AN: This is another long chapter so be aware of that. Also, I added line breaks this time because I noticed that the other uploaded files weren't keeping my original breaks. They're now labeled as -Line Break- so you'll know when a scene changes. Enjoy!

WARNING: This is YAOI, boys loving boys, and uses pairings in the Lucky (Lavi x Tyki) and Yullen (Kanda x Allen) variety. If you aren't a fan then you don't have to read. Possible OOC but I tried to stay as true enough to the characters as I could. Spoilers for the series will show up throughout if you haven't read the Manga or watched the Anime. Also has language. You've been warned.

DISCLAIMER: Anything that resembles the actual story of DGM belongs to Hoshino-sensei; everything else is mine including any mistakes or bad writing.

Last time in My Memory of You:

"Forget something Red?" the older man asked.

"Yeah," he answered as he pushed Tyki inside so that Allen and Kanda couldn't see them. He planted a sweet, innocent goodbye kiss on Tyki's lips, lasting long enough to cover himself from 'forgetting something else' in the penthouse. Pulling away, he smirked playfully and bolted out the door, just barely catching the elevator.

Tyki stood dumbfounded as he held his hand to his lips, a slight tingling sensation ran over him.

"Well now, this is getting to be quite entertaining," he said aloud to the empty room.

And now the continuation…

What's Found in the Dark

"Why are we having to put up such a façade?" a young girl with spiky black hair questioned the man sitting as the head of the round dinner table, a large top hat with hearts and flowers adorning his head.

Taking a sip of his drink as to wait a moment before answering, the man in the hat looked over the large circular table. Four other figures sat around the table, eating quietly as the young girl and the older man talked. Another eight seats sat empty as their owners were away on business for the family; and among those eight, one chair seemed rather odd, as it had been torn to shreds.

"It's the only way to keep them from snooping around right now, my dear. Our other businesses are being watched suspiciously and that man is snooping around more and more and I can't have that," the man in the top hat said. "We have to keep them away from our main operation for now."

The young girl sat back in her seat, sighing. "As long as I can have fun later," she sulked.

"You will, my dear, don't worry. I'm working on setting up a surprise for you when the time comes," he smiled a wide toothy grin.

Her eyes lit up and she leaned in on the table in anticipation. "What is it? What is it?"

"Come now, I'm not going to ruin the surprise."

"Aww, that's no fun," she sat back down, folding her arms to her chest and pouting.

"Master, you have a phone call," a tall, slender woman with braided brown hair said to the man at the head of the table as she walked out from the shadows.

"Excuse me then," he said cordially as he stood from his seat and vanished into the shadows of the room with the woman.

-Line Break-

"…and then I said 'why do you always do that?' and he said 'none of your god-damned business' and I said 'BaKanda' and hit him upside his head. He didn't like that one bit and we ended up in a fist fight and that's how I got the black eye." Allen smiled as if nothing was wrong. He looked over at his red headed friend and blinked. "Hey Lavi, did you even hear a word I just said?"

Lavi was staring at nothing in particular, something he'd turned into a subconscious habit. Perhaps he was watching the people passing by the café they went to after classes were over. Or maybe the traffic zooming by had his attention. It could have been that the painters across the street trying to put a coat of brown paint on a renovated building were what he was really staring at; either way you looked at it, Lavi was spaced out. He had asked Allen what had happened to him since he showed up with a black eye at school and during the long explanation, he lost interest in what the younger man was saying and started blanking on everything, letting the sounds blur together into one giant mumble of information.

He sighed.

"Lavi?" Allen asked again, this time poking his friend with his fork.

"Hmm?" Lavi answered half-heartedly before he felt the prickling of the three-pronged utensil. "Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing the spot where Allen had poked him.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

"Hehe, sorry man," he apologized. "What were you saying?"

"Don't worry about it; I'm more concerned with what's on your mind," Allen said, stabbing a piece of cake with the fork he stole from Lavi and shoving it quickly into his mouth.

"Ah I don' really wanna talk about it," he said taking a drink of his iced tea. He thought about what he had just said and realized his accent was slipping more and more as of late, something the old man wasn't pleased about but made no mention of aside from a glance here and there. Allen knew he had it but it was something he tried to not let slip out during his day-to-day life. However, since he met Tyki, all kinds of things in his life were starting to 'slip out'.

