Hana: Hey guys! It's Wednesday, and you know what that means :D
Allen: More heartbreak?
Hana: It's lighter than last chapter...more or less...Wisely's a nice guy.
Wisely: Am I?
Hana: Sure! Xavier and I don't own D. Gray-man, so there's that. We did come up with this work you're reading, so enjoy the new chapter!
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+ - Chapter 43 - +
Allen sat on a park bench in the shade of a cluster of trees, face in his hands, severely regretting his life choices right about now. He didn't know how he'd gotten there, nor how long he'd been sitting down. All he knew was that the ache in his chest wouldn't be leaving him anytime soon.
Right now, all he had was Timcanpy, his wallet and the clothes on his back. He had hoped to grab a backpack and fill it with essentials before he left... but Kanda had...
Pain and unease coiled around inside his stomach, and tears fell from his eyes. Dammit...
Allen had actually given the ring back...
He pulled his left hand away from his face and stared at it, noting that it felt a lot lighter without...
Tim whimpered, resting his head on Allen's lap, the bright brown eyes full of worry. "I'm okay, Tim..."
Timcanpy, once more, whimpered.
"I'm...really a fool, aren't I?" He muttered in ire. "I had so much...only to lose it..."
"Keeping secrets tend to do that." Confused for a moment, silver eyes blinked, before turning to see Wisely leaning against the bench he was sitting on. "You continued to keep Yu Kanda in the dark despite the warnings."
"Jeez...aren't you just a ray of sunshine." Allen muttered. "How did you find me?"
"When I saw you running out of the complex this afternoon, I just followed you.' The other British male sighed, "You're quite the trouble maker."
"Mm...Wise...does that offer still stand? Uncle Neah won't even open his door to say 'I told you so', last I checked."
"If...you don't mind a few new faces hanging around my haunting ground."
"New...faces?"
"Trust me, you know them. They were dumped on me when Mikk had enough of their antics."
"I'm...having a bad feeling I know who they are." Allen sighed in annoyance.
"And you are correct," Wisely said, having read the other's thoughts. "They're on our side now though."
"Sorry for being skeptical of those two." Allen sighed, before standing, "Do you even have space for me to stay a while?"
"Yeah. And if I didn't, I'd just kick the other two out."
Allen managed a small smile, one that felt rather strange on his face. "That's mean."
"They're annoying," Wisely muttered, keeping his eyes firmly on the boy beside him. He could tell that Allen wasn't doing so well after what had just happened... "You... look like you want to cry."
There was silence for a moment, before he sadly looked to Wisely. "I do...but...I feel like all my tears have dried up..." Allen admitted.
Wisely stared down at Timcanpy, feeling uncomfortable looking at his friend. "Do you think... that you two will get back together again?"
"I doubt it," Allen confessed, and he believed it.
"He's not that heartless." Wisely sighed. "Let's take you to my place, there'll be a warm meal, and chaos."
"That sounds... nice, actually." Some food and a bit of chaos would help him forget, if only for a little while.
. . - * - . .
Calling it chaos...was an understatement.
"Bang! Bang!" Jasdero called out, shooting his finger like it were a gun. "Bang! Bang!"
"You can't catch me, you dirty copper!"
"So...why did you really bring me here, Wisely?"
"To share in the misery." Wisely retorted.
"So, you're just dragging me into your own version of hell."
"Pretty much."
"You're a great friend," Allen said, sarcasm thick in his voice as he dodged a fork that Devit had thrown.
"I know." Wisely cackled, having dodged some sort of object that otherwise whizzed past his head. "I'll show you your room."
"Thanks." The younger Brit watched as the two NOAH of Bonds chased each other into another room. "I'm surprised they've sided with us."
"I talked them into it."
"In other words...you played your mind games on them." Allen sighed. "They're too easy nonetheless you know."
"Sometimes, that's a good thing."
