Important AN: This fic is a timeline AU, in that I changed the exact time when everything happens (along with a few other details). In canon, everything happened in late August-early September, but that didn't really fit to at least marginally include the other media. By late October, the brainwashed Lelouch was supposed to be already back and giving Rolo Nunnally's locket for her birthday, so he would've had only a little over a month for both the events in the Akito OVAs and Oz the Reflection to happen. This seems a bit unlikely and complicated, so I changed it around, and the fic starts in spring.
I will not be including much information from Oz the Reflection, since I haven't read the manga, but the Akito OVAs will become more important later, as evidenced by the appearance of the Dimensional Supervisor in the earlier chapter.
Chapter 9: The School Festival
The day of the school festival dawns bright and sunny, just like in the first life. Lelouch wakes up sandwhiched between Suzaku and C.C. and feels reluctant to leave his very comfortable spot. He is even more reluctant when Suzaku starts to nuzzle his neck while C.C. kisses down his chest.
His morning just improves from there, even if he's slightly late for breakfast. He and his lovers rush through a shared shower—which would have probably led to more if they had has the time—and meet Nunnally and Sayoko for breakfast.
Sayoko smiles at him like she isn't completely aware he spent the night with two different people. "Good morning, Master Lelouch."
"Good morning, Sayoko, Nunnally. Sorry for being late. I overslept."
"That's all right, big brother," Nunnally replies. "I know you're always so busy. You need your rest."
C.C. smirks and Lelouch can practically hear her thinking that he hasn't been doing much resting this morning. Come to think of it, he should probably start exercising more if he wants to continue this whole threesome thing. It was never an issue in the first timeline, but if he doesn't improve his stamina, he'll just be unable to satisfy them, which will be an embarrassment.
Sigh. He's going to have to stop avoiding PE classes. The things he does for sex.
"How have you been, Nunnally?" Suzaku asks, seamlessly sliding into the conversation.
"Very well, Suzaku, thank you. I'm excited about the festival. Did you stay over last night?"
"Yeah. It would have been useless to go back to the barracks and return today for the festival, so I asked Lelouch if I could crash here and he said yes."
Nunnally tilts her head, perhaps confused as to where exactly the three of them all fit in Lelouch's room. Fortunately, at her age, her mind is unlikely to reach the real conclusion. "I see. Well, it's very nice to have you spent more time with my big brother. I really appreciate everything you've been doing for him."
"You don't have to thank me, Nunnally. You know Lelouch is important to me."
It's a good breakfast, and Lelouch feels warm inside as he shares the meal with some of the most important people in his life. He wishes Rolo were here too. Then again, there's still a lot of tension between him and Suzaku. Lelouch is going to have to work on that.
It's on this note that he and Suzaku head out to see Milly for the school festival proceedings. She, Shirley and Nina are already in the Student Council Room, flailing about in a panic.
"Lulu!" Shirley huffs as they enter the room. "Where have you been? It's already so late."
"Sorry," he says with a smile. It's always so good to see Shirley. He may not love her like she wants, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love her at all. "Got a little sidetracked at breakfast."
"Sidetracked?" Milly intervenes.
She pops up from behind Shirley and zeroes in on Lelouch—more specifically on Lelouch's neck. "Ohh... Is that a hickey on your neck?"
Lelouch's mind goes to Suzaku's earlier attack and he freezes, his face heating. He wonders why he's always excellent at keeping his calm in life-or-death situations, but faced with comments on his love life, he's incapable of providing a coherent reply.
"Oh, it is." Milly cackles in obvious glee. "Our little Lulu, all grown up. Tell us, who do we have to blame for your sexual awakening?"
Shirley looks stricken, and Nina's face goes very red. Rivalz is looking at Lelouch with a mix of awe, interest and betrayal. They're all focused on Lelouch, which is probably a good thing, because Suzaku has gone very still by his side.
"Milly!" Lelouch says, not even having to fake his outrage. "Now's not the time."
"Oh, come on. Don't be such a spoil sport!"
"Who is being a spoil sport?"
Lelouch turns, only to note that Kallen entered the room at one point. What is it with her and her timely arrivals? "Lelouch," Milly explains. "He won't tell us who his new girlfriend is."
Kallen blinks in confused surprise. "New girlfriend?"
Nina mumbles an explanation about the bruise on Lelouch's neck. Lelouch is too busy calculating his timeline for the day to care. God, he hopes he hasn't delayed things too much because of his recklessness. If he did, the consequences could be dire.
"Do you know, Suzaku?" Milly asks, oblivious to Lelouch's rising panic.
Suzaku scratches his head, doing the perfect impression of his regular Ashford self. It seems he's a far better actor now than he once was and the delay Kallen provided helped him gather his composure. "I sort of thought it was... Well..."
He looks at Shirley, who begins to shake her head violently. "No, no. It wasn't me."
Lelouch clears his throat, having had quite enough of this conversation. "Okay. We'll discuss this another time. I think we've already established we're late as it is."
Fortunately, they aren't as late as Lelouch thought, and things fall into place pretty much the same way they did the first time. There's a lot of running around while Lelouch coordinates the stalls and makes sure everything is in order. Suzaku is still in charge of the pizza, under dire threats from C.C. to not drop it this time.
