Was supposed to post this a couple hours ago, as I always upload to here and Ao3 at the same time but for reasons I can't figure out, I forget to actually upload this chapter here, I just edited it for this site...and then forget. I wasn't even busy with something, or called to help with anything, so yeah, I got no excuse or explanation.

After two chapters—well, three if you count Suzaku and Euphemia's chapter—of teasing, we're finally at Suzaku's first day at Ashford. As you can guess, the details of his case being public knowledge factored into how I wrote things. I also made slight changes to other characters, which made it easier to write instead of repeating canon. I was also able to put in some more fun stuff.

Though I wanted to say it now, they won't be uploaded until next week. I want to finish the plans for that commission and, preferably, get its first chapter written out and published. I also need to add something to another project, which doesn't go here but directly to my here and to my Ao3 account to avoid issues.

Chapter 15: Soldier Student

The scenery matched an afternoon sky, with golden light washing over the crumbling but still-standing pillars and stone that made up the ancient temple. Though it was a peculiar scene, as there was no sun to speak of, no brilliantly burning mass in the sky lighting up the area, it just…was lit.

Such a thing would be considered mundane and far from the interest of the temple's lone occupant, who stood silently. There stood a man, one well past his prime with hair styled like a judge, having gone completely white with age. Still, where time had done its work, his body, much like his will, remained unbowed, tall, and unyielding like the Rocky Mountains.

His shoulders were broad, his back straight and chest filled with the type of quiet confidence, not the sort that a younger, foolish buck would exude to scream their might to the world, but that of an old, experienced stag who treated his very presence as a sigh of their place in the world, one at the top where all who challenge him faced defeat and consequence for such. It was a confidence that his clothing matched as he stood in fine silks and cotton styled like a military uniform, with a large, dark, ankle-length cape fixed to his back.

Behind him, boots on stone could be heard as a cloaked figure slowly approached, bowing to the man when he climbed to the top of the stairs and saw him. "Your majesty, the remains have arrived."

"I was just conversing with Clovis," His Majesty, 98th Emperor Charles zi Britannia, replied, his voice strong and reserved, hinting at disinterest in the report.

"Pardon, your Majesty?" the messenger responded, confused, but the man hardly paid attention as he finally turned to him. His aged face carried the effects of time, but his wrinkles didn't detract from the power he still held.

"It's of little importance. The project must proceed as planned." He ordered as he turned to follow the messenger out; he still had his duties as emperor to attend to. Still, he contemplated what he had just learned in this place where mortals could speak with the dead, provided you could locate their souls amongst the seemingly infinite sea of voices. 'It seems like my wayward son has finally come into play.'

Clovis had been both an insightful source of information on the happenings of Area 11 and useless at the same time. He confirmed that his banished son hadn't forgotten his mother as he questioned Clovis on his non-existent involvement in Marriane's death, but that was all he recalled; Clovis swore he blacked out after that and woke up just in time to see C.C. walk in before she promptly shattered his mind. Her presence explained what had befallen Clovis in that space he couldn't recall, but not what Lelouch did with his newly gained geass.

Charles had made his displeasure known to Clovis, who would wish for it if he wasn't already dead. It was already a foolish mistake for Clovis to create Code-R and keep it from him. However, having C.C. as his primary source of materials only ensured he wouldn't just be disinherited but publicly executed for his insolence. C.C., like his children and generals, were all pieces that he needed to play off and with each other to achieve his goals, but she was a much more important piece and one with greater autonomy than any other.

Her giving geass to his wayward son could be read as her moving against him, all because of that twat Clovis who seemingly couldn't comprehend that making an enemy out of immortal with her knowledge and skills was a fatal mistake.

He had much to do

The first period of the school day had started, but the students within Lelouch's class could hardly focus on that. Instead, all eyes, subtle and overly blatant, were on their new classmate.

"What's an Eleven doing here?"

"He was a suspect in Prince Clovis' murder, right?"

"Idiot, you saw the news; they had no evidence. It was all just some power grab."

"They had to have something; else, why pick him out of all the targets."

"Yeah, and I heard he turned down Zero's offer to join him."

Kallen sat at her table, and some acquaintances were with her. Hearing that last comment had her wondering how it spread. Even if Tamaki had been running his mouth, again, Britannian high schoolers would know, it would be some pretty low odds. Did the military leak it? Or did someone's military or government parent mention it, and a student repeated it around campus?

"So, he's not a terrorist?" One of her acquaintances asked, still fearful of the guy.

The other shook his head. "Of course not. The school board would have refused him entry, right, Kallen?"

"Welll…" If she was bold and idiotic, she would joke that they didn't have the best track record without even knowing who was a terrorist.

Suzaku sat at his desk at the back, unflinching as he was looked at with any number of emotions. Fear, disgust, distrust, or curious interest, as if he were some of exotic animal at the zoo. He had expected that when he learned he would attend one of Area 11's premier schools, one dominated by Britannian students. He didn't like how their opinions about him were leaning more neural because of Zero. Still, he wasn't so stubborn to not accept that the masked terrorist had at least proven his innocence in the eyes of the people.

