A Note from the Author: Hahaha remember when I said there wasn't going to be any long hiatuses? Haha yeah me neither, probably because it was two years ago but HEY HO we're back now. Honestly I have no excuse aside from life and for some reason this chapter was just a literal nightmare to write and felt like it was never going to end. It's actually 50 pages long, and was meant to be longer BUT THEN I REALISED IT WAS FIFTY PAGES and realised that was probably why it felt like it was going on forever.

I make no promises as to when this will update next, except that I really hope it won't take a year. God I am so sorry honestly. I am working on this though and I am adhering to the 15 chapter thing I set out on. Feel free to ask me questions anytime about TTW (or life, or DGM) and thank you for all the comments because they really did help me keep going.

Oh! Also! As of this chapter Through The Web is now rated M. Enjoy that.

New Year 's Eve rolled around rather fast.

Too fast.

Suspiciously fast.

Not really.

But it did seem to creep up on the both of them. One minute Lavi was kissing Allen in his bedroom, sleep deprived and probably a little insane, and the next it was December 31st and neither of them had any plans.

Allen wasn't a 'let's go out and party' type of guy and Lavi didn't know the area well enough to drag him out.

So instead they decided to stay in and watch the London firework display on the TV. A rather boring and unambitious plan, but it was the best they could come up with.

That morning Allen dragged Lavi out of bed and down to the local supermarket, a large Sainsburys which was about a fifteen minute walk away. Together they piled a basket high with those weird easy cook Chinese selection bites, which were actually about as Chinese as Allen's left thumb but were cheap and tasted good.

Lavi skipped gleefully around the bakery section, insisting they get doughnuts and Allen mumbling about him being a 'bad influence'. Lavi also insisted on Champagne or at least some form of alcohol because c'mon it was friggin New Years and he wanted to get a little tipsy.

Allen conceded under the condition that Lavi was to pay for it, and he was not to be forced to drink any of it. Lavi called him a wet blanket, Allen rolled his eyes and went in search of coffee because Lavi's caffeine habit was bleeding their stash dry.

It took a long time for Lavi to decide on a drink. In the end he settled with a few Vodka Spritzers in a variety of flavours, because he'd never really liked champagne (too dry and way too pricey) and he might just be able to tempt Allen with the watermelon one. Possibly.

Probably not. But it was worth a shot.

He caught up with Allen, who eyed the bottles disapprovingly but said nothing. Luckily for them most of the checkouts were relatively deserted.

Probably because no one went out shopping for food at 9am on New Years Eve, in fact no one in their right minds should be up at 9am in Lavi's humble opinion. Buy hey, Allen was morning person and Lavi was absolutely committed…. to converting him into a night person because honestly!

No one should be up and out and about this early!

No one.

No one at all.

"Lavi you do not need to buy seven Kinder Eggs." Allen informed him, nodding disapprovingly at aforementioned chocolate treats.

"But we don't get them over in America!" Lavi whined, earning a short smile from the tired looking woman on the till (Diana).

Allen shook his head, instructed Lavi to help bag the items and began the quick transition of shoving food into re-usable bags (Allen was into helping the environment, who knew?) and making small talk with dear old Diana (who's Grandkids were visiting for the holidays).

Soon they were done and began their epic journey home.

Facing bitter winds, laden with orange bags of dragon loot they traversed the labyrinth of icy roads hiding from the monstrous creatures that raced past them.

Okay so they went out into a chilly day, made two lefts then a right and then another left and nearly got run over by a bus.

Well they could have nearly been run over by a bus.

A bus went past them when they were waiting at a zebra crossing and it totally could have hit them if they, ya know, hadn't been waiting.

Nevertheless they made it back alive, noses red and lips chapped.

Allen made a move to take off his shoes only to be interrupted by his phone ringing out from his pocket. He checked the name, turned a bit green and hastily pushed his bags into Lavi's arms.

"I-I uhm. I need to take this. Could you-" he gestured at the bags, Lavi nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

Allen hastily trotted up the stairs, phone pressed to his ear and snapping out a harsh "What on earth do you want?"

Lavi began the simple task of unloading their shopping and eating one of his Kinder Eggs, all the while wondering who was on the other end of the phone.

It couldn't possibly be Linalee, Allen would never talk to her like that. In fact Allen probably wouldn't talk to any of his friends like that. Maybe it was a family member then, the way Allen was speaking sounded far too personal for someone like their landlord or similar.

Come to think of it Lavi didn't know much about Allen's family.

The red head began to make his way through another chocolate egg, absently playing with the tiny car he received in the previous one.

Allen had never mentioned siblings so Lavi assumed he was an only child, of course Allen could well have four brothers, two sisters and a pet goat and just never mentioned it. Lavi found this unlikely though.

He'd never mention his parents either, maybe he didn't get along with them very well.

Perhaps for Allen University had been an escape from wherever he had been before. He certainly seemed happier in his videos since starting University anyway.

Allen had mentioned 'not wanting to go down to Cross's for Christmas'. Cross was his God Father if Lavi remembered their night out a few months back correctly, which he might not be because he had had a fair amount to drink that evening.

If Allen lived with, or had lived with, his God Father did that mean his parents were dead?

Lavi didn't know.

He'd have to ask.

Ask Allen about his family.

That plan didn't sit well with Lavi for some reason, it left an uncomfortable twisting sensation in his lower gut. The topic of family had never been brought up on Allen's end before, even when Lavi mentioned his own.

And unfortunately Lavi had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't like what he heard.

Allen reappeared with his eyebrows furrowed and his lips drawn into a thin line, he chucked his phone tiredly onto the coffee table and collapsed onto the sofa next to Lavi who had recently made himself comfortable there.

"Are you okay?" Lavi asked, hooking an arm across Allen's shoulders.

Allen let out a hearty sigh and rubbed at his temples, giving his head a minute shake. Lavi wasn't entirely sure what that meant.

"Let's just say." Allen began, sounding a tad strained, "That we may have an entirely unwanted guest tomorrow."

Lavi took in Allen's tensed shoulders, narrow eyes and his lips pulled into a thin line. Allen Walker was not a happy bunny.

"Unwanted guest?" he questioned gently.

"An extremely unwanted guest." Allen hissed out through gritted teeth.

Lavi rubbed soothing circles on Allen's shoulder. He didn't like to see Allen so angry, or upset or whatever it was that Allen was feeling right now. Whatever it was Lavi didn't like the look on his face.

"C'mon Babe-"

"It's Allen."

"Let's just watch a film or play a game and chill out yeah? It's New Years Eve! Don't let life get ya down!" he insisted, giving Allen a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

And so they did just that.

Shoving on whatever film was closest to them and sitting on Allen's little sofa for roughly two hours.

It was coming up to midday.

And Lavi was bored.

This was why he didn't get up early, it meant he had to keep himself busy for longer and that was a pain.

They weren't having a particularly thrilling New Years as of yet but Allen seemed happy, and certainly less stressed than he had been earlier. So they continued the rest of the day in a similar fashion, watching TV, playing a very intense match on Fifa (which was Nalei's apparently, Allen was a little too good if you asked Lavi), browsing the web and Lavi got started on one of the many books he'd borrowed.

When Lavi next looked up from his book it was 11:00pm and Allen was nowhere in sight.

"Al!" he called out, thumbing down the corner of the page he was on and standing up.

"In the kitchen Lav."

Lavi went to seek him out. Allen was placing all of their cheap-ass Chinese food on trays, or trying to anyway. He seemed to be playing Tetris with spring-rolls and prawn toast.

"Have you finally cracked babe?" Lavi teased.

"It's Allen and no I haven't. The oven will only fit two trays, so we need to get all of this-" he gestured around him and the food, "onto two trays."

"Oooh I do like a challenge."

Lavi cracked his knuckles, rolled up his sleeves and set to work.

"H-how did you do that?" Allen asked weakly as Lavi kicked the oven door closed.

Lavi skipped over to where Allen was leaning against the counter and kissed him on the nose.

"That's a secret." He chimed.

"Like your middle name?" Allen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly!"

"I'll find out your middle name one day, mark my words Bookman."

Lavi was full of Chinese food and watermelon vodka by the time the countdown started.

"10!" shouted the crowds of people on the TV.

"9!" Allen tossed him a handful of part poppers and grinned at him.

"8!" Lavi stood up and readied the poppers.

"7!" He joined in with the shouting.

"6!" He cried in a strong North-Yorkshire accent making Allen laugh.

"5!" Allen wheezed out.

"4!" Lavi shouted in a frankly terrible Texan accent, making Allen laugh again.

"3!" Fire works popped in the distance, someone was eager.

"2!" Lavi took in the surreal beauty that was Allen walker smiling up at him with a hand full or party poppers and a cocktail umbrella tucked behind his ear (That had been Lavi's doing).

"1!" 2013 would be a good year, Lavi knew it.

"Happy New Year!" they cried in unison.

Poppers exploded into the air, streams of multi-coloured paper raining down around them. Allen squeaked gleefully as Lavi swept him into his arms and hugged him tightly. Allen raised himself up and kissed him sweetly, which made Lavi happier than any fireworks or party ever could.

Music began to play and hundreds of English voices began to sing from the TV. Allen beamed and crossed his arms at the elbows and held out his hands. He nodded pointedly, encouraging Lavi to follow suit and while Lavi had no idea what was going on he did so anyway.

Allen bounced their arms up and down, and began to join in with the singing.

"For auld lang syne my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup o-"

"Allen what are you doing?" Lavi asked laughing as he did.

"Auld lang syne Lavi! It's traditional! I thought you were a history buff c'mon- surely you'll be your pint-stoup, and surely I'll be mine!" Allen urged him on.

Lavi joined in as best he could, at least the chorus was easy to grasp, and honestly he was a little surprised he hadn't seen this tradition before. And it certainly wasn't just a thing Allen did, the crowds in London were doing much the same thing only in lines and circles. Strange, maybe he wasn't as clever as he thought he was.

They danced and sang and ate well into the early hours of the morning before crashing ungracefully into Allen's bed. Lavi wrapped Allen in his arms and thought only about his warmth and how the new year would be spent with him.

They were awoken to a loud and determined knocking on the door.

Lavi groaned, rolling over and attempting to bury his head into the pillows like an ostrich.

Allen stood up wearily, glancing at his phone and muttering something about it being "7am, good lord I hate that man." And began to pull on clothes.

The horrendous knocking continued.

Lavi turned his head slightly, Allen looked about ready to kill whoever was at the door.

"Lav stay up here okay. I don't think now's the best time to introduce to two of you." Allen sighed and turned to walk out of the room.

Lavi hastily reached out to grip his hand, Allen paused turning to him, gently Lavi pressed his lips to the backs of Allens fingers before smiling at letting him go. Allen turned a rather adorable shade of pink and skittered from the room.

Lavi listened intently, because he was a nosy bugger and he wanted to know what was going on even if Allen didn't want him around for some reason. The thought made him a little uncomfortable, but he tried his best to reason with himself that it was probably because the person downstairs was an arse hole not because Allen was embarrassed of him.

Hopefully.

He heard the front door open and man shout "What took you so long brat?!", he didn't hear Allen's response but he hoped the little guy was giving him hell.

The door slammed shut, rattling the house around him. Lavi remained deathly still, holding his breath.

Then the shouting started.

Lavi wasn't sure what they were arguing about, though he heard the words gambling, debt and bills a fair few times, or even how long they argued for.

But it ended with a furious "Get. Out." From Allen and bellowing laughter from whomever else was there and the door closing firmly and silence.

Lavi tentatively stood up and opened up the door, making his way to the stairs and listening for any sign that he should stay put. Carefully he made his way down stairs peering into the living room and spying Allen slumped onto the sofa, head in his hands.

"Are you okay?" he asked, moving to take a seat next to him.

"Yeah yeah. I'm sorry about that Lavi if I'd known he was going to turn up this week….I might have forced you to stay in America." Lavi chuckled.

"Who was that anyway?" ah he probably should've thought that question over a bit more first, oh well.

