Recent nights had been busy for Lelouch Lamperouge, former prince of Britannia, as he continued to command his order of Black Knights to rebel against the nation under an alter ego called 'Zero'. It was noon, and he sat with his head resting on his palm as the teacher droned on about history. Boring. His amethyst gaze flickered around the class for a moment, then he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep like he did almost every lesson, snoring so slightly that only his desk partner, Suzaku Kururugi heard.
The green-eyed honorary Britannian soldier was busy scribbling down notes. Since he was away with his 'military duties' so much lately, he was trying to catch up with the schoolwork. Upon hearing Lelouch's snores, he turned around and jabbed the 17 year old in the ribs with the tip of his pen.
"Lelouch, wake up. You'll get in trouble." The raven haired boy huffed in annoyance and sat back up, just as the bell rang for lunch. Along with the rest of the class, they packed their stuff up and headed for the door.
"You're so serious." Lelouch mumbled at Suzaku as they headed out into the corridor. "I have to hand this in... Meet me at the rooftop, okay?" Lelouch, vice president of the student council, fumbled for the piece of paper which was somewhere in his bag, a bunch of notes of stuff they'd need to arrange for the school fair. The raven haired boy turned away before he melted under Suzaku's emerald gaze.
"But-" Suzaku was about to object, only to be cut off by the younger boy.
"Suzaku, just somehow get yourself up there, or I'll just tell everyone your embarrassing secret." Lelouch turned back to face the older boy and smirked. Sure, the honorary soldier had always been physically stronger than Lelouch, but he'd managed to even that all out with his intelligent way with words. This, without doubt left Suzaku completely baffled. Secret? Being childhood friends they knew close to everything about each other. Suzaku was also one of the very few people who knew that Lelouch Vi Britannia had been exiled by his own father along with his blind and crippled sister, Nunnally, after their mother's death, forcing them to take up the alias 'Lamperouge'. Lelouch had first met Suzaku when he and Nunnally were sent as hostages to Japan when it had been captured by Britannia and renamed 'Area 11' during the war, where they had been housed for many years at the Kururugi Shrine.
Was the wiry younger boy going to tell everyone that as a child, Suzaku killed his own father, Genbu Kururugi, the Japanese prime minister, for the greater good of the country? Or whatever else...?
Suzaku turned away, not wanting to give Lelouch the pleasure of seeing him blushing like an idiot. He sighed and headed towards the rooftop.
Some ten minutes later, Lelouch opened the rooftop door to to find Suzaku waiting. There was no one else there since that place might as well have been out of bounds. Just as planned. This had been their meeting place ever since they went to the school, when in those early years there had been more tension between Japan and Britannia. there, they could avoid being questioned why they hung out with each other despite their different nationalities.
"So what's that secret you were talking about?" Suzaku tried not to sound desperate.
"I wonder..." Lelouch said almost innocently.
"I came, so tell me." Suzaku tackled an unsuspecting Lelouch and pinned him to a wall. The answer the older boy got was far from what he expected. The violet eyed 17 year old leaned out and kissed Suzaku lightly on the lips.
"Nh- Lelou-" Suzaku's cheeks reddened as Lelouch's hand ruffled his brown hair.
"Your secret is that I was your first kiss." Lelouch grinned triumphantly. How Lelouch knew that it was Suzaku's first kiss was beyond the knowledge of the young Japanese boy, but this was hardly surprising that Lelouch knew. He knew everything. Despite the facts that he never listened in class nor studied, he still got the highest grades in the class.
"Same goes for you then?" Suzaku flinched, frantically trying to find a something to comeback that.
"Not that I'd mind." Lelouch simply replied though he knew that Nunnally would kill him if she found out. He figured that he'd sort that out later... His thoughts were interrupted as Suzaku put his arms around Lelouch's neck to draw him closer.
Just then there was an amused 'humh'. A very shocked Lelouch turned to see C.C in the Ashford school uniform. The pizza addict was munching on a slice of pizza, hardly surprising. She was leaning against the wall, pretty much camouflaged, and that made it seem like she'd been there for AGES. He turned redder than ever.
"How long have you... been here?" C.C refrained a grin of mischief. The immortal girl with almost lime green hair looked back at Lelouch with puppy dog eyes.
"Long enough." she replied, with an edge to her voice.
"...Jealous much?" Lelouch cringed. C.C was one of the people who even Lelouch cannot beat with his quick mind and talking.
"Nah. In fact I'm pretty glad." She took another bite of pizza. "Young love for the little prince. How romantic." Lelouch searched desperately for words, glancing at a very awkward looking Suzaku.
"Enjoy yourselves. If you ever need any advice just ask." She smirked and ducked back down the ladder which she came up from. Then she poked her head back out for a moment.
"By the way, I took your credit card and got some pizza. Didn't think you'd mind. Besides, you owe me."
"That witch." Lelouch cursed under his breath as C.C left. It was true, he owed her for saving his life multiple times, when he was in danger of blowing his cover as Zero during the rebellion.
"..." Suzaku obviously took C.C's parting words a different way.
