Rain

Bright blue galoshes came to a neat stop on the yellow traffic line as Lelouch stared at the enormous puddle in front of him. Troubled by his predicament, he tried to think of what to do. He could go around the puddle. But going around would mean he would have to walk off the line, which was something he loathed to do. Or he could just walk through it. But he didn't want to get his new rain-boots dirty with muddy water either. But if he didn't want to walk through, then he'd have to go around. But he didn't want to go around. So if he didn't want to go around, he'd have to go through. Unless he wanted to jump. But the leap was too much for an 7-year-old to make. Lelouch frowned and started muttering as he palmed his forehead and tried to think of a solution. What to do, what to do…

He was sure he'd come up with an idea. He usually did, and since it was Friday afternoon, he didn't have any tutors to go to or any music lessons to go to. So he could wait all he wanted while he tried to think of a solution. It was good that his mother had made sure that he had taken his umbrella with him that morning so that he could think all he wanted. He didn't want to think of what would have happened to his fate if he had been stuck at school without an umbrella. Ugh. That would have just been awful.

Hitching his backpack higher, he impatiently tapped the toe of his foot as he tried to think of what to do. God, what could he do? He couldn't go around, and he couldn't go through and he couldn't jump over either. So what…! That was it! A few blocks back, he had passed by an old construction site, and there had been plies of wood there. He could just retrace his steps, bring one of the pieces to the puddle, and then cross! It would take time and energy, but it was better than just standing there and looking like an idiot. Satisfied and proud of his creativity, Lelouch was about to turn around and march off to get the necessary materials, when two blurs sped by him. Startled, he jumped but managed to stay balanced on the painted line. Leaning a hand on a nearby telephone pole, he caught his breath before looking up to glare at whoever had nearly made him fall into the giant puddle when…

When he saw Suzaku Kururugi, the most popular boy in their entire school. Suzaku, who was already playing soccer with the middle schoolers. Suzaku, who all the girls liked. Suzaku, who was best friends with C.C.

C.C., the love of his life.

He was in the same class as C.C., and they were in a separate class from Suzaku. But their classes had recess together, and whenever the kids went out to play, he would always see C.C. and Suzaku playing together from where he sat on the bench with his book. His chest always felt strange and tight as he watched them play together. Not that he was jealous or anything. He hated playing tag, and he didn't like hide-and-go-seek, and everyone knew what a bookworm he was. But that didn't stop his chest from tightening whenever he saw C.C. smiling and laughing whenever Suzaku found her or tagged her or whatever.

But at least they weren't dating or anything. Lelouch knew. He had asked around, and everyone had said they weren't. So he at least still had a chance, even if she didn't really know he existed. But it wasn't like that was important, he could go up to her anytime and make her laugh like Suzaku did! It wasn't as if it was hard or anything, or that he had tried and had only succeeded in making a complete fool out of himself! No, what was he talking about, something like that had never happened!

Squaring his shoulders, Lelouch made up his mind to… Just… Go home now. It was pouring, and it was cold, and grey, and gross, and now he just wanted to go home. C.C. looked busy anyway, with Suzaku and all. He turned to go fetch the wood, when he suddenly heard it - the umbrella.

"Hey, Suzaku, when do you think this rain is going to end?"

"Um… Soon, hopefully?"

"But when do you think it will end? Five minutes from now? Ten? Fifteen? I have to go soon, or else my sister's going to find out I took her book, and then she's going to kill me. And then we can't go to Milly's birthday party together."

"I'm sure she won't kill you," he laughed nervously. "I mean, I know your sister is in middle school and all, but she wouldn't kill you… Would she?"

"You've only seen the side of her when she's around the soccer team. Didn't I tell you that she has a crush on the captain? All of that sweet, princess is complete trash - you've seen her at home, haven't you? You've seen what she's really like?"

"Uh… Oh man, maybe you really should get home."

"But I didn't bring my umbrella. How do you want me to go home? In this pouring rain?"

"Well, no… But… Um…"

"How good are you at aikido, Suzaku? Do you think you can protect me from Onee-san?"

"I-I don't think I can win against your sister… She's, um… She's a little too much for me to handle."

"Then what am I-"

"Oh, cheer up, C.C. It can't be that bad. Here, I have some melon bread that my mom gave me. You want it? I know you like my mom's melon bread. Let me get it out of my bag, it should be right… Oh hey, look at that. It's an umbrella. I guess my mom put it in this morning because she knew I'd forget."

Suzaku looked up to see his best friend glaring at him. A bead of sweat crawled down his neck.

"Maybe you want the umbrella over the melon bread?"

"Sometimes you can be a complete clown, you know that, Suzaku? I'll never understand why Euphemia would ever like you."

"Euphie doesn't… There's no way she would like me, I'm… I'm just…"

"Umbrella. Before I die."

"O-oh, yeah, here."

Lelouch's eyes widened. Huh? He looked up, and sure enough, he saw Suzaku handing his rolled up umbrella to C.C. He panicked. Holy cow, this wasn't happening, was it? He wasn't stupid, he knew what happened when a guy gave a girl his umbrella, he had watched enough of the soap operas his mother (and Cornelia-nee-sama secretly) liked to watch. He wasn't dumb. The second he gave it to her, she'd fall in love with him, and his chance, as tiny as it was, would be squished under the toes of Suzaku Kururugi's cat rainboots!

Not if Lelouch vi Britannia had anything to do with it!

He wasn't thinking anymore. If he had been, he would have never stepped off of the yellow line. But he wasn't thinking, so he did step off, and when he did, he sprinted towards C.C. and shoved Suzaku aside. His cheeks scarlet with embarrassment, he shoved the handle of his umbrella into C.C.'s hand before turning on his heel and sprinting in what he hoped was the opposite direction that C.C. was going to go in.

Panting and soaked through to his skin, Lelouch leaned against the display window of the café. He couldn't forget her face, the way she had stared at him with wide eyes... Those pretty golden eyes that had caught his attention all of those months ago when she had walked into the classroom on the first day of school and sat down right next to him.

Giving her his umbrella was the single most bravest and possibly most stupidest thing he had ever done in the seven years of his life. But he had no regrets. He had done his best and had protected his tiny chance with her, and quite frankly, at that point in his life, that was all that really mattered to him.

Request: I'd like to put in a couple more requests if I may: Lelouch is on his way home in a downpour when he spots a green-haired girl without an umbrella , so he decides to offer her a respite from the rain with his own.

Request Complete