"It's about Tyki isn't it?" Allen said bluntly after licking his fork clean.

Lavi spat out his drink in surprise at the straightforwardness of the question, drenching a nearby bush. "What?" he asked while wiping the liquid from his face.

"Is it about Tyki?"

"Wha-why would it be about him?"

"Because you've been acting differently ever since you met him."

"No I haven't," he tried to cover, but failed miserably.

"Yes, you have," Allen said firmly, stopping his feasting and pointing the fork directly at Lavi.

Lavi hesitated, thinking about these so-called feelings that had been stirred up inside him. When he thought back on it, he could pinpoint the exact moment his 'heart' had reawakened: it was when he allowed himself to care for his friends, Allen and Kanda. And once he met Tyki, something else stirred within him that he couldn't name; no he wouldn't name it, not yet anyway, not until he was sure that he could handle it and the repercussions it would entail. He tried to find a good excuse to give Allen in order to not discuss this right now, but he realized that he wouldn't be able to cover the out of the blue question because he knew his newfound feelings would betray him on his face. He sighed.

"Some of it has to do with him," he admitted, finally. It was Friday and a few days had passed since he had that encounter with the older man. True, his feelings had calmed down and he wasn't as frustrated about things but now he had even more on his mind in regards to the situation. Yes they had mutual feelings and agreed to start a relationship but at the same time, Lavi wasn't allowed to have one due to his job. So all his frustration now stemmed from being torn between his duty to his job and his feelings for Tyki. And on top of all of that, he had to keep his composure around the old man because he was already picking up on his behavior with Allen and Kanda; if he got wind of another discrepancy in Lavi, who knows what he would do.

Allen waited for his friend to keep talking but he never did so he asked more questions.

"What else's bothering you?"

"Eh, it's something I can't really talk about, Allen."

"Your job?" The silver haired youth sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You know, I understand you can't talk about the job, but if you wanted to generalize without giving anything away, you know you can talk to me about it. I mean, I may be a couple years younger than you but I can still listen and offer whatever advice I can and support as your friend." He smiled genuinely at Lavi out of care and concern for the older man.

"Thanks Allen; you really are a great friend. I just-" he paused briefly "-I just don't know what to do, about everything. It's like I know I have my responsibilities but I also want to experience life. And with my job, let's just say it's hard to have a life outside of the requirements for it and the rules I have to abide by. This thing with Tyki is just not helping either."

"What thing with Tyki?" Allen pried further, only asking small, nonthreatening questions that would hopefully keep Lavi talking. This was the first time his friend had actually talked about himself this much and Allen had known Lavi for two years.

"I don't even know what to say about that," Lavi sighed, resting his head against his propped up hand. "He told me something the other night and I kinda answered 'im back and now I dunno what to do about it."

"What'd he tell you?"

Lavi hesitated again. He looked at his inquiring friend. Allen's big grey eyes looked at him innocently enough and seemed to Lavi that he was genuinely concerned and wanted Lavi to confide in him more. Then he thought for a moment. Allen and Kanda are in that type of relationship so it won't be a problem. The problem is my job clashing with the relationship. Agh! After having another mental fight with himself on the matter, he gave in. "He said he liked me," Lavi answered, his reservations about it completely gone from the mental exhaustion he had been experiencing from trying to understand the situation by himself.

Allen looked at him like what he said wasn't news and Lavi was confused by the reaction. So he did the only thing he could think have without getting too embarrassed: he rambled.

"No, I mean, well yeah, he did say that, but I don't know if it was meant in that way and it might have been because I answered him back. I mean it's not a bad thing cause I'm 22 and he's 28 but age isn't the issue. We've been hanging out and getting to know each other but still, and then we did that but…SHIT! I didn't mean to say that!" he hid his face in the fold of his arms on the table and stopped talking, aware that if he said one more word he'd be digging his grave even further.

Allen's ears and inner pervert perked up at hearing Lavi openly admit that he had fooled around with Tyki but he didn't press the matter for now since Lavi was frantically trying to redeem his composure.

