+ - Chapter 11 - +
"Che. That rabbit is gonna be pissed off." Kanda off-handy commented.
"Rabbit?" Link asked.
"One of these people I saw the brat with. Ask him a damn question, and he's more than eager to share what he knows. He's like a damn rabbit."
"Oh, you're talking of this Lavi guy, aren't you?" Komui asked.
"What other rabbit do I only recently unfortunately know?"
"Why will he be upset?" Komui inquired.
The Japanese man grinned before he spoke, knowing that his next words would put Lavi through living hell. "Apparently he and Lenalee were going out again, meaning they're probably going to start dating soon."
Boiling hot liquid flowed onto the floor as Komui's hand clenched around his takeaway coffee cup, a crazed smile the only thing gracing his face. "DATING?! MY LENALEE?! NEVER!"
"May there be some mercy on that poor man's soul." Link muttered, subconsciously taking an old phrase his friend often said back in their grade school days.
Kanda rolled his eyes, and leaned against the wall nearest to him. "Usagi has it coming sooner or later. Why not sooner?"
"You, Sir Kanda Yu, are a devil in human skin." Link pointed out.
"Figure that out now?" Komui's plotting continued to go without notice of the other two occupants.
... - ...
In one of the building's storerooms, Lenalee handed the boy a stack of clothes; though his face fell when he noticed what the pile lacked. "Are there any gloves that I could wear?"
Confused by his request, the woman shook her head. "Not unless you want to wear surgical gloves."
At the younger's nod, Lenalee reached into a box and pulled out a pair of thin, blue rubbery gloves. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Even though it would be conspicuous, the boy didn't want anyone to see what he really looked like.
"If you're sure..." Lenalee said, as she handed the gloves to the boy. "I wouldn't recommend wearing them too long though. Your hands will get latex all over them, and they're far from breathable."
"They're cheap?"
"No, no. But sweat in these gloves would make your palms blue."
"I don't really sweat... Too used to wearing thick clothes and gloves..."
Lenalee's smile faltered as she continued on with that sentence in her mind. "S-so you should probably get dressed now..."
"I...probably should, shouldn't I?" Allen nervously chuckled. "Um.."
"Oh! Sorry!" Lenalee was quick to turn around. "If you're still uncomfortable, I could always leave..."
"Not...that I have a problem with you here...just...don't turn around, okay?"
Glancing to make sure no one was around, the younger changed into a form-fitting, black long-sleeved shirt and grey trousers, following up with the gloves. "Thanks, Lenalee."
"I can look now, right?"
"Yeah."
Lenalee turned to look at her younger friend, smiling. "You know, I never thought my brother's old clothes would look so good on you."
"I'm having trouble imagining Komui...much less a younger Komui...wearing this."
The young woman giggled, before giving a playful wink to the other. "Oh, trust me, he used to wear something like this when he was younger."
"Um...how much younger?"
"Well...he's in his early thirties now...so...you fit in the clothes he used to wear when he was fifteen..." Something seemed to have clicked in the female, as she giggled. "Oops...I guess Komui was already your height at that age..."
Allen was now internally cursing his height.
... - ...
Kanda clicked his tongue in impatience; how long did it take one brat to get dressed? A light knock on the door interrupted the grouchy man mid rant, and the appearance of said brat slightly improved his mood. Before he voiced his complaints about their obvious date with sloth, the Japanese male noticed something off about the boy's attire. "What's with the gloves? We already know who you are, so fingerprints can't be the problem."
The British boy made sure to glare directly at the questioner, expression clearly stating that the other should mind his own damn business.
"Why I wear gloves to begin with is none of your god damn bloody business, you wanker."
"Don't take it the wrong way, Allen." Komui said, "That's just how the man is. Rude, and foul mouthed."
"And a pervert." Allen said, crossing his arms.
Komui side glared at Kanda, and placed a hand on his hip, "Yes, yes, there's that too, isn't there?"
"The fuck?"
"Agent Kanda, you're aware there are three people in this room who will most certainly keep you beyond arms reach of Walker." Link pointed out. Looking around, Kanda took notice of all the eyes suddenly on him.
"The actual fuck?"
Kanda wanted to kill someone. He wanted to strangle Komui into silence, impale Link, and hey, maybe even shish-kebab Lavi. He wanted to rip the clothes from a certain white-haired boy's body, have curses screamed at him in a British accent as he bound the struggling youth to a bed, eyes filled with anger that would soon be clouded by lust. But he didn't. That would have been unprofessional.
Gritting his teeth, the Japanese man motioned the German over into a corner with his eyes. "What? If you think I'm letting you near Walker, don't bother."
"What's wrong with his hands?" Kanda's voice came out cold and hard, though soft enough not to be heard by the other three talking amongst themselves.
"Excuse me?"
"His hands. Don't tell me you haven't noticed; he's a good actor, but he keeps slipping up." Cobalt eyes traced over the two gloved appendages, taking in the way the right hand sat on top of the left almost protectively.
