Allen's hair was solid white that day.

"So. Haha. I lied a little," he said at ten in the morning, smiling but looking a bit hesitant. They were already in the car Kanda saw once before but Allen didn't start up yet; he was still giving him a chance to leave. "We're really going to the market only later. There are actually— other things I planned to do today. I just didn't want to bore you with the details earlier."

"Fine. Just start up, beansprout." Kanda was already there and he was already prepared to spend his day with Allen as he agreed to. It was not like it ever made sense for them to only go to a market.

"You're not even going to ask where I'm taking you?" Allen cocked his head a little, the look in his eyes hard to read. "Aren't you afraid I'll make you break some rules? Especially during a suspension."

Kanda noted the way he didn't say he wouldn't be doing that.

But he didn't even believe Allen would be capable of anything serious anymore.

"Terrified. Stop wasting time and let's go save kittens or whatever you're planning."

Allen laughed. "It's helping old people but I suppose you almost got it."

Kanda snorted.

They stopped by a place where some of the "Food Not Bombs" guys were. Kanda recognized at least two.

It was clearly someone's apartment but it was obvious by the sheer amount of addressed food packets that preparing this had been a group effort. The people there were now putting the packets into bigger bags for transportation.

Kanda's appearance by Allen's side raised some eyebrows and the two people Kanda recognized exchanged a look but no one really commented anything, maybe due to Kanda's own challenging stares.

Uncomfortable with being in a cramped space with strangers, he stayed mostly silent as Allen told him what exactly the plan was and also briefly explained what kind of articles were in the packets. It seemed like everyone was getting a somewhat limited supply of typical Christmas ingredients.

"It's a seasonal kind of thing. They do this every year," Allen added as they grabbed a bulky bag each and made their way back to the car. Kanda noted the way Allen didn't say 'we' this time and maybe it showed on his face that he felt like he was missing something because Allen who just happened to be glancing at him added "Oh, this year is a first for me. At least in this city."

Kanda felt like that was a little strange. Allen seemed to be moving so freely amongst these people. Because of that, Kanda had assumed he'd been with them for a long time.

Kanda's suspicion only deepened when, already in the car, Allen smiled at him a little sheepishly and opened his mouth to say "I bet you know the area much better than me. Do you mind helping with finding the way?"

"Did you move here recently?"

"Hm, yeah. Maybe… five months ago?" Allen looked thoughtful. "Or something. I'm not very good at keeping track of time."

That likely meant that despite seeming so popular… Allen probably didn't actually have anyone close to him here.

Unless he'd moved together with someone, besides his cat.

Kanda didn't really want to follow that train of thought. Even if – or maybe especially because he thought that if there was someone there for Allen, he probably wouldn't have had so much trouble finding help.

"Why would you even volunteer for this if you don't know the area?" He held in the 'Are you just an idiot who likes offering himself up?' that he wanted to add.

Allen smiled at him but it was tinged with sadness, especially around the corners of his eyes. "I was bored?" he offered.

Kanda looked at him for a moment, just observing. Allen simply let him and held his look, not saying anything more.

"Switch with me."

"Huh?"

"I can drive. It will be easier that way. You can just give the addresses."

Allen seemed kind of… glad. But what he answered was "I really can't promise you won't get ticketed."

Kanda made a face. "Let them try."

They did switch.

Kanda was pleased to notice that Allen had been reliable enough to make sure the tank was full.

"Where to first?" Kanda asked, fastening his seatbelt.

Allen stared at him from the passenger seat. It took a moment before he snapped out of it and said "I wouldn't know. Which address is the closest."

Kanda clicked his tongue.

"Just grab any package from the backseat and read the address out loud. I'll say if it's very far."

Allen nodded, for the moment seeming to be out of words.

It initially took three packages fished out by Allen from the back before they got something that was reasonably close.

Kanda drove them there in silence and he felt Allen's eyes burn the side of his face the entire time.

After they got out of the car, it became even more obvious how truly ill-suited Allen was for the task he made Kanda share with him. Despite Kanda having indicated the direction they were going, Allen would constantly try to take wrong turns that made no sense.

Kanda almost welcomed him being annoying. He snapped at him and Allen didn't disappoint; he raised up to everything and didn't fail to keep up, just as Kanda remembered from the day of his first arrest.

His spunk also reminded Kanda of the day of the protests but he was making it a point to stop thinking about that incident.

Despite everything, Allen seemed to be excited because he was most of the time the one walking on the front. It only resulted in Kanda insisting more passionately that he was trying to get them lost.

