Seeing You

by Nayunari 'Ayu' Tsuki

With Lelouch dead, Suzaku is near the brink of insanity. With Lelouch in his dreams and Zero bringing him back, Suzaku won't see anything but Lelouch. He's all he sees... Oneshot. LuluSuza. Other pairings implied.

Hey! HarukaSakuke here! See how long this is?! It's 16, 307 words without what I'm typing now! This is proof I haven't been fooling around this whole time! It was also 56 pages on MS word. Actually, I'm typing this part in MS word because I had to space it out here too. It took me 4 hours to space out not anywhere near half of it on the Document Upload Edit thing, so I was like, screw that, I'm doing it in MS. Even then, it took me 45 minutes.

Actually, this isn't the longest fic I've ever seen. There is a TWEWY fic that was 4,000 words longer than this, give or take about a hundred. It was called 'Kokoro Kiseki' and I liked it ^^.

Most of this fic actually came to me in a dream. I'm not lying, it really did! I had to type it out, and it turned into this. I hope you like!

Speech key:

'blah' Lulu speech (one dream)

'blah' Dreams/ dream speech

Rated T for suggestive themes, Suzaku's colorful vocabulary and Lulu, Shirley, and Milly's dirty minds.

CG owned by Sunrise and CLAMP.

Enjoy!

---

"You sure?"

"For the last time, Lelouch, I don't--"

BRIIIIIIIIING!

Suzaku picked up his books and walked out as fast as he could. Unfortunately for him, his seat, along with the person he wanted to get away from, was practically at the door.

"I have a feeling you're not giving me an honest answer."

"I have a feeling you're not going to leave me the hell alone."

"Don't be like that, Suzaku. Do you like me, love me, or hate me?"

Suzaku turned to him, a deep blush present. "None of your business!"

Lelouch smirked. "That definitely rules out hate."

If Suzaku weren't sure it might break a bone, he would have long since punched Lelouch in the jaw. "Lelouch, you're my best friend. Why would I feel anything for you?"

Lelouch shrugged. "Actually, I haven't a clue."

"I'm sure that you don't."

"But you still didn't answer my question."

"DAMN IT, Lelouch! Leave that alone!" Suzaku all but screamed.

"You don't know, do you?" Lelouch asked with interest. Suzaku ran his hand through his hair, but didn't answer.

Lelouch ran his fingers over Suzaku's jaw line, making him cringe visibly. "Do you want help finding the answer?"

Suzaku sighed, a slight chill running through him. "I already know the answer, and--"

"I have ways of making you talk."

Suzaku cringed once again. That was one sentence that never had a good situation follow it.

And Suzaku didn't finish his sentence, either, so his tactician of a best friend had to be a step ahead of him.

A step that put him in a terribly compromising position. The kind that didn't end well because the argument may as well have been one-sided when the victor was already pre-decided.

"Don't let me know any, please."

Lelouch smirked. "I don't have to let you know. I just show you, and you tell me."

Mental note: When Lelouch smirks, evil plan has already formulated.

Which is bad.

Very bad.

Especially when said evil-planner was coming closer to your face in a romantic-but-evil kind of way.

Suzaku snapped out of it before it was too late and slapped his hand away. "That's not the way to do it."

Lelouch shrugged and walked back toward the classroom. "Don't cry to me if you suddenly wish you had."

Suzaku scratched his head and sighed. "Don't cry to me when you find out I never will."

Which probably may turn out to be a lie along the way.

He walked after Lelouch not too long before the classroom was yet again flooded with the students.

---

Class went through swimmingly, thanks to no further distractions from his friend. The other classes followed that same pattern to the point of monotony.

He, of course, had student council duties. As did his friend. They carried on to midnight, and the students were so sleepy, they had all fallen asleep in the council room.

Needlessly to say, the entire council slept soundly until dawn. Suzaku himself was the only one not entirely conscious, meaning he could hear sparse bits of conversation and barely feel his surroundings.

He heard Milly whispering to either Lelouch or Shirley about something, maybe both, that he couldn't place.

He did, however, hear someone talking to him and nearing his face.

That was bad. Very, very, very…well, you get the idea.

Because he knew exactly who would do something like that.

So he opened his eyes.

Not even wanting to take in his expression, he scuttled away in a crab-walking fashion.

"Oh crud, Lulu. I told you to work faster. Just a little more…" Milly groaned.

Lelouch sat up and crossed his arms and legs. "If I had actually wanted to, that had been guaranteed to succeed."

Suzaku tried desperately to get out of the room and leave for his military duties, since today was Sunday and therefore no school, but he got caught.

Shirley grabbed his collar. "Where do you think you're going?"

Suzaku gave her a puppy-dog look. "I really have stuff I should be doing. Please, Shirley?"

Shirley let him go. "All right, you little beggar. You can go do that, and you don't have to come back."

Suzaku hugged her as hard as he could without hurting her. "Thank you so much!"

Suzaku ran out and Shirley looked to Lelouch, who was formulating a plan in his head. "You're going to stalk him, aren't you?"

Lelouch shifted a bit. "It's not so much as stalking as it is following him without his knowing."

"That's stalking, Lulu."

"Well, then. I guess I'm stalking him."

Milly waved as soon as she heard. "Have fun!"

Lelouch nodded and headed towards his room.

---

Suzaku blinked his eyes open to see nothing but white. He was just knocked unconscious not too long ago, and apparently he was blindfolded.

He had a hunch he had been kidnapped, and he hoped this was some kind of game instead of his hunch being right.

But his hunch was right as he learned when he heard footsteps come towards him alongside a dark, mechanical-sounding chuckle.

Suzaku felt a pure feeling of disgust wash over him as he deciphered the voice as none other than his enemy.

"Zero." Suzaku hissed.

"So we finally meet, Suzaku Kururugi," Zero replied, his tone not changing.

"What do you want with me?" Suzaku asked, so far no ill intent in his voice.

"Simple. I want you," he said, removing his mask, "and I shall remove all obstacles to obtain you."

Suzaku blinked, though it went unnoticed. He sounds like… "Lelouch?"

Zero chuckled. "So you saved me the trouble of searching for my main obstacle."

Suzaku growled. "What are you going to do--"

Zero started typing, giving Suzaku the hint that he had a computer around. "He goes to Ashford with you, I'm sure…Ah, yes. Lelouch Lamperouge. Best friend of yours? Or do you love him?"

"What's it matter to you?"

"He needs to know before I kill him."

Suzaku was up to the anger of hatred welling inside him. "DON'T YOU DARE!"

"And what will you do if I dare?"

Suzaku bared his teeth at him while growling. "You won't even know--"

"You two are in the student council together, and takes all of your classes right?"

"How do you--"

Zero started typing again. "Studying the enemy, Suzaku. It is unwise to go into battle without at least knowing something about your enemy. I'm sure even you know that."

Suzaku growled deeply. "Don't you dare hurt him."

"Then I suggest you stay around him for protection."

Suzaku growled as he heard Zero put on his mask once more. "He doesn't need it. If anyone needs protection, it'll be you."

"Oh?"

"So you better stay out of my sight. To humor you, I'll warn him, but don't expect anything else."

"Until then, Kururugi, you should watch your back."

Suzaku's bounds to the pole behind him loosened enough for him to get out as Zero's footsteps faded into the distance.

When he was completely free, he looked around for an exit. Before he gave up finding one, he dropped through the floor and landed outside.

Suzaku sighed. "Now I have to look out for him, even as a precaution."

---

To make up for the lack of one yesterday, the Student Council had a meeting before the first class of the day.

"I think we should plan an event of some kind." Shirley said.

Milly clapped. "I think that's a great idea, Shirley. But what should we do? Lulu?"

Lelouch rested his head in his palm. "I'm not one for planning festivities."

Milly, giving up on Lelouch, hugged Suzaku. "Surely, you have a plan."

Suzaku blushed lightly. "I don't know either. I might not even make it to the party, so I don't think I should even bother."

Lelouch nodded. "I don't plan on making it either. I have a feeling I can't."

Milly sighed and rested her head on Suzaku. "You guys must be doing something together if you both can't make it."

Suzaku's blush turned from a tinge to a full-fledged one. "I know it's just a coincidence, President."

"But we should do something together sometime, right?"

"We walk together to class every morning. What more do you need?"

Milly hugged Suzaku tighter, returning the blush that had long since faded. "You guys are the best of friends! You just HAVE to spend more time playing and less arguing."

Suzaku sweat dropped. "Bad choice of words."

Rivalz, whom had just run in, alerted his fellow council members. "Hey, you guys! Class is starting! You guys better go!"

Shirley and Milly ran out the door hurriedly. Lelouch just sighed. "I'm not running out. Everyone knows that something like that could kill me."

Suzaku shifted. "Um, speaking of that, you should keep yourself protected."

Lelouch chuckled. "Now, Suzaku, you think too fast."

Thankfully, Suzaku had no idea what Lelouch was implying. "I'm saying that you'll get hurt if you don't be careful."

"Why wouldn't I be? I don't want to hurt you."

"Do I even want to know what you've been talking about?"

"Intimacy."

"I'm going to destroy every essence of manhood you have."

"Excuse me?"

"Which isn't much."

"Are you calling me feminine, Suzaku?"

"Pretty much."

Lelouch crossed his arms and looked away. "I am not feminine."

"Then you're female."

"That's even worse."

"Look, you need to keep yourself protected!"

"Who knew you had such a dirty mind?"

Suzaku clenched his fist. "If you don't listen, I'm going to cut you with a really big blade."

Lelouch sighed and closed his eyes, keeping his arms crossed. "All right. Why?"

"Zero's after you."

Lelouch chuckled. "How can Zero get me?"

Suzaku looked exasperated. "Because! Your life just might be on the line."

"Just might?"

"Work with me on this one."

"I'm so scared." Lelouch said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he did.

"I'm staying with you just in case."

Suzaku wasn't worried, but Zero was under-handed. After hearing him without his mask, he thought he sounded like Lelouch, but they both eliminated the possibility of that.

Still, with a threat to his life, Lelouch should at least watch his back.

"You won't have a back to watch if we don't get moving."

Suzaku blinked and snapped out of his thoughts. "I'm coming."

Lelouch smirked and Suzaku glared. "You psycho pervert."

"That may have not been what I was thinking."

Suzaku looked to the side in disbelief. "If I didn't know you well, I might believe that."

Lelouch walked on and beckoned him to come. "Let's go, Suzaku!"

Suzaku rushed after him. "I'm coming…don't say it."

---

"Why does our class have to be so far away?" Lelouch groaned.

Suzaku glared. "Quit your whining."

Lelouch leaned on Suzaku, not slowing him down at all. "Drag me."

"You're being a masochist."

