DISCLAIMER: I don't own D. Gray-man, UNFORTUNATELY all is into the hands of that crazy woman whose name is hoshino... Because if it was otherwise... D. Gray-man manga wouldn't have become a shapeless and disgusting jumble of nonsenses, and Lavi would have been together with Kanda from a VERY LONG TIME!
WARNING: YAOI - if you don't know what this word means, or if you don't like boy/boy relationship this story is not for you, don't say I didn't tell you! You know the song, DON'T LIKE DON'T READ!
WARNING N.2! Mention of racism and violence (this is mainly in later chapters)! Please note that I in no way am encouraging or approving of racism. It's just that to keep the story as possibly close to its historical period, I must use terms, ways of thinking, and behaviors proper of the factions involved in WWII. So, if references to Nazism or to its ideology is offensive to you, please refrain from reading. I don't want flames about it. I want to make it clear that I don't approve in any way Nazi's actions and that I'm not a racist, I'm just using the historical setting as a background.
6 JUNE 2011, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KANDA!
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So with Kanda's Birthday this year too starts the third LaviYu Festival!
Welcome to the LaviYu Festival, now at its third year!
For those who still don't know what the hell I'm talking about, let's make a brief look up over it.
The Festival, supported by the LaviYuu fans from all over the world, placed itself between Lavi and Kanda's two Birthdays, beginning with today, 6 June 2011, Kanda's Birthday, and culminating with the LaviYu Day, that was chosen exactly in the middle of their two Birthdays, on 8th JULY, to then end on 10th AUGUST with Lavi's Birthday.
This year the celebration has a couple of contest like last year, and of course we all are invited to post our stuffs during the whole period of the Festival. Check them out, the links are in my profile ^^
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Yeah, finally the new chapter is done. Once again, sorry for the long wait.
I want to thank all of you who patiently waited for my updates, even if between translating and having the chapter betaed always pass over a month^^" (when I don't have other business to take care of, 'course)
Also, once again I will answers to reviews here, I'm sorry I didn't do it immediately by e-mail.
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taste the rainbow eat crayons: Thank you^^ I'm doing my best, and since I'm not mother language what you say means really a lot to me!
As I said several times, in Italy readers don't express their opinion on the story, we are too close to the core of the war, still ashamed of what happened to say "I like it" to something using those umpleasant happenings.
my perspective: I'm really happy you like the story, and sorry I made you wait so long^^
karina001: Allen is smart, we know it, and he surely will try to get Lavi's unintentional help.
seiyuurabu: You trust me too much, as you realized I'm not so fast sometimes XD But, since I was afraid you still had to work, I sent the chapter just to EM1 (I think ^^"").
Glad you enjoyed chapter 4! I seriously love this story as one of the favourite in my personal top four. I put so many effort in researching and studying the historical background, so I really wish to do a good job telling facts over a time span that long.
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As always, a big THANKS to EM1&EM2, aka Saxon-Jesus who did the beta work for me, being so patient and helpful!
I love you!
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FROM TO DOOMSDAY DOOMSDAY
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Chapter 5: News
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The restaurant where Allen took him looked like a private night club, one of those places where people, as evening fell, gambled non-stop under the sounds of one low cabaret number and the next, drinking and smoking until collapsing unconscious to the ground, or on the dirty tables.
The place was also equipped with private rooms, whose use was not hard to imagine, and Allen led Lavi into one of these, sitting in front of him.
"Here we can talk undisturbed." The albino boy started in English. "So, what drove you to take this risk?" Allen's tone was genuinely curious, almost surprised, Lavi noticed immediately, as if he expected to never see him again, although he left him that coded message allowing him to find the boy.
"My grandfather." The redhead immediately admitted, going straight to the point without unnecessary circumlocutions. "Was wondering if you had any news 'bout 'im, or if you could be able t'get any." Upon hearing this question the wonder on Allen's face greatly increased, and his expression became almost mocking.
