"Robert…. Robert, wake up, your stomach's been growling for the last half hour…"
Arystar shook his friend, all he got was a grumble (that could have been his stomach) when Robert rolled over. Sighing, he got up and lifted the opposite side of the bed, Robert tumbled onto the floor with a snorting start, "What?! Huh? Who? Oh… Al… What man? I was having a good dream. World's biggest chocolate chip cookie and I had it all to myself."
"Yeah, and I heard your stomach growling from the next room…" Robert's eyes got huge as he looked over at the stone wall that separated their rooms. "Yeah, that was my response when I realized it was your stomach that was growling." Arsytar laughed and smiled as his friend sat upright. "Let's go get something to eat…"
"Okay," Robert took the hand that was offered him and got to his feet. "You know what I could go for?"
"One of Diana's Horseshoes?" (A/N: for those of you that don't know what this is, it is a meal constructed of toast, meat, and is covered with French fries and cheese. It's large enough that usually you're lucky to eat a full horseshoe on your own)
"How did you know?"
Arystar shrugged, he wanted one too but he hadn't expected Robert to, "Sounds good."
"Think we could get Jerry to fix us up one?"
"Or twenty…" Arystar mumbled, Robert laughed, but he knew it wouldn't be funny for long.
Thirteen servings later and Robert still couldn't figure out why he was still so hungry, though it did amuse him to see that they had gotten Allen addicted to them. Now the biggest worry was keeping the older one away from their plates between bites. Arystar seemed to figure out a way, he dumped half a bottle of ketchup over his 'accidently', he didn't seem to mind the red slathered mess as he kept eating even when Allen and Robert grimaced at it.
Jerry called that more 'shoes were up and the three clamored toward the kitchen window to grab them. The kind cook only smiled, smacking Allen's hand when he tried to grab one of the boy's orders. "If you want one, order it."
"Fine… Can I get one with Octopus instead of beef?" Both boys paled at the odd request before setting their trays back in the order window. Allen just laughed and picked up the discarded trays, "Works every time," he happily went back to his table with Jerry giving him a disappointed look.
"Al… I'm so never eating another Horseshoe again."
"Agreed," Jerry laughed at the boys before setting a few trays of cheeseburgers and fries in front of them, not wanting to waste the remaining cooked food.
"Different enough?"
"Yes, thanks," they took the trays and sat as far away from the white haired Exorcist as they could.
"I see Walker's been at it again."
"Dad!" Arsytar spun and jumped out of his spot to hug his father. Krory winced as the weight slammed into his chest and staggered before setting the boy down. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"
"No, it's okay. My ribs just got pretty banged up. Akuma grabbed me and tried to break them. I'm almost healed; they're just bruised is all. No worries."
"You need a bath too, you smell like something that's been burned…"
"Gun smoke… What's this hear about you finding the Innocent?"
"Uh… um… We kinda had it with us the whole time…"
"Huh?"
"Uh, yeah… That little man-eater you brought, the one you left for Robert to look after… It was the Innocent."
"Really?" Arystar nodded and Krory looked away, "Wouldn't be the first time… Who'd it bite?"
"No body."
"Well that's good…"
"It kinda… imbedded itself in Robert's arm," Arsytar cringed and prepared for the worst.
"It… WHAT?!" He wasn't disappointed.
Robert flinched as he felt Krory's gaze on him. He gulped and raised his arm to show the flower and vines pattern trailing along it. He could clearly count everyone of Krory's bottom teeth when his jaw dropped. "Yeah…"
"Nu mai multe plante, niciodata…" Krory shook his head and walked away.
"Huh?"
"He basically just swore off plants," Arystar chuckled as they went back to eating. (A/N: thank god for bilingual children! I don't have to put a dictionary in this fic!)
"Komui told me you've been craving," Krory came back to set a stack of food on the table that easily dwarfed the two boys'.
"Yeah, but it's cool. Tomato juice keeps it from getting bad. I'm alright."
"I brought something that might help if it gets bad," Krory held out a silver flask, Arystar wearily took it. "It's enough to keep you going for awhile if you run out… It's hard to explain. You haven't drank any since the Akuma months ago, I wouldn't be able to function if I went so long without any."
"You… have to have Akuma blood? That's so weird. I've felt fine Dad. I guess I don't need it, just crave it. Thanks for the drink though," he tipped the flask, it was obviously full, before sliding it into his pocket. "Is this you being fatherly or is this Komui testing me to see if I down it as soon as I get it?" Arystar whispered low enough only someone with very sharp hearing could catch it.
"Little of both. I still don't see how you cannot be poisoned by it if you have no Innocence…"
"We'll figure it out Dad, no worries."
Krory smiled and ruffled his son's bangs, "We're training tomorrow so you might end up drinking that anyway."
