Allen opened groggy eyes, and noticed he wasn't on, Mana's grave in the cold snow..He was on top of someone, in their lap..clutching to their black over coat.
He started to freak out, but calmed when the memories of yesterday came flooding into his mind.
Allen released the shirt he was grasping, and looked up, to see a soundly sleeping, Tyki. Where his top hat went, the world may never know; his dark hair-no longer slick back- falling over his ashen skin.
The child grinned slightly and curled up in the older man's lap, peaceful, for once in his painful life.
Tyki groaned, and cracked open his eyes, staring down at the boy whom he held. Tyki sighed, Road was so going to use this as blackmail material if she saw it.
Tyki couldn't help but smirk, when he spoke to the boy, "Comfy, eh Shounen?"
Allen peered up at, Tyki, and scrambled off his lap, noticing he was now awake, and no longer asleep.
"I..umm..well, you see.." Allen stammered, but stopped and cocked his head to the side, staring at, Tyki in confusion, "Shounen?" he inquired.
Tyki smirked, and said, "Mhmm, it's my new name for you, I am your uncle of sorts if we're not family.. Plus, it means a young boy, so, get used to it," and he poked the child on the forehead.
"Oh..well then..umm, what do I do now?" the child looked up at, Tyki. Allen didn't notice it, but his hair had gained more silver and white streaks, the red slowly dying out, leaving way for white.
"I should probably take you to breakfast, The Earl is probably upset you missed dinner.." Tyki trailed off, and stood up, dusting himself off.
He stretched his back, multiple bones popping, "Ugh, that's what I get for sleeping on the floor," he mumbled to himself, "Come on, Shounen."
"Um, okay," Allen agreed, and hopped to his feet from where he had sat down a tad bit earlier, and trailed after, Tyki.
But then something unexpected for, Allen happened. Tyki went right up to the door and.. fazed through it.
'Must be a special door or something' Allen thought numbly, so he walked up to the door, and continued on his merry way!
Of course, only to hit his face, and fall on his bottom with an 'oomph'. And then it got even weirder, as, Tyki's face came through the door and laughed as the boy's misfortune.
"Trying to walk through the door, Shounen?"
Allen blushed, and glared daggers at the man. He stood back up, pulled the door open, and went outside of the room.
"Alright, now that, that's over, we should continue on.." Tyki brushed his gloves off, and combed his hair back with his hands, his top hat appearing from ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE.
"Oh wait, forgot something," Tyki murmured, and stepped back through the door. Allen waited for a while, until the man's head popped out of the door again, followed by the rest of him until-
"Oomph!" Tyki fell over, and landed flat on his face on the floor, his ankle had gotten stuck in the door, he cursed under his breath and growled, "Not this again.."
Meanwhile, Allen was laughing his head off, at the misfortunate, Tyki. The child eventually fell on the floor, clutching his ribs from laughter.
"Oh shut it!" Tyki growled.
"Ah, ah, sorry, that was-" he wiped a tear from laughter, "Priceless, just priceless!" Allen didn't remember the last time he laughed this hard, probably years at most.
Tyki couldn't help but grin a little that he was able to make this pain-stricken, hurt, child produce such a mirthful laugh, but of course, luck wasn't on his side that day, when a voice called out.
"Oh! My adorable brother! What are you doing on the floor!?"
Allen turned his head, and immediately, went closer to, Tyki, hiding from this new man. He looked quite like, Tyki, except with longer hair, a monocle, and no mole under his eye.
"Oh my sweet baby brother, what ever are you doing on this filthy floor?!" the man dramatically fake fainted.
"Not the time, Sheril! Not the time!" Tyki growled.
That's when, Sheril noticed, Allen, hiding behind the still fallen, Tyki-who was not tugging at his ankle to get it out of the door.
"What. Is. This!?" Sheril fangirled, over, Allen who's bangs were covering his eyes, "So cute!" and a nosebleed popped, and knocked out, Sheril.
