The sun now high in the sky, our two favorite brothers were about to have their lunch in the sumptuous gardens of the Ashford academy.
Both of them took a ready bento box at the school's cafeteria and moved in the park to finally sit under the shade of a magnificent oak.
"Nii-san, why aren't we eating with Rivalz and the others today?" Rollo asked.
"Well, is wanting to spend some time alone with you forbidden?" He replied.
Lelouch smiled, and pointed at a bench. "This one will do fine" he said, softly pushing Rollo next to the bench.
They were both sat and about to start their feast when some students passed by to greet them.
The discussion finished, they learned that they would have the afternoon free because the history professor got sick.
Rollo was about to open his bento box when Lelouch stopped him by putting his hands over his.
"Rollo, do you know what day we are?"
"Um… Tuesday? Why?" Rollo replied.
"Well, I wanted to tell you this morning but we were in such a rush… I mean, happy birthday Rollo!" Lelouch almost yelled on the end of the sentence as he removed his hands from Rollo's ones, leaving right between them a little locket.
At this very moment Rollo wished the time could stop. He could've stopped it, but he didn't, he wanted to take pleasure of every single nanoseconds of what he could call the first present of his life.
Rollo picked up the locket, gave it a closer look; it was like every little curve of the locket was vibrating as Rollo's earth started pounding.
"So how is it? Do you like it?" Lelouch said, interrupting the never-ending train of thoughts now crossing Rollo's mind.
He remained speechless for a few more seconds, he who believed that no one would ever really care for him. This only got worse when Lelouch started to hug him.
As he couldn't see him any more he thought he was now free to stop holding back the tears from falling.
"Nii-san" Rollo started with tears falling down his cheeks, running around his lips. "T...Thanks you" he finished trying to sweep away his tears by snuggling his face against Lelouch's uniform collar.
"Come on Rollo, everybody is looking at us." Lelouch said a bit embarrassed. "But you know, I don't care… You can let yourself go."
"Why wouldn't you care?" the sobbing Rollo asked.
"Even if I don't clearly remember our past as brothers, I want you to know that as long as you keep this locket with you, I will always be there for you." Lelouch continued now pressing Rollo against him even tighter.
Rollo was now trying to calm himself, he didn't want Lelouch to feel his heart pounding at a restless pace. To do so he used his geass a few seconds. Which seemed to be sufficient to refrain his emotions.
What he did was just escaping from the sweetest embrace of his life, putting back his mask, trying to cover his shame. A shame that no one could understand, not even Lelouch, because it was both the shame of lying to the one he loved, and the shame of loving the one he was supposed to lie to.