Adelice smiled as they all took their seats for dinner. She sat next to Lelouch who took his usual place at the head of the table. Nunally sat on the other side of him. Suzaku sitting next to Adelice listening to Nunally talk. She held out another Origami crane that she had folded. Adelice smiled and turned to Suzaku. “Nunally's been experimenting with the art of Origami. It's a beautiful tradition.”, she said.
“Yes. They say if you make a thousand of these cranes that you will get one special wish. I've thought long and hard about it but I came up with the perfect one.”, Nunally said setting the crane back onto the table. “What are you gonna wish for Nunally?”, Adelice asked leaning over the table a little. Nunally shook her head. “If I told you the cranes wouldn't grant my wish, they might hear you.”, she said, giggling softly.
“Though... I suppose I could whisper it so they don't hear it before I've completed the final crane.”, she said, motioning for Adelice to come closer. Adelice raised an eyebrow but figured she should just play along. She walked around the table and knelt down next to Nunally, gently taking her hand into her own. Nunally turned her head and whispered into Adelice's ear.
Lelouch watched Adelice as her eyes widened and became glossy with tears. He frowned a little wondering what Nunally could have said. Suzaku stared at the two girls not wanting to move as he watched a tear roll down Adelice's cheek. She turned to Nunally slowly. “That's a wonderful wish, Nunally.”, she said softly, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible.
She quickly walked back around and to her seat as Sayoko came back with their meal. Adelice smiled at Sayoko as she put her plate down. “Thank you Sayoko, it looks wonderful.”, she said, unfolding a napkin onto her lap. The meal consisted of smoked salmon and an assorted raw vegetable salad tossed with sesame seeds and olive oil.
Suzaku thanked Sayoko as he quickly dug into the salmon. “So tell me Suzaku, you will spend the night? Won't you?”, Nunally asked as Lelouch poured some warm green tea into everyone’s cup. “Suzaku's enrolled as a student at Ashford academy so you can see him whenever you want.”, Lelouch said, setting the tea pot down. Nunally smiled brightly and turned in Suzaku's general direction. “Is that true?”, she asked excitedly.
“Well... I still have military duties..”, Suzaku said, making Adelice take a big gulp of tea to prevent herself from talking. “So.. I can't be here everyday.”, Suzaku finished, plopping a piece of the salmon into his mouth. “Oh dear... you're still in the military?”, Nunally asked, a frown tugging at her lips. Adelice stayed absolutely quiet and quickly took a bite of salmon, anxious to hear what Suzaku was going to say.
She couldn't help but feel the same as Nunally. She hated the military.. why Suzaku was hell bent on being in it was beyond her. “Don't worry, I've been reassigned to the engineering core. It's much less dangerous.”, he said, giving both girls a warm smile. Adelice let a breath go that she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Relief spread over her knowing that at least Suzaku wouldn't be in the heat of battle. He would still be in danger but.. anything was better then being a soldier. “Oh cool. Engineering, huh?”, Lelouch said, trying to make the atmosphere light once again. He poured Adelice and Nunally a little more and then stood from his chair realizing that the tea pot was almost empty.
Suzaku quickly stood up when he did. “Oh, let me help you!”, he said. Lelouch shook his head and smiled. “You just sit down. Unlike seven years ago, we get to be your hosts now.”, Lelouch answered. Adelice nodded and reached for Suzaku's arm, grabbing it softly. “Yes, Suzaku please sit. You're a guest.”, she assured him.
“It's funny you're a lot more mellow then when you used to be.”, Lelouch said, his violet eyes slightly glazed over remembering the past. Adelice smiled softly as she remembered the time they had climbed up a mountain to one of the shrines. It had been one of their adventures as children. Lelouch and Suzaku had always been squabbling over who was the strongest to impress her and Nunally.
Just as they had made it to the top it started to rain, the dirt trail that they had used to get there was not covered with mud. Their clothes hadn't gotten completely soaked and their shoes covered in mud. Lady Marianne had given Lelouch a proper scolding that day for taking the three of them on their “grand” adventure.
Her smile faded as she thought of how much she missed those times. It was as though seven years had turned into seven hundred years ago. That time felt so long ago, so utterly unreachable. “And you're a bit more rough.”, Suzaku said, sitting back down as Adelice let him go. Lelouch laughed under his breath. “I suppose. Nunally, I think it's time for bed.”, he said walking off to the kitchen to get them more tea.
