Personally, I wasn't planning on doing another full length LavixAllen story directly after I just finished one, but I really wanted to show you guys my new story, Bound By Fate. I really like it! And I hope you do too. The entire time I was writing it, all I could think about is my reader's thoughts about whatever parts I was working on at the moment. So, you see, I had to upload it. I'll upload it soon.

To supplement this, I've uploaded my first oneshot, The Second Hand Doll, which is a Yullen and I'll also upload the first chapter of another full length story which is another Yullen that I plan to do in tandem with Bound By Fate. So, look out for it and remember: Your comments drive me. (Especially ones by jy24. It's always so much fun reading theirs!) Okay! Onto the story! Thanks for taking the time to read!

Allen pried his eyes open and stared at the ceiling. His body felt like lead and sank heavily into the bed. Casting his eyes around the room, he saw what he saw every morning. A small room with nothing in it except for the old, creaky bed he laid upon. It was the same place he woke up in every morning.

Allen didn't have much money so he lived in a moderately furnished apartment with a small bedroom and an even smaller kitchen. He could live with those things, of course, he had to, but what really killed him was the emptiness he felt inside the home. As always, he was alone. No one to cook or watch TV with. No one to go to sleep with or wake up to. No family or friends or even a lover to ease his sadness.

He was just alone. He dragged himself out of bed to face another day. It was Sunday and his only day off of his job of being a self-defence instructor at the downtown community center. Usually he slept in on Sundays, but today was not one of those days.

See, he lived in a shitty apartment with barely any furniture or other items at all, the ones it did have were on their last leg. Basically, he and his apartment were running on fumes. It was often filled with snack wrappers and other trash along with just being plain dirt encrusted and dirty. He wasn't an avid cleaner and he was usually so tired when he came home that he only had energy to pick up two things before he collapsed.

Meanwhile, he was reluctantly pouring most of the little money he got from working his ass to the bone into paying for online college classes. Maybe if he continued to be able to pay the piper and studied hard enough, he would be able to get a degree in something and one day not have to work so hard just to live where he did.

With his everyday life in mind, Allen usually relished his Sundays off. No work, no cooking, no cleaning. It may have seemed excessively lazy to others, but if they had to nearly kill themselves every day, they wouldn't want to spend their only relief day housekeeping either. But this Sunday he had a chore to do before he relaxed.

Out of the many things that he lived without which most people would label as essentials, he needed a blender. After all, what was a fitness instructor without a blender to make protein shakes for his clients? Sadly, his blender stopped working the day before and he needed a new one before his next day of work.

There was a secondhand store down the street from where Allen lived that may have one. He knew the store was there because he went there often; it had a rotating stock of items and it was the only place he could afford to buy from. He hoped there would be a blender there or he didn't know what he would do for work.

So, Allen headed to the secondhand shop. Upon entering, the owner greeted him as he often did and Allen nonchalantly returned the favor before browsing the selections. Look as he might, though, there was no blender. Allen was feeling pretty low when he saw something.

Tucked into a corner and sitting on a shelf was a small doll. It was one of those little dolls made entirely from felt and just slightly bigger than his palm. It was a little person and seemed to be a Japanese or Asian doll. It was either unique or very, very weird. It had long, black felt hair that went to just below his waist, it was wearing a strange black coat with silver buttons and trim and it had dark blue felt eyes; so dark, in fact, that it really looked black. Attached to his hip was a flimsy felt sword.

Drawn closer to the doll by curiosity, Allen noticed a tag attached to the doll's other hip. He gingerly reached out and moved the tag so that he could read the writing on it. It read: Hi, My Name Is Kanda!

Kanda. Allen thought. What a weird name. Definitely Asian.

Allen knew he didn't really have the money to be spending on frivolous things, but the was so unique and intrigued him so much that he just had to buy it. He was depressed that he didn't find what he needed, but having the doll lightened his spirits and it ended up being so cheap he practically got it for free.

Allen got home and cleared off a desk space (that meaning he pushed everything on the desk onto the ground) for the doll and placed him there gently. For some reason, Allen wanted to make sure he treasured this felt creation. After that, he spent his day reading and relaxing and overall lazing about. He cleaned a little, but didn't really make a dent in the mess before he went to sleep early so he would be ready for work the next day.

Allen first noticed something off when he woke up. He remembered cleaning up a little before getting to sleep, but he didn't remember cleaning around his bed. So then was there any explanation for why there was a path from his bed to the door cleaned from junk. There was also one of his energy bars sitting beside him on his bed ready to be eaten.

It was what he usually ate so maybe he left it there and forgot about it. He always ate light for breakfast since he couldn't afford to pay for all the food he could scarf down uninhibited. And he also had to be able to eat quickly since he would always oversleep in the morning and he couldn't afford to be late to his job every morning.

