Authors' Note:
Hello, Erik and Lotus here. Just when you thought all we would post were drabbles and one-shots, we present you with another full-blown fic. This is actually complete (more or less at this stage) but we are posting in chapters (the number of chapters has yet to be determined and they will vary in length). Rated T for Language and Violence, however the rating may go up if such things become too prevalent.
Disclaimer: We do NOT own Saiyuki or - man. This is is purely for pleasure and we are making no profit.
Kanda hugged Mugen to his chest tighter, staring warily at the young man who'd dragged him out of his hiding place in his second mad dash for freedom.
(Flashback)
Kanda had just tucked himself away in a small alcove next to a dumpster to hide from the rain when the pounding of damp footfalls approached, stuttering seconds prior to the clang of a fallen trash can. A moment later a lanky, unkempt teen bolted past in a helter-skelter manner, knocking over every inanimate thing in his path. Kanda twitched back, hiding further in his alcove as the splashes of the teen's footfalls encroached on his already damp being.
Angry shouts became audible a minute later and Kanda ducked his mangy head in an attempt to blend with the shadows. "The mutt went this way!" one of the men shouted as he ran past, the silver glint of a knife catching Kanda's hunger dulled gaze. Kanda pushed it from his mind, paying the teen's strife only a brief consideration. He hunkered down in his niche, wrapping his arms around his sword, Mugen, and pulling his knees up against them.
Kanda had just managed to drift off into a half conscious, hunger induced haze when the stalling thudding of booted feet approached again, this time from the opposite direction. Kanda looked up in time to see the red haired youth from before skid out, sliding almost out of his line of sight. The teen scrambled to his feet, stumbling haphazardly into the alcove. It was as the older male almost landed on top of him that Kanda saw his eyes bore the same startling red as his hair.
"What-" Kanda started, only to find a gritty, long fingered, tobacco scented hand clamped over his mouth; red eyes too close as they stared seriously into his own obsidian ones.
"Shut up," the teen hissed, glancing over his shoulder as his pursuers neared once more.
Just as they believed the men would run by obliviously, one with dark sunglasses and a lip ring shouted, "Hey, I found the little shit!"
"Fuck," the teen breathed before grabbing Kanda by the arm and hauling him to his feet. He yanked Kanda from the alcove, decking Lip-ring and booking it. Kanda stumbled after him, barely managing to hold onto Mugen. "Hurry up, kid!"
Finally managing to lose the teen's pursuers through a creative use of turning too fucking fast, they stumbled to a halt under a convenience store awning. Kanda wrenched his arm out of the teen's grasp and backed away slightly, still staying under the cover of the faded, striped awning.
(End Flashback)
The teen searched through his pockets, coming up with a crumpled pack of Hi-Lights and a zippo lighter. He plucked a cigarette from the package, shoving it into his pocket as the white stick hung loosely from his lips. He lit it determinedly, flicking the lighter shut as he took a drag.
"Sorry 'bout that, kid," the teen said, turning back to Kanda, "But those morons back there wouldn't have left you alone."
Kanda stared at him blankly, unconsciously observing the teen. Despite the fact that he was smoking now, and if the smell of his hands had anything to say about it, he probably did often, the teen wasn't all that winded by their successful escape attempt. He dully noted that his earlier observation of the youth's hair and eyes was actually correct. They did indeed bear the same color as the life blood that painted a room he wished to forget.
Shaking his head to remove such thoughts, he turned his attention to their surroundings. Thankfully the rain had emptied the streets, but Kanda still felt too exposed.
"Kid, you all right?" the teen asked, raising an equally red eyebrow.
"Fine," Kanda muttered, obsidian eyes still flickering around the empty street.
"Do you have somewhere to go?" the teen said. "I could walk you home. This area isn't safe for little girls to be walking alone."
"I'm not a girl you fucker," Kanda shouted, giving the man his "demon spawn" glare. A glare he hadn't used since Alma. His face fell and he looked away, shaking his head.
