Hitomi: And I thank you all for the usual things: reviews, alerts, and or/favorites. Kevin-niichan, I forgot to mention this, but the reason why the castle fell apart last chapter was because… Oh, come on, with an Akuma swarm making an ambush inside, you already know that they're going to leave a mess while they're at it, be it damaging the place in question and/or making a corpse count due to how many people were killed by them.

Yeah. *grins embarrassedly* I'm sorry I didn't mention that before. *SHOT* Geh! This is what I deserve, at least.

I didn't think some dialogue was forced, I guess it was more like me having difficulties on what the characters would say while still keeping them, glaringly obviously, in character. So yeah, any OoC, I still apologize to you and everyone else. XD And I see I seem to have made little mistakes in writing again and it's not tenses this time. *groans* I guess the grammar was a bit off, huh? Sorry about that too.

Now, to start off the chapter again… This time, with something coming up and someone keeping contact…

Disclaimer: I do not own D . Gray-Man, Hoshinou Katsura-sensei does. The only thing(s) I do own in here would be my OC(s).

Rue,

Ahaha, I know you sent many letters, and it was about time that I responded to them. Sorry about the lateness of it, kiddo, but work at the Underground Society has been rather busy as of late. And considering that it's that time of year again, I'm going crazy between assassination duties AND paperwork at the same time as always. Such a life I'm living right now, even though it can be such a pain in the ass sometimes.

Anyway, it sounds like you're in a good place, in good hands. This'll teach you something when it comes to the outside world and learning about people and society too. Since you aren't what I would call sociable, it's good that you're able to make new friends or so I'm getting out of the numerous messages I've been receiving from you. I've got to say, sounds like this Kanda fellow managed to make you angry and is probably the only person capable of doing so (shocked as not even I accomplished such a thing!). I find that hard to believe, but I still find it humorous because you never had a temper before and I've known you for a long time. Honestly, though, sounds like you got yourself a rival and work hard on beating him, especially when training together. ("It's not funny, Riley… And he managed to do it because Kanda is just that irritating!" Rue growled under her breath when reading this, twitching in annoyance.)

Your boss, Komui, sounds like a capable person when it comes to leadership as well as caring for his crew a lot… Though, from other things I've read of your adventures, he also sounds like a nut, be it when it comes to his inventions or just him being a crazy idiot overall. Especially when it comes to his coffee addiction, the results are just priceless. Gotta say, never met the guy, but I like him already! ("I've a feeling already that you and Sir Komui would get along so well." She shook her head, not even wanting to imagine what chaos the Black Order would be under if chances are Riley ended up getting recruited too.)

His sister, Lenalee, sounds kind and caring for everyone at your place. I'm happy she's looking out for you too; you didn't have much female interaction back in the Underground, so it sounds like you guys get along like sisters now. Since I'm pretty sure she's more feminine than you, she'll probably teach you a thing or two on how to be an actual girl. Of course, you're fine just the way you are (I'm not saying that you should convert your personality completely, that'd be difficult for me to adjust to), but I'm saying it would be good if you learned on how girls are like. By the way… Is she pretty (of course, her brother—your boss—might kill me for questioning this)? ("Riley!" She groaned to herself, making a face and a reminder in her head to get back at him for asking when seeing him again. "Do you really want Sir Komui to sign your death warrant?! And don't make me get started on the fact she's fourteen too!")

This boy, Lavi… Sounds like someone you could relate to a lot, even though he's still an enigma. He really is hard to read into, isn't he? You can't tell what he's thinking and whether his actions are sincere or not. I know you're good at observation and, judging from what I'm reading when it comes to your writing, he sounds like a good kid. Sure, he may have an off attitude, but that's probably because something must be holding him back. Maybe you could try to get him to open up more; after all, that's what he seems to be doing to you too. ("Maybe so, but I'm still not sure about Lavi… I still feel like I can't trust him half the time…")

Thanks for the Christmas present too. How'd you know that I needed new gloves? I guess you know me very well, then. You know I don't like doing assassination duties in winter without any gloves to warm up my hands, so I'm glad you still remember that. I knew I could count on you. Really… Whether you can't see it or won't admit it, you really are a good kid.

So, you're having nightmares, huh? Are you starting to remember what happened before we went to the Underground Society together a long time ago? It certainly sounds like it, I wouldn't be surprised if you've been having insomnia for the past couple of days, then. I'm sorry, kiddo, I'm not even sure what to advise to calm your nerves and I feel helpless on that because I know you so well. It hurts me when I feel like I can't help you. ("Riley…" The emotion of feeling touched, just like that time days ago when Lenalee comforted her from what happened in the mission from Germany, was hinted in her soft voice. For a brief moment, the impassive look on her face almost appeared gentle.)

But, I think what I'm about to tell you should help you. I think you should do what you always do when it comes to relieving your stress, be it training, drawing, writing… As long as it's anything that'll keep your mind off of the past. Try not to think about it so much.

Well, back to being a workaholic again, haha. I really have to question myself if I'm being a masochist this way… Anyway, keep doing your best, Rue. I know you can do it. Who knows; when you see me again, you'll probably change. I'm not sure whether to look forward to that or be apprehensive, but I've to stay positive to make sure it's for the better, right?

Anyway, I hope to hear from you again. It's not the same without you around and I… I really miss you. Merry Christmas and make sure you stay out of trouble!

