~Wow! Chapter 7! I'm so excited! Everything seems to be wrapping up pretty nicely! MAJOR FG PLOT REVELATIONS IN THIS CHAPTER!!! Don't forget to read Forbidden Goods! It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry…yadda yadda. Don't own D. Gray-Man.~
Chapter 7: Kisses and Truths
"Speak to me of the dark gifts, I use them, I'm gentleman death in silk and lace, come to put out the candles."
-Anne Rice
Tsume rolled in her sleep, tormented by thoughts and ideas and dreams; the wisps in her mind that unraveled her sanity little by little. The air was cold and brisk still, though the fire had warmed the room some. She could hear Lavi's breathing, loud in the dead silence of night in a foreign country. She exhaled softly and pulled herself up, wrapping the worn blanket around her as she swung her legs off the side of the bed. Her toes brushed the wood as she bit her lip and contemplated. There was no going back after this. Even if they didn't find anything, she'd be a different person. It was just so close that it was driving her mad. She could feel the truth like a tremor from the earth, generating from an unknown point of origin until it reached her.
Lavi let out a sigh in his sleep and turned towards her, tucking his arm underneath him.
She smiled absently, watching him breathe. She softly got up and kneeled next to him, tucking her legs beneath her. She hesitated then brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face. He was warm from the coals, his face healthy and pink in contrast to her pale cold hands.
Lavi's eye blinked open, his eye sight hazy and unfocused. "Ro…?"
Tsume bit her lip. "Sorry…" She whispered, turning towards the fire and putting her knees up. She wrapped her arms around her legs as she said softly. "Just getting warm. Didn't mean to wake you."
He sat up, rubbing his eye blearily. "No it's cool. Are you cold over there?" He yawned and stretched.
"No." Tsume muttered, burying the lower half of her face in between her knees. She stared at the embers, her eyes distant.
"Hand." He held out his own, looking stern.
Confused, Tsume complied, putting her hand in his.
He laced there fingers together and held it to him. "Liar." He said good naturedly. "You're freezing." He scooted closer, rubbing her hand to restore some circulation and warmth.
Tsume smiled a little. "Sorry."
He didn't answer, focusing on the embers. Finally he said softly, "What are you worried about? You've been tossing and turning all night."
She blinked. "But…you were asleep…"
"I'm a light sleeper sometimes." He said impatiently. "So what's up?"
"Nothing. Just concerned." Tsume let her knees collapse, shifting to her side closest to Lavi.
"About?" He switched her hands, rubbing the other one.
"About…not getting answers, about messing everything up, about not getting the answers that I want…" She hesitated and looked away as she whispered, "About us…"
He put his hand on the floor by her hip and tugged on her hand, pulling her closer. "Don't." He said next to her lips.
This close, he was intoxicating. His scent, his face…everything sent her into a state of mind rarely achieved by human or immortal. "Don't what?" She breathed. Too close too close too close…
"Don't worry about us." He kissed her softly, his lips just brushing hers.
Tsume trembled in response and pulled back a little, confused. "But…"
"No." He said firmly and kissed her again, this time it was strong and unwavering. There was no doubting his feelings for her.
When they broke away, she laced her fingers with his. "Then what are we going to do when…" She took a shaky breath. "When the others arrive?"
"I can keep a secret."
She smiled. "Really now…"
"No really!" He acted offended, but he smiled back. "I can!"
She laid her head in the crook of his neck, moving closer to him. "Alright…we'll keep it a secret."
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed his lips against her head. This was some secret; a glorious deception he'd die to keep no matter what.
-
Lindy was driving everyone nuts.
Not that the continued travel wasn't killing the mood as well…
Though alike to their immortal friend in several ways, Lindy still had a defining personality that rubbed them raw at times. For example, unlike Tsume, Lindy insisted on using her powers constantly and not always for good. Lindy had the incredible power of telekinesis and often used it to torment people.
Especially Allen.
Definitely Allen.
The only two things she didn't seem to mess with were The Bookman and Timcampy. Timcampy had attached herself to Lindy anyway, leaving Allen gloomy and betrayed.
One evening, it got to be too much. Lenalee almost had to hold Allen down from fighting with Lindy.
Lindy smirked, her eyes watching the boy carefully as she placed a sucker in her mouth. The immortal always seem to have a limitless supply of suckers stashed on her person.
"Allen! Come on!" Lenalee grabbed his arm and started to drag him away. "This isn't the place for a fight!"
"Fight?" Lindy said with a type of pseudo-innocence that set Allen's teeth on edge. "I wouldn't dream of fighting a little boy! I was just…making observations…!"
"You were being insulting!" Allen yelled.
"Allen! COME ON!!" Lenalee jerked him back by the collar of his shirt.
Lindy, her objective reached, offered an apple to Timcampy and hummed a nameless tune as she tuned Allen out. She pulled the sucker stick out of her mouth and tossed it on the ground carelessly.
The Bookman and Kanda glanced at each other. The elder got up and followed Allen and Lenalee out of the room.
