A Place With No Darkness- Chapter One Part 1
Title: A Place With No Darkness
Author: Spirithorse (eachainn )
Rating: M
Pairing: Suzalulu
Warnings: Character deaths, violence, death
Summary: AU. In one move Lelouch saved his sister and damned himself. Now he has to compete in the Hunger Games and figure out some way that both he and Suzaku. Suzalulu.
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or The Hunger Games.
Author’s Note: This fic came out of one of my friends reading the Hunger Games and all the prompts that sprung up on the kinkmeme. That being said, I have not read any of the fills for the prompts and will not until the story is finished.
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Chapter One
It looked like it was going to rain, the grey clouds gathering in the sky and blocking out the sun. Lelouch tipped his head back, watching the clouds to see if they were moving or if they were going to stay. The crops in the fields needed the rain, but he didn't want to get stuck. Nunnally would worry about him, and Lelouch didn't want that. She was already busy enough making medicine for the town to get ready for the colds that the rainy season would bring. She didn't need to be worrying about him as well as the people of the town.
Lelouch hitched his pack higher on his shoulder, feeling the supplies he had bought in the market shift slightly. There were still a few things he hadn't been able to sell but, if his calculations were right, they would survive until the harvest on what they could barter for and from the few people who could actually pay for Nunnally's medicines or the meat that Suzaku hunted. In any case, they had his mother's business to fall back on. Things always broke down around the rainy season, which meant that Marianne would be out fixing up the houses of the wealthy more than she was at home.
He turned his head, glancing back at the town to see if he had been followed, only relaxing when he saw that there was no one there. He was always jumpy after he had been into the market selling the meat that Suzaku had caught in the forest just outside of the fence. Although they could technically catch whatever animals came out in the meadow just inside of the fence, nothing bigger than a rabbit every appeared. Something like a deer was obviously from the forest, where they were forbidden to go and a bird implied that they had weapon, which was also forbidden. Fortunately, the police were paid just as little or less than the people who worked in the fields or in the sakuradite mines and were just as eager to get some extra food in case of hard times. Because of that, they were less likely to follow Lelouch or even confront him on the fact that he was blatantly breaking the law. If the town didn't look after each other there was no way they could expect to survive. He was just as sure that it was like that through the rest of the Britannian Empire.
Lelouch flinched, shaking his head. It wasn't right to call Britannia an empire, it had lost all of its foreign holdings centuries ago. From the history books he had looked at in school and still snuck peeks at when he had the time, Britannia had once been and empire and controlled nearly a third of the world. According to the books it had been a slow slide into a recession and an outbreak of war that had destroyed the empire. It had turned inward, returning to the homeland only to have to fend off nuclear attacks. The books made Britannia's victory sound like some sort of great feat, and Lelouch supposed it was. Britannia had managed to keep itself mostly intact despite great odds.
It didn't stop him from hating it.
The land around the capital of Pendragon was hardly enough to support the populations that lived on them. Not only that, but the success of an Area was determined by the person that held control over it. Lelouch supposed that he should have considered himself lucky that he lived in Area 11, especially since the viceroy didn't seem to care about getting the most profit out of the Area. Lelouch secretly thought that Prince Clovis la Britannia didn't care about anything but his paintings. But he wasn't in any position to complain. He had heard horror stories from Areas 5 and 10, both of them under Viceroy Calares and Princess Guinevere su Britannia respectively. Apparently they were pushed to their limits every year.
Still, it was hard not to complain, especially when Britannia continued to use its people and remain so obviously corrupt. People had just enough to get by in the Areas when compared to the lavishness of the capital of Pendragon. A good portion of all their goods went to keeping Pendragon supplied with everything that the citizens needed. The Areas also supplied their entertainments, once a year in memory of some long forgotten rebellion that had taken place while Britannia had started to right itself after the war that nearly destroyed it.
Lelouch shivered and rubbed his arms. The Hunger Games were supposed to remind the people of Britannia what they could be living like if Britannia hadn't crushed the rebellion. It was a political strategy to cow the rest of the Britannia into thinking that they were living the better life, even if it meant watching children kill each other in a desperate bid to survive. It disgusted him completely, almost enough to make him start a revolt of his own. But he had people to care for, his sister, his mother and Suzaku. And it was a well known fact that the Games were as corrupt as they were deadly. It didn't take much for a person's name to be entered in the drawings on Reaping Day or to have them relocated to the proper Area, it had happened at least three times before. That was the one thing that worked to deter any rebellions, the fact that Charles zi Britannia could so easily use the system to his advantage.
He sighed and shook his head, lowering his gaze to the dusty road as he walked. Making grand plans for revolutions wouldn't help in the end, the people were simply too tired from work and too scared to lose their children.
Only a few children survived the harsh conditions in the outer Areas. There had been times when those chosen to be in the Hunger Games had been the same gender instead of the traditional boy and girl pair that usually represented an Area. Area 11 had been under that constraint last year in the hopes that more girls would have been born over the year. There was even talk of brining in young women from Areas 1, 2 and 3 to help boost the population in some of the outermost Areas, since those were the Areas that supplied most of the crops to the capital. From the announcements in the town square about the new brides and the small number of children that had survived the winter, Lelouch wondered if there would be a female tribute from Area 11 again this year.
Lelouch didn't have too much time to spend thinking about the upcoming Hunger Games, the first boom of thunder making him jump. He yelped, glancing up at the sky before breaking into a run, heading for the house that was just at the edge of the town.
He had never asked why their mother insisted on them living on the edge of the town, he had always guessed that she had enjoyed her privacy. Their position was also too useful to give up, giving Nunnally the space she needed for her plants and Suzaku a clear route into the forest when he had taken over hunting for Marianne. The only person it inconvenienced consistently was Lelouch, and he was not about to complain.
Lelouch barely beat the storm, ducking into the door as the rain started to pour down. He lingered in the doorway just long enough to watch it turn into a downpour before stepping back into the house. He shrugged off his pack and shut the door, letting the pack dangle from one hand as he stumbled into the main portion of the house.
For Area 11, it was a nice house. Marianne kept it in good repair and Lelouch worked hard to keep it clean. Flowers from Nunnally's garden brightened up the main room that served as their gathering place, kitchen and dining room. The other room was used for Marianne and Nunnally's room. Lelouch and Suzaku shared the small attic above the house, buried among the stuff that Marianne kept up there.
He smiled to himself, resting a hand on the wall as he entered the main room. His attention turned to Nunnally quickly, his sister sitting in her wheelchair by the fire. Nunnally had a book sitting on her lap, her finger tracing around the image of a plant as she looked through it. From the way she was remaining on the same page instead of actively flipping through the book, Lelouch guessed that she was just reading for fun instead of working on some remedy.
Nunnally was slower to look at him, her finger resting on where she had stopped reading before she looked up. Lelouch was treated to a full smile, Nunnally setting the book down on the table before she wheeled over. Lelouch knelt to give her a hug, relaxing when his sister's arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Nunnally."
Her grip on him tightened, Lelouch leaning forward to accommodate her the best that he could, staying there until she released him. Nunnally didn't let him go completely, taking a hold of his hand and settling it on her lap. "You were gone for a while."
"I had to really barter today. People are struggling."
"I know." Nunnally sighed, giving his hand a squeeze. "But that doesn't stop me from worrying. With the Reaping coming up and all the attention that will turn towards us, Prince Clovis might try to hide what he's let go on."
"They won't catch me." Lelouch smiled, holding his sister's gaze. Nunnally nodded, the worry disappearing quickly from her face. Satisfied, Lelouch sat back, looking around the room. "Where are Suzaku and Mother?"
