"Good night."

Allen's gray eyes flicker up, waiting for a response. When he doesn't get one, he turns over and pulls the blanket over his shoulder. Within a minute, his breathing deepens and Kanda watches.

"Good night."

Kanda ignores Allen's soft murmur until he is gone, and then he strokes the snow-white hair and tries not to regret.

"Good night."

He tugs on his gloves-an old habit-and Lenalee helps him with his coat. There is a hint of hot chocolate on her upper lip. There was a time when Allen would have wanted nothing more than to brush Lenalee's lip, maybe even lean in and lick away the sweetness himself. But Lavi appears at her elbow and he notices the chocolate, grins and rubs her face without a warning. For a moment, they are distracted, and Allen slips out the door.

"Good night."

He tries not to cry and hides his face in the pillows.

"Good night."

Where were the warning signs? Allen is dazed. He doesn't know where his glasses are. He makes a cup of tea and burns his right hand. He imagines Kanda rushing up, scolding him. But is that something Kanda really would do? It is in his mind, after all. Allen puts his hand under running water. He thinks he might faint. Kanda would not be there to catch him.

"Good night."

There is something in Kanda's bones, something that makes him itch. He wants to lash out like a wounded animal. He wants to run. When did he become so grounded? When did something ever tie him down? He waits for Allen to fall asleep and watches him as he always does, but now with vigilance.

"Good night."

There is a kiss and a smile. Allen is happy. Kanda is terrified.

"Good night."

"Who knows what will happen?" Lavi muses over coffee. Allen wanted to hear something more optimistic, but Lavi is never one to lie blatantly to his face. "I think you know it won't be easy, but you're both stubborn, so if nothing else, you two will persist until the end." He sips and hides the worry that keeps him from spilling out every dark secret he knows about Kanda.

"Good night."

Long dark hair. For a moment, Allen thinks it is Lenalee. He blushes. Then the owner of the long dark hair turns around. Allen's blush deepens in color. He cannot concentrate for the rest of the class

"Good night."

He tries it out as a greeting and uses it on the first person he sees. The surly Asian man barely reacts and continues on his way. On a whim, Allen decides to attend his Asian-American studies class, even though it was a 6-8pm class.

"Good night."

It is an adieu, words of farewell. Why is it not a greeting, like "Good morning" or "Good evening?" Allen wonders to himself.