Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass. I do own the plot.

Chapter Nine: Madness Without the Catalyst

Suzaku stepped back with fear etched across his handsome young face. Lelouch kept the calm, cool and collected appearance as he watched the other respond to his request. He had known that Suzaku would not have a necessarily cheerful or eager reaction but he hadn't expected this to be the reaction either. "You... You can't be serious! If you need something like that done you should have a professional at a hospital do it! You'll bleed and if I do something wrong... I'm just a high school kid; I'm not a surgeon!" Suzaku babbled on frantically, listing every reason why Lelouch's suggestion was so terrible that he could think of.

"As I'm sure you've gather by this point," Lelouch sighed as he flopped down and sat on his bed, "I am not a normal person. If I was to be taken to a hospital things could get... dicey, I guess, would be the best way to describe it. I cannot go to a normal hospital and I connot do this myself. If you don't feel comfortable, however, I can ask someone else to help me. I don't want to force you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable." A spark came to Suzaku's eyes as Lelouch spoke.

Suzaku didn't really understand it himself but he didn't like the idea of Lelouch getting help from anyone other than him. He had only been assosiating with Lelouch for a small amount of time but he had kissed the boy the day before. He had been wanting to kiss the raven haired male for so long it wasn't even funny. And now he was being asked for a favor in return. "I... I guess I don't mind taking care of this for you," He said in a soft, frightened tone of voice.

"Are you sure about that, Suzaku? I can tell you everything to do. Just so long as you listen to my instructions down to the last detail there won't be any real problems. And I know exactly where the object is," Lelouch explained gently, looking up at Suzaku through his bangs. Suzaku's heart skipped a beat; those amethyst orbs were glinting in an almost sexy way. He knew it was probably sick and twisted to think Lelouch was a masochist who was turned on by the thought of pain, and even worse that the thought didn't completely repulse Suzaku himself, but he couldn't help it. He wondered briefly if the other boy was putting that look on his face intentional; using physical attraction to keep Suzaku in agreement with his request. "I'll just need some wine afterwards and the pain won't bother me too much either."

"So... What exactly will I have to do? Do I have to just... You know... Cut open your back and reach inside or... What?" He stammers nervously, glancing off to the side as he spoke. He had never one this before, being a normal high school student. He didn't want to have to feel around inside Lelouch too far. "And do you have any gloves I can wear?"

"Don't worry about gloves; you won't need them. You'll just need to cut down along the middle of my back, reach inside just a little bit and you'll find it. It's as easy as that," Lelouch stated calmly. He could sense Suzaku's anxiety and tried his best to be sympathetic to it. He had never been placed in the position he now had the emerald eyed male trapped in. Lelouch's isolation had left him with only one person to ever have to answer to.

Suzaku nodded, swallowing hard as he did so. Even though Lelouch was telling him not to worry about it he was still nervous about the whole thing. He glanced up curiously and watched as Lelouch began removing his shirt, calmly undoing the buttons. Suzaku's cheeks darkened a bit as bit by bit Lelouch's pale chest was revealed. The skin, he noticed, was free of any blemishes and he wondered if it was okay that he'd be leaving a mark, that would most like scar, on his back near his spine. "After I lie down pick up the knife I brought and sit down on me," Lelouch said as he set his shirt on the floor.

Suzaku watched as Lelouch flopped over on his bed, face pressed into his pillows and his pale back exposed. Suzaku walked over cautiously, picking up the handle of the knife and looking at it. Approaching Lelouch with the knife in his hands made him think of those old-fashion slasher flicks. If only Lelouch was in a shower instead of laying on his bed. He shook the thought away. 'I'm not going to hack him to tiny bits; I'm doing this for medical reasons,' He told himself in hopes of relaxing as he sat atop the top of the back of Lelouch's thighs. "Okay. So, what exactly do I do first?" He asked while clearing his throat.

"Put your index finger against the middle of my spine. Just a few centimeters away from it make an incision that is the length of your finger from the top to the bottom," He explaiend softly, making sure he was heard despite having the pillow in front of his mouth. He shivered a bit as Suzaku's finger slipped down along his spine and was silently pleased when the other said nothing about it. He was already embarassed to have the other hovering over him as he was. He sunk his teeth on to the pillow when the blade pierced his flesh, biting down and keeping in any noises from escaping. He didn't want Suzaku to feel bad about what he was doing.

Suzaku swallowed hard after making the incision, blood beginning to leak out. He reached over, grabbed the washcloth and dipped it into the water. It was warm, haiving cooled down from being left in the room so long, and he wrung it out before gently dabbing at the open wound on Lelouch's back with it. "This is okay, right? I just don't want you to bleed too much," He said softly. Lelouch nodded a little bit, swallowing back the pain and letting the gentle and soothing touch Suzaku was using relax him.

