Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in Code Geass or anything in the respective world.
Steps light, breath held, gaze steady. Kallen stood to Suzakus turned back, hand clutching the leather of her knife-purse. The noises of his swift cuts and the running sink echoed in the cold atmosphere of this pseudo kitchen. She stared hard at his unprotected back. 'This man is my enemy, an obstacle to the black knights and Zero. I have an easy chance to take care of him. I can't pass up this chance. I have to-'
"I just want you to ask yourself, when you gain results the wrong way what are you left with in the end?"
She grimaced and took an involuntary step back at the echo of his words. 'Dammit, not now.'
"That's a relief, I thought you'd never come back to school." He called calmly, still cutting casually with his back turned.
'Bastard probably knew I was here from the beginning.' She thought irritably, retracting her knife back into its hidden pouch. But still, his comment, that means-
"So, it was on purpose? Why didn't you tell anyone? About who I really am?" As soon as she had learned no one from Britannia or school knew of her secret identity she'd been burning to ask him why, why would he keep the secret of a terrorist; his enemy?
He rinsed his hands in the running water, shutting off the sink. He spoke to her with his back turned still, so unconcerned with being vulnerable to his enemy. It pissed her off.
"You're Kallen Stadtfeld right now aren't you? Not Kallen Kozuki?" He said finally turning to look at her. That gentle expression still softening his features.
This guy was unbelievable! "Hm? Are you trying to draw me in by acting friendly?"
"On the battlefield I won't show you any mercy, but I wanna try to persuade you here." He held her gaze, hope and a sense of determination making his green eyes shine. "I know this is against the rules, but while we're at school, I'd rather try to change your mind here then defeat you in combat later."
Her pride swelled at the way he made it seem like her defeat was inevitable, but still…despite her revile for the Britannian system itself she truly did care for the people here. Even started to enjoy the quiet moments she got here, with the sense of calm and no worrying about life and death situations. It did mean something to her that he was giving her a chance to keep that. And he was going against all the rules by letting his enemy stay hidden right under his superior's noses. She didn't think the 'White knight' had it in him. Speaking of which…
"Ah, something's different about you." Looking at his self-assured demeanor and unyielding optimism she could see something had made him feel braver, bolder than he was before. Before she could ask more the 'wooshing' of the door opening behind her interrupted them.
"Suzaku the truck's here, the cheese-" She turned to see Lelouch regarding her with a surprised look. It was true she did have to spread the rumor she was very sick to alleviate suspicions of her prolonged absence. "You came back."
She put on her most docile smile, changing her voice to the soft and slow cadence her fellow students were used to. "Uh yeah, I'm not as sick now so."
Before she had to say anything else Suzaku stepped forward, a smile curving the side of his lips. He was clearly amused by how fast she could change her whole countenance. "Kallen, what we were talking about has nothing to do with school, okay?"
'Yeah I get it mister pushy.' "Yeah I get it." Oops, a little too much of her normal attitude, but oh well.
Lelouch looked between them and whatever weird expression he had turned to a polite smile. She should have known. "Kallen if you don't mind could you go check in with your class? They seem to be a little shorthanded."
"Sure, I don't mind."
"I DO MIND!" Kallen shrieked jumping up to scare the crap out of some idiotic students. 'Ugh, this actually scares them?' She rolled her eyes as she slid back down into her hiding place in the fricken oven of hell. 'Who thought giving this job to the perpetually sick and quiet girl was a good idea anyway?! They're lucky I'm really pissed off right now or I'd just pretend to faint. Let them feel the weight of that on their conscious."
Besides that, she was also plotting the multiple ways she could bring Lelouch to a bloody and painful death. "I'm gonna get Lelouch for this! He should have told me that I had to be part of the "Horror House." Hm, the only one I let order me around is Zero."
As she impatiently waited for the next pair of idiots to come along she thought more of her talk with Suzaku. Did he really think he could sway her that easily? Even after their talk on the island? She'd made it pretty damn clear where her allegiance lied, and while he tried to make her see the 'error of her ways' with his righteous talk she wasn't buying it. Revolutions were messy, innocent people died, good people had to do bad things. That was just the reality.
"Kallen, the truth is, I killed my father."