Lelouch wrapped his arms around Suzaku's neck. "Carry me."

"Now you're a sadist."

"Might be."

"I'm not carrying you, Lelouch."

"But I'm going to die."

Suzaku shivered a little. "N-no, you're not."

"I want a kiss, then."

Suzaku glared, but blushed profusely. "Walk on your own."

"Please? It's my dying wish."

Suzaku was going to reply, but before he could, a gunshot rang out and Lelouch fell to the ground.

"Lelouch!" Suzaku yelled.

Lelouch was clutching Suzaku's shoulder with one hand and clutching his wound, which had an abnormal amount of blood spilling from it, with the other. "Suzaku, I'm fine."

Suzaku was trying to keep tears from flowing as he replied. "No, you're not! I've got to take you to the nurse, at least!"

Lelouch just smiled warmly to him. "Suzaku, I do admire that you're worried about me," he said as he cupped his face with both the normal and bloody hand, "But I'm going to be fine."

Suzaku shook as Lelouch neared his head. "L-Lelouch, what are you--"

Just when his lips were just an inch from his forehead, Lelouch's head dropped and his hands went slack.

Suzaku gained a look of pure horror on his face. "Lelouch?! Wake up! Please!"

Lelouch fell to the ground, but other than that, moved not an inch. Suzaku smacked him to wake him. "Lelouch, please! Wake up, say 'ouch' or something perverted, I don't care! Just wake up!"

With the lack of response once again, the image of his father lying dead on the ground with blood around him flashed through his head.

Suzaku clutched his head with both hands and started crying. "You're not dead! You can't be!"

Scared to the core, Suzaku screamed. This caused all the students in the hallway to run out with the teachers following suit.

Shirley ran to the two and calmed Suzaku. "Suzaku, why are you screaming?! What happened to Lulu?!"

Suzaku was shaking and crying, but managed to answer. "Zero k-killed him."

Shirley's arms fell from Suzaku to down by her side. "He's what?"

Suzaku fell to all fours. "I can't believe it. He survived the incident at Shinjuku, but he's gone now just like that."

Shirley couldn't believe it either. "How?"

"Gunshot wound. Whole ton of blood."

Shirley looked down and saw that her legs from the knee down were covered in blood. Startled, she jumped away.

"I must be blind to this. I had no idea I was sitting in it! I don't believe this!"

Suzaku stood and looked down, his bangs covering half his face. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's dead, and we can't do anything about it."

The whole hallway grew silent until Shirley started crying. "No, Lulu! You're not dead! You just can't be! I refuse to believe it!"

Suzaku bent down to pick him up and carry him bridal style out of the school, all the while expecting something to happen. He didn't look up the entire time, not even to Shirley or Lelouch himself.

---

'17-year-old Ashford Academy student Lelouch Lamperouge was killed just two days ago by up-and-coming terrorist Zero. He suffered a gunshot wound and eventually died from blood loss. The only witness was his best friend Suzaku Kururugi. The whole school, especially his closest friends and siblings, is--'

"Enough." Suzaku deadpanned as he clicked off the TV.

True, it had been two days since that horrendous incident, but after being there long before and long after it had happened, he didn't want to hear any more of it.

"It's been two days. I just wish…I just wish we'd known."

This made Suzaku sulk more. He had known. Hell, the killer himself told him to his face. But he didn't take it seriously. And that's why he's beating himself up.

"I know what you mean, Shirley. I'm sure we would have given our own lives for his." Milly mused.

Suzaku, Rivalz, and Nina all nodded slowly. Milly jumped with spirit. "Come on, you guys. If he were here, he wouldn't want us sitting around like we lost our best friend."

Suzaku lowered his head to the table. "It's only because we did."

Milly sweat dropped. "I didn't really mean that literally. But you know him. He'd probably have made one of his cute little snide remarks and snapped us out of it."

"I don't see how that's cute." Suzaku sighed, looking to the side and blushing.

Milly tilted to the side with disappointment. "I kinda guess so, with you usually being the target of said remarks."

Which was mostly true. If there was anything he loved doing, it was teasing him and poking fun at him, both literally and verbally. If he wasn't making some kind of playful pass or perverted comment, that is.

"It was almost like he loved you, though I don't like admitting that," Shirley commented, chuckling a bit.

Suzaku, who had unconsciously began rocking himself in the chair by pushing his leg onto the table, sputtered and fell in his chair.

Milly crossed her arms and smiled warmly, though giving him a sly look. "Like you don't know, Suzaku."

Suzaku grabbed the table with one hand before Rivalz gave his two cents. "Now that you girls mention it, it was kinda obvious when you watched his behavior."

Suzaku fell back down and Milly chuckled. "It's funny we talk about this when he's not around. Suzaku, you could've confessed to him if you wanted to."

Suzaku had sat up in front of the chair only to, once again, fall so hard he flipped the chair back to its upright position after hitting his head.

Shirley chuckled as well. "We know, Suzaku. You wanted to, but couldn't tell him."

Suzaku groaned loudly from his position on the floor. "Why do you do this to me?"

Shirley walked to him and pat his head. "Because we love you, Suzaku!"

Suzaku rolled over, blushed immeasurably, and groaned. "Enough love talk already!"

Everyone could imagine Lelouch being there from the time Milly pepped them up to this point and all his comments too well.

'And you love us too, don't you,' he would have said. It almost feels like he's not gone, the way the situation's going.

'Maybe, maybe not,' Suzaku would have replied playfully. 'Some in a different way than others,' Lelouch would say with a sly look. Then Suzaku would blush and tell him something to stop his behavior.

"Reminiscing is wonderful." Milly said, smiling warmly and fully aware that the same thoughts were channeling through her fellow council members.

"I just hope he's in a better place, if nothing else." Shirley said, smiling with tears filling her eyes.

Suzaku smiled confidently. "I'm sure he is."

---

Suzaku found himself in the same place as a few days ago. 'This is were Zero first brought me.'

"We meet again, Kururugi."

Suzaku glared furiously, which wasn't unnoticed, as he did not have the blindfold. "Zero…"

Zero chuckled darkly as always. "I suppose you'll take me more seriously when I tell you I'm going to do something."

Suzaku glared more intensely but didn't respond. Zero made a light noise, suggesting a smirk. "And I suppose you want to see him again."

Suzaku softened his glare enough to give off a look of interest. Zero nodded and swished his cape. "It sounds like a rather daunting idea that I say I can bring him back for only you to see, but this time, I do not lie."

Suzaku looked disbelieving, but still felt a pang of hope in his heart. "No matter how much of a miracle worker you think you are, even you can't do that."

"I can't, huh? Lelouch, I have Suzaku for you."

Just when Suzaku started to think he and Zero both were crazy, he heard a voice call out. "All right, here I come."

Suzaku had tears running down his face and a surprised look on his face. "L-l…"

Sure enough, he could see Lelouch coming up from inside what looked like a transportation tube and a bridge connecting the opening and the center of the room where the two were standing.

"Lelouch, it's you—wait, this is a trick, isn't it?" Suzaku deadpanned, his once cheery tone dying to one of disbelief.

Zero turned with a swish of his cape and walked to the same tube Lelouch had come from. "That is for you to decide."

As the two passed each other, Lelouch smiled sweetly. "Hi, Suzaku! Did you miss me?"

Suzaku blinked. "Aren't you dead?"

Lelouch twitched in anger. "I missed you too, you bastard."

Suzaku drooped his head. "Ouch, snippy."

Lelouch smirked and mussed his hair when he got close enough. "Love you too."

Suzaku shivered at his touch. "I'm dreaming. I shouldn't have felt you. You should pass right through me."

Lelouch sighed. "You don't change."

Suzaku turned away and pouted. "As opposed to you, who hasn't made a sarcastic or perverted comment yet."

Lelouch smirked. "You want me to?"

Suzaku smiled but sweat dropped. "I can do without."

Lelouch hugged him and smirked when he let go, seeing the small blush and the faint look of bewilderment about him. "Does that prove I'm solid, or do you need more."

"Depends on what you're going to do."

"Something perverted, of course."

"Forget I asked."

"And carry on with it?"

"Absolutely not."

"You're not fun."

"You're not sane."

"Touché."

Suzaku smiled. "Well, none the less, I'm happy to see you."

"I knew it wouldn't kill you to say it."

"Funny you say that, really."

"Goodbye kiss!"

"Hell no."

"But you're never going to see me again."

"Exactly why I don't want one."

Lelouch smirked slyly. "That's a confession, if I've ever heard one."

"You must have never heard one."

"Aww, don't be like that."

"Stop being the way you are, and we'll talk."

"Be that as it may," Lelouch said, crossing his arms and talking about nothing in particular, "I'm giving you a kiss before I leave. Who knows? You might actually see me again after a kiss or two."

"Isn't that like instant gratification?"

"For me, maybe. You, not so much…"

"So you're being selfish."

"If you wanna call it that."

Suzaku glared, but jumped a little when he saw Lelouch near his face just like any other time. "D-don't do it."

Before Lelouch had the chance, the ground shook tremendously for a short while before it stopped. "Time's up," they heard Zero urge.

Lelouch let go and ran to the edge about five feet away from the bridge and smiled. "Sorry, I've got to go back where I came from."

Suzaku started tearing up. "Wait, Lelouch, will we ever see each other again?!"

Lelouch just smiled warmly before the ground under his feet crumbled with the next tremor.

Suzaku, at that moment more than ever, wished his bounds would loosen. "Lelouch!"

Lelouch fell backward slowly, but was as alarmed as Suzaku. "H-help me…I'm…Suzaku!"

Suzaku tried to get free, but only his legs were loose. "Don't leave me!"

Lelouch was scared for what was rest of his life as he fell. Suzaku fell to his knees and was prepared to cry when Zero came through the same transportation tube as earlier.

Zero scoffed. "Fool. Just because I said he could be brought back, it didn't mean he would walk among the living once again."

Suzaku was busy fumbling with his bounds, but he still managed to muster a response. "You didn't tell me all that."

Zero walked to the center of the room with Suzaku. "What do you expect to happen? I'm not God; I can't just bring others back to life."

Suzaku growled. "What do you think you just did?!"

"Just because he was entirely opaque doesn't mean he was alive."

Suzaku glared intensely. "It means just that!"

Zero sighed. "If he wasn't dead before, he is now. The fall from here is pretty far, considering we're at the top of a pillar."

Suzaku turned back to look down and realized he could even see the bottom. 'Only in that sense do I not hope he was alive.'

Zero chuckled despite the situation. "I could make arrangements for you to see him again."

Suzaku leaned forward, trying not to sound or look desperate. "Can you?"

"For a price."

"I knew it was too good to be true."

