A/N: Yah, another chapter within a couple of days of the last! :'D
Note: I put a few disclaimers at the end about this chapter...
Also, for anyone who happened read Chapter 8 as soon as I posted it, it's nothing huge but I reedited the last few paragraphs for better wording and added a couple of extra thoughts within a day of posting it. Feel free to reread that part if you'd like to check the difference.
BTW I had thought to make this story about 10 chapters like G&I, and so cut stuff out where I could, but still, that is soooo... not happening now, with all that's still left to cover. OTL
(I'm hoping the fact you've read this far is a sign you're enjoying the story and might welcome some more chapters. That is, unless you like to hate-read fanfics? x_x; Please don't shoot me...)
Now that that's over, enjoy!
Not talking to them. Nope, no way, not happening.
Lenalee, Marie, Raphael, and Imelda were all lounging around upstairs, already washed up and now resting after their hard night battling akuma all over the French port town of Sète. Meanwhile, somehow, Lavi had ended up soaking alone in the moodily candlelit bath facilities with, of all people at this time of all times, Allen and Yuu.
Don't you talk to them, Lavi. Don't do it. Just mind your business.
The staff of their inn, already familiar with the Black Order and thankful for their work, had prepared their most luxurious rooms for the party of seven. Now they were even providing them with private bath time, so as not to be disturbed by other guests. As you'd've had to be a freakishly heavy sleeper to miss all the chaos and uproar as the exorcists fought that evening, and seeing as some had even had their lives saved directly by the squad of super-powered youths, there was little resistance from others about this special treatment they were receiving. Native residents and fellow travellers alike were openly grateful.
Lavi could get used to that.
But then again, he had a grudge to keep up here, damnit. It sure wasn't easy to pull it off, though. He still really liked those two.
Nope, nope, nope, not talking to them. Not doing it.
"I'm so hungry…" Allen whined, sounding deceptively like an innocent (if ravenous) angel. Lavi was a little sad he'd have to miss the cute little pout the white-haired youth was undoubtedly wearing. What with his back being turned on them, and all.
"Tch. You already said that in the sauna," Yuu scoffed.
"Well I'm still hungry, Kanda." Lavi wasn't looking, but he could see Allen rolling his eyes at his eternal bickering buddy. "Obviously."
"Well I don't want to hear it anymore."
"You'll stop hearing it when I get to eat something."
"Obviously," Yuu uncharacteristically mimicked back at Allen, possibly even imitating his expression. Fuck. Lavi wanted to see that! "Then again, you're always hungry, aren't you, Beansprout."
"It's Allen. Allen!" Lavi imagined this accompanied by one of those special glares Allen had perfected and reserved just for Yuu. "Hey, it's not my fault most places don't let me eat a full meal."
"You mean 'eat them out of house and home.'"
Allen simply sighed in exasperation, apparently no longer having the heart to reply. Knowing him, he must've been feeling some lingering guilt for needing to eat so much even when supplies of food were limited.
All the same, for the two of them, this was a relatively civil conversation. Lavi had a good guess as to why…
Normally those who didn't prefer to wash in the mornings would bathe right before dinner. But tonight, as a compromise to allow everyone ample bath time after the strenuous battle, they had all had dinner together right away.
Along with their late dinner (during which Lavi and Lenalee weren't speaking to those two— but he still noticed things), the barmaids had allowed all of them as much wine as they wanted. From past experience, Lavi knew it was extremely difficult to get Yuu even just a little tipsy. Meanwhile, Allen had boasted that thanks partially to his licentious master and the rest due to his demanding innocence, he was no lightweight, either. Still, Lavi expected him to at least get a little hyper. Disappointingly, the boy had instead mellowed out— becoming somehow more relaxed, contented, or sated.
Then Lavi discovered that after getting a few drinks in him, Allen seemed to favour speaking with Yuu. Perhaps he and Lenalee were actively ignoring them, but Imelda, Marie, and Raphael weren't. Actually, he had to admit it hurt a little to see Allen almost exuberantly chatting with Yuu as if he didn't even care about the silent treatment.
Had to be the alcohol— even that typical edginess and excitability Allen usually displayed around Yuu had vanished.
It still wasn't back even now.
"Hey. Stop looking at me like that, Baka-Moyashi."
Like what?
Lavi was nearly lured into turning around to see just what kind of look Allen had turned on their testy friend.
"Okay, fine!" Allen shouted, oddly emotional. "Maybe I'll face Lavi, stupid BaKanda!"
"Don't you dare look at—!" Yuu seemed to choke and catch himself right then.
Lavi raised the eyebrow above his vibrant green eye. What the— ? What the hell?
"You'll… regret it… if you do." He coughed, tardily remembering the situation they were in. "Because."
"Because what?"
Oh shit.
"Ah-ha! Lavi's talking to us, Kanda!" Allen crowed excitedly.
Well, the hell with it.
Having broken his vow of silence, Lavi now turned around to observe the proceedings between the two young men in his company. At least this view was much more interesting than rough stone walls— pretty though they were with pale candlelight washing over them.
"Obviously, genius," he rolled his eyes.
Allen clicked his tongue, irritated. "You know what I mean."
"Whatever."
"Yeah, whatever. At least I'm not the one who's socially retarded."
"Maybe not socially—"
"Hold up there guys, you're not distracting me that easily." Lavi turned around to get a good look at them. "What exactly is going on between you two?"
"Nothing!" both stressed in panicked unison. As if choreographed, each turned away from the other at the same time, matching patches of redness forming on their cheeks.
