My Damsel Breathes Fire - Chapter 2

[misstercackles]

My Damsel Breathes Fire
By Misster Cackles


: / / / / :

Ten months earlier ~

The Earl smiled at Tyki and tossed him a card.

With ease, the Portuguese gambling Noah leaned up in his chair and set his hand on the table top just as the card slid under it. Tyki set his other arm on the table, propped on its elbow so he could lean on it, obviously bored with how slow the process on rebuilding the egg was. The Earl and Lulu Bell (only because she kissed ass) insisted that they needed more akuma even though there were thousands already scattered around the world. No egg meant no akuma, no akuma meant no new akuma, no new akuma meant few Exorcists on the field, and with few Exorcists on the field meant that Tyki or Rhode couldn't have much fun.

Tyki flipped the card over in his hand and was greeted with the low, morning:

"Delete... Deleeete... Deeeleeete..." Another name card. With nothing else better to do, Tyki let his bright eyes scan the names written on the walls behind the Keeper of the List Cage.

Moments later, Tyki looked up at the Earl who was seated across the circular table from him with surprise while the ghoulish man just smiled back. Unable to keep the question to himself, Tyki asked:

"...Why Bookmen?"

: / / / / :

One month later (nine months earlier) ~

Lavi entered and scanned the cafeteria, expecting to see the large stack of empty bowls that indicated that Allen was there for breakfast, yet the stacks of bowls were missing and alas, so was Allen. Lavi didn't even frown, not too concerned that Allen hadn't shown up for breakfast; it was still what Allen called an ungodly hour, even long after the time Yu wakes up. Bunny ears perked and sent his eyes searching again for his long-time best friend, knowing he should probably be down here by now, slurping his soba. The bunny ears deflated as he shuffled with a sigh to the kitchen counter; Yu wasn't around, either...

"Oi! Jerry!" Lavi called into the steaming kitchen, leaning as far as he could in. Now December, the days were terribly cold in Europe; stove heaters were just installed into the entire Order member's room by November, but everyone wore heavy shawls and many layers of clothing when roaming the stone-cold corridors. The cafeteria was very warm, thanks to the constant fire going on for cooking. It looked to be a harsh winter, but Lavi was sure if everyone bundled up and slept with extra quilts, they'd make it.

The flamboyant Indian man came to greet him, cheerful as ever and wearing the same no-sleeved shirt as always. The redhead muttered under his breath, rather envious for the chef who kept warm all day.

"Why good morning, darlin' bunny! What can I make for you today, sweet cheeks?" Jerry pulled out a notepad and pencil from his waist apron, posing for his order. Lavi considered and glanced over to the food that was prepared on the long open counter but didn't see anything he felt like eating. He shrugged.

"Can you just get me a tall mug of hot chocolate?"

Jerry smiled and pocketed the paper and pencil, "Sure thing, Hun; wait one moment!"

"Make that two, please, Jerry! And a coffee for Komui, please!" The head chef looked back, and smiled brighter at the name of his best friend. He nodded and went to work.

Lavi looked over his left shoulder, raising a hand to Lenalee in greeting, lips lifting. "Hey." She covered her mouth and gave a yawn in return, which squeaked a little at the end. Lavi noted her appearance was more ruffled and she had outlines of circles under her eyes.

“You alright?”

Lenalee blinked at him, "Hu? Of course; a little tired, but fine: Allen, Kanda and Marie left on a mission earlier this morning, around three," - Lavi made an 'oh' sound; that was the reason he wasn't seeing them - "and I wanted to see them off." Jerry came back with the drinks and set them on the counter, leaving immediately now that it was starting at the time that the scientists came in from their all-nighters to consume abnormal amounts of coffee themselves.

The redhead fixed Lenalee with a questionable look, and asked seriously, "Did you even go to bed last night, Lenalee?" She hesitantly shook her head with a sheepish smile, a light blush coming on her cheeks, and said Johnny wanted to inspect the crystal anklets some more to see if he could get anymore data on the new Innocence form. Lavi sighed, pushing a mug towards her.

