Summary: Allen attends a high school specifically for the creatures of myth and legend. Demi-gods and oracles, minotaurs and cyclops', anything and everything under the sun. As long as they were friendly of course. Though most didn't regard Allen as friendly, simply because of his terrible curse. But none of that mattered, in the end, because this school is where he meets them. Gorgon! Allen, AU, established Lucky, eventual Lavi x Allen x Tyki

Genre: Romance, Drama –~– Rating: T –~– Characters: Allen, Tyki, Lavi, Neah, Chaozii, mentions of Mana and La-La

WARNINGS: mentions of attempted self-harm, self-deprecation, boy x boy, bullying, angst?, Chaozii is a piece of shit, swearing

Disclaimer: don't own D. G-M or the characters, but the crappy poem below is mine

Turn my heart to stone and rip it out of my chest,

I can't help but loving you, surely you have guessed,

take me at my worst and I'll show you my very best,

love me with a fervent fire and surely we'll be blessed.

A lone teen moved slowly through a bustling, exterior hallway. Sunshine filtered through the pillars, lighting up the gardens surrounding them. The teen had a light scar running down the side of his face, over his left eye, a reminder of things he'd rather forget. He wore a pair a red-tinted glasses over cursed eyes, the only thing capable of supressing his powers. Allen sighed, dodging yet another student intent on moving too quickly. He was honestly surprised people didn't take more caution to avoid him, considering how generally fearful and disdainful of his presence they were. A chorus of comforting hisses in his ear caused him to smile gently, and make the mistake of relaxing slightly.

"Coming through~" A cheerful voice announced, and the teen heard several angry gasps and mutters. He started to move to one side, but another teen clearly had something else in mind. Allen was unceremoniously shoved into the middle of the walkway, and the next thing he knew a body was slamming into his and he was sent sprawling to the floor. His glasses flew off and clattered noisily to the floor. Allen gasped, paling dramatically, and he slammed his eyes closed. The snakes he called hair tucked in close, waiting for the inevitable reaction.

"Sorry – oh shit!" Was the apology turned panicked gasp, with several other gasps erupting nearby. The teen's stomach dropped, and he waited for the usual tirade.

"Hold on a sec, I'll get your glasses!" Wait, what? That was unusually nice… Ah, they probably thought he was going to turn them to stone. That was honestly the last thing he wanted, not that anyone seemed to understand. He carefully starting pushing himself off the ground, making sure to keep his eyes tightly screwed shut. Crack. Allen froze.

"Oops~" An accented voice sang, utterly unremorseful.

"Chaozii!" The previously bubbly voice was now angry, but that didn't matter. No, Allen was far too busy panicking. His glasses… His glasses were broken! The teen's breathing started coming in short sharp gasps, his hands curled so tightly his nails began to dig into his palms. A cacophony of threatening hissing erupted all around him, his snakes furiously defending their master. The tugging sensation on his head told him that they were spreading out in every direction.

"Woah, woah, easy there, kiddo." A warm hand was carefully placed on his arm, just out of reach of the snakes. The tugging intensified as they desperately tried to attack the perceived threat, but they couldn't reach without him moving, and that was not on his agenda. Especially when this person seemed to be trying to help him. The snakes calmed minimally at the thought, not attacking but certainly not backing down on their defensive.

"Do you have another pair of those glasses?" The teen beside him asked calmly. Allen shook his head rapidly, eyes burning behind closed lids. The material was extremely rare, and extremely unpliant. There were only two pairs of the glasses, and the other was at home with Neah. His body started shaking, his teeth grit tightly together. He was screwed, he was so screwed. How was he supposed to get home like this? His sense of direction was bad enough without being blinded.

"It's okay, it's okay," The hand moved up and down his arm comfortingly, and Allen couldn't help but tensing slightly in surprise. "Just keep your eyes closed for a sec."

Allen nodded shakily. Of course he wasn't going to open his eyes. The snakes started moving again, and he tried to calm them, willing them to still and cooperate. Soon, some kind of material was brushing against his head, carefully manoeuvring around each of the snakes, and coming down over his eyes. Did he just get blindfolded?

"There you go, now you don't have to worry, okay?" If he could, Allen would have blinked. Now he didn't have to worry? Shouldn't the other teen be the one worrying? If Allen slipped up just once, he could turn the other teen to stone.

"Oi, Chaozii, take off your shoe." The teen said. Allen clearly heard the command in the tone, but apparently the bully didn't.

"Hah? Why?" Was the obstinate reply.

"Because," The original voice ground out testily. "There are shards of glass in your shoe, and the kid needs them."

"What's going on?" A new voice interrupted. It was deep and smooth, and sent involuntary shivers down Allen's spine.

"Tyki!" The jovial voice made its return, but only for a moment. "Chaozii's being an ass. Oh, and I need his shoe."

"Okay." Was the simple reply, before Allen heard a thump, rustling, and the portly teen protesting loudly. The tinkling of glass soon joined the sounds, and footsteps headed towards him. He briefly noted that no one else seemed to have moved since he closed his eyes. Allen swallowed heavily, fear prickling at his senses as involuntary thoughts begin to take over his mind. What if he hadn't closed his eyes in time? What if he had slipped? What if – the hand was back on his arm, rubbing gently.

"Easy, kiddo." The teen at his side murmured soothingly. Allen forced himself to take a deep breath, he was being ridiculous. Right now, he needed to be practical, and he couldn't do that while he was panicking. The teen gave another shaky nod before he heard more footsteps approaching.

"I got his shoe." 'Tyki' said nonchalantly. Allen heard a chuckle in response.

"Thanks." The teen heard more tinkling, and then an arm wrapped around his shoulders, gently easing him into a standing position. He wobbled slightly, still completely unsure as to why this teen was helping him. Though he supposed there must be some reasonable people out there, he just didn't meet them often. He felt a warm hand press into his lower back, and his snakes raised slightly to the left. Allen shushed them quickly, while the teen on his right laughed quietly.

He was led slowly and carefully by the two, far away from the noise and danger. Chaozii would've no doubt tried to take advantage of his blindness in some way, and then twist it to make Allen the bad guy, just like he always did… Allen tried so hard not to hurt anyone, but nobody seemed to care about hurting him. When they finally stopped walking, the other two teens gently eased him onto some kind of bench. Were they near the fountain courtyard? That was the only place he remembered having seats and bubbling water, and it was all the way on the other side of campus so it made sense.

"You okay kiddo?" The first voice asked soothingly. Allen paused, thinking. Was he okay? If he was being honest, no. His glasses were broken, he had no idea how he was going to get home, everyone treated him like a monster (including himself if he was being really honest), and Neah was probably going to pull another all-nighter to try and fix the glasses. He was far from okay, but he wasn't about to say that out loud. He bit his lip for a moment, and shrugged. There was a soft sigh from either side of him, both equal parts concerned and exasperated. There was silence for a long moment, and Allen realised that his snakes had finally calmed, once again dangling placidly.

"I'm Lavi, by the way. Sorry about knocking you over, I didn't mean to…" There was guilt in his voice and Allen smiled, relaxing just a bit more as he nodded gently. "On your other side there's Tyki, my boyfriend."

There was a murmur of greeting from his left and Allen bobbed his head in reply, not quite feeling up to speaking just yet. Besides, they probably already knew who he was… A soothing rubbing on his back, and a comforting hand on his shoulder helped Allen relax further. He took the moment of quiet to simply breath. In and out, in and out… Just like always. This continued for a few moments until Allen realised that the thumbed circles on his shoulder kept stop-starting, like the teen got caught up thinking and then abruptly remembered what he was doing. Allen tilted his head. Was something on the teen's mind? His question was answered not a moment later.

"Can I touch your snakes?" Lavi blurted suddenly and Allen balked. What? Like, what…? The other teen spluttered and tripped over several words before he finally managed to string another sentence together.

"I mean, only if it's okay with you. They're just… I mean… They're interesting. And kinda cool…" He mumbled softly, embarrassment tinging his tone. Allen for his part, was completely baffled. Did he just say cool. Allen had snakes for hair, and the other teen thought it was interesting and cool. Granted Mana and Neah had always thought that too, but that was them, and they were biased. Allen swallowed.

