THE CAVE: CONTINUUM
Part Twelve
His arms are heavy from thrashing and clawing with his hands at the liquid, intangible water unable to reach the surface for air. His lungs burn from lack of oxygen as the tightness becomes a crushing pain in his chest. He feels himself sinking in the dark, murky water too tired to move his arms. He needs air, opening his mouth he gasps for air, choking, his throat constricts, panicking, his arms flailing about …
"Kanda! … Help me, Kanda!" Allen shouts out in his sleep, gasping as he struggles for air.
Kanda is shaking Allen wildly, trying to bring him out of his nightmare state of mind. "Bean Sprout, wake up! You fucking idiot, breathe!" Kanda shouts at Allen, still shaking him.
The perspiration is running off Allen's forehead, and his face is starting to turn a pale blue from not taking in air. Kanda's heart is pounding in his chest as he quickly thinks what to do. As a last resort, Kanda slaps Allen across the face, hard, to wake him up.
Allen's eyes fly open, wheezing as air comes into his lungs and he begins to breathe again. Kanda yanks Allen against his chest, tightening his hold on him, breathing deeply to calm his nerves.
"Damn it, Bean Sprout, I swear I'm going to live a short life if you keep this up. What the hell … I know it was a nightmare, but you fucking stop breathing, idiot," Kanda says in Allen's ear, his voice taut with anxiety.
"I was drowning all over again, Kanda. I couldn't breathe, shit it felt so real. I'm so sorry for upsetting you—," Allen says, his voice weak, trembling in Kanda's arms.
"Shhh, it's okay, you're fine and that's all that matters. Come on, let's lay down and get you covered up, your shivering," Kanda whispers softly to his lover.
Kanda pulls the covers over them. Allen snuggles close to his partner as he puts his strong arm around him, tightening his grip. Allen feels safe in his lover's arms. What would he do without his raven-hair husband in his life? Life, like the one he could have lost this evening, it frightens him.
His fingers idly rub his husband's stomach, closing his eyes he feels the smooth texture of his skin. His hands and fingers have touched every spot on his lover's body, but tonight his senses are keener. Even the familiar scent of his lover's smell seems sweeter tonight.
"Kanda, kiss me," Allen whispers, suddenly feeling the need of Kanda's lips on his.
Kanda opens his eyes and looks down at Allen. He takes his finger and traces his plush, pink lips then tilts his chin up to look at him. Kanda shifts to his side bringing his head down to touch Allen's lips. It never fails when he kisses Allen the warm burning of desires comes forth, aflame below.
Allen sighs, from the sweet taste of his lover's lips and tongue, Kanda pulls back looking down at his husband with a flicker of lust in his eyes.
Picking up Kanda's hand he rubs it against his cheek. Taking one of his lover's fingers, he slides it inside his mouth. His warm, wet tongue slowly circles around it, sucking on it – there's a hitch in Kanda's breathing.
It is seductive and arousing watching Allen's smooth movement of his tongue licking, and spiraling around Kanda's finger, slowly sliding his finger in and out of his mouth, elicits a soft moan from his lover.
The moon's light illuminating Allen's beautiful face only adds to Kanda's hot, burning desire for his husband.
Kanda's voice is low and husky as he asks, "Are you sure you are up to this after all you have been through tonight?"
"As sure as when I married you, I need to feel you tonight, inside of me, becoming one with me to make me feel whole again," Allen whispers, his voice a soft purr.
"Okay, you don't need to ask twice, because after today, and nearly losing you, I only want to devour you and bring you pleasure," Kanda says, his voice like liquid gold, melting Allen to his body.
Kanda is true to his words. Instead of being hot and demanding of each other, a gentler, soothing lovemaking coaxes their hot bodies into a soft, passionate coupling. They take their time. Hands, lips and tongues explore each other's bodies, seeking out what is most pleasurable to fulfill the other's need with their deep love and emotions.
The moon is high in the velvety, dark sky. Moonbeams spill to the earth, radiating its light, brightening the dark night; and the sweet-smelling fragrance of sex lingers around the young lover's, a satiated peace showing on their faces from their earlier passionate love-making. All seems right with the world.
