Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tamaki Shinichiro was generally a people-person. That’s why he was in charge of the new recruits' dinner parties for the Black Knights, before Zero put a stop to that due to some misperceived notion that Tamaki was irresponsible with money. It was a total exaggeration! Regardless, Tamaki was not irresponsible with people. He’d helped grow the Black Knights’ numbers dramatically—not that Zero ever acknowledged those efforts—and he’d also helped the newbies learn the ropes. Many of them had never touched Knightmares before joining up. Tamaki could admit, after a few drinks, that he had trouble following orders and that he could be a bit on the crass side, but he also genuinely loved his people and would do anything for Japan’s freedom.

Tamaki thrived on those social interactions. He knew more about the people making up the Black Knights than just about anybody. Those nights of drinking did help build strong connections, and Tamaki was proud of how he stayed up-to-date on Inoue and Sugiyama’s on-and-off-again relationship (she didn’t like how he looked at other women), how he supported Ohgi when the man lost his virginity (after playfully ribbing his friend for taking so long, Tamaki did sincerely and painstakingly teach Ohgi about safe sex practices), how he sampled his neighbor’s new recipes because it gave her joy to share her food, how he helped the kid from the multigenerational family down the street score a job, how he helped some of the lost souls in the ghettoes find hobbies and purpose even beyond the Black Knights, how he basically cared about people’s lives with everything he did. Tamaki knew about the inner-workings of just about every Black Knight in the vicinity—except one.

As the months dragged on, Tamaki hit a wall every time he tried to learn more about their mysterious leader. The other core Black Knights talked behind Zero’s back, speculating, but they’d all stopped questioning him ages ago.

It was killing Tamaki inside.

At the end of another meeting where other Black Knights’ personal lives were woven into the discussion (Kallen’s school life with Kururugi Suzaku, Diethard’s work drama with his manager at the TV station, Rakshata’s old rivalry with some Britannian engineer who’d earned the ridiculous nickname ‘Earl of Pudding,’ Chiba’s obvious crush on Tohdoh, and Minami’s fascination with Princess Euphemia, among other things), Tamaki had had enough of the imbalance. He gritted his teeth and stood. He could tell that most of the other Black Knights expected some kind of melodramatic outburst—and, okay, maybe they’d be justified in anticipating one from him. But the current situation was horribly annoying, and it was time someone said something again. If it had to be him, then so be it. Tamaki would take one for the team.

Zero cocked his masked head at Tamaki. “Yes?” There was barely-concealed dread in his tone.

Tamaki was good at brushing that off. He straightened and found the words in his heart. “Zero, I didn’t trust you at first. I thought you were a right nutjob.” The other Black Knights gasped, but Tamaki plowed ahead with brazen audacity. “I still think you’re a nutjob, but you’ve proven you’re at least a good one. See what I’m saying?”

Zero nodded slowly. “I’m following.”

“You’re our leader,” Tamaki stressed, “but we still know next to nothing about you other than that you’re a crazy motherfucker who gets shit done. Hell, I know more about this Pretty Boy’s late-in-life sexuality crisis,” Tamaki said, waving robustly at a wincing Diethard, “than I do about you. And I’d rather know about you, man.”

Ohgi nodded thoughtfully. “He does have a point, Zero.”

Tamaki about fell over. He had Ohgi’s outward support! When had that happened in recent memory?

“The Black Knights are growing,” Tohdoh added, “and the organization has just been restructured. Isn’t it time you considered sharing a little more about yourself, Zero? You’re in it with us for the long-haul.”

Tamaki blinked repeatedly. He had the legendary Tohdoh’s support too. He was totally rocking this!

Zero’s aura turned immediately icy. “As I’ve said before, my personal life is irrelevant to the Black Knights. I am done discussing this topic.” With that final word, he moved determinedly towards the exit.

Tamaki buckled down, overcome with passion. “Come on, Zero! We follow you into battle. Some of us die for you. I get that your identity is some fancy secret, but we don’t know almost anything about you. It’s a shame because you’re one of us.”

Zero stopped short. Without turning around, he recited, “Zero is a symbol—"

“Bullshit!” Tamaki yelled, slamming a fist on the table. The other Black Knights were looking at him with newfound respect. Yoshida was giving him a subtle thumbs up, giving Tamaki the strength to keep pushing the envelope. “Like, yeah, okay. In a sense, Zero is a symbol. I get it. But beneath that mask, you’re a damn person like the rest of us. We’re comrades, and we don’t even know your favorite freaking color.”

Zero remained still as he processed Tamaki’s argument. Then, without a word, he strode from the room with stiff shoulders, his cape swishing in his wake.

The Black Knights heaved a collective sigh.

“It was a valiant effort,” Diethard said, giving Tamaki a deep nod. He didn't seem bothered that Tamaki had used his personal life as a point.

Kallen’s eyes were bright as she gave Tamaki a rare hug. “I always knew you cared.”

“We all care,” Ohgi mused, looking worriedly at the empty doorway. “He must be so lonely, always careful to keep himself separate from the rest of us. Scared of letting himself be human.”

“Well,” Tamaki growled, “I’d respect him more if he let himself be human around us!”

“I agree." Chiba sent Tohdoh a quick look of telling admiration. “It’s motivating to know your leader as a person.”

Tohdoh appeared deep in thought. “I understand where he’s coming from, to a degree. It is beneficial to keep certain details to yourself, especially in that kind of position. But he’s taking it to extreme levels.”

Asahina sighed, swapping a concerned look with Chiba. “About the only personal things we know are that he’s not Japanese and he’s incredibly smart. That’s not much.”

“It’s really not,” Tamaki said with a disappointed groan. Why didn’t Zero understand that he didn’t need to confine himself to the restrictions of a symbol with them? They all wanted to know the real him. “I’m not even asking Zero to tell us identifying information, you know, but he can still throw us a freaking bone after what we’ve been through together!”

The clack of footsteps sounded outside, and Zero reappeared in the doorway.

Falling silent, the Black Knights stared at him in heavy expectation.

Zero glanced to the side and cleared his throat. “…Violet.”

Tamaki’s heart pounded at the simple word. Even though it was such a small thing, he felt he knew Zero on a deeper level than ever before. He didn’t know what had made their masked leader change his mind, but Tamaki wasn’t about to question this new miracle.

“He answered,” Ohgi breathed in awe, his words almost lost beneath other Black Knights’ gasps.

Zero stepped fully inside the room, his body language tense in a way it had never been in actual life-or-death situations. When the murmurs died down, he added slowly, “Though I admit I’ve recently become partial to green as well.”

Tamaki grinned, his blood singing at such monumental progress. “Because of your woman’s hair?”

“Because of my boyfriend’s eyes!” Zero snapped, before shifting in never-before-seen awkwardness, like he hadn’t meant to let that slip.

Tamaki gaped, his mind spinning.

“Oh shit,” Sugiyama said, his face frozen in shock. Inoue tried and failed to hide a smile. Yoshida and Minami shared a triumphant glance as Diethard began digging in his wallet.

Kallen seemed torn at the bombshell, but she sent Zero a watery smile of support.

Ohgi stared at Zero like he was realizing anew just how much of a stranger their masked leader had been this whole time.

Tohdoh received Zero’s news with calm composure befitting of an experienced leader. “Violet and green, hm? Sound choices.”

Zero seemed to relax at the Black Knights’ easy acceptance. Then, taking his place once more at the head of the table, he said, “I still won’t share any identifying information about my true self. That’s my right.”

“Sure,” Tamaki agreed, bubbling with happiness as he moved past stunned surprise. “We absolutely respect that.”

Even with the mask, Zero shot Tamaki a doubtful look.

“Really!” Tamaki insisted, resisting the urge to pull Zero into a bone-crushing hug. Today was a huge step, but Zero wasn’t necessarily one of the guys yet.

Ohgi held out a welcoming hand, as if recognizing the importance of Zero’s reintroduction to the Black Knights as something beyond a mere symbol. “It’s enough that you’re cluing us in about the little things that make you, well, you.”

Zero shook Ohgi’s hand, still guarded but seemingly hopeful all the same.

Tamaki was good at reading people. Even masked people cloaked in secrets.

Turning to Diethard, Zero tilted his head. “So if you ever wanted to talk about your newfound sexuality crisis…”

Diethard’s jaw dropped at the personal offer. His wasn't the only one.

Zero discussing anything beyond their crusade against Britannia was unheard of.

Tohdoh looked on with a small, pleased smile as Zero connected to the Black Knights on a more human level.

Brimming with pride, Tamaki gave himself a mental pat on the back. He’d drawn Zero in. It was like he’d performed his own version of a Narita miracle. Grinning like a madman, Tamaki silently vowed to throw the Black Knights one of his raving dinner parties. After all, they had a resounding new reason to celebrate.

Chapter Text

Tamaki kept glancing at the empty seat at the head of the table. The other Black Knights were making small talk as they waited to begin, but for once Tamaki tuned it out. It was odd for their leader to be this late, especially when he demanded near-perfection from everyone (including himself). Had something happened?

“My apologies,” Zero said as he came in half an hour after the expected start time, rushing to his seat. “My younger sister is sick.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ohgi said after a brief moment of shock. “Family comes first.”

Tamaki puffed up with pride. It was a new day, and Zero was still showing his human side. And the Black Knights learned something about his family ties.

“I brought soup to my sick sister last week,” Yoshida said, connecting to Zero’s plight. “Her piece-of-shit husband was hooking up with other women instead of taking care of her.”

Zero nodded slightly. “Luckily that’s not a problem my sister faces. I would never let a sick bastard like that within fifty feet of her.”

The Black Knights chuckled amongst themselves.

“She’s lucky to have you looking out for her,” Kallen piped up, a soft look on her face. “Naoto protected me, too.”

Ohgi shot Kallen a small smile. “You know we’ve got your back now, Kallen.”

