A Game of Poker, Chapter 7: Cutting Ties
Title: A Game of Poker
Author: Bookkbaby
Rating: Teen
Warnings: YAOI
Summary: LUCKY Pair. It started as a simple game of poker, but a little white lie from Lavi changes everything. ['If you lose... you spend the night here, with me, and let me do whatever I want with you.']
A/N: This is my first multichapter fanfic for the DGM fandom! Yay! I’m fairly new to the fandom, but hopefully I haven’t made any unforgivable mistakes.
Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Limes are in the future, and lemons in the uncut versions (not on fanfiction(dot)net). Maybe some OOC, spoilers for the end of the anime later on.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don’t own anything but a copy of the anime series and all but volume 7 of the manga in English. Anything you don’t recognize (like the plotline of ‘A Game of Poker’) does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don’t sue.
Beta’d by Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.
Last Time On ‘A Game Of Poker’:
As he shut his eyes, he couldn't help the stray thought telling him that, since the damage was already done, he may as well enjoy himself a little bit longer before the inevitable conclusion.
And Now, The Continuation
A Game of Poker, Chapter 7
Cutting Ties
Tyki walked quickly along the dark, empty street, thoughts churning. His own mind was confusing him, his impulses and emotions unlike anything he had felt before.
Lavi was simply a way to pass the time. The redhead was the only person who could satisfy him at the moment, but that was all. The Exorcist was there for his entertainment, his amusement, and could be discarded at any time like all of Tyki's previous conquests. Lavi was no different, just the latest face in a long line of faces, and would be just as quickly forgotten.
The certainty that the Pleasure had in all those facts had been solid after their first game. Perhaps even after the second, but the granite rock of his belief was slowly being eroded away into sand. He had never before even felt an urge to stay with one of his partners beyond their coupling, yet his reluctance with Lavi minutes ago had been more of a reflex than actual feeling. He hadn't exactly wanted the redhead to ask him to stay, since who knows what would have happened if the Exorcist had asked, but if he could trust himself not to take the younger man again he wouldn't have minded staying.
That was the most confusing part. He wouldn't have minded staying just a little bit longer with the redhead. His simultaneous disappointment and elation at Lavi's next question had startled him just as much, though he managed to cover that up. His joy he could understand, since there was nothing closer to heaven at the moment than being inside of the Exorcist, but the disappointment was less comprehensible. Disappointment was something he had never before associated with a partner not caring if he left.
A voice broke into his thoughts, someone calling him from the shadows.
"Tyki-pon!"
The Noah stopped abruptly, turning towards the familiar voice as a tendril of nervousness shot through him. Why on Earth was the Earl here?
He spotted the large figure in the shadows, quickly composing himself.
"My dear Earl." He bowed slightly. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight. What brings you to the middle of nowhere?"
The Manufacturer moved forward slightly, customary grin stretching his lips.
"I was looking for you, Tyki-pon! It's time for the family to get together for dinner again, after all, and I came to get you since it seems you forgot." The Earl's smile turned a touch malicious and Tyki felt a chill go through him. In all the excitement earlier, he had completely forgotten about the 'family dinner' the fat man had planned for that night. Most likely the Maker was going to set some plan in motion, since 'family dinners' were only called for major projects.
Perhaps it was whatever the man had been working on for the past two months. As far as Tyki was aware, none of the Noah - not even Road - knew what the Earl was plotting.
"It does seem to have slipped my mind." Tyki admitted, shrugging though his shoulders were tense. "A pair of Exorcists arrived here earlier and I'm afraid they beat me to the Innocence. There was a bit of a scuffle with some of the Akuma in this town - our side was completely wiped out." The Pleasure hadn't exactly tried too hard to go after the Innocence after stumbling upon Lavi, but he wasn't about to tell the Earl that.
The large man sighed heavily.
"Exorcists are always messing up my plans and killing my cute little children. All the other members of our family have already arrived - I should have known the Exorcists were responsible for you not showing up." Tyki relaxed slightly. It seemed as if the Manufacturer bought his excuse. The story was mostly truth after all, even if the finer details had been omitted.
The Earl beckoned with a hand, urging Tyki to follow him.
"Come now, Tyki-pon. I have a piece of the Ark with me." The short man turned, almost skipping down one of the nearby dark alleys. At a more sedate pace, Tyki followed.
Not for the first time, he wasn't looking forward to the family meeting.
Line Break
"Tyki!"
Road leapt up from her seat and rushed towards the Pleasure, throwing her arms around his waist and spinning around several times before stopping. With a small sigh, he returned the embrace of the oldest Noah.
"Hello, Road." he said, patting her back as a signal to let him go. She did, smiling innocently and skipping back to her chair at the Earl's right hand.
"Nice of you to finally show up." Devitto grumbled, arms folded. Jasdero nodded quickly.
"Yeah, finally! Finally!"
Lulubell ignored them, lapping at her milk. Skinn's chair was empty but present, since the Noah of Rage had passed on only a short time ago. The chair hadn't yet been removed from around the dining table and a place had been set for the dead Noah, a few sweets and a slice of cake on the plate as an offering. The Pleasure moved around Skinn's chair to his own place at the table and sat down, propping his chin on his hand as he waited for the Maker to reveal the reason for their meeting.
The fat man raised his hand, beckoning Akuma servants forward with the food. Each Noah was served before the Earl began speaking.
"My lovely family," he began, taking up his knife and fork and cutting into the steak on his plate. "As you may know, I've been working on a little project for some time now."
Tyki cut into his own steak, though he wasn't truly hungry. Road was already eating happily, watching the fat man with avid interest. Jasdero and Devitto didn't seem to be paying attention - Devitto had dropped his knife, and so the dark-haired man was arguing with his blond twin over who got the remaining clean steak knife. Lulubell was as interested in the events as ever - the business suit clad woman continued to lap at her milk, acting as though she didn't care though the twitch of her ears gave her away.
The Earl ignored the twin's antics, which had now escalated into a miniature fistfight. He cut a small bite sized piece of his meat and speared it on his fork.
"The Exorcists were just a minor inconvenience for a long time, but they've started to become a bit more of a problem recently." the Earl said sweetly. Tyki glanced surreptitiously around the room, seeing the agreement on the faces of his fellow Noah. He could practically see Jasdero and Devitto reflect on the blood-monster they had described the older man with Allen Walker and friends turn into, like a vampire out of legend.
