White Demon, Red Scribe, Black Nightmare
A D Gray-Man and Assassin's Creed Revelations Crossover
There weren't too many arguments about Allen joining their missions. Just an occasional evening spat between him and Kanda whose temper grew shorter and shorter with every Allen´s insisting of joining a mission. Lavi chose to stay out of their little lover disputes and observe - which was at times better than drama plays in Roma.
After the sixth time Kanda forbade Allen to leave the den, which made the white-haired assassin throw his hands in the air and storm out of the room. Lavi, for the first time, felt a little bit sorry for the swordsman. He tried really hard (in his own a little bit harsh way) to protect his stubborn partner, who took it as ´a violation of his freedom´.
Eventually however, Kanda agreed to let Allen go to the blacksmith to make an order for several sets of throwing daggers since Kanda and many others ran out of them a few days ago. Lavi also noted that the term ´regular armor checks and weapon repairs´ were quite foreign to the assassins and proceeded to give an earful to Kanda who barely resisted to keep himself from throwing another tantrum about "rabbits who just can't shut up".
But at least Allen was happy and practically glowing when he took Kanda's order hastily scribbled on a piece of paper.
"I'll be fine," Allen announced in a purr as he slid between Kanda and the table with the map of Constantinople which the man was brooding over, giving him a very dirty - and not to mention improper - kiss, which Kanda gladly accepted.
"You'll return right away!" the swordsman warned with a stern voice but Allen knew that he was getting pretty distracted as he squeezed his thighs and sat him on the top of the table. "My men will tell me if you don't..."
Allen effectively shut him up with another kiss and laid his back on the table dragging Kanda with him. "You're ruining your plans."
"My plans changed..." Kanda growled, accidentally pushing the ink off the table. He couldn't, however, care less.
It was a stifled, deliberate cough against a loose fist that interrupted them.
"Alright, love-birds, you can either find a room or we can actually get today's business done first," Lavi hummed in somewhat of a tease, a small smirk barely twitching at his lips. "Then you can have your fun later."
They both froze at the sudden interruption and Kanda slowly drew himself to his full height as Allen unlinked his legs behind the man's back.
"Hey Lavi," Allen was first to react since the swordsman was busy trying to look professional and hide his reddened cheeks. "Would you believe that we were just talking about the, uh, business right now? I was just asking Kanda what else to get from the blacksmith." He chuckled awkwardly, hopping down from the table and righting his rumpled clothes.
The redhead might have been getting a little too much entertainment out of their sudden awkwardness, but he simply smiled unaffected, as if he hadn't noticed their position a moment ago.
"Good. We can leave then whenever you're ready. No huge rush."
"You're coming too?" Allen asked and the disappointment in his voice was a little bit too obvious. "Shame on you," he frowned at Kanda who returned it with a stern look.
"You think I would let you go alone? In your dreams."
Lavi smirked at their banter, turning for the door.
"Well, since Yuu's gonna be tagging along too, I guess we can get a move on right away and he can tell the smithy what he wants himself, yeah?"
"So that's why you stayed in bed so long this morning! You actually took a day off!" He slapped Kanda´s shoulder. "Traitors, both of you!"
"What?" Lavi squawked, glancing over his shoulder as he walked. "Why am I a traitor?" He fake-sniffled, easily playing overdramatic. "And after all the breakfasts I've brought you, too! This is the thanks I get!"
"Shut it!" Allen snapped sulkily as he walked out of the room.
Kanda smirked and strapped his sword to his hip, gesturing Lavi to follow. "What did I tell you about the knocking?" he asked as he cocked an eyebrow at the man.
"Point taken," Lavi laughed sheepishly, scratching the side of his face. Though the two had been up already and they'd pre-set the plans to go to the blacksmith so he hadn't thought much of it. Apparently he was wrong to assume any time of day might be safe.
Heading out of the den, they made their way to the ferry to cross the Bosphorus and head toward the Constantine district. The open streets and air were noticeably good for Allen after the man had been cooped up so long and it seemed like what bad mood he'd gained was quickly lost again as they made their way through the city.
