So, this is my very first fanfiction ever.
Any constructive critisicsm would be greatly appreciated, as would any suggestions to what you would like
to happen further along in the story. I have made it T just in case I decide to put something a little more mature,
but as of this moment there will be no lemon. However, things can always change so that is always an option. Thanks for reading!
***Disclaimer*** I do not own any of the characters or such in Code Geass, unfortunately.
Aiko stretched. Class was finally over for the holidays, the only international, non-religious holiday: Liberation Day, the day that the tyrant Lelouch vi Britannia was killed by Zero. Kids poured out of the classrooms, unable to wait for the sweet freedom that awaited them. Well, at least for a week.
"´bout time class let out!" Conner exclaimed. He looked at Aiko, grinning. "What are you going to do for the break, Aiko?"
"Well…" the brunette said playfully, walking out of the classroom and towards the exit, followed by her group of friends. "The beach sounds absolutely lovely!"
"Lovely? What are we, like, in England?" said Eirian incredulously.
"England?" asked Luis. "Sto-"
"Aiko!" a tall blond called. "So what did you get as a topic for our Liberation Day Project?"
"Guh! Why'd you have to remind me, Claire?" Aiko groaned. "I would like to enjoy the week we have off from school for at least a few seconds!" Aiko sighed.
"I got Princess Cornelia! She was so pretty and such a great warrior!" cried Eirian.
"I have to analyze the whole movement and how the Black Knights worked and why their ideals caught on…" listed Conner.
"… So your topic is, very simply put, the Black Knights," Claire stated, rolling her eyes. Conner smiled sheepishly.
"I got Li Xingke, who I think is totally awesome and cool," Luis said. "I might even say that he is the best warrior ever."
"I beg to differ," Eirian started, "Just in the Lelouch rebellion Suzaku Kururugi and Kallen Stadtfeld, or by her preferred name, Kouzuki, were just as good of pilots, if not better than-"
"You just say that ´cuz she's your mother," Luis retorted.
"W-What!" she exclaimed. "Why you-! How dare you! I say it because it's the truth! You can ask anyone!"
"Oh no…" Aiko groaned. "Here they go again…. You two should just go ahead and come out and say it…"
Conner nodded. "Everyone knows you two like each other. You two fight like an old couple. Just get it over with."
Everyone else agreed while Eirian and Luis turned a tomato red.
"Changing the subject," Claire began, "who or what did you get, Aiko?"
Aiko sighed. "I got Lelouch vi Britannia…."
"Wow!" Luis cried.
"You got an easy one…. There's so much information on him plus so many people you can talk to…" Eirian said.
"You just say that ´cuz your mom knew him…" Luis said, dodging her punch.
"YOU! Just because you're a twit and a lazy good for- UGH! I'm not even going to start!" Eirian fumed.
"Speaking of twit, who's the one from England now?" Conner teased. Claire and Aiko laughed.
"Which reminds me," said Luis, "Eirian, you can't go making up the names of countries just to confuse us! I mean, come on! I'm not stupid enough to think that there is a country named England!"
Aiko sighed, yet again, something that he seemed to make her do a lot. "No, Luis," she began, "England-"
"-was a country that was part of what was called Great Britain before it became the Great Britannian Empire and took over most of the world," said a tall, raven haired boy.
Conner narrowed his eyes and looked away while Eirian simply turned her head, as if she had suddenly developed ADD and focused very hard on a baby squirrel attempting to open a nut.
"O-oh! I… didn't see you there, Tristan…" Aiko began, trying to remain composed, unwilling to show him anything other than control.
"Hmmm," he simply stated, sounding and looking bored. "I just felt that, maybe if someone outside of your little group were to show him how much of an idiot he really is, then he might change and do the world a favor by actually thinking before he speaks." He paused. "Or better yet, if he didn't talk at all."
"Why you son of a-" Luis began, about to explode. Conner grabbed a hold of his arm, shaking his head when Luis turned to look at him. Eirian´s cheeks colored an angry pink, but she remained focused on the squirrel which was now being attacked by a small bird.
"So, why are you here, Tristan," Claire stated, wanting his obviously unwanted presence to be gone as soon as possible. "You don't talk to others unless you have to."
"Very true," he agreed. "I was sent by Honda-sensei to… fetch you," he said turning to Aiko with a coy smile.
Aiko gave a little squeak. "M-me? Are you sure?" She began to get nervous. She hadn't done anything to get in trouble, at least not to her knowledge.
