After the round of constant scolding in mother-hen style, the Vatican stayed clear of the demon clan until the final conclusion between Father Bak, Saint Allen and General Cross has been decided. General Winters glared at the laughing Demon Lord, his fingers itching to unsheathe his demon-slaying blades. Grudgingly, he left the blades where they laid as General Klaud came to sit beside him.
"That demon… He's not your usual run-in-the-mill man, isn't he?"
General Winters kept silent, watching as the Demon Lord pushed away from the pillar he was leaning on and walked away. When he sensed that he was being watched, the demon sharpened his wings and glared at them as a threat, but didn't approach to start a fight like what the Generals would've expected from a normal demon. Instead, he stomped away mumbling something incoherent.
General Winter wondered just how strong the Demon Lord was; the demon had dodged and avoided most of his attacks as though they were nothing but paper birds. Not to mentioned that he tore his own arm just to get out from under him. He wondered what can ignite the Demon Lord's thirst for battle, but a tiny part of him feared of the consequences of an angered Demon Lord. Something deep inside him warned him that he should not find out the answer, "he's strong, that one.."
Lavi visited the library to cool off; the constant staring from the Generals was unnerving him and his demon side. Not to mention that he hasn't seen Allen for days since the fighting incident, the little angel cooped up in the meeting room with Father Bak and that stupid General Cross. His wings were as stiff as a board and his broken arm was healing the same slow pace as Allen's wing. Lavi whined as he saw General Froi and General Kevin talking literature with Bookman and Krory, the elderly conversing in polite terms as if they were on equal ground. How can they talk to each other like that and I have nobody?! Lavi was feeling poorly Allen-deprived as he wanted to trudge out of the library in search for solace.
"Lavi! Just the person I want to see!" Allen's musical voice sung through the corridors. The angel was followed by a grumpy-looking General Cross, but Lavi didn't pay much attention to the demon slayer as he ran full speed ahead.
"AAAAALLEEEEEEEN!" Lavi cried tears of joy when he finally tackle-hugged the missing angel, his wings puffed out in similar joy. He relished on the scent of angel that he had dearly lacked these past days.
A gun cocked somewhere near Lavi's head as General Cross growled, "Get your hands off my apprentice,"
Allen pushed Lavi away in fear as he waved his hands in frantic display, laughing nervously, "Master! Remember what you promised! You won't hurt them if they don't attack first! Lavi's my best friend! He can be trusted!"
General Cross scowled as he reluctantly relinquished his gun into his holster, "I don't trust demons… But since it's your church and all,"
Allen started blushing before bickering with the older human with smite. The human only smiled evilly before putting Allen into a headlock and nuzzling him with a fist. The laughter of both of them obviously carefree and loving, something that Lavi failed to recognise since the first day itself. His chest twanged at the very sight of Allen together with General Cross. Allen looked happy.
Again, Allen was not spending time with the Black Order clan. Every time Lavi tried to find the elusive angel, Allen was either taken away by the Vatican's businesses or accompanying General Cross to wherever the General wants to go. During one of the meetings with the Vatican (Lavi had the right to be included to whatever Allen was involved in, so screw the shit of whoever dared to tell him otherwise). Having heard the agreement that they shouldn't raise arms against the demons until struck first, the Vatican gave the Demon Lord a wide space and continued their conversations.
"They look incredible together, huh?" Father Bak spoke from beside him. The Head Priest watched as Allen stepped closer to an unfazed General Cross –who was a stickler of personal space- to explain about the division of forces. Apparently, the Vatican had been receiving reports on demon attacks all over the world, and the complaints are increasing every day. It was as if the demons were preparing for some all-out battle, which caused the Vatican worry. Allen chipped in, offering assistance in his angelic brethren's place as he coordinated symmetrically with General Cross, "With Allen working alongside General Cross, things will go more smoothly,"
Lavi felt something snapped inside his head as he gritted his teeth in irritation. Allen looked up to wave at Lavi cheerfully, but Lavi felt nothing stirring inside his gut. With a glare, he left the meeting room wordlessly.
~.~
The next few days threw Allen in a confused loop. He had tried to search for his best friend, but it would seem that Lavi was actually honest-to-goodness avoiding him. Allen didn't know what he did wrong, but the sudden absence of Lavi made him instinctually wary and edgy to everyone else he had met. His wings curled inwardly to show his restlessness and Allen didn't bother concealing his bare emotions. It was as if somebody had crushed the pillar from underneath him and left him without any support. Allen felt anchorless.
