TITLE: THE CAVE (Part 4 of 4 Parts)

AUTHOR: darket15

RATING: M

PAIRING: Kanda/Allen

THEME AND DAY: PART IV — LIVING ON A PRAYER/December 30-31 (Optional Theme)

GENRE: Angst, Romance/Humor

BETA READER: RayneLover101

WARNING: Boy/Boy; Not Canon

SUMMARY: Kanda and Allen become friends; then lovers–what else could they become? The odds are stacked against them. First the fourteenth is popping in and out, and then there's the Central Agency's verdict about Allen's standing within the Black Order. Is their relationship strong enough to hold together through the perils they face?

DISCLAIMERS: D. Gray-man and the characters belongs to Katsura Hoshino's: Allen Walker (Bean Sprout), Kanda Yu, Intruder (mine)

A/N: Yullen Week 2012 – Day 7 ~ Happy Birthday Kanda and Allen.

NOTE: Reviewed and corrections made 1/16/2018.

THE CAVE – PART IV LIVING ON A PRAYER

Running blindly, not wanting anyone to see him, Allen throws himself against the dark, cold alley wall. His fast heavy panting breaks the stillness as he waits and listens.

Did I hear that? Or is it my imagination running away with me again? Allen thought as he strains his ears to listen and tries to focus his eyes to see through the thick dark fog. Allen breaks out in a cold sweat his thoughts dizzy and frantic that the Rouvelier's men have found him for sure. It must be the fever. I'm sure they didn't see or sense me, Allen's minds frantically thinking

Footsteps! They are far away but are getting closer; they're coming for me.

He's sure he had seen the men. One had a shiny, gleaming object in his hand. Who are they? Shit, I hear the footsteps, I see the gleam, but now I see nothing or anything! What's happening? Is this some kind of trick? Allen strains his eyes to see in the darkness, the sweat runs down his forehead into his eyes and his heart is pounding painfully in his chest. He lifts his arm and wipes away the sweat out of his eyes.

In frenzy Allen flees from his hiding place. Drops of rain sprinkle his face as he walks quickly, stumbling as he looks back through the thick, dark-gray fog settling. Allen looks down as dark-red blood soaks and stains his shirt. Damn, I'm bleeding again. The gauze bandages he stole from a pharmacy he places over those that are already there and pushes on the wound to stop the bleeding.

All is quiet again, only the click of his boot heels on the cobble stones. He pulls his hood up over his head, buttoning it closer around his neck to keep the dampness out.

Everything around me has an eerie feeling about it; like a hundred eyes are staring at me, laughing and calling out to me. Their eyes getting bigger and brighter, the laughter sharper and louder boosts the pounding in my brain that feels ready to burst.

His feet pick up their step. Out of nowhere he runs into a gaunt, old lady carrying an old ripped rectangle box with a string around her neck. The box contains matches. Her old, wrinkled hand picks one up and extends it towards Allen.

Allen looks into her small china eyes, innocent and sweet, he starts to take the box, but suddenly her eyes turn to a clear, glossy surface. Her eyes become big and bright like all the rest of the hundred eyes that's staring at him. Allen slowly backs away from her and trips on the damp cobble stones when he turns and runs.

Feeling he's far enough away from the little old lady, he stops to catch his breath again; his chest is tight and painful inhaling the damp air. It has to be the fever Allen, keep remembering it's the fever. You didn't go insane while in that prison. Link…oh I hope Link's alright and I didn't hit him too hard, Allen worries not remembering how hard he had hit Link and remembers back to his escape.

Go he tells me…get out of here…this should be enough money to get an apartment until Kanda can find you; Link, thank you. Link thrusts the money into my hands. Allen thought gratefully.

Allen remembers what Link had told him. Don't contact me, don't let me know where you are, it'll be too dangerous if they truth serum me. Go now…go find the one you love and have a life with him…Link, he smiled—I've never seen him smile before.

Tears fill Allen's eyes. He stumbles as he starts to run again, tripping and kicking a shiny can; it sparks as it hits the cobblestone and rolls around. I can't believe this is happening, Kanda, please find me. Allen slips on the damp cobblestone as he begins to run again.

Finding his place of refuge, Allen walks up the now familiar steps of the big rundown apartment building. It's hazy inside from the cigarette smoke and he can smell the sick liquor perfume clinging in the dead atmosphere.

