Jekhipe

Tyki closed his eyes as he allowed himself to sit on the floor beside one of the caravans, feeling the long months of travel fading away in the familiar setting. It wasn't a feeling quite like coming home- - -gypsies didn't have one true home, but it felt so similar to the description that it was the only way Tyki could think to describe it. He leaned against the wooden wheel and just breathed in the warm air; listening as they set up all their tents, feeling familiar dirt beneath his feet and hands, with his face turned towards the sun as he basked in its warmth as if it was the first time he felt it.

It had been a long while since they were last here; it felt like far too many seasons to count, though Tyki knew it had only been three full seasons since they left. The Millennium Earl had decided that they needed a change of scenery, and when their last season here ended, he'd taken them farther North than they'd ever been before. Tyki felt a grin quirk up a side of his mouth as he recalled the strange sights he'd seen alone. There had been other clans they'd run into, of course, being in unfamiliar territory, but it had been of no matter. Gypsy groups were very tolerant of their own, and Tyki had been sorry indeed to see the North behind them when they'd left. The experiences, both with them and among his own clan, were far too interesting to just abandon after three seasons. Along with the new friends he'd made, they'd also managed to find snow. Apparently, the cold white substance was a constant in the North, and while some of the older members of the clan relished in seeing it again, Tyki and the other younglings had never seen it before.

That had been quite an experience.

The change in scenery helped Tyki as well. After Lavi had promised to speak with Bookman and failed to meet him at their loosely appointed time, the gypsy hadn't seen the red head for the rest of the season. He even snuck into town a couple of times, hoping violently, and not once had he run into the boy; several times, he'd found himself outside of Bookman's estate, but couldn't bring himself to cross into its territory to demand Lavi see him. It bugged him to no end that Lavi would make such a promise and then vanish as completely as he did, without even a trace with which to find him. At eleven seasons, he hadn't been heartbroken per say, but he'd felt betrayed enough to realize Lavi had somehow managed to trick him. He'd been furious for days afterward: at Lavi for acting as open and friendly as he did before turning around and proving himself to be no better than anyone else he'd ever met as a gypsy, but more towards himself.

He clearly hadn't learned anything from the last time such a thing had happened to him, and amidst his anger, Tyki could also remember feeling relief that it had somehow slipped his mind to ask the Earl about Lavi joining their troupe. It would have been harder to deal with Lavi's harsh rejection by himself if the Millennium Earl knew about it as well. As it was, he'd had a difficult time alone this time, but the passing seasons had a funny way about bringing wisdom along with age. Tyki felt now that back then, he should have known better than to ask such a foolish question to a boy who had what Tyki didn't- - -a warm home, the respect of people in his town, and money for things he wanted. Nothing that Tyki could offer or anything the gypsy would want of his life anyway; but now he understood, when before he hadn't, that these were things that other people wanted. His lifestyle was suited for him, that much Tyki knew, but it would not be suited for Lavi, who had more prestige in his town than he knew what to do with.

Who really wanted to abandon their life when they lived in such a way to travel with gypsies anyway?

"It isn't fair!" Road's voice rang out, irritation lacing her words and making her voice loud, and Tyki's eyes snapped open just in time to see the girl coming over. She plopped herself down on the ground next to him, her skirt floating in the air before accepting the pull of gravity, grumbling to herself for a few moments. Tyki watched her, bemused, while he waited for her to get her thoughts in order. She was quiet for a long moment, and when she spoke, his niece didn't raise her gaze to meet his. "Uncle, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, darling." He murmured in response, sitting up properly and hugging the girl to his side. Her hair was long and matted, a result of traveling the long distance they just did, and she had pulled it over her shoulder to pick at the knots that had formed. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder, and absentmindedly Tyki began gently untangling her hair as well. Her gold eyes met his and she pouted at him.

"How old were you when you started performing?" Tyki blinked in surprise at the question, but thought carefully as he worked on his niece's hair. He'd had to wait a couple of seasons before he could start, that much he remembered right away; most of that time had been taken up by training the Tease as best he could, though he had still been training them long after he had started performing, and learning to balance properly on smaller and higher bases.

"I believe..." Tyki thought back carefully, trying to do the math in his head. His niece demanded an answer, and the look on her face told him that she wanted a serious one. "I believe I was seven seasons. Why do you ask?" Road pouted more, her hands falling to her lap as she abandoned her work on her hair. Tyki hummed as he continued; he had a decent singing voice, though it was nothing compared to Road's or even Lulubell's. Still, it was soothing and it seemed to help Road gather her courage.

"And Allen was eight seasons when he started." She muttered after a moment's silence. "Even Jasdero and Devit have been given permission to begin this season, and they're eight seasons as well, almost nine seasons. Why can't I?" Tyki's eyebrow rose in surprise, though his hands continued working- - -so that was the reason behind her sudden interest.

"It's because you're our darling." He said, fingers in her hair as if to help get the tangles out. Tyki had stopped his motions, however, instead just rubbing his fingertips soothingly against her head. "You're still our little princess. Besides, Lulubell doesn't perform as often any more, now, does she?" Road squirmed uneasily but shook her head. "You aren't the only one, then."

"But Lulubell got married and is forming life within her. I'm not!" Road slumped a bit before something else seemed to come to her. "And anyway, I did perform once, for my birthday!" She cried, sitting up properly. Before Tyki could respond, she scrambled to her feet and stood in front of him. "Tell me I'm not ready to perform."

"You are not ready to perform." Tyki repeated almost instantly, laughing slightly when she let out a noise of frustration.

"Really look at me, Uncle Tyki, and tell me I'm not ready." Road insisted, stomping her foot. He wanted to tell her that her actions alone proved that she wasn't ready, but it wouldn't be true; Jasdero and Devit were no where near being able to perform given their actions, and to chide her for her frustrations wasn't something that should be done. Resigned, Tyki sighed, but decided to humor his younger niece.

Her hair had grown as she did. Even tangled and matted as it was now, the blue-purple locks fell to her waist. Lero was back in the room she used to share with Lulubell, as she insisted she no longer needed to carry what had been her near constant companion since birth any longer. She was wearing one of Tyki's shirts,as usual, though she now had clothes passed down to her from the blonde gypsy, and underneath the semi-white button up material were black pants that hugged her legs tightly, the material worn slightly and filthy from traveling. Her hands were on the black belt that hugged the shirt to her hips, her weight placed firmly on one side of her body. Her head was tilted the opposite way as Tyki's eyes raked up and down her form, her gold eyes daring him to tell her she wasn't ready. Being ten seasons, she had only just begun to develop into the woman she would soon be, and Tyki wondered absentmindedly if she would be married soon. It wasn't something Sheril would consent to, but if the Earl demanded it Sheril would have no say in the matter.