Sayoko came through the door and gently rolled Nunally's chair back. She smiled at both of them. “Please visit again Suzaku, I enjoy us all getting to spend time together again.”, she said. “I will.”, Suzaku answered brightly. “Goodnight, Nunally.”, Adelice bid her as well as Suzaku. Once Nunally was down the hall Adelice turned back to the few bits of food left on her plate.
“I think you will like Ashford Academy, Suzaku. The Ashford family is very gracious.”, she said finishing up her food. “It seems so. I didn't expect for you to be here.”, Suzaku answered. “Ah. As I said the Ashford family have been very generous, they gave me my own little suite so that I can live within the grounds.”.
“And the imperial family?”, Suzaku asked, his tone hushed slightly. Adelice turned to him, a little surprised at his question. She gently set her fork and knife down, placing her hands in her lap. “Well according to records, I'm not dead but.. I have been gone for many years. I don't think they would ever cause much of a fuss for a Lady in Waiting, that's been missing for seven years.”, she answered, giving a sad smile.
Suzaku nodded his head slowly, frowning a little. “Don't get me wrong.”, Adelice assured him. “I'd much rather have it this way. I wouldn't be able to stay with Lelouch if I was. Knights and Princes deemed worthy in the eyes of the imperial family could only court me.”, she said, still frowning. They both turned there head up when Lelouch walked back into the room.
He set the tea pot back down in the middle of them as Suzaku explained more of his duties in the military to both of them. Adelice stayed quiet as he did, wanting to try and reassure herself that he wasn't going to be in harms way at all but she still couldn't shake off the feeling that he was going to get hurt.
She was brought out of her thoughts as the clock chimed eleven in the night. “Oh. I should go, it's getting late.”, he said, standing up from his chair. Lelouch stood as well and walked him to the front door. Suzaku smiled and stepped through. “You should come by again. Nunally would enjoy it.”, Lelouch said.
“Yes. Please do Suzaku, she missed you greatly.”, Adelice added, leaning against the door. “Sure. I'll try whenever I'm off duty.”, Suzaku answered, smiling at both of them. “But.. Lelouch... I-I don't think we should be seen together at school.”, Suzaku said, his facial features completely serious. Adelice frowned and felt her heart sink, knowing that he was absolutely right.
“Adelice and I either.”, he finished, looking in her direction. Her blue eyes fixed on him as he turned his green eyes back to Lelouch. “What do you mean?”, Lelouch asked, a bit taken aback. “Think about it? How would you explain it? Being friends with an honorary Britannian?”, Suzaku asked, standing his ground on the subject.
His eyes traveled from Lelouch to Adelice. “We have to guard your secret.”, he said, his eyes going back to Lelouch. “No one can know you're royalty... and the same goes for Nunally.”, Suzaku finished. Adelice felt a pit in her stomach as she crossed her arms. Deep down she couldn't shake the feeling that even though the four were together again, it still wouldn't be the same.
Suzaku looked down at the ground and frowned. “I don't want to cause any of you any trouble.”, he said, a bit of sadness coating his words. “You're doing it again, huh?! Everyone's needs but your own!”, Lelouch yelled at him. Adelice frowned and reached over to grab Lelouch's arm. “Stop.”, she whispered, stroking his arm in an attempt to calm him.
She understood why Lelouch was angry, Suzaku always worried about everyone else more then himself. It was just the way he was and was always going to be. “Uh... thanks for having me. It was a lot of fun. All.. uh.. see you later.”, Suzaku said, trying to leave the evening on a high note as he turned around and walked down the small set of stairs.
“Oh right. What was Nunally's wish?”, Suzaku asked looking in Adelice's direction. She took a deep breath and sighed. “She wishes that we could all be together again. Like seven years ago, everyone. Clovis included.”, Adelice whispered as tears started to fill her eyes. She felt Lelouch tense up at her words. “It affected me so... because.. it's the same wish I've been wishing for.”
Suzaku nodded slowly. “Right...”, Lelouch whispered, trying not to sound angry anymore. Suzaku stopped walking and turned to both of them a little. “I'm so glad, you know? I never thought we'd get another chance to talk like this.”, he said and walked away from them, disappearing down the paved path. Adelice's eyes looked up at Lelouch who looked slightly aggravated.