"What is it, your dear Commander Kanda ditched you after he had you enrolled by deception?" He said in an amused tone, leaning on his elbow; insinuation that, for some absurd reason, the nature of which escaped Lavi at the moment, irritated him to the point he wanted to close the albino's mouth with a punch.
"Yuu has..." Noting the smirk that appeared on the boy's lips as hearing him say that name, Lavi immediately corrected himself. "Commander Kanda did everything possible, but there's another SS officer who thwarts 'im." He revealed with a sigh; Allen immediately stopped grinning, suddenly alarmed. "A certain Howard Link, was the one who had my grandfather transferred to goodness knows where, 'cause of his antipathy toward Y-Kanda." He concluded, stammering again at saying that name. He couldn't help it.
Lavi moved uncomfortably on the wooden bench where he was sitting, expecting Allen to throw in his face that he warned him it would end up like this. The British boy instead said nothing, merely scratching his head, thoughtfully.
"I'll see what I can do." Allen then offered, giving Lavi a friendly pat on the shoulder and smiling reassuringly at him. "I will ask my contacts. Some of them should arrive here shortly, though, why don't you stay a bit?" He suggested afterwards, trying to give to his proposal a casual tone. Lavi stared at him with suspicion; trusting someone in a situation like this wasn't among his few viable options. "I won't ask you to disclose information, I promise!" The albino boy added, holding out his hand for him to take it.
Lavi was not the slightest convinced that the other youth didn't intend to try to make him talk about reserved subjects, but he held out his hand all the same, grasping Allen's.
"M'kay, but I can't stay long, 'm on my day off only 'till mid afternoon." He pointed out at once to avoid being stuck the whole day.
"How do you find serving under that Kanda?" Allen asked immediately after. "I seemed understand that you two are very familiar." The corners of his mouth curved into a smile – a smile with closed lips – an angelic one, one he used to direct toward Lavi when they still lived all together, and that sent shivers to the young Bookman's spine.
"I'm his interpreter, I'm precious t'him. So, yes, he treats me well." Lavi found himself answering before he could prevent his mouth from doing it, because maybe he was actually providing the information that Allen protested not wanting to ask him. "But he gives me no confidence at all, he's just resigned to the fact I can't help it but call 'im by his name." He ended with an ironic tone, hoping that the British boy took the hint.
"I'm glad to hear it; I was afraid for you." Allen said, nodding, without stopping to stare at him.
Lavi smiled faintly, trying to give some credibility to his expression, despite smiling was being the last thing he felt like doing at that time. The waiter interrupted this demonstration of faked joy, placing on the table two cold drinks and exchanging with Allen an understanding glance, receiving a positive nod in reply.
"Oh, I'm absolutely sure that you were concerned about me," Lavi thought witnessing the scene.
"Guess that you haven't had any problems as well." He said instead, while examining the glass before him, full of an amber liquid, and then smelling its contents.
He didn't have the time to taste it though, because a loud cry caught his attention, and two slender arms grabbed him around the neck making him almost fall off the bench he was sitting on. The girl who had just screamed his name was, of course, Lenalee.
"Lavi! Are you okay?" She asked in a whisper, clutching hold of him with all her might, and the young Bookman almost had to force her to let him go, making use of Allen's help.
"Lenalee, let Lavi breathe." Urged the latter, moving her away with kindness from the youth she still regarded as a dear friend.
He then acquainted her about the reason why Lavi was now there, and Lenalee was also unanimous about the fact that someone among their friends could find out where the old Bookman was held.
"Would you like to hear me sing?" Proposed the Chinese girl with enthusiasm. "I was about to begin the rehearsals, please move into the common room." She announced, vigorously shaking Lavi's hands and at the same time exchanging a quick glance with Allen. The happiness that lit up her face seemed sincere, and Lavi couldn't say no.
"I'll stay a lil' longer," he accepted, returning her smile with just a hinted one, more genuine this time, "but no more than a couple of songs, or I'll be late and get punished." Lavi pointed out again.
