Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews! Without further ado, here's the next chapter (with a lot less dialogue holy smokes-)


Cave of Poppies

Chapter 2


Kanda had Allen figured out.

Never mind the weird ass hair and scar - that was a conversation for another time - he knew exactly what that smile was.

It was You won't understand and It's too much for you and I'll be gone soon, anyways, so like fuck Kanda was going to get involved in a mess like that. Allen was in something deep, some kind of trouble Kanda wanted nothing of.

But Alma, dumbass Alma, would throw himself headfirst into the shit that was Allen Walker. Alma, too, was a kind of curse Kanda knew would end badly, but that was a decision he'd made long ago, and one he'd accepted. He and Alma were fucked up already, they didn't need the problems Allen had added onto their own.

Still, Kanda regretted the cafeteria incident. He had resolved to never mention that name again to Allen, still vividly remembering - even after all these years - the way Allen had screamed, like God himself would not hear him if he wasn't loud enough.

It had shaken and scared Kanda, then, and still disturbed him now. He didn't know why Allen hated the name so fiercely, didn't know why it hurt Allen so much. It was just a name. Kanda was particular about his, too, but not like this. Not where he would murder someone at the mere mention of his name.

For a moment, Kanda truly believed Allen would wrap his hands around his throat and squeeze hard enough so that he'd never have to hear that dreaded name leave his lips again. His heart had stopped, suddenly, and the bitter taste of regret had coated his tongue when Allen had only walked away.

Kanda wasn't a nice person by any stretch of the word, and he didn't bother to hide it. But, he didn't hurt others purposefully, and what he had done to Allen had been vicious. Alma, who would forgive Kanda of even murder, refused to speak to him.

Of course, Alma would talk to him, but it'd be full of huffs and groans and complaints and needless bitching, and that would get old real quick. So, either way, Kanda needed to fix this, and if acting like the last six years hadn't happened was the answer then, well.

Allen was good at keeping a secret.


Link dragged Allen into the nearest restroom, kicked everyone else out, and locked the door. Allen let this happen, standing morosely and angrily and confusedly by the sinks, hoisting himself up to sit on the counter once Link had finished his inspection.

He waited patiently, knowing what was to come.

"Walker," Link hissed, and Allen marveled at how he made his name sound like a curse. "What was that?"

"That could mean a lot of things, Link. Gotta be specific." Allen really shouldn't play with fire like this. Just because Link made him lunches and woke him up in the mornings didn't mean he wasn't the dangerous dog of the Black Order.

"Don't play coy with me, Walker!" Link growled, and, ah, there was the dog. Link looked two seconds away from tying Allen up and dragging him back to the apartment for an intense interrogation. "What made you lose your cool? I must know."

Link, Allen thought sadly, must be very confused. Link himself had said he'd never had a mission as long as this one, and it must be hard to get close to a subject you had orders to kill.

"Kanda crossed a line he shouldn't have, and really, it's been a very nerve-wracking day." Allen replied finally, watching Link's wary eyes.

Link shifted back, resting his weight on one leg and crossing his arms in a manner he wouldn't have done only a month ago. "He crossed a line? Walker, that wasn't crossing a line. You looked like you were going to murder him."

"Don't exaggerate," Allen giggled, and only realized after that perhaps laughing at that moment hadn't been the wise thing to do. He sobered. "I wouldn't kill him."

Unspoken went the words, I wouldn't kill him. Link heard the assumption, though, and scowled. The moment weighed heavy between them, and Allen knew this was one of those moments where a person made a decision that changed things. How prominent this decision was, Allen didn't know, but when Link sighed and ran his fingers through his bangs, Allen grinned.

"Don't murder anyone in this school, Walker. It'll be a pain to go through all the paperwork later."

Allen laughed, genuinely this time. "Don't lie to me, Link. I know you love all those papers. It's why you always end up doing half of mine." Link looked incensed at being called out on this, and so Allen ducked a glance at his watch. It was broken anyways, but he always had a pretty good on grasp on time regardless. "Looks like lunch is almost over now. Let's head back to class, and hope Kanda doesn't kill me. Yeah?"

Link glared and Allen smiled, and everything was back to normal. They left the restroom to curious stares. There was already a rumor going around about the two of them, and while Allen didn't really care, he knew Link would be just the type to blush and stutter if someone brazenly asked him about the nature of their relationship. It would be funny, so Allen resolved to never tell Link what the school was thinking about them.