"Who..?.." Allen trailed off.
"That's my annoying brother, Sheril Kamelot.." Tyki huffed, and pulled out his ankle from the door after his many attempts, "Finally! This blasted door.." he grumbled, and reached into his pocket to grab a cigarette.
He lit it with a spare match in his pocket, and put it to his lips, slowly breathing the smoke in and out.
"You know, that's not good for you," Allen pointed out shyly.
"Not for me." Tyki curtly responded.
"Huh?"
"The, Earl will explain later, come on, let's hurry now, before my brother wakes." Tyki ushered, Allen to hurry along.
"Um, okay," Allen muttered, and followed as, Tyki left for the main, dining room. Allen tried to keep up with, Tyki, but the man's strides were too fast, and the boy started to fall behind.
Soon, Tyki was a quite far ahead of, Allen, who was stumbling everywhere, and on everthing. When, Tyki finally noticed the boy's absence, he sighed and stopped, causing, Allen to bump into his legs from the sudden motion.
"Would you like me to carry you, Shounen?" Tyki asked, thoroughly annoyed.
"Umm..Please? B-but you don't have to carry me in your arms..I kinda have my own way.."
"Alright, whatever you say.." he paused for a few moments letting the child get ready, "Ready?"
"Yes."
So, Tyki started walking again, and felt weight on his left leg, and when he glanced down, he saw, the small child clinging to his long leg.
Tyki looked very unamused, but kept on walking, with his long strides, ignoring anything that came in his way, until he reached the doors.
Of course, without thinking, he fazed straight through them, Allen with him. A giant shudder ran through, Allen's body as his molecules rearranged back to normal, from the fazing.
"Warn me next time, please?" Allen squeaked, which caused everyone already there to turn to him.
"Eep!" Allen squeaked once more, and clung tighter to, Tyki's leg, much to the older man's displeasure.
Behind them, the doors opened again, and there stood, Sheril, holding a handkerchief stained red, and when he saw, Allen on, Tyki's leg, his nose erupted again, Sheril falling to the floor unconscious.
"Ah, you're here, Tyki-pon!" The Earl's smile widened, when he saw the two entering the room together.
Tyki's left eye twitched when he heard his horrible nickname, but continued to walk in, closer to the table.
"Hey, Tyki! Hey, Tyk! Hey, Tyki!" Road repeated obnoxiously.
Tyki rubbed the bridge of his nose, and sighed, "Yes, Road?"
"Where's, Allen-kun~?" Road inquired to, Tyki.
"Oh, the little urchin? He's on my leg right now," Tyki said, and gestured to the small soon-to-be-white-haired child on his leg. He lifted his leg up(Allen still clinging) and shook it, trying to throw the boy off, but, Allen wouldn't budge;The child had, Tyki's leg in a death grip.
He continued to shake his leg vigorously, but, Allen truly was like a little urchin, and wouldn't come off.
"Can we get a spatula or something? Or maybe a rake?! Or even a chainsaw!?" Tyki screeched.
"Allen-kun~, let go of, Tyki," Road scolded in a parental-like tone, "Because he's no fun," she pouted, her face turning into a baby like pout.
Tyki set his leg down, and reluctantly, Allen climbed off of it, slowly. He took a step off, but almost immediately, Road rushed, and glomped him.
"Ahh!" Allen yelped, and collapsed under, Road.
"Oops, sorry, Allen-kun!" Road apologized awkwardly.
A groan was heard on the floor, as, Sheril began to wake, "Phew, now that I'm over this-" Sheril began, and loomed over the small child almost instantly, "-why is there a human child here? And why was my adorable, and precious daughter hugging that octopus!" he growled.
"Um..well you see sir..erm.." Allen croaked, trailing off.
"He's the new addition to the family!" the Earl chirped happily.
Everyone but, The Earl's, Road's, and Tyki's jaw's dropped.
