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How to Save a Life	By : saxonjesus Category: +. to F > D. Gray Man Views: 4511 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: We own nothing. The D. Gray-verse is only our playground, we make no profit from our littlle adventures.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
Chapter 20--This is the Last Time

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”

― Douglas Adams

December 31

In the days following Christmas, Lavi had done little more than sit on the couch, arm outstretched over Yuu’s shoulders, relishing in the feeling of the slighter boy leaning into his chest. They’d spent most of the days watching Daisya vigorously shake the XBox controller as he played his new monster truck video game. It was a rather amusing pastime, often involving much swearing and copious amounts of eggnog (the alcoholic kind, as Daisya insisted he played better when tipsy). Lavi had tasted it, and then accidentally spat it back into the glass.

“Hey!” Daisya had yelled. He contemplated his glass for a moment. “It’s ruined forever,” he said, swilling the contents around and around. Then he put it to his lips and took a long drink.

Yuu’s mouth had dropped open, and he had turned away from Daisya, his head nodding forward in a gag.

New Years’ Eve found them sitting on the couch again, this time watching Marie and Miranda play battleship. Daisya was to the side, having set up Marie’s ships and letting him know the current coordinates as attacks hit or missed. He also seemed to feel it was his duty to let the world know exactly how this battle was going down; his commentary was nearly drowning out the swing music from the kitchen, where Tiedoll was stretching and priming canvas.

Yuu’s head was on Lavi’s chest again, and he was curled up into him, one hand drawn around his own knees and the other grasping the fabric over Lavi’s heart.

“And Miranda shoots the missiles! They spiral through the air, whistling their way into--the ocean! It’s a miss!” Daisya shouted, raising his arms up in his enthusiasm.

Marie chuckled to himself but otherwise remained quiet, rubbing his hands over his board as he pondered where to attack next. Yuu curled up, just a bit tired, nuzzled at the curve of Lavi’s neck. The hair was soft against Lavi’s skin, alluring and smelling subtly of cinnamon.

“Tired?” Lavi said quietly.

Yuu nodded against his chest, allowing his scent to stir in dizzying clouds up toward Lavi’s nose. It prickled a little, as if he was going to sneeze, but he suppressed it and squeezed Yuu to him. Yuu stayed relaxed, no hint of fear in his demeanor.

“You could take a nap.”

“Don’t trust Daisya,” Yuu murmured. His lips moved against Lavi’s collarbone, and Lavi shivered.

“Not surprising,” Lavi said. “But if he weren’t here?”

“Maybe.”

“What, imagining Tiedoll spontaneously appearing out of nowhere?” Lavi imagined him melting out of the wall.

Lavi felt Yuu smile. “Yes.”

“Then how about we retreat?”

“No, Tiedoll will be taking out the croquet set soon. The party is going to start in two hours.”

“Party? I completely forgot. Tiedoll’s relatives aren’t coming again, are they?”

“You need to pay more attention when I speak to you, Baka. It’s just us. Well, us and Lenalee and her mad brother and Cross and Allen.”

Using Lavi’s chest for leverage, Yuu sat up. He shook his head before putting a hand over his bangs.

“Hm, I’ve got a bit of a headache.”

“Want some aspirin?” Lavi asked, even though he didn’t know where they kept the aspirin anyway.

“No, I think I’m just dehydrated. I’ll get some water. Also, I need to start making dips. Wanna help?”

He held out his hand, which Lavi took. Once up, Yuu pulled on Lavi’s hand, directing him toward the kitchen. Though it was probably a hindrance, Yuu kept hold of Lavi’s hand as he got out the mixing bowls and basic ingredients for whatever he was planning to make. Lavi couldn’t keep a smile from forming on his lips.

---

The party was unlike any Lavi had ever attended before, whether it was in England when they had been in that pub after a football game or in a frat house when he’d been so drunk all he remembered were swirling lights and a big bass beat. It was quiet at first, but as they got into the wine (and then the schnapps Miranda had bought, and then the beers Daisya had procured, and then the vodka Cross had provided), the volume rose immensely. Every few seconds, one of them made a ridiculous toast to something or other. Even Yuu joined in.

