D. Gray-man Fan Fiction ❯ A Game of Poker ❯ Stay ( Chapter 26 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Bookkbaby84 
Anime/Manga: D. Gray-man Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 10.27.2009 | Pages: 6 | Words: 10.0K | Visits: 372 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: D. Gray-man Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 10.27.2009 | Pages: 6 | Words: 10.0K | Visits: 372 | Status: Work In Progress
Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Limes are in the future, and lemons. Maybe some OOC, spoilers for the end of the anime later on.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don’t own anything but a copy of the anime series and all volumes of the manga in English. Anything you don’t recognize (like the plotline of ‘A Game of Poker’) does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don’t sue.
Kudos to the awesome SisterWicked of AssHat Productions (a group I am now a proud member of), who got me started on Lucky and lets me use 'lovely'! Beta’d by N.H. Arawn and Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.
Dedicated in part to Sap for Sap’s awesome review last chapter! Also dedicated to Karen for reading this over for me.
WARNINGS: This chapter contains LEMON (NC-17) content of the M/M (malexmale) variety. Do not read if you are considered a minor in your country or if you take offense to one man loving another man.
SPECIAL NOTE AT END OF CHAPTER
Last Time On ‘A Game Of Poker’:
'"When the sun next rises, you are never to see the Noah again."'
"It's not over yet," Lavi said.
It wasn't dawn yet. Tonight was most certainly not over and though tonight couldn't last forever, there were still a few more hours of darkness left.
And Now, The Continuation
Chapter 26
Stay
Tyki's lips were warm and soft against Lavi's mouth. Their bodies moved slowly together, backs arching and hips grinding as the sound of breathless panting filled the air.
Lavi could feel Tyki's hand gripping his hip, holding him close as the Noah's pelvis settled against his own. The older man's waist was resting in between the Exorcist's spread thighs, his manhood pressed directly against the redhead's as he slowly rolled his body against the younger man. Lavi groaned, thrusting shallowly against the Noah.
He was getting hard again already, practically burning with desire. Each motion of Tyki's was searing but so pleasurable the redhead could only moan in response. The quiet noises the Portuguese man made told Lavi just how much Tyki was enjoying the friction created as their bodies rubbed against one another intimately.
Tyki's hand slid from Lavi's hip, slowly sliding inwards and skimming over his skin. The redhead choked out a gasp when he felt the Noah caress his hardness, the older man's fingers and thumb forming a circle and pumping the hot flesh.
"Are you ready, Lavi?" Tyki asked, lips brushing against the redhead's. Lavi nodded, too breathless to speak. Tyki smiled and drew back. He moved his left hand to brace against the mattress on the right side of the Exorcist's head, reaching with his other hand for the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. His long fingers barely gripped the small handle, but it was enough for the Noah to yank on it and open up the drawer. Lavi paid that hand little attention, both eyes totally focused on the older man's face.
His gaze trailed from the few small locks of hair stuck to Tyki's forehead with sweat down over the graceful curve of the man's nose to the Noah's full lips and his chin. His gaze softened and his heart clenched painfully in his chest. This was it... this was really it. He would come, Tyki buried as deep inside of him as it was possible to be, and then they would separate. Lavi would go back to his room and that would be the end of it. The end of everything that had been worrying and terrifying and wonderful all at the same time.
Impulsively, he pushed himself up off the bed. He supported himself with both hands and pressed his lips gently against the Noah's cheek for a moment before pulling back. Tyki, who had located the bottle of lotion seconds before, twitched in surprise and turned his head to face the redhead. His brow furrowed slightly as he shifted his weight from his hand to his knees, staying above the Exorcist.
"What was..." Tyki's voice trailed off and he shook his head a bit, as if deciding it didn't matter. The slight shake stung, yet it was also somehow relieving. Lavi didn't want to explain what had spurred the small gesture. For what they were doing and for what they were to each other, the gesture showed too much caring.
Lavi forced himself to smile, arching his hips to press against the older man's body.
"I'm ready," he said. He let himself relax back on to the mattress, one hand going up to touch Tyki's body where neck met shoulder. "Please?"
The Noah's expression smoothed out and he lifted the lotion bottle, opening it with an audible 'snap'.
"Of course," Tyki said, turning over the bottle and slowly squeezing out some of the lotion inside onto his palm. Lavi swallowed heavily, heart racing with anticipation and want as Tyki coated two of his elegant fingers with the slick white substance.
Tyki lowered himself to press another kiss to Lavi's lips, his hand slipping down to press against the Exorcist's opening. The cool lotion felt almost icy against the redhead's heated skin as Tyki ran one finger along the puckered flesh, circling Lavi's entrance. The tip of Tyki's lotion-coated finger just barely skirted the sensitive flesh of the Exorcist's opening, teasing the younger man as Lavi shifted and tried to force the digit to slide inside of him.
"You are eager tonight..." Tyki said, finally acquiescing to Lavi's silent plea and pressing his finger against the ring of muscle and slipping it slowly inside the younger man's body. Lavi's hand tightened, squeezing the junction of the Noah's neck and shoulder as his back arched and he instinctively shifted away from the invading finger before he could force himself to hold still. He willed his body to obey him and stopped shifting, wriggling only a bit as the slim digit began making small circling motions against his inner walls. "Do you want me inside of you that badly?"
Lavi flushed and nodded. He spread his thighs wider apart, moving his hips into the motion of Tyki's hand. He could hear the Noah's smug chuckle as the man slid his finger partway out so he could comfortably press the tip of his second lotion-covered finger against the younger man's entrance. Lavi forced himself to stay relaxed as both digits worked their way inside his body. There was only minor, mild pain he had already felt half a dozen times before, and then the fingers were stroking him from the inside. He could feel himself being stretched, being prepared for the older man to move in him.
He loosened his hold, sliding his hand up along Tyki's neck to his scalp and sliding his hand over the silky locks of hair. His hand moved in slow, jerky motions, low waves of pleasure shooting through his body with each caress from the Noah's fingers. Almost without realizing it, his eyes traveled over Tyki's face once more and wandered down to the man's neck. His fingers followed, trailing absently over the side of the column of flesh.
A mark would show up so well on the man's currently olive skin, a bright purple-red mark on the expanse of pale flesh... For a moment, Lavi thought he could actually see it, the image superimposed over Tyki's skin, but he blinked and it was gone.
His lips parted, words heavy on his tongue, but just then the Noah's fingers pushed deeper into him and touched his prostate. A gasp escaped the Exorcist's lips instead of an intelligible word, body arching and hips thrusting to impale the fingers deeper inside of him. Tyki chuckled again and Lavi could feet his face heat up as the fingers slipped out.
"I'll try and keep this short, lovely. I want to feel you around me again too," the Noah said, picking up the lotion bottle again. He squeezed a generous amount of lotion out onto his palm before recapping it and tossing it over the side of the bed. It hit the stone floor with a loud 'thunk', but neither paid any attention. Tyki spread half of the lotion over the three longest fingers of his right hand before moving said hand with purpose towards the redhead's entrance. One by one in quick succession, he slid all three into the tight passage. Lavi cried out and pressed himself desperately against the older man's body.
He knew that Tyki probably wouldn't like it if Lavi tried to leave his mark on the man. If he marked the Noah, that would mean that Tyki was his in some way and that had never been less true. His opponent, his enemy, his wet dream, his seducer, his lo-
Lavi bit the word off mid-thought.
Tyki did not belong to him. Tyki couldn't belong to him, no matter how much he wished, but 'Lavi' would always belong to the Noah, even if Bookman Junior could not stay with the older man.
"Tyki," Lavi murmured, moving his hands over the Pleasure's shoulders and skimming his palms across the man's chest before wrapping his arms around the Noah loosely. Tyki's hand stilled and Lavi sighed with fleeting disappointment, averting his gaze from the older man's face. "I want you to mark me, like you did that one night."
The redhead could feel Tyki start in surprise, fingers twitching inside of Lavi. The Exorcist inhaled sharply, lifting his hips into the motion of the Noah's fingers. He tilted his head, letting it loll to the side and expose his unblemished neck to the older man's hot gaze.
"Please," he said softly, not really a plea or a request, but not nearly as demanding as an order. It just was a simple statement of want.
Tyki's fingers began moving again, languidly stroking the redhead's inner walls. Lavi bit his lip to contain a moan, breathlessly waiting for the Noah's response.
"You really are different tonight, lovely," Tyki murmured, almost too quiet for the Exorcist's sensitive ears to catch. The older man leaned forward, pressing his lips to the gentle curve of Lavi's neck. The redhead tensed, briefly uncertain, then jumped when he felt the Pleasure lightly nip the delicate skin. Tyki's tongue came out to lick tenderly at the spot, soothing the Exorcist, and then the Noah laid his mouth over the barely-visible bite mark and began to suck.
The redhead leaned his head even further, consciously lowering his shoulder to provide a greater opening for the older man. He spread his legs wider, lightly thrusting against the Noah's still hand. The fingers inside of him began to move again, scissoring and stretching so that Lavi and Tyki could move on to the next and final part of the night.
He cried out in quiet protest as the older man's fingers left him, Tyki apparently satisfied as his body's readiness to accept the Noah. The Pleasure's hand - still with some lotion on it from earlier, now warmed by body heat - moved to stroke his own manhood, covering it with the slick substance. Tyki's mouth slipped from Lavi's neck with a quiet groan and the Noah gave one last lick to the spot he had been marking before he drew back. He propped his body over the redhead's with one elbow on either side of Lavi's head and he leaned in for a short kiss. Lavi returned it eagerly, pressing his hips urgently against the older man.
"Please..." he mumbled into Tyki's mouth, hands tightening in the cloth of the man's shirt. Tyki broke away completely, shifting his weight on to one arm while the other hand moved down Lavi's body to his upper thigh and lifted him slightly. The action brought their bodies in line and then the Noah moved forward, pressing the head of his manhood against the small opening into Lavi's body.
"Are you ready?" Tyki asked him, sliding his hand lightly up and down the redhead's side. Lavi looked into Tyki's passion-darkened eyes and nodded once, leaning forward to capture the older man's mouth as the Noah's hand settled at his hip once more.
Lavi could feel the steady press of the older man's hardness against him and did his best to relax and allow the coming intrusion. Tyki's hand tightened, holding him in place, as the Noah slowly pushed forward.
The Exorcist threw his head back, breaking the kiss to suck in a breath. There was hardly any physical pain, but to think that this would be the last time he would feel this, the slight sting when Tyki first entered him... he carefully controlled his breathing and fought to keep his sudden heartache off his face, realizing that the older man had stopped.
"Is something wrong, Lavi?" The Noah's voice betrayed actual concern and the ache Lavi felt grew worse. Even if this wasn't anything now, maybe it could have grown into something. Maybe, if Bookman would never have found out or if Tyki would stay with him...
He shook his head, shoving the regrets and the impossible dreams out of his head.
"I'm fine," he managed to say, shutting his eyes in case they betrayed him. "Keep going."