"Mother is out. One of Clovis' models complained that the roof of her villa was leaking." Nunnally didn't seem to notice the way that Lelouch tensed, already looking towards the back door. "Suzaku is still out, but he'll be back soon. There's no real point to hunting in the rain, especially with the luck he's been having over the past few days."
She let go of his hand, wheeling herself back over to the fireplace to check on the pot. Lelouch remained kneeling on the floor, watching as his sister expertly moved around the room in her wheelchair. If everything had been different, Nunnally might have been born with the use of her legs instead of crippled, not that she let that stop her. Lelouch still regretted not being able to protect his sister and mother better, his memories of Nunnally's birth fuzzy. He just remembered his mother screaming while he was held in the next room by another man. Lelouch had never been able to figure out why Marianne vi Britannia had been forced to Area 11, the second farthest Area from Pendragon, with her four year old son. There had never been a reason cited that he had ever heard of, just the cold speech that his father had delivered from Pendragon that placed the blame squarely on a young guard, Jeremiah Gottwald. That was the first Hunger Game that Lelouch really remembered, mostly because he remembered his mother sobbing when Jeremiah had died in the course of the game.
The announcement of their deaths had done nothing to answer Lelouch's question, it had just caused his hatred to fester. If Charles zi Britannia hadn't exiled Marianne, then Nunnally might have been able to walk and he wouldn't have to worry constantly that she would be chosen to be Tribute for Area 11. Lelouch was sure that the capital wouldn't care if one of the tributes was confined to a wheelchair, they would probably consider it good entertainment.
"Uh-oh, he's thinking about it again." Lelouch jumped at the voice, turning around to glare at Suzaku. His friend waved from where he was leaning against the doorframe.
He motioned for Suzaku to keep quiet, slumping when Nunnally turned away from the pot. "Thinking about what?"
"The Reaping." Suzaku stepping inside, Lelouch glaring at him for dripping on the one carpet they owned. Suzaku ignored him, flopping in one of the wooden chairs by the table. "It's what he always thinks about this time of year."
Nunnally shook her head. "Lelouch."
"It's important!"
"Yes, but worrying about it won't solve anything. It'll just make you irritable." Nunnally sighed and shook her head, wheeling over to the table. "I should be worried about you, since you and Suzaku are more likely to be picked this year. Besides, I don't think that the Viceroy would let a…someone like me represent Area 11. It would be a disgrace."
Lelouch stood up, opening his mouth to prove her wrong when Suzaku grabbed his arm. Suzaku shook his head, pulling until Lelouch relented and stepped forward. Lelouch yanked his arm out of Suzaku's grip, ignoring the hurt look on his friend's face. He didn't want to be patronized at the moment; the Reaping was a legitimate worry. He didn't have Nunnally's blind optimism or Suzaku's inability to see the horrible things that the government did. He just had his nightmares of Nunnally being killed in the area, alone and scared.
He sat down at the table, resting his head on his folded arms. Having Nunnally or Suzaku chosen to be a Tribute for Area 11 was one of his biggest fears, aside from loosing his mother. The nights leading up to the Reaping and the entirety of the Hunger Games were usually sleepless nights for him. It was far too easy to imagine either of them being killed by other tributes or torn apart by whatever genetic experiment the scientist in Pendragon had been asked to come up with for the Games. There was an equal amount of time that he woke up shivering for no reason that he could remember, just that he knew that Nunnally and Suzaku were dead.
Lelouch didn't jump as he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, remaining a steady source of warmth before Suzaku started to rub his back. He let out a shuddering sigh, turning his head to the side so he could look at Suzaku. His friend offered a smile, leaning in close. Despite himself, Lelouch leaned toward Suzaku.
"Don't worry, Lelouch, she won't ever go to the Games." The words were whispered into his ear, Lelouch ignoring the shiver that ran down his spine. It was far easier to just smile and nod at Suzaku. Nunnally would never know how much both of them were willing to give up for her, and Lelouch was going to keep it that way. She would never know that both Lelouch and Suzaku had entered their names as many extra times as they could, not only for the extra money, but to make sure that Nunnally wouldn't be chosen. Nunnally would just be one of those lucky few who never went to the Hunger Games, and she would be all the better for it.
Lelouch looked back at Nunnally as she cleared his throat, blushing when Suzaku didn't take his hand away. Nunnally shook her head, leaning forward to place her hand on Lelouch's cheek. "Besides, it's your last year, Lelouch. Next year, you'll be safe, both you and Suzaku. Then I don't have to worry about the two of you."
He leaned into his sister's hand. "Don't worry about me."
"And have you worry about me? That's not fair." Nunnally laughed and turned her attention back to the stew. "If you get to worry, then I get to worry equally about the two of you. That's the way it works."
Lelouch rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Suzaku went back to rubbing his shoulders, Lelouch shutting his eyes and leaning into the motion. The house was pleasantly warm, a change from the colder weather outside, and the stew smelled delicious. It didn't matter that they would be eating it over the next few days, it was good food. Those were all things he had to be happy about, things to weigh against the Reaping that would happen in two days. It was like Nunnally had said, he would turn eighteen next year and be ineligible and his private worry about being sent to the Hunger Games would be over.
He lifted his head from the table as he heard the front door open, watching as his mother walked into the room. Marianne gave all three of them a tired glance before joining them at the table, leaning back in her chair. She stared at the ceiling for a while before finally looked down at Nunnally. "That smells fantastic."
"It better. I've been working on it all day." Nunnally laughed as she went to get the bowls, no one getting up to help her. This was one thing that Nunnally had fought for. She insisted that she was allowed to do everything she could on her own, especially since the rest of them worked so hard.
Lelouch smiled to himself, pushing away from the table to sit up, watching as Nunnally began to ladle out bowls of stew and set them on the table. He passed the first one to his mother and shoved the second one at Suzaku, glaring at his friend to get him to keep quiet.
Suzaku was intent on protecting him; he had been like that as soon as the two of them had settled their differences through a few small fights. It had just gotten worse when Suzaku had found out that he and Nunnally were members of the royal family. Lelouch appreciated the attention that Suzaku paid to Nunnally, but he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He had been the one to take care of both Nunnally and Marianne before Suzaku had been adopted into the family. He had been handling the responsibilities of running the household since he had been six, and Suzaku hadn't been around then to protect him.
He pushed away his irritation at Suzaku, concentrating on the stew in front of him. Lelouch took his time eating; wanting to make sure that Nunnally got the first chance at seconds.
Quiet settled over the table as they ate, everyone focused on filling up their stomachs and getting warm after the chill that had come with the storm. It was a long while before anyone spoke, Marianne finishing her stew first and pushing her bowl away. She waved away Nunnally's offer of seconds, Lelouch looking up at the motion with a smile. There was still a bit of the imperial court in his mother, even after all these years in a backwater. He straightened up as she turned her attention to him, Marianne giving Lelouch a fond smile.
"How did it go?"
"We got some good prices. Fair prices." He directed the last comment at Nunnally. "But those were mostly from the richer people in town. That new model of Clovis' will be a good customer; she wants something to keep the weight off. The rest just bartered, but there is a new blanket in there for the two of you to replace that old one. It's mostly just bits of food."
"Which we need anyway." Marianne sighed and reached back to let her hair down from the ponytail that she wore it in while she worked. "Money will be coming in from those villas. They're all in bad shape. Clovis is sure to want them all fixed. I'm sure Kyoshiro will want it fixed up before he gets married."
Suzaku chuckled at that, Lelouch shaking his head. Kyoshiro Tohdoh was the closest thing Area 11 had to a celebrity. He was the only living victor from Area 11. It was strange that Area 11 hadn't had any other tributes win under his tutelage, especially since all of the younger children flocked around him to learn what tricks they could. Even Lelouch had tried to learn some kind of skill from Tohdoh, but he had never been able to beat Suzaku. Suzaku had gotten all of Tohdoh's attention. It was still a mystery to Lelouch why Suzaku had come to them instead of Tohdoh when his father had died, Lelouch was sure that Tohdoh would have taken Suzaku in. Then again, Tohdoh might have wanted to keep Suzaku at arms length, in case Suzaku was ever chosen. With that knowledge, it was strange that Tohdoh was even getting married. He hummed as he worked out the problem in his mind, yelping when Suzaku elbowed him.
