The Hidden Artist
Part Thirty: That Name
Kanda hung up his cell phone and then turned back to the kitchen. The Moyashi was standing in the middle of the kitchen, looking rather dumbfounded.
The Japanese man sighed softly. Somehow, he got the feeling that this wouldn't be easy. Though it wasn't like Kanda ever gave at the first signs of a challenge. Quite the opposite, Kanda liked challenges.
He went into the kitchen and sat down, eyes on Allen the entire time.
"Oi. How do you know that name?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest. The kid flinched at his voice and looked over, his eyes wide with fear. That was a surprise to Kanda, who had never know the kid to be afraid of anything.
"Th-the mugger....Said that name." Allen offered weakly, the fear in his eyes flickering into concern. Concern that was aimed at Kanda himself.
Kanda froze, several things in his mind clicking into place.
"The mugger..." the Japanese man repeated quietly.
"What exactly did he say?" he demanded, standing up from his seat to grab the Moyashi by the shoulders.
"He..He said, 'The Lord Earl of the Millennium would find it very convenient if you were to die.' He said that I have something that belongs to him and he wants it back."
It makes sense.
"This Millennium Earl bastard wants you dead, presumably for the will that was just sent to you, and Mikk works for him." Kanda stated bluntly. The kid was silent for a moment, as if processing this.
"What!!" Allen demanded.
"Tyki works for..for this guy? But....Lavi is with him right now..." Allen whispered.
"We have to get Lavi! What if something happens??! What if that bloody bastard tries to attack Lavi!"
"We don't know that Mikk actually was sent here for any other reason than to get me." Kanda sniffed, shaking Allen, his grip on the kid's shoulders tightening.
"Don't forget that it would be incredibly stupid of you to try to go out right now. If that Earl bastard is hiring people to attack you, then having you run out like a fucking moron would be the perfect opportunity."
Allen was silent a moment, processing Kanda's words carefully.
"What do you mean....'get you'?" he asked slowly, taking a step away from Kanda, his eyes cautious with slight hurt hidden in the gray. It occurred to Kanda that what he had said was wonderfully fucking stupid. He had just admitted that he had a job with Mikk.
With the way the kid was looking at him now, the kid probably thought that Kanda was somehow part of the Noah association. Therefore, the Moyash would be in full panic.
The only way to calm the kid....Would be to explain the details of the job. And that would include admitting that he worked at the Hidden Artist as the gallery's namesake; as the hidden artist.
"Shit..." he muttered, sighing harshly.
"Calm your ass down, Moyashi. I don't work for those fucks and I have no interest in working for them. I am employed by one person only and that is Komui." Kanda explained. The kid's trust in Kanda showed immediately, as he calmed down and went forward to bury his face into Kanda's chest.
"But you were going to work for them?" he asked, his voice muffled by the material of Kanda's shirt. The Japanese man felt something in his chest stir, making him feel warm and content
"I had been thinking about it. The pay was one of the highest I have ever been offered." he replied quietly, reaching up with his left hand to play with the hair at the nape of Allen's neck. The white-haired pianist shuddered and twisted his own hand into Kanda's shirt.
"Really? But you're a security guard. Tyki could hire someone from Europe for a much cheaper price, right?" Allen asked, slipping his hand into Kanda's right, entwining their fingers.
The message Kanda got from Allen's behavior practically screamed 'I trust you,' making Kanda slightly uncomfortable. He...couldn't lie to the Moyashi like this.
"I...wouldn't be going as a security guard..." the Japanese man admitted reluctantly. The Moyashi was silent, his hand frozen in Kanda's.
"I have another job at the Hidden Artist." The Brit backed up a few steps to look up at Kanda, his gray eyes fixated on Kanda's dark eyes.
"The painting at Tiedoll's.... The symbol of the Hidden Artist..and the tattoo on your chest... All that time you spend in the studio... The reason why you always seem to smell like paint.. You...You're the Hidden Artist."
Kanda arched an eyebrow, watching the sudden blush that exploded on Allen's face.
"Oh God! All those time I went on and on about the Hidden Artist's work! It was your work!!" the kid ranted, clearly embarrassed. He buried his head into Kanda's chest again.
After he calmed down, Allen spoke again.
"What kind of job were you going to do for Tyki anyway?"
"Painting a mural or some shit like that."
"How much was he offering?"
"Almost three times as much as I make in a single year."
"What!!" Allen choked, pulling back from Kanda again.
"Bloody hell...." the Brit muttered, shaking his head. He squeezed Kanda's hand a little.
"That is bloody insane."
"You don't know the half of it. The money I make in a year includes what I am paid for working at the university, at the gallery and for my art work." Kanda sniffed, tugging lightly at the white hair. Allen lifted his face to look up at Kanda, following the direction that the Japanese man had pulled his hair.
"Moyashi....Don't worry about this. I'll take care of that bastard and any other that tries shit with you." Kanda promised. Allen nodded quietly. His gray eyes stared expectantly into Kanda's darker ones, searching for reassurance and comfort.
Fucking brat.
Kanda twisted his fingers into Allen's hair and leaned down to capture his Moyashi's lips softly. The kid pressed closer, his hands reaching up to Kanda's shoulders and finally latched around the older man's neck. Kanda trailed the fingers of his other hand – the one not playing with the kid's hair – along the line of Allen's jaw. After a moment, Kanda released the kid and then lead him to the couch, where they both sat down.
"I'll call Lavi and see what's up." the Japanese man announced, flipping open his cell phone again. He dialed Lavi's cell phone number and listened to the ringing in his ear. It rang nine times, but nothing. Finally, the voice mail picked up, Lavi's recorded voice spastically requesting a name and number to return the call.
Kanda hung up – he didn't leave voice mails, no matter the situation – and then tried the number again.
This time, it went straight to Lavi's voice mail, meaning that the cell phone was turned off.
"That bastard. He fucking turned off his cell phone." Kanda growled, sounding a little scandalized, but mostly annoyed. The Moyashi looked alarmed momentarily, before shaking his head.
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything. After all, it is considered rude to have your cell phone on during a meal, regardless of its nature." he said, as if reassuring himself. Kanda wasn't so sure, but said nothing. The kid could be right, after all.
"I just hope it doesn't mean anything." Kanda heard his Moyashi mutter to himself, twisting his hands together in a nervous motion.