"My god father. Cross Marian. He sweeps in, insults you, tries to get you to pay off his debts, insults you again, steals your food and then leaves." Allen informed him wearily, gesturing at the messy pile of paper on the coffee table.

"You're not going to pay these are you?" Lavi inquired, picking one letter up and marvelling at how one man could build up such a big IOU for a bakery.

"Of course not. My money's off limits to him now, not that that'll stop him. Says I owe him for all the years he's looked after me. He just wants me to talk him out of half of them for him."

"And will you?"

Allen smirked devilishly, "Not any time soon. It'll be fun to watch him sweat for a while, lord only knows he deserves it."

"You are terrifying sometimes you know that right?" Lavi asked over his shoulder as he made his way into the kitchen, intent on making coffee because…coffee.

"Oh I know." Allen chimed, shuffling the papers into more orderly piles.

Lavi had grown reasonably accustomed to Allen's little kitchen, he was quite good at adapting after all. He knew where the mugs were, where Allen kept his tea and which tea was his (Lina was fan of Spiced Chai much to his delight), he knew where they kept the biscuits and that Nalei would personally kill him if he so much as touched his Hobnob's (now that had been an interesting conversation).

Soon he returned to Allen's side with tea, or coffee in his case, and biscuits in hand. He placed the mugs down on the coffee table amidst piles of bills and settled back onto the sofa, briefly wondering when he and Allen had turned into an old married couple buying a start-up business and not really caring because Allen's thinking face was adorable.

"I'm not sure what he's been buying so much of from Analtech and I do not want to know." Allen muttered.

Lavi snorted out the coffee he had been attempting to drink, Allen laughed openly at him and got a face full of snotty coffee in return as Lavi kissed him.

"Lavi that's gross, you're disgusting." Allen whined, wiping his face on a sofa cushion.

Lavi snickered at him wiping his face with the back of his hand, placing the floral mug down (he must have grabbed one of Miranda's by mistake) and sinking into the sofa.

"Sooooooo babe-"

"Allen."

"Babe. What's the plan for today?"

Allen hummed, "I don't know about you but I really feel like murdering something in a video game."

"Senseless murder it is!" Lavi cheered.

The rest of the week rolled by in a flurry of video games, soft kisses and a multitude of cuddles. And all too soon it was time for Lavi to leave. He tried his best to ignore the twisting in his gut, and failed miserably at trying not to cling to Allen like he was a life line.

The morning he was due to leave he gripped Allen tightly by the shoulders, looking pointedly into his eyes.

"You are coming to visit over summer, no protests that's what's happening." He insisted.

A look of annoyance flashed across Allen's face and Lavi wondered if he'd managed to fuck up this whole thing already but then Allen's face melted into a fond look and he nodded.

They stood in silence for what felt like the longest time, Lavi rubbing circles into Allen's collar bone with his thumbs. Allen fiddled with the car keys in his hand, the metal clicking together in his palm. This was probably the most Lavi had never wanted to go home, which was silly really. They'd see each other soon enough and they hadn't exactly been joined at the hip for years or anything like that.

But there was this horrible aching in his chest that felt like it was pulling him down into the ground and gluing him in position.

"Lavi we need to go, you don't want to miss your plane." Allen told him, gently pulling Lavi's hands from his shoulders and making to pick up one of Lavi's bags.

That was exactly what he wanted to do, he wanted to miss his plane and spend another week in Allen's arms. But plane tickets were expensive and his logical side was winning, so instead he picked up his suitcase and followed Allen out to his car.

He stowed his suitcase away into the boot of the tiny little car and flopped down into the passenger seat. He whipped out his phone and flicked it to the camera, "Guys hey guys I'm in Allen's car."

"Lavi." Allen whined exasperatedly, pulling out into the road.

"Look at him, look at his cute little driving face!" Lavi exclaimed, hoping that if he kept a bouncy attitude in his vlog maybe the aching in his chest would recede a little.

"Lavi!" Allen protested turning red.

Lavi laughed at him, "C'mon lil'buddy tell the people where we're headed."

Allen glanced at him, took note of the tiny camera directed at his face and smiled lightly.

"We're taking you to the airport so you can drag your sorry arse back to America." He responded.

"My arse is lovely thank you very much." Lavi responded huffily, taking in the interior of the rust bucket with his camera.

"I'm sure it is. But you're arse also ended up on my doorstep completely unannounced."

"Lies! Lies and slander you knew I was coming over to visit." Lavi insisted, Allen rolled his eyes turning out onto the main road and sliding into the right lane. Lavi flipped the phone around so the camera was facing himself.

"So a couple of months back I found out this guy," he jerked his head in Allen's direction, "was planning on spending Christmas, his birthday and New years alone! I know! Ridiculous! So I decided to come and visit over New Year's didn't I babe?"

Lavi saw Allen stiffen very briefly out of the corner of his eye, they had decided to keep their relationship private for now it was complicated enough without the fans sticking their noses in it.

Lavi's casual flirting was a normal occurrence in all the videos they were in together, but it didn't mean Allen couldn't overthink the whole thing like the worry wart he was.

"It's Allen. Two syllables. Very easy name to master." Allen retorted smoothly.

"Babe's cuter though." Allen turned a bit pink.

"Anyway," Lavi continued, "I've been recording bits of our merry New Years adventures and I'm going to mush them into one big vlog with this and upload it for you guy's pleasure when I get back. Since I know how much you love this little British guy and seeing him in vlogs."

Allen gave him an incredulous look, "Was that sarcasm?"

"What? No! Seriously they love you. I think the London Comic Con Vlog is my second most liked video ever."

"W-what?" Allen stuttered, stunned beyond belief.

"Like I said lil'buddy they love you."

"Oh."

And there it was again that soft shocked little 'oh' that conveyed so many emotions all at once and made Lavi want to wrap Allen in his arms and tell him how special he was, how perfect he was and how he should love himself as much as everyone else did because he deserved to be loved.

"So tell the lovely folks at home what we've been up to Al."

"Honestly we've been playing video games and watching films the entire time." Allen informed the currently non-existent people watching the video.

"You could have at least spiced it up a little bit babe."

"It's Allen."

Lavi hushed him and Allen rolled his eyes, focusing on the road.

"Soooo while what Al said is true we also did other things…." He paused wracking his brain for things they had done which he could tell their fans. Okay so yeah they'd gotten together but he wasn't gunna tell them take in a hurry now was he?

"Weeeeeee…oh! We went to go see The Hobbit which was awesome. And then when we got back to Al's we built George the Snowman. Poor fellow lived a short life." He sniffed sadly, mourning to loss of their snowman friend.

"We played Tetris with Chinese food, I think most of you saw that on Twitter. We both cried at Toy Story 3-DON'T EVEN TRY TO DENY THAT ALLEN YOU KNOW YOU DID."

Allen closed his mouth, struggling not to laugh at Lavi.

"I found out Allen is secretly pro at Fifa."

"It's Nalei's." Allen insisted once more.

"Uhhuh, and that's why you're so good at it right?"

Allen grumbled at him, Lavi sniggered in response.

"Whaaaat else did we do babe?"

"It's Allen. And like I said really all we did was play video games and watch films the entire time."

Lavi slowly came to realise that, aside from making out on the sofa, that really was all the two of them had done. He looked sadly into the camera, feigning tears, Allen laughed at him.

"Lavi just put on some cheesy music and sing along, you'll feel better in no time."

"Aye Aye Cap'n." Lavi shut of the camera and put on his 'super awesome playlist'.

They arrived at the airport with time to spare and ended up sat opposite each other on squishy chairs with mugs of coffee between them.

"You will come and visit me in America won't you?" Lavi asked yet again.

Allen rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes I'll come visit stop asking already."

Lavi beamed, sipping his coffee as Allen began to mull over dates.

"I should be finished by June and I won't start again until late September. So really I'll be free for ages and should be able to visit whenever."

"You should bring Linalee and Nalei, oh and Miranda of course." Lavi told him through a mouthful of pastry.

Allen looked up at him and reprimanded him for talking with his mouthful with his eyes alone. Ah they were going to make such a good old-married-couple. Lavi beamed at him before swallowing and regretting the decision as a lump of icing slid against the back of his throat making him gag a little. He hid his coughing fit behind his hand, Allen watched his eyes tear up and laughed.

When Lavi was finished being loud and annoying, Allen resumed their chat.

"I'm pretty sure Nalei's going to be in India again this summer, but I'll definitely ask them. If you're sure you want all of us invading your life for a few weeks?"

"It's only fair, considering I've invaded your life twice now."

"You make a good point. So what would we do?"

"Hm?"

"In America I mean."

Lavi pondered. They'd have to drive pretty far if they wanted to do anything really touristy. Obviously there were things around and about in his city to do. They could go out for drinks and food, he knew a nice Italian restaurant and Kanda knew a really friggin good Japanese place. Oh my god he could introduce Allen to Kanda.

He grinned openly at that though.

"Oh I do not like the look of that smile." Allen mumbled.

"Don't worry little buddy, don't you worry." He smirked across at Allen and a blush began to grow across the Brit's cheeks.

He cracked his knuckles, "As for things to do….well I know some good food places," Allen's eyes visibly lit up at that one.

"And we should totally go bowling at this place nearby, it's properly 50's style it's amazing. Also I'm totally taking you out clubbing because why the hell not. We'd have to drive and stay the night if you wanted to go do something really touristy like visit one of the National Parks, or a theme park or ya know something people go and stand near and take photos of."

Allen laughed, "I'm not big on the whole standing around taking photo's thing, especially if it's a long drive. I guess we could just see what we feel like at the time."

Lavi clicked his fingers, "We could drive down to the beach and hang out there for a few days, ah it'd be the west coast in summer though so I imagine it'd be pretty busy and it'd be a long drive. Oh no wait! I've had a better idea. There's a forest and a lake and cabins you can rent we could do that, that's a lot closer. Would be colder but a little more private, less tourists more bears."

"B…..bears?" Allen asked nervously.

Lavi laughed, "I'm only kidding. Well I'm not there are bears but not near the tourist spots I don't think. There's probably ghosts though."

"Gh-ghosts?!" Allen squeaked.

"I'm kidding babe, there's no ghosts. Probably." He added with a smirk revelling in the terror rolling off of Allen at this point.

"I think I like the sound of bowling better." Allen mumbled.

Lavi chuckled again, checking the time and downing the rest of his coffee. It was time to leave.

Strangely enough he didn't feel as bad as he did last time, perhaps having a concrete plan on when they would next meet had reassured him slightly. Perhaps knowing Allen returned his feelings meant he had less reason to worry about what the distance would do for them, which was illogical really but when had matters of the heart ever been logical?

Ah Lavi's poetic side was showing. It was definitely time for him to leave.

As they approached the gates Lavi turned and wrapped Allen in a tight hug, Allen squeaked as he always did whenever Lavi gave him a surprise hug but quickly wrapped his arms around Lavi's broad shoulders anyway.

Much to Lavi's surprise Allen was the one who kissed him.

Yanking him down by his offensive scarf and pressing their lips together in something that felt more like a promise than a sign of affection. A promise that they'd be together again soon, that they'd talk as often as they could, that Allen wouldn't stop thinking about Lavi for one single second.

They parted and the corners of Allen's eyes were beginning to look wet. Lavi gripped his hands and quickly kissed both of his cheeks before gently saying:

"I love you."

He released Allen's hands and turned to leave, taking two paces forward and hearing a soft and timid "I love you too." Before he was lost in the crowds and felt like he was already a million miles away.

When Allen got home he made a cup of tea, decided that he was going to order Indian Takeaway for dinner, and set about catching up with Downton Abbey because there had been way too many Christmas specials on that he wanted to watch that he was still catching up with half of them.

He also texted Linalee.

12:43pm [Allen Walker]: I may have acquired a boyfriend.

He waited all of about two minutes before his pone pinged at him.

