"Open up."
"Aah." Lavi's lips closed around a pair of chopsticks. He was having soba today.
In front of Kanda were two servings of soba, the bigger one for himself and the smaller plate for the little boy (Jerry was very particular about food not being wasted).
They were almost done when the others came to eat. Kanda usually arrived early just so he could avoid the others but, more often than not, he got stuck sitting with them because the normal Lavi insisted that they should stay awhile and chat. And this time he got held up by little Lavi taking too long to eat.
But when the others came to sit at the usual table, Lavi climbed into Kanda's lap and refused to talk. Allen was freaked out. Miranda looked a little hurt. Krory was surprised Kanda didn't swat the little boy away. Lenalee smiled sympathetically.
"Do you hands hurt, Lavi?" Allen asked in a friendly manner.
Lavi looked up at Kanda. What does he want? My approval? Kanda wondered. When he didn't get the expected reaction, Lavi turned back to regard Allen silently. He continued to stare for a long while, until Allen started to feel uncomfortable and industriously dug into his meal. "Lavi hands hurt a little."
The white-haired former Exorcist looked up, cheeks puffed out due to the huge intake of food. Kanda felt his lip curling in disgust so he looked elsewhere. Allen forced his food down and then smiled. "Is that right?"
Lavi nodded.
"Then that's good! If it doesn't hurt too much, then that must mean you're recovering, right?"
He nodded once more. There was a thoughtful frown on his little face, as if he were trying to figure something out. He looked up at Kanda again.
"What?" Kanda asked.
The boy pointed a finger at Allen. "Bean sprout?"
A tick mark appeared on Allen's face. "It's Allen! Don't listen to the garbage that Kanda tells you!"
Kanda wasn't in the mood to argue so he let it slide. Lavi seemed to find this confusing. "Papa…?" but he seemed unable to convey what he wanted to say so he just kept glancing between the British youth and the man with the dark hair.
"I think he's confused because he doesn't feel any hostility." Lenalee informed.
"So what?" Kanda asked.
She smiled. "So, since you're not exchanging any harsh words, he's confused as to how he should act towards Allen."
"What does that matter?"
It was Krory who answered. "He favours you over Allen so he doesn't want to displease you, I take it."
Kanda snorted. "What do I care how you treat other people?" He raised a hand to ruffle the boy's red hair. "He's your friend too."
"But…papa…" Lavi stared at Allen again. Allen grinned. Lavi looked back up at "papa". He truly seemed at a loss. Kanda felt an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"If you want to talk, then talk. I'm not stopping you." he said indifferently. "But I'm going."
"No! Papa!" Lavi clung onto the Asian man tightly.
Kanda didn't know why he felt so smug at that moment. Allen seemed disappointed. "You could stay awhile longer."
"Sorry, I have better things to do." Kanda said blankly as he stood up, holding his burden securely in his arms.
As they were walking out, Lavi looked back over Kanda's shoulder and waved at Allen. Allen waved back, a small smile curling the corner of his lips.
"Seems to have gotten better." Krory commented.
"Yeah, you two should argue less. Maybe Lavi doesn't like it…you know, normally," Lenalee said thoughtfully.
"But you guys said he was reacting to how Kanda spoke to me." Allen reminded them.
Miranda shrugged. "It could be just that. But I don't think Lavi really likes it when the two of you argue. You're his closest friends, after all."
"Papa?"
Kanda was barely awake. "Hmm…?"
"Bean sprout a bad person?"
Kanda turned around so he was facing the little boy. Not that he could see; he'd turned the light off before getting ready to sleep and there was no light coming in from the window. What a curious question to ask, he felt. "No…he's not."
"Why does papa hate him?"
"I don't hate him. He just…annoys me."
"Why?"
"I don't know…"
"Eh…?"
"I said I don't know. This is hardly the time to be thinking about such things. Go to sleep."
Lavi's tiny form snuggled against Kanda's torso and the man patted his head. "Night, papa."
"Hmm…" Kanda mumbled. But sleep wouldn't claim him.
His thoughts kept revolving around the same things. The burns and bandages, the anguish he'd felt for that incident, and now the thing at dinnertime. Why did he feel so weird? Lavi hadn't wanted to stay with Allen and he'd felt smug about that…Usually, he couldn't give more of a damn who Lavi spent his time with…well, he did, but only a little.