He blindly pressed his lips to the Pleasure's, lifting his hips and pressing forward to impale himself deeper on the older man's arousal. Tyki groaned into the kiss, tightening his grip once more and pressing forward. Lavi moaned, dragging in large gasps during the few seconds when his and the Noah's mouths were parted before they rejoined in a needy kiss. He could feel the other slide deeper and deeper inside of him, stretching him and stroking him. Lavi lifted his legs to dig his knees into Tyki's sides and wrapped his legs around the man's waist, tightening his legs and pushing up with his hips to help the older man completely sheath himself inside the younger's body.
They both paused for breath when Tyki was as deep as he could get on the first stroke, every muscle in both bodies quivering from excitement and desire. Lavi's muscles clenched around the hardness inside of him, hips wriggling slightly as he adjusted to the feeling of being filled. Tyki held himself in check, breathing getting heavier as the redhead moved beneath him.
"May I move?" the Noah asked. Lavi nodded, holding tightly to the older man. With a soft groan of relief, Tyki did. He drew his hips back and then thrust forward, burying himself deep inside the younger man's body. Lavi gasped, instinctively thrusting back against Tyki.
Tyki drew back again and this time, when he thrust back in, he hit that spot that made blinding, mind-numbing pleasure course through the redhead's body. Lavi cried out, hips jerking into the Noah's motion. Tyki drew back again and snapped his hips forward faster, beginning to build their rhythm. The redhead moved with him, setting a fast pace.
"You feel... so good..." Tyki groaned against the redhead's mouth, not slackening his pace in the slightest. Lavi kept up with him, unable to do much more than moan Tyki's name and quite pleas to go faster, harder.
Lavi could feel himself getting closer and closer to his peak with every hard stroke of the Noah's member inside of him. From the way Tyki was panting and how his thrusts were becoming slightly erratic, the Exorcist could tell that the older man was close too.
"Tyki - please..." Lavi gasped, clutching the Pleasure to him.
"You're close?" Tyki asked breathlessly. The redhead nodded, crying out as his prostate was stimulated again. "Then come... Lavi."
The next thrust was particularly hard and Lavi called the older man's name as he came. Pure bliss filled his body, hips still moving instinctively as Tyki moved faster and faster and finally sheathed himself fully inside and stopped, moaning Lavi's name quietly as he, too, came.
Both collapsed bonelessly onto the bed, orgasm sending waves of pleasure through each of them. After several long moments, Tyki lifted himself off of younger man's body and pulled his now limp manhood out from inside the redhead. The Noah let himself flop ungracefully next to Lavi, breathing heavily. Lavi just lay there, breathing and coming down slowly from his high. He let his head lean to the side, watching the Noah's profile while his cum dried on their stomachs. As the bliss faded and reality set in again, a crushing weight settled in Lavi's chest.
It was over. He had accidentally stayed last night, but he doubted he would be allowed to stay. Tyki had always left long before dawn, after all, and if Lavi stayed he would only fall asleep again.
He swallowed thickly, eyes prickling. He could feel Tyki shifting beside him and blinked, watching as the older man rolled over to grab an edge of the sheet to lazily clean off his abdomen. Sighing quietly, Lavi sat up too. He turned his face from the Noah, the silence suddenly awkward and thick. The redhead could feel his voice catch on the lump in his throat and he fumbled with the sheet for a moment, finding an edge and wiping off the mess coating his stomach and chest.
He could feel Tyki's warmth at his side and his hand slowed as he dropped the soiled cloth over the side of the mattress. He didn't want to leave, not now, but he didn't have a choice.
He heard cloth rustle as the Noah dropped the bit of the sheet he had used to clean himself and could feel the man shift his weight, settling back on to the bed. Lavi bit his lip, wanting to be selfish just for tonight and stay cuddled up next to the Noah, but he was fairly certain the older man wouldn't appreciate it even if Tyki never said as much. Slowly, limbs and heart obscenely heavy, he turned and slipped his legs over the side of the bed. He moved to stand and an arm wrapped loosely around his waist.
"Where are you going?" Tyki asked. Lavi froze, eyes wide and heart quickening. He swallowed, forcibly calming himself down.
"I was just going to leave," he said softly, tensing as Tyki's arm tightened around his waist. "Go back to my room..."
Tyki shifted behind him, adjusting his grip and sitting up directly behind the Exorcist. Lavi could feel the warmth of the Noah's chest at his back and his breath caught as he was pulled closer to the other's body.
"Stay."
Lavi stopped breathing entirely. His world shrank down and collapsed into that single moment, leaving him frozen in place.
"Stay," Tyki repeated, pressing his lips to the mark on Lavi's neck. The redhead put one of his hands over the arm around his waist. He squeezed lightly, bowing his head in confusion.
Why was Tyki doing this to him tonight? The one night he really wanted to stay, if only to make more memories that would probably torment him later.
Why was Tyki doing this to him at all? The Noah had never wanted to spend the night with him before, so unless something had changed the man's mind... Even after Tyki had been confined to the Order, he had shown no signs of wanting Lavi to stay the entire night.
"Why?" he asked, not looking up.
"You spent most of last night here," the Pleasure replied, not loosening his hold. "Are you regretting it?"
Lavi hesitantly shook his head. He certainly regretted what had happened because he had spent the night with Tyki, but he couldn't regret the content feeling he had had upon waking in the Noah's arms.
"Then stay."
Lavi held on to the arm around his waist for a moment longer, then slowly his hand released its hold.
The damage was done, really. Everyone already knew that he had been with Tyki all night last night, so one more would not matter. Bookman already knew as well, so it wasn't like the old man could take anything else from him. Bookman had given him until dawn.
He had until the sun rose and staying with Tyki wouldn't hurt him any more. Not his reputation, at any rate. Staying one last night wouldn't cost him anything.
He nodded and released his grip entirely. The Noah's arm slid from around him, only the older man's hand remaining on the redhead's hip as the Exorcist turned and picked his feet up off the floor. He met Tyki's eyes uncertainly, searching for any hint of a reason for the older man's strange request. Unreadable brown stared back at him calmly, no answer forthcoming.
Slowly, Lavi lay down on the mattress. Tyki watched him lay down and once satisfied that the Exorcist wouldn't run off, the older man turned towards the foot of the bed where the blankets had ended up during their earlier activities. He grabbed a handful of the cloth and pulled the blanket up and over the redhead and himself, settling down next to Lavi.
Lavi lay on his side, back to Tyki, and tensed when he felt an arm drape itself over his hip. He could feel the heat of the older man close behind him, but their bodies weren't quite pressed together. Lavi sighed and shifted, more nervous than uncomfortable, and felt Tyki's arm tighten around him. He froze instantly, curling in on himself slightly.
"Sorry," he murmured, moving towards the edge of the bed and bringing the arm he was mostly laying on up to form a pillow under his head. He balanced precariously on the edge, still able to feel the man behind him.
Tyki sighed audibly.
"Come here," he said, pulling the Exorcist by the waist. Lavi yelped in surprise as he was pulled backward, pulled right into a warm, firm chest. The arm around his waist relaxed and Tyki shifted again, moving even closer and pressing their bodies more firmly together. "Now sleep."
Lavi's eyes softened and he relaxed as best he could, slipping his bent arm underneath the actual pillow his head could now rest on and letting his other arm curl against his chest. Tyki's breath teased the sensitive hairs at the back of his neck, making his scalp tingle pleasantly.
It was a surprisingly comfortable position. Lavi felt his eyelids drooping, the stress of the day finally taking its toll. He felt like he had been through the wringer and being so comfortable just made him want to close his eyes and rest. If life could just stay like this, he never wanted to wake up again.
His eyes shut and he began to drift off. The last words that fluttered through his mind as he fell asleep were cruel reminders that the contentment he felt couldn't last.
'"By dawn..."'
<hr/>
Tyki studied the Exorcist resting in his arms, staring at the messy red hair on the pillow next to him and the shape of the blanket as it draped over Lavi's form. Lavi's breathing was slow and even, indicating that the young man had already fallen asleep.
Tyki shifted, tightening his hold on the redhead's waist and replaying the night in his mind. Something had certainly been different about Lavi, something besides his unusual assertiveness in bed. The boy had been troubled by something and had been trying to drown whatever worries he had in the pleasures the older man could offer.
Tyki frowned, a subtle undercurrent of concern stirring his thoughts. Had someone said something to the Exorcist about last night? In hindsight, he supposed he should have realized that people would talk if one Exorcist had spent the entire night in the room of a former enemy of the Order. Even so, he still didn't regret not waking the redhead the night before. Sleeping next to Lavi had been good, making his sleep somehow more restful. Now that the younger man knew that he could, perhaps Lavi would even stay until morning.
Tyki never had been one to share the bed for more than bedroom activities, but last night had shown him how relaxing another body close at night could be. He had decided that morning that waking up next to someone too would make the whole encounter infinitely more satisfying, though he wasn't sure how true that was yet.
He supposed he'd find out when he woke. He was looking forward to it.
With a soft smile he didn't even realize was there, he too shut his eyes to sleep. He moved just a bit closer to Lavi as he drifted off, the redhead's scent following him into his dreams.
<hr/>
Allen walked down a deserted hall, effortlessly navigating through the stone corridors towards the bathroom specially reserved for Exorcists. Sweat was slowly drying on his face and neck, his shirt damp and clinging to his chest since he had made the mistake of pulling it back on over his sweaty skin. He made a slightly disgusted face and tugged at the front of his shirt with one hand, shivering slightly as the action blew cool air across his damp flesh. In his other arm he carried a clean change of clothes.
He had been in the training room for a little over two hours and had spent almost all of that time activating (and deactivating) his Innocence, building up energy to form a bullet and then letting it die away so Komui could track the movement of the energy, and then finally firing numerous bullets at different targets so Komui could try and figure out how the Innocence's energy transformed into deadly projectiles. The scientist had finally let him leave after a flurry of writing and excited muttering.
Flashback
"Centripetal force... of course, why didn't I - or Reever..." Komui muttered to himself, scribbling madly over the paper on his clipboard and almost ignoring the machines that rested on the table next to him.
"Komui?" Allen asked hesitantly, arm almost shaking from the effort. His arm had rebounded once, overtired from constant usage, but after a five minute break he had managed to get his arm working again. The scientist looked up quizzically, hand still poised over the paper, then smiled.
"Thank you, Allen. You may go now. If I have any questions later, I'll send Reever to look for you."
The white-haired boy nodded and turned away from Komui. He deactivated his arm and leaned over to pick up his discarded shirt, pulling it on over his damp skin. When he straightened up to leave, Komui was once more muttering to himself and writing. Allen smiled gently, eyes drooping slightly with exhaustion, and turned towards the door. His stomach rumbled and he patted it, cringing sheepishly when his stomach complained louder. He would need to stop by the cafeteria and see Jerry soon, but he needed a shower before anything else.