Lindy walked over and waved an apple in front of Kanda's face. "Want one?"
"No." He said irritably. He growled as the apple wobbled out of her hand and started making slow lazy circles around his head.
Lindy smirked and sat next to him. "I've noticed your…lack of support for Whitey." She waved her fingers lazily in circles with the apple. "Any reason in particular."
"He annoys me." Kanda replied coldy.
Lindy smirked and the apple flew past Kanda's nose and hit her palm with a slap. She took a bite, watching him. "Really? Tell me more."
"Don't you have something better to do?" He looked away.
Lindy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you like 'Tsume'?"
He stiffened. That was completely left field. "What?"
Lindy smiled from behind the apple, holding it in front of her face as she looked at him. She placed her back against the arm of the seat and bent her knees in front, her toes barely touching Kanda's thigh. "Well…? Do you?"
He didn't move away. "No."
She set her apple aside and Timcampy devoured it. "You really don't know anything about us…do you?"
"About the Jonah?" He finally looked at her. "Why?"
She shrugged, her black hair framing her pale face. "You don't seem to know what to do with me."
Mugen floated up above his vision. He inhaled sharply and grabbed for it. It flew past his hands and settled against the creamy white skin of Lindy's throat. She smiled at him, pulling out another sucker. She stuck it against her tongue, her teeth clicking against its hard shell as her eyes flashed. "Should you kill me…?" She took the sucker away and laughed, Mugen floating back into Kanda's reach. "Let me rephrase that. Do you want to kill me?" She tilted her head to the side, smiling.
"I killed Tsume." He said, sounding like he was debating inwardly. He took his sword out of the air.
"She almost killed you for it too." Lindy's eyes lit up. "Did it hurt? Was she angry?" She leaned forward.
"Why…?" Kanda leaned away. Lindy was really starting to creep him out.
"Don't you know?" Lindy tilted her head to the side. "The Jonah's all have clans within the great clan. They're the seven deadly sins." She smiled as he gave her a curious look. "My my….you don't know anything…do you?" She leaned back. "My clan's Wrath. Amazing, isn't it?"
Kanda's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Why was she suddenly talking to him? She'd been tight lipped this entire trip anytime they tried to ask her things.
Lindy continued, absently eating the sucker. "Too bad about the curse though."
"Curse?"
"You don't know?" She smiled. "Nasty surprise for our dear 'Tsume'." Her tongue rubbed against the sucker and he wet his lips. Something about this insane girl made him nervous and…something else; some kind of curious emotion that built up in the pit of his stomach. He looked away, disturbed.
"We have a cycle of twenty years before we go back to year one, not remembering a thing. God's little present for his Avengers." Lindy smirked, but she seemed angry. "The second it hits midnight on our twenty first birthday, we turn to helpless squalling…things with no idea who we really are and where we're going."
"So then how do you understand what you are now?" Kanda turned his sword over and over in his hands.
"We have bases set up all over the world. They have volumes of journals from all the years we've walked this world. Not only that, we have a special…what do you call it, coming of age ceremony…" She smiled. "It allows us to remember everything."
He nodded and they both fell silent.
Finally Kanda broke the silence. "Why so talkative?"
"Because I expect something in return." Lindy stuck the sucker completely in her mouth, smiling at him from beneath long black eye lashes.
"What? Money?" Kanda drawled, looking up.
"Something better." Lindy said around the sucker as she leaned towards him. Suddenly they were nose to nose. "I wanna kiss."
"No." Kanda never hesitated. Just flat out rejection.
Lindy chuckled a little and retreated. She shrugged. "I guess you'll owe me then…won't you?" She stood up, her back to him. "Hey. Wanna know the best way to kill a Jonah?"
"Hm."
"A Noah." She smiled again. "A fight to the death. Isn't that…exciting…?" She licked her lips and let a laugh bubble up in her throat as she left the car.
Kanda, fully disturbed, turned back to the window. It wasn't because she was creepy. Oh no, just the opposite. He might just like this girl.
-
"Lavi…"
He groaned. "Five more minutes sweetheart. Pleeeaaasseee…?" He snuggled deeper into the blankets.
"Lavi, if you don't get up, I'll sing a song."
"That's random." He said dryly.
Tsume laughed. "I'm serious! And then you'll have to wake up because no one can last that long listening to my voice!"
"Hm."
"One…"
He smiled. She was so cute when she was bossy.
"Two…"
Suddenly he reached up and secured his arms around her waist, bringing her down next to him.
She yelped. "No! Let go!" She laughed and tried to push him off as he buried his face in her neck. She stopped struggling and finally said softly. "Do you know anything about a…a 'Great Heart'?"
Lavi's head shot up. "What?"
Tsume looked away and bit her lip. "It's just a song…it's been…searing itself into my head…I woke up singing it."
"What does it say?"
Tsume spoke softly, but the effect was dark and forbidding. "The Millennium Earl is searching, he is searching for his precious heart. Let's check to see if you are it…"
Lavi stared at her. "The general…that came in and died…"
"Hm?" Tsume looked at him.
