Hana: Hey guys! -hiding behind a brick wall that just so happens to be there-
Allen: ...
Kanda: ...the fuck?
Hana: For my safety! I'm literally a little nervous about sharing this particular chapter...
Allen: What...is going on, exactly?
Kanda: I don't give a fuck. Listen up! Those two idiots don't own D. Gray-man. Just this fucked up story you get the misfortune of reading.
Hana: HEY!
Allen: Uhm...happy readings...? -takes a peek at the new chapter-
... ... ... ...
+ - Chapter 51 - +
Kanda felt worse for wear, if he was going to be perfectly honest. Sleep had been difficult these last few days, and the cases that had yet to be closed once and for all were still left wide open. Evidence was there against that Apocryphos bastard...he just had to find the ones that'll give him the death sentence. A man like that shouldn't be roaming anywhere so freely. At the same time, rotting in hell seemed too merciful, somehow.
He'd make sure the son of a bitch that let him out in the first place wouldn't get off easy either. Of course...there was also the state of his car. Rent was due soon, and really, Kanda was just stressed out at this point...something he hadn't felt since he'd lost Alma.
"You look like shit." Link's voice bluntly stated, cutting into his thoughts.
"Never would've thought." Came the snide, yet very exhausted remark. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was supposed to give you things earlier this week, but with what happened yesterday..."
"Right...che."
Link saw the tired look in Kanda's angry blue eyes and the slump in the man's broad shoulders. "You need sleep," he observed. Kanda really did look horrible.
"No shit." Snarled the Japanese male.
It was then where Link's phone began to ring, and he answered it within the first two rings. "Link here." A pause. "Where now? Why such a place? He won't go willingly...no I'm not going to drag him there. I suppose you could get him to do that. Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Kanda quirked a brow and looked to the German man in confusion.
"Very well. Have him over within a half hour, and he can take him there."
"The fuck?"
"Very well. Good day." He hung up his phone, before turning to Kanda. "You really need sleep."
"What the fuck was that about?"
"I'm sure you'll find out rather soon. So rest up while you can. I'll keep people from entering for the time being. I can always give you these files tomorrow." No room was left for an argument, for Link had stepped outside, closing Kanda's door behind him.
"Again...what the actual fuck?"
And... what did two-spot mean by 'rest up while you can'? Was something going to happen?
Damn, he was far too tired for this. He would take Link up on that offer. After all, how could one function if they couldn't really do so from the lack of sleep?
Kanda groaned and leaned back in his seat. A nap actually sounded pretty good.
And nap, he finally decided, he would take.
(* - *)
"Yu~ Yu~ Yu~ wakey-wakey~ Yuuuuuu~" Said man growled in his sleep, wanting just a few more minutes of the rarity he found himself enjoying for the first time in what felt like forever. There really was only one annoying voice that could make him really want to kill the owner of.
"Go. Away." He threatened, not picking his head up from being pillowed by his arms.
Lavi — and he was sure in his half-awake state that this was the annoyance in question — began to poke his cheek. "C'mon, Yu. You need time outta this boring place. And I'm pretty sure your coworkers are as eager to see you...uh...less grouchy?"
"I will sever that hand from the arm it's connected to."
"Get up, and I'll stop~"
Kanda's head shot up and he immediately reached for the katana that he always kept close by, only to pause when he couldn't find it. Ever-so-slowing, he turned to face the redheaded annoyance. "Give me back Mugen."
Lavi waved his hands in front of his face to show that they were empty. "I don't have it." And he didn't.
He may have been the one to take and hide Mugen, but he no longer had the katana.
"As annoying as Lavi can be, I'd rather have him in one piece." Lenalee's voice sounded. Kanda narrowed his eyes, glaring at the Chinese born female. "Don't give me that look. Mugen is safe and sound. You'll get it back after we borrow you for an hour or two."
"What."
"We know it's been hard on ya with Allen and all. But~ I think this might be good for ya."
"What do you know that I don't right now?"
The duo shrugged, but mischvioeus grins never left their faces. "Well~ if you come with us, you might find out~" Lenalee mused.
Gods, did Kanda hate these damn surprises.
"Where are we going?" He asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"You'll like it, we promise!" Lavi said. "You have Lena's word, 'cos you don't trust mine as much."
Damn, that was true. Without much more room for any argument, Kanda sighed, as he stood. "Let's get this over with."
Lavi and Lenalee both shot each other surprised looks. Was Kanda really giving in this easily?
He really was tired. Both sadly realized. "I hope this works out."
"Me too, Lena." Lavi said, as he and his girlfriend followed Kanda out.
. . - * - . .
