Chapter Ten
August 27, 2017
Suzaku stepped out of the Lancelot, sweaty and exhausted from running another series of tests on the Knightmare now that it had been repaired and the new float system added. He glanced back at the bulky red pack on the back of the Lancelot, tilting his head to the side. It looked too small to actually be able to carry the Lancelot's weight, but Cecile had assured him that it would. Lloyd still wasn't speaking to him, unless it was to make an adjustment of the Lancelot or about the time machine. Apparently, he had taken the near destruction of the Knightmare very hard.
Suzaku sighed and glanced at the other side of the hangar, staring at the other Knightmare frame that was being assembled for the new Knight of the Round. He ran a hand through his hair, wincing as he realized that it had only caused his damp curls to spike up slightly. He shook his head in an attempt to smooth them down, giving up the next minute. There was a towel and a change of clothes waiting for him in the dressing room anyway. And, knowing Lloyd, he would want Suzaku to stay so they could discuss the time machine, the car now situated in its own room off to the side.
He walked down to the two consoles, avoiding the plate of food that Cecile had left out, he would be eating with Lelouch and Euphemia in the study as they discussed possible demands that the JLF would make or gave Suzaku impromptu etiquette lessons. And then came the equally as impromptu make out session against Lelouch's desk. Suzaku wasn't quite sure how those started.
Ever since Narita their pattern of interaction had changed, not even their conversation about trust had put them off. One minute he would be playing the loyal guard to the emperor and the next he would be pulling Lelouch against him. The reasoning behind it seemed to baffle even Lelouch, because the emperor would often revert back to his mask of indifference, which both confused an annoyed Suzaku. But that wasn't nearly as annoying as the fact that he had decided that now, when he was stuck in the past, was the time to form an attraction to someone and his libido agreed.
He rubbed a hand over his face, muffling a groan with that move. The one thing that he thought he could depend on was the fact that he was deathly afraid of losing the people close to him and, because he knew that he would be leaving as soon as the time machine was fixed, that would be enough to keep him from falling for someone. Apparently not, because now he was stuck with Lelouch and he had spent a good portion of the night thinking about how Lelouch would react if he crawled into bed beside him.
Suzaku bit his lip to muffle another groan of frustration, quickly walking into the locker room and scooping up his towel, fighting back the irrational urge to scream into it. Lelouch was the Demon Emperor, the one who was responsible for all the fear and hatred that had kept the world in the firm grip of world peace for ten long years. Even now, when that peace was beginning to show signs of eroding, no one was actually brave enough to destroy it completely, everyone was still afraid of Lelouch. And even that wasn't enough to keep Suzaku away from him, all because Lelouch kept reminding him and the Demon Emperor was a person in the end.
He roughly rubbed his hair dry with the towel, getting glimpses of the world as it slid over his head. Suzaku froze as he saw a person in the doorway, carefully pushing the towel back to see who was there, relaxing a fraction when he saw that it wasn't Lelouch. Suzaku smiled at Lloyd and ran a hand through his hair to get it into some reasonable shape.
The scientist didn't look at him, looking like he was pouting. Suzaku tipped his head to the side, his eyebrows rising as he saw Cecile standing in the background, glaring at Lloyd. He turned his attention back to the scientist as Lloyd heaved a long sigh. "Cecile says that I should apologize. But you did nearly ruin my Lancelot."
There was a metallic clatter as a wrench landed dangerously close to Lloyd. Lloyd stared at it before pushing it away with his foot. "Then again, Cecile has threatened to change the code to the room with the time machine…"
"Couldn't you change it back?"
"I suppose…but the fact that she threatened…" The both nodded in understanding, that was the closest they would get to an enraged Cecile, or the closest that they both dared to go. "So, I'm sorry."
"I accept your-"
"I need you to runs some tests in the time machine for me." Lloyd was smiling at him again, Suzaku letting go of the towel completely and hearing it drop to the floor. "Just to see if the engine and rest of the systems work. Be there in three minutes."
Lloyd dashed away before Suzaku could get another word in and Cecile could throw another tool at him. Suzaku just stared at him and shook his head, reaching down to pick up the towel that he had dropped on the floor and shaking it out. He returned to toweling off his hair, balling up the towel when he was done and tossing it in the direction of the laundry hamper that was in the room. A quick glance at the clock in the room showed that he had time to abide by Lloyd's wishes. He sighed and walked out of the locker room.
He automatically went through the motion of unlocking the door to the room that the time machine was in, waiting long enough for the door to slide open a fraction before slipping it and letting it close behind him.
Suzaku looked up as Lloyd spoke, watching as the scientist muttered to himself as he looked over the computer screen. Lloyd glanced up at him once before returning his gaze to the computer screen. "Run the car up to eighty-eight and then act like you're time traveling."
"Did you add sakuradite?"
"No. Cecile won't let me until she gets the readings she wants." Lloyd waved him on, Suzaku staring at the time machine, pleased that most of the larger dents had been worked out. There were still dents and scratches, but they looked less threatening. Although, there were still panels that were entirely missing, the wires that had been run under them exposed. Suzaku shrugged, slipping into the car and reaching up to grab the activation key from the dashboard.
He slipped it into place, listening to the engine rumble to life, Suzaku trying to keep the smile from his face. They had only managed to get the car portion into some kind of working order, but not the time machine portion, that might take a while longer. Suzaku forced himself not to shiver at the thought, carefully pressing down on the gas pedal and starting to ease the speedometer up to eighty-eight.
Suzaku kept his gaze on the speedometer, preferring not to look at Lloyd as the scientist bounded around the car, muttering to himself and jotting down notes. He preferred just to lose himself in the sound of the engine and the slight rock of the car as it tried to free itself of the restraints on it. It was the frame of mind that he drifted into when he was running the tests on the Lancelot, a safe place for him to just be without thinking or doubting himself.
He jumped at as the needle edged up to eighty-five, shifting his right hand to rest on the lever, running his thumb over the button on top, sucking in a deep breath. Suzaku counted off the seconds, pressing down on the button as soon as the needle touched eighty-eight, watching a bit of green flicker over the car before dying out. He glanced down at the screens as they flashed a warning. Suzaku glanced up, watching as Lloyd gestured him to cut the engine.
Suzaku leaned back in his seat and let the engine run down, drumming his fingers against the lever until the needle hit zero. Once he was sure that the car was settled, he turned it off. Suzaku slipped out of the car, watching as Lloyd skipped back over to the computers, assuming that meant something good. And, in usual Lloyd fashion, the scientist didn't bother to share the data. Suzaku was sure that he would talk to him about it when it pertained to him.
He stretched out, feeling a slight tension in the muscles of his back, probably from sleeping on the couch combined with the extended time in the Lancelot. Suzaku glanced back at Lloyd before walking out of the room.