Lenalee smiled enthusiastically, dragging him towards the stage with her and having him sit at the nearest table to it; then she got on the bandstand, preparing herself for the exhibition.
Lavi listened, ravished, and without realizing it he brought the glass that Allen had moved from the private room to his lips, enjoying the cocktail it contained with relish. Allen did the same with his own, and both the youths were won by Lenalee's voice, so intense and harmonious, so full of emotion. The first song was just over, and Lenalee was preparing to sing the next one, when Lavi let out a strangled sound, making Allen turn toward him at once.
"Lavi!" The British boy exclaimed, scared to see him collapsing on the table, his glance becoming suddenly empty, his body slamming on the wooden edge, out of strength. Even Lenalee turned her head at them, clearly alarmed.
"Allen!" She cried running to him. "What was the need to drug him!" The girl tried to raise Lavi's head, then his upper body, hoping he would come back to his senses.
"I didn't do it! I don't know what's happened!" Allen complained with open arms; Lenalee sighed, annoyed, darting a dirty look towards the bar's counter.
"Brother!" She said accusingly, knowing that she was right to suspect he was the architect. "You've something to do with all this, right?"
"Oh, well, I thought you wanted to keep him here..." The man defended himself, settling the weird glasses he was wearing back on his nose.
"It wasn't necessary, Komui!" Allen said in a tone of despair as he helped Lenalee to raise Lavi from the table. "Now he won't trust us anymore!"
"How long does the effect last?" The girl asked instead, a pouting expression and the tone of someone ordering he has to be immediately answered.
"Huh, I don't know..." Komui candidly admitted, and the two youths exchanged a more than disconsolate look as, with the man's help, they brought Lavi to Lenalee's dressing room, where he could rest on a bed waiting for the brew's effect, which the Chinese scientist had administered to him, to be over.
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Lavi woke up in a place he didn't know with a terrible taste in his mouth, and immediately sat up, realizing he was on a bed. He looked around; the room was quite bare, the only furniture besides the bed was a large toilette table with a big mirror, which identified the place as a back stage dressing room. Presumably, he still was in that place of ill repute, and this should be the private space where Lenalee was used to change and make herself up before singing.
He tried to get up but his head felt like it wanted to explode at any moment; besides, everything around him was spinning vortically. He let himself fall back on the mattress, covering his good eye with one hand.
He couldn't tell how much time had elapsed when the door finally opened and Allen appeared in its frame, followed by an anxious Lenalee, who immediately rushed to his bedside.
"How do you feel, Lavi?" She wanted to know, first thing. "You passed out yesterday afternoon! You scared us to death!" The girl added looking at him with apprehension.
He fainted? Yesterday afternoon? Lavi astounded, struggling to sit up.
"Yesterday? What time is it?" He asked in an urgent tone, shifting his gaze from Lenalee to Allen, with a facial expression that said a lot about how much he believed the story of his illness.
"It's five o'clock." The British boy answered, and reading relief on Lavi's tried face he added, "In the morning. I'm sorry."
"You're sorry." Lavi repeated bitterly, shaking his head sadly. "You do know, don't you, that this will cost me dear? I'll end up in a punishment cell... and if it goes well for me, I'll stay there just a couple of days; otherwise..."
"You're not able to leave immediately, rest a bit more." Plead Lenalee gripping his hands hard, still kneeling beside him.
Lavi didn't want to stay there a minute longer, but he was fully aware of the fact that he wasn't actually able to focus on his two would-be friends' faces either, let alone walk to the barracks.
With a wry smile plastered on his face he lied back, and heard Lenalee asking someone to bring her some coffee; he hoped with it to at least be able to stand up, to present himself to Yuu on time at least this morning.
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It was seven o'clock when Lavi arduously reached the dormitory and found it obviously deserted, except for the presence of one person, who seemed thrilled to see him appear at the door: Crowley.
"Lavi!" The soldier wailed, throwing himself at him and grabbing one of Lavi's hands, tears in his eyes. "You're finally back! I thought something had happened to you!"
