A Night out on the Town
Who: Suzaku and Lelouch
When: November 26th
Where: Restaurant Alley, the park's ferris wheel
Summary: Even though Suzaku has shed the mask of Zero, he is uncertain what to do and is very depressed. Lelouch decides to take him out for the night to cheer him up.
Rating: PG
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Suzaku sighed as he looked out the window. It was strange to think that he was now known as Suzaku on this strange island and that he now had to start from scratch as if he truly had just appeared on the island. "Zero" was safely tucked away in the closet, carefully hung as always. But though he was not wearing the confining garment or the stifling mask, he felt heavier than usual. He had worn it so often that by now he felt naked without it. If he wasn't living as Zero and if he wasn't living as the Suzaku who needed to live for atonement, just what was he living here for? He sighed again, mindlessly watching a pair of birds building a nest outside his window.
It hardly mattered that it was nearly winter. Nothing surprised Suzaku anymore.
Lelouch could tell that Suzaku had been depressed of late. The other always had his moments of distress and self-loathing, even when he wore the mask. The adjustment was proving difficult for him, and he was not always good at hiding it. Lelouch could understand just how hard such a transition could be, just as his own from dead to living had been. He was going to help Suzaku get through this, however. Just as the other's presence continued to help him. He had managed to cheer Suzaku up with good food and casual sorts of fun like movies and games before, but today, he had something just slightly different in mind.
Lelouch knocked on the door and then entered Suzaku's room. He caught sight of the other gazing out the window and sighing. Clearly, what Suzaku needed right now was a change of scenery. "Get dressed in something a little nicer. We're going out for dinner. And then we're going somewhere else."
"Hm? Where are we going?" Suzaku asked, turning to look at Lelouch with some confusion. It was true that he was tiring of being indoors most of the time now due to his own new lethargic and depressed nature but leaving his setting was a jarring thought.
"It's a surprise," Lelouch replied cheerfully, giving the other a smile. He thought that would raise Suzaku's spirits more than anything. Something totally unexpected, with several little surprises along the way. "Hurry up and get dressed. We wouldn't want to be late for our reservation."
"Why did you..." Suzaku started to ask but then stopped himself. He knew that arguing would do no good and that to decline would mean disappointing the one person who truly knew him and was trying to get him to his feet. He did not feel like going out but at least he could oblige Lelouch and go to dinner with him for once. He went to his closet and automatically reached for his Zero costume before remembering himself. He then looked at the other untouched clothing and thought for a moment about what to wear. He selected a nice dress shirt and pants and quickly changed though he neglected to straighten his collar in his rush.
"Well, we don't have to cook something absolutely every night," Lelouch replied, answering Suzaku's question in spite of the fact that the other had not fully asked it. He did not think he needed to mention his real reason was for Suzaku's sake.
Lelouch turned his gaze away as the other changed. He was already dressed in some nice slacks with a button-down and a jacket. Once Suzaku was dressed, Lelouch turned around to glance at him. He walked over and folded down his collar with a wry smile. "You weren't quite ready with your collar standing up like that."
"You're right about that," Suzaku smiled a little. It would be a nice break for Lelouch who had always done the majority of the cooking after all. He started when Lelouch reached for him and fixed his collar. He laughed a little nervously, a bit embarrassed that he had overlooked such a thing. An officer would have reprimanded him badly for such an error back in the military. It seemed so long ago now.
"Guess not. But now I am," he said.
Lelouch chuckled a little in response to the look on Suzaku's face. "It's no crime, you know. I'm not that much of a stickler," he said teasingly, turning to head to the door.
"It is nice to see you getting some use out of those clothes I made you get, though. They really do suit you." Suzaku cleaned up well, but Lelouch had always known that. He cut quite a figure in every uniform he had donned, he certainly had been the most impressive of Knights, as if to lend credence to his striking appearance.
"Not that much, you say," Suzaku shook his head with a knowing grin.
"I should be the one thanking you. I already have a full wardrobe thanks to you. Otherwise I'd be going out there in my old sweats."
"Just enough of one to fix it for you," Lelouch replied, smirking back.
He made his way to the apartment's exit and then pushed the door open. He stepped out side, holding it open for Suzaku. "I think that's a fate better avoided by both of us. Assuming they would even let us have a table if you showed up in your sweats."
"Yeah. I don't think you'd be the sort to make a reservation at a place that allows sweats. I don't think those places would even have reservations," Suzaku laughed as he walked through the door.
"Probably not," Lelouch said, laughing along with the other. He closed the door and locked it before beginning to lead the way. The restaurant was in Restaurant Alley as they all were, so the direction in which they were walking would give nothing away.
"Are you feeling hungry?"
"A little. I only had a sandwich," Suzaku admitted. He did not elaborate on what kind of sandwich it was.
Lelouch raised his eyebrows and gave the other a look. "I have to ask... Was it peanut butter?" A smile tugged at his lips in spite of himself.
"You really didn't. Of course it was," Suzaku smiled in return.
"After all of my cooking lessons, you're still stuck on peanut butter sandwiches. What am I going to do with you?" Lelouch asked teasingly. He didn't mind Suzaku's enjoyment of peanut butter sandwiches, but it was fun to tease him about it.
"Doesn't take any thinking on my part," Suzaku shrugged as they walked along towards Restaurant Alley. He did like his peanut butter sandwiches but he could see the humor in making it all the time.
"That's true," Lelouch replied cheerfully. "Just as long as you don't live off of them any more." He began steering Suzaku toward a specific restaurant. Faeries Fable happened to be the most expensive restaurant on the island, and while Suzaku would be happy with less, Lelouch thought that he deserved a nice treat.
"Of course. Not when I have you as a roommate," Suzaku laughed and then realized that the buildings were starting to get a bit fancier. He grew a little nervous about it. Nice buildings usually meant very good restaurants. The sort that one would go to for a very important meal like Christmas or the like. Not a casual outing.
Lelouch glanced around at the restaurants before putting a hand to Suzaku's shoulder and gently urging him toward Faeries Fable. He reached for the door when they arrived and drew it open. "Right this way..." he murmured.
"Are you sure you have the right restaurant?" Suzaku asked with uncertainty as he was ushered into the extravagant restaurant. This was most certainly fancy....the sort of place that would require knowledge of using at least five types of forks. He hardly ate with just one on his own. But beyond that, it was just too elaborate of a gesture.
"Of course I'm sure," Lelouch replied, giving the other a look. He shook his head slightly. "Don't worry about it. I just came here because I want to try their lobster," he added, trying to lighten the mood and put Suzaku at his ease. As he approached the maitre'd, Lelouch gave his name and reservation. In a matter of seconds, they were being escorted to their table.
"Oh....I see," Suzaku said, relaxing instantly. It had been silly of him to think that Lelouch had made plans for this restaurant soley for him. Of course the best place in town would also have the best lobster. He walked along with Lelouch, looking about him out of the corners of his eyes.
"Oh....I see," Suzaku said, relaxing instantly. It had been silly of him to think that Lelouch had made plans for this restaurant solely for him. Of course the best place in town would also have the best lobster. He walked along with Lelouch, looking about him out of the corners of his eyes.
Of course, the truth was that this was all for Suzaku. A nice night out had to cheer the other up a little.
It was curious to see just how quickly Lelouch could put the other at ease with one small comment, however. He nodded approvingly when they were shown to a nice table, one with a view out the window of the garden behind the restaurant. The trees were hung with white lights, creating quite a nice view. Once they were handed their menus and left alone, Lelouch gave the other a smile.
"What do you think so far?"
"It's very nice," Suzaku murmured, looking around him now that they were seated. He then took the menu and started perusing it. His eyes widened behind the menu. For the price of a meal here, he could have easily had ten at the burger place. He couldn't even begin thinking about how many peanut butter sandwiches it would equate. While he knew that they had enough to pay for a meal, it was very surprising that Lelouch would want to spend the money on food instead of supplies or the like.
It was true that Lelouch could cook almost anything he wanted well enough not to need fancy meals. It was nice on occasion to take a break from cooking and sample other food, though. And him cooking a meal at home would not cheer Suzaku up the same way that a night out might do. Sometimes, a person just needed a change of pace. He needed to see the benefits of living as Suzaku as well.
"I think I will get the lobster thermidor," Lelouch said after a few moments of looking at the menu. "What are you thinking of getting?"
"Probably the Caesar salad," Suzaku said, picking the least expensive thing on the menu.
Lelouch gave Suzaku a shake of his head. "I know that is not enough to fill you up. You should get something along with your salad," he murmured. "I can hardly eat lobster if you will only be having a salad.
"...I suppose," Suzaku gave in. He couldn't very well say that he was dieting since it would be an absurd diet for an athlete and it would seem strange to only have a side dish next to Lelouch. If neither of those, his stomach might betray him with a loud rumble later.
"Hmm.....the salmon looks good..." he said, trying a little harder.
Lelouch nodded at Suzaku's reply, a hint of a smile apparent on his lips. "Then you should order it. Anything you wish is fine. It's not as if we dine out every night, after all." Even though Lelouch could cook those things at home if he could find them, it would be nice to sit and relax and enjoy the ambiance.
The waiter appeared then and asked for their order. Lelouch nodded to Suzaku to speak first. He wanted to make sure the other did not just go back to ordering a salad.
"I suppose so," Suzaku said and then placed his order. He hadn't had salmon in a while and he got the hint well enough to not change his mind about it, ordering the dish along with the salad.
Lelouch gave his order next, getting himself a salad as well so that Suzaku would not have to eat his alone. The waiter then asked the two if they would care for wine with dinner. Lelouch shot Suzaku a questioning look. After the last time, it did not seem too prudent...
Suzaku looked back at Lelouch and then bit his lower lip. He knew it was absurd to think that what happened last time would repeat itself and it would be even more absurd to abstain from alcohol if that was his only concern. They hadn't had wine in a while and it would probably be proper with the meal.
"If you'd like some too, Lelouch," he replied to Lelouch.
"That sounds nice," Lelouch replied, ordering a glass of a nice white wine to accompany his lobster. Suzaku could choose the same thing if he wished, or something a little heavier to go with his salmon. If they only had one glass each, there would be no chance of Suzaku getting too tipsy.
"What type will you get, Suzaku?"
"Um. The same as he did," Suzaku said to the server. He was not familiar with too much western alcohol and red wine just seemed a little too heavy for his meal so it seemed to be best to follow Lelouch's lead.
Lelouch nodded to the server who then departed. He smiled as a small basket of fresh bread was brought to their table. It was still warm, and the scent was intoxicating. "This is a promising sign of the quality," he murmured.
"It is, huh?" Suzaku agreed as he took a piece of bread and started nibbling at it.
"I would say so," Lelouch replied. He took a piece of bread and buttered it before tasting it himself. It tasted just as good as it smelled. He swallowed and took a sip of water before speaking again. "It's quite good."
"It is," Suzaku said as he watched the other butter up his bread and ate. Somehow the scene made him relax and smile. "I'm certain it's common for people to fill up from the bread alone here."
"We won't make that mistake," Lelouch replied, noting that Suzaku was smiling now. He looked far more at ease than he had when they had first come in. It seemed to be going well. "But a piece or two couldn't hurt too much." He ate a few more bites before their glasses of wine arrived.
"Of course not," Suzaku nodded and then thanked the server after the wine was poured. He lifted his glass a little to toast, thinking for something to toast to.
"Mm....to a good night outside," he decided in the end.
"Yes, to a good night out," Lelouch echoed, clinking his glass to Suzaku's as the other made the toast. He took a small sip before returning to his bread and butter.
"This is only the first part, you know. I have other plans..."
"You're truly serious about that? Just what do you have in mind or is that a secret as well?" Suzaku asked as he took a sip of wine.
"It is a secret, of course," Lelouch replied, smiling knowingly. He would have more fun keeping it as a surprise, and Suzaku would probably enjoy the anticipation more himself. It was nothing large, no grand activity, but it would be a fun one for Suzaku. He at least expected that it would be.
"Hm. You're quite fond of your secrets even now..." Suzaku said with a small feigned disappointed sigh and a shake of his head. He took another piece of bread and started putting a little butter on it. "I suppose I'll just have to wait."
"It isn't much of one if I'm due to tell you what it is in a couple of hours," Lelouch replied, chuckling softly. He was not hiding things from Suzaku to a degree that almost surprised even him. In those last months in their world, they had needed to know what was in the other's mind, to be able to trust in each other fully to come through their battles and do what needed to be done. It was a different thing to live normally without some secrets or lies lingering around them. It was rather nice...
"I guess so," Suzaku replied and ate the buttered roll. It really was nice to know that this was probably the most that Lelouch would hide from him now. No lying about his identity or intent...no hiding his true thoughts. Lelouch truly was the boy that Suzaku remembered him to be and it was nice to have his best friend there completely.
