I'm so tired Dx definitely taking a two or three hour nap after this. I guess this'll count as my New Years gift to all of you. *yawns* well, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and thank you Hanashi o suru, slaeyen (your reviews are great. Thanks much for pointing that out before I forgot about it. I will gladly take those suggestions though! :D), Nora678, VeridianSoul, inuyashamunkey (?), and VocaloidAllenWalker for reviewing! ^u^ Oh yeah and quite a few titles haven't been guessed yet, so don't forget to guess the artists because there's gonna be some blank spaces...xP
"Okay." Klaud clapped as she finished prepping the store to open for business. "So. Whatcha got?" She asked and Allen took out a folder he grabbed from the house. He hadn't really used it lately to be honest, but he was lost on what else to do. The folder was quite thick and, in his opinion, ninety percent of crap. She blinked a few times. "Holy shit, kid. Obsessed much?"
"Well, most of it is actually really old and crap, some of it is decent but uncompleted and then five percent is actually the stuff I had the heart to finish." He informed, opening it and flipping through the different separators. "Of course I organized it." The blonde woman looked over her shoulder and pursed her lips.
"You dated it too?" She asked, seeing little dates like 'October 2nd' or 'December 13th.'
"OCD." Allen explained and she nodded her head in understanding. Her entire store was organized and if someone out one disk out of place then they'd have to rearrange the entire selection until it was perfect. She narrowed her eyes as she flipped through it.
"You said you joined the band just a few months ago and you knew about them three years ago?" Allen nodded.
"Actually, almost exactly three years. Around September."
"Allen."
"Hm?"
"This one is dated in October three years ago." Allen sighed, knowing exactly which one she was talking about.
"Just because I wasn't 'in' the band three years ago didn't mean I didn't want to be. It was either date Lavi at the time or join. And I decided to stay with Lavi."
"Cute." She commented lamely, flipping through some more. Allen rolled his eyes. "So...you write for every part except...?"
"Guitar. I'm not very good at it. One of my friends tried teaching me but I didn't get very far."
"Far enough." She mumbled. Even the papers dated back three years ago were in top condition. He really took care of it despite the fact that some pages had collected dust.
"I got an idea."
"Hm?" Allen hummed as she set it down in front of him.
"So they get out at three right? I'll just pick out pages and give them to you. You have to play them until the others get here. You'll have a thirty minute break every two and a half hours. "Sound fair?"
What a pushover.
"Yep."
Lenalee furrowed her eyebrows at the blank piece of paper below her. This was a lot harder than she thought. How could Allen and Lavi write songs so easily? "Hey, Lenalee?" Lavi spoke, his voice laced with amusement as he watched her glare at the paper.
"What is it, Lav?" She asked, shifting her glare onto the guitarist. "If you mock me I will kick you." Lavi held his hands up defensively.
"No mocking on this side." He paused and wondered if maybe he shouldn't talk to her about this. "I need to talk to you about something more...difficult."
"More difficult than writing a damned song?"
"Yes. I'm pretty sure you're farther than Yuu anyways."
"I haven't written a single damn thing." She seethed.
"Exactly."
Okay, she had to admit that was a little funny.
"Okay, Lavi, what is so much more difficult than writing a song?"
"Allen."
"Um...what? Allen is difficult?"
"What? No...not that...I just. God damn." He sighed and slumped against the table. "I want to talk about Allen." Her eyebrows shot high.
"Oh? What about?"
"I'm starting to feel again." He whined. "Seriously though, I feel so stupid around him...and then I do really stupid things and I feel weird again."
"So...what you're saying is that you're crushing on Allen?"
"That's a way to put it." He mumbled. Honestly,
"And you're talking to me about this why? Go talk to him about it."
"I can't. I feel like he's still mad at me." He paused and tapped his fingers on the table. "I'm also kinda thinking that he and Kanda have something together." Lenalee resisted the urge to show a knowing look on her face. Lavi could catch things like that from a mile away. He could tell when someone knew something and he didn't. Lenalee spent so much time perfecting her...unknowing poker face?
"Don't you think that's..." She trailed off, trying to find the right word for it.
