The Crypt
((You get your first taste of two pairings in this chapter! One is a bit cheesy but it was fun to write and the other is only a slight glimpse. I hope you enjoy! :D ))
Both hearts fluttered at the touch but they both ignored the feeling as they walked. A loud crash was the only thing that made the two friends let go of each other and run their way to where the sound had come from.
Handles on the door turned, opened, and a second later Jem and Will entered the crypt. "What in the bloody hell happened?" Will yelled out; his eyes wide at the sight of the soot covered room.
"A little incedent," Henry shrugged, his hair even more unruly than before and his face re-covered with soot. Allen, Lenalee, Lavi and Kanda were there – also covered in soot.
Kanda turned his eyes to Henry and scowled at him. "That was an innocence piece," he growled out, "and now it's burst apart!"
"Burst? But how?" Jem questioned from where he stood beside Will.
"This maniac decided to do something to it and it exploded!" The swordsman replied.
"I take that as a compliment," Henry retorted, a small fake smile on his lips. Only Jem was able to see the hurt that flashed in Henry's eyes at what Kanda had said.
The silver-haired boy decided to intercept before something could happen. "I'm sure that there's something we could do to fix it? There has to be a way since you said it was an innocence 'piece' and not the whole thing."
Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi all looked to each other and shrugged. "Not sure actually," Lavi responded. "We've never dealt with only a part of an innocence and have had it explode when we found it. But it's entirely possible if we get everything from the exploded part and keep it while we look for the other part of it."
"There," Jem stated, looking to Kanda. "It's entirely possible. Even your friends said so. I'm sure that we will find the other part and Henry'll be able to put it back together. He may not be able to do things correct all the time," he shot Henry an apologetic glance before continuing, "but he does make incredible gadgets and I know that he'll be able to fix it."
Henry smiled to Jem, silently thanking him for the encouragement. Kanda silenced himself and nodded to Jem in acceptance. The rest of the group sighed in relief.
"Well then," came Will's voice, still beside Jem. "We should get you all cleaned up and head to bed. It's getting late and today's been a hectic day."
Jem turned toward Will, surprised that Will had said that. Though apparently it didn't make anyone else suspicious since they all headed out of the crypt and back up stairs following behind Henry who would show them where they were staying.
Before Will could also go up, Jem took hold of his arm. "What was that, Will? You seemed as if you were worried for them or some such."
"I merely want this to be over as quickly as possible. If we all stood around this crypt with soot in the air and no one saying anything then that wouldn't happen."
The younger boy let his grip release and remained still as Will turned himself around to face Jem completely. "I don't trust that group. At least not yet. And I don't want anything to happen to you, Jem. You're my Parabatai and my friend. I wouldn't be able to stand if something happened to you."
"It won't matter, Will. You and I both know that I'm still dying and that I don't have much time left. No matter how you look at it, I'm going to die. So what if it happens earlier?"
Will's eyes hardened at Jem's words. His hands gripped onto Jem's shoulders tightly, bringing the other boy close to him. "Don't you dare say that, James. I don't care if you truly are dying or not; I won't permit for you to say things of that nature. Do you understand?"
Gulping, Jem nodded to his friend, unable to speak. Will's grip lightened as did his eyes and before Jem knew it Will was bringing his face towards him. Jem was unable to respond due to shock as the dark-haired boy pressed his lips against his own.
Moments passed and Jem was still not responsive. Lips parted and blue eyes stared into silver ones, watching for a reaction. "Will-" Jem began, his voice cracking slightly. "I... I don't know what to say."
"If you reject me, Jem, just please promise me you won't tell anyone of what happened." Will's eyes lowered to the floor, incapable of looking at his Parabatai.
"What makes you think I'm going to reject you, William?" Jem's hand reached up and his fingers pushed on the boy's chin, making him look up into his eyes. "I never knew you thought of me like that."
The older of the two nodded. "I have for a while."
Jem smiled naturally at that and brought his own lips to Will's as a response. He murmured against Will's lips as they kissed, "I've also."
Meanwhile upstairs, Henry showed everyone to their rooms, making sure they were near everyone else in the Institute since it was easy to get lost. Afterward, Henry made his way to the drawing room where he was sure his wife was.
The group of four were each in seperate rooms. Allen's and Kanda's rooms were right across from each other as were Lavi's and Lenalee's. A few rooms down was Jem's room and even further was Will's. Going the opposite way was the maids courters where Sophie stayed and close to that was Charlotte and Henry's room.
Allen sighed heavily as he fell onto the soft bed in the room, his stomach rumbling. He hadn't been able to eat much, what with listening to Jem's story and telling his own then everything with Henry. The white-haired boy wasn't sure if he would be able to speak to Jem and ask him if he could get more food or if that was inappropriate.
He decided to go for it and headed down the hallway toward where Henry had told everyone that Jem's room was. Henry had also shown them Will's room, the drawing room – which was another way of calling it the meeting room – and the library; which was where Allen was sure that Lavi currently was.
As he walked out of his room, he bumped into a familiar shape. "Watch it, moyashi," came the familiar voice.
"The name's Allen," was his retort. He backed up from the shape only to glare at the swordsman standing in front of him. "What are you doing out here?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing."
"Well, I was going to go talk to Jem," it was vague enough that it kept Kanda guessing but had enough information to be used as an answer. "Now you?"
