Title: They're Happy Tears

Characters/Pairings: Lavi/Allen, "Sun" and "Babe"

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1,979

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.

Summary: Allen gets attached to a horse.

Notes/Warnings: un-betaed; the nineteenth in a series of 104 themes. "Tears" is today's theme. Also, "Sun" and "Babe" are actual horses. Their temperaments are exactly as depicted: they are mine. –smiles-

It was Allen's first horseback riding experience. The train had broken down and Lavi had suggested they rent some horses. After all, riding was faster than walking. Allen was hesitant, but that was to be expected. Horses were large creatures. Lavi smiled and assured him that the horses they would be renting would know what they were doing—and the saddles would be comfortable!

Sure enough, after some finagling, Lavi managed two decent looking grade horses. Nothing special: but sturdy and intelligent. Endurance saddles were placed on their backs by the grooms that stood by. Rags were wiped over the seats to get rid of any sorts of grime that might be there (though none was); the horses were bridled and handed to the duo. The white haired boy stared into the brown eyes of the massive gelding in front of him.

"What are you waiting for, get on!" Lavi was already mounted on his bay mare. She was shorter than the gelding Allen held the reins to, and much more slight. She was compact and had a sweet face. Allen again looked up into the gelding's eyes. Allen took a deep breath, and then took the plunge. One of the men helped him up on the wide barreled brute. Allen's silver eyes looked down at the horse's neck. He was the color of the sun itself.

" 'is name's 'Sun'," spoke one of the grooms, " 'er's is 'Babe'."

Lavi nodded. "You hear that, Allen?"

Allen only smiled in response. His stomach was in knots. He picked up the reins, placed his feet in the bell shaped metal things (stirrups, he was told later), and tried to keep himself from jittering back off of the horse. Lavi smiled reassuringly and urged his horse into an easy walk. Allen followed suit, surprised at how easy he settled into the slight rocking rhythm. He felt at ease after just a few strides. Sun had a big walk, which made Lavi's mare almost have to jog to keep up with. Allen looked over at the red head.

"When did you learn how to ride?"

It was just that Lavi looked so relaxed on the mare's back that Allen had to ask.

"Bookman and I took many different modes of transportation. As a child we often traveled by foot or horseback." Lavi flicked his eyes between Allen and avoiding people on the road. All of Allen's attention was on Lavi, so he was surprised that he hadn't run anyone over yet. Allen turned back to the road, hoping that the rest of the journey would be this easy.

Outside of the town, the road was basically vacant. Lavi dropped his stirrups and leaned down, crossing them over the front of the saddle. He stretched his legs. "Ahhh, much better." Lavi turned to Allen. "So you've never ridden before?"

Allen blushed and kept his eyes on the road. He didn't dare drop his stirrups and get comfortable like Lavi did. "Never."

Lavi draped his reins over the mare's neck; she kept to the road. "That explains it then."

"Explains what?" Allen snapped. Lavi raised his eyebrows and Allen muttered an apology.

"Well, you're really tense about this whole thing."

Allen frowned, but Lavi took a sip from his canteen and turned away from him. Once the canteen was back in its place, the red head picked up the reins and smiled. "How about a little bit faster?" Lavi was talking to Allen, "It might help you relax."

A second's hesitation and Lavi squeezed his legs to the mare's sides. The mare's head came up as she responded, breaking into a trot. She floated along in front of Sun and Allen for only three strides. Lavi tightened his legs once more and set off in a canter. They looked beautiful, really. Dust puffed up from the road and Sun pranced. Allen tensed. The gelding trotted. Allen nearly panicked but he kept his calm by keeping his eye on his friend up ahead. The gait was bouncy. Allen was afraid he would be bounced out of the saddle soon if he didn't get to the next gait: it looked so graceful. He tightened his legs.

The horse lunged out from under him. Allen was almost left behind; when he caught up with the new motion he was surprised to find that they were passing Lavi and Babe. He grinned without knowing it and let out a whoop. It felt like he was flying. This was better than letting Lenalee take him up in the air, it was better than holding onto Lavi's extending hammer—it was freedom. It was a dance. Allen raised himself off the saddle like he had seen the riders in horse races do. It felt even better! They were flying!

The rest of the ride back to Headquarters was brilliant. Allen didn't mind letting his gelding rest, but soon they would be racing with Lavi up the road again. Allen's tenseness had gone away, although his rear end had gotten mighty sore, as did his thighs. After a full day in the saddle, Allen was glad to lie on a bed and sleep until sunrise. It lasted six days. Six days of pure joy. They got to the town that lay closest to the Headquarters and dropped the horses off. With a great big hug, Allen released the gelding's reins. Lavi watched in amusement. It wasn't until they had eaten, given their report to Komui and changed that it happened.

Allen looked in the mirror after he had fresh clothes on. His eyes fell to the black exorcists coat covered in white and gold horse hair. He smiled then broke down. The sobs came out of nowhere. He collapsed on the floor, pawing at the jacket as tears coursed down his face. He couldn't help it, he couldn't silence himself. It had been so amazing, and it was gone in the blink of an eye. He wanted to hold onto those reins forever. He wanted to spend his days racing around on the seemingly giant gelding's back.