"So you both like each other, your job seems to prohibit you from having a relationship, so to say, and you're a complete mess because you don't know what to do about any of it. Is that the sum of it?" Allen asked tenderly, leaning back to the table and placing a gentle hand on Lavi's shoulder.

Lavi just nodded his head, too embarrassed to look at his friend and knowing that if he did, he'd let even more slip about what had happened between him and the older man.

"That's not a bad thing Lavi," Allen consoled.

"It is for me," he answered back. "If you knew everything, you would understand."

"Then why don't you tell me?"

"I can't!" he bolted up at Allen's last question to meet his gaze dead on, his own green eye mixed full of fear of the truth being found out by his friend and the cold stare he had learned to use in order to keep the truth hidden. "Believe me I wish I could but I can't."

Allen placed his hand on Lavi's.

"It's okay Lavi, forget I asked," Allen's usual smile adorning his face. "Why don't we go see what Kanda's up to today? I'm sure the look on his face when we show up at his place will be priceless; perhaps it'll cheer you up? And his father's a good man so he won't mind another person stopping by to visit his 'darling Yuu-kun.'" Allen snickered as he said that last part; apparently it was a joke Lavi didn't understand.

"No thank you," Lavi said bluntly, crossing his arms in a giant X in front of his chest, his composure completely changed back to his usual carefree self. "Unlike you, I don't find enjoyment with having a sword stuck up my ass."

"I don't either!"

Lavi chuckled and a mischievous grin formed on his face. "That's not what I hear," he said using the slight lie to try and find out if his friends had actually progressed beyond kissing.

"Well you heard wrong!" Allen blushed-partly out of embarrassment of his friend prying into his love life, partly out of anger for knowing Lavi was making it up to find out answers-before smacking Lavi upside the head for even saying such a thing out loud.

Lavi laughed it off. "Sorry, sorry. But you left that door wide open," he snickered at the hidden innuendo in his own statement.

Allen glared at him. "Anyway, Mr. Tiedoll won't let Kanda get out of hand like he normally does because he somehow has a strange leash on him that keeps him tame when they're together."

Lavi cocked an eyebrow at Allen, contemplating the possible outcomes of a failed attempt at visiting the Japanese man. "I'll go on one condition."

"And that would be?"

"You help pay for dinner next week when we go out and you don't say anything about what I told you earlier to ANYONE, got it?"

"That's two conditions Lavi," Allen smiled. "But I'll agree to them both; so shall we get going?"

"How far away is Yuu-chan's house?"

"It's on the other side of the city so we'll have to take the bus unfortunately."

"No we don't; I drove today," Lavi smiled while standing from his seat and stretching.

"You have your license back?"

"You didn't know that? Huh, coulda sworn I told ya. Whatever, it's this way," he pointed with his thumb toward the end of the street. School was done for both of them for the day so they had time to kill before Allen had to go work at the Grave of Maria for Cross; Grave was the right name for the place, Lavi reckoned, since Cross was a merciless bastard that was putting Allen in his own grave sooner than anyone should see it.

After paying their bill, the two rounded the corner of the street and Lavi walked over to a two door midnight blue Toyota Camry.

"That's a nice car," Allen complimented.

"Thanks! Not suppose to drive it without the old man's permission but he's away on business right now so he won't find out." Lavi's up-to-no-good smile wide on his face; his personality switched from depressed to happy in 2.5 seconds at the thought of picking on Kanda-he was rather bi-polar sometimes. "Shall we get going?" His curiosity piqued now that they were on their way to see their beloved Yuu-chan. Whatever information he found out from visiting Kanda at home would be used to some degree of future satisfaction, he was sure of it, which was the only reason he agreed to go after thinking it over; he would let the thought of being threatened with Mugen lay to the wayside for now until he needed to defend against it.

-Line Break-

Kanda' house was in a suburb of the city; a nice three story house located in a slightly upscale neighborhood next to houses with puppies, kids and barbeques. Lavi laughed hysterically as they pulled into the driveway.

"What's so funny, Lavi?"

