[Note from the Author: Hello, my loves. Well, we've finally come to an end of Laven Week. It's been a long week, and my poor brain is fried from writing so much, but that's okay. It was worth it :D

Thanks everyone who has reviewed this. You all are seriously amazing :3

Let's move on to the last theme, eh?

Do you see the name Kumorizora on the covers of the D. Gray-Man manga? No? My point exactly.

Happy Readings!

~Kumori]

Theme Eight – Final

This was it. Today was the day. It was the day that Allen and Lavi were both praying would never come. Although everyone else around them was cheering because the war was over, Allen and Lavi were sitting together hand in hand on the red-head's bed. Allen was fighting tears while Lavi was staring up at the ceiling.

Today was the day Lavi and Bookman had to move on to the next war.

Lavi took a deep breath. "Allen, we knew that this day would come eventually."

"But that doesn't make it hurt any less," Allen whimpered.

"I know, Shortstack, but we've had this talk multiple times. There's no way around it."

"But Lavi," Allen whined. "The war is over. We don't have to worry about missions or fighting anymore! We can finally be together and not have to worry about one of dying the next day. I-I..." Allen trailed off and began to sob into Lavi's shoulder.

Lavi rubbed his back, feeling his own heart sink at the sight. He didn't know why he had agreed to this secret relationship. He knew better than anyone that Bookman liked to just up and leave at anytime to go to the next war. As 'Deak,' the two left in the middle of the night right before a huge raid that they were supposed to be a part of. Lavi had no doubt that all the people they left died because of their absence. After all, they were supposed to be the look outs.

Bookman didn't care for humans. Hell, he hated them. Lavi figured that if Bookman had emotions, he would probably feel excited every time someone was killed on the battle field. He knew that if he told Bookman that he had fallen in love and didn't want to leave, he would kill Lavi right there. Lavi was strong, yes, but there was no way he could hold his own against his mentor when he was going all out. After terminating Lavi, he would probably turn on Allen and kill him as well, being the reason that Lavi had gone astray. Lavi didn't want that to happen. He didn't doubt that Allen could beat Bookman, but it would all just be unnecessary bloodshed.

Allen continued to sob, and Lavi just rubbed his back. With every sob and shaky breath Allen let out, he felt himself getting closer to the edge of breaking down. He couldn't. If he broke down, he would never be able to do his job again. He would be leaving Allen for absolutely nothing.

No. He had to stay strong. He had to keep a small part of him neutral. He needed to keep at least a little bit of his Bookman self. He needed it.

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Lenalee. "Lavi?" she said a bit sadly. "It's time for you to go. Bookman said to meet him at the entrance."

Lavi nodded. "Thanks, Lena. I'll be there in a moment."

Lenalee nodded, her own eyes shining with unshed tears. "Okay." She closed the door, and Allen broke out into another fit of sobs, drenching Lavi's shoulder with his tears.

"Allen..."

"L-Lavi, please, d-don't leave me..."

The tone of Allen's voice made Lavi almost rethink everything. The way he sounded so broken just made him want to tell Bookman to fuck off then wrap Allen up in his arms and promise him that he wasn't going anywhere. To just hold him close and kiss his tears away. To always be beside him, not caring about anything else. To live like a human in love...

He shook the thoughts away. As tempting as the thought was, he knew that he could never survive as a human. The Bookman in him wouldn't allow him. He would always be searching for answers that he could never get. He would be restless. It was just impossible.

"Allen, I have to go," Lavi said quietly.

Allen hiccuped and gripped to Lavi's sleeve tightly. "Pl-please... No..."

"Allen, I have to. We've talked about this." Lavi's heart was slowly crumbling the more Allen spoke. He knew that he had to do this. It was the best for both of them.

Slowly, Lavi stood up and helped Allen to his feet. He looked at the younger dead in the eye. It was a hard task since the mercury irises were wet from the many tears that were falling down his cheeks. "Allen. I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"But why?!" Allen wailed. "Why can't you stay? Please Lavi! I need you! Don't leave!" Allen tackled Lavi, and the red-head barely kept himself from falling back on the bed.

"Allen, I just can't."

"Dammit, Lavi! Why? Can't you see that I can't live without you? If you leave me, I don't know what will happen!"

