Blackbird
Chapter 8
thebluefrenchhorn
By the time the meeting ended, it was well past nine o'clock with the sun having long ago slunk beneath the horizon, revealing the still darkness of night. The meeting, itself, had gone far longer than expected, filled with a plethora of ice-breakers that Suzaku forgot even existed and a bottle of champagne that the Ashford heiress had smuggled out of her parent's liquor cabinet. Now, hours later, Suzaku found himself desperately trying to move the mountainous pile of Christmas gift boxes that Milly had thrust upon him, dramatically saying they were to be deposited upon 'Lady Helena' - whatever the hell that meant - before darting out of committee room.
It was only by some act of God, not that Suzaku necessarily subscribed to Christianity having been a devout follower of Shintoism for the majority of his childhood, that Shirley stayed late to organize club paperwork. If she had not, he would have certainly been found dead beneath an insurmountable pile of tacky reindeer wrapping paper once the authorities managed to unearth his corpse. Hardly a fitting death for a revolutionary.
However, Shirley had stayed and fueled by that inexplicable kindness that she seemed to possess, immediately offered a hand upon seeing the deathtrap of boxes that loomed precariously over his head.
"What even?" she questioned, although it came out as more of statement. A look of bewilderment was pasted upon her features as she moved to grab some of the boxes teetering atop his rather impressive stack of neatly wrapped presents before they had the chance to fall. "I can't believe Milly gave you so many, especially on your first day. That's evil even for her."
"More moving, less talking," Suzaku wheezed out, far too focused upon not dropping the towering stack of supplies that Milly had ladened him with to gift the redhead with an adequate response. Hopefully she understood Morse Code or else his rapidly blinked 'thank you' would have been in vain.
"Where does Milly want us to put these?" Shirley inquired, leaving Suzaku to desperately flounder upon how to convey such information.
While verbally expressing it was the obvious answer, he worried that the air waves and slight disruption within the sound barrier might cause the entire pile to topple over, leading to his inevitable demise, which was just not an acceptable resolution. Suzaku did not crawl through the hell that was human trafficking just to die at the hands of sparkly snowman.
However, it was the only option he had, as he was still unaware of what exactly a 'Lady Helena' was, and even if he were, physical directioning caused an alarming amount of disturbances, particularly with one's center of gravity which just spelled disaster when it came to balancing. Therefore, with great resignation, Suzaku dropped his voice to that of a mere whisper.
"Lady Helena," he mumbled.
Shirley, who apparently didn't have super hearing, shot him a look of confusion. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."
"Milly told me to put the boxes on 'Lady Helena'," he reiterated, having stressfully raised his voice slightly.
Thankfully, the words seemed to register with Shirley that time, if the bright smile she shot him was any indication.
"Oh, Lady Helena! She's the couch at the far end of the room. Milly bought her a few years back from a garage sale to rebel against her parents. Apparently the funds went to an anti-segregation campaign." she stated.
Following her gaze, Suzaku registered the heinous creation that was a Lady Helena. No matter how noble the cause, that gaudy, velvet monstrosity should have never been bought, never mind christened with a name. Nevertheless, with a sigh of both relief and disgust, he set the pile down, the boxes sliding from his arms onto the couch in an avalanche of colorful wrapping that was far more aggressive than he had intended it to be. He cringed upon hearing the dull clanks that resulted from the presents jostling one another and desperately hoped that nothing had been broken.
Beside him, Shirley giggled as she unloaded her own collection of gift-wrapped boxes upon Lady Helena, although in a much more reserved manner, having evidently caught sight of the panic etched across his features.
"Don't worry! I doubt you broke anything and, even if you did, I highly doubt Milly would do anything too drastic. She just found you, after all, so she's not going to want to chase you off so soon." Shirley stated, smiling at him in a manner that she probably thought was reassuring; but, only reminded Suzaku more of the mess he had gotten himself into.
Only a week into his life as a student attending Ashford Academy, something that was supposed to be no more than a reconnaissance mission to sniff out minority sympathizers, and he had already found himself roped back into the whirlwind that was Milly Ashford and her beloved student council. Something that, with the limited knowledge he knew of his enigmatic employer, had probably been El's plan all along. Fucking conniving, Britannian snot.
Shirley, perhaps having interpreted his silence as panic, gazed at him with concern. "Really, she won't be mad! I promise!" she reiterated, moving to neatly stack the mess of boxes. "If anything, she'd be mad at me for interrupting your hazing."
"It's okay, Shirley, I'm not worried. I'm more concerned with figuring out whatever antic she'll decide to throw upon me next," Suzaku responded, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. "And, please don't worry about stacking up those boxes. You're just making me feel like I'm taking advantage of you now."