"Drink your sweet then head to bed; I'll get you up in a couple of hours, and I'll go on and take the coffee to Komui." Lavi said, and before she could even being her protest, he took the last two mugs in both hands. He gave her a wide grin and they shared good-byes, Lavi watching her sip her mug as she head off to the Exorcists dorms, a small sigh leaving his mouth in a somewhat longing way. The Bookman Junior turned the opposite direction.

Lenalee didn’t bother to hide her attraction for Allen, yet was oblivious to Lavi’s attraction towards her as Allen was about hers. She seemed even more determined to get Allen to notice her in a romantic way when Kanda had come forward and demanded the for the moyashi to go out with him; Lenalee started to pull her skirt higher around her waist while at home enough that it showed parts of her thighs and hovering around the science departments where Allen usually popped up to get his Innocence examined. Lavi was just surprised that Kanda hadn’t said anything on it yet, the possessive bastard he was; surely he’s noticed her attempts.

On the way to the stairs that lead to Komui’s office, Johnny and Reever passed him and they exchanged greetings, and Lavi hurried to tell Johnny not to keep Lenalee up so long next time when he wanted to see her Innocence. Reever coughed and continued ahead to the cafeteria while Johnny stopped in his tracks, giving a perplexed look up at the Bookman.

“What? Lenalee didn’t come to see me at all last night,” Johnny said, “She came in and pulled Reever out for a while, however.” Johnny leaned in close, putting a hand by his mouth and gestured to the science department head officer by pointing. “It’s rather obvious, but Komui’s still clueless, which is good; I wouldn’t want to know what he’ll do to Reever when he finds out, though.”

Lavi blinked in surprise. Reever and Lenalee? Well, now that he thought of it, it made much more sense as to why Kanda hadn’t told her off yet; even though friends Kanda wouldn’t hesitate to prove what was his. Lenalee wearing her skirt higher just in the Order and hanging about the science departments… She wasn’t doing it for Allen, but for Reever. Lavi sighed to himself and wondered how he could have missed such important details as a Bookman’s apprentice.

Probably because you never wanted to know that she was seeing someone else.

The redhead grinned at his geeky science friend, nodding, hiding his pained wince and laughed an awkward laugh and hoped Johnny didn’t notice. “Let’s hope it won’t be soon!” Let’s hope Komui keeps closer tabs on his sister.

Johnny laughed with him before they, too, said their goodbyes and parted ways, Lavi feeling a heavy weight on his chest, which he ignored and sighed instead. Lenalee was still clueless about his affections towards her, but it was something Lavi would have to deal with since he wasn’t supposed to be in relationships because he was the Bookman’s apprentice. He scoffed at himself.

Bzzt.

Lavi shifted his one green eye to a messenger golem that came for him and nodded for the transmission to be received. It followed him as he continued through the corridor.

“Lavi.” Ah, Bookman.

“What is it?” Lavi replied.

“I need for you to do me a favor.”

“Eh? What for, Gramps?”

“Don’t ask questions, you stupid apprentice!” He heard a long exhale from the other side before his teacher spoke up again, sounding softer, almost regretful. “I need you to go to Portugal; some Finders are claiming to have spotted a couple level threes by the port surrounding a government building and are coming back to base.”

Lavi raised a lone eyebrow, glancing at the golem, “I’m at the Asian Branch right now, so it may take me a while because I’ll have to go through the Ark to get to France and fly down to Portugal, but what are akuma so strong doing circling a, a government building, you say? And you’re expecting me to fight on my own against level threes?” He made an incredulous sound, bringing his slightly cooled drink to his lips and took a noisy sip.

“You’ll have back-up.”

“Who? Miranda, Chaoji, and Krory are out on missions.”

“Then drag Miss Lenalee out to go bird-watching with you.”

Widening noticeably, the emerald eye darted to the golem, and he was shocked so much from what Bookman said he stopped walking and almost dropped the mugs. Hurriedly, he cleared his throat, taking another noisy drink from the hot chocolate to cover in his small silence. Crow were watching the Bookman as they spoke; bird meant Crow, but they only said it in presence of a member to confuse it as ‘akuma’, even more so lately since Bookman told him to be extra cautious around central members. Bookman had said ‘bird-watching’ because he knew that central would probably not do anything in front of the oblivious.

