Code Geass 1. Catch Me If You Can

**A/N: This is a new series of unrelated (perhaps some will be related in the future) one-shots. I receive requests in my tumblr inbox, and I write little one-shots/drabbles based off of those requests. Anyone and everyone can request anything so long as it's C.C/Lelouch and as long as it's put into my tumblr inbox in a polite format. The link to my tumblr can be found on my profile. Anyone and everyone is welcome to put in requests :) Not going to lie, some of these aren't going to be my best writing because it's not pre-planned and completely a one-sitting sort of thing, off-the-top-of-my-head story. And please, please, please remember, if you're going to make a request, to do it in my tumblr inbox. If sent in any other way, shape, or form, it will immediately be discarded. Thank you.**

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**Catch Me If You Can**

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Request: Cops and Robbers! Lelouch is a rookie cadet and C.C.'s a brilliant cat burglar and he just happens to be in the right place at the wrong time and catches her in the act.

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This was the part she always liked best, the part when she first slipped into the building. There was just something about the dark corridors and empty rooms that sent a delicious tingle up her spine.

Taking a deep breath and smelling the familiar mustiness that came with stealing into the oldest and most secure recesses of museums, C.C. quickly melted in with the shadows. Moving seamlessly with the dark, she quickly made her way to the glass case in which the beautiful Ezra Diamond, the world's largest and most valuable diamond, and most importantly, _her_ diamond was displayed.

Grinning as widely as the Cheshire Cat, she set to work and soon enough, the enormous jewel sat in her palm. Purring with satisfaction, she carefully packed it into her backpack and cleaned up. Stage one having been cleared, it was finally time for stage two - getting out safe and sound.

She had always hated the second stage. Just because she stole from museums, it didn't mean she hated them. On the contrary, she adored them. They were the ones who told stories of the past unfiltered and as it was. Or at least, much less corrupted than history books, which was always written by the victors. But it was money over the museum, her life over history, and she could always visit the museum when it was legal to. For now, it would be enough to just get out without being caught.

She knew he was there before he even rounded the corner. She could hear his footsteps and see his flashlight. But she had noticed too late for her to hide and soon found herself nearly blinded with the sudden stream of light. Fortunately for her, she was going so fast, she hurdled into him. With a grunt, they fell to the ground, a tangle of arms and legs. She felt the bag slip out of her hands and cursed. Not the bag!

Scrambling up, she sprinted after it, when a hand caught her ankle. Falling hard to the ground, she bit back a groan. Now wasn't the time to cry over a little bruise. She had to get the hell out of there before the patrol called any back-up, which could be any second. Kicking him off, she stood up, when a pair of arm suddenly came out of nowhere and dragged her down one more time to the floor. Frustrated, she glared up at the man who was leaning over her, reciting her rights while pulling out a pair of glinting handcuffs. There was no way she was going to be arrested like this. Not after such a long and illustrious career, there was no way she was going to be taken out by some nobody cop who had happened to be in the right place at the right time.

So she'd do something about it.

Turning around so that she was on her back, she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist before pulling him down until their lips crashed into each other. He resisted at first, but not for long. They never resisted for long.

She felt his grip loosen as one hand tangled itself in her hair and the other rested on her hip, just above her holster. She stopped him before he could move any further down. Instead, she laced their fingers together as she gently pushed him onto his back so that she was on top.

It was a sweet kiss. He tasted like vanilla, and C.C. had always liked vanilla. Vanilla ice cream always went will with pizza, not to mention how it was a pretty white color. She wondered if he liked vanilla ice cream too, and if she had led another life, if she had met him in this other life, if they would have gone out one summer day for some vanilla ice cream.

Oh, well, what did it matter if they would have in another life when she was living this one?

She pulled away from him just before the delicate _click_ of the handcuffs snapping shut around the metal bar sounded. His eyes widened and she smiled.

"It was nice meeting you, Officer, but I'm afraid I've somewhere to be."

Giving him one last peck that was _almost_ apologetic, she stood up and calmly collected her bag just before making her escape. Just as the window quietly closed shut behind her, a squad of policemen ran into the empty corridor. They had heard noises, and it had sounded like there had been a fight. Could it have been…?

"Lamperouge?"  
"What are you doing there? Why are you handcuffed?"  
"Lamperouge, just because you're new, it doesn't give you an excuse to-"  
"I have a DNA sampling of the thief." Lelouch raised his hand, and sure enough, a strand of hair as thin as a cat's whisker lay pinched between his fingers. "Thus, the identity of the thief."  
"What? You're lying!"  
"Then why don't we take it to the lab and find out who the true liar is?"  
"We need to chase after-"  
"There's no point. She's already far from here."  
"How would you know?"  
"A feeling. And some research, along with a little common sense."

His senior officers glared and grumbled - he had one upped them again, the damn rookie. But as Lelouch unhandcuffed himself, little did he know that the notorious cat burglar always wore a wig on her outings and that the strand of chocolate-brown hair in his grasp would not, in fact, yield the identity of the international thief the police had been chasing for several years.

But then again, it wasn't as if that was their last encounter. Oh, no - because if there was one thing that C.C. specialized in was, it was stealing whatever had caught her interest, and the smirk that the handcuffed police officer had given her as she made her get-away had certainly caught her interest.

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**Request Complete**


	2. Jealousy

**Jealousy**

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Request: Do you think you could do a random fluffy oneshot from the SnG-verse? Like maybe just a random scene where Lelouch and C.C. are talking and one of them says something that could be taken the wrong way and the cute awkwardness that would ensue?

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"Have you noticed how Suzaku's getting a lot of attention lately?"  
"From who?"  
"From the women around."  
"Hmmm."

C.C. glanced at the man besides her, who was leaning on the railing of the balcony. He was looking off into the distance as the light spring breeze ruffled his hair with a slightly disturbed expression on his face. Well, no, not disturbed… He didn't look disturbed per se, but he didn't exactly look undisturbed either… But if he didn't look disturbed or undisturbed, then what was it?

She closed her eyes and frowned as she tried to think of what it was that his expression reminded her of. It was on the top of her tongue… She had seen this face before somewhere, she swore she had, she just couldn't… Quite… Remember-

"Jealousy!" A grin broke out on her face. That was it! Jealousy! The bewildered look on Lelouch's face only made her smile wider. Triumphantly crossing her arms, she smirked at him. Oh, she had him now.

"Jealousy?" he asked.  
"You're jealous, aren't you? That Suzaku's getting so much attention?"

She could just see him rolling her words around on his tongue before his confusion quickly boiled into indignity.

"Jealous? Of Suzaku? As if I would ever be jealous-"  
"No, I don't mean jealous of Suzaku. You're jealous because you can't hog him all to yourself."  
"Don't be stupid, why-"  
"It's alright, Lelouch, you don't have to pretend in front of me. I'm your closest friend after all. You don't have to act like you're not in love with Suzaku."

Oh man, she loved this. She never once missed an opportunity to tease him, especially with Suzaku, because it ticked him so easily. She should do this more often, she decided. It was fun seeing him react like this, even if making a couple out of him and someone else hurt, even if it was out of fun. Because even with all of her poking fun, C.C. still loved the boy and it was always going to hurt her a little no matter if it was in the name of fun.

"Come on, Lelouch, I know. Nunnally told me, it's alright, I-"  
"Why would I be jealous of Suzaku when I love you?!"

She stared at him, shocked and wide-eyed. He stared at her, shocked and wide-eyed. They stood frozen for several of the longest minutes in all their lives before he looked away, flushing a bright tomato red, as he muttered, "Look what you did, you idiot."

Uncomfortable, they both went back to gazing down upon Wall Maria from their vantage point. It was some time before any spoke, and of course, it was C.C., and not flustered and embarrassed Lelouch, who spoke first.

"Do you really love me?"  
"Can we not talk about that?"  
"But do you?"  
"C.C, I thought-"  
"Tell me, and I'll drop it."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."

She waited as he buried his head into his arms, probably internally berating himself for his slip of the tongue. And though she was impatient, she waited. She knew what type of person Lelouch was and that pushing him when it came to things like this wouldn't help. She was soon rewarded.

"I do."  
"You do what?"  
"I do… Love you, I mean."

C.C. smiled and hummed to herself. Next to her, Lelouch buried his head in his arms again, miserable with embarrassment. He wanted to smack himself for being so rash. He hated making such a fool of himself, especially in front of her, and he began to lecture himself on the importance of prudence, when he suddenly felt her comfortable weight resting on his shoulders and her familiar vanilla scent filled his nose and her silky hair brush his arms and neck, and all regret seemed to just dissipate. Even the frown that he had adopted melted away as he heard her reply and felt her lips gently press against his cheek, and all darkness seemed to just vanish. And standing there together, Lelouch smiled.

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**Request Complete**


	3. Prayer

**Prayer**

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Request: Victorian Britain forbidden love. Lelouch and his family are the personal servants of a Lord's household and C.C is the young Lady, the two have known each other since they were very young. At this point in time, neither is engaged, but she is being courted by other young men. While this is happening, Lelouch is taking over his own father's position as head of the household, meaning he can't get away often

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"Have you decided yet?"  
"Decided what?"

Milly curiously glanced at her friend, who was busy trailing her fingers in the clear blue lake in which they were taking a leisurely Sunday afternoon boat ride. She knew that she didn't pay much attention to the men who called upon her doorstep, but to think that she hadn't even give them any thought whatsoever? Even with way her mother and father had been nagging her without rest for months on end? It was unbelievable even to Milly Ashford, and she had spent all her life growing up with her.

"C.C., you should at least consider your options."  
"And then what? Marry one of them without any thought like you did? You know, that Cardemonde boy loved you with everything he had."  
"Father didn't-"  
"For all of your playfulness, you're terribly submissive once your father comes into the picture, aren't you?"  
"Not all of us can afford the same luxuries as you, C.C. Not all of us can live out our romances."  
"What romance?"  
"Oh, you think I don't know? You think I can't see the way he looks at you? I may have had Rivalz, but at least I never accepted his advances."  
"I've never accepted his advances," she replied lazily. But her protests were too weak to amount to much. Besides, Milly had known for a couple of years anyway, of what had been going on in secret in the Corabelle Household. She had noticed how the land steward's son, who was only two years older than the young mistress of the estate, had grown up to be a fine, handsome man with the educated tone and the soft manners of a well-bred gentleman. And she knew that she hadn't been the only one to notice either. Though C.C. never said anything about it, Milly could tell when something had happened because she could never quite stop smiling. Which was rare for as stoic of a person as her friend. But that was the power of love, wasn't it?

"Are you planning on marrying him?"  
"What?"  
"Have you two discussed marriage?"

It was some time before there was any reply.

"He's been busy and we haven't been able to sit down and talk."  
"So you're really going to marry him? C.C., think of what your parents will say! My family won't let me meet you again if you marry him, you'll lose all of your friends!"  
"Then they weren't really my friends in the first place, were they?" Sitting up, she smoothed her periwinkle dress. "I never said I was going to marry him, Milly. He knows as well as you and I do what it'll mean if I marry him."  
"But you do want to."  
"I don't know," she admitted. "I haven't completely thought it through."

The two young women sat in silence, each stewing in their own thoughts. C.C. languidly watched as butterflies flitted here and there among the trimmed peony bushes - once again, Jeremiah hadn't failed to deliver.

They drifted through the water lilies, as tranquil as a dream, until they heard a familiar voice say, "Forgive the intrusion, however, Ms. Ashford, your fiancé has arrived, and he would like to see you. He is currently in the West Parlor, waiting for you to join him."

Milly fanned herself. What could Lloyd possibly want? He didn't want to discuss his latest and greatest invention to her, did he? Even if he _was_ an earl, and even if she herself wasn't exactly the most normal person out there, at times, her fiancé's eccentricities were just a little… _Too_ much to handle.

With a sigh and a resigned smile, she said, "Perhaps we should go in. It's nearly time for supper anyway."

"You go in first. I'm going to stay out a little longer."  
"With Lelouch?"  
"He's Mr. Lamperouge, ever since he was promoted."  
"On his way to climbing the ladder, huh?"  
"He said he doesn't really want to take his father's place, but since the pay is good, and since my mother adores him, there's really no better place for him to go."  
"Except for your bedroom."

C.C. snorted. "As if I would ever invite him in there. I much prefer his room anyhow. It's cozier."

Milly stared at her friend. When she didn't hear anything, C.C. opened an eye. "What is it?"

"You've slept-"  
"It's not the kind of thing you're thinking of. We're not reckless, Milly. Rebellious, yes, but reckless? No. We wouldn't dare take that risk. Not yet, anyway."  
"Be careful, C.C. You remember what happened to Suzaku Kururugi? He was a duke, but after he married Lelouch's sister, society's completely shunned him and the Kururugi lineage."  
"But at least they're happy together. Which is all I really want."  
"And I do hope that you are. If not me, then at least you."  
"Oh cheer up, Milly. I'm sure Rivalz wouldn't mind paying you a visit a night or two."

They laughed, and when the small boat gently bumped into the dock, Milly gave her friend a tight hug before letting the servant help her out. Waving off an offer of guiding her, she walked down the beautiful garden path. Twirling her parasol, she peeked up at the sky. Hmm… Happy, huh? Well, Milly hadn't been lying when she had said that she hoped that C.C. would be able to be happy with her marriage. She knew so many women who weren't, who had been forced to marry men they didn't know all because they hadn't been able to muster up the courage to stand up against society, courage which she, Milly Ashford, unfortunately lacked.

But C.C. might. C.C., with her sarcasm and feistiness and independence might be able to do what so many couldn't. And Milly knew as well as her friend did how Lelouch was the only one for her. He was the only one who could truly understand her. Even she, her self-proclaimed best friend, didn't know C.C. the way Lelouch did. But she supposed that was expected. They _had_ grown up together after all. There was no doubt about how close they were to each other, and how familiar they were. The only question remained was what would become of their relationship, and what it would do to the fabric of Victorian society if the most powerful nobleman in all of England suddenly lost his most valuable asset to the land steward's son. Milly wasn't one to pray, but she decided that she'd finally kneel down and do some pleading. After all, it wasn't everyday when your friend admitted to having a forbidden love.

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**Request Complete**


	4. Truth

**Truth**

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Request: maybe a soul mates au? idk if you've seen those posts floating around tumblr, but something about your soul mates name as a birthmark on your wrist when you're born or something?

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"This will be our last letter together."

She looked up from the small, ornate writing desk at his words. She looked at him, but he had turned his back to her so she wouldn't be able to see his expression, which was undoubtedly a mirror of her own. There was no sound to be heard, save for the birds chirping by the tower's solitary window, and the faint shattering of her heart. C.C. tried to keep herself together - from the very beginning, she had known that this day would come. Now that it had finally arrived, it was important that she act like a person of her position should - perform her duty and then leave. But her knuckles were snow-white and her hand trembled as she tightly gripped the quill. Nor could she stop the despair raining down upon her. So she said the only thing she could at the moment.

"Yes, your Highness."

And they resumed, he speaking aloud, her transcribing in beautiful calligraphy his royal messages. She tried not to let her thoughts dwell on what he had just said. She had already crossed the forbidden boundary with all that she had done with him, she would be passing the point of no return if she were to think of what the tightness in her chest meant. Enough was enough, and playtime was over. He himself had told her that they couldn't go on past what they were now, which was just a royal prince and a simple servant.

C.C. tried to concentrate on the letter, but her hand kept shaking and her vision was blurry all of a sudden for some strange reason, and before she knew it, several black dots of ink were splattered across the page. She wasn't sure whether to be upset or relieved.

"It seems we'll have to start over."

The hairs on her nape rose as she felt his warm breath tickle her. From behind, a hand reached out and picked up the half-written letter. The Prince straightened up and held it up to the dying sunlight.

"Wouldn't you agree, C.C.?" he asked.  
"Yes, your Highness."  
"Very well. Since it's very late, and I know how painful it is to write by candlelight, we shall continue this tomorrow afternoon."

She nodded and placed the quill back into its silver holder. As she stood up and smoothed her apron, C.C. was well aware of how his eyes followed her every move. Pushing the chair in, she curtsied, bidding him a good evening, and was about to leave the tower that she had familiarized herself with over the past few weeks, when she heard him say, "What does your Mark say?"

"My Mark, sire?"  
"Yes. What does it say?"

Her hands slowly fisted her apron. She didn't want to talk about this. Not right now, not ever, especially not when he had just told her that they'd be saying goodbye to one another forever very soon. Keeping her back to him, she said, "It doesn't matter what my Mark says, Highness, as my life is dedicated to serving you and the royal family."

"Yes, but what does it say?" His voice had an impatient edge to it. "What name is it? Who is your soul mate?"  
"I am not at liberty to discuss my Mark any further. My apologies, sire, but court law mandates that I-"  
"Don't reveal the name of your Mark to anyone within the imperial family, yes, I know extremely well. I'm sorry for putting you in such an uncomfortable position."

She didn't reply and merely looked down at her hands, which were tightly clasped together in anxiety. She wanted nothing more to leave, to be alone, but she knew that he wasn't done. He was far from done. And though she knew that the rest of what he had to say was going to hurt her, she stayed because he was the Crown Prince, and she was just a poor servant.

"They cut my right hand off when I was 6 years old. All in the name of politics. Because they didn't like what my Mark said, they cut my hand off, making it look like an accident so that the people wouldn't be angered what the royal family had done to their beloved crown prince. But I never forgot what my Mark said. Even after two decades have passed, there's never been one day where I've forgotten my Mark and there's never been one second that passed where I haven't wondered who she is and when I would meet her."

She reached for the door handle. He was getting too close for her comfort. One more step in the right direction, and everything would come crashing down, she wouldn't be able to pretend anymore, and she wasn't going to let that happen. It was imperative that she leave - she'd leave and say that she burnt her hand and couldn't write his Highness's letter. Another girl would be sent, and she'd be able to escape the truth forever. Yes, that was it, she-

"But I've met her already, haven't I, Cera?"

Her eyes widened at the sound of her name. When had he…?

He turned her around, and as his arms wound around her in a tight hug, he whispered, "For how long were you going to hide from me?"

"Weeks? Months? Years?" he asked. "A lifetime?"  
"We shouldn't-"  
"I am to be married next month. You know this well, as most of the letters you've written for me were to my fiancé. But what you don't know, Cera, is that in the last letter you were writing, I was going to break the engagement. The Princess and I don't get along, and a tumultuous marriage is worse than the King growing old by himself. She agrees with me, and happily too. There's already a man that she loves and belongs with, just as there's someone I already love and belong with."

She pushed him away. "You shouldn't make rash decisions based off of some birthmark telling you the name of your soulmate. Think of how many Cera's there are in the kingdom alone. I could be the wrong-"

"You're not," he said firmly. "Ever since you walked into that room, I always knew that it was you. And you did too, didn't you?"

C.C. looked away.

"I'm not asking you to marry me. But I'm asking you to at least give me a chance."  
"Do I really have a choice?"  
"Yes. I would never force anything on you."

And she knew it was true. He wouldn't. She remembered the times when she had hurt her hands in the kitchen, and how he wouldn't ask her to hold the quill for him on those days, and instead simply talked to her. And he didn't talk to her as a prince would to a subject - it had been comfortable between the two since the very first day and the very first letter. He had been kind to her, extremely unlike the rumors of the cold and mad prince that had been locked up in the castle's highest tower. And he had been able to understand her like no one else had, what with having both their mothers viciously taken away from them by Death. And though he was considered to be damaged goods with the absence of his hand, it wasn't as if she was perfect either.

Why couldn't she just admit it? The way she had been feeling for the past several weeks?

She decided to give up. She was tired of pretending, and with the way he was looking at her, it wasn't as if she had much fight in her anymore. So she answered her own question. Slowly leaning on his chest, C.C. closed her eyes before saying, "I hate it when you're right."

And then she kissed him.

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**Request Complete**


	5. The Dark Prince

**The Caterpillar**

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Request: Batman AU? Where CC is Cat woman and Lelouch is Batman? I dunno, your cops and robbers drabble was so cute and fun it made me wanna see this, pwease. :3

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"Welcome back, Mr. vi Britannia."

Lelouch blearily blinked at the bespectacled man who was grinning down at him.

"How are you feeling?" he questioned.  
"Like I've just come back from the dead." Groaning, he closed his eyes again. The sunlight was blinding him, and his head was pounding, his body felt bruised all over, and it felt like there was a heavy weight pushing down on his chest. He could feel a dull ache in his side and automatically knew that if he were to look down, he would find blood-stained bandages. Damn it all. Lloyd seemed to know what he was thinking because he chuckled.  
"Yes, well, that's what happened. You were brought back from the dead. Jeremiah here so desperately didn't want you to stay with them, so I took the liberty to bring you back."  
"Master Lelouch!"

Lelouch shifted his arms a bit and cracked an eye open to see his butler tearfully standing over his bed.

"Master Lelouch, are you feeling well again?"  
"How long have I been out?"  
"For three days, sir."  
"Three days…" His lips curled back in displeasure. Three days? Three days meant that Schneizel's plan was almost set in order. He was cutting it close with three days having gone by.

"Master, would you like something to eat? I've brought you a glass of water, sir, and the medicine that Lloyd prescribed you."

Clenching his teeth out of frustration, he struggled up into a sitting position, but the dull aching in his abdomen suddenly lit on fire and he grunted in pain. An arm appeared out of nowhere to help him up, and he gratefully took the glass of water his butler held out for him.

"Where's C.C.?"  
"Are you perhaps referring to the young woman who came with you?"

The raven-haired man glanced at Lloyd. Why would he know about C.C.?

"The young woman is currently in bed. She has been, for the past three days."

He looked up sharply. "She's not conscious?"

"Not for the past few days, no. I've tried everything, but it appears that she hasn't lived the luxurious life that you have, Mr. vi Britannia. Her internal system hasn't been able to escape the unscrupulous food companies of today's world."  
"Where is she, Jeremiah?"  
"She is currently in the Blue Room."  
"Hand me my cane," he ordered. But Jeremiah protested.

"Master, you shouldn't exert your body until your wound has healed. It-"  
"Hand me my cane. Right now."  
"… Yes, sir."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

He'd never seen her in broad daylight before. Not even that one night they had spent together. She had vanished without a trace before he had woken. But he could see it now, and he saw what beauty the darkness hid.

He still couldn't figure her out. There were no patterns to her behavior, as if she had no agenda and made all of her decisions spontaneously. No history, no name. She was just a wisp of smoke, a shadow - never quite completely there and impossible to catch. Until now.

She almost looked peaceful. But he knew she wasn't. He could see the pain wracking her in the way her muscles were tense and there was a slight crease between her brows. Perhaps it was better that she wasn't conscious yet. If the pain was too much for her to bear, perhaps this was better for the time being. Especially after she had risked her life to save him, even possibly sacrificed her own life. The thought disturbed him. Why would she, the woman notorious for looking after herself only, help him when nothing came out of it for her?

In the end, he had to admit that he didn't know and turned away from her. That was enough for one day. He had other things to do - he was three days behind Schneizel, and time was ticking. But before that, he had one more thing to do.

Tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear, brushing her jaw with his knuckles, before rising and calling for his butler.

"Jeremiah."  
"Yes, Master Lelouch?"  
"Get Rakshata Chawla on the phone."  
"Rakshata Chawla? But sir, Rakshata Chawla is-"  
"Get her on the phone. I need to speak to her."  
"Yes, sir."

As Lelouch limped away, he could feel Jeremiah's eyes burning into him. He knew why. Rakshata Chawla, or the Caterpillar as she was most commonly known, was the notorious "mad" scientist of Pendragon's underworld. Her ways were often unethical ways, and most stayed away from her. But those who were desperate enough went to the Caterpillar, since she was as wise as she was dangerous. The doctors, in their white coats and sterile environments, wouldn't know about the poison that Schneizel had fed them. But Rakshata would, and to Rakshata he would go to.

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**Request Complete**


	6. She

**She**

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Request: Lelouch is really popular at school and C.C. is really unpopular, and the two start going out and no one likes it and Lelouch comes to C.C.'s defense. Please?

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"What is it, Suzaku? What's on your mind?"

Suzaku started before guiltily peeking at his friend from the corner of his eye. Ducking his head, he wondered if he really could be read like an open book before speaking his mind.

"Aren't you bothered by it all, Lelouch? All of the staring and the pointing and the hatred?"

It was a long time before there was any answer. Suzaku broke out in a cold sweat as he waited for what the reply would be. When it finally came, he flushed. He was right. Of course he was right, he was always right. Lelouch patted him on the shoulder, but whether was out of pity or consolation, he didn't know. Suzaku was far too ashamed to know.

As he stood there on the balcony all by himself, he turned Lelouch's words over in his head. He didn't think he'd ever forget that moment in his life when he had finally answered.

Suzaku was pretty sure he'd never forget what he said.

_"I've noticed, Suzaku. But the love I have for C.C. is stronger than the pain I feel from their jeers, so why should I be bothered when in the end, C.C. is what matters, and not their shallow opinions?"_

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**Request Complete**


	7. Wine

**A/N: Please remember to direct all and any requests to my tumblr inbox. The link to my tumblr can be found on my profile. Thank you very much.**

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**Wine**

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Request: Can you write something featuring a drunk Lelouch and sober C.C.? I think it would be hilarious.

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"Are you sure you'll be alright?"  
"Yeah, it's fine."

C.C. shifted Suzaku. He sighed in his sleep before muttering something or other under his breath and tightening his grip on her. Irritation flashed across her face but she didn't comment and only waved Lelouch off. When he didn't go, she said, "Nunnally's waiting for you, isn't she? Besides, he lives closer to my place than yours."

"I'll at least help you get a taxi."

She didn't protest. Suzaku was heavy, and it was late at night. He walked up to her, waiting for any cars to pass by in the empty street. As they stood in silence, she moved the brunette to her other shoulder. God, why did he have to be so muscular?

"Are you sure you're alright?"  
"It's fine."  
"Hmph. As to be expected from the Witch."

She rolled her eyes. Of course he would use her nickname from high school.

"If I were you, I'd worry more for myself than someone else."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You had a couple of glasses too."

He snorted. "As if that's going to affect me in any way."

"Not your ego, but your motor skills, yes it will."  
"Are you worried for me?" He smirked and she looked down the street, wondering why all of the taxis in the city had gone. The street was completely barren.  
"Don't be ridiculous. As if I would ever worry over you."  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

When she didn't reply, he grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at him. "C.C., what's that supposed to mean?"

"What's what supposed to mean? Let go of my wrist, it hurts."

He let go of her but refused to drop the subject. "Why wouldn't you ever care about me?"

"You don't need me to care, you have Suzaku and Euphemia and Nunnally and everyone else to care about you. What's wrong with you, why are you so obsessed with-"

"I need you to care. I need you to care most of all out of everyone I know. I _want_ you to care about me. I want you to care just as much as I love you."

She stared at him with wide-eyes. What?

His cheeks, which were already flushed from alcohol, turned a darker red as he yelled, "I love you and I need you to care about me, god dammit, C.C.!"

"Shut up, Lelouch, you'll wake up the entire neighborhood!"  
"No, I'm not going to shut up, this has been going on for too long. You're always looking after everyone else, especially Suzaku. What, are you in love with him or something? Suzaku has Euphemia, you know!"  
"Lelouch, you objected against their relationship, you can't just-"  
"Yeah, well, I might accept it if it'll make you look at me."

C.C. wasn't sure what to think or say. Clearly, he was drunk out of his mind and had no idea what he was doing. She couldn't take him seriously. If she did, awkwardness would ensue, and knowing Lelouch, they'd probably end up in estrangement, which she would hate because maybe she really liked him back in the same way but just didn't know what to do with her feelings so she overcompensated and always took care of everyone else when really, she just really liked him and-

"I love you," he said gravely. And then before she could even do anything, he leaned down and kissed her. When it ended, she stared at him. She could taste the wine from his lips and it was probably the worst first kiss she'd ever had, on part of that being Lelouch's first kiss in his entire life and his inebriation, but godammit, she was so happy.

He averted her gaze. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I-"

Dropping Suzaku, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down until his lips crashed into hers. He was drunk. He was drunk and she shouldn't take him seriously and he was probably going to forget he had ever said anything when morning came, but for now, it was enough. For now, his drunken confession would be enough, would be more than enough.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	8. Smile

**Smile**

* * *

Request: Lelouch's wife C.C. is dying of cancer and Lelouch is trying to cope with the idea of living without her. When his heart starts breaking all over again C.C. Is there to comfort him.

* * *

She held him as tightly as she possibly could, and then she held him some more as he buried his nose into her hair.

"Don't leave me, C.C. Please don't leave me."  
"I'm going to be right here, Lelouch."

He was trembling as he silently wept in her arms. His voice was thick as he apologized to her, for not being strong for her, for being so helpless, for things that weren't in his control and yet he was still sorry for. Her heart broke in two with every apology and every tear. Oh, her poor husband…

"It's not your fault."  
"I should have-"  
"Lelouch, it's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault."  
"But-"  
"But nothing. There's nothing to blame, no one to act as scapegoat. There's no need to apologize, and there's no need for any anger. Do you understand?"

He didn't say anything.

"Lelouch, do you understand me?"  
"… Yes."  
"Then good," she said gently. "Then don't cry anymore. It hurts to see you like this."  
"I'm sorr-"  
"And never apologize to me for this. It's not your fault."

He nodded and she wiped his tears away with the pad of her thumb. Smiling at him, she whispered, "Everything will be alright, my love."

"But there's no cu-"  
"If you believe that everything will be alright," she interrupted, "then everything will be alright. Do you not trust my judgment?"  
"I trust your judgment."  
"Then smile for me, Lelouch. Show me the smile I love."

His eyes were wet with tears, and the pain and heartache he suffered from didn't grow any less in intensity, but he smiled all the same. It was what she wanted, what his wife wanted, and he was going to give it to her. He was going to give her everything that she wanted. He'd told her before when they were younger, that he would give her the world, that he would do his best to make her smile, and if his smile was going to make her happy, then he'd willingly swallow the bitterness and anger and despair. If only to see her smile.

"There it is," she murmured. "There's that smile."

And then she smiled. And so did he.

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**Request Complete**


	9. America

**America**

* * *

Request: Sequel to the Victorian fanfic please! :)

* * *

"What's wrong, C.C.?"

Milly glanced at her friend, who had been sitting with an extremely stiff upper lip and a rigid posture ever since they had sat down for a cup of tea and their usual round of gossip. She knew that C.C. was stoic, but she was never like… Like _this_. This was just… _Clearly_, something big had happened, and whatever that something was, it wasn't good.

"Is it Lelouch? Oh C.C., you know how boys can be at times. They're not as clever or as perceptive as we can be at times, and unfortunately, as much as we'd like them to, they can't-"  
"He's moving to America."  
"What?"  
"I said," she set down her teacup with an angry _clink, "he's moving to America."_

Well. This wasn't anything she had expected, that was for sure.

"What do you mean he's moving to America?" Milly slowly asked. Maybe she had heard wrong? Lloyd always was asking her if she'd heard what he'd said.

"Milly, there's no other meaning of the sentence "He's moving to America," Lelouch is moving to America and there's no changing his mind."  
"Are you sure he wasn't joking? Because his jokes are terri-"  
"He's not joking. Mother confirmed it."  
"But… But why would he-"  
"Because my aunt is sick, and so he's being sent to care for her. If she likes him, which she will, then he'll stay there. For however long until she drops dead."  
"Why can't she just-"  
"Because my aunt doesn't trust anybody and she remembers Lelouch from before she moved to America, and now he's going across the ocean to be with her for the rest of his damn life."  
"There has to be a better reason than that. Lelouch would never leave you. He loves you."  
"Yes, well, I thought so too, but clearly, we're both wrong."

Milly chewed on her lip. America? But that was so far away… And not to mention how terrible the timing was, just when C.C.'s father had just started adding more pressure onto her to accept one of the men that called on her. It would have been best if Lelouch stayed by her side, especially when things became extremely difficult for her. Didn't he know what it'd be like for C.C. if he weren't there with her?

"Why doesn't he refuse? They can send someone else. Lelouch isn't _that_ special."  
"You don't know my aunt," C.C. sighed. "And there's also something I haven't told you."  
"What is it?"  
"My father found out."  
"About what?"

There was a slight pause and Milly's eyes widened. He couldn't have possibly…? Could he have?

"That's why he's being sent to America and that's also why he's hosting that dance tomorrow evening. Milly, what am I supposed to do?"

With a determined look, she set down her teacup and took hold of her friend's hands.

"You have three options. You can run away with him to America. But we all know you can't do that. You can marry him before he moves. But we all know you can't do that either, unless you want to be disowned by your parents. Or you can wait for him to come back."  
"And if he doesn't?"  
"He will. Have some faith in him, C.C. Doesn't he love you?"  
"Yes," she said reluctantly.  
"Did he promise to come back?"  
"… Yes."  
"Does he keep his promises?"  
"Most of them, yes."  
"Does he keep his promises to you?"

She sullenly nodded.

"Then there's nothing to worry about. Believe in the power of love, C.C.! Believe in his love for you!"

She nodded and the two sat in silence until C.C.'s frown deepened.

"America… How can he throw him out all the way to America?"

Milly patted her friend on the shoulder as she buried her face into her hands. Oh, the woes of young love…

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**Request Complete**


	10. Snowball

**A/N: Spin-off set in the universe of _Operation Orange._**

* * *

**Snowball**

* * *

Request: A cheesy Christmas fanfic with a little bit of action (if you know what I mean)! Preferably in canon universe, but whatever floats your boat. MORE POWER TO YOU!

* * *

"Master Lelouch!"

Jeremiah leapt in front of his beloved master and took the flying snowball in the chest before landing in the snow with a cloudy _poof_. Lelouch turned around, wondering what had just happened. He gagged and shivered at the same time as he wiped off the snowball that had just hit him square in the face.

"Nice shot, Anya!"  
"Anya!" sputtered the raven-haired man. Hurriedly pawing off the freezing snow off, he nearly gasped from the flakes that snuck into the collar of his shirt. He glared at the witch, who was doubled over in laughter.  
"You should have seen your face, Lelouch. Not that I could see it either, what with it being covered in snow."  
"You _witch!_Come here and I'll show you how to make a real snowball!"  
"As if you've gone outside often enough to know," she snorted. Lelouch's cheeks, which were already rosy from the cold, flushed an even darker red as he marched up to her.

"C.C., you witch, it's not as if you've been out much either, what with your lazy and gluttonous ways. I'd say I've been outside more than you have. At least I pull my weight around on the farm. What do you do, besides laying around all day and night?"  
"Oh, you _know_ what goes on come nightfall, Lelouch darling. Don't make me say it in front of Anya, she's far too innocent and pure to-"  
"That's enough! Anya, don't listen to anything she's saying, she's lying-"  
"Oh look, mistletoe."

Just as Lelouch looked up to see what Anya was pointing to, since there was nothing above them save for the grey winter sky, Jeremiah joined the trio, asking what was wrong, just before C.C. leaned up and kissed him.

Both Lelouch and Jeremiah went ballistic.

Jeremiah immediately fell to his hands and knees, feeling extremely numb, shocked, and appalled for having touched Master Lelouch's love in such an intimate way. Tears welling in his eyes, he clung to his master's wet snow-covered boots as he begged for forgiveness for betraying him and his trust. Lelouch meanwhile completely ignored Jeremiah's yelling as he in turn started yelling at C.C. for being so reckless and rude to Jeremiah. Anya just stood there, taking pictures of the chaos, while C.C. dug in her pockets, obviously looking for something.

"Look at me while I'm talking to you, witch!" he shouted. "I am sick and tired of being treated as if I'm some-"  
"Ah, here it is."

Taking her mittened hand out of her pocket, Lelouch glanced down at it to see that it was empty, only for her to lean up and peck him on the nose.

What?

"Is that better? Seriously, Lelouch, sometimes you act like a complete child. You're immortal - act more like someone your age."  
"Wha- That's not the problem right now!"  
"Then what's the problem?"  
"Why do you never listen to me?"

She stared at him before saying, "Anya. Jeremiah. Leave us."

When Jeremiah didn't stop crying, C.C. sharply said, "Jeremiah, if you don't go inside with Anya and help Sayoko with dinner, then Master Lelouch will never forgive you."

Jeremiah immediately picked himself up and dashed inside, a cloud of snow kicked up by his boots. When they were alone, she looked at him again and asked, "What's the problem?"

"Why are you constantly treating me as if I'm not a human? Why do I never get respect from you? Do you not respect me as a human? Do you not like me?"  
"You're human."  
"Then why do you-"  
"When have I ever treated you lesser than a human?"  
"You just threw a snowball in my face."  
"Lelouch, six-year-old children play like that. It was just in the name of fun. Loosen up, you're never going to survive if you're so uptight all of the time."

When he didn't answer, she gently shook him by the shoulders.

"Come on, Lelouch, lighten up."  
"... C.C., do you think I'm boring?"  
"What?"  
"Do you..." He looked away, embarrassed by his own curiosity. "Do you think I'm boring?"

She stared at him for a long time before smiling. He missed her smile as he looked up at the grey sky, loathing to make eye-contact with her. She was probably fighting to hold back her laughter and was going to poke fun at him any second. He just knew it. She always did, why would she pass up on this golden opportunity and-

"I think you're the most interesting person I've ever met. I've told you before, Lelouch. I've never met a man like you before."

Surprised, he turned to face her. His eyes widened as he realized how close she had gotten.

"I've never found you boring, Lelouch. Ever. So smile. It's Christmas Eve after all."  
"I hate Christmas," he muttered, all the while trying to keep her in his line of vision.  
"I know. But maybe this year won't be so bad. Don't you think so?"  
"... Maybe."

Her smile widened and that was the last thing Lelouch saw before the few remaining inches between their lips were swallowed.

Inside, as Sayoko stuffed the turkey, she asked Jeremiah why he was sniffling. He merely shook his head as he furiously mashed the potatoes. Anya pet her cat as she wondered what Christmas presents were waiting for her under the tree before standing up to hang mistletoe in every conceivable place possible, as per C.C.'s instructions.

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**Request Complete**


	11. Summer

**A/N: _Hamlet_ and Vivaldi's Summer served as inspiration. And finals are almost over, praise the Lord.**

* * *

**Summer**

* * *

Request: Lelouch and CC are part of a royal family. Their parents decided that they will be married. But when CC's parents died, she end up to be the maid of Shirley's family. Then Lelouch's parents chose Shirley to be his new bride-to-be. Please :) Thanks (C.C. and Lelouch are both part of royal families. The Lamperouge family is the most powerful of them all. They know each other since they were little. Both of their parents agreed that they will be married when they were in legal age. But when C.C.'s parents died, they lost all of their riches. Lelouch's parents decided to cancel their engagement and let him marry the daughter of the Fenette family, the now second to the powerful family in the kingdom. C.C.'s and Shirley's family were really...)

* * *

"Lelouch?"

Shirley looked up at him, worried and with a frown. What was wrong? But he only ignored her as he stared over her head and at something behind her with a shocked expression. She turned to see what had caught his attention, only to see that it was the new maid, who was standing in the hallway, holding a silver tray and her own wide-eyed expression.

"C.C.?"

Shirley's voice snapped the maid out of the reverie and she let the tray crash to the ground as she turned on her heel and ran, the black skirt of her dress fluttering after her. Confused, the young mistress stared after her. What…?

And then Lelouch left her side as he gave chase, leaving her all alone in the brightly-lit corridor of the palace.

His lungs were on fire and there was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, but he didn't stop to rest. His hurried footsteps echoed throughout the dark and empty rooms of the mansion as he searched for her, hoping that she hadn't been a mirage, that he hadn't been hallucinating, and that he would please, please, _please_ find her so that he could ask her what had happened, why she had vanished, where she had hidden herself, why his entire world had been turned over on itself, why she had left him when they had been so in-

"C.C.!"

He spotted the tail end of her dress slip out into the beautiful gardens of the Fenette estate. Abandoning the hallways, he dove into the sultry summer evening after her. She hid herself behind a towering hedge and he was about to move towards her, when he heard, "Don't come any closer, Lelouch."

"C.C., what happened?"  
"What do you mean? Nothing happened."  
"What do you mean nothing happened? I heard the news of what happened to your parents. I'm sorry - they were good people."  
"They're gone now, so what does it matter?"  
"It matters because I'm supposed to protect you, with their absence."  
"No," she said bitterly, "You've been relieved from that obligation with my fall in Britannian society. Don't you know, Lelouch? Princes aren't supposed to involve themselves with women below them. You've been taught that since you were a child, don't you remember?"  
"You're not below me."  
"Things have changed. I am now, and you should learn to accept it just as I have."  
"I won't. I refuse to accept such a desolate fate. Why should I have to let you go when my feelings have never changed?"

She was grateful for the partition. She didn't think she could mask how he was making her feel. C.C. cursed him and his foolishness - the stupid boy was being stubborn at the wrong time once again. The fool! Didn't he know that they were worlds apart now? That things could never go back to the way it had once been? She had slipped and fallen, and there was no way she could pick herself back up and rejoin. It was unheard - the court of the Britannian Empire was one where mercy, trust, and forgiveness was absent. She had accepted her new life and adjusted accordingly - it was time for him to grow up and do the same.

"I still-"  
"Don't look for me ever again, Lelouch. Go back to your fiancé, return to your life and your throne, your ambitions, and leave me and the old life you once led. It will be better that way since I never once loved you."

And she walked away. Her harsh words were clawing at her, crushing her heart, but there was no other choice. It was for his own good. Princes weren't supposed to mingle with those of her adopted class, lest they be labelled as dishonorable and mad. His pursuit of her would only destroy the empire, and that was something they couldn't afford. Not with their homeland on the brink of war. So, she left him, all the while telling herself that she was doing him and her country a kindness, despite the tears glistening in the moonlight.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	12. Burden

**Burden**

* * *

Request: Maybe your take at what happened after Lelouch killed Euphie, how C.C. comforted him? Please :3

* * *

"We have our contract. I promised to stay with you until the very end," she murmured. Gently smoothing his hair, C.C. rested her cheek on his head as she embraced him.

"You're not alone, Lelouch."  
"Are you going to leave me too one day? Just as everyone else has?"

She was slow to reply. C.C. may have been a witch, but she didn't make promises she couldn't keep, and if history truly repeated itself, as she knew it did, she knew that she too one day would leave him, just as she had left Leila and Mao and the countless others she had spent time with and had granted Geass to. But the boy didn't need to know that right now. What he needed was warmth, comfort, someone to lean on, and reassurance. She may have been cold, but she wasn't heartless, and so, she held him as she whispered, "We made a promise for the future, didn't we, Lelouch?"

He looked up at her, and she studied the weariness in his eyes and the way his guilt was burdening him. He looked so lost and afraid. He was nothing like himself - she had never seen him look so blatantly vulnerable and helpless, so heartbroken as he truly realized what she had meant when she had told him that the power of the kings would make him lonely. Where had all of his arrogance gone, she wondered? Washed away with the blood of his sister and millions of the Japanese that had been massacred, all because of his folly. That was where it had gone.

There were tears in his eyes, tears that told her how deep his pain was. C.C. never let him go. She knew all too well how terrible and excruciating loneliness could be, so she never once let her arms fall to her side. Her silence was one of comfort as he wept into her embrace. His own arms eventually came up to wrap around her, his gloved nails digging into her shoulders as he tightly gripped her, as if saying that he was feeling so agonizingly alone and to please just stay with him.

His hold was hurting her, but C.C. bore the pain, if only to help ease his pain a little more. Sobs wracked him and he shook, and she never once let him go. When the torrent of tears had calmed some, she whispered into his hair.

"A burden shared is a burden halved."  
"You would willingly bear such guilt and pain?"  
"We are two of a kind. It would be wrong not to help someone so important."

And he was important to her. Perhaps for reasons different than she implied, but the survival and continuation of Lelouch vi Britannia, and his quest, was important to her. And so she would do whatever it took to get him down the path he had chosen, whether it was sacrificing her life for him, reprimanding him, or even lying to him. Lying wasn't beneath her - she had been lying for centuries, there had been times when she had even lied to herself, and she would continue lying, if it would help him recover.

"I will always be here for you, Lelouch. Everyone may leave you, your friends, your family, your army, but I will always be here."

He was silent and still for a long time, the only sign of his life being the rhythmic tickling of her ear by his warm breath. C.C. wondered what he was thinking, what he was going to say and do next. She considered rage or disbelief, or even over-attachment. What he did say, though, made C.C. remember how she had never met someone like the boy in her arms.

"Thank you, C.C."

Her eyes widened as an unfamiliar warmth spread over her. Even when he rose from his seat, she still hadn't quite recovered from the shock he had delivered with his kindness. She watched as he walked to the large window of the waiting room, his dark silhouette outlined by the golden glow of the dying sunlight, and resumed his post as Zero, the man of miracles, as Zero, the brilliant man behind the mask who had no mercy for Britannia and the injustice of the world.

C.C. eventually left the room, wanting to put space between herself and what had just happened. Leaning against the wall, she studied the pattern of the ceiling, reflecting on his words. The boy knew nothing. And he had probably forgotten how special those words to her, how before she had met him, she had never had those two words directed towards her in all of the lives she had led. Or, perhaps, he did remember, and this was her repayment for being with him in his time of need, when he was all alone and needed a shoulder to lean on, needed someone to wipe his tears. Perhaps he did remember. You could never really know with him - he might not know it, but just as she couldn't be predicted, there were at times when Lelouch was a wild card and was just as mysterious to her as she was to him. But that was what made things so interesting, wasn't it?

So, C.C. smiled.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	13. Pocket

**A/N: You can still leave messages in my inbox even if you don't have a tumblr.**

* * *

**Pocket**

* * *

Request: Oui, ça va. Can you do one post-R2 wherein the two finally get together formally but C.C. doesn't know how to act in a relationship and Lelouch finds it hard to deal? What resolution could you give? Merci beaucoup.

* * *

"C.C.? Are you ready? If we don't leave right now, we'll be…"

Lelouch stopped in the doorway of the bedroom, the cheerful light from the hallway spilling over to shatter the monotony of darkness that was swamping the room. He saw her standing in front of the open window, the crescent moon in the sky barely illuminating her silhouette and the spring evening breeze fluttering her silver dress - worry tied his stomach into a tight, intricate knot and he tried to swallow. What had happened?

"C.C.?"

It wasn't until he stepped towards her when she spoke.

"Don't come any closer, Lelouch."

He froze. The number of questions snowballed in his head, and the exhaustion in her voice made alarms go off as he wondered why she was acting this way and what had happened. But he already knew.

The moment C.C. hadn't come out of the room, he had already known what was about to happen.

The way she had shied away from him the past few weeks told him. Her silence told him, the way her hand was limp as if she were dead whenever he held her hand told him, the way that her smiles had become more and more rare told him how it was coming to an end. They weren't going to go to the restaurant, were they? They weren't going to make it out of this room together, were they?

"Do you love me, Lelouch?"

He didn't reply. His breath was becoming too shallow for him to draw enough oxygen to answer, to tell her that he did, even if… Even if the feeling wasn't mutual. He couldn't breathe well enough to tell her that yes, he did in fact love her and that he always had and that he always would no matter how she felt towards him.

"What's love, Lelouch? I don't know what it is. Tell me. What's love?"

His hand clenched into a tight fist as he tried to steady his voice before he answered.

"Love is one of the basic human emotions. Love is what makes us fight, even when all of the odds are agains our favor. Love is what changes the world. And love is what a couple shares and has for one another."  
"Are we a couple?"

Yes. He wanted to say it. Yes, they were. They had gone on dates. They had kissed. They had done everything that a couple did. Yes, they were a couple.

But he knew that he was clutching at straws, that he was trying to trick himself into thinking that his wishes were reality, that they were something more than just wistful thinking. So he told her the truth that had been wedged between them for some time.

"No."  
"We're not lovers?"  
"… No, C.C. We're not lovers."

He saw her shoulders relax, as if she had been relieved of a huge burden. His heart shattered - so she had hated it that much, had she? She had hated him that much, had she?

"I'm sorry, Lelouch," she said in a gentle voice. "I'm sorry for doing this. But I just can't… Take it anymore."  
"No. It's better this way. The last thing I want is to force you into something you don't want to do. It's fine. I'm fine."

But he was lying, and they both knew it. Yes, he didn't want to force her into a relationship. But he wasn't fine. He was the farthest thing from fine. It felt like a hole had been ripped into his chest where his heart had been and he felt sick to his stomach as he was forced to face the realization that C.C. wanted their relationship to end. Lelouch had forgotten what pain was, after all of these years as living as an immortal. But the memories of what pain felt like, of its vicious and merciless agony and torture returned in a tidal wave of despair. His nails dug into his palm, but fortunately, his voice came out as normally as it possibly could in the current situation.

"I'm going to go cancel the reservation."

She nodded and he left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. As Lelouch made his way down to the kitchen, he quietly struggled not to cry. It was ridiculous. He shouldn't cry. He was a man, and he had been born a prince and crowned an emperor - he should walk away as dignified as one of his birth, no matter how many centuries ago it had been.

But his hands shook as he reached for the phone sitting on the kitchen counter and his vision was blurry as he pushed the buttons for the restaurant's phone number and the grief demanded to be acknowledged, and before he knew it, Lelouch stood in the empty and desolate kitchen, his hand covering the tears that streamed down his cheeks as he grit his teeth to fight the ugly sobs that built up in the back of his throat. The phone lay on the cold floor by his feet, the angry dial tone that was breaking the miserable silence mirroring the way their break-up had destroyed his smile and the small velvet box in his pocket burning a hole in his chest as he admitted defeat.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	14. Pocket (Ver II)

**Pocket**

Ver. II

* * *

Request: Omg "Pocket" ended so sadly... Could you make an alternate happy ending?

* * *

"C.C.? Are you ready? If we don't leave right now, we'll be…"

Lelouch stopped in the doorway of the bedroom, the cheerful light from the hallway spilling over to shatter the monotony of darkness that was swamping the room. He saw her standing in front of the open window, the crescent moon in the sky barely illuminating her silhouette and the spring evening breeze fluttering her silver dress - worry tied his stomach into a tight, intricate knot and he tried to swallow. What had happened?

"C.C.?"

It wasn't until he stepped towards her when she spoke.

"Lelouch, we need to talk."  
"About what?"  
"… About our relationship."

He tensed at her words - their relationship? Why? Was there something wrong?

But Lelouch already knew the why. He wasn't blind. He wasn't deaf, and nor was he stupid. He had felt the way C.C. listlessly held his hand, had heard her monotone voice that told her that she didn't care about anything he asked her or talked to her about - hell, he couldn't even remember the last time they had kissed, much less sleep with each other. Something was terribly wrong with their relationship, and he knew why she wanted to talk to him and finally admit that they were having problems and issues that a normal, happy couple didn't have.

"Lelouch, I… I can't do this anymore," she said tiredly. "I can't."  
"Be in a relationship?"

She nodded. "It's just too much for me to handle, I… I think it would be better for the both of us if we just ended it here instead of pretending any further."

"I just have one question for you."

She turned around and looked at him, surprised to see that he wasn't angry. She had thought he would be. What a surprise.

"Did you ever love me?"

C.C. stared at him, his question cutting through her heart. Did she ever love him? Of course she had. Of course she had loved him, she still loved him now. But she didn't think she suited the role of a lover, after centuries of running away, after years of not knowing what love was. She didn't know what she had to do as a girlfriend, she didn't know if what she was doing was right, and she certainly didn't think she was the right match for him. There was no way she was the right match for him. The Witch didn't belong to anyone and no one belonged to the Witch because she just couldn't love. Not with her cold, apathetic ways.

"Have you ever loved me even once, C.C.? During the past few years, was there even one moment where you loved me? Because if you haven't, then I can't-"  
"I… I still love you," she hoarsely whispered. "I have always loved you."  
"Then why…?"  
"Because I'm not for you. There are some things you just can't change even with time, Lelouch, and the way that I'm unsuitable for being a lover is one of them. I can't do this. I don't know _how_ to do this. So that's why we should just stop. We're not right for each other, and you know it to-"

She gasped as he seemed to cross the room in one stride. As he pressed her to the cool window, she looked up at him with wide eyes, afraid of the words he was going to tell her, afraid of how persuasive he could be. He leaned over her and she looked up into his violet gaze. What was he thinking? What was he planning to do, to say? And why did he look so sad?

"Then if you loved me… If you still love me, at least give me one last kiss before we separate."  
"Lelouch…" She looked away. Ridiculous. Why should they kiss if they were breaking up? Who kissed when they broke up?  
"Please, C.C. I promise it'll be a quick one."

He was lying. She knew he was lying - she could see it in his eyes. It wasn't going to be a quick one as he said. He'd try to draw it out to be as long as possible. He'd try to change her mind afterwards, when her heart was still racing and her emotions were still running high because that's what always happened whenever he kissed her. She always fell more in love with him.

So what had possessed her to consent? Why had she chosen to let him bend down, his eyes half-closed and his lips partially open, and inch towards her? Why had she chosen to let him in one last time?

He was so gentle and soft with her. Why? When she was hurting him, why was he being so kind to her? Why was he so understanding? And why did she still love him? He pulled her closer to him until there wasn't any space separating them, his hand sliding down from the small of her back to intertwine their fingers together. C.C. cursed herself for being so stupid. She should have known better than to let this happen - he'd change her mind for sure at this rate.

She shivered as he ghosted his lips over the curve of her jaw. She unconsciously bared her neck to him as he lightly kissed a trail down to her collarbone.

"I love you, C.C., and I don't want to let you go because you are the one and only match for me. But if you don't agree, then I don't want to force you to-"  
"Lelouch, there are so many issues that we have, that _I _have, it would be better if we-"  
"What couple doesn't have any problems? Every one of them does."  
"But we have too many, we're not-"  
"So what? So run away?"

He straightened up and held her chin as he said, "C.C., part of being in a relationship is working out all of the problems and issues that you have together. Even if it takes five years, ten, or even a hundred. That's what being a couple means. That's what loving someone means. Being with someone, and thinking they're perfect, even with all of their flaws."

"You love me?"  
"I do. And that's all that matters. Right, C.C.?"

She nodded and he smiled.

"Good. Then why don't we stay inside tonight and order pizza?"  
"But the reservation-"  
"I didn't particularly like that restaurant anyway. It doesn't matter. And I'm feeling a little tired from the excitement. Why don't you change, and I'll cancel the reservation?"

He was about to leave, when he felt two arms slip around his waist. Surprised, he twisted back to see the witch leaning her head on him.

"Thank you, Lelouch. For not giving up."  
"Of course I wouldn't give up. Now go change. I'll be right back."

When he was in the kitchen with the phone pressed against his ear, Lelouch could feel the heavy weight of the small velvet box in his pocket. He tried to keep himself from feeling too much grief over the loss of the opportunity. At least they hadn't separated. At least they were together. They had made an unspoken promise to try harder, to learn what they didn't know. They had told one another that they loved each other, and that was all that mattered. A little more waiting didn't bother him - after all, he had waited for a hundred years. If it was for C.C., then he'd gladly wait a hundred more. If only to be with her, his love, his life, and his witch.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	15. Pizza

**Pizza**

* * *

Request: Love your oneshots! Can you write something in which Lelouch is a talented attorney and C.C. as the prosecutor in a murder case? Maybe during a break? Or even after the case, with one of them congratulating the other?

* * *

"Are you going home?"  
"Yes. Are you?"  
"Yeah. Euphie wanted me to come home early today - she's worried, what with what's been on the news lately."  
"She's right to. Be careful, Suzaku. There are still some Britannians who don't agree with the new system."  
"I know. You be careful too. You never know."  
"I will."  
"Alright then. I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow then."  
"I'll see you tomorrow."

Lelouch hung up the phone as he turned into his neighborhood. Passing through the ornate gates and nodding to the security guard, he glanced in the rearview mirror to see his son fast asleep. He must have had a tiring day at daycare - ever since he had picked him up, he hadn't fired his usual round of questions and had instead fallen asleep. Which was great, since his mother and father were exhausted from their case.

Pulling up into the driveway and the large, organized garage, Lelouch glanced at his watch - 5:53PM. His wife was due home in approximately an hour and a half. If he worked fast, it'd be enough time to finish preparing. Grabbing his briefcase, he stepped out of the car before unstrapping his son from his car seat and carrying him into their home, only to be surprised to find his wife in the kitchen.

"Why are you here so early?" he asked as he set down his bag. "I thought you were going out for a drink with Kallen."  
"I was," she replied. "But then I thought why have a drink with a friend, when I can have a drink with my rival instead, and rub my victory in his face?"

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes as she smirked at him.

"Because I did win."  
"Because your client's son really was murdered. How am I supposed to fight against the truth, when its discovery is inevitable?"  
"Ah, but that's why they pay you such a hefty sum, isn't it? To find a way?"  
"You're the only person I've ever lost to," he muttered. "Here, Ms. Victory. Why don't you take your son and put him to bed while I change? And then we can have dinner."

She reached for her child, rubbing his back and smoothing his hair, and asked, "How was he today?"

"His teacher said that he was getting better at making friends. Apparently someone invited him to play hide and seek during playtime today."  
"That's good. Poor Julius - why wouldn't anyone want to play with you? You're the sweetest and smartest boy your age - I say it's their loss if they say no to you," she murmured. Kissing the three-year-old's cheek, she walked away to put her baby to bed, but not before saying, "Lelouch, can we order pizza tonight?"  
"Pizza? You win the most important case of your career, and you want to celebrate with pizza?"  
"Mmhmm. You don't mind, do you?"  
"… If you really want pizza, then I can't really say no, can I?"  
"Nope."

He sighed. "Alright. Then I'll order the pizza."

"Thank you," she giggled. "Oh, cheer up, Lelouch. Pizza's not that bad."

He only pulled a face. Even if they both had six-figure salaries, in the end, C.C. still wanted pizza. Ugh. He wondered how they had ended up married to one another - she adored pizza, he hated its greasiness. She was mischievous and was always joking around - he hated messing around. He was a clean-freak, she couldn't be bothered. Not to mention how they had been rivals in the legal world, who had constantly been fighting for blood. Well, no. That hadn't changed. Ah, well, he supposed there were just some things that wouldn't change no matter what happened or how much time passed. Slipping his phone out of his pocket, he dialed the number for the closest Pizza Hut before saying, "Hello? Yes, I'd like five cheese pizzas please."

Hey. Happy wife, happy life, right?

* * *

**Request Complete**


	16. Neighbor

**Neighbor**

* * *

Request: Maybe one about Lelouch or C.C. moving in to the apartment next to the other and the new resident is the worst neighbor?

* * *

"And so the last topic of this month's neighborhood meeting is the, uh… Well, the on-going altercation between the residents of apartment 999 and 1000. There have been reports of shouting matches as early as 2 in the morning, not to mention how both residents have filed several reports against one another on the subjects of harassment, sexual harassment, disturbing the peace, and… And obstruction of justice?" Suzaku looked up from the sheet of paper. "Obstruction of justice?"

"Mr. Police Officer here," said the resident of 999, "tried to handcuff me to do who-knows-what, and I guess he labels it as obstruction of justice."  
"Because it was obstruction of justice," Lelouch hissed. "You belong behind bars, you witch."  
"My, my, does your mother know how you speak to women? For shame, I didn't know you were brought up so poorly and without any manners."  
"And what of you? I find it hard to believe that you were-"  
"Alright then," hurriedly interrupted Suzaku. "That's enough from the two of you."

He tried to ignore the way they were glaring at one another from across the table. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Euphie inch towards him - not that he blamed her. Ever since the two had been in the same room, a dark miasma had hung in the air, and he was relieved that the monthly neighborhood meeting was coming to a close. Even if it meant dropping the bomb.

"After much discussion and consideration, the neighborhood committee has decided to sentence the residents of 999 and 1000 to sit down for a drink together."  
"What?" Slamming their hands down on the table, the man and woman hurriedly rose from their seats, their chairs falling over backwards, as they simultaneously protested against the verdict.

"Like hell I'll sit down with this asshole."  
"Why should I waste my time with this _witch _of a woman?"  
"Because if you don't," answered a new voice, "then you can pack your things and leave."

Everyone stared at the landlady who had finally decided the join the meeting. Waving with a cheerful smile, Milly greeted everyone before continuing on delivering the final blow.

"This entire apartment has complained of the bickers and quarrels the two of you have. But I'm a kind-hearted person, and I hate evicting people. So this is your last chance - sit down for a drink together, and if you really can't set aside your differences, then I'll make new arrangements for the both of you. But if you refuse to, then I'll have no choice but to chase the both of you out. So what'll it be? Still feeling reluctant to share a drink or two?"

C.C. grit her teeth. She couldn't afford to be kicked out. She literally couldn't - her bank account wasn't pretty to look at, and with the way her paycheck sucked, there was no way she'd be able to find another place to live. Neither did Lelouch want to move - this was the apartment complex closest to Nunnally's university. Like hell he'd move any further away from his sister than he already was. If being close to Nunnally meant putting up with the witch for a drink, then fine. He'd just pour himself a glass, down it, and then leave. Who said that he had to stay and talk to her? He could just stand in her foyer and drink it there before turning on his heel and walking out.

"I accept," he finally said. But would the witch? Much to his surprise, Lelouch heard her give the okay.

"Wonderful," clapped Milly. "Then is Saturday night okay with the both of you?"

They reluctantly nodded and their landlady let loose a flurry of confetti from a party popper she had pulled out from her pocket.

"Then a date it is!"  
"It's not a date," they said in unison. Milly only winked.  
"Oh, of course it's not. It's just an appointment where a man and a woman go to an apartment all by themselves to share a bottle of wine. Of course it's not a date. Silly me."  
"It's not a date," they snarled. The landlady raised her hands defensively as she tried not to laugh.  
"Alright, alright, it's not a date then. No need to get your panties in a twist."  
"Is this meeting over?" demanded C.C. Suzaku silently nodded, afraid that if he were to say anything, she would rip him apart.

"Then I'll see you Friday, boy."  
"Don't drink all of your wine beforehand, witch."  
"I'd say the same, but then I remembered that you just graduated from high school, you prepubescent _child_."  
"For the record," he sniffed, "I am _older than you by four years_."  
"Then why don't you act like it?"  
"How can I possibly hold an intelligent conversation with someone as ignorant and stubborn as you, you damn-"  
"Um, excuse me, but could you possibly take this outside?" Euphie timidly interjected. "You'll wake the baby."  
"Sorry, Euphie," said C.C. "I'm leaving now. _Don't_ follow me, you creep."  
"We live on the same floor! I'm sorry, Euphemia, I'll leave."

As they closed the door on their arguing, the rest of the neighborhood committee sat in silence before Cécile Croomy asked, "Was it really such a good idea? Perhaps there's some other way that they can make amends."

"Yeah… I'm kind of worried. What if their fighting gets worse when they're drunk? It doesn't take much to get Lelouch… Tipsy," added Suzaku. They all looked to Milly, who spun in a circle and winked.

"Oh, but you see, Suzaku, that's where all of the fun is! Lock them into a room together with a bottle of wine, and you'd be amazed at the way they'll treat each other the next morning."  
"Wait, we're locking them inside? Isn't that illegal?"  
"It's in the name of love, Suzaku! Love!"  
"Uh… Right…."  
"Now then. How much do you bet they'll blush around each other when they drag themselves out of the apartment Sunday afternoon?"

* * *

**Request Complete**


	17. Catch Me If You Can (Pt II)

**Catch Me If You Can**

Part II

* * *

Request: Don't forget to continue the cops and robbers au, it was too cute. ^_^

* * *

"Um… Lelouch?"

When there was no answer, Suzaku rapped his knuckles on the table.

"Hey, Lelouch? Lelouch, is there something wrong?"  
"What?"  
"I said is there something wrong?"  
"Yes."

He blinked. Well, he hadn't been expecting him to be so direct. His friend was usually so secretive about his problems and troubles. Why the sudden change in personality?

"What is it? Is it Nunnally?"  
"No. It's something much more troubling than that."

Now he was _really_ taken aback. More troubling than Nunnally's sickness? What could possibly be more troubling to Lelouch than Nunnally's sickness?

"Um… You know, I'm always here to listen if anything's stressing you out. And I'd be more than happy to help if-"  
"Suzaku, I'm sorry, but do you think we could do this another time?"  
"Huh? Oh, sure. Yeah. Sorry for intruding. I should have known you'd want to be alone with your girlfrie- Er, fiancé."  
"She's not my- Whatever. That's not important. I'll see you tomorrow at the station."  
"Sure thing. Good night, Lelouch. You too, Ms. C.C."  
"Good night, Suzu-chan. Travel safely."

The beautiful woman smiled and waved. Suzaku flushed from being treated so kindly by such a pretty woman. Bowing, he hurriedly left. Whew. That had been close. Lelouch had seemed really distracted - it was probably Ms. C.C. He had a feeling that Lelouch hadn't been expecting her - maybe she had come home from a business trip a day early? - and it looked like he had wanted to do some catching up with her. He found himself wondering how far his best friend had gone with his fiancé, not to mention why he had never told him, his childhood friend, that he had gotten engaged.

Suzaku eventually shrugged it off. Eh. Lelouch always had been extremely reserved since they had been kids. Anyway, now that he knew, there was no point in getting angry. Especially since they were working on catching the thief who had stolen the Maritime Jewels.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, Suzaku whistled as he waited for the elevator. But man, was Ms. C.C. pretty… And super nice too. She had been just like a housewife, greeting Lelouch at the door and taking his coat. Not to mention making him dinner and everything. She had been all smiles and giggles - super girly, with her pastel pink skirt and ivory blouse. Which wasn't really a surprise. He had always thought Lelouch had leaned towards those women more than any other kind, even though he denied having a preference.

Hmmm… Maybe Ms. C.C. had a friend she could introduce him to…

Maybe.

It'd be worth checking out.

Suzaku made a mental note to ask her the next time they met because somewhere inside of him, he had a feeling that this wouldn't be the first time they would meet.

Unfortunately for him, Suzaku was extremely correct - this wouldn't be the last time he would speak to the world's most prolific jewel thief.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	18. Rooftop

**A/N: Warning - majar OOC-ness. It's 2:30AM and I'm about to drop dead. Which means there's no way in hell I'm staying in-character. Apologies, please forgive me T_T**

* * *

**Rooftop**

* * *

Request: Since I don't think you're on but we're talking on the phone, I'm just gonna drop one off, then! Fluffy high school confession scene with C.C. being the confessor and maybe it could parallel that one scene in the last episode where C.C. asks Lelouch if he hates her? ^_^

* * *

Lelouch didn't believe in a higher power, but that afternoon, when he was facing the beat up doors to the school's rooftop, he prayed for the first time in his life. His palms sweating, he tried to swallow as he reasoned to himself and his growing fear. She wouldn't kill him. What's the worst that could happen? A bloody nose? Bloody noses would eventually stop bleeding, so it was fine. It wasn't as if she would really kill him. There was no way she would kill him because there was no way those rumors about her were true. If she really had killed someone, she would have gone to prison. There was no way she'd actually go as far as kill him… Right?

"Oi. What the hell do you think you're doing, keeping her waiting?"

He jumped as the girl prodded the sharp end of a long stick into the small of his back and barked, "Don't keep her waiting! She's got other important stuff to do!"

"I'm going, I'm going," he muttered. Much to his chagrin, his knees shook as he opened the door. He stumbled backwards, the bright sunlight nearly blinding him. The girl shoved him outside before slamming the door behind him and locking it with an ominous click. Lelouch pulled at the collar of his uniform as he wondered if an afterlife existed because there was no way in hell he was going to make it out of this alive. Not when he had been forced to face the Grey Witch of Ashford, the leader of the city's most formidable high school gang.

He cursed his luck - she had probably called him up here to beat him senseless because of the cultural festival. For some reason, the chess club and the school's pizza club (which was really just a cover for the Grey Witch's gang) had been ordered to work together for the cultural festival, and of course mayhem had ensued. It didn't help either that the pizza club was made up entirely of girls, and third-years at that.

Was it too much to hope that she would go easy on him since he was a second-year? Or… Or maybe she would remember how he had helped her with her studying while they had worked together on the festival? Or how he had covered for her when she had deserted her post? Oh God, it was too much. He wasn't deaf. He had heard the stories about the Witch, how she was a black widow, a poisonous bitch.

He hadn't even been able to say goodbye to his sister either… Nunnally! Lelouch's heart twisted at the thought of his sister being left all alone to fend for herself in this miserable wretched hole of a school. He couldn't leave her alone! There was no way she'd be able to survive. Not with these barbaric savages.

He weighed his choices, calculating the probability of talking her out of killing him. He wasn't bad at persuasion… But he had heard how incredibly stubborn she could be. Lelouch paled. There really was no way out of this alive, was there?

Vision blurry, he barely made out the lone figure standing on the edge of the rooftop. He was surprised to see her wearing the school's uniform - during the time they had spent together, he had seen her in anything and everything _but_ the uniform designated for Ashford High School's female students. He would have said that she looked rather nice in a skirt, if he had been in any other situation than this. But he wasn't, so his mind completely skipped over how nice she looked in a skirt and immediately went on to breathe a sigh of relief as he realized that she wasn't hiding any weapons, like, say, a _knife_, in the folds of her clothes.

But… But what was that? She had suddenly turned around, and he could see how she was holding something behind her back. What was she hiding? A… A brick? What did gangsters use these days? Guns? Were minors even allowed to have guns?

Heart pounding and throat parched, Lelouch watched with horror as she advanced towards him, hiding whatever weapon she was planning on killing him with behind her back. Oh God, why did things like this always happen to him? He didn't do anything particularly wrong. He didn't hang out with the wrong people, and he tried his best not to cause anyone any offense. So why, _why_, was this happening to him?

He backed away from her, but soon enough, he found himself pressed against the door to the stairway. He tried the handle, but he hadn't been making up the click he had heard when the door had closed behind him. Sweating profusely, he looked up to see the Witch coming closer and closer. So, since he had nowhere to left to go, Lelouch did the only thing he could - he fainted.

. . .

When he came to, the first thought that crossed his mind was of how nice the breeze felt. His second was of how he had passed out moments before his death. And then this third was of how he hadn't yet passed on to the afterlife. Which was strange, considering why he had lost consciousness. Cracking his eyes open, he found himself staring into an extremely alluring gold. He thought of how pretty the color was, and wondered why it was so familiar to him until he realized - the Witch. Shooting up into a sitting position, he was about to scramble away, when she grabbed his wrist and jerked him to the ground. The wind knocked out of him, he stared at the fiery sky above him before his world was filled with her.

"Lelouch Lamperouge."  
"Y-yes?"  
"Do you hate me?"

Huh?

"Do you hate me, Lelouch?"

Her voice was soft, as was her expression, and his heartbeat calmed a tad as he spied hope on the horizon. Maybe he _would_ be able to go back home and live to see another sun rise. If he said the right thing, that is.

"Um… No?"  
"You're afraid of me, aren't you?"

He said nothing and merely blinked as he watched her expression crumple.

"I suppose you've heard the rumors, haven't you?"  
"Um…"  
"Ah, well… I was the fool for hoping that you would be different. I'm sorry for wasting your time, Lelouch."

What? Sorry? Since when had she been so well-mannered and gentle? This wasn't the C.C.-senpai he had met all of those weeks ago. As she rose and walked away, Lelouch thought of her words, of her voice, and of her expression, and wondered if the C.C.-senpai he had met all of those weeks ago, if the Grey Witch of Ashford, was really just a façade, a mask, that hid her true self. Was it? Was he right?