"Now you need to go to the top and bottom of th first incision and make two more pointing away from my spine of the same length," Lelouch grounded out, voice a little hoarse from trying to mask his pain. He heard Suzaku swallow hard before setting the now crimson washcloth back in the water. It shifted color to match the large red splotches now added on the cloth. Lelouch's eyes screwed shut and his teeth clenched around his pillow as Suzaku followed his order, making two more sideways incision marks added onto the first. "After that if you lift the skin and reach n you should fnd the oblect I was telling you about. But be fast about it; this is starting to get annoyingly painful." He grunted softly.

Suzaku set the knife back on the floor, hands shaking as he did as instructed. His fingers slipped in through the opening he'd made and he felt his fingertips brush something almost immedietely. He pushed his fingers a little further in, unable to see due to the blood beginning to pool up and leak out over the edges, before yanking, clutching the item between his index and middle fingers. He blinked, examinging the oblect, and his eyes widened. "Is... Is this a feather?" He stammered in shock. Lelouch let out a small sigh and relief, reaching over and grabbing the cloth. Suzaku jolted up and quickly took it, pressing it back over the gaping wound he'd created.

"Thank you, Suzaku," Lelouch panted softly, eyes closed as he relaxed. The pain from being cut open was nothing compared to the damage that feather with it's curse had caused. "Can you please do me a favor and go get my wine. The glass and bottle should be in the front under the counter where I left them." He said softly. Suzaku nodded quickly and darted off, leaving the bloody feather on the bed. Lelouch picked it up calmly and examined it curiously, remembering the day it had been forced into him. He knew that he'd need to explain how and why the bizarre thing was in him to Suzaku but he decided it could wait. He knew all about Suzaku's upcoming trip and would tell him when he returned. After all, he had some businesss of his own to tend to while Suzaku was away.

...

Suzaku picked up the glass and bottle, examining them curiously. Of course he knew Lelouch was far from your normal teenager; he just never thought that he was that bizarre. Why was that feather shoved in so close to his spine? And how was it there was no precious scar from it being put in? He had been sure to check for one so that he'd have an idea of where to cut and how far to cut. He had a lot of questions buzzing around in his head now that he hoped Lelouch would answer.

He headed back up the stairs quietly, looking at the bottle closer. He realized that the bottle bore no label to distinguish what brand of wine it was. Perhaps Lelouch had a strange habit of taking the labels off but that was strange. Most people of higher intellect and class kept the labels on so thy could brag about what type of wine and how old it was. Lelouch rarely had company, though, so he had no one to brag about it to. He pushed open the door and walked back in slowly.

Lelouch was now sitting on his bed, letting his wound leak blood down his back and into his pants. "Lelouch, you should be resting instead of sitting up!" Suzaku said quickly, darting over and setting the two items he held on the nightstand. He picked the washcloth back up, dipped it into the now chilly water, anad cleaned up the blood that had dripped down Lelouch's back and pressed it to the boy's wound. "If it bleeds too much you could pass out! You need to rest and try to relax." He chided softly, looking at where he was pressing the cloth. He was answered by the pop of the cork being yanked out, followed closely by the light slosh of the wine pouring into the glass.

"I owe you quite the explanation, don't I, Suzaku? When you return from you trip I rpomise to explain everything in great detail and all honesty," Lelouch said softly before taking a sip of his wine. Suzaku blinked before leaning forward and resting his head on the back of the other boy's shoulder. Violet irises shifted and landed on the mop of curly brown hair.

"For some reason it doesn't freak me out as much as it should that you knew that without me telling you. I'm almost kind of glad that you're watching me so closely to know that kind of stuff or using whatever strange gift you have to read me so easily," He whispered softly, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. There was no need to pretend to be someone he wasn't around Lelouch because Lelouch could tell when he was lying. Lelouch had no unreal expectations for him, had no secret motive for letting Suzaku relax as far as he was concerned. If only he knew that it was this great ease he felt that had caused Lelouch's motives to alter as they did.

...

Lelouch smirked a bit as he watched a large white plane disappear in the distance from the roof of the shop. Suzaku was on that flight to America with a few other students in his class and a few teachers and would be gone for quite sometime. This left Lelouch the grand chance to finally tend to some long withstanding business with Emil, or Kururugi Genbu. He yanked his white gloves on a little tighter, wiggling his fingers to make sure they fit right. He then smirked and twirled his cane on his fingers before hopping from the edge closest to the thin alley between his shop and the one to the left of it. He found it ironic somehow that the building to the left was a blood donation station.

He walked down the streets, ignoring the stares people sent his way. It was only eight o'clock at night and he was walking down the street dressed like he was going to a fancy get-together. or a costume party and his role was that of a vampire. He ignored the girls who giggled and gushed over his attractive face, then boys who glared at him attracting so much attention from the opposite sex and the older couples who mumbled unappprovingly to one annother in accordance to his attire and stance. He didn't care what these people havd to say about him because he was a man on a mission. "Come out, come out, where ever you," He whispered lowly, lightly tapping his cane on the ground. He knew Emil's squad was watching him to assure he wasn't up to no good.

