Chapter 1:- Happy birthday, Daddy!
"Hey, what is with all the sighing about?" 18 year old Paul Weinberg nudged his head from behind the sofa, to get a glimpse of the mess the brunette girl had created by churning on the sofa.
"My dad`s birthday is coming up, fast and I don`t know what to do for him!" 18 year old Akane Lamperouge turned herself so as to face him from her place on the furniture thanks to that, some of the coffee table decors fell down along with some newspapers.
"Kids, don`t mess up the living room." Paul`s mom, Kallen Weinberg called out from the kitchen hearing the ruckus.
"Mom, we are...like...18 years old. Not little kids!" The blonde explained dramatically as he lifted the fallen items only to get a smack on the head.
"You may be 40 years old for all I care, you are still a 'kid' to me, your dad or even Akane`s parents. Now quit impressing the girl here and set up the table for dinner."
Said girl chuckled at the mother-son exchange as she got up to help them, forgetting her problem for the moment. It was a known fact (a legend, Uncle Gino had told her dramatically when she was young) that Paul`s and her parents had been thick, inseparable friends since childhood. It was only natural for this to carry on well into their lives and include their children in it. That they next door neighbours in the same street of Pendragon only cemented this fact. The children were raised together and practically lived in each of the two houses.
"Hey mom, why does she get such a big piece of tart while I get this...these thin slivers of nothingness" the young blonde pointed rather emphatically.
"I think the word you were searching for is 'please'." The girl said with a smug tone as she dug into her dessert.
"Learn from her, jungle boy..." Kallen said with all seriousness as she put down her spoon to sombrely face her son.
"Else, no girl will be willing to go out with you. Ever"
"MOM!?"
The older woman and the younger girl heartily laughed at the scene of a flustered Paul huffing back to his room, cursing the laws governing the universe to be against him and such related stuff. He did salvage a tiny bit of pride as he successfully managed to capture a teaspoon of the dessert before he was swatted away by his mother.
"So mean! Is that how you treat your own flesh and blood?" he lamented before he stomped his way back into his room.
"Ha...that boy can be such a drama queen. I should audition him to be a prima donna in a theatre." Kallen wiped the remaining of her tears
"You should have given him a bigger slice, auntie. Now I have to go and mob up the tear puddle he is going to create. " Akane took another bite of the gorgeous tart
"Oh hush! He should learn to take a little bit of teasing. At his age, your uncle Gino would have laughed it off and given a witty counter to that. You father was even better than him, he would literally shut them down."
"But those were among your age group." The brunette mumbled inaudibly.
"Now we will leave that talk for another time." Kallen pushed her now empty plate so as to rest her head onto her bridged knuckles "So...have you decided to surprise Lelouch with?"
"That is why I was slumped on the sofa for!" Akane sighed out "It`s dad`s 50th birthday and I have no idea what to get or nothing prepared to give him." She then put her head onto the table "worse still, it is next week!"
The brunette then popped her head out a bit from her cover, beaming hopeful eyes to her second favourite aunt after Nunnally. "Do you have any idea what I should give him?"
"Well...Lelouch loved to give over the top gifts. All of our childhood gifts were something different yet thoughtful. Of course, he goes totally bonkers when giving you and your mother something. If I`m not wrong, half of the thing`s in your house is only filled with gifts to all of you all."
"Let`s see, this year he made dedicated 'design and sketch station' within aunt Nunnally`s house for her designing..." she counted on her fingers the antics of her father "...a new and improved work-station computer rig for Uncle Rolo-to help in the vehicular interface, A hand-crafted dress with matching shoes and jewellery for mom as well as some other stuff. He even specially restored and gifted me a Porsche 914 when my 18th birthday was celebrated." She sounded more and more sunken at that. "Oh, did i forget to mention he re-designed that Bristol for mom`s birthday also?"
"What hope do I have to even compare to such an amazing father!" she retired herself back into the confines of her crossed hands.
The red haired sighed as she got up from her seat and sat next to the teenager and ran her fingers through a familiar mop of curly, brown hair.
"Did you like it?" Kallen asked her after some time. She got a quizzical look as her answer.
"Think of all the gifts you got from him. Did you like all of them?"
This surprisingly made her jog her memories. True, some of the gifts were down-right silly, maybe even un-necessary but they were all thoughtful and something she...she couldn`t point out. They were more often than not ahead for her time...something for her future.
"Yeah...they are kind of adorable actually."
"Then give him something that he will like also."
"Okay, my little sugar-bun. You seem to be out of your-self ever since you came home from Paul`s place." Suzaku stated as she sat down on their sofa next to her daughter. Well she had figured out what the problem may have been as soon as her...no...Their child returned back yesterday.
Akane said nothing as she slumped into her mother`s lap, taking her hand and making it pet her
"Akane...you are 18 years old, you can`t act like a little kid anymore."
"Mom! I`m in a bit of a crisis here" she huffed but didn`t stop forcing her mother`s hand from comforting her. "Besides, daddy has gone to work, so he won`t be able to tease me, please?"
