THE CAVE: CONTINUUM
Part Twenty-Five
Allen's stomach gurgles. A long, muffle moan drifts in the darkness — Allen suffering from nausea— another gurgle from his stomach.
"Bean Sprout, are you sick?" Kanda whispers.
"My stomach aches. Maybe I had too much sake wine. I'm not use to drinking," Allen murmurs back, groaning.
"Do you want me to get anything for you?" Kanda asks in a hush tone of voice.
"Maybe I'll get up and go downstairs for some water," Allen whispers back, getting out of bed and trips over the towel lying on the floor with Timcanpy.
"Damn it, Tim," Allen curses softly, noticing the golem had been into the sake last night too; probably when they had been caught up in the whirlwind of lovemaking.
"Why don't you stay in bed and I'll go get it," Kanda firmly whispers, barely able to see Allen in the darkness.
"No, that's alright I need to get up anyway. It looks like Timcanpy had been in the sauce last night too, he's sleeping it off," Allen says softly, putting on his pants.
"Stupid golem and you're an idiot. Don't fall down the stairs," Kanda scoffs, still keeping his voice low.
Allen manages to walk down the stairs without falling and starts to walk over to light the lantern sitting on the counter. Before he has taken a step he feels a powerful blow to his abdomen, doubling him over with another punch under his chin, sending him sprawling to the floor, knocking him unconscious.
Kanda hears fist hitting flesh and Allen's grunts. He grabs his pants pulling them on. Grasping Mugen he flies down the stairs, his heart beating so rapidly he feels it could pop out of his chest and fear grips his insides, twisting and tightening like tying a rope into knots. He lands at the bottom of the stairs, Mugen ready to attack.
Kanda can see the shadow of a person bending over Allen and picking him up off the floor — the shadow being that of a tall, broad person.
"Put him down!" Kanda commands sharply, pointing Mugen directly at the assailant, the steel of his blade obvious even in the darkness.
"Light that damn lantern," the deep voice commands, a voice that sounds too familiar and Kanda did as he was ordered to do.
"What the fuck … Cross!" Kanda shouts staring at the ghost holding Allen in his arms.
Timcanpy, upon hearing his old master's voice, starts to flap his wings then flies zigzag down the stairs, still groggy from the alcohol, trying to get his bearings.
"Give him to me you asshole!" Kanda spews out recovering from his initial shock and snatches Allen out of Cross's arms.
"You're supposed to be dead! How the hell did you pull that one off?" Kanda yells, taking Allen into the living room and lays him on the sofa. Timcanpy flies to Cross and lands on his shoulder, ungracefully, his golden body tilts towards Cross's head, off balance. Cross turns his head and smirks at his little drunken golem.
"Watch Bean Sprout, I'll get a damn rag and some water," Kanda growls, cursing under his breath.
Kanda snatches the bucket off the kitchen floor and goes out to the hot spring. He's coming back through the dining room when he hears Allen scream and sprints to the living room. Allen is lying there unconscious again.
"What the fuck did you do to him this time?" Kanda yells, pushing Cross out of the way and sits on the sofa next to him.
Kanda takes the rag, wetting it to wash the blood off Allen's face where he had received a minor cut to his forehead. Cross moves over to stand by the fireplace, Timcanpy sitting happily upon his shoulders with a stupid grin.
"I didn't do anything. He came to and then fainted," Cross answers, nonchalantly, acting as if he doesn't care.
"You fucking bastard, of course he did. We all thought you were dead!" Kanda snaps tartly, shooting daggers at Cross with his eyes.
Allen starts to come to and his eyes focus on Kanda's concern face, whiter then Allen has ever seen his husband look.
"Kanda … I thought … I saw Cross," Allen stutters he's trembling so hard from his state of confusion.
"You did, Bean Sprout. Cross get me a blanket to cover Allen, he's still in shock," Kanda orders the General.