"C'mon, don't do that, 'm fine. I spent the night at a friend of mine's place, that's all." Lavi explained, hoping that the other recruit would leave him in peace. He had to put on his uniform as soon as possible and dart to report to Yuu, if he didn't want to, at a minimum, be whipped.
"Commander Kanda was searching for you!" Crowley spoke again, looking around cautiously and keeping a low tone of voice, as if revealing some secret.
Yuu sought for him? Lavi gasped upon receiving this news, and at that point he watched his friend with more attention: as a matter of fact, the man seemed rather frightened.
"When?" Lavi immediately asked, grabbing Crowley by the shoulders. The soldier was surprised by his reaction, and hastened to tell what had occurred.
"He came here yesterday in the late afternoon, and seemed to be quite nervous." Crowley muttered as if he feared that Kanda could somehow hear them. "He asked about you to another recruit, and when he was told that you weren't here he looked very upset."
"Shit..." Lavi trembled at the thought of the ticking-off that was awaiting him, certain that Yuu was still furious with him for being gone all day without any permission.
"He waited for you for a while, leaning against the wall outside the dormitory, then he left without saying a word." Crowley kept speaking in a whisper, anxiety clearly visible on his lean features.
"It must have been very important, he'll kill me, I feel it..." Lavi pitifully moaned, adding a broken sigh to emphasize his mood.
"If I were you I would sling myself to his office." Crowley urged him, with the look of one who is certain that his friend is in big troubles. "He came looking for you again this early morning, and when he saw that you weren't returned he made a strange face; I really believed that he was going to be angry with me. Instead, he ordered me to wait for your return and send you to him immediately after." The man once more looked around carefully, then picked up his coat. "I have to take service now, hurry up to go to report or you'll be in a very bad fix!" he exhorted his comrade as he ran away.
"Thank you." Lavi greeted his friend waving one hand, nodding in response.
Fully aware that he couldn't waste any time, the youth stripped unceremoniously, throwing everything on his dormitory bed and grabbing his uniform.
He had just finished putting it on, when he noticed something white protruding from a pocket of the jacket he had just taken off, and immediately seized it. Another leaflet; he opened it, well knowing what he would find inside.
"Search again for the Sagittarius in five days," was written on it, this time next to the centaur's image. He crumpled the sheet of paper in anger, leaving the dormitory at a run.
Lavi knocked at Kanda's office door, with an unpleasant sensation in his body, a mixture of apprehension and mortification which he had never experienced before. He felt awfully stupid for letting himself be fooled so easily, and certainly couldn't tell Yuu what had occurred to him. Hearing the invitation to enter he put together a good excuse for what happened, and hoped it would be enough.
When Kanda looked up at him, the expression on his face became unreadable and he cast him a scorching glare, and yet Lavi would have sworn he glimpsed for an instant a great relief lighting up that perpetually frowning face, almost as if Yuu was about to get up and hug him.
"Where have you been?" The Japanese officer thundered, startling Lavi with the brutal tone of his question. "You didn't come back last night!"
"I... I'm sorry." Lavi murmured, bowing his head in obvious embarrassment. "I went to visit a friend who runs a music-club, and there was a singer... she was rehearsing... and I drank a bit too much. I'm very sorry." he concluded, tossing his head in a disconsolate manner.
The horrified expression that took hold for a few moments of Kanda's face, before being covered by his usual ice mask, left Lavi very confused.
"You got yourself into a dive to listen a two-bit whore singing?" Kanda's voice was so sharp that Lavi felt almost physically hurt by his words.
"Didn't think you needed me." The youth murmured, weakly justifying himself, conscious that he had violated his orders not coming back to the barracks within the set time, and ready to suffer the consequences, no matter how unpleasant they might be.
"I didn't need you; I had some important news for you." Kanda informed him harshly, but Lavi seemed to capture a hint of bitterness behind that rough response. The Japanese officer moved his attention to the documents before him. "But perhaps you no longer care." He added sarcastically, casting a sidelong glance at Lavi to observe his reaction.