She was barefoot, as was the unsaid custom when they weren't traveling, and she shifted slightly, crossing her arms just under her chest. The action brought attention to the fact that she was growing up, her developing breasts making a small yet noticeable bump against the dirty white material; when Tyki's eyes met hers again, Road raised a delicate eyebrow in mock of Tyki as she waited for his response.

"Well?" She demanded slightly, her bare foot tapping against the hard packed dirt below her. Dust billowed from the action, coating her feet in another fine layer of dirt. Tyki smiled as he stood, Road watching him suspiciously as he stretched upwards, reaching for the clear blue sky with his fingertips. Leaning down, he grabbed her crossed arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Uncle Tyki, that doesn't answer my question!"

"I'll see if I can't convince Lord Millennium to allow you to perform, at least for this season." Tyki said as he pulled back. His words clearly did wonders to Road; her face split into a wide grin, and she threw her arms around Tyki's waist as soon as he released them.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Her voice was muffled by his chest as she squealed into it, and Tyki laughed slightly. Patting her head and deftly avoiding snagging his fingers in more knots, he hugged her tightly before releasing her once more.

"All right, all right." He murmured in her ear when she would release him. "Let me go speak to Lord Millennium now." She let him go instantly. Out of the corner of his eye, a pale movement caught his attention; Allen was walking on the road, shoulders slumped dejectedly. Tyki watched as Allen headed into town to get their food, a sorrowful look on his face that was clear even from the distance with his back turned. "Darling, why don't you go with Allen into town to get the groceries?" Road followed Tyki's gaze, and her gold eyes turned sad and pained.

"This season is the second season, isn't it? It really hit him hard, huh?" She murmured back respectfully, keeping her voice lowered. "Allen hasn't ever been the same since." Tyki looked a bit upset as well, still watching Allen as he trudged along alone.

That had been the only downside of the trip. The further North they had gotten, the sicker Mana had become. Miranda had been beside herself with exhaustion, often staying up two or three days in a row to nurse the man properly back to health. Mana's health fluctuated wildly, and not a single soul had been allowed to visit lest he accidentally contaminate the rest of the clan. He had seemed stable, even better according to Miranda's reports when she took a quick bite, until they came across a town called Maitek; then, his health plummeted so suddenly, it stunned them all and left them reeling.

Nobody took his death harder than Allen did, of course. The boy, who had barely been nine seasons, couldn't handle the death of the man who had been like a father to him. He'd been inconsolable, and the Earl finally had to risk any bad luck by keeping in contact with the small boy in order to comfort him better. He'd allowed Allen to stay in the tent he shared with Tyki and the twins, though the younger boys moved into another tent for the month.

He tried the best he could, but it quickly became clear that he was ill-suited for comfort. It had been a battle, but one the elder gypsy boy won; Tyki had Road moved into their room once more, as the boy had been plagued by nightmares. More often than not, Road ended up with Allen's face against her neck, his arms around her waist, as she tried to soothe his quiet tears. She seemed to be the only one who could calm him, as she had always been the one closest to Allen, and she took the duty with ease. Tyki would sit awake with them, watching as Road comforted the younger orphan into a dreamless sleep that left him more tired in the waking hours. Now, with Allen being newly turned eleven seasons, the memory of Mana's death during his birthday season made the boy unwilling to do much on his adoptive father's death anniversary.

With a sad sigh as she realized she wouldn't be present for the conversation with the Earl, Road leaned up and pressed a kiss to Tyki's cheek. Murmuring a 'don't forget, ok?' against his cheek, she turned and ran after Allen; Tyki watched with a mixture of sadness for the boy and amusement for his niece as she launched herself at Allen, her arms wrapping around the pale boy's waist from behind as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. Chuckling quietly at Allen's loud surprised noise and the way he nearly fell with Road's weight suddenly at his back, Tyki smiled slightly when the boy's face brightened a bit.

"Do your best to distract him from his sorrows of today, my darling." He murmured. Shifting to his heels and stretching again, Tyki wondered at where to find the Earl as his back popped. It would be best to speak with the man right away; the sooner he could keep his promise to Road, the sooner he would be able to relax until their performance. He wondered vaguely if he should practice a bit more, because their extended travels meant that new additions had been added to their performances.

A hand fell on his shoulder, interrupting his musings, and he turned slightly to come face to face with the Millennium Earl himself. "Ah, Lord Millennium."

"Tyki." For a moment, they watched Road and Allen walk towards town together, Road skipping and singing behind the pale boy. Allen turned to keep her in his sights, though he didn't seem to be joining her. "I want to talk to you, young man." Tyki turned, intrigued as the Earl did the same to face him. Though he couldn't see the man's eyes, as usual, Tyki could tell this would be an extremely serious conversation; one the would require more deference than necessary. The Earl hadn't added a suffix to his name, and for the first time Tyki could remember in his entire life, his leader had referred to him as 'young man', which meant only one thing was on the leader's mind.

"Y-Yes, Lord Millennium?" The younger gypsy cursed himself for stuttering, and resolved not to do it again. It was bad enough the conversation was taking place, he wasn't about to make it worse by betraying his nerves or the fact that it wasn't something he himself wanted. The man didn't answer for a moment, merely studied him a bit more intently than normal. He may not have been able to see the golden eyes his leader shared with the main family, but Tyki could feel their piercing glare all the same. Tyki felt his face lose blood as thoughts raced through his mind, discarded only seconds after he'd thought them as he tried to prepare himself for the coming conversation. Marriage. Lavi. Allen, and the sorrow that still hung around him like a shroud two seasons later. Banish- - -

"What am I to do about your niece?" The Millennium Earl wailed suddenly, turning from serious to comical in a quick wail of concern. Tyki blinked in surprise and confusion, his mind wiped blank by the sentence. "I know she wants to perform, and I would love nothing more than to let her, but she's still so young!"

For a moment, Tyki couldn't think of a response; relief of some strange kind filled his body, and he relaxed his shoulders, not knowing when they'd become tensed. Then a smile graced his face, and he couldn't help but shake his head as he released a breath he hadn't realized was caught in his chest.