Lavi laughed quietly out loud, staging. “Lenalee is resting for a while and I’m doing something, but the bird situation can’t wait, can it? Can’t wait for Lenalee to wake-up?”

“…I’m afraid not, Lavi.”

Suddenly, Lavi asked, “Where you at, Gramps? I received a call from that group of Finders, the group that had Didi with them, that went missing in France not so long ago earlier this morning. I could deliver the good news to you in person and help out with the birds?” He just needed to make sure that he wasn’t alone, please let him not be alone.

“…”

“Gramps?” Lavi’s heart thudded uncomfortably.

“Tell me what they had to say,” the reply came, and Lavi felt as though there was a lump keeping him from speaking and his mouth was dry, but he swallowed despite himself.

“T-they said that Allen, Yu and Marie got to France all right, and that they’ll be returning home soon.” Lavi swallowed harder, the chocolate aftertaste leaving behind something bitter.

“There are no group of Finders, are there? You’re there now, aren’t you? Tell me where you are.” He said softly.

“…I’m in Portugal, headed to the port; if you can’t go now, then that’s probably best,” the Bookman replied. “It’s also probably best if you don’t worry about finding out what General Marian Cross said -”

The shattering splash never registered to him as his arms slacked and fell to his sides, letting go of the cups. Lavi’s eye was as wide as ever, face pale, mouth open and a great anxiety overcame him. Screw with the codes, he had to know! With speed, he grabbed the golem from the air, gripping it hard until his knuckles turned white and the pointed edges of the golem punctured the first layer of skin.

“Dammit, Gramps!” Lavi shouted for all that it was worth at the golem, not realizing or probably not even caring that all that was coming from the golem now was the static meaning that the transmission had ended. He willed himself to think that Bookman would be able to hear him even though. “Who’s there with you now? Which one of central’s dogs is there now! Who is it, dammit!?”

He flung the golem away from him and took off running the direction he came from, leaving the mess behind on the floor. He needed to get to Portugal quick! A hope that maybe his teacher could defeat the Crow members seemed all too tempting to believe in. Lavi ran as fast he ever had before to the science department, not sparring word to Bak or Johnny as he entered the Ark, momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness and consumed by warmth that was only in the Ark, and found shortcuts through the empty streets to the door that opened the branch in France.

“Bonjour, Lavi!” The Branch Chief Renee called to him, waving from her work station. Lavi ignored her, mindset.

Lavi didn’t waste any time with stopping for anyone, or excusing himself when he bumped into a few people; he had to hurry! He didn’t even want to think what it would be like if he was too late… It was snowing outside, and Lavi hadn’t even thought to put on his winter cloak was he started for France, but he wouldn’t let it matter even though he was in Strasbourg, almost the French and German border, and will have to travel over five hundred miles to Lisbon. He pulled Nyoibo from its holster and readied it.

“Grow, grow, grow, and grow!”

: / / / / :

Needless to say, Lavi was frozen to the handle of the shape-shifting hammer by the time he touched ground at the port in Lisbon, the beginnings of night settling. When his feet touched ground, he stumbled and fell forward, shivering and sneezing up a storm. It was snowing here, too, and Lavi was only the slightest bit concerned at the warmth coming from his cheeks and the dizziness he felt when he sharply turned to search for his teacher immediately. Shit…

World swirling before his eye, he fell on all fours in the snow, cold right hand gripping tight of his Innocence, retching up the nothing he ate that day.

“What on Earth… Hey!”

Lavi’s foggy brain slowly registered that someone was talking to him; much less in a different language than English. Portuguese, they were speaking. Lavi rolled his lone eye sourly; of course most people from Portugal spoke Portuguese. He turned over on his rear to get a good look at the man who called to him, his left eye squinting at the silhouette in the bright doorway to what appeared to be a diner.

