Um... it's another one of those no-plot, no-point, randomly-inspired one-shot. Completely modern day AU. Don't judge me! T_T

Disclaimer: Do not own characters from Code Geass.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Stay away from those who you do not wish to lose." - CC
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The woman is wearing a dress of red. The exact same shade in the blood tart seeds of a pomegranate. It's flattering on her figure, clinging to the right curves and hanging loose in others. There's a lone pair of silvery dangles falling from her ears and half hidden in her loose, raven-colored hair. She doesn't believe in gaudy, expensive jewelry.

A white and black-striped tie covers her eyes. Her hands are also bound by a silk tie, and she is being lead haphazardly by her good friend.

"Where are you taking me?" CC laughs nervously, "And why do I need to be blind-folded?"

"It's a surprise," Shirley giggles back.

CC feels her lead go slack. And then deft hands untying her wrists.

"Here's your hotel room card, and your clutch with your phone and some cash. Kallen says you're not allowed to come back to the house tonight."

The woman scoffs. "This is going pretty far for a blind-date don't you think?"

"Well what else can we do? You leave half of your dates in tears and the other half tied to the bedpost unable to come after you. It's been so long since-" Shirley wisely decides to stop there, and not go further.

"Anyways, just have fun and enjoy yourself ok? Don't take off the tie until after I leave."

"...fine," CC whispers back, Shirley's half-finished sentence already invoking unwanted memories.

It's not her fault the guys so far have been dead-beat losers who only has eyes on her money or her body. And she cannot help the fact her mind is still stuck in an endless loop that begins and ends five years ago. Hopelessly trapped within the evil clutches of a demon king-

CC snaps out of her reverie when she realizes how stupid she must look standing there by herself. Her hands immediately goes up to slide off the blindfold.

Her amber eyes blink, taking in an empty, dark hallway with a pair of closed curtains in front of her. The carpet underfoot is thick, and silences her footsteps. There's light coming from the thin opening between the curtains, and she walks on over to peek.

She's at the Pendragon concert hall. An expensive, exclusive balcony seat by the look of it. The high ceiling seems to rise into the night sky, there's opulent gold-accented decorations everywhere, and strains of harmonizing music float up from the main stage.

CC has heard about this luxurious establishment. Built in honor of the late Clovis vi Brittannia, the massive auditorium also features upstairs hotel suites from the world-famous Ashford branch.

How in the world are my roommates able to afford this? Unless...

Her gaze zeros in on the sole person sitting in the plush, velvet seats. She can only see the top half of his head, and the rest is blocked from her angle.

Her blind-date. He must be obscenely rich.

She carefully examines the only visible part of the man's head. Trying to gather information on his character from just the shape and color of his hair. And not getting much.

CC draws back. Lets the curtain fall noiselessly back in place.

Nerves seize her. She wants to go find a restroom and freshen up first. And to see what kind of ridiculous makeup is painted on her face. CC begins to backtrack the opposite way, to the other end of the hallway. Where she's sure there will be signs for the ladies' room.

As she nears the end, the hair on her neck prickles. Her pulse quickens, goosebumps appear on her skin, and there's a sudden stillness in the air that she always associates with danger.

CC pauses. There's nobody in the hallway. She glances behind her. The curtains are just as she left them.

A well-lit corridor beckons to CC straight ahead, and she decidedly quickens her stride. Her grip on her clutch tightens, ready to use whatever means necessary to defend herself.

Rounding the corner fast, she comes face to face with the very last person she wants to see. The person she has been running from all this time.

The devil himself: Lelouch vi Britannia.

"CC? What are you-"

She doesn't even let him finish. In her years of existence. One rule holds true: survival of the fittest. When a living being, man or beast, is cornered, backed up against the wall with limited options, there's only two choices.

Fight. Or flight.

And CC always chooses the latter.

She doesn't even spare him another glance as she makes a dash for another hallway. Her mind screams at her to find the elevator. Or a bathroom. Anything with a locked door that will stop him from finding her.

Thankfully, she sees the shiny doors of an elevator right ahead. She punches at both the up and down button, but realizes she doesn't know where to go. Remembering Shirley's instructions, she looks down at the card clutched in her right hand.

The room number is 726. Seventh floor.

Too late, she hears the sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps. She looks over her shoulder, and sees him turning into the hallway.

"CC, wait!"

