This is the last chapter of Somewhere I Belong. There will be no sequel to this. I can't deal with this plot any longer. I don't really know how this chapter turned out, but at least it's bloody well done! I do hope you enjoy this finale.

Thank you everyone who has reviewed and followed this fic and it's predecessor. I very much appreciate all of your support!

Chapter Six

Tyki Mikk

I want to heal, I want to feel like I'm close to something real

(Somewhere I belong)

Tyki Mikk: the Vagabond, the human, the Noah of Pleasure, the assassin, the Marquis, a man- a creature made of black and white. As such a creature he'd never exactly felt he had a place to belong. He'd always made due in his position as the 3rd, more because he'd had no choice but to do so or he'd be killed by the Earl. It wasn't that he didn't have a place to fit it in, but rather that he wasn't sure he wanted to. He relished the destruction of the world while simultaneously treasuring his vagabond friends. He'd wanted to destroy Allen Walker and his Innocence and at the same time admired him, wanted to study him, wanted to keep him and learn every little thing there was to know about the teen.

That is why he'd defected to the middle ground. Because in the middle ground he could be what he wanted. He could mold a place to fit into, rather than molding himself to fit in. He didn't have to be wishy-washy with borderline personality disorder.

It was for very similar reasons, he discovered, that most everyone else inhabiting the Ark had defected to follow Allen Walker. The white-haired boy hadn't asked anyone for anything. He hadn't asked them to change, or improve, or fight, or choose sides, or even to decide where either side of the war began and ended. Allen Walker had single-handedly given the biggest misfits in the world somewhere to belong. And Tyki Mikk knew that this was one of the greatest reasons that he'd fallen for the teen. He'd never really thought of himself as gay, or even bisexual, but this was the Allen Walker, so exceptions could be made. Exceptions were expected when it came to the cursed teen.

Mikk had been lucky, he supposed. Allen seemed to reciprocate his feelings (Lavi and Lenalee had even confirmed it for him!). So why was it that he had been spending the last couple of weeks alone, or searching for his love, or actively being avoided by said love? He had no idea.

Tyki Mikk could not, for the life of him, understand Allen Walker. Allen had to be the most frustrating creature there ever was. All Tyki ever did was shower the younger male with gifts and attention. Road did the same bloody thing! But she was never told to stop or leave (Except that one time last month when she'd surprise-kissed him, again). He was, understandably, jealous.

It just wasn't fair. Okay, so he'd nearly killed the white-haired boy once… or twice (the 2nd time was an accident!) But so had the twins, Road, and even Kanda and Lavi (the last not intentionally). And Road had even gouged out his eye. Yet they were never treated like he was. Like a leper, or a poisonous apple, or… something- basically, like something that Allen really didn't want around. But how could that be- after all the presents and affection? Besides that, he was ridiculously good-looking and charming (the number of his own suitors was proof enough of that). Tyki could only conclude that there was something decidedly off about the boy.

Tyki had thought it was a brilliant idea, the perfect present: buttons. The first button he brought his dearest Allen was one of Leverrier's. And for this the white-haired boy had given him the first real smile anyone had seen on the cursed teen in quite a while. A Smile! Surely this was a good sign. This was a rather twisted way to court someone, but then, all the Noah were tragically twisted-the 14th being no exception.

The Noah of Pleasure spent the next several months tracking down all the Third Exorcists and their creators and eliminating them. Allen received over a dozen more buttons after Leverrier's. Everything had been going well. Until about the 7th button, Tyki guessed. It was then that Allen began to distance himself from his most avid suitor. The Portuguese Noah was actually rather hurt. What had he done?

Allen Walker

I want to let go of the pain I've felt so long

(Erase all the pain 'til it's gone)

Allen Walker could not believe what he'd gotten himself into. At first he hadn't thought much about the actions of the Pleasure. Perhaps he just wanted to make him feel welcome, or help put his past attempts on his life behind them? Maybe? Whatever the man's intentions, he hadn't thought on it much.

It was buttons. The buttons made him actually stop and question Tyki's odd behavior. Allen had felt unexpectedly thrilled at receiving the evil Leverrier's button. He'd smiled at Tyki. A few buttons later he had to keep himself from glomping the taller man. The Pleasure had told him proudly, exhaustedly that he was taking care to kill only the Third Exorcist's and those responsible for his biased trial. The very same people who also just happened to be responsible for the Third Exorcist project. And they called him a heretic? The Pleasure promised him that he was not creating any collateral damage. That in and of itself made Allen pause in his jubilation. Tyki, not wreaking havoc? Not simply doing as he pleased, killing who he pleased, and operating under his 'to hell with everyone one else' attitude?

The cursed teen had to wonder what was really going on. Hadn't he made it clear that a relationship in the middle of a war was impractical? Had the Noah not understood when he'd told him that, not only did he not want anyone specifically targeted because of their connection to him, but that he didn't want to- couldn't handle the loss of someone as close to him as Tyki wanted to be?

