Okay, a new segment! It's called "If I Owned D. Gray-Man…"

If I owned DGM, I would force FUNimation to do the second season in English, and continue the anime.

Note: Keade is pronounced Kiy-day

Bruise

Chapter 6: Nala

"Moyashi―"

"It's Allen!" I cry in aggravation, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my forehead on them. "Just…just go on without me. I'll be fine."

My sobbing over something so little was pathetic, and I'll be the first to admit it. That's why I didn't want Kanda seeing me like this considering he thought I was a weakling anyways. It's also why his next statement shocked me so much, "No."

Looking up through my tears, I ask, "What?"

"Are you deaf? I said 'no'," he repeated, kneeling down next to me. Happiness swelled inside my chest, giving me a fluttery feeling, and I was about to smile when―

"Do you know what a pain it would be if you got stuck out here and I had to come rescue you?"

"Then leave me and I'll be fine! I don't need you to watch after me like some useless child!" I yell, pushing his chest hard enough to knock him off balance, but he quickly steadies himself with the tree I was against. Tears flowing strong, I bury my face in my knees and arms, spitting words of self-hatred in an inaudible voice. For Kanda that is.

I feel a hand rest on my shoulder lightly, and I quickly jerk away out of habit, muttering, "Don't touch me."

"Then stop crying," he whispered next to my ear. He was so close to me right now that I could feel his chest pressing against my shoulder, and his hand slithered over my stomach to my other hip. Even with the fear I had in me, I still let myself lean into him as he lightly brought me closer to him, and I felt more tears break free as I nuzzle into his chest, clutching his exorcist uniform.

And he asked why I was acting bipolar? Let's see here, first he went off on me in the cafeteria. Then he carries me around and holds my hand through the night after my stupid nightmare. This is followed by him telling me to forget about it the next day, and now he's holding me in his arms while I cry. I'm sorry, who's bipolar?!

But I didn't mind. Lavi's never held me while I cried, because he was too busy hitting me, and right now, I felt like Kanda should punch me to stop my pathetic whining. Pushing myself closer to the bluenette, I pull my hood up over my head to hide myself though I'm not sure exactly what I was hiding from, but I felt too exposed like this. Granted, I'd rather be like this, sitting in Kanda's lap as he leans against the tree, than with him over me. I mean, I don't necessarily feel safe like this, but it's a heck of a lot better than feeling trapped and caged.

"I still don't understand why you're crying. Was the nightmare really that bad?" Kanda asks quietly, his hand drawing intricate designs in my back. Nodding, I utter, "It was awful, but that's not the main reason I'm crying."

"Then what is?"

Should I tell him he was the problem? Would he push me off of his lap and start yelling if I did?

He's not Lavi, Allen.

Even so, at least Lavi loves me. Kanda doesn't give a flip.

Then why am I so terrified that he'll leave? Nearly inaudibly, I say, "I don't like feeling trapped."

I feel his hand on my back stop moving, and I try to move even closer to him, burying my face in his chest and my hands fisted in his jacket.

"Please, don't go, Kanda. Please!" I whimper miserably, my voice muffled by his fabric. His grip around me tightened, enticing me to relax in his arms, and I let out a satisfied purr through my sniffling, my tears beginning to dry as Kanda murmurs, "I'm not going anywhere."

I've been abandoned too many times, I thought, mumbling my gratefulness to the samurai.

We lay there for a good half-hour in silence before Kanda said that we needed to get to the shrine.

"Kanda?" I ask, walking a bit slower than he was so he was a few feet in front of me. My back still burned from where he had touched me, and I could still smell the musky aroma of autumn woods, loving it.

"What is it?" he asked, stopping, but not turning around. Quickly, I jog up to his side and step in front of him, looking down submissively as I ask, "Are you going to tell Lavi…about…you know…?"

"Why would I?"

"Well, I mean…you―"

"You really think that I want everyone to know that I held a pathetic moyashi while he cried like a two-year-old?"

The way he said it made it seem like he meant it exactly the way it sounded, but that couldn't be right. He couldn't mean that if he really did just hold me while I broke down and then some. I wasn't even crying the last twenty minutes! And that's what I told him.

