Chapter Text
In his first life, Rolo visited Pendragon more than once. The instance that strikes him as the most memorable is, of course, the one that had involved his brainwashed big brother, after the original debacle in Europia.
At the time, Lelouch was only a target for Rolo. But today, he is family. And soon, he will become the emperor he was always meant to be.
But before Lelouch can take the throne, they still have to bury the past—literally, and to this end, he, Nunnally and Euphemia are heading toward Pendragon.
“Are you nervous?” Nunnally asks him.
“Not really.” She gives him a knowing look and Rolo decides to abandon the pretense, at least in front of her. “A little. I’m not sure I’m ready to be Rolo vi Britannia.”
“Of course you are.” Nunnally squeezes his hand tightly, and there’s a strength in her small hands that he only ever saw in his big brother. The two of them are so different and yet, so alike. “You were robbed of your life, just like I was. But we will do better now, and if we’re here, it’s so that we can help and support Lelouch.”
There’s a shadow on her face that wasn’t there before. Her eyes hold a dark resentment, the same one that echoes hollowly in his chest. It’s a burden she should’ve never had to carry, but Rolo consoles himself with the fact that the culprits for their tragedy—their disgusting parents and V.V.—have paid the price for separating them.
He won’t ever tell Nunnally the truth, of just how much they had to go through for that to happen. He won’t ever tell her of that fateful night in Tokyo, when his big brother had trusted him to go get her after he’d been betrayed by Sir Kururugi and Rolo had repaid him for that trust by planning to kill her. Nunnally will only ever know the truth of their reunited family.
“You’re right,” he tells her. “That’s why we’re here.”
“Big brother carries a heavy burden.” Nunnally sighs. “I wish sometimes that he would let me help carry it, but it's apparent that I can't. Or at least, that’s what he thinks."
"I guess that's what C.C. and Suzaku are for."
Nunnally clenches her jaw and that resentment flares in her eyes again. “Yes, and it’s not like I don’t appreciate it. Suzaku has been our friend for so long and C.C. cares about Lelouch.” Her hold on the handles of her wheelchair tightens so much her knuckles go white. “But Rolo, I’m just not sure... Suzaku is so different from what I remember him to be.” She pauses, deep in thought, perhaps not sure how to phrase her doubts. “In any case, we have to make Lelouch see that he can trust us too. But how can we when... When I'm like this, a useless cripple, a broken half a person?”
“No, don’t say that!” Rolo rushes to reassure her. “You’re not useless and broken!”
But he knows his words fall on deaf ears. How can Nunnally not believe these things when their big brother has always strived to protect her, almost to a suffocating extent? He can’t do that anymore, not really, and neither can Rolo.
A worm of an idea wriggles at the back of his mind. Nunnally isn’t wrong. They have to make Lelouch turn to them more often. After all, can they really rely on C.C. and Sir Kururugi?
Nunnally may not know it, but Sir Kururugi’s loyalties always changed like the weather. He claims he believes in Lelouch now and he’s supported Lelouch’s new rise to power, but what’s to say that won’t change?
He was always in love with Euphemia and Euphemia is still alive now. He may be planning to see her behind Lelouch’s back.
And then there’s C.C. She was always selfish and her only interest in Lelouch was getting rid of her code. She can’t do that any longer, because Lelouch has V.V.’s code. What if, in time, she decides to turn away from him, to find another contractor that will fulfill her end goal?
There’s only one conclusion to this. He and Nunnally must stand together for Lelouch’s sake, even if Nunnally doesn’t know the truth about the time travel. "There may be a way... That power big brother mentioned... If you recall, Sir Kururugi has it too."
"I think I remember Lelouch saying that, yes,” she replies. “But how does that help me?"
"Sir Kururugi’s power is more physical. I don't really understand how it works, but he's able to absorb the wounds of other people into himself. Once they're... inside him, they heal. Or so I hear. It's a little new, and I think he doesn't use it much. He doesn't want to chance accidentally maiming himself and not being able to continue his duties as big brother's knight."
He’s never spoken with Nunnally about the details of Geass before, but he’s pretty sure Lelouch is planning on helping Nunnally with Sir Kururugi’s Geass anyway. So telling Nunnally this should be fine. This way, they can start planning ahead, so Sir Kururugi and C.C. won’t get a chance to sink their hooks in deeper into his brother than they already have.
"That makes sense,” Nunnally offers. “I don't think I would want big brother to lose Suzaku's protection on my account anyway."
Of course she would say that, because she’s always been kind. But this time, that’s not what Rolo wants. "Anyway, Sir Kururugi has already said that he'll practice it, so that he can help me later."
"Help you?" Nunnally repeats. "Why would he need to help you? Are you ill?"
Rolo tenses, wondering if he shouldn’t have mentioned that. The last thing Nunnally needs right now is to worry about him too. "Uh..."
