Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. I do own the plot. All songs used belong to their respective artists. Also, I forgot to mention, but let's pretend Euphemia never ordered Suzaku to love her, okay?

Welcome to the Hotel California.
Such a lovely place.
Such a lovely face.
Plenty of room at the hotel California.
Any time of year, you can find it here. –
Hotel California by Eagles

Chapter Three

The last week with Lelouch had been surprisingly difficult for Suzaku. Lelouch refused to come out from under the desk and Suzaku had to suffer injury when getting him into his kennel. He had to struggle for a half an hour every day getting Lelouch into his kennel and whenever he would set food and water down for the half-cat, he would ignore it and stay where he was. Every morning, however, the food and water would be gone; whether from Lelouch actually eating and Arthur pillaging it he couldn't rightly say. He sighed and opened the kennel after his training session with Gino and Anya. He was surprised that Lelouch was quiet during the sessions and the other two accepted his explanation of "Lloyd needs me to watch after an experiment but I'm not allowed to say more than that." He blinked when Lelouch came out and didn't run away right away.

"Mew," He called, looking up at him. The mark from where Lloyd had zapped him a few days earlier looked worse; it was a little swollen and looked like it may have caused cuts that could be getting infected. Suzaku had tried a few times to catch Lelouch, but he didn't see a point in them both needing medical treatment and decided to wait until Lelouch slept. Which, he had noted, was another nuisance about the cat; he never seemed to sleep and whenever Suzaku had tried to stay up longer than him he fell asleep first and by the time he woke up Lelouch was already awake again.

"That hurts pretty bad, doesn't it?"He asked, holding his hand out toward him curiously. Lelouch watched it cautiously and Suzaku made sure to move slowly so as to not to startle the smaller figure. He gently rested his hand on Lelouch's head and lightly massaged his scalp. The other didn't growl, hiss, or make any noise or movement so Suzaku assumed he was most likely a little subdued because of the pain on the side of his face. He had hurt that after getting hurt a cat would go for days acting violently until the pain became too much and then they'd begin to settle a little bit; he decided at that moment that was the reason for the smaller boy's actions. "Well, if you promise to behave, I'll take care of that for you." He said while pulling his hand back and getting up. Lelouch jumped and jolted away, tail beginning to fluff out and ears beginning to flatten to his head.

"Reow," Lelouch growled lowly, watching him warily. Suzaku blinked then chuckled lightly and walked toward the bathroom calmly and slowly. He could hear the soft shifting of Lelouch pursuing him, watching and waiting to make sure he wasn't going to try anything funny on him. He could only assume Lelouch was so high-strung now because of the drugs Lloyd had loaded him up with.

"I'm just getting a first aid kit so calm down," He chuckled lightly. He plucked the kit off the sink (since he needed it to be convenient, given Lelouch's mean streak) and then walked back out, laughing lightly when Lelouch darted back to his previous spot from peering in through the bathroom doorway. Suzaku sat back down on the edge of his bed before reaching over cautiously and picking Lelouch up. He let out a little grumble in response but after Suzaku set him on the bed next to him and went to getting the medical things from the kit he fell silent again. His tail was swishing anxiously behind him, as if he was wondering if this had been a good decision on his part. "You've never second-guessed yourself before, Lelouch. Where's all your confidence gone?" He asked with a forced laugh. His answer was silence and the other's head tilting to the side slightly. "Uh… Never mind. Even if you could talk, you wouldn't be able to respond; you don't remember anything." As the words left his lips he felt his heart stop for a second before picking up speed twice as fast. He picked up an alcohol pad and ripped open the package, opening it and reaching over.

Lelouch hissed and tried to pull away from him when it came in to contact with his injury and he felt the pain. Suzaku grabbed his wrists in his other hand and pinned them to the mattress, making it impossible for Lelouch to get away. The other tried to yank away before looking up, amethyst orbs the picture of pathetic. "Mew," He cooed in a hoarse, pained and scared cry. Suzaku swallowed hard and continued to treat the injury, using two more alcohol pads before deciding it was clean enough. Lelouch released pathetic little cries the whole time while Arthur, from his perch lounging atop Suzaku desk, just watched with an annoyed and bored glint to his eyes.

"I know that you don't like this but it's for your own good, Lelouch," Suzaku said with a heavy sigh, rummaging through the kit with his free hand. He pulled out a large square shaped bandage and used his teeth to finish opening it. He set it to one side, having not taken the white bits of plastic that revealed the sticky portion of the bandage off yet, pulled out a little bottle of Neosporin. He used his teeth to unscrew the cap, afraid Lelouch would make a break for it if he let go of his hands, and used the elbow of the hand holding Lelouch's paws down to push some of the medicine on to the index finger of his free hand. He carefully rubbed it in, smiling when Lelouch shut the eye closest to the wound.

