Just another friendship oneshot about Kanda, Lavi and Lenalee…
It happens before the -man plot; a few months after Lavi joined the order, so they don't know each other very well.
I know the stargazing thing is somewhat cliché, but I couldn't help it XD
Oh well, hope you like it!
Stargazing
All three of them were slightly out of breath when they finally got to the top of the old tower. It would have been easy enough for Lenalee to fly up there with her Dark Boots, but she hadn't felt like leaving the two boys behind. As for Lavi, he didn't trust himself to stop his hammer at the right time, and smashing the ceiling wasn't exactly a great way to stay unnoticed.
Kanda was cursing Lavi, who had accidentally stepped on his foot (or so he said) and the too narrow staircase that disabled him to unsheathe his blade. The young Chinese exorcist sighed and pushed the redhead towards the door. He was quite talented at picking locks and managed to open the door in an instant.
They slipped outside and breathed the fresh nightly air. She felt bad for sneaking out, but it wasn't like they were doing anything dangerous, was it? She smiled to herself at that. At fourteen years old (fifteen soon), she faced death all the time, and so did her friends, who were barely older. So Lavi's idea of going to the roof to stargaze had strangely thrilled her. Doing something against the rules for once, even if it was that small, was very welcome.
Looking up to watch the shining stars that glowed in the cloudless sky, she listened to the two teenagers bicker. Since Lavi's arrival a few months earlier, her childhood friend had become much more… Livelier (granted, most of their interaction involved the younger of the two running away from the other's katana, but it was still better than nothing).
Although their personalities clashed as much as possible, the two had become nearly inseparable (… Okay, Lavi stalked his new "best friend") but she was happy there was finally someone else around her age. It wasn't that she didn't like Kanda, not at all, but it felt nice having someone she could actually have a long, not one-sided, conversation with.
The Bookman apprentice was unlike anyone she'd seen before. So friendly and cheerful, yet changing the subject skilfully every time it got too personal for his taste. He could be so distant at times and totally clueless when someone wanted to help him out. It was as if he expected everything to have a price, every action to have a meaning.
Suddenly, Lavi was hiding behind her, a murderous Kanda close behind him, Mugen unsheathed.
"Just how much of a coward are you, Usagi? Hiding behind a girl!"
The green-eyed teen actually looked offended for a second.
"That's only 'cause I know you won't hurt her… I can't say the same for me, Yuu!"
She heard the other grit his teeth as the casual use of his first name (even she has no right to use it even if she'd known him since she was eight) and sighed. She'd have to stop another fight before the incredibly fearless (or idiotic, or suicidal… There were times when she wasn't sure which one it was) Lavi ended up in pieces.
She couldn't help but wish she had her beloved clipboard with her but, as far as she knew, it was probably hidden under a pile of long overdue paperwork somewhere in her brother's office.
She settled for a slap on the back of the head for both of them and they were all silent for a moment, the boys pouting in their own way: Lavi with a childishly hurt expression and Kanda with an offended scowl. She might have been the youngest, the weakest, or the least experienced between them, but she has some sort of power over the other two, though she had absolutely no idea why. Maybe it was because she was a girl? All she knew is that it was quite useful when she needed to stop Kanda from killing someone… And that happened quite often.
After a while, she installed the blanket she had brought with her on the hard floor and lay down on it to stare at the sky. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but she had seen worse. Lavi was quick to join her, staying away from her personal space, seemingly thoughtful, but Kanda only sat cross-legged, as if he was meditating. It had taken a lot of persuasion to convince him to come up with them for such a "pointless and annoying" thing as stargazing (especially since it was Lavi's idea), but he had come, and she wouldn't ask more than that from him.
…….
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
They were always so busy, working, resting or recovering from injuries, and it had been a long time since she had taken the time to just look at the stars. The moon was nice, too. Far, far below them, the others were sleeping, oblivious to the view.
"Yeah… You've never thought of coming here before?"
She turned to look at Lavi, who was staring up, arms crossed behind his head and a peaceful expression on his face. She forgot about the eye-patch that covered the part of his face she couldn't see.
"Not really. It's forbidden, anyway. To prevent… Accidents…"
She hesitated and Kanda scoffed (giving a first sign of life in a while), which led Lavi to believe the "accidents" she was talking about were actually suicides.
"Oh. Well, who cares if it's permitted or not? It's not like they could do anything… We aren't exactly expendable."
There was another scoff from Kanda, and all was silent again.
