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

Chapter Eleven: Conflicting Interests

Suzaku paced out front of Lelouch's room for twenty minutes before finally deciding to act. He lightly knocked, awaiting a response impatiently. "Lelouch, I know you're in there. And I know you couldn't have climbed out the window; you have little to no physical ability and your room isn't the one near the fire escape," He said bluntly, glaring at the wood in annoyance. He didn't hear anything else for a while then growled and knocked again. "Lelouch, I'm not kidding! Either you open this door of I'll do it myself!" He snapped. He tapped his foot impatiently while awaiting a response. When he received none he walked over to where Lelouch's wallet rested on the kitchen table.

He opened it and peered inside. He pulled out the other male's driver license and smirked, heading back over to the door and knocking again. "This is seriously your last chance, Lelouch," He said in a sing-song tone. Silence was his answer yet again so he calmly slid the laminated plastic down the side of the doorway and smirked at the click. This click was followed by another, meaning that Lelouch had pressed the lock back into place. He tried again, only to have the lock almost immediately pressed back in. He could feel his eye twitching in annoyance. "Lelouch, this isn't funny and it isn't cute!" He snapped, trying again only to earn the same response of the lock pressing back into place and Lelouch keeping quiet. Emerald spheres narrowed before he perked up and smirked, a devious plan brewing in his mind.

He repeated the action but dropped the license and twisted the knob right after it unlocked, making the lock unable to push back into place. He moved to push it open only to find that Lelouch was trying to hold it shut. Annoyance gnawed at Suzaku again as his patience reached its end. He pushed with all his might on the door, hearing the other let out a low sound of pain and the thump of a body hitting the ground. He opened the door, slid in, and looked down at Lelouch, who was sprawled on the floor. "I told you to open the door on your own but you just couldn't listen," Suzaku said calmly as he shut the door again.

"It's called privacy. Now respect mine and get out. I don't feel like dealing with you right now," Lelouch huffed, getting up as quickly as he could and turning toward the bathroom attached to his room. Catching on to what the other was planning Suzaku grabbed his arm and tossed him toward the bed, letting out a relieved sigh when the other actually feel atop the bed. "What the hell was that for?" Violet eyes were glaring at him viciously, though Suzaku knew that their bark was worse than their bite.

"I'm not going to let you just lock yourself up in another room right after I get into this one! I'm not in the mood for those kinds of games right now!" Suzaku snapped back, walking over and sitting next to his best friend. He then took a deep breath, released it, and looked at the other seriously. "I want us to talk about this, Lelouch."

"What is there to talk about?" He sighed lightly, just laying there and tossing an arm over his eyes. He knew when he was beat so he may as well accept it as gracefully as he could, given his previous behavior. "I love you, you love Euphemia and Euphemia loves you. What more do you need to know? Just tell me you aren't interested and we can let it go. I'll just suck it up like a big boy and you can return to your usual state of complete ignorance."

"But what if that's not what I want?" Suzaku whispered uncertainly, looking down at his hands. Lelouch's arm moved briefly, as if he was going to sit up, but then stayed in place.

"Impossible. I'm not in much of a mood for hypothetical situations," The other answered as calm and cool as he delivered all his news. It was a practiced skill and Suzaku could see through it now. He knew inside Lelouch was unnerved and he couldn't stand the thought of being left so vulnerable and possibly getting hurt in the process.

"It's not a hypothetical suggestion," Suzaku said with a distressed sigh. Lelouch's arm slowly lifted and he sat up on his elbows, bemusement clear on his features. Suzaku looked at him like Cheese-Kun after he did not receive even a nibble of human food from one of his mothers. "It's just that… Lately I've been getting weird feelings around you. When I see you smile over something I say or do I get really excited and happy. And I want to watch you, see how you react to things, and I'm not used to that. And when we were at that club and you went off with that Rolo kid or when you were dancing with that Mao guy… I got really jealous of how close you were to them. And not, like, in the way that a friend gets jealous when someone else knows a secret about a friend that they don't." He mumbled nervously, keeping his gaze on Lelouch the whole time. They both stayed silent for a while, just looking at one another.

They didn't really know which of them initiated the kiss but, in their own minds, agreed that perhaps it was team effort, in which they'd each leaned a little closer until the gap was closed. Suzaku was surprised at how pleasant the kiss really was. When he kissed Euphemia it was always gentle and sweet, reminding him a lot of bubbles for whatever reason. With Lelouch, however, the kiss felt a little more risqué yet just as affectionate, making him think more of Arthur, a cat he'd had during high school. The cat would be loving and purring one minute, then latch on to Suzaku's hand with his teeth and claws the next. Lelouch, on the other hand, was too wrapped up in just how wonderful it felt; perfect was the only word his dazed mind could conjure up.