She gently let go of his arm and walked back inside trying to think of things in a positive way. She felt a little empty, like no matter what she was still loosing a friend. One that she could never gain back no matter how the world ended up. Lelouch closed the door slowly and sighed, rubbing his forehead. “It's late, you should sleep.”, Adelice said wanting to get off the subject.
“I should be returning home.”, she whispered hoping he wouldn't get further aggravated. “You're not walking home this late.”, he stated, running his fingers through his hair. “I'll be fine it's just right-”, she was cut off with a definite “No.”. He stopped leaning against the door and stood up. “I'll walk you there.”, he whispered.
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As she stepped into her little suite she could help but feel a sense of warmth again to be back to the little household that was hers. She quickly turned on a lamp and set her bag down against the door. She turned to Lelouch who was waiting outside the door. “Thank you, you really didn't have to though.”, she said, shaking her head slightly.
Lelouch smiled softly. “It saves me the trouble of worrying if you made it home safely or not.”, he said, his eyes fixed on hers. “So protective~”, she whispered, more to herself then him. He stepped through the door slightly and reached to touch her cheek. “Because you're mine.”, he whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.
His words made her blush a little, feeling her heart skip a beat. “Did you want to come in?”, Adelice asked, looking up at him. A smirk came to his lips, a sly look in his eyes. “If I did, you wouldn't get any sleep.”, he said, leaning against the door frame. Adelice blushed at his words a little bit and shook her head.
“Goodnight.”, he whispered taking her chin between two of his fingers and brought his lips to hers. She gladly leaned into his arms and felt her body melt against his. He pulled her closer with one arm around her back, a smirk forming on his lips as he heard her let out a little sigh. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him, not wanting to let him go.
He slowly pulled away, still holding her close to him. “Don't be late for class tomorrow.”, he warned. “Oh lay off~”, she giggled. “It was only two times.”, she whined. “Could be a third time.”, he said as if he was in deep thought making her giggle. “Shut it.”, she whispered and pressed her lips to his again, cutting him off from anything else he was going to say.
“Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow.”, she said after pulling away. He nodded slowly and bid her goodnight. She watched him walk down the paved path from her front door until he was out of sight and then closed her door, ready to jump into bed and sleep. She was exhausted from all the events today and knew she needed her sleep. Tomorrow was another day.
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Adelice walked into the hall toward her class. She could see Suzaku walking in front of her but she bit her tongue and didn't call after him. As much as it bothered her to pretend that they didn't know each other.. it was for the best, she still couldn't help but feel as though she had still lost a friend. She watched as Suzaku walked past Lelouch, who was leaning against the door talking to Rivalz.
She slowly approached the both of them. A sigh came out of her mouth as she heard Rivalz asking a bunch of questions. Lelouch smiled slightly as she came to stand beside him. “So what's the deal? Did something happen to you and Adelice or what?”, he asked. “There was a surprise council meeting that Milly called but you guys left so quickly that you didn't know.”, Rivalz said, shaking his head.
“I was studying, you know, I kinda tanked that history exam.”, Lelouch said. Rivalz rolled his eyes. “Please, I don't buy that for a second. I bet you got top score.”, he said, waving his hand. Adelice giggled and ran her hand along Lelouch's back in a silent greeting. He turned his head slightly to her and gave a small smile. “Forgive me, Rivalz. I will apologize to Queen Milly when she arrives.”, Adelice said, putting emphasis on the word “Queen”.
“Hey, you better! Madam President wasn't too happy that you two skipped out on paperwork.”, he called after her as she rolled her eyes and walked into class, walking past both of them. She definitely didn't want to hear about more tedious paperwork. She could hear other students shushing the others as Suzaku took his seat. Apparently he was still the hot topic of the day, she couldn't deny that this would probably go on for a few weeks.
Adelice sat down next to Kallen and took out her notebook and pencil. She really did not want to come to school today, she had dragged herself out of bed just barely and at the moment was struggling to stay awake. She hadn't bothered to really put the time to fix her hair and just stuck her hair up in a loose bun with two chopsticks. She hoped the teachers lecture wasn't boring because she probably wasn't going to be able to stay awake.
