A/N: So I may not be able to update as often due to my horrible grades in chemistry I can only go on the computer for up to an hour a day, or two hours on weekends. Luckily it's like weekend and my mother was out this morning so I can sneak in some time. Now, this chapter is a little different as it does not only follow Suzaku's story. The plot thickens and yadda yadda. Enjoy :D I look forward to hearing what you think :] Oh and thanks to smutyaoifan, for being my beta :D

Disclaimer: I don't own code geass. Please don't think I do… even though you wouldn't…

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Suzaku gave a tired yet relieved sigh. Finally, he could go home and sleep.

He had been working at 'Checkmate' in the red light district for about a month now, and had finally gotten used to--or as used to as he could--the job. But even so, he was still getting home more tired than ever.

Nunally had written him the other day, saying how she missed him and wanted to see him soon. Suzaku promised he would visit sometime next month and stick to his word. He missed his family as well and couldn't wait to see them, but with his new job it wasn't all that easy. Luckily, Schneizel was going away sometime next month so the establishment would be closed for about a week.

Kicking off his shoes, Suzaku flopped back onto his bed, just simply staring at his ceiling. He had noticed Gino talking to Lelouch in school the other day, not that that was anything out of the ordinary, but he had sworn that Lelouch's face had turned red. Also that he had stormed away from Gino in a quick fashion. The blonde was laughing as he followed behind, laughing and apologizing to the dark haired boy.

After that it seemed as though Lelouch was avoiding him as much as possible. He would talk to him only when necessary but other than that Lelouch seemed to not want anything to do with the green eyed boy. And truthfully, it kind of made Suzaku… sad.

The boy sighed. He had tried several times to stop thinking about the other but just couldn't seem to get him out of his head.

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Lelouch walked down the street with Gino at his side, they had been getting out of work earlier now that Suzaku was "helping" them clean up, and the two boys had just said good bye too Rolo as they made their way to the nearby train. It was 2 o clock in the morning and Lelouch's eye lids were threatening to stay closed.

Gino smacked the dark haired boy on the back, successfully waking him up for the moment and also gaining himself a glare from the shorter boy.

"Don't do that again." Gino nodded.

"Right." As the two continued on their way home, it wasn't long before they had to split ways.

"Lelouch where are you going?" Gino asked noticing the boy was not heading in the direction of his house.

"I haven't seen her in awhile." He said in an almost monotone voice. Gino's expression turned to a more serious one.

"Alright, well… just be careful. I trust her enough but… the rest of them…" Lelouch shook his head.

"Just her. No one else will be there." Gino just stared.

"Call me when you get home. Otherwise I'll be worried all night." Lelouch smiled.

"I will and… I won't be home that late." Gino nodded and turned slightly to walk away.

"Alright, well, good night Lelouch." He waved, and Lelouch did the same.

"Night Gino. And thanks." Smiling, the blonde continued on his way home. After all, his little sister was home alone.

Lelouch stood there facing the brick wall in front of him when a girl suddenly appeared from the shadows.

She had long flowing green hair and golden eyes. She wore black leather pants and black knee high, high heeled boots. Adorning a tight leather jacket on to match, she held a strong, emotionless gaze.

"I thought you had forgotten about our date, Lelouch." The boy shook his head.

"I'd never forget about you… C.C." The girl gave an almost smile, as her eyes still held their gaze.

"Why don't we go somewhere a little more convenient?" Lelouch nodded.

"What did you have in mind?" C.C. looked at him as though he was an idiot.

"You know we don't ever go anywhere different, so I don't even know why you bother asking. Come on. Today I feel like pizza." Lelouch groaned.

"You always feel like pizza." However, Lelouch obediently followed behind.

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Gino climbed the stairs that led up to his apartment in an upbeat fashion; he couldn't wait to see his little sister and give her a big hug. After all, she was usually up at this hour anyway.

Unlocking the door to his apartment, Gino threw his stuff on the ground before looking around.

Something was off. Even if his sister was sleeping, it just seemed too quiet, too eerie. Gino had a bad feeling about this.

"Anya! Anya are you there?" The blonde waited a moment as he approached the only door in the house, aside from the one that led into the bathroom, this one opened to Anya's room.

Gino knocked, his features holding a look of concern.

"Anya, are you in there? Anya answer me." There was a ruffle of fabric heard inside and then…

"I'm here Gino." Relieved, the mentioned boy let out a breathe before smiling once more.

"Oh thank God… I thought something had happened." He put his hand on the doorknob. "I'm coming in okay?"

"No do-!" there was a loud thump, and suddenly there was silence once more.

"Anya!? What happened?" Still silence. "I'm coming in!" Throwing open the door, Gino stepped inside the room.

At the foot of the bed was his little sister, her feet were on the ground but her head was limp. Standing there next to her and holding her up, was a man Gino had never seen before. He had a large gun in his hand, the butt of which held a small hint of blood. There were also several other men in the room who all held guns and looked ready to use them.