Cecile was waiting for him outside, Suzaku smiling and jerking his head towards the locker room. "I'm going to have to go."
"I know." She reached out to pat his shoulder. "I just wanted to say thank you, and that you're doing a good job."
"T-thanks."
"Lloyd isn't good with people, so…" She shrugged and glanced back at the Knightmares. "I have things to take care of."
"Of course." Suzaku smiled, resisting the urge to hug her, reminding himself that he was still sweaty. He turned away, returning to the dressing room and quickly stripping out of his flight suit, struggling to get his legs out. Suzaku kicked it away, quickly reaching for his uniform and pulling it on. He pulled the zipper on the shirt partially up, pausing to pull on the boots that he had to wear, relieved that they were getting easier to wear. At least he didn't have to worry about blisters forming on his heels anymore.
He stood up and tapped the toe of his boots against the ground, making sure they sat right. He turned at the chuckle from the door, somewhat surprised to see Lelouch leaning against the wall. Suzaku stared openly at Lelouch, remembering belatedly that his shirt was still mostly open. He swallowed and zipped it the rest of the way up, not sure if he should be nervous or like that Lelouch watched his hand move the zipper up.
"What are you doing here?"
Lelouch raised one shoulder in a shrug. "Why shouldn't I be?"
"I…I meant without a guard." Suzaku picked up his bundled flight suit and tossed it in the laundry as well, sure that it would appear in Lelouch's room tomorrow morning, neatly folded and waiting for him. "You shouldn't be without a guard."
"The Knights of the Round are back. I'm the safest here, the JLF wouldn't dare to attack me here."
He sighed and walked over to Lelouch, waiting for the emperor to turn around and walk back to the administrative building. Instead, Lelouch reached out for him, Suzaku remaining frozen in place. He had thought that Lelouch would have the common sense not to do this sort of thing in public where people could see them. Then again, with the focused look on Lelouch's face, Suzaku doubted that the emperor was thinking about anything else.
Lelouch's hand gently pressed against the top of his head, Suzaku finding himself relaxing into the touch as Lelouch smoothed out his hair. He doubted that even Lelouch could get it to remain in any sort of order, but it didn't seem like Lelouch was really trying. He was just pressing the few strands that had initially refused to stay down back down patiently, sometimes having to repeat the process more than once. And, if they hadn't been in public, Suzaku would have let him continue.
Instead, he cleared his throat and stepped to the side, dropping his gaze. "Princess Euphemia is waiting for us, your majesty."
A quick glance up at Lelouch showed that the emperor was staring at him in confusion, his hand still hovering in the air. As their gazes met, Lelouch seemed to snap back to reality, straightening up and dropping his hand to this side. Suzaku allowed Lelouch a moment to gather himself back together before following the emperor out of the locker room and into the main room of the hangar.
Lelouch remained silent until they were halfway across the distance between the A.S.E.E.C hangar and the administrative building, Suzaku looking back at Lelouch on one of his scans for danger. "Don't let me forget myself like that again."
"Yes, your highness."
Euphemia sat slumped across her desk, fighting back a yawn. Between the JLF and Raleigh's attentions, she wasn't getting much sleep. How Lelouch did this she would never know. Euphemia glanced over at where her brother and Suzaku sat, hiding a smile behind her hand as she saw how they leaned towards each other. Neither of them were probably aware that they were doing it, which made it funnier. Lelouch would have protested vehemently if she even suggested that Suzaku meant something to him, despite all of his actions before. Suzaku, she was sure, would attempt to move her interest to something else or ramble off that he was just protecting Lelouch as she had asked him to.
She shook her head and pushed herself away from her desk, staring at the paper that she had retrieved from one of the drawers. With Raleigh in her room every other night, it was important that she hid her work from him, the Knight of Five wouldn't hesitate to take her to Lelouch and turn her in as a traitor. She needed a better hiding place, she was sure of that, but it was the best she could come up with in the short time between when he knocked on the door and when she could fight back her panic.
Euphemia skimmed over her own handwriting before reaching up to pull her hair out of its customary buns, beginning to braid it for when she went to bed. Retiring early was sounding like a better and better idea with every day. "I've talked to them three nights now, and we've been trying to settle on what we should do. I suggested a Special Administrative Zone."
"Giving them the illusion of peace?" Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "That wouldn't work for too long, but as a short term solution, it could work. Maybe for a few months. But that implies that they trust you."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Tell me what else you've talked about. I can't make plans with partial information."
Euphemia huffed and glanced down at her notes. "I've gotten him to stop rushing me, just because of how complicated we are making this."
"Freeing a country is a complicated thing."
"He says that they could possibly work under a viceroy, one with sympathies to the Japanese cause. There could be a shift from there, doing little things to restore the former Japanese government to power."
"And I'm guessing that you would volunteer for the job."
She nodded. "The JLF trusts me, almost, and it would be easier for me to gain the trust of the people. Then you would get your support for me when you go and kill yourself." She saw Suzaku tense at that, biting her lip as she realized what she had said.
To her surprise, Lelouch didn't seem too worried, her brother smirking and leaning back in his chair. "So you would play the part of the good viceroy, slowly changing the government that Britannia had forced upon them into the government that they once had?"
"Yes."
"That would give me time to continue my plans in the homeland."
"Yes." Euphemia tried to smile. "And you would have the excuse of not knowing anything that I was doing."
"Then I could turn on you."
"And I would make a stand."
Lelouch actually chuckled at that, Euphemia shivering. She hated how well he played his role, and she wasn't sure if he was even playing now. "You would be a frightened little princess standing up against your home wanted peace and I would just be another evil tyrant. Everyone would support you. The assassination would be easy after that."
Euphemia nodded, about to ask Lelouch exactly how he planned to fake his death when she saw Suzaku crumple out of the corner of her eye. She stood up quickly, Suzaku catching himself on the back of Lelouch's chair before Euphemia could get to him. She took a step back, glancing back as her brother and noticing that he had twisted in his seat, all of his attention suddenly focused on his guard. "Suzaku?"
"Sorry, lost my balance there." He smiled at the two of them, pushing himself back upright. Euphemia stared at his arm as he moved, watching the limb tremble for a moment, and not because it was supporting his weight. She frowned and moved back to sit in her chair, waiting for Lelouch to focus back on the task at hand.
Surprisingly he stood up, meeting Suzaku's gaze for a moment before walking towards the door. "Keep me updated. But I think it's time for you to talk to them again."
She nodded, watching as Suzaku went to follow Lelouch. "Suzaku, wait. They want to meet you."
The guard hesitated just long enough for Lelouch to walk out of the door without him, actually flinching when the door slid shut. Only when Lelouch was out of the room did Suzaku look back at her, obviously struggling to hide something. "Is he serious?"
