A/N: Another RP-turned-Fanfic that I'm doing with bookmans-lavi on Tumblr :D I wrote the parts for Allen, Lenalee, Komui, and Nea. bookmans-lavi wrote the parts for... well... Bookman and Lavi!
Two For the Price of One
A D Gray-Man and Beyond: Two Souls Crossover
"…and then he locked the poor guy in a closet for like two days straight," Lenalee groaned exasperation into her hands as she finished recounting another one of her older brother's anti-creep(a.k.a. "no one in the universe is worthy to date my sister") escapades. One Chinese man in particular who'd had his eyes set on her for years now seemed to be especially unlucky when it came to getting anywhere near her to even ask.
"That-," Allen paused, finishing with a little laugh, "sounds unsanitary. Two days trapped in a closet with no way out. Komui sure is brutal." He resumed dishing up the food he had cooking in a stovetop pan, wearing a slight smirk as he was sure the man himself was potentially listening in.
"Apparently it isn't enough that I had self-defense classes," she sighed. "He has to drive every potential boyfriend in a ten mile radius off before they can even give their names."
"He's just a little protective, that's all," Allen supplied with a sheepish smile. "You are his younger sibling after all."
Personally he liked the fact that she had become deeply familiar with such self-defense and fighting classes. Safety aside, which he was glad for her having in and of itself because he didn't want anything bad to happen to her either, it gave him an exercise partner to spar against.
One that his spectral… `guardian`, Nea, wasn't likely to choke to death or maim with projectile objects for it.
"Still…" Lenalee hummed as Allen set out plates for them, looking accomplished in the meal he'd made, and sat down next to her to eat. "There is such a thing as too much." She stopped and gave a pointed look at the cameras positioned in every corner of the room, but if Komui was watching the monitors to see it, he voiced nothing. At least not into the microphone.
"Believe me, I know the feeling," Allen muttered sourly, stuffing his face and ignoring the indignant hiss that echoed in his head. "At least he's not permanently attached though."
"You'd think he was," Lenalee snorted softly, "with the way he dotes sometimes."
"Allen-" Speak of the devil. It seemed Komui finally decided to interrupt their discussion from the other room. It wasn't for any reasons he'd expected though. "You have visitors."
He paused at that, casting a confused glance at Lenalee, but she merely shrugged her shoulders.
"Is now okay, or after your meal?"
He considered that for a moment, a touch startled and uncertain about such unannounced company, but he merely shrugged faintly. He was never sure what to think of meeting new people. All he knew was things could easily go south very quickly once Nea decided how he felt, and that always worried him more than anything.
"Now's fine," he decided, silently willing Nea to behave himself. He wished Komui had given greater warning, but there was nothing to be done for it now.
"Be friendly, but just remember, don't get attached. There's no idea what there might be in store for someone like this, Lavi. He'll be used for military purposes, but don't forget that this world is unforgiving, ESPECIALLY to someone like this one."
The redhead chances a glance down at the short old man standing beside him as they await to see if the teen they're here to study will accept them in. It's not that he necessarily has choice, but at least they can debate on if this guy will be difficult or not.
Bookman–a nickname he's picked up and decided to keep–is a brilliant psychiatrist that has his grandson, Lavi, as his sort of 'apprentice' since he's going to university for the same exact thing. This program needs some sort of secure recording and they're able to provide it.
"Right. I remember Gramps. Lab rat."
"That's not what I was saying. Those are easier to deal with than this one. Not as dangerous, too."
They won't have the time to talk about it before they're revisited.
"Thank you for waiting," Komui told them as he returned, only to direct inside and take the lead ahead both of them, angling a glance over his shoulder. "Allen has agreed to meet with you now rather than later."
That said, he opened the door between the first long, narrow room they entered - lined in computer monitors and machinery - then a second one that led into the one outfitted for residence just beyond.
It had three rooms: a living space, doorless bedroom, and a bathroom in the back, looking much akin to a studio apartment fit for one person to live comfortably. Two, if they were pushing it. Perhaps most noticeably, there were no windows, large or small, much less ones which led to anywhere outside, of which the room being located further towards the center of the building made as good an excuse for not having any as being a precaution against escape did.
Allen observed the newcomers with an apprehensive sort of tension, one an old man that looked like he was already well past his retirement age, and the other a young man a few years older than himself with red hair. Their differences in height - the old man incredibly short, the young man slightly tall - was almost comical, but he had the sense not to bring attention to it.
"Allen, these two are Bookman and Lavi," Komui introduced, directing to each in turn. "They're here because they work a similar field as I myself do, and they're quite interested in you and some of the things you are able to do."
