Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass.
Summary: C.C. is a lazy and gluttonous girl who only cares for pizza. And Lelouch is the man that may fall for her, ahem, charms.
Green Silk and Golden Orbs
x
Chapter 10
x
[2 days after]
"I like her."
"I know."
"But I don't want to marry her."
Euphemia blinked a couple of times as the news settled. Did she hear correctly? Her brother did not want to marry the girl he liked? Possibly even loved? Again, she blinked, trying to understand what Lelouch meant with his sentence. But she didn't get it.
"Why don't you?" Euphemia asked, tone cautious.
Lelouch chuckled softly at the perplexed expression on his sister's face. It was amusing seeing Euphemia blink a couple of times before scrunching up her nose, trying to think real hard about what he said earlier.
"I do want to marry her," he added lightly, "but not now. I would like to marry her in the future. I want to be a good boyfriend first before becoming her fiancé and husband."
Euphemia was beginning to put the pieces together.
"Are you saying you want to be her boyfriend first? You want to go through the dating scene?"
Lelouch's head titled back and forth.
"Not exactly," he admitted. "I want to court her like how Father did with Mother. I want to court her like how Suzaku courted you. I want to propose to her knowing that I care for her."
"How nice of you, Lelouch."
Euphemia smiled at the kindness and princely charms of her older brother. He was always a good brother, the best. He was always a good son, the best. With those things under his belt, Lelouch was nearly the perfect gentleman; he a had slight temper, remember? Besides his temper, Lelouch was a great guy. Anyone would be lucky to have him.
C.C. was one lucky girl.
Lelouch leaned back against the headboard of his bed.
"C.C. deserves to be treated the best. She's special to me."
"I know."
"And I'm going to show her that."
x
[2 weeks after]
The sales associate's eyes widened.
"Are you here to return then?"
"Nope." Another smile.
Lelouch's eyes continued to wander the showcase, trying to find the perfect match for the ring. The ring he wasn't returning but saving for that special day, whenever that day will take place. The sales associate figure out what Lelouch was doing and joined him on the search to find the perfect partner for the lonely ring. There were many necklaces, bracelets and earrings that went well with the ring. All of them had a similarity. A heart. However, none of them matched. None of them fit the ring like a jigsaw puzzle.
He sighed heavily, disappointment crawling towards his face.
The sales associate glanced up at Lelouch.
"May I see the ring for a moment, Mr. Lamperouge?"
Lelouch delicately placed the band into the palm of the polite sales associate. The man's eyes widened when a realization dawned on him. He quickly handed back the ring to Lelouch and excused himself to fetch something from the back-room that contained the store's safe.
"I'll be right back, sir."
Patiently, Lelouch waited for what the man had up his sleeves.
The salesperson came back, holding three velvet boxes in his hand. They all varied in shape. One was a medium square box, one was about the size of a ring box and the other was a large square box. All of the cases matched the case that came with the heart decorated ring.
He opened the large one first which housed a white gold necklace with tiny heart shaped diamonds. The hearts themselves formed a larger heart.
"They're from the same line as the ring," the associate explained. "We just got them two days ago. Nobody has seen them yet except for the Boss and I."
He moved onto the medium blue case. Inside was a white gold bracelet. It was simple, clean and classy. You could say it was the larger version of the ring. The design was exactly the same, just larger; with the clear band and perfectly cut heart shaped diamond.
Lastly, the sales associated opened the smallest box. A pair of diamond earrings were inside, sparkling towards Lelouch's violet eyes. Instead of Lelouch seeing his reflection, he saw C.C.'s golden orbs in instead.
The sales associate smiled at Lelouch.
"Which one you would you like, Mr. Lamperouge?"
He didn't need a moment to think about it.
Lelouch answered without hesitation, "All of them."
x
[3 weeks after]
A smile tugged on the corner of Lelouch's lips.
"That I don't want to marry your daughter."
Hearing that only made Arthur even more confused than he originally was.
"Then why are you asking me to be her suit-"
Lelouch held up his hand.