Allen kept doing the same thing with every package.

The collective knew exactly who they wanted to help with what they've organized – old people who either were too poor to get all the Christmas supplies on their own with no issue or ones who simply could not move around freely enough to get everything without trouble. Allen had explained that around their fourth trip back to the car.

The old people who were receiving the food articles have all been notified beforehand. Maybe only two managed to forget about it while the rest received them warmly. There was also that one person who didn't even open, despite having made a huge clamor on the other side of the door, probably while looking at them through the visor.

Allen tried to call them through the door but when that didn't work, he shrugged and kept that one package for himself.

Overall, it was… not what Kanda expected. That was – normally when someone received any sort of delivery, it was rather impersonal. Kanda was expecting this to be the same and that was the main reason he didn't try to protest against this particular part of their plans.

Maybe it was because of the approaching Christmas but it really wasn't impersonal, at all. Many old faces smiled very warmly. These people seemed eager to talk with someone young and many insisted they came inside. They refused every time – it was really Allen, he was doing most of the talking – but still ended up chatting on the doorstep with more than one cheerful old woman.

The grannies went crazy over Allen. None of them had ever seen him before, that much was obvious. But he charmed them quickly and Kanda could bet they would all marry off their grandchildren to him, if any were available. Even his tattoos didn't really seem to matter. Though he did get asked about them every time, at least as long as the conversation partner's eyesight was good enough to notice them beyond Allen's smiles.

Kanda was glad that Allen was drawing most of the attention. He himself was more than fine with being largely ignored. He just observed Allen get evasive if he was asked uncomfortable questions, using excuses that varied in colorfulness.

To Kanda, it was really a welcome change. The attention he would usually draw was tiring to him. And even if he did get grannies complimenting him for his handsome looks, it felt like they were just being polite. It was very different from the way strangers usually bothered him. Maybe that was why he didn't even find himself getting too impatient with the unexpected situation.

"Why am I the only one getting questioned?" Allen whined as they were leaving from one of the apartment buildings they've visited. He was complaining but he seemed kind of pleased with what they were doing.

"You do make people want to interrogate you." Kanda might have smirked, just a little.

Allen, who really seemed to be looking at him as much as he could, tripped over the sidewalk.

He made an extremely stupid face as he caught his balance and then fished his phone out from his pocket as if it was crucial to check the time. "It's not even two… But aren't we almost done?"

"You said this was the last package, on the way here. And it damn better be because I have a limited patience for playing Santa, beansprout."

Allen scratched his cheek with his tattooed fingers and Kanda stared a little but was soon distracted by the way Allen raised his eyes back up, meeting Kanda's.

"I was expecting this to take much longer… It's a few hours too early to go to the market."

Allen's gaze on Kanda was searching but he didn't exactly appreciate that at the moment so he tilted his face in the direction of Allen's car, just enough to feel less exposed but not fully turn away from Allen's face.

"You would have maybe finished by midnight if you were here alone with your getting-lost skills."

Allen blushed a little in, probably in anger or embarrassment. But he was also giving him an unimpressed, blank look. "Maybe I should use those and dump my hot date who's being a dick."

Kanda's stomach dropped unpleasantly and he faced Allen's grimace more fully with his own.

"I thought your wimpy ass needed help carrying things from some fucking market. Forgot your excuse to get free help already?"

Allen paused and his mouth, open to argue, fell closed to form a completely fake smile. Kanda's annoyance surged from seeing the expression. He hated that one. It made Allen's face be completely closed off, as if he was wearing a mask or some thick makeup.

Despite the fakeness, it looked natural in a contradictory way. It was just too well placed on Allen's face, as if he relied on it often. His eyes were just slits, too – unreadable. "I really did want to ask you out, Kanda. It's unfortunate."

"Take that thing off your face." Kanda clicked his tongue. "And I did agree so let's go and stop being an ass."

Allen did drop his fake smile and he looked more flared up than before. With anger and embarrassment both. "An—? Me? You're the one who was trying to ruin it! And I just said that it's too early for the market."

Kanda took a breath and tried to choose words just a little better. "How long."

"Huh?"

"How long until the market is fine."

Allen's expression relaxed and he watched him, a little wide-eyed. "A couple of hours? I usually go there around five, maybe we could be there at four but not earlier than that."

"So let's just go somewhere and wait."

Allen scratched his cheek again. "We could go to the squat I stay at?" He offered with averted eyes. "We could also go… somewhere else."

Kanda did want to see the squat.