"Stupid? Yeah, they fight and insult each other and things but you remember when Kanda and I had...a...whatever we had? He acts just like that towards Allen!"
"...I have no clue what you're talking about." She lied. Lavi huffed and hit his head on the table.
"Well I guess you wouldn't understand...it is Kanda after all. But I seriously think they have some love/hate relationship and that they're keeping it a secret." He complained. A light bulb went off in Lenalee's head. It was like all the lyrics to her new song she was going to write just...came to her.
"Lavi. Just. Somewhat hide it."
"Eh?"
"You don't want him to know unless you're for sure he likes you one hundred percent back, right? I'm saying be yourself, dork. Acting like you don't care isn't like you. Just don't let it slip. You're a flirtatious player anyways so he probably won't take you seriously." Lavi blinked before cheering.
"You're a genius Lena!" He sang and hugged her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find Daisya to ask him about something."
That wasn't the first time someone was going to ask Lenalee for advice that day or just in general.
"Hey, Lenalee?" This time it was Daisya who slid next to her. He was quite impressed with how far she'd gotten. He hadn't gotten that far and he was pretty sure Kanda hadn't even written a single world down nor did he think that Kanda would even write a song. The two of them had agreed that since Allen and Lavi wrote a lot of songs, that the rest of them had to at least write one song.
"Yes, Daisya~?" She asked cheerfully. Ever since Lavi inspired her to write a good song, she's been happy all day. Hopefully whatever Daisya had to say wouldn't ruin her good mood.
"I'm not sure whether to be in a good mood because you're happy or whether I should be scared." Lenalee rolled her eyes at the brunet's words.
"Just talk to me."
"Right. Well, it's about Allen-"
"Are you serious? What is it with everyone and Allen today?" She asked incredulously. Daisya raised a suspecting eyebrow. "Forget it. What were you saying?"
"Well, you, Lavi, and Kanda have been hanging out with him for a pretty long time, right?"
"Kind of...why?"
"Well, I haven't really talked to him as much as you guys have..." He trailed off.
"If you want to hang out with Allen just do it, Daisya, you don't need permission. Allen may be angry with Kanda but that's just normal. He won't be angry with you even if you are Kanda's brother."
"If you say so. Thanks...I guess..." The bassist mumbled awkwardly and walked off.
She highly doubted Kanda would ask her about Allen that day too so she continued on, hoping she wouldn't have to give out anymore advice. She felt like the mother of the band. "Hey." Kanda muttered when he came to pick them all up from school. He was already off work and she got there a lot earlier than Lavi and Daisya-as expected of course. Lavi and Daisya were usually goofing off to the point of having Kanda drag their asses out of the building.
"Don't tell me you have a problem with Allen too." Lenalee's eye twitched. Kanda seemed taken aback by her assumption-because she was right, of course-and soon narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"Who has a problem with Allen?"
"Not like-" She suddenly stopped talking. You called him Allen...she wanted to say aloud, but then she knew he'd get pretty pissed off if she did. "...that..." She finished uncertainly. "Daisya and Lavi are just touchy around him since he's now actually in the band, you know?" She lied and continued, "so, what did you need?"
"...never mind." He grumbled and she felt like she missed out on something important. This was Kanda after all and he wanted to talk about the supposed problem the the brat he supposedly hated. Her fingers itched to get back to her song but she had to deal with it for now.
"Yuu~!" Lavi called and tried glomping the eldest, only to fall to the floor as Kanda smacked him straight to the ground. The redhead complained until Kanda told him to get the fuck in the van and he obeyed.
"I wonder how Allen's been doing." Lavi thought aloud and Daisya seemed like he wanted to say something but just kept his mouth shut.
Being in a band with a bunch of guys certainly sucked.
When they got them, Klaud was riding his ass to the ground. She smacked him over the head for going over his break by a few seconds and when he complained about it, she smacked him again. Then she said something they didn't hear and he blushed before quickly returning to his seat. A girl seemed to be fawning over him just a couple yards away and she also seemed to work there as well. "They should be getting here in a little bit so play one last song before they get here. Play that newer one you were talking about."