He began walking towards the door, passing right by Komui as he did so. His steps slowed, a slight frown creasing his brow as he slowed to a stop next to the oblivious supervisor.
He had overheard bits and pieces of strange rumors all day, rumors that made a strange sort of sense when he thought about them. While he wasn't entirely sure whether or not to bring them up with Komui - who knew what repercussions such rumors could have, especially if a certain Inspector found out about them - there was one question he could ask.
"Komui..." he said again, turning his head to look at Komui. The scientist made a small, distracted noise as acknowledgement, inviting the British Exorcist to continue even though the white-clad man didn't look up from his note-taking. After taking a deep breath, Allen did. "Do you know when Tyki Mikk will be released?"
The writing stopped. Komui didn't look up right away, staring at his paper with an unreadable look. The white-haired boy waited patiently for a response, keeping his hands respectfully at his sides and trying not to fidget. He almost wished he could take back the question, but the answer was important. He hadn't seen Lavi at all that day and a quick question at lunch to Jerry had confirmed that the redhead had yet to eat. Occasionally the redhead would miss a meal, but he had never missed two in a row before and Allen had come in just before the kitchen closed so the staff could get ready for the dinner rush. Even if Lavi hadn't been oddly absent all day, Allen would have asked about the Noah anyway. The nagging suspicion he had about what Tyki and Lavi really were to each other hadn't left him alone since he had returned with the redhead and the unconscious Pleasure. In fact, his suspicions had only increased during recent weeks since Lavi had been acting decidedly strange.
He hadn't asked Lavi about it yet, mostly because he sensed it would upset the redhead if he brought it up.
Komui looked up and turned his head to meet Allen's eyes, then looked away again. He adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat a bit.
"His release is still pending irrefutable proof of his loyalty. We have gotten a lot of information from him, but-" He held up a hand, staving off Allen's bid to speak. The white-haired boy closed his mouth, lips in a thin line. "-we need something no one can dispute. We haven't gotten that yet. Until we do, I have to keep a guard on him."
The older man went quiet, studying Allen speculatively.
"Unless you have something new to tell me that you think might help prove his loyalty to one side or the other...?"
Allen looked down at the floor.
"I haven't seen anything. I guess I don't have anything to tell you," he replied. Even now, all he had were guts feelings and his observations. He lifted his gaze again, smiling politely. "I'll be going then."
Komui nodded and turned his gaze back to the clipboard. He tapped the tip of his now dull pencil against the white surface, then began slowly writing down more seemingly incomprehensible notes, facts, and formulas. Allen watched for a moment, then turned back towards the door. He began walking again, glancing his shoulder only once more before exiting the training room.
Komui was back to scribbling furiously on his sheet of paper, writing down one thing after another and seemingly lost in his own little world of scientific facts and mathematical formulas. Allen closed the door quietly and left, making a mental note to tell Lenalee that her brother might need coffee served to him and to tell her which training room she could find him in. Allen doubted the man would remember to go back to his office any time soon.
As he began heading down the hall towards the Exorcist's bathroom and a nice, hot shower, he thought of Lavi, Tyki, and what might possibly be going on between them.
Were they in a relationship? Were they not?
His mind briefly flashed to Kanda as he contemplated the question, but he shoved the Japanese teen from his mind. If they were in a relationship, that just left one question...
Did Bookman know? If not, what would he do when he found out?
End Flashback
The questions still worried him.
He sighed softly. He would just have to talk to Lavi about it. Soon, if possible.
His steps slowed as he approached the door to the bathroom especially reserved for male Exorcists. He smiled as he opened the door, happily anticipating being clean once more. Best of all, it was already getting late and the room was likely to be deserted. Showers in the Order were communal, so having a shower without anyone else around was a rare luxury, one Allen intended to enjoy.
<hr/>
Kanda scowled furiously as he stormed down the Order's deserted halls, his training clothes damp with sweat. For once, training had done little to relieve his stress and he was half-hoping a shower would not only get him clean but help him relax some too. Meditation had failed earlier, his thoughts churning far too much for him to get them under control.
Today had just been irritating. More irritating than failing a mission, getting his hair braided by a certain fucking rabbit, or talking to an idiotic beansprout.
The entire Order, it seemed, had been buzzing with some kind of gossip. Not that Kanda listened or anything, but it had had something to do with a dumbass redhead and an asshole who had recently defected to the Order. Namely, that said dumbass and asshole had been having sex. With each other.
It had made him lose his appetite when he first heard it. He had been halfway through his usual lunch of soba when he had heard the Finders further down the table gossiping and spreading the information. He had slammed down his chopsticks and half-reached for Mugen before remembering that he was currently not friends with Lavi and therefore had no reason to defend him against rumors. He had stood up and dumped his tray and the remainder of his food before leaving the dining hall. He hadn't been back since.
He had spent most of his day alternating between training and trying to meditate. The training had been somewhat helpful in clearing his mind, but the moment he would sit down to meditate all of the things that had been irritating him all day would swarm in his head. He would spend ten minutes trying not to think about all the annoyances of the day and then get up to do more punishing training.
In the end, all he had accomplished was sweat, sore muscles, and stress.
He huffed quietly as he reached the bathroom. As he turned the knob and stepped through the doorway, he hoped some idiot hadn't used up all the hot water.
<hr/>
Allen stood under the hot spray, a small smile on his face. The shower room, as expected was deserted except for him. It was actually something of a relief to be alone for once - there were no shower stalls, just ten showerheads mounted on one wall and knobs at waist height beneath each one to control the temperature of the water. The floor and walls were done in sterile white tile and the floor sloped just slightly so that the water drained into the small, grate-covered holes in the floor. On the wall opposite the showerheads was a line of steel pegs for towels to hang on. Currently, Allen's white, fluffy towel occupied the fifth peg, directly across from where he was enjoying the hot water.
He tilted his face up towards the ceiling, leaning back slightly so the spray could soak his hair. He ran his fingers through the quickly dampening strands, pressing his fingertips to his skull as he made small circles with his hands in order to get the roots wet. Once satisfied, he straightened up and flattened his hair back to keep it out of his eyes so he could bend over and pick up his shampoo/conditioner. The Order supplied all the Exorcists with a generic two-in-one as well as soap and washrags. Of course, if an Exorcist wanted anything fancy they'd have to buy it themselves, so most used the supplies provided.
He pried open the cap to the bottle and squeezed a small bit of the substance out on to his palm. He then closed the bottle with the back of his hand and bent over to put it back on the floor before standing straight and rubbing his palms together to spread the shampoo. He stepped forward slightly, out of direct path of the water pouring from the showerhead, and began massaging the stuff into his hair. It lathered up fairly quickly and he moved his hands all over his head, trying to make sure he was getting all of his hair.
He ducked back under the spray and the noise of the water drowned out the sound of quietly approaching footsteps. Allen quickly rinsed his hair, oblivious to the person now standing, dumbstruck, at the entrance to the shower room.
<hr/>
Kanda stared, body frozen in shock. His lips were slightly parted, the Kanda-equivalent to a dropped jaw. He had heard the shower running, but it hadn't bothered him. He had been with the Order for just about as long as he could remember and he had gotten over any distaste for the communal shower fairly quickly. He had scowled when he had noted the noise upon entering the locker area of the bathroom, where each Exorcist had a small 'locker' for his own use. Most kept just the standard showering supplies in the small metal box, but Kanda usually also kept a clean yukata in his so he wouldn't have to walk through the halls in only a towel or walk back to his room before he washed up after training.
He had gotten undressed and left his dirty clothing and hair tie on the long wooden bench that ran parallel to the lockers. Cleaning supplies in hand, he had started heading over towards the shower room. On the way, he had grabbed himself a towel from the table piled with clean laundry and wrapped it around his waist. He had scowled deeper as he had neared the room, able to see faint wisps of steam that signaled the person showering was using up the hot water.
As soon as he had gotten to the entrance of the shower room, he had stopped, dead in his tracks from the shock of the sight that awaited him.
The beansprout was standing underneath the water, apparently rinsing his hair. His arms were up and hands were on his head, making his chest muscles stretch. Water ran down the British boy's skin, the heat adding a flushed tone to the usually pale flesh. Kanda's eyes followed one drop that slid over one of Allen's pectorals, skirted his nipple, and then moved over his abdominal muscles, slipping down, down...
Kanda could feel his cheeks heat and he forced his gaze back up. His heart was beating fast and he felt oddly warm and he scowled in response, forcing the feelings that welled up within him down. The scowl faded moments later as he stared, mesmerized, at the white haired boy's face.
A few strands of the moyashi's hair stuck to the boy's forehead and neck. That, coupled with the reddened tone of his skin, made the other Exorcist seem... almost appetizing. The bit of steam given off by the water seemed to give the scene a surreal, dreamlike quality and Kanda almost pinched himself to make sure that this wasn't just a dream.
"Moyashi..." he said, his voice seeming to echo in the mostly deserted room. The quiet word rang out over the sound of the running water and Kanda could see the moment the word registered in Allen's mind.
The white haired boy almost jumped in shock, turning instinctively to face the source of the noise with his hands still tangled in his hair. Kanda's eyes widened and it took more willpower than he cared to admit to not look down. He could feel heat rise in his cheeks and he glared to cover up his embarrassment. Just then, Allen seemed to realize that he was fully facing the Japanese Exorcist and yelped quietly, face flushing dark red as he pulled his fingers free of his hair and turned so that his back was to the other teen.
"What are you doing here, baKanda?" he asked, words coming out in a rush even as he tripped over his tongue. Slightly irritated now, Kanda had less trouble keeping his eyes away from... strange places. Even if that one drop was slipping down the curve of Allen's spine...
Kanda turned away from the sight, moving towards the metal hook to hang his towel up. Even stupid beansprouts knew that people didn't wear towels to shower.
"Che. Taking a shower. Idiot," the Japanese Exorcist bit out, shifting his bottle of shampoo, his soap, and a clean washrag to one arm while he reached for the corner of his towel he had tucked in to keep the cloth up. As the material loosened around his waist he could have sworn he heard a quiet gasp, but when he turned his head all he saw was the white-haired boy's back to him once again. The other Exorcist was rubbing frantically at his hair as he stood under the spray, apparently trying to remove the shampoo suds still present.
Kanda 'che'd again and turned before walking over to his own shower. He had picked the second showerhead in since he hated being next to the wall and set the three things he carried on the floor before reaching for the water knob. He turned it on hot, flinching slightly as the water hit his skin. It was already warm and the temperature was fast rising to what Kanda preferred. He made a small noise of approval, mostly to himself, and stepped completely under the cascading water.
The room was silent but for the sound of the two showers running and then the noise level dropped by half.
Kanda glanced over towards where Allen had just turned off his shower. The white haired boy appeared to be flustered as he leaned over to grab his things, fumbling with the soap bar and dropping it more than once. Kanda quickly looked away again, scowling slightly at his own reactions.