Lulubell could have been reflecting on anything from her loss of the Egg to how the Generals and Allen Walker had defeated her at Exorcist Headquarters. Road quietly took a sip of her milk, one hand going to her chest where Lavi had pierced it through while in her dream world. All eyes at one point lingered on Skinn's chair, the emptiness a reminder of just how dangerous some of the Exorcists were - the short-tempered Japanese one especially. His own thoughts were of Allen and the Crown Clown, the sword that had almost taken his Noah from him.
…and Lavi. The redhead had never physically harmed him, true enough, but the younger man's existence was complicating things for someone who preferred the simple life.
"I've given them free reign long enough, but it's time to bring that to an end." The Maker's voice was still sickly sweet as though he was discussing naughty children he had neglected to discipline. Perhaps, in his mind, they were. He bit the piece of steak off his fork, chewing thoughtfully before continuing. "My cute Akuma are evolving nicely. We'll soon be able to undertake one of our greatest projects yet - the annihilation of the Black Order!"
Even Jasdero and Devitto went silent at that. Lulubell stopped lapping at her milk in favor of openly paying attention while Road clapped her hands together excitedly.
"I knew it would be something fun like that." she said, then wove her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "Can I have Allen Walker as a toy, Earl?"
The man laughed and a more chilling sound Tyki could not remember hearing. His fingers felt numb as they grasped his knife and fork suspended above his plate. Something had to be seriously wrong with him - the surprise at hearing the Earl's plans should not translate into concern for the fate of the Exorcists. Even concern for one Exorcist, specifically, was not something he should be feeling.
'"Tyki-"'
Lavi's voice echoed in his head, so loudly that for a moment he lost track of his surroundings. He was quickly brought back to reality when he noticed everyone at the table staring at him.
"Are you all right, Tyki?" Road asked, brow furrowed in worry. She leaned towards him, placing the back of her hand on his forehead. Straining for a semblance of his normal character, he batted her hand away gently. Devitto and Jasdero were staring at him, Devitto suspicious. The Earl was watching him too, out of the corner of his eye while Lulubell had turned back to her milk.
"I'm fine, Road. I was just a little surprised at the scale of the Earl's plans." He smiled, attempting to be casual as Road sat back in her chair. Her concern did not leave her face quickly, but rather faded little by little until no trace was seen.
He picked up the wine that came with his dinner, vaguely wishing for something stronger as he took a sip. He listened as the Earl moved back to talking about his plans, especially the pre-attack plot.
"Now, since you're my only family left now, I want to try and make this attack as safe as possible. The Exorcists love to fight in groups, but if we take them on one by one it will be much easier."
The Pleasure took another sip of wine, quietly recalling how Lulubell had been routed at the Black Order Headquarters and how only Kevin Yeeger, the oldest of the Generals whose knowledge had been unable to make up for loss of stamina, had fallen to them. The other four still lived and evaded all the Noah's efforts to find them and fight them. He kept his thoughts to himself, trying not to remember the other Noah that used to be part of the 'family' before they had grown a conscience and displeased the Earl. No one displeased the Earl, at least not for long.
"For this reason, I'd like it if you all could find and destroy a few of these pests for me. You'll each have a list and I'd like it if you could concentrate on only those on your list. Of course, please continue to destroy any Innocence you happen to find along the way!"
The Earl reached into a hidden pocket in his jacket and withdrew four playing cards. One by one, he passed them out to each of the Noah. Jasdero and Devitto only had one between them, which Devitto held on to, much to Jasdero's dismay. The Pleasure rubbed one of his temples as he heard them begin to fight again, then looked at his card.
The background noise disappeared, replaced by a rushing in his ears. His hand stopped mid-motion, fingers pressed to his temple but no longer soothing the developing headache. He could almost hear his heart thud in his chest as his eyes grew wide. The thin card shook imperceptibly in his hand and all he could do was stare.
"I picked your targets by how difficult they will be to find and fight. The harder it is to find one of them, the fewer targets you have." the Earl explained, almost in a singsong.
"Is that why we have Cross again!?" Devitto demanded, holding up his card. Jasdero tried to jump and grab it, but ended up holding on to Devitto's head instead, legs wrapped around his twin's chest. Indeed, they only had two names on their card - Arystar Krory and General Cross. The Earl nodded.
"Since you couldn't kill him earlier, I decided to give you another chance. I hope you do better this time." Devitto shrank back into his chair at the Earl's tone, Jasdero sliding down and moving to his own chair.
"Che. Of course we will." Devitto said. Even Tyki could hear the fear underlying the confident tone the darker haired twin adopted. Striving for normalcy, he took another sip of his wine, draining the half-full glass.
The Pleasure patted his mouth clean with one of the linen napkins provided and stood, tucking his card into his pocket. His food lay on his plate, untouched. Road stared after him with some surprise as he moved to leave.
"Tyki! You haven't eaten."
The man turned to smile at his sibling, forcing the expression.
"I ate before I arrived. I know where one of my targets is, so I thought I'd get a head start on my assignment." he said smoothly. He straightened his clothes. "I haven't been doing so well on my other assignments recently I thought I'd get this one done early."
He heard Devitto mutter something along the lines of 'suck up' and Jasdero echo him, but ignored it.
"What a wonderful idea, Tyki-pon!" the Earl exclaimed, sounding truly pleased. The pleasant tone left the large man's voice moments later as he continued. "You have been doing pretty badly on your assignments lately. I was getting worried about you."
The Pleasure swallowed his nerves, talking as if he hadn't heard the undertones in the man's speech. His last sentence could be taken to mean that he was concerned for the Noah's well being or that his concern lay with the fact that Tyki's assignments were less and less successful as time moved on. The man's tone left no doubt as to which he meant, but the Noah pretended he didn’t hear it.
"No need to worry, Earl. I am in perfect health." he said. The Earl waved a hand dismissively.
"Of course, of course!" The Earl turned back to his food. "I hope to hear good news from you soon!"
As Tyki left the dining area, heading for the Ark to return to the town he had left earlier that night, he heard the Earl talk about how the other Noah could learn something from Tyki's dedication to his work, even if the Pleasure didn't always have results to show for it.
