"I told you we weren't going to make it before nightfall," Allen complained, dropping his bag to the ground and stretching his back. Orange and red lit the edges of the sky as he took in their surroundings. The road they had taken couldn't have been more than a deer trail for how overgrown it was. They hadn't seen a soul on it since this morning, and the forest around them grew thick with underbrush. Allen doubted anyone had used this route in a long time.

Lavi chewed on his lower lip, as he slumped over against an old pine tree. "I'm telling you, Al. This route is shorter. We should've been in town by now. The other road is nearly five miles longer than this one."

Allen slapped at a mosquito biting his neck and grimaced as his hand pulled away with the squished remains. "Did you stop to think about the terrain? We've basically been hiking through the hills this whole time, which slowed our speed considerably."

Lavi opened his mouth to reply, but shut it promptly. His green eye widened with realization, then he cursed under his breath.

With a sigh, Allen worked the ties off his bag. "Looks like we're camping out tonight. Help me with the tent, would you?" He knelt down in the dirt, pulling out the supplies.

"You actually brought a tent?" Lavi asked, joining Allen on the ground. Twigs snapped under foot as he settled in next to him.

"Well, the last time we went on a mission together and we got stuck out in the middle of nowhere, we had to camp without any protection. I didn't fancy a repeat performance of that night. I think I still have bug bites from it."

"Don't exaggerate. It wasn't that bad." Lavi rolled his eye and he gathered the tent frame. The metal bars were collapsible, making it easier to transport, but a pain to put together.

Allen tugged at the tightly folded tent material, trying to free it from his bag. "The mosquitoes were so big, they needed a runway to land."

Lavi snorted and shook his head, starting to piece together the tent frame. "Now I know you're exaggerating." He looked around the area they had stopped. "Should we move our little campsite further from the road?"

"I doubt anyone will come by to bother us, anyway, thanks to your shortcut." He shook out the tent once he freed it from the bag. The fabric was thin, yet strong, something the Science Department had cooked up for the Exorcists to use on missions. Allen was already silently thanking them for it.

With a sigh, Lavi's shoulders slumped. "You're not going to let this go, are you? I'm sorry, okay? What can I do to make up for forcing us to sleep out in the woods?"

"Actually, you should probably get some dry wood and start a fire. We're going to lose light soon and it's going to get cold tonight. I'll take care of the tent," Allen suggested, less peeved than he let on. It would do Lavi good to think on his mistake, but it wasn't like they couldn't deal with one night roughing it. They'd both slept in worse conditions.

Lavi stood up and saluted Allen with mock-seriousness, then marched off into the woods to gather kindling.

He chuckled as he picked up the tent frame. "Don't get lost," Allen called out. "I won't come searching for you if you do."

"Al, you wound me with your callous heart!" Lavi shouted back, already far off into the trees.

Allen only laughed harder.

xXxXxXx

Night had fallen, and the fire burned hot behind Allen as he put the finishing touches on the tent. Something looked off in the scant light, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The shelter's fabric stretched taut over the frame, looking flimsier than he would have liked, but it would do. Taking a step back, Allen tilted his head as he tried to figure out what bothered him about the tent.

It wasn't until Lavi commented that Allen realized his mistake. "How the hell are we both supposed to fit in there?"

Allen slapped his hand on his forehead. The tent was built for one, not two. "Damn. I thought I had brought a bigger tent." With a heavy sigh, he turned and sat back down at the fire, grabbing some more of the warmed food Lavi had prepared. "Sorry, Lavi. Looks like we'll be a bit cramped tonight."

The redhead grinned over at him. "Hey, if you wanted to snuggle, all you had to do was ask."

Allen rolled his eyes, used to the redhead's teasing by now. Without missing a beat, he replied, "I'll keep that in mind for next time." The comment was worth it when Lavi not-so-elegantly choked on his food.

After finishing their dinners and arranging their scant bedding, they both squeezed into the tent. Allen wiggled his way in first, moving to the far edge of the floorspace while Lavi worked his way in after. They were a mess as they attempted to give each other room that wasn't there to begin with.

"Ow, watch out," Allen grumbled rubbing his forehead after Lavi bumped into him.

"Sorry," he mumbled back, tugging at the blankets to squirm under them. Allen sat up, waiting for Lavi to stop moving before he settled into the blankets.

