Kanda grumbled angrily as they retrieved their bags from baggage claim. He had been right; it had been a very long flight back to England. Lavi had asked stupid questions the entire flight. Kanda had successfully made Lavi shut up twice: the first time by threatening to stab his good eye out, and the second by threatening to slice him in half. Neither threat lasted long.
Grabbing Lavi's wrist after he collected his bags, Kanda dragged him off to long-term parking. He soon found his sleek black convertible, a rare source of joy in his otherwise grim existence. He smirked as he dug into his pants pocket and found his keys. Striding over to the trunk, he popped it open and tossed his bag inside. Lavi followed suit, and Kanda slammed the trunk shut, heading to the driver's side door.
"Get in," he nodded to Lavi, unlocking the car. Lavi quickly got in, buckling up and looking at Kanda with a mix of curiosity and nervousness. Kanda started the car, relishing the powerful rumble of the engine. He put the hood down, grinning as the cool breeze hit their faces. He backed out of the parking spot and slowly drove to the exit, his mind already dreading the conversation they were about to have.
After paying the parking fee, Kanda drove off, the tension between them palpable. They drove in silence for a while, Kanda focusing on navigating the thick airport traffic. He hated it, but then again, he hated just about everything except his car and his sword. Lavi watched the cityscape fly by, marveling at the world outside the castle he had called home for so long.
"Where are we going?" Lavi finally broke the silence.
"To my adoptive father's manor," Kanda said curtly, turning down a quieter road. Lavi didn't press further, instead leaning back and enjoying the ride. 'Maybe I should have left the castle a long time ago,' Lavi thought. After about another hour of driving, Kanda turned onto a long dirt road, a smirk playing on his lips. He pressed down on the accelerator, the speedometer climbing rapidly. Lavi glanced at Kanda, slightly afraid, as the car neared a hundred miles per hour. Kanda executed a sharp turn and screeched to a stop in front of a huge, imposing building.
"Wow," Lavi whispered, looking up at the manor. Kanda smirked, turning off the car and getting out. As they approached the house, someone stepped outside.
"You better be careful putting my car up this time, moyashi. If you damage it again, I'll cut off your hair," Kanda growled, tossing the keys to Allen, who glared at him.
"It's Allen! A-L-L-E-N! Or are you too stupid to remember someone's name, Bakanda?" Kanda stomped over to Allen, his glare icy.
"What did you say, moyashi?" he growled. Tiedoll came outside, frowning at the two.
"Stop fighting, you two. Yuu-kun, how many times do I have to tell you that Allen doesn't work for us?" Tiedoll said, stepping between them.
"Tch. He's here every time I come back. So he might as well work here," Kanda grumbled. Tiedoll took Kanda's bag and keys from Allen, handing them back to Kanda.
"Go park your car," Tiedoll instructed. Kanda grumbled but complied, stomping back to his car. Lavi walked over to Tiedoll and Allen, feeling a bit out of place.
"Um…hi?" Lavi said hesitantly. Tiedoll smiled warmly.
"You must be the young man I had Yuu-kun bring back."
"I am. My name's Lavi."
"Let's go inside, shall we?" Tiedoll suggested. Lavi nodded, following them inside the grand manor.
"What should I do with my bags?" Lavi asked once they were inside.
"You can just set them over there for now," Tiedoll said, gesturing to a corner. Lavi nodded, placing his bags down. Tiedoll led them into a cozy den.
"Have a seat," Tiedoll said kindly as he sat down. Lavi chose an armchair near the fireplace.
"Your home is amazing," Lavi said, looking around in awe. Tiedoll smiled appreciatively.
"Thank you." They all heard the front door open and close as Kanda walked in, plopping down in a chair with a huff.
"How did Yuu-kun find you exactly?" Tiedoll asked, his tone curious.
"Well, I lived in the castle. It's been my home for years," Lavi said, smiling. Kanda stared at Lavi, somewhat amazed that the person who had acted like a complete idiot earlier was now speaking so eloquently. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Really? Did anyone else live with you?" Tiedoll asked.
"Sadly, no. I've lived there by myself," Lavi replied, a hint of loneliness in his voice. Kanda scoffed, looking around for Allen, who had disappeared. 'Stupid bean,' he thought as he got up and started to leave the room.
"Where are you going, Yuu-kun?" Tiedoll called after him. Kanda's right eye twitched.
"Stop calling me that, old man. I can go where I want," he ground out between clenched teeth, stomping out of the room. Lavi looked back at Tiedoll, his curiosity piqued.
"He's not very social, is he?" Tiedoll shook his head sadly.
"He's been like that since I adopted him when he was younger," Tiedoll explained.
"What happened to his parents?" Lavi asked, leaning forward in his seat.
"They were killed by some animal right in front of Kanda. It happened in the town where that castle you lived in was. I was there at the time and saw him wandering the streets," Tiedoll said, his voice filled with sorrow. Lavi gulped, memories flooding back to him. He remembered that day very clearly. He could remember all his victims.
As night fell, Lavi had left the castle, eager to find someone to be his meal. He wandered into town, scrutinizing various passersby, but none seemed appetizing enough. With a sigh, he continued his search.
"Mommy, I want to go in that store," said a small child.
"You are not going in that store just because there are swords in there."
"Daddy?" Lavi turned the corner and smirked. The older man laughed lightly.
"Sorry, son. Mommy's right this time." Lavi watched as the child stomped the ground and crossed his arms, sulking.
"Not fair…" he muttered.
"A lot of things aren't fair, Kanda." The small child pouted and started to walk off. Lavi lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the father's neck and draining him within seconds. The mother screamed in horror as her husband collapsed.
"DADDY!" the small boy screamed. The mother quickly grabbed her child's hand and tried to flee. Lavi chuckled, easily catching up to her. She struggled desperately, trying to break free.
"MOMMY!" the boy cried. She looked at him, tears streaming down her face.
"Run, Kanda! Run!" she yelled just as Lavi bit down on her neck, draining her life away. Kanda ran, turning down a road and into an alley, hiding behind garbage bins.
Lavi let her body drop to the ground and wiped his mouth, indifferent to the child's fate. He left, grinning in satisfaction from his fill.
Tiedoll noticed that Lavi looked like he was going to be sick.
"Where will I be staying?" Lavi asked, desperate to change the subject. Tiedoll stood up, leading him towards the grand staircase in the hall. Lavi followed, grabbing his bags. He felt his body moving, but his mind was elsewhere. Tiedoll stopped in front of a door and opened it.
"This will be your room. Yuu-kun's is right across from yours if you need anything," Tiedoll said with a smile before walking off. Lavi entered the room and shut the door with his foot. He walked over to the bed and dropped his bags on the floor. Climbing onto the bed, he curled into a ball.
"I should have realized why his scent was so familiar. It's similar to his parents'," he whispered to himself, a wave of guilt washing over him. As he lay there, memories of that fateful night haunted him. He remembered the fear in Kanda's eyes, the terror in his mother's screams, the despair in his father's last moments. The realization that he had destroyed Kanda's family filled him with a deep, gnawing remorse.
For the first time in centuries, Lavi felt truly alone, the weight of his actions pressing down on him. He closed his eyes, willing sleep to take him, but the darkness only brought more vivid recollections of his past deeds. He knew he would have to face Kanda eventually, to confront the truth of their shared history, but for now, he just wanted to escape, if only for a moment.