Your "brother,"

Riley

P.S. There should be a present for you that came with this letter, so it should be with you. Consider that as my Christmas present!

Unravel

XIV

Odd, Miraculous Holiday

[It feels out of place without you around

To celebrate Christmas with.

I'm in a group that I'm unsure on associating with,

But I wonder if celebrating Christmas with them

Would give me a meaning.]

She came back the day before from a mission, injuries all over her petite build, still healing with medicine and bandages. As tired blue-gray eyes read the letter that had been delivered in the Black Order while she was away, a new, blank book sat on her bed she was occupying in. No expression was made when she took a long glance at the book, but the smallest hint of appreciation could be seen in her eyes by very few.

"I take it that the letter you're reading is from someone back home?" A familiar voice asked fondly, causing Rue to look up when done busying herself on putting the folded letter away under her pillow temporarily.

With a nod, recognizing who spoke to her as the person took a seat at her bedside, Rue replied quietly, "Yes… This came from someone who I still consider as family before I came here. Not blood-related, but he is like a brother to me. With things going the way they are at home, I figured he was busy with duties to respond immediately. However…"

Her face contorted, twisted with a peculiar expression. While it wasn't quite a frown, she wasn't exactly smiling either. It took her a little while longer to get out on what she wanted to say properly, to which the person accompanying her didn't mind because there was an understanding that it was still a struggle for her to express emotions; be it physically, verbally, or otherwise.

"I couldn't help but feel a little… Off not hearing from him for a while." She concluded at last, a flicker of something in her eyes, the usual frown on her face.

Chuckling, the person patted her head.

"You were worried about him, weren't you?"

Another nod, another affirmation. The sentiment of worry, concern, was still foreign to her—like all other emotions—but she grew to recognize it more because of Lenalee and Lavi.

"Yes… I was a little worried… General Tiedoll."

"No need to worry any longer," the older man smiled warmly, his hand still lingering on her head as a sign of affection. "Your 'brother' finally replied to you and he even got your present. You can rest easy now."

It was Christmas Eve in the Black Order and Rue Marucut happened to be in the infirmary at the moment. She came back from Rome the day before, going out because of a mission to retrieve reported Innocence there. While she had managed to do the task as quickly as possible, there was still the price of battling Akuma. That itself was inevitable as that was part of the job.

Of course, she didn't go alone; Lenalee was the one who came along with her. While she still preferred to work alone on some parts, she didn't mind the other female's company. She was rather thankful about it too since her Innocence was still weak and Lenalee had watched her back when she needed it. The Exorcist-in-training, however, decided to take more brunt of the pests' damage because she was still taking the duty of protecting her boss's sister seriously, even though the other had fussed about the wounds she received because of the obligation.

To Rue, she didn't care how many wounds were inflicted on her body; as long as Lenalee was safe, that was all that mattered to her.

That also explained why Lenalee didn't need to spend her time in the clinic as long as Rue did, because of having fewer injuries. However, because the green-haired Exorcist felt that this was all of her fault to begin with, she decided to take up the task of delivering food to Rue again despite said-female's protests.

And so, the usual routine began to make its pace the moment Lenalee came in with a tray in her hands, no doubt Jerry's cooking was on it since Rue could smell the wonderful aroma.

"Here you go, Rue!" Lenalee exclaimed happily with a smile, setting the serving plate down carefully on the other girl's lap. The food looked delicious as ever – a hearty beef and vegetable stew, a savory onion cheese tart, garlic porkchop with rice and a side of mashed potatoes, banana pudding, and a cup of hot chocolate.

"Thank you, Lenalee." The other responded faintly, proceeding to dig into her food and knowing she was going to enjoy it.

"You're welcome." Turning to the much older Exorcist, she was still beaming. "Nice to see you too, General Tiedoll! Have you come to check on Rue too?"

"Hello, dear Lenalee!" The other smiled back. "Indeed, I have wanted to check on my 'daughter' after hearing about you two returning from your mission yesterday. Looks like she really is intent on protecting you as if she's your bodyguard as I can see she's still healing from her wounds, but I'm glad to see she's still living and healthy."

"Well, I do appreciate it that she's trying her best to protect me and taking such seriously… But, she didn't have to go to that extent. Please, remind her not to be so reckless. I don't want her to hurt herself for my sake."

A laugh was the response, followed by, "The reason why she's like that is because, from what I can tell, she looks at you as a friend now. So, she wants to look after you as much as she can. But yes, I should tell her that often… Of course, she knows her limits, so I'm pretty sure she'll able to stop herself from entering into danger that she's unable to get herself out of. Right, Rue?"

A silent, hasty nod was the thirteen-year-old's answer as she was busy stuffing herself with porkchops, rice, and mashed potatoes to make a vocal reply, which made the General laugh again as Lenalee gave her a faint smile in return.

"There's one other reason why I came in here. It's because… You know the mission to Germany, correct? When you had to go undercover by crossdressing?"

"Yes, General, I still remember it." The fourteen-year-old Lee sibling's confused voice retorted as the other female just nodded while eating her way through the soup, though still listening to the conversation. "Why, did anything happen?"

"Well… Remember the game both Rue and Yuu were in? Apparently, Sir Komui said that he got the results on who won the contest. How he managed to do so since the castle in Germany got attacked by Akuma and all, I don't know, but he got it from the party's host."

Violet eyes were wide at this piece of news while the Exorcist-in-training, in the process of eating away at her banana pudding, choked in surprise.