"Yes ma'am." Allen drawled and she smirked, crossing her arms. He started playing in a certain kind of string that Lavi couldn't quite place but it sounded amazing. Lavi and the others blinked when they got a good look at the girl that was fawning over him even more now. It was Lou Fa. That must have been quite an interesting reunion.
"Please sing to me,
I can see you open up to breathe.
Fast words make it easier on me,
If the point is never disappoint you,
Somebody's got to tell me what to do."
What?
"Just wish you could've seen me
When it used to come so easy.
I like to say it's easy to stay
But it's not for me,
Cause I'm barely here at all."
This was most definitely a newer song. Lavi could often catch Allen humming songs that he'd never heard before and since the two had the same taste in music, he knew that it couldn't have been a published song. That it was a song that he himself had created. He never said anything about it, but he did try to catch him singing the tunes. Of course, he never got to, but he didn't even hear this one hummed before. The pace slowed down a bit and the music faded as Allen sang right before the chorus.
"Slow down now, the secret's out
And I swear now everything is perfect."
The music completely stopped for a split second before Allen's voice became a lot more passionate as he sang the chorus. The lyrics...well, they didn't sound like something Allen would sing but hell were they catchy.
"What you want, what you need
Has been killing me
Try to be everything that you want me to be
I'll say yes, I'll undress
I've done more for less
Now I'll change everything until it's perfect again."
Okay. Hold on. 'I'll say yes, I'll undress, I've done more for less'? That sounded vaguely sexual and honestly, none of them knew how to react to that. He switched to a different verse before the next chorus.
"Coming down, coming around
Giving a frown to the sound when I hit the ground
I hate the way that I say I should say
When I know that I don't give a fuck about it anyway"
Holy what? Did Allen just say fuck in a song? Hell, did he just say fuck in general? Saying fuck was something Allen did not do often. The three of them simply stared at him in disbelief and wonder. Lavi figured that maybe that was the reason he didn't show them this song. Even though it seemed slightly...no, really private, he was singing it in front of so many strangers he didn't know. Then again when you talk to a stranger about your problems, it's not like they actually know you so they wouldn't judge you as much as if they actually knew you. Which probably meant that Allen didn't know that they were listening at the moment, otherwise he'd probably refuse to sing it no matter what punishment Klaud gave him.
"Shake hands, and shoot smiles all around,
As I sell my body by the pound
Sign my name on the dotted line,
It would be fate, no to resuscitate."
Okay, yeah. Lavi had had enough. He was definitely going to question Allen about such a song as this. He was pretty sure the others had their own questions for him as well. He sung the chorus again before a new verse came into play and Allen's voice got a lot more higher than Lavi thought it could even go.
"I think it's better this way,
This is good in a bad way.
It's better this way.
I'll make this perfect again.
I'll make this perfect again."
The young teen sang the chorus for the last time, it was a little more extended than the previous ones, but it was still the same nonetheless. Klaud clapped appreciatively at the song. "My favorite one yet, though I do slightly question the lyrics." She said a bit uncertainly.
"No, I don't actually sell my body." Allen replied, rolling his eyes.
"Obviously."
"How would you know?" Allen countered.
"Oh trust me, I can tell it in someone's eyes."
"If you say so." Allen shrugged.
"That was great, Walker!" Lou Fa suddenly burst. Allen blushed a bit at the compliment and smiled at her.
"Thanks, Lou Fa." She blushed even darker than him and scurried off to help a customer, who certainly didn't want her attention.
"Yo, Allen!" Lavi called and said Brit looked over to see his friends walking over.
"Good afternoon, Lavi."
"Hey, Allen! Think fast!" Daisya called and threw a water bottle. Allen quickly caught it before it could hit his shoulder and looked down at it curiously before smiling gently.
"Thanks, Daisya."
"No problem. You look like you need it."
"No kidding." He grumbled, giving Klaud a pointed look. The strict woman simply smirked.
"Hey, I've been getting a lot of business because of you, think of how many people will crowd up whenever the rest of you play!" The bell hinged up on the door rang and everyone looked over towards the door with mild surprise (except for Klaud).