Zero went back to stand on the bridge. "Become a knight for justice alongside me."

Suzaku scoffed. "You sound like such an idealist."

Zero was moving back away as the bridge drew itself back and him along with it. "Call it what you will, but I want an answer when we meet again."

As Zero drew back slowly, Suzaku's bounds came loose and he ran towards the edge. "Zero!"

He heard one last chuckle as Zero disappeared down the tube into darkness.

Suzaku sighed when he felt the ground shift under him and he dropped down into the darkness like Lelouch had.

As he fell, he became surrounded in a black smoke-like gas that made his consciousness slip away. Finally, as he was falling, he fell asleep.

---

'Is this a dream?' Suzaku pondered, 'or am I dead?'

"It is a dream. You aren't dead, Suzaku," a voice said.

"Lelouch?" Suzaku asked, looking around in the endless darkness.

Just as he thought, Lelouch appeared from in the darkness. "I'm here."

Suzaku crossed his arms. "I have a few questions, then."

"Go on."

"Wasn't it your body we buried?"

"…It was."

"You are dead, right?"

"Sadly, yes, I'm dead, as you so bluntly put it."

"Hey, I don't like saying it, either."

Lelouch didn't speak, so Suzaku took his turn. "So how were you solid when I saw you."

"Go to my grave with Shirley and you'll see."

Suzaku looked puzzled. "What does that have to do with it?"

Lelouch walked away and stepped onto a white hexagonal shape that appeared on the floor. One formed under Suzaku's feet as well, but was much wider.

Lelouch started going up as Suzaku went down. "Goodbye, Suzaku."

Suzaku jumped out of the hole he was going down and ran to Lelouch's pillar. "Lelouch, please don't go! I don't want you to!"

Lelouch would not answer him. He was concentrated on ascending.

Suzaku blushed immensely and started crying. "You can't go, Lelouch! I l--"

"You don't say what you don't mean." Lelouch said sternly.

Suzaku, with a newfound strength, punched the pillar, making Lelouch come down to land on his feet. He wrapped his arms around his neck and glared, even though Lelouch looked taken aback.

"I don't mean it, huh?" Suzaku said, smirking. He didn't give the taller teen a chance to answer. He jerked his head down to his and—

He woke up.

Suzaku groaned when he realized he was back at Ashford and Milly and Shirley were staring down at him pretty closely.

Suzaku jumped and blushed beyond normal means, clutching his chest trying to steady his heartbeat. "What the hell was that?!"

Suzaku didn't know if his speedy heartbeat was from the dream at the end or the girls being so close to his face. When the girls came closer and he practically fell on the floor (he's on his bed in his room), he decided it was the latter.

"Are you ok for real, Suzaku? We found you passed out on the ground, but we managed to get you back here and you been crying and blushing a little since we picked you up."

Suzaku hugged Milly for worrying. "Thank you so much, Milly. You too, Shirley. You guys are sweet, worrying about me."

Milly blushed, smiled embarrassedly, and pried herself away. "Hehe, geez, Suzaku. You keep doing that, I'm going to get really embarrassed."

"Geez, Pres. You'd think you were in love with Suzaku." Shirley huffed, crossing her arms.

Milly blushed and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, no, Shirley! I assure you, I want nothing more than Suzaku to be with the one he loves in an requited sort of way."

"I don't think that's a word," Suzaku interjected.

"Like Lulu was to him," Milly said, actively ignoring him.

"That's more like unrequited on my part." Suzaku sweat dropped.

Milly chuckled cheerily. "Come on, Suzaku, that's more than returned love between you two."

Suzaku sweat dropped heavier. "I didn't love him, but I do miss him terribly."

Milly smiled and pinched Suzaku's cheek, making him blush again. "Ooh, just wait! We'll get a confession out of you yet, Suzaku Kururugi!"

Suzaku hid under his covers and pouted. "No! Mark my words, I'm never going to confess anything about anyone."

Shirley smiled slyly. "Because the one you love isn't around you."

Suzaku glared but blushed to make himself seem less intimidating. "I don't even like him as more than a friend!"

Shirley pointed accusingly. "Ha! You knew what we were talking about! For all you know, I could be talking about Nina or Kallen!"

Suzaku slammed his head down to the bed, the covers flopping down with him. "Damn it, I give up."

Mill chuckled. "Give up all you want. We won't leave you alone until you confess and that's final."

Suzaku sunk lower in his bed. "Damn."

Milly and Shirley, both tired of standing, plopped down on Suzaku's bed; rather, on Suzaku, receiving what sounded like a choking noise.

"As much as I hate being rude, females especially, get off me!!!"

Milly smiled. "No."

"But it's hot under here with all that pressure!"

Shirley grinned. "Suzaku, that's just you blushing hotly and thinking about--"

"Don't you say it!"

"—Lulu under there with you."

"Damn it, Shirley!"

Shirley smiled slyly as she felt Suzaku shift angrily under the two of them. "…Cuddling with him--"

"La, la, la, la, la! I'm not listening to your perverse comments!" Suzaku yelled, resorting to childish ways of ignoring her.

"Unclothed and--"

Suzaku shoved his smallest finger in his ear as far as he could, but he could still hear Shirley. "LA, DAMN IT, LA!"

Shirley smirked at both how vulgar she could be and how uncivilized Suzaku could act just to stop his mind from being crammed with suggestive images. "—other things that might cause a nosebleed and such."

"Do you even KNOW how much you risked both my sanity and innocence to a death down the metaphorical drain?!"

Shirley smirked, entirely proud of herself. "I care more about the readers than I do your sanity."

"Considering the fact they're any to begin--"

"Ah Shirley, I have taught you well!" Milly interjected cheerfully.

"As much as I don't want to say it, you're worse than Shirley!"

Milly blinked. "Then why'd you say it?"

Suzaku laid flat on his bed. "Let's just say my chivalry is starting to lead the path down that drain we talk about earlier."

Milly sighed. "Let's hope not…but, just to be sure, you're cursing because of your newfound lack of kindness?"

Suzaku sat up a little and peeked his head out. "If that's the case, not only is my chivalry completely gone, Lelouch made it start its journey down the aforementioned drain."

Shirley looked confused. "So you're saying you're cursing because Lulu's not here?"

"I'm saying I am because he was."

Milly sighed with content. "Well, if it's even humanly possible for him to come back, I hope you two can form a relationship of love."

"You mean my living hell."

"A girl can dream."

"A girl can also be a high-class pervert."

"Is there really a difference?"

Suzaku sunk back under the cover. "A big enough one."

"It's called being a boy love fangirl."

"Is there really a difference?"

Shirley huffed, tired of being ignored. "Are you two having fun?"

Suzaku lifted Milly by her legs above the new location of his head and set her back down. "If by 'having fun', you mean being subject to mental torture, I'm having the time of my life," Suzaku huffed sarcastically.

"Sarcastic or not, it's positively heartwarming to hear, believe me," Shirley replied, just as sarcastic as her brunette friend.

Suzaku carefully but very unsubtly slipped from the covers ungracefully to do what we would refer to as a 'face-planter'.

Yet another situation they could imagine Lelouch being around for. 'Ouch. Wouldn't want you hurting that flawless face of yours, now would we, Suzaku?'

And Suzaku would quickly retort with 'If you call me beautiful again, I'm kicking you in that flawless face of yours.'

…Yep, the two are just that predictable.

Which was good. And downright hilarious. To anyone but the two themselves, of course. To them, it was sad and funny.

"Nice one, Suzaku! Plus 1500 points!" Milly said, giving two thumbs up above her head.

Shirley joined in. "If that were concrete, he'd probably get 750 for each tooth lying on the ground."

Milly grinned so wide, if she had more thumbs, she'd touch the ceiling with them. "That brings his score to 3000! New record Suzaku!"

"Are you quite finished?" Suzaku said, his voice muffled against the ground.

"Pretty much, yes."

Suzaku stood and sat between the girls. Milly couldn't help but ask the question that came next.

"So, Suzaku, what team are you batting for?"

Suzaku fell right back on the floor. Shirley threw her thumbs up. "Newer record! Plus 1000 more points!"

Suzaku stood and turned to Milly seriously. "The one that won't make you play matchmaker."

Shirley smiled slyly and laid back on his bed. "He's a bencher."

"I most certainly am not attracted to myself!"

"I said bencher, not benchwarmer."

"So you think I like both genders."

"I know you do."

"Since when?!"

"You like Lulu."

"Damn right I do."

"You do?!"

"Hell no, I was being sarcastic!"

Shirley snapped in defeat. "Damn, and I thought I had you."

Milly decided to intervene. "Well, we know very well you like girls."

Suzaku stared at her disbelievingly. "If I don't, someone better inform me that I've had a new bout of homosexuality."

Shirley put up her hand boredly. "If I may, I shall take position as informant."

"Oh, come on! The only guy anyone would ever think I'd like is not even here!"

Milly grinned so innocently, bunny rabbits in a flowery meadow looked like miniature assassins on a war zone. "But you know you like both sides, Suzaku! You can't fault anyone else for thought of your preferences."

Suzaku plopped himself onto the bed and sighed. "I give up. What are we doing today?"

Milly blinked. "What do you mean? It's still the same day as we had that episode with you falling on the floor at everything we said. It's almost midnight."

Suzaku growled and smacked his forehead. "Now my sense of time is messed up."

Milly giggled and Shirley sighed. "Maybe you're just messed up."

"Why?!"

Shirley jumped. "I was just listing that as a possibility."

"Just let me go to sleep."

"Don't wanna."

"Why?!"

Shirley smirked. "Cuz I wanna have fun."

"You pervert."

"NOT that kind of fun!"

Suzaku sweat dropped. "You hung around Lelouch too much."

"Look who's talking."

"True that."

Shirley smacked him in the back of his head. "I'm sure you know what I mean."

"Go corrupt someone else. I need sleep."

Shirley pouted. "If you knew--"

"Force of habit."

"Bad habit."

"He started it."

Milly mussed his hair. "Stop arguing. It's not good for friends to argue."

"Me and Lelouch argued all the time."

Milly sweat dropped. "That was normal."

Suzaku stared at her boredly, making her sweat drop heavier. "What part of our friendship was ever 'normal'?"

"You guys got along well," Shirley interjected.

Suzaku scoffed. "If that was getting along, I never wanna imagine our friendship with us not getting along."

Shirley and Milly sweat dropped. "You have a point."

"Now that that's settled," Suzaku stated as he got under the covers, "I'm going to sleep."

Shirley grabbed his neck. "Hold on, you!"

Suzaku turned and Shirley's hand came off. When she was about to smack him, Milly caught her hand. "Shirley, come on. We should be going. We do have school tomorrow, you know."

Shirley lowered her hand and sighed dejectedly. "Fine. Good night, Suzaku."

