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Prohibited…from…
Suzaku brushed aside that top piece of paper with all intents of investigating further into the matter, one of his hands still clenching the edge of the kitchen counter with enough pressure to bruise the inside of his hand. Lelouch's amused voice faded in from the den, "Did you get lost in there?" He paused from lifting another paper as he heard him, making a forced groan with his throat.
"No. Just looking for cups," Suzaku called back, closing the folder. This…isn't right…
Stretched out with his limbs relaxed on the burgundy two-seater, Lelouch tilted his head back over the armrest as he returned with two unopened bottles of water.
"Couldn't find any then?"
"Any what?"
"You said you were looking for cups." At the disbelieving look he received, Suzaku smiled absently, shaking his head a little.
"Right. Sorry about that. I forgot where Sayoko used to put them," he said, still smiling, holding out a bottle to the older man who sat up to take it from him. As he did, Lelouch cringed, wrapping an arm around his abdomen. Suzaku's smile vanished.
"…you aren't on their medicine, are you?"
Lelouch's dark, amethyst eyes stared up at him, half-lidded. "…Do you think I've been lying to you?"
"I'd like to think you wouldn't."
"That didn't answer my question, Kuruugi." Lelouch added with a warning laced to his words, glaring back at Suzaku's silent — and almost disappointed — frown, "I took Refrain and developed a physical dependency that causes me to become weak during the day. Sometimes unable to be physically active. Are you satisfied? It's called withdrawal. There is no cure for it. It just has to go away."
"Then why did you lie to me and call it medicine?"
"Because I didn't want you to worry about me, you idiot!" The older man yelled up at him, his temper rising as the reddening color of his face, as his long fingers bit into the microfiber of the sofa beneath him. "I'm an adult and this is my problem to handle!" Suzaku didn't think he could make his frown go any deeper.
He chuckled darkly, pinning his shaking arms to his sides. "You keep forgetting that I'm an adult, too, Lelouch… and that I give a damn about what happens to you…"
"Oh, don't give me that foolish sentimentality…"
"Is that what you like to belittle my feelings to?" Suzaku asked softly, leaning down to cup the other man's face.
Lelouch flinched in its overly gentle grasp, despite the atmosphere between them — "I love you," his tan hands slid away from him as Suzaku walked away, not bothering to turn back as he headed for the staircase, "even if you are a stubborn ass."
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The air inside the underground cave is dank and starts up a dull, seedy ache in the back of Lelouch's mouth. There are the echoes of gunshots. Up on a flat stone platform, a man in a black and indigo latex costume stares ahead blankly as a stream of blood rushes down his face.
Another man, clad in an Britannian, white jumpsuit, lowers his gun. He is barely able to stifle a dismayed gasp with Lelouch as they gaze upon the shattered chess-piece mask bouncing off the floor deafeningly and then its grave, unmoved owner.
As the halved mask continues its descent from the platform… it starts giving off a buzzing sound…
Lelouch's cell phone went off by his head, vibrating steadily on his bedstand — his eyes shot open. And saw nothing but white.
Struggling with the notebook paper taped firmly to his forehead, Lelouch answered on the ninth buzz, "Hello?"
"And how is my favorite insufferable ass feeling this morning?" Cee-Cee's voice asked chipper from the other phone line. Too chipper. Lelouch had a sneaking, half-formed suspicion at that moment that she and Suzaku must have been talking. He got up from sitting on his mattress, ignoring the stomach pain from getting up too fast, and brushed his undone, long hair from his sleep-hazed eyes.
"I always thought I was more stubborn than insufferable…" He mumbled into the receiver, hearing her laugh breathily into hers. It was, truthfully, a comforting noise after those months of isolation at the ward. "How is Nunnally doing with the trip?"
"Excited to see you. If she was in the room right now she would have ripped my cell phone out of my hands." His heart thawed a little at that. "But she's not too lonely, her boyfriend has been calling her frequently to check up on her…" Cee-Cee purposely stretched the word 'boooooooyfriend' and the ex-prince felt one of facial muscles tick up in irritation.
"Isn't he going a little overboard with this whole dating incident?"
"Incident? That's rich coming from you, isn't it?"
"You know what is also hilarious?" Lelouch said sardonically, "To wake up with a note taped to your forehead."
Cee-Cee hummed like she was extremely interested.
"…and what did this note say, exactly?" she inquired.
"I haven't looked yet. Let's see: Gone into training for the day. Be back for dinner. Made egg salad for you in the fridge. I'll take full responsibility for anything that happens to you. Please feed the fish. Suzaku."
"Someone has to take care of that poor creature since its parents are always gone… and evidently, still fighting…"
"And when did I become a parental figure to a goldfish?" Lelouch huffed, grabbing his bath towel from the hanger off the back of his bathroom door. Gods, he felt disgusting. He was so exhausted returning to the Clubhouse that he had forgotten to eat and shower. It would explain why the room was spinning. "You have been talking to that meathead, I see…"
"How very manly of you, Lulu, to be pissy at a silly, little comment. Since there's so much trouble in paradise, why don't you be the good little wife to Suzie's daddy and do something nice so everyone can make up before Nunnally gets here? Because I'm sure the first thing she wants to hear when she comes home is you two bitching each other out."
