Version 1.01: Minor Expansion to Exchange between Milly and Lelouch.
Warning: There be a small bit of lime in this chapter.
Chapter 6
Heated Confrontation
You know, if someone had walked up and told me that my at the beginning of my Prince's presence in Japan that he and Zero would become involved in one another as anything other than adversaries, I would have executed them on the spot for breathing such blasphemy. For one thing, at the time we believed Zero to be a man, and he was most certainly not of that persuasion. Furthermore, a Prince simply did not does not become romantically involved with the enemy, it is nothing more than romantic tripe written by women so desperate to create a fantasy better than their reality.
But if you had asked me if My Prince and Countess Stadtfeld were possible? I would have liked to think that it was possible, but alas to my shame, I thought then it was merely a passing fancy for him. Something to amuse himself while he awaited the opportunity to match wits with Zero.
I think it was just before the Lake Kawaguchi Incident that I realized that the Countess was more than an amusement for him, before they both realized what the other meant to them. Though I should have seen it a lot sooner, the two of them were that maddening combination of contradictions and complements that you would expect of any noble couple. The moment they had entered each other's orbit it was inevitable that the world would become theirs.
- His Lord Jeremiah Gottwald, Duke of Britannia. A Union of Revenge: The Untold Story of the Demon Prince of Britannia and the Clown Prince(ss) of Chaos. Britannian Broadcasting Network 25th Years Later Special, 2033 a.t.b.
InF
It seemed all the time in the world stopped for two people, cerulean locked with amethyst in a silent duel, arms wrapped around one preventing their fall while the other was locked in position like prey having discovered a predator in its midst.
And then as quickly as it had occurred, the moment died a swift death as a cocksure grin whipped across Lelouch's face.
"Well, this certainly seems familiar," he mused aloud as the Stadtfeld heiress turned a shade of crimson not unlike her hair as she forced herself up and extricated herself from the arms of her enemy.
"Yeah," she snapped, "I seem to recall thinking I wouldn't end in your arms again."
He smiled a bit more as he bowed with a flourish.
"Well I apologize for the disappointment, but I don't regret proving you wrong, Lady Stadtfeld."
"What are you doing here? Don't you have some country to conquer and colonize or something?"
Shrugging, he stepped towards her, her automatic response stepping away from him, causing the smile to diminish somewhat.
"I thought I'd take a break and visit you, it would be ungentlemanly to not visit my girlfriend when I have the opportunity."
"I'm not your girlfriend," she growled.
"See. Funny that. If I do recall in that interview you took, you did insinuate that you were. Are you saying that you lied to the press?"
"That would mean you were lying to the press as well."
"Oh," he murmured lowly, almost sensually, watching as her expression quirked into anger before resetting back to irritation, "but I'm the Black Prince, I'm allowed a bit of...youthful embellishment."
It was amusing and intriguing to watch as a myriad of expressions vied for supremacy upon her rather attractive face, from shock to irritation to anger. It was decidedly different and fresh compared to the vapid, mindless, and...giggly nobles of the young female variant. There was the fire of a fighter in Kallen, which made it all the more fun the fact that she would not simply accept his thrust. Pun not intended.
"I doubt you have that much pull in the media, Prince Lelouch," she returned, coming under control of her firecracker personality, "in fact, I seem to recall a few months ago in which there was a scandal involving a spat between you and the Duke of Edinburgh. If my memory serves me you took a hit in the tabloids for providing for captured POWs. The Duke insisted they be processed like the rest and you went over his head to Prime Minister Schneizel and got him yanked. Did not sit well in the press considering the Duke was a media darling."
He waved his hand in a dismissive manner all the while finding enjoyment from her verbal riposte, she definitely did not take anything lying down.
"General Winters was too fire and brimstone for his own good. Those POWs gave me actionable intelligence on the defenses of Nikolayev thanks to my generous treatment so I could take it with relative ease. I was proven right and Winters was sent packing. I won, he lost, and you're beautiful when you do that."
"Do what?"
"Narrowing your eyes when you're irritated, for anyone else it's ugly, but for you," he moved forward again, causing her to flinch backwards as if touched by a burner after that small delay, "it's exotic, accentuates your cheeks, and adds a regal flair to your bearing."
The small flush was all the sign that his words had gotten to her but it was more than enough to even add to his enjoyment. Truly, this was going to be an entertaining vacation and to be honest, the more he witnessed Kallen Stadtfeld, the more enamored he found himself in finding out just what more he could elicit from her.
Careful Lelouch, he chastised himself, throwing ice on his intellect and hormones, the fact that both were being tantalized by the package before him made it all the harder to resist falling into his own trap.
His hand flashed up to grab the open palm aimed at his cheek, Mount Kallen having finally erupted as she lashed out.
"Careful, m'lady," he purred, before angling her hand down so he could brush his lips over her knuckles, causing her face to redden even further, "you almost struck a national treasure."
She seemed to recover quickly as her hand was ripped away from his, her blue eyes flashing dangerously as she stepped back, ahhh, there it was again, that fighter mentality.