She grits her teeth. Whips away and goes for the emergency stairway instead. If she remembers correctly, a grandma on a walker can run faster than him.

The number three is painted on the door she bulldozes through. Meaning only four floors to climb. She doesn't have much trouble running in heels. God knows she's had enough practice before.

As she climbs, she also listens to the following steps of his progress. It gets slower and slower as the distance between them grows. The side of her mouth quirks. Definitely the same Lelouch.

The number seven door grins back at her as it looms on ahead. She tries to close it quietly as possible so he wouldn't know which door she went through. A quick glance at the directions on the wall tells her the room is to her left. She follows in the general direction, her mind swimming.

How did he find me? Did Shirley know and was she in on it? Is it a huge coincidence he was there at the right time and place?

She turns another corner, pauses to catch her breath, and checks the room number.

It's been five years. He looks... well. A lot taller, and his face a bit sharper...

CC sees the door to her room. She lets out a breath of relief, walks on over, and a hand slams into the wall in front of her.

Her eyes widen with disbelief. "How did you-?"

"I counted the number of steps it took you to run up a flight and calculated the floor," Lelouch bites out tightly, "Why are you always running away like I'm some sort of disease?"

But that's exactly what he is. A viral case of empty promises and bitter memories.

She looks straight ahead at his freshly-pressed suit with matching tie. Pointedly not meeting his gaze.

"I'm not," CC lies with a perfectly blank expression, "I'm in a rush to get to my room. I forgot something important, and my date is waiting for me downstairs."

"Your date." He deadpans. The hand at the wall clenches into a fist. She tells herself to stand her ground.

Lelouch can always tell when someone is lying.

"Yes. My date. Contrary to what it seems, I can go out in public and have fun sometimes." CC crosses her arms, one eyebrow going up as if daring him to call her bluff.

He seems caught off guard for a moment. His violet eyes bear down at her intently, and then drop to the ground in what she can only describe as embarrassment. But the old Lelouch she knew would never feel shame.

"CC..." Her name sounds too familiar, too intimate in his low voice, "I need to talk to you. You come and go like the wind. It's been five goddamn years since I last heard from you. At least tell me what happened."

"He's waiting for-"

"I'll apologize to him. Hell, I'll send him a dozen roses with chocolates. Just give me a few minutes of your time."

If she was five years younger, she would have given him an eternity. But now every second is like another bleeding knife wound waiting to happen.

He looks thinner, CC notes with a pang. His frame is gaunt and his pale skin draws thinly over his elegant jaw. His hair is growing out. Black, unruly bangs hanging in such a manner she has to resist the urge to fix it.

She knows she lost the moment she meets his eyes. An intense mix of mesmerizing indigo pulls her in with forceful violence. Nobody would believe her if she says there's a magnetic pull in those eyes, something that's borderline supernatural. She wouldn't believe herself either.

CC knows he's a practiced, pathological liar. A cheating, manipulative bastard. But the way he looks at her convinces her he's telling the truth. At least, this time.

"Sure," she finds herself answering in an unnaturally calm voice, "Would you like to come in for a drink?"

Surprise flits across his features for a split second and it's gone. Lelouch nods wordlessly, and follows her inside.

Almost immediately she pulls away to a safe distance. She takes her time in browsing through the huge selection at the stocked mini bar. There's drinks that an average person cannot afford with a year's salary. She pulls out a well-aged bottle of Merlot and pours them both a half glass.

CC seats herself primly across the small round coffee table with her drink. Lelouch stares at his like it's poison.

"You dyed your hair again," he starts lamely after a long, heavy pause, "I'm never going to see your natural color am I?"

CC hates it when the topic gets that personal. It's a common ploy of his. To start off like familiar friends and then work under her skin. She takes a long sip from her glass, and admires the rich burgundy swishing at the bottom.

"Don't play those games with me," she replies airily, "just come out with it: 'Why did I leave you that day?'" His face grows dark at her flippant tone.

"You wouldn't tell me the truth even if I asked."

"Oh? So you have finally realized what kind of witch I actually am."

"Utterly twisted. Selfish and unrepentant." He agrees with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

Her face feels warm. She hopes it is the wine. "If you're not here to yell at me or question my actions, then why are you here?"

"Does he make you happy?" Lelouch asks suddenly.

Her grip on the wine glass tightens. "We're not together. Mao and I."