He gritted his teeth, holding back a snarl of loathing. Even if she was right.
Damned witch.
"…what about making dinner for him when he comes back?"
"The 'wife' joke isn't funny anymore, Cee-Cee."
"I was being serious," she added, flatly. "Just… find a way to apologize. I know you don't want to fight with him for the rest of the night. Besides, you should cheer up. Your birthday is tomorrow and I've got a surprise for you."
"I don't know if I can take any surprises this week…"
"You'll want this one, Lelouch." Cee-Cee assured cryptically before they hung up, "Trust me."
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It was around three in the afternoon when the doorbell rang. Lelouch would always remember where he had been when he heard it (leaning on a chair nearest the chrome kitchen sink, peering intensely at a recipe book), and what he was wearing (white oxford shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a lemon yellow sweater vest, the black band holding his hair up), and who had been ringing…
"Mr. Ashford."
From the concrete porch, the headmaster of Ashford Academy and his provider, smiled at him. He looked unnaturally skinny for his heavier bone structure, the weathered skin around his cheeks pouching at his chin. But his ultramarine-colored eyes — the mirror image of his deceased granddaughter — lit up kindly at Lelouch's stunned expression.
"May I come in, Lelouch? I promise that I will not take up much of your time." The ex-professor stepped aside quickly to let him inside.
"S-Sure… it's your property after all, sir…"
Ashford rapped his cane to the carpet hallway smartly and then proceeded to wave it at the other (who stepped back from its path, alarmed) as he spoke reproaching, "Ah ah, my dear boy, from the moment we signed the paperwork… this place became your home."
"…With all due respect, I was only thirteen, sir."
"You were grown enough in my eyes with the life you had led previously." His blue, blue eyes squinted, his demeanor becoming solemn. "This is partly why I have come to you today. Ashford Academy is shutting down as of the end of the month. I have enough in my name to secure property for myself in the settlement, and for you and Nunnally to continue living fairly off. I would like to assist you both in the move and the renovation to the château in Japan's countryside. Surely, you remember it from many years ago…"
How couldn't he? Despite how ramshackle it had been on first appearance — with its moss-sewn graying bricks, and the leakage from the roofs in the left wing during rainstorms — it had been beautiful as a haven from the people who would still hunt them for being of Marianne Lamperouge's blood.
Lelouch said numbly, thinking to himself that perhaps he was still in the kitchen and had dozed off by accident, "Why are you helping us? We are so far indebted to you as it is… and I've sullied the reputation of your Academy …"
"Tish tosh about the reputation of a school that will not be! You treated my students with respect and a nurturing heart." Ashford sniffed, a suspicious brightness rimming his eyes. "But what truly matters is that my grandbaby loved you and your sister deeply in her final moments of being in this world. I would disgrace her memory if I did not continue to assure your safety."
Something — his own guilt, self loathing — jammed hard into his diaphragm, making his words difficult to get out. "...if it wasn't for me, Milly still might—"
"You were not the cause of her suffering." Ashford's tone hardened so that Lelouch flushed embarrassed, "If anything, you alleviated it for a short time." The older man pressed his shaking hands into Lelouch's shoulders. "Listen to me, young man. I will wish you the best as I see you off. The preparations will take several days. Is this a satisfactory amount of time for you both?"
"Yes…" Lelouch replied, returning the grip to Ashford's shoulders, "but I still don't understand…"
Ashford laughed, letting him go and signaling the younger to follow.
"I have a bit of a soft spot for children. It came in handy for my profession." His once youthful and sandy-blond hair gleamed drab and darkened in the sunlight as he stepped back outside, rummaging his trouser pockets. "And you kids grew on me as well… so… ah, I almost forgot."
A small, ivory letter placed in Lelouch's hands. He curled his fingers around its whisper-smooth texture. "What is…?"
"Something Milly had left behind for you. I shall give you the rest of her belongings her will specified for you before your departure."
He barely heard the old man's farewell, the sounds of his heavy cane tapping on the walkway below, as he unwrapped the crisp envelope that smelled faintly of charred metal as it fell open…
Lulu-
You were looking for this. Sorry for holding it ransom for this long. I hope you find its soulmate one day.
…a single, twisted earring fell into his palm.
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TBC…
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BLARG. I was struck by inspiration. xDD Thank you Diamond for that update on your end. And this is my Christmas present to yooooou. CHRISTMAS LOVE GLOMP! -trips over rug-
To my smexi reviewers and readers (cause you know you are): well, I've told you how much I love you...and hugged you... I wonder what I do now...? Besides gush on and on about you. Hmm. -hands out gingerbread cookies- Oh, and if you see the connections with DiamondMask and I's updates... you get the super sized cookies with rainbow gumdrops...