"Good bye."

Shirley fumed. "Why you--"

Milly ran out, dragging Shirley with her. "Good night, Suzaku! See you tomorrow."

Before either could say more, Milly shut and locked the door.

Suzaku chuckled to himself. "They really know how to cheer a guy up."

With that, Suzaku went to sleep.

---

Suzaku opened his eyes and blinked. "What day is it?"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "What, are you sleepwalking? It's Saturday."

Suzaku tilted his head to the side. "But it shouldn't be Saturday again. It should be… Thursday."

Lelouch sighed. "Your head's not on straight. But, that's beside the point, I have a question for you."

Suzaku blinked. 'Is this a dream? It has to be. Otherwise, I'd be in Thursday instead of Saturday, and Lelouch wouldn't be here!'

Lelouch smirked and poked Suzaku's face. "You're so cute when you're spaced out."

Suzaku blushed and glared. "Go on with the question."

Lelouch smiled innocently. "Do you like me, love me, or hate me?"

Suzaku blushed and glared more intensely, a vein popping. "Neither."

"You sure?"

"For the last time, Lelouch, I don't--"

BRIIIIIIIIING!

'I just have to repeat everything I did. So far, so good.'

Suzaku repeated his actions until Lelouch started talking to him. "I have a feeling you're not giving me an honest answer."

Suzaku glared. "I have a feeling you're not going to leave me the hell alone."

Lelouch gave him an apologetic look. "Don't be like that, Suzaku. Do you like me, love me, or hate me?"

Suzaku turned to him, blushing and glaring. "None of your business!"

Lelouch smirked knowingly. "That definitely rules out hate."

Suzaku once again resisted the urge to punch him. "Lelouch, you're my best friend. Why would I feel anything for you?"

Lelouch lost his knowing look. "Actually, I haven't a clue."

Suzaku turned away from him. "I'm sure that you don't."

Lelouch put his hands in his pockets and looked away. "But you still didn't answer my question."

Suzaku turned to him again, blushing and glaring. "DAMN IT, Lelouch! Leave that alone!"

Lelouch gave him a look of interest. "You don't know, do you?"

Suzaku was going to tell him he knew, but to avoid further unnecessary prodding, he ran his hand through his hair and ignored him.

When he felt Lelouch's fingers trace his jaw line, he froze. "Do you want help finding the answer?"

Suzaku turned to him and sighed. "I already know the answer and--"

Lelouch smirked. "I have ways of making you talk."

'This is where I get off my lines.' Suzaku thought, freezing when he saw Lelouch coming closer.

"Lelouch, s--"

Lelouch gave him a pleading look. "Please? It's my dying wish."

Suzaku froze completely. 'Those were his last words before he got shot…How…?'

"I miss you…Suzaku…"

Tears fell from the corners of his eyes. "Why'd you leave everyone, then?"

Lelouch dropped his hand and looked him in the eyes. "This isn't my fault, Suzaku. I was killed, and that has to be accepted."

Suzaku shook his head defiantly. "I still don't believe it! That wasn't you we buried! That's it. You came up with some elaborate plan to construct something that looked like you! But you're really still alive, and--"

Lelouch chuckled. "Now why, no, how could I do something like that?"

Suzaku's tears were overflowing and he was shaking as he spoke. "Y-you a-always h-have something up y-your s-s-sleeve."

Lelouch pat his head and smiled at him endearingly. "You're just crazy, Suzaku."

Suzaku shot up in the bed. "No, I'm not crazy!"

"Ok…I just came to check on you." Shirley said, sweat dropping and walking back out the door.

Suzaku sweat dropped heavily. "Uh, wait, I'm sorry! I was dreaming and that's what I was saying!"

Shirley smirked. "What were you dreaming about? Did it have to do with Lulu?"

Suzaku nodded with confirmation. "It did!"

Cue perverted smile from Shirley.

Suzaku waved his hands dismissively. "…But not the way you're thinking it was."

Cue disappearance of perverted smile to be replaced with a childish pout from Shirley.

"I can't wait till the day you proclaim, 'I love Lelouch and I'm no longer afraid to admit it!'!"

Suzaku blinked. 'Am I afraid to admit it to anybody? Am I even afraid to admit it to myself?'

"You don't say what you don't mean."

Suddenly, practically half of Suzaku's face was covered with a deep blush. 'I was really going to say it! I almost said--'

"I was right! You are going to say it one day, aren't you?" Shirley said, crossing her arms and smirking knowingly.

"NO! I never will! Because I don't like him! He was just my best friend and nothing--"

Suzaku froze when Shirley hugged him tightly. "Poor Suzaku."

Suzaku glared falsely. "Don't pity--"

Shirley clutched his shoulders and gave him a sad look. "Lulu's death hit you harder than even the council and his family."

Tears started welling up in his eyes. "I…I had thought the same thing, but I didn't want to seem selfish saying I was so deeply hurt."

Shirley smiled endearingly. "Suzaku, it's ok to admit that. A lot of people care about you too. Those people need to know if you're bothered by something."

"B-but--"

"I'm just saying. If it's important to you, we'll understand."

Suzaku smiled happily. "Shirley, I thank you. I needed to talk, and I guess I needed some talking to as well."

Shirley got up and blushed, smiling and placing her hands behind her. "No problem. Any help you need, just ask. Think of me as the sister you never had."

Suzaku smiled slyly. "Aww, Shirley really is just a big old sap underneath!"

Shirley blushed deeply and pounded his head. "Ooh, you big idiot! You had to ruin it!"

Suzaku chuckled and guarded his head. "Come on, stop it. Let me get ready."

Shirley stopped and calmly placed her hands behind her back. "All right. Me and Madame President will be waiting for you."

Suzaku nodded. "Ok."

Shirley walked out and Suzaku calmly proceeded with getting ready.

---

As he walked to the council room, Suzaku pondered to himself. 'It hit me hard, sure, but I didn't expect anyone, let alone Shirley, to offer a helping hand. Not that I mind.'

When he approached the room, he yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I didn't get enough sleep."

Suzaku opened the door to find the lights on, but no one inside. He sighed. "President—I mean Milly—must not be awake. Otherwise, I'm sure they'd be here."

Deciding this would be a good time to catch up on some sleep, he sat under the table, curled up, and did so.

---

Suzaku yawned as he realized was dreaming again. "Damn it, I'm tired of all these dreams."

"Aw, Lulu, I told you! You should have made haste!" Milly huffed.

Lelouch sighed. "Suzaku, I'm going to ask you. If you were asleep and I kissed you, what would you do?"

Suzaku blushed and glared, pushing himself up and making Lelouch back up. "I'd do something, I know that."

"That's not answering my question," Lelouch sighed, sweat dropping.

"Get off me, and I may answer."

"In that case, I don't want an answer. Besides--"

"Pedophile."

"I thought you were older than me!"

"Sorry, just spouted that out."

Milly sat on Lelouch, bringing them both down to the floor. "Yay!"

Shirley sighed. "It didn't work."

Milly looked at their faces, and saw Suzaku's buried in Lelouch's hair and Lelouch's buried in his neck. "Damn, I thought that worked."

When she stood, they both sat up and rubbed their heads. "Well, well, Madame President swore. What's the world coming to?" Lelouch said boredly.

Suzaku laid back down and tried going back to sleep. 'I wonder if I can have a dream in a dream.'

Milly craftily crawled over and whispered to Lelouch. "Lulu, while he's going back to sleep! Try again, and I have something else you should try."

With that, Lelouch repeated his actions before Suzaku had 'woken up'.

Suzaku opened his eyes lazily and resisted the urge to close them for fear of thought of compliance. "Lelouch, seriously--"

Lelouch gave him a pleading look, making Suzaku's eyes jump open completely. "Please? It's my dying wish."

Suzaku started shaking. "Y-you're not going to die."

Lelouch got close enough so that their noses were touching. "That's what you said before I did."

"Oh my God, Suzaku!"

Suzaku darted up, promptly hitting his head on the table. "What?!"

Milly smiled, practically erasing the fact she just shrieked. "Nothing. I was just wondering how you could sleep so soundly under a table."

Suzaku sighed. He thought something was wrong with him or something. "I'm just gifted, I guess."

Milly poked his face cutely. "What were you dreaming about? Or, if you don't wanna answer that, who was in it?"

Suzaku decided to ask the latter. "You, Shirley, and Lelouch. I was in it too, of course."

Milly tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Why was Lulu--"

"I was dreaming of times when he was…alive."

Milly sat on the floor with her legs on either side beneath and gave him a worrying look. "Suzaku. There's…something I want to say to you, and I don't want you to take offense."

Suzaku confidently put his hands behind his head. "Try me."

"I think you're becoming mentally unstable."

His hands twitched violently behind his head. "You're calling me insane?"

Milly lowered her head in embarrassment. "I knew you'd be offended."

Suzaku dropped his hands and looked to the side. "It's so much as being offended as it's me thinking you're right or not."

Milly sighed. "Well, I say that because it's been 5 days and you're still dreaming about him. You even said you talked to him."

Suzaku jumped. "How do you know--"

Milly chuckled. "You were talking in your sleep that day. You didn't say much. But you said that."

Shirley plopped down, rubbing her side a little when she landed. "Of course Suzaku's crazy!"

Suzaku fell back, this time hurting his foot. "Shirley!"

Shirley crossed her arms and stared intently at Suzaku. "I know you can't help but think about him, but to dream about him all the time? Crazy."

Suzaku sighed. "We were talking about insanity, because if I'm insane, that means I'm past crazy."

Shirley gave a distant look to the ceiling. "Insane, huh?" Then she gave him a serious stare. "Yep, you're there."

Suzaku leaned over to bang his head on the leg of the table. "I'm not crazy. Not yet."

Shirley massaged her temples. Suzaku and Milly each gave her a puzzled look.

Finally, Shirley snapped. "I got it, Suzaku. You're going to tell Lulu he's driven you crazy."

Suzaku gave her a bored look. "Yeah, I'll bet."

Milly waved her finger with knowing. "Beware, Suzaku. Shirley's our little mystical matchmaker. She's usually right about this kind of stuff."

Shirley nodded confidently and looked at him slyly. "And that proclaiming your love to him thing? That's going to happen the same day you have that dream."

Suzaku looked distantly to the ceiling. "Really?" Suzaku then lowered his head and smiled innocently. "I guess I'll just get a dream catcher."

Milly and Shirley both fell forward in a very anime fashion.

Suzaku smiled in triumph and crawled from under the table before he injured himself again.

"Shouldn't we be going to classes, you guys? It is morning after all." Suzaku said, sweat dropping as they were still lying on the floor.

