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Innocent Rain	By : saxonjesus Category: +. to F > D. Gray Man Views: 3947 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
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Chapter 13�Exorcists in America

August 22, 2013�The Dark Order, Main Branch

�� Yuu woke up happy.
It was the first time he could remember being happy in the morning. Lavi�s legs
tangled with his, and the other man had an arm around Yuu�s shoulder. The other
was propping his head up, and he gazed past Yuu, his eye moving rapidly from
side to side.

�� Mornin�, Yuu,� he mumbled, his eye still moving.

�� What are you
doing, Baka Usagi?� He asked, pulling
himself slightly closer to the other man�s warmth.

�� Readin�,� Lavi replied shortly. The redhead shifted, and
Yuu saw a book fly across the room. Lavi sat up, smiling down at him. ��Bout
time you got up. I�m famished.�

�� Yuu grunted,
pulling the warm covers back around him as he realized how naked he was. He
stared at Lavi, who had at some time put on his boxers, as the other man
dressed. He felt something strange, and his heart beat faster to it. He
couldn�t understand it. It was too much like when his father had forced him to
react, but this time he was doing it on his own. He didn�t understand why. He
knew he cared for Lavi, more than he�d ever cared for anyone�even his mother.
He also knew from the previous night that he didn�t mind kissing the other man,
that it made him feel very good. But he couldn�t
understand it. Throughout his entire memory, kisses had been horrible things,
and he had never wanted them.

�� But just like
everything else, Lavi was different. For some unknown reason, Yuu wanted to kiss Lavi, he wanted to do other physical things, and
above all, he wanted to simply be
with the other man.

�� The redhead in
question was currently struggling to get his shirt over his head, tottering
unevenly as he lost his balance and fell with a heavy crash to the floor. Yuu
sat up, his tangled hair falling over his scarred chest.

�� Lavi�� he stared,
but the other man finally got the shirt on and smiled broadly at Yuu.

�� No problem! I�m
just fine!� Lavi said cheerfully, standing up again. He turned around to put on
his boots, and Yuu couldn�t help but stare.

�� Before leaving the
room, Lavi walked over to Yuu and smiled lightly down at him, his green eye
soft. He leaned down on the bed, staring Yuu deep in the eyes�or eye, or
whatever, it all equated to the same thing.

�� Thanks for
telling me, Yuu,� he said, his voice as soft as his eye. He leaned over and
kissed Yuu lightly on the cheek, his lips lingering for only a second before he
pulled away. Yuu felt his heart start pounding against his ribs. Then, ruining
the moment, Lavi lightly tapped his cheek twice. �Get dressed. I�ll see you at
breakfast,� and he walked out of the room.

�� Yuu took his time
getting ready. He found his movements stiff, as if he hadn�t walked in a long
time. He made a mental note to ask Lavi how long he�d been asleep. He had no
illusions that he hadn�t been out of it for a while. He had heard too many
incoherent conversations for him to think it had only been a day or two. He
took a long shower, letting the hot water run over his tired muscles and loosen
them up. When he finally left, he saw Lavi there, gawking stupidly at his teeth
in the mirror.

�� What did you do
this time?� He asked incredulously, though it came out more like a growl.
Thankfully, Lavi seemed to understand.

�� I�m counting my
teeth,� Lavi replied.

�� Why?� Yuu was
thoroughly bewildered.

�� I�ve always
wanted to know if there were really thirty-two.�

�� Yuu scoffed. �And
are there?� He asked despite himself.

�� Yes,� Lavi
answered, following Yuu out of the bathroom. �Are you all ready, Yuu?�

�� Yuu nodded. �Let
me put this away first,� he muttered, gesturing to his damp towel. Lavi nodded,
and they stopped in Yuu�s room before continuing on to breakfast together.

�� They walked in
silence, and Yuu�s earlier thoughts began to resurface. He took a steadying
breath and laid the truths out in front of him. He cared very deeply about
Lavi. He cared about the man�s wellbeing, his moods, his preferences, and his
thoughts. He cared about what the other man thought about him. If Lavi had
shown any signs of rejection or revulsion the previous night, he didn�t know
how he would have ended up. He was also attracted to the man. The thought
didn�t disgust him�not in the normal way. He didn�t mind the fact that it was Lavi he was attracted to, nor that Lavi was a man. What disgusted him were his
reactions. Even though he hadn�t wanted to, he had reacted physically to his
father�s abuse, and he felt utterly dirtied for it. The thought of Lavi doing
those things to him didn�t bother him�but it should have. But everything about
Lavi was different. He needed to know that it was okay to feel these things, that his reactions were alright to have.

�� As they neared the
door to the dining hall, Yuu steeled his nerve and pushed Lavi against the wall
with just enough force to get the man�s attention. He stared deeply into Lavi�s
shocked eye and forced himself to say something.

�� Can I� kiss you?�
It wasn�t exactly what he had been going for, but he wanted to do something
with Lavi, to make sure it was okay to react to the other man�s embraces.

�� Lavi�s green eye
widened a bit more, and then his face settled into a soft look. �You don�t have
to ask,� he said softly. Yuu swallowed nervously and brought his lips to touch
Lavi�s. It was the first time he�d initiated any contact between the two of
them�or anyone, for that matter.