Lelouch had developed that habit when they were children. Suzaku could remember one day Lelouch had tripped over a tree root and got a scrape on his collarbone and a little scratch on his left cheek bone. While Nunnally held the first aid kit, handing things to Suzaku through the remembrance of what they felt like, Suzaku played doctor. When he'd been rubbing in the anti-bacteria ointment, Lelouch had done this exact same gesture. "Are you really that much of a wimp?" Suzaku had asked in sheer bemusement, tilting his head and grinning teasingly. The Britannian flushed angrily at this and had glared daggers at the chortling Japanese boy.

"It's to make putting the ointment on better! If my eye is shut it makes you less concerned that you might push your finger up too high and accidently blind me!" He proclaimed frantically.

"Makes me less concerned about whether you're a total pansy or not; I know the answer now," He had snickered back. Lelouch had ignored him rather adamantly after that for a good two days. He only forgave the other because he gave him the gift of a bowl of green tea ice cream; a favorite dessert of Lelouch's since coming into the care of the Kururugi's. Suzaku was snapped back into reality when he realized he was done rubbing in the ointment. He then released Lelouch's wrist, watching to see what the other would do.

He was shocked when the other remained in his seat, watching him with a mix of pain and impatience in his eyes. Suzaku chuckled and tugged the plastic things of the bandage and very carefully pressed it to the other's cheek, smiling a little more when he again shut his eye. "That was either just a reflex or perhaps you remember that you're supposed to do that," He said aloud. He blinked and nearly jumped into the air when Lelouch laid down, resting his little paws on Suzaku's thigh and then resting his head on top. He gently rested his hand on top of the other's little head and let his fingers muse through his hair. And he realized right then and there that it felt very wrong.

He had always harbored feelings for Lelouch and when they began their little affair he had been overjoyed. Euphemia was the only person Suzaku had to come out to; he never told her it was Lelouch, for fear she'd come hunting her younger brother down and whisk him away to Britannia, and he had loved her for accepting him for who he was, not caring that he was an Honorary Britannian and gay.

But he and Lelouch were certainly an odd pair. Though Suzaku was the more emotional one of the pair, while Lelouch practically emitted waves of inner peace at all times, Suzaku had to be the one to initiate almost all the physical contact; kissing, snuggling, holding hands. But Lelouch did have one thing that only he did and that was run his fingers through Suzaku's hair. The brunette had tried to reciprocate the gesture once but his hand had been swatted away. "This is going to be my way to help you relax; you're always stressing and if you aren't careful you'll look thirty by the time we graduate from this place," He had lectured before resuming his task. And Suzaku always loved how Lelouch's fingers slipped in and massaged his scalp, letting his troubled mind slip away from everything in the world except the object of his affection.

But now here he was repeating that same gesture on Lelouch in hopes of calming the other down.

He had been trying to deny his feelings for Lelouch all this time. After he realized that Lelouch was Zero, that Lelouch had killed Euphemia, a part of Suzaku had shut down and remained off until recently. It had begun to stir and awaken when he first handed Lelouch over to Lloyd, and then become more persistent after talking to Gino a few times about the "dead" prince. But when he had taken Lelouch away from Lloyd, when he realized that Lelouch was forever gone, the light switched on completely but it was much like being awoken by a parent; just because the lights are on that doesn't mean you can't pull the blanket over your head to try and block it out. You can recognize that the lights are on and choose to ignore them, which was what Suzaku had chosen to do. But now, as his fingers whispered through those ebony locks, it was like when your parents yank the blanket clean off your bed and force you to face the light. He was now realizing what he'd really done to both Lelouch and himself.

And now the big trick was finding a way to somehow reverse it.

And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep. –
Goodbye My Lover by James Blunt

Kallen clenched her fists tightly as she looked around the Pendragon red light district. There were all sorts of brothels set up with different numbers painted on them in bright yellow paint. "What exactly are we doing here?" She asked in disgust. It didn't help that Kaguya, who was scared out of her gourd, was latched on to her arm. Cici cast a look at them over her shoulder and let out a short scoffing sound.

"My source here in Pendragon lives in this area. She actually runs one of the booths, since the old owner died," She said bluntly, stopping in front of one booth. The number eleven was etched on the top, making both other girls cringe back a little bit. "Don't worry; you'll be safe here." She said before pushing open a door and leading them in with her.