"If you say so," Shirley conceded dubiously, not even bothering to hide her disbelief. "But, I'm certainly not going to let you deal with a raging Milly alone."
She shook her head in fond exasperation, lips curling upwards at the thought of the overzealous blonde. "She truly is a world onto her own."
Suzaku snorted, lazily stretching his arms over his head. "I'd say more along the line of a box of crazy."
"That is pretty accurate," Shirley admitted, her small nose wrinkling up as she graced the Japanese man with a snort of her own. "But, really, what did you expect? Joining the club right before Christmas and all."
Suzaku knew what she was referring to. Since the creation of the student council, Milly had made it a tradition to celebrate token Britannian holidays with extravagant parties, Christmas often being the most elaborately planned for. Any student council member, former or current, knew this, yet...
"I don't believe I really had all that much of an opinion in the matter, to be honest." he offered dryly, not that most individuals truly did once the Ashford heiress had her eyes set upon something.
"You can't really reason with her, can you?" Shirley pondered aloud, delicate eyebrows pulling together in thought. "It's almost like she's a cat, always wanting to sink her claws into her newest catch."
She flashed him a bright smile, a giggle bubbling up beneath her lips and, not for the first time that day, a sharp pang of envy resonated within his very soul. A poignant strand of jealousy for the carefree life that he had never been granted. It was gone as soon as it came, buried beneath the the swirling sea of his past as Shirley's smile softened.
"I guess that's what makes this club so fun to be a part of. There's always something new and exciting upon the horizon." Her eyes crinkled. "It's one of the many reasons why I'm so happy to be Milly's friend."
She paused and within that fraction of time, Suzaku could feel the whole universe stop breathing as opportunities - missed and future - yawned before him. Almost as if it were an afterthought, she gazed serenely up at him. "It's also how I was able to become friends with you."
A blush lightly dusted her cheeks and all Suzaku could do was blink, momentarily stunned by the amount of compassion that was stored within Shirley's small body. It was like a fountain, spilling out of her and dosing those around her with a gentle mist, so unexpected that it was almost off-putting, yet not.
Her feet shuffled nervously, scuffing the glimmering gemstone floor. "I'm sorry. I'm rhapsodizing, aren't I?"
"No, no, you're fine," Suzaku hurried. "Just… thank you Shirley. What you said means a lot."
The redhead tilted her head in the curious sort of bemusement of one who didn't quite grasp the gravity of their own words. "Oh, it's no problem!" Came her simple response. She had always been this way, since the moment he met her all those years ago in the middle of a crowded hallway, desperately trying to pick up his plethora of spilled books off of a glittering floor that had probably cost more than his entire inheritance combined. She had stopped to help him then, just as she had stopped to help him today, leaning down and shooting him that gentle smile of hers as if helping a total stranger was the obvious course of action to take. "It truly is wonderful to have you back and, trust me, I would never dare throw you to the wolves - Milly in this case - without telling you all that you need to know. Oh, there's just so much we have to catch up on…"
She trailed off, seemingly caught in her own world. Suzaku knew what El expected him to do in a situation like this and, if he were being honest with himself, he wasn't necessarily against the notion. However, as he opened his mouth to inquire, he couldn't help but hope that a part of him speaking was more than just a soldier of the Black Knights, but rather the little, green-eyed boy who had so desperately wanted to make friends in a school just like this.
"We should definitely catch up. I should have some downtime open up in the next couple of days and I haven't exactly had a chance I really explore the area, so if you know any guides…" he paused uncertainty, giving her a lopsided grin, before sheepishly looking down on the chromatic watch that the Black Knights had provided for him. "And, I know I probably suck, but I've also got to be heading home."
Shirley smiled, a lovely little thing that held a tangible air of gentleness to it, and suddenly Suzaku was nine again, staring wide-eyed at the hand of a small girl with long orange hair and eyes just as green as his own.
"I'd love to be your guide, Suzaku."
Her voice was warm and her cheeks adorned with that soft blush that he had associated with her ever since they were children. For a brief moment, it was if nothing had ever changed. Yet, the soft click of the door opening, loud within the stillness of the room, broke the mirage.
Everything had changed and as Suzaku met Azalea's purple gaze, that truth couldn't ring clearer.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" the Britannian princess inquired politely, elegantly tucking an ebony lock behind her ear. "I wasn't under the impression that the meeting today was longer than an hour."
"Oh, it isn't, Lea! Suzaku and I just had to stay after to sort out the gifts for the Christmas extravaganza - you know how Milly is - and were catching up. Have you had the chance to talk with him yet? You guys were practically inseparable back when we all attended Ashford Academy."