Lavi gave both he and Kanda a few mild teases as they went, but nothing overtly over-the-top or temper-inducing, and he couldn't help but think that the white-haired man seemed slightly eager to reach their destination.
"You sure seem happy to be going where we're goin'," he observed idly.
"Of course I'm happy!" Allen replied as he sniffed the fresh air. "I haven't been anywhere properly for weeks! And I'm going to see Faulklin!"
"Who the fuck is Faulklin?" Kanda asked with more heat in his voice than necessary. Allen only rolled his eyes and sighed. Kanda glared at him first and then at Lavi. The look clearly said he wanted explanations.
"That's the blacksmith's kid apprentice," Lavi offered up, casually folding his arms behind his head as they walked. "Mousy little brunette boy. He was actually a pretty big help with finding some information out while you were away in god only knows where." He chuckled a moment, then added, "Kinda makes you look like a social butterfly by comparison though, albeit lacking the temper."
"Very funny," Kanda answered dryly but sat back and relaxed.
"It has been so long. I wonder how he's doing." Allen's voice sounded a bit worried but that was understandable. The blacksmith was less than pleasant and Allen felt a little bit guilty that he hadn't checked on the boy sooner.
"Well I imagine we'll find out soon enough," Lavi mused, his single eye wandering the street as they went and smile fading distractedly. "Assuming he doesn't just try and disappear into the back like a timid bunny or something."
Something was beginning to nag at him, miniscule discrepancies that most might never notice, especially in a couple of the people that they passed.
He picked up on some hushed talking, though he couldn't catch all the words, the kind of urgent yet uninvolved whispers of rumor-spreading. The sort of look in the eyes of seeing something shocking, and skittish glances at other people as though suspicious that any one of the others out walking might be some sort of danger. And the only slightly too fast pace of walking.
There was a contagious, jittery tension in the air that was becoming increasingly difficult to miss, putting the redhead's guard up.
"You guys feel that too?"
Allen's worried glance and Kanda's hand on his sword was an answer enough. They sped up, pushing the people out of their way until they reached the smithy.
Lavi jogged along the street, watching carefully for any signs of a threat to be worried about, but nothing immediately leapt out at him that might be a danger.
When they reached the blacksmith's place, the shop window was still closed up and there were people uncertainly milling about outside the open doorway of the shop, traces of blood on the door before they even entered. A couple of Byzantine soldiers milled outside, keeping the growing crowd back and questioning for witnesses.
One of them moved to intercept the trio at first, but seemed to recognize Allen and Kanda by their clothes and blades, thinking better of getting in their way and moving aside. Predictably enough, Allen noticeably picked up the pace to be the first one there, and inside, there was more blood that Lavi was careful to avoid stepping in, knowing far too well how it could be even slicker than ice, and a body splayed on the floor. It was far too large to be the undersized kid, so he immediately guessed, not inaccurately so, that it was that of the blacksmith himself.
"What in the hell-" Allen gasped as he fell to his knees and carefully pressed his fingers to the man's neck. He knew it was too late, going by the amount of blood around, but he did it anyway. He looked up at Lavi and the question he wanted to ask was visible in his eyes.
Lavi didn't immediately offer up an answer, eye surveying the room as the copper scent of death filled his nose. The man hadn't just been killed, but mutilated, many of his identifying features lost beneath blood and deep punctures.
His eye traveled further, the redhead carefully stepping around the room. Various items were scattered, knocked down or aside. Smaller splotches of blood dotted the room here or there. He looked carefully to make sure there was no one anywhere in hiding, especially an enemy, and as he did so he also became aware of something else.
They were short one smaller corpse.
"He isn't here," he told Allen finally, not sure what that meant at this point.
Kanda glared around the place, his hand squeezing the handle of his sword. "What happened?" he barked at one of the soldiers who was brave enough to get closer to him.
"We're not sure yet," the soldier stated, glancing at the crowd. "Someone reported screaming. Another said there was a kid that burst out of here with blood on him like the devil himself was chasing him and then they found the inside of the place like this already."
