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Two years ago, in the year of 2008, the Holy Britannian Empire declared war upon Japan.  In terms of machinery and manpower, Britannia had the upper hand with its territories comprising of one-third of the world and having access to every advanced weaponry and other technology to exist on Earth.What the war generals and the Emperor did not expect was the stubborn resistance from the island nation.  Tenacity of the Japanese government and its inspired people overwhelmed the Britannians’ estimated cost of the war.  Furthermore, the other Asian countries made no secret of their funding for Japan’s cause.Perhaps the fact that the Japanese Prime Minister Kururugi Gendo and his only son, Suzaku, spoke so passionately about resisting to the bitter end moved the people’s hearts.  Suzaku was only a little boy who should not have known the harsh realities of war and yet, he was the very image of hope for Japan.Twenty-four months passed with the two sides standing in a deadlock.  The European Union were putting the pressure on Britannia to cease its attacks and the Asian Alliance were growing weary of the war on the eastern front.  The following few months would prove to be crucial as one tiny misstep could lead to a catastrophe of global scale.  At least, that’s what Father’s advisors told the ten-year-old Suzaku.Suzaku didn’t like war.  It robbed him of his innocent childhood and put him face to face with difficult words like ‘strategy’ and ‘martyrdom’ and ‘casualties of war’.  He quickly grew used to uttering such ‘grown-up’ words since they were all he heard from people around him.  Worse of all, it meant that Toudou-sensei had to be stuck in meetings with Father and other high-ranking government officials, barring Suzaku from his kendo practice with sensei.It was one of those idle summer days when a possible solution to the travesties came to Suzaku’s mind.He marched into the conference room, ignoring the stupefied looks on the grown-ups at his impudence.“Father, this war has got to stop,” he declared. Kururugi Gendo was not impressed.  “And how do you propose that we achieve that, son?”“Send me to their capital city.  If I stay in their country as an emi-emissary, it delivers the message that we want a peaceful resolve.  I’ll stay there for as long as it is necessary to keep the peace between our nations.”Hushed murmurs and worried glances filled up the room.  Suzaku knew that he was volunteering himself to be a hostage, simply wrapped up in pretty words.“Suzaku,” Gendo said in a soft voice rarely heard from the politician.  “Are you aware of the consequences of your words?  You are the sole heir to the Kururugi family and what if the Britannians don’t see you as nothing more than a foolish little boy?  I cannot guarantee your safety when you are halfway around the world.”“Great achievements cannot be accomplished through words alone, Father.  I wish to change the world from within the system.  I can’t do that sheltered behind the walls of Tokyo and my people.” Suzaku didn’t know then but such bold words spoken by a ten-year-old delivered shockwaves across the world.  He figured that he must have done something right when Emperor Charles zi Britannia was intrigued by his words, a little boy who was the same age as his eleventh son, Lelouch vi Britannia.  Suzaku was granted an audience with the Emperor.  He travelled to Pendragon with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Toudou, accompanied by a small group of unarmed elite military task force as his body guards.“Mr. Suzaku Kururugi,” the Emperor addressed him as Suzaku bowed like he was taught.  “What is it that you wish to say to me?”The Emperor’s booming voice filled up the spacious throne room and Suzaku would be lying if he said that he was not intimidated.  But he had a mission to fulfill and a nation of people to protect.“Your Majesty, I believe that our nations’ best interest lies in peace, not in war and strife.  I implore that you consider stopping the war in favour of peace and treaty between our nations.  I offer myself as an emissary to stay in your capital, a token of peace and trust from us Japanese.”His Majesty’s response was unexpected by all those who were in the Imperial Court—mayhap not all since a small boy with jet-black hair and secretive violet eyes was smirking—he laughed.  Suzaku flinched, unsure of how he was supposed to react.  The smirking black-haired boy caught his attention again.  He was stood on the righthand side of the Emperor, wearing a white suit that was fashioned similarly to the Emperor’s. “This must be what they call a child’s innocent courage,” the Emperor mused.  “See that?  This boy from Japan has more balls than adults thrice his age to have spoken his thoughts.”The Britannians in the room all flinched in unison.  No one dared to speak a word.“Very well.  Your ambassador and I have a long talk ahead of us.  You may retire for the day, Mr. Kururugi.  Do make yourself at home as you will be here for a while.” Moved by the Japanese boy’s courage and recklessness Emperor Charles agreed to a treaty with Japan.  Britannia would no longer pursue war with Japan nor any other nations.  In years to come, colonies under Britannian rule will regain autonomy, but remain in its Commonwealth.  The official document was signed in Tokyo as the country welcomed the autumnal equinox.  Emperor Charles and his party were invited to stay; he himself could not stay but he extended the offer to his favourite consort, Empress Marianne vi Britannia, and her children, Lelouch and Nunnally who were chosen to accompany him on the journey.The autumn matsuri took place in the Kururugi Shrine.  The royals were given the opportunity to stay at the shrine for their sojourn and upon the Empress’s agreement, they were assigned the best rooms in the shrine.  Suzaku had to give up his own bedroom for the cause, but his father said that since he would be leaving for Pendragon with the Empress’ family, he should not feel so sad about it.As per the traditions, Suzaku served as the highlight of the festival on its last night.  Under the moonlight, Suzaku was dressed up in the costume of a kenbu dancer. The cool breeze of the autumn night was not enough to keep Suzaku from feeling as though he were being strangled by his clothes.  Due to recent events, he had less time than usual to rehearse the kenbu but he figured the crowd would love it regardless.It wasn’t hard to miss the royal family in the crowd.  After all, they were guarded by the Britannian knights in their gaudy uniforms, sanctioned off from the public.  The violet-eyed boy, Prince Lelouch, was there.  His piercing eyes never left Suzaku’s as Suzaku performed his piece.  Suzaku missed a couple steps thanks to those eyes, and he hoped to high heavens that no one picked up on that.Suzaku was ready for bed as soon as he exited the outdoor stage.  He made full use of the hidden passageways in the shrine to sneak away to his temporary room.  The cool tatami mats felt amazing against his hot, sweaty skin.  He should probably take a bath.He shucked off the hakama and the top part of his kimono without a thought.  He was interrupted by a sharp gasp.  Spinning around, Suzaku found himself face-to-face with Prince Lelouch.“How indecent,” the prince muttered.  Suzaku frowned.  It was practically his house.  He could strip naked if he wanted to.Oh, right.  He should bow or something.  His neck felt stiff as he bowed to the prince.“Pardon me.  I thought I was alone,” Suzaku retorted.“Well, you aren’t.  If you’re going to take a bath, hurry.  I don’t want to be kept awake by the noises from the bathroom.”“Who gave you the right to order me around?” Suzaku blurted out.“I’m the Eleventh Prince of Britannia.  I can say whatever I please,” the prince countered.Suzaku glared at the prince.  “I’m gonna go bathe, not because you told me to but because I’m sweaty and stinky.”“Suit yourself.”What a brat, Suzaku thought.  He hoped that wherever he was live in Pendragon, it wouldn’t be near where Prince Lelouch lived.  ~

Seven years later
 “Kururugi!  Are you actually reading the dusty old thing?” a familiar voice interrupts Suzaku.Concealing a sigh, Suzaku marks the page and puts the book down on the suede sofa.  He was reading Hamlet, a dog-eared copy that Prince Lelouch had given him a few weeks ago.  His Highness has a habit of complaining that Suzaku isn’t well-read and took it upon himself to gift Suzaku with one of his favourite books.Suzaku stands up to greet Prince Lelouch into his own office.  He places his right hand over his heart and bows.  “Good morning, Your Highness.”He acknowledges the knight with a nod.  Dressed in a white suit, the prince looks extra dazzling and, well, royal today.  Due to a meeting with the other knights, Suzaku hasn’t been to Prince Lelouch’s room to wake him this morning as he usually does. The prince looks annoyed.  “It was until Father thought to push off his paperwork to me.  Again,” the prince pouts.  He scowls at the door before he sits behind the desk.  Suzaku made sure to arrive fifteen minutes early so that he could sort the paperwork into two piles: one that needed to be examined before the end of morning hours, and one that could be dealt with someone else if the prince couldn’t get through the first pile before lunch.“I’m sure that His Majesty only wants the best for you, sire.  He needs to test the mental capacities of his children now that most of them are reaching the age of maturity or have long been adults in the eye of society.”The prince scoffs.  “Do tell, did one of his advisors feed those words to you?  Or do I have your lovely military friends to thank? Or perhaps it’s the Japanese Ambassador?” Seven years.  It has been seven years since Suzaku’s stroke of genius that ended the Second Pacific War. At the time, the weight of his words had not fully dawned on Suzaku.  He thought that as an emissary with little political power, he would be more or less of a guest at the Imperial Court.  He thought that he could keep the peace between the nations by staying quiet at the residence he was granted and practice his swordplay whenever he had time.Oh, how wrong and naïve he had been.Despite being given living quarters in a secluded corner of the palace, his bedroom was discovered by Prince Lelouch in a matter of hours.  More accurately, his little sister Nunnally missed the ball as they were playing catch and it was up to Lelouch to retrieve the ball.  Suzaku nearly whacked Lelouch in the head with the wooden sword as he had been practicing his swings in the garden.  Since their first meeting hadn’t gone well, Suzaku expected the prince to get angry.Instead of being mad as any other child would have been, however, Lelouch demanded that Suzaku show off his swordsmanship.  Suzaku was not used to having an audience but he must have done well since Lelouch declared that Suzaku would be his knight when they came of age.“I thought you only did the sword dance for the festival!” the prince exclaimed as Suzaku wrapped up his repertoire.“Ah, no.  I’ve been practicing kendo—that’s Japanese swordsmanship, by the way—since I was old enough to hold a practice sword.  I’m thrilled that you think I am worthy of becoming your knight.  Your Highness.”Lelouch shrugged.  “I don’t want to choose from a pool of knights who were knighted due to their family name.  You are a hundred times worthier than those sloths.”Of course, Emperor Charles was not thrilled with the news.  But he was no match against the prince’s arguments and eventually gave in to his son’s demands.  Suzaku now has a sneaking suspicion that the prince orchestrated the whole thing to spite his father, or announce to the world that he was a force to be reckoned with, one that had little regard for traditions and was not afraid of innovation. On the day that Suzaku turned sixteen in what used to be foreign land, he was knighted for the world to see.  Seriously, the ceremony was broadcasted internationally and Suzaku had to suffer through having make-up put on him and wearing a stuffy snow-white costume that had been designed and personally fitted for the occasion.  It was a formal version of his knight uniform that he has been forced to wear whenever he accompanied Prince Lelouch to social functions since that day.  The unprecedented event garnered people’s attention and heightened interest from around the world.  They remembered the name Kururugi from the war and now they had a young knight to admire for his formidable skills as well as his courage. The Imperial Court holds annual tournaments for the knights and Suzaku has come out victorious ever since he has been knighted. Why does he insist on calling me Sir Kururugi, Suzaku thinks.  The prince has never addressed him by his given name, even when they were kids.  Either the choice was borne of formality or he knew the Japanese customs more than he let on. Suzaku has to supress as yawn as he stands next to the prince whilst the prince completes his work.  