Zero stared at Kallen a long moment before inclining his head in respect. “Yes. And we’re going to do what we can to build a brighter future for little sisters everywhere. On that note…”

Tamaki followed along as the Black Knights tossed out ideas on how to fight Britannia and handle that despicable traitor, Kururugi Suzaku. Kallen kept suggesting that she use her schoolgirl persona to lure Kururugi somewhere isolated so the Black Knights could safely capture him outside of battle, but Zero was adamantly not onboard. Tamaki didn’t understand. Zero had used underhanded means in the past, most prominently at Narita, so why not now?

“This is going nowhere,” Diethard said after an hour of heated arguments. “Perhaps we should take a short break to think about the proposed ideas. Zero, your thoughts?”

Zero agreed, and most of the Black Knights took the opportunity to stretch their legs outside. Tamaki leaned back in his seat, wondering if he had the guts to question Zero again so soon. But then, the last time had ultimately been successful…

Diethard, who’d also remained in the meeting room, turned to Zero with an unreadable look.

Tamaki perked up. Diethard was of the same mind when it came to the Kururugi issue. Was he going to do the tough job of questioning Zero about their leader’s unreasonableness, and save Tamaki the hassle?

“How did you know you liked men?” was what came out of Diethard’s mouth.

Tamaki swapped an astonished look with Ohgi. Zero had offered to discuss his sexuality during their last meeting, but Tamaki hadn’t thought such a conversation would ever actually happen. It was far too personal.

But Zero only chuckled, and his voice was shockingly warm and happy when he answered. “It’s cliché, but I realized it when my now-boyfriend kissed me. The stars aligned, and it was all suddenly very clear.”

“He just kissed you?” Diethard prodded, one eyebrow inching up. “Without knowing if you’d be open to it?”

Zero waved it off with more low laughter. “He’s my best friend. I’d been wrestling with feelings for him that I didn’t understand, so when he asked if he could kiss me, I said yes. When he did, I didn’t want to let him go, so I knew.”

Ohgi’s face softened. “That’s sweet. And the rest was history, huh?”

Zero’s hand twitched on the table. “…More or less.” His voice was more subdued now, though Tamaki couldn’t pinpoint what had warranted such a change.

“So you’re best friends,” Tamaki said, jumping into the conversation to do some digging. “He’s more than a casual partner, then?”

Zero nodded firmly. “Yes. I see three potential futures for us.” Holding up his fingers, he outlined, “First, he and I will be together forever. Second, one or both of us will die. Or third, he will break up with me and I will swear off men for the rest of my life.”

Tamaki shared another stunned look with Ohgi.

“That’s rather dramatic, isn’t it?” Diethard asked, his forehead wrinkling. “People break up all the time.”

“All the time!” Tamaki agreed enthusiastically. “Three different chicks broke up with me last month, but I’m not letting it get me down.”

Ohgi snorted, shaking his head. “Finding relief at the bottom of a bottle isn’t ‘not letting it get you down,’ Tamaki.”

Zero sighed. “It’s different for us. I don’t exactly trust people.”

“No,” Tamaki gasped sarcastically, clutching his heart with overdramatic fanfare. “Really? We had no freaking idea.”

Ohgi flicked a paperclip at Tamaki for his daring with a warning frown.

“So to lose him,” Zero continued with a raised voice, “after letting him get so close to begin with…”

Tamaki bobbed his head. “Okay, okay. But that probably won’t happen, right? I mean, you’re awesome. You’re smart and driven. You even look after your lil’ sis.  Dude’s got no reason to break up with you.”

Again, Zero’s hand twitched. “Well, there is one thing…”

“Just one?” Tamaki quipped with another grin. “That’s not bad. My last ex wrote me a five-page letter detailing everything wrong with me.”

Ohgi let his head drop on the table. “Tamaki.”

Zero snorted.

Tamaki stared in wide-eyed astonishment, and Ohgi lifted his head from the table in slow motion. Diethard blinked rapidly.

Zero snorted again before laughing outright, throwing back his masked head.

“Are you…laughing at me?!” Tamaki demanded, simultaneously thrilled and outraged that such a noteworthy event happened at his expense.

They’d never heard Zero truly laugh, outside of his mad cackles when fighting Britannia. This was different. This was Zero letting loose with them. This proved Zero had a sense of humor. This further proved Zero was human.

“My apologies,” Zero managed as the echoes of his laughter died down. “That was rude of me.”

Tamaki bit back the curse that wanted to escape him. Human or not, Zero was still his leader. “Fine, whatever,” Tamaki huffed instead, crossing his arms. “You can make it up to me by letting me throw a fancy dinner party. You wouldn’t be invited, of course.”

“Of course,” Zero said—but he sounded strangely sad at being excluded. He gestured to his mask. “No point in me attending a dinner party when I can’t partake of the food.”

Ohgi glanced to the side with a sullen expression. “You could still hang out with us.”

Zero looked down.

“This has been nice,” Ohgi added, shooting Tamaki and Diethard an urgent “back me up!” look.

“Absolutely,” Diethard said in a rush. “Getting to know you better has been…fascinating.”

“What they said,” Tamaki gave in with slight groan. “Ugh, fine, you can come to the fancy dinner party. And you can bring your boyfriend too. We gotta make sure he’s up to our standards, you know?”

Diethard nodded enthusiastically. “Only the best of the best for you, Zero!”

Ohgi’s eyes were bright with laughter. “Yeah, it’s our duty as your faithful Black Knights to make sure this guy’s worthy of you.”

Zero shifted uncomfortably. “What happens if you decide he’s not?”

“We kill him,” Tamaki said immediately, miming stabbing someone.

Ohgi rolled his eyes. “We politely gang up on him until he either treats you better or runs off.”

Zero slowly hung his head. “If only that worked.”

“Huh?” Tamaki asked, sending the others a quizzical look. Once again, Zero was speaking nonsense.

“Never mind,” Zero said quickly, lifting his head. “Forget about it. Look, the others are coming back to resume the meeting. We’ll table this idea. Welcome back, everyone. After taking some time to think, I will consider…”

Tamaki slid down in his seat, mentally scratching his head.

Despite how much Zero was opening up, there were still so many damn questions.

Chapter Text

“I think this is nuts,” Tamaki complained, kicking the dirt.

“Shut up!” Ohgi hissed, sending Tamaki a warning look. “I think this is the best idea we’ve had so far.”

“Suck up,” Tamaki grumbled under his breath, scanning the abandoned construction site. Plenty of carefully-chosen Black Knights were hidden around the premises for their latest objective; Tamaki, despite being very firmly ordered to “stay away!” when Zero had briefed them on the plan, had sneakily tagged along with Ohgi anyway.

Ohgi glared at the ground, shifting into a more discreet position behind the stack of discarded steel beams. “I’m not sucking up,” he mumbled defensively. “I just think talking to the kid is worth another shot. Zero obviously thinks so too.”

“You’re just proud because it was your words that inspired Zero’s latest plan,” Tamaki disagreed, rolling his eyes. His voice pitched high and mocking as he quoted Ohgi from a recent Black Knights’ meeting, “‘We politely gang up on him until he either changes his mind or runs off,’ yeah fucking right. Like that’ll work on this traitorous little brat.”

Ohgi’s jaw tightened. “That wasn’t exactly what I said,” he protested through gritted teeth. “Besides, I was talking about something completely different.”

“Yeah, all right,” Tamaki agreed with a halfhearted shrug. “Hey, d’ya think we’ll ever get to actually meet Zero’s boyfriend?”

“Probably not,” Ohgi said, his shoulders stiffening as Kallen led the Kururugi boy onto the premises. “Now shut up—for real this time!”

Tamaki scowled but kept quiet. While he hated Kururugi, Tamaki admitted that at least the boy seemed wary as he hesitantly followed his known-terrorist classmate into a suspiciously deserted area. Maybe Kururugi wasn’t as stupid and trusting as Kallen had claimed.

Kururugi narrowed his eyes, stopping a good distance behind Kallen at the edge of the property. “What’s this all about?” His voice was tight and strained, his body braced for attack. His cagey gaze flitted around the construction site. “Where are the rest of your friends hiding, Kallen?”

Spinning around with her pouch-knife out, Kallen tried—and failed—to play innocent. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Tamaki smacked his forehead, sharing an incredulous look with Ohgi. Did Kallen always sound so unconvincing when acting? Did she remember that she was brandishing a knife at him?

Kururugi’s fingers twitched. “Don’t play dumb with me. I knew this was a trap from the moment you asked to speak to me.”

Kallen’s eyes widened in surprise, the knife falling slack. “Then why did you follow me?”

This time, Kururugi’s lips twitched into something resembling a smile. “Because even though we’re enemies, you’re still my friend from the Student Council. I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and whatever your plan is—I hope we can come to some sort of understanding.”

Tamaki rolled his eyes harder than ever. The kid was more naïve than Ohgi; maybe Kururugi was too stupid and trusting after all.

Tohdoh stepped into view from behind some barrels, his hands up and empty. “That’s exactly the plan, Suzaku.”

A hurt and yearning expression flashed across Kururugi’s face. “Tohdoh-sensei!”

Tamaki’s heart cracked, just a tad, at the boy’s reaction.

Tohdoh nodded deeply at his former student. “The middle of battle isn’t the best time to talk.”

“It’s not,” Kururugi agreed quickly, taking a few steps closer to his childhood mentor. “Tohdoh-sensei, you wouldn’t lie to me. I believe that, even in these circumstances. Are the Black Knights getting ready to ambush me? Kidnap me?”

“We are not,” Tohdoh said calmly, walking slowly and nonthreateningly to stand by Kallen’s side. “We simply want to talk. If you’re not interested, you are free to leave.”

“I’m interested,” Kururugi said at once, joining Kallen and Tohdoh in the middle of the construction site. He glanced around, asking, “And Zero?”

