Eavesdropper
Yu Kanda
I quietly slid open the window to my room, carefully edging out onto the outer ledge of the building. It was still dark out, so I had to be discreet to ensure that no one saw or heard me.
My main concern was the brat.
I 'd heard someone move past my door only minutes earlier, and I'd opened it just in time to see the dark silhouette of Moyashi slip downstairs. I was almost certain he was wearing the exact same clothes as earlier today.
It wasn't that difficult spotting him outside; he was the splotch of white in the dark, slowly but surely making its way to a blond patch. They met and made for the light, and I instantly recognised the Moyashi's companion as that two-spot guy. The yellow light made the brat's pale complexion appear sickly.
I remained hidden, staining my ears to pick up on what it was they were saying.
"I'm… couldn't sleep…" A sigh, and then a short silence. "…cold… getting… put up with… happening to… It wants to be out there… idle like this… being punished." The Moyashi let out a mirthless laugh, and squinted up at the lamplight above. "…freak."
I frowned, moving a fraction closer to hear more. This was a good chance to get more information from him, albeit not intentional, but I'd take what I could get.
"Just because you're the way you are doesn't make you a freak," the blond disagreed sternly, no longer facing the brat. Instead, he was looking at one of the other buildings on the island.
"Yes, it does. And with what's happened..." The sprout sighed exasperatedly and ran a hand through his white hair. Both hands were ungloved, and his left was… darker than I remembered.
Is it the lighting, or…?
"You didn't make yourself this way, and if you stop and think about it, many of the people here would rather be you, considering the way your body has adapted. I'll admit, it's odd, but think of all the good that's come from it. Can you honestly say that all those you've saved would still be here if you weren't like this?"
There was a brief silence, and then the Moyashi groaned.
"Don't you think it'd be for the best if you told everyone?" The blond continued, actually looking at the brat this time, who quietly shook his head frantically from side to side. "What about those three, then?" He prodded. "You do seem particularly fond of them."
'Those three'? Is he talking about Lena, the Usagi and I?
The Moyashi crouched down, eyes on the ground. I couldn't see his expression, but I did see him pick a twig and poke at the dirt with it. "Especially not them, Link." He drew a wonky stigmata, longer vertically than it was horizontally. "I don't think I could bear to the see the looks on their faces when…"
Link seemed to think on that, before looking up at the flickering light -we really needed to get out hands on new bulbs- above. "You just said when."
The question may have been unspoken, but Allen made a sound of annoyance nonetheless. While grumbling beneath his breath, he drew three smaller stigmata connected horizontally on both sides to the first. "I'm not… I doubt I'll be able to hide it for too long."
"And what will you do then?"
The Moyashi dropped his stick and wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his chin on his knees. "Knowing me, the first thing I'll do is run. You know firsthand how much of a coward I am."
"I remember that. When we found out, you disappeared for over a week and I had to look after your group." The blond pressed two fingers to his right temple. "That was extremely irresponsible of you."
"That's because you saw. What else was I supposed to do?"
The Moyashi's companion let his hand drop to his side. "Not run, for starters."
"You didn't look for me," the brat said.
"I knew you'd come back eventually."
"I see." There was a shot silence, and then the Moyashi raised his head. "Hey… am I really… not a monster?"
"No. You're a sixteen-year-old boy who's been through more than the people here would ever be able to understand, even with this hell going on around us."
"I see," the Moyashi repeated quietly, and they both fell into a comfortable silence, neither moving from their spot.
All this had left me confused as hell. Barely anything they'd said made a lick of sense, except that the Moyashi still thought pretty lowly of himself. And that, from the way they were talking, it was unlikely that they were screwing each other. They acted more like siblings.
Unless they were into that. I didn't know their preferences…
Actually, this wasn't the time to be focussing on that. Not when there was something else of greater importance that had caught my attention.
The brat wanted out; that I could do.
IXIX
"Hey, Moyashi."
The brat whipped around and stepped back, hand clutching the fabric over his chest. When he realised who I was, his panicked expression contorted into a scowl and his hand dropped.
"Komui has us keep tabs on the zombies are in the area," I said, launching straight into the conversation without waiting for him to give me one of his predictable greetings. "For his research or something." I'd never bothered listening to one of Komui's speeches, so I didn't exactly know why we did it, just that it was a good excuse to get out of the compound and stretch our legs every once in a while. "It'll be a quick job, but I've been itching to slice something for a while now."
He didn't seem to get it, but I could tell he was listening intently to my every word.
"Tch. You in?"
He visibly perked up at the offer, defensive body language receding as he let himself. "When?"
It was a struggle to keep my lips from curling up into a smirk. This was good. He'd practically already agreed. "I don't have the details yet. Someone will tell you when it's time."
"Great. I'm in."
Good.
"Hey…" The Moyashi said weakly, throat working nervously as he allowed uneasy gratitude to show through in his silver-grey eyes. "Th-thanks…" It sounded forced, but genuine. "For what you've done for us," he elaborated, stuffing both hands into his hoodie pockets. "I might not… act it… but I am grateful."
I gave him a curt nod, having not expecting any form of thanks.
"Though you've got to stop sneaking up on me. It's becoming a bad habit."
IXIXI
It was an honest surprise to find Komui awake, and even more of a miracle to find him actually working, head down, pen in hand. Though, maybe, that could be credited to Reever, who was standing beside the whimsical bastard, watching him like a hawk.
I kicked the doorframe, the loud thud indicating my arrival.
The Chinese man looked up upon my entry, relief lighting up his face. "See, Reever! I am busy!" Komui looked to me excitedly, pushing himself up from his desk -much to Reever's irritation-. "What is it, Kanda? What can I do for you?"
His true intentions were so transparent that it was almost stupid.
That idiot would do anything to get out of work
"I'm taking a group out for recon."
He frowned at my words, and turned to check the board on his right, which had dates and names listed in clumped columns. "But there isn't another mission planned for the next few weeks. And you're not even in the planned team."
"Well I want out. Now."
"But it's only been a few days since you got back…" He trailed of, then smiled, as if sensing that there was no way I'd back own. He knew how stubborn I could be when I wanted to. "At least wait 'til the end of the week. We're still settling in Allen's companions."
This time, I let myself smirk. There was no reason to hide it anymore. "Fine."
These things always went quick; normal hours went from three to five, whereas extended missions ran from ten to twenty. We tended to alternate between scouting the area in car and on foot.
This would be a quick look around the town on a bay to the South, boating and driving to the destination before trekking around the ruined area to give it a more thorough inspection. It wasn't much, but it was enough to meet the Moyashi's request.
My plan was a relatively simple one: by giving the brat what he wanted, he'd relax and be that much more likely to slip up.
IXIXI
I've been having trouble with this story even though I already have an ending (and the next dozen chapters) planned out.