Theme: Pride/Honor
OTL this was meant to be less than a page long.

Ribbons and Razors
Part Two

"What do you get for someone who hates your guts?"

"Uh…well, certainly not any type of weapon."

"Lavi, I'm being serious."

The redhead sat back and thought about it, "well, who on Earth hates you anyway, beansprout?"

"It's Allen."

"That's beside the point, who hates you? Better yet, if you believed this person hates you…then why would you want to get them something?"

"Kanda." Allen answered, resting his head on his hand. "He hates me. But I don't hate him and I found out his birthday is coming up."

"Ah, he doesn't really do the birthday thing, there beansprout—"

"ALLEN," he corrected again. "Well, then I'll just get it for him early or something. Even if he hates me, maybe he'll appreciate the gesture."

"He doesn't hate you, you know."

Allen blinked at him, disbelievingly, "Just like he doesn't hate you?"

"He doesn't hate me, he loathes me. There's a difference."

"Right."

"Tell ya what, get him a ribbon," Lavi grinned and gestured to his head around the way Kanda would tie his hair.

"A ribbon?"

"Ya. He ties his hair back with them. As long as you don't pick a pretty pink one, he'll use it."

"Not if it's from me."

"Try it. I promise you. He will use it. You should even put your name on it too. Let him know it's from you and I will bet you he wears it."

"We'll see Lavi."

Allen briskly left Lavi in the dining hall and did just that. He wasn't exactly too sure about the whole idea. Perhaps a hair ribbon seemed a little emasculating? Well, to him anyway. Allen didn't have long flowing locks that probably felt like an ocean of silk, either. So he really didn't have a clue. The redhead seemed to think it was an idea worth acting on, so he took it and ran with it. If Kanda came at him with Mugen drawn and itching for blood, then he would throw the blame on Lavi in a heartbeat. He was just in that kind of mood.

Meandering around town, he did eventually come across one he didn't find to be too girly and as he stood in front of Kanda's door—trying to will himself to leave it—he wondered if Kanda would hate the color. It was more like a threaded rope with a deep violet jewel at each end, accented by tassels. He thought it was handsome and it would work very well with his chosen hair style. '

Kanda…might think he was trying to offend him and rip his innards out and spread it like confetti.

So he wrapped it around the door handle with a small tag that simply said "from Allen."

And he walked away.

With every bone, muscle, nerve….everything ever, screaming at him to go back, take it and hide under a rock.

He shook it off when he saw the man in question pass him. His heart jumped in his throat and he ducked into his room just after.

When several minutes passed, he realized he wasn't going to have an angry swordsman run in and murder him across his room. He breathed a small sigh of relief and slipped out of his room, taking a peek at the other door. The ribbon was gone and the door was shut, with no sign of Kanda anywhere. Okay, so he at least got the message.

"Hey beansprout!" He hear Lavi's voice calling him and he grumbled.

"It's Allen."

Lavi strode up and casually dragged Allen off to where he, Lenalee and Krory were gathered, playing some kind of card game. That was fine by him. He could use the distraction—though he was a little huffy they wouldn't let him play, instead he was the dealer.

"So, didja give it to him?" Lavi asked with a little hint of mirth in his green eye.

"Yes. But I don't think he's going to even acknowledge it."

"We'll see~"

After the first day, Allen became more doubtful.

After the second day, Allen decided Lavi was an idiot.

After the third day, Allen decided he was an idiot.

After the fourth day, Allen finally called Lavi on his failed bet.

On the fifth day, he ran into Kanda—who wasn't looking very please, or rather, was looking like his usual self. "Watch where you're going, beansprout."

"Sorry for existing, BaKanda," he snapped back and pushed passed him with a frown. He didn't want to… His eyes caught the glint from the violet jewel by the man's ear. "You're wearing it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, moron."

Allen watched the man briskly leave. The ribbon he'd picked out was laced into his hair and binding it back in its usual place. He wasn't going to even acknowledge the gift, but the fact that he was actually wearing it spoke several volumes all on its own. His ego prevented him from saying a single word, but his actions made it acceptable.

"Whatever, BaKanda," Allen said with a little bit of a smile.