Drip.
It was going to rain.
C.C. stood outside of a Pizza Hut restaurant, carefully balancing a stack of pizza boxes and frowning up at the sky.
That wouldn't do, not at all, she thought, glancing down at the boxes. If the pizza got wet, it would be absolutely terrible. She could try running back, but it was hard balancing them as is, without trying to outrun the rain at the same time.
She groaned in frustration. What were her options? Calling in a taxi was not a possibility, as she spent all the money she managed to grab from Lelouch's wallet on the way out on the deliciously smelling pile in her arms. She supposed she could try and wait for the rain to stop, but the pizza would get cold.
The green-haired girl sighed, finally making a decision. She would have to call Lelouch to come get her in that motorbike he and his friend seemed to use when they went out gambling. Or at least an umbrella of some sort. As fast as possible. She carefully made her way to a nearby bench, placing down the boxes softly before sitting down and pulling out Lelouch's second cellphone. The one he used for Black Knights business, she idly noticed, as she roamed her memory for his number.
There. She pressed down, and pulled the boxes slightly closer as she listened to the dialing tone.
Ring.
Ring.
Click.
"Hello? Who is this?" came his smooth, soft tone over the line. He must be with Nunnally, she noticed. He only used that kind of tone around her.
"Lelouch? It's me." she said, giving a slight smirk as she heard him let out a gasp.
"Just a second, Nunnally. No, it's fine, just a classmate calling me to ask a question about a test. I'll be right back!" he yelled, before a door clicked closed over the line and he started hissing at her "Witch! What do you think you're doing, calling me over the phone? Do you know how easy it is to tap these things? I thought I told you to stay in the room!"
C.C. rolled her eyes, then grabbed a lock of her lush green hair and started twirling it "I wanted some pizza, Lelouch. You failed to provide it, so I took action. As for the phone, I'm using your Black Knights one. It should be encrypted sufficiently, no?"
She could hear him gritting his teeth over the phone "Then why the hell didn't you just order some? Do you know how risky it is for you to be outside right now? If anyone recognizes you…"
She snorted, looking up at the steadily growing amount of raindrops hitting the ground "I didn't trust them to get it here while it's hot. It wasn't, the last two times I called them. Also, boy, I've been doing this for a lot longer than you were alive. I know how to keep myself hidden."
He sighed, "Alright, what is it? Why are you calling?"
"It's raining, Lelouch, and you didn't provide enough money for a taxi. I'm stuck in front of the Pizza Hut restaurant with a stack of rapidly cooling boxes of pizza and I need you to come get me. Now."
Lelouch let out an exaggerated snort back over the line "Provided money? Money?! Did you steal from me again, C.C.? You spend so much money on that frivolous food, that-"
He got interrupted "Lelouch. The pizza is getting cold, and it's raining. Get over here, now."
She ended the call, stuffing the phone back in the pocket and huffing. Frivolous food? The nerve! Pizza was her only friend back when… back when she was alone. C.C. closed her eyes and shook her head quickly, banishing the unwanted thoughts away.
It was getting dark quickly. And cold. She pulled her jacket a bit closer around herself, hoping he would get here before the pizza got cold. She supposed she could wait inside the restaurant instead, but the rain was calming, in an odd way. She cocked her head, watching the raindrops dance in the rapidly setting sun.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Lelouch scowled, looking at the screen that was currently happily informing him "Call Dropped". That stubborn woman... Why did she even go out? Did she want to be rediscovered and captured by those madmen again, just to be experimented upon? He thought back to the files he managed to download from one of Britannia's highly classified databases. The things they did to her…
He shuddered, Nunnally's voice bringing him out of his thoughts "Nii-san? Is everything alright?"
The exiled prince let out a sigh, then recomposed himself and popped his head back in the room "It's nothing, Nunnally. I need to go out and a bring a book to a classmate of mine, it's a bit urgent."
Her face fell "Then…?"
"Don't worry, I won't be long! I'll be back in time for dinner." he quickly replied, smiling even though she couldn't see it.
Nunnally nodded "Alright, nii-san. Sayoko told me she was making a delicious stew tonight, you don't want to miss it, I hope."
Lelouch smiled, already exiting the room "Of course not! I'll be back in a bit."
His smile fell as the door closed behind him, his pace quickening. He would need to be fast, or there would be hell to pay. She wouldn't stop at simply stealing his pillows, oh no. She was devious when she wanted to be.
He passed Sayoko on the way out, informing her he would be absent for a few minutes, and that Nunnally was waiting in the dining room. She nodded "Of course, young master. I recommend getting an umbrella, the rain doesn't look like it will let up soon."
He absently nodded and pulled out his phone as he walked, dialling Rivalz "Hello, Rivalz? It's nothing, I just need to borrow your bike. A friend of mine is stuck out in the rain, and I need to get them. No, Rivalz, it's not my girlfriend. The keys are in the usual spot? Thanks."
