Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.

Note: This is based on an idea from Variation On Ink.

I apologize in advance for any out of character-ness, and whatnot.

Enjoy~!

Kanda let out a hiss as he clenched his chest with his right hand, gritting his teeth to stop himself from screaming as beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face. It hurt like hell, but his pride was the only thing that kept him screaming like a sissy. He shifted his glance towards his hourglass, watching with hazy eyes as the last petal gathered at the bottom. He then clenched his bed sheets, taking in sharp breaths as he quietly took in the pain. There was no doubt in Kanda's mind that the tattoo was spreading over his body, sapping away the remnants of his life force… what was left of it, anyways.

'There's no way in hell I am going down without a fight,' Kanda thought with gritted teeth. He, with some difficulties, put on his exorcist uniform and grabbed Mugen before he left the room, trying to appear as if nothing was wrong. He did not want Baka Usagi or Moyashi butting into his business as if they had a right to interfere in the first place.

He heard running footsteps from somewhere in the distance, which continued to get louder as if someone was proceeding to his direction. Kanda bit back a groan as he rubbed his temple, mentally cursing himself for being weak to get headaches. The footsteps continued to pound as if someone was hammering away at his brain; and as if by some miracle, the sound of the footsteps decreased.

"Kanda, are you alright?" a concerned voice of Lenalee inquired as she peered up at him.

"Hn."

"Are you sure? You look like you were in pain," she continued with a small frown, and let out a nervous laughter when he gave her a glare. "Oh yes, Nii-sama wants to see you for a mission," Lenalee stated her purpose for stopping him.

The swordsman gave a nod in understanding before he headed towards the Supervisor's office. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, cursing at his luck that his curse's time had to run now of all times.

"You wanted to see me?" Kanda inquired as soon as he opened the door, and stepped inside. "Moyashi, what are you doing here?" he asked, noticing the silvery white haired beansprout sitting on the couch.

"It's Allen, BaKanda. How many times must I tell you before you remember?" the 'Moyashi' retorted with an annoyed scowl, and continued in an exasperated tone, "Ah that's right. BaKanda has a poor memory that's why you can't even remember something as simple as my name."

"MO. YA. SHI!" Kanda roared in anger as he brought up his sword to slice the beansprout into piece. However, when he brought up his sword, he saw white spots in his vision, and the next thing he knew, he was in coughing fits.

"Yuu-chan, don't tell me…" Lavi started seriously as he kneeled down beside his best friend, and rubbed the swordsman's back as if to ease the pain.

'When did he get here?' that was Kanda's first thought as he covered his mouth with his hand before he was sent into another coughing fit. He did not even had the time to rebut to the redhead Bookman apprentice not to call him by his first name. Once the cough had subsided, he pulled away his hand and stared with his eyes widen in surprised.

Blood. He was coughing out blood.

"Kanda," Komui began as he approached to the said person, and then kneeled down when he was a couple of feet away. "How many petals left?" he asked.

"None."

"You're dying," the supervisor's soft statement was more directed to himself than to Kanda or to other occupants in the room.

"BaKanda, you're dying and you didn't think to tell me?" Allen questioned with a brief expression of hurt flashing by his face. "Aren't I your friend? Your comrade?" the silvery white haired exorcist continued with a frown.

Kanda let out another cough, and wiped away a trail of blood from his mouth as he stood up. "There's nothing you could've done to stop it, Moyashi. Stop trying to be a hero," the swordsman retorted.

"Actually Yuu-" Lavi started as he stood up from his spot.

"Don't call me by my first name, Baka Usagi!" Kanda interrupted with a glare as if he had not been coughing blood seconds earlier. In fact, he looked as if nothing had happened.

'As expected of Kanda,' Allen could not help but think that as he looked at the long haired swordsman in awe.

"-chan, I read something that says that there is a way to counteract with your curse," the redhead exorcist said with a sly grin as he placed his hands behind his head. He let out a bigger grin when Kanda raised his eyebrow, silently telling him to continue, "That's if you make a contract with the devil himself."

