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Eye of the Beholder	By : ArchangelM127 Category: +. to F > Code Geass Views: 2907 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Eye of the Beholder

A Code Geass fan fiction story

Written by Archangel

Edited by klv

Chapter 3 – Pretty Girls and Polynomials

{Author’s Note: This chapter is dedicated to Mikey, in gratitude for an excellent suggestion that greatly improved the previous chapter. He’s also the only person on my readers list who responds to betas on a regular basis. ^^ The music suggestion is Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkel.

About three weeks have elapsed since the events of Chapter 2.

Enjoy, and please provide feedback! RATE and/or REVIEW, please!}

*****

“So, what are you going to do?”

“About what?” Lelouch Lamperouge replied, looking up from the vapid paper on existentialism he was writing for philosophy class.

“Nunnally’s little sweetheart, of course,” C.C. elaborated with a teasing smile. She indicated the portable TV on Lelouch’s desk which, was linked into a miniature camera hidden in the parlor. William Abernathy and Nunnally Lamperouge were sitting together at the table, immersed in an array of mathematical detritus.

Lelouch scowled. His green-haired ‘roommate’ had become increasingly annoying over the past several days, which Lelouch took to mean that she was bored. “Nothing,” he answered after a few moments.

C.C. raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised, Lelouch. I wouldn’t have thought you’d be happy about someone putting the moves on your little sister.”

Lelouch chuckled. “I’d hardly describe William’s behavior that way. He’s been a gentleman in every respect thus far—which is why I can’t justify doing anything about him. And for the record,” he continued, his scowl returning, “I am distinctly unhappy with the situation. But I can find no grounds for objection.”

“A man who doesn’t smother his female relatives.” C.C. remarked. “How refreshing. In any case, I wouldn’t worry. He won’t be an impediment to your work.”

“So it seems.” With a few keystrokes the paper vanished from Lelouch’s computer screen, replaced by an extremely detailed dossier on William. “Painting aside, he is incredibly normal. Father works in Smith, Smyth, & Smithson’s Tokyo office, no particular ties to any of the partners, no backroom arrangements. His mother was an honest constable, unusually enough, long since retired. Five sisters, all quite bright. No living extended family.” Lelouch skimmed through the dossier as he spoke, scrolling rapidly through pages and pages of data with the air of one who’s read something dozens of times already. “No connections to anyone at all. I couldn’t come up with a blander cover if I tried—except every scrap of it checks out.”

C.C. leaned over Lelouch’s shoulder, brushing his hand aside and tapping a few keys. A gallery of images filled the screen, exquisitely detailed portraits interspersed with hauntingly beautiful landscapes that couldn’t possibly exist on Earth. “Quite a talent, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes.” Truthfully, Lelouch knew next to nothing about art, but William’s incredible talent—bordering on genius—was obvious even to him.

“So you’re really not going to try to scare him off?”

“No. But I am going to watch him. Closely.”

*****

[Later that evening]

Will closed the door of his dorm room behind him with great relief. Pausing only to shed his backpack and blazer, he moved to his bed and dropped face-first into its embrace. “Blerg.”

“How’s Nana?” Nicholas Beranger asked from behind the latest issue of Shonen Jump English. During the past month, Will had introduced Nunnally to Nick and Kait. The three had moved to seats at the rear of their classes so as to be next to Nunnally, who seemed very happy for the companionship. Nick and Kait had taken to Nunnally instantly, and the four had quickly become one of the fixtures of the Ashford middle school group.

“She’s good.” Will’s voice was muffled by his pillow. “Oh Lord, my head aches.”

Nick looked up with a grin. “How are the tutoring sessions going, anyway?”

Will rolled over onto his back as he loosened his tie and opened his shirt collar. “They’re going very well, actually. I’ve been doing much better on quizzes, and I got a B+ on the test last week. It’s just so draining; numbers make my head hurt.”

“That and it must be distracting to be around a lass you fancy so much.”

“Yeah.” Will was too tired for his usual pro forma objections. “She’s so beautiful. Brilliant, too. I mean, brilliant! She keeps track of the problems we’re working on without writing anything down at all.” He shook his head in admiration.

“Toldja she was tops at math. I was wondering how she helped you when she couldn’t read your calculations; question answered. Still tripping over your own feet when you’re around her?”