Kallen took a deep breath. “Zero didn’t think it would set the right tone if he came right away, considering your history, but he wants to talk, too.”

Kururugi’s eyebrow inched up. “Oh, he does, huh? Like last time?”

Kallen’s face scrunched with confusion. “What do you mean?”

“On the island,” Kururugi explained. “Well, I mean, the first one. Before we got swept to that other island. Zero said he wanted to talk, but then—”

“Then your side launched bombs at us,” Kallen interrupted, glaring at her classmate.

Kururugi flinched. “That wasn’t my decision. Besides, I was going to say…” He struggled to take a few breaths, then met Tohdoh’s eyes with a question. “Zero knew the truth about how my father really died.”

Tohdoh’s eyes widened the slightest bit, and he seemed genuinely surprised and hurt at the accusation lacing the boy’s words. “I would never betray you like that, Suzaku.”

Kururugi nodded. “I see. I believe you, Tohdoh-sensei. That…helps. To get some clarification, I mean. I’d been wondering.”

Tamaki was wondering too. What the hell was Kururugi on about?

“Wondering how he knew?” Kallen asked, tilting her head. “Are you sure you didn’t let it slip? You told me the truth on that island. We’re basically strangers, in the end.”

Kururugi shook his head slowly. “I told you because I was trying to save you from what I’ve suffered, Kallen. Besides, I didn’t know if all the Black Knights already knew.”

“As far as I was aware,” Tohdoh murmured, “that was still your secret.”

“I had one other potential idea about how Zero figured it out,” Kururugi sighed, looking resigned and defeated. “It leads to implications I don’t want to consider, but…”

Tohdoh nodded curtly. “Wait. Don’t rule out anything yet. Kirihara has also been in contact with Zero.”

Kururugi’s head shot up, his face conflicted. “Now I’m back to two leads. Then there’s still the possibility he’s not…”

Kallen and Tohdoh shared a concerned look as Kururugi trailed off.

Tamaki glanced at Ohgi in their hiding spot, but Ohgi seemed just as baffled by the scene they were spying on.

Kururugi sighed again, sounding like the lost teenager he actually was. “I hope it was Kirihara. Otherwise—well, I can’t stomach it.”

“Suzaku?” Kallen asked, sounding like she was worried for a friend.

Kururugi’s smile stretched tight. “Forget it. Anyway, on the island, Zero tried to blackmail me about what I did. Is that your angle today, too?”

A thunderous expression flashed across Tohdoh’s face. “Absolutely not.”

Tamaki had never seen placid Tohdoh look so outraged and protective.

“Zero wouldn’t!” Kallen protested, leaning forward with a defensive air of dejection. “He’s not heartless.”

Kururugi looked the most conflicted he had yet. “I don’t want to believe he is, Kallen.”

“We wanted you to come today so we could discuss how things currently stand,” Tohdoh said decisively, taking a seat on some half-built structure. “And how things might go in the future.”

Kururugi nodded, following suit—though he still tensed and seemed prepared to flee should the need arise.

“We have no intention of digging up anyone’s past sins,” Tohdoh said, his words causing the boy-enemy to relax somewhat. “Quite honestly, I think Zero made a misstep there when it came to you.”

Kururugi let out a strained chuckle. “Yeah, it wasn’t his best move.”

Despite not fully understanding the situation, Tamaki’s blood boiled at how Kururugi criticized Zero’s actions. The brat had some nerve!

“He must have had his reasons,” Kallen argued, doing her best to defend their leader even with the heavy doubt in her voice.

Kururugi hung his head, his shoulders trembling under the cloudy sky. “I can forgive him.”

“You can?” Tohdoh pressed, laying a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “That’s encouraging.”

Jerkily nodding, Kururugi said in a low voice, “I can. I can forgive him anything, if only—”

“If only what?” Kallen asked, sounding hopeful at the prospect of a better future.

But Kururugi only shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “It’s between me and him now.”

“There’s plenty of other things we need to discuss in the meantime,” Tohdoh said, signaling the hidden Black Knights. “There are a lot of people who want to understand you better, Suzaku. There are a lot of us who don’t want to fight you. This is between you and the rest of us now.”

Kururugi slowly lifted his head, his eyes widening as several unarmed Black Knights slipped from the shadows. Ohgi led the way, and the other core Black Knights from Naoto’s Resistance—along with many recent Black Knights recruits—emerged from their concealed positions. Senba and Urabe of the Four Holy Swords flanked the throng.

Tamaki followed last, fighting nausea as he joined his comrades. Confronting a known enemy so peacefully—it was ludicrous!

But, Tamaki privately admitted, maybe Zero was onto something. Kururugi did seem open to discussion. Both Tohdoh and Kallen had good things to say about the boy, too. Many across the Black Knights wanted Kururugi to join their ranks; hell, even Zero seemed desperate to persuade Kururugi to switch allegiance. There must be something Tamaki wasn’t seeing yet.

“Whoa,” Kururugi breathed in happy shock, glancing around the sea of Japanese people sending him tentative smiles. “You all…”

“We want to talk out a peaceful resolution,” Ohgi explained with a grin and a respectful Japanese bow. “Maybe you fight for Britannia, but you are still one of us.”

Tears shimmered in Kururugi’s eyes at the outpouring of support and acceptance rippling through the group.

Tamaki worked very hard to keep from gagging. As far as he was concerned, Kururugi had turned his back on the Japanese people the day he’d enlisted as an Honorary Britannian.

But then, the boy seemed so touched at these Black Knights’ easy inclusion of him…

And Kururugi had seemed so wistful at getting to reconnect with his childhood mentor…

Maybe Kururugi did care.

Maybe Kururugi wanted to be part of a Japanese community again.

For the first time, genuine curiosity stirred in Tamaki’s heart. What was Kururugi’s real story?

Tohdoh cleared his throat. “Suzaku, you mentioned that your goal is to change the Britannian system from within. So you agree that things need to change. Let’s start there.”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do,” Kururugi insisted, his green eyes desperate and distraught. “I want a better future for Japan. I’m going about it differently than you, that’s all. I promise I haven’t abandoned my people!”

Tamaki shoved his way through the crowd until he towered over Kururugi. Ignoring some of his comrades' shocked gasps and mutters of, “Didn’t Zero order him to stay behind?”, Tamaki met Kururugi’s gaze, direct and steadfast. The boy’s eyes were strikingly green this close and filled to the brim with passion and determination. Schooling his face and tone—because he could, damn it—Tamaki demanded, “How is you fighting for Britannia helping Japan? Explain it to me, ‘cause I don’t get it one bit.”

Kururugi nodded at the straightforward question, seeming relieved to have a chance to share his thought process. “Think about it. I’m the first Japanese to find a foothold in the Britannian structure. I’m the first Number to pilot one of their Knightmares, and I’m the first Number to be knighted in their system. I’m breaking the mold, and as time goes by, other Japanese will also benefit from extended privileges—”

“But it’s all just for show!” Kallen snapped. “Sure, you’re rising up in their society. But how many other Japanese are gaining any kind of freedoms?”

“I said, that part will take time,” Kururugi repeated himself. He didn’t sound completely convinced.

Tamaki’s curiosity roared up again. If he could just take Kururugi drinking and get him talking his true thoughts…

Damn. Kururugi had suddenly and unexpectedly become Tamaki’s next People Project.

Kururugi looked down, biting his lip. “I need to make things better, the right way. I can’t help Japan by rebelling. You don’t understand. I can’t kill.”

Tohdoh’s eyes flashed with understanding, and he squeezed Kururugi’s shoulder. “Suzaku, you and I can talk about that later, in private.”

Tamaki frowned, even as Kururugi sent Tohdoh a shaky smile. Eyes narrowing, Tamaki challenged, “Keep talking, kid. You say you can’t kill, but you kill us. Your supposed own people.”

Kururugi’s hackles went up, and Ohgi shot Tamaki a death glare.

Tamaki shrugged. “Look, I got a right to ask. We deserve to know.”

“You do,” Kururugi agreed tightly. “But let me clarify: I don’t fight to kill. Even when Britannia orders me to take you out, I…try to seem busy on the battlefield, but I don’t…I mean, I’ve been lucky so far… that they haven’t called me on it…that is, I’m a good fighter anyway…”

Kallen groaned, looking like she wanted to shake some sense into him. “I get that, Suzaku. I do! I also don’t want to kill. But, why won’t you join the Black Knights and fight for Japan? Zero won’t make you kill either.”

Kururugi glanced at Kallen incredulously. “You string up corpses for your propaganda.”

“So does Britannia,” Ohgi pointed out gently, like he was trying to slowly guide one of his previous students to see a different perspective. “Both sides have dirtied their hands. If you are looking to avoid bloodshed, then perhaps being involved in this war at all is the wrong choice for you.”

Kururugi inhaled sharply, stricken by Ohgi’s words. “I have to be involved. I have a responsibility…”

Tohdoh curtly shook his head again. “No, Suzaku. You’re putting a burden on yourself that exists only in your mind.”

“Lord Kirihara said—”

“Kirihara took a misstep with you, too,” Tohdoh interrupted darkly. “I should have said something back then, and I’m sorry I didn’t. You’ve let this wound fester inside you for far too many years. Forget what he said, because he was wrong.”

“I was wrong, too,” echoed from behind them all, and Tamaki whirled around to see Zero walking up to the group.

Kururugi swallowed thickly, eyeing Zero with another of his trademark conflicted expressions.

Tamaki’s head was reeling. To the best of his knowledge, Zero had never admitted that he’d been wrong. He’d never sounded regretful. Even when sharing inconsequential details about his personal life and happily reminiscing about his boyfriend, Zero had never sounded so goddamn human as he did at this particular moment.

Tamaki didn’t understand. Zero’s humanity was on full display for Kururugi, of all people.