�� Sweet sensations
danced across his lips, and his heart beat in tandem with them. Tentatively,
still testing himself, Yuu ran his tongue across Lavi�s lower lip. The man
inhaled lightly, and his mouth opened obediently. Lavi did not push the kiss
any further, he simply waited for Yuu to decide what
to do. Yuu decided to deepen the kiss.

�� Jesus fucking
Peter on a bagel, guys!�

�� Yuu tore his mouth
from Lavi�s and stepped back, blinking owlishly at the Infernal Girl. Her hand
was outstretched to the wall, a bagel planted firmly against it by the cream
cheese. Yuu�s face felt extremely hot.

�� I don�t have a
problem with you guys doing that, but seriously! I don�t like seeing anyone make out�especially when I�m
eating a bagel!�

�� What does the
bagel have to do with anything?� Lavi asked, blushing and slightly breathless.

�� The bagel is my
sacred food! It�s pure and holy and all things good, and I don�t want it
tainted with lust! Lust is a sin, you know!� She put a hand to her forehead
dramatically, and Yuu scoffed. Someone should have told his father that. �Dammit,
now I need a new bagel!� She stormed back toward the dining hall, returning
minutes later with a new bagel in her hand.

�� She paused, seeing
that Yuu and Lavi were still rooted to the spot. She raised
up a hand in a gesture of apology. �Not that I have anything against you two
being gay or anything, I just don�t want my bagel ruined.�

�� Lavi blinked.

�� We�re happy?� Yuu
asked blankly.

�� Amanda hit her
head with her bagel. �SHIT!� She yelled, pulling the bagel from her forehead
and trying to wipe off the cream cheese. Lavi stepped over, reaching out to
help.

�� I assume �gay� is
no longer an adequate term for �happy,�� he stated quietly as he rubbed the
last of the cream cheese from her hairline. Yuu felt an unbidden twinge in his
stomach.

�� Nope!�
Amanda said, shooting them a bright smile. �It means �homosexual!��

�� Lavi snorted. �How
did that happen?� He asked.

�� I dunno,
ask Darcy�or actually, Wiki it.�

�� Do what?�

�� Wiki
it. Y�know, go on Wikipedia. It�s where I get
all my info. It�s, like, this awesome encyclopedia on the internet that anyone
can add to.�

�� Lavi smiled, and
Yuu thought it was bordering on mischievous.

�� Anyone can add to
it, you say?� He asked, his grin growing still wider. Amanda nodded, and Yuu
had to pull the stupid rabbit into the dining hall before he could run to one
of the computer labs and go on this Wikipedia,
or whatever it was called.

�� They had a light
breakfast, and Yuu even tried some of Lavi�s eggs as they were placed on his
tray. They were as disgusting as he had thought. He decided he�d stick with
Japanese cuisine whenever possible. Yuu sighed, resigning himself to another
horrible breakfast. He tapped on the serving window, but no one was there.

�� Well, you know
what!? I�ll make it myself!� A voice shouted from the kitchen. An angry woman
walked up to the service window and leaned out. Her scrunched-up face relaxed
into an expression of surprise when she saw him. �Oh! You�re new, aren�t you?
Can�t say I�m not, but I didn�t think there was another Japanese Exorcist
here.�

�� Yuu grunted.

�� Want some soba?�
She asked, and Yuu found himself nodding. He�d missed the buckwheat noodles.
�HEY, ANYONE ELSE WANT SOBA!?� She shouted down the
line. A few people responded affirmatively, and a while later, Yuu sat down
with a steaming bowl of his favorite dish. He breathed in the scent and smiled
contentedly.

�� Lavi dropped his
fork. Yuu looked up at the noise and was revolted to find Lavi�s mouth wide
open and full of eggs.

�� What�s with your
face, Baka Usagi?� He asked, picking
up his chopsticks and pulling them apart.

�� Yuu, you� smiled,� Lavi said unbelievingly,
swallowing. �It was almost�well, actually, it was really� sexy.�

�� Hatsudou,� Yuu growled, grabbing Mugen�s
hilt as it formed.

�� No, don�t hurt
me!� Lavi shouted, throwing his arms up to cover his face.

�� Che.�

�� I missed that
noise,� Lavi murmured, relaxing and swallowing another enormous wad of eggs.

�� Yuu dismissed the
comment and gratefully began to eat his first Japanese meal in weeks. Despite
his previously unrealized hunger, he ate slowly, savoring each bite. It wasn�t
as good as his mother�s, and it was definitely not up to par with Jerry�s, but
it was soba nonetheless.

�� The bench scraped
next to him, and the other Japanese Exorcist sat down uncomfortably close. Yuu
shivered slightly, still unsure of making contact with others. He scooted
infinitesimally away, and he was glad when Lavi covered his action by pulling
their company into a bright, loud conversation.

�� I�m Lavi. I�ve
never seen you around; did Allen bring you back?� He asked, spreading jam over
his toast. It was his usual strawberry jam.

�� Oh, I�m Sasaki
Emiko, age 21, a Taurus, blood type AB negative, single, and looking,� she
replied, winking at Lavi suggestively. �Oh, and yes, Allen did,� she added
after pausing a moment, one eye still closed.

