Re-edited this chapter, because I still missed some very simple stuff that made me look dumb XD I'll be re-editing all of my chaps, by the way, before I write more. This is me trying to recuperate from Laven week still, just to let you know. Writing every night for a week straight DESTROYED me. It was still fun though. Hope the new edits make an improvement!

Warnings: Boy/Boy love, language, blood, angst, and a little bit of torture in the future.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue

Allen couldn't stop the huge sigh that escaped his lips.

Why did he always get stuck with these crap jobs for Cross? There are plenty of other kids old enough to do his bidding - hell, Kanda was older than he was, but was he ever sent on deliveries? No. Only Allen was roped into mundane tasks like this. He looked away from the green and gold sign above his head, toward the store down the street. A man was outside, advertising a half-off sale for twenty pound turkeys. God, what Allen would do to get a hold of one of those. The scent that wafted down to him made his mouth water and his neglected stomach growl. It was therefore with great frustration that he pushed his way through the door of Bookman's Café.

The feeling dissipated quickly as he entered though, being replaced by a sensation of wandering astray. He was expecting a quaint little coffee shop, with pastel paint and fluffy little pastries, but all that he could see were books and sofas. It was stuffy, quiet, and a little cramped - probably a great contribution to why it was completely vacant. Allen stepped forward with hesitance, leaving barely-there footprints in the dust on the floor. He spied two doors that were perpendicular to each other, one of which was straight ahead of him and had easily detectable signs of life through it, so he chose that to be his first destination.

He entered the room to discover he had been right about picking this door. A young lady was behind a glossy dark wood counter, busying herself with the dishes. The cups clinked gently as she worked, the noise that had drawn Allen here.

"Um, excuse me…" The timid sound drew the girl's attention, causing her to turn and smile, dark pigtails dancing with the movement.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't notice you come in! How can I help you today?" She approached the register, polite grin still gracing her features.

"Oh, uhm, I was sent by Cross Marian to deliver a book here. Would you happen to be Lavi?" He smiled at her as a look of surprise swept over her face.

She broke out into a brief giggle. "I didn't think I looked like a 'Lavi'!" She straightened back up, pulling away the hand that had come up to stifle her laughter. "My name's Lenalee. Lavi's out right now with the owner, Bookman, but they should be back soon." She took a glance at a grandfather clock that was ticking away to itself in the corner.

"Oh, ok then. Would I be able to leave this with you?" Allen proffered the rather hefty book he was carrying.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, but they don't let me take any of their deliveries! They insist that they're the only ones to receive the new additions. Usually one of them is here, but in times like this, they demand that the courier wait for their return!" She nervously fiddled with her apron. Allen just blinked for a moment before an annoyed grimace made its way across his face. Of course he'd be the one Cross chose to be stuck on a task for potentially hours. At his expression, the girl seemed to upset and began bowing. She seemed to be of Asian descent. "I'm so sorry sir! Please feel free to make yourself comfortable!" She stood up to gesture behind her. "Would you like some coffee? Any kind you'd like, on the house!"

"Ah! N-no, that's fine! Don't worry about it, I've got time to kill, so waiting is fine with me!" He held up his hands, waving them in front of him, trying to show her he really didn't mind. "Would it be ok if I just took a look around?" He gave her a reassuring smile. Honestly, he hadn't meant to set off the girl's manners like that.

"Of course! If you need anything just let me know," she smiled and Allen gave her a nod before returning to the previous room, back into the realm of dust bunnies and dim lighting. Really, for a place to read, it should be better lit. People could go blind straining their eyes here, unless they sat directly next to one of the table lamps, also dim. He gave the crowded tables a condescending glance before moving past them, wondering how this place could stay in business with such clutter. Maybe it was all for "atmosphere". He was en route to the second door he had seen when he arrived, maneuvering through the spastic seating arrangements and aisles of tomes, eventually succeeding in crossing over the door's threshold. He stopped dead in his footsteps.

A piano.

A small, modest piano sat on a chest-high stage in another cramped, book filled room. The stage itself was just big enough for the instrument, surrounded by more bookshelves that hugged the walls. He approached the stairs, thinking that this mini-auditorium was a bit out-of-place in an area of such quiet solitude, but felt that it belonged anyway.

With a shaking finger, he touched a key, wide eyed, breathing slowly. He took a seat, setting the book on the top ledge, movements slow and unsure as he came before the beautiful, albeit dusty, piece of his past.

His time learning to play had been the best spent years of his life.

"…Mana…"

He hit the first chord, striking out pristine, in-tune notes. With those few vibrations of sound, the air seemed to clear, replacing the musty, congested feeling with that of light ease and relaxed simplicity. He progressed through the memorized tune, playing with soft touches to keep the volume low and not attract Lenalee's attention. He smiled, nostalgia
taking him over as words came to mind. A child's play.

"Soshite bouya wa nemuri ni tsuita,
ikizuku hai no naka no honoo, hitotsu, futatsu to ukabu fukurami itoshii yokogao."

