Title: Lavi's Obsession
Author: fotoshop-cutout // Shiro
Fandom: D. Gray-Man
Characters/Pairings: Lavi/Allen, Cloud Nyne, Kanda, Lenalee
Rating: PG-15 for shirtless boys.
Word Count: 2,338
Disclaimer: All characters depicted in sexual situations in this post/fanfiction/fanart (including material in the comments) are fictional and are intended to be and considered to be by the author of said material of the legal age of consent in the United States state of California, regardless of what age these characters may be in the material they are derived from. Also, the song is "Pink" by Aerosmith.
Summary: Allen wakes up to find his clothes have gone pink.
Notes/Warnings: un-betaed; the sixth in a series of 104 themes. "Obsession" is today's theme. Thank you to everyone who's been reading and reviewing! You guys are great. :)
[ Pink: it's my new obsession
Pink: it's not even a question
Pink on the lips of your lover, 'cause
Pink is the love you discover
Pink as the bing on your cherry
Pink, 'cause you are so very
Pink: it's the color of passion
'Cause today it just goes with the fashion ]
Allen probably was considered weird already: he realized this. After all, he was the polar opposite of his mentor Marian Cross. He was fifteen and a total gentleman; he dressed well, and had no qualms about being friendly to females. There was his physical attributes, but honestly they didn't quite matter when you were living at the Order.
But all Allen could think when he opened the drawer to find his freshly laundered clothing was 'uh-oh'. He groaned and picked up the fabric of his once flawless white shirt. Instead, it was pink. He turned it all the way around and sighed. Well, at least this was the only one. He looked back at the drawer, prepared to pull out a different shirt only to find another pink garment sitting there. He stared at it. Hesitantly he rifled through the rest of the stack, whimpering. They were all pink. He had no choice. He had to wear it. With a frown he slipped on the first shirt he had seen. As he buttoned it he vaguely wondered how his shirts had become so feminine.
He reached for the red strip of cloth to tie at the collar. When his hand didn't come up with it he growled. Nothing was going his way today. He then proceeded to search through the drawer for it. There was no way he was walking out of his room without that. Finally, between his pants he spotted something that didn't belong: a strip of bright pink. Allen blinked and picked it up, pinched between forefinger and thumb, and considered it. It was the same length as before, the same width, and definitely the same material: just pink. Allen sighed, but decided it was worth it to have the necktie on. He tied it, and then eyed himself in the mirror. At least the pink was even all over the shirt. Though, the necktie was brighter and so still stood out against his shirt. He shrugged, willing to subject himself to the ridicule in order to get some food.
Exiting the hallway, entering the stairwell he had already passed someone from the science department who had looked him over, then scoffed; a finder who pretended he didn't notice the boy wearing pink; and a questionable robot that was cleaning the floor that had blatantly looked him up and down and then gave a high-pitched whistle. Allen cringed and made sure to get away from the robot as quickly as he could. Most people would be getting breakfast about now, so he just had to bear with it for the time it took him to eat his fill.
He entered the cafeteria, instantly being lost in the shuffle of trying to get food. The others he encountered were mostly finders and scientists who were busy talking to one another. Luckily no one gave more than a second glance to his new attire. He had his tray in hand and started off towards an empty table when Kanda pushed by him.
"Che, watch where you're—what are you wearing, Moyashi?" Kanda looked him over with wide eyes. For a split second Allen thought about telling the truth about the situation that had him slightly less than panicked. However, he was struck with inspiration and a sly grin took over his features.
"Why, you like it? I thought it was time for a change, myself." This obviously threw off the older boy. Kanda was speechless as he looked Allen over again, then turned away and headed over to the empty table.
When Allen and Kanda were just starting to dig in to their respective meals, Lenalee skipped over to join them. She sat at the table before looking at the two other exorcists. She stopped when she saw Allen. Then she smiled, kindness flooding into her eyes.
"A new fashion, Allen?" His attention shot from his food to the girl in a split second. He glanced at Kanda, then smiled.
"Something like that."
Lavi sat down with the trio after a few moments. He passed his emerald eye over everyone, then stopped at Allen. "That's… uh… an interesting color choice, Allen."
Allen grinned, knowing that he was grabbing pretty much everyone's attention. "Well you know what they say: 'it's the color of passion'." Personally, Allen was surprised he had managed to get those words out without stumbling over them or blushing. He looked Lavi straight in the eye before shoving another forkful of food in his mouth. Lavi watched him carefully for a moment then resumed eating.
[ Pink, it was love at first sight
Pink, when I turn off the lights
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be alright
No matter what we do tonight
You could be my flamingo
'Cause pink is the new kind of lingo
Pink like a deco umbrella
It's kink—but you don't ever tell her ]
The rest of the day was full of remarks from friends, looks from strangers, and questions from Lavi. At every turn Lavi had something else to ask him about. It started out with the most random of things.
"What's the weather like?"
"I don't know, Lavi, I haven't been outside yet."
"Why do you have zippers on your boots? I thought you might be more of a laces guy."
"Zippers are easier."
The questions went on and on all day. Most of them were inconsequential and just plainly grew annoying by the time lunch was over. By the time supper rolled around and Lavi hadn't gotten the hint by Allen's bored tone, the white haired boy was about ready to throw the redhead into a room and lock him there. Allen still answered all of his questions, but continued with his thoughts of losing the annoyance that had been following him all day long. Kanda was the one who broke the cycle, though Allen wasn't quite sure whether this was a good thing or not. The nineteen year old slammed his hands on the table and glared directly at the Bookman's apprentice.
"That's it. This has to stop. If you don't quit bothering the Moyashi with stupid questions I will run you through."