Class was as awkward as Allen could expect. Kanda simmered and growled and sulked in a corner desk, and Allen and Link had snagged a table close to the windows. Komui was on some kind of "new education" binge, apparently - and according to the incensed conversation he'd managed to overhear from a teacher's lounge - and so their study hall was a victim to one of these attempts. Instead of the regular student desks, they were privileged to have these tables Link proclaimed looked like beans but Allen privately thought reminded him of kidneys. Still, it felt kind of nice to sit on the indent of the table and be surrounded by others. Not that anyone else was sitting with them, since Link's glare was enough to keep even their teacher at bay.

It was towards the end, during the senior's lunch, that Kanda finally made his way to them.

He was shoving a phone into his pocket and his glare had increased, so Allen guessed Alma had bitched him out about the earlier incident. You could always count on Alma to have a good head on his shoulders. But, considering it was Alma, Allen wondered what that said about the rest of them.

It was kind of cute how easy it still was to read Alma and Kanda, especially when they were together. It was like settling down with an old familiar book and caressing the almost down-soft pages. It was comforting, to know that some things never changed.

Kanda bullied a kid to let go of his chair and dragged it over to their table, dropping his bag onto the table with a jolt that made Link frown.

Allen continued his math homework, determined to finish it at school, since Link was an equal slave driver at home. Honestly, did one need to wash his walls more than once a month? Link apparently thought so.

"Beansprout," Kanda called.

Allen flipped the worksheet over, pleased to find the backside easier than the front. Link had already finished, and while Allen didn't think he'd gotten anything wrong, he made the mental note to snag Link's version later.

"Beansprout," Kanda said again, kicking Allen in the shin. Allen hissed between his teeth, squeezing his eyes before glancing up with a glower.

"That's not my name," Allen said. Then, thoughtfully, "you asshole."

"Look, I shouldn't have called you that," Kanda said, ignoring Allen to glare at Link's blond hair. "That… that was fucked up of me."

It was as close to an apology as Kanda could get, Allen mused. He wondered, fleetingly, should he hold on to his anger. It wasn't like he didn't have the right to. While Kanda didn't really know what that name meant to Allen, he knew that it hurt Allen deeply. Allen could be angry. Could force himself to think of all the reasons to hold onto his anger like a lifeline.

But, with a sigh, he let go of his anger and gave Kanda a small smile. "It's fine," Allen said, ignoring Link's sharp look. "We're kind of tense, and I did drop in unexpected. I thought something like this might happen."

Kanda looked offended and hurt by that, though Allen couldn't guess why. He huffed and crossed his arms, tossing his obscenely long hair over his shoulder. Allen smiled at that, pointing at the pony tail.

"But anyways, lots of things have changed, haven't they? I didn't expect you to embrace your femininity, Kanda." Allen held back a laugh at Kanda's expense.

"Shut up, beansprout. At least I look my age." Kanda sneered at Allen, who pouted. He knew he looked younger than he was, even with the hair and the scar, but did Kanda have to point it out?

"At least no one's tried to make me their girlfriend," Allen pointed out. When Kanda's scowl deepened, Allen guffawed. "No, don't tell me someone seriously asked you out like that. Oh God, they did."

"Shut up beansprout, before I make you!" Kanda was half-crouching in his seat by the time the teacher coughed, glaring at the trio. Allen realized belatedly the whole class was staring at them...again. He sighed and smiled soothingly at the teacher. She looked mollified and turned back to her notebook. Kanda gagged, disgusted, and even Link looked dismayed.

"Don't do that, Walker," Link insisted, disturbed.

"Link, how else do you think I get the landlord off our backs?" Allen asked, exasperated. Sure, Link was all law-abiding and everything, but he shouldn't bother Allen when everything the Black Order was doing in the first place broke more laws than Allen had. Probably. Still, it was hypocritical, and Allen had lost all patience with hypocrisy after his time with Cross.

Link looked even more disturbed at this, as if he'd never considered how two teenagers managed to rent an apartment when neither of them technically existed. "This is going in my notebook," Link warned, and Allen laughed again.

Kanda opened his mouth - most likely to ask what the hell they were talking about - but the teacher coughed again, so Allen bent his head back over his work with a smile.

Things were mostly patched with Kanda, who would mind his own business until Allen slapped it in his face again. All that was left was placating Alma, who could be more or less difficult than Kanda, depending on how you looked at.

