Special Thanks: Elantrian, luckless-is-me, Lovegranted, Eien-Kiseki, Lazy Gaga

Time

Part XV

1/28/2012 5:56 PM

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Suzaku, Happy birthday to you!"

Their friends and neighbors had all collected around their dining room table clapped and jeered as Suzaku leaned forward and with one breath snuffed out the ring of candles on his cake. Laughter and more cheers followed, all of the people in their house surging forward to Suzaku.

"How old are you now?" one asked.

Suzaku laughed. "Too old,"

There was an echo of laughter from all around before a woman spoke up. "Oh come on, Suzaku, how old are you?"

Lelouch could see it as he watched him, that look that crossed his face every time Suzaku was forced to lie, especially when he really didn't want to.

"Thirty two," Suzaku said, a closed lips smile crossing his face as he said it and his eyes flicked to connect with Lelouch's. The lie wasn't even half of his actual age.

A glass of wine swirled as Lelouch rocked his hand slowly. He leaned against the door frame into the kitchen. The party had been put off for almost three weeks until Suzaku could get everyone invited and over to their house for a decent night of hopeful fun. Lelouch took a swig. There was a few of his own colleagues there as well in the mob of people occupying their house, but Lelouch knew the friends they had weren't for his sake at all.

Suzaku made friends where ever he went. It was his personality, even when he could barely smiled he'd been awarded with the undying trust and loyalty of the knights of the round. Lelouch was the opposite. His colleagues were better friends with Suzaku than they were ever going to be with Lelouch. It put a sour taste in his mouth to think of having so many ties here, but they'd been there for nearly four years at that point, and he couldn't deprive Suzaku of all outside human contact. Suzaku thrived off of others. He wasn't like Lelouch. He couldn't just go off of one person for decades at a time. When they needed to run from the place, Lelouch wasn't sure how he was going to get Suzaku to unlatch his fingers from his ties there let alone his death grip on the house.

All that wasn't the reason that Lelouch was already on his second glass of wine though—and in need of a refill. On Suzaku's actual birthday they'd spent it—they hadn't worn a lot of cloths that day. It was easier to swallow the facts then, especially with Suzaku's mouth traveling down his chest. Now that their house was filled with people Lelouch didn't know or care to know, he had decided to drown out his own depressing thoughts like any other responsible adult—with plenty alcohol. He would have broken out the vodka but there were people in the house and wine was more discrete.

"How long have you two been together now?"

Lelouch turned, realizing the question was directed at him. The girl—Lelouch couldn't remember her name but he was pretty sure it was the receptionist from Suzaku's work (or maybe his own, but did it really matter?) stood a foot or two away, curious eyes up at him.

"Twelve years," not even close to the actual number, but it served the purpose.

"Wow." The girl breathed, her eye turned to Suzaku, still lost in the crowd of charmingly mundane conversations and still on his first drink. It was obvious that the woman, probably in her mid twenties wasn't asking to know how long they had been tog ether—she was asking if there was a chance they would split up.

"If you'll excuse me," Lelouch said as he turned.

The people had all filtered though the dining room doors and dispersed throughout the kitchen and the living room. Thankfully no one noticed or at least said anything as Lelouch slid through the doors to the back porch.

Charley, not allowed into the house with all the guests present, looked up from her spot near the steps. Her tail thudded against the floor boards as she gave an open mouthed drool dripping grin.

"Hey Charley," Lelouch said, using the nick name that had become common.

With the wine glass poised in his hand, he easily slid down to sit on the porch step next to her. The dog sniffed at the glass, even standing for a better inspection. Lelouch held it away from her, pretty sure Suzaku wouldn't be too happy if the dog ended up drunk. Reaching around, Lelouch carefully balanced the glass on the railing about two feet above Charley's head. At least ten the dog would have to actually work at getting drunk.

"You know, at most parties it's common for the host to stay inside."

Lelouch craned his head back to see two curious eyes peering down at him.

With a quirk of a smile, Lelouch answered. "Happy birthday."

Suzaku knew. Immediately he knew Lelouch was well on his way to getting wasted. It was probably the smile, Lelouch concluded or maybe the cheerful tone in his voice that tipped Suzaku off. But unlike Lelouch predicted Suzaku lifted the wine glass off the porch railing, where it had been perched, and downed the remains.

"You owe me a drink now." Lelouch told him.

"Well we do have plenty of it in the house. The Morrison's brought enough liquor to drown us all." Suzaku said with a chuckle. He placed a hand on the wooden support beam for the roof and leaned against it.