Lavi coughed out the acidic aftertaste, sluggishly standing to meet the man who beckoned him closer. Lavi shuffled forward enough to where he could feel the warmth coming from the inside, but no further even though tempted by the small protesting growls that came from his empty stomach; he was here for important business!

“Do you speak English?” Lavi asked breathlessly. The man, as Lavi could see better in the closer distance, was large and rough; dark, sleeked hair and rich skin though with a thick, rough and knotted beard, like a fisherman’s. With an apron around his middle, the Bookman-in-training could tell he probably worked inside the diner by the splattered mess on it.

The man nodded, affirming it with, “I do.” His accent was thick, and he gestured behind him again, inside. “Come inside, sir! Surely you’ll become feverish; worst winter yet they says! Worst they seen in a decade! Look it; your face already seems to get its chill! If you’re not ill already, then you’ll be so in a mo.”

Lavi declined, “I’m looking for someone, an…an old man! About this tall,” he moved a hand to his chest to where Bookman’s hair would come to, “and he was traveling with others; I don’t know how many, but probably two or more? Cloaked people?” The diner worker stroked his tangled beard thoughtfully, and after a moment he started to nod.

“Yea’... Yea’, I’ve seen a group like them around here.” He appeared to be trying to remember something, “An older guy came in earlier this morning, didn’t order anything, but seemed nervous as heck, poor man. He came in to use the phone, wanted to make a call to his grandson. I say it’s wrong to listen in on someone, but this man was talking strangely about our government building. Do you…?” Lavi interrupted quickly.

“Which way did he go, do you know?” Nimble fingers reached out and grabbed the larger man by the shoulders, and the other recoiled in what seemed to be pain, covering his ears, knees shaking.

“What the heck is that?” The redhead just realized that he was still holding on to his Innocence when he touched the man and that the man would reject to it because he wasn’t compatible to any of it. Lavi grimaced at his forgetfulness.

“I apologize,” he hurried and stuffed Nyoibo back in its holster, “but I need to know anything and everything about what happened to that man and the others he was with! Please, anything!”

The man shrugged helplessly, unable to give Lavi anymore information.

“NO!” Lavi cried out, punching right near the man’s face, on the side of the door.

The Portuguese worker became angry, “Look here, sir; you either go or I’ll be forced…” He drifted, looking past Lavi at new comer footsteps, eyes widening with what appeared disbelief and joy all in one. He cleared his throat, and all anger had vanished from his face as he called out to the person behind Lavi in sweetening Portuguese.

“Ah! Good day, Lord Tyki Mikk! Coming in for warm broth?”

If Lavi had been frozen to his hammer when he reached Portugal, it was nothing as he felt now. Slowly he turned to meet the other, left eye wide with the same disbelief, yet fear for being alone while left to fight a Noah. Would Tyki do such a thing as to attack him in the streets where anyone could witness it?

Tyki didn’t even spare him a glance as he returned the diner worker’s greeting, lifting his top hat to tip it while the other was used to point his gentleman’s cane down the street. “Sorry, Rowel, not tonight. Good madam Tricia invited me to dinner this evening after I head on to pick up Cyril from the office. Apparently Rhode…” Lavi stiffened even further, knowing now that Tyki did notice him and was making an emphasis that there were more Noah in Portugal with him,“…was being too impatient to wait for her father to come home.”

The man, Rowel it seemed, grinned, “Oh yeah? How is the good lady Tricia? Is she feeling any better; its cold this year ain’t it? Like I was telling this one here…” he motioned to Lavi while on the inside he was begging to disappear. He saw Tyki flash dark eyes toward him, a small smirk playing on the Noah’s lips as though knowing what he was thinking. “…Coldest winter in a decade!”

“She’s perfectly fine at the moment, I assure you.” Tyki hummed, tilting his head, “I was pretty sure that it was in two decades ago?” Rowel blushed in embarrassment, easily affected by anything Tyki said to him obviously because of Tyki’s higher social title. Lavi could see that the Noah was fighting to keep his friendly smile from growing to something smug.