"Umm… Y-yeah, I guess…" He agreed hesitantly. Not a moment later and there was a gentle touch against the nearest snake. It was a strange feeling, Lavi's calloused finger on his snakes smooth scales. He shivered lightly and the teen paused with an inquisitive sound. Allen balked.

"Sorry! It just… it feels a little strange." He said carefully. Another pause.

"You can feel that?" Was the completely astonished reply. Allen flushed slightly, nodding. A curious hum, and then the patting continued. Allen cheeks heated, but he didn't protest.

"So…" Lavi started, but abruptly paused. Allen shifted his head so he was looking, hopefully, towards the teen. An open invitation. Another pause, were he imagined the teen chewing his lip in debate.

"So do they, like, need to eat or something?" Allen would've blinked in surprise at the rushed out question, instead laughing lightly. He couldn't help it. It had been a long time since anyone had given his hair anything more than a cursory glance of fear or disgust.

"No. As far as my uncle can tell, they're symbiotic. They get their energy from me." He explained easily. Neah had done so much research it had actually gotten a little annoying.

"Heh…" Was the curious reply. "Do you control them?"

"Not necessarily," Allen replied slowly, tilting his head in consideration. "They generally listen to what I say, but they are sentient. They will act on their own according to the situation and my stress levels."

"So that's why they got all hissy earlier! They were protecting you cos you were upset!" Lavi exclaimed in realisation, Allen nodding along. The other teen didn't say anything for a moment, but the air was tense with unspoken questions. Allen's lips curved into a small smile.

"My uncle's done a lot of research on them, I'm sure he wouldn't mind lending you his notes…" He said softly, hoping that he could trust the other teen. It would be nice to finally have a friend…

"Really?!" Was the excited totally-not-a-squeal. Allen laughed lightly, nodding. A deeper chuckle came from the left, and Allen was once again reminded that Tyki was there too. There was another moment of quiet, which was again broken by Lavi.

"So, how are you gonna get home?" Allen drooped. How was he going to get home? He could try calling Neah, but if the man was doing research he wouldn't hear the phone. He got far too absorbed in whatever he was doing, and it was sometimes very hard to get his attention. Allen sighed, shrugging noncommittally.

"I'll figure something out…" The school sure as hell wasn't going to help. There was a light press against his lower back.

"We can take you home if you need." Tyki offered gently. Allen bit his lip. He didn't want to be ungrateful, but he didn't want to overstep his bounds either. They had helped him a lot already, he didn't want to press his luck. He shrugged helplessly, unsure what to say.

"'m taking that as a yes." Lavi said cheerfully, and a small rush of air brushed Allen's shoulder as the other teen stood up. Tyki grabbed the snake-haired teen's hand and tugged gently as he also stood. Allen smiled shakily as he followed them up, trying to look as grateful as possible while blindfolded.

"You live in a lab?" Lavi asked, masking his voice with curiosity. Allen hoped he wasn't imagining the disapproval and concern underneath. He shook his head lightly.

"We own the lab, but we don't live in it." He pointed vaguely in the direction their house should be. "We live over… there?"

A chuckle accompanied his unsure statement, and a gentle hand shifted his arm slightly into the right direction. He smiled sheepishly, flushing slightly in embarrassment. They continued moving, slowly heading in the direction Allen presumed the lab was in. He had already told them Neah was likely to be found there. They didn't officially live in the lab, but with the amount of time Neah spent there… Allen couldn't blame the man though. Not after what happened. He grit his teeth as the memory flashed through his mind, before forcing his attention back on the world around him. The footsteps of the teens walking beside him, the wind blowing in the trees and brushing across his face, the weight of the snakes hanging from his head, the gentle hand still pressed in the curve of his back. He took a breath, coming to a halt as he instinctively knew they were in front of the door.

Allen pulled out his key and hesitated. Should he ask one of them to open the door for him? He couldn't exactly see, and he didn't want to embarrass himself, but on the other hand he didn't want to keep asking for their help. His problem was solved, however, when Lavi plucked the key out of his hand. Not a moment later, and Allen could hear the click of the lock and the door swinging open. He stepped through as calmly as possible, only then realising that Neah probably wasn't going to take this well. Or he might. It really depended on his mood. Then again he was practically bi-polar so… Allen's stomach flopped nervously. The teen shook his head, and called out.

"Neah." No answer. Maybe a bit louder? "Neah!" Still no. Allen sighed. Maybe he wasn't in the lab? The teen paused to concentrate. Bubbling, the shuffling of research, a pen on paper… Nope, he was here. He sighed again. He hadn't wanted to open with this…

"Neah… My glasses are broken." He said hesitantly, as loud as he dared. There was a light crash, a small thump, and then the sound of hurried footsteps. They stopped right in front of the teen and Allen couldn't quite help a small gulp. Then Neah's hands were on his face, tilting it this way and that, smoothing over his cheeks and then patting down his arms when he was done with that. Allen sighed, typical.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt?" The man asked, sounding a little frazzled. His voice was slightly grainy from sleep deprivation. Allen could hear more patting, but not on himself, and Neah was muttering something about hiding places. There were more footsteps and ruffling, and then Neah's hands were on his face again, lifting the makeshift blindfold over his eyes and replacing them with the spare glasses.

"Open." The man commanded lightly, tapping on Allen's temples. The teen hesitated briefly, but slowly opened his eyes, revealing his usual red-tinted world. Neah examined him carefully, more thorough this time. Allen smiled tenderly. He forgot sometimes, how soft Neah could be…

"Chaozii again?" The man asked, practically spitting the name out. Allen simply nodded. Neah was the only one who knew the extent of the teen's abuse, and only because he was the only one who would listen. Allen had tried talking to teachers, but they gave him as much regard as the other students. Which was to say, none. Neah was family, and Allen would never lie to him. They trusted each other explicitly. The man had tried convincing Allen to drop out before, but this was the only school in the country for people like them and Neah didn't have time to home-school him. Allen couldn't be selfish, so he put up with it to keep Neah from over-working himself even more, or even worse, uprooting them from their family home.

"So," Neah started, eyes flicking to the other two teens. "Who are these two?"

"Friends…?" Allen said slowly, unsurely. He took a deep breath, blew it out as a sigh and gestured to the two beside him in turn. "Lavi and Tyki, this is my uncle, Neah."

Greetings were exchanged, Chaozii's shoe was handed over (which garnered much amusement from his uncle) with the rest of his glasses, and Allen took this time to take a good look at the two who had helped him. And he had to say he was a little blown away. He had to swallow hard to stop a gasp. They were both beautiful. Lavi had red hair, like Allen used to. Except where Allen's had fallen closer to the colour of rust, Lavi's was bright and vibrant. He had a single green eye, the other covered by an eyepatch and mop of red. Tyki's hair was dark, and his eyes were a warm brown. He was watching Lavi with an affectionate smile on his face. Something about it made him even more beautiful, Allen was sure. They were both taller than him, and slighter broader too. It made him feel strangely safe, having them by his side. But he was getting sidetracked… The sight of the two made his stomach squirm, and heat rise in his cheeks. He pushed it down, desperately trying to focus on his uncle. Neah's hands were still on his shoulders, thumbs massaging gently, and he was watching Allen with curiosity.

"Why have you got a statue of a squirrel on your desk?" Lavi blurted suddenly, looking absolutely baffled. Allen winced, and Neah's eyes sharpened.

"It's not a statue…" Allen muttered despondently, guilt lacing his tone. Lavi blinked once before his mouth took on an 'o' shape. He then clamped his mouth firmly shut, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly. Neah pulled Allen slightly closer, completely subconsciously, eyes appraising as he waited for the other two teens to make a response. Tyki waltzed over and picked the squirrel up, examining it shrewdly.

"Can it feel anything?" He asked curiously. Neah shrugged.

