. "My apologies, sir…"

Lieutenant Lamperouge beckoned Suzaku forward with a graceful hand gesture. "Apologies are worth very little to me. Atonement is required."

For a brief, terrified moment, Suzaku considered running. Tomorrow was Lieutenant Lamperouge's last day; what could he do in that time?

Then Suzaku's eyes caught sight of Lieutenant Lamperouge's other hand. And the long black object in that hand.

He'd been half hard since he'd unlocked the door. The sight of the crop whip in his Lieutenant's hand took care of the other half.

Suzaku saluted again and stepped, gingerly, into the room. "What atonement would you require of me, sir?"

Lieutenant Lamperouge smiled coolly. "We've been here before, Sergeant. You know what I want."

In less time that it took to explain that, Suzaku yanked down his pants and braced himself against the desk. Lieutenant Lamperouge's warm laugh and soft touch as his fingers glided over Suzaku's exposed skin made Suzaku shudder.

"You're already hard. I wonder if you can come just from this."

Suzaku bowed his head. "That would be inappropriate, sir. Given that this is a punishment."

"Yes." Lieutenant Lamperouge sounded darkly amused. "And you've never been inappropriate before, have you Sergeant?" Before Suzaku could answer, he heard a sharp crack and felt his left buttock burst into flame. He barely bit back a groan.

He could hear the Lieutenant's smile in his voice. "There's no need to keep quiet this time, Sergeant."

And he struck again.

Without the underlying resentment and guilt, Suzaku found that he didn't just enjoy the feel of the whip against his skin; he enjoyed the sound of it, the pause between strikes, the whole scenario. Lelouch wasn't holding back at all, going at it harder and faster than he had in his office, focusing his attention on Suzaku's upper ass, leaving his thighs and lower buttocks alone. It was different, but amazingly good.

Lelouch wasn't counting out loud this time, and Suzaku had lost track after the first dozen or so strikes, doing his best not to flinch or cry out. Eventually, though, the sensation got the better of him and he started making soft, pleading sounds with every strike. It was a release of tension that, rather than dulling the sensation, added to it. Lelouch's rhythm gradually increased the more noise Suzaku made, so Suzaku figured he liked it too.

It wasn't until the blows started blurring together, into a single powerful sensation that rested at the small of his back and spread throughout his body, that Lelouch made any sound.

Suzaku was almost beyond hearing at this point, but, as if from a distance, he heard Lelouch's impatient grunt and frustrated, "Come on already.", right before the whip stopped and hands grabbed his ass, pressing against the abused skin and holding him open as one finger thrust into his hole.

It was a complete sensory overload. Suzaku yowled and came.

By the time he recovered, there were two fingers inside him, stretching, and his ass was steadily throbbing. "…Lelouch…?"

"Just relax," Lelouch advised him with a short humourless laugh. "This won't take long. God, I could nearly come just from looking at you…"

Suzaku couldn't quite follow that and wasn't quite prepared for Lelouch's fingers to be replaced by his cock a moment later. "Ah! Ffff…" He bit his lip to stifle his complaint.

Lelouch rocked into him, burying himself gradually but steadily. "You've never… have you?" He laughed shakily. "Remember this, Suzaku. It'll never be more real."

It was certainly real. Suzaku felt like he could feel every inch of Lelouch's length, every millimeter of his width as he pushed in. "…it's so…" it hurt, but that wasn't what Suzaku wanted to say. It was invasive, more than painful; forceful more than cruel. He wasn't sure whether he wanted Lelouch to stop or go faster. "Lelouch…"

"God." Lelouch hooked his fingers into the groove of Suzaku's hips for leverage. "It's even better than I–" he cut himself off with a moan as he slid completely in, his hips resting, trembling slightly, against Suzaku's ass. "May I move?"

…good question. Suzaku remembered Lelouch's lighthearted wit and banter with Suzaku's cock inside him. He wasn't going to shame himself with anything less. "That's the idea, isn't it?"

His voice had come out threadier than he'd hoped, as tense as his neck muscles, standing out as he held back his moans. Lelouch didn't move at first, just gently smoothed his hands up and down Suzaku's thighs.

"You're beautiful, Sergeant Kururugi. Did you know that? I wanted you from the moment you walked into my office, resentful and challenging. I wanted you inside me and I wanted… this. And now that I have it, I regret nothing." And he pulled out slightly and slammed back in, making them both cry out, Suzaku louder than him. "I'm so close, just from watching you come, from simply being inside you… I wish I could fuck you properly, but it's taking all I have not to just come right now."

