Here's the next chapter! I appreciate all the reviews, follows, and favorites! You guys give me motivation to keep writing and become a better writer. So thank you, thank you!
I hope you enjoy Chapter 11 and please leave a review! :)
When they return to their umbrella Robin slumps down on the sand and Kanda takes the spot next to her. She still has a death grip on the violin case and when Kanda places an arm on her shoulder she releases an involuntary growl. Kanda chuckles.
"Wow." He says. "I've never heard you growl before. I don't know whether I like it or not."
"I can't believe Cross would go into my room!" She yells. "Actually, I can believe it. That lousy lecherous thief. I've told him not to touch my violin!"
"You don't like it when he touches your violin?" He asks.
"I don't like it when anyone touches it."
"Even me?" Kanda asks, moving to unlatch the case. She glares at him.
"I know where you sleep at night." She says. "And where you keep Mugen." The end of his mouth curls into a smile.
"Go for it." He says glaring back. "I'd love for you to join me while I sleep." Robin's face flushes and she sticks her tongue out at him.
"You haven't even kissed me." She says. "I'm beginning to think this curse idea might be real."
"Curses aren't real." He says.
"And yet we still haven't kissed."
"I can fix that." He says, moving closer. Kanda places a hand against her face and she lets him bring their lips closer.
"KANDA!"
Kanda grabs Robin and pulls them to the ground just in time for a soccer ball to fly over their heads and knock over the umbrella. It falls next to them in a pile of tattered fabric and she flinches at the sudden exposure of sun. Kanda grits his teeth.
"I'm going to kill him." He growls.
"I think I'll help you." She mutters and the two of them get up, dusting the sand off their clothes. Daisya runs over and grins.
"Hey have you seen-"
Daisya is cut off by Mugen pressed against his throat. Robin stands to the side, watching as Daisya gulps and tries to sneak away. Kanda blocks him off.
"Accept your death." Kanda growls. Daisya looks expectantly to Robin. "Robin won't save you." He says with an evil grin. "Right, Robin?"
She pauses, thoughtful.
"Don't kill him." She says. Daisya's eyes brighten with hope. Robin's mouth suddenly twists into a wicked smile. "No," She says. "Cut him open and don't stop until he begs for death." Daisya's eyes widen in horror and Kanda smirks.
"I like this Robin." He says, pressing the blade closer.
"Kanda!" A female voice scolds. Lenalee suddenly smashes a clipboard against his head and Kanda winches, relaxing his grip. Daisya uses the chance to make an escape, running for his life to the other side of the beach.
"He escaped!" Kanda growls.
"Damn." Robin says.
"Robin!" Lenalee yells to her. "Kanda I expect, but I can't believe you'd try to hurt another exorcist!"
"He had it coming." She says. The clipboard slams into the side of her skull and she winches.
"We don't hurt our friends!" She scolds.
"He's not a friend." Robin says back. Lenalee raises the clipboard again and Robin flinches.
"Fine!" She says. "I'll be nice! Just don't hit me!" Lenalee gives a smug nod and lowers the board back to her side. Robin lets out a long sigh and frowns.
"Why is Robin in a bad mood?" Lenalee asks Kanda.
"Cross." Kanda answers and Lenalee nods. She glances down at the fallen umbrella and notices the violin case.
"What's that?" She asks, bending down to inspect it.
"Don't touch it!" Robin says and Lenalee instantly pulls her hand away.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She says. "What is it?"
"A violin." Robin answers. "I don't like people messing with it." Robin takes a seat next to the pigtailed girl and opens the case to show her the instrument.
"I didn't know you played the violin." Lenalee says.
"He's good." Kanda says. Lenalee smiles.
"You must really cherish it." She says. Robin glances at the violin and allows herself a small smile.
"It's my most valuable possession." She says.
"Is it worth a lot?" Lenalee asks.
Robin shakes her head. "Not monetarily. It was a gift from someone very precious to me."
Lenalee's cheeks flush. "A lover?" She asks and Kanda gives her a sharp glance.
"No." Robin says shaking her head. "A friend. In fact, she was my best friend."
"Was?" Lenalee asks. Robin's face darkens.
"I was abandoned at a orphanage as a baby." Robin says. "While I was there I shared a room with a girl. I continually had trouble interacting with the other kids. I never got along and would always get into fights. But then I met her. She was the first person who ever truly accepted me. We became friends and would do everything together."
"What was her name?" Lenalee asks.
"Raven." She answers.
"Raven and Robin." Kanda muses. Robin rolls her eyes.
"I know, I know." She says. "Raven and Robin. We're both named after birds. Can we please move on?" Kanda shrugs and motions for her to continue.
"As you've probably guessed Raven played the violin. Whenever I had a bad day she used to show me how to play. I remember she had a notebook filled with sheet music and she would stay up all night and play song after song until I fell asleep." Robin smiles, lost in the memory.
"But," She says, her eyes darkening. "Despite it all, happiness always has a way of fading."
"What happened?" Lenalee asks.
