A/N: I'm doing the 30 Kisses LiveJournal Challenge for Kanda x Lenalee, so expect more of these from me, and please enjoy this first entry. I love this pairing to bits, and and LJ definitely need more KandaxLenalee love.

Disclaimer: DGM belongs to Hoshino Katsura. End of story.

30. Kiss

"...we're not gonna make it."

It was realization that made Lenalee crumple to her knees, finally resigned to death.

"Che, aren't you the one always going on about not giving up and wanting to protect your friends?"

The 16 year-old exorcist looked towards Yu Kanda, who had growled out his response while slashing a level 1 Akuma in half.

She didn't know how he even managed to talk. She felt she was frozen, unable to do anything except watch him fend off the small army of Level 1's in groups of two and three. Somewhere inside, she felt the urge to get up and help him, but that part was instantly snuffed out by her tiredness and exhaustion.

It started as a simple and straightforward mission. 'Retrieve Innocence in the heart of France, expect some Level 2's and maybe a Level 3 in your way. Kanda will be going with you. Any irregularities with your Crystal-Type Innocence, report them when you come back. Have a safe trip. We're looking forward to your return.'

'Some Level 2's, maybe a Level 3'? When the two of them finally managed to obtain the Innocence, they were ambushed by two Level 3's, ten Level 2's and what seemed like a huge army of Level 1's.

Lenalee's battle with Eshi was still fresh in her mind. Being on the verge of death. Forcing full-activation.

When she saw her friends throw themselves into danger, and all she could do was watch, just for a second, she regretted her full-activation. Having her innocence rendered useless. Crippling her legs when they were supposed to strengthen them. She hated it, that feeling of hopelessness. She never wanted to feel like that again, like a burden that would only slow her friends down.

And that was why it was such a relief when she was able to fight again. With help of her easier-to-handle Crystal-Type Innocence, the two of them managed to take the Level 3's down. but the battle ended up taking most of their energy and leaving them breathless. Yes, the strongest enemies were gone, but the army of weaker Akumas remained. And if they charged all at once, the two of them would be easily overwhelmed.

Lenalee didn't like to give up. But as her vision began to blur and her legs shook violently, she knew that their situation was looking bleak. The stream of Akuma seemed endless. Even Kanda, who was always so strict with his emotions and 'showing weakness', was panting harshly. But, unlike she, he was still standing, still fighting.

A Level 2 was approaching her, a twisted, eager look on its face and saliva dripping from one corner of its mouth. She commanded her legs to stand up, to kick the Akuma away, but her legs only gave a half-hearted twitch in response. She strained her neck to look at Kanda, still busy with the number of Akuma ambushing him. He had his own problems. He couldn't save her now.

Get up, Lenalee, she screamed inwardly, Get UP! Stand!

The Akuma lunged forward. Her willpower prevailed, and she managed to push herself aside to roll out of the way. There was a slight sting as its teeth scraped against her left arm, but at least there wasn't a huge chunk missing from it.

"Oh? Still alive, are you?"

He charged a second time, with twice more speed as the first. In her current state, there was no way she could dodge it.

Nii-san, Allen-kun, Lavi, Kanda, everyone...

She cringed, eyes closing instinctively.

Silence.

Then, the sound of a sword slicing through flesh, and a wailing, enraged shriek.

"You IDIOT. What the hell are you doing?"

The sound of his familiar voice chastising her made Lenalee want to laugh. However, her weak gurgle only made a bubble of blood burst from the corner of her mouth, splattering her cheek with blood. Looking at it, his scowl intensified.

"Kanda...it's no use..."

For a second, it seemed as though he hadn't heard. Then, he lifted Mugen up, cocked in a battle stance.

"Che, don't underestimate me. I'm not gonna die here."

She wanted to laugh, or even just smile. But energy was a far and distant memory now. Hopelessness enveloped her heart like the darkness enveloping her eyesight, but she suddenly realized the one thing she wanted to do.

If we're going to die here anyway...

Kanda jerked at movement to his right. Lenalee was propping herself with one hand, and the other was reaching out to him. Even from his distance he could see it was trembling. But what caught his attention was her expression. It wasn't panic, or desperation, a comrade looking to another to seek comfort in the midst of battle. More like the resigned determination of someone trying to accomplish an impossible goal but deciding to see it through to the end anyway.

A smirk edged its way into his face. Her stubbornness, despite being annoying, was still admirable.

He finished off another Level 1 before turning towards her, scowl just about to form when her hand gripped his bloodied collar and pulled him down so his lips met hers in a kiss.

It wasn't like anything she expected, not tender or soft or sweet. It was clumsy at first; for a second, they were just two teenagers sharing their first kiss, and the next, desperation gripped her, forced her to savour every moment knowing that it might well be her last. Tears ran down her bloodied cheek and into the corner of her mouth. For a moment all she could taste the salt from her tears. Salt from the blood. Her senses were heightened, but at the same time her surroundings had disappeared.

An arm was snaking around her waist, and at that she couldn't help but smile against his lips. Most likely, he was just trying to keep the both of them upright, but she liked to pretend that in some small way, he was trying to comfort her.

Just for that moment, she forgot they were fighting for their lives, heavily outnumbered, wounded, and extremely exhausted.

Her vision was darkening now. She couldn't fight the heavy feeling on her eyes, and it wasn't long before they fluttered shut. She could feel him gently settling her on the blood-stained ground, and hear him walk away, but not before giving her hand the slightest squeeze for good measure.

Lenalee knew she should trust Kanda. Right now, that was all she could do. Trust him to do what he could, because while she could be stubborn, he was ten times worse. If he said he wouldn't die, then chances were he wouldn't.

With that, she finally consented, so sleep claimed her at last.

End.

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