Disclaimer: D. Gray Man is Hoshino Katsura's property... ahem... maybe not for long.

A/N: Since I suck terribly at Japanese vocabulary, I use 'futon' for their mattress though I believe this isn't how they were called at the 11th century... if someone knows please let me know too. As well as the name of the dress they wear, you know, like in Shonen Onmyouji. Otherwise I'll call it a dress...
Oh yeah, and several people told me the plot reminds them of Tactics. I suppose I'll have to go watch that series haha ^^°

Thanks to Klappy for beta-ing the chapter.

Chapter 2– Black and White

Allen walked out of the forest, followed by his newly acquired shikigami. It was around midnight, so the boy would simply go sleep for now and would see Komui the day after to tell him he was ready to start taking requests. Allen suddenly stopped walking and turned to Kanda:

"Why can't I feel any spiritual energy from you now?" he asked.

"Obviously because I'm repressing it, otherwise you wouldn't be able to stand it, brat," Kanda replied with disdain.

Allen was used to being talked as if he was inferior to everyone, he was used to being treated like a weak and useless Exorcist, but for some reason, the words coming from the shikigami's mouth irritated him more than usual.

"If I'm not to your convenience, then why the hell did you ask to become my shikigami?" Allen asked dryly.

"No choice," was Kanda's mere reply.

The silver-haired boy was about to ask why, but decided against it. He didn't care. He didn't want to know about that youkai's life; the less contact he had with those monsters, the better. After all, Allen wasn't very fond of having a youkai serving him, so he wasn't going to blame Kanda for disliking it either. The boy resumed walking silently to the Temple.

There were an abnormal number of people in front of the gate, and thanks to the light of the torches some were holding, Allen immediately recognized Komui and several teachers shouting orders here and there. As soon as Komui saw him, he ran to him but stopped dead as he saw Kanda.

"Allen! You're fine, I'm relieved. Who is it?" Komui asked suspiciously.

"My new shikigami. You wanted me to find one, and I did," Allen answered, slightly worried by the uneasy atmosphere. "What's going on here?"

"Didn't you feel it? There's been a sudden burst of spiritual energy not long ago, enough to wake everyone up, and we're trying to find the cause of it. Nothing in the area should be powerful enough to emit so much energy. You didn't see anything abnormal in the forest?"

"Ah, well… as for that…" Allen scratched his cheek, embarrassed.

"Che. Lame Exorcists," Kanda snapped with his sharp voice, surprising Komui.

"Excuse me?" he asked the youkai, visibly upset.

"Wait, wait!" Allen intervened. "The reason of the surge of energy you felt earlier is Kanda. When I…"

"Kanda? That's your shikigami's name?" Komui cut him abruptly.

"Well, yes…"

Komui stared at Kanda, incredulous. He addressed the demon:

"Is it true?"

"Che, of course it is. Seems like you know who I am, unlike this brat," Kanda answered with a smirk.

Hearing that, several teachers gasped and rushed at him to surround him while Komui pulled Allen by the arm and stepped back.

"Bring that youkai in the Sealing Room and keep an eye on it," Komui ordered the teachers.

"W-Wait! What are you doing?" Allen asked, unable to understand what was going on.

"Come with me, Allen." The man merely said.

They went to Komui's working room, and took seat around the low table. Then Komui started speaking in his most serious tone:

"Allen, I don't know where this is going, but if that youkai is really what he claims to be, then we may be in trouble. To be honest, I personally think that there is no reason to panic, but I had to put it in the Sealing Room just in case."

"But why—"

"Let me finish. I'll tell you a story. Few people know about it, and to most of them, it's a legend. There are even several versions of the story, but here is the one I was told. Have you ever heard about the Sealed Altar?"

Allen shook his head.

