A sleepy groan was heard from the occupant of the only bed in the room as he slowly regained consciousness. He barely had his eyes open when he was assaulted with images from a previous timeline.
Most people would try to put everything off as a weird dream. Most would hope that no matter how detailed and intricate their dream was that nothing in the first twenty-four hours of their wakefulness would even remotely resemble the dream they had. Rolo hadn't been one for such futility before he met Lelouch and he had yet to pick up a taste for it. The rapidly receding headache and lethargy only helped convince him that everything was real.
With another groan, he pushed himself to sit up and get out of bed. He couldn't resist the urge to give his room a good once-over...or rather, Nunally's former room, supplied a voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like an enraged Lelouch. Rolo frowned but didn't cease his observations. He did halt, however, when his eyes landed on his obligatory calendar.
What day is it, anyway?
Being an assassin, his internal clock and calendar were of utmost importance, even though watching over Lelouch was the first time they had really been put to good use. However, as he glared at the offending item, he wished he'd at least had enough foresight to actually mark the calendar so he could easily gain the information he needed. As it was, his internal clock and calendar were both out of wack after everything that happened, and he had a feeling it would take some time before he could safely rely on them.
Looking at the calendar wasn't a total waste, though. He at least knew what month it was...the same month Lelouch regained his memories. With that information, he narrowed his gaze onto one day in particular. It would be beneficial if that bizarre old man had sent him to the same day Lelouch awakened, or hell, even before then. But, he still needed confirmation before he did anything serious.
Almost robotically, having done so many times before that he didn't need to think about it,, he went to his dresser and retrieved his "diary".
"You know one day your going to have to show me what you're always writing in there."
Rolo flinched and tore his gaze from the book he'd previously been jotting down Lelouch's activities in to look at Lelouch. He wasn't supposed to do so in front of Lelouch, as his so-called "big brother" might one day decide to play Keep-Away with it to tease his "little brother" and might get curious (or lightheartedly sadistic) enough to read it's contents, not to mention it contained sensitive information in general. Recently though, such worries had not occurred to Rolo, as he instinctively thought he would just use his Geass in the event that happened. Internally, he frowned, gut stirring unpleasantly with the worry that had been mysteriously absent lately. What was wrong with him these days?
Outwardly, he merely blushed and feigned the inability to maintain eye contact out of embarrassment. "If I wanted you to know I would tell you instead of writing it down." Rolo muttered shyly.
Although he wasn't directly looking at Lelouch, he could tell the darker-haired brunette's expression had softened. When Lelouch got up from his seat Rolo instinctively slammed the "diary" shut and hugged it against his chest, looking every bit like the socially awkward, shy but eager to please younger sibling that he'd been to Lelouch since the day the older boy's memories had been tampered with. The pen he'd been using clattered to the floor, abandoned and forgotten. When Lelouch finally stood by his side the older boy wrapped his arms around the assassin and pulled him closer than the supposed diary in Rolo's hands. The blush adorning Rolo's face became more real and a light, cheery feeling invaded his heart. This only made the worry in his gut deepen. Seriously, what was up with him lately?!
"You can tell me anything. I am your older brother and I will never abandon you." Lelouch whispered in his ear, his hot breath sending shivers down Rolo's spine.
Those words caused a large mixture of pleasure and turmoil inside Rolo but he didn't let even a hint of it show. "I know that...but you still aren't going to read my diary anytime soon." Rolo replied, softly at first but teasingly at the end.
Lelouch chuckled, smiling broadly. He let go of the young assassin and held his hands up in mock surrender, as if such things had actually been on his mind. "Alright already, I give up." He joked.
In spite of himself, Rolo couldn't help but smile at the former terrorist leader's behavior...
Rolo shook his head to clear his mind of memories but the ache in his already shattered heart persisted. Ignoring the emotional pain, Rolo opened the book and flipped to the last entry. So it is the day of Zero's long awaited return. Rolo thought as he observed the prior day's content. That fact was both good and bad for him. If he had been brought back even a week at the least, he may have been able to find C.C. or Kozuki or whomever else was loyal to Zero and not locked away by Britannia and convinced them of his loyalty to Lelouch, if not his recent hatred of everything Britannia stood for. Or he could've used his Geass to free the captured Black Knights (disguised, of course) and figured out things from there. But it wasn't as if not having such opportunities was bad for him in anyway. He could let things carry out like they had except he could be upfront with Lelouch about the whole "taking Nunally's place" business and perhaps avoid killing Shirley and attempt to actually be interested in "saving Nunally"...Rolo shuddered.
Without another thought he closed the book and placed it back in the dresser. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best hiding spot for such sensitive information but he had an actual desk with a drawer to throw any would be thieves off. And besides, Rolo thought indignantly, the other agents watching Lelouch had a similar book that they wrote nearly the exact same information he himself did by watching through the cameras or stalking the unaware teen.
He could hear the sounds of Lelouch moving about outside of his room, which wasn't good because Rolo always made sure to be awake and ready for whatever may come that day long before Lelouch woke up, and wouldn't it look suspicious that the first time Rolo had ever (even accidentally) slacked off from this routine was the day that Zero returned?
As quickly as he could, Rolo got ready for the day (taking a few moments to steel himself for the drama to come) and met Lelouch at the table for a small breakfast.
As he entered the room, Lelouch blinked owlishly and then smiled teasingly. "I don't remember the last time I was ready before you."
That's because it's never happened before. Not that you would have memories of such an event, in any case. Rolo thought viciously, surprising himself with his own vindictiveness. Where had that come from?
Pushing aside the matter for now, he shrugged and feigned a yawn. "I didn't sleep well last night." The lie came effortlessly, though he wondered if it was real a lie at all. Because he seriously doubted whatever technique that bizzare old man and his reluctant assistant had used to send him from "The Velvet Room" to the past could truly qualify as "rest" in any case.
Lelouch's smile turned sympathetic. "Be careful not to fall asleep today." He cautioned in a warm, loving tone (that for some reason made Rolo's gut wrench along with the pleasant reaction such things usually caused). "I've got a match today and I've got the perfect strategy to escape from Coach Nu."
I almost forgot about her. It'll be easier dealing with her this time around.
Rolo smiled back, innocent and sweet, and began eating his breakfast. He thought back to the first time this day happened. A thought occurred. "Big brother, is it possible to cheat at chess?" He made sure his tone was uncertain and hesitant and deliberately hunched his body and feigned more interest in his food than his older brother's reply.
Lelouch frowned. "There shouldn't be. If my opponent tries anything I'll figure something out." Without his memories, without knowledge of what was to come, Lelouch thought his words were reassuring.
Rolo merely corrected his posture, looked his so-called brother in the eye and smiled just as sweetly and innocently as he had before. "I believe you can, big brother."
It's done! Chapter 2 is finished! I was having trouble deciding were this chapter should end but I feel like this is a good place to stop.
Thanks for all the favorites, follows and the review!
If you haven't already, please check out AleizonAilix! She's still just as brilliant of a writer as before and is a major help in figuring out some "problems" I was having. (Especially the whole Live Command vs Time-Stopping/Future-Telling Geass situation.)
Please Note: At this point, I'm not going to be very focused on pairings, even if they are cannon. That MAY change in the future. But for now, there will only be hints that you need to squint and tilt your head to see.