Nunnally shoots him a pleading, almost desperate look. "Big brother Rolo... Please, don't start keeping secrets from me too."
"I have a weak heart," Rolo confesses after a moment of hesitation, "because of what happened... before. But I'm fine, mostly. It only happens when I use my own power. The rest of the time I'm safe."
Nunnally frows, and Rolo knows she doesn’t completely believe him. That’s going to have to wait. "Anyway," Rolo adds quickly, "that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is that maybe, Sir Kururugi can help you too. And when that happens, we'll both be able to stand by Lelouch’s side, properly."
“You really think so?” Nunnally asks, her voice shaking with poorly concealed hope. “You really think I can walk again?”
It occurs to Rolo that he might be giving her false hope, that he has no idea if Sir Kururugi can even help her in this way. But no, he has to believe that it is possible. If nothing else, his big brother will make sure Nunnally receives care once Sir Kururugi is no longer needed as a permanent security measure.
“I think there’s a good chance. But we have to deal with this carefully. I hate to ask this, but we can’t rush.”
“I understand that, Rolo. I will trust you on this.”
Rolo smiles and picks up her hairbrush once again. As he starts combing her long hair, his mind whirls, going over countless plans.
He’s nowhere near as smart as his brother but he’ll be a prince of Britannia soon, and that means supporting Lelouch—in ways the trecherous Sir Kururugi and C.C. never can.
****
Charles zi Britannia is buried with as much fanfare as was expected, in the mausoleum that holds the remains of all the other leaders of the Holy Britannian Empire. It’s the same place Suzaku destroyed in his past life, on Lelouch’s orders, and he finds it a little ironic that it would have survived the bombing of Pendragon. Maybe when it came to Britannia, the dead were always luckier than the living.
He shakes off his dark musings and tries to remain upbeat and focused. Even so, he can’t shake the feeling that they’re missing something.
It doesn’t take him long to find out what’s bothering him. Rolo and Nunnally finally arrive a little before the ceremony is due to start and just by looking at them, Suzaku knows something has gone wrong.
Lelouch sees it too, and he tenses. Still, he welcomes his siblings with enthusiasm, and they only have smiles for him. Nunnally hugs him tightly when he kneels by her wheelchair. “Big brother! We missed you so much.”
Suzaku and C.C. watch from the scene from the distance. “I thought you and Rolo reached a truce, Suzaku,” C.C. comments.
“We did. I don’t know what this is all about.”
C.C. hums thoughtfully. “It’s just the regular progression of things. This was always going to happen. Nunnally might not be the same person she was in our past timeline, but she’s still Lelouch’s sister, with everything that means.”
“I don’t think she’s making plans to assassinate me, C.C. She has no reason to.”
“That would depend on how you look at things and on what Rolo tells her. The two of them have grown awfully close and Rolo has betrayed past promises for the sake of loved ones before.”
It’s a sobering thought, but it’s also true. Lelouch cares deeply about Rolo, and he did even before he knew they were blood siblings. But Suzaku still remembers a time before that affection existed, and how it all came to pass.
He’d like to say that Rolo wouldn’t betray Lelouch, but at this point, they can’t know for sure. The only person he trusts one hundred percent with Lelouch is C.C., and after that come Orange and Sayoko. But maybe he’s just jumping at shadows here. It stands to reason to Nunnally wouldn’t be exactly enthused about what’s been going on and the things she just remembered. She’s still fairly young and the memories she was given would have affected her.
“Let’s hope things will get better once Lelouch is emperor.”
C.C. nods, but Suzaku has a feeling she doesn’t really believe it. They’re both relieved when Euphie shows up as well, interrupting the conversation between the three vi Britannias.
She’s with her own knight, but that doesn’t stop her from tackling Lelouch. Lelouch is only halway to his feet when she launches herself at him so he stumbles and falls on his ass.
“Euphie? What?”
“I was worried!” she says, flustered. “Sorry... I didn’t mean to knock you over.”
Euphie’s impulsiveness is like a breath of fresh air. Smiling, Suzaku joins them. “My lady... Can I please help you up?”
Euphie flushes, but takes his hand anyway. It’s not awkward and he’s once again so glad that they can do this, that they can go forward despite his current inability to see her in a romantic light.
Lelouch clears his throat, looking a little embarrased as he struggles to regain his composure and dignity. “We should go. We left Cornelia in charge, but she still needs us.”
“Of course, of course,” Euphie says. “Let’s go.”
After that, their small group falls silent, the solemnity of the day dropping their mood further. Today may be the official burial for Charles, but there have been so many people who’ve been buried in the past couple of weeks.
The grizzly task of identifying all the bodies had originally fallen to Nonnette, but it was only later that they’d managed to bury everyone in an all new cemetary located in the outskirts of Pendragon. They hadn’t received such pompous farewells and they’ll be nothing be numbers in the death count statistics of an imperial civil war. But Suzaku knows all about being a number, and to him, such regrets are now fleeting.