Shirley and Milly darted up quickly, but soon stopped. They would've risen all the way, had it not been for them both hitting their heads on the table hard.

They both rubbed their heads. "Ow, ow, ow…"

Suzaku wanted to laugh, but suppressed it and got up to walk out.

Milly and Shirley soon followed, silently fuming behind Suzaku, whom was hardly suppressing his laughter.

---

Suzaku woke up to the same he'd seen Zero in those times. This time, though, Suzaku had no idea how Zero could've gotten him here.

The all-too-familiar chuckle came as Zero emerged from the darkness.

All the calm drained from Suzaku to quickly become replaced with anger. "You…"

From what Suzaku could, Zero smirked behind his mask. "Happy to see me?"

Suzaku grimaced. "You must be kidding."

Zero chuckled again. "Always the little cynic."

Suzaku glared. "Why wouldn't I be? I could be somewhere else doing something relatively important."

Zero chuckled darker this time. "Ah, but you're not going anywhere. Not until tomorrow night. For, as you say, relatively important reasons."

'Wait,' Suzaku thought, 'that means…I can't get back to classes until Lelouch's anniversary!'

"Why the hell do you want to keep me until Saturday?!" Suzaku growled.

Zero chuckled. "As I stated, it's important. Aside from that, a week before that was the day I k--"

"SHUT UP!" Suzaku screeched.

Zero shook at resisting the urge to laugh maniacally. "Still a little shaken by that, are you? Well, to your delight, he's coming to keep you company until you can leave me."

Suzaku blinked. "Huh?"

Zero chuckled. "At least I know how to pique your interest."

Suzaku glared at him, making Zero chuckle once more. "I'll leave you two to yourselves."

As Zero disappeared once again into the darkness, Lelouch stepped hurriedly out of it with a giant picnic basket.

Suzaku blinked. "What's with the basket?"

Lelouch glared shortly before smiling excitedly. "It's for when you get hungry, stupid!"

Suzaku sweat dropped. "What about you? Will you eat with me?"

Lelouch laughed. "I knew you'd ask me that. That's why this thing is so big. And heavy too," he said, sweat dropping.

Suzaku laughed. "You girl."

Lelouch fumed, a deep blush present. "Hey, don't make fun of me for my lack of physical strength! You just exercise too much."

Suzaku laughed heartily. "You should take pointers from me!"

Lelouch glared, his blush growing. "I wouldn't if I could!"

Suzaku's laugh died down to a light chuckle. "Sorry, you should have taken pointers from me."

Lelouch sifted through the basket. "Yes, yes, whatever. You want any food right now or you're good?"

Suzaku looked around. "I actually would go to sleep if I only knew what time it was."

Lelouch walked over and untied his bounds. "Late enough. Get some rest."

Suzaku exercised his arms and pat Lelouch's head when he had done it enough. "Thanks."

They both sat, Suzaku leaning against the pole and closing his eyes.

Before he could drift off, though, Lelouch laid his head onto his lap. "I wouldn't rest on that pole if I were you."

Suzaku blinked, the action not fully registering. "Why?"

Lelouch smiled innocently. "You could fall off."

Suzaku's color drained from his face. "Um, thank you, Lelouch," he muttered, still scared.

Lelouch pat his head. "No problem."

With that, Suzaku went to sleep.

---

"You won't have a back to watch if we don't get moving."

Suzaku blinked. "Huh?"

Lelouch sighed exasperatedly. "Do you want to be late, Suzaku?"

Suzaku ran his hand through his hair. "I'm dreaming again, damn it!"

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "Well, stop dreaming or whatever. As long as we can leave!"

Suzaku sighed and walked out the door. "Come on, you weakling."

Lelouch blushed. "Hey, just because I tire easily doesn't mean I'm weak."

Suzaku walked ahead of him in the hallway. "What's it mean, then?"

Lelouch looked away and blushed deeper. "It means my stamina depletes quickly."

Suzaku smirked. "Can't lose what you never had."

He saw Lelouch glance behind him before he leaned onto him, pushing him over but not slowing him down. "Drag me, Suzaku."

Suzaku glanced to him, but kept up his pace. "Stop being masochistic."

Lelouch glanced back again then wrapped his arms around Suzaku's neck, pushing him over a bit more. "Then carry me."

Suzaku stepped back over and glared softly. "Now you're just a sadist."

Lelouch smirked. "Maybe."

Suzaku shook his head. "I'm still not carrying you, Lelouch."

Lelouch moved his head closer to Suzaku's. "Then I want a kiss."

Suzaku glared. "No. And no dying wish."

Lelouch looked serious and glanced behind him. Then he smiled sweetly to him. "Fine then. You're going to wish you had. Thank me for protecting you, at least."

Suzaku jumped. "Protecting me? That's why you'd been pushing me?"

Lelouch smiled sweetly once more, this time weaker. "Yes, and I hate you had to dream to realize that."

Suzaku started crying. "Lelouch, I had no idea. So that glancing you did?"

Lelouch nodded weakly. "I saw Zero. He was aiming at you, and I did whatever I could to push you."

Suzaku's eyes widened. "So you took the hit for me…"

Lelouch nodded. "I did."

Suzaku's tears overflowed as he noticed how pale Lelouch was getting. "Damn it! I knew your death was my fault!"

Lelouch pat his head and smiled weakly. "No, it's not your fault. That's why I want something from you."

Suzaku tried calming down. "What, a kiss?"

Lelouch smirked and shook his head. "No. I want you to live."

"Suzaku, time to wake up."

Suzaku sat up and rubbed his eyes, noticing tears were present. "Did I cry?"

Lelouch nodded. "And you were mumbling incoherently."

Suzaku immediately bowed to Lelouch. "I'm sorry, Lelouch. It's my fault."

Lelouch sweat dropped. "What is?"

"Your death. I was told the truth in my dream. You were protecting me. Zero was aiming at me, and you pushed me out of the way."

"Some dream."

"I am serious."

"What makes you think I thought you weren't?"

Suzaku sighed. "Never mind."

Lelouch smiled. "Ok, Suzaku. Shall we eat now?"

Suzaku smiled. "Sure."

Lelouch grabbed him a covered bowl of soba that was surprisingly still mildly warm and a pair of chopsticks.

Before Suzaku had started eating, his phone rang. He looked on the caller ID: 'Shirley'.

Suzaku sighed and picked up the phone. "Yes, Shirley."

Shirley started yelling, making Suzaku take the phone away from his ear. When he put it back, Shirley talked at a less ear-paining level. "I said where the hell are you?! You missed classes and we're at the council room waiting on you!"

Suzaku sighed. "I'll be back tomorrow. I'm with somebody else right now."

Shirley huffed. "Well, before I get angry again, tell me something. Why, when I dialed Lulu's number on accident, it rang? Should it be cancelled or something?"

Suzaku brought the phone down and covered the receiver. "Lelouch, where's your phone?"

Lelouch slurped his last noodle. "In my grave."

Suzaku almost dropped his phone in the soba. "In what now?!"

Lelouch tilted his head to the side. "I didn't say anything."

Suzaku put the phone back to his ear. "I tried thinking about it, and nothing came up. Didn't it get buried," Suzaku stressed, getting Lelouch's attention, "with the rest of his stuff that was on his person?"

Shirley sighed. "I don't know. Who were you just talking to, Suzaku?"

"Lelouch."

Lelouch looked up and blinked, unable to answer with a mouthful of noodles. Suzaku could tell from Shirley's gasp that she almost dropped her phone in surprise.

"Stop lying! Let me hear his voice if you're not lying." Shirley nearly yelled.

Suzaku shoved his phone towards Lelouch's face. "Lelouch, Shirley wants to hear your voice."

Lelouch swallowed his food and smiled. "Hi, Shirley. Sorry it took me a minute, I miraculously was eating."

Shirley screamed and dropped her phone, cutting off her connection.

Suzaku closed his phone and stared at Lelouch. "You had to say so much, Lelouch."

Lelouch finished the liquid. "Call me Lulu, please."

Suzaku blinked. "Really."

Lelouch gave him an obvious stare. "No, not really. You're the only one that never did."

Suzaku smiled. "Aww, but it fits you."

Lelouch glared. "No, it doesn't. It makes me sound female."

Suzaku parted his chopsticks. "Hence my point."

Lelouch sighed exasperatedly. "If this glass weren't made of porcelain, I'd throw it at you."

Suzaku grinned. "You'd miss!"

Lelouch glared intensely. "You're making it harder not to."

Suzaku just started eating, actively ignoring him. Lelouch sweat dropped. "Actually, even if I threw a brick at you, it probably wouldn't stop you from eating."

Suzaku laughed so hard, he almost choked. "That's me, all right!"

"Even if you started bleeding from the forehead?"

"I'd just be eating bloody soba."

"That's sad."

Suzaku laughed again. "That's funny!"

Lelouch crossed his arms. "I never understood your sense of humor."

Suzaku looked around. "What time is it?"

Lelouch smiled. "Evening."

Suzaku froze. "You let me sleep till evening?!"

Lelouch smiled innocently. "I had no idea what time it was. I just heard Shirley say you missed classes and that they were waiting on you."

Suzaku thought back. 'She did say that…Where is my mind?!'

Lelouch smiled. "So yes, it's evening."

Suzaku sighed then gave Lelouch a worried look. "Do you sleep?"

Lelouch nodded. "I can, but I don't have to. I sleep whenever you do."

Suzaku smiled warmly. "It's like you're still alive. Not much has changed in the past week, but we still miss you."

Lelouch smiled happily. "I'm glad. I was almost afraid--"

Suzaku glared. "No one would miss you? And you call me stupid."

Lelouch sighed contentedly. "It is good to know. Forgive me and my stupidity."

Suzaku finished his meal. "Oh well, no harm done. Shirley will probably try to kill me."

"What for?"

"She would probably think I had something like a voice changer."

Lelouch sweat dropped. "Things like that exist?"

"You'd be surprised," Suzaku muffled, peering into his bowl.

"Quite."

Suzaku stacked his bowl in Lelouch's own and sighed. "I'm bored."

"Then lay down."

"Why?"

"To go to sleep, you idiot."

Suzaku pondered. "Wait, isn't he supposed to take me home tonight?"

"He?"

Suzaku looked to the side in malice. "Him."

Lelouch nodded knowingly. "Oh, him."

"I am."

Suzaku glared at the darkness like Zero was the darkness. "Zero."

Lelouch inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, earning a confused look from Suzaku. Zero stepped out and pressed a button, which eventually emitted a fog-like smoke.

Suzaku was about to do the same as Lelouch, but a cloud erupted in his face. Suzaku coughed and passed out shortly after.

Lelouch shook him hard. "Suzaku, you ok?!"