Scowling, Kanda growled, "You weren't letting go of my jacket anytime soon! Let me put it this way: if you tell anyone about that, I'll make sure that the rabbit hears about it with a little extra."

"Extra?" I whimper, not understanding. Nodding, he takes a step closer and leans down to my ear, "That you came on to me, and tried to kiss me a few times, but when that didn't work, you started taking your clothes off."

"But I didn't! You liar!"

Pushing past me, he deadpans, "Just don't tell anyone and Lavi won't think you cheated."

Silently, I begin to follow him again, images of what had happened the last time my boyfriend thought I'd cheated.

It had been awful. Like many times before, I was going to spare with Kanda, but he was on a mission and I asked Lenalee instead. When Lavi found out about it, he accused me of sleeping with the pigtailed girl since I didn't ask him first. Needless to say, it was one of the worst beatings I had ever gotten, and I did not want to repeat the experience.

A stray tear fell from my chin as I continued to walk, not making a noise to indicate that I was crying, and Kanda just kept walking a few feet ahead of me.

It took about forty-five more minutes for us to reach the waterfall, and though beautiful, I didn't take more than a couple quick glimpses at it. The sun was past straight overhead, and I figured it was probably around two in the afternoon. Unfortunately, Kanda noticed this as we followed the river and asked me, "Why aren't you hungry?"

"Big breakfast and I haven't been fighting," I indifferently say, hoping he'll drop it. Nope, not with my luck.

"That doesn't matter to your stomach."

Trudging past the bluenette, I finally growl, "Kanda, either care or stop! I liked it better when you only hated me instead of jumping back and forth over the fence of caring and not giving a flip!"

Silence fell over the two of us, the only sound being the bubbling of the river, and after a while, I saw what looked to me like a shrine. It was simple and small with two statues of foxes on either side, and I glanced around.

Walking to the shrine from the other direction was a girl with black, waist length hair hanging free, and she had green eyes. From behind me, I hear the sound of metal sliding against its sheath, and I turn around, finding Kanda slowly drawing Mugen. The urge to whack him was strong, but I settle for hissing, "She's not an akuma!"

He still continues to hold the katana's hilt in a death grip, even after he sheaths it, and I roll my eyes, turning back to the girl. She was wearing a black turtleneck, jeans, and ebony boots, and I couldn't help but notice her thumbs through holes in her shirt.

"Excuse me?" I ask, slowly walking to the girl as she stands in front of the shrine. When she looks at me, I see dullness in her eyes, even though the rest of her was smiling and chipper, and I say, "I'm Allen, and the guy behind me is Kanda. May I ask why you're here?"

Smiling, she says, "Nice to meet you! My name is Nala. I visit this shrine everyday to pray."

"Are you part of the group of girls that's getting murdered?" Kanda asked indifferently, now standing beside me. Nala's face darkened slightly, but regardless she replied, "I used to be. There are only ten of them now, but there were previously twelve."

"Why is that?" he continued. As sweet as this girl looked, I could tell that she put things blunt, and it didn't surprise me when she said with a happy smile, "I don't like you much, Kanda. But if you leave, I'll be happy to talk to Allen."

"Why you―"

"Kanda, save the conniption. Just go back to the waterfall and I'll meet you there," I say, turning to the bluenette. Scowling, he growls, "Screw that, I'm going back to the inn."

And he does just that, leaving Nala and I alone. A serious look overtakes the ravenette's face as she holds her arm out and says, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

At first, I didn't understand what she meant, because generally, that sounded like what a pedophile would tell a child after snatching them, but it did eventually dawn on me. Nodding, I hesitantly hold out my arm and push my sleeve up enough for her to see my rope burn and a few cutting scars, and she does the same, revealing dozens of scars in various stages of healing. Silently, we pull down our sleeves, and Nala sits on the ground, motioning for me to do the same.

"So what's your story?" she asks nonchalantly like we were discussing the weather. "I've gone to so many facilities for help that I've heard pretty much every one of them."

Uncomfortably, I pick at the grass, and she asks, "Do want me to tell me mine first?"

"You don't have to. Kanda and I originally came here to investigate to murders."

"I think I can help with that."

