Crossover

Turmoil

Rat found himself at the library, again. This was the third day this week he had walked Shion to work, only to end up hanging out at the place. He sat at a table where he could mostly watch the boy as he worked. Rat did his homework. This had his parents happier; it had been awhile since he even cared about doing it. Something in Shion made him want to appear better for the kid.
Allen had only worked two nights at the dojo so far. Both brothers had Saturday off. As Rat waited for Shion to finish up he saw Nai walk in alone. The boy stood near the front door, He had on a long-sleeved hoodie that looked too big for him. He pulled the sleeves over his hands as he looked worriedly around. Rat stood.
“Nai?” he called out. Those red eyes, so like his brother’s, found him. He gave him a tiny smile and hurried over.
“Hi, Rat. I was looking for Shion.” He said. The kid looked slightly freaked.
“He is putting the last of the books away. He’s almost done.” Rat told him. Nai sat cross legged in the chair beside him. He clutched his hands together.
“Is everything alright?” Rat asked.
“Mmmhm.” Nai mumbled. Rat slipped his phone out and texted Gareki. ‘Hey, Nai is freaked. He is at the library.’ It only took a second for Gareki to respond.
‘Thank god he’s ok, on my way.’ Rat watched the boy as his eyes darted around the space. He knees wiggled up and down, as his head was like a swivel on his neck. A few minutes went by in silence. Rat was trying to think of something to say to the kid. He saw Gareki come in the door first, a moment later Shion came out of the stacks. His eyes found Nai. They both rushed over to the boy.
“What’s wrong?” Shion asked pulling Nai from the chair to hug him. Nai clutched his brother tightly.
“There were cop cars at your place when I went over to check on Nai.” Gareki had gotten detention that day and couldn’t walk the boy home. Rat had made sure Shion got to work, then had taken the boy home only to return to the library.
“Nai?” Shion asked pushing him back slightly.
“I, I don’t know why they are there. I saw the lights. I got scared.” He fidgeted with his long sleeves. Shion smoothed the boy’s hair down.
“Ok. I just need to punch out then we can see what’s going on.” He asked Gareki to keep an eye on Nai until he came back. The dark kid was all too happy to help. Shion pulled the phone out as soon as he was out of Nai sight.
‘Cops at home. Nai’s with me, you ok?’ he texted Allen. It took until he was back with Nai to get a response.
‘Fine, on my way home now.’
‘Same’ Shion responded.
“Allen’s fine. He’s on his way home as well.” He draped his arm across his younger brother shoulders. “Let’s go.”
“We will walk with you.” Rat said slinging the backpack over one shoulder.
“You don’t need to do that.” Shion protested.
“Yeah we do.” Gareki commented, his face stern. Shion only shrugged pulling Nai with him. They walked out. Nai and Shion had walked the same way for three days now, they knew how to get home from the library.
As they came across their street, they saw the flashing lights. They walked down the block. The sound of a rare bird tweeted in the air. Shion and Nai’s heads spun in the direction of the sound. Allen and Kanda came walking over to them. The two pale boys looked at each other. Shion shrugged. Allen turned to look down the street.
“Mom’s fine. She said no one came to the bakery.” Allen told them.
“Maybe they aren’t at our house.” There was a note of hope in his voice.
“Only one way to find out.” Allen took the lead down the street.
The group came in sight of the police cars. There were three surrounding an old rusted out red truck, with a camper on the back, sitting in front of their house. The three pale boys moved ahead. The dark teens weren’t having that, they easily matched their forward progress.
“What’s going on?” Allen called out as they came up. One of the police officers turned to look at him.
“Is this your house?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m…”
“Allen!” A voice called out. “I told them it was a misunderstanding but they won’t listen.” A man in hand cuffs said. He was short, even smaller that Nai, with thin hair on his head. His smile looked more like a grimace as he looked at the boys. Allen groaned.
“He won’t tell us his name. Only that he knows the people that live here and was waiting for them to come home.” The same officer said to Allen.
“Bookman!” Nai cried rushing up to the man to hug him.
“It’s ok, sir.” Allen said. “He is our mothers’ brother. He probably forgot the address to her bakery and came here instead.”
The officer didn’t look to convinced by this. “We had reports that a strange man in a strange vehicle has been parked here all day.” He said.