Reaching his landing, he turns to walk down the hallway to his apartment. Allen pales as he looks down at the scattered beer cans and wine bottles he steps over, and kicks personal items away from his door. I need to lie down; I feel faint, my stomachs sick and my side pains me.

Unlocking the door, he swings it open, letting the hallway light flood in. Slowly he moves his hand up the side of the wall to find the light switch as he peers through the grayish light.

His hand finds the switch and flicks it on; light swells quickly in the room. Looking around he doesn't see Kanda waiting for him. Everything is here, nothing has changed. He walks in and without turning around, closes the door. He stands there wavering and listens.

He looks at the faded flower wallpaper with stains, the drooping sofa that will break at anytime, and the rug worn in with the paths of time. The lone lamp sits on the end table without a shade; the place is in as bad of shape as he is.

There's really no one who can help me, no one to turn to—only Kanda. I have to wait here, wait for Kanda to find me. Oh God, I'm feeling sick again.

A creak from the bedroom woke him from his thoughts. He stiffens as his eyes stare at the huge white door to the bedroom. A feeling comes over him that he should turn and run before it's too late; but he can't. What if by some miracle it's Kanda.

Slowly he approaches the bedroom door. The blood pumping through his heart is loud in his ears. He rests his hand on the cool brass doorknob and slowly turns it clockwise and pushes it wide open.

A streak of light from the open door shines across the bed where a body lays still on top of it. Whoever it is, lies with their back towards him and their breathing is an even up, down rhythm. He stands looking at the person with the long, slender body for minutes it seems. Suddenly, the body rolls over facing him—the man's eyes still closed.

Stunned and not believing his eyes, there he lies. The tired look on his beautiful face appears as though he hasn't slept in days. If this is not the fever, then it's Kanda lying on my bed. I feel like I can't breathe. What if it's not real, what if it's the fever again playing with my imagination?

Slowly, Kanda's eyes open. He blinks twice as if to see if Allen is real. Kanda's beautiful dark blues eyes widen with surprise as he stares at his beloved. Kanda keeps gazing at him as he slowly sits up. He fears if he took his eyes off Allen he would disappear.

Please, Allen begs, please be real; please don't be my imagination tricking me again—not now.

The neon lights from outside his window flash on and off making Kanda's long black hair glow in the darkness of his room. He raises himself from the edge of the bed, his well built body projects a silhouette on the wall. He stands tall and straight as though he's at attention for him.

A large lump swells in Allen's throat and he finds it difficult to shallow. His eyes begin to burn from staring in the semi-darkness for so long. They did not advance towards each other. It's as if both are held in a trance. No words necessary. They communicate with their eyes and their hearts.

Allen closes his intense burning eyes and opens them to find him still standing there. Kanda finally takes a step towards Allen, electricity flows through Allen's body. I feel if he touches me, sparks will fly and both of us will be consumed by flames.

Kanda slowly steps closer…and closer… and still closer, until he's standing directly in front of Allen. The electricity feelings rapidly increase throughout Allen's body. Kanda slowly raises his hand and touches the softness of Allen's cheek. Allen closes his eyes to Kanda's touch and leans slightly into the smoothness of his hand, and then Allen faints in his arms.

Kanda sweeps Allen into his arms and places him on the warm bed. Slowly Allen opens his eyes to look into those soft, dark blue eyes. Allen feels the warmth of Kanda's body next to his as Kanda's long slender fingers stroke his hair as he gazes at him.

"Kanda…" Allen lightly slides his hand down the side of Kanda's face, "you're real…you're not my imagination."

I'm dazed, this moment feels surreal, but it is real; my beloved Kanda's laying next to me, Allen signs as he gazes into his lover's eyes.

"I'm sorry if I frighten you. I wasn't sure I trusted my own eyes," his low, strong muscular voice says.

I clear my throat and look questioningly into his face. "How did you know? How did you find out where I lived?"

"Idiot, I had promised to come find you; I keep my promises," Kanda says, his own emotions swell inside.

"And I kept mine and waited for you to find me." Allen smiles up at him. "But how did you get in and how long have you been here?"

"When I found your place the door was unlocked. I've been waiting here for two long days, afraid something else might have happened to you. When you never returned, I locked the door at night figuring you had a key and would come back at some point."

Two days! It's been two days? Allen's mine began to wander. I have been running for two days! It seems like two months! I remember the Third Exorcists' were searching for me. I ran hiding, trying to find my way back to my apartment. The fever, yes, it kept playing with my imagination. I needed extra bandages, which is why I left my apartment.

