Forgotten Prince

"Mh....I started...I think I was eleven...maybe it was more than fifteen years...math has never been my specialty....twenty seven...minus..." He mumbled to himself, but then she put on the CD and Clarissa began to settle.

"It didn't sound like he was happy with Suzaku's request when asked, but no one can deny that it works for her," she paused to listen to the lullaby as well. "I doubt he learned it from our mother since he's only three years older than me, but I like to think he did."

That was adorable, although he'd heard that it wasn't necessarily the safest thing to do as some people were such heavy sleepers that they rolled over and accidentally hurt the baby and didn't wake up....

"Thanks, that really helps," he mimicked the motion he was told about, wanting her to be completely calm before he put her down in the crib. He wanted her to feel safe, although now that Nunnally was here, he was sure that might help.

True, but if she recalled, Lelouch would only do that in a very controlled setting. Always with a second set of eyes and...little barriers set up so he can't roll. He'd thought about it a lot.

She was sure that's why he handed Clarissa to Reuben. Because he didn't have time to set up the safety precautions.

"How old were you when you'd babysit?" She didn't know how old he was at the moment." She went over to the bookshelf that seemed to also have little homemade CDs on it and opened up the player that rested on top of the unit. "This should help even more. Suzaku wanted to provide her lullabies, so he had Lelouch record himself singing them."

She pressed play and the unmistakable sound of Lelouch's piano was heard--along with a little embarrassed mumble. Then he started singing. Quiet and soft.

A remarkable voice, hidden from the world.

Not for the first time, he found that he was incredibly concerned about the pair of them--thankfully, he was going to be in town for a few more weeks before he had to travel again, so he could help out some until he had to go on his flight.

He was heading toward the crib when Nunnally wheeled in and he offered a smile despite knowing she couldn't see it.

"Oh!" A smile came to her face as well, remembering the few pleasant interactions she'd had with him. She wheeled herself a little closer. "Yes, I believe so. If he just fed her, he usually tries to get her to nap afterward."

She thought it was adorable how he sometimes napped with their baby. Though it was still very obvious how Lelouch had his reservations about even having a child...there was no doubt that he did love her. She was there to witness his reaction to meeting his baby for the first time, after all.

It wasn't shocking at all to him that she started crying--he was an unfamiliar person after all and she had been handed to him so suddenly. He was impressed he managed to get out of the room first though, so thankfully her crying shouldn't wake Lelouch.

Her room was colored a pale red, her crib sitting below the window which was adorned with a deep crimson curtain that was double-layered with a sheer black fabric.

She already had a chest of toys that were appropriate for a newborn--easy access for the parents to entertain their child.

There was a rocking chair set in the corner of the room, along with a bookshelf beside it full of baby books--some even in braille, just in case Lelouch wanted to read to her. There was also a changing table settled against the wall. It was clear that Suzaku was taking on a lot of the responsibility.

Full time and dangerous job, changing the baby, taking care of both Lelouch and Nunnally...

He took Clarissa when he was handed her, cradling her close and automatically making sure she was supported properly in his arms--those instincts never quite left him, no matter how long it had been since his last babysit.

But then Lelouch laid down right there and went to sleep.

Reuben let out a soft, amused chuckle and his smile softened. "Good night." He turned to Clarissa, amused that Lelouch hadn't even been able to stay awake enough to describe her routine or tell him where she was supposed to be put down for a nap, but--

The infant continued to wiggle her legs until she was cradled in the stranger's arms--so then she started wiggling her arms. She did indeed get her fingers tangled in Reuben's hair and tugged, all while she stuffed the fingers of her other hand in her mouth.

"Anyone with half a brain cell would be able to reason that hurting you could easily be construed as a threat to him. They can't hurt him, so they go after his family. Just as dangerous to do anything to you, either, lest they get themselves on the wrong side of the one person that gives a shit and has the power to do something about it." Unless they were stupid. Or had a death wish.

But, Akira thought, curiously watching Lelouch (where was C.C in all this...? If Lelouch didn't find her, then where did she go? Did she exist at all?) and continuing to admire how confident he looked, despite his Probably Blindness.

"...Good to have a place you can be yourself, though." He added, moving to lean against a counter. "Especially in this day and age." As far as Britannia was concerned, 'culture' was a disease that needed curing. "Promise on my heart, my soul, and my Japanese heritage that I won't make things any harder on you two." Then after a moment, he could n't help but make a quiet, amused chuckle, and added;

...Him?

Lelouch continued about making the tea, picking up bits and pieces of what Akira was saying. He also noticed the fidgeting...

When it was finished, he separated the drink into two different cups, going purely off of sound alone to tell how full it was and when to stop. He turned the stove off when he was finished and walked over to the table, setting both cups down just before he took a seat.