The three other members of the student council also watched from the back of the room. "An Eleven here at school?" Nina, who had only recently returned to classes, seemed terrified of the guy, and Rivalz and Shirley couldn't blame her.

"He is an honorary Britannian. But it's been a while since we got one of them." Rivalz reminded her, trying to be something of the middle road in standing by his friend and reminding her of the school's pretty open policies.

"I know, but still." Nina replied, softer than before. If there was thing about Ashford she was most uncomfortable with, besides Milly's incessant teasing, it was the fact that there were Elevens on campus, wearing their uniforms and attending classes with them. She was lucky that most were a year behind them, so she didn't need to fear sitting next to one or being paired with them for assignments. Suzaku would be one of the few that could.

Shirley grasped her hand, giving it a firm squeeze, grounding her and reminding her she wasn't alone. Still, Nina could see that twinkle in Shirley's eye and knew that she was planning before she did it. "Well, he looks friendly enough, maybe we should talk to him,"

Rivalz might have stopped her, but after everything that happened, perhaps Shirley had the right idea. The guy nearly got screwed over by the courts; the least they could do was make him feel welcomed. "You know, that might be a good idea."

Lelouch didn't express it, but he was happy to hear that from his friends. But he wished to speak with Suzaku without an audience, so he quietly got up and walked towards the door, sure to be in Suzaku's line of sight. As he expected, his friend saw him but had the foresight not to make a show of it as he tracked Lelouch as he strolled towards the door. Lelouch stopped at the doorway, eyes seemingly looking down the hall, when he reached for his collar and pulled on it. It was a subtle gesture that was just him adjusting it, meaningless.

But not to Suzaku, who had seen it, was surprised that Lelouch would do such a thing, and decided to take him up on the offer.

After Suzaku was introduced to Rivalz, Shirley, and the terrified Nina, he conversed with them for a couple minutes, waiting for his Britannian counterparts to end the conversation, or else he would be rude. When they did, he excused himself from class and walked out, the signs around the school helping him make his way to the roof.

He opened the door to the airy breeze and the chirping of birds flying overhead or seated in the trees that dotted the area. The foot itself was bare, which made it easy to spot Lelouch standing by the edge; perched on the guard rail was a large raven with beautiful, smooth sky-blue feathers along its wings.

Lelouch was tending to the bird, whispering to it as it preened under his touch, only to spot him and let out a deep, gurgling croak. Lelouch turned his head and nodded.

"Still see that someone's got a talent for taming animals." Suzaku joked as he approached, Lelouch turning and leaning on the guard rail.

"Well, I do enjoy their company. Still, seeing that your memory hasn't diminished." Lelouch replied as Suzaku reached for his collar, repeating Lelouch's action when he left class.

"'Meet me on the roof. 'One of the many signals you made me learn in the old days,' Suzaku said, as Lelouch was brutal when it came to hammering all those signs.

"They've served us well, so you don't have room to complain." Lelouch was unapologetic for it, as the two boys needed ways to talk without the adults knowing what was happening, and when things got rough for a time, a means to converse without Nunnally hearing.

Suzaku chuckled, but his smile faded as he looked on, worry clear in his green eyes. "I'm not, but I was worried the last time we saw each other…"

Lelouch matched his frown, his brow creasing as worry bled into irritation. "That should be my line. I saw you take a bullet for me, Suzaku. I thought you were dead, and then when you turn up alive, you're being framed for murder?" He asked which Suzaku couldn't exactly defend, though, in his defence, he didn't choose to be arrested as he chose to be shot.

"Think of that first instance as me returning the favor from way back." Suzaku's gaze went to Lelouch's side. If Lelouch had noticed, he wouldn't have commented on it.

"Well, you gave us a fighting chance," Lelouch tapped his cheek, where Suzaku could instantly recognize the wound for what it was. "We were able to get away, but I had to gun down two of them, not without some scars."

"You mean…" Suzaku sighed. He hoped, maybe foolishly, that Lelouch got away without resorting to violence, but he recalled that he was armed.

Lelouch would have been unimpressed with his friend's seemingly suicidal drive to not hurt others. Still, he could tell that the soldier was aware enough that he wouldn't try and tell him he was wrong for defending himself.

"Suzaku, they were trying to kill us. They nearly killed you. I wouldn't remove lethal force from the table, nor would I feel about whatever fate Zero and his people gave the rest." Lelouch told him, to which Suzaku nodded. He wasn't happy, as it reminded him a little too much of how Lelouch conducted himself in the war. Still, just like them, it was the simple if depressing us vs them scenario.

Suzaku blinked as he just caught on to Lelouch's word choice. "Wait, you mean you and the girl got out?"

Lelouch had options here, but out of everyone he knew, Suzaku deserved to hear at least part of the truth. "We did, though there were plenty of close calls once the ghetto was locked down, and they started butchering anything that moved. We made it back here hours later. I've been providing her a place to stay ever since."

Suzaku nodded, as it was surprised Lelouch could be so generous, as he took his safety and his sister's quite well. Nunnally had to still be alive as if she wasn't…well, he didn't want to imagine what sort of monster the grief would have turned his friend into.