The moment those words had been spoken, the infirmary's doors opened with a loud bang. With a now fussing Head Nurse scolding the person for the racket, disgruntled Kanda Yuu decided not to listen as he shot a fierce look at the trio's direction.

"Speak of the Devil, Yuuri arrives." Rue mumbled her smartass statement, drinking down her hot chocolate to relieve herself from her choking fit before. The quiet remark reached her teammate's ears, in turn having him give her a dark, threatening look; however, the tomboy ignored this, sipping away at her sweet beverage.

"I knew I didn't hurt that twit of a Supervisor enough to kill him on the day we came back from that embarrassing mission!" The sword wielding Exorcist snarled loudly, fuming from the news that he had heard from Komui himself since said-supervisor wouldn't tell him the outcome. "General, I demand to know the answer I seek! Don't even think on bullshitting your way out of it either, you know damn well what I'm talking about because I can't help but think about how I threw away my pride just to act the part of a girl, even if it was just a ruse!"

"Now, now, Yuu… Don't be so impatient." The older man responded calmly, though a smile was on his face. As the dark blue-haired teen was about to make a rash remark, his face paled as he saw the livid expression on the Head Nurse's face.

"Kanda Yuu, I would appreciate it if you weren't so noisy in the hospital wing!" She shouted at him, hands on hips. "Have you forgotten that there are people who need their rest?! Even Miss Marucut over there needs it too as she's been in the infirmary often than not these days; not only from you training her to the bone, but also because she's starting to do Exorcist missions to push herself further!"

"Tch, this just proves the shorty is as weak as always if she's been here frequently—"

"Even if that's the case, she still needs her rest! The last thing she would want is for you to disturb her peace and quiet! I'm sure everyone in the medical wing would agree that those who need to stay here would want to relax from stress!"

"Ma'am Head Nurse has a point, Yuuri." Rue stated bluntly as she finished her hot chocolate, emphasizing on Kanda's female alias, which made him glare at her. "Really, there was no need for you to cause a ruckus."

"Shorty, you are going to get it when you get out of the medical center. Don't call me by that name unless you want your death warrant to be signed." He wasn't hiding his fury now.

"Make me, I'd like to see you try." She replied coolly, a glower of her own shot towards her rival. "For your information, I'll be the one to kill you since, in case you haven't been told, I've been doing killing for a living. I don't mean Akuma this time either."

There was a chilling atmosphere that formed from those words. As the glowers were still causing sparks, it was obvious that the change in the air was immense. Lenalee knew what Rue meant as she said this, a nervous smile on her face. The Head Nurse had gone quiet, feeling quite uncomfortable. General Tiedoll was puzzled as to what she meant by this, but shocked to hear such a thing. Kanda himself wasn't sure what to think, but because he had a glimpse of Rue's personality ever since she came in the Black Order, it was most likely that what she said was true.

"What do you mean by that?" He suddenly asked, snapping out of his dazed state, still hiding his shock quite well.

"As said before, I've killed before and I won't hesitate to do it again if need be." The calm female stated matter-of-factly as if it was nothing to her, the look in her eyes unreadable. "Don't tempt me, Kanda. You may be in harmony with your Innocence, but I am quite adept with my daggers."

She really isn't kidding around. He observed cautiously, keeping a sharp eye on her. That look in her eyes again…

As he was going to argue with her some more in regards to what had been said, a familiarly annoying voice interrupted the moment, dissipating the frosty mood at once.

"Oh, Yuuuuu~" Sure enough, the voice had a singsong tone in it—one that most people would find irritating—as the Bookman apprentice waltzed into the hospital wing with such a wide grin. "Don't think you'll be getting your answer without having me around!"

"Lavi…" Lenalee sighed, shaking her head with a small smile on her face, having a feeling that he would sooner or later get involved. General Tiedoll just smiled, knowing too that Bookman Jr. would want to know about this. The Head Nurse decided this would be a good time to concentrate on her nursing duties, walking out and muttering under her breath something or another on how this was going to turn into a disaster because of the teen bookworm. Rue was just shaking her head at the redhead's perfect timing, and his nosy ways, deciding that she wouldn't get involved by stuffing her face with the onion cheese tart.

"Didn't Bookman teach you not to stick your nose into others' business?! The last thing I want is for you know about this, stupid rabbit, and I don't care if you were part of the mission!" While saying this, the hotheaded Exorcist let out a frustrated groan, cursing his luck for having this certain someone in the room.

"Weeeeell," Lavi feigned an innocent smile. "While that may be true, old habits die hard. And plus…"

If the now sly grin didn't get any wider, it did, and along with it came a mischievous glint in his one, green eye.

"I already got blackmail on you in regards of the task, remember? So, there's no way I can pass this opportunity up as I've been dying for days to know who won that challenge, anyway! I must say, being in female clothing does suit you."

A flash of black and Mugen was pressing against his neck.

"Unless you want to die a slow and painful death," the other male Exorcist growled ominously, looking quite vicious. "You DO NOT leak this information out to those UNINVOLVED with the mission. Don't you even dare leak this to Bookman either and I will find out if you do. NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY, outside from those given the assignment will find out. And if they do, you're going to wish that you weren't involved with the Black Order at all. Understand, rabbit?"

Inching away from the blade, laughing nervously, the redhead replied with a shaky voice and a grin to match, "All right, all right. Geez, Yuu, do you really think I'm the type to gossip?"