He felt like… the living conditions he was imagining when he heard the word were probably worse than reality. It was a really strange feeling. He knew he was having this kind of perception likely because of what he would hear his coworkers say, but at the same time he just didn't have any better ideas. He really knew next to nothing about the subject. Maybe he would be better informed if he'd been in the force a little longer. Or maybe not even then he'd know.

And Kanda didn't like not knowing. Missing a piece of a greater picture made him itch to uncover it.

He didn't always give in to that curiosity. Hell. Usually he didn't even look long enough to get this curious.

But this time the urge was strong and Kanda was not so sure he was stubborn enough to resist it. He did want to know how a place where Allen lived looked like.

As he was making his decision, Allen's eyes on him were unwavering. He was nervous, it was visible in the slight downturn of his lips, but not nervous enough to look away.

"I do wonder where you crawled out of."

Allen made a face. "Crawled out… I'm not some insect, you know! Are you trying to make it better or worse?"

"Such a sensitive beansprout." Kanda rolled his eyes, really not feeling up to continuing the argument.

"My name is Allen! You—! You know what! Maybe I should really reconsider if I want you to come over."

"Don't be so touchy. You got your hot date to admit he's curious. Aren't you happy?" Kanda smirked as he secretly delighted in watching Allen blush.

On their way to the squat, Kanda was still the one driving, even if it would have made sense to switch back. Neither of them really made any comments about that. Allen just gave him his address and Kanda went in the right direction, actually having recognized the street name.

The silence was quickly broken by police officers when they were pulled over. In the cop's eyes, Allen's car could have just as well had 'suspicious vehicle' sprayed on its sides. They really didn't like the way there were no windows on the back.

Kanda was determined. And his coworkers were apparently not extremely creative.

He was glad he was still fresh enough not to have been recognized without a uniform.

"The headlight—"

"We were just on our way to get that looked at."

"The tires also look like—"

Again, more annoyed "We'll fix that while the light is getting looked at."

Eventually they gave up but needed to at least pick on Allen who was just sitting on Kanda's side, looking thoughtful.

"You two better watch yourselves. And especially you, punk. If you cause half the trouble you seem like you would, don't expect to be let off easy next time." His eyes were focused on Allen.

Beansprout didn't seem to care to answer, only giving the cop a stubborn sort of look, so Kanda said "I'll get him thoroughly looked at too. Can't promise it will make him look more proper though." Kanda wouldn't really normally say something like this in such a public situation. He could only blame it on Allen.

The cops made very weird faces and they've let them go.

Allen was chuckling as they drove off. "I can't say I would mind getting thoroughly looked at by you."

"I noticed." Kanda smirked lightly, focusing on the road.

When he wanted to sleep with someone, Kanda would hold back on his comments, at least a little. He'd speak more carefully – but also much less.

Things were… different with Allen.

Fortunately, because otherwise the way to the squat would have likely been quiet in a very uncomfortable way.

Despite Allen's evasiveness with the old people before, he did still reveal a few details about himself that wouldn't really make sense to be in any way fabricated. It left Kanda with a few possible conversation starters.

"So a punk likes classical music, huh."

"Charming," Allen deadpanned. "Figured you'd pick on that eventually. I do listen to anarcho-punk, too, just so you know. You should give Crass a try."

It would be natural to put something playing in the car afterwards but Allen didn't.

"I bet you're hungry. We'll have some food at the squat for sure but… The other guys there can get a little intense. Hope you're not as much of a princess as you look like."

Kanda scoffed. "Be careful who you call a princess, you punk. I'll be fine as long as you don't expect me to eat off the ground."

Allen sounded amused. "You'll get a table pass this time. No meat again though, do you mind?"

"I'm vegetarian," Kanda said.

Allen shut up with an 'oh'. He clearly wasn't expecting that. Eventually he did add "I do eat meat sometimes, personally. Rarely, but. I suppose food in general is just too hard for me to resist."

There was a momentary lull in the conversation again and Kanda found himself breaking the silence again. Looking at Allen in the mirror, he asked "Did you take a day off from work today?"

"No. I don't have a job." Allen didn't sound as if he thought it was a bad thing.

Kanda went silent for a moment. He thought Allen would just work at a very relaxed place that didn't care about the worker's image. Like a… tattoo parlor or something.

Being unemployed was definitely not a super attractive thing to bring up on the first date. Kanda wasn't even sure what to make of Allen saying it so casually. He glanced at him again.

"How do you get by, then?" Kanda asked. He should have probably been more outraged, as a tax paying citizen. But he wasn't. Not exactly. Maybe because he could think of worse things that people did or didn't do.