Zero waited for the others to clear a path straight to Kururugi before strolling up and taking a seat across from him on the half-built structure. Bowing his masked head, Zero clasped shaking gloved hands together. “I cruelly crushed you and manipulated you when I spoke to you on that island. I said and did things—I never should have—I was heartless, and I’m sorry. Suzaku, you deserved better from me. I’ll be better for you from now on.”

Kururugi nodded haltingly as he processed Zero’s apology. “Please just tell me—how did you know?” He swallowed again, like the words were stuck in his throat. After a moment of obvious struggle, he finally managed a strangled whisper. “Was it Kirihara?”

“It was not,” Zero said in a low voice.

Kururugi froze, every line of his posture radiating agony. “Then it was Mao.”

“Indeed.”

Kururugi slumped, trembling, and he wiped at his wet eyes. “I don’t know why I—I mean, I figured…”

“Suzaku.” Zero’s voice was wretched and earnest, amplified by the mask. “Please, Suzaku…”

As confused as he was by everything happening, Tamaki was struck by how Zero addressed Kururugi by his given name. It was understandable that Tohdoh and Kallen spoke to the boy so informally, considering their relationship in other contexts, but Zero and Kururugi were enemies. Weren’t they?

“I’m sorry,” Zero said again, sounding completely miserable. “I’ll do anything I can to make things right.”

Tamaki had never heard so much emotion in Zero’s voice. He’d never witnessed such a range of emotion coming from their masked leader such as what he’d sensed over the past week or so, ever since Zero had started sharing more about himself.

Then Kururugi wasn’t looking at Zero like they were enemies. He was staring at Zero with a look of dawning wonder, his face softening and his green eyes bright with emotion. “It will be okay. I accept your apology, and we’ll figure things out. I believe in us.”

Zero’s masked head was riveted on Kururugi. “Suzaku.”

“…Zero.”

“Tamaki,” Tamaki said, pointing to himself as he interjected with a slightly crazed laugh. Ohgi frowned at him again, but Tamaki brushed it off. Other people might be cautious about overstepping, but Tamaki didn’t have time to worry about social cues. They had a nation to win back! With his hands on his hips, Tamaki snarked, “And Tamaki wants to know what Kururugi plans to do next, now that we’ve all talked some.”

Zero chuckled, focusing on what was most important. “Well, Suzaku? It’s your call. Whatever you choose, I’ll accept it.”

Kururugi blinked rapidly, seeming both surprised and pleased. “I need to think.” Then, with a furtive glance at Tohdoh, he added, “I also need to have some private conversations before committing to any decision.”

Zero dipped his head. “Wise words.”

Kururugi snorted, rubbing the back of his head, and sent Zero a look of easygoing affection. “What a compliment, coming from you.”

Tamaki’s eyes flared open at the sudden banter and suspiciously tender look. Kururugi seemed like a different person now that his walls were coming down. Whatever potential hard truth he’d mentioned having a tough time stomaching, didn’t seem to actually be a problem now that Zero had spoken. Plus, to Tamaki’s trained ear, Kururugi sounded fucking flirtatious. Annoyed at the boy-enemy all over again, Tamaki moved protectively in front of Zero—effectively separating them—and snapped, “Careful, brat. Learn your place. And don’t get any weird ideas, okay?! As of now, you’re still our enemy. And even so, Zero is already one hundred percent devoted to his special someone.”

Instead of seeming disheartened at Zero’s unavailability, Kururugi’s green eyes glowed brighter yet with pure elation. “Yeah,” he said, sounding soft and lovestruck as he lazily leaned around Tamaki to gaze at Zero with increasingly rapt adoration. “I know.”

A long moment of strained silence dragged on as Kururugi and Zero seemed fixated on one another.

Tamaki found himself holding his breath. He wanted to swipe Kallen’s knife to cut through the tension.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Kallen breathed, glancing between Zero and Kururugi with growing horror.

Tamaki shared her incredulity. Couldn’t the stupid brat take a hint?! And why wasn’t Zero saying anything to dissuade Kururugi's attentions? Every time Diethard tried to express the slightest interest, Zero was quick to shut that shit down, saying something about how much he wanted to only be with his beloved boyfriend forever. None of this was making any goddamn sense.

Jumping to his feet, Kururugi moved a few steps away and let out a carefree laugh. “On that note, I’m off. I’ll think about everything and—maybe we can all do this again soon?” he asked, glancing shyly over his shoulder at all the Black Knights hovering around.

Ohgi beamed. “We look forward to it, Kururugi.”

“It’s Suzaku.”

Tamaki squinted, tilting his head. “Brat,” he insisted, understanding the boy-enemy was no longer quite ‘Kururugi’ but becoming something between his two names.

The brat seemed to understand, if the playful grin he shot Tamaki was any indication. “You’re growing on me, Tamaki.”

Tamaki’s fingers curled into a fist at the brat’s nerve. “I have that effect on people,” Tamaki growled with a swift, proud glance at his masked leader.

The brat’s eyes sparkled with warmth and humor, his gaze following Tamaki’s and softening all over again. “That’s…that’s good. Keep doing whatever you’re doing. I mean it.”

Tohdoh stood abruptly before Tamaki could figure out how to respond, fixing his mentee with a stern but affable gaze. “I’ll walk with you part of the way. We can figure out how to meet up in secret later.”

“Yeah, sure,” the brat agreed happily. With another glance around the Black Knights, his gaze lingering on Zero, he waved a farewell. “I’ll uh, see you around.”

“I’ll see you at school,” Kallen confirmed, her voice strong.

The brat perked up. “Oh, you’re coming back now?”

Kallen nodded, holding her head high. “It’s safe for me, isn’t it?”

“It was always safe,” the brat promised with a friendly and reassuring look at his classmate.

Kallen glanced aside, muttering darkly to herself.

“Wait,” Tamaki said, raising his voice to be heard over some of the side-conversations springing up. He fixed the brat with a hard stare, steeling himself to voice the possibility he’d never considered before this afternoon. “If you might be one of us soon—what’s your favorite color?”

Grinning wider at the growing acceptance, the brat shared immediately, “Red. But um, if I’m honest, purple is growing on me too.”

Kallen threw up her hands and stomped off in the opposite direction, giving Zero a run for his money with her angry theatrics. “I seriously can’t with you t—UGH! Spare me! I’ve lost all faith in humanity!”

“Oddly enough, I’ve rediscovered mine,” Zero said, sliding to his feet. His voice sounded much lighter than it had previously. “Suzaku, thank you.”

“Any time.”

“I can’t wait to speak with you further,” Zero continued with clear eagerness, failing spectacularly at maintaining professionalism as he moved around the Black Knights and held out a hand.

Instead of taking it, the brat tugged Zero into a close hug.

Tamaki’s jaw dropped as Zero automatically returned the brat’s embrace. Head spinning at the recent crazy, Tamaki announced, “I need a drink.” Unable to take any more bizarre events, he lurched towards the construction site exit closest to a nearby bar. When he looked over his shoulder to see if he’d been imagining things, Tamaki noticed Tohdoh steering the brat away and Zero hurrying in Kallen’s footsteps. Several fellow Black Knights fell in beside Tamaki, chatting excitedly about the recent gossip and their potential new comrade. They’d made progress.

As they moved farther away, leaving Zero and the construction site behind, Ohgi prattled instead about Zero’s emerging human side. “He’s letting more important parts of himself show now. That’s huge.”

“We still don’t know much about him,” Tamaki griped, fiddling with his bandana as they walked the run-down streets. “But yeah, it’s cool that he’s apologizing now and expressing some damn feelings.”

Urabe nudged Tamaki knowingly in the shoulder. “And what interesting feelings…”

“I think the maybe-traitor brat’s feelings are more interesting in this case,” Tamaki said with something between a groan and a snort.

“I got the sense that both sets of feelings were the same,” Ohgi mused in his annoying thinking voice.

Tamaki shuddered. “Ew, no. Gross. But I’ve been turning it over in my head for the past ten minutes, and I figured out why Zero didn’t shoot him down. Strategy!”

Ohgi, Urabe, and a handful of other Black Knights gave Tamaki confused looks.

“Duh!” Tamaki said, holding open the door of his favorite bar. “We want the brat to ditch Britannia, right? He’s not gonna do that if he thinks his weird new crush is unattainable. Zero is smart enough to string the boy along, at least until he officially joins us.”

With a doubtful look as they found seats, Ohgi shrugged. “Maybe.”

Tamaki rolled his eyes. Ohgi was always doubting Tamaki’s genius. “You’ll see,” Tamaki insisted, catching sight of a downhearted Diethard entering the bar. He must have followed from a distance. Waving the blond Brit over, Tamaki asked, “You and Zero were watching the whole thing live on video, weren’t you?”

“Affirmative,” Diethard sighed, signaling for the bartender. “Zero seemed tense when Kururugi mentioned whatever happened between them on that island. What do you think Kururugi’s big secret is? Something about his father, and killing…but it can’t be the obvious conclusion I’m thinking of. It just can't. And how could Tohdoh not tell us, if it was something that could help the Black Knights?”

Ohgi shrugged again with a nostalgic smile. “The bond between teacher and student is strong.”

“Still,” Diethard said, then knocked back a shot of whisky. “We’ll have to look into it later, I suppose.” Sardonic laughter suddenly burst out of him. “It seems like Kururugi and I will have something to bond over, at the very least, when he joins. It looks like he’s leaning towards joining, yes? What are your impressions?”

Tamaki played with his glass of brandy. “I think…I want to punch the brat in the face slightly less than before.”

“He’s more complicated than I thought,” Ohgi admitted. “But I agree. I think he’ll come around. If not for the Japanese, then for Zero himself.”

Urabe nodded. “That’s what I think, too. I get the sense that there’s a lot more to both Kururugi and Zero, and that it’s all somehow connected.”

