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For him living outside sterile and cold walls is something he wasn‘t expecting for him to be able at all. But almost ten years ago his best friend Alma Karma and himself were able to escape out of the world they were kept imprisoned since the day of their birth. All he remembers happening on this day was that red-haired boy luring them outside while suddenly heavy explosions were to hear from inside the building. „Just go along this way, quick“ is the red-head saying while looking around in a hurry, then he feels being pushed inside a cart.
„Wait, what‘s your name?“ is he asking as he gazes at a emerald-green eye turned into his direction and only now does he notices the medicinal eyepatch the boy is wearing. There is just this warm smile, then the boy begins to vanish out of his sight completely. As the following days pass on, all his senses are tense since he truly expects teams of experienced Shadow Hunters to be hunting them down by now. Only as they reach after a week this secluded village hidden within the mountains, he starts to understand what great risk the red-haired boy went through only for Alma and him to learn what freedom is.
~~*~~*~~*~~
It‘s close to the end of September as heavy gray clouds roam the sky. Out of the angry boy from back them living behind cold walls became a solemn young man, eager to fight for his freedom and his life. While Alma got adopted by the mayor of the neighboring village, he ended up living with an elderly womanin the village they had arrived as exhausted children. Over the years this woman became for him somewhat like a mother and a grandmother in one person and honestly he can‘t imagine any longer to live anywhere else than here high up in the mountains.
Even though he still keeps up this wall inside his soul, he had learned at least to greet and to help out when asked politely. Otherwise he spends most of the days tending the garden and even training with a katana he received as a gift from the local blacksmith after rescuing the man from falling almost from a cliff when the street was in a very bad condition after a heavy rainstorm. To be honest, somehow the memories living as test subject inside a labratory is faded so much, he can barely remember the faces of the scientists nor the inside of the entire facinity any longer.
Right now he was on the way to do some errants as he notices white flakes gently dancing towards the ground. He knows by now it won‘t stay with a little snow shower like this. Therefore he heads back to the house, where he shortly rolls enervated his eyes as he discovers Alma sitting in the living room with a cup of tea. For now he has no time to take care of any unwanted guests in the house. „The nice lady allowed me in“ is he picking up Almas words while he slightly grits his teeth, then he directs his glare right at the young man who escaped together with him from the labratory.
„Actually, I‘m here out of one reason“ is the older one now saying and suddenly he doesn‘t know why, but his heart starts to race. Did Alma really manage to find out more about the red-head helping them escape? Shortly is he informing his guardian that he won‘t be back soon if the snowfall would increase in strength, then he grabs his katana and walks with Alma over to the village the dark-blue haired young man lives a quite sheltered life. Most of the time Alma visits him he can hear complains how strict his big sister is to him and about the responsibility the older one now carries since the old mayor passed away.
It‘s now in the late afternoon as the snowfall increases. Finally arriving in the house, where Alma lives he greets in short terms Almas sister and her husband. Then he is informed as to why he was asked to come over as fast as possible. In one of the guest rooms is a young man resting, obviously exhausted. Just as he only glares at the stranger one thing pops quickly back up into his mind. The eyepatch. He remembers a red-haired boy wearing an eyepatch when Alma and him were able to escape. Besides this man here also has red hair. In short terms he learns now, the red-head was found like this close to the village and why Alma rushed all the way to get him here. Simply because, Alma knows how important it is for him to at least thank the red-head for risking his own life in order to save theirs.
~~*~~*~~*~~
The days pass on and it is still snowing heavily. As expected at this time of the year. At least he had informed the lady he lives with he won‘t be able to come home for a while. Only once did he try to walk back into his own village during a short break of snowfall when he was still a stubborn teen and he learned his lesson out of this. While Alma still has to do his chores, he finds himself sitting next to the red-head observing him closely.
