A/N: And so a new story begins! I'm currently watching D. Gray Man now, so if I am out of context with a few things please don't hesitate to correct me, not criticize me . Anyways, please review and let me know how you either liked or disliked this, I appreciate the feedback and I enjoy chatting with each and every one of you! XOXOXO
Disclaimer: I own nothing remotely connected to D. Gray Man.
What's Love Got To Do With It
Chapter 2
Nozomi held on to the tiniest pieces of hope that her husband would return, missing no more than what he left with… hopefully (the poor fool would bet his soul in a game if he had nothing else to lose) But aside from what she was dealing with personally, she didn't let anything affect her performance when it came down to killing the akumas. The Millennium Earl wasn't going to not destroy the world because she was having marital issues. She returned to the order from yet another mission, which of course when she wasn't searching for innocence and killing akuma, she was looking for her husband. And so far she was coming up empty handed.
Shortly after returning to the order, Nozomi changed into her street clothes and easily slipped out undetected. Searching her husband's favorite brothels in town as well as the towns surrounding the order is how she choose to spend her evenings, instead of relaxing and relishing in the fact that they were all making some progress when it came down to fighting the akumas. She pulled her hoodie closer as the cool night air made her shiver, it was well into fall and already the weather was beginning to change. She must have asked around ten bars/pubs before deciding to head home, the pounding ran and roaring thunder aided in that decision. And so she footed back to the order, her hood pulled over her head although it did her no good. By the time she would make it back, she was going to be soaked to the bone. Her bottom lip quivered, her arms wrapped around her torso, as she hung her head low. It was times like this when she truly hated the man she married. If Marian actually gave a damn like he proclaimed, he wouldn't have left her without a trace… for six months.
"Maybe my father is right…" Nozomi said aloud, the thunder drowning out her voice. "Maybe I should just give up…" A quiet sob escaped her throat which led to her full out crying.
" 'Zomi? Jeez, you're soaked! Where were you?" Her father asked worriedly. Suman had been in route to his room, to retire for the night, when the dreadful sight of his daughter looking like a drowned kitten in an oversized hoodie caught his eye. The older exorcist recognized the old faded hoodie, that now sported a few new holes at the hem, belonged to her late boyfriend all those years ago. That hoodie was among the few keep sakes she had that weren't destroyed by their house fire. Suman reached out and pulled his shivering child into his arms, resting his chin atop her soaked head. "You've got to stop putting yourself through all this pain, Nozomi. You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you like this." His soft voice chided. All this unneeded stress had taken a physical toll on his child to a point where he barely recognized her sometimes.
"I know," Nozomi sniffled. "But he's my husband… I just can't give up on him."
"If he truly cared, he'd still be here." Her father's words stung her already deep wounds. Nozomi pushed herself gently away from his chest, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
"I'm pretty tired… good night, papa." She murmured walking around him.
Suman watched, his own heart tingeing at his bluntness, as his pride and joy sulked to her room just a few doors down from his own. He gave a deep sigh, when he promised his deceased wife that he'd watch over and protect their only child… he hadn't expected it to be this hard. Suman had no intentions of his child joining the order, but of course all the dreams he had for her living a normal life went out the window the night Cross saved her from running into a burning house. This was all that bastard's fault! If that red headed demon hadn't come along, he'd still have his remotely cheerful child to himself.
Nozomi trotted quietly to her room, shutting the door silently behind her. She padded over to her bed, dropping her clothes in a wet heap on the floor, before climbing into her thick sheets. She rolled over to the left side of her bed, the vacant spot that lay empty for six months.
"Six months… two weeks… four days…" She inhaled the lingering scent. Marian was such a heavy smoker, the smell of nicotine was still vaguely coating his pillow. "I told you… no smoking in the room." Nozomi sighed into the pillow, holding it tightly against her chest. It felt like she could almost hear the man's Smokey drawl as she caught him breaking her number one rule.
"That stuff is going to kill you, Cross. You puff more than a train and you drink beer like water, if you keep this up you'll be dead before forty. You have got to take better care of yourself!" She would scold, realizing she sounded more like her father than she would've liked. And Cross, as horrible as he was, would stub the bud out after holding up his hands in defeat.
"Alright, oh wife of mine, you win." And end it every so huskily with "For now." Nozomi would blush profusely at how instantly she fell under his gaze, how he had her so breathless, how quickly he would have her pinned and making a mess of the body he oh so worshiped. Nozomi shook her head to clear her thoughts, all her reminiscing was starting to make her eyes water. She rolled over onto her side of the bed, staring blankly at the picture on her nightstand.