Allen let out a shaky breath. "He's still alive!" he then stood up, grasping Lavi's arms, his eyes burning with sudden anger. "It was him! It was him, Lavi!" he repeated, looking around wildly. "Kanda!"
The swordsman's frown deepened. "I know." He caught Allen by his arm when he tried to push past him and lead him outside of the smithy. "Don't be reckless!" he warned.
"It was him! He might be close, we have to-"
"You're still unable to fight, so calm down." The restrain in Kanda's voice was clear. "Which way did the boy go?" he asked the guard again, taking Allen's hand in his own to keep him in place.
The guard shifted uncertainly under the question, shaking his head helplessly.
"I'm... not really sure."
Lavi was silent, glad to have Kanda there as well to at least try and keep Allen in check. Telling Allen to keep a level head was entirely useless until they found out where Faulklin went, and hopefully that he was still alive.
He brushed past them and surveyed the blood on the door, then further onto the street, kneeling where there was a spot of red, his expression one of deep concentration. After a moment it trailed to the side, finding another spot further.
"This way," he directed, taking the lead ahead of them and keeping his eye out for more signs of where the kid could have gone.
Allen ran after him, leaving Kanda shake his head and whisper something to the guard before doing the same.
It was clear that the white-haired man was having difficulties following after a while but Kanda and Lavi only shared a look, silently deciding to keep their mouths shut for now.
"This takes too long!" Allen cursed and changed his course to climb onto the nearest roof, ignoring Kanda's agitated yell. After all, tracking is a lot easier with the eyes of an eagle.
"Rabbit!" The swordsman called and pointed at the roof.
Lavi nodded to show he understood, but he didn't follow to the roof. There was no telling they would be able to find anything that way, but with them searching both above and below, they might have better luck anyway.
He kept scouring for traces of more blood spots or other signs of where Faulklin could have gone from the ground, the trail leading through and into back alleys.
When the trail came to an end, it was at a larger spot just beside a wagon of hay, a larger spot on the ground going underneath it. He crouched down and, sure enough, underneath it pressed up to the corner of the wall the wagon flanked was the boy, blood coating his face and side, but the faintest trace of a whimpering breath promised he wasn't dead.
He raised his fingers to his lips and whistled shrilly before calling out, "Allen! Yuu! Here!"
Kanda's feet hit the ground behind Lavi with an ominous sound. "What did I say about the name calling?!" he growled as he straightened himself. Allen landing was more quiet but the grace was lacking since he stumbled pretty heavily, only barely catching himself on Kanda's outstretched hand.
Together they moved the wagon aside and Allen gasped when he spotted the boy, kneeling next to him and carefully touching his cheek."Faulklin!"
"Really? You're gonna choose now to take issue?" Lavi raised a brow, before glancing back to Allen and Faulklin, just in time for the kid to withdraw away from the touch and lash out instinctively with the deadly glint of a thin knife in his hand that he'd previously been clutching near his chest, screeching "Hold deg una!"
The redhead cursed and yanked Allen back by the collar out of the path of the blade and the kid flattened himself further into the corner, his eyes too covered in blood to see and breath quick with terror.
Allen was too surprised to react right away but Kanda was there to do it in his stead. He drew his sword in a blink of an eye, stepping forward with an unforgiving frown.
"No! Stop!" Allen held up his arm and seeing the hurt look in his partner's eyes was enough for Kanda to reconsider. Instead of pointing the sword right at the scared child, he stabbed the blade into the ground in front of Allen in a protective and slightly threatening manner and stood behind him, supporting the younger man's back with his legs.
Lavi's gaze shifted between Allen and Kanda for a moment before shifting his attention back to Faulklin.
"Easy, kid. We're not going to hurt ya," he tried to soothe, reaching out, but Faulklin immediately tensed like he was going to strike again when he felt Lavi's hand brush him and the redhead pulled his arm away immediately.
"Ikke! Hold deg unna!"