"What's wrong, Allen?" General Klaud enquired lovingly as she met the gloomy angel sitting on the courtyard bench all alone.
Allen regarded General Klaud Nine as one of his rough-love sisters, similar to his angelic sister, Lulubell. But unlike Lulubell, General Klaud expressed herself more freely and was more likely to be less strict about things concerning Allen. Also, General Klaud has a pet monkey named Lau Jimin that Allen adored to play with, so more cookie points for his human sister. Knowing that General Klaud gave wise advice and spare nothing to help Allen solve problems, Allen confided in her about his good-no-good relationship with Lavi.
"So you're saying that this Demon Lord is your best friend, but he's now avoiding you for no reason at all?" General Klaud mercilessly summarised the situation with a calculated look.
Allen could only answer her back with a sad nod and mumbled sorrowfully, "he doesn't even want to look at me," It went quiet for a while, until Allen had thought that General Klaud had left him alone to brood.
But his human sister clapped him on the shoulders and gave him a look that sent shivers down his spine. General Klaud only showed that look when she was up to something that bordered her past as an animal trainer back in the circus, "Well then. Let's make him look at you," and she promtly pulled him by the neck towards her room.
While Lulubell was pulling Allen away from the eastern side of the church grounds, Lavi was running away from the western grounds. His persuer was shouting curses from close behind him, the General booming in his loud, deep voice, "GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME, DEMON!"
Yeesh, this guy doesn't take a hint! Lavi cursed as he tried to fly away. His wings tried to push off the ground and away from General Winters who literally demanded the fight with him a few minutes ago. But as soon as he lifted off, his front flew smacked into a solid body of someone else. Lavi tumbled down, eating dirt on the way as he cursed his luck. Could this get any worse?!
The cocking of a gun alerted Lavi's ear and he found himself stating straight at the mouth of a shimmering gun. I had to ask!
He smelt the scent of demon blood and ashen smoke when he identified who did he pissed off this time. The gunner gritting his teeth in anger as he chewed on his cigarette, "you wanna fight, punk?"
Lavi's demon side reared its ugly head at the General who caused all this mess in the first place. With his flashing red eye, Lavi hissed bravely, "bring it, old man!"
General Cross paused for a moment as he was taken aback by the foolish Demon Lord. He must've saw something in Lavi's eyes though, since he didn't moved an inch away when General Winters came stomping in, "C'mere, demon! It's fighting time!" General Winters shouted as he caught up with Lavi, taking out his demon blades.
"Leave him, Winters. You fight him, then you explain to Allen yourself," General Cross threatened his comrade without taking his eye off the glaring Lavi.
General Winters stood gobsmacked for a while like a fish out of water, before reluctantly giving up after weighing between the benefit of fight a Demon Lord and dealing with a viciously angered angel. The decision was quite obvious.
After General Winters went away with a grey mood, General Cross still didn't take his glare away from the Demon Lord who dared stand up against him. He wondered how did this demon have the guts to fight a Vatican member like him. Probably has something to do with my idiot apprentice...
Knowing that they could be standing here forever and wasting valuable time, General Cross grunted as he poked Lavi's broken arm, "that pathetic angel always have a soft heart to everything.. But demons really take the prize.."
"Allen's not pathetic. Insult him again and I'll throw you to the Hell-wolves," Lavi growled, his black wings sharpened.
General Cross continued to stare at Lavi, making the victim feel like he was being judged or dissected. Finally, General Cross looked like he had found what he was looking for in Lavi's eye. He put down his gun as he complained, "My stupid apprentice always get himself in trouble-"
Lavi wanted to interrupt the General, but then the human only turned away with a lazily waved hand and a long-forgotten wish, "-take care of him for me while I'm gone,"
That was as good as permission in Lavi's opinion. Lavi already felt spirited as he heard the General silently relinquishing Allen's care to him. He was so alieviated, he rushed back towards the church with one target in mind: to make up with Allen Walker.
It was already dark when Lavi finished searching the entire church grounds for the little angel. He was devastated as he ran around the courtyard fervertly, hoping to whatever deity it was up there that Allen didn't run away with the Vatican or left the church without saying anything. What if he really did run away? Bak did say that Allen had the tendency to travel without telling anyone! So what if Allen met into some trouble? Is Allen all alone?! Satan shit, where is that bloody angel?
