Suzaku strode into the dining room, where Nunnally was already sipping her tea. He pulled out the chair and turned it to face her, sitting down with a sigh.
"Is everything okay?" Nunnally asked in a worried tone. Suzaku nodded.
"Yeah. I wanted to talk to you, that's all." Suzaku said. " I had this idea that a weekend away from everything might be good for Lelouch, kind of an out-of-sight, out-of-mind thing, you know?"
"I think that's a great idea," The princess praised, "It'll be good for you two to spend some quality time together. I'm sure you could use it to strengthen your relationship." Suzaku felt a twinge of concern upon hearing her words.
"Actually, I was thinking that you could come with us. What do you mean, strengthen our relationship? Did Lelouch say he was unhappy, or-" Nunnally shook her head.
"No. But even with you staying here, it seems like you don't get much alone time. All those council meetings, classes, taking care of me, and the events coming up, there's so much going on. Now that Lelouch is sick, it's one more thing to add to the list of concerns."
"As far as I know, we're okay. We've never had a family vacation. Isn't it about time we did?" Suzaku reasoned.
"I'd love to, but are you sure you want me to come along? I wouldn't want to make things more difficult." Suzaku smiled softly.
"Of course we want you to go. We love you, Nunnally. I haven't started planning anything, but-"
"I'm telling you, no one gave me any documents," Lelouch grumbled, passing by the dining room. "I don't know what you did with it, but it's not with me." Nunnally frowned, hearing the frustration in her brother's voice.
"Excuse me, Nunnally," Suzaku said apologetically. "I'll go see what's going on." Nunnally shook her head.
"I'll come with you. Lelouch has to listen to one of us." She said, following the knight into the hall where they found the young prince. Lelouch held his phone to his ear, listening quietly. His free hand found its way to his belly.
"Yeah, I hear what you're saying, but I'd know if I brought home a folder full of papers, wouldn't I?" He grumbled.
"Lelouch," Suzaku began, taking a step forward. The prince ignored his knight, pulling on his shoes.
"If I find it when I get there, I'm-"
"Lelouch, I don't think that's a good idea," Suzaku said sternly."I'll go in if they need help, but you need to stay here. It's not good for you to be running around like that."
"I won't be gone long," Lelouch said. "Everyone's trying to find the list of-" Lelouch paused, swaying unsteadily. He used the stand to his left to hold himself up.
"Lelouch, get back into bed." The princess demanded. "You and I inherited the same stubbornness, and I can do this just as long as you can." Nunnally and Suzaku watched Lelouch drop the phone. His face paled suddenly, prompting Suzaku to rush forward, catching the prince as his eyes closed, and he collapsed into the brown-haired teen's arms.
"Big Brother!" Nunnally cried, her heart sinking as she watched Suzaku lower Lelouch to the floor. Her eyes filled with tears.
The knight propped up Lelouch's legs before taking hold of his love's hand.
"Come on, Lu," He called softly. Seconds later, the prince's eyes opened slowly. He glanced around through blurred vision, feeling long, slender fingers run through his hair.
"Suzaku?" Lelouch called weakly.
"I'm here, Lu. Just rest now. Nunnally's here too." The knight soothed.
"I'm sorry, Nunnally, I-"
"All that matters is that you're okay. But this has gone on too long, Lelouch. I need you to see a doctor. If Suzaku hadn't been here-"The words seemed to get caught in her throat.
"How are you feeling, Lu?" Suzaku asked quietly.
"Sick," Lelouch replied. Suzaku nodded.
"Yeah, I'd expect you to. So, you know I love you, right?"
"What does that-"
"Because I do, here's what's going to happen," Though the teen's tone was gentle, his words were commanding. "You're going to lie down until you're feeling better, and after that, I'll help you do whatever you have to do to get yourself ready to go out. You're not going to fight me on this."
"Where do you think we're going?" Lelouch shot back.
"You'll see when we get there. Right now, rest. "
"What happened to the phone?" Lelouch asked.
"The phone isn't important. I'll-"
"I was talking to Rivalz," Lelouch replied. Suzaku reached over to the phone, as the faint, concerned voice caught his attention. He held the device to his ear, ignoring Lelouch's protests.
"Rivalz, it's Suzaku," The knight greeted. He paused, allowing the boy to speak. "I know a lot is going on with the student council lately, and you can tell her that she'll get everything on time, but Lelouch is taking some personal days from school, and he won't be attending the event."
"You can't just-" Lelouch began, attempting to force himself up, and grabbed at the phone, only for Suzaku to press a firm hand to his chest, preventing the movement.
"I know the order came down from the top, but if there are any problems, you can have them call me. Lelouch isn't going to have his phone for a while." Suzaku ended the call, turning the device over and removing the battery, which he placed in his jacket pocket.
