Brain Damage
Part Fourteen
Kanda sat in the lounge, thinking. He was just thinking. There was a maddening feeling that he'd let something important slip from his mind. His mind had called Allen something before he'd been carted away to the medical ward the previous day. Emotions that had flickered had been crushed down by his desire to discontinue his outward display. He could scream and curse himself without the other people seeing his pitiful behavior. In his determination to calm his own panic before being presented to Komui, he'd forgotten the haze of things that had passed through his mind. And they felt important too. He cursed to himself over and over.
All he'd needed was rest. He had been dehydrated and apparently still healing in his brain. His body was an amazing thing, but it certainly wasn't perfect. In order to keep him alive, it had to rush to put everything back together. The pain he was feeling—the migraine like splitting pain—was from corrections in faulty rebuilding.
Fuck his stupid brain, he huffed to himself in the empty room.
A little nudge of pressure on his head came into his senses and his scowl deepened. "Timcanpy…where were you yesterday?"
Timcanpy hopped to acknowledge that he was aware of Kanda's concerns. Tim made no effort to appease the man, though. He simply remained there, perched right into Kanda's tied back hair, tucked into the fluff of his bangs. Tim liked that particular head. The hair was soft and a midnight color that reminded it of similar hair.
"Well, it looks like you have a fan," an unusually deep voice echoed in the room, much to Kanda's sudden surprise. The body it belonged to casually dropped down on the sofa next to him. Smoke clung to his jacket and it trailed from the end of the cigarette hanging from his mouth. Even if he'd been facing away, Kanda felt like he could have noticed the flaming red hair that descended from under the man's hat. Timcanpy moved to perch on the edge of Kanda's head, facing this stranger.
"Er…you're…Cross…Marian? Allen's teacher, if I recall him telling me."
The single eye peered at the current perching post of Timcanpy, "So you really don't remember, yet." Without another word, Cross turned closer to Kanda and took his face in a large hand, pulling him closer, his one available eye inspecting the younger man before him like he was authenticating a gold coin. He noted the paralyzed look on the exorcist's face. It was probably just surprise, because it certainly wasn't fear. This boy wasn't acquainted with the fear of another living person and Cross wasn't exactly out to turn him into another sniveling Allen Walker.
"What do you want?" The younger man finally managed to speak. There was a familiarity in the hand that was holding him in place that he wasn't exactly sure of. It was a dream-like remembrance. "I'm familiar with your appreciation of beautiful things, but I'm not for sale."
"Ha ha! Sharp tongue, but you're still a brat."
"And you're a lecherous jackass," Kanda spit in return, with a gaze that could have even been challenging. His pissed off meter was actually exploding with activity he hadn't experienced since his "rebirth". The only reason he hadn't slapped the shit out of Allen's risqué teacher was because that sick bastard could probably break him twenty times before he got his hand within face range.
"I simply prefer to surround myself with pretty things." Cross was teasing the poor boy. Allen was more fun to torture with physical labor and pushing his debts off on, but Allen's little boyfriend was a different kind of amusement at that moment.
"Well, surround yourself with someone else. I'm not a woman."
"I could make you act like one in a matter of minutes, boy," Cross grinned darkly, squeezing his chin tighter, pressing fingers into Kanda's jaw.
Gritting at the sharp pain against his jaws, Kanda still managed to not learn to shut his trap, and it actually amused Cross more than he'd expected and he let out a thick chuckle when the eloquent words slipped from those thin lips, "I only swallow if I'm in a good mood. That doesn't happen often, so I hope you brought something for the mess."
The sarcasm was so thick that Cross could have put his cigarette out on it and left no marks on that porcelain face. His eye crawled back up to the golden critter nesting. "Well, Timcanpy, I see you approve of such a vulgar little thing. He's got more gall than that pathetic idiot apprentice, doesn't he?"
"Can you let go of my face, before this is considered molestation," Kanda gritted.
