Sadistic-neko: Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't updated lately, it's just that my muse decided to be a bitch and ran away again. I was also traveling and getting ready for school, so I didn't have much time to type anyway. Well boys, can you help me with the disclaimer?
Allen: (grins as he collects winnings from Lavi) I win again.
Lavi: (pulls on hair) How do you do that! I know that you cheat but I can't catch you!
Kanda: Just give up already. He's already cheated you out of this month's salary.
Sadistic-neko: Um guys? (is ignored) Guys. (eyebrow twitches as she is ignored again. Picks up random rock and throws it at them) Guys answer me already damn it!
Guys: (Jumps and stares at the author.) What?
Sadistic-neko: (glares murder at them.) Disclaimer. Now.
Guys: (gulps) Okay. (turns to readers) Sadistic-neko does not own -man and hopes that y'all enjoy her newest chapter.
Allen POV
"Komui!" Kanda and I yelled as we burst into his office. He looked up at us, stunned, and began choking on the coffee that he was drinking from his weird cup that had the pink bunny on it.
"H-hello," he said after a good kick in the back from Kanda helped him either spit up or swallow the bitter and, now, lukewarm science division liquid of life. "Is something the matter?"
The samurai handed Neko, who cried herself to sleep after the akuma attack, to me and began looking around the room. One satisfied that the room was secure he went to the closed door and locked it. The head of the science division stared at us questioningly. As the long haired man sat down next to me on the couch, I handed the child back him, considering that she was getting restless away from him.
"What is going on?" I bit my lip and looked at him pleadingly.
"You have to promise that you won't tell a soul outside this room," I said, well, more like begged. He nodded, obviously curious as to why I was seemed so desperate and why Kanda was, somehow, more tense than usual. I took a deep breath and wrung my hands together in my lap. "Neko can detect akuma."
I watched as his eyes widened. Kanda held the young exorcist closer, being careful to not squish her or awaken her. Almost unconsciously, my hand flew to one of his and gave it a light squeeze. As unbelievable as it was, he didn't push me away or even glare at me. In fact, he almost seemed to relish it at the moment, as if he needed it.
"How?" Komui looked like he was trembling. He knew just as well as Kanda and I did what Neko's fate would be if the top brass of the order found out about her ability. As a person that could also detect the poor creatures, I was well aware of just how willing they were to take advantage of such an ability.
"She can smell them. We think that it's part of her innocence." I looked him in the eye, trying my hardest to convey my concern for the girl. "You've got to help us!"
I kept my gaze on him as he got up and approached me. When he put his hands on my shoulders, I was so wound up that it took everything that I had to not just about jump out of my skin. He gave me one of his rare serious looks and I almost collapsed from the tension.
"Of course I'll help you." His grip on my shoulders tightened and his expression turned pained. "I wasn't able to prevent Lenalee from getting hurt, but I can promise you that I'll do everything that I can to keep Neko from ending up like she was. She's already like another little sister and I wouldn't be able to bear it if I have to see another little girl get broken like that. I would tell Lavi and bookman sometime, though if I were you. They are bound to notice and it would be for the best if they are aware that it's a secret."
"Thank you, we'll be sure to tell them," I said, doing my best to keep in the relieved tears that wanted to fall. It felt like all of the bones in my body had melted when I leaned heavily against the back of the couch that I was sitting on. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kanda relax slightly and the ease of tension in the hand that was still in mine was further proof.
"Well," Komui began, his usual chipperness back. "On a brighter note, Neko's room has been arranged and her uniforms are made. The room is right next to Kanda's and her uniforms will already be in there."
"Very well," Kanda said and stood up. I got up too and followed him out the door. The walk to the room was silent. Neither one of us knew what to say and we were both too worried about the girl held securely to the elder's chest to really even try to make conversation anyway. We were fully aware that, even without her ability to detect akuma, her life would be hell. Our work would thrust the horrors of the world that she had yet to experience practically in her face and would prevent her from being a kid. Just like it had with Lenalee, Kanda and me.
"We're going to have to all we can to end this war before she's put in," I concluded aloud as I watched the long-haired man in front of carefully try and change her. He seemed so concentrated on it that I assumed that he hadn't heard me. As soon as I realized that two hands just weren't enough to not only hold her up but change her at the same time, I kneeled down next to the small bed and used one hand to keep her upright and the other to hold her arms up enough for the samurai to get the new nightshirt on her small frame. With our joint effort, we had her fully dressed in sleepwear and her hair braided in no time.
Yet again, I marveled at how gentle he was with her as he tenderly put her under the covers and tucked her in. Despite how mean, cold, cruel and heartless he could be, I couldn't help but think that he made a great father for the little girl. A small, real smile crept up my face as I watched him settle down, sitting against the wall right next to the sleeping child's bed where she would be able to see him clearly as soon as she woke up. Figuring that I should let them have their quality time, I turned to leave, but was stopped by a quiet, almost sorrowful voice.