"I suppose so." The twins were easy. Someone with Wisely's skills would have no trouble tricking those two. Allen glanced across at the ex-NOAH, who was smirking smugly. "Oh shut up. I wasn't calling you smart, I was calling them stupid."
"You say that, but I know the truth."
"They're dumb." Allen muttered.
"And you're a brat. Now it's getting late, and little boys should be in bed sleeping."
"Hey!' Allen growled, but his anger as proven futile when he yawned. "Er...m-maybe I'm a tiny bit tired...?"
"I'll lend you a pair of pajamas to sleep in. You already know where shower is, and the towel cupboard is to the right of the bathroom door."
"Why would I know where the shower is?" Allen was fairly certain he hadn't been here before. At least, he was pretty sure to his knowledge. Looking around he tried to see anything of familiarity, but found nothing of the sort.
"This was Cross's house."
"Oh...oh..." Yeah, now that he looked again, this was the house he lived in with Cross. "Why did you move into the house that guy lost to the bank?"
"It was a steal." Wisely said with a grin. "Now, go shower. I'll leave the pajamas by the door." He shooed Allen upstairs, who reluctantly went up, having no choice in the matter.
He found the bathroom easily enough, and noticed that the bathroom looked just as he remembered it.
"I guess he never got around to renovating this room..." He then wondered what became of his old room...shrugging, he turned on the tap, and screamed in surprise when he was met with hot water on the hot tap. "We...had hot water?! Dammit Cross..."
From downstairs, he could hear laughter, and Allen grinned as he thought the most gruesome way of murder he could, effectively shutting up the laughing British male downstairs. That served you right, Wise. He thought to the mind reader.
Allen quickly shrugged off his clothes and climbed into the shower, before adjusting the temperature to one he found pleasant.
It didn't take long before he was under the spray, and cleaning his rough day away...if it were actually possible. Thinking it did was nice at least.
Today had been... tiring. It'd started off as it usually did, and then...
Allen's hands squeezed themselves into fists. It wasn't fair. Why had it turned out like this? That jerk of a fiancé — could he even think of Kanda as that anymore? — of his had lied to him first, so why had this incident lead to what it had?
It wasn't fair...it just...it's just not... "Why did I fall in love with a perverted jerk anyway?"
That as the age-old question, now wasn't it?
All that stupid decision to fall in love did was make him weak and vulnerable. Like now, his heart felt like it wanted to claw its way out of his chest and return to Kanda's side.
"Dammit...why does it hurt so much?"
"Because even after all you've been through, you're still in love with him." Wisely's voice sounded from the other side of the door. "But considering what you've been through very recently, I would say you two being separated for a little while may be your best bet. At least until you're both level headed enough to talk it over like adults."
I don't think he'll forgive me for this, Allen thought, and he heard Wisely sigh.
"Give him some time."
Time, huh? Just how much time would it take to gain his fiancé's...or was he his ex now...? That...didn't make Allen feel any better...
(* - *)
Kanda wasn't sure how long he was standing there, staring at the ring on his palm. When he finally managed to get a hold of himself, he had proceeded to fall to his knees, cursing the heavens, and whatever entity was currently laughing at his misfortune. "Happy now, you son of a bitch?" He sneered, unsure of if he was referring to the God he didn't believe in, or the man who got his revenge. Clenching the ring, he held it to his face. He wouldn't cry.
Yu Kanda does not cry.
Yu Kanda will not bow to defeat...
Yu Kanda will not be weak. He'd went to walk Tim to cool his head before confronting his fiancé. It worked, the cleaner air near the park allowing him to think things over...but that went straight to hell when they started fighting for whatever reason. He meant to keep a level head. He wanted to be a mature adult in the matter, but god dammit all, he should've known that when dealing with Allen all that logic would be kicked right out the door.
Though he'd been super pissed, he'd thought get through it. It would have been really uncomfortable around the house for a while, and maybe there would have been some fights along the way, but that would have ended soon enough. They'd move past it.