Lelouch's left eye twitches. His mouth thins in a line of disapproval. "Then who-"

"That's really none of your business Lelouch." She doesn't like the way his name rolls off of her tongue so easily. As if all those years of self-loathing and enforced solitude amount to nothing.

"Cornelia was behind this wasn't she? Or was it Schneizel? They never did approve of you..."

CC sighs tiredly. "No, they were not. It was my own choice."

"Then why CC? Why?" The agony in his cracking voice is so convincing. He deserves an award for his acting skills.

"Geass."

The secret between them. The tie that originally bound them together and the reason for who he is now.

His features twist into confusion. "How-"

"Because of Geass, all your dreams were coming true. You've surpassed your siblings, gained all the power and influence you wanted. Everyone's eyes were trained on you, and as the indisputable succeeding heir to the Brittannia corporation, every aspect of your life was shoved in front of the spotlight. It was the most appropriate time for me and my team to step off the stage and hand it over to you. Besides," CC adds with a rueful smile, "you're expected to marry someone more fitting of your station."

"That's the exact type of bullshit I've been working to do away with! My first course of action would be to ask for your hand-"

"Stop it. You know that would never work. To start off with such a drastic change would make a lot of people unhappy. Media and intelligence would run a countless number of background checks on me and eventually uncover my history. It would compromise my team as well as yours. Such damage to your reputation would make your position unstable. Besides, think of Nunnally."

The two of them fall quiet at the mention of Lelouch's little sister. She is the youngest of the family, and his father's favorite. She's bright, kind, and has all the qualities of a natural leader. Yet just a few days after her seventh birthday, Nunnally was kidnapped.

Charles vi Britannia went crazy with rage. He hired the nation's top agents in a mass-scale rescue effort. But it did not go as planned, and as a result of the unsuccessful rescue attempt, Nunnally lost her eyesight, and was maimed for life.

A brutal testament to just how coveted the spot of Brittannia's heir actually is.

Thus began Lelouch's obsession of becoming the head of his father's massive empire. He thought that if he could conquer the bickering mergers and combine everyone's acquisitions, their world would be a different place. A gentler, more forgiving one for innocent and helpless people like Nunnally. So that his little sister can live in peace without fearing for her safety.

And now they both see just how naïve he was.

Back then he was rash. If there was a simple, fast solution; he took it. He had brilliant battle tactics, but when the time came to execute the shadier side of business, he needed a right-hand man in the shadows. A team of con artists, hackers, and most important of all, assassins.

That's how he met CC. The gray witch of an underground organization that went by the name of "The Black Knights" approached him with an offer. Their underhand methods to get the results he wanted, but for a hefty price.

The master plan for Lelouch's takeover was titled "Code GEASS", and it was their little secret. It outlined the necessary steps for the coup, in addition to being the binding contract between the two parties.

The plan seemed simple. The terms of the contract, even more so:

1) She does not reveal his motives or identity to anyone.

2) He does not reveal her motives or identity to anyone.

3) After GEASS is successful, she will leave once she is paid the agreed amount.

Together, they became co-conspirators. Allies who became friends. Friends who later became lovers.

However, after the succession ceremony, Lelouch kept putting off the matter of payment. For some reason, everyone on her team received a handsome monetary "gift." Every last one, even useless Tamaki.

Just not her.

CC isn't stupid. She knew he had the money. She knew what his sideways glances and his unorthodox gestures meant.

And she knew it would be the end of him. It would undo all of their hard work and sacrifices in pushing him up to the top. So to make matters simple, she packed up her things and did what she is well known for: a quiet and discrete exit.

For five years she's been hiding. Working alongside her old team but staying remote in case he ever decides to use them to trace her. The only team member she's close with is Kallen, a fiery-tempered redhead whose loyalty is only second to her fighting skills.

The unbelievable irony is that their roommate Shirley, clueless and ditzy Shirley who knows nothing of their shady alter egos, is the one who manages to organize this fiasco of a reunion. She pulled it off so effectively, albeit, unknowingly.

CC takes advantage of the silence to study him. Commits his strong, handsome profile to memory even though she isn't even close to forgetting. His features twist into a dark, brooding look, telling her he's furiously going through thousands of scenarios in his head. Her stomach flutters at the familiar scowl cutting across his face, and she knows he's on the brink of another brilliant plan for disaster.