“Bullshit,” Tamaki said, cutting off Ohgi who looked like he’d been about to agree. “Zero is just playing a role to get Kururugi to change his mind. It’s just another one of his theatrical performances. All right, the guilt sounded real enough when he apologized, but the rest of it? Staged. The more I think on it, the more I’m convinced. I’ll bet money. Lots of money.”

Ohgi swapped an amused glance with Urabe. “I’ll gladly take that bet.”

Tamaki quirked an eyebrow. “What makes you so cocksure? You’re never this confident.”

Ohgi chuckled triumphantly, nursing his alcohol in small sips—totally unlike Tamaki’s brazen drinking habits. “Didn’t you notice, Tamaki? Along with Zero’s odd behavior, Kururugi Suzaku’s eyes are green.”

Tamaki spit out his drink.

Chapter Text

Tamaki pointed an accusatory finger at Zero as soon as the masked man crossed the threshold into the mobile base. “You.”

Zero paused mid-step. “Yes?”

Still wrestling with the implications from the day before, Tamaki drew himself up to look as imposing as possible. “I just want you to know,” he said, slowly and deliberately, “that even with whatever act you pulled on the Kururugi boy yesterday, I still believe in you.”

Zero relaxed into a more natural stance. “Good. But so you know, I didn’t pull any acts on Suzaku yesterday.”

Tamaki tsked, shaking his head in disbelief. Maybe the night of no sleep truly was getting to him. “Man, I’m trying to say that I went to bat for you.”

Zero settled on the nearest couch, making himself comfortable for the foreseeable future. “How so?”

Tamaki battled for courage, searching his soul for the words all the Black Knights wanted to say. Off to the side, Ohgi shook his head in pure panic. Diethard sent him a warning frown. Tamaki, true to form, ignored common sense and aimed right for the heart of the matter. “After yesterday, there are several in the Black Knights who think your mysterious boyfriend is the Kururugi brat himself.”

Zero remained silent, frozen on the couch. He barely breathed.

“It’s not hard to see why,” Tamaki continued, shaking an admonishing finger at Zero now. “We risk our lives for you, and you—you hugged the enemy.”

Zero’s arm twitched along the top of the couch. “Suzaku is no longer our enemy.”

Tamaki was stunned right out of fight mode. “You mean it? The little brat switched sides?”

“That must’ve been a damn good hug,” Diethard muttered from across the room.

Zero inclined his masked head, turning to Ohgi. “Once again, your ideas helped navigate this stressful situation. You mentioned offhand that it might be best for Suzaku to take a step back from this entire war. After talking with Tohdoh and myself, Suzaku decided to quit the Britannian military and work on himself. At least for now. I am most pleased with this turn of events.”

Tamaki gaped, his eyes bugging out of his skull. “So Kururugi is just a nobody now?”

“Depending on whom you ask,” Zero returned, an edge to his voice.

Ohgi grinned with weak relief. “I’m glad we won’t have to fight him. He seemed like a nice kid—just caught up in the wrong circle.”

Zero chuckled, sounding as genuine as that first time he’d let loose and laughed at Tamaki’s expense. “Well, that’s one way to put it. So anyway, Suzaku is no longer an issue for the Black Knights. Now we can all thankfully move on.”

Tamaki refused to move on. “No way!” he argued, standing his ground, his hands on his hips as he towered over Zero. “You did your magical distraction thingy, but you sidestepped my original point!”

“Do you even remember what it was?” Zero asked, sounding amused.

Tamaki’s head was spinning. Zero sounded so unusually lighthearted—as if this whole Kururugi thing really had lifted a weight off his shoulders. Scowling, Tamaki leaned over and growled, “Kururugi of the damn green eyes! Is he your secret boyfriend or not?!”

Ohgi and Diethard both jerked their heads back to Zero, seemingly holding their breaths for his answer.

Zero noticeably shifted, remaining silent. If it was anyone else, Tamaki would have called it hesitating.

“Because I’m soooo not ready to deal with all those implications, buddy!” Tamaki steamrolled forward, staring down Zero’s impenetrable mask.

Zero let out another sharp bark of laughter. “Neither am I, Tamaki.”

Tamaki staggered, taken aback by Zero’s honest response. “What?”

“Our system,” Zero said slowly, pushing himself to his feet as if he was done with Tamaki’s dramatics. “It’s been working for us. I have no desire to share anything of my personal life beyond the inconsequential details, like we discussed previously.”

Tamaki tried and failed to speak.

“I think you’d all agree that my boyfriend matters far more than my favorite color,” Zero reasoned, edging around Tamaki. “Any further questions about him are off-limits.”

Ohgi frowned. “So just to be clear, you’re asking us to pretend that we don’t know the truth?”

“You don’t know the truth,” Zero shot back, trembling the slightest bit in his cape.

Tamaki rolled his eyes. He was used to the denial game. “That Kururugi Suzaku is actually your boyfriend.”

“That’s merely an unproven theory,” Zero said hastily, his body language closing off.

Ohgi’s frown deepened. “It does make a lot of sense though. That hug, his green eyes, the energy between you two…”

Bristling, Zero flung out his arm in angry theatrics. “We are at a crucial stage in fighting Britannia now that our greatest problem has finally been neutralized, and you’re wasting time theorizing about whether or not I’m sleeping with an enemy pilot—I mean, a former enemy pilot?”

Diethard looked up with thinly-veiled interest. “Oh, are you sleeping with him?”

“I’m a virgin!” Zero snapped, stomping upstairs to his personal room. The slam of a door echoed three times from above, as if Zero was going overboard to make a point.

Tamaki grimaced as he digested Zero’s latest confession. “Ah, damn!” he said in dismay, glancing between Ohgi and the stairs. “Another inexperienced dude?!”

Diethard pursed his lips, his forehead wrinkled in thought. “His innocence suggests he is indeed a teenager like Kururugi.” With a guilty glance at Ohgi, he amended, “However, we all know that that doesn’t necessarily prove anything. While rarer, some men do choose to wait.”

Blushing, Ohgi glanced aside. “I think he’s a teenager because Kallen seemed to recognize him yesterday, so they must know each other from somewhere. My guess is Ashford Academy.”

“I totally do not want to think about Zero going to high school,” Tamaki groaned, flinging himself onto the couch. Maybe the whole scenario was a drunken nightmare.

Ohgi nodded, crossing his arms. “Then don’t. Zero clearly doesn’t want us thinking about it either.”

“It changes things, though,” Diethard said with a forlorn sigh.

“Does it?” Ohgi wondered, giving himself a small shake. “I mean, he’s led us successfully so far—oh! You mean about you, and your, uh…yeah, I see what you mean.”

Diethard slid down further on the opposite couch. “If it’s true, I’ll have to finally let go. There’s no hope.”

“There’s no hope anyway because of Mr. Dreamy Green Eyes,” Tamaki said tactlessly. “I didn’t want to believe it could be Kururugi, no matter what you all said last night, but now it’s looking like it is. Damn.” Why couldn’t anything in Tamaki’s life go right?

Ohgi glanced worriedly at the top of the stairs. “I’m more concerned about all the other implications—like you said earlier, Tamaki. But there’s no need to rush any decisions or judgment. We’ve gotten this far, knowing even less than we do now. He must have his reasons for being secretive. For the time being, it doesn’t hurt to play his game.”

“Stick our heads in the sand?” Diethard asked, letting out a bitter laugh. “I’ll pretend to be clueless to his face—or, well, his mask. But I need answers. I’m going to do some digging. Would Kallen be willing to talk, do you think?”

“Doubt it,” Ohgi said with a heavy sigh. “She wouldn’t say a word last night when I tried speaking to her about things.”

Tamaki scowled, burning with renewed purpose as he lay on the couch and contemplated his life choices. Zero wouldn’t admit the probable truth, and Kallen’s unwavering loyalty to him was so-far winning out. But there was someone else who might crack about details. With a pained hiss, Tamaki rolled to his feet. It felt like he shouldered the weight of the Black Knights, but it was time to do what he did best.

Ohgi’s expression grew more concerned. “Tamaki? You have that look on your face…”

“Screw it,” Tamaki declared boldly, convinced that he needed to go behind Zero's back to the source itself. “I’m taking the Kururugi brat drinking.”

Chapter Text

Tamaki waved at the bartender as he picked his way to the back table in the corner, being careful not to slosh his drink. He usually sat at the bar itself, the highlight of the night for the bar’s patrons, but tonight was about secrecy. The Kururugi brat was already waiting for him at the back table, wrapped in a dark cloak with his hood up. The nearest swinging lightbulb hung several feet away, casting the chosen table in the most shadows of any in the dingy establishment. Perfect for a clandestine meeting. Excited at the idea of finally getting some real answers, Tamaki slid into the seat opposite him. “You came.”

“Tohdoh-sensei encouraged me,” the Kururugi brat said with a half-shrug. “It’s fine. I’ve been curious too. So, it’s Tamaki, right?”

Tamaki nodded and eyed the brat critically, loading himself up with liquid courage. “You seem important to Zero.”

A playful grin twitched on the Kururugi brat’s lips. “We’re getting right to it? Okay.”

“We don’t have time to waste, brat,” Tamaki said, slamming down his half-empty glass.

“It’s Suzaku,” the brat insisted.

“Sure,” Tamaki agreed easily, still not using the brat’s given name. Anything to get the boy talking. “You want a drink? My treat.”

The Kururugi brat shook his head. “I don’t drink. I’m underage, and rules are rules.”

Tamaki stared at him in irritated disbelief. “Why’d you agree to come drinking then?”

Chuckling, the Kururugi brat shrugged again. “I told you: I was curious. I was kinda surprised they let me in, honestly.”

“I told them you were coming,” Tamaki explained. “They do what I say around here.”

“Unlike in the Black Knights?” the Kururugi brat asked, his green eyes dancing with humor in the dim light.