"The same for me," Kanda's raised eyebrow was a sign that he was telling the truth and also that he had a question on his mind that he didn't feel like asking.
Allen sighed, looking both ways down the hallway. "My reason was to ask if I could get more food," he admitted, feeling a bit ridiculous now.
Kanda let out a soft chuckle. "Should have guessed. As for me, I was going to ask him about the weapons they have here."
"Couldn't you ask Will? Or even Charlotte or Henry?"
"I don't trust them as much as I do Jem," the swordsman confessed.
The younger Exorcists nodded in understanding. "I get it. We know the most about him and not nearly enough about the others. It's only logical."
Silence enveloped them as the stared back at each other, not in a 'you're my frienemy' [AN: 'frienemy' – friend enemy. Another way to say you're friends with this person but you don't get along too well.] way but in another, unknown way to them.
A squeek down the hallway brought both Kanda and Allen back into reality. They backed away from one another and looked down the dark pathway. Seconds passed and finally a figure appeared out of the shadows, followed by another. They were talking to each other and didn't notice Kanda and Allen until they almost reached them.
"Oh, hello," Jem smiled at the pair.
Allen was the first to return the greeting followed by Kanda. "Mind if I ask you something?" The white-haired boy spoke to the silver-haired one.
Jem nodded as a way to say 'go ahead'. Allen gulped, now slightly embarrassed that he had to ask in front of a group of people.
"Moyashi was wondering if he could get some more food," Kanda interrupted. Allen was both grateful and slightly agitated that Kanda had spoken for him.
"Sure, Allen. I'm guessing you were unable to eat properly so it's perfectly fine that you ask. In fact, why don't we all go back to the kitchen? I'm sure your friends feel the same way."
Allen brightened at Jem's words. "Thank you so much, Jem," he grabbed onto Kanda's arm without realizing it and pulled him down the hallway toward the library where he knew Lavi was – and hoping that Lenalee was there too.
Once out of sight, Will gently pushed Jem to the wall, his body pressed against the other boy's. He trailed kisses up Jem's neck then to his lips where he let them linger. "Will," Jem scolded softly, though there was no conviction in it. "We can't do this here. What if someone sees?"
"So what if someone sees, James?" Will returned, lips ghosting over to one of his ears where he nipped at the lobe.
"We're Parabatai, William. It is illegal for us to do such things."
"That is what we are told," the dark-haired boy continued to press his lips against Jem's skin making the silver-haired boy moan out softly at the feeling. "We do not know why we are not allowed to feel this way toward our Parabatai. There is only the Clave's word that it is illegal."
"Jem? Will?" The two boys part when the voice is heard. They turn to face Lenalee, her head cocked to the side in confusion.
"Lena- Lenalee," Jem stuttered out, a blush forming on his pale face. "It's... It's not what it looks like."
Lenalee continue to look at them for a few moments longer before smiling at them. "Don't worry you guys. I won't say anything if you don't want me to."
Will sighed in relief, his mask falling for a moment before he put it back in place. "Thank you, Lenalee."
"We were all about to head back to the kitchen to get more food," Jem continued on. "Your friends are supposed to be heading there also. I know it's a bit late for food now but you're all probably still a bit hungry."
As a sign that she was, Lenalee's stomach gave a small grumble. The girl blushed a dark shade of red before nodding on her own. "That would be nice."
The three of them headed down the hallway with the two boys leading the way. If it wasn't Lenalee behind them, it was certain that no one would notice the faint touches transferred between the two boys as they walked closely. Jem stopped outside the library door, peeking in the make sure that Allen and Kanda had found Lavi before continuing on towards the kitchen.
"You're lucky that Lavi knows his way around here, moyashi!" Came a loud, slightly agitated voice from behind the doors.
"I've said I was sorry Kanda! How was I supposed to know that we would end up in the maid's courters when we went looking for the library?"
The rest of the conversation was grumbled out so the group outside the door had no idea what was being said. It was only interrupted by a certain red-head's voice. "Guys! There's no point in fighting now. We've made it to the kitchen and now there's nothing to worry about okay?"
Will chuckled softly, looking over at Jem with a smile. "Shall we?"
Jem nodded with a smile of his own on his face. They both pressed their palms to the doors and pushed them open together so the double doors opened at the same time to show the group inside the other group that had been listening in.
Lenalee smiled sheepishly to her friends as she made her way around the two boys who had walked her to the kitchen over to the other group.
"Shall we eat?" Will's smirk grew as he walked down the side of the table to his usual seat, followed by Jem who sat next to him.
Surprisingly, food was already on the table – and not the food from earlier. Sophie must have heard them speaking and gotten everything ready for them. Jem made a mental note to thank her later for the kindness.
A friendly silence, followed by the sounds of people taking their seats, was all that was in the room at the moment. Though it was quickly replaced by chatter between the people at the table, laughs being thrown around here and there by everyone, even Kanda and Will at points – though their's were more subtle.
((Okay guys. I'm going to Motor City Comic Con next weekend so I won't be able to update like usual on Sunday – most likely. So I hope that this chapter is good enough for you to stick with this horrible display of writing and plot. God I don't even know what I'm doing with this or where I'm going. Sorry. :P At any rate, I will be continuing, it will just take a little longer for the next chapter.))