Lelouch was silent for a few moments as they ate. He watched Suzaku, studying the look on the other's face. Suzaku did not look sad or uncomfortable at the moment. There was a quiet pleasure to his features. Lelouch was about to speak again when the waiter arrived with their salads. Lelouch murmured a word of thanks and then picked up his fork.
"You aren't full yet, I trust?" he asked, his tone light.
"No I am not," Suzaku responded, picking up his fork and starting to eat his salad. "It would take more than a few pieces of bread to fill me up."
Lelouch ate a bite of his salad, chewing thoughtfully. He took a sip of water before commenting. "This is nice. Perhaps I should make something like this on the weekend to go with the roast. It has been some time since I last had a Caesar salad."
"That would be nice," Suzaku echoed, watching Lelouch eat out of the corner of his eye for no particular reason. It was one thing to be sociable with other people in their party but when it was with Lelouch, it was always a little more quiet. Sometimes Suzaku did not know how to handle it exactly though he enjoyed the time together so he did his best to not disrupt the quiet.
"I'll plan to do that, then." Lelouch nodded his head at Suzaku's words.
He ate his salad in silence for a time, and then he took another sip of his wine. "Shall we make any plans for the weekend? The weather is getting cooler out... It might be nice to enjoy it a little before it grows cold."
"I suppose we should. It wouldn't be healthy living like hermits after all," Suzaku said. There were so many places he had yet to see due to the fact that he was masquerading around Zero. Suddenly having so many options was almost overwhelming. He thought as he took a bite of salad and then smirked.
"I don't think you'd want to check out the swimming pool at the gym. But I'm not sure what else to suggest if you're not going to tell me where we're going after dinner..."
"I agree. Not that I would tire of your company, but I would tire of the apartment if I did not venture elsewhere from time to time," Lelouch replied. He smiled at the fact that Suzaku seemed willing to accompany him out as well. The other had been moping a little too much for his tastes lately.
"The swimming pool, hm? I suppose I wouldn't mind terribly... It has been quite a long time since I last went for a swim."
"Really?" Suzaku perked up and then grinned.
"I remember the last time we swam together. You were too chicken to strip all the way down and then we only swam around for an hour before you decided Nunnally was bored of waiting for us."
"Yes. As long as you don't try and make me swim laps or something," Lelouch replied dryly, though his eyes held amusement.
"I think an hour is quite enough, I'll have you know. I would hardly like to get a cramp and drown," he added, looking slightly miffed as he remembered the way Suzaku teased him. "And I was not chicken. I did not want to get a sunburn, that's all."
"Well, maybe one or two," Suzaku gave a light shrug and then gave Lelouch a reassuring smile as he saw the other pout a little.
"You were always very worried about your complexion. I guess I shouldn't be teasing...you look a lot better than me."
Lelouch just sighed and shook his head. Suzaku was incorrigible when it came to exercise, it seemed. "You never give up, do you?"
He smirked slightly at Suzaku's words. "Maybe I'll have to make you start wearing sunscreen. So you don't get wrinkles when you're older. Sun damage does cause it, you know..."
Suzaku shook his head. "Never. That's how I got to where I am today," he sighed, not even sure if he was supposed to be proud of that fact. He glanced at Lelouch when he mentioned wrinkles and then shook his head again.
"I know that. I just never seemed to bother....with my goal in life being what it was. But maybe I should try to remember from now on. Even if I'll be younger-looking than you for a while," he could not help but add. It wasn't his fault that Asians were good at looking younger than they actually were.
"Probably so," Lelouch replied, a hint of fondness in his voice. The other could be exasperatingly stubborn, but that was also what made him such a loyal and true friend to Lelouch. At least when Suzaku said that something mattered, Lelouch could know for certain that he meant it.
"You'll only look younger because you are younger," Lelouch retorted, giving the other a smirk. "And I'll have you know that I take good care of my skin."
"You make it sound like you're eons older than me," Suzaku rolled his eyes, no longer nervous about being in such a fancy restaurant and behaving more like his boyish self. He decided to tease Lelouch a little bit more and leaned over a little.
"And I know you take good care of your skin. You put so much stuff on it that you practically sealed a few more years of youth and moisture into it. You sure you're not obsessive about it?" he asked, reaching over to touch Lelouch's cheek. Two thoughts came too late in that moment.
First the gesture looked really bad in context and out of it in this setting. Secondly, Lelouch's cool skin truly was very smooth beneath his hand.
He froze in shock of what he did for a moment and then quickly pulled back, covering up the sudden jerking movement by reaching for the glass of wine.
"No, just eons more mature." Lelouch gave the other a smug little smirk.
At Suzaku's words, Lelouch shook his head slightly. "It is hardly that much. Just a little sunscreen and cleanser every day, and moisturizer from time to time. I'm certain that I'm not obsessive."
Lelouch took a sip of his wine, as if to punctuate his statement. He put the glass down on the table and nearly choked on the wine in his mouth when Suzaku leaned closer and put a hand on his cheek.
Lelouch swallowed it somehow, his violet eyes widening. It was too easy to remember how Suzaku had touched his face when he had been drunk, and the way that the other had kissed him. The moment was sharply present in his mind when Suzaku drew his hand back hastily and broke the contact.
"Well...?" Lelouch asked, his tone somewhat uncomfortable.
"Um....well, yeah. Maybe a little," Suzaku murmured, looking away as he gulped down a large mouthful of wine. He could not get the look on Lelouch's face out of his mind. How his violet eyes suddenly widened and how he had tensed, causing the soft skin of his cheek to fall still. He decided the best thing to do was to not call attention to what he just did and then went back to eating his salad, the calm all but gone.
"It might be well cared for, but I am not obsessive," Lelouch reiterated, though he could scarcely bring himself to care to continue the argument. He uttered the words more for the sake of trying to avoid an even greater awkwardness. He then looked down at his salad, concentrating on it intently as he ate a few more bites and tried to keep any hint of color out of his cheeks. He wondered why Suzaku had been inclined to do it in the first place.
"Mm," Suzaku nodded, no more interested in the argument or in prolonging the awkward moment than Lelouch was. He would have focused on his salad as Lelouch did but he had already finished the whole thing. He drank the rest of his wine and ate another roll, chewing it slowly. But both acts did not last long and though he tried to find interest in the other things around him, he found himself watching Lelouch out of the corner of his eye.
Lelouch remained intent on his salad for another moment as he gathered his composure again. There was no point in getting too awkward over a simple touch, especially when Suzaku might not even really recall the times that he had done similar such things, given how inebriated he had been at the time.
"So, aside from swimming for miles, what other sadistic exercise pursuits do you have planned for this week?" Lelouch asked, trying to make his tone teasing.
"Well, maybe some light jogging but other than that, I think you're off the hook," Suzaku said, trying to answer with a grin but had it come off more awkward than he intended. He took the bottle that the waiter left on the table and refilled his glass. It wouldn't be good to have his dish without the wine if he was ordering it for the meal itself. He was flustered but not noticeably so. He hadn't realized he had done more than just kiss Lelouch before so there was little concern. A touch was just a touch even if it was a strange thing to do without thinking.
"I meant for yourself," Lelouch replied, a hint of genuine amusement coming into his features now. "Jogging sounds awful to me, in any case. Not even a little bit like fun. I don't know how you manage to find such things pleasant."
Lelouch had not seen the bottle of wine until Suzaku poured himself another glass from it. He nearly cautioned the other against drinking another glass, but he held his tongue. That would only lead to more awkwardness. He would just stop the other if he tried to pour any more.
"Well, it releases endorphins so it's actually quite pleasant once you get used to it. That or I'm really a masochist," Suzaku said. He sipped a little of the wine but stopped before he drank any more. He remembered what happened last time when he thought he could handle more.
"Probably the latter," Lelouch replied dryly. He ate a little more of his salad, finishing it just as a busboy appeared to take Suzaku's plate. Lelouch bade him to take his as well. The meal had to be coming soon.
"I'd rather get my endorphins from chocolate, in any case."
"I see. Well that will not be good for your skin or your body if you rely on that as your only source," Suzaku chuckled and then started fiddling with his napkin. They were quickly running out of things to talk about and his mind wasn't fast enough to think of another topic suitable for the restaurant.
"I never said it was my only source," Lelouch replied, giving a slight shake of his head as the other chuckled. It sounded natural, at least, making the moment less awkward.
Where Suzaku paused to fiddle with his napkin, Lelouch's mind was quick to find another topic of discussion. It was not so difficult, really, when there was so little that they did not know about each other. "It seems that Kaiba is going to start marketing that game of his here on the island. It is not chess, but I might take it up. Winning gives one some endorphins as well, I believe..."
"The game with the fighting cards? I remember you said it was a strategy-based game so I guess it's not too surprising that you'd want to learn it," Suzaku said. "I don't think even you'd get a rush from winning right off the bat though. It seems pretty random."
"True. Winning via random luck is not too exciting for me. Kaiba has been teaching me how to play, though. There is some element of strategy to building one's deck and how one handles gameplay. I am not certain it is sufficiently strategic for my tastes, but if he markets it successfully, I would not have a shortage of opponents."
Lelouch smirked then. "On the other hand, given that I won our last chess match, I suspect Kaiba will be willing to be my opponent again."
"He seems to be like you when it comes to competition. Neither of you like to lose," Suzaku smiled. He of all people knew that fact like the back of his hand. It would be good for Lelouch to have a new hobby. It must be hard for him to have a second chance at life but have nothing for himself to persue.
"He seems to be like you when it comes to competition. Neither of you like to lose," Suzaku smiled. He of all people knew that fact like the back of his hand. It would be good for Lelouch to have a new hobby. It must be hard for him to have a second chance at life but have nothing for himself to pursue.
"That is true. Though he is a worse loser than I am, if you believe it," Lelouch said, smiling back at the other. "At least I can conceal my displeasure and maintain politeness. Not that Kaiba is a particularly polite individual the rest of the time either. He really is far too blunt in his dislike of most people for his own good." Lelouch took no offense over it, but he suspected it hurt Kaiba's cause in many cases.
"I do find that harder to believe, even if you can conceal your disappointment better than he. It is a pity that he rubs people the wrong way at times," Suzaku said.
Lelouch chuckled then. "You know me too well. I don't think anyone likes losing less than I do, but I would like to believe I handle it more gracefully than he does. And it is a pity, but it is a problem of his own making. In any case, I believe he will want to stay on good terms with me, if only so he can keep working on the Lancelot."
"How's that coming so far?" Suzaku asked. Ever since he nearly got caught by Kallen while he was the Lancelot Albion, he stayed far from the hiding place of the real deal.
"He is starting to make good progress," Lelouch replied. "Hopefully it won't be too much longer before we have something functional completed. I am keeping an eye on it, of course. Kaiba is rather enamored with the technology, so that does help motivate him."
"Glad to hear that," Suzaku said. The food arrived not a moment too soon. Suzaku's mouth watered as the salmon was placed in front of him but he waited for Lelouch's dish to be served as well before he picked up his fork and knife.
"This looks really good..."
Lelouch glanced down at his lobster thermidor when it arrived. He inhaled the rich scent, closing his eyes for a moment. He then glanced over at Suzaku at the other's comment. "It does. It smells good too," Lelouch said.
He picked up his own utensils and took a bite of his food. He savored the taste of it, finding it to be very fresh and well prepared.
Suzaku watched as Lelouch inhaled the scent and appreciated it. It was something nearly foreign to him since he was the sort that often could not tell the quality between one sort of food and the other and appreciate it but seeing Lelouch have that ability made him happy. He could truly enjoy the dinner for what it was...beyond the appearance and the environment in which he ate it in.
"How is it?" he asked, forgetting to eat a bite of his own food first.
Lelouch smiled faintly and took a sip of his wine before answering Suzaku's question. "It is quite good. The lobster tastes as if it was just caught. I might have paused at trying to cook much lobster here before, but if this is the quality that the store can stock... I shall have to give it a try myself sometime. It has been some time since I last had lobster.
"How is your salmon?" he asked, waiting for Suzaku to try his as well.
"Oh," Suzaku hastily cut a piece of his salmon and popped it into his mouth. He chewed a little, savoring the taste of the freshly-caught fish. Salmon wasn't anything fancy but the one he was eating had a very delicious twist to it though he couldn't place it.
"It's good," he said, eating another piece and drinking some more wine. He started wondering just how Lelouch would go about cooking a lobster. It was possible but it was just such a strange image in his head.
