[dream 02] little girl, little girl, your life is calling [week 1, day 4]
The sun is warm on your face. The sun is warm and the wind wafts wildflower scents across the field.
You recognize this field - you've had picnic lunches and games of tag and impromptu chess matches here, back in the Before days, back with Mother and Nunnally and Euphie and Cornelia and Clovis and any other half-siblings whose mothers cared to visit Marianne the former commoner and her half-common children. But you hadn't known that then; you'd only known sunshine and buzzing cicadas and helping Nunnally weave a daisy chain to surprise Cornelia-nee-chan with, back before her eyes had gone steely and hardened with the wars.
It's somewhere near the Aries Villa, which is now owned by Britannia again, or maybe it was lost in the bombings, you can't even remember anymore - but that isn't important. What's important is that now you're here, and you're wheeling Nunnally along, and you're coming over the crest of one rolling hill to find -
We wanted to surprise you, Lelouch, Nunnally says, reaching up over her shoulder and patting the hand you're pushing her chair with, because you've stopped and stared at all the people that are there, spread out over several quilts and tablecloths that seem to have been scavenged from the kitchens and bedrooms. It's okay, now.
What do you mean? you ask, because Euphemia is there, shouting happily and waving, and Cornelia is at her side, smiling in that soft way she reserves only for her sister, and Milly is there, lounging in a dress that is cut daringly low and snickering at Rivalz, who is practically falling over to flatter her, and Shirley, blushing to see you but laughing all the same, and even Nina is sitting at one end of the tablecloth, eating a cucumber sandwich and looking, for once, at ease, and even -!!!- even Suzaku is here, jogging up the hill and saying, Come on, you idiot, the ants are going to get everything!
You, dazed, let him take over Nunnally's chair, follow him down to the biggest, silliest picnic you've ever seen laid out, because Milly has somehow persuaded everyone to wear cat ears again in honor of Arthur the stray, who is curled up and purring in Nunnally's lap, and this is all way too silly. What took you so long? Euphie asks, her eyes as bright as sky reflected in sea. What took you so long, Lelouch?
I don't know, you protest, this was a surprise, if I'd known, I would have - but she's laughing and handing you a gooey peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich, saying We would have saved you one of the good ones, but Rivalz ate them all -
Well, he did take forever, Rivalz is protesting, and behind him you can see another group of people you'd completely missed - there's Kallen, and Ougi, and Tamaki, and Sugiyama and Rakshata and Diethard, all interacting with everyone else, and when Kallen sees you, she elbows Ougi and the Black Knights descend on you, patting you on the back and Tamaki's pouring beer on your head and Kallen is punching you in the arm and asking, What took you so long, Lelouch? Huh?
You don't get it.
Don't be so silly, Milly titters, popping up behind you. You won, didn't you?
At this, the Black Knights roar their approval and another round of hugs and back-thumping and alcohol (why this picnic has alcohol when only about five present are of age is beyond you) goes around, and Suzaku puts his hand on your shoulder from behind. You turn to face him.
You did it, he says, and there is quiet happiness in his eyes. But before you can answer, Milly is pressing another sandwich on him, and Shirley grabs your arm and I'm so glad, she says, smiling, I'm so glad, and now you are looking around, and realization is dawning, and -
Euphie is talking to you now, and she looks happier than you can ever remember.
We're so glad, she says.
And you, finally, smile.
Well, I'm sorry it took so long, you say, and everyone bursts out laughing and Kallen has pulled her cat ears off and is attempting to strangle Rivalz with them, and Nunnally is folding origami cranes that fly on the wind when she throws them, and you are a part of this, this happiness. This is a day that lasts forever, this noon, this celebration, until you look and see -
Even C.C. is here.
She moves towards you, a slice of pizza half-raised to her mouth as she eats while moving, and you smile to see her, for once. Her eyes are molten golden suns of their own, set beneath the red horizon blazoned across her forehead; her hair reflects the grass in jade.
We did it, you say, and this moment, this forever moment, is something you want to give to her. Maybe then you can understand her, understand the forever she's lived.
She gives you a disparaging look you know all too well.
Lelouch, you idiot, she sighs. Did you honestly think it was going to be that easy?
And her voice cuts through this, cuts across this forever moment, jars against the harmony, chills even the sun. You frown. Wha--
Wake up, you idiot, she says, jabbing you in the chest with two fingers. You've got too much work to do.
[ Lelouch wakes up, one arm across his face as he lies sprawled on the straw mattress.
The disappointment wells up for a moment, before he chokes it down. Of course, it had to be C.C. ]
Damn woman.
