Chapter 5

Best Friend!?

Lavi was heading to the cafeteria. He was yawning, and one could tell that he was very tired. After all it had been late the day before. A smile passed over his face, as he thought about his evening with the usually stubborn swordsman. It had been a complete success, so Lavi found. Leaving out the fact that he didn't manage to pick up a nice girl. Entering the cafeteria, he promptly searched for Kanda. He knew Kanda was an early riser, and even if he had gone to bed late he wouldn't allow himself to sleep longer than normally. If it was up to the Bookman apprentice he rather slept some hours longer, but he wanted to have breakfast with Yuu, so bad. It wasn't a surprise, seeing the samurai on the usual table eating his soba. The red-haired boy always wondered how someone could eat Soba even for breakfast. After ordering breakfast for himself he joined Kanda, taking the seat beside him.

"Mornin' Yuu. You slept well?"

"Hm." Was the monosyllabic reply.

-It seems he's also tired as hell. His own fault, after all. Always following his daily routine.- Lavi thought, watching how the boy next to him nearly landed his face in his favorite food.

The chuckle Lavi spout off, let the black-haired boy's eyes flew open in an instant. Giving his self-proclaimed best friend a death glare failed miserably, though.

"Calm down,.... no need to get angry." Lavi responded, not wanting to deal with a tired and annoyed Yuu this morning.

Eating for once his breakfast in silence he recalled the previous evening. It was just how it had to be between friends, between "best friends". Hanging out with each other, picking up nice woman, talking about all sorts of things. Of course, Kanda was still Kanda and he wasn't overnight suddenly all friendly and communicative. But at least he wasn't frowning and shouting all the time. So Lavi could live with that. Noticing two well-known exorcist he waved, even if it wasn't all that enthusiastic like usually.

"Lenalee, Allen.... Over here!" he called out, ignoring Kanda, whose mood seemed to get only worse.

"Good Morning Lavi." Allen replied, sitting now in front of him next to Lenalee.

The white haired exorcist regarded the two boys. It seemed they hadn't get enough sleep. Lavi was not babbling without an end and Kanda hadn't tried to kill him, yet. Lenalee was the one who spoke first, though.

"What's up with you two?" She asked looking a bit awkward. Lavi grinned brightly.

"Oh...... we're just a bit tired. Yuu and I were out yesterday, bar-hopping, until late in the night. The girls were all on fire for Yuu. Right?"

"Hm...."

The stunned looks Allen and Lenalee gave them, resulted from the marvelous fact that Lavi had told them he was out with Yuu, what in itself already was unbelievable. But that the usually edgy samurai didn't try to punch him, that he revealed this fact to the two of them was even more incredible. Speechless was the right word to describe Lenalee and Allen right now. They both looked wide eyed at the Bookman successor and the black-haired swordsman. Of course Lavi didn't miss the fact.

"What?" he asked puzzled.

"No....Nothing." Allen stated, although he was wondering how Lavi had managed to made Kanda accompanying him.

Kanda meanwhile had more or less finished his breakfast and was leaving the cafeteria.

"Wait for me, Yuu....!" And Lavi was following him directly after saying good by to the two remaining exorcists.

--

As the samurai arrived at his room, his red haired follower caught up to him.

"Yuu........ Didn't you here me. I asked for you to wait."

"What do you want?"

"Huh......eh....I thought we could just hang out a bit." He replied smiling. Seeing Kanda vanishing in his room, slamming the door in his face he dropped his smile.

"I think that means 'No'."

--

Several hours later the red haired bookman apprentice was sitting on the couch in the library again. He had nothing other to do so he continued reading some of the books bookman gave him. But his concentration wasn't the best, he kept still thinking about his "friendship" with Yuu. After the bygone evening he thought that after years of trying, their relationship finally started to be more best-friends-like. But he was wrong. Yuu was the same cold bastard as ever. And something with the whole best friends thing wasn't right, at all. Lavi wasn't happy that things didn't go, how he wanted them to go. Secretly he wondered why he even bothered with that stuff. He could simply search for another best friend. But he never was one to give up. And annoying the stubborn swordsman was always fun.

Snapping the book shut he stood up, heading to Kanda's room, for the second time this day.

