A/N: wow, i think this is the longest chapter to date..... i worked ALL night on this!!! so, no sleep again!!!! enjoy!!!!!!!

DISCLAIMER: i do NOT own Cinderella, Disney does. i do NOT own D. Gray-Man, Hoshino-senei does!

~ Chapter 4 ~

"And where have you been?"

Lavi looked up, his eyes red and puffy from crying, to see his stepmother very pissed off. He knew that he had been out most of the day and didn't tell her where he was going. He was going to die…

"I was with the Prince," Lavi said, figuring that it would be better to tell the truth then to lie. This quickly got him a slap in the face.

"Don't make up such ridiculous tales!" Klaud scolded, ready to slap Lavi again. "Now, tell me the truth, where were you?!"

"I was wit the Prince! I'm telling the truth!!" Lavi screamed, getting another slap. "He even invited me to the ball tonight!"

"HA!" Klaud laughed loudly, startling her children. "You? At the ball? His Highness must have though it a practical joke!"

"He was completely serious!!" Lavi said, really pissed now.

"What would you say to him though?" Tyki asked, holding a broom in one hand. He turned to Road and said in a mocking tone, "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but could you hold my broom?"

The two siblings started laughing their heads off as they pretended to dance around the foyer. Their mother stopped them with her next words.

"Well, I guess you could come with us…" Klaud said in a voice that was far to sinister to be nice. "If you get all your work done. And if you find something suitable to wear…"

"Oh, I will!" Lavi said happily as he ran to do his chores.

"Mother! Do you have any idea of what you just said?!" Road whined to her mother, hanging on Tyki's arm.

"Why yes," Klaud said with a sinister laugh. "I said if."

"If…" Tyki said, rolling the word over in his mouth a few times. "If is good…"

~*~

Lavi finished his massive amount of chores that day double quick. It only took him a few hours to do them, much to the dismay of his family. As soon as he got the chance to sit down and work on his outfit, his family called for him. They gave him piles upon piles of clothed to iron, wash and mend. They all figured that doing the stuff for their clothes, Lavi wouldn't be able to do his.

Well, Lavi was one step ahead of the game. When he put their clothes in the wash, he put his in with them. When he went to do the ironing for their clothes, he did his at the same time. And he didn't need to do any sowing on his clothes, but Tyki's and Road's were another story. Lavi only stitched on the lotus.

He finished with much time to spare and decided that while his family got their stuff in order, he would figure out something to do with his mop of hair. He dressed quickly and looked at himself in the mirror. He was going to see a prince, he needed to look presentable. So, he quickly washed his hair and dried it quickly, ran a brush though it, and made sure it lied flat. His end result was a very handsome young man, his red hair falling into his face, not enough to be obtrusive, but just enough to hide his eye patch, in a clean black suit with a flower on it. Yup, Lavi was ready to face royalty.

The doorbell rang just as Lavi finished. He rushed to a window to see the carriage waiting for them outside. He took the stairs three at a time as he ran to the foyer, only to see his step family there first.

"So, you actually found something…" Klaud said deadpan and glared at Lavi.

"Mother! You can't honestly let him come with us!" Road whined, pulling on her mother's skirt.

"Why not? After all, we did have a bargain…" Klaud said, walking up to Lavi. "This suit is… interesting. Wouldn't you say, Tyki?"

"I really don't—" Tyki said before he knew what his mother meant. "Why I do believe that's MINE, brat!"

Tyki walked over to Lavi and with a satisfied smirk, ripped the shirt right off, jacket and all. Road joined in the 'fun' and started to rip some more of poor Lavi's clothes.

"My, my, what a pretty flower…" Klaud said, picking up the still intact lotus. "I wonder who gave it to you…"

"Please, don't touch it!!" Lavi pleaded. But Klaud didn't listen to him and dropped the lotus on the floor and smashed it with her foot. Lavi became enraged, so much so that Road and Tyki let go of the flaming redhead. "YOU BITCH!"

Lavi couldn't find it in himself to hit a girl, and thus, he ran out to the back garden, crying his eyes out.

"Come along, children," Klaud said, a smirk on her face as she ushered her children out of the house. "We have a party to get to."

~*~

Kanda walked though the hallway about five minutes before the ball began. Every mirror he passed by, he had to stop to make sure he still looked presentable. What Lavi had said to him started to ring true and Kanda couldn't help but subconsciously do something to his outfit to make him less presentable, just to spite the rabbit, even though he would never know.

Truth be told, Kanda was nervous. He knew his father was going to make him choose a bride tonight. And he really didn't want to… now, how to get out of this and not attract any unwanted attention…

"Good evening, You Highness," one of the guards, Toma, said to Kanda as he passed the front entrance to the palace.

"Good evening, Toma…. What are those?" Kanda asked, seeing the flowers in small buckets near the door. Since many people had already arrived early, there were a few empty buckets with just water in them.

"They're flowers, Sire," Toma said, handing a flower to a person who entered.