They both knew it was Lelouch who unintentionally indicated that the kiss deepen. He'd opened his mouth, a small mewl squirming free of him, and Suzaku jumped on the chance to slip his tongue into the other's moist cavern. Their tongues battled briefly before the two pulled apart for air, panting softly and staying silent. Their eyes were both blazing with passion and affection, locked on one another, before they kissed again. This time, however, Lelouch's arms found their way around Suzaku's neck, his fingers curling into curled brown locks, while Suzaku wrapped his arms around the other's waist and somehow pinned him down.

When they pulled away Lelouch had planned to say something, to protest to where this was going, but lost any words when Suzaku's hands began roaming along his chest, slipping under his shirt and stroking the pale flesh. The male on the bottom shuddered and moaned weakly, eyes shutting when fingers lightly flitted over his nipples. When he felt Suzaku begin to unbutton his shirt Lelouch sat up and helped, slipping the white cotton top off his shoulders with a slight shrug. The other tossed the shirt to the floor and kissed Lelouch again before he could protest at the treatment of his clothes.

Lelouch was a lot more nervous than he could admit. He'd been with a lot of people in the past and wasn't afraid of the intercourse but it felt strange, doing such intimate things with the object of his affection. Suzaku had always been an unobtainable dream yet now here they were, touching such sensitive places and gradually removing clothes. Skin to skin contact was simply mind blowing and when they were both finally naked, a nervous blush came to the tanned male's face. "What do… Uh… How does this work, exactly?" He mumbled nervously. Lelouch blinked a bit, then chuckled and opened the nearby drawer to the bedside table.

He offered Suzaku a bottle of lubricant which resulted in only making the other blush more furiously. "You put this on you and then put it in me," He said breezily, his breath coming out in little puffs from the exertion of their contact. Suzaku blushed and looked off to the side before earning a small chuckled from Lelouch. He took the lubricant back, put a generous amount in the palm of one hand, then set the bottle on the table. "I'll put it on for you." He said before reaching down and wrapping a hand around the other's arousal.

Suzaku had never had any kind of sexual experience. He'd had naught dreams about Euphemia, but he never used his hand to tend to arousal problems. Not only that, but he and Euphemia only ever kissed because they'd both agreed they wanted their first experience to be completely clean and that much more important. But with Lelouch's hand around him, beginning to slowly pump the cool gel along him, he felt like he might just explode right then and there. It just felt so damn wonderful. When it ended, after a few strokes, he had half the mind to protest. He kept it to himself when Lelouch shifted a bit and positioned them so that Suzaku could feel the other's perk little hole trembling against his tip.

He slowly pushed forward, Lelouch's head resting against his shoulder while a small content noise escaped the raven haired male. The heat that surrounded him once he was all the way in was mind blowing and he wanted to weep at how tight it was. It was just do grand, being inside the other and feeling those muscles twist and clench around him. He moved slowly, making sure to go slow in case Lelouch wasn't quite ready. When he felt his tip brush something that made Lelouch mumble something in English while mewing like a kitten, he made his aim to hit that spot again. He kept this up, noticing how the walls around him tightened that much more when the spot was brushed, until he heard Lelouch whisper his name breathlessly and they both reached their end.

Afterwards, Lelouch and Suzaku nuzzled up under the covers. Lelouch was lying on his side so that his back was against Suzaku's front. Suzaku was nuzzled lightly into the back of Lelouch's neck, whispering sweet nothing against the flesh. Violet orbs darkened with sorrow as he thought about what a letdown the morning would be. Though he and Suzaku had just done this he was not too sure the other would still be around. Sex wasn't a commitment, as Lelouch knew all too well from what he'd done to so many others in the past. As he fell asleep, he told himself not to get his hopes up too high.

When he woke up, alone, with the annulment papers signed on the pillow next to him and a note that read 'I'm sorry,' Lelouch couldn't say he was necessarily surprised. He told himself it was just because of the pain in his backside that tears came to his eyes.

…

"So you two couldn't work anything out, I see?" Rakshata asked in a soft, unamused tone. Lelouch remained blank faced as he watched her thumb through the papers.

"I told you before," Lelouch began calmly, "that he is to marry my older sister and that it was an accidental marriage. There was nothing to work out." He said calmly, his hands clenching a bit at his sides. She gave him an analytical look before standing calmly.

"You certainly don't look like someone who just ended a marriage with a mere friend," She said casually as she headed toward the door. She stopped and looked back at him calmly. "Even if it didn't mean anything to him it meant something to you; even if it was only a little bit. Maybe you shouldn't have been so stubborn and spoken up a little bit."

"It wasn't from lack of trying on my account," He said as he stood and headed toward the door, opening it and pausing. He didn't look back at her, however. "So this will be done by the end of the day?"