12:45pm [Linalee Lee]: WHAT? EXPLAIN NOW! It better be Lavi, I SWEAR TO GOD IF ITS NOT LAVI I'M GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS INTO THE GROUND.

Allen laughed.

12:47pm [Allen Walker]: It's Lavi, please don't beat my ass into the ground.

12:50pm [Linalee Lee]: Okay I won't beat your ass into the ground. How did you go about acquiring Lavi as your boyfriend?

12:51pm [Linalee Lee]: Happy 2013 btw ^-^~~*

Allen wasn't too sure what that little emote was meant to be but he figured it was someone celebrating or similar. He took a moment to decide on what to write.

1:05pm [Allen Walker]: So I went to go pick him up and he fell asleep in the car, which was adorable by the way not that you needed to know that oh god what's wrong with me. Anyway we got back super later and we were super tired so we literally just went up to bed. And and I was half-way through changing and he stops me, hands me these pyjamas, calls me cute, kiSSES ME?! And that's how I acquired a boyfriend 3 Happy New Years to you too.

He waited.

1:10pm [Linalee Lee]: You mean to tell me, Lavi has been your boyf for a WEEK and you're only telling me now? Allen Walker how dare you! How dare you keep your illicit gay romance a secret from me! Also you're in love that's what's wrong with you. Congratulations!

1:10pm [Linalee Lee]: Also you're short.

Allen loved Linalee down to the core, she was one of if not the best friend he had ever had in his life. And he knew she meant no harm by her messages, she was just disappointed that this gossip hadn't reached her sooner.

1:12pm [Allen Walker]: ahhhhhh I'm sorry Lina I was just so busy I forgot to message you ;^; forgive meeeeee. Also I am not short how dare you.

1:14pm [Linalee Lee]: I'll forgive you if you tell me everything important about you and mr tall ginger and handsome right now. Are you sure this is what you want though Allen? It's not that I don't think you and Lavi are made for eachother, I do, but long distance is hard and I don't want to see you get hurt.

Ah there was the concerned Linalee he knew and loved.

1:20pm [Allen Walker]: He's not that handsome. Okay so apparently he's known me since I first started YouTube which is probably the single most embarrassing thing in the entire world. He also said he's liked me for a really long time but only realised it when we first met in person. We decided not to tell the fans yet because…..well you never know how they're going to react. He almost had a run in with Cross thank god I managed to dodge that bullet. He also tackled me through a snowman, knows Frank Sinatra off by heart and Lina he dances when he cooks. I can't handle this. Send help. I'm pretty sure it's what I want. He makes me happy. But I just worry I'm not good enough for him you know, I'm Allen Walker I'm no one special.

He sighed, sitting back and watching the drama unfold on the TV. It was ten minutes before Linalee replied, which meant this was either going to be a long text or a meaningful one or both. Or that she'd simply been busy.

1:30pm [Linalee Lee]: He is so that handsome don't even try to deny youre smitten for his freckles. Omg that is embarrassing, its okay we'll get him back if we go to Murica he's got to have some baby photo's lying around somewhere that we can exploit. Awwwwww allen that's so adorable! Youre both too sweet it's sickening stop that at once. That's probably a wise decision, do you think you'll let them know? Those are all good things. You're Allen Walker of course you're someone special, do I need to write an embarrassingly long sappy essay to explain why? As long as you're happy together that's all that really matters.

Allen smiled.

1:32pm [Allen Walker]: Thank you for not writing a sappy essay that's much appreciated, I'd truly lose all of my masculinity if someone saw me crying over a text while watching Downton. Thank you though Linalee, it still means a lot. And yes I assume we will, either that or someone will find out and spread it around the fandom.

Allen genuinely wasn't sure which of those two things was more likely to happen first.

Actually knowing the two of them they were likely to forget that they were livestreaming and say something ridiculous to each other. And then the fandom would spread it around and it would be a combination of efforts that lead to their eventual downfall.

Not that Allen was overly worried about the fans.

Well no he was that was a lie.

Okay so he wasn't worried about his fans.

Allen's own fans had always been nice, they wouldn't watch him if they didn't like him. Okay sure so maybe like 20% of his fans were horrible sometimes but he could deal with that. It was the mutual he was worried about, and Lavi's fans.

The mutuals were okay, though Allen knew they were just there for Lavi really. The views on the videos he did with lavi were always higher than any he did by himself, not that he minded all that much.

Lavi's fans could be a little boisterous sometimes. Something about them was louder and more confident than his fans. Maybe it was down to their different Let's Play styles, or editing styles. Who knows. Either way Allen wasn't sure how they'd react to their favourite Let's Player being in a relationship. How the 'COD boys' (as Allen liked to call them) would react to Lavi dating a guy, how the really over the top girls would wail about lost love and invade Allen's private life looking for negative things to throw at Lavi.

Obviously the Laven shippers would be ecstatic, which made up about 60% of their shared audience. It was just the rest they, well Allen had to worry about because honestly no one was going to yell at Lavi he was too big in the gaming world to be yelled at at this point.

1:38pm [Allen Walker]: Lavi invited us over in summer. All of us. Im pretty sure Nalei's busy and Miranda won't want to travel but I figured you'd want to come?

1:38pm [Linalee Lee]: ID LOVE TO! OMG IVE ALWAYS WANTED TO VISIT AMERICA!

Allen laughed again as frantic texts began to pour into his phone from Linalee who was now far too excited for her own good.

The rest of January was spent sheltering from the cold with hot chocolate and movies and skype calls. At least until Allen had to go back to University. He complained every livestream about walking precariously on the ice and falling over on the way to lectures. Lavi had little sympathy.

February bought about Valentine's Day, so naturally Lavi spent the entire month playing dating sims and Allen rolled his eyes a lot. Lavi didn't lament about his love life this year, which the fans picked up on and questioned but he gave no reply. Allen had never been a Valentine's Day person but when he saw a set of matching t-shirts that said 'Player 1' and 'Player 2' with little 8-bit heart bars on both he couldn't resist. Lavi had squealed at him over Skype the day the gift arrived at his apartment, on February the 18th but oh well it was close enough. Allen had blushed and looked at his keyboard for ten straight minutes before Lavi finally managed to get him to look up.

March was shockingly uneventful in many ways. They started every Skype call with 'I miss you' and ended them with 'I love you'. Allen thought that was meant to be hard to say, but he found those three little words slipping off his tongue easily and was overjoyed at how happy it made Lavi look every time.

It rained in April, it rained a lot. It rained so much in fact that the power in Lavi's apartment block kept flickering on and off for weeks as the basement parking and maintenance area flooded, shorting a tonne of fuses and making Lavi worry for the state of his motorbike. It was also the first time he mentioned his baby to Allen.

Lavi was sprawled on the sofa, listening to water rush past the windows the only light coming from the streetlights outside and the LCD screen of his phone.

8:14pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: At least the wifi's still working on your phone though.

Lavi conceded that this was true. Amazingly the wifi was holding strong or at least as strong as it could do (Lavi wouldn't trust it to hold a Skype call but messaging it could handle), as was the heating (thank the gods for that one) which meant he could message Allen and complain at him.

8:15pm [Lavi Bookman]: But the basement's flooding! My poor babbbby so cold and alone down there. I swear Reever's going to have hell to pay if she's been damaged. .

8:16pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: Car?

8:17pm [Lavi Bookman]: Motorbike. 2007 Yamaha Road Star, she's getting on a bit now but I got her for a decent price a couple of years after she was made, fixed her up and gave her a nice shiny paint job.

8:20pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: She? And I just looked it up on Google, you're not going to make me ride that death trap are you?

8:22pm [Lavi Bookman]: Motorbikes are always 'she', like boats c'mon buddy get with the game. Her name's Big Hammer and yes I am totally making you ride her.

8:23pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: Lavi no.

8:24pm [Lavi Bookman]: It's only fair babe, I've been in your death trap after all.

8:25pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: The rust bucket is not a death trap.

8:26pm [Lavi Bookman]: omfg you just called your own car 'The Rust Bucket' that's it I have succeeded, I have won. I AM VICTORIOUS.

Allen went to bed shortly after that.

And then it was May and Allen was so busy with University Work that the Friday night streams were cancelled until the beginning of June. Lavi silently beat down any fans that complained, taking over the helm and streaming solo for a few weeks and explaining that he was only doing this while Allen was busy with work and that everyone should go send him supportive words because University is hard.

A teary Allen called him on Skype the next day and wordlessly sent him screen shots of all the messages he had received. Lavi was suddenly very proud of his fans.

It was also Linalee's birthday so Lavi sent her glittering butterfly hanging ornaments for her room that she absolutely fell in love with instantly. Apparently the group back in the UK went out for Italian food and then drinks. Linalee's brother turned up unexpectedly but was welcomed along and was kept in check by Allen the entire time.

3:22am [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: I have never met a grown man so panicked about a fly in someone elses drink before in my life.

Allen lazed around like a cat for the most part in June. Doing nothing but playing games, messaging Lavi and catching up on some much needed rest. It was Kanda's birthday and Lavi spent the evening pissing off his friend and trying to set him up with Linalee. Which resulted in Lavi calling Linalee and pressing the phone to Kanda's ear, which then resulted in a very confused Linalee and a very angry Kanda.

In July they made plans for Allen's visit.

"Okay," came Allen's voice across the Skype call. "So Lina and I are going to get to yours for August 7th so that we can annoy you on your birthday and then we'll head home on…the 21st?"

Lavi scanned the calendar and bit back the words 'just stay forever please' and nodded affirmative.

"So you guys are gunna be here for two weeks?"

Allen nodded, "If..if that's okay? We can go earlier if you wa-"

"Allen I would let you stay here forever if you wanted." Lavi replied sincerely. Allen's face burned red and Lavi sniggered at him.

He looked around his apartment and grimaced, "I will have to tidy though, oh boy do I have to do some tidying." He scratched at the back of his head as Allen gave him a critical stare.

"How bad can it possibly be?"

Lavi glanced at the piles of books in the living room, he kept forgetting bookcases were a thing he owned.

"It's not…well…..hm. On a scale of one to ten how much do you enjoy tripping over books?"

Allen raised an eyebrow.

"I'll take that as a two then. I need to clean, I've been meaning to for ages but now I finally have an excuse. So if you and Lina-Lady start looking at plane tickets and I'll start planning out our two weeks' worth of adventures!"

Allen smiled softly at him through his tiny web-cam and Lavi's heart jumped in his chest. He was aching to see Allen again. He could feel it in his bones. He'd coped with the long distance fine so far, at least when it was the day time. When Lavi was busy he was fine. If he was recording, or editing, or playing just for the hell of it, or cooking, or catching up on terrible tv, he was fine then.

It was when he tried to sleep. When he lay down in the covers and closed his eyes he could feel the aching. The want to wrap his arms around Allen again. His arms looped around pillows and blankets, burying his face under the covers but the ache was there. He tried to stop thinking about Allen but he couldn't, his mind running in circles around the Brit recalling conversations they'd had and hearing Allen's laugh in his head. He tried blocking the thoughts out with music, but that only resulted in dreams of Allen's face, of Allen moving to the music, dancing, spinning, pulling him closer, and kissing him.

Some nights, when the music was right and Lavi had been awake far too long, his hand would stray beneath the sheets and he'd feel the heat rushing throughout his body as Allen whispered in his head. He'd feel the sweat sliding down the back of his neck as he bit the corner of the sheets, coming hard with a breathy whisper of 'Allen' and the feeling of guilt slowly washing over him.

And he knows he shouldn't feel guilty.

It's not like Allen is some poor innocent unsuspecting teenager. Allen is a twenty year old man who gets flustered and embarrassed at Lavi's dirty jokes but knows full well what his smirk does to Lavi. Allen is a devil that looks like an angel.

But Lavi still feels guilty sometimes.

Because he doesn't want anyone, not even himself even though he knows it's not true, to think that's all he sees in Allen. He doesn't want people to think Allen's just another fling, but a more exotic one this time. He doesn't want people to think all he wants is sex. Sex is a bonus but Allen is all he wants really.