The large place looked like a traditional Japanese hotel; the floors were wooden and the tables were low and against the ground, forcing their users to kneel. It made Kallen smirk a bit in pride at the sight of so many Britannian men kneeling to the Japanese servers, though she knew what was really going on. There were girl's in breathtaking, extravagant kimonos sitting at the tables, talking with men and giggling coyly now and again at what they said. Though neither girl would admit it, the place seemed surprisingly classy for a whore house.

Kaguya perked up and glanced over at a woman sitting on an elevated platform next to the bar. She wore a hakama with a white top and dark red pants. The sleeves of the top were rolled and bunched at her shoulders and she sat with a sword in a glossy black sheath by her folded knees. Her eyes were shut, as if she were meditating, and she had a white bandana tied over her head to keep her hair out of her way and out of view. But Kaguya could have sworn something was familiar about the woman. A loud shriek was heard, followed by a man rushing down the stairs after a Japanese woman, her body barely hidden as she clung to her loose kimono and tried to run away. She was crying out for help in Japanese. The woman in the corner opened her eyes, deep jade spheres shard and scornful. The rambling woman rushed up to the one sitting down, whispering softly and hurried in Japanese too quickly for Kaguya or Kallen to understand; after being forced to speak English for so many years it was hard to use their native tongue on occasion.

The woman rose calmly, picking up her sword, and stepped over the sniffling girl. "You have broken one of our rules, yes?" She asked in a calm tone. Her voice was a light soprano but sounded dark, with a sharp edge, as she addressed the Britannian man. They also noticed that though her speak was perfect she clearly had an accent implying she was Japanese.

"What rules?" The man huffed with a sharp glare. The glare he received from the woman was infinitely more intimidating.

"This is not your first time breaking our rules, Duke Southfield. I am afraid I will have to request that you leave these premises and never return; you have worn out your welcome," She said briefly, keeping the man's gaze. His eyes widened, completely put out to be treated so by a lowly number.

"Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around like that?" He bellowed, aiming to grab the woman. Instead, she moved her sword between them and gaze a quick jab, making contact right in his stomach. He let out a huff and tumbled over, laughter erupting from the other Britannians gathered in the brothel. The woman unsheathed her sword and pointed it at the man's throat, pressing in a little bit and watching a thin trickle of red drip out.

"I am the owner of this fine location, sir, and my rules will be adhered to. If you should ever come here again, I will see to it personally that you never be heard from again; one lowly bastard like you missing from the world will be overlooked much easier than you'd be willing to believe," She hissed darkly. The men continued their laughter, too drunk to hear the threat or care if it was serious or not.

"Getting told off by an Eleven woman? How low can you get?" One man laughed loudly. This little joke made the noise intensify and a blush hit the man's face as he scrambled to regain his footing. The woman put her sword away and watched him dart off, holding the small scratch on his neck as if he would die from it.

"Well it certainly is good to see you again, Kururugi," Cici said with a small smirk. The other woman twitched and looked up, a large smirk coming to her lips as well. And suddenly, with a gasp and pounce at the Japanese woman, Kaguya remembered how she knew the other woman.

"Auntie Rin, is it really you? Tohdoh said you were killed in the war!" She sniffled, hugging the other woman fiercely. She heard a soft chuckle in the other's chest and arms wrapped around her. Kaguya's mother had died shortly after she was born of illness so Rin Kururugi, her aunt, had been the closest thing to a mother she'd ever known. She had been crushed when Tohdoh told her and Suzaku that the other woman was dead.

"There now, Kaguya, don't cry. Shall we all retire to my private chambers to continue our discussion?" She asked politely. They nodded and, after briefly checking on the young woman who had stumbled out in tears and assigning another woman to her previous post as watchdog, Rin lead them up the stairs. She opened a door at the very end and the three women following her were stunned when they saw a little boy burrowed under the covers of the bed. "Ah, you were never told. This is Lindo, Suzaku's younger brother. I was pregnant with him when the war started."

"Why did Tohdoh tell us all you had died, though?" Kaguya asked worriedly. Rin gestured one hand to the small table and the three sat while she clicked a button and requested someone bring up a tea pot and four cups and that a room with three beds be prepared. She then slipped down in the open spot and sighed lightly.

"Suzaku's sin… People suspected that I was the one who committed it. Tohdoh and I agreed that it was safer for Suzaku to think I'd died in the war than be forced to live with the guilt if I was put to death," She explained gently.

