Lelouch knew he loved C.C., it was about time he did. Even poor Shirley was well aware of that situation, had tucked away her feelings, and accepted the cold, hard fact eventually. The way his eyes would light up in a certain female's presence, how colors from baby pink to crimson red would flush his cheeks, how he laughed louder only at her jokes. It all was evident to practically the entirety of the student body; yet it would escape the sight of one he bore those emotions to.
C.C. knew she loved Lelouch, it was about time she did. Her best friend Kallen had first observed it; the exceptionally teasing remarks, how she would go out of her way only to see his reactions. How she would especially work her wits to challenge him, how she would expectantly await an answer- how she would secretly enjoy those arguments with him. Such were only fleeting, faint signs, yet they were perfectly legible to Kallen- and soon enough, certain others too. Rumors have the talent of spreading like wildfire. Hence, the fresh romance blooming between the vice president and the mysterious pizza enthusiast had begun being discussed in hushed tones throughout Ashford.
They would deny it every time.
"He is definitely not my type. I cannot imagine being with someone as nitpicky as Lelouch.", C.C. would roll her eyes, while a very faint rosy tint would color her cheeks.
"And me being with someone as lazy as that witch? Now, that is going a bit too far. Please refrain from passing such pointless comments.", Lelouch would fire back, crossing his arms.
And both would cross their fingers behind their back for they had just lied.
Immediately, a new argument would commence and Milly would sigh, "That bickering old couple."
Neither would take the first step to confess.
The first step was the most frightening one, after all.
Lelouch's high, never-to-be-broken pride would get in the way. As for C.C., the obstacle she did not care to cross was her selfishness. Rejection was their ultimate fear. How would they face each other afterwards? To bottle it all up was not a good decision, but that was what they had chosen.
They had danced all alone in front of the campfire, having discovered the other was wide awake too on a school trip. It had been such a romantic moment, both eyes locked, the pale moonlight being the only witness. Basked in privacy and solitude, it had been the perfect chance to exchange "I love you"'s, but well, they were C.C. and Lelouch after all.
They had gotten an inescapable dare to literally say those three words, and yet, they did not, at the cost of getting kicked from the game. Even the ever so competitive Lelouch, the boy who hated losing.
It seemed the two would rather live in the barbaric Hyrcanian deserts amongst tigers than admit their love. It could grow frustrating at times, honestly.
But when they got stuck in a locker due to some amusing circumstances- which included a silly game in a silly carnival, one of Milly's many festivities, and there were barely any inches between the two, their hushed but heavy breathing felt near her ears and his shoulders, the drumming of each other's hearts, their glistening gazes, how his fingers tucked the askew and hanging strands of green behind her ear, going by the excuse that "it made her look messier than she already looked", how gently she took off his glasses, before, of course, flicking his forehead hard, how closer they crept to each other (if that's possible, because that was one cramped locker).. told them enough. More than those three words ever could.
You don't need to say "I love you" to say "I love you".
That day, both pride and love took the trophy, though, by the end, both realized- they would be absolutely ready to have their pride or selfishness shattered if it were for each other's sake.
A/N: Kinda inspired by Love is War, yeah XD,, this was very messy, I know. Really. The ending was supposed to be something else, but it was quite OOC so I changed it to this really nonsensical one. I don't know.