Hi all! This is the first story I've written for you. I hope you will like it! There might be a slight out-of-character-ness... Sorry about that! Also, I wasn't sure about the genre and the rating for the story... I hope it is right.
Please feel free to comment. I would really like to know what you think about my story, whether it is in good or bad. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own -Man or any of its characters. Sage Walker belongs to me only, Mel Mano.
Looking back and wishing upon a star
Kanda looked at the sleeping form beside him. It had been more than three months that he was taking care of the younger one, but she was twice as weak as she had been in the beginning. The infection had continued to spread on her back, and it now covered the entire area between her shoulders down to her waist. The green cross embedded in it was pulsating faintly, a ghost of its former self. The first time he had seen that cross, it had been a vivid green, and the infection merely covered the area close by. That was two years ago.
If only Sage hadn't wasted her energy on him, she wouldn't be in this state, he thought. But no, she had to try and fix the lilypad flower that kept him alive. He looked at said flower on his desk. It was resting in its hourglass, as it had always been, but white feathers now replaced the missing petals. He was thankful that she had lengthened his life, really, but hadn't she gone too far? Her Innocence had been shattered and gone berserk, causing the infection to spread. Deep inside, he was scared he might lose her at any minute.
Sage stirred beside him. He cradled her close, which seemed to calm her. Ah, really, he thought, when did he become so close to her? He liked to think it was only because he had to take care of her, but another part of his mind told him it went back far more than that. He had been interested in her ever since the first time he saw her, but he would never admit it. He was too full of pride for that. He was in love with Allen's twin? Yeah right. Like he would ever admit it was true.
On her first days in the Order, she had been a little ball of love and happiness. She made chocolate for everyone, Scientists, Exorcists and Lookers alike. She even made special dark chocolate for him, since he didn't like sweet things. She had become the heart of everyone's motivation, and the sole reason why everyone kept smiling through hardships. She didn't go on missions much, because Komui knew how much her presence was needed at the HQ. She only went when there weren't enough Exorcists for the tasks at hand or when her power of recognition was needed.
Like Allen, her twin, she was a cursed one. Her hair was pure white and she had a scar similar to Allen's on the back of her neck. This allowed her to know everyone's thoughts and secrets. When Kanda asked her, she said that it wasn't really mind reading, she just... knew, somehow, what the ones in front of her had in mind. This made it really hard to lie to her. Nobody ever succeeded, not even him. She could even tell apart Akuma and humans. Unlike Allen though, she didn't see Akuma's souls, which was a big relief according to him.
Sage stirred again, but this time he didn't do anything. She stopped moving, a content smile on her face. He assumed she wanted to check if she was still in his arms. She couldn't feel anything on her back due to the infection, and the rest of her pressure sensors were dazed. Komui had said it was a natural reaction of Sage's body to prevent her of feeling the immense pain that the infection could presumably bring forth. It also prevented her of feeling anything else, and Kanda had to help her walk, change her clothes, wash, and every other thing that seemed easy to others, but that she couldn't do anymore without injuring herself. He remembered the first time he had to wash her. It had been embarrassing for both of them, but they were now used to it, or at least he was. He wasn't sure if she was okay with it; she barely had any emotions now. It's the infection's fault, says Komui. It's sapping her lifeforce away.
The memory of their first shower made him chuckle. Yes, he remembered that day perfectly. At first, he had planned to make her take a bath and wash her from the outside of the bathtub, but she had protested. Even though she was so weak he could have ignored her protests, he had undressed, saying that "it would be embarrassing for the both of them now" and they had taken a shower together. She had insisted on washing his hair, and he had let her. He had had to tighten his grip on her so she wouldn't fall while she applied the lather to his hair. It had been the first time they were so close. Now, they were still close, but it was more for the necessity of it; Sage didn't have that much autonomy or will left.
He yawned. He looked over Sage's shoulder to see the clock. It read 4:00AM. Damn, he thought, if I don't get some sleep soon I'll be late for Sage's check-up tomorrow... I mean today.
He settled back in his pillow, burying his face in Sage's hair. She smelled good; a delicious mix between chocolate and cinnamon, and it helped him relax. He closed his eyes, and let his worries go to the sound of her soft breathing. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen of Sage. He prayed to the stars for Sage to get better, and fell into a deep slumber.
Outside, in the dead of night, a single star heard a prayer, and a sweet lullaby could be heard as it glistened.