Zero chuckled. "Lelouch, are you ready to finish your last visit with Suzaku before departing?"

Lelouch's worried look was quickly replaced with a cunningly evil smirk. "Whatever you say, Zero."

---

Suzaku looked around then at himself in a mirror that had come from nowhere. "I look…royal. This isn't a dream of what has happened."

"It is not," a voice replied.

He turned behind himself to see a girl with green hair in a giant upper ponytail and amber eyes wearing a black mesh dress, a pair of crystal earrings, and a red bonnet looking at him.

"Suzaku Kururugi," she deadpanned, "have you fully prepared? He is waiting to attend with you."

Suzaku blinked and took a good look at himself. He was wearing a white suit with a cape with a blue outside and yellow prints and a purple inside. "I look like a knight…" he muttered to himself.

"Excuse me?" she deadpanned once again, making Suzaku think that her monotone was natural.

"Attend what with who?" Suzaku asked, dumbfounded.

The girl smirked. "Ah, he told me that you have bouts of forgetfulness, so I shall tell you. You are attending the royal ball with Master Lelouch. I hear there will be dancing and dining, as well as active conversing."

Suzaku blinked. "You hear? Aren't you going?"

The girl smirked again. "I actually don't plan on going. But I will if you grant me the honor."

Suzaku blinked more. "Why me? What about your master?"

The girl blushed. "I am afraid to ask him. Besides, even if he had said no, you could still say yes and I could go. Of course, I'm ready now, so I can partake."

Suzaku wanted to ask why, but he didn't want to bother in order to avoid more confusion. "You may go, and tell your master in these exact words: I'm ready as I'll ever be, Lulu."

The girl bowed. "Yes, Lord Suzaku."

As she walked away, he stopped her. "Wait, what is your name?"

She smiled. "It's C.C."

Suzaku smiled but quickly composed himself. "Very well. Please relay my message, if you will."

C.C. nodded and walked off.

Suzaku almost giggled and twirled. "I'm like royalty! I love this dream. The only weird thing is that I'm taking Lelouch on a date."

After realizing what he said, he promptly fell over and blushed.

---

Lelouch was pacing back and forth one minute and tapping his foot impatiently the next. "You are such an idiot."

"And you, a nag," C.C. replied immediately.

Lelouch flattened his white cape and looked to C.C. "Is he ready or not?"

"His exact words were 'I'm ready as I'll ever be, Lulu.' He asked for me to repeat that, and he also allowed my participation."

Lelouch blushed and plopped down. "I specifically asked him not to call me that. It's enough that those blasted girls call me that."

C.C. looked away, feeling a sense of 'biting the hand that feeds you' coming onto her. "Shall I scold him for you?"

Lelouch sighed. "No, but thank you. Why didn't you ask me if you could attend?"

C.C. closed her eyes. "I felt it would ruin your date."

Lelouch blushed deeply. "C.C., it's not a date. It is simply a ball that we are attending together."

C.C. smirked teasingly. "As I said, a date. Admit it, you love him, Master Lelouch."

Lelouch blushed profoundly. "I do no such thing, C.C. Stop overreacting."

C.C. smirked. "Well, shall I bring him? He looks rather striking, and I'm sure you'd agree."

Lelouch stood and walked out. "I'll look for myself to prove…wait, forget I said that."

C.C. chuckled softly and followed.

---

Suzaku smiled happily and looked into the hallway. "This is some dream! And I like it!"

When he looked into the hallway again, he could see Lelouch looking down and stomping in his direction.

Suzaku smirked. "He must want to see me. Or not, the way he looks."

He hid behind the door and Lelouch eventually stomped in. "Suzaku! Where are you? C.C., you better not have been lying to me about Suzaku."

Suzaku then decided it was the right time to jump out. "How do I look?"

Lelouch blushed deeply and stepped back, his eyes widening. "Suzaku…"

Suzaku raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I guess I'm worthy of taking you on a date. That IS a blush I see, right?"

Lelouch stopped blushing immediately and glared. "It's not a date. It's just a formal gathering the two of us are attending together."

'So this is how Lelouch would act if I were as straightforward with him as he is with me. I see where he gets it, this is fun.' "Hence, a date."

Lelouch, unable to take much more, promptly turned away and stormed off as fast as he had come.

C.C. smirked. "I think you look stunning, personally."

Suzaku smirked as Lelouch's stomp became distant. "I think Lelouch thinks so too, on more literal terms."

C.C. chuckled softly. "I think he may love you, Suzaku. What would you think if he did?"

Suzaku shrugged. "I don't know. I just suppose I'll have to find out myself."

C.C. nodded. "Very well. Since you have had another bout of forgetfulness, I shall take you to the ballroom."

---

Lelouch sighed and swished his wine in his glass. His light brunette companion sighed along with him. "Come on, Lelouch. It's not all that bad."

Lelouch glared. "Rolo, it is that bad. I blushed in front of him, and not just a little. No, my blush covered a good half of my face."

Rolo sweat dropped. "It's not like he'll hate you for that. After all--"

Lelouch interjected. "Before you say it, I asked him to come with me."

Rolo sighed. "Lelouch, there is a bright side. He's still coming."

"I don't know, Rolo," Lelouch said sadly, staring into the last dab of wine in his glass, "it might be like the wedding thing when you see your wife before you're on the aisle and there's bad fortune."

Rolo chuckled and smiled innocently. "If anyone would be the wife, it'd be you. I can just see you, long hair, black wedding dress, walking to Suzaku as the--"

Lelouch blushed immeasurably. "R-Rolo! Don't speak so much nonsense!"

Rolo chuckled sweetly. "Aww, big brother is embarrassed."

Lelouch covered his face. He had done it again! He blushed at the implication of a relationship between him and Suzaku.

"Yes, you did it again, Lelouch," Rolo said, as if reading his mind.

Lelouch slammed his head to the table as he heard a familiar voice. "Blame it on a bout of forgetfulness if you want, I don't know you…Gino, was it?"

Lelouch sunk lower and pulled his cape up so his head could not be seen. "Rolo, whatever you do--"

"Gino! We're over here!" Rolo called out, waving.

Lelouch was starting to reconsider as he felt a hand on his back. "Lulu, my man! Good luck on your date with Suzaku here!"

"Gino, you don't know how to be civilized a day in your life do you?" Lelouch mumbled.

Gino grinned his usual grin. "Please! Civilized is my middle name!"

Lelouch rose and placed his cape in the correct position. "Which is exactly why you don't have a middle name at all."

Interrupting their one-sided quarrel, Suzaku rested his head on Lelouch's shoulder. "You had rushed out so fast, Lelouch, I hadn't gotten a good look at you. But you really look rather stunning."

Lelouch slammed his head back on the table, his entire face red. Gino nudged his elbow in Suzaku's ribs. "You really know how to make the guy steam."

Suzaku chuckled. "I don't know about that."

Gino smirked. "But he might die from blushing. That or popping too many blood vessels."

Suzaku stifled a laugh and Rolo nodded. "If he's not blushing about you, he's usually angry."

Lelouch gripped his glass enough to crack it and Rolo pointed to him. "My point was just proven."

Gino mussed Rolo's hair. "You should go find your companion. I think Suzaku and Lulu here have something to talk about."

Rolo stood and nodded. "You're right. I just hope she's here now."

Gino and Rolo walked off into the crowd and Suzaku sat down. "You okay, Lelouch?"

Lelouch covered his head completely with his cape, to which Suzaku sweat dropped. "I take that as a no."

Lelouch growled disappointedly, but other than that, made no attempt to speak to Suzaku. Suzaku sighed and pat where he presumed his head was. "Lelouch, I want to know what's bothering you."

"Leave me be, Suzaku," came Lelouch's muffled voice.

Suzaku yanked his cape off, making Lelouch jump at the loss. "Did I do something wrong?"

Lelouch clutched his head with both hands to serve for the loss of his cape. "You complimented me."

Suzaku blinked. "I'm sorry?"

Lelouch sat up and looked down, his blush not fully vanished. "Nothing."

Suzaku stood and put out his hand, making Lelouch blush deeply and stare with widened eyes. "Would you like to accompany me outside?"

Lelouch glared and stood on his own, his blush not going down one bit. "I can stand very fine on my own, thank you."

Suzaku sighed and rest his hand at his side. "Sorry, Lelouch. I'll lead the way."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "How do you know the way? C.C. told me that had another bout of forgetfulness."

Suzaku smiled to him innocently. "My changing room is this way. Surely you knew that, right, Lulu?"

Lelouch walked past him, his blush at its peak. "Don't call me Lulu, you imbecile."

Suzaku chuckled and ran alongside him. "It suits your feminine charms."

Lelouch almost blushed more. "I-I am not feminine!"

Suzaku caressed his cheek with the back of his hand and smiled gingerly, as not to give off the wrong impression. "But it adds to the good looks you already possess."

Lelouch, after Suzaku lowered his hand, ducked his head completely (or rather, pulled it over) in his cape, his face as dark red as it could get.

Suzaku smiled warmly to him, though he couldn't see it. 'Lelouch is so cute when he does stuff like that. I love when he does that.'

They had gotten to the door, and Suzaku opened it for Lelouch to walk through. "You first."

Lelouch took the cape to below his eyes and went out swiftly, Suzaku following and closing the door behind himself.

---

'Strange. He's been wobbling since we walked out,' Suzaku thought to himself.

"Lelouch, you okay?"

Lelouch blushed and turned away. "Just a little lightheaded."

Suzaku pondered then came up with a reason. "You drank the wine they had, didn't you?"

Lelouch sighed. "If that were the reason, I would've…" Before he could finish, he passed out on Suzaku's shoulder.

Suzaku blinked. "Lelouch? You ok?"

A lighter version of Lelouch's voice came. "Nope. Otherwise we wouldn't be here, Suzaku."

Suzaku looked up at the flagpole to see Lelouch, in a pink sailor suit with a purple neckerchief, swinging from it.

Suzaku did a double take, looked at the Lelouch lying on his shoulder, then back up. "Frankly, I don't think I know what's going on anymore."

Next, a deeper and more confident version of his voice came. "You wouldn't."

Suzaku looked in the doorway to see Lelouch, in a standard head honcho outfit with shades that came below his eyes and a toothpick in his mouth, looking at him.

Suzaku now did a triple take between the 'head honcho' Lelouch, the 'sweet little sailor' Lelouch, and the normal one. "What the hell?!"

'Sweet little sailor' Lelouch smiled innocently. "You shouldn't use such language. Stuff like that would get you killed."

Mental note: 'Sweet little sailor' Lelouch isn't all that sweet on the inside…and may be a little homicidal if irritated enough.

Suzaku made sure to remember that. "I don't want to know by who. Why are you—actually more importantly, what are you?"

