Special Thanks: FeliLud, Jenny, Lawlipop, EriEri99, my name is paper YAH, Kuroshiro-cchi, Piggy7869, Wolf of Summer

Part 5/5

Lelouch sincerely hoped that in the future this would not be Suzaku's idea of going out. Sitting there, ideally playing with the food in front of him, Lelouch was fully aware that the boy sitting next to him was giving him no attention what so ever.

They had boarded on to the Atlantic Station just an hour before, Suzaku swearing that Lelouch had to see and experience the station before they would be setting off again.

Station, Lelouch was finding, was the wrong word to describe the place he found himself in. He had been raised with gray, switched with possibly blacks and more shades of gray. Everything was military issue, everything had government affiliation. There was no such thing as independence. Everything from food to cloths to children's toys to contraception was all issued or approved through the over bearing Britannian government,

Living like that had made Lelouch realize that choices were something that the Britannian government strongly discouraged. He'd always wondered what would happened if there was the option of choice. At the time, it was something that Lelouch's mind had latched on to with a vice like grip, thinking he would know exactly what he wanted if only he was given the choice.

And while he found that the options of choice were still a good thing, he had never been prepared for what he encountered.

Suzaku had termed it free enterprise. And once through the security checks and air tight locks Lelouch had seen an explosion like none other he'd ever experienced. There were colors, there were choices, there was any and everything. There were things Lelouch suspected were completely useless and there were things that he thought would be completely life changing.

He'd also discovered that things here worked on a currency based system, the most shocking that according to Suzaku the shopkeeper, cooks, owners of all these different choices got to keep the currency that was exchanged for items. Suzaku had beamed as he proclaimed that they got to keep all of it. There was no such thing as income tax or investment tax on any form of income received. You received what you earned, reaped what you sowed.

It all boggled Lelouch's mind. To make it easier to process it all Suzaku had suggested they just get something to eat. In the end, that had been too overwhelming as well for Lelouch to even handle. There had been at least fifteen indifferent types of food that Suzaku had mentioned and within those types were at least four venders.

Overwhelmed, Lelouch just let Suzaku pick something. Again, Lelouch was left with feelings of inadequacy over everything. He hated feeling dumb, or that he didn't know at least enough to fake like he knew more. Now he'd been thrust into a world so different from what he always had...

So sitting there, his fork drifting through the noodles of his food, Lelouch did come to the conclusion that the change was good. The choices were good. It was only that this society required strong individuals. And Lelouch had been raised under the thumb of a government that wanted weak collective to further their goals. And the change would be hard to get used to.

Lelouch turned just enough to see that Suzaku was still in conversation with someone that Lelouch didn't know. From the look of the woman's posture and coy smile, she and Suzaku must have been friends.

"Suzaku!" Another man, this one giant and blond and far too happy set his food down opposite to them and joined the already crowded table. The man already had his attention squarely centered on Suzaku.

With a sigh, Lelouch couldn't help the feeling that he was being left desperately behind with all of these friends and coworkers. Floundering in the sea of people, Lelouch at least tried to look like he was still comfortable at Suzaku's side and took a bite of his food.

"Aw, is the Britannian brat uncomfortable among the likes of lower class citizens?"

Lelouch looked up to find himself face to face with a woman sitting next to the giant blond.

"Come on, Kallen," the blond cooed into her with a nuzzle along her neck. "He's new, give him a break."

The glare those ocean antic blue eyes were leveled at him clearly conveyed that she wasn't intending to show any kind of courtesy in Lelouch's direction.

Taken back, Lelouch didn't say a word for a moment. Then a pleasant smile curled as Lelouch leveled his own glare right back at her. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, I'm Lelouch Lamprouge." He didn't bother to ask for her name, and he was pretty sure she knew that Lelouch didn't care for her name either.

The glare only intensified. Lelouch only made his smile just a bit more spitefully sweet.

Sparks must have been flaring between them because Lelouch felt an arm rest around his shoulders, Suzaku sitting back and those fingers starting to soothingly tangle with the hair at the side of Lelouch's head.