Since many knights were positioned around the world on various missions, Suzaku had to be up and ready to go by five a.m., before the sun had the chance to shine down on Earth.“What’s next on my schedule?” Prince Lelouch asks as he looks over the last document, with an hour to spare until the appointed lunch time.  It shouldn’t be a surprise that he finished everything that was on the table.  The Emperor is aware of the fact that Prince Lelouch is fully capable of taking care of the paperwork, and that is perhaps why he keeps passing these off to his son.“You have lunch with Princess Euphemia and Princess Nunnally at noon.  I did not expect for you to have completed your work this early, sire.”“Of course I have.  Father needs to step up his game if he truly means to test my brains.  Such a tragedy, is it not, that he can’t show favouritism through his actions?”Suzaku keeps his polite mask of half-smile on.  If the prince received any more work, Suzaku’s day would be less tranquil and more, well, Lelouch.  “I cannot deign to understand His Majesty’s thoughts, sire.  What do you wish to do for the next hour?  I can fetch the maid so she may bring some appetizers and the like.”The prince waves his hand in dismissal.  “Let’s go out to the garden.  I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of having free time to myself in a while.”If by ‘a while’ he means two days, he would be right.  The prince is cunning, highly apt at finding loopholes and shortcuts to his assigned works and duties.  He always has time to slack off even on his busiest days.  At least he doesn’t want to play chess with Suzaku again.  Suzaku is horrible at it and the games are always followed by a lengthy lecture from the prince about how Suzaku should learn to use his brains better.  A stroll through the garden is a preferable choice.  Or horseback riding.Suzaku contacts the guards to let them know that the Eleventh Prince will be headed towards the garden shortly.  Whilst Suzaku has not seen the Aries—a villa that has been bestowed to Empress Marianne and where Prince Lelouch and Princess Nunnally grew up—Suzaku has heard that the garden in the palace was built to mirror the one in Aries, as commissioned by Prince Lelouch and Princess Nunnally.The garden is covered with a glass dome to protect it from weather elements, and to keep the flowers abloom all year round.  Currently, sunflowers and chrysanthemums bloom in the front section of the garden, their vivid colours brightening up the interior.  The pathways that weave in and out of the miniature forests are lined with violet, white, silver, and pale jade green pebbles cemented to the ground.Garbed in a white suit accented with sunshine yellow cravat, Prince Lelouch blends into the background of blue, violet, and white chrysanthemum flowers.  His beauty is something that has never escaped Suzaku’s notice.  Other subjects of the Court whisper amongst themselves, from the maids during their break to the guards posted outside the garden entrance.  Some would even dare say that the reason why people apply to work in the Court, and therefore within close proximity of the princes and princesses, particularly Prince Lelouch, is to marvel at his exquisite form.Prince Lelouch glides—yes, there is no other way to describe his graceful movements—over to the shade of a sakura tree.  The cherry trees are placed in the centre of the garden, surrounded hydrangea and other flowering small trees and bushes.  The prince looks like he should belong in the painting of a renowned Renaissance painter as he smiles at the blossoms all around him.  His shoulders are relaxed and his eyes are glowing with joy.  The phrase ‘not of this world’ springs to Suzaku’s mind as he keeps watch.The prince inspects every corner of the garden, taking full advantage of the hour of free time.  They move on to the east side of the garden, where camellia, bellflowers, and bluebells grow.  Tremendous effort must go into this garden as most of the flowers are in bloom all year. “Hold still,” the prince orders.Suzaku stiffens up.  What is the prince up to now?The prince picks two flowers, a red camellia and its yellow counterpart, and tucks it behind Suzaku’s ear.  It is only now that Suzaku notices three cherry blossoms tucked behind the prince’s ear as well as a small bouquet of flowers he has gathered in his hands.“Y-your highness—” Suzaku is silenced by a stern glance from the prince.  Suzaku supposes he will have to sport the flowers for however long it pleases the prince.“Let’s head inside for lunch, Sir Kururugi.  Gentlemen must never make the ladies wait.”  ~  Everyone is giggling. Suzaku has been relieved from his watch-Lelouch duty for the day after the prince had his supper.  He has noticed how people he has come across are grinning as they bow their heads to him. In the past few years of his living at the Britannian capital, Suzaku has gotten used to the curious stares from others and the palace dwellers and citizens of the city, in turn, have gotten used to him.  Perhaps the fact that travel between all countries have been revitalised helps, resulting in the sight of non-Britannians strolling about in the streets more commonplace.“Hey, Suzaku~” Gino greets him, slinging an arm around him in such a familiar fashion.  His eyes sparkle, zooming in on the side of Suzaku’s face for a noticeably long moment.  The blond has to be up to something again.  “I see that your day has been all roses and sunshine.”“What are you on about?” Suzaku grumbles.  He shrugs off Gino’s arm.  “Good evening, Anya.”“Hi,” the girl holds up her mobile phone and snaps a picture of Suzaku.  Suzaku wonders how the girl even qualified to be a Knight of the Round when she is glued to her phone for a good chunk of the day.“Where’s your darling prince?” Gino smirks.  He points at Anya’s phone screen and the two exchange a look.“His Royal Highness has retired to his room, thus relieving me from my duties as his knight,” Suzaku answers, sounding robotic even to himself.  “He is not my darling anything, Gino.  We have been over this a million times.”“Yes, and my counterattack will always be that you have to be blind to not be the tiniest bit attracted to Prince Lelouch.  Or asexual and/or aromantic.  I digress.  Have you seen the thousands upon thousands of internet blog dedicated to His Royal Highness?” Gino points out.“I once saw a blog just about his eyelashes,” Anya chimes in, her face serious.  “No joke.”Gino grins, waving his hands towards the petite girl in triumph.“Aren’t we supposed to be some of the highest-ranking knights in this nation?  We shouldn’t be gossiping about His Royal Highness.” There are days when Suzaku thinks that Gino, with this flippant attitude, had to have lucked out to have been knighted.  But then again, he has sparred with Gino and Anya in numerous training sessions and their strengths are nothing to scoff at.“That we are,” Gino says.  His eyes dart towards Suzaku’s ear again. “I’m not ashamed to say that my parentage had a part in my knighthood.  After all, the knighthood system itself is designed to be heavily biased towards those of noble blood.  You are one of the chosen few who were knighted based on merit alone, Suzaku-kun.”Suzaku sighs.  It shouldn’t surprise him that Gino has gone the extra mile to familiarise himself with some Japanese customs.  He is the golden retriever type of friend whose jolly presence can be too much to handle at times.“Thanks, but you forget that Prince Lelouch personally requested that I be knighted into his service.  So technically, I didn’t enter knighthood based on merit alone.”“No.  If you were just a pretty face that Prince Lelouch decided to keep by his side on a whim, the Emperor never would have allowed for his plan to fall through.  Besides, the public love it when you two appear in events together.  My last blog post about Prince Lelouch, Princesses Nunnally, Euphemia, and Cornelia attending the opening ceremonies of the new public library hit twenty thousand views in the first twelve hours.”Suzaku feels his jaw drop.  The smug look on Anya’s face speaks volumes.“Didn’t a foreign news channel source your blog post?” Gino asks.  Gino, that little devil?  “We were also there on guard duty so of course you bagged yourself some up and personal candids.”The fatigue meter in Suzaku’s head is skyrocketing.  He adores his friends, he really does, but not when he already has spent a full day shadowing a prince.“I think I’ll go for a late dinner,” Suzaku excuses himself.  He didn’t have a chance to grab a bite.  Prince Lelouch always offers a seat at the table but Suzaku knows and understands the power of the word of mouth.  Plenty of the palace staff love to gossip to begin with, and Suzaku can’t afford to see another love affair rumour of Prince Lelouch surface in the tabloids, much less one that links the two of them in an intimate manner.“Aww.  Prince Lelouch kept you late past dinner hours?” Gino croons.  “You are so whipped, Suzaku-chan~”“Gino, I swear to god—”Gino cuts him off with a chuckle.  “I know, I know.  I’ll see you at the next knights’ meeting, bud.  Bye!”  He bounds off, seemingly in high spirits.  Anya waves Suzaku goodbye before she walks off as well.Suzaku disregards Gino particularly over the top antics as he makes his way to the dining hall.  He is joined by some staff members getting their late meals in.  Like the others, they can’t keep a straight face as they greet him.The mystery is solved when Suzaku glances up at the mirror in a (lavishly decorated) washroom post-dinner.  The two camellia flowers that Prince Lelouch personally plucked and tucked behind Suzaku’s ear are still here, a stark contrast to his brown hair and white colour scheme of the bathroom walls.“Shit,” he mutters.  He picks them out of his hair.  His cheeks flush bright red as he realises his blunder.  Well, that explains what’s been happening to him in the last several hours.“Shit!” he met up with Anya and Gino like this!  He didn’t think much of Anya’s picture-taking since the girl had an addiction to her phone and that blog of hers.  Suzaku has no doubt that the other knight has already updated her blog with a picture of Suzaku with the damned (pretty) flowers in his hair!He storms out of the washroom and heads straight up to his room.  It is just his luck that his living quarters are located on the far corner from the dining hall.  He twirls the flowers between his forefinger and thumb.  He hasn’t thrown them out—why hasn’t he thrown them out?  They are just flowers—until he reaches his room.  He still can’t bring himself to chuck the flowers into the bin.  Instead, he places them on his desk, atop a novel he has taken up on lately.He starts up his laptop and opens up Anya’s blog.  Anya has become a popular blogger for her update on the little happenings inside the palace.  Since it is the Imperial Palace, she isn’t allowed to post pictures of the royal family’s private rooms and anything that is deemed ‘too personal’.  Most of the princesses and princes have gotten used to her and don’t mind her posting about them from time to time.But today is different.  Anya’s newest post on the blog is titled, ‘Boys Over Flower?’, timed fifty-six minutes ago. “Dammit,” Suzaku mutters, nibbling on the tip of his thumb.  Anya is sneaky.  Not only does she have a face-front picture of Suzaku with the red and yellow flowers in his hair, but she has also managed a few snaps from other angles.  One of them even has Gino throwing the camera a sly grin.  He is going to have a word with them the next time he sees them.His mobile dings with an incoming text message.  The notification strip reads ‘Prince Lelouch’.  What the hell? ‘Aren’t you quite the star, Sir Kururugi.’ it reads.  Prince Lelouch seldom texts him and it is mortifying that the prince deigned to text him over such a trivial (and embarrassing) topic.‘You are partly to blame, sire’ he sends back.The reply is instantaneous.  ‘I couldn’t help it.  You looked gorgeous, objectively speaking.’Suzaku’s entire face feels like it could melt off at any point.  The Prince didn’t rack up a reputation for himself by standing still and looking pretty.  He has a habit of dragging his words out for a fraction of a second longer than necessary, lending his voice a sensual lilt to them.  His gestures and facial expressions are also exaggerated when it suits his needs, further amplifying his massive sex appeal.  And his hips . . .  It just doesn’t bode well when those weapons are pointed at Suzaku.Come to think of it, the Prince didn’t parade around the palace all day with cherry blossoms in his hair.  Suzaku can recall the pale pink blossoms peeking out from the button holes in Prince Lelouch’s suit jacket.  Yet he didn’t bother to make similar arrangements for his knight.No.  Suzaku shouldn’t expect such a personal interaction between them.  They are knight and prince, bound by oath and duty. ‘Thank you, objectively speaking.’ Suzaku texts back.  He can imagine the prince smirking at the response in his patented (sexily) smug way.