"With your Bookman duties, why wouldn't you?! Granted, you got mostly everyone in the Order to tell their life stories! Not only that, but you seem to have forgotten the definition of privacy, you stupid rabbit!"

"The girly-looking boy has a point." Rue finally spoke up, swallowing down her food while nodding curtly in agreement. "Because of your habit of constantly popping out of nowhere, I do end up almost killing you for it every single time, you know!"

With a fake gasp, Lavi started to mock pout his hurt.

"Not you too, Rue!" He started whining dramatically. "I'm shocked, how could you take sides with Yuu when he's your biggest rival in the Black Order?! I thought you would be with me, not against me!"

"Granted, for some strange reason, I ended up telling YOU my background when I wanted to keep it a secret for a while." She twitched, remembering what she was talking about a couple of days ago. Lenalee, unaware of that having happened, was shocked to hear Lavi already knew before she did; Kanda, however, grew a little more suspicious. "Now, I feel like I don't trust you with that information!"

"Oh, come on!" The redhead smiled a bit, going over to her bedside to ruffle her hair softly. "Calm down… I'm not going to tell anyone if you don't want me to, especially to Gramps. So relax, okay? It's safe to trust me."

"You won't… Tell anyone? Are you sure?" Her face looked serious, tightlipped. "If you do, I'll make sure to find ways to kill you."

"Of course not!" He hastily replied, grinning apprehensively because of receiving a threat from her should the information be leaked. But, the grin melted into a kind smile. "Not until you're ready to tell… That's a promise."

Rue didn't say anything right after that, looking straight into Lavi's face. After a moment of silence, it was finally broken.

"I… I believe you…" She muttered softly, hesitantly, breaking eye contact with the redhead. "But, if you do—"

"I won't, don't worry about it."

A reluctant nod, not saying anymore, blue-gray eyes looking at folded hands in her lap.

"Now then," General Tiedoll finally spoke with a smile, which caused the four teens to snap out of it. "I believe I should make the announcement now, right?"

"Che, hurry up and out with it, General!" Kanda's patience was at its limit.

"This'll be worth hearing." Lavi grinned mischievously, ignoring the glower the sword wielding Exorcist was giving him.

"We never got to hear the results since, the moment it was going to be declared, the Akuma decided to attack. So, I want to know too." Lenalee's voice was filled with anticipation.

Rue didn't say anything when hearing her "father's" words, but a light nod was enough to tell her wish of hearing this as well.

"All right, settle down." He couldn't help but continue smiling at the excitement from them (well, Lavi and Lenalee for sure). "According to Komui, and the information he got, the winner of the Winter Masquerade is…"

All waited in baited breath, unable to handle the suspense any longer.

"…The winner is Yuu!"

The varied reactions amongst the four teens were proclaimed.

"I KNEW IT!!!" Lavi cried out in joy, gloating, the one fact alone seemed like it sufficed as the greatest Christmas present he got. "THAT'S IT, YUU! I'M OFFICIALLY CALLING YOU YUURI FROM NOW ON!!!"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY I'LL LET YOU!!!" Kanda roared, furious, feeling that his masculinity was officially gone. "YOU DO THAT AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'LL HAVE A ONE WAY TICKET TO HELL!!!"

"Oh my…" Lenalee clasped a hand over her mouth, suppressing her laughter, eyes wide in astonishment from such news. But after letting it sink in a moment, her hand returned to her side, and the stunned look reverted to what looked like an impish one. Deciding to live in the humorous moment, she pointed out playfully, "Looks like I should experiment on dressing you in female clothing from now on…"

While occupied on sending the redhead every, single death threat in the book, the samurai-like Exorcist whirled around to give the Chinese female a hard glare.

"Do you really want to die?"

"No, I just want to see you look girly!" And she said this with a bright smile, every word serious.

An anguished groan, along with, "Lenalee!"

Amused by the trio's interaction, General Tiedoll's gaze averted to the quiet tomboy on the hospital bed, who had a neutral expression on her face. Eyebrows risen in surprise, this made the older man question about his "daughter."

No reaction at all? I guess she really is unable to feel something like humor… I thought with Rue being in the Order, it would change her just a little bit from the time she spent here so far…

"Sheesh, no reaction?!" Lavi finally paid attention to the fact Rue didn't act in response to the news as he turned around and saw her impassive expression. "You're as serious as ever…"

Seeing this too, Lenalee exclaimed, "Really! I thought you'd enjoy getting your revenge towards Kanda like this!" There surfaced a small smile on her face, a light sigh escaping. "I guess nothing can make you laugh, eh?"

"Well, it can't be helped if the shorty is like this." Kanda shrugged, unsure on whether to be relieved or otherwise when it came to Rue being stern. "That's just the way she is."

Truthfully, the tomboy was trying to keep composure of her facial expression the whole time. As much as she looked indifferent, in reality, she was really struggling to keep that tight lipped look. There was an overwhelming feeling she felt inside, no idea on what it was, but it was just ready to burst any moment now.

"Mmph…" It was getting harder for Rue to keep a straight face as time passed.

Sensing this, a new light in his eyes, the General asked softly, "Rue, are you… Actually holding back?"

"HUH?!" The trio shouted in surprise, looking back and forth to the older man and the boyish-looking girl.