�� Er, I�m 136, a Leo, type O, and one hundred percent taken,�
he replied, shooting her a broad grin. Yuu choked a little on his soba. Lavi
had never said anything about them being� together.
He shuddered at the thought. He didn�t think he was quite prepared for any
relationship, let alone one with Lavi. Still, he had to ignore the prickle in
his stomach as Sasaki-san flirted outrageously with Lavi. His Lavi.

�� Wait. What?

�� It didn�t matter
who Lavi flirted with, damn it.

�� Oh, who are you
with? Do I know her?� The voice was distant, as Yuu was too far gone in thought
to hear it clearly.

�� He jumped as he
felt an arm slide lightly around his neck. Clarity returned with Lavi�s close
presence, and Yuu�s heart sped up. For once, it had nothing to do with fear.

�� You�re looking at
the gay couple here!� Lavi said too loudly. Half the dining hall looked over.
�That was a double entendre, did you get it?� He laughed.

�� Yuu smacked him
upside the head. �Stop being stupid, Baka,�
he said coldly before turning back to his breakfast, doing his best to ignore
the stares. It wasn�t hard. He didn�t care about any of them�most of them would
be dead in a week anyway.

�� As they finished, Moyashi and Lenalee walked in, holding
hands. Yuu scoffed at them in his head. Of all the oblivious people in the world, these two were at the top of the
list. At least he knew he felt something for Lavi. He�d known for a long time,
really, but he had never acknowledged it. But these two didn�t have the faintest
idea. It was enough to make anyone want to hit their head on the wall hard
enough to cause a concussion.

�� Oh, Kanda-kun,
you�re finally awake!� Lenalee exclaimed, waving a hand in greeting as they
caught sight of each other. She came up to him and leaned forward as if to give
him a pat on the arm, but she doubled back, thinking better of it. For the
first time, Yuu felt a twinge of annoyance. Had she always been doing that?

�� Swallowing his
pride, he reached out to her instead, patting her lightly on her shoulder as
she sat down. ��Thank you� for� worrying,� he said slowly, haltingly, averting
his eyes.

�� He looked up in
time to see Lenalee�s eyes widen. She smiled brightly and nodded. �I�m just
glad you�re okay,� she said, her voice tight with some unintelligible emotion.
Yuu had the uncomfortable notion that it was joy. He didn�t understand joy.

�� Lavi,� Lenalee
called as they began to move away. He looked over at her, raising an eyebrow.

�� Yeah?�

�� You need to go
down to Hevlaska�s chamber. The Grand Marshalls want to see you. They�ve made
their decision.� She nodded politely to them and turned around to eat her
breakfast.

�� Yuu sent a
questioning glance Lavi�s way. �What the fuck?� He asked eloquently.

�� Lavi fiddled a bit
with the tassel on his scarf. �Er, well, we were kinda on trial for, er�� He
mumbled something about a stupid Director, and Yuu growled.

�� Speak up,
retard.�

�� Don�t treat me
like Allen,� Lavi said, offended. As if to lighten his tone, he looked over at
Yuu and smiled. �I, er, almost killed Smith.�

�� Yuu stared back
incredulously, his mouth hanging open in an undignified manner.

�� It was an
accident� mostly. He did deserve it,
though!� Lavi defended himself with a blush of guilt on his face.

�� What did he do?�

�� He, er, promise me you won�t go running after him, ne?�

�� Yuu nodded.

�� He called you a
Chinese hermaphrodite. It was kinda the last straw, y�know?� Lavi looked over at Yuu, whose lips were twitching
up in silent laughter. His eye widened.

�� How is that
funny?� He asked incredulously.

�� How burned did he
get?� Yuu asked grimly, losing his fight to keep his lips neutral. A small
smile sat amusedly on his face, and Lavi did a double take.

�� Not burned enough
because a sprout got in the way,� he replied. Smiling brightly, the other man
threw his arms around Yuu�s shoulders, forcing him to the ground.

�� What was that for, Baka Usagi?� He growled, trying to push the other man off him, but
Lavi had steadfastly attached himself to Yuu�s waist.

�� That�s the second
time you�ve smiled today, and I just couldn�t help myself!� He exclaimed,
grinning a broad but genuine grin.

�� Yuu scoffed,
turning his head away and trying again to push the annoying idiot off him.

�� So why am I on trial?�

�� Ah,
insubordination!� The redhead shouted in his ear. �But I�ve basically
cleared you of that so you don�t have to worry.� He added quickly.

�� What about you?�
Yuu asked, for some reason, genuinely worried.

�� Oh, no problem,�
Lavi dismissed immediately, patting him on the back lightly, �I�ve managed to
convince them that I�m crazy, so it�s really no problem.� Yuu managed to pull
far enough away to glare at the idiot in front of him.

�� They�re going to
lock you up!� He said incredulously.

�� Oh, no they
won�t!� Lavi said cheerfully, waving a dismissive hand next to Yuu�s ear.

�� You are entirely
too confident for your own good,� Yuu responded bluntly.

�� You just have no
trust in my abilities,� Lavi pouted.

�� No, I have
complete trust in your abilities, which is why I�m�� his voice trailed off, but
he made himself finish quietly, �worried.�

�� Aww, I knew you cared, Yuu-chan,� Lavi teased.