‘Will you meet me at the garden tomorrow morning?’
Well, that came out of nowhere.  Not that Suzaku in in a place to reject the half-command.
‘If you promise me not to put flowers in my hair again, Your Highness.’

‘We shall see.  I can’t guarantee that I won’t.  I don’t have anything scheduled for the morning so I might just spend the entirety of it reading in my garden.’

‘As you wish, sire.’
Suzaku smiles when he sees the prince’s reply, although he can’t figure out why.  ‘Good night, Kururugi-kyo.  Sweet dreams.’
‘Good night, sire.’
  ~  Suzaku blames Prince Lelouch.  More specifically, he blames the little text message exchange that they had before Suzaku showered and went to sleep.  And Gino.  He always brings up asinine things like Suzaku fancying the prince.He dreamt of the prince.  Of course he did.  Thankfully, it wasn’t the debauched type.  If it were, Suzaku couldn’t have seen Prince Lelouch the same way ever again.The two of them were in a place that was unfamiliar to Suzaku.  It looked like a school, if the black uniforms they were of any indication.  The high collared jacket accentuated the prince’s sharp features and thin frame.“Suzaku, I can hear you thinking too hard,” the prince admonished, a warm, fond look in his violet eyes.“S-sorry, Lelouch,” Suzaku replied.  Why he addressed to the prince so casually, he did not know.Lelouch laughed, the sound mirthful and airy.  “What are you sorry for?  You’re such an oddball, Suzaku.”Suzaku shrugs.  “I think you have me beat in that department.”The prince grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief.In the blink of the eye, the prince has Suzaku pinned down to the grassy ground.  The blades of the grass tickle the back of Suzaku’s neck as the prince presses down, the length of his body barely hovering over Suzaku’s.  His slim fingers wound around Suzaku’s wrists, holding them above Suzaku’s head.  Suzaku’s heart was racing in his chest, loud enough that he bet that the prince to hear it.“Gotcha,” he declared.Suzaku felt the corners of his mouth curl up.  “Now that you have me where you want me, what will you do?”“Hmm, I’ll have to think on it.”The prince pursed his lips, looking up at Suzaku through the curtain of his long, dark lashes.  His eyes shone especially violet and crystalline against the dark of his lashes and his fair skin.  Suzaku eyes were automatically drawn to those pouty, rose-coloured lips.“Your loss,” Suzaku said. He thrust his arms out and twisted his wrists so that he could secure his grip on Lelouch’s wrists instead.  Using the same momentum, Suzaku folded his legs around the prince’s hips and rolled them around on the grassy hill until the prince was under him.“You shouldn’t have hesitated when we both know that I have the upper hand when it comes to physical strength,” Suzaku smirked.The young prince returned his smirk levelly.  “What will you do now?”The twinkle in his eyes were not lost and Suzaku felt something, an unknown emotion, surge up inside.  He was being baited, only an idiot would miss it.  He put his face even closer to Lelouch’s, but they never touched.  It was an odd position, as every other line and curve of their bodies were pressed together.As lovers would.“Suzaku . . .” Lelouch dragged out his name.  That had to have been on purpose.It was as though an invisible hand was guiding Suzaku’s movements.  His head dipped down to close the minuscule distance between their faces.  Time slowed down and Suzaku watches as Lelouch’s lips parted and his eyes slid shut just in time for— Just in time for Suzaku’s alarm to blare off. Suzaku rubs a hand over his face.  The dream is still vivid in his mind’s eye.  His mind lingers on the image of the prince’s lips, replaying the very last scene when they were about to . . . about to kiss.At least he didn’t wake up with morning wood.  So there’s that.  Little victories and all that.Suzaku dazed as he gets ready for the day.  He messes up putting on his uniform even though he wears the thing on most days out of the year.  He spills coffee all over his trousers, which means that he has to cut his breakfast short to change and hurry over to the garden to meet with His Highness.The prince is already in the garden when Suzaku bursts through the door, panting.  He tries to hide his shortage of air as he bows.  The prince is dressed more casually today: a black turtleneck sweater that is reminiscent of the uniforms they wore in Suzaku’s dream and dark grey trousers.  He must be planning to get changed before their afternoon schedule as they have some business to attend to.“Good morning, Your Highness.  Why are we meeting here, if I may ask?” Suzaku inquires.The prince smiles.  He gestures at his feet.  Suzaku’s eyes follow the movement.  At his feet lies a dozen or so seedlings of cosmos, freesia, and gardenia as well as some gardening tools.“Nunnally’s birthday is coming up so I want these in full bloom by then,” the prince says as a way of explaining.“Pardon my saying so but why didn’t you have the gardeners do this?” Suzaku questions.“Idiot.  Where’s the sincerity in that?  Just because I’m a prince doesn’t mean that I get off on ordering people around.” Suzaku arches an eyebrow.  He quickly catches himself and schools his expression into a polite, neutral one.  “I saw that.”“Excuse me, sire.”“Whatever.  Let’s get to work.  It’s simple, really.   Dig out a small hole to allow room for the roots to grow in and water the spot.  Ah, and make sure to group them together according to species.”Suzaku glances at the prince wearily as he picks up the gardening shovel.  The edges of the shovel can be quite sharp. “Are you sure this is a good idea?  Please remember that I am responsible for your safety.”The prince scoffs.  “I’m sure I’ll have no problem signing documents even if I were to nick myself on these.  I am not a fragile doll made of glass.”You might as well be, given how pale you are, Suzaku thinks to himself.  He conceals a sigh as he rolls up his sleeves and gets to work.  He can’t help but chuckle when the prince starts digging without bothering to roll up his sleeves.“Pardon me, sire.”  Suzaku crouches behind the prince and rolls up the sleeves for him.  “Really.  You can’t get dirt on your clothes.  What will maids say when they see you like that?”His breath catches in his throat when he realises how close he is to the prince.  Their arms brush as Suzaku jumps away from the prince like he was electrocuted.  The prince’s usual composure is lost in the red flush that has spread to his ears and neck.“G-get to work, Kururugi,” the prince stutters.“Right away, sire.”Planting the flowers don’t take up too long.  Suzaku is thankful for Prince Lelouch’s foresight in having some towels prepared.  They were not completely spared from getting messy.  There is so much that Suzaku can do to wipe the dirt off his damned white uniform.  He doesn’t want to change his clothes for the second time today.  But he has no choice as they are to leave for a meeting with a French ambassador at lunch.Suzaku is about to suggest that they leave for the plane when he hears a rustle amongst the flowers.  Oh, no.  He will not tolerate it if a stray bird messes up the prince’s (and his) hard work!“Meow?”It’s a cat.  A dark grey cat with a black patch over one of its eyes.  If Suzaku had one weakness, it would be cute animals.  The cat mewls again, approaching the prince first.“Cute,” the prince croons.  He stretches a hand out towards the small animal.  The cat rubs its head against the prince’s hand before it runs off.“Kururugi, catch the cat!” the prince orders.“I’m sorry, what?”“Catch the cat.  I won’t have it ruin my garden!”“Alright, sire.”Suzaku bounds off after the cat.  If the cat makes them late, he will personally throw the thing outside.  The black cat is agile and escapes Suzaku’s clutches several times.  In just a few minutes’ time, he ends up right where he started where Prince Lelouch is standing.“Sire, please block off its escape route!” Suzaku calls out, chasing the cat straight into the prince’s direction.“What?  How?”Suzaku doesn’t have the time to elaborate.  He does succeed in catching the cat but somehow, the prince stays in his path and they both tumble down to the ground.  The cat mews, twisting in Suzaku’s grasp as Suzaku struggles to sit up—right in the prince’s lap. “I am so sorry, sire!”“Whatever.  Get off me.”“Of course, si—OW!”The cat has sunk its teeth into Suzaku’s hand.  It’s a miracle that he doesn’t let go of the devilish creature.  The prince winces in sympathy.Suzaku carefully cradles the cat in one arm and stands up.  He helps the prince up and glares at the cat.  The cat turns up its big round eyes at Suzaku and, damn, he can’t stay mad at it.“We should keep the cat,” the prince announces.“Sire?”“It likes you, I think.  And I don’t think Father will care if we keep a cat in the palace.  Cats are wonderfully independent creatures after all.  We can put it in one of the empty rooms.”“There’s more to raising a cat than—”The prince waves him off.  “I know that much.  Let’s have a guard or a maid prepare its room.  We do have a plane to catch so we had best hurry, Sir Kururugi.”Suzaku swallows back a sigh.  “Yes, Your Highness.”The prince smirks.  “Why don’t you go ahead and give it a name?  You are the one who caught it, after all.”“C-can I?”“Do it before I change my mind.”Suzaku ponders for a moment.  “Does Arthur sound good?”“He looks like an Arthur to me.  Arthur it is.” The soft smile that the prince flashes at Suzaku is not fair.The guards posted outside the garden look dumbfounded as Prince Lelouch hands Arthur off to them with the instruction to care for it.  Suzaku feels sorry for them but he has a schedule to stick to.  He follows the prince to the limousine parked outside the palace gates and holds the door open for the prince like he always does.  He climbs into the driver’s seat and steps on the pedal.The airport is only an hour’s drive away and nothing seems to be out of place, as per the updates he receives via the miniature screen installed at the front of the car.  A quick glance at the rear-view mirror tells him that the prince has dozed off.  Suzaku smiles.  The prince is known for his lack of stamina.  It’s a good thing that he has his intellect to compensate for his lacking physical prowess.An hour later, Suzaku pulls into the private section of the airport reserved for royals and government officials.  He wakes the prince and they board the private jet emblazoned with the Imperial Crest.  As Suzaku expected, the prince makes a beeline for the partitioned compartment of the plane designated as the sleeping area and re-emerges wearing a black suit with violet and gold accents, complete with a cravat that is pinned down.