Before Dawn (Lavi x Allen)

Untouched Riches

Lavi was strangely silent whilst walking beside Allen, as was the forest. Both of the exorcists were on high alert, but the area was oddly bare. Not a single akuma in sight.

"Where are they?" Lavi asked.

Allen was still on alert, not noticing Lavi's question.

As they walked deeper into the forest they began to notice something even stranger.
They hadn't seen a single animal the entire journey.

Lavi's brow gleamed with sweat, and his eye sight grew fuzzy while he attempted to focus on walking. His motor fuctions slowed down, and he found himself tipping to the left. He fell slightly on Allens shoulder, breathing heavily from exhaustion. Allen stopped immediately, taking notice of Lavi's illness.

"Hey, it's ok, lets set up a camp here. Kanda will catch up, then we can take you to a doctor."

"NO!!!" Lavi shot out of his arms.

"I won't be weak... I won't be useless!!!"

Allen was a little shocked, he hadn't seen this kind of expression on Lavi's face before, but he was very familiar with it. He had once felt the same as Lavi does now, weak, unhelpful, and unable. He understood the way Lavi was feeling, and he just couldn't let him suffer alone. The only way he was going to feel better was by proving himself on this mission.

"Ok... I understand. But I still think we should make camp, the sun is setting and it seems no akuma are in this area so it should be our safest option."

Lavi was silent, a little embarrassed by his outburst.

The night was silent, eerie even.
No birds, insects, or wild animals.
It even felt like the trees werent real the longer they thought about it.

Lavi's eyes wouldn't shut, his mind raced constantly, and eventually brought him up to take a closer look at the forest.

He didnt wander very far from the camp, squinting to look ahead to their destination. He almost thought he could see eyes in the bushes, red gleaming dots in the distance. He just wasn't sure. He didn't want to wake Allen, so he figured he would be fine to venture alone.

This is my chance, if those things out there are akuma then I'll finally be able to prove myself. Then maybe I'll be on the same level as Allen.

He took out his hammer commanding it to grow. Inching his way closer, he saw the glowing dots more clearly, in fact they were not eyes of any sort but instead jewels hanging like berries on branches.

Lavi sighed, and grinned slightly, making his way back to Allen and the camp.

"Allen. Wake up."

"Allen!"

Lavi was excited, shaking Allen to wake him up, but he started to realize the condition his friend was in. His hair was soaking wet from sweat, and as cold as ice.

Lavi was starting to suspect that the forest itself was emitting these symptoms upon them both, though Allen looked like he was in much worse condition. He now understood that he had to suck up his pride, and wait for Kanda's help.

So he sat down, next to Allen, keeping close watch of his condition and alert for potential akuma.