Allen nodded, disguising his unease behind a polite, slightly awkward smile.
"It's nice to meet you," he offered up, along with his palm for a customary handshake.
It's quite easy to see how uncomfortable this makes the white-haired teen. Lavi can understand that, considering he would definitely very limited human interaction outside of the few people who are even allowed to be able to see him. He takes in the sight of the other as Bookman does so even quicker due to his experience, him being the one to reach out and shake Allen's hand first as Lavi stands behind to get a few more precious seconds of studying in.
Bookman nodded in agreement and then it was the redhead's turn. He steps forward, giving a firm handshake and what he hopes is perceived as a friendly smile that makes him approachable.
"It's a pleasure to meet ya, too. What's your name? Name's Lavi, don't wear it out! And this here is my Gramps who likes to be called Bookman."
Lavi and Bookman know that Komui just introduced them, but the two do often find it better when they verbally introduce themselves to others. They feel it makes people more open because they might perceive them as people to talk to. Having them answer their own questions can show that they're viewed as capable, too. Right? It's more likely they're going to answer, right?
"Allen Walker," the white-haired male offered up, managing to keep his tone even as he took his while to study the two strangers a little more thoroughly.
A yellow tabby lightly leapt up onto the counter, meowing curiously and sniffing the air toward Lavi. Allen smiled and lightly scratched the feline behind the ears.
"This is Timcanpy, and, uhm…" It was at this point he stopped himself, looking uncertain and as if he were suddenly trying to figure something out, almost seeming a touch wary. "How, um… how much has Komui told you?"
The topic of Nea was one he already figured would inevitably come up eventually, given that he never exactly got visitors just to socialize, with Lenalee being the only exception. He wasn't terribly sure how much they had already been informed of.
Lavi instantly becomes interested when the yellow cat hops up onto the table, leaning forward in his seat with a more genuine smile as a green eye watches as Timcanpy leans into the ear-scratching. When Komui comes into question, it makes Lavi shift almost uncomfortably while Bookman can admire how direct Allen is.
"He's told us enough–what you call him and what he's capable of doing. That's all well and good, but first thing's first: we'd like to know what YOU feel," Bookman says, taking point in this topic of conversation so that Lavi can listen and learn some more. Lavi isn't always exactly good at being nice at beating around the bush, ever the somewhat impatient one. "I major in psychology, different fields. There are other people who can specialize in what's different about you, but I think it's important to get a good look at what's your take on everything and how it affects you."
Not exactly true, but Bookman's rather serious face makes it next to impossible to tell that he's not exactly interested in Allen, but in how Nea affects him.
At the very least, there was a lot of explaining Allen didn't have to do. Not regarding his basic circumstances at the very least, though he likely wouldn't have deluded himself into thinking any different anyway.
He was admittedly taken off guard when Bookman went on to say he was more interested in Allen's feelings on the matter, rather than Nea. He was wary to believe it, but he tried not to jump to conclusions.
He breathed out a pause, clearly contemplating how to answer that. For a moment, his gaze flicked to Komui in question, not sure if it had been the man's idea or not. Komui was someone he could relax around and trust, and he knew that the man was generally compassionate and legitimately tried to look out for him.
All the same, he had to resist making a quip about if this was some kind of counseling intervention or something of the sort. Once again, he wished he'd received some warning, at the very least.
"It… doesn't affect me too much," he said finally, not entirely sure what they wanted to hear and still a bit uneasy, though he tried not to be transparent about it. "I mean most of the time he's just… there. I have to be careful when it comes to other people though. He can get a bit…" He paused, searching for the right word. "…protective… if he thinks someone is a threat to me. Occasionally he breaks things, if we get into a disagreement, or someone he doesn't hate enough to harm does something upsetting."
He shrugged a bit awkwardly.
"Other than that, there's nothing much different from anyone else."
A very brief overview, but not nearly enough to satiate the old man as he stares at Allen with small brown eyes, gaze piercing and unwavering. Lavi thinks that perhaps he's being too intense, so he sits there with what he hopes to be an encouraging smile as his eye glances over to Timcanpy again.
"Nothing much different from anyone else? It sounds like you have tried to make friends before. You're still young, you can still do good with more interaction. How are you exactly sure it's like anyone else?"
'That was a bit too scathing, ya old panda…' Lavi finds himself thinking, crossing his arms and trying not to look disapproving. Bookman should turn it down since Allen had already looked to Komui as if seeing if there's any way he can get permission on how much he can reveal, but Lavi's hoping that the teen realizes he can answer unabetted since they're not here to judge. And there's also the hope that Bookman doesn't come off as threatening to Nea, based on what Allen had just said.