“I have a change of clothes prepared for you as well,” the prince mentions casually, tugging at the knot of his cravat with his index finger.“Sire, I think the knight uniform will suffice,” Suzaku argues meekly.Prince Lelouch arches an eyebrow elegantly.  How is that even possible?  Everything he does is full of grace, which Suzaku guesses is fitting of royalty.  “Are you defying my orders, Sir Kururugi?”“No, sire.”The prince grins.  “You’ll find yours over there as well.”Suzaku is pretty sure that he, as a knight, should not be setting foot into the area reserved for royals and other higher-ups.  It’s like going to his bedroom to wake him every morning, Suzaku tells himself.  He nods and does as he is told.A few minutes later and Suzaku gets the sinking feeling in his gut that he has been set up.  It’s not the gaudy ‘formal’ knight suit that he wears to super formal events, so there’s that.  But that doesn’t mean that the slim-cut fit of the all-white suit is any less uncomfortable.  Whilst the suit doesn’t come with a myriad of decorative pieces, the tight fit of it accentuates every muscle on Suzaku’s body.  What makes it worse is that the white silk of the suit is unforgiving of his navy boxers.“Sire, I don’t think I can wear this to a meeting with the French ambassador,” Suzaku says, hidden behind the partition.“Yes, you can.  If you are worried about your undergarments showing, I provided a solution for that.”Suzaku feels his entire face burn up.  “I believe that’s sexual harassment, sire.”  Nonetheless, Suzaku locates the ‘solution’ buried beneath uniform.  He shucks off the jacket and unbuttons the shirt.“No.  But this would be.”Prince Lelouch pokes his head inside, grinning as he spots Suzaku half-naked at the foot of the bed.  Suzaku squawks, hands flying south to cover himself.The prince laughs.  “What’s that sound you just made?  How undignified of you, my knight.”“With all due respect, sire, you barged in when I was in the middle of changing clothes.”Violet eyes rake up and down Suzaku’s semi-nude body.  Is that an appreciative smirk twitching at the corners of the prince’s lips or is Suzaku imagining it?“I could always see how muscular you were through your clothes but oh my, the naked truth has exceeded my expectations, Sir Kururugi.”Suzaku’s cheeks feel like they have been set aflame.  “Tha-thank you . . . ?”The prince chuckles.  “I’ll let you get changed now.  If you have trouble buttoning up the shirt, don’t hesitate to call for assistance.”“I won’t, sire.”The prince’s eyes flicker downwards one final time before he leaves the partitioned area.  Suzaku heaves a sigh.  He is mortified at his own body’s reactions to the prince’s teasing, yet heated gaze.  Years of self-discipline has not failed him.But he doesn’t know how much longer he can hold out.Gino was right.  He is whipped.  It’s like he’s had a terminal disease for years and the name of the disease is lovesick.“You can do this,” Suzaku murmurs, slapping his palms over his cheeks.  “Be professional.  He is your boss, not the object of your unrequited love.  His Highness is to marry a lovely lady with political standing.  The royal family will not stand for a homosexual love scandal.”He sighs.  Only if things were that cut and dry.  ~  Suzaku has grown used to the stares he garners in public since nine times out of ten, he is accompanying Prince Lelouch to some event.  Today, however, a good percentage of the stares seem to be focused on him.  He blames the prince’s choice in his outfit.  The prince must have known that the swan-white suit would highlight Suzaku’s broad shoulders and every muscle definition on his body.“Relax your shoulders,” the prince whispers, waving at his adoring crowd despite it being late in the night.  “You look like a scared turtle.”The knight grits his teeth.  “With all due respect, Your Highness, knights aren’t meant to be arm candies for the royals to parade around.”“But wouldn’t you say that it is a waste to keep you cloaked in the traditional knight uniform when I can have you in these?”Something dangerously mischievous glints in the prince’s amethyst eyes.  Suzaku decides that he should keep his mouth shut for the remainder of this outing.A Rolls-Royce is awaiting them at the entrance of the airport, courtesy of the French embassy.  Suzaku waits for the prince to get inside the car before he gets in the driver’s seat.  Their destination is an extravagant hotel on L’Avenue des Champs-Élysées, at which the conference will be held.  Suzaku reports their safe arrival in Paris to the head of security in Pendragon as he drives up to the hotel.They were given the most expensive suite in Hôtel de la Païva, of course they were.  Suzaku can’t help but marvel at the wealth pouring out from every square inch of the suite.“Ah, Paris,” the prince purrs, plopping down onto the plush mattress.  He kicks off his shoes and buries his head in the mountain of pillows.  “Tell me that we don’t have to return to Pendragon as soon as the conference is over.”Suzaku double-checks the schedule.  “You have three hours of free time between the end of the conference and the time we need to depart for the flight tomorrow.”The prince groans into the pillows.  “And I suppose that we can’t ‘accidentally’ miss the flight tomorrow.”“I am trained in aircraft piloting,” Suzaku reminds him.“Right.  I forgot that you’re an overachiever,” Prince Lelouch grumbles.  “You’re dismissed.  You can meet me in the conference room tomorrow after you’ve eaten.  I can’t have my knight passing out on me from starvation.”“Yes, Your Highness.”Suzaku’s room is the one adjacent to the prince’s, connected by a door that locks on the other side.  The prince wouldn’t dare lock it for security purposes.  The extravagance of the room nearly hurts Suzaku’s eyes to look at.  He finds his suitcase at the foot of the large bed.  He strips off the confining clothes and leaves them on the floor as he digs through his suitcase for his favourite pair of (old and ratty) sweatpants and what used to be a band shirt (the logo faded off after years of wear and wash).After a much-deserved long hot shower, Suzaku dives into the bed.  On the back of his mind, he berates himself for not drying his hair.  On the other hand, though, he is exhausted from the day’s turn of events and tomorrow won’t be any easier for him.  What he needs is sleep.  He can deal with his bed hair in the morning.  ~  “Shit,” Suzaku hisses at his reflection in the mirror.  I can deal with it in the morning, my ass, he thinks gruffly.  He has gotten complemented on his curly hair but today, those curls are the bane of his existence.He glances down at his pocket watch—his father’s, actually, that he received after he was knighted.  He has less than half an hour until the conference starts.  He doesn’t have enough time to take another shower and get dressed.“Shit.”A knock sounds from the adjoining door.  “Yes?”“You haven’t come down for breakfast.  What’s wrong?” the prince calls out from yonder.“I’m fine.  I’m, uh, having trouble with my, ah, looking presentable.”The prince steps through the door.  He bursts into laughter when he sees rat’s nest that has formed on top of Suzaku’s hair.“What did you do?  Wrestle a bear on your morning jog?”“No, sire.  My hair was damp when I fell asleep,” Suzaku answers.“Damp?” the prince stares into Suzaku’s eyes.Suzaku sighs, averting his eyes.  “Wet.  I didn’t think it would be this disastrous.”“Come,” the prince orders.  When Suzaku stays roots to the spot in front of the mirror, the prince grabs Suzaku’s wrist and drags him over to his room.  The prince is wearing an outfit similar to yesterday’s, having exchanged the dress shirt underneath to a black button-down with the Imperial Crest.He pushes on Suzaku’s shoulders, forcing him to sit on the bed.  The bed smells of the prince’s favourite shampoo and body soap, with a hint of his cologne.  Suzaku shakes his head mentally.  A knight shouldn’t notice such things about his boss.The prince hums, holding a tub of what appears to be hair wax in his hands. “Sit still,” he commands.  He spreads the wax over his fingertips and cards his fingers through Suzaku’s hair.  He ends up having to tug through some tangles but Suzaku does his best not to wince at the twinges of pain.“You have soft hair,” the Eleventh Prince comments.  Does his face have to be so close to Suzaku’s for this task?“Thank you, sire,” Suzaku responds automatically.“And there we go,” the prince announces.  “I like this style on you.  You should wear your hair like this often.”Suzaku’s eyebrows scrunch up with suspicion.  He wants to inform the prince that knights shouldn’t care so much about their physical appearance.  But the prince chose that precise moment to lean in even closer, close enough for Suzaku to feel the prince’s breaths fanning over his face.“Yeah, you definitely should.”The prince straightens up his back and rests his hand on his hip.  “You should help yourself to breakfast.  I had them bring up a tray for you.”  He gestures to the table, hands fluttering in the air flamboyantly.“Thank you, Your Highness.”The prince beams in reply.  Suzaku wolfs down the bagels (slathered with cream cheese), cheese croissants and espresso cooled with milk in a hurry.  It’s a good thing that he is already dressed in his standard knight’s uniform, complete with a royal blue cape that his prince picked out for him. “Shall we go, then?” the prince asks. He readjusts the knot of his cravat.“Yes, Your Highness.” The meeting doesn’t drag on, contrary to Suzaku’s dreading.  Lady Leila Malcal is renowned for her diplomatic skills despite her young age and as much as it pains Suzaku to think it, the French girl and Prince Lelouch would make a cute couple.  The lady used to be in the military until she decided that she wanted a change in career, which probably explains the presence of Lieutenant Akito Hyuga.  Suzaku is curious as to how a Japanese man ended up in the French army but it is none of his business. “Thank god the girl has her eyes on someone else!” Prince Lelouch says the moment the two of them step inside the elevator.“I beg your pardon, sire?”“Lady Leila’s heart already belongs to someone.  I’m sure that both our father would have been happy if we hit it off at today’s meeting.  Alas, it’s impossible for her.  Did you not notice the fond glances thrown in her lieutenant’s way, Kururugi?  Even a mere kid would have caught that.  Seriously, Sir Knight, you are the densest when it comes to matters of the heart!”Suzaku smiles politely.  “Forgive me, sire.  It simply is not in my best interest to pay attention to such . . . nuances.”The corner of Prince Lelouch’s lips curl up.  “I already knew that.  Qualities like that make you an interesting study.”“I’m glad I can protect you from the dangers of boredom,” Suzaku says.