Title: Escape

Author: "teh great" M.F.

Disclaimer: all disclaimer rules apply. here and now.

Warnings: Shounan-ai/Yaoi, OOC (more than likely)

Before Notes: Did you know that over in Japan, RabiKanda is actually the popular shounen-ai couple over there? And not KandaAllen like it is over here? Wow. That's pretty sweet. Eh, I love all three of them... 3some love, heh heh...

Chapter 02: Feelings

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry, he's fine. He just ate too much this morning. I know, I know! No, it wasn't my fault! He's just being his usual gluttonous self ya know?"

Allen fluttered his eyes open. "Rabi…?" The smell of pine assaulted his nose as Allen sat up in the bed he was lying in. Looking around Allen saw piles, no, mountains of books spread variously throughout the room. Where was he? Bookman's room or one of the upper levels of the library was Allen's safest guess. He closed his eyes as he tried to recall what had happened before he had ended up here.

Then it all hit him all at once. The food, the maids, the manager, and then, there was… the kiss.

Allen shook his head trying to block the memories from coming back, but it was no use. He held a hand up to his mouth and traced his lips with his finger. Had they really kissed? That was all just some sort of bad dream right? Allen licked his lips. No. The sugar from the desserts was still there. Heat rose in Allen's cheeks.

Unfortunately, Allen's blissful memories didn't last long—Damn! Why did the back of his head hurt so much? Could it have been an akuma? No, Allen guessed it was probably Rabi's fault. Whenever he got hurt, it usually was his fault.

Allen looked around to see if there was a bottle of aspirin around. He was about to get out of bed to search when he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. The door creaked open and Rabi's broad back appeared. He was leaning over something that he was dragging into the room. Allen blushed unwillingly. What should I do? Allen asked himself. I don't know what I should say! And so without enough time to think things through, he went with his gut instinct which told him: pretend to be asleep!

"Jesus, this is heavy…" Rabi dragged a large washbasin filled with water into the room and placed it next to Allen's bed. Then he set a chair down in front of it and sat down, placing his feet into the basin. "Ahhhh…!" Rabi leaned back as the cool water inundated his sores. He looked over at Allen who still seemed to be sleeping soundly. Rabi sighed. Jesus bean sprout, you think you'd be a lot easier to drag back here… I never would have guessed you weigh a ton when you're out.

Rabi watched Allen lying in his bed peacefully. It was like their very first encounter. Komui had burst through Bookman's front door with a very bloodied up looking lad, followed closely by another who was carrying an equally bloodied lass. After they had wrapped the two up they were put into separate rooms to recover.

Rabi was to help bookman watch over the two of them since they were both weak and easy targets for akuma. At the time, Rabi pouted. He had other more important things to do, like wreaking havoc in the library. But he did as the panda told him.

He was to guard Allen's room while Bookman helped guard Rinali's. Rabi recalled one day, while he was bored out of his mind, he had sat down next to Allen's bed and watched him, just like he was doing right now. Allen's face hadn't changed a bit, his pale face and white hair reminded Rabi of some character from a fairy tale, and with the light from the sunset hitting him at such an angle, he looked just like an angel.

Rabi reached over and brushed a few hairs from Allen's face. "Did you like it that much?" he asked out loud, a smile creeping across his face as he remembered the coffee house kiss. A tinge of pink formed on Allen's cheeks and Rabi raised a brow.

"Hey, you sure, you're sleeping?" Rabi stood and leaned over Allen. He leaned in so close that Allen could feel Rabi's warm breath on his neck.

Allen's blush deepening. What was he suppose to do? Should he continue to pretend he was sleeping or wake up? Allen had a feeling that by now Rabi knew he was faking it. Allen gave up and peeked his eyes open only a second too late. Rabi had taken the liberty of waking up his princess with true love's first kiss… Although, Rabi knew darn well that it wasn't the first.

Eh, oh well.

Allen's eyes widened as his entire body stiffened.

Rabi opened his emerald green eye, then pulled away and smiled.

"Mornin' bean sprout!"

Allen stared at him with a horrified look on his face, but Rabi just unconsciously licked his lips, seemingly unaffected by the small peck. "How long you been awake?" he asked curiously, sitting back down in his chair, feet in the basin.