So perhaps like anyone else wasn't the best choice of wording.
"Well its not as if I have two heads or a tail or anything," Allen muttered, perhaps a touch defensively, but it was as close to anything even remotely like hostility that he showed.
Tim slipped under his hand as he continued to scratch the feline so that his fingers ran down the cat's back, the animal moving to investigate Lavi closer up instead.
"Lenalee and I are friends, so it isn't like I don't have any, and its not as if I'm the only person on the planet to keep a small circle, entity or no."
Sure enough, most past encounters had gone less than well, however infrequent, but by now he'd simply learned to live with that. Tried to make the most of the people Nea tolerated better than others, because his mysterious entity wasn't going anywhere.
Bookman doesn't at all look fazed by the biting comment that Allen spoke–simple things like that won't ever get through to the old man anymore. He's too old for things like that, finding emotions to take up too much time and according to his profession, it's best to just take a step back and not get attached either way to patients, because sometimes they might rub off.
"You come off as quite… kind or at least considerate. It's not often that a child will accept their situation and not lash out, and it seems as though Lenalee can't always be here. You're older now, but I can't imagine your personality was built to always settle for a tight circle of friends."
It sounds more like a statement, but the old man is looking to see if Allen would correct him or just remain silent about it, avoiding any possible conflict or revealing his inner nature. Lavi shakes his head, disappointed in his old man for being rather stern with a TEENAGER. He decides to interrupt but reaching out and asking, "Do you mind if I pet your cat?"
Allen smiled guardedly at Bookman's 'observations' of his demeanor.
"My foster father raised me to be a proper gentleman," he supplied simply, in reference to the first person, and only one of two in his life, who he officially recognized as ever having been actual family. At least past the first people to have custody of him, but that hadn't lasted once they had learned of Nea.
Mana Walker had been the closest thing to normalcy and acceptance he'd known, though proper credit was due that Komui at least tried to make things as alike in that regard for him as possible.
Allen nodded when his attention shifted to Lavi, eyes momentarily hovering over Tim rather than the redhead.
"I don't mind."
The redhead reaches out to scratch Timcanpy on the ear, smiling as the cat starts to purr and lean into his hand. He chuckles, Bookman ignoring him so he doesn't roll his eyes at his apprentice's short attention span when he should be learning.
"So does he like cats?" Lavi asks Allen, green eye glancing toward silver ones as he asks about Nea. He doesn't address Nea by his name because he feels like he should get permission first by Allen correcting him. "Or does your cat know where he is? I heard cats are in-tune with the supernatural. Ever heard that joke, 'ever notice your cat looking at nothing? are you sure he's looking at nothing'?"
He laughs at his own joke.
Allen smiled a little easier, somewhat glad for the distraction from Bookman's probing questions.
"I don't know if Nea likes other cats… but he likes Tim, and I think Tim likes him. In fact he was the one to name Timcanpy. Plus it gives him someone to interact with besides me and other people. They play sometimes…" He could see a slightly perplexed look on Lavi's face, probably wondering exactly how that worked when Nea was something that couldn't really be physically touched, and supplied, "Manipulating toys and stuff for Tim, I mean. Give him something to chase and stalk."
Lavi is surprised to learn that Nea even named Timcanpy himself. It gives him the idea that Allen can probably hear his voice, but how often and how clearly? Or does he hear vague whispers and slight feelings as to what is meant? He's heard that sometimes Allen talks to Nea and it can either be that he hears the thing or they have that connection where he can assume things are said.
And yes, the redhead did look confused and curious as to how he could play with Timcanpy. He doesn't know what 'manipulating' means since he didn't personally get to see some videos–Bookman wanted him going in green–so he's not sure if it's okay to ask.
"That's really cool to hear! It sounds like Tim likes him for the exercise then. If you don't mind my asking... what do you mean by 'manipulating'? I don't really know what that entails."
"Nea can manipulate things in a number of ways," Allen said, seeming a little more at ease talking about the entity than he did himself. Perhaps because he was more used to people being more interested in his mysterious phantom.
It was at that point when Komui cleared his throat lightly for attention, having tried to remain the onlooker in the background and allow them to interact with Allen uninterrupted.
"Allen, why don't you provide a little demonstration?" he suggested lightly. "After all, seeing is believing, as they say."
"Alright…" He glanced about the room as if searching for something, prompting "Nea?"
