Home Again: Intrusion

Chapter 1: Instrusion In The Mountains

Tyki's POV

"Allen~", Tyki whined, a distance behind the other as they trugged through the snow of a mountain top. They'd chosen to go straight over the mountain rather than walking around it in the hopes that they might reach their destination before the exorcists would. As they'd left the ark, a day prior, to journey through the harsh conditions on foot, Tyki had promised the boy that they were heading to a secluded village with unique and delicious icecream. As gullible as he was, Allen agreed gleefully. It was only once they'd reached the bottom of the mountain that the short one furiously pried the information out of him, angry that there seemed to be no icecream in sight and they'd spent the night in an icecreamless inn, passing by the only place with icecream without buying any. Only then did he reveal that, yes, they were on their way to a hidden village, but it was so they could retrieve some innocence suspected to be in the body of a young girl before the exorcists had gotten to it.

Since the news had been broken to him, the ex-exorcist had been abnormally quiet and irritable, snapping at the noah whenever he did speak until Tyki commented on him being "cranky", only to receive the cold-shoulder and too much of the silent treatment, in response. This is why I had to trick you, idiot, the noah thought, rubbing his temple with a defeated sigh.

"A-llen~", he continued to whine, much louder this time. When no response was given, he huffed and swiftly moved to stand directly in front of the shorter one, forcing a smile and stopping Allen in his tracks, startling him slightly yet obviously. He spoke his name once more, though this time in a teasing-tone, hoping that the boy would get the implication that he wanted to make up.

"Lord Mikk", the shorter one impassively said, closing his eyes and brushing past the noah.

"'Lord Mikk?' I don't know if I should be aroused or devestated..." Though his smile remained, the boy's harsh words were just enough to internally shatter him. How cold, boy... From behind him, he heard an exaggerated wail and slowly turned a raised eyebrow to the pale one lying dazed in the snow. Ah~, it's my chance~!

Allen's POV

"Let me down, I can walk on my own", the youngest screeched, repeatedly batting at Tyki's head as he was held on his back, being carried piggy-back style. This is embarrassing! I am an exorcist being carried by a noah!

"Ah? But you hurt your ankle", the noah teased. "How could you walk on your own if you can barely walk at all?"

He pulled at the eldest's hair violently, ripping it from it's clip so the strands scattered around his head messily, "I'm an exorcist! I'm sure it's fine, by now! Put me down, Tyki Mikk!"

Instead of teasing him or, you know, putting him down, the noah rushed them through the small entrance of a cave that suddenly appeared, moving and smiling like a happy child chasing candy. Being ignored only made the boy's protests grow more.

The cave was much bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside and was round like someone had previously placed a bomb into the ground in order to create it. Tyki carelessly dropped him from his back, sighing happily and almost sounding like Mana, with how freely he spoke. "Finally, we can relax!"

It's actually kind of warm, compared to outside the cave. But how can we just relax in here? What if the exorcists show up? I don't want to have to confront them! As he'd remembered the shock at realizing Chaoji was actually alive, he placed a hand on his chin and tried to piece it together, wondering how exactly he'd come out alive, from being stabbed with his innocence. Though I wasn't looking at where or who I was stabbing, I know that anyone who was around me - besides Tyki Mikk - would have - or should have - been completely mutilated, if not simply injured beyond repair. Is it possible that I might have missed a vital organ? Not that I wanted him to die...

As Tyki gathered rocks and sticks that were already placed in the cave from either gusts of wind or previous occupants to attempt to make some kind of a sad fire, the boy looked down at him steadily, lowering his hand slowly. Maybe I should discuss this with Tyki, since he may have seen more than I did.

Though the thought went through his mind, he didn't say anything and continued to stare at his sitting companion for several moments. Eventually, Tyki looked up at him and stopped in his place, staring back until things got awkward and they both blushed terribly. "Allen", he asked. "Is it possible that you've been standing there admiring me, this entire time?"

Once it processed in his brain that the noah was teasing him, knowing him well enough, a tick of annoyance formed on his temple and he grabbed a rock from the ground, chucking it at the flirtatious idiot before him, and yelling at him for being a perverted idiot. "Alright, alright", he protested, fighting laughter. As he went back to his rocks and sticks, he serioused up completely and asked, "Then what is it? You know it's awkward to stare at people and not say anything, my dear."

At the affectionate name and the acknowledgement of the awkwardness, his face lit up brightly, but he didn't protest, only looking down at his feet and collecting himself so he could respond calmly, to receive a serious response and advice that he could get from nowhere else. "I wanted to ask... do you remember that day near the coffee shop, where we fought the exorcists?"

He looked up at the noah and his heart skipped at beat once he saw that Tyki was sitting still, eyes narrowed at the youngest. Unable to make eye-contact with the man who always looked the most breathtaking when something, actually, concerned him, he looked back at his feet before continuing. "S-so... you know that Chaoji's still alive, right? I didn't kill him?"

He looked up and Tyki blinked with confusion, asking innocently, "Huh? You mean the short guy?" At Allen's nod, he added, "Black hair?" Allen nodded. "Thicker?" A bead of sweat formed on the ex-exorcist's cheek as he nodded again, slightly worried that the noah wasn't going to give him a serious response. Tyki asked, "The one who's always crying?"

The boy's temple was beating as he chopped the eldest over the head, yelling, "Stop messing around!"

Tyki apologized nervously, waving a hand in surrender as he rubbed the top of his head with his other hand. "Alright! Yeah, then he's clearly alive, if you saw him."

"Huh?" He looked stupidly at the one seated on the floor, finally managing to somehow start a fire with those few sticks and stones.

"Yeah, I thought he was dead, too. In fact, I didn't think he could recover from those injuries, even despite his being an exorcist. Maybe it's got something to do with his innocence. Remember, your innocence saved your life, too." He winked up at him flirtatiously. "Though, your a special case, Shounen~." .

As the pale-boy's face lit up red once more, he growled the noah's name and they heard voices coming from outside of the cave, saying, "It's coming from over here!" The two inside looked at eachother with wide eyes before Allen narrowed his own and frowned deeply. "It's your fault", he whispered."