"I'm glad," Lelouch replied, falling silent as he continued to enjoy his meal. He was content to eat for a time, feeling quite relaxed as he took pleasure in this rare treat. Lobster was one of his favorite meals.
Lelouch caught sight of Suzaku giving him a slightly strange look, and he raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"
Suzaku snapped out of his reverie and glanced away.
"Oh...nothing. Just wondering if lobsters feel pain," he muttered the last bit of his thoughts concerning how lobsters sounded when they were dropped into boiling water though it sounded completely strange out of context.
"I'm sure that they are capable of it," Lelouch said, raising his eyebrows. It was a somewhat strange thing for Suzaku to say. "Pain has a use in nature as a warning of things that cause an individual harm.
"I think just about any animal would feel pain..."
"Hm....I guess so," Suzaku murmured, feeling a bit stupid for saying something so utterly random. Lelouch must have thought his friend had gone crazy. In a way, he probably did.
"Not that I'm against eating lobsters. Was just wondering," he added to clarify though it just sounded more stupid when he voiced it. He decided then to stop talking and to eat his salmon.
"Were you thinking about cooking them?" Lelouch asked, guessing at the source of Suzaku's question. It only made logical sense, given that Lelouch was now eating a cooked lobster and had spoken about cooking them himself a few moments ago.
"Intellectual curiosity is a sign of an active mind," Lelouch added, giving an easy shrug of his shoulders. "It doesn't hurt to wonder about such things."
"Yeah. And how their shells make that sound when you cook them," Suzaku said, feeling his cheeks heat up a little bit.
"I'm sorry. That was just stupid..." he muttered under his breath before taking another sip of wine.
"It is supposedly not terribly painful for them, though I imagine that it would be hard for a person to really know what hurts a lobster," Lelouch replied.
He shook his head when Suzaku apologized. "I don't think it was stupid at all. It's not as if you have to worry about watching what you say to me. Isn't it natural to wonder about such things sometimes anyway?"
Suzaku blushed further and just looked down, cutting his salmon into smaller and smaller bits. Somehow talking about if lobsters felt pain or not in this setting was just too awkward and the way Lelouch was trying to smooth that over made the error even more apparent.
Lelouch was not as bothered by the topic of conversation as someone else might have been. He was aware that animals tended to feel pain when they were turned into food for people to eat. It was the harsh reality of it, and he was not the sort of a person to lie to himself. He had cooked lobsters before and seen for himself how it went.
"Don't worry," Lelouch murmured again, noting the way the other was blushing. He wondered why Suzaku was acting this awkward over a simply unusual topic of conversation.
"Do you think you'll have room for dessert?"
It was the wine.
At least that's what Suzaku told himself. His cheeks naturally heated up after a bit of alcohol and wine did loosen his grip on emotions a little. He knew deep down that it was nothing to worry about but he could not help but fret for a moment.
He nodded at Lelouch's question and smiled.
"Always room for dessert."
"Good. I saw a few things on the menu that I might want to try," Lelouch replied, smiling back at the other. It seemed that the moment of Suzaku's awkward worry had passed, thankfully. There was a warmth to Suzaku's smile when it had appeared that seemed genuine.
"It is nice to have a night out, isn't it? I don't think we do this enough..."
"It is. I had all but given up having a nice quiet time like this," Suzaku said. The mask of Zero was a heavy one to bear. He could only eat in solitude if he wished to be left in peace and to not attract stares at home. It was good that no one knew him here in Salkia. It might have felt wrong to go about his life as if he was not a traitor or a murderer or a figurehead for justice. But at the same time, it was a great relief. He was only human after all.
"The dessert menu looked really good too. I'll have a hard time deciding what I'd want."
Lelouch's smile grew a little wider then. This was working exactly as he had hoped it would. He was reminding Suzaku of all of the good that could come from him putting down the mask. Already, he was not alone, having Lelouch here. Now, he could have more than that. He could have a life here. He should not feeling sad or oppressed by that possibility.
"It isn't an easy choice. If I had room for two, I might have even ordered more than one. I suspect that I will not have quite that much room after this lobster, though." It was rare that Lelouch ate such a large meal, but he suspected that he would be finishing the lobster. It was a favorite food, and it was far too good.
"Yeah, it's hard to make room when you're eating your favorite dish," Suzaku said as he continued eating. Suzaku could eat in great quantities but that was because he burned off energy so quickly. Something like salmon wouldn't be a problem even if he did finish it all off. Which he did. He then took his time to drink the rest of his glass and then sighed, propping his chin against his hand, smiling happily as he let his gaze wander.
"Exactly," Lelouch said. "It would be a shame for such a tasty meal to go to waste in any case." He also fell silent as he continued eating. He gazed out through the window and then let his eyes venture over to Suzaku. The other looked happy as he came to the end of his meal, relaxed and at his ease. Lelouch liked seeing Suzaku like that, especially after all of the sorrows the other had suffered. His goal in this world was to help give Suzaku a life, one where he could be happy, even if only for this space of time, however long it lasted.
Lelouch continued eating his lobster, eventually finishing his dish as well. He took a final sip of wine and then leaned back in his chair. "That was good..."
"It was. I enjoyed that a lot," Suzaku said almost dreamily. He was comfortably warm and was nearly lulled to sleep when the server returned with the dessert menu.
Lelouch chuckled a little when Suzaku was drawn out of his sleepy state by the return of their waiter. He could tell that the other had been beginning to drift.
Lelouch glanced down and contemplated the menu in silence for a few moments after the waiter had left them. He then looked up once more. "I was thinking of the chocolate mousse... what about you?"
"Mousse sounds good. Or the tiramisu," Suzaku murmured. "Maybe we should get those two and share."
"That sounds good to me. Then we can each taste some of both of them," Lelouch agreed, nodding his head. "As long as you promise not to eat it all."
"I won't~" Suzaku giggled and remembered himself before he put his head on the table. That would have been embarrassing.
"One for me and one for you and we'll split that in half and have two," he said, laughing a little bit at himself.
Lelouch shook his head slightly, a hint of amusement visible in his eyes as he listened to Suzaku laugh at his own odd joke. The other seemed slightly tipsy, at the very least. He would have to make sure Suzaku did not drink anything else for the rest of the evening.
"Two indeed," Lelouch murmured, glancing up when the waiter returned. "I would like the chocolate mousse."
"Th' tiramisu for me," Suzaku said with a goofy grin on his face and gave the menus back to the waiter before he went back to fiddling with his napkin. He might have been tipsy but he knew better than to stare drunkenly across the table. That never ended well between two men.
Once the waiter had withdrawn, Lelouch gave the other a slight shake of his head. "You drank too much again, didn't you?" he murmured, pouring himself a little more wine so that he could keep the bottle on his side of the table. "I wouldn't have thought you were such a lightweight..."
"Just two. That's not too much and I'm not a lightweight," Suzaku insisted. He leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment before he looked at the bottle of wine. Another glass sounded good but he was also feeling too lethargic to muster the effort to reach for it.
"That is not too much... but you do seem a little tipsy," Lelouch murmured. He sipped his wine, shaking his head again. "Can't you tell?" He gave the other a faint smirk, wondering how Suzaku could be so oblivious so quickly. The other really ought to have realized his condition by now.
"Hmph..." Suzaku frowned. He was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol but he wasn't going to let Lelouch make fun of him for being slightly relaxed.
Lelouch was amused that Suzaku seemed so indignant. He supposed that he should be glad that the other was at least in control of his faculties enough to eat properly. He was silent for a moment before the waiter returned, placing the mousse before Lelouch and the tiramisu before Suzaku. "Time for dessert, it seems..."
"Mmhm," Suzaku said, automatically starting to eat the tiramisu. He happily swallowed two bites before he remembered what they had been talking about. He then cut the remaining dessert in half and gave Lelouch the unsoiled portion.
"There you go~"
"Thank you," Lelouch said, glancing down at his mousse thoughtfully. "This won't really hold up too well on a plate. You would lose some of the texture. Would it be all right if I just pass it to you after I eat my half?" he asked, regarding Suzaku questioningly.
"You could. But I'd like to taste some now," Suzaku said, leaning forward to scoop up a little bit of the mousse with his spoon.
"Or that," Lelouch said, sighing inwardly at the other's lack of table manners. He pushed the mousse a little closer to Suzaku so that the other wouldn't have to reach so far before taking a spoonful himself. It was extremely rich, the dark chocolate lingering on his tongue.
"Mm...." Suzaku sighed. He never ate that many sweets and he had a particular taste for chocolate. The mousse could have easily been overpowering but it held itself in that delicate balance well enough. He took another spoonful and then ate the rest of his tiramisu. Giddy from eating such good sweet things, he reached over to eat another spoonful of Lelouch's mousse.
Lelouch ate at a much slower pace than Suzaku did, savoring each bite. He switched over to the tiramisu, eating it first. It was quite good as well, the ladyfingers spongy and delicate, and the cream quite light for all of its intense flavor. Before he was done, he caught sight of Suzaku's spoon diving into his mousse again.
"Don't eat it all before I get to have my share," Lelouch murmured.
"Fine," Suzaku said, the spoon barely at his lips. He then leaned forward, slipping the spoonful of mousse into Lelouch's mouth.
"There y'go."
Lelouch's eyes widened when the spoon was suddenly pushed into his mouth. He nearly choked on the mousse, coughing before he swallowed it. He stared at Suzaku in shock, his cheeks flushed from his near-choking incident.
"Suzaku...! What was that?" Lelouch hissed, keeping his voice down with considerable effort.
Suzaku frowned in faint confusion.
"Well, you were grumpy about me taking the mousse so I just gave it back to you," he said matter-of-factly. It seemed as if he had not registered just why returning mousse by spoonfeeding it to Lelouch was not the best of ideas.
Lelouch sighed and put a hand to his temple. "I believe I have mentioned before that I can feed myself," Lelouch said. He brought his own spoon to the mousse and took a bite, trying to shake off the awkwardness. Suzaku still seemed to be oblivious about what was wrong with the notion of him feeding Lelouch. Somehow...
"Don't remember that," Suzaku shrugged but left Lelouch alone. He took some more mousse and then started humming a little to himself as he waited for Lelouch to finish eating.
"Don't you?" Lelouch asked, giving the other a small smile as he remembered just how worried Suzaku had been at the time. "It was after that monster attacked me. You didn't want to let me do anything for myself."
"Nuh-uh~ you couldn't do anything yourself," Suzaku murmured. It was unclear if he was agreeing or disagreeing but it was clear that he had a little too much too fast.
"I could too," Lelouch replied, looking slightly sulky at the other's comment even if it was partly out of inebriation. "You just worried too much. I was fine after being healed." He ate another bite of his mousse and then pushed it toward Suzaku. "You can have the last few bites."
Suzaku's face lit up like a Christmas tree and he quickly ate the remaining mousse before pushing the empty bowl back to the other.
"All gone~ that was delish~"
"It was," Lelouch said, nodding his head. He liked seeing Suzaku smile so brightly, perhaps even more than he should. It gave him a hopeful feeling. The other was making progress at being able to live, difficult though Lelouch knew it was for him.
When the waiter arrived, Lelouch was quick to take the check and arrange for payment. "There. Just a moment for him to collect the Monies, and we can go."
"Mm. Where are we going next? Still gonna be secretive about it?" Suzaku asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why tell you, when I can show you?" Lelouch replied, giving the other an amused look. He picked up his LP when the waiter returned and then rose to his feet. "Shall we go?"
"Alright," Suzaku said, getting up when Lelouch did. "Take me away, good sir."
"I will," Lelouch replied, leading the other out of the restaurant. He began moving toward Salkia Park, eventually making their destination apparent. "We've never really taken advantage of this. I thought you might want to go on a few rides."
"Rides?"
Lelouch nodded his head. "They have a Ferris Wheel in the park. The Merry-Go-Round might be a little juvenile for us. There's a Funhouse as well, though..."
"Really?" Suzaku asked brightly. It all did sound very childish but it seemed appropriate enough to him while he was tipsy.
"Yes, really. We could always take a nice walk through the park as well. What do you think?" Lelouch asked, taking in the happy tone in Suzaku's voice. The other tended to be made happy by simple things, so Lelouch had thought he might enjoy this.
"That sounds nice. And maybe the Ferris Wheel. Can do the Funhouse another time when I'm less tired," Suzaku said.
"Sure. I was mostly thinking that the Ferris Wheel would be nice," Lelouch said. "It should give us a view of the whole town and more, most likely. Come on."
"Alright," Suzaku said easily, following Lelouch. The night was chilly but Suzaku did not seem to notice it as he looked at everything as they walked.
