(Untitled)

[a_poisoned_pawn]

characters Suzaku Kururugi and Lelouch Vi Britannia
when: Early “morning”, after Lelouch’s meeting with Delilah
where: Lelouch and Suzaku’s beach house
what: After talking to Delilah, Lelouch tries to fix Suzaku’s life.

Comments

[euphexmism]

The young man wasn't quite sure how long he had been asleep, but the moment he woke up, he felt extremely refreshed. He assumed that he had felt this particular way simply because he had been lacking sleep and sleeping out in the uncomfortable streets of Joie de Vivre wasn't really a pleasant experience. But if you felt guilty about something, then why should you reward yourself a new home? An idea like of owning a comfortable home didn't suit Suzaku at all which was why he decided to find a "cozy" place to rest; a place where nobody will find him.

Suzaku rose from the floor as he noticed a pillow and some sort of blanket near him. He would have smiled, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so because the person that he had seen last night was the person he had murdered with his very own hands. Again, he felt that he was unable to face him, but as he gazed up, he saw the figure of Lelouch. Grabbing onto the pillow and the blanket from the floor, he approached the former emperor as he placed the items upon the sofa.

"Thank you for--" His sentence remained unfinished as he realized that his voice was back and he was able to hear once more. Suzaku's shocked expression finally faded away as he settled himself down upon the sofa near the blanket and the pillow.

"How are you doing?"

[a_poisoned_pawn]

That polite humbleness. Lelouch really hated it. Suzaku had been prouder - more like his true self - in the last few months they had spent together. And Lelouch, frowning deeply at him, wondered if killing his Emperor had brought up that same subservient self-punishing attitude killing Genbu had. He paced towards him with the duvet and pillows and pushed them into Suzaku’s hands, his good mood completely gone for the time being.

“I have a cold.” He said curtly. “And stop looking that way. I was never a good man.”

And I’m not your father.

[euphexmism]

"If you have a cold, you should be the one wrapped in these things." Suzaku stated, indicating that the blankets and pillows should be in his possession instead of his own. "You should rest, Lelouch." Suzaku began as he rested the pillows and the blanket beside him like he did the first time. It was obvious that he was avoiding his friend's words.

"And next time, please don't fall asleep in the bathtub. . ."

[a_poisoned_pawn]

"I didn't inten--"

Lelouch coughed, irritated. So it seemed they would have to work through that, as they did everything else. He took Suzaku's offering with a scold and entered one of the bedrooms to check if they had bed sheets for the next few months.

"I had a meeting earlier." he answered vaguely. "You should take a bath while I prepare our breakfast."

He walked from the bedroom to the kitchen without looking up at Suzaku.

[euphexmism]

Suzaku wasn't quite sure why Lelouch was behaving this way and before he could even ask, he heard his friend suggest that he should take a bath as he prepared breakfast.

"Whatever you want, Lelouch." He mumbled under his breath before he had rise from his seat, sauntering off to the bathroom. Suzaku didn't remember the last time he had taken a bath or a shower for the most part. His memory was groggy and because it was always dark, it didn't seem to matter what anybody did anymore.

Right after his shower, he slipped back into his clothes as he left the bathroom appearing rather clean and fresh. A towel was around his neck as the water droplets from his hair began to drip-drop their way down onto the floor. Recalling Lelouch's words, he finally approached him, standing right behind him.

"What was the meeting about?"

[a_poisoned_pawn]

He was about to snap at him but gave up. One fight at a time.

When Suzaku came out, breakfast was waiting for them on the kitchen table, warm and delicious. Lelouch glared a bit at the mess Suzaku was doing, but sighed and remembered Suzaku was not bad at cleaning after himself. He guess he had to thank the Britannian army for that.

"It was a meeting about music." He said, his expression softening a little as he invited Suzaku to sit down. "Somebody wanted me to play something, but was too shy to ask."

[euphexmism]

Taking a seat upon the table, he smelled the delicious aroma of the food that Lelouch had cooked this particular "morning", however there was a voice in the back of his head that told him that he did not deserve a single ounce of food. Suzaku began to stall when it came to eating as he hoped a mere conversation will keep Lelouch's eyes astray, but he knew that his friend was rather sharp, so he doubt that his actions would go undetected.

"Sounds like you two enjoyed yourself." He said, managing a small smile as he settled his gaze outside of the curtained window. It was still dark, but the view was beautiful. He began to wonder how long he'll remain in this world and he began to wonder whether one of these days, Lelouch will disappear if he were to wake up.

[a_poisoned_pawn]

Lelouch wondered about the same things, but right now, all he could see was Suzaku playing with his food. He had seen him do that many times before, in his Ashford days, and he knew very well what it meant. Turning his face to cough yet again, he leaned over the table and held Suzaku's wrist.

"We enjoyed ourselves." he replied firmly. "Is there anything wrong with the food?"