Rolling over onto his stomach, he was about to call out to her (he wasn't quite sure what he was going to say, but the first step was to catch her attention and stop her from leaving - she had obviously asked him to meet her here because she had wanted to… To tell(?) him something. Hopefully it was telling, and not doing. But anyway, the first step was stopping her so that she could say her piece) when suddenly, she stopped of her own accord.

Lelouch wasn't sure whether to be nervous or not over the new development. Okay, so first step accomplished. Now time to move on to the second step, which was-

"You should know that you're a dumbass and that you're weak as hell."

What the-

When she began to storm towards him, Lelouch's blood ran cold. Oh hell. Oh _hell, _he was in _huge_trouble now. Sitting up, he tried to escape, but she was too fast. Taking a seat in his lap (in his lap!), she roughly grabbed his collar as she glared at him.

"What the hell kind of man passes out just as a girl's about to confess to him? Do you know how badly you scared me?"  
"But…" he gasped, "you're… The Grey Witch… Of Ashford…!"  
"What, you think because I'm the Grey Witch, I don't have any feelings? I can feel just as well as you can, you idiot."  
"What do you want with me? I didn't do anything to you. If anything, I _helped_ you!"  
"Didn't do anything? _Didn't do anything?_ Why did I have to have the misfortune of picking the idiot weakling who can't pick up on clues? Oi. I already told you why I wanted to meet."  
"W-Why? God, let go of my collar, I can't breathe!"

She released his collar but didn't budge from his lap. Lelouch was starting to get mixed feelings about the whole ordeal - it was all very addling, passing out from fright one second, arguing with the leader of the city's most feared high school gang the next, who of course was sitting in his lap. It was starting to confuse him, and it didn't help either how pretty she looked with the oranges and reds and yellows of the sunset illuminating her beautiful fa- What was he thinking?!

"Honestly," she muttered, "why _him_ of all people?"  
"There's nothing wrong with me," he sputtered indignantly. "And I'll also have to ask you to take back your earlier comments regarding my intelligence and my ability to read between lines. My physical stamina, I'll concede, but the other two, I-"  
"Then I suppose you're up to the task of being my boyfriend, huh? Since you're so smart?"  
"There's nothing I can't do if I put my mind to it."

He wasn't thinking anymore, but whatever. The fear had come and gone, replaced only by twinges of annoyance. What was with this woman? Acting like she was better than him and berating him. Even if she was pretty, and even if he _had_ had the tiniest crush on her during those weeks leading up to the festival, it wasn't as if-

"Fine then. Then why don't we go on a date this Saturday?"  
"I don't see why not." He _really_ wasn't thinking anymore, was he?  
"11AM at Omotesando Mall."  
"In front of the fountain."  
"Fine."  
"Fine."  
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Until tomorrow," he nodded.

And with that, she stood up and left him all alone on the rooftop to despair over what his recklessness had just pitched him headfirst into - a date with the Grey Witch of Ashford, the prettiest and scariest woman in all of Tokyo.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	19. The Dark Prince (Pt II)

**A/N: I am so sorry but my action writing still hasn't improved.**

* * *

**Darkness**

* * *

Request: Thank you! That one shot was exactly what I was looking for! :) It was just so sweet! Can you continue the Batman AU or Catch me if you can?

* * *

His eyes widened as he watched her walk towards him. What…?

"Welcome back, C.C. I trust that the journey back wasn't troubling in any way?"  
"No."

Schneizel smiled. "Good, good. Now then. Would you like to retire to your home, or would you like to stay and watch the fruition of your labors?"

She was about to answer, when a new voice joined in and echoed throughout the underground cave.

"I insist she stays. After all, it was only through C.C. that we were able to capture _Zero_. Wouldn't you agree, Schneizel?"  
"I see the logic in your idea. C.C., why don't you stay?"

She looked up into his cold violet eyes and realized she had no choice. If she tried to leave, to hide from what she had done, he'd only kill her. She was surprised that he hadn't killed her yet - now that her task was complete, she was disposable and could be done away with. But she supposed that he hadn't killed her yet because Zero, because the man behind the mask hadn't yet breathed his last.

"Mao," called Schneizel. The psycho-killer leapt down and heavily landed next to C.C.  
"I'm one step ahead of you. But before we begin… Take off his mask and bring it here so I can finally see the face of my oldest and greatest rival."

The second he was unmasked, C.C. looked away. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye. Not after everything they had done together, not after the time they had spent. And especially not after she had betrayed him and handed him over to his enemies. She could feel his gaze burning into her - she tried her best to avoid making eye contact, but Mao suddenly grabbed her chin and forced her to face him and her treachery.

"You've done _very_ excellent work, C.C. Schneizel's told me that I may… Reward you for your work. You like that, don't you?"

He was about to force his lips on hers when he stopped and twisted around.

"Oh? What's this? Do you hate me, Zero? Why? Don't tell me you've fallen in love with her. You have! Oh, this just gets richer by the second! Zero, the mighty, masked champion of justice, has fallen in love. And with a criminal no less, the criminal who led him to his death!"

Doubling over, he began to shriek with laughter.

"C.C., did you hear that? The man's in love with you! As if he could ever have you. Our love is the greatest thing this city has seen, and we will never be broken apart. _Never_. I will burn down cities for you, I will _kill_ if it means we can stay tog-"  
"Mao," said Schneizel sharply. "We don't have time. Speak to C.C. on your own terms - right now, we have Zero to tend to."  
"Just give me a second, I-"

C.C. flinched as the gunshot echoed throughout the moist walls of the dark chamber. Besides her, she heard the heavy thud as Mao's body slumped to the ground.

"We don't have a second to spare. Nor do I have any room for those who are insubordinate. The police force are currently on their way here. Kill him now and dispose of his body. C.C., come. Our agenda must be…"

She had stopped listening to him a long time ago. C.C. looked at the miserable state of Zero - held to the filthy ground, drugged, with his head stepped on and his identity discovered. Just as she had been when he had found her. And yet, even though she had been his enemy as a member of the underground, even though she had thieved and killed, he had still taken mercy on her. He had helped her, had given her a hand. Had given her a second chance when no one else had.

She hated being indebted to people. More than anything in this world, she hated debt. So C.C. decided.

She didn't need to kill Schneizel - only slow him down. She moved in one fluid motion. Slipping the gun out of his holster, she shoved the muzzle into his stomach before pulling the trigger. Sidestepping him, she sprinted towards Lelouch, shooting the two burly men who held him down. Struggling to shoulder him, she moved towards the hallway where they would at least have a better chance of surviving than the open area they were in, when suddenly, fire erupted in her calf and shoulder and she fell.

"Did you really think," asked Schneizel, "I would let you escape after betraying me? C.C., what did I tell you when we first met? That there are two types of men in this city - those who are killed, and those who are too strong to be killed. You were once one of the strong - now you have joined the weak. But I suppose this makes you happy? Since you're by his side. Ah, well, no matter whether you're satisfied or not. After all, in death, nothing matters."

C.C. stared at Lelouch, trying to tell him that she was sorry for what she had done, that she regretted her decision and that if she could, she would have redone it so that it wouldn't have ended up in this situation.

But his eyes were closed, and she supposed that that was what was right - she didn't deserve an opportunity to repent. Not after her sins.

At least his death wouldn't be one of suffering. He had passed out long ago from the drug, which was surprisingly merciless on Schneizel's pa-

C.C. gasped as she felt a wave of smoldering heat pass over her. What had just-

Lelouch immediately rose and lifted her up into his arms. As they walked away, she glanced over his shoulder to see the cave burning, with an enormous gaping hole in the ground. Schneizel was nowhere to be seen.

No… He couldn't have planned-

"The matter of your betrayal, we'll discuss once we've received the proper medical attention."  
"Lelouch, I… Thank you. For not leaving me there."

His eyes flickered down at her but he said nothing. She leaned on him, unexpectedly feeling incredibly drowsy. As the darkness closed in, it could have been her imagination, but she could have sworn that she had heard a "You're welcome" in reply. She smiled. So there was still a chance she could be forgiven. A small chance, but a chance all the same, which was all she really needed.

And then darkness fell.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	20. Promise

**Promise**

* * *

Request: Love your one shots! Could you please do one with Lelouch beign Shepard in Mass Effect 2 and C.C. being Miranda?

* * *

"Commander, you're needed in the engine room."  
"The dead never rest, do they? Tell them I'll be right there."

Slipping out from under the covers, he picked his clothes up off the ground and made his way to the single full-length mirror in the corner of his quarters. As he slipped his pants on, he glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She stared at him, the thin blanket draped over her naked back. She smirked at him as she commented, "You're quite popular, Commander."

"Yes, well, I've been at the center of Cerberus's attention for quite some time now. But you would know that better than I would. Isn't that right, C.C.?"  
"Cerberus has been keeping an eye on you, yes. As have I."

He raised a brow but dropped the subject. Although he'd temporarily joined the organization, it still left a bad taste in his mouth. Instead, he watched her stand up, the blanket falling from her form, and move towards him. She was apparently extremely comfortable in her own skin as she was compeltely unabashed by the way her whole body was bare. His eyes momentarily roamed over her willowy figure before he focused on dressing himself - playtime was over and it was imperative that he resume his position as commander. Even if the memories of the pleasure she had given him were still fresh on his mind. But when her arms slipped around his waist, his hands slowed and he looked up as she kissed the ridged scar on his shoulder. She rested her head on his back and they stood quietly for some time before she said, "Don't get yourself killed."

"What could possibly happen in the engine room to warrant my death?"  
"We don't know what could happen in the far future. So I'm telling you to take care so that you don't make any unnecessary sacrifices."

His incredulity softened as he studied her reflection.

"I don't plan on dying a second time."  
"Promise me."  
"You would think that this is love, and not lust," he quipped.  
"Lelouch."

He took her hand in his own, admiring her lithe fingers before pressing the tips of her fingers to his lips.

"I promise, C.C."  
"Good. You know, you're really quite the romantic, for a war veteran like you."  
"I don't see anything wrong with that. From past experience, it seems to be something extremely popular with women."  
"It's just surprising to see that even you have a gentle side. Makes me curious to find out what other facets there are to your personality."  
"Yes, well, you'll find all of them out in due time."  
"Oh? I was under the impression that this was a one-time occasion."  
"Hmmm, as if you could keep your hands off of me after the way I just made you feel."  
"You can't steal other people's lines, Commander. Even with your position and rank."

He resisted the urge to retaliate. He really had to go to the engine room. C.C. had distracted him enough for one day. Where had all his discipline gone, he mused. Lost in a swirl of lust, eh? No matter. He'd speak to her on the matter. Privately, if need be. Oh yes, he'd definitely speak to her about this, there was no denying that. But first, the engine room.

First, the human colonies.

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**Request Complete**


	21. Calypso

**Calypso**

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Request: Ooh! Pirates AU! That would be so cool. :3

* * *

"Imagine the surprise when I, a pirate, a mere scoundrel of the seas, overtook the Marianne, the royal liner of his Highness, the Crown Prince of England."

"You vile wench, I'll have you hung for-"

"Now is that any way to speak to a lady? Especially the lady who so easily captured you? Really, I'm just so disappointed in the fight that you put up. For all of England's boasting of their navy, it was pitiful."

"Get your dirty, blood-stained claws off of me, witch," he hissed. She only stared at him in reply. Lelouch shifted uncomfortably, the rope tying his hands back chafing his wrists. She was so strange… He had met various pirates, but she wasn't like any of the ones he had studied. Whereas they had been filthy and rotting scum, she looked like any other lady residing in the capital. She even smelled of perfume, of clean cotton and roses. What the hell kind of pirate smelled like clean cotton and roses?

He looked her up and down, only to realize how revealing her blouse was. Jerking his gaze back up, he glared at her, but it was already too late - she had caught him red-handed.

"Ah ha, so there is a trace of a man somewhere in there. I was starting to get worried whether you had any masculinity at al, what with those clothes you're wearing. But it seems like you do, thankfully."

His cheeks burned but he silenced his tongue. He just wanted to get as far away as possible from this witch of a woman. Even the ship's brig was starting to sound nice, as long as it meant that he wouldn't have to suffer humiliation at the hand of this pirate.

"Mr. Kururugi."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Please see to it that his Royal Highness is properly washed and dressed. Not in the clothes of the imperial court, no, those clothes are ridiculous and impractical. Breeches and a simple shirt will do."

"And what of his current attire?"

"Those'll fetch a high price on the market. We'll sell them a few months from now, when the Crown's stopped searching for the heir to the throne."

"Yes, Captain."

"Oh, and Mr. Kururugi?"

The first mate stopped and waited for his captain to continue speaking.

"Be gentle with him. You don't want to bruise his delicate skin - the Prince is just as much of a good that can be sold as wine or jewels. He's worth several pretty pennies, and I'd hate to lose any because of mishandling. Am I understood?"

"Yes."

"Highness, although parting is such sweet sorrow, you'll have to excuse me for now. But fear not, this joyous meeting will continue over a rich feast. But until then."

Mocking him with a bow, C.C. watched as her first and second mate dragged the prince out of her cabin. When the door slammed shut behind them, she heard a voice ask, "Is that really such a good idea?"

"What is?" Picking up a gold dagger from her desk, she watched the lantern light glint off of the sharp blade before setting it down again.

"You should just throw him into the brig and leave him there until the markets will accept him."

"This isn't a slave ship." She glanced at the figure seated at the end of the long dining table. "And besides. He's an interesting character with a brilliant mind. Not to mention how much inside information he has about the Crown Jewels. He could be of some use, one way or other."

"And how do you intend on persuading him to join you? He's the son of the King. You're a pirate, the sworn enemies of his Majesty. If he doesn't hate you already, then he's insane and therefore of no use. How do you-"

"You'd be surprised by the powerful spells that wine and women can put men under. Even the greatest leaders in history have fallen to them. Lelouch vi Britannia is no exception."

"You plan to seduce him?"

"It'll be a challenge, but it'll be an amusing one. And you know well how I've never lost a challenge in my life. Even to you, Julius, I've never once lost."

"You truly are deserving of the title Calypso."

"Of course I am," she said with a proud smile. "I'm C.C. after all, aren't I?"

* * *

**Request Complete**


	22. Fate

**A/N: I honestly don't know why I keep getting action requests. I mean, I'll do them and everything, and they're great practice, but y'all know how terrible I am at writing action sequences.**

* * *

**Fate**

* * *

Request: Can I request a Fate Crossover? I feel like you would write a good one!

* * *

Euphemia flinched and looked away as the crimson light intensified and completely destroyed the battlefield. Searing heat rolled over the dock and ruffled her hair. When the wind died down, she cracked her eyes open in time to see Berserker easily dodging the volleys. Fear twisted Euphemia's stomach into a tight knot - C.C. was going to get caught by Berserker, who was closing in. And then what was going to happen? Would she really be forced to watch the death of her Servant? So soon?

Euphemia could only watch with horror as C.C. was thrown across the dock before slamming into a tower of metal cargo containers. She tried to cry out, to stop her, to command her to retreat, but it was no use - Berserker's Master, whoever it was, had made sure to securely tie the gag and ropes around her mouth and wrists. There was no way she could help Caster, much less save her from rushing to her death.

"What's wrong, Caster? Feeling a little blue today, darling?" Cackling, Berserker, her violet eyes as dark as her long raven hair, struck the Servant with all her strength. "Come on, Caster, show me! You have no prana left, you have nothing left, save for that admirable desire to win! Show me that indestructible will that you have to survive, show me that determination I've craved to see for all of these years! Show me, Caster, or your Master dies!"

She could only watch helplessly as C.C. obeyed and slowly rose to her feet. Her beautiful silver robe was singed and torn, there were cuts and bruises on her arms and face, and she was bleeding and could barely hold herself up, but she still stood and raised her staff. Berserker laughed, delighted with her adversary's decision, before rushing towards her. She was nothing but a flash of light and her sword was but a blur as she mercilessly attacked C.C. Sparks flew as metal bit into each other, and the sounds of their struggle for victory and survival echoed throughout the ghostly harbor.

"Do you remember, Caster? This is just like the time when you betrayed me and left me to die! Tell me you remember, Caster! Tell me you remember how you turned your back on your most trusted companion!"

There was no reply save for a swift parry, and for good reason. The battle had worn her out - when it had begun, C.C. hadn't even been in the best shape, having just fought Archer. Her wounds had gotten worse as the fight against Berserker dragged on, and because Euphemia was such an unskilled Magus and a novice Master, because her Magical Paths had been obstructed, Saber was unable to defeat an enemy that might have once been a quick and easy task. Tears welled in her eyes - C.C. was going to die, and it was going to be all her fault.

She wanted nothing more than to look away, but Berserker's Master roughly grabbed her chin and forced her to face the one-sided battle.

"Don't expect to live much longer, Euphemia li Britannia. A Caster, no matter how strong they are, is no match for a Saber when it comes to close combat. Prepare yourself, as Death's embrace is inevitable for you as your Servant dies in vain to try and save your miserable li- Berserker!"

A streak of silver shot out of the darkness and hurtled straight for the mad woman, who had raised her sword to strike C.C. to finally put an end to the battle. What had just…?

"Saber! So you've finally decided to join in! Couldn't resist spoiling the fun, could you?" snarled Berserker.

"Who summoned you?"

"I've returned for Caster. I've not forgotten her, and I've not forgotten her extraordinary power. In all of the Holy Grail Wars I've witnessed, I've never seen a Caster with power as tremendous as hers. I was the strongest in my lifetime, Saber, the warrior queen. I used to seek out those who claimed they were the best, and slay them. And even now, as a Spirit, I continue to do so! I care not for the Grail, I only care to retain my throne as the warrior queen!"

"If the strongest is who you seek, then it is the strongest you will meet. Come forth, Berserker, and raise your sword so that I may prove to you how grave and dishonorable your quest is."

"My business is with Caster, not some King of-"

Euphemia's eyes widened as spiderwebs appeared in the concrete. She watched, stunned, as Saber, with his invisible sword, struck one another. When the dust settled, she was amazed to see the two in a stalemate. So this was the legendary and coveted strength of Saber. She could now understand why Berserker had asked C.C. if she had met Saber in the beginning - she would have trouble laying even a scratch on his armor in one-to-one combat, much less if she were facing two enemies, instead of one.

"Euphie!"

Kururugi-senpai?

"Are you alright?"

Surprised, she stared at the upperclassman from her school. Why was Kururugi-senpai here? And where had Berserker's Master gone?

"He vanished the moment Saber appeared," he said, as if he could read her mind. He quickly untied her gag. As burst of light randomly flared from the battle below them, Euphemia asked, "What are you doing here, Kururugi-senpai?"

"I understand that you have several questions you want to ask, Euphie, but I'll have to answer them later when we're safer. Right now, there are more important things to tend to. Right?"

She nodded and he rose. She watched as he frowned, turning his kind face into one of a battle-hardened knight. Euphemia frowned. Kururugi-senpai couldn't… He couldn't possibly be… Could he?

"By the power of my Command Seal, King of Knights, quell thine anger and withdraw to safety with Caster!"

And then everything seemed to happen at once. The golden light immediately died down, as did the ethereal singing of metal kissing metal, which was replaced with a terrible scream full of hatred and rage. Kururugi-senpai lifted Euphemia up before sprinting away. As she looked back behind them, she asked, "Where have Caster and Saber gone? And what's going to happen now that we're alone with Berserker?"

"Nothing. She should return to her Master. If she doesn't, Saber will be here to protect us."

"But Saber-"

"Will return. It's his duty to return to his Master's side. Once he does, and once we're far enough, then I'll explain everything. Until then, Euphie, just wait a bit longer."

She nodded. And true to his words, a few moments later, Saber did return and Berserker's screams could no longer be heard. But they didn't stop running until they passed under the entrance gate of a shrine. Euphemia, realizing what a burden she was being, insisted on walking on her own two feet, and they walked up the stone steps together in silence. Saber had once again disappeared. She wondered where the Servant had gone off on his own, and why Kururugi-senpai hadn't reacted when Saber had vanished. When they reached the top of the climb, she understood why.

He was pacing back and forth in front of the dark shrine. Euphemia couldn't help but stare. Although he was dressed in simple clothes, a white dress shirt and dark blue slacks, power seemed to radiate from him. As did anger, she noticed. The second their footsteps stopped crunching on the gravel, the Spirit rounded on them. More specifically, rounded on her. His furious violet eyes trained on her, he approached her as he yelled, "What the hell is wrong with you? What kind of a Master are you to not be able to even fulfill the most basic of responsibilities? Do you know your shortcomings nearly killed Caster? Is that what you want? To kill your Serva-"

"Saber. Calm down. It's not her fault." Euphemia shrunk as her upperclassman stepped in front of her.

"Then who's fault is it, Suzaku?" he hissed. "Berserker's?"

"She didn't know better. You can't blame her for not knowing better."

"Then tell her so that she knows better because next time, I don't know if I'll make it in time."

And with that, he spun on his heel and stormed off to the shrine. When the doors had been slammed shut, Suzaku ran a hand through his hair and sighed before apologizing.

"He's usually not so bad-tempered like this… He's just a little shaken up from what just happened. I'm sorry, Euphie. I'll apologize in his place for his rudeness."

"Oh, no! I'm sorry, for causing you both so much trouble. And Saber was right. My shortcomings nearly did kill Caster," she said softly. "I know how I'm a weak Master who can't even-"

"You can always learn. No one starts out as an expert. And your inexperience still doesn't give him a right to insult you like that."

Euphemia fiddled with the hem of her shirt. What to do, what to do… She disagreed with Kururugi-senpai, as kind as he was with his defense of her… But she couldn't outright voice her doubts about Caster's near-death not being her complete fault, especially after he had insisted and after he had saved her and her Servant's life…

Perhaps a change of subject would help.

"Um, senpai?"

"Yes?"

"Where is Caster? Is she alright? She's not… She hasn't passed away because of me, has she?"

"No. The one good thing about Saber's pacing is that it shows how tense he is right now. And if he's tense, then it means that she's still hanging on to her life. We're at the Kururugi Shrine, where Caster is an honored guest, due to… The past that she and the Kururugi lineage share. She'll be safe here, for the most part."

"Really? Oh, thank you."

"Would you like to see her?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll show you where she is. But before I do, promise me one thing, Euphie."

"Yes?"

"Promise me you won't tell anyone what you'll see in that room."

It was a strange promise, and one that she hadn't expected, but she nodded and promised all the same. It was then that night that she was formally introduced to Saber, the most powerful Servant in all of the Holy Grail War and the mysterious legend whose past was intertwined with her own myth, Caster.

* * *

**Request Complete**

* * *

**A/N: I know I made some... Shall I say unorthodox? I know I made some pretty surprising decisions with the casting, but I thought that a story where Lelouch and C.C. were both Servants and Suzaku and Euphemia were Masters would make a more interesting story than the usual "Lelouch is a Master, Suzaku is a Saber, and C.C. is Lelouch's Caster" crossover.**


	23. Uncertainty

**Uncertainty**

* * *

Request: C.C. and Lelouch. are expecting parents, but nervous and clumsy about the upcoming responsibility. They try to overcome this as best they can since they do want to be good parents.

* * *

"I only have one question for you, son."  
"Yes, sir?"

Lelouch tried his best not to squirm under the cold gaze that his father-in-law was eyeing him with. He cautiously looked up from the coffee table where the basket of fruit he had brought as a gift sat. There he was. His father-in-law, the man who had sired his wife, and the one person that intimidated him no matter how many times they met (which admittedly wasn't very often). There he sat, with his legs crossed and the china cup of tea resting on his knee while he fingered the tip of his busy mustache. He was quiet and composed until he carefully set the tea cup on the table before slamming his hands down and roaring, "Are you willing to do whatever it takes to look after my little girl?"

Somewhere off to the side, he heard his wife choke on her tea, but Lelouch was a bit too preoccupied with fending for himself to help her. His posture rigid, the tight coil of tension snapped as he half-shouted, "That goes without saying."

"Hmmm…"

Everything went back to the way it had been before the start of the interrogation, and the young man internally breathed a sigh of relief. He had passed the first stage without stumbling. He remembered his first meeting with C.C.'s father, and how he had completely frozen up when his future father-in-law had suddenly burst into a passionate lecture that ended with a question, which he had been too shocked to answer. It had only been through C.C.'s mother that her father hadn't walked over the dinner table to grab him by the collar and throw him out of the window of the restaurant. Speaking of which. His mother-in-law, who looked so alike to her daughter, apologetically smiled at him and softly said, "Dear, I'm sure that Lelouch will take extremely good care of our Cera. Right, Lelouch?"

"Of course."  
"Good. Because you know what'll happen if you don't, don't you?"

He nodded. On second thought, maybe that kind smile had been more one of hidden threats.

"That's enough from the two of you."  
"Cera?"

C.C. crossed her arms as she frowned at her parents.

"I chose Lelouch to be the father of my children for good reason. He has his shortcomings, but at the end of the day, I wouldn't have chosen anyone else."

He wasn't quite sure if he was supposed to take that as a compliment or an insult. He decided to just leave it be and move on - there was no use in spending energy trying to figure something as unimportant as whether she had just helped or hurt him, especially when he was facing his in-laws.

"But Cera dear, aren't you a little scared? He's completely inexperienced and unknowledg-"  
"And so am I. So is everyone else when they first become parents. But that's why we're learning. You should have seen Lelouch at the library the other day. He literally checked out every single book there was on raising children."

He could just _see_ his father-in-law's frown as he gave him a strange look. Lelouch wanted nothing more than to leave. Everything C.C. had said was true - that he was inexperienced, and that he was delving into unmapped and unfamiliar territory, but she was also right in that he was trying his best to learn as much as possible so that he could be the best. So was C.C. They were both trying as hard as they could to prepare themselves for… For their child. For their future.

"But still. Wouldn't it be better if you came home, Cera? At least until the baby is old enough to wa-"  
"Absolutely not. For shame, what is wrong with you two? How do you think you're making your son-in-law feel, when you're acting as if he's incompetent? Do you think that he's not good enough to be a father?"  
"C.C., you shouldn't speak to your parents that way," he muttered. But his wife completely ignored him and took his hand and raised it up in the air for everyone to see.

"You see this ring? Do you remember our vows at the wedding? I told him how I had no idea what I was getting myself into by marrying him. I told him that for the first time in my life, I had no idea what my future was going to be like by standing on that altar. And then I told him that it didn't really matter to me because as unknown as the future was, as long as I was with him, it was fine with me. I don't know what life is going to be like once this baby is born. Lelouch doesn't either. But what we do know is that we love him, or her, and that we're going to do everything in our power to be the best parents we can."

Lelouch would have flushed, if he hadn't realized how scared his wife was. He had known that she had been put off by the uncertainty of what kind of parents they would make, but he hadn't known that she was actually _scared_. He could feel her trembling as she tightly gripped his hand as she defiantly stared at her parents. His expression softened and he laced their fingers together before facing his in-laws with a determined look in his eye.

"I realize that in your perspective, I have several flaws and shortcomings that will prevent me from protecting and taking care of your daughter. I can understand why you feel this way, and for the rest of my life, I'll work hard so that I can prove to you my worth. But if you're going to doubt me, at least don't doubt my love for C.C."

It was dead silent in the light living room until his mother-in-law smiled.

"I think we've found the answer we were searching for. Wouldn't you agree, darling?"  
"Hmph."  
"Our apologies, Lelouch. We didn't mean to doubt your capabilities or your… Love. We're just concerned for the two of you. For your well-being. We want to tell you both something Cera's father and I have discovered over the years of raising a child of our own."

The young couple waited for her to speak.

"Sometimes, most of the time, the best parents aren't the perfect parents. So don't beat yourselves up too much if you don't feel that you're doing it like everyone else, and don't be afraid of following your own path. Because when it comes to being a mother and a father, all that matters in the end is your baby's thoughts and opinions, and not what others think or say. Do you understand, children?"

Lelouch glanced at his wife, who seemed to be in deep thought as she stared at her lap. Lightly squeezing her hand, he silently reassured her that everything would be alright since they were together and had made up their minds that this was what they wanted and that they would do the best they could. She looked up before giving him a small smile, and he turned to reply.

"Yes, we do."

. . .

"Love, huh? You really love me?"  
"I only said that in the heat of the moment," he waved her off. "There's no need to make a big deal over it."  
"So you don't love me?"  
"No. No, I do."

C.C. smiled as they walked out of the apartment complex's warm lobby and into the grey winter afternoon.

"It's such a nice day today."  
"What are you talking about? It's freezing. Come here." He pulled her closer as he unwrapped his black scarf and wound it around her. "You'll catch a cold if you walk around like this."  
"It smells nice. Like you."

With delight, she watched the tips of his ears slowly turn scarlet. Laughing, she nudged him.

"You get embarrassed too easily. No one would ever think you'd be capable of boldly professing your love for your wife in front of your mother and father-in-law."  
"Like I said, that was-"  
"I never got to tell you my reply to that though."  
"Reply?"  
"I love you too, Lelouch. A lot. So let's get through this together."

He nodded and she gave him a peck on the cheek before wandering off.

"You know, all that talking made me really hungry. I could really go for some goldfish and pickles. And freshly-squeezed lemonade. And shrimp tempura."  
"Where do you expect to get freshly-squeezed lemonade in the middle of January?"  
"From the same place I always get freshly-squeezed lemonade in the middle of January. Come on, Lelouch. Let's go buy some lemons and sugar."

It was going to be hard. No amount of reading, no amount of classes and sessions, no amount of research, could possibly prepare them for the road ahead. They both knew that. But they had the support and blessing of both their parents, which they realized was all that mattered - family and love.

. . .

"He reminds me so much of you when you were younger."  
"Who?"  
"Lelouch. The darling boy. You don't think he's angry at us for picking on him like that, do you?"  
"He's a grown man. He'll manage."  
"Maybe I should stop by their home and drop off some oranges. The flu's been going around lately, and vitamin C-"  
"For God's sake, Victoria, you promised the boy you would let him take care of our daughter, so let him take care of our daughter."  
"You're right, you're right. I'm just worried is all."  
"If you're worried, then just look at how happy C.C.'s been ever since she married the boy. That's what I do whenever I start feeling uneasy."  
"You know, I'm still surprised over how quickly you accepted him. You really think he's good enough for our daughter?"  
"Don't be ridiculous. No man is good enough for our daughter. But I can see how much he loves her, and that's all that really matters to me."  
"Oh, you big, old romantic. You haven't changed at all, have you?"

Clearing his throat, he only turned the page of the newspaper. His wife sat down besides him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I suppose the only thing we can do is just sit by and help whenever they need help?"  
"The only thing we can and should do is do the same thing we've been doing."  
"Which is?"  
"Be a mother and a father."

She chuckled before sighing, "You may be right. But I'm still going to go give them some oranges tomorrow afternoon."

"You stubborn woman."  
"I love you too," she giggled before waltzing out of the room. It wasn't until some time had passed, when from behind the newspaper, an "I love you too" sheepishly slipped out in reply.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	24. String

**String**

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Request: Lelouch loves C.C. since they started to be close with each other. C.C. has a talent, she can see each person's red string of fate in her dreams. But she can't see her own invisible string, that's why she believed that she does not have a soul mate. Lelouch was very eager to convince C.C. that her talent or myth is not that accurate. He wants to show his affection to her and he hopes that she will accept his feelings. By the way, thank you for accepting my first request, I really liked it :)

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"You want to know something?"

"What?"

"I had one of those dreams again. And it was someone we knew."

"Who?"

"Promise you won't get angry."

Lelouch looked up from where he had been watching the ocean try to lick at the toes of his shoes, suddenly suspicious of what was about to happen. She pulled his jacket closer before nudging the back of his calf with the sandy toe of her heel.

"Come on. Promise me so I can tell you."

"… Alright."

"Alright what?"

"Alright, I promise not to get angry. Who was it?"

"It was your sister. And Suzaku."

"Which sister was it?"

"Not telling."

"C.C.!"

She laughed as she backed away from him.

"You promised not to get angry, Lelouch."

"C.C., at least tell me which sister-"

"Oh, you should know. You've spent enough time with them. You've seen the way they look at each other."

Standing still, he dug through his memories, analyzing the body language of Suzaku and his sisters, wondering, searching, for who was fated to be with his best friend, who would…

"Euphemia?"

"So you're not as dense as you seem."

"Euphemia? Are you being serious?"

"Do I ever kid around with this kind of stuff?"

"Well, no, but… You can't be serious!" he protested. "Suzaku said he didn't see Euphemia as anything more than an acquaintance."

"Yeah, well, he was lying to you then. Probably because he was scared. I don't blame him - with the way you treat any man who comes within 500 meters of your sisters, I'd lie to your face too."

"Have you ever dreamt incorrectly?"

"You know the answer to that question."

C.C. wandered off, expecting for him to follow. She was surprised to see him where she had left him and, wondering why he had decided to turn into a statue in the middle of their midnight seaside stroll, she traced her steps until she was standing in front of him. Lightly kicking his shin, she said, "Oi. What are you doing?"

When there was no reaction, she peered up at him. What the hell? Had he fallen asleep or something? What was wrong with him?

"Hey. Lelouch, what's wrong? Why are you-"

"C.C., why do you not believe that you don't have a red string of your own?"

She blinked. Where was this coming from?

"I've been thinking lately, and I don't understand why you don't believe that you have a red string of your own. You yourself said that everyone has one, that you can see them in your dreams. So why don't you believe that you don't have one?"

"Oh, I have one. I have one, I just don't have anyone tied to the end of it. I just don't have a soul mate. I've never dreamt of my own string, but I've felt it." She raised her hand and showed him her pinky. "It's right there, tied around my knuckle, just like yours, and everyone else's is. I've felt tugs on it from time to time. But I know there's no one tied at the very end of it."

"But how can you possibly-"

"Because if it did, I'd have dreamt about it, that's how. It's simple, Lelouch. I don't know why you can't understand. Why are we even discussing this? You know how much I hate talking about this. Let's go. It's cold and I-"

"Maybe you haven't dreamt it because you've seen it."

She turned around, confused, shocked, and a little more than irritated. What the hell was he rambling about now? And what did he know? He couldn't even understand how she didn't have a soulmate, how could he possibly know anything about red strings of fate, much less her red string of fate?

"Maybe you haven't dreamt of your string, C.C., because you've already seen it."

"What are you-"

"Do you remember how we met?"

"It was that bad date you were having," she quickly answered. She was going to shut this down as soon as possible. Why she had to discuss this, and with him of all people, this intolerable man that made her blood boil and her heart pound all at the same time, this man who made her curse how she wasn't fated to be with anyone, she refused to share how she hated how she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life.

"No, we didn't."

"Yes, we did. What, you don't think I'd remember-"

"Don't you remember, C.C.? Your dress?"

As the memory flooded her mind, her eyes widened as she realized what he was trying to tell her.

"Lelouch, that's not-"

"Why? Why is it not?"

"You can't call that a red string of fate, that was just an accident, a simple mistake."

"Meetings through accidents and mistakes are fate. Wouldn't you agree? And that string that connected us was red."

She shook her head. No, no, no, that wasn't how it worked, that wasn't- he wasn't supposed to- why was he doing this to her? Why did he have to go this far, did he really want to break her heart? Because in the end, that was what was going to happen. It was her destiny, to be left alone, to have a broken heart, and no amount of twisting facts was going to change that.

"Lelouch-"

"That day, I bumped into you. I apologized, and we parted ways. We were supposed to part ways for the rest of our lives. But we didn't. Because your red dress, that red dress you wore that day, was made of yarn, and it got hooked onto my bag. Don't you understand, C.C.? That was your red string. That string that day was yours. And I was tied to the end of it."

"Stop. Stop it. You don't know what you're getting yourself into. You have a red string of your own, and it's attached to some woman out there. What are you going to do when the time comes and you meet her?"

"I'm going to cut it and continue being with you. No one said you can't cut it. C.C., just stop thinking in terms of the red string for once, and listen to your heart! You need to wake up for once, and join the real world! You need to wake up, and look at me and what I'm trying to tell you!"

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked. Everything seemed to go still just then - even the waves stopped breaking against the shore as they stared at one another in the moonlight.

"What are you trying to tell me, Lelouch?"

"To believe in me."

"Believe in you?"

He nodded as he held out his hand.

"I'm asking you to believe in me, C.C., and to trust in me. And I'm asking you to think for yourself, instead of letting the red string lead your life for you."

She stared at his hand as she tried to decide what to do. Her head was telling her to walk away, but her heart… Oh, for how long had her heart wanted something like this? How long had she waited for him to say this to her, to look at her like this?

"You really believe that was my red string?" she whispered. Somehow, he heard her over the waves and replied, "I know that was your red string."

"What happens if I take your hand?"

"I'm going to kiss you."

"And then?"

"And then our lives will be altered as it changes paths and destinies to a path and destiny where we're happier."

"Because we're together?"

"Because we're together."

Her heart was beating so quickly, it was making her lightheaded. She didn't know what to do, she was so lost and disoriented. All her life, ever since she had had the first dream, she had automatically assumed that she didn't have a red string of her own. It had to be impossible. No one with a gift like hers deserved to have a red string, it would be too much power and privilege. But this man… He was telling her different. He was completely turning her world upside down and on its head as he told her that he… That he loved her and wanted to be with her and didn't care who he was destined to be with if it wasn't her, hell, he thought that she was his soul mate, and it was just so… Unbelievable…

But then she glanced up at him and at his kind smile, his hopeful smile, and that was when she realized that she was but a mirror of his desires. That she too wanted to be with him, even if it went against what was preordained, that she had also fallen in love with him over the past few years, and that… That he was her other half and that he was at the end of her own red string of fate.

C.C. grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a kiss as she decided. She was going to take control of her own destiny now. She was going to wake up and join the real world, as he told her to, the world in which she would decide for herself the path she would take, and who she would be with on that path.

"Don't let go, alright?"

"I won't." His whispered promise brushed against her lips and she felt her feet leave the ground as he lifted her up. Wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, she kissed him again before bursting into laughter.

God, it felt good to be loved.

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**Request Complete**


	25. Romance

**A/N: For some strange reason, I was sweating profusely while I was writing this. LOL maybe because I had no idea where I was going with this one. I hope you like this, person-who-requested. Thank you for your request!**

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**Romance**

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Request: If it's alright, I wanted to put in a request for your fic. Wasn't sure if this was the proper place to put it: Post-R2 Lelouch and C.C. have finally gotten into a relationship with one another after some time together and are happy. Lelouch's desire is to be as romantic as possible for C.C. in order to make up for the all the missed time and experiences due to her life. Due to being a perfectionist, he tries things he normally wouldn't (musical seranades, rose petals, every cheesy thing).

* * *

"Where are you taking me, Lelouch?"  
"Patience, C.C. Good things will come to those who wait."  
"Unless you're blindfolded and being taken somewhere. This is all highly suspicious."  
"C.C., I'm afraid we're going to have to break up if you don't trust me at all. Relationships are built on trust and if you- No, don't lift the blindfold!"

She gasped and immediately grabbed for something to hold onto - although she was completely blind - as the car violently swerved. She could hear cars rush past with their angry, blaring horns and said, "You nearly killed us, you idiot."

"It's fine, C.C. We're immortal."  
"What, you think because you're immortal, you can't feel pain? I don't know about you, Lelouch, but I don't plan on dying in a car accident after a picnic in the countrysi…"

His hand was on her cheek, the pad of his thumb rubbing the apple of her cheek before it slipped to the back of her head. His fingers gently kneaded her earlobe, reminding her of the pearl earrings he had given her the week before, and her irritation melted away as she heard the leather of the car seat protest as he leaned over and…

"Stop, Lelouch. You're driving."  
"It's alright," he murmured. "It's junction 3 of the M4."  
"People will stare," she muttered. She hated it when people noticed - she didn't care what they thought, but she didn't like the way their eyes followed her, as if she were some alien. As if she didn't belong. It wasn't just because she was shy from all of the affection he had been giving her as of late. Oh, no, what kind of a witch would she be if she were to be shy and turned into a nervous, blushing, heart-pounding mess with just a small kiss? That was ridiculous, it-

"Are you blushing right now?"  
"No," she said. But her reply had been too quick, too forceful, and she could just see his smirk. What would he do next? Make a snide comment, asking where the witch had gone? But instead, much to her surprise, she heard him say, "You're lovely when you blush."

What?

"That's not to say you're not when you're not blushing. But whenever you blush, you look… Well… You look cute. Lovable, even."

Even with the blindfold, she could feel his eyes on her. His words echoing in her mind, she tried her hardest not to let his flattery get to her head- because that's all it was: flattery - and said, "I didn't do it for you" before turning away to face the window, just so that he wouldn't be able to look at her.

As the car began to move again, he took her hand and she felt the cool metal of his promise ring as he laced their fingers together.

"I know. But I'm just telling you that you're beautiful. Just in case you forget."  
"You are the cheesiest man in the history of-"  
"I thought that was Cheese-kun."  
"Not to mention how terrible your jokes are. Of course I had to have the misfortune of falling in love with a man like you!"

C.C. bit her tongue. Oh, she'd done it now. She'd _definitely _done it now. He might not have made fun of her over the blushing, but there was _no_ way he was going to let _this_ go. Ah, but there had been a good reason why she had told him all those years ago that she had never met a man like him before because he managed to surprise her one last time.

"I love you too, C.C."

That intolerable, sufferable man! Turning her witchy heart of stone into a… Into an embarrassed puddle of emotion. Because even if he _was_ cheesy… He was doing it all for her. Because he loved her. At the thought of how he loved (_loved!)_ her, C.C. smiled. She fought to hide the smile but ultimately failed to as fireworks exploded into showers of brilliant sparks in her stomach. Oh, the silly man… How she loved him.

. . .

Wide-eyed, C.C. stared at their bedroom as the silk blindfold slipped away. It was as if a giant rosebush had shed on the covers, there were so many rose petals decorating the bed. Turning to look at him, she tried to say something, but the only thing that came out was a soft "Lelouch…"

"That's for later. This is for now."

The hand on her waist gently nudged her towards their bathroom, where she found a bathtub that had come straight out of a romance movie.

"A bubble bath with extra foam, candles, rose petals, and champagne? Did you do something wrong?"  
"I want to make up for all of the romance you missed."  
"Oh, Lelouch…" Turning around, she cupped his face in her hands as she said, "There's no need to pack several lives' worth of romance in one lifetime. We have an eternity to make up for what I missed. And what you missed. You also missed quite a lot, you know, by giving up your youth to become Zero."  
"I just didn't want to waste time. I didn't want to be late."  
"Well, we have more than enough time, so you won't be late. You don't have to do things like this all the time. It gets tiring for me too. Occasionally would be nice. It makes it more special, and it gives me a chance to thank you. Like now."

Hooking a finger into the waist of his pants, she pulled him closer before loosening his belt.

"You're going to join me, aren't you? You're not going to let me go in there alone, are you?"  
"It's up to you."  
"As if I wouldn't thank you for what you've done. I'm not a mannerless witch, Lelouch. I may be a witch, but I do have manners."  
"I can see that."  
"Good. Now be a good boy and unzip my dress."  
"With pleasure."

It wasn't until the next morning, or rather, the following afternoon, that C.C. finally remembered what she had wanted to say before she had been completely distracted by the prospect of sharing bubble bath with her lover, and all of the opportunities that came with bathing with him. Rolling over, she shivered as their bare skin rubbed against each other under the covers before she gently shook him.

"Lelouch."  
"What is it?" he mumbled.  
"Lelouch, I need to tell you something important."  
"What?"

He was still half-asleep, but C.C. decided to tell him anyway. He'd wake up soon enough after she told him what was on her mind.

"Lelouch, no more musical serenades. The occasional private piano recital, but no more public serenades."  
"Mmmm, alright," he replied drowsily.  
"You really did your research though, didn't you?"  
"That business trip to Glasgow. All I did in the hotel was watch romance movies."  
"You cheesy, cheesy romantic. You liked watching those movies, didn't you?"  
"I'll admit, some of them weren't as bad as I thought they would be. But why do you ask?"  
"Because I also have something to tell you about that week you went to Glasgow."  
"What?"

C.C. swallowed as she tried to get a grip on her nerves. What was the worst that could happen? Honestly, the worst that could happen was that he got angry, and she was pretty sure he wasn't the type to get angry at this kind of news. And besides, he _knew_ what the consequences were if they did it without protection, it wasn't as if… It wasn't as if he'd lost what it meant to the pleasure.

"Lelouch, you're going to be a father."

She looked over to see his eyes, which had been closed with sleep, wide open as he stared at her.

"What?"  
"I'm pregnant."  
"You're…"  
"The mother of your child."

It was completely silent in the room save for the rustling of the blanket as he sat up. C.C. frowned. Was he really that upset?

"You're… There's a baby in here?" He placed a hand on her stomach as he asked, "There's a baby in here. My baby."

She nodded and waited. She could see him struggling to process the news.

"So that's why you wouldn't drink the wine or the champagne. C.C., why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
"I didn't know how to tell you, I… I didn't know if you'd be upset."  
"Why would I be anything but happy?"  
"You're really happy?"  
"Of course I am. But I just wish you'd have told me sooner. It's going to take some time to prepare everything for our daughter-"  
"Son. It's going to be a son."  
"-and everything has to be perfect. First thing to do is to move."  
"Move?"  
"Suzaku and Nunnally want us to move back to Pendragon if we ever conceived."  
"We just left Pendragon," she complained. "I refuse to go back there. You don't even like being there since you don't have any freedom. And you're going to obey them without thinking about what you want?"  
"What I want," he said softly, "is for you to be as safe and as comfortable as possible, and the imperial palace will be the safest and most comfortable for you. There's a good reason why the royal family's never lost any lives in childbirth or during pregnancy."  
"You're really willing to go back to that prison?"  
"If it's for you and the baby, then yes."

She sighed. "Let's talk this over a little more. In the meanwhile, don't tell your sister or Suzaku."

"I won't."  
"I mean it, Lelouch. Don't tell Nunnally _anything_."  
"I said I wouldn't. I promised you, didn't I?"

She heaved another sigh before giving him a soft smile.

"Yeah. You did."

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**Request Complete**


	26. Scarlet

**Scarlet**

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Request: Maybe a Hellsing crossover?

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Suzaku couldn't forget the glint he had seen in her eyes when he had glanced at her in the darkness of the crisis he had been shoved into in the early hours of that day. His mistress, the one who had given him life when he had been on the brink of death… Usually one so carefully guarded, so apathetic, had looked… Shocked. Afraid. Vulnerable. And something he couldn't quite place his finger on, no matter how much he mulled over the puzzle...

He tried to shake it off - it was probably just his imagination, a trick of the light. There was no way that C.C., a vampire, a monster, who enjoyed killing in cold blood, would feel fear's icy grip around her heart. Hell, she didn't even have a heart for fear to wrap its sinister fingers around. He remembered how, when his mistress's master, Sir Lelouch vi Britannia, had taken the short knife and plunged it into his neck before falling to the ground, she hadn't cried out. She hadn't even look surprised as she walked towards him. She had just stood there, as still as a statue, as crimson blood pooled and wet the toes of her high-heel boots. In fact, the only reaction she had had to watching the life of her master bleed out was the raising of the hem of her scarlet dress. She hadn't helped Jeremiah staunch the bleeding, she hadn't called for the doctor as he had, and she hadn't helped move the dying body to the empty ballroom, where the surgical procedure was to take place. She hadn't even said a word.

If Suzaku didn't know better, he'd have guessed that his mistress wanted Lelouch vi Britannia dead, with the way she had been completely passive to the emergency.

He shook his head as he tried to clear the riddles and questions plaguing his head he knew would never be answered. It was better to be ignorant, at times, especially when it came to issues that didn't involve him. What did it matter what the nature of the relationship between his mistress and the leader of the Hellsing Organization was, as long as it allowed for them to work together and well? It was true that he was curious to know what the backstory was that connected the man and woman together, the reason the vampire had accepted the human and the human had accepted the vampire, but it wasn't any of his business to tamper. He hadn't joined to snoop around - he had joined to make the United Kingdom a safer place, to protect the Crown from… From his kind. From the monsters.

Suzaku walked briskly - it was late, and the mansion, which was usually entrenched in the shadows, had grown darker with the surrender of day to night. All was silent save for his footsteps, and though he was supposedly a "creature of the night," shivers still ran up his spine as he tried not to imagine what demons were hiding in the nooks and crannies that no human, or monster, could see. Arriving at a crossway, he was about to turn left, when he stopped. There, down the hallway to his right, was a sliver of silvery light. Suzaku stared, his curiosity sparked - he knew that he wasn't the only vampire within the premises, but everyone above ground should have been sleeping. What was going on?

Moving without a noise so as not to alert whoever was still awake within the walls of castle, he crept towards the twin doors and positioned himself so that he was cloaked by the shadows but could see through the tiny crack. Peering inside, he realized that he was standing in front of a lavish bedroom. Most likely Lelouch's, from the looks of it.

"Shouldn't you be in bed sleeping right now?"

He started, alarmed that he had already been caught, when he realized that the question had been directed towards the man in the wheelchair. He watched with wide eyes as his mistress came into view, wearing nothing but a rose silk slip and a satin robe that hung loosely on her slender frame. Her hair, which was usually tied up into an impeccable bun, hung loose and free, and the soft moonlight illuminated the emeralds cascading down her back. She looked beautiful, like a temptress or a goddess who would grant wishes to only the worthiest and most honorable of men, and nothing like a cold-hearted killer.

"What of you? What are you doing in your nightgown when it's broad daylight for you?"

"Maybe I like a change of pace every now and then. My wardrobe isn't excluded to only formal dresses. You made sure of that, did you not?"

"Only by your demand, you damn selfish woman."

"Oh? Is that how you see me as? As a woman? Not as as monster or a tool?"

This banter… Was nothing like the terse conversations the two usually held. There was so much mischief in each word and exchange. Even Sir Lelouch, who Suzaku had thought was the most uptight and ill-humored individual he had ever met, had had a light tone as he playfully nipped back at her. What was this? What had he stumbled upon?

"You should rest, Lelouch. You may deal with vampires and immortals, but you are human. You are a mortal. Your mistakes can be paid with your own life. Don't forget that."

"I made a terrible mistake today, didn't I?"

"You nearly died, you fool. Make sure that it doesn't happen again."

"What? Making a mistake?"

"No. Brushing shoulders with Death."

She slunk towards him before stepping onto the balcony and into the light. Raising his chin so that he looked into her blood-red eyes, she whispered, "Don't turn me into a mortal again, Lelouch. I can't afford to feel any emotion. Especially any that can distract me from defeating our adversaries."

"I'm not going to make any promises."

She smiled.

"And there's the Master that I've been looking for."

"Was I not here all this time?"

"No."

"Where did I go?"

"To a place far away," she said softly. "A place I wouldn't be able to save you. You left to go to a place where I am forever barred from."

Suzaku hadn't realized he had been holding his breath, but as he waited for his reply, he noticed how tight his chest felt. Releasing his breath, he inhaled deeply, and nearly missed his answer.

"I came back though, didn't I?"

"You did."

"I'm not finished with the Hellsing Organization, C.C., or the creatures known as vampires. And I've not forgotten our promise."

"Our contract," she said sharply. "We are in a contractual relationship. Nothing more, and nothing less."

"Then why were you so worried?"

So that was it. That was what he had seen in her eyes when they had been watching the doctors cut open and stitch up his mistress's master. He wondered if that were even possible, if maybe he was just putting puzzle pieces together that didn't really match and if he was assuming incorrectly. But then he remembered _La Morte Amoureuse_, the musty book he had found in the mansion's library, which he often liked to slip into and read on the evenings - or perhaps the more correct term was days - he couldn't sleep, haunted by his vampiric lust for blood. The story had been one of a priest, who had fallen in love with a woman named Clarimonde. The priest loved Clarimonde, in spite of his vows to the church, and it was all a very nice love story, albeit a strange one, until the reader had their suspicions confirmed at the end of the tale and was told that Clarimonde was in fact a vampire.

He was just assuming, from what he little he had seen. He could be extremely wrong and could be jumping to conclusions. He would have thought that he was jumping to conclusions, if not for one thing - the way they looked at one another. The hard edges in their eyes had softened, and though they didn't exactly smile, they weren't frowning either. It was very strange and confusing, and Suzaku was made to realize once again that, for all of the connections and time he had spent with his mistress, even with the telepathy and the way her blood revived him and stole him away from Death's clutches, he would never be able to understand his mistress as Lelouch vi Britannia did.

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**Request Complete**


	27. Ankle

**A/N: Am I shipping trash? Guilty as charged. This got so ridiculously ****shippy that it disgusted even me, LOL. Gomenesai ^_^'**

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**Ankle**

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Request: Lelouch starts going to the gym at the prompting of Nunnally and Suzaku to get stronger and not be quite so weak physically. He ends up with C.C. as a personal trainer, who eventually starts coming up with creative ways to keep him motivated and going.

* * *

"You two are going on a date? Really? You like him in that way, C.C.?"  
"It's not a date, Suzaku. It's just dinner."  
"Isn't that what a date is…?"

Capping the thin bottle of lipgloss, she picked up the silver eyelash curlers lying to her left on the dresser as she spoke into her phone, which was on speakerphone.

"It's not a date until you make it a date, and it's not a date. I made it extremely clear that it's not a date, and he understands that this is just an informal meeting to discuss his new diet. From what I hear from you and his sister, it seems like he's not getting the proper nutrients he needs, particularly protein and calcium. As his personal trainer, it's my job to make sure he eats right."  
"Well, yeah, but a date is a little…"  
"It's not a date. How many times do I have to tell you the same thing?"  
"Sorry. It just slipped out. Not a date, got it. So when is he coming?"  
"In about… An hour."

There was silence on the other end and C.C. rose from her seat. Checking herself in the full-length mirror in the corner of her bedroom, she smoothed her white skirt and gave herself a once-over. It had been difficult piecing together an outfit for the occasion - she didn't want to be dressy, since that could send the wrong message, but she didn't exactly want to be in yoga pants and an old t-shirt either. So, after an hour of indecision, she had finally settled on a white skirt and a faded denim button-up.

She wasn't nervous, per se. But she wasn't exactly at ease either. Sure, Lelouch was at times ridiculous and difficult to deal with, and yeah, there were definitely men with better bodies she had met, but from the moment Suzaku had dragged him into the gym and introduced him as "the guy he had told her about that desperately needed to work out," he had sparked interest in her. Not just as a challenge to transform the thin and underweight weakling - because there was no doubt that he was a weakling, a textbook victim of the schoolyard bully - but as an interesting person who didn't bore her after the first thirty seconds of conversation. She wondered if he'd be different out of the gym. He probably wouldn't be - not after the undercover work-out she had planned for him.

"So…" Suzaku's voice crackled over the phone as he asked, "You two are just going to have dinner together?"

"What else would we do?"  
"Er…"

There was an awkward pause and she rolled her eyes. Even Suzaku's mind rolled into the gutter at times, huh?

"Uh, you know, I think Lelouch was saying something about wanting to go to, uh, the museum. You know the history museum that just opened that new exhibit on Britannia's monarchy? I think he said something about wanting to go. Maybe he'll ask you to go with him?"  
"Why would he want to go to a history museum with his personal trainer?"  
"Um… Well, you know, Lelouch, I think he actually li-"  
"Oh, looks like he's here early. I have to go, Suzaku."  
"Uh, yeah. Good luck!"  
"With what?"  
"With dinner?"  
"Well, thank you."

Hanging up, she played with the hem of her skirt and made sure her shirt was tucked all the way in before walking to the front door. Opening it, she found herself face-to-face with a crown of raven hair.

"Lelouch?"  
"Yes. Hello."

He immediately straightened up, and C.C. saw how pale he looked. Frowning, she asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, it's nothing. Uh, the security guard in the lobby gave this to me to give to you. Apparently it's a package you'd been waiting for…?"  
"Oh, yes, thank you. I'd been meaning to pick it up from the office. I guess the old man got impatient and managed to rope you in. Come in. You can set it down by the door."

As he brushed by her, C.C. couldn't help but smirk. Stage one had been a success. Package? As if. She watched as he bent down and gently let the box onto the floor, delighted with herself. Little did he know that he had carried fifty pounds worth of rocks for at least five minutes straight. She doubted he would have put it on the ground on the elevator. Not with the hyper toddlers who always came home with their mothers at this time of day, and not with the red "fragile" that had been stamped onto the cardboard. He seemed well for someone who had exerted so much, which was a sure sign of improvement. Pleased with herself, she made a mental note to bake some pie for the security guard in thanks for his help, before smiling and saying, "I hope you're not allergic to dogs."

"I'm not, although I do prefer cats over dogs."  
"Cat person, huh? I should have known."  
"What breed is your dog?"  
"A German Shepherd. Don't worry though. She's only a few months old, and she's very sweet. Rarely ever bites. We'll have to be a little quiet though, because she's sleeping and she's a sensitive sleeper."

Lelouch wasn't quite sure whether to smile or not - when he had said he preferred cats over dogs, it really meant that he liked to completely avoid the animals. Particularly German Shepherds. He winced at the memory of warm saliva dripping down from bared fangs before they snapped and barked at him, but said nothing more on the subject. She already had a low opinion of him - there wasn't any need to make it any worse. Time to change the subject. Turning from the door she had gestured to when introducing her pet, he was about to ask her what they were going to do first when he saw her tying her hair into a loose ponytail.

Lelouch flushed and hurriedly averted his gaze, loathing to come off as a creep and stare at her. But the image of C.C. in a coral and plaid apron with a little cartoon teddy bear on the front pocket was just… Too much… For him… To handle. It was surreal. She was nothing like the way she was at the gym - given, he hadn't expected for her to walk around in gym clothes all of the time, but he hadn't exactly been expecting the skirt and the apron that looked as if belonged to Nunnally or Euphemia, rather than the woman who had beat a man twice her build completely and utterly senseless in the boxing ring.

"Did you say something?"  
"… Nothing. Nothing, I didn't say anything."

She gave him a strange sidelong look but didn't pursue the matter any further and said, "Come here and wash your hands. We're going to start your lesson on eating right."

"Right."

Thank God she hadn't noticed his embarrassment… Or had she? Had she?

. . .

"What do you do for a living? Are you a historian?"

Lelouch glanced down at the young woman who was slowly walking besides him down the dimly lit hallways of the museum. They had come here after dinner upon her suggestion, which had surprised him. He hadn't seen her as someone who went to museums in her free time. But he had agreed to anyway (he would have been willing to do anything as long as it meant he could get away from that German Shepherd) and so they had gone to the city's famous and beloved museum of natural history. It normally wouldn't have been open so late, but due to its new exhibit on the Britannian monarchy, and in particular, because of the special feature on the 99th Emperor and his consort, whose reign had been Britannia's golden age, the Pax Britannia. Apparently, because the emperor and empress had enjoyed the evening sky and because several advancements in astrology were credited to their sponsoring of the sciences, the museum was open late. Which was nice, as it meant that he had more time to wander through the halls, which were much emptier since most people had gone home to their families.

"No, not at all. I'm interested in some aspects of history, but I could never live and breathe history. No, I'm a… Well, I'm a writer."  
"A writer? And have I heard of any of your books?" she asked. They slowly walked down the hallway together, stopping from time to time to study the artifacts left behind by an ancient kingdom that might as well have belonged in fairytales.

"That depends. I don't use my real name."  
"Ah, I thought you'd say something like that. Or else I would have known you were an author the moment we met."  
"You read?"  
"Of course I do. I love reading. What genre do you write in?"

Lelouch paused for a second. Truth be told, he had _two_ pseudonyms - one mask that he usually hid behind, and the other that he used for… Well… The other he used to write romance. He would never admit it, but he actually somewhat enjoyed romance novels. Of course, the first he had written had only been as a joke, a way to mock the monotony of the YA romance genre, but after his editor had managed to get her claws on the unfinished draft, she had pushed him to finish it. And thus, Lulu Knott had been born, the world's leading romance author. But it wasn't as if he would ever tell that to C.C. - even Nunnally wasn't aware of his alter ego. There was no way this woman was going to find out.

"Mostly historical fiction."  
"You are such a history nerd," she teased. "You say you aren't, when you really are. What's your pen name? Maybe I can read one of your books."  
"Ah, no, that's alright. There's no need to-"  
"No, I want to. I'm curious and I want to know if you're one of the writers that I've come to love."

At her words, his heart skipped a beat or two, but he pushed the feeling aside as he tried to cut himself out of the sticky web he had been tangled and trapped in.

"It's really fine, I-"  
"Why? Are you afraid that you're not good enough?"

He scoffed. "I'll have you know that I've won various prestigious literary awards over the years."

"Then what's there to be afraid of, Mr. Prestigious-Literary-Awards? Come on. What's your pen name?"  
"I'm not at the liberty to disclose that information."  
"Oh, you're being ridiculous. What do you mean-"

Lelouch desperately grabbed for her as she began to tumble down the stairs. Somehow, as if by magic, he caught her and pulled her up, albeit roughly. Setting her on the ground, he worriedly asked, "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, it's just this damn ankle acting up again. It's nothing new."  
"What happened to your ankle?"  
"That's a story for a later time. Can you help me up? I think it's time to go home and rest."  
"Of course. But are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should have the doctor look at your ankle. If it's weak enough to give out, then-"  
"It's already been looked at. It's fine. Just a little reminder of a small accident I had a few years back."

Lelouch moved down a step or two so that she would be able to better lean on him since their height difference had been diminished. He frowned - how was she going to go home like this? Even if they took a taxi back to her apartment, they still had to walk _out_ of the museum and then wait for however long it took to hail a cab. Making up his mind, he lifted her up.

"What are you-"  
"This is the only solution."  
"You're being over-dramatic. Put me down, Lelouch. I'm f-"  
"C.C., you're allowed to not be fine. You do know that, right?"

Having been silenced, she only looked up at him as he said, "Come on. We're going home."

She nodded and obediently leaned her head on his shoulder. As they left the museum, she rolled her ankle, thinking about how she really was fine and how he was being ridiculous, although, admittedly, a little cute and romantic at the same time. Ah, well, if he really wanted to carry her, that was fine with her. Now if only she could somehow get the elevators at her apartment complex to shut down so that he'd have to exercise some and carry her up 40 flights of stairs…

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**Request Complete**


	28. Swing

**Swing**

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Yesterday had been a strange day. One of the strangest in his life. Thinking back on the entire day, he looked out over the night city-scape twinkling below him. It had been a mixed bag of nostalgia, melancholy, and happiness. But he supposed that it was only to be expected - after all, even if four months had come and gone, he'd met his ex-girlfriend for a cup of coffee, who he had been in a relationship for six years. Six years! Lelouch was 27 - if he had been with C.C. for six years, he'd spent most of, if not his entire, adult life with her. If spending the whole day with her after breaking up didn't leave a strange taste in his mouth, then there was something wrong with him.

When he first walked into the coffeeshop and saw her, sitting there and looking out of the cafe window while sipping an espresso, he admitted that he had forgotten himself and had nearly greeted her with a kiss on the cheek as he had always used to. It had been difficult to remember that they had returned to being friends after six years of romance, not to mention awkward. Though they had both been laid back about their strange arrangement and decision to at least let their relationship survive platonically, there had been times when he could feel the tension in the atmosphere. She had been struggling too, to adjust to her new life, just as he had been for the past few months. Hell, everyone that knew them well was struggling to adjust. The other day, when he and Suzaku had gone out for a drink, his friend had asked where C.C. was, as in the past, C.C. had always joined "her boys" for a round or four of drinks. Suzaku had caught himself, but the question had already been halfway out his lips before he realized his folly. It had been awkward for some time until he had asked how Suzaku how his cousin was doing as he hadn't seen her after their wedding. For his friends, him remaining friends with C.C. even after breaking up was strange, but they wordlessly accepted the decision without question. His mother, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

She had found out the news in the worst possible way - through a secondary source. When he had come home from work a week after the break-up, he had been startled to find his mother sitting in his living room. Before he even had time to set down his bag, she had asked him what he was thinking by ending his relationship with C.C. She then began to lecture him for the following ten minutes on the way time was running out for him and that he should have stayed with her and married her to finally start a family of his own. He hadn't tried to explain why they had broken up. He didn't try to tell her that they had just been slowly drifting apart, that they weren't fighting, per se, but that they weren't exactly getting along either, that the fire had just died and that the spark had vanished. He knew his mother wouldn't listen to him, waving his "excuses" off with a wave of her hand. So he had just silently stood in his living room and listened to her scold and reprimand him before sending her home escorted by her driver.

It was just supposed to be a cup of coffee. That had been what they had agreed on - they finally had a mutual opening in their busy schedules and planned to meet each other to chat and catch up. Their intentions had been innocent, but when the last drop of Americano had been swallowed, they had sat in their seats as if they didn't want to part. They had continued to sit there, unsure of what to do, until she had asked him if he had gotten a present for his sister's birthday. He knew that she already knew the answer to the question but he replied anyway - anything to just drag it on for a little bit longer. She had smiled and asked him if he wanted to help her pick out a present for his sister, which he had readily agreed to. So they had stood up and left the cafe together to wander the mall.

Everything had been relatively fine until they had gotten to the jewelry store. Looking back on it, he wondered why they had walked into the waiting trap. He still had no answer for the sphinx's riddle. Or perhaps it was that he just didn't want to acknowledge what the answer was. When they had been looking at the glittering necklaces and sparkling earrings in their elegant glass cases, a well-dressed salesman had approached them and asked if someone had already assisted them in browsing through the various engagement rings in the store. He had stared at the salesman as if he had suddenly sprouted antennae and C.C., when he had managed to tear his eyes off of the waiting employee to look at her, had turned red. Both didn't quite know what to say, until he had choked, "We're fine, thank you."

They had left the boutique soon after, running away from what had just happened, and by some unspoken agreement, both never spoke of the incident. Their shopping trip soon extended into the early evening, and soon enough, the question of dinner was brought up. Before he knew it, he found himself sitting across the table from her in a restaurant.

They had had a drink or two. Since that was what friends did when they got together in the evening, had a beer or a glass of wine together. It was as if the beer had been the sun because the moment they had raised the glasses to their lips, the dark cloud of awkward tension hanging over them had suddenly dissipated. They had truly returned to the way it had been before their mutual decision to end things before they turned ugly, before their peaceful parting. Of course, they had been careful not to get drunk. They weren't quite out of the forest yet with their feelings, and knew that they would end up doing something regrettable if they drank too much.

So when they had gotten a pleasant buzz, they had paid and left the restaurant. He had walked her to her car, where they had stood under the harsh lighting of towering lamp and talked for some more before they suddenly both leaned in and kissed.

Maybe they had been more than just a little buzzed, he thought while blowing a wispy cloud of smoke into the cool, clean autumn air. Or maybe, said a tiny voice in his head, maybe you don't like being without her as much as you thought you would. Maybe she misses you just as much as you miss her, it whispered.

He had been reminded of how soft her lips were, how intoxicating her perfume was, and of how warm her breath was as they stood frozen with sin and shock over their boldness. But most of all, he was painfully reminded of the hole that had slowly but surely been carved into his chest for the past four months, the hole that had eventually replaced his heart.

He wasn't sure if he was glad or not over how he had gone home alone that night. Maybe it was for the best, he reasoned. If she had come home with him, there was no telling what could have happened the morning after, or the following weeks and months. They, or at least he, would have been forced to admit how much he hated himself for giving up on their relationship and how he didn't really want to be friends, how he actually wanted to go back to the way things had been before. And then, when the realization had kicked in, they wouldn't even be allowed to be friends anymore. Not with the elephant shoved in between them.

Yes, that was right. It was better that they hadn't gone any further. He should thank his stars that they had only kissed, and that it had been a quick, drunk one at that. He didn't like being just another one of her friends, but if he had a choice between being her friend and being one of her ex's that were to be avoided whenever they coincidentally ran into each other, then he'd rather be her friend. One hundred times, one thousand, a million times over, he'd rather be her friend. But of course, if he could choose between turning back the clock to four months before and the present day, he'd obviously choose to go back and at least try to-

"Lelouch?"

"C.C.? What are you doing here? How did you know I would be here?"

"You always came here when you had too much to think about."

He watched as she took a seat in the swing besides his. She held out a hand towards him and he wordlessly gave her his cigarette. Smoke slipped out from her lips a few moments later before she returned his cigarette. They sat in silence for the longest time, alone together in the empty playground until she said, "I want to talk to you about… About what happened last night."

He had been afraid that this would happen. Now it finally had. He pursed his lips and dropped the cigarette before crushing it with his foot.

"I'm sorry about what happened. I stepped out of line and I should have-"

"Are you really sorry?"

He looked up at her from the blackened mulch as she softly asked, "Are you really sorry, Lelouch? Or do you not regret the kiss like I do?"

It seemed he had finally found his heart again after losing it for several months as it beat wildly in his chest. Swallowing with some trouble, he stared at her as she stood up and walked towards the balcony near the swing set.

"I've done a lot of thinking since last night, Lelouch. I've tried to figure out why I kissed you when we had said that we were only friends, as I'm sure you have. I still haven't quite figured it out completely. I have bits and pieces, but not the whole picture. What about you? Have you figured out why?"

"… Yes. I have."

It was true. It wasn't exactly that he had figured it out, but he did know why he had done what he had. He knew why it felt as if he was numb to anything and everything, why his laughter and smiles had all been fake ever since she had left. He knew that he still loved her. Had always loved her. And would continue to do so, even if she no longer felt the same.

"Will you help me then? One last time. Like yesterday."

His only reply was the light clinking of the swing's chains as he stood up and walked towards her. Looking down at her, he said, "Just this once. And then no more."

She nodded, and he asked her what she needed help with. Her eyes never once straying from his, she told him how, unlike him, she still didn't know why she had breached their promise and that maybe, if they simulated the scenario again, she'd be able to understand why.

It was another trap. But this one Lelouch was willing to go into. Cupping her face with his hand, he asked her what would happen if she finally came to understand, if they would walk away from each other once more as friends. She closed her eyes as she leaned into his warmth, replying that if she were to understand, then they wouldn't be friends any longer.

He kissed the corner of her jaw as he whispered to her to close her eyes. She obeyed and could feel his lips leave a burning hot trail as he moved from her ear to her cheek until finally, he reached her lips and pulled her closer, just as she wanted him to for the past three-and-a-half months.

* * *

Request: Can you write a fanfiction where Lelouch and C.C. Just recently broken up. But as they try to spend the day together as friends; they realize their mistake in breaking up. Please and thank you:)

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**Request Complete**


	29. Fear

**Fear**

* * *

"What's the guest of honor doing here? Shouldn't she inside, dancing and enjoying the celebration of her victory?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" she growled. Raising his hands defensively, Lelouch set down a flute of champagne on the stone railing in front of her.

"My mother's on the panel of judges. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it this evening, so I came on her behalf."

"Mama's boy," she muttered. Their terse conversation was soon replaced by the quiet strains of orchestral music floating out from the party behind them. C.C. tried her best to ignore the intruder. Honestly, what was wrong with him? Why was he always bothering her and showing up just when she didn't want to see him, the annoying little bitch.

"C.C., why do you hate us?"

"Us?"

"The student body at Ashford. Why do you hate us all? What have we did we initially do for you to hate us so much?"

