By the time Andre had turned 18, Suzaku felt like he had begin to loose touch with his own reality.
To him, Andre was Lelouch more and more every day. In the way he spoke, in his mannerisms, in how he knew immediately when things upset him; just as Lelouch had. He was Lelouch's reincarnation for sure, he had to be. Lelouch had finally returned to him and now he wasn't alone in his burden.
Yet he wondered from time to time, when Andre made his appearances to the court and those especially in front of Nunnally, why she never commented to him on Andre's similarities to Lelouch. He never dared to bring it up, it was not his place to speak of the past with her; but this fact made him question if he had gone crazy in his depression without noticing and this child wasn't Lelouch at all. Or maybe they had all chosen to ignore it for their own sakes, because the gossip that he had taken such a liking to the boy has spread all over court quickly.
But he pushed those thoughts away as Andre entered the court, dressed elegantly in the uniform of a count. Thanks to his own influence with Nunnally, he had made sure the boy was granted a rank even higher than his father.
Andre Girouard walked to the center of the room, making his greeting to the Empress, his eyes finding contact with 'Zero' before making his way back into the crowed of nobles. 'Zero' couldn't take his eyes off the boy, finding his face in the crowd and never leaving until he was addressed by Nunnally personally.
The speakers concluded and 'Zero' ordered Schneizel to take care and accompany Nunnally with the rest of her work for the day. As he turned back to the crowd, he could have sworn he saw something familiar in his peripheral vision that made the pit of his stomach turn.
He moved through the room quickly, making his way out to the corridors and into the secret hallway that led to his privet quarters which Nunnally had specifically created for him.
He entered the pass code with ease; stepping into the room, surprised that the lights had been left on. As he removed his mask and placed it onto the tall table next to the door way, his eyes traveled slowly to a figure lazily sprawled out over his perfectly made bed.
"You."
"Hello there, Suzaku Kururugi." The girl shifted the orange doll her in arms as she sat up to smile at him.
"Suzaku Kururugi is dead."
"Very well, I guess that it true." She leaned forward and he finally noticed she was wearing a dress made for a countess. "But that doesn't stop you from living in the past now does it?"
"What are you doing here and why are you wearing that?" He could never bring himself to trust C.C., no matter how many months went by with the three of them in seclusion. No matter how many times Lelouch had told him that she was necessary and was the only person they could trust.
"You've stolen Lelouch from me." She said it in such a sad, sing-song mocking way, he wanted to throw something at her face.
"I've done nothing of the sort." He pulled at the cravat on his neck, throwing his cape and jacket onto the floor.
"I haven't been able to talk to Lelouch for so long now. And he seemed so happy to see me again when I talked to him four years ago."
"You're a liar."
"Ah." She let out a long sigh, throwing her legs over the side of the bed; resting her chin on Cheese-kun's head. "You're right, I am lying, he had no idea who I was... but you're lying to yourself if you think that child will ever be Lelouch... even so you're forcing him to become his replacement because you noticed similarities. You think he's his reincarnation, don't you? This is why I'm interested."
Suzaku looked at her with dark eyes. He wasn't going to give Lelouch to anyone, especially not this witch. "He's not yours to take."
"Lelouch hasn't fulfilled his side of our contract yet."
"Fuck your stupid contract!" He was loosing all patience he had for this woman. "Lelouch died giving me his final Geass and I've done everything in my power to keep that. Your powers aren't needed anymore. Haven't you been happy enough where ever you've been for the past 18 years?"
"It's lonely."
"Bullshit. You're just being selfish."
"And you aren't?"
"He's still a child."
"He's just as old as he was when you kill him."
"Shut up!"
"You're always so quick to anger, Suzaku." C.C. laughed and he felt like ripping out her throat.
There was a knock on the door and Suzaku turned around to see Andre walk into the room, a worried look painting his face. "Are you alright Suzaku?"
"I'm-" He turned back around to the bed, but the green haired witch was gone. He felt the stress in his back release and he looked at Andre who walked up to him, the boy resting his head in the crook of his neck.
"You're shaking Suzaku."
He closed his eyes, taking in the boy's sent that was different than what is memories told him. "Lelouch…" His voice was uneven.
Lelouch looked up at him, capturing his lips quickly; wanting to force out the demons that plagued the man he loved. "I'll be whoever you want me to be. I'll become your Tyrant Emperor. I just want to make you happy."
Suzaku closed his eyes, burring his face in the boy's dark hair, the words C.C. had said repeating again and again. Was he being selfish in forcing Lelouch's memories on him? Could he have been wrong all along in his actions? What kind of results would both of them be forced to swallow?
But as he felt Lelouch lead him over to his bed, working the the last buttons of his shirt; those thoughts were pushed away and he could have sworn the he boy's eyes looked more purple than he last remembered.