[Fanfiction] [Code Geass] In Heaven
Title: In Heaven
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Code Geass
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Humor
Status: Complete
Notes: Some spoilers for the first and second season but it's nothing major. I was wondering what would've happened if Lelouch landed somewhere other than hell. Enjoy my first EuphiexLelouch
"Open your eyes."
He clenched his eyes tightly against the bright light. It was irritating him. He wanted to sleep. That was it. Sleep was a luxury, an indulgence. That's what he wanted.
"Please open your eyes," the soft voice pleaded. His ears rang. He knew that voice anywhere. The sweetness laced in tone, the tenderness twisted in melody... It couldn't possibly be...
Long dark lashes fluttered open to reveal amethyst-colored eyes. The sunlight blinded him for a moment. Blinking furiously, he tried to remove the bright lights flashing in his line of vision. A few more moments, he had banished them.
"You're finally awake." Lelouch looked at his right and stared. It couldn't be!
He found his voice a heartbeat later. "Euphie?"
Euphemia in all her pink and white glory smiled in delight. Her very long and silken pink hair were plaited with flowers and her blue eyes were shining. She was wearing a simple white sundress. There was no sign of blood or terror. He was seeing her as he had when they first met as children.
"Lelouch," she said in a chiding tone. "Don't look so surprised."
"Where are we?" he asked immediately. An inspection of himself revealed his clothing as a pair of jeans and a shirt. He couldn't remember putting them on. He didn't remember going anywhere either. All he knew was that...
Ah yes, he died.
If that was the case, where were they?
They were sitting in a field of flowers. A large cherry blossom tree provided shade and patches of blue sky could be seen. The atmosphere was so peaceful and serene that he couldn't believe it. He looked at Euphie whoe seemed so at home there.
"I don't know," she replied. "But I don't care. I'm happy here."
"You should know," Lelouch said immediately. He knew that he should be worried at her carelessness. Yet she looked unaffected by his presence. "Euphie..."
"Why did you do it?" The pink-haired princess asked seriously. Her blue eyes were deep and unfathomable. "Why, Lelouch?"
He looked down at his clenched fists. It was what he'd been asking himself all this time. Why indeed? "I didn't mean to use it on you."
Euphie smiled charmingly, dismissing her serious demeanor. "It was an accident, of course. I'm quite sorry that I couldn't fight it but that can't be helped. All I'm regretting is that my plans were ruined and so is my reputation. But that doesn't matter anymore."
"Are you really dead?" he asked bluntly.
She waved it away. "Of course. So are you."
"Then this must be hell," Lelouch muttered under his breath. Euphie popped him on the head with a mock-offended expression. That cemented his conclusion that he was really in hell. "Ow!"
"Stupid," she chided gently. Her smile was sweet. "We're in heaven."
"Seriously?" the dark-haired boy couldn't believe his ears. He looked around them, perplexed. His eyes took in the endless stretch of flowers and fields. It looked like heaven. Maybe she was telling the truth.
"It is," Euphie confirmed. She pulled her knees to her chest and looked up at him. "You deserve to be here."
"But I've done so many bad things," Lelouch managed to say in shock. His body trembled; his hands shook. "I killed so many people... I lied, cheated and instigated a revolt..."
She laid a hand on his shoulder gently. Her voice was low and soothing. "That doesn't matter anymore, Lelouch. You're dead. You paid the price for the world you wanted."
"What a heavy price," he said quietly. He could remember it better now. The crowds, the execution and the sudden appearance of Zero who will assassinate him. He barely heard Nunally's screams and cries. Dying was long and painful, even after that sword's thrust. "I have an entire eternity to contemplate on that, I guess."
Euphie nodded. She held up her hands.
Lelouch's eyes widened. Very faint bloodstains made patches on her beautiful alabaster hands. He could make out the rivulets of blood snaking downwards from the gaps between her long fingers. It was horrible and fascinating at once. Her smile was sad.
"Me too. In spite of my ideologies and ideals, I still killed. It's not my fault, I suppose, but I still did it. I have to pay the price of killing too," she murmured as she hid her hands under her thighs. "I'm sorry, Lelouch, if I couldn't help you and Nunnaly..."
His voice was heavy with regret. "I'm sorry I involved you in this. You shouldn't have died young, Euphie. You had so much potential..."
