Chapter Four :: In Person//Video

[looseleafbook]

[Everyone should have found a small bundle of food and some first aid items wrapped in a blanket. It was separated to make sure that everyone got the same amount of the items. But there was an apple in every bundle! And if there are pets, some extra food for them.]

[Hours later]Hope everyone got everything alright, made sure the rooms were

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[looseleafbook]

[One could say they lost that when they were found compatible, they had to do what the Innocence would deem acceptable and sometimes that might not even go along with what they personally believed. Everything they've done or haven't done was because of what the Innocence and Dark Matter made them do, they're not at the helm.

He didn't hear anything after MIA, eye wide with shock. That could mean only one thing since there weren't any bodies, identifiable or otherwise, they had been captured. Gramps wouldn't let them run off in the middle of a fight because they were fighting when he had been pulled.

So Chaoji had been a warning...

He could only imagine what the young seaman looked like, they didn't know this Noah's powers yet, if he had done that to Gramps. Lavi wouldn't forgive him. Not at all. He didn't care about himself, just let Gramps be okay. But that kind of thinking was wrong as well, he had to worry about himself. He couldn't make Lenalee cry and be somewhere he couldn't cheer her up.

Burying his face in her shoulder now, just for some solid ground.]

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[fallforthesky]

[Lenalee's doing her best to provide that solidity he needs, sinking both hands into the back of his coat and holding him to her like a mother might-- it's like Matron used to do for her, and that's the closest she can guess-- and it's so difficult when she can practically feel him tensing with realization. She leans her head against his and makes a soft shushing sound, just barely audible.]

I'm sorry.

[She can't say 'It's going to be okay', because she doesn't know if it will be.]

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[looseleafbook]

[It almost breaks him down to tears, that sort of hold. Something that he had never really gotten experience until now, but he wouldn't have wanted to get it from anyone else but Lenalee. She's so much like an anchor in his own world, temporary as it might be, but she's always there for them and filled with such compassion. It always tears at that heart he's not supposed to have.

He swallows the hitch in his breathing, swallowing the fear and the tears. Lets out a small - slightly hysterical - laugh and grips her coat a little tighter.]

It's alright. At least now I know...right?

[Lavi lets himself stay like that a moment longer, trying to imprint the way everything feels on his infallible memory then pulls back, straightening and forcing a grin on his face.]

Here I am supposed to be making you cheer up and ruining it all like this.

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[fallforthesky]

[She's loathe to let him go after that laugh-- a decade of her life thrown away to the War and Lenalee knows those kinds of laughs are the last-ditch alternative to breaking down-- but what makes her want to hang onto him until the veritable end of the world is that tiny hitch in his breath just before it. Fuelled by pure desperation; that's Lenalee right now. So she struggles to hang onto him for as long as he'll stay in her arms, biting on her own lip until she swears she can taste blood without making a cut.

Then, when he pulls back, she lets go. So gingerly it's almost mechanical, but she lets go. The steady swell of guilt has begun to warm her stomach unpleasantly, and it shows in the unsteady twitch of her lips that is her trying to match his forced smile. Oh, well.] We could always try erasing the last year of our lives. That might be easier.

[Gallows humour. Not really her thing. It comes out so genuine.]

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[looseleafbook]

[He won't break down, not here, won't let himself. But it's just the sort of life that they lead and when he's been shown how nice a peaceful one like they have here can be... Sure it's got it's own problems with survival but there's no fighting, not really. That's something wholly unique and strange to him. The differences between them are really staggering sometimes.

He laughs again, a little stronger and less hysterical, more like himself. And Lavi reaches out to ruffle her hair enough to try and get a real smile out of her.] I wish that we could, Lena. Best we can do is just try and forget it while we're here. After all, we get to live here.

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[fallforthesky]

[That's true-- there's no Akuma. No Earl. Noah, yes, but even Rhode has been remarkably tolerable (as far as tolerating Rhode goes). They do get to live. And even if the smile she gives him is still a bit watery, it is far more genuine than she would've expected of herself.]

[Simply:] You're right.

[Because Kanda may be gone in her world, and Lavi missing, and Allen... Allen disappearing, but they're all here now (sort of). For now, that's enough.]

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[looseleafbook]

[Since it seems that he's managed to restore a bit of her normal good mood Lavi pulls away a little more, straightening.]

Now, have you taken a tour of our lovely new home?

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[fallforthesky]

[A change in topic. She latches onto it like the dying.] Not exactly. There isn't... much to see, is there?

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[looseleafbook]

Oh, I wouldn't know about that~ There's a fallen rock on one side and on the other there's another fallen rock but it doesn't look the same. [Grins~]

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[fallforthesky]

[The iron grip of guilt in her chest eases a little at that. It's such a relief to be able to hear him say such kiddish things, especially after all the information she's just dumped on him.]

Why don't you show me?

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[looseleafbook]

[He can do it simply because he's shoved it out of his mind for now. He can deal with it later, when he's away from Lenalee so he won't make her worried. Right now she needs to see the normal Lavi.]

It'd be my pleasure, yeah~? [He gets to his feet and offers her his hands to pull her up, always mindful of her legs even if they're better.]

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[fallforthesky]

[Lenalee isn't sure how his caution makes her feel. He's being courteous, which she could never begrudge him for, but it makes her wonder if maybe she's still giving off the impression that she needs to be treated with care. Of course she remembers how absolutely useless she'd been on the Ark, how everyone had been mindful and careful and concerned. This once (who is she kidding?), she wants to be the one to worry about everyone else.]

[Outwardly, however, what Lavi receives is nothing more than a gentle:] I'm fine.

[even as she takes his hands and lets him help her to her feet.]

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[looseleafbook]

[He's not overly worried over her, honest. He just doesn't want her to strain herself since her legs are her weapon unlike him with his hammer. She can still worry about him all she likes, just let him worry over her too.

Lavi grins, squeezing her hands before he lets go.] I know~ But a guy still needs to be courteous to a young lady~

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[fallforthesky]

[You know she'd rather be the rock everyone leans on than vice versa. Lightly shoving at his shoulder.] You aren't that much older than me.

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[looseleafbook]

[Chuckles and rubs at his shoulder.] Doesn't mean I still can't compliment you, yeah?

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[fallforthesky]

I never said that. [She reaches down to take his hand again, lace their fingers together. A silent 'I'm here'.]