He could hear the beansprout's footsteps as the white-haired Brit walked across the drier tiles towards his towel. The sound of the bottle of shampoo and the soap slipping free from Allen's grasp was also audible to Kanda's sensitive ears, even over the sound of the running water. He refused to turn around, sternly facing the wall and letting the water soak him from head to foot. The footsteps paused and then restarted again less than a minute later, crossing behind the Japanese teen towards the door that served as the shower room's exit as well as its entrance.
Kanda took a deep breath as the footsteps faded, then backed out of the water spray. He wiped at his face, blinking once or twice to clear the excess water from his eyelashes, then glanced around the room to confirm that the stupid beansprout was no longer nearby.
The room was empty.
Kanda exhaled.
He turned back towards the wall, glancing down along the tile until his eyes landed on the knob that controlled temperature. With a small scowl, he reached forward and turned the temperature of the water from hot to cold.
<hr/>
Allen walked quickly down the hallway, his face bright red as he carried his dirty laundry in his arms. His clean clothes were damp and clung to him as his sweaty clothes had earlier, but that was simply because he hadn't taken the time to dry off completely.
The thought of Kanda finishing his shower and walking back to the locker area while Allen was still naked...
Allen's face reddened again and he ducked his head, letting a few wet locks of his hair hang down in front of his face. His heart was beating oddly, tripping over itself as it raced. His chest felt too small, almost like it couldn't contain his heart or his lungs and his organs were trying to escape. The sensation was especially intense when he thought back to those last few moments he had been in the shower room, walking along the dry wall to get out and having to walk past Kanda.
His eyes had been drawn to the expanse of bared flesh, especially to the contrast between the Japanese teen's skin and his dark hair. He had almost stopped and stared but, upon realizing where he was looking he quickly looked away and left. Seeing Kanda directly after he had been practically ogling the other Exorcist in the shower...
It was too embarrassing to think about.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he finally reached his room. He was still hungry, but that incident in the shower had left his stomach feeling oddly fluttery and doing flip-flops. He wouldn't be able to eat, not with the way his insides seemed to be mixed up. Hopefully sleep would help.
Yes, sleep would help. A nice, long rest would be just the thing to clear his mind.
<hr/>
Devitto scowled, arms crossed over his chest as he slouched in his chair. Jasdero was sitting next to him, slumped over onto the dinner table making a noise halfway between an insane giggle and a snore. The dark haired man glared at the blonde, then moved his leg and brought his heel back hard on to Jasdero's shin. The other Noah woke with a startled cry, sitting up so suddenly that his chair tipped backwards. Jasdero's eyes widened and his arms wind-milled in an attempt to fight gravity, but he was unsuccessful and he continued to fall. His head hit the stone floor with a rather satisfying 'crack' and Devitto laughed out loud as Jasdero sat up and rubbed the rising lump on his head with both hands.
After all, if Devitto wasn't allowed to sleep, Jasdero shouldn't be able to either.
Jasdero looked up at his laughing twin then smiled and began giggling to himself. He slowly stood, not bothering to pick up his chair before throwing himself at the dark haired Noah. Devitto only had a moment to absorb the fact that the blonde has just leapt at him before the weight of the other crashed into his chest, sending his chair flying backwards and spilling both him and the blonde onto the floor. Devitto's head met the stone with a painful 'thud' and he hissed in pain, putting one hand to the bump before glaring up at Jasdero. The blonde had managed to come out on top and was sitting on Devitto's chest, grinning widely. With a muttered curse, Devitto swung his free hand towards the blonde's head. The blow connected, knocking Jasdero from his perch and on to the floor. Devitto quickly stood and put one foot on the other Noah's chest, cracking his knuckles threateningly.
"What was that for?!" he demanded. "Eh?!"
"How do you two have the energy for that this early?" a sleepy voice demanded crossly from the other side of the room. Devitto glanced over, still glaring, and moved his foot away as Jasdero sat up to see over the table.
Road stood in the doorway and apparently hadn't bothered getting dressed for the Earl's 'special meeting'. She was still in her pajamas, dressed in a simple white silk nightgown that fell to her knees and black fuzzy slippers. Her hair was even wilder than usual and she turned towards her usual seat, covering up a yawn and stretching before sitting down and leaning tiredly against the back.
Devitto moved back to his seat and picked it back up, noting out of the corner of his eye that Jasdero was doing the same. He flopped into his chair, leaning against the back and resting his cheek on his closed fist. Jasdero was once again leaning forward on the table, chin propped up on his hands.
"What'd the Earl call this meeting for anyway?" Devitto grumbled into the silence. He glanced at the clock on the wall and scowled. It was already well past one in the morning and most nights he was deeply asleep by now. He slouched further in his chair, scowling petulantly.
The Earl had been locked up inside his lab for ages and suddenly the Maker had called a meeting in the middle of the night. The man wasn't even there yet, much to Devitto's annoyance. He had gotten out of bed and gotten dressed - showing up naked probably wouldn't go over well and he was not going to put on a suit, so he had just gotten dressed in his usual outfit. Jasdero had put on his pants, but hadn't bothered with a shirt. If he had been woken up for nothing, then he'd find the Akuma that had woken him and kill it. Slowly.
He grinned, suddenly entertained by the idea. He'd probably need to get Jasdero to go along with it, but he was sure it was possible-
The sound of the door opening startled him from his thoughts. He scowled and glanced towards the door, scowl lessening to a frown when he saw who was standing in the doorway.
Lulubell, in her immaculate suit as always, and the Earl, dressed in his usual outfit with a slightly less than pristine coat thrown on over it. Devitto sat up straighter in his chair. Jasdero remained partially slumped over, and Road sat up completely, eyes gleaming a bit as she noticed the two Akuma servants trailing behind the Noah and the Earl. Both carried something in each hand, though none of the three Noah in the room could quite make out what.
Lulubell glided wordlessly to her chair at the table and sat down gracefully, brushing one loose strand of hair back behind her ear. The Earl moved to the head of the table, the two Akuma following behind him.
"My lovely family," the Manufacturer began, clapping his hands together once as though excited. "I have a wonderful new invention to share with all of you." The Earl motioned the Akuma forward without looking back. As one, both servants stepped forward and placed the objects they carried on the table in front of the large man. Task completed, they stepped back into the shadows.
Devitto's frown faded entirely as he looked down at the four items now resting on the table. They were apparently knives of some sort - he could see the cloth-wrapped handles and the small, unadorned guards from where he sat, but the actual blade was covered by a sheath that looked to be made out of leather, though said leather seemed to be a lot heavier, somehow, than normal leather. Curiosity piqued, Devitto glanced back up at the Earl.
"Knives?" Road asked, voice both curious and confused. The Earl's grin widened and he selected one of the knives from the table, humming quietly to himself as he did so.
"Road, these aren't just any knives," he said pleasantly, somehow managing to exude a subtle air of menace as he did so. He gently tugged on the handle and drew the dagger partially from the sheath, revealing a mere strip of the blade.
Devitto's sudden feeling of uneasiness was drowned out by just as sudden awe. From the gasp he heard from Road and the soft 'oooh' he could hear Jasdero make, he knew he wasn't the only one who was surprised. Lulubell was silent, but even her lips parted in shock.
The blade part of the knife was glowing a very, very soft green, but as Devitto leaned closer to get a better look, he noticed that the green glow came from small shards of what looked like crystal mixed in with the silver metal. He stared hard at the bit of green-glowing silver revealed, trying to figure out where he had seen that glow before. The answer was on the tip of his tongue, but his sleepy brain couldn't quite grasp what that answer was.
"Innocence," Road breathed, and suddenly it clicked in Devitto's mind. Road reached for the knife closest to her, laying her fingers delicately on the leather-like sheath before picking it up. She didn't draw it. "And you made the sheaths from dark matter. One for each of us."
The Earl nodded, re-sheathing the blade he had drawn.
"Exactly right, Road!" he said happily, laying the knife back down. "I wanted each of my precious family members to have one of these."
Devitto grinned, reaching across the table to snatch two of the weapons up. He tossed one to Jasdero, scowling a bit in disappointment when the blonde caught it without much fumbling. He then turned his attention to the knife he held, running his hand over the handle and then casually tossing it from hand to hand. Lulubell's knife rested in her hand as she ran her fingers over it, apparently trying to memorize it with tactile sensation.
"What are these for, anyway?" he asked, eyes on the sheathed blade as he continued to toss it. "We already have weapons."
Jasdero giggled next to him, also playing with his knife. He stabbed the covered blade at the table, never quite letting the sheathed tip touch the wood. Devitto could hear the sound of Road sighing in exasperation and he turned a glare at her, temporarily ceasing his throwing.
"You want to say something?" he demanded irritably, leaning towards her but remaining seated. She smirked at him, taunting.
"You really don't know?" she asked, hefting her knife. "You can't figure out what these are for?"
He scowled.
"It's not like I ever went to school," he grumbled under his breath, looking away from the Dreams and resuming his tossing.
"Idi-"
"Now Road, play nice," the Earl said gently, no real anger in his voice. In fact, his voice was almost a singsong. "I thought I would name these daggers... Kinslayers."
Devitto's scowl deepened at the sound of the unfamiliar word, sure that the Maker was just mocking him.
"What's that mean?" he asked. He heard Road laugh again but ignored it, instead choosing to flip his knife in the air before catching it.
"Family-killers," Road said gleefully. Devitto missed the catch and the knife hit the table, clattering noisily in the otherwise silent room.
"You see, if you see a certain man-" The Earl paused, silence thickening dangerously as the tension ratcheted up several notches. "-he won't be harmed by any of your weapons. That is why I've given each of my lovely Noah a weapon that can harm him. If you see him..."
His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath, though when he next spoke his voice was still deadly.
"If you see him... say 'hello' from me."
The silence settled over the room for several minutes, tension slowly dissipating. Devitto picked up his Kinslayer, turning it over in his hands.
"We might not even see the bastard any time soon," he said, mostly to himself as he scowled once more. "What use are these things if we never even get close enough to stick it in him?"
The Earl chuckled.
"I thought we might pay him and his little friends a visit sometime in the future," the large man remarked, voice once again pleasant. All four Noah looked towards the Earl, stunned.
Road was the first to get over the surprise. She laid her dagger in her lap and clapped her hands together a few times, grinning widely.
"When do we leave?" she asked excitedly. The Earl chuckled.
"Soon, my dear, as soon as the preparations are complete."
TBC…
A/N: First off, I hope everyone liked the chapter! I believe this is one of the longer chapters to date and it had a bit of everything - Lucky, Yullen, plot, etc. The next chapter will be posted as soon as I can get it written and beta’d.