They were stopped from getting into an argument when Marianne stood up, giving them both an even glare. Lelouch took that moment to retreat, not wanting to engage with Suzaku when the first move had been a physical one. He was bound to lose when Suzaku was the one to set the tone for the argument.
He pushed his bowl away, standing up and walking towards the pull down ladder that led to the attic. He was exhausted from a night of tossing and turning, not wanting to fall asleep because of the nightmares that haunted him. He had only slept when Suzaku had flipped back over onto his left side and cuddled up to Lelouch's back. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his blankets and get a few minutes of sleep before the nightmares came. Tomorrow he would have to help Nunnally with her garden and Suzaku with what game he managed to catch. The day after that would be the Reaping, and Lelouch wouldn't be able to sleep the night before, he had never been able to sleep the night before since he had been eligible for the Games.
Lelouch paused to press his forehead against one of the sides of the ladder, taking a deep breath before climbing up, careful to remain hunched over to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. It had been easier when he had been a kid, before he had hit his growth spurt. Lelouch remembered one shining moment when he had managed to gloat over the fact that he was one inch taller than Suzaku, just before he knocked his head against the ceiling of the attic and Suzaku had turned his arguments against him. Lelouch shook his head at the memory, pulling the ladder up before moving to the center of the room and collapsing onto the bed.
He laid there for a moment before groaning and pulling off his shirt, folding it before setting it on the ground. His pants were more of a struggle, Lelouch nearly rolling off the bed as he kicked them off. They fell off the bed before Lelouch could fold them, Lelouch staring over the edge of the bed at them before pulling the covers back over him. Lelouch sighed, closing his eyes and trying to will himself to fall asleep.
---
Suzaku watched the ladder get pulled back up into place, biting his lip. He hated seeing Lelouch like this; Lelouch just lost all of his energy and looked ready to drop. There were moments when Suzaku got the old Lelouch back, but he wouldn't get his friend back until the Reaping was over.
Suzaku understood Lelouch's worries. Lelouch had been the one that kept the family going. Marianne had her moments when she became distant to both Nunnally and Lelouch, which left Lelouch to take care of his sister. It had been getting better over the years, something that Suzaku was grateful for. He hadn't wanted to watch Marianne go the same way his father had gone.
Genbu Kururugi had never been the same since his wife had died giving birth to Suzaku. He had never noticed it himself, because it had just been the way that his father had always been. Genbu had gone to work in the mines and Suzaku had always been pushed off on other people, like Tohdoh. Choosing to hang around Lelouch had probably been the smartest move that Suzaku had made in his youth; it had given him something stable. Tohdoh had been nice to learn from, but he had always been distant, a different kind of distant that Suzaku's father. He understood now why Tohdoh preferred to stay emotionally distant from children, but he hadn't then. It was why he had turned to Tohdoh first when his father had died.
That had been the second disappointment of his life. The first had been coming home and seeing his father's body. Genbu hadn't even warned him, there had just been the body and the realization that his father wouldn't be around for him anymore. So he had run to Tohdoh, only to get turned away. Tohdoh had offered a reason why he wasn't able to care for a young boy. Which had sent Suzaku running to the only other person he could trust, Lelouch.
And he was happy with Lelouch and his family. He had never had a mother before, and Marianne seemed like the perfect mother for him. She had even taught him how to use a bow and arrow and the basics of using a sword. She was the one who had taught him how to hunt and make snares. In return, he had taken over her job when she had fallen into one of her depressions, and he had proven to be good at it. Suzaku took pride in the fact that he was able to provide enough food that Marianne felt comfortable taking up another job to supplement their income.
He had gotten the sister that he had always wanted in Nunnally. Then again, he had always adored Nunnally.
Lelouch was something entirely different.
Lelouch was his best friend, but Suzaku wasn't so sure that definition covered it. Lelouch had been there with him through everything important in his life. They trusted each other completely and Suzaku wasn't sure that anyone else could claim to have Lelouch's trust to that degree. He could think of no one else that Lelouch would allow to stay with Nunnally, there was no one else that Lelouch would keep so close to him.
Suzaku hoped that it meant something. He honestly tried to downplay how important Lelouch was; he tried to only think about Lelouch as his best friend. He had to survive two years, the last Reaping for Lelouch and then another Reaping for himself and then the both of them would be safe. Suzaku would gladly keep quiet about what he really felt for Lelouch if he had to, they had lasted this long and Suzaku was sure that Lelouch knew, even if he refused to think about it.
He looked back at Marianne and Nunnally as the two began clearing the table. Suzaku stood up, intending to bring in the things he had left under the slight overhang. He could distract himself from the upcoming Reaping by working to skin what food he had caught. It had always been easier for him to stop thinking when he was working with his hands.
Suzaku stopped by the door as Marianne cleared her throat, turning to look at her. Marianne passed Nunnally the last bowl, wiping her hands on her pants and she walked over. "How is he?"
Suzaku tipped his head toward the attic, listening for a moment before sighing. "The usual, too jumpy to sleep by too stubborn to stop for an instant."
Marianne frowned, glancing up at the attic as well. "It's obvious that he's not sleeping. I hate to think what will happen if Lelouch breaks down."
Suzaku winced, understanding the sentiment. Lelouch was the one person that held them together. Marianne had her moments of depression, although she was getting better over the years. Nunnally was constantly pushing against Lelouch's restrictions on her, just on principle. He wasn't sure what would happen if Lelouch's support of her, even if it was based on worry, disappeared. Suzaku knew that he wouldn't have the same effect because he wasn't her brother; he had always been a close friend. Suzaku knew that he didn't have the skills that Lelouch had in bartering or with working the market. He was too sympathetic to be able to refuse people food just to keep his own family afloat like Lelouch could, Suzaku would have just tried to hunt more often, which meant a greater chance of getting caught. It was much better to just leave that to Lelouch and continue hunting.
He just shrugged, leaning against the wall. "It's mostly for Nunnally and me. There's probably some worry for himself, but he'll never admit it. He'll be fine as soon as the Reaping is over." Suzaku glanced at Nunnally, lowering his voice. "And I wouldn't let either of them go to the Games, Marianne."
To his surprise, Marianne shook her head. "Don't, it would just make us worry more. You're important to us too, Suzaku." She gave him one of her rare smiles, crossing her arms. "I've watched people I care about die in those Games and I don't want to have to watch more. It's stopped being about survival."
"It's still about survival."
"Yes, but only if the emperor deems you worthy." Marianne shook her head. "I don't like speaking against Charles like this, but it's true. The past five Games have had people who have fallen out of his favor or the children of those people. He's using the Games to get rid of those who cross him, if he can get away with it."
Suzaku's eyes widened. "Will he try to get rid of Lelouch and Nunnally?"
Marianne shook her head. "No, they're too far away from him to be dangerous and he's already punished the person responsible for this situation." Marianne chuckled and shook her head. "He thinks that I'm dead and he hasn't bothered to check, I think that's enough of an answer where Charles in concerned."
Suzaku watched her carefully, waiting for some more explanation. Instead, she patted his shoulder and returned to the table to help Nunnally. He would let Marianne keep her secrets; she would tell him when she was ready. Suzaku was sure that she had a lot to shift through after being a knight to the emperor and then his wife, and he was sure that there were some that he was better off not knowing. It didn't stop him from wishing that she would talk to him about them. She didn't want to talk to Lelouch, because it would just encourage his hatred of his father and the empire and she didn't want to talk to Nunnally because she wanted her to have a normal life. That just left Suzaku, and he didn't ever intend to pass Marianne's secrets around, it would endanger everyone.
