Since it's been a week, I figured it was time to update. I hope you enjoy! Also, I changed my username haha.

Cave of Poppies

Chapter 4

Allen blinked wearily, and a quick look around the dark room told him neither Timcanpy nor Link had tried to wake him up. He shifted, breathing deeply into his pillow, when his phone vibrated again. Groaning, Allen propped himself up on his elbow, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he reached for the cell, and Timcanpy wobbled sleepily into the air. Lit brightly on the screen was Alma's selfie with Kanda, tongue out and winking. Allen huffed a laugh before answering.

"Hullo?" Allen asked, hoping he didn't sound as drowsy as he felt. Tim helpfully bit his ear, and Allen tugged the phone away as he hissed.

"Did I wake you up?" Alma asked worriedly, but with a hint of incredulity. Allen sat up fully, the covers falling to wrap around his middle. He glanced at the clock on his end table and winced at the late hour.

"No, no," Allen assured, sliding from his bed and shivering at the cool touch of the floor. He stretched, popping his back. "What's up?" He smacked his mouth in distaste, and left for the bathroom.

"Well… I was just gonna… say that I want to go with you!" Alma ended quickly, and Allen hummed. Link raised his brow from his seat in the living room, homework splayed on the coffee table. Allen stumbled into the bathroom, Tim fluttering off towards the living room.

"Wait, what?" Allen asked, suddenly processing Alma's words as he turned the light on, wincing at his face. God, he looked like last night had taken its toll on him. "Go with me where, exactly?" But he already had an idea of what Alma was asking.

"Yuu and me… we wanna go with you from now on! When you go… get money."

"No," Allen said sternly, squeezing his eyes as images flashed through his mind; of Alma drinking, of them getting in trouble, of Allen getting them mixed up with his own problems.

Alma stayed silent on the mind, and Allen realized with a wince that what he said must've hurt. But, this wasn't fun and games. Allen didn't go to these places looking for a good time. He went to settle his debts.

"Alma," he groaned, rubbing at his brow. In his reflection, the shadow seemed to snicker. "I wouldn't be able to look out for you."

"You don't have to! I'll have Yuu with me!" Alma insisted, and Allen took a moment to realize Alma meant Kanda and not 'you' as in 'Allen'. Allen sighed. "We'll just try to get in on our own," Alma threatened, and Allen hated that it worked.

Allen considered his reflection for a moment, then said, "You can come… but only if you stay with Link the entire time."

Alma cheered over the line, and Allen suppressed a groan, already knowing he was going to regret it. "Alright, Alma. Let me tell Link and I'll call you back." Alma cheerfully said talk to you later! before hanging up, and Allen let his shoulders slump, digging his fingertips into the cool surface of his sink. He slid his phone onto a shelf before washing his face and brushing his teeth. As he gargled, the door swung open lightly. Allen met Link's gaze through the mirror. He thought it cute that it bothered Link when Timcanpy rested on his head like that, but the blond never did anything to stop it.

"And where are we going?" Link asked almost petulantly from the doorway, and Allen struggled not to laugh. He spit the wash out and watched the liquid drain down the sink. "I should've woken you up earlier," Link continued into the silence, frowning. "You won't be able to sleep at all tonight, Walker." Then his face grew pinched, and Allen could almost hear the mocking words, that's not my job.

Allen grabbed his phone and passed Link who shuffled to let him through. "Are there any cookies left?" Allen asked instead, following his nose to the kitchen.

"You just brushed your teeth and you want cookies?" Link asked, appalled, then, "No. Bookman Junior stole the rest as they left."

"He what?" Allen demanded. Scowling, he thumbed through his phone to Lavi's contact, sending an angry message. "He comes into my house and eats my cookies. Ingrate." Link stifled a snort, which Allen ignored. Lavi was surprisingly quick to reply, and Allen mused that his message must've sounded angrier than he intended. He scanned over the text, grumbling, "Damn straight he's going to get me more. He doesn't know how hard it is to make you bake something."

"Walker, you are full of it," Link scowled, settling back in front of his homework. "You eat everything I bake! Also, I checked your science homework and you got one of the questions wrong."

Allen looked back from his position in front of the refrigerator. "And my math?" He asked worriedly, digging for the leftover sandwich he knew Link had left.

"All correct," Link grumbled, bending back over his work as Allen emerged, mouth filled with bread and meat.

"It should be," Allen muttered petulantly. As much as he had to handle Cross' finances, he ought to even be teaching their class.

"Is that my sandwich?" Link demanded, and Allen swallowed.

"So, Alma and Kanda want to come with us next time." Allen took a seat on the armchair, snagging one of the worksheets. His brow rose as he noticed it covered material they hadn't even started on yet.