"Sir, let me explain." Arthur's silence prompted Lelouch to continue. "I want to be C.C.'s suitor before I ask for her hand in marriage. I want to court her because of my own choice and feelings. I want to show her that I care for her before I propose to her."
Arthur remained silent for a few more minutes.
Then he spoke up, "I can't allow it."
Lelouch's brows knotted together.
"Why not?"
Arthur's sad eyes met with Lelouch's questioning ones. He sighed heavily and longingly.
"I can't risk her getting hurt again."
"And neither can I," Lelouch answered back with more force than he sought for. "What happened weeks ago was a mistake but it was completely by accident. I didn't want C.C. to get hurt. If I could change back time, I wouldn't have left her for that phone call. If it was in my hands, I would never allow C.C. to get hurt..."
Arthur smiled bittersweetly. He knew Lelouch was telling the truth; that he was sincere and genuine; that he was probably the one for his oldest daughter. The only problem Arthur saw in Lelouch was himself. Arthur saw himself in Lelouch. And Arthur lost his wife years after his three daughters were brought into the world. He didn't want to lose C.C. and he didn't want Lelouch to lose her either.
To lose her permanently.
"I told my wife the same thing before I let-" Arthur's voice broke into a sob. "Before I let her go horseback riding with our daughters."
The two man made eye contact.
"Are you saying C.C.'s Mother died-"
"She died when the horse threw her off..." Arthur was crying now. His breathing was hitched as endless tears stormed down his face. That day was etched into his memory forever. He had witnessed the death of his wife. "I was with a couple of friends, discussing the company when my wife took our daughters out for a simple nature ride. They went on one every Saturday afternoon. Nothing dangerous ever happened before. But the horse my wife rode on was new. It got scared during their ride and threw her off." His tears wouldn't stop; they couldn't stop. "I saw everything. I ran towards them, as fast as I could but it was already too late."
Now it made sense. Why Arthur was suddenly against Lelouch. It all made sense. Arthur blamed himself for the loss of his wife. And C.C.'s accident only brought back those unwanted memories he tried for so long to completely shun. He didn't want that to happen again, especially to his daughters. He didn't want to go through the pain anymore. The pain was unfathomable. It was horrific, heart wrenching and almost fatal. It was something Arthur never wanted to experience for a second time, a third time, a fourth time... He just didn't want to go through the angst.
Arthur's face was buried into his hands as he let the tears continued to fall.
Lelouch cleared his throat, his eyes watering as well.
"Sir, I-"
"I know you care for my daughter, Lelouch. If you didn't, you wouldn't be here right now, asking for my permission."
"Sir, I promise that I'll try my absolute best in protecting C.C. from any harm. I cannot guarantee anything but I'll do my very best. So, please, give me another chance." Lelouch's tone was pleading, slightly. He wanted to sound mature at the same time. "Wouldn't you want a second chance with your wife?"
Of course he did want a second chance with her. If his wife survived, Arthur will do anything to prove to her that he'll protect her from danger. He'll try his best because his best was the only thing he had to offer. Maybe the second time, his best will be good enough. Maybe even more.
Maybe Lelouch's best was the best for C.C.
x
[4 weeks after; Carnival].
"Are you Miss Cecilia?"
C.C. turned around, half expecting to see a silvered hair adolescent with sunglasses and headphones. There was a rumour going around said silver haired man was around town for the week. She gasped at the sight of the man before her very eyes. There was no silver hair, sunglasses or headphones; thank goodness. Instead of the disappointment C.C. was preparing herself for, relief came over her instead. All she saw was brown hair and green eyes.
Suzaku.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, as he nervously glanced back and forth. "Are you here with Euphemia?" C.C. tip-toed to look over his shoulder, trying to see if maybe his pink haired girlfriend was behind him, eating cotton candy that matched her wavy hair.
When C.C. failed to answer his first question since she was too busy asking her own, Suzaku repeated himself, "Are you Miss Cecilia?"
Her thin lips turned into a fine line.
"Stop toying with me, Suzaku. You know exactly who I am."
