A/N I haven't written anything outside of school reports in 4 years and I haven't watched Code Geass in 3, so I have no idea where this came from. Takes place in R1. un-beta'd.

It was three in the morning by the time Lelouch sank into his desk chair, worn out from the stress of making the Black Knight's latest crusade a success. His mask hung off the tips of his fingers before he let it fall to the floor with a clunk and a roll. He pressed his palms into his eyes and dug the back of his skull into the chair's head rest, letting out a long, repressed sigh.

He heard C.C. enter the room, locking the door behind her. She padded up to him, her footsteps light, and he felt her grasp his wrists. She gently pulled his hands away from his face, and he let her reposition them on the chair's armrests.

"Are you going to be alright, or do I have to wheel you to a psychiatrist," she questioned, her stare boring into his eyes. "Because you can't keep doing this tortured vigilantly routine every time we get back from a mission."
He watched with tired eyes as she turned away from him, pulling the covers back and climbing into their shared bed.

"You're not going to self-pity your way through everything," she added, pulling the sheets up to her nose.

"This isn't self pity," Lelouch's muscles groaned as he stood up and yanked his shirt over his head, "I'm just tired, alright?" he kicked his shoes off and crawled into bed, shooing C.C. over and smothering his face in the pillows, face down.

There was a few seconds of quiet before C.C. spoke up, "You're still wearing your pants."

"'M too tired to change 'em," came his muffled response.

"They're going to get all wrinkled."

"I know, go t' sleep."

"…You left the light on."

"C.C.," he growled, shifting irritably so he could shoot her a glare that clearly said turn it off yourself.

She seemed to get the message, for she rolled her eyes and dragged herself out of bed, flicking the light switch off a few seconds later. The room went dark, the only light coming from the outdoor school lamps that seeped through cracks between the heavy curtains.
C.C. wiggled back under the still warm duvet, staring up at the ceiling in quiet rumination. The only sounds coming from Lelouch's breathing, evening out now, and the ticking of the desk clock. If she strained her ears she could just make out the occasional passing car from the closest road, past the school grounds.

When she was sure he was asleep, she reached a hand over and placed it lightly on his arm, seeking out that little bit of physical contact both of them were comfortable with.

He shifted in his sleep, though, and pulled his arm away, out of her reach.

She snorted and turned so her back was facing him, pulling the majority of the covers with her.