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Adelice's eyes were just starting to drift close when her ears perked up at “Class dismissed.”. She quickly stood and turned to walk out of the classroom walking toward Lelouch's desk who she could see was doing his famous stealth sleep again. She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair softly. “Wake up~”, she whispered, making him jolt awake.
“What? Oh...Sorry. I must have fallen asleep.”, he said standing up from his chair. Adelice giggled. “It's alright, you can copy my notes.”, she said, starting to walk past him. “I'll be in the student council room for second period. Apparently we have paperwork. Oh joy..”, she sarcastically. Lelouch frowned. “What about swim team?”, he asked.
“Oh right.. I'm sure they will be fine with me gone for a day. Competition isn't for another three weeks. It's not like they need me for training.”, she assured him with a smile, walking out of class. She breathed in the fresh air as she stepped outside into the open hall. Walking along the tiled floor, starting to make her way outside the hall she couldn't help but notice the clear blue sky overhead. What a waste of a day to have to do paperwork.
She loved walking out into the lush green grass of the courtyard, the campus always had such beautiful scenery. Pulling her bag up higher over her shoulder she noticed Suzaku washing something in one of the sinks. She was about to turn and walk the long way around when she saw him hold up one of his shirts.
Her eyes went wide when she saw someone had written “Go back to your ghetto, filthy eleven” in big red writing with spray paint. Adelice's heart sank to see him bending over the sink to try to wash it out. It broke her heart, she couldn't just ignore and leave him alone. It was time for her to “meet” Suzaku. “What an awful thing to write...”, she said, making Suzaku turn around and look at her, shocked.
“You're... Suzaku Kururugi? Am I right?”, she asked, giving him a smile. “Uh.. y-ya I am. Please to meet you...?”, Suzaku played along perfectly. “Adelice Attwood.”, she answered taking the shirt from him. “Here, I'll help you.”, she said rolling up her sleeves. “N-no that's alright. You don't have to.”, Suzaku said, shaking his head.
Adelice smiled. “I want to. I hate racism.”, she whispered, scrubbing at the red paint with her fingernails. “I don't know why people have to be so mean.”, she continued. “Adelice!”, someone yelled her name. Startled by the call she turned and looked around. “Who?”, she asked, looking around still. “Come on! You've got a pile of paperwork waiting for you!!”. Adelice looked up to see Milly hanging out the window.
“...Really Milly?”, she whispered a little in disbelief as Milly hung herself out the window, almost falling. Sighing after setting the shirt back down into the water. “I'll be right there!”, she called, frowning in Suzaku's direction. “I'm sorry, I have student council work to do... unfortunately.”, she said walking the other way. “Perhaps I will see you around Suzaku.”, she said, smiling and waving her hand slightly.
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Adelice slowly stepped into the student council room only to find Nina and Milly there. “There you are!”, Milly exclaimed, rather excited to be making Adelice's day miserable. “These are for you~”, she said, handing her a stack of papers. “Come on, chop chop, we don't have all day. There are important events to be planned after.”, she said, walking out of the room.
Adelice sighed and sat at the table, the only noise coming from the slight scratching sound of her pen and the other from Nina's fingers drumming on her keys. The door suddenly opened making Nina jump. “Hello Adelice. Nina?”, Adelice heard Nunally say, which quickly made her look up. “I'm sorry is my typing too loud?”, Nina asked laying her hands in her lap.
“No not at all but why are you here? What about class?”, Nunally assured her. Adelice frowned and stopped writing to pay attention to what Nina said. Nina didn't reply to Nunally's question surprisingly. “What's wrong?”, Nunally asked again. “Well I don't know.. It's just it's... it's a little scary.”, she said wrapping her arms around herself.
“Scary?”, Nunally asked confused. There was a long pause between them, making Adelice look up from her paperwork. “Well you see we have a transfer student in our class now. It's that boy who's accused of murdering Prince Clovis. He's an eleven.”, Nina said shuddering as if she had caught some terrible cold.
Adelice quickly stood from her chair not wanting to hear anymore from Nina, she quickly walked to the door, holding her paperwork and pen in her arms making Nunally look up in surprise. “Where are you going Adelice?”, Nunally asked, a little hurt by Nina's words. Adelice slowly look down, anger coating her words.
“To go grow a spine.”.