(no subject)

[oathtotheking]

Player-

You've committed yourself, already. If you want to seek a second game, even that will not be with me. I have work to do and a charge to fulfill; you can't just pluck me up to toy with because you're re-watching the series and you see him somewhere.

- Zero

Comments

but bb i like your soul--

[oathtotheking]

Of course not.

[Mirth behind the mask again, and ever so faintly, Zero tips his head to one side; a gesture not unusual from a lifetime ago. But they should move beyond this point lest it bring someone to their knees. Think of something else, or anything but the past; Zero's doomed to crash sometime facing Lelouch, but he does his best to remain steeled for now. He can't succumb already. They both need to re-learn how to speak to each other, though...

Cutting it short here might be for the best. A need to distance and regroup and gather all the pieces that have slowly started scattering. But Suzaku wants to reach out, grab Lelouch and haul him in just to know if they're really having this conversation.

Zero can't have that. He swallows the urge, fights it down and holds it there with black gloves, praying it stops thrashing about.]

Yes.

[It's a bitter feeling, but Zero forces himself to accept it. After all, this isn't something he does because he enjoys it.]

oops-- YOU HAVE COME TO SHOW YOU GOOOO OOOOOOOOOOON

[oathtotheking]

[He'd needed to clean it, but it had been a while before he could. He couldn't get all of it, either, but he'd never found the heart to try to fix that later. There had been no speeches; he wouldn't have known what to say, not as good with placating or encouraging words as Lelouch or his siblings.

It had taken more effort than the then-newly dubbed Zero would like to admit to not catch Lelouch before he tumbled down the ramp. To not rush to Nunnally's side.

And it takes more effort than he'd like to admit now as Lelouch tries to keep himself together, and Su--Zero knows that tell-tale prickling at the corners of his eyes. It isn't the first time this conversation that he's thankful for the mask.]

Then...

pain and suffering?

[oathtotheking]

[Zero doesn't flinch at the tone, but that means little. He's just as on edge, knows how Lelouch gets when he doesn't have everything under control. It's torture, being like this, but all the same Zero is thankful to know that it's even possible. Even if he knows it could be defying his punishment to seek anything out as Suzaku, he can't really help this. Lelouch is...

Ah, leaving. But that step makes his heart lurch, and he can't stop the step forward. It's too unexpected, too sudden; strange that it should be, considering their conversation, but it is. Because the last time he'd seen that, been standing at a similar angle (though nearer than this), there had been blood on this mask and Nunnally had screamed, and Lelouch had left them.

When Zero speaks up, his voice is thick, and really it's hardly Zero there.]

You know where to find me.

[Come at your leisure, because I won't force you. The invitation is open.]

All of the pain and all of the suffering /o/

[oathtotheking]

[Zero is a symbol, not a person; he won't be the one to break, either.

Not here, anyway.

And Suzaku can only hope Lelouch will come, even though it's really more than just ill-advised. Zero would be wary, strive to keep his barriers up. Not to keep Lelouch out, but to keep himself in.

They'd see how this would go.

He says nothing as Lelouch leaves, but he's sure as much is expected.]