Lelouch led the other toward the Ferris Wheel, but he paused and glanced back as he took in the expression on Suzaku's face. The other still seemed a little dazed. Lelouch reached out his hand and rested it on the other's arm, guiding Suzaku to make sure the other did not wander off. When they reached the ride, he paid the small fee and then brought the other to the seat.
"Ready to go?" Lelouch asked, glancing at the other as the security bar was lowered.
"Mmhm," Suzaku nodded, giving Lelouch a silly grin before resting his head on the other's shoulder. "All ready when you are."
Lelouch let the other's head remain on his shoulder. He didn't mind that, even if it was a bit unusual, and Suzaku seemed to tipsy to want to hold his head up. As the seat swung up so that the next pair could climb on, Lelouch gave the other a smile in return. "All ready to go. Just a few more to get on before we start moving."
"Sounds good," Suzaku said warmly as he opened his eyes a little to see what happened before he closed them again. Lelouch was too comfortable as a headrest to want to move. "I haven't been on one of these since that summer."
Lelouch sat in a companionable silence as they slowly were brought up again so that a few more could get on. He rested his hand atop the other's absently. "You know, I haven't either," Lelouch murmured. He had been on a few other rides during the time Student Council had visited the amusement park, but he hadn't gone on the Ferris Wheel.
"I see. Funny how these things turn out," Suzaku said, finally raising his head but letting his hand linger beneath Lelouch's. It was warm and it brought an unexplainable calm to Suzaku. He looked down as he watched the other people load up and he chuckled.
"This was really nice of you , Lelouch. You really did not have to do this."
"I wanted to do this," Lelouch replied simply, leaving his hand where it was. He was comfortable like this, watching the ground get further away each time it moved to allow more people to climb on.
"It's not something a person should do alone. It's nice like this, isn't it? Enjoying the things this place has to offer..."
"Thank you. It means a lot. We can see the whole place from here. No trees in the way or anything," Suzaku said contentedly. "It looks so....inviting."
"Yes, we can," Lelouch murmured, watching the ground fall away as the Ferris Wheel began to move in earnest. The entire town was visible around them, and parts of the forest were in view as well.
"It does. It looks pretty innocent like this, just a small town on an island..." Lelouch knew it was far more than that, given the way it manipulated people and brought them here against their wills.
"Just a small town on an island with nothing to worry about," Suzaku murmured, leaning against Lelouch as they were carried to the very top of the Ferris Wheel.
Lelouch gave a small nod of his head, turning to glance at the other when he felt Suzaku lean against him. "Do you think we could be happy here?" Lelouch asked softly. This was all the life he had left, and it was the same for Suzaku, in a way. This was the only time that either one could live as themselves.
"We could be..." Suzaku murmured. At least Lelouch could. Suzaku knew the fate that awaited him back home and he was more than willing to return to it when the time came. Lelouch knew his own as well...so that meant that he should find happiness in this strange purgatory realm.
"Are you happy?" he asked, turning to Lelouch, his slightly glazed gaze fixated on Lelouch's eyes.
Lelouch smiled faintly at Suzaku's words. He truly did want to see the other happy, and at least Suzaku was no longer so focused on denying the possibility.
At Suzaku's question, Lelouch turned to meet his eyes. His violet eyes held mixed emotions as they met Suzaku's. He could not lie to the other. Not about this, not now...
"Sometimes I am. It is not always easy," he admitted softly. Lelouch did not like to talk about it, but he owed Suzaku that much, so that the other would know that he was not alone in having to adjust to living again. "No matter what, I am really glad that you are here..."
"Oh...I see," Suzaku murmured, searching Lelouch's eyes for anything that hinted at what Lelouch needed. But being tipsy, he could not place anything before his mind wandered again and he rested his head against Lelouch's.
"I'm glad you're here too. It makes this place less lonely," he said softly as the Ferris Wheel turned.
Lelouch let himself lean slightly against the other in turn. "It does... It would be so lonely if you were not here." Given that he was not exactly on the best of terms with Kallen, Suzaku was the only person he could really trust here. Suzaku knew him fully and accepted him. They accepted each other.
"Look up there, Suzaku. You can see so many stars like this, away from the lights..."
Suzaku turned his head skyward when Lelouch spoke and he made a small impressed sound as he saw all the stars above them.
"I wonder if they're the same at home," he murmured almost to himself.
Lelouch gave a slight shake of his head. "I don't think they're quite the same. I recognize a few of the constellations, but not nearly all of them. Some stars are there that we wouldn't see at home, and others are absent."
"Hm. I see. Maybe we're on a completely different planet. Far away from everything we know," Suzaku said. All except for Kallen and Gino but that was much better than living with everyone watching his every move.
"Some entirely different universe, I would guess," Lelouch added, studying the stars for another moment. He turned to Suzaku again. "I wonder how this place was put together... why it pulls people here and then sends them away again... I know that others are eager to leave this place. But the truth is... I'm not in such a hurry to go. Not any longer..."
"Who knows..." Suzaku sighed and then smiled.
"A part of me feels the same way. But I know my place is back in our world. Though that is not stopping me from enjoying my time here with you. I wouldn't have another chance like this. It's almost like a dream."
"You'll return there someday... and I'll return to my place," Lelouch murmured, giving the other's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're allowed to have this time, because it is like a dream. It won't change anything in the end. It is just time outside of time...
"We should both enjoy it as much as possible."
"Mm..." Suzaku murmured, squeezing Lelouch's hand back.
"You're my best friend, you know that," he asked as he nuzzled against Lelouch's neck in an attempt to get comfortable again.
"I know," Lelouch replied, touched by hearing the words all the same. "And you're mi--" Lelouch's words ended in a surprised laugh when Suzaku's hair tickled his neck a little. "You're mine..." he said breathlessly, glancing down at the other.
"Glad to know..." Suzaku breathed as he closed his eyes and was slowly lulled into half-sleep from the gentle turning of the Ferris Wheel and the relaxed atmosphere. He wore a faint smile, feeling very warm sitting next to Lelouch.
Lelouch relaxed as well, feeling far too comfortable with Suzaku nestled up against his shoulder. He watched the land below as they slowly circled through the air. It was not a ride that moved fast or jarringly. He was lulled into a peaceful state of mind before the Ferris Wheel slowed and people began to disembark on the ground.
Suzaku groaned a little as the movement of the ride changed and then opened his eyes to find himself with Lelouch at the very top of the Ferris Wheel.
"Ride's over, huh?" he asked, looking downwards. They were so far up that it would take a while to get off the ride. He turned his head a little but found himself a little too close to Lelouch. He cautiously drew back, a little too aware of how close he had been to being able to do anything awkward. Like having his lips brush against Lelouch's.
Lelouch started slightly as well when Suzaku stirred. "It looks like it. Though we'll still have some time up here before they get to us..." he said, turning back to face Suzaku.
Lelouch's violet eyes widened as he caught sight of just how close the other was to him. There was a moment there when one jostle of the Ferris Wheel would have led to something neither one had intended. Then, having seen Suzaku draw back, Lelouch leaned back a little as well. "Are you still wanting to go for a walk after we get down, or are you feeling too tired?"
"I'm not tired," Suzaku insisted though he was feeling sleepy. The alcohol would start wearing off soon and he enjoyed walking alongside Lelouch.
"Really? You seemed as if you would fall asleep for a little while there," Lelouch replied, shrugging his shoulders easily. "The night air is pleasant. I would enjoy a walk."
"The ride was too soothing. I won't fall asleep while walking," Suzaku laughed a little.
"I would hope not. You're a little too big for me to carry you home," Lelouch replied, laughing as well as he elbowed Suzaku lightly in the ribs.
"I could probably carry you home though. But hopefully we'll make it back walking on our own two feet," Suzaku said, reaching over to throw his arm around Lelouch and draw him close in a friendly manner.
"Yes, you probably could," Lelouch replied. "You already did that once. Though I think we'd both prefer it happening out of me falling asleep than me getting hurt again. Not that I plan to fall asleep either," Lelouch added, making a sound of surprise as he was tugged closer to Suzaku, causing their seat to rock a little.
Suzaku gasped as the seat rocked unexpectedly and he held still so that it would stop moving. He started listening to the sound of Lelouch breathing and the fact disturbed him when he became aware of it. He slowly drew his arm away and laughed to dispell the awkwardness.
"That certainly woke me up. Would be on the ground right now if I fell asleep," he joked.
Lelouch gripped Suzaku instinctively for a moment as the seat rocked, glancing down hastily. He then slowly released the other, laughing a little awkwardly as well. It was quite an uncomfortable moment.
"I'd say that woke us both up. You don't know your own strength."
"I can forget that sometimes," Suzaku admitted and then drew his arms close to his body.
"I'll keep it in check now."
"Just a little while longer. We're going to be on the ground after two more seats," Lelouch said, gesturing to the approaching ground. "Even if you made us swing a lot, I don't think we'd get hurt too badly by falling from this height."
"I guess not. It's lower to the ground than a Knightmare Frame and I've fallen from that height a few times," Suzaku said in all seriousness. "I wonder if I could just hop down..."
"Don't tell me you're actually thinking about jumping off," Lelouch said, shaking his head a little. A hint of amusement crept into his features. "You really would give the man running the ride quite a shock if you did such a thing..."
"I think I'd give you a shock too if I did," Suzaku laughed as the ride gave another jerk as it went down another chair. "Maybe another time..."
Lelouch laughed along with Suzaku. "I'm sure it would. I might fall off if you really did jump down, given the way the chair would probably swing after you were gone. Lucky for me, you're not planning to find out."
"No. Not this time," Suzaku said. The Ferris Wheel turned again and the operator lifted the bar, bidding the two boys goodnight. Suzaku jumped off the platform and gave a slightly wobbly twirl.
Lelouch rose and climbed off normally. He couldn't help but smile when Suzaku twirled around with some kind of childlike exuberance. "You found your second wind, didn't you? I'll bet you're ready for that walk now..."
"Yeah," Suzaku said with a large smile. He felt almost lighter than air at times like these, warm despite the cold and eager to see what the walk brought.
Lelouch's smile grew a little wider at that. "Then let's go," he said, starting off toward one of the paths through the park. "I'm sure I can keep up with you as long as we don't start running."
"Alright. It's not good to run at this time at night anyways," Suzaku said before he took Lelouch's hand and started walking briskly.
"It's not good to run at any time of night in my book," Lelouch replied, giving the other a smirk. He was a little surprised when Suzaku took his hand, but he offered no resistance.
Suzaku continued for a little ways before suddenly stopping. He smiled sheepishly at Lelouch and then let go of his hand.
"I forgot. You should be the one leading here since you're showing me around and all."
Lelouch shrugged his shoulders slightly. "You were going the right way or I would've said something, you know. But since I'm taking the lead... let's go this way," Lelouch said, reclaiming Suzaku's hand in his for a moment and urging the other down a particular path.
Suzaku easily let Lelouch lead, wondering if they were going to just wander or if there was anything in particular that Lelouch wanted to show him.
Lelouch let Suzaku's hand fall after a second, leading the other down a tree-lined path. There was a very large Japanese maple that he had found, and it would be quite lovely in the moonlight, adorned with bright red leaves as it was. After a few minutes of walking, it appeared before them in the moonlight.
Suzaku soon found out where Lelouch was leading him and could not help but gasp at the sight of the awesome tree before him. It seemed to glow red as it was bathed in the moonlight and it reminded him of the one that used to stand near the shrine grounds. He hadn't seen such a tree in years and it brought on a sense of awe and nostalgia.
"This is incredible..."
"I thought you'd like it," Lelouch said softly, taking in the look on Suzaku's face with a gentle smile on his own lips. He liked to make Suzaku happy, and this was the most peaceful spot in the gardens that Lelouch had ever found. He had wanted to share it with the other.
"We should have a picnic here sometime in the spring."
"You think we'll be here in spring?" Suzaku asked with a soft smile as he walked up to the tree and ran his hands along the rough bark. "I'd like that..."
"There's a good chance," Lelouch replied, walking up to the tree and picking up a stray leaf from the ground. He studied its vivid crimson hue as he held it in his hand. "If we are, it'll be something to look forward to."
"Then let's plan for it. With our friends too," Suzaku nodded as he looked up into the leaves that danced in the light wind.
"That too," Lelouch agreed, letting the breeze lift the leaf out of his hand. He watched it blow through the air until it settled gently on the ground. "It's a big enough tree to shade anyone who needs it."
"Yeah..." Suzaku murmured, gazing upwards, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
Lelouch slowly turned to gaze at the other. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly after a few moments of silence.
"Nothing really..." Suzaku said softly. "I'm just really happy that you showed me this tree. It is a very soothing, inspiring sight."
Lelouch smiled at Suzaku's words. "I'm glad. I just want you to be happy here..." he replied, his voice just as quiet as Suzaku's was.