Lavi was going to ask him to accompany him to the library, since he was avoiding his mentor. The sobs from beyond the door stopped his hand before he knocked on the door. He listened closely. That couldn't be Allen, could it? No, Allen wouldn't cry. Not when he had been having such a great time. Lavi's concern took him inside the room. Quietly, he opened the door, revealing Allen crumpled on the floor, sobbing as he cradled his coat. Lavi was astonished. Allen apparently didn't even hear him enter: the boy never looked up. Lavi closed the door with a snick, legs taking him over to Allen. The red head sat down, mirroring the white haired boy.

"What's wrong, Allen?" Lavi's single green eye tried to sort out what was wrong by Allen's expression. It didn't work so well. Allen sobbed harder for a while and leaned forward, still clutching his coat. Lavi instinctually put his arms around the younger exorcist. Lavi let him cry.

When Allen finally ceased crying and had cleaned himself up, he sniffed and turned to Lavi.

"I'm sorry about that."

Lavi only frowned in response. He was thoughtful, gazing at Allen. Allen kept wiping at his face with a damp cloth.

"What was it, anyway?" Lavi still couldn't figure it out. Allen shrugged.

"Nothing important. I'm an exorcist, so it doesn't matter what it was." Allen's tone was flat; dead.

"Yes, but I'm your friend. You can tell me." Lavi crawled closer to Allen's bed and leaned against it. All was quiet as Allen inspected his face in the mirror.

"I'm telling you: it's nothing." He turned to Lavi with a fake smile. Lavi was frowning at him. The smile fell from Allen's face. Allen threw the cloth at the sink. He missed and it fell over the edge, onto the floor. After a few choice swears, Allen picked it back up and carefully draped it over the edge of the sink. He turned back to Lavi. The red head's expression hadn't changed. Allen frowned.

"I just want Sun, that's all." He muttered, trying to mask it; trying to make it seem like it wasn't such a big deal. Lavi's expression softened. He let the subject drop in favor for getting Allen cheerful again. When Lavi left the room an hour later, he had a plan.

It was a week later that Allen was assigned to a mission not far off. It was just to take a briefcase to a different team of exorcists, so he left traveling by foot. He went through the town he had left Sun in. His eyes trailed to the stable, but he didn't dare venture close. He wanted to stay away for now. Until his heart had healed. He sighed and trudged on. At the edge of the town there was a small cottage. A red head exited and moved off towards a small barn, but Allen took no notice. He looked at his boots, covered in dust, as they moved up the road. Fifteen minutes later and hoof-beats clopped along behind him. Allen looked back, trying to shield his eyes from the sun, but it made everything a pale yellow. Allen sighed and moved to the side of the road, giving the horse and rider room.

"Allen!" A familiar voice cried out from close behind him. Allen turned. Lavi smiled. Lavi held out the reins. Allen's eyes traced the reins up. He looked into the gelding's brown, intelligent eyes. He blinked, a slow smile forming on his lips. Silver eyes flicked back to his friend.

"Lavi… ?" Lavi just grinned at him.

"You better have liked him a lot, because I spent a pretty penny on him and the cottage down the road some." Lavi jerked his thumb over his shoulder, indicating where he had come from. Allen was in awe, but took the reins.

"You did all this for me?" He reached up, petting the horse's neck.

"Yep!" Lavi looked proud of himself.

Allen was quiet for the next few minutes. He busied himself with lavishing attention on the gelding. Lavi grew concerned. He reached out, but Allen turned to face him before he touched his shoulder. Lavi licked his lips nervously. Tears were streaming down Allen's face.

"Why?"

This threw off the red head. Of course Allen had to know why he had done it. It should be fairly obvious. "I'm your friend…" He said it like it explained everything. To his dismay, Allen shook his head furiously.

"No, a friend wouldn't do this. Lenalee wouldn't do this. She would comfort me, but she wouldn't buy me a horse and somewhere to keep it. Why, Lavi?" Tears were still falling down Allen's face. Lavi blinked.

"Love?"

The tears must have been in shock, because they stopped flowing. Allen's head tilted like a confused puppy.

"Love?" Allen was confused. His nose was stuffed from the crying. The briefcase was in the dust at his feet, his arms around the gelding's neck.

Lavi nodded, "Love."

Allen considered this for a moment, head resting against the gelding's neck. Sun began to fall asleep in the sunshine.

"You love me?"

Now it was Lavi's turn to think. He furrowed his brow, pressed his lips together. "I think so."

Allen licked his lips, wiping away the residual tears on the sleeve of his coat. He sniffed. Silver eyes looked into sleepy brown eyes. Allen looked for a long time. Lavi watched him.

"Okay." Allen turned back, looking at Lavi.

"Okay?" Lavi was confused. He pushed his hands in his pockets.

"Okay. I love you too." Allen said it so outright, Lavi was surprised. He smiled. Another tear worked its way down Allen's cheek.

"Then why are you crying?"

Allen shrugged and wiped it away. "They're happy tears."

Tomorrow's Theme: "My Inspiration"