Chapter fifteen – Unexplained
The first hint to Allen that he was no longer dreaming was the periodic flashes of red and glints of silver ceased to dance tauntingly before his eyes, leaving him with the dull throbbing in the back of his temple that always followed one of his … 'episodes'.
His mouth tasted sour and his eyes felt glued shut, but at least he was slowly becoming more self-aware and less lost in the haunting dreams that had spent god knows how long dancing along the edges of his mind and sending him spiralling into a downward loop.
At much the same time his calming mind processed this and awoke, he became aware of a pressure in the palm of his hand. Somebody was holding his hand. His knuckles creaked and protested when he attempted to open his grip, hinting at a long time of vice like clutching.
Allen groaned loudly and the grip on his hand tightened briefly. Slowly, Allen forced his eyes open and was assaulted with the sudden brightness of artificial light. He immediately shut them again. Reasonably he knew the lights were no brighter then they normally were, but after his agonizing darkness they hurt like a bitch.
He tried again, slower this time and was able to successfully un-stick his eyelids. He winced at the light and slowly waited for his eyes to adjust. Several seconds passed before the room regained its usual tint and Allen felt comfortable enough to look around.
He was lying on his own bed, he realized, not in the infirmary where he had supposed he would be. Although it was comforting to be in the familiarity of the room he also felt a kernel of unease. This room wasn't on the bottom floor. How'd he get up here?
Finally, he allowed his gaze to swing to his side and was slightly startled to find Kanda sitting in his desk chair beside him, his expression guarded and his eyes narrowed.
Allen's mind took a moment longer to realize it was the samurai's hand that was clenched tightly in his own but when he did, he reddened and snatched his hand back, meeting no resistance as he did so.
The pair sat still for a moment, staring at each other. It was Allen who spoke first.
"How long… have I been out?"
Kanda's eyes narrowed further and he gave a disgruntled che, "Roughly forty minutes now if you disinclude that the wailing and thrashing that went on for ten."
Allen didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed, so he settled for what he hoped was a decidedly neutral facial expression. It was no better and no worse than normal and his only saving grace was that it had been perhaps months since he'd experienced an episode like this.
Slowly, another thing clicked in his mind and he looked up sharply Kanda. "Isn't class still on? Why are you in here?"
"Che. Fucking Komui wanted somebody to stay with you and since it was myhand you were strangling and methat hauled your sorry, flailing ass up two flights of shitty stairs," Allen blushed a bit at this and looked away shamefaced, Kanda ignored him and finished with an irritated, " I got elected."
"S-sorry."
"I don't want an apology. I want an explanation." Kanda deadpanned.
Allen winced. Figured Kanda would ask for the one thing Allen couldn't give him, and from previous conversations he knew this was going to spiral down into an exhausting – both mentally and physically – argument.
Kanda caught the expression on Allen's face and pushed his chair back violently; planting his hand on the bed and leaning over Allen with such suddenty that it was all Allen could do to lean back.
"You are not," Kanda said in a voice that forbade argument, "going to give me another excuse about not wantingto or me not needingto know. You are going to explain to me why I had to deal with a vomiting, broken mess when he was faced with a needle or youwill be the one cleaning the puke from my shirt."
Allen winced and felt his cheeks burn respectively. He'd thrown up, and on Kanda to boot. He felt mortified but the threat did little to move him. He was pretty sure he'd still be the one cleaning the shirt regardless of whose fault it was.
When Allen made no move to respond Kanda's glare intensified. "Moyashi…" He said quietly and Allen could feel the conversation spiralling into dangerous territory.
"We've had this conversation before." Allen reminded him.
"That was before you traumatised the first years in the gym."
"Hey!" Allen called, offended. "I didn't traumatise anyone! Anyway, there were no first years in the gym at the time."
"That's what you think. They could have been hiding in the rafters."
"The – What? Kanda, I don't think there were any first years hiding in the rafters so –."
Kanda let out an angry grunt. "That's not the point anyway!"
"… You started it." Allen said perhaps a little childishly.
Kanda sent him a glare that clearly said there would be no further pointless argument and stalling and Allen wilted a bit.
"Kanda…" he started and Kanda shook his head violently, long, dark ponytail whipping behind him as he did so.
"Don't you darefucking say it. Don't you dare." He growled.