He grabbed his jacket and wallet, absently noticing it felt lighter than usual, then hesitated for a second, before giving up and grabbing the silly pasty toy she usually held. Cheese-kun, was it? He held it under his arm as he set off in a light jog towards the Student Council's garage, grabbing an umbrella after a quick look outside. Living in Ashford, it was pretty close by, even though he was slightly out of breath by the time he got to it.
"I need to stop skipping PE classes." he murmured, taking the keys to the bike from the small shelf Rivalz usually hung them on and sitting in the driver's seat, slamming the pasty toy in the little cart next to him. He quickly put on a helmet and drove out, frowning at the steadily increasing rain above.
oOoOoOoOoOo
C.C. was bored. She had already ate an entire pizza in the five minutes she had been waiting, thankful for the fact the boxes were hotter than usual when she received them, and was now staring off into space.
Lelouch. He was… different from her normal contractors. She made contracts for different reasons. Sometimes she had no choice, like with Lelouch, and sometimes for her own selfish desires, like with… him. Oh yes, she still remembered Mao. She closed her eyes and shuddered. He was such a nice boy, before he got driven steadily more and more crazy by the thoughts of those around him.
She shifted around on the bench, crossing her legs. Why did she even contract with Mao in the first place? Was it just because of her maternal instinct? Or was it simply because she desperately wanted to feel close to another human being?
It was a fair question, she mused. After all, life could get lonely when you live for hundreds upon hundreds of years. Humans rise and fall, their lives extinguished in a blaze of glory, or slowly dimming out like a fire. Her contracts were the same. No matter who she picked, in the end, they all failed, not managing to fulfill their part.
Lelouch was different. There was some sort of intensity around him, a sort of flame that drew people to him, combined with his sheer presence. It was what made him so suited to be a leader. He certainly inherited his father's charisma and looks, she thought, smirking. It reflected in his Geass. Absolute Command, oh, now that was a classic. The last person to have it manifest was Napoleon. He was an… interesting person. The Geass was just one of the many reasons he managed to drive the Britannian Royal family out. Such a shame it couldn't help him in the end.
She smiled, thinking of how the times have changed. She had served Emperors, Kings and Generals, lived in some of the most luxurious places of their ages, and now she was sitting on a small bench outside of a restaurant with a stack of pizza boxes, waiting for a boy to pick her up in a two seater motorbike.
Oh, how low she had fallen. But, she thought, smiling again, it really wasn't so bad. No matter how grumpy or angry he got at her, no matter how annoying and nihilistic he could get, she could see it in his eyes. He considered her a friend, or at least a close acquaintance of sorts. And that was enough. Perhaps, just perhaps, he would be able to fulfill the contract, and grant her wish.
Someone passed by her every now and then, but few people paid attention to a girl sitting on a bench, busy with trying to get to their own homes. Even if she was cute.
C.C. sighed, shaking herself out of the stupor and looking at her wristwatch. Well, technically, it was Lelouch's wristwatch, but he surely wouldn't mind her taking it. It was certainly well over ten minutes since she had called him, and it was now dark outside, the raindrops dancing in the light of the streetlights around her.
A roar, or rather, a sputter of an engine announced his arrival, the bike stopping a few meters away from her, causing her to raise an eyebrow and smile at the silly helmet he had on.
He scowled at her relaxed posture, giving the pile of boxes a dubious look, then sighed, giving up on arguing "The traffic was in a mess, I couldn't get here sooner. Come on, let's go home."
Her heart suddenly started beating faster. Home? Yes, she guessed she had a place she could call home, at least for now.
C.C. quickly stood up and dusted off her trousers, then turned around and deftly picked up the now nearly cool boxes. She quickly crossed the small distance between the sidewalk and the side car, and carefully stepped in, balancing her load.
He watched her sit down, then opened up an umbrella and gave it to her. She looked at him and raised both eyebrows "An umbrella? What a gentleman you are."
He rolled his eyes "I know it looks silly, witch, but we don't want you to get wet, and then sick again. I've had it with fulfilling your requests the last time it happened."
She gave a small smile at the memory "Goodness forbid.", then raised the umbrella slightly as he started slowly moving the vehicle into the lane, and sat down, squirming as she felt something uneven beneath her.
She pulled it out to find, to her shock, her Cheese-kun. It was smiling at her reassuringly, warming her heart more than a ray of sun could. She gazed at Lelouch, seeking an explanation.
He grimaced, pretending not to notice her look, and started navigating the relatively short trip to Ashford.
C.C. looked at Cheese-kun, then at Lelouch, and smiled. To his shock, she leaned out slightly and gave him a peck on the cheek, making him jump and nearly crash the bike into the car ahead of them.
He gave her a shell shocked look, to which she shrugged and smiled "You know, you're really not that bad for an idiot." then proceeded to snuggle up with Cheese-kun and patiently wait, looking into the swirling puddles on the ground and feeling an odd sort of happiness.
Drip.
The rain kept falling.
A/N: Hello. Thanks for taking the time to read my story. This is my first fic, though I've certainly been inspired by the many talented authors the CG section on this website has. Special thanks to AverageLucas for huge insipiration and encouragement in writing this. Please take a moment and review to tell me your opinion. Any kind of criticism is more than welcome.