As if to answer his question, a hand immediately flew to Rue's mouth. As she pressed her palm to her lips, her eyes had changed from stoic to something else that all hadn't seen on her before, though she was trying to maintain her solemn face. Her other hand clenching the blankets, her body was shaking a lot. Behind her covered mouth was a muffled sound—sounded as if she was choking—and sharp breathing and hissing.

"Rue?!" Lenalee started to panic.

"Are you okay?!" Lavi was also starting to get concerned. "Say something!"

Kanda had no reaction; however, he shot his teammate a puzzled look.

Unable to hold it in anymore, she released both hands from her mouth and the sheets. They grabbed both of her sides as Rue, serious assassin and Exorcist, erupted into a laughing fit. General Tiedoll was taken aback, slumped back in chair from total surprise, the heavy feeling on his shoulders in regards of Rue lifted. Both Lenalee and Lavi were shocked with their jaws agape, trying to register on what was happening. Kanda was wide-eyed, unable to mask his own revelation this time.

"I-I-I can't hold it in anymore! I CAN'T! The fact that Kanda won in a crossdressing contest and I didn't is just too… Too…" She couldn't continue her sentence; no matter how much she wanted to say something, there was no way she could speak complete sentences without going in hysterics.

The Head Nurse came in again, checking on what was going on and possibly about to give a sermon because of the noise. When she saw the normally stoic girl actually laughing, she wasn't sure what to think at first. But, there was a gentle smile on her face when seeing the young Exorcist-in-training like that and she walked away to leave things the way they were. One would swear she said something about a miracle happening in the Black Order.

Feeling the blow finally wore off, her teammate shot the most intimidating frown he could muster and hissed, "You really are asking for a death wish, aren't you, shorty?!"

She didn't seem to have heard the threat or, if she did, she didn't care at all. Feeling it wear off from her too, the green-haired female Exorcist laughed along with her friend.

The older man smiled with satisfaction, saying quietly, "So, she has changed a little bit… Little by little, I'm pretty sure she'll be able to understand if things keep going like this… She is only a child, after all."

Only the redhead remained as he was, the stunned feeling still lingering inside him. He still watched the scene with one, wide, green eye, his mind a complete blank. There had to be something, anything that he felt at this moment.

But, once he glanced up at Rue's face… The first time experiencing humor, the first time feeling a joy such as laughing…

"Rue's… Actually laughing…" Lavi said this slowly, feeling the words roll off his tongue in a whisper. As the reality became more real to him, a soft smile formed on his face.

I never thought she would do something like this because of her being such a somber person. But, she finally did it… There's a breakthrough… Even if just for a moment, it's nice to actually see her like this.

I… I want that too. He affirmed seriously, nodding to himself, an unspoken vow forming in his mind. I want to change too. I want to believe in something outside of the Bookman obligations. Already, I find myself feeling things I shouldn't be feeling, even before Rue came to the Order. She only amplified those sentiments on the day Yuu and I found her in France to bring her here.

I want to see her smile and I want to be the one to protect it. I don't want to see that desolated look in her eyes again.

Tch, you're really going to be in serious shit if Bookman finds out. Deak's voice echoed at the back of his mind. Have you forgotten about your duties already?

No, I haven't. He argued back, grimacing to the ceiling. But, as humans, we do feel. There's no helping that. No man is an island, you know.

Gramps isn't going to understand that, though. The alter ego sighed, shaking his head. He'll just take everything away by forcing you to leave.

I'm aware. That is why… I won't let him find out.

Good luck with that, then. I'm sure it won't last for long.

Shaking his head with a light sigh, Lavi went back to the present, smiling softly at his comrades and the General. But, his gaze was towards the girl who, while having calmed down from her hysterics, was still chuckling.

The girl herself was still finding herself making this sound and she found that she was unable to control it. All the while, she had thoughts of her own.

What is this feeling? Suddenly doing something like that… I've only seen Riley done such a thing, but I never thought I'd do it too.

So, this… This is what it feels like to laugh…

It's… Not bad at all…

* * *

Nightfall began to paint itself dark blue on the sky, clouds splattering themselves onto the dark canvas. Even so, snow began to fall down quietly, slowly piling up on the ground.

"It's too bad you have to spend your first Christmas here in the infirmary." A sad Lavi began, sitting by Rue's bedside as he was reading a book he borrowed from the library. Since everyone else was in the cafeteria, he decided to stay with Rue in the infirmary. "Komui would've jumped at the opportunity to try to get your socialize or, Hell, doll you up into a complete girl."

"Like Hell I'll let him force me into a dress unless he wants to meet God soon." Rue snorted, shaking her head at the thought as she watched the scenery outside. "I'm not good with those kinds of things. And even if he manages to put me into a dress, it'll only baffle people more on my gender and the majority think I'm a guy, anyway."

A cheeky grin surfaced on the redhead's face as she said this, shaking his head at the notion.

"Yeah, knowing mostly everyone, they're most likely going to have hemorrhages from either your daggers or too much confusion to place you with what gender."

"Exactly, which is why I'd rather not do something like that. I don't intend to either."

"Why not? I think it would be interesting to see you in something feminine. Besides… For all I know, you could end up looking cute in it."

A light whack to the head.

"Don't even joke, Lavi." She was feeling flustered, cheeks pink as a frowning, bashful face met an amused, grinning one.

"Oh, come on! I think you would look pretty."

"Lavi, don't make me hit you again!"

