bakerstreet | That's not my waist.

No. If anything, they'll think I'm playing the concerned leader, making sure that someone who drank too much was taken care of.

And considering the fact that almost everyone at the party was on some level, inebriated, it's a cover story that has written itself.

[Still, if someone else was bound to see that footage and see her stumbling like that and think of her as a drinker, even if she never touched a drop of alcohol in her life (memory gaps notwithstanding). Though, now she can't say she's never been drugged before, since now that has happened. She touches her lips in thought, trying to remember if she had done anything that would be troubling to either of them. Was there something...]

...The time stamp on the footage would show that you never left the room though, not until this morning. [Concerned leader cover or not, would he have really stayed with her all night? Anyone else would have stayed long enough to make sure that he was okay and then go back to the party or something.]

[Lelouch just gives her a look.]

If there's anything incriminating on those tapes, you're expecting me not to take care of it?

[Just trying to cover all the bases, Lelouch. You may be a super genius, but nothing like a little healthy paranoia to think of all the little things that could go wrong. And, though she might feel bad about it, he could certainly have those tapes doctored so that neither of them would be in trouble if need be.]

[She swallowed, still holding tightly onto her arms. She has a feeling she might start crying once he leaves and she's truly alone with her thoughts. She'll definitely hold off on putting the Ring on for a while, at least.]

...I'll hold off putting on the Ring until tomorrow. I still don't think I'm mentally prepared to face him just yet. He really only reads my emotions, not my thoughts and memories. If I've calmed down enough by then, he won't even notice and hopefully ignore... last night's activities.

[Lelouch nods.]

That would probably be best. I would rather not have to sleep with two guns under my pillow if possible.

[It's said with a nonchalant tone, because he is sort of teasing her, but at the same time, he speaks the truth as well. He knows the thief would not hesitate to try and kill him. And Lelouch knows that Suzaku and the others would go to great lengths to protect him. Bloodshed is one of the things he's hoping to prevent within the palace walls during the next few days.]

Ryou. I know that I've already said it before, but I am sorry.

[He glances back at her, his arm rising and a finger resting right underneath his left eye.]

If you wish, I can make you forget.

[Lelouch would rather not, of course, but if Ryou wishes it...]

[She sees him put his finger near his left eye, the one that contained his Geass powers. He could make her forget. Hell, he could make her forget everything bad that has ever happened to her. He could take that pain away, the awful memories of the past due to the Invasion, the hopelessness she's felt under the Ring's power; he could take it all away right now.]

[However, she couldn't do that to Lelouch, making him be the only one that remembered last night's events. And it's not like it had all been a terrible night.]

...I already have a lot of missing memories, and I know what causes those. If anything, I at least know I was sort of unconscious when they happened, so nothing really exists there for me to try and recall it.

I don't know if the Geass will completely erase the memory, like when I'm unconscious, or if it'll just lock it away so that I can't reach it. Who even knows what will happen if I try to remember it at a later time, or if I somehow manage to do so...

Just... save it for another time. I know that there might come a time when you will really need to use Geass on me. I'll just.. leave that option open.

[He nods. He knows what happened to Shirley when he did it to her, geassed her to forget him so that she would be protected. Yet she had still fallen in love with him and he still had been indirectly responsible for her death, even if it had been by Rolo's hands.

If she had asked him, then he would admit that it hadn't been a terrible night. Besides the getting drugged part.]

I understand. But the offer still stands, Ryou, if you should wish me to.

[She did pause, turning over the choice in her head. She could forget that all of this had happened, and she could go along with her life, as cruel and painful as it was. Or she could keep what she had of the memory, since she doesn't have that many to really hold onto anymore. And this was sort of a major step in her life --losing her virginity-- no matter how little of it she actually remembered.]

...I'll see how I feel about it tomorrow. If I want you to.... I'll call or text you and we could meet then. I-if not, just assume that things went smoothly once I put the Ring back on. [But if she does come to find you 'herself' unprovoked with a murderous glint in her eye, you'll know what happened and proceed accordingly.]

Of course.

[He gives a slight bow of his head before he starts to walk away.]

I'll leave you to your rest, then, Ryou, and I'll contact you later so that I can bring you up to date on whatever it is that I uncover.

I'll be here if you need anything... [Just hiding out in her room, not eating or drinking as long as she can. Might even changed into those laid out pajamas and just sleep for the rest of the day. Maybe that'll help her feel better... somewhat.]

I'll... see you later, then...

I'll send Nunnally or Suzaku to check up on you later, if that's all right?

[He nods.]

Of course.

...Later in the day. As late you can. I don't know how I'm going to look or feel over the next few hours. [Don't want either of them catching her crying since they would want to know what was causing it to try and stop her from crying. Nunnally would do that, at least.]