When: November 26th
Where: Restaurant Alley, the park's ferris wheel
Summary: Even though Suzaku has shed the mask of Zero, he is uncertain what to do and is very depressed. Lelouch decides to take him out for the night to cheer him up.
Rating: PG
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Suzaku sighed as he looked out the window. It was strange to think that he was now known as Suzaku on this strange island and that he now had to start from scratch as if he truly had just appeared on the island. "Zero" was safely tucked away in the closet, carefully hung as always. But though he was not wearing the confining garment or the stifling mask, he felt heavier than usual. He had worn it so often that by now he felt naked without it. If he wasn't living as Zero and if he wasn't living as the Suzaku who needed to live for atonement, just what was he living here for? He sighed again, mindlessly watching a pair of birds building a nest outside his window.
It hardly mattered that it was nearly winter. Nothing surprised Suzaku anymore.
Lelouch could tell that Suzaku had been depressed of late. The other always had his moments of distress and self-loathing, even when he wore the mask. The adjustment was proving difficult for him, and he was not always good at hiding it. Lelouch could understand just how hard such a transition could be, just as his own from dead to living had been. He was going to help Suzaku get through this, however. Just as the other's presence continued to help him. He had managed to cheer Suzaku up with good food and casual sorts of fun like movies and games before, but today, he had something just slightly different in mind.
Lelouch knocked on the door and then entered Suzaku's room. He caught sight of the other gazing out the window and sighing. Clearly, what Suzaku needed right now was a change of scenery. "Get dressed in something a little nicer. We're going out for dinner. And then we're going somewhere else."
"Hm? Where are we going?" Suzaku asked, turning to look at Lelouch with some confusion. It was true that he was tiring of being indoors most of the time now due to his own new lethargic and depressed nature but leaving his setting was a jarring thought.
"It's a surprise," Lelouch replied cheerfully, giving the other a smile. He thought that would raise Suzaku's spirits more than anything. Something totally unexpected, with several little surprises along the way. "Hurry up and get dressed. We wouldn't want to be late for our reservation."
"Why did you..." Suzaku started to ask but then stopped himself. He knew that arguing would do no good and that to decline would mean disappointing the one person who truly knew him and was trying to get him to his feet. He did not feel like going out but at least he could oblige Lelouch and go to dinner with him for once. He went to his closet and automatically reached for his Zero costume before remembering himself. He then looked at the other untouched clothing and thought for a moment about what to wear. He selected a nice dress shirt and pants and quickly changed though he neglected to straighten his collar in his rush.
"Well, we don't have to cook something absolutely every night," Lelouch replied, answering Suzaku's question in spite of the fact that the other had not fully asked it. He did not think he needed to mention his real reason was for Suzaku's sake.
Lelouch turned his gaze away as the other changed. He was already dressed in some nice slacks with a button-down and a jacket. Once Suzaku was dressed, Lelouch turned around to glance at him. He walked over and folded down his collar with a wry smile. "You weren't quite ready with your collar standing up like that."
"You're right about that," Suzaku smiled a little. It would be a nice break for Lelouch who had always done the majority of the cooking after all. He started when Lelouch reached for him and fixed his collar. He laughed a little nervously, a bit embarrassed that he had overlooked such a thing. An officer would have reprimanded him badly for such an error back in the military. It seemed so long ago now.
"Guess not. But now I am," he said.
Lelouch chuckled a little in response to the look on Suzaku's face. "It's no crime, you know. I'm not that much of a stickler," he said teasingly, turning to head to the door.
"It is nice to see you getting some use out of those clothes I made you get, though. They really do suit you." Suzaku cleaned up well, but Lelouch had always known that. He cut quite a figure in every uniform he had donned, he certainly had been the most impressive of Knights, as if to lend credence to his striking appearance.
"Not that much, you say," Suzaku shook his head with a knowing grin.
"I should be the one thanking you. I already have a full wardrobe thanks to you. Otherwise I'd be going out there in my old sweats."
"Just enough of one to fix it for you," Lelouch replied, smirking back.
He made his way to the apartment's exit and then pushed the door open. He stepped out side, holding it open for Suzaku. "I think that's a fate better avoided by both of us. Assuming they would even let us have a table if you showed up in your sweats."
"Yeah. I don't think you'd be the sort to make a reservation at a place that allows sweats. I don't think those places would even have reservations," Suzaku laughed as he walked through the door.
"Probably not," Lelouch said, laughing along with the other. He closed the door and locked it before beginning to lead the way. The restaurant was in Restaurant Alley as they all were, so the direction in which they were walking would give nothing away.
"Are you feeling hungry?"
"A little. I only had a sandwich," Suzaku admitted. He did not elaborate on what kind of sandwich it was.
Lelouch raised his eyebrows and gave the other a look. "I have to ask... Was it peanut butter?" A smile tugged at his lips in spite of himself.
"You really didn't. Of course it was," Suzaku smiled in return.
"After all of my cooking lessons, you're still stuck on peanut butter sandwiches. What am I going to do with you?" Lelouch asked teasingly. He didn't mind Suzaku's enjoyment of peanut butter sandwiches, but it was fun to tease him about it.
"Doesn't take any thinking on my part," Suzaku shrugged as they walked along towards Restaurant Alley. He did like his peanut butter sandwiches but he could see the humor in making it all the time.
"That's true," Lelouch replied cheerfully. "Just as long as you don't live off of them any more." He began steering Suzaku toward a specific restaurant. Faeries Fable happened to be the most expensive restaurant on the island, and while Suzaku would be happy with less, Lelouch thought that he deserved a nice treat.
"Of course. Not when I have you as a roommate," Suzaku laughed and then realized that the buildings were starting to get a bit fancier. He grew a little nervous about it. Nice buildings usually meant very good restaurants. The sort that one would go to for a very important meal like Christmas or the like. Not a casual outing.
Lelouch glanced around at the restaurants before putting a hand to Suzaku's shoulder and gently urging him toward Faeries Fable. He reached for the door when they arrived and drew it open. "Right this way..." he murmured.
"Are you sure you have the right restaurant?" Suzaku asked with uncertainty as he was ushered into the extravagant restaurant. This was most certainly fancy....the sort of place that would require knowledge of using at least five types of forks. He hardly ate with just one on his own. But beyond that, it was just too elaborate of a gesture.
"Of course I'm sure," Lelouch replied, giving the other a look. He shook his head slightly. "Don't worry about it. I just came here because I want to try their lobster," he added, trying to lighten the mood and put Suzaku at his ease. As he approached the maitre'd, Lelouch gave his name and reservation. In a matter of seconds, they were being escorted to their table.
"Oh....I see," Suzaku said, relaxing instantly. It had been silly of him to think that Lelouch had made plans for this restaurant soley for him. Of course the best place in town would also have the best lobster. He walked along with Lelouch, looking about him out of the corners of his eyes.
"Oh....I see," Suzaku said, relaxing instantly. It had been silly of him to think that Lelouch had made plans for this restaurant solely for him. Of course the best place in town would also have the best lobster. He walked along with Lelouch, looking about him out of the corners of his eyes.
Of course, the truth was that this was all for Suzaku. A nice night out had to cheer the other up a little.
It was curious to see just how quickly Lelouch could put the other at ease with one small comment, however. He nodded approvingly when they were shown to a nice table, one with a view out the window of the garden behind the restaurant. The trees were hung with white lights, creating quite a nice view. Once they were handed their menus and left alone, Lelouch gave the other a smile.
"What do you think so far?"
"It's very nice," Suzaku murmured, looking around him now that they were seated. He then took the menu and started perusing it. His eyes widened behind the menu. For the price of a meal here, he could have easily had ten at the burger place. He couldn't even begin thinking about how many peanut butter sandwiches it would equate. While he knew that they had enough to pay for a meal, it was very surprising that Lelouch would want to spend the money on food instead of supplies or the like.
It was true that Lelouch could cook almost anything he wanted well enough not to need fancy meals. It was nice on occasion to take a break from cooking and sample other food, though. And him cooking a meal at home would not cheer Suzaku up the same way that a night out might do. Sometimes, a person just needed a change of pace. He needed to see the benefits of living as Suzaku as well.
"I think I will get the lobster thermidor," Lelouch said after a few moments of looking at the menu. "What are you thinking of getting?"
"Probably the Caesar salad," Suzaku said, picking the least expensive thing on the menu.
Lelouch gave Suzaku a shake of his head. "I know that is not enough to fill you up. You should get something along with your salad," he murmured. "I can hardly eat lobster if you will only be having a salad.
"...I suppose," Suzaku gave in. He couldn't very well say that he was dieting since it would be an absurd diet for an athlete and it would seem strange to only have a side dish next to Lelouch. If neither of those, his stomach might betray him with a loud rumble later.
"Hmm.....the salmon looks good..." he said, trying a little harder.
Lelouch nodded at Suzaku's reply, a hint of a smile apparent on his lips. "Then you should order it. Anything you wish is fine. It's not as if we dine out every night, after all." Even though Lelouch could cook those things at home if he could find them, it would be nice to sit and relax and enjoy the ambiance.
The waiter appeared then and asked for their order. Lelouch nodded to Suzaku to speak first. He wanted to make sure the other did not just go back to ordering a salad.
"I suppose so," Suzaku said and then placed his order. He hadn't had salmon in a while and he got the hint well enough to not change his mind about it, ordering the dish along with the salad.
Lelouch gave his order next, getting himself a salad as well so that Suzaku would not have to eat his alone. The waiter then asked the two if they would care for wine with dinner. Lelouch shot Suzaku a questioning look. After the last time, it did not seem too prudent...
Suzaku looked back at Lelouch and then bit his lower lip. He knew it was absurd to think that what happened last time would repeat itself and it would be even more absurd to abstain from alcohol if that was his only concern. They hadn't had wine in a while and it would probably be proper with the meal.
"If you'd like some too, Lelouch," he replied to Lelouch.
"That sounds nice," Lelouch replied, ordering a glass of a nice white wine to accompany his lobster. Suzaku could choose the same thing if he wished, or something a little heavier to go with his salmon. If they only had one glass each, there would be no chance of Suzaku getting too tipsy.
"What type will you get, Suzaku?"
"Um. The same as he did," Suzaku said to the server. He was not familiar with too much western alcohol and red wine just seemed a little too heavy for his meal so it seemed to be best to follow Lelouch's lead.
Lelouch nodded to the server who then departed. He smiled as a small basket of fresh bread was brought to their table. It was still warm, and the scent was intoxicating. "This is a promising sign of the quality," he murmured.
"It is, huh?" Suzaku agreed as he took a piece of bread and started nibbling at it.
"I would say so," Lelouch replied. He took a piece of bread and buttered it before tasting it himself. It tasted just as good as it smelled. He swallowed and took a sip of water before speaking again. "It's quite good."
"It is," Suzaku said as he watched the other butter up his bread and ate. Somehow the scene made him relax and smile. "I'm certain it's common for people to fill up from the bread alone here."
"We won't make that mistake," Lelouch replied, noting that Suzaku was smiling now. He looked far more at ease than he had when they had first come in. It seemed to be going well. "But a piece or two couldn't hurt too much." He ate a few more bites before their glasses of wine arrived.
"Of course not," Suzaku nodded and then thanked the server after the wine was poured. He lifted his glass a little to toast, thinking for something to toast to.
"Mm....to a good night outside," he decided in the end.
"Yes, to a good night out," Lelouch echoed, clinking his glass to Suzaku's as the other made the toast. He took a small sip before returning to his bread and butter.
"This is only the first part, you know. I have other plans..."
"You're truly serious about that? Just what do you have in mind or is that a secret as well?" Suzaku asked as he took a sip of wine.
"It is a secret, of course," Lelouch replied, smiling knowingly. He would have more fun keeping it as a surprise, and Suzaku would probably enjoy the anticipation more himself. It was nothing large, no grand activity, but it would be a fun one for Suzaku. He at least expected that it would be.
"Hm. You're quite fond of your secrets even now..." Suzaku said with a small feigned disappointed sigh and a shake of his head. He took another piece of bread and started putting a little butter on it. "I suppose I'll just have to wait."
"It isn't much of one if I'm due to tell you what it is in a couple of hours," Lelouch replied, chuckling softly. He was not hiding things from Suzaku to a degree that almost surprised even him. In those last months in their world, they had needed to know what was in the other's mind, to be able to trust in each other fully to come through their battles and do what needed to be done. It was a different thing to live normally without some secrets or lies lingering around them. It was rather nice...
"I guess so," Suzaku replied and ate the buttered roll. It really was nice to know that this was probably the most that Lelouch would hide from him now. No lying about his identity or intent...no hiding his true thoughts. Lelouch truly was the boy that Suzaku remembered him to be and it was nice to have his best friend there completely.