"I don't think so, but the brain is complex. It might still work even after being turned to stone at a base level. Not like I can just ask it." The last sentence was stated bitterly, and Allen almost flinched. He knew the man didn't blame him, that he was bitter at himself for not being able to fix it, but it still made the teen's heart stop whenever he heard that tone. A warm hand found its way to his lower back, comforting and warm. Allen glanced at Tyki, back by his side, and saw him smiling gently. The snake-haired teen gave a small smile back, and then Lavi somehow attracted the man's attention again, and yeah, he definitely looked better with that smile. There was something about it, the way it crinkled his eyes just slightly, warm and content and full of love. Allen decided he quite liked that look.

The afternoon went from there. The two teens introduced themselves to his uncle, Allen fully explained what happened (with their help, since they were the ones who could actually see), and they ended up staying for dinner (Neah's way of thanking them). The man was a bit more hesitant about giving Lavi his research, not liking the idea of anyone knowing all the particulars about Allen's curse. Lavi reasoned that the man could just take out anything he deemed unnecessary or dangerous. In the end, Neah agreed, if only because Allen pouted at him in that way he simply couldn't resist.

Allen saw them twice throughout the next day, and neither time had they been in the position to talk. The first time he had seen them in a classroom as he was passing by to get to another class. Their hands were linked beneath the table, and they were leaning against each other slightly, Tyki's remaining hand carding through Lavi's hair. It made Allen's stomach flip, though he wasn't really sure why. The second time they were in the hall between classes. Lavi had been pressed up against the taller teen, and they were talking and kissing softly, forehead's pressed together. Allen had flushed, and taken another route so as not to disrupt them. It wasn't until lunch that Lavi caught him alone. He was eating in his usual spot, underneath large sycamore tree just outside the courtyard. Most people ate in the courtyard or inside, so it was a good place for him to relax.

"Hey, Al!" Lavi said brightly, a large grin aimed at the teen. Allen brightened at the cheerful greeting, giving a happy smile of his own. The redhead plopped onto the ground beside him and began to reach out, though he quickly balked and reached back to scratch his own head instead.

"Probably shouldn't ruffle them, huh?" He said, scrunching his nose a bit in consideration. Allen giggled quietly.

"I don't think they'd appreciate it." He concurred, the snakes scrunching up a bit in agreement. Lavi glanced at his food, eyeing it appraisingly.

"Is that enough?" He asked thoughtfully, inquisitive gaze turned toward the teen. Allen blinked, shocked.

"Did you already read all of that?" He asked incredulously. Neah had done a fair amount of research on Allen's snakes (and his curse) and he had given a lot of it to the other teen to look at. The fact that Allen needed more food because of the symbiotic relationship wasn't one of the first things that they had noted. Lavi shrugged with a sheepish grin.

"It was interesting…" He said a little helplessly. Allen stared, baffled. Lavi was unlike almost anyone he had ever met. It was… curious. He allowed his thought track to be broken when the older teen glanced back towards his food pointedly. Allen blinked again.

"Oh, yes, that's enough. I have a big breakfast as well, and snacks throughout the day." He explained easily. He knew how much he needed to eat, and unfortunately three straight meals usually left him hungry in between. His little snakes used up a surprising amount of energy. Then again, there was a lot of them. Lavi nodded happily and then began chattering away about menial things. Allen listened intently, even more so when Tyki joined in (snaking an arm around the redhead's shoulders) and added his own commentary. And when the bell rung, Allen couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Still, he let them go, and when they returned the next day he felt his heart soar.

This continued throughout the week, the older teens joining him for lunch and simply talking. Though of course, his untouched happiness couldn't last forever. At the end of the week, Lavi greeted him with the same brightness, but the cheer seemed almost false and his smile was strained. Allen immediately knew the problem. Lavi had helped him a lot the previous week, and was now spending a fair amount of time with him, it was only natural that the other students would protest this in the only way they could.

"Hey, Al…" The redhead greeted as he took his spot beside the cursed teen. Tyki seemed to swap sides, either sitting beside Lavi or Allen, but he always came a little bit later. Allen couldn't help the tight feeling in his chest.

"Surprising how many rumours you can hear in a day?" The cursed teen mused quietly, a sad smile slipping onto his lips. Lavi gave a tight-lipped smile in return, worry overtaking his single eye.

"I'm not real worried," he shrugged. "Lot of rumours going around about Tyki, too." His face tightened here, anger and frustration leaking onto his visage before he calmed himself. "But you looked pretty upset the other day, when we were talking…"

"It's true." Allen interrupted before the redhead could finish. Lavi frowned.

"You don't know what I was gonna ask…" He said quietly, voice weaker than he probably would have liked. Allen shook his head. There was only one rumour that would come up that a) coincided with their conversation the previous week, b) actually bothered Allen more than slight annoyance or frustration, and c) actually had any merit to it. This was about Mana.

"I'm not going to make excuses or run away. You deserve to know the truth." He said simply, honestly, and took a deep shuddering breath. The teen wasn't sure he wanted to do this. He'd never told anyone before, except Neah of course. But Lavi and Tyki… they were the first ones to even give him a chance at friendship, and he didn't want to ruin that by lying. He hated lying… Besides, they needed to know the consequences of being around him, needed to understand. He was dangerous.

"I turned my father to stone." Allen's voice was tight, his eyes closed, and there was a slight tremble he just couldn't stop.

"It was an accident." Lavi said immediately, his voice resolute. Allen gave a startled laugh at that. There was a long pause before he swallowed down the lump in his throat, opened his eyes, and continued.

"He said he wanted to see the colour of my eyes…" Allen's voice was unsteady and he was going to ramble, he knew, but once the words started flowing it was like he couldn't stop. "Can't see them properly through the glasses, and it's too dangerous to try and look otherwise. He was weird like that, always trying to treat me exactly right. They tried to take a photo once, but the film burnt out." He shook his head, eyes burning.

"So he took them off, made me look him straight in the eye and… and –" He choked, unable to finish the sentence as a lump overtook his throat. Lavi pulled him into his arms, wrapping them tight and warm around him. Allen shivered, one half wanting to flinch away and the other half dying to simply melt into the embrace. Lavi buried his face in the snakes just above Allen's brow.

"I'm so sorry, Al…" He said, voice barely above a whisper, yet it was still heavy and slightly wet. Allen let himself relax just slightly, pressing a little bit further into the other teen and he pressed his face into the teen's chest. He man kneaded Allen's back gently, comforting and relaxing all in one. The redhead pursed his lips, a brief sign of hesitance and then shrugged.

"I don't know who my parents are," he started slowly. "I was in an orphanage before I could remember anything different. Gramps picked me up one day, said I was his grandkid, but didn't tell me about my parents. I didn't ask, didn't want to know. Didn't matter."

He shrugged, making an unconcerned face. Allen nodded vaguely. The other teen didn't sound worried or stressed, and there was nothing in his body language to suggest otherwise either, so he let himself bask in the warmth of the other teen. Lavi started drawing random patterns on his back, a distraction, Allen allowed himself a sigh of content. The redhead chuckled slightly and Allen flushed, mind frantically looking for a way out.

"What about Tyki?" He blurted, pulling back just slightly to look at the teen. Lavi immediately tensed and Allen almost flinched. Wrong question. But the redhead answered anyway.

"Tyki's a demi-god. Son of Aphrodite." Lavi said, his face falling into a blank stare. "People don't understand it, you know? There's a lot of rumours and shit about them being "easy"." Allen almost flinched at the coldness in the word.

"That's not how it works though. Aphrodite's the goddess of love, it's not just about sex for them. It's about affection and bonds. They fall in love so easily, and people use and abuse it because they don't understand." There was so much frustration in the teen's tone, and Allen felt a lump rising in his throat. He knew that feeling. The feeling of people looking at the surface layer and judging from there. Looking at Allen's appearance and curse, and calling him a monster without even trying to get to know him. Yeah, he knew all about that… and it burned to think that people treated Tyki with the same stigma.

"He's gotten his heart broken so much, but he never gave up. Never gave up on love, never gave up on me…" Lavi was looking away now, eyes distant as his mind took him somewhere else. He shook his head, quiet for a moment, before throwing the teen a casual grin.