He thrust again, and a second time; and when that worked, he shifted his grip slightly and started moving in a steady rhythm, like the way he'd whipped Suzaku, his cock thrusting into Suzaku at a steady pace, but each thrust was just a little different, a little off, a little…

Ohgod "Shit!" Suzaku yelped as something inside him went off. Lelouch chuckled and thrust again, hitting that same spot. "Fuck, Lelouch…"

"Alright," Lelouch said and obligingly fucked Suzaku against his desk, his hips snapping sharply, targeting that spot and hitting it more times then not. Suzaku could feel himself getting closer…

"Hnnn…" Lelouch suddenly thrust deeply and froze, shuddering as his hands clenched on Suzaku's hips and he came, hard, into Suzaku's ass.

Leaving Suzaku still hard.

Suzaku tried not to be resentful. They'd both come; they were even. It wasn't as if they were even keeping score (and if they were, Lelouch had made him come more times with his mouth so he was winning anyways). It wasn't like he was disappointed or anything…

…okay, maybe he was. A little.

Lelouch collapsed against him, aggravating his whipped flesh and well-fucked ass delightfully, but not enough to tip Suzaku over the edge. As Lelouch panted against him, Suzaku shifted, willing to get himself off by hand if that's what it took.

Lelouch's hand on his wrist stopped him. "You don't think we're done, do you?"

Suzaku looked at him. Lelouch looked comfortable, sated… mischievous. "No, but…"

Lelouch kissed him. "It's your turn. Fuck me, Suzaku."

Suzaku hadn't seen Lelouch properly since before the whipping. And now, once Lelouch detached himself from Suzaku's back, he could appreciate how Lelouch's uniform looked rumpled and loose from the waist up and completely absent from the waist down until his pants pooled around his ankles, just above his still oh-so-shiny boots.

He looked debauched.

Suzaku was pretty sure he didn't look much better, but the contrast between Lelouch now and Lieutenant Lamperouge when he'd first walked in… "Lube?"

Lelouch passed it to him, grinning. Suzaku grabbed him and kissed him before throwing him on the bed and kicking off his pants. "Strip. Sir."

Lelouch laughed and threw his tie at Suzaku before undoing his shirt. "Get my boots, would you Sergeant?"

"With pleasure, sir." Suzaku was being only partially facetious. The opportunity to strip his Lieutenant was rare at any of their encounters, usually limited only to removing his tunic or undoing his pants. Having him naked was a rare treat, and participating in him becoming naked was even better.

It went faster than Suzaku expected, tossing the last boot aside as Lelouch shrugged out of his shirt. Suzaku, to be fair, removed his shirt as well and then, rather than moving over Lelouch, just stopped. And looked.

Lelouch noticed the pause. "What?"

"Nothing," Suzaku said. "You're just so…" He snorted and shook his head. "Never mind. The last thing you need is an ego boost."

Lelouch laughed and opened his arms as Suzaku bent over him to kiss and prepare him. "Surprised, Sergeant?"

…Suzaku was. Lelouch was already slick and opened amazingly easily. "You…"

"…thought about you the whole time," Lelouch whispered against Suzaku's lips. "I came with my fingers inside me to the memory of the way sweat beads on your forehead as you fuck me." Lelouch kissed him softly. "I've been ready for you since before you walked through that door."

Suzaku groaned. That was so… He kissed Lelouch hard and pressed in, groaning louder as Lelouch welcomed him with hot tightness. "You're so… fucking…"

"Just move, Suzaku," Lelouch ordered impatiently. Suzaku's hips followed that order even before Suzaku's brain processed it, driving into Lelouch fast and hard right from the start. Lelouch gasped and moaned under him, clutching at his back as Suzaku pounded him relentlessly into the mattress, one hand sliding between their bodies to work Lelouch's cock, still sensitive from his recent orgasm. They both took advantage of the fact that the room was insulated and most people weren't in yet to let their voices ring out, curses and orders and pleas and promises and, near the end, nothing but wordless nonsense as they both drew closer to the edge.

"Come with me," Suzaku managed in a moment of lucidity. Lelouch tightened his grip on Suzaku's back and arched wordlessly as he obeyed, his orgasm preceding Suzaku's by seconds, if that.

It was Lelouch's fingers trailing through Suzaku's hair that revived him. "Mmm… feels good."

"I should really be the one saying that," Lelouch chuckled. "That was most impressive, Suzaku. Well done."

"You're a condescending ass," Suzaku said without any heat, nuzzling into Lelouch's chest as that made him chuckle again. "Hey, was this… is this because you're leaving tomorrow?"

Lelouch's hand stilled. "Who told you that?"

"Major Kusakabe told Ougi. Why? Was it a secret?"

Lelouch swore slightly under his breath. "Honestly, yes it was. That damned…" He sighed and resumed petting Suzaku. "It doesn't really matter, I suppose."

"I guess not," Suzaku agreed, slightly perturbed. "What I meant was is this… goodbye?"

