fortnighted

carver;

2008-07-24T07:32:55Z

Allen never knew that Theodore had such a motherly side to him (well, past the sweater thing,) until he and Ravi were gathered up one morning to a coffee table in the lounge. Various art supplies were strung out, including a large amount of thread.

"It's dismal around this building, and you're just boys, so I'm sure you'd like to be creative," Theodore cooed. Allen was a little scared, but at Theodore's insistence, made a necklace out of dry pasta.

Ravi created some kind of noodle-whip which would more than likely be used to bother Link with later. A few feet away, Kanda growled and turned to Theodore.

"You idiot. We only have a few week's worth of food, and you're making crafts out of it!"

"Now, Yuu."

Allen ignored the rest and popped a section of his necklace into his mouth, chewing experimentally.

"You know, Ravi...these might be kind of good with some kind of warm sauce, and maybe fresh vegetables or something." He'd have to run this by Jerry later, too. It could be a time-saver in the kitchen.

"Allen...sometimes I wonder about you. And yanno, I think I have a way to get back at two-spot for breaking my stick," Ravi added.

Allen just sighed, deeply, and looked for the box that the pasta came in.

Returning players Link, Allen, and Ravi gathered around the lantern again and were joined by Lenalee and almost-Kanda, since he was sitting in the opposite corner staring everyone down.

Lenalee pointed in his direction. "Is Kanda playing...?"

"Hell no."

At this, Ravi straightened up and grinned. "'Course you are, Yuu. Now make something."

"Call me that again and I'll...make a shadow of one of those horned horses. With your head."

Everyone stared around at each other, confused. Ravi coughed. "A...a unicorn?"

"Yes."

Ravi wasn't sure if Kanda even had his sword with him at all, but decided not to risk it. "...okay. Allen, your turn."

When, at around 8:30 pm, Cross declared in a drunk stupor that he hated everyone in the vicinity (complete with a toast,) Allen decided that it would be a good time to approach him. Strangely, his master was less dangerous when he had a few drinks in him. Allen had already finished eating, as Lenalee had informed him that he was now subject to be served 'normal person portions.'

He trotted up to Cross' table. "Can I ask you something, master?"

"I'll giv'you few seconds."

"You know, I never did have that meeting with you. I was restrained and all, so it must have been important..."

Cross blinked, and Link and Leverrier flashed him very threatening looks from a few seats down. "Ahuh. Don't worry 'bout it. Not that important."

Allen stared, dumbfounded, and Cross shrugged.

"...Leave."

"Uh. Yes." He decided not to dwell on it, so he went back to his seat and secretly grabbed a piece of Johnny's bread. He could probably ask Link later, anyway.

carver;

2008-07-06T05:40:08Z

Kanda awoke the next morning to find himself wrapped under a quilt. And that god-awful sweater was on him. Theodore was sitting at his side with what looked like a plate of eggs.

He quietly weighed his options. And decided to speak.

"...What. The fuck. Are you doing here."

Theodore smiled and tapped Kanda on the nose. "Shh."

Kanda jumped up and tore everything off in a frenzy, looking around in vain for his sword. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"

"That’s not important. Now sit and have some eggs, Yuu, you’ll wake the o--"

"I don’t want any fucking eggs," Kanda interrupted. "I do want to leave this place. How did you get in? You’ll tell me."

Theodore paused for a second, lost in thought. "I don’t recall."

Kanda felt his blood boiling. "Okay. I’m leaving," he growled as he stormed to the nearest entrance, exit, whatever it was.

"Goodbye, Yuu. I’ll save you some."

"Shut the hell up."

After some yelling and bribery, Komui managed to gather everybody into some semblance of a group in the main hall.

"Okay. We have around five or six rooms at our disposal. I can’t guarantee that everyone will have the luxury of a mattress, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

Kanda glared at Komui from a far corner. "I’m not sharing a room. Especially not with that guy," he said as he motioned to Theodore, who was cleaning his glasses.

"He doesn’t mean that, of course."

A glare. "I do."

Komui rubbed his temples. "Kanda, please don’t make this difficult. Okay..."

"Mister Lee, I personally volunteer to take the bedroom suite," Leverrier interrupted. Komui bit his tongue.

"I don’t believe one-person arrangements are an option, Secretary."

"Of course. I would also humbly ask Mr. Link to share the room, if he’d care to. It would be rude otherwise," Leverrier snorted. Link nodded in approval.

"...okay. You’re with them, Allen," Komui stated. Allen narrowed his eyes and said something under his breath while the assignments continued.

"Lenalee and I will take a room. River...you, Johnny, and Rob should be okay." He tapped on his chin, thinking.

"Bookman and Ravi. Jerry, you can stay with them."

Despite his protests, Jerry picked Ravi up and swung him around in his arms. "Oh, Ravi-tan, we’re going to be room mates! This is fabulous!" Bookman stared on, confused.