Lavi gnawed his lip for a moment in thought, searching his memory for the right words. "Faulklin, det er greit. Det er dine venner, Allen og Lavi. Vi vil ikke skade deg. Forstå?"
"Han prøvde å drepe meg..." the boy whimpered, trembling.
"Du er trygg." Lavi's voice was a soft coo and he tried to reach out again, this time the boy not lashing out even as he carefully pried the small blade out of the kid's hands. "Vi kommer til å hjelpe, okay?"
Faulklin only whimpered again pitifully but the fight had left him, the undersized teen's breathing labored. Lavi glanced back at Allen and Kanda now.
"He's lost a lot of blood and he's in shock. We have to get him to where I can treat these wounds as quickly as possible, otherwise he won't last much longer."
"I know a place," Kanda said sternly as he headed eastward, dragging Allen behind him. He waited only long enough for Lavi to gather the child in his arms before pushing his way through the streets. When arrived at the destination, he didn't even bother knocking, he just slammed his foot against the door and kicked it open.
"My old man's house," he clarified when Allen shot him a disapproving look. "He doesn't go here."
Lavi glanced around the space, but didn't comment, finding an adequate spot to set the boy down and snapping this carry-bag off, rummaging for a few basic supplies he carried with him and producing some bandages, thread and needle.
"Alright, I'm going to need a few things. Allen, get me some sterile water, clean rags, and a mortar and pestle if you have one here. Kanda, since you're in better shape to run quickly, I'm gonna need you to run and get me some medicinal herbs," he stated, closing his eye for a moment as he tried to recall everything he would need, then jotting down a hasty list. "I'm going to need Yarrow leaves for the bleeding and Opium Poppy for the pain. Goldenrod, fresh Garlic, and Lamb's Ears should be easy to get. Houseleek, Snapdragon, or Pot Marigold are interchangeable, I only need one of the three, so whichever one of those you can get is fine. It would be ideal if you could also get English Lavender Oil, but if you can't find it off a doctor or merchant, then ask for German Chamomile instead. The amount I need of each is written right here." He paused and held up the scribbled list for him to take. "Just... try to be quick about it."
Kanda took the note with visible distaste and reluctance but when Allen urged him to go, he left.
Allen went though every cabinet in the small house and piled up everything Lavi requested around the man and stood on the other side of the boy, carefully wiping the sweat off his brow. Lavi went about cleaning the larger wound to the boy's side first, washing away the blood so that he could get a better look at it. It was nothing to sniff at, somewhat deep and having punctured part of his intestines, but he was confident he could stitch it up.
Kanda returned in record time, tossing the bag with the herbs at the redhead and retreated to the corner behind Allen.
"Thank you," Lavi offered up briskly, pressing a cloth against Faulklin's side and directing Allen to keep pressure on it while he moved on to tend to his face and figure out the damage there. As he was washing the blood away, he was also discovering that the redness there wasn't just blood, but a wide wound across the left side of his face over one eye, the kid whimpering under gentle dabs and weakly trying to pull his hands away.
The wound itself was bad, but the eye was in-tact and still working. The other side, despite that the surrounding flesh of his eye was less marred however, was another story entirely. What remained of it was mutilated beyond repair by a blade.
"He's not going to be seeing out of that side anymore," he reported, too focused on the actual treatment to sound sympathetic as he prepared the herbs for the wounds, mixing a poultice and applying it before he wrapped the wounds. "And the other side is burned pretty badly. It's going to leave a permanent scar."
Allen bit his lip and kept staring at the boy's torso. "Poor boy," he said silently and felt Kanda's hand on his shoulder. "Why does he keep picking on the weak?" Both men understood who he meant. "My misfortune keeps spreading..."
"Shut up," Kanda suddenly spoke and the heat in his voice made Allen jump. "Cut the bullshit with your curses and misfortune. They worked for the Brotherhood. They knew the risks."
Lavi chose not to say anything, instead finishing with wrapping Faulklin's eyes and the wounds on his face before moving on to stitch the wound to the boy's side, which took some effort and time but he managed to close and wrap that wound as well.
