bakerstreet | That's not my waist.

[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.]

[Because, at times, Lelouch can be a sadistic bastard. Maybe he had a feeling that Suzaku wouldn't ask if she was feeling all right where he felt that Nunnally would. Maybe he wanted the two to start getting along better for some reason. Or he really was just a sadistic bastard. It could be just that.]

[She kept looking down as she walked, trying not to make contact with him whenever he looked back. Of course, they would make eye contact once in a while, causing her to quickly away. And it was uncomfortably quiet as they walked. So much awkward. She didn't really want to start a conversation if she had to, but, again, she didn't know him that well.]

[Well, he was at the ball last night. As much as she didn't wanted to remember... certain aspects of that evening, it was at least something to talk about.]

...Did you have a good time at the ball last night? I noticed that you were with Nunn-ah, Her Highness Princess Nunnally most of the time I was there. [Well, that felt awkward. Especially referring to Nunnally by her title. She wasn't even completely sure she called her by the right one. What do you call princesses in Britannian royalty again?]

Edited 2014-01-05 14:46 (UTC)

[As much as Lelouch would lay claim to the title of 'sadistic bastard', he had done it because he wasn't sure how well Ryou would put up with an interrogation. Or, at least, wanted Nunnally to know something was wrong - his sister was intuitive after all, and very good at knowing when people were lying to her. At least this way, he could hold it for a little while, since he knew Nunnally wouldn't ask in front of a crowd.

At Ryou's question, he nodded.]

I was. The Emperor is rather protective of his sister, as I'm sure you've noticed. And you? I noticed that His Majesty spent some time with you as well. There were a lot of jealous young woman I heard. [A pause.] Well, the ones that were in their right minds at the time. I'm not sure any of them remember yesterday now.

[So, it wasn't just a feeling she had last night, that someone actually was giving her the evil eye. She knew that it was to be expected, given how Lelouch was popular amongst the ladies, even if he usually brushed them off save for family and close friends. Still, it did make her nervous if any of them did remember.]

I did spend some time with His Majesty. [Still so awkward in calling him that.] I spent two dances with him, which was probably why there were so many jealous young women there. The Emperor is selective in his dance partners, I assume? [Was that the slightest hint of a tease in her voice, as bad as she's feeling? Nah, couldn't be.]

His Majesty is at least a forgiving partner, to someone who doesn't have the experience in ballroom dancing...

Probably, which is amusing, because none of them had a chance of dancing with him. [He chuckles softly at the question.] He can be, yes.

[He glances back at her.]

That's probably why he did it, so you wouldn't feel awkward. And because he can trust that you weren't going to try and get something out of it - some sort of secret agreement, marriage... those sorts of things.

I... take it he doesn't dance often at events? [Maybe he only danced with Nunnally at events to make sure she at least had a good time. And maybe Milly because he was guilt-tripped into doing it. Maybe.]

[Well, he had at least two official dance partners at that event, despite her lack of knowledge of any of the steps involved in that style of dancing.]

[Still felt awkward though. Though at the mention of secret agreements and marriage, of all things, it at least brought some color to her otherwise pale face.]

I'm... not the marrying type. Not in this kind of world, anyway. I'm not even that good at making any sort of agreements or deals like that. [Nah, she's too soft-hearted to even attempt something that devious.]

Not often, no. And normally, if he does, it's with people he's deemed safe, his sister, Kallen and now you.

[He nods at her worlds.]

You're one of the very few then, Ryou-san.

[It probably had more to do with the fact that she wasn't royalty or from some sort of noble family. Or even had any special skills, like what she's read about Lelouch's and Nunnally's mother, Lady Marianne. She, for all intents and purposes, was just a regular common girl that had a regular life up until the Invasion. She was even Japanese, something that would no doubt put a sour first impression on some Britannians.]

I have no royal blood, nor do I come from a noble family. It's my reasoning for saying I am not the marrying type. Some men would rather spit at my feet rather than greet me warmly once they find out my... origins or my past. [She's also not a virgin anymore since she did just sleep with your best friend and lord sovereign last night. That probably killed her chances for marriage even more, but she wasn't going to say that aloud to him.]

His Majesty likely could easily see through any plot I had for him by now and act accordingly. I'm nowhere near his level of intellect, so... deceiving him would be a pointless endeavor for me. [So much waxing of poetry there, Ry.]

I'm sure that someday you'll make a man very lucky, Ryou-san. I'm sure that there are those out there who wouldn't care one way or another about your past or your origins.

[Suzaku really couldn't comment about the noble family thing, even if Japan hadn't operated along the same lines as Britannia, he had still been born the son of a powerful and traditional family - one he had shunned once he had enlisted in the Britannian Military.]

There are very few people who are, Ryou-san. Present company included.

[She'll probably be lucky not to be alone for the rest of her life, she felt. With her connection to the Ring, having anyone being close to her was a blessing, not just a man. She is slowly coming to terms with the idea that no man would want her, as scarred and hurt as she was. Worst yet, her first time she could barely remember, only just silvers of the experience, at best. And it was a drug-induced experience as well.]

[No man would want her after that. But she won't say anything about it, to explain it to him as to why no one would. Instead, she just held onto her other hand, fingers curling up tightly to keep herself quiet, and trying not to bite her lower lip. She had already had enough of crying today. No need for the Knight of Zero to see her tears as well.]

I'm sure that you do have an intellect all your own, Kururugi-san.

Hah. You never saw some of my school work.

[It's said lightly, of course. He looks back over at Ryou, his eyes narrowing slightly as he takes her in, but says nothing, instead choosing to keep the tone light.]

