{A/N: Hey everyone! It's Sybil. I guess I intended to edit this piece, but I found myself rewriting it completely. So here it is everyone: my extremely long return piece. Enjoy!}

The Exorcists returned from Southeast Asia the previous day. They were all exhausted, but the mission was successful. They had their bags packed full of artifacts lent to them by the various villages and tribes they encountered on their journey... You would research each one for any presence of Innocence. If there was none, you investigated for any other physical or mystical properties they possessed. Then, you finally determined whether they were safe to return to the locals, or if they had to be sealed in the archives.

You had been working in the labs for a few months. Not that anyone paid the lab researchers much mind; they were only there to be bullied by Komui. The labs were a large open room, with various work tables, chalkboards, and stacks of paper. Beyond this room, the infirmary, the pharmacy, and then the surgical room.

On the day you met him, Lavi was seeking more antibacterial pads for his eyepatch, or at least, that's what he said. It was true, he needed more pads for his eye. But as well, Lavi was looking for any other fun things the pharmacy had in stock. He had once found a vial of ketamine in the infirmary, lying about- forgotten. Luckily, he came along, to relieve it from their hands. He was willing to take any other spare pharmaceuticals they had, as Lavi wasn't particular with his buzz.

The lab was occupied, but it was much calmer than it usually was. There was a small group going over reports, and a few others hanging around a computer. These were all familiar faces, names he had chosen to forget. Except yours. He didn't know you. You were standing in front of the mass spectrometer, examining its molecular composition. He lingered, out the corner of your eye. You turned your head away from the screen, "Can I help you?"

"Ah, I believe you can... I need the key," Lavi indicated over his shoulder to the pharmacy. You finished scribbling some notes and dug into your coat for the key, unlocking it for him, "Can I get ya anything else?"

"No... thank you though." You gave him a smile, turned to leave, but he stopped you, taking a gentle grip of your elbow. "But, hey-"

You turned to him, your gaze falling on his hand. He let go, flustered, "Ah sorry, I just... uh, don't know your name."

"______. I thought you knew everything," you hummed.

He blinked, "Do you know who I am?"

"You mean the devilish ginger I've heard so much about?" you smirked, brushing the hair from your face. "I can only guess. You have a pretty sordid reputation among the girls around here, Lavi."

"That bad? I didn't think I was that cruel," he ran fingers through his hair. "Well, that's unfortunate. I hope that doesn't deter you from approaching me in the future..."

You shook your head, "I'm not one to trust gossip. Well, at least, not without my own insight. I can't take other people's words for someone else's character. I guess, I did picture you to be bolder..."

"Am I as good-looking as they say?" He held his chin and flashed you a fetching smile.

"I don't know. You're definitely not as annoyingly charming as I thought you'd be," you teased. His eyes crinkled in the corner and a deep laugh erupted from his chest as a healthy hue broke across his face. You couldn't help but grin at the display; Lavi was handsome when he laughed. You had only seen glimpses of him around, but he seemed more serious than he let off. Though he was a funny guy and seemed fairly kind, something about his friendliness seemed overtly manufactured, and you didn't trust it.

He collected himself, "Sorry, usually girls aren't so frank with me."

"I don't imagine they would be," you hummed, twirling a piece of hair. "After all, who else here is going to indulge in the whims of the women here? Komui?"

He fell silent. Lavi's pretty expression turned into a shameless leer, as he scanned your figure. His green eye cut away from you, and scanned the rest of the room to affirm that everyone else was still attending to their mundane duties. Lavi closed the gap between you and him. When his gaze returned to yours, it had turned steely, fixated upon your neck. You felt he could subdue you at any moment. Amusement still clear in his face, he leaned down and said quietly in your ear, "Well, what about you, ______?"

You rubbed the back of your neck, anxiously, "What about me?"

Lavi's long fingers fell on the collar of your shirt, just barely caressing the skin on your chest, "Do you have any whims I can indulge?"

