Characters: Kanda/Allen/Lenalee/Lavi

Warnings: Polyamory, established relationship—sex between four people.

Author's Note: emphasis on Allen this time. Lucky guy. As for where this is on the timeline, it's after the Ark Arc but before the whole mess with Kanda and Alma. Fanfiction gives me some leeway on that, I hope.

No POV change; everything is in Allen's POV.

Respite

Allen doesn't swear all that often. But when he does, he gives Kanda a run for his money. It's mostly when people can't hear him, after all. What? He's a gentleman for the most part.

But even he can't help muttering as he fusses with bandages. "Ah—fuck," he breathes as he tries to swing his arm, but it's stiff from being wrapped. "Don't you dare say a thing, Link." He sustained far too many injuries this time. None of them life-threatening, but annoying.

Link only looks at him as placidly as he can manage. "Why would I?"

"Oh, I don't know. I thought I would deserve a lecture or something."

"Not when you seem to be doing a fine job of it yourself." The inspector looks away from him to his papers. "Go to sleep, Walker."

"I'm sick of sleeping." He stretches out his sprained ankle, and wonders if he ought to ice it a little more.

"Do I have to knock you out?"

He grumbles as he turns over on his side, wincing a little as it tugs at his wounds. They're a few days old, still quite fresh. But at least he's been allowed to return to his room instead of being stuck with hovering nurses and doctors. Well, if he sleeps now, he'll be able to wake up in the middle of the night and maybe sneak out for some more food.

Timcanpy nudges at him; he nudges back and tucks the blankets over himself. The last thing he hears is the soft scritch scritch of pen against paper.

_-|||:|||-_

When he wakes up, it's not quite of his own will; it's more that a hand is patting his cheek and he sleepily bats at it. "…not morning yet, Link…"

"Allen."

"—!" he makes the most undignified of sounds as he bolts upward and almost knocks his forehead against Lenalee's. He knows her voice well enough to identify it even in the dark. "What are you doing here?"

"Shh." She slides cool fingers along his chin and kisses him until he is kissing back. "Because I waited all week to do that," she whispers the instant they part.

He smiles. "Missed you, too." A week's a long time, and even longer since he's been on a mission. "But…what if someone sees us—"

"Took care of that already, Beansprout."

"It's Alle…" The old protest dies on his lips when the desk light flickers on. "What the hell, Kanda!" he fiercely whispers. "And Lavi…you didn't—"

Lavi waves a rag, wearing a wide grin. "Sure did."

They drugged Link.

They drugged an inspector.

Oh bloody hell, he's going to get it. This is going to be blamed on him and he is going to get locked up. Allen shakes his head, in disbelief.

"I can't believe it. Oh blessed Virgin—"

"Just believe it." And before he can say anything, Lavi has picked him up.

He protests. "Lavi, you can't!"

The redhead only shrugs at him as he heads for the door. "S'okay, we'll just knock you out later too. Or something. When Two Spots here wakes up, he'll find you gone, and then either me or Kand will admit we sneaked you out for some sparring 'cause we were bored."

"…except you're not doing that, are you. Not if Lenalee's agreed to it." He stops struggling.

"Of course not. That's so fucking lame." Kanda shuts the door behind them. "What do you think we got you for."

"Y—" He stills. "Oh." A hot flush settles on his skin. "There's other ways," he hisses.

"Allen, just go with us and it'll be all right." Lenalee touches his arm. "We've missed you and couldn't wait anymore."

He admits defeat, fingers scratching at the bandage on his cheek. "So whose room is it tonight?"

"Kanda's."

"And Kanda didn't put up an argument?"

"Shut up, Beansprout." Kanda jabs an elbow into his side. "We'd do it in your room if you didn't have someone hounding you."

"I'm pretty sure he suspects something already…"

"God, I hope not." Lavi shifts him a little in his arms. "We'd end up in somewhere between a rock and a hard place."

He agrees; the rest of the walk to Kanda's room is mostly silent. It might be late but the Order, there is always someone awake. Not that it really mattered if anyone saw them outside; they're friends, they spend time together. Sometimes the most obvious way to hide something is to be obvious. Being in this…relationship he's in, it doesn't take up extra time. It's just a matter of rearranging it. Once a week, sometimes twice. Other times they do it separately—him and Lenalee touching each other in an empty corridor, sucking Lavi inside the library, or letting Kanda fuck him in the shower.

