The next few weeks were quiet and nothing else, but either way, it made Lavi rather nervous because it was just like the calm before a storm. Nella seemed to have the same thought as she gazed at her untouched mug of cocoa. She has been as silent as always and Lavi had to put up with her sleeping in his room, stubbornly refusing to leave him alone.

Lavi thought it was creepy at first then began to think that she was still worried and concerned for his safety but such foolishness would lead her to her end. Nella began to urge him to tell everything that was happening about the case, even if she didn't say anything her actions spoke for her loud and clear.

He was finished off his cocoa and stared at her stirring the brown liquid with the tip of her finger.

'Are you going to drink that?' Lavi asked as Nella frowned at him and skulled the drink right then. Her frown remained as she gazed out the window of their rented apartment.

'Look, I said I was sorry,' Lavi said as she shook her had, it almost looked pitiful. Nella stood up and dumped her cup in the sink and walked passed him grabbing her coat.

'Oi, where are you going?' Lavi asked as he rushed to grab his coat and hurried after her. Nella had reached the door by now as she turned back and smiled at him but Lavi didn't trust her smile.

'I'm coming with you,' she didn't voice a protest as they exited the apartment together. It was still fairly earlier in the morning a light fog wrapped around the buildings and there were hardly anyone out in the street.

The two walked in silence for a bit despite Lavi's urge to talk to her or at least break the silence around them. It made him feel rather nervous and uncomfortable but Nella seemed to enjoy it slight.

'So… are you still mad about the other day?'

'Lavi,' she paused in her stroll and stared at him with confusion probably wondering why he had brought up that incident again.

'You've been silently lately, not like that's anything unusual and you've claimed my bed, are you still worried about me being his next target?' The more he spoke, Lavi could tell she was going as red as the rose that bloomed beside her.

'S-shut up!' She turned on her heel and walked into the park as Lavi jogged up to her to catch up.

'You really can be cute sometimes,' Lavi pointed out cheekily earning him a punch in his ribs. Nella was pouting at him as he laughed.

'All right then, so you're just naturally concerned,' she glanced around as the redness welled in her cheeks again.

'I don't want to lose anyone I… I'm close to, to him,' there it was again, some sort of hesitation as Lavi lifted his hand and brushed away the white strands that fell into her silvery eyes.

'Want to rephrase that?' he said slowly, Nella glared at him.

'I-I… love…' she was red again almost blending in her red scar over her left eye as Lavi leaned in and captured her lips before she had a chance to finish what she was saying.

As he kissed her, he felt her hesitation but she soon overcame that and responded by opening her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss. But as soon as they parted the sound of rustling leaves made them step back suddenly just as Lavi saw a blur of black beside him.

Before Lavi could comprehend what was happening, he stood back while hearing the whoosh and flash of some kind of blade and the icy trails along his skin before pain flooded across his skin as warm blood.

He lurched over, trying to stop him self from screaming in pain as clasped his hands over his right eye and the left side of his neck just as Nella screams began to slowly fade away.

Shit!

Lavi gritted his teeth as he ripped the bottom of his coat and wrapped it around his neck to secure the bleeding before he gave chase. The fog wasn't helping much but he could make out the dark shadowy figure threw the mist and Nella's screams.

He picked up pace before sweeping up a branch off the ground as he chased after the person who was no doubt the killer he had been tracking.

'Let her go you bastard,' Lavi called out but the loss of blood was making it difficult to follow the man without stumbling. The killer laughed before pausing and whipped around holding a blade against Nella's throat.

Lavi froze and stopped to as the hood fell away from the head of the killer revealing the dark curly hair of a young man close, if not older than himself. Golden eyes flashed through the dimness of the light as Lavi gripped on the branch, feeling like such an idiot.

'Seems like I just missed your jugular, what a pity,' the man whistled almost unsympathetically as Nella whimpered in his grip as she tried to squirm her way free. But it only resulted in having the blade pressed closer to her throat till a thin trail of red dripped from the blade.

Lavi's hand instinctively went to the nasty gush on his neck and almost thanked lady luck for that fortunate. But his main focus was to try to apprehend the killer while getting Nella back unharmed. Not like that was going to be an easy task as Lavi tried to take a step forward.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you,' the man hummed as he grabbed Nella's white hair and wrenched her head back exposing her neck further. Lavi could tell she was trying her best not to cry as the man ran his tongue along the side of her neck and up to her earlobe.

'Why did you kill so many people? What are you trying to achieve?' Lavi shouted as the man's golden eyes flickered over to him before returning the slender neck he was assaulting with his tongue and mouth.

'Jealous?'

'Just answer the question damnit!' Lavi flared as the man sighed and leaned against Nella's shoulder.

'For her,'

DUN DUN DUUUUN! Tune in next time to see the conclusion!

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