There would've been plenty of room to stretch out if they didn't have to share. However, Lavi wasn't exactly small, and their knees and elbows knocked together as Allen tried to find a comfortable position.

It was awkward as hell. Every time Allen moved, he bumped into Lavi, their hands and legs touching or twisting together, leaving one or both of them to apologize and try to give each other more space, which led to another round of shuffling.

Allen sighed, a smile touching his lips as he brushed back the hair from his face. "This is not working."

"Yeah, you don't need to tell me," Lavi grumbled back, adjusting his legs again. "I'm seriously too damn big for this thing."

"Should've thought about that before you grew so tall."

"Oh, ha ha. You're hilarious," Lavi replied, his tone dry as toast. He let out an exhausted huff before sitting up and reaching for the zippered door. "I'll just sleep outside."

"What? Why would you do that?" Allen asked. He sat up on his elbows, and watched as Lavi fussed with the door, trying to find it in the dark. He could only see the redhead's outline, the light from the still burning fire filtering in through the thin fabric.

"There's not room for both of us in here, and it's my fault we're stuck out in the woods."

"Don't be such a martyr. I thought that was my job?" Allen teased, grabbing Lavi's arm and tugging him away from the door. "We'll just have to forgo modesty in lieu of practicality."

Lavi paused, turning back to Allen with a confused look on his face. "What?"

"Spoon me, you dork," Allen said as he shifted around in mess of blankets.

"I— Come again?" Lavi asked, too dumbfounded to form a coherent sentence.

"You're too tall for his tent and we'll never fit in here if we try to keep to our own sides." Allen turned, facing the tent wall as he curled up on his side. "Just lay behind me. It'll be easier if we sleep closer together."

Lavi's mouth hung open like a fish gasping for air as he stared at Allen. He took a breath to say something, but the words died in his throat.

Allen chuckled. "What? Are you embarrassed?"

"No," Lavi said, snapping out of his silence. "I am not embarrassed in the slightest. I just… don't want to make you uncomfortable is all."

Shaking his head, Allen pulled Lavi until he fell back against the blankets. "And I'm telling you it's fine. Now hurry up and get to sleep. I'd like to be somewhat rested since we have a long hike ahead of us in the morning. Besides, it's chilly tonight and I wouldn't mind the extra warmth."

"Ah, yeah. Right. Okay, then," Lavi babbled as he curled up behind Allen. "Let no one ever accuse you of impracticality, Beansprout."

Allen elbowed Lavi in the gut, leaving the redhead to let out a grunt from the contact. "It's Allen," he said, pulling the blanket over his shoulder as he settled in. "Now, keep quiet. I want to sleep."

"Geez, so demanding now that we're sleeping together," Lavi quipped.

Allen felt the redhead's body heavy against his back as he shifted positions, then the warmth of breath on his neck. He shivered, the pressure of another body next to his more comforting than he wanted to admit. "Don't make me elbow you again."

"Right — shutting up now."

xXxXxXx

Allen groaned, an inconsistent scuffling noise irritating him enough to rouse him. He cracked open his eyes, vision blurry and unfocused. It was still dark, and Lavi seemed undisturbed by the rustling. As Allen's senses sharpened, he listened to the sound, trying to discern what it was.

"Lavi," he whispered, trying to get his friend's attention. "Lavi." When he realized the redhead wasn't waking to his call, Allen turned around and shook him. Their limbs had tangled in their sleep, and Lavi had draped his arm firmly around Allen's midsection. When he finally turned around, their noses touched.

"Nnn… Not so hard, Al," Lavi grumbled, still half asleep. "Be gentle with me."

"Lavi," Allen hissed. "Something is outside."

"Hn?" Lavi mumbled, finally opening his eye. Once his vision focused, he jerked away from Allen, a hot blush on his cheeks. "Al? What—"

Before he could say more, Allen pressed his hand over Lavi's mouth, silencing him. "I think something is outside," he whispered, eyeing the tent door.

Lavi sighed, pulling Allen's hand from his mouth. "It's probably just a skunk or a raccoon or something. Don't worry about it." He rubbed at his eye, moving back to give them more space. "Is this what you woke me for? I was having a good dream."

Allen opened his mouth to protest, but the comment on the dream made him grin. "Oh? What was it about?"