And he knows it's silly. But he can't help it.

He set about looking for things for them to do.

He'd convinced (blackmailed) Kanda into coming with them to any and all meals out because really he would feel horrible if he made Linalee third-wheel the entire time. He got Krory and Kanda to come bowling. Krory was bringing Eliade which balanced the girl-boy ratio a little and gave them a nice round six. He'd have liked Kanda's brothers to come but Noise didn't really enjoy bowling, said it was too loud to really know where he was, and Daisya was on some strange football training week.

He really wanted to take them to this place called 'Magic Cat', which despite the god awful name, was a really really really swanky club run by one of the most beautiful women alive who had rejected his advances numerous times with her aloof stare or by getting the bar-tender Mimi to make him a terrible drink. Lulubell.

Lavi, obviously, had no romantic or sexual interest in Lulubell anymore. Allen was all he wanted. But that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate her good looks and really freaking nice club.

They had to go to the park one day and stay until the evening because it was a big beautiful area in the city that was big enough that if you got to the middle you could stargaze.

Lavi really wanted to go to the cabins down by Lake Noah but had yet to convince Kanda to come along with them. And Kanda needed to come with them. Firstly to give them a better deal and save them money by having four people there. Secondly to try and get him to mellow out a bit because seriously. And thirdly, so that Lavi could set him up with Linalee because that needed to be a thing that happened.

Speaking of Linalee.

"Hey babe."

"It's Allen."

"Is Linalee okay with sleeping on the sofa for two weeks?" he continued, ignoring Allen's correction. "Because I would totally 100 percent give Lina-Lady my bed but the two of us can't both physically fit on the sofa and I don't have a second room."

Allen smiled at him through the camera and Lavi's heart ached like an old house.

"Linalee said she'd rather stay in a Hotel by herself and just come by in the mornings."

"Why?" Lavi asked, wondering why Linalee turned down the offer of free accommodation.

"She said something about 'boy smell' and third-wheeling into the sun."

Lavi laughed, he couldn't exactly deny that would be the case. He hadn't seen Allen in months and was planning on sticking to him like glue for the duration of his stay.

Lavi spent the next few days trying to tidy up his apartment which ended up with him pulling all of the books he owned off of their shelves and alphabetising them across the living room floor before putting them back again.

"Why do I own so many books?" he moaned one afternoon.

"Because you're a nerd." Allen had replied.

Lavi had also decided to attempt to clean the other areas of his humble, nerdy little house.

The bathroom hadn't been too much trouble, sure the shower needed scrubbing down and the cabinets needed sorting through and the floor had to be mopped but it wasn't too bad.

The living room had been a disorganised mess. And since Lavi had alphabetised his books he decided he should do the same to his games, and his dvds. And that he should organise his cables better, and actually put up those framed posters he'd been meaning to put up for months. And it all took longer than he'd anticipated but it was okay.

His bedroom was much the same and the best he could do was tidy up his work space and pray Allen didn't look under the bed.

There was no saving the laundry room, not really.

The kitchen, good lord the kitchen. Now it wasn't that it was dirty, oh no Lavi kept his kitchen clean thank you very much. No it was the cupboards that had been a problem, the ridiculous amount of food he seemed to own. Why Lavi had four tubs of peanut butter he would never know. And god it had taken so long to clean everything out.

By the time everything was done Lavi was exhausted and about ready to collapse.

So he did just that. Lavi flopped down onto the sofa with a groan. He flicked on the TV and let a string of terrible cooking programmes play in succession.

3:47pm [Lavi Bookman]: My apartment is officially clean.

3:52pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: Woohoo congratulations!

Lavi sent him a picture of his freshly cleaned apartment.

3:56pm [Allen 'Buzzkill' Walker]: Swanky. Are you watching Cupcake Wars?

3:58pm [Lavi Bookman]: So what if I am? Cupcakes are delicious.

Allen didn't respond to that Lavi suspected he might be too busy rolling his eyes into oblivion. So what if Lavi liked terrible reality TV cooking programmes?

If Allen was allowed to like period costume dramas (oh yeah Lavi had seen it recorded and was just waiting for the opportune moment to bring it up) Lavi was allowed to like terrible reality TV cooking programmes.

Lavi spent the week before Linalee and Allen's arrival making sure everything was prepared and badgering Kanda into coming with them on their woodland adventure. Kanda's patience was eventually warn thin enough that he agreed to come along with a yell of:

"Alright! Fine! I'll come with you, and your stupid boyfriend and your stupid dumbass boyfriend's stupidly cute friend or your stupid adventure!"

"You just called Linalee cute."

"Fuck. Off."

Allen and Linalee's plane landed the next week at 7:53pm. The taxi dropped Linalee off at her hotel at 9:35pm. Allen arrived outside Lavi's apartment at 10:03pm.

"Allen!" Lavi cried, dashing out the front doors and running to Allen as fast as his legs would carry him.

Allen looked up from where he was wrestling his suitcase to face the right way as the taxi sped away into the night. His face split into a joyous smile and he abandoned his suitcase in favour of opening up his arms to welcome Lavi back into his life.

Lavi collided with enough enthusiasm that he sent Allen stumbling back a few paces. Allen told him off for this, but his arms wrapped tightly around Lavi and brought him in close. Lavi held him like that, out on the street for what felt like the longest time but then the front door that he'd left open started beeping angrily at him and he tore himself away.

Lavi reached out for Allen's abandoned suitcase and began tugging it toward the doors.

"Ah Lavi I can do that it's fine!" Allen insisted, shrugging his rucksack higher up onto his shoulder and doing a weird little half jog to catch up with him.

"Babe-"

"It's Allen."

"I can't believe you're still correcting me. Anyway, babe, you've been on a plane for seven hours let me be a gentleman."

Allen huffed but let him drag the black suitcase through the lobby and into an elevator.

"Sooooo how was the flight?" Lavi asked for the sake of making small talk.

In all honesty poor Allen looked exhausted and Lavi realised that his ideas of sitting up late and talking about all the things that had happened whilst they were apart from each other may have to wait until tomorrow.

As if to further prove Lavi's thoughts Allen attempted to stifle a yawn as he replied.

"Honestly? Horrendous. But planes always are to my experience. I'm not sure I've ever had an easy flight in my life." Allen informed him.

Lavi tossed an arm across his shoulders as the elevator pinged.

"Well you're here now Lil'Buddy. No more scary planes for two weeks."

Allen rolled his eyes, "I'm not scared of planes Lavi. I'm just not overly fond of large sweaty men snoring very loudly for four hours."

"Well you're not going to enjoy sharing a bed with me very much are you?" Lavi quipped sarcastically.

"You don't snore that badly." Allen waved his hand dismissively.

Lavi was unaware that he snored but he'd take Allen's word for it since well Allen was likely to know. He wondered if Allen's words were implying that he was large and sweaty, he'd take large that was fair enough he was a rather lanky fellow after all. But sweaty? That wasn't true in the slightest. Was it?

Lavi gave his armpit a sly sniff as he unlocked his apartment door.

As far as he could tell he wasn't sweaty. He smelt of his deodorant, and his aftershave that he may or may not have put on just to impress Allen a little bit. Not that he'd ever admit to that. Lavi just naturally smelt of sawdust and cut grass. Obviously.

Allen entered first and Lavi was suddenly very self-conscious about his little apartment.

The front door opened into a little hall way at the end of which sat one of many bookcases, a fitting introduction to Lavi's home. The first room on the left was a little cloak room of sorts, with the washer, the dryer a rack of shoes and a basket of dirty laundry Lavi really should get around to washing.

The second room off the hall was Lavi's humble bathroom. Next to that was his bedroom, which he'd tidied adequately enough he hoped. He had a sneaking suspicion that Allen would laugh at his rug, which was reminiscent of the magic carpet from Aladdin, only red.

The living room was open plan and contained a grand total of seven bookcases, admittedly some of the shelves had dvds and games on but it was still a ridiculous number of books for a single person to own. Lavi liked the kitchen the most, kitchens were always his favourite. So many good memories were made in kitchens.

He was excited to show Allen his little balcony one evening.

Not tonight though, he reasoned as Allen yawned again.

"Welcome to Casa de Lavi." He proclaimed, Allen rolled his eyes and wandered into the living room.

"Good lord you do have a lot of books don't you?" Allen sounded surprised, he must have thought Lavi had been exaggerating.

"I did tell you babe." Lavi gently rolled Allen's suitcase into his bedroom, before returning to Allen's side and giving him a brief kiss on the cheek which made the little guy blush and adorable shade of pink.

"Do you want anything to eat, or drink? Or do you just want to go to sleep?" Lavi asked gently, wrapping his arms around Allen because really he'd been longing to do that for months now.

"I think I'd quite like to go to sleep." Allen mumbled against his chest.

"Aye aye Captain sleep it is."

They made their way into Lavi's bedroom, Allen giggled at his rug and asked "Are you about to show me a whole new world?"

"Not tonight babe." Lavi had replied, winking.

Allen made to open his suitcase but Lavi insisted that could wait until tomorrow and to just borrow one of his shirts for the evening. After five minutes of arguing Allen ended up curled into Lavi's chest wearing a faded oversized 'Ravenclaw' t-shirt, fast asleep.

Lavi had never felt so at home in his life.

Lavi had planned the two weeks he and Allen were together meticulously.

He had a schedule, he had a plan and he was going to follow it.

He was going to follow it.

Today they would go nowhere because jet lag, well maybe they'd go grab food if Linalee and Allen were up for it.

On Sunday Lavi wanted to take them on a jolly adventure through the city and then they would go bowling because it was the easiest time for Krory and Eliade.

Monday was Cards Against Humanity night, and yes an entire evening was going to be dedicated to that game. Well actually it was 'Family Game Night', as Lavi liked to call it, with Allen, Linalee, Kanda and anyone else who decided to show up. He had guitar hero, he had cards against humanity, he had monopoly if for some god forsaken reason they wanted to play that, he had Mario kart.

He was prepared.

Tuesday was as yet unplanned. Tuesday was a free day. Tuesday was a mystery. Maybe they'd go to Dairy Queen, Allen had wanted to go to Dairy Queen.

Wednesday was, weather permitting, picnic and park day. And yes that sounded awfully like something a group of little old ladies would do but screw it Lavi liked the park and he liked food and he liked getting right in the middle of the park and looking up at the stars.

Thursday they were going on a 'camping' supplies run. Not that they were actually camping but you know it's the thought that counts right? Right. And that meant Wal Mart and Lavi was ridiculously stoked to see Allen's reaction to Wal Mart.

Friday was heading down to the lake day aka epic road trip day. What could possibly go wrong?

Then they were in the Cabins until the Tuesday, which then meant yet another epic road trip. And then three days to squeeze in Magic Cat and taking Allen out on Big Hammer.

That was the plan and so far it was going well. It was a little after midday and Allen was sat opposite him on the sofa, plate of pancakes on his lap and mug of tea steadily cooling on the table, gushing about the recent goings on and anything that came to his mind by the sounds of it.

Lavi didn't' mind. He loved hearing Allen ramble. He rarely did it on Skype for fear of annoying his flatmates but gods above he was so endearing when he rambled. Listening to him go off on tangents about video games and cooking and socks was the best thing that ever happened. Ever.

"Socks with pugs dressed as Gandalf, Lavi. Socks. With pugs. Dressed as Gandalf. Best day of my life I swear." Allen exclaimed.

Lavi sniggered into his coffee.

As amazing as those socks sounded he couldn't help but feel Allen was getting a little over excited about them. The guy was practically jumping up and down from excitement. Maybe Lavi should have more closely monitored the amount of syrup Allen had put on his pancakes. Yeah he probably should have done that. He'd have to remember for next time.

"What was I talking about again?" Allen asked him.

"Honestly babe I have no idea." Lavi told him, patting him on the knee reassuringly.

Allen pouted, "I was rambling again wasn't I?"

"Maybe."

Allen turned pink and continued to stuff pancakes into his mouth, "Show whass the plan?"

