"He's late," growled an extremely stressed Kanda. He had participated in this Exorcist reunion with utmost annoyance, nostalgia, and—secretly—delight, but officially, as of now, the third emotion had been crushed by rage. The damned rabbit was tardy.
Waiting wasn't easy for Kanda, who had never been one to call patience a virtue, unlike the two sitting beside him on the park bench.
"Yeah, silly Lavi." Allen giggled as he wrapped an arm around Lenalee's shivering shoulders. "Would you like my coat?" he asked the woman.
"You need it." Lenalee patted Allen's cheek affectionately, resting her head on his shoulder.
Kanda rolled his eyes at the sour scene. The two should just strip and go at each other on the frosty grass already; that would be preferred to this sappy, cuddle-for-body-heat sight. And yes, they had offered him a share of their warmth; and yes, he had rejected them with more venom than they deserved—much as they predicted.
"Does he think we like the freezing weather?" Kanda was not about to be the first to voice that their joints weren't as impermeable to chills as years ago.
The samurai drew composure from the sword at his hip, gripping the hilt for every drop of frustration the rabbit cost him. This couldn't be healthy. Anger did no good to his heart; it led to severe escalation in beats and a rise in his blood pressure.
High blood pressure wasn't nice when it came to Kanda. No one wanted to go there.
"There he is!" Allen practically slipped off the bench in his hurry to greet the Bookman. "Lavi, what took you so long?"
With a hearty laugh, the redhead answered, "I had to drop off my apprentice—he's a brilliant idiot."
Lenalee barely held back a seething Kanda as he roared the best he could, "You stupid rabbit! We waited for thirty minutes!"
"Now, now. I have some presents for you guys!" Lavi proudly presented a plain, brown bag, taking his sweet time rummaging around the contents. He loved annoying people, and Kanda simply made it too easy.
Time had not taught Kanda anything in terms of tolerance, had it? Sheesh. Silly Yuu.
He glanced at Lenalee, who was playing with Allen's fingers. She was as pretty as ever, even with the wrinkles adorning her delicate features.
And Allen. Allen, Allen, Allen. His geezer hair finally deserved to be on his cute, little head. But really, the kid—Allen would always be a kid to Lavi—could blend straight into the snowy background.
"Lavi, the presents?" Lenalee asked with a giggle when Lavi blanked out.
"Ah! Here ya go!" Lavi pulled various objects out of his bag, depositing them to their respective receivers. "Gloves for Allen! They're real warm and still all gentlemen-like. Socks for Lenalee! They're really squishy and easy on feet, so you'll feel much better! And, Kanda! A wig! Doesn't this look familiar?"
Allen slipped on his new gloves appreciatively—Lavi hadn't exaggerated their warmth—as he grinned at Kanda's expression.
Lenalee hurriedly donned her socks, also taking an amused look at the gift in Kanda's shaking hands.
"A wig? What?" Kanda shook it for a better look. It was his hair. It had to be. The dark blue hue to the long ponytail couldn't belong to anyone but him. But he hadn't sported that color since…he didn't care enough to remember.
No, he was definitely not balding. He had simply forsaken his ponytail in favor of a less needy cut. Tragically, it had literally become too much of a pain to wash, comb, and otherwise tend such an unnecessary length of hair.
But what had Lavi expected him to do with this wig? Dress himself and fantasize about his days of youth?
Kanda unconsciously felt his short-cropped haircut. He refused to use this synthetic atrocity…in public, anyways.
Allen's smile softened to a comfortable curve as he watched the picture before him. Lavi hadn't changed a bit; neither had Kanda.
Lenalee's wind-blown, gray locks tickled his face, so he tugged them behind her ear. How had they escaped the tight confines of her silver braid?
Allen sighed again as the other three exchanged memories, hugs, and insults. Lenalee and Lavi had aged splendidly. Even now, Lenalee was enough of sight to draw second glances, and Lavi still held his red hair—now mere streaks through gray—in that eternally acceptable style of his.
Allen and Kanda were of a different, sadder story. Perhaps it was due to the life their Innocence had robbed from them. Their brutal and liberate use of their weapons was finally taking a toll on their bodies. Allen wondered if Kanda shared any of the health difficulties he faced. Sometime today, he'd have to ask him.
"We shouldn't stand around out here. Let's go eat!" Allen flipped through his list of restaurant recommendations that he had acquired from years of eating out.