Kanda pulls Allen into his arms. He cradles him and kisses the top of his head. Allen didn't realize he was crying. With my beloveds strong arms around me I feel safe. Kanda's here, with me again, everything will be easier now.

Allen searches for Kanda's lips with my fingers in the darkness. "Kiss me Kanda."

Their lips crush together hungry for each other. Heat swells inside of Allen. Oh his tongue, the sweet taste of him. A sharp pain stabs Allen in his side. Kanda pulls away and they both look down at the wound that has reopened and is bleeding as fresh dark-red blood seeps through the bandages, re-wetting his shirt.

"You're bleeding!" Kanda sits up quickly and tears the sheet covering them. Opening Allen's shirt, he unwraps the blood-soaked bandages. Panic shows on Kanda's face.

"Bean Sprout, I have to go get Komui to tend to this wound. I'll pack it for the time being, but you've torn your stitches out. I'll lock the door and come back as fast as I can," Kanda state as calmly as he can and then leans down and kisses his beloved softly on his lips.

"Kanda, please don't leave me. I couldn't bear losing you again," Allen cries out.

"Shhh, I'll be back, you need medical attention I can't give to you," Kanda says, stroking Allen's hair back off his forehead and presses his hand down and holds it there for a moment.

"You also have a fever. I promise I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Okay I'll wait. I won't go anywhere," Allen smiles. He tries to tease him but fails miserably, but Kanda sees the anxiety on his lover's face.

"Sleep Bean Sprout, get some rest. It's almost dawn. I'll be back with Komui soon."

One last, but long passionate kiss Kanda's ready to leave. I'm tired, actually I'm exhausted. Kanda puts his hands over Allen's eyes closing his lids and he falls asleep.

After a long sleep Allen opens his eyes. I must have slept all day, because Kanda's not in the room and its dark. It is dark except for the neon light that flashes on and off outside his window.

I'll rest my eyes a minute longer or should I get up? Allen hears the front door to the apartment open quietly. Is it Kanda and Komui? But it continues to be quiet. I know someone opened the front door. I didn't imagine it—did I?

Not daring to move, Allen become stiff from staying in one position for too long listening intently. Beads of sweat run down his forehead as he sees the door to his bedroom slowly open.

Allen closes his eyes tightly and opening them again and he sees a tall, slim figure in the darkness. As the neon lights flash on, his light-blue crystal eyes pierce through every bit of fear Allen has. Fear, because he's in no shape to defend himself for long. I know he's here to kill me or take me back. I'll never see Kanda again.

Before Allen could react, the slim figure comes at him; the man wraps his cold hands around Allen's neck choking him. Allen fights back as he kicks and hits the man to release him, but Allen's too weak to continue. The sharp stabbing pain in his side is intolerable and only weakens him the more he struggles.

He feels the life in him slowly seeping away, his head spins and he's dizzy. He tries to gasps for air. Before blackness overtakes him, his attacker's hands suddenly leaves his neck as another sharp pain struck his forehead.

It's at that moment; Kanda and Komui enter the apartment only to hear commotion going on in the bedroom. Kanda rushes to the bedroom door and sees a silhouette of an intruder's hands leaving Allen's neck and the butt of a gun handle come down quickly hitting Allen on the head.

A growl escapes Kanda's throat as rage quickly floods him after seeing Allen's lifeless body lying on the bed. The blood oozing down Allen's face brought on the insanity in Kanda.

In an instant, Kanda springs at the intruder from where he stood. Grabbing the man by the back of his neck and Kanda turns him around to face him. All you hear is a loud crack as Kanda's fist connects with the intruder's ribs and sends him flying!

Before the intruder could collect himself, Kanda stood over him with Mugen at his throat. The expression on Kanda's face is beyond anger or rage; it has the look of a demonic Exorcist ready to kill his prey; Kanda's eyes flashing "kill him" in their depths.

He growls again, "How dare you put your filthy hands on Bean Sprout! Now are you ready to die you bast—!"

"Kanda, Allen's alive! The intruder is just that; he's not part of Central. Let him go."

Kanda slowly and carefully pulls Mugen away from the intruder's throat with all the control he could muster. Gritting his teeth, Kanda growls, "Get out of my sight."

The intruder slowly stands up keeping his eyes on Kanda the whole time. He seems to know it is best not to say anything to this maniac with a sword, afraid he would actually kill him. The intruder pulls himself together and hunches over holding his right side rushes out the door.

