Hana: Yo! We back~ It's an update day!

Kanda: Your point?

Hana: Someone's cranky...anyway, XavierForest and I don't own DGM! We only own the story you're currently reading~!

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+ - Chapter 12 - +

"These finals are the death of me!" Lenalee complained, resting her head against her boyfriend's shoulder, as said red-headed male was using his free arm to read a book he'd checkout from the library.

"They're not that bad, Lena." Lavi said, closing his book with expertise. "You're smart, those tests ain't got nothing on ya, yeah?"

"Easy for you to say. Hearing something once will stick in your brain from now until the end of time for all I know."

Lavi rolled his eye. "And you say I'm the dramatic one. I feel like we're totally stealing each other's roles here, Lena-lady."

"I'm sorry..."

"Why're you apologizing?"

"I guess...I'm still super worried about Allen." She said, leaning up, in favor of hugging her knees to her chest. "It's been too long...and although there was evidence according to what I heard from Kanda the other day..."

"The rest of it is more likely than not going to be some scary shit." Lavi finished. "I know. The fact they found what they did is super unsettling, but..."

"It's likely enough that could be the case. What do we do if that's so?"

"Don't show him pity for starters." A voice stated with the familiar bluntness of Wisely.

"You have a scarf now?" Lavi asked the mind reader.

Wisely looked to him in annoyance, and sighed. "Yes. I traded that turban for a scarf thing. Problem?"

"Nah, looks good." Lavi dismissed. "I'm a scarf man myself." He said, pulling the orange material up to show off.

"Very great craftsmanship, Miss Lee."

"Oh, thank you." Lenalee said. "But what brings you here, exactly?"

"I was passing by when I heard you two talking." He answered honestly. "I know you're worried about Allen, but everyone else is too. Including Kanda."

Lavi grimaced at the mention of his Japanese friend. "Yu's mood took a nosedive after..."

"It's difficult being in the same room as him," Wisely confessed. "I mean, before it was annoying because he couldn't get him mind out of the gutter, but now his thoughts keep going back to what we learned."

"After hearing what we did?" Lenalee softly said, "I can't really blame him for that."

"I kinda miss him being pervy." Lavi sighed. "Allen's reactions were always the best."

Wisely shrugged. "Perhaps."

"Ah man, I want things back to normal already." Lavi dragged a hand through his hair and groaned. "Even when Allen does come back, it won't be like it used to though." Not with what Allen had gone through.

"Knowing Allen, I'm certain he would don a mask saying he was fine, when we know he's not." Wisely stated, "It would be like him."

"It really would...every time he tries to have us not worry...we end up worrying." Lenalee further explained. "I wish I could turn back the hands of time and take them both and lock them in a closet somewhere, and not let them out until they make up."

"Or make out." Lavi added his two cents. "Just saying."

"If you locked the two of them in a closet together, you'd have to call in a professional to give it a thorough cleaning," Wisely muttered beneath his breath.

"It would be far better than what's going on now." Lenalee pointed out. "At least then they would've realized sooner how stupid they were being, and everyone would be happy."

"Mm." Lavi hummed, "But stuff happens Lena. Your lunch break is just bout over, isn't it? You should go to class."

"Fine..." The Chinese girl pouted. "But I won't stop worrying."

"We know." Both Wisely and Lavi said.

. . - * - . .

"What am I looking at, sir?" Link asked, eying the folder skeptically.

"A case, I would assume you of all people would know, inspector." Rouvelier stated, looking to his subordinate. "Is there a problem?"

"Not in the slightest sir." Link said, "I'm only curious as to why I have a file on someone named Raku Kanda in my possession." Link would give himself credit where it was due. He wanted to freak out so badly at that moment.

"Perhaps because he's a wanted man?" The imposing male suggested. "I trust no one else but you with this assignment. Don't fail me."

"Right. Yessir."

"He has you looking into my father?" Kanda asked in disbelief. Feeling skeptical, Link had made sure to set the folder in Allen's music old music room, with the door soundly shut. "Why the interest in him?"

"If only I knew." The German male sighed, sitting on the couch. Lala and Timothy were on either side of him, curious of how things were going.

"This doesn't sound good at all..." Lala said, hugging herself, "That man you work for sounds like a bad omen all his own."

"His methods aren't always...humane, at times." Link admitted.

"He's shit." Kanda rolled his eyes. "Fucking Hitler-wannabe."

Link stared at Kanda for a moment for tipping his head in the direction of the two kids. "There are children present," he reminded the other adult.

"We're more than used to it." Timothy informed the blonde, as he absentmindly pet Timcanpy.

"I suppose you would be." Link sighed, giving Kanda a disproving stare. "Perhaps, this assignment is a blessing in disguise."

"How so?"

"If I'm able to freely use my resources to find Raku, then I'm certain those same resources will lead me to Allen." The German male explained, "But first things first. Just because Rouvelier says I'm the only one he can trust, doesn't me I can trust him not to have a bug somewhere."

"So that's why you gave yourself a full-body search when you entered." Lala said, looking at Link in awe. "And why you had Papa double check."

Link nodded. "He's a sly one. You must always think moves ahead of any opponent, no matter how clever."

"This isn't a damn chess game." Kanda groused. "For all we know, it's far more dangerous."

"Perhaps a gambling game then." Link amended, as he stood. "Either way, there's so much to do, and I doubt there's as much time on our hands as we would like to think."

"Why?" Lala and Timothy asked.

"Call it a hunch. I will retrieve my things, and get on with my work."

"Good luck."

"As to you, Yu Kanda."

(* - *)

Kanda closed the door when Link left. "Time's against us, is it?"

"Do you think we'll find him?" Lala asked, tugging Kanda's pant leg.

"We have to. God knows I'm at my wits end."