"Okay, then go ahead," I say, listening intently. Nodding, the girl begins, "Well, about four years ago, I was in this clique. We were the best chicks on the streets and in high school, so when we graduated, we all decided to start our own bar. It was a success from the get go, and someone suggested that the twelve of us get tattoos to symbolize our friendship."

She tilts her head and pulls down the fabric to reveal a small butterfly tattoo before continuing, "We did, and for the next year all was good.

"From the beginning, all of us were extremely religious, and we came and prayed together every day at this shrine. There was a girl, Keade, that I really liked, and I found out she liked me, too. We started dating in secret, because it was bad to be in a same-sex relationship to all the girls.

"One night, we decided to tell them. I mean, they were our best friends, and they would still love us anyways, right? When we told them, they kicked us out of the clique, and since then they would bully us every chance they got."

A tear slipped down Nala's cheek as she said, "It was so bad that Keade…she couldn't take it, and she slit her wrists."

"I'm sorry," I say, quietly, and we sit in silence for a couple minutes before Nala says, "Since that happened, I've cut. I don't eat very much, so now I'm a rexy."

"Rexy?" I repeat confusedly.

"Anorexic," she explains, and I glance at her body. For the first time, I noticed just how frail and skinny she was, her fingers pale and slightly bony, and if she held up her shirt, I bet I could count her ribs. Glancing at me, she asks, "So what happened to you?"

"Well," I begin, "not long ago―a few months, I guess―I started dating this guy I really liked. Long story short, he loves me, but he still hits me and when we have sex, I usually rip. But he loves me, so I don't mind."

Nala looks towards the shrine, "Hm, I know he's obviously jerk, but I didn't think he'd hurt you."

"Huh? You know Lavi?" I ask, trying to think of a time that they would have meant. Glancing at me with a bewildered expression, the ravenette says, "His name is Lavi? I thought it was Kanda."

"Wha…?" I ask, not sure how Kanda got into the conversation. Why would she think Kanda hit me? I was talking about my boyfriend….

"No! No, no, no! Kanda isn't my boyfriend! No! Just…no."

"Really?" she asks, waggling her eyebrows at me. "I wouldn't think that was the case."

"Why?" I was still stuck on the whole "Kanda's your boyfriend, right?" thing. I mean, he hates me! And I think I hate him. Think? No, I know I hate him! Gosh, I need to hit my head, because I must have a concussion or something.

Rolling her emerald eyes, Nala explains, "Are you kidding me? While he was standing behind you, he kept death glaring me and it intensified every time I got closer to you. And the way he stood screamed that he was ready to jump on anything that tried to hurt you. Not to mention his mini anger flare that you calmed with one sentence."

Of course, at this I was silent. What could I say? Kanda wasn't my boyfriend, but I can't really control his mood swings. Hanging my head, I mutter, "He aggravates me so much!"

"Why?"

"Number one, he's a jerk, but that's given. Number two, he's hot and cold all the time now. I had a nightmare last night, and we have to share a bed, so when I broke down, he held my hand all night. When we were coming here, I had another breakdown, and he held me for over a half hour, but then he threatened to tell Lavi I was cheating if I said anything!" I rant.

"No offense, but the two of you are morons."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

Silently, I step out of the bathroom, finding the lights out and Kanda in bed. Moving around the bed, I pull the blankets back and lie down, noticing that the bluenette rolled over to lay with his back to me, and I remember what Nala had told me when I decided to head back to the inn.

"If you really are that scared of the nightmares, ask Kanda to hold you through the night," she said. Gaping at the girl, I stammer, "B-but he w-won't l-l-let me d-do that!"

"Trust me, if you ask, he'll do it."

What was she thinking? Even as I have that thought, I still move closer to him and reach out my hand, catching and pulling on the fabric of his black t-shirt, and I quietly ask, "Kanda?"

"What?"

He seemed agitated already, but I continue anyways, "I…I'm scared of the nightmares."

"And?" he asked, rolling over to face me. Blushing, I ask nearly inaudibly, "Will you hold me?"

Author Note: Haha, you got saved from a cliffhanger last chapter just to get hit with another one! I'm so evil, and if you think so, too, please, Please, PLEASE R/R!