"Allen I –"

Allen cut off Lavi by pressing his lips against his. Allen's lips were wet from all of his tears, and they were trembling. Lavi couldn't hold himself back. He kissed Allen with everything he had. He wasn't about to half ass his final kiss with the one who had changed him so much. He wrapped his arms around Allen's waist and pulled him in close. Allen threw his arms around Lavi's neck. They kissed with so much passion and desperation, one would think that this was the last time they were ever going to be each other.

And one would be right.

After what seemed like had only been a few seconds, but was actually a little over a minute in reality, the two separated, both breathing a little ragged.

"I-I'm sorry," Allen said sadly.

Lavi tightened his grip on Allen, smashing the younger into his chest. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he said quietly. "It's my fault. I agreed to this, and now I'm leaving you. I'm sorry."

Allen snuggled into Lavi's chest, and Lavi went back to rubbing his back. If Allen's words before hadn't already had him mostly convinced to stay, that last kiss definitely was. He wanted nothing more than to stay here with Allen, to be happy with him. He opened his mouth to tell him that he won, that he wanted to stay.

"I have to get going," came out instead.

Allen nodded against his chest before backing up. He opened the door for Lavi and smiled sadly, tears still streaming down his face. "I know..."

On a whim, Lavi grabbed Allen's hand and squeezed it lightly. He felt Allen squeeze back and tried to take his hand back, but Lavi kept a firm grip. It was the last time the two would be together, so there was really no problem with walking out hand in hand with his love. Why the hell not?

Still holding Allen's hand, he walked out of his room and down the seemingly endless halls of the Black Order. The two walked to the entrance of the Black Order where everyone was waiting. Once again, out of habit Allen tried to yank his hand away, but Lavi wouldn't let it go.

When they were with everyone, the first thing that Lavi noticed was that Bookman was narrowing his eyes suspiciously at him. Lavi immediately averted his gaze from his Gramps, and instead made conversation with his now former comrades. Everyone was still beaten up from the final battle a little more than two weeks ago, but despite that most of them were smiling and wishing Lavi luck on his newest mission.

Lavi gulped and nodded. He had lied to everyone and told them all that he and Bookman were off to go to the Asian Branch of the Black Order and take permanent residence there. Only Allen knew the truth. Well, some of it. Lavi told him that he had to leave and take on a new persona and would never return. He never told him that he was going off to fight in another war just to gather information, and leave whenever Bookman deemed necessary. Much like they had done here.

Finally, Bookman cleared his throat. "It's time that we go," he said.

Lavi nodded numbly. "Later, everyone! You better come visit me in the other branch, got it?" he said convincingly. Everyone other than Allen nodded.

As Lavi turned away, Allen called to him. "Lavi!"

Lavi spun around and looked at Allen one last time. The sprout was holding himself together fairly well. His eyes were puffy from crying, but the tears had stopped flowing. He shook where he stood, and Lavi contained his urge to run over and hug the guy as tight as he could.

"Good luck," Allen said with a smile. At this point, more tears fell down his cheeks.

The sight broke Lavi's heart. His mask was slipping. His fingers were trembling slightly. Before he did anything that he regretted, he saluted Allen in a friendly fashion, a wide grin on his face. "You too, Shortstack. Take care of yourself."

Not even waiting to see Allen's reaction, Lavi spun around and ran after Bookman, the giant doors of the Headquarters slamming behind them.

"Well, it's time to get you a new name, Junior. And our newest mission is in Russia. We will be with the resistance army that is fighting against..."

The Bookman apprentice sighed inwardly, not even listening to what Bookman was saying. That's right. I'm not 'Lavi' anymore. I'm going to become my fiftieth alias. I'm not the person Allen loved anymore. I'm someone new all together. 'Lavi' is dead. It's time to move on.

A sudden thought came to mind. It was Allen who had called him 'Lavi' the last time. The image of Allen standing there with tears streaming down his face as he called him by his fake name was burned into his mind, his photographic memory making it painfully clear. It was Allen who made the final call. Now every time the Bookman apprentice would think of 'Lavi,' Allen would come to mind.

Suddenly, he hated his photographic memory.

[Note from the Author: And that's how it's done, my friends :D End it all with some sadness. Ah. I'm a horrible human being, I am well aware ~

Well, now that this is over, I'm going to finish up my beta duties and start back on working on Little Lavi and Distant Hearts. I'm also gonna do some work on my newest fic. As you all can see, I have no life .-. This is what happens when most of your friends are in other states over the summer u.u

Thank you for reading and thank you to everyone who has reviewed. You all are seriously awesome. Like, Prussia level awesome :D (Hetalia reference).

Until Next Time!

~Kumori]