Tyki smiled a bit ironically, but the expression faded quickly. His steps slowed to a stop as he drew the card from his pocket to look at it again. His had four names on it, three he somewhat recognized and one he knew quite well. Kanda Yuu was the name of the Japanese swordsman who had killed Skinn, he was fairly certain. Lenalee Lee and Miranda Lotto were likely the two women he had seen with Allen Walker when the boy had come to Edo in search of Cross. The last name was what had made him freeze in shock earlier. In stark black ink, Lavi's name stared up at him from the card.
He wasn't done with the Exorcist yet. He still wanted to pound the redhead into the nearest flat surface and have the younger man's legs wrap around him and pull him in closer, deeper. He wasn't in to necrophilia - he couldn't just keep the corpse until he tired of Lavi's body. Half of his enjoyment was in his partner's response, in hearing Lavi cry out his name at the moment of climax.
He had known this would happen. He just hadn't thought it would happen this soon. The Pleasure had been certain he had a little bit more time, at least a few more nights to exhaust his fantasies revolving around the redhead and purge the desire from his system. Of all the names on the list, Lavi would be the hardest target. The others were connected to Allen Walker as well - it wasn't hard to see the common thread binding the Exorcists together - and likely to Lavi to some extent, but they were just names. Those Exorcists were just names and faces he had to eliminate to stay somewhat in the Earl's good graces and those murders wouldn't bother him too much. Lavi would be the hardest target, and so he would take down Lavi first. The others would only be easier after that and he would go back to being just a Noah without any of the confusion that had grown in his mind since first bedding the red haired Exorcist.
Holding fast to that resolve, he reached one of the salvaged doors of the second Ark and stepped through. He was heading back to the town where a sleeping redhead was waiting unawares in a quiet hotel.
It would make his job that much easier, even if the hollow feeling in his chest wouldn't abate.
Line Break
Lavi lay awake in bed, unable to sleep. He had tried every trick in the book, from counting sheep to reading a really, really boring book in hopes that he'd fall asleep while reading. It hadn't worked since his thoughts would not stay quiet.
What, exactly, did Tyki mean to him? He knew he was little more than a bedwarmer to the Noah (which hurt, for reasons Lavi couldn't explain) but that didn't help him figure out how he saw Tyki. He should think of the Pleasure with the same regard the man had for him - someone to make him feel good. The older man was good at that, very good...
But that wasn't it. The physical was part of it, but now there was something else as well and that was what caused the ache in his chest, the moisture behind his eyes, the empty feeling in the bed. That 'something else' was what had Lavi worried and tossing and turning without sleep.
A soft sound by the window reached his ears. He was laying down, facing the wall with his back to the window as he tried to sleep, but the noise brought him back to full alertness. His window hadn't been open, nor had he heard it open, so how had an intruder snuck in? No matter, it would be easily enough to scare any would-be burglar off just by showing off his Innocence. Something about a shape-shifting hammer and a teenager lifting something three times his size tended to make people wary of Lavi or send them screaming from the room. He feigned sleep, rolling over as if indeed deeply into his rest and nearly shutting his uncovered eye. He kept it open a sliver, being careful to keep his face relaxed as he searched the darkness of the room carefully for the intruder. The person's footsteps had paused when he rolled over and even now stood still as a statue in the middle of the room.
Upon recognizing who it was that had snuck into his room, Lavi gave up the pretense of sleeping in favor of opening his eye wide and sitting up. The man took a surprised, seemingly unintentional step backwards as Lavi swung his legs over the side of the bed, staring at the Noah. His abused bottom complained a bit, but the pain could be ignored.
Tyki composed himself and returned the stare evenly, something like regret in his golden eyes.
"Tyki?" the Exorcist asked hesitantly, uncertain whether or not he was awake. It certainly felt real and he was fairly certain that he hadn't fallen asleep, but why would the older man be back so soon? The Noah didn't move, just stared at him before looking away and digging into his pocket for what looked like a playing card.
A bit unnerved by how quiet the older man was being and the oddity of seeing regret in the Noah's eyes, the redhead could only watch as Tyki spun the card by a corner on top of one of his fingers. Lavi's eye followed the motion of the card, then stared uncomprehendingly as it came to an abrupt stop with black text facing the Exorcist.
His own name smiled maliciously at him from the list. The redhead's mouth went dry, eyes widening, but he couldn't move. He felt rooted to the spot. He felt nothing but shock, not even considering what having his name on Tyki's list meant. His name wasn't in the Pleasure's handwriting, but a strange, loopy script he didn't recognize. It couldn't mean anything good.
His gaze moved to the Noah, mouth opening to speak but nothing coming out. Tyki's expression was reserved and distant as the man began walking slowly forward.
"You should have stayed asleep, Exorcist." The slow footsteps seemed to echo in the empty room, each soft step quickening Lavi's heartbeat until it raced like a frightened jackrabbit inside his chest. None of the tenderness Tyki's voice used to hold remained - even if it had been false tenderness, it was infinitely preferable to the chill that settled inside Lavi's bones at the cold tone the Noah now adopted. He tried to back up, but was almost immediately stopped by the wall of his room. The Pleasure continued to advance and Lavi inched along the wall at his back to the end of his bed. He didn't move his gaze from Tyki for an instant, groping along the wall with his hands as he set one foot on the bare floor. The other foot followed as the Noah deliberately turned towards him and moved even closer.
"Tyki, what are you doing?" he asked hesitantly, already certain of the answer but needing confirmation. The Pleasure smiled, the expression empty.
"Isn't it obvious? Your name is on the list now, so our game is over." The Noah shrugged, apparently unconcerned. "At least it was fun while it lasted, boy."
The redhead's back hit the wall. Before he could blink, he was boxed in by Tyki. The older man's arms were bent at the elbow and braced against the wall on either side of the Exorcist's head. The Pleasure's body was pressed to Lavi's, hips touching as the man loomed over the redhead. Uncomfortably, the Exorcist recalled that afternoon when Tyki had taken him just like this, pressed against the wall of the alley. His body heated at the memory, even as his self-preservation instincts kicked in and he tried to push the Noah away.
His hands slid straight through the older man as if he didn't exist. Tyki laughed coldly.