"They're lotuses," Kanda said, pointing out the obvious.

"Yes, Sire, they're lotuses," Toma said with a smile. "His Grace, the King, said they were your favorite flower."

"Yes, but WHY hand them out?!" Kanda asked, not showing that he was panicking.

"It's just a flower, Your Highness!" Toma said in defense. "Please, relax!"

Kanda only che-ed and walked away. Once he rounded a deserted corner, he panicked. Lavi was supposed to wear a lotus so that he knew it was him! But… now thanks to his father's idiocy, he would never be able to tell! Well, Lavi did have red hair… so Kanda banked on their being no other redheaded males at the ball.

With newfound determination, Kanda slipped his mask on and stepping into the ball room. Immediately, his eyes feel on at least five other redheaded males.

This… will be harder then I thought… Kanda thought with an audible sigh.

~*~

Lavi sat in the back garden, crying his eyes out. He would never be able to go to the ball now… he might never see Kanda again…

That he just couldn't bear. Lavi knew that they could never be together! They were both male, for one thing, and Lavi was a commoner and Kanda was royalty. This could never work…

"Don't fret, child, everything will be alright!" a voice said to Lavi.

Lavi jumped off the bench he was sitting on and looked around wildly. His eye settled on bubbles that drifted through the air and all came to the same spot. Then, in a quick flash of light, a woman in a long blue cloak materialized. She had dark brown hair, tanned skin, and golden eyes.

"Who are you?" Lavi asked tentatively.

"Why, I'm Lulubell! I'm your fairy Godmother!" the woman said happily.

"I have a fairy Godmother?" Lavi asked, rubbing his eyes.

"That's right!!" Lulubell said in an overly happy voice. "And I'm here to see that you're wish is granted! I'm going to make sure you go to the ball!!"

"Okay…." Lavi said wearily. He was still a little unsure about all this… "But, how?"

"Why, magic, of course!" Lulubell said, waving her magic wand around.

Many wand waves and an overly corney song later, Lavi was all se to go to the ball. There was just one tiny problem. His clothes were still ruined.

"Um, Lulubell… I'd hate to be a bother, but could you please do something about my clothes?" Lavi asked, pointing to the clothes that his family so mercilessly shredded.

"Oh! Of course!! How silly of me!!" Lulubell said, waving her wand again.

She sang another verse of 'Bippity Boppity Boo' and Lavi's rags were gone. In their place was an immaculate white suite, trimmed in gold. It looked like an oriental shirt that you might see someone in China wearing. He also had a white mask, also in gold trim. Lavi was stunned. He had never dressed so well in his life…

"Thank you so much, Lulubell!" Lavi said, glomping his fairy Godmother. "And let me guess, midnight, right?"

"That's right, midnight!" Lulubell said with a smile. "Oh wait, I almost forgot." She pulled something silver out of her pocket and put it in Lavi's hand. "This was from your mother. She left it in my possession before she died. She wanted you to have it…"

Lavi lifted up the thin silver choker. Hanging from it was a small Yin and Yang pendent with a design around it that matched the ring left to him from his father. Lavi looked at the ring on his hand and then back to the pendant.

"Thank you so much, Lulubell," Lavi said, putting it on. It fit snuggle on his neck, like it was only ment for him to wear.

"You're welcome," Lulubell said, hugging Lavi quickly. "Now, you must leave now, or the ball will be over before you get there!"

"Right!!" Lavi said, jumping into the carriage. He called out of the window as he sped off, "THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, LULUBELL!!" but when he looked back, Lulubell was gone and bubbles were in her place.

~*~

Kanda let out a large yawn. He was forced to dance with every girl there, now he was sitting on his throne, bored to tears. Lavi still hadn't shown up… or he did and Kanda just didn't see him… or… DAMN IT! thinking about all the possibilities made Kanda's tired brain hurt.

"Hey, Yu!" Lenalee said, walking up to her brother. "Are you going to dance any more?"

"Not right now, Lenalee," Kanda said, stifling a yawn this time. "I'm waiting for someone…"

"Oh? And may I ask who?" Lenalee asked, sitting down next to her brother.

"Lavi…" Kanda said, scanning the crowd again.

"LAVI?!?" Lenalee said, shocked, with a gasp. "Allen mentioned that he had a best friend named Lavi!!"

"Allen?" Kanda asked. "Lavi mentioned that he had a best friend named Allen!"

"We must be thinking of the same Lavi then…" Lenalee mused. "I'm going to get Allen, I'll be right back!"

"O…kay…" Kanda said, not really sure what just happened.

He stifled another yawn as he heard a fanfare from the grand hall. He sat up straighter in his throne and looked out to the back to see who was here. People started to whisper and wondered who would show up to the ball this late…

Kanda got up and walked to the entrance to the ballroom, seeing Lavi there, but not knowing it was him.

"Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?" Kanda asked the mysterious man in white.

Lavi turned around and came face to face wit the prince. Of course he didn't know it was the prince.