Link tapped his pencil three times, and Allen frowned, darting a glance at Link's work.

In a corner, written in French, was Lavi is the bookman's junior. He assumed that was supposed to mean something. He vaguely recalled Cross mentioning such a… person? Thing? Whatever. He'd scam it out of Link later. Allen didn't know whether Link had figured it out or had been told, but he supposed it didn't really matter. So, he had two watchdogs now. He would laugh once the Noah Clan sent their own.

One was enough to aggravate, two to worry him, and three would finally amuse him. However, he only had two, so he let it distract him from the rest of his work. Link began to fidget and, glancing at Kanda - like it was remotely possible the stubborn boy had learned French - hastily erased the written note. Allen helpfully pointed out the remaining indent, though in the grand scheme of things none of it actually mattered.


Unfortunately, their next class was English, which had the entire group together. God must be laughing at me, Allen thought sacrilegiously, scowling up at the pox-marked ceiling.

Of course, everyone also ended up clumped around Allen, Link, and Alma. Kanda, by default, was by Alma, and Alma was by Allen, and Link could not, even on threat of death, be found further than five feet from Allen. Lavi, as per his job, was also by Allen, and innocent Lenalee was simply happy to be seated by Alma and Lavi. Allen felt almost suffocated, but warm, anyways. No matter that half the group were belligerent towards Allen, they were still there. He thought that sentiment said a lot about his mental state.

Their teacher, a Ms. Epstain, frowned at their group before beginning class. Lavi happily informed Allen that she was also an assistant principal, and then tacked on thoughtfully that their school was short-staffed. Allen was beginning to think these were not all coincidences.

A few minutes into class, Allen's phone vibrated. Once their blonde teacher had turned her back to write on the board, Allen tugged his phone from his pocket, dimming the bright screen before tapping the notification.

It was a text from an unknown number.

Unkown: I heard you made up with Yuu ^^ That's great! We'll head over after school to talk more!

Allen frowned and looked back up. Alma smiled softly and waved his fingers, wiggling his phone in his lap. Flabbergasted, Allen fiercely texted back:

Allen: How did you get my number?

Alma: Lenalee got it for me!

Allen: How did SHE get my number?

Alma: You didn't give it to her? Uhhh

"Walker," he heard Epstain snap, and Allen could not tell if his or Link's dismayed sigh was longer. He looked up and found her frowning fiercely at him. She slapped her pointer stick against her open palm. "If you're going to use your phone in my class - and I'm supposed to tell you not to - but, really, at least don't be so damn obvious. It almost makes me angry."

Allen swallowed and offered a nervous smile. Epstain's frown dipped into a glare. "Don't smile at me," she snapped, and then, "Wipe that stupid look off your face, too. Put the phone away and pay attention, or I'll assign you three more books on top the ones we already have listed."

Allen smiled again. "Yes, Ms. Epstain."

"Hmph," she snorted, turning back to the board. Allen's phone vibrated again, and he waited ten minutes before glancing a look. His phone vibrated once more, and he saw two new texts from two more unknown numbers.

Unknown: Sorry, didn't mean to get you in trouble!

And

Unknown: Dude, you're fucking screwed. Epstain is going to watch you like a hawk for the rest of the year.

What the hell? Allen locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. English dragged on, and he only received one more message. It was from Link.

Two-spots: I am not going to spend detention with you.

Once class ended, Allen turned on Alma with a scowl, waving his phone with the displayed messages. "What was that?" He demanded.

Alma giggled and grabbed his phone, opening the messages and storing the numbers as, respectively, Lenalee, Lavi, and then adding Kanda's. "Sorry about that, Allen. I didn't think you'd get caught!" He extended the phone, snagged Kanda around the shoulders, and snapped a selfie of a silly face, tongue out and winking, with Kanda scowling fiercely. "What the fuck!" Kanda gasped, rearing back yet at the same time stretching for the phone. Alma held it out further, fiddling with the contact details.

Allen glanced at Lenalee, who seemed amused at the boys' antics. "And how did you get my number?" He asked, brow cocked almost angrily. Link also seemed disturbed, which made Allen feel he better. So it really wasn't normal for people to figure out your number. Cross really had messed up his sense of normality.

Lenalee shrugged, unrepentant. "My brother is the principal," she said, standing and tugging her backpack on. Most of the group followed suit, but when Allen turned to grab his phone from Alma, he found it in Lavi's hands instead and Kanda looking incensed and - was that - no - almost embarrassed? Allen was going to treasure that photo.