"In one hour you'll both be free as birds," She said calmly. He nodded and walked away quickly. She sighed and shook her head lightly, looking down at the papers. "I give them a week before they decide they want to get married again. People that are a hassle like them usually end up stirring up the most trouble for nothing." She mused aloud before heading out to the parking lot to visit a friend of hers who also happened to be a judge.

Once outside, Lelouch fished the wedding band he'd had out of his finger and dropped it down a nearby storm drain.

…

"So Suzaku decided he's going to stay with Gino up until the day of the wedding?" Lelouch asked calmly, not looking up as he spoke. Cici merely made a small noise of agreement from her perch on the edge of the couch. She was currently trying to teach her beloved pooch the concept of sit down.

"He said that if he stayed here he'd be too tempted to ask you about the things Euphemia's picked out for the wedding," She said calmly, holding the dog treat up above Cheese-Kun's snort. He looked at her pleadingly, pacing around her hand like a shark… Well, an adorable shark. "Bt I know that isn't the truth. I saw what happened when I got home and checked to see if you two were even here. Was it good?" She asked casually.

"This is your fault, you know," Lelouch said coldly. Golden pools locked on him but he kept his gaze trapped on his book. "This morning I woke up to find he'd left me the annulment papers, signed, and an apologetic note. But, of course, he was nowhere to be found, in typical Suzaku fashion." He said coldly, glaring at the pages and not taking in the words. How many times had he received texts apologizing because he had to cancel plans? "I know what you were trying to do with the whole wedding-in-Vegas scheme and I really hope that karma comes and bites you in the ass for me sometime soon."

"I didn't know this would happen," She confessed gently, watching him. While her attention was elsewhere, Cheese-Kun pried her fingers open and devoured the dog cookie in her grasp. He then set to licking all the crumbs and essence of the biscuit from her fingers. "I thought that he'd realize he was really in love with you and decide to break things off with her instead."

"You mean that's what you were hoping would happen," He said in the same chilly voice. She winced a bit then sighed, shifting her attention back to her little pup. She smiled sadly at him before picking him up and cuddling him a little bit. "I guess it doesn't really matter, though." Lelouch sighed, shutting his book and tossing it on the table.

"How so?" The green haired bartender asked calmly, her fingers massaging the scalp of her furry little pet. He relaxed into her and shut his eyes, drifting into a peaceful little nap.

"I'm leaving for America soon," He said. Her eyes shot open and she looked at him as if horrified. He chuckled lightly and looked at her sideways. His smile was more bitter than cheerful. "I can't stay here any longer, Cici. I'm tired of playing the masochistic fool. If I go to America I can get away from him and the memories of it all. I'm going to work with a few people Milly knows out there while still running the business out here through Shirley. I already talked to Shirley and Kaguya about it. I told Euphemia at the cake tasting yesterday, called Milly earlier today and had her set up the rest of my arrangements for when I get there. And, since I have you here right now anyway, I decided to tell you now rather than at dinner. I trust that you can tell Kallen for me when she gets home?" He explained with a sigh as he stood.

"And have you told Suzaku about your plan yet? I have a feeling he'll have a few words to share with you," She said with a frown on her lips. Lelouch cast a meaningful look at her and she glared a little bit at him. "Things may be awkward between the two of you right now but that doesn't mean you should just cut him out, Lelouch. He's still your best friend and you're supposed to be the best man at his wedding. I can respect you're leaving the country but I can't respect that you aren't going to tell him. This could change everything between you two." She argued sternly, her glare remaining in place. Lelouch turned so he was fully facing her, a furious look on his face.

"We can't be friends anymore, Cici! Because you and Kallen thought you'd try playing match-makers and fuck everything up I can't even claim to that title anymore! What happened last night… He knows how I feel, Cici, and this was his way of giving me a firm push away! This is game over, check mate, the end!" He snapped angrily, clenching his fists and fighting back his tears. Why did he have to be so weak with subjects that involved that brown haired moron? Why did that moronic Japanese boy have to just melt his rational thoughts? "He's going to marry Euphemia, they'll have a family, they'll be happy… That's the way it has to end." He said with a sigh, his energy drained.

"And what do you get in the end, Lelouch?" She asked softly, looking at him gently. He blinked a bit then gave a hollow chuckle in response, shaking his head.

"I never said it was a happy ending for everyone," He said in a dead tone before turning and walking to his room. She didn't try to stop him because she knew it would be futile to try. He had a lot of packing to do and little patience left for anyone; especially himself.

End

Okay… So… I think I'm going to hide from the rage I think I may have inspired. I'll see you guys in the next chapter. And check out the new poll I have posted on my profile! We need to hear from all you lovely viewers to know what's up!