White Demon, Red Scribe
A D Gray-Man and Assassin's Creed Revelations Crossover

Allen made it to Lavi's house before the bookman could come back. He washed his hands again, hastily scrubbing the blood away for the second time that day.

He was still shaking.

He threw the cloth into the bucked, as if it burnt him. He had thrown the heart away but he couldn't take the armor with him. He had to rest. He desperately needed to clear his head.

Laying down on Lavi's bed, Allen curled up in a tight ball in hope that his body would finally stop trembling.

This time, the nightmare-filled sleep claimed him almost immediately.

Returning to his place, Lavi found Allen still there, relief that he knew he shouldn't have felt pricking him. All the same, he felt that something wasn't entirely right as he locked the door and stepped further in, pulling off his boots. Allen was trembling and moving listlessly in distress, but asleep. Nightmares, he realized immediately.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he tried to shake the man awake by his shoulder.

"Allen, wake up."

Allen jerked awake with a startled cry, gripping Lavi's hand. He stared at the redhead in confusion as he tried to catch his breath. Lavi waited for Allen to regain some of his bearings once he was awake. He knew Allen had nightmares. He'd had them sometimes when Lavi knew him before, but they were rarely so violent. He couldn't help but wonder how often Allen had them, but he could set the question aside for a short while.

"I-I'm sorry-" The assassin stammered, letting go of the hand. Taking one last, deep breath to steady himself, Allen inquired about his errands. "Did you find anyone to deliver the letter?"

Hopefully, Lavi would not notice anything wrong.

"Yeah, don't worry. I found someone to take them." After a moment, he added, "Someone very capable. They'll get there safely. Anyway," he hummed, watching Allen critically. "Are you okay? You're really pale."

"I-I´m fine! Really, no worries... I just had a...um, a bad dream. Nothing to worry about," Allen quickly assured him, plastering a smile onto his face. "Someone reliable, eh? That's good, that's good. So, what are we going to do now?"

He needed to distract him somehow... the quicker the better...

"Y'know you really are a bad liar," Lavi jibed somberly, not the least bit fooled and not that easily derailed from a subject or made to forget. People didn't have nightmares that badly over nothing, and he wasn't afraid to say it like it was. "If you need to talk about it, you know I'll listen." He gave Allen a meaningful look, before turning his gaze elsewhere. "All the same, if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine too. It's not like I'm going to force it out of you, but don't insult my intelligence. I'm here for you either way you want to take it."

"It is nothing. Really." Allen smiled. "It´s just me being stupid. Please, just forget it." He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Sure as hell he's not going to tell Lavi about the little "gift" he received. His heart started to race in his chest every time he thought about it.

"What about the armor by the way? Will the boy come?"

Lavi nodded and leaned back slightly, propping himself by one arm and instinctively rubbing Allen's back comfortingly with the other. Allen wouldn't talk about it, but this much he could do, at least.

"Yeah. In three days, when the armor is done, he said," the redhead confirmed.

"Good, good. So, dinner?" Allen asked, feeling even worse when Lavi comforted him after he lied to him. He started pacing around the room. "But anyway... you should talk to the boy alone. It is safer that way. I'll come to get the armor from you. But I was thinking - maybe it would be better to talk to him as soon as possible. The information he seemed to be hiding could be very important. Oh, and how long did you say the letter would take to arrive? I hope not too long..." Allen ranted, glancing out of the window every now and then. "Did you see any assassins, by the way?"

"The blacksmith was very insistent about three days, since he said it will take that long to finish the armor. I don't think we're going to get much better than that. The letter will probably take a week and a half to reach where it's supposed to go, so maybe three weeks to a month before we hear back. And yeah, your friends still don't seem to trust me. Haven't yet taken their eyes off me. 'saw one of them following me earlier," Lavi explained, his single eye following Allen as he made small laps around his room. Allen obviously wasn't doing alright, despite his words, but Lavi didn't draw attention. "And yeah, we can do dinner. Do you want to eat here, or...?"

Allen grit his teeth. Of course they wouldn't listen to him when he needed it most! Damn those assassins! He will have a looooong talk with Kanda after he comes back.