"Since earlier, when you were talking on the phone…" Allen answered as he sat up. What should he do? Demand Rabi for a reason as to why he just kissed him, or just ignore it completely and pretend it never happened. "Sorry about that." Allen said, making up his mind.

"What?" Rabi looked down at his feet in the cool tub of water. "Sorry that ya passed out on me? Well, let me tell you this, we're even now!" Rabi lifted a foot and rubbed the sole. "Jeez, you're not as light I thought you were gonna be."

An awkward expression crept across Allen's face. "Sorry about that, it's just… that…"

Rabi grinned. "I stole your first kiss did I?"

Strike.

Allen blushed and looked down at his hands that seemed to be sweating more than they should have been.

Rabi's hand landed on top of Allen's. "Oi, it's all right. I guess I went a little far for the first one yeah? But I couldn't help myself, your lips were so soft, it's like I couldn't stop…" Allen felt his face burn.

"Anyways, it was a life or death situation!" Rabi stood up, grinning. "We can't have members of the church wearin' bunny and maid outfits serving upper class scum now can we?"

A triumphant pose followed, Allen couldn't help but laugh at Rabi's usual antics. Rabi smiled a little sheepishly at Allen's delight. "See? It was for the church. Lucky for you, there weren't any akuma on our way back, at least I don't think so…" he shrugged.

Allen paused. It was for the church. He looked up at Rabi who was itching his messy hair. I see… Rabi's just doing all of this for kicks isn't he? Allen blinked. Not because he likes me or anything, right?

Both of them could feel the sudden awkwardness that filled the room. Allen was the first to speak. "Hey Rabi, have you read all of these books?" he asked as he scooted towards the edge of the bed to get a better look.

Rabi turned and gazed at the mountains looming behind him. "Yeah, I guess I have! Wow, I'm just a little lazy to put em back huh?" He sighed, "Bookman keeps telling me to do it, but I'm a busy guy! I don't have time for that kinda house cleaning stuff."

"Really…" Allen had his doubts, but then looked at all the books and thought: He reads all these books, but his attitude doesn't really set him as a 'bookworm' or anything. He watched as Rabi went over and picked up a book and came back with it.

"I love reading." Rabi opened the book and ran his finger down the first page. "Sometimes life isn't as amazin' as I'd imagine it to be... but when I read, it's like a whole new world has opened itself up for me." Allen watched as Rabi cradled the book gently in his hands. He averted his gaze down to the ground. Listening to Rabi's gentle tone of voice just now...

"For me, being an exorcist is my life. There's nothing else out there that I'm interested in." Allen stated. "Sure, gambling and cheating was interesting for a while. But it's not a way of life for me, like exorcising is." Allen sighed. "It would be nice to have something else I devoted my free time to, like you do Rabi."

Rabi's heart skipped a beat as he watched Allen sitting on the edge of the bed; his gaze cast downward a slight blush grazing his cheeks. I... I want to hold him.

"How about me?" Rabi blurted out before he could stop himself.

"W-what?" Allen looked up, awake, but confused. "What do you mean?"

Rabi blinked for a second. "What do you mean, what do you mean?" Rabi remarked back sarcastically. I guess Allen's the dense-type.

This time it was Allen's turn to blink. Did he mishear him or what? "Ah, never mind… I should be getting back to headquarters." Allen sighed as he got to his feet. Suddenly Allen's entire head panged.

It seemed as though the bang on the back of his head, the memories from the coffee place returning, and all of Allen's thoughts about life all surfacing in less than five minutes was no good for Allen's brain. Dizzily he fell backwards onto the bed.

"Allen!" Rabi looked down at Allen as he lay there once again. "Knocked out from a fever huh?" He sighed, relieved that it wasn't anything serious.

"Kanda! You have a call from Rabi!" Rinali jumped up and down frantically, trying to get the attention of the particularly ill-mannered person. The buzz of the crowd didn't help much as she continued shouting. Realizing that he wouldn't hear her, she tucked her hair behind her ear and ran into the crowded cafeteria after her target.

"Kanda! KANDA!" Rinali finally reached him and put a hand on his shoulder. He had just settled down to eat his soba, when the Li girl interrupted him.

"What do you want?" He asked coldly as he slurped up his soba, his long raven hair tied up and out of the way.