At first, Allen had been pleased- grateful even, for Tyki's care with each button. After all, association didn't always equate to guilt. Soon, though, Allen began to understand Tyki's intentions, the true reason behind his care with each button. And it rather frightened the youngest Noah. It frightened him because he'd never been in this sort of position before. Because Tyki was in no way content with them being just friends, as he'd hoped the older man would be (he'd known, when it came to Mikk that this hope was fragile at best, but couldn't help but try). Because all he knew was battle and because he wasn't even out of his bloody teens. Because Tyki was male and, though he didn't actually have a problem with homosexuality, he was pretty sure he'd only heard of such a relationship when he was in questionable locations with Master, and anything relating to Cross Marian was generally frightening and traumatizing… And because a few buttons after Epstein's, he was beginning to reciprocate Tyki's feelings.

Being young and rather naïve as he was, having no idea what to do now, Allen went into 'flight or fight' mode. Having lived most of his life on the battlefield Allen Walker would usually choose 'fight.' This was the first time in years that Allen had felt such a weakness coming on. But this wasn't battle. This wasn't something he could just fight his way out of. Allen Walker panicked.

Tyki Mikk

I want to find something I've wanted all along

This wasn't what he'd planned when he decided to pursue the amazing Allen Walker. Not at all. Granted, he'd expected… glitches. Of course he had. Sheryl (and most everyone else) had out right laughed at him when it was discovered that Tyki planned to court the angelic, pure, Exorcist Allen Walker. Tyki could deal with the laughter and the teasing. The white-haired boy completely avoiding him or flat out refusing to see him was definitely not part of his plan and he certainly didn't want to just deal with it. He would see his Allen no matter what it took. He would have Allen Walker for his own if it was the last thing he did.

After a great deal of effort he'd finally managed to corner the teen. The outright fear he could see in his petite love was certainly apparent. Right away he knew what was wrong and he couldn't believe how selfish he was being… wait, yes, he could. He was always selfish. Every aspect of his life, of himself, was spent doing as he pleased as often as he could. Generally, Allen was the one that was selfless and Tyki selfish; however, it seemed that, for once, the boy wanted to be the selfish one- protected and safe. This would never do. Tyki Mikk was the Noah of Pleasure and he would not let his and Allen's personalities reverse now. Never before, in any aspect of his life, had he ever wanted anything or anyone as much as he wanted the snowy-haired teen who was currently practically cowering before him. He wouldn't- couldn't ever let this boy get away.

He'd asked if the pain of losing Mana ever made him regret meeting the travelling clown.

Wide, silver eyes blinked for a moment in confusion, then focused in thought. Of course, the Portuguese man was not known for his patience and he'd been waiting for Allen for quite a while (according to his warped standards). Thus, he did not wait for a response to his question before, more or less, attacking the shorter male and kissing him breathless. When his reluctant, little love swooned in his arms, he knew he'd won. Allen didn't seem to mind being defeated so completely and easily.

Allen Walker

Somewhere I Belong

He didn't regret meeting Mana, despite the pain of losing him, of the curse he'd consequently received, or even after finding out that he'd been saddled with an unwanted Noah in his body. He wouldn't trade the few short years with his adoptive father for anything. Looking at his relationship with the older man in the same light, he knew that whether he had Tyki for a few months or a few decades, it would be worth it in the end. He came to realize that the pain of denying himself and never having his love would be worse than that of eventually losing him. 'It is better to have loved and lost,' as the saying goes, he thought.

It couldn't be helped anyway, he guessed. Tyki would never give up on him and he simply wasn't strong enough to resist indefinitely. He hadn't ever really wanted to resist in the first place. Besides, the Pleasure was strong and would not be killed off easily. In the end he decided that he'd rather have someone at his side when the end came, no matter what end the war brought to them, rather than be alone.

Tyki made him feel loved, made him feel needed- beyond what use he could be to the war. Tyki made him feel he had somewhere he belonged, like there was a heart in which he belonged. Unlike any others the older male had made space for Allen Walker the Savior, the Noah, the Exorcist, the Clown, and the Destroyer of Time. There was nothing of himself that had to be sacrificed, or changed, or improved. The Noah let him keep everything of himself, and took everything of himself without prejudice or exception.

In the end, he supposed that was all that was truly important. Yes, he was keeping his promise to Mana to keep walking forward, but, more importantly, he was keeping his promises to himself. And Allen had finally come to understand that that was more important than any vow made to one who'd died nigh on a decade past.

Tyki had a beating heart that pumped blood through rushing veins, a set of lungs (likely a bit grey from his smoking) that still drew air in and out, and warm skin that contained living, moving muscle, tendon and, bone. The dark-haired Noah was alive and more real to him than anything he remembered of Mana and… after a while he found that he was alright with that. Tyki Mikk loved him and Allen Walker would hold onto these things as long as he possibly could, as long as they existed. He couldn't live his life for everyone else. He couldn't live his life solely for his cause. He certainly couldn't live his life for those passed. One can only be so beholden to the dead and gone, after all.

Thank you to everyone who read this chapter. I think I hate it. It was really, truly forced. I'm so happy it's done! Please tell me what you think of this chapter and the whole of the fic in general. I so appreciate your input. Thank's againto all of you have reviewed in the past!