Marianne had been the one to tell him who they really were, one day when they were out hunting. She had just finished showing him how to set a snare. Suzaku remembered how she had watched him carefully before speaking, slowly staring to explain everything. That she had been an consort of the emperor, that she had been exiled here for a reason that she still didn't understand completely, that she and Nunnally had almost died when Nunnally had been born and that she had watched her strongest supporter die in the Hunger Games because the emperor had hated him. At the same time she had told him not to hate the emperor, although that had been hard for Suzaku. It still was. Although there was some comfort in blind obedience to the emperor, Suzaku found it disturbing that the emperor could so easily toss aside a woman had had proclaimed to love over a simple rumor.
But Marianne had trusted him enough to keep her secrets, so he would do as she asked. Marianne was bound to know more about the situation than he did, since he was just a kid from Area 11. So he had kept quiet as Marianne told him that Lelouch and Nunnally were a prince and princess of Britannia, and that she would do anything to keep them protected and away from their father. Back then she hadn't been as sure as she was now that the emperor wouldn't come after them. She had begged him then to keep quiet about Lelouch and Nunnally, and then for him to never leave them, to make sure that they were always protected. The princes and princesses in Pendragon had all of the protection that they needed, but Nunnally and Lelouch only had Marianne, and that wasn't enough. So Suzaku had knelt on the ground that day and had been knighted by a former consort of the emperor of Britannia at eleven years old.
Suzaku was sure that it didn't count, Marianne didn't have the power that she had once had, but he took his job seriously. He still did six years later, when Marianne was secure in the knowledge that the emperor didn't know that they existed. Suzaku had once felt that she would have wanted him to volunteer himself to take either Lelouch's or Nunnally's place in the Hunger Games, but that had disappeared with him as he was accepted into the family. He had never been able to think of Marianne as his own mother, but he didn't feel excluded either. Now, instead of feeling forced to take their places, Suzaku would gladly volunteer of his own will.
He rubbed the back of his neck, stepping outside. He glanced up at the sky, trying to see the clouds through the downpour. There was no way to tell if it was going to rain tomorrow, but he hoped that it didn't. There were a few people in town who needed extra food badly, just as much as they needed what goods they could trade for the meat that he caught. The police would be less likely to check the perimeters of the fence that ran around most of the forest as well, even though they almost never checked the fence. It was the one good thing about living in Area 11, the fact that Prince Clovis la Britannia didn't try to make their lives harder, not like the viceroys of Areas 2 and 5.
Suzaku shook his head, leaning over to pick up the bow and quiver of arrows, slinging the latter over his shoulder. He preferred a sword, or at least a stick, to the bow. But the bow was the only way to hunt game in the forest. Swinging a stick would do nothing and Suzaku wasn't good at throwing knives. He sighed and picked up the brace of rabbits, looking at the skinny creatures. There would be enough there to last the family for a few days, but Nunnally would managed to get something delicious out of it. She always did.
He could remember a time when Lelouch had cooked, when he had just joined the family and Marianne was still swinging between her bouts of depression and cheerful moods. Lelouch's meals had been some of the best that Suzaku had ever tasted. Nunnally had managed to surpass her brother, and it looked like she enjoyed it. That didn't stop Suzaku from wondering if Lelouch missed cooking duty, because he remembered Lelouch looking so peaceful as he prepared dinner or breakfast. Maybe it had just been the fact that it was concrete evidence that he was helping the family instead of the abstract way that Lelouch supported them all. It was a way to prove that Lelouch could pull his own weight despite the fact that there was a limited amount of things that Lelouch could do.
Suzaku stepped back inside the house, leaning the bow up against the wall and shrugging off the quiver. He brought the rabbits over to the table, intending to make a start on them only to have Marianne reach over and rest her hand over his. "Let me do that."
"But…"
"You've been working hard, Suzaku. Take a break."
"It's not much harder than other years."
Marianne closed her eyes, slowly shaking her head. "Suzaku, it's in a day and then you only have a week."
"You really think that I'll be chosen?"
"I do every year. I worry about all of you." Marianne opened her eyes, letting her hand drop away. "Just let me do this. I need a distraction from the Reaping as much as you do."
Suzaku bit his lip, pushing the chair back from the table. He was still tempted to insist on skinning at least one rabbit, it would help him settle. He just wanted to do something that wouldn't have him thinking too hard about what was coming up. Then again, he would have all day tomorrow to forget about what was going on. Suzaku sighed, giving Nunnally a wave before trudging over to the ladder. What little daylight there was wouldn't last much longer, so he wouldn't have had the time to work on the rabbits. There was always the fire place, but working by only the light from the fire always gave him a headache.
He gave Marianne a nod, pushing his knife towards her. The sound of the knife clattering about the table made Nunnally look up, Suzaku giving her a reassuring smile before walking over and kissing her on the forehead. "Good night."
Nunnally reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, holding Suzaku there for a moment before letting him go. "Night. And tell Lelouch for me too."
"I will." Suzaku reached down to ruffle Nunnally's hair, Nunnally batting at his hands. She laughed and poked him in the side, turning the move into a gently shove when Suzaku reached for her hair again.
"No. Off you go."
"Alright, alright." Suzaku stepped around her wheelchair, walking over to where the ladder dropped down. He tugged on the rope, catching the ladder to guide it down to the ground before it could make its usual clatter when it hit the floor. Suzaku hesitated long enough to watch Marianne and Nunnally settle into their jobs, Marianne working on skinning one of the rabbits while Nunnally washed the dishes that they had used. He sighed and started to climb the ladder, trying to find the sense of calm that he usually had around this time of night.
Suzaku was completely willing to blame it on the Reaping; it was the usual culprit around this time of year. He shook his head, trying to be as quiet as possible as he climbed into the attic. He didn't agree with the Hunger Games, it was the one thing that he would fight for. Suzaku preferred a quiet change, peaceful change to violence, but he would fight if he had to. The Games were nothing but a slaughter, and an excuse to get rid of the emperor's enemies. It was just bad luck that innocent children got thrown into the arena too. Suzaku had watched too many teenagers kill each other or die at the hands of the Tribute who got the capital's full support. The Hunger Games were nothing but a slaughter house, but Suzaku couldn't think of a way to change them without causing more death. He was sure that Lelouch could think up a plan, he had probably thought up thousands by now, but all of them would just lead to more death. Suzaku wasn't sure that Britannia could take that.
He pulled himself up into the attic, carefully easing the ladder back into place. He glanced toward the bed, picking out the lump that showed where Lelouch was. Suzaku padded over, slipping into his side of the bed. It didn't take Lelouch too long to roll towards him, Suzaku wrapping his arms around his friend and holding him close. He couldn't quite tell if Lelouch was awake or just dreaming, and Suzaku wasn't willing to risk waking Lelouch up if it was the latter. Even in a nightmare, Lelouch was still asleep and that was far better than having Lelouch awake for another night.
He rubbed his hand up and down Lelouch's back, smiling to himself as he felt Lelouch relax. Only when Lelouch seemed to be calm did Suzaku close his eyes. They just had to make it through two more days, it wouldn't be that hard. Both he and Lelouch had added their names multiple times to the drawing, but that was to be sure that Nunnally had less of a chance of being chosen. There were more teenagers who had added their names more often because they had needed the extra money that came with the action. It was far more likely for one of them to be chosen than Suzaku or Lelouch. That would have to be the fact that Suzaku would have to remember, all three of them were safe, Lelouch more so than either himself or Nunnally.