"You have a call from Rabi. He said it's urgent, but he couldn't tell me." Rinali sighed, probably just another joke on Rabi's part. He's always pulling them on Kanda, and Kanda always falls for them.

"That idiot, what's he calling for?" Kanda stood up from his seat, bringing his soba with him. "This better be important." He growled as his soba dangerously sloshed and splashed around in its bowl.

The two of them left the cafeteria and went into a separate room across the hall. "Don't get too upset if it's just a prank again." Rinali warned as she left for the cafeteria once again.

"What?" Kanda fumed. He grabbed the receiver and shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RABI?" He could hear Rabi's infectious laugh on the other end.

"Woah, woah, woah Yuu! What did I tell you? Relax! If you don't, you'll start sproutin' premature grey hairs, which would be really gross..."

Kanda slurped up his noodles. "Shut up!" he swallowed. "What's so urgent that you have to call during dinner?"

Rabi laughed lightly on the other end. "I need you to come over and pick something up Yuu-chan!"

Kanda slammed the receiver down. Idiot.

"Eh? He hung up!" Rabi stared at the receiver then shrugged. "Looks like I get Allen all to myself!" he joked out loud. Hanging up the phone up, Rabi made his way back upstairs to where Allen was. He had taken the liberty of taking care of Allen for the time being by putting a cool cloth on his head and taking off his shirt. He didn't know about the shirt part, but he knew that the cloth thing was right.

Should I strip the rest of him? Would that help the situation at all…? Rabi stared out the window then smiled. "Aww, Yuu is bakawaii…" (1)

"Oi Yuu-chan!" Rabi greeted as Kanda stormed up the staircase towards him.

"What is it? What's so important that I had to miss dessert for?" He pulled out his mugen. "This better be good, or else you're dead."

Rabi laughed. "Yuu-chan, you're the same as always…" He hung an arm around Kanda's neck as he dragged him to Allen's room. "I wanted you to come by and pick up this little kitty I found."

Kanda stumbled into the room and looked around. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Rabi gestured over to the bed.

"What?" Kanda crossed his arms.

"What do you mean what?" Rabi looked over at the bed. His jaw dropped. "WHERE'S ALLEN!"

Kanda's eyes widened as he stumbled. "What! You were talking about Moyashi?" He scowled. "So, this was a waste of my time." He kicked at a nearby pile of books. "Damn idiot."

"Never mind that!" Rabi dove into the piles of books around the room. "Help me find Allen!"

Kanda stood and watched as books went flying here and there across the room.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING I TOLD YA TO LOOK!" Rabi threw a book at Kanda. He sidestepped it and sat down on another pile.

"No."

Rabi ignored his refusal and started shouting, "So help me god! I'll find you ALLEN!"

Kanda could stand no more of this nonsense. "I'm leaving." He said as he rose to his feet.

"No wait!" Rabi crawled across the floor, over small piles of books here and there, and caught a hold of Kanda's wrist. He didn't want Kanda to leave yet, the fun was only starting after all. "You can't leave without Allen! He's… He's got a fever, you need to take him back to Komui and get him some medicine or something!"

Kanda glared down at Rabi, Rabi looked back up at Kanda hopefully.

"C'mon boss." Rabi grinned. Kanda sighed and snapped his arm from Rabi's grasp. A few minutes couldn't hurt.

"…Rabi? …Kanda?" Allen was leaning against the doorframe. His eyes glazed over, shirt a miss, and face still flushed. Rabi leaped to his feet. "Allen! Where'd you run off to?" Without waiting for a reply Rabi pulled Allen into a hug, nuzzling his face into the side of Allen's soft white hair.

Kanda watched the scene, frozen in place. What the hell is going on here? The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end for a second before Kanda walked over and literally pried the two of them apart.

"Alright, we found him. Now let me take him back to HQ." Kanda said as he picked Allen up in his arms like a doll. Allen, who was still feeling out of it, didn't complain.

Rabi pouted. "That's not fair! The second he comes back to me, you take him away!"

Kanda turned around and glared at Rabi with his deep blue, almost black, eyes. "If you didn't want me to take him away, why did you call me in the first place!"

Rabi smiled. "Oh right." He then gave his friend a pat on the back. "Fine then. I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Rabi called happily as Kanda stormed away.