"I can't explain and you know that so –."
"– I told you Sprout, that's not what I wanted to hear."
"– I thankyou for looking after me, but I'm not going to talk about it." Allen finished firmly, trying to harden his voice into that effective argument ending tone that Kanda was so fond of but didn't quite manage it.
It was silent for a moment as both parties took the time to regroup and assess their assets and blackmail material. Allen thought that even if he couldn't win Kanda over with reason he could try and plead to the mans pride – god knows he had enough to spare.
Fortunately, it didn't look like it would come to that as Kanda sent him a look that clearly said, the battle may be over but not the war. Allen didn't know whether to sigh in despair or laugh in amusement. But, that was always the way with Kanda – it was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
As if it had been perfectly times so as not to interrupt the quarrelling pair until they reached a truce, a soft knock echoed off the wooden door of the room.
Allen looked at Kanda and Kanda looked at Allen. It was still far too early for Lenalee and Lavi to be out of class and it wasn't like he had anyone else in the school that was going to come visit them. The pair – despite their respective fans – did not rate high on sociability. So, Allen had a pretty good idea of who it was.
His suspicions were proven correct when the door swung open to admit a cheerful Komui.
"Hello there! Good to see you're looking better Allen! Gave us a bit of a scare there but as long as you're alright ~!" Komui gave a cheery smile and came into the room without waiting for an invitation. Then again he was headmaster. He did most things without an invitation.
"Why do you want you fucking nutjob?" Kanda scowled fiercely and Allen was glad that Mugen was currently on the other side of the room and out of Kanda's immediate reach. Even if the Dark haired samurai did make a dive for it Komui probably would have enough time to flee the premises.
"Now, now Kanda. I came to talk with Allen and see how he's doing. There's no need to be so rude. I know you were probably doing a great job of looking after him and looking forward to spending some time, just you and him –."
"- What the fuck?"
"BUT, I have important matter to discuss with Allen about his health, so if you kindly give us some privacy – if you really want to stay I suppose you could lock yourself in the bathroom, you wouldn't hear us from there."
Komui narrowly dodged a flying textbook as Kanda stormed out of the room, taking no care to shut the door quietly behind him as he did so. Allen looked at Komui with a new found admiration. The man knew how to handle the beast.
Komui graciously sat down in the recently vacated chair and smiled calmly at Allen, completely ignoring what had just happened with Kanda.
"Now Allen, how are you feeling?" He asked kindly.
Allen gave a sort of half shrug. "I've been better but nothing to complain about." He admitted. He winced as he rolled his stiff shoulders.
"If you'd come straight to me," Komui said, picking his words carefully, "I would not have made you have the needle, you know. I am aware of you history."
"You wouldn't have?" Allen said in slight disbelief, feeling extremely put out that his fit had been all for nothing and had been perfectly avoidable had he just thought it through a little bit more. Komui seemed to notice his crestfallen expression.
"I'm not saying it's your fault, of course." He hastened to say. "In fact I did warn the staff not to force anybody who already looked ill to have it. But, you know what these nurses are like. They think all kids should just toughen up a little bit."
"Maybe they're right…" Allen muttered miserably as he stared at his lap.
"Ah, No. Not in the slightest! You can hardly compare your situation to those of the other students!"
Perhaps Komui could see he wasn't making Allen feel any better and decided he best just get the worst news of his visit over, or maybe he thought his previous statement had been introduction enough to the new topic for he abruptly changed his speech.
"I didn't just come here to check on you after your episode, Allen."
This caught the light haired boy's attention for he looked up in surprise and met the headmaster's shadowed eyes and felt his heart sink. Suddenly it was feeling a little but harder to breath. He could practically see the nature of this talk on the Chinese man's face.
"There have been sightings of some of the NOAH in the area…"
Allen supposed he should have been a little bit more surprised at this but right now all he could muster up was a sick feeling of disappointment.
So, they'd come after him after all. Not that he'd really expected anything else, but after roughly four years without any indication they were chasing him, he'd begun to feel safe. That perhaps he and Cross had misjudged his worth to them, not that he really considered this a bad thing.
He realized Komui was staring at him, awaiting a reply.
"Oh." He said quietly. "Is that so?"
The headmaster's brow furrowed at this as he studied Allen's weary, drawn face. The boy didn't look frightened. He didn't look surprised. He just looked so very, very tired and suddenly much older than his years.