It was late. Very late as Allen looked around the club the twins had taken him and Wisely. He couldn't remember the name of the place, nor did he see the sign that indicated such. But the fact of the matter was, he was temporarily by himself, as Wisely had to use the restroom. He promised to stay put, but was still perplexed considering he was also told by the same person that he was supposed to supervise him.
Either way, it left Allen pleanty of time to think things over from the last many weeks
Which he wasn't supposed to be doing. This trip was about having fun and forgetting, so that was exactly what he planned to do.
Allen looked around, taking in the scenery. The lights were dim, giving the place a weird vibe. At the bar, the bartender was serving drinks to customers with an easy grin on his face. There was music playing, and he saw a small group of women dancing to the beat, dressed in clothes that made him blush and look away.
He felt too shy and out of place here.
Perhaps...thinking over his life choices would be the better bet. He amended. It'd get his mind off his discomfort of where it was he was currently sitting.
At a bar.
In a club.
With scanty dressed people.
This was his life, apparently...and why was he here? Because he was an idiot, and kept secrets from his most treasured person...who everyone...even Tyki-freaking-Mikk of all people...told him how much of an idiot he was for breaking it off with Kanda.
BaKanda's at fault too though, Allen thought to himself, glaring down at his lap.
"You know, you're getting stares, Allen." Wisely's vice sounded from behind him. Startled, silver eyes snapped over to where the mind-reader now sat. "Seems some CROW are around."
"CROW...?"
"Let it sink in."
"You mean Madarao and the rest?"
"Well, I think it's currently Tokusa that's watching out for you." Was the other male's reply. What did Wisely mean by that?
Allen looked around and eventually saw a familiar man with a green side-ponytail by the group at the bar.
When Tokusa noticed the stare, he raised his glass in greeting before taking a sip.
"Why is he here?" Allen asked Wisely, eyes still fixed on the CROW member.
"If any of the CROW are around, then it must be because there's the chance there's a lead somewhere..." He wasn't sure. He couldn't really hear Tokusa's thoughts with all the minds constantly sounding off around him. "I can't hear him clearly, I'll go see what's going on."
Before Allen could stand to follow after the other Brit, four drinks were slammed down on the table he sat at, their contents sloshing. He glanced from the glasses to Devit and Jasdero, who were both grinning at him.
"Drink up~" the twins chorused.
"I'm under age." Allen pointedly stated. "I won't drink."
"C'mon~ it's a club, live a lot!" Jasdero said with a chuckle. Allen wrinkled his nose.
"It's not even a high content." Devit said. "Scout's honor."
Allen didn't believe him. "No."
"Don't be a wimp~"
"No," Allen repeated.
"To drink and forget~" Devit nudged one of the glasses forward. "That's why we're here~"
Allen gave the man a sour glare. He was here to forget... and it wasn't like this would be his first time having alcohol.
"Did you know you could go to jail for having a minor drink in excess?"
"Who's really gonna know?" Devit asked with a shrug. "Besides, we're also celebrating your first tattoo~
Allen only sighed. "I question who the older ones are."
"Obviously us, because you're a wimp~"
"I'm not a wimp," Allen grumbled, but took the glass Devit had been slowly pushing his way and hesitantly took a sip. It tasted weird.
"What is it?" Allen asked, pushing the drink away.
"Literally the lightest booze there is here." Devit said with a shrug. "Also cheap. Sucky taste, we know."
The Brit eyed his glass with suspicion before taking it back and having another sip.
"Dev, I think he'd like something sweeter." Jasdero suggested. "Try this~ Try this~"
Allen looked at the new drink. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"C'mon~" Dev cooed, "It'll be fine~"
The shoulders of the youngest in the small group of three sagged. "Whenever someone says that, something bad always happens."
"Name one time!" Both twins demanded.
Instead of answering, Allen just rolled his eyes and took half a mouthful of the new drink. You didn't just say 'It'll be fine'. That was like inviting misfortune, and Allen was unlucky enough already.
Huh...this one was sweeter. He actually did like it.
"See? He likes it~!" Jasdero cheered. Devit shrugged, before taking a seat on one side of Allen, while Jasdero took the other. "You're looking better already!"
"Am I?" Allen skeptically asked. "I still feel tormented by my memories."
"Then you need to drink more," Devit said, pushing the other two glasses closer to Allen.
"Are you peer pressuring me into drinking?"
"Why would we do that?"
"I'm trying not to become Cross." Was the blunt reply. Both twins looked to each other, before looking to Allen. A mutual agreement flashed between the duo, as they took all the drinks back.
"One Cross is more than enough. Hell it's too much!" Devit scowled.