Or if he comes back...

The white-haired male glared out of the window, cursing under his breath.

"Oh, sorry," he murmured when he snapped out of his momentary agitation, "Yeah, can we eat here? I don't feel like going out anymore." Definitely not going out when the hunter still lurked around. He had been outside with Lavi for way too long for his liking. "I will pay you for the food later."

Lavi nodded understandingly.

"Alright, I'm gonna run out and get some stuff for us to eat. It shouldn't take me long, so just sit tight, alright?" Lavi informed, working on his boots. He left to buy a few things and returned within the hour, thinking that maybe dinner would help Allen's mood pick up anyway, joking "I have returned with sustenance!" as he came back with the food, handing some off to the white-haired man. Nothing terribly fancy, but still good and hot. Hopefully the warm food would help him sleep better, too.

Allen accepted the food with a smile and a polite nod.

He was incredibly hungry since he hadn't eaten anything since the previous day but even despite that he couldn't bring himself to eat with his usual enthusiasm.

It wasn't as if he had never seen gruesome scenes full of blood and severed body parts or something in that sense but he couldn't get the image of the heart out of his head. He had seen cruelties that would make a regular person stop eating meat for a long time and he never felt anything, but after receiving an actual human heart as a gift was a little too much even for him.

He could still feel the blood on his hands.

"I'm done," Allen said after finishing only a half of his portion, excusing himself from Lavi's company and closing himself in the bathroom again to calm his racing heart and mind down.

Lavi was glad to see a slight spark return once he brought Allen food, but it was only a spark, and it faded fast. Allen was still too troubled by whatever was going on, and probably by his own thoughts and fears, to really enjoy it. To not even finish eating at all and instead excuse himself to find some privacy. And for Allen, that was saying a lot. A lot more than most people.

Lavi knew Allen hid a lot behind words of false reassurance and masks. He could understand that to some level because, in a lot of ways, he was the same. He was always having to lie and wear masks of one kind or another, to the point that the line between the real 'him' and those masks were blurred even to his own mind. It went beyond what was natural and normal for most people even though everyone technically put on masks to some degree to protect or hide something. He'd been training himself to be that way for so long for his job though, he really didn't know any other way to be. Allen was somewhat the same in that regard, though for wholly different reasons, but Lavi understood it.

It was a necessity neither of them could simply break out of, so Lavi didn't try to force him to, only tentatively reminded the other that he'd be there to listen if or when Allen felt comfortable enough to expose whatever was bothering him rather than hide it. He'd talk when he was ready, and no sooner.

Lavi finished his own meal and set Allen's aside in a container for if he decided to come back to it later, and made himself more comfortable with a book while he waited, kicking off his shoes. At the very least, he was a patient person, so he would give Allen as much time and space as he needed, so long as he didn't do anything recklessly stupid and endangering. Likewise, if Allen needed closeness and an ear to listen, he would provide that too.

Alllen came out a good half an hour later, his typical ´nothing-is-wrong´ mask in place. "Sorry!" He chirped in but said no more to explain himself. "Uhm," he started unsurely, looking around. "Where did you put my belts and the pouches?" he asked, staring at Lavi.

Lavi mentally marked his page and flipped the book he was reading shut, standing up to replace it to its proper place. He pointed just behind Allen.

"They're right next to my bag there," he directed. After he put the book back to its shelf, he sat on his bed again and pulled off his bandana, shaking his hair out and raking it back with his fingers. "Anyway, you should probably try to relax. It's been a long day. I can even give you a massage or something if it helps?" he offered lightly, smirking. " 'works wonders on the mood."

Allen chuckled but shook his head. "I have to decline," he said, making a bee line straight to his things. "I have something better than that."

He rummaged through the pouches, taking out the components and things he would soon use. When he was done, he wrapped his sash around the belts and put the bundle on the floor, fully aware of Lavi's eyes still trained on him.

Taking his time to properly put together the components of the tool, Allen turned around to show it to his bookman friend. In his hand, he held a straight, ornate pipe with carved dragons.