"All I see is playboy Prince who thinks he is untouchable," she hissed. She wouldn't back down, he knew that, it would be a cold day in hell before she retreated, just like him.
"Au contraire, ma chérie," he returned in the origin language of his maternal side of the family as he offered affable smile, "I know perfectly well I am touchable in more ways than one."
"What do you want of me," she finally demanded after staring him down a few more seconds.
"I'd just like the company of someone who knows the settlement," he admitted, deciding to placate her. He had his fill of toying with her for the moment, "you don't need to take anything from it. It's just my sister, she wanted to get away from everything and just have some normalcy in her life for a little while."
Yep, play at the heartstrings, underhanded, but effective judging by the minute softening of the Countess' expression. Nunnally's story always seemed to tear at womens' feelings.
Any response that she could have given was interrupted by the chime of the bell, causing the redhead to snap out of it. She glanced at her watch for a moment before storming past him.
"What? Not going to give me an answer?"
"I have martial arts class to instruct," she retorted caustically as she opened the door where her friends were gathered, "I have to be there."
"I know. It's one of the classes I'm taking."
She stiffened, looking back at him as he offered the most sheepish of grins imaginable, before storming out the door.
InF
"Stop," Kallen snapped, another moment of her fury boiling over as she stormed up to one of the students, her mind already replaying the poor kata that Sophie Wood had gone through. She had an inkling as to why Sophie was even in the class considering her persuasion, but right now she was too busy seeing red to give a damn as to what her proximity would do for the lesser noble.
Her hands already closed over the vermillionette's as she positioned her back into the resting position.
"Foot forward like this," she began, sliding the leg forward, ignoring again the flush of her student, "arm up like this," she brought the arm forward, "giving ground, then drive," she jerked the palm forward to where the chest of the target would be, "it's all about giving ground and then surprising."
She then broke away, Sophie now a blushing mess as she nodded. It wasn't exactly like she could resist considering how Kallen was dressed in a tank top that hugged all the right curves for guys and girls to ogle, boy shorts, and a hair band to keep her hair from getting in her face. She exuded both command and raw, unconscious, sexuality in the way she sauntered all over the mat as she instructed the class. A class that was all Millicent Ashford's fault.
When Milly had started the new year, the Ashford heiress had insisted that as Vice President, she needed to learn the ropes of leading her future charges, in this case, she needed to teach a class. And with the fact that there was not much that Kallen was able to do that would be considered "student friendly", Milly had suggested that she take up teaching personal defense and martial artistry.
Of course, Milly had left out the fact that by Kallen taking up such a class it provided her with a literal gold mine of pictures in which she could supply the red-blooded men and women of the Academy with titillating imagery of Kallen in all of her sweat-soaked minimally clad glory.
But that was far from her mind at this time, instead it was focused upon the insufferable asshole by the name of Lelouch vi Britannia who was currently watching her with a knowing smirk. He was dressed up much like her in terms of equally form-fitting clothes in a t-shirt and shorts, if she didn't hate the man with a fiery passion she may have noticed the fact that he had a perfect physique.
"Is there a problem Lelouch," she asked, deciding to forgo both his title and the proper respect befitting his status as her 'student'. But then again, he was so far under her skin just by being here harassing her. She didn't even understand why he was here to begin with, he had started the entire thing by getting her involved in court drama with that stupid dance.
"You're actually doing it wrong."
At that declaration everything fell silent as everyone stopped in shock at Lelouch's declaration. It was an unspoken rule that Kallen's teaching was impeccable and without flaw. To have anyone question was borderline heresy.
"What?"
"You're using a modified version of the Rangers CQC regimen. However, your interpretation of it is flawed, the technique is designed for creating exploits to strike exposed and vulnerable points to cripple the target, it's designed to solely be offensive, not defensive/offensive as you are teaching it. Furthermore, you don't go for a sternum strike in that position, you go for the soft tissue in the neck, especially if its for a woman. May I?"
She didn't say anything so Lelouch took advantage of the silence to come up to Sophie who looked at him with trepidation, but it quickly disappeared as Lelouch leaned in to her and whispered something in her ear to cause her to giggle and nod.
He then stepped in front of the young noblewoman, entering into the position
"The purpose of this entire kata is to introduce an overextension in your attacker, Lady Sophie, if you will."
She nodded hesitantly before she lunged at him, his hand already blurring as it grabbed the inside of her elbow.
"Stop," he commanded firmly, still in the stance, "now, note how I have Lady Sophie here, I've redirected her blow and the momentum of her body away from me as the target, opening her up to counter attack. Now, I have several options here: first, I can drive my right hand like this," curling his fingers into a half-fist he placed it at the side of Sophie's neck," here into the soft tissue of the neck. I could also go for her kidney instead. I am also able to use my forehead on her nose is that's available. The point is that this kata is all about exploiting an overzealous an attacker. Thank you, Lady Sophie."
She nodded in a blush as he let her go, Lelouch stepping away.