"Too much! Too much!" Jasdero agreed.
"Exactly," Allen grumbled, and gulped down most of the drink. One Cross was too much for this world to handle already; there was no way he'd turn out like that man.
"Aren't you too young to be drinking any of that, brat?" Allen did an immediate spit take on what he had in his mouth, surprising Jasdevi in the process, though perhaps not as much as the familiar voice of none other than Cross Marian did.
"THAT GUY, DEV!" Jasdero exclaimed, "That guy that P-O'd the Earl back then!"
Allen turned on his stool, looking up at the red-headed man. "Er...Master Cross...what are you doing here?"
"Working."
Both Allen and the Twins looked to each other, before looking at Cross, and pointing at him in confusion.
Allen spoke up first, trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing from his guardian, "Working?"
"Is that hard to believe you idiots? Yes. I'm working. As a host."
"Host...like...at a restaurant, or...the kind that..."
"I think you know which one, kid." Cross's grin basically said it all.
Allen really should have known better. Well, at least he's working.
"Now," Cross said, his red eyes moving from the Brit to the twins, "what are these two doing here?"
"We have names," Devit piped up.
Jasdero decided to join in too with, "Hii~! Names!"
"They're getting me to drink, apparently."
Cross's lone eye glinted, eying the twins on either side of Allen. "Oh, are you now?"
"Er...hey Dev! We got that thing to do, right? Right?"
"Yeah! That thing! Let's go!" Both twins scurried off, fearful for their lives.
Allen wasn't sure if he should be impressed or disappointed. "I know you're a hellva lightweight, brat."
"Am not!" Allen scowled. "Why would you even—"
"Because you're the one that ate those chocolates I specifically told you not to eat. I know how bad a lightweight you are."
"How the hell was I supposed to know those even had alcohol?!"
"You have got to be kidding me." Cross grumbled. "Give me your phone."
"Why th' bloody 'ell shoul' I?" Allen hiccupped. "Y'ot the boss o'me."
Skeptical, Cross grabbed the glass his former charge had inhaled, and sniffed it. "Well, that's an ironic one."
"Ha?"
"Coconut rum, raspberry liqueur, pineapple juice, cranberry juice..." Cross placed the glass down, crossing his arms. "Really. Ironic for you."
Allen squinted at the other man. "Wha'dya mean?"
"The name of this drink is 'fuck me from behind'. Uke all the way, huh?"
It took a total of maybe ten or so seconds before the blush spread across the drunk male's face. "N-not like at'll, y'wanker!"
"I'm sure it's not. Hand over your phone." He held his hand out, waiting for Allen to give up the device. Even for a drunk, he sure was skeptical.
"Why?"
"So I can call someone to come get you."
"Wisely's here," Allen said, turning up his nose. No way he was giving his phone to this jerk. "He'll look afta' me."
"Tch." Annoyed with the younger, Cross grabbed the white-haired by the scruff of his shirt, and snatched the phone with expertise - because where else did Allen learn these tricks?
"Hey! Tha's stealin'!'
"It's doing your ass a favor." Cross grumbled, before quickly unlocking the phone, and finding the entry he was looking for. "Still there, huh? Lucky for me."
"Wha're talkin' 'bout?" Allen was still in the middle of struggling to get back on the ground. He was promptly dropped back on seat, relinquishing a hurt whimper from the impact. The phone was thrown at him, and a small part of Allen's still sober part of the mind thanked his lucky stars he even caught that. "Wha'd y'do?"
"Texted someone you /need/ to talk to." Cross grumbled, before leaving, and going back to what he'd been doing prior.
He didn't. Allen glanced down at the phone, and through squinting, he paled realizing that a text had been sent to his ex-fiancé. "No...no, no, no..."
There was no way he was ready to face that man! He couldn't...why would Cross...? Why would that bastard do that?!
(* - *)
Kanda's phone buzzed the moment he stepped into the club. He reached behind him, and his eyes widened in shock.
[Received: Moyashi]
[11:03 PM] Can we talk?
"Yu? Y'kinda stopped suddenly, what's up?" Lavi asked, looking over the other male's shoulder. "Allen texted ya?"
"Allen did?!" Lenalee exclaimed. "You have to reply back!"
"Stop reading over my fucking shoulder!" Kanda growled out.
He stared down at the text, confusion taking the reins. After all this time, Allen wanted to talk?
Not to say Kanda didn't want to either, because damn, he'd be trying to talk with that idiot for what felt like an eternity.
"Try texting him back saying you two should meet in person." Lavi suggested. "We'll leave ya be."
"Meet up with us when you've talked it out, okay?" Lenalee said.