At least that was one way to get Suzaku's attention back where it should be, Lelouch mused to himself. He sat back himself, acting self-satisfied all the while. It didn't really matter after all what this woman said or felt for him, Lelouch knew he'd always have one ally here. The boy who had very nearly given his life for Lelouch would never turn away from him, that Lelouch knew for sure.

Kallen gave a snort and turned back to her blond giant. She commanded him easily to get her something to drink.

With a roll of his eyes, Lelouch returned to his food. Why let something waste when it was still perfectly good, even if the company was stifling.

He didn't notice that glare directed at him again until Suzaku had gotten up, nuzzling a light kiss to his temple and saying he was going to go get them some dessert. Lelouch nodded with a smile and turned back to find her.

This glare was something's that demanded attention this time around. So finishing chewing, Lelouch leaned forward, letting his elbows rest on the table and twining his fingers in front of him.

"Is there something specific you need from me?" Lelouch asked with an even tone.

"Suzaku missed drills yesterday because of you." Her tone bit enough to make Lelouch think of an aggravated pit bull was sitting across from him.

"We haven't seen each other in almost eight years, I think missing a day of work was merited in the long run of things." Lelouch leveled his own voice, letting it hiss just enough to make a point.

That sharp brow only dropped a bit more as she leaned forward as well. "Don't try to make this sound like a reunion between fated, star-crossed lovers. He's momentarily infatuated with you," her head jerked and a smile spread. "No, more like the idea of you. I think we both know that you're not exactly the same person he last knew." She made a casual gesture with her hands as if to just throwing the idea out. "You know, and maybe he's always just been in love with the idea of you, I mean after all you're the one that just left him in the mud to die alone."

As Lelouch took in a breath he swore that every bit of oxygen he ingested sparked and ran like white hot fire through his veins. He wanted to spit at her and hiss that what happened between Suzaku and him were strictly between only the two of them. Instead he took a moment to steady his emotions.

That moment was just long enough for Kallen to reload it seemed as she adjusted just slightly forward. "You know I was there, I saw the state you left him in. In fact, I watched you from the craft. Like some coward, you just took a gun and ran? That's pathetic to let your friend, nigh lover if it had been possible, to just rot like that."

Adjusting his own face in to a cultured state of blank, Lelouch let a moment stretch before he spoke again. "Of course, now you think that since you were the one to pick him up that you have more moral authority over his well fare than I?." A snort was the best response that Lelouch could think before going on. "Stick to matters that concern you, and not those of which you possess no vital understanding."

Like a cat just sprayed with water, the woman hissed back at him. "I don't trust you, you Britannian prat! We all know you were a lieutenant Coronel for them-"

Before she could finish Lelouch was on his feet. "We'll that certainly makes two of us." He growled not realizing his voice had dropped into the deep tone and risen in plume. "Because I don't trust any of you here! I trust nothing here in this floating fortress fillings with an entire society that up until a few days ago I didn't even know existed!"

Unfortunately as Lelouch turned he was met by Suzaku, and Suzaku's hurt and frowning expression.

Lelouch lifted his hands, about to explain, but instead he just let them drop. He took the small bowl of ice cream from Suzaku he guessed was meant for him before he said in a quiet tone, "thank you, Suzaku, but I'm going back to your rooms." He leaned up for a kiss on Suzaku's cheek. "Stay with your friends, you need a break from me anyway." He turned back to try and find his way back to the right ship let alone finding Suzaku's rooms after that.

His apprehensions only grew worse when Lelouch stood at one of the large bay windows, watching as they launched from the Atlantic Station. He was surprised to see that four other ships were launching almost simultaneously. All big enough to house a few communities the ships seemed to be leaving with a roar of spinning engines and streaming through the white clouds surrounding them, cutting a path through to fall into a spear head formation.

"What does all of this run on?" Lelouch asked as he heard the shuffle of foot steps behind him. The sitting room that Lelouch had chosen to seclude himself to didn't appear to be one that was commonly used. Turning his head, Lelouch confirmed that it was Suzaku that stood behind him.

"Sakuradite," Suzaku answered in a sigh. He edged closer to Lelouch, wary and seeming not to want to disturb Lelouch. "It's, this is going to sound crazy, but we mine it from the moon."

