Chapter Seven
"Suzaku, would you be so as kind to explain what Mr. Aleksandrovich means with this."
The brunette clenched his teeth as he gave a sidelong glance towards Alexei Aleksandrovich, who was looking extremely calm for having caused so much chaos.
"What does he mean by 'we've been friends for 22 years"?"
"About that…"
"Yes, about that. What does it mean? I've never met this man in my life, save for that one night at the restaurant. What does he mean by we've been friends for 22 years?"
There was venom in his voice and ice in his glare as he waited for an answer. Suzaku ran a hand through his hair - this was why he shouldn't have been late. Because this was going to have happened. And it had. And, Alexei being Alexei, he was going to have to clean up the huge mess he had made.
"Lelouch."
"What is it, Suzaku?" he growled.
"Lelouch, there's something important you need to know."
"What? That this man is a conman? You tell me you want to meet for a drink, and I agree to come, even with my busy schedule. I make time for you. And yet, when I come here, this man tells me that we've known each other all our lives and then invades my personal space and gives me absolutely no respect. I have never—"
"Lelouch, it's true."
"What?"
"He's telling the truth. You've know each other for 22 years."
"I would remember if I knew someone for that long. I—"
"You don't remember," the words spilled out from Suzaku's mouth all at once - he needed to do this like ripping off a band-aid - quick, so that it could be as painless as possible, "because of the accident."
Something must have clicked in his head because the wrath dissipated from his violet eyes. Suzaku internally let out a sigh of relief - good. The first step was to neutralize his anger and then explain. First step done, it was time to move on to the second step.
"Lelouch, there've been some things we haven't been telling you."
"Obviously," he droned, "telling by this… incident."
"This is your Alexei Aleksandrovich, the CEO of Phoenix and your best friend."
"Phoenix?"
He nodded. "You know the company that was featured in Forbes last month? Same company. Alexei founded it and built it up."
"From the ashes," Alexei added with a grin, "Reborn once again. Like a phoenix."
Suzaku grimaced as Lelouch scoffed before muttering something under his breath.
"Be patient with him, Alexei," quietly said Suzaku. "He gets touchy whenever the accident's mentioned. And you know how snarky Lelouch is in the first place."
"Do I ever. That's alright. I understand. Don't mind me - just fill Lelouch in on everything that he's missed."
"Right."
Turning to the man sitting across from them, the Japanese continued on with his storytelling.
"Lelouch, as I said earlier, Alexei is your friend. One of your closest friends since birth. You two grew up together, went to the same school together, everything. You did everything together."
"But I don't remember any of this."
"No, not… Not after what happened that night."
"Then why, pray tell, did no one inform me on such an important figure of my past?"
"Because Alexei's family, they…" He glanced at his friend, wondering how to word this without offending him. He smiled before throwing in his own two cents.
"Simply put, Britannia Enterprises destroyed my family and with no fortune to my name, I was dropped. Like a used rag."
"Do you resent me?"
Suzaku was surprised. He was taking this well for someone who was incredibly confused and angry.
"Yes, I resent what your company did to my life."
"Then why did you want to reveal yourself to me? For revenge?"
"Yes."
"Oh? Do you really think it's the wisest decision to tell me, of all people, that you're planning to take revenge for what my family did to you?"
"I'm telling you because I'm not the type to resort to underhanded tactics. I plan to take vengeance fairly."
"There is no such thing as fair in this world, and there's certainly no such thing as fair between you and me. You may have been part of this world once, but you were excommunicated, and once you're excommunicated, there's no return."
"You and your arrogance. Suzaku was right - you really haven't changed since then. Lelouch, why do you think I was able to lift Phoenix up to the company it is today? Because I was flexible. Because I learned, because I refused to be stubborn and stuck on one path. I learned to adapt, something you clearly haven't learned to do yet, what with staying in that stagnant pond of yours. I may have been thrown out, but I've traveled through rivers, oceans, and seen things that you couldn't even imagine. You may think that you're safe with your wealth and your status and your family, but I don't aim to attack you with wealth or status or family."
"Then where do you aim to attack me?"
"The one place that will destroy you. The one place you can't escape."
Suzaku stared. This… Wasn't the way it was supposed to have gone. They were supposed to resume their camaraderie. Oh sure, it'd be awkward and tough, since Lelouch couldn't even remember all of the years he had spent with Alexei, but this wasn't supposed to happen. Everything had spiraled out of control far too fast for him to even think of intervening. All he could do was sit by and watch as the two men crossed swords.
Much to his shock, Alexei's frown melted away as the corners of his lips turned up in a smile, while Lelouch began chuckling. Were the two going crazy? What was happening?
"Very well. I accept your challenge. Although I doubt you can make any good on your tall talk, I accept."
Lelouch rose from his seat. Adjusting the cuffs of his shirt, he said, "I'm going."
"What? Already?"
"I'm busy. I have a playboy reputation to maintain after all. Why don't you spend some time with Alexei? I'm sure you two have plenty you want to catch up on and that you're dying to find out what happened to him after my family destroyed his life."
"But—"
"Alexei."
The two rivals - was that what they were? Rivals? - curtly nodded to one another before the raven-haired man left. When they were left alone, Suzaku heard his friend softly say, "Hey."
"What is it?"
"Thanks. For setting this up. I know how weird and hard it must've been to go through that. Thanks for being so patient."
"Alexei, what are you planning to do to Lelouch?"
"If you're worried about Britannia Enterprises, then don't be. I'm not going to do anything."
"Yes, but what are you going to do to Lelouch?"
He was silent for some time before he replied.
"You remember why it all started, don't you?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"That's what I'm going to do. What he did to me all those years ago, I'm going to do to him."
"But she—"
"Can fall in love with another man. Lelouch doesn't remember her. I do. Lelouch doesn't remember his feelings for her. I do. I've been given a second chance, Suzaku, to redeem myself and get the happy ending I deserve. And I'm not going to mess this up. I worked too hard for this."
He looked at him for a long time. Alexei had changed. So much. He didn't remember this much bitterness, this much anger the last time they had seen each other. Given, it'd been some years ago, but Alexei had been one of those kids who always played peacemaker and rarely fought himself. He hadn't been very possessive, he never held grudges. Had it really broken him this much for him to go so far?
The light in his eyes was reminiscent of the light in Lelouch's eyes, and Suzaku realized what Alexei had become. A determined, angry monster that wouldn't stop at anything to get what it wanted.
"Alexei."
"Hmm?"
"I don't care what you do, but if you hurt my family or C.C., I won't hesitate to strike back."
"Of course. Always the family man, huh, Suzaku?"
"And be careful. There are some parts of Lelouch that are frozen in time, but there are other parts that have changed. Drastically. I would watch where I'm stepping if I were you."
"That's a given. After all, I just waged war against the Prince himself."
Suzaku looked off into the distance as he tried to swallow. But he couldn't because deep inside him, he had a strong feeling that both men were digging their graves, and what more, digging the graves of their loved ones.
He could only hope and pray that his family would be spared in the coming tempest.
