Aand another one shot.
I don't know why I called it Counting The Stars. Eh...seemed fitting somehow. I just liked the title.
Disclaimer: D. Gray Man isn't mine!
Allen really didn't want to be up-it was late, and he really liked his sleep. He, Lavi, Lenalee, Kanda, and Link returned from a mission to China earlier that day. It was a mistake on Komui's part to send Allen somewhere near Edo, but he had no choice. It was a hard mission that required the strongest exorcists.
Of course, being so close to Edo, the Akuma immediately came to capture Allen. It seemed the Earl figured out that Level ones and twos would do nothing against them and started sending Level threes to capture him.
That wouldn't have been too bad, but then came the Noah-Tyki(who he was sure was down for the count) and Jasdero and Devit(Who didn't waste anytime merging into Jasdevi) no less.
To put it clearly, it was a hectic and partially traumatizing mission. Allen was just tired of hearing the AKUMA and Noah try to coax him into willingly coming to their side. He was just sick and tired, but what could he do?
Exorcist or not, he played that piano that day and moved the Noah's sacred relic. It was only natural that they tried to get the newest Noah(if that is what he was, anyway) to their side.
Sighing, Allen sat in a seat in the empty cafeteria, smiling at Link when he set down coffee for him. He didn't particularly care for coffee, but he needed it now more than ever.
"Thank you, for letting me come down here Link." Usually, the inspector would insist on him sleeping, but maybe he could see he was shaken up. Not to mention their was a full length mirror in his room and every time Allen looked in it he flinched. Link could tell something was bothering him.
"I can't have your anxiety mess up my reports, Walker, it may affect your case."
Allen only grinned harder, because that meant Link got worried about him. At first, he couldn't gauge Link but now he pretty much had him down. He was easy to figure out after a while.
"In any case, thanks." Allen said again.
The silence that followed was awkward, and Allen could feel Link's eyes on him. Allen could tell he wanted to ask something-but Allen knew that he was much to polite. Especially when he was so high strung.
"Allen, you're awake?" Allen looked up, seeing Lenalee walking in. She was dragging Kanda by the wrist, signaling that she had a nightmare(or couldn't sleep) and immediately went to Kanda.
Once, Lenalee told Allen that she had frequent nightmares as a child. She was afraid of everyone, and the only one she trusted was Kanda. So, whenever she had a nightmare, she used to wake up Kanda.
The only things surprising about that was that he didn't tell her to leave his room.
"Good evening, Lee, Kanda." Link greeted.
"Hey, Lenalee, Kanda." Allen smiled again.
"You're usually asleep by now, Allen. What's up?" The girl sat beside him, dragging Kanda with her. Lenalee was a good friend in the respect that she worried about him constantly, especially with the investigation. She never stopped worrying, and that led to her noticing small things about him.
She reached out for his hand, "Was it our mission-don't worry it was tough for me too. It must be painful for you, to have them keep telling you that you don't belong here but…" She smiled painfully, "You do! No matter what, you're still our family-not theirs!"
It was the standard speech nearly everybody said to him-everybody that cared anyway.
"I know Lenalee, I know."
"No, I mean it...the things they say scare me. When Tyki kept telling you that you should come be with your real family, I kept thinking 'but he is with us family! Us!' And I was scared that you felt like you didn't belong...you know?" She leaned back.
"When I think about the Order...and trust me some bad memories come up...I remember You, Lavi, Kanda...I think about how precious you all are to me. Nii-San, he's always been my family, by blood and our bond, but...being surrounded by people I love at mission really makes me happy."
Allen smiled, "That's good to hear, you're all my family as well…" She blinked her pretty eyes at him, and smiled sweetly.
"Y'know, when me and Kanda were little-" Kanda grunted at hearing his name, nearly falling asleep on the table. He was awake the moment his name passed her lips, "-we used to tell each other, late at night, what we'd do when the war is over. Back then, since we were young, they used to tell us all the time- the war is almost over."
It was a lie, Allen knew. The war would never be over-with every Noah they killed they just reawakened. The Earl was so strong...and they weren't even sure if he wouldn't just reawaken…
It made him lose faith in the war.
"What will you do, when this is over Allen?" She smiled at him.
What will I do?
Huh...that's the second time I've been asked that…and I still don't know...
"I'll…" Allen was at a loss for words.
"That idiot will probably join a circus...he looks enough like a clown-" Lenalee hit Kanda before he finished, but the damage was down. In the silent cafeteria, Allen burst out into laughter at the irony.
In the war, a lot of the laughter was bitter laughter-mirthless, but it was actually funny.
He hadn't considered it but…
Being a clown had been fun, right? He liked it.
"When I was younger, traveling with Mana, I used to be a clown!" Allen explained after his fit, "It was actually a lot of fun, and I liked it. Being a clown would be really fun…"
He looked at Lenalee, "You?"
Lenalee smiled tenderly, "I'll go back to China," She said, "And I'll open up a bakery that serves European dishes. I'll greet them in English, and I'll serve them cakes and crepes…and you, Kanda, and Lavi will visit me every month!" She smiled at him-although her smile was more demanding, "Right?"
"R-right."
"Kanda?"
"Hm…?"
"What will you do?" Lenalee asked, tapping him. He remained silent for several moments, before answering.
