The Wager
Part 3 - Lavi
Lavi grinned appreciatively at the scene playing out before him.
At the far corner of the bath, Kanda was sitting with his face to the wall, trying to be invisible. Chaoji, who still didn't know Kanda very well, was sitting next to the Japanese exorcist and trying to make small talk. By the way Kanda's shoulders twitched every few seconds, he would like nothing better than to throttle Chaoji and run away. But that wasn't what Lavi found most amusing.
General Cross Marian, sitting a few feet away, seemed truly distracted for the first time since Lavi had met him. Up until now, Lavi had considered Cross exactly his type of guy – cool, collected, and with a taste for the finer things in life. A bit like Tyki Mikk. Shame, really, that Tyki was a Noah and that the old Panda had decided to join up with the Black Order. Lavi thought he and the Noah of Pleasure could have gotten along quite well, under different circumstances.
Say, over a friendly game of strip poker.
But it was not to be. And since it was not to be, Lavi had to look elsewhere for his entertainment. And General Cross, usually so debonair, was providing just the sort of entertainment Lavi wanted.
Cross shot another glance at Chaoji and Kanda. He had been doing that ever since Kanda had climbed in, a few minutes before. He looked ready to stand up and join them – clearly he had some interest in speaking with Kanda. And then…
"YADA!! Allen, what are you DOING!?"
Cross's head whipped around as another scream ripped through the bath house. Lavi had to admit he was very curious himself. What WAS Allen doing to prompt that sort of reaction from Lenalee Lee? Lavi watched and, once again, Cross's eye appeared to glaze over as he stared in the direction of the voice.
The sounds of the struggle that had been going on for at least five minues became muffled again. Cross's eyes refocused, and he looked back toward Kanda and Chaoji. He began to get up.
Oh, now what fun is that, Lavi asked himself. He reached behind him and pulled around a tall-sided wooden tray, the kind used for holding bathing supplies. This particular one held something a little different, however. "General Cross, perhaps you'd like to join me in a toast?"
Cross's head whipped around in surprise, and he stared down at Lavi and the tray in front of him. He saw the array of little bottles for heated sake, and a smile spread across his face.
"Lavi! I didn't see you there! Is that sake I see?"
"Yup," Lavi said with a grin.
"Aren't you… y'know… underage?"
"Nope. You're being anachronistic, General."
"….huh?"
"The only British law regulating the sale of alcohol to minors that's applicable in our timeline is the 1886 Intoxicating Liquors Act. Under that act, children younger than thirteen are not allowed to buy alcoholic beverages of any sort. That's the only restriction." Some days it was good to be the Bookman's apprentice.
"…oh. So… Okay." Cross settled back into the water and took one of the bottles from the tray. Lavi took one for himself and said, "To hot baths and hot sake." He clinked his earthenware bottle against Cross's.
"ALLEN WALKER, PUT ME DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"
"And hot women," Cross muttered to himself, downing the bottle in one gulp.
Women weren't so much Lavi's thing, really, but… His overactive imagination began to consider just what might be happening out in the entryway. Lenalee, being undressed by a nearly-naked Allen Walker. Lenalee, beating her fists against Allen's beautifully sculpted abs. Lenalee trying to fight him off and accidentally knocking away his towel to expose his tight little butt and his enormous-
"You know, Lavi," Cross said absently, "as rice wines go, this is really excellent. Just the sort of thing I like." He downed another bottle and returned it to the tray. Lavi noticed that Cross had already emptied four of them. The man drank like a fiend.
Oh well. If Lavi got him drunk enough, maybe Lavi could have some fun of his own, tonight. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kanda stand up and hurry out of the bath. Lavi passed Cross another bottle.