“Well yes, we just moved her beginning of the week. My uncle hasn’t been here til now. I’m sure the neighbors don’t know him that well.”
“Or at all.” A laughing voice called out from a side street. Allen turned a gasp slipping from his mouth at the sight of the boy walking toward him. Tall, lanky for a teen, the shock of red hair spiked out over a green bandana and one eye covered with a patch, he wore tight fitting jeans and a shirt that hugged his thin frame. The boy walked up with six cups in a carrying tray.
“Lavi, what are you doing here?” The tone of Shion’s voice had Rat’s neck hairs standing on end. This grinning fool had the boy scared.
“Don’t worry, I got the chip out a few months back. Dad can’t track me now.” At the look on Allen and Shion’s faces, Kanda stepped forward. He half blocked Allen from this weird boy.
“Honestly, I found Bookman a few weeks ago. He wouldn’t have brought me with him if it meant I wasn’t safe, right?” the kid looked around. His eye fell onto Kanda.
“Who’s the hot stud, Al?” he asked, trying to lean around Kanda to talk to the shorter boy. Allen laughed.
“This is a friend of mine.” Allen said stepping to Kanda’s side. “He likes to be called Kanda.” He said.
“Sooo, his name isn’t Kanda?” Lavi asked pursing his lips. Allen chuckled.
“Don’t try it, he would snap you in half.” Allen laughed. “Is one of those for us?” he asked pointing to the cups.
“Oh, um yeah, I didn’t expect you to bring friends.” Lavi said. Allen took the cup he was offered he turned back to the police officer.
“Really sir, everything is fine. You can release my uncle.” Allen said. Lavi passed out the drinks to Shion and Nai waiting for them to release Bookman. Another car pulled up before the police officers did anything. This got a che out of Kanda. Rat turned; it was Gareki who laughed as the tall man with curly black hair greying at the temples walked up fixing his glasses.
“Boys, what are you doing here?” the man asked. Allen, Shion and Nai looked at the other three.
“Tidal.” Kanda greeted with an even grouchier glare than normal. Rat snorted.
“Hey, Uncle Tidal.” Gareki greeted with a smile.
“Gareki can you please tell me why you are here?” his uncle asked.
“Detective.” the police officer started. Tidal held up his hand. The man paused. “These three are friends of ours from school.”  The boy explained. The man nodded. He talked privately with the officer then came back over. The officer released Bookman. Lavi gave him his cup of coffee. The police left, but Tidal remained.
“Yu, what is this all about?” he asked.
“Yu?” Lavi said.
“Don’t call me that old man!” Kanda growled. “Or you, you stupid rabbit!” he snarled. Lavi’s grin became wider.
“Sure, Yu, never again.” He laughed. Allen groaned. He pulled Lavi and his brothers to the door. Allen unlocked it to let everyone in. Only Kanda and Tidal remained outside.
“When does you’re, uh, mother get home?” Bookman asked looking at the dark trio that followed the boys inside
“It’s Friday, so she keeps the bakery open until eight. She should be here by nine. I already told her you where here.” He said. Bookman nodded.
“It’s only a checkup visit, Allen.” Bookman stated. Shion went to the refrigerator.
“What is there to eat in here, Nai?” he called as he pulled it open. The smaller boy slammed it shut.
“It’s in the oven!” Nai cried.
“You didn’t burn it rushing out to get me, did you?” he asked. Nai was already shaking his head no.
“I put it in the oven, that’s when I saw the police cars.” He said.
“And your first instinct was to go get your brother from work?” Kanda and Tidal had come back into the house. Nai slipped behind Shion to hide from the detective.
Allen spun to face them. “They have an abusive farther, he scarred Allen there.” Rat said pointing to the boy’s face.
“Why doesn’t your mother go to the authorities?” Tidal asked. Bookman snorted, Lavi made a noise that sounded like a balloon farting, Allen glared, Shion hugged Nai tighter as the boy shook a little at the thought.
“Because, their father is higher up then even you, detective.” Bookman said.
“He is in law enforcement?” Tidal asked.
“Nope, but he has money enough to control them.” Lavi snarled. He leaned his elbows on the counter. “Ya, know Kanda. I really would love to watch you leave.” He smirked. Kanda tsked. Allen groaned, Lavi laughed.