--

Kanda was resting in his room for a while now. Usually he would have gone in the forest to train long ago, but his head was aching badly. Though he hadn't drunk much alcohol the night before, he wasn't feeling as healthy as normally. After all he wasn't used to drink or to go out till late in the night. So he had decided to just stay in his room and heal his headache. Maybe he was able to get some sleep. Lying on his bed, he closed his eyes. He was just about to fall asleep when he heard a loud knock on his door. And if that wasn't Lenalee calling him for another mission, there was only one person left who would dare to knock on his door. To his disapproval the latter was the case.

"Yuu, are you in there?" Lavi's voice sounded.

"Shut up, idiot. Fuck off." the black-haired one spat out, before he realized that it would have been better to pretend he wasn't in his room.

He should have thought of it before he spoke. But now the redhead stuck his head in at the door, and Kanda scolded himself for never locking his door.

"What do you want?" He demanded just about to lose his temper.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you." His visitor announced. But the short "No" Kanda replied wasn't taken serious. Lavi sat himself on the edge of the other boys bed, regarding him awkwardly.

"What's the matter, Yuu. Normally you would have threatened me with Mugen, already?"

"Nothing, so could you get lost. I don't want to spend any time with you."

When the taller boy remained silent for some time, Kanda hoped that he would for once, do what he told him. But instead of leaving, Lavi looked at him, then grinned and opened his mouth again.

"You're having a headache." He stated. The samurai just didn't answer the other boy. He wasn't in the mood to argue with him, today. Surprisingly the red-haired exorcist didn't asked any further question. Instead he stood up and left the room. At first Kanda thought he was imagining things, because of his headache.

-What was that, right now? I never got rid of him so easily.-

After wondering quite a time Kanda decided not to bother with that, and made the second attempt to sleep. He should have known better, 'cause not a five minutes later Lavi was back in his room. This time there was nothing that could hold the swordsman back to point his beloved sword at the intruder.

"What's this about, idiot. Are you having fun annoying the hell outta me or what?" The now very angry exorcist growled, lifting his hand to punch the annoying boy. He stopped in his motion, when Lavi held a package in front of his face, with his ever-present grin.

"Is that how you thank me for getting you headache tablets." Lavi questioned, pushing the older boy back on his bed before he threw the package at him. "Take one. You will feel better." He added handing him the bottle of water he brought along. The muttered "Thanks" from his friend surprised Lavi, but he just smiled at him and plumbed down on the edge of the others bed again.

"Geez Yuu, you didn't drink that much alcohol, yesterday. You just not used to it. Or is it because it had been that late. When were we back.... I think it was 5 in morning." Kanda didn't response. If he was honest Lavi was right. The redhead often went to bars for a few drinks. And on party's at the black order he didn't say no to a few drinks either. Kanda on the other hand, avoided the most party's, if he could and spending his free evenings in bars for some drinks wasn't his manner. Recognizing the questioning look Lavi gave him he scowled. "What?"

It took a few seconds till the boy replied. "Nothing.... So.... I'm off then.... Think you need some rest, huh. See you later, Yuu."

--

'Cause Lavi had his original plan, to annoy Yuu, put on ice, he was now heading to the library. The redhead wasn't less amazed to found bookman there, sitting in one of the chairs. When he entered the room the old man looked up.

"Hey Panda,......since when are you back here." The apprentice asked earning only a stern glance.

"Have you read the books, I've told you to and written your records?"

"Sure, more or less." he replied scratching the back of his head. Of course the tiny man knew he was lying, but he seemed to ignore this for once and left the room.

Letting out a sigh Lavi plumped down on his favorite couch. Now that Bookman was back he couldn't avoid working, anymore. But since the black-haired samurai, whom he normally would bother all day long , was having a headache and he wasn't that horrible to annoy the boy despite that, he had nothing better to do anyhow. It was late in the evening when he found himself in the cafeteria, to get some food. Bookman had had a lot of work for him, and wasn't willing to let him slack of work again. He was glad that Jerry was still there to make him something to eat. Otherwise the cafeteria was empty. Sitting at a table the 18 year old boy enjoyed his meal while thinking about the bygone day. He wanted to visit Yuu again that day, but when he finished his work and headed to the black-haired boys door, he wasn't there. Lavi guessed he was in the forest to train, again. Hearing the door open, the boy looked up, surprised to see his missed friend entering the room.