……
"Hey! Wasn't that a shooting star?"
Lavi's green eye was half-lidded and he let his thoughts drift without really controlling them when he spotted the flash of light that briefly crossed the sky.
"I think I saw it too! Make a wish guys."
Lenalee's enthusiastic reply made him smile. Whishing upon a shooting star… He'd heard of that tradition, but had never paid much attention to it.
"Che, that's idiotic."
For once, he had to agree with Kanda, but instead of saying it, he seized the occasion to anger the other again.
"Aw, come on Yuu! There must be something even an antisocial person like you wants!"
The raging annoyance in the other's steely grey eyes was enough to amuse him, as always. He didn't know exactly when he had realised that annoying the hell out of Kanda Yuu was his favourite pastime, but guessed it went back to their first meeting.
"I wouldn't mind if you disappeared."
"Yuu, you're evil!"
"Quit calling me that!"
"Ah-ha! You admit it!"
"Can't you two stop arguing?"
Their arguments never went really far, and he always managed to get out with a few scratches, at worst. Perfectly fine, if Lenalee was anywhere near. The effect she had over the otherwise completely independent exorcist fascinated him. Curiosity took over and he wondered what a girl like her would want. World peace? The end of the war? A boyfriend?
"What didyouwish for, Lenalee?"
"…It's selfish"
That surprised him. But then again, kind as she was, she stayed human. He shrugged helplessly.
"So what? Humans are selfish."
She sighed but nodded, hesitation apparent on her face. She visibly didn't like to think of herself as egocentric and, he had to admit, she was probably the most selfless person he had met in… A long time.
"I want it all to be a dream."
"Uh?"
"I… I want to wake up and find out that none of this is real. That there are no Akumas or Innocence, and that I'm still in our home in China."
"That's understandable."
"What about you, Lavi?"
"Me?"
He was caught off guard once again and blinked, not too sure about how to respond. Technically, Bookmen weren't supposed to have feelings, and that probably included desires. Of course, there was no way his mentor would learn about whatever he said but… What did he want? He had never really thought about it. Nothing stopped him from making something up, but nothing came in mind.
"Who else, moron."
The intervention gave him more time to think.
"Now, now, if I told you, it wouldn't come true!"
"Che. It won't come true anyway…"
"That's unfair! I told you mine"
"Sorry…"
"Lavi!"
"I won't tell!"
"Just shut up, both of you!"
He nearly laughed at Kanda's angry outburst, but staying quiet was probably safer.
….
He had lost track of time, meditating, when the irritating voice broke through his concentration.
"Hey, Yuu."
He cracked an eye open to glare at the redhead. As a general rule, he disliked Lavi. Not only because the other seemed to spend every waking minute trying to piss him off, or because people he judged his equals were pretty rare, but there was also something about the other's constant smile that made him uneasy. And if there was something he knew about (besides fighting), it was concealing emotions. And Lavi's grin sure as hell wasn't sincere, although it had improved in the last few months… Why was he thinking about that, anyway? It wasn't like he cared.
"Don't call me that!"
"Is she asleep?"
He assumed the other was talking about Lenalee but merely closed his eyes again, not bothering to check.
"How should I know?"
"Looks like it. What do we do?"
Who did the stupid rabbit think he was?!
"There's no "we", Usagi."
"So cold…"
Somehow, he could almost hear the smirk in the other's voice, and that bugged him (… like pretty much everything Lavi did).
"Think we can carry her all the way down?"
They probably could have, but she was a light sleeper, he knew from experience. And the risks of meeting her crazy/overprotective brother were too high to be ignored.
"Just wake her up, idiot.
"I don't want to…"
There was a weird softness in his voice that seemed out of place but not at all feigned. Then again, Kanda knew what kind of effect Lenalee could have on people.
"Then stay here."
Lavi seemed to weigh his options for a while before answering.
"Yeah. Are you staying?"
"… If you shut up."
The mocking tone was back in his voice.
"Goodnight, then."
…
The dawn was slowly breaking through the darkness, and the only sounds aside from the wind blowing were the two other's peaceful breathing. He'd have to go train soon enough, unwilling to be late on his routine.
"Yuu?"
… That voice again.
"I thought I told you to shut up."
"You did."
"Che. What do you want?"
"…Just wanted to check if you were still awake"
"Idiot."
Lavi snickered, Kanda frowned, and they watched the sun rise together.
… That's it.
Thanks for reading, and please review?