XI: Part IV

[fire-rose17.livejournal.com]

Also known as, Lelouch and Suzaku stand around. Seriously, I found myself writing an entire passage where that's basically all they do. Hopefully its not too boring. I had a lot of trouble with this part. I think I rewrote several passages three or four times, and constantly exercized the power of the delete button.

This passage is dedicated to shirogiku, who indulged my Incubus!Lelouch needs not once, not twice, but three times! Let's all give her virtual applause!

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“Suzaku,” Lelouch repeated experimentally, tasting the word on his tongue.

 

The name sounded strange to Suzaku’s ears, as if it belonged to a distant acquaintance he barely remembered. It had been a long time since he had heard that name spoken aloud, let alone pronounced correctly.

 

Bradley had never called him by name. He had preferred generic, often derogatory terms, as well as a variety of pet names that Suzaku didn’t care to repeat. He, like all slaves, had been provided with a serial number, but that was merely to make transactions smoother. It wasn’t a means of identification.

 

The point of training a slave was to stamp out rebellion and individuality, molding a perfect servant to take their place. When you were stripped of your name, it was like you were stripped of your identity, your sense of self.

 

Suzaku’s name had been the first thing Bradley had taken from him.

 

You are not a person. You are an object. Objects do not have names, unless it is for the pleasure of its master.

 

Didn’t this boy understand the rules? Or had that been a test? But what kind of test? Giving out his birth name went against his training, but he had also been taught to obey his master’s orders above all else. What took precedence?

 

The boy opened his mouth again, and Suzaku, certain he had failed in some way, braced himself for a reprimand. But all the prince did was smile. “It’s a nice name,” he remarked.

Suzaku blinked, unsure of how to respond. He didn’t understand this boy. He kept waiting for orders, but none came. All his master did was stand there. Was Suzaku supposed to do something? But what did he want? Suzaku was terrified that he would end up saying or doing the wrong thing, and while he may have been willing to obey commands, he wasn’t sure if he could stomach taking initiative.

 

This wasn’t how it was meant to be! His master was supposed to give him orders, and Suzaku was supposed to follow them. He hadn’t been trained for tests and guessing games. Bradley had been a malicious handler, but he had always been very clear in his demands. There had never been a moment when Suzaku hadn’t known what to do.

 

Don’t think. There’s no need for you to think. You only have to obey commands. Now come here. Yes, good boy. Get on your knees and—

 

No, he wouldn’t go there. He couldn’t go there.

 

“Are you all right?” the prince asked. “You look a bit pale.”

 

“Yes,” Suzaku responded carefully, grasping the errant thought and burying it deep with everything else. Those emotions were useless. They only got in the way. “Is there anything I can do for you, Master?” Suzaku didn’t know if it was okay for him to ask, but he had to do something.

 

Lelouch shrugged, “It’s embarrassing to admit, but I don’t really know. I bought you on a whim, and now I’m not sure of what to do next.” He smiled a bit, “Do you have any ideas?”

 

Suzaku’s eyes widened. Asking a slave what his duties should entail? It was unprecedented. It had to be a trap.

 

“…It’s not my place to decide that, my lord,” Suzaku said humbly. He had to be careful. He couldn’t rise to the bait.

 

“Well then, I’m just going to have to figure something out. Maybe you could do…laundry or something,” Lelouch suggested, mostly because laundry was the first thing that popped into his head.

 

Suzaku nodded, hoping that was the correct response. This boy was truly baffling. He was not at all what Suzaku had expected of his first master. Bradley had given him the impression that he would be thrown to the bed at the first opportunity.

 

You’re not bad looking for a monkey. That body of yours will definitely sell. Even I feel somewhat tempted. It’s unfortunate customers prefer virgins, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fu—

 

No, bad thoughts, bad thoughts. Thrust them away to be vacuum sealed for eternal storage.

 

Of course, it wasn’t as he would have preferred being pushed into the mattress, but at least it would have been consistent. He had been trained to respond to that. But this man, this prince, was acting so nice, all smiles and soft tones, and Suzaku didn’t trust it. There had to be an ulterior motive.

 

A soft knock pierced the room’s relative silence, and a head emerged from a crack in the door.

 

“I’m sorry, Master Lelouch. Am I interrupting anything?” the maid asked.

 

Lelouch waved a hand, “Not at all, Sayoko. Come on in.”

 

The woman, Sayoko, was holding a small bundle of clothing. “Lady Marianne sent me to give your new attendant a fresh uniform,” she said.

 

Lelouch smiled, “Mother always thinks of everything. Thank you.”

Sayoko nodded, turning to give Suzaku a small smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

Before Suzaku could formulate a reply, she was gone and a pile of clothes were in his arms.

 

“Why don’t you get dressed?” Lelouch suggested. Suzaku’s ensemble made him look far too much like a stripper, and it made Lelouch very, very uncomfortable.

 

Suzaku complied immediately, somewhat relieved. Finally, finally something to do. With very little ceremony or thought of personal boundaries, he began to peel off his shorts.

 

Lelouch let out a small squeak, and he turned around on his heel to face the wall. Unfortunately, he wasn’t fast enough to escape discovery that Suzaku apparently wasn’t wearing underwear.

 

“Master?” Suzaku questioned.

 

“I-I’m fine,” Lelouch stuttered, cheeks red. “J-just finish up there.”

 

Suzaku shrugged. It was odd behavior, but maybe the boy was just a bit eccentric.

 

It felt good to be wearing pants again. His previous attire had offered very little in warmth, not to mention that the shorts had been prone to riding up in…places.

 

“Uh, Master? I’m dressed,” Suzaku informed the prince’s back. He really didn’t understand what Lelouch was getting so worked up about. Why would he be modest viewing his own property? Suzaku really didn’t mind being looked at. After a lifetime of communal showers, his own sense of modesty was pretty much nonexistent.

 

Lelouch turned around and beheld his slave fully dressed for the first time. He was wearing black pants and a crisp white shirt, complete with a vest (although not of leather) and a tie. He resembled a very young butler, and the look suited him (although he had to wonder how his mother had gotten Suzaku’s measurements). But the tie…

 

“Here, let me fix that for you,” Lelouch said, reaching out to right the offending fabric, which was fixed in a loose, messy tangle.

 

Suzaku flinched slightly. In his experience, an extended hand usually preceded some kind of strike. But all Lelouch did was loop the ends of the tie around his neck, pulling them into a neat knot.

 

“There,” he said, feeling oddly satisfied. “Now all we have to do is find you some kind of work.”

 

Suzaku nodded once again, and the prince’s responding smile was warm, crinkling his purple eyes slightly in the corners.

 

It had to be an act, Suzaku decided. Lelouch was merely trying to gain his trust. He had heard that some masters enjoyed befriending their slaves, fostering hope and affection, only to crush it in the end. It made the breaking all the sweeter. Bradley had been sadistic, but at least he had been honest. He didn’t play games. Better to be tortured than deal with the cruelty of lies and false compassion.

 

But Suzaku wasn’t going to allow himself to be fooled. He would keep his guard up, because sooner or later, Lelouch would grow bored of the facade. And then everything would go to hell in a hand basket. It always did.

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I honestly don't intend to make these chapters so short, it just happens. I really do wish I was capable of writing long passages, but I can't. I don't mean to torture you all!


Also, the April addition to Summer of Joy is all written, I just need to do some editting. Hopefully it will be out sometime this week.