Hana: I'm actually quite proud of this chapter.
Richie: Hana, I think you're getting close to catching up at this rate.
Hana: I know...and I hadn't had time to write. -sighs- I think I may need to adjust my schedule for the time being.
Allen: Adjust...? It's not going to be twice a month anymore?
Hana: Most likely not. In the mean time, I don't own D. Gray-man. I only own my OC!
Richie/Allen: Enjoy the new chapter.
... ... ... ...
+ - Night 37 – New Home - +
I was relieved to finally be done with missions for the time being. I stretched my tired limbs, as I walked down the familiar halls of the Order. Months had gone by, and we were still moving to our new home. I hadn't seen it, though I have 'seen' it, and I had to say, it wasn't half bad. I was hoping for a room with a view this time, but I think for the most part rooms are always assigned.
Maybe I'd get lucky? "These halls are so dead now, huh, Escuro?" I asked my ever-faithful Golem as he zipped out of my overcoat. My new uniform was perhaps my favorite thus far. Rather than black and white, it was now black and red. Red to represent the blood that spilled during our battles, and lives we had lost because of it.
My jacket fit me snugly, even hugging my curves in just the right places on my body. There were four red buttons that kept the torso shut, and then a twin golden chain that extended from the gold-framed button-thing on the left to the small red shoulder-link on my right. Three chains hung from the circle, a simple décor piece. A silver bar rested next to it, with four little crosses aligned more towards the right. Under it was the ever-known crest of the Order. The Rose Cross, now within its own silver plate, with a ribbon design crossing over the bottom point of the crest.
Like my coat before this one, it was technically a turtleneck, unlike the other, this one was better fitted so I could actually close it. My hair had gotten longer — naturally this time —since the beginning of our move. My silver strands reaching my shoulders, though I still never tied it back…despite Lenalee's protests.
"Ri-Ri!" I heard Lavi call out, as he ran to meet me. I turned and smiled, though I did have an annoyed tick near my temple. "Hey, how's it going?"
"Well, we're finally so close to moving." I pointed out. "I'm just stoked, and sad to be going."
"Aw, getting all sentimental~?"
"Perhaps?" I shrugged. "In the end, I'm just glad I'll be done with missions for the time being."
"Y'know, you're super different now, Richie." Lavi pointed out. "You speak more naturally, less forced to not try and speak all aristocrat-y, y'know?"
"For real?" I asked, surprised. "Like, I'm talking like me and not me?"
"Um…yes?" The eye-patched male was confused, but my statement made perfect sense to me.
"Never actually realized that, to be honest. I mean, I figured I changed, and not just because of my new threads." I couldn't help but joke. A sudden thought came across me, and I quickly reached behind me to pull out the silver chain that held the charm I never managed to get rid of, "Lavi, is there anything at all you know about this charm?"
"I was wondering when that little thing was gonna show itself to me." Lavi mused, "I hadn't seen it since we were on the Ark. Why bring it up now?"
"You said you may have seen this before, do you remember who and where?"
"It was two aliases ago…that version of myself met a girl who had this very necklace around her neck. Her features were hidden beneath a cloak, but you could tell she was pretty underweight, and malnourished."
"…are you saying this thing belonged to a commoner girl?"
"That's what I recall. I don't think she nessciarly stole it. But it's definitely too cheap for any noble woman…"
"The only jewelry I officially wear are the stud earrings that pierce my lobes and the dual studs on my left ear's helix."
"I always wondered why you didn't pierce the other helix…did you foresee our new communicators?"
"Nah. I just really liked the outcome…the communicators were a total surprise." I admitted, before once again, I placed the finer jewelry back into the pouch I took it from. "If I ever find this girl you say it came from, I hope I could give it back to her."
Lavi nodded in amusement, before grinning his ever-infamous grin. "Gramps and I are gonna head to the new Headquarters soon. Feel up to sneaking with? We're gonna be doing Bookman stuff, but you should be able to check up on Allen."
"Aren't you gonna get scolded for allow me to sneak in? I'm not supposed to be there until tomorrow, after all."
"It's fine, it's fine. Actually…Bookman was the one to suggest you come with us." That…actually surprised me.
"Why?"
"Because perhaps seeing Allen Walker will rest your frazzled nerves right now." The raspy voice called from behind Lavi and I. "We best be getting ready. I assume you're good at the moment, Miss Linhagem?"
"Ah! Yeah!" I said. "Are you…sure it's fine if I tag along though?"
"I'm pretty sure you won't get in our way of our job." Lavi pointed out. "Besides, it'd be an uplifting surprise to Allen too."
I nodded. It seemed like I'd be one of the first to check out our new Home. The thought made me smile a little. "Let's head to the gate."
"Right." Lavi and I said in union.
. . - * - . .
"Now they're all set up! Good job!" I heard Johnny say from the other side of the Gate.
"I'm looking forward to everyone's arrival tomorrow." Allen's voice sounded.
"Hey, wanna stay up playing chess all night?" Johnny asked.
Lavi took that as his own personal cue to make his appearance to the ones outside the entryway. "Helllooooo~!" He greeted. "Nice work~!"
"It's cold in here." Bookman muttered. I chuckled lightly, before stepping through the gate myself.
"Hey Shortcake!" I called out.
"Richie!"
"Hey, departure is tomorrow Lavi, Richie!"
"Bookman said I could tag along to see how my little brother is doing." I said.