She glanced behind her and at him, and over his shoulder, she could see the golden light of Tokyo's cream of the crop lavishly enjoyed themselves. Or rather, used the party to climb the social ladder, going so far as spreading ruthless scandals and rumors with plastic smiles, all in the pursuit of a higher social status. Even outside on the balcony, the contemptuous and angry aura radiating from the ballroom was inescapable - she remembered how they hid behind one another and whispered as their glares flitted towards her. She had enraged them all by stealing first place in the prestigious competition right under their noses, her, the poor girl who didn't have a role in the fairy tales of the upper class. Which was nothing new to her. Though there were various groups that made up the student body at Ashford Academy, there was one, and only one, thing that unified the diverse divisions, and that was their hatred for the Grey Witch, as they opted to call her, rather than by her name. Not that their hissed insults really bothered her. She hated them as much as they hated her, so no affection was lost between them. As if she would ever care for their opinions and love - what use did she have for those superficial idiots, those slimy scumbags that knew nothing of loyalty and only thought of what else they could do to elevate their social status? She didn't care for them at all. She had never cared for them. Not even one of the degenerates had enough humanity within them to draw even the slightest prickling of sympathy for their pathetic lives. Especially _him_, who was the leader of them all, the king, the most popular and wealthiest of the crowd.

But she wouldn't tell him that. She wouldn't tell him anything. There was no way in hell she'd give him what he wanted, which was only fodder for him to make cruel jokes about the black sheep in the school, the one who didn't belong in their world. Defiant to the last moment, C.C. looked hm in the eye before picking up the champagne he had given her and slowly poured it all over his shoes before letting the slender glass tumble to the ground and shatter.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish by acting all friendly to me," she said coldly, "but I suggest you stop now, if you know what's good for you."

Glaring, she pushed past him. It was time to leave. The only reason she had even bothered to attend the party was to receive her award and recognition, and now that she had her check and trophy, it was time to go. She had never been welcome here, and there was no longer any reason for her to linger in this place that stunk to the high heavens of corruption. She made for the door and her reprieve, when he suddenly grasped her arm.

"What the hell do you think you're-"

"Tell me one thing," he interrupted in a low voice. "Why are you so hateful of us? What have we done to earn your scorn and ire? You used to be one of us-"

She looked sharply at his words.

"-so why do you spit at us?"

What made him think that she was going to tell him of her family's blood money? What made him think that she was going to tell him of her disgust for the way her family, in particular her father, was willing to slaughter and toy with innocents all in the name of amassing even greater wealth? Scowling, she snarled, "Let go of me. I don't want your filthy hands touching-"

"Not all of us can forfeit our inheritance, C.C. Not all of us are trying to hurt you either. Some of us are just curious. Some of us just want to be nice and be friends with the girl who looks, for all her dirty looks and hostility, lonely."

She stared at him, furious and… Furious and a little bit fearful. Fearful of what else he was going to say, fearful of what he truly wanted from her, why he was always defending her and hanging around her, and fearful that he just might be right. But she didn't tell him that. She didn't reveal how her heart was pounding, how afraid she was of him, and how she thought that he, for all of the irritation he caused her, may be the one and only person who had bothered to care about her after she had disowned her parents and name. She was afraid of how he always pulled himself away from the perpetual crowd of admirers that surrounded him to greet her in the morning before class started, how he always found her during lunch and ate with her, how he always managed to find her even after she tried to hide herself and had managed to worm himself into her heart and mind even after she had closed herself off. She didn't tell him any of that. Instead, she roughly shook him off and hissed, "And not everyone can stand the stench of the lives you've ruined, all so that you can act so high and mighty."

His hand fell to his side as she shoved past him. Lelouch stared at the shards of glass scattered all over the ground as they winked at him. He had thought that she had gotten better, that her wounds had closed, but obviously, he had been seriously wrong with his assumption. He frowned. He had first approached her because he had been curious - he had figured out the system long ago, had figured out how to twist and manipulate the school so that it bowed down to him… That is, he had it figured out until he had met the Grey Witch, the unsolvable enigma. Even after months of dedication, of weathering through her sharp tongue, he was no closer to figuring her out than when he had started. He had even conducted a damn background check and had spent time with her, and still, he was no closer to solving the puzzle. The only fruits of his labor were small and dry - her attitude towards him had grown slightly softer until it suddenly snapped back to how it had been when he had first asked her if she knew were Suzaku was that day their class had taken a field trip to the aquarium.

But he wouldn't give up on her. No, he had invested far too much time and effort to surrender now. Besides - that day at the aquarium, he had seen something strange, something rare that no one else had ever seen. Because throughout the rest of the tour, he had hung back and closely kept an eye on her, slightly annoyed and yet intrigued to find someone in the school who dared to raise their nose at him. He watched as she reluctantly followed the crowd of fellow classmates, walking as far away from them as possible, as if she hated to even breathe the same air as them. Whenever the other students came into her view, her expression had blackened, but whenever she looked at the animals, at the fish and the dolphins and the otters… He knew that he would never forget the smile he saw that day because it was that smile, that desire to see her smile again, that made him refuse to give up on her. He knew it was foolish to spend so much time and energy on one person, but the smile had been one of such rarity, he felt the need to see it again.

Besides. He had given his future father-in-law his word that he would help his fiancé be accepted and included in the society that she had deserted and that had cast her out. And he'd be damned if he was going to break his promise.

* * *

Request: AU. C.C. hates all of her classmates because in her perspective, they only use each other to gain social status or personal interests. In return, all of her classmates hates her. But there is one person who wants to know why did she became like that, it is the most popular boy in their campus, Lelouch Lamperouge.

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**Request Complete**


	30. Fire

**A/N: Happy New Year's, everyone! I hope you have a wonderful year ahead of you!**

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**Fire**

* * *

Request: A New Year's Eve/Day fic(let)? It might be irrelevant to an immortal, but to a mortal man, it means he's one year closer to his end.

* * *

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Times Square?"  
"I was," he said breathlessly, "but then I realized what the true meaning of a new year is."  
"Lelouch, what are you talking about? Go back - you yourself said that being on the New Year's Eve newscast in the most important-"  
"I refuse to let another year go by like this again, C.C. Stop trying to push me away whenever this day comes."  
"I have never pushed you-"  
"Whenever it gets to be New Year's Eve, C.C., you always make some excuse to not see me. Why are you always avoiding me? What are you running from?"

It was freezing cold. She could see her breath hanging suspended in the air before fading away, his cheeks, painted red by the winter and by his anger, and she could feel the shivers running up her spine. Or perhaps it wasn't the weather that was making her shake. Maybe it was something else, a someone she had spent far too much time with.

Pulling her jacket closer, she looked at him with a stoic expression as she said, "What does it matter, Lelouch? Whether I'm hiding or running from something? In the end, what does it matter if you know? Do you really think I wouldn't find out? You're sick, Lelouch. No, you're not sick - you're dying. Right now, as you stand before me, you're dying. Because of the cancer in your body, you're dying, and soon, you'll leave me, an immortal cursed to walk the earth until the end of time. Just as countless others have before you. So what does it matter, Lelouch, whether I tell you?"

"Because I made a promise to you and to myself." She wanted to back away as he stepped towards her, wanted to run away, but for some reason, as he drew closer, she couldn't pull away. She could feel the snow gently drifting down, illuminated by the bright lights of the city's celebration. She felt trapped, but for some reason, she could only watch as he came closer and said, "I swore that I would make you smile as you deserve to, and I plan on fulfilling that promise. It's the dawn of a new year, C.C., and the dawn of a new beginning. How many have we spent together?"  
"Five," she whispered.  
"That's right. We've spent five long years together. And I've gone through five New Year's Eves without you. I'm sick of not being with the person who's most important to me on a day like this. Stay with me, C.C., and greet the new year with me."  
"There's no point," she argued. "Why would I care, when I've seen countless new years and new beginnings? Why would an immortal care?"  
"Because we're together."

Her eyes widened as he bent down so that they were level.

"I can't erase the past, but I promise you, I will create a future where you won't have any regrets. Just give me one chance, C.C."

She hated him. With all her heart, she hated him for making her so breathless like this, for making her worry over him, for making her feel like an ordinary woman again. She should have slipped out that night he had found her on the snowy streets and had taken her to his home. She should have rejected his proposal, his contract that he had made with her. She shouldn't have teased him so often and shouldn't have been so friendly with him. Why had she visited him at his work? Why had she comforted him when he had been downtrodden? Why had she begun to see him as more than just a tool to live comfortably and as an actual friend, as a man? Why had she been this foolish?

"I don't want to, Lelouch. This is one promise you can't keep. You know that as well as I do."  
"Then in the next life. I'll find you and promise you again in the next life, just as I have in this one. And if I still can't keep my promise then, then I'll just find you in the life after that, and the next life after that until finally, you can understand just what you do to me, C.C."  
"What if I already understand?"

She turned away, loathing to meet his eyes, as she softly asked, "A new year and a new beginning? You really think that's possible for someone like me?"

"I'll make it possible for you." His lips brushed her cheek as he replied, "If it's not, then I will make it possible for you. I promise, C.C. Believe in me. I'll do everything in my power to create a new beginning for you."  
"Why would you do something like that for me?"  
"You know why. You've known for a long time, haven't you?"

She remembered the stray kitten she always liked to pet that had mysteriously appeared in their shared apartment one day, even if he constantly sneezed around the cat, how he always held her whenever her nightmares returned. And even now, he had left the most important show of his career, all because he wanted to be with her.

"You're playing with fire, right now, Lelouch. You'll burn yourself."  
"That's alright. Fire is beautiful, and it's warm. Most people hate fire because they're afraid and they don't take the time to understand and see all the good that fire does."

The countdown had begun. If she didn't move away now, if she didn't slip away from his grasp, she knew that she'd never be able to. She had to go. It was time for her to leave, she had spent far too much time with him. But her feet refused to move. They were rooted to the ground as she looked up at him. His lips were moving as he said something, but she couldn't hear anything, save for the beating of her heart that was telling her to stay, telling her not to run away. She had never felt so confused and lost in her life.

"Stay, Cera. With me. Please."

The damn devil! She cursed him for knowing the right thing to say at the right time, and she cursed herself for what was to come. Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face into his chest before saying, "I accept."

"Thank you," he whispered. Somehow, she heard him over the roaring of the crowd around them as the clock turned and the new year finally arrived. The first words of the new year and the first thank you of her life, huh? Maybe it was okay for her to believe in him, to trust in him and lean on him. And even if it wasn't... She was still going to anyway. Over the years, C.C. had forgotten how naive and fickle the human heart could be, but it seemed as their lips met and they greeted the new year together, she would be reminded over the next several years.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	31. Painting

**Painting**

* * *

Request: Lelouch and C.C. are arguing intensely, even violently, and they get so angry at each other they start to have sex. (LOL it makes no sense. Consider it a challenge, I guess? Just have fun with it hahaha)

* * *

"In an effort to make things more efficient… The Council has decided to pair up succubi and incubi so that the partnership will break down barriers between the two and allow for cooperation. And since you two are the two leaders of your groups, you'll be acting as… Well, let's just say that you'll be setting an example."

"What the hell are you talking about?" demanded C.C. Slamming her hands down on the table, she leaned forward as she snarled, "Are you telling me I have to work with this useless freeloader?"

"You two are going to be the underworld's power couple, and if you'd like to keep your lofty positions, I suggest that you two get along in the eye of the public."

"I object to this," intoned the incubus. Rising from his seat, he said, "I refuse to work with this whore. She has questionable methods, she's unethical more often than not, and I will not associate myself or tarnish my reputation with the likes of her."

"Zero, it's only through the likes of her that you're allowed to do your job. The both of you need each other. I don't see what the problem is. You just have to play nice in front of other people for a while until the other succubi and incubi accept that working together is better than fighting all of the time. What's wrong with a little peace?"

"There's nothing wrong with peace. But there's everything wrong with her, and I refuse to work with her. Either fix her or fix this. Otherwise, I refuse."

Suzaku sighed and his wings fluttered tiredly.

"I'm only the messenger, you guys. I don't have any power in the Council. Why don't you two just take a walk and think it through? Think about the consequences of going against the Council. Alright? And then you can come back tomorrow with your final answer."

"As if time can change all of her flaws," he hissed. Suzaku silently watched as they stormed out of the room. Well, at least they were united in their hatred for one another and their anger at having been chosen.

. . .

"Why the hell does C.C. have to be the one that the Council singles out?"

"Well, she's our most valuable producer. And what Suzaku said was right - as much as we don't like them, us succubi can't do our job without the incubi."

"Oh, shut up, Euphemia," snapped Kallen. "You're only saying that because you're interested in Suzaku. Don't think I haven't seen the way you two looked at each other at the Summit. C.C., just tell them you won't do it. I've heard things about that damn devil, and they say he's the spawn of Satan himself. He's the most anal-retentive incubus out there, not to mention that goddamn attitude. He's a complete bitch. I have no idea how he ended up at the top for the incubus, with the way he is. Oh, but you know what, since incubi are lazy and never do their work, then I guess that explains-"

"My lady, a Master Zero has arrived. He said he would like to speak to you. Shall I send him away?"

Three pairs of eyes turned to stare at the beautiful woman who had been intently studying the enormous painting hanging on the eastern wall of the lavish bedroom throughout the duration of the heated argument. She was as still as a statue for half a lifetime until her silvery voice said, "No. Send him in, Sayoko. The two of you - you're going to have to leave."

"What? We should stay. You don't know what he could try to pull-"

"As if he could do anything to me," she scoffed. "I'll be fine, Kallen. If you're going to be worried, worry over Zero. The weakling thinks he can just walk into my home without any consequences?"

"Be nice, C.C.," pleaded Euphemia. "Kallen might have heard only negative things about Zero, but there are several who say that he's a gentleman. And he's their best for a good reason too."

"I can handle him. He's nothing, compared to me."

"Good luck, C.C."

"Thank you, Euphie. Now leave, the two of you, before he shows up and pisses his pants."

As they flew out of the large windows, C.C. stared at the painting. It had been given to her before her Disgrace and removal from the archangels by a human painter she had met by chance. Though she was only supposed to act as a guardian of mankind, when she had been attacked by incubi who had mistaken her for a mortal, the painter had turned the tables and saved her. He took her home afterwards and dressed her wounds, which had already halfway healed by the time they had reached his home. But instead of erasing his memories of their encounter and leaving, C.C., who had always been notorious for her unquenchable curiosity, had continued to stay with him, intrigued by the artist. Which went against all protocol. So when she had returned to her rightful place, she had been given a Disgrace and had her honor stolen away before being sentenced to serve as a succubus in the underworld, the worst punishment for all and any archangels. Fortunately, she had managed to sneak in the painting he had given to her, and it was this painting that she studied. The artist admittedly wasn't very talented, but it reminded her of the time they had spent together, and that was more than enough reason for her to treasure the work of art.

"My lady."

C.C. glanced over her shoulder. Her tail curled up besides her to take the glass of wine in her hand and set it down. Turning around, she excused her maid before coldly saying, "What do you want, Zero?"

"I'll cut to the chase, since I hate seeing you as much as you hate seeing me. Two days have passed since we were called in. What have you decided?"

"And why should I have to tell you of my decision? What does it matter to you? Unless you've taken an interest in me, that is."

He scoffed, and she saw a hard light appear in his stormy eyes.

"Have you ever seen a lion interested in a rotting carcass that's infested with maggots?"

"What?" She narrowed her eyes. It had only been twenty seconds and already, he was on her nerves.

"Are you deaf as well as stupid? My, my, I had expected greater things from the succubi's top producer, but I suppose I overestimat—"

She crossed the room in a flash before slamming him against the wall.

"Why should I bother," she hissed, "with trying to impress scum like you? You and your kind is nothing but dead weight for this society. There is a reason why you're so hated, you bastard. Because no one has any use for trash like you."

They were so close. Their bodies were pressed up against each other, adrenaline was coursing through her veins, and her body was burning up as she looked up at him. All was still and quiet for a split second before they both leaned in until their lips crashed into each other. Apparently he was just as hungry for her as she was for him because his hands began to roam, tearing her clothes and greedily grabbing for any bare skin he could uncover.

"You're nothing but a glorified whore," he growled. "It would serve you well to treat me with the respect that I deserve. Keep in mind that if not for incubi, you would never have existed."

"But where do you think you get the necessary materials to do your job?" Shoving him down onto her bed, she straddled him as she dug her sharp nails into his chest and left red crescents in his pale skin. "Listen, boy. You think you're the next best thing that happened to the underworld, but I have several hundred years on you-"

"And thus, you're overused and abused. It's always succubi like you who can't let go of their past glories that are slowing this system down."

"Then if I'm so overused and abused, why are you like this? Hmm?" Bending down, she ran her tongue over his quick pulse before gently blowing and asking, "What's this that's pressing into me, Zero? Are you really that attracted to me?"

"I hate you. You are the most deranged, selfish, and laziest individual I have ever had the misfortune to cross paths with, not to mention how stubborn you are. I curse the heavens for entangling my life with yours."

"The heavens have already cursed you," she murmured, "so why curse them in return?" Unbuckling his belt, she said, "But I suppose it makes sense, now that I've arrived. I told you to stay away from me, Zero, and yet, you refused to listen. But no matter - I'll teach you what it truly means to be cursed. After I'm through with you, I doubt you'll be able to give me that nasty look of yours."

"I'd like to see you try, Witch."

C.C. smirked. Little did the devil know of the way the pleasure she would give him would haunt him for the rest of his days, torturing him with desire and lust.

. . .

"Thanks, Kallen, for slipping the potion into C.C.'s drink."

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for her. She's already on probation - she can't risk it any further with the Council. Especially when the archangels have been so active lately."

"Regardless. For whatever reason you did it, thank you."

"I swear to you, Suzaku, if C.C. finds out what I did, I'll kill you. Under your orders, I made it so that she bonded with that damn Zero, and you know that a bond between a succubus and an incubus is unbreakable."

"I won't. Don't worry."

She glared at him before turning on her heel and stalking away. When he was alone again, Suzaku sighed. Everyone was always glaring and spitting at him - it made him miss Euphie and her gentleness. Maybe he'd be able to find some time tonight to sneak away and find her. Or maybe not, he thought as he received news that an extremely furious incubus by the alias of Zero was making his way to his office.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	32. Wrong

**Wrong**

* * *

"Would you like to go ice-skating?"

C.C. tore her eyes away from the brightly-lit rink as she looked up at the sound of her date's voice, slightly flustered at his question. Had she been that obvious?

"Not particularly," she replied. But her eyes were drawn back to the couples and children who were gracefully gliding - and not-so-gracefully on the part of others - on the ice, despite her negative answer. Truthfully, she did want to go skating, but she didn't feel inclined to go skating with this partner. It was their first date, and a blind date at that which had been set up by a mutual friend, and C.C. loathed to make a terrible impression. It wasn't that she liked him, although she admitted that he was one of the more well-mannered, better looking, and more interesting dates she had had. It was more a matter of her pride and the fact that… Well, the fact that she hadn't learned to skate yet, even though she was a grown woman. And she knew how foolish novices could be on the ice - she could see one or two dotted here and there as they desperately clung to the rail. There was no way in hell she was going to make herself look like a fool in front of this man.

"Really? That's a pity. I was thinking that maybe we could go skating, since it looked fun."

She stared at him as he smiled at her, and flushed before averting her gaze. He'd seen through her lie. Damn it.

"But of course, if you'd prefer not to, then by all means, we can continue on our walk through the park."

"Actually, if you'd really like to, then I suppose we could go. Ice skating, I mean."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "There's no need to force yourself to do something you don't want to."

She stood her ground as she told him how she'd like to go ice-skating. He nodded and asked for her shoe size, saying that he would go get their skates if she would just sit on the bench and wait for a moment. As she waited for him, C.C. wallowed in a swamp of regret. What had she done? She didn't know how to ice-skate. Hell, she wasn't quite sure how to lace up the skates, although as she looked around, it didn't seem much different than putting on any other shoes with laces. Why had she let her embarrassment get the better of her? There was only way this could end, and it was badly. Possibly painfully. She tried to calm herself. It couldn't be that bad - she had an excellent sense of balance, and it didn't look that hard… And there was no rule saying that she had to go on a second and a third and a fourth date with the man afterwards. This could be the last time she saw him. So what did it matter if she was a little less graceful than she'd have liked to be in public? It wasn't as if she was going to see him again after this date.

Or so she tried to tell herself as she neatly tied the raggedy laces of the rented skates. She tried not to glance at her date, who had returned from putting her purse and their shoes away in the locker. His fingers were so much quicker than hers at putting on the skates - as if he went ice-skating often. C.C. tried not to let it faze her. So what if he knew how to skate while she didn't? It wasn't as if he was doing this for the sole purpose of laughing at her, right? She didn't know him extremely well, but from their date so far, he had seemed like a nice person. A gentleman, or maybe a prince from hundreds of years ago. Which had its merits and faults, but it was at least better than some of the boorish pigs she had been set up with.

When she finally stood up, she was relieved to find that she didn't wobble as violently as she thought she would. So far, so good. And fortunately for her, the bench they had sat down at to change their shoes was right next to the entrance of the rink. It was perfectly natural for her to hold onto the edge, and she lightly set her hand on the frigid railing as she made her way closer and closer to her inevitable doom.

She had been right in her assumption that he knew how to skate. And well, she noticed. He seemed completely at ease on the ice. C.C. tried not to shake, but she had never been so afraid of making a fool out of herself. Moths, instead of butterflies, flapped in her stomach as ungraciously as she would soon appear to be in a matter of seconds. She scolded herself - why was she so uncharacteristically afraid? What did she care if he laughed at her or not? This was the first time she had met him, and who was to say it wouldn't be her last? This was ridiculous, her nervousness as she-

She stared at the gloved hand reaching out towards her. What…?

"May I have this dance?"

She glanced up at him, and was surprised to find a kind smile, instead of the sneer she had expected. He… Was going to help her? Really?

"C.C.?"

Snapping out of her reverie, she took his hand and replied that he may before letting him gently pull her onto the ice. The second the blade slid on the slippery ice, she closed her eyes and braced herself for pain and humiliation, but felt nothing, save for a pair of arms wrapping around her.

"Don't worry. I won't let you fall."

Flustered and mortified by her dependence and clumsiness, she couldn't find the heart to say anything and merely nodded. He chuckled - she wasn't sure if it was mean-spirited or not and found that she didn't particularly want to know - before taking her hands and moving away from her so that she was no longer leaning on him.

"It's alright. I won't let go."

"It's fine." The moment the words left her mouth, C.C. wanted to kill herself. God damn her pride! Now she'd really done it!

"Really? So you don't mind if I just… Let go?"

Her lips were pursed but her hands refused to let go of him, and he smiled before gliding closer.

"It's okay. I don't mind."

"Why?"

"Well, if you don't mind my saying, I like you," he shrugged. "And I don't mind helping people I like. And I've had experience in teaching people how to skate. It's alright. You can depend on me."

Oh, how she hated herself for walking into this obviously laid trap. Stiffly nodding her consent, she tightly held onto him as he began to skate backwards. Wanting nothing more than to get his attention off of her, and more importantly, her incompetence, she asked, "You were a skating instructor, along with architect?"

"Ah, no. When I was younger, I taught my sister how to skate. But I'm surprised. Has Suzaku never taken you skating? I would have thought he would have dragged you some time when you two were in college."

"I suppose it never crossed his mind," she answered breezily. She didn't tell him about the time Suzaku had tried to get her to skate, only to get smacked in the head with a hockey stick after he had gone at the breakneck speed he usually went at. There was no need for Lelouch Lamperouge to know that particular story.

"Strange…"

"Do you play hockey with Suzaku?" Time for a change of subject before things got too dangerous.

"No, I'm not really of that scene… But I do go skating with my sister from time to time, when she has a break from her training. She's actually competition in the Winter Youth Olympics and-!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch had seen the three boys racing around the rink. They were wild and unruly, jostling one another and occasionally the innocent passer-by. They had passed them once already, and they had managed to evade their path of destruction. But it seemed that this time, they wouldn't be so lucky. Turning, he tried to step in between the teenage boys and C.C. He managed to shield her, but it was at a cost. Wincing from the pain of landing so hard on the ice, Lelouch flushed as he realized how unseemly he currently looked as he lay sprawled on his back on the ice. Well, damn. This wasn't the effect he had been going for when he had taken the blow for her.

Sitting up, he tried to come up with some way to pass the awkward moment off, when he heard a giggle. Looking up, he saw his date laughing. Sheepishly smiling, he ducked his head as she breathlessly said, "Thank you for protecting me. I'm sorry for laughing - it's just that no one's ever taken a bullet like that for me, and I was just so surprised."

"It's alright. I was also somewhat surprised."

She smiled at him as she offered him her hand. Lelouch gratefully took it as he did his best not to stare at her and the way her smile lit up her pretty eyes. Thankfully, he was quickly distracted as she gasped and fell on top of him. As they lay on the ground with their arms and legs tangled, they couldn't help but laugh over how silly and ridiculous they were, not to mention how hard they had tried to act so poised in front of one another and how they had failed spectacularly in doing so.

It wasn't until they were sitting on the bench by the rink again after an hour or two of skating that Lelouch finally mustered up the courage to say that though it was a little early to ask this, that he'd like to go on a second date. If she didn't mind, of course. He studied the dark abyss of his cup of coffee as he anxiously waited for her reply. He wasn't a very big fan of blind dates, or dating in general, and he had only come today because of a favor he wanted to repay to Suzaku, but surprisingly… Surprisingly, this one had gone well. More than well, actually. She had been interesting to talk to. She had dressed nicely - not too showy but not plainly either, which he had never before really happened on any of the dates he had gone on before. Suzaku hadn't been exaggerating either, when he had said that she was a good-looking, intelligent, and well-mannered woman. Not to mention how she was close in age - only a year older. Not that any of those things really mattered, when compared to how well they just seemed to click. She was so easy to relate to, it was… It was both strange and ethereal to be able to understand someone so well that he had only just met hours ago.

He had asked her on a second date, but truth be told, Lelouch wasn't quite sure if he was planning on starting a relationship with her. But for now, he was satisfied with establishing something memorable with her, something that would prevent him from losing the one-in-a-million connection he had made with her… If only she would say yes. Which he hoped she would.

"I'm busy for the next two weeks, but once I have an opening in my schedule, I'll let you know, and we can go out for a drink. I'll buy the next time. Does that sound fair?"

"I couldn't let the lady pick up the bill, I-"

"It's fine. I want to, as an apology for laughing earlier. And also as a thank you for… For teaching me how to skate."

"There's really no need for repayment…"

She smiled before boldly leaning in and pecking him on the cheek.

"Then will that be enough?"

"That… Will be more than enough," he mumbled. He could hear the laughter in her voice as she said, "I'm glad we met, Lelouch. I had a nice time today. Thank you for that."

"The feeling is mutual."

C.C. smiled to herself as she felt his pinky cross with hers. Before she had told herself that the chance of seeing this man again were extremely thin. Ah, well, she couldn't be right all of the time, right?

Right.

And that was probably the best part of it all.

. . .

Suzaku hummed to himself as he cheerfully walked down the warm hallway. Last night had been a good night. He had come home early after surprisingly moderate traffic. Arthur had only bitten him twice as he had made dinner, and his favorite hockey team had won their match. Not to mention how he had finally gotten a full eight hours of sleep for the first time in several months, since the Tamaki Project had finally ended, and the indecisive, rowdy, and rather rude client had finally settled on what they had wanted their new home to look like.

It had been a good night last night. A fantastic night, heck, probably one of the best he'd had in a long time. Suzaku felt ready to charge into battle, although he wondered what kind of battle he'd be charing into, since it was the 21st century and all, and he lived in the city of Tokyo, one of the most unlikeliest places in the world to spontaneously be ravaged by war.

Ah, well, whatever. It was time for work. Besides, he was dying to find out how his friend and co-worker's date from the night before had gone. He had set his best friend and drinking buddy from college with the best friend of his childhood, but honestly, Suzaku wasn't quite sure if it had been the best move. After all, C.C. could be a little… Strange, and Lelouch hated anything that deviated from the standard. But maybe opposites attracted in their case? Hmmm… Well, he'd find out soon…

Wide-eyed, Suzaku stared at the corpse slumped over the desk. Shocked, he stood rooted to his spot until he heard the crinkle of his paper croissant bag hitting the ground. And then he ran to the desk and roughly grabbed the body.

"Lelouch! Lelouch, what's wrong? Lelouch!"

"Suzaku…"

"What is it? What's wrong? Are you sick? Are you okay? What are you doing here so early? You usually get here at 8:30, it's 7:00 right now. Hey, talk to me, what's-"

"Suzaku, I screwed up so badly… What do I do? She's probably told all of her friends all about what happened last night. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the laughing stock of Tokyo right now."

… Huh?

"I have to find a way to turn the situation to my advantage, or at least neutralize it. Quick, Suzaku. Do women find clumsiness charming? Or does that only apply to men?"

"Um… What exactly happened, Lelouch?"

"I made a fool of myself, that's what. I completely humiliated myself and now my reputation has been smeared. I need to fix this before it gets blown out of propor-"

"Don't you think you're already doing that now?"

"What?"

Suzaku weakly smiled as his friend turned on him with the full strength of his glare.

"I mean, I don't really think C.C. is the type to obsess over things like mistakes. She's, uh… Well, she's a little more relaxed than you are."

"Are you saying this because of my OCD right now?"

"What? No, no, no, I'm not- Stop joking around, Lelouch, it's too early to be making jokes."

Suzaku nervously laughed. Oh man, he really had to end this on a good note, and soon, before Lelouch really tried to do something about fixing the "mistake" he had made.

"Uh, you know, if you're worried about how C.C. feels about the date, you don't have to. I called her last night and asked her about it. She didn't say much, but she did say that she had a good time."

"Are you being honest right now?"

"Why would I lie to you? I tried calling you last night too, but you didn't pick up. Were you here all night working?"

"Dating is stressful, and I needed to get my mind off of what happened," he muttered. Suzaku nodded sympathetically as he patted him on the back.

"It is. But it has its perks and benefits too. Right?"

The memory of her laughter and smile flashed behind his eyes, and the corners of his lips turned up.

"Yeah. I guess so."

* * *

Request: Lelouch takes C.C. out on a date during the winter and eventually takes her to one of those outdoor ice skating rinks, where he quickly discovers that she has no idea how to ice skate. Post-R2 or AU. Whichever you think is best.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	33. Dearest

**Dearest**

* * *

She found the child in a clearing. She was surprised to find a human, and a human child no less, in such a dense part of the forest. Man rarely dwelled so deeply into the woods. The first and last time they had, it had ended badly - what was this child doing here all by himself?

She hid in the shadows of the mother tree, the largest and most ancient of trees within the forest, and watched the little boy fall to his knees before bursting into tears. His wails echoed throughout the wild, muffled only by the soft snow that drifted down to the ground from the grey winter sky above. Icy wind gently ruffled her thick coat of silver fur, but she paid it no mind as she studied the intruder. She could see him shivering even from where she stood, and she took note of how thin his clothes were, in spite of its lavish gold embroidering and brightly colored silks. Almost as if he hadn't any time to prepare for the cold and had simply run away from his warm home.

C.C. normally didn't involve herself with humans. As a kitsune and as a guardian of the forest, she had no need to make any contact with man, which suited her fine as she found them to be irritating and greedy. If she could, she prefered to avoid them as often as possible. But not this child. She couldn't walk away from him - all of her instincts screamed at her to rush to him and protect him, to wipe his tears away and tell him how he wasn't alone. He reminded her so much of herself, of when she had been younger and had been lost and alone until the forest had taken her in. The similarities were uncanny, and her ears flickered restlessly. The question of what to do came up, chewing and fraying on her concentration and resolve, until she suddenly smelled the all too familiar scent of violence and bloodlust and all of her questions were answered.

Slipping out from behind the growing shadows of the trees, she padded towards him in the dying rays of the sun and finally came to sit down in front of him. Speaking softly so as not to frighten him any more than he was, she asked, "What are you doing here, child?"

"I… I got lost," he whimpered. "Are you going to eat me?"

She ignored his question and focused instead of how blue his lips were and his trembling.

"Where is your father?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "I don't know where I am. All I know is that I'm cold and tired and scared."

"Then come."

When he didn't stir, she moved closer towards him. When she advanced, he pulled back, as if he were terrified that she would harm him. Kneeling by his side, she told him in a motherly tone, "I'll take you somewhere warm where you can wait for your father. Come, child, lest you wish to die here and never see your father again."

"But…"

"Quickly. There's no time to waste. The sun is setting, and when darkness falls, even I won't be able to protect you from what lurks in the shadows."

He frowned, troubled by the choices that lay before him, before finally coming to a conclusion and clambering up onto her back. When he managed to get a firm grip on her fur, the silver fox rose before loping into the dark forest. Somewhere behind, she heard the anguished cries of a wolf pack at having lost their prey and felt the child shiver in fear at the sound of the vicious wilderness. They traveled in silence as they leapt over frozen rivers and flew over large mounds of packed snow until they were swallowed by a thicket of snow-covered bushes and burst into a warm glade that somehow looked as if it were mid-spring. The boy slipped off of her back and stood in awe of his surroundings.

"How is there no snow here?" he asked.

"I dislike the snow. It's far too cold and wet for my taste."

"Really? I think the snow is pretty. Even if it's cold, it's pretty and fun. I love the snow."

He missed the strange look the fox gave him as he was too busy peering into the small pond of koi fish that were languidly swimming in the warm water. Although they ignored him, he smiled at the sight of the calm fish - they looked just like the ones in the imperial garden and it brought Suzaku Kururugi, the head of the imperial guard, to mind, and the way his cat was always dipping its paw into the pond. He wondered if his father had sent the guards out in a manhunt for the him, the crown prince. He doubted it - for his father to send out the guard, he would have to first notice that his son had gone missing, and he probably hadn't. Ah, well, no matter. He wasn't planning on going back home until his mission had been completed, so the fact that his father hadn't realized his son had vanished didn't particularly bother him.

He felt something soft nudge his side and he looked up to see the silver fox sitting by his side.

"Go inside," she ordered while gesturing to the cave behind them. "Sit by the fire and warm yourself until I join you."

"Where are you going? It's dangerous out there."

"I have some business to tend to. I won't be long."

When he didn't budge, the fox's lip curled back into something that looked extremely similar to a smile and said, "There's no need to worry over my safety. I won't go far. Now go inside, before you catch a cold."

He reluctantly nodded and rose from where he was crouched by the pond. C.C. watched him to make sure that he wouldn't try to follow her. When the curtain of leaves fell back into place, the fox rose onto its hind legs until its form grew taller and more like that of a human's, than of a beast's, until a beautiful young woman stood in place of the silver fox. The hem of her elaborate kimono whispered as she left her haven to rejoin the natural world. Standing in the snow, she waited for some time before saying in cold voice, "This child has sanctuary here. He is not to serve as your prey."

"Why do you protect him?" The gravelly voice was accompanied by supporting growls as it asked, "Because he's the crown prince? He's a mere human - they don't belong here! Any that stray within were promised to us. Why not that human child?"

Undeterred, she glared at the monstrous black wolf that stepped out from the shadows.

"Why do you protect him? Why is he special?"

"It doesn't concern you why I protect him. What matters is that you're not to harm him, nor any other humans that may enter the forest in search of him. Do you understand?"

When there was no reply, she narrowed her eyes and a bright blue ball of fire singed the beast's shaggy coat. It scowled at her, but even it knew the consequences of crossing the guardian of the forest, and eventually bowed his head before slinking away. The second she was alone again, she sighed to herself. They were becoming increasingly brazen these days. Though she didn't particularly fear death, she didn't like the idea of losing control and order in her domain. After all, if she were to be overthrown, the entire forest would fall into chaos, as would the villages lined on the edges of the trees. But no matter. She had other, more urgent business to tend to, such as her royal guest.

When she entered the spacious cave, it took the boy a moment to register that the fox that had rescued him was the woman who stood before him. When he did, he immediately bowed as he thanked the spirit, and the goddess she represented, for her benevolence. She merely waved him off as she slipped off her fur shawl.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, th…"

They listened to his stomach growl as he flushed from embarrassment. Amused, she lightly said, "I was about to eat. Would you care to join me?"

"Please," he mumbled. She hid her smile as she beckoned for him to follow her so that they may quiet their appetites.

. . .

Dinner was a relatively quiet affair. She was glad to see that the boy was respectful and polite, even with her obvious differences in species. Although, she mused, his treatment could potentially have been induced by fear. She was curious to discover if it was his upbringing and his personality, or terror that made him so mild, but didn't bring the subject up until they had finished their meal and sat down for tea.

"Are you afraid of me, child?"

He immediately stiffened at her question and she glanced at him over the rim of her celadon tea cup. She noticed the way he nervously fidgeted and fingered the hem of his damp clothes. Ah. So he was. Setting the cup down, she folded her hands in her lap and said, "It's understandable if you are. After all, you are a human, and I am a-"

"Why did you save me, kitsune-sama?"

She was thrown off-guard but quickly recollected herself to reply with a mischievous, "Would you rather I eat you?"

His eyes widened and he hurriedly shook his head. Fighting to keep herself from smiling, she looked him straight in the eye and intoned, "It matters not why I saved you, but that I chose to save your life. Is that not enough for you? So why bother questioning my decision when it brings you no misfortune or harm? Leave a kitsune's reasoning alone like the good, obedient child you are, and enjoy this rare opportunity the gods have bestowed upon you."

"But how can I possibly repay you?"

"Perhaps in the future, when you're older and of more use, I will call on you and collect payment. But for now, don't fret over it. The time will come when I ask for my due."

He was so like his father, the emperor, in the way he hated to be indebted to others. A matter of pride, she pondered, although, the son wasn't as arrogant as the father. Not that anyone had as much pride as that man did. Ah, well, as that man had when he had been younger. Nowadays, she rarely heard anything about him that brought her peace of mind. He had fallen ill recently, hadn't he? She still hadn't received news of his recovery, as it was difficult for her to know what was going on in the human world without the birds, who had migrated for the winter. Should she ask him? If anyone would know, he would. But he would become suspicious - even if he was seven-years-old, the child was bright and perceptive. But how she wished to know…

Hesitantly, she tentatively asked, "Has the emperor recovered from his illness?"

He seemed relieved for the change of subject. Probably glad that they had moved on to something less life-binding and something that he was familiar with. Straightening his posture, he said, "Father is much better now, thanks to the western medicine the envoys from Europe gave. Although… He's still not very happy. And he's much busier ever since the Westerners came. Father used to take me riding and we used to tour the capital together, but he hasn't been able to play. Which I understand… I suppose. Since Father is not only my father, but the father of the entire nation."

She wondered where the young child had heard of such a phrase, when he suddenly set his tea cup down with an angry clink.

"But the stupid ministers and advisors! Father wasn't feeling very well, and they're not helping him, just making him tired. They never leave him alone or give him some time to himself! I bet you they even sneak into his room during the night to whisper into his ear just like they do during the day!"

"Is that not their job?"

"Yes, but they keep pestering Father about one thing that doesn't even have to do with the country or the people!"

"What is that one thing?" What could it be? To increase their pay and benefits?

"They want him to remarry. Or at least keep… Keep concubines like the other emperors of the past did."

C.C. tried to swallow her surprise.

"And what has the emperor decided?"

"Father is strong and loyal and he's not afraid of doing what he believes is right. And he doesn't want to betray his feelings for Mother. Or, at least, that's what I was told," he tapered off.

The crackling and popping of the fire replaced the child's angry ranting until the spirit woman quietly said, "Your father is a very unusual man."

"I don't see anything wrong with that," he shrugged. "At least he's not letting the ministers step all over him."

"How true," she smiled. At the sight of her small smile, the boy flushed and ducked his head, embarrassed and slightly amazed that he had been able to have such an effect on such a beautiful person. It brought to mind the tales his father used to tell him, of when his father had courted his mother, and of the wistful description of his mother's smile, which he hadn't been blessed enough to bear witness to. Before, he hadn't understood the romantic poems and stories he overheard, why the man would go so far just to please the woman, until now. Her smile washed him in a warmth that even the dancing fire couldn't offer him, and he felt a spark of pride at having been able to be the cause of such beauty. Even if it had been unintentional on his part. He peeked up, wanting to see the smile again, only to be disappointed. The goddess had vanished, and though the fox was just as beautiful as the woman had been, he could no longer see her smile and was crushed.

"Now then. Don't you feel that it's time to go to bed?"

"Bed?"

"It's getting late. Much too late for children to still be up and about. You may sleep here for the night, and when the sun rises tomorrow morning, I will lead you back to your home."

He was about to protest, saying that he wasn't tired in the slightest, when he was cut off by a yawn. The fox's gaze became gentle as she said, "I won't hurt you. I promise. Now sleep."

"But-"

"Sleep, child. I will still be here in the morning, and you may ask your questions then. But for now, sleep."

When her sternness was unwavering, he reluctantly nodded and lay on the soft fur blankets sprawled all over the ground. The fox came to lay besides him, and he curled up against its warmth before closing his eyes and surrendering his consciousness to the exhaustion of his body.

When his breathing slowed, C.C. nudged him onto her back before leaving her home. The boy would find himself back in his own bed come morning, and he'd led to believe that the events of the evening had been but a wild dream. As would his father when he told his father as he inevitably would.

She moved swiftly. Trees ran into one another until they were but a stream of brown and black until soon, the paint ceased to flow and she was free of the forest. Melting into the shadows, she walked the familiar path towards the imperial palace, all the while easily evading the bleary eyes of the night watch.

When she reached the east wing of the palace, she returned to her human form and carried the sleeping child into his room. Ignoring the onslaught of memories brought on by the room, she carefully lay him down on his bed and pulled the thick blanket up to his chin. But she didn't leave. She was supposed to. But she didn't want to. She wanted to stay and watch him sleep, just like the other nights when she snuck past the guard and into the room. So she lingered, reluctant to leave him.

Reaching out, she was about to smooth his dark hair, when she heard the doors slide open. Whipping around, she rose to make her escape, when she realized who the figure in the doorway was.

For all her divine power, C.C. couldn't block the flood of memories that overcame her. Her heart raced as she remembered the white hot fear of being hounded by the royal hunting dogs, as she remembered dragging herself to a large clearing deep in the woods, her blood leaving a crimson trail behind her, and of the young man who had wandered into the forest and had found the beautiful maiden in the forest. How he had taken her back to her home and healed her wounds. How breathtaking it was every time his touch grazed her, how gentle his eyes had been. How broad his back had been as she leaned against him after the most extraordinary night of her life. She remembered how the young man, who had whispered in her ear his love for her, had taken her to his home, to his palace. She remembered their beautiful snowy wedding, the pain and bliss of the birth of their son. How the people began to grow suspicious of their empress. How the forest had begun to grow grey and dull as it began to wither and fall to chaos. But most of all, she remembered the tears and the pain and how he had held her hand as he begged her to stay with him, promising that he would protect her, and how she had told him through her tears that she had to serve the forest as he served the empire and that she had to leave. Their last kiss. His tears crawling down her cheek as they fell onto her, burning her with heartbreak she felt to this day even after six-and-a-half years had come and gone.

They were not fated to be. She was spirit, a myth, and he was a human. They each had those they were bound to serve. And both were stubborn, as evidenced by the way their love hadn't wavered or diminished. But even if their hearts hadn't changed, it didn't mean the superstition surrounding her had dissipated. They had not been allowed to be together then. They still weren't allowed to be together now. Even if they felt no regret for the decisions they had made all of those years ago.

She vanished when he finally overcame his shock and stepped towards her. A silver fox leapt out, sprinting out of the room and out of his reach. The emperor chased after her, calling out for her, but before his outreached hand could brush her and make sure that what he had seen wasn't his imagination playing tricks on him, she was gone in a swirl of snow and sorrow.

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Request: Your stories are awesome! Here, I have a request: Lelouch was lost in a forest. He found himself in front of a big tree. Then the guardian of the mysterious tree appeared, it was a woman, her name is C.C.

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**Request Complete**


	34. Calypso (Pt II)

**Calypso**

Part II

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The waves crashed onto the ship's deck and the rain mercilessly poured down and plastered his hair to his face and his clothes to his body. It was freezing, and the storm beat against him, but still, he refused to yield to the servants and take shelter in the admiral's private quarters. He stood with his shoulders square and a stiff stance as the wind howled and the ship rocked on the monstrous black waves of the enraged sea.

She was admirable. Even with the blood staining her hands, she was an admirable captain that demanded respect from any who sailed. Not many leaders were willing to sacrifice themselves for their men as she had. Nor had any ship in the history of piracy put up such a ferocious fight. He glanced all around at the carnage drowning in the turbulent ocean and at the undeniable proof of the witch's prowess. It had taken an entire naval fleet and half a day of non-stop fighting just to bring her down. Such talent and skill. The prince was filled with bitter sorrow - if only she had joined the imperial navy. She would have been of great use and could have accumulated countless medals. She could have been an honorable woman, a woman he would have been allowed to associate with. But no. Fate was a cruel mistress, and a sadistic one, and no matter how much he wished for it, the past, nor the present, would change. This was the present, and in the present, she was a pirate and she had committed treason against the Crown, amongst other offenses, and thus, was sentenced to death by hanging.

She wasn't a person after all. She was low-life scum that was only to be eradicated and never pitied. She deserved no sympathy after all she had done - murder, theft, and the usual acts of piracy. But the memories kept getting in the way of his triumph at capturing the most notorious of Pirate Lords. He couldn't forget her sly smirk, the lilt of her voice as she teased him, or her gentle touch as she corrected his hold on the sword. Nor could he forget the scent of her skin or the way the morning sunlight glinted off her hair as she lay fast asleep besides him. In his mind's eye, he could clearly see the wilt of her shoulders as she finally revealed the truth to him, could feel the heat of her tears as she told him her story and the stickiness of her blood as she shielded him from his long-lost brother and the demon who had orchestrated everything so as to attain revenge on the empire that had abandoned him long ago.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to swallow as he watched her the sailors kicked her to her knees and slammed her onto the deck before chaining her wrists behind her back. Especially when she suddenly looked up and their eyes locked so that he could see her gaze, which was corrupt with fear, sorrow, and the pain of betrayal. He wanted to look away, to apologize to her, to tell her that it wasn't him that had contacted the imperial navy, that he had been genuine and sincere when he had told her that he no longer desired to return to the life he had once led and wished to remain with crew and captain of _Hecate's Wrath_. But he kept his silence as the admiral ordered for their prisoner to be taken to the brig down below.

His heart wrenched violently as he watched the men drag her into the depths of the ship. He stood still despite his servant's fussing and quietly tasted the salt of the sea on his lips. He would never forget her. The world would never know, his descendents may never know, but he would never forget the captain of _Hecate's Wrath_, the Pirate Lord of the Atlantic, or the soft, gentle woman he had discovered underneath the rough and hardened mask of the sea witch known as Calypso.

So the Prince burned the salt of the sea and his tears into his memory as he watched the ship swallow her and carry her away to her hanging.

His beautiful Calypso, his siren, and the woman who had eaten his heart and had stolen his peace.

His Cera.

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Request: Thank you, the Hellsing crossover was brilliant! Can you do a continuation of Calypso with the Caesar scenario? They release Lelouch for xKgs of gold, and now he caught C.C.! Please. :)

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**Request Complete**


	35. Rain

**Rain**

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Bright blue galoshes came to a neat stop on the yellow traffic line as Lelouch stared at the enormous puddle in front of him. Troubled by his predicament, he tried to think of what to do. He could go around the puddle. But going around would mean he would have to walk off the line, which was something he loathed to do. Or he could just walk through it. But he didn't want to get his new rain-boots dirty with muddy water either. But if he didn't want to walk through, then he'd have to go around. But he didn't want to go around. So if he didn't want to go around, he'd have to go through. Unless he wanted to jump. But the leap was too much for an 7-year-old to make. Lelouch frowned and started muttering as he palmed his forehead and tried to think of a solution. What to do, what to do…

He was sure he'd come up with an idea. He usually did, and since it was Friday afternoon, he didn't have any tutors to go to or any music lessons to go to. So he could wait all he wanted while he tried to think of a solution. It was good that his mother had made sure that he had taken his umbrella with him that morning so that he could think all he wanted. He didn't want to think of what would have happened to his fate if he had been stuck at school without an umbrella. Ugh. That would have just been awful.

Hitching his backpack higher, he impatiently tapped the toe of his foot as he tried to think of what to do. God, what could he do? He couldn't go around, and he couldn't go through and he couldn't jump over either. So what…! That was it! A few blocks back, he had passed by an old construction site, and there had been plies of wood there. He could just retrace his steps, bring one of the pieces to the puddle, and then cross! It would take time and energy, but it was better than just standing there and looking like an idiot. Satisfied and proud of his creativity, Lelouch was about to turn around and march off to get the necessary materials, when two blurs sped by him. Startled, he jumped but managed to stay balanced on the painted line. Leaning a hand on a nearby telephone pole, he caught his breath before looking up to glare at whoever had nearly made him fall into the giant puddle when…

When he saw Suzaku Kururugi, the most popular boy in their entire school. Suzaku, who was already playing soccer with the middle schoolers. Suzaku, who all the girls liked. Suzaku, who was best friends with C.C.

C.C., the love of his life.

He was in the same class as C.C., and they were in a separate class from Suzaku. But their classes had recess together, and whenever the kids went out to play, he would always see C.C. and Suzaku playing together from where he sat on the bench with his book. His chest always felt strange and tight as he watched them play together. Not that he was jealous or anything. He hated playing tag, and he didn't like hide-and-go-seek, and everyone knew what a bookworm he was. But that didn't stop his chest from tightening whenever he saw C.C. smiling and laughing whenever Suzaku found her or tagged her or whatever.

But at least they weren't dating or anything. Lelouch knew. He had asked around, and everyone had said they weren't. So he at least still had a chance, even if she didn't really know he existed. But it wasn't like that was important, he could go up to her anytime and make her laugh like Suzaku did! It wasn't as if it was hard or anything, or that he had tried and had only succeeded in making a complete fool out of himself! No, what was he talking about, something like that had never happened!

Squaring his shoulders, Lelouch made up his mind to… Just… Go home now. It was pouring, and it was cold, and grey, and gross, and now he just wanted to go home. C.C. looked busy anyway, with Suzaku and all. He turned to go fetch the wood, when he suddenly heard it - the umbrella.

"Hey, Suzaku, when do you think this rain is going to end?"

"Um… Soon, hopefully?"

"But when do you think it will end? Five minutes from now? Ten? Fifteen? I have to go soon, or else my sister's going to find out I took her book, and then she's going to kill me. And then we can't go to Milly's birthday party together."

"I'm sure she won't kill you," he laughed nervously. "I mean, I know your sister is in middle school and all, but she wouldn't kill you… Would she?"

"You've only seen the side of her when she's around the soccer team. Didn't I tell you that she has a crush on the captain? All of that sweet, princess is complete trash - you've seen her at home, haven't you? You've seen what she's really like?"

"Uh… Oh man, maybe you really should get home."

"But I didn't bring my umbrella. How do you want me to go home? In this pouring rain?"

"Well, no… But… Um…"

"How good are you at aikido, Suzaku? Do you think you can protect me from Onee-san?"

"I-I don't think I can win against your sister… She's, um… She's a little too much for me to handle."

"Then what am I-"

"Oh, cheer up, C.C. It can't be that bad. Here, I have some melon bread that my mom gave me. You want it? I know you like my mom's melon bread. Let me get it out of my bag, it should be right… Oh hey, look at that. It's an umbrella. I guess my mom put it in this morning because she knew I'd forget."

Suzaku looked up to see his best friend glaring at him. A bead of sweat crawled down his neck.

"Maybe you want the umbrella over the melon bread?"

"Sometimes you can be a complete clown, you know that, Suzaku? I'll never understand why Euphemia would ever like you."

"Euphie doesn't… There's no way she would like me, I'm… I'm just…"

"Umbrella. Before I die."

"O-oh, yeah, here."

Lelouch's eyes widened. Huh? He looked up, and sure enough, he saw Suzaku handing his rolled up umbrella to C.C. He panicked. Holy cow, this wasn't happening, was it? He wasn't stupid, he knew what happened when a guy gave a girl his umbrella, he had watched enough of the soap operas his mother (and Cornelia-nee-sama secretly) liked to watch. He wasn't dumb. The second he gave it to her, she'd fall in love with him, and his chance, as tiny as it was, would be squished under the toes of Suzaku Kururugi's cat rainboots!

Not if Lelouch vi Britannia had anything to do with it!

He wasn't thinking anymore. If he had been, he would have never stepped off of the yellow line. But he wasn't thinking, so he did step off, and when he did, he sprinted towards C.C. and shoved Suzaku aside. His cheeks scarlet with embarrassment, he shoved the handle of his umbrella into C.C.'s hand before turning on his heel and sprinting in what he hoped was the opposite direction that C.C. was going to go in.

Panting and soaked through to his skin, Lelouch leaned against the display window of the café. He couldn't forget her face, the way she had stared at him with wide eyes... Those pretty golden eyes that had caught his attention all of those months ago when she had walked into the classroom on the first day of school and sat down right next to him.

Giving her his umbrella was the single most bravest and possibly most stupidest thing he had ever done in the seven years of his life. But he had no regrets. He had done his best and had protected his tiny chance with her, and quite frankly, at that point in his life, that was all that really mattered to him.

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Request: I'd like to put in a couple more requests if I may: Lelouch is on his way home in a downpour when he spots a green-haired girl without an umbrella , so he decides to offer her a respite from the rain with his own.

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**Request Complete**


	36. I Told You I Want To Die

**A/N: If you want to get really smashed by the feels train, listen to I Told You I Wanna Die, sung by Huh Gak. It'll slam you down and run over you with feels even if you don't understand Korean.**

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**I Told You I Want To Die**

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Suzaku had left hours before, escorted by Jeremiah, to visit Euphemia's grave. It seemed as if the Knight had been spending less and less time in the barren halls of the Imperial Palace and had been staying more and more often at the memorial for the victims of the infamous SAZ Massacre. Not that Lelouch blamed him - the morning of the Zero Requiem was drawing closer and closer, and soon enough, it would be difficult for him to make a personal pilgrimage to visit his love once he accepted Zero's mask and mantle. He had no problems with the visits, so long as he wasn't discovered, and he trusted Jeremiah to make sure that Suzaku's true identity was concealed at all times when he ventured out beyond the palace walls.

And so, since Suzaku was absent, C.C. had taken it upon herself to distract him. They had eaten dinner together in the lonely and lavish dining hall, though she had moved her chair from the opposite end of the ridiculously long table to his immediate right so that she could easily steal part of his dinner. Having grown used to her random acts of thievery, he had simply eaten what she hadn't wanted. Which was making him feel strange. They would have argued. If she had eaten off of his plate months, even weeks, earlier, he would have fought her. But he had simply been passive. In fact, he had moved his plate closer to her at one point, as he had became more and more aware of how he really didn't want for her to go back to her seat at the far end of the table. He had wanted her to stay close to him, close enough for their fingers to brush, for their knees to touch underneath the silk tablecloth. And it hadn't just been during dinner either. Recently, he had begun to loathe letting her slip out of his sight and made her into his shadow.

Once the servants had whisked away the empty plates, she had led him to the Alexandria Library, the enormous library that Britannia's past emperors and empresses had toiled to create. Sitting him down in one of the comfortable plush armchairs he had often curled up in as a boy, she had handed him a book before ordering him to read it aloud for her. He had complied and had turned to the first page that detailed the legend of King Arthur while she had wandered up and down the room, quietly listening to him and letting her eyes wander over the countless gilded spines. Eventually, she had grown bored of King Arthur and of the Knights of the Round Table, and had taken the book out of his hand. He had looked at her, silently asking her what she wanted to do next; she had merely threaded their arms together as they left the library and the dust it had accumulated over disuse and moved to the small chapel connected to the castle.

Out of the entire evening, she hadn't once revealed her true emotions and thoughts to him except for when they had been in the chapel. She had asked him if he knew how to pray, which was a silly question to ask a godless man. Of course, he knew the logistics. But did he actually pray of his own free will? Never. And he had answered so. She had smiled then, and before he knew what was going on, he had been kneeling in front of the stained glass window. He had been facing her, and she had taken his hands and brought them together, her small hands barely enveloping his own. And as she closed her eyes, he had watched her in the light of the god that had abandoned him years ago.

He had always thought that she was beautiful. Always. Even in the beginning of their journey together, he had been taken aback by how pretty her face was. It had only been a brief second or two of acknowledgment, a passing nod, but it had been there all the same. And now, after two years, he was finally brave enough to realize how beautiful she was. Pretty, definitely, but also beautiful. Especially when the angel in the window cast its light from the sunset over her, as if protecting her. She had looked so ethereal that when she opened her eyes again, he couldn't stop from asking her what she thought the snow would look like in the coming year.

It had taken some time for her to reply, and when she did, she had smiled and asked him why he would ask her something like that when he was going to be there to see the snow himself? Rising, she had turned away from him and said something or other about being tired and wanting to go to bed early.

She should have given him a serious answer. Her crying in his arms would have been better than her teasing and her hasty escape. Anything would have been better than that because it showed him how she was in agony as much as he was over their inevitable separation, how she spent more nights awake than asleep, their precious memories, which had seemed so trivial before, flashing behind their eyes like some sick movie that had been created just for shoving the knife even deeper into their chests. They had been doing so well at pretending up until then. They had smirked at the right times, had made jokes on cue and had made lightly insulted the other at the appropriate times as was their custom. He wondered if their masks finally cracked under the pressure of passing time and then asked himself why he even bothered with it all. For months, he had planned his death. Some woman wasn't going to make him throw all his hard work away.

No, he hadn't thrown his sacrifices and effort away. He had thrown away his heart. Or he had tried to. But she had given it back to him, the damn woman, and now everything which had once been so clear and obvious was making him lose sleep.

Suzaku and Jeremiah had returned late that evening but they had found him in the library with King Arthur open in his lap and a scowl on his face. They, particularly Jeremiah, had asked what was wrong. He had merely waved them off at the time after catching sight of the light in Suzaku's eyes, who had figured out why he had been brooding in dark, secluded corners the moment he and Jeremiah had found the emperor in the library by himself.

The following morning, when asked where C.C. had gone, the maid had told the men how she had moved to the Imperial Aries Villa and how she would be staying there for as long as she pleased. Which meant until the Zero Requiem passed. Lelouch had wanted to go after her, to confront her, to make her admit the truth that they had both been trying so hard to ignore but he had refrained. From across the table, Suzaku had been studying him, waiting for a reaction to confirm his suspicions that he was beginning to have doubts about the Zero Requiem. So he had grit his teeth and excused the servant before returning to their meeting.

Days had passed since that morning, in which he rarely slept. He knew that Jeremiah and Suzaku were discussing the possibility of moving the date of the Requiem behind his back but he refused to change the date and kept going until the dawn of his last day finally arrived.

Lelouch hesitantly pressed his hand against her cheek. She had been crying. Though her eyes weren't swollen, her pillow was damp, and somewhere inside of him, he knew that she had been crying just as he had been. It hurt him how he hadn't been there to wipe her tears away but he knew that it had been for the best. If they had spent the last night together, or even any of the few days right before this morning, it would have destroyed the both of them. It had been in their best interest - her keeping her distance had been for him.

But even if it had been for the best, it still didn't mean he liked it. He hadn't been able to tell her everything that he had wanted to. He had either hadn't wanted to or just couldn't bear to shatter their fragile truce, but either way, he still hadn't told her everything that he had wanted to.

So that was why, as Lelouch stood up from where he had been kneeling by her bed, he slipped an envelope out of his pocket and leaned it against the empty tissue box. And then, since it was his last chance to, he bent down and whispered her name into her ear before kissing her cheek and leaving, the only trace of his secret visit the letter and the lingering warmth of his love on her cheek.

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Request: A oneshot set in R2, (not necessarily right) after Lelouch seized Pendragon and defeated Schneizel. He's not able to sleep this particular night and resorts to watching C.C. sleep. His mind wanders to his thoughts, memories, feelings and whatsoever regarding her.

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**Request Complete**


	37. 그 남자

**그 남자**

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Cera,

There are a thousand ways to begin this letter, and after several poorly written drafts, I came upon the conclusion that it would be most fitting if I were to begin with your name. You haven't received many, if at all any, letters addressed to you by your real name, have you? No, I didn't think you had. Which is why I am speaking to you right now, Cera. Not C.C. Not the Grey Witch. Just you, Cera, the strong, independent woman I have come to know during these long, two years.

An apology is in order, from myself to you. I realize that this letter has come too late, and I'm sorry for my reluctance in being honest with you. It was just that I never quite knew how to tell you what I'm prepared to tell you now. I suppose I could say that I was too stubborn and refused to recognize that my suspicions are true. I didn't want you to leave me because I had thought that if I were to be honest with you, you would leave, which was and still is something I can't bear. But since that sounds like an excuse, and a flimsy one at that, and since I know how much you hate excuses, I won't say anything more on the subject and move on to the reason as to why I am writing this.

We pushed each other away in preparation for the Requiem, and I want you to know that I understand why you walked away. I would have made the same decision if our roles had been reversed. So if, in the following few days, or years, or even decades, you find yourself regretting your decision, thinking that you made the wrong choice, please don't. I commend you, for making such a sacrifice despite the pain you would have to suffer.

I confess, during the few days we were separated, I had various thoughts running through my head. When I found out you had moved, my natural response had been, of course, to follow you to Aries. But in the end, I chose not to, and I hope that you'll forgive me for doing so. I just felt that I should respect the decision that you had made for us. Although, admittedly, I did find myself wondering the evening before what would have happened if I had followed you, and how you and I would have treated one another. Would we have been accomplices even on that last night? Friends? Or perhaps something more…?

Not that it particularly matters anymore. The past is the past, and it can't be changed, no matter how one wishes it. The best we can do is to adjust accordingly to the present situation and progress from there. And the present situation so happens to be that the necessity I had for you, Cera, had turned into a desire. You know as well as I do that, since a long time ago, you no longer needed to be by my side. You could have left if you wanted it so, and we could have parted ways a long time ago. But you didn't. You didn't leave, and instead, you comforted me when I had thought all was lost. Instead, you gave me the opportunity to create tomorrow into a better world, and most importantly, you allowed for me to love again.

The truth is, I had thought that I would never be able to feel such an emotion after all that had happened to me, that all of the compassion I had had within me had died all those years ago when I swore to take vengeance for what Britannia had done. For all my life, all I could feel was hatred, and thus was led to believe that I had lost all ability to become human again after selling my soul to the devil and letting myself be consumed with hate. But it grows more and more apparent by the passing second how wrong I had been.

I have only one, single regret, and that is not being able to see your smile one last time. You have a beautiful smile, Cera. It would be wasteful not to show it more to the rest of the world as you have shown me from time to time. Although I suppose you wouldn't be smiling if we were to see each other again before I go? Ah, well, no, you would be. You would stand there in front of me as you always have, and look at me with that expression of yours, the one where I can never quite figure out whether you're laughing at me or with me. And you would continue to smile that way until I pull you in, where you would ask me what I thought I was doing. And I wouldn't say anything because there wouldn't be any need to. You'd understand without my having to tell you, like you've always done, and we'd be standing in the empty hallway as you see me off. Or not. I can see you in my mind, sitting in bed with your arm wrapped around that infernal plaything, as you read this and wonder to yourself how you managed to tolerate a man who has as ridiculous dreams as I do.

But a man can dream, can't he? He can dream of anything he pleases. He can dream of marrying the woman he loves, of raising a family with her, and of spending a long life in which he and his love would be happy just to be with one another. A man could even dream of a peaceful world, if he wished. And I have done both, thanks to you. I have dreamt of both, and now that one of the dreams has become a reality, it is time to make the other similarly into a reality. Which finally brings me to the reason why I wrote this letter.

I promised to give you the smile you never had. And I realize that I haven't properly fulfilled that promise as I should have and as you deserve. But as I've run out of time, so to speak, I'd like to make a proposal - because I haven't kept my promise to you in this life, I'll do it when we meet again. I realize that I don't have much credibility, given my history of deception, but I promise you, Cera, that I will find you again and that I will make you smile in the next life time, and the life after the next, and the life after the next until the end of time itself.

I believed that there was another world out there, waiting for us, Cera. A better world, a more peaceful one, and you were the one who allowed me to turn it into a reality, into a tomorrow in which people will be able to live freely and happily, and it is in this world that I will be waiting for you. It is in this world that you helped create, that I will be waiting and searching for you. So until then, my witch, just be a little more patient. I understand how you've waited all this time, but I ask you to wait just a little more until I find you again. So until then… Until I'm standing in front of you again and can hold you again, don't do anything rash, like closing yourself off from everyone. Go out into the world and visit places you haven't been before, or haven't been to in a long time, and enjoy yourself. Visit new places, revisit old ones, and meet new people so that when we meet again, others will realize and know just how beautiful you are, just as I have. So that you'll love yourself as I have grown to.

Cera, I promise you that we'll meet again, so just wait until I find you again. But until then, just know that though Death may have claimed my body, my heart has always been and always will be yours.

\- L.

* * *

Request: May I please request the content of Lelouch's letter from "I Told You I Want To Die"? :)

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**Request Complete**

* * *

**A/N: The request box has been closed and I am going on hiatus for an indefinite time as I am having a relapse and am in no position nor mood to write.**


	38. Freddy

**Freddy**

* * *

Lelouch stood in front of the door to his room. It was currently midnight, and he was exhausted after a long day of spring cleaning, and he wanted nothing more than to just crawl into bed and sleep, and if he would have. If not for the damn witch.

She had shown up on his doorstep at 10AM with the flimsy excuse of helping him spring-clean. He had known that she'd only make the mess bigger, but before he could turn her away, she had already slipped inside and made herself at home on the sofa. All she had done, as he dusted, and washed, and polished, and washed and hung the laundry, was lay on the sofa and flick through the TV channels. The only time she had "helped" was when she had rolled off of the sofa and had moved to his bed so that he could vacuum the crumbs of pizza she had left behind.

The house wasn't as clean as he would have liked, but it was late, and he didn't feel as if he could lift one more rag, and gave in to his fatigue.

Rather, he would have liked to give into his fatigue, if only the damn witch would leave.

Dragging himself into his room, he squinted as the darkness swamped him. What…? Why was it so dark in here, what was she-

Lelouch jumped - and badly too - when he heard a terrifying screeching noise and a bright flash. Tightly gripping the handle of the door, he half-shouted, "What the _hell_ are you doing in here, woman?"

"Shut up, boy, I'm trying to concentrate."  
"On _what?"  
"None of your damn business."  
"_None of my damn business?" His temper flared. He was tired, and all he wanted was for this woman to leave him alone long enough to catch some much-needed hours of sleep, and this… This _witch! _"Of course it's my damn business," he growled. "It's all my business because you're in my goddamn house. What the hell are you still doing here, C.C.? Go home already."

"I'm not leaving until I clear this game."  
"Game?"

Crossing the room, he slammed his hand down on his desk and demanded, "You were playing a stupid game this entire time?"

"It's not stupid. It's going to win me a special edition Cheese-kun. Now shoo before you mess me up."  
"C.C., you need to leave. _Now_. Not when you've finished this game, not when you've gotten your special edition Cheese-kun, you need to leave _now_. _Right this second. Get out of that chair and get out of my house."  
"_Are you deaf as well as dense? I said I wasn't moving from this chair until I win the game."

He stared at her as the reflection of the computer's bright lights glimmered in her eyes. He tried to decide what to do. He so wanted sleep… But he didn't want to sleep with her in his room, tapping away on the computer. But he'd known C.C. for most of his life now, and there was no way she was going to listen to him, now that she'd set her mind on winning. Which meant there was only one solution.

Running a hand through his hair, he said, "Get up."

"You really _are_ deaf. I was just joking before, but now I see that you really are hard of hearing. I told you several times before, I'm not-"  
"Get up, and I'll win the damn game for you, woman. Now get up before I change my mind."  
"You don't know how to play this ga-"  
"You don't think I can't win it?"

For the first time in their entire argument, C.C. tore her eyes away from the monitor and looked up at the man. It wasn't exactly that she didn't think he couldn't win… It was more a matter of pride. Admittedly, she had been working on the current level for far longer than she would have liked, but she wanted to win Cheese-kun through her own efforts, and not by using a trump card like Lelouch, the computer geek. But then again… She was tired and she wanted the Cheese-kun. Badly. And God knew she'd do anything for a limited edition of Cheese-kun.

"Alright. Fine." Rising from her chair, she stretched and stifled a yawn. "Give it a try, though I doubt you'll last long."  
"Hmph."

He was about to throw something back at her, something witty along the lines of "I don't care as long as I last longer than you, which shouldn't be difficult," when there was another blood-curdling shriek, and the two jumped.

"What the hell was that?"  
"You just died. First of three hundreds deaths. I didn't expect for you to die so quickly. Then again… It's _you."_

Ignoring her stab, Lelouch took her seat and asked, "What's the objective and what are the controls?"

"You're a night security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where you have to survive from midnight to 6AM. During that time, you have to use the security cameras throughout the pizzeria to keep track of the restaurant's animatronic robots, which move around at night. You have limited energy that decreases with the usage of the security cameras, the lights in the hallway, and the doors which shut by a button. If any of the animatronics catch you, then you die and it's game over as they stuff you into a suit full of electric circuits and whatnot. It's a click-and-point game."

"Why would you play this kind of game?"  
"For Cheese-kun," she shrugged. "Now focus. I want to finish this soon so I can go to bed."

Lelouch gave her a sidelong glance but gave in and turned to face the computer.

Little did he know how long and difficult this battle would be.

. . . .

Lelouch slowly leaned back into his chair and blearily looked up at the ceiling. He had ended up pulling an all-nighter. The game had been more difficult than he thought it looked, and far more frustrating, and he had ended up staying up all night to finally destroy the fifth night at Freddy's. C.C., who had climbed into his lap around the third time she tried to calm her nerves, had fallen asleep hours ago.

As he heavily blinked his dry eyes, Lelouch felt as if the only thing that had kept him going was the smell of her apple shampoo, her soft curves, and the prospect of seeing her smile. And maybe a hug too, if she got really excited when she expanded her Cheese-kun collection.

His fingers trailed up her arm, tickling her, before coming up to her cheek. Brushing her soft skin, he paused for a moment and admired the scene. Though he was exhausted beyond belief, she looked so pretty and at peace in the grey light of the dawn. Not to mention how she wasn't poking fun at him either.

The corner of his lip tugging up, he lightly tapped his finger on her nose before resting his cheek on her head and closing his eyes. God, he was so tired.

But at least he had finally conquered Freddy Fazbear, and at least he would be able to see her smile again.

. . . .

"Hey, Lelouch."  
"Leave me alone, C.C. I'm trying to sleep."  
"Lelouch."  
"I said to go away."  
"But Lelouch, we need to play the sequel."  
"The what?"  
"The sequel, we need to play the sequel. Get up, boy."  
"Ng."  
"I made you breakfast."  
"What? No, you didn't."  
"Yes, I did."

He opened one eye.

"Did you really?"  
"Yes," she said impatiently. "Now get up and eat so we can play!"  
"Alright, alright... Geez. Selfish woman."  
"But at least I don't touch people while they're asleep. God, I've never felt so invaded as when you started touching me this morning."  
"I did not- When did I ever- I'm not playing for you. You can play yourself."  
"Oh, stop being a baby. Come and play."

He only buried his head under his pillow. Crawling up onto his bed, she tore the pillow away from his grasp.

"It was more fun playing with you than by myself."  
"...Really?"  
"Yes. Now come play before I decide to call Suzaku to ask him to play instead."  
"Alright, alright... All you had to do was ask."

She glared at him as he rubbed his face.

"Where's breakfast?"  
"Go make it yourself."  
"C-"  
"I'll be waiting for you here."

God damn.