All they had to do was take things a year at a time and everything would be alright.
Part 2
Author: Spirithorse (eachainn )
Rating: M
Pairing: Suzalulu
Warnings: Character deaths, violence, death
Summary: AU. In one move Lelouch saved his sister and damned himself. Now he has to compete in the Hunger Games and figure out some way that both he and Suzaku. Suzalulu.
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or The Hunger Games.
Author’s Note: This fic came out of one of my friends reading the Hunger Games and all the prompts that sprung up on the kinkmeme. That being said, I have not read any of the fills for the prompts and will not until the story is finished.
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Chapter One
It looked like it was going to rain, the grey clouds gathering in the sky and blocking out the sun. Lelouch tipped his head back, watching the clouds to see if they were moving or if they were going to stay. The crops in the fields needed the rain, but he didn't want to get stuck. Nunnally would worry about him, and Lelouch didn't want that. She was already busy enough making medicine for the town to get ready for the colds that the rainy season would bring. She didn't need to be worrying about him as well as the people of the town.
Lelouch hitched his pack higher on his shoulder, feeling the supplies he had bought in the market shift slightly. There were still a few things he hadn't been able to sell but, if his calculations were right, they would survive until the harvest on what they could barter for and from the few people who could actually pay for Nunnally's medicines or the meat that Suzaku hunted. In any case, they had his mother's business to fall back on. Things always broke down around the rainy season, which meant that Marianne would be out fixing up the houses of the wealthy more than she was at home.
He turned his head, glancing back at the town to see if he had been followed, only relaxing when he saw that there was no one there. He was always jumpy after he had been into the market selling the meat that Suzaku had caught in the forest just outside of the fence. Although they could technically catch whatever animals came out in the meadow just inside of the fence, nothing bigger than a rabbit every appeared. Something like a deer was obviously from the forest, where they were forbidden to go and a bird implied that they had weapon, which was also forbidden. Fortunately, the police were paid just as little or less than the people who worked in the fields or in the sakuradite mines and were just as eager to get some extra food in case of hard times. Because of that, they were less likely to follow Lelouch or even confront him on the fact that he was blatantly breaking the law. If the town didn't look after each other there was no way they could expect to survive. He was just as sure that it was like that through the rest of the Britannian Empire.
Lelouch flinched, shaking his head. It wasn't right to call Britannia an empire, it had lost all of its foreign holdings centuries ago. From the history books he had looked at in school and still snuck peeks at when he had the time, Britannia had once been and empire and controlled nearly a third of the world. According to the books it had been a slow slide into a recession and an outbreak of war that had destroyed the empire. It had turned inward, returning to the homeland only to have to fend off nuclear attacks. The books made Britannia's victory sound like some sort of great feat, and Lelouch supposed it was. Britannia had managed to keep itself mostly intact despite great odds.
It didn't stop him from hating it.
The land around the capital of Pendragon was hardly enough to support the populations that lived on them. Not only that, but the success of an Area was determined by the person that held control over it. Lelouch supposed that he should have considered himself lucky that he lived in Area 11, especially since the viceroy didn't seem to care about getting the most profit out of the Area. Lelouch secretly thought that Prince Clovis la Britannia didn't care about anything but his paintings. But he wasn't in any position to complain. He had heard horror stories from Areas 5 and 10, both of them under Viceroy Calares and Princess Guinevere su Britannia respectively. Apparently they were pushed to their limits every year.
Still, it was hard not to complain, especially when Britannia continued to use its people and remain so obviously corrupt. People had just enough to get by in the Areas when compared to the lavishness of the capital of Pendragon. A good portion of all their goods went to keeping Pendragon supplied with everything that the citizens needed. The Areas also supplied their entertainments, once a year in memory of some long forgotten rebellion that had taken place while Britannia had started to right itself after the war that nearly destroyed it.
Lelouch shivered and rubbed his arms. The Hunger Games were supposed to remind the people of Britannia what they could be living like if Britannia hadn't crushed the rebellion. It was a political strategy to cow the rest of the Britannia into thinking that they were living the better life, even if it meant watching children kill each other in a desperate bid to survive. It disgusted him completely, almost enough to make him start a revolt of his own. But he had people to care for, his sister, his mother and Suzaku. And it was a well known fact that the Games were as corrupt as they were deadly. It didn't take much for a person's name to be entered in the drawings on Reaping Day or to have them relocated to the proper Area, it had happened at least three times before. That was the one thing that worked to deter any rebellions, the fact that Charles zi Britannia could so easily use the system to his advantage.
He sighed and shook his head, lowering his gaze to the dusty road as he walked. Making grand plans for revolutions wouldn't help in the end, the people were simply too tired from work and too scared to lose their children.
Only a few children survived the harsh conditions in the outer Areas. There had been times when those chosen to be in the Hunger Games had been the same gender instead of the traditional boy and girl pair that usually represented an Area. Area 11 had been under that constraint last year in the hopes that more girls would have been born over the year. There was even talk of brining in young women from Areas 1, 2 and 3 to help boost the population in some of the outermost Areas, since those were the Areas that supplied most of the crops to the capital. From the announcements in the town square about the new brides and the small number of children that had survived the winter, Lelouch wondered if there would be a female tribute from Area 11 again this year.
Lelouch didn't have too much time to spend thinking about the upcoming Hunger Games, the first boom of thunder making him jump. He yelped, glancing up at the sky before breaking into a run, heading for the house that was just at the edge of the town.
He had never asked why their mother insisted on them living on the edge of the town, he had always guessed that she had enjoyed her privacy. Their position was also too useful to give up, giving Nunnally the space she needed for her plants and Suzaku a clear route into the forest when he had taken over hunting for Marianne. The only person it inconvenienced consistently was Lelouch, and he was not about to complain.
Lelouch barely beat the storm, ducking into the door as the rain started to pour down. He lingered in the doorway just long enough to watch it turn into a downpour before stepping back into the house. He shrugged off his pack and shut the door, letting the pack dangle from one hand as he stumbled into the main portion of the house.
For Area 11, it was a nice house. Marianne kept it in good repair and Lelouch worked hard to keep it clean. Flowers from Nunnally's garden brightened up the main room that served as their gathering place, kitchen and dining room. The other room was used for Marianne and Nunnally's room. Lelouch and Suzaku shared the small attic above the house, buried among the stuff that Marianne kept up there.
He smiled to himself, resting a hand on the wall as he entered the main room. His attention turned to Nunnally quickly, his sister sitting in her wheelchair by the fire. Nunnally had a book sitting on her lap, her finger tracing around the image of a plant as she looked through it. From the way she was remaining on the same page instead of actively flipping through the book, Lelouch guessed that she was just reading for fun instead of working on some remedy.
Nunnally was slower to look at him, her finger resting on where she had stopped reading before she looked up. Lelouch was treated to a full smile, Nunnally setting the book down on the table before she wheeled over. Lelouch knelt to give her a hug, relaxing when his sister's arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Nunnally."
Her grip on him tightened, Lelouch leaning forward to accommodate her the best that he could, staying there until she released him. Nunnally didn't let him go completely, taking a hold of his hand and settling it on her lap. "You were gone for a while."
"I had to really barter today. People are struggling."
"I know." Nunnally sighed, giving his hand a squeeze. "But that doesn't stop me from worrying. With the Reaping coming up and all the attention that will turn towards us, Prince Clovis might try to hide what he's let go on."
"They won't catch me." Lelouch smiled, holding his sister's gaze. Nunnally nodded, the worry disappearing quickly from her face. Satisfied, Lelouch sat back, looking around the room. "Where are Suzaku and Mother?"
"Mother is out. One of Clovis' models complained that the roof of her villa was leaking." Nunnally didn't seem to notice the way that Lelouch tensed, already looking towards the back door. "Suzaku is still out, but he'll be back soon. There's no real point to hunting in the rain, especially with the luck he's been having over the past few days."