What he hadn't wanted was for things between them to end. He didn't want the ring, he wanted Allen
He wanted that irritating brat, who he was still pretty angry with. His lover shouldn't have kept things from him. If that idiot been forthcoming from the get go, their relationship wouldn't have ended up like this.
Sighing to himself, he decided that maybe meditating might do him some good. He needed to calm down, he'd give Allen some space, and then call around to see where he wandered off to.
Kanda stood up and moved to the bedroom, opening his lover's side of the chest of drawers to find the box nestled within the clothing. He removed the box and deposited ring inside for safekeeping. The only other thing in there was the necklace he'd bought the kid as a first gift, the one with the clown carrying a coffin. Allen rarely wore it, claiming that he didn't want to get it dirty or lose it. To this day, Kanda had only seen it on the kid for his first day back at college and a couple of their dates.
Scowling, he tucked the box back where he'd found it and closed the drawer.
His eyes left the closed drawer, and looked around. The room hadn't felt so...empty before...it was dark, cold...
Lonesome.
He'd gotten too used to the brat and Timcanpy.
Sighing again, he figured he'd meditate later. It was late, he should get sleep while he could. Maybe tomorrow, or in two days' time he'll call around and see where his fiancé...ex-fiancé?...currently was hiding out.
After shrugging off his shirt and tossing it to the floor, he climbed into bed.
Something felt off...
Kanda rolled, trying to figure out what was wrong. Barely a minute later, his hand creeped up to though the spot where, until tonight, another body used to lay. This place really was cold and empty.
The bed was a lot bigger than he remembered.
. . - * - . .
"What on earth happened to you?" Link asked as he eyed the Japanese male. "You look like...what's that word? Right. 'Shit'."
"Shut up." Kanda growled, as he tried to focus back on his paperwork. He didn't bother to tie his hair back that morning.
"You're far too angered to have been denied anything from Allen...did something happen between you?"
Fed up, Kanda redirected his glare to Link, who appeared mostly unfazed by the terrifying sight. Kanda was already at the edge of his breaking point after having had the worst fucking sleep in what felt like forever. He felt angry every at every damn thing he'd seen so far this morning, from the stupidly bright sun to his co-workers' annoying faces, and now he had to deal with Link's constant pestering.
"My fucking fiancé broke up with me, that's what fucking happened."
Link's confusion melted away into complete shock. "Allen... broke up... with you?" Surely he'd heard wrong. Why would Allen do that?
"We had a bad fight."
"Did he...find out about what you've been up to?"
"Yes...and I found out what he was up to." Kanda gave into his tired state, slumping forward folding his hands in front of his head. "Link, what do you personally know of my father?"
"Absolutely nothing, Kanda." Link answered.
"So then you weren't one of the people who knew," Kanda mumbled to himself, though Link overheard.
"Knew what?"
"He managed to rope people into helping him find out what he did about him. Heh...I know who Crowned Clown is now, by the way."
"Then you should—"
"There's no proof to do anything." At least, none he was willing to give at this moment. Not until he confronted his father himself.
"How many... people knew?"
"I'm not completely sure," Kanda said, looking back down at the paperwork. "The Rabbit knows. Lenalee too. And Kamelot. There's also the person who found this shit out, but only the Moyashi knows who that is." Was it an old NOAH contact of the kid's?
"Besides Wisely Kamelot...I'm doubtful."
"Then maybe a former AKUMA..." Which AKUMA did he know that could help the brat? "Was there any ex-AKUMA moyashi knew that I don't know about?"
Link only shrugged.
Kanda groaned. Was it actually an ex-AKUMA? Maybe it was Cross... or Neah...
Speaking of Neah... Did he know about this?
"Great, another annoyance I get to deal with." Kanda grumbled.
"You think everything's an annoyance," Link quipped. "Now, what are you planning to do about your runaway fiancé?"