"All right, all right, I'll stop." He shook his head again, chuckling softly. "Haha, I guess it's just too much fun teasing you. I can see why Yuu always makes you angry now."

"Hrmph… Men…" She growled sullenly, which made him laugh this time.

A peaceful silence settled between them, Rue turning back to look out the window, Lavi reading his book. There was no denying that the two were close, though many had found them an odd pair when they were together.

"Hey, Lavi…"

"Hm?"

"You've only been in the Order a little longer than I have, so… Wouldn't this day mark as your first Christmas here too?"

"Eh?" The realization at such words hit him, his green eye wide. "Yeah… Yeah, you're right. This is my first Christmas here too."

"Then, why don't you go downstairs? I'm pretty sure you would like to socialize with Lenalee, Kanda, and the others. You're popular with a lot of people here, even I can see that. I bet you they're wondering why you're not with them."

"Rue…"

"It's better than being here with me." Lavi turned to look at Rue, observing her as she spoke. Though her voice sounded calm, her eyes looked like it was showing something there, they were unfocused. "I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself with them. So, it's all right. I don't mind being alone."

"Rue," he began again, placing a hand on her head, which made her look at him. "I'm not going to leave you here by yourself."

"But, Lavi—" Her voice was in an arguing tone, but he had stopped her.

"I won't leave you alone." He smiled slightly, messing up her hair. "Even if you tell me to, I won't. I just don't want to leave you by yourself. Because…"

She kept looking at him with a confused face, surprise mingling there too.

"I know it's lonely. Even if you won't admit it out loud or you don't want to, I'm pretty sure that… It's sad not to have company."

The female said nothing in reply, blue-gray eyes averting to the floor. Slowly, she turned away from the window and let her body settle back into the bed, blankets and all. Sitting up, her eyes unfocused, she looked to be contemplating. The male felt he did something wrong and was preparing himself for anything in case she was angry.

"Yeah…"

That word alone caused him to look at her. Her long bangs covered her eyes to hide the emotion, but her voice was resonating with its usual honesty.

"It is… Lonely, isn't it? Not having anyone with you, that is." She murmured quietly, her eyes hazy as if recalling something. "I've been used to it because it's been like that for as long as I remember. It was Riley who changed that, though. Even though we're not blood-related, he's like an older brother to me."

The young male listened to his comrade, his hand on her head still there as he petted it, stroking her short hair.

"But… Even though we're separated, we haven't lost contact. However, it just feels odd now, not spending Christmas together like we always did. When Riley is not around the holidays sometimes due to assassin obligations, that's when I'm back to being that way again, though he would always make up the lost time. I'm the one far away from him this time, though, and I figured I would be… Satisfied… Staying here in the medical wing alone for Christmas…"

"Rue…" Without even thinking on his actions, Lavi had his arms around Rue's small body, a tight embrace. Her eyes widened in surprise, her face buried into his warmth of his chest, his smell faint on his skin and clothes picked up by her nose.

"Lavi?" Her voice sounded small, a confused whisper.

"See?" His voice was calm, warm, arms still hugging her tightly. "You are lonely, after all. And that is why I don't want to leave you alone, even if you tell me to do so. We already know that we're both alike, right? So, let me keep you company."

"But…"

"Please…" A request, not an order. The male could feel the petite female's head move against his chest, indicating a nod. With a relieved sigh, while flustered after registering his actions, he reluctantly let go of her.

"Then, do me a favor." Her voice was brisk with its usual sternness, her face matching with it.

"Eh?"

Looking around on her bed, Rue had pulled out a black book from under her pillow. The book was small, a bit bigger than her hand, but it was thick with numerous pages. It was black from cover to back, but there were simple, detailed designs that stood out with their colors. The splashes of color were white, red, yellow, all sorts of colors that would contrast with the dark background.

Seeing the object, Lavi was thrown off further into bewilderment.

"What's that?"

"It was a present I got from Riley that arrived while I was away in Rome for the mission. The pages are blank, though, so I have an idea."

"By idea… You mean the favor you asked for earlier?"

"Correct."

"Well, what is it? Tell me!"

"Um…" She was starting to hesitate. "It may not be a good idea, though…"

"How bad can it be?!" Sure enough, he sounded a little excited. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be good!"

"Then…" She hugged the book to her chest, not looking at him in the eye. With her red, timid face, she forced herself to blurt out what she had in mind. "I want this… To be our exchange diary. In case you don't know what it is, it's a book where two people write in their thoughts to each other. When one is done writing, they hand it to the other person that'll make a response in return and vice-versa. You can talk about anything in it, be it good or bad…"

Rue was completely avoiding her companion's gaze now, feeling her face burning. Lavi looked taken aback, but he was still paying attention, which she felt that she should continue in spite of her self-conscious state.

"Because I don't see you every day due to your work or our missions, I thought we could be able to communicate with each other this way. And I…" She felt her holding back again, but she shook her head furiously, stubbornly. "I want to know more about you… Even though you're busy doing your stuff, I just… I just want to hear how you are and everything…"

Ugh, I am sounding really, really stupid right now! Her thoughts were cursing her, the mortification growing stronger. Now, Lavi must think I'm an idiot!

"You know…"

She snapped out of her musings the moment she heard his voice, looking up at the older teen. She tensed, unsure of what to make of his tone.

"Rue… That isn't a bad idea at all." Lavi smiled gently, all the while completely ignoring Deak and his warnings. "In fact… It's a great idea."