When Link didn't answer, the normally stoic other continued. "He freaked out when we first mentioned changing clothes, and when I asked him about the gloves, you saw how protective he got. Check his left hand; that's the one we need."
To this, Link sighed. "I already know of that. However, it isn't my place to tell anyone anything of it."
"Why do you know?"
"Because I saw. Save for Cross Marian, I'm the only other person who knew of it." As Link spoke, Kanda took note of how deflated the other seemed on this topic. "Kanda, Allen Walker has been something of a younger brother to me. I don't want you forcing him into anything. Not into bedding him, and most certainly not into what happened to him in his younger years."
"What happened in his younger years?"
"That I can't answer even if I wished to. I didn't know the boy at that young. All I know is that Walker had a horrific accident when he was a child, and from there he was given into the custody of Cross shortly after."
The Japanese man raised an eyebrow at the new information. "Would this 'horrific accident' have anything to do with NOAH?"
Link winced at the question. "As I've said: it isn't my place to tell."
"So that would be a 'yes', then?"
"It's an 'uncertain'." Link corrected, as he took a glance over to his old friend. He smiled softly, seeing the boy laughing at something Komui had either said or did...most likely did. "Walker...he never wanted people to worry over him," He continued, turning his attention back to the Japanese male, "even if the circumstances surrounding him often caused those around him otherwise."
"Uncertain though?"
"I looked over the case files. Photos, eye-witness reports, everything. It was because of my sharp eyes I was able to pick out pieces of evidence that others overlooked. That's why it was labeled to be a homicide, rather than being brushed off as a natural death."
"And despite all that, you never found out if the NOAH had a direct connection."
"Sadly, no. There were no fingerprints, or any prints for that matter. They were careful. Very careful." At this, Link combed his bangs out of his face.
"Kanda! Link!" Lenalee's voice called out to them. The two men turned to face her, "Hey, why don't you two stay for dinner? Our treat, isn't that right, brother?"
Seemed Komui was sporting a bump on his head now. Kanda noted. "I don't care."
'I don't mind. But I hope you know how much Walker can eat, Miss Lee."
"Ah...I don't think I informed my brother though..."
Komui blinked in confusion, whilst Allen seemed a little embarrassed. The blush grew darker when his stomach growled.
"The hell is in there, Moyashi?"
"My...stomach?"
This time, upon seeing the disbelief in the older male's face, Allen's cheeks darkened. "I- I'm just a little hungry..."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kanda lightly shook his head. "If you were hungry, you should have said something, Baka Moyashi."
"It's Allen!" Said boy growled.
Link rolled his eyes. "Alright then. I propose a feast. Fit for three Allen Walkers."
Lenalee placed a finger to her chin as she thought it over, "We'll have to go food shopping for that..."
''Che. You fu-"
"Language Kanda!" Komui interrupted.
"You've got to be kidding me." Kanda instead muttered. He heard a snicker from his left, and he eyed the younger male, who was making a poor attempt at hiding his amusement. "Sleep with an eye open, Moyashi."
That stopped the boy's snickering, as he slightly moved to have Lenalee as his human shield.
"I always do; you never know when some pervert is going to appear." The look on Allen's face told the group exactly which pervert he expected to appear.
Taking a step forward, the Japanese man's hand grasped at the air next to his right side. He cursed at the realization that his most prized possession was still locked away due to an accident involving the new recruits and their never-ending stupidity.
"Good thing Mugen is still in lock-up." Komui grinned at the glare sent his way.
Childishly, Allen stuck out his tongue at the Japanese male, it was obvious he had a sense of victory. No matter. One of these days he'd gain the biggest victory by fucking that foolish brat into the next millennium. That was a rather sound plan.
"Now, now, Kanda. Patience is a virtue after all." Komui cryptically reminded the other Asian male. This left a spot of confusion to anyone else who wasn't Kanda himself. "Alright then! Allen, is there anything in particular you'd like for dinner? You're our guest after all!"
"...I can have anything I want?"
"Of course! Don't be shy, there's a good friend of mine who will be more than happy to make anything your heart desires!"
"Oh, are we going to Jeryy's, Komui?" Lenalee asked, some stars seeming to appear in her eyes.
Allen blinked in confusion, and looked around the room for someone to help him out. No one else seemed to have any idea either. "Of course, my sweet little sister! Everyone grab what you need, we'll-"
"Take my van." Lenalee sternly finished, glaring at Komui if he so much as mentioned that 'death trap' of a vehicle.
"Eh? But what's wrong with the Komlin-mobile?"
"Everything." Was the blunt reply the younger Chinese occupant gave.
"Do I want to know?" Allen asked, deciding that having Lenalee between him and her brother was probably safer than having her between him and Kanda. And that alone was saying something.
Kanda stalked towards the door, casting cursory glare towards the others. "No, you don't."
The boy nodded then followed after the Japanese man, making sure that Lenalee was still by his side.