Lelouch wondered what was going through Suzaku's head and teased a little. "You're not going to rat us out, are you?"

"What? Of course not. That's one rule I'll happily ignore." Suzaku chuckled; besides, it wasn't like he had been told to look for her. If anything, the Royal Guard clarified he wasn't to get involved or know what the girl looked like.

Suzaku felt just a little curious, as he wanted answers for all the bloodshed. Why did his people have to suffer for no reason? Why did Euphie have to face the fact her brother committed such a horrible thing. "Did she tell you why Clovis wanted her so badly?"

"Not a word, though I thought it would be rude to ask, considering how and where we found her." Lelouch wasn't lying; he had neither asked C.C. directly nor volunteered that information. He learned all he needed from the files on Code-R he stole. "Watching the broadcast…if Zero is trustworthy, then I can only shudder what my foolish older brother got involved in." He sighed.

"You don't seem all that upset about it, Clovis' death, I mean." Suzaku noted that most would show some sort of response, but Lelouch seemed more bored than anything else.

Lelouch looked at him, silent as the two matched the other's intensity. Lelouch eventually looked away towards the campus. "Clovis is dead, given a slow, miserable death by Zero," He was blunt, starting with the truth. "But the man I knew, the brother that I respected and loved…he died a long time ago. That Clovis would never have been involved in secrets projects or ordered bloodshed to protect himself."

Even now, he couldn't bring himself to care about his brother, as every good memory he had of him would forever be tainted by the man he turned into. That fact only garnered rage in him. Rage at his brother, sure, but rage at what force turned the kind painter he respected and cherished into just another monster he gladly put down. "As far as I'm concerned, Zero put down just another one of my father's mad dogs, nothing more."

Suzaku frowned, as he didn't see his face, but he could bet he knew Lelouch's expression. He could hear the anger-no, the deep simmering rage at his friend's core. He had only witnessed a snippet of it back in Shinjuku when they met face to face, and Lelouch nearly shot him, but he had hoped that was all there was at that moment.

He could see that he was wrong, so extremely wrong as it seemed like that wrath, that broken all-consuming fury, was alive and well, stronger than when Lelouch made his vow to him all those years ago.

Lelouch coughed, breaking the dreary mode as he continued to pet his raven, which Suzaku thought was larger than the norm. "In any case, I'm happy that it all worked out. Nunnally was incredibly upset when she first heard the news."

"I'm sorry about that; she doesn't need any grief from me." Suzaku was happy for the two to move on.

Lelouch shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Suzaku. You got dealt a bad hand, but through luck or some divine intervention, you'll still breathing." Suzaku moved closer, but it snapped at him when he reached for the raven. Suzaku needed to pull his hand back before he was bit.

Now, with the bird openly glaring at Suzaku, Lelouch could only chuckle at how absurd the scene was. "It seems like you still have issues with animals. That's going to be a bit of an issue as Nunnally and I have taken to caring for plenty, not just Huginn here." Lelouch went about calming his bird, the animal proving receptive to his touch and soft words.

"Oh no," Suzaku shuddered. I've been calling you Lelouch, but is it safe to use your name in public?"

"Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia died during the invasion. But Lelouch and Nunnally Lamperouge are alive and well. Officially, our parents were deceased, though word is I was never close to my father, who left my mother for another woman." Lelouch replied.

"Well, that's one way to explain whenever you get that face when your father's brought up." Suzaku joked as Lelouch. When he was younger, he thought he had the perfect poker face, but just mentioning the word 'father' or some other form of it around it always got him to frown and glare.

"And what about you," Lelouch turned the situation from being teased. "I'm grateful you're alive and enrolled here, but I can't stop thinking about the how. You're not the type that would ask for it if the government wants to pretend they cared about justice."

"Don't act like I'm a complete meat-head; I was able to keep up with some of my studies in the military," Suzaku was never thrilled about studying, but it didn't avoid it either. But thinking of why he was attending brought a smile to his face. "As for how I got here, well…I met someone. Someone that thought a 17-year-old should attend school."

Lelouch could pick up a lot from that, namely that whoever this mysterious benefactor was, they had a large impact on Suzaku, a positive impact at that. Also, the fact that he didn't name them meant that they didn't want people to know them, or perhaps he didn't want to advertise that. Whichever it was, Lelouch wouldn't pry.

"You, my friend, may have gotten some favor from on high. How else would you explain how terrible your luck was, only for it to turn on its head with you meeting a Britannian with enough wealth and kindness to put you back in school." Lelouch focused on the good that came from that act of goodwill towards someone Britannian dogma called lesser.

Suzaku was just as happy about it, if not more so, for what it meant. "Maybe you're right; the odds of us ending up at the same school were pretty low. But it was nice to see it, proof that there was good to be found in Britannia."

"Well, it won't be smooth sailing. Ashford might not bar your people from attending, but that doesn't mean its students will be so welcoming," Lelouch warned him.

"I can handle that." Lelouch's brow rose at that predictable response.