I'll try to be presentable by early evening, at least...

Of course. Before dinner? Then I can send either one of them under the pretense of fetching you.

...I'll try to be up by then. [Enough time to change clothes and wash her face. From the dress and robe to probably pjs and then to a nice casual dress for dinner. No need to eat in your pjs around royals, after all. That was just bad manners, she thought.

Good.

[Although he wouldn't protest if she did show up in her PJs. It's not a formal dinner, after all, just one among some friends.]

I'll send a message when it's near time in the event that you don't wish to attend.

[Amongst friends or not, she will still feel under-dressed if she just shows up in pjs. At least let her feel like she put some effort into being around people today by putting on proper clothes.]

...I will try to be there. I'll be there if I can.

[He supposes he can give her that much.]

That's all I ask, Ryou.

[She might be pale and sickly looking with puffy, red eyes, but she will be there and dressed. Count on it.]

[She moved to take off the robe, looking towards her untouched pjs, feeling the material under her fingers.]

[Unless Ryou needs anything else, Lelouch will take his leave to take care of various things before putting his appearance as Emperor. After, he has a wayward Chief of Planning and PR that he needs to have serious discussion with.]

[And she will probably remain in her room, not eating or drinking anything all day, just staying under the covers with the curtains drawn and the lights off. She doesn't remember if she locked the door or not, not that it matters really. Most of the people do knock before entering.]

[She probably will be sleeping the majority of the time, only waking up a few times to find herself crying again. Once dinner time does roll around, she forces herself up to get dressed and run a brush through her hair. She could probably do better on a good day, but right now, she just doesn't feel like doing much else.]

[She'll wait patiently in the chair at the desk for whoever Lelouch sends to fetch her. She did promise that she would be there for dinner, if only to keep up appearances.]

[Lelouch had asked Suzaku to fetch Ryou for dinner, even if he wasn't exactly sure why. He didn't know the girl very well, although apparently she had had ties with the Black Knights and like a lot of people Lelouch had kept around him following everything that had happened, had nothing or no one to go back to.

He might have teased the other about taking in strays, if he himself didn't happen to be one as well.

Shaking his head to dispel his thoughts, he knocked slightly on her door.]

Ryou-san? Are you in there?

[Oh hai, Suzaku buddy, how are you today?]

[She didn't mean to jump when she heard the knocking on the door, not really. Still, with how the past twenty-four hours had been going for her, a little jumpiness was probably expected.]

Y-yes, I'm here. I-I'll be out in just a moment.

[A brief glance in a mirror told her she still looked like death warmed over, but there wasn't much she could do about that now. She promised Lelouch that she would be there, and she would be.]

[One final check and she was opening the door to see none other than Suzaku Kururugi, Lelouch's personal bodyguard and friend. She didn't know much about him other than having those titles, and the title of Knight of Zero. And that he was also an Honorary.]

[Not that that mattered much to her. If Lelouch trusted him, then he has to be... not that bad of a guy, right? And, just out of pure instinct, she bowed towards him. It was quite... Japanese of her.]

...Sorry, if I kept you waiting long, Kururugi-san.

[He's great, actually, thank you for asking.

He'd ask you, but you kinda look like death warmed over.

The bow took him slightly by surprised, other then Sayoko and Kallen, he hadn't really been around people who tended to do that, unless it was in deference to his titles and position. Not because of culture and heritage and knew what it meant. He returned it with a slight curl of his lips.]

You didn't keep me waiting that long. His Majesty sent me to escort you to dinner.

[Lelouch had said that he would be sending Suzaku or Nunnally to come and get her for dinner. Guess he decided that Suzaku was a better choice, even though she didn't know him that well.]

[Though, having someone bowing to her, since it hasn't happened in such a long time, it surprised her as well. She didn't expect him to bow back, a person in his position.]

Y-yes, His Majesty did inform me about wanting to see him at dinner.

[And yes, she noticed how formal and stilted her words sounded. It made her feel all kinds of awkward.]

Y-you can lead the way.

[Suzaku hadn't been thinking of position when he did it, he had been thinking of his culture and his heritage. Something he really never got a chance to express unless he was with Lelouch, Nunnally, Kallen or Sayoko. So it was a nice change. He nodded once.]

Of course.

[He started off, every so often glancing behind himself to make sure the quiet girl was still there. He didn't really know her, so he couldn't think of anything to start small talk with her over.

... this was an uncomfortable silence. Not for the first time, he wondered why Lelouch hadn't sent Nunnally here as well.]

slow dancing

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I have a feeling he might send Suzu, since he did see her stumble last night and is likely concerned

Probably.

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