Special Thanks: EriEri99, Yuzuki Inohara, laughsandgiggles, EchizenRyomaLover, ChidorixCixBritannia, Lovegranted

Time

Part XXIX

8/13/2012 10:26 PM

The bath was cooling just enough that Lelouch was finally comfortable. Suzaku drowsy and demanding had been the one to pull Lelouch into the practically scolding hot water. Well, that was an exaggeration since Lelouch had helped Suzaku into the water. Suzaku had mostly just asked nicely and looked up at Lelouch with those tired green eyes.

And Lelouch had complied. Of course, he had climbed in after his lover. He'd stripped to the satisfied smile on Suzaku's face and slid into the water after him.

Suzaku had needed the bath. Expecting death on a daily basis had left him—lax. It was easier to curl up in bed than to attend to anything else. He barely ate, and what he did eat usually came straight back up in a bloody mess. As his strength started to fade faster instead of trying to stagger to the bathroom in time, Suzaku had opted for eating very little at all.

He hadn't out and out told Lelouch, but Lelouch suspected that consuming food was actually starting to hurt. It was distressing because it was one more step towards the end.

The most awful part about it all was that it was taking so long, and yet Lelouch felt like that was his final gift. He hugged his arms around Suzaku a little tighter, locking his jaw at the cloying feeling in his throat. Suzaku lay over him, his head rested on Lelouch's shoulder, his fore head pressed against the side of Lelouch's neck. His eyes were closed, probably caught in the limbo between sleep and awareness again. Lelouch adjusted his hold around Suzaku's shoulders. If Suzaku trusted Lelouch enough to fall asleep in the water with him, Lelouch certainly wasn't going to let him slip.

It certainly was the hardest part about it all, watching Suzaku waste away in front of him. But then again—

"I love you," Suzaku murmured against Lelouch's neck.

Lelouch looked down just in time for Suzaku's eyes to fold open. The one thing that had never diminished was Suzaku's bright brilliant eyes. They'd become more lackluster, less shine, but now—they were so much deeper. At first Lelouch had been resentful of the change, but now—it wasn't bad, Lelouch was learning it was just different. He could handle different.

It was cheesy and a little too sappy, but Lelouch still smiled. Suzaku hadn't lost his personality after all. He looked back to the water just as he felt Suzaku press a kiss to his neck.

As much as it would have pleased Lelouch to be on the receiving end of Suzaku's seduction attempts, he knew it was just simple affection. Simply, lovely affection. They shared a lot of that as of late.

It was painful to have to watch Suzaku's life dragged out in the horrid bloody and broken mess of his body, but—but with every affirmation of the small little moments, Lelouch knew he was being give a gift.

Clean and yawning on the bed, Lelouch was amused in the way Suzaku contentedly curled up next to him in the bed again.

"You're warm," Suzaku explained. He'd closed his eyes even, clearly intent on falling asleep for real this time. All huddled under the covers Suzaku found a way to hook his limbs around Lelouch's torso and legs. It was a loose enough hold that Lelouch still felt comfortable and yet there wouldn't be any getting away unless Suzaku let him.

Just then Charley leaped onto the bed, aiding in Suzaku's search for warmth as she curled up against his legs. She had shut her own eyes as a content exhale form her nose.

Stuck in the middle between the two of them Lelouch was left with no choice but to let his body sink into the covers and admit he was staying for a while. With little options left, Lelouch moved his arm back around Suzaku's shoulder.

"I uh,"

Lelouch looked down. He was startled by the fact that Suzaku was even still awake, He was even more surprised Suzaku's eyes were still wide, looking straight up at Lelouch.

"There's, I mean there's always been something I've wanted to ask you," He sounded nervous, he tightened his grip on Lelouch's arm just a bit more, tugging enough to give Lelouch the hint to turn towards him.

Rolling on his back, Lelouch sat up a bit more to listen, leaning his back against the head board to face Suzaku completely.

"I just," Suzaku stopped again. He smiled. "You always take everything the wrong way and I just wanted to ask, or at least get the chance to ask." His eyes were still very focus up at Lelouch. "Just promise, you'll hear me out be for you freak out this time?"