"But … how?" Allen's eyes widen in fear. "I'm … going to be sick, Yu," Allen says quickly. Kanda grabs his bucket of warm water for him to vomit in.
Cross finds a blanket and comes back tossing it at Kanda — in a somewhat civil manner. He covers his lover with the blanket then rubs his arms trying to warm him up. Without being told, for whatever reason, Cross takes the bucket out and refills it with cool pond water. Kanda dips the rag and carefully places it on Allen's chin where Cross had punched him.
"How's your stomach, Bean Sprout?" Kanda soothingly asks his husband.
"Hurts like hell," he answers, keeping his eyes on Kanda, not wanting them to stray to Cross.
"Stay awake Bean Sprout, don't fall asleep," Kanda says softly getting up from the sofa.
"Please Kanda, don't leave me," Allen pleads, his eyes brimming with tears.
"I won't," Kanda answers firmly, reassuring his frail-looking husband.
"Since when have the two of you been all lovey-dovey? Last I knew you two were ready to cut each other's throats," Cross says rather haughtily, sneering at the two. Then he sees the gold bands on their hands. This actually takes Cross by surprise. Komui had failed to mention this little tidbit of information when he had spoken with him weeks ago.
"Hmm, gold bands, that must mean …," Cross starts to say.
"Yes, he's my husband," Kanda snaps, glaring at Cross.
"If you have a problem with that, then I suggest you leave and go back to your grave," Kanda hisses, his eyes dark and narrow. He'll do anything necessary to protect Allen.
"Well, I could, but that would defeat my purpose for being here," his boorish voice answers, lifting an eyebrow and looks Kanda in the eyes.
"And what purpose could that be, to make our lives miserable? And why the hell did you have to hit Bean Sprout, you son of a bitch," Kanda spats out.
"I wasn't sure if it was an intruder in the house. I didn't think the two of you had made it here, yet," Cross snidely replies.
"And does the brat have anything to say, or is he letting you do all the talking?" Cross jeers, annoyed with his apprentice for not speaking up.
"His name is Allen to you," Kanda retorts, matter-of-factly.
"He doesn't have to talk right now, he's not feeling very well," Kanda quips, just as annoyed as Cross.
"Did he have too much sake at last night romantic dinner? He never could hold his alcohol," Cross sneers, continuing his jabs at Allen's persona.
Kanda's stares at Cross with cold, hard eyes, and clenches his fists at his side. He looks down at Allen's flush face, not a blush, but more like a fever and fear grips his insides once again. The surliness washes out of him and he sits down next to him and places a hand on Allen's forehead to check for a fever.
"You feel warmer than normal, Bean Sprout," Kanda says softly, and re-dips the rag into the cool water and places it on his forehead.
"I don't feel well. I want to sleep," Allen mutters, his eyes flutters to keep them open.
"Not yet, you have to stay awake a while longer," Kanda says, worrying about his husband's condition.
"Oh, for Christ sakes! Get a grip Allen, you've gotten too soft since I've been gone," Cross snootily rises his voice.
"Shut the fuck up, Cross," Kanda snaps, his eyes glowing like a cat's in the darkness.
Kanda gets up and lifts Allen to a sitting position, then sits down on the sofa and has him lay his head on his lap, knowing this will sooth Allen. Allen looks up at Kanda, his eyes sending the message they need to know why Cross is there. Later Cross can explain why he's alive. Kanda runs his fingers through Allen's hair, calming him.
"So Cross, why don't you sit down and tell us why you are here," Kanda broaches the subject, keeping his voice steady and calm, not taking his eyes off Allen's.
"You have anything to drink in this place?" Cross asks.
"Only sake wine which is in the kitchen. Go help yourself," Kanda says, signing heavily, still not looking up at the red hair General.
"Gladly," he quips, standing up, heading for the kitchen with Tim still on his shoulder. He comes back with the whole bottle and a glass, filling it to the top then takes a sip.
"First of all, Komui has allowed me to stay here off and on during my missions," Cross begins, informing the young couple this is not the first time using Komui house.