“To Captain America’s blue panties!” Daisya yelled out, throwing a shot back. Cross roared with laughter, and then proceeded to toast all the young women and whores.

“Wait, guys, I’ve got one!” Yuu shouted, waving an arm emphatically. “To Tiedoll’s frizzy hair!” With that, he clinked his fifth drink against Lavi’s first and downed it with a wicked grin. Then, getting up, he stumbled over to Tiedoll and whacked at the top of his head, despite being barely tall enough to reach it.

“Let the croquet commence!” Tiedoll then declared, and Yuu, who often spouted his detestation for the game, grabbed himself a mallet and started swinging it about. Lavi imagined he should get up and stop him, but Yuu was grinning and laughing so much that he just didn’t have the heart to do so. Therefore he sat and watched as the rest of them got up and aimed (terribly) at the balls in a bout of croquet so pathetic it made Lavi tear up as he laughed.

---

January 8

The journey back was smooth, and after Tiedoll left their room, sobbing, Yuu finally allowed himself a stabilizing sigh. Although school would be starting up the next day, Yuu couldn’t help but feel relieved. No more family, no more Daisyas in his bed, no more Lenalees making sly suggestions through the vent that connected their rooms. It was just him and Lavi. Lavi was still examining the room, a ritual he’d gone through after Thanksgiving break as well. Probably making sure nothing was out of place.

Yuu himself was not that worried. Although Bookman was much harder to spot without the hair, Yuu hadn’t seen him since the day he had confronted him. Which was a good thing. Less Bookman was definitely a plus, a silver lining on every cloud obscuring the sky (and seeing as it had been overcast for the past week, that was a huge silver lining).

After a quick trip to the bookstore, they returned to their dorm laden with books. Lavi walked around the room again, tapping at the walls.

“Something’s off,” he said.

“You’re imagining it, Lavi, don’t be so paranoid.”

“Your poster is coming off the wall.”

“And that couldn’t possibly be because the sticky-tack is getting old, could it?”

“Shut up, I’m being serious.”

Yuu followed Lavi’s eyes to the poster in question--his coveted System of a Down poster that Tiedoll had bought him for his birthday this past year. The bottom right corner had curled up from the wall, rolling so intently that it was pulling at the left corner as well.

“Yes, that’s obviously Bookman’s work,” Yuu said, rolling his eyes.

“Yuu, that’s not funny. Don’t make fun of me. I am telling you he was here.”

“Because the poster is rolled up.”

“Yes.”

“Whatever.”

Yuu walked over to his drawer to get the blue package of sticky-tack. He pulled it open and nearly screamed. The bell jar was back. And in the bell jar, wilting slowly, was his lotus. The petals swayed slowly, almost serenely, blushingly pink, especially nearer to the stem. Yuu’s eyes followed its movement, and he began to rock with it. It was mesmerizing. And somewhere between his stomach and his heart, warmth began to spread. His breathing gained momentum. His pulse quickened. His ears twitched at every small sound. Lavi getting up from the bed, walking over, asking him what was wrong. Lavi’s hand coming toward him.

Lavi’s hand landed on his shoulder. He had expected it. But he jumped nonetheless. He yelped, threw Lavi’s hand from him before he understood what he was doing. Lavi fell to the ground.

“Goddammit. I’m sorry, Lavi,” Yuu said, and reached down to pull him up. He tried to ignore the fact that his breathing was so loud in his ears.

“No, no, I shouldn’t’ve...” Lavi wasn’t making eye contact.

“Listen, you’ve got to stop acting like it’s your fault. It’s mine, okay?” He pulled the other boy to his feet and then put a hand on his shoulder. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was trying to brace himself or Lavi.

“It is mine, though. I should know better than to touch you like that.”

“Hear yourself talk--you shouldn’t be blaming yourself for my problem. I just need to get over it. I was just a little distracted.”

“What were you staring at?” Lavi asked.

“Oh. Uh, you were right; Bookman was here.”

