Edit: Okay, so hopefully I've fixed this to where the chapter doesn't show up bold anymore. I don't know how it showed up in bold in the first place, but I've had a couple complaints about it, so we're going to attempt to fix it. I hope this works!

STOPPING THE RAIN

"It's raining."

"Mm."

"I'm bored."

"Mm."

"Is that all you can say?"

With a soft sigh, Allen pushed himself away from the window and glanced at Lenalee. She was curiously hyper, and secretly he wondered if she had gotten a hold of her brother's coffee. Plus, she was sitting unnaturally close to him. "What do you want me to do about it? It's not like I can stop the rain."

"But I want to take a walk."

"Lenalee, you're unnaturally whiney today. What's up?"

The female Exorcist hung her head, looking up at Allen through her long hair. "It's just . . . the visitors coming today. And . . . I don't know. Now that we've beaten the Earl, things are so dull. Fighting was dangerous, but at least it was something. Now I'm . . ."

"Lost," Allen finished for her. And she was right. The Millennium Earl had fallen just a little more than a month ago . . . on Allen's sixteenth birthday, oddly enough. What a birthday present to receive. But after their mission was finally complete, things fell into a normal routine . . . a little too normal. Although he was shocked; the Exorcists that had nowhere else to go stayed at the Black Order . . . Yu Kanda among them. And Lavi . . .

"Mm." Lenalee nodded. "Allen, do you like living here?"

Allen shrugged, staring down at his left hand, trying in vain to make a fist. Though they had defeated their enemy, the Innocence still remained. Besides, Allen had been born with it; he didn't know how he could deal with it not being there. The short time at the Asian Branch when he hadn't had it, he'd felt so empty. "Of course I do. It's my home now, just as it's yours. Besides, I don't have anywhere else to go."

"So . . . you'll stay here with me? Even if everyone else leaves except for my brother and me?"

"I've got no urge to leave. Besides, Lavi . . ."

"Yeah. Lavi's not going anywhere either." Then she looked at him square in the eye. "Allen, what am I to you?"

"Eh? Lenalee, what do you-"

She stood, looking up at him with a burning intensity. "Tell me. Am I a friend, or your sister, or . . . something else all together?"

Allen knew exactly what she was getting at . . . and he knew that he had to be careful with his reply. There was no telling when Komui would sneak into the picture . . . "Lenalee, I like you a lot, but-"

"That's all I needed to hear." She bounced over to him, and without waiting for a reply, she yanked his head down to her level and kissed him. Full on the mouth.

Allen felt his eyes widen in shock . . . but it was impossible to pull away, impossible to do anything except for kiss her back. It was ecstasy . . . he'd always wanted to do this, but he knew the consequences well and fully.

"I like the others, Allen," Lenalee whispered breathlessly. "But you're the only one who I've always really liked . . . the only one who feels the same way I do. I've got to stop hiding behind my brother. I love you, Allen . . . don't deny me this. You're the only one who's been with me all the way. From the very beginning." She kissed him again, harder. He kissed back, unable to say anything, though he knew. He knew she was right. He'd always felt the same, but he knew she was forbidden. As a matter of fact, she probably still was, but at that moment, he didn't care.

At least, he didn't until the door slammed open. And there stood Komui, beret and all, staring at them in shock.

Allen was doomed.