"There is no other Aiko in our class, so yes, you," Tristan said, amused by her reaction.
I haven't done anything! Aiko thought as she walked off with Tristan towards her sensei's room without looking back at her friends. Wait! She thought, breaking into a cold sweat. What if this is about me letting Luis copy my work? I don't want to get in trouble! She started sweating profusely and began fidgeting with the end of her uniform's navy blazer.
Tristan chuckled. Aiko looked up, startled from her nervous thoughts.
"W-what's so funny?" Aiko asked nervously.
"Your reaction to this situation," Tristan commented. "It's very much unexpected. There is no reason for you to be nervous. At least, there shouldn't be."
"W-w-we-well…. I…." she let her head fall, looking at the ground. "I did let… Luis copy my work once… I told him that he shouldn't!" she added. "He just looked so helpless! He couldn't have another missing homework, so…" she trailed off.
Tristan laughed, completely catching her off guard. Laughing in front of others just wasn't done by Tristan. She looked up and was stunned. His face looked completely different when he laughed. It didn't look like he felt alone and therefore hated everything and everyone. He looked…. breathtaking.
Aiko quickly looked away, a light pink beginning to tinge her cheeks. She felt as if she had stolen a glimpse of something personal that she shouldn't have. Lucky for her, they were already at the open door of the classroom.
"Come in," Mr. Honda called from his desk "Sit down."
Aiko and Tristan sat down in desks directly in front of his, waiting for him to finish rustling through some papers.
When he was finally done, he set his spectacles down and looked at them with kind eyes. "I don't know if you two have already found out, but a few students with certain topics are going to be working together due to so much information to cover, like those with The Black Knights and you two with Lelouch vi Britannia. Except," he continued, "since you both have him, I would like you both to research him as vi Britannia, Lamperouge, and Zero, including the controversy surrounding his death. This will be hard work since there is so much information. You two will present last and will have a lot more time to present your findings. I have no doubt that you two will do perfectly well in this project since you two are the most exceptional students of my classes. For others, I have split him into three parts, but again, I think you two can handle it." He leaned forward, as if he were about to give confidential information. "And don't tell anyone," he added, "but this project isn't due until, at soonest, a week after break. So don't stress out too much." He then waved them off with one hand as he began to shuffle through the multiple papers that littered his desk.
They got up and bowed, leaving silently.
The sun was approaching the horizon, something that surprised Aiko. She hadn't thought that Mr. Honda had talked that long. She sighed, mentally preparing herself for the lonely journey home on the metro and on the streets to her house.
"It's getting dark," Tristan stated.
"I hadn't noticed," Aiko said sarcastically. If she got a taxi, she wouldn't be walking all by herself in the dark. She groaned. Her choosing factor would be whether she could afford a taxi all the way home.
"Where do you live, Aiko?" Tristan asked, almost indifferently.
She rolled her eyes. As if you care."I live in Atsugi, why?"
Tristan looked surprised. "Wow… That's in the Kanagawa prefecture. I thought I was the only one that traveled from that distance to Kawasaki, much less from Atsugi."
"Really? You're from Atsugi?" she asked, flooding with relief. She may not have to get a cab, or at least be alone, even if it was with Mr. Sour Face.
"I'm actually from Ebina," he amended, "but I can walk you the rest of the way home. That way you won't have to be alone."
"I can't possibly make you do that!" Aiko exclaimed. He didn't have to be that nice, just taking that train home part of the way with her would be enough.
"It won't take me more than half an hour to and from if I walk really slowly. It's a walk able distance," Tristan said. He looked at her as if she couldn't complain. But she could, and she would complain, all the way home.
"Will you get in trouble?" she asked, unsure if she wanted him to or not.
"I shouldn't," he said, "especially if I call first."
"But there's a possibility that you may get in trouble…" Aiko pressed.
"…. Yes," he confirmed, unsure what she was getting at.
"Good," Aiko said, nodding. "Then let's go!"
She began walking out of the school gates, followed by a chuckling Tristan.
He quickly caught up to her and walked next to her, taking long and almost lazy steps. They were silent, a silence which Aiko began noticing was becoming a little uncomfortable.
"So… I'm kind of glad you live close to me…" Aiko admitted. Tristan stared at her, surprised that she would admit something like that to him, considering that they really never talk, and only a handful of people that talked to him didn't hate him.
Aiko quickly looked at the houses they were passing, turning pink; embarrassed that she had said it out loud. She had, however, started the topic, so there was no turning back.