"So… what do you usually do on the weekends?" He asked randomly. Allen easily took the conversation change, humming in thought.

"Umm… Homework, TV, workout, make sure Neah doesn't die from exhaustion…" Lavi laughed lightly and Allen couldn't quite contain a grin. Then the redhead was humming with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Homework and workout, huh? So our little Allen is smart and kicks butt." He said, a light teasing tone to his voice. Allen almost rolled his eyes.

"Sure, Lavi. What do you do on the weekend?" He laughed.

"Read." Lavi blurted without even thinking. "And, you know, hang out with Tyki." He tacked on quickly, a light tinge painting his cheeks in embarrassment. Allen giggled slightly and Lavi pouted theatrically.

"Come on! I live in a library, how am I not supposed to read?!" He said dramatically. Allen just laughed louder, and Lavi grinned, getting more and more theatrical as their conversation went. Tyki joined them after some time and immediately started teasing the redhead. Both teens quickly decided that they loved the sound of Allen's laugh. Even if the multitude of snakes raspy-hissy-cough-laugh was a little weird.

It wasn't long before there was another incident with Chaozii. Allen was in the hall again, weaving through people to get to his next class. Surprisingly, a lot of people weren't giving the teen as much trouble as usual. He'd started to notice that the more he hung around Lavi and Tyki, the less people teased and degraded him. Allen idly wondered if the older teens were doing something he was unaware of. It was in this spacey state of mind that Chaozii struck. He came up behind the teen and slammed into him. The cursed teen flew forwards harshly, his glasses skittering across the ground. He snapped his eyes shut, heart leaping into his throat. His glasses were going to get broken again. Angry, panicked tears formed in the corners of his eyes as he listened to the stomping footsteps moving further and further away. And then he heard Chaozii yelp. More footsteps, lighter this time, and they were heading towards him. Allen felt his glasses being slid back over his eyes, and a light tap on his temple.

"Alright." Tyki murmured, and the snake-haired teen allowed his eyes to flutter open slowly. He kept his eyes low for a moment, making absolutely sure, before giving the older teen a grateful smile.

"Thank you." Tyki smiled and helped him up, and Allen took the time to take a quick glance around. Chaozii was scowling heavily, and holding his shin. Allen blinked. Had the other teen… kicked him? Allen shook his head, that seemed unlikely. Tyki tugged his hand, regaining his attention, and guided him through the hall to his next class. He didn't let go of Allen's hand until they parted at the door. After an ungodly hour of maths that made Allen dizzy, he had a free period due to his history teacher being absent. He immediately headed for the library, intent on getting some work done. He beelined for his usual spot, behind the stacks where no one would bother him, but paused when he got there.

Tucked into his usual corner were his favourite people (besides Neah, of course). Lavi had his nose buried in a book, completely absorbed, while Tyki sat nearby and appeared to be napping. His legs were stretched across Lavi's lap, and he was leaning back on his chair with a book over his face. Allen paused. They looked so peaceful, should he really be bothering them? And they already spent plenty of time with him, he didn't want to annoy them… Allen slumped. He was weak. He trotted over, making sure to keep quiet so he didn't bother anyone, and came up behind the older teen. Allen lifted the book of Tyki's face, he looked startled, and a little bit guilty. The older teen blinked when he recognised him, a look of pleasant surprise overtaking his face. Allen smiled, a little cheeky, but mostly soft.

"He really does like reading, doesn't he?" He murmured, eyes flickering over to the redhead who still hadn't noticed his presence. Tyki chuckled, a warm smile blooming across his face.

"Yeah…" He breathed, and there was that look again. Allen smiled, biting his lip just a little. He really did look even more beautiful when he looked at Lavi like that, eyes soft and smile gentle. The cursed teen shook his head and sat down quietly, making sure he didn't disturb the enamoured redhead, and scooted a little closer to Tyki.

"How's your history?" He asked quietly, and Tyki rolled his eyes passionately.

"How's my history, I wonder…" He said sarcastically, giving the redhead a pointed look. "Only somebody's favourite subject." Allen bit back a laugh as Tyki shook his head, completely ignored, and pulled the younger teen's book closer.

"What are you having trouble with?" He asked easily.

"The Fall of Edo during the Meiji Restoration." Allen replied immediately. They had skimmed over it in class, but the teacher had refused to answer any questions, telling them to research it in their spare time. Allen had come to learn that this usually meant there was going to be an assignment on it.

"Okay, so during the Edo Period, or the Tokugawa Shogunate, the leaders of the Meiji Restoration decided they needed to restore Imperial rule to Japan…" Tyki started, easily and effectively laying out all the relevant information he could remember, and even advising some books that had important details (Lavi had far too much influence on his knowledge of books, in his personal opinion). By the time they were done, Lavi had finished his book, stretching happily and peeking over to see what was happening.

"What'd I miss?" He asked curiously. Tyki gave him a teasing smirk.

"Meiji Restoration." He said casually. Lavi gave a mock gasp of horror, grabbing the book and skimming over their notes. He made a pleased sound, scribbled a few notes of his own and then threw his love a grin.

"Good job!" He said, pecking him on the lips. Tyki puffed up, wearing a grin of his own. Allen wanted to melt at the sight, just a little. The bell rang then, signalling the start of the next period, and Allen couldn't help the pout that slipped onto his face, flushing when Lavi chuckled.

"I know, I love listening to his voice too." He said dreamily, only half-teasing. Tyki flushed a little at that, wide smile not abating, and bumped shoulders with the redhead. Lavi chuckled again, bumping back and giving the teen another quick kiss. The day went from there.

Dodgeball. Allen's least favourite game, because it gave the other students a clean reason to target him. Though Allen had gotten good at the game simply for this reason. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but it was raining heavily outside and there were two classes crowded into the gym instead of one. So the teachers had declared a game of Dodgeball. And not the normal kind either. There were no teams, just an all-out war to decide a single winner. Allen really hated this game… Everybody moved into place, a wide circle around the mass of balls in the centre. The whistle blew and the entire gym was running, some inwards, some out, and some zigzagging to find a good spot. Allen backed up against a wall, waiting and watching. He sidestepped a ball flying his way and glared at Chaozii. The other teen merely gave him a vicious grin. Allen frowned. It was going to be one of those days…

His eyes drifted over the expanse of the gym, finding Lavi and Tyki. They were both already getting a lot of people out, Tyki had a strong arm and Lavi a killer aim. Allen sidestepped another ball, picking it up and tossing it back out. A yelp, and a score for Allen. He darted into the mass of students when he noticed several coming towards him, obviously intent on getting him out. He dodged around people, using them as shields and stealing balls when people went out. Maybe not the nicest strategy, but it got Allen far. People were dropping like flies at this stage, and the teachers were starting to snag a couple of balls to lessen the ammo, an extra disadvantage. Only about twenty students left now. Make that nineteen. He watched Tyki gain a cheeky grin and toss a ball at Lavi. The redhead yelped, dodged, and pouted at the raven. Allen laughed, dodging another ball and snagging one from the ground. He tossed, missed and dodged again. A warning hiss from behind and he ducked, a ball sailing over his head and hitting someone else instead. He turned to see Chaozii, again, and scowled. Why couldn't the teen just leave him alone?

He darted forwards when the teen got another ball and immediately aimed at him, snagging a ball off the ground to deflect it. He bat the offending ball away and looked up, just in time to see the other teen get hit by two balls simultaneously. Judging by the way he flinched they must have been thrown hard. Allen turned to see Lavi and Tyki smirking victoriously, and smiled. They really were sweethearts. He heard Lavi yelp again, and Tyki was chuckling so he guessed the raven was aiming for his lover again. There were barely a dozen people left now and Allen was a little surprised he'd made it this far. Three more out, and Allen was almost one of them. So was Lavi. Tyki caught a ball, so that was another, and then used it against someone so it was down seven. Allen caught a ball, deflected another one and tossed his at Lavi. The redhead dodged and pouted at him, and Allen laughed. There were students hooting and hollering from the sidelines now, each cheering somebody on. Allen didn't hear his name, but he didn't care, focusing instead on the five people left. He got someone out, and ducked behind the redhead, who caught a ball and that left the three of them. Allen stayed low for the moment, picking up a ball and following Lavi. The two lovers were clearly having fun trying to get each other out, so Allen left them alone and watched. They were laughing and teasing each other, though Tyki glanced at him a couple of times, curious and playful. It was during one of those times that the redhead struck, aiming just so and hitting Tyki where he couldn't catch the ball.