"You mean the murder of Kururugi Genbu," Cici said bluntly, causing both other girl's to flinch. They both knew the truth of what transpired but hadn't known if the others had. Hearing it said out loud just made it that much more terrible to think about. "So you faked your death to protect Suzaku from even more self-loathing and guilt."

"I've been guarding over him all these years in secret. When it was announced he was a Knight of Round I brought Lindo and myself out here. That way if he ever needed us we weren't too far away," She explained gently. A knock was heard and she rose, heading to the door and returning with a cart with hot tea. She set a cup in front of each one of them before sitting again and pouring it for them. "I've been telling you what I can from here so I wasn't expecting you to come out here. Why have you, if you don't mind me asking."

"It involves Marianne's final gift, actually," Cici said, calmly sipping her tea. Rin blinked a few times, alarm in her bright green eyes, before she set the tea pot back down and picked up her own cup. "It seems your son has gone and complicated things for us; someone needs to go screw his head back on straight. And who else is more inclined to do so than his own family and friends?" She asked, smirking as she set her cup back down.

"You clearly have a plan of action and considering the stunned looks on the faces of our other two guests, I'm going to have to guess that they don't know any more than I do. Would you like to share your little idea with the rest of us?"

"Kallen here is half Britannian and her father is very well known. You've heard of the Stadfeld name, I'm sure?" Cici asked. The brunette glanced up through her sip of tea and chuckled lightly, setting her cup back down with a small nod. "Well, Kaguya and Kallen shall go get a hold of Suzaku for us. They'll give him this address and tell him to come by here any time he finds himself able to get away for the night. And then, once he comes, we'll explain what he's done and how to repair it."

"And have you gotten in to contact with Marianne as of recent times?" Rin asked, leaning back a bit. Kallen and Kaguya remained silent, watching as the late Prime Minister's wife and the assistant of Zero, both cunning and clever in terms of politics and combat, discuss these plans and secret goings-on of the dead.

"She and I have talked a bit. Things are still going well on her end; V2 is causing some grief, filling Suzaku's heads with things he does not need to know, but he does not suspect her. She is keeping up her disguise quite well," Cici said with a nod. Rin smirked devilishly and nodded.

"But should we expect any better than the great Marianne the Flash?" Kallen and Kaguya both gasped loudly at this, staring with wide eyes. Marianne the Flash was one of the greatest knightmare pilots in Britannia and also the late Empress of Britannia; her assassination was one of the reason war broke out between Japan and Britannia. The finger had been pointed at the island country for her death and, since the Emperor wanted control of the world anyway, he saw it as another reason to start his conquest.

"Very true. Well, it's been a long day. Will you be up to the tasks coming up?" She asked curiously as she stood. The other three women followed her action and Rin released a loud bark of laughter.

"Are you kidding? I may have grown in to being a loving mother and wife but that doesn't mean I can't handle myself in combat," She said with a smug smirk. Cici smirked back and nodded, leading her two comrades out. Your room is the one closest to the stairs; make sure to lock it after you get in." She informed them. After they were inside their room Rin closed the door and headed back to her post, locking her own door behind her as well.

Kallen flopped over on one of the beds and looked over at Kaguya. "So what exactly did she mean by that last comment? I was always taught that Lady Kururugi was a woman born of grace and infinite patience, not one who could fight or wield a sword," She asked calmly. Kaguya giggled as she bounced on her own bed a bit.

"That's because Uncle Genbu didn't want anyone to know the truth. Before they met, Auntie Rin was one of the strongest yanki's in all of Japan," She said matter-of-factly. Kallen's eyes widened, turning a more ocean-like blue in her amazement. "Uncle Genbu didn't want Auntie Rin's past getting out because he feared it could affect how people viewed Suzaku. It was actually because of her past that Suzaku got his name."

"Really?" Kallen asked in shock.

"Rin was known as the Phoenix of Blood. To try and get back at Genbu for making her lie about her past, she named Suzaku as she did," Cici stated calmly. Kallen sweat-dropped at this.

'So his name was chosen out of spite, not love; I almost feel bad for him,' She thought flatly before shaking her head. "So is there anything in specific we should tell Suzaku tomorrow when we see him? I mean, other than giving him the address to this place?" She asked. Cici paused in her task of undoing her boots and looked up, a small smile on her lips.

"Now that you mention it… Yes, there is," She mused.