“He didn’t leave something there, did he?” Lavi asked, pushing Yuu aside to get a better view in the drawer.

“Just my lotus. He returned it. Not sure why.”

“Well, you said you had that talk with him. Maybe he--I don’t know... wait.”

“Huh?”

“Count the petals.” Lavi spoke as if he could hardly move his lips.

Yuu leaned around Lavi and counted from above. There were the six at the epicenter, then the six falling gently beneath those. Twelve. There was one more in what had once been the third and final full row of six. But only one. Before it had been taken, there had been two in that row.

“It’s a threat,” Lavi said.

“Didn’t like that I took his hair, maybe,” Yuu said. But he’d been cutting a lot.

“No, I mean, he’s showing you your own mortality. I saw him draw blood once from someone’s throat to demonstrate that point. The man was trying to kill us because of the record, but Bookman fought him down like that Yoda guy from that movie Daisya made us watch, and he got a knife at the guy’s throat and stuck it in enough that the blood started to drip down his neck. He told him he could kill him at any time, but it was our job to observe, so killing could interfere with the record. He said that he had no qualms against killing, though, should the need arise, and told the man that all he had to do was just draw the knife back a little and the guy would bleed out. I think he’s doing the same thing to you.”

“I... guess.” Or he was just making a kind gesture. The old man hadn’t seemed all that vicious at the end of their conversation. Though it might have been the lack of hair.

“Trust me. He must’ve seen the petal fall and now he’s waving it in front of your face.”

“That would make sense, except for the fact that I’ve still got thirteen petals.”

“And you started with how many?”

“Eighteen.”

“Bookman doesn’t know that. For all he knows, what with the tattooed ohm and all, you could have started out with one thousand.”

“One thousand? Damn, I’m immortal.” He puffed out his chest a bit.

“It’s a Buddhist symbol, Yuu, as is the ohm. A lotus flower with one thousand petals represents spiritual revelation.”

“I’m Shinto. Or at least I was. I guess. You’re not really all that religious when you’re that little, and I stopped with the whole religion thing when nobody’s god saved me.”

Lavi stepped back, his mouth falling slack.

“Oh,” Lavi said. He let his head fall forward and turned and shuffled back toward his bed. Yuu reached out to grab his hand but missed, so he followed him over, turning him as he reached the bedside and pushing him down so he was sitting on his mattress. Lavi looked up at him.

“Hey, what is it?” Yuu asked. He kept his hands on Lavi’s shoulders.

“Just... the way you said that... and stuff...” Lavi’s voice trailed off and he looked away.

“Said what?”

“The bit about nobody’s god saving you.”

“It’s just the truth--not anything to be upset over.”

“It is, though!” Lavi’s face snapped back to look at him. He was glaring a bit.

Yuu tried to remove his hands, but Lavi held them in place. “I’m not trying to sound like a whiny bitch--”

“I know. That’s why... well, it wasn’t so much that you said it as it was how you said it... like you were resigned to it or something.”

“You have to be resigned to things in the past, Lavi. You can’t change them. You have to deal with them. That’s how you move on. And I’m trying--really hard--to move on.” His throat was getting tight; his voice was getting high. “It’s not like it even matters anymore. It’s just a fact.”

Lavi ran his hands up the length of Yuu’s arms. Once he reached Yuu’s shoulders, he pulled the smaller boy into his chest.

“It’s not just a fact, Yuu. Dealing with stuff means it gets easier to think about, yeah, but it’s never just a fact.” There was an intangible sense of resoluteness in Lavi’s speech.

“I... touched a nerve,” Yuu said. He reached up and touched Lavi’s face. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s just... when things are just facts, that’s when you have to worry.”

“Yeah, you would know,” Yuu said, rubbing his thumb over Lavi’s cheek. He grazed past the corner of his left eye and felt wetness.

“You can’t be defeated by your past, okay?”

“I can’t promise anything,” he began slowly.

“Yuu.”

“But I’ll try.”