You imagined your face, beet red. You imagined that you were shaking. You had to imagine these things because you were too embarrassed to be self-aware. Instead, you were stuck, imagining your dumb expression. You could imagine every feature on your face flashing anxiety, revealing to him the alarm that was rushing through your veins. All you could think to do was to stare at the tips of your shoes. Though your reaction entertained him, Lavi dropped his hand and withdrew from you. When you raised your head, he was already walking away, back turned to you, "I'll see you tomorrow, ______."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Lavi came back. Again, and again, and again. To bother you during your work, to show you something he read in a book. Soon, it wasn't only Lavi meeting you in the lab, or in the rare text room. Very quickly, it turned into a routine to seek each other out for lunch, to meet during breaks. You found all of your free time being consumed by him, but you didn't mind. Lavi was a decent person, despite his own lechery towards any female that walked his way

The truth was that none of them really enticed him. Lavi wasn't interested in the girls at the Order, and he never was. Lavi was not inexperienced with touch. In fact, it might have been his drug of choice. Although self-medicating with the drugs in the pharmacy did their job, his high was of a more carnal desire. It was easy to find young willing aides around the Black Order to taunt and prostrate, for the sake of getting off. The more devout the Catholic, the more unusual the sex.

And sex, if we were being completely honest, was not the essence of love, it was only a form of it. Without it, sex was mechanical, still to be enjoyed, even savored. And partaking in it was not considered taboo, this is what Bookmen typically believed. Love, however, was fluid. It spilled easily from its container and was quick to stain anything it touched, and this was why it was best left untouched.

After the years of training with the art of manipulation, he was not as genuine as he seemed. And after years of practicing the control of his emotions, Lavi was not as altruistic as he appeared. In fact, he was self-aware of his own sadism. It was why he was so excited to see you again.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

"Oi, _______!"

You looked over your shoulder, watching as Lavi approached, a big grin on his face, "Are you still working?"

You checked your watch, maneuvering around the fat stack of papers you clung to your chest.

"For the next hour, but after that, I don't think Komui can get away with slave-driving me anymore. What's up?"

Lavi's head cocked to the side, and he said in a coy voice, "What are you talking about? I wanted to see you again, ______."

"I don't trust you."

Lavi grinned, "As you shouldn't... Seriously though, I want to show you something when you were done. I'll be waiting for you in the library when you're done here if you're not too tired."

You watched him leave, wondering what on earth he could possibly show you. Turning back to the lab, you could only hear the sound of your own heels down the hall as you fell into deep thought. Lavi's reputation really was as sour as you said. You knew girls in the dorms so devoted to garnering his attention and favor that it felt cultish. And then there were others who were so against him it felt like a public vendetta.

Neither side would reveal many details about him, especially those who had previous relations with him. You hadn't made up your mind about him yet, only ascertaining that he was a.) incredibly suave b.) much more intelligent than he let off and c.) always churning gears. You could see it behind his eyes, and you didn't know yet if it made him amiable, or untrustworthy. It seemed he was always playing a game, even if the other players didn't know it yet.

Perhaps Lavi was just as bold as you first imagined him to be.

"______."

You jumped, turning behind you again. Komui was sticking his head into the hall from an open doorway, "The lab is this way."

"Ah right."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Lavi sat on an oak table, reading a book on philosophy. The library was empty, save the librarian herself, who could barely hear anyway. It was a peaceful place, with its ornate bookshelves and thick study tables. This brought him back to many years ago when he first arrived on the European Branch's doorstep. He smiled, he had some particularly fond memories of this place.You arrived right as he expected you, hair still pulled out of your face from your workday. You approached his spot atop the library table, "So, Lavi, what was it that you wanted to show me?"

Lavi grinned, "Follow me."

He escorted you through the library, ducking between shelves three times your size. He looked over his shoulder and shot you a mischievous look, "So you came?"

"You were vague, I couldn't help but be curious."

Lavi stopped in front of a door in the corner of the library. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He glanced back at you before opening the door. He pushed it open, revealing a dark room, nodding to you to enter. You raised your eyebrows but took a few careful steps inside. He flicked the light on behind you, and a dim lamp turned on in the furthest corner.