"The hell? Who in the right mind will make a contract with the devil?" Kanda retorted with a dignified snort that only he could pull off.

That, surprisingly, was his famous last lines.

As much as he did not want to admit it, Kanda knew that he was dying, and if he had to place blame on anything, it would be that damned curse. Despite the fact that it made him stronger, and healed his injuries faster than any normal human beings, it was at the cost of his life force. He did not care for such trivial things before, but he did not want to die yet. After all, he was only 18-years-old.

'Che, I can't believe I'm being a sap,' Kanda thought grumpily as he slurped on his favorite meal, inwardly wondering if that was going to be his last meal.

Since he could not partake in the mission due to his 'condition' – which Komui had put it as delicately as he could, to which Kanda scoffed in response – Lavi and Lenalee went in his stead, and the Moyashi had insisted that he would stay behind to make sure 'BaKanda would not do anything stupid, like stabbing himself with Mugen'. Those were Moyashi's words, not his.

Kanda clicked his tongue in annoyance, silently scoffing at himself for even thinking about Moyashi (not Allen) at times like this. He was not dying, just sick… yeah, sick. With that thought in mind, he quietly sipped on his green tea (without added sugar, mind you), and enjoyed the silent. Yes, he was ignoring the fact that Allen was a couple of yards away from him inhaling his meals as if there was no tomorrow.

As soon as he finished his tea –which was quite soothing if one asked him –, Kanda got up and left the cafeteria. He walked down the darkened halls of Black Order until he reached to his training ground outside. Seeing as no one was around, he lied down on the ground and stared at the full moon peeking from between the trees.

He then closed his eyes, enjoying the silence, as he evened out his breathing and listened to the rustlings of the nature. It was as if there was no one besides him, and he was one with the nature. Not that Kanda was being poetic of sorts.

"Yuu Kanda," a voice started from somewhere within the shadows of the night.

The said person immediately sat up and narrowed his eyes to where the voice came from. "Who's there?" he growled out as his hand held onto Mugen.

"Do you want to continue living?" the voice asked without answering Kanda's question.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" the swordsman retorted, taking off his 'Mr. Nice Guy' glove… not that he had bothered to wear one in the first place.

"Do you want to continue living?" the voice repeated patiently.

"…Yes?"

"Then I will ask thee but once: do you wish to form a contract in order to live?"

"A contract?" Kanda repeated with his eyes narrowed, and let out a frown when the voice did not further elaborated. In the end, the swordsman responded, "What do I have to do?"

"Close your eyes," the voice beckoned, to which Kanda followed with a slight frown of suspicion marring his expression. He felt something soft on his lips, which was followed by the burning sensation on his body.

His eyes flew opened when his brain at last processed the fact that he was kissed; however, that was the least of his worries as the burning sensation continued to scorch on his chest. Kanda quickly shed his uniform, and stared in awe as his tattoo disappeared and was replaced with another. Ironically, it was an elaborate design of a lotus.

"With this, the contract is complete," the voice stated in a somewhat amused tone, and added, "You are no longer bound by a time limit, Yuu Kanda; however, from this point forward, you answer to me – your master."

Despite the fact that he was just saved, Kanda narrowed his eyes and glared at the shadowed figure, and demanded, "Who the hell are you? Come out and face me like a man!"

"I suppose you can say I am the devil who saved you," the voice responded in an amused tone; but nevertheless, stepped into the moonlit area.

"The hell? Moyashi?" Kanda blurted out in surprised when he realized who he was talking to.

The said person let out an amused chuckle when he saw an astonished expression on the swordsman's face, and responded with a knowing smirk, "I told you when I first met you, didn't I? I'm a bit cursed."

Kanda merely let out an angry growl in response whilst he grabbed his fallen uniform, and stalked off, leaving Allen to chuckle in amusement.

"Silly BaKanda, you're mine now," the silvery white haired devil-exorcist whispered with a sly smirk as he stared at the mentioned person's retreating figure.

Note: So... what do you think?

It's a one-shot; but if anyone would like to continue, you are feel free to do so.

Reviews are much loved~