Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.

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In a large, white walled room, Suzaku and Anya stood staring at two combatants. Normally they would be aiding their blond friend Gino, but this wasn't the kind of battle where they could stick their swords into an enemy's back and call it a day. No, this was different, more subtle type of savagery. Across Suzakus' shoulders was his cat, Arthur. It yawned.

"Suzaku… are you certain about this? I mean, Gino isn't exactly a-," with a curt movement of his gloved hand, Suzaku cut Anya off.

"Don't worry. I've faced this guy before. He's good, but if anyone can beat him, it's Gino. Just have faith," at the sound of his name, Gino turned around in his chair to stare at the pair. A wide, happy grin sank deep into his handsome face.

"Thanks Suzaku. That means a lot coming from you-,"

A guttural growl demanded attention. Begrudgingly, Gino turned to face a very upset looking Mao. His head was places squarely in both of his hands, as he stared forward intently. In front of them both was a chess board. Mao had opted to play the black side, and Gino the white. The game had just begun, and Gino was to make the first move.

"I can do this with Mr. Horsy, right?" asked Gino, as he held up his Queen's knight, and placed it before her Bishop's pawn. Anya glanced at Suzaku once again.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes,"

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Damn it. Damn it all. This wasn't going as he had planned. Mao clutched his head violently, hoping that somehow he could wake himself from his living dream. He glanced down at the board. A sea of white, flooding straight for his last pieces. How had this idiot done it?

Mao had come into the palace grounds seeking Suzaku. The mind reader had a grudge to bear against the knight for when he had managed to remove his ability speak, and shoot him in the head. Really, Mao should have been killed. Thank god for bandages.

It had been a simple plan. Go in, shoot Kurarugi, eat a light breakfast, and then go back to Australia. But noooo. He had to let himself get into a chess game. But it had seemed so easy! His end of the bet, while unreasonable, was never going to become reality. Suzaku was nowhere near the genius his friend Lelouch was, and when he had opted to let the knight of three play for him, Mao had been certain his victory was assured.

But…

With a bold movement, Gino placed his king over Mao's queen. Mao gaped.

"Is it even possible to capture to offensively capture a queen with a king?" asked Anya in a neutral tone. Gino shrugged, his usual smile still set into his features.

"I dunno. But I did it. That's gotta count for something," Mao's Geass filled eyes flared. For the third time, his power swept over the entire room.

"I hope Suzaku doesn't realize that I'm madly in love with him," came Anya's thoughts.

"I hope Anya doesn't realize that I'm madly in love with her," were Suzaku's thoughts.

"I hope nobody realizes just how tasty Suzaku's leg is ," Arthur.

Finally, Mao centered in on his true target. Gino closed his eyes, and his smile widened as he noticed he was getting special attention.

"Dununununununuh nunununununh batman! Batman! Wait no…. Ginoman! Ginoman! Come on Ginoman, let's do it, because everybody loves Ginoman, Ginoman, GINOMAN!" Mao sighed. Damn it. Suzaku had outsmarted him…

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"Is this checkmate?" asked Gino, a quizzical look on his innocent face. Mao glared at the chess board. How exactly did he end the game with six queens? It didn't make any sense. But then again, very little the knight of three did seemed to make sense. He nodded. Gino clapped his hands excitedly. "Awesome! Suzaku, why didn't you tell me this game was so much fun? I would have started playing it a lot earlier if I had known," Mao groaned.

"So, how did you know that Gino would win Suzaku?" came Anya's passive voice. Absently, she was recording the face of a very saddened Mao.

"The last time I met with Mao he seemed to be able to predict anything anyone would reasonably do. Any intelligent human would have been useless against him. That's when it came to me, that Gino was the only one who could possibly defeat him," Suzaku smiled. Gino stared for a moment, the rusty wheels in his head turning slowly.

"Wait, does that mean that I'm…," Suzaku patted the Blonds' head comfortingly.

"It just means you're special Gino!" Gino stared for a moment, and then shrugged, as the smile returned to his face. He turned to face Mao. Suzaku's smile grew darker.

"You know what this means Mao," he said. The mind reader simply stared, unwilling to acknowledge it. Anya, a slight grin on her face as well, stepped forward.

"Gino is a rather rambunctious man. He has a lot of affection that he needs to get out, and we're tired of helping him do so. That's why you're going to be his playmate from now on," both Anya and Suzaku burst into a fit of laughter. Mao's mouth hang agape, as the true horror of his situation dawned in his mind. Gino's happy face filled his vision. He held up a white king.

"Hey new best buddy. Wanna play again?"

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I've found that shyer authors will apologize for their work. I don't feel I need to apologize, but I will gladly accept criticism. Thank you.