“A-ah, that…that’s right!” There was a sudden clatter from inside the diner and Rowel flushed beat red and excused himself from the conversation in a hurry, wishing both gentlemen a good night. The door closed and the only illumination came from the gas street lamp. They were alone on the street, and Lavi’s hand inched ever-so carefully to Nyoibo. In public or not, Lavi wouldn’t take any chances at all.

Tyki hummed again, this time out of slight annoyance, and turned from Lavi but didn’t continue walking to where he had gestured to earlier with the cane. “What are you doing, boy; I have no business with you this evening. Go inside and have Rowel fix you a bowl of broth, on my tab.” He then gave a side long glance to the Bookman, dark eyes hard and serious. Then he said, barely a whisper:

“As far as they know, I am human and only know of the name.” Any noise in the night was unexpectedly ten times more audible because he felt as though he couldn’t breathe for a good long moment. Lavi could hear the soft static in the air of snow falling, the tops of buildings creak from either cold or age…or possibly from someone standing on them.

Panic clutched at him from the inside out and was about to show on his face until Tyki gave him a cold, blank glare. Like the kind he gave Allen when they were fighting before turning into that stronger Noah. It plainly told him to get a hold of himself before he made it obvious and got them caught.

Lavi forced himself to stay calm, thinking quick on what to do despite his fogged mind: Fighting an every-man-for-himself battle was pointless on his part, even if it might help destroy a Noah in the process. Yet, if Judgment hadn’t even killed Tyki in his ultra-powered form, he didn’t know what use one or two Crow members had on the Noah; Lavi had already figured this because it didn’t appear that Cross had even put up a struggle against the mysterious person from Central, and the killer had won by default: Cross already knowing he had said too much and knew he was to be hunted, and Innocence couldn’t (or wouldn’t) harm humans majorly.

If he ran away, probably did as Tyki said and went back to the diner, he’d be a sitting duck. Lavi felt deep within himself that he came too late for his master and that he was already long gone, so that left Lavi as the new target in stuck in Portugal as long as they didn’t know Tyki was the embodiment of Noah’s Pleasure. If he tried to go back to France now, he surely would die on the way, by the weather or an assassination. Feeling his fever was catching on fast, Lavi suspected that it would take a full two days at least to think as sharp as before, not to mention he was suffering from hunger pains. This solution, however, was an absolute no way; he could not let the Noah go free.

Then there was the last easy-to-see option, yet that was a no brainer. Turning himself in to the same ones who killed Bookman was an easy answer: No. Fucking. Way.

The redhead gave a helpless expression to Nyoibo, wondering if he did a trick to avoid Crow the Innocence would turn on him. He shivered violently at a sharp breeze and counted his limited blessings before inhaling a shaky breath and made a hardly believable grin, having to trust in the only facts that he knew: He had to survive, and Tyki didn’t want to be caught, leading Lavi to believe (of course with doubt) that Tyki was unsure about the Crow’s power.

Life was so risky sometimes.

“Ah! You said you’re going to see R-Rhode?” He wouldn’t lie and say talking to and about a Noah was strange on the tongue, especially if he was to talk civil, but Lavi still walked cautiously to the undercover Noah, standing a good meter away in fear that his Innocence may react vice versa as Noah to Innocence; Neither didn’t even though Tyki’s eyes widen just the slightest bit, watching Lavi suspiciously. He couldn’t help from grimacing when he stood one step closer so they at least staged to be on friendly terms with each other.

It made Lavi sick that he had to hide with a Noah to keep out of the hands of the people who were suppose to be on his side, and killed his teacher; A Bookman, for fuck’s sake! Those who only observed and recorded their surroundings! This thought sparked renewed anger within him and he forced himself to stay focus and prayed to any god who was listening that Tyki would play along. He added a glare for good measure, though thinking it didn’t do any good when he saw that Tyki’s eyes filled with sly mirth, understanding the situation the Bookman Exorcist was placed in.

