It was with a light step that Suzaku returned to Zero two days later, certain now that he was prepared for whatever Zero had planned.

He wasn't.

Everything had changed. The chains were gone, the bed pushed to the side of the room and unmade, and a mat was set out on the floor, with the blindfold resting in the center. It wasn't a subtle set-up, but there didn't seem to be a clear reason behind it.

Still, there was no upside to starting off by disobeying the implied order. Suzaku stripped and put the blindfold on and then sat on the mat.

Sure enough, the moment he sat down, the door opened and Zero (presumably) walked in. "Hello, Suzaku."

Yup. "Zero." As far as Suzaku could tell, based on the clarity of Zero's voice, he hadn't entered with his mask on today. Interesting.

"Would you stand up, please?"

Suzaku stood. He tensed as he sensed Zero's approach, like a skittish horse. "What happened to the bed?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing important. Arms out in front of your body, please."

Suzaku obeyed. "Wouldn't this be more comfortable… what are you doing?"

The slick smoothness of a soft rope grazed Suzaku's nipples as Zero wrapped it around his chest. He was still wearing his gloves, and the leather added to the impersonal, almost clinical feeling, of his touch. "You remember your safeword, do you not?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Use it when necessary. Otherwise, please cooperate. Place your arms behind your back, with your hands clasping your wrists."

Suzaku balked. "Look, weren't the chains enough?"

"Safeword or obedience, Suzaku." Zero sounded distracted, as if the rope thing was taking all his attention and focus.

It was a hard choice. On one hand, Suzaku felt completely off-balance, unnerved. On the other… this wasn't so different from the chains, and he wasn't about to use his safeword like a coward to run away from something that didn't even really bother him. He clasped his hands behind his back.

"Thank you."

Zero worked mostly in silence, binding Suzaku's arms to his torso, then his wrists to each other. Suzaku sat, cross-legged, when Zero asked him to sit, and tried not to squirm as Zero lashed his ankles together, keeping his knees spread.

Then Zero looped the rope over Suzaku's neck and tightened the restraints, pulling Suzaku down until he was bent with his head over his ankles. "What…"

"It's called ebi-zeme, a shrimp tie. Presumably because it's supposed to make you look like a shrimp." Zero sounded satisfied, admiring. "You don't. You look amazing."

"That's nice. Can I…" Zero interrupted Suzaku's question by grabbing a handful of his hair and forcing his head up, against the resistance of the rope, for a kiss.

It left Suzaku breathless and panting, from actual lack of air as opposed to ardour. "I can't breathe…"

"Yes, you can," Zero said, clearly trying to be reassuring, but the heavy desire in his voice sounded almost threatening. "Just relax and let your muscles tell you what to do."

Normally, that was easy for Suzaku. He'd been listening carefully to his body since he'd started training, and he'd been training for a long as he'd had a long-term memory. His shoulders loosened and he let his head loll as he breathed through his nose and out his mouth. The position added a little strain to his thighs, but he could catch his breath. Zero's gloved hand stroked over his hair, his shoulders, caressing Suzaku's skin along the lines of the ropes as he breathed.

"Very good, Suzaku. Very good." He sounded pleased and Suzaku relaxed further, despite the slow burn in his thighs and groin that was starting to build. "You're handling this beautifully." His hands went away and Suzaku swallowed the saliva that was building up in his mouth. At this angle, it would have been easier to drool, but Suzaku wasn't that far gone yet.

A soft tug at the back of his head, and the blindfold fell away. Suzaku blinked at the sudden light, brighter than he'd expected, and gingerly lifted his head.

Zero walked into view, masked and dressed in his usual outfit minus the cape, wielding a camera. "I do hope you'll take some of these home."

Suzaku tried to imagine Lloyd or Cecile or Euphy or Lelouch's reaction to finding a picture of him like this. "I don't think so." The effort of keeping his head up was straining his neck, but once Suzaku looked away from the camera he noticed something that made it worth it.

"Need any help with that?"

"Hmm?"

Suzaku grinned. "Either you have a pair of socks stuck down your pants, or you're aching for me."

Zero nearly dropped the camera. Suzaku's grin sharpened into a smirk and he licked his lips.

"Suzaku…"

"Put your cock in my mouth."

Zero put the camera down on a nearby table. "It's not that I don't want to…" Suzaku knew full well why he was reluctant.

"I already know you're pasty white and painfully thin. Your dick's not going to give me any new information." Suzaku shifted restlessly in his bindings, the burning sensation deepening and spreading, but doing nothing to ease the arousal that was starting to harden his own cock. "If I wanted to find out your identity, this wouldn't be my method of choice."

Zero laughed. "True. I've given you far clearer hints." His gloved hands hovered over his crotch. "But what do I get out of it?"

Suzaku stared incredulously. "You mean other than a blowjob?"

"Indeed."

"I…" Suzaku couldn't believe he was negotiating for this. "I'll look at the pictures with you."

Zero groaned and palmed himself, clearly liking that idea a lot. Suzaku's own cock hardened to full attention as he realized Zero was going to give in.