“Not so much, actually. After most sessions we have tea and talk for a little while. I’m getting used to just… well, just talking to her. About all sorts of things. S’weird. Still knocks me over whenever she smiles this certain way, though. When she laughs. Stuff like that. Does Kait still do that to you?”

“Yep.” Nick set his magazine down and smiled up at the ceiling. “I hope I never really get used to how amazing she is.”

“I know what you mean.” Will thought for a moment, then laughed. “We are two lucky sods, aren’t we?”

Nick laughed too. “That we are. Say, can you keep a secret, Mate?”

“’Course. What is it?”

“Here, take a look.” Nick dug around in his nightstand drawer and tossed a small, velvet-covered black box to Will.

Will popped it open to see a brilliant quarter-karat diamond set in a slim gold ring. “Wow. Never knew you cared,” he quipped.

Nick roared with laughter and bounced a pen off Will’s head. “Not for you, you silly bugger! It’s for Kait,” he explained, his smile taking on a bit of a nervous edge.

“Oh. Oh!” Will exclaimed as he realized the implication. “Fourteen’s a bit young to be taking the plunge, wouldn’t you say?” he asked, snapping the box shut and tossing it back to Nick.

“I don’t want to actually marry her until after we’re both done with university. Just want to make the intention official is all.” Nick shrugged, hiding the engagement ring away in his nightstand again. “I’ve wanted to marry her since we were six,” he continued seriously.

“Well, if you’re sure, good luck! When’re you going to pop the question?”

“Got tickets to a concert just after the end of term. Kait’s favorite band. Thought I’d take her for a walk and ask her afterwards.”

“Sounds good. Wish I could be there to see her face, though.”

“I must admit, I’m looking forward to that myself. Nervous as heck, though.”

“Why? Mate, she’s crazy about you. Nothing to worry about.”

“Still… like you said, we’re only fourteen. What if I freak her out?”

“I don’t think anything could ‘freak out’ the indomitable Lady Kaitlyn.”

“True that. So, when are you gonna take the next step towards catching your girl?” Nick asked, turning the conversation back in its original direction.

Will flushed. “What, propose?”

Nick sighed heavily and smacked the thick magazine he was holding against his forehead. “No, doofus,” he groaned. “Ask her out on a date!”

“We’ve barely been talking for a month,” Will objected. “I don’t want to move too fast.” And it would surely make more problems for Nana, he added silently. Many of the other students had begun to comment on the way Will, Nick, and Kait had taken Nunnally into their circle. Nobody had said anything to Will directly, but he’d heard the cruel whispers and seen the spiteful glances out of the corner of his eye. Then again, the nobles have always been mean to her. And me. So why not go for it? I doubt they can treat us much worse than they already do.

“Oh for goodness’ sake. Most guys barely know the girls they ask out at all. That’s the bloody point of dating: to get to know each other better!” Nick reminded his friend and roommate. “Plus it’s fun. So tell me, when are you going to ask her out?”

“I—I’m not sure,” Will admitted. “Where should I take her, anyway? A movie? A museum?” He shrugged helplessly.

Nick shrugged. “Take her out to dinner,” he suggested. “Heck, just take her for a walk in the botanical gardens downtown. Trust me, she’ll be happy just to be able to spend some time with you.”

“Alright… I’ll see what I can come up with.”

“If you want some more suggestions, just ask. Oh, and fair warning, mate: if you don’t man up and ask Nana out soon, Kait’s probably gonna beat you up.”

*****

[The following morning]

“Where are the boys?” Nunnally asked Kaitlyn Presbyter. The pitch of the conversation in the classroom around them told Nunnally that it was getting near to the first bell, and neither Kait’s boyfriend Nick nor her close friend Will had yet arrived. Dear, sweet William. I wish he was my boyfriend. The thought, springing out of nowhere as it did, sent a brief flush of heat through Nunnally’s body. Although she’d liked Will nearly as long as she’d known him, Nunnally was still unaccustomed to thinking about him in this… more intense way. It had all started with a series of dreams…

Her flush grew hotter.