Komui cleared his throat. "Mmhm. That leaves...Theodore and Kanda. Oh, and Cross."

Kanda seethed. "Godammit."

It had been two days since everything, so this found Allen, Ravi, and Link crouched at the corner of the lounge wall by the light of a lantern. Leverrier and Cross were seated across the room, and Komui was busy moving things back and forth and pretending not to acknowledge anyone.

Leverrier gave Link a meaningful look that was two parts pity and one part disgust. They had broken his apprentice.

"All right. Two-spot, your turn," Ravi ordered. Link thought for a moment and made some kind of odd twisting movements with his hands.

"Um, um," Allen started. "Chicken!"

"No, no. Elephant!" Ravi.

Link sighed. "It’s obviously a dog."

"...okay. You need to practice some. Allen, your turn."

Allen groaned and lifted his trembling left arm up with his right, waving it around a little in different directions.

Cross slammed his drink down on the other side of the room. "Oh, for Christ’s sake. Come over here, boy." Allen did so. Cross moved two fingers over the arm seal and recited a quick chant, releasing it as Allen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, God," Allen hissed. "Thank you, master."

"General Marian, are you cert--"

"Better than the alternative," Cross grumbled. "Now go over there and play with your friends, boy, you’re crowding me."

"...yes, master."

Allen was woken up from his afternoon nap by Ravi, who was hovering over him and shaking some kind of stick with beads attached.

"Nice, eh? General Theodore made it for me."

"Um. Sure." Allen sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, thinking that maybe he should get one too. Ravi jumped up and ran over to shake it at Link, who promptly snatched it and broke it over his knee. This earned him a yank on his braid.

Allen intervened before it escalated to blows. Ravi was the main (only) instigator of violence in HQ, and fist fight standings were currently 2-1 in Link's favor anyway.

He kind of jokingly hoped that eventually they would kill each other off so he'd get more food.

carver;

2008-07-06T05:29:05Z

River sat in the corner with his head in his hands. No one could really tell, but he had probably been crying.

"Five minutes. If I had waited five minutes to come..."

Komui crouched next to him, knees popping, and gave him a sympathetic look. "Don’t be upset, Squad Leader River. You still have me."

River looked up to see Komui with a crazed grin. He sighed and buried his face in his hands again. "Five minutes. Dammit."

Miranda pulled her hands to her chest and sighed for what was probably the thousandth time. "Are they still alive?"

"Um. We think so," Marvin muttered as he fiddled with his cigarette. "No contact. But they probably are. Maybe."

"...okay."

carver;

2008-07-06T05:23:04Z

The lights flickered. "Mm. Power’s out again..."

Cross coughed once and took another swig from his flask. "No shit."

There was silence between the four of them again; four being Allen, Cross, Link, and Leverrier. It’d been an hour since they had been trapped inside the conference room.

Thankfully, a lounge was through the opposite door, and now they had a fire going, which Allen had his back to comfortably. "Better than being quiet." He paused. "So. Um. Anyone want to tell a story?"

"No."

"No."

"Shut up, you’re ruining this drink." Cross watched as Allen turned over and mumbled to himself. "Actually, I might have one. Remember that time in Prague?"

Allen’s eyes widened. "Yes! I mean, wait, no. Master, please...not that one." Link and Leverrier exchanged questioning looks.

Cross smiled. "Have it your way, then. For now."

Allen wanted to die.

Three hours later, the exit was opened. Few words were exchanged on the outside, since at least three of the four had the potential to be dangerous when pushed too far.

Allen, exasperated, turned to Leverrier. "Are you sure there’s no way you can get this arm seal off? I kind of need to use the restroom."

Leverrier stared. "Did you get dressed with it on?"

"Yes..."

"Then you’ll be fine," he said as he turned on his heels. Allen moaned a little.

Allen walked past a smoking Cross as he returned to the main hall (God, he hated smoke.)

"You know, there really aren’t any women around here. This could get bad."

Allen blushed and looked at the ground, silent.

"Unless..."

Allen noticed him staring at Lenalee, who was helping with some boxes. "Master, please don’t do this." Cross chuckled.

"Don’t worry. I won’t do anything to your girlfriend."

"She is not my girlfriend," Allen sputtered.

"Mmhmm. Whatever."

Allen glanced around the room quickly, taking note of everyone moving about. "Kanda’s gone," he stated to no one in particular.

"That pony tailed one with the attitude? I slipped a little something in his drink a few minutes ago."

Even as much as he only barely tolerated—see, not hated—Kanda, Allen felt something drop in his stomach. "M-master! Why would you do that?!"

Cross shrugged at Allen’s dumb look. "He’ll probably be out cold in a few."

"Master, I...I."

"Someone has to liven things up around here." Cross swatted Allen on the back, hard. "Now get the hell away from me."