"Well, I'll make the story short," Komui paused briefly before continuing, "centuries ago, there was a demon feared through the whole country because it kept wandering from villages to villages and from towns to towns, destroying everything on its way and leaving only desolation and countless corpses behind it. One day, a monk whose name was unknown appeared. He fought the demon, but ended up deadly injured. So he gathered what was left of his powers, and managed to seal the demon in an altar. It is also said that the monk put a curse on the demon to prevent him from harming people any further. According to the legend, the demon's powers were taken away and the only way to recover them was to serve an Exorcist. Furthermore, only people sharing the same blood as the monk – that is to say his relatives and their descendants – would be able to see the altar and break the seals. Also, the altar can only be found every full moon. And tonight is a full moon."

Komui paused, giving Allen time to assimilate what he had just told him. The boy was immobile, his eyes staring at nothing in particular. Komui resumed:

"You get my point. The name of that demon is Kanda."

Allen closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, then opened them again:

"I found a clearing in the forest which I'm pretty sure have never existed. And Kanda told me he had no choice but to become my shikigami… it does match with your story," he murmured. After a pause, he asked Komui, "Then, what you're trying to tell me is that my shikigami is actually a powerful ancient demon doomed to serve under me?"

"I suppose so. If the story is true, that is."

"What do I do then?"

"Well, as long as it's your shikigami, it can't use its powers to harm humans, so you can't release it. We'll simply keep it in the sealing room. I'm sorry but you'll have to go find another shikigami, Allen," Komui answered with a weak smile.

Allen's head was a mess. Kanda was a demon who had massacred countless people? Memories of his past suddenly came back to him, hurtful memories. Fine, Allen would let that demon rot here and find another one. However, the simple thought of having to find a new shikigami made him feel more than reluctant. He despised youkai, and bonding with one already made him feel sick, so there was no way he was going to take another of those monsters at his service.

There was something else. Something that Allen unconsciously repressed because it scared him. An inexplicable attraction to the power he had felt in the forest, Kanda's power. It was something which drew him unwillingly to that venomously gorgeous demon.

Gorgeous.

They had hardly met for an hour at most, and Allen was already unable to get rid of his sudden obsession for the demon. It was precisely that fascination for that demon which scared Allen. Undoubtedly, he hated Kanda, but at the same time, there was somethingenticingabout him. Like a spider luring its prey to its web to devour it.

I don't have anything to lose.Allen repeated to himself.

"Komui, I think I will be fine with Kanda. You said it after all, shikigami aren't supposed to use their powers to harm humans. And since he's now a shikigami, he'll have to follow the same rule. I don't think there's any need to keep him locked."

"I don't either, Allen," the older man nodded. "But you never know what could happen, and before everything has been cleared, I don't want to take any risk. And there's also the problem of the difference between your spiritual energies. I'm sure you've noticed, but you and your shikigami aren't at the same level at all; I daresay that some of our teachers don't match its level either. You managed to make Kanda your shikigami because he wanted it, but under normal circumstances, you'd have been swallowed by him. It's dangerous for you; you may not be able to handle it."

"I will," Allen declared firmly. "Please let me try."

Allen's tone truly surprised Komui. He had never seen so much determination in the boy's eyes until now, and after a few seconds of silence, he smiled.

"Ok, I give up. Since you've never asked me anything like this and seem to be so sure of yourself, I'm willing to let you try. Then you'll start tomorrow?"

Allen nodded.

"Fine. You should go sleep now, it's getting really late," Komui advised him.

"What about Kanda?" Allen asked, making the other man sigh.

"Don't worry about that. I'll go talk to your shikigami now, and it'll be released," he answered.

On that night, Allen barely slept because his mind was too busy registering everything that had happened; also because Lavi and Lenalee burst into his room too early the following morning for his own liking.

"Allen! You're awake? Everyone around us is saying that you… oh my god, it's true," Lavi stopped dead when he saw the youkai standing next to a futon where a still half-asleep Allen was slowly trying to wake up.

"Lavi… what are you doing in my room at this hour…" the silver-haired boy managed to say between two yawns. "Oh, you're here too, Lenalee. Good morning."