"Well… it's just that…" she stammered, "I really hate going home by myself since it takes more than an hour and a half… and especially in the dark."
"Well…" Tristan began, "The sun is only just now starting to touch the horizon, and it shouldn't take you that long to Atsugi."
"Well, excuse me if it takes me twenty minutes to get to the train station," Aiko said, only teasing. "Some of us aren't as tall as you."
"Please," he began, "I do not enjoy flattery." Aiko turned pink and then she turned even redder when he chuckled, very clearly making fun of her.
"You simply take the JR Yokohama Line from the 'hama to Machida, then switch to Odakyu or alternatively if you'd prefer, the Sotetsu from the 'hama to Ebina and switch to Odakyu there. It'll be the next stop. It's not that hard," he explained, a teasing glint in his eye.
"Wow…" she said, astonished that she didn't already know this. "How do you know?"
"I do live in Ebina," Tristan said, as if speaking to someone who was a little slow. "Plus, I have family there."
"Oh," was all that Aiko could say. What a lame response, she said, mentally abusing herself.
They quickly got on the train which had no where near as many people as they were used to, as they were able to find seats. However, Aiko was forced to sit close to Tristan, in order to allow others to get on.
"So, how are we going to work on this project?" Aiko asked, switching to a safe subject that shouldn't involve icky things like feelings.
"Well, we should probably interview someone that knew him, and you are a close friend of Eirian Kouzuki, whose mother happens to be the closest person to him within our reach," he said, "seeing as we can't rightly go up to Viceroy Nunnally and ask her personally."
"Hmm…" Aiko thought out loud, "what if we could get in contact with her? The Viceroy and Ms. Kouzuki have been friends since before Zero, ever since she met her when she met Lelouch at Ashford Academy, and they've only gotten closer after his death…"
"That would almost be too good to be true," he said, thinking, "We should definitely try to get in contact with as many people who knew him personally as either commoner, prince, or revolutionary-"
"I like that," Aiko said.
"Like what?" Tristan asked, confused.
"´Commoner, Prince, Revolutionary´," she clarified. "I think that our project would sound great if we made that the title of it. It shows his many sides, not his well known tyranny."
"You almost sound as if you respect his methods and what he did," Tristan stated, prodding.
"Well…" she hesitated. This was something that she hadn't even shared with Eirian, her best friend. "I…. I don't know… I feel like… he was mostly misunderstood. Like the reason behind what he did, was so much more than everyone knows…." She trailed off into a thoughtful silence, looking out at the racing buildings passing by the window.
The sunset was beginning to light the sky with pinks and oranges, even though it was only 7 o'clock.
She felt Tristan's gaze on her and she looked down, embarrassed out of her stupor. She peeked at him from her behind her hair, and looked back down, intimidated by his intense gaze. She felt her blood rush to her face.
"… You know," Tristan said quietly, "You and I don't seem all that different. At least we seem to think…. Similarly."
Aiko looked up at him, feeling her face flush red. She couldn't take her eyes off him. It was as if she recognized his face as that of a loved one. It felt as if something inside of her had figured something out that she hadn't yet, something that was very important. They stared at each other for what seemed like a lifetime, but at the same time no longer than a sigh.
Tristan looked away, shaking his head a little, as if trying to understand something. "We… We get off on the next stop. We should start getting up. We're almost there."
Aiko nodded at him, still dazed by whatever had just happened. For a second, she could have sworn that he was going to kiss her, and she knew that had he tried, she would not have stopped him.
The rest of the way they talked of nothing, strictly staying on school and how graduation was in about a year. They did not stray to personal feelings or other topics that might lead to another, if nothing else, strange moment. However, once they switched trains for the last time, they quickly fell silent, each in their own thoughts.
Even though they did not return to the topic of what they each thought about Lelouch, Aiko could not stop thinking about it. It was as if that conversation had opened, no, freed something that should have been freed a long time ago. It made her nonsensically happy, ecstatic even. She looked out the window, the light halfway gone. The landscape blurred together.
"We'll atone for our sins! We have to! I'll die with you!"
Blurred images, a train, a man, a girl holding a gun at a frantic boy.
"She shot the person who saw your face. All to protect your little secret."
Confusion, guilt, malice. A man in a white trench coat is enjoying himself, his manipulation of life.
Frantic talking, attempts to persuade, so much confusion. A gunshot. Pictures fall out of the boy's jacket, important pictures.
More persuasion, more confusion, pain. Another gunshot.