"Hey, hey, hey," the teen said, holding his hands up in casual surrender. "S'all right. It's still not safe for a little kid."
"I'm not little," Kanda grumbled.
"Do you have a place to go?" the teen asked again. Kanda glanced back the way they'd come.
"No," he said shortly. The teen was silent for a moment and Kanda turned his attention to the things being advertised in the large window beside him. The colors were bright and boisterous and belonging to things he'd never be able to afford. Not that he wanted to.
The teen sighed and Kanda glanced over to him. The teen ran a hand through his shoulder length hair, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. He refused to look at Kanda while he said, "You can stay with me… if you want."
Kanda blinked in shock for a moment, before taking a step back, hands clenching around Mugen. The teen looked back in time to see Kanda's eyes narrowed at him as the bedraggled child unconsciously hissed. "Why?" he growled.
"I dunno," the teen said, looking away self-consciously. Kanda frowned at the elder boy suspiciously. "I jus' figured it'd beat sleepin' in an alley."
Kanda mentally agreed, but was wary to actually tell the elder boy he agreed. Yes, sleeping inside would beat sleeping in an alley, but Kanda would rather take the alley because then at least he knew he was safe...er. Besides, the guy had scars on his face that looked eerily like claw marks. What if he'd raped someone before and the person fought back? It certainly would explain the weird scars, for Kanda at least.
But somehow he couldn't bring himself to believe that about the youth. He'd brought him along while running away from the morons who most definitely would have raped him, and likely beaten him. Or at least they would have tried.
"Okay," Kanda mumbled, looking down at the dry sidewalk beneath his dirty feet. Damp footprints from his earlier moving about were just starting to fade a little.
The teen clapped him on the shoulder and Kanda looked up at him to see him smiling. "Let's go get you cleaned up," the teen said turning to walk down the street. He paused a couple steps later, just as Kanda took his first step to follow, turning halfway back. "Oh, my name's Gojyo by the way. What's yours?"
"Kanda," Kanda said, just loud enough for the teen, no, for Gojyo to hear. Gojyo nodded, still smiling as he started walking again. Kanda followed a couple paces behind; just out of reach should Gojyo change his mind and make a grab for him.
Gojyo led Kanda up to a slightly rundown apartment. Kanda glanced around warily, listening for people waiting to jump out at him. His fingers clenched around Mugen's sheath unconsciously, the sword ungainly in his hands. Gojyo opened the door and cursed under his breath.
"Crap, Banri's here. Just shut up and go with what I say," he whispered, leading Kanda into the apartment anyway. Kanda frowned but didn't argue. Once inside he made note of the large collection of alcohol bottles strewn about in various states of emptiness. There was a blonde man lounging on a worn looking couch. The moment he noticed Kanda he got up and walked over, weaving through a maze of brown glass bottles to get to them.
Gojyo tensed beside him but made no move to do anything. Kanda frowned at the blonde man. He had pointed ears like a couple people Kanda's seen since escaping the project.
"What's this?" Banri asked, snatching the Kanda's slender arm. He plucked at the lotus seed bracelet wrapped twice around his bony wrist. "You brought home a little girl did you?"
"I'm not a girl," Kanda snapped, wrenching his arm free of Banri's clingy fingers. He bared his teeth at the man. He was so tempted to draw the sword clasped tightly in his left hand and just behead this man. It would be so easy. So easy after killing Alma.
"Not a girl?" Banri sneered. "Then explain the bracelet."
"It was a gift," Kanda said. No, that was a lie. It wasn't a gift. Not really. It was given to him to block the illusions. To keep him sane.
"Well we have no need of gifts," Banri said. Before Kanda knew what was going on Banri snatched the bracelet from his wrist.
Kanda's perception of the world pulsed and he fell to his knees with a screaming headache as pink lotus blossoms suddenly filled his vision. His hands buried themselves in his hair as he clutched at his head, trying to alleviate the pain. It was that nauseating kind of pain that turned his stomach. He could barely hear screaming past the illusory sounds of petals falling onto water. Who was screaming? The growing raw feeling in his throat told him that he was the one screaming and he clenched his eyes shut, willing the flowers to fade.