“There’s never a dull moment when I’m with you,” the prince deadpans.Suzaku considers himself lucky that the lift arrives at their floor right then.Professionalism.  It’s a concept that Suzaku never struggled with up until now.  He is relieved that the prince will be shopping for the next few hours, which shouldn’t require much interaction between the two of them. Oh, how wrong Suzaku was.Their first stop at Champs-Élysées is Fouquet’s for a quick bite.  The prince has no problem reading the menu whereas Suzaku has to rely on the prince’s French skills to choose something on the menu.  Their food arrives promptly and for once, Suzaku relishes in the privilege of being a royal knight.Next up is the Cartier store.  The prince peruses through every display case, conversing with the clerk in fluent French.  After a few minutes of talking, the prince picks out a watch encased in platinum and diamond-encrusted white leather.  Suzaku takes a peak at the label, which reads: Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton Watch.  The price tag is enough to make Suzaku choke on thin air.A few minutes later, they emerge from the store with Suzaku carrying a bag with the brand’s name on it.  The prince’s next destination is the Guerlain store.  The heady mélange of perfumes in the store is enough to make Suzaku feel inadequate somehow.  The shelves are lined up with things that Suzaku can’t recognise, save for the bottles of perfumes.  The prince chats with the shopkeeper, their conversation leading them to the display of perfumes.  This time, the prince picks out the bottle labelled Santal Royal.  Even the design of the bottle exudes luxury.  The other stores they visit are Leclaireur, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci.  The prince looks pleased with himself as he purchases clothes that each cost thousands of euros without a care.Suzaku is relieved when it is time for them to leave for the airport.  The shopping bags need to be packed into an extra suitcase (that the prince ended up having to buy).  The knight sleeps for the majority of the flight after he sees that the prince has fallen asleep first.And as he drifts off to the world of dreams, the last thing on his mind is the way the prince’s eyes were alight with joy as he picked out the items.  They looked like birthday presents.  For whom, though?  ~  Suzaku is glad that a chauffeur has been sent to fetch them from the airport.  He wouldn’t trust his sleep-laden brain to handle the drive up to the Imperial Palace.“Did you enjoy our trip?” Prince Lelouch asks.“Yes,” Suzaku replies, stifling back a yawn.“I would like to go back to Paris at a later date.  Not for business, but for pleasure.  They don’t call it la Ville d’Amour for nothing.”“I suppose I will be there as well, as your personal knight.”The prince hums.  “Yes.  You shall be there with me.”The way that the words are phrased tugs at Suzaku’s heart.  He has to shake it off.  It’s his one-sided crush acting up again.“We’re home, sire,” Suzaku announces, grateful for the convenient timing.He escorts the prince up to his office and bids him adieu.  Even though jet lag must be killing him, he starts reading through the documents as if he didn’t fly back from France.With the short free time that he has been granted, Suzaku seeks out the newest resident in the palace.  He finds out that Arthur has been in one of the empty rooms in his living quarters since he left. The cat stares at Suzaku for a moment before he bounds away.  The furniture in the room has been removed except for the sofa and a coffee table.  There are two litter boxes in two corners of the room and two glass bowls by the coffee table.  Somehow, it doesn’t surprise Suzaku that the cat has been eating out of glass bowls since it was welcomed into the palace.“Hey, Arthur,” Suzaku croons.  The cat ignores him in favour of bounding away to his water bowl.“I’m gonna win you over with snacks and toys,” Suzaku vows.  He goes over to his own bedroom and changes into a t-shirt, jeans and motorcycle jacket.  He slings a backpack over his shoulder before jogs to the palace garage where his motorcycle has been sat for almost three months now.  Accompanying the royal prince to events means that he seldom has the chance to ride on his bike.  He knows that he can order cat supplies online but he wants an excuse to go biking again.Half an hour later, he arrives in the downtown Pendragon.  The streets are bustling with people and life, the late autumn sun lazily warming the air.  A few people recognise him, if the whispers and snaps of phone cameras are of any indication.  He ignores the attention as he heads into the pet shop. In the end, he spends a good fortune on cat toys and snacks, even though half of them weren’t all that necessary. He stuffs his knapsack with the snacks and thanks the shopkeeper as he heads out.  He asked for same-day delivery so the toys should arrive at the palace before dinnertime.The prince is wrapping up the last few pages of the documents when Suzaku returns to his office.  His eyes flicker towards Suzaku for a fraction of a second before he redirects his whole attention to the task at hand.“How’s Arthur?” he asks, organising the papers into one neat pile.“Great.  I think he’ll enjoy the cat tower I ordered.”“Give me the receipt from the store and I’ll take care of it,” the prince states.“No, sire.  I can’t do that.”“He’s our cat, is he not?” the prince asks, one eyebrow raised.‘Our’.  The word has a nice ring to it.  “I-if that is what you wish, sire.”“Perfect.  Let’s go see him now.”Suzaku doesn’t know how he should feel about the fact that Arthur clearly favours Prince Lelouch over him.  He is purring as he climbs all over the prince and rubbing his head against the prince’s head, shoulders, and neck.  The prince looks happy as well, smiling at the cat and cooing encouragements.  It’s not fair that the feline’s mind cannot be swayed by premium canned cat food and a squeaky bunny plushy.When dinner time rolls around, Suzaku escorts the prince to the secondary dining hall.  Prince Nunnally and Euphemia are just walking into the hall as the prince takes his seat.“Suzaku!” Princess Nunnally greets him.  “I trust that you kept my brother safe in Paris?”Suzaku smiles.  Princess Nunnally is the sweetest girl Suzaku has ever known.  She knows every staff member’s name and face and greets them by their first name.  Euphemia doesn’t lose in the kindness department either.  In fact, these two princesses insist on calling Suzaku by his first name rather than ‘Sir Kururugi’ like their brother does.“Of course, my lady.”“Too bad we couldn’t have stayed there for a week,” the prince laments.  “The weather was especially beautiful, Nunnally.  It wasn’t too hot, but not chilly either.  The Eiffel Tower lit up at night truly a sight to behold.  I hope we can take a vacation there together soon.”“And you, Suzaku?’ Prince Euphemia asks.  “Did you enjoy yourself as well?”“I appreciated the change of scenery, Your Highness,” Suzaku replies.  “Travelling the world is a perk of my job that I rate high.”“Among other things, I assume,” Prince Euphemia quips.  Princess Nunnally’s eyes widen, and the girls burst into giggles.  Their brother stares at them blankly, shaking his head.“Sir Kururugi, join us for dinner,” the prince says.“I’m fine, thank you.  I’ll eat later.”“It was an order Kururugi.  Sit down,” he orders.“Yes, Your Highness,” Suzaku obeys. He doesn’t like it when the prince orders him to eat with him.  He always feels left out in the meal, never able to join the conversation that Prince Lelouch has with others.“Tell me more about Paris, Lelouch!” Princess Euphemia implores.  “It’s not fair that Father won’t let us travel much when Cornelia is one of the highest regarded generals in the country.”“That’s because she can handle herself should things go awry,” the prince retorts.  “I was stuck in a meeting for most of it, remember?  The hotel they booked for the occasion was extravagant, fitting of the Imperial Family.  I went shopping afterwards at L’Avenue des Champs-Elysées.  I do want to revisit France for its countryside.”“That would be marvelous,” Prince Nunnally exudes, clapping her hands together.  “Suzaku will come with us then, too, right?”“O-of course, Your Highness.  I am duty-bound to follow Prince Lelouch whether it be official or personal business.”“Are you sure that that is all there is to it?” Princess Euphemia asks.“I beg your pardon?” Suzaku blurts out.“Euphy!” Prince Lelouch interjects.  “Quit it.  I won’t let you harass my knight.”“I’m hardly harassing him, Lelouch,” Princes Euphemia points out.  “Last I checked, asking questions hardly counts as an offense.”“It is if I deem it to be,” the prince deadpans.  The steely violet gaze makes it crystal clear that there is no room for argument.”“Sheesh, I was only joking,” Princess Euphemia grumbles.It’s a good thing that the appetisers come out in that moment.  They are each served shrimp cocktails and Château d’Yquem.  Suzaku isn’t fond of wines (or alcohols in general) but he doesn’t want to appear ungrateful and rude by turning down the drink.  He takes small sips, doing his best to keep a neutral face.As soon as dinner is over, the prince retires to his room, dismissing Suzaku from his duties for the night.  Suzaku joins up with the guards to patrol the palace.  He knows that if he goes to bed now, he will have to suffer through days of jet-lag.  He pushes himself to stay awake until midnight and goes to sleep after a hot shower.  ~  
A few months later
