Notes: Yes, I know, I haven't updated since, what April, but I'm here now, right? Now that summer's over and school's here, I should be able to focus more on my fanfcition... What, shouldn't that be the other way around? Regardless... I would like to give my overdue thanks toDeadly Fangs, ProjectEden, wolfpup026, and Lathya for revieving ages ago. ProjectEden, i will toy with the idea of a Lavi segment sooner or later. Also, I will apologize for taking so long. Promise the next one will be up MUCH quicker. I now bring you an SSGTIK chapter, with a flashback, and a few snide hints at Lenallen. So gang, here we go!

Disclaimer: Hoshino katsura

Warning: Lavi's plotting and the horrors of his garage. You have been warned.

13. SSGTIK: Holiday Plotting

Saturday, Lavi's Garage, 12:07 PM

Allen sunk into the couch inside Lavi's garage, wondering why he was even there in the first place. Yeah, the garage wasn't exactly the most refined place in the world. Among the furniture occupying the space were the said couch, a few musty arm chairs, and a normally off-balance pool table. All of these weren't in prime condition, and you had to wonder exactly where Lavi had gotten them. Allen had always held the suspicion that they had mysteriously disappeared from their previous owners before heading on their way to the dumpster, no matter how seemingly sincerely Lavi had vouched that all had been obtained by the fair transaction of money, and at a good price, too. Allen didn't even want to conceive the possibility of Lavi having connections on the Black Market.

Other than the possibly suspiciously acquired furniture, the garage contained numerous boxes and bags from practically every restaurant in town, mainly those that sold pizza and Chinese take-out. Thankfully, all of these had been cleared out of their contents, so there weren't any mice. Of course, if you were someone like Lavi, having a mouse would be considered "cool," and the poor creature would most likely then be recruited as either a pet or a mascot.

So, if this garage is a seemingly miserable place, complete with a funny smell that seems familiar, but you just can't place it, and the couch he has sitting on sub-par, then why was our Brit even there in the first place? This question can be simply answered via flash back.

--

Friday, Black Order High, 1:32 PM

Allen had been going between classes and was grateful that his next period was a study hall. Midterms were the next week, and you could feel the deadline approaching, mainly due to the fact that the teachers weren't cutting any slack. Well, maybe Komui was, but that was only because Lenalee happened to be in that class. Not that it bothered Allen in the slightest. The partial leniency was well appreciated.

Ah, yes, Lenalee. That was a newly added and unexpected part of his stress level. After all, from what Ivy had seemingly alluded to the previous afternoon, he had no choice but to theorize that Lavi had happened to say something stupid. Not that a fact like that was surprising, but this time it concerned Allen. And Lenalee. On a date. In fact, the Brit was experiencing one of his few vengeful streaks, and if he didn't receive a good explanation from Lavi as to why such a thing had been suggested in the first place, he would be more than happy to help Ivy in her next tirade against the redhead.

"BRIIIIIIT!!"

Allen looked up at the sound of his nickname to see exactly what he had been suspecting: the only person who would abandon all common sense (presuming this individual even had any in the first place) and shout it at the top of his lungs across a hallway. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lavi.

Speak of the devil.

The rabbit had now broken out into an unrelenting run, somehow managing to keep up his speed while dodging between the large numbers of students currently accumulated in the hall.

"Hi-Brit-here-you-go-bye!"

Somehow, Lavi had let out the sentence in one breath, shoved a piece of paper into Allen's arms, nearly toppling the stack of books he was carrying, and kept his run up to race further down the hall with the same reckless abandon. Allen fumbled, wondering what the hell had just happened, and tried to regain his balance so he could make it to his class on time. When he did arrive, the Brit sat his belongings on a desk and picked up the paper that Lavi had forced upon him. Heaving a heavy sigh, he unfolded it. This is what he found:

ATTENTION ALL SSGTIK MEMBERS:

A MEETING WILL BE HELD TOMORROW AT NOON IN SSGTIK PRESIDENT LAVI'S GARAGE. FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED

--

Now sitting in said garage, Allen crumpled up the flyer and added it to one of the preexisting piles of trash on the ground. From what I've told you, it really couldn't hurt.

"Allen, I know the place is already the mess, but you don't need to make it worse. Who knows when Lavi will decide to clean this place again?" Lenalee commented from one of the chairs.

"Yeah, and who knows when he'll decide to show up?" Allen grudgingly muttered. "I mean, who invites people to their house and then is late?" The white-haired boy wasn't even sure why he had come at all. Besides, it was obvious that he could accomplish more in one simple conversation than Lavi could in all his plans combined. That and he still had to study for his midterms.

BAM!

The side door that connected the house to the garage flew open and Lavi stood there, holding pizza boxes with unnecessary flourish.

"Incoming! Cover up anything you don't want seen!" A typical comment from Lavi. Allen had heard a million of then over the years since he had moved here and knew they didn't mean anything. So why did this seem different?

"Okay, gang, pizza all around!" Lavi declared. "Two larges with everything for Allen, a mall pepperoni for Lenalee, and one medium sausage, black olive, and cheddar cheese for me!" After distributing the boxes, he hopped up onto the pool table and pounded his fist against it, the movement of the table apparently not bothering him in the slightest. "I now call this meeting of the SSGTIK to order!"

"So, what exactly is this meeting for?" Lenalee asked before taking a bite out of her first slice of pizza.

"I'm glad you asked Secretary Lee." Lavi was having way too much fun with this, no joke. "As we all well know, winter break is starting soon and we have two very important events within that time."

"Christmas and New Years?" Allen questioned after swallowing the final remnants of his pizza.

"Very good, Vice President Walker. If we fully utilize these two events, the SSGTIK will be ever closer to their ultimate goal."

"So what are we gonna do?"

Lavi flashed a devilish grim that obviously meant trouble. "Easy. We're going to give Yu-pon exactly what he wants for Christmas."

--

After hours of extensive and highly detailed planning, when Allen finally made it home and collapsed on his bed, he decided that if he failed an exam and Cross showed up, the only thing that would keep him from killing Lavi would be the fact that he had paid for the pizza.