As long as he manages to ensure Lelouch’s ascension to the throne and the safety of his family, everything else is secondary. And that includes Nunnally and Rolo.
The ceremony itself is solemn and unsettling. The transport carrying the emperor’s body is guarded by a squadron of guards carefully vetted by Cornelia. Most of the remaining Knights of Rounds—with the exception of Gino—flank them in their respective knightmares. The Lancelot and the Tristan are behind the transport, with the civilian members of the royal family being driven to the burial site in separate vehicles. Lelouch has chosen to leave the Gawain behind for today, taking C.C. with him in one of the cars. Countless Britannians have come to witness the event, sensing it is the end of an era.
It makes Suzaku uncomfortable, since it reminds him of the day of the Zero Requiem. But he does his job anyway and tells himself it’s only temporary.
“Is it?” a small voice whispers at the back of his mind. “You don’t have a code. For all you know, you’re going to die and leave them behind. And that wouldn’t be such a waste, would it? They don’t need you anymore.”
Suzaku clenches his fists around the controls of the Lancelot. They feel familiar in his hands and they anchor him a little. It’s stupid to think about such doubts at a time like this, but he can’t help it.
Lelouch always turned to him in the past because he didn’t have anyone else to rely on. But now, that’s no longer true. He’ll have all the Rounds to serve him, his sister to help him, C.C. to guard him and love him. Where will Suzaku fit in the picture?
The question sticks with him all throughout the ceremony. He watches the guards deposit the coffin in a mausoleum and keeps a close eye on the crowd, just in case someone decides to do anything crazy.
Lelouch is immortal now, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Nothing happens—or at least, nothing they didn’t already foresee. Lelouch and Cornelia step forward together to give their father the appropriate send off and make the announcement everyone is waiting for. Euphie, Nunnally, and Rolo stand by their side in silence.
“Today, we mourn the passing of a great man,” Cornelia says. “For many years, my father served Britannia to the best of his ability. Throughout these decades, our country has grown and progressed, making Britannia advance to the future.”
“He and I had our differences, but I believe his main goal was the same as mine—to build a better, stronger Britannia, one that will outlive us all,” Lelouch states.
“We stand here today, saying our goodbyes to out father, and looking toward a new future.” Cornelia’s tone remains grim and dark. “And so, it is with deep regret that we must announce that our older brother, Schneizel, is very ill.”
It’s not news to anyone but the crowd still shifts in visible restleness. Lelouch puts a halt to it when he continues to speak. “We do not know when he will recover from the attack against him. The dynasty only has six people left. But as always, Britannia must move forward. And to this end, I will take the throne, as the 100th emperor of the realm. My siblings, Cornelia, Nunnally, and Rolo, will all work with me to make sure such tragedies never happen again.”
The phrasing carefully focuses on Lelouch’s role, while including Rolo in the family anyway. Because of the numerous children Charles had, a lot of Britannians couldn’t keep track of every single imperial heir, so they don’t find Rolo’s presence that odd or dismiss the unusual fact as irrelevant in light of the more important announcement.
Suzaku half-expects the Britannians to be displeased. He still remembers their attitude toward Lelouch in their past life. But as a testament to how much things have changed, everyone bursts into applause. Their earlier restlessness vanishes. Some people start to cry, but they are tears of relief. Lelouch’s sheer presence and charisma gives Britannians hope.
The ceremony ends shortly after that, and the whole family returns to their respective vehicles. Normally, they’d have all relocated to a separate building, but with repairs in Pendragon still underway, they don’t have anything appropriate at their disposal. They’ve mostly been using mobile bases while they struggle to put everything back in order.
After today, Euphie, Nunnally, and Rolo will, of course, return to St. Petersburg. But that will only happen after the siblings spend some well-deserved time together.
It’s unkind of Suzaku, but he wishes he could fast-forward through this part. It’s not that dislikes their company per se, but it feels like an unnecessary delay.
Or maybe he’s still insecure and wondering if any moment now, Lelouch will go back to the way he was and throw himself into dedicating his life to his younger sister.
Since he’s still in charge of security and of the Lancelot, it takes him a while to meet up with the others. He tracks them down with a fair amount of ease. There’s a subconscious pull in his contract with C.C. and while he can’t use it directly, like she does, his feet instinctively carry him to the right room.
The moment he steps inside, Lelouch greets him with a smile. “Suzaku. Come, sit with us.”
He’s on a small couch, with C.C. more or less draped over him.. She moves as soon as she sees Suzaku, climbing onto Lelouch to give him room.
It’s ridiculously obvious that she had been stalling until Suzaku’s arrival, and Suzaku loves her a little more for that. As soon as he sits down, she plops her legs into his lap. She comes awfully close to hitting him in the groin in the process, but he doesn’t really mind it.