"Don't change the subject," Link scolded tersely, then, "And what do you mean they want to come with us? Absolutely not." He set down the work and pencil and straightened his back, curving his hands around his knees. Allen let his head fall back on the armchair, rolling it along the edge of the cushion and trying to alleviate the headache building there. His eyes fell shut.

"It means exactly what it sounds like. Alma said we either take them with us or they sneak in after us. And I promise you, when Alma set's his heart on something, I don't think even the apocalypse would stop him." He craned his head further back, breath tussling one of the tassels hanging from a wall scroll Cross gave them. "Plus, there's Kanda."

Link remained silent for a while longer, and Allen furrowed his brow. "What time is it, Link?" He could hear the shuffling of cloth as Link checked his watch - a finely crafted metal piece that displayed the inner workings and was trimmed in gold. A gift, Link had told him. Allen thought Link had blurred the lines between 'gift' and 'manipulative abusive bargaining', but that was none of his business.

"Eight," Link told him, and Allen tugged his phone out to text Alma. "And it's your turn to wash the dishes." Allen snorted in amusement and waved his hand, indicating he'd get to it soon, and Allen thought he heard him grumble something under his breath.

"Alright," Allen said cheerily, standing suddenly and wobbling at the head rush. Link looked at him in concern, and Allen gave him a grin. "They'll meet us here, and we'll go together."

"Then those dishes definitely have to get done now," Link replied, annoyed, "if we're having guests." Link didn't seem to appreciate it when Allen laughed raucously.

"Wait, so that was it?" Alma demanded, darting a glance over his shoulder at the bar's entrance and at the man standing guard. Kanda's shoulders were held stiffly as he eyed the already drunken patrons meandering around them, his brow scrunched in annoyance. Alma hurriedly followed Allen and Link. "I thought… I don't know, I thought it would be harder to get in...or something," he trailed off uncertainly, embarrassed.

Allen laughed kindly. "Hmm, it really depends on the place, but my uncle is friends with the owner here. 'Sides, Kanda doesn't look his age and people always tell me they can never tell how old I am. So long as we aren't obviously drinking, then Mahoja is cool with letting us pass." Alma frowned as Allen easily navigated the crowd, leading steadily towards the tables set up in the back.

"Mahoja?" Alma echoed, resisting the urge to pinch the back of Allen's shirt and hold on. Instead he grabbed Kanda around his forearm, and the boy only grunted but didn't tug it back.

Allen looked over his shoulder and nodded towards the bouncer. "She's Mahoja. She works for Anita and is… a, uh, jack of all trades, I suppose you could say." Allen grinned as if at a private joke, and Alma worried how Allen knew any bit of personal information about this Mahoja, who looked like she could crack a man's head between her formidable thighs. #neverskiplegday, Alma thought in amusement, and wished he'd taken a picture to show Lenalee.

"What does that even mean?" Kanda snapped, belligerent and glaring at a man who was looking way too closely at Kanda. "What the fuck do you want?" The man reared back at the promise of a fight in Kanda's tone, and Link scowled.

"Kanda, please, don't get us kicked out. It's not our fault you're so pretty," Allen jeered, turning away from the gambling tables and heading towards a line of booths. Alma felt the place was bigger than it actually seemed, and it was only the undulating drunk crowd around them that made it feel so crowded. Before Kanda could snap and maybe punch Allen or something, they arrived at a set of mostly… clean booths. Alma eyed the shine on them with distaste, but Link looked utterly repulsed. "Here, you guys stay here. Link will… also stay here." Link snorted but slid into one side, and Kanda nudged Alma to enter first.

Allen hesitated, and Alma turned to look at him. He was dressed to impress, in dark pants and a shirt that clung to his skin without being tight. He knows how to play up his body, Alma thought, then grimaced in guilt. Looking at Allen this way in the dimmed bar lights really did give the age-less impression. Alma glanced at Link, who also looked older than them, especially with how defined his jaw was and how strong his forearms looked. He seemed like a man versus Alma's boyish youth, and it made Alma ashamed. He wondered if he looked his age.

"Alma," Allen called, and the boy looked up worriedly. Allen smiled gently, and Alma marveled at the special way Allen had of making it seem like you were the only one that mattered, how utterly focused and special you could feel. Here they were in a noisy bar with the both admittedly hot Kanda and Link, and still Allen could make Alma feel like he wasn't just some annoying tag-along. "Don't worry. No one here is looking at us, and this booth is pretty isolated." Alma glanced around and saw that Allen was right. Despite their rather loud make-up - what with Kanda and his almost stupid-beautiful looks and long hair, Link's blond braid and cut features, Allen's shock of white locks and tattooed face and even Alma's purple hair, they ought to be getting more looks than they were. He felt himself relax, just a bit, and reminded himself that people came to drink and have a good time, not ogle teenagers.