"You idiot, you don't have to. You're speaking to the VP of the student council. If anyone gives you grief or breaks the school's rules to mess with you, just report it to me or any other council member…" "Well, you'll do well to avoid Nina. She doesn't hate Japanese people or think them inferior, but" How does one explain the trauma of a friend to another.

Lucky for both of them, he didn't need to, so Suzaku stopped him. "I saw it earlier, I understand. Still, I wouldn't want to bother you all. It would-"

"It would nothing. It doesn't matter the how or who. You're a student now, which means you're entitled to all the privileges and protections it brings." Lelouch reminded him as he saw that his friend was just as if not more boneheaded when he rescued you. He couldn't get him to join Zero, but he would be damned if Lelouch Lamperouge couldn't stand up for his friend in his domain.

As Suzaku found an old friend at his new school, Euphemia was being given the full tour of the Viceroy's palace, one that she had been avoiding since she arrived and one she knew her sister had flatly rejected, finding that cleaning up the administrative state took priority over what she deemed to be unimportant architecture and décor.

Euphemia wouldn't word it so harshly, but she could certainly see why her sister would say such as the palace; at least its interior was designed like any other palace or large estate Euphemia had seen growing up and with such wealth and splendor, there was a limit at which it ceased being impressive and blending together.

But if she had to pick one reason she had avoided by helping her sister in her capacity of Sub-Viceroy, it would be the room she was in now. One of the larger ones set aside from the rest of the building. It rested in the private areas of the Viceroy's Palace, close to what had been Clovis' bed chambers, now her sisters. Around her were dozens of pieces of art, painted or drawn into frames of varying size. Some the size that one could find on a desk, others the sort that would need a dedicated wall in a commoner's home.

"Were all these painted by Clovis?" Euphemia asked her guide, who stood with a hand over his heart.

"Yes, your Highness. His Highness, Prince Clovis spent most of his free time in this room." He replied as Euphemia looked over all of them. They were each beautiful pieces of art, painted depicting all manner of things with wonderful attention to detail and color choice and blend.

Placing a hand on one such painting, she couldn't help but frown. "Such gentle colors, and yet…the man who created all these could still commit something awful." She felt close to tears but wouldn't shed them anymore.

Looking over the rest, she found one in the center of the wall, the largest by far, nearly painted to scale. It was a painting of Consort Marriane, seated in her gazebo and wearing her favorite blue dress. On her lap was little Nunnally, the painting capturing just how pure and energetic she once was, wearing her mother's ornate hat. To her side was her son, Lelouch.

It was a window into a better time, a simpler time for all of them. She wondered if Clovis painted it before or after he changed, as she knew he didn't create this the last time they spoke in person. She also knew why he ever requested this position. 'He must have wished to have something to remember them by.'

"Lady Marriane…Nunnally…Lelouch, what would you do? Would you approve of any of this?" She whispered, as she often did when she was challenged by something she couldn't find a way out of. But alas, she never got a response, and it didn't change now. All she could do…was do right by their memory and ensure this tragedy didn't go unpunished or be allowed to repeat. Cornelia might not agree, but they did agree that the root of all of it was 'Project Eden' so they could work together to find any trace or clue and ensure that it was dismantled.

The day turned to afternoon and progressed further as the sun set over Area 11. Most of the settlement had returned home for the night, and the Lamperouge residence was no different. Nunnally would typically be the one waiting for her brother, but today, Lelouch returned from classes before she did. Nunnally called to tell him she was getting extra lessons from her teacher.

The exiled prince sat at their dinner table, their pets lounging around them as he read through a neurology book. When the door opened, Sayoko wheeled in Nunnally. "Hi, Lelouch. I've returned home."

Lelouch smiled as he stood to greet her, a couple of the birds coming down to land on her shoulder and thighs and happily chirping away. "Welcome, little sister. I hope your day was good."

"It was just a little confusing with our English work, is all." Nunnally replied as she reached for all of the birds before the dogs came over. Sayoko appreciated how such large creatures were so gentle and loving with her mistress. Nunnally's touch always brought joy to them.

"Well, I know my sister is an intelligent young lady, so you'll get through it. But I have a present for you, " Lelouch said.

"A present? What is it?" Nunnally asked as Lelouch signaled for Sayoko to remain silent.

"Someone I know you're appreciated." Lelouch kept it vague, which only got Nunnally all the more curious, but he often had things like that for her, so she'd wait to see what it was this time. She heard footsteps, but they didn't match anyone she knew, and her brother wouldn't just let strangers into their home…well, he let C.C., but he was just being secretive about his love life. This was new but also…familiar in a way she couldn't place.

She heard clothing rustling as the figure knelt by her side, yet another point that they must be someone her brother both knew and deeply trusted; he hardly let anyone close to her. The question was answered when the figure gently grasped her hand and allowed her to feel theirs. All at once, it hit her as she finally figured out who it was.

"This hand, but it can't be…but…I won't forget it. Thank heaven, I knew it, I just know you'll be all right." She started crying in relief and joy as it had been so long, years even. She had thought him dead, then about to be killed for a crime she just knew he didn't commit, and now, he was here, safe and sound.