SPECIAL NOTE: Wow. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I was not expecting such a huge response and the comments I got from everyone were really uplifting. Almost everyone who Favorited last chapter reviewed - bravo! A lot of people I was not expecting to review also reviewed - I was stunned, quite honestly. I also wanted to let all the reviewers know that I will NOT be removing this story and also let them know that I was not angry with anyone who had reviewed even once. If you reviewed once, you were in the clear. If you would like to continue reviewing every chapter from here on out, feel free to do so but please do not feel obligated. ^_^ To everyone that will Favorite this chapter - please REVIEW.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don’t own anything but a copy of the anime series and all volumes of the manga in English. Anything you don’t recognize (like the plotline of ‘A Game of Poker’) does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don’t sue.
Kudos to the awesome SisterWicked of AssHat Productions (a group I am now a proud member of), who got me started on Lucky and lets me use 'lovely'! Beta’d by N.H. Arawn and Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.
Dedicated in part to Sap for Sap’s awesome review last chapter! Also dedicated to Karen for reading this over for me.
WARNINGS: This chapter contains LEMON (NC-17) content of the M/M (malexmale) variety. Do not read if you are considered a minor in your country or if you take offense to one man loving another man.
SPECIAL NOTE AT END OF CHAPTER
Last Time On ‘A Game Of Poker’:
'"When the sun next rises, you are never to see the Noah again."'
"It's not over yet," Lavi said.
It wasn't dawn yet. Tonight was most certainly not over and though tonight couldn't last forever, there were still a few more hours of darkness left.
And Now, The Continuation
Chapter 26
Stay
Tyki's lips were warm and soft against Lavi's mouth. Their bodies moved slowly together, backs arching and hips grinding as the sound of breathless panting filled the air.
Lavi could feel Tyki's hand gripping his hip, holding him close as the Noah's pelvis settled against his own. The older man's waist was resting in between the Exorcist's spread thighs, his manhood pressed directly against the redhead's as he slowly rolled his body against the younger man. Lavi groaned, thrusting shallowly against the Noah.
He was getting hard again already, practically burning with desire. Each motion of Tyki's was searing but so pleasurable the redhead could only moan in response. The quiet noises the Portuguese man made told Lavi just how much Tyki was enjoying the friction created as their bodies rubbed against one another intimately.
Tyki's hand slid from Lavi's hip, slowly sliding inwards and skimming over his skin. The redhead choked out a gasp when he felt the Noah caress his hardness, the older man's fingers and thumb forming a circle and pumping the hot flesh.
"Are you ready, Lavi?" Tyki asked, lips brushing against the redhead's. Lavi nodded, too breathless to speak. Tyki smiled and drew back. He moved his left hand to brace against the mattress on the right side of the Exorcist's head, reaching with his other hand for the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. His long fingers barely gripped the small handle, but it was enough for the Noah to yank on it and open up the drawer. Lavi paid that hand little attention, both eyes totally focused on the older man's face.
His gaze trailed from the few small locks of hair stuck to Tyki's forehead with sweat down over the graceful curve of the man's nose to the Noah's full lips and his chin. His gaze softened and his heart clenched painfully in his chest. This was it... this was really it. He would come, Tyki buried as deep inside of him as it was possible to be, and then they would separate. Lavi would go back to his room and that would be the end of it. The end of everything that had been worrying and terrifying and wonderful all at the same time.
Impulsively, he pushed himself up off the bed. He supported himself with both hands and pressed his lips gently against the Noah's cheek for a moment before pulling back. Tyki, who had located the bottle of lotion seconds before, twitched in surprise and turned his head to face the redhead. His brow furrowed slightly as he shifted his weight from his hand to his knees, staying above the Exorcist.
"What was..." Tyki's voice trailed off and he shook his head a bit, as if deciding it didn't matter. The slight shake stung, yet it was also somehow relieving. Lavi didn't want to explain what had spurred the small gesture. For what they were doing and for what they were to each other, the gesture showed too much caring.
Lavi forced himself to smile, arching his hips to press against the older man's body.
"I'm ready," he said. He let himself relax back on to the mattress, one hand going up to touch Tyki's body where neck met shoulder. "Please?"
The Noah's expression smoothed out and he lifted the lotion bottle, opening it with an audible 'snap'.
"Of course," Tyki said, turning over the bottle and slowly squeezing out some of the lotion inside onto his palm. Lavi swallowed heavily, heart racing with anticipation and want as Tyki coated two of his elegant fingers with the slick white substance.
Tyki lowered himself to press another kiss to Lavi's lips, his hand slipping down to press against the Exorcist's opening. The cool lotion felt almost icy against the redhead's heated skin as Tyki ran one finger along the puckered flesh, circling Lavi's entrance. The tip of Tyki's lotion-coated finger just barely skirted the sensitive flesh of the Exorcist's opening, teasing the younger man as Lavi shifted and tried to force the digit to slide inside of him.
"You are eager tonight..." Tyki said, finally acquiescing to Lavi's silent plea and pressing his finger against the ring of muscle and slipping it slowly inside the younger man's body. Lavi's hand tightened, squeezing the junction of the Noah's neck and shoulder as his back arched and he instinctively shifted away from the invading finger before he could force himself to hold still. He willed his body to obey him and stopped shifting, wriggling only a bit as the slim digit began making small circling motions against his inner walls. "Do you want me inside of you that badly?"
Lavi flushed and nodded. He spread his thighs wider apart, moving his hips into the motion of Tyki's hand. He could hear the Noah's smug chuckle as the man slid his finger partway out so he could comfortably press the tip of his second lotion-covered finger against the younger man's entrance. Lavi forced himself to stay relaxed as both digits worked their way inside his body. There was only minor, mild pain he had already felt half a dozen times before, and then the fingers were stroking him from the inside. He could feel himself being stretched, being prepared for the older man to move in him.
He loosened his hold, sliding his hand up along Tyki's neck to his scalp and sliding his hand over the silky locks of hair. His hand moved in slow, jerky motions, low waves of pleasure shooting through his body with each caress from the Noah's fingers. Almost without realizing it, his eyes traveled over Tyki's face once more and wandered down to the man's neck. His fingers followed, trailing absently over the side of the column of flesh.
A mark would show up so well on the man's currently olive skin, a bright purple-red mark on the expanse of pale flesh... For a moment, Lavi thought he could actually see it, the image superimposed over Tyki's skin, but he blinked and it was gone.
His lips parted, words heavy on his tongue, but just then the Noah's fingers pushed deeper into him and touched his prostate. A gasp escaped the Exorcist's lips instead of an intelligible word, body arching and hips thrusting to impale the fingers deeper inside of him. Tyki chuckled again and Lavi could feet his face heat up as the fingers slipped out.
"I'll try and keep this short, lovely. I want to feel you around me again too," the Noah said, picking up the lotion bottle again. He squeezed a generous amount of lotion out onto his palm before recapping it and tossing it over the side of the bed. It hit the stone floor with a loud 'thunk', but neither paid any attention. Tyki spread half of the lotion over the three longest fingers of his right hand before moving said hand with purpose towards the redhead's entrance. One by one in quick succession, he slid all three into the tight passage. Lavi cried out and pressed himself desperately against the older man's body.
He knew that Tyki probably wouldn't like it if Lavi tried to leave his mark on the man. If he marked the Noah, that would mean that Tyki was his in some way and that had never been less true. His opponent, his enemy, his wet dream, his seducer, his lo-
Lavi bit the word off mid-thought.
Tyki did not belong to him. Tyki couldn't belong to him, no matter how much he wished, but 'Lavi' would always belong to the Noah, even if Bookman Junior could not stay with the older man.
"Tyki," Lavi murmured, moving his hands over the Pleasure's shoulders and skimming his palms across the man's chest before wrapping his arms around the Noah loosely. Tyki's hand stilled and Lavi sighed with fleeting disappointment, averting his gaze from the older man's face. "I want you to mark me, like you did that one night."
The redhead could feel Tyki start in surprise, fingers twitching inside of Lavi. The Exorcist inhaled sharply, lifting his hips into the motion of the Noah's fingers. He tilted his head, letting it loll to the side and expose his unblemished neck to the older man's hot gaze.
"Please," he said softly, not really a plea or a request, but not nearly as demanding as an order. It just was a simple statement of want.
Tyki's fingers began moving again, languidly stroking the redhead's inner walls. Lavi bit his lip to contain a moan, breathlessly waiting for the Noah's response.
"You really are different tonight, lovely," Tyki murmured, almost too quiet for the Exorcist's sensitive ears to catch. The older man leaned forward, pressing his lips to the gentle curve of Lavi's neck. The redhead tensed, briefly uncertain, then jumped when he felt the Pleasure lightly nip the delicate skin. Tyki's tongue came out to lick tenderly at the spot, soothing the Exorcist, and then the Noah laid his mouth over the barely-visible bite mark and began to suck.
The redhead leaned his head even further, consciously lowering his shoulder to provide a greater opening for the older man. He spread his legs wider, lightly thrusting against the Noah's still hand. The fingers inside of him began to move again, scissoring and stretching so that Lavi and Tyki could move on to the next and final part of the night.
He cried out in quiet protest as the older man's fingers left him, Tyki apparently satisfied as his body's readiness to accept the Noah. The Pleasure's hand - still with some lotion on it from earlier, now warmed by body heat - moved to stroke his own manhood, covering it with the slick substance. Tyki's mouth slipped from Lavi's neck with a quiet groan and the Noah gave one last lick to the spot he had been marking before he drew back. He propped his body over the redhead's with one elbow on either side of Lavi's head and he leaned in for a short kiss. Lavi returned it eagerly, pressing his hips urgently against the older man.
"Please..." he mumbled into Tyki's mouth, hands tightening in the cloth of the man's shirt. Tyki broke away completely, shifting his weight on to one arm while the other hand moved down Lavi's body to his upper thigh and lifted him slightly. The action brought their bodies in line and then the Noah moved forward, pressing the head of his manhood against the small opening into Lavi's body.
"Are you ready?" Tyki asked him, sliding his hand lightly up and down the redhead's side. Lavi looked into Tyki's passion-darkened eyes and nodded once, leaning forward to capture the older man's mouth as the Noah's hand settled at his hip once more.
Lavi could feel the steady press of the older man's hardness against him and did his best to relax and allow the coming intrusion. Tyki's hand tightened, holding him in place, as the Noah slowly pushed forward.
The Exorcist threw his head back, breaking the kiss to suck in a breath. There was hardly any physical pain, but to think that this would be the last time he would feel this, the slight sting when Tyki first entered him... he carefully controlled his breathing and fought to keep his sudden heartache off his face, realizing that the older man had stopped.
"Is something wrong, Lavi?" The Noah's voice betrayed actual concern and the ache Lavi felt grew worse. Even if this wasn't anything now, maybe it could have grown into something. Maybe, if Bookman would never have found out or if Tyki would stay with him...
He shook his head, shoving the regrets and the impossible dreams out of his head.
"I'm fine," he managed to say, shutting his eyes in case they betrayed him. "Keep going."