"About food, I think you'll get a pretty good idea today. Stuff like my phone or my clothes that I need to pay for… I suppose I just help around?" Then, in a deadpan "Though I usually receive a small enough amount of money that it shouldn't interest you very much, officer. It's not enough to call it an unsanctioned business or anything."

"Unless I was not asking because I'm sniffing around," Kanda countered, giving another look into the mirror. "Do you always have such a shitty opinion on people you ask out? I wonder what that says about you." Kanda was getting annoyed at him again.

Allen actually answered with "I don't have a low opinion of you at all, Kanda. I thought we established that... And it's really something coming from me about a cop." He sighed. "You're just kind of still an asshole. But. Since this is not a professional interest… I might be getting some cash from playing poker, too."

"Gambling? Can't go around only being all innocent, can you?" Kanda might have felt an unhealthy dose of satisfaction from that. "You get any luck? With poker." Somehow luck and Allen didn't seem to exactly make a good fit.

"I'm definitely the 'luckiest' at poker." Allen chuckled in a low tone and Kanda had to swallow over his interest at the sound. He kept his eyes on the road and tried not to cause an accident because of imagining what expression Allen could have made while laughing like that, close at Kanda's side.

It seemed like they were getting close to their destination because Allen was starting to ramble about roof colors and what was next to what. It strongly looked like that was the only part of town he could be called familiar with.

Kanda wondered if that meant Allen wasn't going to be taking stupid turns around every corner.

But no. It just meant that Allen was catching himself trying to do it before Kanda had a chance to butt in.

From the outside, Allen's place was actually much nicer than Kanda's if he were to be honest. The building seemed more well-kept.

Kanda was also surprised to discover Allen didn't live with other anarchists. In truth, if Kanda had to come up with a label to convey a general feel of Allen's cohabitants, they seemed more like hippies, judging by their clothes.

The guy who Kanda saw in Allen's car once before was there, shouting cheerful greetings from down the hall.

Another person was a very tall, very muscular dark-skinned man. He had his hair dyed pink, braided to go down his back. He was especially of note because he was the one to receive them at the door with words "Allen! Darling, you're finally back."

At the time, Kanda's mind went blank. Blank almost completely, spare for much too graphic, much too disturbing imagery.

"Haha, hello, Jeryy. I'm back. If you call me like that while greeting me at the door, people will really get the wrong idea," Allen answered the man sheepishly, saving Kanda's sanity for the time being.

"Nonsense! A handsome man like you deserves to have someone sweetly welcoming him home." Jeryy tutted – for some reason at them both. He didn't fail to follow it with "Maybe your new friend could do the job. He's very handsome, too, and that's always a nice bonus."

He winked and Kanda shivered slightly, feeling it like a physical assault. Kanda's overwhelming unwillingness to participate in that exchange was just too strong to hold it in.

It took ten full minutes before Jeryy stopped looking like a completely unbearable person to be around in Kanda's eyes.

Their chat had them all gravitate towards the kitchen. It became clear that Jeryy was the cook Allen mentioned once before.

"I'll get something together for you two sweeties now but a bigger meal will have to wait until you're back from the market later."

Despite there not being that many fresh ingredients left in the fridge, Jeryy managed to cook up something that actually looked impressive. The fact that it was a noodle dish definitely didn't hurt matters and Kanda wasn't dissatisfied with the meal at all.

Allen was back to staring at him full-time and Kanda… was not unhappy with that.

Johnny would sometimes throw in a comment as they all ate, mostly to Allen or to another man called Suman. Apparently, Suman didn't live in the squat but often dropped by to play chess with Johnny, especially while being around the area to pick up his daughter from school.

Suman and Johnny only got called over when the food was ready. They had been playing until then. Suman was quiet for the most part and overall seemed like an alright kind of guy to Kanda, which was a nice reprieve after the intensity of Jeryy who teased Allen whenever he didn't have to focus on cooking too much.

He was teasing Kanda too but it was easy to tell that Allen was his favorite target, though teasing them both as a supposed item was a close second. Allen didn't seem to mind anything too much, if not only because going along scored him more food.

Kanda himself was refuting in vain, with no one to take his side.

Apparently the living room of the squat served as a community center of sorts. Instead of closing the main entrance, everyone could close their respective rooms, meaning all of the bedrooms of the house. They've rearranged the locks to be able to do that.

Allen tried to tactfully excuse them after the meal. It made a disturbing contrast with the way he was eating just a moment before.

