Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray Man in any way possible.
Chapter 18:Leo
Faint light, falls, onto Allen's pale face. Shades hidden under his dripping hair. His face covered by aching hands. Hands that reached for something, and yet couldn't. A load of junk - as Allen called Jean's inventions - covered the floor. Allen stared at nothingness. Distraught, doubt and yet odd enough peace brought him down to his knees.
Yes I am an Exorcist, Jean!
A small tear rolled down his cheek. Weak sobs echoed the room. Memories of Noah, of family, were stronger than he had ever imagined, not that they had ever disappeared. Hurting his fist, he punched the ground. As if one were not enough he punched even harder. A crack split a tiny hole open.
A crispy laugh escaped Allen's mouth, a hint of pain and irony in it. " Oh God, how do I tell this to my family! "
Just as he had lost reason, like a sudden knock, his heart beat. Sharp pain crossed his cursed eye. Dizziness stroke, blood dripped the ground. He looked towards the closed door as if just noticing something.
Huh?
Allen's face darkened in horror. He could clearly sense the agonizing presence of an Akuma's soul enter the house. Rotting blood and flesh, that smell, crawled by his very skin. Cold, it was cold, so lonely, so sad.
Allen removed the hand from his eye, as splashes of blood spilled down. Bloody tears accompanied his own.
Akuma!
His heart beat uncontrollably.
Akuma!
His eyes widened with no reason.
" Ahhhh! Help me! "
Allen could not help, but smash the door open and run downstairs at the sudden cry. He came upon nobody, just the clown woman who waved goodbye. Quickly investigating the area he frowned.
" Where's Jean! "
The woman's arm, still in mid air, slowly lowered. She gave him a peculiar stare. Mostly at his bleeding eye, but, almost, as if she just let it slip, not surprised nor angry, she simply smiled.
" He went with Leo darling. "
Allen as if captivated ,unconsciously, just smiled back with shining eyes. He bowed down slightly.
" I'm so sorry to shout so suddenly like that mam, but! "
" Yes? "
For a second, no words came from his mouth. The memories of Moore's death, his own weakness and his treason were hard on him.
" Not again, I won't let anyone die again! "
" Huh? "
" Ah! Nothing!" He smiled sweetly. " What I meant to say is can you please tell me where Jean is? "
" Su - "
" I'm in a hurry, please! " He shouted loosing his patience.
The clown woman remained silent and with mouth open. She pointed at a nearby hill.
" I heard Leo and Jean conversing about some hill. "
" Thank you so much! " Quickly, Allen ran out of the house.
" Leo! " Jean shouted. He battled to get his breath back. Leo, who seemed lost in his own little world, looked back with a frozen smile. Jean quickly looked down at the floor in disconfidence. He then looked up again.
" Leo, are you ok? " He tried to speak words as fear took hold of him.
" We can always hunt for Akuma some other day, I mean- "
" Because my mom died? " Leo spat out cold and simply. Jean widened his eyes. He almost felt a tear roll down his eye. The memories of Leo's mom shocking death. They were sad and lonely. Sudden and life changing.
" Leo... " Jean looked the other way and nodded silently, hoping Leo would not notice his wet eyes.
"I know it's hard for you Leo so-so... "
Leo looked back to the front and continued his walk.
" Ah, Leo-! " He left Jean with words still in mouth.
Leo stopped walking as he felt a warm tiny arm press his shoulder. He looked over, there, Jean sobbed in silence.
" It's ok Leo! I understand! "
Leo stared a cold smile, as he felt Jean tighten his grip. He saw as tears dripped uncontrollably from his eyes.
" So - so let's go home ok? " Jean closed his eyes and smiled in remorse.
Leo remained silent. Jean's arms trembled.
" Damn you Leo, say something - " Jean snapped as he held himself from slapping his friend into reason.
Leo's cold smile remained immobile from his face.
" Stop laughing! " Jean could barely keep himself up as he felt defeated.
" It's ok, Jean. " Leo finally spoke tenderly. Jean's eyes sparkled in a mix of hope and fear at the tender voice.
Leo patted Jean's head. " We should stop hunting Akuma. It's over. "
Jean fell to him fall on his knees at the words. " What? Leo? Huh? "
Jean felt as Leo helped him get up again. Leo's smile did not drop or flinch. " Come with me, there's something I want to show you. "
Jean totally destroyed, as hunting for Akuma was kind of their thing, just nodded in disconcert.
Leo...
Jean and Leo arrived at a cemetery. The place was cold, dusty and abandoned. Wind blew Jean's hair. He tried to keep his calm as he stared at what was occurring in front of him. Leo had kneeled in front of his mother's grave. No tears fell, his smile remained. Jean got closer, as to comfort his half sane friend.
" Leo it's ok to cry... "
The silence was intense, Jean felt as though his very breath would crumble Leo. He dropped no tears, nothing. Jean could not tell how much time both boys had remained in silence, nor what went inside Leo's mind but just as his confusion had yet to cease, a presence, a dark menacing aura, stood behind him. Normally he would just look back, but this time, somehow, it was different. It was frightening, bloodthirsty, desperate, but more than anything else, hopeless. Jean could feel his blood freezing, his body tensing, the beats of his heart louder by the second. Slowly, with frozen eyes and barely no air to breath, Jean turned his head.
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