It was a simple room, not small but not particularly large, with a sofa and a lounge table. Lavi lightly touched your waist, guiding you forward, "Go ahead."

You approached the table and noticed there were some framed pictures laid out on the table. Lavi moved around your body and took a spot on the couch. He didn't look at you but gestured you to come closer. You hovered over the table, peering down at the frames. Poetry?

"This is the rare text section. Komui gave me the key a long time ago. We switch the materials out to let the paper breathe," Lavi was careful to the picture frames, running a cotton cloth over the glass. "A lot of them are limited edition, some are signed."

"Do you take care of them?"

He shook his head, "Archive interns take care of them, I only study them. I just make sure they're not forgotten or destroyed in case of an emergency. Though I've often wondered whether my help would even be needed, this room is fireproof, as well as soundproof. I come here to read when it gets too busy for me to concentrate."

You smiled, staring at the handwritten words in Lavi's hand, "This is really cool, Lavi. Are these all of the ones we have?"

"No, these are just the delicate ones. I'm putting them up in a bit, but while I had them pulled out, I thought perhaps you would like to see them before they went back into the archive room. Here-" Lavi handed you a frame, with a particularly tattered page of parchment.

You took a seat beside him, resting the frame on your thighs, "Sed Non Satiata... Baudelaire?"Lavi nodded, "Never Satisfied. I'm terrible at French, but it's a personal favorite. Here, let me-" Lavi lifted the piece gingerly from your fingertips. He was gentler with the piece than you thought he could be for someone of such size and strength.

[Strange goddess, brown as evening to the sight,
Scented with the perfume of Havana and musk,
Work of some obeah, Faust of the savanna,
Ebony witch, and daughter of the night.

By far preferred to troth, or drugs, or sleep,
Love vaunts the red elixir of your mouth.
My caravan of longings seeks in drouth
Your eyes, the wells at which my cares drink deep.

From out these wide black eyes which are your spirit's vent,
Heap fires less fierce upon me.
O impenitent, I am no Styx to clasp you times nine.
I am no lustful Fury to exhaust your lust,
To break your vigor or to make you bite the dust
Or in your bed's hell turn into a Proserpine.]

You smiled and gave him a small round of applause. Lavi turned back to you, bowing his head with a sheepish grin, "Or something like that. Again, I'm not too proud of my French."

You shook your head, "No, I thought that was excellent! Much better than I could have done. I don't know much French, but I thought your pronunciation sounded just right."

He ran fingers through his hair and gave you a tender look, "Ah you're too kind, ______. I knew it since I first met you... "

"Oh really?" you leaned across his lap, brushing away a piece of dust from the glass. "What made you think that?"

You raised your head, and as soon as you did, he pressed his lips into yours. Lavi's mouth was warm. His lips were buttery, and sweet like mint. You pulled away, your back now against the arm of the sofa. His teeth ran against your bottom lip, and he took the opportunity to place his hand down against your chest, holding you down against the couch. You attempted to raise yourself up, but he pressed his palm into your ribcage, eager to crush you with his weight if you did not yield to him. "Um, Lavi..."

You could feel his hand take hold of the side your face. His hand slid down your face, falling on your neck, where his thumb rubbed the exposed skin of your throat. All the while, his knee slipping between your legs, pressing against you. You placed your hands against his chest, holding him back, "H-Hey, uh, what do you think you're doing?"

Lavi watched you, his good eye was now devoid of the sensitivity he displayed for you before. Now there was only the smug expression he gave you now, and it only contained vulgar intentions. The hand he was using to hold you down slowly lifted your shirt, exposing the skin of your stomach. Lavi licked his lips, breath getting shallow, "Don't tell me you didn't want this... I won't believe you, ______."

You swallowed, your hands still pushing him away with what little strength you had. You could only hear a small voice distantly protesting his advances. You could only assume was your own pleas, falling silent on his ears as well as your own. He could not resist giving another charming laugh, and it echoed in your head, "You're so cute when you're nervous... You're not really repulsed by me, ______. You're just doing what we all do, isn't that right? Pretending to be uninterested, feigning disgust..." His lips fell on your neck, "Don't worry... with me, you don't have to pretend, ______."