"Are you not afraid?" He queried, Allen rewarding him with a small, tense small.
"What makes you think I'm not afraid? I'm very afraid. I'm terrified." He admitted. "But I've be afraid for years now, Headmaster. This is almost a relief as much as a disappointment. At least now I knowthey're still out there and I don't have to be so worried and vigil for nothing."
Komui bit his lip and studied the child before him. He privately thought that nobody that young should be talking in such a way about their own life like that. He knew the child's past more or less, the papers securely hidden in his office had told him the history he needed to know.
But the very thought of a child going through such ordeals was enough to make him sick at his stomach. His Lenalee was roughly the same age as Allen and he didn't know what would have happened to herif she had seen the horror's this boy had. He didn't want to know.
"Well…" Komui said uncertainly. "We'll do our best to make sure you're protected at school. You should be safe as long as you're here. So don't go wondering outside on your own and don't go anywhere without a phone –."
"– you're not going to kick me out?" Allen suddenly blurted out, looking surprised for the first time since the conversation had begun.
Komui wore an expression of equal, if not more shock as he stuttered.
"Wha – Kick you out? Why would I do that?"
Allen flushed slightly and looked down at his hands which he was wringing in his lap before he answered. "Because… You know. I'm a danger to the school…"
"Danger to the – What? You've completely lost me, Allen." Komui said blankly as he tried to find his bearings in the conversation.
Allen's blush deepened. "Because NOAH is after me again… and they might involve others. Like Kanda and Lavi for instance. And Lenalee. I mean… If something were to happen to them it would be myfault. It would be because Iwas here."
Komui blinked as understanding dawned upon him, staring blankly at Allen all the while. Then he laughed. He laughed.
"Allen," he said, "if tomorrow the whole of NOAH andthe Millennium Earl killed everybody in the school, I still would not blame you."
It was Allen's turn to blink owlishly – only the wave of understanding did not come to him as it had to the headmaster and he continued to peer up at Komui with wide eyes.
Komui searched for the right words to explain what he meant but could not find them, so instead stood up and offered Allen a trusting smile. "I'll take me leave now. I'm sure Reever is going to kill me when he discovers I snuck out. And I bet Kanda is wearing out the poor carpet in the hall from pacing by now."
Allen snorted at that. "I doubt it."
Komui gave a smug smirk and gestured for him to be quiet before gesturing his head in an exaggerated flick of the head as to suggest they head to the door. Slightly bemused by his actions, Allen followed suit and sure enough, after a moment, he heard the steady creak of floorboards protesting as somebody paced back and forth along them repeatedly.
"I told you so." Komui said smugly and Allen let an affectionate grin slide across his face as Komui silently glided across the room, somehow opening the usually creaky door soundlessly.
"Why, hello Kanda. Did we keep you waiting long?" He asked pleasantly, immediately followed by a surprised shout followed by a stream of curses so crass that even Allen – who had grown up with Cross – winced. Komui disappeared from the doorway with such ferocious speed it left little doubt he'd been yanked forward by his shirt.
"Now, now," Komui whined, "there's no need to get so violent about things, Kanda. You're welcome to go in and see him now if you'd like."
Komui's words were accompanied by a loud thumpof soft, tender flesh hitting the hall carpet followed by a muted 'oof' as Kanda strode back into the room, a sour expression on his face as he swung the door shut behind him.
Allen plastered a pleasant smile on his face and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He'd been lying on the mattress for far too long, he decided. He had a minor episode, he wasn't a bloody cripple.
He became aware that Kanda hadn't spoken and chanced a glance up at his antisocial roommate. Kanda was wearing a completely undecipherable expression, to which Allen hastily spun back around and decided that his pillows were too flat and required his undivided attention. Kanda eyed him warily as Allen puffed his pillows back into a more desirable shape, not once looking at the tall Japanese male.
The silence is the room was almost a tangible thing and Allen continued to fluff his pillows until he was satisfied that they were comfortable enough. Still, Kanda did not speak and Allen was beginning to find the silence very uncomfortable – so he changed his task to smoothing out the creases in his blankets. Now that he brought his attention to it, his bed was kind of messy.
"Aren't you going to ask me what we talked about?" Allen asked when the silence became too much.