"I might have developed a few bad habits over the years..." Allen said, stuffing the pipe with tobacco. "But this stuff is really worth it.

Lavi watched Allen curiously, mildly confused as to what Allen was talking about at first, but once he saw what Allen held and what he was stuffing it with, he understood. He knew what it was: a Chinese pipe. His old mentor had one of his own.

At Allen's comment, he laughed lightly.

"In all truth, I think I'd be more surprised if you hadn't picked up some kinda bad habit, other than just gambling, after dealing with that master of yours," he teased.

He had noticed how carefully Allen had wrapped his things, but it wasn't his business. Maybe it was nothing, anyway.

Allen chuckled.

"This has actually nothing to do with my master," he said. "This is all Kanda's fault." It was supposed to be an accusation but he said it with far too much kindness.

"Oh yeah?" Lavi chuckled. "So he's an asshole as well as giving you more bad habits! Sometimes I wonder about your tastes." He smirked and propped his chin with one hand.

Allen laughed at that. "You know I was always into bad-boys." He said, eyeing Lavi teasingly.

There was just something about it that drew Allen to them. Lavi was no exception. Maybe it was because his father's upbringing and Allen trying to change himself to a better person.

But Kanda was very special. He was a once-in-a-lifetime man, with his oriental features, strength, and way of living. He was the mysterious, dangerous man whose presence always filled the room and a single look of his dark eyes made others bow their heads in shame.

But Allen would say none of it out loud. There was no need. Once Kanda comes back, Lavi can make his own opinion of him.

Smiling under his nose, the assassin lit up the pipe, kindling the flames with a few short puffs until he was satisfied with it.

With a long and very concentrated drag, Allen closed his eyes and slowly exhaled, making the smoke look much thicker than usual. He could immediately feel the pleasant tingle spread into his fingers and on the back of his neck.

"Hey, I'll have you know I am very well-behaved!" Lavi retorted, pretending to be insulted for a moment, before the dirty look quickly slid from his face back into an easy-going, yet mischievous, smile. "-...when it benefits me, anyway, but there's situations where it doesn't always." Like when he'd snuck a mouse into Allen's bed, just to hear that ungodly screech of terror when the man had awoken. Even if it had brought him trouble for the rest of the day, it was still worth it. He would pay money to hear Allen scream like that and see the look on his face all over again.

"I still haven't forgiven you for the damn mouse," Allen grumbled pointing the pipe at Lavi, as if reading his mind.

"Hey, you already got your payback!" Lavi whined. "Besides, you started it - technically speaking - when you jumped off that tower. You should know better than to do something at my expense and not expect me to take that as a personal challenge," he smirked cheekily. "And I already told you what the mouse was for." His smirk broadened into a smile, though he deliberately left out mentioning Emil, since he was pretty sure that was still raw territory that was best not tread on this soon.

"That doesn't change the fact that you are an asshole," Allen retorted, sticking out his tongue. "Putting a mouse in my bed..." He grumbled. "Want some?" He asked, holding the pipe to Lavi.

Lavi eyed the pipe as Allen offered it to him, not immediately going for it, but not declining either, seeming to weigh the option in his mind for a moment.

"You just want to make fun of me when I choke on it again," Lavi jibed, taking it from him. "But sure, why the Hell not. Life's not an adventure if you don't try new things, right?"

He took a drag himself, though he managed not to sputter again, only mildly coughing, not entirely used to it yet. Despite his broad education to the workings of the world, he tried to avoid substances that could turn into bad habits. Drinking was one of the few he indulged in, and even then, he didn't like to get more than buzzed. It messed with his head too much otherwise, which he needed to keep clear for his job.

He laughed slightly at this point. "It's not bad, once you get the hang of it, but this ain't right, you dragging me into bad habits now too! I'm the older one, these roles should be reversed!" he kidded playfully, offering it back.

"Bad habits be damned, I got addicted to this for an entirely different reason..." He trailed off, with a dreamy look on his face.

The images of Kanda leaning over him, taking a long drag from the pipe in a dark room lightened only by a single candle and then releasing the smoke, momentarily disappearing behind a white veil, then re-emerging from it, only to capture his lips in a kiss, flooded his mind.