�� I already told
you that on the deck, Baka Usagi,�
Yuu said gruffly. �Now come on, let�s go.�

�� Grudgingly, Lavi
let Yuu go and stood up. Dusting off his pant legs, he continued down the hall,
not waiting for Yuu to follow. The redhead strolled easily into the large
chamber, his arms resting behind his head. He had chattered loudly on their way
down, and it reminded Yuu very much of how annoying the other man could be. His
hand twitched repeatedly to Mugen, but he knew that that particular threat
would never work again�Lavi knew he would never be able to do it. He�d have to
think of something less� life-threatening.

�� Good morning,
gentlemen�or gentleladies, as I can�t see what gender
you are,� the middle Grand Marshall said from his illuminated chair. Yuu
bristled at the comment, but he let it go. Having light shining in one�s eyes
all day wasn�t conducive to seeing one�s audience.

�� Good mooooorning!� Lavi shouted out, waving a cheery hand at the
ominous group above.

�� Ah,� one of the
other Grand Marshalls said, �it�s the ex-Bookman.�

�� The one in the
middle cleared his throat. �We have come to a decision,� he said
authoritatively.

�� Aaaand?� Lavi asked annoyingly.

�� We have had Smith
replaced, and we will ignore the insubordination should the two of you continue
going on missions��

�� See, it�s not so
bad, Yuu!� Lavi grinned over at him.

�� The Grand Marshall
cleared his throat again. �As I was saying, as long as the two of you continue
with your missions, the insubordination will be ignored. As for your murder
attempt, Exorcist Lavi, we found you incapable of making rational decisions and
would like you to be assessed by a psych professional in our hospital wing
before you�re sent out again.�

�� Lavi�s grin
slipped a little, but a fake one replaced it. �Gotcha, Marshie!
So, when should I go in?�

�� As
soon as possible.�

�� Lavi nodded. �Anything else?�

�� No.�

�� Then c�mon,
Yuu-chan, let�s go!� Lavi threw his arms up and one landed around his shoulders.
Yuu allowed the contact as he was dragged from the chamber. When they reached
Yuu�s room, his heart rate had finally found a regular, if twittering, beat.

�� Lavi sat on Yuu�s
bed, and Yuu found himself pulling his desk chair to sit across from the rabbit.
His heart immediately returned to normal when he saw Lavi�s face. There was
nothing outwardly wrong with it Lavi was smiling, as usual, but his eye showed
a completely different emotion, one that not even his amazing acting skills
could hide.

�� Lavi, what�s
wrong?� Yuu asked, staring the other man directly in the eye. Lavi jumped as if
he hadn�t expected anyone to see past his fa�ade.

�� Eh?�

�� You�re
expression�s all wrong. What are you upset about?� Yuu asked, leaning forward,
pinning Lavi in place with his eyes.

�� I � I�m upset?�
Lavi asked, sounding genuinely shocked, but Yuu knew better. Grabbing the man�s
wrists, trying to be careful of the injuries, he pinned Lavi to his mattress.
�Oh, Yuu, I didn�t think you would be so forward,� Lavi said in a fluttery
voice.

�� Shut up,� Yuu
growled, tightening his grip on Lavi�s wrists. He paused. Something felt
strange. He looked at one and saw lines not of stitches but of Innocence. He
reminded himself to ask Lavi about this development later�and now he remembered
the man using his hands just as he had before he�d ruined them�and he turned
his attention back to Lavi�s face, which had lost its grin and was desperately
trying to regain it. �You don�t have to pretend with me.�

�� The man�s face
still seemed determined to save its cheery mask, the one that �Lavi� always
wore.

�� Stop trying to be
�Lavi� and be yourself for once,� Yuu hissed,
resisting the urge to hit the other man.

�� Lavi looked as if
he�d been slapped anyway. �I� what?� His mask was gone
again, just as it had been since the night before, when Yuu had awoken for the
first time in who knew how long. A look of confusion now spread across Lavi�s
face, as if he hadn�t realized what he had been doing.

�� You were being
�Lavi,�� Yuu said in a clipped tone. Lavi shrunk back, though Yuu didn�t know
why.

�� Sorry,� he
muttered after a long time, and he stopped trying to sink into the mattress. �I
just� really don�t want to be assessed. I know I�m messed up, I don�t need
others telling me that.�

�� Yuu pulled on the
other man�s wrists, and the redhead came flying up
into his arms. Holding Lavi tightly, Yuu said, �Then don�t let them assess
you.�

�� Lavi looked
confused. Yuu sighed and clarified. �Show up like you�re supposed to, listen to
their questions, but don�t give them any real answers.� Lavi looked absolutely
shocked, as if the thought of lying had never come to the world�s biggest liar.
�How do you think I got through it?� Yuu added.

�� You were�?�

�� When
I got back with Tiedoll. They were worried I�d try to commit suicide.
They were stupid, though; I�d long since stopped trying�it wasn�t worth it. The
idiot doctor kept going on about how suicide was a sin and a betrayal to the
Order. He was an idiot.�

�� You said �idiot�
twice to describe the doctor,� Lavi commented, and when Yuu looked into his
eye, he thought the other man looked much more peaceful.

�� Che,� he said, unable to think of any other
response.

�� I really did miss
that,� Lavi said quietly, squeezing Yuu just a little bit. Yuu growled but let
Lavi do what he wanted.