"Yes!" The redhead cried happily, while Tyki gave him a teasing glare. Allen scooted forward, gently tossed the ball and hit Lavi square in the back. The redhead jolted with a yelp and whipped around with a dramatic gasp. Allen gave the most innocent smile he could. Tyki laughed and Lavi grinned, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Allen beamed. Nobody cheered for Allen's win, but the teen didn't care, because that was probably the most fun he'd ever had in a gym class. And it was all because of them.

Allen hurried to their sycamore after class was over (having lost the two amongst the crowd), still elated from their previous game and eager to spend more time with his friends. The rain had stooped halfway through their class and the sun was shining again, only adding to Allen's good mood. The teen jogged around a corner to get to the tree and balked, freezing in his tracks at the sight before him. Lavi was straddling Tyki's lap, their arms wound loosely around each other, and they were kissing lazily. Allen's face exploded in red. His snakes curled up momentarily, mirroring his mindset, before four of them slapped themselves over his eyes. He heard a few more hissing a loud protest, and a light, coughing choke from in front of him.

"Al!" Was Lavi's shocked exclamation. The snakes finally allowed him a peek, before moving completely to restore his sight. Allen waved shyly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt…" He mumbled sheepishly. Both teens looked about as shocked as Allen, but only Tyki seemed to be suffering from the same flaming cheeks. Though if Allen looked carefully, he would've seen the light pink tinge to the redhead's cheeks as well. Lavi shuffled into a new position (not a large change, he simply turned so he was sitting in Tyki's lap instead of straddling him), and Tyki wasted no time in burying his face in the redhead's shoulder. Lavi laughed lightly, threading his fingers in his lovers curls and motioning for Allen to sit down. The cursed teen complied, shuffling over and plopped into his usual spot, trying desperately to abate the heat in his cheeks. Lavi started chatting away merrily, and Allen forced himself to focus on the words, not on the redhead's slightly swollen lips.

In the weeks that followed, Allen spent more and more time with the two lovers. And over that time, Allen noticed that Tyki seemed to be getting more and more agitated, especially around him. He jolted when they got too close, shifted uncomfortably when they talked, and stuck to Lavi's side like glue. It made Allen's chest tight and his eyes burn, but he tried his best to hide it. He understood, after all. He was dangerous. That was something he knew better than anyone else. Nobody needed to say it, to point it out or shove it in his face. Nobody feared Allen's curse more than Allen himself. So he understood. He understood that Tyki didn't want to be around him, or for him to be around Lavi, because Allen could end up hurting them. Could end up killing them. What the teen didn't realise, was that he didn't understand at all. Because he forget something very simple that Lavi had said about the older teen. Something that he never took into account about his interactions with anyone, really. It took overhearing a conversation between the two for him to realise how wrong he was. They were sitting under Allen's sycamore, their designated "hang-out spot". Allen brightened immediately upon seeing them, and had started to walk over. But something stopped him. Tyki looked so distressed it actually hurt. Allen's heart ached and his knees locked. He shouldn't interrupt them. But they were already talking and neither had noticed him.

"Lavi…" Tyki started, unsure. He didn't know where to begin.

"Allen, right?" Lavi guessed, a warm smile playing at his lips. Allen froze. Tyki flinched, but nodded.

"I love you Lavi, I don't want to lose you…" Tyki's voice was weak, yet held a sense of urgency, like he needed the other to understand. The redhead shushed him gently.

"I know," Lavi crooned, kissing the man softly. "You won't lose me, Tyki. Your hearts big enough for the both of us. Besides… I always figured I'd have to share you some day."

"I love you…" Tyki whispered again, soft and earnest, shuddering slightly as Lavi wrapped his arms around him. He practically buried himself in the redhead's arms, tucking his head under the teen's chin. Lavi immediately started rubbing soothing circles into the teen's back.

"If anybody deserves your love, it's Allen." Lavi said sweetly. "You're gonna have to share too, you know." He added teasingly, unaware of the way Allen's heart stopped, even as Tyki nodded, nuzzling closer and started calming down.

What did the older teen mean? Tyki couldn't possibly… and Lavi? Allen swallowed harshly, head swimming. He was moving away before even making the conscious decision, creeping back the way he came so he didn't disturb them. He ended up in an empty hallway, mind swirling too much for his body to move. He must have misheard, or misinterpreted. There was no way Tyki felt that way… Did Allen? Just the simple thought of being with the teens made Allen's heart flutter and his cheeks warm. But, no, he must have been wrong. There was no way anyone could love him. But Mana and Neah did. Why not Lavi and Tyki? Allen's head felt fuzzy, and heavy, and his vision blurred around the edges, a single shred of hope worming its way into his heart. Was it possible…?

"Hey Al!" A jovial voice cried, and Allen jolted so violently he swore he saw Lavi flinch. "Woah, easy! Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Lavi's voice was a touch unsure as he stopped beside the teen, confusion and concern colouring his face as Tyki came up on his other side. The movement seemed so easy, so right. But Allen didn't want to jump to conclusions, especially since he didn't stick around to hear the end of the conversation.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He blurted, squirming a little. The teen bit his lip. He wanted to relax, wanted to let himself feel safe and warm between them, like he did before.

"What's wrong?" Tyki said softly, and he was finally acting normally around Allen again. A soft hand pressed gently into his back in comfort. Allen chewed on the lip between his teeth. He wanted the man to tell him. Or reject him. Either way, he needed to know if what he heard was true. But he also didn't want to just force him to say it, or tell the two teens he had eavesdropped.

"Y-you've, umm, you've been acting kind of weird…" He said weakly, hating that he had stuttered. He wasn't technically lying, Tyki had been acting weird. Allen just knew the reason why. Tyki winced, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, sorry about that…" He murmured quietly, sincerity and guilt lacing his tone, as his thumb started caressing Allen's spine. The teen swallowed. Tyki's hand was warm, and it seeped into Allen' skin comfortingly. He really liked that feeling… almost a little too much.

"We were wondering if we could talk about that." Lavi continued for the other teen, giving a reassuring grin. Allen smiled lightly and nodded, even as his stomach flipped uncomfortably, and the two led him elsewhere. It was across the Campus, somewhere Allen had never been before. He was fairly sure this area was used by the higher levels. The buildings were somewhat old in design, but obviously well cared for. Red-brick buildings with high-arched windows and slated roofs. They were quite beautiful. The three teens entered a room near the back of the buildings, Lavi closing the door carefully behind them. Allen hoped he had imagined the click of a lock. He trusted them, but at the same time he felt anxious, his stomach bubbling with unease. The teen shook his head, looking around the room to distract himself. It was a large room, and it seemed to be some sort of student lounge. There were lots of couches, beanbags and tables with comfy looking chairs. Right up the back, nestled between beanbags and a large TV, was a giant hammock. Lavi grabbed the cursed teen's hand headed in that immediate direction.

"You're not technically supposed to be in here, but –" The redhead shrugged, and let himself fall onto the fabric, dragging Allen down with him. The teen let out a squeak as he practically fell on top of the other, quickly rolling so he was beside him instead. Lavi was grinning at him widely, arm sliding around his shoulders. Tyki smiled, settling on Allen's other side, effectively trapping him between them. Tyki wrapped his arm around Allen's shoulders too, fingers threading their way into the hair at the nape of Lavi's neck. The redhead practically purred, leaning into the touch happily. Allen flushed, squirming slightly. The heat was almost unbearable, but Allen wouldn't give it up for anything. He didn't think he'd ever felt this comfortable before, bar maybe Mana's hugs.