For now, that would have to be enough. How did you look at something that happened to you and say anything but “yeah, that’s what happened.” But when he thought of the little boy who asked everyone from Amaterasu to Zeus for help so fervently that even the nights where he didn’t hurt were restless, he couldn’t help but feel a connection. It was thin but present. He was the same person. Only he wasn’t helpless now. And even if Bookman did mean to threaten him, he had his sword, so he was ready. In the meantime, he could hold Lavi.

Slowly, he reached up and gave him a kiss.

Lavi responded by wrapping his arms around him, pulling him close enough that their chests touched.Yuu began to lose his balance and tried to stabilize himself by leaning farther over, trying to place a hand on the bed. But Lavi had pinned one of his arms to his side so the action resulted in him knocking them both over.

Lavi squawked, breaking their kiss.

They both lay on the not-quite-wide-enough bed for a moment, slightly breathless and staring at each other. Yuu regarded Lavi’s askew hair, which resembled a bright orange beaver dam. As Lavi’s face filled his vision, he felt a pang in his chest. It was one of those moments where he just knew. Knew that he loved Lavi. Knew that as long as Lavi was okay, he was too. Knew that as much as he might hurt, there was no way he would let Lavi hurt along with him. Knew that he was painfully attracted to this boy beneath him and that despite his greatest efforts, he couldn’t help the pressure building in every muscle to do what his body wanted. His lips tugged upward, and he chuckled under his breath. He was hopeless.

“W-what are you laughing at?” Lavi asked, blushing. He reached up to touch his face. He patted his cheeks for a few seconds before Yuu grasped both hands, intertwined their fingers as he raised Lavi’s arms above him.

“Absolutely nothing,” he said, smiling down at him.

“Nothing, huh? Is my face that freaking hilarious?”

“Why, yes, yes it is. Especially when I do this.” Yuu leaned down and kissed Lavi’s neck just below the ear. There were no words to describe the noise Lavi made. It was one-third gasp and two-thirds squawk, with a small dash of a squeak and a sweet little shudder. Yuu moved his right leg in between Lavi’s legs and rubbed gently with his knee. Lavi’s face turned so red so quickly it resembled that of a drunk fat man having a fit of rage.

“A-ah, Yuu--” the boy began.

Yuu grazed his lips over Lavi’s jawline. Once he reached the chin, he leaned in a little closer to bite at Lavi’s surprisingly plump lower lip. His mouth was lightly agape, so it made Yuu’s task all the more easy to accomplish. He dragged his teeth over Lavi’s lip, pulling it back toward him. A small sound came from deep in Lavi’s throat.

Then he kissed the redhead full on, mouth open and tongue poised to explore. Lavi nearly bucked beneath him, breathing in deeply and arching into his chest, his shirt riding up past his belly button.

Releasing one of Lavi’s pinned hands, Yuu took a moment to take his now unoccupied hand and let it run softly over the exposed skin, looking for Lavi’s reaction. Lavi breathed in deeply, his skin raising in small bumps. It was the first time Yuu had ever touched bare skin that surpassed the “safe zone” he’d established not too long before. But he was pushing his limits. He didn’t need them. Really. So he let his fingers gently press into Lavi’s stomach and pushed them under the hem of his shirt and then up, working slowly, as he was still unsure. Lavi’s freed hand went to his shoulder, rested for a second. Then he brushed it down Yuu’s chest, over his fabric-covered tattoo, down to the middle of his abs. The fingers dangled there, nudging at the fabric, twisting it, playing with it.

“You want something, Lavi?” Yuu asked against Lavi’s lips.

“Just... is it okay?”

Yuu pushed his hand a little farther up the fabric. His middle finger slid over a rigid bump, eliciting a gasp from Lavi.

“Yeah,” he said, and pressed his lips to the redhead’s again, pushing his head into the pillow a little. He swirled his tongue over Lavi’s lips and then slipped it in deeper, meeting and clashing with Lavi’s tongue in a wet battle. Yuu felt a throb deep down. He rubbed his hand slowly up and down over Lavi’s erect nipple. Lavi groaned into his mouth, and they separated for a moment to breathe. As their lips parted, a thin string of spit glistened between them in the afternoon light. It was mildly distasteful, but Lavi’s hand had reached Yuu’s belt and was toying with his belt loop, drawing his hips (and slightly obvious erection) closer. Yuu tried to remember how to breathe.