Most importantly, they run into Ohgi and Viletta, which was what Lelouch wanted to begin with.
This time, he doesn't get involved. He has to stay out of it for his plan to work properly. Instead, he goes to the control room, keeps an eye on Kallen and contacts Suzaku when he sees her moving toward the supply room with Ohgi and Viletta in tow.
Suzaku quickly makes his excuses and runs off, this time not taking Shirley with him. He ends up intercepting Kallen, Ohgi and Viletta right in front of the storage facility.
Lelouch can't hear their conversation, but he can see their faces through the cameras. Kallen's shock and panic is actually pretty funny.
Suzaku narrows his eyes and leans forward, as if to look at Viletta better. Ohgi tenses. Lelouch picks up his phone and dials.
Suzaku takes the call within seconds. "Hey, Lelouch."
"Suzaku? Have you gotten those spare fuel tanks for the pizza?"
"Umm. I'm going now. Sorry. Guess it's one of those days for distractions."
By the time Suzaku hangs up the phone, Ohgi and Viletta have vanished. It doesn't matter. So far, everything has gone exactly as planned.
Then comes the harder part.
Euphie's visit.
He hasn't seen her since the island. At the time, he didn't remember shooting her, seeing her hopeful eyes turn shocked and desperate. The sight of her standing behind Nunnally almost makes him crack right then and there.
He doesn't, though. He's prepared for this. Besides, all he has to do is mimic the events in the first timeline, and all the conditions will be cleared.
He still can't help but be a little warmer to her than he was in the past. Suzaku has already told him about her reaction to his refusal of the knighthood, and Lelouch loves her even more for it, for her complete and utter selflessness. He knows he would not have been able to do the same in her place. He is still fundamentally a selfish person, no matter how much the grief and loss have changed him.
Lelouch leads her and Nunnally outside and they sit together on the stairs. Together, they watch Suzaku spin the pizza. He's even better at it now than he was before.
"Last year, it was my turn," he comments, "but I can't compare to a real pro."
Euphie giggles. "I wouldn't underestimate your talents." She takes his hand and squeezes it. "But you know, Lelouch, I was very happy to hear you and Suzaku are friends. Very happy and very relieved to know you have him."
"You're too kind to me, Euphie," he replies with a sigh.
"I'm really not."
"Ignore big brother," Nunnally pipes up. "He beats himself up over the craziest things."
"I know, right? Maybe we can cheer him up together."
"You can count on me," Nunnally replies with a bright smile.
"Don't worry, Nunnally," Euphie reassures her. "I found a solution for everything."
On cue, the highly opportune gust of wind blows off Euphie's hat. Her bright pink hair instantly draws the crowd's attention.
Lelouch can do nothing but run away with Nunnally. Any divergences at this point could be disastrous.
They take shelter in one of the stalls like before. By some sort of miracle, Suzaku manages to set the pizza down instead of dropping it before rushing in to pick Euphie up. Once again, Lelouch watches his sister announce the forming of the SAZ.
He remembers the day the Massacre Princess was born and tastes bile in his mouth. It will not happen, not this time. "Big brother?" Nunnally asks from behind him. "This plan of Euphie's... What will it mean?"
"Nothing good," he admits. "She means well, but unfortunately, it will never work."
"But..."
"Trust me on this, Nunnally. I'd only ever do what is best for the Japanese people. Not to mention that her project will draw a lot of attention and our identities and location may be compromised."
Nunnally pales. She doesn't really remember what happened to their mother, but she knows enough to fear such a disastrous event.
"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe." Her and Euphie both. There are no other alternatives. He can't lose loved ones again after everything that happened in his first life.
The SAZ will not be a safe place, but he will build a haven for everyone he loves.
Despite the emotional roller coaster of the meeting with Euphie, the day goes well. Lelouch returns Nunnally to their quarters while everyone is distracted. Eventually, Euphie's staff herds off the people and the press and the agitation begins to die down. Suzaku escorts them out. He may no longer be Euphie's knight, but most people aren't actually aware of it.
Once Euphie is gone, they manage to get back to the original project of making the giant pizza. Most of the excitement over it has faded, but the batter is right there and still usable, and Milly insists. Lelouch ends up spinning it around a few more times, and then they're finally back in business with the cooking part of the process.
C.C. emerges from the Student Council Room as the pizza is cooking. She is far more discreet than she was in the past and sticks to the shadows, but she's still carrying her plate dutifully.
Lelouch doesn't bother to chastise her. He just provides her with a giant slice of pizza once it's done.
Suzaku finds them under the shade of a tree, carrying some more of the meal. "So... That went well. I think."
Lelouch nods. "As well as it could go. I..."
C.C. grabs some pizza from Suzaku's plate and shoves it into Lelouch's mouth. "Eat. You're far too skinny."
Lelouch starts to chew, if only because he doesn't want to die choking on pizza after being brought back to life by time travel. Suzaku laughs at him, the traitor.
It feels just like this morning, and the ominous dread brought back by Euphie's visit is chased away. Yes, they'll make this right. Together, the three of them can do anything.
They changed the world once. They can do it again.