"I was thinking we do basically nothing today and then go out for delish Italian food." Lavi told him.

"I like the sound of that! Lina's coming as well right?"

"Of course lil buddy. Kanda's gunna be tagging along as well." Lavi informed him.

A wicked grin spread across Allen's face and oh boy Lavi wasn't sure if was excited by the concept of Allen and Kanda ripping into each other face to face or if he was terrified by it.

The two of them spent the first half of the day sniggering at the internet sat out on Lavi's balcony or making up ridiculous backstories for anyone they saw walking in the street below.

"Those four kids," Lavi began pointing at a group of pre-teens with back-packs, "are totally part of a team that all, like, have robots hidden under the school and they team up to defeat monsters by merging into a bigger robot."

Allen giggled, watching as the four kids rounded the corner and disappeared from view.

"You see that little old man, the one with the red hat?" Allen pointed, Lavi's eyes followed his hand. "He is totally, one hundred percent, a snake milker."

"A snake milker? What on earth does a snake milker do?"

"Well. He milks snakes."

And that was how the day went, until Linalee turned up in the afternoon.

They met Kanda outside the restaurant and the moment he and Allen's eyes met the tension was thick enough that Lavi was certain even the sharpest knife in Luce Stellare wouldn't be able to cut through it.

Lavi bounced nervously on the balls of his feet as Kanda folded his arms and looked Allen up and down.

"You're shorter than I was expecting."

Lavi clapped his hands together quickly, "OKAY!" he shouted enthusiastically, effectively cutting off Allen before a full on fight could break out. The fight could happen later once they had eaten some food because really Lavi was pretty dang hungry.

"Allen, Linalee this is Kanda!" he gestured at his angry looking friend.

"Kanda this is Allen and his really cute friend Linalee who you should spend most of your night talking to and hopefully flirting with." Lavi continued.

Silence spread between the four of them, Kanda apparently struck speechless by Lavi's forwardness.

"Well," chimed Linalee, "that sounds like fun. It's a pleasure to meet you Kanda." Sticking out her hand and charming him quite effectively into a conversation.

"Have I mentioned how much I like Linalee?" Lavi whispered conspiratorially to Allen.

"You might have." Allen chuckled.

Lavi clapped his hands together, again, "Alright my homies-"

"My homies?" Allen queried, Lavi shushed him.

"My homies! Let's go get some tasty pasta."

Dinner was an awkward affair to say the least, not for lack of trying to smooth things over on Linalee's part. But really there was only so much one woman could do when two of the party clearly loved antagonising each other and the third loved watching them fight.

After Allen and Kanda's fifth argument about mushrooms (which had been fully instigated by Lavi sneaking a mushroom onto Kanda's plate, again) Linalee had sat back in her chair with a sigh and set about recording the mess that was dinner.

"Mushrooms are always good on pizza."

"Mushrooms ruin everything short arse."

Allen frowned, twisting pasta around his fork in an incredibly passive aggressive manner which was pretty impressive. There was a moment of silence, in which only the sound of knives and forks could be heard.

Allen sighed and dropped his fork.

"How can you not like mushrooms?"

"Oh for fu-" Kanda slapped his hands on the table, "Drop it with the mushrooms short arse!"

"But they're amazing!"

Linalee glanced over at Lavi, "I can't believe they're still on this."

"I know isn't it amazing!" he exclaimed gleefully.

Linalee met his gleaming eyes with a level stare, "This is the real reason you're dating Allen isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes it is."

Allen glanced up at the sound of his name, "What was that?"

"Nothing dear." Lavi replied sweetly.

Allen narrowed his eyes, "You're being suspicious Bookman."

They finished their meal without any more mushroom related arguments (there was one about mozzarella though which was just far too ridiculous to warrant an argument really), ushered into Kanda's car and sped off into the night and back towards Lavi's apartment where they had desert because everyone loves desert and desert should always be eaten (in Lavi's humble opinion).

It was a little past midnight when Lavi and Allen walked Linalee back to her hotel. And about one when they tucked down in bed. Lavi wrapped Allen up in the sheet like a burrito and cackled mercilessly as Allen kicked frantically to break free. Burrito-Allen finally flopped down in defeat whining pitifully until Lavi took pity and unwrapped him.

"You're mean and I'm leaving you." Allen mumbled into Lavi's chest.

"Sure you are Lil'Buddy."

Sunday was city adventure and bowling day.

Well more accurately, it was walk downtown to Starbucks for lunch and pointing out various places to Allen and Linalee who spent most of the time marvelling at the sheer amount of people that were milling around and the size of everything day.

"This is the biggest Starbucks I have ever seen." Allen muttered, probably without even realising what he was saying, as they walked through the doors.

Lavi laughed at him which earnt him a punch to the shoulder.

"This is the biggest coffee…ever." Linalee whispered in awe, Lavi found himself sniggering again.

On the way back to Lavi's apartment they popped into a few shops here and there that Lavi wouldn't have even thought twice about entering before now; a tiny book store, a strange shop Lavi was convinced probably belonged to a witch and a small bakery where Allen bought a box of doughnuts just because he could.

When they returned to the apartment, the three of them begrudgingly set down some ground rules regarding vlogging. Linalee was determined to vlog most of their adventures and honestly the other two were fine with that because that was more her area of expertise than either of theirs. She could show however much of Lavi's city/apartment that she wanted (so long as no one found out the address he was happy), but if she could edit out as much of Lavi and Allen being the sickeningly adorable couple that they were that would be great.

Linalee had laughed, "I'll try my best. I don't want to be the one to spill this secret. That one's on you two."

Allen didn't think he'd ever seen a grown man and woman so excited about the concept of bowling before in his life. Lavi was skipping across the carpark heading to what appeared to be a bowling alley still stuck in the 50's, Linalee was prancing along behind him spinning every so often to film Allen and Kanda's much less enthusiastic approach.

"C'mon you two!" Lavi called enthusiastically, waving them over frantically before disappearing inside the bowling alley.

Allen pushed open the door, huffing as Kanda shoulder barged past him and smirked. He was hit with a wave of noise and warmth. Allen would admit the place was rather cute, dressed up to look like diner in red and turquoise.

Lavi and Linalee were stood over by the desk that gave out the bowling shoes with Krory, who Allen recognised from that one fateful Lord of The Rings evening, and a small blonde woman who must have been Eliade.

Lavi pulled Allen into a one armed embrace as soon as he walked over.

"Krory-kins, Eliade this," he nodded his head in Allen's general direction, "is my boyfriend Allen."

Allen felt his face heat up. He'd never been introduced as someone's boyfriend before. It was surprisingly nice. Lavi gave Allen's shoulder a squeeze.

"Allen this my good old totally not a vampire buddy Krory and his lovely lady Eliade." He finished with a flourish of his hand.

"Hello." Allen waved weakly, mentally kicking himself in the butt for sounding so lame.

"It's nice to meet you in person Allen." Krory smiled gently, reaching out to shake Allen's hand. Before Allen could reply, Lavi clapped down on his shoulders.

"Enough small talk more bowling!" He cried, thrusting his fist in the air and turning to the counter where he seemed to be successfully charming the woman working there into giving him the nicest pair of bowling shoes.

Allen shook his head fondly. Krory chuckled at him, "He's lucky to have you Allen. He needs someone to keep him grounded."

Allen turned bright red and wondered if this type of gentle teasing was common from Krory. He could hear Linalee giggling at him so he quickly nodded an acknowledgement to Krory and skittered over to the desk where he began an incredibly awkward conversation where he tried his best to figure out what on earth his shoe size was in American sizing.

Lavi came to his rescue, Allen felt himself turning redder by the second.

"Gosh I haven't been bowling since I was a little kid." Linalee smiled at Allen as Lavi set about plugging everyones names into the machine, "I wonder if they'll let us put the bumpers up?"

"No bumpers Lina-Lady, this is going to be a battle of wits and skill that only the bravest of bowling champions will succeed at." He informed sagely, while simultaneously typing the name 'SWAGLORD' into the machine.

Lavi should not have been allowed to dictate the names, no one should have given him that power.

Their lane was now occupied by:

SWAGLORD (Lavi)

mittensthekitten (Kanda)

VamPIEr (Krory)

Blondie (Eliade)

AngrySmall (Allen)

cuteybooty (Linalee, by her command)

It didn't seem to matter to Lavi that only the first four letters were actually displayed on the monitor making them; swag, mitt, vamp, blon, angr and cute respectively. Lavi seemed to think he was a comedic genius; no one else did. Well Allen did, a little, secretly. But that was probably just because of the way Lavi's v-neck dipped just low enough to show his collar bone and the way the lights highlighted it just right and Allen was getting way too distracted apparently because everyone else had turned to look at him.

"Sorry?" he asked weakly.

"Do you want curly fries?" Lavi asked him for what Allen suspected was probably the third time in past minute.

"That's a silly question Lavi, of course I want curly fries." Allen told him.

"Best get two extra bowls then if you're going to be eating them."

"Wow. Rude."

Lavi waved away Allen's fake offense and dashed off, dragging Krory behind him, to go collect said curly fries and 'a butt load of pepsi'. There was beat of silence as the remaining, quieter members of their bowling crew glanced at one another.

"Is he always that energetic?" Eliade asked and Allen suddenly realised that she probably hadn't spent that much time with Lavi before.

"Yes." The rest of them replied in unison.

As it turned out Allen was about as good at bowling as he was at drawing i.e. absolutely terrible. Luckily enough for him everyone else was also terrible.

Linalee's first three balls had been gutter-balls until she finally got the hang of things. Kanda had successfully managed to perform what was apparently called a '7-10 split' every first throw so far, it was actually quite impressive. Krory had just dropped the ball and then spent an agonising three minutes watching it slowly roll toward the pins, and Eliade had accidentally gotten her fingers stuck in the bowling ball and they had to use chip grease to get it off.

Lavi's failure though had been magnificent.

He had been his usual overconfident, swaggering self. Teasing the others for their failures, talking about how he was 'Bowling champ of '75' even though he certainly had not been alive in 1975. Lining up his shot, getting into perfect form, and then throwing the bowling ball directly into the neighbouring alley.

Allen had laughed until he cried and Linalee managed to get the whole thing on camera. Lavi had taken it in his stride as he walked back to pick another ball out the machine.

"As it turns out; one eye, slight hindrance to bowling." He told them.

Kanda snorted his amusement and Allen sniggered at him, everyone else looked confused. But Lavi had already turned back to the lane before any of them could do so much as laugh.

Linalee had won the first game, Eliade the second and Lavi had insisted they bow down to the new Queens of Bowling, which had attracted a little bit of attention.

"You are awful at bowling." Allen informed him sweetly once they returned to Lavi's place, leaning against the back of the sofa with his hands on his hips.

"Oh well now that's no way to treat a cripple." Lavi feigned hurt as he sauntered over, leaning over Allen and watching as his face turned red.

"O-oh? And how would you rather I treated a cripple then?" Allen asked, voice a little shaky and god he hated himself for it because he was trying to flirt here but his damn voice was betraying him.

Lavi smirked at him, "I heard a rumour somewhere that cripples quite like kisses. Think you can manage that?"

Allen looped his arms across Lavi's shoulders, "I think I can manage that."

And he did in fact manage it. Pulling Lavi down gently by his neck and pressing their lips together. Lavi hummed behind his smile, pushing forward and teasing Allen's mouth open. Allen felt the familiar pleasant tingle in his spine that always came from kissing Lavi, it was a good feeling he decided as Lavi pushed closer once again.

"Careful." Allen warned as the two of them tipped back dangerously, hanging over the edge of the back of the sofa precariously.

"Careful is no fun" Lavi mumbled against Allen's ear making him shiver.

Lavi gripped Allen's waist, tipped him fully back, and dropped him down onto the sofa. Allen squeaked in what must have been a combination of fear and confusion, hands scrabbling for purchase and managing to tug Lavi down on top of him

"Damnit Lavi! Don't do that!" Allen protested, thumping Lavi's chest with a fist.

