Syaoran squeezed his eyes shut just a little more against the bright sunlight barging in through the window beside him. Fai had easily tempted him to drinking far too much by throwing an innuendo at every other sentence. By the time Kurogane had come home they both had been hammered, Fai attempting to grope him and he attempting to hit the mage in the head for it – both giggling like school girls. He remembered something about Kurogane muttering about the Black Knights before he was dragged off to his bedroom and tucked away with surprisingly gentle hands, passing out almost immediately.

This morning he had overslept terribly, just managing to grab a slice of toast ready in the toaster on his way out and reaching the school in record time. Only when the adrenaline of 'being late' started to fade off he got hit with his hang-over full force. He wondered silently whether he should be thankful for the delay because he made it to school now, or he should hate it for that exact same reason. Who had ever heard of a delayed hang-over anyway?

"Syaoran, are you still feeling unwell?" Shirley stood next to his desk, looking worried.

He screwed his eyes shut for a moment before looking up at her apologetically, "just a little. But please don't worry about me."

"You left so suddenly yesterday," Rivalz said, "you seemed to be fine when we left the locker room."

"It was rather sudden, yes," he muttered, rubbing his head.

"Milly was very disappointed you weren't at the meeting. She wanted to plan your welcome party, but with you not there she couldn't ask you what you wanted."

Syaoran was about to protest that he didn't need a party at all, but the movement of his head made him sway and he dropped his forehead on his desk instead.

"Let's get you to the infirmary," Lelouch suddenly stood and tugged on Syaoran's arm.

He groaned and allowed him to be pulled off his chair and past the fussing Shirley. Lelouch dragged him down the school in a firm pace.

The infirmary was empty, the school nurse probably out for some reason or another. Lelouch dropped him on one of the beds and started rumbling through a cabinet.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you look hung-over."

"I am hung-over," Syaoran groaned.

"Really?"

"Fai knows his way around a bottle of alcohol," he muttered, taking the offered glass of water and white pills. "What are these?"

"Painkillers," Lelouch scoffed.

Syaoran stared at them for another moment before concluding Lelouch would have no reason to try and hurt him. He swallowed them along with the water, dizzied by his own movements.

"Now you sleep that off and get back to class when you're feeling better." A kind smile, dazzling violet eyes. Syaoran scrunched his eyes to slits.

"Sleep!" Lelouch gave him a little push and he dropped back on the bed. He was already sinking away when he heard the other's footsteps retreat.

...

Syaoran blearily blinked at the sunlight streaming down on his face. This wasn't his room.

He pondered on that for a second before things started coming back to him.

Hangover.

Painkillers.

Infirmary.

Right.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes for a moment. All his muscles tensed when he looked straight into a pair of lavender eyes.

No, not Lelouch, these eyes were lighter. He refocused and recognized Rolo.

"Awake, then?"

Syaoran blinked at him owlishly and nodded slowly.

"It's a good thing I get the chance to speak you in private." Syaoran was a bit unsure about the constant frown on the boy's face. Giving him a once-over, he realized this guy could very well also possess a power, just like his brother. Something about his eyes was off. Lelouch seemed to be wearing contacts, so maybe he had something similar about his eyes underneath? Syaoran could only guess at this point.

"Are you even listening?"

Syaoran frowned, "sorry, I just woke up. What were you saying?"

"I asked what your business with brother is!"

"My business?"

Rolo sighed exasperated. "What are you doing to my brother? What happened yesterday in the back of the showers? I'll warn you now: Stay away from my brother!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

Rolo's eyebrows knitted together. He looked like a man contemplating whether he should attack or not. Syaoran noted to himself he maybe shouldn't underestimate the boy.

"Why," the younger one finally asked.

"I have something I must do, and maybe Lelouch can help me with that. I just need to find out if he's willing to try."

Rolo loomed over, grabbing Syaoran's arm. The smaller boy's grip didn't hurt him at all, but he pretended it did for his own safety.

"Stay. Away. From. My. Brother!"

Then Rolo turned around and stormed off.

Some part of Syaoran knew he just got off very lucky, although he didn't quite know why.

...

When classes ended, Syaoran quickly moved to take Lelouch aside. He pulled him to a more silent side of the corridor so they could speak relatively unnoticed.

"What is it," Lelouch asked curiously when Syaoran didn't immediately start speaking.

"I need to talk to you for a moment," Syaoran bit his lip for a moment, reconsidering his question. "You remember I said you didn't have to worry about returning the favor?"

Lelouch tilted his head, looking somewhat surprised but even more curious, "yes?"

"I have changed my mind. Can I ask you for a return favor, but in a different way?"

"Ask me what you want, and I'll see what I can do about it."

"This may sound a bit blunt, but you have a power, don't you?"

Lelouch's eyes widened for just the slightest moment before he smiled incomprehensively. "A power? What do you mean?"

Syaoran frowned. Lelouch was lying. Why? Was it too early after all?

"There's something," Syaoran ventured out to touch Lelouch's cheek just under his left eye, "I don't know what it is, but I know there's something. I am in need of a certain power, and I was wondering if you could help me."

The raven haired boy did not react to his touch, but allowed his fingers to linger. His face remained a studied statue of surprise.

"Can't you tell me what your power is?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Syaoran," Lelouch chuckled, "I suppose we all found you a little weird to begin with, but now you're really not making sense."

"Lelouch, I need it. There is something I must do, and I do not have the power myself. I am travelling to find a way to fulfill this wish. Please, Lelouch."

Lelouch frowned, stepping back from Syaoran's touch. "I can't help you. I don't have any powers that could do what you want."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't tell you what I want yet."

"If you merely wanted my help in gambling you wouldn't have gone about it in such a roundabout way to call it a power," Lelouch smiled, "really, I don't know who you are or where you're from, but that's not the way it works here. Whatever it is you are looking for, I can't give it to you."

Syaoran stood still, hands clenching to his sides, and watched Lelouch walk away.

He messed up.