Suzaku choked a bit, just as overwhelmed by relief and happiness as Nunnally was. The boy could not control himself as she wrapped her up in a big hug. The girl cried as he crushed her, but she didn't care as she tried to match it. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you again, Nunnally."

Eventually, Lelouch could get the two to detach from one another. However, Nunnally insisted that Suzaku sit next to her at the dinner table as Sayoko and Lelouch served their meal. Having enjoyed her brother's cooking and the company of a dearly missed friend, Nunnally wished for it to continue.

"So tell me, you will stay the night, won't you?" Nunnally asked, as with how late it was, it couldn't possibly be expected to return to base.

"I'm afraid not." Suzaku, sadly, was expected to do just that.

"Oh." Nunnally sounded as Lelouch reached a handover, laying it over hers.

"He's been enrolled into Ashford Academy, Nunnally, so you'll be able to see him much whenever you like. If not, I can always drag him over as he's in my class." He joked, which got Nunnally to smile again, brighter than before. She thought this would just be a visit, but if he was attending with them, it would be the first of many.

Suzaku wasn't against spending more time with Nunnally, but he couldn't help but make a dig at Lelouch. "Like you have the power for that, Mr 'I can't do exercise.'"

"I wasn't that bad." Lelouch deflected only for Suzaku to dig deeper.

"I'm sure Tohdoh-sensei would disagree; you would hide whenever it came looking for you." Honestly, it was as fun as it was confusing to witness how Lelouch would find the weirdest spots to hide and react when he was found and dragged off for training. "Besides, it's not like I'll always be on campus; I still have my military duties."

"Oh, you're…still enlisted?" Yeah, he kinda figured Nunnally wouldn't be thrilled about that, not when he had been framed and nearly killed by his superiors.

"Don't worry. I was reassigned to the engineering corps, which is a lot less dangerous, and my boss seems to be someone with connections. No wrongful arrests for me for a while." He joked though it was true that Lloyd's benefactor was someone of importance, enough that it was just him who was taken the last time.

Lelouch found that reassignment suspicious. Maybe it was to save face, but seeing how it wasn't announced, it couldn't have been some means of enduring the military to the now sceptic masses. "What? They have you as the help as last I checked; you could hardly sit still in lessons and have no talent for engineering."

"I wasn't that bad." It was Suzaku's turn to deflect, and Lelouch wouldn't pass up the chance to get back at him.

"I recall your tutors liking me better as a certain someone would rather run laps or mess around in his training gear." He smirked as he recalled how he impressed the older lady when he started speaking in Japanese. It wasn't the best, and his grammar and vocabulary weren't comparable to a younger child, but he got that good in just a couple weeks.

"Well…you're not wrong." Suzaku conceded, leaving Lelouch feeling quite smug.

Nunnally didn't need to see to know that, and as his little sister, it was her job to keep his ego in check. If she could have fun while doing it, that was just a bonus. "And you're not wrong either, Suzaku. Big brother hates exercising and only did it because he couldn't keep up with all the dogs on walks and because Milly outran him."

Suzaku's brow rose at that, looking towards Lelouch, who now looked a lot less willing to talk and more interested in his slice of cake. "That's not too bad…" Suzaku tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, as he had seen the hounds when he was let in earlier. They were massive and easily all in great shape. This Milly could also be someone in good physical condition.

"She was dressed in an evening dress and in heels." Nunnally revealing that only made the Japanese boy laugh, leaving Lelouch miffed that his sister brought up that incident. His embarrassment over it was made worse by how hard Suzaku laughed about it.

It took some time and a lot of effort, but Suzaku reigned in his laughter at that. He just…oh, Lelouch was always like that. If he had been told anyone else had been outran in those conditions, he would have been sceptical about it, but Lelouch? Well, it was a miracle that he could carry Nunnally when they were younger, a miracle he chalked up to just how stubborn Lelouch could be rather than physical capability.

"I guess it was too much for his pride to take?" Suzaku guessed as Nunnally beamed a little too brightly at her brother's misfortune.

"I already have Nunnally plotting with C.C. Don't you go join her, too," Lelouch grunted.

"C.C.?" Suzaku asked.

"His girlfriend. She's been staying with us for a few days now. She should come down and meet him." At Nunnally's explanation, Suzaku put 2 and 2 together and turned a startled and dubious look towards Lelouch, who mouthed 'later' before he answered Nunnally's statement."

"I asked that she give us the room; I wanted you to have the chance to properly reunite with Suzaku." Lelouch explained that, though C.C. had made it easy when she flashed his credit card and returned to…their room, she probably already ordered pizzas when he wasn't looking.

Suzaku had plenty of questions about that, but that could wait. Right now, he couldn't resist the urge to be just a little bit of an ass as he leaned toward Nunnally and faux-whispered. "So…a girlfriend?"

Nunnally giggled as she returned the gesture. "I was surprised, too. I was worried that my brother spent too much time caring for me, as he only went out gambling with Rivalz. I should have known he was shy about introducing me to his lover."