"I just imagined Yuu as a kid playing with a puppy in his yard and then imagined him all grown up with a puppy trying to play with him," he thought of Allen as said puppy for a brief moment, "and then three kids come up and try to wrestle with him but he just sits there with his arms crossed and that constipated look on his face," Lavi was hysterical with laughter and couldn't believe he actually verbalized the thought of Kanda looking constipated to, of all people, Allen. But he was relieved when Allen started laughing with him.

"That's the best description of his constant state of being I've ever heard! I haven't even thought of that one, Lavi," Allen chuckled out, wiping a forming tear from the corner of his eye with his white-gloved left hand.

"Hehe, yeah, I've thought that about him ever since I met 'im but was a bit afraid to say that out loud for fear of my life." Lavi put the car in park and turned the ignition off.

The blazing late August sun beat down upon their faces as they exited the vehicle and approached the house only to find a note attached to the door. It read:

We're in the back. Please join us.

Lavi and Allen looked at each other and nodded in agreement to follow the instructions. A small hill led them down into the backyard where they saw a very interesting sight that caused the two to double over laughing uncontrollably, Lavi rolling on the ground while Allen held his arms over his stomach as he bent over.

"Ah! Allen! And a guest!" a curly haired man said placing his paintbrush down and moving to welcome them after being alerted to them when they started laughing. "Welcome! May I ask why you're laughing?" the gentleman asked with a grin.

"It's…that…he…tree…"Lavi tried to speak out but his laughter kept him from speaking. Allen was no better off and so the man stood there waiting for the two to stop laughing and scratched his head.

A tall Sakura tree canopied the back yard, clearly imported since it wasn't native to the area. A familiar 'che' came from the tree, which was conveniently behind the art easel that the older man had been using. With a huff, the samurai wannabe jumped from the tree and landed on his feet like a cat, his loose, silk hair cascading down over his slender frame.

"Say one fucking word about this and I'll shove Mugen up your asses, got it?" Kanda growled out, more threatening than usual.

Lavi snickered and, because he couldn't control normal thoughts at the moment, blurted out, "Sure you don't want it stuck up yours?"

Kanda glared death at Lavi.

"Now Yuu-kun, that's no way to greet our guests," the old man said.

"Don't call me that old man," Kanda growled as a dark aura emitted from where the Japanese man was standing. And where was he standing? Beneath the Sakura tree, his hair billowing in the wind, which meant any threat that came from him at the moment was, in fact, void.

Lavi and Allen had managed to stop laughing, well they were still laughing but not the gut wrenching laughter they had a moment ago.

"Allen! Allen! He's in pink! Yuu-chan's in PINK!"

"Fucking rabbit! I'm going to kill you!" Kanda yelled out, grabbing for his never far from his side Mugen that had been conveniently placed at the base of the tree. Lavi couldn't help not feeling threatened as the Japanese man came lunging at him with Mugen in a pink kimono and his hair pinned up on the sides with matching barrettes, it actually made Lavi start laughing harder once again. A small thought crept into his mind as he laughed This was so worth coming!

Lavi was still laughing at the sight of the androgynous man as he pushed Mugen's tip toward his neck. Before the tip could penetrate the red head's jugular, Kanda's attack was stopped as Tiedoll's hand gripped the back of Kanda's kimono, causing the Japanese man to freeze and glare over his shoulder.

"Now Yuu-kun, that is no way to treat a guest in this house," the curly haired man forcefully spoke as he reached to take Mugen from Kanda's hand.

"Don't fucking touch Mugen old man and don't fucking call me that," Kanda growled, latching his left hand on the man's that was reaching for the hilt of the katana.

"Yuu-kun, be a good son and go inside and calm down, and give your father this sword, right now," the old man said with a twisted smile.

"Like hell I'll give you Mugen," Kanda huffed as he turned his attention toward the old man, glaring.

"Yuu-kun, stop this at once and listen to your father."

"You're not my fucking father already!" he yelled out, wriggling out of the old man's grip and storming inside. Just before he reached the door, he turned around, the kimono flowing in the wind as he turned.

"Oi! Moyashi! Get your ass over here!" he yelled, the words echoing in the area.

"Coming Kanda HIME," Allen added to the fire and giggled the entire way to where Kanda waited. Kanda's glare intensified as Allen called him a princess, and Lavi figured that he would probably never see his white haired friend again if he went inside with the angry Japanese man. He prayed to whatever gods were listening as the two disappeared into the house via the back sliding door that Allen would return safely to the world of the living.

