I love d.gray-man, but it is insane to think I could ever own it. Curse you, Hoshino.
Hugs to tinytruefan, seaturtlesrox, Nusku, shadows.salvation, Feathery Fear, DarkDragonRhapsody, KHtrinity, Sharignanj, inhappinessinabottle, Animefanamber, Akwon, Ask the lonely, Kayday, Darkangelwings90, Silentkiller1 and Valitiel. Thanks for reviewing.
--
Allen sighed and rolled onto his side, snuggling down into the warm blankets as he did. Wait... BLANKETS?!
The catboy's eyes snapped open and he sat up, throwing back the covers as he did. He was lying on a soft comfortable couch in a strange lounge room he'd never seen before, and he was wearing someone else's pyjamas. He sat there, heart hammering against his chest. Where was he? How did he get here?
He took a deep breath and thought back to the night before. He'd hurt his hand, had asked the redhead boy for help, and then the redhead had asked him to stay the night...
'So this must be his house.' Allen speculated, calming down a bit. He was glad he knew where he was, but he still felt uneasy. He considered making a break for the door, but that was hardly something you would do to someone who had been so kind. Not many people had the heart to take in a homeless stranger.
Just then, the smell of hot food wafted from the hall next to the lounge room. At that moment, Allen's stomach complained loudly that it was empty.
'Crap, what now? I can't just waltz into the kitchen of some stranger's house and demand food! He already fed me last night! I should just leave...'
His stomach growled again, more loudly and painfully this time, as though it knew what Allen was planning. The catboy gripped the blankets nervously, unsure, then sighed and got up. He'd just ask for some toast, and then find his clothes and leave.
--
Lavi sat at the table eating his pancakes, when he sensed he wasn't alone. He looked up to see the catboy standing uncertainly in the doorway, staring at the food on the table. His tail was swaying side to side, like a cat's did when it saw prey. He grinned.
'Hungry?'
'A bit...'
Lavi pushed a plate loaded with pancakes towards the boy. He looked at it for a second, before hurrying forward, pulling up a chair and reaching the knife and fork.
'Golden syrup?' Lavi held a bottle out.
'Yes please.' The catboy took it and squirted a liberal amount out, and then began eating it so fast his hands blurred slightly. Lavi chuckled and watched in amusement. He'd eaten like that last night with the pizza, before falling asleep almost immediately afterwards. In a few minutes, the stack was reduced to a few crumbs on the plate, and he sat back with a contented sigh.
'That was good...'
'Hm. So I never got your name...?
'I'm Allen, Allen Walker.'
'Cool,' Lavi leaned forward and extended his hand, which Allen shook, 'Name's Lavi Bookman.'
'Thanks for letting me stay last night.'
'That's ok. Did you sleep well? Sorry my pyjamas are a little big.'
'That's ok, I actually slept better then I have in ages. Um, where are my clothes?'
'I put them through the wash; they're in the dryer now.'
'Ok.'
Allen thanked Lavi again, then got up and walked down the hall out of sight. Lavi hastily finished off his breakfast, then got up to follow. He found the boy in the laundry, crouching in front of the dryer in a catlike position, waiting for it to finish. Lavi thought he looked kind of cute, but quickly shook himself and went to crouch beside him.
'So Allen, um... You really don't have any family you can stay with?'
'Nope.' Allen shook his head. 'My father was only my foster father. I was abandoned as a baby so I don't know my real family, if I even have one at all.'
'Oh...' Lavi blinked, unsure how to respond. He sighed and searched for a new topic.
'Hey, how's your hand?'
'It's fine, thankyou,' Allen smiled. 'Though it still hurts.'
'Well you did put a nail through it. Um... Listen, I saw the weather report for tonight, it's meant to be minus six degrees outside, and there's gonna be snow.'
'I've slept in worse.' Allen waved the statement off matter-of-factly.
'Were you very well afterwards?'
'Not really...'
'You wanna stay another night?'
Allen's grey eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Lavi. Lavi grinned and waited for a response. After a few seconds, Allen found his voice.
'U-uh, I'm not sure... I mean, that's very nice but... Really?' Allen's expression was a mix of sheepishness, hope, and curiousness. Lavi wasn't sure why, but he really wanted to help this boy, and letting him sleep outside in winter weather went against every moral fibre in his body.
'Of course really! Think I'd tease you like that? So you wanna stay another night? There'll be more fooooood...'
The redhead looked at him doe-eyed. Allen stared at the tiled floor, uncertain. Lavi waited patiently, and then finally, Allen sighed heavily. Lavi knew he had won.
'Ok, another night... Um... Lavi? I was wondering...'
'Yes?'
'Could I use your shower?'
'Course you can!' Lavi said, a trace of laughter in his voice. 'You wanna use it now?'
'Yes please...'
--
Lavi had a big white bathroom with both a shower and a porcelain bathtub. After the redhead handed Allen a big fluffy towel and left, Allen decided he wanted to soak and relax in the tub instead, so he turned on the taps and waited patiently while the water spilled in, steam wafting around the room, centring above the tub.
As Allen undressed, he caught his reflection in the mirror above the basin. He moved closer for a better look, as it had been about a year since he'd got a good look at himself, save seeing his reflection on window glass. His face was kind of pale, with traces of dirt here and there. His hair and the fur on his large kitty ears, which had once been pure white, were also dirty, appearing an unpleasant pale grey. Allen hoped Lavi wouldn't mind it if he used his shampoo and conditioner. He wasn't a vain person like some cat people, but when your hair changes colour, it's long over due to wash it.
Finally, the bath was full. He turned off the taps and sunk into the water. He breathed an appreciative sigh and leant his head back against the edge, closing his eyes as he soaked.
'That Lavi is really nice...' Allen murmured to himself, 'He's kind of handsome too... Be nice if I could stay here forever, I really don't like it on the streets...'
The boy then took a deep breath and ducked his head under the water. When he resurfaced he reached for the shampoo bottle.
--
Lavi knocked on the basthroom door.
'Allen? You done yet?'
'Yeah!' Allen answered, 'Do you have my clothes?'
'Yup, I'll just put them through the door.'
The redhead opened the door a few inches and slipped the material through. He felt Allen pull at them, then shut the door again.
'Hey, Allen?' Lavi said again.
'Hm...?'
'Um, my boss called, and there's been a fiasco at work, so I have to go sub for one of the waitresses. Do you mind if I go?'
'Of course not! But, Um... Could I come?'
Lavi blinked in surprise at the random question. 'Uh, yeah... Why?'
'No reason!' Allen said hurriedly. 'B-but I won't be in the way?'
'I said you could come, didn't I?'
Lavi heard Allen chuckle, and a second later, the door opened. Lavi couldn't help but stare and blush slightly. The catboy looked even cuter whilst clean. His hair was even whiter, and his skin on his face was smooth-looking and flawless. Allen looked up at him questioningly with expressive gray eyes.
'What is it?'
'N-nothing.' Lavi shook himself mentally. He smiled. 'Well let's go then.'
--
And that's the end of the chapter. Yes, so far it's been a crappy story but I promise it'll get better once I come up with a good plot twist. Yes, I'm adding a plot twist. If you weren't expecting that... You just don't know me at all, do you? Heh.
REVEIW!