He blindly pressed his lips to the Pleasure's, lifting his hips and pressing forward to impale himself deeper on the older man's arousal. Tyki groaned into the kiss, tightening his grip once more and pressing forward. Lavi moaned, dragging in large gasps during the few seconds when his and the Noah's mouths were parted before they rejoined in a needy kiss. He could feel the other slide deeper and deeper inside of him, stretching him and stroking him. Lavi lifted his legs to dig his knees into Tyki's sides and wrapped his legs around the man's waist, tightening his legs and pushing up with his hips to help the older man completely sheath himself inside the younger's body.
They both paused for breath when Tyki was as deep as he could get on the first stroke, every muscle in both bodies quivering from excitement and desire. Lavi's muscles clenched around the hardness inside of him, hips wriggling slightly as he adjusted to the feeling of being filled. Tyki held himself in check, breathing getting heavier as the redhead moved beneath him.
"May I move?" the Noah asked. Lavi nodded, holding tightly to the older man. With a soft groan of relief, Tyki did. He drew his hips back and then thrust forward, burying himself deep inside the younger man's body. Lavi gasped, instinctively thrusting back against Tyki.
Tyki drew back again and this time, when he thrust back in, he hit that spot that made blinding, mind-numbing pleasure course through the redhead's body. Lavi cried out, hips jerking into the Noah's motion. Tyki drew back again and snapped his hips forward faster, beginning to build their rhythm. The redhead moved with him, setting a fast pace.
"You feel... so good..." Tyki groaned against the redhead's mouth, not slackening his pace in the slightest. Lavi kept up with him, unable to do much more than moan Tyki's name and quite pleas to go faster, harder.
Lavi could feel himself getting closer and closer to his peak with every hard stroke of the Noah's member inside of him. From the way Tyki was panting and how his thrusts were becoming slightly erratic, the Exorcist could tell that the older man was close too.
"Tyki - please..." Lavi gasped, clutching the Pleasure to him.
"You're close?" Tyki asked breathlessly. The redhead nodded, crying out as his prostate was stimulated again. "Then come... Lavi."
The next thrust was particularly hard and Lavi called the older man's name as he came. Pure bliss filled his body, hips still moving instinctively as Tyki moved faster and faster and finally sheathed himself fully inside and stopped, moaning Lavi's name quietly as he, too, came.
Both collapsed bonelessly onto the bed, orgasm sending waves of pleasure through each of them. After several long moments, Tyki lifted himself off of younger man's body and pulled his now limp manhood out from inside the redhead. The Noah let himself flop ungracefully next to Lavi, breathing heavily. Lavi just lay there, breathing and coming down slowly from his high. He let his head lean to the side, watching the Noah's profile while his cum dried on their stomachs. As the bliss faded and reality set in again, a crushing weight settled in Lavi's chest.
It was over. He had accidentally stayed last night, but he doubted he would be allowed to stay. Tyki had always left long before dawn, after all, and if Lavi stayed he would only fall asleep again.
He swallowed thickly, eyes prickling. He could feel Tyki shifting beside him and blinked, watching as the older man rolled over to grab an edge of the sheet to lazily clean off his abdomen. Sighing quietly, Lavi sat up too. He turned his face from the Noah, the silence suddenly awkward and thick. The redhead could feel his voice catch on the lump in his throat and he fumbled with the sheet for a moment, finding an edge and wiping off the mess coating his stomach and chest.
He could feel Tyki's warmth at his side and his hand slowed as he dropped the soiled cloth over the side of the mattress. He didn't want to leave, not now, but he didn't have a choice.
He heard cloth rustle as the Noah dropped the bit of the sheet he had used to clean himself and could feel the man shift his weight, settling back on to the bed. Lavi bit his lip, wanting to be selfish just for tonight and stay cuddled up next to the Noah, but he was fairly certain the older man wouldn't appreciate it even if Tyki never said as much. Slowly, limbs and heart obscenely heavy, he turned and slipped his legs over the side of the bed. He moved to stand and an arm wrapped loosely around his waist.
"Where are you going?" Tyki asked. Lavi froze, eyes wide and heart quickening. He swallowed, forcibly calming himself down.
"I was just going to leave," he said softly, tensing as Tyki's arm tightened around his waist. "Go back to my room..."
Tyki shifted behind him, adjusting his grip and sitting up directly behind the Exorcist. Lavi could feel the warmth of the Noah's chest at his back and his breath caught as he was pulled closer to the other's body.
"Stay."
Lavi stopped breathing entirely. His world shrank down and collapsed into that single moment, leaving him frozen in place.
"Stay," Tyki repeated, pressing his lips to the mark on Lavi's neck. The redhead put one of his hands over the arm around his waist. He squeezed lightly, bowing his head in confusion.
Why was Tyki doing this to him tonight? The one night he really wanted to stay, if only to make more memories that would probably torment him later.
Why was Tyki doing this to him at all? The Noah had never wanted to spend the night with him before, so unless something had changed the man's mind... Even after Tyki had been confined to the Order, he had shown no signs of wanting Lavi to stay the entire night.
"Why?" he asked, not looking up.
"You spent most of last night here," the Pleasure replied, not loosening his hold. "Are you regretting it?"
Lavi hesitantly shook his head. He certainly regretted what had happened because he had spent the night with Tyki, but he couldn't regret the content feeling he had had upon waking in the Noah's arms.
"Then stay."
Lavi held on to the arm around his waist for a moment longer, then slowly his hand released its hold.
The damage was done, really. Everyone already knew that he had been with Tyki all night last night, so one more would not matter. Bookman already knew as well, so it wasn't like the old man could take anything else from him. Bookman had given him until dawn.
He had until the sun rose and staying with Tyki wouldn't hurt him any more. Not his reputation, at any rate. Staying one last night wouldn't cost him anything.
He nodded and released his grip entirely. The Noah's arm slid from around him, only the older man's hand remaining on the redhead's hip as the Exorcist turned and picked his feet up off the floor. He met Tyki's eyes uncertainly, searching for any hint of a reason for the older man's strange request. Unreadable brown stared back at him calmly, no answer forthcoming.
Slowly, Lavi lay down on the mattress. Tyki watched him lay down and once satisfied that the Exorcist wouldn't run off, the older man turned towards the foot of the bed where the blankets had ended up during their earlier activities. He grabbed a handful of the cloth and pulled the blanket up and over the redhead and himself, settling down next to Lavi.
Lavi lay on his side, back to Tyki, and tensed when he felt an arm drape itself over his hip. He could feel the heat of the older man close behind him, but their bodies weren't quite pressed together. Lavi sighed and shifted, more nervous than uncomfortable, and felt Tyki's arm tighten around him. He froze instantly, curling in on himself slightly.
"Sorry," he murmured, moving towards the edge of the bed and bringing the arm he was mostly laying on up to form a pillow under his head. He balanced precariously on the edge, still able to feel the man behind him.
Tyki sighed audibly.
"Come here," he said, pulling the Exorcist by the waist. Lavi yelped in surprise as he was pulled backward, pulled right into a warm, firm chest. The arm around his waist relaxed and Tyki shifted again, moving even closer and pressing their bodies more firmly together. "Now sleep."
Lavi's eyes softened and he relaxed as best he could, slipping his bent arm underneath the actual pillow his head could now rest on and letting his other arm curl against his chest. Tyki's breath teased the sensitive hairs at the back of his neck, making his scalp tingle pleasantly.
It was a surprisingly comfortable position. Lavi felt his eyelids drooping, the stress of the day finally taking its toll. He felt like he had been through the wringer and being so comfortable just made him want to close his eyes and rest. If life could just stay like this, he never wanted to wake up again.
His eyes shut and he began to drift off. The last words that fluttered through his mind as he fell asleep were cruel reminders that the contentment he felt couldn't last.
'"By dawn..."'
<hr/>
Tyki studied the Exorcist resting in his arms, staring at the messy red hair on the pillow next to him and the shape of the blanket as it draped over Lavi's form. Lavi's breathing was slow and even, indicating that the young man had already fallen asleep.
Tyki shifted, tightening his hold on the redhead's waist and replaying the night in his mind. Something had certainly been different about Lavi, something besides his unusual assertiveness in bed. The boy had been troubled by something and had been trying to drown whatever worries he had in the pleasures the older man could offer.
Tyki frowned, a subtle undercurrent of concern stirring his thoughts. Had someone said something to the Exorcist about last night? In hindsight, he supposed he should have realized that people would talk if one Exorcist had spent the entire night in the room of a former enemy of the Order. Even so, he still didn't regret not waking the redhead the night before. Sleeping next to Lavi had been good, making his sleep somehow more restful. Now that the younger man knew that he could, perhaps Lavi would even stay until morning.
Tyki never had been one to share the bed for more than bedroom activities, but last night had shown him how relaxing another body close at night could be. He had decided that morning that waking up next to someone too would make the whole encounter infinitely more satisfying, though he wasn't sure how true that was yet.
He supposed he'd find out when he woke. He was looking forward to it.
With a soft smile he didn't even realize was there, he too shut his eyes to sleep. He moved just a bit closer to Lavi as he drifted off, the redhead's scent following him into his dreams.
<hr/>
Allen walked down a deserted hall, effortlessly navigating through the stone corridors towards the bathroom specially reserved for Exorcists. Sweat was slowly drying on his face and neck, his shirt damp and clinging to his chest since he had made the mistake of pulling it back on over his sweaty skin. He made a slightly disgusted face and tugged at the front of his shirt with one hand, shivering slightly as the action blew cool air across his damp flesh. In his other arm he carried a clean change of clothes.
He had been in the training room for a little over two hours and had spent almost all of that time activating (and deactivating) his Innocence, building up energy to form a bullet and then letting it die away so Komui could track the movement of the energy, and then finally firing numerous bullets at different targets so Komui could try and figure out how the Innocence's energy transformed into deadly projectiles. The scientist had finally let him leave after a flurry of writing and excited muttering.
Flashback
"Centripetal force... of course, why didn't I - or Reever..." Komui muttered to himself, scribbling madly over the paper on his clipboard and almost ignoring the machines that rested on the table next to him.
"Komui?" Allen asked hesitantly, arm almost shaking from the effort. His arm had rebounded once, overtired from constant usage, but after a five minute break he had managed to get his arm working again. The scientist looked up quizzically, hand still poised over the paper, then smiled.
"Thank you, Allen. You may go now. If I have any questions later, I'll send Reever to look for you."
The white-haired boy nodded and turned away from Komui. He deactivated his arm and leaned over to pick up his discarded shirt, pulling it on over his damp skin. When he straightened up to leave, Komui was once more muttering to himself and writing. Allen smiled gently, eyes drooping slightly with exhaustion, and turned towards the door. His stomach rumbled and he patted it, cringing sheepishly when his stomach complained louder. He would need to stop by the cafeteria and see Jerry soon, but he needed a shower before anything else.
He began walking towards the door, passing right by Komui as he did so. His steps slowed, a slight frown creasing his brow as he slowed to a stop next to the oblivious supervisor.