"I firmly believe," He said slowly, measuring his words carefully. Tyki thought of his examination of his niece and her fierce declaration, complete with attitude and frustration. Remembering his promise, Tyki looked out in the direction Allen and his niece had gone running off to, and told the Earl rather firmly, "that Road is more than old enough to make her own decisions about her abilities. She's very adamant about performing, Lord Millennium, and this is one battle of wills that I fear she may best you in. Perhaps it would be wise to let her, for this season at least. If it does not go well, then at least you can say that you made an attempt. And if it does, well then." Tyki shrugged almost carelessly. "We will have a wonderful addition, don't you agree?" The man had been nodding as if Tyki's suggestion made sense, and the gypsy boy felt pleased that his leader was taking him so seriously. He was only fourteen seasons of age, after all, and though he was nearing adulthood, there was still quite a ways to go. Tyki felt pride flare up in his chest while the Earl's hand went into the air as an idea struck him.

"I'll have Tricia make an outfit for her, then!" He said in a cheerfully singsong tone. "She'll perform as soon as possible- - -our little singing princess. At the very least, now we have Lulubell's spot filled for the moment while she's indisposed." Tyki laughed slightly as the Earl turned to walk away, wondering how the blonde was going to take the news that Road would be her replacement. The Earl was whistling, but the older man had taken no more than two steps before pausing and stopping his cheerfulness. "Are we going to be seeing Lavi-pon anytime soon this season, Tyki?"

Tyki froze at the slightly sharp words that were clearly spoken- - -it meant the Millennium Earl had learned about Lavi in some way, at some point in time. The leader of their troupe knew the reason behind all his past forced smiles and brushed off questions about how he felt for the past three seasons; the Earl must have thought nothing of it until they'd arrived back in the town where Lavi lived with Bookman. Now he was questioning if Tyki would reach out to the apprentice again, though he didn't betray his thoughts or any feelings he had on the matter. Tyki forced himself to take a deep breath and relax, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thought back. It was no matter if the Millennium Earl knew what had happened in the past or not- - -the Bookman's red headed apprentice and so-called heir wouldn't be stopping by to visit. He'd made that much clear to Tyki the last season they had been here.

"No, he shouldn't show up around here anytime soon." He answered calmly. Though he'd earned more control over his emotions as of late, learning how to keep them out of his voice as he spoke, Tyki couldn't help but feel his heart stutter painfully in his chest. It was related to Lavi, and he knew it; the younger gypsy ignored it, remaining firm in his convictions. The Earl nodded once, Tyki hearing the movement rather than seeing it.

"It was a curse to allow him to get so close, Tyki. Bad luck indeed." He winced slightly at that, not expecting the harsh and judging words to be shot at him. It was more than a slight jab, almost as if he had been told he had been the reason Mana died, albeit as indirectly as he was involved. It had been Tyki who allowed Lavi to come in, be closer and closer to the gypsy, and as a result, Mana grew weaker and weaker. For a moment, one long horrible moment that wouldn't leave his mind, Tyki wondered what would have been different if Lavi hadn't gotten so close. Would Mana still have died, causing Allen to look like something in his heart had been crushed, if Lavi had remained as far away as possible? Or would the man still be pulling through on his own strength, one day at a time? Had his failing health come from Lavi insisting on following Tyki back to camp that fateful day, or had the man's age finally caught up to him?

Was his blood on Tyki's hand, his death weighed down against him?

Tyki sighed in consternation, whirling around to face the leader and ask the questions burning in his mind, but the man was already gone.

XxX

"Where are they?" Sheril bit his finger nervously, Tricia releasing her sewing to place a comforting hand on his arm. Her eyes were just as worried as her husband's, though, and neither seemed to know what to do. It had been almost two hours since Allen and Road had gone into town for groceries, and though the timing wasn't surprising in and of itself, the heavy storm rains that had suddenly appeared made their absence worrisome. Tyki paced back and forth, reminding himself of Mana when Allen had gotten lost in the town buying groceries all those seasons ago. The Earl had loved to tease Mana, telling him he was such an over protective father for someone who had no children of his own. The man had waved off his words with a laugh, though he never ceased his pacing until Allen returned to him. Tyki had always marveled at the fact that the man could remain in the same spot with such worries gnawing at him; Tyki himself was unable to do such a thing, and as his worry grew, so did his restlessness.

"I'm going out to find them." Tyki said finally, heading for the edge of the tent, his golden eyes hard and determined. The flash of lightening and the crash of thunder that followed made his words more dramatic than they actually were, and made Tricia jump and gasp with fright. Sheril grasped hold of his wife's shoulder; though he said nothing either way, Tyki could see in his brother's eyes the plea he wouldn't voice, the one that said 'bring my daughter back'.

As he neared the entrance of the tent, Lulubell sprang into sight and grabbed his arm firmly, her gold eyes gazing blankly into his. Tyki tried to pull his arm from her grip to continue walking, but the older gypsy woman held him easily in place. She forced Tyki to stop and face her, not allowing him to take one step closer to the entrance of the tent. Their eyes clashed in a battle of wills, and for the the first time since the storm started, he heard her voice.

"No."

"She's right, Tyki-pon." The Earl sat by the fire in the middle of their tent, looking as though he were calmly sitting and knitting. Only the main family could see the tenseness in his fingers, the strain in his voice as he worked on keeping the worry he felt for his two missing favorites hidden from them. It was only barely working. "You can't hope to accomplish much in such a storm. It would be best to await their arrival here, wouldn't you say?" The man's voice hardened a bit- - -a gentle command and a warning. Tyki acknowledged with a bow, accepting the man's worry as his own. The leader of their clan simply didn't want to lose anymore of their number to the storm. Tyki understood it; he respected it, even. But his niece was out there, as was his cousin by clan, and if there was nothing to be done by pacing, then Tyki would put himself to good use by bringing them back home safe and sound.

"Forgive me, Lord Millennium, but I'm going to try anyway. It's better than sitting around and waiting for them to come back." Tyki pulled his arm free of Lulubell's grasp and raced out of the tent. He headed instantly towards the town, the storm instantly soaking him completely and the wind blowing so hard it hindered his ability to move forward properly. Such was the noise that followed that he didn't even hear anything anyone said to him once he'd left he safety of the tent; instead, he focused on forcing his feet to carry him to town and his eyes on searching the sides of the road, looking for clues as to the disappearance of Road and Allen.

He ran hard through the streets of town, having reached it much sooner than he'd thought and glad that everyone was inside- - -it made searching for his niece and cousin that much more easier. With the town knowing to whom the two belonged to, it was very unlikely that they were indoors and being kept sheltered from the rain. The notion of them being indoors was so ludicrous that the idea refused to enter his mind, some instinctual part of him reassuring himself of that. If they were indoors, they could be in trouble; not even little trouble, either, it would be something hat would cause Tyki to snarl and fight for their safety. With a shudder that had little to do with the biting wind nipping at him, Tyki renewed his energy in finding the two and hoping that they were safe. They might all hold a place in the main family, but it was little Road who was everyone's favorite and he had problems thinking of his small niece in trouble.