Lelouch was silent for a few moments as they ate. He watched Suzaku, studying the look on the other's face. Suzaku did not look sad or uncomfortable at the moment. There was a quiet pleasure to his features. Lelouch was about to speak again when the waiter arrived with their salads. Lelouch murmured a word of thanks and then picked up his fork.
"You aren't full yet, I trust?" he asked, his tone light.
"No I am not," Suzaku responded, picking up his fork and starting to eat his salad. "It would take more than a few pieces of bread to fill me up."
Lelouch ate a bite of his salad, chewing thoughtfully. He took a sip of water before commenting. "This is nice. Perhaps I should make something like this on the weekend to go with the roast. It has been some time since I last had a Caesar salad."
"That would be nice," Suzaku echoed, watching Lelouch eat out of the corner of his eye for no particular reason. It was one thing to be sociable with other people in their party but when it was with Lelouch, it was always a little more quiet. Sometimes Suzaku did not know how to handle it exactly though he enjoyed the time together so he did his best to not disrupt the quiet.
"I'll plan to do that, then." Lelouch nodded his head at Suzaku's words.
He ate his salad in silence for a time, and then he took another sip of his wine. "Shall we make any plans for the weekend? The weather is getting cooler out... It might be nice to enjoy it a little before it grows cold."
"I suppose we should. It wouldn't be healthy living like hermits after all," Suzaku said. There were so many places he had yet to see due to the fact that he was masquerading around Zero. Suddenly having so many options was almost overwhelming. He thought as he took a bite of salad and then smirked.
"I don't think you'd want to check out the swimming pool at the gym. But I'm not sure what else to suggest if you're not going to tell me where we're going after dinner..."
"I agree. Not that I would tire of your company, but I would tire of the apartment if I did not venture elsewhere from time to time," Lelouch replied. He smiled at the fact that Suzaku seemed willing to accompany him out as well. The other had been moping a little too much for his tastes lately.
"The swimming pool, hm? I suppose I wouldn't mind terribly... It has been quite a long time since I last went for a swim."
"Really?" Suzaku perked up and then grinned.
"I remember the last time we swam together. You were too chicken to strip all the way down and then we only swam around for an hour before you decided Nunnally was bored of waiting for us."
"Yes. As long as you don't try and make me swim laps or something," Lelouch replied dryly, though his eyes held amusement.
"I think an hour is quite enough, I'll have you know. I would hardly like to get a cramp and drown," he added, looking slightly miffed as he remembered the way Suzaku teased him. "And I was not chicken. I did not want to get a sunburn, that's all."
"Well, maybe one or two," Suzaku gave a light shrug and then gave Lelouch a reassuring smile as he saw the other pout a little.
"You were always very worried about your complexion. I guess I shouldn't be teasing...you look a lot better than me."
Lelouch just sighed and shook his head. Suzaku was incorrigible when it came to exercise, it seemed. "You never give up, do you?"
He smirked slightly at Suzaku's words. "Maybe I'll have to make you start wearing sunscreen. So you don't get wrinkles when you're older. Sun damage does cause it, you know..."
Suzaku shook his head. "Never. That's how I got to where I am today," he sighed, not even sure if he was supposed to be proud of that fact. He glanced at Lelouch when he mentioned wrinkles and then shook his head again.
"I know that. I just never seemed to bother....with my goal in life being what it was. But maybe I should try to remember from now on. Even if I'll be younger-looking than you for a while," he could not help but add. It wasn't his fault that Asians were good at looking younger than they actually were.
"Probably so," Lelouch replied, a hint of fondness in his voice. The other could be exasperatingly stubborn, but that was also what made him such a loyal and true friend to Lelouch. At least when Suzaku said that something mattered, Lelouch could know for certain that he meant it.
"You'll only look younger because you are younger," Lelouch retorted, giving the other a smirk. "And I'll have you know that I take good care of my skin."
"You make it sound like you're eons older than me," Suzaku rolled his eyes, no longer nervous about being in such a fancy restaurant and behaving more like his boyish self. He decided to tease Lelouch a little bit more and leaned over a little.
"And I know you take good care of your skin. You put so much stuff on it that you practically sealed a few more years of youth and moisture into it. You sure you're not obsessive about it?" he asked, reaching over to touch Lelouch's cheek. Two thoughts came too late in that moment.
First the gesture looked really bad in context and out of it in this setting. Secondly, Lelouch's cool skin truly was very smooth beneath his hand.
He froze in shock of what he did for a moment and then quickly pulled back, covering up the sudden jerking movement by reaching for the glass of wine.
"No, just eons more mature." Lelouch gave the other a smug little smirk.
At Suzaku's words, Lelouch shook his head slightly. "It is hardly that much. Just a little sunscreen and cleanser every day, and moisturizer from time to time. I'm certain that I'm not obsessive."
Lelouch took a sip of his wine, as if to punctuate his statement. He put the glass down on the table and nearly choked on the wine in his mouth when Suzaku leaned closer and put a hand on his cheek.
Lelouch swallowed it somehow, his violet eyes widening. It was too easy to remember how Suzaku had touched his face when he had been drunk, and the way that the other had kissed him. The moment was sharply present in his mind when Suzaku drew his hand back hastily and broke the contact.
"Well...?" Lelouch asked, his tone somewhat uncomfortable.
"Um....well, yeah. Maybe a little," Suzaku murmured, looking away as he gulped down a large mouthful of wine. He could not get the look on Lelouch's face out of his mind. How his violet eyes suddenly widened and how he had tensed, causing the soft skin of his cheek to fall still. He decided the best thing to do was to not call attention to what he just did and then went back to eating his salad, the calm all but gone.
"It might be well cared for, but I am not obsessive," Lelouch reiterated, though he could scarcely bring himself to care to continue the argument. He uttered the words more for the sake of trying to avoid an even greater awkwardness. He then looked down at his salad, concentrating on it intently as he ate a few more bites and tried to keep any hint of color out of his cheeks. He wondered why Suzaku had been inclined to do it in the first place.
"Mm," Suzaku nodded, no more interested in the argument or in prolonging the awkward moment than Lelouch was. He would have focused on his salad as Lelouch did but he had already finished the whole thing. He drank the rest of his wine and ate another roll, chewing it slowly. But both acts did not last long and though he tried to find interest in the other things around him, he found himself watching Lelouch out of the corner of his eye.
Lelouch remained intent on his salad for another moment as he gathered his composure again. There was no point in getting too awkward over a simple touch, especially when Suzaku might not even really recall the times that he had done similar such things, given how inebriated he had been at the time.
"So, aside from swimming for miles, what other sadistic exercise pursuits do you have planned for this week?" Lelouch asked, trying to make his tone teasing.
"Well, maybe some light jogging but other than that, I think you're off the hook," Suzaku said, trying to answer with a grin but had it come off more awkward than he intended. He took the bottle that the waiter left on the table and refilled his glass. It wouldn't be good to have his dish without the wine if he was ordering it for the meal itself. He was flustered but not noticeably so. He hadn't realized he had done more than just kiss Lelouch before so there was little concern. A touch was just a touch even if it was a strange thing to do without thinking.
"I meant for yourself," Lelouch replied, a hint of genuine amusement coming into his features now. "Jogging sounds awful to me, in any case. Not even a little bit like fun. I don't know how you manage to find such things pleasant."
Lelouch had not seen the bottle of wine until Suzaku poured himself another glass from it. He nearly cautioned the other against drinking another glass, but he held his tongue. That would only lead to more awkwardness. He would just stop the other if he tried to pour any more.
"Well, it releases endorphins so it's actually quite pleasant once you get used to it. That or I'm really a masochist," Suzaku said. He sipped a little of the wine but stopped before he drank any more. He remembered what happened last time when he thought he could handle more.
"Probably the latter," Lelouch replied dryly. He ate a little more of his salad, finishing it just as a busboy appeared to take Suzaku's plate. Lelouch bade him to take his as well. The meal had to be coming soon.
"I'd rather get my endorphins from chocolate, in any case."
"I see. Well that will not be good for your skin or your body if you rely on that as your only source," Suzaku chuckled and then started fiddling with his napkin. They were quickly running out of things to talk about and his mind wasn't fast enough to think of another topic suitable for the restaurant.
"I never said it was my only source," Lelouch replied, giving a slight shake of his head as the other chuckled. It sounded natural, at least, making the moment less awkward.
Where Suzaku paused to fiddle with his napkin, Lelouch's mind was quick to find another topic of discussion. It was not so difficult, really, when there was so little that they did not know about each other. "It seems that Kaiba is going to start marketing that game of his here on the island. It is not chess, but I might take it up. Winning gives one some endorphins as well, I believe..."
"The game with the fighting cards? I remember you said it was a strategy-based game so I guess it's not too surprising that you'd want to learn it," Suzaku said. "I don't think even you'd get a rush from winning right off the bat though. It seems pretty random."
"True. Winning via random luck is not too exciting for me. Kaiba has been teaching me how to play, though. There is some element of strategy to building one's deck and how one handles gameplay. I am not certain it is sufficiently strategic for my tastes, but if he markets it successfully, I would not have a shortage of opponents."
Lelouch smirked then. "On the other hand, given that I won our last chess match, I suspect Kaiba will be willing to be my opponent again."
"He seems to be like you when it comes to competition. Neither of you like to lose," Suzaku smiled. He of all people knew that fact like the back of his hand. It would be good for Lelouch to have a new hobby. It must be hard for him to have a second chance at life but have nothing for himself to persue.
"He seems to be like you when it comes to competition. Neither of you like to lose," Suzaku smiled. He of all people knew that fact like the back of his hand. It would be good for Lelouch to have a new hobby. It must be hard for him to have a second chance at life but have nothing for himself to pursue.
"That is true. Though he is a worse loser than I am, if you believe it," Lelouch said, smiling back at the other. "At least I can conceal my displeasure and maintain politeness. Not that Kaiba is a particularly polite individual the rest of the time either. He really is far too blunt in his dislike of most people for his own good." Lelouch took no offense over it, but he suspected it hurt Kaiba's cause in many cases.
"I do find that harder to believe, even if you can conceal your disappointment better than he. It is a pity that he rubs people the wrong way at times," Suzaku said.
Lelouch chuckled then. "You know me too well. I don't think anyone likes losing less than I do, but I would like to believe I handle it more gracefully than he does. And it is a pity, but it is a problem of his own making. In any case, I believe he will want to stay on good terms with me, if only so he can keep working on the Lancelot."
"How's that coming so far?" Suzaku asked. Ever since he nearly got caught by Kallen while he was the Lancelot Albion, he stayed far from the hiding place of the real deal.
"He is starting to make good progress," Lelouch replied. "Hopefully it won't be too much longer before we have something functional completed. I am keeping an eye on it, of course. Kaiba is rather enamored with the technology, so that does help motivate him."
"Glad to hear that," Suzaku said. The food arrived not a moment too soon. Suzaku's mouth watered as the salmon was placed in front of him but he waited for Lelouch's dish to be served as well before he picked up his fork and knife.
"This looks really good..."
Lelouch glanced down at his lobster thermidor when it arrived. He inhaled the rich scent, closing his eyes for a moment. He then glanced over at Suzaku at the other's comment. "It does. It smells good too," Lelouch said.
He picked up his own utensils and took a bite of his food. He savored the taste of it, finding it to be very fresh and well prepared.
Suzaku watched as Lelouch inhaled the scent and appreciated it. It was something nearly foreign to him since he was the sort that often could not tell the quality between one sort of food and the other and appreciate it but seeing Lelouch have that ability made him happy. He could truly enjoy the dinner for what it was...beyond the appearance and the environment in which he ate it in.
"How is it?" he asked, forgetting to eat a bite of his own food first.
Lelouch smiled faintly and took a sip of his wine before answering Suzaku's question. "It is quite good. The lobster tastes as if it was just caught. I might have paused at trying to cook much lobster here before, but if this is the quality that the store can stock... I shall have to give it a try myself sometime. It has been some time since I last had lobster.
"How is your salmon?" he asked, waiting for Suzaku to try his as well.
"Oh," Suzaku hastily cut a piece of his salmon and popped it into his mouth. He chewed a little, savoring the taste of the freshly-caught fish. Salmon wasn't anything fancy but the one he was eating had a very delicious twist to it though he couldn't place it.
"It's good," he said, eating another piece and drinking some more wine. He started wondering just how Lelouch would go about cooking a lobster. It was possible but it was just such a strange image in his head.
"I'm glad," Lelouch replied, falling silent as he continued to enjoy his meal. He was content to eat for a time, feeling quite relaxed as he took pleasure in this rare treat. Lobster was one of his favorite meals.
