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

Time

Part XVI

1/31/2012 10:52 PM

"I got this!" Suzaku assured, demonstrating as he gestured to the table. On the table, a recipe book sat open and waiting to relay instructions. Around the book were the various ingredients Suzaku had collected from the pantry and the garden outside, all while refusing Lelouch's help. All in all, it couldn't be denied that so far Suzaku was doing a pretty okay job at getting dinner well on its way to getting done. "Now just go back to your little article and let me handle this. I make breakfast every morning, don't I?"

"Barely," Lelouch said with a quick smile. "I make the coffee."

"I—built the house." Suzaku was so close to bursting with chuckles as he uttered the weak comeback.

Lelouch tried not to smile as well and looked back down at his laptop screen. As much as Suzaku wanted to pretend he was the only bread winner of the house, they both knew that without the commission work Lelouch brought in more and more as of late that they wouldn't be able to afford much. It was all about that thin line of discretion, never making too much and never making too little for the household to remain in mundane obscurity.

"A teaching job has opened up at the community college." Lelouch commented as his fingers started to click across the keyboard again.

"Yeah?" Suzaku said as he washed off the homegrown produce at his side.

"It's only for an associate professor though. Sadly when I compared, I still would make more at the newspaper than if I taught at the college." Lelouch adjusted the reading glasses on his nose before clicking away again.

Suzaku didn't answer for a moment. The only sound was of that of the running water in the sink and the gentle sound of Suzaku setting the tomato in hand on the counter to move on to the next. "You know, if you really wanted to take the job, I'm sure we could make it work. I turned down quite a bit of overtime last month."

Lelouch snorted, as if he would trade time with Suzaku for time with a bunch of screaming brats in his face. But it was a sweet offer so Lelouch acknowledged it with a cool reply. "Yes, but if I'm not home all day who will keep the dog company?"

With a chuckle, Suzaku knew well enough to know that was all the answer he was going to get as he turned back to preparations.

It took several moments before Lelouch looked up at the harsh sound of the knife making contact with the wooden cutting board. "Suzaku, it's a soup." he stated with a flat tone.

Suzaku looked up from what he was doing. "Yes, you picked it out, remember?"

In one fluid motion Lelouch had set his laptop on the table and was up from his chair, even mid-stride to Suzaku's side with an eye roll to the smart ass comment. "So cut them in chunks, not slices. You're cutting them too thin."

Pale, thin hands covered Suzaku's and guided him with the knife and tomato, cutting with him.

"Like this," Lelouch cooed in Suzaku's ear. He could feel the heat of a blush starting in Suzaku's cheeks. It was too charming for Lelouch to resist a nip at the others ear lobe.

"Lelouch, stop!" Suzaku laughed and tried to shake Lelouch off, though it was half hearted effort since they both knew if Suzaku really wanted things to stop he could have easily gotten Lelouch to back off. "We barely get out of bed lately as it is, we don't need to be going back to bed at five in the afternoon."

"Who says we have to do it in the bedroom?" Lelouch countered. "Get a little adventurous Suzaku."

Suzaku turned around, backed against the counters and caged on either side by Lelouch's long arms. He leaned forward and Lelouch leaned in for the kiss he wanted as well. It was only to be disappointed as with a wide grin Suzaku swiped his nose against Lelouch's in an Eskimo kiss instead.

Lelouch took a step back from the playful contact, crossing his arms with a grunt (an articulate grunt of course).

"I love you." Suzaku chided as he turned back to the cutting board, this time doing as Lelouch had instructed.

With an eye roll worthy of only the former emperor, Lelouch turned back to the table and slumped into his seat. Being refused by his lover, it looked like his only option was to actually do his work. He'd picked up a position as a bi-weekly columnist and since the owner of the newspaper knew Lelouch (mostly the man knew Suzaku), he let Lelouch come in and out of the actual office as he pleased. It was easier for them both that way. Lelouch had grown very accustom to being an emperor in the year or so that he'd had that privilege. Waking up early and spending hours a day in the aggravating lack of stimuli that was an office building wasn't something Lelouch was up for.

Suzaku hummed to himself across the kitchen and Lelouch went back to clicking away on his laptop. Charley padded into the room, tail held erect as she sniffed through kitchen and approached Lelouch first, always Lelouch first, then jogged off to beg at Suzaku's feet.

Lelouch's eyes flicked up to see Suzaku very tempted to hand over a bit of food. Green eyes looked up and Lelouch smiled at him before Suzaku smiled back. It amazed Lelouch just how happy they could be together, even with everything going on in his head it was hard not to acknowledge that things were blissful in their life.

"Woe, Charley," Suzaku said surprised as the dog jumped up, her front paws pressed against the cabinets so she could peer over the counter. It surprised Suzaku though and the slick tomato in his hand slipped. Red, orange juice made his hand slick enough for the tomato to slip right out of his grasp and in its place— "Nuuhh!" Suzaku let out as the razor-blade knife sliced into his palm. The dog gave a whine just as the knife slipped out of Suzaku's hand, clattering to the cutting board.

Lelouch's eyes widened and his focus blurred just a little at the sight of deep, dark red dripping from Suzaku's open palm to stain the cutting board and with stark contrast shined again the metallic of the knife's blade.

As Lelouch was up to his feet the dog was back on all fours, pushed to the side in Suzaku's haste to get to the kitchen sink.

"Suzaku!" Lelouch said and in one long stride he was next to his partner.

"It's fine." Suzaku said in a solid tone, his other hand immediately stopping Lelouch from coming closer, stopping him from seeing anything.

Lelouch jerked his shoulder away from Suzaku's hand and moved closer. His gag reflex kicked up as he saw the run of blood in the sink. Lelouch hated it but he had to look away just a moment, a moment too long and Suzaku grabbed his arm to direct him away.

"Lelouch, it will be fine. Just go get me something to wrap it in." Suzaku reaffirmed.

His head craned back over his shoulder to see the damage. Suzaku had flipped on the water. The clear liquid splashed onto Suzaku's hand, running over the skin and streaming red once it hit the dark metal bottom of the sink.

"Lelouch—" Suzaku was about to scold again before Lelouch interrupted and turned, a completely different demeanor this time, eyes focused and narrow and lips pressed together in a hard determined line—it was the Lelouch that was never told what to do.

He whipped a dish towel out of the handle of the oven and Lelouch stepped forward to turn off the water. Lelouch wrapped Suzaku's hand before tugging him along with him. "Come on, it will be easier to treat it in the bathroom."

Suzaku as much as he wanted to put up his brand of a fight again, was silenced as Lelouch took control of the situation, like he usually did, and guided him back to their master bathroom. Lelouch hands shook a little too much as he wrapped the wound and sealed it up. He kept his eyes level and down, already knowing that the occasional flash of a red rim was happening in Suzaku's emerald eyes. It felt like comfort knowing that the Geass had kicked in enough to stop the bleeding and at the same time Lelouch wanted to corner the power and ask it why it insisted upon tormenting him! Would it really come through when it was needed? Would he really have his Suzaku forever? He just wanted answers and unfortunately all he was getting was a mass of questions.

Okay, so this has two parts to it, but they don't quite flow. Unlike all the other chapters where I can use one seamless scene (for the most part), this isn't like that. So I've separated them into two chapters, but just remember that the next chapter directly correlates with this one. P.S. Oh I made a poll for fun! :D It's kind of stupid, but it gives me giggles so go vote and gives me more giggles!

~Reviews are Appreciated~