Several seconds of nothing ticked by, before a television screen that had been turned off briefly flickered on between images and static with a sound that was strangely like a growl. Timcanpy perked his ears, still standing under Lavi's petting hand, but attention diverted towards the TV.
After that, it was a pillow on the sofa that flipped straight upward as if a spring had been attached to it. Next was a feathery cat toy, attached to a stick with a string, that wiggled through the air like someone was holding it. Timcanpy immediately pounced after it.
Bookman and Lavi are both staring at the happen-stances that take place when Komui and Allen call on Nea to do the 'demonstration.' Lavi feels uncomfortable, to say the least. Something like this is power, but so far it seems as though Allen is a dependable person. Bookman, on the other hand, looks stoic as usual not revealing if he thinks it's dangerous, intriguing, not worth a worry, or even if Allen shouldn't be granted this freedom.
"Whoa... at least Timcanpy enjoys it, yeah?" Lavi asks, then masking his apprehension with a joke. "So at least if you're busy, Nea can help take care of him."
Bookman glances over at Lavi, suddenly standing up and catching his apprentice's attention. He nods to the two and says, "I need some coffee so I'll be back in a bit."
In other words, what Lavi knows, is that Bookman is going to leave it up to his apprentice to fish for some information.
"Yeah," Allen agreed, watching Timcanpy up until the point when Bookman excused himself. He noticed Komui was rather quick to excuse himself as well, declaring that he thought coffee was a wonderful idea for himself too.
He could tell that Lavi was a touch nervous by the display, but he was used to that sort of reaction. Even in firm believers of phantoms and the like never quite got a display the likes of which Nea was able to perform.
The smaller quantity of people made him slightly more at ease. Less people generally meant less chance of something going wrong, or such was his hope. He didn't think Lavi would try anything that might put himself at risk, but not everything Nea chose to take issue with was always deliberate on the unfortunate person's part.
"Looks as if we've been ditched by the old folks," he couldn't help but joke lightly, catching Lenalee covering a laugh with her hand from the corner of his eye.
"My brother really isn't that old," she defended on her sibling's behalf. All the same, she looked amused. "Although I'm sure he might feel like it sometimes."
"Well he's older than any us," Allen shrugged, glancing from her to Lavi.
While Lavi often would boost about his experience and that he's had enough time spent watching, now that he's put on the spotlight by Bookman–who's SURE to be watching–it makes him nervous as if he suddenly forgets how to naturally converse and interact. Thankfully it's Allen's joke that catches his attention and earns a laugh as he's thrown right back into the swing of things.
What's there to be nervous about?!
"Would ya believe me if I told ya that my gramps is old as dirt? An' that he was even in JESUS' yearbook~?" he asks, cracking a joke as well, egged on by the girl in the corner who laughs at the mild joke that Allen pulled. Ah, now that he's left alone more of his 'natural' personality can crack through and show that he's going to end up being an incredibly friendly goofball.
"You know they can still hear everything we're talking about in here, right?" Allen couldn't help but point out, 'innocently' sipping his drink as if he hadn't been the one to start the train of thought in the first place. He couldn't quite hide the smirk that played at the corner of his lips even so. "And if they really want to incriminate you they can play back the recording to prove you said it."
Not that he had a lot of experience with this happening. Komui was a very tolerant person for the most part, but even if he wasn't, Allen was certain to watch his mouth. Most of it was due to his foster father's teaching, but he was also aware of being under constant scrutiny by people with much greater authority than Komui, who could make things much worse for him.
He knew better than to give them a reason.
Though every once and a while he was daring enough to make a cheeky remark. It was even more fun when they weren't expecting it from the boy who was far too polite and mild-mannered to have possibly said something like that.
"Just something I thought you should know if you didn't already."
Banter aside, he was sort of testing Lavi as well, trying to figure him out. Partly to know exactly how far to trust him, and partially to get a feel for what sort of things he might do - unintentionally or otherwise - to possibly get on Nea's bad side, preferably before Nea decided what should be done about it.
Nea was still playing with Timcanpy, but Allen could sense the undecided tension in his linked entity, and he couldn't let his guard down until he was sure the redhead met Nea's approval.
"…!"
He can practically FEEL the disapproval and "I'm going to beat you" vibes coming from the other room. Lavi should've thought that part, through… even if they REALLY do go get coffee they probably haven't left just yet. He knew, he just… forgot.
"W-Well, h-he knows I'm jus' kiddin'…!" he says, obviously lying and trying to comfort himself. He leans close to Allen and mutters, "You got anythin' stinky? Maybe I can put something in my pocket that'll repel my old man so I don't get kicked or somethin'."