She cannot give him the luxury of time. Any more and he will expose her weakness and take it all.

"Why would you subject me to that kind of torture anyways? I don't like crowds, I don't like socializing, and I never would have liked living life in the limelight," CC flatly says.

"Well now you won't have to," Lelouch promises, "I'm resigning as CEO and president."

Her eyes grow wide. "What?"

"Yes. I've recently signed a contract with the Kururugi clan, handing over my holdings and my position. It'll officially broadcast in a few weeks time after Jeremiah hashes out the details," he announces.

"That's-that's impossible!" CC exclaims, "You and Suzaku have always been rivals. Your families have been fighting for decades over the industry and now you're handing it all over to him?"

"Correct."

"Have you gone mad?"

A mirthless chuckle from his side of the table. "Perhaps. All because of you." His tone turns serious. The intensity in his gaze is really doing a number on her uneven breathing.

"CC. Come back. I'm a nobody now. For all they care, I'm as good as dead."

Alarm bells begin to ring in her head. Personal boundaries are being crossed again and she is getting uncomfortable with the direction the conversation is heading.

"I'm leaving." She stands up.

He stops her with a hand at her wrist. "Don't." She shoots him a hard stare.

"I'll go. This is your room after all," he amends quietly. With feline grace, Lelouch rises out of his seat and comes to stand in front of her.

Yet his hand still holds onto her wrist.

"You're not letting go." She cannot help but point out. In a tight, pained whisper.

He glances down. An unusual sadness slides over his usual mask. "No. I guess not."

She waits. He doesn't move.

Patience running out, CC shakes him off and starts for the door. She avoids brushing his shoulder as she passes by.

That's when he says it. The one word which always reminds her of soft whispers, stolen kisses, and that one night in Narita mountain.

Her real name.

She goes still. His other hand brushes away her curtain of hair, and comes to rest on her bare shoulder. She feels his breath on the exposed skin of her neck.

The conniving devil says it again, and this time she cannot contain the emotions threatening to boil over.

"Y-you're not allowed to say that."

She can feel his triumphant curl of a smirk. Even though she knows it's a bad idea, she turns around to face him.

CC is very aware when she is being placed in check. His pieces are assembled in the right place, and her king helpless to defend itself.

Her armor is down. Her poker face dissolving. And all that is left is a half-broken, lonely little girl.

She waits for his taunts. For his trademark victory grin that spelled out defeat for every last one of his opponents.

Instead, CC finds herself looking into a mirror.

His voice comes out strained and uneven, "You have no idea what you do to me."

Without warning, he closes the distance between them. Seals her lips with his cruel slant of a mouth and silences her thoughts.

CC wonders why she isn't resisting. Why her hands aren't pushing away but entangling themselves in his dark hair. Why her traitorous body is clinging onto him like he's her last breath of life.

But she already has the answer.

Lelouch goes at it like a crazed man. There's no finesse, no sophistication in his kisses that he usually displays. He's so out of control that even CC doesn't know how to handle him.

The back of her knees hits the side of the mattress. He lands on top of her hard, unapologetic like the harsh man he is, and frankly she does not care.

She writhes and squirms underneath his hands. He pushes her dress up. She retaliates by scratching at the skin underneath his shirt. He leaves a stinging trail of teethmarks. She pulls insistently on the zipper of his pants, and takes greedily.

A hiss escapes CC's mouth when he enters her. It's really been that long. Her body does not remember the feel of him, and she already knows there will be an ache in the morning.

She meets each of his angry thrusts with eagerness. Watches with fierce satisfaction as his pupils dilate, his breathing hitches, and his eyes flutter shut with pleasure. He always blushes so easily, CC recalls suddenly.

His head falls heavily on the pillow besides her. He takes a few moments to steady himself, and too soon she finds his gaze affixing upon her.

"You..." he begins thickly, but then words seem to escape him.

Well that's a first.

CC absently muses if this is what it will take for him to get over her. A messy tumble between the sheets, and in the morning they can go on their separate ways.

Lelouch can say all kinds of things, promise all sorts of beautiful new beginnings, but in the end that is exactly he is notoriously known for: a silver tongue with a flair for the theatrics.

In the harsh, unforgiving daylight, will he still get down on both knees and beg for her to stay? What is there to benefit him if they end up together?