* * *

Request: Lelouch and C.C. play Five Nights at Freddy's in the middle of the night together?

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**Request Complete**


	39. Neko-chan

**A/N: This is not good. I am sorry.**

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**Neko-chan**

* * *

"Hey, hey, there's no need to worry."

Kallen leaned over and glanced at Gino, who grinned at her.

"His Highness has arrived."

"His Highness?"

The noble-cat gestured to the bright horizon. Looking outside, she saw a troop of prim soldiers. Dressed in bright red uniforms, they marched towards the fallen tower, led by a handsome cat with gleaming fur as black as night and an immaculate dress uniform of a high-ranking general. Apparently they weren't the only ones who had realized the arrival of the newcomer, as the guards and servants were hurriedly rising and arranging themselves into their respectful places. The Empress momentarily turned her attention from Kallen enough to sing, "Welcome back, darling!"

"Mother, what in the world is all this chaos? Why has the tower been demolished?"

"Ah, no worries, my darling. It was for a _very_ good cause. You see, Lelouch sweetheart, I had to repay our debt to the girl who saved your life, as is the law in the Cat Kingdom, and I thought that allowing for a commoner like Kallen to marry you, the Crown Prince, would be fair enough payment. And I didn't think you would mind either, since she's a very pretty girl."

"There's no need to arrange my marriage."

"But Lelouch darling, the clock is ticking, and it is our duty to our ancestors to carry on the-"

"I am completely capable of choosing my own bride."

"Oh? But all of the lovely ladies I've shown you, you haven't even glanced their way.

"Because I've already chosen who I wish to marry."

Kallen leaned in, intrigued by the exchange between the mother and son. Particularly the son. So this was Prince Lelouch? The cat whom all of the girls of the Cat Kingdom had a crush on? Hmmmm, well, he certainly wasn't ugly for one thing...

"Kallen, what are you doing here? You should be climbing to the top of the Tower."

"C.C.! You left before I could-"

"Quiet. There's no time to waste. You have to leave before the Empress remembers that you're here."

"But I-"

"Leave. At once."

She stared at the beautiful white cat, trying to decide whether to stay or to leave. She did have to leave, and soon, but she also wanted to make sure that she wouldn't be dragged back to the Cat Kingdom again. She peeked at the reddish paws in her lap and sighed - she had never been number one when it came to weighing her options. What was she going to do now?

"Is she a princess from a neighboring kingdom?"

"No. She works in the royal kitchen."

"A _servant?_ You want to marry a _servant?"_ Marianne screeched. "Absolutely _not! You are the Crown Prince, Lelouch, you mustn't lower yourself_-"

"It doesn't matter to me who her parents are, Mother. What matters is if I love her, and I swear to you that I love no one else but her."

"Lelouch, darling, please, think of the Kingdom! What will the subjects say when they hear that their next queen is some servant who used to work in the kitchen?"

"You wanted me to marry a _human!_"

"She's about to turn into a cat. See?"

Everyone stared at Kallen, who blinked from the sudden attention. Nervously shifting, she stared back and waited for someone or something to intervene and take her out of the limelight. She didn't have long to wait.

The Prince approached her before sitting down in front of her. She stared at his intelligent eyes - the right violet and the left scarlet - and was about to smile and gently decline his offer of marriage, when he suddenly turned to the snow-white cat besides her and held out his paw as he softly said, "C.C., will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and my queen?"

Huh?

Startled, the teenage girl-turned-cat stared at the two besides her. C.C. also seemed caught off-guard by the sudden marriage proposal, but soon recovered enough to smile and place her paw on his. The Prince smiled and helped his bride up before turning to the furious Empress.

"This has gone on long enough, Mother. Your antics and schemes have caused enough trouble for the people of our kingdom."

"What are you saying right now?"

"What I'm saying is that I shall be crowned as Emperor, as you, Mother, shall step down from the throne."

"Are you threatening to overthrow me? You? You and what army?"

Suddenly, a brown blur flew in and knocked over the row of guards behind the Empress. The Prince drew his sword as two of his men rushed to protect the future Empress.

"Suzaku Kururugi, Neko of Zero, awaiting your orders, sire."

"Suzaku, do all in your power to stop the reign of terror instilled by the Empress Marianne!"

"Yes, your Highness!"

Kallen stared with wide-eyes as battle broke out between the Empress's forces and the soldiers of the Prince. She sat on the sidelines as cats scratched, bit, and tore at one another with their teeth, claws, and swords. It was such a strange sight to behold, and she would have sat there, mesmerized, if not for Baron.

"Come on, Kallen, we have to hurry. The sun is almost up and then you'll be stuck as a cat forever!"

That was right! That was the whole reason why they had come to the Tower. She had forgotten in all the mess of the maze and the demolishment of the Tower, not to mention the Prince's declaration of love and war. Scrambling up, she sprinted towards the winding staircase, but not before glancing over her shoulder. She still hadn't been able to thank C.C. for all her help. She had been the one to tell her where to go to find help and the one who had snuck her out of the palace. But Gino kept pushing her to go, and she could see her being escorted away from the impromptu battlefield. She frowned. Was it too late to give her her thanks?

"She knows, don't worry. Her debt to you has finally been repaid. Remember, Kallen? You saved her life all those years ago. Don't worry. C.C.'s not the type to come knocking to collect payment. And she'll be safe now too. Prince Lelouch, he can be pretty tough to beat on the battlefield. Even the Empress will have a hard time defeating him."

"Right..."

"Come on, we don't have much time left. Let's go!"

Nodding, Kallen faced forward as she took the stone steps two by two. It had been an insane trip to the Cat Kingdom. She had been abducted to a strange place, told to marry someone she had never met, had been turned into a cat against her will, and had nearly died in several battles. She had had enough. It seemed as if the Cat Kingdom wasn't all the relaxation and laziness that had been promised to her. Now all she wanted was to go back home and curl up in her human bed in her human body, dressed in her comfortable human pajamas. And nothing was going to stop her now. Not the Empress, not the soldiers, nothing.

Nothing was going to get in the way of Kallen Kozuki and her peaceful life.

She'd make sure of it.

* * *

Request: Can you please do a The Cat Returns crossover?

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**Request Complete**


	40. Witch

**A/N: My God, I'm so out of practice, it's horrendous. I'm sorry.**

* * *

**Witch**

* * *

C.C. glanced into the rearview mirror as she parked the car. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she said, "We're here, Marie. It's time to put away your dolls and go to school."

The five-year-old brazenly ignored her mother and continued to softly sing under her breath while brushing the hair of the new doll her father had given her the evening before. When there was no reaction, C.C. couldn't help but frown in irritation. Marie had been incredibly difficult this morning. She had picked at her pancakes, saying that it wasn't the way Papa usually made her breakfast, and had dawdled. She had refused to brush her teeth or get dressed, something that she could do on her own, since C.C. had seen her pick out her own outfits and vigorously brush her teeth at the command of her father.

They had been late in leaving the house that morning, and traffic had left her in a terrible mood. But she loved her daughter, so she tried to be patient with her.

"Marie, don't you think it's time to go meet your friends at school?"

"Nope."

"Don't you have fun with them?"

"Mmhmm, I do. But Papa's more fun. We should go back home, so I can play with Papa."

"Marie, you know how your father is sick today. That's why I took you to school today, instead of Papa."

"Papa's more fun," she said stubbornly. "Take me home to Papa."

C.C. stared at her daughter through the mirror. She occasionally looked up to see if her pleas and whining was working. The little girl frowned, bothered by the way her mother was simply sitting in the car. Papa usually did everything the first time she asked. He bought her new clothes, new toys, and always played with her. He was always waiting for her in the car at the end of the school day, and they always went to the park together, where he would push her on the swings or buy her ice cream or sweets. He was a god - the moment she asked, her wish was granted. No matter what it was that she asked for.

Marie's expression darkened as she thought back on what she had seen earlier that morning. She had been about to burst into her parents' room to demand that Papa get out of bed and take her to school like always, when she stopped in the doorway. She heard groaning and a cough before a familiar voice - albeit a stuffy and familiar voice - say something about Mother - her grandmother, she realized - coming in to take care of her. Her mother had immediately objected. She didn't feel that the interference and aid of her mother-in-law was necessary, and her coming in would only upset Lelouch's father - Papa's name was Lelouch, wasn't it? - only further and that there was no need. Her mother had then launched into a lecture on how Papa was constantly spoiling Marie, and how nothing good would come out of it as he was corrupting her with arrogance and an over-inflated sense of entitlement. Whatever that meant. From what little she had heard of the conversation between her parents, and from what few glances she had had of her father, she deduced that her mother had placed a curse on Papa because she was jealous of all of the time she and Papa were spending together. She occasionally heard Papa call Maman a witch, and since Maman worked and Papa stayed at home to take care of Marie, she rarely ever played with her. It wasn't her fault - Maman was always so tired when she came home, she was no fun. She would always just sit there in the living room, with her high heels scattered all over the floor and her eyes closed the moment she sat down. If Maman was jealous of them, all she had to do was come home earlier and not sleep all of the time! She didn't have to cast a spell on Papa and make him sick!

"It's not fair to Papa! He didn't do anything wrong!"

"Marie, what are you-"

"So take the spell off of him, Maman! Make him better so he's not sick anymore!"

"Marie, your father is sick because he insisted on playing with you even when he was tired."

"No, it's because you put a curse on him and he-"

"Marie, you're growing into a big girl. Soon, you won't need Maman and Papa to do everything for you. You can dress yourself and brush your own teeth. You know the rules, and you follow them. You're grown up. So that's why Papa is going to go back to work."

"Papa never worked, he-"

"Always played with you? Was always waiting for you after school? Things are about to be a little different now, love. Papa loves playing with you, and he loves you, but the company needs him to come back, so he has to go back."

"No! He needs to stay home with me! We need to play together! If he leaves, who's going to take care of me?"

"Maman will."

"You?"

C.C.'s brow twitched in irritation as she heard the contempt in her daughter's voice. That was enough disrespect for one morning… Lelouch had spoiled her nearly beyond repair. She shuddered to imagine what the other children and her teachers thought of her. No wonder there were so many complaints about Marie from the other mothers.

"Marie, you need to go to school. Now."

"No! I don't want to! Take me to Papa right now!"

She crossed her arms and turned her nose up. She wanted Papa, and she wanted him _now, _and when Marie wanted something, Marie always got it. _Always. _That is, before her mother intervened.

When Marie felt the car move, her eyes snapped open. What was happening? She looked at her mother, who was staring straight ahead of her. She watched, frightened, as the car pulled away from the parking lot of her school and turned onto the road. What…? What?

"Where are we-"

"Since you're not going to school today, you can come to work with me."

"But… But I don't like where you work. It's so boring! There's nothing to do there, and there's no one to play with except for scary people!"

"Well, Marie, you can't get everything you want, and since you clearly didn't want to go to school, you no longer get to choose what you want."

"You can't do this! I'm supposed to go to school!" she protested.

"That's not what you were telling me thirty seconds ago."

"Maman, please, take me to school. I promise I'll go."

"No."

"Maman!"

But she was ignored and could do nothing but watch with terror and horror as the trees whipped by and they moved farther and farther away from her school. When they passed by the fifth traffic light, she finally burst into tears.

"I'm sorry, Maman, I'm sorry. I promise to go to school everyday. I promise to eat all of my peas and I promise to listen to you. I'm sorry!" she wailed. Roughly wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, she sobbed, "I'll be a good girl and I'll go to school!"

The little girl gasped as the car suddenly turned into an empty parking lot. Were they there already? Would she have to spend the entire day in a boring office while her friends sang songs and played games during recess?

"Get out of the car."

"Yes, Maman."

She unbuckled her seatbelt and scrambled out of her booster seat before hopping out of the car. She stood shivering in the spring breeze. Would Maman leave her there? If she was left all alone, how would she go back home? She had no idea where she was, and there was no way she could walk back home, not with the distance they had travelled. Was she going to be thrown away like trash? Did Maman no longer love her? Was this where she was going to die?

"Marie, there's no school today."

"H-huh?"

"It's a school holiday today. There's no school."

"But why-"

"Marie, you have to understand that there is a reason why Maman and Papa say no. Well, a reason why Maman says no. Papa never says no. We say no for a good reason, because we want what's best for you. Sometimes having candy or chips or ice cream isn't good before you eat your dinner. Sometimes having the new doll isn't good before you've even played with your other toys. And all of the time, school is a place you should go because it's your job. Do you understand?"

"I can't have a job. I'm only 5!"

"Really? Because Papa had the same job when he was your age."

"What? Really?"

"Of course. And he did very well. He was the best in his entire class, and I'm sure that he wants you to be the best you can be too. We want you to grow up to be a smart young lady, and that's why we send you to school. So that you can be the best that you can be."

"But I'm not very good at anything…"

"That's because you haven't been searching long enough, Marie." Her mother bent down so that they were eye-level. "Do you think Papa automatically knew he was good at cooking? No, he didn't. He found that out as he lived his life and tried new and different things. And he found out all by himself. There are some things in life that Maman and Papa can't do for you, my love. There are some things that you have to work for, and that's what we're trying to teach you. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

She tearfully nodded, and her mother smiled while smoothing her hair.

"Good girl… How clever you are, for understanding. You know, most your age can't understand something as advanced as that."

"Really?"

"Of course. Did you think that everyone else can understand? Why, there are some adults who can't understand."

"What? You're lying."

"I wish I was, but I'm not." She wiped her tears away before pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Marie, for making you cry."

"It's okay," she mumbled shyly. She had forgotten how warm and soft her mother was, and how she always smelled like those pretty flowers in the garden during the summertime. She suddenly felt terrible, for blaming her mother, who had only been trying to look out for her. She remembered what Papa had told her once: that not all witches were bad. That there were good witches just as there were bad witches.

"Maman?"

"Yes, Marie?"

"Just so you know, I don't think all witches are bad. Papa fell in love with one, so they can't all be bad, right?"

"Did Papa call me a witch again?"

She nodded.

"Hmm. Interesting."

"Um… Is Papa in trouble?"

"Trouble? No, not at all. Why would you think that?"

But Marie couldn't help but feel nervous after seeing the glint in her mother's eyes. Perhaps it hadn't been the wisest thing for her to tell Maman what Papa had said. Then again, she remembered what Uncle Gino had told her, that whenever her parents got into a big argument, she'd have a brother or sister soon after. And Marie wanted someone to play with at home, someone almost her age. Papa was fun and all, but he couldn't climb trees or play on the playground with her.

Maybe it wasn't completely bad. She'd find out soon enough.

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Request: Can you please do one where Lelouch and C.C. have six year old daughter and Lelouch continues to spoil her, but C.C. disapproves of it?

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Please don't forget to review. I haven't been getting much, and it's very discouraging. Thank you.**


	41. Again

**Again**

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"What's the matter, Shirley?"

"H-huh?"

"What's making you blush?"

"N-nothing. Why would I blush? I'm not blushing."

Her friend shot her a disbelieving glance over the rim of her wine glass. Shirley flushed an even darker color as she stumbled over her words to explain herself.

"I'm not- It's not what- It's nothing!"

"Oh really? So it's not the man who just walked in, right? You don't mind if I go talk to him?"

"W-wait, C.C., I-"

"Hmmm, I wonder if he likes white wine. Only one way to find out."

With a playful smirk, the young woman purposefully walked across the gallery. Casually taking the arm of the man, she handed him the glass of wine before asking, "Enjoying yourself yet?"

"Well, as I've only been here for two minutes so far, it's somewhat difficult to tell."

"Oh? And here I thought you'd say yes. You've managed to capture a beautiful young woman after all."

"Did I capture her? Or is she just here to make a fool out of me?"

"Touché."

Hmm. So he wasn't just looks. There was actually something beneath that surface layer of handsome… Interesting. This was something worth further investigation.

"Tell me. Did you come here for the art, the wine, or the women?"

"Try… All of the above," he joked. "No, I came here for the art and the art only, although I confess that I'm starting to question my convictions…"

"And why might that be, I wonder?"

"Well, for one thing… I'm not one to turn down a glass of good white wine. This is expensive wine. It makes me wonder why the artist would offer such a luxury at an unimportant exhibition such as this one. It's not a major one, nor will it grant her any accolades."

"Perhaps it's because there was a specific patron she was hoping to impress, and she knew how he was a connoisseur of wine."

"And what might she be hoping to accomplish by impressing this patron?"

They stopped in front of a watercolor of a lake with two little girls playing by the banks and pretended to be studying the artistry and symbolism of the work, rather than discussing… Less _pure_ subjects.

"Well, I'm not sure. What do you think? Why do you think an artist would try to impress her patron?"

"It seems to me that it depends on whether it's the daytime or the evening."

C.C. tried to stifle her smile and barely managed to. Stepping closer to the well-dressed guest, she leaned on him and asked, "And here I thought we weren't going to go there."

"I had assumed we were, since you pressed a wine glass into my hand the moment we met. Was that not a subliminal message you were giving me?"

"Was it? I hadn't noticed."

"You sly witch."

"I prefer the word _coy_."

"Try as you might, you're never going to be able to hide behind your mask again. I've already found you out, and I won't let you escape."

"Who said that I wanted to? Maybe I like being pursued. Maybe it's _fun_ to have a man want me as badly as you do."

"Do I want you? I hadn't realized I wanted you."

They turned from the painting and finally made eye contact for the first time. Now it was impossible to stop her smile. Her smirk lit up her pretty face, her crimson lips parting to reveal pearly white teeth.

"Would you like for me to teach you again?"

. . .

They crashed onto the bed. As the adrenaline from the free fall slowly faded away, C.C. grabbed his necktie before tearing his jacket off. He threw it behind him before whispering, "You promised me that last time would be the final."

"Have you ever heard of a witch keeping her promise?" she breathed. "Besides. As if you could stay away from me."

"I'm only after your art," he growled as he unzipped her dress in one fluid motion.

"Really? Because that's not what your body is telling me." Her hands ghosted down his chest before grabbing him. He immediately tensed before sitting up and pulling her black dress over her head.

"You refuse to sell to me. Why?"

"Too many words and not enough sex. It's not your complaints I want to hear, Lelouch."

"I won't be the one your neighbors will be hearing."

"We'll see in due time," she replied before falling back down onto the bed and into the loving arms of sensual pleasure that no piece of art could ever grant her.

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Request: Hey, I hope you are still doing requests. Just had a fun one, I think. Could you write one where C.C. is a painter and Lelouch is a wealthy collector and they meet at an art gallery?

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**Request Complete**


	42. The Dark Prince (Pt III)

**Bath**

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She had always been a little girl at heart. Deep inside, beneath the layers and layers of cynicism and cynicism, underneath the seductress's mask was a lost little girl who was constantly searching for a way out of the maze she had been unfairly tossed into when she had been born. What more, she had always looked towards that childish dream of one day being swept off her feet by her Prince Charming, of having her true love's first kiss, and then riding off into the sunset for their happily ever after. She had always wanted to be the princess, and not the witch. She had always wanted to be the one in the ballgown, not the one in the rags scouring the garbage for her next meal.

So that was why she stared into the gilded mirror with a dumbfounded expression. She looked down at herself and clutched the silky material of the midnight blue gown just to make sure that it was real and it wasn't just some vivid part of her imagination. It was real. The dress was real, the enormous, well-decorated room was real, the jewels twinkling on her collarbone were real, the earrings were real. Everything was real. Her dream had finally come true after years and years of toiling. She finally had the riches, the castle, that she had always dreamed of. But what of the prince? Where was he?

As if on cue, he stepped into the room. He smiled at her before crossing the room and bending down to kiss her.

"You're beautiful, Cera."

She was stunned to see his face. Always, in her dreams, he had always been faceless. Everything else might have been in perfect detail, save for her prince's face, which she could never quite make out. The fact that she could see the details of his face proved to her that it wasn't a dream, but reality. It just surprised her that it was Lelouch vi Britannia. But that would make sense, wouldn't it? Considering that he was considered the Prince of Gotham, what with Britannia Enterprises.

"Lelouch…"

"Yes, my love?"

"Where are we going?"

"Going? It's your birthday today, darling. Remember? We invited all of our friends for a small get-together. I know you're upset that only two hundred of them could come, but the others did promise to send in their gifts."

"Two hundred…?"

"Oh dear. You must have hit your head harder than I thought. Here."

She let out a small gasp as he suddenly lifted her up and carried her to the bed.

"W-wait, Lelouch, the guests are waiting down-"

"Silly, we're not going to be doing anything like that. I was going to fetch Lloyd to take a look at your head again. Unless… You'd rather…?"

"I… Don't know."

"I thought so." He smiled as he gently lay her down on their bed. Kissing her forehead, he whispered, "Stay here, and I'll come back with Lloyd. I'll send Jeremiah to stay with you in the meantime while I hold off the guests. Alright?"

She nodded, and he smiled in return.

"That's my girl. I love you, Cera. Happy birthday."

"I-"

C.C. burst out of the ice bath with a gasp. Sitting up, ice water sloshed over the sides and splattered all over the marble floor of the spacious bathroom. Shivering, she gripped the sides of the tub before dragging herself out. Falling hard onto the ground, she bit back a groan before reaching for the towel hanging on the rack with a shaking hand.

She stared at the towel that suddenly appeared in front of her face.

"Ms. C.C."

She roughly snatched away the soft towel before struggling up into a sitting position and wrapping herself tightly in the fluffy fabric.

"Master Lelouch is currently away, but he is due to return this evening. I am sure he will be more than pleased to hear the news of your revival."

"Why did you put me in an ice bath?" she snarled. "What right did you have? You could have killed me!"

"Ms. Chawla specifically stated that the solution wouldn't kill you, which is why Master Lelouch ordered for the bath."

"Chawla? The Caterpillar? He went to _her_?"

"Yes, ma'am," the butler replied. "Against my wishes, I might even add."

"You don't need to add that. Why?"

"My best guess would have to be because Master Lelouch believes that you could be of great aid in the defeat of Schneizel, who apparently managed to survive Master Lelouch's explosives. In the case that you awakened during his absence, he asked that you be dried and properly clothed before being fed and having a medical check-up conducted by Lloyd Asplund so as to see the physical state of your body."

"How much time did you say passed while I was gone?" she asked tiredly. Her body suddenly felt numb, and she clumsily pulled the towel around her tighter.

"Approximately four days."

"Four- How can you wake me now?" she snarled. "Don't you know what Schneizel is planning two days from now?"

"I, and Master Lelouch, are acutely aware of Schneizel's plans. Master Lelouch himself was brought out of his coma yesterday. After waking, he directly mobilized to revive you, in spite of Lloyd's orders not to move. Are you aware that Master Lelouch currently has bullet wounds in his abdomen? Just the day before, he was bleeding profusely. I hope you realize how indebted you are towards him, both for your betrayal and for his saving your life."

C.C. refused to look at the manservant. If she did, then he would know that she was already one step ahead of him and was planning her escape. She'd have to hide. Leave Pendragon if need be. She no longer wanted anything to do with Lelouch vi Britannia or Zero. He left a bad taste in her mouth - especially after that… Strange nightmarish dream she had just woken from. There was no way she'd stay here, weighed down by debt. She had had enough of that burden. She no longer desired to taste the bitterness and anger directed towards herself for letting herself be caught in the jaws of some person who had more power - more money - than her. It was cowardly, yes, but it wasn't as if she had any qualms. Unlike some people, she didn't mind stooping low to get what she wanted.

She'd be gone before Lelouch vi Britannia returned home. His last memory of her would be of laying her in the ice bath, for they would never cross paths again. Not if she had anything to do with it.

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Request: Something set in the Batman AU? Maybe after C.C. wakes up?

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**Request Complete**


	43. Stiff

**Stiff**

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_"Do you know what they say to people who fall asleep with newspapers on their faces?"_

_Lelouch merely grunted as he felt the bed shift underneath him. The soft voice whispered, "They say when they wake up, those people have turned into zebras."_

_"How do you feel about that, Lelouch? Do you feel like living out the rest of your life as a zebra?"_

_"What the hell are you rambling on about, C.C.?" he groaned. Throwing the paper away, he mumbled, "Let me sleep. I'm tired."_

_"How do you think I feel? Especially after last night…"_

_"I'm not going to fall for that." He rolled over, showing her his back as he pulled the blanket over his shoulders and up to his chin. "You can try, but I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work."_

_"What am I trying to do?" she asked innocently. "I'm not trying to do anything. I'm just trying to have a nice conversation with my fiancé. No way would I ever try to talk about how rough he was last night… Or how good it felt… Or…. How I wouldn't mind having a replay of last night…"_

_She draped herself over him while she murmured into his ear, her warm breath gently brushing him. Straddling him, she coyly unbuttoned the top button of the dress shirt she had stolen from his closet, as she whispered to him what she wanted him to do to her. But try as she might, there was no reaction, and she eventually slipped off of the unmoving mound and sullenly sat on the edge of the bed._

_What was wrong with him? Wouldn't any man immediately jump at the opportunity to have sex with their lover? Wasn't that what usually happened when the woman offered? Did he no longer desire her? Was that it? He no longer saw her as a woman? Already? Didn't it usually take a few decades after marriage for something like that to happen? Was it possible for something like to happen before marriage? They had only been together for four years… Two of which had been extremely chaste, since he was such a prude. But what-_

_"You'll catch a cold that way, C.C."_

_"Maybe if you'd do your job," she snapped, "I wouldn't be in danger of getting sick."_

_"The wedding's only a week away. I don't want any accidents."_

_"So what? It's not like it'll show if something happens."_

_She felt him kiss her shoulder before nuzzling her neck and breathing, "I just wanted to save the best for when the right night comes. I'd hate for you to get disappointed…"_

_"It could be practice," she suggested. "You know what they always say?"_

_"Practice makes perfect. Hmmm… You make a good point…"_

_"So what's it going to be? Are you going to practice or are you just going to sleep away the opportunity?"_

_She felt him press up against her and tried to suppress an excited shiver when she realized how excited he was. His arm curled around her waist, tugging her closer as he murmured, "What do you think? Do you think I can go back to sleep like this? No… Not after what you've done to me… I'm going to make you pay, C.C., for what you did to me… I'll make you regret your decision because I'm going to fu-"_

"I would never say that! What are you- What kind of-"

"I'm not done with the story, Lelouch."

"I don't care, I don't want to hear the rest of this… This abominable story! The indecency of it all! I've never been so offended in my life!"

"Really? Because your friend down there is telling me different."

When the blanket settled again, C.C. gave a good, long look at his back before laying down and lightly saying, "The tissues are on the dresser."

"Just… Don't say anything."

"Whatever you say," she sang.

"Don't move, don't come close, don't even breathe on me."

"Do you really need that much concentration? Do you want me to help you?"

"All I wanted was to spend some time with you since we hadn't been able to see much of each other, what with work, but now look what you've done., you witch."

"I just made things more interesting."

"I would have been perfectly fine laying in bed and talking! But no, you just have to go and cause trouble!"

C.C. sat up at his words and indignantly said, "It was harmless fun, Lelouch. There's no need to get so worked up. I said I would help you, didn't I?"

"No- Don't- Stay away from me! I don't need this right now!"

"It'll be quick, I promise. Besides. We both know you're going to enjoy it. There's no need to fight again nature, Lelouch. The sooner you get it over with, the better. You know that, don't you?"

"I don't need you to coddle me like some child."

"Would I do this with a child? I'd only do this with you, Lelouch."

"… Really?"

"Of course. You know I love you, don't you?"

"… Yeah."

"Do you love me?"

"I… Yes."

"Yes, what?" she asked while spreading his legs.

"Yes, I… Love you," he mumbled. Refusing to meet her eyes, he repeated, "I love you."

C.C. smiled before tucking her hair behind her ear. This was going to be fun.

This was going to be a _lot _of fun.

* * *

Request: Can you write a fanfiction where Lelouch and C.C. are at home relaxing and laying in bed cuddling. To have some entertainment; C.C. decides to have some fun with Lelouch by teasing him and making him flustered.

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**Request Complete**


	44. Neighbor (Pt II)

**Neighbor **

Pt. II

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Lelouch pulled the brim of his baseball hat low as he leaned on the railing on the elevator. Head down, he glared at the tongues of his shoes as his memory slowly returned. Images of the broken air conditioner, of the emptied bottle of wine, of the heated argument that had all too quickly led to them stumbling into her bedroom and falling onto her bed, their thin and sweaty clothes thrown away to the sound of their crazed and drunken laughter…

He clenched his teeth as he felt his blood rush. The damn witch. How could he have let himself lose control like that? Sure, there had been alcohol involved, but to think that he had crossed the boundary with her… Never before had he felt so mortified as when he had woken up past noon, only to find himself lying in bed to her, completely naked and with his arm wrapped around her waist. The repulsion at the realization of what had happened the evening before had been so great, he had felt bile in the back of his throat - unless it was from the wine and the hangover, but at that point, it didn't particularly matter, since wine and women were one and the same to him - vices that were to be avoided at all costs.

He bit back a groan as the elevator glided to a stop. If his mother were to hear of this, she'd have his head on a silver platter. He knew all too well how she wanted him to marry, and how she was looking for any excuse, big or small, to see him waiting at the altar. No that he expected her to hear of what had happened last night. He wouldn't be telling her, and no one else knew what had happened behind the closed door, and there was no way that the witch knew his mother. After all, they traveled in completely different social circles. Whereas his mother was a queen, the witch was nothing but a lowly peasant - albeit a lowly peasant that he had made the folly of sleeping with - and there would be no reason, barring a freak accident, that the two would meet. Hell, there'd be no reason for him to interact with her at all. Milly had promised that they would separate them after the meeting, and he'd hold her to that promise, even if it was the last thing he did. He no longer had any patience for the witch, and the farther away she was from him, the better.

Except… Several weeks later, he was woken up at 2 in the morning by rude pounding on his door and was promptly told that he would never be able to forget that fateful night and return to his old life. Not after that night of moaning and kissing. Not after the positive pregnancy test.

* * *

Request: Hello Project Clu-Clu! I have a request to make. Maybe a sequel of neighbor, please. Thank you!

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: The request box is open once more. The link to my tumblr is on my profile. Anyone can drop in a C. fanfiction request - even those who don't have a tumblr can do it.**


	45. Catch Me If You Can (Pt III)

**Catch Me If You Can**

Pt. III

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"Why don't we strike a deal then, if you're so uncomfortable with living in the same apartment as a woman."

Lelouch drew himself up at her nonchalant stab, his nostrils flaring, and was about to yank her off of his bed and throw her out of the window if need be, when she sat up and said, "You're looking for her, aren't you? The one who took the legendary Étoile collection, Laverna?"

"How do you-"

"I'll tell you one thing now, Officer Lamperouge, and it's that you can't hide information from a thief. I know how the police have been searching for her to arrest her, just as I know how your mother passed away when you were only 4 years old, stabbed by a jewel thief in front of your very eyes, and that you've never recovered from that traumatic event since. I know everything. And if I don't, I can know everything. Which means that you can take your finger off of the trigger now since you know as well as I do that knowledge is power, and I have plenty of knowledge. Far more than makes you comfortable."

She smirked when she saw him slowly withdraw his hand from his holster. Nodding in the direction of the kitchen table chair, she pleasantly said, "Why don't you take a seat, and then we can discuss the terms of our alliance?"

"You think that I would work together with the likes of you? You must be not only corrupt, but insane as we-"

"Now is that any way to treat someone who knows where your sister lives and has easy access to a gun?"

"Are you threatening to-"

"I don't like to kill, Officer, but I will if I have to. But I'm sure you know that, since you seem to have memorized my criminal files."

Stewing, he sat in his seat and bit his tongue. There was no knowing what the woman would do if he made the wrong move. He clearly didn't know her as well as she knew him, and as she had pointed out, knowledge was power, which he had none of in the current situation. So he sat and waited for her to finish speaking. For the time being, he'd go along with what she said and handcuff her while she slept before dragging her to the station. But for now, he'd simply wait and pretend to listen to what she had to say.

"That's a good boy. So you do have a brain. And here I thought you had nothing but a pretty face."

"What is it that you want from me?"

"A place to hide until things cool down a little. There was a complication at my last... Job, and I need somewhere to lay low before I can head out again."

"You want me, a police officer, to harbor a criminal fugitive? Do you realize that's obstruction of justice? And what, are you going to stay inside all day long? If I do help you-"

"You will help me."

"-then who's to say that my neighbors won't become suspicious?"

"Relax. I've already organized everything. You don't have to worry about what your neighbors."

"And why is that?"

"Because I've already introduced myself."

"You _what_?"

She yawned and stretched. Lelouch tried not to stare at her exposed middle, and the partially-covered tattoo on her waist.

"Please don't yell, sweetie. I have so much jet-lag from flying in from America. I know you missed me, and I missed you too during the year I was away for work, but there's always tomorrow to play, right?"

He stared at her, dumbfounded, while she lay back down on his bed and pulled his blanket over her.

"Besides, you don't have a choice."

"And why is that?"

"What are you going to do when Suzaku asks about me? Are you going to tell him that I'm really an international jewel thief, instead of your fiancé?"

She had a point. Seeing from the way Suzaku had been absolutely starstruck by the woman, there was no way he wouldn't ask about her again. He'd probably try to meet her a second time too. And there was no way he could find out her true identity - he'd misunderstand, and turn him in for obstruction of justice, for assisting a criminal. But it wasn't as if he could just leave her be. Sooner or later, someone would find out the truth, and then what would happen the-

"If you're still unconvinced, just think about it this way."

He looked up from his clenched fist as she glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Not many men get a chance to sleep in the same bed as me. Looks like tonight's your lucky night."

"I'm sleeping on the floor, thanks."

"Good. Gentlemen sleep on the floor. And you're a gentleman, aren't you, Lelouch Lamperouge?"

He couldn't help but scoff. She thought she knew him, when in reality, she didn't. Not the true him, anyway. Which was the way he wanted to keep it. He didn't need her snooping around, but she seemed to have connections, access to information outlets that an ordinary police officer didn't have access to, and God knew how the commissioner wanted to capture Laverna, the world's most notorious jewel thief.

Lelouch wasn't like Suzaku, who followed the law to the letter. He wasn't a hero, and he wasn't a model citizen. The ends always justified the means to him, and if the means meant housing a criminal, then so be it.

He just hoped that the end would be worth the trouble the means would undoubtedly give him.

* * *

Request: Thank you for opening the box again! Could you continue the Batman AU or Catch me if you can?

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**Request Complete**


	46. Ankle (Pt II)

**Ankle**

Pt. II

* * *

"How's he been doing? Has he improved any?"

"A little." C.C. glanced at her friend as she slowed down the pace of the treadmill. He handed her her towel as she said, "Though not as much as I would have liked."

"Really? Everyone thinks you're doing great."

"Everyone? Who's everyone?"

She stepped off as she pressed the soft towel and dabbed at the light film of sweat on her face. Suzaku, careful not to hit her with his stretching, answered, "His mother."

"His mother? Lelouch is a mama's boy?"

"Uh, well, I wouldn't put it that way, but he does respect and love his mother a lot. Which isn't a bad thing. I mean, I think that all mothers should be treated with as much love and respect as-"

"Suzaku."

"Sorry. Anyway, like I said, C.C., you're doing fine. More than fine, actually."

"Well, at least he can win agains his sister in arm-wrestling," she muttered. "Are you going home now?"

"After I shower. I just wanted to ask you something before I left."

"What is it?"

When there was no immediate reply, she stopped walking down the stairs and turned around to stare at her colleague, who was standing at the top of the stairs with his hands balled into tight fists and a tense frown on his face.

"Suzaku? What is it? What's wrong?"

"C.C.!"

She started when he suddenly leapt down the ten steps and landed just a few inches in front of her. Surprised, she lost her balance and fell backwards. She felt a strange sense of déjà-vu - hadn't something like this happen before? Why was she always falling down the stairs? - and closed her eyes, bracing herself for a painful landing, when she felt her hands wrap around the cool metal of the railing of the balcony. Relief flooded her, and she opened her eyes, only to be struck by a pair of extremely worried and extremely green eyes.

"C.C., I'm sorry! I didn't mean to knock you down, I just wanted to ask you if you'd go on a date with Lelouch, I- Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Is your ankle okay? Do you need me to go to the hospital with you again? I can if you need me to. I'm sorry, I…"

She watched as his eyes flickered past her, over her shoulder, and widen in shock and fright. The hairs on the back of her nape rose as a strange feeling washed over her. Swallowing, she shifted so that there was more than three inches between her and Suzaku, and twisted around.

C.C. only saw his back and the fallen rose petals by the door as it swung shut behind the heels of his shoes. Closing her eyes, she cursed her luck. Why was it always this goddamn ankle?

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Request: Hello! Could you continue the story from Ankle if you please? Thank you!

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**Request Complete**


	47. Fin

**Fin**

* * *

"What's bothering you, Suzaku?"

He looked up from his coffee, only to quickly avert his eyes.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me. What's bothering you?"

He clenched his teeth as butterflies danced in the pit of his stomach. Sweat crawled down his neck, teasing and making fun of his hesitance, and he tried to ignore its catcalls. Licking his chapped lips, he glanced out the café window before turning back to the woman seated across from him.

"C.C., I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay. What is it?"

"It's… It's about… Well, it's about us."

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. He wasn't sure whether that was a good sign or not, but decided that he had already passed the point of no return and plowed on.

"C.C., I don't think we should see each other anymore. I mean, I don't think we should see each other with romantic intentions. I like you as a friend, but I don't… I don't return your feelings, is what I'm trying to say. I'm sorry, but there's somebody else."

He watched, terrified, as she blinked and ever so slowly set down her teacup. Straightening up, she dabbed her lips with a napkin and left behind a faint outline of her lipstick on the pristine, white cloth before clearing her throat and meeting his panicked gaze.

"Suzaku, do you remember that conference I went to a few weeks ago?"

"… Yes."

"Do you remember Lelouch vi Britannia?"

"Wasn't he the one who skipped a grade? Was he the one with a crush on you? Or was that Tamaki?"

"It was Lelouch. Well, I ran into him at the conference. And he's grown up. He's completely different from the way he was in high school. He's not timid anymore. Seems to have gotten some confidence, and plenty of charm and charisma."

Suzaku waited for her to finish studying her manicured nails, all the while tasting the metallic taste of tension.

"We went out for a drink - a friendly drink - and exchanged cards. Numbers. Our contact information, whatever you want to call it, and we've kept in touch. He's flying in tomorrow night to sign a deal with one of his clients, and he said he'd like to take me out to dinner before he returned home. And I said yes. You're not angry, are you?"

"I… No. No, of course not, I… No. I'm not angry."

"Good. Because we only went on a few dates for fun. It wasn't a relationship, you knew that, right?"

"Yeah, of course, I… I hope everything goes well between you and Lelouch."

"I hope so too. And so does he, apparently. I have to take this call."

"Go ahead."

Stunned, he watched her walk outside. As she left the table, he glimpsed her smile as she asked her new… Lover? Boyfriend?, "Are you boarding soon?" The moment she disappeared around the corner, Suzaku breathed a sigh of relief and melted in his chair. God, he had been so nervous. Although it had been nearly a decade ago, he hadn't forgotten the legendary fight between C.C. and Kallen, and the way C.C. had completely shred her opponent to pieces using only her sharp tongue. He was glad to have avoided such a mortifying fate. What more, he was glad to be free of the burden that had been weighing on his shoulders for the past two months - it was good that everyone had gotten a happy ending out of this. Now he could finally see Euphie properly, and without any guilt, and C.C. could have that real and true emotional bond that she had always wanted but had never received. And Lelouch… Well, Lelouch could finally get that kiss that he had always wanted from his high school love. Everyone was happy, which was all Suzaku wanted. Well, that, and to avoid being publicly humiliated by C.C.

* * *

Request: Hello can i make a rquest about lelouchhaveing a crush on CC ever since highschool but cc likes suzaku but as ti e passes by cc starts to fall in lovewith lelouch ahhahahah

* * *

**Request Complete**


	48. Pizza (Pt II)

**Pizza**

Pt. II

* * *

"Maman?"

"Yes, Julius?"

"How did you and Papa meet? I have to write a poem about love for school, since it's Valentine's Day, and I… I don't know what to write."

"Isn't there a girl you like, Julius? A certain Emily, if memory serves?"

Her son seemed to wilt as his cheeks flushed a dark red. He frantically avoided eye-contact as he squirmed on the bed.

"Um… Um, I don't know an Emily…"

"Really? You don't remember an Emily with blue eyes like the sea and hair as golden as Tuscan wheat fields?"

"N-No, I don't know an Emily. I don't know what you're talking about."

"So you don't care if I call Emily's mother and tell her that you don't care enough to remember her?"

"I… I…" The corners of his lips took a nosedive and he began to sniffle as he anxiously bounced in his seat. On the verge of a panic attack, he licked his lips before blurting out, "I know Emily! I know Emily, Maman! Please don't tell her that I don't know her, I know her!"

She smiled. He was so like his father - holding onto his pride at the last second, until he finally became hysteric with attempts to fix his mistakes. Smoothing his crown of green hair, she kissed his forehead before saying, "I won't tell her."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"O-okay."

"Now, would you like me to tell you how Maman and Papa met?"

"Yes, please."

He crawled into her lap and she wrapped her arms around him before gently rocking back and forth.

"Let's see… Ah. When we first met, Papa was just like you, Julius."

"Huh? How?"

"He pretended to ignore me."

"What?" He looked up at her with disbelief. "What, that's impossible!"

"Why?"

"Because… Because why would he ignore you?"

"Because we were both lawyers and we were in a contest to see who could be a better lawyer. We were always arguing against each other in court, since it was our job, but sometimes, those arguments would carry over when the case was closed. Some of the arguments were terribly loud, and Maman and Papa got into trouble. That's why you shouldn't argue with other people, Julius. Always listen to what they have to say first, okay?"

"Okay," he replied impatiently. "But why did you get married if you fought all the time?"

"Because Papa was secretly in love with me."

"Huh? Really?"

"Mmhmm. He'd send me flowers in secret because he was too afraid to tell the-"

"Who was too afraid of telling the truth?"

The five-year-old squeaked and shrunk back as his father suddenly sat up in bed.

"What were you saying? Too afraid?"

"You were," she replied matter-of-factly. "I'm not going to lie to our son."

"The flowers, I won't deny, but I was not afraid of what your reaction would be if I asked you out on a date. Given the circumstances, I would call it common sense, and not fear, that prompted me to-"

"Hide behind anonymity and have bouquets delivered to my office?"

Her husband fumed before getting out of bed and storming into the bathroom. C.C. watched him leave before turning her attention back to her son.

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, I found out who was sending me the flowers, and I asked Papa out to dinner that very evening."

"And that's when you got married?"

"Well, there was four more years of arguing and flowers, but eventually, yes. Then we got married."

"I see…"

Looking off into the distance, he frowned as he tried to gather his thoughts. So Maman and Papa had met at work… And they used to fight all of the time, except Papa actually was in love with Maman and sent her flowers, and then Maman found out Papa was sending her flowers… Right? Or was it the other way around? Was it the other way around? Oh, no, what if it was the other way around! Why couldn't he remember?

"Julius, there's no need to think so hard. If you'd like, you can make up a story of your own."

"But that's not what really happened."

"I think Papa would like it better if you made up a story of your own for this assignment."

"Really?"

She nodded, and relief washed over his worried scowl.

"Okay."

"Now off you go. I have to speak to your father about adult things."

When he obediently ran out of his parents' bedroom, C.C. cleared her throat before trailing after her husband into the bathroom.

"Hey."

"What do you want?"

"Are you angry?"

There was silence as he stared at her reflection. Straightening up, he set down the foam-covered razor before irritably asking, "What do you think? Do I seem angry after watching you feed lies to our child?"

"He's going to make something up. He's not going to use the story I told him."

"Why would you even tell him a fake story in the first place?"

"Because," she simply shrugged. Moving closer to him, she leaned on his back as she whispered, "I couldn't tell him what happened in the bathroom stalls and broom closets, could I?"

"You need to stop before you get us in trouble."

"When do you think our son will know of our love story?"

"Hopefully, never."

"I think you're just saying that because you don't remember how we fell in love."

"I remember," he said tersely. "But I'm not in the mood to entertain you right now. Not after you made a fool of me in front of Julius."

"Julius seemed to admire that romantic aspect of you. Sending flowers in secret. How many men in today's world still do that?"

"Stalkers. Didn't that one man send you flowers too? Mao?"

"Yes, but the difference between you and him, you see, is that I loved you, and not him."

She watched his eyes widen ever so slightly and the tips of his ears flush. Smiling, she pulled him down and kissed him on the corner of his jaw, where there was no shaving cream. He averted his gaze, obviously shy and embarrassed. Holding back her laughter, she slung her arms around his neck before saying, "You make Julius breakfast today. I have a case this afternoon."

"… Why do I always have to make him breakfast?" he grumbled.

"Because he likes your cooking better. Just like me."

Now she really couldn't stop herself from giggling. He looked so flustered from her flirting - it was at times like this that made it difficult for her to remember that this man, this adorable and embarrassed man, was her greatest rival.

* * *

Request: Hi, can you make a fanfiction where lelouch and c.c are rivals but then starts to fall for each other. Thanks

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**Request Complete**


	49. Chivalry

**Chivalry**

* * *

"Have you ever considered leaving?"

"Leaving? Thank you, Rivalz."

The bartender smiled as he placed the glass of scotch in front of the beautiful young woman before returning to his customary spot near the end of the long bar.

"Where would I go?"

"Why not to the city? I'm sure you'd have a better chance to be discovered there, than in a small town like here."

"Then why have you not left?"

"There's nothing waiting for me in the city. Unlike you, with your voice."

"But where would I be without my faithful pianist?"

She smiled at him over the rim of her glass as he cleared his throat.

"I just thought you could have received the proper attention your singing deserves."

"You're too sweet, but I'm getting a little too old to think about moving to the city in search of glitz and glamor."

"You're only 23," he exclaimed incredulously.

"And it's time for me to find a husband to settle down with and have many, many children with. But you. You're still young, and what more, you're a man. I'm sure you could find a better job in the city. A job that pays more, with a singer that's younger and prettier than an old hag like me."

Lelouch studied the grain of the wooden bar, partially out of dismay and partially out of embarrassment. She wasn't an old hag, and it wasn't too late for her to quest for riches and fame. She was beautiful - both her face and voice were, so much so that she was the reason why he loathed to leave the small town for the promise of the big city. Sure, he was young, but he knew what he wanted, and what he wanted was her heart. He knew of the wolves lurking in the shadows, and he had seen them eyeballing her, as if she were some piece of fresh meat, when she wasn't just a hunk of meat, but a woman with a voice that could change the lives of her audience. If only she could see what he saw… Then maybe she'd take the chance and sing for the world, instead of a small bar in the middle of nowhere.

"What's on your mind?"

"Sorry?"

"I said what are you thinking about so deeply? It looks like you're about to burn a hole into the wood."

"Just… A song I've been working on."

"You're composing another one? Can I see it?"

"It's not… I only have the melody," he mumbled. She was so close to him, he could smell her faint perfume. It smelled nice - like apple blossoms in spring. He had always liked apple blossoms. They reminded him of the springtime, when he had first met her in the orchards, when he had taken a temporary job as a helping hand on a farm. She had been singing to herself while the white petals of the blossoms had fluttered down from above, making her look like Lorelei as much as she sounded like the siren.

"Come on." She suddenly grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the dark stage. "Show me."

"I don't even have it written down and I don't even have the lyrics-"

"Then we can improvise. That's the fun part."

He stumbled after her until she sat him down on the bench. Lifting the cover up, she looked at him expectantly, her golden eyes glittering excitedly. Lelouch would have been struck by their proximity and her beauty, if not for one thing - the fact that he didn't have a song for her. Yes, he had written some of the songs she sung on stage, but he didn't have a new one now. Not that it would have mattered - he probably would have been too nervous and starstruck to even remember the chorus.

"I…"

"Go on. Start, and I'll make something up."

"I…" He swallowed. He had better start to play something, or else he'd do something he'd really regret. Maybe something like blurting out his wish to go to-

"The city together."

"What?" Bewildered, she blinked at him, and he immediately ducked his head, mortified by his slip of the tongue.

"Nothing. Just ignore me."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her give him a sidelong look, and it took everything he had not to bury his head in his arms. Why did he be so… So juvenile in front of her? It didn't help that there was a 4 year gap between them, but to make a fool of himself in front of her? Dear God, why was Fate so cruel to him?

"Lelouch?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to show me the song some other day?"

"Yes. I think that would be better."

"Okay. Just as long as you show me before you leave for the big city," she teased. He flushed as she playfully nudged him. He swayed in his seat as she rose from the bench.

"It's getting late, and it looks like Rivalz is ready to close up shop. I'll see you tomorrow, Lelouch."

She raised her hand in goodbye, when he - for the second time that evening - suddenly called out to her.

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"I'll… I'll walk you home. It's dangerous this time of night to walk alone."

"Would you really?"

He silently nodded, petrified by fear. Was she going to laugh him off? Say that she didn't help from someone who could be her younger brother? He knew of the rumors, of the way Schneizel had had his eye on her for some time. He wasn't stupid - he knew a pianist in a rundown bar couldn't compete against the banker, and a banker who was older than her and was probably seen as a man more than he was. He wasn't stupid, he could figure it out. But for some reason - call it the stupid, reckless courage of the naive heart - he wanted to fight against the order of nature and still try for her hand. Even if there was a slim chance she would pick him, he still wanted to try because… Because he lo-

"Okay. Can you wait for a few minutes while I change?"

"Yes."

He saw her smile just before she said, "Maybe chivalry isn't dead in this day and age, after all" before telling him that she wouldn't be more than a few minutes and walking backstage. As he sat on the empty stage by himself, Lelouch carefully closed the lid of the piano before placing his fists on his knees. He could barely contain his giddiness. That was right. Chivalry wasn't dead. Chivalry still lived within him, just like the knights of the old books he used to read. Because if he couldn't be the prince like Schneizel, then he'd be the knight and rescue her from the tower, from this tiny town, and take her to where she truly belonged - with the rest of the musically gifted.

For her, he would give up the crown and draw his sword.

* * *

Request: Can you do a story where C.C. is a lounge singer with Lelouch as her piano accompanist? Where they're both interested in the other, but aren't sure how to broach the subject so they do it while performing with one another? Thank you!

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**Request Complete**


	50. Ankle (Pt III)

**Ankle**

Pt. III

* * *

"Lelouch! Lelouch Lamperouge!"

Milly burst into the apartment while waving a thick stack of paper and yelling out the name of her star author.

"Lelouch, I need to talk to you."

"What do you want?" he irritably snapped. Taken aback, the editor paused for a moment. What was wrong with him? He'd never gotten this angry whenever she broke into his apartment. Did something happen?

"If you don't have anything to say, then leave, Milly. I want to be alone."

"Leave the brooding artist act for another person. I need to talk to you about your manuscript."

"What about it?"

"What's with this ending?" She slammed the stack down on the kitchen island next to his half-empty cup of espresso as she demanded, "What happened to Lulu Knott? I thought you said that this one wasn't a tragedy."

"It wasn't supposed to be," he scowled. "But sometimes, things don't go as planned. Sometimes, you're backstabbed by someone you thought you could trust."

Milly frowned. Oh, man, it was this bad? What had happened?

Taking a seat on the stool besides him, she turned to him and said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Something is wrong. You're wearing your clothes inside out, and the curtains to your windows are all closed. What happened to giving sufficient sunlight to your beloved houseplants?"

"They're not beloved, and nothing is wrong. Leave me alone. I don't have the patience to entertain your whims today."

"I'm your editor and your friend, Lelouch. Tell me what happened, or I'm going to send you to the Caribbean like last time. Do you remember what happened last time? Nunnally went on a date without you knowing and-"

"There's no need to remind me about that," he said darkly. "But since you ask, I'll tell you. And then you leave after, alright?"

"I promise," she replied. She didn't tell him about her crossed fingers behind her back as she watched him tiredly cover his face with a hand.

"What is it, Lelouch? What happened?"

"I don't want to be Lulu Knott anymore."

"What? Why? You were doing so well!"

"I just don't. I'm sick and tired of… Of love. All you get is pain and betrayal out of the entire ordeal. Why should I have to write about something as abominable and useless as love? Lulu Knott hereby resigns. For the rest of her life."

"You can't."

He looked up at her sharply as Milly crossed her arms.

"You can't," she repeated. "Lulu Knott is here to stay, for the rest of your life. The editor-in-chief wanted me to tell you that he wants you to rewrite the ending to this," she said while nodding towards the chaotic pile of paper, "and that Julius Kingsley is no more. Well, no, let me put it this way. He prefers Lulu Knott over Julius Kingsley. Lulu sells better, and to a wider market. You can still write historical fiction, but he would like romance over historical fiction. Although he did say that if you wrote historical romance, that's okay with him too."

"I'm not writing romance. I hate romance, I'm not doing it anymore."

"I never said that you had to go out and get a girlfriend, Lelouch. If you want, you can hole yourself up in your apartment and do nothing but be a hermit and write all day long. As long as it's romance."

"You can't do this to me. You can't force me to write something that I-"

"Actually, we kind of can." She smiled at him apologetically. "Don't you remember, Lelouch? You yourself said that the publishing house has the author in their palm. The publishing house is your god. And you don't make compromises with gods."

He glared at her before turning back to his coffee.

"I'll kill of all of the characters."

"That's okay. The world's greatest love story ended with the two protagonists dying in each other's arms."

"I'll make them suffer and destroy one another."

"Angst sells well. Anything you want to do, whether it's to betray, harm, or kill, sells well, as long as it's written well and sensibly. So do whatever you want to your characters. As long as it's romance and it's good, we'll take it."

"Get the hell out of my apartment," he growled. Raising her hands in defense, she backed away.

"I'm going, I'm going. No need to get so worked up."

She quickly made her way to the door. Slipping on her shoes, she was about to escape the dragon's lair, when she suddenly stopped and turned back.

"Hey, Lelouch."

"Are you deaf, Milly? I told you that I want to be alo-"

"Maybe you should just sit down and talk to her. See if what you suspect is actually true or not."

He stared at her, all of the anger replaced with shock. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder as she shrugged.

"Sitting down and calmly talking things through can do wonders for misunderstandings. But I'm sure you knew that already, right?"

And then, before he could say anything or throw anything at her, his fairy godmother vanished as quickly and as suddenly as she had appeared.

* * *

Request: Okay, could you please do another chapter in the Ankle series eventually (I realize the last one literally just came out a bit ago). I have to know how things progress from there! Do you think you could touch again on Lelouch's job as an author again? I thought that was a funny and interesting touch for his character here. Sorry if I'm being a bother.

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**Request Complete**


	51. Coffee

**Coffee**

* * *

He didn't know her name. In fact, he didn't know anything about her except that she always took the A train on Monday through Friday at exactly the same time - 5:23PM - just as he did. He hadn't really noticed at first, what with all of the people during rush hour, but her hair - the emeralds cascading down her back - were hard to miss and quickly branded itself into his mind. She'd always stand by the door, swaying with the cars, as she looked out of the window with earbuds plugged in to block out the awkward silence that was inevitable when a variety of strangers were stuffed into a small encasement for any period of time, whether it be a few minutes or an hour. And he always found himself glancing at her, with her ponytail and slim legs clad in black.

He was an inquisitive person by nature, and he quickly found himself drawn to her. Where did she work? What was her job? What was she always listening to? What did she do when she got off the train? What did she do before? And most importantly, what was her name?

But before he could muster up the courage to ask her, one day, she stopped riding the subway at the same time. He became crestfallen when he realized that their rides together, albeit short and coincidental rides together - weren't happening any longer. But he didn't even know her name - how could he possibly find her, in this city of millions?

He found his answer in fate - he saw her by chance when he had been grocery shopping. He had been standing in the express lane, when he saw her through the window. She had been walking past, with a paper bag on her hip and her slim legs clad in black quickly walking away. It had been a glimpse, but it had been enough because it told him that she lived close by. Which meant she lived in the same area as him.

And so, a game began, in which he searched for the Nameless Girl, with her black pants and green hair. He ran into her, stepped on her shadow, a few times after the sighting at the grocery store, but they were few and far between, and each incident left him no closer to knowing her name than when he had first seen her on the subway and more and more dejected than before.

And then Fate, having taken pity on him, finally graced him with his reward.

He hated coffee. He hated the smell, the bitterness, everything about coffee, he absolutely abhorred and avoided. But one of his sisters, Cornelia, practically ran on caffeine, and she had managed to twist his arm into meeting her at a café. She had been running late, and had asked him to buy her iced coffee. It had been summer at the time, and with the city's asphalt and tall, concrete buildings, it had been sweltering. So he had gotten up from his seat and patiently stood in line while trying not to wrinkle his nose in disgust at the inescapable perfume of roasting coffee. He had wondered if he should also get a slice of cake, if his sister would want chocolate or strawberry shortcake, when he saw her standing at the cash register.

It was the first time he saw her bare arms, and his eyes drank in her faded sleeve tattoo before quickly moving up to stare at the name tag pinned to her dark green apron. He was so speechless by his luck, by fate, that when he stood in front of her, he completely blanked and forgot why he had even stood in line in the first place.

"Oh, it's you!" she said. Recognition flooded in her bright gold eyes as she smiled at him. "It's been a long time, huh? Fancy meeting you here."

"Uh…"

"You want to try today's special? It's a coconut café frappé. A personal favorite."

"… Sure."

"Name and size?"

"… Lelouch vi Britannia, 54 kilograms, 181 cm," he replied slowly. He didn't even blink - he was too scared that if he did, she'd disappear from sight, just as she always had in the past. "Wait. I didn't… A venti."

Oh, God. He wanted to slap himself. Smooth. Just smooth.

She grinned.

"Well, Mr. 54-kilograms-181-centimeters, that will be $4.39."

"Right."

Throughout the entire meeting with his sister, Lelouch never heard a word she was saying about Euphemia's birthday celebration. He was too busy rolling her name over in his mind. Cera, huh? It was a pretty name, for an extremely beautiful woman.

Hmm. Maybe he'd start to like coffee. He didn't know for sure, but anything was possible in the future. Especially now that he'd found the Nameless Girl in this city of millions.

* * *

Request: This may seem like an odd one, but could please do a story where Lelouch and C.C. are strangers to one another yet they keep running into each other seemingly by chance? Thank you.

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**Request Complete**


	52. Kiss

**Kiss**

* * *

The director had said that there was no need for a real kiss. A stage kiss would be sufficient, he had said, for a high school production. Both actors had agreed on a fake kiss, where his thumbs would go over her lips while he cupped her face. Though he didn't hate her, and she didn't hate him, they had been complete strangers before they had received the news that they had been chosen out of the twenty that had auditioned for the lead roles, and had no inclination to share such an intimate moment like having their first kiss with an acquaintance and in front of hundreds of people - at least, on Lelouch's part. He didn't know if she had kissed anyone before, but he knew that he hadn't, and in the beginning, he didn't feel like giving his first kiss to her, as interesting as she was.

But then, as it drew closer and closer to the opening night, he found himself thinking more and more about her. And not just because of the play either. He noticed her during lunch when he hadn't before, and couldn't draw his eyes away long enough from where she sat with her friends. When she came into one of his classes to hand his teacher a slip from the guidance counseling office as a peer facilitator, he caught her eye and gave her half a wave, which she had actually returned with an acknowledging smile. They had even walked together once on the way to class. Though they didn't have any classes together, they had been walking in the same direction and had woven their way through the throng together before reaching her class, where she had given him her number after he offered to tutor her in chemistry.

It had been curious, getting to know her. They had been so awkward around each other for the first few weeks, and then suddenly, they were backstage together, suppressing their laughter over inside jokes and climbing out her bedroom window to eat ice cream on her roof under the bright stars. He grew attached to her. Not just as a friend or a fellow actor, but as something more, someone that he'd like to… Well, someone he'd like to make into his significant other.

He had to ask for permission from the director beforehand, and it had taken all of his charm and charisma to persuade him to ruin the last showing of _The Taming of the Shrew_. But when he stood on that stage, under the spotlight with her, and went down on one knee and asked her to go to prom with him, all of the grumbling and dirty looks from the director had been worth it as she smiled at him and accepted his rose. And it was then, at the last showing of the play, when he finally let down his guard and gave her his first kiss, amid the cheers and wolf whistles of the audience, and it was then when he realized how real kisses were so much more better than stage ones.

* * *

Request: How about one where Lelouch and C.C. are the romantic leads in a play/musical, but they start really falling for each other over time despite differences?

* * *

**Request Complete**


	53. Neighbor (Pt III)

**Neighbor**

Pt. III

* * *

"Who are you?"  
"Hi, I'm Gino Weinberg." The tall and friendly blond extended his hand with a bright smile. "I'm C.C.'s boyfriend."  
"Boyfriend?" Lelouch gave him a once-over as they shook hands. The witch was in a relationship and yet had slept with him? Well, he had had a girlfriend too, so he couldn't really say anything but… What kind of a man would fall in love with her?  
"That's right. I'm her boyfriend. I came today in place of C.C. It didn't seem like she could get out of bed today, so I stepped in, but I know what she wanted to talk to you about, so you can talk to me as if I'm her."

Lelouch frowned. Was this man not disturbed by the fact that his lover slept with another person?

"Are you not upset that she cheated on you?"

"Huh?"

Straightening up, he crossed his legs as he continued, "Your girlfriend. C.C. She's pregnant with a child that's not yours. Are you not upset?"

He shrugged. "We weren't in a relationship at the time. And what does it matter? Just because the baby has your genes doesn't mean I can't be their father."

"And what makes you think the baby is going to need a father?"  
"What?"

Lelouch glanced at his watch before saying, "I don't have much time, so I'll be blunt with you. Listen well, because I'm only going to say this once."

"Okay…"  
"I want an abortion."  
"C.C. doesn't want an abortion."  
"But I do."  
"But you're not the one who has to carry a tiny baby in your stomach for 9 months. She doesn't want an abortion."  
"I'm not prepared to be a father. It's in the baby's best interest if it were to be just-"  
"And it's in C.C.'s best interest that she keep the baby. She doesn't want an abortion. And if you're worried about being a father, then don't. I'd gladly take the job."  
"It's not even your baby. Why do you care?"  
"Because I love her. Don't you love anyone, Mr. Lamperouge? Geez, C.C. told me a bit about you, but I had just thought she was exaggerating. I guess I was wrong."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Well, I think we're done here," brusquely said Gino. "We know what you want, and you know what we want. We're completed our business together."  
"What are you-"

Lelouch stared as the young man rose from his seat and towered over him. His warm gaze suddenly turned to an icy blue as he said, "Ah. One more thing I forgot to add."

"If you try to hurt C.C., or make her do something she doesn't want to, I'll find you, and I will make you pay."  
"Are you threatening a police officer right now?" he asked incredulously.  
"No, of course not. This isn't me speaking as a citizen to a police officer. This is a man speaking to another man, a man who's willing to do anything for the woman he loves and won't hesitate to destroy anything that threatens to hurt her."

And then the ominous aura suddenly dissipated and he smiled again.

"Good day, Mr. Lamperouge. And please remember what I've told you today. I know I won't forget what I've said."

And then he left.

* * *

Request: Can you continue the Neighbor one after Lelouch found out C.C. was pregnant?

* * *

**Request Complete**

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to say this once and once only - when you make a request, give me some time to fulfill it. I have my own life, and I can't always sit here and write it immediately. And mind you, some things I can't think of right away, I'm not some magician who pulls out drabbles out of a magic hat. Have some patience and use some common sense, and when you drop in a request, know that I've seen it and that I'm going to do it. Don't drop in the same request multiple times. That's only going to piss me off and make me disinclined to fulfill it.**


	54. Cook

**Cook**

* * *

He stared at the guards, refusing to be intimidated by their stature and armor. They glared at him before stepping aside and clearing the path to the royal quarters of the Queen. Stifling a self-satisfied smirk, he waited for them to open the doors before stepping into the lavish room.

"Is that you, Cook?"

"Majesty," he bowed. He kept his eyes trained on the plush carpeting as he knelt before his sovereign.

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

"A plate of beignets lightly dusted with sugar."

"Come closer, boy."

He obediently crossed the room. The tips of his worn shoes stopped by the edge of her bed, and he intently stared at them. It was against the law, the code, for commoners to even look in the direction of the Queen. Those who did, especially the hundreds who worked for her Majesty herself, were sentenced to hanging, or worse, blindness by the gouging of the eyes if they raised their head. He knew it well - he had dreamt of being the royal chef for his whole life after all and had worked his entire 20 years to climb the ladder so as to be crowned imperial chef.

But a slender hand appeared and tilted his head up so that he had no choice but to look up. He didn't flinch or jerk away - it was her Majesty. If she wanted him to look at her, then he would drink her in. Even if her hair was down and she was wearing nothing but a simple silk nightgown, even if she looked nothing like a queen, he'd admire her beauty. Because she wanted him to. Because she had permitted him to.

"Majesty."

"Set the plate down right there," she ordered.

He never broke eye contact as he carefully placed the warm dessert on her bedside table. He was far too enchanted to even blink. She was ethereal, with her soft hair and bright eyes. A fairy. A witch who had cast a spell on him, no, a _goddess_. It was disorienting being so close to her. Though he cooked for her, though he had worked most of his life for her, he had never been this near, had never been alone with her, and it was an intoxicating experience.

She seemed to know because she smirked as she slipped off of the bed and stepped closer to him. He nearly backed away but managed to lock his knees in and stand still as she peered up at him. He swallowed with some difficulty and tried not to breathe hard as the smell of her gentle perfume made him dizzy with giddiness.

"Do you think of yourself as the best?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Really? Most are humble when I ask them what they think of themselves."

"Because your Majesty deserves nothing but the best, because I cook for your Majesty, it's simply logical that I am the best there is."

He stared over her head and out of the window. The moon was but a faint sliver, which meant it would be dark when he returned home. Which meant that the moon would provide him cover for his… Immorality. For his lust.

"You're a curious man. Unlike any I've met."

"Your Majesty is too kind."

"Who said it was a compliment?"

He glanced down at her and saw that she was teasing him.

"Do you know what happened to the last royal chef, Cook?"

"No, I do not, ma'am."

"Would you like me to tell you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She seemed to think for a moment before suddenly grabbing his hand. Electricity shot up his arm and the hairs on the back of his neck rose as he felt her soft hand in his rough and calloused one. She turned him around before delicately picking up a beignet and scrutinizing it.

"He was hung because he tried to assassinate me. Led astray by the illusions of my enemies, he slipped poison into my afternoon tea. Fortunately, my knight had caught news of the betrayal and saved my life, as knights should. Suzaku was rewarded for his service, of course, but there was the problem of what to do for the newly-emptied title."

"You were chosen out of thousands of applicants, and I applaud you for passing through the various tests put forth by the council. But you see, there seems to be some suspicion. Why should you, with your unknown background and heritage, with your unknown allegiance, be in charge of the food and drink that I swallow?"

"But I trust that you're a good man and that you're not as foolish as the last cook. But of course, I could have misjudged your character. Which brings us to this one last test."

He couldn't have torn his eyes off of her even if he had wanted, but he didn't want to, so he stared at her with a hunger in his eyes that a servant shouldn't have been looking at their master with. Her gaze was just as intent as his as she stepped close to him and wound her arms around his neck. His eyes hooded, he leaned forward before taking a small bite of the pastry in her mouth. He balled his hands into tight fists to stop himself from touching her, to stop himself from falling into her trap. He stood stock still but knew that if she didn't move away from him soon, he'd be hung the following day for immorality towards a sovereign and sacred person.

She studied him, waiting for a reaction, waiting for him to break, but when he didn't give in to his desires, she licked the fine sugar off of her fingers before whispering in his ear, "Don't disappoint me, Cook."

"Yes, your Majesty."

She stepped away and put an appropriate amount of space between them as she continued, "Don't forget what I've told you. This is your one and only warning."

He bowed and left after she waved him away. When he returned to the dark and empty kitchen, Lelouch hung up his apron before looking out of the wide windows and at the crescent moon.

She didn't have to tell him not to forget. It would be a long, long time before the memory of the night would be erased from his mind. An extremely long, long time.

* * *

Request: Wanted to put in an idea before I forget it, but how about one where Lelouch tries to win over C.C. or impress her with cooking since that was always a skill of his?

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**Request Complete**


	55. Water

**Water**

* * *

"Let's run it through one more time."

"No, Lelouch, I don't- We've gone over this a hundred times. We don't need to talk it over one more time."

"It's better to be prepared. Just one more time."

She reproachfully stared at her husband but when she saw his pleading look, she sighed and gave in.

"This is the last time," she warned.

"Last time," he agreed. "So we have our bags packed. They have clothes for you, the baby, hair clips for you to keep your hair out of the way during labor, phone chargers, toiletries, the necessary documents, and snacks. I already registered at the hospital and the nursery's completely finished."

She nodded, already bored with his panicked summary.

"The bags are in the closet by the front door, and we're going to the Royal Pendragon Medical Center. We get there by taking a right on 5th Avenue and-"

"I don't care about this part," she interrupted. "Skip to something more interesting."

"This is one of the most important-"

"Then you can run it over by yourself in front of the mirror. I don't care about this."

He frowned but did as she asked.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone else there? Maybe Euphemia or Suzaku, or even Kallen and Milly-"

"I just want you there. No one else. Just you."

"Really? Because I think it would be a good idea to have people waiting just in case something goes-"

"Do you plan on going anywhere while I'm giving birth to your firstborn?"

"No, but you never know what could happen, and it's best to be prepa-"

"I just want you to be there," she said gently while cupping his face, "to hold my hand. Just you. Only you. Okay?"

"But…"

"Don't argue with me, Lelouch. I'm not in the mood."

"Sorry. I just want this to be as easy as possible for you. I realize how painful it can be, and I'm… I'm just worried," he mumbled.

"Well, you're extremely prepared. More prepared than any other father, I'd say. Which is great, considering my water just broke."

He stared at her as he slowly registered her words.

"Your water…"

"My water just broke," she said faintly while nodding. "My water just broke, Lelouch."

"Your wa… Your water… _Shit_! Shit, I- Hold on. Just- I- Give me a- No, just- Okay. Okay, okay, I'm going to-"

"You're going to help me out of this chair and then you're going to get the bags from the closet by the front door before helping me to the car. Okay?"

"Yeah, just- _Shit_!"

"It's okay, Lelouch. Calm down. Remember your practicing. Remember the plan, and stick to the plan. Everything will be okay."

His only reply was the clattering of the chair as he shot out of his seat and stumbled to the closet.

"Lelouch, help me stand."

"R-right."

As grave as the situation was, C.C. couldn't help but giggle. Oh, what a man Lelouch vi Britannia was. What a man her husband was.

What a father he would make.

* * *

Request: Can I please make a request for a fic where C.C. is going into labor and Lelouch is panicking about making sure everything goes perfectly while C.C. remains relatively calm as she generally does?

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**Request Complete**


	56. NunnallyOpening

**Nunnally~Opening**

* * *

Nunnally had always wondered why he had chosen C.C.

She liked C.C. She was kind, no matter what she claimed, and she was a fun and interesting person to be with, not to mention the way she wasn't afraid or intimidated by her royal title and treated her like any other girl. She genuinely liked C.C. but there were times when she wondered if the rumors of her being a witch was true. How else would have her brother chosen someone that was so different from him?