The anger dissipated for just a second as she thought about what he told her. Was it true? What reason did he have to lie to her, or tell her in the first place? Remembering that empty look in his eyes, the emotionless way which he spoke about such a horrible thing. She knew it to be true. 'For him to have done something like that, and to carry it around all this time. Suzaku, is that why you've chosen this path? Ah what am I doing?!' She shook herself from her thoughts about the honorary Britannian. It was no use trying to understand him, no matter what the reason she couldn't forgive someone who fought to keep their suppressors in power while their own people suffered.
Maybe being forced to scare the hell out of people isn't so bad, it's an outlet for all her swirling emotions since she can't pilot her Guren right now. The dots displayed on the screen indicated two more people coming her way. Good, maybe she could finally get her mind off these depressing topics. She reared up screaming "MOVE YOUR ASS!" To what she was hoping was some annoying privileged Britannian. Her eyes widened as she saw the red headband and curly locks. "Ohgi?"
'What the hell is with today? Why, why can't things just be easy for once?' The whole point of this festival was so everyone could have a good time, but so far Kallen wasn't enjoying herself.
After recognizing Ohgi she'd made an excuse to leave by saying she felt feint. Everyone was terribly apologetic and wore guilty faces. 'Good.' She thought maliciously. "Um, if you still need someone to fill in I heard Lelouch didn't have much to do at the moment." She timidly told the girl at the entrance. She looked ecstatic to have the chance to dress up the much sought-after vice president and ran off to find him.
Kallen couldn't hold back an evil smile 'Serves you right you bastard.' She then made her way to the back of the building to find Ohgi and the strange girl he was with. Hiding in one of the storage buildings she scrubbed at her face with a towel, that damn paint was water resistant to make everything in her life that much better. That's when that pest Lelouch marched out from behind a crate barking at her to get them out of here. 'Probably avoiding work in here, and he has the gall to snap at me?! But still, I can't let him see them for too long, it might create problems for me down the line.'
And because it seemed life was literally out to get her today she heard Shirley's voice coming in, and she was accompanied by none other than the honorary Britannian Suzaku Kururugi.
Awesome.
She shoved her black knight coconspirator and the girl into a corner, not the best hiding spot, but it was all she had to work with.
She heard Shirley call out to her and spun to face them, taking a step forward. "Oh hello! What's up?" Her high pitch broke mid-sentence. 'Very casual.' Kallen would be the first to admit that when not piloting her formidable Guren she wasn't very good under a panic. Too many aspects of her life were threatening to converge, and she was freaking out!
"Are there any spare fuel tanks in the back? Rivalz needs one for the pizza." She asked innocently, walking towards her.
"Uh, um maybe they're over on the other side?" She fumbled out with no other ideas.
"Oh ok." Suzaku said turning to go in the opposite direction. Shirley was just about to follow him when she heard Lelouch making some sort of fuss in the other corner.
Suddenly she turned to come back this way, calling out for him.
'That's it, Lelouch is officially the most annoying Britannian on this planet. I wonder if Zero wants to take any student hostages in the future?'
"Shirley, can't it wait?" He said walking towards her.
This is her chance! She glanced at the pallets strapped together beside them, quickly formulating a plan. She ever so slightly turned towards the two in the corner. "I'm going to create a diversion, use it to get away."
Shirley was griping at Lelouch and Kallen slid up next to the pallets fingering her pink pouch with her hidden blade. "AHHH! The panels are falling!" She screamed quickly slicing the straps and pushing them out of balance.
Shirley stared wide-eyed at the rocking pallets, unmoving. 'Oh C'MON!' "Run away! Don't just stand there, watch out!" She yelled running towards the startled girl. She might be a little airheaded, but she was still a sweet girl and Kallen didn't want her hurt!
As she jumped to push Shirley out of the way there was a hydraulic 'hsss' and smoke filled the room. Kallen braced her shoulders for the impact, but it never came. As the smoke cleared a little she looked down at the shocked girls face.
"Um, I, thank you." Shirley stuttered out obviously embarrassed.