Lelouch did raise an eyebrow as he looked at Suzaku coming up to his side.

"There is enough there to supply our-well, everything for at least four or five thousand years. That will probably be a lot longer since Lloyd is workings on making stuff vertically reusable an infinite amount of times besides working on making everything's work longer on less and less Sakuradite all the time. The Lancelot still runs off of a few gallons that it was given about four years ago," Suzaku chuckled and scratched at the back of his head. "I don't understand it all, it's something to do with atoms reacting when they collide and somehow not destroying. It's all really complicated." He gave a brighter smile. "But it works, and it's basically infinite amounts of energy if we can implement a system like that through all air ships and stations"

Giving a nod, Lelouch turned back to the window. A shiver ran through his veins as he felt Suzaku inch closer, resting a hand on Lelouch's shoulder.

"I'm sorry about Kallen," he said in a small voice, very close to Lelouch's ear. "She's not always the nicest person."

Lelouch shook his head, his arms crossed over his middle tightened for just a moment before he could find the words to reply. "She has a right not to trust me. I'm the intruder in this situation." She could have been more tactful but Lelouch couldn't say that he wouldn't have done any different if some unknown stranger from Suzaku's past had just showed up and claimed a huge hunk of his time and emotion.

"And me?" Suzaku's voice was hesitant again. "Is your distrust in me right?"

There was a tick in Lelouch's neck, prompting him to turn his head to look at Suzaku. He kept his eyes forward despite it. "I never-" the pause was necessary one to let the right words come to mind. "I trust you. I just, this is all so..." Another pause, finding the right words and right way to say them to avoid an argument, "it's nothing I've ever encountered before, and I'm still not sure if any of it is real or as perfect as you would like me to believe."

There was more hurt in Suzaku's voice this time around. "I see." He did step closer though, wrapping his arms around Lelouch from behind.

There was another exhale Lelouch heard from behind him and in answer Lelouch leaned back into Suzaku's hold. Lelouch did still want Suzaku to know that he trusted him. He would have laid his life in Suzaku's hands at the drop of hat. It was just this whole new system that Lelouch had quite a lack of faith in. He wasn't sure he'd ever trust any government entity again and he was alright with that. It was better to be cautious and prepared than thrown out on your ass, Lelouch thought.

"Where are we headed?" Lelouch murmured in a casual voice as he unfolded his arms one long hand reaching back behind himself to catch and cup the side of Suzaku's face.

It was, at least Lelouch thought it was, an innocent question. He'd expected an answer that he didn't understand, again. But he was immediately put on alert as he felt Suzaku's arms around him tighten. There was a long pause then, one that wasn't making Lelouch feel any better.

There was another hesitant breath before Suzaku turned into Lelouch's ear. "We're going, well..." He stopped and then took in another breath and blurted it out. "To Brita-well, to you, the homeland."

Lelouch stiffened even more. His hand dropped down to just lay on Suzaku's arm. He looked away to the window.

"Another two fleets are meeting us over the capital." Suzaku said. His voice was clipped enough that Lelouch didn't even have a second thought by what Suzaku meant.

"And the people?" Lelouch hadn't had friends or family alive for years in the homeland, but he knew a war won on the blood innocence wouldn't have much value in the end. And the Republic sounded like they very much needed that value.

"Jams are being sent out hourly, they're telling citizens to leave." Suzaku didn't sound like he was satisfied though.

"And are the authorities are?" Lelouch wanted to make it clear.

Suzaku turned his nose into Lelouch's hair, speaking only after a few minutes. "They're denying it. As far as we can tell most citizens are being barred in. Some are getting out but we're hoping that once the first few hover craft make it over the city that they'll be able to flee."

Again, a snort was the only real response that Lelouch could come up with. "Mostly them probably don't even believe the jams. Telling your enemy your plan of action isn't exactly common."

Suzaku was quiet again, nuzzling through Lelouch's hair. He started to move his hand up and combing Lelouch hair back from his forehead. A small kiss was even nuzzled up to the side of Lelouch's forehead. "They want to end it with this strike."