However, it's definitely better when they're together. When Kanda locks the door and turns on a light, and Lavi sets him down, it begins.

Lavi grabs him by the back of his head to bring their lips together; someone is tearing at his clothes and he lets them yank his shirt off. He recognizes the body that presses up against him as Lenalee's; she nibbles on his ear while her hands stroke over his chest.

After several times, they've more or less gotten this down. And while he has memorized how each one of them breathes, or the way their eyelids flutter, he still likes to see it.

He pulls away from Lavi to slide Lenalee's shirt over her head, while she makes quick work of his pants. Then she scoots away so that Kanda can shove himself between them.

Fingers trace over the bandages he has, and dark eyes study them. "How did you get this banged up?"

"Maybe because I didn't have any of you watching my back?"

"Allen, don't say that." Lenalee gently slaps Kanda on the shoulder. "And stop trying to argue with him."

"Tch." Kanda only raises an eyebrow and then kisses her throat, right over her pulse even as he unhooks her bra and tosses that off.

Lavi drops his own shirt and pants on the ground. "They need to quit separating us, I think." He pulls Allen into his lap. "Look at you."

"I've looked enough at myself," he grumbles. "Could we please stop fussing over me and—ghn."

He cut off by the hand that roughly cups him though his underwear. Of course, it's Kanda.

"You were saying?" Lavi teases him.

A shake of his head. Lenalee is half straddling him, kissing her way down his body while Lavi holds him. "Just enjoy the fact we missed you and we're making up for it, all right?" she says as she rolls her hips.

His eyes drift, noting how she drags her panties down her legs, leaving only skin in their wake. He slips a hand onto her back, and she bites down on his skin. Oh, he's definitely enjoying it. Lavi is grinding into him; all these clothes are impeding and he impatiently shoves his underwear down and demands that Lavi does the same. He growls at Kanda, who is still squeezing him just a little too tightly.

"What?"

Allen simply kisses him, the way they always do. With force and ferocity and frustration. It's pent up and when released, it floods over them. Lavi whistles as he lets go of Allen.

"Share some of that, would you?"

Kanda, surprisingly, relinquishes quickly enough to kiss Lavi. Allen stretches a little, and lets Lenalee lean against him. "So what do you have in mind," he asks.

"Nothing too much." She slides down his body and without much ado, swallows the tip of his cock.

He grows cold and then hot as she gently touches the underside, while her tongue swirls against his skin. Where Kanda is rough and Lavi is teasing, Lenalee tends to be deliberate in her movements. She dips him in and out of her mouth until he is white-knuckled and moaning her name.

"Getting off already?" Lavi nudges him in his good shoulder.

"You two take too long."

"Tch." Kanda bats at Lavi.

Lenalee draws away him and he mourns the loss, but not for long. She opens her legs to him and he slides his fingers against her crotch.

"Why do you get lucky today, Beansprout?"

"It's Allen."

"Because I want him to." Lenalee presses against his hand. All of them like touching her because of her reactions; she squirms but doesn't move away, and she comes, her shoulders do an odd little twist, her toes curl, her face flushes, and it's a beautiful sight to them.

Lavi touches himself, in time to the movement of Allen's hand. He sighs; Kanda shoves at him. "I'll give you something to sigh out in a second."

"You never disappoint, Yu."

"Fuck you."

"Kanda, your replies are really predictable, aren't they," Allen comments.

"You—"

Lenalee tugs him by the hair and kisses him; Allen watches as Kanda flushes and swallows visibly.

She pats him on the cheek. "Be nice, please?"

"Whatever," he mutters.

And then Lenalee looks at Lavi and Allen. Allen hastily shakes his head; he's not planning to argue anymore, no. Instead, he resumes stroking her, thumb roving her most sensitive area. She exhales shakily and slides until her head is pillowed and she's flat on the bed. The light catches at her skin in a really lovely way, he notes. He'd think more about it, but he's distracted when Kanda rubs his entrance and he has to relax himself for the finger entering him. He takes himself in his hand, just a bit shakily.