Shirley's sentence was rushed, her face having turned a rather violent shade red as she gazed at the black haired faye, nervously twisting a strand of her orange hair around her finger.
"Unfortunately, we've only had the opportunity to chat briefly," Azalea admitted, her voice disappointed.
Ever sympathetic, Shirley's face fell, eyes darting from the Britannian heiress's distraught face to the bewilderment that had overtaken Suzaku's features.
"Perhaps, you guys can catch up now then?" she suggested hopefully and Suzaku resisted the urge to groan. The last thing he wanted right now was to engage in an awkward conversation with the Britannian princess, never mind the fact that he really did need to get home, les he be retitled from the "Asian" to the "lazy Asian" by not doing his classwork.
"As much as I'd love to, Rolo expects me home for dinner tonight and you do know how he gets," Azalea offered and upon hearing her response, Suzaku was overwhelmed with a wave of relief. "I'm just here to fetch some papers for Milly, so don't mind me."
Shirley shook her head fondly, giving the violet-eyed girl a friendly wave. "Same old Azalea," she sighed, turning towards Suzaku. "I'll just go and grab my coat then. You said you have to go, right?"
"Yeah," Suzaku admitted, glad to have escaped another tense conversation with Azalea. He politely held open the door for Shirley as they exited, traditional etiquette his father had drilled into him resurfacing with ease despite its years of misuse. "I'm staying in the dorm complex on South Williams Street."
Shirley's eyes alight with understanding. "That's off the east side of campus, right?"
"Maybe?" Suzaku conceded, not knowing nearly enough information about the layout of Ashford University to discern which side he lived on. "You probably know better than me."
"Okay, true," Shirley said, her voice muffled by laughter. "I'd offer to walk you home, but I'm staying on the west side. My family has a penthouse over there."
She bit her lip in thought and Suzaku could just tell that she was considering going out of her way to help get him home. However, before she could offer anything, he waved her off. "Don't worry, I've got the transportation handled" - he didn't - "so, feel free to head home now. I don't want to keep you out late."
"At least let me give you my number, then. We'll have to plan a day to meet up." Hastily, she took his phone - a flimsy little thing that El had provided for him, and imputed her contact information, before sending herself a text. "There! Now you can contact me and I can contact you."
She flashed him a bright smile and with a quick thank you, along with some list minute pleasantries of which there were many promises to make plans, Suzaku sent her on her way, offering a wave as a sleek limousine pulled up to the curb.
"Don't forget!" she tossed over her shoulder as she entered the vehicle. "Remember, I'm just one text away."
Suzaku just smiled, waving her off before she decided to try to offer him a ride again.
The minute she pulled out of sight, he instantly regretted refusing a ride, the distance between where the meeting took place and his room becoming abundantly clear as he began his slow trek back to the South Williams dorm complex. It was only after a whirlwind of haggling with a taxi driver and almost getting mugged that he finally found himself facing the bland door of his college dorm, hand hovering over the glimmering keyhole as he unlocked it.
The door swung open slowly and Suzaku froze, pale eyes and an explosion greeting him.
Author's Note: I don't really have much of a reason for not updating besides life, so we're going to steer clear of that part of the author's note for today. What I can say, is that I've managed to churn out this chapter (how well done it is, is up to you to decide) and will hopefully be able to hammer out another one within a month. We can only cross our fingers and hope for the best, after all. In the meantime, there are a few updates I need to address. For one, I changed the title of this story. I'd like to say it was because inspiration hit; but, in reality, the original name was annoyingly long and my lazy ass decided something shorter was in order. Thankfully, I had the motivation to actually edit all of the individual chapter titles after this change, so at least this story has some semblance of normalcy. For those of you following my other stories, I should hopefully be updating (again, fingers crossed) my Harry Potter TomXJames story this week, so stay posted for that. As always, thank you for checking out one of my stories. I really appreciate the fact that y'all haven't been deterred by my infrequent updates because I probably wouldn't have the same patience if I was one of the readers. Though, to be fair, I'm not sure if I'd be reading this story to begin with. Anyways, same drill as always. Constructive criticism is a god send, but please not phrased aggressively. I am flammable after all ;)
Guest: Yeah, I like Shirley a lot as a character just because of sheer fact that she's such a pure individual. She's one of the few characters in Code Geass that never really did anything wrong or get mixed up in anything that should have harmed. She was just another victim of happenstance, so it's nice to be able to give her a bit of a platform in this fanfiction. I'm not at liberty to say if she'll die or not; however, she will play a large role in this arc of the story.\
matronium: Lelouch is a conniving one, so you never really know with him. Just the more reason to keep reading *wink* *wink*