An eyebrow arched at that statement and Lelouch moved to turn. "So no more war?" The concept was foreign enough, but then again Lelouch felt like his mind was latching onto it in a instant.

"Hopefully, but there is no guarantee, I'm sure there will be plenty to do after this, but everyone is hoping that there won't be any major action needed afterwards. At least not enough to need anything more than a single ship."

There was an idea brewing, something Lelouch wasn't sure he could quite express. But there was fear too, this was it after all, possibly the largest conflict to date for all of them. Lelouch's hand shot up to Suzaku's face again.

Suzaku's attention was immediately captured, his head jerking and leaning forward to Lelouch's face again.

"Stay with me then." Lelouch blurted. "If this is the last then I ask that you stay here, with me. I'll go along with whatever you want after, but just during this, for this you will stay with me."

Suzaku swallowed, probably not sure what action to take in able to keep Lelouch complacent.

Lelouch tugged a bit more urgently with his other hand on Suzaku's arm. "You want my faith, my trust, please Suzaku just give me this." Lelouch leaned back enough to whisper. "I lost you once. Don't let me go through that again, not this early at least."

There was a struggled out breath again, Suzaku pointedly not looking in Lelouch's eyes. "I-that would be out of the question-"

Lelouch had no shame interrupting. "Please, Suzaku." Tugging at Suzaku's sleeve this time around, fisting his hand in the fabric as he spoke, "Just this once. I'll let you do whatever clean up you like but for this time give it to me." Lelouch swallowed, "as a gift, just this once."

There was still the hesitation, but the second Suzaku's hold on Lelouch went lax, a smile in triumph already started to spread on Lelouch's lips.

"Alright,"

Lelouch was already turning to give Suzaku a kiss when a hand was placed on his lips.

"But we watch from here." Suzaku looked completely serious, his tone even and face solemn, "this war is my war now. I chose to keep fighting and to fight for this side, I will watch the results."

Lelouch recoiled just a bit, his brow puckered. "All that death and you want a front row seat?"

Suzaku only gave one sharp nod. "I helped caused this, I will see the product."

He didn't want to say yes to the demand, but instead of spark an Argument Lelouch leaned forward to give that kiss he had intended. "Fair enough."

There was only and before Lelouch was pulled into Suzaku's arms. It was reassuring enough that Lelouch snuggled in. He didn't close his eyes though, he watched Suzaku's face, watching those emotions run across his face.

When the fires started, Lelouch thought that Suzaku would be the one to break. But it was that cold confidence that just seemed to wash over him.

It was Lelouch that broke first. He was the one to crawl into Suzaku's arms as the fires swept through the capital far below them. Suzaku had assured Lelouch that the ship would not be landing. That was not the responsibility assigned to them.

It wasn't unsettling as much as it was-earth shattering. Lelouch knew that as he watched the blaze over taking the city he had once told others was his home town, nothing would ever be like that again in his life. With the reassurance of that though came -the fear.

The sitting room around them was dark. The only glow was the blaze before their eyes, a half a mile so beneath them. Lelouch trembled, turning his head into Suzaku's shoulder.

"Hush," Lelouch heard in his ear. It was surprising enough that Lelouch turned his head to catch one of those green eyes.

Suzaku still held that confidence, that cold exterior he slipped into whenever he took on his role as soldier. "Just close your eyes." Turning his head, Suzaku caught Lelouch in a solid lock of eye contact. "You'll be alright, I promise. I'm not going anywhere."

With a cock of his head, Lelouch leaned back, amazed at-the role reversal.

Suzaku just kept looking at him. "You're safe and sound and I'll keep it that way as long as I'm alive."

The smile that spread was for the first time in a long time sincere as Lelouch let his body to relax against his partner, "together?" He asked, his hand moving down to try and find Suzaku own hand.

Suzaku was the one to twine their fingers, looking back to the windows and the blaze glowing just out of reach, "together."

And end. I know that ending just hangs a bit, but it portrays the kind of change I wanted so I'm good with it all. Just think of it like the end of Inception. You don't really know what will happen, but does it matter? I have a love for drop off endings that probably aggravates more people haha!

Any who, thank you for the read.

~Reviews are Awesome!~