"Agreed."

Black hair, Suzaku noted before closing his eyes and taking in as much as possible. The strain and the position he was tied in made bobbing nearly impossible, but Zero took care of that for him, holding Suzaku's head lightly in place and thrusting at a good pace into Suzaku's mouth, shallow enough that Suzaku didn't choke, but deep enough that it forced drool and precum out the corners of Suzaku's mouth.

How had they gotten so practiced at this? Suzaku let his eyes flutter shut and moaned around Zero's cock, breathing deeply through his nose and silently willing Zero to go deeper, faster.

Instead, Zero pulled out and stroked himself hard, twice, before coming over Suzaku's face. Suddenly free, Suzaku's head fell forward, following the pull of the ropes, and he could feel Zero's spend landing in his hair, oozing down his forehead.

He couldn't swallow hard enough and breathe at the same time in this position, and he watched as saliva and thicker fluids dripped onto his bound ankles and feet.

Above him, Zero caught his own breath. "Do you want to be untied, or do you want me to make you come like that?"

As much as Suzaku's cock ached for attention, he could tell that if the pressure and numbness between his legs lasted much longer he'd be useless tomorrow. "Untie me, please."

He sighed in relief as Zero loosened the loop around his neck, lifting it over his head. His shoulders cracked as he straightened them, but other than their stiffness, they seemed fine. It was his legs Suzaku worried about, still burning with an odd numbing sensation spreading around his buttocks.

Zero trailed a finger over the inside of Suzaku's thighs. "Does this feel normal to you?"

It felt like Zero was stroking him with lightning. "No." Suzaku's cock leaked, belying that monosyllabic answer, and Zero hesitated. "Please, Zero…"

"I'm sorry." Zero's braced himself and leaned forward, his free hand wrapping around Suzaku's cock. "I can't… I need to…"

Suzaku's legs and arms were still bound, but his head was free to fly back, shouting at the ceiling as Zero's firm touch felt like a thousand pins and needles playing over the most sensitive parts of his body. It felt more like pain than pleasure, but that didn't stop him from spilling over Zero's black leather as Zero's hand worked him relentlessly, with Suzaku helpless to stop him.

Spent, in more ways that one, Suzaku toppled forward onto Zero's shoulder, aching and breathing as Zero whispered apologies and worked the ropes around Suzaku's legs and arms undone, until he could lay Suzaku out on the mat.

"I couldn't resist, you looked so… I'm sorry."

Suzaku wanted to tell him not to be, it was good in its way, and he'd untied him like he'd promised. Mostly. But he still couldn't feel his legs properly, except when they twitched hard enough against the mat to jar his body, and his arms felt weak. He felt strung out and vulnerable, and he wanted…

"Kiss me."

There was a short pause. "Close your eyes."

Suzaku obediently shut his eyes and within moments he felt Zero's lips against his, tender and sweet, and he sighed and parted his lips, letting the kiss deepen as he ran his fingers through Zero's hair.

"If I'd wanted your identity," Suzaku whispered against Zero's lips, "this is how I'd do it."

Zero froze and Suzaku let his hand drop, allowing Zero to make whatever move he chose.

"Straightforward, unsubtle, and yet somehow treacherous. I can see it."

Suzaku smirked. "You fell for it."

"I did." Zero kissed both Suzaku's closed eyes. "And you have me at your mercy. So, Suzaku, what can I offer in return that you would keep your lovely eyes closed for me?"

He sounded peeved, but not overly upset. Suzaku hadn't really thought this out. Demanding the kiss had been impulsive, and realizing the position Zero had put himself in had just fed that impulse. But now that he had the advantage, he had no idea how to proceed.

"A favour."

"What kind?"

Suzaku shrugged, pleased at how easy it had become to do so. Barely an ache at all. "How important is keeping your identity a secret?"

Zero hesitated. "Good point. Very well, then, I'll agree to anything short of murder."

"Who the hell do you think–" Suzaku's indignant question was cut off by Zero's kiss, and even feeling Zero laughing against him wasn't enough to ruin the moment. He'd gotten one over Zero, and hadn't had to compromise his ethics or his desires for it.

Zero pulled away. "You can open your eyes now." He had replaced the mask.

Suzaku let his eyelashes flutter slightly, and he smiled dreamily up at Zero, who just snorted. "Yes, you're very pretty. Can you sit up?"

With some stiffness and a hand from Zero, Suzaku could. The numbness was turning into the tingling sensation that usually followed it, and the burning had almost completely gone away. Zero lifted his head, the mask pointing somewhere over Suzaku's shoulder, and Suzaku took a guess.

"I can probably make it to the bed."

He had to lean on Zero, which was mostly weird in that it wasn't all that weird, having his naked flesh pressed against Zero's costume. The material felt better than Suzaku expected, like it was made from some high-end material like silk or something. Suzaku flopped down on the bed, ignoring the way his sticky hair scratched against the mattress, and stretched.