"S-so, talking…" Allen wanted the ground to swallow him. Why did he keep stuttering? Lavi tapped his chin in thought.

"Hmm, talking…" The older teen grinned and shrugged. He swooped in and then there were lips against Allen's. The younger teen's eyes widened almost comically, his cheeks flushing crimson, even as Lavi pulled away.

"I like that better." Lavi said instead, voice taking on a slightly husky edge. Allen stuttered and made incomprehensible noises, his snakes curling up with a light pink hue, as he desperately tried to form a response. Lavi merely grinned and pecked him on the lips again. Allen squeaked, quieting immediately. Then there were fingers hooking under his chin, and Tyki was turning his head. Allen stared up at him as the man smiled warmly.

"This is what we wanted to talk about." He murmured gently, pressing his lips to Allen's as well. Allen's heart fluttered, and he finally let himself melt into their arms. They took turns pressing gentle kisses on the teen's lips, his temple, his cheeks. Allen sighed in content. This…. This was perfect.

It didn't take long for rumours about their relationship to go around, and it took even less time for Chaozii to voice an opinion about it. And he wasn't subtle about it either. He walked right up to them, in the middle of a crowded courtyard, and spoke loudly.

"Honestly, you two are disgusting, dating something like that." He spat the word like Allen was something foul. "I suppose I'm not surprised though, considering how easy you are."

He aimed that at Tyki, the older teen bristling, and something in Allen just snapped. He didn't care what the rat said about him, but like hell he was letting him insult Tyki. His snakes curled tightly, an angry heat burning in his chest. But Chaozii didn't notice, just kept on talking.

"I'm sure with all the practice you've got, you'd be pretty good, huh? Maybe I'd even let you go down on me." The teen leered. Tyki leant back, just slightly, but his discomfort was clear. And that was that. Allen stepped forward. He wasn't going to let Tyki suffer this abuse, especially not because of him.

"Tyki wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole." He said coldly, and everyone's attention jolted onto him. "Tyki's not easy, nor does he have any interest in you. You're vile, and cruel. Certainly not worth his time or attention. He's far better than that." Chaozii's lips twisted into a sneer, an almost snarl-like sound coming out after.

"What the hell do you know? You're just a monster." He spat, looking at Allen in disgust. There were several gasps from the small crowd, and all of the sudden Allen could feel Tyki next to him. And he was angry.

"I may look like a monster," Allen replied evenly, tone icy. "but at least I have a heart. Unlike you." Chaozii flared, his face contorting in rage as he exploited every inch of his body to make himself bigger.

"You piece of shit!" He snarled, stalking forwards and raising his fist. Allen tensed, straightening slightly, but Chaozii had barely thrown his punch before it was caught. Tyki's knuckles were white from the force he was applying, and Allen could swear he heard a sharp snap. The older teen looked furious, his expression thunderous and his eyes had taken on a golden tinge, something Lavi had mentioned only happened when he was fully employing his Demi-God powers. Said redhead chuckled darkly.

"Geez, Chaozii, you should know better than to anger a Demi-God." His voice was teasing, but there was an undeniably dark, threatening undertone lurking beneath the surface. Something that said 'one more step, I dare you'. The air was thick with tension, and there was an unpleasant heaviness. Then there was a girl stepping forward. She was pixie-like, with flowing golden hair. Allen was fairly sure she was in a few of his classes. Yes, she was a Muse called La-La (he had once had the… pleasure of getting her ranting about her charge, Guzol).

"Leave Allen alone Chaozii. And the rest of you. If you opened your eyes a little bit, you'd see Allen isn't even a little bit scary. He's just like anybody else here. His curse may be powerful, but that doesn't mean he has any intent to use it." Her voice rang loud and clear, and it was followed by uncomfortable murmuring. Allen couldn't quite hold his surprise, his jaw slightly loose, but he also couldn't help the way his heart leapt. Chaozii bared his teeth, and Tyki's grip tightened.

"I'll give you one warning, and one only." Tyki growled lowly, his voice ringing with authority. "Do not touch my boyfriend ever again. Don't speak to him, and don't come near him." Chaozii clenched his teeth, but said nothing. He glared at the Demi-God for a long while, before finally retracting his fist, cradling it to his chest.

"Whatever." He spat, sneering at the teen and storming away. The crowd parted for him immediately, even without the snarled comments he was hurling their way. Allen ignored the raging teen in favour of looking to Tyki. He was still staring after Chaozii, and his face was strangely blank. Allen slipped his hand into the ravens, and gave him a warm smile when he looked down. Tyki smiled softly at him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Allen ducked his head just a little, before turning to La-La.

"Thank you…" He started gratefully, but she shook her head.

"I should apologise." She said earnestly. "I should've done that a long time ago."

And Allen smiled, warm and just a little bit sad. He couldn't blame her. Like she said, his curse was powerful, which meant dangerous. They chatted for a while afterwards, and the teen left with another budding friendship.

Tyki's mood was low for weeks after the episode with Chaozii. He barely touched Lavi or Allen, and every time either tried touching him, he brushed it off. It left Allen with a sick feeling in his stomach, and he was sure that Lavi was worse. He hated seeing Tyki like this. It made his chest feel tight and his eyes burn when he thought about how much the older teen must be hurting. He thought about how he felt, whenever Choazii attacked him, and how it made him think and feel afterwards. It made him think about how Tyki must be feeling right now. And it made him hurt. In the end, Allen made the impulse decision to invite the older teen over for dinner. Lavi was busy that night, and had already left. The cursed teen could already see Tyki hesitating, his mood unimproved, but eventually he agreed. Neah was in the lab, as always, and they were sitting on the couch in the living room, food spread out on the coffee table before them. Allen chattered lightly as they ate, the older teen mostly poking at his food (which only served to further worry Allen) and time passed slowly. Eventually, Allen stopped talking, putting his hand on the table beside Tyki's and lightly touching his fingers. A request. Tyki reacted on instinct, tangling their fingers slightly, but remained quiet for several moments after.

"I just don't understand how someone as perfect as Lavi could possibly want to stay with someone like me…" He finally said, his voice low and distressed, and Allen's heart broke. How could he not see it?

"What?" Was all he could manage, voice rasping and weak as he tried to form a sentence. Didn't Tyki know, how amazing he was? He stood up, all of the sudden restless. He waved his hands around as he tried to think of something to say, something to make Tyki see. He settled for being blunt.

"Do you have any idea how many people want you?" The teen asked, painfully aware of how insignificant he was.

"Anybody would go after someone so easy." The man replied bitterly, and Allen just about wanted to tear his hair out.

"That's not what I meant!" He snapped, wincing when Tyki flinched. He reached out, lightly touching the man's face, before pulling back and pacing. He waved his arms again, trying to find the words he was looking for. Tyki looked miserable and it hurt, far more than Allen thought was fair. He knelt down in front of the man and looked at him dead in the eye.

"Do you even look in the mirror?" His exasperation was clear as he cupped the man's face in his hands. Tyki merely looked confused, and a touch insulted. "You are… breathtakingly beautiful Tyki." Allen whispered heartfeltly. Tyki's eyes widened in shock as the teen gently caressed his face. Allen continued on easily, his voice soft and sweet.

"You're playful, and open, and funny. You can be a sarcastic little shit, and even a touch sadistic, but you're loyalty and love are unparalleled. You're willing to give people a chance, even when they don't necessarily deserve it." Allen sure as hell didn't. "The sound of your voice is like fire on a cold night, and the way your eyes crinkle up when you smile at someone you love is… probably one of the cutest things I've ever seen. You are desirable, Tyki, for far more important reasons than being "easy"."

He spat the word out like it was vulgar, and to him it really was. Tears were falling freely from Tyki's eyes, his cheeks showed a light dusting of pink, and his body was trembling as he raised his hands to cover Allen's. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. He didn't bother trying again. Instead, he fell to the floor in front of Allen and kissed him sweetly. It was short and chaste, and Tyki broke away in favour of holding the teen in his arms. He gripped Allen tightly, arms wrapped firmly around him as the man buried his face in the crook of the teen's neck. Allen wrapped his arms around Tyki's neck, fingers curling in his hair and massaging gently. He let one hand drop down to rub comforting circles in the man's back. They were quiet for a long moment, before the older teen decided he needed to speak.