Lelouch caught sight of Suzaku giving him a slightly strange look, and he raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"
Suzaku snapped out of his reverie and glanced away.
"Oh...nothing. Just wondering if lobsters feel pain," he muttered the last bit of his thoughts concerning how lobsters sounded when they were dropped into boiling water though it sounded completely strange out of context.
"I'm sure that they are capable of it," Lelouch said, raising his eyebrows. It was a somewhat strange thing for Suzaku to say. "Pain has a use in nature as a warning of things that cause an individual harm.
"I think just about any animal would feel pain..."
"Hm....I guess so," Suzaku murmured, feeling a bit stupid for saying something so utterly random. Lelouch must have thought his friend had gone crazy. In a way, he probably did.
"Not that I'm against eating lobsters. Was just wondering," he added to clarify though it just sounded more stupid when he voiced it. He decided then to stop talking and to eat his salmon.
"Were you thinking about cooking them?" Lelouch asked, guessing at the source of Suzaku's question. It only made logical sense, given that Lelouch was now eating a cooked lobster and had spoken about cooking them himself a few moments ago.
"Intellectual curiosity is a sign of an active mind," Lelouch added, giving an easy shrug of his shoulders. "It doesn't hurt to wonder about such things."
"Yeah. And how their shells make that sound when you cook them," Suzaku said, feeling his cheeks heat up a little bit.
"I'm sorry. That was just stupid..." he muttered under his breath before taking another sip of wine.
"It is supposedly not terribly painful for them, though I imagine that it would be hard for a person to really know what hurts a lobster," Lelouch replied.
He shook his head when Suzaku apologized. "I don't think it was stupid at all. It's not as if you have to worry about watching what you say to me. Isn't it natural to wonder about such things sometimes anyway?"
Suzaku blushed further and just looked down, cutting his salmon into smaller and smaller bits. Somehow talking about if lobsters felt pain or not in this setting was just too awkward and the way Lelouch was trying to smooth that over made the error even more apparent.
Lelouch was not as bothered by the topic of conversation as someone else might have been. He was aware that animals tended to feel pain when they were turned into food for people to eat. It was the harsh reality of it, and he was not the sort of a person to lie to himself. He had cooked lobsters before and seen for himself how it went.
"Don't worry," Lelouch murmured again, noting the way the other was blushing. He wondered why Suzaku was acting this awkward over a simply unusual topic of conversation.
"Do you think you'll have room for dessert?"
It was the wine.
At least that's what Suzaku told himself. His cheeks naturally heated up after a bit of alcohol and wine did loosen his grip on emotions a little. He knew deep down that it was nothing to worry about but he could not help but fret for a moment.
He nodded at Lelouch's question and smiled.
"Always room for dessert."
"Good. I saw a few things on the menu that I might want to try," Lelouch replied, smiling back at the other. It seemed that the moment of Suzaku's awkward worry had passed, thankfully. There was a warmth to Suzaku's smile when it had appeared that seemed genuine.
"It is nice to have a night out, isn't it? I don't think we do this enough..."
"It is. I had all but given up having a nice quiet time like this," Suzaku said. The mask of Zero was a heavy one to bear. He could only eat in solitude if he wished to be left in peace and to not attract stares at home. It was good that no one knew him here in Salkia. It might have felt wrong to go about his life as if he was not a traitor or a murderer or a figurehead for justice. But at the same time, it was a great relief. He was only human after all.
"The dessert menu looked really good too. I'll have a hard time deciding what I'd want."
Lelouch's smile grew a little wider then. This was working exactly as he had hoped it would. He was reminding Suzaku of all of the good that could come from him putting down the mask. Already, he was not alone, having Lelouch here. Now, he could have more than that. He could have a life here. He should not feeling sad or oppressed by that possibility.
"It isn't an easy choice. If I had room for two, I might have even ordered more than one. I suspect that I will not have quite that much room after this lobster, though." It was rare that Lelouch ate such a large meal, but he suspected that he would be finishing the lobster. It was a favorite food, and it was far too good.
"Yeah, it's hard to make room when you're eating your favorite dish," Suzaku said as he continued eating. Suzaku could eat in great quantities but that was because he burned off energy so quickly. Something like salmon wouldn't be a problem even if he did finish it all off. Which he did. He then took his time to drink the rest of his glass and then sighed, propping his chin against his hand, smiling happily as he let his gaze wander.
"Exactly," Lelouch said. "It would be a shame for such a tasty meal to go to waste in any case." He also fell silent as he continued eating. He gazed out through the window and then let his eyes venture over to Suzaku. The other looked happy as he came to the end of his meal, relaxed and at his ease. Lelouch liked seeing Suzaku like that, especially after all of the sorrows the other had suffered. His goal in this world was to help give Suzaku a life, one where he could be happy, even if only for this space of time, however long it lasted.
Lelouch continued eating his lobster, eventually finishing his dish as well. He took a final sip of wine and then leaned back in his chair. "That was good..."
"It was. I enjoyed that a lot," Suzaku said almost dreamily. He was comfortably warm and was nearly lulled to sleep when the server returned with the dessert menu.
Lelouch chuckled a little when Suzaku was drawn out of his sleepy state by the return of their waiter. He could tell that the other had been beginning to drift.
Lelouch glanced down and contemplated the menu in silence for a few moments after the waiter had left them. He then looked up once more. "I was thinking of the chocolate mousse... what about you?"
"Mousse sounds good. Or the tiramisu," Suzaku murmured. "Maybe we should get those two and share."
"That sounds good to me. Then we can each taste some of both of them," Lelouch agreed, nodding his head. "As long as you promise not to eat it all."
"I won't~" Suzaku giggled and remembered himself before he put his head on the table. That would have been embarrassing.
"One for me and one for you and we'll split that in half and have two," he said, laughing a little bit at himself.
Lelouch shook his head slightly, a hint of amusement visible in his eyes as he listened to Suzaku laugh at his own odd joke. The other seemed slightly tipsy, at the very least. He would have to make sure Suzaku did not drink anything else for the rest of the evening.
"Two indeed," Lelouch murmured, glancing up when the waiter returned. "I would like the chocolate mousse."
"Th' tiramisu for me," Suzaku said with a goofy grin on his face and gave the menus back to the waiter before he went back to fiddling with his napkin. He might have been tipsy but he knew better than to stare drunkenly across the table. That never ended well between two men.
Once the waiter had withdrawn, Lelouch gave the other a slight shake of his head. "You drank too much again, didn't you?" he murmured, pouring himself a little more wine so that he could keep the bottle on his side of the table. "I wouldn't have thought you were such a lightweight..."
"Just two. That's not too much and I'm not a lightweight," Suzaku insisted. He leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment before he looked at the bottle of wine. Another glass sounded good but he was also feeling too lethargic to muster the effort to reach for it.
"That is not too much... but you do seem a little tipsy," Lelouch murmured. He sipped his wine, shaking his head again. "Can't you tell?" He gave the other a faint smirk, wondering how Suzaku could be so oblivious so quickly. The other really ought to have realized his condition by now.
"Hmph..." Suzaku frowned. He was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol but he wasn't going to let Lelouch make fun of him for being slightly relaxed.
Lelouch was amused that Suzaku seemed so indignant. He supposed that he should be glad that the other was at least in control of his faculties enough to eat properly. He was silent for a moment before the waiter returned, placing the mousse before Lelouch and the tiramisu before Suzaku. "Time for dessert, it seems..."
"Mmhm," Suzaku said, automatically starting to eat the tiramisu. He happily swallowed two bites before he remembered what they had been talking about. He then cut the remaining dessert in half and gave Lelouch the unsoiled portion.
"There you go~"
"Thank you," Lelouch said, glancing down at his mousse thoughtfully. "This won't really hold up too well on a plate. You would lose some of the texture. Would it be all right if I just pass it to you after I eat my half?" he asked, regarding Suzaku questioningly.
"You could. But I'd like to taste some now," Suzaku said, leaning forward to scoop up a little bit of the mousse with his spoon.
"Or that," Lelouch said, sighing inwardly at the other's lack of table manners. He pushed the mousse a little closer to Suzaku so that the other wouldn't have to reach so far before taking a spoonful himself. It was extremely rich, the dark chocolate lingering on his tongue.
"Mm...." Suzaku sighed. He never ate that many sweets and he had a particular taste for chocolate. The mousse could have easily been overpowering but it held itself in that delicate balance well enough. He took another spoonful and then ate the rest of his tiramisu. Giddy from eating such good sweet things, he reached over to eat another spoonful of Lelouch's mousse.
Lelouch ate at a much slower pace than Suzaku did, savoring each bite. He switched over to the tiramisu, eating it first. It was quite good as well, the ladyfingers spongy and delicate, and the cream quite light for all of its intense flavor. Before he was done, he caught sight of Suzaku's spoon diving into his mousse again.
"Don't eat it all before I get to have my share," Lelouch murmured.
"Fine," Suzaku said, the spoon barely at his lips. He then leaned forward, slipping the spoonful of mousse into Lelouch's mouth.
"There y'go."
Lelouch's eyes widened when the spoon was suddenly pushed into his mouth. He nearly choked on the mousse, coughing before he swallowed it. He stared at Suzaku in shock, his cheeks flushed from his near-choking incident.
"Suzaku...! What was that?" Lelouch hissed, keeping his voice down with considerable effort.
Suzaku frowned in faint confusion.
"Well, you were grumpy about me taking the mousse so I just gave it back to you," he said matter-of-factly. It seemed as if he had not registered just why returning mousse by spoonfeeding it to Lelouch was not the best of ideas.
Lelouch sighed and put a hand to his temple. "I believe I have mentioned before that I can feed myself," Lelouch said. He brought his own spoon to the mousse and took a bite, trying to shake off the awkwardness. Suzaku still seemed to be oblivious about what was wrong with the notion of him feeding Lelouch. Somehow...
"Don't remember that," Suzaku shrugged but left Lelouch alone. He took some more mousse and then started humming a little to himself as he waited for Lelouch to finish eating.
"Don't you?" Lelouch asked, giving the other a small smile as he remembered just how worried Suzaku had been at the time. "It was after that monster attacked me. You didn't want to let me do anything for myself."
"Nuh-uh~ you couldn't do anything yourself," Suzaku murmured. It was unclear if he was agreeing or disagreeing but it was clear that he had a little too much too fast.
"I could too," Lelouch replied, looking slightly sulky at the other's comment even if it was partly out of inebriation. "You just worried too much. I was fine after being healed." He ate another bite of his mousse and then pushed it toward Suzaku. "You can have the last few bites."
Suzaku's face lit up like a Christmas tree and he quickly ate the remaining mousse before pushing the empty bowl back to the other.
"All gone~ that was delish~"
"It was," Lelouch said, nodding his head. He liked seeing Suzaku smile so brightly, perhaps even more than he should. It gave him a hopeful feeling. The other was making progress at being able to live, difficult though Lelouch knew it was for him.
When the waiter arrived, Lelouch was quick to take the check and arrange for payment. "There. Just a moment for him to collect the Monies, and we can go."
"Mm. Where are we going next? Still gonna be secretive about it?" Suzaku asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why tell you, when I can show you?" Lelouch replied, giving the other an amused look. He picked up his LP when the waiter returned and then rose to his feet. "Shall we go?"
"Alright," Suzaku said, getting up when Lelouch did. "Take me away, good sir."
"I will," Lelouch replied, leading the other out of the restaurant. He began moving toward Salkia Park, eventually making their destination apparent. "We've never really taken advantage of this. I thought you might want to go on a few rides."
"Rides?"
Lelouch nodded his head. "They have a Ferris Wheel in the park. The Merry-Go-Round might be a little juvenile for us. There's a Funhouse as well, though..."
"Really?" Suzaku asked brightly. It all did sound very childish but it seemed appropriate enough to him while he was tipsy.
"Yes, really. We could always take a nice walk through the park as well. What do you think?" Lelouch asked, taking in the happy tone in Suzaku's voice. The other tended to be made happy by simple things, so Lelouch had thought he might enjoy this.
"That sounds nice. And maybe the Ferris Wheel. Can do the Funhouse another time when I'm less tired," Suzaku said.
"Sure. I was mostly thinking that the Ferris Wheel would be nice," Lelouch said. "It should give us a view of the whole town and more, most likely. Come on."
"Alright," Suzaku said easily, following Lelouch. The night was chilly but Suzaku did not seem to notice it as he looked at everything as they walked.
Lelouch led the other toward the Ferris Wheel, but he paused and glanced back as he took in the expression on Suzaku's face. The other still seemed a little dazed. Lelouch reached out his hand and rested it on the other's arm, guiding Suzaku to make sure the other did not wander off. When they reached the ride, he paid the small fee and then brought the other to the seat.