"R-Really?" She sounded uncertain; if her face hadn't gotten any redder, it was as red as Lavi's hair. She felt something like relief wash over her as her hold on the book loosened immensely.

"Of course, silly!" He laughed, mussing up her hair affectionately. "Really… It's just so boring doing research all of the time, so it's nice to have a small break for a change by doing something like that. Okay, I promise to write the first entry as soon as I can."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise." With that, he took the book she was holding and placed on his lap, a reminder that he would take it with him later when he would leave the room. Even though she wasn't smiling, there seemed to be a glow in her eyes when she settled back down into her bed.

"Ah, right! I forgot that I have a present for you!"

Perplexed, Rue looked at Lavi.

"What's wrong, Lavi?"

"Since it's Christmas, I came in here not only to accompany you, but I got you a gift!"

"What?!" She looked flabbergasted now, mouth open. "B-But, you didn't have to! I didn't even get you anything because I was unsure about what you liked! Lavi… You've done more than enough…"

"But, I got you a present because I wanted to. It's okay if you didn't get me anything. You already gave me something, anyway."

"Like what?"

"That's a secret." He still recalled the girl besides him laughing earlier at the expense of her rival, smiling at such a vivid memory. "Anyway, I still have a present to give, so here you go."

Not listening to her objections, Lavi got out a medium-sized box wrapped in green and silver, a red bow to tie it all together. At first, Rue was still fussing about how he got her something while she got him nothing, and how she felt undeserving to have a present, but her curiosity began to settle in. So, nonetheless, she placed the box into her lap and began opening it. The Bookman novice watched her take off the wrapping and bow in anticipation as tiny, shaky hands pried open the lid.

When she looked inside, she had no reaction. Her face immediately formed shock as she saw what it was. But, that melted away as her eyes went all aglow just like moments ago, small hands going into the box and taking out the present.

In her hands was a stuffed animal in the form of a fox. Medium-sized and with fluffy, glossy, orange-brown fur, its big, brown eyes stared up at Rue as if begging to be cuddled and loved. Its white-tipped, bushy tail brushed against her flesh, which gave off a tickling sensation. Her eyes holding a bright radiance that was never seen before, she hugged the plushie in her arms.

"Fox…" Rue said in a low voice, her expression softened considerably from its usual, cold expression. Turning to an amazed Lavi, she asked quietly, "How did you know that I liked foxes?"

"Well…" He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sometimes, when I'm in the library while you would be training with Yuu or when you would take a walk outside… There were times I'd spot you playing with the foxes in the forest. I wasn't sure whether you definitely liked foxes or not until recently… Remember the mission we had together before you went off to Rome with Lenalee?"

She nodded, remembering that they were in Finland at that time.

"Well, when we were looking for the Innocence that time, we were passing by the shops and what not there. When we were passing by the toy store… Just for a fleeting moment, I caught you looking at this fox plushie in a way that told me that you wanted it. But, you looked disappointed too since you figured it was expensive or that you felt that you should focus more on the assignment… So, while you were away in Rome, I went back to Italy on my own and got it for you."

"You… Saw me looking at it?" Now, it was her turn to go red, mumbling something or another on how she was careless to drop her guard down around Lavi like that. "But…"

She bit her lip, timid and apprehensive.

"Wasn't it expensive, though?"

"Not really!" He exclaimed cheerfully, knowing what he would tell her would erase her doubts. "Originally, according to the shop owner, it was 50,000 Finnish marks. However… Once he heard that I was getting this for you, he decided to give me a discount and I ended up paying 5,000 Finnish marks for it!"

"Ah…"

"So yeah." Lavi flashed a warm smile, messing up her hair once more. "Merry Christmas, Rue."

"Lavi…" Rue's voice held a tone that he couldn't place, but there was a sense of kindness and gratitude there. Looking at him with a surprisingly warm gaze, she continued softly as she squeezed the fox plushie gently in her arms, "Thank you… This really, really means a lot to me. Merry Christmas."

He felt staggered, the feeling of shock running through his slouching body, the moment he saw that look in her eyes. If this wasn't what he called a miracle, he didn't know what else would be considered one.

"Then, let's spend our first Christmas in the Order here in the clinic together." The redhead said at last, happiness surely felt as a bright smile lit his features.

She nodded in concurrence, a sense of a positive emotion in her voice, "Okay, let's make our first Christmas in the Black Order an enjoyable one."

* * *

The snow stopped falling, clouds gone. Even though it was still navy blue outside, a hint of the sun coming up the horizon was there. The sky was beginning to lighten from dark to light, streaking hints of bright colors like red, pink, and a bright orange. A winter wonderland would be revealed in the daylight soon enough.

Already, it was officially Christmas morning in the Black Order. However, commotion was going on by a small group, most of the people holding wrapped gifts in their arms…

"Che! You didn't have to drag me into your stupid plans! Why do I have to visit the shorty, anyway?!" One voice complained with irritation in the quiet, causing others to hush it up.

"Shhhh! Keep in mind that it's still early morning right now, so the majority are still sleeping in. And another thing, why shouldn't you?! The least you can do is visit her since you didn't get her a present, you Scrooge. She's your teammate and your 'sister' in this family, and it's also her first Christmas here, so it's only natural to make her feel welcome—" This one was going on a tirade of sorts, the voice half-stern, half-jolly, but it had been cut off from a hitting sound. "Ow! My sweet, baby sister, why did you do that?!"

