With practiced ease, Suzaku Kururugi slipped away from Lloyd and Miss Cecile, away from the Lancelot's chamber, away from everyone. He wandered down the many halls of the palace-like estate he and the other Knights were staying at. Suzaku hardly ever smiled anymore; his world had been swallowed up by sorrow and pain: Euphemia's death, his best friend being Zero, he having to leave his friends, he… being alone.
He was always alone now; even when he was surrounded by people, he was alone. He wasn't allowed to be himself anymore. The only person he had been completely himself around, was Lelouch, the same Lelouch that was Zero; his mortal enemy; Euphemia's murderer; the Geass-holder. Despite these and all titles that belonged to Lelouch, Suzaku found himself longing constantly for Lelouch's voice, his face, his amethyst eyes… everything.
Suzaku shook his head; he couldn't think of these things. He was supposed to kill Lelouch, to bring victory to Britannia, to somewhat redeem himself for not saving Euphy, to bring peace. He was considered trash by the Japanese, his own people. He could still remember the language, the customs, the food, he even had his Japanese accent, but he was still trash, a barbarian.
"…aku! Suzaku!" a voice behind him called. Suzaku turned to face the man coming up behind him: Gino. Suzaku instantly felt all the pain in his heart wash away; Gino Weinberg was his source of air anymore. This blonde-haired man's smile gave him a sense of relief, but of course, Suzaku wouldn't give his feelings away so easily.
"Hello, Gino," he said flatly. "What do you need?"
"Ah, nothing, just wanting to walk with you," he responded jovially.
Gino gave a large, bright smile than touched his sea blue eyes. Suzaku's heart fluttered, though he tried his best to keep his feelings concealed. "Ah, well, if you want," he stuttered.
They both continued down numerous halls, not a plan on where they were to stop. Gino talked and talked, but Suzaku heard nothing, only admired Gino's face; how handsome he was. Suzaku felt a pang in his heart when he thought of Gino walking with anyone but him; interacting with anyone but him; doing anything with anyone other than him. The thought must have changed Suzaku's somewhat emotionless face: his brows furrowed, and a large frown donned his features.
Gino stopped. "Is something wrong Suzaku?" he inquired. Suzaku regretted ever taking the smile from Gino's face. "No it's nothing, Gino. Please, continue," Suzaku reassured him. Gino's face broke into a smile again, and they continued their walk, they're Knight of the Round cloaks swishing and swaying behind them; blue and green; Suzaku's blue cloak reminding him of Gino, and Gino's green cloak reminding him of Suzaku.
Suzaku promised to himself never to let that warm smile ever leave Gino's handsome face. Despite himself, he let a large smile appear across his once emotionless features…
Suzaku looked at Gino once again, that promise pulsing a heart throbbing pulse deep in his heart. They were now in considerably different circumstances: Suzaku was no longer the Knight of Seven; he was now the Knight of Zero. His attire had changed, his green eyes had lost some of their shine, and his once-smiling face had been replaced with an almost permanent frown.
"Suzaku…Why?" Gino inquired behind a thick wall of glass. Gino's proud Knight of the Round uniform had been changed with a stale, standard prisoner's uniform, deemed so by the 99th Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia.
Suzaku wanted to tell him that he really didn't have a choice, he was forced, it was the Geass, but he couldn't. It was his own choice that things turned out this way. It was partly his fault that his beloved Gino was basically locked in a cage, on a basement floor in the Emperor's Palace.
Suzaku couldn't give Gino any sort of special treatment; that would only cause Gino problems in the long run: Lelouch would probably torture him more than the others, maybe even to the extent of the torture of His Highness Schneizel. Schneizel… Suzaku wondered why he still regarded the 2nd Britannian Prince in such formalities. In all reality, Suzaku was higher and more important at the moment, but he couldn't bring himself to completely accept that.
Suzaku bowed his head; he loved Lelouch. Loved him more than a friend; loved him more than words could describe… But deep in his heart, Suzaku wanted Gino to hold him, to embrace him, to bed him. Suzaku gripped the front of his shirt, as if to keep his heart from exploding.
A pound on the thick glass in front of him brought him back from day-dreaming. "Answer me, Suzaku!" Gino yelled.
Suzaku opened his mouth to answer, but before he could form words, a firm hand pressed down on his shoulder. "Yes, why did you come to me, Suzaku…?" Lelouch's deep voice rang in Suzaku's ear, causing him to really think about his answer carefully.
"I chose this side solely to be Emperor Lelouch's sword, to bring victory to him, and because I'm the "Knight of Betrayal", aren't I? I'm done here, Gino Weinberg," Suzaku concluded with the iciest stare he could manage. It was hard trying to be emotionless towards his one desire. His heart was splitting: one half to Gino, the other to Lelouch.
Suzaku turned with Lelouch, heading back to the upper floors, and Suzaku guessed to the bedroom…
On the way to the stairs, Suzaku noticed quite a few familiar faces: Lloyd, Miss Cecile, Toudou, Rolo*, Kallen ( who Suzaku had no trouble whatsoever glaring at* ), and finally, Schneizel el Britannia himself, his dignity and grace gone – replaced with a dull, lifeless aura.
Suzaku felt another pang in his heart, his features changed from hatred to regret and empathy instantly at the fallen Prince.
Suzaku replaced his hurt features with a mask once again as he and Lelouch headed towards they're new world…
A/n: This is my first ever Code Geass fic, and I'm really sorry if it seems OOC; I'm not too good with judging Geass' Character's personas.
Rolo* - Alright, I left him alive because he'll be playing a small role later in the writing ( though I don't plan to add a bunch of chapters to this, only like one or two more )
Kallen* - Of course, you remember that in the Code Geass anime, Gino and Kallen kind of teamed up right? Oohh, Suzaku angst~!
Well, please state questions, concerns and/or comments in a REVIEW