"Fine." Kanda absentmindly said, already writing back a reply.
(* - *)
[Received: My Samurai]
[11:05PM] We'll do it face to face. Where are you?
Allen's heart almost burst from his chest when he saw the reply. He...he actually replied back? What should he say? Should he say that Cross took his phone in the first place? Damn, it was hard to read the buttons as he clumsily typed back.
His hands also trembled, making the task more difficult than it necessarily had to be. The alcohol did nothing to take away the apprehension he felt.
This was a bad idea, wasn't it? An encounter between them would only result in the same explosive argument as before, right?
And yet...he found that whatever he had written had sent...and without too much delay, a new text appeared.
[Received: My Samurai]
[11:06PM] What? 'Out drunken'? Moyashi, are you drunk?
Somehow he managed to read it...everything seemed a little swimmy looking. How much alcholol was in that drink?
[Sent: My Samurai]
[11:06PM] Nuuuuu11 m mot derj.
[Received: My Samurai]
[11:09PM] WHERE. ARE. YOU.
[Sent: My Samurai]
[11:12PM] ...club? Laud moslc playin...dunno mane...
[Received: My Samurai]
[11:12: PM] Baka moyashi.
[Sent: My Samurai]
[11:15] I thlk...blow...is play...?
that Ioud sung thln...dy whos her name...?
(* - *)
Blow...wasn't that the song by that artist with the dollar sign in her name? Kanda wondered. He was pretty sure that was the song playing right that moment. The moyashi was actually in the same building as him...drunk, and probably left alone.
For him to end up in the same place as the Moyashi... was too much of a coincidence.
Kanda turned to stare at the two behind him, only to find that they had already deserted him. Clicking his tongue, he looked away and searched the room with his eyes, eventually taking notice of Wisely and Tokusa by the bar.
Wisely nudged Tokusa and then shot Kanda a satisfied smirk, before pointing to a darker corner across the room
Kanda immediately looked to where the ex-NOAH had indicated and…breathed out a sigh of relief.
Allen seemed like he was doing... well. His cheeks were flushed, confirming even further Kanda's suspicion that his ex was drunk. Of course he was. There was no way Allen would have texted him while sober.
He stood stock still, staring at the boy until Allen saw him and those pink cheeks went an even brighter red.
"Face to face..." Kanda muttered, repeating the earlier suggestion he texted prior. "I might not get another — who the fuck?"
It was then from the darker recesses of the club, an older man walks to the head of white hair. Kanda could practically hear the warning bells in his head at that moment. Stealing his resolve he started to march over to where he saw the man, quickening his strides when he saw that the son of a bitch had slipped something into a glass he had brought with him.
He was almost there, but then a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that, Yu."
That voice...he knew that voice..."O-Otou-san..."
"Sorry our reunion had to be this way." Raku's voice sounded. Kanda felt a pressure to the back of his neck, and he lost control of his body. He fell to the floor in a heap, and realized in fear he couldn't move any part of him. "It's only temporary. We can't have you take back the Angel."
"Why? Why are you doing this?" What did he mean by 'we'? He hated how weak his own voice sounded. Why wasn't anyone doing anything? They could see what was going on, couldn't they? Couldn't they?! Kanda could only watch as the beverage was offered to Allen. He gave the man a kind smile, a fake one...and refused the offer.
It all happened almost in slow motion for the immobile man on the floor.
Through the bodies on the other people at the club — some of whom were staring at Raku and Kanda — the Japanese male watched his ex-fiancé refuse again when the asshole insisted and set the drugged drink down on the table.
It appeared to be one refusal too many, because in the next instant, Allen's hair was grasped, and his head forcefully slammed against the table.
"Moya...shi..."
"ALLEN!" Several voices had called out.
However, Kanda knew not of the chaos that ensued shortly after. All he could focus on were the boots of his father as he walked to the duo at the bar. He watched as his vision began to blur and slowly, but surely fade to black. The last image he could make out before completely blacking out was the unnamed man shove Allen over his shoulder, and with the man he called his father...disappeared into the chaos of what Kanda could only make out as white noise.
Dammit...
... ... ... ...
And there! Now...uhm...this...is actually the second to last chapter of this story. :D Next week, I'm gonna be out of town, but I will have my laptop with me. The update just might be a little (a lot) late the day of updating. I'm just gonna let you all know now ahead of time :D
R&R ain't for rest and relaxation, even if it's obvious I need it~! Leave a review and let us know how we're doing, and why not show the story some love by favoriting this work? Don't forget to follow to stay up to new chapters as they come, and go check out my Co-Author's works if you hadn't already, and we'll see you one final time for this story...
On Fade to Gray!