Only now does he notices the bandages covering most of the chest area as well the arms. Something or someone had been attacking the red-head viciously and it wasn‘t human. He can tell by the intensity of the wounds and the amount of bandages used. Did this man fall prey to some kind of demon? Maybe even the pursuers trying to find and retrieve Alma and him? He bites firmly his bottom lip as he decides now to stand up and get some water. This way he can be at least of some help while being trapped in this household as long as it is impossible to go home. Besides, he simply volunteers to take care of the red-haired man. Because in this way he can be of some help as well.
There are actually a lot of questions in his mind he wants to ask as soon as the red-head wakes up. In a way it is important for him as to why this mere stranger was willed to risk his own life only to rescue him out of that cold facinity. Besides, how did the group the red-head belonged to knew about the place and the experiments going on? A short sigh escapes his lips, because over the years he found no reasonable explanation as to why Alma and him were freed while there might have been still some more children locked up there.
~~*~~*~~*~~
While he is stuck in Almas house two months pass by and some severe snowstorms ravaged up here in the mountains. Therefore even going outside the house is simply impossible due to the fact, the snow is blocking the entrance door quite well. Not only here, but the other villages might be also in a similar situation as he is currently. Right now he‘s meditating as he suddenly picks up the rustling sound of the blanket. So this means the red-head is finally awake. As he opens his eyes, he simply notices the young man with the copper-red hair trying to get up on his feet.
„Baka, you should still rest“ is he saying right now as he glares at him and pins him back onto the Futon. He won‘t allow at all for the red-head to simply stand up and walk around aimless within this house. Not until his wounds are healed up properly.
„Let me go“
„Not until you‘re patched up for good“
is simply his reaction while he still glares at the red-head underneath him, holding him down by the arms and while he slightly grits his teeth a flicker is now to see inside the emerald green eye directed at him. Besides, why does he even care about this stranger at all? The other one can simply do what he wants to do, this is matter of fact actually not his concern at all.
But before he can react properly the red-head was able to change their positions and a mischievous glint is appearing within the emerald green as he‘s now pressed against the Futon. Damned. He truly underestimated the reaction time of this stranger for sure. A slight ,Che‘ escapes now his lips and he bites firmly his bottom lip just as in this moment Alma appears to look after the red-haired guest. „Go and inform your sister that idiot is awake“ is he simply saying grumpily towards the older one as he still glares in a warning way at the red-head.
In the meantime he manages to get free and he learns, the red-head knew quite well about the exact location of the villages. Besides, he also learns from him as to where the red-head got his injuries from. Thankfully, he‘s allowed to stay as Almas sister is now talking with this stranger and there he finds out the red-haired young man is simply known as Bookman among the five mayors.
~~*~~*~~*~~
„What the heck is it, Bookman?“ is he simply asking obviously annoyed as he is now sharing his room with Lavi. Just recently he found out this is the name of the person, who risked back then his life just to free Alma and him from their imprisonment. Still, he hasn‘t found the reason as to why someone like Lavi would simply assist in such a heinous crime against the Shadow Hunter Community.
„Just wondering...
„About what?“
„Why you are so distant the entire time?“
„Che“
is his only reaction as he is now getting up in order to leave the room. Right now he needs to train, otherwise he might end up slicing the red-head into fine pieces. Storming down the hallway towards the hall, he still wonders how he could ever lay all his hope in such an idiot. Back then as a child when he was taken in by Okaeda-san, he vowed himself to find this boy and thank him. But at the same time he vowed himself to never allow the other one to do such reckless things ever again.
Alma explained it to him over and over again, that it looks like he‘s connected through destiny with the red-head, when the two of then started to talk about this particular topic. As if this is happening at all. Actually he is a non-believer into such things. Even though parts of a heavenly creature still slumber inside his artificial body. On the day of their flight did he found out the truth about them being locked up in such a facinity in the first place. He is nothing more than a successful experiment of the Black Order. Someone, who lived and died years ago until his brain was simply recycled in this Project.