[ - he says aloud, and rolls over to go back to sleep. ]
You recognize this field - you've had picnic lunches and games of tag and impromptu chess matches here, back in the Before days, back with Mother and Nunnally and Euphie and Cornelia and Clovis and any other half-siblings whose mothers cared to visit Marianne the former commoner and her half-common children. But you hadn't known that then; you'd only known sunshine and buzzing cicadas and helping Nunnally weave a daisy chain to surprise Cornelia-nee-chan with, back before her eyes had gone steely and hardened with the wars.
It's somewhere near the Aries Villa, which is now owned by Britannia again, or maybe it was lost in the bombings, you can't even remember anymore - but that isn't important. What's important is that now you're here, and you're wheeling Nunnally along, and you're coming over the crest of one rolling hill to find -
We wanted to surprise you, Lelouch, Nunnally says, reaching up over her shoulder and patting the hand you're pushing her chair with, because you've stopped and stared at all the people that are there, spread out over several quilts and tablecloths that seem to have been scavenged from the kitchens and bedrooms. It's okay, now.
What do you mean? you ask, because Euphemia is there, shouting happily and waving, and Cornelia is at her side, smiling in that soft way she reserves only for her sister, and Milly is there, lounging in a dress that is cut daringly low and snickering at Rivalz, who is practically falling over to flatter her, and Shirley, blushing to see you but laughing all the same, and even Nina is sitting at one end of the tablecloth, eating a cucumber sandwich and looking, for once, at ease, and even -!!!- even Suzaku is here, jogging up the hill and saying, Come on, you idiot, the ants are going to get everything!
You, dazed, let him take over Nunnally's chair, follow him down to the biggest, silliest picnic you've ever seen laid out, because Milly has somehow persuaded everyone to wear cat ears again in honor of Arthur the stray, who is curled up and purring in Nunnally's lap, and this is all way too silly. What took you so long? Euphie asks, her eyes as bright as sky reflected in sea. What took you so long, Lelouch?
I don't know, you protest, this was a surprise, if I'd known, I would have - but she's laughing and handing you a gooey peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich, saying We would have saved you one of the good ones, but Rivalz ate them all -
Well, he did take forever, Rivalz is protesting, and behind him you can see another group of people you'd completely missed - there's Kallen, and Ougi, and Tamaki, and Sugiyama and Rakshata and Diethard, all interacting with everyone else, and when Kallen sees you, she elbows Ougi and the Black Knights descend on you, patting you on the back and Tamaki's pouring beer on your head and Kallen is punching you in the arm and asking, What took you so long, Lelouch? Huh?
You don't get it.
Don't be so silly, Milly titters, popping up behind you. You won, didn't you?
At this, the Black Knights roar their approval and another round of hugs and back-thumping and alcohol (why this picnic has alcohol when only about five present are of age is beyond you) goes around, and Suzaku puts his hand on your shoulder from behind. You turn to face him.
You did it, he says, and there is quiet happiness in his eyes. But before you can answer, Milly is pressing another sandwich on him, and Shirley grabs your arm and I'm so glad, she says, smiling, I'm so glad, and now you are looking around, and realization is dawning, and -
Euphie is talking to you now, and she looks happier than you can ever remember.
We're so glad, she says.
And you, finally, smile.
Well, I'm sorry it took so long, you say, and everyone bursts out laughing and Kallen has pulled her cat ears off and is attempting to strangle Rivalz with them, and Nunnally is folding origami cranes that fly on the wind when she throws them, and you are a part of this, this happiness. This is a day that lasts forever, this noon, this celebration, until you look and see -
Even C.C. is here.
She moves towards you, a slice of pizza half-raised to her mouth as she eats while moving, and you smile to see her, for once. Her eyes are molten golden suns of their own, set beneath the red horizon blazoned across her forehead; her hair reflects the grass in jade.
We did it, you say, and this moment, this forever moment, is something you want to give to her. Maybe then you can understand her, understand the forever she's lived.
She gives you a disparaging look you know all too well.
Lelouch, you idiot, she sighs. Did you honestly think it was going to be that easy?
And her voice cuts through this, cuts across this forever moment, jars against the harmony, chills even the sun. You frown. Wha--
Wake up, you idiot, she says, jabbing you in the chest with two fingers. You've got too much work to do.
[ Lelouch wakes up, one arm across his face as he lies sprawled on the straw mattress.
The disappointment wells up for a moment, before he chokes it down. Of course, it had to be C.C. ]
Damn woman.
[ - he says aloud, and rolls over to go back to sleep. ]