Curling in on himself until his forehead was pressed against the dirty floor, Kanda panted for breath. He kept his eyes closed so he couldn't see the flowers and the illusion let him go. He could hear Gojyo fighting with Banri, though over what he wasn't sure.
There was a sound of shattering glass and spilling beverage and the sharp scent of alcohol met his nose. Kanda kept his eyes shut but managed to sit up. He heard the smack of flesh on flesh that sounded like a punch in his ears. The next thing he knew the door was slamming shut and there was a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Whoever was touching his shoulder gently pried his hand from his head. Once it was free of his mangy, tangled hair, they pressed what felt like his bracelet into his palm and wrapped his fingers around it. Kanda sighed in relief and let go of his skull. He slid the bracelet onto his right wrist and carefully cracked his eyes open. The flowers were still there, like they always were, but they were fewer. He glanced over at the person who still had a steady hand on his left shoulder. It was the red haired guy who'd dragged him along. Gojyo or something.
(Gojyo's POV)
Gojyo hadn't thought Banri would be home and now the dick had gone and stolen the kid's bracelet. He was about to say something when the kid grabbed his head and dropped to the floor. He let out a blood-curdling scream. "Shit!" Banri and Gojyo said at the same time.
"Banri, give it back to him," Gojyo yelled over Kanda's screams.
"The brat's gotta learn how the real world works," he shrugged. Gojyo grit his teeth as Kanda continued to scream.
"I think it's more than just a bracelet; he sounds like he's in pain," Gojyo stepped closer to Banri.
"Oh, thinking now are you?" Banri laughed. "Just get the kid to shut up and get over it."
Gojyo rolled his eyes and sighed. The kid's screams were making his head hurt. "Come on, Bari? Don't be an ass. Just give the kid the bracelet back," he reasoned.
"And if I don't? What are you going to, fight me?" He held the bracelet up over his head.
"Seriously?" Gojyo was really starting to get sick of Banri's attitude. He pushed Banri back and grabbed for the bracelet. Banri stumbled back and lifted the bracelet higher. Banri was a good few inches taller than Gojyo, thus having a height advantage. Well, if you wanted to remove a height advantage, you just had to knock them down. Gojyo threw a low punch, hitting Banri in the solar plexus.
Banri doubled over, as expected, but before Gojyo could make a grab for the bracelet, Banri decked him right in the jaw. Gojyo stumbled back, catching himself on the table beside the couch, knocking a half empty bottle of tequila to the floor. The bottle smashed, spilling its contents over the dirty wood.
Steadying himself, Gojyo lunged back in. He landed a jab on Banri's ribs, following it up with another punch to the solar plexus. He grabbed Banri's wrist and managed to snatch the bracelet from his fingers. Banri shoved Gojyo off and snatched his jacket from the back of the chair. "Fuck this, I don't need this shit!"
Gojyo knelt next to Kanda as he heard the door slam behind Banri. He placed a hand on Kanda's shoulder and pulled his hand away from his head. He put the bracelet in Kanda's hand, curling his fingers around it. Kanda sighed quietly and released his head entirely, sliding the bracelet onto his wrist once more. It was only then that he sat up and opened his eyes. He glanced Gojyo's way.
"Sorry about that," Gojyo said. "I didn't think he'd do something like that."
"It's okay," Kanda said. "Thank you, for getting it back."
It was then that Gojyo saw Kanda's eyes lock onto the quickly forming bruise and the swelling of Gojyo's left cheek. Kanda winced and ducked his head.
"No problem Kiddo," Gojyo said with a cocky smirk, ruffling Kanda's hair. Kanda swatted him gently, ducking out from under the larger hand.
"Don't call me that," Kanda griped.