“Why, yes I am.” Thank you god above! Lavi couldn’t hold back the small exhale of relief and waved his hand easily to the road before them for Tyki to lead the way and he did, snow either crunching or sloshing beneath their feet as they went. Lavi tried to be mindful of the ice underneath stiff looking snow as he continued at a slower pace behind him, able to keep a watchful eye on the Noah incase he did do something sneaky. He kept senses out for the rooftops, as well, wary of the steady creaks and pops that seemed to follow them. If Tyki was alert as Lavi was, he didn’t show it; he looked totally relaxed, shoulders loose and posture slacked, and Lavi saw the puffs of warm air escaping from him and saw that his breathing was normal (Lavi had just noticed his own was rapid and tried to control it, but he was shivering too much to keep it even). Was he really so confident in his disguise?

Lavi glared holes into the elder man’s back and finally Tyki glanced over his shoulder, a smile on his face that looked amazingly genuine which Lavi gave him unwilling credit for being a great actor. Lavi wouldn’t admit it to anyone that it helped ease his nerves a little and he was able to at least lax his face into the mask again and give a more believable grin in return.

“Is she expecting to see you?” Tyki asked casually, and Lavi felt almost sick again, tightening angry, repulsive coils in his stomach, for allowing himself to become so comfortable in a Noah’s presence, even if it wasn’t much at all. Shouldn’t he be choosing the lesser of two evils? Inwardly, Lavi snorted as he questioned himself if he would rather be dead than alive. There was another noise from somewhere above and Lavi hastened a step unnoticeably.

Lavi made a negative noise in reply to Tyki’s chatter, yet hummed in thought to make their act more believable. “Well, yes, actually. It’s my fault, I mean. She was supposed to meet me this afternoon at that diner, but I had only just arrived.”

Tyki nodded, “Is there a message you wish to tell her?” Lavi faltered in his steps before coming to a complete stop. He knew it would be too good to be true: the Noah had tricked him and was now going to worm his way out from the Exorcist and leave him for the Crow to keep them occupied while he made a run for it. Sneaky fucking Noah! Tyki noticed that he stopped, and looked around, feigning curiousness down to the dot. In the Portuguese’s eyes, Lavi could still see the mirth in them. Fuck him, he was toying with him!

“Is something the matter, my dear boy?”

Lavi nodded hard, trying to keep the slightly frightened look from his stage mask. He didn’t want to come off as pleading to his Innocence, remembering what had happened when Suman begged for Tyki to spare him. He did, however, allowed his anger to come through, appearing ticked at the other. “If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to like to deliver the message to her myself?”

Tyki didn’t reply, but his smile grew into a sadistic smirk. Lavi swallowed uncomfortably, mouth opening to form the one word, “…P-please.” The word tasted foul when asking the Noah. Lavi blamed that he suffered to the Noah’s will because he was feverish and wasn’t in his right mind, and didn’t really want to be left to fend off Crow on his own. He sneezed for good measure, shivering. The redhead pulled the scarf tighter around his neck and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Tyki appeared surprised, laughing lightly, “Well, of course! What were you expecting me to do? Tell her your possibly private message on my own? No, no; I’m sure you could do that on your own.” Sneaky fucking bastard of a Noah! He wanted him to think that he was going to drop him off and wanted to hear him beg! Damn him! Lavi flushed with angry embarrassment.

“Yet, would you mind if we stop by the minister building, kind boy? I do need to see my brother,” Tyki said as though he cared as to what Lavi would mind. “From there we can take a carriage to his manor.”

Lavi, still rather angry with himself, only scoffed at the other’s politeness, sighing heavy with exhaustion, “Yeah, sure.” He would have to be on the look out for those akuma Bookman told him about this morning, weighing his odds against a couple of level threes. Lavi decided to use his time wisely to know as much about the Noah as possible for recording purposes.

“Is this what you do in your spare time? Look spiffy and put commoners down to size?” Lavi asked with heavy sarcasm. Okay, so maybe he was going to get his shots in before he ran out of chances. Beside him, Tyki huffed indignantly, but grinned cockily.