"You can't keep me off-"
"What's more important to you, Lelouch? Us, or-"
"What does any of this have to do with-"The pain in the prince's abdomen put an abrupt stop to the conversation, as Lelouch found himself unable to hide the severity of the discomfort.
Suzaku lay down at his side, placing a hand under the dark-haired teen's shirt, rubbing his belly in soft circles.
"We need you to start getting better," He said calmly. "You know what this next step is. Trust me to take over for a while. If you won't put yourself first, then let me do it."Lelouch's violet eyes met Suzaku's forest-green orbs briefly before the prince offered a silent nod.
Suzaku kissed Lelouch's head lovingly.
"Do you think you're ready to get off the floor?" Again, the prince nodded. The knight pushed himself to his knees, helping Lelouch to sit up, still unsteady from his condition. Before Lelouch could say a word, Suzaku had lifted him into his arms and was already on his feet.
"Suzaku-"
"You agreed to trust me, just relax. I'm worried about you."
"I can-"
"Not a chance I'm willing to take." Suzaku interrupted, turning to Nunnally.
"I'm going to get him ready to go before he changes his mind and I have to drag him there. I'll call you as soon as-" Nunnally shook her head.
"I'm going with you," She stated. "He's my brother, I should be there."
"I-"
"No, Lelouch." She said sternly. "I'm coming with you, and you're not going to tell me otherwise. You really scared me, you know." She sniffled.
"I know, I'm sorry. " He said sincerely.
"We'll meet back here shortly then," Suzaku added, carrying Lelouch through the house and into their bedroom, where he laid the prince on the bed and proceeded to change and help his lover into his outfit.
Several hours later, Lelouch, found himself resting on an examination bed in the emergency department of the hospital. He watched the clear liquid from the IV drip into the tube sleepily.
"Do you think the doctor will know something soon?" Nunnally asked, her eyes locked on her brother.
"I'm sure he will. We got all the tests out of the way, and there weren't many people in the waiting room. It can't be much longer." Suzaku replied, shifting in his chair. "I'm sure it's nothing serious, Nunnally. This is just a precaution, and to get him something for pain."
"I'm trying not to worry, but waiting for something like this is terrible." Nunnally sighed. "It's hard to see him lying there like this."
"I know. We'll get everything worked out, and he'll be back to normal before you know it. Right Lu?" Lelouch didn't reply. He continued to stare at the liquid, causing his partner to shake his head.
"And he wasn't even listening." The knight scoffed. A soft knock caught their attention. An older man dressed in a medical coat strolled in, closing the door behind him. He greeted the trio with a smile.
He made his way to the bed, lightly touching Lelouch's shoulder.
"Are you feeling any better?" He inquired.
"Much better than earlier," Lelouch replied. "Exhausted and a little dizzy."
"The pain meds will do that to you. Don't worry, it'll wear off, and you'll feel normal again. I wanted to let you all know that I've got the test results back, and I have a few things to discuss."
"Is he okay?" Nunnally asked, beating Suzaku to the question.
"He will be if he learns to slow down. Lelouch's heart rate was above what we'd like to see, but that could be due to a combination of stress and pain. Unfortunately, pain can also add to stress. We see this in academy students quite often, actually. Young people take on one too many tasks on top of exams and such. The fainting could be in part because he hasn't eaten in days and the stress he's been feeling. I recommend some time off this week. I'd like to keep him here for a couple of hours, to let him finish the medication, and then you can take him home. Let him sleep off the effects." Nunnally let out a sigh of relief.
"Would he be okay to travel?" Suzaku asked.
"In a day or so, I'd say. Some students, seem to think they're invincible, and find it difficult to take a moment for themselves, and may need extra help. I can prescribe something to help him relax and something for the stomachache." The older man offered.
"I don't think I need to-" Lelouch began.
"We're getting you that medicine. You might not like it, but I'm doing this so you can feel better. We'll start packing tomorrow, and as soon as you're up for it we'll leave. Can you do that for me?" Lelouch reluctantly agreed.
"Right," said the doctor, "So get some sleep, I'll have the nurse bring in a little snack, I'd like him to try to eat something. When he's finished his medicine, like I said, he'll be good to go." Nunnally and Suzaku thanked the man, relieved that Lelouch was expected to recover.
Despite his fatigue, Lelouch drifted lightly in and out of a near-sleep state for several minutes.
Nunnally took hold of her brother's hand.
"It's okay to sleep, Brother," She encouraged.
"I don't want to worry you anymore. I'm-"
"I'm not upset with you. I just want you to be okay. we love you so much." the princess soothed. Lelouch allowed his eyes to close.
"Thank you, " He said quietly. "Both of you. You give me more love than I deserve. I love you." Suzaku took the teen's free hand, pressing his lips to it.
"You deserve the world, Lu." He replied. A faint smile appeared on Lelouch's face.
"That's exactly what the two of you have given me," Lelouch said, allowing himself to drift into a much needed sleep.