Suzaku sighed frutratedly before lowering his head down to hers.
"Just follow along, C.C.," he whispered, his eyes still darting about. It was a habit of his when he was nervous and uncomfortable. It made him look suspicious; up to no good.
Standing up straight, Suzaku tugged on the collar of his shirt, cleared his throat and asked the same question:
"Are you Miss Cecilia?"
C.C. was annoyed. What on earth was Suzaku doing? Why was he talking to her as if they were strangers? Why was he acting like an idiot? She glanced around, following his sketchy movement. She was trying to see who he was looking at but she was too short to see over the heads of the crowd.
Again, she didn't reply.
"Are you Miss-"
"Yes, yes I am," C.C. finally answered through tight gritted teeth.
Suzaku flashed her a crooked smile. Actually, it was too awkward to be classified a smile. It was more like he just show his clenched teeth at her.
"Well, I'm Suzaku." He stuck out a hand but C.C. did not want to take it. Suzaku took matters into his own hand by grabbing her small one and shaking it vigorously. "And I'll be your date this evening. C'mon, let's go on the merry-go-round since it's right over there." Indeed, the ride was right over there. They met in front it...
Before she could say a coherent sentence, Suzaku pulled her towards the gates of the ride.
"Wha- Wher- Suza- Wait!"
As the gates opened, Suzaku rushed in with C.C. in tow. He had her by the hand and was literally dragging her around the ride. She almost knocked into a couple of the colourful horses with the speed he was going at. They weaved through the many animals of the ride, like a snake slithering about on the ground. C.C. had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that Suzaku was frantically trying to get to a specific place on the merry-go-round.
Maybe he wanted to ride the yellow duck with a polka dotted bow...
"Aha," Suzaku declared stopping right beside the carriage seat that was reminiscent of Cinderella's pumpkin carriage. He motioned C.C. to go in first, finally acting like a gentleman. "You first, kind lady."
Her golden eyes looked at him and darted towards the leather seats of the carriage. There was something off about everything.
"You go in first," C.C. shot back stubbornly.
"Ah, ladies first."
"Yes, so, you first Suzaku."
He groaned irritatedly.
"Please, just go inside, C.C."
"Fine."
Slipping inside of the carriage, the merry-go-round began to go round. Suzaku came in quickly, settling in beside her. As she tried to get herself comfortable, C.C. found that she was sitting on an uneven bump on the seat. She reached behind her and felt a velvet like texture. She was sure the seats were leather when she came in. Her hand clutched around the square bump and brought it out from underneath her.
It was a box.
A box she swore she saw before.
"I think somebody left this," C.C. said, looking over to Suzaku.
His nervousness came out once again.
"Maybe you should open it. There could be a name or something."
"You open it."
Suzaku cried out, "Please, just open it!"
So, she did. Half of her expected a ring, similar to one Lelouch gave her and her father rudely returned. But it wasn't a ring. However, C.C. wasn't disappointed at all. In the velvet box was a pair of diamond earrings. They sparkled and shined and called out to her.
"They match my ring..." She uttered mindlessly. "Well, the ring I once had," C.C. noted once she looked at her barren left ring finger.
Too busy looking at the earrings, C.C. failed to notice the folded piece of origami between them. Blinking a couple of times, C.C. finally noted the paper crane. It was small and white and crisply folded.
Using her lean fingers, C.C. unfolded the paper creation.
C.C.
Do you like the earrings?
They're your's even if you don't want them.
Is Suzaku treating you well?
And that all the note said.
Suzaku peered over her shoulder, reading the note as well. He was nosy like that.
"Ooooh," he dramatically spewed. "I wonder who this is from."
Turning around, C.C. stared at him, deadly serious. If looks could kill, Suzaku wouldn't have been dead but would probably be in a coma.
"This is from Lelouch, isn't it?"
"W-W-What?" Suzaku stuttered as he jumped as faraway as possible from her. "I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about." Once again, his green eyes began to move all over the place as the ride came to a slow stop. "Hey, the ride is over." Grabbing her small wrist, Suzaku manhandled C.C. out of the white carriage. "Let's go to the haunted house now!"