And Allen...Allen had gone through enough the past three seasons, had he not?

Shaking his head, Tyki turned a corner that looked vaguely familiar in the downpour only to ram right into someone coming from the opposing side, the both of them falling to the ground with a splashing noise. Tyki thought he couldn't get anymore wet than he already was, but it looked as though he'd been wrong. Amazingly, his clothes managed to soak up even more water from the ground, though there was now the added disadvantage of them being caked with mud once they dried off. Tyki let out a groan of annoyance and pushed himself up off of the ground, not even stopping to help up the other person who'd fallen. He'd been about to step around them, still intent on finding Road and Allen, when a hand clamped down on his wrist.

"I'm so sorry!" The other person yelled, using the gypsy to pull himself up onto his feet again. Tyki shook his head, shaking his arm in an attempt to release it. He nearly slipped back into the ground, though, and the other wasn't letting him go.

"It's fine!" He yelled back, thinking that the reassurance was what they wanted and they would let him go now. Above them, thunder rumbled and rain pelted them even harder. Lightening had streaked through the sky only seconds before, illuminating the sky in a bright light that had the gypsy seeing stars after so much blackness. The other had slipped onto the ground again, nearly bring down the older gypsy boy with him. "Shit!" Tyki bent a bit, feeling the rain land heavily on his head and weight his hair down, ignoring the fact that his white shirt was semi-see through and absolutely filthy. Absentmindedly pulling the other to their feet as they struggled to their feet again, Tyki's eyes traced the road he was about to go down as he mentally checked off the places he'd already looked in against the ones he still had to check.

There were so many places they could be...

"...ki? Tyki!" With another pull on his arm to jolt him from his worrying thoughts, Tyki turned his head so quickly he felt something crack in his neck. His sight was nearly adjusted to the dark once more, but he couldn't believe what he was seeing in front of him. All at once, everything froze around him as he looked, unable to process fully what he saw. Staring back at him, his emerald eye wide and disbelieving yet incredibly happy as well was none other than Lavi, his eyepatch and pale face as familiar as the sun had been earlier that afternoon.

Tyki stared back at him with his mind blank, feeling slowly returning to him; he became faintly aware of his teeth chattering together in his skull, his body trembling violently as the wind continued its assault on his body. Lavi held his attention, though, the red head looking so far beyond thrilled it nearly pained Tyki to see such a look on his face. He had no idea what he was supposed to do in a situation like this, but Lavi clearly did. The red head threw his arms around Tyki, hugging the older gypsy to him tightly as if he was afraid Tyki would disappear. Warmth bloomed down Tyki's front, though the elder boy wasn't sure what to do with his hands as Lavi clung tightly to him. The feeling of rain soaking him thoroughly was slowly coming back, and Tyki's mind began processing the icy water forcing his filthy clothes to cling to his body again.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" The red headed boy yelled in his ear. His voice was dripping more of that promised warmth and comfort, only just a little bit deeper than what the gypsy boy was used to. Tyki was so stunned he didn't do much, just stood there with his mind racing and thoughts of finding Road and Allen clashed with the unbelievable news that Lavi was here, standing before him whole and well. He didn't know what to do, and in his surprise, he had completely shut down. After a moment, Lavi pulled back, confused. His visible eye searched they gypsy's blank face, his hands framing the cold cheeks and spreading of that startling warmth up his face. "Tyki...?"

The gypsy snapped out of it when Lavi called his name again, suddenly remembering himself and the situation he found himself in. Scowling lightly- - -the boy was, what, thirteen now? He should know better than to just go around touching people's faces, especially ones he broke promises to- - -Tyki pushed the million questions and accusations he had to the back of his mind. As much as he would love to fight with Lavi now, there were more important and pressing matters at hand than the silly words of small children. The gypsy reached out and pulled the boy's face close to his once again, moving them so that his lips brushed the apprentice's ear.

"Have you seen Road or Allen?" He yelled back, letting the more pressing issue at hand take precendence over anything else. Lavi pulled away to beam at him again, so hard that his eye scrunched up and closed. He leaned forward again, using Tyki's shoulders to balance himself as his mouth was by Tyki's ear. It shot more of that strange warmth up Tyki, though this time it centered more on his face. The elder gypsy hoped furiously that he wasn't blushing in front of Lavi, and forced himself to focus on the red head's words.

"I was just headed towards the camp right now. Follow me." Slightly distrustful despite himself, Tyki hesitated only a moment before he obliged, making sure Lavi stayed in his sights at all times. It didn't matter that the red head was no longer trustworthy in the gypsy's eyes; he had information about the two he had been searching for, and that was all Tyki needed to go after him. As they walked, the red head holding tightly to his hand and dragging him back along the way he had come, Tyki allowed their inability to converse with each other become an opportunity to see how Bookman's apprentice had changed in their seasons apart.

Lavi had gotten just a bit taller, but Tyki was still that much taller than he was. The red hair would have been as bright and vibrant as ever, had it not been forcefully matted down and darkened by the rain, and the water soaked green headband still kept it out of his face; it did nothing to stop the rain from pelting his face, and so rivers of water were running down in graceful curves. If Tyki squinted slightly, he could still make out the spot where the knot was tied in black string that held the boy's clearly well loved eye patch to his face. He seemed a little paler this season, his hand trembling just a bit in Tyki's and a cough coming from him the gypsy saw in his shoulders and back more than heard from his throat, but he still seemed to be talking about a mile a minute though he knew they boy behind him couldn't hear him, so Tyki didn't let it worry him too much.

Lavi lead him to a gate that looked completely unfamiliar, opening it easily and motioning for him to follow. Tyki did so hesitantly, finding himself in awe of a single story home that was spread to have enough space to fit at least half, if not all, of the caravans they traveled in. It wasn't the Bookman's estate, something Tyki could tell right off the bat, and a new emotion joined the hope that ran through him; fear, and a deep, deep seated voice told him that the house in front of him was bad news. Suddenly, Tyki was not sure this was a good idea.

It seemed Lavi held no such limitations, as he simply bounded up to the door and let himself in.

"Kanda-sama, Yuu-chan!" He called into the house from the entryway, his voice loud and jarring in the silence. It was much clearer than in the rain pressed against Tyki's ear intimately, and the elder gypsy was jarred by how much has changed in the past three seasons. Lavi's voice certainly hadn't cracked so much when they were younger, nor had it had that tone to it. "Lenalee?" A tall woman appeared in the doorway as Lavi's voice faded away, somehow looking elegant even with a pile of towels in her hands. Tyki's eyes narrowed as her deep blue met his golden; he seemed to have struck a memory in her the way she did him, as she made a slight face.