He hisses a bit. "Slow down."

"Was that too fast? I thought by now you shouldn't need any coddling."

It's like he just instantly forgot what Lenalee said. Allen gives him a look, and somehow holds his tongue.

"…geez." Kanda thankfully does slow down, but it might also be because Lavi is preparing him at the same time.

When he sheathes himself into Allen, the latter inhales, shoulders shuddering, before he bends down to replace his fingers with his mouth. Lenalee curls her legs around him, her hands gripping his shoulders. Kanda lets outa strange sound; lucky bastard gets to be in the middle this time.

Still, it's not bad like this; he laps at Lenalee's folds and dips his tongue in gently, while from behind a stiff erection moves steadily in and out of him. A particularly hard shove causes him to fall on his injured arm and he winces. However, Kanda surprises him when he wordlessly pulls him up, supporting him.

"We don't need you falling over onto Lena," he says, as his way of an excuse.

Lavi snorts. "When did you become the gentleman, Yu."

"Not when you were look-looking." Yes, that's a catch in his voice. Allen pushes back, grinding into the firm body behind him.

Lenalee's fingernails dig into his skin; her moans creep into his ears and do more than tickle them. He comes a little too fast because of it, gasping and shaking as he hits the peak. Lenalee follows him, scoring his shoulders with red marks.

Kanda and Lavi take a little while longer; but Kanda climaxes with a grunt and he even cranes his neck to kiss Lavi. Lavi grins, and then closes his eyes and rolls his shoulders as he releases.

They have to adjust their positions now to fit better on the bed; Allen tucks himself into Kanda's side (and he doesn't even complain), while Lenalee presses herself against his back and Lavi has an arm laid over her.

She plucks at one of his bandages. "You should change these."

"I have to go back to get more bandages."

"Kanda has some."

"He does?"

"Left side, third drawer." Kanda doesn't even open his eyes.

"Why do you even keep bandages around?"

"Because."

Allen traces the tattoo on his shoulder. "Does it have anything to do with—"

"Don't ask." One dark eye cracks open; he snaps his mouth shut.

Sometimes, you could needle Kanda. You could joke with him and he'd attempt to kill you, but not really. Other times, you didn't ask him anything.

Lavi shifts on the bed. "Ne, I wish this would last longer."

"Mm." Lenalee curls a little more tightly around Allen. "Agreed."

"Anyone have the time?"

Kanda puts his head up just long enough to glance at the clock. "Three in the morning."

"And how powerful is that…whatever you gave Link?"

"He'll be out until for a while longer. Maybe nine?" Lavi scratches at his eyepatch.

"Please don't tell me you overdosed him or anything like that…"

"No, of course not! I got my measurements correct."

So, six hours. Hm… "Kanda, you have a bath, right?"

"Hn." Kanda elbows him a bit. "Yes, I do. Now shut up so I can sleep."

"But we could all borrow it." And the stiffening in Kanda's posture, Allen grins. "And kill two birds with one stone. It's not like I can turn back up smelling…not like myself."

He carries the scent of four people and Link would be stupid not to notice, even if drugged.

"Maybe in a two hours." Lenalee's hair tickles the back of his neck. "And only if we get to do massages."

"Anything, Lenalady." Lavi says, yawning. "Maybe we should've taken Tim. He would be able to wake us up."

"Not a good idea." Allen tells him. "His recording might get us into trouble."

"I thought you could turn him off?"

"Precautionary. You can turn your golems off, too, but I don't see them anywhere."

"Touché." Lavi reaches out to ruffle his hair. "Fine. I'll try to wake us up."

Lavi mostly like will. If not him, then Kanda. Both of them keep odd hours and don't seem to have much trouble getting up. Allen used to be as well, but these days has gotten into the habit of letting Link wake him because he's like clockwork sometimes.

It's nice falling asleep to the breathing of others, as well as the pressure of bodies all around him.

All of them mean different things to him; he doesn't quite have the same affection that Lenalee has, for she is what keeps them together, but he does trust all of them to varying degrees. They do more than just sleep together, touching and feeling. They've more or less bound themselves together, knit like really close bonds. The sex was just there because they all liked it and it was exciting.

He's really glad Timcanpy isn't here; he probably has the stupidest smile on his face.