“You sure?” Lavi asked, breathing hard and flushing harder.

“Yeah,” Yuu said. Lavi’s hand slipped sideways to fuss with his belt buckle. Yuu pinched Lavi’s nipple between his fingers, just for something to do.

“Wa! Yuu!”

The other boy shuddered, his erection just as plain down the left side of his too tight jeans. The seams bulged in an attempt to contain it. Yuu put more weight on his other hand so that he could press his upper thigh against Lavi’s arousal. He let his hand mess with Lavi’s nipple for a few more seconds, then drew it down his back, half scraping his nails down the arch at the small of his back. He let his fingers hesitate, mounting tension, then delved them gently beneath Lavi’s waistband. The jeans were so tight he didn’t need a belt--and Yuu’s hand, as a consequence, had a bit of trouble with maneuverability, so Yuu’s fingers sandwiched somewhat snugly between the jeans and boxers.

He looked Lavi in the eyes.

“Are you okay with this?” He asked, nudging his fingers downward.

“Y-yes!” Lavi said, though it came out as more of a hiss. His face had reached a color so red Yuu half expected him to begin bleeding from his pores.

He pressed a finger between Lavi’s ass, lined it up to prod at the hole. Lavi brought his head forward and kissed Yuu at the junction between his shoulder and his neck. The skin felt feverish and warm, and Yuu’s heart beat even faster. He felt it rattling at his sternum.

“You like that?” Lavi asked quietly. “M-making me all hot like this?” He put his hand up to Yuu’s face, gently traced Yuu’s lips with the pads of his fingers. Yuu shuddered. Lavi pulled his hand back, but Yuu nodded.

“Yes, I do.”

Lavi’s hand returned to his lips. Yuu kissed them. Then, because he’d seen it in one of Daisya’s pornos that he’d accidentally walked in on, he opened his mouth. Lavi pressed them forward, and Yuu licked the tip of each finger in turn with one swift run of his tongue. Not forgetting his other hand, though, he pressed the finger inward again. Lavi twitched pretty much everywhere, and the movement pushed his fingers further into Yuu’s mouth. Yuu took the opportunity to trap them there and began licking them slowly, pushing them in and out and rubbing his tongue around them in an unsteady rhythm.

Lavi moaned, deep and long. He shook his other hand free of Yuu’s grasp and reached down to undo his button and fly.

“Please?” He asked so quietly that at first Yuu was sure he was imagining. But then he repeated it, louder: “please?”

“Not... all the way,” Yuu said after Lavi removed his fingers. He looked away, not entirely sure how he could look directly at Lavi without revealing the shame and fear he felt at the idea of being that close to someone.

“Of course not.”

Yuu looked back at him. “You don’t mind?”

“We’ve only been together a little bit--and... well... as long as you--with the finger--just please, I--”

Yuu pressed his finger into that spot again, rubbing it around a little. The fabric was probably a bit rough for such a sensitive area.

“Jeans off, then.”

Lavi nodded, then looked away. “Only touch me if... if you want to be touched.”

Yuu chuckled. “It’s not that I don’t want to--it’s that I get... you know.”

“Scared?”

“I don’t like that word.”

“Then get my pants off.”

“Do it yourself, lazy Rabbit,” Yuu said, pushing once more against Lavi’s ass.

“Yes, sir.”

Lavi’s pants came off, but as Yuu removed the underwear and prepared to delve a little deeper, he stopped and sat up.

“We don’t have any lube.”

“What about spit?” Lavi asked.

“It’s... not as great as other people make it out to be.” He pushed the memories back. They were forbidden when he was with Lavi. “Trust me, lube is better. Why don’t I just take care of this right here?”

He leaned over, grabbing hold of Lavi’s erection and putting his lips close. He slipped his tongue out and let it glide softly, lightly, teasingly against the tip. Lavi squeaked, his hips lunging forward joltingly.