"About letting Japan go? I think so."
"No…I mean the assassination." Suzaku's voice broke over the word. "Does he really expect that to happen?"
"Of course. He's planning it out himself."
"He's…faking it?" Euphemia didn't expect Suzaku to nearly collapse when she nodded, not sure how to take the look of relief on his face. The relief didn't last long, Suzaku frowning the next moment and sitting up. "That isn't possible."
"What isn't possible?" Suzaku looked up at her, Euphemia looking away at the nearly heartbroken look on his face. "Never mind. Are you alright?"
He nodded, already shifting back to the usual stance that he held as a guard, Euphemia unable to resist resting a hand on his shoulder. She gently squeezed, surprised when Suzaku reached up and removed her hand from his shoulder, soothing her shock with a soft smile. "There's no need to worry about me, princess."
"But…"
"We should get ready. I wouldn't want to keep you too long." Suzaku was moving away before she could demand that he explain what he meant.
Euphemia sighed, going over to her desk and hiding the notes, knowing that they wouldn't have much time before Raleigh came up, if he decided to come up tonight. She shook her head, pushing all thoughts of her lover away and focusing on the upcoming meeting. This was the first time they would be seeing Suzaku. She had tried to stall this for as long as possible to appear like she was in control, and Katase had allowed her that small illusion.
She walked over to the screen and turned it on, looking back at Suzaku as he steeled himself for the confrontation. Euphemia reached out to touch him again, drawing back when he looked warily at her. And, for a moment, she was jealous of her brother. She had seen him and Suzaku together, small glances out of the corner of her eye as she walked down the hallway or had seen them in the gardens. Suzaku didn't flinch away then, on the contrary he seemed to lean into Lelouch's touch. As a princess she was used to being denied nothing, but Suzaku was continually denied to her.
Euphemia looked away, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. She already had Raleigh, a man that loved her as much as any man could, or at least she hoped so. It had seemed like it a year ago, he had only eyes for her and she had loved it. It was like all those fairy tales that Lelouch warned her would rot her brain. But it wasn't in the end. Raleigh did love her, but he loved his emperor and country just that bit more that made her feel like superfluous.
Suzaku cleared his throat, Euphemia quickly smiling and turning to face the screen as the general's face flickered onto the screen.
Katase spared one glance at her before looking over at Suzaku, Euphemia glorying in the look of surprise on his face. So he had thought that she wouldn't go through with it, or that she didn't have someone ready. "So…this is our knight?"
"Indeed."
She looked over at Suzaku for a cue, surprised when he just tipped his head to the side. "Kururugi Suzaku, at your service."
"Kururugi?" Euphemia watched the surprise cross Katase's face. "Related to the Sumeragis?"
Suzaku looked surprised, glanced at Euphemia before dropping his gaze. "I don't know. My parents died in the take over, so I was placed under the care of a Britannian."
"How old were you at the time?"
Suzaku looked up abruptly at that. "Ten."
"Old enough then." Euphemia watched as Suzaku rocked back onto his heels, sure that he was keeping himself from lashing out at Katase. The general, on his part, didn't seem to notice. "You're wearing the uniform of a Royal Guard, I thought those had been wiped out."
"I'm still alive."
"There was only one Royal Guard left on the battlefield that they were aware of. The one who wouldn't give up the emperor."
"I owe my livelihood to him." Suzaku gave the general a wry smile. "I wouldn't give up my meal ticket that easily."
"I see. Loyal to the end, are you?" Suzaku gave a stiff nod, Euphemia struck again by the urge to comfort him. She wondered if she was the only one who could see that he was holding himself so stiffly. Suzaku obviously didn't like this man. "Have you been informed of the situation?"
"Yes."
"And do you agree to it?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't and I wouldn't be endangering a useful ally if I thought it wasn't worth the risk."
To Euphemia's shock, she saw Katase flinch, just the smallest movement away from the screen. But that was enough to make her have to fight back a smile. The next moment she had to pretend to glare at Suzaku, making it known that she didn't support his comment. Even if he hated Katase, they couldn't risk angering him, not with all the information that he had on them.
Katase turned his attention away from Suzaku, focusing on her as they went over their plans, just like they had before. The JLF would wait until Suzaku had been knighted to begin talks with her in person. Then they would move a small force close to the Tokyo Settlement, all Euphemia would have to do would be to make up an excuse so that she and Suzaku could go and meet them on appointed days. There, they would draw up the documents needed and steal control of the country from Lelouch. Although, Katase looked happy when she mentioned that he brother had plans of leaving the country to focus more on Britannia.
"Have you offered to take the viceroy position then?"
"I can't. He'd find that suspicious. I've never had an interest in government before."
Katase raised an eyebrow. "Because you've never wanted for anything."
"Because I believed that it couldn't be changed." Euphemia settled for glaring at him for a moment before pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "If that is all, I have other duties to attend to."
"Of course, your highness. We'll contact you again and watch the news. I have a feeling that a few exciting things will be coming up." Katase smiled before shutting off his end of the connection.
Euphemia tensed and looked over at Suzaku, surprised to see that he didn't seemed too worried. The guard turned to look at her, giving her a soft smile. "He didn't mean it as a threat, your highness." She nodded, surprised when Suzaku bowed to her, the Britannian bow this time, and stepped back. "If you require nothing else of me."
"It's Euphy." She didn't know why she suddenly told him that, it might have been the jealousy lingering in her still. She had heard Suzaku whisper her brother's name in the few times that she had caught them lingering too close to each other and she wanted that kind of affection. Even Raleigh called her by her full name despite the many instances when she had asked him not to; apparently he wasn't worthy enough to do so. With Raleigh, she had just taken it in stride, used to his quirks. But Suzaku, she really wanted Suzaku to call her by her nickname instead of the titles that he insisted on. "Please, call me Euphy."
His eyes widened comically before he got a hold of himself. "It wouldn't be proper for one of my station to-"
"You call Lelouch by his name." Suzaku froze at that, Euphemia plowing onward before she could stop herself. "And Nunnally has probably gotten you calling her by her first name. Why not me?"
Suzaku hesitated for a moment before turning and walking to the door. Euphemia almost called him back, biting back the need to shout at him and demand an answer. Now she saw why Lelouch kept Suzaku around, Lelouch would relish this kind of thing. She just found it slightly annoying. Thankfully, she didn't have to think on it for much longer, Suzaku turning around when he reached the door and smiling at her. "It's not my place, my lady."
"I could order you to do it."
"You could."
Euphemia licked her lips, suddenly wondering if Lelouch had needed to order Suzaku like this, but she pushed it away. "Then I order you, call me Euphy…when no one else is around."