"I suppose," Lelouch said blandly.

Suzaku tried not to think about how much that hurt. "So. Should I leave now?"

"You're free to, if you'd like."

Suzaku made a soft, impatient sound. "Stop being a jerk for three seconds, please."

Lelouch sighed again, and it didn't sound happy. "Don't go."

Suzaku immediately felt bad. "Kay. Sorry, I didn't mean to…" He pressed a kiss to Lelouch's lips and then another, amazed at how good that simple gesture felt. The last thing he wanted right now was sex, but this; touching and kissing and feeling Lelouch… it was wonderful. "I'll miss you."

"Don't," Lelouch said. "It's not worth it." Suzaku heard "I'm not worth it." and scowled.

"Don't act like you're so mature and stuff," he snapped, his gentle hands still caressing Lelouch's sides and belying his irritated tone. "You can't be more than what, nineteen?"

Lelouch chuckled. "I'm seventeen, Suzaku."

"What? But you're…" That made no sense. "You said you were older than me."

"By seven months."

"That's not… but you're an officer…" Lelouch shut Suzaku up with a firmer kiss, tugging the blankets over them as they moved gently against each other and the sun set.

They had sex three more times that night, interspaced with exhausted deep sleep. Suzaku was of the opinion that bottoming was easier the second time around and Lelouch just chuckled and assured him he'd feel it more the next day when the endorphins wore off. Neither addressed the fact that Lelouch would be gone within hours.

After the last time, Suzaku pulled out of Lelouch and looked at the time. "I should leave. We form up in an hour and I need to shower and none of my clothes are here and–" Lelouch cut him off with a kiss.

"Go then." Lelouch smiled, looking adorable with his hair clumped with sweat and his eyes bright. "I'll see you later." And for the last time, remained unsaid.

Suzaku dressed quickly and left without looking at Lelouch. It occurred to him that technically this was a walk of shame, but mostly his insides were churning with conflicting emotions.

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

Ougi and (thank goodness) Gino were still asleep when Suzaku got in and grabbed his shower stuff. Even the rare luxury of a hot shower before the water ran out wasn't enough to settle Suzaku's mind. By the time he got back to the room the others were up.

"Hey, Suzaku!" Gino jumped on him, ignoring the fact that Suzaku was practically naked in just a towel. "Where were you last night? Celebrating Lieutenant Lamperouge's last day?"

Suzaku's stomach twisted. "Something like that."

Ougi frowned. "I know you had your differences with the man, but he was a good commander, Suzaku."

"I know," Suzaku said shortly, not wanting to talk about it. At all.

"Yeah, but Major Kusakabe!" Gino gushed. "He's old school! Just up Suzaku's alley, like Captain Toudou, part two." His grin was even more manic than usual. "It's for the best. For everyone."

Suzaku dried his hair and dressed in his uniform and missed the slightly anxious tone as Gino assured them of that.

He was a little distracted with the way his chest ached; far worse than the dull reminder in his lower back of the way Lelouch had felt, pressing inside him, keeling between Suzaku's legs and looking down at him with those gorgeous eyes glazed with lust and pleasure…

Never again.

Lelouch didn't even bother with a speech. He wasn't even dressed in his dress uniform (which was probably still crumpled and scattered over his bedroom floor). Instead he was wearing something that looked familiar and militaristic, but wasn't any Britannian uniform Suzaku recognised.

The Britannian soldiers in the Unit gasped when he came out dressed in it, but immediately sharpened back up. It really did look familiar, though… but from where?

He handed command over to Major Kusakabe with very little emotion or ceremony and marched off. Kusakabe said some short words of welcome and dismissed them, assuring them that his office was always open.

Lieutenant Lamperouge's hadn't been. Someone might have walked in on him being fucked by his subordinate.

Suzaku was still a little dazed, but not enough to miss the way Gino disappeared immediately after dismissal. Suzaku went after him.

"…the man's a danger to himself and those under his command, Weinberg."

"With all due respect…"

"Don't give me that."

Suzaku knew better than to eavesdrop. Usually. Generally. This was an exception. He'd cracked the door to Lieutenant Lamperouge's office open slightly, just enough to hear the quietly furious conversation.

"I'm giving you authority to override his orders. You don't have to use it, but I need you to be able to."

"…why me?"

A sardonic snort and, god, Suzaku was going to miss that sound. "Ougi won't and Kururugi would at the slightest provocation. Also, you're Britannian. Don't give me that look, you know it's still important."

"I'm a Britannian with Numbered colleagues. Pulling something like this on a Numbered commander…"

"This is about the lives of men under your command, not some popularity contest. Besides, I thought you'd risen above that when you joined the army to piss off your family."

Gino laughed. "Isn't that slightly hypocritical of you, Your Highness?"