Unfortunately for him, the silence didn't break and for a moment the two boys stayed in their respective positions, neither moving neither speaking. Allen was just about to repeat his question when he heard the subtle shift that showed Kanda had moved.
"Why the fuck would I bother? You're not going to tell me anyway." The older grunted out.
With that Kanda span on his heels and marched right toward the door just as it was thrown open. There was a surprised yelp as Kanda brushed past the new arrivals but Allen stayed sitting where he was, his hands frozen in their menial chore.
The words stung. They were entirely accurate – so much so that it was almost intolerable. But, still it had felt like somebody had punched him very hard in the chest, and that – Allen deliberated – was not a pleasant feeling.
It was completely irrational, he knew, and Kanda was not to blame. Had he not been saying ever since they met that he would not be answering his questions? But somehow the dark haired mans stubborn attempts to pry the information from him had become a steady constant in his life, and now his friend's sudden acceptance of Allen's refusals left him… disorientated.
And hurt. That too.
"How are you feeling Moyashi-chan? Did you and Yu-chan have a row?"
Allen stirred and looked up to see Lavi and Lenalee hovering by the open door. With the ease of long practise he smothered the hurt he felt and slipped into his perfect poker face before getting to his feet.
"I'm feeling fine now." He lied smoothly, making his way over to the pair.
He didn't feel fine. He felt horrible. But that had less to do with his health and more to do with his roommate. "And as for Kanda, the insufferable ass got sick of staying with me so he left."
Lavi's expression instantly cleared as he bounced over to describe the horrendous math session he'd just had to endure, but Lenalee did not look convinced at all.
He was sure the two of them were going to pump him for information in regards to his seizure, but the two possessed enough tact to leave it be. Instead, Allen found himself being dragged headlong out of the dorm for some 'fresh air', as Lavi put it.
Apparently this 'fresh air' involved taking a trip down to the mall for no adequately explored reason, not that Allen protested. If anything, he had a desperate urge for such normalcy right now. Anything to make him forget – if even just for a moment – that his life was going to be taking some very unpleasant twists shortly.
To just be a normal high school student with normal friends on a normal outing.
To be completely and utterly normal.
Just for a little bit.
He didn't think it was too much to ask.
oOoOo_oOo_oOoOo
"Ne, ne! I heard you found Allen~!"
The excited words were the only warning the Millennium Earl had before a blurred ball of white and black collided with him full force, sending his rocking chair sharply backwards due to the weight of the little girl clinging to his back.
The fat man gave a low chuckle and set down his knitting needles, reaching over to pull the girl off of his back and into his lap where she was less likely to send them both spiralling from the chair to the floor.
"Rhode, you shouldn't do that." He admonished, but it was far too indulgent to carry much weight. "You might hurt yourself."
He was studiously ignored for the most part as the girl tugged at his sleeve with all the patience of a two year old. "Come on… Did you find Allen or was Jasdevi lying?" she whined, pouting in that irresistible way she knew the Earl was weak to.
"Now Rhode," He said smoothly, "I'm not going to tell you where he is because you'll go charging in there and ruin everything. You need to wait a little bit more, my adorable child."
"But that's so unfair!" She protested. "It's been so long since I saw Allen! You never let me have any fun!"
The Earl sighed but coming from such a ridiculously proportioned man it held little weight. "But you'd damage him again," he pointed out, "he hasn't played with you for a long time and he might not be so good at recovering anymore. We need him intact."
Rhode furrowed her brow and let out a low moan much like a child with her favourite toy taken away. She sucked in one cheek, mouth forming a small pout of annoyance as she glared balefully up at the Earl, clearly sulking.
"But it's soooo boring here. How come you let Tyki go out but not me?"
The Earl picked the girl up and set her to the side of his rocking chair before once again picking up his knitting needles and continuing a flamboyantly coloured scarf.
"Tyki-pon," He began pleasantly as he began to gently rock himself, "is on a scouting mission for me."
He began to hum a strange, eerie tune.
"And I should be getting the results shortly."
A/N: Annnd the Earl has arrived. What is with the NOAH? What is Allen's connection to them? What did they do to him? When will I update next?
These are all question that shall be answer in due time, no point rushing things.
On another note, I had nachos for tea. Jealous? XD (Beta: I am, no fair! *pouts along with Rhode*)
Review ~