As soon as he screamed out that thought, somebody accidentally bumped into his back and fell. Lavi immediately turned around and growled, "hey! Watch where you're g-"
His words swallowed back into his throat as he saw who had bumped into him; the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eye on. She was wearing a rich golden dress that was flowing at the end, making it look like she was wearing melted sunshine. With long silver hair that looked smoother than silk itself and prefessionally-drawn makeup, the woman looked as if she was a fallen angel who was beauty-incarnate. Lavi felt a stirring in his chest that pulled him towards the already-standing woman, but quickly closed his eye with a blush on his face, "S-Sorry!" He stuttered.
"Lavi," Lavi felt the same pull, but stood resolutely as he felt the woman coming closer with such a heartbroken tone that nearly broke Lavi's determination, "why don't you look at me?"
Lavi gulped before answering, wetting his dry lips but not falling into the temptation to open his one good eye, "You're beautiful.. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen! But.. But I already have someone, and I really need to see him to get things straightened out!"
He sensed the woman's anger, expecting her to slap him and march away. But the woman stayed and spoke accusingly, "but I heard you've been ignoring him! That's not good!"
"I KNOW!" Lavi burst out, opening his hands out in defeat before sighing at the sudden silence that he had made. He scrubbed his head in frustration as he barrelled on without opening his eye, "I know, I know I screwed up, I always do and I don't know what I did to deserve such an angel like him! But to me, he's my best friend and the one closest to me.."
"Lavi..."
"And I was wrong and I avoided him for no goddamn reason but my selfishness and stupidity. Shit, I don't know why he prefers hanging around me when he's got these badass Generals and angel warriors and shit,"
"Lavi, sto-"
"But I won't give him up! By Satan's very soul, I swear I won't! That's why, I can't do this. I caused Allen too much pain… I can't be the reason that Allen is sad anymore,"
A gentle touch cupped his cheek before the woman hugged him tightly. Lavi wanted to scream and push her off in fright, but the sudden close proximity gave him the opportunity to recognise her scent underneath all that makeup and glamour magic. The familiar scent of peppermint tea on a cold afternoon day. Lavi gulped again, but this time out of pure disbelief, "Allen?"
He opened his eye to see his one and only best friend smiling brightly at him. The wings and face scar appearing out from the glamour magic placed by General Klaud. Lavi was left speechless, allowing his hands to rest at the slim but lithe waist he had held countless of times before.
Saint Allen Walker smiled sadly, placing his hands on Lavi's broad shoulders, "I thought.. You didn't want me anymore, since I've brought you nothing but trouble... But then, you defended me from your demon clan the other day I fell from the balcony. Then, I knew that you still regarded me as your best friend,"
"Defended you? How-" Lavi's mind reeled back to when Komui and the others were teasing him about his and Allen's relationship. He remembered his reckless but meaningful outburst; the one thing that made everyone shut up.
Allen cupped his face with both hands, a pleading look on his glittering face, "please? Say that to me again,"
Lavi returned the smile with an honest one of his own, the rare one that nobody has ever seen before in their lives. Because he believed that Allen deserved nothing less. Hugging the angel closely and lying his forehead against the angel's while basking in his sweet and cool aura, Lavi whispered tenderly as if every single word was as precious as Allen himself, "you're special to me, angel,"
Lavi got the most beautiful smile from the most beautiful angel as his gift.
~.~
Meanwhile, a fleeting shadow was lurking at the edge of the angel's territory. It creaked out a spell full of wickedness and darkness, willing it to grow fruitful and monstrous.
"Hey! Who's there?!" A nobleman's voice rang out into the quiet night sky.
The caught shadow slicked away quickly, only its replacable side caught by a shot arrow. It bled black blood onto the green ground, marring the greenery with its terrible colour.
Saint Tyki and Saint Lulubell ran to the scene, but found nothing except Lulubell's arrow and droplets of corrupted blood. "I wonder what did it want..." Lulubell spoke grimly, followed by a serious Tyki. They decided to leave it there and report to the angel in charge immediately, their minds concerned of their youngest brother's afety.
Little did they know, the spell was already inside the seal of Saint Allen's territory.
Apparently, not all is well in the church now muahahahahaha All these fluff chapters are coming to a small halt as we continue down the thickening plot I made, so please do stick around for it! P.S Can you picture a female!Allen? I think (s)he would look lovely!
I'm back in the university, guys, so my updates are (yet again, unfortunately) random and sporadic. So I do hope you can forgive me for late updates and whatnot. And hey, one of my uni projects require you to submit an original fictional story! (does using one's fanfiction story counts as plagiarism? Haha!) Again, your comments and opinions are what's keeping me from procrastinating! Love you guys a lot ^^ Have a wonderful day!