"The purpose of the entire regimen Lady Kallen is trying to teach you is to disable or reduce your attacker's ability quickly and efficiently. I gather that the reason you decided to change the style is to make it easier for the student's to be comfortable."
Sensing an out, and cursing every moment of it, she acknowledged with a terse nod.
"That is correct."
"I apologize then, I misunderstood your intent. It is far more noble to attempt to spare your attackers than to grievously injure then," he then looked around the class, which she noted looked at him with awe, "you're providing a real good modification to the technique."
Several of the students clapped, obviously enamored by the display provided to them by the Prince. Meanwhile she could only internally scream at the fact that once again he was doing everything in his power to irritate the hell out of her with his insufferable arrogance. It was like it naturally came to him on how to do it.
"Well and good, Prince Lelouch, are there any other techniques you would like to offer to the class?"
"Not really, but maybe a test would be sufficient to ascertain if I can offer some things to the class."
"A spar," she asked, almost licking her lips in anticipation, was he really going to give her the opportunity to get back at him for everything so easily? He must be an idiot.
"Sure, why not."
It took everything for her not to jump in joy at the opportunity being presented to her. Finally, she had the chance to knock him down a peg. Instead, she just had a new spring in her step as she walked over to the sparring equipment and pulled out a pair of vests, coming back to Lelouch and tossing him one.
He looked at it for a few moments before slipping it over his body and securing it to himself as she did the same.
It was one of the products that her company had created for full-contact sparring that was designed to minimize the impact of blows while allowing full fluid movement. While it had been meant for the military, the design had caught on in other fields in providing protection in sports and other full-contact activities.
"Rules," Lelouch asked, as the rest of the class gathered around the ring that she had stepped into, looking her up and down.
"Best of five," she declared, looking to Rai who had said nothing the entire time, "Rai will call 'em as he sees them. Anything goes as long as there are no broken bones."
"Anything?"
She smirked, "You worried about your boyish good looks?"
"No, I'm just worried both of us won't look proper for a date."
The 'awws' that sounded from the women around them easily caused her to react as her hands balled into firsts before unclenching.
"Fine, nothing deliberate towards the face," she then looked to Rai as she settled into a stance, her feet spread as she led with her left towards him, he simply mirrored here in return.
"Begin," Rai declared lazily from his little perch.
Immediately she darted forward, closing the distance between them intent on getting the first strike in. Her hand flashed towards his chest, intent on striking him and get him on the defensive immediately, only for him to brush it away. She barely retracted her hand before his own two-pronged counter-attack almost grabbed her hand and the follow-up strike brushed over her shoulder. Only the second strike was a feint, as the hand wrapped around the back of her neck and she was yanked into his knee, the material of the armor absorbing the strike but still shaking her before he then whipped her back up and brought her back to his chest.
"Point me," he murmured softly in her ear, before pushing her away from him, causing her to stagger to the sound of Rai calling out a point for Lelouch.
She spun around, staring down Lelouch as he kept that shit-eating smirk on his face. Not even waiting for Rai to signal them, she lowered her center of gravity and charged the prince, just wanting to pay him back. Only she found herself on her back shortly thereafter looking into amethyst eyes looking down on her in unvarnished amusement of her actions.
"Point to Lelouch."
"I tell you what," he leaned in to whisper to her, "if you start going serious and beat me, I'll leave you alone for a couple of days."
He then got up, leaving her lying there on the mat a ball of self-sustaining fury, staring at the ceiling. However, just before she worked to bring herself to her feet she stopped as she came to an epiphany. Well, more like Caedron's training filtered back to the front.
If you fight with your heart on your sleeve, you'll find yourself without a heart quickly.
"Dammit," she snapped sharply, getting back to her feet, shaking her head violently before ripping off the headband and tossing it to the floor.
That was his entire objective, getting under her skin to have her fighting pissed. Hell, everything he seemed to do was an attempt to amuse himself on her anger.
Taking a deep cleansing breath she turned to one of the faster methods of clearing the slate of everything in her mind as she closed her eyes. This was her enemy, she couldn't afford to be so damn emotional, he was taking advantage of the fact that she was.
Taking a further deep cleansing breath and letting it out, this time finding that calm she sought. She then took the moment to take off the protective vest and throw it out of the ring to the murmur of the students.
"Giving up," he asked with an arched eyebrow as she opened her eyes.
"No, just the vest is killer on the chest," she shot back, "I intend to take you up on that offer."
For a moment the smile flickered into calculation before returning back to its previous state.
"Do I have to worry about you hurting me, Lelouch," she asked, twisting the knife that he so casually kept laying around by insisting on this silly farce.
"Of course not," he returned, before he lunged for her, a low strike that she contorted her body away from using her body's natural and trained flexibility at play, she swiveled on her feet, landing a few precise blows to his chest and back before dancing away from his counterstrike.
"Point."
But like herself before, he forewent the idea of stalling and launched himself at her as she lowered her mass to avoid a pair of jabs, forcing her to backpedal away.