Allen's attempts had nothing on Jeryy. "You boys just go and have some fun. And don't bother trying to keep it down! Love is the last thing we should be hiding, hahah!"

Johnny was guffawing until he snorted violently, "Wow, this is really embarrassing."

Yeah no shit, Kanda thought at Johnny, ears feeling warm.

His skin crawled.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed of!" Jeryy insisted, tone both righteous and flirty.

The combination made Kanda want to just leave.

"Haha, thanks guys! You're being great," Allen threw over his shoulder, not exactly laughingly.

Kanda was still boiling inside when he entered Allen's bedroom. "I have no idea how you would ever think it would be a good plan to bring a date here," he whispered viciously, not even wanting to be loud while speaking about that situation. "Have you ever managed to fuck anyone here without being bothered by these guys first?" Kanda couldn't believe he mentioned sex in that situation. It must have been Jeryy's forwardness that caused that. He didn't hesitate to fully blame him, mentally throwing curses around.

Allen laughed, a little breathily. His eyes on Kanda looked like Kanda did something right. "I have my ways, if we'd be in a rush," Allen answered, holding his gaze before letting his eyes trail down along Kanda's body.

Kanda just tightened his jaw, ignoring whatever that stirred within him.

They were not in a rush. In fact, they were not even fucking getting anywhere today. Besides the stupid market, like Kanda had agreed to.

"I'm not sure what else to tell you." Allen shrugged with his lack of response. "These are the conditions I have and it's not like it ever stopped me from getting laid before."

Kanda crossed his arms, only then giving a proper look over Allen's room.

It was a completely normal room, if maybe a little on the small side. It reminded Kanda of living in the academy dorm. After all, the room was the entirety of Allen's private space. Even the shared kitchen and bathroom checked out. The difference was that Allen probably had no expectations of things changing anytime soon.

When he looked back at Allen, he seemed to be completely fine. In fact, the look in his eyes was not even as stormy as it had been a few times that day.

Kanda was… He was not being very successful at resisting Allen. He was seeing that much.

Normally maybe it would have been easier to tell himself why what he was doing was stupid.

But… unfortunately, it was Christmas soon. And as much as Kanda hated religion, the symbolism of the holiday, the sales at the mall and the crowds they generated, people in general, capitalism and many other things, this time of the year, especially along with his suspension, just also made him… remember that he might be currently missing something in life.

And Allen Walker was starting to dangerously look like he could be that something, capable of looking at him so openly even after facing and keeping up with Kanda's mean streak. The little bit of himself that Kanda had shown must have been somehow enough for Allen to act like this.

Kanda was not sure if that meant anything.

As he looked around Allen's room, – Allen's eyes on him the entire time – he eventually stopped on a photo. It was of a man maybe in his forties and of a small kid with a cute face that looked like Allen's, his hair fully brown.

Allen noticed him looking there and commented "It's my adoptive father." His tone was neutral but something in the way he spoke, maybe the speed of it, made Kanda feel like Allen didn't want to say more.

Kanda understood that it was probably a difficult topic. And it was not like he actually needed to know, either. Just wanted to.

"Does he have anything to do with the cat situation?" It was a blind guess but it was a fact that there were no other photos around.

"Can you— can you stop mentioning it?" Allen's eyebrows were furrowed. He sounded irritable again.

Kanda turned his head to stare at him.

"Reminding me of that situation doesn't— It's not funny. I'm sorry, okay? But it's not. I mentioned. The other guys reminded me of someone with the way they spoke about the old man. And who they reminded me of was my father, yeah. But they did not use the same words I did when telling you about it. Remembering that incident doesn't put me in a good mood."

Kanda knew that was not Allen's point but what came to his mind and felt right was "You don't have to be in a good mood. I don't know what you thought but I didn't agree to meet you because I was expecting holiday cheer." He shrugged. "Don't say if you don't want to but why the fuck would you apologize for it?"

"Oh," Allen said.

He fell quiet for a while before he spoke again. Kanda let his eyes got to other objects in Allen's room and not the photo frame, waiting.

"That's—" Allen laughed, sounding humorless but relieved. "That's good to know."

He then smiled, a little forced but genuine.

It didn't take long before they realized it was actually almost five by then. They must have sat around with others for longer than they realized.

Allen was driving this time, to not annoy Kanda with verbally giving directions.

It was really by Kanda's initiative because he bullied him into it. He couldn't imagine Allen would be very good at guiding him with his absolutely screwed sense of direction.

