Human Trafficking

"As always, we save the best for last, so without further ado the final auction of the night will now begin," the voice over the speakers droned as a pale young boy was dragged out onto the pedestal wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers. "This boy is British in origin and is approximately sixteen years old. He is quite the prize for any collector."

There was a shuffling in the audience, people appraising the boy as he was forced to turn about on the stage.

"Now shall we start the bidding at two hundred thousand pounds," the auctioneer's voice came across the speakers as the bidding began.

xXx

"The flesh merchandise is giving trouble again," a male voice called down the hall.

"Mmph," Allen groaned as he struggled against the rough bindings.

"Gagged and bound and the bitch is still not giving up," another guy muttered. "You got to hand it to the kid, he's got spunk."

"Mmmph," Allen whimpered as he was struck across the face.

"Now be a good little bitch and quit struggling, your buyer won't be happy if you're all bruised up," one of the males grinned sadistically, breath sickeningly warm against Allen's ear.

"Better be careful 'round that one," the other guy said smirking, "see the way he's looking at you." A rough hand gripped a handful of Allen's hair, turning his face up to look at him, defiant silver eyes glaring hatred towards the older man.

"Someone needs to teach this bitch his place," the man growled dangerously as he wrenched Allen's head back farther putting a strain on the bindings, in doing so eliciting a muffled whimper from the pale boy. A large hand drew back ready to strike the boy as silver eyes clenched shut, bracing for the pain.

"Stop that!" A voice boomed, heavy footfalls signifying the entrance of a broad set male. "He's been sold, get him dressed and don't even think about screwing around with him."

"Yes sir," the man said releasing Allen quickly.

"Come on brat," the man said as he tossed a set of clothing at the small boy.

xXx

Silver eyes blinked open, light filling his bleary vision. This wasn't the auction house nor was it the falsely pristine hotel. As the dull darkness faded away Allen became aware of several figures surrounding him on a slim hospital bed.

"Oh look he's awake?" an excited voice exclaimed as Allen cringed away from the sound, falling off the bed in the process. "Hey, be careful!"

"Stay away," Allen muttered as his gem-like eyes surveyed the room and its inhabitants. The male who'd first spoken was peculiar in appearance, an eye patch covering his right eye, an odd green headband nestled into fiery hair and an oversized orange scarf. Allen loosely associated the male to a pirate like in the stories he'd read, except that this guy was much to clean and that there were no pirates in nineteenth century England.

"Take it easy," the same red haired male said as he approached Allen, hand outstretched to help him up.

"Don't touch me!" Allen snapped as he scrambled backwards 'till his back was against the wall, knees curling to his chest as he glared at the several others in the room who all sported white lab coats. Doctors? Scientists? Allen felt uncertainty and fear brewing within him as he wondered if he'd somehow become a test subject. Even with the millions of unbridled thoughts flying through Allen's head, he couldn't determine any answers just by looking at the people. 'Who are these people and what do they want with me?' Allen wondered fearfully ad his heart rate accelerated, the gears in his mind turning far too swiftly as he jumped from somewhat reasonable conclusions to ridiculous assumptions.

"Alright," Lavi said taking a step back, hands up as if saying he wasn't going to try anything. "Just calm down we're not going to hurt you."

"Lavi," Komui said to which the redhead sighed and retreated to stand against the opposite wall as Komui crouched down next to the shuddering boy.

"Your name is Allen Walker right?" Komui asked, the boy said nothing, eyeing the blueberry haired male wearily. "You're safe here and we need your help. An associate of ours rescued you because you have special abilities that will be useful to our cause."

"Rescued me?" Allen asked laughing lightly. "Bought me." Allen's bitterly cynical, though skittish tone made the scientist frown momentarily.

"Well yes, it was the least disruptive way to get you-" Komui was cut off by a sharp glare.

"It's the same," Allen said tears threatening to spill down his pale cheeks. "It's the same...you bought me to follow orders…cater to your whims..."

"What exactly happened to you?" Lavi asked cheerful expression replaced by concern. From the vague letter they had received from Cross, he had anticipated the boy to be defensive or skeptical but he never expected such hysterical animosity. Allen turned away, head buried in his arms, rocking himself back and forth like a frightened child.

