Pair: SuzaluLelouch
Rating: T
Summary: Lelouch has weaseled his way out of almost any and everything he could, but there turns out to be one thing he can't stop. Suzaku smiles up at him, sweet and as pained as ever. "I told you, Lelouch, you can't stop time."
Warning: Nothing too horrible. It's rated T so yeah, make your own conclusions.
Disclaimer: Me no own this—well no me own this story just not the bigger story! Basically me just own me and Winston, the laptop.
Part I
White Apple
7/3/2011 10:51 PM
It wasn't crowded, nor was it sparse. Around half the tables were taken and of that only a maximum of two to three people sat at those tables. It was perfect for the setting really. No one would notice them here. They were in fact one of the tables so easily overlooked as just a couple of friends having lunch. C.c. sat straight across from Lelouch. Tea for both though Lelouch took his black white C.c. often experimented with the amount of milk vs. sugar. Lelouch had never actually known exactly how C.c. liked her tea, but she seemed to change around a lot to it didn't matter much either.
Lelouch fit the cigarette neatly between his lips before taking a drag before pulling away holding it between his long fingers. He imagined the gesture looked quite poised, though when he imagined himself it was always with elegant lines and smooth movements.
"You've taken up some rather interesting habits." C.c. commented as she looked up from her menu.
"Suzaku hates it." Lelouch supplied before setting down his own menu and took a sip of tea with his free hand. "But it's not like I'll get lung cancer so I persevere."
C.c. tilted her head to the side. "You don't actually enjoy it?"
Lelouch looked up and for the first time in years the light was just perfect. C.c. had aged perfectly, her skin still as flawless and face just as breathtaking, but now with the shadows caste just right Lelouch could make it out, the crows feet starting at her eyes and a few other slight wrinkles starting to show around her eyes. He smiled. It was about time she must be nearing nigh forty by now. Or had forty years just been how long Lelouch hand known her? It had been quite a while before Lelouch had looked at the year printed on calendars or in date books or even on newspapers. What was the point when time had utterly become meaningless to him?
"I do it mostly because it annoys Suzaku." Lelouch confessed. "But I like the idea really, it makes me seem so much more—human."
C.c. smiled, she still knew how to look all knowing and beautiful and mocking all at the same time it seemed. "How is Suzaku?"
"Great." Lelouch commented.
"I saw a picture of him and you the other day."
Lelouch looked up prideful. "He's stunning isn't he? That's why we're dating."
C.c. didn't seem amused as she leaned forward on the table. "He sent me the picture. He's rather proud of that house I think."
With an eye roll, Lelouch took another sip. "He's become obsessed with everything old these days. That house is becoming his guilty pleasure."
With another tilt of the head and her delicate pale fingers going to the spoon in her tea C.c. pressed on. "He still looks under thirty."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed, of all the people to bring it up he hadn't expected C.c. to be the first. It was obvious now. A few decades or so ago it wasn't like that, they could blend more easily and Lelouch could slide it off on the excuse Suzaku was just aging gracefully.
"I haven't passed a thing on to him." Lelouch made clear.
"I wasn't suggesting you had."
It was Lelouch's turn to lean forward. "Then pray tell, what were you suggesting?"
C.c. pulled back from the table, her expression a bit more clipped. "You two are very comfortable with each other like this."
"Of course, we are," was Lelouch's clipped response. "We've been together for some time now. Don't you think we would become comfortable with each other after everything?"
It was a moment before C.c. answered. "Lelouch," she breathed. "I don't want you to get hurt."
Lelouch turned his head away. He was ready for the waiter to interrupt about now. But it seemed he was doomed to address the situation head on or as head on as Lelouch had ever taken things, So he turned back to C.c., taking in her expression. It wasn't worrisome so much as investigative, her hand had come up, elbow resting at the high arms of the chair knuckles to her lips.
"The Geass has proven itself over and over again. Suzaku is healthy as a horse and just as alive as I am."
That delicate hand moves just slightly away so C.c. could speak. "How old is he?"
Lelouch looked down. It was a hard question to fathom really. How old was his body or his mind or the years since his birth certificate had been printed? Technically a death certificate had been issued as well so by all accounts Suzaku Kururugi was long dead. "As far as we can figure his body peaked around twenty-five." Lelouch took a breath. "But he turns sixty this summer."
A nod was C.c.'s only response for a long moment. "No problems what so ever?"
Lelouch shook his head. "Suzaku can't even remember the last time he had a cold. He still has boundless energy and well you've seen him."
"I have," she answered, "and he indeed looks nowhere near sixty."
Lelouch looked down and away from her. It was hard to look into those eyes after knowing what Lelouch knew. He'd seen C.c.'s life displayed more than once and it was a very lonely life. Lelouch, on the other hand, had somehow gotten lucky. Not only his best friend, but lover had somehow managed to find mortality along with him. Lelouch would never be alone and C.c. had lived over five hundred years alone.
Lost in his thoughts it took him a moment to realize C.c. had her fingers pressed to the back of his hand resting on the table.
"Lelouch," It was more of a coo instead of her just speaking his name. "Don't rest your hope on this."
Lelouch gave an indignant snort. "The Geass has already proven itself, " Lelouch said again, this time a bit more harsh. "Suzaku will be around just as long as I am and maybe even longer."
"Suzaku is the holder of a Geass, not a Code." C.c. went on. "He hasn't been changed to be able to withstand this burden."
A glare, of the magnitude he hadn't used on her far before he'd taken her code, was shot straight to her, establishing contact for just a fleeting moment. "Suzaku is fine. And as I realize he doesn't have a Code he has a form of it, or as close as someone could get."
C.c. tilted her head. "I'm not going to argue this with you Lelouch. I'm just warning you, he is neither a Geass nor Code holder, he is simply under the influences Geass, which has been proved not to always come through the way you always think it will." She'd completely covered his hand at this point. "Just be prepared if something does happen."
He glanced up, not a glare this time, hooking her cat like stare for just a moment before he looked away, making a 'tsk,' sound in his throat tossing the absurd idea aside, and pulling his hand out from under C.c.'s in a discarding gesture to accompany.
But even so, he glanced down at the cigarette still between his fingers for a moment before reaching forward and grinding it out in the ashtray at the center of the table. He left the butt there as he turned back to the menu.
Basically, the goal of this fic is to see how short I can make a complete story. I'm quite long winded so, this is kind of my own experiment along those lines. Anyway, hope you like it and hope you keep reading. This is kind of more vignette style, of short insight moments, that could kind of stand alone, but they make a much better story all put together—which isn't really a vignette, but just keep that kind of style in mind, but not too in mind. Peace out and see you next chapter!
~Reviews are always appreciated, like group hugs, where you're in the middle and can't help but feel loved.~