"I'm just glad you're ok." She looked around the room and saw the reason she wasn't crushed by the pallets was because both Suzaku and Lelouch had caught and held them up. She was pretty sure one was lifting more than the other. "But where did all this smoke come from?"
"It must be for detecting gas leaks. Looks like the main valve was knocked loose." Lelouch gritted out, arms trembling.
"Never mind that, can someone help me please?" Suzaku's voice quavered unexpectedly. "I'm in a little pain here."
Now that was surprising, she would have thought the pilot of Lancelot wouldn't break a sweat over something like this. "What's the matter?" She asked turning to look. She stopped dead and had to bite back her laughter at seeing Arthur's teeth firmly sunk into Suzaku's ankle.
"My ankle, it's a very familiar feeling."
"I can see that." She laughed quietly as she moved to extricate the tomcat from his favorite chew toy. She heard the knight give a groan of displeasure and she had to duck her head to hide her smile. Ok, maybe her day wasn't that bad.
Shirley scuttled out from under the pallets finally and the boys lowered it gently to the floor. She couldn't help but notice Lelouch's hunched form and heavy breathing. Vice prez was obviously used to telling others what to do than doing the heavy lifting himself.
Kallen took Arthur in her arms and Suzaku tenderly touched his new wound on his ankle. "Oh Arthur, why do you do this?" He asked defeated.
She buried her face in the feline's fur, hiding her amusement. "He really doesn't like you."
He frowned at the cat in her arms. "I have no idea what I have ever done to them, but cats never seem to like me very much."
"Maybe you were a dog in your past life."
He laughed. "Yeah I guess that might be it." He stood up again and turned towards Shirley. "Hey you're ok right?" She nodded vigorously. "Alright, well we still need to get that fuel tank for the pizza. If we don't hurry we'll have to face the president."
"Scary thought, we should get on that." Lelouch remarked having regained some of his composure.
"Maybe there's some over here," He pointed where Kallen had been, but with all the commotion she was sure Ohgi and the girl had gotten away, so she didn't feel any apprehension anymore. "Here why don't you guys go look down there and Kallen and I can check this area." He offered turning to her expectantly.
"Um sure, but I told you I didn't see any before." She said faking timidity. 'What does he want now?'
"Yeah but you might have missed something." He brushed off easily and walked past her.
Looking in the area she couldn't help but notice the dopey smile on his face. Annoyingly she wanted to know why he was smiling like that. She cast a glance over shoulder to make sure the others weren't in earshot. "What?" She whispered hotly.
He smiled wider and glanced back at her before looking around again. "Oh it's nothing. Just interesting to see your burst of strength back there. Surprising for a sickly girl who can't even participate in P.E. But maybe it was one of those weird adrenaline moments, considering one of your dear friends was in trouble."
She wanted to smack that smug tone right out of him, but she also wasn't going to tell him she's the reason Shirley almost got crushed. "Oh, drop it will you!"
He 'hmmed' in amusement. "You can play the loner schtick all you want, but you really care about these people. I just feel happy knowing I made the right choice to keep your secret. I know there's a chance to convince you now."
"Not if I stab you first." She pursed her lips at her slip, but instead of showing offense he actually laughed.
"I'll keep one eye open." He said lifting a canvas tarp. "Ah, here we are." He tossed the tarp aside and there was the clunky metal cylinder they needed. He hoisted it above his shoulder easily and turned towards her with that same dopey smile. "Well, like I said we better get this loaded up before the prez cooks up one too many crazy schemes for us slackers. Don't you think?"
She didn't give him an answer, simply fell into step with him. That didn't seem to bother him at all.
Rivalz voice boomed across the festival grounds, animatedly announcing the start of the main event. With all the film crews hanging around Kallen had preferred to volunteer for something more behind the scenes. She was holding the power chords to the Ganymede, making sure they stayed pugged in and unkinked.
Sayoko, Nunally's reserved caretaker was with her. As she wasn't the most talkative it was a bit hard to keep up a conversation. The start of the event gave her a breather from her awkward socializing attempts. Kallen listened to Rivalz energetically introduce the Ganymede and its pilot Suzaku. Suzaku made the antique flex and she couldn't hold back a laugh. It was a bit ridiculous seeing the stripped down thing mirror those 'tough guy poses.'