"There, you see?" Allen asked. "Alright. I won't be long, but don't accept anything anyone gives you. Nothing. If you get thirsty or hungry, ask Link. Only accept things from him or me, okay?"

Alma thought of the way Allen looked Friday night, strung out and face slack, and nodded. Allen grinned in relief. "Good. I'll see you guys later." He nodded at Link and Kanda and left, disappearing with astonishing ease into the crowd.

Alma watched as Allen reappeared by the tables crowded with gamblers. Allen grinned cheekily and acted nervous, before sitting at a round table filled with cards. Alma didn't recognize the game - he wasn't one much for cards, too many rules - but Allen seemed pretty at ease. They dealt a round and began to play, shuffling and exchanging and flicking cards. At seemingly random intervals various men would shout or groan, the sounds lost in the sea of chatter. Music began to swell, and Alma thought you only could be drunk to enjoy it.

Allen was wearing a smile as he played, and slowly the pile of money grew and shrunk and grew, and Alma wondered if he was cheating. He wondered when, exactly, Allen learned to gamble and play and wear a smile as innocent as the folders of flowers in his phone as he dealt in money. The contrast unnerved Alma, who shuddered. Allen had changed in many ways just as in some he remained the same. He always had been, Alma reflected, a good liar.

"Stupid beansprout is going to get himself in trouble," Kanda said beside Alma, glaring a hole into the fake wood grain. Alma twisted back to face him, and noted that Link mostly ignored them, eyes warily watching Allen. Creepy as it was, at the moment Alma was relieved. He couldn't help the thrum of nervous energy lacing through him at the loud crowd, sloshing of liquor and quick thwip of cards being handled.

"That's why we're here," Alma said firmly. "We want to know more about him? Then we gotta go where he goes. Otherwise, we'll never know."

"You want to know more about him," Kanda corrected. "I'm just here because you'd bitch otherwise."

"I would not!" Alma cried, offended. "I don't bitch."

"You do. It's annoying." Kanda shifted to lean on his elbows, hands crossed at the wrist as he settled to look beyond Alma and towards the bar.

"You're rude," Alma whined, and at Kanda's raised brow realized what he was doing. "That's not bitching," he hurriedly said, and Kanda snorted a laugh. He suddenly noticed Link, and the blond glanced away to return staring at Allen. Alma blinked, then frowned guiltily. "Sorry, Link. Sometimes we can get a little wrapped up." Link didn't deign him with a response, and as Alma felt Kanda tense beside him he hurried to continue the conversation. He floundered for a topic and latched hastily onto the thought that had been lingering in his mind for the week. "Why are you with Allen anyways? I mean," he corrected nervously "like, how did you meet? Why are you living together? Does Mana know about you? Does his uncle - Kanda, what was his name? Cross? - does he know? Are you a relative? Cross' son?"

Alma only stopped to suck in a breath when Kanda elbowed him. "Stop throwing questions at him," Kanda said, and Alma nodded, flushed.

Link looked appalled. "I am not Marian Cross' son." Alma laughed - Allen wore the exact same face when someone asked him that - and Link frowned at him. "I… I think that none of that is any of your business," he said, and Alma noted the effort as he tried to lessen the blow of the unkind words.

Alma shrugged, dragging his eyes to watch Allen, who seemed to be surrounded by various objects, coins, and dollars. "I want to know. No, I need to know. I don't care if it's none of my business. You don't understand."

No one except Kanda did. Allen had disappeared. Alma had finally just thought Allen had left them without a care - that Allen had never loved them like Alma had loved Allen - or that, even worse, they were dead, and he would never be able to find out among the lands and peoples of a foreign England. Alma could respect Allen's need for privacy - Allen, even from back then, had always been secretive with almost everything. Allen seemed afraid of rejection, and so Alma had resolved to never let him feel any less than all of Alma's overbearing love. When Allen had left, it had felt like a slap in the face.

He shook his head. It was useless to linger on old feelings and past hurts. In the present and now, Allen was here, with Alma and Kanda and laughing every day. In the now, Alma could ask Allen all he wanted and hug him as many times as he wanted.

"Can't you tell me about Allen? Please?" Kanda stiffened at Alma's begging, but Alma didn't care.

"Alma Karma," Link hissed, and Alma reared back in alarm at the amount of anger in Link's voice, frantically wondering what he'd done to set off the normally tolerant blond. "Stop digging into Walker's past. It is none of your business." Link had let go of the effort of inflicting his words with a kind tone and gone straight for ire. "He doesn't want you to know, don't you understand?"

