The Gender Bender Incident

Author's Notes: I was having some problems with the text of the last chapter but that's all resolved now! I also mentioned back then that I had to remove part of the story; well, here it is. Figures that my first serious fanfic would be giving me such problems...

Last Time: Blushing furiously as she fidgeted with the buttons of her pajama top. They all noticed that one of the girl's hands was dark red and deformed; the skin built up over the knuckles of her fingers like a knight's gauntlet and the haunting black cross that lay on the back of the palm. All gasped as they themselves came to realization of just who this young, fair haired beauty really was.
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Lavi paced feverishly back and forth in the Order's library. As always, there was no one there. Not even the librarian stayed long during the day. And that was just the way Lavi always liked it, but now it was exactly what he needed. Yesterday, after Kanda had lead the distraught, highly confused, and not to mention embarrassed Allen out of the men's bath room; it finally sunk into Lavi just what he had done to her.

In what must've truly been Allen's moment of greatest weakness Lavi had taken full advantage of it and groped her, no, he totally molested her back then. Whatever the hell had happened to Allen was the fault of Komui and his damn "tinkering." That much Lavi knew. There were lots of rumors going around about what exactly had happened to him but none of it was even close to right. Just like any sort of rumor really. But that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that no matter how many books on emotions, feelings, psychology, self-help, overcoming traumatic events, and how to beg for forgiveness was helping Lavi to figure out how to best, well, beg for forgiveness. He was truly sorry for what he did to her when he should've been there to support and help her.

He stopped at the table that was weighed down with the small mountain of books he was reading and picked up the nearest one. It was about how teens dealt with the ten most likely and depressing issues that they could face in life. Lavi opened the book to a random page that read: "How to cope when you’re supposed loved-one leaves you behind."

Lavi growled as he tossed the book back onto the mountain. Figures, he told himself that would be his luck from now on. Even if by some divine miracle he happened to get Allen's forgiveness, Fate would forever taunt and haunt him for his previous actions. After pacing around the room for another ten or fifteen minutes Lavi went through a whole body muscle spasm that ended with a short but loud yelling sound, and him pulling on his own hair. This had been a normal occurrence for him ever since he watched Kanda walk Allen out of the men's room.

Having watched that entire scene of Kanda redressing Allen an immensely heavy wave of shame washed over him. There was a part of Lavi that wished that the proverbial wave had actually drowned him right then and there. Knowing that Lavi was the source of all that distress for Allen made him immediately wilt back then. Originally, he only intended to glomp Allen and tease her a little, like Lavi always had, then he would stop and serious up. But something went wrong, okay, it went much more than just -wrong-. Something deep inside Lavi's brain snapped and went the distance with Allen despite her feelings.

That same dark and evil part of Lavi's mind had allowed him to enjoy what he was doing to her. He loved how Allen's transformed body felt under his touch. Her tired voice pleading and crying for help as she struggled against Lavi's hold actually felt wonderful. Feeling her body writhe against his was almost like being in ecstasy-NO!! Bad brain! Lavi punished himself by slapping his own face.

Nursing the bruise he gave himself, Lavi thought about how he would tell her he was sorry. Saying it with food was like bribing her to keep it quiet. He knew that no card or personally dictated sonnet would ever mean anything to Allen. And he didn't even know what kind of flowers Allen to give her, or even if she liked flowers at all.

Lavi sighed heavily. No point in beating around the bush any further, he told himself.

Leaving the mini-mountain of books as is, Lavi left the library and headed for Allen's bedroom. At first his pace was that of a quick march but the closer he got to the private quarter’s corridor the slower and tentative his feet became. After what seemed like an eternity Lavi had finally arrived at the corridor that housed Allen's bedroom. He wanted to continue forward but his feet might as well have been made of the same stone as the floor was. No matter how much he willed it, Lavi's feet just wouldn't move.

With a few more sharp smacks to his own face, Lavi finally regained control of his own body and finished the walk to Allen's bedroom. He raised his hands to knock but froze up once again. Lavi shook his head violently, reminding himself what he came here to do he knocked on the door and waited for a response.