Allen forced himself to push the memories back, clearing his throat.

"I could do this for hours..."

"Well, we got plenty of hours for it, if you want," Lavi pointed out neutrally. "I got nothing that needs doing." Technically he had studying to do, but that could wait. It didn't matter anyway when he got to it. There was always a never-ending amount of more studying and work to be done.

"I just want to relax, really. I think I´m going to sit on the roof for a while. You're welcome to join me, of course." Yes, sitting on the roof and smoking was a perfect way to clear his head properly.

"Nah, I think I'll just hang out down here," Lavi shrugged, adding in a deliberately nervous voice, more for comedic affect than actual worry, "Where it's safe. From your attack dogs. After all, I'm not forgiven yet." He laughed faintly.

"God, in whom I don't believe, protect them if they come near this place," Allen grumbled, biting the pipe. "I'll be out then."

He climbed out of the window, using the hook to get himself up.

The day was just coming to an end - the sky was dark red on the west and beautiful blue on the east with few of the silvery stars already outshining the sun's light.

Allen kept smoking slowly, enjoying the coolness of the fresh night until he dozed off. What woke him out of his dreamless state was the sound of his pipe clattering on the roof. Standing up and stretching, he climbed down and carefully entered Lavi's house through the window.

He found the redhead sleeping on the bed with an open book on his chest. Typical. Allen chuckled and as silently as possible, he took the book and put it on the table. When he came back, he sat on the bed, cautious not to wake the bookman.

Seeing him like this - asleep and vulnerable - brought the image of the heart atop his bloodied armor back.

Allen leaned forward, placing his hands on either side of the man's head.

"Be careful," he whispered, finally giving in and pressing their lips together.

Even tired as he was, Lavi was a light sleeper, humming softly against the lips that pressed into his as he started to stir.

His green hue slid open, but his half-asleep mind still took several seconds to catch up with reality, and when it did, he stiffened and snapped up abruptly with a noise of surprise, managing to knock heads.

"Ow! Jesus, Allen, don't ambush me like that!" He massaged his temple and eye tiredly, sighing out a groan as his forehead throbbed dully and his eye stung faintly from sleep. When he finally looked back at Allen, confusion etched his features. "Just what the Hell was that about, anyway? You're not drunk again or high, are you?" he questioned warily. "Because I happen to like where my balls hang, and I'm pretty sure your friends were very determined to make sure I don't keep them the last time you started doing that." The words sounded like banter but he was actually quite serious.

Allen couldn't bring himself to smile. Not this time. Pressing this now slightly throbbing forehead to Lavi's own, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes.

"Please, be careful!" he pleaded quietly, biting his lower lip. "Promise me."

Lavi blinked, more awake now then he was a second ago.

"Um... y-yeah, Allen, of course. I'm always careful." Maybe he didn't act like it all the time, but he was. Chasing wars, battlefronts, genocides, and massacres, one had to be, if they expected to survive. He was trying to figure out what this was about, but his mind kept winding back to the same conclusion. His voice dropped into a low whisper. "You're going to leave, aren't you?"

The assassin smiled gently, touching Lavi's cheek with his left hand. "People come and go..." His voice was still in whisper. "I don't want to bury your body as well. I can't anymore. No one else."

Lavi tried not to let this bother him, but it did. A lot. He couldn't help but be troubled, but he tried not to let it show.

"Your concern for me is touching, really," Lavi said softly, smiling faintly and pulling Allen into an embrace. "But that's not going to happen, I promise you. I don't say that just out of arrogance or bravado. I know you're scared, but 'Bookman' isn't just a meaningless title, you know. I know how to handle myself regardless of the danger. I'm not reckless... like some people I know," he gave Allen a pointed look. "I'll be fine. The one thing I do better than chasing and finding trouble is avoiding it when I need to. You don't have to worry about me, even though I know you probably can't help it."

More seriously, though he hadn't been joking or making false statements before, he added, "I don't want to have to bury your body either..."

Anyone else but you, he added silently, but the words wouldn't come.