She knew that they had met when C.C. had opened her pizza parlor right across the street from her brother's café. She didn't know the exact details, but somewhere, sometime, they had gotten into an argument. Well, not just one argument – there had been several arguments after their first meeting, but the first time they had spoken to one another had been in a fit of anger. She remembered how her brother would come visit her in the evenings, all the while grumbling and muttering under his breath while a dark cloud hung over his head and he wore a scowl instead of his nice smile.

That had gone on for several weeks, maybe months, until one night, her brother didn't visit one night. Nunnally had waited for him, worried, and had tried to call him and his friends and employees, but none knew where he was. He had finally showed up early in the morning, just after the sun had risen, looking extremely haggard and vexed, but in one piece. She had been relieved to see him, until she glanced down and to her horror, saw blood soaking his usually-pristine shirt. She had immediately thought of gangs and loan sharks and was on the verge of bursting into tears for being such a heavy burden, when he hurriedly explained that it wasn't his blood and that he was fine.

She hadn't believed him at first, of course, until he had offered to unbutton his shirt and show her that there wasn't a scratch on his body. Wiping her tears away, she had asked him whose blood it was, and he had been about to reply, when he received a phone call. Which was strange, considering her brother always turned his phone off whenever he visited her. A strange feeling had washed over her then, as she watched him turn away and take the call, and an even stranger feeling of forlornness had seeped into her as he apologized to her as he put on his jacket and rushed out.

It had been an incredibly peculiar ordeal, especially when she found out that her brother had adopted a puppy. She knew that he hated dogs and that he preferred the quieter, more independent cat than a rambunctious and playful puppy, and that he was actually allergic to dogs, but she hadn't questioned him. She had supposed that he would be lonely as he lived alone and that he would want some kind of company.

Or so she had thought. And then she had received a bouquet of flowers from C.C., thanking her for the puppy. Which had been incredibly mystifying because though she had met C.C. once or twice through her brother's angry ranting, she hadn't expected flowers from her, much less in appreciation of a puppy that she had never given.

Of course, a day or two later, C.C. herself had paid a visit while dragging her brother in after her. She had forced him into a chair, and that was when the curtain was pulled back for Nunnally and she was able to understand things as they truly were.

C.C.'s dog – her precious dog who she had raised herself after taking him in from the streets – had run out of her apartment, which was above her restaurant, only to be hit by a car. Lelouch, who had happened to be passing by on his way to the hospital, had helped her whisk her dying pet to the veterinarian, which was why there had been blood soaking his shirt that day. It had been too late, and the phone call had been from the vet, who had told him how it was suggested that he stay with his girlfriend until she at least stopped crying. Which was why her brother had abruptly cut his visit short.

Though Nunnally hadn't been told of the heated arguments that had led to the kissing or the gambling and betting they had going on between them that often led to some rather inappropriate winnings, she could figure out enough, from the way that her brother had used her as a cover for his feelings, and the way that C.C. kept her hand on the back of his neck and fiddled with the ends of her brother's hair, that there was something going on between the two. In all her years, Nunnally didn't think she had seen her brother so red as that day when the entire truth had been lay out.

By her suggestion, her brother and C.C. had finally gone out on a date – which had gone horribly according to her brother, but everyone knew how people like her older sibling often twisted the truth – which had led to a second date, and a third, and a fourth, until three years had finally passed. It had been a rocky three years, full of violent break-ups and (most likely) make-ups that were just as violently passionate, but they had managed to stick together through everything, and he brother seemed to have changed for the better.

For instance, when Nunnally had finally been released from the hospital, C.C. had immediately suggested a party in celebration, whereas her brother had wanted for her to go home and rest. It had only been through C.C.'s persuasion that she had been allowed to explore the world that had been out of her reach for the majority of her life. And her brother, who was usually so straight-laced, actually broke – or bent, as he had put it – a few rules and had allowed himself to have fun.

Of course, Nunnally had always wondered why her brother had chosen the woman that he had. She still wondered, from time to time, but whenever she did, she watched her brother, and the way he smiled and listened to his laughter. Because whenever she saw the look in his eyes and heard his light laughter, Nunnally knew one thing – that she was glad that he had chosen her.

* * *

Request: Could you do a story that features Lelouch and C.C. progressing relationship told from Nunnally's perspective?

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**Request Complete**


	57. Neighbor (Pt IV)

**Neighbor**

Pt. IV

* * *

"You what?"

Lelouch winced as water trickled down the roots of his hair to drip off of his chin and into his lap. Pursing his lips, he reached for a napkin as his mother set down the empty glass with an angry clink and rose from her seat to turn her back on him as she faced the large parlor window.

"What was I to do, Mother?"  
"I thought I raised you better than this, Lelouch. I thought you were a better person than this. What have I worked for, for over 20 years, if you're nothing but an absurdly insensitive person?"  
"Mother, she doesn't want an abortion."  
"Then so be it! Let her keep the baby! I understand why you want an abortion, darling, but the manner in which you told her is the worst way you could have told her."  
"But I-"  
"Your needs and wants are not the only needs and wants that should be accounted for, Lelouch. In fact, I would say that her needs and wants supersede yours."  
"Then what am I supposed to do?" he demanded. "What am I supposed to say to Kallen? You think she'll accept the news with a smile and a hug? We're supposed to marry in four months! Do you think she wants a baby as her wedding gift? She-"

With wide eyes, Lelouch stared at the plush rug as his cheek burned with the scorn of his mother. Gingerly touching his cheek, he looked up at his mother, who towered before him, as if they had traveled back in time and she was his goddess and he was none the wiser.

"You will apologize to me for your rude behavior and then you will go to that poor woman and apologize to her and ask for her forgiveness. You will get down on your knees if need be. You've become far too self-important. You had no right to conduct yourself in the manner that you did, especially towards her. Right now, the problem isn't that she's pregnant, the problem isn't that you're getting married in a matter of months, the problem is that you were offensive, uncivil, and ill-behaved to a woman that did you no wrong. All of this is your doing. All of this is because of the choices you made. And as your mother, it's my responsibility to make sure that you see the error of your ways and fix yourself so that you don't make these same mistakes again. Do you understand?"

His nostrils flared but he swallowed his anger and replied in a low growl, "Yes, I understand."

"Then get out of my sight. I don't care to call you my flesh and blood until you've received the complete forgiveness of that woman."

He stiffly rose and walked away. He bit his tongue and kept walking. He didn't stop and just continued to walk until he was completely alone. Hidden away in his apartment, cloaked by his shadows, he finally let loose the anger that had been tearing him apart.

The memories made his blood boil as a scream built up in the pit of his stomach. The memories of growing up without a father, the memories of his difficult childhood, memories of seeing his friends, all with their fathers, memories of finding out the truth of his birth, memories of watching his father from afar. All because his father had been selfish and had refused to accept his other woman. All because his damned father hadn't nipped the rose in its bud. All the suffering and pain and torment because his father hadn't been brave enough to take the blow.

Glass crunched under his shoes and blood left a pitiful trail behind him as he made his way to the dark bedroom. So she wanted him to get on his knees, did she? Then fine. He'd get on his knees for her. If that's what she wanted, then he'd give her just that. He'd get down on his goddamn knees.

* * *

Request: At some point, could you go again to the Neighbor story and perhaps have Lelouch realize either on his own or with someone else's help just what a jerk he's been to C.C. and then have him try to make amends.

Request: Continuation for neighbor? Its really intriguing ahahah just wish lelouch could have accepted being a father ahaha

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**Request Complete**


	58. Stars

**Stars**

* * *

"Is Maman asleep?"

Julius looked up at his father, who silently put a finger to his lips as he nodded in reply. Carefully stepping around the empty plates, the little boy lay down on his stomach and cupped his chin with both hands as he studied his mother's calm face.

"Why is she sleeping?" he whispered. He watched as his father gently brushed away his mother's soft, green hair before reaching out with his own small hand and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Maman is going to be very tired very often from now on, Julius."

"But why?"

"Because your sister is growing inside of her stomach."

"It makes her tired?"

"And very hungry. So that's why you have to be nice and listen to her well. Do you understand?"

"But I already listen to her well," he exclaimed indignantly. His mother grimaced and shifted but continued to sleep. Julius nervously glanced at his father, who seemed to be watching her intently. When she was still again, he said, "I realize that, and you're very good for doing that, but you have to be extra nice to her."

"Do I have to draw pictures for her?"

"No, but if you would like to, she would be more than happy to hang your pictures up on the wall."

"What about cooking? Should I cook for her?"

Memories of his son's most recent attempt to cook flashed behind Lelouch's eyes, and it took everything he had not to frown at the painful recollection. Smiling, he shook his head.

"No, Papa will do enough cooking for us both."

"Then what can I do?"

"Well, let's see… You can fetch things for her. Like a glass of water, or a book, or a pillow. When she falls asleep, you can tuck her into bed, just like she does for you. And later on, when it's almost time for your sister to come home, you can help her sit up and sit down."

"I can do that?"

"Of course you can. You're going to be a very important person in a few months, Julius. You're going to be someone's older brother, and that means you have a big responsibility."

"Just like you?"

"Just like me."

The child turned to look at the swollen belly of his mother. He thought back on how much slower she was now, how they had had to take the long, safe path to the ocean, instead of the shortcut they usually took whenever they came out on a picnic as they were accustomed to once a month. She seemed to be napping more often than not, and when she wasn't, she was often eating a snack. And he had seen the way his father had treated his mother – as if she were made of glass, as if she were a delicate snowflake and he was afraid of melting her at the slightest touch.

But it wasn't just his father who was giving her special attention. She went to visit Dr. Lloyd a lot more often, the funny man with the nice nurse-lady – Cécile was her name? – and the way Aunt Euphie was nearly living at their house, and how his mother's friends, who used to always pet him and compliment him, were drawn to his mother's swollen belly. How his father, who had always played with him after dinner, would stick to his mother as if he was attached by glue, leaving him to play by himself.

Julius was as excited as anyone for the arrival of his younger sister – in fact, he was probably more excited than anyone. But the way he just faded into the background, how everyone ignored him when they had once fawned over him, was a little more than just disconcerting. It hurt. It was as if he had been king of the world, and now he had been knocked off of his throne by some… Some _joke_. But it wasn't as if he could throw a temper tantrum. Not with the way his mother was so tired all the time. He had once, and it had ended in disaster, chagrin, and shame, none of which he wished to experience again. So he had learned to hold his tongue, but the longer he held his tongue, the more pain he felt in his heart.

"Papa?"

"Yes, Julius?"

"… Even if…" He hesitated. "Even if… My sister is born… Even if she's born, will you still love me?"

He had surprised his father. On any other day, he would have been proud of this rare achievement, but it wasn't just any other day and he hadn't just asked any other question and he wasn't just waiting for any other answer. He wanted – no, he _needed _– to hear from his own lips that he loved him or hated him or had even forgotten about him to confirm his suspicions or deny them.

"Let me ask you a question in return."

"Yes?"

"How many stars are there in the sky?"

"Um… A million?"

His father shook his head.

"There are an infinite number of stars. Space is ever-expanding, and so the number of stars in our solar system, in the known and unknown universe, is countless. Infinite."

"Okay…."

"How many stars do you see in the sky right now?"

"None," he answered promptly. Didn't his father know that you couldn't see any stars during the day? Had he hit his head on the doorway of their train that badly?

"But are those stars still there even if you can't see them?"

"Yes," he answered with a proud swiftness. "They're still there."

"Julius, Maman and Papa's love for you is just like the stars."

He quizzically stared at his father, who bent down to murmur in his ear.

"Just as the stars are infinite, our love for you is endless. And though you may not always be able to see them, we will always love you. Even when it seems that we don't, we love you with all our hearts, until the very end of time itself. We will always love you, Julius. No one and nothing will ever change that."

He closed his eyes as he felt his father lightly kiss him on the forehead. Oh, how he wanted to get up and dance. How he wanted to run around, kicking the sand of the beach into the air as he yelled to the world his giddiness and relief. But instead of jumping up, he merely burst into tears.

Sobbing, he told his father how grateful he was, and how glad that his parents still loved him and how he had been so worried that he had been replaced, as nice as it would be to have someone to play with. He apologized for thinking terrible and mean thoughts in private whenever everyone ignored him before sniffling and saying that he loved them in return.

When C.C. woke up, bleary-eyed and feeling stiff, she was surprised by a sudden hug from her son, who swore to love and take care of his sister forever and ever. Recovering from her surprise, she quickly laughed and wrapped her arms around him as her son and her husband kissed her cheeks. She noticed her son's red-rimmed eyes and the way her husband kept studying the boy but made no comment, save that she would always love her two boys before giggling and giving each a kiss on the nose.

* * *

Request:Could you do a story where C.C. and Lelouch have a sort of family day out with their child? I've really liked what you've written in stories where they have children.

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**Request Complete**


	59. Neighbor (Pt V)

**Neighbor**

Pt. V

* * *

"Lelouch."

"What is it, Kallen?"

"… Have you ever considered going back?"

"To where?" he asked, feigning ignorance as he quietly washed the dishes. She leaned against the counter as she crossed her arms.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I haven't considered going back. Why do you ask? Did something happen at work?"

When there was no reply, he looked up from the sink and saw the way she was chewing on her lip. Frowning, he said, "What's wrong?"

"… Your mom called me when I landed. She said that something had happened to you that was bothering you."

"What else did she say?"

"Nothing much. What happened, Lelouch? Does it have to do with your hand?"

"No. It's nothing, Kallen. You know how Mother likes to stir up trouble when she's bored. Nothing's wrong."

She studied him as he turned his attention back to the dishes. Lelouch was good at lying, but he wasn't good enough to lie so blatantly. Something was clearly bothering him. He had been completely distracted when he had picked her up at the airport and while they had had dinner. She had noticed the mirror's empty frame, with all of its usefulness missing. And the way he completely shied away from her - he had held the door open for her, had taken her suitcase, but there had been no kiss, no smile from him. He was so cold, she could hardly believe their engagement, if not for the ring sparkling on her finger. But if he shut her out, what was she supposed to do? She could force her way in, but Kallen wasn't that reckless. She wasn't that stupid. So she merely said, "I'm going to bed."

"Jet lag?"

"Something like that," she replied, stifling a yawn. "Are you going to sleep tonight, or is it one of those nights?"

"We'll see," he said lightly. "Though don't expect for me to get lucky tonight."

Kallen shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she left the kitchen. So his insomnia had come back, huh? Seemed like things were worse than she had thought - maybe a visit to her future mother-in-law would clear things up. Past experience had taught her not to ask Lelouch about the inner workings of his mind, as he preferred to brood in the shadows by himself and refused to let anyone in. Not even her, his fiancé and future wife.

Sighing, she turned on the shower and undressed. She could only imagine what their married life would be like. They didn't live together at the moment because of Kallen's mother, but who knew what it would be like once they got married? Would they become closer? Would he finally open up to her? Or would things continue to be the same, continue to be stagnant and stale until they finally acknowledged the elephant in the room?

Who knew?

. . .

"Well, what do we have here?"

Lelouch looked up from where he sat on the bench and saw a familiar pair of eyes glinting at him under the weak light of the moon. She crossed her arms, the plastic bag in her hand crinkling, as she said, "What's someone like you doing here on a children's playground?"

When there was no answer, she told him to move over before taking a seat besides him. Stretching her legs out before her, she took a deep breath before digging in the bag and asking, "Do you want some ice cream?"

"… What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with a midnight snack? I'm eating for two, you know."

"No, I mean why are you being so friendly to me? I told you that I…"

"Wanted an abortion? Gino told me how you insisted on one. It was quite a funny story, actually. He can make me laugh with even the most serious and depressing news. He has a gift, unlike you, who's sitting here on a lonely playground in the middle of the night. Do you want one or no?"

For some reason, Lelouch felt angry. Distressed. Frightened by her warmth. So he stood up and turned on her, snarling and snapping at her.

"What's wrong with you? You're supposed to scream at me, hit me, for wanting to abort the baby. You're not supposed to act as if we're friends, as if we're on good terms. We were never on good terms, we have always hated each other. Why aren't you-"

"Why aren't I treating you like you treat me? Is that what you were going to say?"

Silent, he stared at her, as she unwrapped the ice cream cone.

"Why do you deserve that kindness? Why should I do want you want just so that you have a justifiable excuse to be angry at me for your mistake? Because part of the blame is yours to keep, Lelouch. Part of it is mine, but part of it is also yours, and all of your screaming isn't going to change that."

"You-"

"Do you know why I made the decision that I did?"

He couldn't will himself to speak, so she spoke for him.

"I didn't have the most picturesque childhood growing up. My mother and father were always fighting, and there were nights where I would cry myself to sleep so I wouldn't be able to hear my mother's screaming and my father's abuse. I know how much it hurts, how it scars and traumatizes and follows you for the rest of your life like a shadow. You become afraid of commitment, of love, monogamy, anything and everything related to that kind of life. And you never forget the details either. The scars on your body refuse to let you forget. But it's also the same reason why I don't care about what you want. If you want to live through the rest of your life without a baby, then please do. The last thing I want is to make my baby suffer what I did, and I'll be damned before I make the same mistakes as my parents did."

She didn't even give him a chance to say anything in his defense. Not that he could have said anything at that point. He had been rendered speechless by her – he had had no idea what a ruined background she had come from, that the landscape of their childhoods were similar. He had had no idea. He had merely assumed that she came from a normal family and had led a normal life. He had assumed so many things about her, and now, here she was, ripping back the curtain and showing him how very wrong he had been, even from the very beginning.

"I have to go. If Gino finds out I went out myself instead of sending him, he'll go crazy, and I'd hate for him to worry."

Rising, she stepped closer to him, close enough for his shirt to wrinkle as she said, "Good night, Mr. Lamperouge. It was nice knowing you, but you know as well as I do that some come and go during one's life, and others stay, and I think we both know which one you are."

Patting his shoulder, she turned to leave, when he suddenly grabbed her wrist. Looking back in surprise, she arched a brow. He refused to meet her eyes, instead staring at her shoes, as he held onto her wrist and tried to find the words to tell her what was happening, to tell her the truth, to tell him that he wasn't a bad person, or at least not as bad as she thought he was, and that he was… That he was genuinely sorry for his actions. He hadn't been before, he hadn't been when his mother had forced him to be sorry, he hadn't been at all before, but after realizing her history…

He hadn't meant to be the villain. He had never had the intentions of forcing her. But he had been so scared of the direction his life was suddenly taking, he had been so blinded by his fear, that he had reached out and wildly grabbed at whatever his first instinct had been, and… And…

He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so much raw emotion. It tore through the haze that the emotional morphine he injected everyday put him in and completely left him mangled with confusion. Feeling like a child, he searched himself for words that escaped him, when he felt a hand on his cheek.

He looked up to see her smiling at him.

"I didn't think that Gino was right. There's no way he could have been. You're not a bad person, are you, Lelouch? You're just lost and lonely, aren't you? Afraid and chained like me. You're a good person, aren't you?"

He would have ripped her hand away. He would have pushed her back, telling her off for invading his personal space and talking about something she had no idea about, just as he had with everyone else. But she wasn't like everyone else. She did know what she was talking about, she did know what and how he was feeling, and she did know how difficult it was for him because she was suffering from the same affliction. So he didn't shrug her off. He didn't sneer at her as he ridiculed her concern. He didn't run away from her warmth and instead fell into it.

Instead, he let his guard down in front of her for the second time, unbeknownst to him, and accepted her outstretched hand with a tight grip, as if he were afraid of losing her just as he had lost his father and his happiness.

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Request: Another part of The Neighbor!㈳6

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**Request Complete**


	60. Elevator

**Elevator**

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"I'm back."

"Did you get my beer?"

"Tamaki, we're on duty."

Ohgi took the empty seat besides his friend before turning to look at the enormous wall of screens, each one depicting a different angle of the luxurious casino.

"Oh, come on, one drink can't hurt."

"I don't think it's a good idea, especially on a night like this."

"Why? Is the Queen of Sheba coming in or something?"

"There are rumors that Zero's going to drop by for a visit or something."

"That card-counting bastard? If he thinks he can get through me, he's got another thing coming."

"I don't know, Tamaki… He's pretty notorious for a reason. He's never been caught by the house before. Ever. People say that he walked away with $4 million in winnings."

"Well, that casino was stupid. We're not like that. We have eyes like an eagle and our staff is top-notch and first rate. We'll catch him."

"Well, it would be nice, but don't get your hopes up."

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, check that out."

He turned to glance at the small screen in the corner as his friend pointed towards it. He leaned forward, squinting his eyes, when he realized what he was staring at and hurriedly pressed himself into his chair as he violently flushed. Tamaki only laughed.

"Don't they have a room?"

"T-to think that they would be so aggressive in a place like that…" Ohgi squirmed, embarrassed, as his thoughts automatically turned to Villetta Nu, his good-looking supervisor. What would it be like, he wondered, if he was bold enough to press her against the wall like that and just let go of all his inhibitions…?

"Man, they're really getting it on. Look at them go."

A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as Ohgi glanced at the screen one more time. The man and the woman were in the corner of one of the various elevators of the casino, heavily - _heavily_ \- kissing one another. One of his hands was tangled in her green hair as the other impatiently tugged on the hem of her short dress. Her hands were on his belt, almost as if she was already undoing the clasp to-

"Do you think they're going to do it?"

"O-of course not!" he yelped. "Of course they're not, they're not… They…"

"They're going to do it! Geez, can't they wait to go to their room? Those two don't have any self-control, unlike me."

But Tamaki - and Ohgi - couldn't tear their eyes away at the couple in the security camera, who were very nearly on the verge of-

"Damn. Why the hell do they have to have a room on one of the lower levels? We could have had a real show."

"Uh…"

Tamaki muttered for the remainder of their shift, grumbling over the loss of an interesting showcase during their otherwise boring job. Ohgi didn't particularly like Tamaki's grumbling, but fortunately for him, he stopped soon enough as Director Nu soon stormed into the room, demanding to know just how Zero had managed to dupe them and walk away scot-free while pocketing $950,000.

But as she reprimanded them, all Ohgi could think about was the couple in the elevator and what it would be like if he had the courage to step forward.

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Request: uhmmm how about a fic where CC and Lelouch meet at a Casino and they have a one night stand but they'll fall in love with each other XD

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**Request Complete**


	61. Voice

**Voice**

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He had always loved her voice. He remembered when he had first heard it - had first truly heard it - and it had been such an exhilarating experience as he had realized that she sounded this way because of the way he made her feel. The power was intoxicating as she squirmed beneath him and struggled for him not to hear. But he always eventually heard. She always eventually gave up and stopped clenching her feet. Eventually, she'd pull him closer and he'd feel her warm breath on his ear as she moaned and sighed into his ear.

But more than that, he loved it when they lay on the bed, basking in the afterglow, and she had her head on his chest and hummed an old song, any song, as her fingers lazily drifted up and down his stomach and chest. He loved it when she pressed her palm flat against his heart as she felt the slow beating of his heart, and he loved it when she quietly laughed whenever he kissed her before she continued to softly sing until she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

He even loved her whimpering and crying because it gave him an excuse to hold her without having to be teased by her. It gave him an excuse to promiser her all over again that he'd always stay by her side and that he belonged to her, and only her. It let him wipe her tears away before pressing his lips to her forehead and whispering her name while holding her as tightly as he could.

She didn't even have to say anything and he'd fall in love with her all over again at every sigh, giggle, and groan. Just a smile or a short, silvery laugh was all that he needed to feel as young as he looked. She was all he wanted and all he needed, and he'd always be grateful to her for the way she kept his heart trembling, for the way she kept him on his toes and kept him laughing in the face of tragedy and loneliness that often shadowed immortality.

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Request: This might seem a weird one, but could you do a story where Lelouch muses on how much he's come to love the sound of C.C.'s voice (speaking, humming) and trying not to let on too strongly that this is the case lest she tease him about it?

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**Request Complete**


	62. Choice

**A/N: Because I feel sorry for those that put in requests but never got it fulfilled, I will be cleaning up the request box and emptying it out.**

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**Choice**

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He didn't know it, but she studied him intently as her fingers ghosted up his bare arm. He shifted as her hand came to rest on his cheek. Faintly smiling at him, she softly said, "Good morning."

"… Morning," he mumbled. He opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them before stifling a yawn. Her smile widened as he reached behind for one of the smaller pillows that had been roughly shoved aside from the evening before and covered his face from the bright afternoon sun.

"How does it feel?"

"How does what feel?" he asked, the pillow muffling his question and his drowsiness. She tugged it free from him before replying, "You didn't notice?"

"Of course I noticed," he grumbled. "How could I not?"

"Don't you like it, Lelouch? The feeling of the summer breeze grazing your skin."

"It's so hot, C.C. Why did you have to open them? The air-conditioning will go straight out the window, as will our money."

"You worry too much," she whispered. "You need to relax more. So what does it matter if the windows are open while the air-conditioning is on? It's not going to hurt in the grand scheme of things."

"But-"

"Does it feel nice?" Forcing a change of subject, she moved closer as she whispered, "It feels nice, doesn't it?"

"… Yes," he reluctantly admitted. "It does."

"Aren't you glad we decided to come here?"

"I just wish it hadn't been so spontaneous."

"Spontaneous is good sometimes. Like last night. Last night was spontaneous, and you had a nice time, didn't you?"

He flushed as his mind wandered off to memories of the evening before, of her nails digging into him as she breathed his name into his ear, of the way he couldn't seem to get enough of her. She quietly laughed at him.

"See? Spontaneity can't be a completely bad thing."

"It's a case-by-case standard," he muttered. "But it still would have been better if we had planned this trip ahead of time instead of just jumping onto a plane. After all, things like traveling with someone like me needs careful planning."

She studied him at the hard sound of his voice. His voice had suddenly grown tight with anger and discomfort, and he clenched his teeth. Resisting the urge to sigh, C.C. pried open his fist and wove her fingers through.

"Hey."

"… What is it?"

"I don't care about that. Okay?"

"You could have such an easier life if—"

"I could have an easier life," she agreed. "But I wouldn't have a happier life. I like it this way. It's not because of your decision that I'm here right now. It's my decision. I'm here in this bed with you, hundreds of miles away from our home because I made a choice, not you."

"… Why do you do this to yourself, C.C.?"

"Because somebody I met a long time ago taught me that the world was a beautiful place and helped me find a reason to live again. Because that somebody, who could be such an awkward, bumbling fool from time to time, somehow managed to tell me the right thing at the right time and told me that I was beautiful even though he couldn't see my face. And because somebody would hold me and support me and accept me for who I was, even when my friends and family wouldn't."

"Because I fell in love with you, because I fall in love with you everyday all over again, I do this to myself."

She was so close, she could feel the heat radiating from his bright face. Grinning, she wrapped her arms around his waist and closed the last few inches between them. She felt his arms coil around her, hesitantly at first until he made up his mind.

"It's hard, Lelouch. I'm not going to pretend that it's not. There are times when life gets extremely difficult. But I'm willing to go through those hard times if it means I'll share the good memories with you, the fun ones and the best ones. If it means I can be with you, I'll do anything. I'd walk through hell for you."

He was shaking. She could feel his trembling. She wondered if it was because of anger, or something else, but she decided she'd let him have the privilege of her being blind this time and merely rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat as she waited for the storm to pass. His fingers curled around the strands of her hair and he tightly held her, as if he were afraid that she'd crumble to sand and blow away in the wind if he didn't make her stay.

Eternity passed until he finally said in a thick voice the words always made her heart flutter, no matter how often he said it.

"I love you, Cera."

Closing her eyes, she smiled and basked in the warmth that washed over her as he whispered her name.

"I love you too, Lelouch."

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Request: Hi could you please do a story where Lelouch and C.C. engage in pillow talk?

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**Request Complete**


	63. Promise (Pt II)

**Promise**

Pt. II

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"Julius. Julius, it's time to wake up."

"Oh, let me have five more minutes, Maman. Five more minutes can't hurt, can it?" he mumbled into his pillow. But his mother stood firm and continued to gently shake him as she asked, "Don't you want to open your presents?"

"I can only open one anyway. The rest have to wait until later this evening. What's the point?"

"If you get up now, I'll let you open two."

He stopped rolling over to turn his back on her. Opening an eye, he studied her, trying to discern whether she was tricking her or not.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." She smiled. "But you have to get up right this second."

He obediently sat up.

"I can really open two?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"No."

"Then yes, you may open tow. But it'll be our little secret from Papa, alright?"

"He's not even here," he grumbled. "What does it matter?"

"Julius, that's no way to speak of your father."

"Maman, he broke his promise. He said that he'd come back for Christmas, and it's been four years! Four years!"

"He wants to come, but he can't. You know that as well as I do. Your father has a responsibility – he's fighting to protect you."

"No, he's not, he's fighting because the government is telling him to. I don't care about him anymore. He doesn't care about me. Why should I care about him? If he really cared about me, he'd have come home for Christmas. I bet he's even forgotten about us! He's probably somewhere else with another family and another son and spending Christmas with them! And what else, he's never going to come back because he doesn't even care about us!"

He opened his mouth to further describe what else his father had done wrong, when he saw his mother's face. His anger immediately dissolved, and he withered as he averted his eyes from her stricken expression. Letting his arms limply fall to the bed, he mumbled, "I… That's not…"

"Why don't you wash your face and come down for breakfast?"

"… Yes, Maman."

Guilt nipping at him like the winter cold, he ducked his head and furtively glanced at his mother as she left the room. As the tail of her silk nightgown slipped out of the doorway, he was suddenly struck by how lonely she looked. Thinking back on previous Christmas mornings, Julius had always been the one up first. He'd always used to wake his parents. Or rather, his mother, as whenever he crept into his parents' bedroom, his father would always be awake.

Once, he had stood in front of the door on the verge of bursting through, when he peeked in through the tiny sliver the door allowed him. He had been incredibly embarrassed, as what he saw seemed like what was supposed to be a private moment shared only by his mother and father. His father had been up, as always, but so had his mother, and they had been quietly laughing over something. He could tell from the cheerful lilt of her voice as she told his father to stop joking around.

His father's whole being had been wrapped around his mother, as if he were shielding her from the world as he suddenly pressed a small box into her hands. Julius could only watch in wonder – his father hadn't said a word and yet, to think that he had such an effect on his mother…

Her eyes had been brighter back then, brighter than the necklace that had twinkled at her from the depths of the dark plush cushioning that the jewels rested on. He remembered how she used to sit in his father's lap as his parents watched him open one of his Christmas presents and how his father would often cook breakfast as they had sent all of the servants home so that they could spend the holiday with their own families, and the way his mother would always slip under his arm, curious to see if she could get away with stealing a bite.

He had forgotten of the past, blinded by his callow youth, and thus, had forgotten how he wasn't the only one who missed his father and wasn't the only one questioning whether they would be receiving the dreaded messenger in place of Papa's smile and warm embrace.

Biting his lower lip, Julius stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Apologizing would be the right thing to do. He loathed apologies, but even his father, one of the strongest, bravest, and smartest men in all of Britannia, apologized when he realized that he was in the wrong. Usually with flowers, but as it was the middle of one of the most frigid winters in a hundred years, he didn't think he'd have much luck hunting down any flowers.

Drying his face, he moved to his room and looked around. Maman's present was already downstairs under the tree, and he couldn't very well make the portrait he had painted of her as both an apology and a Christmas gift. But what else could he give her? What did he have to give her?

What if he made her breakfast? He knew how to make the batter and he had learned to flip pancakes. Of course, he wasn't as good as Cook was, but he did pretty well for someone his age. And the past Christmases, his mother had always been the one who had cooked breakfast. Maybe it was time for him to step up to the plate, what with his father's absence. Yes, that was it. Besides, he didn't have anything else to give her – he didn't particularly feel like handing over any of his paints or his books, never mind the chess set his father had given him for the last Christmas they had spent together.

Mustering up the courage to apologize, the young boy took a deep breath before running down the stairs. Oh, sure, he was nervous and he would have dragged out the descent as long as humanly possible, but he also wanted to open his presents. He wanted to know what his three aunts had given him, what his cousins had decided to pick out for him, what Cook and Sayoko had left behind for him, and most importantly, what his mother had given him.

But before he could make it down to the parlor where the fat Christmas tree sat in all its tinsel glory, he saw his mother standing at the bottom of the stairs, poised as if she was about to climb the stairs again. Her eyes were wide as she looked off to the side, and Julius frowned. Had Guinevere climbed up onto the tree again? That dastardly cat!

But no. It wasn't the cat. He realized the moment his mother suddenly ran into the parlor. Apprehension rushed in, and his heart began to skip as he wondered what could make his mother so excited. Hope wiggled into his heart, which felt as if it would burst with anxiety. It couldn't… It couldn't be, could it?

But it was. When he finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Julius stood in his bare feet and nightgown and set his eyes on his father for the first time in four years. He looked extremely haggard and scruffy and gaunt, and he could see how he had had trouble shaving, but it was his father all the same. The war hadn't been kind to him, but it was his father nonetheless, back in one piece, safe and sound, and in time for Christmas. Just as he had promised.

Julius would have thought that he was imagining things, if not for his mother, who was tightly holding onto his father, as if she too were afraid that it was all a dream. He started when she began to laugh, the ringing of the silvery bells muffled as she buried herself in his arms. Stumbling backwards, he turned to leave to give his parents some time, at least a moment for his mother to recollect herself, when he suddenly heard, "Merry Christmas, Julius."

And that was when he knew that he had truly returned, that it really was him. It was his voice and his arms that received him as he threw himself into his embrace. It was his scent as he buried his nose into the crook of his neck. The arms tightly wrapped around him were real, the cold clinging to his father's coat and seeping into his nightgown was real, as was the uneven rising and falling of his father's chest as he laughed. The boy only wiped his tears away as he relished the feeling of the hand smoothing his hair and the subsequent kiss.

"I'm sorry for being so late," he said softly. "I did my best, but it seems that I couldn't get away quickly enough. I'm sorry, Julius."

He violently shook his head. "It doesn't matter anymore. Are you back for good?"

"Yes."

"You're not going to fight anymore?"

"No."

"So we don't have to go to the train station anymore?"

"Only when we're going to the countryside for a picnic or to visit Grandmother."

"So you're really going to stay with us forever now?"

"Why in the world would I ever leave you two when it's you two who I love the most in this entire world? I fought to be with you, Julius. I'm not going to leave again. I promise."

"Oh!"

He could feel a fresh wave of tears coming as the lump in his throat grew impossibly large. He tightly clung to his father, all the while apologizing through his tears for every time he had cursed Papa for not keeping his promise, for staying away for such a long time, for making him worry so. He could see now that it wasn't his father who had been selfish but him who had been the greedy one.

"Merry Christmas, Julius. My, how you've grown. You could replace me as the head of this family if I'm not careful."

"That's such a stupid joke, Papa," he blubbered. "How could I ever replace you? Why are you always making such stupid jokes? Why can't you ever tell funny ones?"

Lelouch only smiled as he stood in his warm living room with his wife and his son. Tightly hugging them, he breathed them in. He breathed in his son's grateful and relieved tears, breathed in his wife's teary smile as she kissed him on the cheek and held his face in her hands, breathed in the faint pine and gingerbread scent that always seemed to perfume their home during the wintertime, and breathed in the dawn as the government finally released him to peacefully spend the rest of his days with his family. He released all of the stress, all of the freezing nights, the disputes among his soldiers, the stress, the loneliness, the fear, with each exhale, and inhaled all of the goodness of his life as he pressed his family close to him.

It was good to be home.

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Request: Hi Project Clu-Clu! I love your stories! I don't know how many times I've re-read them :) Well, I know you've posted that you're on indefinite hiatus and all, but I'll just drop off this request, you can work on it if and when you feel like doing so. Would you make a sequel for you one shot "Promise" where Lelouch finally comes returns from war to be at the mercy of CC's scolding on why he couldn't have come home earlier or something? Thanks! I hope all goes well for you, God Bless!

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**Request Complete**


	64. Chau Chau

**Chau Chau**

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It all started exactly 32 minutes and 23 seconds after he sat down in his office. He could hear the usual chatter of the employees as they traded stories of their weekends over cheap cups of coffee as he logged onto his computer and checked his email. One or two familiar faces walked past his cubicle, poking their heads in to say hello and a how was your weekend? They never stayed long – he was new, and younger than most of his co-workers, having recently graduated from college.

Searching for the half-read report, he first looked under the various folders stacked on his desk, in the drawers and shelves, before finally remembering that he had put carefully slipped it into a plastic protective sleeve before clipping it into the blue binder in his bag. Reaching down by his feet, he reached into the depths of his bag, when his fingers closed around something… soft and square?

Taking it out, he stared at the plastic baggie and the sandwich it held inside. Turning it over, he read the short note stuck on the outside.

_"I made one and then I remembered I hate sandwiches. So you can have it."_

He smiled. It was unlikely that C.C. had forgotten what food she liked and disliked – not to mention the fact that the sandwich had turkey in it and she was vegetarian. Though she wasn't the type to freely express her affection, it was times like these when he found her endearing and oddly adorable. Having to hide behind a flimsy excuse – what a silly witch.

28 minutes and 47 seconds ticked by in which he hid the sandwich in the break room's fridge, pulled out the binder, finished reading the report, and set to work on his presentation for the next meeting. The minutes seemed to drag by today for some reason, and he considered calling C.C. just for the sake of hearing her voice. She had still been asleep when he had left for work, but she should be up, considering the time…

He glanced out the large window to his left and at the clear, blue sky. A lone seagull soared across, reminding him of the day they had first met. He had been at the beach that afternoon to meet Suzaku, who had promised to give him a tour of the city. But his best friend, who had never exactly been on the punctual side, had forgotten and had been busy surfing when the time for the tour came. Lelouch had been a little more than just irritated, of course, but that was soon to be forgotten when he was smacked in the head with a rather heavy surfboard.

C.C. had agreed to give him the tour in place of Suzaku, who turned out to be a mutual friend. And thus, their relationship had begun, first as friends, then as possible love interests, and then, after a terribly embarrassing confession, eventual lovers. And though he still didn't like it whenever someone brought up the topic of him falling into the fountain, he was glad that it had happened. It had been humiliating, but if falling in meant that he'd be able to see her smile everyday, he'd gladly trip over the railing any day.

31 minutes and 19 seconds into his workday, Lelouch missed four calls as he looked out the window and let his mind wander to the past two years he had shared with the woman who just may be the love of his life. Two years wasn't long, sure, but it was enough for him to realize how he would never find anyone like her ever again. They wouldn't have her dry sense of humor, wouldn't have that knack for looking up from her dark lashes in the way that made his heart flutter every time, and wouldn't – _couldn't_ – make him laugh like she did. Lelouch loved her. He had figured that out this morning, when he had sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair away from her face in the quiet light of the morning sun before kissing her cheek. He had a feeling that he had always known that he loved her. It had just taken him a while to notice. And he wanted to tell her that he loved her, that he was in love with every facet of her. But only if the feeling was mutual – he didn't want to make things awkward if the sentiment wasn't mutual.

He decided to table the dilemma for the time begin – he still had a day's worth of work to do, and he didn't feel like staying after to work. Not when he could be having dinner with C.C. and take a walk by the river in the evening afterwards as was their custom. And it was then, at 32 minutes and 23 seconds after he sat down in his seat that he finally saw all of the missed calls from his girlfriend and it was then that his world became dark as it came to a screeching halt.

"C.C.? What's wrong?"

"… Le…"

He frowned. What was with all this static? As he glanced at his phone, he noticed everyone rushing to the windows. Confused, he stood up and fished out an arm from the throng, asking what was happening. He only caught the words "Babel Tower" and "terrorist" before the person wriggled out of his grasp. His heart sank and a tight pit appeared in his stomach. Terrorist?

"C.C.?"

"… Lelouch—"

The other line crackled, and he pressed the phone into his ear as if doing so would let him discern the warbling. Looking around him, he caught sight of the T.V. in the break-room, where an anchor was wearing a somber expression as she described the airplane that had suddenly shoved its way in between the floors of Babel Tower, the gem of the city's countless skyscrapers. The sick feeling in his stomach intensified, and he tried to swallow past his growing fear.

"Cera, where are you?"

"I'm at…Tower."

His voice grew hard as the noose around his neck tightened.

"Get out immediately. _Immediately_. Do you understand? I want you out there right n—"

"The stairways collapsed. There's no way out."

Spots were dancing before his eyes as he fell into his seat. Sucking in air, he balled his hand into a fist as he tried to stop shaking.

"What floor are you on?"

"77th."

"77th," he breathed. His mouth was dry, and he tried to lick his lips. Eyes glued to the news reporter, he whispered, "Have you tried—"

"Lelouch."

"You need—"

"Lelouch."

"Cera, the—"

"Lelouch, listen to me."

He fell silent, and he struggled to breathe as she spoke in an eerily calm voice, a sharp contrast with the chaotic ambience he could hear over the phone.

"I want you to tell Nunnally and Euphemia that I love them and that they were like sisters to me. I want you to tell Marianne thank you for being so kind. And I want you to tell Suzaku and Rolo that both of them deserve the women they love, no matter what anyone says."

"Cera—"

"And I want you to know that I love you."

"I—"

"I love you so much, Lelouch. Thank you for all that you've done for me. Making me soup when I'm sick. Waking me up with a kiss. Doing the dishes. Carrying me when I'm too tired to walk. Making me believe in love again. I love you so much, Lelouch, and—"

"Don't talk as if we're never going to see each other again."

"Lelou—"

"Don't— Stop it. Stop acting like this, we're going to see each other again." His eyes prickled as he turned to the window and watched the smoking building across the bay. "They're going to get you out, and—"

"I love you, Lelouch Lamperouge. With all my being. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

He could feel the tears welling and the lump forming in his throat. He wanted nothing more than to yell, than to cross the bay and pull her out, to join her and hold her, but instead, he merely fought his tears and replied, "I love you too."

"It sounds nice when you say it. I like the way you say it. Strong and sincere."

"I love you. I've always loved you. I love you and everything that you do, everything that you are. I can't live without you. So please… Please don't do this to me. We just met. We haven't been together long enough, we… We were supposed to share the rest of our lives together, I can't— Don't leave me. Please."

"Now that I think about it," she sighed. "It was stupid of me to wait for so long to tell you. But I suppose that's what happens when you live a mundane life – you forget what's precious to you until you've nowhere left to go."

She breathed in slowly, and the phone crackled. She was quiet for some time. He was about to talk to her, plead to her, when she said in a quiet voice, "Tell me that everything is going to be alright."

"Please. I just want to hear it from you. Even if it's a lie, I want to hear it from you at least once."

Tears were streaming down his cheeks but he no longer cared. Head down, he squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to find the courage to say something, to force himself to speak when all he wanted to do was die.

"Everything is going to be alright, Cera. You're going to be alright. You're going to come home, and we'll make dinner, and you'll try to have your dessert beforehand. We'll fight but we'll reconcile by the time dinner is over, and then we'll take a walk in the park or sit on the sofa where I'll read out loud to you as you put your head in my lap. And then I'll carry you to the bed, which you'll end up hogging, but it'll be alright since you'll hug me in your sleep and I'll feel glad that you hit my head with your board that day on the beach all over again because I love you. Because you're the love of my life."

He ignored the dial tone. He paid no attention to the fact that the call had disconnected long before he had finished. He was numb to the world as he wept, exactly 33 minutes and 54 seconds after he had sat down in his office on what was supposed to be a bright morning with a clear, blue sky.

* * *

Request: Could you do a story where Lelouch and C. C. are individually trying to work up the courage to say "I love you" to one another as neither have done so yet? Sort of an exploration on the importance of those words I guess? Thank you.

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**Request Complete**


	65. Call

**A/N: I know it's OOC, and I'm sorry, but it's been a long time since I've written anything.**

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**Call**

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"Have you ever done Suzaku's nails?"

"Suzaku's nails?"

"You've never asked to paint them?"

"Um…" Euphemia straightened up from where she had been bent over her best friend's right hand. "I've never really thought about it. I don't think Suzaku would be comfortable with something like that though, and I don't want to make him uncomfortable."

"Euphie, if you asked him to jump out of an airplane into the ocean to catch you an angler fish, he'd probably do it."

The young woman flushed, her cheeks rivaling her silk nightgown as she ducked her head and mumbled, "That's silly, Suzaku would never do something like that…"

"You never know until you ask."

"Have you ever asked Lelouch?"

"Asked him what?" C.C. inspected her French manicure in the soft light of the bedroom before deeming it satisfactory. Capping the bottle of nail polish, she said, "Asked him what?"

"Asked him… Asked him how far he would go for you."

"Do you mean sexually or…?"

When there was nothing but silence, she glanced at her friend, whose face was bright red. She smiled in amusement.

"If you mean sexually, I'll still answer."

"How… How far have you gone with him?" she whispered. Euphemia swallowed as she anxiously waited. No doubt C.C. had done "it" with Lelouch. They were always so… Intimate, always whispering to one another, their hands never leaving each other. Her brother always stood so close to her, and whenever they got together, C.C. would always sit in his lap, her arm wound around his neck as if it were completely normal to sit that close…

"Do you really want to know?"

"Um…"

"I'll tell you if you tell me how far you've gone with Suzaku."

"W-what?" she squeaked.

"We'll trade. We'll say it out loud on the count of three at the same time. That way, it'll be fair and you won't have to reveal it by yourself. Okay?"

"Wait, C.C.—"

"One… Two…"

"C.C., I—"

"Three!"

A full minute ticked by before her future sister-in-law spoke and Euphemia uncovered her burning face.

"You two are so fast."

"I thought that you and Lelouch would have done it too by this point!" she whimpered.

"Lelouch and I agreed to wait until the honeymoon. He said, and I quote: I want to focus on us and only us when it happens. So we're going to wait until the whole wedding is over and done with. But when did you sleep with Suzaku? How'd you manage to get away from Lelouch long enough to do it?"

"It was that night when Lelouch proposed." She buried her head into the soft pink pillow. "It just happened so fast, I didn't have time to think about it. Suzaku took me home, but it started raining—"

"—I remember that, Lelouch kept whining about the storm."

"and it just… I don't know, C.C., I feel so… So… Suzaku's been avoiding me ever since! He said that he felt guilty and that he's sorry and that he understands if I want to break up with him. What do I do, C.C.?"

"You have to grab him by the shoulders and remind him that you chose him out of the seven billion people on this planet and that you intend to stay with him because you chose him for a reason and that reason is that you love him. Or at least, that's what Lelouch tells me."

"Lelouch really says that?"

"For all our bickering, I admit that he has a knack for saying the right thing at the right time. Half the time, that is."

"He really loves you, C.C.," she said softly. "I've never seen anyone more in love than he is with you."

"I have."

"That's impossible. Lelouch, he—"

"Suzaku loves you with every inch of his being, and then some. And that's why you're going to call him right this second and tell him how much you love him."

"Huh?"

C.C. reached for her best friend's phone and immediately dialed her best male friend's number. Dodging Euphemia, she rolled onto the frilly, pink four-poster bed as she waited for the dial tone to change to Suzaku's familiar voice.

"Hello? Euphie? Is there something wrong?"

"Hi, Suzaku. Are you up to anything at the moment?"

"Oh, hi, C.C. No, not really. Lelouch is here though. Do you want to talk to him?"

"No, I don't, so don't give him the phone. I know he's glaring at you right now, but don't give him the phone."

"Why not? It looks like he wants to talk to you."

"Because Euphemia has something to say to you, and not her brother. So stay on the phone. You have my permission to punch Lelouch, if need be."

"Um… Okay…"

C.C. shoved the phone into her friend's hand, who accepted it with trembling hands. Voice shaking, she tried her best to sound normal as she greeted her boyfriend.

"H-hi, Suzaku."

. . .

"That witch." Fuming, Lelouch rose from the sofa, deserting the chess game and storming into his room to make one very angry, very indignant phone call to his fiancé. In the meanwhile, Suzaku remained seated as he tried to register what had just happened.

It wasn't until Lelouch and C.C.'s mischievous kitten, Tomato, had curiously swatted his foot and taken a healthy nip at his toes that Lelouch started from hearing Suzaku's sudden victory celebration over hearing the love of his life just how much he meant to her.

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Request: Hello. Can you have a story that has a sort of girls night out between C.C. and Euphie (you could invite the other girls as well if you wanted) where they discuss their respective relationships?

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**Request Complete**


	66. Neighbor (Pt VI)

**A/N: In honor of my two-year anniversary for publishing my very first fanfiction.**

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**Neighbor**

Pt. VI

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"Your mother… She didn't say anything, did she?"

Suzaku placed the remainder of his daughter's toys into the small basket next to the den's TV and patted his messy curls before sitting down on the sofa. His guest quietly replied that his mother had not made any mention of the baby.

"Do you plan on telling Kallen anytime soon or…?"

He studied his friend, who was quietly mesmerized by the harsh, unavoidable evidence of the family's eldest child. It was littered everywhere, all throughout the apartment – baby bottles scattered here and there, toys dug up in the most inconvenient and odd places, the chaos that could only be created by an energetic 2-year-old. As the list grew longer and longer, he began to feel increasingly awkward. Though he didn't quite know the details or the inner workings of his best friend, he knew him well enough to guess how he generally felt about the situation, and Suzaku genuinely felt… Well, felt _bad_ for putting him in such an uncomfortable environment. He resolved to keep a tidier house – if not for the sake of his friend, but for his wife, who was already having a hard time with her swollen belly.

"The lunch ended without any particular issues. And to answer your question, I haven't decided when I'm going to tell Kallen. If at all."

"Have you spoken to C.C. about the matter?"

There was a hitch in the conversation before it sluggishly carried on.

"She said that she doesn't care what I decide to do and that I can do as I please."

"Do you know what she wants you to do?"

"… No. She refused to tell me."

"Yeah, C.C. can be like that sometimes…"

The conversation dwindled, and the two men sat silently in the empty apartment until the surprise visitor voluntarily spoke up for the first time that afternoon.

"How did you know?"

"How did I know what?"

"… That you wanted to be a father," he said hesitantly. "How did you know?"

"I didn't."

He caught his expression and gave a sheepish smile and shrug.

"No one's prepared to be a parent, Lelouch. No matter what kind of life they live, what kind of personality they have, no one is ever fully prepared to be a parent. It's impossible. Not at least from what I've seen and heard. The moment you realize you're going to be responsible for shaping someone and providing for them and protecting them and teaching them and molding them into the person that they'll be for the rest of their lives, fear will be your shadow. Fear and uncertainty will always be there, resting on your shoulders because you don't know if what you're doing is right or if it's wrong, if maybe you're making a mistake, if maybe you're not good enough for your son or your daughter. When Euphie broke the news to me… I'll be honest with you, the first thing I felt was my stomach dropping. Because… Well, you know how I haven't always had the greatest relationship with my father."

"I was scared the entire time. Whenever we went out shopping for clothes and toys, whenever someone would congratulate us, in the back of my mind, I was always asking myself if I could be a good father, if I could be a better father than my own father was for me. I didn't think I could do it. I really didn't. I felt so lost and confused and afraid and admittedly, there were times when I just wanted to back out. But the moment I first held her…" Suzaku's voice grew thick as he lost himself in the memory. "I was free for the first time in months. Free to breathe without fear hanging over my head. I don't think I've ever felt the way I did as when I first held her. She was so tiny, and so frail, but she'd look up at me and smiled at me and just… Just _trusted_ me without any doubt in her mind."

Silence settled in as the two wallowed in their own private thoughts until Suzaku sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm still afraid, Lelouch. Most parents, until the day they die, will always be afraid and worried that they never did a good of a job as their child deserves. But now there's something that's stronger than fear, and it makes me start every morning with being thankful towards my decision to stay."

"But you know as well as I do that parenting isn't for everyone, that it suits some people more than others. And you can talk to me, and you can talk to Euphie, and Milly, and everyone else, but at the end of the day, you know yourself best, and I know that you'll decide on what's best for these… Circumstances. And I'm sure C.C. will understand, no matter what you decide to do. She's actually a really understanding person, if you just take the time to get to know her."

. . .

Lelouch stood in the hallway. A hot summer breeze ruffled his hair as he stared at the impossibly blue sky. He didn't move, save for the faint rise and fall of his chest. Even the wind was too hot to pass by in the sweltering heat wave, and his hair lay flat as it stuck to the back of his neck. And though he was warm, he continued to stand there as if he were an ice sculpture. He seemed to be struggling with himself – when he finally lurched back into reality, he lightly placed his hand on the burning rail to steady himself. Swallowing hard, he studied the bright light glinting off of the shiny metal before slowly reaching into the depths of his pocket and pulling out his phone. Dialing her memorized number, he waited to hear her already familiar voice.

"Lelouch? What is it?"

"… Can we meet? I want to talk to you about something."

"What about?"

"… I've made my decision, and I'd rather tell you in person."

There was a slight pause before she told him to come up to her floor. When the call ended, he pulled his hand away from the railing. His palms and fingers stung, but as much as they hurt, they couldn't quite distract him from the fear and uncertainty that alighted upon his shoulders with their sharp talons and shrill shrieks.

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Request: Another chapter of Neighbor please :) or if you want, can you make a separate fanfic of this and continue the story? Because it is really a great story.

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**Request Complete**


	67. Neighbor (Pt VII)

**A/N: I don't know what's wrong with me. I guess because I haven't written in such a long time, I've forgotten how to write in-character. I'm sorry.**

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**Neighbor**

Pt. VII

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"It's so hot," she sighed. "Aren't you hot in those clothes?"

"No."

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Her words were muffled as she raised the cup to her lips. "I wonder if the baby will be as quiet as you."

"Do you need help putting away the groceries?"

"No. Gino will put them away when he comes back home."

At the mention of her boyfriend, Lelouch hovered awkwardly in the room, unsure what to do. Was he supposed to say goodbye now and leave? But with the way she was standing and looking at him, it didn't seem like he had been given the cue to leave. On the other hand, her words and tone of voice had dismissed him, so what was he supposed—

"Are you busy tonight?"

Setting the glass down on the counter besides her, she explained, "I want to show you something."

He had dinner plans. He remembered how he had agreed to visit Kallen's mother in the hospital and then take his fiancé out to dinner, as she was always sullen and downtrodden whenever she visited her sick mother. As her future husband, it was his responsibility to take care of her and to help her. He should stay home and help Kallen, help make her feel better. But… But the light in her gold eyes drew him in. Her voice drew him in, and before he could think any further beyond her kitchen, he asked what time she wanted to meet.

"Around 11:30. That's not too late for you, is it? A full grown man like you." She smiled at her own quip, and he could feel the corner of his lips twitching up.

"No, it's not too late. But where do you plan on going? There aren't many places that are still open at 11:30 where…"

"Where pregnant women should go? This place will let us in. I promise you. So I'll see you at 11:30 then?"

He nodded. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing by saying yes; their relationship was only supposed to entail him paying half of any fees that the pregnancy incurred and attending any visits to the doctor. That was what he had decided on, at least for the time being. He had gone grocery shopping with her, but that had been on the way back home from the doctor. It wasn't as if he had gone out of the way to help her with her errands. After all, those kinds of responsibilities were her boyfriend's, and the last time he had checked, he wasn't her boyfriend. So why had he suddenly said yes?

"Make sure to dress comfortably and lightly. We might be up there for a while."

"Where are we going?"

There was a beat of silence before she playfully grinned.

"You'll see."

. . .

"I come up here from time to time to clear my mind. It has a nice view, particularly in the evenings."

"I thought the doors to the roof were locked."

"Milly gave me a key after she found out about my little visits. As rambunctious as she is, she's a good friend."

When she swung open the doors, his eyes widened as he drank in the green of the rooftop. Hedges rustled and a rainbow of flowers danced in the warm breeze. Arms behind her back, she stepped onto the first of the stone pathway leading to the center and turned to him.

"Milly and the others put it together for my birthday."

"How come…?"

"We didn't know each other before."

He stood in the doorway, unable to overcome his surprise. He had been so blind. He hadn't even known that everyone was good friends with her. He hadn't thought that they were friends at all. In the past, he had never thought that she could have made any friends, or at least any respectable ones. Then again, he had merely assumed that she was irresponsible, lazy, and selfish. He knew he had been wrong in his assumptions, but he had never thought that he could have been _this_ wrong.

She held out her hand.

"Follow me."

He hesitantly stepped out of the shadows and took her hand. Immediately pulling him off of the brick and onto the soft grass, she led him to the end of the path where there was a small circle of grass outlined by snow-white lilies and a cushioned bench. She sat down on the grass and patted the spot besides her.

"Don't you want to sit down?"

Slipping his shoes off, he took a seat besides her. He looked at her bare feet. They were so much more smaller than his. Her toenails were painted a faded pastel blue, and he could just make out a faint tan line from her sandals. He wasn't sure why he was so fascinated by her feet – maybe, probably, it was because they were besides his, and he could see them, side by side, and see how much smaller they were.

"I used to come up here when I wanted to be alone and just look at the stars. But it's nice to be with someone from time to time, isn't it?"

He looked down from the twinkling sky and at her. She was studying him, searching him for something. Feeling self-conscious, he asked if something was wrong.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he automatically answered. She narrowed her eyes at him with a skeptical frown, and he repeated, "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong."

"… If you insist."

They sat in silence as he reflected. The truth was, he wasn't fine. He hadn't been fine in a long time, but whenever someone had asked how he was doing, he had always answered by saying that things were going well. It was a terrible habit, but it had been a necessary one – he didn't want to worry his mother and his sister, and he hadn't wanted his friends to be concerned for him over something they couldn't control. And everyone had always believed him. Suzaku. Euphemia. Nunnally. His mother. Even Kallen. Not always, but she believed him enough. But C.C… She had never quite trusted him. She could always sniff out his lies and though she didn't push him for the truth like Kallen did whenever she found out, she'd let him know that he hadn't been able to fool her with a sidelong look and a disapproving frown. And though she hadn't said anything, he was almost immediately inclined to come clean with her afterwards. Even with the lie he had been telling for his whole life. Especially with the lie he had been telling her his whole life.

"C.C."

"Hmmm?"

"I'm… I'm not fine, actually."

"Why?"

"… I don't know."

"Well." She placed her hand on his. "I'll be here when you figure out why."

He nodded. It was beyond the terms of their relationship, of their deal, but for some reason, he was okay with breaching the contract. For some reason, he held her hand as they sat under the stars and felt at peace for the first time in what seemed like his whole life.

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Request: thank you thank you sooo much for doing all these request and I'm pretty sure there are other people than me asking for a continuation of Neighbor? XD

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**Request Complete**


	68. Neighbor (Pt VIII)

**A/N: This is the very last of the Neighbor Requests. Thank you to all who have been interested in this particular storyline and kept it alive.**

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**Neighbor**

Pt. VIII

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"Kallen! It's so nice to see you! Is your mother doing well?"

She nodded as she sat down in the small seat besides the bed.

"The doctor said that if she's stable for a little bit longer, she can come back home."

Nunnally's pale face beamed at her as she happily chirped, "I'm so glad. Does Brother know yet? Is he parking the car?"

"Actually, I came here on my own today. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Was Brother mean again? I know he's quiet, but I promise you that he loves you."

"No, it's… Nunnally, have you seen him recently?"

The young girl frowned. What was wrong? Kallen was usually so cheerful and feisty, as energetic and bright as her red hair. Why had the red faded to a dull roar? What had happened?

"He came for a visit yesterday. Is there something wrong?"

"… When I came back from the business trip, he was…" She hesitated. "He was really quiet. Your mom called me, telling me that something had happened, but she wouldn't tell me the details. And I think his insomnia came back, but he won't talk to me about anything either."

"Is he sick?"

"I don't think so…"

"And you've tried asking him what's wrong?"

"Several times. And each time, he refuses."

Nunnally studied the stitches of her quilt. Milly, Shirley, Euphemia, and Kallen had sewn it for her. A get-well quilt, they had said, that would keep her warm until she came home to her friends and family. It was worn from use – there had been several complications in the past – but she still loved it with all her heart. She loved it almost as much as her brother, but of course, no one and nothing could replace her brother in her heart. Ever. No matter what they did. No matter what gifts they gave her, nothing could ever compare to her brother and how much he had sacrificed for her.

Kallen sighed, her shoulders drooping.

"Why is he this way? Why does he refuse to open up to me, or anyone for the matter? I thought that if I gave him some time, some space, he'd finally talk to me about what's going on in that head of his, but he never quite does, and it just… We're supposed to be getting married in two-and-a-half months. In two-and-a-half months, I'll be permanently tied to him. We'll have to live together and eat together and… And we'll be together for the rest of our lives. And I don't even know if I know him as well as I should."

She hung her head, covering her face with her hands as she brooded. What was wrong with them? They were going to get married so soon. Were they really prepared for something like marriage? She had no idea how he felt at all and on any matter. It was completely blind guessing. And from what she knew, he had never opened up to anyone. Not his beloved sister, not his mother, not his best friend, not even to his fiancé. But why? Why was he so distant? Why was he so cold?

"… Did he ever tell you about our father?"

She looked up at her sister-in-law's quiet whisper, her eyes glistening with frustration.

"What?"

"Did he…" She stumbled over her doubt – maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea to open up this particular chest of memories – "Did Brother ever talk to you about Father?"

"He just told me that he wasn't very close with him."

"… I see."

"Why?"

"… It's not really my place to explain. But I will say that a long time ago… A long, long time ago, Brother looked up to Father. Very much. And that… That he wasn't always as quiet as he is now."

"But you love him, don't you?" Nunnally hopefully looked at her. "So you'll help him heal?"

"Yeah… Of course."

Never before had she felt so guilty as she lied through her teeth. It wasn't that she didn't love him. She did… She was sure that she did, somewhere deep in her heart, she knew that she loved him. She just wasn't quite sure if she could help him with his wounds. He wouldn't even let her see them, so how could she possibly help him? And even if she were to see them… Who was to say that she'd know what to do? Who was to say that she just wouldn't drive the knife in deeper?

. . .

**Three Weeks Later**

"We've been spending a lot of time together lately. Has your fiancé said anything?"

"She's gone down to her parents' house. Her mother finally got out of the hospital."

"And you didn't go with her? She's your future mother-in-law."

"I offered, but she didn't want me to."

"Why?"

"Because she just wanted her direct family members to be there for the time being. Just until her mother adjusts to her surroundings."

"So that's why you've been following me around so often… And here I thought it was because you couldn't get enough of me and my sweet figure."

He glanced at her stomach. She had just started to show. Just barely – four months was still early into the pregnancy after all – but it was just enough so that he felt strange whenever he looked at her because… Well, because he couldn't quite get over the fact that there was a soon-to-be human being, a soon-to-be human being that was _his_, growing in her stomach.

"Gino hasn't exactly been happy. With the amount of time we've been spending together."

He immediately stiffened at the sound of her boyfriend's name. She didn't seem to notice – or if she did, she just didn't care – and continued on to say, "He wants me to tell you that his offer from your first meeting still stands."

He clenched his jaw and simply added a careful coat of white on her ring finger.

"I'm just kidding, Lelouch. Gino did ask me to ask you to take good care of me."

"… Is he really going to step in as the baby's father?" It had been bugging him for some time. He wasn't sure why, but as he spent more and more time with C.C., the prospect of another man becoming his baby's father was becoming increasingly unappealing.

"He is, provided you don't want something different. But you don't want to change the original plan, do you?"

"… No."

"If you do, don't be afraid to speak up. Gino's not as intimidating as you think he is, despite his height."

"… I don't think he's scary."

"Of course you don't."

"I don't," he insisted. "Why would I be scared of him?"

She half-shrugged, careful not to shift her right hand.

"I'm not afraid of him," he stubbornly repeated. "I'm not, so you can tell him that he can—"

"That I can what?"

"Hi, Gino," warmly greeted C.C. "How was work?"

"It was okay. But what is it that I can do? Mind repeating it one more time? I couldn't quite catch those last few words."

Lelouch's stomach dropped until he heard Gino laugh and slap him on the back.

"I'm just kidding. Man, you should have seen the look on your face. It looked like you thought the sky was going to fall or something. It's nice to see you two getting along more. Much different from the way it was in the beginning."

"Things have changed, Gino," she softly said. "The times have changed, and so have people. Right, Lelouch?"

"… Sure."

"Anyhow. I was thinking about some grilled chicken for dinner tonight. Is that okay with you, C.C.? Lelouch? Do you like chicken? C.C. has this recipe, and it's the most amazing—"

"I have plans," he abruptly said. He didn't even know when the words had formed in his mouth, but he blurted out, "I have dinner plans."

"Oh?"

He refused to look at C.C., who he just knew would be looking at him with that look in her eyes and that half-smile of hers. But he pressed on, thanking them for the offer but saying that he had already made plans to have dinner with a friend who was passing through town and that it was time for him to go anyway, lest he wanted to be stuck in traffic.

Gino warmly bid him goodbye, rewarding him with another slap that nearly dislodged his shoulder, before C.C. walked him to the door.

"I'm sorry for leaving a job unfinished."

"It's alright. Gino likes painting nails anyway. He says that it makes him proud whenever he sees how diversely colored my nails are."

"… He seems like a good man."

"Funny. He said the same thing about you last night."

When she saw how surprised he was, she smiled.

"I told you before, didn't I? That not everyone is the way they seem. Gino's a very open person and is quick to forgive, given the justification."

His eyes were glued on his shoes until she tilted his chin up.

"Don't forget, Lelouch," she said softly. "What did I tell Gino? Times change, and so do people. No one is perfect, but that doesn't mean we don't try to be. And to some people out there, you may very well be perfect to them because no one is alone – not even when they think they are. Not even you. There are still people in the world who care about you. Take Suzaku and Euphemia for example. Milly. Your friends. Your family. Your fiancé. Even Gino and I care about you. And one day," she took his hand and placed it on her stomach, "they'll care about you too."

Lelouch stared at her. He was mesmerized by the way the fiery sunset glinted off of her hair and her eyes, by the slight curve of her lips as she smiled at him. He couldn't forget the way he felt whenever she laughed, or the way her hand felt in his whenever she pulled him along on one of their spontaneous window shopping excursions. Nor could he forget the way she seemed to understand what he was thinking without even having to ask, nor the way she always knew the right thing to say at the right time, nor the way he always felt so… So peaceful when he was with her. He could actually _feel_ when he was with her. He wasn't numb to anything, he could be like any other person and fully experience the endless range of emotions a human was able to and that a monster like him was forbidden from. He could feel amusement, could feel dismay, could feel his smile growing into a quiet laugh on one or two rare occasions. And he could even feel warmth wash over his cold heart, warmth that made him suddenly lean down and lightly press his lips on her cheek.

He stood frozen with shock and horrified by what he had done. How could he have… How could he have…!

"… Lelouch."

"… Yes?"

"How do you feel about your fiancé?"

"My… My fiancé?"

She nodded, and he could feel her eyelashes tickling his cheek.

"… How do you feel about Gino?" he whispered.

She merely looked up at him before murmuring, "Next time, don't miss. Understand?"

He slowly nodded, and her bright smile returned before disappearing behind the door and leaving him to stand in a daze of shock and odd palpitations he had never felt before from so few words, if from any occasion.

* * *

Request: I hope your not getting tired of writing this one, but can you do another part to neighbor? The last one was really sweet to me.

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**Request Complete**


	69. Home

**A/N: I haven't forgotten my promise to fulfill what remaining requests I have. I just haven't been able to get around to them because of school, and I'm really sorry about that. Also, there's a rather important poll on my profile, so if you don't mind sparing thirty seconds or so, I'd be really grateful if somebody would just kindly answer. Thank you very much.**

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**Home**

* * *

"Do you think we'll ever be able to live in a place like this?"

"I'm not sure. How much do you generally have to make to be nouveau riche?"

Perching himself on the sill of the tall window, he took his hands out of the pockets of his pants as he watched his fiancé leisurely twirl in the center of the spacious room. When the pale blue skirt settled back into place just above her knees, she asked, "Why are we even here, Lelouch? We both know we can't afford this apartment. It's in Gramercy Park for God's sake."

"I just thought it'd be nice to look at a variety of places."

"Oh?" One of her brows vanished under her bangs. "And here I had thought you were the type to hate wasting time."

"It's not wasting time, C.C., to envision yourself in your dream. It's only if you can believe you can do something that you actually have a chance at making that dream a reality."

"I had no idea my future husband was such a romantic."

"But you knew he's a poor man, don't you?"

She studied him as he averted her piercing gaze. His posture was casual, and his tone had been nonchalant, but she knew him far better than that. If she hadn't, they would have never been able to get this far in the relationship. Not with her stubbornness and his brooding. She knew that they weren't that well-off, but they did alright. Everyone did alright. The economy still hadn't quite recovered, and from the way she saw it, they were better off than a lot of people. She knew that he knew it too, but Lelouch was apt to have a one-track mind when it came to the affairs of his personal life, and she knew how he hated how he couldn't give her everything that she wanted. It didn't bother _her_, but it clearly bothered _him_. The self-resentment was buried in his silences and pursed lips and finger-drumming and his constant worrying as he stared at their budget, as if staring at it long enough would add two or three zeros at the end. She had told him, of course, when things got particularly bad, that it wasn't the medieval ages and that there was no need for him to be the only breadwinner. But he could be so stubborn at times, that he just…

"Lelouch."

"Hmm?"

"Why do you want to marry me?"

She had surprised him. Good. That meant she had his interest.

"I'm sure you could have managed to snatch up some other woman who's wealthier than me. And seeing as how you're always so worried about money, I don't quite understand why you'd choose me over the heiress to a multi-million fortune."

"Because…"

"Why did you make it so that you're looking at a home we clearly can't afford, instead of actually living in said home? Because of love? You can marry for the love of money and financial security. People do it all the time. In fact, it—"

"I'm scared, C.C."

She blinked at him, taken aback. What had he just said?

"I'm scared, C.C., that I can't give you everything you deserve."

"And what do I deserve?"

"A…A comfortable life, an easy life. One where you don't have to worry over money all of the time."

"Oh, so a dream. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'll pass on that dream. Do you want to know why?"

She didn't wait for an answer. Turning her back on him, she looked up at the domed ceiling, her eyes traveling over the ghastly fresco of cherubs and faded clouds, as she lightly said, "Life isn't supposed to be easy, Lelouch. If it were, it wouldn't be any fun."

"But—"

"I chose you. I chose you, knowing full well that you don't make as much money as others, knowing that life with you wouldn't be easy, but also knowing that I love you, even with how much of an idiot you can be. What do you see me as, as someone who wants nothing more out of life than money? Is that really how you see me?"

Her tone softened as she approached him.

"I know that your intentions are good, Lelouch, but it's time to let it go. No matter what you say, you can't make yourself look bad in my eyes. Someone with a terrible sense of humor, yes, someone who needs a little help with their sister complex, certainly, but not a bad man. Not at all. In fact, you may be too kind, if anything."

"Kind?"

She swallowed his question and instead answered with a kiss. It had been a long time since they had kissed like this. Far too long. Their life, the wedding and the house-hunting and everything had gotten between them, it had been so difficult to get some time alone together. So when the real estate agent had gone downstairs to take a phone call while they looked around, she could feel her heart racing like the way it had when they had first started dating. Just enough time had passed for her to start forgetting his spicy cologne or how warm his hand was or the way he had a habit of absentmindedly rubbing the pad of his thumb on the back of her hand. And she had just clean forgotten his rushed breathing after they slowly gave into their lungs or the small spark of exhilaration when he placed his hand on her waist and pulled her in for another taste of her lips.

"Lelouch."

"Hmm?"

"I don't care where I live, as long as we're together. And I know you feel the same. So do yourself a favor and stop worrying. You don't have to prove anything to me or to anyone else. And most of all, to yourself. I don't want to see you beating yourself up over something like money. Money will come and go, but I won't. For lack of a better metaphor, I'll stick to you like the grease from pizza, whether you want me to or not."