"He only told me the two of you had escaped from the country and were heading to his place to live. He also mentioned that the two of you managed to defeat the Noah in Allen," Cross says, giving Kanda a look of approval.
"Take it as you may, but I am grateful for that. Allen didn't deserve to lose his life over a Noah's vengeance," Cross says, sincerely, which is so unlike him. Kanda didn't show any emotion to Cross, only when he looks down at Allen and meets his lover's eyes.
"I know that Tiedoll has been in contact with the both of you and had brought you up to date about Rouverlier. Things have progressed since then." Cross empties his glass of wine and pours another one.
"From what our Finders, in the field, have sent back to Komui, Rouverlier is getting closer to this area. We're not sure if he knows you are here, or if he's just taking a chance you might be," Cross explains and continues on.
"One thing we have discovered is he has sought out an ancient group of monks that has turned to the black arts. With their powers he has been conjuring up beasts from the darkness. What his plans are for these beasts, or how he plans on using them, we have no idea," Cross says, sipping from his glass showing no emotion.
"There is an old abandoned castle in the region, but not close to this place. It's at least a day's travel by foot. Rumors have it there has been someone occupying the castle and strange noises and chanting has been heard from it.
There is a team of Third Exorcist being sent to the castle to investigate, but it will take at least a week before they can make it to this area," Cross continues explaining. He watches for any reaction from the young couple sitting on the sofa, but sees none.
"Komui sent me to keep an eye out and help protect Allen in case it is Rouvelier living in that castle," Cross says, finishing, and empties the glass of wine only to pour yet another.
There is silence while Kanda and Allen absorb the information that has just been given to them. So, this is what the strange aura they had felt yesterday. Things were going to come to a head and probably shortly. Allen takes Kanda's hand squeezing it tightly.
"Well, we've been expecting this to happen at some point, we just didn't know where Rouvelier may be at this time. Now we know," he says quietly, still looking at Allen trying to hide the fear in his eyes.
Kanda looks up from Allen and looks off in another direction mulling this information in his mind. 'I have to protect him, I can't lose Bean Sprout. There's no telling how much time we have before that evil man figures out where we are,' Kanda's thinking, worrying about his husband's safety.
Cross says nothing and observes the reaction of the two young Exorcists on the sofa. There is no doubt in Cross's mind that Kanda will do everything in his power to protect Allen, he sees it in his eyes, he also sees emotions in that boy's eyes Cross has never seen since knowing the Asian Exorcist. Have these changes come about because of Allen? Cross had a gut feeling it did.
Allen turns his head and looks over at Cross – in the eyes. Cross doesn't see fear in those smoldering silver eyes, but determination and fire. Allen has come into his own person. Kanda is one that will protect what is his, but he sees the same blaze in Allen's eyes to protect Kanda. Allen turns back staring into his husband's eyes, but when the two lock eyes, damn if they didn't look united and invincible.
"We need some time alone, Cross," Kanda says, still looking into his spouse's eyes. Cross doesn't say anything and watches the two of them.
Allen sits up and Kanda gets up helping Allen to stand. His lover is light-headed from Cross's punch and his legs give out. Kanda scoops him up into his arms and carries him out of the room and upstairs, both still not saying anything. Allen's arms wrap tightly around Kanda's neck holding on and burying his face into his lover's neck.
Once the two have left, Cross continues sitting, sipping on his wine, astonished at what he had just witness between the young couple – two young boys, who are growing into young men and in love with each other. Cross smirks to himself, "I'll be damned."
To be continued …
A/N: I finished this ahead of schedule so I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Did I take you by surprise introducing Cross, the man from the grave? I know I'm stretching it a little bit, but heck why not? You never can have too many General's around to fight against Rouvelier, who doesn't sound like he'll play fair anyway. Really, using monsters from the deep darkness? Thanks again to all my reviewers and readers, you are all wonderful!