The old man sighed. "I apologize for the rudeness of my son; I hope he hasn't caused you any distress with his mood swings."

"Nah; he wouldn't be Yuu if he wasn't like that. But seeing him in a pink kimono and his hair pinned up like that will forever be imprinted in my mind," a lingering chuckle escaped as he spoke.

"Ah yes. I use him a lot as a model when I need one; he's never liked it because I mostly make him wear kimono. But it looks so adorable on him that I can't help myself!" The older man was getting lost in some sort of twisted obsession of his. "Oh goodness! Where are my manners! My name is Froi Tiedoll; I'm Yuu-kun's father, well adopted father but same thing I suppose since I've taken care of him for the past fifteen years."

"M'name's Lavi; I'm a friend of Yuu's," he said the word 'friend' so easily that it sounded convincing, although he knew the term had no real meaning for someone in his position, or did it? It still sounded good for the other people he came into contact with and they believed it wholeheartedly.

"You must be if he let's you call him by his given name."

"Haha, not really. I call him that because it's fun to see him react. It's even more hilarious when he falls asleep and I get to braid that long hair of his!"

Tiedoll let out a loud belly laugh. "I might have to try that sometime myself! He's quite harmless for the most part though; a dog with not so much of a bite."

"I think he's more like a cat; moody," Lavi smiled, bonding with Tiedoll slightly.

"Oi! Old man!" Kanda yelled out from a top floor window, his hair in its normal high ponytail and a black shirt clinging to his body; clearly he had discarded the kimono.

Tiedoll looked up at his son and answered him.

"What is it Yuu-kun?"

Kanda flinched at his given name being spoken so casually but didn't throw out his normal threats.

"They're staying for dinner. Have Marie make two more steaks." He disappeared back into the window, leaving Lavi wondering what had happened to Allen.

"Maybe he really is more of a cat," Tiedoll mentioned while sighing.

"Don't worry; I'm sure Allen'll calm him down some if we just give them some time," Lavi tried to explain without giving away that the two inside were dating since he wasn't sure if Tiedoll knew or not. Then he thought of how Allen actually would calm Kanda down and a shiver went through his body as he fought the forming images in his mind.

-Line Break-

"It's hard to believe that Kanda, of all people, has a friend let alone two!" Daisya commented as the group of people sat at the kitchen table after indulging in their dinner, which consisted of steak, salad, potatoes, bread and Soba, a dish made specifically for Kanda. Ok, everyone but Allen was done. The young man had finished off his plate, along with what Kanda didn't eat on his and whatever else was left on the table after everyone had said they were full. The eyes that stared at him during that time were full of amazement.

And that's why I wanted you to help pay for next week's dinner. Lavi thought to himself as he snickered at the sight before listening back in on the argument between Kanda and his adopted brother.

"Shut the hell up," Kanda retorted.

"Like hell I will," the other son said. "This is just pure gold for me, ya know."

This guy might just be my long lost twin the way he thinks! Lavi's thoughts were piling up at how Daisya acted, something Lavi commended him for.

"Che. Whatever."

Tiedoll let out a sigh. "You boys will never stop this bickering will you?"

"We'll stop one day, pops," Daisya said with a wide grin on his face, the triangular tattoos under his eyes lifting with his cheeks.

"Really?" an elated Tiedoll asked.

"Yeah. It'll happen when Kanda gets that stick out of his ass," he blurted out.

"I'm going to kill you," Kanda glared.

"How many times have I heard that? And I'm still here. You should give that threat up man, it's not working. If you ever want to get laid, you'll have to stop being such a hard ass."

Kanda's body stiffened, his eyes narrowed and it seemed as if a wave of cold death filled the room. However, no one else noticed aside from Allen and Lavi who were sitting next to him. Allen's face flushed a little at the thought of being that intimate with Kanda because it brought up some secret fantasies he had of the situation, but he was soon brought back to reality as the man he was thinking of barked back at his so-called brother.

"You are so damn immature, you know that?" a slight smirk adorning Kanda's face as if he wanted to pick a fight with his brother.