That got another bow out of Suzaku, a partial one this time. "Yes, Euphy."
He turned around, pressing the button to open the door before walking down the hall. Euphemia hurried over to the door, leaning on the frame and watching him go. Lelouch was just at the other end of the hall, her brother refusing to stay too far away from his sisters in case something happened to them and so he could watch over Nunnally. Still, that put Suzaku very close to her, it would be so easy to just walk to Lelouch's room, borrow Suzaku for a moment and explain everything. But part of her was afraid of what she would find if she did that. She didn't want to walk in and find that Lelouch wasn't alone in his bed.
Katase had been right, she was a spoiled princess, too used to getting exactly what she wanted. She had Raleigh, but she wanted Suzaku, because Suzaku was a refreshing breath of fresh air from everyone she had ever known. And she couldn't have because Lelouch had managed to get to him first. Even when he was a Knight of the Round, Suzaku couldn't be hers, he would report directly to Lelouch.
Euphemia sighed, taking a step back into her room, wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed and forget about everything. She hesitated, spotting a shadow further down the hall in the opposite direction that Suzaku had gone in, shaking her head and slipping inside her room. It was probably just one of those ridiculous suits of armor that they still had in the building just because there wasn't room in storage, Lelouch had made sure of that when he had stuffed all of the trophies their father had acquired and put into the building into storage. She supposed that it would be her job to redistribute the treasure after she became empress. Euphemia shook her head, flopping into her bed and pulling the covers up over her with a sigh, too exhausted to even change out of her clothes.
Schneizel looked exhausted, to the point where he looked tousled, something that Cornelia had never thought Schneizel could look. For a moment, she felt guilty for calling him, but he needed this piece of news because the JLF wasn't going to report it to him until they were sure of their position. Still… "You look awful."
That got a chuckle out of Schneizel. "I now have a better appreciation for what Kanon did for me." His smile wavered for a moment at the mention of Kanon, Cornelia finding herself envious of Schneizel's ability to hold himself together. She still felt the urge to cry when she thought about Guilford and the Glaston Knights. "But it's enough to prove my worth to the EU so that I don't get handed over the next time the Rounds fly over."
"They were thinking of turning you in?"
"It was close a couple of times, but I had to promise a few things. Thankfully, I got a reprieve."
"How?"
"A scientist by the name of Einstein." Schneizel gave her an exhausted smile. "She recently fled from Area 11 because she invented a weapon that she never wanted Lelouch to get his hands on. I managed to persuade her that it would be safer for both herself and her daughter here."
"Daughter?"
"Indeed. Cute little girl." Schneizel said the three words like he was discussing the weather. "We're keeping them both safe from Lelouch, although I doubt that he knew she existed. But, better us than the JLF."
Cornelia frowned. "What kind of weapon?"
"Purely theoretical at this point, but from what I can understand, it's a weapon of mass destruction." Cornelia's eyes widened, Schneizel reaching out before seeming to remember that they weren't in the same room. "We won't use it unless absolutely necessary. I don't like the extent of damage that it will theoretically cause."
They lapsed into silence, Schneizel staring at his folded hands and Cornelia staring at the floor. Cornelia spared a quick glance up at him, carefully thinking over what she was going to say. He obviously hadn't been concentrating his attention on Japan with everything going on in the EU, so he wouldn't know about the deal that the JLF had made without their permission. Then again, he wouldn't know about their failure either.
She swallowed before clearing her throat. "The plan at Narita failed."
"Failed?" Cornelia was sure that Schneizel wasn't faking the surprise in his voice. "But it should have gone flawlessly."
"It did, but there was one factor that we forgot."
"Which one?"
"Euphy."
"Euphemia?" Schneizel sat upright. "Lelouch used her as a decoy?"
Cornelia froze at that, staring at Schneizel as she contemplated what he had said. With the way that Lelouch had been acting, she wouldn't have put it past him. But that thought nearly made her nauseous. She pressed a hand to her stomach to keep herself under control. "No. But she was in the command center when he cornered Lelouch and she managed to get the JLF to agree to a deal. But they're going to use her, either way the deal turns."
"Have you gotten any information on the deal?"
"No. They're keeping it from me." Cornelia lifted the hand from her stomach to rub at her eyes. "Schneizel, if Lelouch finds out that she's doing this…"
"He'll kill her. No doubt about that." Schneizel nodded slowly, leaning to the side to rest his hand. "Remaining with the JLF is the best thing you can do right now, but that shouldn't stop you from taking the necessary measures to make sure Euphemia stays safe. If need be, stage a coup d'état."
"In a terrorist group?"
"I'm sure that there would be someone better to lead the group than General Katase, if he's been in power this long." Cornelia found herself nodding. "Bide your time, then take the JLF for yourself, or arrange it so someone who would win is in charge. I will support whatever path you take."
"If I call for help, Schneizel, will you come?"
Her brother's expression softened. "I'll try my best, Cornelia. But Lelouch has me trapped here for the time being."
"I'm aware of that. But can I count on your support of what I am doing?"
"Of course. We only have each other."
"Euphy is still alive."
"Sorry." Schneizel looked away for a moment, Cornelia satisfied with that little show of remorse. He was probably still broken apart over Kanon's death, especially with all the stuff that he had to do now.
"Thank you." Cornelia stood up, glancing over at the door. She had probably already been in here for too long for just a quick family call. Without bothering to say good-bye, she reached out and turned the screen off, breaking the connection and turning towards the door.
Schneizel wasn't a resource anymore, at least not one that she could rely on in a tight moment, so she would have to start gathering her own resources. But, that would be a problem with her heritage and with the way the rest of the JLF forces regarded her. Still, the common goal of wanting to get rid of Lelouch would bring people to her cause. If only they knew about the deal that General Katase was working to make with Euphemia.
She stepped out of the room, shutting the door carefully behind her, only to freeze as he heard someone clear their throat. Cornelia spun around, finding herself staring at the young woman that piloted the Guren. She raised an eyebrow, staring at the Eleven before looking away, the young woman taking that as permission to speak. "Usually, you have to ask to make calls over the line."
"I had plans to go over."
"With your brother?"
"With Schneizel." She felt the need to clarify, Cornelia resting one hand on her hip. "For our next attack."
"Have you heard that there won't be a next attack? We have a truce, the general just announced it."
Cornelia narrowed her eyes and glanced towards the command center. "And we're just going to trust Lelouch to not notice what Euphemia is doing? He's not that stupid, even with something to distract him."
"I know that. I was on the frontline for most of those battles. I know how he works!" The young woman turned away, glaring at a section of the floor. It took a moment before she relented, glancing up. "You're wanting something from me."
"I just want to know if you'd be willing to do anything for your country."
