It had been a cold and rainy night, and Roxas had nowhere to go. No friends or family to stay with, a stray if you will. He knew the streets well enough to get around town, but that was on clear nights.

"Looks like you could use some help." A voice said, coming from the darkness of a run down building.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Roxas replied.

The stranger pulled Roxas out of the cold and put a black trench coat over the blond's shoulders, leading him to a back room where a small fire burned. As his eyes adjusted, Roxas was able to get a good look at the kind stranger. He couldn't be much older than Roxas himself, who was fifteen. The strange boy's raven hair and violet eyes could easily be seen with the fire burning, standing out from the dark walls.

"So, who are you?" Roxas questioned.

"Is that how you thank somebody who helped you off the street on a night like this? Man, would I hate to see how you treat people who scorn you." he replied.

"Just answer the question, alright?" Roxas retorted, an edge in his voice as he let out two violent coughs.

"Lelouch. Lelouch Lamperouge is my name. And what's yours?"

Finally, something good coming from this awful night, Roxas thought. "Roxas, my name is Roxas. It's nice to meet you." he paused. "And thanks for the help, too."

"No problem. Oh, and you should probably take your wet clothes off and get some sleep." Lelouch said quietly.

"But I have no extra clothes to sleep in." Roxas responded, looking around the room. "And where am I supposed to sleep?"

"You are wearing underwear, are you not? I have a sleeping bag that could fit two, but you can have it to yourself if you like."

Does this guy always help out strangers like this? "Thanks, now would you mind turning the other way while I undress?" Roxas asked bluntly.

"Sure, no problem, Roxas." Lelouch said turning his body opposite Roxas. "You can leave your shirt and pants on the table to dry overnight." He looked over his shoulder to see the younger boy take off his shirt. A rush of blood turned his cheeks a light pink. "So, what were you doing out in a storm like this any way?"

"Trying to leave the past behind, for the most part. I'm not proud of some of my actions as of late and I'm looking to change that." Roxas walked over in just his underwear and put a hand on Lelouch's shoulder. "I want to make an impact on the world, one to change it for the better. What has led you to this rundown building?"

"Well, I just got caught in this storm on my way back to my apartment. I've already left behind those close to me, but a change in the world is something we can most definitely agree on." A smirk broke across Lelouch's otherwise stoic face.

The blond made his way to the sleeping bag and proceeded to cocoon himself inside it. With his head resting on his crossed arms, he looked over to the raven-haired Lelouch. "What about your friends? I'd imagine that they are pretty worried about you."

Lelouch knelt down beside Roxas, looking him in the eye. "They're the reason I left. I had to protect them, and my younger sister, Nunnally."

"Protecting them from what?" Roxas had a puzzled look as Lelouch stated his reasoning. "What's so bad that you must abandon your friends and sister?"

The younger Roxas became more and more inquisitive, Lelouch shifted to his side and looked away, mumbling something under his breath.

"What?" Roxas asked.

Lelouch sighed. Here he was, confiding in a complete and total stranger with his problems, yet wasn't overly concerned about this situation either. "My father."

A look of shock broke out across Roxas' face as he took in the fact that the older boy's reasoning behind leaving his friends and sister was to protect them from his own father. "What has he done that's so bad you have to leave those that you love and love you in return?"

"You wouldn't understand yet, Roxas. You haven't seen what my father, that... that tyrant is remotely capable of doing. And I hope you never have to either, but that is something neither of us have any control over. All I have to say is that if you walk around as you were tonight, be prepared to see some pretty disturbing sights." Lelouch's voice had a serious tone to it, and something inside Roxas told him things would be changing quite quickly in life with Lelouch around him.

"You said this sleeping bag was able to hold two people, right Lelouch?" Roxas shyly asked as he stared at the raven-haired boy until the latter nodded. "Well, uhm, it doesn't seem very fair for you to sleep in the cold while I am warm. I guess what I'm saying is, you're more than welcome to sleep beside me."

Lelouch looked back to the blond and as a smile came to his face. "Yeah, that would be nice. Thanks."

Roxas made room for Lelouch to make his way into the sleeping bag. As Lelouch settled into place for the night, Roxas rested his head on the older boy's chest. With the faint glow of the fire reflecting off the blond's face, Lelouch caught a hint of pink on Roxas' face, and for the second time that night he felt a rush fill his own cheeks.