Grumbling, Tamaki took another swig of alcohol. He got the sense he’d need it. “Why don’t you check out the Black Knights, kid, and see for yourself?”

The Kururugi brat’s face grew more serious. “I have considered it,” he said slowly, like he actually was giving the idea some thought. “But I think some time off from this whole war is just what I need for now. That guy was right.”

Tamaki nodded. So far, the Kururugi brat was simply confirming Zero’s update. “So, you gave up Britannia?”

The Kururugi brat nodded again, his face still earnest but not regretful. “Viceroy Cornelia was more than happy to accept my resignation on Princess Euphemia’s behalf. Lloyd wasn’t happy when I turned in the Lancelot’s key though…”

Tamaki cocked his head. “So that’s it. What are you gonna do now?”

“Figure some stuff out,” the Kururugi brat said vaguely, glancing around the bar. “Since I resigned from the Britannian Army, I got kicked out of Ashford Academy, too. So I’ve got a whole lot more free time to focus on myself now.”

Tamaki mulled over the brat’s words, understanding how the kid’s world must be turning upside down. It must’ve been one hell of a day for him. “You need a place to crash? I got a couch.”

The Kururugi brat straightened, looking at Tamaki with growing respect. “That’s thoughtful of you, but my boy—that is, I still have a place to live.”

“Your boyfriend?” Tamaki saw his chance and pounced, steering them back to the main topic of the night.

Slowly, looking a bit unsure, the Kururugi brat nodded.

“So, is he who I think he is?” Tamaki asked, narrowing his eyes. The bar faded away. It was only the Kururugi brat now, and the answers he held. Tamaki held his breath.

The Kururugi brat gulped, glancing aside again like the stain on the far wall was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen. “I should stop talking.”

Tamaki groaned and rested his head on the dirty table. His worst fears, all but confirmed. Slowly, processing these horrific mind games, he raised his head and frowned at his companion. “So he’s—”

“I’m not here to talk about him,” the Kururugi brat interrupted, fiddling with his hands. “Sorry. I know that’s why you invited me out.”

Tamaki stared, tried to take another sip, and cursed when he realized his glass was empty. “So you showed up just to waste my time. Typical.”

The Kururugi brat winced. “I’m selfish.”

“At least you admit it,” Tamaki sneered, squinting at the teen with suspicion. “What’d you come here for, brat?”

Kururugi sighed, bowing his head. “I really liked seeing all those Japanese yesterday. It made me realize how much I’ve been missing my people. So when you contacted me…”

Tamaki echoed the boy’s sigh, caving. “All right,” he said gruffly, hoping he wouldn’t regret his decision or his surprisingly soft heart. “I’m gonna get a refill. Don’t go anywhere, kid.” Without a backwards glance, Tamaki slipped from the back table and approached the bar, thoughts racing. Kururugi might not spill about Zero, but surely there were other things he’d talk about. Planning his attack, Tamaki ordered a couple drinks and made his way back to the controversial teen.

The Kururugi brat was right where he’d left him, sporting a confused look on his face.

Sliding a glass of water to the Japanese youth, Tamaki adopted a slightly more polite tone and said, “Fine. Let’s talk. Tell me about yourself, brat.”

“It’s Suzaku.”

“Whatever,” Tamaki shot back, rolling his eyes. “You get this one chance to start over with me, so use it. Impress me.”

The Kururugi brat blinked. “Uh, well. I’m Kururugi Suzaku. I’m seventeen, and I love Japan.”

Tamaki tilted his head and slowly took a sip of his second beer. “Go on.”

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes,” the Kururugi brat admitted, “and I want to make up for them. To my people, my boyfriend, and myself. Sometimes I’ve been naïve and impulsive, but I have always wanted a better life for the Japanese. And when I’ve tried to make things better, sometimes they’ve just ended up falling apart even worse.”

Tamaki nodded, raising his glass in acknowledgment. “We’ve all fucked up.”

Shoulders relaxing, Kururugi grinned. “Yeah. So I’m realizing. And I’m also realizing… It’s not too late.”

“Right on,” Tamaki agreed, tapping his glass to Suzaku’s. “It takes guts to commit to change, Suzaku.”

Suzaku’s grin widened as he reciprocated. “You used my name.”

“You earned it,” Tamaki said with a small shrug. “Don’t lose the privilege, brat.”

Suzaku chuckled at the teasing, his green eyes suspiciously bright in the dim light. “Okay, I see how it is. Anyway, I’m really grateful. For all the second chances I’ve had in my life.”

Tamaki snorted a laugh. “What’s your favorite second chance—besides this one?”

Suzaku’s smile softened, an almost-lovesick expression stealing across his face. “Meeting him again, after seven years of pain and loneliness.”

Straightening, Tamaki’s gaze zeroed in on the brat. Perhaps Suzaku would talk about Zero after all; he’d just needed his defenses lowered. “When you say—”

“He makes my life complete,” Suzaku interrupted, unable to hide the growing blush on his face. “I don’t know how I ever survived without him. He’s just—perfect. To me. I mean, even when I know he’s done wrong, somehow it doesn’t bother me as much as it would if it were someone else doing the same thing…” He took a long swig of water, his brow furrowed as he thought through his next words. “And besides, he agreed and he said he’d do better for me. So if I commit to doing better, and he commits to doing better…well, it’s only going to get better, right? He and I always could do anything together. I still firmly believe in us. That’s why I…”

Tamaki gaped, trying to make sense of Suzaku’s rambling.

“Anyway,” Suzaku said with an embarrassed squirm, “I love him. With all my heart.”

Tamaki nodded, mentally flailing at all the simple clues. Yet, Suzaku still hadn’t confirmed that he was truly speaking about Zero. Tamaki coughed. “Yeah. That’s obvious.”

“Is that gonna be a problem?”

“Shouldn’t be,” Tamaki said slowly. Daring to hint at Zero’s relationship to the Japanese youth, Tamaki added pointedly, “Not anymore, at least.”

“Because I defected from the Britannian Army,” Suzaku said knowingly, going along with it.

Again, Tamaki nodded. Maybe this was as close as they were going to get to the heart of the matter. “Right. You’re not an enemy anymore.”

“I always struggled fighting against my own people,” Suzaku said, nervously playing with his glass of water. “It hurt to be called a traitor. I understood, but it still hurt. I continued with my plan anyway, to try to change Britannia from within. I tried so hard to make up for my greatest failure.” His posture drooped, like the life was sucked out of him. “But then, to fight against him—I just couldn’t. That was the last straw. There’s so much I need to figure out now.”

Tamaki leaned closer, his thoughts racing faster than during battle. Knowing he would get nowhere by referring to Zero again so soon, he latched on to another grand mystery. “Your greatest failure?”

Suzaku pressed his lips tightly together and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m not ready. Maybe someday.”

Tamaki nodded, backing off. Suzaku’s greatest failure was more than just becoming an Honorary Britannian soldier then. Maybe it even had something to do with his father, based on what Tamaki had witnessed during yesterday’s conversation. There were still too many damn mysteries. But Tamaki knew not to pry; if he was going to poke the bear now, it was damn well going to be about Zero. In the meantime, Tamaki offered connection. “Sure. I’ve messed up quite a few missions, you know. I’m crap at following orders.”

Suzaku smiled grimly. “You ever kill anyone?”

“Hopefully some Brits,” Tamaki said, storing away Suzaku’s words for the right time.

Suzaku’s jaw dropped at the dark humor. “Tamaki…”

“What?” Tamaki asked, taking another gulp of beer. “They kill us all the time and don’t feel bad about it.”

Suzaku considered that and slowly nodded. “I see what you mean. Not all Britannians are like that, though. Princess Euphemia isn't, for one.”

Tamaki raised an eyebrow, scoffing, “One little girl princess.”

Suzaku pulled a face. “I know. But to her credit, she’s trying. She’s not like most of her family. It’s not her fault she doesn’t have much power or influence.”

“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” Tamaki said, rolling his eyes again. “So there’s one Britannian Royal with a heart. Whoop-de-doo.”

“There’s more than one,” Suzaku insisted, biting his lip and looking at his half-full glass of water.

Snorting again, Tamaki humored him. “Sure, brat. How many?”

“…Three,” Suzaku mumbled, tracing shapes on the table.

Tamaki laughed outright. “Okay, yeah. Let’s say I take your word for it. Three Britannian Royals who give a fuck out of—what, almost ninety heirs to the throne? The odds aren’t great for us.”

Suzaku nodded once before meeting Tamaki’s gaze, fire blazing anew in his green eyes. “I know, but—it only takes one with the drive and skills to change the world.”

“I’d rather take my chances following Zero,” Tamaki maintained. “We’re getting somewhere with our rebellion, instead of waiting for one of three Britannian Royal Family Members to get their shit together and do something useful.”

Suzaku barked a laugh, his shoulders shaking like Tamaki had just told some huge, hilarious joke. “I know.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his stomach growled and a guilty expression flashed across his face.

Tamaki grinned, appreciating how Suzaku was probably impressed by his crass skill of keeping it real. After all, Tamaki always could get people to loosen up and truly laugh. “You hungry? What’s your favorite food?”

“Any food with strong flavors,” Suzaku said with a mild shrug, his eyes still dancing. “Like, with demiglace sauce?”

“I don’t think they serve anything like that here,” Tamaki said, racking his brain, “but we’ll go out again some other night for that, ‘kay? Maybe we’ll bring some others along, too.”

Suzaku perked up, his face shining at the invitation. “Really?”

“Unless you do something to piss me off,” Tamaki snickered. “For now, do you want, like, chicken wings or something?”

Suzaku hurriedly nodded, his stomach grumbling again. “Yeah. I could go for something to snack on, for sure!”