Daisya's eyes narrowed and glared with intensity. "Stupid fucker, wanna have a go? I'll kick your ass!"

"Like hell you will!"

Chairs screeched on the floor as the two men stood nose-to-nose, toe-to-toe in the middle of the dining room; Tiedoll sighed while pinching the skin between his eyes. Marie, the third son, stood up quietly and pulled the two younger men apart.

"Stop."

The two stared at each other and then took up their seats once again. Lavi and Allen were really getting their fill tonight as neither of them had ever seen Kanda so docile, and this was docile no matter how you looked at it. Usually by now Kanda had already punched three people and shoved something sharp-Mugen- into someone's, usually Lavi's, jugular.

"You've got a great family here Yuu-chan!" Lavi grinned, poking even more at the already pissed off swordsman.

"Don't fucking call me that."

"Really though; I'm jealous cause I never had a family aside from the old man and I don't even consider him family per se," he alluded to something else without really saying what it was; Allen noticed the slight hint since he had just previously talked with Lavi about it a few hours ago at the café but he knew Lavi wasn't keen on talking about his personal life so he decided to switch the flow of the conversation.

"Me too," Allen chimed in. "There was Mana, but after…that…incident, I had to live with Cross and you know what that's like," his voice seemed sad at the sound of the name Mana and Lavi looked at him peculiarly when he put emphasis on the word incident the Brit had used to keep from explaining his past. Yes, he knew that something had happened to his father back when he was a kid but he never referred to it as an incident until now. Little story changes like that were exactly the things that Lavi kept a watchful ear out for and made mental notes about since he was trained to discern the truth from the lies in his work. He stored the information away to perhaps revisit one day after this lovely dinner was completed.

"Cross? Now why does that name sound familiar?" Tiedoll questioned more to himself than anything. "You don't mean Cross Marian, do you Allen-kun?"

Allen's face shot up in fearful surprise that Tiedoll would know his guardian. "Um, you know Master?"

"He and I worked together some time ago is all; that does bring back memories. Say, does he still have an addiction to wine and women?"

"Yeah, he's never without one or the other," Allen said as he cringed at thinking of his Master. "But can I ask what you two worked together on? He's just a businessman so did you work in the same company?"

"You could say that we were business associates back then."

"What did you guys work on?" Lavi interjected while shoving a piece of strawberry cake in his mouth.

"Nothing much, just the usual contracts and such that businessmen deal with," Tiedoll answered while giving a fatherly smile that screamed 'children shouldn't pry'.

Lavi could sense the elusive tone Tiedoll used to answer the question, but didn't know how to ask anything else without being questioned himself, so he let it go…for now.

"Ne Allen! Don't you have work tonight?" Lavi asked as to change the conversation's direction and to hopefully keep Tiedoll from staring at him further as if he were under suspicion for something from asking a harmless question.

"Oh yeah I do! What time is it?"

"It's almost seven," Daisya answered while standing up from the table with a load of plates to take to the sink.

"CRAAAAAAAP! I'm gonna be late! Lavi we gotta go!" Allen, in a panic, exclaimed while standing suddenly, almost knocking the dishes from Daisya's hands.

Diasya, being a pro-soccer player, dodged the youth's abrupt motion and somehow managed to keep the plates in his hands.

"God damnit! Watch it!" he bellowed out.

"Don't yell at him like that!" Kanda snarled protectively.

"Fuck off!" Daisya retorted.

"Calm down Allen, it's not like you're gonna get fired," Lavi tried reassuring his friend.

"That's not what I'm afraid of, Lavi. You just don't know what kind of evil he's capable of," Allen shuddered.

"Ah, if you're talking about Marian, that's true. Well that's settled," Tiedoll said standing as well. "Looks like I'll have to go with you to smooth over the old badger."

Allen and Lavi's mouths dropped from the sudden declaration.

"The hell?" Kanda asked.

Tiedoll turned to answer his son. "I can't let this nice young man get into trouble because of me, can I? I'll just have you drive me into town behind them and I'll explain everything to Marian. Now, where's that vintage I keep," the older man pondered out loud while making his way to a wine rack where he rummaged around trying to find something. "Here we go," he said pulling out an expensive looking wine.