…what?

"Context is everything, My Lord," Lelouch shot back. "And do you really think that Ougi and Kururugi would think less of you for saving their men from a megalomaniac who doesn't know the meaning of restraint?"

"In your opinion. Your Highness."

"My opinion is informed and pretty damned well respected. If anyone dies unnecessarily under that madman's command, I will lay the blame partially at your feet."

Gino snorted. "Right. Because knowing I'm responsible for someone's death is much less intimidating than having Lelouch vi Britannia peeved at me."

…what?

"As long as we're clear."

"Crystal." Suzaku heard the sound of a chair backing up and panicked. If he was caught…

Gino looked surprised to see him, his scowl immediately blooming into his usual bright grin. "Suzaku! Are you here to see the Lieutenant off too?"

Lieutenant Lamperouge. Lelouch vi Britannia. A Prince. Suzaku nodded numbly and stepped into Lieutenant Lamperouge's office.

Lelouch took one look at him and sighed. "How much of that did you overhear?"

"…enough. Your Highness."

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "Close the door, idiot." Suzaku did.

Looking at Lelouch now (dressed in the uniform of a duke, and how had Suzaku missed that apart from not being Britannian…) Suzaku felt his chest and throat tighten up again. "I'm sorry."

"For…?" Lelouch asked and sighed. "I was assigned to the Eleventh Unit as a punishment. Schneizel was working on getting me out before I even arrived. This was never permanent, Suzaku."

"You mean… we were never permanent," Suzaku corrected, hurt enough to forget about his proper place. Lelouch just sighed again, looking tired.

"Here." He handed Suzaku a thin folder. "I couldn't decide whether or not to give it to you, but now I think… it should be your decision." He hesitated, then kissed Suzaku gently on his lips. "Watching you glare at me, fight me, struggle against me… it was exciting, Suzaku. But having you give into me was…" He kissed Suzaku again and pulled away. "Think on it."

Suzaku, left alone in the office, opened the folder and stared blankly at the cover sheet. Then he took a deep breath and started reading.

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

"Is this because you want to fuck me?"

Lelouch shrugged. "Yes. You're an excellent pilot, a good solider, a decent tactician, and quick on your feet. But many people are better at one or several of those things. This is because I want to fuck you, Suzaku."

Suzaku bit his lower lip. Lelouch sighed. "I have a flight to catch."

To accept, to allow himself to be elevated for this reason rather than due to his own skill…

…and yet, on the other hand, to lose Lelouch…

"You're still an arrogant ass."

"And you're still insubordinate. And possibly treasonous."

"I'll embarrass you."

"Then you'll have to make it up to me. Somehow."

"I don't have any idea what I'll be doing."

"Then tell me 'no' and leave."

"…I don't want to."

"Then shut up and get on the plane with me."

Suzaku smiled. "Shouldn't this be more formal? Shouldn't I kneel and thank you for the privilege to serve?"

Lelouch grinned. "That's for the ceremony. Generally when you kneel, I'd rather you use your mouth for something other than thanking me."

"This is a mistake."

"You're seventeen. It's the perfect time to make mistakes."

"What happens when you get tired of me?"

Lelouch sighed, out of patience. "You're coming with me, Suzaku. You know it and I know it. You even packed."

True enough, Suzaku was toting his duffle bag with him. "…it was just in case."

Lelouch rolled his eyes and started towards the plane. Suzaku hesitated for less than a minute before following him.

They sat together in the back of the small, empty transport, ignoring the instructions to put on their seatbelts as Lelouch straddled Suzaku and kissed him practically senseless. Suzaku's hands finally found their way under Lelouch's layers and touched skin when a thought occurred to him. "Was this why you gave Gino that authority?"

Lelouch rocked on Suzaku's lap. "Yes. I knew… well, I hoped you'd come with me."

Suzaku laughed into Lelouch's mouth. "I should've said no. Just to pop your ego."

"Not really part of your job description, Sir Kururugi."

"Not yet!" Suzaku protested. "Actually… until I officially go AWOL or if I manage to properly de-enlist, I guess I'm still technically a Sergeant."

Lelouch snorted. "'Technically'… you're my Knight, Suzaku. The first Numbered Knight." He grinned and kissed Suzaku hard. "And my father will agree to it, because he's the one who sent me to you. It's perfect." He kissed Suzaku again. "You're perfect."

"Yes, Your Highness," Suzaku answered dutifully, making Lelouch laugh.

"None of that. I want the insubordinate, bratty, resentful Suzaku. Ass-kissing Suzaku is only appropriate in the literal sense."

And Suzaku couldn't help laughing at that as well, the horrible feeling he'd had since that morning finally letting up and letting him breathe properly for the first time that day.

And he breathed in Lelouch.