You needed him off of you, you needed to breathe. With all your might, you shoved him away. You did like Lavi. You did want his attention, his affection, and his embrace. You really did, but his grip on you hurt, the kisses he pressed into your skin were hot and wet. It was too soon, too sudden, and all too much for you at that moment. You covered your face with your hands as tears leaked down your face. At that moment, Lavi knew he had pushed you too soon, and he felt guilty. You wiped your face, whispering, "I'm gonna go..."

But as you stood to leave, Lavi caught your wrist. You looked down at him, and saw the distraught on his face, the apologetic look in his eyes. Lavi spoke softly, "I'm sorry, please don't leave... I didn't think I would hurt you like that. You know I would never hurt you, right ________?"

Lavi's hold was gentle, and he guided you to sit back on the couch. You warily watched his hands, but they did not move as before. They did not grope or dig into your skin, they tenderly touched your arm, almost too delicately for you to notice. He gently stroked the tears from your eyes and in a hushed voice said, "Hey, I'm sorry... I'm sorry, ______... I don't know what I was thinking. You'll forgive me, right?"

He wasn't acting, and he wasn't being disingenuous. He just went too far. You could feel self-reproach in his fingertips, and you felt you could forgive him if only this once. You nodded, and a Lavi squeezed your hand in his own, "I would never do anything to hurt you, _______."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Lavi had been undergoing a bout of terrible sleep. At first, e would awake in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat. He would splash water on his face and take a sleeping pill and then go back to bed. But soon, sleeping pills didn't help, nor did any of his other drugs. He would stare at the ceiling, into a black hole, for hours until daybreak. He found himself spacing out in meetings, dozing off into his books. He felt sluggish, drained.

Of course, it was because of you. He did what he could, to make up for his behavior in the rare text room. It wasn't the first time he had done that, but it was the first time he meant it. Seeing you breakdown from his touch made his heartache in a way he never thought it could. The image was still affecting him long after you stopped crying, long after you had left his presence. You had asked him to give you space and he said he would, but he couldn't help but linger in the background. He was waiting for the moment when you returned to him.

Even though he often came off as a li Lavi was actually a sad person, needed something to fill the emptiness he felt. He was not ill-experienced with the idea of touch, just the idea of being touched by someone he loved. This was because, as a Bookman, he wasn't allowed the luxury of love. Love, camaraderie were things that needed to be suppressed. Lavi had shared a bed with many women, a way to cope with the inherent loneliness that came with his responsibilities. Their sole passion had to lie in the preservation of history. Nothing could be deemed more important than that. Yet here Lavi was, stirring the waters, kicking up dust. For what? Nothing. In the end, he could bring you nothing. This knowledge hurt more than the worst of his scabbed-over scars or shattered bones. He felt a stabbing pain in the deepest caverns of his chest, and it felt like a slow death, clawing at him from the inside.

He was hot, then cold. He tossed in his bed, restless. The clock read 1:58, and Lavi covered his face with his pillow. He flipped over on his stomach, and then he sat up. He turned on his light letting his eyes adjust. He stared at his feet, flat on the floor, his head was swimming. He stood, his body feeling sore. Sweat poured down his back. He felt feverish all over, physically exhausted but his head throbbing as if thousands of hooves beat along his temples. Lavi was usually careful to step around the various stacks of books scattered about his room. In his confusion, he knocked several of them over. He made his way to the bathroom, finally taking a look at his face.

He looked worn out. He ran a hand through his thick hair, now sticking together by the cold sweats that ran up and down his body. Lavi rested his cheek against the cool mirror, watching as his breath fogged up the glass.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Things did not go back to normal immediately. After Lavi assuaged you, which involved a lot of apologizing and petting of your head on his part, you explained that you would like some time alone. He understood and told you to take as long as you needed, and he would wait for you. That afternoon, you left the rare text room, and hurried back to your dorms, to take a cold shower.