"Ah, well…" Lavi stuttered, looking away. Allen could tell he was blushing, even in the dark. "Nothing important."

"Because you said my name in your sleep," Allen added, enjoying watching the redhead squirm.

"Did I?" Lavi asked, his voice going up an octave. "I think you're hearing things. First the animal outside and then me? Better get your ears checked when we get back to the Order."

"I know what I heard," Allen insisted, still speaking in hushed tones.

To prove his point, the scuffling outside of the tent grew louder, enough so that Lavi sat up to listen. They looked at each other as something continued to move around just outside of the flimsy fabric. Whatever it was, it was big, and it knocked over some of the items they had left outside.

"I told you," Allen whispered, sitting up and untangling his legs from the blankets. He leaned closer to Lavi, their shoulders touching as they both focused on the noises outside. "That is too big to be a raccoon."

Lavi swallowed. "Okay, perhaps you're right… So, we just stay quiet and maybe it'll go away?"

"Maybe? That's your brilliant plan? Ignore it and it'll go away" Allen grumbled. He stared at the tent wall, trying to discern where the animal was. "Lavi, what if it doesn't go away?"

"Uh… Then we fight it?" he offered, grimacing at the thought.

"With what? Our Innocence? I don't know about you, but I'm not killing an animal if I don't have to, especially not like that," Allen countered, frowning at the redhead.

"So then, what do you suggest we do?" Lavi asked, exasperation in his whispered voice.

Allen pursed his lips, staring at the tent flap as he tried to think. "…Run?"

Lavi stifled a laugh, not wanting to bring any unwanted attention their way. "And that's your plan? Genius."

Allen elbowed him in the side. "It's better than doing nothing."

Lavi took a breath to respond, but a sudden noise distracted them. From the sound of it, the animal knocked over the pan they had been cooking with earlier in the night. Allen gulped and moved closer to Lavi as they stared at the wall of the tent. The remaining light from the campfire glowed against the wall, and they could see their furry intruder.

Allen's eyes widened at the sight. It was a hulking mass on four legs, whatever it was. At one point, the light caught its shadow just right as it yawned. Teeth lined its mouth, like rows of tiny blades. Allen reached out to Lavi, clinging to his arm and unable to take his gaze off the shadow.

It continued ransacking their supplies, likely scrounging for food. Allen leaned in closer as he whispered quieter than before. "Maybe it's a bear?"

"It's certainly big enough," Lavi said back, his voice low and trembling with uncertainty. "Hopefully, it'll just leave. Then we won't have to—"

Lavi cut himself off, the animal's attention now on the tent. It nosed the walls, sniffing and huffing at the material. It had started on Allen's side of the tent, and Lavi wrapped a protective arm around Allen, tugging him to his side. They both watched the wall with rapt attention as the animal tested the material with a large paw.

"Lavi," Allen said, his voice barely audible. He clung closer to the redhead, frozen stiff against his friend. "We should run."

"If it's a bear, we shouldn't run," Lavi replied, keeping his voice as low as Allen had.

"Well, I don't want to stay here and be a gift-wrapped midnight snack." He slowly moved to the door flap, reaching for the zipper.

"What are you doing?!" Lavi hissed, tensing up as Allen put his plan into action.

"We're running."

"No we're not."

"Then stay and get eaten."

"Allen, this is a bad idea."

"Well, it's better than your idea," Allen countered, grabbing Lavi's hand. "Ready?"

"No!"

"On three, I open the door and we bolt for a tree."

"Do you even know how bears work?!" Lavi asked, the desperation heavy in his tone.

"One."

"Allen, no."

"Two."

"No, no, no!"

"Three!"

The zippered door came open in a flash, and Allen wasted no time in bolting through it, dragging Lavi behind. He only got a quick glance at the animal near the tent before they disappeared in the trees, seeing only a large, brown blur.

"Allen, I'm gonna kill you!" Lavi shouted, tripping over tree roots and trying to keep his balance as they ran.

"Just keep running!" They weaved through the underbrush, branches and leaves smacking them in the face, arms, and legs as they rushed through the forest. Twigs and dry leaves snapped underfoot. Allen's heart beat faster as he heard something behind them—

Something chasing them.

He didn't dare to look back, instead forcing his legs to pump faster, hoping to outrun it. "It's following us, Lavi!"