"Molestation? Don't be ridiculous," Cross leaned close into Kanda's face and suddenly a look of discomfort came over the younger of the two. This made Cross more interested by the moment. Allen had managed to find temporary friends in the past, but from what Timcanpy had shown him, this boy was something precious to the little idiot. Something more than just a friend or "brother". Perhaps this was the one that that person had referred to. "Molestation looks more like…" A sick sense of pleasure came to cross when the face that he ran his tongue down the side of clenched, followed by a distinct lack of breathing from the victim.
Timcanpy fluttered and his teeth pulled at a strand of red flaming hair that had invaded his territory.
Cross merely chuckled and pulled back to sit casually next to the shell shocked young man. "Someone predicted that my foolish young pupil would find an anchor. That he would find salvation in One. So try not to break my playthings before due time, Allen still has my debts to pay off," he took a long drag from his cigarette. "And there's a number I'd like you to tuck away in that broken head of yours."
"…Dare I ask…?"
"Fourteen. That's all you need to know, brat." He lifted his hand and pressed his fingers against the side of his face, snaking around to the back of his neck—threateningly. "Now, take a nap," he commanded and he closed his hand around Kanda's neck until the struggling boy passed out from lack of oxygen.
The opening of the door alerted him to the presence of another familiar body. It was a matter of convenience that Allen Walker would return for his boyfriend around the time Cross had knocked him out and allowed the body to casually slump against his leg like the first time the little idiot had come in to see him there.
"….M…master…" Allen quivered and shut the lounge door behind him quickly, locking it to keep anyone else out. "What…what…why? Kanda?"
"He's taking a nap. Boy sure likes to fall asleep during my visits. I can't imagine I bore him."
There was a brief moment before silver eyes flickered and fell out of focus. Allen's gaze became distant and his vision blackened out until he felt like he was falling asleep. Despite his efforts to remain awake, Allen slipped into a dream-like state that he couldn't seem to escape from. Part of him welcomed the comforting darkness for a moment.
"So. That's what's going on," Cross exhaled another breath. "I was wondering why that idiot didn't seem fazed that I was here the first time."
"It was necessary."
"Necessary? Is using your influence to repress memories a good idea?"
"He doesn't know what happened to you. He doesn't remember my existence yet either."
"I can't keep the Inspector away from here forever. It's a miracle I've kept him away this long without it being obvious I'm still very alive and involved. The brat is going to be watched over again soon."
"I know. Thank you for your assistance. I take it that you are here to tell me the Inspector will return? As for your first untimely appearance, I managed to place the idea of a hallucination in my host's mind. I can simply do that again, Allen is unsure of his own thoughts." Two golden eyes trailed over Cross, then to the body slumped against him. He noted the marks that were faint and fading from that pale neck. "I didn't think you were into strangulation."
"Don't get the wrong idea. He may have a pretty face, but I like my women to be actual women. He just needed to take a nap for a while," he said casually, taking a long smoky drag from his cigarette.
The tanned hand—that had once been Allen's pale hand—reached out to touch the satiny skin of Kanda's neck. His fingers caressed the faint marks and he watched with interest as an annoyed sigh left the unconscious man's lips. The long inky hair was trailing down his body and making him look ethereal. His face was almost pure in his sleep and the darker skinned personality within Allen couldn't help but feel a familiar attraction.
"He's not the same person, you know. That man died."
"I'm aware of that."
"It appears otherwise. Your infatuation with that exorcist thirty years ago never stopped. Did it? Is that influence why my idiot of an apprentice has attachment issues with this one?"
"No. The attachment is all of his. I bear no attachments. I'm here for one purpose at the moment."
"Then why are you dancing around, if you can control him this much, then why don't you just take him over and be done? Mana is no longer around for you to necessitate waiting." he spoke with smoke pouring from his lips. "You two have been quite troublesome. I find one of you and the other ends up gone."
The dark haired Noah kneeled before the resting body next to Cross. He leaned in—his face close, very close. His dark lashes brushed the sleeping man's cheek and he pressed his face to the warm one beneath his. "Timing is everything, Marian."
"Your timing is going to screw with your real awakening. Keeping his memories in a holding cell is asking for problems. I've been watching you through Timcanpy. So you can cut the bullshit. You're stalling because of this brat."