"Dude," Lavi frowned, scrolling through his messages. Allen scowled and held his hand open, palm up. Lavi placed the device in his hand, brows raised. "You have no messages aside from the ones we just sent you."

"I just deleted them to open up space," Allen said, pocketing his phone and turning on his heel to follow Alma out, Link behind him.

Before he could walk out, however, Epstain called him over. Allen obediently trotted to her desk, watching her scribble something on a sticky note. As she handed it to him, she said, "Here. Read this. Maybe it'll teach you something."

Smiling brighter, Allen took the note and met up with Link at the door. Link snagged the note and read aloud, "The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger?"

"She's got an awful sense of humor," Allen remarked dryly, taking the note back and stuffing it into a pocket. At Link's confused look, Allen elaborated. "I've already read it."


To Allen's dismay, Alma caught them before they could escape. Looping his arm into Allen's, Alma smiled brightly and said, "We're going to your house, remember?" Around them, students grumbled at where they stood in the middle of the walkway, heading towards cars and buses. Classes had just ended, and Allen had the idiocy to hope he might escape Alma Karma's grasp and get home. Of course, if Alma was anything like he used to be in elementary, than Allen really had no reason to expect otherwise.

Before Allen could respond, Lavi, Lenalee, and Kanda found them, forming a group too big for the rest of the student body to ignore.

"Hey, why don't you maybe get out the way?" One kid called out, annoyed.

"Hey, why don't you maybe shut the fuck up?" Kanda snapped back. The kid swallowed nervously and blended back into the crowed, and Alma shook his head, amused. He turned back to Allen, tugging on his arm.

"So?" Alma prompted.

"Are we going to the beansprout's place?" Lavi asked, arms folded behind his hand and backpack hanging loosely off his shoulders. Link looked uncomfortable at the idea.

"You're still at the same place, aren't you?" Alma asked curiously, and Allen blinked. "I used to check in the summer, and the landlord said it was still under Mana's name."

It was something Allen already knew, but he couldn't help stiffening under Alma's touch when she said his name. Alma frowned, pulling away to look at Allen. Link narrowed his gaze at Allen, too, and Allen knew he was mentally recording the moment to write down later.

"How is Mana?" Alma asked, seemingly innocently. At Kanda's scoff, Allen knew it was fake. Allen opened his mouth to say he's dead, he's gone, he's traveling, he's somewhere else, I don't know, I-

Link cut him off. "Walker, we need to go. It was a pleasure to meet you all," he nodded his head to the group, and grabbed Allen's arm, tugging him away and to the car Link owned. Allen laughed, and even to him it sounded slightly off. He turned back to wave at the group cheerfully.

"See you tomorrow!" He said, and then allowed Link to drag him the rest of the way to the car. He didn't miss the way Alma and Kanda frowned, or the way Lenalee turned curiously towards the administrative building. But his throat had closed up at the mere mention of Mana's name, and even Allen had not thought he was still this sensitive.


In his room, Alma spun slowly around in his desk chair. Kanda laid on his bed, just staring at his ceiling. Long ago, when Alma had been twelve or something, he and Kanda had stuck over a dozen glow in the dark stickers. Some of the stars were peeling off now, and some of them didn't even glow anymore, but the crescent moon did, and Alma still fell asleep watching it. It made Alma's lips quirk in an odd smile when he noticed the way Kanda's hair trailed off the edge of the bed. He leaned into the back of the chair he straddled, resting his chin on his folded arms.

"Something is wrong," Alma announced.

Kanda blinked, then said, "No shit," and Alma went back to brooding.

It was Allen...in the same way that it wasn't. This Allen was too polite, and kind - not that Allen had never been kind, but this one was too kind - and had come with a blond stalker. The Allen they knew had hated anyone invading his privacy, and no one short of Mana was allowed to do it. There was also that. Allen adored Mana, loved him to pieces.

"Is Mana gone?" Alma wondered aloud, mostly to himself but pleased when Kanda grunted.

If Mana was gone, who was with Allen now? The blond bulldog, Link? Not that Alma really had anything against Link, but was it wrong of him to dislike him, just a little? Here Allen came, missing for years and tearing a hole into Alma's heart, and had seemingly found a friend to easily replace Kanda and Alma.