Gino stopped.

"You… what the hell did you do to her?" The man in front chuckled at Gino's angered reaction.

"Don't worry your pretty faggot head off; we didn't kill your precious little sister. I just knocked her out." Gino clenched his teeth; he could tell this would not end well.

"What the fuck do you want?" The man smiled as he cocked his gun and pointed it to Anya's head. He could hear the men in the back chuckle.

"Hey, looks like the queer has claws." The bigger man silenced them

"Now now, we don't want any trouble really. We just need to know where a certain friend of yours is." Gino raised an eyebrow, but still held his glare.

"Really and who would that be?" The man smirked and pushed the gun further in to Anya's mass of pink hair.

"You don't get to be a wise guy, understand? I don't have orders to hurt the girl but… I will if I have to. Such a pity though, she's very cute. Don't you think?"

"Shut up!" Gino seethed. The man chuckled.

"Seems I hit a sore spot… Tell me where I can find Suzaku Kururugi and I'll let the girl go." Gino's eyes widened.

"…S- Suzaku…?" The men smirked.

"So it seems you do know him then?" Gino looked at the man and regained his composer.

"I told you to fuck off. I don't know what you want with Suzaku but there's no way in hell I'm going to tell you assholes where he is."

"Oh but you will." Gino looked confused, he knew they could threaten Anya again, and if that happened he would protect her with his life. But he couldn't sell out Suzaku, the boy was his friend.

"H-" Before he could even get a word out, something hard had hit Gino from behind, and the blonde now collapsed onto his knees in pain.

He could see the men chuckling around him and Anya being tossed back onto the bed, the big man stepping forward. He grabbed Gino's face forcefully in his large hand.

"Looks like you're pretty tough huh? Well that'll just make this even more fun." The man raised his gun and swung his arm back. Whatever happened next Gino couldn't tell, because after that, everything went black.

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Lelouch sat down in a small booth with the green haired girl. As she ordered what she wanted, knowing Lelouch wouldn't want any anyway, the dark hair boy began to think.

Earlier in the week Gino had asked him about Suzaku, if he liked Suzaku that is. Lelouch remembered totally losing his cool and having his face heat up. Then like an idiot storming away, as if that didn't tell Gino the answer right then and there.

Lelouch sighed, okay so maybe he had a small infatuation with Suzaku. Lelouch wasn't completely sure himself. He had never had a 'crush', as people like to put it, on anyone before. When he was around Suzaku, he wasn't sure if the butterflies in his stomach, the knot in his throat, and the rising heat in his face were really all signs that pointed to him having… feelings for the other boy. Shouldn't you feel pleasant when you're around the person you like? To Lelouch, those feeling were anything but. He had told Gino this but the blonde simply laughed and told him he was in denial and totally had a thing for the brunet. Lelouch sighed as he snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at C.C. who was now devouring her second slice of pizza.

He would have to remember to call Gino when he got home.

C.C. looked at him, cheese still hanging from her mouth and leading all eyes back to the pizza in her hand.

"What's wrong Lelouch?" The boy looked up and shook his head.

"Nothing." The girl closed her eyes as she swallowed the last bit of her pepperoni slice.

"Since I can obviously tell that you're lying, there really is no point in not telling me the truth." The amethyst-eyed boy cocked a thin eyebrow. C.C. just looked at him, with the same displeased expression.

"I'll tell you about our new target, how about that? V.V. always says to keep it confidential but… I don't, and you haven't said a word yet… maybe it will cheer you up so I don't have to stare at that stupid moppey face of yours while I eat?" Lelouch rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

"Well there's this kid V.V. has been targeting for a while actually."

"A Kid?"

"Yeah around your age actually." Lelouch nodded with intent curiosity, now this could be interesting, he wondered what the kid could have done to be targeted by one of the biggest gangs in the area. "Anyway, he has rich parents, but apparently, they have something that V.V. claims belongs to him, something he would do anything to get back."

"Which would be?" C.C. shook her head.

"He wouldn't tell that to anyone, not even me. Either way, the kid just moved into town a while back and V.V. plans to use him to get to the parents." Lelouch nodded.

"Poor kid I bet he never saw it coming." After all, it never occurred to Lelouch that he would know the boy, that what C.C. was telling him all sounded very familiar.

"Not really. I mean, I've watched the kid before, and if you ask me he's an idiot."

"Oh. Well what's the kids name?" C.C. looked up as if she were trying to remember, as she grabbed another slice of pizza.

"Something stupid. I think it was like Kurrugi or maybe Kururegi-"

"Kururugi?" Lelouch almost jumped out of his seat as he slammed his hands down on the table. C.C. nodded, very much into her Pizza.

"Thabs the bun." She said. Lelouch froze… this could not be good. He had to ask, he knew he had to but the prospect of what the answer could be scared him.

"His first name." C.C. looked at him. "What's his first name?"

"Suzaku... I think. Why, do you know him?" Lelouch nodded slowly as realization of just what was happening hit him.