Lelouch groaned into his hand, knowing this would become a recurring issue. It was made worse when he cleared up the air with Suzaku later and reluctantly confirmed that he and C.C. had slept together. "Nunnally, can we please not discuss my love life?"

"Oh, fine." Nunnally seemed to want to tease him more, but she supposed he had enough for the night.

"Well, I'll go get us another pot of tea," Lelouch stated as he stood, reaching for the now-empty teapot.

"I can help you with that." Suzaku rose to help him but stopped when Lelouch raised his hand.

"You can help by remaining seated. This time around, we're hosting you." Lelouch told him as he turned to head towards the kitchen to start brewing that fresh pot. "How odd, you're much mellow than you used to be."

"And you're a lot brusquer," Suzaku quipped back as Lelouch turned a corner and stopped before continuing.

"You know, if you wish to sit with us, you can." He stated as he walked past C.C., the woman leaning against the wall as Lelouch emptied out the pot of its tea bags and went about washing it out.

"Is it wise to bring him here?" C.C. asked, her gaze on the other room, where a soldier sat exchanging stories with her contractor's little sister. They both knew the soldier wouldn't leave the army for their rebellion.

Lelouch paused as he cleaned out the pot. Before he continued, he went back to her. "Don't worry about it. I believe he's trustworthy, at least about not exposing you or my involvement in things."

"Believe or know?" C.C. pressed as Lelouch rinsed out the pot and filled it with water before placing it on the stove and turning the heat on.

It took him a while to respond, enough that C.C. turned to leave, thinking he had no answer. "…Both. He's a friend, C.C. I know the kind of man he is; he's a good man, better than me. As long as he doesn't suspect anything, he won't speak about us or you to anyone."

Soon, the night came to an end, as they all had school in the morning. While Nunnally protested, Lelouch wasn't having it and had Sayoko come and take her off to get ready for bed. Lelouch was the one who walked Suzaku towards the door to send him off.

"You should come by again, Nunnally, and I would enjoy it," Lelouch stated.

"Sure, but," Suzaku started but paused. "Lelouch, I don't think it would be wise for us to be seen together at school."

That request caught Lelouch off guard, and it showed in his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. How would you explain being friends with an Honorary Britannian? We have to guard your secret." Suzaku reminded him, looking down at his own suggestion. "The same goes for Nunnally, I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"So, you're doing it again? Was taking a bullet for me not enough?" Lelouch asked him, an angry bite to his words.

"What?"

"Forget it, I'll agree to this," Lelouch got his anger under control, though he let a little of the madness he knew he suffered from leak through with how he smiled, placing a hand on Suzaku's shoulder; the soldier just knew that he wouldn't like what his friend would say. "If you are willing to march up to Nunnally's room and explain why she won't be able to spend time with you during the day."

Suzaku was silenced by that ultimatum, a low blow if he had ever heard of one. It was hard enough denying Nunnally when she asked for things, but to be…"You would stoop so low?" He asked, only for Lelouch's smile to grow more demented. It would be concerning if he had the time to think about it.

"My friend, if there is anyone who knows how far I'll go, it's you." Lelouch's smile carried just a smidge of bittersweet regret, as yes, they both knew what Lelouch could do when pushed into a corner. Suzaku had never forgotten that look, those eyes as he did the deed…

Like it was nothing, Lelouch caged all that once more back to his level-headed self. "Besides, your idea would work…if we kept a low profile, but Suzaku, I'm the VP who regularly skips classes to go gambling. I've turned the council building into my own menagerie. I'm regularly seen with large dogs which can kill a man should I lose control or order it."

Suzaku was most aware of that part, as it was clear from the moment he stepped onto the council grounds that everything there didn't like him. The trained soldier he was, he didn't fancy his odds when he saw three massive dogs eyeing him like an intruder about to jump the fence and give them a reason. The caw of ravens only made him feel close to death.

"There's also the fact that for reasons I can't fathom, I seem as highly desirable by most of the girls of this academy. Attention is always on me. The same goes for Nunnally. Us being friendly with an Honorary is hardly going to make news." Lelouch explained that Nunnally just got plenty of attention, most of it wasn't good, but he had made it clear to everyone why making moves against his sister was an 'unhealthy' idea.

The cynic in him even suspected that Nunnally being friendly with the Honorary wouldn't be big news; they'll just see it as the cripple hanging with the lesser human though they'll never dare utter such when they couldn't be sure Lelouch wouldn't find out and who said it.

Suzaku wasn't so convinced, even if he found it off that Lelouch apparently didn't know why he was sought by girls. "That just makes you eccentric. Plenty of wealthy people are like that, but you know that being seen with me could be a step too far."

"Well, in the end, it's our choice, and I've made my decision clear. I'll talk to Nunnally in the morning and give you the word before class." Lelouch replied, though they both didn't have much faith that Nunnally would agree with Suzaku, turning this into a near-assured victory for Lelouch. "Honestly, you worry far too much."

"I distinctively remember you being the paranoid one," Suzaku commented. He would have expected that Lelouch would hate this and call him out for it, but ultimately agreed, as his protective instincts for his sister would always trump what he wanted.