"For the last time, Johnny, I don't need any more consoling!" Allen's feminine voice came through the door.

"I'm not Johnny,” Lavi paused. "Look, I, I,” He could already feel the tension mounting in the air despite the door. He took a deep breath before continuing: "Just, never mind. Sorry if I bothered you. I'll be going now." Lavi quickly finished as he turned away from the door.

"No, wait. You can come in."

Lavi whipped his head around when he heard Allen's reply. He couldn't help but wonder if she lost her mind. How could she still trust him to let her into her room? Maybe she had someone in there with her? Maybe Kanda had been staying with her the entire time? Crap, he thought to himself. If Kanda really were in there then maybe it was so he could kill Lavi without any witnesses. If so, then its not very likely that Allen would testify against Kanda after what Lavi had done. Despite his fears and anxieties, Lavi pressed forward: "I'm coming in then." He said before opening the door.

Allen's room was exactly like he had remembered it; a stone room with wooden furniture neatly kept together-even the personal touches was in strictly in line. An OCD trait that Allen had mysteriously picked up during his years as General Cross' student. The only thing out of place was the female Allen sitting on her bed, protectively shielding herself with a pillow instead of running up to greet him. Having those silver eyes cautiously watch him from atop the pillow was gut-wrenching for Lavi. He gently closed the door and took up seat in the desk's chair. Lavi sat in the chair like he would always sit: backwards in the chair so that he could use his arms as a headrest on the chair's back. After he sat down, Lavi shuffled his feet, unsure how to say what he wanted to.

Having grown fed up with the awkward silence between the two, Allen began to speak but Lavi interrupted as he blurted out:

"I'm sorry! Okay? I'm so, so sorry!" Allen could only blink in response as Lavi continued. "I never, never, ever, never should've done that to you-but I did! And there's no excuse for it!" Lavi cried as he stood up knocking over the chair he once sat in down. "I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me, and you have every right, too." He stated as he headed back for the door. "And I should just-"

"No, no, wait, Lavi! It's okay. I forgive you." Allen grabbed Lavi's hand as he walked past her.

"Huh?" Lavi was dumbstruck. He looked down at the pale youth who smiled slightly up at him. It was a small, pained smile, but an earnest one nonetheless. "You damn idiot,” Lavi let out trudged as he collapsed onto his hands and knees.

"Lavi!" Scared, Allen jumped off of her bed and onto the floor in front of the confused redhead.

"Dammit, how, why,” A strange half-grunt-half-growl escaped from Lavi's throat. "How can you just take me back so easily?!" He asked looking straight at her.

"Because the first thing you did was apologize. Even before you came in, you said that you were sorry. And I believe you." Allen explained. Lavi's jaw fell open and his eye widened in disbelief when he heard what she had to say.

"I'm not sure I deserve a friend like you, Allen-chan." Lavi said tiredly as he collapsed onto his side.

"Lavi, stop that." Allen ordered. "If you keep falling over like that I'll tell the Head Nurse that you're not feeling well."

"Alright, alright already. Sorry." Lavi picked himself so he sat directly in front of Allen.

"You don't have to apologize to me anymore. But you should apologize to the chair." Allen joked as she pointed to the chair that Lavi knocked over earlier.

"Jeez, you're really an annoying person to like." Lavi chuckled a little as he ran his fingers through his hair. He then noticed a line of pink form across Allen's face. "Oh, come of it, already! You know how I feel about you."

"I know, I know. You told me how you felt back on the Ark." Allen tried to defend herself but she could feel her face growing hotter as Lavi stared at her. "And I also told how I felt, so,"

"So,” Lavi interrupted her. "That's why what I did was so terrible. And that also why I won't ever let something like that happen to you again." Lavi gently pulled Allen into his arms. Her head rested in the crook of his neck and shoulder while his arms wrapped around her. He then whispered into her ear: "I'll always be there to protect you, I promise."
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Author's Notes: I'm curious, does everyone forgive Lavi now? 'Cause that's kinda what I'm hoping for. R & R please!