"You're right."
"What was that?" I asked, turning to look over at my shoulder at the speaker. He was sitting there against the wall just like he was when I turned to leave, but he had his sad, protective gaze fixed to the child.
"I said that you're right, we're going to have to find a way to end this damn war before she gets dragged into it. There's no way in hell that I'm going to let her end up like us." He looked at me, his face still expressionless, but I could have sworn that his eyes were just flooded with emotions. So many that I would never have been able to identify them. "Lavi and you have split personalities, Lenalee suffers bouts of depression and is terrified of being alone, I'm just messed up entirely and we all are always teetering on the edge of insanity. We just can't let that happen to her."
Never had I seen him look so vulnerable. His appearance was just as it always was, cold and stoic, but I knew that it was just a mask. Something in me was painfully aware that the strong man in front of me was on the verge of breaking. Unable and unwilling to resist the sudden compulsion that overcame me, I sat down in front of him and put my hand on one of his that were trembling, possibly without his knowing. Staring up into his eyes, I could, for the first time, see past his defenses and into the heart of the hurt and confused man beneath.
"You don't have to worry," I said, resisting the beyond bizarre urge to wrap my arms around his waist and nuzzle into his chest. Instead, I gave his hand a light squeeze and turned to Neko. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him do the same. "She'll have something that none of us had. People that care about her and will protect her. I can already tell that you'll always be looking out for her, and I will too, and I'm sure that the others will protect her. No matter what, she'll always have a family that'll love her."
"I guess that you're right." He reached up to brush her bangs out of her face and, when he tried to pull his hand back, she grabbed it and held onto some of his fingers tightly. His lips twitched in the beginning of a smile. I smiled at the unbelievable cuteness and sat next to the older man.
"Do you mind if I stay in here for a while?" I asked, ready to get up if I had to. "I really don't want to have to deal with Link right now."
"Hn." Only slightly surprised that he let me stay, I got as comfortable as I could leaning against the wall closed my eyes as I felt sleep creeping up on me.
Kanda POV
I bit back a growl as I heard light snores coming from my right. It was a cause of both irritation and relief. Glaring at my hand as it committed mutiny, I thought back to the last few moments. I couldn't believe that acted like that in front of the damn Moyashi of all people. I had no idea why I did that. My only guess that the shock of finding out that Neko could smell akuma caused something in me to temporarily snap. At least that little breakdown happened in front of the moyashi instead of Lavi or Lenalee. They would never let me hear the end of it or try walking on eggshells around me.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a hand on my own. Looking to said appendage, I found that the child that was in my care had shifted in her sleep and had, somehow, found my hand and held onto it. Fighting back a small smile, I reached up with my free hand and pulled the blanket back up to her shoulder. Her training started the next day and I couldn't have her getting sick.
Figuring that I may as well get some sleep too, leaned back, ignoring how uncomfortable the wall was. Just as I was about to doze off, I felt the grip on my hand tighten and heard a little groan indicating that Neko was waking up.
"Kanda?" she asked sleepily and sat up, rubbing her eyes. I gave her hand a little squeeze, getting her attention. She quickly scanned the room and fixed her confused gaze on me. "Where are we?"
"Your room," I replied leaning against the wall again. "From now on you will be sleeping in here. My room is right next door if need anything. I'll stay in here tonight, but don't expect me to do it again."
"Okay," she said through a yawn and snuggled back into her covers and was asleep again in an instant. Knowing that the moyashi couldn't hear me, I chuckled.
The next morning I awoke to the sound of the door slamming open. Before I could blink Neko was already behind me, gripping onto the back of my shirt and I felt some weight that was on my right shoulder jump and remove itself. The disturbance that woke us was none other than a beyond pissed looking Link.
I watched in almost awe as he stomped up to the moyashi and, quite literally, grabbed him by his hair and dragged him out of the room.
"Ow, ow! Dang it Link! You could have just told me to get up! There's no need to be so rough!" was all we could hear as the voice faded down the hall. There was a moment of silence as Neko and I stared at the empty doorway, stunned.
"That was weird." I nodded, stood up and lifted her up, heading for the bathroom to get her cleaned up and ready for the day. "Kanda?"
"Hn."
"Why is your shirt wet?" I halted mid step as she pressed down on the damp spot as if to make a point and noticed the little fact for the first time.
"…" Continuing what I was doing I made a mental note to give the moyashi a good whack as realization hit me. The weight I had felt on my shoulder was him. some time during the night he must have somehow shifted and ended up leaning on me and drooled in his sleep.