The young woman bristled. "I thought that I've proven that already."
She turned and walked away, leaving Cornelia to stand there and smirk. That was one person that she knew would follow her plan, which meant that the remains of the group that she had come from would be in too. Still, that was only a small fraction, maybe enough to form a guard around her. Cornelia shook her head, pushing that though away, she had to stop thinking like that. She wasn't replacing the Glaston Knights, she was just creating another plan, one that wouldn't endanger Euphy.
Gino sat up abruptly from the chair that he had fallen asleep in at the sound of the door sliding shut. He blinked rapidly to attempt to wake himself up, turning around as he heard rattling coming from the bar towards the back of the room. He yawned and stood up, stretching and turning around to see who had come into the room.
Raleigh was behind the bar, leaning over to look through the alcohol that was stored there before straightening up, suddenly seeming to realize that Gino was in the room. Raleigh froze, staring at his fellow knight before slumping over the bar. Concerned, Gino took a step forward, stopping when Raleigh slammed his fist onto the table. "Raleigh?"
"She was with it again."
Gino bit his lip to keep from asking the obvious, there was only one 'she' with Raleigh. So it had something to do with Princess Euphemia. He frowned and tipped his head to the side, inching forward to lean on the bar. "With who, Raleigh?"
He expected the answer to be Lelouch, the two were always seen together before Euphemia went to bed. And it was well known that Lelouch sat with Nunnally until she was asleep, a throw back to their younger days. Raleigh could just be annoyed that his time with the princess was being cut short, although Gino didn't blame Lelouch for trying. Raleigh was known for being impulsive and hot headed, which could lead to trouble very easily and Lelouch was probably just trying to protect the reputation of his sister.
"That Eleven." Raleigh spat out the word with such vehemence that Gino actually jumped. The Knight of Five didn't look up from the bar, clutching at it more tightly. "I've seen him leaving her room a few times before."
"Eleven?" Gino leaned back, tempted to walk around the bar and pull Raleigh away from the alcohol. "You mean the only Royal Guard left?"
Raleigh gave a miserable nod, slumping down further so his head rested against the bar. Gino sighed, staring at him before amending his thought. He would probably have to drag Raleigh away from the alcohol at this point, it wouldn't do him any good. "Give the guy a break, he has two royals to guard now. I'm sure that he was just delivering something to her or running an errand. Just go back up there and apologize to her for being late."
"You don't get it." Raleigh looked up, Gino taking a step back at the anger in the knight's eyes. "I'm losing the princess to a filthy Eleven."
"Hey now-"
"It doesn't even have the right to be in here, it belongs in the slums!"
"Raleigh…"
To his relief, the Knight of Five stopped his tirade, glancing at Gino before looking down at the bar. Gino flinched at the squeak that Raleigh's fingers made as the slid over the polished wood. "It's going to kill us all, Gino, they're natural born traitors."
"He's not going to kill us, Raleigh." Gino flipped his braids over his shoulder, chuckling at the distressed expression on Raleigh's face. It was so rare to see the Knight of Five showing any emotion other than anger. "He managed to get out of Narita alive and to protect the emperor. That's enough for me to trust him."
"You were always so trusting." Raleigh straightened up, glancing at the door. "My princess won't want me tonight, she's already occupied with another lover."
"You said that he left."
"It'll be back." Raleigh narrowed his eyes, glancing at Gino before storming out of the room just as quickly as he had stormed in, leaving Gino leaning against the bar. Gino shook his head before pushing away from the bar and ambling back over to the chair that he had been napping it, staring down at it. He had only come in here to keep Anya company while she had scrolled through the folders of pictures that she kept, but she must have wandered back to her room when he had fallen asleep. That was just like Anya.
He placed his hand on the back of the chair and stared at the door. He really didn't want to go out there while Raleigh was still roaming the halls, and hoped for the sake of that Eleven guard that he didn't meet up with the enraged Knight of Five. Raleigh had already taken it as a personal insult that the young man was even in the same building as him, it would be worse if the two actually met. And that was just regarding one of the Knights of the Round. Gino grumbled under his breath to himself before heading for the door. He might as well try to sleep before Bismarck roused them for some sort of meeting or practice. Or, even worse, their emperor made them do some boring reconnaissance. Just because the Tristan could transform into a jet didn't mean that it should be used for dull spying missions.
Gino rolled his eyes, already on planning to allow himself to be sucked into something important close to home instead of being sent out, it would just be easier on himself. Then again, it might be a chance to watch over the Eleven and keep him from getting seriously injured.
A yawn interrupted his thoughts, Gino glancing at the clock on the wall. Even if he could find an excuse to remain at the administrative building, Bismarck would get them all up at the same time. Gino shrugged and ambled into the hall, heading for his room.
After two hours of staring at the ceiling, Suzaku came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to sleep. He bit his lip to keep the moan of disappointment in the back of his throat before rolling over onto his side, careful not to roll off the edge of the couch. With his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, he could just make out Lelouch curled up in his bed, the emperor still in the tightly curled position that he would hold for a good part of the night. Lelouch didn't stretch out until about midnight and why did Suzaku know this?
He pressed his head back against his pillow, shutting his eyes to try and keep himself from staring at Lelouch. He had known the man for seventeen days and he was already familiar with most of Lelouch's habits, but that just might be because he was nearly always around Lelouch. And he had himself to blame for that. If only he had failed to pilot the Lancelot properly, then he could probably be curled up in a corner of the A.S.E.E.C hangar, getting a good night's sleep instead of staring at the ceiling and worrying over the future; that damn future that everyone seemed so obsessed with.
It was interesting, in a way, to listen to the plans that Lelouch was making, plans that no historian had ever found out about. There were conspiracy theories, there always were, but none of them even got close to what was really going on. From what little he had heard of the plans, Lelouch was playing the world for fools. Suzaku didn't know the reason for it, but it had to be the only conclusion, especially if he was helping Euphemia make a deal with his enemies.
Suzaku frowned into the darkness, crossing his arms behind his head, trying to come up with what he remembered about Euphemia. There was nothing. History had regaled her to the position of a minor princess, just another name on the list of the Britannian royal family. He did remember a passing paragraph in one of his textbooks, because it said she died and sixteen, but no one ever knew how. The why was obvious, the Demon Emperor had tired of her presence and killed her, a body was never found. She had just disappeared one day.
Then again, the why wasn't so obvious anymore. If Lelouch was working with Euphemia on this truce with the JLF, then how much of his other actions were just an act? And, unless Euphemia stepped too far out of line, Suzaku was sure that Lelouch would do anything to keep her alive, both her and Nunnally. So, there was a possibility that he had just hidden Euphemia away to keep her safe and never had gone to retrieve her. There hadn't been any one claiming to be the lost princess Euphemia to his knowledge, not since that one insane woman when he was eleven, so she must be hidden well.