"I had a bad day." She says. "A kid shoved me onto the ground while I was playing and I got into another fight. The couple in charge threatened to kick me out if I continued to act out. Raven, of course, understood and she played me a melody to calm me down. It worked and I was about to fall asleep when she suddenly stopped and handed me the violin. I was happy, because it wasn't often that I had a chance to play. I asked her which song she wanted to hear and she said 'Anyone you want.' She had given me her violin. She said that whenever someone made me sad or angry, I was to pull out the violin and play them a song. She was always like that. I was going to practice everyday and make the couple love my playing so much I could stay there."
Robin glances down at the instrument and a tear slips and falls onto the strings.
"But I woke up." She says wiping her eyes. "And Raven was gone. Her body was on the ground right in front of my bed. She was so cold and I panicked when she wouldn't move. The police came later and announced that she was dead. I ran away from the orphanage after that. I didn't have anything other than the violin and I made sure to keep it by my side at all times. It isn't worth much really, but I value it more than my life. This violin is all I have left of her."
"You've had such a hard life." Lenalee says. Robin wipes away her tears and gives Lenalee a smile.
"It was hard." Robin says. "But Raven always used to say that hardships are just ways to become stronger. I'm stronger now than I was before. Years later my innocence activated for the first time and Master Cross found me. Training with Master was hell, but if it wasn't for him I would have never become an exorcist and joined the Black Order. As horrible as he is, I'm grateful because I was able to meet everyone."
"Everyone in the Order is a part of my family." Lenalee says. "And that includes you Robin. I don't know what I would do without you guys."
"I like the Order." Robin says, looking toward the water. "Everyone is so nice. For the first time I feel like I'm home." Lenalee smiles and gives her a squeeze.
"And I absolutely love Jerry's cooking." Robin adds with a coinciding grumble from her stomach. Lenalee giggles and Robin blushes.
"You're so cute Robin!" She says. "I could just kiss you!" Kanda's expression darkens.
"Don't get any ideas." Kanda warns, pulling Robin close. "Doe-Eyes is all mine."
"Really?" Robin asks. "We're back to Doe-Eyes?"
"You two haven't even kissed!" Lenalee counters, ignoring Robin and tugging on her other arm.
"How do you know that?" He asks.
"I have connections." She says. "If you don't hurry up I might just steal him away."
"Yeah, right." Kanda says, pulling Robin away from the pigtailed girl. "Robin likes me."
"Robin can change his mind." Lenalee says. His grip on Robin's arm tightens.
"Robin is losing feeling in his arms." Robin says interrupting the duo's glaring contest. "You know, if anyone actually cares."
"Tell her." Kanda says without lowering his death stare. She rolls her eyes.
"Isn't this a bit childish?" Robin asks. Kanda's eyes bore their way into her skull and she sighs.
"Lenalee," She says. "Sorry, but I like Kanda. Don't take it the wrong way, but I just can't date you."
"I thought so." Lenalee says. "I shouldn't have assumed that you'd swing both ways."
"Wait, what?"
Lenalee gives her a thin smile. "You're not into girls are you?" She asks.
"Honestly no." Robin says.
"It's too bad!" Lenalee says. "I had hoped you were bi like Kanda."
Robin blinks. She turns and stares at Kanda. He releases a low growl toward Lenalee.
"You're bi?" She asks. Kanda looks away.
"Obviously baka." He says. "That a problem?"
"No." She says. "I'm just surprised." A thought suddenly sneaks into her head and she turns to him. "Wait, does that mean you look at the others? Like more than just look?"
"Oh," He says with an evil smirk. "Like how you were 'just looking' at Moyashi and usagi?"
Robin blushes and Lenalee giggles happily. "Aren't those two adorable?!" She chirps. Robin allows a small smile.
"Allen is the cutest." She says, earning a glare from Kanda.
"Lavi is pretty cute too." Lenalee says, glancing at the red-head bickering with Daisya and Allen. "Though I think he'd look way better without the bandana." Kanda scoffs.
"See?!" Robin says pointing at Lenalee. "I'm not the only one who thinks so!" Kanda eye rolls and Lenalee giggles again.
"Okay." The pigtailed girl says sitting next to Robin. "Who is your favorite?"
"You already know that." Robin says leaning towards Kanda.
"Besides him." She says completely serious. "If you had never met Kanda, who else would you have gone for?"
"If I had never met Kanda I would have huddled in a corner and cried." Robin says.
"I'm being serious!" Lenalee says. Robin sighs, not at all enjoying where this conversation is headed. She glances at the scowling Kanda, then back to the pigtailed girl who's practically bursting with curiosity. She gives in.
"If Kanda had never existed I guess I would have fallen for Allen."
"I knew it!" Lenalee yells.
Kanda exhales a breath and calmly stands up. Confused by his reaction, she watches as he grabs Mugen and stalks over to the water. His jaw tightens and his eyes take on a cold, steely glare that lands directly on a head of white hair.
"Oh crap." Robin says, chasing after him. "Kanda! No killing or maiming!"
Lenalee sits, watching Robin hold back the furious Kanda and giggles. The still open violin case sits next to the pigtailed girl; abandoned and all but forgotten.
I finally got to introduce Raven. (Woot!) I'm not sure when the next update will be. I'm so easily distracted...But I'll keep on writing! :)