"Ah, you brought...more." She said simply, her accent something Tyki hadn't noticed when he'd been eight seasons and trying to save Allen's skin. Kanda Yuu's mother stared at him in distaste, though she came forward with swift and fluid movements. She was wearing a simple black kimono and white socks, which provided her no traction on the wooden floor beneath her feet. Her steps were graceful and sure, the woman of the house not even sliding a bit as she stopped in front of Lavi and placed a towel gently on his head. Tyki stood just outside the door, debating on what to do. On the one hand, he had never wanted to come into contact with Lavi again, let alone anyone from the Kanda family. The look on her face told Tyki that she had not wanted to be met again with any of their troupe either, and Tyki was more than willing to oblige her and stay away.

The way she said 'more', however, caught Tyki's attention more fully than anything else she could have said.

"You have them, then?" He yelled as calmly and politely as he could while freezing in the harsh rain in her front yard. The warmth and dryness of the house seemed to remind his body exactly how cold it was in the elements. He crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to look defiant while keeping his shivers in check. Lavi was accepting more towels from the woman, placing them gently on the step in front of him. Tyki noted that the red head was dripping water all over her entryway, and Kanda-sama looked wholly unaffected by it. It was perhaps because of his Bookman name. Tyki discarded the thought the second it formed, choosing instead on the reason he was standing, soaking through, on this woman's doorstep. "My niece and cousin?"

"Come in." She said, the invitation sounding more like an order in Tyki's ears. "You'll catch your death of cold out there, and I would rather not have someone like you found dead on my property come morning. You can stay and see them once you are warm and dry." Tyki hesitated slightly; he still didn't trust the Kanda family, and Lavi wasn't any better at the moment, but those words had him convinced that they had Road and Allen somewhere in the depths of the Kanda household. As much as he wanted to believe Cross' words against anyone who happened to have more money than they did, which was just about everyone, his concern for the two main members of his family was more pressing. "Are you coming in or not?" She snapped at him, irritation lacing her words; Tyki made up his mind in that split second, her voice startling him into moving.

He jumped, stopping in her entryway beside Lavi and accepting a few towels from the red head to dry off. She made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat and stalked down the hall as he took off his shirt, drying his upper body as best he could while Lavi moved around him and shut the door against the rain.

Tyki nearly jumped when he felt a towel on his head, and he looked up to find an emerald eye and a black eye patch peering back at him. Lavi grinned widely, drying Tyki's hair as he resumed his chatter about who knows what. Tyki tuned him out, trying to squash that damn feeling once more as it rose in his stomach for the first time in almost four seasons.

Except this time, he wasn't a child. Tyki's eyes met Lavi's again as he pondered this. He was fourteen seasons of age, and though he knew he was lucky earlier with the Millennium Earl, there was no doubt in his mind that his leader would pull him aside one day soon and begin his talk of marriage. He would have to agree, because Sheril and Tricia had been around his age when they had been married, and it was their tradition. Already Tyki could hear talk about what a wonderful bachelor he was, a young gentleman with a powerful leader.

"Have you even been listening to me?" Lavi asked suddenly, making Tyki blink at him in confusion. He blushed lightly when he realized Lavi had his hands in his hair still, the towel having fallen to his neck from the younger's vigorous drying. His flush deepened when he saw Lavi's eye sparkling in amusement- - -he'd been caught staring at the pale boy. He wondered what was running through the apprentice's mind, finding the gypsy staring at him for no reason. While Lavi also looked bedraggled, Tyki looked unusually worse for wear considering the storm and their recent collision.

Then again, the Bookman's apprentice was always an odd one, and in the space of three season Tyki had managed to forget that little detail. He didn't seem to care about the mud that had gotten under his shirt or the fact that Tyki was still half wet while he was practically dried and mostly bare due to being in the process of changing; Lavi hugged him again, the action softer this time as the red head pulled Tyki slowly towards his body, his head fitting perfectly under the gypsy's even though he was half a step higher.

"I'm happy to see you too." He murmured quietly. Tyki sighed softly, allowing the boy a moment more before placing his hands on his shoulders and pushing Lavi back firmly. He had misunderstood the gypsy, and Tyki was ready to set Lavi straight; despite what the red head seemed to think, Tyki didn't follow him because they had been friends in the past. He'd only come to get Road and Allen, and once he had them, Tyki was going to take them back to camp. The gypsy took a deep breath, preparing himself.

"You never came." It was a soft-spoken accusation and not at all what he'd been planning to say. Tyki admonished himself, and yet he couldn't make his mouth form the words he had intended to say. Instead, what came out was the quiet words, as Tyki couldn't bring himself to yell in the Kanda household now that he was out of the rain, which was both a statement and a question in one sentence. Lavi bit his lip, pulling away just a bit and his face flushing guiltily. For some reason, the red on his pale face made it easier for Tyki to press on. He drew away even more, forcing Lavi's arms to fall from his neck. "You never came, and I never saw you again until now."

"That wasn't my idea!" Lavi grabbed his wrists with his hands, forcing Tyki to keep contact. Bewilderment covered the gyspy's tan face, but Lavi looked too panicked to notice it. It was almost as if the boy could read him as well as the Earl, and the thought unnerved Tyki the slightest bit. "I swear upon my life, it wasn't!"

"Then whose?" He demanded, not sure if he actually wanted answers.

"Bookman kept me indoors until you guys were gone." Lavi muttered, an annoyed glare on his face. His voice and gaze had dropped, but Tyki could tell it was less from lying and more from irritation at the old man's actions. It seemed his ability to read into Lavi's words hadn't changed either, and the gypsy didn't know how to feel about that. Lavi was good at giving him unfathomable issues to deal with. "He gave me all sorts of pointless, useless assignments that were extremely difficult. Multiple ones at a time, usually. And whenever I finished one, he had another for me. It was, God, it felt like it was never ending."

"Why didn't you try to sneak out?" Tyki asked, frowning lightly. Lavi made a slight face, shrugging.

"It's hard to when your mentor is keeping such close watch on you." Lavi murmured petulantly, kicking at the floor beneath him. Tyki reached out to him then, if only to keep the boy from scuffing marks into Kanda's well-cared for wood floor. The red head shot him a half smile, stopping his actions immediately. He picked up the towel again, drying Tyki's hair a bit more gently than before. "Bookman even gave me really really hard tasks, so when it got too late all I could do was sleep." He scowled heavily, dropping his arms and crossing them uncomfortably across his bare chest. "And then, by the time I managed to get a break, you guys were gone. After that, the old panda let up on me."