"I'll continue my search."
Although it peaked interest in Allen, Lenalee shoved him.
"You've been saying that since we were children, say something else."
Kanda grunted, "Fine! I'll…" He remained quiet and closed his eyes, "I'll travel…"
Lenalee nodded, "We travel a lot as exorcists but we never really enjoy that places we go to, considering we end up mortally injured each time we come back. Visit China the most…"
She remained quiet, "How about you, Link?"
The question startled the inspector, "What?"
"What will you do? Will you still serve the Vatican or will you...y'know..leave?"
Link blinked, "I'll…"
"Link will probably open up a restaurant!" Allen supplied cheerfully, "He likes cooking and stuff...and he's good at it!"
Lenalee giggled, "Really? We can open up a restaurant together, Link!" It was playfully, but Link just looked unnerved at his sudden part in the conversation. He was a CROW, and he didn't really want to talk about what he would do after leaving the Church.
That's how you got in trouble with the Church.
"...sure Lee…"
"Lee and Link's bakery…" Allen mused, "Would that be the title?"
"No make it cuter," Lenalee interjected, "Like...Sugary Sweet or something…!"
"That's corny-"
Lenalee pouted, "Is not!"
"Is." Kanda interjected. Lenalee gaped at him.
"Kanda!"
Somebody interrupted, "Are you guys having a party without me?" They looked up, seeing Lavi in the doorway. He looked worse for wear, and looked tired. His hair, for once, wasn't kept up by that bandana.
"You're awake too Lavi?"
"Bookman holed me up in the Library, told me to rewrite the Records...I just got finished…" He sighed; it was getting exhausting being an apprentice.
Lenalee patted the seat next to Kanda and Lavi took it, "So, what are you all doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep," Lenalee answered, "So..when the war is over, what will you do, Lavi?"
Lavi blinked, "Is that the conversation you were having before?" He wouldn't put it past them, they were so hopeful for the future. Lavi, himself, didn't really believe they would all live through it. More so, he worried for what side Allen would end the war on.
He wasn't supposed to care but...he did almost die trying to save him from Road.
"When this war is over?" Lavi mused, "Well, I'm eighteen so when this is over I'll finally become Bookman." He revealed, grinning. He grinned because he actually felt sick to his stomach at the prospect.
He liked his job...but his heart hated it.
Then again, he wasn't even supposed to have a heart. He kept on smiling.
Lenalee gasped, "What, really?"
"Yeah! After twelve long years, I'll finally get to become Bookman. It's been a hard apprenticeship."
"That's cool," Allen laughed, "You are really good at remembering stuff, Lavi."
The conversation went on, and the mood lightened until all five ended up falling asleep at the table. It had been a good talk.
~insertlinebreak~
"Tyki~you need to work harder at bringing Allen home!" Road pouted, despite the late time she was still awake. Tyki sat in a chair at the fireplace, reading.
"He refused, Road."
Road pouted, "Try harder, I miss him!" It had been a whole three months since she got to see him. The ark had been so long ago, at least to her.
Somebody snorted, Tyki, "Is that because you kissed-"
"Shh!"
"Road, who did you kiss?!" Sheryl was on her, crying and wiping off her lips like Allen had just kissed her at that moment. Road was struggling to push him away.
Road sighed, "Daddy~it was just Allen! He's a member of the family now, you can let me kiss him."
Sheryl's eyes watered, "But...but...he's a dirty boy!"
"Oh daddy...at the end of this war, Allen will be my husband!" Road revealed matter-of-factly, grinning at the prospect.
Sheryl nearly fainted, and would have if it wasn't for Tyki snickering.
"Ending the war? This is the first time I heard you talk about it, Road."
Road shrugged, "We'll win at some point, and when we do…"
"You want Allen?" Tyki mused, "You only want to break him."
Road grinned, because this was obvious. Love was fine and dandy, sure, but Road wasn't all that capable of love. Oh, she certainly loved Allen but she wanted to break him more. It was a sick, twisted, sort of love.
"Of course I do," Road agreed, "Allen has that effect on people…" She giggled, "You can love him...but his innocence makes you want to destroy it. I think that it's only fair that I do it for him...afterall…" Road suddenly stopped herself, looking sick. Remembering that time always made her feel sick.
She quieted, "nevermind…"
The concern in the air was immediately, "No, what's wrong Dreams?"
"Nothing...I just remembered something from thirty-five years ago…"
"The fourteenth?" Sheryl guessed, and shuddered," The memory that rest in that boy. When the war ends...I want to go as far away from him as possible. My Noah aches just thinking about him."
"Nea wasn't bad, Daddy...I think he misunderstood…" Road reasoned and closed her eyes, "Anyway it doesn't matter what will happen for us when the war ends…" She drew in her Uncle close, practically ignoring her father.
"All humans will be dead anyway, right Tyki?"
Tyki nodded, "Of course, dearest niece…"
Sheryl leaned back, "That doesn't bother you? You are quite close with those three humans, right?"
"They don't really matter…"
Which wasn't true, but Tyki couldn't reveal that.
For the exorcists, the war ended with the Earth flourishing with humans. For them, the Noah, the war ended with humanity wiped out and only them standing.
At least Road would be happy.
It was a twisted sort of happy ending.