"We need to take him to Hevlaska and getting a reading on his innocence," Komui said.

"He's not exactly stable chief, you sure it's safe to try and move him?" Reever asked.

"You and you," Komui said pointing at two of the scientists, "bring him."

"Eh?" several voices sounded in shock as they looked down at the cowering boy. Hesitantly the males approached Allen. Upon feeling hands gripping him Allen flew into a frenzy, flailing and screaming as if they were trying to murder him.

"Let go!" Allen yelled as tears began to stream from his eyes. "Don't touch! Get off!"

"Calm down Allen, they're not going to hurt you," Lavi said soothingly. After several minutes of struggling with Allen the scientists shot Komui an angry and exhausted look.

"We should at least sedate him, we haven't even gotten out of the room yet," Reever sighed.

"What are you doing?" Lenalee asked as she entered the room, placing a tray of coffee cups down on a table, green tinted hair swishing as she turned towards the scene.

"Oh Lenalee, how are-" Komui was cut off as Lenalee walked right past him causing the male to all but break down in tears.

"Stop it, all of you," Lenalee said scolding them as they released Allen. The boy ceased his flailing and just curled into a ball on the ground. "You've terrified him."

"But Lenalee," Komui cried, "we have to take him to Hevlaska."

"I'm sorry, my brother can be a bit insensitive, but he means well," Lenalee said crouching beside Allen. "I'm Lenalee Lee, it's nice to meet you." Silver looked up into warm turquoise.

"Please, just leave me alone," Allen whimpered, voice cracking.

"It's not so bad here," Lenaleesaid smiling softly as she pulled Allen into a warm embrace, trying to comfort the fearful boy. "Everything's going to be just fine." Allen was stiff in her arms but he had ceased his thrashing. The gesture was warm and comforting, so different from anything he remembered having felt in the past. Even so it made him all the more apprehensive; kindness and friendliness were usually the masks that liars wore.

"Get off," Allen cried softly as he pushed out of Lenalee's arms. "I'll come…just don't touch."

"Way to go Lenalee, looks like the kid just needed a hug," Lavi laughed cheerfully as he smiled brightly down at Allen. Silver eyes fell to the floor as Allen was escorted out of the infirmary.

xXx

"So he has an eighty-six percent synchro rate?" Lavi asked. "And he's destined to be the Destroyer of Time."

"He's really an asset to the Order that we can't afford to neglect," Komui said, "we have to help him."

"He's really shaken up," Lavi said as he folded his arms behind his head. "Is it really a good idea to leave him with Hevlaska?"

"The generals said to leave him there," Komui sighed. "I'm trying to deal with this as subtly as possible so that the Vatican doesn't decided to take an active part in restraining him." The memory of how they dealt with Lenalee when she was younger stirring within him.

xXx

Allen whimpered as he cradled his arm to his chest, as he recalled how his arm had activated while in that exorcists hold. He could still feel the tingling sensation crawling over his skin. 'Why?' he wondered as he glanced around, tentatively touching a wall of the glowing box-like encasement.

'Have to go,' Allen thought as his arm activated and he beat against the force field until it broke, a wave of power surging through the area, 'anywhere, just have to get out.' The glowing exorcist watched in silence as the pale boy stumbled down the hall. 'He will be just fine' Hevlaska thought as the boy disappeared from sight.

xXx

"What the heck do you mean there's a rogue accommodator running rampant around the Order?" Kanda asked, eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"We brought him in a while you were in Italy. He was tied up in an inn not too far from here. General Cross left a note at the front desk for the inn to contact us," Komui said fishing the crumpled paper from his pocket.

The kid is seriously fucked up, but he could be a critical in no time if he is straightened out. Expect a bill from an auction house…

"Up until now he's been in confinement with Hevlaska but he's broken out somehow and we can't seem to find him," Komui continued after Kanda had read the very brief letter.

"A whole building full of people and you can't find one brat?" Kanda asked incredulously.

"What can I say, the boy's good at hiding," Komui shrugged.

"Che," Kanda muttered as he went of in search of the troublesome brat that had the whole Order on high alert.

xXx

"Damn Moyashi, you're the one everyone's been looking for?" Kanda asked as he glared at the cowering white haired boy.