Gojyo smirked as he lit a cigarette, "Well then, you should probably wash up or something. I'll clean up this," he said, pointing to the tequila. Kanda nodded slowly, glancing towards the puddle of foul smelling liquid. Kanda looked around the room.
"Where?" Kanda asked.
"Second door to your right. I dunno if there are towels or not though, clean ones anyway."
Kanda nodded his thanks, getting up and moving towards the correct door, sword once more clutched in his hands.
After gathering all the broken bottle bits and a half-assed job on the spill, Gojyo looked for something for the kid to wear. There was nothing the kid would really fit in since there was a considerable height difference between them so he settled for a tee shirt and a pair of old jeans. If worse came to worse, Gojyo thought they might have some rope or something lying around for a makeshift belt. Coming back into the kitchen, he searched around for something eatable. He looked in the fridge, but it was depressingly bare. Finally, he found a can of soup in one of the cabinets. Setting a probably clean pot on the stove, he made soup.
(Third P.O.V.)
Kanda exited the bathroom, clean for the first time in almost two years. His ragged, old cloak hung damp around his shoulder, the corners still occasionally dripping. He walked into the kitchen where he could smell something cooking. It was soup if his nose wasn't deceiving him.
Gojyo moved the soup to another burner so it wouldn't burn and turned off the stove. He looked up and saw Kanda dripping in his wet cloak. "There are some dry clothes on the couch," he said as he found a couple of possibly clean bowls.
Kanda nodded and walked through to the living room, finding the shirt and jeans. Picking them up he made a face when he saw just how large they were. However, they were better than the soggy cloak he was wearing so he brought them back to the bathroom and changed quickly.
Kanda walked back to the kitchen. More like shuffled since his feet didn't reach the bottoms of the legs and he had to hold the thick fabric up around his waist. He huffed quietly, shuffling over to the table and sat in a chair. He kicked his legs grouchily noting that his feet didn't quite reach the floor. The pants made quiet thwapping sounds in time with the kicking of his feet. Gojyo tried to hide his amusement as he put a bowl of soup and a spoon in front of the kid. He sat down with his own bowl.
Kanda picked up the spoon, muttering a quick and quiet, "Thanks for the food," under his breath. He tried the soup, making a face when he burned his tongue. It tasted good, however, so he ate it as quickly as possible, burning his tongue repeatedly until the soup cooled.
"No problem," Gojyo started in on his own soup.
Once they had finished, Gojyo dumped the dishes into the sink and looked around for something to tie up Kanda's pants. He found some rope and handed it to Kanda. "Can't have you losing your pants," he said trying not to laugh as Kanda drowned in the pants.
Kanda snatched the rope, turning his back in a poor attempt to hide the fact the he was pouting. He strung the rope through the belt loops, tying a one looped bow with clumsy fingers. At least now he wouldn't have to hold them up all the time, but he was still standing in the legs. Kanda sat on the floor and rolled the pant legs up until he could see his feet. When he stood up he realized he'd rolled them a bit too high and leaned down to unroll them once. They still looked ridiculous either way though.
Gojyo yawned, stretching his hands above his head. Kanda tried not to yawn himself. Damn contagious yawning. "You tired, squirt?" Gojyo asked. Kanda shot him a glare.
"Don't call me that," he grumbled.
Gojyo hummed in amusement. "Well, I'm tired so if you want you can take the bed."
"No," Kanda said, shaking his head, still tangled hair flying about. "The floor is fine."
"You sure?"
Kanda nodded. "It's your place."
"Alright then," Gojyo shrugged. He tossed Kanda a blanket and padded towards his room.
Kanda caught the blanket, holding it in one hand and Mugen in the other. He waited until Gojyo closed the door before flicking the light off and walking into the living room. There wasn't really any open floor space for sleeping, but the couch was clear of bottles. Kanda curled himself into the crook of the armrest, pulling the blanket around himself. He hugged Mugen against his chest and drifted off.
Authors' Note:
Please review! We'd love to hear what you think. ^-^