The man in white leaves, entering the train. Her legs give in, darkness, a warm embrace. A name is shouted. The train leaves. The boy and the girl are alone. So much confusion and pain and guilt. Death stains the girl's hands, she can't handle it. Comforting, more guilt, guilt for having attempted to kill the boy, her life, her love.
More pain, tears, a flash of red. Forgetting, no more pain.
"Oh! Did you lose someone from your family, too?" the girl asks the boy, a stranger.
"No, not someone from my family. It was a friend. Someone… well, very… important."
"I understand."
"But I didn't know. I didn't know until after I lost her. Then I realized how much she meant to me. How her smile saved me. And how I'll never be able to argue or laugh with her like that again…"
"I see. You loved her didn't you? You must feel terrible."
"Right now… I don't… know anymore."
"Well the morning always comes again…"
The boy turns, sadness, tragedy.
"Thanks, a lot. For everything."
"Are you okay? Hey!"
Aiko opened her eyes to the worried face of Tristan.
"D-did… Did I fall asleep?" she asked, slowly straightening up, she noticed that she had been in Tristan's arms, and blushed.
"Yes, but are you all right? What happened?" he asked, looking genuinely worried.
"I'm fine," she said bringing her hands up to her eyes. "I didn't even realize that-" She brought her hands in front of her face, startled by the tears she saw. How could she have been crying? She couldn't even remember what she had dreamt…
"You started crying, quietly at first," Tristan explained, "then you started sobbing… and then… it was as if you lost someone dear to you… I have been trying to wake you up for a while, but…" He trailed off, looking away. "The more I called your name… when you fell asleep, your head fell on my shoulder, and then once you started sobbing, you grabbed on to me… as if you would drown if you let go…"
Aiko glanced at the front of his blazer, seeing her tear marks trail from his shoulder and arm down the front of it.
He quickly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up as the train came to a stop. She then noticed that the few people that remained on the train were staring at them. She ducked her head, embarrassed that it had not only inconvenienced Tristan, but that it had also brought the attention of everyone else.
"I-I!" Aiko stammered as they made their way out of the train station. "I'm very sorry! I'm sorry that I inconvenienced you so much! And put you in an uncomfortable situation in front of so many people!"
"Don't worry about it," he said, still holding on to her arm, leading her out of the station.
She was overcome with embarrassment, unable to keep walking. She stopped once they had crossed the street from the station.
"I..." she hung her head.
"Where do you live?" Tristan asked, not turning to see Aiko.
"I live about ten blocks from here..." Aiko could not help but feel even more mortified since he still planned to take her home.
"Then we better start walking," he said, "The sun has set and I need to get home."
They walked five blocks, completely silent, until they both simultaneously realized that he still held on to her wrist. Tristan quickly let go, apologizing without looking at her in the face. All Aiko could do was blush furiously.
"I-it's okay..." Aiko said, trying to sound indifferent, "I didn't mind... Umm," she began after the uncomfortable silence, "You can just leave me here so that you don't get home too late..."
With that she began walking, ignoring the surprised and confused questions that Tristan asked. She kept walking quickly, almost jogging, for two blocks. She then stopped to catch her breath. The truth was that she just didn't know how to react to everything that was happening to her. Was it her hormones going crazy? She had almost hated the guy until today. Of course, she hadn't every really talked to him... She continued walking, at a much normal pace now that she couldn't hear his footsteps behind her.
She sighed. After the whole humiliation, she had forgotten to ask for his number and when and where they would meet to start the project. Oh well, at least she knew that she needed to call Eirian as soon as she got home to see if her mother was willing be interviewed over such a touchy subject.
"Hey sweetheart, what's wrong?"
Aiko looked up, looking around for the person who had called to someone, possibly herself.
"Yeah, you sweet cheeks," said a guy wearing tight jeans and a wife beater underneath a cropped black jacket. He was surrounded by more guys of varying ages dressed in a similar fashion. "Why does someone as pretty as you look so sad?"
"Uh, no reason..." Aiko said tentatively. She didn't know him or any of the guys that were with him. She kept walking, not caring if she was being a little rude. She braced herself as she walked by them, telling herself that this wasn't a bad place and that she was just being paranoid.
The man grabbed her arm, leering. "Come on, girl," he began, a horrible glint in his eyes, "You can't lie to me. I'm the king of lying. Come with us. We'll make you feel all better."
Before Aiko could react, she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I'm glad to see that this man was so worried about you," she heard Tristan say behind her. "I am indebted to such a chivalrous man." The man let go of Aiko's arm. "But now that she has welcome company she will be fine- that is to say, she is now with familiar company, I do not mean to offend," Tristan added, almost mockingly.