“No, that’s what I do for fun in my spare time, dear boy,” Tyki said. “I work with Cyril part-time at Lisbon Hall, or I help Rhode in her homework when I absolutely have nothing better to do. Other than that, I sign papers for the military that need Cyril’s approval on which countries to attack.” He laughed shortly, “Of course, I signed all of them!” Lavi raised the lone eyebrow, almost slipping on a sheet of ice. He carefully avoided from doing damage to himself, and sneezed hard.

Something clicked, and Lavi slowly stopped waking to gape at the elder man. Minister Kamelot. Signing ceremony. Shooting… “I read the papers, a couple months ago…” He trailed. Tyki once again paused to look back, a mix between a smile of wicked knowing and brows arched in question.

“Yes?”

“…I-I thought of it odd how the man who practically begged for the allegiance with Portugal suddenly ends up committing homicide after working so hard to get the signing.”

Tyki kept quiet for a full five seconds, only a grin etching into his features. Then he said in an odd tone, his eyes going wide and his irises turning into horizontal slits, “People do strange things to start wars. It doesn’t surprise me.” Lavi took a shaky step back, and Tyki blinked, face blank as though nothing had changed. His smile was sadistic, however.

Lavi’s throat was dry and he suddenly felt like he was standing next to a time bomb. Commanding for his numb feet to move, he carefully slid around Tyki, seeing the Minister building further on down the road, but not too far. Tyki followed closely and Lavi asked another question, ignoring any topics that had to deal with war.

“…I-I s this Cyril guy your real brother? Or is he like…distant family?” ‘Distant family’ being emphasized just in case Tyki was staging about having a brother, too, ‘cause it didn’t seem too likely that Tyki happened to have a brother who just so happened to be Minister of a country.

Tyki sped up his pace only a little to where they were side by side and neared closer to the Exorcist, stumbling almost unnoticeably. He gave a short laugh and took a glimpse of the younger one.

“Cyril Kamelot is my older brother, that’s right.”

Lavi made a confused noise, tilting his head, “Surely your entire given name isn’t Tyki Mikk.” And Tyki barked with laughter making Lavi fume at being mocked.

“By god, Mr. Eye Patch! I thought you to be smarter than that given your occupation as a learner! Come on, think about it; it’s not that hard.”

As soon as Tyki finished his taunt, Lavi did realize how it was, “So, Mikk’s your family name… Then, it’s Cyril! He’s either your half or step brother, isn’t he?” The older gave a nod.

“Correct; literally he’s my half-brother. Of course same mother, but…” He trailed, looking the slightest bit troubled.

Yet by now Lavi was curious as to how Noahs had real families outside of their war. Sure, he’s seen that Tyki had once been a miner and had human friends, too, but he didn’t even once think about if any of the Noahs were related outside from the Noah family itself.

“But?”

Tyki shook his head, “No, it’s not my story to say. If you don’t value your life so much, perhaps you could ask him yourself.” Lavi didn’t reply.

The next few moments were served only in silence, Lavi drifting as far away as possible from the Noah without seeming to be obviously awkward in each other’s presence. Now not so nervous, Lavi was able to notice differences in Tyki that he hadn’t before since the last time they’ve met. Probably namely his longer hair, darker eyes, and the actual rich Portuguese skin rather than the grey of Noahs or the pale skin from the train way back when.

The smartest thing that came from his mouth was, “You look different.” Tyki looked down at him with a queer look before a light grin stretched over his lips when he saw Lavi’s face turn redder from embarrassment than the cold. He faced forward again.

“Rhode wanted me to grow it out; if it’s my hair you’re talking about, Mr. Eye Patch.” He laughed politely, “Sometimes it can be a hassle, but she won’t let me cut it!” Then Tyki laughed real this time, something warm as his breath came out in steam in the cold air, ending with low chuckles. “My niece is spoilt most of the times by my brother and can be a real handful, but she quite the interesting character.” Emerald eye widen.

“She’s your niece? I thought No-”

“Oh! That’s great,” Tyki said in a cheerful manner, interrupting Lavi on purpose before he could even finish his aloud thinking. “Cyril’s out waiting, already! Follow me, dear Eye Patch.” Lavi sped up to match the Noah’s pace, having slowed down a little from being cold and tired, still separated a little more than two feet, and scoffed at the nickname.