He was a skilled fighter she realized as he kept everything close to his body, allowing her few openings to exploit. But he was limiting himself to using his hands, fighting more akin to a boxer than to using the Ranger's CQC, which urged the usage of every part of the body as a weapon. Unless he was guiding-
She smirked as she lunged at him, his hand latching on to her wrist, only this time she was prepared as she struck the inside of his arm, causing it to loosen it's hold as the now freed hand pressed on the nerves in his wrist. Intercepting the other hand she yanked both arms hard, driving his face into her chest, to his shock.
But that shock quickly died as she thrust her hips underneath his and contorted her body, slamming him down to the mat with his face still dug into her cleavage. Inappropriate, certainly , but highly effective.
Getting back up to her feet to the sound of a few hoots from some of the jealous students she whipped her now mussed up hair to clear her eyes as the ebon-haired general slowly got up to his feet with a guarded expression on his face.
"That wasn't exactly fair."
"You ever heard of the adage you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'," she retorted with a smug look.
Instead of arguing, Lelouch merely nodded with a returning smirk as he took off his own vest and threw it aside, rotating his right shoulder as if working out a kink.
Then he darted forward towards her, causing her to backpedal to parry a quick jab before dodging underneath a kick, her own counter attack stopped as he shifted his body and brushed away her own strike. She quickly followed it up with her own kick, which caused Lelouch to shift back and away from her. And like that, it was a like a switch had been flipped as the two started going at each other with everything in their arsenal. Technique no longer even mattered, as long as one of them got that final score in to prove their supremacy. Yet, it seemed that the further along it went, the more that they found enjoyment in their contest. Even she, who hated Lelouch, could not help but admit that she was enjoying their spar.
Neither even realized that the room had started to pack as word had gotten out that the two had been going at it. What had been a small affair had exploded into a scene as anyone that had heard about it and could get there quickly were now in the room watching as the Vice President and the Prince went at it.
However, all things must come to an end, as the two fighters broke off, staring each other down, both panting for breath as sweat dripped from their features, neither willing to give ground to the other. Two proud fighters unwilling to admit defeat. It was the sound of the bell going off that caused them both to freeze, looking around and realizing exactly where they were again, so entranced on each other.
Realizing her duty as an instructor trumped her own vanity, she sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"Class is dismissed, everyone get to the showers, I'll inform the teachers as to the tardiness for your next classes."
Lelouch already forgotten, superseded by her role in the Academy, she headed towards her small office in order to make the necessary efforts to fulfill her job. Well, maybe not forgotten as she started contacting the necessary teachers, her mind wandering back to the feeling of having someone who gave her a honest, even fight.
InF
Lelouch sighed deeply as the hot water began bombarding him from the showerhead, his palms pressed against the wall as the water sloughed off his back and onto the ornate floor and drain. It was a welcome relief for his muscles and the few bruises he had accrued after the strenuous activity he had just taken part in.
The thought of what had transpired not too long ago brought a smile to his face, he had been right in his summation that Countess Stadtfeld would be quite interesting. He just hadn't known at the time how interesting.
In the pantheon of noble women in Britannia there was only one setting in which those who did not gain their title through merit, that of shallow, vain, and selfish creatures who only thought was to increase their standing through the usage of their sex . It was pathetic and reflective of Britannia's obsession with strength and virility to such a dramatic effect. For women in Britannia it was a herculean task to ever amount to anything outside of their station, and outside of riding the coattails of their benefactor, they were still relegated to generally being unseen.
There were of course exceptions to this rule, but it was abysmally negligible outside his sister, Viletta, Nonette Enneagram, and Monica Kruszewski. It was expected of women to simply be baby factories if they weren't in the military...and even then it was somewhat heavily urged by many IN the military.
But Kallen, well, if anything she reminded him of an unorthodox version of his sister so far that he had seen. Proud, confident , easy to anger, but unpredictable and oddly skilled for her station. It was like a puzzle placed out before him, one that he could not help but try and solve.
Maybe it was because of that niggling warning sense at the back of his skull that he was treating this all like a puzzle. He had never ignored his senses that there was something completely wrong with the Countess, especially after today. Even if she was a half-breed as the press accused her off, with those skills she could easily rise up the ranks of Britannia, he wouldn't be surprised if Kallen could be a Knightmare pilot, and a fairly good one with what he had shown on the mat there.
So then why did she not take part in it? Why was she so skilled when she was simply an eighteen year old heiress and soon-to-be CEO of an up-and-coming consortium in Britannia. As far as he had been able to recognize she didn't care for material things, judging by how she carried herself and her lack of jewelry. He was almost positive based by how she acted at the ball that she hated opulence.
Then there were the pictures posted in the rag of her at her mansion, instead of doing 'civilized' activities a lady of her status would be participating in, she was using firearms and shooting targets, an eminently masculine thing, and from one of the videos, eminently skilled in both shooting but also maintaining the firearms on the line.
All that's left is to find out she likes working on and piloting Knightmare Frames, he thought, adding a chuckle at that idea, and turns out to be as skilled as Suzaku.