"We'll clean up then," Marie said, helping Daisya with the dishes.

"Thanks to you both," Tiedoll answered back. "Yuu-kun, do you have your keys?"

"Why don't you just drive yourself? Why do I have to be dragged into this?"

"You don't want your friends to get into trouble do you?"

"It's their fault for not paying attention," he scowled back.

"BaKanda!" Allen slammed his hands on the table as he fumed at the Japanese man before storming out of the dining room.

"You know, Yuu. One of these days he's not going to forgive you so easily. Why do you have to say such things when you know he's already upset? I mean seriously," Lavi condemned before following after Allen, not letting Kanda have the chance to say anything back. Not like he could as he was frozen; shocked that Allen had yelled at him and stormed off and Lavi's input hadn't helped either.

-Line Break-

"So you see, Marian, I had these two over for dinner and I kept the conversation going too long and that's why he's late. I do hope you'll forgive me and won't do anything harsh to the young boy," Tiedoll explained with a gentle smile on his face.

Cross didn't look too happy from where Lavi stood; his sharp eyes trying to read into anything that would contradict Tiedoll's explanation, a look Lavi was all too familiar with. Lavi stood with his arms crossed and his back leaning against a large bookshelf within the manager's office. Allen stood bowing like some weirdo beside of Tiedoll. He looked like a small animal cowering before some kind of predator about to partake of a meal the way his body shook. Kanda was glaring from behind Tiedoll and Allen, one hand in his pocket, the other on his hip; all he was missing was a snappy beat from his tapping toe but Kanda wasn't the person to tap his toe to show his irritation with something. He did quite well at glaring away his anger and irritability at people.

"You got a lot of nerve coming here, old man," Cross finally spoke while bringing a lit cigarette to his mouth.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"Who said we were friends?"

"Seems you're doing well for yourself now," Tiedoll avoided the question.

"Hmph. Oi! Don't touch things!" he growled as Lavi started to thumb through a few leather bound books that caught his eye.

Flinching in his spot, he turned his gaze to the owner of the bar. "Ehehehe…sorry about that. I just see a book and can't help myself," he tried to play it off.

"And you!" Cross thundered pointing at Allen. "Get to work; I don't pay you to be late and stand around."

"You don't pay me at all," Allen mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing Master. If you'll excuse me," Allen bowed further and exited the room.

"Moyashi!" Kanda called out as he followed the silver haired boy out of the room, giving one final glare at Cross.

Cross directed his attention again to Lavi. "Why the hell are you still here? Don't you have some reading to do or something to report?"

Lavi's ears perked up and his mind noted the words as he was intrigued with why someone such as a bar owner would ask him to go report something; but he pushed it aside and played it off as usual. "I-I'm sorry." Lavi's wide grin on his face by now, a ploy he used to show his innocence, although behind that playful smile was anything but innocence.

"Just get out of here. I've told you once already that I don't like having filthy things near me and I don't like repeating myself," this time his words and glare were more threatening than even Kanda's.

Without even a word of parting, Lavi scampered out of the office door, leaving the two older men to their idle chitchat.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Tiedoll took a seat on the chair opposite of Cross's desk.

"Now, why are you really here?" Cross asked, flicking his ashes in an ash tray that sat on his desk.

"I wouldn't have come if I really didn't have to but," Tiedoll started to explain, the tone in his voice more serious and the smile all but gone from his face. "It seems that the Faction we've been keeping our eyes on has halted its operations for the moment and we've lost track of the group's higher ups."

"That so," Cross said, taking in the information.

"You sound like you knew that already."

"Well, I wouldn't be the best if I didn't, right?"

"I suppose but there is a lot more going on than we realize."

"Yeah, I heard some things a while ago about it; seems one of their higher ups decided to call it quits and live as a civilian; makes you wonder why someone so important would leave such a position," he hinted at knowing more than he was telling but Tiedoll knew that Cross would never divulge information unless he wanted someone to know. "I've been trying to locate him but nothing's come up yet and I know for a fact that one of those things couldn't pull off being a civilian easily without retaliation from the group itself."

