Chapter Three

Table for Two

Alan sighed as he walked between the apartment buildings of the college campus. He was getting close to the apartment where that boy Mark lived. Ever since they had met that night a few months ago, the boy and sometimes his friends would be sitting outside on the deck, waiting for him. He didn't walk on campus every night; in fact, his walks were getting less frequent. The Thorns bothered him more and more recently, and he often found himself running out of energy.

Whenever he did walk out here, though, those curious teenagers were almost always there. They would wave down at him as he passed, and he would simply nod back at them. Sometimes they followed him and chattered amongst themselves, quickly learning that Alan preferred to ignore their conversations. They would follow him to the end of the road, then stop as he continued on. It was a routine of sorts, one that the teens had eagerly fallen into.

As he passed, he looked up to the deck outside the apartment, adjusting his glasses with the end of his scythe a bit. The whole group was up there, and they waved at him per usual. He nodded back at them and continued on his way, noting the devious look on Mark's face. The kid was plotting something. The Shinigami sighed and rolled his eyes. He didn't really care what the humans did, as long as they didn't bother him. If it got to that point, he would have to scare them off or something.

Up on the porch, Mark grinned at his friends as the Shinigami turned the corner and out of sight.

"Let's follow him." he suggested mischievously.

"To the end of the road?" Valerie asked, sensing something behind the boy's grin.

"Farther. Let's follow him to the edge of campus."

The others exchanged looks and stared at him nervously.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Mark. What if he gets pissed at us?" Gabe asked.

"I don't think he'll do anything to us. He seems to be feeling better tonight." Mark suggested with a convincing smile.

The others sighed. It was true, Alan seemed to be doing better tonight than on other nights they had seen him. Sometimes when walking with him they would have to stop because he would go into one of his coughing fits. He always refused their help in these moments and insisted that he would be fine, but it was clear that the Thorns of Death were bothering him. On their last walk, Alan had actually collapsed and screamed in agony. They had been extremely lucky the campus police didn't drive by. It would be hard to explain the man's agonized cries.

"Fine, but if he gets mad we're blaming you." Abel agreed, and the others nodded.

"Accepted. Let's go. We'll keep a good distance from him." Mark smiled and led the group down the stairs to the road.

It wasn't hard to spot Alan, a lonely shadow walking slowly down the road toward the edge of campus. The four curious teenagers followed him as quietly as possible, keeping far back. Alan sensed them behind him and chuckled; they were tailing him. He found it amusing, and ignored them as they passed the spot where he usually left them.

Soon he reached another group of residence areas on campus, surrounded by trees with a small pond near the campus edge. There were several benches set up around the pond, and even a swinging chair strung from one of the trees. The teens gasped as they saw that there was someone sitting in the swinging chair.

"Hello, Eric." Alan greeted the person, who in turn looked over his shoulder at him.

The man wore the same black business suit that Alan did, with glasses to boot. He had interesting hair, with half of it black and the other half a sandy blonde. The black half stuck to the side of his head in tight corn rows, and the blonde was somewhat combed over the other side of his head. A saw leaned casually against the side of the swing, and it was clear from the man's acid-green eyes that he was a Shinigami as well.

Eric grinned at Alan and gestured for him to sit next to him.

"There you are, Alan. I thought you were going to be late again. How are the Thorns treating you?" the somewhat older looking Shinigami asked.

"Better tonight. I've not had an attack all day." Alan replied, sitting next to him.

"Sounds like a good day."

"Best one all week."

The teens hid behind trees and watched, fascinated, as the two Shinigami talked. From the laid-back way they talked, it was clear that they were very comfortable with one another. They talked about work, and Alan even laughed as Eric made snide jokes about someone named Grell. Could this "Eric" be one of Alan's few friends?

"Sounds like they know each other quite well." Gabe whispered, flushing as the others quickly shushed him.

Over on the swinging chair, Alan sighed and glanced over his shoulder in their general direction at the same time that Eric did.

"Looks like you have some curious new friends, Alan?" Eric asked with a playful smirk.

"Acquaintances. I met them while I was out walking on Superbowl night." Alan remarked offhandedly.

"I was wondering where you were that night. We missed you at Ronald's Superbowl party."

"Ronald threw that party for two reasons; to try to get William drunk, and to pick up women."

"And he achieved both. William passed out on his couch."

Alan smirked.

"And woke up at Grell's place, right?"

Eric chuckled and stood up, stretching.

"You got it. Had anything to eat yet?" he asked with a smile.

"Nah. Wanna grab something?"

"You bet."

Alan smirked and looked over his shoulder at where Mark and his friends were watching them. Both Shinigami waved at them, and Alan gave them a smile that was somehow extremely unnerving.

"I suggest you lot go home. Oh, and if you ever try to follow me without my permission again I'll take your souls and feed them to a demon. Bye~." he said in a voice so sweet it was downright creepy.

The teens shrieked fearfully and ran off, too panicked to hear Eric's roaring laughter as they scampered away. Eric grinned at his friend, coworker, and former student.

"Would you seriously feed them to a demon?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Alan chuckled.

"No, but it got them away. They won't do that again. Humans are strange creatures." he remarked with a smile.

"Come on, Alan. Let's go get something to eat."

Alan nodded and followed Eric as he walked off campus.

"Okay, senpai."

Alan being able to relax and joke with his closest friend (and, if the hunch of everyone in the fandom is correct, much more) Eric Slingby. I don't plan for this story to be very long. Review please! It's super helpful! Allons-y!

~Silver