There was a reason he tended to try and tutor me. Of course, I guess I could blame some of it being in the military, but...

[That did cause her to look up. She knows that not everyone everywhere is a stellar student, of course. And Suzaku was wonderful with what he could do, as far as she could tell.]

[Though, to be fair, he was in school at a time that was quite turbulent between Britannia and Japan. And he did just say he was in the military at the time, so he probably did have a hard time balancing duties between military and studies.]

I'm sure that you did the best that you could with the time you had. And it does mean that we have... something in common. [Except her preoccupation usually had her missing quite a few lessons and sometimes whole days, and sometimes a missing student or two that happened to trouble her that day.]

It is wonderful to be surrounded by so many highly intelligent people, even though those same people are a bit... frightening with how intelligent they are.

Oh?

[He nods.]

It doesn't help that I was also on the student council with Milly. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Although I can't say those days were ever boring.

[It certainly didn't sound boring, juggling all three of those things at once. Suzaku must've been exhausted back then.]

Milly does seem to be a force all on her own, even in the short time that I have known her.

Didn't you wear yourself out most of the time, with balancing school, being in the military, and being on the Student Council?

That's a bit of an understatement. Never let her try to use her 'Guts Magic' on you. She's a force that has been known to get the most hardened of men into a Victorian dress.

[Why yes, Lelouch, your Knight is talking about you.]

Well, I was attending Ashford because of Euphie. She decided that a boy my age should experience school, since I really hadn't been to one since before the invasion. So, the school knew about my job in the military. The School Council was actually sort of like a refugee back then - it's the one place I can remember where I wasn't judged for being an Eleven.

[She hasn't worn a Victorian dress before, but she did experience her first corset when she was trying on dresses before last night's ball. She could barely breathe in the thing and it didn't exactly bring out her 'better features' as well as they had thought it would. The fact that Milly could get a man into one of those surprised and scared her a little bit.]

Are those the kind of dresses that.. have a corset? Wearing one once... it was uncomfortable and it hurt to breathe at times. For a man to be forced into one... he has my deepest sympathies. [Oh, Ryou, if you only knew.]

[She goes quiet again, remembering all the times she was judged and even hurt for being 'Eleven', let alone her troubles with the Spirit. However, unlike Suzaku, she didn't really have anyone to lift her spirits from those troubles, to remind her that being herself was okay.]

You are lucky, in that sense, Kururugi-san.

...It's been a very long time since I've seen the inside of a proper classroom, let alone taught anything inside of one. I only know as much as I do from hiding out in libraries after the soldiers had left the area. [Books didn't teach her English though, as she only heard that from the harsh words and slurs from soldiers and civilian Britannians. Even some of the first words that she learned in English still causes shivers of fear down her spine whenever she hears them, whether they're in a threatening or sleazy voice.]

You know, I probably have pictures of it somewhere. If not, Milly does. She wouldn't have let Princess Nunnally live without someday seeing the memory of her precious brother in a elaborate purple gown.

[He nods.]

I don't doubt that - I know I got off lucky when compared to others.

[He had wanted to use his luck in order to better what was happening. Things rarely work out the way you want them too though.]

Have you mentioned that to him? He could probably set you up with some tutors if you wanted.

[Well, at first she was amazed at Milly getting a man to wear a corset. The fact that it was Lelouch that was in a corset, well that caused her to do a double take.]

[Well, she probably won't see him the same way she saw him before. Even if that way of seeing him had already changed over the past twenty-four hours. Guess it was felt to change it again.]

I... didn't think it was that pressing of a matter. Rebuilding the empire and supporting His Majesty are really my only concerns for now. Lacking advanced skills in reading and arithmetic hardly seems necessary right now. Maybe in the future, if I am still needed here by then.

[Yeah. It was actually sort of funny. Suzaku didn't even mind, actually. Since skirts are breezy and all.]

Of course. Perhaps you should ask Princess Nunnally then. She's had to adjust and learn and re-learn a lot of things since regaining her sight. I'm sure she'd rather enjoy the company during her lessons if you talked to her.

[Skirts and some dresses, yes, they are breezy and comfortable. She'll just have to wait to see the full extent of how far Milly went in dressing Lelouch in a corset and Victorian style dress.]

[Though, she would have to be more careful around the princess, since, from what she's seen and heard from Lelouch, Nunnally was quite perceptive. Who even knew if she could be able to keep her secrets from the girl, if they were alone together for extended amounts of time.]

I'll ask her about it the next time I see her. [Which was, likely, at this dinner she was about to attend, right?]

[Don't worry, Ryou, Suzaku will make sure to get all the pictures from Milly later.]

Good.

[He turned another hallway, giving a nod towards the various guards as they walked by.]

She's a wonderful young woman, you'll probably do a world of good for each other.

[He knew Nunnally didn't have many girls her own age that she could talk to or hang out with and he barely even saw Ryou.]

[All the pictures? Cause that's a lot of pictures to cover, isn't it?]

[Passing the various guards, she kept her hands in front of her, only glancing up once in a while, only making eye contact with a few of them. She doesn't look at them too long, after all. Soldiers and guards still made her so nervous, after all.]

She does appear to be a wonderful young lady, Princess Nunnally. Someone that you could speak freely to and not be penalized for it. Milly, His Majesty, and you all have good things to say about her.

slow dancing

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You make me want to draw Suzaku in a kilt... or just his school girl skirt >>

I see nothing wrong with this.

I tried drawing him in his school girl outfit once, but his face turned out weird :/