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Candlelit It is Prince Lelouch’s birthday and a certain knight is not sure how to wish him a happy birthday. Fluff ensues. *set a year before the main series* Happy Birthday Lelouch! <strike>I totally didn’t forget until I saw a post on tumblr! </strike> A <u>short</u> little fluff fest to tide you over until I am done with exams hell. It was either this or a prologue to a different AU. This is fluffier and I doubt you want a snippet that barely establishes the setting. ~ Suzaku wakes up before the skies outside have even begun to lighten. The horizons beyond are dyed in shades of pink, pale orange, yellow, and pale blues as he gets dressed for the day. He can see the staff working hard on stringing up decorations in celebration of Prince Lelouch’s birthday.The young knight gulps. Every year, he has passed the day by saying a simple ‘Happy Birthday, Your Highness’ and the Prince seemed to be content with that. This year, however, Gino kept ribbing him, insisting that he should be more considerate. “It’s just like dealing with your boss’ birthday in any other job,” Gino stipulated. “Granted that the employees and the boss are close enough to share that info.”Anya pinched Gino’s nose. “What he means to say is that you should think about how the Prince feels about your words-only birthday acknowledgment,” she supplied.“He’s the Eleventh Prince of Britannia!” Suzaku exclaimed. “What can I possibly get him? He can have anything he wants with a flick of his wrist.” And he would do so with extravagant gestures.It was by luck that Suzaku was summoned by the prince himself. Later on the same day, Suzaku crossed paths with Princess Euphemia.“Suzaku!” she greeted him fondly. “How are you?”“I’m alright, thank you. How are you, Princess Euphemia?” he returned courteously.“Wonderful. How many times must I tell you that Euphy is fine?” she giggled. “Anyway, are you excited for Lelouch’s birthday coming up?”Suzaku managed a polite smile. “Yes, of course. I look forward to what theme he has decided for his birthday.”“Probably something to top last year’s,” Euphy guessed. “Planning is his specialty after all.”Her eyes twinkled. “Will you be getting him anything?”“N-no, Your Highness. I don’t think I can get him anything.”The Princess pursed her lips, tip of her forefinger placed on her lips delicately. “He is fond of baking. He likes to try out his skills in the kitchen when he has the time. You could try baking him something yourself.”“Oh, okay. Thank you, Princess. I will keep that in mind.” Fast forward a few days and here he is. It is a good thing that Suzaku usually wakes up before the Prince. His early mornings are reserved for sword practice or sparring but he won’t suffer from skipping a day.He looked up the recipe for cupcakes the night before. On the website, everything looked easy. The recipe was meant for total newbies, fail-proof, as the author promised.Clearly, whoever the author was did not account for Suzaku’s level of inexperience in the kitchen.It’s a wonder that the kitchen staff didn’t yell at him for the mess he created. Some of them offered to help him but he was too stubborn, wanting the cupcakes to be his own creation. In the end, he had to accept some help so that he could have at least one salvaged before he went to wake Prince Lelouch.The sole survivor of his cupcake batches doesn’t even look that appetizing. He tries to hide its lumpy features by smothering it in frosting and sprinkles but there is only so much it can hide. With a sigh, he gives up on the attempt to save it. He fetches the card from his bedroom—it’s a good thing he didn’t screw up making that—and pokes a candle into the top of the cupcake.Suzaku waits until he is outside the Prince’s bedroom suite to light the candle. He knocks on the door before he opens it and enters just like he would any other day. And just like any other day, the prince is sound asleep in his huge bed.“Your Highness,” he calls out, standing at the edge of the bed. “It’s time to wake up, sire.”“Can’t I sleep in?” the Prince grumbles. He turns away from Suzaku, pulling the duvet over his head.“No can do, sire. Please make it easier on us and wake up now. If you don’t, you’ll mess up the schedule for the day.”“I’m waiting for the magic words, Sir Kururugi,” Prince Lelouch purrs.“Happy Birthday, Your Highness. Now, will you please get out of bed? I will use force if need be.”Suzaku can hear the smirk in the Prince’s words. “Is that a threat or a promise?”Thankfully, the Prince is in a cooperative mood today. He throws the covers off him and sits up. His eyes widen a fraction in surprise when they zero in on the cupcake.“Impressive,” the Prince comments. He sniffs tentatively. “You made it yourself, didn’t you?”“I did, sire.”“That explains the lumpy texture,” he grins. He extends a finger and swipes up the frosting. He keeps a steady eye contact with Suzaku as he laps it up. “I’ll give it a passing grade for now. Hold it closer for me.”“Yes, sire.”Prince Lelouch leans over. The neckline of his pyjama top hangs low skimming below his clavicles. If he leans even further, Suzaku would be able to see his chest. The Prince takes his sweet time before he blows out the candle.“Thanks, Kururugi. You can wait for me outside the room so I can get dressed. Leave the tray on the table.”“Yes, Your Highness. I will be outside, then.”Suzaku doesn’t lift his gaze from the floor as he turns and exits the suite; he misses the way Prince Lelouch’s eyes light up with warmth, lips curling into a genuine smile. The smile is short-lived as the Prince restores his patent neutral and polite expression, which still manages to carry an air of elegance and sensuality.