The next day, even though you had asked for space, you noticed Lavi lingering outside the labs. He looked like a dog that had been put outside because it got in the trash. His face really was that pitiable. You ignored his presence and pretended to be oblivious when others pointed it out. Others had asked what happened between the two of you, you ignored the current rumors about Lavi and yourself. It wasn't their business.

Finally, you had enough of all of it. The casual teasing from your coworkers. The stares you got in the hallways from Lavi's many other conquests. Not to mention, Lavi himself bothering you with his constant, distant presence. You stood from your table in a start, marching over to his place in the hallway. He nonchalantly leaned against a wall, reading a book. When he noticed you approaching, a smile spread across his face, "Ah, ______-"

You grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him off balance. You dragged his face down to yours, and locked lips with him. His breath caught and as he pushed back against you, you withdrew. You crossed your arms, "Now get the fuck out of here! I'm trying to work and I'm tired of seeing your face."

Lavi was ecstatic. If he were a dog, you could imagine him thumping his tail against the floor. He grinned, and pointed to his lips, "Another?"

You rolled your eyes and turned away from him, "Later. I'm done with my shift."

You returned to your desk and smiled to yourself, as you saw Lavi trot off, a smile on his own face.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Saturday was when Lavi asked if you wanted to join him for a trip into town. It was perhaps the first real date you had with him. You were particularly excited because you had lately felt suffocated by the walls of the Black Order. You threw on a dress, ran a comb through your hair, and waited for him outside the gates, letting the sun soak into your skin.

He showed up soon after you, greeting you with a gentle smile and a hug. You gave him a squeeze and suggested that perhaps you both should head on. It was strange to see him outside when you had only seen him within the context of the lab. You thought he looked better in the sunlight than those harsh fluorescents.

It was a lovely day, perfect for walking. Cool and dry in the woods. You both walked in silence, just admiring how in bloom everything was. Everything was ripe, the entire air smelled sultry sweet, and you could almost see pollen dripping from their petals. You were so captivated by all the blooming foliage that you hadn't noticed Lavi pluck a carnation. You turned to speak to him, and he slid the stem into your hair. You grinned at him, "Maybe we should go out for a walk here more often..."

Lavi laced his fingers into yours, "Would you like that?"

"...Hey Lavi," you looked up at him. He glanced down at your grinning face, "You really like me, don't you?"

Lavi had stopped in the path. You stopped beside him, looking up at him. "Do you, ______?"

You kept a hold of his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, "I do. I was a bit spooked at one point but... I trust you. I just wanted to know if you trusted me in the same way..."

You could feel his hands turn clammy in your grip. His mouth twitched as if he intended to speak, but couldn't bring out his voice. You thumbed the crook of his hand, soothing him with a reassuring smile. Lavi's eye darted across the facets of your face, before reaching up to seize your face, "I do. Of course, I like you, _______. I adore you. You're... everything. Just please... Please don't leave... Don't say no to me." Lavi chewed on his bottom lip, cheeks flushed. His grip on you was firm, terrified to let go. It was as if he believed that the tighter he held you, the more likely you would choose him.

You hummed, smirking up at him, "Hey Lavi? You're cute when you're nervous~"

He wrapped his arms around you, lips against yours, "Just shut up already."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

You still couldn't believe that Lavi got his own room. Even as a second-level research assistant, you were expected to share a dorm with nine other tittering girls. Exorcists had their own room and only shared their bathroom. Otherwise, they had their own space, big enough for a full-size dresser. For the first time in a while, you experienced a silence that you thought you would never hear again. Lavi wrapped his arms around your waist, kissing your neck, "______..."

"Hey Lavi..." you turned over, touching his chest. "You wanna take a break?"

He didn't answer, his mouth was busy trailing down your chest. Lavi was insatiable, as you soon learned. His hands constantly wandered along the bends and curves of your body, and he couldn't seem to stop himself from fondling you. Anytime you tried to stand to use the restroom or get dressed, he was bringing you back down, to smother you in his affection. You weren't sure how much time had passed, but every moment had been spent keeping Lavi's attention on you. He lifted himself off the mattress, hovering from your face, "______."