Stupid, but content.

_-|||:|||-_

They get up in time and leave themselves three hours. Lenalee giggles when Allen and Kanda, tussling, fall into the water. Kanda yanks Lavi down, and only Lenalee enters gracefully. She protests that she's anything but graceful, though, when they run a soft sponge over her body and watch her come undone.

Allen gets his turn when Lavi massages his left hand; it sends shivers up and down his spine and when Lavi slips those fingers into his mouth, he can feel himself shaking.

For Kanda, they take turns with his hair; he's not big on people touching them but when Lenalee starting combing them, he gives. Between Lenalee's chastising he really should shampoo instead of soaping it and Lavi trying to making a silly poem about it, he kisses Allen to make him shut up about his "girly hair."

Lavi takes the soap and rubs it all over himself. So maybe Kanda had a little too much fun splashing water at him, but when he slides against Allen, they don't complain because the slippery-smooth feel gets him off.

It's a very, very relaxed group of four that finally towels off. Allen lets Lenalee fuss over his injuries, but it's actually Kanda who wraps him the best.

See, this is why he doesn't even think about choosing between them. They all do separate things for him. Lenalee and Kanda stay because she's still tired and Kanda is kicking them out of his room. Lavi carries him back, the way he carried him before.

He leaves Allen with a kiss and wink, and a shut door. Allen catches the clock a little past nine and sneaks a glance at Link.

Still out.

So he closes his eyes and stretches out and pulls the covers over him, like he'd spent the whole night there.

Maybe half an hour later, Link wakes up, loudly.

"Mmrgh?" he mumbles.

"Allen Walker."

"I didn't eat the donuts you were saving. They're still in that box." He tries to turn over but Link grips his shoulder.

"You did something to me."

"I didn't!"

"Then why, pray tell, do I have a headache?"

"If you have a headache, you shouldn't be shouting."

"I'm not!"

"All right! It was Lavi. He dragged me out and we stayed up and played cards."

"You should've—"

"I didn't plan it! I was asleep when…Lavi drugged you. I yelled at him." Allen shrugs apologetically. "Really, Link."

A semi-staring contest ensues.

Allen smiles, in hopes of placating him. He does silent curse Lavi, though. Really, they could've come up with something better.

Link breaks their gazes. He rubs his forehead. "Do not under any circumstances repeat this, Walker, or else I will have to write you up."

"I'll let Lavi know."

"I will also not write down the fact you smell like Yu Kanda."

"…"

"…yes?"

Allen laughs, to keep the uncertain tone out of his voice. "I'm not sure I understand?"

"Soap, Walker. It's lavender. The only people who use it are two scientists and Yu Kanda. I highly doubt you were with any scientists." Link isn't even look at him; he's rummaging in a drawer somewhere.

Something in his stomach is cold. He exhales. "Link, we—"

"Does it have anything to do with why you are supervised."

"No."

"Then I will. Let. It. Slide. This time." Link looks up at him, a cryptic look on his stern features. "But do be less obvious about it."

He can't even find a reply to that. Instead, he pulls the covers over his head. There is no mention of Lavi or Lenalee, which is good.

Maybe he wasn't that much a heretic after all.

Or maybe Link didn't care at all? But why wouldn't he?

"I don't know what you're thinking, Link."

"I am thinking that you probably picked a fight with Yu Kanda, and you didn't want to wake me up, therefore you borrowed his quarters to clean up afterwards."

… "Something like that, yes." He closes his eyes and nearly laughs again.

"Come up with a better excuse next time."

"I will." Actually, he's not sure if Link is playing along, or if he truly believes it. Sometimes he just couldn't tell. Kanda is hard to read, but Link is even harder.

Why is he surrounded by so many closed books? Then again, he's a closed book himself.

"It was a very nice respite, though. Even though we fought," he hears himself saying. "And I had cookies."

He ought to take the award for "World's Greatest Liar" sometimes. It's almost convincing that fools him…

Except that he remembers Lavi's hands, Lenalee's kisses, and Kanda's eyes. He could drown in all of them and never want to rise again.

Just a respite, indeed.

Author's Note: My apologies for any typos that you see. They will be corrected at a later date.

Thanks for all who've been reading so far!