Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the characters, Lavi and Bookman belong to Hoshino Katsura.
Student to Teacher
One eye covered in darkness, the other to let light in. He stood in the dimmed hallway of their headquarters, staring at the silent wooden door in front of him. Remembering the pattern engraved into the door. Sighing a little, he brought his hand up into a slight fist and knocked softly against the mahogany. He heard a low murmur from behind the door, allowing the teen to enter. Moving his hand to the icy brass door handle, he twisted and a chill glided up his spine as a faint smell of ink lingered around his delicate nose. Glancing up, he saw his elder, his mentor and he would go as far as calling the elder a friend. The elder sat there, writing away, not acknowledging his young apprentice. The 18 year old teen slide his black and green bandana down, loosely draping around his slender neck, red hair fell across his forehead. His brow furrowed slightly as he stared at his mentor. The old man was in a long sleeved grey tailored Mandarin collared shirt, cotton black buttons sewn neatly down the centre, black pants entangled around his crossed legs. His eyes focused on the black shapes forming from his quill as his hand painted across his canvas. The old man was silent.
"Shishou..."
Words escaped the teens lips, silently but strongly. The old man turned in his seat, his face did not change expression when he looked into the single green eye of his apprentice. It was clouded with confusion, sadness, pain, suffering and worry, the overall feeling of being lost. The red-head patted unruly parts of his hair as he sat down on the Bookman's bed, the Bookman saw that the child in front of him wasn't the 49th one but the original one, the one that lied beneath the future Bookman. The person the old man had trained the child to be has withered away back into the young child whom he first met several years ago. The lost boy, with no family, no home and whom no-one held love for. The young child who had been abused physically and emotionally, the sickly child who people thought wouldn't live long was now sitting on his bed. His eye was focused on the smooth stone flooring, lips were pouted slightly as the red-head was lost in thought. His lips moved slightly, a shallow quiet croak pierced the silence.
"I... I'm scared..."
Lavi's shoulders slumped down as the teen rested his elbows on his legs, closing off his body to the Bookman, maybe feeling somewhat safer in the position, protecting himself from letting others in. Shaky breaths escaped his lungs. Bookman emotionless features fell upon a frown, not understanding his apprentice's words. Standing up and moving towards the taller male, he waited for his apprentice to say more, but nothing came.
"What's wrong Lavi?" Words filled somewhat with concern. It was true he had never seen Lavi like this, not one where the blabbermouth was lost for words, quiet and seeming somewhat depressed. He waited for the teen to answer, watching his chest rise and fall as his breathing became more shallow. He couldn't see his eye from where he was standing, moving closer to the teen, he felt the soft mattress dip with his weight. He noticed the teens head dipped more into his chest before glancing into his brown eyes. His mouth opened slightly, but soon afterwards closed. A few more moments had past as the two Bookmen sat in silence.
"You should say what you want to say or stop wasting my time." The Bookman bluntly spoke, no hint of emotion in his words. The Bookman felt an icy glare pierce into him, it was only for a split second or so, but the Bookman had felt it, at least he was getting some form of reaction from the 18 year old. A few more silent moments passed, he felt the mattress beneath him shift slightly. Turning back towards the unusually quiet teen, he saw his lips move, this time a low somewhat sentence escaped.
"I think I'm loosing my way." A silent pause lingered, leaving the Bookman to wonder what his young apprentice was talking about, he didn't have much time to ponder as more was said and filled his ears with knowledge. "I think I've lost sight of becoming a bookman... I'm sorry." Bookman's lips twisted as a grimace appear on his face before shifting to a frown then looking back at the teen with confusion. "So what are you going to do about it Lavi? What do you want to do about it? Its your choice to write your own path." Bookman spoke as he stood up returning to his desk and taking the quill in his right hand and continued writing.
Lavi stared at the empty space in front of him. He felt empty, he had been 48 different people, but why did this one effect him the most. Was it the fact that this is his first one where he had participated in a war? Was it the fact that people had acknowledged this Lavi? That people cared for him. He truly wanted to be a bookman, it was the light in his dark world, the one that has made him survived, the reason why he was still alive, but being an Exorcist. He had friends, he had a home and people who would welcome him home, but what would happen when the war was over? Would he be left in that darkness once more?
Sighing, the slouched down resting his chest on his legs with his arms wrapped under his knees. He didn't know what he wanted to do. His mind wandered, back to the time when he first met Bookman, he had just followed him, intrigued by his presence, it wasn't everyday that you'd meet the most important person in the clan. Even though he was too young to be the Bookman's apprentice, he was still chosen. Bookman had said that he had more potential than the ones applying for the place. The average apprentice would have started at the age he is now, but he's been an apprentice for over 10 years. His mind wandered more, a saddened smile plagued his face.
"Jiji, why did you choose me?" The red-headed teen pondered.
"I didn't." The red-headed teen furrowed his eyebrows as he lifted himself to look into Bookman's eyes, confusion painted across his face. A blank expression stared back before turning back to the history painted on his canvas. Lavi's mouth dropped in confusion, trying to form words, but couldn't make out a sentence to retort with. "You chose your own path Lavi. You wanted to be a bookman, you had more potential than the others, it was only natural that I'd choose you."
A creepy between a huff and a giggle followed by a depressing sigh. "I hate it here." A lopsided grin played its way to Lavi's mouth, the Bookman glanced at the corner of his eye, expecting for the teen to say more. The sound heard was the scribbling of words grinding into the paper followed by a creaking of the mattress. Glancing round, Bookman saw Lavi lie down on his bed, staring up at the white ceiling above then turning around and curled up in a ball. From the angle he was looking at, it appeared the young man was crying.
"I'm sorry Jiji." Barely above a whisper, Bookman's face did not change, he was thinking that he had to go back and find another apprentice, and train someone else to take his place. Staring at the teen who was now sitting up, that horrid grin that Bookman hated plastered against his face. "I guess you're stuck with me."
Bookman stumbled in his thoughts and gave Lavi a surprise look. He really wanted to hit the kid, and that's what he did. He flew off his chair and drop kicked on his young, ignorant, annoying apprentice. After the impact a painful yelp echoed the room, Lavi's smile remained as he sat up painfully. Bookman was now standing next to his apprentice, facing away. He was truly happy that he didn't loose his apprentice, he wouldn't admit it, Lavi had grown on him, starting from that young boy he first met. He had broken many rules of Bookman for Lavi and his previous alias'. Choosing him from such a young age when apprentices should be at 16 when in training, just in case something did happen to the current bookman, the apprentice will be able to look after himself. Another would be actually caring for his apprentice and putting his life on the line for his apprentice. Deep down, he didn't care, the teen would make a good Bookman. He felt arms around his body, he glanced up, it was only a quick but none of the less, his apprentice had hugged him. Turning around Bookman's hand slapped down on his apprentice head, a small yelp was heard, before patting the red-mop before returning to his desk continuing with his work.
"Thanks Jiji."
It was quiet but full of meaning, Bookman smiled inwardly as Lavi left his room to allow the current Bookman to continue with his work.
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Wow this is what happen when you try to force yourself out of a sort of unimaginative mind. Lavi has like random split personality lol, poor guy :S I actually just wanted to write some with Lavi and Bookman, I love the little student teacher relationship they have, its also somewhat kind of like Grandfather, Grandson type of relationship, I think its kinda of sweet. (Episode 94 comes to mind and their reunion scene). I'm always gonna suck at naming things, so meh about the title. Anyways the story is kinda of a drabble, sucky and doesn't make sense xD. Reviews and criticism are appreciated, and I understand if you want to flame this xD