[euphexmism]

His thoughts were interrupted the moment he felt a sudden hand upon his wrist. His emerald - eyes flicked over towards violet ones as he gently took his wrist away from the other.

"I'm glad that you all have enjoyed yourselves." Suzaku stated humbly as he now grabbed a hold of the fork that was settled upon the table. "No, there is nothing wrong with the food, Lelouch. There was just. . . something in my mind." He found himself gazing down upon the food again, the food that he did not deserve. Suzaku knew fairly well that his friend was aware of him not taking a bite of the food and thus, he began to eat breakfast as if he had been doing it for years.

[a_poisoned_pawn]

Lelouch ate quietly himself, wishing he could do something else to shake Suzaku from his current guilty-ridden, submissive state. He remembered, with a sad smile, that the last time he succeeded, it was simply because he had killed somebody Suzaku loved. Somebody they both loved.

"We did the right thing." he stated softly. "For everybody. Euphemia too."

He looked down at his hands. Zero Re;quiem had been his idea. It was his responsibility.

[euphexmism]

The silence between them was rather excruciating, but he had been there before. He had been through plenty of things normal teenagers wouldn't experience in their lives. Suzaku ate silently just to please Lelouch, just so he wouldn't worry and just so they wouldn't get into another petty argument like in the past, however his movements seized the moment he mentioned Euphemia. The fork he had in his hands was now settled next to the plate that wasn't even half way finished with food.

"I-I know." He whispered softly as he clenched his fists under the table. He really didn't want to talk about this. He really didn't.

[a_poisoned_pawn]

Lelouch knew very well Suzaku didn't want to talk about this subject. Yet, in order to remind him of the reasons to go back, he needed to insist.

Still, Suzaku had stopped eating again.

"Maybe..." he said with a fake smile. "I should tell you about my new job."

All this was extremely hard on both of them. Eating his food as if trying to give Suzaku a good example, he kept talking with the same soft voice, knowing very well Suzaku had not had the opportunity to listen to it in a long while.

"I'm going to play piano at the ice cream parlor. I want to guess somebody's favorite song."

[euphexmism]

Suzaku had lost his appetite. Not that he had one to begin with, but thinking about that fateful day made his stomach churn enough to make him want to run into the bathroom and vomit his breakfast out, however he did not do that. He just held it in and pretended that he was just listening to Lelouch speak.

Upon listening to him speak of his job, he began to wonder whether he should pick up a job for himself. All this time he had been here, he hasn't done anything productive. He just let his thoughts sink him down under. Perhaps there was a wish for him to die despite the "Live" command Lelouch had placed upon him.

"Don't tell me you're trying to win someone's heart already, Lelouch." Suzaku teased, trying to place a facade of his own, but unfortunately, his smile appeared strained. Just slightly, anyway.

[a_poisoned_pawn]

Lelouch coughed, but was smirking, embarrassed.

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't mean anything of that sort."

Although "win someone's heart" was close enough to what he was trying to do.

He watched Suzaku avoid the food and it was very hard to keep that smile on his lips. He was feverish and tired, and there was only one thing he needed to take care of before he called it a day.

"It's important that you live here until we sort out your situation." he said calmly. "We can't work together if you are not close by. We must be practical."

[euphexmism]

"Well, it's your word against my own. I'll just have to believe you, won't I?" He was still teasing of course. It was in his nature to act this friendly to his best friend, however his smile slipped from his lips as his depressing thoughts returned. How could he just be smiling and eating happily with someone that wasn't even supposed to be alive? His mental stability wasn't able to handle this much. Not on it's own. He'll have to adapt to this, but the way Lelouch was working ever so quickly, he wasn't qutie sure whether he'll get used to anything around here.

Upon hearing his words, Suzaku narrowed his eyes as he looked away from him. His eyes were filled with pain and it was obvious that he was hurting on the inside. He rose from his seat as he avoided eye contact with the boy with the bruised - colored eyes.

"Lelouch. . . I have to go somewhere. I. . . can't handle looking at you right now." He whispered the last part softly, but it wasn't quiet enough that Lelouch wouldn't be able to hear. Suzaku immediately walked out of the door of the beach house as he began to walk towards the ocean's waters. He began to hope that the night will blend with him. He just didn't want to handle this right now.

[a_poisoned_pawn]

Realizing his mistake, Lelouch followed. It was what his instincts told him to do. Had Nunnally been around, she would have offered support to Suzaku, and Suzaku would have offered support to her. But now he was all Suzaku had, and he couldn't possibly let him face all this by himself again.

Too pity he was supposed to be dead.

"Suzaku!" he called, reaching him outside, breathless and disheveled. "Suzaku, wait!"

He grasped his wrist again. It was a demand and a plea.

"You will have to face those things alone for the rest of your life. That's your punishment. But this is the chance we have to face them together. Remember..."

He looked in his eyes.

"Together we can accomplish anything."