C.C., one of his best and only friends, was second in command in one of the most feared gangs in all of the Tokyo area. The Code of Lies was led by Lelouch's uncle and C.C. would often tell him of his plans. They usually involved murder and basically anything to get back at those who had wronged him in any way, usually involving money.

"He's my friend. I- he works with me and Gino at Schneizel's." C.C. nodded.

"So he's another whore?" Lelouch shook his head.

"He's too innocent for that. He just cleans. "

"So he's a virgin?" Lelouch nodded. "Pity, he'll probably die then." Amethyst eyes widened once more.

"NO! You can't do that he-" C.C. raised an eyebrow as Lelouch caught himself.

"And why not? You've never cared so much about a target before. Not even the ones you knew." Lelouch looked down.

"Because…"

"Because? You want to fuck him don't you?" Lelouch looked up irritated, his face red.

"Am I that easy to read?" The golden-eyed girl nodded. Lelouch sighed. "Look couldn't there be another, safer, way to do this?" C.C. thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"I can't stop what's already started."

"What do you mean?"

"V.V. has already begun to move, like I said this… thing is very valuable to him. As we speak, he's probably trying to figure out where this Suzaku kid is."

"Would he be using his usual methods for that?" Lelouch asked slowly, almost distantly as if the sudden shock from everything had paralyzed him with fear. C.C. looked at Lelouch almost sadly.

"You're life just keeps getting harder…" She paid for the bill and got up. "Your friends' lives are in danger as well. For you… I will do what I can do but it may be too late for some of them." Lelouch nodded slightly as he rose as well, his face void of emotion.

"Thank you." The golden-eyed girl shook her head.

"I'm sorry… Lelouch." With that the two split ways.

It was almost 5:30 in the morning when Lelouch finally got home and as he greeted his brother, who he had told about his meeting in advance, he made his way to his room. When he got there, he flopped down on his bed exhausted.

However a certain hard object underneath him stopped him from getting comfortable.

Taking out his phone, Lelouch remembered his promise to call Gino when he got home. Allowing the phone to ring for a moment, Lelouch was suddenly met by the timid and monotone voice of Anya, Gino's younger sister.

"Hello, Anya? Is Gino home?" He could hear a slight gasp on the other end of the phone and quickly noticed something off about Anya' voice.

"Le- Lelouch?" The girl almost gasped. Lelouch sat up straight.

"Anya? Anya. Yes it's me what's wrong?" Suddenly C.C.'s words came flooding back to him and Lelouch jumped off the bed.

"Your friends lives are in danger as well."

"Anya where's Gino?"

"I will do what I can do but,"

He could hear the girl trying to speak.

"Anya!"

"They took him. Those men they took him." The girl sounded panicked and hysterical.

"It may be too late for some of them."

"Who? Who took him? Anya tell me." The girl tried to search her brain and remember, they had told her, they had told her, they had-

"The Code of Lies… they said that's who they were."

"…"

":Lelouch… Lelouch, please… help my brother."

"I… I'm trying." With that Lelouch hung up the phone and in a state of shock grabbed his jacket and made his way to the front door. He had to find Suzaku. He had to warn him before-

Lelouch shook his head. No. He would never let that happen. He would stop anyone else from getting hurt.

Just as Lelouch's hand reached out to grab the doorknob, he was stopped.

He could feel a hand snake it's way around his waist and grab his body tightly, he could feel a chin resting lightly on his shoulder, he could feel the pit of his stomach drop just like always but most of all he could hear his voice. He could hear Schneizel's voice, his brother voice, breathing hotly against his pale ear.

"And just where do you think you're going, hmm Lelouch?" The boy did not answer; he merely kept his grip on the doorknob. "You just got home, did you not? I don't think I would be a good guardian if I were to let you go out whenever you pleased." He could feel the man smirking at his own words.

Finally Lelouch spoke.

"I have to go. My friends are in danger." Schneizel frowned as he turned Lelouch around to face him in his arms, the frail boy already feeling the urge to hide himself. His body was already trembling with fear as if he weren't used to it by now, as if this was still one of the first times. Lelouch wanted to scold himself. It seemed that no matter how much he tried to make his body stop shaking he never could, and that just made Schneizel all the more happier.

"A little danger never hurt anyone." Lelouch knew he could not accept what would happen again but he told himself, the sooner it was over, the sooner he could leave.

Wrapping his arms around Schneizel's neck, Lelouch leaned against the older man's chest, a look of complete sadness adorning his features.

"Hurry up before I'm not in the mood anymore." Schneizel chuckled as he made his way to the nearest surface he could find--in this case it was the dining room table.

"Even if you weren't in the mood my dear little brother, that wouldn't matter to me."

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Suzaku was in trouble, Gino was in trouble, and Lelouch mused even he was in trouble himself.

Looking back at it, maybe Lelouch would laugh. It was irony after all, irony that those in immediate danger would not be the ones he should worry about.