"Are you still going on about food? You might be skinny now, but you'll get fat when you get any older!" Lavi laughed at the joke they often shared.
"Like that'll ever stop me!" Allen rubbed his demanding stomach. "Oh! Miranda and Marie are still waiting for us!"
"Really? I can't believe Marie would let Miranda out these days! Shouldn't she be in bed?" Lavi joined the shoulder-to-shoulder row as they headed for the park exit.
"Marie thinks it'll do her good to see some old friends again," Lenalee explained with a sweet smile. "I really want to see them, too."
Lenalee leaned forward for a better look down her line of friends. They were all so wonderful; these happy years went by fast, and she could hardly complain at the results.
Her beloved Allen was still with her, and that helped her bear the constant fear of losing him to his Innocence. They would spend every second together as if it was their last, for it really could be.
Her brotherly Kanda was still an expert at feigning absolute resentment to everything that breathed—and quite a number of few that did not. But she could tell, as always, that with every hateful glimpse he gave his companions, a world of love lay beyond.
Oh, Lavi. He was such a catalyst to a good day. Despite the paling of his bright locks, he could still light up the room with his words.
Kanda allowed Allen's shoulder to touch his, and when Lenalee winked at him, he almost returned a smile. Fingering the wig in his hands, Kanda marveled at its authentic silkiness. Lavi must've searched long and hard for a work of this skill.
By now, Lavi had probably mastered the functions of Kanda's buttons; he knew how to please Kanda in the most humorous and strange ways.
Lenalee looked happy, which Kanda drew relief from. Nevertheless, when Beansprout finally bite the dust, it would be up to other Exorcists to step it up for her. She'd probably need financial and medical care… Well, Beansprout probably already arranged everything in preparation for when that dreaded day arrives. Until then, Kanda would have to trust Allen to give her more love than necessary to make up for his upcoming years of absence.
Allen actually appeared to be in good shape. Sure, he massaged his wrist one too many times for Kanda's liking, but this sprout was a tough weed. Kanda wasn't quite up to the task of outliving his friends, but he definitely had a chance against Allen. Yes, it would be a contest until the end. Kanda was sure Allen would accept the challenge with gusto.
"Krory would've liked the snow," Allen finally commented into the muffling surroundings. "Remember when he got hustled by Tyki on the train?"
Kanda and Lenalee said nothing without that particular memory.
"Ahaha. He was so naïve…" Lavi dug further into his pockets in search of heat.
As they walked, they remembered and appreciated those who had died.
Practically all the 'adults' had passed away, leaving behind the child soldiers who had no experience in the 'real world'.
But they managed. They sought and found normal jobs, blended into society, and never used their Innocence again.
Allen stopped walking.
The other three turned back with questions in their eyes.
"Come on, aren't you hungry?" Lenalee held out her hand.
"Uh…" Instead of to her, Allen's hand flew to his left eye. "No way…"
"Don't tell me…" Lavi fingered his hammer, now a keychain dangling from his belt.
"You're kidding…" Kanda's hand hovered uncertainly over Mugen.
Lenalee took off into the air as the Exorcists dove out of the way of incoming missiles.
Several Level Threes and even two Level Fours emerged.
"Are you serious? These guys are late by, like, sixty years!" Lavi raised his hammer, ignoring his sore shoulder blades.
Kanda was less careful as he made to quick-draw his Mugen. Clutching his shoulder as he pulled a little too hard and fast, Kanda kneeled down to massage the aching joint.
Witnessing the somewhat pathetic sight, Lavi pointed dumbly, keeling over with laughter, only to be cut off by grunts of pain as he threw out his back. "Ack! Shit! That hurts! That hurts!"
"Be more careful, you guys. We're not as sturdy as before…" Allen tenderly but urgently tugged at his wrist, drawing his entirely too large sword. It clanged to the ground as the weight turned out a lot heavier than he remembered. His cape fluttered out behind him, the gray mask—now tainted—already in place.
Even after all these years, he still knew his Innocence, so he noticed the…blemishes on it now. The blade was dull and brittle, lacking the glow it emitted when he was a teen. Crowned Clown's cloak had yellowed with age, its off color especially apparent compared to the snow.
By now, Kanda had recovered from his little arthritis mishap and was hell-bent on not repeating the same mistake. Mugen slid out of its sheath happily, excited to taste some akuma blood.
Lenalee pulverized her fourth Level Three, falling to the ground to rub her throbbing calves.