Being dragged around by a fidgety teenager was not the way C.C. wanted to spend her night. Similar to being pulled across the carousel, C.C. almost knocked a few people off their feet as Suzaku made a mad dash towards the haunted house. He even cut a bunch of children waiting in line.
"Suzaku!" C.C. yelled out as soon as he pushed her into the nearest car on the automated tracks of the haunted house. "What is Lelouch having you do? Is he asking you to kidnap me to apologize?"
Suzaku remained quiet but still fidgety as the ride began to start. He was trembling on two accounts. Firstly, he was nervous about what he was doing. Secondly, he was going into a haunted house... A haunted house! He didn't care if it was only a ride. Suzaku hated the word haunted or anything associated with it.
They went through a black veil and was met with darkness before Suzaku responded.
"Lelouch? I haven't spoken to him since two weeks ago. I have no idea what you're talking about."
Mentally, C.C. labelled Suzaku a liar but a loyal best friend.
"Where is Euphemia?"
"Dunno."
"Why are you on a date with me? Don't you love her?"
"Of course I lo- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"A ghost from the ceiling dropped down onto Suzaku's side of the car. It perfectly smashed into his babbling face.
He was pale; all the blood from his face was drained.
"Of course I love her," Suzaku managed to correct as he tried to regain some composure and bravery. Most importantly, trying to regain some pink to his cheeks and lips.
"Why are you on a date with me, then?"
The question stunned Suzaku. Why was he doing this again? Well, he knew why but if he told her why, everything would be ruined. Then everything would be his fault. And Suzaku didn't take well to situations where he was in trouble. It made him sweaty and nervous; like how he was feeling at the moment but ten times worse.
He tried to distract C.C.
"Look, a..." Looking around, Suzaku tried to find a scary looking statue that he hoped would distract C.C. from her question. "A... A... A VAMMMMMPPPPIRRRRRREEEE!" The coffin beside him opened and out popped out a pale creature with a bloody face. He almost clung onto C.C. in fear.
Ignoring the boy who was almost wetting his pants, C.C. insisted with her question, "Why are you on a date with me?"
Good thing the picture frame on C.C.'s side opened to let out a little girl monster. The monster was very The Ring esque. It had the blue pale skin and long black hair just like Sadako. Just like before, Suzaku cried in terror while C.C. remained eerily calm. In the monster's hand was another familiar velvet box. The only difference was the size. Before the ride started up again, C.C. took the box from the clutches of the statue.
The box was home to a bracelet that continued to remind C.C. of the ring she had once had and even cherished.
Similar to the first box, there was an origami crane.
She opened the note once they were in a better lit partition of the haunted house.
C.C.
Nice bracelet, right?
The last part of the written note was rushed. C.C. could tell. The handwriting was anything but neat. It was chicken scratch actually.
Suzaku screams really loud, doesn't he?
Passing another black curtain, the ride ended. They were back in the outdoors. Suzaku was finally free of the terror of the haunted house. His eyes were clouded with tears. And the kids outside were laughing at him. They heard his screams.
"I'm in the mood for the teacups, let's go there!" Clasping her elbow, Suzaku pointed to the nearest ride.
Just like earlier, he dragged her as if she was corpse, forward. Cutting in line once again, Suzaku shoved her into the mint green teacup. This time, he didn't come in with her. Suzaku remained standing on the outer side of the cup.
"Aren't you-"
Glancing towards elsewhere and back at her, Suzaku flashed her another non-smile.
"I've got to pee. I'll be back. Enjoy the ride by yourself!" In a flash Suzaku was gone.
Sighing while shaking her head, C.C. looked down at the two boxes in her hand. She knew who they came from. It was obvious. C.C. was just wondering why he was doing all of this. Was this a way of saying goodbye? Giving her gifts that reminded her of her previous engagement ring? Was that Lelouch's way of bidding their relationship farewell? If it was, Lelouch was creative or just cruel.
"Ahem. Is this seat available?"
x