Kanda uncrossed his wrists and seemed to loom beside Alma, but he was too overwhelmed, eyes wide with hurt and shock. It had never crossed his mind that Allen didn't automatically love Alma and Kanda back like Alma did him. Was he being annoying? Was he just inflicting himself onto Allen, bothering him and pestering him and begging him to tag-along? Alma's mind flew back over all their interactions, how he had bullied Allen into letting them come along, and he felt his shoulders hunch in dismay and hurt.

Here he knew all along that Allen was a private person, and yet still he was digging and digging, forcing Allen to tell him things he didn't want to and even going behind his back to find out more. God, what kind of person was he? Alma felt tears sting at his eyes and his breath hitch. Even more than hurting Allen, it stung to realize that maybe… maybe Allen didn't love him. At all. That Alma was a distant stranger who he used to be friends with, and this kind polite Allen didn't have the wherewithal to tell Alma to back off.

"Listen here, you son of a bitch," Kanda began, and Alma was jerked from his spiral of haunting thoughts to focus on Kanda. Horrified, he watched as Kanda's muscles tensed, and he narrowed a steely glare at Link.

Link looked hotly back, angry and confused. "Excuse you? What right do you have to get angry?" It struck Alma that Link was, perhaps, a very literal person, but he didn't care. Literal or not, what Link had said had hurt, and Alma was vindictive enough to not care.

"Shut up," Kanda snapped, and Alma thought he should do something to stop him, but, he realized, he didn't want to. He wanted Kanda to take everything Link had shot at him and throw it back with interest. Alma had always known deep down inside he was a petty and pathetic person, jealous and clingy, but he never knew how awful he was until now. Until he wanted his best friend to attack the only other person in Allen's life simply because it wasn't Alma. "Apologize to Alma."

Link rose to the bait, dark eyebrows drawn in anger and jaw clenched so tightly Alma could see the muscle jumping in the pressure. The sounds of the crowd seemed to die away as Alma focused on only how much he wanted Link to take back his words and claim they were all a lie.

Suddenly, the crowd roared and tables crashed over, glasses shattering and people screaming. Alma jerked his head to the side, and missed the moment both Kanda and Link surged from their seats, grabbing each other by the collar. Alma's shout was lost in the cacophony, and boots thundered across the floor. People were still screaming and more glasses were being broken, liquid splattering across the floor and music thumping deep into the wooden boards, pounding in time with Alma's racing heart.

In the whirlwind of sound around them, Link seemed to come to himself. Slowly, he dropped his hands back to his side. "I do not want to fight you," Link said quietly. Alma more read his lips than actually heard his words.

Kanda didn't seem to care. "I don't give a shit. Apologize to Alma."

"Kanda Yuu," Link said carefully, staring Kanda in the eye. "This is neither the time nor place for this." Alma felt his body tense as Kanda's did, but Link's darted to the side and Alma followed, spying a flushed and grinning Allen running up.

His smile dropped as he saw them, and he slowed to a walk before stopping at their table. He frowned, but before he could say anything the bouncer from before - Mahoja, Alma recalled - appeared at his side, gently touching Allen on his shoulder. Allen looked so small next to the towering woman.

"Allen Walker," Mahoja said quietly, then bent to whisper in Allen's ear. Alma didn't know how Allen heard anything in the noise of the fighting bar and screaming patrons, but Allen nodded. Mahoja left and Allen turned to them. Alma's heart stuttered when he realized Allen was angry.

"Come on guys, let's go. We'll deal with this later." Alma could only nod and numbly follow Allen as he weaved through the crowd, heading towards the back.

Alma wanted to ask Allen lots of things. Why were they leaving, had something happened, what had Mahoja told him, did he win anything, did he lose, was gambling fun, did he do this often. Did Allen hate him, them, did he regret coming back.

But the possible answer to those words kept Alma's mouth shut in fear, and he retreated to Kanda' comforting, familiar side, watching as Link stepped up to be beside Allen, turning his head to the side to say something. He watched as Allen easily tilted his face to him, responding words that were lost in the noise between them.

Alma's stomach sunk and his heart beat painfully as he stared at the easy open expression Allen wore, and how there was no trace of anger when he looked at Link.

A/N: Not to say Alma's right or anything, but since Allen isn't very forthcoming with information, then, well... it's easy to draw your own conclusions and assume things, isn't?

This feels rather short when compared to last chapter's monstrosity of a word count lol Thank you for the reviews, follows, and faves!

Guest: I did include that tidbit about Kanda and Alma matching, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are in a relationship. Alma's just the type to be so affectionate with his friends it almost makes outsiders uncomfortable haha

If you noticed the series of one-shots I've been posting recently, most of those came from my tumblr first. I won't post them all here unless they're particularly long, so check that out if you like my writing and would like to read more.