Allen's profile was visible to Lavi from mid-torso upward, right hand at just the right height and position to squeeze the rim at his end of the bath, then tap nervously on the tiled floor alongside it. Allen was now looking anywhere but at the other two exorcists. He was just too cute to stay mad at, even knowing that crueler side still lurked beneath.
Yuu turned fully away from both Allen and Lavi, arms crossed impossibly tight; glistening muscles rippling with tension and staggered breaths. His long hair was tied up into a loose topknot, with extra flowing off to one side. Lavi had to admit the moody samurai was quite stunning to look at— especially under candlelight.
Hey, wait a minute…
"It couldn't be—" He watched the two of them go redder still— even Kanda flushing scarlet, to the tips of his ears. "Oh my god you two are actually an item!"
"Shhh!" Wading back around, Allen turned fully back toward Lavi. His arms made waves as they shot straight out in front of him, imploring his friend to stop. "N-no we're, uh… it's not like that."
"Oh, so you're not lovers then?" Lavi teased, emphasizing 'lovers' just for the satisfaction of seeing Allen's complexion go even redder. Priceless. Especially after a certain someone's shenanigans on the train. Lavi was really relishing this.
There was a loud splash as Yuu spun back around. "I will flay you right where you stand if you breathe another word, Usagi."
"Oh my god it all makes so much sense… The staring, the fighting, the constant heat! So that time when you told me Yuu was in your room to 'help you practice your swordsmanship' and to keep it a 'secret,' it was actually 'cause—" Lavi started, in awe. "Well I guess that wasn't exactly a lie though, was it?"
Allen's hands were now covering his face. "Oh my god, oh my god—"
"And that time when you were supposed to be helping in the cafeteria, Allen, but you spilled some sorta extravagant, gooey dessert all over Yuu. Then he threw his leftover soup broth at you, and suddenly you were both gone— wow, that's so kinky!"
"For the last time, I'm warning you, damn rabbit…"
"God, it's so obvious now. I totally should've known you two would fall in love."
"We are NOT in love!"
"Umm. You know how Kanda is, Lavi." Allen explained in a small, strained voice. He still wasn't able to make eye contact with anyone, but he at least had his hands off his face, and was beginning to calm back down a little. "How oversensitive he is."
"Of course I'd be pissed if someone accused me of—"
"Oh come on Kanda, let's just give it up already!" he snapped, actually sounding more than a little angry.
Instead of answering, Yuu just stared, shocked, mouth agape.
"It's pointless to keep this up now. And anyway, if there were anyone in the Order who wouldn't have a problem with— with… us… it would be Lavi." He looked to his redheaded friend, attempting to hide his hopeful desperation with a brave front, but instead projecting that very desperation, plus uncertainty and distress. No poker face, no clown mask; only raw emotion. "Right… Lavi?"
He had never seen that kind of look in Allen's eyes before. Surprise, dismay, maybe intimidation… but never this— this fear. It almost broke the young Bookman's heart.
"We don't care what the Order's higher-ups think—"
"The Order can go to Hell," Yuu harrumphed, recrossing his arms.
"But my closest friends— I don't want to lose any of you… b-because we're sick, b-because we like—" The British exorcist half-wailed, his eyes growing glossier by the second. Eyes closed, he took in a slow, calming breath before starting again, grey eyes now searching green: "Do you… hate us?"
"Guys," Lavi began, mustering as much earnestness and gravitas as he could manage, "Let me tell you something—"
Allen and Yuu both leaned forward, dead curious what he would say next.
"I'm gonna be Bookman. You know what that means? Not only do I cram all the history books in all the libraries you've ever seen, but I have to remember humanity's secret history as well. I won't go into details but I can tell you that many of the world's greatest, most talented individuals found themselves attracted to the same sex. And you know what? They could never 'cure' themselves of it. Not really. You know why? Because they weren't 'sick.' And neither are you." He paused there to watch his words sink in. "So have some faith in Lavi. Alright?"
Wearing a tiny relieved smile, Allen nodded his appreciation. "Thanks, Lavi."
"Breathe a syllable to anyone. Just try it." Yuu's teeth were gritted, his lips pulled back in a fang-baring sneer.
"Yuu… I'm hurt," Lavi half-teased. He actually was somewhat bothered by that.
"I'll show you 'hurt' if you don't stop calling me by my given name," Yuu grumbled.
"Like I said, I'm apprentice Bookman. Keeping secrets is kinda what we do," the redhead went on. "Besides, I don't think any of your other friends would particularly care that you guys like to fuck other guys anyway—"
At this, Allen went into an uncontrollable coughing fit before finally slumping and sinking deeper into the steaming water in humiliation. Yuu again turned to face away from the other two, opting to seethe quietly.
The one thing that really sucked about becoming Bookman one day, Lavi thought to himself, was that he couldn't give up his friends for the world.
A/N: End notes time! :3
Three things:
1. There's actually an audio omake of the anime voice actors out there in which it's mentioned as part of it that Allen was forbidden to drink long ago by his Master, after the first time he'd tried it. (If you've listen to that omake, you'll know why.) Obviously I've deviated from that, but in my defence:
(a) I don't think Hoshino had anything to do with that omake, and even if she did, it's not in the manga so it should hardly be considered canon; and
(b) they can't exactly have the 15-16 year old main character of a shounen be a big drinker. I trust that any of you who drink are responsible about it, so I'm not gonna censor my headcanon. :P
2. Allen's "social retard" line, and Kanda's comeback struck me as being more-or-less in-character for them both, but I wouldn't call anyone a 'retard' myself and don't advocate it.
3. I sooo... don't want to encourage the waste of food like Allen and Kanda appeared to be doing in the food fight memory Lavi brought up! I'd make those boys finish every last drop! XP