Kanda woke up slowly, breathing in the scent of his partner in bed, a smile crept across his features even before he opened his eyes to find himself spooning behind Amber Marian, the two them burrowed beneath his blue sheets and thick comforter. He nestled himself more tightly behind her, pressing his face into her hair and enjoying the softness of her bare skin against him. Unbeknownst to him, this affectionate touch was enough to stir the redhead awake.

"Well, well," she said, her voice raspy as she came sleepily awake. "Good morning to you too."

He brushes his lips against her temple, kissing it gently and mumbling back a lazy response to her good morning. She lets out a soft laugh as she stretched, pressing her back against him before turning to face him; her brilliant red hair fanned out on the white pillow, "Looks like that wasn't a dream I had last night."

Kanda frowns, his forehead against hers, "Did you want it to be?"

She looks into his eyes, her voice soft, "Yuu, if I could help it, all I want to do is just be here with you in both reality and dreams."

The man's eyes softens, he cups her cheek with his dominant hand before kissing her gently. Amber responds with passion, her hands on his chest as he moves his hands to her hips, moaning slightly at her eagerness.

The kiss was forced to stop when there was knocking at the door. Kanda growled before angrily asking what did the person want. It was Lavi's voice that spoke from the other end of the door asking him to get ready for breakfast. Kanda responded with an annoyed fine and Amber tried her best not to giggle.
Once they were sure the coast was clear, Amber got out of bed and Kanda groans, annoyed.

"Kit"

"Mmm?" she hums as she picks up her shirt and wears it over her head swiftly.

"Are we going to talk about last night?"

Amber frowns, wearing her jacket next, "What is there to talk about? We kissed, we made out, took off each other's shirts, we cuddled...is it anything new between us?"

"Well no but you know how I feel and we been doing and saying all these things yet we haven't exactly talked about what exactly we are."

Amber moves to the vanity mirror, picking up his comb to brush through her long locks, her tone nonchalant, "Is it really that important? We're in the middle of a war right now."

"I love you!"

Startled the red head turns seeing Kanda had already sat up, his expression serious.

"Yuu... I know that but-"

"You don't love me?"

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"Then what are you saying?" Kanda gets up from the bed, moving toward her and she steps back, pressing against the vanity table.

Kanda closes the gap between them, his hands lifting her face to meet eyes with her directly, "Is it the age difference?"

She blinked at him confused, "We're only 3 years apart? It's not that bad."

Kanda froze, now the swordsman was confused. He remembered clear as day that Amber introduced herself as 12 years old when they first met. Its been about almost a year and a half, she would be 13 about now right?

"Kanda Yuu, I'm turning 15 this year."

"B-but-"

"I turned 13 within the month we first met. I'm 14 now, my 15th birthday is this year."

Kanda was so baffled that first, as much as they had talked, they had never revealed birthdays and now he is realizing that he wasn't as much of a pervert as he had secretly hated himself to feel. Amber was literally older that he was led to believe which means he didn't have to torture himself as long as he initially thought. He could ask her to marry him in 3 years.

Wait what?

"Yuu!"

She looks up at him, the golden flecks in her eyes sparkling. He doesn't hesitate, he kisses her hard on the mouth, surprising the redhead.

Amber felt something that it made her heart flutter, Kanda Yuu was kissing her with more depth than she had ever felt before. Something inside him had opened; all the tension and uncertainty Yuu had about their relationship fled in that moment. This kiss wasn't sexual, none of their kisses were in her opinion, passionate sure but never lustful but this kiss...was the most emotion she had ever felt from him. A single tear fell down her cheek as she kisses him back, this stoic man was giving himself to her, letting himself be vulnerable.

Damn it, I do love him.

Lavi eyed Amber and Kanda suspiciously, something was different about them. They looked at each other more but Amber was constantly blushing as if she was shy about something that had happened between them whereas there was something soft and dare he say it romantic look Kanda gave Amber each time he locked eyes with her.

Lavi was going insane, not knowing what happened between them.

He turned to look at Amber now. She looked so damn beautiful in her plaid print skirt set and matching cropped long sleeve polo shirt. She had on thigh high black socks and heeled leather shoes that made her as tall as Leenalee. She had put on minimal makeup, her face the center of attention with her hair done up masterfully in a intricately double braided bun. He could look at her face all damn day and he would never get tired of it.

Suddenly, he hears Johnny exclaiming something about a brilliant clown so he turns his head to see a loudly dressed clown balancing his body with one hand on a giant ball. Lavi frowns, as the clown moved and met eyes with him. The one eyed redhead frowned even more, seeing the clown tense in body language. Did this clown get anxious because of his uniform or did Lavi know this man?

Amber froze in the middle of her conversation with Leenalee, her cone ice cream melting in her hand. She could feel a chill going up her spine. Something was happening. It was like a monstrous rumbling was echoing in her head.

I feel the 14th...

I feel the 14th...

I sense...a NOAH!

People started screaming and running away from the large Akuma that phased upward from the ground and swallowed the performing clown in one of its mouths.

Kanda rushed forward, about to draw his Mugen when the ground started to shake, he immediately turned to Amber who was holding on to Leenalee, sitting on their knees on the ground. Lavi and Johnny were nearby holding onto a tree. He wanted to shout at her to get to safety when he hears a loud explosion from behind him. He turns immediately and stares at the familiar mask standing out monster the white fire.

He stares as Allen comes out from the mouth of the akuma, his costume deflated and his hair now flat against his ears instead of the weird clown updo that was going on, "Moyashi!"

Allen didn't look, he was mentally prepared to make a run for it knowing his cover was blown but he was tackled by Johnny who was crying heavily saying something about he was worried along with everyone else and he was so glad he was safe. Allen wanted to hug the man back and thank him for his sincerity but he couldn't because Kanda had already grabbed him by his Innocence coat and shoved him to the side. Before he could take a breath, Kanda was on top of him with his knee to his chest.

"Should have guessed. You were raised by a clown after all isn't that right Moyashi?"

"It's Allen!"

Lavi appeared next to Kanda with a handkerchief. Kanda blinked confused until he sees Lavi's hand advance toward Allen's face. Johnny covers his ears as Allen screamed in agony as Lavi started aggressively cleaning his clown makeup off.

Lavi had just about finished when Leenalee came up and pulled Lavi backward, "You trying to peel the skin off his face?!"

Leenalee dropped to her knees, looking at Allen with his natural features and his skin slightly reddish, she wanted to say something but she wasn't sure what she could say. They found him but what could they say to get him to willingly come back?

Lavi studied Allen's face studiously, "Looks like you haven't turned to the 14th yet huh..."

"Allen"

He looks up seeing Amber looking at him upside down. She looked so pretty and looked so much like Master Cross, he felt his heart ache. He wondered whether she knew about his death too."

Allen, what happened to Link? How did he die? We found him dead in your cell. I need an explanation."

Everyone watched as genuine surprise and grief took over Allen's features, "Link...is dead?"