"Who cares about 'good morning'?" Lavi went on as he pointed a finger at Kanda. "Allen, is this really the demon Kanda?" he asked with excitement, he was almost jumping on the spot.

"Lavi, calm down," Lenalee patted Lavi's shoulder. "Sorry for the intrusion, Allen. We were just too curious about the rumors we heard this morning," she added, smiling.

Allen, still too asleep to realize what his friends were telling him, rubbed his eyes and yawned again. The next thing he saw was Kanda glaring at the two intruders then going out of the room, saying as he walked past them:

"Che. Annoying brats."

The room went silent for a few seconds after Kanda left, then Lavi asked again:

"So, is he the real thing?"

"I suppose, yes…" Allen answered sleepily.

"Damn, I can't believe it. You've got the blood of the monk, that's just too… incredible."

"How come you know about it? Komui told me very few people heard about the story."

"Well, I read a lot, you know. And since Panda seems to like me, he lends me many old scrolls for my free time."

"Panda? You mean the old man who's in charge of the library?" Allen asked.

"Yeah, him. Anyway, back to the topic. Aren't you kind of scared?"

"About what?"

"Well, if Kanda is really the demon described in the books, he may try to kill you, or tear your limbs apart, or slice your throat, or—"

"Lavi! Stop saying such things! Poor Allen just woke up, don't spoil his morning!" Lenalee scolded the red-haired Exorcist.

"Too late, Lenalee. It's already spoiled. Well, I might as well get up and have something to eat," Allen replied grumpily.

"We're going with you then. Oh yes, my brother said that you were to come to his working room as soon as you are done so he can give you your first request!" Lenalee said proudly. "I'm glad you're finally starting your job!"

"Yeah… thanks Lenalee," the silver-haired boy answered, visibly not in the mood to do any job, but well, it's not like he had much choice. "Would you mind waiting for me outside while I'm getting dressed?"

"Oh, sure Allen!"

As Allen was done dressing, he got out only to find Lavi and Lenalee silently standing in front of his room, busy gazing at the ground.

"What are you d—" the boy started, but was interrupted by a voice he was beginning to dislike more and more.

"Che, finally out, Moyashi."

Allen jumped, and then turned his head to see Kanda leaning against the wall, looking at him.

"What did you call me?" Allen asked slowly.

"Moyashi. Because you're so small I could accidentally step on you while walking," Kanda answered casually.

"Y-You're supposed to serve me, not insult me!" Allen snapped back, his cheeks turning red. "Lenalee! Lavi! Let's go!" he called the two others who nodded and hurriedly followed him. Unfortunately, Kanda followed as well, which irritated Allen even more.

"Why are you following me?" he asked, pissed off.

"I'm your shikigami, I'm supposed to follow you," the other merely replied.

"Why the hell did I have to summon you among all the youkai in the world?" the boy muttered to himself.

"Don't worry. We sympathize with you," Lavi patted his back. "You'll find some others later," he added in a whisper.

"Hell no!" Allen replied immediately, maybe more violently than what he had wanted.

"Why not?" Lenalee asked, curious.

"Because… because one is enough for me! I can't handle more!" Allen lied. Partly, that is.

"Oh, well, if you say so…"

Allen was walking through the streets of a town nearby the Temple for his request. Since it was his first one, Komui had insisted on giving him something easy, to train him. Of course Allen had already trained a lot at school, but training and practicing real exorcism weren't the same things. As for now, he had been asked to purify a newly built house because its owner feared that some spirits may want to live in that house as well.

As Allen was walking, people on his way kept glancing at him, and though the boy knew it was because of his hair and the scar on his eye, he also suspected that Kanda had something to do with it. Allen wouldn't admit it, but no matter how much he couldn't stand the youkai, the latter was undeniably handsome, and the two of them formed a strange pair. One with silver hair in a white and blue dress, the other with long, dark hair and dressed in all black, almost like a living shadow. Allen heard Kanda say behind him:

"Foolish humans. I wish I could tear their eyes out."