"A fact huh?" Tiedoll's probing gaze asked the question of how Cross knew for sure and Cross answered with a glare of his own that told he wouldn't say more on the matter. "Can I ask you something?" Tiedoll finally asked.

"What is it?"

"That boy, he's your apprentice?" The change in conversation was welcomed by both men as the tension ceased.

"So?"

"Does that mean he knows what's going on? Does he have the ability to use it as well?"

"Yes he does. But his weapon is very different from most of the ones in the Order; it's more like Maria, if you understand that," Tiedoll nodded. "However, he's an idiot apprentice and doesn't know the full story because of that fact but he's been trained well enough and I've told him bits and pieces that helps him survive."

"If things get too intense, he'll need to know everything, you realize that don't you?"

"Eh, kid may be an idiot but he's smart enough in the long run; he'll be fine. What about those sons of yours?"

"Marie's known for a long while now and has actually worked with me on a few things. Daisya, too, but he only does things when I deem it necessary. He's too playful to take anything seriously and he's got his soccer so keeping him home and in the loop is quite troublesome so I don't share a lot with him."

"What about that sour puss?"

"Yuu-kun? My beloved Japanese flower? He knows everything and he's taken a liking to your apprentice out there, if you hadn't noticed. But he hasn't been on any missions that I'm aware of."

"Same goes for that idiot of mine. Hmph. I figured they were friends since he hangs around him so much; so he's ok with knowing everything?"

"I'm afraid they might be more than friends, Marian," Tiedoll smiled, giving away he knew that something more was up between the two youths. He sighed at the thought of having his beautiful son wooed away from him. "Said as long as no one gets in his way or tries to start something it's fine, but also threatened he'd shove Mugen up anyone's ass if they did. He's quite crass when it comes to language, you know. Anyway, his ability is his swordsmanship and he's quite capable with that sword of his, so if anything did happen, he'd be alright; it's the reason I had that guy make it specifically for him."

A brief silence filled the room; Cross took a draw on his cigarette and Tiedoll admired a painting of a clown that hung in the office.

"That red head's getting suspicious though," Cross finally spoke. "Seems he's the Bookman's apprentice from what I've found out."

"That would explain a lot then," Tiedoll replied. "I got the feeling I was being probed by that eye of his when I met him earlier this evening, like he was taking inventory of everything around him and trying to read into my words. He's sharp, probably too sharp, so we should be careful for now until the boys at headquarters say something different."

Cross sighed. "I don't want to babysit another brat but it looks like we've got no choice, huh?"

"Seems that way," Tiedoll answered. "By the way Marian, I received something from him the other day."

"What'd that nerd have to say?"

"He said he had some new trinkets for us and that he'd be shipping them out shortly to our humble abodes and to be discreet about them."

"Discreet? With his shit? Like that'll ever happen," Cross put out the remainder of his cigarette. "Whatever, you should be getting back home before a certain someone with a stick up his ass starts shit in my bar."

"Guess so. It's been pleasant as always Marian. We should do this more often."

"Like hell I would. You know how much I hate seeing people from work because it always ends in me having to go back there and that's something I despise doing."

Tiedoll stood and walked to the door, Cross behind him. The two exited the office and made their way down the hallway and around the corner, out of sight, heading in the direction of the main floor.

Lavi dropped from the ceiling where he had concealed himself in the rafters, his mind deep in thought.

Did I hear them right? They're all part of the Order we've been trying to find? But who are they? Something's not adding up. I need to be careful since they're on to me and know I'm his apprentice. I've got to get home and let the old panda know about this.

He scurried down the hallway, looking for a way to exit without being seen. Finding a window at the end of the corridor, he opened it and took a peek to make sure no one else was around. Silently, he slipped out of the building.

A figure stood in the shadows next to a tall woman, watching the red head escape through the window. "What will you do now, Bookman Jr.?" the figure spoke silently to the shadows as a puff of smoke was exhaled from his mouth.

To be continued…

AN: You like? Hope so! Finally get to move the plot along! Next chapter out soon! As always, words help writers create better works for the public :P

And just to let you all know, my beta reader is without internet right now so I don't know when Chapter 7 will get posted as I'm waiting on getting it back to do final edits. I do apologize in advance *bows humbly before the masses* Happy early 4th of July!