Could it be…he valued this kid's presence? And his attachment to Kanda? Kanda was starting to feel like a real parent and he kind of…enjoyed it. This idea was as a foreign one.
He gazed at the little figure by his side, pondering on this new idea. When Lavi smiled or asked to be picked up, Kanda felt like smiling…and there weren't many things which could make him want to do that. When Lavi clung onto Kanda's arm or leg to prevent himself being left behind, Kanda felt…gladdened.
No, that was ridiculous. Hadn't Kanda already accepted that this whole thing was just something that was unavoidable? And wasn't he going to murder Lavi when he went back to normal? And hadn't he vowed that he'd never have kids of his own because they were so bothersome to look after? There was no way he was starting to feel like a parent after just a day and a half!
But maybe it was just because it was his best friend. That had to be it. It was because this little kid was his best friend and needed Kanda's support, Kanda had to act with…feeling. Had it been someone else, he wouldn't have felt so strongly.
He sighed. Why am I thinking about such useless things? It hardly mattered what he felt, did it? After these two weeks were up, everything would be back to normal. Everything would play out and this stupid thing would end.
Just two weeks…he thought as he drifted off.
In the morning, after Kanda's usual shower subsequent to his daily training, he went back to his room to find Lavi wailing again. The child really didn't like being left on his own. Kanda resolved to start waking up earlier.
Lenalee and Allen had something planned for lunch that day. "We're all having a picnic!" Lenalee said with a jubilant smile as everybody was having breakfast.
"And?" Kanda inquired.
"You and Lavi are invited to come too." Allen replied.
Kanda snorted and pointed to the little boy sitting in his lap. "You can take him but I'm not going."
"Lavi stay with papa!" Lavi cried, clutching Kanda's hand in both his little bandaged ones.
"So it's settled then," Lenalee said. "You're both coming."
"I am not!" Kanda huffed. But Lavi looked up hopefully. "If you want to go with them, then go."
"But papa not coming…" Lavi's big green eye was pleading.
Not wanting to disappoint the boy, Kanda sighed and gave in. "Whatever." It was all Lavi's fault his once strong and stubborn will was getting softened so easily. Everything was this damned redhead's fault.
"Yay!"
But he didn't mind as Lavi gave him a big, bright smile.
When Komui learnt of this "picnic", he was suspicious as to what it might entail so he invited himself. So, at lunchtime, after the three Exorcists and the little redhead had sorted everything out and had sat themselves down, Komui arrived and, smiling widely, he parked himself down beside his sister after knocking Allen aside. "So, a picnic, eh?" he said. "I haven't been to one of those in years! I remember, before Lenalee discovered her Innocence, when we used to live in China, we used to have picnics all the time!"
Lenalee looked embarrassed. "Brother…please…"
Komui laughed at his sibling's discomfort. "But my sweet Lenalee was so cute back then! Actually, you haven't changed at all! You're adorable! Give brother a hug, Lenalee!" And, arms spread wide, the Chinese man turned to embrace his sister…
Only to be sent sailing into the air and out of sight by a very powerful punch. Lenalee turned back to find the others giving her strange looks. She smiled. "Let's get on with the picnic, shall we?"
"Y-yes, ma-am," Allen responded dutifully, looking more than just a little pale. Lenalee seemed to be getting scarier all the time.
Kanda and Lavi hadn't been paying much attention to what was happening around them. They were having an argument, of a sort, over the various foodstuffs that littered the little boy's lap and the place where he sat.
"Lavi, you're making a mess! Eat properly, would you?"
"B-but Lavi try everything!"
"Yeah, but you have to finish one thing first! Tch, you're so spoilt!"
"But, papa!"
"Don't "but, papa" me, boy! One thing at a time, you hear me?"
Directly across the sheet that they'd laid out for the picnic, Allen suddenly began choking and Lenalee was trying to save his life. She shoved a glass of water down his throat and he was well again. "Th-thanks, Lenalee," he gasped. He glanced over at Kanda and Lavi. Kanda gently bonked Lavi over the head after yelling "I said no more!" The white-haired boy sniggered. "These guys are killin me."