Allen didn't react, because he was more or less thinking the same thing, but some people around him who had heard Kanda hurried away.

They finally arrived at the house where the owner welcomed them warmly and invited them inside.

"I'll be in the garden if you need something," he said before leaving.

Allen sighed. He felt slightly nervous since it was his first time and he didn't want to mess up. He heard Kanda walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" he asked his shikigami sharply.

"You don't need me for this. There are only small fries here. Even you can purify it without help," the other replied as coldly.

Allen bit his lip. He had to calm down and focus on the exorcism, not on that demon trash which was supposed to be his shikigami. He concentrated, trying to feel any source of spiritual energy in the house, and after a minute, found that indeed, there were only a few rather weak youkai.

He spent his next fifteen minutes purifying the place with seals and incantations, then let out a sigh of relief when he was done. He went out of the house to inform the owner that everything was fine now, but bumped into Kanda who was waiting outside.

"That was slow," was the shikigami's only comment.

Allen ignored him, as the owner was coming back.

"It's done," Allen told the man.

"Oh, that was quick!" the man answered, pleased. He didn't notice Kanda throwing him a disdainful glance. "Thank you very much. Here's the payment."

"It's my duty as an Exorcist," Allen replied, smiling.

The boy took the payment then headed back for the Temple, his first request was done. Yet he didn't feel particularly happy. He didn't want to be an Exorcist, and that fact wouldn't change.

"Congratulations for filling your first request, Allen!" Lenalee ruffled his hair.

"It-it was nothing difficult…" Allen replied, embarassed.

"Well, you didn't expect Komui to send you on a demon hunt for your first request, right?" Lavi asked teasingly. "Though if that had been the case, your shikigami could have helped you."

"Don't talk about him, please," Allen muttered. Lavi laughed.

"I understand," Lenalee said. "He looks so cold it's scary. Where is he now?"

"Probably outside. I don't care where he is," Allen answered.

"You should take another shikigami, you know," the girl advised. "You won't be able to work properly otherwise."

"No, I don't want to," Allen replied immediately.

Lenalee looked at him strangely.

"Well, I suppose it's up to you, as long as you manage to fill requests. Anyway, we'll let you rest for now, ok?"

"Thank you, Lenalee," the silver-haired boy answered.

"See you later then!" Both Lavi and Lenalee took their leave.

Allen decided to go rest at his usual spot, in the large garden, under his favorite white pine. He leant his back against the trunk and closed his eyes, trying to empty his mind. For several minutes, the peaceful atmosphere managed to relax him and he let out a small sigh, is, until his thoughts drifted back to less pleasant subjects.

Kanda troubled him. Because of him, Allen was feeling torn in two; one part of him feared the demon, despised him and rejected the bond between them while the other part of him felt irresistibly attracted to everything Kanda embodied: power, strength, magnificence. Allen shook his head. Kanda had become his shikigami for not even a full day and his mind was already that disoriented. Maybe Komui was right, maybe Kanda was too much for Allen to handle. However, he couldn't bear the mere thought of using a shikigami other than Kanda. They had formed a bond, and it seemed to Allen that the bond was so strong that all his spiritual energy had been used in it, forbidding him from sharing it with any other creature but Kanda.

Allen sighed once more.

"Che, what's with all those sighs?" A voice made him jump.

"Kanda! Since when were you here?" Allen asked, quite irritated.

"Since long enough to wonder what was making a moyashi sigh like that every two minutes."

"Stop calling me a moyashi! I've got a name and it's Allen!"

"I don't care about the name of a weak Exorcist who'd die soon enough if left alone," Kanda replied, not caring about the hurt look in the boy's silver eyes.

"Then I'll ask Komui to send me on a demon hunt so you can let me die there, and everyone will be happy," he snapped.

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"I'd lose all my powers if you were to die, brat," Kanda answered, visibly annoyed.

"What a pity, really… It almost makes me want to commit suicide," Allen went on sarcastically.

