Price Tag

It was decided that I'd be riding a cable car with Suzaku. Whoop dee fucking doo. Put me with the two things I'm afraid of. Ok, maybe not so much decided as it was pushed into the moving contraption with the entrepreneur already inside. And I definitely didn't scream.

Strange things happened that day.

Emerald eyes softened at the sight before him. "It's a good view."

I muttered around my hand, fist resting against my cheek. "Yeah." I could probably avoid confrontation if I gave clipped responses.

But that plan failed me as curiosity overtook me."How did you know about this place anyways?"

Suzaku was still starry-eyed at the view, answering me distractedly with a "Oh, I've been here a couple times on business."

"It looks like a movie."

His eyes sparkled in a way that a child does when they make a new discovery. "Yeah! Like that!"

There was a bit of silence, but it wasn't awkward by any means.

"So what do you do?" Of course, I already knew.

"My company deals in Oil and Minery and stuff." He seemed sheepish whenever he talked about work.

"Oh. Shareholder"

"Yeah, good guess! What gave it away?"

"Well Kururugi & Co is international..."
"Wait-do you knew who I was before-"

"You seemed familiar so I did my research."

"On a one night stand?"

"Yep, and how exactly that one night stand got to marry my sister."

Barely concealed shame slipped through the cracks of his otherwise enthralled 'brother-in-law.'

"You mean you don't know?"

"No. Pray tell how this union came to be?" I didn't really want to know.

"It was arranged quite a few years ago We just met by accident." I sucked in a deep breathe at 'arranged.'

"Accident?"

"It's not every day a girl comes flying from the windows of The House of Commons and into your arms Literally."

"Yeah, she likes to find dramatic ways to skip meetings."

"So we started hanging out since she desperately plead me to take her way as fast as possible.

"Typical Euphy."
"And you?"

"Hm? I blinked as he stared at me intently, sliding a hand up my thigh.

"You thought I was important enough to be googled for a person you saw only once. I know you're a musician and good in-" I slapped his hand away, burning in humiliation.

"Do NOT finish that sentence!"

"I was going to say music, but if you think it's so inappropriate I'll refrain from saying it." He flipped his palms over in mock surrender, eyes dancing with mirth.

"You-" I held my breathe and looked away. "Whatever."

"Aw! You know I was just kidding!"

"I'm sure."

"Tell me anything. I'm dying to know something! A fun fact?" I stared at him in disbelief.

"How about you tell me about C.C, she sounds interesting." As was the mystery behind why she always wore a straightjacket.

"Oh, it's a secret but her name's Carianne Carter."
"Is she a fugitive? Why is she going by a fake name?"

"Personal reasons."

"What's her relation to you? Relative? Fiancee?" I shook my head back and forth at the wild assumptions.

"Family friend, she was my mother's confidant. Although I assume she's a court witch."

"Wait-she's older than you?"

"We make decent conversation most of the time, so, yeah."

"Sh-she looks so young."

"She's not a cougar, don't worry." My eyes traced the red velvets seats. "Court witch I tell you. Court Witch."

"Yeah but...it's not like Fairytales exist or anything." The words didn't sink in at first, but as they did, I saw Suzaku watch expressions flicker across my face as a myriad of emotions assaulted me.

"Yeah..they don't." There was a an awkward silence as I collected myself. Suzaku was staring at me steadily, his emerald orbs watched me, the look spoke volumes.

"Do you hate me?" The abrupt topic shift snapped me out of my haze.

"What?"

"I asked if you hated-"

"I heard you!"

"Well?"

I stared at him blankly. "Do you really need to ask?"

This apparently stumped him. "Huh?" I crossed my arms and laid back, letting my cheek rub against the cool glass.

"You had it all figured out a couple days ago."

"When was..-OH! I remember." he turned solemn, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. "I was just teasing." He shrugged.

I couldn't believe it "Teasing."

"Teasing." He nodded, as if repeating the word solidified the point.

"Huh."

"What is it?"

"Well I was being serious." it was silent for a couple of moments, with Suzaku just sitting there, at a loss for words. It was refreshing to see the brunette so tongue tied.

"Really?"

"Really." I wasn't expecting a bear hug, being pulled to his chest so hard I couldn't breath."

"Let me go please!" He was squeezing the air out of me. Alas, my words fell on deaf ears.

"That's a first for me! Nobody has ever, really, loved me before!"

"Nobody?" I forgot about asphyxiation for a moment. I immediately thought of Euphy. "And when did I ever say that I loved you?"

He grinned cheekily. "You just did."

"I'm sure that somebody-"

"Trust me when I say that one has ever truly...loved me." The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees in the cable car, all good cheer wiped clean from his expression. His tone offered no arguments, and it was daunting to say the least.

"My mom died when I was born, and my dad's form of 'love' was to beat me so I could join my mother wherever she was."

"That's..." I trailed off, not knowing what words I could say to mend a broken heart.

"Lelouch?"

"...Yes?"

"Let's do it."