"Hm?" You wanted to sleep. You needed a nap, to close your eyes. But he was awake, and he wanted more. He wanted your sounds, your expressions, your taste. He only wanted you.

"Say it," he

You wrapped your arms around his neck, your voice low, "I love you. I love you. I love you."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Lavi finally had you. His spirit settled, his soul was content. He had you. He had you now, just within his reach. You had asked if you could stay with him. He, of course, agreed to let you share his space. His new favorite activity was making you late for work with his incessant friskiness, silver tongue, and deft probing.

So why was he so... angry?

When you were absent, every moment that passed was torture. Everything was a threat, a challenge. Lavi rarely left the room, preferring to wait for you to return. His absence brought the attention of his supervisors.

You were trying to sneak out before lunch call, to get a plate for Lavi before the line got long. Komui caught you in his peripherals, "_____, mind hanging back for a moment?"

The other lab attendants filed out into the hall, towards the cafeteria. You meandered to his workspace, "What's up?"

Komui took off his glasses, wiping away dust, "Look... I know you're not responsible for Lavi, _____. But I would appreciate it if you asked him to attend a meeting tomorrow, it is important."

You nodded, "Alright. Anything else?"

"No... But ______, how is he doing?"

"What do you mean?"

Komui slid his glasses back on and leaned back in his chair, hands clasped together, "He's not irritable... I don't know, depressed, maybe?

You shrugged, "He seems tired but he's in good spirits. I wouldn't say that there seems to be anything wrong."

He sighed, waving his hand, "Alright, well that's all for now... Thank you for your time."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

That night, you turned on the shower, getting the water hot. You shook Lavi, "Hey, smelly. Get up."

"Mmph."

"Hurry up, while there's still warm water," you tugged on his arm until he was upright. He had a major case of bedhead, and he hadn't swept the sand from his eyes. You pulled him into the bathroom, Lavi sluggishly shuffling behind you, yawning. You pulled off his shirt and flicked some water from the shower head at his face. He recoiled from the spray. You touched his cheek, carefully slipping off his leather patch, revealing the gauze taped to his socket. He turned away from you, peeling away the bandage. Lavi dropped his shorts and stepped into the shower stall. You leaned against the bathroom counter, speaking over the rush of water, "Komui told me that you've got a meeting tomorrow. Did you hear about it?"

"Yeah, Allen stopped by earlier."

"You're going, right?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Well, I heard you hadn't been checking in with your supervisors..."

"When we got back from Asia, I told them not to bother me until they had another assignment ready"

"So you're leaving soon?"

"Maybe. I don't know yet, no information has been disclosed yet."

"But you are going to the meeting tomorrow, right?"

Lavi pulled back the curtain, giving you an exasperated, "I don't know, _______. Are you going to interrogate me all night, or are you getting in this shower too?"

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

He woke up early that morning, so as not to wake you. It was your off-day, and you had been talking about sleeping in that entire week. He slipped on a shirt, his pants, and quietly shut the door behind him. The hallways were totally empty, as it was still before dawn. Lavi knew who undoubtedly would be awake, and headed there now, the sound of his steps echoing off the walls.

Lavi soon found himself outside the dim laboratory. The only sign of life was the trail of light that streamed from Komui's office. He lurked in the dark, stepping wordlessly through the room. He peered between the frame and the door, his eye falling at the man behind the desk. Komui was hunched over a report, fingers on his temple. An empty cup of coffee rested beside his hand. Lavi knocked on the door, once. Komui jumped, his head snapping up, "Come in."

Lavi pushed the door open but loomed in the frame. Komui sighed, "My God, you startled me. What are you doing up at this time?"

"I don't know, what are you doing?"

Komui's eyes remained on Lavi for a moment, before gathering his papers, "I was reviewing the materials for the next mission before I revealed it to everyone else."

"Where is it?" He crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe.