Wait. Always late. Crap! Glancing at his phone, Allen confirmed his suspicions that, yes, he did indeed oversleep again and he was wasting time thinking about the placement of things in his apartment. Am I crazy?! Allen panicked. He grabbed the energy bar, jumped out of bed, grabbed his gym bag and rushed out of the apartment.

In the end, Allen was able to borrow a blender from someone he worked with until he could find a new one. Allen returned home just as it was getting dark. Even though he was exhausted from all of the workouts, he noticed there was something different about the apartment the moment he opened the door.

Slowly, carefully he stepped through the doorway, Allen glanced around the room trying to pinpoint what it was. At first glance, he wasn't able to put his finger on anything in particular. However, there was this pervading feeling as if something were different so he continued to search for that thing, waiting for the epiphany.

And then the realization hit him. It was cleaner. Not clean, exactly, but cleaner. Now, how did that happen? Allen wondered. No one had been in the house since he'd left, but he didn't clean. Allen recognized a few items organized on shelves and decorating surfaces that had been on the floor for months until then.

No one was in the house, he was sure of it, but to be on the safe side he silently closed the door, ducked into the apartment and crept from room to room checking to see if someone was there.

As he got steadily closer to the kitchen, he smelled something good and the smell only got stronger the closer he got. When he finally got to the kitchen and stuck his head in, he was met by what was an unbelievable sight to him. Food, in a pot on the stove, the woefully unused stove. It seemed like a home cooked meal too, something he'd never had in his shoebox kitchen.

He rushed over to the pot and took a whiff, trying to decipher what it was. After inspecting it, he decided that it was soba; a type of Japanese noodle Allen only knew from his few experiences eating out in Japanese restaurants a long time ago.

He'd had soba few times in his life and he had no idea who made it or what they could have done to it, but Allen was starving and he figured his house was empty and he could take the risk. Foregoing any remaining caution, Allen eagerly plated the soba and began eating it while leaning against the counter.

It. Was. Amazing. It was the best soba he had ever tasted. He ate the entire plate full and then finished off the rest of the pot. Satiated, sleepiness began to take over and he found himself drawn to his bed. On his way to his bed, allen noticed Kanda sitting alone on his perch and somehow seeming lonely. Something made him pick the doll up and take him to bed with him. Allen laid down in bed and immediately sunk into a welcoming sleep.

The next morning, Allen woke up late as usual; the only difference being a sweet smell pervading the air. Allen gingerly got out of bed. The soft sound of something falling to the floor urged Allen to draw his attention to the ground. Allen bent down and plucked the doll from amongst the trash.

"I'm sorry." Allen apologized to Kanda. "I forgot that I slept with you last night."

Giving the doll a soft, warm smile, Allen placed Kanda comfortably onto the bed and leaning against the pillow before his attention was once again drawn to the sweet smell. Venturing into the kitchen, he was met once again with a readymade meal; a tall stack of pancakes.

Where was the food coming from? Well, Allen was much too pleased with his good fortune to ask questions yet. The boy greedily ate the pancakes and only after finishing did he realize how late he was. He yelled a hasty goodbye into the house to Kanda before tearing out through the door and off to work.

When Allen came home, the living room was completely clean and there was soba waiting for him yet again. The previous day he could force himself to ignore the strange happenings in his home, but it was becoming clear that someone had entered his home and not only continued to do so but was also seemingly doing it for the singular purpose of cooking and cleaning for him. It couldn't get any stranger.

At this point, Allen didn't care about what his mysterious benefactor did in his home. As long as he could reap the benefits, what reason had he to complain? Allen proceeded to enjoy the meal then cuddle up in bed with his doll friend and went to sleep.

Things continued like this for several days until, one morning, something changed. Instead of sleeping in and waking up late as he usually did, something woke Allen up. That morning, while he was sleeping and through the haze of becoming semi-conscious, Allen became aware of a soft, warm pressure on his lips.

It just about went unnoticed in his unconscious state, but eventually, and as his mind drew back to consciousness, he automatically leaning towards the warmth presented in front of him. Aware, at last, Allen's eyes shot open, but the warmth simultaneously disappeared from his lips.

Allen looked around the room, but there was no one there. Nothing to his left, nothing to his right and absolutely nothing in front of him. He was alone in the room except for Kanda, his doll companion.

But there had to be someone there! There just had to be… Allen thought, panicking internally. Now Allen was finally beginning to get scared. He could deal with someone being in his home, cleaning and cooking for him, but someone touching or kissing him while he was sleeping? Who would be okay with that? And the worst part was that he didn't even know who it was or how they were getting in and disappearing or even why they were doing this.