It was Kanda's turn to have the opportunity to stare at Allen. And Kanda had… tried not to but…

This is not why I told him to drive. Kanda insisted to himself as he gave in, trying to forget that Allen giving the squat's address worked out just fine earlier.

The drive was short and they parked before Kanda could have any sort of crisis. They arrived at the market at Allen's usual time, according to his words.

He shared some other things and apparently he was generally in charge of picking things up, not only because he had a car but also because he was the only person living in his squat who didn't really work and could afford a lot of flexibility.

"Is it because of time flexibility that you don't work? It seems like a pretty risky fucking move." Kanda didn't want to admit he was impressed. On some level, at least. It was ballsy, if nothing else.

"Not really." Allen shrugged. It seemed like he didn't really want to talk about it but he didn't end up leaving Kanda hanging or deflecting him, instead just saying a little dryly "I live the way I do because I disagree. With many things in society. All I can do is try not to support things I see as wrong unless I really have to or can't live without something. I don't expect anyone to really go as far as me though."

"I would normally expect people like you to preach and be fucking annoying about it."

Allen gave him a cool look but it didn't seem like he disagreed with him exactly. Kanda wasn't just saying that. He'd seen all kinds of people, both these last few months and before. He had also met 'Allen's sort', and they were often very much like what he described.

Although… it was really starting to look like Allen didn't have a 'sort'. Doing community service with one group, living with another, Allen seemed to be pushing himself more than most.

In Kanda's opinion, too much.

They finished taking the empty food crates from Allen's trunk and he actually smiled at Kanda lightly, saying "You also didn't eat me alive for not being vegetarian." Then, before Kanda could properly dig in and pick on him, Allen started walking off towards the open-air market slightly off in the distance, adding "I can say some things here and there but in the end I can only be my own boss. I won't make decisions for others. Especially not important ones."

That sounded… fair. It also completely destroyed Kanda's comeback. Since he finished on a point Kanda could agree with, he only clicked his tongue and stayed silent instead, following him.

People at the market that they were supposed to meet with recognized Allen before they even approached them. A girl waved at him.

"Mr. Walker! We have a lot saved up for you today!"

"Lou Fa, I told you to just call me Allen…" Allen smiled in a way that seemed a little strained.

A man named Li Kei started pointing them to things they could put in the food crates. It seemed like Allen was taking vegetables and fruits that were either a little damaged or very weird-shaped. Kanda could guess no one else would buy them.

Allen looked pleased and commented on the nice haul. The stall was not busy by the end of the day and Lou Fa was around Allen constantly. She was being more than a little annoying while doing that so Kanda had actually moved a step or two away from Allen to glare at her from a distance.

"When I looked at all these, I immediately thought of a ratatouille! Do you think that Jeryy from your squat could make some?" she chirped, obviously delighted to see a certain someone.

"I'm sure he could. I tried to ask him for some less-known dishes a couple of times and he got it just right every time. Once I even made a name of a dish up and he didn't even flinch, he just made something anyway and said that he felt like it 'captured the feeling behind the name just right'." He said, smiling in amusement.

It made her laugh and she promptly launched into a long-winded story of her own.

Kanda just thought that Allen's social skills would probably really shine on a date with a person like that.

He was also starting to feel like a third wheel on his own date and he did not fucking appreciate that.

"Beansprout, are you done taking your sweet ass time?" Kanda approached him, holding one of the food crates that was already full. "Shouldn't we go back to the car or something? I see this taking two rounds."

"Allen actually smiled at him gratefully and they did move back to the car, swapping the full crates for another set of empty ones. There were four in total.

"How many people do you fit in that fucking squat?" Kanda asked as they were getting the other two crates full back at the stall "Who will eat all this?"

Allen looked at him a little strangely. "Well, um… There are five of us, with one room empty. Me, Johnny and also Tapp and Cash who are already out of town since last week. And, haha, nothing ever really goes to waste… I suppose we have a lot of visitors? Like Suman just earlier."

Kanda had a feeling Allen was being weird and he didn't really understand the reason behind it. That was, until he remembered that Allen ate a ridiculous amount of food both times they've eaten together.

So did beansprout… actually eat like that all the time?

Kanda was actually horrified, just a little. He previously thought maybe Allen had a very busy schedule and just ate a lot while he could eat but the guy was unemployed so…

"You just eat almost all of that yourself, don't you?"

Allen laughed awkwardly.

That was when Lou Fa approached him for round two.

"You're getting some really impressive Ugly Boxes today, right?" she laughed.