“Don’t call me that,” he complained with a hint of malice in his voice for remembering that he was indeed in the presence of an enemy. Tyki called him ‘Mr. Eye Patch’ when they met for the first time in Edo. Tyki regarded him easily, giving him an amused side glance.

“What is your name, dear boy? Rhode never gave me the pleasure of telling.” Tyki asked and stepped in front of him, leaning over a little to meet him eye for eye. Lavi noticed something immediately when he did this: most people, aside from those from the Order, were awkward when talking to him face-to-face because they didn’t know which eye to look at, wither to be polite and switch from one to the other despite the eye patch, or ignore eye contact completely. Lavi noticed Tyki acted like his friends at the Order and looked in his good eye and only that eye.

Lavi shifted his weight in the snow and looked downwards to Tyki’s footprints. If he had to guess, he’d say ten or eleven inches.

“I don’t want someone like you to call me by my name, alias or not. If you must address me, call me Bookman.” Lavi answered in low tones; he knew already that he was going to have to take the name of ‘Bookman’ instead of ‘Bookman Junior’ if his teacher was truly dead. He waited a few moments for Tyki to turn and get back on track, but he still hadn’t moved even after a minute. Curious, he looked up again, gasping automatically at his close proximity. Lavi stumbled backwards, hands coming out of their pockets, alarmed, and almost reached for Nyoibo if Tyki hadn’t gripped at the wrist first.

Memories of Timcampy’s saved images of Allen’s Innocence being destroyed came to mind automatically, and Lavi could barely feel the spark, that intense charge, of Noah’s power being so close to his hammer-shaped Innocence. His pulse was erratic as he literally saw the change in color of Tyki’s eyes, even though a quick flash, it was still noticeable. Could Tyki feel that electrical charge, too? Would being so close to his Innocence cause him to change into his Noah form? Lavi was still with fright; would a Noah really be lesser of two evils?

It was the longest silence Lavi could say he ever lived through, and he watched Tyki slowly swallow and open his mouth, eyes unreadable. He replied in the same low tone, “I wonder just how many names you’ve used… How many of your other selves do you remember? How many of them are still there, right underneath that thin surface of skin?”

Lavi gaped at the Noah of Pleasure, unsure how he felt about what he asked. His heart was still rapid, and, finally coming from paralyses, he tugged hard, wrenching his hand from Tyki’s grasp.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, you bastard!” Lavi whispered harshly, teeth clenched. “Don’t ask questions like that when you’re pretending to be human!” He snorted some, “In fact, don’t ask questions like that at all! No - don’t even ask questions!” Lavi stomped a step backwards, and ended up slipping on ice, feeling a twist happen in his ankle. Lavi cursed aloud and screwed his eyes shut tight, falling on his rear ungracefully. The redhead sighed tiredly, exhaustion from flying over countries in the freezing December taking its toll. He allowed himself to slump back, lying fully in the snowy street. Already Lavi felt some of the slush seep through his shirt and shivered violently.

Tyki hovered over him, appearing startled, though that emotion looked genuine, “What, pray tell, are you doing, dear Librarian?”

Lavi regarded him with a half-dazed eye, his face flushed more than ever with his new cold; he was trapped, and was only delaying the inevitable: there would be no way that Tyki would let him live if they had managed shake off the Crow members. The green eye closed slowly, and reopened just as slow, yet only now appeared empty. He was a true Bookman, now, and so he must act like one; showing emotions could be used against him, and they served no purpose when in war.

Lavi rolled over and onto his knees and shakily stood, favoring his right leg. Tyki stepped back and watched him, amusement lacing throughout his features. The Bookman drew in air and said loudly, “I don’t know if your being here was consequential, Noah, but I don’t feel stupid enough to fight off you or any of them fucking Crow members in the end!”

Tyki’s eyes widen with disbelief, colors flashing from chocolate brown to the molten gold, and stayed on the Noah color.

Then, he laughed.