"That's a terrible metaphor," he muttered. "But thank you. Thank you, C.C."

"You're very welcome, Lelouch."

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Request: Might be a stretch, but could you do one where Lelouch and C.C. go house hunting?

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Yeah, I don't particularly like this one either.**


	70. The Fifth Year (Pt II)

**The Red Light**

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"You know what C.C. told me once?"

"…What?"

Lelouch glanced at his friend before rolling down the window. The stench of cheap alcohol was filling the car, making him heady and reminding him of a time he'd rather not think of. There had been a time in his life when he had been a slave to the drink, a time when he didn't know what to do with his misery than to drown it out with beer. His brother and his sister-in-law had become concerned, of course, asking him why he, someone who had seemed perfectly fine, had suddenly been diagnosed as a chronic alcoholic, why he wouldn't come home until the wee hours of the morning, drunk out of his mind and completely incapacitated. He had been forced into therapy, and soon enough, he realized that what he was doing was making her worry and soon stopped drinking. It had been difficult – the alcohol had been so helpful in dulling the pain, and there were a few times when he reached for the glass again. That is, until the memory of her embrace as he sat in a drunken stupor and the way her hand seemed to perfectly lock with his, and her reassuring that she and his brother loved him and that they would be so full of grief if anything were to happen to him. And then he didn't reach for it anymore, the yearning replaced with a desire for something else, for someone else. He still accompanied his friends whenever they invited him for a drink, of course. There were times when they would reveal secrets. Like now, in the car with Suzaku as he drove his inebriated friend home.

"I'm… I'm not supposed to tell you this," he hiccupped. "But I thought that it should only be fair for you to know because… Well, because of how you used to feel for her."

Used to feel. Lelouch stifled the urge to snort. Used to feel, huh? Right, that was the lie he had fed to Suzaku days before their wedding. That he had long lost his feelings for her, that he didn't see her anything more than a good friend, hell, he had told him that he was glad that they were getting married, that he was happy to be the best man and not the groom. That was what he had said, what he had told him. That was the truth to Suzaku and to C.C. and to his brother and to everyone else.

"…She used to like you, you know."

"I know. So did I."

"No, I mean…She was in love with you. She was so in love with you. When we were in college? She liked you before you even knew her. She was always trying to get me to introduce her to you."

"…What?"

"And she…She was actually having some trouble, I think. Do you have any water?"

He silently handed him the water bottle sitting in the cup holder and waited for him to continue, his eyes filled with the red of the traffic light and the red of the truth that had been hidden away from _him_ for all these years.

"What was she having trouble with?"

"She couldn't decide if she should marry your brother or not. She was waiting, all this time, for you to say something, but you didn't. She told me – and I remember because it was the first and only time I'd ever seen her cry – she told me that you just smiled and congratulated her. That she had made a mistake because she had thought that you loved her too, that maybe she shouldn't have just waited for you and that she should have just told you."

"…Why didn't she?"

"Well, why didn't _you?"_

"Because she was engaged to my—"

"If the roles were reversed, would your brother have kept silent like you did?"

"If the roles were reversed, would I be in this much pain every day, Suzaku?"

"I…" He kept silent as he tried understand through the alcohol. Lelouch turned away and closed his eyes. The light had turned green during his conversation with Suzaku. He could see it, even with his eyes closed, but his heart was too heavy for him to go. He couldn't find the room in his heart to move on because eight years ago, he had missed the green light and was eternally faced with the red light of his hesitance.

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Request: A continuation of The Fifth Year, please?

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**Request Complete**


	71. Meeting

**Meeting**

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Violet eyes carefully watched as the young woman across from him looked down into her lap before glancing up.

"Do you mind if I take this? It's from work."

He gave a wave of his hand, and she flashed him an apologetic smile.

"I'll be right back. Excuse me."

Rising from her seat, she hurried away to the bathroom, her voice becoming faint as she turned into the hallway. A heavy silence settled in as the two men sat together. Lelouch glanced his watch; it was late, much to his surprise. He hadn't thought that the dinner could have lasted this long. But then again, he supposed that it had been his mistake – she was such a charmer, of course the dinner would go longer than he had predicted.

"Lelouch."

His head snapped up at the sound of his name, and his father set down his glass of wine as they stared at one another. Seconds ticked by, and then a full minute, before he finally spoke.

"Do you intend on making her your wife?"

"…Yes."

"Even if I were to oppose?"

He stiffened but he refused to flinch at the possibility. Straightening up, he held his head high as he challenged his father.

"Yes, even if you were to oppose, I still plan on marrying C.C."

There was no answer. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the exchange but brushed it aside as his girlfriend returned to her seat with a small smile and a joke. There was a time and place for everything, and now wasn't the time nor the place to try and understand his father's enigmatic actions. No, now was the time to watch and carefully search for disapproval. Admittedly, he had been surprised when his father had called him last week and told him that reservations had been placed so that he could properly introduce his girlfriend to him, but Lelouch had been planning on introducing her anyway. Whether it would have taken place before or after the wedding, he hadn't quite figured out yet… But getting the inevitable over with was better than pushing it off, wasn't it? And if his father was against the union, then he could simply distance C.C. from his father so that she couldn't be hurt by him. No, Lelouch had made up his mind, had decided that C.C. was the only one for him, that he wasn't going to make another mistake and risk losing her again. He'd protect her by any and all means necessary if he had to. He had promised her, and he'd be damned if he was going to break his vow to her.

"We should go out for a round of golf then," he heard her say. "I'm sure Lelouch wouldn't mind if we shared some of his more embarrassing moments."

"Perhaps if there's a mutual opening in our schedules."

"Well, I think it's time to say goodnight," Squeezing his way into the conversation, Lelouch lightly rested a hand on the small of his love's back as he gave a plastic smile. "It's getting late, and we have a busy day tomorrow."

"Oh?" His father raised a brow at him, but he didn't back down.

"Euphemia's baby shower is tomorrow," she explained.

"Ah. The one I couldn't attend."

"It was wonderful meeting you, Charles. I had a nice time. Good night."

She gave a short wave before stepping into the waiting car. Lelouch shut the door before shoving his hands into his pockets and awkwardly standing before his father.

"…Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

"…For having the grace not to make your displeasure obvious."

"Displeasure? Did I say that I didn't approve of her?"

He blinked as the older gentleman stopped before the black sedan. A hand on the hood, he raised a hand to the driver before saying "Your mother would have liked her." And with that, he climbed into the car.

C.C. glanced up from her phone when she heard the car door open.

"What did he say?"

"…C.C."

"What?"

"…You were right."

"Of course I was. What did I tell you? I told you that everything was going to be fine, didn't I? That there was nothing to worry about."

When there was nothing but silence in reply, she tossed her phone into her clutch before reaching over and turning him so that he was looking at her.

"It wasn't as if his disapproval was going to stop me. And it wasn't going to stop you either, was it?"

"No."

"Then that's all there is to it. Now let's go home. I want to get out of this dress and eat some _real_ food."

"We just had dinner."

"Doesn't matter. I still want pizza."

He let out a groan as he pulled out of the parking lot, though he couldn't help but smile. Though the thought of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on pizza made him sick to his stomach, the prospect of him living in peace with the love of life was more than enough reason for him to smile all the way home.

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Request: good evening ^^ *actually in my country its already 12 am XD* can i request about lelouch and cc dating and his trying to introduce her to his parents :)?

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Unfortunately, the request box is not open yet. When (and if it is), I'll make sure to make an announcement.**


	72. Calypso (Pt III)

**Calypso**

Pt. III

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Sunlight filtered into the wide corridor, the gold decor glittering and the various mirrors sparkling. Euphemia silently took a seat near the entrance and out of the way of the furious fencing match that was taking place.

She watched as the blades flashed and the two masked figures playfully danced, both struggling to dominate. Rearranging the folds of her dress, she wistfully looked out the window and at the blue sky.

Her brother had finally returned. For nine long months, she had been fraught, praying that he would return safe and sound. Her prayers were eventually answered as she rushed to embrace him at the port that morning he had returned two weeks ago, but at the same time… At the same time, she found that she didn't want him back. She remembered what he had been like before that fateful voyage - pale with fatigue and burdened by the weight of his title and birthright. He was still burdened, but the seas had changed him, as had the taste of freedom and the warmth of love.

He didn't speak of her, but she had heard the descriptions of the captive. Though she had only seen her from afar, Euphemia knew how beautiful she was, and though she only had the brief tales from Jeremiah, she knew enough to realize what had happened during those nine months, how her older brother had been forced to pay for a mistake made by the royal family and how he had had the misfortune to fall in love with the wrong woman.

"Your Highness!"

The duel came to an immediate stop, and the taller figure bowed as the prince removed his mask.

"What is it?"

"Your Highness requested that you be notified when the execution was about to take place. The preparations have been completed, sire, and the criminal will be put to justice within the hour."

"…Thank you. You may go."

"Yes, your Highness."

There was a moment of silence before she heard her brother's voice echo throughout the hallway.

"Leave me, Jeremiah. I want some privacy."

"Yes, sire."

Hidden away by the bust of their grand-mother, Euphemia quietly watched as her brother threw down his épée and mask the moment the door at the end closed. He took a seat on one of the gilded settees. She could see his reflection as he buried his face in his hands and was about to make her presence known, when she heard a muffled cry.

Heart twisting, she could do nothing but watch as he wept from his chains, for she too was equally shackled by the curse of the royal throne.

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Request: Could you do another Calypso story please?

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**Request Complete**


	73. Tears

**Tears**

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"In _Il Principe_, Machiavelli claims that when a ruler is faced with the decision of being feared or loved by the people, it is far better to be feared."

The Empress looked up from the small, cooing bundle in her arms and watched as her husband paced the length of their lavish bedroom.

"What do you think, my love? Is Machiavelli correct? Or no?"

"From what I've gathered from my experience, as well as what I've observed, would it not be best if one is loved by those closest to them and feared by the enemies of one's people?"

"And why do you say that?"

"The King falls not because of his people's hatred but because of the hatred of those closest to him and the betrayal that is often spurned from that hatred."

"Am I loved? By the people closest to me?"

She reached for him and he approached her, taking her hand and kissing her fingertips.

"Napoleon loved his wife very much," she said absentmindedly. "I've read the letters he sent to Josephine when he was away on his campaigns. No one can doubt how much he adored her. But in the end, they separated, and he remarried."

He knelt before her, and she warily gazed down at him.

"I love you. I would readily give up my empire, my throne for you and Julius. But you realize how important this is, don't you? How necessary this last war is."

"Of course I do," she sighed.

"I won't be long. I promise."

She brushed past him as she carefully lay her child down in his cradle. Tucking him in, she quietly remarked, "Your son will be walking and talking when you return if it's as long as the last one."

"Which is why the Knight of Zero will remain at the capital and protect you."

"Then what of you? Who will protect you there if your knight is here?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands resting on her swollen stomach. Nuzzling her neck, he whispered, "The remaining Knight of the Rounds will accompany me."

"…You should take Suzaku with you. I don't want a repeat of the last time, Lelouch. I came too close, and God won't be so merciful the next time."

"Are you really that worried for me? How flattering."

She merely held his hands, tightly gripping them with trembling hands as he rested his chin on her shoulder and they watched over their son.

"He loves you so much," she murmured.

"And I love him."

"You know, Lelouch. You and I both know how painful it is to grow up without a father. So please. Don't make it so that he'll have to suffer through what we did."

"I swear to you, C.C. I will return. No matter the cost, I will return to you."

"Then go. And don't forget your promise."

He kissed her cheek, her tears wetting his lips before leaving the room. As he strode down the empty halls of the palace, even as he mounted his horse and the long journey to the end of his fifteen-year campaign, the Emperor refused to wipe away her tears, vowing to remember the bitter taste of reluctance to leave the ones for whom he conquered the world.

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Request: hey if your still taking requests can I ask for some C.C. and Lelouch plotting world domination. cannon or AU ^_^ thank you.

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: As some of you may have figured out, I no longer know what the hell I'm doing anymore. And uh, the request box is open again for any of you who are interested.**


	74. Neighbor (Pt IX)

**Neighbor**

Pt. IX

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"Lelouch, we need to talk."

He looked up from the button of his uniform and at his fiancé, who was standing in the doorway of the bedroom with her arms crossed and a frown firmly set on her face.

"About what?"

"I'm not going to beat around the bush about this. There have been a lot of rumors recently. Rumors saying that you've been spending a lot of time with one of the other residents in this complex. A woman."

He didn't say anything and merely continued to dress himself.

"Are you cheating on me?"

"No."

"Really? Because that's not what I've been hearing."

"I don't know who you've been talking to, Kallen, but I'm not cheating on you. I—"

"Then I want to meet her."

He looked up sharply at her demand. A hard expression on her face, she repeated, "I want to meet her."

"No."

"No? You can't say no. You've been caught. It's game over, you've lost, and I've won. I want to meet her, and you're going to let me meet her. That's the way the game works, Lelouch."

"It's really not—"

"Who is she for you to protect her? If you're not cheating on me with her, who is she for you to protect her from me, your fiancé? Wouldn't it seem suspicious to you, if you heard that I was going around town all day with some other man and I refused to let you meet him? Wouldn't you think that I was lying if I told you that we were just friends?"

Tiredly rubbing her face, she mumbled, "I just want to get to know the person who's so interesting, you'll participate in the real world for her. I just want to meet her and learn from her, Lelouch. That's it. I'm not going to hit her, I'm not going to pull her hair, I'm not going to accuse her of anything. I just want to try and be the best wife I can. Because isn't that what I'm supposed to do, Lelouch? Support you and comfort you and laugh with you and cry with you?"

She had trapped him into a corner. She could see it in his eyes. Lelouch had always been strange – aloof and yet caring at the same time. So she took the opportunity to ask the question that had been bothering her ever since she had asked him what had happened while she had gone and he had replied that nothing had happened, when he had shut her out of the umpteenth time.

"Do you love me?"

He refused to look at her, and though he hadn't said anything or moved, she finally realized the truth she had been trying so hard to run away from.

"…You know my schedule and my number. Call me with the time and place, and I'll be there."

When Kallen closed the door of the apartment behind her, a spurt of laughter escaped her. To think that she was the extra in this situation, the unwanted. She wasn't quite sure how to feel. For one, she felt relieved of the burden, of the dark cloud that had darkened her thoughts and her days as she asked herself again and again if the wedding was what she really wanted. But on the other hand… She also felt as if she had been cheated out of a victory. To think that she had lost to someone before she had even realized the competition had begun.

At least she could finally accept the answer to the question that had been chewing on her mind for the past few months. And at least he had found someone that he wanted to be with, even if it wasn't her. At least the sky had finally cleared and she could see what she had to do.

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Request: Could you do more of The Neighbor or is that finished? Love you ㈳6

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Please refrain from placing dual requests (i.e. asking for two different stories in one request such as "Can you write a continuation of the Victorian Era plot and the Ankle plot?" It's extremely difficult for me to organize everything)**


	75. Hitch-hiker

**Hitch-hiker**

* * *

"So. Are you two really best friends or are you secretly gay lovers?"

Lelouch choked and a hand from the back of the car lightly patted him until he angrily swatted it away. Capping his water bottle, he tried his best to reign in his sharp tongue.

"I told you," he hissed, "He's getting married. And we're both extremely straight."

"Oh, sure, two grown men on a cross-country road trip, alone together for five days in a hot stuffy car, there's definitely no room for any sexual tension."

"Suzaku, this is why I told you not to pick up any hitch-hikers."

"But she needed a ride, and we're going in the same direction. And it's rude to talk as if she can't hear you. Right, C.C.?"

"How'd someone as sweet as you manage to become best friends with an ass-hat like this?" she asked.

"In school, like most other friends. And then I met his sister, and… Well…"

Beet-red, Suzaku cleared his throat. Glancing at his friend, who was glaring out the window at the passing scenery, he asked, "So… I never really got your story. Why are you headed to San Francisco?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Felt like seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and all that, so I just packed my bags and hoped for the best," she said airily. "Nothing near as sentimental as yours. But you two aren't planning on going to any strip-clubs, are you? Because even if this is a bachelor's road-trip, I—"

"Of course not," stammered the brunette. "How could I when I have Euphie?"

"…Suzaku?"

"Huh?"

"Have you ever been in a strip-club?"

"Um, well, I never really understood what the point of it was, so I guess you could say that I haven't gone, but it's not that I wanted to and never got to, it's more—"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" growled Lelouch. Grabbing her wrist, he twisted around in his seat so that she'd receive the full effect of his scowl. Wrenching herself free, she shoved him aside and grabbed onto the back of his seat. Hoisting herself up, she slid in between the two men before crossing her legs and resting her arms on their shoulders.

"Do you mind making a few detours?"

"Er…"

"Absolutely not. We have to get back in time for the wedding."

"Oh, what kind of road trip doesn't have any spontaneous detours? Come on, Suzaku. You want to have some fun, don't you? I mean, it's your last few days as a free man."

"Well… I don't really see why we can't make one or two."

"Excellent. This is a nice car, by the way."

Relieved to change the subject, the driver broadly smiled.

"Thanks. It was my mom's, but a friend of mine fixed it up for me."

"A 1965 Falcon. Not bad. It's in good shape though, considering its age. You must love this car."

"Yeah, I do. She bought it when she was my age, and, uh… Well, she had a lot of good memories in this car."

"Well, I'll make sure you make plenty of good memories in this car." Flashing him a smile, she hummed a distantly familiar song as the trio sped down the highway, completely unaware of the drama and excitement that would greet them further down the road.

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Request: Could I request a story where Lelouch and C.C. decide to take a vacation? Location of your choice :)

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**Request Complete**


	76. Salad

**Salad**

* * *

"How was your day?"

"Fine. Where's Julius?"

"Oh, he won't be eating dinner with us tonight."

"What?"

Without looking up, C.C. continued to mince the carrot as she nonchalantly said, "He went out on a date with his boyfriend."

When there was nothing but the loud silence of one extremely surprised father, she glanced up at him to make sure he had heard her.

"Our son is gay," she said.

"I heard you the first time," he snapped.

Her interest peaked, she set down the knife and looked at her husband, who was sitting very, very still and had been silent ever since she had broken the news.

"You're not going to call the police? Or conduct a background check or drag him back home? He's not going to be grounded for dating?"

"…No."

"Why?"

"…Because I'm his father."

Struggling to hide her smile, she crossed her arms.

"And so? Where's the father that said he was going to make sure no woman ever hurt his son?"

"Well…" His struggle for the proper argument was apparent as he desperately grasped for the correct words. "Well, you were… You're not heterosexual either!"

Surprised, she stared at him before bursting into laughter. Looking extremely embarrassed, her husband muttered something about how strange his spouse was, laughing at the weirdest things before demanding, "Well, when is he coming back?"

"I don't know. I didn't bother asking."

"Why would you not—"

"It wasn't as if we kept curfew when we were dating. In fact, if memory serves, I almost never came back home on time, all because of a certain somebody and his wandering—"

"Okay, this is the end of this conversation."

"It's been twenty years, Lelouch."

"Doesn't matter, this is the end of this conversation," he replied. Smiling to herself, she returned to the salad she had been making when she heard, "Wait. Since when have you known?"

"Known what?"

"That Julius was dating someone."

"Let's see… Since… The beginning?"

She saw him purse his lips before reaching for his phone. Beating him to it, she held his wrist.

"Don't."

"I'm just—"

"Lelouch, I'm being serious. Don't interrupt their date. You can ground him all you want when he comes back home, whenever that may be, but just let him date in peace. You know extremely well how it feels to get an angry phone call from your parents in the middle of a date."

He studied her for some time before leading her into the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"When did you say he was coming back?"

"I don't know. Probably late. 11, maybe 12."

He glanced at his watch, and she looked at him curiously, wondering what he was thinking.

"Then we'll have plenty of time."

A smile crept up onto her face as he untied her apron and let it fall to the ground. Reaching up to loosen his necktie, she returned his kiss and ignored the waiting, half-made salad on the counter as if they had gone back to a more free-spirited, wild time and were dating again.

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Request: How about a story with Lelouch and C.C.'s reactions to their kids discovering dating?

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**Request Complete**


	77. Catch Me If You Can (Pt IV)

**Catch Me If You Can**

Pt. IV

* * *

"She wanted to be here, sir, but unfortunately, she hasn't recovered from her jet lag yet, and she hasn't been feeling well these past few days."

"Oh?"

"She's been throwing up lately. It may be because of the stomach bug."

"Ah. Well, it's a pity that she couldn't come. Quite frankly, when Kururugi told me that you were engaged, I thought he was just telling a bad joke. But—"

"Darling!"

Lelouch's blood ran cold as he heard an all too familiar voice. Whipping around, he – along with all of the other male officers – stared as a pair of long legs in expensive stilettos stepped out of the taxi.

"S-sweetheart," he replied through clenched teeth. He stiffly returned her hug, getting a good whiff of her rather heady perfume, before she turned to his superior and offering the sweetest smile.

"It's such an honor to meet you, sir. Lelouch has told me so much about you and how you've been like a father to him. Thank you so much for taking care of our Lelou. I realize that he can be a bit clumsy at times, but that's what's so endearing about him. Wouldn't you agree?"

"C-certainly," stammered the rotund and balding man. Sweating profusely, he wrung his hands, having never been at the receiving end of such a dazzling smile from such a beautiful woman.

"L-Lamperouge, I'm surprised at you for hiding your fiancé from us for such a long time. You weren't planning on marrying in secret, were you? We would have eventually found out, you know."

"He's a little on the shy side," she whispered with a wink.

Straightening up, she was about to ask where the restroom was, when she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her towards an empty room. Her friendly demeanor immediately evaporated the moment he shut the door and she looked up at him with annoyance.

"Is that any way to treat your fiancé?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm doing my part. What are _you_ doing? Dragging me into someone else's bedroom. I realize your sex life has been non-existent these past few months, but honestly, doing it in someone else's room is too kinky even for—"

"Why did you come here? Are you _trying_ to get caught? Do you know how many officers are here?"

"So what? They're all off-duty and completely unsuspecting. That is, they're unsuspecting unless we leave this room in another half-hour."

"Listen to me, woman. You are going to go to the Commissioner and you're going to tell him that you're not feeling well and that you're—"

"_Or_ you could use this opportunity to sniff out who the crooked cops are. Isn't it obvious? There are bribes being paid. There's no way Laverna does everything by herself."

"This isn't your case," he snarled.

"No, it's not my case because I'm not an officer, but you know what else? It's my business because we're under a contract. Don't make any assumptions about who I am, Officer. You don't know me nearly as well as you think you do. Now let's go out and join the party, darling, before the others begin to suspect anything."

Roughly pulling him closer, she pressed her lips on the inside of the collar before leaving him with a sickly sweet smile and the faint memory of her hot breath on his collarbone and the scent of her dizzying perfume.

* * *

Request: Would another chapter in the Catch Me If You Can storyline be possible?

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**Request Complete**


	78. Ankle (Pt IV)

**Ankle**

Pt. IV

* * *

He blearily opened his fridge, only to be disappointed by the absence of milk. Though he was still upset over what he had witnessed, he still obediently stuck to the routine and listened to the advice she had given him. Rubbing his eyes, he clumsily reached for his windbreaker before slipping on his shoes and stumbling out of his apartment. Pulling the hood up over his bed-head, he barely managed to stifle a yawn as he leaned against the railing of the elevator. Groggily rubbing his face, he made his way out of the complex and walked down the sidewalk in the darkness of the early morning to the tiny supermarket near the entrance of the neighborhood.

Standing in front of the brightly lit rows of milk, coffee, and various other canned and bottled beverages, he blinked, unable to wake himself up from his stupor. He had had pulled several all-nighters, furiously writing what Milly had dubbed "his Magnum Opus" (though she said that about everything he wrote) so that his editor would get off his back and give him peace for at least a day or two before she incessantly called him or barged into his apartment, all to find out whether he meant this or that or to tell him that he should fix that or change this or just cut that abominable description out altogether.

Yawning for the second time in the past three minutes, he finally decided to go with a cold bottle of orange juice. Shuffling to the cashier who also looked as if she weren't quite awake either, he handed her several crumpled bills before leaving, waving her away when she tried to hand him his change. Taking a seat in one of the several plastic chairs in front of the market, he drank from his orange juice, quietly contemplating why he always had the worst luck when it came to love.

If he were to be honest, Lelouch was somewhat offended. Not by Suzaku or C.C. but by himself. He had been so stupid – of course she'd prefer Suzaku over him. She and him were closer and practically spent all day together. They got along so well, with their inside jokes and easy-going personalities. Why had he even considered the possibility of her reciprocating his feelings? What had possessed him for him to think for even a moment that he actually had a chance with her? Why had he been so gullible?

…Not that it mattered at this point. It had been three weeks since he had walked into heartbreak, and he wasn't in any particular mood to see either of them. Not any time soon, anyway. He knew he was being an idiot and a child with his stubbornness, but honestly? He didn't care. He just wanted to slink into bed and never see the light of day again. Not after his humiliation.

Tossing the plastic bottle into the trash, he stood up to walk back home and to the safety of his characters and plots where he was god and he was allowed to control everything and prevent any tragedy if he wanted, when he felt something hard collide into him from behind. Twisting around, he was about to push away the person – probably another one of his crazy fans that had somehow managed to find out his identity and address – when he heard a voice he never wanted to hear ever again.

"Just listen to what I have to say, Lelouch. Please. Please, I'm begging you to just listen to what I have to say."

"Suzaku, let me go," he growled.

"I can't. You're going to run away if I do."

"It's not as if you can't catch me if I try to run away," he scowled. "Now let me go, you idiot, before I call the police and report you for harassment."

The moment he felt his jacket loosen and properly fall onto his shoulders, he broke out into a sprint.

"Wait, Lelouch—"

"I have nothing I want to hear from you, Suzaku! I don't want your damn excuses, you traitor!" he spat while weaving through the various trees planted in the square.

"I'm sorry!" The hairs on the back of his neck rose as Suzaku's voice became louder and louder. "I'm sorry, Lelouch. It's all my fault. You can hate me, but don't hate C.C.! It's not her fault!"

Skidding to a stop, he whipped around. Trying to catch his breath from the sudden sprint, he tried to tell him how he had never once hated her, when his chaser said, "Hey, C.C. was right, you're in better shape than before."

"Shut the hell up. I don't care what she said about me, and I don't care for what you have to tell me. You want to know why? Because you betrayed me. I told you that I wanted to ask her out, that I… That I loved her, and what do you do? You kiss her! On the day I was going to ask her out!"

"Lelouch, just—I was trying to ask her to go out with _you_, I didn't kiss her! I tripped and I knocked her down the stairs. I understand that it might have looked different from your perspective but that's the truth, I never kissed her because I'm in love with your sister!"

Stunned, he blinked at his friend, who fell onto his haunches.

"I'm in love with your sister, not C.C. And what else, C.C. likes you too! That's what I've been trying to tell you for the past few weeks, but you wouldn't listen to me but now it's too late because she's going to the airport to—Wait, Lelouch!"

Suzaku scrambled up to follow his friend when he fell back down, his leg cramping. Biting back a groan, he dug into the pocket of his sweater. Nearly blinding himself from the bright screen, he searched for the phone number of the one person Lelouch would actually sit down and listen to.

* * *

Request: Can you perhaps do another chapter of Ankle please?

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**Request Complete**


	79. Monster

**Monster**

* * *

"Trick or treat!"

"No, no, sweetheart," laughed the young woman. "You have to say "trick or treat" when the door opens. Come on. Maman will go with you to the door."

"W-what about Leah? Isn't she going to come with me?"

"She's right there with Papa. See?"

He glanced over his shoulder and nervously returned the wave his younger sister gave him from the safety and security of their father's arms. He could hear her squeals of laughter and the low sound of his father's voice as he distracted her from the shadowy nightmare sitting on the hill. Julius found it awfully difficult to swallow as he stood before the looming haunted house. Palms sweating, he looked up at his mother, who was patiently waiting for him to muster up what little courage he had in his trembling heart.

"M-maman, do we really have to go to this house?"

"If you don't want to, we don't have to."

"…Really?"

"Of course. There's no rule that says you have to visit every house."

He licked his lips. Though it was chilly, he could feel his pirate costume sticking to him as he broke into a sweat over what to do. Lifting up his eye-patch, he rubbed his eye. What was he going to do? He had to go up the hill and get the candy for his sister who so loved the legendary emperor-sized candy bars. They weren't just king-sized but were custom made to be larger than any other candy. And also, there was the matter of Jack, who was always making fun of him and teasing him, calling him a wimp and a baby.

"Maman."

"Yes, Julius?"

"Monsters aren't real… Are they?"

"Mmm… Well, it depends on what you choose to believe."

"Huh?"

He looked into his mother's pretty eyes as she crouched down so that they were eye-level. She shifted her tricorne back to better look into her son's wide eyes, and he stared as strands of hair fell out of her braid and fluttered in the cool breeze.

"Julius."

"H-huh?"

"Monsters and bullies are only given as much power as you give them. If you don't want to do something, there's no need to do it just to prove yourself to someone who doesn't know you very well. Why? Because they don't know the truth and how brave you really are."

"But I'm not brave," he mumbled. Tears stinging his eyes, the words grew thick in his throat as he said, "I'm not brave like you or Papa."

"Really? Who's the one who climbed the tree and saved the kitten when no one else would? And who's the one who protected their sister from the monsters under the bed? And who's the one who protected Maman and Leah when Papa went on his business trip? Doesn't that sound like acts of courage and valor?"

"Yes, but that wasn't really me. I just did that because no one else would."

"But that's the bravest thing you can ever do. Doing what has to be done even when no one else will. Look, Julius. What do you see?"

He followed his mother's finger and stared at his reflection. His eyes were much too wide, and his head was shaped like a balloon that would pop at any moment, and no matter how hard he searched and no matter how long he looked, all he could see was a very tiny, very frightened pirate. Besides him, he could see his mother in her costume. He had been surprised when she had dressed up with him – he hadn't thought that she would be the type, especially with her pretty dresses and sparkling earrings. But she had dressed up with him, as had his father, who _really_ hadn't seemed like the type to wear a costume even on Halloween. Given, his father was Count Dracula for the evening and hadn't really changed his appearance as much as his mother had, but he had still tried. Even though he hadn't really wanted to, he had still tried just to see whether he liked it or not.

He could see now that it was kind of like his vegetables. He hadn't known he liked broccoli until he had actually tried it. And like his mother had told him, the monsters only had as much strength as he chose to give them. How was he to know if they were really capable of hurting him? Besides, if he were to get hurt, he knew that his parents were always behind him, protecting him. Even Leah, who had just learned to stand, often stumbled to greet him with a happy smile whenever he came home in tears as if saying to him that Jack's words were just lies and that he wasn't as unwanted as he told him he was.

"Do you want to go up the hill, Julius? If you don't want to, we can always go to the next house. There's still plenty of booty to collect, Captain."

"I think… I think that this year, I'll try for the jackpot."

"Then up we go."

Smiling, he took her hand and led her up the hill, wondering why he had ever been scared of the trees and the house he passed everyday on his way home.

* * *

Request: If I may, how about one with Lelouch and C.C. going out trick or treating for Halloween, perhaps taking their child for their first time doing so?

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**Request Complete**


	80. Effie

**Effie**

* * *

"Maman, Zero's here!"

C.C. turned at the sound of her daughter's voice, and sure enough, a familiar mask stood in front of the small gate of their cottage. Hanging the white sheet on the clothesline, she tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear as she said, "It's not as if I don't know how to do basic household chores."

Picking up the laundry basket, she reached for her daughter's hand, who had rushed up to hide behind her mother's skirt. The pair watched as the visitor slowly made his down the gravel path before stopping before them. Excited, the little girl jumped out, pretending to be a monster before clinging to his leg and begging for him to lift her up. Reaching down, Zero complied and carried the giggling girl into the house. Smiling, the witch followed as she tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach from their surprise.

"Effie, why don't you go and wash your hands? And then you can sit down and share a snack with Zero."

"Alright. Stay there. Don't disappear like last time," she ordered before dashing away to the bathroom. The moment the door closed, she reached up for his mask before jumping up to kiss him.

"Why are you here? I thought you said you couldn't come home for at least another few weeks."

"I managed to pull away for a moment or two. I wanted to see you even if it's only for a few seconds."

"Is it that you wanted to see me or is it that you wanted to see your daughter?"

He sheepishly smiled before bending down to kiss her, but she swatted him away.

"How long are you staying?"

"I only have an hour."

She sighed but said nothing more as she wiped the clean countertop. She ignored him as his arms snaked around her, and she continued to give him the cold shoulder as he rested his chin on her shoulder while whispering, "I'll make it up to you later. I promise."

"…Have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

"Not really, no."

"Lelouch, when are you going to give up Zero? I realize the necessity for you to wear his mask again, especially after Suzaku died, but—"

"The transition to a new ruler is always a difficult process. You know that well, and this is Britannia's first transition since my reign. I—"

"Maman, what are we eating today?"

When she turned the corner, she saw Zero and her mother standing side-by-side and tilted her head. Why were there such strange expressions on their faces? Or at least Maman's face, as Zero's was covered by his mask as it always was.

"I baked some pie."

"What kind of pie?"

"Pecan pie. Do you want a slice?"

"I don't know. How is Zero going to eat?"

"He won't be eating, sweetheart."

"Then why is he here? I thought he came for the snack."

"No, he came to see you, Effie."

"But why?"

"Because he likes you."

She frowned for a moment before reaching for his hand and leading him towards the table.

"Well, I like him too."

"Thank you, Euphemia," said the mask, and she smiled, all the while imagining a kind, handsome prince smiling back at her from behind the visor.

* * *

Request: How about Lelouch and C.C. naming their child after a surprising person they know (anyone goes), in a setting resembling canon?

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**Request Complete**


	81. Dearest (Pt II)

**Dearest**

Pt. II

* * *

"Yuki…"

He couldn't see her face clearly but he knew that the woman was beautiful because she was his mother. She reached out and touched his face, and he closed his eyes as he leaned into his mother's warmth and love…

When he awoke, the boy was startled to find that he wasn't alone. Scrambling up, he bowed as he greeted his father as respectfully as his grogginess would allow him.

"Did you sleep well, Father?"

"Yuki."

"Yes, Father?"

"Where did you go in the evening?"

"I…I didn't go anywhere." The boy swallowed his fear as he glanced at the Emperor, who had his back to him as he looked out over the glittering winter view. He hated lying, but the fear of being punished for sneaking out of the imperial grounds in the dead of night was greater than his hatred of lying. His father could understand lying but he couldn't forgive him for purposely putting himself in such terrible danger. So he swallowed his fear and said, "I was tired and retired early."

"Why did you leave the imperial grounds, Yuki?"

He ducked his head, his cheeks burning with shame. How was it that his father was never fooled by his fibs?

"I… I left to find Mother. You told me how she went into the forest and never returned, and I went to find her. To bring her back, so everyone would stop telling you to remarry."

He shook, wondering if his father would yell. He wasn't one to scold harshly, but he had seen his father angered from time to time, especially when the cabinet prevented him from tending to his nation and his people and frustrated him. And though his father was good-natured and gentle, Yuki had grown to be wary of the fire and wrath he knew was buried deep within his father.

"…Did you find her?"

Surprised, he nearly didn't answer.

"No, I… I lost my way, and Inari-sama sent a kitsune to save me."

"And this kitsune. Did she show you her human form?"

"She was beautiful, Father," he replied excitedly, momentarily forgetting himself. "She was so wise, with eyes as golden as the sun. And her hair, it was the color of summer, when everything and everyone is at peace. She was more beautiful than any of the women in the Kozuki or the Sumeragi clan."

"You should never compare one woman's beauty with another's, Yuki. They are all unique and special in their own way."

"But Father, she was so beautiful."

It was quiet for some time until the Emperor said, "As punishment for disobeying me and for lying to me, you will be moving to the room besides mine. Do you understand?"

He nodded, slightly puzzled over the sentence, but all the same relieved that it was much lighter than what he had expected. He bowed once more as his father rose and the nearby maid hurriedly whisked away the small tea set that had been sitting in front of his father. He wondered if he should ask his father any more questions that he had had but chose not to. The Emperor was busy. He understood that. His questions could wait, while the hunger and troubles of their people could not. His father had at least taught him that much.

"Yuki."

"Yes, Father?"

"…Perhaps, one day, when you're older, I will take you into the forest. But until then, until that day comes, stay away from that place. It's dangerous, and if hadn't been for Inari-sama's benevolence, you would have died. You must keep your body free from harm and healthy at all times for the sake of your people. If you are to be emperor one day, you must grow to be strong to carry all of the burden and weight of the throne. Do you understand, child?"

"Yes, Father."

"Good. Now get dressed. Your aunt has been waiting for you so that you may accompany her on her morning stroll."

He bowed, and his father lightly placed a hand on his shoulder as he passed by and left the room. But because he had been bowing, the little prince missed his father's expression, which was one of nostalgia and heartbreak

* * *

Request: Hey there! Mind if you make another for 'Dearest'? Can be a prologue or an epilogue or maybe even a flashback? I don't know, whichever suits you. Thanks!

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**Request Complete**


	82. Calypso (Pt IV)

**Calypso**

Pt. IV

* * *

They had shorn her beautiful hair and had manacled her. They dragged her onto the wooden platform to put her on display before the Crown and its court. Squinting in the bright sunlight, she searched for his face, for the violet eyes she had grown to love, but failed to find them among the stony faces and jeers.

When they tightened the noose around her neck, she closed her eyes, willing herself to remain strong. She had at least managed to save her crew. She tried to console herself, imagining them as she had last left them, afloat in the ocean in the various life-rafts. Suzaku may never forgive himself for abandoning his captain, but at least he'd be alive and at least he'd have Kallen and the rest to help him. It was always better to grieve with others than to grieve alone, as she had learned when she had finally succumbed to the pain of her past and wept in her love's arms.

She held her head high as they read her offenses aloud. Piracy, theft, murder, kidnapping, treason, the like. All twisted stories, but it wasn't as if the royal court had ever cared for the truth. All they wanted was entertainment, stories of ghastly pirates and murderous thieves in order to entertain themselves while they hid behind their riches and inherited titles.

"Do you have any last words you would like to say in your defense?"

"No."

"Very well. Commence the hanging."

She could feel the panic rising but she tried her best to stamp it down. She'd rather die than show any weakness in front of these people. It'd be like waving the white flag, surrendering and admitting that they had won and that—

There were screams as the executioner's body fell off the platform and crushed the Duke of Canterbury. Her eyes snapped open as she was lifted up and found herself staring at her first mate.

"Captain."

"How did you—"

"I'd be more than happy to explain when we're clear of this lot. Now if you'll excuse me."

A gasp slipped out as he leapt down the tower and they plunged into the water below. A hand reached for her wrists, pulling her up, and she coughed as they dragged her out.

"The Captain's been secured. Flank speed! They're right on our tails! And get me Lloyd Asplund!"

As she lay in his arms, coughing up salt water, she looked up at the bright blue sky. The familiar rocking of the ship, the hurried footsteps and calls of her crew – she had never been so relieved to return home. But as they sailed away, in the back of her mind, she couldn't forget the feeling of the rough rope rubbing against her neck or the violet eyes that had been hiding in the shadows of a hood, watching them leave from the port, and the love she had seen in them.

* * *

Request: Hey, I'd like to request two continuations for Fate (I've been getting into Fate/Stay recently) and Calypso, although I'm sure that's quite popular

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**Request Complete**


	83. Fate (Pt II)

**Fate**

Pt. II

* * *

"Kururugi-senpai?"

"Huh?"

"…If you win the war, what will you wish for?"

"Me?" He looked out over the city, absentmindedly swirling his carton of strawberry milk. He stared at the picture below them, of Caster and Saber, who were sitting on a bench in front of the river and talking, as if they were a normal couple on a date. "I think I'm going to wish for the end. I want the Holy Grail Wars to end. Forever. All of this killing just to grant a wish… Is someone's wish really worth all of this bloodshed? At least, that's what I ask myself. What about you? What would you wish for?"

"I think I would wish for the same thing. Although I don't expect to end up as the victor. As powerful as Caster is…It's really up the Master, isn't it? And not so much the Servant when it comes to who the victor is. I'm not as strong as you, or as clever as some of the others… But at least I got to meet new people and make new friends," she said cheerfully. She was about to thank him for all his kindness and help, when he suddenly took her hand. Surprised, she looked up at him and blushed as he loudly said, "Then I'll protect you, Euphie."

"You don't have to—"

"I want to," he said firmly. "I'll protect you. Saber's made up his mind anyway. It looks like he's going to stick right by Caster's side and protect her, so I'll protect you too. And maybe we can work together since you and I both want the same thing."

"Y-yeah."

He smiled at her, his flushed cheeks rivaling her own, and she looked away, too embarrassed to meet his eye any longer. His hand was rough and calloused but warm, and she found that their fingers interlocked perfectly. Gingerly touching her cheek, she tried to calm her wildly beating heart. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Suzaku sheepishly scratching his head from his sudden forwardness. They both watched as Caster leaned her head on Saber's shoulder, and though they were in the midst of a violent and secret war, Euphie felt warmth wash over her. She wasn't alone any longer, and Caster wouldn't have to have such a hard time now. And what else, her beloved senpai had promised to protect her and work together with her. Even if they were at war, Euphemia smiled, happy to have found new friends.

* * *

Request: Hey, I'd like to request two continuations for Fate (I've been getting into Fate/Stay recently) and Calypso, although I'm sure that's quite popular

* * *

**Request Complete**


	84. Tears (Pt II)

**Tears**

Pt. II

* * *

"Shouldn't the Emperor of the world have a more lavish celebration in honor of his victory?"

"We have the ball tomorrow," he murmured. "Besides, I don't see how much more lavish this can become."

She smiled as she fingered the hem of the covers. They had been hastily thrown aside, crumpled and wrinkled underneath their bodies, but now, as they lay together, she drew them up, careful to cover her soft curves and his scars.

"…Am I a good queen, Lelouch?"

He opened an eye and peered at her, searching for the hidden meaning of her question.

"I couldn't have asked for a finer ruler."

"Really?"

"Yes. If it were anyone other than you, I don't think I could have accomplished what I did. The world may think that it was Lelouch vi Britannia who conquered the world, but I will know who's truly responsible. If it hadn't been for you, C.C., I wouldn't have been able to realize my dream."

"The journey's only just begun," she whispered as she traced the angry, red ridges just below where his heart lay. "There will be incursions. Assassinations. Rebellions."

"And there will also be unity and peace," he sighed into her hair. Weaving their fingers together, he murmured, "There's no one left to fight now. Would they fight their own brethren after being so brutally defeated?"

"Alliances will eventually form."

"Yes, but for the time being, nothing will rise up against us. And in the meantime, we can quell their anger so that they'll soon forget their hatred."

Her skin tingled wherever his hand brushed her. And though their bed was wide enough for five men to lay side-by-side, he pulled her closer. Smoothing her hair, he asked, "If I weren't Emperor, would you still have married me?"

"Of course."

"And if I had been a poor peasant or a slave. Would you still love me?"

"It's not your title or heritage I fell in love with, Lelouch."

"I missed you," he sighed. "Every day and every night, for the past two years, I felt as if there was a hole in my chest. All I cared about was returning home to you and our children."

"But now there's no need to miss us. There's no need for any separation any longer, and our children can grow up with the care and love of their father."

"I missed you so much." His words were muffled by her hair as he held her with all his strength. "I missed your perfume, I missed waking up next to you, I missed the strolls we had in the garden with Julius. I missed sitting with you in front of the fire during the winter, even the times when we didn't talk but just sat together, and I thank the heavens I was able to return to you."

She smiled.

"Who knew the man who was able to accomplish what Genghis Khan and Napoleon couldn't is such a romantic at heart?"

And they blissfully lay together, the King and his Queen, the Emperor and Empress of the world, happy just to be with one another.

* * *

Request: Is it possible if you'll continue Tears? :D Thank you so much! :D

* * *

**Request Complete**


	85. Neighbor (Pt X)

**Neighbor**

Pt. X

* * *

"She's pretty," she murmured. Her breath fogged against the cold glass of the car's window as she spoke. "And she was nice too. Not as nice as Euphemia or Shirley, but still nice enough."

She turned to look at him, his clenched jaw and white knuckles not escaping her notice.

"You love her, don't you?"

"Kallen—"

"Just a simple yes or no will do."

It took him an extremely long time to reply. They were near her home when he finally replied.

"…Yes."

"Does she know?"

"…I don't know."

"Does she make you happy?"

"…She makes me forget about my scars."

"Then go to her."

He looked at her for the first time since the meeting, and she sighed.

"I'm tired, Lelouch. I'm so tired of all this pretending. Things haven't been okay for a long time. We've never really talked about ourselves. We barely know each other, or at least, we don't know each other enough, and I think… I think it'd be best if we stopped here before we reach the point of no return. Don't you agree? Don't you want to go to her?"

"I don't want to hurt—"

"Gino stopped by before you two came. You know him, don't you? I asked him what he was doing there, and he told me that he was there to protect C.C. Not from me, but from you because he knew that you were going to try and find a resolution where no one gets hurt. Well, you have to, Lelouch. Let's face the facts. Someone has to get hurt for this to end, and quite frankly, I'd rather it be me than her because she's the one you love and you're the one she loves.

Earlier, back there, she couldn't stop looking at you. Did you know that? She couldn't stop looking at you, just like you couldn't stop looking at her."

"The wedding is—"

Frustrated, she balled her hands into trembling fists as she nearly yelled, "There's no need to choose, Lelouch. You've already chosen. Can't you see? You and I were never meant to be. I can't do what she can do. I can't make you smile like she does. It's been over for a long time. Don't deny it. You've known as well as I have how much of a mistake all of this was. You've known it too. You want to know how I know? Look!"

She shoved her fist in front of his nose as she tried to speak past the tears welling in her eyes.

"I haven't worn the ring for weeks, and you haven't even said anything. You haven't even noticed! And even if you did, you didn't care enough to ask why I wasn't wearing it! So just stop pretending you don't know what you want and grow up! Grow up and go after what you want, and I'll go after what I want. A person's heart isn't something meant to be toyed with, so stop toying with hers and just tell her the truth!"

She left before he could stop her. Slamming the door shut behind her, she ran through the snow and into the warmth of the building. Bursting into the empty emergency stairway, she slunk down to the ground. It had felt good yelling at him. He deserved it, and more, for being so stubborn and stupid. He obviously loved C.C. She hadn't even been with them for five minutes when she realized as she saw him change right before her eyes. He had smiled – _really_ smiled, not just turn up the corners of his lips – whenever C.C. had cracked a joke, and he had nipped back at her whenever she had teased him, even when the meeting was supposed to be a serious one. Not to mention how she had been wearing his scarf when they had walked in together with his hand on the small of her back.

She hadn't been lying when she had told him that she couldn't do what C.C. could. She couldn't make him smile like that, she couldn't make him look at her in the way he had, and she certainly couldn't make him happy like C.C. so effortlessly did. She knew that, and she had only just met her. So why couldn't Lelouch, who had known her for months, not realize where his heart lay? What was he so afraid of?

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Request: Could you please continue on with the Neighbor storyline some more?

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: I'm begging you, please review.**


	86. Neighbor (Pt XI)

**Neighbor**

Pt. XI

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"So is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy, apparently."

"Really?"

Milly looked up from the glossy magazine she had been flipping through as her friend grinned.

"Yup. They said that it was a boy."

"Did Lelouch say anything?"

"He didn't really say much," he replied behind his mug. "But he did say that he was happy if C.C. is happy."

"He's fallen pretty hard for her, hasn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Now if he could only break off the engagement… As sorry as I am to Kallen, I'm rooting for C.C." she said. "What about you?"

"C.C., of course."

When he noticed how his friend was staring at him, Gino set down his cup and peered back. Smiling, he asked, "What is it?"

"You love her, so why do you want her to be with Lelouch? Wouldn't the most sensible thing be hoping that she comes to you? Why would you help draw them closer to one another?"

It was quiet. The only sound in the apartment was the steady dripping in the kitchen sink until he softly smiled and replied, "I loved her, yeah. And I still love her. And while she and I may be friends, I'm not the one she wants. There's someone else, and if it makes her happy to be with that someone else, then I'll help her because I love her and I want her to be happy."

"Doesn't that make you upset?"

"Honestly? Yeah. But then I see her smile and I understand all over again why I made the choice that I did. Though when she first asked me to help her, and I first met Lelouch, I couldn't help but feel hopeful. But you know, just because C.C.'s not the one for me, it doesn't mean my better half isn't out there."

"My, you've grown up quite a bit, haven't you?" she teased. Sheepishly laughing, he scratched his head as he waved away her compliment. Absentmindedly tracing the rim of her mug, Milly leaned forward and rested her chin in her hand as Gino began chattering about Anya's latest photo expo.

She hadn't been kidding when she had said that Gino had matured. She remembered when he had first come to her, his senior from college, frustrated and upset. He hadn't known what to do after the one he loved had asked him to help her with her pregnancy – a pregnancy caused by another man. He had been peculiar even then – while Suzaku and Lelouch probably would have smiled through the torture and immediately (or eventually, as in Lelouch's case) helped, Gino had visibly shown his anger. He had expressed his feelings towards the unfairness, asking why he had to help her when she had never returned his feelings, why he had to help when the child wasn't even his. And while he had struggled from time to time with his decision, he had been able to see that it was better for her to be happy than for everyone to be miserable. He had been able to understand, and he had helped her until he had fulfilled his role and done all he could.

"I suppose all we can do now is just wait for Lelouch to make his decision?" she mused.

"I hope he can make the right decision. Lelouch is pretty smart, but he can be kind of stupid when it comes to his feelings. Don't you think? Not even kissing her even though he had the chance…"

"I'm sure C.C. will do something if he takes too long. Not to mention Kallen. And his mother. There's a lot of strong women in his life, women who won't let him take as much time as he pleases. Lelouch will decide, sooner or later."

Hopefully he'd decide sooner, rather than later, if only for the sake of C.C. If only for the sake of everyone involved. If only for the sake of the baby.

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Request: Do you think you could please at some point do another chapter of Neighbor with that meeting between C.C. and Kallen teased last time? Thank you :)

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Okay, everybody, it happened again, so I'll remind you one more time. Please don't put in the same request twice if I don't fulfill it right away. Some requests are easier than others, so I don't necessarily write them in order. And it doesn't mean I've forgotten your request. Trust me, I'm thinking about it all the time, I'm just trying to think of where to go next with the plot. It irritates me when people drop in the same request because they think I've forgotten about it (whereas if you forgot you put in the request or someone else put in the request and you also put it in, those cases are fine, I understand) but don't think that putting in the same request several times will make me write it faster. On the contrary, it'll just make me angry and I'll take even longer to write it. Thanks.**


	87. Tears (Pt III)

**Tears**

Pt. III

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"No! No!" He struggled through the swarming mob and desperately reached for his sister's hand. "Julius! Julius, Marie, she—Marie!"

"Alexander!"

She screamed as nobility and servants alike stampeded past. Covering her face, she sobbed, terrorized by the sound of windows breaking, the angry gunshots, and the memory of her beloved mother and father slumped over in their thrones, their white robes dyed scarlet and their smile and warmth stolen away forever. The sky burned red, and she could no longer see the stars her older brother often pointed to as he told her bedtime stories, just as their father used to tell him. But now, she was all alone. Abandoned by two older brothers, she cried, hot tears streaming down her cheeks and fear chewing away at her. Her dress had been torn by someone in the chaos to escape the imperial palace, and there were bruises and scratches as people had clawed their way to the doors, desiring nothing more than to save their own lives.

Whimpering, she watched with wide eyes as the shadows loomed ever larger and the rough voices of the rebels came closer and closer. Scrambling underneath a small table, she scrunched herself up into a tiny trembling ball as she tried to block out the tinkling of broken glass and the crackling of a wild, hungry fire.

When she felt a pair of arms grab her, she opened her mouth to scream, when she found herself staring into a pair of familiar green eyes.

"S-Suzaku."

"Your Highness."

And before she could ask him what he was doing there, or how he had found her, he sprinted down the hallway. She held on tightly, peeking over his shoulder to see the grubby, violent peasants charge into the burning hallway. She gasped as they turned a sharp corner before bursting into a room she barely recognized to be the once-stately dining room.

"Princess, are you able to stand?"

"Suzaku, what's—"

"Their Highnesses, Prince Julius and Prince Alexander are in the royal kitchen. Do you remember the secret passageway?"

"Of course. I always use it to—"

"A Knight of the Rounds will escort your Highnesses to the Kingsley Terminal. You are to board a train that will take you to somewhere safe. There's not much—"

"Suzaku, what about Maman? Where is she? And where's Papa?"

"I…"

He stared at her, frozen, until the wall behind them opened and the crown prince scrambled out of the dark corridor. Picking up his younger sister, he nodded to his father's knight before passing her off to their brother.

"Thank you for your service, Lord Kururugi. You will be honored and remembered in the annals of Britannian history."

"Yes, your Highness."

He turned away, careful to hide the tears in his eyes as he joined his siblings. Alexander held their sister, soothing her as she kicked and scream, wailing for their parents, and Julius closed the door behind them as the Knight drew his sword….

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Request: You are indeed a very talented writer! I love reading your one-shots. Can I request for a continuation of Tears? I was really about to ask for a continuation of it at its first part, but someone already did, so maybe, perhaps, another continuation then? :) Thank you!

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**Request Complete**


	88. Oh Baby

**Oh Baby**

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White heels clicked on the linoleum as if they were a metronome as she stared at the rows and rows of small glossy boxes. Reading through them carefully, she was about to reach for one, when she heard, "Did you get the carrots?"

"No."

She heard an exasperated groan and continued to browse through the various cases and their flashy displays. Why did there have to be such tacky colors on the front? Honestly, they could have picked better colors, like a pastel blue or pink, not fluorescent green. Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of things, but as someone who had been studying the pregnancy tests for a good five minutes, she thought that she should at least be indignant for the small plastic tubes. Who wanted to be fluorescent green? At least they weren't yellow, or else they would have really looked like highlighters. Well, they still kind of looked like highlighters now, but it wasn't as bad as if they were—

"Okay, I have the carrots. Is there anything else we need?"

"I'm sure you got everything."

"While you were wandering around the phar… Are you sick?"

"Sick?" She finally tore her eyes away long enough to glance up at her husband, who was peering at her with worry. "No, I'm not sick."

"Then let's go. I don't want to be stuck in rush hour."

"Why? Afraid of spending some time alone with your wife?" she murmured. The small amethyst on her ring winked at her husband's thick silver band as she reached for his tie to pull him down. "Sick of your wife already? It's only been four years."

He grabbed at her hands, which were busy undoing his necktie but they were too slow and the navy silk fell onto the shiny linoleum.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Hmm? I'm going to the cash register like you said. Why? What's wrong?"

She blinked at him innocently from the end of the aisle before turning smartly and wandering towards the front of the store. Muttering to himself how he seriously doubted his reasoning behind why he had married the woman he had before following after her. Making sure to pick up his fallen tie, he stuffed it into his pocket before loosening his top button. Strange woman, wasting time in the pharmacy and then starting to undress him. What was up with that?

. . .

"What are you reading?"

"Oh, nothing important."

He glanced over her shoulder as he walked to the fridge, only to see a spread of cribs and nightlights. Rubbing his eyes, he leaned against the fridge with his cup of coffee.

"Did we get someone else's mail by mistake?"

"Probably."

"Huh. Well, we should probably give it to them. The mailman should do his job properly – this is the third time."

"…Yeah," she replied absentmindedly as she flipped a page. He stared at her, wondering why she was so engrossed in the magazine but shrugged it off. His wife had always liked to snoop around in other people's business. So the neighbors were pregnant again, huh? That meant another baby shower…Which meant another opportunity for his mother to knock down their door, demanding to if she was ever going to get to hold her grandchild or if she was going to die beforehand.

He grimaced before picking up the newspaper on the table.

"Well, make sure to give them their mail."

"…Yeah."

As he closed the door to his office, Lelouch couldn't help but feel as if he was missing something, though no matter how much he wracked his brain, he couldn't come up with the missing puzzle piece. So he brushed it aside in favor of the morning headlines and whatever emails that had been written to him late last night.

. . .

"Hey, do you know where Euphie and C.C. are?"

Pulling out of the parking lot, Lelouch stopped in front of the red light as he said, "Didn't they say they were going to Babies "R" Us?"

"Huh? Why?"

"I don't know. Probably to get a present for our neighbors. I think they're pregnant again."

"Oh. Well, if you hear back from them, can you tell Euphie I'll be home a little later today? The Captain wants me to stay at the station to help with this lost little kid."

"Why can't you tell Euphemia yourself?"

"Because I think her phone died. She's not picking up. You don't think anything happened, do you?"

"I promise you, Suzaku, Euphemia is safe and sound. She's with C.C., isn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right…Alright. Thanks, Lelouch."

"Yeah, no problem. Now get back to work before you get in trouble again."

As his friend hung up the phone, and as he waited for the light to change, Lelouch frowned. Now that he thought about it…Why _were _C.C. and Euphemia at Babies "R" Us? His sister and Suzaku had already gotten everything they needed for his nephew a long time ago, and even if they were looking for a present for their neighbor, they hadn't even gotten an invitation yet. What was going on?

. . .

"Lelouch."

"What is it?"

"I'm ovulating."

"Um…Okay…?"

When the conversation didn't continue, he looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was surprised to see her leaning against the doorway wearing lingerie he had never seen before.

"C.C., now isn't really a good—"

He started and she wrenched the toothbrush out of his hand before throwing it into the sink.

"Rinse your mouth."

Warily eyeing her, he slowly bent down to rinse his mouth of toothpaste. The second he turned the sink off, she pulled his shirt over his head.

"Wait, C.C.—"

"This is the only way, Lelouch. I tried and tried to tell you, but you won't listen to me."

"Wait, stop—Tell me what?" Panicking, he desperately tried to pull his pants back up as he asked, "Tell me what, what were you trying to tell me?"

She glared at him before jumping on him. Staggering, he gripped the edge of the granite countertop with one hand while the other arm wrapped around her waist as she kissed him. Panting, he nearly dropped her. Setting her on the counters, he raised a hand as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Wait…Wait, just give me a second…To figure out…What's going on."

"I've given you two weeks to figure out what's going on."

"What am I supposed to do when you're being so coy?" he retorted.

"You're smart, aren't you? Can't you figure it out?"

"Figure what out? What am I supposed to figure out?"

"That I want to start a family. That's what you were supposed to figure out."

He blinked at her as she moved her hair over her shoulder. Muttering over how dense he could be and how she had made a mistake in thinking that she could count on him to solve the riddle, she gave him a dirty look, announcing that she was going to change before reaching back to unhook her bra when he undid the clasp first.

"…Okay, then let's do it."

She looked up at him as a determined look came over his face.

"Then let's do it, C.C. Let's get pregnant."

"It's not a decision you can make so quickly, Lelouch."

"No, I know. I've thought about it too. I mean, everyone we know, they already have kids, and God knows how Mother's been wanting one. So why don't we do it? If you really want one, why not?"

"Really?"

"I mean, we're going to have to cut down on our monthly budget, and you won't be able to eat Pizza Hut as often if at all, but—"

"I don't care."

"Are you sure?" He peered down at her, making sure she had heard him correctly. "Even if you can't eat Pizza Hut at all?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I told you, I've thought about this for months. I want one, Lelouch. I want a baby. I want to make a family with you."

"Alright. Then let's do it."

She smiled as he kicked off his pants, and she continued to smile as he carried her to their bed, and smiled even when he stopped halfway and asked if she was really sure. Because even if he hadn't been able to decode her message, he had been thinking about it too – a little boy or girl who had their father's looks and their mother's personality, a pair of tiny little feet running up and down the stairs, and the smile and laughter that would brighten their lives infinitely so. Because he had wanted a baby too, she smiled as she pulled him closer.

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Request: How about a story where C.C. is ready to start a family and trying to drop hints to Lelouch about, but being Lelouch he's being super dense about it?

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Okay, you guys. Looks like I'm going to have to lay down some rules for the request thing. They are as follows: A.) a request should only pertain to _Your Wish Is My Command_. Meaning don't make requests asking for a continuation of another story i.e. _The Legacy_. Whether I pick up a story or not is my decision, and though I understand that it's not fair to you for me to start a story and not finish it, some stories just weren't meant to be finished. B.) Do not place the same request twice if you think I've forgotten/lost it because I haven't. If you forgot that you placed the request and put it in a second time, I don't mind, or if someone coincidentally put in the same request as you, I don't mind either, but if you put in a request more than once because you noticed I was fulfilling other requests and not yours, it's just going to irritate me and result in a longer delay. Trust me, I am working on your request, some just take longer than others - and I mentioned this several times before. B.) Just because I am writing something that you want to see, it doesn't mean that you can step all over me. I had this problem before - I haven't had it since but just in case - but I am a human being and I deserve basic respect. Requests are just easier to receive if the person is at least polite. You don't have to compliment me because that's not really going to do much for you in terms of expediency, but being aware that I ****have my own life and am human can go a long way. Some of you I think have forgotten the effect manners can have on a person. And that's all I can think of at the moment. I'm not pointing any fingers, I'm not yelling at any of you, I'm not angry at any of you (maybe with the exception of one but if you think it's you, it's probably not), I'm just laying down some rules because I hadn't before and that was causing some problems. My fault though, not yours.**


	89. Flapper

**Flapper**

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She didn't ride often, but she rode often enough – and was pretty enough – for him to catch his eye the second time she stepped onto the streetcar. Her milky white skin and soft green hair pestered him in the back of his head everyday, as did her spirited gaze and small smile. In fact, the effect she had on him must have been so profound that even Suzaku, who usually wasn't the type to notice things like this, had asked him during their lunch break if he was ever planning on saying anything more to her beyond asking for her ticket. He hadn't said anything of course, and had quickly changed the subject of the conversation but honestly? Did he plan on striking up a conversation?

Well, he _wanted_ to, but wanting something and actually doing it were two completely different matters. Even if he were to start a conversation, what would it even be about? He knew next to nothing about her, other than the fact that she always caught the trolley on the intersection between 5th Avenue and 12th Street at 6AM every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, just when the sun had begun rising so that the orange fire lit her up like the marquee on Broadway.

So… So he just tried to content himself with "Tickets, please," though he wasn't very successful because whenever she stepped off, he always felt the urge to smack his head against something hard – maybe against the window or the door or something. He found himself wondering if she had a beau – he knew that she wasn't married because once, he had helped her up, and he hadn't found the familiar wink of a wedding ring. She was too young to be married anyway. Though there were probably lots of men that wanted her, he thought glumly. He wouldn't be surprised. She was so pretty, her sitting room was probably stuffed to the ceiling with bouquets and desperate marriage proposals.

No, it was hopeless. He should just stick to his role, which was the somewhat awkward conductor on the trolley she took to go home from work. That is, that was what he had assumed until a particular morning when she was running late.

After the last of the passengers had handed him their tickets, he had given Suzaku the signal to start the engine. Leaning against the railing, he looked out over the bustling city-scape when he spied a very familiar head of green hurrying to the car. Lelouch bit his lip. He wasn't supposed to stop the car after it had left a station unless it was an emergency. That was what the rules had said. But he could see her running to catch the trolley, and it… Which was it? The regulations or the girl? The girl or the regulations?

Gritting his teeth, he made a snap decision and shoved his hat off his head. Unlatching the door, he tightly held onto the pole of the trolley, prayed to whatever divine being there was, and leaned out of the car, just barely managing to pull her up onto the car. Breathing heavily from the adrenaline rush and the sudden need for muscle, he heavily leaned against the pole as he tried to catch his breath.

"Your hat."

Opening his eyes, he took it from the girl, who was smiling to him, much to his embarrassment.

"…Thank you," he muttered.

"I don't think you're the one who—!"

She gasped as the trolley went over a bump. He immediately grabbed her by reflex and pulled her in so that she only got a scare, and not the boot from the feisty city streets. Heart pounding in his chest, he held her close as he let out a sigh of relief. Why couldn't the trolley help him out for once and just let him be composed in front of her? Why did it always have to mess around with him like this?

"Oh. We've been tangled," she giggled. "Hold on a second. I'll get the knots."

"No, I'll get them." He reached for his ticket puncher, which had become ensnarled in her glittering necklace. "I'll—Allow me to—"

"No, I'll get it, I—"

"It's really fine," he stammered. "I have it. I've got it."

He swallowed as he nervously worked out the knots. He tried not to notice his sweating palms or how close they were standing or the way she smelled like sweet peas or her eyes on him, but oh God, it was starting to become too much for him and when he finally managed to straighten everything out, he couldn't help but heave another sigh of relief.

"Did you really not like standing next to me?"

"W-what? No, I—No, it's not like…"

He fell silent as he caught the teasing light in her eyes. Hurt and embarrassed, he quieted down, vowing to never even _dream_ of asking for her name, when she asked, "Aren't you going to ask for my ticket?"

"…Right. Ticket, please."

"Here you are." She reached behind his ear and pulled it out before pressing it into his hand while leaning up to peck him on the cheek. Stunned, he immediately froze as she smiled and slipped away. It wasn't until the next station when Suzaku looked behind him to see what had happened to his conductor that he finally melted from his frozen state, only to feel the strangest sense of euphoria and dread for having had the misfortune of falling in love with a flapper.

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Request: Okay, this one's probably off, but how about one where Lelouch is a train conductor and after seeing C.C. often enough and working up the nerve he decides to try talking to her?

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**Request Complete**


	90. Breakfast

**Breakfast**

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C.C. reached for a knife to butter her toast, when she noticed that her husband had stopped eating. Which was strange, considering _he_ was the one that had made breakfast and shouldn't have any reason to complain. Well, actually, he was always complaining, so she supposed that maybe he was about to launch into another barrage of complaints, probably about the way she always took the whole blanket for herself or took too long in the shower or just the way she sat. He was always nagging her to sit up straight for the sake of her posture. She wasn't slouching at the moment, so even with his nit-picking, it wasn't as if he would tell her that she was putting herself in danger of scoliosis, so just why the hell had he been staring at her for the past three minutes?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I just…Can't get over how lucky I am to have a wife as beautiful as you."

She blinked at him. Where was _that_ coming from? Her eyes followed him as he smiled and stood up, leaning across the table to peck her on the forehead before walking into their room, probably to shower and change out of his pajamas. Beautiful? What the hell? She was looking her worst – unwashed face, no make-up, bed-head, and in her pajamas, not to mention how she had been in the middle of stuffing her face. And he thought she was beautiful? Where…Why would he say something like that? He'd never said anything like that. Sure, he had said that she was pretty, and yeah, if he had gotten sufficiently drunk like he did every once in a blue moon, then he told her that she was sexy, but beautiful? Even on their wedding day, he hadn't told her that. Given, their wedding ceremony had consisted of two witnesses – Euphemia and Suzaku – in a small registry office, and she hadn't exactly had a fairytale wedding with the dress and the hair and everything, but he had just said "I love you." For as long as she could remember, she had never heard him say that she was beautiful. Not to her face anyway. Except, he just had while she had been on the verge of eating her slice of toast when she wasn't looking put-together at all.

She felt an unfamiliar heat rise, and she gingerly touched her cheeks, only to find them burning. So he thought she was beautiful, huh? Not just pretty or sexy or whatever, but beautiful. The king of kings of compliments. Because being beautiful didn't just apply to looks, did it? No, it meant that her whole person, her personality, her quirks, who she was, was beautiful to him. Since when had he thought of her that way? Well, she supposed that he had always thought of her that way, or else why would he have proposed to her? Right?

The heat only intensified as she realized that he had always thought that she had been beautiful. So for the past five years – and maybe a little before that – everyday, he had thought she was beautiful. Okay, well, maybe not everyday since there had been some _really_ bad arguments scattered here and there, but _most_ days, hell, even now, he thought…He…Well…

Oh, this was bad. This was so bad. She had to fix this before he came back. She couldn't let him see her like this. Standing up, she rushed into the other bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. But when she stood up and faced herself in the mirror again, she was reminded all over of the way he had smiled at her when he had told her she was beautiful, not to mention how it had pleased her so terribly when he had kissed her like that, leaning across the table and just kissing her completely out-of-the-blue. For once, she understood why Euphemia and Kallen were always so prone to blushing whenever they were with their respective husband and boyfriend. Covering her face, she fell onto her haunches as she relived the moment all over again.

"C.C., where did you put the sham…What are you doing? Are you hurt anywhere?" He seemed to cross the length of the apartment in only a few strides, the unbuttoned shirt of his pajamas flapping in his wake. He was about to rush into the bathroom, concerned to see his wife crouching on the floor of the bathroom, when she slammed the door shut.

"C.C., what's going on? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," she replied. He frowned; her voice was kind of different. He couldn't quite place what was different about it, but whatever the change was, it was starting to make him worried. She wasn't the type to sit on the floor of the bathroom. What had happened?

"Did you hurt yourself? Do you need to go to the hospital? C.C., if you're hurt, I can—"

"I just need you to stop cooking so much damn breakfast!"

He started as she suddenly opened the door and glared at him.

"It's such a pain in the ass to have to finish all of it. Are you _trying_ to make me fat?"

She shoved past him before storming into their room and slamming the door again. Plastered against the doorway, he looked after her, wondering if he had seen correctly. Had…Had she been _blushing?_ He was just seeing things, right? Because his wife didn't blush. She never blushed at anything because she was never embarrassed by anything. Their wedding night, lewd implications, disturbing the peace and quiet of their neighborhood, nothing fazed her. So he had just been seeing things when she had finally opened the door and he had seen a rose-colored pink, right? _Right? _

"C.C.!"

"Just go to work, Lelouch."

"Let me just—Oh, my God."

"Just leave and go to work," she growled. "Before I decide to drop-kick Nunnally's birthday present out the window."

When she finally heard the shower running, she squirmed underneath their white blanket. She had been caught red-handed. Or rather, red-faced. Hugging his pillow, she buried her face into the cool material, reminded of his scent, the scent of her husband, the scent of the man who had been worried for her when he had seen her sitting on the bathroom floor, he had asked if she needed to go to the hospital, of the man who thought she was just _so_ beautiful he had forgotten himself before smiling to herself.

Beautiful, huh?

Well, it was about time he told her.

* * *

Request: Here's one if that's alright: Could you do a story that has the tables turned a bit and Lelouch is the one managing to get C.C. all flustered and bothered rather than how it usually is? Thank you!

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: Wow, pretty soon, I'll have written 100 requests. Maybe I should do something to celebrate or something.**


	91. Carnival

**Carnival**

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"Why can't this Zero guy drive himself to the hotel?" Tamaki grumbled before half-yelling, "He ain't so special!"

"He's one of the top DJs in the world, Tamaki. We can do at least this much, especially after he agreed to perform at the Carnival. I heard he didn't want to come until his wife pushed him to."

"Are you telling me that he's _married?_ Why the hell would you want to be tied down when you could get all the women you want? So not only does he think he's better than us, he's stupid too."

"I'm kind of jealous, actually. He was lucky enough to find his soul mate early on in his life. There are people who never manage to find their other half."

"Or they banged and she got knocked up," he muttered. "So when's Mr. Top DJ coming? We've been standing here for an hour already."

"Their flight was delayed, but he should be here soon. In fact, I think that's him."