Yuu moved his supporting hand to Lavi’s hip to stabilize it. He gave a couple teasing rubs with his thumb at the base of Lavi’s erection, brushing at the moist skin of his balls as a happy accident. Lavi gasped beneath him, and Yuu drew his tongue over the tip once more, sliding it around as he grasped Lavi’s erection more fully.

Lavi bucked again, making a mewling sound as he tensed up. Yuu did not have enough time to get fully out of the way, so the result hit his cheek and then splattered its way toward the loose hair at his ear.

“Wow, look at the speed demon,” he said, trying not to scowl.

Lavi blushed further. “Yuu, I’m--I’m so sorry. And it got in your hair. I’ll go get a towel, and we’ll wipe it off, and then we’ll get some shampoo and you’ll shower and--”

“Just a little warning, next time,” Yuu said. Somehow, Lavi’s nattering was rather endearing, allowing him to forget his messiness for a moment and just smile down at the idiot he was ninety-nine percent sure he loved.

Getting up, he grabbed a hand towel and wiped himself off. He got most of it out of his hair, though it wouldn’t truly be gone until he’d bathed.

“Do you, um, still want me to, uh...?” Lavi asked from the bed. He’d pulled his boxers back on.

Yuu smiled. “I think... I would be okay with that.” Because it was Lavi. And it was okay if it was Lavi. And the boy deserved this moment, this intimacy that neither of them had ever experienced before.

He went back over to the bed and sat down. Lavi fumbled with his buckle, having not readily achieved any progress on it before. He’d just gotten it undone when a knock came at the door.

Yuu growled, low and quiet.

“Lavi, get your pants on,” he said quietly.

The knock came again.

“Maybe they’re not here,” said a girl’s voice. Yuu was pretty sure it belonged to Lizzie.

“Or maybe they’re pretending not to be. You guys in?” That voice belonged to Jason, and it was followed by a third set of knocks. The door was unlocked. If they checked the knob...

“Hold on a moment,” Yuu snapped at the door, not really angry. But impatience was always something he despised. Except when he was driving.

Lavi got his pants on, and he arranged the blankets to hide the evidence of their recent activities.

Yuu opened the door.

It was indeed Lizzie and Jason. Lizzie looked fantastic, sporting some sort of faux-fur jacket that Yuu sincerely hoped was actually fake. Her hair glimmered, even beneath the dull dorm lights. She had it in curls today, with minuscule braids emerging here and there. She was very tan as well, as if she’d been somewhere warm. She had a new cast on, this one orange and only covering from just above her elbow to her wrist. Jason looked a bit more worn, as if he hadn’t slept at all--an anomaly for vacation--complete with black-and-blue bags beneath his bloodshot eyes and a slight swaying to his stance.

“You alright?” Yuu asked.

“Yeah, just been studying a bit for my classes next semester,” Jason said. “Can we come in?”

“Sure,” Yuu said. He stepped back to let them in.

“You can sit, you know,” Lavi said, dropping down onto Yuu’s bed. The two grabbed the chairs from the desks and sat, smiling.

“How was your break?” Lizzie asked.

Yuu sat down on his bed as Lavi spoke: “It was good. A bit boring, not all that eventful.”

“Really?”

Lavi nodded, and Lizzie continued, turning to Yuu. “We heard about the trial, Yuu. How you holding up?” Lizzie pulled her fur thing a bit closer.

“Not... terrible, actually. I, uh, dream about him a bit.” Yuu looked down at his lap. He imagined the scars that should be beneath his jeans--none of them created by that man, but all of them caused by his mauling Yuu’s home.

“Oh, wow, I’m sorry. Are they really bad?”

“Not terrible, just disturbing, and they bring up things I don’t want to think about.” Like the bits that came after he had run away. He cast his mind about for a different topic. Anything.

“Oh, I’m sorry for bringing that up.”

“No, it’s okay.”

There was a pause. Lavi sniffled a bit, probably some incoming cold, and Jason shifted in his chair.