"-so just... don't be a dumb ass, alright?" He knew he couldn't stop Allen from going through with whatever he had in his head to do. Slow him or delay him somewhat, maybe, but Allen was never dissuaded once he got something into that stubborn head of his. It was one of those insatiable traits he both loved and hated about the damn fool that somehow managed to make him care about outcomes.

"Can't promise that one," Allen said weakly, hiding his face in the crook of Lavi's neck, breathing in. "Not this time. But I will try my best. You are still free to leave and not take a part on this." He said, looking the redhead in the eye. "I know you are not going to do it but I will still try."

Allen shifted himself to lie on the bed next to Lavi. The embrace was just so warm and calming, yet very foreign for some reason. He hasn't been properly embraced since Kanda left.

He looked up again, sliding his hand on the side of Lavi's neck.

"Please stay," he said, feeling the other man's breath ghost over his face. "For the last time..."

"I won't be leaving so soon. I'd make for a lousy bookman if I always ran away and hid every time things got tense," Lavi assured with a little laugh, shifting to get more comfortable and wrapping his arms around the small of Allen's back.

He liked having Allen close like this, sharing in each other's warmth and scent, finding little nooks and spaces to fit against each other in the darkness where it was just the two of them. It had been a very, very long time since he'd had Allen all to himself like this, and Lavi never really let anyone else get so intimate with him. It was only innocently holding each other, filling up the loneliness and need for the comfort of another and human contact, but for someone who wasn't even supposed to have emotions for another person even to a small degree, it was still incredibly intimate for him.

He didn't need anything more than this from the other man, nor did he want it. Just feeling the rise and fall of the other's chest, the feel of hip bones pressing flush, unmoving but still there, hands around his back or touching his neck and his face with care, and breath ghosting softly over his skin, forgetting the rest of the world for a while so that all that existed was them, was more than enough to make him content.

And for all the buttons he liked to push, there were certain lines he would never cross. He couldn't give more than this, so he would never take more than he could give.

"Besides," he hummed quietly, trailing off indecisively as he pursed his lips, looking as though he was having a moment of internal conflict. He craned his head forward, stopped short for a moment, then returned the kiss that Allen had started. Only a delicate peck, tender and reassuring, but somewhat hesitant, as if maybe he wasn't sure that was okay to do, but not bold enough to ask for further permission by keeping contact for more than a couple of seconds. "Someone has to make sure you don't do something irreversibly stupid, what with that insatiably stubborn reckless streak of yours."

"Thank you," Allen whispered, tentatively touching Lavi's lips with his finger. "For everything."

He relaxed his body, exhaling a long breath and closing his eyes.

For the first time in a long while, Allen slept well. There were no nightmares filling his head, but neither were the dreams. His sleep was filled with a calming velvet darkness filled with warmth and contentment.

Lavi merely hummed acknowledgment. He felt like he should say something, a million different possibilities of what to say coming to mind, but none of the words would form on his lips. Maybe it didn't matter though. Maybe he'd said enough that he didn't need to say anything else. Maybe he'd even said and done too much already as it was.

Allen was already drifting off anyway, and he needed his rest, so the redhead merely rested his chin on top of Allen's head, affectionately petting his white hair to help lull him, and for his own comfort as well.

He didn't find sleep as quickly, staring out the window into the night thoughtfully. The fact that he was currently going against everything he was meant to be - apathetic and uninvolved - was on the forefront of his mind. His old man would be severely pissed if he could see 'Lavi' now. It wasn't as though he didn't try to remain at a distance, but somehow he still couldn't help caring when it came to Allen. He'd barely admit it even to himself, but the path the assassin was determined to keep going down had him legitimately worried about the man's survival.

Really now, lecturing me about being careful, he thought incredulously, pressing his lips to the top of Allen's head. It really was somewhat of a sick irony. Just who do you think you're talking to? The one those words should be directed at is you, you damn, reckless, martyr-complex.

It couldn't be helped. That was just the way that foolish man was, and had always been. Closing his eye, he wasn't far behind in falling asleep, cuddling him close snugly and possessively. At least, for the moment, he could rest easy knowing he had Allen with him for tonight, warm and safe in his arms.