It only would make sense if Allen had some sort of microphone and camera inside this area to keep an eye on him. Chances are Bookman would take some time to watch the videos and footage they had so he would be gone for a while so now Lavi would have plenty of time to think up a good strategy to get along with this teenager.
"Sorry, unfortunately not," Allen replied. He paused, appearing to give it some more thought. "You could always take a pillow with you. Use it like a shield or something," he suggested idly. It wasn't like he'd miss it or anything.
He swiveled in his seat to return to finishing his cooling food, before it could become cold as ice.
"So anyway… Komui said you and Bookman are in a similar field as him. Are you both members of the DPA as well?"
It was always a possibility, but there were other units besides just the Department of Paranormal Activities on-site. Allen didn't really get to interact with the other units very much, so he didn't know anyone outside his own.
A pillow. Maybe he can hold onto Allen's pillow for when Bookman comes in and see if anything is "accidentally" thrown at him. He pauses in his mental brainstorming when Allen decides to jump right into the real stuff yet again despite Lavi's efforts to keep things casual. So far Allen seems more comfortable talking to him about it compared to Bookman. The old guy needs to learn better tact despite claiming to be so wise.
"Ah, well... similiar in that we're in the psychology field. I guess you can say that we're sorta the higher rung of the people who write books on things. It's hard to explain-but we at least know about these sorts of departments," Lavi explains, rubbing the area above his eye patch as the tips of his fingers manage to massage his forehead, wondering if this is okay to talk about. Bookman would let him know, right…?
Allen pondered that for a moment. Psychology and book writing. Allen liked books, but probably not the same kind Lavi was talking about. That wasn't to say he didn't read non-fiction either, but psychology was not among the subjects he normally tried to read, even though he knew the department had a number of them lying around.
Truth be told, a lot of subjects flew a ways over his head. Probably because of his rather limited experience with most of the real world. The first time he tried to get into something like what Lavi was probably talking about had also been the last time, frustration having gotten the better of him.
Maybe it was simply because psychology was one of the few things he had plenty of exposure to, and that gave him a little more of a tainted view on it. There was a lot more novelty in stories about fantastical adventures or documentary-style books and shows of different places, countries, and species he knew he was probably never going to get to see or experience first-hand. Really, he'd never even seen animals besides dogs and cats in real life. He couldn't even imagine what a zoo was like, much less an untouched jungle or savannah, even with picture books and nature shows.
"So… like some kind of scholarly shrink?"
Lavi blinks at Allen at the overly simplified question to broaden the idea of what it is that he and Bookman plan on doing. It's nowhere near the truth, but he isn't sure how much Allen should know about them according to the Bookman. He gives a relieved smile either way.
"Yeah, yeah, you got it. That's how it is! That help ya understand a bit?" he asks, showing absolutely no signs of lying. Could Nea read minds, though? Lavi thinks he heard that, but then again the thoughts that come with the explanation are too far and wide between so could Nea even get an understanding of what being a Bookman is even about?
"What do YOU enjoy, Allen? Like some sports like soccer? Surely they got a gym here that lets ya play some games."
Unfortunately for Allen, Nea was only a good lie detector when he could eavesdrop and overhear things neither of them were supposed to. Allen still had an advantage over other people where that was concerned, but that was the extent of how far it went.
That didn't mean both he and Nea couldn't have their suspicions, however. But they were limited to just that: suspicions. They would most certainly maintain them for a while though.
"They don't really have a gym," Allen hummed. "But there are some small fields outside. I know a little bit of wrestling and mixed martial arts though, mostly judo and aikido."
He paused to scarf down the last of his food.
"Oh, and model mugging. I help Lenalee practice her self-defense that way."
"Ya know, I never would've pegged ya for a wrestling type," he says with a chuckle as he throws a glance at the Chinese girl still being quiet. "It's good to know ya know how to fight 'cause now you even get to be even more help to someone outside of here-which is more than some people can say they've done."
Did that make sense or did that get too wordy? Allen looks like the type that might still try to play it "sneaky," or in other words use other methods besides blunt fighting unlike Lavi. He knows how to fight, but would rather take someone out as soon as possible if needed.
"What else do ya do for fun 'round here?"
"Well unlike a lot of other sports, it doesn't require a lot of equipment to play," Allen shrugged. Not that such equipment couldn't be obtained, but there was also the annoyance of setting a lot of things up or taking them down. "And mostly its just recreational. To be entirely honest, I'm not sure how I'd do in a real fight, but its good for the exercise."