"Are you sleep-walking?" Allen asked the red-head.
"Of course not." Lavi said, bopping Allen with the side of his hand on the younger male's forehead.
"We are just here on our own business." Bookman clarified.
"Not half bad here." I mused. "I feel super lucky being able to see all this beforehand."
"Your own business, was it Bookman?" My form stiffened, as I looked around Allen surely enough seeing the very man I loathe. "And good work to you, too, Allen Walker."
"What do you want with Allen?" I asked, glaring at the man before us.
"That is none of your concern, Mr. Linhagem." I side glanced to Link, didn't he tell his boss I was female? I would've thought he did, unless…
It wasn't important to his investigation. Of course. Typical bowl-cut twin mole.
"Come with me, I'll need you to follow my orders now." Lvellie said, leaving no room for an argument. Some of the robed people with that man stepped in front of me, preventing my leave when I took a step to follow after.
"I guess the reunion is cut a little short." Lavi said, looking apologetic. "Sorry about that."
"He…can take care of himself." I said. "I'm sure he can, at least." I was promptly ushered away to a different room, but I still took some time to at least admire the architecture of the interior of our home.
. . - * - . .
"Johnny! Richie!" Lenalee called out from her spot on the couch. On the way to what I now knew to be a library, I had bumped into Johnny who was curious as to why Lvellie was here of all places.
"Hey." I greeted.
"Lenalee, what's going on?" Johnny asked, "Why is Lvellie here?"
"Apparently he's here on special business from Central." The Chinese girl began to explain. "I hadn't heard anything about it…where's Allen?"
"He was taken away last I saw him." I said, and then these guys took me here."
"They bound his left arm, and took him away." Johnny said, "I tried following, but they wouldn't let me."
"Same. That's why I'm here now."
"Do you think…he'll be okay?" The question was directed to both of us, but I felt most of it was for me.
"It's Allen, I'm sure he'll be fine, Johnny." I tried to comfort him.
"But…I just have a bad feeling about this." The bespectacled scientist continued, "Will he…come back?"
The atmosphere was tense around us, and I bit my lip, thinking of any way I could make the situation a little more bearable to everyone. "Then, we'll wait right here!"
"Wait?"
"Allen will be fine." I said, "He's strong, he'll get through it. We need to be strong too, and be there for him when he returns here."
The duo with me looked to another, before looking back to me with determination. "You're right! We should be strong for Allen's sake too!" Lenalee said.
"Yeah!" Johnny agreed.
(* - *)
"ARGH! I'M SO WORRIED I CAN'T EVEN READ!" Johnny exclaimed, barely ten minutes later.
"The rain…hasn't stopped." Lenalee whispered.
"Y-yeah…I hate the rain. It always makes me feel mopey."
"Mmhm." Lenalee agreed.
"I like the rain, personally." I said. "I feel like it's a way to wipe one's slate clean…y'know?"
Silence.
"Let's stay up until Allen comes back." Johnny said with conviction. I rolled my eyes, smiling fondly.
"Alright. First to fall asleep loses." I said.
"I'm not making any bets with you." Both Lenalee and Johnny said.
"Never said it was a bet." I pointed out. "Either way…I think we have a long way to go before we're seeing Allen tonight."
"But we're still gonna try!' Johnny said with conviction.
"Fair enough." I chuckled. "Then we'll wait."
(* - *)
I grumbled, as I cracked my working eye open. It was super late, and I wasn't sure if I was actually seeing anyone, or if I was dreaming. "Short…cake…?"
Lenalee groaned, waking up at my mumbled surprise, before completely snapping out of it, seeing what I thought I'd been dreaming. "ALLEN!?"
And then I was awake. When did I fall asleep?
"Where's my brother?"
"He's still in there, talking." Allen said, "Lenalee, Richie, don't move, or you might wake up Johnny."
"Johnny…?" Oh, that's why I was warm sleeping. Johnny had become my pillow. Lenalee, in turn, was basically his. "And Irmão didn't have a fit?"
"I don't think he knows." Allen pointed out.
"Is…your cheek swollen?" Lenalee asked, taking notice of the swelling on his cheek. I hadn't even noticed it…
"My master hit me."
"You okay, Shortcake?" I asked.
"Um…yeah…" I knew enough about him to know when something was bothering him. He wasn't fooling anyone when he brushed it off. "It's nothing."
"Of course, it isn't." I muttered under my breath.
"Why're you so unbelieving?" Allen asked, confused.
"You've got a way to go before you can pull the wool over my eyes." I told him. Lenalee looked to me in confusion, but the matter was otherwise dropped.
We spent the rest of the time we were awake for talking about everything and nothing. Little things. Before long, we grew weary once again, Lenalee fell asleep on Allen's shoulder, I eventually fell asleep on Johnny once more. Though at some point he had shifted from her shoulder to her lap.
I wish we had more moments like we had that night.
But with the rising sun that morning…was a mourning silence of a man lost to us.
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Like I said, I might change my schedule. It depends on how much I can get written from here to the next time I update. If I can manage enough chapters, I'll continue as I have been for this work, but until then, we'll just have to wait and see.
As always, R&R doesn't stand for Rest and Relaxation no matter how much I might need it. Leave a review and lemme know how I'm doing. If you wanna show your love to this work, favorite it, and don't forget to follow so you never miss a new chapter when it goes live! And until next time, I'll see you guys again on...
Clean Slate!