“When are you hosting the coronation, big brother?” Nunnally asks, her voice mellow and soft.
“Probably in a few weeks. We’re going to do it in St. Petersburg instead of here. It’s not the best solution, but we honestly can’t wait until we rebuild everything and Britannia needs stability.”
Cornelia nods. “Besides, I’ll much prefer it when we’re all together in one place. I know Schneizel should be safe there, and Kanon is keeping an eye on him, but still, I’m uneasy.”
Euphie bites her lower lip in clear concern. “Do you think you’ll be able to help him again, Suzaku?”
Suzaku blinks in surprise, having not expected to be addressed, especially not on that topic. His Geass was an issue that had been left pending until further notice. “I’m not sure. We’ll try, but right now, the priority is making sure the empire is stable.”
He half-expects Nunnally to ask about it, since she is the only one here who isn’t completely informed of his ability. During their first conversation about Geass, Lelouch mentioned that almost everyone in his entourage possessed the skill, but he never went into detail.
Nunnally doesn’t comment, but she’s visibly tense. Based on that and on Rolo’s overall attitude, it’s obvious that he let something slip.
In the end, when Cornelia and Euphie leave, Lelouch asks Nunnally and Rolo to stay behind. “You’re thinking about why I’m not asking Suzaku to help you, aren’t you, Nunnally?”
“Not exactly, big brother,” she replies. “I just... I wish I could do more. Of course I trust your judgment and I’m not selfish enough to make Suzaku use his skill for my sake.”
That’s a lie, but Suzaku doesn’t mind it. “I do want to help you, Nunnally, but my ability is very new and I’m not confident I won’t do more harm than good.”
She nods, but there’s a mildly displeased expression on her face that reminds him of a different time, when she had been empress and he, her guardian and her enemy. Like he told C.C., he doesn’t think she’ll ever try to murder him again, but there is a trace of resentment there. He doesn’t blame her. She’s been paralyzed for so long that the prospect of changing that must look almost like an impossible dream, a brighter, better new future. He’s keeping that from her because of his lack of training.
Lelouch’s eyes flash with a quiet pain at the sight of his sister’s obvious suffering. Just because of that, Suzaku is very tempted to make the attempt to help anyway.
He opens his mouth to offer, but C.C. grabs his knee before he can say a word. “You’ll wait, Princess Nunnally, just like we have,” she says. “It’s not ideal, but the world isn’t an ideal place. You’d best get used to it.”
Her voice sounds cold, and not for the first time, Suzaku remembers how perceptive the witch can be. She claims to not resent Nunnally, but Suzaku doesn’t think that’s really true.
There are so few things C.C. treasures that even the slightest threat is a problem to her these days.
“C.C., don’t,” Lelouch says. “Now’s really not the time to fight.”
“I’m not fighting, boy.” C.C. smiles, but it’s a mockery of the softer, warmer expressions he’s grown accustomed to. “I’m just making a point. Someone has to prioritize you two, and I’ll just have to be the one to do it.”
The prospect of him absorbing Nunnally’s injury bothers her. But how can he not help, if his contract gives him the chance? After all these years, he doesn’t feel the same closeness to Nunnally as he used to, but still, he cares about her and she remains Lelouch’s little sister.
“C.C., this is my choice too, you know. Nobody is forcing me. And it’s not like we’ll jump into things.”
C.C. huffs. She obviously doesn’t believe it. “Sure you won’t, White Reaper.”
Nunnally seems confused at the way C.C. addresses Suzaku, but C.C. doesn’t give Lelouch’s sister the chance to ask any questions. “I want pizza, Lelouch,” she says as she gets up. “With extra bacon. What do you want, Suzaku?”
She’s already fiddling with her phone and Suzaku indulges her. “Tuna for me.”
“Wonderful.”
She walks away, seemingly intent on going after the pizza herself. There’s just one problem. She has to bypass Nunnally on her way to the door.
Nunnally’s impulse was always to reach out for others, especially when they’re upset. “C.C., why are you angry with...?”
As she speaks, Nunnally makes a grab for C.C.’s hand. C.C. moves away, but their bodies brush slightly regardless.
It should not have made a difference. C.C. has touched plenty of people since they’d come back in time, and it hasn’t been an issue.
But somehow, it matters. C.C. staggers and from beneath her fringe, Suzaku sees the sigil of her code light up.
Nunnally’s eyes grow wide. For a few seconds, she doesn’t utter a single sound. Suzaku dares to entertain the mild hope that maybe things aren’t as bad as they could have been.
He really should have known better. Nunnally screams, an inarticulate, visceral cry of pain that reaches into Suzaku and squeezes. It’s the same heart-wrenching sound she let out when she watched Suzaku stab Lelouch, the day of the Zero Requiem.
Fuck.