Happily Ever After

A Code Geass Fanfic

by Ongaku no Usagi

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. It belongs to Sunrise, directed by Taniguchi Goro, and written by Ichiro Okouchi. This applies to all following chapters of "Happily Ever After"

Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time

Amid thunderous applause, wild cheering and thousands of happy faces, Suzaku gazed upon the flushed, smiling countenance of his princess. She must have sensed his gaze, or else he was constantly on her mind, for when she glanced over, her eyes caught his and they each grinned, her blushing and lowering her pretty eyelashes.

At last, peace was within their grasp.

There was a sudden hush as that masked man in black, known enigmatically only as "Zero" stepped forward to meet the third Princess of Britannia. To everyone's surprise, during their exchange, the Princess smiled, held out a hand to the infamous man. He hesitated, and then grasped it in his own gloved grip.

And—after that—after the formation of the Special Administrative Zone of Japan with Zero in leadership—there followed no more terrorist attacks, no more persecutions from Britannians to Japanese, now called by their rightful name, no more retaliations.

At last, Suzaku was free to woo the Princess Euphemia, to make the bond between Japan and Britannia evident to the watching world.

The problem was, Suzaku still had very little idea how to woo said fair lady.

Lloyd-san was of very little help. "Ask Euphemia-sama out on a date? Haha, hahahaha. Well, I can give you about a million things not to do..."

Suzaku smiled knowingly. Clearly, still no luck with his blond-haired fiancee, who very delicately, very gracefully, but very firmly, seemed to afront his advances from every side.

Cecile-san sighed as she descended from the platform at which she had been working. "It's simple, really, Suzaku-kun," she said, sending an exasperated look in Lloyd-san's direction. "First, Euphemia-sama obviously already adores you." Suzaku blushed as he looked away, a little at odds with the notion of the beautiful, pristine princess "adoring" a lowly, patricidal teenager like himself.

"Second," she continued, coming close enough to force him to look her in the eye, "You are the son of the former Prime Minister of Japan, not to mention the pilot of Lancelot, and Euphemia-sama's personal knight. Not only are you qualified, you are suitable, by blood, relation and chivalric intent, to unite with her.

"Finally," she placed a hand on his shoulder, "sometimes a girl just wants to have fun, you know?" She winked at him.

He sighed. "How can any girl like her have fun with a soldier—a geeky soldier, nonetheless—like me?"

Whack! Lloyd'-san's hand came down in a mild karate chop on his head.

"Ow..." he said, wincing and covering his head.

"If you don't stop acting emo right now, Kururugi Suzaku, I will send divine punishment again!" He raised his hand again threateningly.

"Okay, okay." Suzaku backed away warily. Cecile-san merely laughed.

"Just try it, Suzaku," she said.

Fortunately for him, Euphemia was, and always had been, the delightfully straight-forward type of pink-haired young lady who knew what she wanted and determined to get it. Quite aristocratically, of course.

"Suzaku," she said to him over ice-cream that evening, "did you know there's a ball at the palace next weekend?"

He was dangling his legs from the height of the roof and dropping random small objects on the heads of dignified persons passing below, who, although astonished, did not lower themselves enough to gawk unceremoniously upwards to find the offender. They just stiffened, muttered under their breath, the gentlemen usually adjusted their hats and the ladies their skirts, and continued.

He grinned. Nobels were always the most fun to pick on. But it was not the straight-laced Suzaku's idea; oh, no, it was all Euphie's scheme, as always. Besides, if they were caught, he could always just claim that he was performing his knightly duties of protecting the princess.

Who just now happened to be dangling her own legs in a very unladylike way, right next to him.

"No, I hadn't heard that," he answered, turning jade-green eyes to meet her own lavender ones. She caught her breath when he looked at her like that, but she quickly controlled herself. After all, it wouldn't do to lose her cool in front of this handsome, serious-eyed young man next to her. Not even when her next shot landed straight in the cocktail glass of a betailed gentleman drinking with a considerably younger woman on the parapet.

She did, however, give a silent high-five to her knight and partner in crime next to her in celebration.

"Yes, and unfortunately, I am required to attend, with or without a date," she said.

"Oh."

"With or without a date," she repeated.

Her knight still incorrigibly dense, she elbowed him hard in the shoulder.

"Ow...why does everyone hate me today...Oh!" Something clicked. "Euphemia-sama, would you give me the honor of allowing me to be your escort to the ball next weekend?"

"Why, I'd be delighted, Knight Kururugi," she said, mocking a curtsy by lifting the edges of her skirt slightly. Then she hit the young lady friend of her previous target on the back of the head with a maraschino cherry.

They heard a soft "Oh!" and then, "Are you alright, my lady?" from the gentleman.

They smothered their giggles, mostly unsuccessfully.