“My treat,” Tamaki said, heading for the bar again. This time, after ordering the grub (and more refills), he glanced back. Suzaku waved happily at him, and Tamaki’s heart unexpectedly clenched at the sight. The brat was turning out to not be so bad after all. Then, carrying his haul to the back table, Tamaki popped a chicken wing in his mouth and said, “Look, we got time to get to know each other, right? Especially if you don’t go crawlin’ back to Britannia.”

Suzaku shook his head, his hood flapping about his face. “Trust me, not an option.”

Tamaki grinned his approval and shoved the food into the center of the table. “Then help yourself, brat. I’ll stick to the lighter questions for now. What do you like to do for fun?”

Suzaku smirked. “Besides my boyfriend?”

Half-chewed chicken mush fell out of Tamaki’s mouth. “Wow, brat, I’m proud of you. For going there.” It was like something Tamaki would say himself. He paused, remembering an important inconsequential detail. “Wait, I thought he was a virgin—”

“He told you that?!” Suzaku asked, eyes wide and dumbfounded. “I never would’ve thought he’d share something so personal!”

“We kinda riled him up,” Tamaki said, cleaning up the spilled food as he dissected Suzaku’s reaction. Perhaps this was further confirmation of Zero’s place in Suzaku’s life. Unless they were both misunderstanding. Tamaki frowned. “I don’t think he even realized what he was saying before it was out there.”

Suzaku chuckled, looking delighted at the anecdote. “Sounds right. Ah, but to your point—well, we might not have—but we’ve done enough. And that’s all I’ll say on the matter.”

Tamaki sighed good-naturedly. “Heh. Proud of you. Both of you.” Struck by a thought, he eyed Suzaku as questions bounced in his brain. “What about you? How much experience do you have? Do you need tips? Tricks? Safety lessons? I coached one of my buddies through his first time recently…”

Suzaku blushed, resembling his original favorite color. “I’ve…uh, I’ve…been with…a couple older women…it didn’t mean anything, it was just sex…but he’s going to be my first guy and the only one who matters, and, well, I think we’ll figure it out on our own, thanks.” He looked like he was trying to blend into the shadows—but, he’d answered.

Tamaki nodded, twirling a chicken wing. “Sure. But word of advice? Take care of yourself. I know a place—they’ll give you a full STD panel, for free, if you fit the criteria. I can get you hooked up. I got all the connections.”

Suzaku blinked multiple times, his blush slowly fading at Tamaki’s blunt approach of practical assistance. “Um, thanks. I’ll, uh, probably take you up on that. Just to be safe.”

“Exactly,” Tamaki said, now shaking the chicken wing at the younger Japanese. “And if you ever need help, you just come to me. Got it?!”

Suzaku grinned, bashfully ducking his head. “Got it.”

“Good brat,” Tamaki said loftily, finally taking his next bite. It almost seemed like no one had ever looked out for this kid—at least, not since the war. “Now seriously, what do you do for fun?”

Beaming at the playful praise, Suzaku bit into his share of the crispy food. “I used to love going fishing. I haven’t done it in a while—not since I was a kid.”

Tamaki made another mental note to take Suzaku fishing someday soon. He’d drag Tohdoh too.

“Ah, being on the Student Council was a lot of fun,” Suzaku added between bites, his gaze growing distant. “I’m going to miss it. I never liked the classes at Ashford Academy, but…”

Tamaki nodded, trying to recall what Kallen might have shared about the Student Council. “What was so fun about the club thing? Like, dressing up or something?”

Suzaku shook his head, chuckling. “No. Well, maybe that was part of it. It’s more like—being part of the Student Council, belonging to something greater and just doing things with friends…” He sighed ruefully, his face falling. “Before Ashford, I…hadn’t had real friends…for a long time…”

Tamaki’s heart twanged unexpectedly again. Kururugi Suzaku was kind of pathetic. He was definitely Tamaki’s next full-blown People Project. “I hear ya.”

Suzaku smiled sadly. “Thanks. For understanding.”

“Friends are important,” Tamaki lectured, chucking a chicken wing at Suzaku.

Sputtering, Suzaku grabbed the offending meat and lightly glared at Tamaki. “Gee, thanks!”

Tamaki shrugged, his lips twitching in amusement. “It’s what friends do. Besides,” he added, barreling on as Suzaku’s face shone the brightest it had all evening at the new classification of their evolving relationship, “you won’t miss all your Student Council friends.”

Suzaku narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at Tamaki, looking like he was trying to figure something out.

“You’ll still have Kallen in your life,” Tamaki reminded him, chewing noisily. How dumb was this kid that he couldn’t remember her?

Suzaku jerked back. “R-right. Kallen. Thank goodness I’ll still have Kallen.”

“I know you said you’re not ready to join the Black Knights,” Tamaki said, washing down his food with his third beer, “but you can still hang with us sometimes. You know, be around us awesome Japanese.”

Suzaku’s smile stretched as wide as Zero’s influence. “I’d like that.”

“You need more friends,” Tamaki said bluntly. “And hey, maybe now that you ditched Britannia, the rest of your family might contact you again.”

Suzaku blinked rapidly, tilting his head as he mused over the idea. “I hadn’t thought—that is, I made peace with that situation years ago. Them cutting contact, I mean. I never let it bother me. The Sumeragi Family is—well—and Kaguya and I were never that close. She was my cousin, but it was more like, we were forced to—I am so glad I’m not betrothed to her anymore! I’d much rather marry him.”

Tamaki almost choked on a bite of chicken. “Wait, wait. You were betrothed to your cousin?!”

“As a kid,” Suzaku explained, turning a sour glare on the table. He shuddered. “It was all politics.”

Tamaki tried to wrap his head around that. And couldn’t. “That sucks. So you want nothing to do with your family now, huh?”

“Maybe,” Suzaku said with a half-hearted shrug. “I’ve moved on. I’m making a much better life for myself.”

“With him,” Tamaki repeated, wondering if he was pushing too hard.

“Exactly,” Suzaku said with a firm nod. “I told you, he’s all I need.”

“Kinda makes you wonder what hell we’d all have avoided if you’d just known his secrets from the beginning,” Tamaki said, taking a greater risk by talking more directly about the situation.

But Suzaku merely nodded, his cheeks stuffed with food. “I know. We talked about that. A lot. And to be fair, I never told him I piloted either. I know he was shellshocked that night, at the prison…”

Tamaki remembered. Zero hadn’t come out of his Knightmare for ages after the battle where Suzaku had been revealed as an enemy pilot. Ohgi had shared that he’d heard Zero laughing like a deranged maniac…

“So I’m guilty of adding to this mess, too,” Suzaku said, staring longingly at the now-empty bowl. “I take full responsibility for my part in—well, everything.”

“Yeah, I see that,” Tamaki acknowledged, granting the brat a nod of respect. “Kudos, kid. Okay, one last question for tonight, and we’ll pick up again next time.”

Grinning, Suzaku waved him on, seeming excited for their continued friendship. “Go for it.”

“You keep saying he’s everything to you,” Tamaki said, finishing the last of his beer. At Suzaku’s nod, Tamaki asked the burning question. “How’d you two end up together?”

Suzaku smiled, that infatuated expression making itself at home on his face once more. “I think we were always going to end up together. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Try.”

Still smiling with overflowing affection, Suzaku sighed, “We just fell for each other. And we know each other better than anyone.”

“Because you two were best friends,” Tamaki recalled, licking stray crumbs off his fingers.

Suzaku seemed surprised that Tamaki knew so much, but he nodded in confirmation. “Yeah. So…”

“So how’d you go from friends to boyfriends?” Tamaki pressed, leaning forward like it was the juiciest story. Now that Suzaku was proving himself to be a better person than anticipated, Tamaki was eager to know all the details.

Suzaku threw his head back and laughed with carefree abandon, his hood almost falling and outing him to the bar patrons. “Oh, that’s what you want to know. It was at the Student Council Cross-Dressing Festival. He looked—goddamn gorgeous.” Suzaku’s green eyes positively sparkled. “And, well, everyone was giving him a hard time.” He sighed, his gaze turning misty as he got lost in memory. “And I went over to comfort him, and later, when it was just us two, we were kinda…flirting…and I dunno, I just kinda went for it and asked if I could kiss him. He said yes, and the rest was history.”

Tamaki blinked slowly. And blinked again. And kept blinking.

Zero participated in a Cross-Dressing Festival?

Maybe Tamaki had it all wrong after all, and Zero wasn’t Kururugi Suzaku’s boyfriend.

But, all the other details added up…

His mouth dry, Tamaki gestured to Suzaku’s leftover water and croaked, “Can I—?”

“Sure,” Suzaku said brightly, sliding over the glass. “Tamaki, I had fun tonight. I’m looking forward to next time.”

Gulping the last of the water, Tamaki jumped to his feet. The world spun, but it wasn’t a bad spinning. “Surprisingly, same.”

“He said you were good with people,” Suzaku volunteered, following suit and checking that his hood was up.

Pure shock seared through Tamaki’s body at the unexpected compliment, before pride swelled in his heart. “He did?!”

Suzaku grinned shamelessly. “Yeah. Besides, I’ve seen it for myself. He’s been different lately—more relaxed. Now I see why. You’ve got a gift.”

Tamaki floated on air as he walked Suzaku to the street corner and waved him off in the direction of the Settlement. When no one was looking, Tamaki angled his feet towards the Black Knights mobile base, skipped, and did a little dance around a lamppost.

Zero spoke highly of him! Tamaki had dreamed of this moment for months.

-+-

Tamaki tiptoed into the Black Knights base, still euphoric at Zero’s secondhand praise. It didn’t stop him from cursing as he groped for the couch in the pitch darkness.

The lights flicked on, and Zero was standing on the stairs like a shadow of death, looking down at Tamaki with crossed arms and an aura of menace. “What are you doing?”

Squinting in the light, Tamaki groaned, “I left my keys here earlier. I don’t wanna smash my own window just to go to bed, okay?”