Feeling just a bit guilty he'd thought so poorly of Lavi, because there was no way the boy was lying- - -he looked far too annoyed to be telling anything but the truth, Tyki pulled the towel from his head again. Placing it around his neck, the gypsy reached out slowly and placed his hands on Lavi's face, just underneath his eyes. It was a show of his silently begging forgiveness from the younger man, though Tyki was almost startled to realize how smooth Lavi's face was. Unconsciously, his thumbs began caressing motions not unlike what he did to Road while the girl was relaxing. The red head stiffened almost instantly at the action, and Tyki paused, curious and slightly frowning.

"Lavi...?" He said softly when Lavi's visible eye closed. He looked suddenly terrified and vulnerable. "What- - -"

"Sastimos, Tyki!" The air was forcibly and suddenly pushed out of his lungs as voices crowded over each other. They were no longer alone, and Tyki had been taken down by the sudden weight that had crashed into him. The moment between he and Lavi was gone, as he was now in danger of hitting his head on the door and Lavi had lost the serious look on his face; the red head was laughing cheerfully, saying something about their party being complete now.

"Uncle Tyki, you're all wet! Were you looking for us?" Tyki, gasping for breath, looked down to see silver and blue-purple hair attached to his much dryer upper body. Allen pulled away first, his face flushed with embarrassment at his actions and already apologizing to the elder gypsy for his over excited greeting. Road looked up at him and smiled sweetly, her arms tightening around his waist as she silently told him that she wasn't ready to move just yet.

She looked so very different from that morning, and for a moment Tyki almost couldn't recognize the girl on his lap as his niece.

She was clean, far cleaner than they would ever get by bathing in the rivers, and smelled of faint lavender perfume. Her hair was brushed, completely tangle-free, and had been braided from the top of her head all the way down to the very last couple of strands. Her cross tattoos seemed darker against her dark skin because of it, all of them visible on her forehead instead of half hidden by her hair. She wasn't wearing his shirt either, presumably because of the sudden storm- - -her clothes were replaced with a light pink long sleeved shirt, the material flowing down her arms as easily as the outfit Tricia had made for her birthday and first performance. There were two buttons on her collar, and the front was lacy and frilly and so out of her character for Tyki he had to blink; the shirt was clearly designed for a young lady in mind, for it was silky soft and drawing just the tiniest bit of attention to the chest that was beginning to show. Her new outfit was completed with a black skirt that went down to the tops of her knees, and purple and pink striped socks that disappeared underneath it.

She looked beautiful.

"What are you wearing?" Tyki gaped at her. Road smiled wider and finally let him go, backing up a little and spinning around to completely show off the outfit. The skirt flowed easily with the force of her movements, and the socks on her feet allowed her to spin quickly with no stumbles on the wooden floor. She looked a bit embarrassed to be caught wearing such nice clothing, but at the same time, it was clear Road was pleased with how it looked on her.

"Isn't it cute?" She asked. "Lenalee gave it to me." Tyki sighed, rubbing his eyes and smiling slightly. Leave it to Road to play dress up while he and the others were worried back at camp. Still, he couldn't find it in himself to fault her for it; it was the first time Road had ever been allowed to dress up in something that was clearly meant for someone above her station, and she took the advantage of it any gypsy would. He hoped that she had had her full of it, though, because they couldn't keep her parents and the Earl waiting. He'd only halfway completed his task. Now that he'd found them, Tyki had to find a way to convince them to brave the storm once more so that they could be safe in the camp.

"We need to go back soon, you two." Tyki said, trying to ignore the pleading look he got from Allen and his niece. He especially avoided looking at Lavi, because the red head seemed to have stopped the moment the words left his mouth. "Everyone is worried about you two- - -especially because of today, and our remembrance." He shot a meaningful look at Allen, who dropped the pleading look and bit his lip. He looked more contrite than Road did, which leant to the notion that she had somehow been behind this.

"I told you this was a bad idea." He hissed at the purple haired girl. The younger gypsy stuck her tongue out at him before looking at Tyki and crossing her arms. Her eyes were filled with a familiar determination, and Tyki knew that he would have a hard time swaying her.

"It's storming out there." She said firmly. "That's why Allen and I haven't gone back yet. Kanda-sama said we could take refuge in her home for tonight. Can't we at least stay until the storm is through? We can go back to camp come morning." Tyki glanced outdoors again, his gaze thoughtful.

The sound of water hitting wood was just this side of violent; it appeared that somehow, the storm had managed to get much worse in the space of time Tyki had been in the Kanda household. Lightening and thunder could be seen and heard in the distance with much more gusto, as if the gods themselves were making merry with their element with no regards to the mortals below them. With the sun well and truly gone at this point, it was almost impossible to see what time it was, and it was likely they wouldn't be able to find their way back to camp. It was amazing enough that Lavi had almost managed to find it, and Tyki able to get into town in the first place. Road was insistent to stay, and though Allen hadn't really said anything, Tyki could sense his reluctance to leave as well. He kept glancing back down the hallway they had come from almost longingly, though Tyki suspected that Allen didn't realize what he looked like when he did. And Lavi...

Well, who knows when he'd get a chance to speak to the red-head again?

"All right," He said with a sigh, rubbing his temples as he turned to face them again. Road cheered and wrapped her arms around Tyki, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Allen's face brightened as well, a smile lighting up his face in a familiar way that Tyki hadn't seen for quite some time. Encouraged by the look, the eldest gypsy placed a careful hand on his niece's hair, careful not to miss it up. He chanced a glance at Lavi, who looked pleased just as a young girl leaned into the hallway to look on curiously. "We'll stay."

XxX

Lavi leaned heavily onto his arm, his visible green eye half opened. Tyki was sitting with his back against the wall, his position enabling him to keep an eye on both his niece and his cousin. Laying across the floor was the young girl with green-tinted black hair and a plain yet clearly expensive black dress. She was giggling with Road and teaching her how to play some sort of hand game, one that Road didn't quite seem to be getting the hang of. Her name, if Tyki recalled correctly, was Lenalee Lee. From her appearance at the Kanda house and the materials of her clothes, that meant that her brother was Komui Lee, a man well-known for the scientific discoveries he and his team made several years prior, as well as his almost obsessive and constant worry for his younger sister, his only remaining family. Though Tyki wasn't aware of all the circumstances, he knew the Lee siblings had lost their parents in a tragic accident many years ago. If the sister was planning on spending any more time with Road, Tyki was going to have to look into her just a little bit more.