"Cautious, Suzaku. Never paranoid. One is warranted, the other is not. Besides, I can't take this away from Nunnally; you see how happy she was. If that means a little more risk, I can accept it." Lelouch replied, a faint yet beautifully honest smile forming on his face as Suzaku was not wrong; Lelouch had done, was doing, and would do much to protect his sister, plenty being things one could never bring up to polite company.

But he also wished to protect his sister's smile. It was why he bothered giving Ashford the chance, why he continued to allow her to be enrolled, and why he went out of his way to turn the council building into such a warm, welcoming place for her.

Seeing Suzaku made her happy, so he would fight so she could continue seeing that. It was really that simple.

"Well, I can't stop you then. Thanks for having me; it was fun catching up." Suzaku relented as he turned to walk off.

"You better be in class tomorrow, or I'm rising hell to find you!" Lelouch called out to him, chuckling near the end.

"Please don't!" Suzaku yelled back as he jogged into the night to return to base.

The next day started as any other would expect. Suzaku got ready, dressed, and made his way over to Ashford. Walking through the halls, he could still feel the same mix of feelings towards him as he did the previous day, feelings which he ignored as he approached his morning class. Outside, he saw Rivalz and Lelouch talking. As he approached, he suspected, if only for a moment, that Nunnally had seen his reasoning and agreed with him. Lelouch made no signs that he had ever seen him, much less acknowledged his presence.

"Aw, good morning, Mr. Kururugi. It's nice to see you arrive on time." Lelouch greeted him out of nowhere, surprising not just him but the class, who heard it and were stunned silent by their VP interacting with an honorary.

"Pardon?" Suzaku asked.

Rivalz came to Suzaku's defence, which only made the situation all the more surreal to their audience, who listened or, in the case of those close to the door, watched. "Come on, dude! He was new yesterday. They probably had to finish up some important paperwork. Besides, of all people, you bring up someone's punctuality is a joke."

"One must at least pretend to care about such as Vice President." Lelouch quipped back, only to falter when Rivalz gave him an incredulous look. "Relax, I'm joking. But I was serious about the greeting, Mr. Kururugi, or should I refer to you as Suzaku." He turned his attention back to Suzaku, who had been given proof of Nunnally's answer.

"Oh, well, Suzaku is fine. I wouldn't want to impose," Suzaku replied. While it was proper to refer to people you weren't especially close to by their last names in Japan, it felt far too stiff now and could be read as showing him respect, which would only put more attention on the oddity that was Lelouch conversing with him.

"Good, I kinda prefer using people's first names; it seems more personal and brings up together," Rivalz replied, throwing an arm around his shoulders, following Lelouch's plan to a tee as he didn't know the details but trusted his buddy. So when he asked him to help their new classmate feel welcome, he did so. "Hey, we don't have assigned seating, so why don't you sit between the two of us? You can copy off Lelouch if you need to."

As Rivalz led him inside, the trio ignored how everyone watched in confusion or fear. "Suzaku, if you do, don't share any with Rivalz. He needs to actually study more." Lelouch pointed to his friend, who cried out about how unfair that was.

"Hey!" Suzaku found himself seated between the two as Lelouch defended his choice by asking which had been with them since the start of the semester and who hadn't, so he was more helping Suzaku catch up while Rivalz chose to slack off. Eventually, attention-at least open attention shifted away from them though no small part the look Lelouch gave them he caught eying them.

Suzaku would find himself spending all his morning classes with the two boys, Lelouch and Rivalz, proving to be incredibly cordial and friendly with him, their presence helping him feel welcomed, but also more isolated as he outside Shirley from the previous day else approached him as the day went one. They just didn't make a move for the risk of angering the two council members, one of which he knew could be…dangerous when he was in a protective mood.

Eventually, they had to split from one another, with Suzaku heading to get his stuff gym ready. At the same time, Lelouch was given time to return a call he had gotten from Ohgi during class.

"Ohgi, anything to report?" Lelouch asked, having found a quiet stairwell to converse with the man. His phone had been equipped with a similar voice changer to his helmet, so at least on Ohgi's end, it would be Zero he heard.

"It hasn't made the news yet, but yesterday, Cornelia just about wiped out the Blood of the Samurai. They were the largest group in central Japan and-"

Lelouch stopped the man before he worked himself into a nervous frenzy. "Calm yourself, Ohgi. This was expected from someone without Cornelia's record. That is no doubt part of why she was sent to Area 11. Still, it's not as bad as you paint it out to be."

"As bad? What could be worse than this?" Ohgi asked, as the Blood of the Samurai had over 100 members, a mountain fortress, and plenty of heavy equipment. According to the few survivors who made it out, Cornelia had defeated them in less than an hour from the first to the last shot. This was made all the more troubling because she made it clear she was searching for their masked leader.