"But, Eeeaarrrlll! He's a human!" a voice whined. Allen turned to it, and saw a teenage looking boy with dark hair, and a ton of mascara around his eye's. He was wearing tight leather pants with corset stitching, with the left pant leg ending at his thigh, and a fur-lined leather jacket, and bandages wrapped around his neck.
He held a golden pistol to another teen's head, who was sitting next to him.
This teen had the same style of clothes as the dark haired teen next to him, except he had golden-blonde hair, and what looked like stitched over his mouth, but he could still talk. He had a vest instead of jacket, and both pant legs were full-length, and thick bandages along his hands and forearms. Upon his hair, he had an adornment of ribbons, that led off of his head to a lantern looking ball.
"Yeah~Human! Hee!" the teen with golden-blonde hair repeated, who was also holding an identical golden pistol to the other's head.
Both teen's having the same ashen skin, golden eye's, and seven stigma on their forehead as the others, Allen had already met.
To, Allen, the two teen's looked childlike, and immature for their age..and that's saying something for the small child, younger than both.
"Well, Jasdevi, yes he is just a human now, but he will soon become our dear, 14th in time!" The Earl chirped, gesturing to the small child.
"What's with his face?" the dark haired teen quipped, "It's all wrapped up."
"Face~hee!" the blonde remarked.
"Now now, we are not to make fun of little, Allen here..And we will not harm him in any way.." The Earl advised darkly.
The two teen's gulped, and chuckled nervously, arms that help the pistols sagging.
Allen was just confused the entire time; again with the human comment, and now 'The 14th'? Who was, 'The 14th'?
"Umm..e-excuse me?" Allen stuttered.
All heads turned back to little, Allen, making the boy cower with fear, but nevertheless, speak up, "What umm..what exactly are you..all..talking..about?" he inquired.
The Earl burst out laughing, followed by the other's in the room, making, Allen fluster, "Th-that's not funny!" Allen stammered.
"Of course not, Allen-kun, we were just..laughing at something..we'll tell you one day~ So don't worry about it, 'kay?" Road giggled, from where she was floating in the air-to avoid her 'daughter-complex' father, who insisted on hugging her to death-on top of the umbrella labeled as, Lero.
"Road-sama! You're too heavy~Lero! Get off~Lero!" the umbrella grumbled.
Allen had a look of disbelief on his face, and momentarily, forgetting his shyness, started somewhat shouting in frustration, "Umbrella's. Aren't. Supposed. To. Talk! Or even fly! And what's with you all calling me a human, like you aren't ones, and then, you all have weird grey skin, and your eye's are all the same! And then, there's that thing on your forehead!
I mean, I guess I didn't want to be rude in the beginning of this all, but what are all of you, and what exactly is this!" he pulled off his oven mitt-which he had replaced when he was with, Tyki - and held up his red, scaly, left arm with the green crystal of innocence on the palm, up with his right hand, rage, confusion, and something else he couldn't name, were rolling off of him in waves.
The room went silent at that.
"Innocence.." a hiss was heard throughout the room, from the maids, and servants which were, Akuma in human form.
"Kill it!" one hissed.
"Destroy it!" another hissed in the same murderous tone.
The many, Akuma began to enclose around, Allen who was now regretting his previous notions.
"Umm.." Allen squeaked.
The Akuma went closer and, closer to the boy, slowly circling him like predators to prey, when a dark aura enveloped the room, every single being in the room cowering, as The Earl stood, his human face twisted into a grimace, as his large, suit/costume began to cover him again, his never-ending smile appearing menacingly.
Everyone, even the other's of the family themselves were cowering in fear, as no one, and I mean no one should ever, ever make the, Earl mad.
"M-master, E-earl.?..." the Akuma all shuddered in absolute, terrifying, fear.
"You will not lay one hand on this child, ever!" The Earl roared, "If you do, I will make sure that you die in the most, antagonizing, dreaded, slow, and painful way I can muster..AM. I. CLEAR?!"