A Level Four approached, guns raised to blow her head off. Allen darted between them, shielding Lenalee with his sword. Lavi awkwardly sent a flaming snake at the Level Four, interjecting its gunfire.
Allen's weapon clattered to the ground, his hand shaking at the impact it'd just absorbed. Lenalee kneeled beside him, stroking his trembling fingers.
"Ah…this would've been nothing years ago." Allen stared up at the Level Fours, contemplating just how to bring them down.
"This still is nothing!" Kanda growled, yanking Mugen—extremely cautiously—out of the body of a Level Three.
The two Level Fours aimed at Allen, with Lenalee behind him. "We waited so long for this moment, Exorcists!"
Lenalee prepared to launch off the ground with Allen, but stopped when something flashed in the air around the akuma. Spider webs? In this weather?
Wires. Impossibly thin and even more ridiculously strong wires.
"Marie!" Lavi cried joyously as the black man appeared down the sidewalk, pushing along a gaunt Miranda in her wheelchair.
"We were tired of waiting at the café, so we came here. And this is what you're doing, huh?" Marie caressed Miranda's white hair. "They were having fun without us."
"Yes, yes they were." The elderly woman waved at Allen. "You guys could use some help, right?"
Without waiting for an answer, Miranda pulled a familiar disc from underneath the blanket on her lap. "I haven't used this in such a long time."
"Forgive me, Marie," Miranda whispered.
"Of course, but only if you include me, too."
A pained but understanding expression crossed Miranda's face. Slowly, as if the disc was too much for her arm, she raised her Innocence. "Time Record…one last time."
Bright, blinding light radiated from Miranda's clock, spreading until it enveloped all six Exorcists. Time stopped and began rewinding.
Kanda felt the skin of his face tighten as wrinkles disappeared; his gray hair grew in length and color down his back. Pain evaporated from his body, leaving it ready for anything.
Lavi ruffled his mane as it regained its soft texture, flaring scarlet against his black headband. His hammer became smooth under his touch, twirled by his expert fingers.
Lenalee stood up as her legs lightened, straining less to maneuver through the air. Her braid came apart, scattering black across her slender shoulders.
Allen hoisted himself up with Crowned Belt, now as pearly white as snow. The flaws on his mask faded, revealing beautiful silver. His sword lost weight but gained power, sharpening the edge to slice through the toughest akuma armor.
Youth was restored to their bodies, sending fresh energy coursing through their veins. Time Record sucked out their decades of wear, breathing new life back into them.
"Awesome," Lavi gasped. He pointed his hammer to heaven, summoning all his control over the environment. Sunlight poured over the snowy day like liquid fire, melting away the frost, reviving Spring months before her due date.
Allen threw himself at the first Level Four, slashing off its guns with one swipe. Kanda followed suit with the head, skipping aside as Lenalee brought her foot down on the akuma's torso.
Flowers bloomed as akuma blood splattered over their pedals, blades of grass shooting up with the vigor of summer.
Lenalee kicked off a nearby tree, dispersing rich, pink cherry blossoms across the sky.
Lavi, satisfied with the change in setting, whistled for his fiery snake, coiling it around the last Level Four. He jerked on his hammer, tightening his reptile friend around the akuma.
Allen dashed up, slashing the snake and its prisoner in half.
As the last sparks dimmed to cinders, Miranda lowered her Innocence. "I've always wanted to do that for you guys…"
With that, Time Record crumbled. The disc in her hand shattered, though Miranda only smiled and closed her eyes blissfully. Behind her, Marie collapsed to the ground, still holding her small hand.
Allen felt his legs grow weak as time reclaimed them. He looked around, and saw that his companions were no longer standing either.
Lenalee mustered a small smile before she snuggled against the warm grass, eyelids slipping shut.
Lavi chuckled softly, enjoying the scenery he had created. After such a long time of disuse, he'd grown unaccustomed to his powers. He went far overboard. Today was the single exception of the year to his Bookman customs, and this was how it turned out. Marvelous. His poor apprentice…
Kanda stared at a flower by his face, counting the pedals as they fell. He glanced at his friends, wondering if they'd also accept the challenge he'd wanted to propose to Allen.
He was sure they would, 'cause they were all a bunch of idiots.
Well, looked like this one was a draw.
Wow. Idk. I just… Hoppipolla! It's a song. Look it up on YouTube. Watch the music video! You'll see how it inspired me. Lol.
Please review. You have no idea how much I'd appreciate it.