Satisfied that he'd managed all he could, he straightened up and wiped his hands clean on one of the rags.
"I've done everything that I can for him. All that's left now is to let him rest and hope there'll be no need for a funeral come morning," he stated honestly, glancing between them a moment before moving to clean up. Faulklin was entirely unconscious by this point, pale and breathing only shallowly, but still alive, at least for the moment. Allen knelt down next to the boy and silently caressed his head.
Kanda let him go and walked to Lavi, catching him by the arm and dragging him a little bit further away. "Keep him inside," he said quietly, giving the redhead a stern look.
Lavi blinked at Kanda in question, almost asking which one he meant, but it wasn't hard to guess. Especially considering one was unconscious, never mind the part about how Kanda probably didn't personally care much for the blacksmith's apprentice either way.
"I take that to mean you're not sticking around," he predicted near-silently.
"No. There might be a chance that bastard is still around. I´m going hunting. So keep him here and God protect you if you let him follow him. Tie him up if you must."
Lavi nodded to show he understood. Even without Kanda's words, he knew Allen well enough not to let him go charging off at a time like this, especially when he had it in his mind that someone else could get hurt or killed.
"He won't leave this building," he promised.
"Where's he going?" Allen asked urgently when he heard the door close. "Kanda, wait!" he shouted and ran towards the exit.
"Nope!" Lavi declared, grabbing Allen by the waist and twirling him around the opposite way and marching him back away from the door. "Sorry 'sprout. You're staying put. Yuu just needs to check on something."
"But Lavi!" Allen protested, trying to wiggle himself out of the bookman's grasp. "He can't go alone!" He twisted around to face the man. "I know what he's about to do! It's too dangerous! Please, let me go! I want to go with him!"
"Yuu is a grown man with a well-earned reputation. He can take care of himself just fine," Lavi advised, not relinquishing and instead finding a spot to sit down against the wall abruptly, holding Allen in his lap so it'd be harder for him to struggle free.
"Besides, your wounds are still noticeably slowing you down. If it does come out to a fight, you're more likely to be a liability right now than a help, sorry to say. I'm sure he knows that too, which is why he wants you to stay. Plus..." he paused and nodded towards the bed where Faulklin lay. "It might not be a good idea to leave him unprotected here right now."
Allen glanced at the unconscious boy and sighed. "He's going to be fine. You'll keep an eye on him," he said and tried to stand up but he felt Lavi's arms tighten around him. "Lavi," Allen frowned, "what are you doing?"
"I promised I wouldn't let you leave." It wasn't just that Kanda told him to, but since the man had, it gave him an excuse to keep Allen away from danger, at least for now, without delving too far into his own reasons. "So you're just going to have to deal with it for now until he gets back."
"Lavi!" Allen struggled, wiggling in the man's lap. "Let me go this instance! You - you..." He trailed off really at loss of words. How could he! Betray him like this! Apollo was in the area and he is forced to sit still. "Let me go or I'm going to hurt you!"
"Nope!" Lavi piped again, flopping onto his side and dragging Allen to the floor with him, arms locked like a vice, since it'd be harder for Allen to wriggle free. "If you have a problem with it, take it up with Yuu when he returns. He'll hurt me a Hell of a lot more if I let you go then you will if I don't." Smiling cheekily and nestling his head against the crook of Allen's neck, he added, " 'sides, I don't get nearly enough quality time along with my 'sprout these days."
"Lavi this is serious! Stop being an asshole and - stop iiit!" Allen squealed involuntarily as he felt Lavi's face tickle his neck. "If Kanda comes in and finds us like this he's going to chop your dick off." He paused, trying to wiggle out but still in vain. "If he's not going to do it, I will."
Lavi laughed unconcern. "Yuu said to keep you here even if it meant tying you up but I don't have any rope so this is what I'm doing instead, and that's exactly what I'll tell him if he comes back and asks what I think I'm doing. And you... you're too nice to castrate me even if you could reach me there right now."
He hummed contently and made himself cozy, not in any rush to comply any time soon.