"Give him time to cool off, and then call around to see where he's at."
"That's...actually quite mature of you." The German would be lying if he had said he wasn't surprised. "I hope you can mend this."
"Yeah...so do I."
"When you contact him again, make sure to be careful. If you're not..." Link didn't feel he needed to finish that sentence.
"I know." The oriental male sighed. "I know."
. . - * - . .
"Did you hear the news?" Raku Kanda looked up from the book upon his desk, in favor of glaring at the man who dared interrupt what he was doing. The Crowned Clown costume hung on his wall, the only source of light was his lamp illuminating the pages of a book he had long ago gotten from his late lover. "Seems they're through."
"The source of his perfect life is still there." Raku speaks up, closing the book as he turned to face it. He stands, and looks to the bespectacled male. "I want that little runt dead."
"I'm afraid we can't have that, my good sir." Apocryphos muses. "I wish to collect that innocent soul, after all."
"You and your sick games. It's a wonder I don't kill you where you stand."
"Had it not been for me, you would never have had the means or even the freedom to do what you are doing now."
"And I thank you for that, but if you think that will stop me, you're sadly mistaken," Raku said.
"Ah, it seems I have an advocate of the devil...though I suppose the apple never completely fell far from its tree."
"Leave Yu out of this!" KiLl HiM...mAkE hIm SuFfEr...DoN't LeT hIm TaKe YoUr PrEy...
"I bet you're hearing them again, aren't you, my child?" Apocryphos mused. "Seems those voices of temptation are racking upon your flesh at this point, aren't they?"
"Shut up," Raku hissed, trying to ignore the voices.
"Now, who could you possibly be talking about, I query..."
"Leave me alone."
"Don't take too long to get yourself together." Stated the holy man. "There is work to be done, after all."
"Shut up," Raku repeated, covering his eyes with a hand. He just wanted it to be silent...
The voices...it had gotten to the point where he didn't know what was in his head, and what as being spoken...
...it was maddening.
Still, if he listened to them, they weren't as loud.
There wasn't much he could do...Okagi had settled those voices once upon a time...but once he was gone, they had come back with a louder vengeance.
That's why he's up and left his son, he was sure. At least, he thought it was. Over the years, he'd slowly been forgetting more and more.
Not Okagi though. Never Okagi.
Okagi was his...his beloved...the only person to him that truly mattered...
Hadn't...Yu mattered to him once...? He was such a tiny thing when he first laid eyes upon him as an infant...Yu must've mattered as much as Okagi did...
He WaS tHe ReAsOn ThInGs WeNt WrOnG...
No...that couldn't be right...
He vaguely heard the door close.
He'd come all this way to see Yu... Surely Yu had mattered... Maybe he had... but... when he'd seen Yu again, his son had someone else in his life...
Was this...no, he couldn't be...was he truly envious of his own flesh and blood? Jealous of his only son? The one he and Okagi had help in creating? Who was it...that helped birth him into this world...he knew it was a woman...not a random one...
...her name, what had been her name...a friend of Okagi...? Whatever happened to her...?
He should go see Yu...or should he pay respects to his lover...?
What should he do?
Okagi's body was buried at a nearby cemetery... It would be nice to visit...
As for Yu...
Yeah...that's what he would do...he needed to pay his respects...to his beloved lover...
Yu...should he go see him? Maybe...he'd see him while visiting his partner...
...yes...that seems like the best idea...
His mind made up, Raku turned off the light, and headed out.
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I can't even, man...I just can't. Things happen, life goes on...but what evil lurks within the shadows?
R&R ain't for rest and relaxation, but it's painstakingly obvious I need it. Leave a review and let us know how we're doing, and don't forget to show this story some well deserved love, and favorite this work! Follow the story to stay up to date with new chapters, and seriously! Go check out XavierForest's works if you hadn't already, and we'll see you next week on...
Fade to Gray!