Author's Statement: Hello all, I want to say thank you for taking your time to read the first chapter of this currently ongoing story. This is my first time writing for Code Geass and I hope that I was successful in capturing the characters personalities and portrayed them accurately. Feel free to leave comments, critique, or criticism. I would love to hear your thoughts about my work-in-progress.
I would also like to thank the lovely, Sour Queen here on FanFiction dot net for beta-ing this chapter. Her suggestions were very helpful and she had such kind words for the beginning of a (sure to be) strange AU.
Summary: When Lelouch vi Britannia finds himself sold to an entertainment house by the Emperor, he loses a part of himself. He must now create a new life for himself and his younger sister, Nunnally, in Area 11. Then there is the fact that only women are allowed to live in the entertainment house.
Warnings: This work of fiction shall contain slash (of the male/male variety). It is also an AU (an Alternate Universe), so while there shall be parts that adhere to the canon of the series, there shall also be much that does not. Also, if the thought of crossdressing unnerves you or makes you feel uncomfortable, this work of fiction is probably not for you. The protagonist shall be wearing clothing of the opposite sex quite a bit.
Work-in-progress: This story has yet to be completed. It is a work-in-progress, so along away, there may be small edits here and there throughout the story for I write in one continuous document. I shall try my best to keep readers updated with edit notices (if there should happen to be edits) in the next chapter to be posted.
Disclaimer: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion belongs to Bandai Entertainment and Sunrise. I do not claim to own any of the characters and if I did, do you really think I would be writing fan fiction about them?
Hey, Little Bluebird
By margindoodles
"Your family sold you to this house."
-Pumpkin
(Memoirs of a Geisha: the Movie)
Scene 0: As the Snow Falls
Blank eyes stared out of the frost covered window, their amethyst color reflected against the cool panes of glass. A week had passed since that fateful day, the day when Lelouch vi Britannia had become Lelouch Lamperouge. It has been a week since his dignity had been stripped from his body, a week since the Britannian nobility was cast aside along with his younger sister Nunnally. So much has changed in just seven days, the air has gotten colder, the wind harsher, and snow fell frequently from the sky now. Along with the chill of winter, Lelouch could feel a part of himself deteriorating; there was a part of him that felt as if it had died. A piece of himself had been lost, yet still he refused to give into the will of the emperor. He would not bow his head in shame; he would take all of it in stride. He might have been sold, but he refused to think of himself as anything other than Britannian.
"Lelouch," the cheerful voice called from deep within the bowels of the house, "are you awake yet?" The question was followed by the sound of footsteps traveling down the hall before the redhead appeared in the doorway. A kind smile graced her features just as it had her voice. "Milly has already left for her rounds. She had an early appointment with Rivalz this morning." Shirley explained. Normally, the entire house would be up as the blonde fiend devised all sorts of schemes, yet this morning had been strangely still.
Lelouch only gave an uninterested hum. "Kallen has breakfast on the stove and I woke Nunnally a few minutes ago. Come on down to breakfast once you've finished getting ready." It was more of a question instead of a statement. With one last friendly smile, Shirley disappeared from the bedroom doorway.
Lelouch could only give a weak sigh as he turned away from the window. With a few quick steps, his lithe frame stood before the gaudy vanity set. Disgust crawled across his face as he proceeded to seat himself on the oak stool, fingers dancing along the many products displayed before pulling open a drawer harshly. The foundation containers rattled and clanked in protest. Looking briefly, he picked up the closest match to his pale skin tone before unscrewing the cap. The liquid cream slid across his cheekbones, covering any possible flaws, allowing a base for other pastes, creams, and powders to follow. Eyes drifted from the mirror to glance at the outfit hanging limply against a chair.
"Lavender then," he whispered to himself. Ohgi had brought the abomination by late last night and requested that he wear it the next day for the introductions. Playful pink lips were covered by pastel pink, a dusting of pink blush against foundation covered cheeks, several shades of violet and lavender blended together along eyelids, and raven eyelashes extended with charcoal black mascara.
The bedroom door was shut with a light click – there was no lock. Pulling off the large t-shirt and shimmying out of the loose work pants (which were really sweats); Lelouch carefully folded the articles of clothing and placed them in the second drawer of a small dresser. They were all that was in the dresser besides a few undergarments in the top drawer. Neither he nor Nunnally had been able to take anything with them, so he was at least thankful for what Ohgi had been so kind enough to scrounge up.
Turning towards the closet, Lelouch padded silently over to the sliding door. Opening it, his eyes scanned the contents within before pulling out a pair of pressed satin stockings. Next came a lace covered garter to go over feminine panties and lily white gloves made of fine silk. Closing the door, Lelouch pulled the frilly garter up slender thighs to rest on lean hips. The stockings followed; their white color almost harsh against his pale skin, the garter belts attached to keep them from slipping. Laying the gloves on the vanity's stool, Lelouch picked up the dress lying against the chair innocently. Violet fabric pooled in heaps at his feet. The door opened and a rush of cool air from the hallway entered into the confined space as Kallen stepped into the room; it was as if she could read his thoughts. Her dark, red hair was a mess as she struggled with the bundle of petticoats in her arms.
