Disclaimer: D. Gray-Man and all related characters and materials are property of Hoshino Katsura.

Breathe Life
By: Nanaki BH

The sunlight finally began to creep through the blinds with the approaching dawn. I raised a hand to defend my eyes from the intrusion, wishing that it would've left me alone so I could get a few minutes more in peace. The offending sunlight hurt more than just my eyes, though. It felt like it was burning a flaming hole in my head. My other hand rose to rub wearily at my temple, wishing I could just push the pain away.

The sunlight and the resulting pain it caused would have none of that, it seemed. The light only got brighter and stretched farther across the room, covering my whole face as though to mock me. Oddly, though, I never remembered having the sun in my eyes in the morning. Since the sun always rises in the same spot, I figured I had to be... sleeping upside down or something.

With my hands shielding my eyes still, I peeked out around me. I was tangled up in my sheets but it was apparent that I wasn't on my bed at all. Had I rolled off in my sleep, I wondered? By the look of things, it was apparent I'd been drinking the night prior. There were a collection of bottles lined up on my desk and my mouth still had the sour taste of alcohol lingering. Papers (work of pressing importance, I guessed) littered the floor here and there. I wasn't normally a messy drunk – at least not that I could recall.

I also don't usually sleep naked but who knows what the hell I do when I'm drunk, apparently.

That was the thought that led me to the terrible, shocking realization that I had Allen, adorable and plastered, clinging to my waist.

I peeked under the covers and confirmed his state of equal undress. I wanted to smack my head or scream or something but I didn't in the fear that I would wake him. I wasn't a cruel guy. I didn't know how well Allen could hold his alcohol either. I wasn't about to wake him if he would wind up throwing up all over me.

I tried my hardest to remember exactly what it was we'd done the night before. I could remember inviting him to my room to do some work. Honestly now, I've had my eye on him for a while so I'll admit that I'd put some of those drinks out just in case. I knew for a fact that I didn't put out that many, though. I wouldn't have minded getting to know him a little better but I had no intention of getting stupidly drunk and forgetting everything we'd done. I wanted to make some progress; to take things a little further.

I didn't know we'd go all the way.

Personally, I was doing okay. I'm used to drinking a lot. The worst that happens to me in the morning is a headache and a few missing memories of what happened earlier. Then again, I don't normally drink until I forget. Seeing such an innocent, pleased look on Allen's face made me a little disappointed that I couldn't remember anything. Clearly, I'd done something to make him happy.

He stirred at last, nudging his cheek against my bare stomach. His hair was soft and his skin felt so warm against mine; so smooth and delicate. He trailed his demonic left hand over my chest; just touching and feeling. It took me a little while, but I'd gotten used to that arm of his. It didn't freak me out the way it used to.

I brought down one of my hands, tempted to pet his hair. White hair – it was so peculiar. What would he think, waking up next to me? I bet he would freak out and within seconds, grab his clothes and run back to his room to try to forget he'd ever slept with me. The hand I left hovering above his head returned to slap me on the forehead.

Regardless of what exactly happened to lead up to our less than responsible behavior, it was all my fault. I was the one who had wanted to get him in bed to start with. Put some alcohol in me and I was sure I'd be ready to jump his bones. The thing was, how drunk did I have to get him before he was willing to have sex with me?

Oh God...

My heart sunk, considering the possibility that... Well...

How could I even be sure that he'd consented?

I felt like pulling the covers back up to hide me but that would've been worthless with him still clinging to me like a little kid. Fuck. And to make matters worse, it was my room. If it had been his, I could've possibly just gotten away, picked up my stuff, and slipped out without him knowing. Things weren't looking so convenient, though.

"Lavi," he mumbled, sighing my name against my stomach. It was unexpected and made me jump slightly. What was he doing saying my name so innocently like that?

What was I going to say to him? How could I possibly explain what had happened? Even I didn't know what we'd done exactly, so seriously... How was I supposed to do that? I couldn't even remember who'd taken the bottom and who'd topped. Maybe I actually made a good girl and I didn't even know it!

"Ugh... Lavi... How much did we drink?" Allen's brows furrowed a little, so cutely. That's when I finally let myself run a hand tentatively through his white locks. He took a moment to bury his face in my side and moan, trying to regain full awareness. When he stretched, he arched against me and practically rubbed himself against me from head to toe. If I weren't so freaked out, I would've been hard.

Then, entirely to my surprise, he started kissing my stomach, his fingers lazily caressing my chest. What... What the hell didn't I remember about the night before?!

"Allen, do you remember what happened last night?"

He smiled. It felt like a sin. A light sigh escaped his parted lips. "Yeah, well, I had no idea you felt that way, Lavi. Obviously, you like to talk when you're drunk."

Talk? I knew I was a relatively fun person when I got drunk but I'd never been referred to as talkative. I wasn't aware of divulging any secrets or personal facts in the past, but I guess that with just the right amount of alcohol, one could get me to say anything they wanted to hear. I had to assume that I'd told Allen how I felt about him; to what extent, I wasn't sure.

"Yeah... So what exactly did we talk about, you know? Just kinda to... refresh my memory?"

Allen looked up at me, his eyes a little glazed still from sleep and cheap wine. His expression was incredulous, like he thought I was being ridiculous. I could tell he wasn't fully out of that alcohol-induced haze yet but at least he was awake. "Refresh your memory?" he asked, narrowing his eyes in disbelief. He inched away and propped himself up on an elbow. Tiredly, he ran a hand over his face to remove the sleep. "Lavi, you don't remember?"