"Papa?" Lavi asked, looking up at Kanda with the area around his mouth stained by a great many things.
Kanda's lip curled in disgust. "What?"
The little boy pointed one little finger in Allen's direction. "Why he laughing?"
Kanda glanced over at the bean sprout. Indeed, Allen did look like he was unsuccessfully trying to stifle a fit of giggles. The man's brows furrowed into an angry frown. It was obvious who Allen was laughing at. And Kanda didn't like being laughed at. "He just feels his oncoming death and knows that he can't do anything about it so he's gone insane." he informed the little boy through gritted teeth.
"Ha! As if!" Allen snorted.
Lavi's one green eye was round with wonder. "Is bean sprout going to die?"
"Hey!" Allen protested. "I'm not going to die!"
"You sure about that, bean sprout?" Kanda said in an eerie tone of voice. To add to the effect, the ominous sound of knuckles being cracked could be heard.
"Papa…?" Lavi looked up at the dark-haired man, his head cocked to the side and his expression thoughtful, trying to process the meaning behind the dark aura which had suddenly surrounded his "papa".
Allen snorted, though he seemed to see the evil aura too. "Wh-what, and you're going to be the one to kill me, are you? As if you could!"
"Want me to try?" Kanda asked in the same eerie voice.
"Papa…?" Lavi mumbled again, tugging at Kanda's sleeve this time. "Papa?"
"Hold on a minute, Lavi," a feral grin was tugging at Kanda's lips and he stood up, "I need to straighten something out with the bean sprout over there."
Never one to back down when it came to arguments with Kanda, Allen stood up too, "What? You're asking for a fight?"
The sparks that flew between them were practically visible.
"Maybe. It's about time someone put you in your place, isn't it, bean sprout?" The disturbing grin was still in place on Kanda's lips.
Lavi had stood up too, looking from Kanda to Allen and back, his green eye wide with worry and sudden fear. He looked like he was about to start crying. "Pa…pa…" he mumbled, but his feeble cry went unheard by Kanda and Allen.
But Lenalee noticed. "You two," she sighed, "can you please not fight? You've made Lavi anxious."
Kanda looked down. The dark aura seemed to disappear immediately as he took in the little boy's near-crying expression. He knelt down. "What's the matter?" he asked.
"Papa…fight…" the boy mumbled, rubbing at his eye and looking down, "Lavi…scared…"
Before Kanda could say anything to that, Allen spoke up. "Nice one, Kanda. You scared him."
"Shut up." Kanda hissed, shooting a quick glare at the white-haired boy before returning his gaze to Lavi. "What're you scared for? It's not like I'm gonna hit you."
The boy shook his head. "People…hurt…when people fight…"
"Yeah, that's the whole point of a fight," Kanda snorted.
"Geez, try to be a little more subtle, you moron!" Allen snapped. "He's trying to tell you that he doesn't like people fighting because a lot of other people get hurt because of it and you're comin out with such insensitive crap!"
"Well, if you're such a genius with children then why won't he listen to you?" Kanda shot back, pissed off because Allen had read it right and he'd been wrong.
"Huh." Allen scoffed. "We all know he's not got a choice but to stick by you. I truly feel sorry for him."
"If that's so, then take him." Kanda said icily. He stood up again and reached down to lift up the little boy. Lavi cried out. Kanda ignored the boy and walked around the sheet and went to stand before Allen. "Take him."
"No!" Lavi cried out again, clinging onto Kanda with all his might.
Allen looked up at him. "What are you, stupid? He doesn't want to."
"But you're obviously convinced that you're more suited to the role of babysitter than I am so take him." Kanda said indifferently, ignoring Lavi's wailing and holding him out at arm's length. Lavi was kicking and flailing about, yelling out against being taken away from his "papa" but Kanda's will didn't waver.
Allen stood up, his white brows furrowed thoughtfully. "You're serious?"
"I don't kid around." Kanda snorted. "Take him."
"All right." Allen held his arms out and took the child. Lavi's squirming kicked up a notch but he couldn't free himself from Allen's grip. Kanda let go when he was sure Allen was holding tightly onto the little boy, looking as nonchalant as ever.
"Papa!" Lavi's cry was frantic but Kanda didn't respond as he turned and walked away.