He watches to make sure the intruder is out of sight. Kanda's thoughts whirl in his head. I almost lost Bean Sprout again…which would have been…forever if Komui and I hadn't come in when they did... Kanda feels sick to his stomach. No! I will not let him go away from me ever again.

Komui got up from where Allen lays to go to Kanda. Touching Kanda's arm, Komui asks, "Kanda are you alright? You look ill."

Fear shows on Kanda's face. Even Komui had never seen Kanda show fear before. "I almost lost him forever Komui. I can't lose him again …"

Kanda looks over at Allen then back at Komui, "Komui, I've decided I'm taking Allen away from here, to your place in Japan, my country."

Kanda looks Komui in the eye saying, "I've also decided to…I think you know what I've decided… if you agree …"

"Yes, I will take care of it Kanda, you don't have to say it, it's understood—our traditions never die," Komui replies, beaming with pride over Kanda's personal growth.

Allen wakes again. Komui sits beside Allen, assuring him death never came. Blood soaks into the cool cloth on his forehead. He looks down at the new bandages wrapped around him.

"Kaa…nda…?" he stutters questioning, his throat sore and dry.

Komui smiles at Allen and gets up off the bed. There stood Allen's beloved, Kanda. Tears well up in Allen's eyes; Kanda moves towards him and sits on the edge of the bed taking his hand.

Kanda tries to make light of the situation. "Everything's going to be fine moron. I'm taking us away from all of this."

"Where can we possibly go without them finding us," Allen asks quietly, looking dishearten.

Kanda looks up at Komui then back down at Allen. He pulls something out of his pocket and dangles a key in front of him. Puzzled, Allen looks at Kanda for the answer and then at Komui.

"What does the key go to?"

"Kanda you don't have too much time before you'll have to go," Komui reminds the brave Exorcist of the time.

"Okay idiot, listen to me because I only want to say this once; understood?" Allen nods his head yes.

"This here is the key to Komui's place in Japan. He's letting us stay there for as long as we want. It's secluded and no one will bother us once we've take up residence. Are you following so far?"

Allen's opens his mouth to speak, but thinks better of it and nods yes instead.

"Now what I need to know is…well…I'm not an easy person to live with…but if you're willing to go with me…"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I don't care if you're hard to–" Allen exclaims excitedly.

"Will you shut up moron and let me finish for once," Kanda growls.

"Ah, sure Kanda," Allen replies smiling; He hardly believes his ears—Kanda wants to live with him.

"Now, what I was going to ask…you…are you willing…"

Kanda's interrupted again, this time by Link, "Are you two ready to get going, your ship leaves within the hour."

"Link! I thought you weren't supposed to know where I'm staying. I'm so happy to see you and that you're all—"

"Will all of you just shut the fuck up so I can finish asking Bean Sprout to marry me?" Kanda bellows angrily at everyone.

The only two mouths that drop open are Allen's and Link's. Komui stands there grinning ear to ear. Allen's eyes are wide open. And what's that glittering in his eyes? Happiness!

"Well that's not quite how I wanted to ask you, but what the hell. Just don't sit there staring at me moron, are you going to give me an answer? Komui doesn't have all day either," Kanda says blushing.

"Kaa-nda," Allen stutters, blushing, his face removed of all anxiety, "I can't believe you—"

"What? You can't believe what; that I would ask you to marry me? Listen jerk, if you think we're going back to my country to live our life together and not—"

Kanda never got to finish his sentence because Allen pulls him down to his lips, a determined shut up kiss. Allen pulls away from Kanda with watery eyes.

"Of course I'll marry you, you big stupid jerk! You're all I want in my life and Japan sounds great!"

"Okay," Kanda says, with a blush of pink on his cheeks as he pulls himself together.

"Komui you can perform the rites now, and then we'll have to rush to make our ship on time. Link you're our witness," Kanda orders in his superior voice; one that doesn't bother Allen at all today.

After the ceremony, Komui and Link thought their kiss would never end. It's as if they forgot that two other men were in the same room.

"Ahem!" Komui clears his throat.

"The two of you really need to get going. Link and I will clean up any evidence that the two of you were here. There should be no way to trace either of you once you've left the country; well at least until we can get this mess resolved with Rouvelier."

"Right Komui," Kanda says, his gaze still on Allen.

Kanda pulls Allen tight against him and whispers in his ear, "Okay Bean Sprout, let's leave all this behind us and go find our own paradise–together."

AUTHORS NOTE: The story continues with The Cave: Continuum