Of Pizza and Ambiguous Relationships

Summary: In which Lelouch engages in a discussion with C.C. about equilateral pizza slices and Suzaku

Random Words: dominion, equilateral, exiled

Disclaimer: We don't own any characters, places or things mentioned in this fic. We don't own anything...we're poor.

Lelouch glared angrily at his usually agreeable accomplice. Between them lay a single box of pizza and a tense atmosphere. He furrowed his eyebrows. He had a whole dominion to worry about, yet everyone insisted on making things difficult for him. Of course, he expected his family's opposition as well as the dissatisfaction of the other world leaders, but never had he expected C.C.'s insurrection as well. The mutinous expression had not left the petite girl-woman's face as she stubbornly held her ground against Lelouch's obvious dissatisfaction. The silence stretched on between them and Lelouch finally cleared his throat. "Suzaku is not going anywhere. He is not distracting me from my duties in any way shape or form. I have no idea where your accusation is coming from, and leave the pizza out of it."

If possible, C.C.'s face got angrier. "Of course he's distracting you. Look at yourself. You spend so much time with him, cooking for heaven's sake, instead of planning how to conquer the rest of the world. And the pizza's the best evidence of his influence on you!" She pointed at the incriminating box angrily. "The pieces aren't perfectly equilateral anymore!!"

Lelouch winced. He had been hoping she wouldn't notice the irregular cuts on the pizza. He had been busy lately. Well, he was always busy, conquering the world takes a lot of work and planning, which takes up his precious time. He was just...busier than usual. In fact, he felt quite wronged. He hadn't even had enough time to spend with his Imperial Consort, erm, Knight of Zero.

If only he didn't have to do all this planning. If only there was someone else he could trust to do the planning for him. If only C.C. was more cooperative. He had no idea why her reaction was so negative. Deciding to make an attempt at placating her, Lelouch offered, "I'll build a new wing in the palace for your Cheese-kun collection." Lelouch's hopes fell when the green-haired girl's expression didn't change. C.C.'s arms remained stubbornly folded across her chest. Every line of her body radiated displeasure.

Lelouch tentatively tried again. "One wing for Cheese-kuns and another as your personal pizza factory?" C.C. eased up slightly but narrowed her eyes and glared. "Only if you cut them into equilateral triangles for me." Lelouch sighed in exasperation. "I can't do that, I won't have enough time for Su—working on ruling my kingdom." The slip-up didn't go unnoticed by C.C. Immediately, her eyes had narrowed and the previous relaxed atmosphere disappeared. "No. That boy is too much of a distraction for you. He needs to be removed from your side. He's not helping you achieve your goals. If you won't exile him, I will!"

Just the thought of Suzaku leaving his dominion forever broke Lelouch's heart into thousands of tiny pieces of glass dipped in acid. He could not bear the thought of being alone again. He could not bear the thought of not having Suzaku by his side again. Lelouch wondered when his best friend had stopped being optional and became essential. But perhaps, Lelouch had always needed Suzaku. His life prior to getting the geass had been quiet and normal, but there had always been this sense of longing. Regardless of how happy he had been with Nunally, there was always a nagging feeling of loss. He had been kept busy when plotting his grand rebellion with the Dark Knights. Sure he was usually too busy to notice, but whenever he had spare time, he had felt so distinctly alone. No one could understand what he was going through, there was no one he could confide in. C.C. wasn't exactly a person to turn to for sympathy and understanding. But now, with all his friends turned against him, Suzaku was the only connection he had to his old life that still accepted and understood him. Suzaku completed him. Like ying and yang, like coffee and coffee cake, like pickles and ice cream...Lelouch frowned slightly. The last analogy was not poetic enough. Sun and moon perhaps? Chicken and egg? He was irritated to discover that despite his brilliant strategic mind, he could not wax poetry. Maybe he should sign up for a class at the local college...

No....that would be beneath him. That would reveal a weakness in the future emperor of the world. Perhaps taking an online course would be better. No one would know it was Lelouch who took the course, after all, he didn't need to get a degree. As half his mind began flipping through a mental catalog of anonymous online poetry courses, the other half attempted to defend himself to C.C.

Finally, he looked her straight in the eye and told her: "He is another me."

C.C. stared at him blankly. Lelouch mentally backtracked. That sounded rather awkward.

C.C. gave him a deadpanned look. "Please don't tell me he's your soulmate or something equally sappy." Lelouch mentally cringed. She knew him too well; that was what he had been about to say. Due to his lack of poetic talent, Lelouch could only stiffly nod. "I can't lose my only friend." C.C.'s look did not change.

"Friend, is it?"

Cringing mentally, Lelouch attempted to look resolutely into C.C's eyes. "Yes, a friend."

C.C. drawled lazily, "Yes, good 'friend' I'm sure. But that doesn't solve the pizza problem at hand here."

"I promise that your pizza slices will be equilateral as long as Suzaku stays," Lelouch declared. "Otherwise, I won't buy you anymore pizza."

C.C. narrowed her eyes shrewdly. "I want a pizza wing and a Cheese-kun gallery in the bargain," she declared.

Lelouch gritted his teeth. "Fine."

For Suzaku, Lelouch was willing to do anything. C.C. blinked once. She had not expected Lelouch to cave in that quickly. She mentally filed this piece of information for future reference. Lelouch understood that the letting C.C. know this weakness would be horrible in the future, but if this keeps Suzaku with him, Lelouch would just have to bear it.

A slight smirk spread slowly over C.C.'s face. "We have a deal."

Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief.

For now, disaster was averted. For now.

Authors' Note:

Well, this is the brainchild of two very tired girls, well, one tired girl (Y) and one occasionally energetic fangirl (H). but yes, written over the course of two, three weeks with me concentrating on all my tests, I'm surprised this didn't turn out quite as bad as I expected...but still very bad. Very aimless and lacking direction...just like me. I am so distracted these days...senioritis FTW! -Y

Y isn't the only one who's extra tired and distracted (stupid AP tests)....H is also infected by senioritis....sigh. Evidently, one of the side effects of this disease is a complete lack of plot....we've tried everything, but the plot bunnies just won't come near us. TT______TT Thus, we had to resort to using a random word generator....after seeing the result tho, I think we should stay away from them for a while.... -H