"Oh, I'm nobody," Lavi lied, looking around. He spotted several heads of raven hair, and all of them had a lotus on their jackets. How the hell was he supposed to know which one was Kanda?

"Are you looking for someone?" Kanda asked, trying to be polite.

"Yes, actually…" Lavi said half heartedly as he wasn't really paying attention to this man.

"Well, I'm looking for someone too," Kanda said with a smirk. "SO, since your looking for someone, and I'm looking for someone, why don't we look together?"

"Yeah… I'd like that…" Lavi said with a smile.

"May I have this dance?" Kanda asked as the music came back on.

"Sure," Lavi said, still smiling. He didn't know why, but this man made him feel the same way he felt around Kanda… coincidence? Only when the author sets it up! *evil snicker*

The two walked out onto the dance floor with Lenalee and Allen not too far away. As they danced, Kanda held Lavi close to his body. He didn't know what this feeling was… but what ever it was, it felt right to him. And as for Lavi, let's just say he was a little too flustered to know what he was feeling.

Lenalee and Allen knew who they were the entire time. Lenalee because she's know her brother anywhere. And Allen because he could tell that the mop of red hair belonged to Lavi, no matter how nicely he was dressed.

"Who is that boy?" Tyki asked Klaud, a scowl on his face.

"Do we know him?" Road asked, very upset that the Prince was dancing with some strange boy.

"Well, the Prince seems to!" Tyki said, watching the two dance.

"Well, I've never seen him before…" Klaud said as the two passed. She saw the face, even under the mask and felt like she knew him. "Actually, he does seem familiar…

As the song ended, Kanda lead Lavi out to the garden. Every fan girl in the room squealed as a the entrance was blocked by a curtain.

"Hmm… I wonder…" Lavi mused aloud, looking at the night time sky.

"Wonder what?" Kanda asked, his curiosity peaked.

"I wonder where the Prince is…" Lavi mused, looking at Kanda.

"Why would you want to know that?" Kanda asked, making a slight coughing noise.

"Because… I'm just curious," Lavi said, changing his mind at the last second.

"Oh… well, curiosity did kill the cat…" Kanda mussed,

"Then it's a good thing I'm a rabbit, then, huh?" Lavi said with a smile.

"A… Rabbit…?" Kanda asked, a little shocked.

"Yeah, I have a few friends that call me a rabbit sometimes…." Lavi said with a laugh. "I guess it fits, huh?"

"Yeah…" Kanda said, mulling over what just happened.

His mind was such a blur. He couldn't think straight. So, it was no wonder that with his clouded mind that he did what he did next.

Kanda leaned over and lightly kissed Lavi on the lips.

Lavi was shocked beyond all belief. Once he got over the initial shock of the kiss, he kissed him right back. He teased at he bottom of the raven's lips, asking them to part. Kanda did so gladly and forced his tongue into Lavi's mouth. Their tongues danced together in heated passion.

Just then, the clock chimed midnight. Lavi jumped back in shock and stared at the clock for a second before beginning his run.

"Wait, please wait," Kanda said, grabbing his wrist.

"Please. I must leave!" Lavi said. Wrenching his wrist away and running out.

"But I don't even know your name! Where will I find you?!" Kanda called out, but it was in vain. Lavi was already out the doors. "Somebody stop him!"

"Stop that boy!" the duke called out, "Close the gates!!"

But Lavi was already in his carriage and beyond the gates. The royal guard was sent out and the gates were open again.

Lavi was already back to his house, or very close to it, when the clock let out the final stroke of midnight. Everything turned back to what it was before. Lavi let out a sigh of relief that it was all over. He raised a hand to feel the choker and realized that it must have fallen off during his escape. He cursed himself for being so careless with his mother's gift.

Lavi shook it off and went inside, up to his room, and slept with pleasant dreams.

~*~

"Your Highness…" the duke said quietly, afraid of encurring the wrath of the Prince.

"Did you find him?!" Kanda snapped, turning with his prized possession, Mugen. At the duke's throat.

"Well, you see, Your Majesty…" the duke began, pushing the blade away. "He got away…"

"He what?" Kanda asked, not sure if he heard right.

"He got away… but he left this behind!" the duke said, holding up Lavi's choker. "It looks custom made, maybe it only fits him?"

"Really now…" Kanda mussed, picking up the choker and eyeing the pendant. He thrust it back into the duke's hands and said, "Tomorrow you will try this on every teenager in the kingdom, gender regardless. And if one fits, that's the one I'll marry."

"But what if it ends up fitting a male?" the duke asked in shock.

"Hmpf. Even better," Kanda said, returning to look out the window. He then said to the wind, "Where are you…?"

okay, definately my longest chapter......

again, stayed up most of the night typing it... AND i rewrot the whole scene in the garden.... they were SUPPOSED to find out that they were who they are and then fall into the fountian making out! but, once again, the actors did NOT listen to me and thus....... yeah....

anyways, R&R like usual....