He paused to think as Lavi inquired about what else he liked to do. There wasn't a large amount, truth be told. He didn't think much of it was anything worth writing home about, and most of it he learned out of boredom just to pass the time. Time was something he had a lot of, and "fun" things were in somewhat limited quantity.
"Um… let's see… I'm pretty decent at cooking, but I'm not sure that's what you were hoping for… reading and television… I've got a few interactive games lying around… and I can play piano pretty well. Space in here is a little limited though, so I only have a keyboard in here, but I've played for a few private functions and special occasions like holidays."
Lenalee smiled at this point and leaned towards Allen's shoulder, looking past towards Lavi. "He's very good at it too."
"I don't know that I'd say that…" Allen stuttered slightly, flushing and looking a little put-on-the-spot. "I mean Nea helps so its kind of like cheating compared with other people…"
"Its not really cheating, people do duets all the time," Lenalee insisted.
"Yeah but most people can actually see the other person. People who don't know about him think its all just my doing."
Boring.
That sounds boring as hell and Lavi is IMMENSELY sorry for someone as nice as Allen to have to put up with a rather bland existence like that. Does he understand how it's best for him to not have such adrenaline-pumping sports available to him? He seems wearily accepting of it.
Cooking is a nice hobby, he supposes, keeps you on your feet depending on what you cook. He wonders if perhaps Allen has video games he can play when he says "interactive" because otherwise it sounds like some program for children or just for learning. Chances are the TV channels are regulated as well. Then comes talk of the piano.
"So then you must be willin' to play a bit for me right now~! I like piano music-can't play it myself. I can't really do it with much emotion, the old guy tells me."
"Yeah, I can play something if you want," Allen nodded, sliding from his seat and going to retrieve an electric keyboard from where it was propped against the wall.
The hovering cat-toy dropped lifeless to the floor and Tim pounced on it, looking triumphant and then surprised that the game seemed to have ended. There was a small folding stand that Allen set up and then put the keyboard on top of it.
Almost as soon as he had it on, the keys invisibly swept down from one end to the other. Allen chuckled.
Playing piano – or just keyboard in this case, which wasn't really anywhere near as glamorous as the real deal – was one of the few things Nea would practically jump at to do for other people. Allen was sure it was the positive attention it earned.
He hesitated for a moment, trying to decide on a song. When he did, he started to play, settling on something that he and Nea had orchestrated together that sounded kind of like a lullaby.
Lavi was watching Tim as the cat toy dropped out of the air. He almost chuckles at how much a CAT can have a personality because Timcanpy obviously looks very proud of himself for having been able to catch the toy. A green eye slips over to the other teen setting up and when everything is plugged in, he smiles at the piano being played even if it's slightly uncomfortable seeing as this is uncommon for something to be played without a REAL person there to play it like that.
Then comes the onslaught of music that actually sounds a lot more pleasant than he thought it would. Lullabys are one of the better piano pieces that can be performed in his opinion–simple and with a lovely string of notes that sound beautiful. Complicated is nice and can stir emotions, but what the redhead seeks is peace.
Allen focused on his playing more than the other occupants of the room now, though this particular song he could play without much thought towards it at all. He hummed where there were supposed to be lyrics, not feeling much like singing them at the moment, but adding a little extra tune to the score.
Even without looking, he knew everyone was just sitting and listening in silence. Even Nea was simply sort of hovering to listen, though Allen could sense a sort of wanting from him to be a participant rather than just a listener. Like an eager child that couldn't wait to take the spotlight.
Allen smiled and played through the first half, up until the point where the tune would repeat again, before letting Nea play with the keyboard instead.
"Nea wanted his turn," Allen offered up as he moved back to the counter where Lenalee and Lavi sat. "He likes to show off." At least when it came to music.
Piano is beautiful. It's sophisticated. It's moving. Anyone who can play it deserves respect. Fingers gliding over ivory keys is impressive, to say the least, especially so when he hears the other humming along in a way that matches the tune perfectly. Lavi tilts his head, eye focusing on the only person he can SEE. Now he can see why this one is of such huge interest…
Then the keys move on their own thanks to Nea, the redhead perking up in surprise.
"So he can play by himself, too! That's amazing!" he says, deciding it's okay to praise the unseen enigma. He… DESERVES to have his ego stroked. This is all so grand that he isn't sure just yet how to properly deal with it now. "You two... make quite the pair."
"Well it certainly makes us something other than average, I'll say that much," Allen humored, though it was difficult to tell if he meant that in a good way or bad – or if he meant it as anything at all.