They looked as a young man walked out of the baggage claiming area. Sunglasses perched on a head of brown curls, he looked around as if he were slightly confused and couldn't grab ahold of his bearings until he spied the pair. Smiling widely, he rushed up to them and was about to say something when Ohgi, who was nervous to chauffeur such an important person, blurted, "Welcome to Cyprus, Zero. I'm Kaname Ohgi, and this is Shinichiro Tamaki. We'll be escorting you to your hotel and around the island for the duration of your stay."

"The thing is—"

"Tamaki will take your bags. We—"

"But I'm not Zero!"

Stunned, they could only stare as the young man explained, "I'm not Zero. I'm only his intern, his assistant."

"Then…Where's Zero?"

"He…Well, he already came to Cyprus. Three days ago."

"What?"

Scratching his head, Suzaku apologetically smiled.

"He wanted to spend some time with his wife, so he flew in three days ago and checked into another hotel. Um…I would call him, if you'd like, and we can take him to his actual hotel."

Unsure of how to react to the unexpected situation, Ohgi stammered when his partner grabbed the brunette by the shoulders.

"What the hell is wrong with him? Ignoring us and treating us as if we don't have lives of our own. Do you know how long we waited for him? I could have gone on the beach and picked up some chicks! Why did he tell us that he's already here?"

"The Carnival happens to coincide with their wedding anniversary this year, and Zero's unable to do anything while he performs because it's so exhausting so he wanted to make it up to his wife. And he didn't want to be interrupted because he knew that he had come in early and Insomniac had known, they would have tried to make appointments and go over rehearsals with him. I think it's kind of sweet, how much he loves his wife."

"She must be a freaking supermodel. I'm telling you, Ohgi, women are only good for the first few hours, and then they get so needy, they'll control every part of your life."

"I'm really sorry for making you wait, but Zero told me that if I notified anyone of his early arrival, I'd lose my internship. I'm really sorry."

Ohgi smiled.

"It's okay. We didn't mind waiting. We didn't wait that long either – Tamaki was just exaggerating. But you must be exhausted from your flight. We'll take you to the hotel."

"Oh, I'm just his intern, I can't afford—"

"Zero had a room arranged for you when we made accommodation arrangements for him and his wife. Right this way."

"R-right."

. . .

"I've been thinking about retiring."

She looked up from her book and at her husband, who she thought had been asleep. She didn't know what he was looking at but guessed that he was looking out over the beach that they had spent the past few days swimming, drinking, playing on – when things hadn't gotten hot and heavy between them. Closing her book, she crawled onto his recliner as he said, "I think…It would be better if I just focused on our record label. Not to mention how exhausting these festivals are getting."

"Well, you never really had the greatest stamina to begin with," she replied as she lay besides him. He ignored her teasing and continued to talk about how he thought that it was time for Suzaku to take the stage on his own. Stealing his sunglasses, she rested her head on his chest and quietly listened before asking, "Are you sure you want to leave the stage? I thought you loved the spotlight, what with your penchant for theatrics. You'll miss it, you know."

"…When we…That is, _if _we decide to…Expand our family…If we do, I want to be closer to you and the baby. I don't want to be a long-distance father who's too busy travelling to spend time with his children."

"Children? I had no idea we were going to have more than one. Though your appetite was never quite satiable. Particularly last night."

When she saw how serious he was, her smile faded away.

"You're really going to retire?"

"I'm going to work out the details with Schneizel later, but yes. The announcement will probably be made after this season ends, so you just have to hold it in for one more month, and then we'll be rid of this forever. I know how hard it is on you, and I'm only sorry that I didn't decide sooner."

"Don't say that…I know you had fun. It was nice seeing you do something you enjoy. It was better than going down the road you had initially chosen. Just think about how miserable you would have been if you had stayed in medical school."

"…The only good thing that came out of DJ-ing, C.C., was meeting you."

"Oh? And how exactly did we meet?"

"Seven years ago, I went to a bar on the last night of the Carnival, and a woman with a beautiful smile gave me a drink on the house."

Gently tracing the faded ink of her sleeve tattoo, he softly said, "And then some drunk Neanderthal tried to get you to join him and the rest of his group of idiots, even though you kept resisting…"

"Until you tried to intervene and I clocked him, which started a bar fight, and we ran out together. And then you asked me out to dinner, didn't you? To apologize since you were such a gentleman. And then we went out for a corndog, didn't we? Because that was the only place open at the time. And as we sat at the table, I kissed you. You know, it's tradition for the man to initiate the first kiss. Not that I particularly care for conventions."

They lay together quietly under the shade of the gazebo until she sat up and shook him awake.

"What is it?"

"Let's go get a corndog."

. . .

The table was still there, though it was dirtier and older than they had last seen it. They sat down as they had when they had first met all those nights ago, facing the ocean and corndogs in their hands. Lelouch set the stick down into the small carton as they watched the sun set.

"How has it that nothing's changed? These still taste terrible."

"They're not that bad. At least they're consistent, unlike that restaurant we went to last month where…"

She blinked as he smiled down at her.

"…First kiss while eating a corndog doesn't count for anything, Lelouch."

"Then I should just keep trying, huh?"

She rolled her eyes as she tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, feeling just as she had had years ago that midnight on the beach where she had met the love of her life.

* * *

Request: May I put in a request where Lelouch and C.C. take a trip to the beach for a day of fun?

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: At the bottom of the 100th request, I will be announcing whether or not I will be coming out of retirement. I realize that this may confuse some of you, as I've given the impression of coming out of retirement, but I have not. I announced that I would be completing OUAW and any requests that remain. That having been said, the request box is closed.**


	92. Thailand

**Thailand**

* * *

She looked up when she felt something heavy and warm settle on her shoulders. The sharp winter wind blew her hair in her face, and she tucked the loose strands of her bun behind her ear as the fur of the collar of his thick winter overcoat tickled her chin.

"Is the paycheck I give you not enough for you to dress properly in this weather?"

"It's not sufficient compensation, given the amount of work I do for you."

"If I give you another raise so soon, quite a few eyebrows will be raised. Particularly by the people who seem to have taken up the hobby of monitoring me."

"I'm sure you can figure something out," she replied while drawing his coat closer around her thin blouse. "You always do. Isn't that why you're the CEO of Britannia Enterprises?"

"CEO, but not the chairman of the board, which is where you really want to be. The CEO is just a puppet for the board, a position that has no true power."

"I've never heard of a puppet with a 7-figure salary."

He cracked a smile at her quip.

"I never said there weren't any benefits."

He glanced at his watch before looking out onto the snowy driveway of the hotel.

"What's taking Jeremiah so long?"

"He's having trouble with the snow, apparently. He's trying his best."

"Should we go back inside?"

She shook her head. She didn't particularly feel like giving up his coat. It was nice – when he had set it around her shoulders, it had still been warm from his body, and it was perfumed with his scent. The memory of the stolen kiss at the airport and that one night on that one business trip to Thailand flashed behind her eyes as his cologne made her heady, and it was all she could do not to sigh as she basked in the warmth and peace of past moments when they had both stepped down from their respective positions and had been just a man and a woman, even if it had only been for a few hours.

"C.C."

"What is it?"

"…Don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't accept Schneizel's offer."

She looked up sharply at his words. How had he found out about Schneizel? She had been promised that it would be kept a secret until she made her final decision. She had been foolish to trust Schneizel. Of course Lelouch would find out, Schneizel was his one and only rival. He knew everything there was about him – his sexual orientation, his hobbies, his political ideology, the birthplace of his mother. Everything that there was to know, Lelouch knew. Of course he would have received word about the offer.

"If it's a matter of money or benefits, I can easily match his proposal. He knows how important you are to me, and he's trying to carve away my support. Don't go to him."

"…Is that your only reason?"

The wind howled in place of his answer as they stared at one another. She shivered in the frigid weather, snow gently settling around their feet, until he stepped forward and was about to lean down, when a sleek sedan suddenly pulled up. Jeremiah burst out and rushed to open the door for his beloved employer. She watched as he turned to climb into the car, when he suddenly looked over his shoulder and said: "I haven't forgotten about Thailand."

"Yes, sir," she said softly. There was a pause before he nodded and the door hid him away from her. She bowed as the car drove away before letting out the sigh that had been pent up inside her for so long. Standing on the steps, she imagined the sleeves of the coat to be his arms, wrapping around her waist as they had that morning when he had laid a trail of kisses along her collarbone and throat, whispering about a future where they wouldn't have to keep pretending, where they wouldn't have to hide.

Returning to the protection of the building, she made a note to call Schneizel. It was time that she tell him her decision. She and the CEO, they had gotten far too close for their own good. It was for the better if they just stopped before they reached the point of no return. She knew all too well how the Chairman would react if he were to hear how his son, the CEO of the world's most powerful conglomerate, had fallen in love with a completely normal, insignificant woman. And that wouldn't do.

That just wouldn't do at all.

* * *

Request: Hi! Could you perhaps do a story with Lelouch as a CEO with C.C. as his secretary/assistant with a romance between them developing?

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**Request Complete**


	93. Love

**The Girl Who Can't Break Up, The Boy Who Can't Break Away**

* * *

"You know what? I love you!"

There were gasps and a few screams as a few girls burst into tears at his declaration. Jumping off of the stage, he walked towards her as the mic's cable trailed behind him like some strange tail.

"I love you, C.C., and I'm sorry if you can't handle that, but it's the truth. I am head over heels for you. And you may ask why. I'm not really sure either, honestly. You drive me crazy – you're always breaking the rules, you're so lazy and selfish and self-centered and you don't care about anyone else. We're complete opposites. So why would I fall in love with you out of everyone here? Out of the 7 billion people in this world, why did I fall in love with you? Well, let's see."

Suzaku nervously shifted his weight before muttering, "Shouldn't we do something about this? I don't think Lelouch is thinking with his head on straight. He normally would never do something like this."

"Au contraire, my dear boy, I think this is the first time Lelouch vi Britannia has ever thought with his head on straight, as you've put it so graciously. Just listen to him. He's being so honest and open with his emotions. I guess C.C. really drove him nuts, huh?"

"He had such a hard time trying to figure out whether she liked him or not…I guess he finally cracked and threw caution to the wind."

"It's powerful, isn't it? Love, I mean."

They watched as their friend, who had spent the better part of the past few weeks, running up, down, and around campus, all the while trying to make up his mind of what to do with the news that the love of his life was engaged. Suzaku had done his best to try and help, but as he was C.C.'s friend too – and a close one at that – he had been a bit busy with the preparations for the wedding. Given, he had been extremely guilt-ridden as he had known from the very beginning about his childhood friends' feelings for one another, and had felt uneasy about helping to advance their separation, rather than their union, but to think that Lelouch had just interrupted the rehearsal dinner and just…

Even with his taste for the dramatic, it was a bit too much for Suzaku to handle (or to comprehend).

"I'm asking you to just once, just please ask yourself if you love this guy and just answer truthfully. I don't care if you don't love me, just ask yourself if you want to be with him forever. And if you don't, then do yourself a favor and break it off here. I—"

Everyone in the room cringed from the high-pitched whining of the mic. When the feedback was quietly faded away, everyone in the room stared with bated breath at the sight that was slowly unfolding before them. The bride-to-be, with her mock crown and sash, standing in front of the accusatory interruption, who was gingerly touching his stinging cheek. Quite a sight to behold, Milly remarked. Nothing less of what she expected from the pair, what with the way they were constantly bickering with one another. Though it seemed that this time would be an exception, as she watched amidst another wave of gasps and screams as the bride pulled down the interruption – who was really her groom, only, he had missed his timing – until their lips met in a brief kiss.

"Well, looks like our work here is done." Milly patted her rather confused friend on the shoulder. "I think that now would be a good time to disassociate yourself from Lelouch and C.C. At least until her ex-mother-in-law calms down and stops trying to kill C.C."

"Shouldn't we go down there and do something…? It looks like a riot's about to break out."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll survive. They've lived through 20 years of being with one another. They're practically invincible at this point. Come on, Suzaku. There's this new bakery that's opened that I want to take a look at. I know you don't like bread, but I heard there's a pretty girl who worked there. Someone named Euphemia or something?"

"I mean… I don't really care for looks."

"I heard she's nice. And she likes cats."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm. You want to go?"

"…I guess I will. Just to introduce myself though," he explained quickly. Cheeks burning, he ducked his head and mumbled, "She might need a friend if she's new to the neighborhood or something."

"Of course."

As they left the screaming behind, Milly smiled as she stretched.

Love. What a potent and awe-inspiring enchantment.

* * *

Request: Alright :) Can you please write a short for Code Geass - specifically for CC and Lelouch - based on a song of your choice?

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**Request Complete**


	94. Thailand (Pt II)

**Thailand**

Pt. II

* * *

He ignored his snakelike smile and blatantly stared at the young woman standing behind the man. He didn't even care enough to pretend that he wasn't snubbing his rival. All he cared about was the woman, who hadn't even given him the dignity of being handed her resignation letter by her own hand all of those years ago. Not that it mattered anymore. Thailand? Their promise? He rarely ever thought about those, he reminded himself. He had neither the time nor the energy to think about matters as trivial as some fling he had had with one of his employees.

"I'm surprised to see you at a place like this. I had thought that you preferred the office. All work and no play, wasn't it?"

"My wife." He spat out the words, watching, waiting, for her to react, to look up, to meet his eyes, _something_, but she was stone-faced as she looked at the space between her new superior's shoulder blades. Clenching his jaw, he stiffly said, "She felt that such a lifestyle was detrimental and pointless."

"And so you attended the auction. It seems you're quite weak when it comes to women."

"Yes, well, I try my best to make the ones I love happy."

"And I'm sure you do well. Would you like to sit together? I'd like to formally make the acquaintance of Britannia Enterprise's new queen."

"…I'm sure she wouldn't refuse."

Glare flickering towards the smile, Lelouch said, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go join my wife."

Schneizel neatly stepped aside, and he brushed past them before vanishing within the crowd of billionaires. Looking after him, he mused, "I see that he still hasn't taken your resignation well, in spite of the time that's passed. How do you feel, C.C.? If you would like to go home, you may. I understand how uncomfortable this may become for you, given your history with Lelouch."

"I will remain. My job is to help you, President, and I am determined to complete my job."

"I can see why it's so difficult for him to accept your resignation. You're a wonderful secretary, C.C. The best there is, and I thank you for coming to me."

She bowed. She tried to keep her head high; she knew that _he_ would be watching her, no matter where he was or who he was with, and she couldn't very well reveal how she too hadn't gotten over their little romance. She couldn't let him know that the mere thought of Thailand was enough for her heart to ache so much, tears sprung into her eyes, and she certainly couldn't show how painful it had been for him to speak of his wife.

Swallowing, she stood as straight as a pin, determined to uphold the lie she had told herself for the past few years. She could do at least that much for herself. She could do at least that much for all those heartbroken years they had suffered through.

* * *

Request: Hello there, you awesome person writer you! If you're not too busy, may I please request a story? The theme being: what if the one that got away came back? Cheers!

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**Request Complete**


	95. The Dark Prince (Pt IV)

**Rebirth**

Pt. IV

* * *

A lone figure stood before the headstone. Dressed in a sharp suit, the woman stood as still as a statue as the rain drizzled down onto her umbrella. From where he stood by the car, Jeremiah could only make out the silhouette of her face – her expression had been hidden by a veil, though he didn't think that he would have been able to discern her thoughts even if he had been able to see her face.

Quite frankly, the butler had been surprised when the young woman had asked to go to the family grave on the estate. She hadn't come off as the sentimental type, but then again… Her relationship with his master had been a strange one. He could still remember seeing her for the first time – stealing out of the master bedroom at the crack of dawn and slipping out of the mansion. His master hadn't said anything about her escape and hadn't seemed surprised nor hurt, but Lelouch vi Britannia always had been somewhat stoic when it came to his emotions, particularly after the death of his mother and sister.

But to think that Master Lelouch would have left his entire fortune to her – in the end, even he had had a soft spot, hadn't he? For a stray he had picked up in the streets who teased him and bit him and scratched him and purred in his lap. He hadn't been there, but he had heard how Zero had boarded the Damocles and had caused its self-destruction for the sake of millions of lives. And those people who he had given his life for, they had finally stopped accusing him and jeering at him and recognized who their true hero was.

But no one would know the identity of their martyr. No one, save for her and himself, for they were the two people in the entire world that he had let in. Him, who had served his family for decades and had raised him like his own son, and her, who had held him and helped him and loved him. They were the only two that were given the honor and privilege of knowing the man underneath Zero's mask and it would remain so until the end of time. Jeremiah would make sure of it – his master had gone through so much grief and heartache, he wished him nothing more than to rest peacefully, free from hungry reporters and crazy conspiracy theorists.

"I suppose we should make our way to the airport now?"

He bowed as he opened the car door for his mistress.

"Do you think he'll like the West Indies?"

"Master Lelouch didn't particularly mind the humidity or the heat."

She glanced down at her stomach before looking out the window as they sped away from the ghost house.

"Yes, well, he was a strange man, Lelouch vi Britannia. Though I'm not any better. But I suppose he'll like it there. Yes, I'm sure he will. Don't you agree, Jeremiah?"

"Yes, Madame."

And for the first time since the funeral, the young woman smiled.

* * *

**Request: Bonjour! Can you please continue the Batman fic? Maybe how C.C. and Lelouch met.**

**Request: Hello there! Great job with all your new stuff! Can I please request the next chapter for the Batman AU? :)**

**Request: I'm so glad you're back. :) A continuation of the Batman AU perhaps?**

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**Request Complete**

* * *

**A/N: Once is more than enough.**


	96. Ankle (Pt V)

**Ankle**

Pt. V

* * *

He nearly tripped over himself in his haste to get out of the taxi. Stumbling, he ignored the raised eyebrows and strange looks from the other people as he sprinted into the airport. Desperately looking around him, he searched for a sign, any sign, that would direct him to where C.C. was. Frustrated, he pulled out his phone to call Suzaku and demand an answer, when he heard, "Darling?"

"Mother?"

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here? And what's wrong with your face? Did you fall asleep in the tub again? How many times have I told you that you need to sleep properly? Writing is hard work, and you need to take care of your body so that you can—"

"I don't have any time to have this conversation right now," he interrupted. Looking around him, he was about to dial his best friend, when his mother caught hold of his wrist.

"Are you looking for C.C., darling?"

"Have you seen her? What flight is she on?"

"What are you talking about? She's not flying."

"Suzaku told me—"

"Suzaku! Oh dear. Sweetheart, Suzaku mixed it up. I told him that C.C. and I would be going to the airport together today, and I told him that I would be flying to Toronto while C.C. came to pick a friend up. Suzaku mixed it up, didn't he? I was afraid he would – Arthur bit him when I was explaining to him, and it—Lelouch! Lelouch, where are you going?"

But he ignored her because while his eyes had been flitting around, he had caught sight of a very familiar shade of green. Weaving through people and jumping over suitcases, he bolted towards his target, afraid of wasting any more time than he already had. Tackling her, he held her tightly as she elbowed him in the stomach.

"Who the hell do you think… Lelouch?"

"My…My name is Julius Kingsley," he wheezed. "And sometimes I write romance as Lulu Knott. I hate dogs, especially German Shepherds, and yes, I'm allergic to shellfish, I need glasses, and I'm nothing but a sappy romantic at heart. But most importantly…"

He slid to the ground as he went on all fours and tried to catch his breath from running so hard. For all his training, he hadn't been prepared to sprint so much without any warning whatsoever, and the effort to catch up to her was proving to be quite difficult. Winded, he tried to swallow before raising himself up onto his knees.

"Most importantly, I'm in love with you. Which is why I was being so childish and stupid. I had thought that you were in love with Suzaku, and I didn't want to be pitied so I just… I'm sorry, C.C. I'm sorry."

"…So you love me, huh?"

Unable to bring himself to meet her gaze, he muttered a "yes."

"How far are you willing to go to show me?"

"…What do you have in mind?"

"Why don't you act out a scene from one of your books for me? Lulu Knott, did you say? I liked one of her books – the one titled _Hamartia._ Why don't you act out the very last scene for me?"

"You must be joking."

"Do you know how much trouble you gave us all? Holing yourself up in your apartment like some teenage girl. I want to experience some of this teenage romance too. Now show me."

He stared at her, hoping that she was bluffing, before standing up with a sigh. Running a hand through his hair, he cleared his throat and was about to find the highest vantage point on the floor in order to declare his love before the entire world – or at least the entire audience milling around the cafés – when she grabbed his hood.

"What is it now? I'm going—"

Electricity crackled up his spine as she kissed him. Breathless, he blinked at her as she grinned.

"What do you think of that?"

"…Only that that's not what happened in the book," he intoned.

"That's because we're writing our own story, Lelouch. And it had better be a happy ending, especially after all the shit I had to go through for you."

"…I'm sorry."

"It's already been forgiven."

Lelouch had always tried his best to imagine what it would be like to kiss your better half, and as he stood in the airport at 7 in the morning with his generally disheveled appearance and overall loss of composure, he found that it was an experience that simply couldn't be described with words. Even by Lulu Knott, the world's greatest romance novelist.

* * *

**Request: **Could you do another chapter of Ankle please?

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**Request Complete**


	97. Neighbor (Pt XII)

**Neighbor**

Pt. XII

* * *

"So I heard C.C. met your mom. How'd it go?"

"…Fine," he replied. Gino leaned back into his chair as he chewed on a strip of dried cuttlefish. The two men looked out over the silent city night-scape, each deep in their own thoughts until the younger asked, "So when are you planning on proposing to her?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Huh. So Milly was right. I guess I owe her $10 now. What's your plan? Dinner at a five-star and then a walk in the park? Or maybe something more private?"

"I'm making her lunch tomorrow."

"_Lunch?_ You're proposing at lunchtime? Are you sure about that? I'd have thought you would have stuck for the conventional dinnertime proposal."

"C.C.'s getting tired these days, and I don't want to keep her up late."

"You really love her, huh? To think that you've planned that far in-depth. Man, did she make some strange catch."

Shaking his head, he raised the frosty can to his lips before smacking him on the shoulder.

"But that's alright. There's no point in being normal. C.C. doesn't like normal, anyway. I know that much. So I guess it's not as weird as it seems. I'm not worried about it, but treat her right, yeah? She really loves you."

"If I don't, will you try to destroy me?"

Gino blinked before bursting out in laughter. Putting his arm around the silent man's shoulders, he said, "So even you know how to crack a joke or two, huh? And here I had thought that C.C. was doomed to make all of the jokes for the rest of her life. You're a funny guy, Lelouch."

A comfortable silence settled between the pair, which took Lelouch by surprise. There had never been anything of the kind whenever he had been with Gino, but he supposed that it only showed how true his mother's words had been when she had told him that she had changed, "and for the better." Taking a sip of his wine, he hesitantly ventured, "What do you plan on doing now?"

"Well, I haven't really thought about it. But I think I'm just going to fly solo for a while. It's not a bad thing being single. You can have some time to yourself, to think and focus on yourself for once. And if I happen to find a girl I like who likes me back…" He shrugged. "Who knows what life has in store for me? But that's the point of life, isn't it? To just go with the flow."

He nodded in agreement. He certainly hadn't known that he'd be a father in a matter of weeks – hell, if someone had told him that he was going to be a father, and that he was _happy_ to be a father, he probably would have glared at them, angry with the accusation of repeating his father's mistakes. He had had no idea that he would have sat down at a bench at an empty park with a man who quite frankly, wasn't the type of person he usually got along with, to share a beer or two on the night before he proposed to the woman who had blessed him with brilliant and vibrant colors in his monochromatic life. He could have never imagined shops and stores and walking out with soft blankets and tiny doll-sized clothing or a stroller. He could have never imagined smiling as widely and as freely as he did whenever she fell asleep with her head in his lap, and never in a million years would he have guessed the anxiety he felt for tomorrow night, when he'd go down on a knee before the love of his life.

"Man, I can't believe how fast time goes by. I remember meeting you for the first time as if it happened yesterday. Not the nicest guy, but as I got to know you, I realized how wrong I was. Because you are nice, Lelouch. You're a really nice guy, underneath that armor you always wear. But C.C.'s gotten in there, hasn't she? You let her in, haven't you?"

"…I don't think I can live without her. I don't want to live without her."

"Yeah, she can do that to you. But that's why you're asking her to marry you, isn't it? Because you love her so much."

"…Yes."

Gino patted him on the shoulder as he gave a tipsy smile.

"Be good to her, Lelouch. You only have one better half in the world, and the last thing you want to do is hurt her."

"I'm going to do all that I can to protect her."

"That's great to hear. That is so great to hear, in fact, that I think this calls for a toast. I dedicate this night – and every great night henceforth – to the beautiful albeit strange couple and their hopefully peaceful union."

Lelouch studied the dark red wine, swirling it around his glass, until he raised it towards the full moon and said, "I toast to Julius – may he be surrounded by family and friends as great as the one who sits besides me, as the one who's tucking their daughter into bed, as the ones who were so good and gracious to me. I toast to Julius, my son, in hopes that he too will have the fortune that I was given."

Gino grinned. He was glad to see that he had nothing to worry about – Julius and C.C., it seemed, were in capable hands, the hands of a man who would go to the ends of the world for the ones he loved. It was very apparent to him how much Lelouch Lamperouge loved his family, and for that, he thanked his stars that they had all found a happy ending, no matter the way, shape, or form.

* * *

Request: Hi there! (: I'm so sorry I don't mean to be annoying or redundant (just in case someone else has asked before) but do you think you are going to write a conclusion to The Neighbor series in Your Wish Is My Command? I wasn't sure if your request box was closed, or other people had already suggested it, and I don't mean to annoy you, I just wondered if you ever had it planned out or had an idea to how it would end! Sorry if I'm a nuisance!

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**Request Complete**


	98. Curiosity

**Curiosity**

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He himself didn't drink as heavily as some of his peers. But bartending, as he had quickly learned after his first two weeks, could bring in some serious cash – cash that he needed – if done correctly, so he stuck with the job that Rivalz had offered him. And soon enough, with his quick fingers and the occasional wink or clever double entendre, he found himself working the busier – and more lucrative – shifts until he had completely moved on from the small bar on the corner of 12th and Eaton and found himself behind the counter at Apollo, arguably the city's most popular nightclub.

Lelouch didn't really like nightclubs either, but if it paid well, he'd be more than willing to throw aside any personal differences. And Apollo's clients paid him _extremely_ well – especially its female clients. That is, its female clients save for one.

He had been busy flirting with a girl with horse teeth when she walked in, but he noticed her anyway. It was impossible not to. She was different from the others – that much he could tell, even out of the corner of his eye. From the way she scanned the deafening and crowded room to her dress, she was different from everyone and anyone else that had walked down the same stairs and into the underground world of Apollo. And of course, because he had been damned with such insatiable curiosity, he hadn't been able to resist this… This _challenge_ that had been given to him by the gods.

But she didn't even glance at him. She just sat on her stool, drumming her fingers, and before her pinky had even lifted off of the glossy marble counter, someone had offered to buy her a drink. Weeks passed by in that manner, where she refused to acknowledge his existence and had no need to, what with all of the wolves hunting on Apollo's grounds. And then one night, when he had very nearly lost all interest in her, she swept away all of the offers and pick-up lines and ordered a Vesper. Which surprised him, quite frankly, as she had never asked for a drink as strong as a Vesper, but he complied and placed the delicate glass in front of her.

And then he watched her drink. He knew that there were others he should have been serving, but the eyes that had so carefully avoided him during those past months were finally on him – finally! – and he couldn't look away. He stood, transfixed, as she downed it in a one-shot before placing it down, reaching for a pen from behind the counter, writing her number down on a napkin, and leaving the club. When she disappeared within the throng of drunks, he snatched up the napkin before stuffing it into his pocket and immediately tending to his impatient customers – all the while unable to forget the curve of her lips as she had smiled at him.

He had expected to at least have a dinner of some sorts before moving to the bedroom, but the woman, she apparently didn't like that either, and before he knew it, he was tucking his shirt into his pants and smoothing his hair to go out for a midnight meal with a woman whose name he hadn't even been given. He wondered if this was how she usually went on dates but decided that satisfying his curiosity wasn't worth the date. How long had he waited for her to just look in his direction? No way was he going to screw this up.

But he didn't need to ask because she told him the answer over a bowl of lobster bisque and a Caesar salad.

"I'm surprised you're staying for dinner. Most men find some excuse or other to leave right after."

Feeling as if he had unknowingly passed some test, he licked his lips as he always did whenever he was put on the spot, and said, "To be honest, I was looking forward to the dinner more. Not that you're lacking in any way in that…Area of expertise."

She let out a puff of air from her nose – laughter? Or a snort? – and, burning with self-consciousness, Lelouch tried to turn the tables and put the spotlight on her.

"So do you usually so blatantly ignore people?"

"What, afraid of working a little for what you want?"

"Of course not. As long as the reward is sufficient."

"Oh? And here I had thought that the reward was sufficient enough for you. You sure were making it sound like it was half an hour ago."

He now understood why he had been attracted to her for so long – it had all been because she had never spoken to him. Because if she had, he would have discovered how ornery she could be.

"I suppose then, going by your logic, this one night stand will have to turn into some months-long relationship. I didn't really want it to get that way – I prefer clean breaks – but if you so insist, then I suppose there's no helping it. I'll see you around, _boy."_

And she left him, sitting alone at the table with a bowl of soup, a half-eaten salad, and the strangest mixture of irritation, indignity, and… And curiosity? Curiosity for _what? _What could he possibly want to know so badly that he'd willingly spend more time with this witch? Why would he do something as irrational as that?

…He really had been cursed, hadn't he?

. . .

They didn't hold hands. They didn't hug, and they certainly didn't "snuggle" after sex. From the way their relationship was so physical, he would have assumed that they shared a strictly "friends-for-benefits" style relationship if she hadn't so casually introduced him as her boyfriend to some of her friends that they had run into. He had felt funny afterwards and couldn't help obsessing over the moment – how could she be so nonchalant? Then was she his girlfriend? Didn't that suggest that they were in love though? Were they in love? Was that what this was? Love? And not just sex? – but she apparently didn't care as she had quickly forgotten what she had said only five minutes after the rather shocking introduction.

He decided not to bring it up ever again, but he found himself breaking his promise when one brunch, she set down her fork and told him that they had arrived at the end of the line.

He nearly choked on his toast.

"What's wrong? I thought this is what you wanted."

"When have you _ever,"_ he snapped, "asked me what I want?"

"I told you, didn't I? In the very beginning. That this would last as long as I supposedly ignored you after we first met. I ignored you for 3 months. 3 months have passed since we started this relationship. It's over now."

"All we've done is sleep with each other," he hissed, wary of the other customers and their sharp ears.

She crossed her arms and leaned back into her chair, studying him with that piercing gaze of hers, before asking, "Are you in love with me?"

He scoffed.

"In love with you? Are you serious? What kind of a man falls in love with a woman who wouldn't even tell him her name for the first third of their supposed relationship?"

"You _are_ in love with me…" There was the barest inflection of marvel and wonder in her voice before it snapped back to her usual bored monotone. "You're such an idiot."

"I don't need to hear that from someone like you," he growled. But she merely shrugged her shoulders as her arms fell to her side.

"Why don't we strike a deal then?"

"What kind of deal?"

"A deal that'll make you wipe off the frown of yours. You're _so _ugly when you frown. Do you know that, Lelouch? How ugly you are when you scowl and glower like that?"

"…What's your proposal?"

"If you tell me why you've so enthusiastically avoided Pizza Hut these past three months, then I'll consider extending the length of our time together."

If it had been any other woman, he would have gotten up and left. But it was C.C., so he didn't throw in the towel. No, he had worked too hard, had invested too much to give up. Three months wasn't enough for him. It hadn't been enough time to figure out how she managed to drive him up the wall and yet, make it so that he was always drawn to her even after a nasty spat, and if trading in one of his darkest secrets was going to buy him more time with the witch…So be it. It was stupid of him, but so was letting her go this easily after everything he had gone through.

"…My father."

"What about your father?"

"... You can't tell this to anyone. I'm warning you, C.C., if you go around and tell other people about this…It's not going to be pretty."

"I'm sure it can't be anything that you can't find on the internet. Now what about your father?"

"…He owns Pizza Hut."

"…That's your dirty secret? That your father runs a chain restaurant?"

"…He owns the whole goddamn corporation, not a chain restaurant. That's why I've been so enthusiastically avoiding Pizza Hut these past three months. Because every time I look at that logo, it reminds me of him and makes me _sick_."

He glared at his half-eaten plate, the silence from the other end making him grit his teeth. He had no idea what to expect now. Questions? But no, she wasn't the type to probe. But then what? A slap for hiding the truth? Laughter? Would she think that he was joking? But no, she wasn't the type to do that either. So what in the world was she going to—

"I'll pay the bill. Take your time and leave when you want. I have to go to work."

"…W—"

She left before he could grab ahold of her. Without so much as a glance over her shoulder, she left the breakfast nook as soon as she could and hailed a cab. It wasn't until she was safely speeding away from the table that she finally let out the sigh she had been holding in. So he wanted to stay with her. Even with their disagreements, he wanted to continue being with her. It made her want to laugh and cry all at the same time – laugh because she wanted the same thing, and cry because he didn't know that she had known all this time who his father was. Because she had been told to find the Chairman's rebellious son, the very son who had dropped out of business school, and to bring him back to the company, no matter what the means. Because she had done the worst thing possible and had fallen in love with him.

But she did neither – her smiles and tears were strictly reserved for the one she loved, and right now, she had a report to make. Right now, she had to stop being a woman, a human, and assume the monster's mask she had been hiding from him for so long.

Right now, she had to betray her heart, and C.C. could find neither the grace nor the excuses to allow herself the tears she so wanted to shed. After all, she didn't even deserve that much. Not after what she had done.

* * *

Request**: **Hi! Could you possibly make a date story where Lelouch is trying to impress CC while avoiding pizza hut? Thanks:)

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**Request Complete**


	99. Ankle (Pt VI)

**Ankle**

Pt. VI

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Milly had asked her to try and find out what was wrong with Lelouch, why he hadn't been replying to any emails or picking up any calls, and though she liked Milly, C.C. didn't drop by the convenience store to buy several snacks and a six-pack for her friend. She did it for her boyfriend; Milly wasn't the only one who had noticed the gradual change in his behavior, and though he answered her calls, he seldom left his apartment these days, which could only mean one of two things – he was either angry or had writer's block. Maybe both, knowing him.

Waving to the doorman, she quickly cut through the empty lobby and made a beeline straight for the elevator. As she waited for the car to take her up to the 23rd floor, she glanced at her watch. It was 11:33, but he shouldn't be asleep yet. Though she hadn't been able to see him often due to her schedule – and the coming of swimsuit season – she knew that he had been suffering from insomnia as of late. And she knew that she should have visited him sooner, to help him sleep, to comfort and support him, but she had been so busy with her own life, it had been difficult not to pass out the moment she came home every day. Thankfully, she had had been able to get some time off so she had gotten some rest before knocking on the door she should have knocked on days ago. Figuratively speaking, that is.

Unlocking the door, she pocketed her keys as she slipped her flats off and turned the lights of the foyer on. Blinking in the dark, she cautiously delved deeper into the flat. Why was it so dark inside? He couldn't be sleeping, could he? Was he sleeping? If he was, should she leave? Yes. If he was sleeping – though she highly doubted it, what with the guerilla reports of his insomnia she had received from Milly and Nunnally – she would leave and come back tomorrow. They'd plan something, since she knew that he liked to plan ahead of time, and they'd go on a proper date. It had been a while since they had gone on a formal date, and they'd go to that _bouchon_ he liked. Maybe that would cheer him up enough to at least tell her what was wrong.

Padding into the kitchen, she put the beer into the fridge, taking note of the absence of food. So he wasn't eating either, huh? Was it really that bad? But what could be stressing him so badly? Nunnally was healthy. No one had gotten hurt, and his last book had been well received by critics and the general public. Baffled, she tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear. It couldn't be because of his writing, could it? Was he still upset because Julius Kingsley had been told to retire? But Milly had told him that he could write historical romance if he wanted to…

Sighing to herself, she closed the door and straightened up. Her questions could wait until tomorrow. She only felt sorry that she had left him alone in his time of need. To think that he had been struggling all by himself… She knew how difficult and painful it could be to think that you were all alone in the world. She had experienced something similar right after that accident she had been in and permanently ruined her ankle. Of course, it had healed with the help of the various doctors, therapists, and exercises at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it was still a little wonky from time to time. And the depression she had had suffered from during the course of that time… Not all of the therapy had been for her body.

After wandering through the dark, hoping not to stumble over anything, she found what she was looking for in the bathroom. Brows knit together out of worry, she took in the sight of her lover, who was fully clothed and asleep in the empty bathtub, before digging in the pocket of her pullover for her phone. Stepping out, she made a quick call before waiting outside by the door. When the elevator doors opened and a mildly sweaty Suzaku stepped out, she led him into the apartment and to the bathtub. He helped her carry him to his bed, where she tucked him in as he hovered nearby.

"Is he okay?"

"…He'll be fine. It's probably just writer's block or something," she lied. "Thanks for dropping by, Suzaku."

"No problem. I was jogging nearby anyway. Do you need help with anything else? If you do, I can stay."

"It's alright. I can handle everything else."

"Okay, but I really can help out at any time, so don't be afraid to ask."

"You'll be the first person I call if I need help with anything. So make sure to pay attention to your phone, okay? Even with how cute Euphemia can be."

Flushing, he waved goodbye before leaving. Closing the door after him, she leaned against the cool metal. Should she leave too? But she didn't particularly feel like leaving him alone again, even if it was only for a few hours. Not just because she was worried about him, but because she wanted to be with him even if he was asleep. Besides, she was getting a little sleepy… She had gotten up at the crack of dawn for a jog, and the long day was starting to take a toll on her. He wouldn't mind her sleeping over. She had slept over plenty of times. And who knew? Maybe he'd like waking up to see her in bed besides him.

Maybe. She didn't know. Lelouch wasn't really the type of person who welcomed surprises, but this could be an exception. Only time could tell.

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Personal request

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**Request Complete**


	100. Dear Reader

**Neighbor**

Part 11.5

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Nothing had happened, and yet, he still felt tired and worn as he dragged his feet down the hall. Maybe it was because he hadn't been able to sleep well these past few nights. Probably something to do with the way he was haunted by Kallen's tears. Whenever he tried to sleep, his mind would always wander to that time in the car when he had taken Kallen home after her first meeting with C.C. Her words had been like a slap in the face, but even he couldn't deny the truth that had rung from every word she had yelled. He knew that he wanted to go to C.C. He wanted to hold her hand, wanted to hold _her_ without the feeling of disgust that always came whenever he started to go into rather dangerous and unfaithful territory.

He stopped short and stared with wide eyes, shocked to find C.C. standing in front of his door with her shoulders shaking and tears streaming down her cheeks. He paled as the world slowed down and his mind and heartbeat sped up. What was wrong? What had happened? Was it the baby? Nothing had happened, had it? Did they need to go to the hospital? What the hell was Gino doing?

Her sobs grew louder, prompting him to rush to her. Striding down the hallway, he reached for her. Brows knit together, he gently pried her hands away from her face, only for a fresh wave of tears to overcome her as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. And though he didn't know why she was crying, he knew how much it hurt to see her in pain, so he tightly held her, both to stop his own trembling and to tell her that he was here and that she was safe. Swallowing his fear, he squeezed his eyes shut as he held her until her cries had subsided to nothing more than hiccups and quiet whimpers.

Tightly holding her hand, he unlocked the door to his apartment and was about to lead her inside, when her knees buckled. He caught her as she tried to laugh, and though she protested, saying that she had gained weight, he carried her inside and placed her on the sofa. Kneeling in front of her, he wiped away her tears as he said, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to get you a cup of tea, so just sit and wait for a few—"

"Please don't go," she whispered hoarsely. Gripping his hand, she begged, "Please don't. I don't want tea. I just need you to sit here for a moment. That's all."

Deciding to stay, he slowly took a seat besides her and watched and waited as she took several deep breaths before glancing at him and laughing breathily.

"I must have scared you."

"Are you hurt? It's not the baby, is it?"

"No, the baby is safe. It's just… It's just me." She laughed again, as if doing so would alleviate some mortification. "It's just me."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. It's stupid. You'll probably laugh if I tell—"

"C.C."

She looked up from her lap, taken aback to see how grave his expression was, and even more surprised to hear his words.

"I would never laugh at anything that made you upset."

She tried to smile to show her appreciation but only succeeded in grimacing. The two sat in silence for some time until she mumbled, "It was just a documentary."

"Of what?" he asked softly as he brushed the fallen eyelash off of her cheekbone. Eyes fluttering, she struggled to gather herself enough to answer.

"Emperor penguins. They…" She cleared her throat as tears welled up in her eyes at the memory. "Their eggs had hatched into chicks, and one of the parents had gone off to hunt for food and… And it was eaten by a leopard seal and the penguin that was left, it couldn't take care of the chick all by itself, so the chick, it…"

She paused, afraid that if she were to continue, her voice would betray her. Looking up at the ceiling to stop her tears from falling, she roughly wiped them away with her sleeve.

"It's just the hormones from the pregnancy. That's all there is to it. I was just overreacting."

"…How long did you wait until I came home?"

"I don't know. I can't remember. I even forgot to put some shoes on when I left."

"Why didn't you call me? Or at least Gino. I would have come straight home if… If I had known…"

"I forgot," she whispered. "All I knew at the moment was that I wanted to be with you."

She couldn't bear to look up from her lap. It was just so embarrassing to be so nonsensically dependent on another person. All her life, she had been strong. She had been independent, alone, and she had been fine. She had lived well. But after weeks of being with him, of him holding her hand, of protecting her… After falling for him… She didn't care about how stupid and childish she had been, with her tears and need for him. She couldn't care less as he held her hand and looked at her, his eyes so gentle, almost as if he cared for her more than he cared for anyone else. Almost as if he loved her.

"…Lelouch."

"Yes?"

She wanted to ask if he was really going to marry Kallen. She wanted to ask him how he felt towards her, if maybe all of his smiles amounted to anything. But at the last second, she changed her mind and instead asked for that cup of tea from earlier. She had no right to rip apart two people who loved each other even more than she already had. She had told him that he should do what he wanted, hadn't she? That he shouldn't choose based on what he thought was right but rather based on what he wanted, what he thought would make him happy. She couldn't say that and then take it back when it convenienced her. She may love him, but she wouldn't sacrifice her values for a question that could very well break her heart.

So she merely smiled and asked for a cup of tea.

. . .

She had declined his invitation to stay for dinner, saying that she was tired from the excitement of the afternoon, but allowed him to accompany her on the short elevator ride to her own apartment five floors down.

"So… This is me." Holding herself tightly, she smiled. "Thank you. For the… You know," she ended awkwardly. "For being there for me and my…love for penguins."

He nodded, and they stood in the hallway together, neither of them moving, as if they were waiting for something to happen. Which she was; she wasn't really sure of what she was waiting for, but she knew that she was. But as the seconds ticked by, she realized that things were beginning to get out of hand again and reminded herself that this man was as good as married to another woman, so made to say goodbye, when he cut her off with a kiss. A _real_ kiss this time, like one of those fairy-tale-ending kisses instead of a peck on the cheek. And as she closed her eyes and kissed him back, she knew what it was that she had been waiting for, not just in the corridor in front of her door, but for the past few weeks when she noticed how much she missed him whenever they weren't together and how her thoughts often wandered to him and especially when she looked for him, when she had wanted him to be the one to wipe away her tears and soothe her when she had felt so overwhelmed with fear.

Her heart fluttered, making her breathless and lightheaded and giddy as he kissed her. It felt as if her chest would explode from all of the excitement as he held her face. Even after they had broken apart, she couldn't help but giggle from euphoria as he smiled at her, his eyes bright with what she finally understood to be love.

"C.C."

"Yes?"

"…There aren't any leopard seals in the city. And even if there were, I wouldn't let it come within five-hundred meters of me."

She nodded.

"I just wanted to let you know."

"Well, thank you then. For letting me know."

"…And I'm also sorry."

"For what?"

"For being so stupid for so long. For not realizing sooner."

"It's okay. It doesn't matter anymore."

"I promise you, I'll make up for it."

"I'll hold you to it."

And as they stood in front of the door that had started everything, he genuinely laughed in what seemed like an eternity before kissing the woman who would be – and had always been – the love of his life for the rest of his life.

* * *

Personal Request

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**Request Complete**

* * *

**A/N: **Dear reader...(a letter to the general public). If you would be so kind, there is a message waiting for you under July 15, 2015's notes on my profile, from me to you, and I hope you will take the time to read it. It would really mean a lot to me. Thank you.


	101. Neighbor (Pt XIII)

**Neighbor**

Pt. XIII

* * *

The apartment was several times larger than her own and was brightly lit by the natural light that filtered in through the rows of wide windows that offered a nice view of the bay. And though the rooms were sparsely furnished, she could see how the large, airy rooms could quickly transform into a nice home for a father and his son. They hadn't discussed how they would raise the child, but now that they had committed to one another not only as parents, but also as lovers, C.C. knew that no matter what the future looked like, it would only be the best for their son, and the thought of their baby being able to run around as much as he pleased at home made her smile.

"Are you sure we're allowed to be in here?" Turning away from the window, she asked, "You haven't signed any papers yet, have you?"

"I haven't, but it's alright. It's as good as mine at this point."

"My, my, who would have thought that such a strait-laced officer like Lelouch Lamperouge would even dream of breaking and entering into the someone else's property? I'm surprised."

"I don't mind. It's technically the Chairman's property, since this building was erected by Britannia Enterprises, so I don't particularly care either way."

"So even you have a rebellious streak."

He merely smiled as he washed his hands in the kitchen sink. Meandering towards the island, she held her chin as she rested her elbows on the countertop and asked, "So… What's today's menu, Chef?"

"I thought we could bake some hand-made pizza."

"You know how to toss pizza?" Surprised, she straightened up. "You're kidding."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

Taken aback – but pleasantly so – she stared at him as he opened the fridge and took out a metal bowl of dough before bursting into laughter. It took some time for her to regain her composure, so it wasn't until he had finished flouring the dough when her giggles had finally subsided enough for him to ask what she found so funny.

"How do you know how to toss pizza? You're a police officer. Does the police force hold secret pizza-tossing contests that the public doesn't know about?"

"There is, actually. First prize is a year's worth of donuts and coffee."

"And so? Have you ever won first prize?"

"Of course. I'm the best pizza-tosser in this precinct."

Her eyes bright with mirth, she grinned as she said, "Well, then, Officer, I'm very much looking forward to what you have in store."

He merely glanced up from the dough he had been kneading to return her smile, all the while keeping silent of the _real_ surprise he had for her.

. . .

"So you're really going to move…"

"Do you not like me moving?"

"It's just…" She trailed off as she searched for the right words. "It's just a little surreal knowing that you'll be more than an elevator ride away."

"It's weird for me too. I lived in that building for six years. But I think it's time to move out and expand a little. That tiny apartment was starting to get a little stuffy anyhow. Not to mention how many memories were made in there that I'd rather forget."

"How are you going to pay for this though? The bills from the doctor are no joke, and this isn't a lease, is it?"

"I took out a little loan to help. Not a bank loan," he added quickly when he caught her expression. "Just within the family. My mother charges less interest than the bank."

"Well…I'm sure Nunnally will be pleased once she's released from the hospital and can come back home."

"Actually… I haven't decided whether to live with her yet."

She looked up at his announcement. Lelouch unsure of whether he wanted to live with his younger sister? Was this really the same man who had spent 72 hours at the hospital because his sister had caught a little cold? It couldn't be… Could it?

"Why aren't you sure?"

He gave a half-shrug as he picked a crumb off of the leg of his dark pants.

"I love Nunnally, and I want to protect her, but I also want what she wants, and she wants to see and experience for the world on her own. I'll always be nearby, of course, but she's been confined to a hospital bed for most of her life, so…" He sighed. "I don't know. I'm having a hard time trying to decide what the right thing to do is. It's difficult to differentiate between what's necessary and good and what I want. I just want what's best for her."

"Well, I think you'll pick the best choice there is for the both of you, one where she'll be happy and you won't be worried," she said as she squeezed his hand comfortingly. "You know her best, Lelouch. So long as you take into account what Nunnally wants, I'm sure you'll pick well. In the meanwhile, why don't you give me a tour of your new palace? To take your mind off of things for a while. I'm sure you've already planned everything out exactly the way you want it."

"A tour?"

"You don't mind, do you?"

When he shook his head, she smiled.

"Great. Just help me up and we can be on our merry way. I think I ate a little too much for my own good, on account of the appetite I worked up from laughing so much during the pizza-tossing. Not to mention how delicious the pizza was. My compliments to the chef."

He tightly held her hand, grateful for the umpteenth time of her kind and unfailing understanding of his nature.

. . .

"This is the study." Stepping aside, he let her peer inside as much as she wanted.

"What about a library instead? That window seat would be a nice place to sit and read, especially with the view."

"You really think so?"

"Mmhmm. Or you could make a partition with some bookshelves. Then it could be a library-study hybrid."

"That certainly is something to consider. I'll think about it."

"There's no need to take this so seriously, Lelouch. The furniture isn't going to be glued to the ground."

"I just want everything to be done well the first time around."

"Oh, you." Lightly pinching his cheek, she cooed, "You're such a perfectionist, aren't you? Don't you know, Lelouch? I like you just the way you are. I wouldn't change one thing about you. Your flaws included."

And with that, she released him for a split second before tugging him down by his collar and kissing his bright red cheek. Giggling to herself, she pulled him further down the hall, asking him what other rooms he had planned, and consequently missed his hand brush against his pocket as he very nearly spoiled the surprise he had been planning then and there in that doorway.

. . .

It happened in the second-to-the-last room left in the entire apartment. By this time, C.C. was a little worn but still managed to keep up with the demands of her curiosity. As she swung open the door, she asked what it was meant to become once the new owner moved in. She suspected it to be a bedroom – it was at the very end of the hall, so it was the farthest from the common rooms, meaning it had the most privacy, though the large windows stirred up some doubt. Most of one wall and part of the adjacent wall were very nearly all glass, probably to show off its view of the glittering river as much as it could.

Wandering inside, she stationed herself in the very center of the room as she looked around.

"Is this your room?"

"This…is actually the nursery. That is, I plan on it being the nursery unless you want otherwise."

"I think this would be really nice. But you don't need a nursery, Lelouch. I was thinking that at least for the first few months, the baby would live at my place."

"Or," he said as he took her hands, "you could live here with me."

"I cou…"

She choked on her words as he knelt before her. Heart hammering, she nearly lost his words in the roar of her blood rushing in her ears as he… As he—Oh, God.

"C.C., I…I was never particularly adept at communicating my personal feelings to another. And while it doesn't help that there aren't any words in this language or otherwise that even begin to properly explain how much I want to be with you, I hope you know that I love you and that I would be honored if you would let me try to show you how much I love you for the rest of your life."

_Oh…Oh!_

"But most of all…Cera…My love."

"Yes?" she managed to whisper.

"Will you give me the honor of waking up besides you every morning for as long as we live?"

"I…_Yes._ Yes, I—," She sniffled before laughing at herself not unkindly. "Yes, I would love to marry you. _God, yes."_

She fanned herself with one hand as tears welled up in her eyes. In awe of how life-changing one moment could be, she could only sniffle and smile as he carefully slid the silver band onto her finger. Astonished by the cool metal and its twinkling diamond, she held it up to the light.

"Do you like it?"

"You can be such an intolerable man. Turning me into a mess…" Wiping away the last of her tears, she smiled. "I was such a composed person before I met you. But between you and me, I wouldn't want the grace of a princess if it meant I wouldn't have known you."

"May I compliment the Madame in kind."

And with that, he leaned down and kissed the woman who had once been his enemy and his neighbor but was now his love, his other half, the one he had been searching for all his life without even knowing that he had been searching for someone. But he was grateful to have found her and thanked whatever higher power there may be for placing her right next door.

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Personal Request

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: I hope somebody reviews. Please and thank you.**


	102. Silence

**Silence**

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"…She still sleeps on the left side of the bed. Even with all the time that's passed, she still sleeps on the left."

Smiling weakly, his father replied, "Well, old habits die hard."

The subject of the divorce that had wreaked so much havoc on their lives was treated with a near complete absence of acknowledgement and attention in their daily lives. It wasn't something anyone enjoyed discussing, which Julius had understood even at a young age. But after a decade of biting his tongue, of bottling up all of the questions and all of the confusion, he began to grow sick and tired of the mask he had been forced to wear for the sake of his parents. He loved his father, and he would do anything for him, but he hated his stubborn refusal to open up to others – something, he eventually realized in his later years, that most likely contributed to the separation of his mother and father.

"What is it?"

"I just… I don't understand why you would break up. I'm trying to understand, I've been trying my best, but I just can't. It doesn't make any sense. Everything was fine, wasn't it? We had enough money. You and Mom liked each other. No one cheated. I mean, sure, the sparks died out, but you still loved each other, didn't you? You were happy, weren't you? So why would you just destroy all of that? Why would you do that to yourself? Why would you let her go?"

"You don't have to understand. It's something between your mother and me, it—"

"Bull_shit. _Bullshit!"

With wide eyes, Lelouch could only stare, speechless from the rare display of swearing and anger, as his usually-mild-mannered son stood up so abruptly, his chair clattered to the ground.

"That's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard. What the _fuck_ do you mean it's something between you and Mom? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Between you two only?" He couldn't help but snort in contempt. "Jesus Christ, how—you're wrong. You're so wrong, Dad. It's not between you and Mom, it's something between you and Mom and me. Except I'm the only one who never got a say in what happened, which is unfair as fuck. You want to know why? Because news flash, but it wasn't just your life that was affected, it was mine too! Because my life changed and I was never even told why!"

"I…"

"You know what, if you don't have the balls to tell me why you divorced, then fine, whatever, I'm done caring about this damn Cold War you have going on. But don't you dare act as if the divorce only affected you and Mom because it doesn't. It affected me and Aunt Nunnally and Euphie and Uncle Suzaku and everyone! It's affected everyone, you dumb fuck! In fact, it's so revolutionary that we have to watch what we say and do in front of you two because you're too stupid and stubborn to realize that you've let go of the one and only thing you've done right in your entire life, all because you were so scared of losing her! Well, guess what, Dad? You've lost her anyway, and what else, by your own hand. And what the hell is more pathetic than that?"

Near tears, Julius stormed out of the apartment, a sense of claustrophobia creeping up on him. Breathing hard and blood rushing, he tried to clear his head of the million thoughts racing in his head.

He was just so sick and tired of the role that had been forced on him, of the script he always read from in front of all the adults. Julius wasn't kind. He wasn't wise either. All he had was the memories of his parent's love for another, his naivety and the subsequent fallacious rationale, all of which failed to show him why his loving parents had been ripped apart so violently without any warning whatsoever.

Looking up at the dark, pitiless sky, he opened his mouth to scream out of frustration, out of hatred for the world that had ruined his life, to scream at his parents whom he so hated for their selfishness. He really meant to scream, but when he opened his mouth, all he heard was the very same silence his mother and father had always given him on those few occasions when he had dared to ask why they had traded in their happiness for a living hell. So Julius did the only thing he could do – he ran away from it all, just as his parents had ten years ago in that courthouse of his nightmares.

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**Request Complete**


	103. My Body Erased You

**My Body Erased You**

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She stared at the blinking numbers of the alarm clock as the bed creaked. She listened to the all-too familiar sound of his sigh and could imagine him sitting hunched over the edge of the bed, with his face in his hands while wearing a scowl. He had always been so melodramatic, especially when it came to his mistakes. Almost as if he weren't allowed to be human, she thought with bitter humor.

It was quiet for some time before the bed creaked again, and she felt the mattress spring up from underneath her as he stood up. Her grip on the blanket tightening, she heard the rustling of his pants and the jingling of his belt before there was a second pause, this time the kind of pause when someone was looking for something.

The silence pressed on her ears, and she closed her eyes, trying to force herself to go back to sleep. But she couldn't, and she listened to the rustling of a shirt and another sigh. Unable to take it any more, she opened her eyes and looked out the single window of her bedroom; the sun was just barely coming up. He had never been a morning person, what with how late he slept because of work. But that was only when he didn't have a need to run, to escape from his mistakes. Because she was nothing but a mistake to him.

She listened to him trip over something, probably her own clothes, and softly swear under his breath. He hadn't used to do that. He had fumed whenever his clumsiness had tripped him up, but he had never sworn before. So what Suzaku had said was right – his personality and attitude had gotten rougher and more coarse than before their break-up. Was it because of her, she wondered, or something else? Not that it mattered anymore. The moment he walked out of that door, they'd return to being strangers again. The amnesia would set in again, and she'd forget the warmth that had always washed over her whenever he had bent down to kiss her, and he would forget the butterflies in the pit of his stomach whenever she had smiled at him. All of those years they had spent together, the wedding, the address of the home they had bought, even how gray their faces had been as they sat across from one another with their respective lawyers, all of that would fade away as it was supposed to after that night, when they had reached the breaking point and could do nothing more than give up on their failure.

When she finally heard the door close behind him, C.C. sat up. The blanket pooling around her waist, she looked over her shoulder, in wonder at the hollowness within her.

They had made a mistake. She knew, and she understood why he had been so quick to leave. She had expected him to, the moment he had shown up on her doorstep the night before, soaked through with the rain and drunk. But even though she had known and had expected it, she still felt empty inside. She had been the stupid one, thinking that something could come out of his moans and her sighs. But no, that wasn't the way the world worked. He hadn't show up on her doorstep three months later for them to get back together, he wouldn't apologize for constantly brushing her aside for the sake of his work, and he certainly didn't love her. He had never loved her. When she had asked him in the midst of one of their arguments, he had only stared at her as if he were a deer caught in headlights. He had stared at her, his mouth open and unable to answer, until she had finally turned away and left, unable to continue pretending that things were fine, when they hadn't been. Not for a long time.

It had ended a long time ago, she reminded herself. They could never go back now. They were through. So she ignored how wet her pillow was and reached for his shirt that had long lost his scent. Ripping away the curtain to illuminate the messy scandal of the dark room, she tore away the bed sheets before throwing them into the laundry basket sitting by the bathroom.

They had long reached the end of the line, and she would be a fool if she kept clinging onto the hope that he would come back. Because he wouldn't. Not ever, especially after last night.

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**Request Complete**


	104. My Body Erased You (Pt II)

**My Body Erased You**

Pt. II

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When he could no longer put it off and told his family and friends of the divorce, the most common question he had been asked was the question of why, as if the demand for a reason would shake some sense into him and make him realize that the reason was stupid and that he was making a huge mistake. And maybe he had made a mistake. Maybe he had just given up when he should have continued fighting, when he should have continued working and trying to fix whatever was bothering her. But did it matter at this point? No, it didn't. By the time he had started questioning himself, they had already spoken through their lawyers, and he had already given her the house and alimony in return for 70% of their total wealth – stocks, bonds, titles, all included.

And though he was angry and hurt and frustrated, there were moments when he couldn't deny how strange he felt, knowing that she wouldn't be waiting for him at home, knowing that he wouldn't have her warmth during the cool nights But there was nothing he could do but endure through it. He had chosen to break up with her. That night after that uncomfortable and forced date, when he had had to leave the table to take an important phone call after being held back for half an hour due to a meeting, she had told him that she had had enough and that she couldn't take it anymore. And even though he knew why, he acted as if he were oblivious.

The argument that had followed was perhaps the worst he had ever experienced with anyone in his entire life. Though neither were the type to lash out physically, that night, several plates had been broken, along with the vase that had been a wedding present from his mother. When the vase became nothing more than several shards of empty dreams, everything finally imploded. He left that night; if he hadn't walked out on his own two feet, he knew that she would kick him out, and his insufferable pride refused to allow him to be chased out of his own house and home. And though it wasn't the first time they had argued and he had left, it was the first time that he had left and never come back without his lawyer by his side.

It wasn't that he didn't love her. Even if years had passed and he wasn't head over heels, he still loved her. He still cared for her. But the one thing he couldn't do was understand her. He couldn't understand why she couldn't see that he was working such long hours for her. He didn't like working 70 hours a week, he hated the impossible length of his work day and the mountains of tedious work he had to do, but he did it for her. He did it for her. Why couldn't she see that he exhausted himself so that she could live the life she deserved? Why couldn't she just get off his back when he came back home? Why was she always so angry all of the time, no matter what it was that he did?

Lelouch didn't know it – would never know it – but he had missed the answer by a hair. The moment he left the house that night, he had destroyed any chance of ever finding out the answer. If he had stayed, if he had swallowed his pride and had come back home later in the dead of the night or even the next morning, he would have realized why as he saw her tears. And then he would have understood what was so wrong. He would have helped clean up the casualties of their war, and they would have sat down in their kitchen, distant but unarmed. He would have apologized and promised to spend less time in the office and more time at home with her. He would have been reminded of how one-dimensional his thinking had been, and she would have accepted his apology. And though everything would be awkward for the following few weeks, they would have at least been together. They would have at least kept fighting for each other instead of against. They would have at least been allowed to admit to themselves that they still cared.

But the truth of the matter was, he hadn't gone back that night or the morning after, and their marriage – or at least what had remained – had quickly deteriorated into a hasty divorce that condemned him to fight against his feelings, forcing him to forget the way he had felt as he watched her walk down the aisle towards him and every moment after when she had made his heart flutter, making him delete her phone number even when he had long memorized it, forcing him to deny of the kiss he had nearly stolen on that day he had finally moved out and found her asleep in the bed they had once shared, and erasing the memory of her sleeping on the left side of the bed even after four months had passed since that night with the broken vase.

Maybe he had made a mistake. Maybe he had been wrong to give up on her. Maybe waking up next to her one morning after a night of reckless drinking was proof that he had gambled on the wrong horse, seeing as how he had sought her out in his uninhibited state. But did it matter anymore? He had paid the alimony and the lawyer and for all of those bottles of wine he had drunk afterwards. It no longer mattered whether or not he had been wrong to leave her. All that mattered was that she was no longer a living, breathing person to him, that she was as good as dead in his eyes.

Or so Lelouch told himself as he quietly slipped out of the home they had once made together and into the lonely gray world he had carved out of his heartbreak.

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**Request Complete**


	105. Winter Dance

**Winter Dance**

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There were three things that Lelouch vi Britannia hated admitting to anyone – not even to his sister or mother – and they were that he wrote romance novels for a living, that he had a rather… soft disposition towards cats, and that he was probably owner of the sweetest sweet tooth known to man in the 21st century. So when his agent had threatened to let the world know those very three facts, he very reluctantly found himself looking out the window of a taxi cab as he travelled from Baton Rouge to New Orleans the following morning.

He had been sent there for his own good, apparently, though he himself couldn't understand why. He had been fine in Manhattan – a little bored, but otherwise fine. And yet, his family and editor had somehow gotten into his head that he needed to get out and into the world a little more to "lift up his spirits and put a smile on that handsome face of yours." He hadn't gone so much for his own sake but rather to escape the constant nagging that had disturbed his peace for days on end with no sign of rest.

As he paid the driver, he glanced at the lobby boy, who had spotted his expensive watch and had decided to hover near him in hopes of being called upon. Ignoring him, he grabbed the handle of his small suitcase, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked into the brightly lit and tastefully decorated hotel lobby. Milly had at least booked a hotel that had a chance of pleasing him. He shuddered to think about the one time he hadn't double-checked her planning and how he had ended up in the seediest motel the city of Paris had had to offer.

Most of the first day, he simply stay in the hotel, sitting at the bar or in the lounge or taking a smoking break in the courtyard garden. The second day, he finally ventured outside of the safety and comfort of his wealth. Bourbon Street was but a few minutes' walk away, and though he wasn't the type of person to seek out a street so marked with sin and the absence of inhibitions, he found himself strolling through in the twilight as the neon signs came to life one-by-one until he was flanked on both sides by a row of loud lights and the murmur that comes just before a tidal wave arrives to wash away the quiet. And sure enough, in a matter of minutes, the once-normal street had come to life with the help of the promise of alcohol and seductresses.

After a random turn here and there, and a few minutes more of walking, he seated himself in a lively, bustling café with a cup of coffee, a plate of sinfully powdered beignets, and a very curious cat that had followed him a few avenues away all the way to the café. His stalker had a silky coat of snow white fur, interrupted only by two bright emeralds for eyes, as if she had been dunked in a bowl of creamy white milk as a kitten. Just like the bowl that Lelouch set down by his feet for his unexpected walking companion who had been staring at him under the lamp-post ever since he had sat down.

It – she, he later learned – cautiously crept forward before deeming him no less of a threat than that of a mouse, and quietly lapped at the milk while the author partook in his snack to please his cravings for sweets. They sat in amicable silence for some time, even after the bowl, plate, and cup were empty, until she stood up. His eyes turning away from the square across the street, he watched as she stretched, looked at him for some time, before turning her nose up and haughtily strutting away, almost as if she had done him a service of providing him her company. Amused, he allowed the corner of his lips to quirk up into a shadow of a smile as she soon melted into the shadows of the old trees and beautiful architecture of the city. And when she was gone, he too left for bed, feeling odd and yet fulfilled all at the same time.

Beginning on the fourth evening, the cat took to waiting for him at the café under the lam-post. He would always take a seat outside and order a cup of black coffee, a plate of beignets, and some white milk, along with an extra bowl. Sometimes, when he was in a whimsical mood that evening, he'd tear off a small corner and offer it to the cat. He wasn't sure if cats were supposed to eat fried dough dusted in powdered sugar, but she always accepted his offering and as her stomach never made any complaints, he didn't see any reason why he couldn't. And on evenings when he was feeling _especially_ whimsical, he spoke to her as if she were a human woman seated across from him. No one noticed because no one cared enough to listen in on the next table's conversation. Besides, Lelouch didn't care what others thought of him. Why should he? His name wasn't the name on the book covers and spines.

And of course, the cat never answered, until the 8th day, when he asked her if she didn't have a master. Because when he asked if she were an orphan, she stood up and slipped out between the iron-wrought fence and looked back, as if beckoning him to follow. Interest piqued (he had always been told as a child that his inability to control his curiosity would get him in trouble one day), he paid the tab and followed after her, her tail like a lantern in the dark. After about half an hour of twists and turns, he saw the cat slip into a small store. Putting his cigarette out, he walked in after, curious to see if the master would be just as strange as the pet.

He was not disappointed. Though he could find no trace of the cat, he did find a young woman with bright eyes and long green hair in its place. She was wearing a sooty top hat for no other apparent reason than because she simply wished to, all the while smoking a thin pipe crafted of wood and metal – like one of those pipes you would find in a Chinese opium den during the 1800s. She clearly wasn't supposed to be smoking, but even with his entry, she didn't move from relaxed position of her chin in one hand and her elbows spread out on the wooden counter of the bar she was standing besides.

"…Hello," he finally said.

"What do you need?"

Her voice was as clear as she was pretty, which surprised him. She was smoking in such a manner that suggested that she been doing so for several years. He would have expected her to speak with a fairly unattractive, raspy accent.

"Nothing. Your cat's been following me this past week or so, and the roles were reversed today. She brought me here."

"That's all very well, but what do you _need?"_

"I don't want anything, thank you. I've stopped drinking a while ago."

When she had made him uncomfortable enough with her baleful scrutiny, he cleared his throat.

"What's the weakest drink you have?"

The moment a heavy sigh left her lips, he almost felt apologetic. _Almost_. Not quite. Her patronizing attitude ruined what could have been, so he merely remained silent as she set a shot glass in front of him.

"That's not what you need, that's what you want. What do you need, Lelouch?"

"…Do you know what I need…? If I need anything at all, that is." He didn't know what it was, but there was something about this woman that made him doubt concrete facts that were…Well, concrete. Like the difference between what he needed and what he wanted. And whether or not he had told this woman his name.

She ignored his question and poured him a shot from an unmarked bottle before pushing the glass toward him. Hesitant to drink something unknown, he swallowed and stared until she drawled, "If I had wanted to kill you, I would have done it a long time ago."

With a grimace, he downed the shot, expecting for the liquor to burn his throat… Only to taste vanilla. No. Not vanilla. Lemon? But no, now it tasted like chocolate, and then ripe blackberries, just like the ones he had used to pick when he had been a little boy in the mountains with his grandmother, and then the peach chap-stick from his first kiss all of those years ago, and then… And then the salt of his tears at his mother's funeral. Bewildered, he stood, rooted to the spot and his back straight as a pin, as the drink toyed with his mind and caused a flood of the most random collection of memories. But as strange as it was, it wasn't quite as strange as how it made him feel.

He felt hot and cold all at once. At one point, he thought he was going to vomit, but the moment passed quickly, and he was simply giddy with excitement for no good reason, which in itself was an incredible feat as Lelouch was as stoic a person as they came. He felt like a kaleidoscope of emotions and then a broken carousel that was spinning around so fast, all of the lights were blurring together, except instead of the lights, his emotions were the ones violently jumbled up.

When everything came to a stop, and the carousel finally let him off, he faintly heard the woman say something about coming back tomorrow with what she hoped was a better answer than the half-assed one he had given her today. He nodded, too dazed and confused to make any other reply, before stumbling out of the door and into the street. Though it had felt as if he had been in there for hours on end, when he stepped outside, he found the world exactly the same as he had left it – tinted in the last of the sun's dying rays.

He stood on the side of the street, desperately trying to gather himself enough for the walk back to the hotel, when he remembered the reason why he had even come to such a strange shop in the first place – the cat. He wondered why it had not made an appearance and promptly realized that, with its wandering nature, the animal simply could have led him somewhere completely random and that he had stupidly followed on the foolish assumption that it had understood him.

Turning, he debated the wisdom of going back inside to ask whether or not she was the owner of the questionable feline, when he saw something that badly startled him. For when he had turned around, he found not just the white cat, but a companion - a slightly larger, coal black male with hatred in its piercing violet gaze, arrogance in its demeanor, and very, very sharp claws that seemed to say: "You are not welcome here."

Lelouch was more shrewd than most, but he was so preoccupied with the black cat's scowl and claws that he missed the young woman inside the bar, whose hat had changed shape even though she hadn't lay a finger on its black silk and who was now writing a note in a beaten journal to not give him so much potion the next time. Nor did he notice the wooden sign of _Le Chat du Cheshire _swinging in the wind, in spite of not even a breath passing through the unnaturally quiet and empty street.

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**Request Complete**


	106. The Fifth Year (Pt III)

**The Fifth Year**

Pt. III

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His brother was the first to greet him. No one else was in the ward when he regained consciousness, though it was obvious that his brother wasn't his only visitor, as his room was filled to the brim with bouquets of baby's breath, and, seeing from his brother's jokes of a hidden girlfriend or a secret admirer, his brother or wife wasn't the one responsible for such a kind practical joke. But then who could it be? He had little family and he knew none of them were inclined to send flowers to an estranged relative. Nor was he romantically attached to anyone as far as the rest of the world knew, and his work colleagues certainly wouldn't pull a stunt like this – not even Milly Ashford. So then who was the culprit, this Daddy-Long-Legs? Who would care enough to send this anonymous message?

C.C. quietly drank her coffee as she stood in the empty kitchen. Setting the mug down by the small collection of crumpled bills and worn coins, she stared, mesmerized by the small fire before her. She watched as the flames hungrily ate up "baby's" and "delivery" and "Eden Florist," weighed down by the sin she had committed. Not the sin of going behind her husband's back to send her brother-in-law get-well flowers. That was hardly immoral. It was nothing compared to what she was truly guilty of, anyway. No, the list began farther back than that, all the way to the first time she had spotted him In the library of their university, glasses precariously perched on his nose with a tower of books accompanying him to her wedding day when she had very nearly blown her cover by asking him to dance with her and then finally to the evening before, when she had told her husband she would be going to the store for some milk and instead asked for a dozen bouquets of baby's breath to be sent to room G3-125 at the Royal Pendragon Medical Center, both to repay him for all of those flowers he had always sent her and to release what she had so struggled to repress for the past five years.