"He was singing that song before he died…"
"Why did he die?" Tsume asked, her eyes wide.
"The Noah tortured him." Lavi sat up. "But why were you singing it?"
"I….I think it's Their fault." Tsume closed her eyes, looking pained. "The farther east we go the more…I don't know, strange…I feel."
He took her hand and her eyes fluttered open. He smiled at her. "It's okay. We'll just get you to remember everything and everything will be alright after that."
She smiled sadly. "You're such a liar."
"Everyone has their faults." He teased. "Speaking of which…" He poked her and she jumped. "You could let me save you once in a while instead of pushing me out of the way."
Tsume rolled her eyes. "Next time we're in danger, I'll just stand there, okay?" She brought her hands up to her mouth and feigned helplessness. "Oh whatever shall I do? Save me, Lavi!"
"Sarcastic little…" He tickled her sides until she squirmed out of his grip, laughing as she stood. He got up and took her hand, kissing her cheek softly. "Food, Madame Blue Eyes?"
"Why I thought you'd never ask." She smiled at him.
He smoothed out her hair again then kissed her forehead. "Let's go." He swung their hands and held open the door for her.
-
"She's humming again…" Kanda's temple twitched as he paced around at the train station. "That same creepy little song about the Earl…"
"Maybe she just has the song stuck in her head." Lenalee shrugged.
"A rather morbid song to have stuck in your head, I should think." Commented the Bookman dryly.
"La dee dee la da dee da!" Lindy skipped up to them, wearing a black frilly dress with boots and a purple jacket over it. As ever, she was wearing her pendant. "Train leaves in two minutes." She smiled and wiggled her fingers at Kanda. "Hey there."
"Hm." He turned away, his arms crossed.
Lindy giggled.
"We'd better get on, then." The Bookman suggested.
"You guys go on ahead. I'll go find Allen." Lindy waved and turned to find the white haired boy. She hummed her way through the crowds of people. "Allen…"
-
"Looks like it's almost healed." Allen said to Timcampy, examining his eye in the bathroom mirror.
Timcampy nudged his head in response.
Allen laughed and cupped Timcampy in his hands. "Let's go get on the train."
-
Kanda looked around as the conductor called out, "All Aboard!"
"They're not here…" Lenalee pursed her lips.
"I'll go look for them." Kanda volunteered. He stood.
"You'll catch up when you find them." The Bookman nodded at him.
Kanda nodded back and jumped off the train.
There was a flurry of motion as the last of the passengers boarded the train. The horn sounded and the train started into motion.
He frowned. Where was Lindy and Beansprout? Surely one of them would be visible by now…
He waited until all was quiet. The train gone, the passengers cleared, and the cargo for the next train ready to go. No one was standing on the empty station. He looked up at the lone street lamp illuminating everything in the dark and exhaled shortly in irritation. Where were they?
"AAAHHHRRGGHHH!!!!"
Kanda watched in amazement as a beefy man flew through the air over top of the train station, landing in a pile of boxes with a crash.
Lindy stepped out of the shadows, Allen running from behind her to the man.
"Are you okay, mister?!" He said anxiously. "She didn't mean it!"
Lindy smirked. "Yes I did. He was pawing you, kid! I didn't want to watch." She put her hands behind her back and walked up to Kanda. "Hi. Did you come looking for us?" She gave him a sly look under her black eyelashes.
"Where were you?" Kanda asked angrily. "The train left already!"
Lindy pouted. "I was finding Allen…He got grabbed by this perverted old man-"
"I am…!" A hand reached out of the dust and arrested Allen's collar. "The mayor and he…is going to help us…!" He stood up, looking scary with bits of wood sticking out of his hair. "We have a vampire problem!"
"Vampire?" All three chorused, two of them incredulous, the other excited.
Lindy turned to Kanda, clutching his sleeve. "Oh can't we help them, Kanda? Please? Pleeeasssee???"
"No." Kanda said angrily, jerking his arm away.
Lindy paused, and then pointed. "I don't think we have a choice."
Kanda blinked and then groaned as he saw the mayor making off with Allen towards the village. Lord above, why did this always happen to him? He was half tempted to leave the white haired child and take off. "Come on…" He growled, stomping off in the direction the kidnapper took. "I'm gonna keep you in my site at all times until we get Allen and get back."
"Oh baby." Lindy giggled. "Admit it, this is a little fun!" She stretched. "No dumb humans around, anyway." She commented.
Kanda looked around. She was right. For a small town, it was fairly unpopulated. And the long walk from the train station to the village was unlit and shrouded with tall trees. His boots crunched in the snow as he listened for any noise besides their footsteps.
Lindy hummed her little tune again as she telekinetically lifted a bunch of snow and shaped it into a perfect circle as they walked a long. Several of its kind joined it to do a lazy dance around the swordsman's head.
Kanda angrily swatted them away. "I'm not going to play with you."
"That's okay." She smirked. "I'm sure the vampire will."
Kanda glanced at her, and then allowed himself a small smirk as well.
~shorter chapter this time. Sorry. I'll work on it…!!~