"I-it's okay, Lavi," Allen tried to reassure the infant. "I'll look after you." He smiled.
This had no effect on Lavi. "No! Papa! PAPA! PAPA!" His shouts became half-nonsensical after he started sobbing. Kanda's figure was getting smaller and smaller as the dark-haired man approached the Black Order building and finally disappeared inside it. "PAPA!"
Kanda's back met the cool wood of the entrance door as he closed it behind him and fell against it. That last cry he'd heard had been almost hysterical. Lavi was crying really badly. It was just as bad as when he'd burnt his hands with the milk…except, he'd not been yelling for Kanda that time.
Why…does this affect me so? Kanda thought, running his hand over his face and then over his hair, suddenly looking very weary.
After he'd shut the door, he couldn't hear Lavi's cries anymore. But he was still tempted to run out there and take the kid back but he didn't do it. He was sure Allen would do a better job of looking after Lavi.
Ignoring the tightness in his heart, he forced himself to continue on.
"This is exhausting!" Allen complained as he pulled the blanket up to Lavi's chin.
"It's because he doesn't want to be away from Kanda." Lenalee informed with a sigh. "I think you should take him back. What you boys are doing isn't good for Lavi, as a child."
Allen turned to the girl, looking indignant. "This isn't my fault! Kanda's the one acting like a woman during that time of the month! I stated a fact and he knew I was right and it pissed him off and he got all moody because of it! He just can't take it when it's proven that I'm smarter than he is."
Lenalee heaved another sigh and stepped closer to Allen. "Take him back, in a while, okay?" she said softly, lifting up a hand and gently caressing Allen's cheek with it. Allen looked conflicted. He gazed over at the little boy.
There were still traces of tears on the infant's cheek. Lavi had not once stopped calling for "papa" and he'd cried himself to sleep. It had been terrible to listen to. Allen didn't want to hear that again. He sighed and, wrapping his fingers around Lenalee's wrist, he kissed the palm of her hand. "I will."
She smiled. "I'm glad you're not being stubborn about this."
He shrugged. "I don't want to hear him cry like that again. I don't want to hear any child cry like that again. And it's obvious he won't be quietened unless he's with Kanda." He let go of Lenalee's wrist and went to sit at the edge of the bed. "He'd be happier that way. He's always happier that way."
"In what way?" Lenalee asked.
"Being with Kanda. Ever since Bookman left, he's spent more time with Kanda than he has with the rest of us."
"Why're you worried about that, Allen?" she went to stand beside him, resting one hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to bury his face in the soft material of her shirt and she held him against her waist.
He didn't distance himself as he spoke so Lenalee felt his words drumming against her stomach. "Because Lavi chose such a person as his best friend. Kanda has an inability to show his concern so why does Lavi confide in him the most? Why does he trust him the most…?"
Lenalee sighed again. "You're not jealous, are you? It's up to Lavi who he trusts the most."
Allen shook his head. "Not jealous, no. Just…concerned. He doesn't want to hear anything from the rest of us on the choice that he made but Kanda, though he's all right to say anything on the subject, doesn't ever say anything encouraging, he doesn't try to help Lavi to get out of this depression that he's in and…and I suppose I do envy his closeness to Lavi in that respect…because I'd do something about it."
Smooth fingers combed through Allen's hair. "You know, there's a reason why Lavi trusts in Kanda so much; I remember, ever since Kanda came to the Black Order and we became friends, he was the only one I could go to when I wanted to be alone but nobody seemed to be able to understand that. I was thankful for their concern but I just…wanted some room to breathe, you know? Kanda never questioned me, but his presence…his support…was unmistakable. It…was good to be around him during those times…" she smiled. "And that's why he doesn't need to say anything to Lavi to make him feel better; as long as he's there, Lavi will be just that little bit happier."
"Is he that strong…?" Allen mumbled, breaking away to look up at her.
She smiled again and nodded. "He doesn't need to show his concern; the people close to him can feel it anyway."
Some AllenLenalee for ya there :) And boo! Kanda's such a bastard sometimes! I wonder if he's in character...I'm sure he goes out of character sometimes...but, like I said, I do like to be accurate so, if you feel that Kanda's OOC, lemme know, yo!