Across from them was Allen, who had fallen asleep to the right of a seated Kanda Yuu. Tyki worried for a moment about the sense in that- - -since he had agreed to stay, and most likely before he'd even arrived as well, all Allen and Kanda Yuu did was fight. It would start with a comment about 'a certain Moyashi' and then turn into an all out verbal war heading quite quickly in a physical altercation until Lenalee stepped in to stop it, as she seemed to be the only one who could raise a hand against the Kanda boy and survive it. Once, Kanda even grabbed a sword from the wall and aimed the sheathed blade at Allen, who'd reacted to the threat by baring his teeth and snarling like a deranged cat; Tyki had nearly jumped up to grab it away and likely make the situation worse, but Lenalee just whacked the older boy in the head and took it away from him with nothing more than a 'tch' escaping the Kanda boy's mouth.

Now, however...

Allen was asleep on the ground, his hands cushioning his head. He was curled slightly, as if he was cold, and every now and then a whimper would come from him- - -a nightmare, Tyki guessed, about Mana. Beside him, Kanda Yuu sat in a medatitve pose, his back straight, his eyes closed, hands placed firmly on his knees. Every whimper or noise from Allen made his face twitch slightly, until he cracked an eye open and glared down at the sleeping gypsy. Allen whimpered again, his hand slowly sliding against the wood floor inch by inch until it hit Kanda Yuu's knee. The unconscious tenseness in his frame vanished minimally, and it seemed that that more than anything managed to soften the Kanda son just a bit. With a silent sigh, he dropped the pose and reached down, gently cradling Allen's head with careful hands as Kanda Yuu gently brought it to his lap. Settling himself and Allen slowly so that the boy would stay asleep and they would be more comfortable, Kanda Yuu glanced down at Allen; as Tyki watched, the cobalt eyes seemed to soften, though it was slight as if the boy was trying to deny it with all his mind, and his hand carded slowly and repeatedly through Allen's silver locks. Allen relaxed completely, his face smoothing out and breathing coming easier to the small boy.

Tyki looked away before he could be seen watching- - -he wouldn't want to ruin what could be something to heal Allen a bit more.

"Are you still mad at me, Tyki?" Lavi asked quietly from his side. Tyki glanced down at him, but the red head continued to stare at Road and Lenalee across from them. He couldn't imagine where the question had come from, but Lavi seemed to sense his uncertainty. "I know you were upset when you saw me earlier, even though you wanted to find Road and Allen. And I just figured that since the first thing you said to me was about how I didn't show up when I was supposed to, you were really made at me for a bit. Are you still mad?"

It was a fair enough question, the gyspy thought carefully. After all, he wasn't going to pretend that he didn't go through a phase where he had been furious with the red head leaning casually against him. He'd blamed him for the longest time, and when that anger had run its course, he turned the blame onto himself. When that happened, he began to resent Lavi for it, and felt that the feeling was justified. Even now, now that he knew the reasoning behind the boy's actions, he couldn't necessarily bring himself to forgive Lavi just yet. He understood, he did, but for some reason Tyki could not bring himself to relieve the boy of the guilt he seemed to carry around for not being there when he said he would be.

But was he still angry with him?

"I suppose not." Tyki sighed, though the sound was more fond and honest than he would have liked to admit. He felt Lavi turn his face into his arm, and felt the smile that crossed the red head's face at his answer. Lavi seemed to relax a bit more, and they sat in another silence that was filled with Lenalee's whispered explanations and their combined quiet giggles.

"You weren't there either, you know." Lavi murmured sleepily against his arm. Tyki 'hmm?'ed, and Lavi took this as an invitation to elaborate. His voice was pitched low, so as not to interrupt the girls, and Tyki almost had to strain to hear him even though Lavi was right next to him. "The next year, I mean. You didn't come back. I waited and waited every day to see you again." He yawned. "Bookman wasn't too pleased, but he'd let me wait for a little bit every day. He didn't have much choice, because I kept fighting against him all the time and there was nothing else he could do. I drove him mad."

"My apologies." Tyki said quietly back, his eyes drifting tiredly from where Road was playing a game with an aristocratic girl who treated his niece as if they were on the same class level to Allen's sleeping face as he slept in peace on the lap of a boy who claimed to hate his cousin with every fiber of his being. They looked as comfortable as if they were in their tent, and Tyki let a small smile cover his face. He wished he could be as carefree as they were, as comfortable in the household if someone much higher than he as they seemed to be. They were too young, and far more innocent than he was at their age. He wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Lord Millennium took us farther than we'd ever been before. We almost missed staying here this season." Lavi made an acknowledging noise against his side, and the older gypsy could feel his eyes sliding shut.

"For a while..." He yawned again, settling himself more firmly into Tyki's side. The pale, slender fingers began tracing soothing patterns into Tyki's side, an unconscious movement for the boy on the verge of slumber. "For a while, I blamed you..." Tyki looked down at him, curious, as the boy continued to get comfortable against him. His eye patch was still on, and Tyki placed a gentle finger on it. Lavi didn't notice. "I got kidnapped one time while waiting for you, the first year you didn't come back. Bookman paid the ransom to get me back, but..." Even half asleep, Lavi seemed to struggle with the story, a combination of not wanting to tell it yet wanting to get it out as soon as possible and of the sleep that was quickly overtaking him. "It took him a couple of days...burned my eye..." Lavi sighed quietly and fell asleep.

It took Tyki a few moments to get over his shock and surprise. Lavi had waited for him? The thought hadn't crossed Tyki's mind before, when he'd been angry at the red head for leaving him as suddenly as he did. He could picture Lavi, sitting in the tree they normally did, the sun warm on his back and watching the distance for any sign of them. Getting his hopes up every time a large group of people passed by only to have them shot down brutally when they were close enough for him to realize it was not the Millennium Earl and his enormous group of traveling performers and Noah. He waited for a bit each day. Did that mean he would sit in the tree the entire time, just staring off?With another sigh, Tyki hesitantly moved his arm; it jostled the red head a little, his head falling a short distance from his arm to his chest. Lavi made a noise at the sudden movement, but was apparently exhausted from the day and didn't wake. Tyki draped his arm over Lavi's shoulders and pulled him just a bit closer. His red hair brushed against the bottom of his face, and in that instant, Tyki hugged the Bookman's apprentice to him tighter.

For a moment, Tyki wondered if he should trust Lavi again. If the red head ever decided to disappear without word again, the betrayal would be different from when he was younger- - -it would be more intense, harder to get over alone. As it was, the innocent feelings he'd had as a boy had grown stronger for the red head against him even in their absence, and it deeply unsettled Tyki. He was slowly yet surely growing fonder and more attached to Lavi, and while the gypsy didn't mind that he was becoming attracted to a male, it bothered him that his attraction was to someone of a higher class. In the event of Lavi rejecting him once more, Tyki didn't want to have to involve the Earl or anyone else into a situation where he had to dwell in misery due to his stupidity, his own inability to learn from his mistakes. And he may not be able to forgive him a second time, if Lavi did.