I worry I won't see
Your face light up again. –
Collide by Howie Day

Suzaku was surprised that, after having his wound treated, Lelouch seemed to adjust to him much better. That night he had hopped up on the bed with him and curled up against the other's stomach. The blanket was still between them, but Suzaku had been truly touched. He had been told that sometimes kittens would take time adjusting to their new surrounding before becoming affectionate with their owners and clearly that was the case with his little half-cat friend. Getting the little fellow into his kennel, however, was as difficult as ever. "Lelouch, if you just calm down it'll be a lot easier for both of us," He grunt, trying to push him in. The other, however, had pushed his little back feet against the mouth of the kennel and was digging his front claws into Suzaku's arms, also gnawing on him with his little teeth. Luckily Suzaku had prepared this time; he had put on some leather gloves that went up to his elbows.

After he got the other in he slipped it shut and tossed the glove off to the side. "Mew, mew, mew! Mreow!" Lelouch wailed from inside the carrier, little paws scratching at the shut door.

"I know you don't like it in there," Suzaku sighed as he picked up the handle and headed toward the door, "but I have to do what Lloyd said. He was sort of right; if anyone else saw you, things would get complicated. And I don't think Nunnally should ever find out that you were Zero or what's been done to you."

"Meow," Lelouch retorted softly.

"Not one for conversation any more, huh? You used to be impossible to shut up once you got going," Suzaku mumbled as he walked out. He stopped as he shut his door and blinked a few times, his stomach churning a bit at the revolting attempt at a joke he'd made. This certainly wasn't something to be laughing about; and though he wasn't laughing he shouldn't be making jokes about. "That was in bad taste. I'm sorry." He mumbled lightly.

He walked in to the training area and perked up when Gino grinned at him. "You're a lucky, lucky man, Suzaku! There's a totally cute girl asking to see you!" He said with his usual grin in place. He blinked a few times, confusion lighting up his green eyes.

"Did she give a name?" He asked gently. He feared that C2 had come in search of Lelouch and he didn't want her going anywhere near Lelouch. She would try to take him away, he was sure of it, and he felt the witch had already done enough damage.

"Kallen Stadfeld; says you went to school with her in Area 11," Gino said casually. Suzaku flinched and growled quietly, his hand tightening around the handle of the carrier case. The blonde perked up curiously then grinned lightly. "Oh, is she an ex-girlfriend or something? That should be really uncomfortable. But she has a girl like you with her too, so maybe she's just trying to get to you? Black hair, green eyes, a little paler than you?" He suggested quickly.

Suzaku's eyes widened in surprise at the description. 'That sounds like Kaguya,' He thought. He then blinked and looked back over at the other knight. "Where are they waiting for me? I think it'd only be fair if I went and talked with them since they came all the way here to see me."

"They're out by the gates to the palace. Since we didn't have your confirmation that you knew them we didn't want to let them on the grounds," Anya piped in from looking through her cameras files. He glanced over and then nodded.

"I'll be right back then. I'll go chat with them real fast and see if we can't reschedule for a better time," He said before darting off. He took the carrier with, his steps quick and long. He heard Lelouch make little noises, being jostled about in his carrier, and paused. "Sorry." He mumbled before carrying the kennel in his arms like he would carry Arthur is he was not in the kennel. He didn't want to shake Lelouch around anymore but he did want to get to his location as quickly as possible.

When he stepped out and reached the gates to the palace, he saw that his theory was indeed correct; Kallen and Kaguya both stood there with little scowls on their faces. Kaguya blinked then smiled brightly as he walked over. "How nice to see you again, cousin," She said happily, resting her hands on the bars of the gate. Lelouch mewed again and she looked down. "Is that a kitten? Can I see it?" She asked excitedly.

"Is it Arthur?" Kallen asked in surprise. The kennel didn't seem like the type of kennel you'd put a normal cat in; then again, given that the purple furred cat had a taste for the Japanese male's flesh and blood she shouldn't have been too surprised. "Any way, we wanted to talk to you. On our terms."

"What do you mean by that?" He asked suspiciously. She rolled her eyes and slipped a piece of paper to him. He looked at the address and then shoved it into his pocket. "Is that where you're staying?"

"With someone who would be more than happy to see you again," Kaguya chimed in. She tilted her head lightly and reached out, resting her hand on his wrist. He resisted the urge to flinch back; physical contact with other people was always difficult due to his military training. Or, at least, physical contact with anyone other than Lelouch was difficult. "Please, Suzaku, we need to talk to you. Things aren't what they seem anywhere and we all need to figure out what to do."

