"Welcome to my house." Allen said as he opened the door and let Lavi in.

"Wow. You live in here?" He asked after he whistled appreciably at the big house.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Does someone else live with you in here? Because that sure is big for only two people!"

The music student laughed and shook his head. "No. We are the only ones here, but we both have our private offices, I have my music studio and of course, we have the rooms for the books we purchase or borrow." He said, smiling.

"Who are you talking to, idiot apprentice?" The Bookman clan member looked at the redhead man from that same morning with wide eyes: the man was wearing nothing than a towel wrapped around his waist, his long red mane dripping water.

"It's Lavi, you met him this morning." He replied.

"And what is he doing here?"

"Well, remember how you said we would have trouble onto reading those books we got? I thought he could help us out. In the end, he's a Bookman, he's been trained for that."

Cross nodded and went to a room (Lavi supposed it was his own room) only to come a few seconds later nicely dressed. "I'm going to get someone."

"Whatever. Just don't come there." Allen growled.

"Not for the night, idiot. I need to consult someone." The man said and then left.

"Anyway, let's go." He said as he tugged the other boy to a room… locked with the newest, safest and strongest locking device he had seen so far. Allen let the machine scan his retina.

"Wow." He said and Marian-Walker chuckled as he opened the door.

"Welcome to your dream, Lavi."

"Confident much?"

"Of course." He smirked and let the oldest in. "Come here." He brought him to a corner where two books were lying open.

And the red haired couldn't believe his eyes: there, right before him, were two of the most precious books in the history of mankind: the Codex Gigas and the Voynich Manuscript.

"How did you get those? I know they are not able for sale or rent. The clan has been trying to get them for decades, even centuries and they never could!" He exclaimed.

"So, is it or is it not your dream?"

"One of them, yes." He agreed. "Can I touch them?"

"Be my guest."

And touch them he did, his finger tips ran softly through the pages in display, trembling: this truly was the dream of any member of the Bookman clan.

"How did you get them?"

"Pulled a few strings." The younger simply said. "There's one slight problem, though."

"What?"

"You can't tell anyone about it. Not even your guardian or anyone from your clan." Allen said. "We wouldn't want to damage our relationship further with your clan."

"Who? Your company? The Noah clan?" He was confused; it was like the white haired male was talking in riddles, and though he loved them they were starting to unnerve him.

"I'm going to tell you something, but you must promise me not to tell Bookman that I've told you this or he'll have my head. And I like it on my shoulders." He smiled as he sat down on an armchair and signalised Lavi to do the same.

"You know Bookman?"

"Yeah. Since I was a kid, actually." He replied. "Maybe even before you knew him."

"How? I've been with him since I was seven!"

"I met him at five. Anyway, have you ever heard of the cursed clan?"

"A few times at the clan's HQ. Although Panda never told me anything about them besides some stuff like their origin, that they have their own rules and that there are seven top commanders. Why?"

"Well, you just met one of those commanders." He replied, smirking.

"Who?

"Cross. He is one of the highest commanders. Probably the most powerful, too." He said.

"You are kidding."

"No. He really is. Although not thanks to his curse."

"What it's his curse?" Lavi asked and Allen went rigid.

"Sorry, can't tell. It's a secret." He smiled sadly and Lavi nodded, not wanting to push him in doing something he would regret later. "But anyway, I can't tell you more, so, do you wanna try to figure the Manuscript out?"

"Hell yes!" He grinned and went by the book again. "Do you have a key or something?"

"Not yet. We haven't even started." He replied as he went next to him. "Hey, here's an idea, would you like to work with me?"

"In your company?"

"Not exactly, Cross wouldn't like to be working with Bookman again. I meant as my partner, as a consultant, if you want to give it a name." He suggested.

"That would be awesome! Thanks Moyashi!" He said and hugged him tightly.

"Call me that again and you won't see the book again." The younger growled, but he did it playfully. "Main problem here is that Bookman will get suspicious."

"Yeah… And he won't bite a lie, he can see right through me."

"How about we don't lie, then?"

"How?"

"We tell just half of the truth." He simply replied.

"You are a genius!" He said, grinning.

They sat side by side, the book in the middle, both working on a different set of combinations but they still had fun, helping each other. They stopped when Lavi cell phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Where are you?" And of course, Bookman didn't sound too happy.

"Allen's house. We are working." He replied.