"Have you already forgotten, Bookman Junior? The only thing that can touch me against my will is Innocence, and you don't seem to have any." Tyki's hips ground into the redhead's, double meaning clear. Lavi flinched at the reminder, gaze flicking back to the hammer he had left on the bedside table. It was all the way across the room, out of reach and useless. He couldn't even try to go through Tyki's body either. He had no doubt the man had already considered that course of action and wouldn't allow Lavi to escape that way. He didn't have enough strength to knock the man down and certainly didn't have the leverage.
He let his hands fall back to his sides. It was useless to keep trying when he knew it couldn't work. He looked away from the Noah, mentally cursing himself and his stupidity. Why hadn't he gone for the hammer as soon as he realized it was Tyki? They had been enemies far longer than they had shared a bed - he should have been prepared at any time for the Noah to attack him, and yet he hadn't. In the alley and in his hotel room earlier, he hadn't been prepared. He had lowered the hammer in the alley, even, and hadn't even reached for his weapon the first time Tyki had appeared in his room that night.
He had gotten comfortable in such a short amount of time and now it was time to pay the price. His hands clenched tightly into fists and he refused to look at the man who had him pinned.
"Not going to fight? Do you honestly think I won't kill you, just because we shared a bed?" The Pleasure's voice was silky and soft but deadly, like a razor hidden in folds of cloth. The man's hand - the one closer to the side wall, leaving Lavi no escape routes - trailed idly over his shirt. Lavi shook his head vigorously, even as something inside him dimmed. He couldn't quite bring himself to speak. Just hours ago, he and Tyki had been together in this very room under very different circumstances. Now his name was on a stupid list and the Noah seemed to have no qualms about killing him.
There wasn't a thing he could do about it. How was he supposed to fight back if he literally could not touch his opponent?
"I know you'll kill me. My name is on the list, after all." The redhead couldn't conceal all his bitterness, but even he was surprised how much there was in his voice. His voice was choked with an emotion Lavi refused to name, one he wouldn't admit to. Bookmen did not feel betrayal, since no one ever got close enough to betray them. Ever.
"You've won. I was stupid and got comfortable." The Exorcist looked up, forcing a smile on to his face and projecting a false air of confidence as if dying didn't terrify him. "Just make it quick, okay? You owe me that much at least."
Tyki seemed taken aback by his cavalier attitude, but then the Noah's expression went nonchalant again.
"Very well. I suppose you're right." With that, the hand that had been tracing patterns over his shirt sunk into his chest just above his heart. Lavi's air of confidence evaporated completely, visible eye widening as his mouth opened in wordless protest. Something inside him died, something that felt like hope. Until that moment, he hadn't fully believed Tyki would actually kill him. Some small part of him had held on to the irrational belief that what they did together meant something, had to mean something since the Pleasure had kept on seeking him out. As fingers wrapped around his heart, much tighter than they had been that first night the Noah had offered him a game of poker, the truth became impossible to deny.
Lavi knew his shock had to be visible on his face and just hoped the betrayal he felt wasn't showing as well. The hurt went so much deeper than the physical and would only get worse if the older man mocked him for his ridiculous emotions as he died. The fingers curled tighter around the beating, life-giving muscle inside his chest, tugging it ever so slightly. The redhead couldn't even cry out, could only stare into the older man’s eyes as surprise numbed him. His heart was loud in his ears, the sound all he heard as Tyki's grasp tightened, tightened... then stopped.
Still too numb to realize what was happening, the Exorcist watched as the older man carefully extracted his hand. No heart weighed down his palm, no blood stained his pristine white gloves. Lavi took a deep breath, chest still pounding as his heart thundered against his rib cage. He was still alive and he couldn't understand why.
Tyki calmly reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a cigarette, holding the white stick in his mouth as he reached back down for a matchbook. He drew one out, struck it and lit the end of the cigarette before blowing out the tiny flame and dropping the used match. He breathed in deeply, turning away from the frozen Exorcist and moving towards the window.
"This is your warning. The next time I see you, I will kill you. Don't disappoint me, Exorcist."
The Noah walked through the window and descended slowly, disappearing from view. Lavi sank to the floor, shaking. He moved a trembling hand to his chest to press against the quickened beat there. He was alive.
He was alive.
He had been completely helpless in the Noah's hands and the Pleasure had let him go. Lavi stared blankly ahead. Not only had Tyki not killed him, but Ozuchi Kozuchi was still in one piece. The Exorcist hadn't lost his Innocence. The weapon had been left untouched.
Lavi chuckled, the sound escalating into full blown, hysterical laughter. The Exorcist in him may still have his Innocence, but Lavi had lost his as Tyki had pointed out. To think, he had only realized earlier that he wouldn't be able to end the relationship until Bookman forced him to or the Pleasure ended it for some reason. Well, that certainly counted as ending it. He had expected a little bit more time, maybe another time or two with the Noah inside of him, but that certainly wouldn't happen now.
He shut his eyes, head thumping lightly against the wall behind him as his laughter subsided. His chest felt raw and empty, almost as if something had been carved out and the wound left gaping and bloody. He drew his knees up to his chest as if to cover the imaginary injury, crossing his arms over his legs and burying his face in them.
Line Break
Hours later, in a room way across town, the single occupant of a hotel room stared at the ceiling. He was half-reclined in bed, smoking.
As Tyki exhaled and watched the smoke drift lazily to the ceiling, he couldn't get the image of Lavi's stricken face out of his head. Every time he shut his eyes he saw that expression, betrayal and hurt and shock all mixed. It had chilled him much more than the Earl's laugh ever had and made his blood run cold.
He lifted up one of his hands to stare at it, remembering how the fingers had seized up and refused to tighten around the redhead's heart. That look had stopped him dead in his tracks, though he couldn't explain why. He hadn't wanted to do it in the first place, even though he had tried to convince himself that he no longer wanted the Exorcist and pretended that he had tired of the younger man's body before returning to the hotel room he had left Lavi in. He had thought that he was ready. The redhead's days had been numbered since he became an Exorcist and now that number was up, but it should have been no loss to Tyki.
He would simply need to attack Lavi after killing the other three on his list. He was pretty certain the redhead at least knew the others, so hopefully their deaths would inspire some anger in the hammer-wielding Exorcist. If Lavi would just fight back, it would be so much easier to kill him. Easier, though probably not easy.
He stabbed out his cigarette and lay down, still mostly dressed. He shut his eyes and Lavi's stricken expression greeted him once again. It was the last thing he saw as he drifted off to sleep.