Brushing aside all this disturbing thoughts, he starts his Kendo training with his katana and real quick he manages to cool down. „Wow, the way you move with the sword is amazing. Honestly, Yuu, I don‘t want to be one of your enemies“ is he hearing after a while the red-head saying and with a short glare he directs Mugen at the spot Lavi is currently standing. „Never call me by my first name“ is he simply warning now Lavi at this moment while the blade of his trusted sword is mere inches away from the throat of the red-head.
„Then how do you want me to call you instead? Besides, you are always called Yuu by Alma“ is the young Bookman now trying to reason with him and a deadly glare appears now within his dark-grey eyes. Right now there is obviously one idiot too much around him. It is already enough for him to be bothered by the older one from time to time. But now giving such a stupid rabbit the permission to call him by his disliked first name? He rather becomes a Shadow Hunter working for the Black Order than to simply do such a thing. “Che, it is really easy to memorize. The name is Kanda“ is his response by now, still glares at the red-head, then he lays his focus again at his training.
~~*~~*~~*~~
Why is everyone he knows by now being able to call him by his last name, but a certain red-haired young man isn‘t? Actually, it is for sure a hassle. But there is something else he is starting to realize with Bookman Jr deciding to be constantly around him. Right now he sits right in front the slightly opened shoji since for now there is a current stop in the constant appearance of snowstorms. At least some fresh air will circulate now through the entire house. Besides, is he starting to imagine things or why is there suddenly the feeling, Lavi knows more about Alma and him than he ever admits.
A short sigh escapes his lips while he meditates. Something about this stupid rabbit is more than familiar. But as far as he knows they barely know each other. Right? Slowly as he is opening his eyes again a feeling starts to surge through his entire body right in the moment he can notice the red-head approaching him. „Can we talk?“ is Lavi simply asking right now, looking at him quite serious while rubbing his neck and he simply offers him to sit down next to him. Maybe now he is able to get all the answers he‘d been searching for since he ended up in safety here secluded within the mountains. For a while there is a deadly silence around them and he uses the moment to observe the red-head. Something is on his mind. Something, that seems to be quite difficult to explain. He waits and takes a deep breath.
„Say, do you have weird dreams you can‘t explain at all?“ is Lavi now starting and quickly he bites his bottom lip. How in the world could the young Bookman know about this? He has a lot of dreams about war and destruction. There are also persons he can‘t identify at all. Besides, all he knows about his dreams is the fact, he sees himself constantly wearing a black uniform. So what is truly the meaning behind this?
„Even if that were the case, why do you want to know?“
„Because, I remember everything that happened“
is Lavi now saying in such a low voice that it is hard for him to hear this words at all. Actually, the current situation is for sure tense and confusing at the same moment.
„What do yo mean by that?“
„The reason as to why I was able to find you in the first place. I know, it sounds pretty weird, but I had the feeling you were calling for me“
„Did you hit your head or something? I was locked up a few years before you appeared and freed me from that damned place“
is his response by now, shortly glaring at him and subconciously he thinks about the talks he had with Alma about him having a certain bond towards the red-head.
„I was only three years old, when those scientists appeared. You ordered me to hide, so no one would gather the access to my eidetic memory. It took me six years to figure out where they brought Alma and you“ is Lavi now saying as he feels the hand of the red-head now rest on his arm and only now is he directing his gaze at the young Bookman. So it was an actual lie that Alma and him belong inside the facinity. But if what Lavi just says is true, then why were the three of them together before this all happened?
„Listen, Yuu, those dreams are our memories from a past life. Memories of a time, where Shadow Hunters didn‘t exist in the first place“ is now the next explanation following as he bites again his bottom lip and finally he starts to understand as to why he constantly sees this young man resembling him inside his dreams a lot with a cold and distant expression on the face. So this is also why he decided to name his katana Mugen. Because subconsciously he remembered this name very well. At the same time he starts also to understand himself as to why he is so fond of rabbits in the first place.