He was going to say something else when Tim jumped up on the counter and bumped a glass, teetering it over. Allen immediately jumped to catch it before it could hit the ground, but not before it soaked part of the front of him.
"Shite!" he swore, the hint of an English accent briefly working its way into his declaration. "Tim!"
The feline at least had the grace to look like it might've been slightly apologetic, meowing in response.
"Great… going to have to change now," he heaved, setting the mostly empty glass back down and passing Lavi by to go for his closet, grumbling under his breath. "…'least it didn't get on the bloody carpet."
Lavi wishes he could say that the glass falling went in slow motion, but it hadn't. One moment he's listening to music and watching Tim jump up, and the next Allen is holding the glass with stained pants and shirt. He has to refrain from laughing, biting his lips together as he tucks them into his mouth, watching Allen leave and noting the distinct curse in a different accent.
'English? Not American? Huh… where were you from before? No one told me…' he finds himself thinking as he places his hand over his lips.
"See ya again next fall!" he says, not able to resist the joke. He turns to Lenalee and lamely asks, "Good one, right? That was a good one?"
"You're hi-la-rious," Allen rebuked from the other room in dry sarcasm, yanking a drawer open and shifting through it for something to change into that wasn't wet, not being too choosy and settling for basic jeans and a white shirt.
Shoving it closed and ducking into the bathroom away from the cameras for a brief moment to change, he tossed what he'd been wearing in the sink to soak, pants already on but still unfolding his change in shirt when he reappeared in the main room.
What was visible that wasn't before were thinly scattered lines of scars on either arm and his torso, while the left was mottled with a few large reddish patches.
"So much in fact that I think I hacked up a spleen."
Oh it was FUNNY! Of course not for ALLEN seeing as he's the butt of the joke, but Lavi snickers to himself still over his own joke, turning when Allen comes back out with a new change of clothes. He decides to be even more of a jackass–maybe earn some more trust with how friendly he's being–as he perks up with the new "insult" to his joke.
"You hacked up YOUR spleen-you only have one an' you didn't make it sound singular." NOW he's ready for a REAL rebuking for being the 'Grammar Nazi.'
Allen wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that, pausing a moment mid-way towards pulling his shirt down over his head, either arm half-disappeared in the sleeves.
For a moment he and Nea silently shared an idea and he heard Nea stop playing the keyboard and creeping up behind the redhead. This promised to be entertaining.
"Well maybe I can take yours as a donation," he mused, the same moment as Nea was deliberately sending a tingle up the redhead's spine. "Organs aren't cheap and if it turns out its not compatible there's always the black market – I'm sure someone would want it."
The piano stopping was cause for concern, but not enough so that it made Lavi afraid. Unfortunately, the involuntary shiver up his spine is what makes things creepy even though he's not at all aware it was Nea's doing. That face Allen gives… spine-shiver-worthy, though.
"Y-You wouldn't DARE. I-I can tell you're a p-pretty swell guy, Allen Walker…" But he also doesn't actually know Allen so he would be screwed over if there weren't cameras… maybe. "A-And there's c-cameras so I'm safe."
Serious or not, Allen got the general reaction he was aiming for and almost buckled over at the face the redhead made and the quiver of his voice. Still, he managed not to break expression, though he did smirk a little wider.
"Oh, that's not a problem. Nea breaks the cameras all the time," so much in fact that they had a small budget set aside just to fix or replace the things the entity broke. "No one would think anything of it!"
It was even harder not to break into laughter as he imagined Reever probably facepalming in the other room overhearing this, and having Lenalee covering a laugh behind one hand in the corner, quite obviously torn between guilty amusement and sympathy for Lavi at Allen and Nea's little 'game'.
Lavi has to take a leap of faith even though those comments about not being caught are getting to Lavi. He takes in a deep breath and puffs up his chest a little, trying hard to be strong knowing that nothing can happen, but that SPINE SHIVER says otherwise!
"I-If anything happens while I'm in here, a-an' the cameras go off then they'll KNOW it was you an' Nea! Can't walk around it!" Good reasoning, but it sounds so weak with his stuttering. He can bet ten dollars that Bookman is having 'fun' watching this 'show.'
Allen couldn't hold it in anymore, breaking the façade into laughter. There were a lot of problems he had with Nea, considering how the very existence of the entity had affected the outcome of his life, but at least he was good for one thing.
"I guess you have a point. The look on your face is bloody brilliant though!"
"Allen, that was mean," Lenalee admonished, though she couldn't completely hide the amusement from her voice.