"Allen? What Allen?"

"The one I told you about the other day! White hair, silver eye, strange mark on his face…"

"Put him on the phone. Now." Lavi practically shoved the phone to the other boy, who brought to his ear.

"Hey Bookman. How's it going?"

"What are you doing with him?"

"We are working on a book Shishō and I got the other day."

"Which one?"

"The 'Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis'. We got it the other day on a very interesting trade." He replied cooly.

"I want to see his work everyday. And do not talk about anything unrelated to those books to him, clear?"

"Crystal, sir. Oh, yes, he's going out tonight with me and some other people."

"What 'other people'?"

"Wise, Alma, Kanda, Tyki and maybe Shishō. But I don't think he is really coming."

"Alright. I want him back at most by two."

"As you wish! I'll make sure he gets home safe and sound!" He said as he passed the phone back to Lavi.

"What do you mean by that? I'm the oldest! I should be getting you home!" He said as he hung up the call.

"I guess he thinks I'm more responsible than you!" Allen stuck his tongue out and grinned. "Anyway, we should go already if we want to be on time. And I really want to be it for once!"

"Let's go then!" He threw an arm around the shortest male's shoulders and grinned.


It wasn't long before they both were picking Alma and Kanda up. "Isn't your cousin coming, Moyashi?" Kanda asked when he entered.

"He's coming with Tyki-pet." Allen replied, as he turned left.

"Isn't that the red light district?" Alma asked.

"Yes."

"Is your date with Professor Mikk here?" The boy asked again.

"Yes."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Is there any reason of why you would have a date with him in here?" Kanda ended up asking.

"Yes."

"Why?" The Japanese asked again.

"Because we are banned from any casino in the country. A few countries, actually."

"Why is that?" Alma asked, leaning between the front seats.

"You'll see." He said as he pulled in front of a pub and got out of the car.

Once they all were outside of the car Allen walked up to the pub. "Hum… Allen? Are you really having your date with Mikk in here?"

"Yeah. Go in." He hurried them to the door, but they were all stopped by a really large bouncer.

"You can't go in."

"I think we can."

"We don't take care of… first timers." The bouncer replied.

"First of all, they are first times, not me." Everyone around gaped at him, sceptically. "Second of all, we are not here for the girls. Third, get me Mahoja, will you?"

"You know her?"

"And Anita. Does the surname Marian mean anything to you?" He said, smirking.

"You are Mr. Marian's child!"

"Yeah, you could say that. Now, will you let me in or will I have to make you lose your job?"

"Please. I'm sorry about the confusion." He quickly moved and let them in.

"Seriously, how many connections do you have?" Lavi asked.

"Ah well, this was more like using Shishō's status. You see, Anita's mother was one of his lovers. Mahoja works for Anita."

Allen opened a door and the other three gaped at the sight in front of them.

"A brothel?" They said at the same time.

"Yeah. But as I said, we are not here for the girls. C'mon." He pushed through the mass of people, kissing some girl on the way until they arrived at a back door and he opened it.

"A bar?" Lavi said.

"Yeah. Shishō and I usually come here, him to pick someone, me to make some good money." He replied.

"You are a whore?" Alma asked, eyeing him wide out: he would have never thought someone from the cursed clan would do… such activities!

"Hell no. My way of making money is even more dirty and unorthodox."

"You are late, Allen." A voice said from ahead of them and he grinned sheepishly.

"Since when have I ever been on time?" He said as he sat down on a table next to filthy drunken men.

"Hum… Care to explain what's going on?" Lavi asked to the fifth member of their group.

"It's a poker game. They gamble." Wisely replied.

"Gambling? I don't see how that's dirtier than prostitution." Kanda pointed out.

"Oh that. That's because they cheat. I've known Allen since he was five, he started playing at nine. He's never lost since."

"You are kidding." Lavi said, eyeing him: even if he knew there was something dark with Allen and money and the word 'debt', he never thought it would come down to this.

"No. Not even Tyki can beat him. That's how he pays all the debts his master charges on him."

"I'm partly surprised and partly scared at knowing this." Alma admitted, eyeing the boy and shuddering at the sight of his dark smile and his left eye working. "Oh. I see what you mean."

"Not that. That's just a bonus. He doesn't need it." Wisely said as he moved closer to the table and stood behind Tyki.

The other three went to the table too and watched in awe, how Allen won every single hand.