"I was a stupid puppet princess," she argued with a pout "and I didn't know war and politics. Cornelia-neesan had a headache in trying to help me with it. If I understood the situation better then I would have known why you were doing it all by yourself. Don't blame yourself for my death, Lelouch. I've forgiven you for that."
Lelouch's shoulders sank. He couldn't believe his ears. She forgave him just like that. How very like Euphemia. "But I did it. I killed you with my own hands."
She smiled sadly. "You did. But I'll forgive you because I love you."
A corner of his mouth quirked. "Nunally told me before that you loved Suzaku. You had to stop yourself from proposing marriage or something..."
Roses bloomed in Euphie's pretty cheeks. He smiled at the lovely sight. She was always cute when she was embarrassed. "A-Ah! That's not true!"
"So you love him more than me," Lelouch teased. His violet eyes were soft and nostalgic. "You, Cornelia-neesan and Nunnaly used to argue on who will marry me. I was a terrified kid because you were all older than I was... except for Nunally, of course."
Euphemia laughed delightedly. She didn't expect Lelouch to remember that! "You always ran away so that we won't know your choice. Can I ask you something?"
He nodded.
"Who would you choose among us, Lelouch?" Euphie asked shyly. Her eyes focused on the blooming cherry blossoms. She knew that he could see her heated cheeks but her curiosity won. Of course, she had to know.
"I'd choose you," he answered quietly. "You were my first love, Euphie."
The Third Princess stared at him in surprise. He blushed lightly at her entranced gaze. Honesty was not his forte. "Really?"
Lelouch nodded. "Yes. But I gave up when we separated."
She smiled gently. "Thank you for your feelings but I'd have to decline them... Oh, I'm so sorry. I just realized that killing me was one of the hardest burdens you had to bear. I'm sorry that it must have been so hard for you to carry the sin of my death."
"It's nothing," he said firmly. "You forgave me, yes?"
"Yes," she answered. Her smile saddened. "But I'll have to wait for a long time for..."
"Suzaku," Lelouch finished. Euphie blushed to the roots of her hair. He couldn't help himself. He started laughing. "You really loved him."
Euphie pouted. "When I was a little girl, I dreamed of you. I wanted to marry you, live in a manor house with you and make you happy... I wanted to learn to make you smile and take away the worries of the state. But that was before I met Suzaku-san. He was very sweet and kind. Then I realized that there was someone else who could make me smile, care for me and protect me."
"He wanted to protect you so much," he said quietly. Now that he was dead, he felt a certain fondness for his old best friend. "I was sorry I took you away too early. You could've had that grand manor house and you could've been the wife of an honest man."
"I didn't really care about being a Princess," Euphie confessed. "All I cared about was being happy with my loved ones. I tried my plan because it would put me on even footing with Suzaku. We could've been together without restrictions. I won't be royalty and he won't be an Eleven..."
Lelouch patted her shoulder kindly. His face was softened by regret. "Shall we wait for Suzaku?"
"And Nunnaly," Euphie smiled. "I believe that your old friend Shirley was waiting for you too. The world is so much better now, thanks to you. It's only a matter of time before it will want to destroy itself but it will enjoy total peace for now. Shirley was talking about it..."
"So this is what Heaven looks like," Lelouch lay back on the grass. He stared up at his older half-sister thoughtfully. She beamed. "I can't believe I got here. I was so sure that I would burn in hell..."
"Well, this is kind of like that," the pink-haired princess said laughing "because all the people you killed is here. You won't escape an eternity without being reminded of your past sins. Many people are certainly eager to make your acquaintance, Zero."
Lelouch winced. "That sounds scarier than a lake of fire."
She laughed harder. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the beautiful sound.
Euphemia reached down and brushed his bangs back to see his eyes. His violet orbs widened when he realized what she was going to do. The last thing that registered in his mind was how soft her lips was and how good she smelled.
A heartbeat later and she released him. Her blue eyes were twinkling with little stars. He was blushing hard like an uninitiated schoolboy. "That's your retribution," she giggled. "You'll be ravished by your victims without any mercy."
"God help me," Lelouch croaked out.
That sent her to another wave of giggles. He started laughing too. In life and in death, Euphie was Euphie. He was still Lelouch. Although he expected landing directly into Hell, this was a welcome change of destinations.
Meeting in heaven was not such a bad thing after all.