"The base will be in Tehran, but you'll spend most of your time at a temple about 50 miles outside of it." Komui glanced up at Lavi, "You don't seem to be pleased."

Lavi kicked his foot, "I don't care."

"Now that's obviously not true," he tossed the stack on his desk and thumbed his nose. "Lavi, please... Take a seat..."

Lavi closed the door behind him. He strolled to the chair, opposite of Komui. He kicked up his foot, resting his ankle on his knee and leaning back into the chair. Komui opened a drawer, setting on the desk an empty vial. He clasped his hands together and said, "Allen had found this lying on the floor in your room. This is a bottle of Laudanum, Lavi. What were you even doing with it?"

He looked away, "Who's to say that its mine?"

Komui sighed, "Lavi, please. I doubt Allen would lie about this."

"You must forget Allen can play coy just as well as I can."

"Please be transparent with me. I'm trying to help. Don't think I don't know that this isn't the first time you've raided my pharmacy. These drugs have dangerous psychoactive properties, Lavi. You could get addicted, you could overdose and die."

Lavi dug his little finger in his ear, ignoring him. Komui began again, trying a new approach, "You're worrying your friends. Look, the point of this isn't to punish anyone. I'm simply trying to understand. If you have a problem, we can-"

"I don't."

Komui took off his glasses and pinched his nose, "You're being more difficult than need be."

"Tch."

There was a moment of silence, as Komui slid his glasses back on. He took the vial and inspected it, "Strange, isn't it...?"

Lavi glanced back at him, "What?"

"It's just strange that this all came to light almost immediately after you began bedding my lab tech. Perhaps it would be best if we let them go, sent them back to their home country with a fresh memory wipe-"

Lavi's body moved on his own. One moment, he was at ease sitting with his back against the chair. The very next, he was scaling over the desk, his body quaking with rage. He seized Komui by the coat, striking him in the nose. Lavi dropped him, and Komui fell back in his chair, attempting to stop the blood now spewing from his nose. He reached for tissues, pressing clumps of them against his face. Komui pulled off his glasses, shutting his eyes, "Fuck... I think you broke my nose."

Lavi's feet were flat against the desk, and he hung in a low squat in front of Komui's shocked face. A smirk played against his lips, "Don't be shocked, boss. You knew this was going to happen. Did you really think I would let you erase ______'s memories? Stupid, even for you."

Lavi rested his head in his hands, a playful twinkle in his eye, "Hey, wanna know a secret, boss?"

He leaned forward, a finger raised against his lips as he spoke in a low whisper, "I was coming here to kill you anyway."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

You awoke early, earlier than you intended. You rolled over, "Lavi, you're horrible... what did I say...?"

He ran fingers through your hair, "I'm so sorry, _____. If it were my choice, I'd let you sleep in..."

You sat up, looking for a clock or a watch to check. You scratched your head, "What time is it?"

"Almost six."

You stretched your legs, rubbing grog from your eyes. It was strange that Lavi was up, and fully dressed. You could see from the light outside that it was still in the hours before dawn. You looked about the room and recognized his bag packed by his feet. "Are you leaving already, Lavi?"

"Not without you."

"...What?" It was then that you noticed he not only had his bag packed, but he had taken the liberty of packing yours as well. You shook your head awake, "Wait... What do you mean?"

"A mission, I'll explain it all to you. Come on, get dressed."

You slid out from under the covers. Lavi had laid out clothes on the bed for you to wear. Feeling disoriented, you dressed and slid on your loafers. Lavi leaned back on his elbows and staring a hole into the ceiling. When you had finished combing out your hair, he stood up, grabbing a bag in each hand. You opened the door for him, still unsure of what exactly was going on.

He was quiet, walking down the halls. Everything in The Black Order was silent that day, the only sound being the distant snoring of all those who resided there. You followed behind him, afraid to break the hush throughout the halls. You accompanied Lavi to the front entrance, where you pushed open the heavy doors.

It was a grey morning, and there was a distant rumble of thunder. Lavi began the journey to town, craning his neck back to you, "Hurry up, _____. Before the storm hits."