Allen had never been replaced in Alma's heart. Real friends were always hard to come by, and Lenalee and Lavi, with all their secrets, made trusting them hard. Allen had secrets, sure, but he'd trusted Alma and Kanda with a lot. As far as they knew, the two had been the only ones to ever see the inside of Allen's home.

"Is it wrong of me to be jealous of Link?" Alma asked again, and Kanda shifted up to his elbows. Alma shivered at the dark look in Kanda's eyes, and stopped spinning.

"Why would you be jealous?" Kanda asked after a moment, eyes steady on Alma.

Alma shrugged, embarrassed. "I don't know. Because he's closer to Allen then we are." Then, a moment later, with his head tucked into his arms, "I missed him."

Kanda considered Alma for a moment, before he lay back down, ignoring Alma's pillow in favor of folding his hands under his head. They descended into quiet, and Alma thought back to the bright-eyed red-headed boy that had been his best friend. He wondered if Kanda was remembering that same bright grin. This new Allen was different...and dangerous. Allen back then had been dangerous, too, but in a mischievous kind of way (though now that he thought about it, what seven year old kid knew how to pick a lock?).

"What happened?" Alma's voice sounded small and sad, even to him, and so Kanda stayed quiet.


By Thursday, Allen's novelty had worn off, and Alma had questions. Many, many questions.

Allen laughed nervously, hands perched between his legs on his stool and eyeing Alma's chest with an almost cross-eyed look. "Alma," he said after a few moments of Alma shifting around him. "I know my hair is interesting, but do you have to stare at it so closely?" It was beginning to attract the attention of their classmates, and their science class was about to start.

Alma hummed, almost amused by the tendrils of hair disturbed by his breath. Allen smelled of citrus and something warm, a very unique and disconcerting combination. He shifted another lock of hair around, and Allen stifled a strange giggle. "Yes, I absolutely have to," Alma remarked, trailing his fingernail down from the un-scarred temple and creating a new part. He gathered the chunk and pulled it back, snapped one of his wrist bands around it, and leaned back, humming in satisfaction.

Allen's gloved hand came up to tenderly inspect the new addition, and he smiled up at Alma. "Thanks?" He asked, and Alma laughed.

"Your hair is a little too long for a science class, Walker," Alma teased, throwing a glance at Link who stiffened. Allen's hair was almost entirely white with hints of gray, a beautiful combination. There was no hint of redness in the scalp or even at the roots.

Link shot Alma a look that told the curious boy he was being suspicious, but Alma couldn't bring himself to care. Allen had way too many secrets. Mysteries that Alma was determined to unearth. It didn't escape any of their notice that Link followed Allen almost fanatically, refusing to let the boy out of his sight. When Allen had gone to the restroom and Link had tailed after, Lenalee's quick perusal through Link's bag had revealed an identical schedule to Allen's. And a disturbing amount of orderliness, but Alma suspected that had more to do with Link's personality than any involvement with Allen.

And, even more than the deal with Link - because Alma did not, for even one second, believe Allen had somehow conned Link into making his lunches because that was borderline slave labor - there was that strange look in Allen's eyes. Alma even almost understood why looking at Allen made Kanda so angry.

It was a look that said, creased at the corners with softly forming laugh lines and a smile too warm and too big, "I've seen the end and I'm just waiting for it to reach me." It disturbed Alma more than he liked that he even recognized the look in the first place.

Who had he seen it on before?

Alma crossed around the table to settle in his seat, smiling widely at his neighbor who shuddered and leaned away. With a huff, Alma rested his chin in his palm, blowing at his bangs that were beginning to get too long.

Allen had changed far more than simply being gone for six years warranted. Something had happened, something big. Because this gently smiling, polite, almost happy Allen wasn't the Allen that Alma remembered.

And somehow, that was even worse.


A/N: More insight! And from characters more helpful than Allen (because getting secrets from that boy is harder than prying teeth barehanded from a rabid dogs mouth)! Allen's come back from his six year absence far more changed, and a very different person than Alma or Kanda are used to.

I think I should put this out there: There's a lot the other characters are thinking that won't be revealed unless it's from their POV or they strictly mention it to another character. Also, everyone is scared of Alma because this kid with the petty aesthetic dyed hair and nice earrings has a bodyguard who'll rip you to sheds if you so much as make him frown; no one approaches Alma.

So, because I feel pretty bad just having one chapter out, I'm uploading this sooner than normal! I'll note this now, but there isn't an endgame ship decided on yet, only because I love them all together more than I love two or three of them smooching haha.