“How were your grades for last semester?” Lizzie asked, and the tension broke. Yuu could breathe again.

“I didn’t do so bad,” Yuu said. “Mostly As and Bs.”

“Four-point-oh,” Lavi mumbled.

“How?” Yuu asked, incredulous. “How did you possibly have enough time with your--your insane credit load?”

“Lots of allnighters. Not at first, but then you started sleeping at night, so you didn’t really know I was awake. Also, photographic memory. Most of my classes were lectures, which means tests, not papers.”

“I hate you,” Yuu said. Lavi frowned, letting his lower lip jut out in what Yuu supposed the other boy thought was a pitiable expression.

“You’re so mean to him,” Lizzie said, smiling.

“Yes, you’re so mean to me!”

“Shut up, Lavi.”

Lavi whimpered. Attempting to be surreptitious, Yuu slid his hand behind Lavi and pinched his butt. Lavi yelped.

“Yuu!” He said, and batted at Yuu’s shoulder. Lizzie and Jason shared significant glances.

“How about you guys?” Yuu asked.

“Uh...” Lizzie began. She looked away. “I didn’t really do too good... Cs and Bs mostly, and a D. But that was ‘cause the professor was a cretin!”

“You have yet to convince me of that,” Jason said, “so I doubt they’ll believe you.”

“He was! He didn’t agree with my opinions, so he gave me shitty grades on all my papers!”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I have to retake the class! It was for my major!”

“Well, that’s a good thing, huh?” Jason said. He reached over and patted her shoulder, resting his hand there after completing the motion.

“Oho, what is this?” Lavi asked, voice dripping with innuendo.

“Absolutely nothing. Unlike you, we are not committing dormcest.”

“What, so you can’t date anyone who lives in the same dorm? What bullshit is that?” Yuu said. His hand had yet to move from beneath Lavi’s butt. He glanced briefly at Lizzie, whose head had lowered just slightly. He was no Lavi, but he wasn’t stupid. He could see disappointment on others.

“Not bullshit. Just fact.” Jason’s hand was still on Lizzie’s shoulder, though.

“Sure.”

“Shut up.”

“So did you guys do anything fun over break?” Lavi asked before Yuu could open his mouth again.

“I spent time traveling in Africa with my, uh, father,” Jason said.

“Really? What does your father do?” Lavi asked. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuu saw Lavi lean in a little closer.

“He’s a, um, anthropologist. He was studying some tribes there and took me with him.”

“You didn’t stay home with your mom?”

“No. They were never married and Mom ditched us when I was little.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Nah, I never knew ‘er.”

“What did you do, Lizzie?” Lavi asked, though Yuu noticed he kept his gaze partially on Jason.

“Oh, I was in the south of Italy. Daddy just bought us a summer home there, so we went to check it out.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah, I made out with this Italian guy--damn, was he hot!”

Jason removed his hand. Yuu smirked at him, challenging him to deny it. The boy scowled.

“You didn’t swim, did you?” Lavi asked, gesturing to her cast.

“I did--the doctors gave me a waterproof brace--but it always started to throb when I swam, so I mostly just waded.”

“I’m sad to see the old cast go.”

“I’m not. Damn, it was annoying. And my mom wouldn’t shut up about it. ‘Why’d you choose green’ and other sorts of nagging.”

“So you chose orange to annoy her more?” Yuu asked.

“Yup,” Lizzie said, smiling.

“I saw a commercial for your dad over break,” Yuu said after a few moments of silence. He saw Lavi eye Jason. Yuu glanced in that direction and noticed he was sitting a little straighter, looking at Lizzie again.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.”

“Was it the one I was in, or was it the one where my mom was singing that awful Mozart aria while he talked?”

“Actually, both.”

“Oh, God. I looked terrible, didn’t I?” She put a hand to her face.

“The make-up was a little extreme,” Lavi said with a crooked smile.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about the family values bit. Daddy doesn’t actually care that much, but politically, it gets him more votes.”