"It's not like he's with that bad guy anymore though," Timothy said. "Your dad is protecting Mama, isn't he?"

"That's what I'm concerned about." Kanda admitted. "I'm not even sure if my own father is mentally stable right now."

"But he must have gotten some sort of conscious," Lala said, "Maybe he's trying to make things right."

Kanda sighed, and smiled softly to the kids. "I'm the adult here, I should be comforting you two not the other way around."

"Sometimes adults/grown-ups need comforting too." The duo told their father.

Kanda's smile turned grim. "Well I've got a fuck-ton of work to do before I get too used to it."

"You need a break," Lala informed her father. "Mama would get mad if he found out you were overworking yourself."

"He'd also give you that look when he finds out how many times you've cursed in front of us." Timothy snickered. "Y'know, I'm still trying to figure out who's scarier when angry."

Kanda didn't think that Allen could be scary. Even when the brat got angry, those pouts and glares just turned Kanda on. Hell, during arguments, all it took was less than a minute for the Japanese male to have his ex-lover prostrated and horny, so he hadn't ever really seen Allen's scary side.

Actually...that episode from their earlier meetings was rather horrifying. Broken, and practically void of life...all because of what the NOAH had made him do that day he confronted Allen. What made matters worse was how little Kanda realized he could do. In the end, he had to knock him out, because in reality, the Japanese male just didn't know what he should've done, much less could've.

It was easier later, when they were together. He could hold the younger, comfort him. But back then, he couldn't. They weren't exactly friends, though obviously he held affections for the younger.

"Papa, when Mama returns, let's be sure to comfort him with all our love for him, okay?" Lala said, her lone blue eye looking up at her father.

"Che." Kanda had planned to do that anyway.

"That means no hogging him all to yourself!" Timothy chided. "Share!"

"Fine, I won't hog him. Much."

"Good enough." Lala decided.

"I bet he's lying," Timothy grumbled to his sister. "He'd definitely gonna hog Mama."

"Tch. We can share him during the day, but I get him at night."

Kanda felt offended by the incredulous stares that statement received. Fuck. He wouldn't actually try anything straight away. Before he did, he needed to check how much Allen could handle.

He had to assess the damage.

Kanda had no one to really understand his hellish experience. Many have tried comforting him, saying it wasn't his fault. But words like those weren't what he needed.

And he knew those very words weren't the ones Allen needed to hear. He didn't need pity, nor did he want it. Unlike with Kanda, who had no one, Allen, at least, had him.

Allen had the kids, too. Kanda was sure that those two wouldn't try to pity the Brit.

"Alright, enough sitting around." Kanda spoke up. "We need to finish cleaning. Dishes put away, clothes in the wash, and then get ready for bed."

"Aw," whined Timothy.

"If you had done it earlier, you wouldn't have had a lot more to do." Kanda told the boy, "Let's get to work."

. . - * - . .

"I bet you're turning in your grave in worry, aren't you big brother?" Neah said as he paid his respects to his brother. "We're all worried sick about him. Yet I fear we're not close in finding him."

"...does this make him my uncle?" Lero asked looking to the marker.

"He was my brother, Lero." Neah chided. "Please respect those who have passed."

Lero sighed and, in mirroring Neah, brought his hand together in prayer. "Happy?"

Neah rolled his eyes, letting his hands fall to his sides. "I suppose."

"Jeez, make up your mind!"

"I just want to finish speaking to him." Neah told the impatient child, before turning his attention back to the grave his brother rested in. He sighed, "Mana...you loved Allen with all your heart. Please...be his guardian angel, and help him come back to us."

"That sounds like a line you'd hear in a movie," Lero muttered.

"Perhaps." The older male mused, "Now, we should be heading home, right? We still have boxes to fill, and be ready to move into that new place that took me too long to find."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Have you packed your belongings?" Neah asked the boy.

"It's not like I have a lot to pack."

"Well, that is true." Neah realized. "But have you packed them nonetheless?"

"Yes I packed them, lero." Lero growled. "What about you? Did you pack your stupid stuff yet?"

"More or less."

Unlike Lero, Neah had a bit more to pack, but he was sure that he was at least halfway done by now. Maybe.

At least...that's what he was hoping. Packing was really a pain in the ass. He had instruments that needed to be shipped to the new place!

Speaking of...he still needed to check that place Kanda had in mind with that one office space for Allen...

Kanda had been a pest about it too, so Neah would have to do that soon.

And the sooner the better was encouraged when it came to that guy. Why Neah was putting it off when it came to moments he wasn't busy...was an answer that eluded him.

Well, he could always just blame it on his memory and say that he forgot.

It wasn't like he had a bad memory...but even the best might forget a thing or two if busy...

"He'll see right through you, lero." Lero said, as he crossed his arms.

"I won't question how you of all people could come to that conclusion." Neah grumbled. "Come, we have much to do, and so little time to do it."

"Kay."

Lero gave the grave one last glance before following after his guardian.

Everyone was super worried about Allen. Lero didn't know much about him, and as much as he thought him a traitor...there was no way he'd ever wish ill of the young adult.

He hoped, even if he never voiced it, that the white-haired male would come back.

Maybe then everyone would be happy again.

"Maybe I don't hate him as much as I thought it did..." Lero whispered to himself.

"Did you say something, Lero?" Neah asked.

"Nope." He'd keep this his own little secret.

After all, in his mind, Allen was supposed to be a traitor. He wouldn't let people know that his opinion had changed just yet.

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As always, I may need it, but R&R doesn't stand for Rest and Relaxation. Leave a review and let us know how we're doing, and don't forget to show this story some love by favoriting this work! If you hadn't checked them out yet, go over to XavierForest's page and check out his works too! Don't forget to follow and until next time, we'll see you again on...

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