Ruffled a bit of the brash accusation, Lelouch crossed his arms over his torso, opening his mouth for a rebuttal. Then he saw at the look on Suzaku's face. That incredulous raise of an eyebrow made Lelouch shut his mouth. He could be civil after all. He was a civil and proper human being after all. "Alright, fine, I won't say a word until you're done." Because he doesn't freak out. He doesn't and that's that.

"Can I get a promise?" Suzaku affirmed.

Shooting his own look, Lelouch rolled his eyes, "Would you like it in writing?"

Suzaku was sure thinking about it. "Maybe…" that incredulous look was back on his face only this time it was spiked with a nice narrowing of his brow in suspicion.

"I promise," Lelouch growled out in protest.

"Okay." Suzaku said as he smiled. "I'll take that."

This time with another haughty eye roll Lelouch crossed his legs as well, casually sliding an inch or two farther from Suzaku "Well get on then,"

Suzaku pusheded himself up to slide up along Lelouch's side again, comfortably resting his head on Lelouch's shoulder. What Lelouch really wanted to do was to do was turn away from the snuggling, but he didn't quite have the heart for it. Instead, he let Suzaku snuggle up to him and in return Lelouch decided he'd do nothing.

"I have always loved you," Suzaku cooed into Lelouch's ear. He placed a sweet kiss before leaning his head back down and going on, "Even when you think I hated you, you know I never really could. I'd always think about you, and how I wanted things to be different."

"Right because the world you dreamed of—" Lelouch stopped dead in his tracks as he felt Suzaku lean up on his elbow to look at him.

"You promised." Suzaku reminded.

"Fine," Lelouch mumbled. "Never mind, go on."

Suzaku chuckled before he let his head rest again on Lelouch's shoulder. "There is one thing that I never got around to asking you. I thought about it first when I came to be Euhpie's knight, and then after—to be honest I forgot about it," Suzaku stopped. Closing his mouth, he looked away for a moment before going in a quieter voice. "No actually, I never forgot. I was just disgusted that I ever considered it. But once I had to be back in the same room with you again, and I just—god, you have no idea what you do to me. I couldn't stop thinking about it again, and it was just so cliché and stupid I just—I loved you even when I didn't want to love you."

He couldn't even act like he was trying to be mad anymore. So bucking it up and throwing his pride to the wind Lelouch uncrossed his arms. He fund Suzaku's hand and interlaced their fingers. "What are you trying to say, love?" Lelouch hummed, leaning in to nuzzle into Suzaku's curls.

"I just always wondered what you would say—" He stopped again to take in a slight breath, "If I asked, I mean you've already told me it wouldn't be possible but I just wondered…" Suzaku waited for just a moment before he pushed himself all the way up this time. He really locked his gaze onto Lelouch's eyes this time. "If I had ever asked, before this, when I really was a knight and could have given you—anything, everything you would have wanted," he seemed lost for a second before he really just let it out, "Would you have ever married me?"

All Lelouch could do was let out his breath first, then he surged forward to kiss his lover on the forehead. "Of course," He said as both his hands went to Suzaku's hands. "I would have married you. Even when I thought I hated you, I would have had to admit that I still loved you, and I would have married you."

Suzaku smiled, sneaking his own kiss on Lelouch's lips before sinking back to the covers and resting his head comfortably on Lelouch's chest. Lelouch brought his hands up again, one cupping the side of Suzaku's cheek, stroking lightly with his thumb as his other hand played with those cinnamon curls. Suzaku fell asleep almost instantly.

In contrast, Lelouch watched the sunset through their bedroom window. It was sinking slowly but steadily, the bight golden rays slipped behind the horizon and Lelouch was left alone in the room. The dark room around him was a bit too foreboding and just to make sure Lelouch checked every couple of minutes to make sure his lover was still breathing. He continued until finally he fell asleep himself.

Are you guys ready for the next chapter? I don't think I'm ready for the next chapter, to be honest. I have the last few chapters written already, I just don't want to write this next one, at all. Weh! D,: Oh and by the way I uploaded the next chapter of Splash so go gives it some loves and cuddles!

~Reviews are Awesome~