Chapter 109 ~ Stirring the Pot

After doing their daily maintenance to keep Excalibur and Guren on top fighting form, Mordred and C.C sat down together on the couch within the empty living area of Black Knight's command vehicle, resting.

Well, at least one of them. 

Karen was leaning back on the couch, playing with her phone as she rested her crossed leg on the coffee table. She had taken off her Black Knight's uniform and was currently in her tank top and hot pants with a towel around her neck. She had also taken off her late brother's headband to let her hair loose to dry out the perspiration she had sweated out while doing the maintenance. 

On the other hand, Mordred, still in his full suit, was sitting with a laptop on his lap, typing and clicking away. 

And at this point, she didn't need to peek at his screen to know what he's doing, because he's most likely making a ridiculous amount of money with every click he's making… 

Trading huh…? "He"… also traded…

Karen glanced at the man with the devil's mask and down to his laptop. And she recalled when Alexander's "hobby" was revealed in the student council's office. 

They were completely different people. One was a Britannian elite who had everything, from looks, character, popularity, riches, and fame. While the other, a complete mystery with a devilish skill in piloting a knightmare and swordsmanship, as she just found out. 

But, they were both trading geniuses. And… she couldn't help but associate these two completely different people in her mind, for some reason…

Perhaps… it was the way they'd mess with her?

Hm… That might be it… They both can be insufferable bastards…

Karen began glaring at Mordred. And Mordred, who noticed it, began to look at her weirdly and tilted his head towards her.

…Why is she looking at me like that?

She was glaring at him, for no apparent reason…He was just here, sitting, casually robbing some Britannian conglomerate off their treasury. But she suddenly began glaring at him. 

But just as he was about to ask her why, the door into the command vehicle of the Black Knights opened. 

And entering the wide, living space of the command vehicle was C.C, dressed in a shoulderless black dress with the symbol of the black knights across her chest. The dress cascaded down to her ankles with slits on both sides, revealing her long, white legs and tall, white and gold heel boots. 

Karen and Mordred both turned to look at the new addition to the space, surprised. 

Normally, C.C would always stay wherever Zero was. If Zero was there, then C.C would most of the time be by his side. 

But now, Zero had gone off somewhere after his meeting with Tohdoh and the four holy swords, yet here she was…

"C.C? Why are you-"

Just as Karen was about to ask why she was here, words got stuck in her throat when C.C suddenly made her way towards Mordred, sat down by his side, and leaned her head against his shoulder, completely resting her body against him. 

Her eyes widened in pure shock as her jaws slackened into the shape of an O. 

"Wha- You- W-Why are you…"

C.C lazily closed her eyes and nuzzled her face to his neck a bit, trying to find a comfortable position for her to take a nap, and began falling asleep. 

And seeing her actions, Karen rose to her feet in a panic and pointed at C.C.

"W-What are you doing?!?!?!"

C.C's beautiful face scrunched up before slowly opening her eyes and looked at Karen in annoyance. 

"What does it look like to you? I'm trying to rest. Now can you be quiet?"

She began closing her eyes again. And this time, she slithered her arm around Mordred's and hugged it close to her chest, using it as a pillow. 

"!!!"

Karen's mouth opened and closed repeatedly like a guppy, unable to believe what she was seeing. 

Her head slowly turned towards Mordred, who was similarly speechless by C.C's action, and looking at her in shock. 

Sensing her stare, Mordred slowly turned towards the crimson haired beauty, who seemed to be emanating raging flames behind her. 

"...I can explain."

"...Go on."

Mordred spent the rest of his time there explaining to Karen who he became close to C.C… 

Meanwhile, C.C was quietly snickering at his "excuses" and "stories" while pretending to sleep. 

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Yuuji sighed tiredly as C.C sat behind him on her bed, leaning back onto his back, relaxing. 

After finishing their businesses in the Black Knight's base, the two returned to C.C's room in Ashford Academy. 

Needless to say, they didn't leave together, or Karen would've become even more shocked by the sudden closeness they displayed to her out of nowhere. 

So, C.C left first, and Yuuji followed afterwards to meet back up with her in her room, as they've promised. 

In the room, Yuuji had changed into a casual outfit, consisting of a black t-shirt and long pants, and C.C had also taken off her black dress. She was now dressed solely in her white tank top that fitted her chest, and white hot pants, the things she wore under her dress before. 