"Training? How so?"
"Running, hand to hand, reaction time, that kind of training… Komui wants to get a look at what you're capable of and since LenaLee is away, I'm the only one fast enough to be any contest in a footrace."
"Footrace? Dad, that's so 19th century…"
"Blame the upbringing," Krory rolled his eyes at his son's whining.
"Yeah, yeah, it's never your fault. Ow, ow, ow! Dad stop," Arystar whined and batted at his dad's hand, which was currently knuckling his head. "Now look what you did!" Krory smirked proudly at his work. Arystar's hair had finally given up on the straight style his dad was blessed with and fell in waves and curls that he always tried to hide with gel. He pouted and tried to comb it back with his fingers, it just made it worse. "Hate you…"
"It's about time to cut it again isn't it?"
"You think?" Arystar said sarcastically and gave up on his hair. "Maybe I should let it grow… At least then I could keep my bangs out of my eyes…"
"You hide behind them more than I do mine," Krory smiled widely, making a mental not to ask Komui about some of the Finder's when a few gave him fearful looks. Last thing either of them needed was one of the superstitious type to try killing the 'vampires' residing in the Order. Wouldn't be the first time someone had tried either…
---
"Remember, I'm going to try to hurt you, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know what sparring is Dad. I'm ready," by the time Arystar got to 'dy' the fight was on.
Robert was outside watching the fight, a trauff of popcorn resting beside as he munched and watched. Allen and Lavi were happily helping. "Way to go Mr. K!" He cheered when Krory landed a kick.
"Who's side are you on!" Arsytar threw the closest thing at him, unfortunately for Krory he had a hold of his arm at the time. The three Exorcists scattered as the fourth flew at them. The tree didn't have a chance as Krory slammed into the trunk, it splintered and the top fell away."Woe…"
"Krochan! Krochan, you alright?" Lavi was trying to move a branch and couldn't, Allen had to activate his arm to move it before they could see Krory on the ground, rubbing his head.
"Ce s-a intimplat?" (What happened?)
"Sorry Dad, I threw you into a tree…" Arystar came up to flinch at his father's state.
"Everyone alright?" Krory asked, just remembering there had been spectators.
"Yeah, but the tree's not…" Arystar winced when he saw blood flowing at the side of his father's head. "You're bleeding, that's enough, let's get you patched up."
"sint eu?" (I am?) Krory winced when his hand brushed a cut hidden by his hair. The world spun when Arystar helped him up.
"Easy," Arystar caught him when he lost his balance.
"I'm alright," Krory decided to lean for a minute until the world stopped moving.
"You've probably got a concussion, you keep switching languages," Arystar turned his head away, trying to get his mind off the red that was flowing inches away.
"Cred ca ai dreptate." (I think you are right.)
"You're not going to faint are you? Allen asked, he knew when it came to Akuma blood Krory had no problem, human was a different story all together.
"No, I'm fine," Arystar was lying, not about the fainting but about the fine part. His gums were pulsing and he could feel his teeth growing at the scent of it.
---
"You always win…" Robert tossed down his crappy pair of K's when Arystar laid down a highstraight.
They were waiting for word about Krory's head injury; one of the nurses (an older woman) had assured Arystar that his father had come in with far worse injuries and been fine after a few drinks and some bed rest. Robert had decided to wait with him for awhile and offered a game of cards to keep them sane in the quiet place.
"You won the other night…"
"That's because you stacked the deck!"
Laughter caught their attention and they both looked up from their spot on the floor, Allen was responsible. "I'll play a hand with you, if you don't mind a third."
"The more the merrier," Arystar smiled up at the older man. Allen smiled back, the younger knew a shark when he saw one…
Word got out quickly of a Krory taking on Allen at poker. Soon a crowd was gathered around the two players, Robert had opted out after Arystar's comment of making the game interesting (he knew better). Obviously Allen didn't because he quickly agreed and there they sat, smiling at each other, through the last five hands as the pot shifted from one to the other and back again. Robert knew the moment Allen had been caught cheating when Arystar's smile started showing teeth, and soon after Allen stopped winning all together.
Krory grumbled, half heartedly, at the commotion outside the infirmary and the nurse chuckled, "Seems that boy of yours and Allen are playing cards… Everyone's gathered outside to watch."
"What? Allen, cards… Oh God," Krory got up in a big hurry.
Both Arystar and Allen jumped and clutched their cards to their chest when the doors opened, "Arystar Krory the fourth, what in God's name do you think you are doing?!"
Arystar sighed as Allen chuckled, "Winning?" He set down a Royal Flush, in Spades, and the chuckle stopped.
Krory never laughed so hard in his life when he saw the look on Allen's face.