�� There was a knock
on the door, and the Moyashi�s voice
came from outside, �Kanda, Lavi, we�ve got a meeting in the Director�s office.�

�� Lavi hissed in
anger, but he reluctantly let Yuu go, and they walked together with Moyashi and Lenalee to the familiar
office.

---

August 22, 2013�The Dark Order, Main Branch

�� Allen strode down
the hallway, hand-in-hand with Lenalee. They had spent the night talking on his
bed, and it had taken a toll on Allen. He could now feel the Musician�s
presence, but the Noah was so heavily chained in the back of his mind that it
hardly seemed to matter. Still, as he had tried very hard not to think things
he wasn�t supposed to, he had heard the Musician sing out praises of his
beloved girl. It seemed the Musician liked her, too, and for some reason, Allen
was strangely happy about that. It was like his entire mind was focused on
Lenalee, and having the Noah in his mind had stopped being an everyday
struggle. He had been absolutely elated the night before, especially since
Lenalee was there and the Musician wasn�t. Mostly.

�� Kanda-kun seems
to be getting better,� Lenalee said as they passed a young man with blond hair
dressed in street clothes.

�� I�m glad�I�ll
even let him call me Moyashi for a
day,� Allen replied, squeezing her hand. Her smile grew a little bit brighter.

�� Laaaaa, sang the
Musician. Allen drowned him out with thoughts of Lenalee. Even though the Noah
was returning, it wasn�t enough for him to be truly bothered with.

�� Allen Walker!�

�� Allen and Lenalee
both turned back to see the blond man hailing them, an arm outstretched as it
waved.

�� Yes?� Allen said,
his tone coming out more questioning than he�d meant for it to be.

�� I�m in a bit of a
hurry, but I wanted to tell you that due to your support of Lavi, Director
Smith has been dispensed with� finally. We�d been trying to get rid of him for ages, but the idiot two seats to my left
is an old jackass, and we needed a unanimous vote.�

�� Allen stared,
confused. �Er, who are you?�

�� I can�t give you
my name�sorry, Allen�but know that I�m the one in the
middle.�

�� The�
middle?�

�� Understanding
seemed to hit Lenalee first, and Allen figured it out a second too late to stop
Lenalee from harshly slapping the Grand Marshall in front of them.

�� Why did you do
that to Lavi, you bastard?� She hissed, and Allen had to force back a surge of
affection for the girl in front of him. He grabbed her in a hug from behind,
pinning her arms to her sides before she could do anymore damage. She struggled
a bit.

�� Stop it,
Lenalee,� he murmured in her ear.

�� The Grand Marshall
looked stunned, his mouth hanging open and a hand resting lightly on his
reddening cheek. �I suppose I deserved that,� he said after a moment. �But for
what it�s worth, I�m really sorry. We had to follow protocol. Honestly, I
didn�t want to punish him at all, but he pled insanity a bit too convincingly, and we couldn�t just
let him go without any� repercussions� because otherwise the Pope would be
complaining up our asses.� He rolled his eyes, looking aggrieved.

�� Eh?� Allen asked,
blinking. Lenalee had gone limp in his arms, giving up her fight to get free.

�� There was a
beeping noise, and the man took a gadget out from his back pocket. Allen had
learned that this was a cell phone.

�� Sorry, Generals,�
he said to them. �Yes? Er, yes, that�s me� WHAT! Already? Oh, shit! I�ll be there right away. Thanks,
Gerald.� He snapped it closed and turned his gaze once again to them.

�� What�s wrong?�
Allen asked. The man had a dumbfounded expression on his face.

�� My wife is giving
birth right now. I�ve gotta go.� The man turned on
his heel and started to run off.

�� Wait!� Lenalee
shouted after him, and he paused, turning.

�� Yeah?�

�� You can see your
families?� She asked, her question almost desperate.
Allen could hear tears forming in her voice, and he wanted to take away the
pain that was making itself evident in her actions.

�� Of
course. Couldn�t you?� The Grand Marshall asked.

�� No,� Lenalee
said, sounding defeated. The Grand Marshall nodded in their direction and made
to take off again. He stopped after a moment. �Oh, and the new Director wants
to see all the Exorcists!� This time, he didn�t stop as he sprinted off, glancing at his watch every few seconds as if that
would make time slow down.

�� Allen held Lenalee
until she stood on her own power again. She turned to him and wrapped her arms tightly
around his middle. �It�s so unfair,� she whispered, and Allen ran his hand over
the back of her head, petting her hair lightly.

�� I know,� he
murmured back, pulling her closer. �But life is never fair. Exorcists know it
better than anyone else.�

�� I don�t know what
I�d do without you, Allen,� Lenalee said against his chest.

�� Me
too.�

---

�� Shall we see if
they�re okay, then?� Allen said after an interminable length of time. Lenalee
nodded, and they made their way to Kanda�s room.

�� He knocked hard.
�Kanda, Lavi, we�ve got a meeting in the Director�s office,� he said. The door
opened a minute later, and the four of them walked together to see the new
Director. Out of respect, Allen knocked on the door, as he didn�t know what
kind of person this new Director would be.

�� Enter,� came a
firm, solid voice, and Allen opened the door.

�� Ah, you must be
Allen Walker, Lenalee Lee, Kanda Yuu, and Lavi�er, do you have a last
name?�

�� No.� Lavi�s voice
was stiff, resolute.

