Chapter 8 – Bonds

Kallen Kozuki was a proud member of the Black Knights. She was their ace and the member undoubted closest to Zero, Except for Deception and his "mistress." She was allowed into his quarters and his private meetings with the key members of the Black Knights which included Kyoshiro Todoh; the man of miracles who was sent to the Black Knights after the JLF was virtually destroyed in the Narita attack. She personally wondered why she was given such treatment. It certainly wasn't because she was an original member since not everyone in original resistance group was let in.

"Maybe because he taken an interest in me." Kallen reasoned in his head.

"Don't be conceited Kallen, he's Zero probably had enough women to drown himself with them." Refuted Kallen.

Nevertheless Kallen stilled would follow Zero to the depths of hell if she must. This led to some of the Black Knight members questioning her about her "real" attraction to Zero. She rebuked them at such claims but it did make Kallen think.

"How do I feel about Zero?" His he just the leader of a rebellion to free Japan or his he more than that to be me. And if I do feel more for him then what feelings do I have for him?" Kallen asked herself.

Little did she know her feelings would be called into question again and this time with definite effects.

Black Knights underground base – Zero's (official) quarters.

"Well that settles the management of the Black Knights." Announced Deithard Reed, a new recruit to the Black Knights and the head of the media department.

It was just announced the final management of the Black Knights. Obviously Zero was the leader, Deception was the second in command, Todoh the direct leader of staff and most surprisingly Kallen was to head the Zero guard, who were responsible for protecting Zero at all cost.

After the meeting ended Kallen stayed behind to talk to Zero personally about her appointment.

"Zero, are you sure about making me the head of the Zero guard? I'm sure there are plenty of other people better." Began Kallen

"There can not be anyone else but you Kallen. I had yet to see anyone apart from Deception that has the same pride for her country, skill or loyalty to our cause." Zero explained.

Kallen felt touched. She had never been complimented genuinely before in her lifetime. All she got were fake ones from her supposed Britannian "Friends" whom she hated save the members of the Student Council (which included a person she almost nearly disliked).

"Anyway Kallen don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll serve me well." Zero remarked quickly to abate her fears.

In a sudden spur of the moment Kallen decided to ask Zero a controversial question.

"Zero, what do you think about me?" Kallen asked softly.

Kallen went bright red. She obviously didn't want to ask that question out loud especially in front of Zero, her hero. It was a spur of the moment question which she sorely regretted. She began to blush as red as a red tomato. This was very unlike Kallen.

Zero himself was dumbfounded. He really did not know what to say. This was even more shocking compared to Kallen's situation considering he was the battlefield genius. It was further proof the rumour going around the Black Knights; that Zero was bad with girls.

"What should I say? Tell her that she just my sub-ordinate? No I obviously like Kallen more than that especially after that "drunken Kallen incident" the other day. Say that she is a precious thing to me. No that would be creepy since she doesn't know Zero well enough. Maybe I should avoid the question and think about it later. No think Lelouch she is obviously waiting for a proper answer now, she looks like she is about to faint." Lelouch thought.

"Wait "looks Iike she is about to faint'? Oh no Kallen." Exclaimed Zero as he saw Kallen Kozuki fainting and falling.

Zero quickly rushed to her aid, grabbing her before she fell on the floor. Moving her on a couch she laid her on her back to rest.

"Obviously she been stressed and that question just then probably didn't help with her condition." Diagnosed Zero.

He rushed to get a cool towel and placed it on her. He made sure that Kallen was comfortable and well rested. He decided that she needed the rest left her alone. Zero or Lelouch was obviously meticulous about taking care of people since he had to do it all by himself for many years. He wondered how much times he had to look after Suzaku or Nunnally when they were sick. This was probably the first time that he treated another person that wasn't his friend or his sister.

Lost in his thoughts Zero began to drift off to a slumber and unfortunately for future awkwardness' sake his head rested right on top of Kallen's head. It probably also didn't help that C.C and Suzaku found Lelouch and Kallen resting like that. They immediately took photographs and were planning to use it as blackmail.

The next morning

Kallen awoke with a massive headache. It was thumping and throbbing like someone slammed a hammer on her head and then proceeded to dump a massive heavy sphere on her head. She opened her eyes and realised that the "heavy sphere" on her head was actually Zero.

She screamed like a madman. Her perception of Zero changed (well at least for a little bit). He was now Zero the genius pervert. Unsurprisingly, (well susprising for Zero) Zero awoke and felt a hard slap across his mask.

"You pervert! I can't believe that I trusted you with my life and now you're intending to soil my dignity!" Kallen screamed accusingly.

"I wasn't trying to do anything evil!" defended Zero quickly.

"I was just looking after you after you fainted. Obviously I fell asleep on top of you and for that I apologise. But once again I had no lecherous intentions." Explained Zero reasonably.

"Oh I misjudged him entirely. He really does have my well being at heart. I suppose I should have realised that we he was there in the first place right next to me. I suppose that reflects the attitude he has to his sub-ordinates and his passion for freedom. He really is a noble hero like everyone sees him as." Kallen thought deeply in her head.

"Oh and by the way my answer to your question last night." Zero started.

"Don't brother if it's too personal. I wouldn't like to poke," Reassured Kallen.

"No I've got to make my feelings clear. I think that you Kallen are a precious person to me both as the ace of the Black Knights and as a personally close human being to Zero." Explained Zero.

They both blushed and this statement would change the course of their feelings forever.