He couldn't help but shake his head at that thought. Suzaku was his ace in the hole, his Knight of the Round in all but title, the likelihood of him finding another one like Suzaku was astronomically slim.
Besides, he had two Knights of the Round in his pocket, with a third allied with him. He couldn't be THAT lucky.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder if the Stadtfeld Consortium had Knightmare Frame simulators. Might have Jeremiah look into that.
He shivered for a moment as he felt a shift in the air around him, a sudden gust of cold air graced over him before quickly disappearing. Must be the climate control kicking in to prevent him from completely ruining the temperature in the room.
But maybe more, he should ask Jeremiah to look into Kallen himself. He needed to figure out why he was so interested in her...
"What are you doing here," came the voice of the subject of his thoughts behind him.
InF
Goddammit, Caedron thought with a snarl as he finished wiping away the remnants of the blood that had become dried in his goatee. This was the third time in two days that he had spontaneously started to bleed from his nose without warning. This time had been in front of C.C. before he had quickly fled, staunching the offending part of his anatomy and resealing her in the room for the moment.
It was a reminder of the issue that he had yet to have looked at. Probably more worrying was the fact that he had no cause to attach to his sudden malady, everything seemed to be fine. Which was all the more worrisome, considering his age and health. It worried him that it was something far more severe. If that happened...
Everything was happening a lot faster than even he had predicted, loathe he was to admit it to Kallen. He had wanted three more years to prepare her, iron out her flaws, improve her understanding on how the Britannian mind worked and how to fight Britannia at its weakest points.
Now everything was in jeopardy.
No, it was worse than that, he reflected, remembering what C.C. had told him about this Geass Directorate. She may not be telling him all of the details, but he wasn't who he was without knowing exactly how entities in the shadows worked, and this directorate sounded like the type of bogeyman that excelled at it.
Human experimentation. Cybernetics research. Occultism. Sounds like some type of comic book evil organization, he thought with an even deeper frown, but I've seen enough to know just how crazy power can make people. The idea of immortality can drive any sane individual to drastic lengths to achieve it.
Still, he would have to be very quiet in checking with his own sources. Something just didn't make any sense, immortality he could understand, but occultism. He wasn't one to give two shits about things like the occult, he preferred cold hard logic. If there was an organization interested in the occult that was being heavily subsidized by the Emperor of all people, then there was something there. Something a lot more dangerous than immortality, because anyone with a brain cell would know that the most effective means of dealing with an immortal was by placing them in a situation in which they could never escape. Which seemed to be why they kept the limette in a prisoner capsule like that.
No, in spite of everything, he would have to be very cautious in the next steps. If Kallen found out before he had anything concrete beyond what C.C. was saying, then she would go after it half-cocked.
He was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts by movement in his peripheral vision to find himself staring into yellow eyes.
"How did you-"
"Acquired taste," she returned, "it also didn't help that you didn't secure the door in your rush out."
He sighed, feeling a bout of dizziness hit him. But before he could offer anything in return to the immortal, he was alerted to his mobile vibrating in his pocket. It wasn't his normal phone either, which caused him to stiffen as he retrieved it from his pocket.
"War," he murmured half-distractedly as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"This is Nix...we have a problem."
InF
Kallen let out a frustrated sigh as she stalked down the hallway, bag slung underneath her shoulder.
That had not been enjoyable dealing with Mister Ellison. The Physics teacher had been downright irritated by the fact that several of his students would be late, but also she would be unable to attend the class. The man's traditionalism had amounted in a twenty minute harangue on how it was improper of women of her station and women in general to be "obsessed" with such "unfeminine" activities. If she weren't a student she would have made it a point to dress him down for his boorish beliefs, but instead she had merely ground her teeth and took it. Oh how she wished she could rub the truth in the pompous bastard's face.
Alas, it wasn't in the cards for her, so she took it all the while plotting how she could pay him back before thanking him for his understanding and hanging up on him on her mobile.
Now she was going to wash herself of the entire affair and the day's exertions, reading through the messages on her mobile.
Her mind drifted to said cause of exertions.
In spite of how she should loathe Lelouch vi Britannia with every fiber of her being for both who he was and how he had acted so far, she found herself oddly warming up to him. Sure he had a cocky attitude and acted like a womanizer, but could he fight. It was hard not to find a modicum of respect for him, the only time she would be driven to perform so hard was when sparring with Caedron. Lelouch might not be as good as him, but he as a close second and he was her age.
And he came in a delicious package
Dammit, she snarled at the errant thought caused by her hormones, he's the enemy. Though if I were to capture-STOP THAT!
She ground her teeth as she stopped at the door fishing her card out of her pocket and slid it through the the access slot, granting her access to the room.
One of the perks of being in the Student Council was access to places the rest of the student body didn't have access to, like the executive suites and showers. Not even the teachers had their level of access. Which was a serious perk because she enjoyed the fact she could take a relaxing shower without the chatter and lack of privacy that existed in the student showers. It also allowed her to contact her field commanders without worry.