“Its weird, considering how much more liberal he used to be,” Lavi remarked, as if he had done a little research or had just watched some political commentary on CNN, which could very well be the case, seeing as Yuu had fallen asleep to more than a few over beak. He knew the redhead still liked to keep on top of emerging movements within the populace. It kept him entertained, apparently.

“Not really, if you consider the sudden upsurge in ‘grass-roots’ family values politics recently, even in the more liberal States. The underlying fear in the American people have made them more susceptible to the sort of extreme right-wing politics that we see with the groundswell of tea-party supporters, forcing more liberal politicians to change their policies in an attempt to steal back votes, forcing a radicalization of the entire political spec... trum. What?”

“I didn’t understand more than half of what you just said,” Lizzie said dryly, looking at him. Just like they all were.

“You don’t understand politics?”

“No, and you do, Mister I-don’t-care-about-anything-but-psychology?” She shot back at him.

“Yeah, that was really astute for someone who isn’t a poly-sci major, and even then,” Lavi said.

“What, I can’t have other interests?”

Yuu looked at the redhead; he seemed to be concerned, or at least concentrating really strongly on what had just been said and then he seemed to think of something.

“What were your grades last semester, Jason?” Lavi asked.

The brunette put a hand behind his head, laughing a bit, “Well, I didn’t wanna brag or anything, but I guess Lavi isn’t the only one who can manage a four-point-oh.”

Lizzie punched his arm. “You bastard, you could’ve been helping me! Every time I complained to you about how hard something was, you could have helped, Mister Know-it-all!”

“Hey, I tried, but learn well from my guidance, you did not!” He cackled.

And she hit him again, chasing him out of the room as he ran for safety.

“See ya!” She said as she darted away.

The door closed.

“Hm,” Lavi said. Yuu put his feet up on the bed and sat cross-legged.

“What’s up?” He asked.

“Something’s up.”

“Really?” Yuu said.

“Yeah.”

“Sure you aren’t being paranoid about this?”

“Yeah. The way he talked... it was like he was reciting.”

“Maybe he’s interested in politics.” Yuu reached out and mussed Lavi’s hair.

“Hey! But seriously... I know that tone of voice. I’ve used it myself.”

“Yeah, it’s your ‘I know more than you know’ voice. Don’t worry about it. Other people watch politics besides you.”

“You don’t,” Lavi said. He looked down at his hands, which were in his lap.

“Yeah, because they’re boring. They all say the same thing and everyone gets angry. So why bother? Plus, Fox News is a piece of shit.”

“Yes, but it’s interesting to see the propaganda and other selective, biased news they’re feeding people. I watch CNN for the same reason. You’re never gonna get the whole story if you don’t watch both and compare opinions.”

“Which is what you think Jason was doing.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t agree. I think you’re overreacting because of Bookman--and don’t you dare say what I think you’re going to say, because there’s no way in hell. And it’s called being an informed voter.”

Lavi shut his mouth.

“There. All better.” Yuu patted his shoulder, leaning forward.

Lavi hit his shoulder. “Don’t treat me like I’m some sick child.”

“I’m not. I--well, I was going to kiss you and now you’ve ruined it.”

“Oh no! Yuuuuu, kiss me, kiss me!”

“Nope,” Yuu said, turning his head away as Lavi lunged toward him.

“C’mon, please?”

“Nope. You’ve been a bad boy, thinking bad things.”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yeah-huh, now shut up and let me push you over.” Yuu grew a wicked smile as he abruptly tackled Lavi, pushing him down into the mattress. Nipping at Lavi’s neck and shoulders and clavicle, Yuu effectively shut down any defense Lavi could have thrown at him. And a quiet Lavi (or a whimpering Lavi, he couldn’t decide which) was far better than a noisy, suspicious Lavi.

---

A/N: Just some quick notes. What Jason said regarding politics was completely true. Also, there was a Senatorial election in 2010, which is the new year they ushered in, so of course there would be commercials already. And though it’s an insignificant detail, a Republican did win the 2010 Massachusetts Senate election. Also, the Tea Party has been supporting people since 2009, so extra points for historical accuracy!
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How to Save a Life