Kanda walked out the front door of the library, Allen sleeping soundly in his arms, still without his shirt on. "Stupid Rabi. Stupid. Idiot. Dumbass. Baka Rabi."

Kanda could feel the stares of finders and science department members as he walked up the endless flights of stairs to get to Allen's room. He's got some nerve… The library is INSIDE headquarters, why doesn't he just drag moyashi up to his room, or better yet, get someone else to do it? That idiot sure is lazy…

And what's with moyashi? Where's his damn shirt? What were those two doing? And how'd this kid get a fever? Damn these rejects are pathetic!

Kanda made his way up the stairs and kicked open Allen's door. Carelessly, he threw Allen onto his bed, and wiped his hands off.

He glanced around. This was his first time being in the bean sprout's room. He walked over to the desk. Not like he cared, but he was just checking out the scene, making sure Allen wasn't hiding some sort of secret fetish or anything.

His eyes finally fell upon a picture frame on the desk. It was the usual group photo they took once a year, all of the exorcists in their division that wanted to keep useless memories in a convenient photo had one. Kanda was probably the only one who didn't. He looked closely at it. There he was, in the corner, scowling while Rabi hung his arm around his neck, and Allen just smiled his goofy looking smile. Kanda remembered that day…

He looked over at Allen who had been carelessly flopped onto his bed.

Moyashi.

It was Kanda who had come up with the nickname for him. And it was Kanda who was the first to 'greet' Allen, but why was it? Why was it that Allen seemed to be so far away from him?

Kanda walked over and set Allen in bed properly, then tucked him in. He looked down at the resting boy, a twinge of pain running through his heart.

He wanted to enjoy life. Just like he used to when he was younger. When he was closer to everyone.

But now, he was independent. He didn't need to cling onto Rabi, or anyone, anymore.

But the more days that passed, the more he would find himself watching Allen and Rabi as the two of them ran off and buddied around. Why was it that these pointless feelings came to him? Kanda turned his back to Allen's limp body. The one emotion he felt strongly at that moment was regret.

He knew that Rabi liked Allen. But, even though Kanda wouldn't admit it, he too had a liking towards the annoying brat. Maybe it wasn't as strong as Rabi's feelings, but it was still there, it still existed.

Allen and his goofy smile, his kind heart, his soft hair, his honesty, his loyalty, his love for every living thing... even though Kanda found all of these characteristics annoying and pointless. He still enjoyed them nonetheless.

There was a time, long ago, when Kanda felt simple feelings, feelings such as happiness and content. But as he grew older, everyone around him seemed to stay the same. Why was it that Kanda was the one who had to change?

He scoffed at his own thoughts. It didn't matter anymore. These complicated feelings he felt now: love, jealousy, hate. They didn't matter. As long as he stayed the way he was and completely shut everyone out, Kanda wouldn't have to be hurt by anyone in the process.

Kanda closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. This is what I deserve.

He got to his feet. "I'll send Komui in. He should be able to fix your stupid fever." Kanda walked to the door, which he had put a hole in when he had kicked it. "Great, just great."

"T-thank you."

Kanda jumped, then turned around and saw Allen looking over at him. "Go to bed!" Kanda yelled as he slammed the door behind him, Allen smiling all the while.

Kanda stood out in the hallway clutching at his chest. "I hate this."

Rabi jumped onto his bed, the body heat that Allen had left still lingered. He grabbed his pillow and inhaled deeply into it, Allen's sweet scent still present.

Turning over onto his back, Rabi looked up at the ceiling and inhaled deeply.

"This is a problem."

After Notes:
1:Bakawaii—it's just what it sounds like. Rabi's saying that Kanda's so stupid that it's cute… hehe…
Kudos to Rabi for stealin another kiss! Hehehe…
Thanks for the support! Love u guys. XD
And of course, tune in next time for more!

Edited 8/1/07: So I kinda fixed the, um, description of HQ. Yay towers! And also, I fixed up a lot on the Kanda conflict. I love Kanda, but these feelings are too constricting to start off with. I tried to make him a wee bit more er, what's the word... enigmatic, kinda like he usually is (man, I need to get myself an editor). Plus, I hate to have Kanda and Rabi fighting over Allen-chan. It's so sad. TTnTT