"News? For me?" The redhead stammered, repeatedly blinking, anxiety that formed a large lump in his throat. When Kanda nodded and stood up, frowning, Lavi was almost about to faint from nervous tension.
"I know where your grandfather is held prisoner." The officer simply said, with carelessness, but to the young Bookman it didn't matter. His one eye widened enormously, and his voice got caught in his throat.
He was so happy about this news, so relieved to hear that his guardian was alive and that, God willing, he was well, that he ran to Kanda without thinking, throwing his arms around the man's neck and wrapping him in a liberating hug.
The Japanese officer backed a step towards the window behind him, at a short distance from the desk, the joy painted on Lavi's face which caused a strange feeling in his chest and stomach.
"You idiot, control yourself!" He roared, struggling to break free, but Lavi didn't want to let go, rubbing his face against his commander's chest, muttering an infinite number of 'thank yous'. "What the hell's gotten into you!" Kanda shouted again, hitting Lavi on his back with clenched fists.
The latter raised his face to look at those of the one who he was still holding, realizing what he had just done, and he was about to apologize profusely when the roar coming out of a speaker startled them both.
Lavi finally let go of his commander, and both recovered their composure; Kanda opened the window to see what the hell was going on enough to create all this turmoil and he found himself in front of a parade surrounded by the hugest crowd he'd ever seen.
At that very moment, the speaker diffused a proclamation, and the crowd let out a cry of exultancy.
It was July 14, 1933, and the Nazi Party had just been declared the only allowed party in Germany.
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Lavi lay on the bed fully clothed, exhausted, and closed his good eye, placing his forearm over it, yawning. Finally, the long-awaited news on Bookman's fate: Commander Link had him transferred to the concentration camp Dachau.
It would have been more difficult than what was expected to have him set free, but Lavi didn't despair, also confident in General Tiedoll's support. He sighed. Yuu had been way too generous with him.
"You're whacked. Go and rest, for today I don't need you," he had said as soon as the Nazi march had left, leaving him flabbergasted. Instead of punishing him, he had worried about him; he couldn't be so merciless and unscrupulous as everyone said.
Most likely no one had ever been able to get close enough to him to come to know Yuu and understand his reasoning, or more simply, no one apart from General Tiedoll knew his language enough to be able to talk to him about something.
In any case, Lavi liked this Commander so gruff and upright, despite all the rumors that circulated about Yuu, he had a heart like everyone else.
"Lavi!" A rookie called, just having arrived after the changing of the guard. "What are you doing here?"
The youth slowly rose on his elbows, trying to focus on the newcomer.
"Oh, it's you, Suman." He said with a wink, because of the light that had suddenly entered into his eye. "Commander Kanda gave me the day off."
"He didn't punish you for yesterday's absence?" Crowley asked, who had arrived just after Suman with other soldiers, showing he was very surprised to find his friend there, safe and in one piece.
"No, he said he didn't need me today and told me to rest." Lavi muttered, laying back down on the bed and shielding himself from the light. "Probably he had pity on me when he saw in what a state I was in." He added plaintively, pressing a hand on his stomach.
The nasty thing that the idiot called Komui had administered him was beginning to show its side-effects.
Thank goodness he should no longer have to deal with him or Allen, now that Yuu had managed to track Bookman down. If everything went the right way he could meet him soon.
"Kanda the terrible has graced you?" Crowley said, startled, looking around with fear right after, as if Kanda might appear by magic behind him just by the sound of his name. "You have to be very useful to him if he's passed over a so serious rule infraction." The man then whispered like a thief, provoking Suman's hilarity, who gave him a pat on the shoulder to urge his comrade to move and get his things.
"I'm the only one who understands what he says, maybe it's 'cause of this." Lavi answered ironically, turning himself to the mattress and covering his body completely with the blanket.
At that witty remark Suman grinned again, then motioned to two other recruits, who had lingered to listen, to follow him. The two men apparently didn't find funny any of it, and they left the dormitory with dark faces, even if no one paid too much attention to this.