A Night Out
Notes: Usual disclaimers apply, not for profit, for fun
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Daisya has just returned from a mission with Marie and Tiedoll. While Tiedoll and Marie make their report to Komui, he heads off for a shower and change of clothes. When he's done, he finds that he is bored. Already. He pops in to see Komui to see if there is anything else that is needed from him and also he has a request.
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"Kanda," he yells through the door, which he thumps hard with the flat of his palm. "We have a new mission."
The door opens and Kanda asks "What now? Where to?"
"It's only local, some rumours of Akuma activity, we just need to check it out and then we'll be back before bedtime."
"Didn't you just get back? They're already sending you out again?" Kanda is slightly suspicious, because Daisya, sounds far too happy, but then again Daisya lives for trouble. So perhaps not too out of character. His face falls at his team-mate's next sentence though.
"Nah, 'm good. One more thing - we gotta take the new boy with us, Bookman Junior."
"Who? Lavi?" Kanda does not see the need for that one to come along too, but he supposes Bookman's apprentice needs more experience. "Nrg," he grumbles only a little because he goes where he's told to go. "Ok, I'll get ready and go get him, we'll see you downstairs."
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Lavi holds up his glass tankard and speaks with a solemn seriousness, "Did you know in 1606, a bill of law was passed 'for repressing the loathsome and odious sin of Drunkenness'?" He then whispers to the other two at the table, " because," he pauses for effect, "it is 'the Root and Foundation of many other enormous Sins, as Bloodshed, Stabbing, Murder, Swearing, Fornication, Adultery, and such like, to the great Dishonour of God," Lavi finishes by downing the remainder of its contents in one go.
Daisya laughs out loud and Kanda covers his face in his hands and groans. Why? Why? At least he's learnt a new word. Does anyone use the word odious at all?
"How do you even know this shit?" Kanda resigns himself. To his fate and shakes his head. There are, it turns out no Akuma. It turns out this 'field trip' has even been sanctioned by Komui himself - IF Daisya is to be believed. Kanda mutters darkly under his breath, no doubt, Tiedoll himself had agreed to this, as well. It will not surprise him at all. Looking deep into the shallow depths of his drink, he continues growling about bored fuckers and idiotic rabbits.
"Yes, another round!" Daisya slaps them both hard on their backs as he wends his way through the crowd towards the bar.
"Take that, and that. If all this will not do, I'll drown thee in the malmsey butt within." Lavi has started to quote lines from some play, and it appears cannot help himself. Kanda thinks he's just showing off, but to whom, he's not sure. Kanda hasn't been sure since halfway through his second drink, and he's on his third now. To be honest Kanda has had misgivings since Daisya pushed them through the doors of the pub an hour and forty-five minutes ago.
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So, no Akuma. There have been, however, quite a few pints of dark ale involved, something with a dastardly name like Old Peculier brewed north of the capital. Way up north. It's slightly bitter, with a sweet foam, it goes down smooth - just tickling the back of the throat gently.
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There had been singing too, if Kanda's memory is serving him. But he's questioning his memory at the moment so he cannot be too sure. He vaguely recalls Lavi offering to teach him to swim, in the underground waterways that lead to the Order's headquarters. The only thing Kanda CAN recall with clarity is that he really did draw Mugen on the redhead and since that is something he does on a regular basis, it's testament to how much that is second nature. Like breathing.
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Kanda groans and cradles his head in his hands. Running his hands through his hair, he finds his hair tie in a knot of hair halfway down his back. THIS is all Daisya's fault and when he catches up with him Kanda is going to run him through and twist Mugen as he pulls the sword out, just for good measure. If nothing else it will definitely make him feel better.
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Kanda groans again, and from what feels like far away, through swathes of cloth in his ears he can hear someone knocking. Groggily he pushes himself off the bed, and slowly makes his way to the door.
"Good morning," that hair this morning, is far, far too bright, and that smile too. Kanda literally shrinks away from the radiance, still trying to tug at the hair-tie stuck in a tangle.
"HOW are you so bright and cheery?" before he can slam the door in Lavi's face, the other stops the door from shutting with his foot.
"I brought you tea, green tea," the overly bright and cheery thing continues, "and soba too." With an unsympathetic grin, "Aha-haha you should see Daisya, he's pretty much feeling as rough as you are."
"Good, it's his fault, I hope he never recovers …. And then I'll kill him." Ah-h, got it. Kanda remembers in time, not to shake his hair out. He's certain he'll fall over with the way his head is throbbing right then.
"Ah, Yuu. You're so mean." Lavi's smile becomes softer, "You can't say you didn't enjoy yourself?"
All things considered, it had actually been an enjoyable evening. They had not caused any trouble, and more importantly no trouble found them. They hardly ever get time out to be the youngsters they are. Still though. Kanda reaches for the tea on the tray.
"Eat the soba too Yuu." Lavi gestures to the bowl. "I've already breakfasted,
"What time is it?" Kanda thinks to ask.
"Eleven o'..."
"What the … ? So late," Kanda puts the cup down and observes the other as he refills the cup. He rubs at his temples, "no, really - how are you so chirpy, and can you just be less," he points at Lavi, "This."
Kanda does not think that he had that much to drink really, and certainly not any more than the bright eyed and bushy tailed idiot rabbit in front of him. Obviously his more slight build worked against him in this instance, and briefly wonders if recovering from hangovers is going to take up precious healing power from the cursed lotus in the bell-jar. Well it is a bit late now to be worrying about that, so he just shrugs to himself.
Kanda drains the second cup and stops Lavi from pouring him a third. "I'm fine now go." He pushes him out. "I gotta go get ready," at least he should be able to face lunch with the rest of the human race in the cafeteria, he will forego the soba for now.
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It is lunchtime and the Order's refectory is full, but Kanda manages to secure a seat next to Daisya and opposite Lavi. Daisya is off again that evening, this time with Marie. Tiedoll left that morning, early. Marie's and Daisya's missions usually take them within mobilisation range of their General these days.
(Experience with Cross Marian's long intervals of silence have led the Order to ensure that no General's units were too far from being called up and grouped at a moment's notice. Rumours abound, but there's no real indication where General Cross is at the moment.) Kanda supposes that it was fine after all to have a chance to meet up with Daisya, and retracts his threat to kill the bugger. Thus, Daisya remains blissfully unaware how close his brush with death has been.
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Lavi notices how much more relaxed Kanda is around Marie and Daisya. Even the General. He's grateful that Daisya had even bothered to get Kanda to bring him along last night. It was a chance to get to know the other exorcist somewhat, because mostly he hears about them second hand through Kanda. It is nice to be included and accepted - and these thoughts give him pause for consternation. He must not, can not, get too close. He is a Bookman in training after all. He does not have to even glance to his left, where Bookman is observing him at lunch, interacting with the others, assessing his reactions. He can feel Bookman's quiet opprobrium and Lavi is doing his best not to react to that.
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Fin
Notes: This is for posting date 23 August. If it was your birthday yesterday A Very Happy Birthday to you all!
As usual, nothing exciting happens.
Just that I figure, it cannot have been all Akuma killing and Innocence hunting all the time and being young and all. Even balanced, duty-bound, stoic Kanda, he must have needed to let his hair down. Every once in a while.
Once again, thank you everyone for visiting, for reading. You are all so loved - Zan
Sparkly rainbows everyone!
Part 24 of the 49 Days series