"No, won't go back," Allen said as he retreated until his back was against a wall.

"Don't fuck with me you little brat, listen carefully cause I'm only going to say this once. You're coming back with me," Kanda snapped.

"No, not weak anymore…can't hurt me," Allen said left arm glowing as if meaning to invoke his innocence.

"The hell? You little fuck hold still!" Kanda growled. "Don't even think about activating your innocence!"

'Idiot Komui, never told me he was parasitic,' Kanda thought, 'kid is fully armed and psychotic and not even a fucking heads up about it? Damn scientist.'

"It won't hurt if you hold still," Allen whispered as he slumped down against the wall as if trying to make himself smaller. Arms wrapped around his legs, drawing his knees to his chest as he trembled in fear.

"Well yeah…you're not going to cause anymore trouble are you Moyashi," Kanda said not quite understanding the strange tone in the boy's voice.

"Shhhh hold still, it'll be over soon," Allen whispered, hazy silver eyes glazed over as if not even looking at Kanda anymore. Kanda stared, unsure of how to approach the clearly unstable boy, without giving him reason to invoke.

"Che, come on," Kanda said as he grabbed Allen's wrist and pulled him off towards the science labs where he would find the idiot supervisor.

xXx

"No! Will be good, please no!" Allen cried as he struggled against the bindings on the bed in Komui's lab.

"Calm down, it'll help you-" Komui was cut off by more thrashing and cries.

"No, no, no, no, can't hurt me anymore," Allen whimpered as he tugged at his appendages trying to pull them close to his body.

"Hold still you damn brat!" Kanda snapped as he held the boy's arms down. Silver eyes widened and narrowed to pinpoints as they landed on a syringe in Komui's hand.

"Shhh hold still…count backwards…10...9…8…" Allen whispered as he stilled, tears forming in his tarnished silver eyes.

"Snap out of it kid!" Kanda grunted as he took in the complete change in mannerisms of the young boy.

"Yellow makes you weak…brown makes you sleepy…piece by piece losing all your pieces," Allen's voice wavered as the needle punctured his pale skin and a clear fluid was injected into him. It was a mild sedative but Komui hoped he wouldn't have to heavily sedate the boy, especially after whatever he's been through.

"Komui, what the fuck are you going to do with this kid? He's not even remotely sane," Kanda asked as he stepped away from the placated boy.

"He's been through a lot, we can't judge him for that," Komui sighed as he looked piteously at the white haired boy.

"Where did the general find this kid anyway?" Kanda asked as he glanced at the fear stricken face of the young boy.

"…an auction house," Komui responded in a somber tone.

"An auction house, why the fuck would the…shit," Kanda realized what must have been the case; human trafficking was the only thing that connected all the pieces of this dysfunctional puzzle.

"Wait Kanda," Komui called just as the navy haired male was about to leave, "your new mission is to look out for Allen."

"Hell no," Kanda growled as he shot a glare down at the pale whimpering boy restrained by thick leather straps.

"But it's a mission that only you can do," Komui said. "I'm sure of it, since you were the only one able to find him and managed to bring him back here with considerably less problem than anyone else would have."

"I'm an exorcist nota fucking baby sitter!" Kanda snapped.

"Just for a while," Komui insisted, "you just have to watch him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself or anyone else."

"What part of nodon't you get?" Kanda growled, hands balled into fists in attempts to contain his anger.

"It's an order Kanda," Komui said suddenly very serious, "and if you don't comply I'll take Mugen away." Kanda narrowed his dark cobalt gaze on the estranged scientist in annoyance.

"Fine, but if he gets in my way I'll kill him myself," Kanda hissed as he stormed off. Komui sighed as he watched the samurai walk off before turning his attention to Allen.

"I promise you that we mean you no harm Allen," Komui said as blurry silver eyes followed his movements.

xXx

"Listen up brat; I don't like this situation any more than you do so just stay quiet and don't touch anything and I'll keep my distance," Kanda grumbled as he looked down at the boy curled atop a futon, an ivory colored sheet draped over his small body. Allen nodded mutely, pulling the sheet over his head to hide from Kanda's agitated scowl.