Zero lowered his masked head. “Fine. Where were you all night?”

“What is this, an interrogation?!” Tamaki snapped, the alcohol making him stupid. “I was at the bar, Dad.”

Zero said nothing. He continued looking down on Tamaki. Judgmental.

“I was makin’ a new friend,” Tamaki said, astonished again to remember—he actually kind of was.

Zero’s head shot up, and the judgmental aura dissipated. “You were?”

“Surprised?” Tamaki asked, looking for his keys under the couch cushions.

“Just because it was—” Zero began, then stopped abruptly. Arms falling, he descended to the bottom floor and stood on Tamaki’s level. “What did he tell you?”

Tamaki raised his keys in the air with an excited holler. Then, he registered what Zero had asked. He shook his head. Zero knew. The Kururugi brat must’ve squealed before meeting him. “Nothing.”

“Really.”

Tamaki nodded, fiddling with his keys. “Nothing important.”

Zero continued looking at him. The mask seemed expectant.

Tamaki sighed, searching for words. “Look, all Suzaku talked about was himself. He was annoyingly careful about what I really wanted to know.” After all, though they’d spoken around Zero, Suzaku had never outright confirmed that Zero was indeed his boyfriend, or shared Zero’s true identity. He hadn’t filled in the blanks Tamaki had originally hoped he would.

Zero’s hands twitched. “About me.” He paused. “Wait, you called him Suzaku.”

Tamaki hung his head in surrender. “Because that’s his name, duh. Look, can you blame me for tryin’ to figure stuff out? You’re a—”

“I’m your leader,” Zero cut in, standing tall and imposing. “No matter what.”

Tamaki flinched, his head pounding. “I know.” At that very moment, Tamaki thought he’d actually prefer to talk to Kururugi Suzaku rather than Zero—and that was saying something. Even with all the progress they’d made.

“I don’t like that you went behind my back, Tamaki,” Zero growled. “We had an agreement. This is one of your greatest failures.”

Tamaki sighed in long-suffering despair. “But if I asked you what I really wonder about, you wouldn’t answer.”

“We decided on inconsequential matters,” Zero reminded him icily. “If you have questions that fall in that category, ask me directly. Don’t sneak around.”

Tamaki glared at Zero. “Like you’re one to talk about trust, man!”

“I keep secrets because I must,” Zero explained in a slow voice. “Don’t speak as if you understand.”

“That’s just it! I’m trying to understand!” Tamaki yelled, kicking the couch. He grimaced, clutching his throbbing foot.

Zero was silent.

“Damn, Zero!” Tamaki said, hopping on one foot in pained irritation. “We just wanna know the real you, but you are freaking impossible, you know?”

Zero glanced aside. “I know I don’t make things easy for you.”

“Understatement,” Tamaki muttered, flopping on the couch. “But whatever. You gotta get your kicks somehow, right?”

“That’s not—” Zero broke off. With a deep sigh, he joined Tamaki on the couch. “I’m willing to answer deeper questions, but nothing that points to my identity. Does that suffice?”

Tamaki blinked. Was the alcohol scrambling his brain, or did he just have another unexpected win? His head began to clear. Tamaki frowned thoughtfully, echoing, “Deeper?”

“The real me,” Zero echoed. “One question a day, as deep or inconsequential as you want, as long as you respect my boundaries. Sound fair?”

Tamaki sat ramrod straight, his heart pounding. “Really?!”

Zero nodded stiffly, looking like he was bracing himself for the worst. “Go ahead.”

Tamaki racked his brain. Some of Suzaku’s unexplained words from earlier rang in Tamaki’s mind, along with Zero’s accusation from moments ago. Tamaki reached for what remained of his courage; he would never have the guts to ask this sober. Then, with a sidelong glance at Zero, Tamaki prompted, “We know you work miracles all the time. But, what do you consider your greatest failure?”

Zero lowered his head. He trembled. His cape rippled. It took him a rather long time to speak—long enough that Tamaki wondered if Zero would withdraw his new offer after all. But then Zero’s words pierced the air, low and raw. “That I couldn’t pro—” His voice caught. “—protect my mother and sister.”

Tamaki’s eyes widened at the heartfelt answer. “Zero…”

“My mother died in an attack,” Zero continued flatly, “and my little sister was gravely injured.”

“Zero,” Tamaki murmured in soft sympathy, scooting a bit closer. Hesitantly, he laid a hand on his leader’s shoulder. When Zero didn’t shake him off, Tamaki considered it a victory. “That’s hard.” He squeezed his leader’s shoulder, wondering how far he could push it. He wanted to share that he’d lost people too. That he’d failed people too. But, this conversation was about respecting Zero’s pain. Even drunk, Tamaki remembered. “I’m sorry you suffered like that. I don’t have words. But. Thanks. For sharing. It means a lot, best buddy…”

Still shaking, Zero clasped his hands together between his knees. “Tamaki…”

Tamaki flinched at the single dry sob echoing behind Zero’s mask. “Zero, man, it’ll be—well, uh—I’m here. All the Black Knights are here. Hell, even Kururugi Suzaku’s here. You don’t have to deal with it alone, ya know?”

Zero jerkily nodded.

“This the same sick sister from the other day?” Tamaki asked, floundering but determined.

“Yes.”

“So you’re taking care of her now,” Tamaki stressed, squeezing Zero’s shoulder again.

Zero chuckled, still sounding bleak and out of sorts. Such a far cry from the refined image he’d so carefully crafted as the untouchable leader of the Black Knights. “I’ve taken care of her for eight years. It doesn’t change how I failed her.”

“I bet she doesn’t think you failed her,” Tamaki said, not knowing how he knew but getting the sense it was true nonetheless.

Zero inhaled sharply. “Well…”

“See?” Tamaki said, giving his leader a slight shake to get him out of his funk. “I bet it wasn’t even really your failure. You said there was an attack, right? And this was eight years ago?” Factoring in how Zero was probably a current high schooler, which would make him a mere child at the time of the attack (not that Tamaki could let Zero know what he was thinking, even though Zero probably guessed what was running through his mind anyway), Tamaki asked, “How exactly were you supposed to protect them from that?”

“Tamaki…”

“Anyway,” Tamaki said, patting Zero’s shoulder before jumping to his unsteady feet. The mobile base spun wildly around him, but like before, it was a welcome spin. “Even if it was your fault…” Tamaki found his balance. “Well, Suzaku and I talked a lot tonight. People screw up sometimes, yeah? It’s what makes us human. Hell, you know me. I mess up all the damn time!”

Zero sighed despondently, turning away. “Not like I have.”

“Zero,” Tamaki said, his heart hurting for his leader. How much pain was Zero hiding? Tamaki sighed, scrambling for another angle of hope. “Look, if I can forgive Kururugi Suzaku, then anything is possible.”

Zero’s masked head whipped up sharply. Hope and happiness rang in his words. “You forgive him?!”

“That’s what I said,” Tamaki repeated himself, shocked at the truth of it. Suzaku’s earnest face swam in his mind’s eye. “There’s just something about him.”

“Don’t I know it,” Zero agreed fervently, sliding to his feet. The news about Suzaku seemed to restore his indomitable spirit—or at least mask the pain he always hid. “I’m glad. For both of you.”

“And you,” Tamaki said, clapping Zero heartily on the back. “You might keep your distance, but you’re still one of us. No matter what. Yeah?”

Zero was silent for a heavy moment. “…Yeah.”

Tamaki grinned, twirling his keys. “Good. He’s probably waiting for you, you know?”

Zero’s whole posture perked with excitement. “You’re right. I’ll head out with you.” As they left the mobile base together after flicking off the lights, walking side by side, he wondered, “What else did you discuss?”

“He needs more friends,” Tamaki said flatly, looking at Zero out the corner of one eye. A half-moon hung in the sky, partly hidden by wisps of cloud. “He said he’s gonna miss being on that Student Council of his.”

Zero flinched, the clack of his steps slowing on the pavement. “I see…” Another soulful sigh escaped from his mask. “The others—they won’t care that Suzaku left the Britannian military. They’ll always value him as a true friend.”

“Maybe,” Tamaki said, careful not to react to Zero’s implicating words even in his drunk state, “but how’s he supposed to see them if he’s been kicked out of Ashford Academy?”

Zero laughed, his usual confidence returning. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve got it covered.”

“I’m sure you do,” Tamaki said fondly. “Anyway, Suzaku could still do with more friends. He misses being around a Japanese community. So we’re gonna—”

“Tamaki,” Zero interrupted, grabbing Tamaki by the arm, “why don’t you host a big dinner party? For Suzaku’s sake? No expenses spared.”

Freezing, Tamaki turned fully to Zero. “You serious? I mean, you gave me the okay to plan a fancy dinner last week anyway, but to go so far…”

“I’ll personally fund it,” Zero assured him quickly, dropping Tamaki’s arm like he was embarrassed at his strong reaction. “However much it costs, it’ll be worth it. For him. I’ll play as many games as I need to. It won’t come from Black Knights resources.”

Tamaki gaped, his head spinning—and possibly not from the alcohol. Questions upon questions stacked in his brain, all simultaneously fighting to leave his mouth, but the only one he could manage was, “Am I hearing right?”

“I’ll tell you again tomorrow,” Zero offered, gesturing at a nearby alleyway. “This is me. Anyway, think on it. Get some sleep.”

Tamaki stared in drunk bemusement as Zero disappeared into the alleyway shadows, probably to change costumes. Curiosity coiled deep in Tamaki’s gut, but through sheer force of will, he turned his feet towards home instead. “Good night, Zero.”

There was a soft mechanized whir, and then Zero’s true voice carried through the crisp darkness. “Good night, Tamaki.”

Almost tripping, Tamaki grinned in exalted triumph and carried on under the silver glow of the half-moon.