"Hey Yuu...... What a coincidence to meet you here."

Noticing the red shock of hair Kanda considered to just turn around and leave immediately. But his rumbling stomach remembered him that he was starving and needed something to eat. Whereby something to eat in his case, of course had to be Soba. Ignoring the cheerful boy he placed himself, together with his favorite food, at the furthermost table. It didn't took long till the Bookman successor sat himself in front of the frowning boy.

"Your headache's better now." He asked grinning, as always.

"Che..." was the only reply he get. Knowing Kanda, that should mean yes.

"So you were training again, huh?"

"That's nothing of your business." Kanda's mood was already getting worse. Aside from the fact that he was always in a bad mood.

"And what are you doing after eating?"

There was meanwhile a vein throbbing on the swordsman's forehead.

- Why is this idiot asking me all this stupid questioned. It just pisses me off.-

"Not going to answer, huh?" It was then when Kanda loosed his temper pointing for the second time this day his sword at the other man.

"Shut the fuck up, idiot. Why are you asking me things again and again. I'm not going to answer you."

"Easy Yuu... I just wanted to chat with you. You know.... just like best friends do."

Kanda didn't know how often he had told the boy in front of him already. "I'm not your best friend." But he told him again, and started to leave.

"Wait.... where are you going?"

"Somewhere where you aren't going." And for once Lavi was agreeing. Even if it was the sharp sword directed at him that let him make this decision. But knowing he had carried it to far today, he didn't follow the vanishing boy.

--

When Lavi went to bed, he was just content with himself and the world. Though he didn't know where that feeling came from.

Kanda meanwhile was still awake. He felt awkward, he didn't know why, but even if he scared Lavi away today, he seemed to be more tolerant towards the ever annoying redhead than usually. It became step by step routine to have Lavi around him. He was the only one speaking to him about other things than missions. He always informed the black-haired teen about the newest gossip going on, if he wanted to hear or not. And he was one of the few who didn't care about his bad temper and foulmouthed language. Although the samurai never allowed himself to think that he enjoyed it to have the Bookman successor around, he had to admit that it didn't bother him much anymore. What he really didn't like, though.

--

The next days were like every other, there wasn't any missions. And although Lavi had a lot of work, 'cause Bookman was back, he was able to receive his daily portion of an annoyed Kanda, who more then once tried to slice him with his beloved Mugen. If Lavi reconsidered the last days, he never spent so much time with Yuu before. Which was mostly, 'cause in past there were always lots of missions and after all it was rare that the two of them had missions together, although it happened some few times. The redhead gave his and Yuu's relationship some thought over the last week. He had always done, but not to that extent.

After all he come to the conclusion that he really liked Yuu. It wasn't that he just wanted to have a best friend, by all means and therefore forced himself on the other boy. He truly enjoyed to spend time with Kanda. Of course he had to admit that he enjoyed spending time with Lenalee and Allen, also. But if he had to choose one of them it had to be Yuu. For some reason the swordsman was irreplaceable to him. And somehow he admired the older boy. His discipline when it came to his work as exorcist, his aspiration to get stronger, although he was already stronger than the most, plus the fact that he doesn't mince his words and tried to be nice to everyone as an act of courtesy, although there were some people to whom who could be a little bit nicer, those were all things the future Bookman cherished about the dark-haired exorcist.

At the same time an exhausted Kanda Yuu returned from his usual training in the usual forest. He had also thought about Lavi. He had come to admit that he actually enjoyed the attention Lavi was giving him. Such things as, watching him train in the forest, joining him in the cafeteria at his table, and all the other little things the redhead would do to gain his friendship.

Before Lavi had joined the Black Order, Kanda felt always a little bit excluded, although it was pretty much his own fault. But since the Bookman apprentice came into his life, that feeling vanished bit by bit. Sighing he collapsed into bed. Even if he came to the realization that he liked the other boy, he didn't have to let him know that. Besides there was also the other thing regarding Lavi, that bothered him. The thing he didn't want to think about, but that over and over haunted him in the past days.