Enigma (Kanda x OC/ Lavi x OC)

Ma Waru

Xael dipped her feet into the hot spring, sending chills up her legs and over her body. The chilly, New Zealand summer night offered perfect weather for enjoying the spring.

Lavi rolled his pants to his knees and sat beside the girl, soaking his feet as well. After a moment, he chuckled to himself.

"What?" She asked in suspicion.

"Nothing." He hummed. "I was just thinking about how much things have changed since the first time we met."

"It's not like I was greeted in the most respectful way." She scoffed.

He laughed genuinely, a very real, white grin on his lips. "True."

"I feel like you've changed since I met you." She commented, observing him with big brown eyes.

"I can't deny that."

"But I was wondering..." She trailed, unsure of how to ask him a potentially sensitive question. "Why do you wear an eye-patch?"

"That's classified." His voice wavered, showing her a strange tone she hadn't heard before.

"Do you have some kind of scary scar or something?"

"No... There's no injury."

"Oh..." She looked down at the water. "I have a theory, and if it's correct, will you tell me?"

Lavi felt his heart churn. "I guess."

Xael felt too shy to meet his pressing emerald eye. "I think that your eye-patch is a shield. I think that... because of your rules it helps you to keep yourself from not fulling investing in others, or not seeing the full picture per say. It keeps others out of your heart -"

She was interrupted when the boy clutched onto her arm. "Stop." He said in a raspy voice.

"I assume that means I'm on the right track." When she looked at him, he was staring at her small hand and a bead of sweat dripped down his face.

"You shouldn't put yourself in this kind of situation."

"I don't care, Lavi."

The said boy was uncharacteristically grim. He feared for him and the girl if she truly was diving into who he was. His own position and identity was at stake, and who knew what would happen to her if she really did become close to him. It hurt him, but he furrowed his brows bitterly and spat, "You don't know anything."

She stiffened, but ultimately, knew that the angry persona was an act. "Lavi, please just... let me into your life."

"Stop. You don't want to do this."

Xael released an uncomfortable laugh. "This really sucks." Her eyes began to burn with tears threatening to spill. "The first person to make me feel okay and understand me -- scars and all -- won't even let me understand him." She bit her lip and gripped her shirt. "Damnit, Lavi."

"Come on, don't cry." He whispered, dropping his bitter facade.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. "It's not like I want to. It just freaking hurts."

"I'm sorry. But it'll be even worse if..."

"If what?"

Lavi sighed. "Just... don't cry because of me."

A small grin formed on her lips as she quoted him, "'Sometimes, you can't really control what your heart decides to feel.'"

"It's not safe to feel anything about me."