TBC…
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Author: Bookkbaby
Rating: Teen
Warnings: YAOI
Summary: LUCKY Pair. It started as a simple game of poker, but a little white lie from Lavi changes everything. ['If you lose... you spend the night here, with me, and let me do whatever I want with you.']
A/N: This is my first multichapter fanfic for the DGM fandom! Yay! I’m fairly new to the fandom, but hopefully I haven’t made any unforgivable mistakes.
Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Limes are in the future, and lemons in the uncut versions (not on fanfiction(dot)net). Maybe some OOC, spoilers for the end of the anime later on.
Disclaimer: I don’t own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don’t own anything but a copy of the anime series and all but volume 7 of the manga in English. Anything you don’t recognize (like the plotline of ‘A Game of Poker’) does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don’t sue.
Beta’d by Misster Cackles! All remaining mistakes are mine.
Last Time On ‘A Game Of Poker’:
As he shut his eyes, he couldn't help the stray thought telling him that, since the damage was already done, he may as well enjoy himself a little bit longer before the inevitable conclusion.
And Now, The Continuation
A Game of Poker, Chapter 7
Cutting Ties
Tyki walked quickly along the dark, empty street, thoughts churning. His own mind was confusing him, his impulses and emotions unlike anything he had felt before.
Lavi was simply a way to pass the time. The redhead was the only person who could satisfy him at the moment, but that was all. The Exorcist was there for his entertainment, his amusement, and could be discarded at any time like all of Tyki's previous conquests. Lavi was no different, just the latest face in a long line of faces, and would be just as quickly forgotten.
The certainty that the Pleasure had in all those facts had been solid after their first game. Perhaps even after the second, but the granite rock of his belief was slowly being eroded away into sand. He had never before even felt an urge to stay with one of his partners beyond their coupling, yet his reluctance with Lavi minutes ago had been more of a reflex than actual feeling. He hadn't exactly wanted the redhead to ask him to stay, since who knows what would have happened if the Exorcist had asked, but if he could trust himself not to take the younger man again he wouldn't have minded staying.
That was the most confusing part. He wouldn't have minded staying just a little bit longer with the redhead. His simultaneous disappointment and elation at Lavi's next question had startled him just as much, though he managed to cover that up. His joy he could understand, since there was nothing closer to heaven at the moment than being inside of the Exorcist, but the disappointment was less comprehensible. Disappointment was something he had never before associated with a partner not caring if he left.
A voice broke into his thoughts, someone calling him from the shadows.
"Tyki-pon!"
The Noah stopped abruptly, turning towards the familiar voice as a tendril of nervousness shot through him. Why on Earth was the Earl here?
He spotted the large figure in the shadows, quickly composing himself.
"My dear Earl." He bowed slightly. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight. What brings you to the middle of nowhere?"
The Manufacturer moved forward slightly, customary grin stretching his lips.
"I was looking for you, Tyki-pon! It's time for the family to get together for dinner again, after all, and I came to get you since it seems you forgot." The Earl's smile turned a touch malicious and Tyki felt a chill go through him. In all the excitement earlier, he had completely forgotten about the 'family dinner' the fat man had planned for that night. Most likely the Maker was going to set some plan in motion, since 'family dinners' were only called for major projects.
Perhaps it was whatever the man had been working on for the past two months. As far as Tyki was aware, none of the Noah - not even Road - knew what the Earl was plotting.
"It does seem to have slipped my mind." Tyki admitted, shrugging though his shoulders were tense. "A pair of Exorcists arrived here earlier and I'm afraid they beat me to the Innocence. There was a bit of a scuffle with some of the Akuma in this town - our side was completely wiped out." The Pleasure hadn't exactly tried too hard to go after the Innocence after stumbling upon Lavi, but he wasn't about to tell the Earl that.
The large man sighed heavily.
"Exorcists are always messing up my plans and killing my cute little children. All the other members of our family have already arrived - I should have known the Exorcists were responsible for you not showing up." Tyki relaxed slightly. It seemed as if the Manufacturer bought his excuse. The story was mostly truth after all, even if the finer details had been omitted.
The Earl beckoned with a hand, urging Tyki to follow him.
"Come now, Tyki-pon. I have a piece of the Ark with me." The short man turned, almost skipping down one of the nearby dark alleys. At a more sedate pace, Tyki followed.
Not for the first time, he wasn't looking forward to the family meeting.
Line Break
"Tyki!"
Road leapt up from her seat and rushed towards the Pleasure, throwing her arms around his waist and spinning around several times before stopping. With a small sigh, he returned the embrace of the oldest Noah.
"Hello, Road." he said, patting her back as a signal to let him go. She did, smiling innocently and skipping back to her chair at the Earl's right hand.
"Nice of you to finally show up." Devitto grumbled, arms folded. Jasdero nodded quickly.
"Yeah, finally! Finally!"
Lulubell ignored them, lapping at her milk. Skinn's chair was empty but present, since the Noah of Rage had passed on only a short time ago. The chair hadn't yet been removed from around the dining table and a place had been set for the dead Noah, a few sweets and a slice of cake on the plate as an offering. The Pleasure moved around Skinn's chair to his own place at the table and sat down, propping his chin on his hand as he waited for the Maker to reveal the reason for their meeting.
The fat man raised his hand, beckoning Akuma servants forward with the food. Each Noah was served before the Earl began speaking.
"My lovely family," he began, taking up his knife and fork and cutting into the steak on his plate. "As you may know, I've been working on a little project for some time now."
Tyki cut into his own steak, though he wasn't truly hungry. Road was already eating happily, watching the fat man with avid interest. Jasdero and Devitto didn't seem to be paying attention - Devitto had dropped his knife, and so the dark-haired man was arguing with his blond twin over who got the remaining clean steak knife. Lulubell was as interested in the events as ever - the business suit clad woman continued to lap at her milk, acting as though she didn't care though the twitch of her ears gave her away.
The Earl ignored the twin's antics, which had now escalated into a miniature fistfight. He cut a small bite sized piece of his meat and speared it on his fork.
"The Exorcists were just a minor inconvenience for a long time, but they've started to become a bit more of a problem recently." the Earl said sweetly. Tyki glanced surreptitiously around the room, seeing the agreement on the faces of his fellow Noah. He could practically see Jasdero and Devitto reflect on the blood-monster they had described the older man with Allen Walker and friends turn into, like a vampire out of legend.