She let go of his hand, wheeling herself back over to the fireplace to check on the pot. Lelouch remained kneeling on the floor, watching as his sister expertly moved around the room in her wheelchair. If everything had been different, Nunnally might have been born with the use of her legs instead of crippled, not that she let that stop her. Lelouch still regretted not being able to protect his sister and mother better, his memories of Nunnally's birth fuzzy. He just remembered his mother screaming while he was held in the next room by another man. Lelouch had never been able to figure out why Marianne vi Britannia had been forced to Area 11, the second farthest Area from Pendragon, with her four year old son. There had never been a reason cited that he had ever heard of, just the cold speech that his father had delivered from Pendragon that placed the blame squarely on a young guard, Jeremiah Gottwald. That was the first Hunger Game that Lelouch really remembered, mostly because he remembered his mother sobbing when Jeremiah had died in the course of the game.
The announcement of their deaths had done nothing to answer Lelouch's question, it had just caused his hatred to fester. If Charles zi Britannia hadn't exiled Marianne, then Nunnally might have been able to walk and he wouldn't have to worry constantly that she would be chosen to be Tribute for Area 11. Lelouch was sure that the capital wouldn't care if one of the tributes was confined to a wheelchair, they would probably consider it good entertainment.
"Uh-oh, he's thinking about it again." Lelouch jumped at the voice, turning around to glare at Suzaku. His friend waved from where he was leaning against the doorframe.
He motioned for Suzaku to keep quiet, slumping when Nunnally turned away from the pot. "Thinking about what?"
"The Reaping." Suzaku stepping inside, Lelouch glaring at him for dripping on the one carpet they owned. Suzaku ignored him, flopping in one of the wooden chairs by the table. "It's what he always thinks about this time of year."
Nunnally shook her head. "Lelouch."
"It's important!"
"Yes, but worrying about it won't solve anything. It'll just make you irritable." Nunnally sighed and shook her head, wheeling over to the table. "I should be worried about you, since you and Suzaku are more likely to be picked this year. Besides, I don't think that the Viceroy would let a…someone like me represent Area 11. It would be a disgrace."
Lelouch stood up, opening his mouth to prove her wrong when Suzaku grabbed his arm. Suzaku shook his head, pulling until Lelouch relented and stepped forward. Lelouch yanked his arm out of Suzaku's grip, ignoring the hurt look on his friend's face. He didn't want to be patronized at the moment; the Reaping was a legitimate worry. He didn't have Nunnally's blind optimism or Suzaku's inability to see the horrible things that the government did. He just had his nightmares of Nunnally being killed in the area, alone and scared.
He sat down at the table, resting his head on his folded arms. Having Nunnally or Suzaku chosen to be a Tribute for Area 11 was one of his biggest fears, aside from loosing his mother. The nights leading up to the Reaping and the entirety of the Hunger Games were usually sleepless nights for him. It was far too easy to imagine either of them being killed by other tributes or torn apart by whatever genetic experiment the scientist in Pendragon had been asked to come up with for the Games. There was an equal amount of time that he woke up shivering for no reason that he could remember, just that he knew that Nunnally and Suzaku were dead.
Lelouch didn't jump as he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, remaining a steady source of warmth before Suzaku started to rub his back. He let out a shuddering sigh, turning his head to the side so he could look at Suzaku. His friend offered a smile, leaning in close. Despite himself, Lelouch leaned toward Suzaku.
"Don't worry, Lelouch, she won't ever go to the Games." The words were whispered into his ear, Lelouch ignoring the shiver that ran down his spine. It was far easier to just smile and nod at Suzaku. Nunnally would never know how much both of them were willing to give up for her, and Lelouch was going to keep it that way. She would never know that both Lelouch and Suzaku had entered their names as many extra times as they could, not only for the extra money, but to make sure that Nunnally wouldn't be chosen. Nunnally would just be one of those lucky few who never went to the Hunger Games, and she would be all the better for it.
Lelouch looked back at Nunnally as she cleared his throat, blushing when Suzaku didn't take his hand away. Nunnally shook her head, leaning forward to place her hand on Lelouch's cheek. "Besides, it's your last year, Lelouch. Next year, you'll be safe, both you and Suzaku. Then I don't have to worry about the two of you."
He leaned into his sister's hand. "Don't worry about me."
"And have you worry about me? That's not fair." Nunnally laughed and turned her attention back to the stew. "If you get to worry, then I get to worry equally about the two of you. That's the way it works."
Lelouch rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Suzaku went back to rubbing his shoulders, Lelouch shutting his eyes and leaning into the motion. The house was pleasantly warm, a change from the colder weather outside, and the stew smelled delicious. It didn't matter that they would be eating it over the next few days, it was good food. Those were all things he had to be happy about, things to weigh against the Reaping that would happen in two days. It was like Nunnally had said, he would turn eighteen next year and be ineligible and his private worry about being sent to the Hunger Games would be over.
He lifted his head from the table as he heard the front door open, watching as his mother walked into the room. Marianne gave all three of them a tired glance before joining them at the table, leaning back in her chair. She stared at the ceiling for a while before finally looked down at Nunnally. "That smells fantastic."
"It better. I've been working on it all day." Nunnally laughed as she went to get the bowls, no one getting up to help her. This was one thing that Nunnally had fought for. She insisted that she was allowed to do everything she could on her own, especially since the rest of them worked so hard.
Lelouch smiled to himself, pushing away from the table to sit up, watching as Nunnally began to ladle out bowls of stew and set them on the table. He passed the first one to his mother and shoved the second one at Suzaku, glaring at his friend to get him to keep quiet.
Suzaku was intent on protecting him; he had been like that as soon as the two of them had settled their differences through a few small fights. It had just gotten worse when Suzaku had found out that he and Nunnally were members of the royal family. Lelouch appreciated the attention that Suzaku paid to Nunnally, but he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He had been the one to take care of both Nunnally and Marianne before Suzaku had been adopted into the family. He had been handling the responsibilities of running the household since he had been six, and Suzaku hadn't been around then to protect him.
He pushed away his irritation at Suzaku, concentrating on the stew in front of him. Lelouch took his time eating; wanting to make sure that Nunnally got the first chance at seconds.
Quiet settled over the table as they ate, everyone focused on filling up their stomachs and getting warm after the chill that had come with the storm. It was a long while before anyone spoke, Marianne finishing her stew first and pushing her bowl away. She waved away Nunnally's offer of seconds, Lelouch looking up at the motion with a smile. There was still a bit of the imperial court in his mother, even after all these years in a backwater. He straightened up as she turned her attention to him, Marianne giving Lelouch a fond smile.
"How did it go?"
"We got some good prices. Fair prices." He directed the last comment at Nunnally. "But those were mostly from the richer people in town. That new model of Clovis' will be a good customer; she wants something to keep the weight off. The rest just bartered, but there is a new blanket in there for the two of you to replace that old one. It's mostly just bits of food."
"Which we need anyway." Marianne sighed and reached back to let her hair down from the ponytail that she wore it in while she worked. "Money will be coming in from those villas. They're all in bad shape. Clovis is sure to want them all fixed. I'm sure Kyoshiro will want it fixed up before he gets married."
Suzaku chuckled at that, Lelouch shaking his head. Kyoshiro Tohdoh was the closest thing Area 11 had to a celebrity. He was the only living victor from Area 11. It was strange that Area 11 hadn't had any other tributes win under his tutelage, especially since all of the younger children flocked around him to learn what tricks they could. Even Lelouch had tried to learn some kind of skill from Tohdoh, but he had never been able to beat Suzaku. Suzaku had gotten all of Tohdoh's attention. It was still a mystery to Lelouch why Suzaku had come to them instead of Tohdoh when his father had died, Lelouch was sure that Tohdoh would have taken Suzaku in. Then again, Tohdoh might have wanted to keep Suzaku at arms length, in case Suzaku was ever chosen. With that knowledge, it was strange that Tohdoh was even getting married. He hummed as he worked out the problem in his mind, yelping when Suzaku elbowed him.