All the, Akuma nodded furiously, and started to back away from the child.
"Now. Go and tell this to the other, Akuma."
"Y-yes M-master E-Earl.." they all stuttered, and raced out of the room.
As the Earl calmed down, and the aura shrank away, Allen stared at him in, astonishment.
"You..you protected me..?.." he quivered.
The Earl nodded simply, and shed his monster-like form, revealing his more comforting human-like appearance, and kneeled before the boy, who was knocked to the floor in the commotion.
Allen looked at his hands, deep in thought before he spoke again, this time near whisper, "No one but, Mana ever did things like that for me.." he clenched his small pale, palms, "I never had anyone protect me before.." he murmured.
"Well that's going to change, then!" The Earl began, holding a hand out to the child, "We're a family now, Allen, and family protects each other, no matter what, alright?"
Allen nodded slowly, before he felt a wave of emotion hurl through him, and wetness slowly covered his cheeks, "Family?" he whispered, as if, afraid the word would shatter in his mouth as he spoke.
"Always, and forever..We'll never let you go bad to those detestable sub-human!" The Earl inwardly growled at the thought of how badly the humans must have treated, Allen, for him to be so..hurt.
"Promise..?.." Allen's whispered, his lip quivering, as if this one word held all his hopes and dreams, and if not reacted to right, he could-no-would shatter like glass.
"Promise," the Earl assured, and brought the shaking child into his arms.
"What could the humans do to a mere child to make him like this?" Sheril whispered, his hesitation towards the child, crumpling, his resolution falling.
"It's because of his arm I think, the sub humans thought him different than them, so they beat him because of it," Road whispered back, anger laced in her voice.
Sheril felt rage flood his system, as he clenched his fists tightly, "This just shows how corrupt the humans have become..and to do this to a mere child! Unforgivable!" he seethed.
"The boy told me the humans tried to burn him on a cross, because they thought him a demon," Tyki intruded, rage filling his veins.
"What!?" Road shrieked at what,Tyki had said, gaining all attention, except for, Allen who was still bundled up with the, Earl.. She blushed lightly, before glaring, as all eyes turned away.
"Those...Those!" she didn't even have a word to express her anger at the humans.
"They deserve to pay," Tyki grumbled, and cracked his knuckles unconsciously.
"Agreed," Road growled, her fingers twitching with bloodlust, and rage.
No one hurt their family, even if it was just a human that was announced into it. In just a short time, Allen already held a place in their hearts, granted it wasn't all the members of the, Noah, yet, but the one's he had already met, their trust was intimate.
Well, maybe not yet for, Jasdevi..But of course there was still time to make that bond..
But family stuck together, and when one member was hurt, there was going to be hell to pay for whoever dared hurt them.
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Disclaimer-I don't own D. Gray-man or any of that jazz
Alright, well that was chapter two, and I wanted to convey multiple things in this chapter. One, how, Allen still has to gain the trust of many, and even though some (cough Sheril cough) were excited to see him at first (cough nosebleed/fan-girl cough), they still had their 'Who are you and why are you here' attitude towards, Allen, so he has to gain there trust. Second, was the sense of how protective the Noah's are of each other/their family. Kind of like a wolf pack, where if the cub (Allen) is hurt in any way, the one who dealt the pain (humans) are going to have hell to pay from the rest of the pack (Noah) So yea..
And to answer 'gaara king of sand'-Yes, the Noah's won't trust him until he gains it, and no, I never planned on having like, 5 or 7 or whatever year time skip, because I feel that, Allen needs time to adjust to the Noah's, and cause little, Allen is adorable ^-^
Also, to answer shirsong-(if you didn't get the pm) The 'you're never alone' is just to acknowledge that, Nea is there, but he won't awaken until much later in the story, like when the manga and anime take place~
If you have any questions, reviews, comments, suggestions, pairing ideas, or just randomness to vent, lemme know, and I'll answer/take into consideration/have randomness with you! Till next time! ~Nyx