"This is why you don't run from bears!"

Allen panicked, sweat pouring down his temples as he tried to figure out what to do. He looked around the forest, but in the dark it was hard to see where they were or what to he could use. Lavi's hand was still in his as they dashed side-by-side through the woods.

Suddenly, Lavi stopped, jerking Allen to a halt. Before he could protest, the redhead grabbed his hips and pushed him up into a nearby tree.

"What are you doing?!" Allen asked grabbing a thick branch as he steadied himself to look down at his friend.

"Getting you out of harm's way. I'll keep running to distract it."

Allen's heart leap in his throat. "No, Lavi! Just get in the tree with me!" Fear strained in his chest as he reached down for the redhead. The animal was closing in; he could hear it crashing through the undergrowth. "Get up here now!"

Realizing he had run out of time, Lavi gave in to Allen's request. He reached up for Allen's outstretched hand, but before their fingers could touch, the mass of fur and teeth pounced on Lavi, dragging him to the ground. Lavi screamed as he hit the forest floor.

"Lavi!" Allen cried out. Without a second thought, he jumped down, ready to tear this animal in half for hurting the redhead. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he rushed to Lavi's side, ready to fight to the death — only to stop and stare at the sight in front of him.

Lavi squirmed under the animal while it licked his face, large paws keeping the redhead pinned to the ground as it worked over him with a slobbering tongue, excitedly wagging its tail. The animal, while large, brown, and excessively fluffy, was not a bear at all.

It was a dog.

"Save me, Al! I'm drowning in dog drool!" Lavi groaned, trying to push the massive beast off of him.

Allen collapsed to the ground, his legs too shaky to hold him up any longer. He laughed, wiping at the sweat on his forehead. "It's a dog. I can't believe we went through all of this for a dog."

Lavi pushed the dog back enough to allow himself to sit up, then scratched the scruff around its neck. "He's damn friendly, too. But I wonder what's he's doing out here all by himself."

"Maybe he's lost," Allen said, crawling over to Lavi and petting the dog's massive back. "Or abandoned?"

"He was probably looking for a snack." Lavi stood up, then helped Allen to his feet. They were both exhausted from their run, and their adrenaline rush had already faded, leaving them lethargic and ready for sleep.

"Well, if he hasn't already eaten all our supplies, I suppose we could get him something." Allen grinned, scratching the dog behind the ear and earning himself a few more slobbery kisses. "I hope you know the way back, because I don't have a clue which way we ran."

Lavi chuckled and tapped his the side of his head. "I've got it, Beansprout. No worries. Let's just get back. I'm ready to crash again."

They walked back at a slow pace, the dog panting as it trotted along beside them. It looked up at them expectantly, and Allen couldn't keep himself from petting it as they continued back to camp.

"We should give him a name," Allen said when they finally reached their campsite, grabbing his pack and shuffling through it. From what he could see, the dog only found a few scraps and licked at the remains in the pan. He found some cheese and bread, breaking off hunks and feeding it to the animal.

Lavi went straight to the tent, collapsing back into their disheveled blankets. "If you name it, you're gonna want to keep it."

Allen smiled as the dog licked at the hints of cheese still smeared on his fingers. He grabbed the pan from earlier and poured some fresh water into it. The dog lapped it up and Allen took a drink from the canteen as well. "Would that be so bad?"

"I don't think Komui will let you keep a dog," Lavi replied from the tent, his face already buried in the blankets.

Allen laughed. "We could name him Bear. He's certainly as big as one."

Lavi just snorted.

Satisfied that the dog had enough food and water for the night, Allen crawled back into the tent. As soon as he settled in next to Lavi, he called the dog in as well.

"Oof!" Lavi groaned and and winced as the dog walked over both of them, trying to find a place to sleep. "Allen, why did you let him in here with us?"

"Because he's ours now," Allen explained, resting next to Lavi and scrubbing his hands over the dog's fluffy neck.

"And how did I end up adopting a dog with you?"

"Well, it's your fault we took this route in the first place. So, now he's both our responsibility."

With a sigh, Lavi pulled at the blanket, tugging it over his head. "Oh, joy. Just don't let him drool on me while I sleep."

Allen smiled before zipping up the tent flap. "I make no such promises."