"You should listen to your own words sometimes, you know?" Tyki mumbled, leaning back to look at the other. Allen simply looked confused. "Your value isn't defined by your looks, or your curse. Neither of which I mind, by the way. You're more beautiful than you think. Inside, and out."

Allen's heart leapt into his throat, much the way Tyki's had only moments before. His body filled with an almost indescribable warmth, something the teen could only liken to a sun's rays or a warm bath on a winter's night. He took a shaky breath, trying to remind himself not to pass out. He smiled sweetly, if a tad unsure, and pressed a light kiss to the older teen's nose. Tyki chuckled, startled and amused, and pressed a kiss to Allen's nose too. The teen couldn't help the quiet giggle that escaped his lips, and smiled just a little brighter. Tyki smiled too. It was warm and gentle, and Allen couldn't help but feel like it was somehow familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. But that wasn't important, in the end, because Tyki was smiling again and that was all that mattered. Lavi appeared at his door the next day, smile tender and grateful.

"Tyki told me about what you said. All of it. I don't think it's going away any time soon." His smile was both warm and sad at the same time, and his single green eye was troubled. "It really means a lot, I hope you know that."

"I know." Allen said, smile just as warm and sad as the other. Lavi still looked troubled, his eyes were trained on the ground, but he kept glancing up. With each glance he frowned just a little bit more. After a few minutes of this, Allen's stomach flopping uncomfortably, the redhead finally turned towards. He shifted his entire body so he was facing the teen, an air of complete serious around him. Allen swallowed heavily, and Lavi must have felt the teen's nervousness because he smiled reassuringly. Another moment passed and Lavi cupped his cheek gently, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb across the smooth skin. He smiled, the same warm and sad smile as before, and looked the other teen in the eye.

"You're beautiful, Al," Lavi whispered, kissing the teen softly. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

A light flush crept up his cheeks, but he didn't really know what to say, so he simply leant forward and pressed their lips together again. Lavi responded in kind, cupping Allen's cheek and tilting his head just so. The teen sighed as Lavi pulled away and started pressing feather light kisses along his jawline. The snakes moved back, allowing the redhead further access. Lavi had just pressed a kiss below the teen's ear when a curious snake stuck its snout in his face. The redhead blinked in surprise, then chuckled slightly.

"Somebody's jealous~" He teased lightly, scratching the snake under the jaw. It seemed to enjoy the attention, but still refused to move. Lavi chuckled again, kissing it on the tip of its snout. The snake wiggled in delight, and Lavi could swear that it pinkened slightly. Every single snake was now watching him. Allen chuckled.

"You know you're going to have to do them all now, right?" He said ruefully. Lavi chuckled.

"I can do that." The redhead grinned, carefully pushing the snake he had just kissed to the side. "One each, no cheatin' now."

A snake immediately raised its head before him, eagerly awaiting his affections. Lavi chuckled and pressed a kiss to the snakes snout, gently pushing it towards the other and moving on to the next. Allen couldn't help the wide grin that split his face, giddiness bubbling in his stomach and erupting into a bubble of laughter as Lavi kissed each and every one of them, usually with some kind of commentary.

"Hey now, no fighting."

"No, I already did you."

"If you're gonna be like that I'll make you form a line."

"I already did you!"

Neah stood in the shadow of the house watching, a warm smile on his face as he looked on. Allen's face was flushed, and Neah didn't think he'd ever seen the teen smile so wide. He never thought he'd get to hear that bubbly laughter again. Watching Allen this happy, he only wished Mana was here to see it… With that thought in mind, he stole one last glance at the giggling teenagers and headed back into the lab, determination fully restored. He was going to bring Mana back, and give Allen the family he deserved.

Allen had to say he was a little surprised when Neah asked his lovers to dinner, but at the same time he felt he should've seen it coming. Neah had only gotten more protective of the teen after their loss of Mana, it wouldn't be unusual for him to want to scope out Allen's friends, especially when these two could so easily break his heart. Neah thoroughly interrogated both the teens, pulling them aside one by one and making the other distract Allen. The night went fairly easily, Neah only grudgingly passing the two with severe warnings of repercussions should they harm his baby. Lavi had actually cooed a little. Neah scowled. Now the two were standing together watching Tyki and Allen chat. Neah watched. Watched Allen smile, and blush, and act like a normal teenager in love. It made him happy, even if he didn't like to admit it… He took a long moment to think.

"He doesn't like looking people in the eyes." Neah said suddenly, watching the cursed teen shamelessly flirt with his raven-haired boyfriend. His eye twitched lightly, but he knew Allen wanted this, and he hadn't wanted anything more than Mana for a long time. Lavi, on the other hand, was shocked by the sudden outburst.

"Eh?" The redhead blurted in surprise.

"Allen. He doesn't like looking people in the eyes." Was the distracted answer, the man snatched a vial from the nearby desk, squinting at it distractedly. "He's afraid that one day, the glasses won't work anymore, and he'll turn someone to stone again." He put the vial down, his face forlorn. There were things these two needed to know, so they could protect Allen too. He stared at the desk, eyes distant for a long while. Lavi didn't speak, didn't dare. Eventually, Neah sighed, head tilting back as he stared into space.

"That scar on his face, over his eye? He did that to himself." Neah's voice was so quiet Lavi hoped he misheard him.

"What?" The redhead breathed, horrified. Neah nodded solemnly.

"It was just after Mana, maybe a week? He couldn't… I should've seen it… He was so… lost." Neah stumbled through his words, voice weak and wet. Tugging a stressed hand through his hair, he took a deep breath to steady himself, and continued. "After Mana, his powers became everything that was wrong to him. So he tried to get rid of them. He took a knife from the kitchen and tried to take his own eyes out. I barely stopped him in time, and left him with a scare to boot."

Neah's voice was trembling, and Lavi's heart was in his throat. Both their eyes were burning. Images flashed through their minds, a memory for one, a nightmare for both. Lavi trembled lightly, just the thought of Allen hurting himself like that… he wanted to be sick. He never wanted Allen to feel like that. Neah's teeth clenched, and he turned to give the teen a hard stare.

"I don't want to see that happen again, and if you care about him at all, you'll be careful with him. Take precautions. Don't be clumsy, or neglectful. Take care of him, by taking care of yourselves. It might hurt him sometimes, but he'll understand, and it'll be better for him in the long run. He can't go through that again…" He voice was a near growl, still low and unsteady, but Lavi understood the protective fury behind the words. He nodded heavily, without hesitation. He didn't want to hurt Allen, and this was something that they were going to have to deal with together. They spent a another quiet moment, both thinking solemnly, before heading back to the other two. Lavi beelined for Allen, snaking his arm around the teen. He kept his eye a little higher than usual, taking care to avoid looking at the teen's eyes over the glasses were they couldn't protect him, and pressed a kiss to the teen's scar. Allen tensed beneath him, quickly relaxing with a deep sigh.

"Neah…" Not quite accusing, but not happy either. Lavi rested his head there for a moment, holding the teen close. He took a deep breath in, basking in the warmth, before pulling away slightly. Tyki was watching on, eyes intent, curious and worried. Lavi gave him a tight smile and knew that they would have to talk later.

"So, you want to do something this weekend?" Lavi asked the cursed teen. Allen hummed, turning to him, and Lavi noticed the way he didn't move his eyes until the glasses blocked them. His heart clenched, but Allen was smiling, sweet and bright and excited, and Lavi knew that they were going to be okay.

~ End ~

AN: Ugh, I don't know I just love Gorgon! Allen. Sorrynotsorry, but this is probably getting another chap for backstory. Also, Allen's glasses are mix inspired by Medusa's glasses in a movie called Voyage of the Unicorn (watch at own risk, it's weird) and Cyclops' glasses in X-Men. Sidenote, the snakes only laugh when Allen's really laughing, like uncontrollable, gasping for breath, stomach clenching laughter.