"I'll see if I can come by… But don't hold your breath," He said before pulling back, turning on his heels and marching away. The red head noted there was a bizarre spark in his eye, something she couldn't recognize because how brief her sight of it had been. Kaguya smiled and turned as well, Kallen walking off with her.

"So now what do we do? Just sit and play the waiting game?" Kallen asked softly with an annoyed look on her face. Kaguya smiled lightly and chuckled. They were keeping up the guise of servant and master quite well; Kaguya was carrying a few large bags that looked like they were filled with fancy new clothes while Kallen stayed a few steps ahead of her to represent distance of class.

"We won't have to. I can completely assure you that he'll show up there tonight and talk to us," She said cheerfully. Kallen blinked and glanced back at her discretely.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked sternly. Kallen didn't want her chance to repent to Lelouch for abandoning him ruined because Kaguya thought she knew Suzaku well enough to state things. "How do you know he'll show up there tonight? We don't have time for games with him."

"Suzaku has always been the most curious member of our family; he would get himself in to all kinds of trouble when we were children because he felt like poking his head in here and there. There was also this fire in his eyes, this little glint; he knows that his only answers are going to come through meeting up with us," She mused happily with a little giggle. Kallen blinked a few times in surprise. "That glint… He knows who Zero is behind the mask and Zero must be a very important person to him. I'm not sure who since we were separated about a year after the takeover and don't know where he went, but I'm certain about them being important to him."

"Wait… You know what that glint was representing?" Kallen asked, eyes wide and completely stunned by this. Kaguya paused and flashed her a little grin.

"He used to look at that Britannian kid that lived on the estate like that," She said cheerfully. She then paused and looked thoughtful. "I think his name was… Oh, uh… It was Lelouch! Lelouch vi Britannia! I'd never be able to forget such a pretty and pompous boy like him; though I do have a thing for men with loads of confidence, if you couldn't tell. He didn't like him all that much at first but once he saw the fire in that kid's eyes he became the apple of Suzaku's eye. Suzaku used to wake up crying at night after the Britannian's took over, asking where he and his sister were and if they were okay. I think that was why he decided to join the military; he was probably hoping that he could find them and protect them from harm."

Kallen nodded and looked down. How could Suzaku be so infatuated with Lelouch in yet turn him in? She swallowed hard and cleared her throat, not wanting to let her mind wander too far into the subject of what occurred that fateful day. "Let's head back to the inn and get ourselves some lunch. Maybe we can play with that little Lindo kid. Plus, I think Cici and I need to talk to you about who Zero is, so you won't be too confused when we talk to Suzaku," She suggested calmly. Kaguya giggled and hummed happily in approval.

Suzaku ended up spending most of the day training. He assumed Lelouch either got bored of squawking his little lungs out or was too tuckered out from getting jostled around because he was quiet pretty much the rest of the day. Suzaku waited until ten o'clock and then he slipped out of his room, carrying Lelouch outside of his carrier in his arms. "Let's get you something to eat, okay?" He asked softly. Lelouch responded with a quiet mew and nuzzling into Suzaku's shoulder quietly. He smiled a bit and tried to ignore how awkward it was for Lelouch to be affectionate. Sure, Lelouch had his moments before where he wanted nothing more than to lay in Suzaku's arms and relax, but he would always make up so reason and bluff his way out of being affectionate ("I'm not doing this just because I want to, you know; it's very cold in here and I don't want to go hunt down a blanket, is all," He would snap sternly, looking at Suzaku pointedly before resting his head back down on the others chest) but that was just who Lelouch was.

But this version of Lelouch had no need to discriminate or sense that he should excuse his actions (not that he could, since he couldn't really speak). He didn't remember his life as Lelouch vi Britannia, exiled prince and hostage of Japan, or as Lelouch Lamperogue, a young Britannian school boy moonlighting as the terrorist Zero in hopes of crushing the very family and nation that had so eagerly cast him and his precious younger sister aside like garbage. This Lelouch probably didn't even recognize Lelouch as his name; he only seemed to understand that Suzaku was someone safe and the rest of the world was bad. Suzaku briefly wondered what it had felt like for Lelouch, waking up in an unfamiliar place with no recollection of how he'd gotten there or who he was. When the sense of horror the other undoubtedly felt washed over him as well he paused in his strides to the kitchen and looked down at the content cat boy in his arms.

"I think I'm going to make you something with fish; how does that sound?" He asked softly, trying to shy aware from the thoughts and images flooding his mind. The other looked up, ears twitching a bit at the sound of the other's voice, before he meowed and flopped back against him. Suzaku forced himself to walk, as if that would help him leave those thoughts behind him.

