re: possible enablings idk

[palpitations]

Miss Mun,

I'm glad you're letting me speak again. It's been... Mm. And there are several things that need to be considered. I do not like the way that other boy in here treats Brother. And he shouldn't be the only one allowed to talk.

If you send me somewhere, do it soon. Make sure Brother is there too. As long as Brother is there... I'll even accept it if she's there. It's true, isn't it? You've been asked to join some place where they're both there? But if memories are involved, it'll be like then...

Mm, either way. Decide quickly.

— Rolo L.

Comments

[exiledpower]

[ Tilting his head. ]

Am I...?

[palpitations]

[ Opens mouth...


Shuts it.


Rinse and repeat. ]

What does... Brother remember?

[exiledpower]

[ Ah, yes That question. ]

Everything.

[palpitations]

[ Winces. Ah, so this Lelouch remembers it all too. Does he have the same scar as the Lelouch he knew from Ukiyo? Is he... Does he still care? ]

O-Oh...

[ Swallowing, his shoulders hunch, indicating he's nervous. ]

I still feel the same.

[ Despite worry painted all over his features, his voice doesn't waver. It means he'd still make the same choice he did that day. And surely Lelouch will understand that. ]

[exiledpower]

[ Should he say it? Can he say it? How would Rolo react? He always was such a volatile boy, there's no way to know for sure.

Deep breath, and... alright. It won't hurt more than it helps. Probably.

Here goes. ]

I'm sorry.

1/3

[palpitations]

[ Did he just say... ]

[palpitations]

[ Emotion floods his chest, making him grit his teeth and he isn't sure how to respond. He ducks his head again, bangs covering his expression as he tries to wrestle with how this make him feel.

Lelouch... His brother... The one he would give up everything for...

Is apologizing. ]

[palpitations]

[ Quietly and his hand slips into his pocket where his fingers curl around the familiar hard plastic of a cellphone with its attached locket. ]

Don't apologize... I told you. It was my choice.

[exiledpower]

[ So much for probably, then. Still, it needed to be said. And he was sorry, at least on some level. Manipulating him may have been necessary, but he's no longer wallowing in the glory of it anymore, writing him off as trash. Not trash, but something else. What that something else is, he isn't sure yet, but not trash.

Hesitantly, Lelouch steps forward. ]

That doesn't make it any less regrettable.

[palpitations]

[ It takes a few seconds, but soon he's looking up again, withdrawing his phone from his pocket as he holds it to his chest. Whatever Lelouch thinks of it... whatever this Lelouch feels, he tells himself he will remain steadfast. Because that year, that dream had been so real, had made him feel real. He clings to that. ]

I have no regrets.

[exiledpower]

[ That's because you don't know how to regret, Rolo. Not when it comes to this person. And that's part of the reason why he will always, always pity you.

Lelouch stares at Rolo for awhile before his eyes drift to the phone, the glint of the locket hanging from it catching his attention. ]

You kept it? After all this time?

[palpitations]

[ His gaze shifts down to the locket which he clutches closer before looking up again with a nod. ]

It's... the only thing that's really mine. Before Brother, I never— It was my first birthday present.

[exiledpower]

[ Brother still makes him flinch, but he covers it up well, peers at him closely. ]

You have something other than that, Rolo.

have another gay icon c:

[palpitations]

[ Blinks, confusion forming on his features. ]

...I do?

HOMO HOMO up in here

[exiledpower]

[ Nodding. ]

Yes.

that pretty much summarizes the series

[palpitations]

I— I don't understand.

geass was a manly anime full of manly men what are you talking about

[exiledpower]

[ Lelouch tries on a wary smile, just to see how it feels around him. ]

You don't know what it is?

of course what was i saying forgive me

[palpitations]

[ Shakes his head. ]

No...

[exiledpower]

[ Gently: ]

You have your life, Rolo.

And now, it's yours to do with as you please.

[palpitations]

I...

[ Blinks quite a bit, it taking a few seconds for this to sink in. ]

But I—

[ He swallows, clutching at his locket again. His life... but what would he do now? ]

What about Brother? What about... you?

[exiledpower]

If you still wish to follow me, I won't refuse you.

[ Much as his loyalty is terribly, terribly misplaced and how terribly, terribly troublesome Rolo's presence can be. ]

But it would make me happiest if you considered your own path first. That path... [ shaking his head ] it doesn't necessarily need to match mine.

[ Better that it didn't, really, considering just where it's going. ]

[palpitations]

[ Pausing, he holds his locket out in front of him, gazing down at it as it swings from where it's suspended. His brows knit and for a few more seconds, he's silent. And then: ]

My place is at your side, whatever path Brother might take. I will protect you.

[exiledpower]

[ A chilly stare. ]

From myself, Rolo?

[palpitations]

[ Another pause and his expression slips into a blank mask. ]

...that depends on what Brother might do to himself. I know of the Requiem. I know what Brother had to do. But there are some things...

[exiledpower]

Like what?

[ Better to clear this up now so there's no misunderstandings later. Though that might be inevitable, considering who he's dealing with here. ]