Lavi sniggered at him before kissing at his neck, which successfully cut off any and all of Allen's protests because he really really liked it when Lavi did that. Allen shifted, tilting his head to the side. Lavi's teeth grazed his skin, Allen threw all caution to the wind and wrapped his legs around Lavi's waist.

Lavi glanced up at him, looking smug. Allen rolled his eyes, "You are the literal worst and I hate you."

"No you don't."

"No. I don't."

Allen pulled Lavi up to kiss him again and things just got more and more heated from there. Allen would be hard pressed to remember the exact events that ended up with the two of them in laying in red bed sheets, Lavi trailing kisses up and down in inside of his thighs. Allen mentally squirmed at the thought of Lavi getting up close and personal with all of his stretchmarks but then again Lavi didn't really seem to mind all that much.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love your legs?" Lavi asked him, brushing his hands down from Allen's hips to his toes as he spoke, "They just go on and on, but you're so short I don't understa-"

"Lavi!" Allen protested, kicking away Lavi's hands when they prodded into some of his more ticklish areas.

Lavi continued to touch him, brushing his fingers gently across the graze on his left knee where he knocked it on the plane journey. Allen's eyes fluttered closed as Lavi rose up to kiss him again, pressing their bodies together and spreading warmth between them.

"Allen I…I need to know how much you want." Lavi breathed out, rolling his hips down against Allen's own.

Truthfully, Allen wasn't sure he knew what he wanted. He just wanted to be close to Lavi, to be wrapped in his arms and encased in warmth. Allen tried his best to vocalise this, but all that came out were the words 'I just…' over and over again followed by a roll of his hips that Lavi eagerly responded to.

"Okay, I understand."

Lavi twisted them onto their sides and made to snake his hand between their bodies only to pause and reassess the situation. He abruptly sat up, detaching himself from Allen.

Allen huffed, "Lavi if you think this was what I meant then you're as bad at reading people as you are at bowling."

"Just wait there for like two seconds." Lavi told him before jumping off the bed and dashing out the room leaving a confused Allen lying awkwardly in bed alone. He could hear Lavi's feet thumping on the wooden floor as he moved about the apartment.

Lavi returned just as Allen was getting restless, towel in hand and leaning against the doorframe.

"No offense to you babe but I just changed my bed sheets so c'mon butt in the air." He gestured with his fingers.

"E-excuse me?" Allen's cheeks turned a dark pink.

"Oh my god not like that, well at least not tonight." Lavi winked, making Allen roll away from him and bury his face in the pillows, which did what Lavi needed him to do anyway and allowed Lavi to spread the towel out in the centre of the sheets.

Lavi bounced onto the bed, his hands tugging at Allen's shoulders and rolling him back over. Then, after coaxing an embarrassed Allen's hands away from his face, they picked up right where they left off only this time with a towel spread out bellow them.

They kissed and touched and moved, hands stroking and pulling and Allen learnt that Lavi's voice dipped lower and quieter when he was aroused. Allen learnt that he really like the sound of Lavi's voice as it murmured sweet words against his neck. Allen learnt that Lavi liked to talk all the way through and that he didn't mind that Allen was quiet as a mouse.

The most important thing Allen learnt though was that Lavi made sure he was okay and happy with what they were doing every step of the way, that he wasn't going to push Allen in to doing anything.

"I…I'm sorry I wasn't ready for…." Allen had said after, feeling guilty, self-conscious, and stupid.

Lavi has shushed him and told him it was fine, that he didn't expect anything and Allen felt better in an instant.

They curled up together, towel abandoned to the washing basket, and after one more instance of 'burrito Allen' (which had been met with annoyed whining and cackling laughter) they settled down to sleep.

"Night Allen."

"Good night, Lavi."

Lavi blinked sleep away from his eyes and stretched out, his gangly limbs cracking as they spayed out on the bed. He knocked off three pillows as he moved, which was pretty dang impressive. He sat up and yawned, slipping on his eyepatch.

The morning sun was filtering in past the blinds, making the room warm and cosy and making Lavi want to curl back up and go to sleep. But Allen was nowhere to be found.

"Allen?" he called out, staring out the half open bedroom door.

Lavi tended to leave all the doors in his apartment open, aside from the laundry room because honestly. This included his bedroom door. Allen usually closed his bedroom door, this half open door must be some sort of weird in-between.

"Al. Babe?" he called again, standing up and plodding over to the door.

"I'm in the kitchen."

Lavi wandered over, pausing in the kitchen door and taking a moment to realise that he was not in fact in a dream. Allen was stood in the centre of Lavi's tiny kitchen and it looked like he was attempting to figure out how to use the coffee maker. Which was adorable but not what gave Lavi pause. What made him stop and stare were once again Allen's legs because Lavi was weak for Allen's legs (but hey at least he admitted the problem, not that it was really a problem) and Allen's legs were currently stretching out completely bare beneath the hem of a large grey jumper.

Lavi could still see the marks he'd left there last night. Oh boy.

Allen turned and smiled at him, "Happy birthday Lavi!"

What. Oh. Right. Yeah. It was Lavi's birthday today. That was why they were having family game night. Oh good lord it was Lavi's twenty-eighth birthday today. He'd known Allen for a year, at least. Good god almighty he was nearly thirty and bare legs were still distracting him.

"Are you having another 'oh no I'm nearly thirty' crisis again Lav?" Allen asked him with a smirk

"Possibly." Lavi sat down on one of the stools and refused to help Allen with the coffee machine because it was much more fun to watch him struggle.

Allen finally, after a few muttered curses, managed to get the machine working. He shoved some toast in Lavi's little toaster and sat down opposite the still slightly distressed red head. Lavi was not good with ageing, Allen was learning this.

"Seven years Al." Lavi was holding his face in his hands.

"What's seven years?"

"The age gap."

"Between…"

"Us. Al. Between us. Seven years." He emphasised, "I'm an old man. I'm like….I'm a DILF."

Allen laughed at him, "Okay firstly: are you really only just realising the age gap? Secondly: The age gap makes absolutely no difference to this relationship. Thirdly: you may be an old man but I'm pretty sure you have to like actually be a dad to be a DILF."

"Maybe I am a dad."

"You'd know if you were a dad."

"Alright fine so I'm not a dad."

Lavi paused and the coffee machine beeped, Allen ignored it. Instead he reached over and grabbed his hands, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Stop freaking out and just enjoy your birthday Lavi."

Lavi nodded his head in a silent promise to stop being such a drama queen because honestly, if Allen didn't care that he was nearly thirty holy fucking shit then really he shouldn't care either. Allen positively beamed at him, which melted Lavi's old dusty heart into a puddle in his chest.

"Good!" Allen chimed, "Now what do you want for….." he glanced at the clock, "brunch I guess?"

Lavi raised an eye brow and opened his mouth, Allen cut him off quickly "Don't. Don't say me."

"Damn it babe let an old man have his jokes." Lavi complained. Allen rolled his eyes.

In the end, they skipped brunch entirely and settled for waiting until lunch and for Linalee to turn up. After coffee Lavi had disappeared into the shower as Allen was routing around in his suitcase. Lavi had glanced at his phone briefly, he already had a multitude of tweets and messages congratulating him and apparently it was 74 degrees Fahrenheit today. That definitely qualified as a shorts day in his opinion. Cargo shorts here he comes. Oh wait no he had to socialise today. Jeans it was then.

He emerged from the bathroom clean and dressed in one of his more lightweight t-shirts. Allen pressed a neatly wrapped package into his hands with a mumbled "I'm sorry it's not much." His face red as he darted into the bathroom and quickly locked the door.

Lavi opened it up curiously and found himself gaping. Apparently Allen had somehow managed to remember all of the little things that Lavi had complained about over the last few months and worked solutions into one convenient little gift. There was a blanket, which looked an awful lot like his rug by sheer coincidence, because sometimes the heating went off in winter and it got super cold sitting in his chair. There was a pack of four rabbit print coasters, because his had been getting grotty. There was even an ice cream scoop because he didn't have one, and good lord Allen had remembered so many silly little things that Lavi had mentioned.

Allen was amazing.

"Allen you're amazing!" Lavi shouted through the bathroom door. Allen squeaked in response.

Linalee had arrived while Lavi was out on the balcony having a conversation with his Grandpa. She had a birthday cake in her hands which they quickly stowed away in the back of a cupboard where they hoped Lavi wouldn't be able to find it. He shouldn't find it unless for some reason he decided he wanted to eat canned ravioli.

Linalee brushed her hands of imaginary dirt as she looked Allen up and down.

"Somebody got laid last night." She said cheerfully.

"Linalee!" Allen gave an indignant shriek of protest, Linalee giggled.

"Oh c'mon Allen you totally-"

"Linaleeeeeeee." He whined, shifting from foot to foot, "We didn't…I mean sort of….but not-"

"Allen. Did you or did you not touch a penis that did not belong to you?" she asked with a completely straight face.

Allen spluttered, "I…Lina please." He paused, looking down at his feet, "….maybe."

Linalee cheered, "I knew it!"

Allen thumped her half-heartedly on the shoulder.

The day was a blur of filming, eating and making fun of Lavi at every opportunity.

And then it was the evening and far too many people were crammed into Lavi's small apartment, and Allen found himself being introduced to person after person after person. Allen could not remember half of their names, which was okay because half of them only stayed for an hour before having to return home.

Far too many people still remained, crammed onto sofas and curled up on the floor, drinks and cards in hard and trying not to die of laughter as the card combinations for Cards Against Humanity got more absurd and more obscene by the minute.

'Poorly timed holocaust jokes', 'Brown people' and 'Geese' won every single time they were played. Every time. Without fail.

Allen sniggered uncontrollably every time he found a good combination, tried to stifle his giggles until the card tsar read all the options out and failed at stifling his laughter every single time. Lavi for one found Allen's glee adorable. Linalee as it turned out was incredible at the game and played all the combinations everyone else was too nervous to play, Linalee did not adhere to political correctness when it came to this game.

They moved onto Mario kart after a while, which Lavi and Allen suitably destroyed everyone at. It would have been embarrassing really if they hadn't. A few people left after that, saying they couldn't face another terrible defeat, leaving the three of them plus Kanda to start a furious game of monopoly.

"Bullshit!" Allen's cry of protest as he landed on one of Kanda's hotels for the third time in a row, "You can't do this to me! I don't deserve this!"

"Babe who are you talking to right now?"

"I'm talking to God. He's clearly playing a cruel joke on me. What did I do to deserve this?"

Kanda rolled his eyes, "Pay up short arse."

"No! I refuse!"

"Allen you can't refuse." Linalee laughed at him.

"I'm refusing-No wait Lavi don't take the money."

Lavi scooped the fake paper notes off of the ground in front of Allen and handed them to a smug looking Kanda. Allen had collapsed backward with a whine. No one had any sympathy for him.

It had probably been Lavi's best birthday to date. He got to spend the day with his amazing, adorable boyfriend. He got to spend the evening playing ridiculous games with his friends. He got to eat three whole pieces of cake and no one had told him off. Well Linalee had given him a slightly withering look, but no one had expressly told him off. And he had the pleasant warm buzz that came from just the right amount of alcohol.

Lavi was lying on his back in bed, wearing only his boxers, spread out and letting the summer breeze cool his skin. Everyone had gone home, Kanda offering to walk Linalee which had been a slight miracle in itself, and Allen was currently stood at the foot of his bed with a fond look on his face.

"Do you want me to turn the light off?" Allen asked him as he removed himself of his shirt.

"Why would you do that? I'm enjoying the view." Lavi teased.

Allen rolled his eyes, "So we can sleep Lavi."

Lavi propped himself up on his elbows, "Aw what? No 'birthday blowjob'? I'm disappointed."

He was only teasing. Well not entirely. Well let's just say if Allen were to offer he wouldn't say no. But really he was just teasing, it was the alcohol making him bold.

Allen turned red where he stood, eyebrows raising up. His hands twitched and Lavi was fully expecting Allen to stride over and punch him in the shoulder.