She then froze, rudely yanked from her thoughts as she was blasted with hot and humid air as she stepped in, the door sliding shut behind her as she quickly ceased accessing her mobile and looked up to find herself not alone.
There, standing in the shower with his back to her and the shower curtain drawn back was the object of her thoughts in all of his naked and wet glory.
Without even thinking about it her eyes roamed up from the legs of the Prince; unconsciously logging away every single detail of his lean and well-sculpted physique. Very well sculpted, a voice whispered in her mind.
As her eyes roamed up from his firm behind they came to a rest on an image that caused her brain to fault at the sight of a very large drawing on his back.
No, not so much of a drawing as a piece of art etched into his back. In the center between his shoulders, wearing a cloak with black raven wings outstretched was a figure with death's head for a face.
It was a tattoo she realized, a rather extravagant one that probably took quite a while to ink judging by the detail and artistry invested into it. Though why a Prince of Britannia would have a tattoo like that was beyond her, tattoos were considered a serious social faux pas in Britannian social circles. The idea that damaging the 'flawless and pristine' skin of the noble classes was viewed with derision and those who did partake in getting inked were quickly relegated to being outsiders with only a handful of them being exceptions.
"What are you doing here," the demand escaped her lips before she was ready (and done admiring his physique).
Almost immediately part of her both rejoiced and regretted the decision to voice her presence as Lelouch turned around, providing her with a now much fuller picture on him as she spun around in a flush, it seemed that every part of him was perfect all the way down to his-.
Stop that, she snarled at herself, trying to remind herself who he truly was.
A delicious specimen.
Goddamnit!
"Put something on," she forced out.
"Why? You're the one who barged in while I was showering."
"Well, at least pull the curtain."
"Afraid you'll like something you see?"
"Of course not," she spluttered, before her mind and tongue betrayed her further, "I've seen enough already!"
"Ahh, so you were spying in me, I thought I felt some cold air. So...did you like what you saw?"
Yes.
She could feel the blood rush to her face at that traitorous thought, as well as other places. There was just something to him that had an effect upon her that she couldn't explain, maybe it was the fact that he just oozed charisma and confidence. Why the hell did she have to deal with him at this time when everything was haywire? It was like God secretly derived enjoyment from her suffering.
"No. Why are you in the executive showers?"
The water turned off, replaced in ambience by the sound of the soft patter of footsteps as it moved across the room, cabinets opening and the rustle of cloth on cloth reached her ears.
"My sister and I were inducted into the Student Council. Didn't Milly inform you?"
"No. No, she did not."
What the hell Milly!
"Oh. Well I have access to these rooms and figured I'd have a nice shower. Nothing wrong with that right?"
Only if you are preventing me from enjoying a shower myself, she bristled silently.
"I suppose, though it would be nice if you'd actually keep the curtains closed so no one walks in on you."
"I don't see what's wrong with that, you seemed to enjoy the sights."
"And if it was Nina she would probably faint on the spot," she retorted, or switch her persuasion...though it is possible she is bi judging by how she checks out Rai when she doesn't think he's looking. Ugh, getting sidetracked.
"Nina? You mean the mousy girl who wouldn't look me in the eye?"
"Yeah. That one."
"Hn...Okay, I'm decent now."
She turned around to find Lelouch at least decent now, the only thing visible his abs that were now disappearing as he quickly buttoned up his white dress shirt, much to her dismay.
And yet, even dressed up with his hair no longer perfectly styled it gave him an wild look that screamed bad boy when she added in the tattoos and who he was.
Oh God, she blinked, she was falling for him, wasn't she?
"So can you leave so I can shower?"
And get a really cold one.
He arched an eyebrow, probably taking stock of her appearance, before he stepped towards her.
"I don't know, I don't think it's fair that you got to see pretty much everything-"
"That was an accident," she offered weakly as she found herself backing away from him, finding herself mesmerized by his eyes.
"If it was, then why were you standing there admiring my backside far longer than a moment."
She gulped as she found herself with no room as her back bumped the wall, Lelouch now looming over her as his right hand found purchase on the wall beside her. This was so wrong yet seemed so right at the same time.
And yet she found herself unable to resist the proximity, instead welcoming it as he leaned in further towards her, his warm breath caressing her skin, the smell of oranges from the soap he washed with, everything, it was just overwhelming all rational thought, both scaring and exciting her.
I am Zero. He is my enemy. I am Ze-
And then his lips brushed against hers, all coherent thought left her as she simply felt those chaste lips ghost over hers, before they pressed in.
This was so wrong, this couldn't, it shouldn't, but it was.
She was kissing her enemy and she found she didn't give a damn as she pressed into those lips, surprising the both of them. It felt so right as she pressed, now vying to take the victory she had been denied in the gym, an impromptu dual of lips and hands.
All thoughts of Zero, of her family, of everything that mattered to her died a silent death as only the lips she was latched on mattered.
They then broke, both panting, Kallen knowing quite well she was flushed and Lelouch equally flushed, the arousal evident in his eyes.
