Special Thanks:luckless-is-me, Yuzuki Inohara, Lovegranted, kpopmaniac615, Zakksu, Luving Randomness ... Also sorry but I wasn't able to get around to individual thank you for this chapter, so sorry :(

Part X

White Apple

10/14/2011 1:54 PM

"No!" Lelouch scolded, pulling the covers up and closer to his chin.

"It's cold outside," Suzaku whined. "Come on, Charley," he beckoned the dog closer between them.

"It's not cold in the living room!" Lelouch hissed, inching away from the ever present dog now burrowing under the sheets. "There are limits and out bed is one of those limits!"

"What if she gets lonely though?" Suzuki pouted, pulling the dog closer to him, stroking at her back. She thumped her tail against the sheets and leaned up to give a long slobbery kiss up the side of Suzaku's face.

"Suzaku I said no." Lelouch growled. "She is not welcome in our bed."

"Just for tonight," Suzaku trailed.

The dog had already settled in between them, curling into Suzaku's side, and enjoying all the attention Suzaku poured out to her.

Lelouch looked down at her, his expression growing far graver. It was true that life tended to dish out far more metaphors than one truly realized, but this one—it was eerie how true it rang. And just as he had done then Lelouch felt the need to do it now.

"Suzaku, she is leaving this bedroom." His lip didn't curl in distain this time as he looked to his companion. Eyes piercing right though him this time, as violet and violent as they had ever been in the past. "She doesn't belong between us and you know it."

This got Suzaku's attention, and the curly haired boy looked up, "What are you…?" as realization hit him his expression turned sour fast. Crossing his arms over his chest he gave his own tight-lipped response. "It's not like that, Lelouch. I'm not putting her before you."

"I can't believe something like that when it comes from you." Lelouch responded easily. He would have moved, would have quickly ended the subject and simply left the room and left the conversation they always seemed to avoid. True, the years had healed the wound but that didn't mean that they talked about what happened. Lelouch had forgiven Suzaku and Suzaku had forgiven Lelouch, but as always it seemed that neither had forgotten anything.

"You're paranoid," Suzaku rolled his eyes and shook his head as he looked back down to the mutt snuggling into the Ralph Lauren sheets Lelouch had picked for him and Suzaku, and just for him and Suzaku.

If there was one thing that Lelouch hated, it was being blown off. He didn't care if he was looked at as obnoxious (which of course he never was) just so long as he was never ignored. "I want her out." Lelouch made it simple for his companion to interpret. "Her place is not here and the sooner she leaves the better."

"Or what?" Suzaku sneered as his head snapped up. "Are you going to shoot her too?"

Lelouch's mouth shut without a sound. It took him a moment to clear away the impulse of reopened scars and tear across the bed to his companion, aiming for his throat. They were past that, or at least that was what Lelouch was going to keep telling himself, and the best way to do that was to shoot back his own comment. "Now who is the paranoid one? Don't you think you're being a little over the top."

"You're the one getting worked up over a dog." Suzaku snarled.

It was true, but like a doused cat all Lelouch could do is hiss back. "And you're convinced I'm going to kill her over such trivial matters as sitting on our bed."

"And the first time it happened wasn't trivial at all!" Suzaku snarled, this time his voice elevated enough that Lelouch felt it. He was standing as well within a moment, "Come on, Charley." He ushered the dog off of the bed.

Lelouch watched, knowing all good things came to those who waited.

Suzaku let the covers crumple and hang off the side of the bed as he walked around the bed, the Dog, oblivious, following close behind him, tail still in the air and that sloppy, slobbery grin still on her face.

"Running again?" Lelouch said, just loud enough that he knew would reach his lover poised at the door. "I guess that's all I can expect after all. You turn your back on me all the time; I should be used to it by now. You seem to prefer to make things as hard as they can be, now don't you. You deny it until you can't fight it anymore than you can't seem to face your own actions." He's struck a nerve, just like he knew he would, and a sly smile, that frightening side of Lelouch's that reveled in watching Suzaku in pain had reared its ugly head.

"I never ran from anything." Suzaku hissed.

"Right, you just ran from you inheritance, your country, your loyalty," Lelouch said off handedly. "You only run from the important things. Our bedroom on the other hand…"

"I'm not having this argument with you tonight." Suzaku growled before tromping back to the bed he snatched a pillow. He then continued to the closet.

"You're good at abandonment as well." Lelouch said, a smile striking again.

Suzaku didn't acknowledge him, instead pulling a blanket out from the top shelf and folding it under his arm.

"Are you finally feeling guilty for leaving her at the very end?" Lelouch sneered. "Do you really think the dog will make up for that?"

They were just questions. but Lelouch knew enough to know they were the worst type of punishment for his lover. Suzaku asked himself too many questions, so when Lelouch started to ask them as well—teeth was added.

Suzaku stopped half way through the room. "You haven't changed, you know that." He spat out.

"And neither have you." Lelouch growled with perfect articulation.

"You're such an ass."

"At least I don't skip sides depending on who is winning the game."

"You're really ugly sometimes."

"I'm crushed." Lelouch didn't look away. "Now get out."

Suzaku didn't look surprised, didn't eve tilt his head. His brow lowered and eyes became that cold distant kind of impregnable ice as he continued to the door, bowing on the way out. "Yes, your majesty."

I thought we could use a little blast from the past with these two. I figured that old issues and rivalries would creep up at some point. Okay, so again, I am so sorry this is so late. But this is a thousand words and it is a chapter. Also Splash anyone? I know you all want some MerZaku. :D That next chapter should be out very soon! But until then you get another shot glass of Time instead. So hope you guys like it and be super excited for some MerZaku!

~Reviews make me smiles~