Disclaimer: Me own plot only…

Author's Note: Happy Birthday to our very own Suzaku Kururugi! I read in Wikipedia that July 10 is his birthday, and so this is my gift to him! (Yeah I know I posted it on July 11, so this is a late gift!). Please enjoy, minna-san!!

Precious Memories

By: Syaoran's Sakura

I love dreaming.

Not the kind of dreaming with your eyes wide open. I like to dream when I'm asleep.

Why, you ask?

Because my dreams can show me my memories.

When I dream, I dream about the past.

I dream of the Kururugi Shrine, and of the field of sunflowers that I used to play on.

I dream of my father, Nunnally, and Lelouch.

Lelouch…

It was always him that I see in my dreams. His alluring smile, his black hair, his pale face, his captivating amethyst eyes…

One thing that I always dream about was our last time together, before he was taken by the Ashford family… away from me.

Two boys lay in the field, silently staring at the stars and enjoying each others' company. Each of them quietly contemplating, nervous about the ordeal that will happen tomorrow.

This went on for a long moment until the chocolate-haired boy broke the silence, though his voice was full of remorse.

"So you're really going this time, huh Lelouch?"

Leouch shook his head, his lips set in a somber smile.

"Yeah, I guess I do, Suzaku."

Another silence.

Suzaku sighed. "I'm going to miss Nunnally."

The other frowned. "Only Nunnally?"

"Of course I'm going to miss Nunnally. She's almost like a little sister to me. And," Suzaku smiled, "I'm going to miss you too, Lelouch."

The black haired boy felt his cheeks burning, and tried to get rid of it by shaking his head. Another silence followed, but this time Lelouch was the one who spoke first.

"We need a place, just for us."

Suzaku sat up, his questioning eyes falling on him. "What?"

But the prince just smiled and looked at him. "We need a place, just for us. It will be so secret we will never tell anyone about it."

"Why?"

"Because," Lelouch leaned back again, "I want us to have a place, where we had so many memories together. And when we remember that place we will always remember each other!" He smiled.

Brown eyes sparkled with excitement. "Sure! That way we can still remember each other! But where?"

Lelouch pointed to the direction of the shrine. "What else? We made so many memories on the Kururugi Shrine, so I think it will be just the perfect place!"

"But how can it be only just for us if other people know about it?"

"For others, it will be just an ordinary shrine because there is nothing important to them there. But for us, it will be one of the most colorful places in the world because we had our memories together in that shrine. In the eyes of ordinary people it will be just an empty old shrine; but for the two of us it will be a place just for us. They will use their eyes to see, but we will use our hearts to see what's inside."

Suzaku stared at him before laughing. "You really are melodramatic Lelouch!" The prince frowned but he pretended not to see. "But… sure! It will be-"

"Onii-sama! Suzaku! Its time for bed!"

Lelouch stood up. "Nunnally's voice really is loud." He held out his hand. "Let's go?"

Suzaku took his hand, holding it gently yet firmly in his own. "Sure, I'll go with you, Lelouch."

And so the two of them walked away happily, clutching each other's hand as they made their way to the house, not thinking that it might be their last time tomorrow. However, Lelouch's words still rang in the other boy's mind.

"We need a place, just for us."

"Yes, we now have it, just for us."

When I dream, I dream about the past.

I dream about the war, and all the blood in the battlefield.

I dream of Nunnally, Euphemia, and Lelouch.

Lelouch…

It was always him that I see in my dreams. His face always haunts my sleep. His face as an ordinary student and a brother, as Zero himself, as Euphemia's murderer…

But most of all, the one I remember the most is his face as the Lelouch who became my best friend and my most precious person.

The moment I always dream about was of that time, the last night I ever had with him, the night before I killed Lelouch and…

The night before my birthday.

"Ne Suzaku, tomorrow's the day. Are you ready?"

Lelouch turned around, eyeing his friend seriously. It's been such a long time, and the two boys had grown up to be the most powerful men on earth. Moonbeams illuminated the silvery grass below, as the wind played with the emperor's coat. His knight, though, sat on the grass, eyes full of mixed emotions of hate, anger, and most of all, sadness.

"I still don't understand why you have to die by my hands or on my birthday either."

The wind stilled as Lelouch's laughter rang in the air.

"What's so funny?" Suzaku glared at him.

"Nothing. You look just like a complete idiot sitting there."

"I hate hearing your laughter."

Lelouch was taken aback by his knight's words, but continued laughing all the same.

"You hate my laughter eh? Since it's your birthday tomorrow, I will give you a very special gift."

Suzaku stayed quiet.

"There is an old belief that after a person dies, his soul will be taken up and be turned into a new star."

"So?"

"After I die, when my star glows brightly in the sky, just look at it and you'll always my laughter as if I'm with you!"

"And is that supposed to make me more furious when I do that?"

"No, silly!" Lelouch laughed, looking at the stars. "Don't you get it? I'm giving you something no one can ever have! You," Amethyst eyes met brown eyes, "And only you, will have stars that can laugh!"

Suzaku stood up. "I don't need it. And I still hate your laughter. I have to go now, Your Majesty."

The emperor turned his gaze back to the heavens. "I'll stay here a little longer. I want to enjoy the stars for… for the last time." His voice broke as tears fell from his eyes. In a blink of an eye Suzaku was there, holding his fragile prince in his arms.

Voice gentle yet broken, he whispered ever so softly in his ear, "You don't have to do it tomorrow, you know."

Pale hands cupped tanned ones. "I have to, for the sake of a better tomorrow, for Nunnally, for the world, for you. I just… I just want to enjoy my last moments gazing at the place where I will be tomorrow after the Zero Requiem…"

"Then, I shall stay with you all those moments… my love."

As the two of them stood gazing at the stars, Suzaku couldn't help but fell remorse spring forth from the bottom of his heart. Eight years ago they were staring at the same stars, their last moment together before the prince left. Now it's the same, only that tomorrow, the latter will not leave; he will be dead tomorrow. But Lelouch's words somehow made their way to his mind.

"You, and only you, will have stars that can laugh!"

"I don't need them; I want your real laughter."

When I dream, I dream about the past.

I dream about my childhood memories, and of the war.

I dream of my father, Euphemia, Nunnally, and of Lelouch.

Lelouch…

My dreams always show me him, in all of his masks. But in my minds eye the one memory I always see, my most cherished dream, is of that final night, that last time I held Lelouch in my arms.

But then, as I find myself almost there, almost reaching to that cherished yet distant dream, reaching for Lelouch's hand, reality blows its calm yet cruel wind, waking me up to face its harsh truth.

And I will usually find myself in the garden, staring at the stars as the dawn slowly swallows their light. And then I will hear that laughter, coming from those stars, making it seem as if the owner of that melodious voice is there with me, giving me a gift that no one ever had, and a place no one except us knows about.

As the sun slowly spreads its rays across the sky, a smile made its way to my lips, making me realize of this one true gift that Lelouch gave me; the gift of a new tomorrow. With that smile I look up. Whispering,

"Everything will surely be alright, ne Lelouch?

"We need a place, just for us."

"Yes, we now have it, just for us."

"You, and only you, will have stars that can laugh!"

"I don't need them; I want your real laughter."

OWARI

Syaoran's Sakura: Tell me what you think! I actually got the idea when i re-read my favorite novels: The Little Prince and Bridge to Terabithia.