"Big brother, now you're the one being noisy, so you keep your voice down." A feminine voice this time answered the other in a serious whisper, proceeding to make the owner quiet. "How is this supposed to be a surprise if you and Kanda are going to be rowdy? Remember how Rue is when you disturb her from her sleep. That's especially to you, big brother, since you've suffered under her wrath in that area countless times before."

The last of the group chuckled amusedly, going cheerfully, "Best to wake her up carefully, hm? We don't want chaos to erupt so early on such a day like this."

"That's true." The female nodded in agreement, flashing a bright smile. She started to frown a little in thought, however, because something was amiss. "Come to think of it… I wonder where Lavi went off to. I wanted him to join on surprising Rue, but I hadn't seen him since last night. When I dropped by his room earlier, he wasn't there. I know that he didn't get assigned to any missions that time since we're celebrating a holiday and all…"

As the four went to the treatment center, they cautiously opened the door, trying not to make a sound. However, what they didn't expect was the scene that was displayed before them.

Rue was sleeping away and hugging a fox plushie in her arms, looking peaceful being like that. On her bed was what looked like some books, a deck of cards that were put away neatly in their box, and confetti scattered all over. At her bedside in a chair was Lavi, who had rested his head into his arms, a blanket thrown over his body for warmth. If you looked long enough, his one, closed eye was exposed and seeing that part of his face held a sense of tranquility. In his lap was a black book, which made the others question what was contained inside. But, the one thing that had stood out the most in the scene was one of his hands was holding the female's tenderly.

"So… He was here the whole time…" Lenalee was the first to speak, her voice in awe at the sight with a dollop of suspicion. However, her face broke into a soft smile when seeing her friends like that. "Well, least that explains why he was missing."

"Looks like he had been spending his Christmas with Rue here while the rest of us were downstairs. He should be lucky that Bookman's not with us or he'd really be in trouble." Komui was grinning widely, suspecting something between the two. "I should question him about this once they're both awake."

"Tch, you forced me to attend that party, anyway, Komui." Kanda scowled with annoyance, crossing his arms. He didn't care what was going on between the stupid rabbit and the shorty since that wasn't any of his business, although he couldn't help but feel slightly intrigued about it, even though he wouldn't admit it. "You worried about the shorty for nothing since the stupid rabbit was way ahead of us."

"Still," General Tiedoll spoke up quietly, looking both happy and relieved for the "daughter" he never had. "It's nice to see them like this, don't you think? I think we should leave them alone for now and let them sleep. We can greet them later when they wake up."

A chorus of agreement from the Lee siblings and only a grunt from the samurai, they (save for Kanda) left their presents at the foot of Rue's bed and made their way out as silently as they came in. As the door closed softly, Rue stirred a little, unsure if she was imagining hearing voices or not. Still too tired from last night to the point of not being able to open her eyes yet, she squeezed Lavi's hand unconsciously, continuing on sleeping. A faint smile could be seen on the redhead's face as he felt that, giving a gentle squeeze to her hand in return.

Hitomi: *DIES* New record on the longest chapter I've ever written. I'm not sure if the ending of the chapter was good since I'm not sure if I ended up it abruptly or awkwardly. Nonetheless, I'm glad I finally got this done.

I'm sorry I didn't finish writing this sooner. I just got done with my midterms last week and I had been stressing out from other things. So, apologies for delaying this so much.

The letter in the beginning was Riley's reply to Rue's letter in Chapter 9. Of course, she's written other letters to him too, but as said, Riley was too busy to reply to them due to work overload. XD Ahaha, man, if he joins the Black Order too, I can see havoc on the horizon. If he knew Lavi a little better later on, I'm pretty sure he would love to join him on his conquest of pranks.

*evil grin* MWAHAHAHAHA!!! The Head Nurse gave Kanda a lecture for being noisy all because of wanting to hear who won… Speaking of that, what did you think on who won the masquerade's contest? Well, it was about time it was revealed and I had so much fun writing it. XD Oh Kanda, you're officially a girl now! *cracks up* And Rue… Rue actually laughing at the expense of her rival… What progress she's making in terms of her emotions and what to feel. So, I'm pretty sure she'll be able to smile soon, but it'll take a while. Of course, while Lavi's beginning to slowly change too, Deak is still there to annoy him on Bookman duties.

And Lavi and Rue interaction… Well, I did need to develop that a bit more too while trying to keep both of them in character. Hehe, he's starting to poke fun at her, which she doesn't like. But, this is Lavi, after all!

Of course, a little angst is there again, so Lavi's there to cheer Rue up. Who would've thought he'd observed on what animal she likes, huh? Well, as a Bookman, he does analyze people and all just for the sake of recording history. Though, in this case, I think it's to know Rue better. *winks* And the exchange diary idea? I'm not sure what made me go through such an idea in the first place, but it sounded right for the both of them as they're unable to express their emotions outright (well, in Rue's case; in Lavi's, it's already in development, even though Bookman strictly warns him on not to get attached).

XD And the four who found Lavi and Rue together in the infirmary like that… I WONDER what they think about it. *grins* I guess we shall see.

Anyway, glad to get this chapter done! Took a while, but it is finished. And apologies for possible OoCness! Ahhh, Chapter XV around the corner… What will unfold from there…

Look forward to it!