  Before he even opens his eyes, the young knight can sense that something has changed.  The feeling is indescribable but it's there.  He opens his eyes and leaps out of his bed to press his nose against the frosted window. "Snow!" he exclaims.  He lets his mind go back to its childhood, delighted by the scenery outside that has been completely blanketed by snow.  Pendragon is not known for its variety of seasons, and just the fact that it's cold enough for snow outside is exciting. He dresses himself in the familiar knight uniform in a hurry.  As Knight of the Eleventh Prince, it is his duty to wake the prince after all. “Good morning, sire.  Please do take care to dress warmly.  It seems that Mother Nature has graced us with this year’s first snow.  We haven’t had snow in a few years, have we?”The prince groans.  Suzaku flings the heavy velvet curtains open to let the snow-bleached sunshine in.“Let me sleep,” the prince grumbles.“You cannot afford to take a snow day like school children, Your Highness.”“Damn you.”“Your breakfast awaits. You promiced to make pancakes for Princess Nunnally, remember?  I understand that you are free of official duties today, sire, but you still have to be a big brother to your sister.”Suzaku walks over to the bed and wrenches the blanket away from the prince’s face, who has been using it as a shield from the bright light.“She’ll understand if I’m a few minutes late,” the prince mumbles.  He sits up, the abrupt movement causing the hem of his nightshirt to slide open, baring most of his torso to Suzaku.  His skin is so fair that it could pass off as being translucent and off-white in the snow-bleached sunlight.“Aren’t you the one who taught me that gentlemen should never make a lady wait?” Suzaku points out after swallowing hard.“Yeah, yeah.  Go tell her that I’ll be down in ten minutes.”True to his word, the Eleventh Prince shows up at the secondary dining hall impeccably dressed in deep emerald sweater and cream slacks.  The prince turns out to be a magnificent chef.  Of course he is.  Is there anything that his highness does not excel at?He mixes the ingredients for pancakes without breaking a sweat, keeping up a conversation with Princess Nunnally about the snow that is piling up outside."I want to play in the snow," the princess exclaims. "Don't you have princess duties today?" Prince Lelouch reminds her."Yeah. I could do it after the event," Princess Nunnally says."I doubt that the snow will stick for long," the prince mutters."Please don't rain on my parade, brother.  Let a girl dream!"“Technically, I’d be snowing all over it,” the prince pinpoints, grinning fondly at his sister.“You are insufferable,” the princess accuses.“Thanks.”“It was not a compliment.”Prince Lelouch smirks.  “I know.”The rest of the breakfast is followed by casual banter between the siblings.  The princess occasionally throws questions Suzaku’s way as well but Suzaku knows that it is out of courtesy.They stroll through the gardens after breakfast.  Princess Nunnally couldn’t join them at the garden as she had to go to an orphanage for some charity work.  Lelouch has done his share of charity work as well, usually one that doesn’t take too much physical stamina since the prince lacks that.On their way back to the palace, they stride past an outdoor pond—that is practically the size of a small lake, really—that has frozen over completely.“I want to go skating,” Prince Lelouch announces.  His eyes sparkle like those of a child’s.  “And you shall accompany me.”“But sire—”“But nothing!  We have nothing left on our schedule for the rest of the day. They should have skates stowed away somewhere in the palace.  Don’t be a party pooper, Kururugi.”Never in Suzaku’s life has he thought to hear the word ‘pooper’ from his royal highness’ mouth.  He knows that there is no use in arguing against the prince’s bratty stubbornness.“Very well, Your Highness.  I’ll let security know.”Ten minutes later, Suzaku finds himself stood on the edge of the pond with ice skates on. “You can’t just leave me here,” the prince protests when Suzaku stays outside the frozen pond.  “It just occurred to me that I can’t skate.  How unsightly.”Suzaku sighs mentally as he enters the link.  It has been years since he last skated but he will have to make do.  He grabs the prince’s hand and slides forward.  “Here.  Does this help?”“It’s not like I wanted to hold your hand, id-idiot,” the prince murmurs.Crap.  He isn’t supposed to manhandle a prince like this.  Such impudence can land him in jail depending on the said prince’s mood.  Luckily for him, however, his prince is too preoccupied with figuring out how icing skating works to mete out punishment.He watches for the prince’s reaction.  Nothing.  Well, not quite, since the prince’s entire face is a bright shade of pink.  It can’t be from the cold; his lips don’t look blue.The prince, as it turns out, is a terrible skater.  As soon as Suzaku releases his hands, he flounders and falls over, causing Suzaku to rush forwards and grab him.  The two of them are stuck gliding around the pond hand in hand.  Suzaku has no doubt that the words about their activity has spread amongst the staff already.Half an hour drags by before the prince calls it quits.  Suzaku makes sure that the prince doesn't trip over the pebbles lining the edges of the pond.  The prince's cheeks are stained red from the light exercise, his nose the colour of ripe strawberries.One time, Lelouch insists that he can go solo.  As expected, the second that Suzaku drops his hand, Lelouch’s arms wheel-barrel until his whole body goes tumbling down.  Suzaku still doesn’t understand how he was caught up in the fall."Should I ask for some hot tea to be brought to your office, sire?" he asks as they enter the palace."Sure.  Make it chai.""Yes, Your Highness."Ten minutes later, they are sipping on hot chai as Prince Lelouch reads over some land development project proposal and Suzaku stands guard.  The room is eerily silent save for the rustling sounds of the paper and the occasional scratch of pen on paper."Sir Kururugi," the prince calls."Yes, sire.""Do you miss home?"Suzaku's response is immediate.  "No, sire. I am honoured that I have a place besides you.""You don't have to put up a brave face for me.""I assure you, Your Highness, that I am perfectly happy here."It's true. Suzaku is granted two paid vacations a year, so he goes during the Christmas season and around his birthday.  His paycheque as a personal knight of royalty pays extremely well and he is friends with many other knights.  The princesses treat him wit kindness and Prince Lelouch isn’t a terrible boss (ninety-nine percent of the time).“Don’t you miss Japan, though?” the prince persists.  “I robbed you of your childhood when I told you that you would be my knight.  Everyday passes by as you perform your duties as a knight.  That’s not living, Kururugi.  It’s a mere existence.Suzaku raises an eyebrow.  “Wow, Your Highness.  I did not know that you cared so deeply about me.”  His heart is touched by the prince’s words.“I’m not a heartless prince, damn you,” the prince scoffs.  “I didn’t appoint you to be my knight only because I thought you were good.  I saw potentials; potential to be the nation’s greatest knight that ever was and to be a close ally and personal friend of mine.”Is it Suzaku’s imagination or are the prince’s cheeks flushed red?“Sire?  Are you feeling ill right now?” Suzaku asks.  His body acts on its own accord; his hand lifts to touch the prince’s pale forehead.  It’s not burning, rather, it’s still chilled from their short excursion outside.“I’m fine.  You can leave now, Sir Kururugi,” he snaps.“O-okay.  Have a good day, Your Highness.”What the hell?  Suzaku could have sworn that the prince was in high spirits from the snow and skating.  He can be such a brat!He has to attend a weekly meeting for the knights.  Gino has saved him a seat, so Suzaku slides into the seat between the blond knight and Anya.  Meeting drags on, most of the points being redundant.“On a final note,” Sir Guilford stresses, “I should remind you all that fraternising with others inside the Imperial Palace is highly looked down upon.  I urge that you clear out your head should you have any romantic feelings towards someone.”  His cold eyes flicker towards Suzaku before they dart back away.  What is everyone’s problem with him today?As soon as they are dismissed, Gino links arms with Suzaku and leans into him.  “So.  Trouble in paradise?  Shouldn’t you be happier after your date with you darling prince?”Suzaku sighs, pushing Gino’s face away from his.  “For the last time, we are not dating, nitwit.  Guilford said so himself, we mustn’t fraternise with others that live in the palace.  Besides, it’s Prince Lelouch we’re talking about here.  He has never shown love for anyone who is not family.”Anya glances up from her mobile.  “He has a point there.  But he could also be a great actor.”Suzaku glares at the girl. “Whose side are you on?”“The winning side, obviously,” she smirks.“Why am I even friends with you two?”“Because we are the closest in age.  We can’t help the fact that we are prodigals who cannot be wasting away in schools!”  Gino clutches at his heart in a dramatic fashion.“Speaking of,” Gino says.  “What’s your plan for the Christmas hols?”Suzaku shrugs.  “Same as usual, I guess.  Fly back to Japan and com back after New Year’s.  Why are you asking?”Gino grins from ear to ear.  “This year, Anya and I are tagging along!”Anya raises her hand.  “It was his idea.  I didn’t even have a choice in this.”Suzaku beams.  He grabs their hands.  “That’s great news!  I’ve always wanted to show you around my homeland.  It’ll be winter, so the weather’s gonna be chillier than what you’re used to here.  The food might be icky for foreigners but we have a way around that.  oh, man.  I’ll have to tell my mother when it’s morning there.”For the rest of the day, Suzaku hides away in his corner of the palace.  He practices kendo, aikido, jujutsu, iaido, kyuudou, and a little bit of meditation as well.  The snow adds a serene backdrop to everything he does and he doesn’t mind the nippy weather.“You’re such a muscle-head,” a voice startles him out of his trance.Suzaku jumps out, hands positioned to attack.  It’s only Prince Lelouch, wrapped up in a white coat with the Imperial Sigil embroidered on with golden threads.  His face is half-buried in a wool scarf.“Your Highness.  It’s cold out, so you should stay indoors,” he admonishes.“I’m a prince; I can to whatever I please,” the prince deadpans.“Then you should be prepared to hear me say ‘I told you so’ over and over again tomorrow should you come down with an illness.”The prince rolls his eyes.  “Fine, fine.  Walk me down to the kitchen.  I wanna make myself hot cocoa.”“Yes, Your Highness.”When they arrive at the kitchen close to the prince’s living quarters, he sets up a bain-Marie in seconds and starts melting a mix of dark and white chocolates.  Once the chocolates have melted down to gooey liquid, the prince adds the milk.“Do you enjoy the winter weather?” the prince asks, his voice sotto voce as he hands a mug of hot cocoa to the knight.“I suppose, yes.  I like the way it looks when the snow covers up everything.”The prince smiles into his mug.“Hey, Kururugi.”“Yes, sire?”“Do you know what the snow is white?  Or why the roses are red and the sunflowers yellow and so tall?”Suzaku shakes his head.  “Getting philosophical, are we?” he jokes.“Perhaps the weather has put me in this mood.  I do not know the answers myself but I do find such white snow beautiful, Suzaku.”The air between fills with tension. Prince Lelouch had never called Suzaku by his given name.   Longing, yearning, undisclosed desires, they all come bubbling up to the surface.  It takes every ounce of Suzaku has not to pin the prince against the counters and kiss him breathless.“Thank you for this, sire,” Suzaku says, putting the mug in the sink.  “I’m due for a patrol.  Excuse me.”And if Suzaku’s head is filled with the prince for the rest of the day—and keep messing up in everything that he does—than clearly, the prince is at fault.