And right after arriving, C.C had him sit on her bed, sat behind him, and started leaning back on him. 

"Why did you do that?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"...Don't play stupid. I know you're giggling when you were pretending to sleep as I try to cover up for your little prank."

C.C snorted softly and looked up to the ceiling of her room. 

"We both know that she has feelings for you, but she doesn't realize it yet. She's naive, innocent, and everything that has been happening around her didn't let her explore the feeling of "love". I'm just stirring the pot a little so that she'd realize her own feelings."

Yuuji glanced back towards C.C before sighing once again. 

"...I might not be the best person to say this, but isn't it weird that you're trying to get me closer with another girl."

"It's weird that I can still feel love in the first place." 

"..."

Yuuji froze for a moment as he recalled C.C's past and her experience with "love". 

From the moment she received a "geass" that compelled other people to "love" her, losing it, and all the pain and suffering she had experienced that came with immortality. 

To be able to still "love" someone and acknowledge it, for C.C, was a miracle in itself. 

"C.C…"

"Don't think about it too much. This is just… something I'm doing for myself… And you."

Yuuji turned around and surprised her by pulling her into an embrace.

"I love you, C.C. And thank you… for loving me as well."

C.C smiled softly and leaned back even more towards him, making herself comfortable in his embrace. 

"You better tell me everything soon. I'd like to know everything about the man I've come to love after centuries."

"...I promise. Soon."

"Good."

C.C slowly turned around to face him and pushed him down onto her bed. 

"You'll spend the night here, right?"

Yuuji smiled helplessly and nodded.

"It's not like you'll let me go even if I were to say no."

"It's good that you know."

She smiled triumphantly and laid down beside him, resting her head on his chest. She hugged his body and placed a hand on his chest, feeling the steady, powerful beating of his heart. 

And Yuuji also wrapped his arm around her and began stroking her beautiful, lime green hair softly as they stayed in a peaceful silence. 

"Hey… How did you and Lelouch meet…?"

Yuuji's eyes widened slightly and turned his head down slightly to look at C.C. She was still laying her head on his chest with her eyes closed, not looking up to him to try and force out an answer. 

However, Yuuji could tell how much C.C wanted to know more about him… Despite everything she had said about waiting for him to be ready. 

So… he made his decision.

"...I can't tell you how we met yet. But… We did only get to… "know each other" fairly recently. And we met for the first time in person even more recently."

This time, C.C raised her head up and looked at him with widened eyes, surprised.

"Really? But… You seem like you knew each other for so long."

Every member of the Black Knights could tell how much Zero and Mordred trusted in each other. And they all assumed that Mordred must be Zero's closest confidant and someone he had known for his entire life. 

Even C.C thought they must've shared a past with each other that allowed them to create such a powerful bond. 

Yuuji smiled softly and shook his head.

"No. We really just got to know each other fairly recently. In fact, it hasn't even been a year since I first talked to him."

"Then… how…?"

"It's not hard to completely trust in someone and become extremely close to them once you know about their "story"."

"...I see."

C.C laid her head back down onto his chest and let his words sink in. 

"Does this include Ainz and Silver, or Tatsuya, as well?"

Having observed them since they joined the Black Knights, C.C had noticed the closeness between the four that didn't stem from simply having the same goal of liberating Japan or defeating Britannia. 

There was absolute trust between them, like close friends who had shared with each other all their secrets and had known each other for their entire lives. 

Yuuji nodded once again and began stroking her hair once more. 

"Yes. We… Well, it's a bit hard to explain now. But just know that they're trustworthy and kind people."

"Well, if you say so. I mean, I've never really interacted with them much after our first meeting… but they do seem like nice people."

Yuuji smiled wryly and let out a soft laugh.

"Ahahaha… Well they're both pretty… awkward to people they've just met. But they're very nice once you get to know them better. That I can guarantee."

"Mm."

Silence fell between them for a moment before C.C started to speak again.

"Hey… Do you really have to leave tomorrow?"

"Hm?"

Yuuji looked down and saw C.C looking up to him with a neutral, blank expression. But he could see longing and a twinge of sadness in her eyes. 

"There's still school, tomorrow. So yes… Also, I should also return to my home once in a while."

"..."

C.C thought for a moment before her eyes widened in a flash of realization, and a thin smile appeared on her face. 

"Oh? Then how about I move into your home~?"

"..."