He is packing, his heart broken… practically shattered. We'll go to Ashford Academy together, he had promised his dying lover. She had been so pale, her eyes shadowed and dimming. And her hands… they were so cold.

It's called Geass, the strange child had tried to explain to him. Geass… Blaming Zero's cruel intentions on some strange, unrealistic power. Suzaku wanted nothing to do with him or with his words. Not then… not when he had just lost her.

So here he is, the former knight of Euphemia Li Britannia, royal princess. How can he ever bring himself to smile again, to return to this academy with hope and warmth in his heart? He simply couldn't. Not again.

"Yes, this academy will be the center for our headquarters for the upcoming battle," Zero explains, leaning against the walls of the empty and secluded corridors, watching out the window towards the incoming students. So much blood shed, and they seem to simply boast or smile as if the world was no different than it had been before. No… they would be crying and full of fear soon, just as they should be.

Ougi watches his leader, nodding in agreement as is expected. Kallen's expression is faltered though. She may be half Japanese and greatly detest the Britannian government, especially after that staged massacre, however, she had made friends with some of the students, especially inside of the student council. How could she possibly betray them?

"Kallen, are you listening?" Ougi mutters, giving the strawberry haired soldier a light nudge.

Snapping back to the current moment, she blushes, muttering weakly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to zone out. Please forgive me, Zero."

The masked man turns towards her, replying, "Kallen. This is your academy, isn't it? It is the best tactical location to implement our plans."

"I understand, Zero," she replies, snapping to attention. "I have no intention of backing out of our plan. It must succeed, we must succeed, for the sake of the Black Knights and the sake of our Japan."

"Thank you, Kallen," smiles Lelouch from behind the mask, beginning to leave the scene towards one of his many hidden passages, being sure that nobody follows him. What is she thinking? He wonders, thinking of his Queen Knight. Is she still troubled that I am not Japanese? Are any of my knights showing concern over that?

"Maybe you should just run," C.C. mutters, leaning against the silent, dark hallway, arms crossed and watching the advancing masked man. "If you're so worried about being betrayed."

"No," Lelouch replies, continuing his path. "Backing out now is a guaranteed path to failure. It will never help us to achieve our goals."

"Your goals," she corrects, standing straight and moving towards him, tracing her hands lightly against his mask. "But how will you ever reach your goals if you're killed in the process? A dead man cannot conquer the world." Her lips slide into a smirk, dropping her hands to her sides again. "In the end, the only one you can truly trust is yourself."

"I understand, C.C.," Zero responds. "I have faith in my knights to carry me to the ultimate goal. If their concerns were a problem, they would have already taken action." Crossing his arms, his hip buckles to the side, gaze shifting towards the ceiling in a pained manner. "Besides, how could they not trust the man who has taken the life of his Britannian brethren?"

"You're path to the very end will be very bloody, Lelouch," she warns silently, knowing that he's already aware of this.

"You're right, C.C.," he replies. "But it's too late to turn back now." With that, the former prince continues his path towards his room, masked and silent, the witch disappearing somewhere along the way.

"Lelouch should be in his room," frowns Nunally, her face downcast, still grieving. She sits in silence for a moment before whispering shakily, "Euphie was our only sister who really played with us. She was so nice." In her hands, the broken plate rests. "I don't know why she had to die… she never wanted to create pain."

"I know, Nunally," Suzaku mutters, petting her hair softly. His voice, however, is uncharacteristically cold, matching his frozen heart. "Euphie was an amazing woman… And Zero will pay for what he has done."

Her face lifts towards him, brows furrowed worriedly and in response, the knight smiles faintly, muttering, "Don't worry, Nunally. Everything will be okay." Seeing the maid come into the room, he mutters softly, "I'm going to go check up on Lelouch. Please be safe, Nunally."

"I will be, Suzaku," she smiles weakly, starting to be pushed from the room by her trusted servant. "You be safe too."

Looking down, Suzaku's grip tightens around the crest resembling his relation to the princess, his teeth gritting angrily. "Zero will pay."

A few moments pass, the brunette trying to recollect himself, listening to the birds continuing their chirping. His heart calms enough before he moves towards the bedroom, knocking lightly. "Lelouch?"

No response.

"I'm coming in," he announces, stepping into the dark room. "He's not here." Looking around, he smiles, moving towards the dresser and seeing pictures from more innocent times. Nunally's grin is inhumanly cute, her tiny hands clinging to both Suzaku and Lelouch who both smile from either side of her as they lay on the grass, watching the camera playfully. And here's a picture of the day they all dressed like cats, and the cookery class. The president always did have the best ideas.

Suddenly, the sound of the door beginning to open catches Suzaku's attention as he instinctively slides beneath the bed, hiding in the darkened shadow and watching like a child afraid of being caught. Chuckling at himself silently, he remembers all of the times he had spent playing around with the two siblings and also thought back to the day when he had walked in on Lelouch. Maybe it wasn't just that he had a girlfriend but maybe she was under his bed. It was roomy enough. His heart begins to warm lightly, almost forgetting his pain through these fond memories. However, his face pales and grin drops as Zero walks into the room silently, closing the door behind him.

What is Zero doing here? I should kill him. No I should try to figure out what he's thinking… But why here? Is the academy a target? Is he looking for Nunally!

Sighing, Zero looks towards the same pictures that Suzaku had been watching only moments before. "I'm sorry, Nunally," he whispers, hand incasing the mask's front before the back begins to slide into itself from behind, revealing a mess of dark, brown hair. Lifting the mask off, Lelouch sets it down on the table quietly, sliding the black, mesh mask from his nose and mouth and picking up the picture one more time, staring down at the days he knows he'll never be able to live again.

