Odio que suzaku sufra
Odio que sea lelouch el causante de su infelicidad

The first sentence sounded so dirty that I just thought, "Yep, this is another classic RobinRocks beginning where the gays just happen to be discussing their grim mortality as they bang each other to oblivion."
But it wasn't smut.
And then the smut came, albeit not at the beginning, and I thought, "I called it."
;)

There's other evidence to support the theory that Lelouch may have taken a Code, either from Charles or from C.C., such as the fact that "Orange" seems strangely fine with the Zero Requiem and Nunnally's vision that vaguely resembles the vision Lelouch had when he touched C.C.'s corpse in the first episode. Though, C.C. may have just been talking to herself or talking to Lelouch's ghost across the borders of life and death. There really is no solid answer to the question of "did he or did he not?". Though, if Lelouch had taken a Code and would revive after the Zero Requiem as a consequence, I do wonder why Suzaku would've cried like that if his friend wasn't actually going to die. Who knows? I still think that Lelouch's death would have more meaning to both the anime's overlying themes and Suzaku if it were permanent, tbh. But, I don't mind that you think of Lelouch's death in a different light. I'm not going to be that one Code Geass fangirl who runs you through with a bloody katana just because you buy into a different Zero Requiem theory. XD Diversity of fan theories keeps a fandom chugging long after the franchise itself has concluded.

Basically Zero Requiem had me screaming that I didn't want my Code Geass OTP to go through this, and apparently reading your interpretive fics about the Zero Requiem won't heal my heart, shockingly. XD

Honestly, though, Suzaku shows so much heartbreak and sorrow over killing his best friend DESPITE having good reason to enjoy killing Lelouch that I'll have to take the Final Turn as the moment where SuzaLulu becomes canon, if only it would alleviate my sorrows somewhat. :')

Lelouch's blood looking blue through Zero's mask just *reeks* of heavy symbolism, which I probably can't nose out in one go. Lelouch's blue blood could signify the secret that only Lelouch and Suzaku share (and perhaps Nunnally is aware of too, if the vision she had was a vision and not a flashback). Or maybe it shows that Lelouch passed his vision to Suzaku to continue under Lelouch's defining symbol (har har, the Zero helmet puns) and now Suzaku understands Lelouch's version of the world through Lelouch's eyes, those eyes which he will use to see the world with for all eternity. Perhaps the tinted blue blood represents that only Suzaku really knows Lelouch's secrets now that Lelouch himself is dead and his siblings are unaware of the Zero Requiem's true purpose. After all, it is only Lelouch's vision that lets Suzaku see his blue blood.

You know what, maybe Suzaku is going loony and paranoid and Lelouch's blood is blue because Suzaku wants it to be blue. That's a reasonable explanation, too. XD

Suzaku's paranoia and fear of the irrational here is understandable, considering that the next day he would have to murder the only person he had left besides Nunnally. Fulfilling the Zero Requiem and killing his best friend to whom he has an old, unbreakable connection with would've been, to make an understatement, difficult for Suzaku. Frankly, it's only realistic that he would be jumpy about seemingly insignificant matters such as the grape juice spilled down Lelouch's shirt and the cape that Lelouch slung around him to keep him warm. He's done horrible deeds and seen the murder of his loved ones - and murdering Lelouch would've been a combination of the two triggers that really seem to break Suzaku. Not only would he watch Lelouch die (as he did with Euphemia), but he would be at fault for it (as with his father). Actually, the Zero Requiem and Suzaku's accidental murder of his father are not all too different - both are catalysts in the history of the world of Code Geass and both deeply affect Suzaku as a person and as a soldier. So, when you really think of it, Suzaku's fears may seem unfounded and irrational at first glance but are understandable due to his circumstances.

Well, Zero Requiem really screwed the fandom up and it also screwed Suzaku's mind over. I think we can all at least agree on that, haha.

I like that you didn't make this too gooey or "wah the second/first/whatever love of my life is about to die i need to cry my eyes out", and instead captured how angry and confused Suzaku would probably be as Zero Requiem drew closer and closer against his back. Pretty much the only times that Suzaku reacts to something by crying instead of getting really grumpy and vengeful are when Euphemia dies and when Lelouch dies, and I think he was more on the angry side when Euphemia passed away before his eyes. Suzaku is *not* somebody who deals with hardship by shedding tears, as the series demonstrates, and he probably wouldn't be messily crying into Lelouch's shoulder the night before, especially with Lelouch acting distant and haughty like that. (I certainly wouldn't be all tears and snot if my best friend, who I was going to kill the next day, wasn't even remotely sympathetic about my distress.) Although, maybe the tears Suzaku sheds as Lelouch whispers his last words could go to show how much Lelouch's death meant to him.

Idk, this fic is beautiful and tears my heart apart as it analyzes the Zero Requiem at another angle, overlaying themes of nostalgia for better times and wishing things could be much different by detailing Suzaku and Lelouch's last night together. With the best of intentions I think this isn't as poignant as some of your more recent fics, though maybe that's because you seem to be emphasizing Suzaku's maelstrom of emotions over delivering a tearjerker, and I really appreciate that willingness to try a different direction in your narrative. Thank you so much for dragging me into gay mecha hell, and hopefully your SuzaLulu tag (and fics) won't be the death of me yet. :) (They probably will.)

Until the next update/message/review/something, then. :)
-Diurnal Days

(Btw, I think I've probably quoted famous authors by accident several times in both my reviews and my messages. DX So if I'm spouting Shakespeare or Poe quotes as I romanticize your writing, I'm probably not doing it on purpose. Oops.)
(Also, this is really unrelated, but China's obsession with food and cooking is legit. And Hong Kong's sarcastic attitude towards China is also pretty legit. Yep.)

Hauntingly beautiful. Sad yet so perfect. Thanks for the rush of emotions!

lovveedd it..

woah.i agree with the 'lelouch may still be alive' theory, but i gotta say that your version of suzaku and lelouch's last time was beautifully made.. I love it!

Ah, this story stomped on my heart and took my lunch money. It made me cry that much :) I absolutely love all the symbolism with Suzu-chan spilling the grape juice and him seeing Lulu's blood as blue through the Zero mask. I absolutely adored this story and I give you mad props for writing it!

"It went into him far easier than he had expected." At first I thought the thing but then sword omf. I'm crying in the car because of this realization I hate myself oh my god.

He is alive. They show him just not completely. And I'd know his smile anywhere. But that still doesn't change the fact that I cried at the ending and for this story. Thank you for such a wonderful story.

Lovely mush.

I just wanted to chime in on how wonderful this short bit of fiction is. It brought me to tears. One of the hardest things for writers to do on this site is to truly capture the emotions and actions of the characters in the show. You certainly succeeded. The characters acted like they would have in the show and it was brilliantly written.

Now if only I can stop sobbing over silly fictional characters.

This made me tear up, damnit.

This is an awesome story. XD

Lovely, they're so true to charcter, its scary. You made me cry because your writing is simply wonderful.

Utterly, utterly gorgeous. Your writing is really something else, tightly knit yet still evocative. I really enjoyed this. As for the theory... I may have to re-watch to be sure, but I'd assumed Lelouch had the Code and was in the final moments of his life passing it onto Suzaku?

My God, it was beautiful.

I loved it so much... and the last part just made my heart ache... -sniffle-

Beautiful... absolutely.

~Tamyou~