He heard the fluttering of the wings before he saw them. He glanced up, eyes hard as stone, and watched as three winged creatures landed on the top of a building close by. Their eyes were glinting like molted lava, waiting for him to stray away from any crowds. That was how things were done; gang up on one sinner when they were alone so they were easier to take down. That was how they'd put the damned feather in his years ago when Emil chose not to believe him. It had been a punishment for the lives lost during World War II, which Emil refused to accept wasn't the fault of Lelouch and his people. He smirked to himself and continued to explore the city, enjoying the freedom of walking from here to there. He liked the glow of the neon lights as he continued his brisk walk down the streets. He loved to see all that changes in technology and society since he accepted his fate.

"Well, well, well. You really do leave the shop," He heard a deep masculine voice laugh smugly. Lelouch smirked a bit to himself and slowly turned to face Genbu. The older male was dressed in a black cusiness suit with a white tie to contrast the darkness of the rest of the attire. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" The ebony haired male could see and hear the dare in the other's voice. His words really meant "Think you can handle the pain I can dish out?"

"First I'd like to return this to you," Lelouch said calmly, reaching into the pocket of his trousers. He produced the feather, which he'd rinsed clean of most of the blood, and held it out in a handkerchief. He had to try his best not to laugh like a maniac at the gleam of horror that crossed into those eyes followed by a small snarl. "I hope you don't mind that I've tainted it a little bit with my blood. I know how tidy you angels are." He whispered slowly, stepping closer and pressing the thin object into the angel's chest lightly. He released it, pulled back a bit, and calmly tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket where it belonged. The feather drifted toward the ground before it caught the wind and disappeared upward with a small current.

"You had Suzaku remove that for you, didn't you?" He asked lowly, glaring as he turned and caught up to thr younger male. Lelouch merely chuckled, eyes glinting with some emotion. Regret? Guilt, perhaps? Genbu shook the thought away; creatures like Lelouch felt nothing but blood lust. This did explain why Suzaku had seemed so shaken up and jumpy the night before as he packed. The doorbell had rung and the boy had jumped, as if expecting someone other than the food delivery man to be there. Now he knew his poor son was most likely expecting acop to haul him away because of Lelouch bleeding to death and Suzaku's fingerprints showing up on the items used in the murder. "You're truly a sick, sick person to take advantage of a child as kind hearted and sincere as him."

"And you're truly a disgraceful, revolting one to have not been there for him when he needed his father," Lelouch spat back in a bitter yet level tone. Lelouch knew better than to lose his cool in front of someone like Emil. He would take advantage of his frustration to get him right where he wanted him and then make him pay for the crime the boy had not committed. "I may be sick but you are neglectful. That kind of stuff is what drives some people to become seriel killers or rapists. They've done the research; there are facts to support and prove it."

The angel snorted in response. "You think my Suzaku, my blood, could commit such terrible crimes? You really must be a daffy young prince," He scoffed coldly, eyes darkening as he glared at the dark mop of hair bobbing along beside him. "It's exactly that sick sense of irony of yours that tends to get annoying and causes you to create terrible incidents like the one that took place in Germany."

"I wasn't the cause for that, Emil, and you know it," Lelouch retorted with a large sum of annoyance in his tone. He kept his eyes sharp, watching from the corner of his eye where Emil's partners in crime were going. they were hopping along the roofs of the building watching where they were going. He knew they were expecting him to lash out and attack. He fiddled with the top of his cane, pulling it open. You see, Lelouch was not a fool; he kept a weapon on him at all times. This time it was a blade with a sheeth that looked like a cane. He watched Emil flinch a bit when the blade, only slightly revealed so he was the only one could see it, caught the light and shimmered softly. "You see, I'm quite tired of all your prattle about how it was my fault. A demon, sent directly from Hell, was the one who inspired that terrible incident. My people and myself kept out of it because we didn't want trouble. If you'd like, however, I could convince you using more... barbaric methods, which seem to be your preference."

"You honestly think I'll listen to any of the dirty lies you have to say? You must have lost what little brains you had left, Lelouch," Emil snarled lowly in response. The other male turned and stormed off. Lelouch glanced up, seeing the alarm on the other angels' faces. They didn't understand how their leader could permit someone as wretched, as cursed, as the King of the Shadows waltz around in Tokyo doing as he pleased. They couldn't kill Lelouch but they could certainly make his life Hell on earth. They followed after, however, drifting higher and disappearing behind a large huddle of fluffy white clouds. But things were going to get more complicated simply because of Emil's inability to lash out at him.

Suzaku would be well informed of the truth behind the world.

End

I hope you liked this chapter! The next chapter might take longer to get out (considering it will be extremely long) but it will clear up all of the loose ends and reveal every last detail. I really hope you all love the twists and turns that are coming out and don't mind that a large chunk of the next chapter will be Lelouch's flashback. Until then, enjoy your times and please check out my other story; One Step, Two Step!