"Cornelia could have easily taken out at least 4, maybe 5, rebel cells in the time she's been in the country, but she hasn't. Do you know why?" Lelouch asked, and when the man admitted he didn't know, Lelouch explained. "It's because of our successful operation to save Kururugi. We threw the entire government and military into disarray, and she needs to focus on studying it to repair, if not dismantle, parts of it and rebuilding it from scratch." He emphasized their successful operation to remind Ohgi that they already had a victory under their belt, one most would have called impossible, and yet they did.

"Her operation against the Blood of the Samurai was merely a warning and a means to try and smoke us out. We won't play by her game. I want you all to continue to lay low and gather intelligence. We'll make out move, I promise you, but it will be on our terms, understand?" He told him as his eye caught someone outside the window. It was Suzaku. What was he doing?

Ohgi calmed, seeing his line of reasoning and perhaps being emboldened by the reminder that they had followed Zero to 2 separate victories against some impossible odds. "Yeah…I got it. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the right man for this."

Lelouch frowned when he saw Suzaku heading to the outdoor sinks and pulling out…his exercise clothing. They hadn't gone to the gym yet, so why would he need to clean them?

"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Ohgi. Your cautious nature is just as essential as a dynamic one. It's what's kept you and your cell alive where others fail and why they follow you. We'll speak again soon." He ended the call, removing the voice changer device from his phone as he did so, his eye never leaving his friend. 'Though there is such a thing, it is too cautious.'

Suzaku brought up his shirt to appraise his cleaning efforts, and Lelouch felt his blood boil when he found out why he had to wash it. He couldn't read the writing, but that amount of red meant someone had written what could only be an unfriendly message on it.

"It seems that someone thinks they can test my patience for foolishness. The plan would need to be implemented soon," Lelouch mused as he turned to walk off. He was already thinking of ways he could track down the taggers and make an example of them. He made it clear that Suzaku was under his protection.

And he wasn't known for mercy.

Nina didn't typically miss classes, even those she would rather avoid, but would she have an Eleven as a classmate after learning? She just couldn't do it; when she woke up, she hadn't even changed into her uniform; she grabbed some sweats and headed to the council building to work on her research. It wouldn't be a good look, and the teachers would be upset with her, but…Lelouch could skip and get away with it for the most part, so why couldn't she? Her grades were good enough, right? They couldn't make her close to the Eleven, right?

She shook her head; she didn't want to think about it; she needed to focus on her work, on this difficult equation that had been vexing her for 3 days now and then-

The door to the council slid open, and she nearly panicked but calmed down when she turned and saw it was only Nunnally. Wait, why was she here? Didn't she have classes? Looking at the clock, Nina saw that it was lunchtime.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nunnally. Was I too loud?" Nina asked.

"Not at all. I was just checking on you." Nunnally replied as she wheeled herself closer to her.

"On me?"

"I heard from Big Brother that you weren't in class today. Are you feeling unwell?" Nunnally asked, as she was afraid this would happen, but she had hoped that it wouldn't.

Nina looked away. She didn't like to speak about it; she didn't like feeling like this. "No…I'm not sick, but….well, it's scary."

"Scary?" Nunnally didn't push but coaxed her to continue speaking as gently as possible.

"We have a transfer student in our class now; it's that boy who was accused of murdering Prince Clovis," Nina stated. He's an Eleven." Nunnally frowned at that addition.

"Are you not comfortable with him around?" She asked the older girl, who, even without eyes, Nunnally could tell was incredibly nervous.

"N-no…"

"Nina, has he done anything to make you feel unsafe?" Nunnally asked her, reaching for what she suspected Nina's hand was. She was wrong, as Nina was hugging herself, but she opened up a little to grasp Nunnally's hand, the blind middle schooler feeling just for herself how troubled Nina was by Suzaku's presence.

"But-"

Nunnally stopped her, but not through force. That was the last thing Nina needed right now—what she needed as a friend. "Nina, maybe we can change that. You're scared because you see him as just an Eleven. Maybe you should try and see him as Suzaku. I've learned that when you look at things differently, you can see things you didn't before. It's why I found plenty of things to smile about."

Nunnally smiled, as she didn't have many friends. The council was aware of this fate, but she had them, and each time they saw her, they could see how grateful Nunnally was for that. Still, Nina wasn't sure she had that strength—to be able to take such a bad situation and still find joy in it.

Nunnally wanted her to get over her issues now, but she knew that was unfair to Nina and Suzaku. So, she'll settle for baby steps. "You don't need to now; when you do, you won't be alone. Anyone in the council will gladly stand with you."

We're back to it. I didn't use all my notes for chapters in a single chapter, as I had to cut the last third because of length, but I'm happy with what I got. Again, we see those changes affecting things from Lelouch and Suzaku's conversation on the roof, where again, Lelouch doesn't lie. He can't both because the lie would take too much effort to hold long term and also because he trusts Suzaku with his and Nunnally's lives.

Nunnally also gets to shine a little here, being that little sister who gets to tease her brother, but also showing that she's very much her mother's daughter like Lelouch is her son. She's smart, aware of how her brother treats her, and can perceive and handle the issues of others, as shown by how she reacted to her 'present' and that Nina scene where, in canon, she remained blissfully unaware and silent.

The next chapter will be out March 15th

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