Allen seemed to tense up as she moved a little closer to him. He said "Yes, I'm sure they will make a feast." His laugh after that was a little painful to listen to.

They finished up and moved away from the stall with some hasty parting words from Allen.

"'Ugly Boxes'?"

"Uh."

Kanda looked at him inquisitively, completely not intending to let the matter go.

"I, um… might have made a joke once? About how the crates look like with all those misshapen carrots in them. Lou Fa had… liked that joke a lot. She might have latched onto it a little. It was right after I moved in…"

"Shouldn't you just tell her you're not interested and make your life easier?"

They'd put all the boxes back in the car and Allen was just finishing strapping them in place so that the food didn't get even more damaged.

"Easier, you say…" He scratched his cheek again. "Kanda, haha… You noticed I didn't pay for this food at all, right?"

Kanda might have made a really stupid face.

Was that Allen's thing? Using people that were hot for him for personal gain?

Allen cleared his throat and glanced at him with a small blush, saying. "I-It's not like I got this deal through Lou Fa. In fact, it was not even me setting it up. I'm just not being harsh to her because I don't want the visits to the market to get really awkward since it usually is me coming here since I moved in and… "

"You don't even need to be fucking harsh."

"Maybe. But when I told her I'm gay, she just said that it's 'fine'."

"'Fine' as in… fucking what?"

Allen shrugged and they shared a look of confused amusement.

Allen broke their connection to close the trunk, grinning. Kanda didn't really like that he turned that expression away from him.

"Thanks for being so unpleasant. This usually takes longer, I imagine it's all your charming aura."

"I've heard I have a way of cutting through bullshit."

It was already dark outside when Allen stopped the car next time. It was not that close to his squat and Kanda thought that they were going there next – to unload the food. He was a little confused.

Allen eyed him in a very peculiar way, hands still on the wheel.

They held a look and Allen's bleached eyebrows raised a little, as if challenging him to make a comment.

Kanda gave him a look of his own. He wasn't afraid, if that was what Allen was going for.

Allen narrowed his eyes, looking amused.

"So. There is one more place just up ahead but… You might really not like this one so I'm going to explain before you decide to go or not." Allen drove them to a spot that honestly looked like a place for a drug deal and it seemed like he was about to give Kanda a pep talk.

Kanda was not sure if one of those worked on him even once in his life so he interrupted him straight away.

"So. What is illegal about it?" Kanda almost rolled his eyes but stopped himself, reminding himself that he was still a cop. Despite his suspension and the dramatically lowered income for the month. "Your market schtick was already fucking shady."

Maybe he was just a really shitty cop. He did fail the exam once – for snapping at the guy who was conducting it.

"Yeah… Um. This is similar." Allen started, looking at his tattooed fingers. Kanda looked at them, too.

It was getting ridiculous how much he wanted to see the rest of Allen's arm.

It was not like he could fucking ask him to show it. Not just because Kanda wanted to see how far up the tattoos went. He'd never seen past Allen's wrist.

Allen caught him looking but he just smiled a little, making no offers.

He continued his explanation "It's still food, in case you were thinking of anything funny. Packaged products. Butter for example."

"…Okay. What's different?"

"Well… it's with a supermarket. They have much tighter regulations and people could actually get in trouble for this. Even their trash gets inspected. They only give us what they were about to throw away, much like the market, but it could get more easily noticed so the amount is limited."

It would have probably been better if Kanda sat out that one.

But he wasn't about to get fucking scared over getting some free cheese.

"I got it." He clicked his tongue. "It's not fucking crack, I can handle helping you carry some stupid eggs."

Allen looked at him with good-natured amusement.

Kanda clenched his teeth, saying nothing as Allen threw him smiles and looks and texted someone on his phone. If stupid fucking beansprout batting eyelashes at him got him personally importing illegal immigrants within a week, it wouldn't be anyone else's fault but Kanda's own.

"Let's go." Allen grinned. "You mentioned you're fresh meat. I bet this is more action than you've seen during your entire time in the force so far."

Kanda didn't say anything because. Maybe.

He got out of the car, accompanied by Allen's grin.

Allen caught Kanda checking around for cameras and was biting his lip not to laugh, which Kanda unfortunately noticed despite the poor lighting.

"Who is that?" The supermarket person asked Allen when they were about to hand 'the goods' over to him.

"A cop."

Both Kanda and the supermarket staff jolted a little and first looked at Allen, then at each other.