'Sweet little sailor' Lelouch smiled. "I'm Lelouch's nicer half. I'm the side that knows how to charm and keep myself composed should there be a comeback. However, I can make my speech laced with deeper meaning--"

Deeper meaning most likely meaning killer intent,

"—and seem like a total cynic even with my endearing smile on my face. I'm also pretty nonchalant, and therefore care little about your verbal ministration."

Suzaku's eye twitched ever so slightly. "Ministration?"

The 'head honcho' Lelouch took off his shades and spoke. "I'm Lelouch's, so to speak, lesser half. I couldn't care less about a lot of things, I won't hesitate to badmouth you, and I generally keep to myself. However, anything you say about me on good terms, like compliments, will get to me."

'So that's the side that keeps him blushing at me,' Suzaku noted.

'Sweet little sailor' Lelouch let a feral grin grace his features. "So basically, he's a sucker for love!"

'Head honcho' Lelouch blushed lightly. "I am not."

Yep, Suzaku's dream has effectively gotten weirder.

"Why are you here?" Suzaku asked.

"Lelouch loves you!" 'Sweet little sailor' Lelouch blurted.

With that comment, they quickly disappeared into Lelouch's consciousness. In turn, Lelouch's eyes popped open, a blush clearly on his face.

"What did they say?!" Lelouch yelled.

Suzaku smiled innocently. "You love me."

Lelouch promptly turned red enough to rival the color itself. "I'm not in love with you, and I do not love you either!"

Suzaku cupped his face in his hands and smiled warmly. "You don't have to lie if you do. I don't mind."

With that, Lelouch fainted.

--Or wished he had. "W-why not? If I did, you should be disgusted. I-it's unthinkable that--"

Suzaku smiled very cutely. "If you did, there could be a possibility I liked you back."

And with that, Lelouch really DID faint. And immediately fell to the pavement.

Suzaku sweat dropped. "Ouch, that's going to leave a mark."

Suzaku picked him up and carried him bridal-style into the hallway.

Suzaku smiled at how serene Lelouch looked passed out.

---

C.C. walked the hallway in hopes she'd find Lelouch and Suzaku. "They should be getting well acquainted about now."

C.C. made the decision to venture into Suzaku's changing room. "I presume they are there getting very well acquainted."

Lelouch always did want to scold C.C. for having the mind of a perverted fangirl at times, but he couldn't find in his heart to get around to it.

C.C.'s assumptions were only partially correct. She saw Suzaku and Lelouch through the crack in the door, but Suzaku was blushing lightly and Lelouch was making strange noises, making C.C. think the worst (in their case).

Not willing to believe they were doing what she was thinking, she pushed the door abruptly, effectively hitting Lelouch in the head.

Suzaku stood up and closed the fan, sweat dropping at the two of them. "Well, C.C., I think you just made him worse."

"Oi," Lelouch moaned, making C.C. blush just a bit.

"He's been having an abnormally high temperature since our little incident, which shall go without further mentioning, and I've been fanning him and monitoring his temperature since," Suzaku said, sighing.

"You tried ice?" two males voice came.

"Gino? And who are you?" Suzaku asked.

The white haired man with the headphones grinned widely. "My name is Mao! And C.C. is my date for the evening!"

Suzaku nodded and crouched, fanning Lelouch again. "Nice to meet you, Mao. Again, I presume. Forgive my 'forgetfulness', as the two so bluntly put it."

Mao nodded understandingly. "Ah, I see. You must be an amnesiac."

Suzaku blinked. 'I don't have amnesia. My dreams just keep changing and things along with people I don't know pop up.'

Gino looked at him disbelievingly. "I doubt amnesia is really a good term for it."

C.C. interjected, a slightly peeved aura about her. "While you two were talking about ice, did you actually have the common courtesy to actually bring some?"

The two men both raised the hands that concealed two very large ice bags. "Way ahead of you."

C.C. almost raised an eyebrow. "Why two?"

Mao grinned again. "Because our dear Lulu is making so much noise from his condition, one bag will be a giant bag of water in no time."

C.C. nodded in agreement. "Well?"

Mao widened the door completely, rolling Lelouch over on his face then back on his back the next.

"Cause him some more trauma there, why don't you, Mao?" Gino deadpanned, sounding slightly sarcastic.

Mao pouted. "Excuse me for trying to be gentlemanly. I was allowing C.C. to go ahead."

C.C. sighed, snatched the bag from Mao, and placed it on Lelouch's head. "I just wish you'd stop your whining."

C.C. surprisingly was alarmed at the rate that the icepack was flattening. Suzaku took out another fan and C.C. took out one and fanned him with it. That being done, the ice melted at a not-all-that-scary rate.

If settling down would keep that same rate, the two would have wiped their brows and sighed with relief. But since that wasn't the case, they just kept fanning, Lelouch's unkempt look slightly changing but not settling.

Suzaku sighed. "If you really want to know, I've been doing this for only about 10 minutes. He fainted from blushing or some other similar reason and hasn't done more than moan and groan in discomfort since."

"Has he opened his eyes at all?" Mao inquired.

Gino leaned on his head and gave him a blunt look. "Um, hello, Captain Obvious, no."

Mao simply pouted and Gino left the room for some unknown reason. C.C. grabbed a second fan and replaced the icepack with the second.

"I wonder why he left. C.C., dear, we are missing our date!" Mao whined.

C.C. glared. "So are the two of them, and I don't think Gino had one to begin with. So don't be selfish or I shall relinquish any further time you planned on spending with me."

Mao quickly shut his mouth as Gino returned with an iron pail full of water. Suzaku sweat dropped. "Gino, I don't think what you're thinking is a good idea. You'll wet up the floor."

Gino plopped down on the floor next to Lelouch, sloshing the water in the bucket enough to spill some droplets. "Not the way I do it!"

Gino pulled Lelouch up by his chin and dropped his head in the bucket of water.

"And now we wait," Gino nodded, confident in himself. Mao and C.C. both looked worried and Suzaku glared lightly.

"Gino, kindness aside, if Lelouch drowns in a bucket of water, you're going to need medical attention," Suzaku said calmly.

Gino waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it." With that, Gino clutched a handful of Lelouch's hair and pulled him up.

When everyone looked at his face, Lelouch was sending Gino the 'if-looks-could-kill-you'd-have-died-a-thousand-times-over' glare.

Gino smiled like everyone else was to blame. "Lulu, you're awake!" Lelouch glared intensely enough to see fire in his eyes.

Suzaku and C.C. hugged him tightly, a chipper expression on their faces, to which Lelouch blushed a burgundy color. "We're so glad you're alive and well, Master Lelouch!" C.C. said, her tone cheery.

Suzaku nodded in agreement. "You looked like you were in a bad condition, but you made it out all right."

Lelouch freed his arms, attempting to pry them off. "A-All right, you two! Please just stop all the love!"

C.C. and Suzaku let go, leaving Lelouch to steam. Meanwhile, Gino just decided to make the situation worse. "Well, Lulu, if it weren't for all of us, you might still be unconscious, so I think you should absorb all the love they give you."

Lelouch glared yet again. "You almost killed me the rest of the way, so you can't take any credit for help."

C.C. pat his head lovingly. "Gino, Mao, I think we should leave. Suzaku and Lelouch need to talk alone."

'Leave it to C.C. to find a way to leave Suzaku and I alone,' Lelouch thought and sighed. Then, after realizing the entire situation, did a double take. 'Wait, WHAT?!'

By the time he had come back to the real world, he had run into a closed door. He slid down dejectedly. 'Alone…I don't like being alone with ANYONE, forget Suzaku.'

"Lelouch, does it bother you being in here with me?" Suzaku asked politely.

Lelouch turned his head very slowly, a scared look on his face. Then he saw it. That damned beautiful smile.

Suzaku smiled a little wider. "Don't worry, Lelouch. All we're doing is talking, right?"

Lelouch's translation: "You have every right to worry, Lelouch. I just want you for my own."

Silly Lulu. Suzaku is not evil, and his ideas are never of bad intent. That's just his imagination.

Then again, in Lelouch's imagination, Suzaku's the (albeit very good-looking) devil's reincarnate.

"I don't really feel like talking, Suzaku. I'd rather go," Lelouch said, still scared and pointing at the door.

Suzaku nodded understandingly. "Understandable. I could let you out."

Lelouch's translation: "And? Doesn't mean I want you out."

Lelouch nodded slowly. "Please do."

Suzaku sweat dropped. "I could, but I'd have to find the key, which they probably took."

No translation for that. Lelouch, judging by the color draining from his face at this very moment, believed what he said.

'NO! I want to leave! Let me out or my innocence won't remain intact!' Lelouch screamed in his head.

And at that point, Lelouch truly believed he was legally insane.

Lelouch tried his last resort. "C.C., if you don't let me out, I'll fire you."

C.C. chuckled behind the door, giving them the hint she's been there the whole time. "You can't fire me. You never hired me. I'm your indentured servant for what your family did for mine, remember?"

Note: Lelouch did not think of the obvious or rational when desperate.

Something even Suzaku himself found surprisingly funny. Lelouch slumped at the door in defeat. "Damn it, now I'm stuck with Suzaku."

Suzaku didn't know whether to take offense or laugh.

Lelouch turned to Suzaku and sighed, reluctantly crawling over. "Suzaku, what do we do? We have to get--"

"Want this?" C.C. said mockingly, sticking the key under the door. Lelouch, proud of his long reach, reached over to the key, missing anyway as C.C. yanked the key back.

Second note: Lelouch was also very slow in desperation.

Now that was hilarious.

Suzaku had an idea, and decided to voice it. "Lulu, come here," Suzaku whispered low enough for C.C. not to hear.

Lelouch crawled over, though reluctantly after being called the name he loathed so, and listened. "What?"

Suzaku smiled slyly. "Let's pretend to do something. She'll probably believe it and let us out."

Lelouch blushed at the concept but gave him a disbelieving look. "Her? Give us the key?"

"If worse comes to worse, she'll drop it or something. Provided we put our hearts into our act," Suzaku said positively.

Lelouch was reluctant to agree. He might be overcome by his true feelings or, worse still, lust. But the opportunity was too good to pass up.

"I'll agree to your terms." Lelouch said, smiling slyly and confidently. With that, Suzaku pulled him closer by his waist.

"Good," Suzaku said, smirking mischievously, "because I almost want you bad enough to skip everything."

Lelouch turned as red as a tomato. "W-what?"

Suzaku winked. "I just hope you want me back."

Lelouch gave him a cowering look. "Suzaku, I don't know. C.C. might still be there."

Suzaku propped Lelouch on his elbows and got closer. "If I cared whether she were there or not, would I even be doing this?"