After a short time, the bed dipped behind him, and a pale arm draped over his side, holding a camera. "Don't turn around."

Zero had taken his mask off. Again. Like he was… tempting Suzaku? Trying to get him to break his word?

Suzaku wasn't about to fall for that. He settled his back against Zero's chest and angled the camera so that the image viewer showed up for him.

Zero started at the beginning, with a picture of Suzaku's back. "Do you see?"

Suzaku frowned. He tried to see it from Zero's point of view, ignoring the fact that it was him in the picture and trying to admire the artistic bindings and deep redness of the rope pressed against skin.

He couldn't. "I don't get it."

"The way your back is angled," Zero explained impatiently. "The arc of your neck, the…" he flipped to one of Suzaku's front. "The play of your muscles, the restrained strength, the contrasting colours, the way it outlines your pecs, your groin…"

"It just looks uncomfortable," Suzaku said. "It felt uncomfortable too."

Zero sighed. "You didn't like it."

"Not really." Suzaku felt weirdly apologetic. "But. Um. Thanks for thinking of me?"

Zero kissed Suzaku's shoulder. "I'll find something you like."

"I'm sure." Suzaku reached over and took the camera out of Zero's hands. "What's this?"

After the pictures, there was a video. Zero made a confused noise from behind Suzaku, seemingly equally curious. Suzaku pressed 'play'.

"It's not that I don't want to…"

A laugh, mostly of surprise, escaped Suzaku's lips. "You accidentally hit 'record' when you put the camera down."

"And it's angled very… opportunely."

It was. It was far enough away to get Suzaku's entire bound body in frame with about two feet above his head, and just offside enough that when Zero finally gave in and moved towards Suzaku, opening his pants as he did so, Suzaku's mouth and his cock were both clearly visible.

The sound wasn't ideal, both Zero and Suzaku were too far away, but the picture quality was…

"I want this."

"As your favour?"

The Suzaku in the camera moaned, a slightly tinny sound. And Suzaku's mouth dried up. "No, you said I could."

"Pictures, I said." Zero sound calm, but Suzaku could feel how much he was being affected, either by the scene playing out for them, or the idea of Suzaku wanting it for himself.

Suzaku stopped the video and grabbed Zero's hand, pressing a kiss to the palm. "Please."

"Mmm… only if you do something for me," Zero said. "Lie back with your eyes closed and your legs spread."

Suzaku grinned. Apparently, Zero had been more affected than he'd thought. "Deal." He closed his eyes and flipped over, pleased at how smoothly his body responded to him. He probably wouldn't have much more than a few lingering aches by tomorrow. Zero reached over and placed the camera on one of the bedside tables before fitting himself between Suzaku's legs and grinding against him, one hand between their bodies, working their cocks, the other braced beside Suzaku's head as he leaned over to kiss him.

It was good. The friction, the kissing, the way Suzaku was free to wrap his legs around Zero's hips, his arms around Zero's back. It felt familiar, despite the fact that they'd never actually done anything like this, and Suzaku buried one hand in Zero's soft straight hair while the other slid over Zero's arched back and thin hip to join him in jerking them off.

"Suzaku…" Zero, normally almost silent, seemed unable to suppress his voice. "You feel so… ooh…" Suzaku kissed him hard and tightened his grip, getting firm friction with every pull and driving Zero over the edge with a twist of his wrist. Zero's breath caught and he slumped against Suzaku, still moving just enough to give Suzaku the friction he needed.

"Love you."

The soft endearment, tender and heartfelt, had Suzaku arching as he came, biting back, oddly enough, Lelouch's name. They lay there for a moment longer, and Zero kissed Suzaku one last time, getting up rather than addressing what either of them had said or almost said.

"Wait." Zero's steps never faltered and Suzaku sat up. This couldn't just be left at that, as if nothing had changed. "Wait!" Zero had said he'd loved him.

That made him dangerous.

Suzaku opened his eyes just as the door closed, leaving nothing but the impression of a tall, thin, pale man with black hair. All things Suzaku already knew. Suzaku cursed, and cursed again when he noticed the camera missing.

Had he said Lelouch's name, or not? He wasn't sure. He thought he'd cut it off soon enough, but if Zero was in love with him and knew about Lelouch…

Suzaku got up as quickly as he could. Zero would surely have to at least find Lelouch before he could do anything, so the best thing to do would be to shower, dress, and then spend every possible moment guarding Lelouch.

When he came out of the shower, there was a flash drive waiting on his clothing, along with a note.

I would never do anything to endanger our fragile relationship. I promise you, you and your lover have nothing to fear from me.

Also, I still owe you that favour. Don't forget.

With my love, and all that entails,
Zero

Suzaku wasn't sure he felt more relieved, but he'd trusted Zero since this had started, as strange as that sounded, and he couldn't mistrust him now. Zero could have ignored it, instead, he'd tried to assure Suzaku of his intentions. He'd never lied, as far as Suzaku knew, despite being an underhanded sneak. Would he lie now?

Suzaku put the flash drive and the note in his pocket and left.