The elder brunette sighed and relented in continuing said ministrations of her own will. Well, all the morning chores were done and everyone had left for work. She too had to finish some balance sheets of Geass Garage`s expenditure and hand them to Ohgi, but all those could wait. The girl was a tough cookie to crack.
"I want to give daddy a present for his birthday. But I don`t know what to give him." She didn`t interrupt her as Akane snuggled closer towards her mother "Aunt Kallen said it should be something he likes. Dad loves cars! I do not have the remotest idea about them nor have the money to buy one for him or something. I cannot gift him some clothes, as Aunt Nunnally will be doing that. Food is hardly a surprise for him anymore and trinkets just don`t cut it"
"Akane, the thought that goes in finding the gift makes it special, not the gift itself..."
"I know all that. Even aunt Kallen told me the same thing. It`s just...it`s just that...I don`t know how to put it. When it comes to this situation, Dad knows exactly what to do...It all seems so effortless for him. No problems at all. He knows exactly what he wants to convey and how to do the same. It`s not just him, even you, Uncle Rolo and Gino, Aunt Nunnally...hell even Paul does it better than me."
"So in short, my drama queen thinks that no matter what she gifts her amazing father, he will be disappointed with it and by extension, in you. Then your weak little heart will break and you will be miserable for the rest of your life, Correct?"
A nod was felt in her lap and she chuckled at the situation which used to happen every year for the past 22 years. Except in all those, a raven head was involved.
"You do know that your father loves you, like crazy loves you?"
"Mom...please, not that again. Just tell me what he would like from me."
"Well, since someone is self-aware and all, my services may not be needed."
"Mom!"
Suzaku giggled at the annoyed face which oh so closely resembled her husband in her younger days.
"You know, he misses the drawings you used to gift him when you were younger."
"Really? All I remember were jokes and ridicule for all my creations." Akane deadpanned.
"Not a week goes by when he wishes he has a new drawing made by you. Between the two of us, he is actually jealous of your art teacher."
"You got to be kidding me." She said in disbelief at her mother`s mock attempt to conceal a secret. From there, the mother and daughter duo went on and on about the silly antics of her daddy trying to get hold of any one of his daughter`s latest art-pieces.
In truth, Akane wasn't bent on the analytical field of work like the others house. She loved to draw-create art and she was darn good at it. She had successfully secured various prizes for her works over the years as well as securing with a scholarship to enter the best art college in the country. To back it all up, she had glowing recommendations from nearly every school faculty member.
Akane lived for art the same way her father lived for engineering, and her parents wouldn`t have it any other way.
She stiffened at the sudden brainwave she got-as usual, Suzaku mused-when they were discussing the last of her father`s misadventures. It was so simple and so obvious, she felt like an idiot (her internal Paul went 'told you so') for not thinking of it sooner.
"I take it you finally know what to do?" Suzaku asked with an amused look.
"Mom, if you were to describe dad in three words. What would they be?" she shot p from her reclined position
The elder brunette just patted her head as she got up from her seat "It would be better if you ask that question to yourself. As I said before, it should be from 'you'." She gave out a fond sigh as Akane made the puppy face they all had become mostly immune to by now. Though there was nothing wrong to relent once in a while.
"If I were to describe him...let see..." she closed her eyes as she thought of all the things Lelouch had done for them "A envelope of love, a pillar of strength and a constant"
Akane didn`t miss the sheer tenderness in her mother`s emerald eyes.
She could already see the masterpiece coming together.
The full plan was spearheaded by Gino and Rolo. Lelouch would leave home early to finish a client delivery and work til around 11.00am. Around that time, Suzaku would come and pick him up for lunch. They will spend some time together and return home at around 7.30pm. By then the rest of the household will have sufficiently prepared with the surprise party.
Fortunately, everything went according to plan. And the party was a roaring success. All the employees of Geass Garage as well as some former classmates of her parents came down to attend the celebrations. As always, the food was divine thanks to Nunnally and Rolo along with kitchen helps Akane and Paul.
After a good while the guest started to leave, wishing the family as well as the extended family good fortune. Since it was a hectic day, Akane was allowed to retire to her room early while the others in the house would clean up the place.
She lay down on her bed unable to shut eye due to it being way past her usual sleep time. Finally giving up, she picked up a textbook on the 'Evolution of art through the ages.' What better remedy to induce sleep than read a boring old text-book? Unfortunately, it only heightened her insomnia for the night.
"May I come in?" a familiar, deep baritone resonated through Akane`s door, breaking her concentration.
"Dad, you don`t have to ask permission. Just come in." She closed the book, kept it on the nightstand and scooted a bit on her bed so that he father could sit down comfortably next to her. She smiled as she studied his features. Yup, he could give any teenager a run for their money in that department
"I wouldn`t want to disturb my princess`s sleep, would I?" he chuckled a bit as she wrapped her arms around his waist and shuffled closer towards him.
"You know I wasn't asleep." She mumbled against him as calloused, worn hands stroked through her hair "So, how did you like your day?"
"To be honest, I really thought that the date with your mother was the surprise." He said "Well...You all do know how to surprise me."
"Did you like the gift?" She whispered against him.