"You talk about throwing your life away pretty easily, Moyashi. Do you feel that desperate by your own powerlessness?" the demon asked with a smirk.

"Don't call me that. And I don't give a damn about being weak, because I've never wished to become an Exorcist!" Allen felt his temper rising.

That last sentence made Kanda raise an eyebrow.

"Then why are you here?" he asked.

"I was taken here because I am gifted, but I've never wanted it! I—" Allen stopped.I wish I had stayed with Nara and the others and died with them!But that was none of Kanda's concern, so he kept silent.

"Damn, I'm really unlucky. Among all the descendants of that stupid monk, it had to be a shrimp unable to do anything but whine," the youkai said with obvious contempt.

"You don't understand… you can't understand! How could you anyway? You're just a monster who killed people like they were nothing!" Allen lost control. The memories of his village burning and its inhabitants massacred reminded him of how much his hatred for youkai was strong, and tears of anger started appearing at the corner of his eyes.

"Interesting. The moyashi is upset. What is it? Are you going to hate me because of what I did before?" Kanda asked. "Or maybe because you suffered something similar? Let me guess, were some acquaintances of yours killed by demons?" he insisted, visibly enjoying the look of horror on Allen's face.

"Enough!" Allen almost shouted as he punched the youkai in front of him. He tried to, at least; Kanda easily blocked the boy's fist with one hand. He leant towards Allen and grabbed his chin with his other hand, wiping the few tears falling from the boy's cheek with his thumb. Their faces were only a few inches apart, and Allen stared directly into the youkai dark blue eyes, not flinching.

"My, my. The moyashi actually has some guts to dare attack me," Kanda said with a smirk.

Allen should have felt disgusted because a youkai was touching him, but right now that was the least of his problems. Right now, he was busy trying not to get swallowed by those two dark pools watching him intently. Again, there was that feeling of being drawn to that man – no, youkai – the lack of will to resist and the desire to feel more of his power. Realizing his situation, Allen tried to step back, but Kanda wouldn't let go.

"You may not be that uninteresting after all," he commented.

Allen was at loss for words. Anger was flowing within him, but he was unable to do anything, as if paralyzed by Kanda. Then he noticed something else. Being that close to each other, Allen could smell Kanda's scent, the same scent of the fresh and perfumed forest where he had met Kanda for the first time. Allen found himself breathing in the sweet fragrance, and once more, his senses betrayed his common sense which ordered him to withdraw at once. He felt his cheeks reddening and his heartbeat increasing from anger. Or was it only anger? The closeness with such a handsome creature was somehow dizzying.

"So captivated by me that you can't even say anything anymore?" Kanda's voice brought Allen back to reality. The youkai was smirking.

The boy slapped Kanda's hand away and stepped back, glaring at him.

"You disgust me. You and all of your kind. I hate youkai, they took everything from me. Everything."

"I suppose I guessed right, then," Kanda merely replied, unaffected by Allen's hateful tone.

The boy chose not to add anything and ran back inside, to his room. There, he threw himself on his futon and buried his face in the blanket, allowing himself to let out silent sobs.

On the other side of the door, a dark-haired youkai was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"Che, humans are such fragile creatures."

Ok so now I'd like to tell you all something: YOU TOTALLY WIN. I mean, at first I wasn't sure at all that this story would be something cool, and then... I received so many reviews/fav/alerts that I thought I was going to faint. Seriously, I was like 'omfg!' So now I've got more or less the global plot in mind so please keep supporting me like this, you don't know how much it boosts my motivation to study for my exams! (really) The only problem now is that I fear to disappoint you in further chapters -_- *stress, stress* but well, I'll do my best :] Don't hesitate to tell me what you think should be changed here!
Oh and btw, I've looked on the web to know why DGM is on a freaking hiatus and found out that 2 rumors are spreading: 1st one is that our dear Hoshino may be sued for plagiarism (...) and 2nd one is because of her health. So anyone actually has positive sources about that? Because... how to put this... I want DGM to be baaaack! T_T
And once again, you all ROCK.