~
  It’s Prince Lelouch’s birthday.In true royal fashion, the day has been declared a national holiday and the day is filled to the brim with festivities.  They haven’t been graced with snow since a few weeks ago, so the estate around the palace as been covered with artificial snow and millions of faery lights that glow purple, silver, and gold.The front gardens are bustling with people who have queued up since the early morning to wish the prince a happy birthday.  Security measures have been doubled and that means that Suzaku has been awake since four in the morning with three cups of espresso to keep him going.He so doesn’t deserve this.The young knight has been dragged into a dressing room and a swarm of stylists have descended down to his person.  In an hour’s time, his body has been measured, dressed and redressed, face covered in makeup, and hair coiffed to perfection.  He glances at the mirror and almost does not recognise himself.“Looking good, Sir Kururugi,” the prince praises with a low wolf-whistle.“So do you, sire.  Now, could you please tell me what is going on?”The corner of the prince’s mouth curls up.  “It’s my birthday party.  Everyone is invited, granted that they are dressed the part.  Did you think that I would let you come to my birthday celebration wearing that drabby old thing?” he jerks his chin at the pile that is Suzaku’s knight uniform.The prince and the knight’s outfits match.  Lelouch is decked out in pure white suit with gold and silver threads woven throughout to give it an ethereal iridescence.  Over his suit, he is wearing a pale gold woollen cloak lined with fur and velvet with the Imperial Crest on the back. His black hair that usual hangs freely down his forehead and neck has been braided and tied into a seek ponytail adorned with amethyst crystals.  His earrings are a matching gold inlaid with amethyst while large amethyst and sapphires glisten on his thin fingers.Suzaku’s outfit was undoubtedly made to mirror the birthday boy’s.  His suit is white as well, but with jade green and gold accents. On top of his suit, he is wearing an emerald green version of the prince’s cloak.  Half of his bangs has been curled and gelled back.  The finishing touch is the knight insignia that was custom-made as Prince Lelouch’s knight.  Suzaku counts himself lucky that he can at least breathe in this get-up.“Shall we?” the prince offers his hand out to Suzaku.  The knight nods.  The Eleventh Prince smirks as he hooks his arm into the crook of Suzaku’s elbow.“Sire—”The prince silences him by pressing his white-gloved finger on Suzaku’s lips, dead-centre.  “It’s my birthday, Kururugi.  Do as you are told.  Today, you are my escort.  Not a knight of the realm, nor my personal knight.  Friends.  Can you do that for me?”“Of course, sire.”The prince rolls his eyes.  “Friends don’t call each other ‘sire’, Suzaku~  Call me Lelouch.  It is my birthday, is it not?  Call me by my given name, not that stuffy title. Lelouch vi Britannia commands you.”“Ye-yeah, Le-Lelouch.”Lelouch beams.  “Great!  C’mon.  They must be waiting for us outside!”The front gardens are packed with people young and old, citizens and visitors alike.  Everyone is eager to see the beautiful prince in the flesh and sing the silly birthday song together.  Suzaku accompanies the prince up to the raised stage, taking his place behind the prince.“Hello, everyone,” Lelouch greets with an easy smile.  The crowd goes wild at the simple greeting.  “Thank you so much for coming out to celebrate my birthday with me.  Today is a special day, yes, but I want you all to remember that not everyone has the privilege to enjoy such niceties every year.  Which is why I have set up a donation booth for charities geared towards the less unfortunate children.  Christmas is approaching for those of us who celebrate the occasion, and it is my wish that we raise a million dollars for those children.  Thanks again and enjoy the party.”Suzaku doesn’t know how Lelouch does it. Every year, Lelouch announces a new project on his birthday and every year, it beats the previous year.  He knows that a part of the reason why the royals and nobles make a big deal out of public charities is to save dace but he believes that Lelouch is doing it for the sake of helping the kids.“That was an excellent one, sire,” Suzaku says, leading the prince to the catering area.“What did I say about stuffy titles?” the prince interjects, an eyebrow elegantly arched.“Good one, Lelouch.”Lelouch grins, looking visibly less tense and prouder.  “Nunnally helped me with the idea.  I said one million but I know the power of my fanbase.  We should have enough money to buy presents for a million kids.”“I don’t doubt that at all.”Lelouch tugs off his gloves and stuffs them into his pockets out of habit.  Except his cloak doesn’t come equipped with pockets so the white leather gloves fall to the snow-trodden ground.  Suzaku picks them up and puts them in the back pockets of his trousers, fashion be damned.Lelouch is stopped by many people who want to wish him happy birthday.  The prince is gracious and smile and pose through each picture.  When he gets to the five-foot-tall cake with extravagant decorations, the whole crowd of hundreds of people sing the ‘Happy Birthday Song’.  Eighteen purple candles are blown out, and the garden is filled with thunderous applause.“Suzaku,” the prince urges.  He tugs at Suzaku’s cloak and leads him away from the main celebration.  The two of them manage to sneak away to the garden at the rear end of the palace, far removed from the party.“You’re meant to be basking in your own glory and whatnot at the other side of the palace,” Suzaku points out.Lelouch waves off the comment.  “They’ll live.  I needed to breathe some air that is not clogged with a million different colognes and perfumes.  Ugh.”  The young prince scrunches up his nose.  “I can never understand why some girls think disgustingly sweet and floral scents are en vogue.”Suzaku tries to remember if he put on cologne today.  As far as he remembers, he barely slapped on some aftershave in the morning.  Ah, the stylist did spritz some cologne on the ends of his cloak.  If memory serves, it was mostly woodsy with a hint of citrus.“Don’t worry, you don’t reek of distasteful cologne,” Lelouch assures him.  “Au contraire, I’ve always fancied how you smell . . .”The prince strides forwards and Suzaku takes several steps backwards.  They continue their little dance until Suzaku is backed up against the trunk of a cherry tree.  Of course, it had to be sakura.“Sire, we should—”A nuclear warhead could have gone off in the next instant and Suzaku could not have noticed.  Not when Prince Lelouch has his soft, warm lips pressed against Suzaku’s own chapped, dry lips.  The kiss continues for a while, long enough for Suzaku’s brains to function again just enough to instruct his eyes to slip shut and his hands to come up and caress Lelouch’s shoulders.An eternity could have come and gone before the two of them pulled away from their kiss.  Suzaku has been kissed before but none of his past experiences would dare compare to this.  Electricity seems to spark between them as Suzaku stares into Lelouch’s violet eyes.  His cheeks are stained pink and he seems excited.“You are so dense, Suzaku,” the prince whispers.  “I left you so many hints but you never picked them up.  My sisters thought that they were helping with their silly chatter.”“Your Highness, I—”“I don’t care about what Gilbert said.  I like you, Suzaku.  The rest of the world can burn to hell for all I care.  I know you like me, too, even a stranger looking in could see that.”“Lelouch . . . yes, I do like you but—”“Ah, ah, ah!” he interrupts.  He kisses Suzaku on the lips again emphatically.  “There shall be no buts in this discussion.  Butts, however . . .” he slaps Suzaku on the ass lightly.“Forgive me, sire.  You gotta give me a moment to process.”“Lelouch.  Is that so hard to say, Su~za~ku~kun?”The way the prince is saying is name is enough to drive Suzaku over the edge of reason.  He is, nevertheless, a sworn knight.  He can’t give into hormonal urges and ravish the prince right now, right here.“Let’s return to the celebration.  Please.”Lelouch sighs, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  “Fine, Sir Righteous.  But you have to give me a kiss first.”Suzaku narrows his eyes.  So this is how Lelouch is going to play?  Two can play at this game.He grabs Lelouch by the wrist and hauls him in roughly.  The second before Lelouch is doomed to plant his face in Suzaku’s shoulder, he twirls them around so that it’s Lelouch whose back is flush up against the tree with his face angled up for a kiss.  His lips part and a blissful sigh slips out when Suzaku touches his lips to Lelouch’s.It’s not hard to figure out that Lelouch is a total newbie when it comes to kissing.  His movements are minimal and he doesn’t initiate stuff.  Suzaku is glad that he is patient enough to lazily guide Lelouch around, delighting in the hitches in Lelouch’s breathing and the tiny gasps that he emits.“Now it’s really time to go,” Suzaku says, withdrawing with a final peck on the corner of Lelouch’s mouth.“Party pooper,” Lelouch mutters under his breath.The garden party lasts a couple of hours.  The venue is changed to the grand hall inside the palace lest the people freeze to death.  The grand hall is decked out in gold ornaments—from gold plated candelabras and torch-holders to crystalline chandeliers, everything sparkles.  Since Lelouch wanted to spice up the party a bit, the theme of the evening is ‘Masquerade of Mysteries’.For the event, Suzaku is once again dragged to dressing room to be dolled up.  His fringe is all slicked back and they put on more makeup on his face.  He is damn sure that a dark pink lipstick has been used on his mouth.They strip him of the white suit and put him in a dark forest green satin blazer buttoned up with nothing underneath and black leather trousers, topped with the green cloak from before.  