�� I had to ask,
because the other Director was grossly incompetent in his records.�

�� Would you like
some help?� Lavi offered.

�� Uh, I think if
you just filled these out, I�d be fine with that,� the Director said, handing
them each a large packet of papers. Allen gaped at it. The pages included
everything from name to complete medical history to familial status.
Grudgingly, he took an offered pen and began to fill it out. Next to him, Lavi
scribbled furiously on his own, finishing the entire thing by the time Allen
had finished the first page.

�� Ne, Yuu, lemme
finish yours,� Lavi said, and Allen heard the small rustle of their struggle
over the packet. A minute later, Lavi placed the two completed packets on the
desk and walked back.

�� You disgust me,
rabbit,� Kanda said as Lavi sat back down.

�� Shut up, you know
you love me,� Lavi quipped.

�� Che.�

�� Allen grinned. The
interaction was so inexplicably normal
that it almost felt like Komui would be walking in at any moment. Despite the
fact that he was in love with Komui�s sister, he still had enormous respect for
the man, and he missed him nearly as much as Lenalee did.

�� He didn�t even
realize when Lavi pulled his packet from beneath his fingers, and he sat back,
relieved, as the redhead finished both his and Lenalee�s, setting them on the
desk when he was done.

�� I told you I
could help you,� Lavi said lightly.

�� How did you do
that so fast? And why is the handwriting amazing?� The new Director asked, his
mouth open in shock.

�� I used to be a
Bookman,� Lavi said, as if that explained it all. But then, Allen supposed, it
did.

�� Well, anyway, now
that we�ve got that over with, let�s continue the meeting.�

�� Wait,� Lenalee
said, suddenly. �Where�s Miranda? And everyone else?�

�� I�ve already met
with them. We talked earlier this morning. You four were still asleep, though,
so I waited. The only Exorcists I haven�t seen yet are Amanda Colten and Darcy
O�Connell.�

�� Allen laughed.
�You won�t see them until at least mid-afternoon,� he chuckled. Sobering, he
asked, �I don�t think we�ve heard your name�?�

�� Ah,� the man
blushed slightly in embarrassment. �I�m Lieutenant General Carter A. Williams
of the United States Army,� he said, giving them a small, two-fingered salute.

�� The
army?� Lenalee asked in wonder.

�� Ah, I realize
you�re not aware of the current situation,� the Lieutenant General began. Allen
shot him a mystified look. �This has to do with the new assignment I�m about to
give to the four of you�oh, actually, the three of you. And perhaps I�ll let
Amanda go as well�she deserves to see her family again. It�s been years since
she was last on leave.�

�� Lenalee tensed,
and Allen moved closer to her, placing a bracing hand on her shoulder.

�� With the current
rise in Akuma sightings and incidents these past few years, the governments of
the world have decided to step in and provide aid to the Order. I am the first
person to be sent from the United States, as until recently, our forces were
split between Afghanistan and Iraq.�

�� Wait,� Lavi said
quickly. �Amanda told me America was out of Iraq in 2009.�

�� Last year, the
Akuma began to rise there, and as the countries were already unstable,
President Obama reluctantly had a small force return, but it soon escalated out
of control, and I rue the day Bush was in office.� The Lieutenant General
grimaced and Lavi snickered, but Allen had no idea what the man was referring
to. �Your mission is to meet with the President and his Cabinet as well as the
CIA and the military in order to help decide where to concentrate the forces in
the upcoming battles. Though we have no Innocence, there are weapons we have
developed that can rip through Level One Akuma. Most importantly, you�ll be
meeting with the United Nations.�

�� Who are you
sending?� Allen asked, going into what he thought of as his General Mode.

�� You, of course,
General Walker, and I�d like Kanda Yuu to go with you�if you are feeling up to
it?�

�� Kanda nodded
sharply, though Allen saw Lavi look slightly disappointed.

�� I�d also like the
presence of another General, and since there will be a large crowd upon your
arrival, I�d like to send Tuan Chu. Miranda, Amanda, and Artemis all have
skills that would be useful in this situation, and General Lee, your Dark Boots
could prove invaluable. I would have liked to send Lavi as well, just as a
backup, but he has a psych referral to deal with.�

�� Lavi looked angry,
and Allen sent him an apologetic look. Lavi nodded in thanks back to him, and
Allen turned back to the Lieutenant General.

�� Alright.
That sounds like a good group. I�d like to see them all before we leave. Er, when do we
leave?�

�� The Lieutenant
General laughed. �You�ll be on a plane as soon as you�re all packed and ready.
Take street clothes for the plane ride�it�s a good six or seven hours, and then
you�ve got a connection to catch. We don�t want Akuma attacking you in the air.
It would be too big a blow. In a way, I think air travel is the worst way for
you to go, but we don�t have enough time
for anything else.� The new Director hit his desk to emphasize �time,� and he
looked frustrated at their situation.

�� I don�t suppose
we could go two to a plane?� Allen wondered, but the Lieutenant General shook
his head forlornly.

�� Believe it or
not, the Vatican�s decided to cut back on funding, and due to several lawsuits,
we now have to pay travel expenses.� The man grimaced. �Stupid Bureaucrats,� he
muttered angrily. �Well, you might as well get ready.�

�� Allen nodded and
led the way out, Lenalee at his side.

