137 steps: Inspired from a small part in the Taiwan movie 'Secret' starring Jay Chou. I don't own DGM or any of Jay's works but I think both are completely awesome stuff. Again, the story is more sappy stuff from me but there you go. I sort of rushed through it 'cause I got really tired writing along the story, so sorry for bad quality but the idea's there (I hope?). Enjoy and R&R thank you!:)
Lenalee opened her eyes to a brightly lit room. Her head hurt as she lifted it up from the table, realizing instantly she must have fell asleep last night while reading.
Was it 8 already? Or 9? She didn't have a clue. But if she was pulling all-nighter, she'd bet someone else other than her in this place would be doing the exact same thing.
The moment she lifted herself from her seat, she heard a soft rap on the door, which was pretty strange, considering that fact that no one should be looking for her, at least not now.
"Lavi!" Lenalee said in disbelief when she pulled the door open.
"Morning, Lenalee! I brought breakfast up for you."
Lavi strode in happily, a piece of peanut buttered toast in his mouth and lowering the bag of hot bagels and sweet smelling coffee on the table.
"Oh. I…I thought you'd be asleep actually. I was just about to go check on you."
Lavi sat at the edge of Lenalee's bed, munching happily at the toast. "Hey, I don't always sleep late you know."
"Yeah, but you sleep irregularly. And you love to sleep," Lenalee noted, sitting next to Lavi. She took a deep breath without really intending to, and found that Lavi smelled really good. He must've just taken a shower earlier on.
Lavi turned to smile at her, which made her blush slightly.
"What?" Lenalee demanded.
"Oh nothing," he said.
"What is it? Tell me!" Lenalee probed further, poking his leg with hers. She had always been curious by nature.
"It's a secret."
"But I want to know," she said, "Uh. Unless it's something bad."
"Well, it isn't."
"Then what is it?"
Lavi draped an arm around Lenalee's shoulder, pulling her closer so he could whisper into her ear. Lenalee felt her face go hot, but then again, she wanted to know what the big deal about Lavi's secret was.
"I…" Lavi looked directly into Lenalee's eyes, with their foreheads practically touching and his last word barely audible. Lenalee wondered for how long this suspense would continue because it was seriously killing her. He was seriously killing her.
"I…I found out that it took 137 steps to reach your room from mine."
Lenalee instantly pulled away from his hold, letting out an angry and disbelieving sigh. "So that's it? I really thought there was something more important, Lavi! You scared me!"
She slapped him on the arm, but Lavi was already bowling over with laughter and throwing himself on her bed.
"Frankly speaking, that serious face of yours was classic, Lenalee!"
Lenalee stood up, kicking Lavi on the leg again in anger, which he just grabbed but never stopped laughing to himself.
"You really have too much time on your hands, Lavi! I think you need to get better things to do than count the number of steps between our rooms."
Lavi sat upright; wiping a tear from his eye that Lenalee highly doubt was even really there. "I just wanted to know for sure, that's all."
"You just wanted to know if I'd fall for your I-have-a-huge-secret thing? It should make you happy knowing that-," Lenalee said.
"No, that's not it. And even though your face was funny," Lavi looked up at Lenalee, who raised an eyebrow at him, but continued, "the main point was that I counted it with my eyes closed."
"Now that's just silly," Lenalee ignored Lavi, and begun to pick a bagel from the bag.
"I dunno," Lavi shrugged, "I just thought it'd be nice if I closed my eyes the moment I stood at my room door and the next moment when I open them, I'd be seeing you."
Lenalee's face softened, her eyes low, but she didn't know what to say. It was a good thing she had long hair, so Lavi wouldn't be able to see the expression she had on her face.
For nearly three years since he arrived at the Order, Lavi had been constant company, making her laugh at his silly jokes, lending her a shoulder when she felt lousy and listened whenever she needed to say something.
Sometimes, she felt she was bothering him too much, and that he had way better things to do since he was a Bookman and all that. Yet, along all these years, she had relied heavily on him. She just couldn't see herself anywhere if she had never met him.
And she guessed maybe along the years, the little blushes and heart pounding she felt whenever she saw him was really what she thought they were.
She really had fallen for him.
Lenalee turned around to see that Lavi had already stood up.
"Enjoy the breakfast, Lenalee. I'm going off first." Lavi turned back at the entrance of the door to grin at her before closing the door.
She needed to tell him. Her chest felt tight and her throat was dry but if she didn't tell him today, tell him now, she wouldn't be able to do anything else.
"Lavi, wait!" Lenalee snapped out of her trance, and reached for the door knob to rush out.
Lenalee opened her eyes to a brightly lit room. Her head hurt as she lifted it up from the table, realizing instantly she must have fell asleep last night while reading.
For some reason, she felt strange, like she just had a surreal sort of dream. But what was worse was that there was an aching feeling in her heart and she couldn't seem to remove it.
She scanned the room, but there was no sign of Lavi anywhere.
If she was pulling an all-nighter, she'd bet someone else, none other than Lavi, would be doing the exact same thing. Checking up on him seemed appropriate then. She just wanted to see him, even a peak, and perhaps that would satisfy the need in her.
Lenalee stood at the door, suddenly remembering something Lavi said. She can't remember when, but the memory felt recent.
I found out that it took 137 steps to reach your room from mine…
…nice if I closed my eyes the moment I stood at my room door and the next moment when I open them, I'd be seeing you.
Lenalee closed her eyes quietly. She could picture the familiar hallways of the level in her head and knew exactly where Lavi's room stood. Her distance from his was a mere 137 steps away.
It felt longer than she thought it would but she managed to pull it off without crashing into anything.
133…134…135…136…
Lenalee opened her eyes, and sure enough, she found herself standing directly in front of his room door. This was pretty silly, but she actually felt good enough to want to tell Lavi she walked here all the way with her eyes closed and he was right about the 137 steps thing. Imagine his face when she admitted she even tried anything he came up with.
Lenalee opened the door. Knowing Lavi, he would be asleep on the ground, with books and papers sprawled out all around him and his room a disaster.
Yet all Lenalee saw was an empty room, its bed neatly made and the floor empty of anything, least of all books and papers.
It all just came back to her. Lavi packing up, leaving and walking right out of her life. He didn't want to, and she hated the fact as much as he did, but they both didn't have a choice.
This was perhaps the furthest they could go together.
Lenalee felt so cold suddenly, her eyes stinging already. She walked across his room, her feet numb from the feeling of cold stone beneath and she allowed herself to lie on his bed. Curling up slightly, she closed her eyes and the tears just flowed freely.
The morning seemed long and endless and the sun wasn't comforting in any way. He had left her, but she never got to tell him how much she liked him or thanked him for everything he had given her.
And she had let him go, just like that.
Maybe one day, someday, he'd return. She had no idea, but for now, if she didn't open her eyes, the 137th step would never be true till she knew for certain he would be in front of her when she did.
And when Lenalee breathed in deeply without really intending to, she could still smell the familiar smell of shampoo Lavi used on his pillow. And it was enough to satisfy till Lavi came home.