That evening, when Lelouch found out that Sayoko, their maid, was taking the day off, he went to the student council to meet Nunnally. The three of them were housed in a spare apartment like thing at Ashford Academy, taken care by the Ashford family, the only other people who knew of Lelouch and Nunnally's true identity. Perhaps it was easier that people didn't know if your daddy was the Emperor of Britannia himself...
"Big brother," Nunnally turned to Lelouch ever so sweetly. "I was wondering if Suzaku could stay for dinner tonight..." Lelouch's eyes widened. For once, he felt relieved that his sister was blind and unable to see his expression. He had been meaning to avoid Suzaku for a bit now, but he couldn't simply turn down his sister's genuine request.
"I'll go ask... though he's probably busy with his military duties..." The 17 year old somehow managed to keep his voice calm. He was a natural liar, and as long as there was some truth woven into the fabric of deception, it was easy.
"Oh. After all, he's probably got to capture Zero..." Nunnally sounded disappointed. The innocent girl didn't know that her older brother was Zero, the wanted terrorist himself, but the raven haired boy figured that he had to keep it that way in order to create a peaceful world where his blind and crippled sister could at least live happily. Suddenly he felt a pang of guilt for hiding so many things from his sister. Before Nunnally could mention more about Zero or Suzaku, Lelouch hurriedly came up with an excuse and walked away, leaving the young girl utterly puzzled.
"Suzaku, Nunnally wants to have dinner with you..." Lelouch leaned against the lockers as the brown haired boy packed his stuff, staring at the ground and avoiding his emerald gaze.
"Good, because you've been avoiding me for a bit now." The older boy said, half teasingly. Lelouch winced, knowing that his friend was right.
"I haven't." Lelouch said defensively.
"Oh really?" It was Suzaku's turn to grin as he pressed his forehead against Lelouch's. He tried to shrink away, realizing how awkward they look in the public, but of course, he was held down firmly by the Japanese boy.
"You're really thick headed if-" Lelouch was interrupted as Suzaku closed the gap between his lips and Lelouch's, making the younger boy turn bright red.
"Guess I'll always be your idiot," Suzaku ran his fingers through Lelouch's straight raven colored fringe. "I like you quite a lot..." he breathed. Lelouch muttered something barely audible in agreement as he stroked the back of Suzaku's black school jacket.
"Come on, lets get back before Nunnally gets suspicions..." Lelouch smiled. "And if she finds out I'll personally kill you."
"You could try."
"Shut up, quit teasing me." Lelouch burned under his skin.
"That's," Emerald eyes gleamed. "Payback to the prince."
"Suzaku, I gave up that name seven and a half years ago..." Lelouch sounded somewhat awkward speaking of the past.
"Still, you're MY prince now." The amethyst eyed boy gritted his teeth in annoyance at Suzaku's naive answer.
By the time they got back to the apartment, Sayoko was back and dinner had been laid out.
"You two are back late..." Sayoko started.
"Yeah, Suzaku was being... disagreeable." Lelouch struggled to find the right word. It was partly true.
Nunnally, sitting in her wheelchair let out a small sigh of curiosity. "Suzaku, are your duties annoying you?" Before Suzaku could answer, the violet eyed boy spoke.
"Yeah, that's probably the case.
"No it's just-" Suzaku knew he wasn't supposed to tell, but he didn't like lying Nunally, a helpless and blind girl. It just felt wrong. Lelouch gave Suzaku a sharp kick under the table, straight in the shins and that caused the honorary soldier to cringe for a moment. As Sayoko went back outside to get something, Lelouch shot Suzaku a glance, but he just shook his head slightly yet firmly.
"Big brother, is something wrong?" Nunnally gave the two of them a concerned look as they sat in silence.
"No..." The raven haired boy took a cup of tea and deliberately dropped it on the carpet. "Oh clumsy Suzaku, look what you've done." Before Suzaku could protest, Lelouch dragged him out of his seat and clamped his hand over the older boy's mouth. Nunnally raised her head towards them, concerned.
"Come on, Suzaku, we'll get you cleaned up... There's nothing to worry about, Nunnally. We'll be back soon..." Lelouch dragged Suzaku into his room and locked the door.
"Stubborn as always." he hissed through gritted teeth. Suzaku looked up, sort of surprised and impressed at the same time that Lelouch managed to come up with that.
"But you can't-" His words seemed to be cut off by a razor-sharp glare from amethyst eyes.
"Shut up, Suzaku. She's my sister, not yours." Suzaku's emerald eyes gleamed as he remembered Lelouch saying those exact words years ago when they were still at the shrine, when Suzaku had offered to help carry Nunnally up what seemed like the endless flight of stairs.
"Guess so." Suzaku smiled a bit. "I just find you... irresistible." Lelouch's gaze softened as he wrapped his arms around Suzaku's waist and bury his chin in his soft brown hair.
"Trust me I like you every bit as much..." Suzaku's hugged Lelouch back, gently biting his pale neck.
"So I'm still your knight?" Being a prince's knight would mean that he gets to follow him wherever he goes. Both Suzaku and Lelouch figured that much out.
"Always." Lelouch closed his eyes and let the scent of vanilla engulf him.