Local Pervert (Guest): Yush, totally doing kitsune!Allen! Almost nuff said, though I need one question answered – pairing or no? I can take a wild guess and say you wanted Poker Pair because of the chapter you reviewed on, but I don't want to assume things.

Omake: I like the hair… AND Reunited Once More

"I talked to my mum about Allen's curse, but she said she couldn't break it." Tyki said mournfully, wrapping his arms around his lovers as far as they would go. "She said that the curse is too powerful… she could probably do the hair, but not the eyes, they're too complicated."

Allen smiled encouragingly, squeezing the man's hand in comfort. He hadn't honestly expected the Goddess to be able to do much, or even be willing to do much. It had nothing to do with her, bar her son, and it was far from her area of expertise. But he hadn't wanted to hurt Tyki when the man suggested it, so he let him go. Lavi, on the other hand, was frowning deeply.

"But I like the hair…" He said, slightly indignant. Allen blinked, then broke into a stunted laugh. The teen couldn't help a large grin as Lavi reached over and buried his fingers in Allen's snake hair, petting and playing with them happily.

"Who are my favourite snakies in the world? You are." He cooed, burying his face in Allen's hair as the snakes lathered him in attention. Lavi laughed brightly at all the snake-kisses he was getting. Allen giggled happily, turning around to swat at the teen playfully. Honestly, he was such a weirdo!

Lavi sprinted through the streets, scarf whipping behind him in the light breeze. The teen didn't think he'd ever run this fast before, but this was important and he couldn't wait. He skidded to a halt in front of the door and started banging, loud and incessantly.

"I think I know how to save Mana!" He blurted as soon as Neah angrily yanked open the door, Allen standing wobbly and bleary eyed behind him. It was fair, Lavi thought, it was three am. But as soon as the words left his mouth, they both straightened, inexplicably more alert. Neah's eyes narrowed sharply, and Lavi shoved a piece of parchment into his hand as gently as shoving would allow.

"It's old. Like way old. It's from the Bookman archives. I had to practically beg Gramps to let me take it out." The teen ranted. He had in fact had to beg. And plead, and beg some more on his hands and knees, because Bookman had long ago stopped trusting people with the information in the archives, for some of it was far too powerful and there were so many wrong hands for it to fall into. But this was Allen, and Lavi couldn't give up when he finally had a chance. A chance to see his new love truly smile from the bottom of his heart, because the fate of his father wasn't hanging over his shoulders.

"Medusa and her sisters, the Gorgons, they used to hunt with their powers, turn their prey to stone. Then they'd just smash it to pieces and eat it, because the rock turned back to flesh in their mouths and stomachs." He spewed in a rush of air, hoping they managed to catch that. Neah's eyes widened, immediately scouring the parchment in his hands. Excitement replaced the man's scepticism and he was running to the lab before either teen could stop him. Allen followed closely, with shaky steps as his body trembled. Lavi gripped his hand and squeezed, excitement practically oozing out of his body. The younger teen gave the redhead a weak smile and continued walking undeterred.

"Should I synthesize it? Does it need to be synthesised? It should be fine without synthesising…" Neah muttered and rambled, picking things up and putting them down and squinting at everything he had, running fingers through his hair in nervous excitement. The man then grabbed the closest stone creature they had and dumped it on the desk, rushing over to Allen with a small glass.

"Spit." He said bluntly. Allen made an indignant sound, but did as he was told. Once the teen had filled the small cup, much to his disgust, Neah carried it over to the small mouse he had procured and started lathering the substance on with a brush. They held their breaths, still as the stone they watched. Nothing happened at first, Allen's heart sticking in his throat, but soon the stone started disintegrating until there was a startled, squeaking mouse standing on the bench. Neah had to quickly give it another brush and a good clean before the mouse was fully mobile, and Allen rushed inside to get something for it to eat. It munched happily while Lavi and Neah buzzed, Allen staring in astonished delight. He couldn't believe… after all this time, they figured it out! He could see Mana again.

Neah was muttering again, quick and under his breath so that neither of the teens could understand. He was pacing, grinning and frowning and baring his teeth as he thought furiously. Lavi was on his phone, grinning wildly and typing madly. Allen chuckled. Looks like Tyki was getting a wake-up call. The teen couldn't stop the large grin that spread across his face, excitement rearing its head as hope filled his chest for the first time in years.

It took far too long, in Neah and Allen's personal opinions, to synthesise and mass produce enough of the antidote (Lavi fondly called it the "Stone Away Draft") to utilise properly. An enclosed chemical shower had quickly been rigged to use the substance, and Mana's petrified form had been carefully manoeuvred inside. The machine rumbled as it was turned on, whirring loudly as it worked. A click and a pop signalled the unlocking of the door, the automated piece moving into position to the side. They all held their breaths as the mist cleared and a man no older than thirty waved a hand in front of his face, spluttering a little.

"Neah," he whined, stepping out of the device. "Why was I in the chemical shower?"

"Mana…" Allen choked before anyone could answer. Mana froze at the sound, eyes widening as he looked at the teen before him. Allen immediately broke down, throwing himself at his father and wailing. A heaviness that had seemed to weigh him down for the past few years seemed to lift, and Allen felt like he could finally breathe again. Mana caught the teen easily, arms wrapping around him tightly even though his confusion was still plain. It took a moment, the teen crying uncontrollably in his arms before realisation dawned.

"Allen…?" He breathed in a mix of awe and confusion, the shaking teen sobbing in his arms. "You got big…"

Allen yanked back abruptly, his snakes rearing in sudden anger. "Idiot." He screeched, punching the man in the middle of the chest. Mana squeaked in surprise, shrinking slightly as the teen glared at him. Neah was standing to the side, his face twisted in a mixture of relief and anger. Mana looked between them, guilt in his eyes and a discontent puff to his cheeks.

"Allen's eyes are silver, by the way…" He murmured quietly, eyeing the teen softly. There was silence for a long moment before Allen whimpered, drooping slightly as tears ran down his face. He sniffled, crying again and collapsed in the man's arms. Mana allowed them to sink onto the floor, his muscles feeling strangely strained, and cuddled his child comfortingly. Neah had tilted his head back, trying to mask the tears now streaming down his face.

"Idiot…" He parroted, scrubbing his face with an arm and joining his family on the ground. Mana happily wrapped an arm around him too, burying his face in Allen's snakes as they seemingly debated on rejoicing for their master or biting Mana's face off for hurting him. Lavi and Tyki chuckled quietly, keeping their distance as their love finally regained his father.

Allen hardly left Mana's side for the next couple of weeks, curling into him and tucking himself under his arm. Mana was perfectly happy to bask in the teen's attention, even though guilt lingered in his eyes. He hadn't apologised for what happened, adamant about his decision, but it was clear he regretted the consequences that it wrought. He kept Allen close, whispering assurances and comforting words, desperately trying to undo the years of self-hate the teen had imposed on himself. It took time to revert all of the "victims" from Allen's old village, but they were thoroughly rewarded for their effort. The villages were incredibly grateful, and Allen seemed lighter and lighter each day. His fear didn't change though, carefully maintaining his strict care towards his eyes. He refused to have another incident. It was during another one of these runs that the teen found another stone creature.

"Neah…" Allen said uncertainly, holding up the stone in his hand. "You forgot one."

Neah glared at the small stone, huffing a bit and skulking over with a pout. Allen was fairly sure he heard a muttered "didn't forget" before the man motioned for the bench. By this point, Mana, Lavi and Tyki had wandered over to see what was happening. His uncle grabbed one of the many spray bottles at hand and sprayed the stone uneasily, covering it in a fine mist. The stone practically melted away, leaving a very disgruntled thing in its wake. The mushroom wriggled angrily, and made a high-pitched sound of disapproval. Mana giggled and Neah paled.

"Mushroom fairy~" Mana sung as creepily as he could.

"What the fuck." Lavi whispered passionately.