At one point Allen thought it might be a ghost. He was slightly superstitious, yes, but there was also the fact that they could get in and out of his home like a shadow and disappear from right in front of his eyes before he could open them. But were ghost's lips warm and could a ghost cook a warm meal for him and clean up after him? Allen didn't know; he'd never had to deal with a ghost in his life, but the scenario didn't sound right.

Without much of an idea on how to deal with it, Allen decided to check the time. It seems that his visitor had woken him up at a good time. Allen woke up just early enough to leisurely eat the breakfast that he was sure was waiting for him and head off to work without having to run. He had to admit; that sounded nice and was something he was very unused to.

But he simply could not get comfortable with how his early morning wake ups call came about. All day, Allen thought about the kiss from some unknown person. Every day after that, Allen was gently awoken by a kiss at the exact same time as the first.

Allen always slept with his precious doll, Kanda, whom he had grown quite attached to since he'd first purchased said doll. Kanda offered support through Allen's worry about the home invasions and Allen never once forgot to sleep with him. Besides, his bed felt less spacious and empty with another body laying in it even if the other body was a small and inanimate one.

One day soon after the kisses started, Allen was walking home when he saw something he hadn't seen before. There was a traveling cart that advertised something called a "wicka". There were words decorating the cart that said things like "potions for sale", "amulets" and "divination".

Now, Allen was no fool and he doubted that the woman who ran the booth was legit. But, again, the boy was superstitious and he thought it would plague his mind if he were to ignore her and, at the very least, he may be able to finally talk to someone about what was going on. Separating from his path home, Allen went over to the woman in the booth.

The somewhat pretty woman looked up at him excitedly. "What can I do for you, young man?"

"I have a problem and thought you could help."

Her expression immediately dropped. "I'm sorry, but I am not a therapist."

"No, no!" Allen waved his hands in a surrendering motion. "It's a supernatural problem." He explained further.

"Really?" The woman asked, skeptically, with a raised brow.

Allen explained in detail what had been happening in his home excluding, of course, the wake up kisses he'd been getting in the morning. By the end of it, the woman's excited expression had returned.

"That's wonderful!" The woman exclaimed, standing up and coming around the cart to stand by Allen. "All most of my customers want are palm readings and some want tarot card readings."

Allen thought that she should get more interesting customers, then. Move, for instance, to Salem.

"Now," The woman said in a serious voice. "You say all this started happening after you'd bought Kanda? The doll?" Allen nodded, wondering what she would say. "Alright, here's what you're going to do. Take this." She handed him a very large, silk scarf.

Allen took the scarf, but stared at it questioningly.

"Tomorrow, you go home early. Open your door a crack and if you see anything moving, no matter what it is, don't hesitate and throw the scarf on it."

"What will that do?" Allen asked.

The woman merely smiled at him and said "It's a secret. Just try and see if it works".

As Allen walked away, he turned back to see the woman energetically waving at him. Everything proceeded that night and the next morning as they always had, but when there was an hour left before his work ended, Allen got permission to leave early. Going home, Allen stopped in front of the door to his apartment.

It felt like he stood there forever (even though it was only a few very tense seconds) when he heard movement from inside. Leaning his ear quietly against the door, Allen heard pots and pans clanking loudly together. The mysterious person was making dinner, it would seem, and he was so loud! He wasn't even trying to be careful, but then he really didn't have any reason to worry, Allen thought, because he was sure Allen was still at work for another hour.

Clutching the scarf so that his knuckles turned white, Allen steeled himself ready to face the intruder and quietly opened the door. Allen snuck to the kitchen and noticed a figure...floating in the air? Allen ducked back, afraid because he was sure now that it had been a ghost. However, he remembered the woman's words. No matter what it is, don't hesitate and throw the blanket on it.

That's right. Allen thought. I can't hesitate. Do nothing for fear and the fear wins.

Jumping into the doorway recklessly, Allen took quick aim and threw the scarf at the tiny, floating intruder. After throwing, Allen took a moment to calm down and really look at it just soon enough to see Kanda, the doll, get covered by the scarf.

What? Allen freaked out. It was the doll?! Was it possessed by a ghost? I didn't hurt Kanda, did I?

Allen's fragmented thoughts were cut off as the doll began kicking at the scarf and uttering a string of cuss words. Then something happened. The doll stopped moving and crashed to the ground, still enveloped in the scarf.

Kanda! Allen ran to the doll, scared for it as it was the only thing he cared about in this world and he now thought that he had destroyed it. But, as Allen reached the scarf the doll lay under, a bright flash of light enveloped the scarf causing Allen to flinch back and avert his eyes. The light literally occurred in the blink of an eye and then it was gone. Allen still sat there looking away until a voice disrupted him.

"Oi, Moyashi. You can look now."