"Of course," his chest felt warm...it was nice that he could be helpful in situations like these. He was about to insist that if he was going to pass out he get up and go to a bed, but then he was asked--

A soft smile made its way to his face--and even though Lelouch couldn't see it, he was sure that it was obvious in his voice. "Green!" He leaned in to make sure the towel wasn't necessary anymore--

"Mmm..." He still didn't know what colors looked like, but he'd been told what Suzaku's eye color was, as well as his own. So she had Suzaku's eyes...

He paused, shifting his hold to under Clarissa's arms and held her up toward where he'd heard Reuben's voice. He didn't say a word, but when he felt the weight leave his hands--

He didn't make any move to get up or go to his bedroom...he simply laid down on the couch.

Oh.

"...Thank you."

That was a relief. More of a relief than Reuben probably knew, even if he could guess at it. While he didn't really mind his blindness now, he'd had years to learn how to live his life with it.

He wouldn't wish total blindness on an infant. And though she was sighted at birth, he was sure Nunnally had the same thoughts and emotions on this topic.

Again, he focused his hearing on her, waiting for her little burps to slow and whines to stop. He waited for a calm and content Clarissa.

Annnnd that's what he definitely had expected to hear based on the look on Lelouch's face. Before the other man could say anything about the towel, Reuben was already handing it to him--it had been draped nearby.

"You rub her back very gently--definitely don't try it without this though, it can be gross otherwise." Lelouch wasn't the type to get angry at the baby for something that she couldn't control--or at least he hadn't given Reuben that impression--so he bit down the anxiety and need to explain that she couldn't help but spit up sometimes.

Some people were horrible and he had seen quite a lot of it as a child, so it made him anxious.

She was still whining quietly--trapped gas was never fun. While he did what he was instructed to do, he let his thoughts wander.

"Ooops--sorry, I was a little bit more worried about you--" He apologized and immediately took his shoes off and set them aside. The green eyed little baby was absolutely precious, but he could practically see the exhaustion written all over Lelouch's face.

"Suzaku's tried helping me find time," in fact, Suzaku was the one taking on most of the parenting duties. Perhaps he hoped that letting Lelouch feed her would make them take a nap together.

Honestly, that sounded like Suzaku's reasoning.

Clarissa let out a quiet whine then, the bottle coming out of her mouth as she started squirming.

--Oh right.

The moment he had found out what was going on, he had been a great big mixture of excited and so very concerned for his friends. A baby wasn't something that you should go into unprepared--and from what little he'd been told, it sure sounded like Lelouch wasn't entirely prepared for this.

He was quiet as he entered because he was concerned that the baby could have fallen asleep and--as any parent of a newborn knew, or anyone who had been around one--those moments of sleep and quiet were exceedingly precious and at times far in between.

He carefully made his way over, making sure his shoes made noise but not enough to disrupt the baby.

"...No," he mumbled, still listening to her little gulps from the bottle and her breathing pattern. He couldn't see Reuben, but the little girl with forest-green eyes could. When he came into view, she stared at him while she enjoyed her milk--even kicked her feet out a little to express excitement.

Lelouch sighed, letting the hand that cradled her smooth out her soft hair.

“Neil play’s with his friends.”

“Is this working? Help?”

“We weren’t sure if he was part of IT”

“Do I smell burning?”

“Is you’re kid burning?”

“That was a good voice, use that voice.”

“Hi, I’m a chaotic neutral, I’m just your friendly game master that has no ill will.”

“Sticky fingers is now your nickname.”

“I have to put my tiny dog to bed.”

“The flower could be the answer to everything!”

“I’m bowing out of this joke right now.”

“That was a horrible role.”

“Can you hear that?” 

*Burp*

“I’m carrying around little sticks of butter.”

“So you nicked a whole bunch of things from an inn?”

“When in doubt, slather yourself in butter.”

“I can’t believe it is butter!”

“We’re not going there.”

“So I was holding up the butter, starring at this spider…”

“The power of a living god.”

“And I know I’m wrong but fuck it, i’m an idiot.”

“Who’s had their danger beverage?”

“I know I’m spending to much time on this but fuck it.”

“Is there something cool you’d like to say?”

“Look over here spider boy!”

“I want that slingshot!”

“Sorry, I’m really distracted right now.”

“Did you get anything for father’s day?”

“This was a happy child. and here I am, the sad child.”

“Go sit in your cowards box.”

“God those two are idiots.”

“I’m just going to have to try and ride it.”

“I somehow manged to trip over my own two feet and face planted in front of this guy.

“I’m being fair…kinda.”

“What’s the dandelion fluff called?”

“Why whole body just flung into the sky!”