"Tyki?" They all questioned. He greeted them and stopped in front of Allen before pulling out a card and handing it to him. Allen blinked several times before taking it. A debit card? He thought and looked up at Tyki questioningly.
"You'd understand if you actually answered your phone." The man explained and Allen quickly took out his phone to see he had three messages. "You're quite hard to find, you know." He said and ruffled Allen's hair as he read the messages.
Received: Tyki Mikk, 10:06am - I just got back from court. Sheryl said he didn't care and went ahead to deposit the money in my bank. I'm making an account for you and I'll just put it all in there.
Received: Tyki Mikk, 12:28pm - ...you're not home, are you?
Received: Tyki Mikk, 3:01pm - You're welcome.
"...OH!" Allen jumped. Tyki smiled at the action and rose an eyebrow when Allen rose his eyebrow. "Wait, how much?"
"Call it and you'll know soon enough. I'm a little busy at the moment though so I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah...thanks..." Allen mumbled.
"No problem. Get better soon though, got it?"
"Yep..."
Allen hated the awkward feeling between them.
After Tyki had left the store, everyone looked over at him and honestly he felt like shrinking away. Sheryl was bloody rich. God knows how much was on this card. Hopefully however much it was it could last him until Cross returned. "What was that about and why did Tyki just give you money?"
"You're not actually selling your body, are you?" Klaud asked darkly and Allen's face went beet red.
"Dear Christ, no!" He shouted.
"Then why...?"
"It's a private matter..." Allen grumbled, stuffing the card in his pocket for later. "I've been working my arse off all day so now I think it's your turn to do the same." He huffed, crossing his arms. The others were actually pretty excited about it and didn't hesitate to start working.
They had no idea what they were getting into.
By the end of the day, they were all sore as they piled up into the van. For once, Kanda declined the option to drive so Lavi took the wheel. They stopped by a gas station for gas and Lavi nearly dropped to the floor and passed out. "I regret ever being excited..." He mumbled and slumped against Allen just as he was about to slide his new card and the two of them fell over.
"If you can't stand, how do you propose I feel? I've been working longer than you!" He hissed.
"Carry me~!" Lavi whined, laying his head on Allen's chest.
"Off with you." Allen grumbled, shoving him to the floor.
"How could you be so heartless." Lavi sang and Allen rolled his eyes, sliding the card through the machine after he pulled himself up. Luckily there wasn't a line. He really didn't want to hold up a line or waste her time. She looked to be in a bad mood to begin with. He did apologize and she handed him his receipt. Allen looked down at Allen expectedly.
"Come on, Lavi." He huffed.
"I caaaan't I'm too tired...you drive." He whined and flopped down on the ground. Allen rolled his eyes and bent down to grab Lavi's hand with his right and helped him to his feet. The redhead whined and clung to Allen as they walked out of the station and towards the van. "I don't wanna driiiiive!" Lavi complained as Allen opened the driver's door and shoved him inside, slamming the door and nearly getting his foot. "You're so cruel." He whined as Allen climbed into the back. "Whose house are we crashing at?"
"Well, I've got to go home or my brother will freak so I assume mine." Lenalee yawned, holding a hand to her mouth and watching as Allen's eyelids slowly fell and his head copied the actions and soon he just fell over...
...on Kanda's shoulder.
The teen's eyes snapped open and he glared at Allen dangerously. His body was completely stiff and it really looked like he was just trying to process what to do. Lenalee stifled a giggle and closed her eyes, leaning up against Daisya's seat. The ride was silent and short and Lenalee had called beforehand to make sure her brother prepared to have them all over. He declared that none of them would be allowed upstairs since that's where Lenalee's room was. So, Daisya and Kanda were set up on the couch and Lavi declared that he was sleeping with Allen before collapsing on the pile of thick blankets. Allen didn't even care anymore and collapsed beside the redhead. He didn't even move when the redhead cuddled against him. Kanda was most definitely not too keen on the idea and glared at them. He then realized something a bit drastic and he really didn't know how to take it. He knew he was most definitely jealous even though he'd never admit it.
The problem was, he didn't know who he was jealous of.