"Ready to go?" Lelouch asked, glancing at the other as the security bar was lowered.
"Mmhm," Suzaku nodded, giving Lelouch a silly grin before resting his head on the other's shoulder. "All ready when you are."
Lelouch let the other's head remain on his shoulder. He didn't mind that, even if it was a bit unusual, and Suzaku seemed to tipsy to want to hold his head up. As the seat swung up so that the next pair could climb on, Lelouch gave the other a smile in return. "All ready to go. Just a few more to get on before we start moving."
"Sounds good," Suzaku said warmly as he opened his eyes a little to see what happened before he closed them again. Lelouch was too comfortable as a headrest to want to move. "I haven't been on one of these since that summer."
Lelouch sat in a companionable silence as they slowly were brought up again so that a few more could get on. He rested his hand atop the other's absently. "You know, I haven't either," Lelouch murmured. He had been on a few other rides during the time Student Council had visited the amusement park, but he hadn't gone on the Ferris Wheel.
"I see. Funny how these things turn out," Suzaku said, finally raising his head but letting his hand linger beneath Lelouch's. It was warm and it brought an unexplainable calm to Suzaku. He looked down as he watched the other people load up and he chuckled.
"This was really nice of you , Lelouch. You really did not have to do this."
"I wanted to do this," Lelouch replied simply, leaving his hand where it was. He was comfortable like this, watching the ground get further away each time it moved to allow more people to climb on.
"It's not something a person should do alone. It's nice like this, isn't it? Enjoying the things this place has to offer..."
"Thank you. It means a lot. We can see the whole place from here. No trees in the way or anything," Suzaku said contentedly. "It looks so....inviting."
"Yes, we can," Lelouch murmured, watching the ground fall away as the Ferris Wheel began to move in earnest. The entire town was visible around them, and parts of the forest were in view as well.
"It does. It looks pretty innocent like this, just a small town on an island..." Lelouch knew it was far more than that, given the way it manipulated people and brought them here against their wills.
"Just a small town on an island with nothing to worry about," Suzaku murmured, leaning against Lelouch as they were carried to the very top of the Ferris Wheel.
Lelouch gave a small nod of his head, turning to glance at the other when he felt Suzaku lean against him. "Do you think we could be happy here?" Lelouch asked softly. This was all the life he had left, and it was the same for Suzaku, in a way. This was the only time that either one could live as themselves.
"We could be..." Suzaku murmured. At least Lelouch could. Suzaku knew the fate that awaited him back home and he was more than willing to return to it when the time came. Lelouch knew his own as well...so that meant that he should find happiness in this strange purgatory realm.
"Are you happy?" he asked, turning to Lelouch, his slightly glazed gaze fixated on Lelouch's eyes.
Lelouch smiled faintly at Suzaku's words. He truly did want to see the other happy, and at least Suzaku was no longer so focused on denying the possibility.
At Suzaku's question, Lelouch turned to meet his eyes. His violet eyes held mixed emotions as they met Suzaku's. He could not lie to the other. Not about this, not now...
"Sometimes I am. It is not always easy," he admitted softly. Lelouch did not like to talk about it, but he owed Suzaku that much, so that the other would know that he was not alone in having to adjust to living again. "No matter what, I am really glad that you are here..."
"Oh...I see," Suzaku murmured, searching Lelouch's eyes for anything that hinted at what Lelouch needed. But being tipsy, he could not place anything before his mind wandered again and he rested his head against Lelouch's.
"I'm glad you're here too. It makes this place less lonely," he said softly as the Ferris Wheel turned.
Lelouch let himself lean slightly against the other in turn. "It does... It would be so lonely if you were not here." Given that he was not exactly on the best of terms with Kallen, Suzaku was the only person he could really trust here. Suzaku knew him fully and accepted him. They accepted each other.
"Look up there, Suzaku. You can see so many stars like this, away from the lights..."
Suzaku turned his head skyward when Lelouch spoke and he made a small impressed sound as he saw all the stars above them.
"I wonder if they're the same at home," he murmured almost to himself.
Lelouch gave a slight shake of his head. "I don't think they're quite the same. I recognize a few of the constellations, but not nearly all of them. Some stars are there that we wouldn't see at home, and others are absent."
"Hm. I see. Maybe we're on a completely different planet. Far away from everything we know," Suzaku said. All except for Kallen and Gino but that was much better than living with everyone watching his every move.
"Some entirely different universe, I would guess," Lelouch added, studying the stars for another moment. He turned to Suzaku again. "I wonder how this place was put together... why it pulls people here and then sends them away again... I know that others are eager to leave this place. But the truth is... I'm not in such a hurry to go. Not any longer..."
"Who knows..." Suzaku sighed and then smiled.
"A part of me feels the same way. But I know my place is back in our world. Though that is not stopping me from enjoying my time here with you. I wouldn't have another chance like this. It's almost like a dream."
"You'll return there someday... and I'll return to my place," Lelouch murmured, giving the other's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're allowed to have this time, because it is like a dream. It won't change anything in the end. It is just time outside of time...
"We should both enjoy it as much as possible."
"Mm..." Suzaku murmured, squeezing Lelouch's hand back.
"You're my best friend, you know that," he asked as he nuzzled against Lelouch's neck in an attempt to get comfortable again.
"I know," Lelouch replied, touched by hearing the words all the same. "And you're mi--" Lelouch's words ended in a surprised laugh when Suzaku's hair tickled his neck a little. "You're mine..." he said breathlessly, glancing down at the other.
"Glad to know..." Suzaku breathed as he closed his eyes and was slowly lulled into half-sleep from the gentle turning of the Ferris Wheel and the relaxed atmosphere. He wore a faint smile, feeling very warm sitting next to Lelouch.
Lelouch relaxed as well, feeling far too comfortable with Suzaku nestled up against his shoulder. He watched the land below as they slowly circled through the air. It was not a ride that moved fast or jarringly. He was lulled into a peaceful state of mind before the Ferris Wheel slowed and people began to disembark on the ground.
Suzaku groaned a little as the movement of the ride changed and then opened his eyes to find himself with Lelouch at the very top of the Ferris Wheel.
"Ride's over, huh?" he asked, looking downwards. They were so far up that it would take a while to get off the ride. He turned his head a little but found himself a little too close to Lelouch. He cautiously drew back, a little too aware of how close he had been to being able to do anything awkward. Like having his lips brush against Lelouch's.
Lelouch started slightly as well when Suzaku stirred. "It looks like it. Though we'll still have some time up here before they get to us..." he said, turning back to face Suzaku.
Lelouch's violet eyes widened as he caught sight of just how close the other was to him. There was a moment there when one jostle of the Ferris Wheel would have led to something neither one had intended. Then, having seen Suzaku draw back, Lelouch leaned back a little as well. "Are you still wanting to go for a walk after we get down, or are you feeling too tired?"
"I'm not tired," Suzaku insisted though he was feeling sleepy. The alcohol would start wearing off soon and he enjoyed walking alongside Lelouch.
"Really? You seemed as if you would fall asleep for a little while there," Lelouch replied, shrugging his shoulders easily. "The night air is pleasant. I would enjoy a walk."
"The ride was too soothing. I won't fall asleep while walking," Suzaku laughed a little.
"I would hope not. You're a little too big for me to carry you home," Lelouch replied, laughing as well as he elbowed Suzaku lightly in the ribs.
"I could probably carry you home though. But hopefully we'll make it back walking on our own two feet," Suzaku said, reaching over to throw his arm around Lelouch and draw him close in a friendly manner.
"Yes, you probably could," Lelouch replied. "You already did that once. Though I think we'd both prefer it happening out of me falling asleep than me getting hurt again. Not that I plan to fall asleep either," Lelouch added, making a sound of surprise as he was tugged closer to Suzaku, causing their seat to rock a little.
Suzaku gasped as the seat rocked unexpectedly and he held still so that it would stop moving. He started listening to the sound of Lelouch breathing and the fact disturbed him when he became aware of it. He slowly drew his arm away and laughed to dispell the awkwardness.
"That certainly woke me up. Would be on the ground right now if I fell asleep," he joked.
Lelouch gripped Suzaku instinctively for a moment as the seat rocked, glancing down hastily. He then slowly released the other, laughing a little awkwardly as well. It was quite an uncomfortable moment.
"I'd say that woke us both up. You don't know your own strength."
"I can forget that sometimes," Suzaku admitted and then drew his arms close to his body.
"I'll keep it in check now."
"Just a little while longer. We're going to be on the ground after two more seats," Lelouch said, gesturing to the approaching ground. "Even if you made us swing a lot, I don't think we'd get hurt too badly by falling from this height."
"I guess not. It's lower to the ground than a Knightmare Frame and I've fallen from that height a few times," Suzaku said in all seriousness. "I wonder if I could just hop down..."
"Don't tell me you're actually thinking about jumping off," Lelouch said, shaking his head a little. A hint of amusement crept into his features. "You really would give the man running the ride quite a shock if you did such a thing..."
"I think I'd give you a shock too if I did," Suzaku laughed as the ride gave another jerk as it went down another chair. "Maybe another time..."
Lelouch laughed along with Suzaku. "I'm sure it would. I might fall off if you really did jump down, given the way the chair would probably swing after you were gone. Lucky for me, you're not planning to find out."
"No. Not this time," Suzaku said. The Ferris Wheel turned again and the operator lifted the bar, bidding the two boys goodnight. Suzaku jumped off the platform and gave a slightly wobbly twirl.
Lelouch rose and climbed off normally. He couldn't help but smile when Suzaku twirled around with some kind of childlike exuberance. "You found your second wind, didn't you? I'll bet you're ready for that walk now..."
"Yeah," Suzaku said with a large smile. He felt almost lighter than air at times like these, warm despite the cold and eager to see what the walk brought.
Lelouch's smile grew a little wider at that. "Then let's go," he said, starting off toward one of the paths through the park. "I'm sure I can keep up with you as long as we don't start running."
"Alright. It's not good to run at this time at night anyways," Suzaku said before he took Lelouch's hand and started walking briskly.
"It's not good to run at any time of night in my book," Lelouch replied, giving the other a smirk. He was a little surprised when Suzaku took his hand, but he offered no resistance.
Suzaku continued for a little ways before suddenly stopping. He smiled sheepishly at Lelouch and then let go of his hand.
"I forgot. You should be the one leading here since you're showing me around and all."
Lelouch shrugged his shoulders slightly. "You were going the right way or I would've said something, you know. But since I'm taking the lead... let's go this way," Lelouch said, reclaiming Suzaku's hand in his for a moment and urging the other down a particular path.
Suzaku easily let Lelouch lead, wondering if they were going to just wander or if there was anything in particular that Lelouch wanted to show him.
Lelouch let Suzaku's hand fall after a second, leading the other down a tree-lined path. There was a very large Japanese maple that he had found, and it would be quite lovely in the moonlight, adorned with bright red leaves as it was. After a few minutes of walking, it appeared before them in the moonlight.
Suzaku soon found out where Lelouch was leading him and could not help but gasp at the sight of the awesome tree before him. It seemed to glow red as it was bathed in the moonlight and it reminded him of the one that used to stand near the shrine grounds. He hadn't seen such a tree in years and it brought on a sense of awe and nostalgia.
"This is incredible..."
"I thought you'd like it," Lelouch said softly, taking in the look on Suzaku's face with a gentle smile on his own lips. He liked to make Suzaku happy, and this was the most peaceful spot in the gardens that Lelouch had ever found. He had wanted to share it with the other.
"We should have a picnic here sometime in the spring."
"You think we'll be here in spring?" Suzaku asked with a soft smile as he walked up to the tree and ran his hands along the rough bark. "I'd like that..."
"There's a good chance," Lelouch replied, walking up to the tree and picking up a stray leaf from the ground. He studied its vivid crimson hue as he held it in his hand. "If we are, it'll be something to look forward to."
"Then let's plan for it. With our friends too," Suzaku nodded as he looked up into the leaves that danced in the light wind.
"That too," Lelouch agreed, letting the breeze lift the leaf out of his hand. He watched it blow through the air until it settled gently on the ground. "It's a big enough tree to shade anyone who needs it."
"Yeah..." Suzaku murmured, gazing upwards, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
Lelouch slowly turned to gaze at the other. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly after a few moments of silence.
"Nothing really..." Suzaku said softly. "I'm just really happy that you showed me this tree. It is a very soothing, inspiring sight."
Lelouch smiled at Suzaku's words. "I'm glad. I just want you to be happy here..." he replied, his voice just as quiet as Suzaku's was.