13th July 2010 - vote in the poll! I'd really like to know your opinion on dgm's last chaps!


Lavi is sitting on top of the cabin's roof. It's dawn and the sun rising above the mountains behind his back sends its rays inside the narrow valley, illuminating the top of the hills in front of him and revealing the dark green forest covering everything like a thick carpet. It is a marvellous sight, with only the top of the highest hills lit up in dazzling gold and the rest of the hills, from the steep forested sides down to the deep river bed, still sunk in the dark of the night and enclosed in the morning mist, humid and thick. The mist rolls down the hills as they get slowly bathed in sunlight, fat puffs tumbling over the treetops to reach the bottom of the valley leaving the thin traces of smoky mist, trails of their passage, to evaporate when the golden rays reach down. As the sun shines on the forest and warms the air up the sounds of life grow louder and the animals wake up and start their daily routines. The valley slowly comes back to life but it is a faded sound, as if most of the animals aren't there anymore. The cabin sits almost on top of one of the high hills and Lavi can grasp the whole valley with one look. It will take some more hours for the sun to reach the bottom of the valley and shimmer on the river rapids and on the red roofs of the town, and on its ruins. It feels like sitting above clouds.

Lavi sighs.

It's been weeks since their arrival in the valley: Kanda, Chaoji and Marie had been sent by their general as a trial mission for Chaoji. It was supposed to be an easy mission in a small town with some Akumas, but something went wrong as soon as they stepped in town. Marie's ears were constantly hearing a low murmur, like people praying underground, a sound that made it difficult for him to grasp the tiniest noises as he was used to and Kanda… Kanda didn't heal as fast as he did before. Moreover, there was no end to Akumas. They killed dozens a day but there were others ready to fight the morning after, far more than the tiny population of the town would allow. Before fleeing the town Kanda had called for help and the order had sent Lenalee and Lavi to help and record whatever cause they would find.

Since they didn't have telephones in the cabin, the day Kanda was badly injured Lenalee went back to tell his brother what was happening and bring Bookman back…

But she hasn't come back yet.

Lavi is worried. He thinks about the weird things happening and he has the feeling that something is terribly askew. When his mind travels to Kanda's injury, however, he can't help but think about what has happened during the night and he shakes his head, trying to clear his mind. He has been feeling confused and, frankly, even his body isn't working properly in the toilet, but he dismisses the fact thinking about the disgusting canned food they have been eating.

He shivers as he finally shakes the night cold away from his bones and he stretches in the sunlight like a cat. He lays on the rooftop and thinks that he will have to face Kanda very soon.

What should I say? I got hard for his kiss. It's not like I'm made of stone! There's nothing weird in reacting that way.

He knows it is not that easy to dismiss kissing his best friend and getting hard for it, but he feels confused and embarassed about it. He also feels guilty for becoming even closer to Kanda, something Bookman has warned him of too often lately.

If Bookman finds out, I'm screwed.

He shouldn't be hurt when Kanda pushes him away. He shouldn't want to share a room and spend some private time with him. Sure as hell he shoudln't feel his heartbeat pick up speed when thinking of a mere kiss.

It's this damn valley, this damn cabin… Arg! Get a grip Alias 49! You've got more urgent things to think about than a hard on!

He decides he will not talk to Kanda about it, at least not until things in the valley aren't settled. It's not like Kanda will want to talk about it either. Anyway, he needs to solve whatever problem has the valley, and moreover he doesn't need a bookman training to understand that something very weird and very interesting is going on. If there is something interfering with Kanda's and Marie's abilities, he certainly wants to understand what it is. So he stands up, grabs his hammer and extends it 'till it reaches the ground, one floor down. He jumps on it and lightly slides down, hopping off as it shortens back enough to fit in his pocket. Then, he enters the cabin from the front door, to find Marie and Chaoji sitting at the table and eating… canned food.

Lavi groans but there is no choice. They went hunting several times but the forest looks empty. It's true that they have been fighting a lot in the area and animals might have fled it, but the whole valley is empty, a part from birds and travelling animals. While Lavi eats his breakfast, and Chaoji brings Kanda his meal, Marie sits besides Lavi:

"There's something I've noticed."

"Mmm-mmm?"

"The noise I hear is louder down in the valley, while I'm here it is distant."

Lavi gulps his mouthful down before answering:

"Do you think this means something?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I can also hear more animals around here than down inside the valley. Maybe the two things are connected?"

"Well, when it comes to innocence, you never know."

Lavi and Marie keep eating in silence for a while, thinking. Some faint noises come from upstairs but they figure Kanda is being the usual jerk and throwing food at Chaoji. Then, Marie speaks again.

"Do you remember what happened two days ago?"

"Mmm?"

"The time I almost fainted because the noise was so loud?"

"Oh yeah! Are you ok? Did you experience it again?"

"Oh no, I'm ok, that's not it. What I wanted to say is that there's an area down in the valley where the noise is almost deafening. We got closer to it while chasing Akumas. They seemed to move towards it."

"Yeah, I remember. But we had to retreat because you couldn't get closer."

"Exactly. I can't go there but I can point it to you from here. If I activate my Innocence I can hear the murmur coming from behind a small hill on the left, up-river from the town."

"You're great Marie-chan! We'll go check it out! Maybe there's one key to these mysteries!"

Lavi feels a bit releaved. It's refreshing to have a clue of what to do next.

"I'm afraid I cannot come with you. I can help you from a distance but coming closer is impossible. I would have to deactivate my innocence, but then I would be useless!"

"Yeah, I get it. It would just be me... and Chaoji…"

"And me, baka usagi."

"Kanda!"

Kanda's footsteps on the wooden stairs are heavy and his voice is hard and sharp as usual, but his face is contracted like he is in pain and his stiff back is a signal that he isn't completely cured.

"What did you do, Chaoji? You shouldn't have let him out of bed!"

"I… I tried, Lavi-san, but Kanda-san… Kanda-san is scary!"

Chaoji's eyes are threating to burst in tears and Lavi can only imagine what kind of threats Kanda has spat out to Chaoji to make him shut up. Marie, with his calm tone, speaks up.

"Kanda, I can hear your step is shorter than usual. You are still recovering."

"I'm fine, Marie. I've been laying in that damned bed for days now. The fresh air of this damn cabin has helped me heal. And I heard you from upstairs, if you cannot go with these two idiots they will surely die."

"Hey, thanks Yuu-chan."

Lavi doesn't like it, but it's kinda true. He sighs. They need to find a solution to this that doesn't mean having Marie faint from the noise in the middle of a fight, Kanda die of blood-loss and him fighting dozens of Akumas while keeping an eye on the newbie Chaoji.

"And didn't you promise not to call me Yuu-chan for a while, redhead?"

Kanda's voice is threatening but Lavi isn't scared, he's... embarassed. And he flushes up a bit, felling naked.

I thought Kanda would let it go, but he brings it up now! In front of Marie and Chaoji!

From his spot Kanda can see Lavi flush and turn his eye away from him, and although his remark didn't hide any malicious hint he immediately understands that Lavi still thinks about what happened after the promise. And he smiles. Lavi is handsome and cute at the same time, manly but innocent enough to make him look like a virgin. And Kanda, who thinks women are nothing but trouble and who doesn't necessarily need one to get relief for his physyological needs... he's interested.

I want him.


I found a photo that shows the dawn in the valley but the url is too complicated to be posted here. PM me if you are curious, I'll send the link :)