"That's not what I'm saying." Sure it was. "I just don't remember the, uh, the end. And the middle. And the beginning."

It was hard to read his expression then. I wasn't sure if he was confused or angry. His eyes were still narrowed and his eyebrows had furrowed to a point at the middle of his forehead. I poked him between the eyes gently and reminded him that he would get wrinkles if he kept it up. Embarrassedly, he rubbed at his face where I'd poked him and he sunk back down onto my chest.

"Well, now that I'm thinking about it, it seems a little cheesy. I must be easy or something," he laughed and I felt his breath hot against my chest. I clamped my eyes shut and tried to pay attention to what he was saying. "I came over. You gave me a drink and we did some work. You remember that much right?" He looked up at me and I nodded even though I wasn't too sure I actually remembered. "Then you looked really serious and said you had something to tell me. You weren't drunk then. You really don't remember that?"

So, what? I just came out and confessed to him on the spot? "Nope," I answered. "But keep going."

Allen remained silent for a little and just ran his red fingers teasingly over my chest until he mercifully swirled them around my nipples, scraping his nails against them lightly. I wished so bad that it was his tongue instead.

"You said you're in love with me."

Love? Really? I wouldn't go as far as to say that but... "Really?" And I wasn't even drunk then?

He nodded and edged up closer to my face. I could feel my nostrils flaring, my eyes widening. I didn't expect Allen to be so forward with me. He let his lips linger above mine and then whispered, "You kissed me just like this." One small kiss to the side of my mouth, like as if to test. Then another. Then one right on my lips. I found myself wrapping my arms around his waist and kissing him back. It felt strangely okay. I touched his hair and rubbed his shoulders. I let my hands do all the exploring I'd forgotten.

I broke away just long enough to ask him something. "Fuck, Allen. Did I really tell you that?"

A frightened look crossed his face and I knew instantly that that was stupid of me to word it like that. I was just as shocked that I'd admitted something that intense to him. But here I was, sounding like I was ready to take it back. I felt awkward.

I waved my hands nervously, trying to dismiss what I'd said. "I mean – I didn't know I would just come out and say it like that. I've been thinking about it for a long time so I must've just gotten up the courage to tell you or something, that's all."

He kept looking at me for a while, assessing my face, trying to figure out whether or not I was serious, I guess. Eventually, his usual Allen-grin returned and he hugged me around the waist, practically squeezing the breath out of me. When I whimpered, he lightened up. It was good to see him acting more like himself again. As great as that kiss was, I felt more like I was kissing myself than kissing him. Then, that could've also been the point in illustrating it to me.

"So explain to me what else I did."

"That was about it."

Oh. Well that explains... That explains absolutely nothing! I was expecting him to give me the full low-down of how we had sex; how I touched every inch of him and made him cry out like a girl. Yet there he was, as innocent and bright as ever, holding onto me and telling me I hadn't touched that perfect, irresistible body of his. I quirked an eyebrow and looked down at his head as he nuzzled against me again. There was no way I had left it at kissing; not if I got that drunk.

"So... wait, Allen. Explain why we're naked."

"Because I wanted to sleep with you."

That explains... Fuck, not again!

"So we got smashed... Made out a little... And then, what? I pushed you off or something?" Oh, that was so hard to believe. If I was naked, drunk, and horny, there was no way in hell I let that kid get away without me at least giving him something to remember. Too bad I couldn't.

Allen untangled himself from me again and this time wrapped his arms about my neck, bringing our faces so close together. He was smiling, eyes lidded, and his cheeks were a rosy red. I allowed myself to indulge in another small, chaste kiss. His lips were full and soft and so perfect.

He gave a short giggle and brought me back down to reality. "Yeah, you were the one who decided it was a bad idea. I was sort of surprised. We were both undressed at that point, but you said that we shouldn't do anything we would regret later." His words made me choke on my own breath. Me? Being the responsible one? Had I really kept to what I planned? Needless to say, I couldn't remember any of the progress I had made with him but at least things hadn't gotten too out of control.

I was beyond glad that I hadn't ruined our first time together; probably his first time with anybody, at that.

He sighed and looked away wistfully. "I think I'm impressed," he said. "I had this different opinion of you before and after last night, I feel a lot more comfortable with you now." He looked into my eyes and I could see the sincerity glistening in them. Gently, he kissed me again and this time it felt more like Allen. "You're a gentleman, aren't you?"

"I surprise even myself," I said honestly.

Although that weight had been lifted from my mind, my head was still feeling taxed from all that I'd drunk. I pulled him down, and with him still against me, I rolled over onto my side. He gave a little "oof" but had himself quickly situated again in our new position. With everything that had happened, I was just looking forward to some extended sleep.

He raised a brow as to question what I'd done. "Do you intend to stay sleeping on the floor?" I cracked open an eye, amused at that incredulous expression of his again.

"We have the blankets here, don't we?" I received a smack on the arm and Allen didn't bother me any more after that.

A gentleman, huh? I'd have to show him what I'm really like later when I'm not drunk.

Author's Notes: I didn't want to drag this out because I feared I would end up making another PWP. As much as I love them, I felt they deserved a nice, solid story… Though there wasn't much to this, was there? Ah well. At least it was fluffy and adorable. I hope you enjoyed reading! Feedback's always appreciated!