Absolutely nothing.

If she knows Lelouch well, and that's one thing CC is sure of, he will not make a single move that will leave him worse off.

Lelouch slowly flips onto his back, bringing her upright and straddling the top of his stomach.

"... sorry," he admits slowly as his finger traces patterns up her back, his eyes narrowing at light bruises growing in the soft light. A thumb latches on, and pulls at the straps that hold up her dress. "I did not mean to be so... rough."

She's about to make a smart retort to the strange comment. But her dress is already pooling at her waist, her bra coming undone, and his mouth is closing over one of her breasts.

"Ah..."

His tongue lashes out. Sweeps in a indulgent fashion over the hardened nipple, and CC braces herself with an arm against the headstand. A daring hand goes up to fondle the other, squeezing, tugging, and exerting the exact amount of pressure that turns her into a seething pool of heat.

CC inwardly curses his perfect memory. But all that comes out of her mouth are shallow breaths and whimpers. Waves of pleasure crashes down upon her, and she gasps out his name, begging for release.

Lelouch glances up, a devilish glint in his eyes. No warning at all. That is his style. She is completely taken by surprise as he pulls her up higher, and his head travels down, ducking underneath the bunched red dress.

She can feel his tongue, his mouth as he forces himself through. Her panties are already torn and lying somewhere on the ground. Nothing between them but bare skin.

A sharp intake of breath. Hips rocking wildly to an unheard rhythm. Her knuckles turning white against carved mahogany. Then finally, the entire universe falls at her feet, flashing by in lightning speed before unseeing eyes.

There's a sensation of being lowered gently. As she regains her senses, CC finds herself on a soft pillow, with the lights turning off. She feels Lelouch sinking into the bed besides her. His fingers goes to twirl in her long, black hair. He stays curiously silent.

CC can't see his expression at all. She is alarmed at this change in him. Lelouch always likes to be in control. He has always been smooth, calculating, and if anything, a bit prudish.

The man lying next to her is not the same one from five years ago. His behavior tonight does not make sense to her.

Lelouch takes a slow, measured breath. His fingers stop playing with her hair. His words comes out low in the muted darkness

"Remember what you once said to me?"

"Hmm?"

"The power of the black king comes with a price. People who use Geass are condemned to a life of loneliness."

She goes still. Of course she remembers.

It's one of the first things she told him on the day they met. It's also written on the note she left on his desk the day she disappeared.

"Yes," she replies softly.

"Well, I don't quite agree." An arm goes around her waist, pulls her in close until her nose brushes against his collarbone. She feels his chin resting on the crown of her head.

"You're not alone. If you're going to be a witch, then I'll be the warlock." His hold on her tightens, "I have another contract for you."

CC curls up against his side, her hand resting like a sleepy kitten in the crook of his neck. "... tell me."

He says the words along with the taste of salt and tears.

It's the truth. He says it so simply, without his usual grandiose manner and embellishments.

For the longest time since she can remember, CC feels her mouth moving, slowly and miraculously transforming her face.

A real, true smile.

Notes:

- I'm sure a lot of people has heard of story of Persephone and Hades from Greek Mythology. The title refers to spring, the time of the year when Persephone comes back up to the mortal realm from her stay with Hades. Now here comes the weird part... and I don't know if this will make sense to people... but I see CC as Hades, offering Geass as the pomegranate, and Lelouch is actually the one who took a bite and doomed himself to the underworld. And yet, despite it all, there's light at the end of the tunnel, and for awhile it'll be spring before it gets dark again. I thought it was fitting, considering Code Geass as a whole is Lelouch trying to break out of the vicious cycle by setting up his own death. So in this story, he hopes to break out with his resignation as the head of the Britannia empire, but he won't know if it'll work or not, and there's the threat of everything repeating itself again in the future. Makes for an interesting story me thinks. lol

- Honestly, this was one of those weird dreams I had to write down and then accidentally expanded upon. The characters, once they started talking... sounded more and more like CC and Lelouch. So... why not? Hehe They're an all-time fav pairing of mine.

- Definitely took liberties with the references and borrowed dialogue from actual anime. Hope I didn't butcher it too much.

- I don't think I need to explicitly say what Lelouch said at the end. Leave it up to readers' imagination. ;D

- Am I the only one who thought CC looked cool when she wore that black wig in one of those R2 episodes?