It was only for moment before they locked again, only this time there was none of the softness from before as both ruthlessly tried to exploit the other. Lelouch's hand on her neck pressing her head tighter while the other roamed down her back to cup her rear. Her hands likewise doing the same as they worked to untuck his shirt.
Lelouch groaned into her lips as heated flesh on his abdomen was exposed once again to cool air, his hands stopping their ministrations as he simply pressed her hard against the wall now, no longer using his hands as they traced their way down her side, dueling for primacy with her hands in much the way their lips and tongues were fighting up there. It was then Kallen's turn to groan as she realized exactly what the jutting hardness rubbing against her stomach and his fingers started to slip off her shorts. Her own hands on a mission as they slipped inside his finally unfastened pants and wrapped-
"Oh my," breathed a new voice, causing them both to freeze and then as one turn to the newcomer to find a very amused Milly Ashford standing at the door, "not even the first day at the Academy and you're hard at work christening a room."
They both broke away at the blonde's intrusion like a pair of guilty teens caught in the act, which they really were.
What the hell was I just doing, she thought to herself as she looked at Lelouch and then at Milly, I was…Oh God.
Picking up her bag that she had dropped in the middle of...the incident, she quickly fled the room, she needed to get away from him.
He wasn't just her enemy, he was her worst enemy.
InF
Watching red hair disappear through the door, he turned away from Milly trying to catch his breath and clear his mind, his body betraying just exactly what had transpired as he fumbled to close his pants again in spite of the fact that it would cause him undue discomfort by trapping the object of Kallen's previous quest. He found himself both disappointed and thankful for Milly's sudden interference. He had lost control. He never lost control. It was always his enemies and his prey that were the ones that fell to his charm and skill, and yet, he had been the one to initiate everything. She had been there, tight against his body, her hands in his pants, fingertips on his-
He let out a shuddering breath, concentrating on washing the imagery that caused him such consternation. It was extraneous information that needed purging in the presence of Milly, he would review it at a later time...when he was alone. However, in spite of everything, he could safely say that the conclusion he was quickly coming to thoroughly annoyed him: Countess Kallen Anne Stadtfeld was a lot more dangerous to him than he wished to admit. He could have easily ascribed to it the setting, both of them coming off adrenaline highs of fighting one another, the situation she found him in, and about a hundred other variables. But somehow, in spite of every excuse that he could cook up to excuse his behavior, he found himself recognizing something he really did not want to admit. For some reason the more logical part of him had yet to catch up on, he found himself attracted to her beyond just a mere puzzle or even a damn piece of amusement, that's the only conclusion he could come to after he had...He needed time, time to analyze what happened this afternoon and figure out where to go from there.
He was, to his consternation, for one of the few times in his life, actually on the defensive.
"Soooo," Milly asked cattily as his fingers came up to ghost his lips, "how was she?"
His hand lowered back to his shirt as he realized the impropriety of all of this, especially the presence of the Gossip Queen of Ashford.
"Milly," he growled as he buttoned up his shirt, "not a word of this to anyone."
"But Lulu, you two looked so hot for one another..."
"I'm warning you Millicent, if one word gets out I'll tell Reuben about your sweet sixteen."
She gasped, knowing exactly what Lelouch was referring to. Her sweet sixteen birthday party had been one in which he showed up to surprise her. It ended with them consuming a bottle from Reuben's prized single malt scotch collection and the both of them waking up in her bed naked and hungover. Luckily Reuben had been out of country, but if he had found out that his granddaughter had been...wilder than normal, then he had a tendency of clamping down on her fun.
Losing her chastity to her best friend, Prince aside, would be the death knell of Milly's fast times.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
"But...But, why can't I have fun with this Lulu? You know I hate sitting on juicy things like this."
"You can keep teasing us, but seriously Milly, what you just saw here didn't happen."
She sighed, shoulders slumping , "You are such a killjoy Lulu."
Ignoring her childish behavior he walked back to retrieve his school jacket.
"But then again, you've been playing her just as hard as I have, haven't you Lulu?"
Stopping, he turned back to look at her in shock.
"Don't give me that, Lulu. I know you too well to actually believe the story that somehow, without any warning, you and Kallen were an item for several months. I know how you think, you got interested in her because she did something and like the person you are, you are continuously pursuing it because you don't want to admit defeat. Just," she sighed, brushing her hair out of the way, "Lulu, Kallen's a good friend, I'd like it if you didn't hurt her too much in your pride. She's been hurt enough in her life already to deal with anything else like this being thrown at her."
He paused fastening his jacket, turning back to her, his curiosity suddenly piqued at the seriousness of his close friend.
"And what brought this on?"
"I'm just...worried, before you came along, the last year has been difficult to say the least with Kallen. The Kallen who seemed to take enjoyment in the little things and hanged around with me and the rest of the Council just seemed to disappear out of the blue. Before you came into her life she was withdrawn and distract, like there was something weighing down on her that she didn't want anyone to know about. Every time we tried to push her she just brushed us off. It was bad Lelouch, I've never seen anyone like that other than you when...you know."