The melody filled his ears, taking hold of him. He hadn't had the chance to play since he had seen Mana last. There weren't any instruments at the orphanage at all, so he couldn't even substitute the piano with another device. He could only sing to himself in the dark hours of night when no one would hear the occasional tremble in his voice.

It was painful to reflect on times past.

"Watashi wa inori tsuzukeru,
douka konoko ni ai wo,
tsunaida te ni kisu wo."

The last notes rang out to sink into the walls as the memories faded away to leave Allen alone with the present once again.

He felt hollow.

"You're perfect."

Allen whirled around, flying up into to a defensive stance as he pulled himself back from the vulnerable state he'd been lost in. He found a redhead standing against the door, boots crossed at the ankle, one green eye gleaming, while the other hid behind an eye-patch. The man sent an amiable smile up to him as he pushed off of the doorframe, extending his hand to elaborate.

"We've been trying for a long time to find a player as good as you, but have so far been sadly unsuccessful," he gave a shrug. He approached the stage, his face sliding into a cocky, laid back grin. "However, like I said, with the way you play, you'd be perfect. Do you know any other songs?"

Allen, now thoroughly confused, only nodded, wondering who exactly was this boy? "I know a few other pieces. I can read music too, but I haven't played in a long time, so I'm not sure how good I am at it anymore."

"Well, you sounded great just now."

Allen blushed, once again embarrassed that he'd been caught. "T-thank you…"

The other man climbed onto the stage, leaving handprints where he had pushed himself up in the film of dust. "If you could play other songs as well as that one, I'd like to hire you."

Allen stared, completely taken aback by the sudden proposal. "What?! I mean, I'm flattered, but you've hardly heard me play, and I'm not sure if Cross would let me since he has me doing odd jobs for him and-"

"Did you say CROSS?!" Startled, shocked, and slightly appalled eyes were now doing a full survey of Allen, seeming like they were checking for a disease of some sort. He found silver hair, suspicious gloves, and a large scar over one of his grey eyes. He sure did look like one of Cross' "Are you Allen, the boy sent to deliver my book?"

Allen blinked, trying to connect point A of their conversation to point B. "Err, yes. Allen Walker from Ark of the Fourteenth Orphanage. Are you Lavi?" Allen observed as the visible emerald eye seemed calm as Lavi came to grips with the apparently very shocking situation before him.

"Uh, yeah, I'm the manager here, Lavi. Um…" He drew closer to Allen, a look of determination in his eyes. His arms grasped the other's shoulders as he stared him dead in the eyes. "Please Allen, take the job. I know Cross, and I know he's probably made your life suck by sticking you with odd jobs and distracting debt collectors. Bookman and Marian have known each other for years. I'm sure Cross will let you work here. It'd give you a stable income so you can stop doing that other crap for him. Someone like you and at your age shouldn't be trapped in that kind of situation."

Allen, surprised and wondering how Lavi knew how old he was and how his life was going, could only stare. The opportunity sounded good enough, and the walk wasn't far from home. "Um... Sure, why not?"

Lavi pulled away clapping his hands together in accomplishment. "Excellent! You can start tomorrow at nine then, ok?" He paced over to the book resting on the piano, lifting it to tuck it under his arm. "Thanks for this, by the way. Must've been a pain to carry all the way here."

Allen laughed sheepishly with his arm behind his head, trying to make the effort put into the book's delivery look like it wasn't that bad. "Well, since you have the book, I guess I'll just get going then. See you tomorrow, sir!"

Lavi called out to the already retreating back, "Just call me Lavi, or I'll give you a nickname you'll regret!"

Allen called out something along the lines of "I'll keep that in mind" as he exited.

Lenalee came to fill the empty door frame. "Well he was nice, though he did seem to be in a rush to leave just now…"

Lavi chuckled from up on the stage. "I kind of startled him, but I got him to accept my job offer for a pianist!"

"He plays? I didn't hear anything before you two had started talking." She placed her finger to her lips in curiosity.

"Yes, and quite well at that. He's modest, but I think he'll do just fine." He dragged his index finger across the keys, drawing a line in the dust, connecting Allen's fingerprints. "Maybe I should dust it, as a first day present?"

Lenalee waved him off as she too turned out of the door. "Impossible."

Lavi smiled down to the floor as he was left alone. It might be worth the effort, seeing as how this was one of Cross' kids. All of his orphans were one of a kind, both in the good and bad way. Already, from their first encounter, he was sure that Allen would be a great source of fun. Setting the book back down, he took a bandana out of his pocket to keep his hair back. He dipped his hand into his other pocket to retrieve a handkerchief.

He whistled as he started to dust off the lonely piano.

Mission accomplished! This is much better now! Feel free to review again if you want! Also, remember to check my profile for Allen's play list of songs! I'll be posting them down here in the AN's, but the links are in my profile. Thanks for reading!