“Tidal, you’re making them uncomfortable. Why don’t you just go.” Rat said. Tidal looked around at them. He reached into his pocket to pull out a business card.
“I don’t like dirty cops, or cops for hire.  Tell your mother to give me a call.” He said goodbye to his nephews before heading out. Nai let out a gush of air as he hugged Shion tighter.
“That was scary.” He said. A beeping sound filled the silence. Nai jumped away from his siblings.
“Dinner’s done!” he cried. He pulled out a large roast that had baked potatoes and stuffing surrounding it in the pan. He set to work dishing it out with all the fixings and rolls along with mixed vegetables.  He set a plate in the microwave for their mom. The six boys, Lavi and Bookman sat down to eat together.
Kanda kept trying to get someone to talk about Cross, but Allen or Bookman quickly changed the subject. It seemed they Nai and Gareki did most of the talking. They told Lavi and Bookman how the six met. Lavi cracked jokes that had Shion laughing more than Rat had ever seen. Rat was pleased with this less stressed Shion.
By the time Karen came home with left over pastries for dessert, the mood had shifted greatly. Lavi was a natural entertainer. That and he kept trying to get Kanda to go out with him. He flirted with the good-looking dark teen unrelentingly to the amusement of everyone but Kanda.
Before the brothers left to go home, Gareki pulled Nai aside. “Hey, tomorrow is Saturday, would you like to go to the mall with me?” he asked. Rat glanced at them to see what he would say.
Nai looked to his brothers. Rat was surprised by this. He didn’t look at his mother first. “Can I go?” he asked Allen. Allen gave him a smile.
“Well, Shion and I don’t work tomorrow.” He began. Gareki sighed.
“Do you do everything together?” he whined.
“Allen is only trying to keep you and Nai safe.” Karen said gently. Gareki glared out the window.
“Look, we know how to be discreet.” Shion said. “We can follow and keep an eye on him from a distance.” He added.
“Why don’t we all just go?” Rat said.
“Oooh, I would love that, Kanda?” Lavi asked grinning foolishly at the dark boy. Kanda ched, folded his arms over his chest and glared out the window, Lavi, pouted.
“Allen, you don’t have anything going on with him, do you?” He asked looking to the boy. “I mean I have been trying my best game here and he is just all about, Allen!” Lavi did jazz hands when he said the pale boys name. Allen’s face reddened.
“We are friends!” He cried looking away. Rat saw how he checked Kanda out of the corner of his eye. He was sure that the boy didn’t notice his brother doing the same to him. Rat smirked. So, they liked each other. He glanced to Shion. The boy was just grinning foolishly at Lavi. Rat glared t the one- eyed kid.
“I’m up for spending the day with our dear older brother!” Shion laughed.
“Wait, brother?” Rat asked. This had Kanda spinning around.
“Well half-brother.” Lavi pointed out. “Same asshole father but my mom isn’t Karen.” Lavi explained. “My mom died in birth, Bookman’s my grandfather, he raised me.” He explained.
“It would do you all good to get out tomorrow.” Karen said.
“I’m in.” Rat looked over to Kanda.
“Yeah sure.” The boy grouched.
“Hurray!” Lavi cheered punching a hand in the air. He hugged Allen with the other arm. Allen only laughed, turning red again as he looked at Kanda.
“See you all tomorrow.” Nai said. They set a time that the three dark teens would pick them up.
“Why can’t we meet at the mall?” Lavi asked.
“Like they could find it.” Rat stated.
“Oh, right, your directional thing.” He chuckled. “I keep forgetting about that, since, you know I am a walking GPS.” Allen punched him in the gut. Lavi doubled over, over reacting to the assault.
“You’re such a jerk, Lavi!” Allen laughed. The dark-haired boys left after that. Allen and Shion helped set up Nai’s room for Lavi and Bookman to sleep for a few days. Nai helped clean the kitchen with Karen. He would sleep in the extra bed in Shion’s room. Where he typically slept anyway since he had a fear of being alone.  Yawning, he smiled as Shion tucked him in.
“Good night, Shion.” He said the boy said the same back as he got himself into bed. They were both excited for their first trip to a mall the next day.