---

August 23, 2013�The Dark Order, Main Branch

�� Lavi stared
forlornly at his sun as he walked over to stand with Allen and the rest. Yuu
turned around and, catching sight of Lavi, shot him a soulful look in return.
Lavi didn�t know how to interpret it. Unable to stand just watching, he ran
over.

�� What?� Yuu asked
angrily.

�� Just came to say
good-bye,� he said sadly. If he had had rabbit ears, they would have been
drooping.

�� Didn�t you just
do that?� Yuu asked shortly, but he didn�t look particularly upset that Lavi
had reappeared in front of him.

�� Yeah, but� I�m
gonna miss you, y�know?� He said, blushing at his
awkward admission. Something relaxed in Yuu�s rigid face. It was just slight
enough that only Lavi noticed.

�� Remember what I
said about the therapy,� his sun said, not making eye contact. Lavi was
suddenly struck with how adorable Yuu�s social awkwardness was. He quickly
closed the distance between them, grabbing the other man�s face and pulling him
into a full-on, open-mouthed kiss. In
front of everyone.

�� Yuu balked, but
then he relaxed, and his arms wrapped around Lavi�s. He went rigid again when
he heard Allen�s shocked exclamation, and he pulled back slowly. �I will, too,�
he whispered as he stepped back. Lavi nodded, knowing what the man meant.

�� Be careful�don�t
kill anyone!� He shouted, waving as the group
departed. Amanda was patting Yuu on the back and Lenalee had a scandalized look
on her face. Lavi smiled proudly. He had done well.

�� Whistling a
mournful tune, he returned to his room, which suddenly felt very empty. He
pouted a little and grabbed some books from his extensive piles, heading over
to Yuu�s room. It smelled clean and crisp with just the subtlest hints of
lotuses and cinnamon, just like the man himself. He sat gingerly on the bed and
waited until his first appointment at two o�clock. He was not looking forward
to it.

�� To pass the time,
he read several books, but he found that he wasn�t enjoying them as much as he
would have if his sun had been there. He sighed. Lavi didn�t think he would be
able to survive the next week and a half. But he�d have to. He wasn�t a girl,
first of all, and second of all, he had Yuu�s return to look forward to, and
that was enough to keep him going, right?

---

August 24, 2013�The White House

�� The Infernal Girl
was practically glowing. Every time she looked at Yuu, she got this knowing
smile on her face, and she kept touching him, patting him on the back. He
flinched from every touch, but she didn�t seem to care much. He itched to cut off her hands, but that would be potentially
dangerous in front of so many important people.

�� Today they were
visiting the President of the damned United States of America. The nation that had bombed his country, or so he�d heard from
Amanda. He didn�t particularly care that his people had probably
deserved it�it was the principle of the thing.

�� Hey,
Yuu-pyon!� The idiot girl said, �you look
tired!�

�� And why do you
think that is?� He hissed menacingly.

�� Awww, did Yuu-pyon have a nightmare?� The Infernal Girl
teased. A vein in Yuu�s forehead twitched.

�� And if I did?� He
bit out, voice colder than frozen mercury. To his immense displeasure, the girl
threw her arms around him in a Lavi-ish fashion. Only
it didn�t feel good, and Yuu shuddered at the contact.

�� C�mon, Yuu-pyon,
you can tell me!� She shouted, squeezing him. Yuu went very, very rigid.

�� Don�t you have
your boy-toy to annoy?� He ground out through gritted teeth.

�� Amanda froze.
�He�s in Ireland right now. He called me last night, saying that he was
visiting his sister. Apparently, she was raped and is pregnant with her
rapist�s child.�

�� Yuu threw the
Infernal Girl away from him. �That girl knows nothing of abuse,� he hissed,
stalking off.

�� The formerly
roaring table of Exorcists was silent. But before he could leave the room, the music starting playing. Abruptly, everyone�including
Yuu�gazed at Moyashi, who had gone
quite tense. Lenalee was trying to pat him on the arm, but he kept sliding away
from her touch.

�� Several
dark-suited men walked in the room, followed by a great many politicians and a
black man who looked completely at home in the dining room of the White House.
Allen stood upon their entrance, and the other Exorcists followed suit.

�� It is a great
honor to meet you all,� the black man said. Yuu stared openly. This man was obviously
in a position of power, but Yuu didn�t know the Americans were capable of
politeness.

�� Likewise,� Moyashi said, though he walked very
stiffly up to shake hands with the man who Yuu assumed was the stupid nation�s
President. One of the suited men walked in front of Allen.

�� It�s just a
precaution, but we need your weapon,� he said in a deep voice.

�� Well, okay, if
you insist,� Moyashi said, grimacing
nervously. Yuu saw the green glow of Innocence activating as the white-haired
bean sprout pulled his arm off, forming his overlarge sword. There was a
collective gasp of astonishment, and the suited men twitched uncomfortably.

�� So this is
Innocence,� the President said in wonder. �May I touch it?� He asked Moyashi.

�� Er, be my guest, sir,� Allen said,
offering up his sword. The President took it in his hands and stooped at the
weight.

�� It�s heavy,� he
muttered, surprised.

�� Innocence is a
heavy burden to bear, Mr. President,� General Chu said from behind Yuu.

