Author's Notes: First of all, Happy New Year! It has been quite a while since I last updated. I do apologize. I've been busy with work and with the holiday season, it has been pretty busy. Luckily, I'm on a three day weekend, giving me some time to unwind and get back to it now that the holidays are out of the way.

I wrote this project out of the blue, and it is a Code Geass story involving Lelouch and my OC, Sayuri Kotone. I loved the series and watched all the episodes as a teenager, and I ended up creating Sayuri in the process. However, I never got the chance to really write anything involving her. So, she ended up being on the back burner for eight years until it was announced that a new Code Geass anime was coming. So, it led up to me writing this little piece. Hints of angst and fluff are in this project. Other than that, enjoy! Title is credited to the song of the same name by Rihanna featuring the vocals of Mikky Ekko.

She hugged her knees close to her chest as she allowed herself to relax in the vast, porcelain tub, resting her chin on her knees. The bathroom was filled with steam, giving the area a mystical haze with the humidity of the warmth latching onto her exposed skin. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Sayuri allowed herself to wander off into her thoughts. Emerald eyes gazed absentmindedly at the wall, barren of all feeling and deeply withdrawn from reality. Everything had happened so fast, and she hadn't had much time to recuperate from it all.

The grip she had on her arms from hugging her knees tightened in an attempt to keep herself from shaking, but nothing was stopping the lump forming in her throat, and she moved her head down so that her brow was on her knees. Only then did the tears began to form and flow.

She had been living a lie for the past seven years, hiding her real identity as the Crown Princess of Japan after the assassination of her family by a group out to take over Japan until Britannia declared war and took over Japan, foiling their plan in the process. She had returned to Japan (renamed Area Eleven), posing as a transfer student while trying to look into the whereabouts of her family's assassins. It didn't take too long, for they launched another attack three months after she enrolled at Ashford Academy, and she decided to reveal who she really was when she killed one of them. Unfortunately, she ended up fleeing back to the British Isles as a result, but luckily, forces of the Britannian Army distracted them long enough for her to escape.

Now that she was safe again, she had to brace herself to return to Japan and not only avenge her fallen family, but also take back Japan from the Holy Britannian Empire.

Am I truly ready for this?

When the thought of a certain boy she met at Ashford Academy came to mind, Sayuri felt her heart stop dead in its tracks.

A year her senior and the definition of charming, Lelouch Lamperouge was the guy that every girl fawned over. Even she found herself drawn to him, despite not wanting to get too close to anyone. Yet, as they spent time together, Sayuri found herself falling under his spell. However, she came to realize that it was too good to be true when Haijime, the leader of the assassins revealed a secret about him during their battle: he was a Britannian prince, part of the empire that stole her country despite living in exile. Yet, despite discovering that secret, she couldn't shake off her feelings for him.

I should have listened to my gut. If I had, I wouldn't be feeling so conflicted about loving someone born into the empire that stole my country. What am I supposed to do? I want to resist it, but I can't.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the bathroom door creak; she hadn't bothered to shut the door, having left it slightly cracked, but when her visitor spoke, she froze in place.

"Sayuri?"

Oh God. Just my luck.

When she didn't answer, she heard footsteps heading towards the tub and then the sound of the curtain as it was being pushed open. Despite her gaze averted from him, she could sense his amethyst eyes on her, and even though she was nude before his eyes, she wasn't really caring.

"You're going to catch a cold at this rate. Come on."

She didn't move or respond; she just stayed put curled up in a ball. After ten minutes of waiting, Lelouch let out a slightly irritated sigh and then reached for her, placing one hand on her back and reached under the water to get his arm under her legs. Once he got her leaning against him, he picked her up out of the tub, being careful to not spill water everywhere, and he carried her bare, dripping form to the counter, setting her down and grabbing a nearby towel to dry her off. Once he finished, he wrapped the towel around her, and only then did she snap out of her trance.

"How did you find me, Lelouch?"

"Suzaku."

Of course; leave it to her former betrothed to figure out her whereabouts. He knew her too well even after being separated from her all these years.

"Also, how did you get here?"

When she caught a glimpse of black over his shoulder, Sayuri blinked a few times, and then covered her mouth in shock when she saw that it was a familiar black helmet and cape.

"It can't be…"

"I figured there wasn't any point in hiding this any longer, now that you know who I really am."

She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to fight back the urge to break down.

Damn it, Suzaku. You had to tell him that I know his real identity. The friendship the two of you share is definitely something.

When she opened her eyes, she gasped slightly when she saw how close he was to her, his palms flat on the counter on either side of her. Her hands clenched into fists, crinkling the fabric of the towel covering her.

Shit. I want to resist him, but I can't. This moment is so damn tempting.

"What is it, Sayuri? It's like you're having an internal battle with yourself. I can see it in your eyes."

She gulped, unable to utter an answer, especially when his lips were mere inches away from hers.

As much as I want to be honest with you, I don't know how you would take the fact that I'm trying to resist you and deny my feelings for you.

"Unless you're conflicted about your feelings for me."

Right then and there, it was if time stopped.

"Damn it, Lelouch. It's like you can read my mind."

"I may be a born prince of Britannia, but I despise them as much as you do. All of what Suzaku has told you about me is true. If I didn't feel the way I do, I wouldn't have become Zero."

It was all coming together and making sense as Sayuri remembered everything Suzaku told her when she confronted him and demanded the truth. There was no way that she could deny her feelings; she truly loved Lelouch. Why fight a losing battle?

"Are you still going to deny me?"

Shaking her head, Sayuri touched his face with both hands and leaned forward, sealing her lips against his in a soft, passionate kiss. Lelouch wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to let her go as the kiss lasted for quite some time. When they pulled apart, he pressed his brow against hers.

"I love you, Sayuri."

"I love you too, Lelouch."

He then picked her up off the counter and carried her bridal style to the bedroom. Pulling back the sheet, Lelouch set her down carefully, and she scooted over to make room for him. She watched as he stripped his shirt off, and once the fabric hit the floor, he laid down by her and pulled the sheet over the both of them. Once he was comfortable, she moved close to him so that she could cuddle him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Eventually, they both drifted off into sleep with the warmth of holding each other.

End Notes: Expect more prompts involving this couple in the future. Check back for more updates!