Mania

Chapter 8

Lavi was rooted in his place and as soon as Kanda heard his name, his head whipped around and the stiff muscles and hard stare had not dared to move from their place.

"Lenalee, what did you say?" Lavi knew exactly what she said, he was the heir to the Bookman title, he did not forget a thing. Maybe it was hopeful thinking but for the sake of everyone he knew, he wanted it to be someone other than Allen. Anyone but Allen.

Lenalee smiled brightly, "I saw Allen. Come on," she went in a grabbed Levi's still arm. "We might lose him if we stand around doing nothing." Lenalee tried pulling Lavi along, but the redhead resisted.

Gently, Lavi placed his hand over Lenalee's and looked her straight in the eye,"Lenalee, are you sure it wasn't just someone who looked like Allen at first glance?"

"Don't be silly, it was Allen. He had his curse mark over his left eye and everything,"Lenalee didn't pay anymore attention to Lavi's words. "Now come on, he might move into a different car than the one I found him in. We can't lose him, not agai-"Lenalee trailed off, mumbling her insecurities.

"Lenalee!" Lenalee jumped at the sound of Lavi's voice.

"You need to keep in mind that even if it is Allen, this is way too easy. How come we haven't been able to find him for three years but suddenly, he shows up? Your not yourself Lenalee, think this through," pleaded Lavi.

"Lenalee, you need to forget about Allen and everything that has to do with him, you can't be living like this," Lavi placed his hands on Lenalee's shoulders. He watched as the first tear slipped out followed by an avalanche of bittersweet memories that she was finally going to be able to be rid of. Lenalee leaned Lavi's chest and sobbed.

Kanda mulled it over. If it was perhaps Allen, or and Akuma posing as Allen, he should check it out. After all, this whole event we still unusual. Silently, he stood up and slipped passed Lavi and Lenalee fighting the urge to make a rude comeback. Following the direction Lenalee came from Kanda passed into the next car to spot white hair towards the back of the car. Hurriedly, Kanda silently approached the man and touched his shoulder-

-only to see old man with a battle ever over his left eye.

"Can I help you?" asked the aged man. Kanda snarled and turned back, making his way towards his car. Lavi was right, Lenalee was just imagining things. Pissed off, Kanda made his way towards his comrades and lightly slapped Lenalee's head and angrily set back down in his seat. He really hoped it would be the Moyashi, that he could not deny.

「」

Allen clung to the Earl, not letting go of the fat man's arm. It had been t week since Allen had become the Earl's most loyal servant. After all, the Earl was the only one that had kept his word and come back for him. That would make anyone blindly loyal to their "savior".

The Earl had let Allen come along on all of his little side missions in creating Akuma. Contradicting his previous self, Allen simply watched an stayed by the Earl's side. He didn't try to stop the Earl in anyway nor helped the person the Earl deceived. However, that was not the unfortunate thing about the unexpected pairing. No, it was the fact that the once loyal Exorcist had chose to be the Earl's right hand man, he was not forced, he was not brainwashed, no.

Allen walker had chose to be with the Earl.

Chose.

Yes, a completely loyal servant.

The Earl couldn't be more delighted, Allen was a large part of his plan with the way things were heading towards, everything would be perfect. The Earl grinned, it also wasn't bad that he had a companion next to him in which didn't smoke, didn't make him do homework or just downright annoy him. Allen was good company, quiet speaking only when asked to, and the Earl didn't have to worry a bit about Allen betraying him. However, he did worry about Allen's physical condition but over the time they had spent together, Allen looked significantly healthier. He wasn't as pale, he ate at least two bowls of food a day and seemed to be able to walk on his own now. Things were going his way.

The Earl couldn't help but spoil the little beansprout, it was both fun and profitable toward the Earl and Allen seemed to enjoy it, too. However, the Earl had a hunch that Allen was starting to have the desire to do something and if the Earl didn't tell him what he should do, he was afraid that Allen would go wander, find his exorcist friends and abandon him. That was something the Earl couldn't have.

Allen was not going to abandon him under any circumstances.

"Allen-pon!"

"Yes?"

"You want to make me happy, right?", The Earl talked as he and Allen walked down the streets of Venice in a timely fashion heading towards their new soon-to-be Akuma.

"Always, Earl," the younger boy answered without hesitation.

"There seems to be some meddle some Exorcists," Allen flinched at the word as the Earl smiled internally,"-who have thought that there is innocence around the area. You would be fine with-" the Earl paused, searching for the right word. "-Dealing with them, would you not?" The Earl stopped and turned to fully face Allen, giving him a wide smile knowing that Allen knew fully well what he wanted him to do.

Allen smiled back and nodded.