Chapter 4

"You should work at a pizza parlor. Then you could make some pizza when I want them." How did I know she was going to say that... Lelouch thought.

"I've already thrown food out of the question." C.C. looked at him pleadingly.

"Awe, but you'd look so cute twirling pizza dough in the air with a little chef's hat..."

"All the more reason not too." he smirked. C.C. looked heart broken.

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll kiss you again."

"I don't care. I'm not gonna work at a restaurant of any kind. I won't be able to afford this place, as small as it is. The only way I'll take a low-paying job is if you start working too."

"Lelouch, you know I can't work. I don't even understand how the money system works. I get credit cards and the like. But I don't get how checks and cash work." Lelouch looked down and shook his head in disgrace.

"Well, I'll show you. But first, I'm going to find a job for myself." He got up and headed for the door. C.C. stood up.

"Lelouch, wait." She ran up to him and kissed his cheek. "Get a good one so I don't have too."

"I can't make any promises." And with that, he walked out the door, leaving C.C. to do whatever in the apartment while he was gone.

Lelouch was aware of a public job fair not far from where he lived, and proceeded in that direction. He couldn't ride the bus or anything; he was saving all the money he had with him for food and rent. It had to last until his first paycheck, if he got one soon, and he wasn't sure if it was enough.

He arrived at the community center where it was being held and started browsing. There were numerous opportunities, many of which he wasn't qualified for. He had never finished his years at Ashford Academy. Uh oh. he thought. I might just end up flipping burgers if I don't find something that doesn't require college degrees. To add insult to injury, C.C. might just get her request. Crap. Speaking of which, I wonder what she's doing...

C.C. was utterly bored. She needed to do something today, not just do nothing for a whole twenty-four hours. What a horrible waste of time. Maybe I should get a job, because what am I going to do all day while Lelouch is at work? she thought. "Then it's settled." she thought aloud. "I'll be a pizza chef!" She smiled and flopped down on the bed. "But how am I going to get Lelouch to agree to be one too?" She thought hard. What appeals to him the most...A thought suddenly occurred to her: Could that be myself? She pushed the idea away. No, it can't be. But I have this weird feeling that maybe I am. No, forget it. Think of something else, like a contest or something. She stared at the ceiling for several seconds before blurting out "I've got it! Chess! Of course!" She fumbled around Lelouch's stuff until she found his prized chess set.

As she was setting up the board on the table, she realized that Lelouch would probably kill her for even touching the set, let alone setting it up. Come to think of it, he would kill her in the game easily. "How can the outsmarted outsmart the outsmarter?" She got up and paced the room while thinking. I could try Geass on him... no, it doesn't work on him like it doesn't work on me. Maybe I could anticipate his moves. I've seen how he plays before and know a few of his strategies. No, that'll never work. He's too good. She stopped pacing. Maybe, just maybe, I could appeal to him in an unexpected way... She smiled. "Yes, I now know exactly how to beat him." She resumed setting up the pieces. "Now I've only got to wait for the rabbit to enter the lion's den." She flopped on the bed and picked up the newspaper. There was a crossword on the back. Maybe this will pass the time. she thought.

Lelouch was walking home. He had combed half of the booths and was tired of listening to offers. He hadn't found anything he liked and was qualified for. He figured that a good night's sleep would help him choose tomorrow. He got to the steps and walked up to the second floor, pulled out his key, and turned the knob. And there she was: C.C. was sitting at the kitchen table, facing him, with a chess game in front of her just waiting to be won.

"I didn't find anything good today, so I'll be checking the other side tomorrow."

"Ok." Lelouch took off his jacket and set it on the nightstand next to the bed. He walked to the table and sat down.

"Now what's this all about?" he queried.

"Well," C.C. said, "I've decided that I will get a job. It's terribly boring doing nothing all day."

"Good."

"I'm going to work in a pizza parlor as a chef."

"Oh joy. Leave me out of it."

"And this is where the chess game comes in." Lelouch could now see where this was going.

"Lemme guess: you want me to join you working as a pizza chef, so you want to beat me in chess to make me do it."

"Precisely."

"Well then, I'll present my terms." C.C. beckoned him to go on with a twirling hand gesture. "If I win, I won't have to be a pizza chef, and you'll have to stay here for an entire week, bored all day, starting tomorrow, and not leave the apartment at all, unless it's an emergency like a fire or something. We don't want them finding your body and die of heart attacks when you wake up from the dead while they treat you."

C.C. considered this. "Okay, fair enough."

"Then let the games begin." Lelouch said with a smirk.

The game started off with Lelouch moving his blockade of pawns out of the way and in a few turns he moved the king out of its quarters.

"You start with the king?" C.C. commented.

"If the king does not lead, how can he expect his troops to follow?"

Within a minute it was in Lelouch's favor. C.C. was losing as badly as possible, and, quite frankly, wasn't even trying at all. All she needed to do was keep a few pieces alive toward the end.

After five minutes had elapsed, Lelouch made another kill. "There goes another pawn." Lelouch said as he drew the piece to his 'dungeon of the captured.' C.C. was left with just three pieces: the queen, a rook, and a bishop.

It was her turn. She was staring at the board, eyeing all the possible moves she could make without suffering from collateral damage. Lelouch was growing impatient. "Come on, witch, have you lost your game?" C.C. looked up. Lelouch saw the puzzled concentration in her eyes and started laughing.

C.C. scooted her chair back and got up. Lelouch didn't get it. "What's the matter C.C., are you qui-" He was cut off by her as she ran around the table and pushed his chair backwards so he was lying on the floor. She then sat on his stomach. "C.C., what are you..." Lelouch questioned as C.C. dragged him out of the chair.

"This is my next move." She then leaned on forward so she was almost parallel to his body. Then she did the unimaginable.

"C.C.! Button your shirt up!" She then leaned forward so that she was lying on top of him, her head on his shoulder, whispering in his ear.

"Your turn." Lelouch's eyes were wide with shock from the whole thing. "Well? Are you going to make your move or what?"

Lelouch lay there, mesmerized. What the hell? he thought. C.C. spoke: "Well, as it seems that you're not going to play anymore, I guess I win by default." Lelouch blinked. What the crap! he yelled mentally.

"Fine, okay, you've beaten me. But let the records show that you cheated." She got up and buttoned her shirt. Then she sat on the bed smiling.

"Looks like we'll be making pizzas for a while everyday from seven to nine. I like that plan." Lelouch got up and went to the bathroom to rinse his face. He just had to be dreaming. This isn't happening. It's all a dream. I'll wake up eventually. He hoped that with all his might.

When it came time to get some rest, they both climbed in bed, Lelouch a little closer to the edge. C.C. spoke: "I only did that so I could win. You don't have to fear me like I'm some demon."

"That's exactly what you are. A demon witch."

"Then what are you? You're the Black Prince."

"Touché." He felt a bit safer with that knowledge and scooted toward the middle of the bed. C.C. wrapped her arms around him and gradually he did the same to her. Then, when they were both cozy in their snuggling position, sleep claimed them.