In Code Geass, Lelouch masquerades as the rebel leader, Zero attempting to triumph over the Britannian government that rules over the former Japanese. Suzaku is the white knight who fights for the Britannian government. While Suzaku has no idea of Zero’s true identity at first, Lelouch knows Suzaku’s and spends a great portion of the beginning of Code Geass hiding his identity from his friend. Why? Some might say it is necessary to trick your alias to trick your enemy, but is that really the case?

Lelouch hides his identity from Suzaku to maintain their close friendship from a time when they were young and had no one else. Lelouch and Suzaku had only each other (and Nunnally). Although they both consider Nunnally in the anime, Suzaku and Lelouch give more thought to each other than anyone else. To Lelouch, keeping Suzaku as a friend, companion, and loved one was crucial. So, Lelouch went to great lengths to pull off this farce, misleading Suzaku, to maintain a relationship that is crucial to him.

Some might argue that Lelouch and Suzaku play bitter opposites, but are they really that different from each other? Lelouch and Suzaku have different methods, but the two of them really just want to accomplish the same goal: they want to change Britannia. Lelouch has a thirst for revenge so yes, he wants to overturn the Britannian government, yet in the end, Lelouch is actually just seeking peace, especially for Nunnally and the elevens. Lelouch just uses militant tactics and warfare in order to seize control of the government. Suzaku, on the other hand, wanted to gain power within the Britannian militia by becoming Euphemia’s knight so that he could change Britannia from the inside.

Although Lelouch and Suzaku may seem like completely different individuals with different goals, they are in fact completely in sync with one another. They both work towards the same goal to achieve peace. Lelouch and Suzaku may have different opinions on how to get things done, but they both want nothing more than to achieve the same thing. Suzaku and Lelouch may be two different souls and bodies, but they are of similar minds.

The biggest point in Suzaku’s life in the first season of Code Geass was his appointment as Euphemia’s knight. As Euphemia’s knight, Suzaku was willing to sacrifice himself for Euphemia’s safety. Suzaku acted recklessly and made hasty actions that put his own life in peril. Why? For the duty of being Euphemia’s white knight. Lelouch, desperate to save his friend from the likely outcome, ordered him to “live”. Since then, Suzaku became incapable of pursuing any line of action that may result in his death, even if it goes against orders. In this way, Suzaku was cursed with living.

However, why did Lelouch order Suzaku to live when? Suzaku was the only one truly capable of getting in Lelouch’s way. Lelouch wanted Suzaku to live because Suzaku meant a lot to Lelouch, even. Suzaku’s existence was important to Lelouch. In truth, Lelouch needs Suzaku in his life, as evidenced by his order.

Lelouch is only allowed to use his Geass on a person once, giving only one order that could be wasted. However, even though Lelouch and Suzaku were enemies in this scene, Lelouch used his Geass on Suzaku to instruct him to live. Lelouch sacrificed the one Geass order he could give Suzaku and made it so that Suzaku had to do anything it took to survive. Suzaku was forced to do something for himself, which he had not truly done at all in Code Geass. Lelouch, who used his Geass mainly for his own selfishness, used his Geass for Suzaku, even when Suzaku never thought of himself. From this moment and many moments on, we see that Lelouch truly and undeniably loves Suzaku.

One of the most important scenes in Code Geass, and one of the most moving is the assassination of Emperor Lelouch and the realization of the Zero Requiem. No one could even fathom this ending, but Lelouch had it planned right from the beginning. The most important part of this pivotal moment is that Lelouch decided to leave his plan in the hands of Suzaku. Lelouch never shared his plan with anyone. He broke people’s hearts, destroyed their dreams, and trampled over their love for him. However, with Suzaku, Lelouch trusted Suzaku enough to not only tell him his plan but also ask for Suzaku’s help.

Despite being enemies throughout the entire anime, Lelouch trusted no one else but Suzaku with his plans. Lelouch knew Suzaku would pull through and do what was needed to be done, even if he did not agree entirely with it. This only shows how strong the relationship between Suzaku and Lelouch is. When you trust your life--or rather, death--in someone’s hands, it means more than words can describe. Lelouch relinquished control, something that he has had throughout both Code Geass and Code Geass R2, and gave it to Suzaku. Now, that is love, is it not?

Let us not forget that this scene also shows that Lelouch is leaving the future, the country’s peace and harmony, as well as Nunnally--Lelouch’s heart and soul--to Suzaku. Lelouch left Suzaku all that was important to him. It is a few moments, mere minutes, but we can get so much insight on how Lelouch views Suzaku from them. What scene could convey so much in so little time?

And just for all of you Lelouch x Suzaku fans, who could forget that moment of embrace between Suzaku and Lelouch where Lelouch held Suzaku for dear life, entrusting the future and Zero’s identity to Suzaku? Now, that is one beautiful moment!

Speaking of the most emotional scene in Code Geass R2, we also get more insight on the relationship between Suzaku and Lelouch from Suzaku’s point of view here. In the end, regardless of their debacles, fights, and misunderstandings, Suzaku and Lelouch are two people who truly love each other. We see this especially in the end, during the Zero Requiem, when Suzaku, dressed as Zero, stabs Lelouch through with his sword. At this point, not only does the whole game change for characters and viewers alike, but we get to see Suzaku cry. Suzaku weeps for Lelouch.

They fought often and were always at odds with each other, but Lelouch and Suzaku truly love each other. Suzaku tried very hard to think of Lelouch only as an enemy, but in the final episode of Code Geass--the Zero Requiem--we get to see how Suzaku truly feels about Lelouch. And Suzaku loves Lelouch enough to cry. Suzaku loves Lelouch enough to mourn his death. Suzaku loves Lelouch enough to break down thinking about Lelouch’s life. It is not a long scene--Suzaku’s crying scene--but Suzaku’s tears really change the way we view the relationship between Lelouch and Suzaku.