Suzaku swears that if he looks down at his crotch, he can almost make out the outline of his dick.  The mask he is given is reminiscent of the Phantom in the classic movie.“Is this really necessary?” he complains to Emily, the girl who’s been put in charge of his appearance today.“Prince Lelouch’s orders,” the girl chirps.  She dips her brush into a shimmery powder and dusts it over Suzaku’s cheeks.  “Gomen, Suzaku-kun.”“You speak Japanese?” Suzaku asks.“Just a bit.  Enough to ask people if they can speak English, really.  Now, go.  The prince awaits!”The grand hall is shrouded in faux fog, its mysterious ambience amplified by the flickering candlelight.  Finding Lelouch is not an easy task in a sea of masked people.  It certainly does not help that people stop him to ask for a dance or to drink fancy champagne with him.  Despite taking small sips of Dom Perignon, the young knight is already tipsy by the time he has circled around the hall.  Just where the hell is the prince?As he is about to enlist the guards’ help, someone taps him on the shoulder.  Suzaku whirls around on instinct, hand reaching for a sword that is not on his waist.  The man is slim and dressed a white suit with periwinkle embroidery and complementary cravat pinned with a golden brooch. His longish dark hair is tied back loosely and his luscious lips are paonted glossy red. His face is concealed behind a delicate black mask of lace and taffeta.  A black mesh over where the eyes should be cover the colour of his irises from Suzaku.“May I have this dance?” the man asks in a hushed tone.  Suzaku can tell somehow that the man is masking his voice in this false baritone.“I’m actually looking for—”“Please.  I am a big fan of yours, Sir Kururugi.”Suzaku’s eyes widen.  He thought that his mask would keep his identity hidden for a while longer.“Sure, why not.”The next song that plays is a romantic ballad with a slow beat.  Which means that the song allows for plenty of small talk.“What’s it like, being the personal knight of His Royal Highness?” the man asks.“I imagine it’s no more special than your typical secretary or a body guard job,” Suzaku jokes.  “I make sure he wakes up in the morning and follow him around all day.  And sometimes, I am forced to attend events like tonight’s.”“Yet you still love him.”The words, spoken quietly and surely make Suzaku flinch.  How did this stranger figure it out in a short period of time?  Then again, Gino is always harping on about how Suzaku acts like a lovesick puppy around Lelouch.“I’m sorry, I must take my leave now.”He leaves without waiting for the man’s answer.  His heart is pounding in his ears as he exits the hall in search of quiet and solitude.  If his love for Lelouch is as obvious as this, then how come the prince has hold off on telling Suzaku that he likes him up until now?  His head is full of unanswered questions and there is only one solution.The problem is that Suzaku cannot find Lelouch anywhere inside the hall.  He hopes that the prince is at least having fun at his party.  It’s not everyday that the prince gets the chance to mingle with the people unfettered by his royal status.At the end of the night, Lelouch appears for the closing speech.  He has gone through another change of outfits, this time dressed in a simple black and white tuxedo ensemble.  He thanks everyone for coming and their kind wishes.  The crowd leaves slowly, chattering amongst themselves.Suzaku is about to retire to his own room when his mobile screen lights up.  It’s a text from the prince and he wants Suzaku to come to his room.  It takes all he has to type back, ‘Yes, Your Highness’ instead of ignoring the summon and plopping onto his bed.He hurries over to the prince’s room and knocks on the door.“Come in.”“Excuse me,” he murmurs, striding into the room.Suzaku almost backs out instantly.  Lelouch is sat on his bed with nary a thread covering his damp body.  His hair is wet so he must have just come out of the shower.“Sire, you’ll catch a cold like this,” he frets.He saunters over to Lelouch and takes off his cloak.  He wraps his cloak around Lelouch’s naked body and fastens it around his shoulders.  It is only after that he realises how close their faces are.  He takes several steps back, dropping his eyes to the floor.“Suzaku,” the knight flinches.  His legs swing precariously over the edge of his bed.  His frail pale body is covered solely by Suzaku’s cape and if he keeps moving around, he won’t be so covered up anymore.  “I order you to come stand in front of me.”Willing his legs to do as they are told is like trying to move rusted parts of an old-fashioned machine. The prince hums his approval.  Suzaku can feel the heat of the violet eyes even though he is trying his best to not meet them.“Give me a lap dance,” the prince orders.“I beg your pardon, Your Highness?”  Surely Suzaku heard wrong.“Oh, I’d love to hear you beg.  We can try that later.  I said: give me a lap dance.”“Sire—”Lelouch cocks an eyebrow. Suzaku sighs.  “Lelouch.  Need I remind you that we kissed for the first time today?  Not even a whole day has passed since you kissed me in the garden, sire.”“And your point is?”“You can’t at spoilt rotten just because it is your birthday, Lelouch!” Suzaku bursts out, exasperated.“It is precisely because it’s my birthday that I will act spoiled!” the prince counters.  “Have you any idea how long I have had to hold back?  You may not see yourself this way but you’re goddamn gorgeous!  So many women whisper about how they’d love to get inside your pants, not to mention some men.  I thought that this feeling might go away with time but it didn’t.  And don’t you dare think for a moment that I didn’t notice your puppylike love for me.  I thought tonight was the perfect occasion to finally tell you.”“Sire, I am a knight and you are a prince.  You can’t be shackled by your feelings.  You have to represent the Imperial Family well and dating a commoner like me won’t do you any good.”“Are you telling me that I should throw away my heart for the sake of my public appearance?” the prince fumes.  “Why must you act so chivalrous at a time like this?  I love you, Suzaku.  Damn it.  Why can’t you see that, idiot?”“Lelouch—”The prince surges forwards and crashes his lips into Suzaku’s, arms wrapping around Suzaku’s neck.  He pulls Suzaku down onto his bed and keeps him a prisoner inside his arms.  Lelouch’s kisses are still unskilled and sloppy, but his passion and desperation more than make up for his lack of finesse.“Fuck . .  Lelouch, I. . .”Lelouch bites on Suzaku’s upper lip.  “Less talking, more kissing.  This is an order, Suzaku.”“Yes, Your Highness.”Once Suzaku frees himself from his own inhibitions, kissing Lelouch is akin to being allowed a taste of heaven.  Lelouch smells of lavender and honey from the shower, and his hair is silken to Suzaku’s touches.  He lets out the most delectable moans when Suzaku tongues at the seam of his lips and coax them open.  It is impossible to hold back when a naked and willing Lelouch is plastered to his body, kissing him with fervour.“Your clothes are in the way,” Lelouch accuses.Suzaku chuckles.  “What should I do about them?”Lelouch groans when Suzaku lowers his head to suck lightly on the side of his neck, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.  His hands fumble with the buttons on Suzaku’s jacket and then his trousers.  The leathers are so tight that the prince has no choice but to take them off inside-out.The heat from Lelouch’s skin seeps into Suzaku’s naked body.  He is getting hard from the kisses alone and so is Lelouch.  Without giving it much thought, Suzaku grabs Lelouch’s hips and rocks his hips against Lelouch’s lower body. “Ah!  Su-Suzaku!” the prince cries out.  His violet eyes are ablaze with lust and need.  Suzaku rolls his hips again, shudders of pleasure creeping down his spine.“Yes, my prince?”“More.  I want more, Suzaku.”“As you wish.”He wraps his fingers around both of their erections and pumps his hand.  Lelouch’s cries and moans grow into barely contained shrieks that only spur on Suzaku even further.  He leaves a trail of kisses up and down the column of Lelouch’s white throat.  Lelouch’s hand clutch at the back Suzaku’s shoulders, his blunt fingernails leaving behind grooves and scratches.“Suzaku, I’m gonna—” Lelouch moans.“Go ahead.  You don’t have to hold back, Lelouch,” Suzaku whispers into Lelouch’s ear, nipping on the lobe.Lelouch trembles, moaning wordlessly into Suzaku’s mouth as he comes all over Suzaku’s hand and stomach.  Suzaku lets go of Lelouch’s cock and chases his own orgasm.  For a few blissful minutes, he lays sprawled out atop Lelouch’s pliant body.  Lelouch’s pants eventually grow even.  He has his arms and legs wrapped around Suzaku’s torso, preventing any means of escape.“That was awesome,” Lelouch murmurs, sounding sleepy.“I’m glad you thought so.”The moon breaks out from a veil of clouds, washing them in its pale light.“Hey, Suzaku,” Lelouch says.  He cups Suzaku’s cheeks in his hands.“Yes?”“Kon'ya tsuki ga utsukushii da yo.”Suzaku’s heart thunders in his ears.  He is certain that his face has gone entirely red.Lelouch smirks.  “Kimi o aishiteru.”“Sto-sto it,” Suzaku stutters.“Why?  I speak the truth.”“I-I don’t think I was ever ready to hear it.”“Aishiteru, aishiteru, aishi—”Suzaku has no choice but to silence Lelouch with his lips.  Lelouch sighs in their kiss contentedly, parting his lips without any resistance.“Stay the night, Suzaku,” the prince implores after what feels like hours have passed as they kissed and cuddled.  “I want your face to be the first thing I see when I wake.  I want your lips on mine as you whisper, ‘good morning’.  I don’t want this huge bed all to myself.”“I will, Lelouch.  From now until you tell me otherwise.”Lelouch smiles.  “As if I will ever say that.”“Good.  ‘Cause I don’t plan on leaving your side.”Suzaku turns his head to kiss the tip of Lelouch’s nose.  “Good night, my fair prince.”“Good night, my darling knight.”