In turn, Lelouch pressed back against Suzaku's legs. "I think they're a happy couple, the Morrison's. They always seem to have such an easiness about them."

There was a pause above him for a moment before he heard Suzaku speak up. "I think we're a happy couple." His fingers slid down, lacing through inky strands of midnight at the side of Lelouch's head.

Saying nothing was his best option Lelouch figured as he tipped his head down. Drowning out his fears of death and time and loss probably hadn't been the best idea he thought as he looked away.

Charley, though Lelouch wasn't sure when she'd left came prodding back up the stairs, and dropped her saliva slick tennis ball right into Lelouch's lap and waited expectantly. Suzaku gave a chuckle and Lelouch cringed, his hands sliding uncomfortably away to the floor boards and away from the ball. Suzaku slid down to sit next to Lelouch, retrieved the ball, and hocked it off into the yard. And Charley was off, happy again to have her favorite game started.

Behind them, the house was still lit up, the sounds of people laughing and talking and generally enjoying themselves filled their ears. It all intensified as the sound of music was heard, turned on loud enough that Lelouch and Suzaku could both hear every lyric.

Lelouch looked up from the steps making brief eye contact with the green-eyed boy next to him. Of course, Suzaku met his gaze evenly and a bubbling chuckle made it out for the brief moment. Looking away was all Lelouch could do as that wide smile spread wider and laughter sparked in emerald eyes. It almost felt like high school again, when just a small look at each other had them both looking away in nervous laughter and blushes. A callused hand slide around Lelouch's arm and down to interlace their fingers. With his head kept down, Lelouch felt the quirk of a smile and his own moment of laughter was forcing its way out.

"You think our friends just come here to party in our house?" Suzaku asked in a hushed tone as he leaned into Lelouch's neck.

The words tickled over Lelouch's skin and this time produced a blush. It wasn't the words, it was the closeness and the cheerfulness and definitely the wine and Suzaku was so happy and—of course the dog and the old house and their life and—everything.

Lelouch worked up the gall to look up and face Suzaku's gaze. "I think they come for the dog. She is cute after all."

This time Lelouch was rewarded with a wide, and perfectly happy grin. Lelouch looked away though as he noticed Suzaku's eyes. They roamed over him, watching more than anything, but it was the way Suzaku watched Lelouch's when they were alone, and in close quarters, and about to—

"Since it's my birthday party, can I ask for something?" Suzaku leaned in again, whispering the words into Lelouch's ear.

Lelouch laughed. "I would take it into consideration."

Not skipping a beat, Suzaku pressed a kiss to Lelouch's neck before giving his request. "Would you dance with me?"

Eyes flicked to the bustling house behind them and back to the open yard. The entire back of the house was lined with windows; there was no way they wouldn't be seen. It was so silly, to ask to dance with Lelouch outside and where they could be seen and then there were all the people inside, and the music wasn't even that great and—Lelouch broke into another smile. "Yes."

With an easy movement, Suzaku was up from the stairs, Lelouch's hand still in his own as he stood.

Lelouch couldn't take his eyes off of his partner, couldn't stop watching that smile as Suzaku pulled him to his feet and wrapped on arm around his waist and held the other one out poised perfectly, and waiting for Lelouch to step close enough for them to begin. And Lelouch did, meeting him and even letting Suzaku take the lead. It was his night after all.

"I'm impressed. You're pretty good at this." Lelouch said in a hushed tone.

"Of course I am." Suzaku gave a wink and a self-satisfied smile this time. "I was a knight after all. Yours if I do recall."

It was slow and sincere, they were closer than traditional and they moved as one with timed practice. The house behind them cast a warm and rich golden light on one side and on the other the moon shone down and sealed the scene with its silver refracting sheen. Charley watched from the porch (tennis ball still in her mouth) and no one came out or called to them. It was blissful was all that Lelouch could think as Suzaku whisked him away and through the grass of their backyard. It wasn't the palace gardens or the courtyards of Ashford, but Lelouch couldn't think of anything more that he would ever want besides the mundane and simple life they had transitioned into.

"I love you." Lelouch said.

"I know." Suzaku said before leaning in, and pulling both arms around Lelouch's frame. "And you know I will never love anyone but you." With that he sealed the promise with a kiss.

Three weeks in arrow. I feel accomplished. :D I also bumped up the rating because I realized just how much implied sex is in this so yeah…

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