"Babe I'm just teasing yo-what are you doing?"

Allen had walked over, or more like slinked over, and was pulling at his ankles until Lavi's legs slid off the side of the bed. Allen looked him up and down, Lavi wondered if Allen was going to do more than just punch him in the arm. The short man in front of him smirked and oh dear Lavi wasn't going to live to see his thirtieth birthday after all.

And then Allen dropped to his knees and began to run his hands across the inside of Lavi's thighs. Cold fingers tweaking the edge of his underwear, warm breath ghosting over his skin. Lavi felt teeth teasing at the sensitive skin and he sat bolt upright.

"Al I was just-You don't have…" Lavi, flustered, trailed off when Allen met his gaze and then preceded to crawl into his lap.

"I know, but I'd quite like to anyway." He responded sincerely, sweetly, gently and then kissed Lavi with such passion for a moment he wondered if Allen was in fact two different people in one body. He decided quite quickly that he didn't mind all that much.

Placing his hands on Allen's hips and tugging him closer as Allen grabbed his face in his hands and tilted Lavi's head back giving Allen the advantage for once. Lavi leant back letting Allen take control, enjoying the feel of warm lips against his own. Allen pushed as close as he could, bare chests flush against one another, hips rolling down and drawing a soft groan from Lavi and god Lavi decided he could stay like that forever.

Then almost as soon as it started, it ended. Allen pushing away and sliding back to the floor.

"Stay." He instructed, pulling down Lavi's boxers and tossing them onto the bed.

Lavi's heart hammered in his chest as Allen basically scientifically analysed his penis. Or at least that's what it felt like. Grey eyes looking at him, expression unreadable.

And then.

Allen sighed.

"Excuse me! Why are you sighing at my penis?!" Lavi squawked.

Allen glanced up at him, smile twitching his lips "You do have ginger pubes."

Lavi's mouth was agape, "Well there's nothing I can do about that Al. Wait sure you noticed that by now-"

Allen's eyes fluttered closed, but not before they rolled just one more time, taking Lavi's cock in one hand and pressing his lips against the side.

"Oh well okay then I guess you don't care all that much." Lavi said breathlessly, biting at his lip as Allen's tongue slid out of his mouth and ran down the underside sending heat swirling throughout his body.

Allen worked slowly, deliberately, coating him in saliva and using his right hand to stroke up and down making his thighs tremble and his head loll back. Allen's lips closed around the head, Lavi cursing under his breath as he slipped into wet heat. Then he moved, slowly at first, tongue curling and stroking as he went hand touching what he couldn't (or simply didn't want to) put in his mouth.

And jesus Allen was really good at that. Lavi, apparently, vocalised this thought because he felt Allen chuckle slightly. He tore his eyes open looking down at the sight before him and god was it a beautiful sight. Allen's face flushed, lips red and wet, eyes hidden behind long lashes. Lavi really wanted to twist his fingers into Allen's hair. Not to pull at it, but just to feel it.

He asked if he could, Allen hummed an affirmative that would have made Lavi's knees buckle had he been stood up.

He pushed Allen's hair back from his face, watching him move and trying really hard not to buck his hips up.

Lavi's whole body jolted as teeth scraped gently against him. He felt the rougher skin of Allen's left hand settle on his knee as he pulled back, muttering a soft apology before going right back to it. As Allen's confidence and speed increased obscene sucking noises drifted up to Lavi's ears and served only to push him closer to the edge than he already was.

It didn't take long before Lavi was panting out a warning, legs trembling. Allen just sucked harder and swallowed him down. Lavi groaned, falling back against the bed as Allen detached himself. He opened his eye catching Allen wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before taking a swig of the water that sat on the side.

Lavi grabbed a tissue to wipe himself down before tugging his pants back on and lying down the right way round. Allen joined him, curling into his side.

"Thank-"

"Do not thank me Lavi. That's weird."

Lavi sniggered and closed his mouth, stroking gently at the back of Allen's neck.

"You're still wearing your jeans." Lavi pointed out, the rough fabric scratching at his legs.

"Well someone didn't let me get changed." He nuzzled into his neck and Lavi could feel him smiling.

There was comfortable silence, a car whizzed past outside.

"You can turn the light off now." Lavi said, this time Allen did thump him

"We're locked in the park." Lavi declared, turning away from the bolted iron gates to face his friends. Waiting nervously for their reactions.

"You're fucking kidding me!" that was Kanda.

"Oh….oh dear." That was Allen.

"Well. I guess it could be worse." That was Linalee, sweet precious Linalee.

Lavi took a moment, as Kanda strode past him and began shaking the gates, to ponder just how they got into this situation in the first place.

The day after Lavi's birthday had been uneventful. No one had been even vaguely functioning until mid-afternoon. They ended up recording a few videos with Linalee, mostly silly and easy to play multiplayer console games. It had been fun and relatively relaxing, apart from all the times Lavi had to hold his tongue so as not to give his and Allen's super-secret relationship away. Linalee had sat between them, that had helped slightly.

They drove out to a Dairy Queen in the evening, Lavi had managed to convince Krory to let him borrow his car for a couple of hours on the deal that he'd bring him back ice-cream. Allen had been suitably ecstatic at Dairy Queen.

On Wednesday morning they skipped down to the local shop to pick up a basket of food that was suitable to eat outdoors. They prepared sandwiches in Lavi's little kitchen and between the three of them managed to pack a bag full of suitable food stuffs.

Lavi had heaved the bag over his shoulder, informed them that Kanda would meet them there, instructed Allen to bring the blanket and then lead them on a merry march through the streets and down to the park.

They spent the evening in that park, eating sandwiches on the blanket under the trees and watching as the sky faded from pink, to purple, to black. Linalee had challenged Lavi to a hand standing competition. Linalee had won. Allen had eaten a whole packet of devilled eggs singlehandedly. Kanda had been on his phone the entire time but that was fine. Lavi had pointed out constellations once the lamps shut off and all in all it had been a good time.

It was a nice little park, old fashioned with benches and trees and ponds (none of that modern art nonsense in this park) and surrounded by high brick walls with four sets of iron gates to allow entrance and exit.

Gates that never closed Lavi had thought.

He'd been wrong.

"God damn it." Kanda kicked the gate and tried to hide a wince, Allen muttered what Lavi assumed was an insult under his breath.

"Maybe we could climb it?" suggested Lavi.

"Not a good idea. There are spikes at the top Lavi. Do you want to get impaled?" Ah Linalee, ever the voice of reason.

"Can't we just call…..someone and they'll come let us out?" Allen queried.

"No can do little buddy."

"Why not?"

"Well firstly I don't want to look like an idiot when they come and let us out. Secondly I do not want to get done for trespassing."

"We won't get done for trespassing idiot." Snapped Kanda.

"Do you know that for sure Yu? Because I for one do not want a criminal record."

There was a moment of silence. No one wanted a criminal record, at the same time no one was sure this even qualified as trespassing. This was a public park. Could you trespass in a public park? Maybe? No? Possibly. They didn't know.

"Okay." Linalee began, attracting everyone's attention "How about we walk the edge of the park and see if there's a place we can hop over…and then if there's not we'll just have to call someone."

Everyone nodded and they set off.

It wasn't completely pitch black, thankfully, the streetlights cast dappled orange light over the walls and through the trees. It gave them just enough light to see by, but not enough to walk easily. Lavi's torch on his phone was lit, he flicked it around as he walked looking for a way of escape.

"Well this is entertaining." Allen mumbled.

Allen was walking alongside Lavi, hand settled on his forearm eyes darting around. He looked, nervous.

"You scared babe?" he teased.

"No. Of course not." Allen huffed indignantly.

A twig snapped somewhere to their left, Allen pressed closer into Lavi's side. It was probably just a stray cat, or a fox or a bird of some sort Lavi reasoned. It was certainly not some deranged cannibalistic hobo or the ghost of a wronged witch. Nope. It was not one of those. It was a cat.

A cat, Lavi assured himself as he picked up the pace a little bit.

"Oh what about that tree!" Linalee said after about ten minutes.

Lavi turned, she was pointing up and a solid looking tree with a branch that hung out over the wall.

"It looks sturdy enough…" Allen trailed off.

"Alright," Lavi cracked his knuckles and handed his phone and bag over to Allen, "I'm the biggest I'll give it a shot."

Lavi heaved himself up into the tree, grasping onto the lowest branch, feet scrabbling against bark. Slowly he made his way up, huffing with the effort. Lavi made a mental note that he really needed to exercise more. He crawled out across the large branch, the words "Careful." Echoed up to him as he got closer to the wall.

"Ah."

"Ah? Ah what?"

"Slight problem. There's a car. Well multiple cars. We could try drop in-between them. But we might knock one and set off the alarm."

He peered down, oh wow he was high up and oh boy he was slipping.

"Shit!" Lavi cried, hands grasping onto the branch as his legs slipped and dangled down below him. He glanced down. He could probably survive the drop. He wasn't that high up. His feet about five foot off of the ground.

"Look out below." He warned, dropping down onto the ground. His knees jarred and he flopped back onto his arse, knocking the wind from him.

He groaned in pain.

"Are you okay?" Allen asked through a laugh, little guy had very little sympathy it seemed.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. I'll be sore in the morning but you know, not dead." He pushed himself up and the quest continued.

In the end they managed to find their way out, about half an hour later and after Lavi had fallen out of two more trees. On the other side of the park from the gates they had originally tried to exit from were the public toilets, a stout brick building with a flat roof built about two feet away from the brick wall. With a few leg ups and some running jumps they managed to get all four of them onto the roof.

Lavi, their self-proclaimed fearless leader, had made the leap (more like step) over to the wall, balancing himself with his arms before offering a hand to Linalee to help her across. She looked down a tad nervous.

"Do you want me to drop down first and catch you?" Lavi asked.

"I'm a big girl, I'll be fine." She told him before sitting on the edge and sliding off. Lavi held his breath as she dropped. There was a thud, a grumble of 'God damn it' and then a call of "I'm fine. Just scraped my knee."

Kanda stepped over and jumped down without so much as a pause for breath, he landed on his feet without wobble which Lavi put down to his 'ninja skills'.

Allen took his hand and stepped over, tossing the bag down to Linalee and making to slide off the edge as she had done. Lavi immediately felt an overwhelming sense of 'I need to protect him' or something along those lines and quickly leapt off the wall, his ankle twisted a little as he landed.

He turned and stretched his arms out, waiting for Allen. He rolled his eyes and slipped down, barely stumbling and raising an eyebrow.

"Better safe than sorry." Lavi had said, beaming. Allen sighed, Linalee 'aw'd, Kanda made a gagging noise.

Lavi liked watching Allen sleep.

Which sounded much much creepier than it was.

Lavi enjoyed watching the process of Allen falling asleep, and the process of Allen waking up. He liked watching them because the processes happened in completely opposite ways.

Allen fell asleep quickly. When he was tired, he was adorable. With droopy eyes and little yawns until his head hit the pillow, or Lavi's lap, and the Allen was asleep in a blink of an eye. Gone. Into the land of nod.

On the other hand, when Allen woke up it was the slowest process Lavi had ever seen. He would roll over and groan, eyes blearily opening after a few minutes, curling down into the covers to hide from the day, he'd sigh eventually and push himself into a seating position and then doze off again for a few minutes.

This was what Allen was doing at the moment, sitting up in Lavi's bed eyes shut and half asleep.

Lavi laughed from where he stood in the doorway, having already gotten up and showered.

"How are you a morning person? You were always up so early but look at you."

Allen grumbled at him.

"What was that?"

"I said my alarm is always set an hour before I actually need to get up."

Allen was looking at him now, frown on his face, hair messy. Lavi shook his head fondly.

"Well you need to get up because we need to record gameplay today before we go on a camping supply run." He told him.

Allen whined, "It's just Gone Home right? It's only you playing I just sit there and add nonsense. I can do that from the bed."

"No you can't babe."