Allen looked back towards the doll in surprise. Only, it wasn't a doll anymore. Kanda lay before him, but as a full grown, human man. He had the same silky looking black hair, the same outfit and sword and the same piercing eyes.

"K-Kanda?" Allen whimpered.

Kanda's already severe gaze grew sharper. "What? Are you scared of me now, Moyashi?"

"N-No..." Allen said quietly. He put his head down, but peaked up through his bangs at Kanda. Seeing this, Kanda's eyes softened and the look he directed at Allen was almost fond. Seeing this, Allen continued. "I'm just surprised. I didn't know you could do this."

"Do what?" Kanda asked, lifting a delicate black eyebrow.

"Become human."

"I didn't, you did that." Kana lifted up the scarf in his hand when Allen looked at him in a surprised manner. "I was human once. I lived in Japan during the Heian era, I was a samurai."

Realization lit up Allen's face. "Is that why you have a sword?"

A tick appeared on Kanda's face, but he bit back on his temper. "It. Is. Not. A. Sword. It's a katana."

"Sorry, I don't know much about other countries or cultures." Allen apologized, bashfully.

Kanda felt it incredibly hard to be angry when the boy was so cute about it so he decided to just continue. "There was a lot of political upheaval at the time and there was a revolution. Like I said, I was a samurai. The basis of being a samurai is bushido which basically means honor. Since the country was in such disarray, I only cared about myself. I wouldn't help others because it may risk myself and why would I risk myself for some other stupid person?

One day there was an old man who desired safe passage through a particularly dangerous part of the country. He desired for me to accompany him and protect him from bandits and the like. I refused. He didn't have enough money to pack me and it was so dangerous, I told him that what happened to him was none of my concern." Kanda paused.

"What happened?" The words from Allen were quiet, but Kanda chuckled at the curiosity he displayed.

"He grew angry and said "as you have yet a dark heart, you should get a reward". Then he cursed me to be this doll. I've floated between stores and owners and eras all while trapped in this form. I lived all that time because dolls don't die."

"You've been a doll that long?" Allen asked, astonished.

"Yes, up until now. Thanks to you, I can finally be human again." Kanda gave him his first actual smile in millenia.

But Allen didn't return it, a sad thought had wormed it's way into his head at Kanda's words. "So that means you'll be leaving now, right? Now that you're human, you're going to leave me."

Kanda gave him a look. "Do you want me to stay?"

Allen looked up at him in surprise, but nodded quickly.

"Then I'll stay." He graced Allen with a soft gaze and loving smile. Allen felt his heart leap into his throat at the sight. "I was hoping you wouldn't kick me out."

Allen was going to heatedly proclaim that he would never kick Kanda out, but he was stopped in his tracks by the Japanese leaning in close to his face. "I was hoping you'd like me the same way I like you." He whispered in Allen's ear causing a shiver to run down the boy's spine. "But you didn't seem interested."

Those words surprised Allen and he leaned back to look into Kanda's eyes. "Why would you think that?" He asked.

"Remember the first time we slept together?" Kanda asked. Allen face reddened for a moment at what Kanda said before realizing what he meant and nodding at the memory of dragging the doll into bed with him. "Well, when you woke up the next morning, the first thing you said was that you forgot you slept with me. Not really the thing you want to hear after sleeping with someone."

Allen's face flushed at that. That does sound bad. "Sorry." Allen said, his head tilting downward in shame and embarrassment.

"Don't be sorry." Kanda said, tilting his head up. "I love you. After you brought me home, I began to get you know you and love you."

Kanda's words made Allen blush. "You've become really special to me too, Kanda."

"Call me Yu." Kanda whispered, kissing Allen lightly.

"Um..Kan- I mean, Yu?" Allen asked, shyly, after they broke apart.

"Hm?" Kanda hummed, still lost in the feeling the kiss gave him.

"You were the one cleaning and cooking for me?"

"Yeah." Kanda admitted. "At first, I decided to help you out a little bit seeing as you lived in such a pigpen. And I'll admit, there was a small amount of gratefulness for you having snatched me away from a store shelf. I wanted to thank you; just a little."

Allen stared at Kanda, enraptured.

"But then," Kanda continued. "You would talk to me and sleep with me at night. I got to see you and your routine and your mannerisms. I started to fall for you and, after seeing how hard life was for you, decided to help you in little ways. I decided that cleaning and cooking for you would ease your life. I did it all for you, my Moyashi. Can you give me the chance to get you to love me like I love you?"

Smiling softly at Kanda's heartfelt words, Allen nodded and leaned into the man before him. He'd finally found someone and Allen knew he wouldn't be alone anymore.

Inspired by a story by the Brothers Grimm, Sweetheart Roland

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