Then Lavi moved in his sleep, unconsciously adjusting his arms so that they were wrapped around Tyki's waist and his head was placed more firmly underneath the older gypsy's chin. Tyki wrapped his arm tighter around Lavi's shoulders, his eyes closing as he tilted his head to rest on Lavi's. The red head murmured something in his sleep, something that sounded suspiciously like the gypsy's name, and it made Tyki smile. He wrapped his arms around Lavi tighter, inhaling deeply and getting the red head's scent mixed in with the air he breathed in.

It would be all right, Tyki decided. After all, if Lavi had been waiting for them for the past three seasons, he wouldn't want to stay away from him any longer than he had to either.

And maybe, when they both were a bit older and much wiser, they could see if he'd want to become a gypsy.

XxX

"Please don't do this again!" Tricia had her arms wrapped firmly around her daughter, Sheril holding the both of them tightly. Road struggled lightly, trying to pull away so she wasn't smothered, a bag in her hands from Lenalee. Her hair was still pulled in that tight braid Lenalee had put it in, and Tyki knew that they would be questioned about it later on. He sent a wayward glance to where Allen was standing by Cross, who had been grudgingly taking care of the boy since Mana's death. They were having what looked like a staring match; the red headed gypsy was impassive, a cigarette in his mouth. Allen was looking a mixture of contrite and defiant, his gaze never wavering. Cross glowered at Allen for a long moment before beginning to turn away.

"The next time you do this will be your last." He muttered warningly before turning away completely. Tyki moved over to Allen when the man disappeared, touching his head softly when the boy bowed his head to hide the hurt that flashed through his eyes. The pale gypsy leaned against Tyki, and the elder ran a single hand through the silver hair. They looked out in the direction where across had vanished, and let the noise of Sheril and Tricia's reunion with their daughter be the only thing to disrupt the silence.

"He means well." Tyki said after a moment. Allen rubbed his eye with his clothed left hand, sniffling just a little bit. The elder didn't say anything; such a situation was something that Mana would have not approved of, but he would have been as relieved to have Allen back as Sheril and Tricia were to have Road. Tyki felt for the young boy at his side, knowing that there was something in Allen now that would take quite some time if it would ever mend.

"I know." He muttered thickly. "Doesn't make him any less of a bastard."

"Language, Allen." Tyki chided gently, rubbing the boy's head again. "It isn't proper for a boy of eleven seasons to say such things just yet." Allen nodded again and sighed. They were quiet once more, simply watching as the troupe began a proper set up of their camp. The mud that had come from the rain was clearly making it difficult, but they persevered nevertheless.

"Do you know when this season ends?" Allen asked curiously, looking back at the town. Tyki watched him out of the corner of his eye, wondering about the sudden interest in their movement. When he responded with a negative, Allen nodded absently. His gaze never left the town. "Do you think the Earl would mind it if I spent most of my time in town this season?"

Now Tyki looked at the silver-haired boy fully, a frown on his face.

"I don't think he'd mind, per say..." He said slowly, trying to carefully choose his words. His thought from the previous night, that Road and Allen were remarkably young and much more innocent than he himself had been at their age, came back to him. "Though he would want to know why, Allen." Underneath his gaze, Tyki watched as Allen turned five shades of red and stammered something about swords and the color blue- - -

And Tyki understood.

So that was his reasoning. With a grin, he ruffled Allen's hair, which made the boy cry out in shock and surprise. Allen looked at him, his eyes narrowed in what would be a glare if he hadn't been pouting at the same time. Tyki leaned forward almost conspiratorially, a knowing look in his gleaming eyes. It seemed to make Allen uncomfortable, if the way he leaned back was any indication.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the Kanda family, would it?" He asked. Allen managed to turn another shade of red, to the older's immense amusement. "Specifically, the youngest son, Kanda Yuu?"

"Enough!" Allen hissed, his face a dangerous shade of scarlet. Tyki chuckled slightly until Allen spoke again. "You like Lavi, so you have no right to tease me!" Tyki choked a bit, staring down at Allen with wide gold eyes. "I saw you both a few moments before we all woke up to come home. You were both sleeping, arms around each other. It was like watching Sheril and Tricia when they sleep...except, you know, Lavi isn't a woman. And you are nothing like Sheril." Determined silver eyes glared resolutely into shocked gold ones, and for a moment Tyki battled: to tell, or to keep it secret?

Allen snorted and Tyki felt himself crumble.

"We'll do it together." He agreed grudgingly. The boy looked a bit confused and wary, as though he wasn't entirely certain as to what Tyki was agreeing to. "That way, Lord Millennium isn't as suspicious as he would be."

"Deal." Allen said instantly. For a moment, their gazes met again, and Tyki looked at the boy who was his adoptive cousin fully for the first time in far too many seasons.

His silvery-white hair was falling into silvery-gray eyes, his pale face dark with blood. The dark red on his face hid part of the tattoo that covered his left eye and cheek, though the red pentacle on his forehead remained. At eleven seasons, he still hadn't remembered anything before Mana found him stumbling around on the side of the road while they traveled. Tyki's gaze dropped down to the button up shirt that was his own as well, the white cloth not covering the place on Allen's shoulder where the burn mark began. Tyki had only seen the mark a few times, as Allen strived to keep that part of his body hidden from everyone; they all assumed he'd had the habit long before Mana ever saw him, because he was extremely good at it, and had been since they found him when he was supposedly four seasons. He was wearing loose black pants and was barefoot, like the rest of the group; Tyki entertained for a moment the idea of Allen one day leaving them, because he was so different from the rest of the group that took him in. He had the type of skin that never tanned, only burned, and despite the love he had for his adoptive family, Allen always seemed to have a different goal in his mind, one that differed from the family desire to wander from town to town for performances.

With a sigh, Tyki ruffled Allen's hair again, ignoring the boy's surprised noise.

"Come on." He muttered finally. "Let us get food and inform everyone else we are back. Lulubell had been adamant about me not leaving during the storm. I wouldn't doubt that she would be as pleased as she could get to see us alive and well." He glanced at Road before steering Allen away. "Come, quickly, before Sheril and Tricia decide to strangle us as well." As they raced around the camp, Tyki felt something forming in the pit of his stomach, something that felt warm and happy, a completely welcome feeling.

He threw his head back and laughed, feeling completely at ease for the first time since he was eleven seasons and making plans in a tree with Lavi.