He sighed and rolled back to his side, staring at Lelouch again. That still didn't make sense. Euphemia would have stepped up to become empress when Lelouch died, everything that they were working for was leading to that. Why did Nunnally become empress then? Lelouch had said that he would fake his own death, which meant that Euphemia's disappearance and assumed death could be false as well, and the two of them were probably hiding together.
That wasn't true either. Suzaku sat up, one hand going to his throat and the other going to press against his stomach as he fought back a bout of nausea. Lelouch died, he knew that. There was plenty of footage on documentaries on that final day under Lelouch; the assassination, the crowds seizing the body of the former emperor while the royal guards worked to get Nunnally to safety, the people of the Tokyo settlement tearing the body apart and setting it on fire.
Suzaku pushed himself off the couch, stumbling over to the wall and leaning against it, barely aware that he was panting heavily. He had seen that footage once, and then begged off to go to the bathroom any other time that it was shown. It didn't help though, he could probably still hear Nunnally screaming for her brother. He pressed his hands against the sides of his head, wishing that the memory would go away.
For a brief moment, he considered doing something to stop that, to make it so his younger self wouldn't have to put up with those images. Suzaku grimaced and rubbed his temples, stopping himself before he began contemplating paradoxes. He would have to let it all happen. The nausea came back, Suzaku bending over and letting himself slide down the wall, resting his head against his knees as he tried to calm himself down.
He couldn't think about the future, because it sickened him. He didn't want to think of all the things he had to let happen, all of the people that he had to let die. He had to think about how good life would be after he was done here, all of those people that got to survive instead of the ones that would be killed. All he had to do was to be the perfect soldier and he would get out of here alive, no more trying to relate and understand people except for Lloyd and Cecile. No one else mattered.
Suzaku looked up abruptly as he heard the sheets on the bed shift, watching as Lelouch sat up and looked over at the couch. He couldn't see the expression on Lelouch's face, but the surprised whisper was enough for him. "Suzaku?"
"Here." He pushed up from the ground, leaning heavily on the wall before pushing away. Suzaku waited for Lelouch to say something, surprised when the emperor didn't move. He cleared his throat and took a step back towards the couch. "Do you need anything, your-"
"You were whimpering." Suzaku froze, staring at the bed. There was movement in the dark, the vague shadow that was Lelouch moving closer to Suzaku's side of the bed.
Suzaku looked down at the floor, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll just-"
"Nightmares?" He froze as Lelouch grabbed onto his arm, feeling the need to pull it out of the emperor's grasp. Lelouch never touched anyone unless he had to. He shook his head and took a step away, waiting for Lelouch to let go of him and let him walk back to the sofa, surprised when Lelouch kept his hold. "Suzaku?"
"Don't worry about me." It was hard to smile in the darkness, knowing that Lelouch wouldn't see it. But it was important to fake the emotion. "It's nothing."
"It's hardly nothing when you're pressed against the wall, whimpering."
"It really is nothing."
"I need you mentally sound, Suzaku." He was sure that Lelouch was glaring at him now. "Can you guarantee that?"
"Yes."
"Good." Suzaku waited for Lelouch to let go of his arm, shifting nervously when the emperor didn't release him, if anything, he stepped closer. Suzaku sucked in a quick breath, looking away and waiting for the order to come. He may have been inexperienced, but he wasn't dumb, he knew what those looks that Lelouch had been throwing him meant. And, since he was nothing more than a guard, Lelouch could get away with ordering to sleep with him.
A cold hand landed on his cheek, Suzaku jumping at the contact before turning to look at Lelouch, still unable to see him in the dark room. "Suzaku?"
"Lelouch?"
He didn't know what about the way he said the emperor's name made Lelouch sigh and lean against him. Suzaku tensed, his hands rising for a moment before he remembered to drop them to his sides. If this was one of Lelouch's moments, then he wasn't allowed to touch, he just had to stand here and wait for the moment to pass.
He felt Lelouch's breath against his neck pause for a moment, a longer inhale before Lelouch finally let his breath out, wrapping his arms around Suzaku and pulling him close. Suzaku shivered as Lelouch's lips brushed over his neck, tipping his head to the opposite side to try and pull himself away. Now was not the time for this, especially still while he was imagining Lelouch being pulled apart and burned.
Suzaku was barely aware of the whimper that escaped him, jumping when one of Lelouch's hands went up to tangle in his hair. The embrace only lasted a moment more before Lelouch pulled away, turning around abruptly and walking back to his bed. Suzaku stared after him, not sure what to do. Obviously, the moment was over, just another one to tuck away and cherish despite his constant repetition that this was a bad idea.
He remained standing for another moment before flopping back down on the couch, sitting and staring at the floor. There was no way that he would be going back to sleep now, he would just have to suffer through a day of sleep deprivation and hope that would be enough to get him to fall asleep tomorrow night. Then again, that's what he got for trying to think about the future. Except, his future was looking more and more violent with every passing day. Suzaku frowned and stared down at his hands. Everything he remembered was true, and staying by Lelouch wasn't going to change all of it, but was it worth changing in the end?
Lelouch sighed from the bed, Suzaku looking up to watch as the emperor settled back down, curled up in the tangle of blankets. He smiled at the image, knowing that Lelouch would be asleep in a matter of minutes, feeling a fleeting bit of envy. Lelouch would get to sleep but he wouldn't. Suzaku shook his head before leaning back, resting his head against the back of the couch and staring up at the ceiling.
September 1, 2017
Lelouch reached down to adjust his sleeve, smirking to himself. It had been a bit of an annoyance to rush the ceremony, but it was for his own good that he stayed one step ahead of the JLF. Besides, he couldn't let them call all the shots. And, since the three candidates were already here, it made sense to knight them as soon as possible. He chuckled to himself, smoothing the white fabric down over his arm. He had debated on announcing the candidates and then Euphemia's new position as viceroy, but he had decided that it would be better this way.
He couldn't have the world thinking that Suzaku had gotten this position by sleeping with the princess.
Lelouch tried not to frown at that though, purposefully continuing to look away from where his guard stood. Suzaku was probably still messing with the pieces of his new uniform, Lelouch fighting back the urge to turn around. He would have plenty of time to stare at the uniform, because Suzaku would be wearing it more often. Lelouch closed his eyes and hummed to himself, hearing the soft rustle of fabric as Suzaku turned to look at him. "Your majesty?"
"Ready?"
He heard Suzaku chuckle nervously. "Not really."
"It's an honor, Suzaku, remember that."