They were stopped from getting into an argument when Marianne stood up, giving them both an even glare. Lelouch took that moment to retreat, not wanting to engage with Suzaku when the first move had been a physical one. He was bound to lose when Suzaku was the one to set the tone for the argument.
He pushed his bowl away, standing up and walking towards the pull down ladder that led to the attic. He was exhausted from a night of tossing and turning, not wanting to fall asleep because of the nightmares that haunted him. He had only slept when Suzaku had flipped back over onto his left side and cuddled up to Lelouch's back. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his blankets and get a few minutes of sleep before the nightmares came. Tomorrow he would have to help Nunnally with her garden and Suzaku with what game he managed to catch. The day after that would be the Reaping, and Lelouch wouldn't be able to sleep the night before, he had never been able to sleep the night before since he had been eligible for the Games.
Lelouch paused to press his forehead against one of the sides of the ladder, taking a deep breath before climbing up, careful to remain hunched over to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. It had been easier when he had been a kid, before he had hit his growth spurt. Lelouch remembered one shining moment when he had managed to gloat over the fact that he was one inch taller than Suzaku, just before he knocked his head against the ceiling of the attic and Suzaku had turned his arguments against him. Lelouch shook his head at the memory, pulling the ladder up before moving to the center of the room and collapsing onto the bed.
He laid there for a moment before groaning and pulling off his shirt, folding it before setting it on the ground. His pants were more of a struggle, Lelouch nearly rolling off the bed as he kicked them off. They fell off the bed before Lelouch could fold them, Lelouch staring over the edge of the bed at them before pulling the covers back over him. Lelouch sighed, closing his eyes and trying to will himself to fall asleep.
---
Suzaku watched the ladder get pulled back up into place, biting his lip. He hated seeing Lelouch like this; Lelouch just lost all of his energy and looked ready to drop. There were moments when Suzaku got the old Lelouch back, but he wouldn't get his friend back until the Reaping was over.
Suzaku understood Lelouch's worries. Lelouch had been the one that kept the family going. Marianne had her moments when she became distant to both Nunnally and Lelouch, which left Lelouch to take care of his sister. It had been getting better over the years, something that Suzaku was grateful for. He hadn't wanted to watch Marianne go the same way his father had gone.
Genbu Kururugi had never been the same since his wife had died giving birth to Suzaku. He had never noticed it himself, because it had just been the way that his father had always been. Genbu had gone to work in the mines and Suzaku had always been pushed off on other people, like Tohdoh. Choosing to hang around Lelouch had probably been the smartest move that Suzaku had made in his youth; it had given him something stable. Tohdoh had been nice to learn from, but he had always been distant, a different kind of distant that Suzaku's father. He understood now why Tohdoh preferred to stay emotionally distant from children, but he hadn't then. It was why he had turned to Tohdoh first when his father had died.
That had been the second disappointment of his life. The first had been coming home and seeing his father's body. Genbu hadn't even warned him, there had just been the body and the realization that his father wouldn't be around for him anymore. So he had run to Tohdoh, only to get turned away. Tohdoh had offered a reason why he wasn't able to care for a young boy. Which had sent Suzaku running to the only other person he could trust, Lelouch.
And he was happy with Lelouch and his family. He had never had a mother before, and Marianne seemed like the perfect mother for him. She had even taught him how to use a bow and arrow and the basics of using a sword. She was the one who had taught him how to hunt and make snares. In return, he had taken over her job when she had fallen into one of her depressions, and he had proven to be good at it. Suzaku took pride in the fact that he was able to provide enough food that Marianne felt comfortable taking up another job to supplement their income.
He had gotten the sister that he had always wanted in Nunnally. Then again, he had always adored Nunnally.
Lelouch was something entirely different.
Lelouch was his best friend, but Suzaku wasn't so sure that definition covered it. Lelouch had been there with him through everything important in his life. They trusted each other completely and Suzaku wasn't sure that anyone else could claim to have Lelouch's trust to that degree. He could think of no one else that Lelouch would allow to stay with Nunnally, there was no one else that Lelouch would keep so close to him.
Suzaku hoped that it meant something. He honestly tried to downplay how important Lelouch was; he tried to only think about Lelouch as his best friend. He had to survive two years, the last Reaping for Lelouch and then another Reaping for himself and then the both of them would be safe. Suzaku would gladly keep quiet about what he really felt for Lelouch if he had to, they had lasted this long and Suzaku was sure that Lelouch knew, even if he refused to think about it.
He looked back at Marianne and Nunnally as the two began clearing the table. Suzaku stood up, intending to bring in the things he had left under the slight overhang. He could distract himself from the upcoming Reaping by working to skin what food he had caught. It had always been easier for him to stop thinking when he was working with his hands.
Suzaku stopped by the door as Marianne cleared her throat, turning to look at her. Marianne passed Nunnally the last bowl, wiping her hands on her pants and she walked over. "How is he?"
Suzaku tipped his head toward the attic, listening for a moment before sighing. "The usual, too jumpy to sleep by too stubborn to stop for an instant."
Marianne frowned, glancing up at the attic as well. "It's obvious that he's not sleeping. I hate to think what will happen if Lelouch breaks down."
Suzaku winced, understanding the sentiment. Lelouch was the one person that held them together. Marianne had her moments of depression, although she was getting better over the years. Nunnally was constantly pushing against Lelouch's restrictions on her, just on principle. He wasn't sure what would happen if Lelouch's support of her, even if it was based on worry, disappeared. Suzaku knew that he wouldn't have the same effect because he wasn't her brother; he had always been a close friend. Suzaku knew that he didn't have the skills that Lelouch had in bartering or with working the market. He was too sympathetic to be able to refuse people food just to keep his own family afloat like Lelouch could, Suzaku would have just tried to hunt more often, which meant a greater chance of getting caught. It was much better to just leave that to Lelouch and continue hunting.
He just shrugged, leaning against the wall. "It's mostly for Nunnally and me. There's probably some worry for himself, but he'll never admit it. He'll be fine as soon as the Reaping is over." Suzaku glanced at Nunnally, lowering his voice. "And I wouldn't let either of them go to the Games, Marianne."
To his surprise, Marianne shook her head. "Don't, it would just make us worry more. You're important to us too, Suzaku." She gave him one of her rare smiles, crossing her arms. "I've watched people I care about die in those Games and I don't want to have to watch more. It's stopped being about survival."
"It's still about survival."
"Yes, but only if the emperor deems you worthy." Marianne shook her head. "I don't like speaking against Charles like this, but it's true. The past five Games have had people who have fallen out of his favor or the children of those people. He's using the Games to get rid of those who cross him, if he can get away with it."
Suzaku's eyes widened. "Will he try to get rid of Lelouch and Nunnally?"
Marianne shook her head. "No, they're too far away from him to be dangerous and he's already punished the person responsible for this situation." Marianne chuckled and shook her head. "He thinks that I'm dead and he hasn't bothered to check, I think that's enough of an answer where Charles in concerned."
Suzaku watched her carefully, waiting for some more explanation. Instead, she patted his shoulder and returned to the table to help Nunnally. He would let Marianne keep her secrets; she would tell him when she was ready. Suzaku was sure that she had a lot to shift through after being a knight to the emperor and then his wife, and he was sure that there were some that he was better off not knowing. It didn't stop him from wishing that she would talk to him about them. She didn't want to talk to Lelouch, because it would just encourage his hatred of his father and the empire and she didn't want to talk to Nunnally because she wanted her to have a normal life. That just left Suzaku, and he didn't ever intend to pass Marianne's secrets around, it would endanger everyone.