As Rivalz listed Suzaku's title an uproar of cheers came from the crowd. That was more than just their fellow student body. "Listen, is that because?"
Sayoko smiled and turned her head to peer at the crowd gathered around the stage. "Yes, there are lots of Elevens who came here today. It's an open festival after all and this is Suzakus school."
"So they came to see him?"
" Yes, Suzaku is like a ray of hope for many elevens, they revere him." She said simply, as if this should be obvious to Kallen.
"I see." She said looking up at the pilot. She turned to regard the sea of faces and she really could see it. Those gleaming eyes, waving arms, excited cheers. All aimed towards Suzaku. She wondered if he was really noticing, or understanding that this excitement wasn't just about a giant pizza.
This was a far cry from the reception he'd first received upon arriving at the school. Kallen swallowed a heavy lump in her throat. Of course she had seen the graffiti on his locker, walked past him washing out his shirts in the campus courtyard.
She was always there for her people, and she had no tolerance for such shows of prejudice, but…he was an honorary Britannian, a soldier no less! He had sold out their people so that's why she couldn't help him. It would have been more of a betrayal if she had intervened.
Despite her words a knot formed in her stomach and this time she did feel genuinely sick.
She gazed up at Suzaku again. Focusing on nothing more than making a pizza the president could brag about for the next year till trying to outdo it. Unaware of the hope being projected on him. While Zero was now the hope of many of her people she realized Suzaku had also grown to mean a lot to the Japanese. A sign that if you work hard enough, stay above it all when everyone is trying to drag you through the mud you can become something in a world controlled by another group.
Instinctively she rejected this. It was gained through bowing down to their conquerors, signifying that this is what all should do. That letting those in power trample over you and take whatever it is they desired was better than fighting for it back.
Her expression hardened and she tightened her grip on the chords. She stared at him then, even more strong in her resolve. 'I am not you, I will not sacrifice my dignity, my very being to fit the mold of the Britannian slave. I will fight for the lives and rights of those who have had everything taken from them. I will restore the hope of my people, and lead them to the revolution." Naoto's face appeared in her mind, smiling as he always did for her, and despite the shaking of the power chords as the Ganymede finished the grand task she stood perfectly still, grounded with her strength and will.
"Ow!" She exclaimed jerking the pizza back from her mouth.
"Ya know you're supposed to wait a little, It did just come out of the stove." Suzaku chided gently, toting his own slice on a plate.
She rolled her eyes. "Thaaanks mom."
He laughed again as he was doing more and more frequently around her. Since when had she become so damn funny? "So, how'd everything look when I was up there?" He touched his hand to the back of his neck. "I'm not really used to being the center of so much attention. I hope I didn't embarrass myself."
She realized suddenly he was genuinely self-conscious of what people thought about his performance. It made sense considering the amount of criticism he received on a normal day to day basis. She scoffed and blew on her slice.
"Coming to me for reassurance. Probably not the best decision."
He turned towards her, smiling gently. "But I can trust you won't spare my feelings with pretty lies."
She scoffed again, a light heat reaching her cheeks. From the pepper flakes on the pizza she told herself. She finally took a bite and chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds. "It's good." She said around her mouth full.
From the brilliant smile that crept slowly onto his face you would think she'd just told him he was the most amazing man in the world. Thankfully he didn't say anything more. He bit into his own slice and they ate together in a comfortable silence.
A/N: Sooooo Kallen doesn't actually hate Lelouch he just really got on her nerves today haha.
I have been wondering about what all could have happened if this strange truce between Kallen and Suzaku at school had went on for longer than it did. Considering how short it really was….
Basically Euphie might or might not have been there, but she wasn't uncovered and didn't reveal her plans to everyone.
I really like these two as both characters and a tense dynamic of ideals. I know Lelouch and Suzaku opposed each other in the grand scheme, but I was always compelled by the opposition of Kallen and Suzaku as skilled fighters, different representations of the Japanese people, and very different fundamental beliefs.
There is so much untapped potential there and so this is why this is here. I hope you enjoy reading, and if you have a second it would mean a lot if you could leave a review, favorite or follow!
Thank you so much : )
I hope you have a lovely day!