Lulubell could have been reflecting on anything from her loss of the Egg to how the Generals and Allen Walker had defeated her at Exorcist Headquarters. Road quietly took a sip of her milk, one hand going to her chest where Lavi had pierced it through while in her dream world. All eyes at one point lingered on Skinn's chair, the emptiness a reminder of just how dangerous some of the Exorcists were - the short-tempered Japanese one especially. His own thoughts were of Allen and the Crown Clown, the sword that had almost taken his Noah from him.
…and Lavi. The redhead had never physically harmed him, true enough, but the younger man's existence was complicating things for someone who preferred the simple life.
"I've given them free reign long enough, but it's time to bring that to an end." The Maker's voice was still sickly sweet as though he was discussing naughty children he had neglected to discipline. Perhaps, in his mind, they were. He bit the piece of steak off his fork, chewing thoughtfully before continuing. "My cute Akuma are evolving nicely. We'll soon be able to undertake one of our greatest projects yet - the annihilation of the Black Order!"
Even Jasdero and Devitto went silent at that. Lulubell stopped lapping at her milk in favor of openly paying attention while Road clapped her hands together excitedly.
"I knew it would be something fun like that." she said, then wove her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "Can I have Allen Walker as a toy, Earl?"
The man laughed and a more chilling sound Tyki could not remember hearing. His fingers felt numb as they grasped his knife and fork suspended above his plate. Something had to be seriously wrong with him - the surprise at hearing the Earl's plans should not translate into concern for the fate of the Exorcists. Even concern for one Exorcist, specifically, was not something he should be feeling.
'"Tyki-"'
Lavi's voice echoed in his head, so loudly that for a moment he lost track of his surroundings. He was quickly brought back to reality when he noticed everyone at the table staring at him.
"Are you all right, Tyki?" Road asked, brow furrowed in worry. She leaned towards him, placing the back of her hand on his forehead. Straining for a semblance of his normal character, he batted her hand away gently. Devitto and Jasdero were staring at him, Devitto suspicious. The Earl was watching him too, out of the corner of his eye while Lulubell had turned back to her milk.
"I'm fine, Road. I was just a little surprised at the scale of the Earl's plans." He smiled, attempting to be casual as Road sat back in her chair. Her concern did not leave her face quickly, but rather faded little by little until no trace was seen.
He picked up the wine that came with his dinner, vaguely wishing for something stronger as he took a sip. He listened as the Earl moved back to talking about his plans, especially the pre-attack plot.
"Now, since you're my only family left now, I want to try and make this attack as safe as possible. The Exorcists love to fight in groups, but if we take them on one by one it will be much easier."
The Pleasure took another sip of wine, quietly recalling how Lulubell had been routed at the Black Order Headquarters and how only Kevin Yeeger, the oldest of the Generals whose knowledge had been unable to make up for loss of stamina, had fallen to them. The other four still lived and evaded all the Noah's efforts to find them and fight them. He kept his thoughts to himself, trying not to remember the other Noah that used to be part of the 'family' before they had grown a conscience and displeased the Earl. No one displeased the Earl, at least not for long.
"For this reason, I'd like it if you all could find and destroy a few of these pests for me. You'll each have a list and I'd like it if you could concentrate on only those on your list. Of course, please continue to destroy any Innocence you happen to find along the way!"
The Earl reached into a hidden pocket in his jacket and withdrew four playing cards. One by one, he passed them out to each of the Noah. Jasdero and Devitto only had one between them, which Devitto held on to, much to Jasdero's dismay. The Pleasure rubbed one of his temples as he heard them begin to fight again, then looked at his card.
The background noise disappeared, replaced by a rushing in his ears. His hand stopped mid-motion, fingers pressed to his temple but no longer soothing the developing headache. He could almost hear his heart thud in his chest as his eyes grew wide. The thin card shook imperceptibly in his hand and all he could do was stare.
"I picked your targets by how difficult they will be to find and fight. The harder it is to find one of them, the fewer targets you have." the Earl explained, almost in a singsong.
"Is that why we have Cross again!?" Devitto demanded, holding up his card. Jasdero tried to jump and grab it, but ended up holding on to Devitto's head instead, legs wrapped around his twin's chest. Indeed, they only had two names on their card - Arystar Krory and General Cross. The Earl nodded.
"Since you couldn't kill him earlier, I decided to give you another chance. I hope you do better this time." Devitto shrank back into his chair at the Earl's tone, Jasdero sliding down and moving to his own chair.
"Che. Of course we will." Devitto said. Even Tyki could hear the fear underlying the confident tone the darker haired twin adopted. Striving for normalcy, he took another sip of his wine, draining the half-full glass.
The Pleasure patted his mouth clean with one of the linen napkins provided and stood, tucking his card into his pocket. His food lay on his plate, untouched. Road stared after him with some surprise as he moved to leave.
"Tyki! You haven't eaten."
The man turned to smile at his sibling, forcing the expression.
"I ate before I arrived. I know where one of my targets is, so I thought I'd get a head start on my assignment." he said smoothly. He straightened his clothes. "I haven't been doing so well on my other assignments recently I thought I'd get this one done early."
He heard Devitto mutter something along the lines of 'suck up' and Jasdero echo him, but ignored it.
"What a wonderful idea, Tyki-pon!" the Earl exclaimed, sounding truly pleased. The pleasant tone left the large man's voice moments later as he continued. "You have been doing pretty badly on your assignments lately. I was getting worried about you."
The Pleasure swallowed his nerves, talking as if he hadn't heard the undertones in the man's speech. His last sentence could be taken to mean that he was concerned for the Noah's well being or that his concern lay with the fact that Tyki's assignments were less and less successful as time moved on. The man's tone left no doubt as to which he meant, but the Noah pretended he didn’t hear it.
"No need to worry, Earl. I am in perfect health." he said. The Earl waved a hand dismissively.
"Of course, of course!" The Earl turned back to his food. "I hope to hear good news from you soon!"
As Tyki left the dining area, heading for the Ark to return to the town he had left earlier that night, he heard the Earl talk about how the other Noah could learn something from Tyki's dedication to his work, even if the Pleasure didn't always have results to show for it.
