Title: About Yu Ch 6
Series: D.Gray Man
Characters: Kanda, Mugen
Rating: G
Comments: Exceedingly Fluffy. Capitalizing on mind link previously hinted at by Lavi. Will they make up over excessive fluff and sweetness? Am I even writing this? Good grief. Apologies in advance for the formatting. editor is not really working for me right now.
Lost in a timeless void, she drifts aimlessly. Blind, deaf and dumb, she floats. Day and night have no meaning in this place. In the end, it's all the same, past, present and future melded into one never-ending dream.
She tells herself that the silence is a welcome change. Tries to convince herself that this is what she wanted anyway.
I've been wanting some time alone. There's nothing wrong with taking it now.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, there's a blank spot. A space which He used to occupy. Before she blocked him out, that is.
He was quite a pain, wasn't he. Its better this way. Now that there is no more sharing of nightmares or pain. Its really good that I don't need to link at that level for him to wield me.
Still, the blank that once was Kanda calls her, no matter what she tries to do to make herself ignore it. Time and again, even in this waking dream, she finds her attention drawn to it. Her mind replays their last quarrel. Now that she's had time to think about it, it all seems so very pointless.
Coming from a girl who's stuck in a sword, that last comment was positively ironic.
Without the link, she feels nothing. Feelings were, after all, human things and she hasn't really been one for God knows how long now.
He's probably better off without me. And it's not like I cant exist like this.
It's just that it's really quiet without him.
A sense of movement rocks the peaceful void. Without thinking, she reaches tentatively for the link. T'was only a tiny tendril of thought. Hopefully, he'd not notice.
Lime green surprise greets her from his side. Surprise, a sense of secrecy and what feels a lot like a muffled oath before he shuts down his end and she withdraws, somewhat miffed.
The movement stops abruptly. A curious tapping sound echoes through the void. It takes a while for her to realize that he's tapping on the link.
:What is it?:
There are no words in the link. Only a stream of emotion. It feels like he's beckoning her over. Buried somewhere in the stream, was a feeling, very much like an apology.
Curious, she lets him lead her into fuller rapport in the link, like what they had before, silently reveling in the way the world feels through his senses. The darkness of the void she drifted in, vanishes, to be replaced by a dazzling light.
It is a while before her eyes clear, and she blinks owlishly in the late afternoon sun. A welcome cool breeze tempers the heat somewhat. It also blows Kanda's fringe into his eyes. This deep in the link, she can feel it brushing his eyelashes, almost as if they were her own. Ordinarily, this would have elicited a click of irritation from him, but today, he merely brushes the heavy bangs away without even a murmur. Something else strikes her as odd, but right now, she can't quite put her finger on it.
As Kanda strides down the cobblestone paths leading deeper into the town, she can feel their smooth knobbly surface slide under his booted heels. Delicious smells waft through the air. Particularly attractive is the scent of freshly baked bread and pastries from the bakery. Obligingly, he pauses at the shop window, and together they watch as the baker restocks his display.
:Pity it's too close to dinner.: She says wistfully as they turn to leave.
When they finally stop, it is in front of an unfamiliar shop, half hidden in a little alley. Its canvas awning, which must have once been striped in red and white, has over the years faded to a pale orange and cream. Yet, as it catches the light of the afternoon sun, the mellow colors seem to glow, giving the shop an atmosphere of nostalgia.
A chalk board in front of the store is covered in flowing script. Script, which though beautiful, is unfortunately quite unintelligible to her. A small plump waiter, noticing the arrival of customers, bustles out of the depths to wait at Kanda's elbow. He's beaming and radiating goodwill at them, hinting, in no small way, that this goodwill could increase indefinitely, particularly if they were to stay and patronize the shop. Whatever it might be selling.
:Where are we?:
:You'll see.: He replies cryptically, before allowing the waiter to usher him to his seat and issue him a menu with a flourish. He looks at it and points to an entry, whereupon the waiter whisks the menu away and bustles back into the mysterious depths, no doubt to prepare, whatever it was that he ordered.
:So... I guess we wait?: She thinks, intrigued by his air of secrecy. She feels his lips quirking in a tiny smirk of amusement before he slouches back in his chair. Nothing more. It is only now that she realizes that today is one of the rare days that she's ever felt Kanda relax. In fact, looking down at him through his eyes, she notices that he's not in his usual Exorcist garb, but instead has opted for the more non-descript white shirt and pants. If not for the fact that he was still carrying a katana around, he could have passed for one of the civilians in the town.
Well, almost passed for a civilian. If you didn't notice the a slim wiry build, sword callouses, distinctive long, waist length hair with heavy bangs. And the characteristic forbidding frown. Oh, and not forgetting the tatoo lurking over the right side of his chest and was barely visible through the shirt.
Still, Kanda being this relaxed was odd. Not unwelcome. But odd. No reason not to enjoy it though, the entity called Mugen thinks as she allows herself to relax along with him, reveling in the simple pleasure resonating in their bond.
A cream white ball, topped with rainbow colored specks and mysterious brown threads, is served to him in a glass cup. There is a spoon by the side.
She sends, as he picks up the spoon to carve a bit of the white substance off.
:Stay with me and I'll show you.:
Cool. Icy cold melting richness, covering his tongue, her tongue. Sweet, but not cloying. A hard nugget which breaks apart in his teeth. Tasting of rich, earthy cocoa. A second scoop, with more of the same, paradise by the spoonful. The sun filters through the trees, gilding the desert before them with gold.
:It's heavenly.:
:It's chocolate chip ice-cream: He replies, a trifle embarrassed. :I don't usually do sweet things, but the Beansprout's been obsessing about this shop to Linalee. And so...:
:I've never tasted anything like it.: She knows she's blushing. A part of her mind berates her for letting herself be caught so off guard. To feel this much, allow herself to take an almost hedonistic pleasure in this. It goes against all of her early training.
:Hn. Judging from your reaction, I thought so.: His tone is smug. It makes her blush even more furiously.
There is an uncomfortable pause while the two collect themselves.
:About the fight...:
:About the dreams...:
They start at the same time, inadvertently running over each other. Then they back off, awkwardly.
:I'm sorry. I didn't know you were living my memories. They're not really all that good.:
:You can say that again.: His tone turns it into a joke that they can both share.
:I just wish you'd take better care of yourself. That's all. You might heal fast, but you're not completely indestructible:
:Anything else, Mugen-hime?:
:Oh shut up.: She's tickled by his attempt to be polite and agreeable. It takes all the control she has not to laugh in his face.
:Just don't say I've never done anything for you.:
:And finish up the ice-cream before it melts. It's not as nice melted. If the others see you doing this, you may never hear the end of it.: She manages to collect herself enough to project her characteristic brisk efficiency.
"Hn." But he's smiling a trifle smugly as he reaches leisurely for the spoon. :They're all away on missions, according to Komui.:
:Still. Ah hells. Some time off won't hurt. I guess. But, no slacking around later.:
Her next thoughts are cut off as the breeze, sun and remants of the desert conspire to lull her back into a dreamy half-daze. A daze that Kanda doesn't interrupt, as he too kicks back to enjoy what remains of the lazy afternoon.