The other man narrowed his eyes. "What's she to you? I saw her first."
"Hmm..." Tristan thought aloud, "That almost sounds as if you're talking about a possession and not another human being. Well, if you shall treat her such, then I will treat you the same in return." Tristan gently nudged Aiko forward, moving his hand to her back and his other to her right arm. The man spit at Tristan. "Oh, it seems the stray dog has rabies. I suppose it should be put to sleep."
Aiko stopped breathing. The threat stood in the air, but Tristan kept walking, at a quick pace. So stunned was the other man that he stood there speechless. Tristan leaned in close to Aiko's ear.
"When I tell you, run," he said in a barely audible whisper. She nodded lamely, dumbfounded by the situation that she now found herself in.
"Why you lousy son of a bitch!" They heard the man yell from behind them, followed by further insults. They heard running.
"Run," he whispered.
Aiko ran as fast as she could, not looking back. He's a thinker not an athlete! she thought suddenly. Even if he were one, there's too many of them! He'll be beaten to death by the whole group! But what can I do? I'll just get in his way! She stopped running. I have to at least try. She turned back, running back to where Tristan was. She stopped halfway, amazed by what she was seeing. Mr. non-athletic Sour Face knew some sort of martial art, what looked to Aiko like kung fu, but different. He would hit them in a few similar places and they would fall, not beaten, but weakened.
She stood there, awestruck, until one of them went at Tristan from behind. She threw the first thing that came to her mind: her shoe. The man turned around and lunged at her. She yelled and Tristan immediately hit him.
In fifteen minutes, the whole thing was over with, minimal scrapes obtained on their side. They very thoughtfully moved the men to a sitting position against the wall, all very clearly unconscious.
They started walking and not even a block away Aiko started to laugh.
"What's the matter?" Tristan asked, confused.
"It's just that I didn't know that you could fight, much less like that!" she answered, still smiling.
"And that's funny to you?" Tristan asked, raising his eyebrows. "You have a strange sense of humor."
"I didn't mean it as an offense it's just that…" she hesitated. "Well, you're mostly a brain person and you don't seem very athletic… or able to… do things like that…"
"I understand what you mean," Tristan said with amusement. "My father says the same thing. He was glad that I decided to study Kuttu Varisai, and even more proud when they began to teach me Varma Kalai, but he always noted that I don't seem the type. My mother says it must be a lesson I learned in a past life that I do not wish to have to learn again in this life…" He laughed, remembering these conversations.
"Umm…. What are Kuttu Virai and Varma Kaila?" Aiko asked, feeling stupid.
"It's Kuttu Varisai and Varma Kalai, and they're an Indian Martial Arts," he explained, smilingly. "Kuttu Varisai is similar in style to kung fu while Varma Kalai is a more advanced form of the Kuttu Varisai which focuses on hitting the opponent in their pressure points. I figured that if I was going to study martial arts, this would be the most appropriate for me."
Aiko was silent, letting this information sink in.
"And why are they more suited for you than others?" she asked, thinking out loud.
"Well, as you have obviously stated, I am not the athletic type," he began. Aiko blushed, remembering her unintended insult. "And to be truthful, physical activity is not the easiest thing for me. However, I figured that I can't simply rely on my brains if I can't defend myself when my brains fail."
"True," Aiko said, "It is best to have both brain and brawn." She laughed quietly, Tristan chuckling softly beside her.
"So…" Aiko began. "I guess this is where we part…"
Tristan looked at the house that they now stood in front of. "You live here on your own?"
"Yeah," she said, happily. "It's small and cozy. It used to belong to my grandmother, but when she passed away she left it to me."
"It's amazing that a house of Japanese style managed to survive the Britannian Era," Tristan commented.
"Yeah..." she trailed off, thinking about the history that her house had seen.
"So I think we should get together tomorrow, but where would you like to meet?" Tristan asked.
"Well," Aiko began, blushing at the way that he phrased it. "Well, since you live close by, why don't we meet at your house?" She just thought it fair that she saw where he lived.
"Or what if I meet you here, since I already know where it is?" he said, raising an eyebrow teasingly. "Is 10 o'clock alright for you?"
She could do nothing but comply. "That's fine." She smiled.
They said their goodbyes and she walked into her house, noting that Tristan didn't leave until she turned on her kitchen light. He is a lot more of a gentleman than I thought he'd be, she thought.