Disclaimer: No own, no sue.
Warning: OOCness and sappiness abound. Beware, I warned you.
A single rose – you are the one
It was a month after their reunion of seven years long separation that Suzaku finally gathered enough courage to give Lelouch a flower. A single rose tied with red ribbon to be exact. Lelouch accepted it with a mirthful snort and an eye roll. He didn't take it seriously, but Suzaku believed it was still worth it since he made Lelouch smile.
-ooo-
Eleven roses – you are my treasured one
He gave another try in the next week. This time, he bought him the small bouquet of roses. He was rewarded with a look of disbelief, a light blush and a small stutter of "idiot". He was flustered, so much was obvious, but there was also a slight smile on Lelouch's lips as he took the flowers from his hand. It really wasn't much but it still counted as an improvement and for Suzaku, that was enough. For now.
-ooo-
Three roses – I love you
Britannian Thanksgiving holiday gave him another chance to buy Lelouch some roses. They were seated along with the others inside the student council room for a simple gifts exchange, which was surprisingly normal compared to the usual parties they had. When it came to his turn, Suzaku merely showed three roses tied with a red ribbon that he hid behind his back and gently placed them in Lelouch's hands. He ignored Shirley's and Nina's blushing face or Kallen's and Rivalz's shocked expressions. He didn't care he would have to deal with Milly's merciless teasing either, for Lelouch was smiling brightly toward him.
-ooo-
Twelve roses – be mine
"Hey."
"... Hey, haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah, things are hectic lately. Can I come in?"
"I suppose congratulation for being knighted is in order, hmm?"
"Thanks, but that's not the reason why I'm here."
"Huh?"
"Here, I want you to have this."
"... More roses? Suzaku, don't you think you already gave me enou—"
"A dozen of roses. I'm sure you know what it means?"
"..."
"Will you be mine, Lelouch?"
-ooo-
Seventy seven roses – I believe it is fate that I met you
If he was to be honest, he would admit this plan was putting a big dent on his wallet. He quickly discarded such thought when he saw Lelouch was coming inside. But seeing Lelouch's face brightened as he greeted him from the living room, surrounded with seven vases full of roses, he believed he made the right choice.
-ooo-
Twenty four roses – you are always on my mind
It's been a year since he last stepped on his own motherland. It's been a year since everything changed. Just last year he thought everything was perfect, and in the next second, it fell apart right before his own eyes, and now... He stopped his train of thoughts, if he dwelled even more on it he would be able to feel the familiar cold fury gripping on his self-restraint again. He needed to focus on Zero's reappearance with a clear head. He needed to keep an eye out on L—
Released a deep sigh, Suzaku turned his eyes to the window and looked around for anything that could help to distract his mind for a while. His eyes roamed on the streets before landing on a batch of roses in front of a florist shop.
If anyone saw the Knight of Seven walked down the hallway in Viceroy's Palace holding a bouquet of flowers, they wouldn't say anything.
-ooo-
Nineteen roses – waiting for you
He had no idea why he bought those flowers. Logic dictated he should just throw them away. After all he had no one to give them to, nor a reason to keep them for himself. Yet as he was only a step away from throwing them to the trash bin, he felt something was stopping him.
In the end he kept all nineteen of them in a vase inside his chamber and gave the other five to Nunally. If Nunally was surprised with the sudden gift she didn't show it. He suspected she already guessed the reason behind the roses as there was a small sad smile adorning her lips as he handed the flowers to her hands.
-ooo-
Twenty two roses – both of us together
It was hard to let go of grudge and hatred that's been held since the past year. Yet they were both in this together now, it was them against the world. He had no other choice aside from trying to let it go so they would be able to work properly this time. Together. The particular word kept on ringing in his head. Together. They are working together now, despite everything that had happened before.
It wasn't until his turn to buy groceries in the third week they were living together that he managed to finally start letting go. Lelouch would tell him it was a bad idea to spend their money on flowers when their finances were getting tight, but Suzaku didn't really care. The witch could cut down her pizzas for all he cared.
-ooo-
Ninety nine roses – I will love you as long as I live
Sometimes, being Knight of Zero meant easier access to everything. He only needed a single phone call to have ninety nine fresh roses delivered straight to the Emperor's chamber. It was quite ironic considering how hard he had to let go of his hatred for Zero and now they were almost back to how it began. Almost. The situation they are in now was just too different to be the same like before. Still, Suzaku refused to let it haunt his steps anymore. He refused to deny himself of what he wanted anymore. If they only had a few months left to live, then he wanted to live it without any more regret.
-ooo-
A hundred roses – I'm totally devoted to you
He knelt in front of his Emperor inside the rose filled chamber. In his hand he clutched the last flower as an offering to his liege, "The hundredth rose, Your Majesty."
For once there was flash of sadness in the Emperor's usually sharp, sinister eyes. "You are offering yourself to a soon-to-be-dead man, Suzaku."
"I did become your Knight, didn't I?"
"That was different."
"Yes," he agreed, "but I also already pledged myself to you long time ago; I just made it known to you now." Suzaku didn't wait for a reply before he placed the flower on Lelouch's hands and wrapped them in his own, "I want you to have it. All my hatred, my love, my heart. Take them all as yours."
And there was nothing else to be said. As Lelouch leaned down to brushed his lips on his forehead, Suzaku felt it was the closest feeling to peace he would ever get.
-ooo-
Thirty three roses - three times reincarnation / announce to the whole world that I love you
Zero Requiem was completed, the years had passed and the world kept on healing.
Yet every year on September 28th a lone figure would stand in front of a grave, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Every year the same person would pry each petal one by one and scatter them around the said grave until only one stem of rose was left. He would trace the engraved name lovingly before placing down the single flower on top of it.
If I can't say I love you anymore, then let these flowers say it in my place.
A/N: The whole idea came when I was browsing the meaning behind the number of roses. I always thought it was only the color that has meanings, lol.
Anyway, you might (or already did) find this story to be jumpy; in my defense I would just say there is a significant time and relation gap between them. And considering on how things turned out, the boys didn't really have much time to romance each other as much as they would have liked.
So it's not my fault.
And I don't do suspiciously specific denial.