Tyki smiled a bit ironically, but the expression faded quickly. His steps slowed to a stop as he drew the card from his pocket to look at it again. His had four names on it, three he somewhat recognized and one he knew quite well. Kanda Yuu was the name of the Japanese swordsman who had killed Skinn, he was fairly certain. Lenalee Lee and Miranda Lotto were likely the two women he had seen with Allen Walker when the boy had come to Edo in search of Cross. The last name was what had made him freeze in shock earlier. In stark black ink, Lavi's name stared up at him from the card.
He wasn't done with the Exorcist yet. He still wanted to pound the redhead into the nearest flat surface and have the younger man's legs wrap around him and pull him in closer, deeper. He wasn't in to necrophilia - he couldn't just keep the corpse until he tired of Lavi's body. Half of his enjoyment was in his partner's response, in hearing Lavi cry out his name at the moment of climax.
He had known this would happen. He just hadn't thought it would happen this soon. The Pleasure had been certain he had a little bit more time, at least a few more nights to exhaust his fantasies revolving around the redhead and purge the desire from his system. Of all the names on the list, Lavi would be the hardest target. The others were connected to Allen Walker as well - it wasn't hard to see the common thread binding the Exorcists together - and likely to Lavi to some extent, but they were just names. Those Exorcists were just names and faces he had to eliminate to stay somewhat in the Earl's good graces and those murders wouldn't bother him too much. Lavi would be the hardest target, and so he would take down Lavi first. The others would only be easier after that and he would go back to being just a Noah without any of the confusion that had grown in his mind since first bedding the red haired Exorcist.
Holding fast to that resolve, he reached one of the salvaged doors of the second Ark and stepped through. He was heading back to the town where a sleeping redhead was waiting unawares in a quiet hotel.
It would make his job that much easier, even if the hollow feeling in his chest wouldn't abate.
Line Break
Lavi lay awake in bed, unable to sleep. He had tried every trick in the book, from counting sheep to reading a really, really boring book in hopes that he'd fall asleep while reading. It hadn't worked since his thoughts would not stay quiet.
What, exactly, did Tyki mean to him? He knew he was little more than a bedwarmer to the Noah (which hurt, for reasons Lavi couldn't explain) but that didn't help him figure out how he saw Tyki. He should think of the Pleasure with the same regard the man had for him - someone to make him feel good. The older man was good at that, very good...
But that wasn't it. The physical was part of it, but now there was something else as well and that was what caused the ache in his chest, the moisture behind his eyes, the empty feeling in the bed. That 'something else' was what had Lavi worried and tossing and turning without sleep.
A soft sound by the window reached his ears. He was laying down, facing the wall with his back to the window as he tried to sleep, but the noise brought him back to full alertness. His window hadn't been open, nor had he heard it open, so how had an intruder snuck in? No matter, it would be easily enough to scare any would-be burglar off just by showing off his Innocence. Something about a shape-shifting hammer and a teenager lifting something three times his size tended to make people wary of Lavi or send them screaming from the room. He feigned sleep, rolling over as if indeed deeply into his rest and nearly shutting his uncovered eye. He kept it open a sliver, being careful to keep his face relaxed as he searched the darkness of the room carefully for the intruder. The person's footsteps had paused when he rolled over and even now stood still as a statue in the middle of the room.
Upon recognizing who it was that had snuck into his room, Lavi gave up the pretense of sleeping in favor of opening his eye wide and sitting up. The man took a surprised, seemingly unintentional step backwards as Lavi swung his legs over the side of the bed, staring at the Noah. His abused bottom complained a bit, but the pain could be ignored.
Tyki composed himself and returned the stare evenly, something like regret in his golden eyes.
"Tyki?" the Exorcist asked hesitantly, uncertain whether or not he was awake. It certainly felt real and he was fairly certain that he hadn't fallen asleep, but why would the older man be back so soon? The Noah didn't move, just stared at him before looking away and digging into his pocket for what looked like a playing card.
A bit unnerved by how quiet the older man was being and the oddity of seeing regret in the Noah's eyes, the redhead could only watch as Tyki spun the card by a corner on top of one of his fingers. Lavi's eye followed the motion of the card, then stared uncomprehendingly as it came to an abrupt stop with black text facing the Exorcist.
His own name smiled maliciously at him from the list. The redhead's mouth went dry, eyes widening, but he couldn't move. He felt rooted to the spot. He felt nothing but shock, not even considering what having his name on Tyki's list meant. His name wasn't in the Pleasure's handwriting, but a strange, loopy script he didn't recognize. It couldn't mean anything good.
His gaze moved to the Noah, mouth opening to speak but nothing coming out. Tyki's expression was reserved and distant as the man began walking slowly forward.
"You should have stayed asleep, Exorcist." The slow footsteps seemed to echo in the empty room, each soft step quickening Lavi's heartbeat until it raced like a frightened jackrabbit inside his chest. None of the tenderness Tyki's voice used to hold remained - even if it had been false tenderness, it was infinitely preferable to the chill that settled inside Lavi's bones at the cold tone the Noah now adopted. He tried to back up, but was almost immediately stopped by the wall of his room. The Pleasure continued to advance and Lavi inched along the wall at his back to the end of his bed. He didn't move his gaze from Tyki for an instant, groping along the wall with his hands as he set one foot on the bare floor. The other foot followed as the Noah deliberately turned towards him and moved even closer.
"Tyki, what are you doing?" he asked hesitantly, already certain of the answer but needing confirmation. The Pleasure smiled, the expression empty.
"Isn't it obvious? Your name is on the list now, so our game is over." The Noah shrugged, apparently unconcerned. "At least it was fun while it lasted, boy."
The redhead's back hit the wall. Before he could blink, he was boxed in by Tyki. The older man's arms were bent at the elbow and braced against the wall on either side of the Exorcist's head. The Pleasure's body was pressed to Lavi's, hips touching as the man loomed over the redhead. Uncomfortably, the Exorcist recalled that afternoon when Tyki had taken him just like this, pressed against the wall of the alley. His body heated at the memory, even as his self-preservation instincts kicked in and he tried to push the Noah away.
His hands slid straight through the older man as if he didn't exist. Tyki laughed coldly.