�� The President
nodded and handed Allen his sword back. �Thank you, Mr.�?�

�� I�m General Allen
Walker,� Allen said, returning his sword to his left arm and shaking the
President�s hand with his right. Yuu saw the President�s eyes go wide for a
moment, but he otherwise hid his shock rather well. The President circled
around the room, shaking first Miranda�s hand, then Artemis�s and General
Chu�s. When he got to Amanda, the idiot girl pulled on his hand and grabbed him
in a bear hug, lifting him from the ground.

�� It�s so cool to
meet you, Mr. President!� She exclaimed, an idiotic grin spreading too wide on
her face. The President made a small choking noise. Amanda blushed. �Sorry, Mr.
President,� she added sheepishly, putting the powerful man down and patting at
his shoulders.

�� That�s quite
alright,� he said diplomatically, chuckling lightly under his breath.

�� If I was old
enough, I woulda voted for ya!�
She shot him the thumb�s up.

�� Thank you.� He
moved toward Yuu, extending his hand.

�� Yuu couldn�t quite
control the shaking as he gripped the other man�s hand�he would have preferred
bowing, but they were not in Japan�and he pulled his own hand back to his body
the second it was polite to do so, holding it as if it had been burned. He
tried to return his breathing to normal, and he hoped no one had noticed. He
was very glad this was a private affair. No fucking media to deal with, like
there had been when they�d arrived. The President looked a bit concerned, but
he moved on to Lenalee, whom he met with a smile.

�� What was that,
Kanda?� Moyashi whispered deviously
in his ear. �You�re not thinking of cheating on Lavi, are you?� He cackled
softly. Yuu punched him, sending the stupid sprout�who,
goddamn it, was taller than him now�sprawling to the ground. The entire room
turned to look, but Allen recovered quickly enough that he was in his chair
before the President began to speak.

�� Well, this is
indeed odd company we keep here,� he commented, smiling.

�� They all sat down
to lunch, and though the politician side of the table remained very quiet and
subdued, the Exorcist side was almost roaring with laughter and cheer. Yuu
couldn�t bring himself to join in, but he didn�t mind the noise for once. He
sat stiffly in his chair, eating awkwardly with the stupid western tableware�he
wished he had paid more attention to Tiedoll�s
lessons. The food wasn�t horrible, but he felt it was too heavy, too laden with
grease, fat, and oils. He glanced at the rest, and though Lenalee and Artemis
seemed to be having the same troubles, the other Exorcists seemed fine. Not
that he cared.

�� A female
politician spoke up as Allen tossed food at the Infernal Girl. �It�s amazing
how cheerful you all are. I would�ve thought, what with all the fighting�� She
trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid. The room was now silent, and Yuu wanted
to at least make her lose an appendage. An arm wouldn�t be bad, they were
expendable.

�� It�s how we stay
sane,� Amanda said in a haunted tone, staring down at her food. Yuu suddenly
felt a tiny inkling of respect for the girl. She seemed to have a serious side
as well. Perhaps she was just like �Lavi,� hiding her serious side to make
others happy.

�� That�s why we
need to end this war,� the President said after a moment. �I was shocked by how
young you all are, and you�ve all been fighting for years.�

�� There was much
nervous clearing of throats as politicians and Exorcists alike tried to restore
the previous cheerful mood of the table. Yuu felt like he was suffocating.
Everything was too much, and Lavi wasn�t there to crack a joke, take his mind
off of things he didn�t want to think about�

�� Like his father.
Yuu shuddered, barely keeping the memories at bay. He would see Lavi in less
than two weeks. He could last until then.

�� The President
looked on in amazement as Allen stuffed plate after plate of food into his
obscenely large gorge. Yuu stayed above the conversation as always, grunting
only when people spoke to him. As they finished up, they began exchanging the
pleasantries for the situation, and the President stood up, shaking hands all around.
As the group disbanded, Yuu walked over to the young black man.

�� Excuse me,� he
muttered quietly, coming up next to him. The President turned to face him.

�� Yes?� He asked,
seeming surprised.

�� I� apologize� for
my shaking earlier. It is hard for me to be trusting of anyone,� Yuu said
haltingly, extending his hand once more. This time, thankfully, it wasn�t
shaking. The President shook it with an open face and a smile.

�� I understand
completely,� the President said. He nodded gravely and walked off. Yuu felt
slightly better, as if a nagging bug by his ear had finally died.

---

OMAKE:

�� Good morning,
gentlemen�or gentleladies, as I can�t see what gender
you are,� the middle Grand Marshall said from his illuminated chair. Yuu
bristled at the comment, but he let it go. Having light shining in one�s eyes
all day wasn�t conducive to seeing one�s audience.

�� Good mooooorning!� Lavi shouted out, waving a cheery hand at the
ominous group above.

�� You�re about to
call in sick today, aren�t you?� The Grand Marshall asked accusingly.

�� Lavi froze, his
smile fading. �How�d you know I had a hot pocket for breakfast?� He asked in a
small voice.

�� ~HOT POCKET!~

---

A/N: Sorry for the short/crappy chappy. The
next one includes more plot movements. Plus, action! It was going to include lurves, too, but it got too long. We got wrapped up in
battle scenes. Again.
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- 13
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Innocent Rain