Suzaku's heart stops, watching the demon mask release its prisoner, his best friend, his final contact of trust and truth. Lelouch…

"Lelouch!" Suzaku growls, his heart flaming angrily and crawling out from beneath the bed before standing on the other side of the room.

"Suzaku," exclaims the prince, turning towards the brunette, shock clearly in his eyes, realizing the danger he is now in. "What are you-?"

"You're Zero!" Suzaku growls viciously, his mind trying to wrap around the concept. It just didn't make sense. Why would he want to kill his own siblings? Especially Euphie! He loved her!

Collecting himself, the raven looks down, breathing out as if relieved by finally being caught and looking back towards Suzaku, smiling faintly. "That's right. I'm Zero…"

It took less than a second for Suzaku's fist to make contact with Lelouch's cheek, smashing him to the ground. "Why!" growls Suzaku, standing over the prince who stares up towards him, clearly in shock. "Why the hell are you Zero! Why would you do this to your own family! To your friends! To Euphie!" Kicking at the other, his foot digs heavily into his side, causing the other to cry a fresh scream, shaking in more pain than he's probably ever felt before. "Don't you realize how much pain you've created Lelouch! And for what! What did you want from this!"

Coughing, the assaulted male wipes blood from his lips, caking against his uniform. He would never let Suzaku know the truth… he just wouldn't understand. He is, after all, a soldier… how could he ever understand Lelouch's pain. "It was a game."

The anger swells larger within Suzaku, stepping down against the other angrily. "A game!" The sound of cracking and ripping is cloaked by his angered scream. "This is all for a fucking game!" Kneeling down, the other punches him again, over and over, forcing Lelouch's face to continue to fall from side to side, swelling and darkening, eyes squeezed shut. "Was it worth it! Killing your own family for this stupid game! What did you hope to accomplish!"

Suzaku pulls back and Lelouch coughs up more blood, having never felt such pain before. It hurt so badly, tears struggling to free themselves from his eyes, cursing his pride. Staring down with inhuman eyes, the brunette mutters, "You're pathetic…" Watching the other cringing into himself, Suzaku loses himself. "Fine… let's play."

Lelouch's eyes widen in terror, looking up at the male who watches him with emotionless eyes. Trying to move away, the prince can only crawl, his breath shaking and weak sobs emitting themselves.

It's disgusting… how much he looks like her… Suzaku thinks, narrowing his eyes and kneeling down, snatching his hair and digging his fingers deep into the roots, pulling Lelouch's head back as he smirks, leaning down to his ear. "I know you're secret Lelouch…" The prince shudders, whimpering in pain as Suzaku lifts him higher, his weight supported only by his hair. "You never wanted a woman…. You're a fucking faggot."

"Suzaku!" growls Lelouch weakly, closing his eyes and trying to wriggle away. It was no use, Suzaku's free hand moving to his front, ripping off his cape before pulling him against his body. It was true… he knew he was gay… but Suzaku…. He thought he'd understand…

"So who's dick do you want to suck?" Suzaku smirks, biting his ear, beginning to undo his blouse, ripping it harshly from his shoulders and leaving behind burn marks from where the fabric rubbed against his flesh. "Or would you rather take it in the ass?"

"Stop it…" whispers Lelouch weakly, tears streaming down his face and eyes squeezed shut. "Please…"

Ripping the rest of his top off, Suzaku smirked, clawing down his chest and to his pants, taunting, "Aren't you enjoying this?"

"Stop…"

Growling dangerously, Suzaku smashed Lelouch's face down into the carpet, crushing his head. "You don't give me orders you fucking faggot!" Seeing the blood beginning to stain the carpet, he can feel the other male shaking weakly in his touch and he smirks cruelly, yanking down his pants. "Aren't we excited?"

Lelouch doesn't answer, his head spinning dizzily, hardly able to tell which way is up. Blood trickles down his forehead, the hand still pressing him down painfully. And suddenly, there is pain like he's never felt before. He shrieks, his insides ripping and blood pooling down his thighs, his entire body shaking.

Suzaku watches the blood, thrusting into him again with all his force, pressing harder against his head dangerously. The same blood as Euphie… no…. his blood is that of a monster's. Thrusting deeper and heavier into the other, he makes sure not a single bead of pleasure pleases the prince, ripping at him and smirking, enjoying every twitch or whimper of pain.

"Why won't you cum, you cocksucker?"

Lelouch shakes, starting to daze off, not wanting to be where he is anymore… not wanting anything to do with the life he now carries. Suzaku… his trusted friend… his only true friend… why?

"Answer me!" Suzaku screams angrily, smashing into him with all the force he can muster, growling and releasing into the other. However, no answer comes, seeing the other squirm weakly. Pushing him away, Suzaku zips up his pants, glaring at the other before moving towards him, kneeling down and taking his chin, watching him with all of the world's anger and hatred.

"You love me, don't you, Lelouch?"

Lelouch's heart aches in pain, staring at the other, gaze broken. Suzaku leans down, kissing him but in a forceful, painful way, completing a memory that will haunt Lelouch forever. He had never felt so… violated… hurt… confused before.

Growling, Suzaku pulls back from the other male, still angered, still infuriated. What a useless piece of shit. He's shut himself down.

"Listen well, Lelouch," Suzaku growls dangerously, throwing the crippled mess onto the ground. "I'm giving you one last chance. End Zero. It's too late for a lot of people, but you can save the rest of the world by just backing down. But if I ever catch you again… I will kill you. I swear it."

And with that, Suzaku begins to leave the room, cold, dark and dangerous, ready to do anything it takes to reach his own goal, even if it means shedding blood by his own hands. Suzaku leaves his past behind, embracing the present and future, no matter what it holds.