He had overheard bits and pieces of strange rumors all day, rumors that made a strange sort of sense when he thought about them. While he wasn't entirely sure whether or not to bring them up with Komui - who knew what repercussions such rumors could have, especially if a certain Inspector found out about them - there was one question he could ask.
"Komui..." he said again, turning his head to look at Komui. The scientist made a small, distracted noise as acknowledgement, inviting the British Exorcist to continue even though the white-clad man didn't look up from his note-taking. After taking a deep breath, Allen did. "Do you know when Tyki Mikk will be released?"
The writing stopped. Komui didn't look up right away, staring at his paper with an unreadable look. The white-haired boy waited patiently for a response, keeping his hands respectfully at his sides and trying not to fidget. He almost wished he could take back the question, but the answer was important. He hadn't seen Lavi at all that day and a quick question at lunch to Jerry had confirmed that the redhead had yet to eat. Occasionally the redhead would miss a meal, but he had never missed two in a row before and Allen had come in just before the kitchen closed so the staff could get ready for the dinner rush. Even if Lavi hadn't been oddly absent all day, Allen would have asked about the Noah anyway. The nagging suspicion he had about what Tyki and Lavi really were to each other hadn't left him alone since he had returned with the redhead and the unconscious Pleasure. In fact, his suspicions had only increased during recent weeks since Lavi had been acting decidedly strange.
He hadn't asked Lavi about it yet, mostly because he sensed it would upset the redhead if he brought it up.
Komui looked up and turned his head to meet Allen's eyes, then looked away again. He adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat a bit.
"His release is still pending irrefutable proof of his loyalty. We have gotten a lot of information from him, but-" He held up a hand, staving off Allen's bid to speak. The white-haired boy closed his mouth, lips in a thin line. "-we need something no one can dispute. We haven't gotten that yet. Until we do, I have to keep a guard on him."
The older man went quiet, studying Allen speculatively.
"Unless you have something new to tell me that you think might help prove his loyalty to one side or the other...?"
Allen looked down at the floor.
"I haven't seen anything. I guess I don't have anything to tell you," he replied. Even now, all he had were guts feelings and his observations. He lifted his gaze again, smiling politely. "I'll be going then."
Komui nodded and turned his gaze back to the clipboard. He tapped the tip of his now dull pencil against the white surface, then began slowly writing down more seemingly incomprehensible notes, facts, and formulas. Allen watched for a moment, then turned back towards the door. He began walking again, glancing his shoulder only once more before exiting the training room.
Komui was back to scribbling furiously on his sheet of paper, writing down one thing after another and seemingly lost in his own little world of scientific facts and mathematical formulas. Allen closed the door quietly and left, making a mental note to tell Lenalee that her brother might need coffee served to him and to tell her which training room she could find him in. Allen doubted the man would remember to go back to his office any time soon.
As he began heading down the hall towards the Exorcist's bathroom and a nice, hot shower, he thought of Lavi, Tyki, and what might possibly be going on between them.
Were they in a relationship? Were they not?
His mind briefly flashed to Kanda as he contemplated the question, but he shoved the Japanese teen from his mind. If they were in a relationship, that just left one question...
Did Bookman know? If not, what would he do when he found out?
End Flashback
The questions still worried him.
He sighed softly. He would just have to talk to Lavi about it. Soon, if possible.
His steps slowed as he approached the door to the bathroom especially reserved for male Exorcists. He smiled as he opened the door, happily anticipating being clean once more. Best of all, it was already getting late and the room was likely to be deserted. Showers in the Order were communal, so having a shower without anyone else around was a rare luxury, one Allen intended to enjoy.
<hr/>
Kanda scowled furiously as he stormed down the Order's deserted halls, his training clothes damp with sweat. For once, training had done little to relieve his stress and he was half-hoping a shower would not only get him clean but help him relax some too. Meditation had failed earlier, his thoughts churning far too much for him to get them under control.
Today had just been irritating. More irritating than failing a mission, getting his hair braided by a certain fucking rabbit, or talking to an idiotic beansprout.
The entire Order, it seemed, had been buzzing with some kind of gossip. Not that Kanda listened or anything, but it had had something to do with a dumbass redhead and an asshole who had recently defected to the Order. Namely, that said dumbass and asshole had been having sex. With each other.
It had made him lose his appetite when he first heard it. He had been halfway through his usual lunch of soba when he had heard the Finders further down the table gossiping and spreading the information. He had slammed down his chopsticks and half-reached for Mugen before remembering that he was currently not friends with Lavi and therefore had no reason to defend him against rumors. He had stood up and dumped his tray and the remainder of his food before leaving the dining hall. He hadn't been back since.
He had spent most of his day alternating between training and trying to meditate. The training had been somewhat helpful in clearing his mind, but the moment he would sit down to meditate all of the things that had been irritating him all day would swarm in his head. He would spend ten minutes trying not to think about all the annoyances of the day and then get up to do more punishing training.
In the end, all he had accomplished was sweat, sore muscles, and stress.
He huffed quietly as he reached the bathroom. As he turned the knob and stepped through the doorway, he hoped some idiot hadn't used up all the hot water.
<hr/>
Allen stood under the hot spray, a small smile on his face. The shower room, as expected was deserted except for him. It was actually something of a relief to be alone for once - there were no shower stalls, just ten showerheads mounted on one wall and knobs at waist height beneath each one to control the temperature of the water. The floor and walls were done in sterile white tile and the floor sloped just slightly so that the water drained into the small, grate-covered holes in the floor. On the wall opposite the showerheads was a line of steel pegs for towels to hang on. Currently, Allen's white, fluffy towel occupied the fifth peg, directly across from where he was enjoying the hot water.
He tilted his face up towards the ceiling, leaning back slightly so the spray could soak his hair. He ran his fingers through the quickly dampening strands, pressing his fingertips to his skull as he made small circles with his hands in order to get the roots wet. Once satisfied, he straightened up and flattened his hair back to keep it out of his eyes so he could bend over and pick up his shampoo/conditioner. The Order supplied all the Exorcists with a generic two-in-one as well as soap and washrags. Of course, if an Exorcist wanted anything fancy they'd have to buy it themselves, so most used the supplies provided.
He pried open the cap to the bottle and squeezed a small bit of the substance out on to his palm. He then closed the bottle with the back of his hand and bent over to put it back on the floor before standing straight and rubbing his palms together to spread the shampoo. He stepped forward slightly, out of direct path of the water pouring from the showerhead, and began massaging the stuff into his hair. It lathered up fairly quickly and he moved his hands all over his head, trying to make sure he was getting all of his hair.
He ducked back under the spray and the noise of the water drowned out the sound of quietly approaching footsteps. Allen quickly rinsed his hair, oblivious to the person now standing, dumbstruck, at the entrance to the shower room.
<hr/>
Kanda stared, body frozen in shock. His lips were slightly parted, the Kanda-equivalent to a dropped jaw. He had heard the shower running, but it hadn't bothered him. He had been with the Order for just about as long as he could remember and he had gotten over any distaste for the communal shower fairly quickly. He had scowled when he had noted the noise upon entering the locker area of the bathroom, where each Exorcist had a small 'locker' for his own use. Most kept just the standard showering supplies in the small metal box, but Kanda usually also kept a clean yukata in his so he wouldn't have to walk through the halls in only a towel or walk back to his room before he washed up after training.
He had gotten undressed and left his dirty clothing and hair tie on the long wooden bench that ran parallel to the lockers. Cleaning supplies in hand, he had started heading over towards the shower room. On the way, he had grabbed himself a towel from the table piled with clean laundry and wrapped it around his waist. He had scowled deeper as he had neared the room, able to see faint wisps of steam that signaled the person showering was using up the hot water.
As soon as he had gotten to the entrance of the shower room, he had stopped, dead in his tracks from the shock of the sight that awaited him.
The beansprout was standing underneath the water, apparently rinsing his hair. His arms were up and hands were on his head, making his chest muscles stretch. Water ran down the British boy's skin, the heat adding a flushed tone to the usually pale flesh. Kanda's eyes followed one drop that slid over one of Allen's pectorals, skirted his nipple, and then moved over his abdominal muscles, slipping down, down...
Kanda could feel his cheeks heat and he forced his gaze back up. His heart was beating fast and he felt oddly warm and he scowled in response, forcing the feelings that welled up within him down. The scowl faded moments later as he stared, mesmerized, at the white haired boy's face.
A few strands of the moyashi's hair stuck to the boy's forehead and neck. That, coupled with the reddened tone of his skin, made the other Exorcist seem... almost appetizing. The bit of steam given off by the water seemed to give the scene a surreal, dreamlike quality and Kanda almost pinched himself to make sure that this wasn't just a dream.
"Moyashi..." he said, his voice seeming to echo in the mostly deserted room. The quiet word rang out over the sound of the running water and Kanda could see the moment the word registered in Allen's mind.
The white haired boy almost jumped in shock, turning instinctively to face the source of the noise with his hands still tangled in his hair. Kanda's eyes widened and it took more willpower than he cared to admit to not look down. He could feel heat rise in his cheeks and he glared to cover up his embarrassment. Just then, Allen seemed to realize that he was fully facing the Japanese Exorcist and yelped quietly, face flushing dark red as he pulled his fingers free of his hair and turned so that his back was to the other teen.
"What are you doing here, baKanda?" he asked, words coming out in a rush even as he tripped over his tongue. Slightly irritated now, Kanda had less trouble keeping his eyes away from... strange places. Even if that one drop was slipping down the curve of Allen's spine...
Kanda turned away from the sight, moving towards the metal hook to hang his towel up. Even stupid beansprouts knew that people didn't wear towels to shower.
"Che. Taking a shower. Idiot," the Japanese Exorcist bit out, shifting his bottle of shampoo, his soap, and a clean washrag to one arm while he reached for the corner of his towel he had tucked in to keep the cloth up. As the material loosened around his waist he could have sworn he heard a quiet gasp, but when he turned his head all he saw was the white-haired boy's back to him once again. The other Exorcist was rubbing frantically at his hair as he stood under the spray, apparently trying to remove the shampoo suds still present.
Kanda 'che'd again and turned before walking over to his own shower. He had picked the second showerhead in since he hated being next to the wall and set the three things he carried on the floor before reaching for the water knob. He turned it on hot, flinching slightly as the water hit his skin. It was already warm and the temperature was fast rising to what Kanda preferred. He made a small noise of approval, mostly to himself, and stepped completely under the cascading water.
The room was silent but for the sound of the two showers running and then the noise level dropped by half.
Kanda glanced over towards where Allen had just turned off his shower. The white haired boy appeared to be flustered as he leaned over to grab his things, fumbling with the soap bar and dropping it more than once. Kanda quickly looked away again, scowling slightly at his own reactions.
He could hear the beansprout's footsteps as the white-haired Brit walked across the drier tiles towards his towel. The sound of the bottle of shampoo and the soap slipping free from Allen's grasp was also audible to Kanda's sensitive ears, even over the sound of the running water. He refused to turn around, sternly facing the wall and letting the water soak him from head to foot. The footsteps paused and then restarted again less than a minute later, crossing behind the Japanese teen towards the door that served as the shower room's exit as well as its entrance.