Hesitantly, Lenalee eased Kanda back into his seat, though the sword-wielding exorcist still glared. Lavi remained quiet for the rest of the meal. He looked admonished at the very least, but by the end of the meal he looked as if he were considering something. Just as Allen stood to leave, Lavi reached out and grabbed his sleeve. For a moment everything was silent around them, then Lavi spoke.
"Why are you wearing pink?"
Allen looked between the two boys sitting at the table. Kanda reached for his sword hilt, though Lenalee tried desperately to cease his movement. Allen smiled, looking back at the redhead.
"Because I can." Allen walked off, dumping his tray and heading up to his room.
And thus, it became Lavi's obsession.
[ Pink, it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn off the lights
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think that everything is going to be alright
No matter what we do tonight ]
By the next day, Allen was the talk of the Order. He had never had this sort of attention before, and so approached the shirts with more confidence. Within two feet of the door to his room he encountered someone. At that, it was Cloud Nyne, making her way towards the elevator to leave for her next mission. As they neared one another, the female Marshall eyed him, then smiled appreciatively.
"It's nice to see a man with character around here." Her voice was soft as they slowed their pace. Allen almost blushed, then caught himself and slid a grin on his face.
"It's nice to have a woman appreciate it." He dropped his voice lower, though not intentionally. The woman before him blushed; he winked at her and proceeded down to the cafeteria. Cloud watched him go, a pink tint to her cheeks. 'He did learn a thing or two from Cross then.'
Once he had his breakfast, complete with Lavi staring at him and a few suggestive comments sidelong at Lenalee (who blushed), Allen headed towards the library. Lavi trailed after him.
"It's the same shirt as before, only pink."
They had been sitting in the library reading for quite some time then Lavi started throwing out theories as to why he was wearing pink. Allen just shook his head and smiled at him when he spouted off his latest thoughts.
"You must want to get a girlfriend."
Allen tilted his head to the side, not taking his eyes off his page. "Why would I want to do that?"
"Why wouldn't you? Unless you're really into men, and you're trying to really show that."
Allen giggled, "Why, Lavi, are you interested if I am?" When silence held steady for a moment Allen peered over, curious. Lavi had immersed himself in his book, though he was obviously blushing. Allen grew mischievous, "Ehh, Lavi, is that why you're over there as pink as can be? Trying to get yourself a boyfriend?"
Lavi buried himself deeper into his seat, slouching and moving the book up to hide his face. Allen snickered and left him alone after that. They read on, Allen unhindered by Lavi's constant talking now.
[ I want to be your lover
I want to wrap you in rubber
As pink as the sheets that we lay on
'Cause pink is my favorite crayon
Pink, it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the lights
Pink: it's like red, but not quite
And I think everything is going to be alright
No matter what we do tonight ]
The next day Lavi was back at it, trying to figure out why Allen hadn't found something else to wear. Allen shrugged and gave his reasons, but after supper he had enough. He was part way up to his room, talking with Lenalee as she headed to see her brother, Lavi tagging along with them in lieu of his recent obsession with Allen and his clothes. Lavi poked Allen's shoulder and questioned him again.
"If I gave you some new clothes would you wear them instead of your pink shirts?"
Lenalee was opening her mouth to say something to the redhead, but Allen couldn't take it anymore. He rolled his eyes and reached up with both hands, grabbing a side of his shirt with each and tore it open. He shirked it off his shoulders and discarded it on Lavi's head.
"If you wanted to see me with my shirt off so badly, all you needed to do was ask." Allen turned back to Lenalee who giggled softly. He smiled and then continued their conversation as if nothing had happened. Lavi was left standing in the hallway, holding the pink item and staring after the now shirtless boy.
As Allen headed back to his room after walking Lenalee to her destination, he passed Kanda.
"Couldn't stick with it, Moyashi?" Obviously Kanda was making a stab at his manliness and pride. Allen just grinned.
Allen proceeded to his room, ready to grab a different shirt, only to stop short at the figure standing in his room, clutching the shirt from earlier. After a moment of eyeing the redhead, Allen closed the door behind him.
"Lavi?"
The Bookman's apprentice jerked and brought his eye up to look at Allen. "Oh. Hi, Allen."
The white haired boy raised his eyebrows but before he got the chance to say anything, Lavi continued.
"You were right." He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "Both times." Suddenly a nervous laugh rung out and Lavi looked him in the eye. Allen was slightly unnerved. What had he been right about?
"I guessed a million different things, but I couldn't get it; yet you pinned me with two guesses." Lavi must be losing it. That must be it. "I suppose you should get the customary third guess, though. So, Allen, can you guess what I've been trying to say this whole time?"
Allen was shaken from his thoughts. He opened his mouth, promptly closed it and cleared his throat. He tried again. Nothing came out. He closed it, Lavi spoke up.
"Heh, I guess I should just tell you then." Lavi fiddled with the shirt in his hands, eye dropping to the floor. "I want to be your boyfriend."
Three months later and Allen carded his fingers through a mop of red hair. He sized up the difference between the pink of his shirt sleeve to the redness of Lavi's hair. Not quite the same, but he could see how Lavi could compare the two. Lavi's obsession with his clothing hadn't ceased, but instead of talking about it all the time, he was wearing it. The first time Lavi had worn his shirt in public, the shock had been huge. Though, that was only to Allen. Lavi had passed it off as Allen having started a trend. But as Allen became more comfortable with their unique relationship, they showed more of their affection around their friends. This was the first time they showed anything more than friends around the general public, though.
Allen sighed and allowed Lavi to lean back against him. Allen had long since finished his meal, but sat with his boyfriend as he finished his food. People were whispering, but both boys ignored it. Kanda watched them from afar; Lenalee was already up with her brother. When Lavi was done, Allen stood and took his hand, walking with him to return their trays. And to think this was all thanks to the redhead's obsession.
Tomorrow's Theme: "Eternity"