“I don’t know, but at this rate they’re going to miss the bell.” If Kait had noticed the sudden coloring of Nunnally’s face, she didn’t mention it. “What are we going to do with them?” Kait grumbled. “I swear, men are totally useless without women to take care of them.”

Nunnally giggled; she and Kait had gotten along famously from the first, and the older girl had a very funny way with words. “I know what you mean. Even my big brother needs looking after from time to time.”

“Speaking of helping men out, how is the tutoring going with Will?”

Nunnally’s face lit up. “It’s going very well! I think I’ve been able to help him a lot. He really needs the assistance,” she confided to Kait, dropping her voice to a whisper.

“Hmm. He’s always struck me as rather bright.”

“Oh, he is!” Nunnally assured her. “He’s very smart, and he knows so much! He’s just not very good with numbers, I think. I can hear such strain in his voice whenever he’s working on a problem. He never complains though,” she noted admiringly. “and he always goes out of his way to thank me, too.”

“Will’s such a sweetheart, isn’t he?” Kait commented, testing for a reaction as was her wont.

“Yes, he is,” Nunnally replied wistfully. “He has such a gentle heart, and he’s so easy to talk to. I love spending time with him!”

“Fancy him?” Kait probed more openly.

Nunnally blushed to the crown of her head. “Maybe,” she murmured, looking down and away from Kait’s voice. The truth was that over the past month her longtime affection for Will had begun to blossom into something more. These new feelings tended to sneak up on Nunnally when she least expected it, making her feel awkward and silly whenever Will was around.

Still, the best part of tutoring Will was chatting with him after each session. Nunnally had learned so much about Will this past month: that his favorite color was purple, that he always sneezed twice, that he was allergic to begonias, and so many more little things. Each little tidbit made Nunnally very happy, but none of it was particularly deep.

Learning deeper things about Will hadn’t gone as well. Nunnally had no doubts as to the fundamental nature of his character—quiet, kind, and noble in an awkward sort of way—but there was so much more to any person than that. In particular, Nunnally was tremendously curious about Will’s art. Unable to look for herself, she wanted to hear all about his work. However, Will had gently changed the subject every time she’d tried to steer their conversations in that direction. It was very puzzling.

Two familiar forms came hurrying through the classroom door, interrupting Nunnally’s reverie. Kait stood up to meet them. “About time!” she greeted her boyfriend sternly. “Where have you been, mister?”

“You know how it is,” Nick managed through his labored breathing. “My other girlfriend wore me out last night, and I overslept.”

“Good morning, Nana,” Will gasped in his turn, dropping gratefully into his desk chair.

“Good morning, Will! Are you okay?” Nunnally asked as Kait grabbed Nick and roughly fixed his crooked necktie.

Will took a moment to fully regain his breath before replying. “Yeah, just out of breath. We forgot to set the alarm before we zonked out is all.”

“Whaddya mean ‘we’?” Nick harrumphed. “The clock’s on your desk; it’s your job to set it!”

“It wouldn’t kill you to double-check that the little light is on,” Will shot back in a bantering tone. “You know I’m absent-minded.”

“And I’m not?”

The familiar tones of the Westminster Chimes signaled the start of class, forestalling any further argument.

*****

{More Author’s Note: I’m not entirely happy with this chapter, but as I can’t seem to improve it any further, here it is. Not that I think it’s bad, but I have this nagging feeling that it’s not quite right. Ah, whatever.

In the second draft I took out the section of the second scene about Nick proposing to Kait. However, klv pointed out (quite correctly) that Ashford is the kind of place where the students are expected to grow up fast, so I put it back in. For backstopping my self-confidence alone she deserves at least 20% of the credit for every chapter I’ve produced since she became my editor. With her keen grammatical eye, her portion of the credit goes up to 25%, or perhaps 30%. ^^

All four of the kids who feature in this story are so much fun to write for; they have such wonderful dynamics, both as a group and one-on-one. I’m quite proud of Nick and Kait in particular. I’d originally intended them as background characters, but they’re just not content to stay there. Don’t worry, I won’t let them take over the story or anything.

I said no, Kait. Hitting me with that lamp won’t change my mind. Now put it down, there’s a good girl, and be glad you’re getting as much face time as you are. (Whew!)

See you next week! Same Angel time, same Angel channel!}
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Eye of the Beholder