Allen unsuccessfully attempted to stay straight-faced, waving his hand emphatically. "Don't worry about him. He felt like sightseeing the city's underbelly" he said to the panicked staff person in good humor, then turning to the not-panicked-anymore Kanda saying "He's already my accomplice anyway."

For some reason, this type of flirting was really working.

Working to the point where Kanda wasn't sure how to respond at all.

He made an incoherent growl that he immediately regretted and went back to the car ahead of Allen, leaving him to talk with the supermarket worker for a minute.

When Allen caught up to him and opened the trunk, he was in very high spirits, his eyes sparkling. "How was our adventure?" He chuckled as if he knew something he shouldn't and Kanda faced away.

Even as he did, he could swear he could feel Allen's gaze on the side of his head, around the tips of his ears which felt much too warm.

"You're getting seriously fucking obnoxious."

It was fucking dark and there was no way that Allen could see his ears and Kanda was getting really annoyed with himself.

He ended up almost wishing that he wore his hair down for today. Allen wouldn't have known how unusual for him that would be.

He had already considered it anyway. For reasons other than hiding embarrassment though.

"It almost sounds like a good thing when you say it like that."

Kanda quickly went back inside the car without continuing that exchange, taking the passenger seat. He temporarily ignored the fact that what really waited for him inside was only more Allen – near him in an enclosed space.

Being in the car was difficult and this time even Kanda couldn't say that it was Allen's fault in any way. He was wearing the smallest of smiles but he was quiet and not even trying to catch glances of Kanda in the mirror as he drove, like he did before.

And Kanda was…

He refused to admit he was nervous.

But he might have been… something else. He was trying to do low-key breathing exercises in an attempt to stop the heat from rising. He was pretty confident Allen couldn't have noticed.

Kanda was very aware of the fact that Allen was driving them back to his squat, not to Kanda's place. He could recognize the way, even having only street lamps and the light of Allen's headlights to illuminate the way. The one headlight being dimmer was honestly not that big of a deal yet.

Kanda distantly wondered if Allen ever paid that ticket Kanda witnessed him getting before.

He wasn't about to ask though. He didn't want to bring attention to him being a cop again. Maybe that would be a responsible thing to do, in a way, but Kanda didn't care. At the very least, not at the moment.

After the tense drive was over, Kanda helped Allen carry everything they brought back with them into the squat.

Jeryy didn't let anyone help him sort things in the kitchen so that was it for all of Allen's delivery boy tasks.

They stood together a little ways off the fridge. At least until Allen casually gestured for him to follow and they went towards his room.

They've stopped near it, in the hall.

Allen, being on the front, turned to him with a smile and said "It got colder. I wanted to get my scarf before we go. I've been forgetting to put it in the car…" Allen wasn't looking him in the eye anymore, instead having taken the two steps needed towards his door and looking at his hands as he unlocked the door. He paused when his hand was already on the doorknob. "Or do you want to come in?"

The look in his eyes was…

It wasn't exactly a come-hither sort of look but it was close. But he didn't come off as pushy at all, face relaxed except for a small smile.

"It's late," Kanda answered, breaking the eye contact.

Allen came back out with a simple dark gray scarf around his neck after a short moment.

Kanda sort of thought that it made things easier for Allen to cover up his godforsaken choker.

He still looked just as good with it covered though.

"Let's go then, I'll drive you to your place." Allen said, passing by him and leading the way outside.

Kanda's place wasn't far and Allen didn't get out of the car, just smiling at him through the open window.

It was… completely unnerving.

Kanda couldn't find words that could make it less so. All he could think of was inviting Allen to come inside. Or the things he could get to see if he would.

But he didn't really want to end the date on that note.

Kanda would usually be the first one to break things off with others. Especially when he was interested in someone just for sex. Those flings were usually very short-lived.

He couldn't tell how deep Allen's interest went – only that he was respectful and genuine with it.

At least he seemed genuine. Things could still go either way but Kanda generally trusted his instincts. He wasn't getting too hung up on that point.

Allen's wide eyes were on him, waiting.

"Today was not that terrible for something that could be called community work," Kanda said eventually.

Allen turned thoughtful but his smile didn't drop. "I'm glad it wasn't that bad." He paused for a moment, maybe hesitating over his next words. But he was as smooth as ever when he added "See you some other time, Kanda."

The words didn't necessarily sound like a promise of another date. But they also didn't not sound like it.

With that, Allen turned his head to put his eyes to the front of the car and drove off, leaving Kanda feeling maybe a little frustrated with both Allen and with himself.

He could be patient but that didn't mean he needed to like it.