'Yes.' "You have a point, but still--"

Suzaku abruptly covered his mouth, giving the audio-illusion that he was being kissed. Lelouch threw his hand off in mock anger. "Suzaku, don't kiss me so abruptly."

Suzaku smirked. "Why not? It's not like you didn't enjoy it." Lelouch blushed, knowing full well he might not be able to deny it, had it been a real kiss.

Lelouch blushed slightly at the implication. "Even so, you--"

Suzaku got close enough that his lips brushed against Lelouch's ear. "I'll pry that need out of you if I have to take you myself," he said seductively.

'Wow,' Lelouch thought, blushing and gripping the rug under them tightly, 'Suzaku knows how to effectively play the part. If an hidden implication that he liked me almost killed me, verbal confirmation would have killed me three times by now, albeit fake.'

Suzaku smirked as Lelouch looked down, effectively hiding his eyes with the random strands of hair that fell there. "Suzaku, I…I'm not holding back any more," Lelouch muttered, finally playing his part without too much emotional interference, "I do want this."

Suzaku put his hand to his ear. "What's that? Didn't quite catch that."

Lelouch's eyes were more hidden, if possible. "I'm willing to beg, but it won't be nice."

Suzaku's eyes flickered just a bit, as if he were trying to read his mind. "So get the point across."

Lelouch's arms shot out, grabbing Suzaku's collar and pulling him with strength he (or no one else, for that matter) didn't know he possessed. "Fuck me. Now."

All at the same time, Suzaku got such a huge nosebleed that he almost couldn't catch it, Lelouch had finally realized what he said, and a thud was heard from outside the door followed by a red key floating under the crack, giving the impression C.C. had just as bad of a nosebleed as Suzaku had, if not worse.

"I'm sorry," Lelouch said, looking to the side and sweat dropping, "was it too intense?"

Suzaku waved dismissively to him, still trying to take care of his current blood problem. "Don't worry about it! We got the key, don't we? I'll just be sure to ask you whenever I need good acting."

Lelouch, stifling a laugh at the predicament Suzaku was now in, offered him a handkerchief for keeps. Suzaku graciously accepted and smiled when he was all done.

"Thanks, Lulu," Suzaku said cheerily.

Lelouch sat up completely and nodded, smiling lightly.

Suzaku reached over to the key, wiped it off, and handed it to Lelouch. "Here, you can keep it in your possession. That's probably best."

Lelouch had to use all his willpower not to just take the key and run with it. He grabbed the key and smiled sweetly. "Thanks for going through all the trouble of getting it."

Suzaku chuckled. "Ah, it's no problem. I had fun, believe it or not."

Lelouch threw his arms out. "Hug!"

Suzaku gave him a blank stare. "Lulu said what?"

Lelouch threw his arms to his sides and blushed. "Nothing."

Suzaku gave him a sly look. "You said hug."

Lelouch shook his head almost fast enough to break his neck. "NO, I DIDN'T!"

Suzaku smirked. "Oh, yes, you did."

Lelouch smiled nervously. "Suzaku, you must be imagining things."

Suzaku yanked him in a hug like the one he had when they had started acting. He smirked, watching the steadily increasing blush of Lelouch's face form. "You're so funny."

Lelouch struggled, though he knew full well he couldn't get out of his grasp. "Let me go!"

Suzaku closed his eyes and smiled sweetly. "You drive—no, you've driven me insane."

Lelouch blushed lightly and shook his head, chuckling. 'He's finally admitting his sanity, or for lack thereof.'

After almost a full minute, Lelouch was losing it on the inside. 'I'm tired of staring at him! The longer I do, the harder it gets to resist--- wait, brain, shut up!'

Lelouch huffed silently as Suzaku touched his forehead on his own. 'Then again, how can I? He's just making it worse.'

Lelouch blushed deeper as he found out Suzaku wasn't moving anytime soon. 'This may be the only chance I get,' he thought, inching closer, 'I should…take advantage of that.'

Suzaku was about to open his eyes when he noticed a sudden softness. 'Huh? Is Lulu…?'

Lelouch pulled away, blushing darker than he ever had before. "Sorry, Suzaku. My body just moved on its own."

Suzaku looked down, his hair covering his eyes. "Please be quiet."

Lelouch kept talking. "No, really, I'm sorry. Maybe if you had moved, it wouldn't have happened."

Suzaku almost glared. "I want to you to be quiet."

Lelouch bowed his head. "But I really thought I had more self-control!"

Suzaku did glare this time and let him go, scooting away enough for some leg space. "Shut up."

Lelouch bowed his head practically to the floor. "But I want you to forgive me!"

Suzaku huffed. "You know what?"

Lelouch rose up completely. "What?"

Suzaku lunged an arm out and, grabbing Lelouch by the chin, yanked him over. "I don't forgive you, and do you want to know why?!"

Lelouch was too scared out of his mind to answer him, so Suzaku continued on. "Because I wanted to initiate our first kiss!"

Lelouch lost all the color in his face. "You mean that you planned to do all that, the kiss, the hug, the acting, but you wanted to do it yourself?"

Suzaku quickly felt anger marks appearing. "Kiss, sort of. Hug, yes. Acting, hell no, you DUMBASS!"

Lelouch sweat dropped.

Note: When angered, Suzaku loses all sense of chivalry.

That's bad for ANYBODY, let alone Lelouch. Because no one else would realize how well the guy can bitch than when he's angry.

"And I'm—you know what? Fuck. IT."

Second note: Suzaku also uses 'colorful language' when angry.

Which is a surprise in itself, seeing as he hardly curses ever.

With that, Suzaku pulled him—

Down by his chin and kissed him.

Lelouch didn't believe it, although he should've been able to. Suzaku had been talking in his sleep for almost 10 minutes, and now he was kissing him.

"Lelouch," Zero said, sighing.

Lelouch didn't reply, effectively kissing him back and ignoring him pretty easily.

"Lelouch," Zero growled, getting angry.

Zero was once again being actively ignored as the two brought each other closer.

"Damn it, Lelouch, restrain yourself!" Zero yelled, angry beyond usual reason.

They parted, slowly but surely, and Lelouch glared. "If you thought you were never going to get to see me again, wouldn't you have done the same?"

"You know I have more sanity than that," Zero said, sighing, "or do you not believe such just by hearing?"

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "You can stop talking like that."

Zero nodded. "Fine by me. I was tired of talking—Lelouch, would you listen to me!"

Lelouch smiled warmly and swept Suzaku already mussed hairs out of his face. "Goodbye…Suzaku."

Zero tapped his foot impatiently. "I told you this was your final goodbye, but now you're just stretching this out for all it's worth."

Lelouch smirked and kissed Suzaku's cheek before replying. "Maybe. That might be the way I am."

Zero sighed exasperatedly. "It's a shame your boyfriend-to-be didn't even notice I wasn't the real Zero."

Lelouch chuckled and removed Zero's mask, revealing the face of said imposter. "C.C., you were convincing enough. And not only did you erase my existence, you erase any possibility that I could have ever been Zero."

C.C. scoffed and gave him a disapproving look. "What will you do if they find out when you reassume your position as Zero?"

Lelouch chuckled sweetly. "C.C., you must remember what I said."

C.C. thought back to when this whole thing began.

---Flashback---

"C.C." Lelouch beckoned.

"You called?" C.C. deadpanned, an almost empty box of pizza carefully placed on her right hand.

"I need you to complete a task for me."

C.C. sighed. "Couldn't you just say you want a favor?"

Lelouch threw her a box-shaped device. "Attach this to the inside of the mask for me."

C.C. caught it and gave it a quizzical look. "And what is this," she asked, munching on her last piece.

"It'll make your voice sounds like Zero's," Lelouch answered.

C.C. gave him a bored look. "You could've just said you wanted me to be Zero," she said, sighing, "but how long do you want me to be Zero?"

Lelouch remained stoic. "As long as necessary."

C.C. sighed, smirking. "Details, please."

Lelouch chuckled darkly. "Simple. You are to see Suzaku, somehow getting him to the place you want, telling him you are going to shoot me. He, of course, is going to threaten you, telling you not to. You play along until the next day, where when the two of us are alone. Only after you hear me say 'Please? It's my dying wish,' do you make the gunshot, but at the same time, you will have a button that will set off the blood packs on my body. Are you still with me?"

C.C. chuckled. "I'm just wondering how you said all that in one breath."

Lelouch took her comment as a confirmation and continued. "He grieves, and they are going to bury me, but if worse comes to worse, I will have extra oxygen. When they all leave, you dig me up, but leave my possessions in the grave. I'll get them later. You're going to see Suzaku again, and I'm going to come when you call me."

C.C. stopped him. "Wait, how am I going to take off the mask and still sound like you?"

Lelouch sighed. "Keep the end of the mask close enough for it to receive. And the same time, since Suzaku is going to be bound, keep him far away so his voice doesn't get picked up."

C.C. nodded. "Understood. Continue."

Lelouch inhaled and started again. "You shall repeat that the next time you and Suzaku meet. I will appear again, but I will then stay with him until the anniversary of my death. He will be knocked out by the noxious gas, which will in turn send him into a dream-state. That will be the final time I see him. After that, I will reassume the position of Zero."

C.C. sighed and rolled onto her Cheese-kun. "What will you do if you get found out when you reassume said identity?"

Lelouch chuckled. "Let them. They won't believe their eyes. And Suzaku and any other witness will be happy to see me again. Rather foolish, being blinded by their happy desires to see the truth."

"Which is?"

"I never died."

---End Flashback---

C.C. smirked. "And you're confident that'll work out?"

Lelouch smirked as well. "I know it will. I may not always be right, but I'm never wrong."

C.C. sighed. "I think they call that an oxymoron."

Lelouch smiled slyly. "It's called 'being a tactician'."

C.C. sighed and placed the cape on the chair. "And remind me, Lelouch, why are you doing all this again."

Lelouch chuckled darkly. "Isn't it simple, C.C.?"

C.C. sat in the chair and crossed her ankles. "No, not enough for me to figure out. Your sadism does sometimes baffle me."

Lelouch started to laugh darkly. "Simple, my beloved witch. I was bored."

---

Did you like? I hope so!

Lulu is so evil!

Lelouch: You made me evil.

Me: Well, I felt like it. Evil suits you.

Suzaku: *wallowing in a corner*

Me: Suzaku-chan is depressed! Lulu, what'd you do?!

Lelouch: Me?! I didn't do anything!

Suzaku: You killed him, Sakuke…

Me: He's not dead! And you killed him in the series!

Suzaku: That's different.

C.C.: **drags me away** Come on, Sakuke. The story is done; none of us need to be here.

Me: If you want to help me, please review! I don't want to feel like I did all this for nothing!