"Have you already forgotten, Bookman Junior? The only thing that can touch me against my will is Innocence, and you don't seem to have any." Tyki's hips ground into the redhead's, double meaning clear. Lavi flinched at the reminder, gaze flicking back to the hammer he had left on the bedside table. It was all the way across the room, out of reach and useless. He couldn't even try to go through Tyki's body either. He had no doubt the man had already considered that course of action and wouldn't allow Lavi to escape that way. He didn't have enough strength to knock the man down and certainly didn't have the leverage.
He let his hands fall back to his sides. It was useless to keep trying when he knew it couldn't work. He looked away from the Noah, mentally cursing himself and his stupidity. Why hadn't he gone for the hammer as soon as he realized it was Tyki? They had been enemies far longer than they had shared a bed - he should have been prepared at any time for the Noah to attack him, and yet he hadn't. In the alley and in his hotel room earlier, he hadn't been prepared. He had lowered the hammer in the alley, even, and hadn't even reached for his weapon the first time Tyki had appeared in his room that night.
He had gotten comfortable in such a short amount of time and now it was time to pay the price. His hands clenched tightly into fists and he refused to look at the man who had him pinned.
"Not going to fight? Do you honestly think I won't kill you, just because we shared a bed?" The Pleasure's voice was silky and soft but deadly, like a razor hidden in folds of cloth. The man's hand - the one closer to the side wall, leaving Lavi no escape routes - trailed idly over his shirt. Lavi shook his head vigorously, even as something inside him dimmed. He couldn't quite bring himself to speak. Just hours ago, he and Tyki had been together in this very room under very different circumstances. Now his name was on a stupid list and the Noah seemed to have no qualms about killing him.
There wasn't a thing he could do about it. How was he supposed to fight back if he literally could not touch his opponent?
"I know you'll kill me. My name is on the list, after all." The redhead couldn't conceal all his bitterness, but even he was surprised how much there was in his voice. His voice was choked with an emotion Lavi refused to name, one he wouldn't admit to. Bookmen did not feel betrayal, since no one ever got close enough to betray them. Ever.
"You've won. I was stupid and got comfortable." The Exorcist looked up, forcing a smile on to his face and projecting a false air of confidence as if dying didn't terrify him. "Just make it quick, okay? You owe me that much at least."
Tyki seemed taken aback by his cavalier attitude, but then the Noah's expression went nonchalant again.
"Very well. I suppose you're right." With that, the hand that had been tracing patterns over his shirt sunk into his chest just above his heart. Lavi's air of confidence evaporated completely, visible eye widening as his mouth opened in wordless protest. Something inside him died, something that felt like hope. Until that moment, he hadn't fully believed Tyki would actually kill him. Some small part of him had held on to the irrational belief that what they did together meant something, had to mean something since the Pleasure had kept on seeking him out. As fingers wrapped around his heart, much tighter than they had been that first night the Noah had offered him a game of poker, the truth became impossible to deny.
Lavi knew his shock had to be visible on his face and just hoped the betrayal he felt wasn't showing as well. The hurt went so much deeper than the physical and would only get worse if the older man mocked him for his ridiculous emotions as he died. The fingers curled tighter around the beating, life-giving muscle inside his chest, tugging it ever so slightly. The redhead couldn't even cry out, could only stare into the older man’s eyes as surprise numbed him. His heart was loud in his ears, the sound all he heard as Tyki's grasp tightened, tightened... then stopped.
Still too numb to realize what was happening, the Exorcist watched as the older man carefully extracted his hand. No heart weighed down his palm, no blood stained his pristine white gloves. Lavi took a deep breath, chest still pounding as his heart thundered against his rib cage. He was still alive and he couldn't understand why.
Tyki calmly reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a cigarette, holding the white stick in his mouth as he reached back down for a matchbook. He drew one out, struck it and lit the end of the cigarette before blowing out the tiny flame and dropping the used match. He breathed in deeply, turning away from the frozen Exorcist and moving towards the window.
"This is your warning. The next time I see you, I will kill you. Don't disappoint me, Exorcist."
The Noah walked through the window and descended slowly, disappearing from view. Lavi sank to the floor, shaking. He moved a trembling hand to his chest to press against the quickened beat there. He was alive.
He was alive.
He had been completely helpless in the Noah's hands and the Pleasure had let him go. Lavi stared blankly ahead. Not only had Tyki not killed him, but Ozuchi Kozuchi was still in one piece. The Exorcist hadn't lost his Innocence. The weapon had been left untouched.
Lavi chuckled, the sound escalating into full blown, hysterical laughter. The Exorcist in him may still have his Innocence, but Lavi had lost his as Tyki had pointed out. To think, he had only realized earlier that he wouldn't be able to end the relationship until Bookman forced him to or the Pleasure ended it for some reason. Well, that certainly counted as ending it. He had expected a little bit more time, maybe another time or two with the Noah inside of him, but that certainly wouldn't happen now.
He shut his eyes, head thumping lightly against the wall behind him as his laughter subsided. His chest felt raw and empty, almost as if something had been carved out and the wound left gaping and bloody. He drew his knees up to his chest as if to cover the imaginary injury, crossing his arms over his legs and burying his face in them.
Line Break
Hours later, in a room way across town, the single occupant of a hotel room stared at the ceiling. He was half-reclined in bed, smoking.
As Tyki exhaled and watched the smoke drift lazily to the ceiling, he couldn't get the image of Lavi's stricken face out of his head. Every time he shut his eyes he saw that expression, betrayal and hurt and shock all mixed. It had chilled him much more than the Earl's laugh ever had and made his blood run cold.
He lifted up one of his hands to stare at it, remembering how the fingers had seized up and refused to tighten around the redhead's heart. That look had stopped him dead in his tracks, though he couldn't explain why. He hadn't wanted to do it in the first place, even though he had tried to convince himself that he no longer wanted the Exorcist and pretended that he had tired of the younger man's body before returning to the hotel room he had left Lavi in. He had thought that he was ready. The redhead's days had been numbered since he became an Exorcist and now that number was up, but it should have been no loss to Tyki.
He would simply need to attack Lavi after killing the other three on his list. He was pretty certain the redhead at least knew the others, so hopefully their deaths would inspire some anger in the hammer-wielding Exorcist. If Lavi would just fight back, it would be so much easier to kill him. Easier, though probably not easy.
He stabbed out his cigarette and lay down, still mostly dressed. He shut his eyes and Lavi's stricken expression greeted him once again. It was the last thing he saw as he drifted off to sleep.
TBC…
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