"Believe me, I do." There was a click from behind him, Suzaku probably buckling on the sword that he had been issued that morning. Lelouch twitched, reminding himself that he wasn't looking at Suzaku at the moment. "But I wish it had been…private."
"Private?" Lelouch's eyes narrowed as he realized what Suzaku was talking about. "They're not going to hurt you."
The guard snorted, the sound barely covering the harsh laugh.
Lelouch sighed, tipping his head slightly to the side to try and meet Suzaku's gaze. "I won't let them."
"Playing favorites?"
"I'm allowed." Lelouch laughed, reaching up to fix his collar. "And you're too capable to let go of."
"Thanks…I think."
"Take it as a compliment, it'll make you feel better." That got another laugh out of Suzaku, Lelouch turning around and looking over the young man. Suzaku froze in the middle of pulling one of his black gloves up, staring at Lelouch before letting both hands drop to his sides. Lelouch raised an eyebrow at that, giving the white jacket and pants a quick look over before rolling his eyes. "All the way up."
Suzaku reached for the zipper to the black shirt that was worn under the jacket, the golden design now extending down the chest instead of just remaining around the collar. He frowned and toyed with the tab. "It's going to be stifling."
"You can suffer for a while." Lelouch waved his hand at Suzaku in a 'go on' motion, Suzaku glaring at him before drawing the zipper of the shirt the rest of the way up, fixing his collar before Lelouch could comment. Lelouch smiled and gestured to his own outfit. "I don't wear this for comfort, I don't see why anyone else should be comfortable."
He walked out of the room as Suzaku laughed, sure that he hasn't heard that one before. He's already heard all of Suzaku's little chuckles and the noises that he makes when he's not sure if he should be laughing, but real laughter is the one sound that Lelouch had yet to hear from Suzaku. Lelouch smiled to himself, forcing the expression off his face in the next moment. He wasn't doing this to entertain the small part of his mind that was interested in Suzaku, he was doing this to become better at reading Suzaku, his life could depend on it one day.
Lelouch reached around to straighten the back of his collar, slowing down when he heard the swish of fabric behind him. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, smiling as he saw Euphemia following after him. He stopped and offered his sister his arm. "Prepared?"
"Not really." Euphemia bit her lip, looking at the ground and keeping her voice to a whisper. "I told them that they would be told the candidates today, not that they would get them."
"It's better this way. I can stay a step ahead of the JLF and you escape with your reputation intact. Now they can't say that Suzaku slept his way into the position." He noticed the glance she shot him, ignoring it. She didn't need to know the reasons behind his decision, those were for him alone. "And that will help when I announce that you are Viceroy."
"Will you leave then?"
"Only when I'm sure that Japan is stable. I'll be destabilizing Britannia, I don't need to be fighting a war on two fronts again." Lelouch felt her pull away from him for a moment, letting Euphemia stare at him. He would discuss with her exactly what he was planning later, when they were safely away from any ears that would be listening. Now they were too close to the hall where the audience and cameras waited. Lelouch didn't want to have his plans completely undone because of a slip of his tongue. "Later."
The last word he whispered in Euphemia's ear before separating himself from her and striding out onto the stage, listening to the nobles in the room quiet down. Even the herald looked shocked by his sudden entrance, Lelouch giving him a lazy glance before sitting down on the throne, watching as Euphemia went to sit by Nunnally. He scanned the room, picking out a few of the more annoying members of the noble class, barely holding back the smirk on his face. The best part of this ceremony would be to watch them realize what he had just allowed to happen.
Lelouch glanced at the Knights of the Round arrayed behind him, his gaze lingering a moment on the three capes that were draped over the arms of a servant. The light from the chandeliers caught on the gold symbol stitched onto the fabric, Lelouch leaning to one side to look over the three capes. Peach, turquoise and blue capes were folded together, three Knights of the Round and Britannia would appear to be at her full strength again. And that was exactly what Lelouch wanted, especially if their scheme was going to go through without a hitch.
He glanced back towards the doors at the end of the hall, noticing the servants standing ready at the doors. The first of the new knights would be waiting by now. For a moment, Lelouch had the urge to make them wait a bit longer, but he would have to excuse. Suzaku was probably already lurking close to the doors, waiting behind the scenes to show up as a surprise. He hid his smile in the palm of his hand, he couldn't wait until then.
Lelouch stood up, gesturing for Bismarck and the servant to step forward. It was a privilege of the Knight of One to bestow the new members of the Rounds with their capes, something that Lelouch wouldn't infringe upon.
He diverted his attention away from the two as the servants opened the door, allowing the first candidate to step through. Lelouch watched as the young man hesitated, letting them wait a little to long before he started walking. He raised an eyebrow at that, for the son of a nobleman he had expected something better. Of course, he had been expecting too much of his nobility anyway, they were all nothing more than greedy men who were looking after themselves. The few good nobles that he had found were already justly rewarded for their service.
The young man made his way up the aisle, Lelouch watching as he flinched back at times, raising his eyebrow at that. He hoped that the young man's skills with a Knightmare Frame would be better than his performance here. Still, he was sure that part of it was because of nerves, but even that didn't make sense to him. He had been perfectly steady on the day that he had taken the throne.
Lelouch carefully schooled his features into a mask of indifference as the young man walked up to him, watching him kneel. The words to the knighting ceremony came automatically, Lelouch intoning them without any emotion as he remembered seeing his father doing many times. He only really paid attention to the wavering reply of "Yes, your majesty."
The young man fumbled with the sword, the hilt nearly slipping out of his fingers before he managed to bring it up, offering Lelouch the hilt as he held the tip as far away from his heard as possible. Lelouch barely fought back a sneer. So this one was a bit of a coward? It didn't matter to him; Bismarck would be the one dealing with this knight in the end.
He reached out to grasp the sword, taking it from the young man's hands and tapping the flat edge of the blade against the young man's shoulders, watching every touch correspond with a flinch. Lelouch fought the urge to roll his eyes, carefully turning the sword in his hands and holding it out for the young man, watching the man look up at him with fear. Lelouch didn't bother with the usual last section of the knighting ceremony, a listing of the values that a knight of Britannia should hold, he already knew that half of them would go unheeded.
The young man swallowed and reached for the sword, sliding it quickly into its sheath before standing up. Lelouch watched as Bismarck took the top cape from the stack, the young man turning around as Bismarck wrapped it around his shoulders. The peach fabric fell down to just above the floor, Lelouch watching as the young man rolled his shoulders, adjusting to its weight. "I present the Knight of Eleven."
As expected, the crowd burst into applause, Lelouch waiting it out patiently. He looked quickly at the doors, watching as the next candidate walked up, the audience too distracted by the new Knight of Eleven to notice her presence. He returned his attention to the people on the dais as the young man went to take his place in the line of knights behind Lelouch.