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**Request Complete**


	107. King of the Damned (Pt I)

**The Feast**

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"You don't mind, do you?" he purred. "It's just an ounce or two… Just one…measly…_ounce."_

Biting back the shivers from the warmth of his breath on her ear, she glared at him.

"Or fifty. How can I possibly trust you to stop? You told me yourself how your kind can lose control at the mere sight of blood. How can I trust you to restrain yourself when the taste is on your tongue?"

"You'll just have to. You'll just have to trust. I've never told a lie in my entire life."

She cocked an eyebrow as his lips curled up into a sneer, all the while nuzzling her neck. The hairs on her nape rose – she could feel his warm breath tickling her ear.

"Only half-truths," he whispered. "Never the entire truth. What fun would that be? Wouldn't you agree?"

"Hmmm."

"Oh, just give up your fancy airs, love." His arm slowly snaked around her waist before quickly pulling her in. "I know how much you want to. Isn't that why you came here after all? Because of your curiosity? Why else would a beautiful and mortal young woman like you come to a Banquet? Surely it wasn't just to _watch_. Why stand on the sidelines when you could participate?"

Picking up the sleeve of his tailored suit with thinly veiled disgust, she unwound the arm around her waist. Looking him dead in those striking violet eyes, she coolly said, "It seems to me that you've no idea who I am and what I'm capable of."

"Oh?" Though his posture was relaxed and his expression easy-going, his eyes turned a shade darker. They coldly glimmered at her, the malice in them accentuated when a thick cloud passed over the moon and threw them into near darkness.

"And who might you be?" He tilted his head to the side as if he were a little boy instead of the monster that he truly was. "And what might you be capable of?"

"Far more than you give me credit for."

"Won't you at least tell me your name, child? I'd so love to know the name of the witch who dared defy the Dark Prince."

"Unfortunately, you won't have that privilege."

Nothing moved. Even the clouds above seemed to freeze as he stared unblinkingly at her. C.C. didn't balk. She had no reason to. So what if he were the Dark Prince? He was just another one of _them_, only with a title that allowed him to puff out his chest as much as possible, and God knew how many of his kind she had killed. Hundreds all slain by her hand. He was nothing. He was a nobody. He wasn't, in any circumstances, special.

It didn't matter that he was the Dark Prince, their lord and leader, the one they all paid allegiance to.

Nor did it matter that his piercing gaze would haunt her in her dreams.

All that mattered was her mission, and he was not her mission. She had to put an end to this tomfoolery – she had wasted more time than she could spare with him.

But then everything happened all at once.

He pressed her against the stone railing of the balcony, moving at an inhuman speed. Biting back a groan from the painful impact, the last thing she caught were a pair of razor-sharp incisors before her reflexes kicked in. Swiftly pulling out a silver blade from the strap around her thigh, she aimed for his shoulder. It'd be enough pain to distract him but not enough to kill him. She didn't want to kill him – it was against the Code she had sworn her life to. No unnecessary kills. No unnecessary harm.

He managed to block her but at a price. Scarlet blood dripped onto the polished ground as the knife greedily bit into his palm. Wrenching the blade out from his grip, she gave a sweeping kick to his legs before leaping over the ornately carved railing. As the darkness of the forest swallowed her, the double French doors behind him burst open as the Royal Guard rushed to their king's side.

"Majesty!" they cried indignantly. At the sight of imperial blood splattered all over the balcony, Jeremiah Gottwald, the ever-loyal Captain of the Guard, immediately ordered for his men to give chase. The Prince raised his hand in protest.

"No. Giving chase would only excite the imperial court, and I won't steep myself in any more political turmoil than I am in now. Leave her."

"But sire, she dared to attack—"

"You question my reasoning?"

"With all due respect, I—"

"Return to your posts at once. None of you are to speak a word about this. Do you understand?"

They all snapped to attention. "Yes, your Majesty!"

The Prince swept away but not before glancing over his shoulder at the spot where the young woman had stood. Who was she? What mortal would dare lay a finger on him? Did she not know? Or was she just stupid?

Well, whether she was foolhardy or dense, it no longer mattered to him. He had other, more important, business to take care of. Like the commencement of the Banquet.

But as he returned to the depths of the ballroom, he couldn't help but let his mind wander back to her. Her silky emerald hair… Her sharp golden eyes… A true beauty. Such a waste to have let her slip between his fingers.

But who knew? Maybe by some twist of fate, their paths would cross again. If it did… If it did, oh, if they were to meet again… He knew better now than to let such a rare delicacy escape from him again.

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**Request Complete**


	108. King of the Damned (Pt II)

**King of the Damned**

Pt. II

* * *

She closed her eyes. He was strangely gentle with her as he loomed over her. The sharp nails, usually so dangerous, were careful as they trailed down her cheek. C.C. tried not to shirk away when she felt his warm breath on her ear. She was a woman of her word and she'd be damned if she were going to betray her honor.

But she couldn't help shivering when she felt his tongue languidly run up her neck.

"Wouldn't want the pretty little miss to get blood poisoning now, would we?"

"As if you care," she muttered. She felt him straightening up and she opened an eye to wordlessly ask why he had stopped.

"I do care. I care very much what happen to those I feed from. Why would I not? Do you truly think of me as some savage monster?"

"Just get on with it already," she growled. "Before I change my mind."

"You really think I would let you escape now that I have you in my grasp? My, my, I knew you thought ill of us but I never knew you had this low of an opinion. Honestly," His indignity mellowed into sorrow, "what have I done for you to think so poorly of us?"

"Could it be… You wish to be one of us? You try to pretend you still hate us and end up overcompensating… Yes, that could be it."

She knew he was smirking – she could see it perfectly in her mind's eye. But she refused to take the obvious bait he had lay out, so she ignored him.

"Or perhaps… You fancy someone. Who might it be? Mao? Tamaki? Or better yet, _Suzaku._ Such a shame… I've never come across a woman so far from his ideal mate. Better luck next time."

He was watching her, waiting for a reaction. How childish. She would have laughed if he weren't standing in front of her about to puncture her neck. This was the notorious Dark Prince? How laughable. For all his self-proclaimed age and wisdom, he was extremely immature.

"I'm just trying to put you at ease, love," he murmured. "You seem so… _Nervous_."

"No one is nervous here," she hissed. He pressed his lips lightly against her pulse and she couldn't help but tense. Straightening, he tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Poor child. You're frightened to death, aren't you? Not to worry. I'll take _very_ good care of you. I promise it won't hurt a bit."

"Liar."

"I can make it excruciatingly painful, if that's what you wish. Or I can make it so that you can enjoy it almost as much as I will."

"Enjoy it?" She scoffed. "As if any sane person would enjoy something like this."

"We'll see in good time who's right and who's wrong… Don't you agree?"

His lips – and teeth – were dangerously close now. He began kissing her lightly, suckling and swirling his tongue over her creamy skin, priming her for what was to come. C.C. subconsciously held her breath as she waited.

The moment his teeth sunk into her, a gasp flew out from her lips as she desperately reached for something, _anything_, to grab onto. Oh God, she knew how jarring it was to be feasted on but nothing could have prepared her for _this_. None of the survivors' accounts, none of the research and carefully conducted experiments, none of the training could have braced her for this. It was so disorienting and painful, and yet strangely pleasing… Her eyes fluttered close. It was as if she were detached from her body. Everything felt surreal, everything seemed sluggish as if time were slowing down, and her knees were suddenly so weak, she could barely stand on her own as he devoured her.

It was a strange and perplexing mixture of euphoria and pain, but as he continued, the agony soon subsided to a quiet discomfort, which in turn was quickly drowned out by the pleasure. Why did it feel so good? He was a parasite – he was stealing from her what was rightfully hers, even if she had granted him permission, he was taking her life force, what kept her alive. And yet… Yet here she was, her nails digging into his wrists as she pressed against him, straining for more.

She wasn't thinking straight. Her head was all cloudy and she could barely put together a coherent train of thought as he fed from her. Her hands slowly let go of him. Creeping up to his shoulders, she tightly gripped the cloth of his shirt, preparing to push him away and rip his teeth out if need be. Oh God, it was heaven and hell in one. She wanted him to let her go but at the same time never wanted to be released from his intoxicating hold.

God have mercy on her.

Lelouch was growing more and more excited, which couldn't be good. And then, before she could protest and tell him that enough was enough, he pushed in deeper. Her eyes snapped open as she let out a soft scream. Somewhere, somehow, through the fog, she could make out his hand, which had been tangled with the fabric of her dress, was gripping the window ledge. His knuckles were turning whiter and whiter as he pushed in deeper and deeper until the marble finally splintered and she lost what little of her ability to stand she had left.

He caught her, refusing to let anything interrupt. She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning on him, while he continued to ravage her. A warm liquid trailed down her collarbone and she dazedly wondered what it was before realizing that it was her own blood. Her blood, the blood that he had vied for, the blood that kept her alive, was freely running and soaking the low neckline of her dress. Her fingers wove through his silky hair as her breathing became more and more labored. Why did it feel so good? It wasn't supposed to, it was supposed to make her want to push away from him, it was supposed to make her kill him, not want him even more. It wasn't supposed to make her burn with desire.

Lelouch moaned as he struggled to control himself. He wasn't a God fearing man. Why, he was no man, and he was the closest thing to a god, albeit a cursed one. But everything he had suspected about her, everything he had fantasized about, was coming true and it was driving him insane how delicious she was. He couldn't stop. _Wouldn't _stop. He wanted all of her. He wanted to keep her all to himself, wanted no other to even _look_ at her. And with every drop he drank, reason and sanity were ebbing until he had almost been completely deserted by them. He coiled his arms around her waist as he desperately drank her in. It was vicious, it was crude, and he had never lost control over blood like this, but now he could finally understand what bloodlust felt like. Now he understood, now he knew just how powerful it was and how disciplined women and men could deteriorate into slobbering monsters no different from the common beast.

"L… Lelouch… Lelouch, that's enough," she whimpered. "Too much… Too much…"

He wanted to pull away. The rational side of him demanded that he stop at once, screamed at him to control himself, but he wasn't listening anymore. He was deaf to everyone, save for his lust. He had become a slave to desire and pleasure, had _willingly_ bowed down. But then he heard her asking him to show her that he wasn't the monster he claimed he wasn't, telling him that she knew he wasn't a monster, and he finally felt her digging her nails into the back of his hand, not out of pleasure, but out of fear, and realized how grave of a mistake he had made to be so completely absorbed with himself.

Slowly, so as not to hurt her even more than he already had, he pulled away. There was blood everywhere. The neckline of her dress, which had been a light grey, was a deep crimson. His own shirt bore bloodstains, and there was no doubt that he looked like the devil himself with her blood trailing down his chin.

He leaned forward until their foreheads touched. His eyes closed, he fought to catch his breath as he apologized to her.

"I did my best… To make it pleasurable for you. But it clearly wasn't enough… I apologize," he breathed. "My apologies…."

"I just want a bath," she said thinly. Lightheaded, she closed her eyes as she collapsed onto him. "A bath, Lelouch."

"If a bath is what you desire, then a bath is what you will be rewarded."

He picked her up carefully, gently, as if she were made of glass and he were afraid that she would shatter any moment. Resting her head on his shoulder, C.C. allowed herself to finally give in to the seraphs and their promises of rest and reprieve, to their promise of a peaceful haven, as she was carried away into the depths of the Dark Prince's lair.

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**Request Complete**


	109. King of the Damned (Pt III)

**King of the Damned**

Pt. III

* * *

His words were so preposterous, so ludicrous, that even she was surprised. Sitting up, she looked past the rich brocade of the bed's canopy and ignored the goosebumps on her bare flesh as the blanket pooled around her waist. She frowned as he pretended not to notice, busying himself with the buttons of his shirt before tending to his cuffs and collar.

When he could no longer find any distraction, he reluctantly met her piercing gaze.

"What is it?"

"…It's impossible."

"Not impossible," he sighed. A sense of déjà vu washed over him - how many times had he gone through the same repertoire with Jeremiah and his sisters? With his mother? With his cousin? His best friend? "Just very, very difficult."

"And dangerous."

"…And dangerous, yes."

"Have you told your family? Your cabinet?"

"Yes, I've informed my family of my intentions. As for the cabinet…They would only use the information for their selfish gain. I have no interest in divulging information of this sensitivity to them."

"So I'm not quite the last to know." She smiled bitterly. "I'm flattered your opinion of me is higher than that of your advisors."

It was petty to react this way. She knew. He was obviously saying this to her because he had given it immense thought, because he had reflected and had decided that this was for the best. And she knew she had even less of an excuse than anyone else because he was willing to go through such great risk for her, just for the simple act of being with her, but it still made her angry. All her life, she had only known hatred, had only known cold and darkness. It hadn't been until she met him that she was shown genuine warmth and kindness, not for her body or her blood, but for her person. And to think that he wanted to throw away his life, his family, history, everything and everyone who had shaped him into the man she knew today just for a sliver of a chance to…to be "normal" with her! She could understand his death wish for his immortality. She could understand him protecting her, him tearing apart one of his subjects, but she couldn't - _wouldn't_ \- understand his desire to become human again. Why should he go to such lengths just for her? Surely there would be other women in the endless march of time to catch his interest for as long as she had. Surely there would be others that unusually gentle gaze of his would alight upon, that he would chide and kiss and hold as he dried her tears.

As if he could read her mind, he sat on the edge of the bed - now their bed - and shifted towards her. His hair was still tousled, and his cravat was but a swathe of silk, but his grim expression excused his dishevelment. Not one to be intimidated, she wrapped her arms around herself but refused to be the one to look away first.

He folded. Clenching his jaw, he turned, showing her his back. The last she saw of his front was his hands tightly laced together, mocking them both with a shadow of a prayer, a plea for mercy to the god that had abandoned them both long ago. He sat still for some time, his shoulders hunched and resignation oozing from him. If he had remained still for a second longer, she might have reached out to him, might have held her close and comforted him as she had in the past, but he hadn't, so she merely listened as he quietly said: "I'm tired, C.C. I'm so tired. I may look young on the outside, but I have been withering for some time. I can no longer taste anything. No longer hear music, no longer see colors. The only time I can is when I'm with you. No one else I've ever met can do that for me. Except for you."

Her nostrils flared as her nails dug into her palm. Grateful his back was to her, she sat, her back straight as a pin, tense as the diminutive fracture in her stone heart grew larger and larger, running all the way to the bottom where it would then indubitably shatter into an infinite number of shards, one for every tear she had never shed and another for every tear she would shed for him if he were to continue with his delusion.

"I don't want to do this anymore, C.C." he whispered hoarsely. "I can't. I…just can't. Not without you by my side. And when the day comes when you can't, when you leave forever…"

His voice broke, betraying their promise to never become attached to one another, to never go beyond the confines of their contract. Even when they had been in Edenia together, during their strolls amongst flowers that man had lost the privilege of knowing, even when he had leaned against her, asleep peacefully for the first time in a century and a half, neither had acknowledged the stirring in their cold hearts. But now, after such a long struggle to ignore the truth, he quietly crushed their pact with the weight of his heavy heart.

His heart clenched as he heard the rustling of fabric and purposeful padding across the thick carpet. When the door slammed shut, he bit his lip. He knew that she wasn't running away from him. It couldn't be possible. Not with the soft smiles, not with the ridged scar she allowed him to run a finger over, and especially not with the fear he had glimpsed in her reflection when he had told her of his wish to regain the humanity that had been so cruelly ripped away from him so that he could join her and be with her until the end of their days. But even so, he couldn't help but choke as her perfume lingered in the dimly lit bedroom and the shadow of her warm embrace in his battered heart.

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**Request Complete**


	110. The Twelve Roses

**The Twelve Roses**

* * *

It went without saying that the 12 youngest residents of a particular ivy-covered house in the twinkling city of Paris adored the Doctor. Though his visits carried a tinge of worry, they were always excited to see his tall spidery frame in the doorway and the warm smile that he always wore. Favored by all twelve children, they appreciated the manner in which he treated them as it was so reminiscent of their fathers, and as a result were always eager to greet him. Even the cause of his arrival couldn't help but smile when he knocked on the door and peered into the long bedroom of 11 empty beds and one sickness. But as lively as they became, the effect he had on the girls was nowhere near the effect their caretaker, guardian, and teacher, the lovely Mademoiselle Corabelle, had on the Doctor.

The girls quickly noticed, much to their amused giggling, that whenever Mademoiselle joined him and his patient, he felt the need to tug at the collar of his suit and clear his throat at least once, or, if she was particularly beautiful that day, the tips of his ears never failed to slowly turn bright red as the usually self-assured and eloquent doctor fumbled with both his instruments and words. But his clumsiness only furthered their enthusiasm – though they were not much knowledgeable of the workings of the world beyond their home, all twelve girls – even Nunnally, the smallest one of them all – had at least a fledgling of an idea as to why the young Doctor always regressed to that of an awkward, bumbling adolescent before their teacher.

So when a gorgeous bouquet of roses was delivered to the desk of Mademoiselle, they had been overjoyed, for who else could be the culprit than their beloved doctor? Alas, being children, their celebration had been premature for when the Doctor next arrived – and it wasn't too long since his last visit, considering the draft in the dining hall and the weak constitutions some of them possessed, as well as Kallen's stubborn sense of adventure – his smile was weaker, his colors more faded, and the teasing light in his eyes dimmer. Understandably, they had been confused and had immediately sought an answer to the riddle that had been placed before them. They found it just over the high stone wall that separated their home from the German Ambassador's Eden in which a variety of velvety flowers were grown by the bushel.

Only Milly, the oldest one of them all, had been daring enough to ask their teacher if she returned the Ambassador's feelings. There had been no other response than a mysterious smile much like the one from _la Joconde_, but Nunnally, the most perceptive of them all, had long noticed the far-off look the young woman sometimes adopted when she thought no one was looking. Of course, there was no way she knew of the chance meetings at the café Mademoiselle visited on the day off she had once a month, or the walks in the park she had shared with the Doctor, or the way it had been so difficult to meet his eyes that one time when the dark storm clouds had interrupted their stroll, forcing them to duck into an imposing cathedral for sanctuary. Neither was she aware of the lukewarm thank you that had been sent in reply or the way she now always hesitated to join him and his patient, but there was something about the way she wistfully looked out the window that suggested all that she hadn't said aloud.

But even with these observations, what could she, the smallest of them all, possibly do? It seemed as if everyone had given up on the romance, the two leads included, and had returned the book to its rightful place on the shelf, where it would soon be forgotten and only serve to make the poor soul who had the misfortune of passing by violently sneeze. The very notion of their teacher wilting like the old roses that had vanished one morning upset her so much, the Doctor had had to make a visit in the dead of night, but no matter how much she fret, she was unable to decide on a course that would grant the ending they all desired.

Fortunately, greater forces were at work, and one stormy evening, when all 12 girls had been safely tucked into bed and were just about to drift off to sleep, there was a knock on their door. All were surprised to receive their guest who had seemingly been deposited on their doorstep by the frigid gales outside. His usually immaculate appearance had fallen victim to the unforgiving winter, as his scarf was just barely clinging to his shoulders and his hair so ruffled that it gave off the impression he had just woken from a century-long nap, but as he requested an audience with their teacher, who had appeared at the top of the sweeping staircase, tightly wrapping her thick robe around her and wearing an unreadable expression, it was apparent that his dishevelment was nowhere near as windblown and scattered as his thoughts. He noticed only their teacher, who in turn paid any mind to him exclusively, so stunned his unexpected visit had made her.

The girls had immediately flocked back to their warm beds the moment their teacher had nodded in reply, both to avoid the cold and a stern lecture, but none could be lulled back to sleep after. For what reason could the Doctor have visited so late at night, they had whispered. Leila worried that their kitten, Eliza, had fallen ill, and while a few of the others had begun to panic, the proposal was quickly cast aside. Though they knew the Doctor had taken a liking to Eliza, they knew he didn't treat kittens. One of the company, made brave by the dark, said aloud what they had all been thinking – had he come to fix the tragedy they had witnessed? – but there was not even the response that Leila's voice had warranted. All were too afraid that if they were to openly react, to revive their hope, they would only be met with disappointment again.

Little did they know that they had no reason to worry and fret so; the Doctor had long held the same view, and it was the abandonment of this view triggered by the attendance of a close friend's wedding ceremony that had led him to the old house.

What words were traded behind the closed doors of the parlor that evening only two people knew and would ever know, but the same could not be said for the effect of that private conversation. Especially once the holiday season settled in like the glittering powder that dusted their world.

Though the girls were very much saddened by the end of the story, they very much still loved the Doctor and wished to invite him to their Christmas celebration and had asked for permission as such, to which they were graciously given. They were immensely cheered when he arrived that evening with rosy cheeks, a bright smile, and twelve scarlet roses, a rarity and a treasure in the wintertime. Every girl – even hardened Kallen – had been overjoyed and had thanked him with a shy kiss on the cheek or a fleeting embrace. To think that they had received their first flower from a gentleman! It delighted them all terribly so, and it was with light hearts that they presented their own gift to him – their very own production of the nativity scene.

But it was Nunnally who was happiest of them all, for as the angel, she was able to spy the Doctor reaching for Mademoiselle's hand and was the first to glimpse the single pearl hanging by a slender golden chord around her neck and the smile that passed between them and thus was the third of fourteen to be gladdened by their very own Christmas miracle.

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**Request Complete**

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**A/N: The Request Box Is Open. MY URL HAS REMAINED THE SAME | YOU DO NOT NEED A TUMBLR TO MAKE A REQUEST**


	111. Good Cop, Bad Cop

**Good Cop, Bad Cop**

* * *

"Here you are, my friend."

Suzaku offered a smile alongside the pill to the man slumped over on the bench. Helping him up, he twisted the cap of the cool water bottle with a smart flick of the wrist. Handing it over to the dark sunglasses and even darker grimace, he took a seat besides his friend and waited until he spoke first.

"What time is it?"

Glancing at his watch, Suzaku replied: "11:24AM exactly."

When he heard muttered swearing, the brunette glanced besides him, only to be dismayed by his discovery. He seemed to notice because the sunglasses tilted up half a degree before turning back down to focus on the flame at the end of the thin cigarette.

"You know-"

"You're going to have to play good cop today. Don't expect me to be Prince Charming after last night. Not after that witch from last night."

"What, um… What exactly happened last night? You just vanished. Disappeared into thin air."

The dark sunglasses never turned to him again. Instead, they faced forward, the tendrils of smoke curling up to obscure the intimidating lenses for a brief moment or two before vanishing, much like the owner of the cigarette had the night before. Suzaku awkwardly shifted in his seat. Seeing from Lelouch's mood now, and the text he had gotten this morning to meet him in the park… Thanks to the length of their partnership, Suzaku knew that this brooding silence meant only one of two things. Either that last night had been unspeakably amazing or unspeakably horrendous. The trick was just figuring out which it was.

"Hey, Lelouch? Uh, you know that if there's anything bothering you or anything, I'm here, right? I mean, it's the least I can do after-"

"What time is our appointment today?"

"1:45 but-"

"I'll meet you there then. Text me the information, will you? Thanks for meeting me, Suzaku."

And before he could so much as open his mouth to return the sudden farewell, Suzaku was left alone on the park bench to scratch his head as he puzzled over his friend's strange behavior.

* * *

Lelouch inhaled, his nostrils flaring, before letting out a deep sigh. Eyes closed, he stood before the full-length mirror as he tried - in vain - to clear his head of thoughts of the previous evening. It had been…an unusual occurrence. So few women could make him lose his head like that. Actually, no woman had ever made him as reckless as he had been last night. He couldn't remember much, but he could remember the wide smile, the scarlet lipstick that was soon smudged on the collar of his shirt and his collar bone, of the cheerful tinkling of the empty bottles rolling on the floor as they hurried out of the way for the feet stumbling over the clothes and oh God, she had been such a…

In all his twelve years as a host, Lelouch had never met a woman who could provoke him as much as she had. It was only a pity he never got her number or her name. He would have liked to further explore her.

Not that there was any use in lamenting over the loss. At least, not for the time being. He had a job to do, after all.

Finally satisfied with his preening, he stepped out of the dressing room and met Suzaku at the top of the sweeping staircase.

"Which one are you going to take?"

"The redhead," he replied after a beat of contemplation. "Seeing from her profile, she doesn't seem the type to fall for you."

"That's fine by me. I like Ms. li Britannia better anyway," Suzaku answered, a tad relieved. "Did you know that she likes cats too? I wonder if she has a pet cat."

"Well, you'll find out in half an hour, won't you?"

"Oh, well, actually, Lelouch, there's something that we have to do before the clients arrive."

"What?"

"We have to meet with the upstairs people. Ms. Milly's temporary sub wants to meet with all of the hosts individually before they're sent out."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Not sure, but what they want, goes."

And though Lelouch felt a twinge of irritation, it was nothing compared to the shock and disorientation he suffered when he met Ms. Milly's sub - the scarlet lipstick that had stained the collar of his shirt and had forever imprinted itself onto his psyche.

* * *

**Request: **Could you do a story where Lelouch and C.C. have a drinking contest and hilarity ensues?

* * *

**Request Complete**


	112. Femme

**Femme**

* * *

His boss had neither the time nor patience for such trivial tasks as cleaning. That was why it was Suzaku's job as her personal assistant that he make sure that everything - her reading glasses, a scarf, her cup of coffee, whatever it was that she desired - was literally in her hand before she even asked for it.

Carefully spreading out the glossy magazines on her orderly desk, he glanced down at his watch. It was nearly time for her to arrive. He glanced all around him. The blinds had been angled at a perfect 45 degrees to let in enough light. He had just lain out the magazines. Kallen - his superior as the senior personal assistant - was in the kitchen pouring the coffee, and he had put fresh roses in the vase. As far as he could remember, he had completed the preparations for her arrival. So why was something nagging at him as if it were desperately trying to call attention to itself? What was he missing?

Suzaku paled before sprinting out of the quiet office. Running past the glass doors to the office of the editor-in-chief, past his and Kallen's desks, and out into the hallway where already the other staff members were preparing for the Ice Queen's arrival. Berating himself, he dodged racks and racks of silks and leathers and the rushed click-clacking of stilettos. Her cigarette holder! The most important object in the entirety of the floor. If C.C. didn't have it in her hand the moment those elevator doors opened, God only knew how much more judgmental and wintry she would be. Even if she didn't smoke today, it was still of utmost importance that it be placed in her hand when she arrived.

Snatching it up from where it had been forgotten the night before, Suzaku hurdled his way back to the office, only to skid to a stop as there was a tall, thin, spider of a man standing in his boss's office. He was like a daddy-long-legs, with the way half of his body seemed to be all leg. A spidery hand was on his hip, with the other buried somewhere in his raven hair. Suzaku let out a guttural sound. Even if he was still new and he had only started a month ago, he had learned enough in that month to know that no one - _absolutely no one_ \- was allowed to step foot into the office without the permission of his boss. And as far as he knew, the strange intruder did not have any permission whatsoever.

He moved to (politely) remove him from the premises before it was too late, when the man turned around. Surprise registered on his face briefly before a light English accent asked: "Has she arrived yet?"

"No, not yet."

A frown flitted across before the visitor let out a sigh. His hands falling to his sides, he stepped out of the office, much to Suzaku's relief, and quickly locked the doors before dropping the silver key into his pants pocket - much to Suzaku's _un_-relief. To his terror, in fact.

His life flashing before his eyes, he cleared his throat. He knew that because he was just starting out and that he was the lowest tier, he would be the one blamed for everything, whether or not it was actually his fault. And while he hadn't been fired - yet - he knew that if he didn't unlock those doors within the next thirty seconds, it was no longer going to be a question but in fact, reality. So he set to work.

"Um, excuse me, sir, but I'm going to need you to-"

Suzaku's blood ran cold when he was cut off by an all-too familiar drawl.

"_Why_ is everyone on the entire staff of this magazine _so_ incompetent?"

The hairs on his nape rising, Suzaku slowly turned to see his worst nightmare standing in the doorway. There stood Cera Corabelle, the editor-in-chief of _Femme_, the world's legendary fashion bible, and the fashion world's most prominent figure.

The Ice Queen had arrived.

And yet, she simply stood there. Her expression was unreadable, but perhaps that was simply due to her trademark sunglasses perched on her pretty nose and covering her mesmerizing eyes. Kallen glanced back and forth between the man and woman before looking at him and silently asking: "What's going on?"

He gave an imperceptible shrug in reply, and all four stood silently until the man said: "I warned you."

"When did you land?" she snapped.

"What does it matter?"

"It matters plenty," she hissed, "as it means someone just lost their job for their secrecy and betrayal."

"That's uncalled for."

"I don't care. Get out. You."

Suzaku jumped as the dark glasses turned to him and the scarlet lips pulled up into an imperious scowl.

"Y-yes?"

"Don't just stand there. Ring someone to remove this…._nuisance_ from the office. If he persists, you have my permission to rough handle him. He's a lightweight anyway. Shouldn't be too much trouble."

She tried to brush past the man, when he stopped her. Grabbing her wrist, he bent down to whisper something into her ear. Neither he nor Kallen could hear, but Suzaku could see something almost click as her expression calmed. He watched with amazement like a child would at a lion tamer - for that was what the man was, he realized - as the Ice Queen merely _submitted_ to the man without so much as a growl.

He scrambled to the side as they left the office, the man holding the door open for her. When the glass door swung shut, he turned to look at Kallen, who looked just as mystified as he felt. Scratching his head, Suzaku crinkled his nose. What the hell had just happened?

He found out soon enough. Once the day had ended (they were told that Cera Corabelle would not be coming into work today, unfortunately, though she expected them to work twice as hard in her absence and expected proof tomorrow), Kallen pushed the mock-up delivery off to him, due to a family emergency. Suzaku wished her well and agreed to make the delivery, all the while attempting to quell the nervous butterflies in his stomach. From all of the warnings that Kallen gave him before rushing off, it made it seem as if he were walking into the lair of a dragon.

Perhaps he was.

The towering, thin townhouse loomed over him. Suzaku was tall, but the five stories of limestone made him shrink back until he felt no bigger than a flea. Which was what he probably was to his boss. Whose home he was standing in front of.

Swallowing, he fumbled with the keys and carefully crept into the house. Cringing at the tap of his shoes on the gleaming hardwood - he should have worn softer soles today - he somehow made his way to the closet where he put away the dry cleaning and the table where he was supposed to place the mock-up. A bead of sweat crawling its way down his temple, he turned to leave immediately after as per Kallen's instructions, when he heard a quiet _mew_.

Suzaku really meant to leave right after. He honestly did. But the cat had been so friendly, and so, so _fluffy_, and it had been sitting right there at the bottom of the sweeping staircase, so it wasn't as if he could just turn his back and not seize the opportunity to pet it. Come on. It was such a beautiful kitten, and-

"You're her assistant, aren't you? The one that just started recently?"

Palms sweaty, he shot up as he looked up the staircase to see the man from that morning. Wondering if the guilt was obvious on his face (Euphie had always said that it was easy to tell what he was feeling), he stuttered, "Oh, um, yes. That's me."

Throwing in a nervous chuckle, he stepped backwards hurriedly.

"I'll, um… I'll just leave now. I'm sorry for intruding, I didn't mean to, um, I'll just-"

"If that's the mock-up, I'll take that up to her."

"O-oh. Okay. Thank you."

With shaking hands, he handed him the thick book, praying that he didn't leave any sweat marks on the cover. Desperately trying to dry his hands, Suzaku made to leave under the guise of some emergency or other, when he heard a faint voice say: "Who's that?"

"Just your assistant. Not Kallen. The other one."

"Oh, of _course_ you know _Kallen's_ name. Tell him to come up. I want to talk to him."

Suzaku shook his head, but what C.C. wanted, C.C. got, and soon enough, he found himself on the third floor of his boss's house. She was in a comfortable sitting room, dressed in lavender perfume and a silk robe and a fur blanket covering her lap. Her toes peeked out from the blanket as they rested on a small cushioned footrest, and he could see how they were painted a faint pink. An oddly cute color for someone as cold as his superior.

Suzaku watched as the man disappeared behind a door before his green eyes settled on the woman, noticing her pink nose and watery eyes for the first time. A box of tissues sat in her lap, as did the kitten that he had been so busy with. Her eyes fluttered close as she leaned her head into her hand, and he stood as quietly as he could. Soon enough, he became fidgety, and that was when she broke the silence.

"Stop it," she snapped. "You're giving me a headache."

"I'm sorry," he replied immediately, and he genuinely was. She looked to be in terrible shape. No wonder the man had appeared in the office to take her home.

She heaved a sigh, which was interrupted by a sneeze. Hurriedly offering her a tissue, Suzaku watched her apprehensively. Buried in that giant armchair, she looked like a doll. Delicate and made of china. Nothing like the way she was in the office.

"Suzaku, I need you to tell me everything that everyone did and said. _Everything_. Do not leave one thing out. If tomorrow I hear of something that you did not tell me, I will astonish you with the ease in which you can be replaced. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You may begin."

During his recitation, Suzaku very nearly became distracted by… Well, because of the flirting that was happening right in front of him. It wasn't exactly flirting, but there wasn't a better word to describe it. The man – whose name was Lelouch, he eventually learned – came and went, first with a bowl of soup from which came the most mouthwatering fragrance, and then with a hot water bottle for her cold feet, and then another blanket and a wet cloth for her forehead, at which point, she stopped his "performance." Growling at him to leave her alone if he wanted to keep his hand, she glared at him and was about to demand for a continuation, when Lelouch suddenly picked her up.

With wide eyes, Suzaku stood rooted to the spot as the man and woman vanished into a doorway until the man reappeared with a charming, apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry. She's a bit of a…work-a-holic. She really loves _Femme_. It's like her baby. It _is_ her baby. But even mothers need a break from time to time, and now that she's really done it with the flu… You can go home tonight. I'm sure you've had a terribly long day today."

"Oh, um… I don't think I should if C.C.-"

"Leave her to me."

When he remained in his spot, the man smiled.

"I swear on my honor as a peer of her Majesty's court that no harm will befall you if you go home. Go and rest well."

Hesitantly nodding, he thanked the strange man. Muttering that he'd show himself out, Suzaku flew down the swirling staircase. Briefly stopping to bid farewell to the kitten sitting at the foot of the stairs, he left the building as quickly and as quietly as humanly possible. After all, there's nothing quite like the fear that a personal assistant has like the fear they have of suddenly witnessing the forbidden - his superior's personal life.

* * *

"You're an insufferable bastard, Lelouch vi Britannia, and I regret the day I met you."

"Oh, well, now that's a bit harsh, wouldn't you say? I have been your nurse for the entire day, you know."

"Shut up," she sniffled. "I hate you. You've made a fool out of me in front of my own employee. Now how will I face the staff when I go to work tomorrow, now that they know all about how the editor-in-chief was literally thrown onto her bed in the middle of a debriefing?"

Smiling sympathetically, he sat on the edge of the bed and tucked strands of her hair behind her ear.

"Now, now. No need to be caught up in hypothetical situations. Suzaku Kururugi doesn't seem like the type of person to spread rumors. In fact, he seemed sorry to see that you were feeling unwell. Because you are, you know. There's no shame in falling prey to the weaknesses of the human body every once in a while. It happens to the best of us, my love. Your secret is safe with him."

Her eyes flashing with ire, she growled, "But how can you be so sure that-"

"C.C., why is it that you hired someone like him? He doesn't seem like the type to be interested in high fashion. Nor does he look like the journalist type. So why was it that you hired him and rejected hundreds of other far more "suitable" applicants?"

When she couldn't answer, he kissed the top of her head and gently nudged her down onto the bed. Tucking her in, he softly said, "Rest for now. And if the staff of _Femme_ do hear about what happened tonight… Then rest assured your reputation will remain intact."

Perhaps it was because she decided to trust in him, or perhaps she was finally feeling the toll of her fever and the excitement of having the unexpected visitor, but whichever one it was, she closed her eyes and settled in underneath the warmth of the blanket.

"Good night, my love."

"…go away, you insufferable man. And don't stay up too late. Jeremiah always gives me a dirty look whenever he sees that you have dark circles underneath your eyes."

"Yes, of course."

Closing the door behind him, Lelouch smiled. He was still worried by her condition, of course. He always was. She worked herself to the bone for that magazine. It made her happy though, so he was glad that she had something to do that she loved. But all the same, he couldn't help but smile over her hidden message.

_Silly C.C. Don't you know Jeremiah is at home with Mother? Oh, but of course you do. Of course you know, my silly witch._

_My silly, loveable witch._

* * *

**Request: **Could you do a story where C.C. is home sick with Lelouch fretting over her, inspiring equal parts amusement and annoyance in her?

* * *

**Request Complete**


	113. Cook (Pt II)

**Cook**

Part II

* * *

When the news spread of the imperial chef's discharge, the palace staff protested, as if their lives already hadn't been thrown into turmoil. The chef himself made no comment and simply wished his staff the best. They all sent him off in tears, wailing over how unfair it was. First, their queen, and now their chef. Who else would they steal away, they wondered. They had never suspected that the chef would be discharged; he had been so innovative, so polite to everyone, and so talented. He had pleased even her Majesty herself, who was usually so picky when it came to her palate. But to think that he was dismissed! If he didn't survive the transition to a new ruling house, who, then, would?

Lelouch was bitter with disappointment, though he tried his best to comfort himself. The kitchen wasn't all there was to life, as he had been taught by her Majesty. He could easily find work from a duke or a lady, or even set up his own shop if he wished. Though he could hardly picture himself cooking for any other person than the Queen. Which was why he made a three-day's journey four towns over until it wasn't really a town, but more a hamlet. After arriving late at night and collapsing into the straw-stuffed mattress in the tiny bedroom, he woke early the next morning, his body used to the hours before the sun even rose from the past three years of the imperial kitchen.

Gathering his meager belongings, he stiffly walked downstairs, his muscles aching, where he sat down at the pub and ordered a bowl of porridge. It needed salt, and it certainly wasn't good to him, but he ate it all the same. His stomach was in need of nourishment, and though the porridge was hardly nourishing, it was better than nothing. Especially considering the journey he had ahead of him.

After wandering around the small village (or walking up and down the single main street), he slipped into an alleyway for his rendezvous. He was nervous – with the new King, a militaristic regime had been set in, with secret police and new rules instated that prevented such things like secret meetings. He had very little opportunity to be anxious though. Soon enough, a cloaked figure appeared, who handed him a mantle and silently motioned for him to follow.

They travelled, first on foot out of the village and then on horse after turning onto the traveler's way. After half a day's ride, they sharply veered off the dirt path without warning and dove into a thick forest. It was the kind of forest where children were warned not to wander into, where there were rumors of supernatural beings and the stuff of fairy tales. And though he himself wasn't superstitious, Lelouch could feel his skin crawl as they galloped through the undergrowth underneath the thick, impenetrable canopy of leaves and branches overhead.

Just as the tension began to suffocate him, they burst out of the forest and into a clear lake, where a small manor sat nearby. An old water mill creaked as it spun around and around on the opposite side of the lake, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he, his heart fluttering, dismounted. Removing his hood, he slowly walked towards the door of the manor. As he approached it, doubt couldn't help but peck at him. What if it was empty? Where was he supposed to go then? Rather, what would he do himself? He wouldn't be able to cook again. Not if he were besides himself with worry.

But he soon found that there was no need to ask such questions. When he opened the door, Lelouch smiled, the smile crooked with relief. She was sitting on a small chair near a large window, and when he stepped into the airy manor, she turned to him. She had lost weight, and she looked exhausted, but the moment she smiled, her eyes lit up and he was taken all the way back to the first time they had been in the imperial kitchen, just the two of them, in the dead of the night after she had wandered in and asked for a small snack. He fought the urge to rush up to her and hug her, to feel her, to make sure that she were real. Barely getting a grip on himself, he knelt before her. She took his rough hands, grazing over the callouses and scars from his early years as a cook.

"I fear I owe you an apology," she said softly. "For stealing you away from your beloved kitchen. But I couldn't bear the thought of being without you and your pear glacé."

He was glad for the quip. She was okay. He had been worried that she would be sick in the mind, hurt by the betrayal and accusations she had suffered from, and though she probably was, he was glad she still had the heart to jest. She still had a chance then, to recover. She hadn't been completely destroyed. Her smile and laughter could still be restored. And he was glad for that. It would take work and time and patience, but he had plenty of all three, thanks to those complicated recipes and demands that had been put on him. Not to mention how much he had missed her smile and her voice and… Well, and everything else.

"I'm honored to be of service to my queen, no matter what the kitchen looks like," he replied. Tightly squeezing her hands, he cracked a smile. "Though I will admit that I'll miss my spatula. It was a very good spatula. The best one I've ever had, in fact."

"Then perhaps we can find you another one."

"Perhaps."

He rubbed the pad of his thumb over the back of the hand he had sometimes been given the privilege of ghosting his lips against, as a gesture of allegiance and loyalty and respect. And he was loyal to her, and he did respect her, though he had to admit that there was one more emotion added in there, something that had been held in reserve for so long for the right person to come along. And though he wanted to do something more, to go further, to gather her in his arms and to bend down and kiss her, to see what she tasted like, he settled himself for waiting. They were in no condition to further advance their relationship. He had waited this long – he could wait a little more until everything settled down and she was safe. But until then, he would settle for her smile, something he had missed for so long and was so glad to see again.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	114. Hello from the Other Side

**Hello from the Other Side**

* * *

For some inexplicable reason, C.C. looked up from the form she had been filling out. Well, inexplicable wasn't the correct word, she supposed as she met the eyes of a co-worker across the aisle and two cubicles down. Flashing him an amused smile as he quickly jerked his head back to his computer, she studied him for a moment or two before returning to her paperwork, all the while musing over how she had been wrong twice in a row as that co-worker wasn't just _any _co-worker.

He had come to their boring little insurance firm a few months back, and because she had happened to be on a coffee break when he was being shown around, the responsibility of "showing him the ropes" had been promptly dumped into her lap. After the formal introductions, in which she learned that his name was peculiar enough for her to remember on the first try, she had started the half-hearted tour in the small kitchenette. Though it didn't take long for her to finish up, as they weren't many ropes for her to show, her break was over, leaving her with a clueless newbie and a mountain of paperwork and a list of phone calls to make. At the time, she hadn't thought much of the tidy mop of black hair and his equally dark glasses, so she had forced custody onto Milly. Which she later realized meant that she was no longer allowed to be blind to his presence.

Milly, with her inquisitive nature, had managed to find out all about Lelouch by the time lunch rolled around, and of course, with her iron will, had roped him into joining them for lunch. They had sat across from each other on that afternoon, her with her chicken bake, him with his pasta salad, and Milly with her never-ending stream of chatter. She found him rather curious; the way he nodded from time to time as if he were used to being interrogated during his lunch break, how comfortable he was even though it was his first day of work (and in a new city too, according to the all-knowing Milly Ashford). The newly employed were usually a nervous wreck, awkward and socially crippled. And yet, here he was, as cool and as level-headed as if he had worked here for years.

Of course, she had later learned that that first day had been a complete lie and that he had in fact been a nervous wreck, but she couldn't deny that he had impressed her that first lunch – albeit mildly – and that her interest hadn't flagged even as several months passed by. She attributed it to his quirks. He was just so…_strange._

For instance: he was so passive that he could have easily been the poster-child for that one John Smith who always let other people walk all over them, if not for that glint in his eyes that appeared from time to time. Not to mention how she had caught Mr. Go-By-the-Book, the most strait-laced and most starchiest person she had ever met, with his necktie loose and a dimly glowing cigarette between those thin lips that were usually sealed so tight in a disapproving line. And never, ever could she forget the way he always seemed to be staring at her. Which was something she would have seen as creepy and unsettling if it weren't for the way his face would always color whenever she caught him in a rare display of emotion.

Had they met a decade ago, she would have gambled on her assumption and her intrigue for him. She would have asked him if he wanted to go out for a drink after work, where she probably would have drunk too much and smiled too widely before kissing him, which would undoubtedly lead to a change of scenery. But they hadn't met a decade ago; they had met ten months ago, and C.C. wasn't in any particular situation, nor possess any particular inclination, to bed him.

Or so she had thought until he had asked her in the copy room at 10:19AM if she wanted to go to a place he knew for some dinner and she had promptly replied with a casual "okay" as if she had been waiting for him to suggest going out for Italian together. When she realized what she had just done, C.C. struggled to hold everything in until lunchtime. Friday was the one day Lelouch didn't eat with them, as he had "somewhere to be" during that half-hour, so she was safe to vent. Regardless of C.C.'s unique definition of venting.

"He asked you out on a date? And you said yes?"

"…It's not a date," she said firmly, though it sounded more as if she were trying to reassure herself than answer Milly's question. "It's not."

"Have you not told him about… You know?"

"It never came up, so I never talked about it."

They sat in silence for about two beats before Milly asked, "So are you actually going to go or…?"

"I'm not sure."

"Why don't you go? It's been a long time since you've been on a date—"

"Except it's not a date."

"—and it'd do you some good to go out there and get yourself a nice dosage of some adult fun."

She shot her a warning look, and her friend immediately backed down.

"I was just trying to lighten the mood. But I really do think you should go, C.C. You haven't had any fun since Suzaku," she said in an uncharacteristically somber tone. "Don't you think this is a message from the heavens, telling you to go out there and use what God gave you?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Well, I do. And I'm going over to your place tonight, so if I see you on the doorstep before midnight tonight, you'd better have a good explanation as to why you're home and not in the arms of—Oh, hi, Lelouch. Looking for something?"

"I just wanted to drop by for a moment. C.C."

Twisting around and looking over her shoulder, she watched him as he ran a hand through his damp hair. He had gotten a haircut a week ago, one that allowed her to properly see how purple his eyes were, especially now that they were no longer hindered by his glasses.

"I don't think we can leave together, but I'll meet you there?"

"Okay."

"Sorry. Something came up."

"It's fine."

"Then I'll see you at 8."

The moment his shadow vanished from the doorway, Milly mused, "What do you think it is that he does every Friday?"

"Who cares?"

"Aren't you the least bit curious? As far as anyone knows, nobody knows what he does on Friday's."

"And it's going to stay that way because you're not going to ask him what it is that he does," she said. When she saw the astonished look on her friend's face, she raised an eyebrow in question.

"Wow. To think that Cera Corabelle is defending someone. I never thought that this day would come. Congratulations, C.C. When's the wedding?"

She merely stabbed her salad in reply as Milly laughed to herself before moving on to the subject of Rivalz and his latest run-in with authority. She mulled over the rather unusual and unexpected riddle that had been set before her. Lelouch didn't know about Suzaku because… Well, because dead husbands who had been blown to bits by the enemy wasn't exactly a very good conversation starter. Or an appropriate subject in the workplace. Or just anywhere in general. Which was just fine with her. She didn't like the pitying looks, the awkward apologies, or the stilted, obviously-forced conversations after. It suited her just fine to keep people in the dark of her husband.

"…Do you know what you're going to wear tonight?"

"…This?"

"Oh, come on, C.C., you can't be serious. The guy's finally asked you out after nine-and-a-half months of mustering up his courage. At least give him a nice first date. Dress up. Wear a bit more make-up. You know, the whole she-bang."

"No."

"…Poor guy. Poor Lelouch. I feel sorry for the guy – crushing on the coldest woman in all of Pendragon."

But C.C. only ignored her. Milly may be only one of two of her co-workers that she'd bother with paying attention to, but there was no reason to tell her about her going home once the clock struck 5, or the way she had gone home to shower and slip into that silk silver number that had been hiding behind a pair of no-nonsense dress-pants for the past few months. Nor did she have to know about the mascara or the eyeliner or the faint pink lipstick, or even the perfume lingering on her neck. Milly didn't know of the way she had glanced around her apartment, wondering if she should bother with shoving things under the sofa and tables before deciding against it. It wasn't a date, so he wouldn't be coming home with her after. There would be no need to tidy up. She wasn't trying to impress him after all.

* * *

**Request Complete**


	115. Hello from the Other Side (Pt II)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Pt. II

* * *

C.C. hated the company dinners. Everyone always drank too much, and they always ended up acting as if they were close friends, when in reality, they only succeeded in invading her space and turning her indifference for them into dislike. She was always one of the last to arrive and the first to leave, after she had tolerated as much as her patience could. It was never for long, but no one cared. Though she was one of the better-looking employees in their division, she was also a widow, and for that itself, she had a stigma around her that no one would dare toy with; even the hardiest of the fools only gave her a wink once in a blue moon.

She was fine with the isolation. She remembered back when she had only been engaged to Suzaku; even with the ring on her finger, they had had teased her and tried to make her reciprocate the atrocious bumbling they would dub as "flirting." Though the single women went to the dinners with the single goal of hooking up with a co-worker - which just sounded like a terrible idea to begin with - C.C. only attended so as not to be completely made a freak out of. Though she was on the fringes of society, she was at least still a part of it through Milly and Lelouch, and she knew that any more oddities wouldn't be looked over by the majority.

She sat, quietly eating her noodles as she listened to Gino and Rivalz's acapella rendition of the latest teen-sensation. Though Milly was besides her, the social butterfly was cheerfully chatting up those around them, and though she occasionally took a break to strike up conversation with her, she otherwise remained occupied. Lelouch on the other hand was silently grilling the meat, offering a smile from time to time for whoever happened to make eye contact with him, or saving drinks from the odd flying elbow or uproarious fit of laughter. He was too far away for her to make any point in talking to, so she settled for returning his smile when he glanced at her.

A month had passed since they had gone to dinner, and though nothing had happened- as it should have at a dinner between friends - she could still remember the way he had walked her to the car, holding the umbrella for her and his coat protecting her from the cold rain, and the way he had looked at her as they bid their good night's and thanked each other for the nice time that they had both had. She had returned his coat the following day, and things hadn't changed after that night, but she could still remember his faint scent clinging to his coat and his warmth as they hid under the small umbrella.

Not that it was anything significant. They had had dinner because they were friends. She and Milly had dinner together all the time. Nothing changed just because Milly had been replaced with Lelouch, or the fact that he had pulled out her chair for her, or the fact that he had insisted on paying. No, what had happened a month ago was something forgettable, something trivial and to be forgotten. She would, in the coming weeks, of course. She reassured herself that she would. She always did. Lelouch Lamperouge would be no exception.

"Hello, hello, everybody! I'd like to make a toast, if you please!"

She looked up from her half-empty bowl at her superior, who was struggling to his feet. Cheeks rosy with alcohol, he grinned in his drunken stupor as he raised his glass.

"Hello! I hope everyone's having a good time. I know I am!" he slurred with an added wink. C.C. heard a giggle from somewhere behind her, but she didn't bother to see who it was. No doubt some floozy looking to take a shortcut on the corporate ladder. "And so, I, in my happy mood, would like to make a toast to thank all those who are forgotten! Like the janitors! And the receptionists! The teachers, the taxpayers, our clients who are so happy to hand over the funds for parties as wonderful as these, and of course, our soldiers who are risking life and limb so that we may enjoy life to the fullest! Thank you, C.C., for your sacrifice! It will not be forgotten!"

Her stomach turned as all eyes turned to her, and she was reminded of the day they had buried her husband. All of that pity directed towards her… All of the whispering behinds hands, the sorry looks in their eyes, all of the crocodile tears… She knew Milly was looking at her, waiting, ready to stand up in her defense. But Milly also knew how standing up for her would only make things worse, so all remained quiet until she opened her mouth to thank him for his generosity - he was the one signing her paycheck after all - when she heard: "Oh, right! Lamperouge, you're new so you don't know the story! You see, C.C.'s husband here, he was a soldier! Very high-up, you see, very, very smart, and very good at his job. Unfortunately, he was blown to bits a few years ago. Something to do with a terrorist attack or something. But anyhow, they couldn't find enough pieces of him, he'd been blown up so badly, that we literally buried an empty coffin! Can you imagine that! So much money poured into a coffin, only for it to be buried in the ground without a body! It- C.C.? C.C., where are you going? We were just getting to the best part!"

C.C. knew that standing up and leaving would only make people pity her more. But at this point, she didn't care. It may have been a long time for the others, but for her, the wound was still open and raw, and she wouldn't stand for being made a basket-case out of. Her pain would not be used to paint her into one of those pitiful widows.

Blood rushing, she breathed in the cool evening air. Leaning against the cold balcony, she looked out over the night city-scape, watching the twinkling lights of the metropolis. It was unusual, that she would lose her dignity like that. Maybe it was because it had been a long time since someone had mocked her so openly. Maybe it was because a new friend - a friend who hadn't known - was there. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that Suzaku's birthday was approaching quickly. But whichever it was, she didn't really care. After she had cooled down enough, she'd go home. She was long overdue to go home anyway. Sometime between Gino and Rivalz's performance and her boss' speech, she had run out of patience. The "toast" had only made things go from bad to worse.

She looked up at the sound of the door closing, only to find the very last person she wanted to see at the moment. He averted his gaze and stood a few feet away - close enough to put her on edge but far away enough to give her the space she wanted. She stood, unsure of whether she should walk away as planned or stay. He had clearly come outside with something to say. Otherwise why else would he have left the table?

When the silence had passed long enough to turn it from uncomfortable to intolerable, she turned to him to say that he didn't have to say anything to comfort her, when instead, he closed the distance between them and leaned down.


	116. Hello from the Other Side (Pt III)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Part III

* * *

C.C. hugged herself as she impatiently waited for her copies. It was the Monday after the company dinner... That is, the stolen kiss, and though it had been on her mind for the past two days, she still wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It wasn't that it had made her upset; on the contrary, it had made her feel quite...strange. Lightheaded, and giddy with excitement. Not that it had made her feel that way because of the man. What kind of person wouldn't appreciate the intimacy after such an embarrassing incident? The only reason she had been embarrassed, after all, had been because _he_ had been there, but as they had stood there, on that balcony, and she looked up at him, she saw that there was little reason to be embarrassed as he neither seemed to mind nor care about her husband. That is, her _dead_ husband.

Though there weren't many occasions that made her say this, C.C. was glad to have found such an open-minded friend. He didn't pretend to pity her like the others did. He understood that it was a part of her life that she had long since shed, and that the sympathy would only serve as a reminder of that darkened past, and for that, she was grateful. It was rare for people so unfamiliar with her past to draw that conclusion without any help from her, and it was gratifying to see. He was nice. And she was comfortable around him, which earned him extra brownie points; after all, how many people was she comfortable around? Not many, that was for sure.

"C.C.?"

She looked up from the copier at the head that had slipped into the small room.

"Meeting's in five minutes. Don't forget to bring yourself and those copies in four."

She nodded and the interruption left as quickly as it had appeared. Left alone, she quietly stood for some time before brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Maybe they'd sit across from each other again and he'd send her snide comments about their department director to help the meeting go faster. And maybe, if she were lucky, he'd compliment her on her perfume. Not that it really matter who liked her perfume, but maybe if it came from him...

Maybe.

. . .

"Hey."

She looked up from the rows of snacks she had been perusing before answering back with a quiet, "Hey" in return. Though no further words were shared between them, she was acutely aware of his presence as he stood in the next vending machine over. They stood in the break-room together for some time, both either unable to choose what they wanted or disinterested in leaving the sanctuary of the grey room.

"Milly can't eat lunch with us today," he reported in a carefully nonchalant tone. Her eyes still scanning the wide range of chips the vender offered at the price of $1.50, she murmured, "Pity."

"Yes. Yes, it is."

She nearly broke character as she heard the smile straining to be heard in his voice. Lightly jingling the coins in her hand, she finally made her decision and slipped the first coin into the slot when she heard: "Do you want to go out for lunch?"

"Only if you're paying."

She pressed the buttons for the pretzels in the upper right corner of the display window as he silently left the room. Bending down, she reached in for the small bag, when there was a quiet "Don't spoil your appetite" before the door closed a second time.

C.C. smiled down at her pretzels.

What a beautiful golden brown color they were.


	117. Hello from the Other Side (Pt IV)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Part IV

* * *

Shirley gathered up her lunch, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Straightening up, she saw that it was Villetta. Noticing how harried she looked, the young woman brightly smiled and greeted her superior cheerfully.

"Shirley, you're going to go to Lloyd Asplund's office with a copy of a consensual romance agreement."

"N-now?"

"Yes, now. Hurry. They've been waiting."

"Um… What about my lunch?"

"Damn it, Shirley, there's already been talk about downsizing HR, we don't have time for this. One more complaint and we're screwed. Now go!"

With a squeak, Shirley, with flushed cheeks, immediately rushed out of the room. Going to the filing cabinet and pulling out a crisp copy of the notorious "love contract," she made her way to the elevator and up to the 21st floor as soon as possible. Once far enough from her superior, she breathed a sigh of relief and finally relaxed.

It wasn't that she didn't want to do it. She liked helping out, and she was also curious to see who the two parties of the office romance were, but… But on the other hand, she was also hungry. Not that this should take long from what she'd heard. Mr. Asplund would do most of the talking. She would just hand out the forms and listen until either the two people signed the form right then and there or they returned them a few days later.

As she left the elevator and walked down the hall, she earnestly hoped that they would return them a few days later.

She wanted that salad.

Shirley thought that Lelouch Lamperouge was nice. She liked his smile and his cologne, and she liked how polite he was to everyone during the brief time she had arranged and recorded his necessary personal details that corporate needed. One could even say that in the few minutes they had spent together, she had developed a tiny crush, and with every chance meeting, that crush had grown until she was head-over-heels in love with him.

So to say that she was heartbroken when she saw who was sitting in Mr. Asplund's office to sign a contract waiving the right to sue the company over their romantic liaison was a severe understatement.

She was crushed.

"Ah, and here is the representative from HR. Welcome, welcome. We've been waiting for you. I presume you have the paperwork?"

"Y…yes," she mumbled. Handing over the packet of papers, she stared at the man and woman sitting before the desk - Lelouch Lamperouge and… C.C.? Wasn't she the one whose husband had passed away? Was Lelouch aware of that fact? Being a new employee - sure it'd been almost a year since he had started work here, but that was still pretty new compared to some of the employees they had - he may not know. Which…was understandable. It wasn't polite to speak of such matters, and it wasn't exactly a topic that could easily be brought up. But…um…wow. She hadn't known he was interested in the office widow.

"Now, as I've said before, this is just a formality," explained the bespectacled man. "This…"meeting" was called only on the basis of a few rumors and speculations of your fellow employees, so whether the perceived rumor is true or not, I don't know. If it is true, then it's not a formality, but if it's not… Well, at least now you know what your co-workers think of you. Anyhow, looking over this will probably be a good idea. You _are_ giving up a right after all. If you have signed it, then you need to return it to HR as soon as possible."

"Th-this is to protect you too," quickly added Shirley. "From losing your job or anything like that if you happen to break up later on. So it's not just to protect corporate, it's to protect you too when the relationship dissolves later on."

She hadn't meant to assume that it would end, but most office romances terminated, so to speak, within a few months after signing the contract. There was no longer the thrill of a clandestine romance, and so, without the excitement, there was no incentive to pursue the romance as much as they had before. And though she did wish for Lelouch to be happy… She'd have liked it much better if he were happy with her instead of C.C…. Although C.C. was a good person. That wasn't to say that C.C. wasn't a good person, she was nice in her own way. Very quiet and all, but kind of nice. Shirley didn't know. All she did was assume, and while she assumed everyone to be nice, C.C. seemed like a genuinely nice person. Maybe.

Maybe.

"And that's all I wanted to discuss with you. You may go back to work. Or canoodling. Do whatever you please, so long as corporate doesn't find out."

She weakly smiled as the three of them left the office on cue. She didn't know whether the rumor was true or not - she hadn't even been aware of such a rumor - but as she watched them leave, there didn't seem to be anything beyond that of a romantic relationship. But maybe she was wrong. She did work on a completely different floor than them.

Unsure of whether to be sad, she turned to leave for her salad, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, Shirley. And… I'm sorry for interrupting your lunch break."

"Oh! Oh, no, it was nothing. All part of the job."

The moment he smiled, she smiled too and soon after realized that sure, she was hurt, and she did wish that it was her who was signing the paper, but… But as long as he was happy, then everything had turned out for the best. And if it didn't work out… She would always be here. But whichever was the case, so long as he was happy, Shirley was okay with whatever he decided. So she smiled too.


	118. Hello from the Other Side (Pt V)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Pt V

* * *

Though they didn't go on as many dates during the day as they did during the evening - working full-time put certain constraints o one's time and schedule - they still managed to go on a few during the day. Not that their dates were conventional by any means, no matter the time of day. Sometimes they'd go to the laundromat together, or the park, or grocery shopping. A lot of times, it would coincide with whatever errand they had to do. Which was nice, because in a way, they were saving time. Plus doing all of those chores were a lot more fun when they were doing it together.

But they did go on actual dates too - like the conventional ones - so that was nice, like going out for dinner. Once or twice, they stayed in and he slept over. That was always… She liked having to move over from the center of the bed to one of the sides, and waking up next to someone - to him - always put her in a good mood even though she wasn't a morning person.

All in all, C.C. was glad she had said yes to that first date months and months ago in the break room. Because even though their relationship wasn't one that was exactly on fire from all of the heated passion, it made her smile. He made her smile, and she enjoyed being with him. As Milly had once said, he was "good for her."

So one afternoon, after a morning of meandering through the various department stores of the mall, she stepped away from his side and the line for the concession stand in the movie theater to take a call, just before her legs gave out from underneath her and the world went black, her last thought was of him and how he'd react to the news.


	119. Hello from the Other Side (Pt VI)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Pt VI

* * *

He watched from inside the waiting room. It couldn't be much larger than 10 feet in width, and while he would have felt a creeping sense of claustrophobia, he couldn't be bothered by the walls closing in. Standing before the small counter, he poured himself a cup of coffee before blankly looking down into the charcoal depths of the paper cup. Blinking at his warped reflection, he cautiously took a sip, and though he burnt his tongue, he didn't even grimace in reaction. He felt too…numb and confused.

He had taken C.C. – his girlfriend – home immediately after reviving her. She had looked at him as if she didn't recognize him, and for a split second, he believed that she didn't until she whispered his name. And though apprehension was twisting throughout him, he didn't ask any questions and simply carried her to the car and drove her home, where he waited with her until Milly arrived on the doorstep. He had only waited thirty seconds as his girlfriend had asked for her friend, and he had immediately rung her up. And so, even though he was worried and wanted nothing more than to stay with her, Lelouch left her because he knew that he wasn't what she needed. He knew that what she needed was privacy and silence, even from him, and so, he left after nothing but a kiss on he forehead.

It wasn't until later, when Milly finally explained to him what had happened and who had called C.C. upon the request of their mutual companion. And when he finally was aware of everything, he had felt a confusion the magnitude of nothing he had ever experienced before. Because the truth of the matter was that Suzaku Kururugi was returning home after 3 years of being held captive by the enemy.

He found himself before the single window in the small room, and watched as C.C. and Milly stood on the tarmac as the door to the small plane opened. He watched as Milly put her arm around her friend's small shoulders, and he watched as he saw his girlfriend's dead husband come back to life before his eyes. Now his girlfriend's formerly dead husband.

His concentration was so great, he was blind and deaf to anything and everything else outside of that view, so when he heard a soft voice ask if he was a friend of Mrs. Kururugi, he started. With wild eyes, he turned to the young woman smiling at him. When he didn't answer immediately, her smile slightly faded, and the inklings of the truth dawned on her until he abruptly said: "No."

"No, I'm just a friend."


	120. Hello from the Other Side (Pt VII)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Pt VII

* * *

All employees started with the basic 5 sick-day, 3 personal-day, 7-vacation day deal, allowing a total of 11 days where an employee was allowed to take time off. Of course, those 11 days weren't interchangeable, and it was never a good day to spend them all at once, but it seemed that C.C. was determined to spend her allocated 11 all in one go. Determined to spend her allocated 13, that is. Milly had forgotten that she had an extra personal day and an extra vacation day more than she did. She had worked here longer than even she had, after all.

She hid behind a wall of the cubicle at the very end of the row as she spied on her friend. He had been sitting there like that, with a blank expression and an imaginary muzzle around his mouth for the past three days ever since they had come back from the airport that day. Milly hadn't yet visited Suzaku, but she had temporarily moved in with C.C. to help with anything that she needed – for the most part, fulfilling her basic needs after the return of her husband.

But that was only one side of the equation. She wanted to help Lelouch too. Though he hid it well, he occasionally let slip how shell-shocked he was by the news. She could only imagine that pain and confusion that he was suffering through. But what could she say? What were you even supposed to say to someone whose significant other's spouse had come back to life? I'm sorry for your loss?

Well, whatever the proper etiquette was, she was going to talk to him. Sometimes, introverts like C.C. and Lelouch – people who oftentimes internalized all of their thoughts and emotions – needed someone as bombastic as she could be. Even if it was just a distraction, she'd be willing if it would only ease his pain. Straightening up, she moved to strike up a conversation with him, when he suddenly stood up and gathered his belongings. Folding his jacket over his arm and slipping on his messenger bag, he carelessly nudged his chair into his desk and simply…walked out.

Lelouch Lamperouge walked out during the workday without permission and on personal business.

Milly grimaced. She only hoped he wasn't going to do anything dangerous.

. . .

Lieutenant Suzaku Kururugi, he had been told, had been stationed near the frontlines of the war. All had been well – as well as it could be when brushing elbows with the Grim Reaper – until the sweltering afternoon when he and his men had been caught in the midst of an ambush. Sweat stinging his eyes, dust kicked up from the explosions contaminating his lungs, and the sun beating down, he had been hiding from a barrage of machine gun artillery when a planted bomb had gone off. Two of his privates had been killed almost immediately. He himself was left without his right arm to face the fate of a POW.

Presumed dead, the military had offered their sincere regret to inform the lieutenant's wife that he had been killed in action on the frontlines, only for that same military to bring him home to his loving and faithful wife three years later.

He knew he shouldn't go. Her husband was probably suffering immensely, and to go in was detrimental to his recovery. And he knew that it was selfish to, but he wanted to go and see her and see how she was doing. It couldn't be easy for her, and… The fact that she had been with him must be confusing and difficult to deal with. But he wasn't going to hold her, or kiss her, or do anything unless she wanted him to. He just wanted to see how she was. That was all.

All he wanted was to see that she was okay.

. . .

Both were asleep when he slipped inside. She was sitting in a chair next to the bed, her head buried in her arms as she slept. Her husband...also lay, asleep. He looked the same as he did in the picture he had accidentally discovered. The small photo had been hidden within the pages of a book he'd been reading while she had been in the shower, and... He looked the same, if not thinner and more weary.

As he decided he wouldn't, he didn't kiss her, or touch her. Nor did he disturb her sleeping. If he had to guess, he'd say that she hadn't gotten much sleep since the return of her husband, so he left her alone. The only thing he did was drink her in and lay his jacket over her shoulders before quietly leaving so that the only evidence he had ever been there was the jacket draped over her, keeping her warm as she slept, none the wiser until she was woken up by her husband, who asked her their silent visitor was.


	121. Hello from the Other Side (Pt VIII)

**Hello from the Other Side**

Part VIII

* * *

"Who is he?"

She looked up from her coffee at her husband. He talked rarely now, which she understood. Whatever horrifying experiences he must have suffered over there had most likely destroyed him, leaving him little of his formerly cheerful disposition. That wasn't to say that he still didn't treat her well and genially. He had always been a good person. Not just to her, but to everyone he met, and though she could see that he struggled with the occasional fit of anger or panic from that stress he had been put through, he still tried his best to retain some part of his former self. Like now, when he spoke in that soft tone of his.

"Who's who?"

"The owner." He nodded towards the jacket hanging over the back of her chair. She stiffened, unsure of what to say. He must have sensed how uncomfortable the question had made her, as he didn't press her to answer and merely returned to his meal. Averting his eyes, she helped him whenever he fumbled with the silverware, and, when he was finished, went to return the tray to the kitchen. She didn't have to. She could have asked someone else to take it, but she wanted the time alone. She needed the time alone.

C.C. had loved her husband. She still remembered the first time they had met – at a beach party, way back when they had both been younger – and though he wasn't really the type she was usually interested in, there had been something reassuring about his character. He had been friendly and warm and cute. He was one of those cute people. The ones that were easy to forgive because you wanted to forgive them because you knew they hadn't really meant it, they really were a good person.

And by all means, he was. All of his men always said good things about him. All his superiors praised him, and all of her former friends had told her how jealous they were of finding someone as kind as her husband, and for good reason. He always looked after her. He loved her. Anyone would be grateful to have someone like him to call their own.

So why…did she feel this conflicted? How could she? When her husband had returned from that nightmare, when he had held her tightly on the tarmac and wept, how could she feel so…confused? Milly had told her, only seconds before her husband stood on top of those stairs, that she would most likely be confused but that it was okay since… Since a lot of things had changed. Including herself. But that wasn't really an excuse. Not really. Her previous life had been good. It had been a great one. She hadn't had to go to the 9-to-5 job that she did now. She had had lots of friends, and it had been easier to laugh back then. Suzaku had made her laugh lots of times. That was why she had married him. Anyone wouldn't hesitate to have that kind of laugh where all they had to do was while away time however they wanted. All of her co-workers did was dream about that kind of life every chance they got.

She breathed in slowly and released the heavy sigh stored in her heart. She couldn't have both. But maybe she shouldn't have either.

. . .

"Hey, Lelouch. Mind if we have lunch together?"

"No."

"Great."

Milly sat herself down across from him – in C.C.'s usual chair – and opened up her Tupperware. Unwrapping her plastic fork, she cheerfully asked how he was. He replied that he was fine.

"It's been really rainy these days, wouldn't you say?"

Without so much of a glance up from his lunch, he nodded. Milly looked at him; to think that he hadn't even noticed the recent change in the weather. She held back her grimace. The last thing he needed right now was someone as grim as him.

"Any plans for the weekend?"

"No, not really."

"I'm surprised you haven't gone out today. Didn't you always go somewhere during Friday's lunch break?"

"…I did."

"Where'd you always go?"

He looked at her for the first time since C.C.'s absence, and she noticed how his eyes seemed to go through her, almost as if she wasn't there. They seemed pale. Maybe it was just a trick from the fluorescent lights, but whatever the reason was, they looked as if they had lost color. And for the first time, she noticed how dead his eyes seemed, and how…defeated.

"…You don't have to answer," she began, when he quietly said, "I went to the zoo."

If it weren't for the look in his eyes, she'd have thought it was another one of his sarcastic jokes. Lost in unfamiliar territory, Milly slowly nodded, and when lunch ended, merely smiled and said "See you later" as he left.

Milly knew it was none of her business. She was in no way entangled within this mess. But she couldn't help herself. More so after what she saw in his eyes. Because what she saw in his eyes scared her. Because what she saw in his eyes told her that he had resigned himself. Not now. But long before they had gone to the airport. Long before C.C. had gotten that phone call, he had resigned himself. And though it wasn't any of her business, she was determined to get everything straight. Because nobody would. She knew what her two friends were like, and so, she took it upon herself to find out how – and more importantly, _why_ – Lelouch Lamperouge had helped bring his girlfriend's presumably dead husband back to life.


End file.

Code Geass, Romance