"It's Allen. And I can, the PC is right there." He gestured blindly, eyes sliding shut again.

"I will burrito you if you don't get up." Lavi threatened, Allen didn't move, "And I won't make you any waffles-"

"I'm up. I'm getting up."

Lavi returned to the kitchen, in the search of either pre-made waffles or the ingredients for waffles. Whichever he found first really. He heard Allen yawn loudly and deliberately as he walked toward the bathroom. Lavi smiled because he was an idiot and he was in love.

That morning Lavi had gotten suitably unnerved by Go Home. He certainly had not been scared, no matter what Allen might say. He had not been frightened and he hadn't screamed. Not once.

"That was…." He said into the microphone as credits began to roll.

"Surprisingly sweet." Allen finished for him.

Lavi hummed, thinking for a moment about what he would have done in that situation and what his Grandpa's home would be like if it was empty and devoid of power. Suitably creepy probably.

"You know they never set these games in like a normal house." Allen added, "It's always some old house out in the country or a block of flats built in an old hospital, or a hotel or some rickety cabin in the woods."

He paused, folding his arms, "Where's my faux horror game in a terraced four bed house?"

"It wouldn't be scary and you know it."

"It could be."

"Alright imagine you're in that scenario then Babe-"

"Allen."

"-you get back to your house expecting Linalee, Nalei and Miranda to all be there. And they're not and the power's out. Are you afraid?"

"Maybe." Allen huffed.

"Your house is the least scary house I've ever been in. You have a giant stuffed Bulbasaur in your living room. There are butterflies in Linalee's room."

"Yes but we also have a skeleton."

Lavi couldn't deny that. They did have a skeleton. It was a Halloween decoration that lived permanently under the kitchen sink. It was called Jessica. Lavi only knew that because of a sign on the cupboard door that read 'Don't disturb Jessica'.

"Alright so the skeleton might freak people out. As might your dildo collection." He added with a smirk.

"Lavi! I do not-" his face was red. Lavi decided now was the ideal time to cut the audio recording.

"God I hate you." Allen flopped backwards onto the bed, microphone abandoned to the pillow. Lavi sniggered as he set up all the necessary programs and making sure everything was saved properly.

"I know but I'll buy you something tacky at Walmart and you'll love me again."
"My love is not so easily bought Bookman."

Lavi span around in his chair to face him, "And how can I buy your love?"

Allen pondered the question.

"What does the J stand for?" he asked.

"Jason-"

"Really?!"

"-Derulo."

"Fuck you."

Kanda came by at 3pm in his car to take them to Walmart, he didn't seem thrilled by the whole ordeal but Kanda rarely seemed thrilled about anything unless it involved making Lavi look like an imbecile in public.

Lavi called shot gun, and chose the music.

"If you put any of that EDM rubbish on I will throw you out of the car and you will have to walk to Walmart." Kanda had threatened, Allen had sniggered from the backseat.

"Don't be silly Yu I wouldn't do that." Lavi assured him, "I'd walk to my apartment and take Big Hammer to Walmart."

Lavi did in fact not put on any of that 'EDM rubbish', Kanda didn't have any of that in his car anyway. Lavi had settled on Elbow, deciding that Pearl Jam was too depressing.

They snagged Linalee away from her hotel room, where she had slept in until 2pm because it was meant to be a holiday after all. And then trundled off out of the city.

"Did we have to get this stuff from Walmart?" Kanda asked Lavi as they made their way onto the highway.

"Yes. It'll be an adventure. Those two in the back have never seen Walmart Kanda. I can't…I can't let that be."

"I hate Walmart." Kanda muttered darkly.

"Why?" asked Linalee.

"Because it's….it feels weird." He said.

Allen laughed rudely, "It feels weird. Oh man are your ninja senses tingling?"

"Jackass."

"Weirdo."

"Midget."

"Mushroom hater."

"Oh for fuc- drop it with the mushrooms!" Kanda snapped, Allen sat back with a smug grin.

Lavi wondered if this was going to be a thing between the two of them now. Mushrooms. A point of conflict that would always be there, ready to be exploited by one of them.

He got what Kanda meant though, Walmart's did feel weird. So did Target. It was just something about those big flat stores. They weren't quite shopping malls and they weren't quite grocery stores (or clothing stores), they were a weird mix of the two and they didn't feel quite right.

But they were intrinsically American. Lavi had yet to see anything similar in the UK. And so he had to show their dear old British friends. Also it would have everything they needed. Torches, marshmallows, pop up barbeques and the like. Bug spray. They would need bug spray. He made a note on his phone.

The car journey was uneventful until they entered the parking lot and Lavi heard twin mumbled of "What in the world…" from Allen and Linalee.

Kanda pulled into a parking space and shut off the car. Everyone climbed out. Lavi felt the rush of warm air and the scent of concrete hit him as the stood and closed the door behind him. Before them loomed Walmart, a large flat building with a deceptively happy logo.

"You know what." Said Allen, turning to Kanda, "I take it back. You're right. This is weird."

They made their way inside, the cool of the air conditioning welcome in the August heat. Lavi grabbed a cart, or trolly as Allen had put it which sounded much more fun in his opinion, and lead them out into the bizarre world.

"How does anyone find anything in here?" Linalee asked.

"Dark magic probably."

"Ah yes that makes sense. Praise be unto our Dark Lord Walmart." She said, motioning up to the heavens.

"You know," chipped in Allen, "The Harry Potter books would have been very different if Voldemort had been called Walmart."

Lavi snorted. They turned a corner, heading away from the food (they'd go back later) and to where Lavi hoped camping supplies would be.

"Oh my goodness is that coloured toilet paper?" Linalee was pointing to their left where stacks upon stacks of coloured toilet paper stood.

"We need it." She declared, striding over and picking up the most horrendously orange paper she could get her hands on.

She chucked it into the cart, "Consider it a gift, for you, Lavi."

"Oh my favourite colour and everything, why thank you ma'am."

They made their way through the aisles, tossing items into the cart sporadically and side stepping around stressed out mums with screaming kids. It was all going well. They had almost everything they needed, which thankfully didn't include a tent or anything ridiculously oversized. He had purchased a pair of ridiculous looking sunglasses in the shape of pineapples as a peace offering for Allen, and a snapback with the words 'Gangsta Bitch' on the front for Linalee as thanks for his brightly coloured toilet roll.

Lavi took a quick inventory while Linalee and Allen debated over the different and frankly bizarre flavours of milk the store had to offer.

"I think we've got everything so we should go pa- where's Kanda?"

Allen and Linalee looked up, glanced around and shrugged. Lavi decided to check the next aisle over, telling Linalee and Allen very firmly to 'stay put' and feeling a little like those stressed out mothers he had seen earlier. He checked back two aisles and forward two aisles, Kanda wasn't there.

He returned to his English friends, who in turn had returned to their debate about the milk.

"I can't find him."

"Why not call him?"

Lavi did just that, it rang and rang and rang and went to answer phone. He tried again. Same deal.

"He's not picking up."

"I'm sure if we wait here he'll come find us." Linalee said, tapping away at her phone (probably sending a message to said missing person) and chucking a carton of jelly bean flavoured milk into the cart.

"That's going to be disgusting and you know it Lina."

"Yeah but. I want to try."

"You'll regret it." Lavi warned her, she shrugged.

Kanda was missing, Lavi reminded himself because he was getting distracted again. He tried calling again, there was still no reply.

Oh wait.

"I know what we can do!" Lavi cried enthusiastically, thoroughly scaring the pants off of both Linalee and Allen.

He began pushing the cart off with purpose. He could hear the other two scrabbling to keep up with him as he strode down the aisles and straight toward customer service.

"Oh no." Said Linalee, realising what Lavi's plan was.

"Oh yes!" Said Allen, also realising what Lavi's plan was.

Lavi pushed his way to the tired looking woman at the desk.

"Is there a problem Sir?" she asked, clearly wishing she was literally anywhere but there.

"Yes. I've lost my son." Lavi declared, slapping his hands down on the desk and beaming. He was far too happy for someone who had lost their son, the woman eyed him cautiously.

"Your…son?" she asked.

"Yes. My son. He wondered off while my other two children," he gestured behind him at Linalee and Allen, "were arguing about milk."

Allen was trying to hide his laughter behind his hands. Linalee played along asking him sweetly:

"Dad? When can we go home? I'm tired."

Allen wheezed.

The woman didn't look amused, "Sir this isn't-"

"I honestly have lost him though, please can you put out an announcement?" he pleaded, with the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster. The woman gave a sigh, clearly giving up.

"Alright what's his name?"

"Kanda Yu."

"Kanda Yu?"

"He's one of those adopted Asian babies, don't tell the other kids though." Lavi told her in a mock whisper.

Laughter escaped Allen's fingers, drawing the womans attention, so he just turned his back to the whole ordeal. She sighed again and picked up a microphone, there was a chime:

"Kanda Yu to Customer Service please. Kanda Yu to Customer Service. Your father is waiting for you. If you don't know where Customer Service is ask the nearest adult in uniform to help you."

Allen had given up trying to hide his laughter and was clutching at Linalee for support. She giggled and waited excitedly for Kanda to arrive.

A few minutes passed.

Kanda came storming around the corner, face like thunder with a cry of "Fuck you Lavi!"

"That is no way to speak to your father young man!" Lavi sounded aghast, clutching a hand to his heart.

Kanda strode over, poking Lavi in the chest "We are in no way related you god damn piece of sh-"

Lavi gasped, his eyes welling up with fake tears, "Who told you?! Was it your mother?" he placed a reassuring hand on Kanda's shoulder, "Look son, even if you are adopted I still love you and-"

Kanda wheeled around and walked away, straight out of the store.

Lavi turned back to the woman at the desk, "Thank you for all your help. Come on kids! Time to go!" He pushed the cart towards the checkouts, glancing at Allen and Linaee, "Come on hold my hand so you don't get lost."

He reached out with one hand, keeping the other firmly on the cart, and grabbed one of Allen's who in turn grabbed one of Linalee's.

"Seriously though," Lavi said once they were far enough away from the woman, "We should hurry because he might drive away without us."

Kanda, thankfully, had not driven away without them. But he point blank refused to help unload their haul into his car boot and banished Lavi to the back seat next to Allen. Lavi laughed from the moment he saw Kanda standing by his car, arms crossed and tapping his foot, to the moment they left the car park and whizzed off down the highway.

He apologised, about half an hour later, "I'm sorry Yu but you weren't answering your phone and you have to admit it was funny."

Kanda didn't seem to think it was funny, "You're doing all of the driving tomorrow Lavi. All of it. And I am never driving you to Walmart ever again." He snapped.

Lavi supposed this was fair.

Kanda remained icy for the rest of the day, which Allen (and Lavi privately) thought was the height of comedy. Linalee tried to be the voice of reason, because she too had found the whole thing hilarious but also didn't want this to escalate into an actual argument.

Lavi ended up paying for Kanda's dinner as a way of apology which was begrudgingly accepted, and then everything was okay. He still had to do all the driving tomorrow though.

As he lay in bed that night, slightly too warm and with the window open once more and the sheets abandoned to the floor in a heap, he heard a snigger from beside him.

He rolled onto his side, gazing at Allen's face through the dark.

"One of those adopted Asian babies." Allen choked out.

Lavi faked sadness, "I knew adoption was a bad idea but your mother insisted-"

He trailed off as Allen giggled into the pillows, body shaking as he tried to stifle his amusement as much as possible. Lavi decided he really really liked making Allen laugh, and that he was going to do it as much as possible (probably at Kanda's expense).

He smiled as Allen's giggled subsided, and curled over to press a soft kiss to his cheek before rolling onto his back and sliding his eyes shut.

The next few days were going to be amazing.

He'd have to make sure not to aggravate Kanda too close to anything potentially lethal though. But aside from the constant threat of Kanda ending his life at any given moment (not that he would because he was a big softie really deep down), it was going to be fantastic.

Next to him Allen sighed.

"…adopted Asian babies."