"You could let me win some!" Tyki said, nudging the white haired on the side and the boy chuckled.

"Where's the fun in that?" The youngest around the table asked.

"How about letting your beloved uncle how much you love him?" Tyki said.

"Hm… No. Royal straight flush, by the way." He said as he showed his cards and everyone huffed as Allen collected his money and other wins.

They were about to start the next round, when the door opened and a beautiful Chinese women entered the room.

"Allen, sweetheart!" She said and ran to hug him, being hugged back for the boy.

"Hey you, woman, get out, this is no place for women!" One of the men yelled and Allen stared at him for a second before going next to him, his left hand wrapped around his neck.

"Do you know who this women is? Do you?" He hissed.

"Why should I?"

"Because this woman is the owner of this place and if you don't start talking to her with the respect she deserves, I'm going to cut your hand so you can't play poker anymore… Or maybe your tongue."

"Allen, it's alright." She said, he little hand wrapping around his wrist.

"No, it's not. He shouldn't have talked to you in that way. Besides, Shishō would never forgive me if I let him go away with it."

The trio watched the display in awe: Allen was... scary. And even Kanda would even admit that.

"Allen, sweetheart, it's ok. Mahoja will take care of him." The woman said and just a second later the door slammed open and the biggest women any of them had ever seen, stepped in and took the man Marian-Walker was still holding down and threw him outside. "Anyone else wants to go outside?" The large woman said and all the other men ran away.

"Aw man, how am I supposed to make more money now?" Allen complained as he slumped against the elder male in the room.

"I think you made enough for today." Tyki said and kissed his cheek. "When do you have to be bake, cheating boy?"

"C'mon, you know very well that Cross doesn't give me a curfew." He replied and grinned. "Besides, I still have to pick someone up!" He said as he stood up. "Enjoy yourselves guys!" He said before disappearing back to the brothel.

"Pick someone up? What the hell does he mean by that?" Alma asked.

"Some random guy to fuck this night." Mikk simply said. "Allen grew up between brothels, fights and bars."

"Is that healthy?" Lavi asked, worried about his best friend.

"In any other case I would have said no, but he knows how to handle those things, so it's ok."

"I'm still worried about him." Mahoja said. "I wouldn't want him to end up like Cross, going from lover to lover without never settling down."

"But we can't change him. Or Cross." Anita said. "Besides, I do believe Cross will end up settling down." She said and looked at Mikk, who looked down and blushed slightly.

"Wait, he's gay?" Kanda asked.

"Nah, he's bisexual. He doesn't care about the genre as long as he can fuck it. Just like his master." Wisely said. "So, what do you wanna do?"

"How about we play some?" Lavi said as he pointed the cards. "No bets, though."

"Sounds good enough to me." Alma said as he forced Kanda to sit down.


They were starting to get the hold of it, when Allen came back in opening the door with so much force that it bounced on the wall and slammed shut, yelling in an unknown language to his phone and being yelled back in the exact same language.

Wisely and Tyki shared a worried glance before the elder stood up and put a hand in his head, but in a matter of a few seconds, Cross was slamming the door open.

How is that door still standing? Kanda thought.

"Allen, the phone." He simply said and the boy gave it too him without much thought.

And then, it was Cross who was speaking in the unknown language. "What is he saying?" Lavi asked Wisely.

"No idea. That's a secret language only they know." The Noah replied. "Oh, and for the record, don't bug Allen much, he's really moody now."

"Yeah… You shouldn't have said that." Lavi said as he pointed at Kanda, who was smirking at that and was exactly doing what the other had said not do.

Three minutes later they met the same fate the drunken man in Mahoja's hands. And arms.

"See what you did, BaKanda?"

"Me? You are the one who threw that whiskey bottle!"

"And for what reason?"

"Because you are a scrawny moyashi!"

At that, Allen jumped at him, and they started to dance… hum, fight again. With Lavi and Alma watching it with their eyes twitching and Wisely… was laughing his ass off. Like seriously, it looked like at any moment he would started rolling on the floor.

"I said we will come when I decide to! You are no one to command my child around!" Marian yelled before throwing the phone against the wall.

Kanda, Alma and Lavi didn't understand why suddenly everything seemed to stop: Cross was rigid, Anita and Mahoja where now silent, Wisely had stopped laughing abruptly, Tyki was gaping at the elder in surprise and Allen was… crying?