"Of course the other option would be to knock you out but that'd hurt and I figure you'd like that even less."
Allen growled, still trying to free his hands. When he saw that Lavi is not going to comply and let him go anytime soon he changed his tactics. "Lavi," he murmured with a strained voice, taking a deep shaky breath. "Please, loosen your hands, it hurts!"
Lavi hummed, unconvinced, but he did loosen up, just a little.
"You sure you're hurtin' and not just trying to get me to drop my guard?"
Allen mentally yelled in victory when he felt Lavi loosen up a little bit which he quickly used to bend over and slam his head against the redhead's.
"Fuck!" Lavi swore, reeling and a hand instinctively going to his throbbing nose.
Allen scrambled forwards immediately, going for the door. His escape however was hindered again as he felt Lavi grab his leg and drag him backwards.
"NO!" he yelled clawing the ground as the distance between him and the door grew again.
"Gonna have to try harder than-" Lavi began, just before the other rolled over and kneed him hard just below the ribs, the redhead hissing in pain. "Alright, that's it, you little-!" He pounced onto Allen's shoulders as the other man tried to get up, locking into a rolling tussle across the floor.
Allen let out a breathless wheeze when his back hit the ground and slammed his palm against Lavi's cheek. He was more or less fighting blindly since the pain suddenly returned but he tried to keep it hidden.
"Let me go! I will not sit idly while Kanda puts himself in danger! Please!"
"I said, no!" Lavi shot back, his words slightly slurred because of the palm pressed into the side of his face, prying the hand off to pin it. "Yuu doesn't want you goin' out there right now either!"
"If you don't let me, I will scream!"
And scream he did but the redhead still didn't let go. He was forced to stay in the room like a caged animal, spluttering curses and threats but all in vain since Lavi held his ground and didn't let go.
They both lost track of time and Allen didn't know whether he ran out of breath and power to struggle because it took too long or because of his weakened condition.
However, he figured out that a long time must have passed since the door to the house suddenly swung open, revealing a slightly agitated Kanda. When he saw what position the two were in, his face twisted in a frown.
"What's the meaning of this?!"
"He's molesting me!" Allen immediately called.
"What?" Lavi squawked, gaping.
Of all the-! And Allen had the nerve to call him a traitor?!
"I was not, you dirty, rotten cheat!" he almost shouted, looking flustered as he sprung off, now that he didn't need to worry over keeping Allen from chasing Kanda out the door. "You don't get to deflect your unwillingness to stay put onto me like that! Nuh uh!" He turned his back and would have crossed his arms in a display of refusal if not for the fact he was rubbing his side, Allen having managed a few good hits on him. "I did what was asked and nothin' more! You deal with him." This part directed at Kanda. "He's your problem now."
Kanda squinted at him and took a step further, tilting his head a little. "Oh really?"
He was too distracted glaring at Lavi to notice Allen march forward and plant his fist into his gut. Kanda doubled over but it was more because he was surprised than hurt.
"You're a liar, too! Dirty bastard!" Allen growled, putting his hands on his hips. "What have you been thinking? Going all alone like that and leaving me here?"
"Jee, sprout. You sure talk a lot," Kanda dismissed him as he straightened up and gave him an unperturbed look. "Calm down, we didn't find him."
"That is supposed to calm me down?!"
"Well getting riled about it right now certainly isn't going to help," Lavi pointed out, huffing. "There's a difference between productive anger and mania. Sorry to tell you, 'sprout, but you fall further into the latter at times like this. That's why it was better for you to stay. Only thing to do for now is play it by ear and bide our time for the right opportunity and information."
"Quiet, you! You two - aargh!" He threw his hands in the air and sat down, huffing. "I can't believe it," he grumbled.
"Brat." Kanda scoffed in amusement. "No trace after Apollo." He continued in a more serious tone. "Nobody saw anyone like him. My men are scouting the city but we still got nothing. That scoundrel sure knows how to hide."
"Nothing that can be done for it at the moment," Lavi shrugged, taking a seat against the wall and blowing out a breath. "He can't hide forever, though."