Only when he was settled did the next candidate start making her way down the aisle, all the attention of the room turning to her. Usually this would be a single affair, but Lelouch found it more effective to broadcast this, a show of Britannia's true power. Besides, it simplified the business of the day for him.
The woman walked almost too quickly up to him, bowing and waiting for him to recite the oaths again, giving her answer in a clipped military tone that took him by surprise. So this one probably wasn't from a noble family, just a good Britannian that had caught Bismarck's eye. He resisted the urge to turn and look at Bismarck, accepting the sword from the woman and tapping it against her shoulders, barely having the time to balance it in his hands before she took it away, sliding it back into place.
At least she waited for him to gesture for her to rise, Lelouch ignoring her completely as soon as the turquoise cape was draped around her shoulders, belatedly remembering to continue his part, gesturing vaguely at her. "I present the Knight of Eight."
There was more applause, but Lelouch was too focused on the next person standing by the doors, the servants looking equally as confused. But there was no mistaking that Suzaku looked every inch a candidate the others did, standing confidently in his white pants and jacket, his black boots polished to a shine.
Lelouch caught himself almost smiling, swallowing and glancing back at Bismarck as he settled back into place. Lelouch turned his attention back to Suzaku just in time to see him start walking up the aisle. He found that he couldn't hold back the smirk on his face as the nobles turned to look at the new candidate, enjoying the way that they pulled back in shock at the sight of the Eleven. That would teach them to think that they knew him.
He ignored the whispers as Suzaku walked up the two steps to where he was standing, holding his gaze for a second longer than proper before dropping into a bow. Suzaku really was getting better at that. Lelouch tipped his head to the side, watching as Suzaku raised his head a fraction, meeting his gaze. "Suzaku Kururugi wilt thou upon this day pledge thy fealty to Britannia and stand as a knight of the crown?"
Lelouch expected a moment of hesitation, his eyes widening a fraction when Suzaku responded immediately. "Yes, your majesty."
"Dost thou wish to abandon thyself and be sword and shield for the sake of the greater good?"
"Yes, your majesty." Suzaku froze for a moment, Lelouch worrying that Suzaku had forgotten the instructions that he had been delivered earlier. He relaxed when Suzaku reached for the sword that was hanging by his side, drawing it out before offering it to Lelouch.
The point was too close to Suzaku's chest for Lelouch's comfort, Lelouch reaching out and taking it from Suzaku as fast as was considered proper. Suzaku ducked his head then, Lelouch staring at the young man kneeling in front of him. He swallowed past the obstruction in his throat brought on by something before allowing the flat of the sword to fall against Suzaku's shoulders. "I, Lelouch vi Britannia, do hereby dub thee Sir Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Seven."
There was a gasp from the crowd, a few people trying to stifle the others. Lelouch didn't bother looking at them, holding out the sword for Suzaku to take back. Suzaku carefully settled the sword back into place, standing up and turning to face the crowd.
Unlike the two previous knights, the crowd was completely silent, Lelouch glancing at Bismarck out of the corner of his eye. Even the Knight of One was too stunned by this development to do anything. He frowned, not moving until he saw Suzaku's shoulders slump slightly. Suzaku wouldn't have actually thought that he would have been welcomed with open arms, but the fact that the crowd was just glaring at him was something else entirely, and something that Lelouch wouldn't stand for.
He turned and grabbed the cape from the servant, wrapping it around Suzaku's shoulders and snapping it into place. He felt Suzaku jump at his presence, Lelouch belatedly realizing that his arms were wrapped around Suzaku. It would be so easy just to remain like this and pull Suzaku close to him…but those were thoughts that didn't belong out here. Lelouch pulled his arms away, taking an extra step back to distance himself from the new knight.
The crowd was still glaring at Suzaku, Lelouch very tempted to give out a death sentence to all the people in the audience. This was questioning his orders, doubting his judgment, and he couldn't let them get away with it, not if he wanted to remain in power.
Lelouch shifted his weight, ready to turn and order the guards to turn on the crowd when someone started clapping, Lelouch jerking at the sound. He stared at Lloyd Asplund, watching as the man smiled at Suzaku. Lelouch turned at the sound of another person clapping, raising an eyebrow as he saw that Gino had joined in. He hadn't expected a Knight of the Round to show his approval so soon. But that was enough to galvanize the rest of the crowd into applause.
He smirked and gestured toward Suzaku, watching the new Knight of Seven glance back at him for a moment, the faintest hint of a smile on his face. Lelouch returned the smile, glancing back out at the audience and carefully reading the looks on their faces. They were all of confusion or anger on the few who had managed to work out what was really going on, and that was perfect. They would be happy to get rid of him when he proposed going back to the homeland. It would make Euphemia's job so much easier.
Lelouch took a step back, glancing back at his sisters. There would be a reception in one of the great halls that they would have to go to. It would be better to get out now before the nobles started demanding answers; the party would be enough of a distraction for them later.
Euphemia nodded at him before rising to her feet, taking Nunnally and wheeling her out with Jeremiah following. He stepped out so he was in front of them, leading the way off the stage so the dismissal would be formal. The nobles would know where they could try and corner him later. For a moment, Lelouch entertained the thought of hiding out somewhere in the back where Suzaku would have to walk by. Then he could just reach out and pull Suzaku towards him, maybe even press himself against Suzaku and steal another kiss. He was pretty sure that he knew how to properly use his tongue at this point, so it wouldn't be as awkward as the other times.
Lelouch's eyes widened as he realized how far his thoughts had wandered. This was becoming a problem and an unwelcome distraction. He just wanted to be able to think without Suzaku crossing his mind every three minutes, wanted to be able to sleep without wanting to call Suzaku over his bed, just to have something to hold in case the nightmares came back. He glanced down at the ground, reaching to adjust one of the panels on his clothes, biting his lip.
He was at fault for this, he had allowed a passing fancy to become something more. It should have ended at Narita, with that one kissed fueled by adrenaline. But he had allowed it to continue, even to the point where he found himself looking for excuses to touch and kiss Suzaku. At least as a guard he had an excuse to keep Suzaku away, now as a Knight of the Round, Suzaku would be closer than ever. But that was a good thing, right? It was better for the emperor to be involved with a knight than with a commoner, but it wouldn't be the same since Suzaku was a Number.
Either way, Suzaku would be going back to Pendragon with him when he handed Area 11 over to Euphemia. There Suzaku would be safe from whatever Euphemia wanted to do with him. Lelouch's hand clenched on the piece of fabric. He was probably just overreacting, wanting to protect the one thing that was his alone. He could protect Nunnally, his very position as emperor allowed for that, but protecting Suzaku was another thing entirely.
Please read and review. Constructive criticism is always welcome.