Kanda lays awake, looking up for the brightest star and taking in nature's beauty. Allen is snug in his arms and his scent wafts to his nose, he smiles inhaling it his eyes half-close with solace. He could lie like this forever, even if the sky was falling down on them, he wouldn't want to move.
He knows all these uncertainties in their life brings tears, but every small moment of pleasure they share, only adds to the treasures of their life together. Life would be difficult not having Allen in his, more now because he could never go back to his isolated, unloved life, but he could not love another – only Allen.
Allen stirs next to him, stretching as his sleepy-eyes slowly open. Waking up to Kanda's beautiful face every day, and having Kanda love him, has been his blessing in this life. How his heart can ache, he loves him so much.
Kanda turns his head and smiles at his sated lover. He pulls up on one elbow, and like a moth to light, their mouths come together in soft, loving kisses.
Kanda pulls back from his lover's delicious lips and looks down at him, "Do you think you're able to start out this early in the morning?"
"If I'm following you, anytime is fine by me," Allen says, hoarsely, smiling at his husband.
"By the way, have I told you how much I love you lately," Allen asks, blinking his sleepy, dreamy eyes at him.
"Well, actually a few hours ago, I lost track after four times," Kanda smirks lovingly at Allen.
Allen slaps his hand on Kanda's arm mockingly, "You jerk! Let's get ready to go, so we can get some miles in before my body gives out again."
"Hmm, and what a great body it is," Kanda teases back, and Allen blushes. If he stayed in bed much longer with Allen, they won't get going for quite awhile. Kanda smiles to himself.
They finish packing everything and hike up to the road. Once they are back on the road, Kanda looks about and close his eyes to get a sense if there is any danger. Feeling everything is fine they continue their journey down the road, hand in hand, to their next destination.
Even with Allen's need for more frequent stops to rest, they had walked further than Kanda had anticipated. Kanda needs to check the map to see where they are, so they will stop and rest for a spell. Allen sits down beside him and hands him a canteen of water.
"How are we doing? I'm not slowing us down too much am I?" Allen asks, concern he is keeping them from making headway.
Kanda takes the canteen and sips the water and hands it back to Allen. That's not what he is worrying about. His worry is that stretch of wilderness he is not familiar with. With Allen's condition, still tiring so easily, they will need to go that route for his sake. Kanda still feels uneasy about going that way not knowing what they may encounter.
"Kanda, is everything all right?" Allen asks concern with his quietness.
Kanda folds the map up and puts his arm around Allen's shoulders and draws him close. "Yes, everything is fine."
"Kanda, don't keep anything from me, spill," Allen says, knowing his lover better than his lover may think.
"It's just that wilderness area – it has me concerned. I've never been though there and I haven't heard anyone speak about it either. With your condition it will be the less strenuous way to go. It just seems weird with all the missions the Black Order has sent Exorcists and Finders out on, no one has ever spoken about it," Kanda explains to Allen.
"Kanda, if you are not comfortable with going that route, then trust your instincts, they have never led you a stray before. I may do okay with going the other way, no, I will make it," Allen says, wrapping his arm around the back of Kanda's body, squeezing him with a hug.
"You moron, I know you would try to go that way. How many times have I told you, I'm not putting your fucking health at risk? You're not going to get away from me that easy," Kanda grins down at Allen, hugging him tighter.
"There's no discussing this any further. I've made my mind up and we are going that route. We'll be fine, I'm sure of it. Now, give me a kiss and we'll continue on," Kanda states, then grins at Allen to smooth things over.
"Damn you Kanda," Allen says, as they come together sharing a deep kiss. Kanda knows this will take Allen's mind off the decision and worrying about it and the kiss helps him too.
They pick up their belongings and walk out to the roadway to continue on. "The map shows the turn off shouldn't be that far ahead. I'd like to get there before it's too late in the day," Kanda says, as they walk along.
Allen nods his head in agreement, not sure this is the right thing to do. Kanda brings Allen's hand to his lips, kisses it and gives him a reassuring look. Allen smiles back as they continue walking in silence.
The sun is at its highest point in the sky. Bright ray's stream down from above reflecting off Allen's shirt as the warm heat penetrates through the fabric feeling like he is basking in the sun. Perspiration beads form over his upper lip and forehead, and droplets of salty sweat run down his face and dampen his hair.
