Snow swirled lazily outside the dormitory windows, the muted hum of campus life barely audible through the thick glass. The air inside Allen Walker's dorm room was heavy with quiet tension, the kind that settled in after an encounter you couldn't quite shake. Allen had just finished straightening up his desk, his thoughts a chaotic jumble of half-formed plans and unspoken fears, when the sharp sound of knocking broke the silence.

He froze, his silver eyes darting to the door. Visitors were rare, especially uninvited ones. Straightening his posture, Allen crossed the room and opened the door, his expression shifting from curiosity to wariness as he took in the figure leaning casually against the frame.

"Tyki," Allen said, his voice steady but cool. "What are you doing here?"

Tyki Mikk's smile was all teeth, the kind that promised trouble. He straightened, adjusting his scarf with a flourish. "Well, well. If it isn't our elusive Rabbit's roommate. I thought it was time we had a little chat."

Allen's grip on the door tightened imperceptibly. "I'm busy."

"Oh, I'm sure you are." Tyki's tone was light, but there was a dangerous undertone that made Allen's skin crawl. "But I think you'll want to make time for this conversation. It's about our dear prince, after all."

Allen's expression darkened. He stepped aside reluctantly, allowing Tyki to saunter into the room. Tyki took his time, his sharp gaze sweeping over the modest space with feigned interest. Finally, he turned back to Allen, his smirk widening.

"You've done well for yourself, Walker. Nice, quiet life, isn't it? Except for the small matter of sharing quarters with royalty."

Allen shut the door with a deliberate click, his movements measured. "Lavi's none of your concern."

Tyki chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "You keep saying that, but you know as well as I do that he's everyone's concern. The Earl has been searching for him longer than you've been alive. And now, here he is, stumbling right into your lap. How lucky you must feel."

Allen's jaw clenched, his silver eyes narrowing. "Lavi doesn't even know who he truly is. He's just… trying to live his life."

"Ah, yes. The bliss of ignorance." Tyki's expression softened mockingly, his voice dripping with faux sympathy. "But you and I both know that ignorance won't protect him for long. The truth has a way of catching up to people. Especially someone as important as him."

Allen stepped closer, his voice low and edged with anger. "Leave him alone, Tyki. He's not part of this."

"Not part of this?" Tyki raised an eyebrow, genuinely amused. "Walker, he is this. His bloodline, his very existence, is the heart of everything. And you've positioned yourself as his protector. How noble of you. But I wonder… does he know what you really are?"

Allen's fists clenched at his sides, the weight of Tyki's words pressing down like a vice. "He knows enough."

"Enough," Tyki echoed, smirking. "You keep using that word, but what does it really mean? Enough to keep him in the dark? Enough to keep your conscience clear? Or enough to lull him into a false sense of security while the Earl tightens his noose?"

Allen flinched, the accusation hitting too close to home. Tyki noticed and pressed on, his tone turning almost gentle, as if he were speaking to a child. "Tell me, Walker. What's your plan? Shield him from the inevitable? Pretend you can keep the Earl's eyes away forever? You're playing a dangerous game, and we both know how it's going to end."

"I'll protect him," Allen said, his voice firm despite the turmoil swirling inside him.

"Protect him?" Tyki laughed softly, the sound cold and sharp. "From the Earl? From me? Or from yourself? Let's not forget, dear boy, that you're one of us. Whether you like it or not, your loyalty belongs to the Noah Clan. The Earl won't tolerate betrayal, not even from his precious Twelfth."

Allen's breath hitched, but he didn't back down. "Lavi doesn't need to be dragged into this. He's just starting to figure things out. Let him have that."

Tyki tilted his head, studying Allen with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "You've grown soft, Walker. It's almost endearing. But you're forgetting something crucial. Lavi isn't just some lost boy fumbling his way through self-discovery. He's the prince of vampires, the symbol of a bloodline that could tip the scales in ways you can't even comprehend. The Earl doesn't just want him—he needs him. And when the time comes, you'll have to choose a side."

"I've already chosen," Allen said through gritted teeth, though the words felt like ash in his mouth.

"Have you?" Tyki's smirk returned, sharp and knowing. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're trying to stand in two worlds at once. You can't protect him and serve the Earl, Walker. Eventually, one will demand your full loyalty. And something tells me…" He leaned in, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "You'll break before you bend."

Allen's silver eyes burned with a mix of defiance and desperation. "Get out."

Tyki straightened, clearly satisfied with the tension he'd wrought. "As you wish. But do me a favor, won't you? Tell our dear prince I look forward to seeing him again. He has such… potential."

With a final, mocking bow, Tyki turned and strolled to the door, pausing only to glance back over his shoulder. "Oh, and Walker? The Earl sends his regards."

The door shut behind him with a soft click, leaving Allen alone in the heavy silence. He stood there for a long moment, his fists trembling at his sides. The weight of Tyki's words hung in the air, oppressive and unrelenting.

Crossing to the window, Allen stared out at the snow-covered campus. Somewhere out there, Lavi was likely sitting in the library or wandering the halls, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around him. Unaware of the danger Allen himself might pose.

Allen's fingers gripped the windowsill, his knuckles turning white. He had told Lavi he was part of the Noah Clan, but that was all. He hadn't dared reveal the full extent of his ties to the Earl, or the lengths the Noah family might go to claim Lavi for their own.

The snow continued to fall, the world outside deceptively peaceful. But inside, Allen's thoughts were anything but. Every choice felt like a betrayal, every action a step closer to a line he couldn't uncross.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, Tyki's words lingered, a chilling reminder of the truth Allen was desperate to ignore.