Three days Later- Ashford Academy grounds

Lelouch Lamperouge was sitting on a lavish school ground bench surrounded by two large oak trees

Lelouch Lamperouge was at a high point in his life right now. It wasn't a girlfriend nor was it awesome grades. Lelouch could easily get both those things if he wanted to. No what Lelouch was ecstatic about was not normal for a seventeen year old. What he was happy about was that his "rebellion" was going as planned. He was the identity behind the masked "ally of justice," Zero and in turn the leader of the Black Knights.

Recently the Black Knights have been on a winning streak lately. Of course they weren't large scale since they haven't made the news but more and more people supported the Black Knights as it seems that they are removing oppressive people and allowing freedom by crushing refrain drug routes, oppressive Britannians and obvious discrimination against the numbers. The Britannian objective of crushing rebellion were not working because when the Britannians destroyed resistance groups the remainders quickly feeling resentment against the Britannians would flee to the most powerful group which in this case was the Black Knights. This was all according to Lelouch's plan of doing little things to show that the Black Knights are active but allowing the Britannians to crush rebellions in order for the remainder to flock to his army.

He was now one step closer to achieving his objective of crushing Britannia one country at a time whilst changing the world to become a peaceful place for Nunnally. He knew he would not falter no matter how many foes he would face to challenge his goals especially not to "him."

Lelouch always the thinker started to make his next move in his head. He didn't notice that a certain red head had come up to him trying to get his attention.

"Uhm Lelouch. The council needed you to sort these papers since you're the only one to understand them," spoke Kallen Stafield softly trying to get his attention by waving her hands in front of his eyes.

"Ahh it's the double life Kallen "Stafield" Kozuki. Proud member of the Britannian society and secretly a proud member of my Black Knights. I still wonder how it feels like to her leading such a double life. Although I myself lead the same type of life the same kind of feeling can't be shared. Also recently she has been closer to my life and personally I have no reason why that is." Lelouch thought.

"Why don't you wake up you apathetic idiot! Pay more attention!" screamedKallen Kozuki in her head.

Lelouch quickly accepted the papers that Kallen handed him. However at the same time he decided that he would poke at her emotions for fun considering his happy mood. This idea came despite the awkward moments that Kallen and he had gone through (see chapter 7 and the previous section).

"Thanks Kallen I'll sort them out later. In the meantime would you like to have afternoon tea with me? It is four o'clock and I bet you're hungry. I'll pay." Offered Lelouch.

Kallen personally had no intention of eating with some one she regarded as unable to do anything good in their life even though they were well off. However she was hungry, broke and willing to have vengeance on the person that "accidentally" looked at her naked in the bath, so she accepted his offer.

However Kallen did not have the opportunity to make Lelouch's wallet empty as he treated her to hot dogs sold by an Eleven. The sat down on a park bench eating sizeable chunks of the hot dog when Lelouch asked her an expected question.

"Hey Kallen, have you been in any awkward moments lately?" Lelouch asked teasingly.

Kallen blushed heavily. What was that Lelouch thinking? Was making her blush his intention?

"Well I was just wondering whether anyone has seen you "bare" except for me." Teased Lelouch.

Lelouch was asking for it. Kallen knew he was lazy but he didn't seem like a pervert to her. He was asking to be slammed into next week.

"If only you knew who I really was. You wouldn't dare to go against the Black Knights."

Lelouch started to laugh. He really needed it. He knew that he had to have something anchoring him to a sane state with his current occupation. Unfortunately for Kallen this was the thing anchoring him to this sane world.

"I'm sorry Kallen but I've been quite stressed lately and I need to blow off some steam." Apologised Lelouch.

Just when Kallen was about to knock Lelouch for embarrassing her she heard a loud shout from the hot dog stand. Both of them saw the Eleven hot dog seller being beaten up by three Britannians.

Kallen rushed forwards trying to stop the Britannians from continuing to beat the man up. However Lelouch stopped her and went forward himself. He tapped on the Britannians and "convinced" them that this was getting boring.

Both of them helped up the bloody and bruised Eleven. He started to grovel to Lelouch and Kallen asking whether they wanted free hot dogs. They refused and left but not without a look of pure anger aimed at the Britannians from Kallen.

"Why didn't that man fight back at the very least he could of protected himself?" Kallen asked Lelouch.

"Because he had no choice. If he fought back the Britannians would come back the next day and destroy his stall. I'm sure that he doesn't like it but he is providing for his family so he has no choice but to be crushed for the sake of his family. All this because he doesn't have power. Pitiful" Lelouch remarked.

Kallen slapped him. He had no right in Kallen mind to be talking so high and mightily over the Japanese at all.

"You don't know what is like to be underneath the Britannians so don'y act like you know everything! Are you suggesting that the Japanese are pitiful because they don't have the power to fight! You're wrong because the oppressed have every right to fight." Screamed Kallen.

"He is nothing like Zero. He just a Britannian jerk like the rest of them." Kallen thought.

Kallen left Lelouch in the park. Lelouch saw Kallen leave towards the setting sun.

"If only you knew Kallen. If only you knew." Whispered Lelouch to himself.

Personally I didn't like this chapter as much as the rest but I need to develop the Kallen X Lelouch relationship (man its hard trying to put romance into a story that's not based on romance). Any way out of the following things which would you like to see in my story.

Cornelia joins the Black Knights.

The Avalon gets high jacked by Black Knights

Jeremiah joins the Black Knights later and receives Gawain

Euphemia survives the SAZ incident

All the characters from Akito the Exiled join as Zero's personal troops as a tribute from the E.U

The Black Knights betray Lelouch after taking over Chinese federation.

The Knights of the Round eventually join Lelouch.

Black Rebellion works.

Please comment on these ideas and also anything else you would like to mention.

AsheriteAbyss13 out.