He nodded, knowing exactly what she was referring to. It was curious, he thought as he logged away the information, if Milly's words were true, and she may be a gossip queen but whatever she said usually was, that meant that his senses warning him that there was a lot more to Kallen were correct. What they were was anybody's guess, but he intended to find out. But right now, he had other fish to fry...
"So what brought you in here anyways?"
"Allison wanted to inform you that Nunnally is all settled in and is awaiting your input on something, but that can wait according to her, Lord Jeremiah needs your immediate response."
"I see...Thank you Milly. I'll also take your words concerning Kallen under consideration."
"That's all I ask," she then flashed a smile, "now, how about you and I get a drink?"
"Lemme find out what Jeremiah wants and then I'm fine with that."
"Awesome, I have another bottle of that single malt that you loved so much waiting for the two of us!"
He couldn't help but smile and shake his head. Leave it to Milly to tempt trouble.
InF
Elsewhere it wasn't all jokes and lightheartedness as Kallen sat under the shower, her knees dug into her chest as her forehead rested on her knees.
Her first kiss, she thought in a daze, one of those hallmarks in life that matter for a teenager, and it had been plundered by HIM of all people. Taken like the freedom he ripped away from all of those he conquered. He had taken away something she had wanted to give to someone she actually gave a damn about. Not for some kind of stupid hormone-driven fling.
Why the hell had she done it? She didn't understand. One second she was angry at him and the next she just wanted to jump him, she fought the urge to vomit at those thoughts, taking deep heaving breaths. Why HIM of all people? Why did she throw herself at him like some sex-starved hussy finding the first attractive man she could and staking claim to him. Even though-
"STOP IT," she screamed at herself as she wound her arms tighter around her legs, tucking them into her with all of her might just to make her small. That's what she wanted to do. She wanted to disappear from the shame of actually having-oh God.
It couldn't be feelings. No. Never. Sure he was attractive, had a wicked intelligence, oozed confidence, and could he fight. Oh God could he fight. But she had met him only a week ago, why the hell would she do something so rash as-
But they had, her mind flashed to the jumble of hands, the jutting hardness pressed into her stomach, the fact that if Milly has not intervened she would have-
Hormones, she quailed in fear, not wanting it to be anything else, it's only that period where my libido is increased. That's all it could be. I jumped him because he was there, we had just sparred, he was just out of the shower and I was all hot and bothered. Why am I trying to rationalize this?!
She was so disgusting. She had almost given everything to him without a second thought, in spite of who he was, the son of the man who was responsible for stealing her family. She almost fucked the progeny of that monstrous bastard.
But worse was that she had dishonored her family's memory. She had forgotten why she was doing everything she was, why she chose to fight Britannia. Why she would give everything, including her life, to see Britannia burned to ash like her heart.
Letting out a shaky breath, she fought to her feet as legs protested the movement, having been compressed so harshly, she staggered forward before bracing herself against the wall.
She was vengeance. There was no other path. Either they went down or she did. If Lelouch vi Britannia became a challenge to her path, then she would deal with him like she planned to do anyone else that challenged her. That was the role of an avenger. She couldn't be distracted by something as...disgusting as having feelings for someone like him, even if she did, which she didn't. Of course she didn't. She couldn't. Right?
Please don't let her life be even more complicated. It's difficult enough fighting an empire that spans over a third of the globe.
The soft sound of plastic vibrating on marble brought her out of her thoughts as she shut off the water, no longer caring about the shower. If she was receiving a phone call at this time, then it meant something was wrong.
Trembling hand reaching for it, she picked it up, and clearing away the hair in front of her ear, placed the phone near it after activating it.
"Stadtfeld," she answered tremulously, her nerves still shot from her 'experience' with Lelouch.
"Kallen," Caedron's voice was like a soothing breeze on her flagging resolve, reinforcing it in an instant and providing her relief, "what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she quickly responded. Nothing much, almost had possibly mindblowing sex with the son of the man who leads the Empire that I have sworn vengeance upon. Other than that, definitely nothing.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," she offered hesitantly, "nothing's wrong. What do you need?"
"Need you to come home. There's an issue we need to discuss, something that requires your unique expertise."
She froze, recognizing the codewords. Already she was moving to grab some clothes and throw them on, not even caring if they looked sloppy.
"I'll be there in twenty minutes."
It seemed Zero was needed a lot sooner than she had expected, but whoever the poor bastard was, she was grateful. Because it would allow her to take her mind off a certain violet-eyed Prince.
Just what she needed.
About two weeks later than I had hoped for. In between a nasty stomach virus and the rush to get college all done up I found myself with really little time to write this up. So I just powered through in the last week or so in order to bring this to you. Hope you guys enjoy it, I'll see about getting this updated sometime next month.
Well, things are certainly getting heated up. After this incident, just how exactly are things going to go? What does it mean for Kallen and by extension Zero? Does the sudden loss of control have an impact on how Lelouch thinks?
Leave a review, if you would kindly, and tell me how I did.