Lelouch said nothing, he just bent down a bit a planted a sweet kiss on the young girl`s forehead.
"You do realise I`m still teary eyed about that. Every time I see it, I just imagine how much of your dedication and effort went into it and the tears just well up." he grinned "It is probably among the best gift I ever have got...save the time I got married and the day you were born."
Akane couldn`t help but giggle at that "Now you are going all sappy and sentimental."
"Well, deal with it." he huffed a bit "I`m an old man now"
"Your only fifty dad." She giggled like a small kid. If any of her friends saw her like this, they would literally ask for an appointment at the therapist. She held the image of the queen of art-strong, fierce, independent, yet kind and helpful. She however, made an exception to that among family, especially with her dad.
"Daddy little girl" Aunt Kallen would call her.
"You know, dad." He hummed her to continue along "The painting...? It was what I think about you...I mean the image of how I see you."
"A questionably handsome and seemingly smart young man?" his eyebrows quipped up in amusement "I could have sworn you drew your ideal crush, not me"
"DAD!" she shrieked as she scooted away from him and hid herself under the bed sheets "You tease me too much, and I was getting to the good part!" She muttered.
A rich laughter filled the air as she suddenly felt only her head exposed to her father`s amused gaze "Okay, You may continue"
"No!" she pouted and turned away from him. Honestly, she was such a kid.
"I won`t tease you anymore. My lips are sealed." Lelouch mimicked the zipping of his mouth much to the fond annoyance of his daughter.
"You know, you may not be the richest or most dashing dad here is out there...or maybe not the coolest or smartest...but in my eyes you are the most amazing one there is, most caring one of all, probably the most thoughtful and certainly the most lovable dad of them all." She then turned to face him; her face blushed but not quite meeting his gaze.
"You are like my evergreen hero, the young king and prince like no other...who protects me and guides every single time. That`s why the view is from the bottom, I constantly look up an seek you always to find your loving, strong, outstretched hand waiting for me to take it."
"Now who is the sappy one" his voice cracked at his daughters heartfelt...admission that he always did the right thing for her. As much as she needed approval, it is heartening to hear the same from your child.
"You said no teasing" she said despite the partial water-works both were undergoing.
Her father just brushed of his tears while wiping hers of with a handkerchief "Oh no, how will I make it up to my little princess?"
With that he swooped down and lifted her up, bridal style "Dad!?...daddy! What are you doing?"
"Well, since someone is feeling all babyish and pulled her daddy`s heart-strings, I thought we all would sleep together today." He hummed "Oh, I need to frame that painting in gold. I intend to make it part of the family heirloom and place it in the middle of the hall."
Before the girl could retort to that, Lelouch pushed open the door which led to their shared bedroom.
"See who has decided to have a sleepover today." He grinned cheekily as Suzaku turned from setting up her wardrobe to see all the confusion.
"Well, if isn`t our young lady. What brings her in here today?"
"She decided to become an adoring 7 year old girl." His insufferable smile still very much present on his face. "...Mostly sleep trouble, actually."
"You can`t see me. I`m just one of the many molecules of air in this room." She muttered while trying to hide her beer-red face. Both her parents laughed heartily as she was deposited on their king-size bed. So much for her 'fierce' reputation.
"Well, it is your second sleep over this week, don't make it a habit." Suzaku stated as she sat down on her side of the bed
"That`s not fair!" the raven-head cried out as walked out of the bathroom with his pyjamas "is it a crime I want to sleep in peace along with my family nearby?"
"Yeah mom" Akane seconded as she sat cross-legged on the bed "Besides, my room is oh-so-cold at this time of the year. What if someone decides to kidnap me from my room?"
Suzaku looked at her dead in the eye "...Do you think anyone is foolish enough to do that when your dad, uncle and another uncle called Gino are all in the neighbourhood?"
"Well...no, but that`s beside the point" she drawled on "Its more comfortable here!"
She just shook her head in fond exasperation at the father-daughter duo. Honestly, she reminded her of the times she was just a kid...playing in Lelouch`s room and the like.
As Lelouch finally climbed back into the bed after attending to a last minute work call, he smiled at the sight of his little girl soundly asleep with a hand across he mother and snuggled just so he had enough room to sleep.
'You are the most lovable dad in the world.' Those words she said to him kept on repeating in his mind like a pleasant melody and didn`t cease to warm up his already elated heart even more.
'You really don`t know how much your gift and words mean to me, Akane' he proceeded to kiss his little girl on her cheek, chuckling as her lips unconsciously moved up.
"Good night my queen and princess" He whispered as he turned the night light off and drabbed them all in a blanket and a warm embrace.
Indeed, Lelouch is a very happy and lucky man.
Dedicated to all families, especially our totally unsung heroes-our moms and dads.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this. It shares the same universe as my other story 'The life of a simple boy, Lelouch Lamperouge' . Read that if you need some back ground for the characters.
The painting Akane draws is the shown on the cover of the story. It is a random picture I found on the internet and I give full credit to whoever the artist is. I recommend you see the art.
Also for the curious, this is our dear Lelouch`s gift to his daughter
wiki/Porsche_914
Finally
Happy Birthday, Lelouch!