„Bookmen are recording the history and aren‘t allowed to have a heart at all. For them the people surrounding them are nothing more than mere ink on the paper“ are the words now flowing out of him and shocked as he is he simply stares now at Lavi, then he‘s standing up to get some distance between them. He knows these words all to well. As if he heard them being said over and over again. The only useful connection to them is the red-head now standing across from him. „It‘s actually true“ is Lavi simply admitting with a sad glow in his eye. „But that doesn‘t stop me from being at your side, Yuu. I rather give up my cursed gift than to never see you again“ are now Lavis next words and slightly confused he looks now right at him.
„What do you mean...?“ is he starting to ask as he‘s suddenly kissed out of the blue by the red-haired young man. First of all he hesitates, then he allows hinself to accept and therefore he slowly closes his eyes. Actually, no one within the village knows about his interests at all. It was a decision he made really early. But right now everything around him seems to be serene and rightful. As if this is supposed to happen after all. His cheeks slightly blushed he gazes now deep into emerald green once they part.
Closing his eyes he leans with his forehead at Lavis shoulder while going through all the content of the dreams he had so far. So this would simply mean both of them lived during a rough time. „Tell me what really happened back then“ is he simply asking now the young Bookman as he looks at him with a serious expression on his face. The thing is, everytime he finds himself at a certain point within his dreams the entire content turns blurry. Only know is he noticing a grimace resting within Lavis face and if he could guess on the spot it might have something to do with him dying back then.
„It had been the final encounter with the Earl. The battles were hard and our rows suffered a lot of losses“ is Lavi only starting to explain, pain obviously visible inside his eye as he lays now his hands on Lavis cheeks. „So, you mean, I died during the battle?“ is he asking now still looking at the red-head and as the young Bookman only nods he suddenly feels a deep lump rest in his throat. His own memory may be blurry but somehow he has to guess it has something to do with the stupid rabbit standing right in front of him.
~~*~~*~~*~~
A few days later he finds the red-head leaning at the frame of the open shoji gazing at the snow. All his wound have healed up and therefore the young Bookman is able to leave as soon as the first warm days return. Until then, he can be sure to still have him around. Besides, he was also able to learn from Lavi that he had been reborn once just like Alma. When the young Bookman told him this, the older one had been present as well. „Lavi, can we talk?“ is he asking right now as he slowly approaches him and the red-head only nods.
„Why did you take on such a burden on yourself?“
„Because, it doesn‘t matter at all how many times I might be reborn, I will always fall in love with you“
is he hearing the young Bookman answering right now and he looks at him with slightly widened eyes. Only for this reason or is there something else he doesn‘t know by now?
„Actually, I only planned to look for you and find out how you are doing. I wanted to leave the next morning, but then I was attacked and it had started to snow“ is Lavi admitting right now while rubbing his neck, directing his gaze towards the snow and again there is this lump inside his throat. Wait, don‘t tell him, this stupid rabbit has finally given up. „Baka-Usagi“ is now escaping his lips as he storms towards the red-head and before he knows both of them end up in the snow with him above Lavi.
„Now you listen to me. Everything has a reason. This is something I‘ve learned and therefore I believe it has a reason our paths intertwine again“ is he now saying to Lavi right now, directing his gaze at the man right underneath his and a gentle expression rests now on his face. „It doesn‘t matter at all what has been, what truly matters is what you do right now“ are the next words coming from him as he‘s now getting up, helping Lavi back up on his face and a smile rests now on his face. Shortly the young Bookman shakes his head, then they go together inside.
„Those are some wise words from you“
„I got them from someone important to me“
is his response right now as he grabs now Lavis hand, intertwines their fingers and gazes right at him. No cosmic power will ever change what this stupid rabbit means to him. Never. Because in a way he has a lot of similarities with the red-head and therefore he‘s at peace knowing this idiot is unharmed and at his side. Always.