"Don't just stand there," Kallen huffed as she shouldered the door closed, the slam echoing, "get out of the way." Her annoyance was obvious as the bundle of garments tumbled onto the mattress. An assortment of petticoats and crinoline skirts lay scattered along the crisp sheets as Lelouch tried to cover his body. Humility covered his features as Kallen grabbed the dress from his hands and placed it once again on the lone chair. Picking up a gauzy, crinoline skirt, she motioned for him to stand before her. "Don't be a child; get over here so we can get your undergarments ready." Another huff, hands placed in annoyance against her hips, Kallen waited impatiently.
His humility subsiding, a bored look entered his stare as he proceeded to stand in front of the short-tempered woman. One foot stepping into the elastic waste band and then the other, the first of many supporting skirts was adjusted. There were a total of seven all together: five crinoline skirts that were placed and then two petticoats hefted over his shoulders to be pulled down daintily over the poof of crinoline.
Then the violet dress came with its white lace and lavender ribbons. It too was hoisted over his head, the woven cotton falling before the end of the petticoats to show off the bunched linen. The laces along his back were pulled tight, his flat chest and narrow waist giving the miraculous impression of a tightly bound corset. Hair extensions were tied into his existing hair, creating a cascade of rich, raven colored strands. With a wide-pronged comb, Kallen attended to his now luxurious locks. She combed them into submission and twirled the ends, slight curls as the result. The redhead stepped back with a satisfactory scoff.
As the woman reached to weave baubles and beads through the long tresses, Lelouch knocked her hands away lightly. "Let it lie loose," his voice held a hint of irritation, "then I won't have to wear so much to cover my jugular." One of the woman's eyebrows raised, yet she let it go. There was a time limit to the timely process of getting ready this morning. Luluko needed to be dressed and ready to stun within the hour for that was when her first client would appear to meet and greet courteously, followed with taking her out for a stroll that would then be accompanied by tea, a light lunch, and then a trip to the cinema.
The thought of posing as a woman for more than an hour had Lelouch scoffing with distaste and a sneer settling across his painted lips. The disgruntled look came off looking more like a pout than anything else and had Kallen rolling her eyes before telling him to 'man up' and to take his new role in stride and with dignity. He hated to admit it, but she had a point.
The tepid knock could be heard through the floorboards and the entirety of the entertainment house was a buzz in mere seconds. The sounds of Shirley bustling to the front to answer the door followed by Ohgi greeting the client drifted up and finality of his situation sunk in. With a hesitant smile as encouragement, Lelouch opened the bedroom door and stepped out in the chilled hallway. His footsteps were light, the linen of his underclothes whispered against the wooden floorboards, and before he was ready, Lelouch found himself at the stairs – taking one step at a time down to the main floor.
Pleasant chatter halted and a hushed silence greeted his appearance within the doorway to the outer hall. Suddenly his mouth was much too dry and fears of a horrible, crackling falsetto plagued his thoughts. Looking around the small enclosure (the "greeting" area of the house known as the outer hall) Lelouch found himself receiving a luck-filled nod from Ohgi, the color filled face of a flustered Shirley, and the figure of someone he had never met before.
The air of the outer hall felt still, a tense atmosphere drifted up through the floor and around the inhabitants of the entertainment house. Lelouch could feel his palms begin to get sticky and slick with sweat as his eyes met with the Eleven's eyes. Cool amethyst met with fresh, spring grass green. The Japanese's eyes had such intensity just beneath the surface. A quirk of the man's lips slid into an open, lopsided smile as a tan arm was thrust forward, a firm hand held aloft; it was the first breach of a nervous young man trying to win over a fair lady's (or whom he thought was a lady) affection. Lelouch only stared at the proffered hand, a single eyebrow raised, creating an expression that clearly said: And I'm supposed to be impressed?
Awkward shuffling followed with the retraction of the proffered hand, a disheartened air coiling around the room's occupants, and a nervous tinge colored the man's lopsided grin. Ohgi, clearing his throat in an attempt to fill the tense atmosphere and disperse it, motioned to the man still standing on the threshold of the outer hall. "Mr. Kururugi, allow me to introduce Luluko Lamperouge." Lelouch continued to stare at his first patron, his eyes glazed over and thoroughly unimpressed, as Ohgi made an introductory gesture towards his dress-covered form.
That was when Kallen decided to tromp down the stairs and join the small group in the entranceway. "Oh, stop being such a prude," she scoffed, (Lelouch could practically feel her eyes roll), "greet the man." Kallen's voice ended in a huff before Lelouch felt himself being shoved forward. A womanly gasp echoed into the room as Lelouch felt himself tip forward, stocking clad feet tangling in the monstrosity of undergarments, another unmanly sound escaped from his mouth and Lelouch suddenly felt his femininely dressed form cradled against Kururugi's torso. "See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Lelouch could feel the smug aura rolling off of the redheaded woman as she tried (not very hard) to stifle her obvious amusement (which was escaping past pursed lips in chuckle filled bursts).
"Suzaku, Kururugi Suzaku," Green eyes gleamed with hidden amusement, "it's a pleasure to meet you."