"Hn," The Noah looked up to Timcanpy, not betrayed, but surprised a small bit that Timcanpy had been able to catch any glimpses of him at all. He'd been very particular about what times he took over his host's body.
"This kid is not that man. He may have the same body, but that's not much different than saying Allen is you. You're dawdling."
"I'm biding my time. I know you trust me, Marian. Or you'd have never presented yourself before me right now. I cannot take on the Earl without an insurance plan. Last time, ended well; but not well enough. This time shall be different." His fingers traced along Kanda's pale jaw; his lips pressed against the side of that beautiful face.
"Then I suggest you put your infatuation aside. That man never loved you before and he probably never will." With the statement spoken, Cross stood and looked down at the Noah and the beautiful, pale faced man.
"I was preoccupied then, of course. He was very young and I never wanted him involved."
"Yet, look at you now."
"You almost sound concerned, Marian. It's as if little Allen's big heart has broken through the callous, uncaring image you've been latching on to. This boy may not have loved me, but he feels something for my host. I will exploit it. Allen will gain the loyalty I need from him."
Cross eyed him casually. He didn't care to continue and argument that had no heat in it to begin with. He wasn't there for the argument. Actually, he had been there for confirmation and to check up on the details of what Timcanpy had originally given him. His concern wasn't for Allen or the Noah within Allen. His concern was whether or not it was wise to play a mind game on the young Japanese man, when his recollection of that man's true strength left little desire to have it unleashed upon the one side that Cross Marian actually supported. The Noah was walking on thin ice. The Black Order and the Earl's Family were equally as wretched to him, this third side was the only hope he felt existed for anyone if anyone even cared to exist in this ugly world.
"I will continue to block Allen's memories until they are needed again. If you will continue to assist me, it would be greatly appreciated."
Cross turned and walked toward the large stained glass window, placing a gloved hand against it. "You didn't need to ask the first time."
Golden eyes closed and a smile traced across the dark skinned face. He hadn't heard the window unlatch, nor had he heard the rustling of fabric; but he knew that Cross gone out the window and had all but vanished without evidence of having even been there. He felt the cool breeze on the back of his neck and he casually lowered his lips to the ones belonging to the man sleeping on the sofa. It wasn't what he would call chaste, but he felt comforting warmth seeping from the lips his were caressing.
He sat back, his golden eyes half closed but watching intently. "He will take good care of you. Try to remember what I need you to, please~" His eyes slipped closed and the color drained from his skin until the pale hues of Allen's complexion returned. The Noah sank back into the recesses of Allen's mind, forcing up the barriers that would prevent him from realizing any of the details.
Allen groaned, leaning forward into the edge of the sofa. He felt like he'd just woken up from a dream and a weird one at that. Warms sensations in his face alerted him to how close he was to Kanda. His eyes opened slowly and he wondered if Kanda was at all aware. It seemed like the other man was completely asleep.
He tried to remember why he'd suddenly fallen asleep and how he'd even ended up where he was. Unfortunately, he found he couldn't remember anything after he'd put his hand on the door handle to that room.
Timcanpy fluttered over to Allen's head and perched, watching over both of them.
To Be Continued…
A/N: Plot chapter, oh noes. This chapter was originally what I wanted in the first chapter with Cross, but I decided to wait so Kanda could be more active and I could place the necessary points that will be addressed more fully in the sequel. Unfortunately, I did kill a lot of the ambiguousness of the timeline. As this is clearly just after the big deelio at HQ—AU elements permitted. I do need to go back and correct my small errors, so please forgive me if you see them.
To all the people who've been asking about the Noah!Allen, I've been trying so hard not to reply and tell everyone the plotline. I want it to be a surprise, you mood killers XD. Details will be shed on Cross, Link and the Noah as I move this first part along. This story here will end so that people can enjoy the basic concept around it. The sequel is made to encompass the bigger plot that doesn't exclude Neah and the past surrounding Kanda.
Please tell me what you think on this chapter, if none other! I do listen to viewer responses, and that may gauge how I choose to go about it. Thanks everyone!