Kanda took a deep breath as the footsteps faded, then backed out of the water spray. He wiped at his face, blinking once or twice to clear the excess water from his eyelashes, then glanced around the room to confirm that the stupid beansprout was no longer nearby.
The room was empty.
Kanda exhaled.
He turned back towards the wall, glancing down along the tile until his eyes landed on the knob that controlled temperature. With a small scowl, he reached forward and turned the temperature of the water from hot to cold.
<hr/>
Allen walked quickly down the hallway, his face bright red as he carried his dirty laundry in his arms. His clean clothes were damp and clung to him as his sweaty clothes had earlier, but that was simply because he hadn't taken the time to dry off completely.
The thought of Kanda finishing his shower and walking back to the locker area while Allen was still naked...
Allen's face reddened again and he ducked his head, letting a few wet locks of his hair hang down in front of his face. His heart was beating oddly, tripping over itself as it raced. His chest felt too small, almost like it couldn't contain his heart or his lungs and his organs were trying to escape. The sensation was especially intense when he thought back to those last few moments he had been in the shower room, walking along the dry wall to get out and having to walk past Kanda.
His eyes had been drawn to the expanse of bared flesh, especially to the contrast between the Japanese teen's skin and his dark hair. He had almost stopped and stared but, upon realizing where he was looking he quickly looked away and left. Seeing Kanda directly after he had been practically ogling the other Exorcist in the shower...
It was too embarrassing to think about.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he finally reached his room. He was still hungry, but that incident in the shower had left his stomach feeling oddly fluttery and doing flip-flops. He wouldn't be able to eat, not with the way his insides seemed to be mixed up. Hopefully sleep would help.
Yes, sleep would help. A nice, long rest would be just the thing to clear his mind.
<hr/>
Devitto scowled, arms crossed over his chest as he slouched in his chair. Jasdero was sitting next to him, slumped over onto the dinner table making a noise halfway between an insane giggle and a snore. The dark haired man glared at the blonde, then moved his leg and brought his heel back hard on to Jasdero's shin. The other Noah woke with a startled cry, sitting up so suddenly that his chair tipped backwards. Jasdero's eyes widened and his arms wind-milled in an attempt to fight gravity, but he was unsuccessful and he continued to fall. His head hit the stone floor with a rather satisfying 'crack' and Devitto laughed out loud as Jasdero sat up and rubbed the rising lump on his head with both hands.
After all, if Devitto wasn't allowed to sleep, Jasdero shouldn't be able to either.
Jasdero looked up at his laughing twin then smiled and began giggling to himself. He slowly stood, not bothering to pick up his chair before throwing himself at the dark haired Noah. Devitto only had a moment to absorb the fact that the blonde has just leapt at him before the weight of the other crashed into his chest, sending his chair flying backwards and spilling both him and the blonde onto the floor. Devitto's head met the stone with a painful 'thud' and he hissed in pain, putting one hand to the bump before glaring up at Jasdero. The blonde had managed to come out on top and was sitting on Devitto's chest, grinning widely. With a muttered curse, Devitto swung his free hand towards the blonde's head. The blow connected, knocking Jasdero from his perch and on to the floor. Devitto quickly stood and put one foot on the other Noah's chest, cracking his knuckles threateningly.
"What was that for?!" he demanded. "Eh?!"
"How do you two have the energy for that this early?" a sleepy voice demanded crossly from the other side of the room. Devitto glanced over, still glaring, and moved his foot away as Jasdero sat up to see over the table.
Road stood in the doorway and apparently hadn't bothered getting dressed for the Earl's 'special meeting'. She was still in her pajamas, dressed in a simple white silk nightgown that fell to her knees and black fuzzy slippers. Her hair was even wilder than usual and she turned towards her usual seat, covering up a yawn and stretching before sitting down and leaning tiredly against the back.
Devitto moved back to his seat and picked it back up, noting out of the corner of his eye that Jasdero was doing the same. He flopped into his chair, leaning against the back and resting his cheek on his closed fist. Jasdero was once again leaning forward on the table, chin propped up on his hands.
"What'd the Earl call this meeting for anyway?" Devitto grumbled into the silence. He glanced at the clock on the wall and scowled. It was already well past one in the morning and most nights he was deeply asleep by now. He slouched further in his chair, scowling petulantly.
The Earl had been locked up inside his lab for ages and suddenly the Maker had called a meeting in the middle of the night. The man wasn't even there yet, much to Devitto's annoyance. He had gotten out of bed and gotten dressed - showing up naked probably wouldn't go over well and he was not going to put on a suit, so he had just gotten dressed in his usual outfit. Jasdero had put on his pants, but hadn't bothered with a shirt. If he had been woken up for nothing, then he'd find the Akuma that had woken him and kill it. Slowly.
He grinned, suddenly entertained by the idea. He'd probably need to get Jasdero to go along with it, but he was sure it was possible-
The sound of the door opening startled him from his thoughts. He scowled and glanced towards the door, scowl lessening to a frown when he saw who was standing in the doorway.
Lulubell, in her immaculate suit as always, and the Earl, dressed in his usual outfit with a slightly less than pristine coat thrown on over it. Devitto sat up straighter in his chair. Jasdero remained partially slumped over, and Road sat up completely, eyes gleaming a bit as she noticed the two Akuma servants trailing behind the Noah and the Earl. Both carried something in each hand, though none of the three Noah in the room could quite make out what.
Lulubell glided wordlessly to her chair at the table and sat down gracefully, brushing one loose strand of hair back behind her ear. The Earl moved to the head of the table, the two Akuma following behind him.
"My lovely family," the Manufacturer began, clapping his hands together once as though excited. "I have a wonderful new invention to share with all of you." The Earl motioned the Akuma forward without looking back. As one, both servants stepped forward and placed the objects they carried on the table in front of the large man. Task completed, they stepped back into the shadows.
Devitto's frown faded entirely as he looked down at the four items now resting on the table. They were apparently knives of some sort - he could see the cloth-wrapped handles and the small, unadorned guards from where he sat, but the actual blade was covered by a sheath that looked to be made out of leather, though said leather seemed to be a lot heavier, somehow, than normal leather. Curiosity piqued, Devitto glanced back up at the Earl.
"Knives?" Road asked, voice both curious and confused. The Earl's grin widened and he selected one of the knives from the table, humming quietly to himself as he did so.
"Road, these aren't just any knives," he said pleasantly, somehow managing to exude a subtle air of menace as he did so. He gently tugged on the handle and drew the dagger partially from the sheath, revealing a mere strip of the blade.
Devitto's sudden feeling of uneasiness was drowned out by just as sudden awe. From the gasp he heard from Road and the soft 'oooh' he could hear Jasdero make, he knew he wasn't the only one who was surprised. Lulubell was silent, but even her lips parted in shock.
The blade part of the knife was glowing a very, very soft green, but as Devitto leaned closer to get a better look, he noticed that the green glow came from small shards of what looked like crystal mixed in with the silver metal. He stared hard at the bit of green-glowing silver revealed, trying to figure out where he had seen that glow before. The answer was on the tip of his tongue, but his sleepy brain couldn't quite grasp what that answer was.
"Innocence," Road breathed, and suddenly it clicked in Devitto's mind. Road reached for the knife closest to her, laying her fingers delicately on the leather-like sheath before picking it up. She didn't draw it. "And you made the sheaths from dark matter. One for each of us."
The Earl nodded, re-sheathing the blade he had drawn.
"Exactly right, Road!" he said happily, laying the knife back down. "I wanted each of my precious family members to have one of these."
Devitto grinned, reaching across the table to snatch two of the weapons up. He tossed one to Jasdero, scowling a bit in disappointment when the blonde caught it without much fumbling. He then turned his attention to the knife he held, running his hand over the handle and then casually tossing it from hand to hand. Lulubell's knife rested in her hand as she ran her fingers over it, apparently trying to memorize it with tactile sensation.
"What are these for, anyway?" he asked, eyes on the sheathed blade as he continued to toss it. "We already have weapons."
Jasdero giggled next to him, also playing with his knife. He stabbed the covered blade at the table, never quite letting the sheathed tip touch the wood. Devitto could hear the sound of Road sighing in exasperation and he turned a glare at her, temporarily ceasing his throwing.
"You want to say something?" he demanded irritably, leaning towards her but remaining seated. She smirked at him, taunting.
"You really don't know?" she asked, hefting her knife. "You can't figure out what these are for?"
He scowled.
"It's not like I ever went to school," he grumbled under his breath, looking away from the Dreams and resuming his tossing.
"Idi-"
"Now Road, play nice," the Earl said gently, no real anger in his voice. In fact, his voice was almost a singsong. "I thought I would name these daggers... Kinslayers."
Devitto's scowl deepened at the sound of the unfamiliar word, sure that the Maker was just mocking him.
"What's that mean?" he asked. He heard Road laugh again but ignored it, instead choosing to flip his knife in the air before catching it.
"Family-killers," Road said gleefully. Devitto missed the catch and the knife hit the table, clattering noisily in the otherwise silent room.
"You see, if you see a certain man-" The Earl paused, silence thickening dangerously as the tension ratcheted up several notches. "-he won't be harmed by any of your weapons. That is why I've given each of my lovely Noah a weapon that can harm him. If you see him..."
His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath, though when he next spoke his voice was still deadly.
"If you see him... say 'hello' from me."
The silence settled over the room for several minutes, tension slowly dissipating. Devitto picked up his Kinslayer, turning it over in his hands.
"We might not even see the bastard any time soon," he said, mostly to himself as he scowled once more. "What use are these things if we never even get close enough to stick it in him?"
The Earl chuckled.
"I thought we might pay him and his little friends a visit sometime in the future," the large man remarked, voice once again pleasant. All four Noah looked towards the Earl, stunned.
Road was the first to get over the surprise. She laid her dagger in her lap and clapped her hands together a few times, grinning widely.
"When do we leave?" she asked excitedly. The Earl chuckled.
"Soon, my dear, as soon as the preparations are complete."
TBC…
A/N: First off, I hope everyone liked the chapter! I believe this is one of the longer chapters to date and it had a bit of everything - Lucky, Yullen, plot, etc. The next chapter will be posted as soon as I can get it written and beta’d.
SPECIAL NOTE: Wow. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I was not expecting such a huge response and the comments I got from everyone were really uplifting. Almost everyone who Favorited last chapter reviewed - bravo! A lot of people I was not expecting to review also reviewed - I was stunned, quite honestly. I also wanted to let all the reviewers know that I will NOT be removing this story and also let them know that I was not angry with anyone who had reviewed even once. If you reviewed once, you were in the clear. If you would like to continue reviewing every chapter from here on out, feel free to do so but please do not feel obligated. ^_^ To everyone that will Favorite this chapter - please REVIEW.