It has been eight hours of walking, and fatigue is overtaking Allen's body. His feet drag as they begin to feel like heavy weights. Coming into view is a path that veers to the right off the main road.
"That's the path just ahead of us," Kanda says, rousing from his thoughts. He has forgotten to check to see how Bean Sprout is doing this past hour. He had been too preoccupied with going over his plans he had mapped out in his mind.
"Yes, I see it. I need to rest there Kanda," Allen says, in a weary voice.
Kanda looks back at his partner and sees the fatigue has taken hold of his body. He walks back the few steps to Allen, annoyed that Allen keeps ignoring the signs his body is giving him to rest.
"Don't say it Kanda, I know, I should have spoken up sooner. I wanted to make it to this point before I rested. Anyway, it is lunch time, we can eat and rest at the same time," Allen huffs out, winded.
"You are such an idiot. Here let me help you the rest of the way. Well, you're right, it is high noon and we should eat lunch. We will take a long break before we enter the forest," Kanda says, peering down the path.
Kanda helps Allen sit down on a boulder, taking his knap sack off his back. He drops their cases and removes his knap sack and Mugen from his back. Rummaging through the sack for food, Kanda takes out bread and cheese for their lunch and sits next to Allen on the boulder.
They make small talk as they share their lunch together enjoying what breeze there is. Kanda puts away what they didn't eat for the next meal and sits on the ground, tugging Allen's hand to come down next to him. Sliding down next to his partner, Kanda hands him the canteen of water.
"We'll lay down for awhile to rest. I know you won't rest if I'm not here watching you," Kanda says, with a low chuckle.
"You're right, I would be worrying about where you had gone off to instead of resting," Allen says, with his warm smile. The smile that makes Kanda's heart jump, the one Allen has been wearing since they had left Boston. Allen has no need to hide behind his fake smile, being with Kanda – he can relax and be himself.
Kanda lies on his side, draping his arm over Allen's stomach, feeling the rhythm of his breathing. Yes, he's breathing, nothing sounds nicer then hearing and knowing Allen is breathing. Hopefully, after last night's nightmare and their tender love-making, Allen will be fine – no more nightmares.
Kanda rests his eyes, but is aware of what is happening around him. Timcanpy sits on a large boulder keeping vigilant over his two masters. Though Tim is actually Allen's golem, he now feels they are a family, so he thinks both of them as his master.
Allen falls off to sleep almost immediately. Kanda allows himself to nod off once and a while, needing sleep from their late night and early start this morning. An hour later Kanda wakens and shakes Allen to wake him up.
"We better get going, Bean Sprout, while it is still early afternoon," Kanda whisper's in Allen's ear, as he gently shakes him.
Startling Allen, he springs to sit up, disoriented, dazed from awakening from his nap so quickly. "Right, I'm good, let's go," Allen says, clumsily trying to move quickly to stand up.
"Hey, slow down, you're not fully awake," Kanda chuckles. "Yet … I do know one way to wake you up," Kanda says, his lip slanting up into a coy smile.
Allen rubs his eyes and then looks at Kanda. "What might that be, a kiss from my knight in shining armor?' Allen coos to Kanda.
Kanda tugs Allen towards him, hard and quick, enfolding his arms around him, crushing a kiss on his lips, and then pushing his tongue into Allen's warm mouth. Their tongues fight for dominance over the other, their mouths now hot and wet demanding more from the other until finally they break their lips apart – breathless.
"I believe I'm awake now, but you have me pretty excited," Allen pants, looking up into his lover's eyes and then down to the front of his pants.
"Yeah, I guess I over did it a little," Kanda utters, lust showing in his eyes, his pants uncomfortably tight too.
"Maybe we should take care of this little problem before we head out. It's not like we haven't jerked each other off before," Kanda says, smirking.
"I think that's an excellent idea. If not, I'll have a difficult time walking especially watching your ass swaying in front of me," Allen grins, with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
To be continued …
A/N: Thanks again everyone for your comments and reviews! This chapter I felt was needed after what the poor couple has been going through. It will also help them with the rest of their journey in finding Komui's home. Thanks for sticking with me!