Had Lelouch cried, or screamed and pleaded for someone to explain things to him when he awoke? Had his shift from human to hybrid been painful? 'Why don't you just ask your little scientist friend?' The brunette felt his heart stop in his steps, as did his heart, when he swore he heard Lelouch's voice say something to him in a rather condescending tone of voice. He looked around a few times before shifting his attention to the purring mass pressed against him. Amethyst spheres shifted upward toward him, questioningly, and his ears twitched again. "Mew." He chirped softly, little mouth remaining open a second longer than necessary for the sound to get out. It was surprisingly adorable.

"I guess I'm just losing my mind because of what happened to you," He mumbled with a small sigh. The other remained where he was, nuzzling him, and purring away. Suzaku poked his head around the corner that led into the kitchen, making sure that no one else was there, before walking in. He put Lelouch down on a counter next to the large over and pulled out a frying pan. While he had that heating up, he went through the fridge and pulled out a cleaned fish. He pulled out a cutting board, set it atop, and set a knife down next to it. He spotted Lelouch reaching one paw toward the sizzling pan and clapped his hands loudly.

In response to the unexpected movement, Lelouch jolted away from the pan on his back feet and one front, swatting at the pan with his other front paw and hissing vehemently. Suzaku had to bite to inside of his cheek to keep from giggling at just how adorable the other looked, especially since the bandage on his cheek made it hard for that corner of his mouth to twitch up the way it needed to in order to hiss properly. Lelouch, in Suzaku's opinion, had always looked irresistibly cute when enraged; most likely why he went out of his way to assure he caused that reaction out of his dear someone.

"You're such a silly little thing, aren't you?" He asked before getting to work on the fish. He began cutting it into thin strips; he was silently grateful that whoever had bought the fish had cleaned it and removed the spine (as well as the head, since having dead fish eyes watching him would have made Suzaku feel rather awkward) which made his task easier. Suzaku had never actually fried fish in a pan, and was a master at doing it over an open flame, but he figured it shouldn't be too hard. He got a plate down to put the prepared fish on so that he and Lelouch could munch on them at their leisure. He put the first few piece in and both he and the ebony haired male jumped back when they sizzled and hissed loudly.

As the smell of fish began to waft around them Lelouch's patience began to wane. He rolled over on his back and mewed loudly, head cocked to one side and little limbs flailing in the air. His tail swished from here to there in slow, graceful strokes. Suzaku chuckled at this and reached over, gently stroking his fingers along the other's good cheek. He was answered by a low, rumbling purr and slitted eyes. After the first few pieces were done, Suzaku slipped them on to the plate and set the next few in the pan. He set the plate on the other side of the stove top and watched as Lelouch, impatient as he was, rolled back onto his four feet and paced anxiously, looking across the space at the cooling meat. Suzaku waited until every last piece was cooked and cooled well enough to eat to begin splitting them up. He was lucky because the fish had been fat and given them twenty strips; easily divided into ten between the pair. He handed Lelouch his first piece and watched as the other scarfed it down without any of the grace he once had. Suzaku chuckled and nibbled his own, silently wishing that at least a little of the old Lelouch was still there (aside from the physical aspects that were still there, of course).

He also found himself briefly wondering about what Kaguya had mentioned that day. Who could Suzaku possibly need to see? He and Tohdoh had met many times on the battlefield so it couldn't be him. He had no family members aside from Kaguya left so it couldn't be any of them. Zero (or, rather, Lelouch) was here so it couldn't be him. Perhaps who she spoke of was the mysterious green haired woman who had given Lelouch that accursed power in the first place? They had technically met twice but he had never really had words with her. She seemed to be the most logical option his mind could muster up for the time being and decided to roll with it.

But if Cici did wish to speak to him, what would be the reason? Lelouch would be one, of course, but what else could she want to discuss? V2 had only explained a little bit to Suzaku; the power called Geass was the reason Lelouch had risen to power, he had been given it by the girl in what was supposed to be a poison bomb, and Lelouch had used it on Suzaku to give him the command to live. He wondered briefly if the command had not only been issued in that moment of panic, but also because Lelouch didn't want Suzaku to get himself killed. He then realized it was entirely possible and tried not to dwell on it any longer. Seeing that he and Lelouch had polished off the fish, he put the used utensils in the sink, running warm water over them to making things a little easier for whoever got stuck cleaning them in the morning.