Marianne had been the one to tell him who they really were, one day when they were out hunting. She had just finished showing him how to set a snare. Suzaku remembered how she had watched him carefully before speaking, slowly staring to explain everything. That she had been an consort of the emperor, that she had been exiled here for a reason that she still didn't understand completely, that she and Nunnally had almost died when Nunnally had been born and that she had watched her strongest supporter die in the Hunger Games because the emperor had hated him. At the same time she had told him not to hate the emperor, although that had been hard for Suzaku. It still was. Although there was some comfort in blind obedience to the emperor, Suzaku found it disturbing that the emperor could so easily toss aside a woman had had proclaimed to love over a simple rumor.
But Marianne had trusted him enough to keep her secrets, so he would do as she asked. Marianne was bound to know more about the situation than he did, since he was just a kid from Area 11. So he had kept quiet as Marianne told him that Lelouch and Nunnally were a prince and princess of Britannia, and that she would do anything to keep them protected and away from their father. Back then she hadn't been as sure as she was now that the emperor wouldn't come after them. She had begged him then to keep quiet about Lelouch and Nunnally, and then for him to never leave them, to make sure that they were always protected. The princes and princesses in Pendragon had all of the protection that they needed, but Nunnally and Lelouch only had Marianne, and that wasn't enough. So Suzaku had knelt on the ground that day and had been knighted by a former consort of the emperor of Britannia at eleven years old.
Suzaku was sure that it didn't count, Marianne didn't have the power that she had once had, but he took his job seriously. He still did six years later, when Marianne was secure in the knowledge that the emperor didn't know that they existed. Suzaku had once felt that she would have wanted him to volunteer himself to take either Lelouch's or Nunnally's place in the Hunger Games, but that had disappeared with him as he was accepted into the family. He had never been able to think of Marianne as his own mother, but he didn't feel excluded either. Now, instead of feeling forced to take their places, Suzaku would gladly volunteer of his own will.
He rubbed the back of his neck, stepping outside. He glanced up at the sky, trying to see the clouds through the downpour. There was no way to tell if it was going to rain tomorrow, but he hoped that it didn't. There were a few people in town who needed extra food badly, just as much as they needed what goods they could trade for the meat that he caught. The police would be less likely to check the perimeters of the fence that ran around most of the forest as well, even though they almost never checked the fence. It was the one good thing about living in Area 11, the fact that Prince Clovis la Britannia didn't try to make their lives harder, not like the viceroys of Areas 2 and 5.
Suzaku shook his head, leaning over to pick up the bow and quiver of arrows, slinging the latter over his shoulder. He preferred a sword, or at least a stick, to the bow. But the bow was the only way to hunt game in the forest. Swinging a stick would do nothing and Suzaku wasn't good at throwing knives. He sighed and picked up the brace of rabbits, looking at the skinny creatures. There would be enough there to last the family for a few days, but Nunnally would managed to get something delicious out of it. She always did.
He could remember a time when Lelouch had cooked, when he had just joined the family and Marianne was still swinging between her bouts of depression and cheerful moods. Lelouch's meals had been some of the best that Suzaku had ever tasted. Nunnally had managed to surpass her brother, and it looked like she enjoyed it. That didn't stop Suzaku from wondering if Lelouch missed cooking duty, because he remembered Lelouch looking so peaceful as he prepared dinner or breakfast. Maybe it had just been the fact that it was concrete evidence that he was helping the family instead of the abstract way that Lelouch supported them all. It was a way to prove that Lelouch could pull his own weight despite the fact that there was a limited amount of things that Lelouch could do.
Suzaku stepped back inside the house, leaning the bow up against the wall and shrugging off the quiver. He brought the rabbits over to the table, intending to make a start on them only to have Marianne reach over and rest her hand over his. "Let me do that."
"But…"
"You've been working hard, Suzaku. Take a break."
"It's not much harder than other years."
Marianne closed her eyes, slowly shaking her head. "Suzaku, it's in a day and then you only have a week."
"You really think that I'll be chosen?"
"I do every year. I worry about all of you." Marianne opened her eyes, letting her hand drop away. "Just let me do this. I need a distraction from the Reaping as much as you do."
Suzaku bit his lip, pushing the chair back from the table. He was still tempted to insist on skinning at least one rabbit, it would help him settle. He just wanted to do something that wouldn't have him thinking too hard about what was coming up. Then again, he would have all day tomorrow to forget about what was going on. Suzaku sighed, giving Nunnally a wave before trudging over to the ladder. What little daylight there was wouldn't last much longer, so he wouldn't have had the time to work on the rabbits. There was always the fire place, but working by only the light from the fire always gave him a headache.
He gave Marianne a nod, pushing his knife towards her. The sound of the knife clattering about the table made Nunnally look up, Suzaku giving her a reassuring smile before walking over and kissing her on the forehead. "Good night."
Nunnally reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, holding Suzaku there for a moment before letting him go. "Night. And tell Lelouch for me too."
"I will." Suzaku reached down to ruffle Nunnally's hair, Nunnally batting at his hands. She laughed and poked him in the side, turning the move into a gently shove when Suzaku reached for her hair again.
"No. Off you go."
"Alright, alright." Suzaku stepped around her wheelchair, walking over to where the ladder dropped down. He tugged on the rope, catching the ladder to guide it down to the ground before it could make its usual clatter when it hit the floor. Suzaku hesitated long enough to watch Marianne and Nunnally settle into their jobs, Marianne working on skinning one of the rabbits while Nunnally washed the dishes that they had used. He sighed and started to climb the ladder, trying to find the sense of calm that he usually had around this time of night.
Suzaku was completely willing to blame it on the Reaping; it was the usual culprit around this time of year. He shook his head, trying to be as quiet as possible as he climbed into the attic. He didn't agree with the Hunger Games, it was the one thing that he would fight for. Suzaku preferred a quiet change, peaceful change to violence, but he would fight if he had to. The Games were nothing but a slaughter, and an excuse to get rid of the emperor's enemies. It was just bad luck that innocent children got thrown into the arena too. Suzaku had watched too many teenagers kill each other or die at the hands of the Tribute who got the capital's full support. The Hunger Games were nothing but a slaughter house, but Suzaku couldn't think of a way to change them without causing more death. He was sure that Lelouch could think up a plan, he had probably thought up thousands by now, but all of them would just lead to more death. Suzaku wasn't sure that Britannia could take that.
He pulled himself up into the attic, carefully easing the ladder back into place. He glanced toward the bed, picking out the lump that showed where Lelouch was. Suzaku padded over, slipping into his side of the bed. It didn't take Lelouch too long to roll towards him, Suzaku wrapping his arms around his friend and holding him close. He couldn't quite tell if Lelouch was awake or just dreaming, and Suzaku wasn't willing to risk waking Lelouch up if it was the latter. Even in a nightmare, Lelouch was still asleep and that was far better than having Lelouch awake for another night.
He rubbed his hand up and down Lelouch's back, smiling to himself as he felt Lelouch relax. Only when Lelouch seemed to be calm did Suzaku close his eyes. They just had to make it through two more days, it wouldn't be that hard. Both he and Lelouch had added their names multiple times to the drawing, but that was to be sure that Nunnally had less of a chance of being chosen. There were more teenagers who had added their names more often because they had needed the extra money that came with the action. It was far more likely for one of them to be chosen than Suzaku or Lelouch. That would have to be the fact that Suzaku would have to remember, all three of them were safe, Lelouch more so than either himself or Nunnally.
All they had to do was take things a year at a time and everything would be alright.
Part 2