Broken Ice (Chapter 1)
"Heh…What the heck. Here I am stuck in a cold desert with no means of food or shelter. Stuck with an ice princess with his own cold demeanor and no trace of that old panda," Lavi muttered under his breath as wisps of cold vapor misted in front of him and trailed off into the surrounding air.
He lifted his headband a little that had slipped down over his left eye due to a slippery sheet of ice, which had formed beneath it. He needed vision at least from his left eye, the right one being covered by a black eye-patch. The reason it was covered was…
"Oi, hurry up. We're never gonna cross this plain with you dreaming along in your own world," Kanda barked, interrupting Lavi's train of thought. Momentarily startled, he quickly gathered his wits about him and managed to speed up a little to catch up with Kanda…..only to knock into a tree located inconveniently at a blind spot on his right eye's radar view.
"Gyaaahhh. Oww oww owwwwww. Dammit. My nose! My nose! Stupid tree. What the hell are you doing in my way," he cried, promptly kicking it with his boot. The resulting sound of his kick echoed through the snowy surroundings and fell upon Kanda's sharp ears.
"Che," he muttered, annoyed. Why must I put up with this redhead anyway? He trudged on. Lavi emerged and fell in step with him, rubbing his nose and hands together to ease his feelings of pain and cold. He took in his surroundings. Bare, snow-frosted trees. Mounds of snow at his feet, which seemed to stretch on towards the horizon. No sign of life at all. He made a quick glance at his companion. Sighing, he made an attempt to break the ice between them. If he didn't talk, his lips might just freeze.
"Hey, Yuu-chan…My nose is pretty sore. Help me rub it will ya? My hands are frozen," Lavi then flashed him his melt-babe's-heart smile. Kanda stopped in his tracks abruptly. His hand edged towards the hilt of Mugen. Lavi gave a start and scanned the area. Kanda's action may be a warning of akuma in the area. He saw nothing. He turned to Kanda.
"Relax, Yuu--- HIKKK!!!" he began, then halted with a strangled gasp as his eyes clapped upon the sharp, shining edge of the samurai's anti-akuma weapon.
"Say that again and I'll make sure the Bookman line ends with you," he hissed, eyes darkening with every word.
"Hehe… Ok Ok. Just trying to cheer up eh? My brain's freezing up I can't think well," Lavi stuttered before pouting. Kanda's facial muscles started to relax and he slid his Mugen back into its sheath.
Cute, he thought…
Wait, I'm not supposed to think that he chided himself inwardly.
"Che," was all he could manage as he continued walking. Their footfalls were muffled as they sank into the soft, white snow. That old man better turn up soon.
"Kanda! Look out!!!" Lavi yelled as a huge snowball rolled towards them, crushing the bare trees in its way into sticks. The sound it made was deafening, like peals of thunder. Kanda, who was involved in a mental struggle just now, just stared at it in shock. This isn't akuma… All of a sudden, two hands made contact with the left side of his body, shoving him out of harm's way. He tumbled into the snow, followed by another body landing on top of him. The huge snowball rolled away, oblivious to the fact that it's two intended human targets had leapt to safety.
The two 18-year-old exorcists didn't budge from their spot. Kanda was propped up on the snow-covered ground by his elbows, Lavi lying on him, his right cheek inches from the bandages on his chest. Both stared at the ball, which exploded into pellets of snow when it rammed into a cliff they had long left behind. Kanda's fast, ragged gasps had converted to slow, rhythmic breathing. Lavi could feel the soft lub-dup of Kanda's heartbeat in his chest.
I want to stay. My head resting here. Not budging. Just resting. Not a care in the world or some mad killer snowball He proceeded to do just that, then he felt his hair being ruffled.
"Oi. Get the hell off me before I slice your head off," Kanda's voice slid into Lavi's ears. So much for resting Kanda felt awkward. He sort of wanted Lavi to stay that way. However, his pride drove him to utter those words.
Lavi sat up, dazed.
What was that feeling burning in my heart just then?
Dumbfounded, he rubbed his eyes and stood up. Oddly, both had forgotten who had sent the snowball after them. Silence hung over them as they mulled over their own thoughts.
Then, Lavi recalled the reason he had been on Kanda's chest the first place.
"Hey, Yuu-chan. About that snowball…" he began. Somehow, Kanda didn't even start attacking him…