"When we get back to the room I guess I should work on those work pages Milly sent me. I do owe her for helping me keep up with my education and going to all that trouble for me, after all," He said aloud as he picked Lelouch up and headed out. He had sent a letter to Milly shortly after arriving, asking her if she could send him books and the assignments for his grade for the rest of the semester so that, once his training was over, he would be caught up with the rest of Ashford; he had refrained from asking if she remembered the Lamperogue siblings, knowing well that the answer would be no and not wanting to depress himself any further.

Lelouch perked up a few feet from their room, tail stopping its motion and head cocking toward the door at the end of the hall on the opposite side of Suzaku's. The other perked up, emerald spheres curious, and saw a slim crack of light coming out from the side of the door, implying that it was slightly opened. "Huh… That's Anya's room, I think. I wonder what she's doing up so late?" He mumbled softly, keeping his voice low. Lelouch hopped out of his arms and darting over, causing Suzaku to flinch and bite back a few swears. 'Damnit, Lelouch, you are such a trouble maker!' He thought bitterly as he darted over, snatching the other up. He did, however, freeze there when he saw something through the small slit in the door.

Inside was something that was not meant to be witnessed by anyone; Suzaku especially. The Emperor, Charles zi Britannia, and Anya Alstreim, Knight of Six, appeared to be doing (since Suzaku's brain could not force itself to supply any other explanation) the thing deemed as "it". He stumbled back in horror, seeing a girl at the tender age of fifteen, committing such an act with someone who had children in their late twenties and early thirties, to be straddling said man with nothing covering their figures. He turned and ran away, holding Lelouch as close as possible, and rushed behind his own door, shutting it as quickly and quietly as possible.

Anya perked up and paused in her actions, slipping away from the older man and walking toward the door. She poked her head out, hiding behind the door, and just barely spotted Suzaku's door shut. She smirked a bit to herself. 'Not as I had planned but I will accept it. I just hope that Rin does not resent me for scarring her little boy,' She thought before shutting the door all the way and turning back to her previous task.

Suzaku dropped Lelouch the second he reached his room, darting to his bathroom and barely making it in time. He heaved violently, panting between bouts and trying to regather his wits. Whenever he tried, however, the visuals returns and then he was vomiting again. He flushed and stood, heading over to the bathroom mirror and clenching to the sink with trembling hands. "This… That… That is just completely… It isn't right," He uttered in a shaky tone.

'Do you expect any better from a country as warped as this?' The little cat thought to himself, eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. Though Suzaku had missed it, Lelouch and Anya had made eye contact and things had come back to him; there had been a Geass symbol in one of those garnet tinted orbs and it had triggered his mind back to where it was moments before Charles had basically erased Lelouch from existence. His tail swayed behind him slowly, flicking as sternly as a whip. 'I will have to keep up this disguise of idiotic little house pet until I find the right moment. And when I find that chance, Suzaku Kururugi, I will leave any feelings I once harbored for you behind and take you down.' He thought scornfully before hopping gracefully on to the other's bed and lying on top of the feather-filled pillows. He was going to need as much rest as he could get if he aimed to continue playing lovable pet.

End

Just want to say a few things real fast: first, you all should have seen the return of Rin and Lindo coming. Also, to add to this, I was re-watching the series with a friend a while back and realized something; Suzaku is not an only child! When they're interrogating him after being arrested for killing Clovis, Jeremiah says, "Eldest child of the late Prime Minister Kururugi." Therefore, I believe that he has at least one younger sibling that is not shown in the series due to the fact they also state "his family completely cut him off after he decided to become an Honorary Britannian." If you want to double check, re-watch episode four. Another little tid bit is that I'm shaking things up. I don't really like the ending of R2 (since I am notorious for loving happy endings and clearly have a bit of a preference for Lelouch) so I'll be changing a few other things that occur in R2; I'll keep certain aspects but I'm going to do it a way that I think will be clever, original, and logical at the same time. I've also decided to extend the fic a little bit; I ended up adding much more to the plot than originally planned so I have to extend it so I don't over load chapters four and five. And, lastly, due to my decision to lengthen it, I'll be adding little bonus stories at the end of some chapters for your amusement. They'll basically be stories I couldn't really fit in to the plot of the chapter but wanted to include somehow. And, finally, I shall get to the questions from last chapter!

To Skiperella and Magician Girl Mirani (since you're questions were very similar): Pertaining to SuzaLulu lemons and the concept of Lelouch having the ears and tails for a little while longer, you two actually have a say in that. So may I suggest you check out the newest notice on my profile and claim your prizes? ;D