Allen shrugged shamelessly, properly pulling his shirt on and being more mindful with adjusting the cuff of his left sleeve so that it covered the red marks on his arm entirely.
"Nea, you can stop now. I think we've messed with him enough," Allen said, though his voice was still mirthful. He could feel the slight disappointment but the entity obeyed and moved away from the redhead.
DEMON.
The laughing hurts enough, but when Nea moves away that feeling along his spine is gone and he realizes that he was forced to get a creepy feeling from the white-haired teen. Having fallen for something that wasn't even a sincere feeling… well, shit.
Here comes a strained smile, deciding in the future he would get some payback as he says, "An' here I wondered what you did for fun. Seems you've had some practice with some new people, huh?"
This is what he gets for thinking he's starting to know someone after just meeting them and only looking at the surface of their character.
"Really, that was nothing," Allen shrugged, moving back to where he could take a seat between Lavi and Lenalee.
"Nea can do a lot more than just manipulate the atmosphere of the room, as you already saw, but so far he seems okay with you. Even so… try to be careful. You seem nice and it'd be a shame if something were to happen."
He wasn't trying to scare the redhead, nor was he joking around like before. His warning was entirely serious. Nea had never even tried to do anything to him, but other people were another matter, and those the entity didn't hurt directly were usually scared off by its very presence before long anyway.
He could at least claim honestly that Nea had never killed anyone, but there had been a few close calls.
"Trust me, you don't want to be on the receiving end of his anger."
Call him crazy, but the perfectly sincere warning is perhaps creepier than when the shiver up his spine was forced and made him feel uncomfortable. That simple warning filled with experience–things that might've happened to people who seemed nice, but what if Nea knew better? Or simply was petty? Instead he wants to see just how far he can push Nea's trust, if it makes sense.
"So, um, hey. . . are you okay? I noticed that you had bruises, and. . . well, it doesn't look too good."
He's a stranger. Yes, he knows. But he can only hope the look in a forest green eye is sincere in its worry enough to get an answer. Not even at all aware, he already can feel himself just be invested in this teenager with such a unique and unfortunate situation in life. They want him to be raised like an experiment, but don't they want him to know how to handle himself? How to handle his emotions and the like? These are the sorts of things he learns by interacting with others his age.
This could BREED trouble.
Allen perked, blinking. He could pin point the exact moment when Nea's mood shifted to something darker, some of the lights flickering with a low, agitated growl. He was sure Lenalee tensed a little bit next to him as well.
"Easy," Allen breathed, the word barely audible under his breath, before he turned back to Lavi. "They're burns, actually. Yeah, I… I got thrown, and my arm got caught… I guess Komui hasn't told you about that yet."
He straightened up, placing one hand over his burned one and fiddling with the cuff of his sleeve.
"…about the `monsters`…"
The lights blink and immediately Lavi goes on high alert. Had he said something wrong? Did Nea feel threatened? The growling goes unheard, though. The lights stop their flickering as Allen begins to speak, Lavi realizing he isn't giving some scathing tone to his voice. He blinks, not realizing that Allen's arms were covered in burns.
"No... he hadn't…" he answers quietly, leaving his response open to see if Allen will get into specifics or not.
Allen nodded, showing he heard and looking more serious.
"There are other… things out there… other entities we know next to nothing about, but they're not like Nea. They're malevolent and bloodthirsty, and not an enemy that can be fought by almost any means."
Almost, only because Nea is the exception. Everything else though is helpless before it. Even Allen would be, if not for Nea.
"I've been able to see them ever since I was a small child. Both of us used to be terrified of them." Not as terrified now, but Nea hated the very mention of them, and there was still a touch of fear there. They knew enough to still fear a little bit.
Not because of the existence of the monsters themselves, but because of the people who saw personal gain in opening the world that was supposed to keep them and entities separate, too arrogant to admit they were getting in far over their heads.
"All things considered, I could have gotten off much worse than I did."
While Allen says "not like Nea," it tips Lavi off that perhaps the monsters ARE like Nea, but with the distinct different being that they're hostile and still on a whole other plane of "danger" than the entity that attached itself to Allen. The burned arm, the scar on his eye… it would make a lot more sense now on how he gained these.
The redhead realizes that there are just some things that shouldn't be seen, and some things that are better left unexplored and left alone. The deep trouble swimming in silver eyes makes the redhead decide for a moment that he doesn't envy Allen for having what he has.
This power comes with too many cons.
"You're surprisingly more of a trooper than I would've taken ya for, Allen Walker. Honestly, I don't think I've met a more interesting person in a long while."