Heaving an irritated sigh, Kanda sat on his bed to meditate. He couldn't go to the training room without taking Allen with him and it would be too much of a hassle if anyone walked by and scared the boy into hysterics. He would kill Komui for his idiocy; the scientist clearly wasn't in the right frame of mind if he thought by any stretch of the imagination that Kanda would inconvenience himself for some traumatized brat.

Sparing a glance down at the lump of sheets that was Allen Walker; Kanda couldn't help feeling the slightest pity for the boy's situation, even though it was quickly replaced by annoyance.

xXx

'Just tell him again,' Kanda thought hands balled into fists at his sides as he attempted to keep from lashing out at the young exorcist. The boy had been quiet for the most part but he had flown into hysterics when Lavi came by to visit. Kanda swore he'd kill the damn redhead for coming in and stirring up trouble before leaving him alone with the panic-stricken boy.

Allen had retreated to the far end of the room and was curled up beneath the small table that held Kanda's lotus. The navy haired male had tried to coerce the smaller boy into calming down and moving away from the accursed flower to no avail and his patience was wearing thin.

"Come out from under there, the baka Usagi is gone," Kandasaid through gritted teeth as silver eyes stared at him skeptically. Clearly Allen had no intention of doing as he was told; he was too preoccupied hiding with his tail between his legs to think that perhaps no one gave a damn about him enough to bother with hurting him.

"Damn it, get the fuck over yourself!" Kanda snapped "no one gives a fuck about you so quit feeling sorry for yourself and get the heck back out here!" In the space of a few seconds Allen had scrambled from beneath the table and dashed out the door in fear of the Japanese male's anger – such volatile emotions usually led to beatings and other forms of violent punishment. He had no way of knowing that Kanda was naturally a cold hearted bastard, the scowl he wore was his default expression and that such levels of anger were a daily occurrence.

After getting over his shock at the fact that the boy was so frightened by his outburst that he ran away – out of the room that held a single person to the halls where countless people would be walking about – Kanda rushed out in search of him. If the boy went and got himself hurt or if he attacked someone in a moment of blind panic then he would have failed his mission.

After several hours of searching for Allen, Kanda came across Lenalee, whose expression was none to pleasant.

"Kanda what the heck did you say to him?" Lenalee asked. "He was so terrified that it took forever to calm him down."

"You know where he is?" Kanda asked ignoring everything that the self righteous girl had said.

"Kanda are you even listening to me?" Lenalee asked frowning though she didn't wait for a response. "You have to be more sympathetic towards Allen's situation. He's traumatized so it's only natural for him to be skittish. But that's all the more reason to be patient with him."

"Just tell me where he is," Kanda said.

"He's down with Hevlaska," Lenalee said. "I was actually surprised that he'd be down there since he seemed to be frightened by her." Without acknowledging her words, Kanda made his way to where Allen was. As the lift neared the ground Kanda caught sight of a small figure with snowy locks curled up in the older exorcist's arms. Allen looked painfully fragile bathed in the soft ethereal glow that Hevalaska emanated.

"I'll take him now," Kanda said.

"His innocence resonated with the fear of its host," Hevlaska said, "be careful not to let his fear get out of control, lest his innocence may lash out of its own accord." Allen was slowly lowered into Kanda's arms, the older male instinctively cradling the small body against his.

"Can innocence act of its own volition?" Kanda asked.

"It is possible that under grave circumstances, things previously thought impossible may occur," Hevlaska said, "such is the nature of God's will."

"Che," Kanda muttered as he glared at the small form in his arms before heading back to his room.

'He's like one of those small rodents, a gerbil or a chipmunk,' Kanda thought absently as he rested Allen down onto the futon, watching as he made himself as small as possible. Kandamused over how acutely attuned the boy was to movement and how he'd become defensive when frightened and violent when threatened. He wasn't an expert on creatures of the sort – far from – but he could tell that to rehabilitate the boy, he'd need to be very patient and accommodating; two things which he was virtually incapable of doing.

In any case his first order or business was to acclimatize the boy to the new environment and avoid as much physical contact as possible.

xXx

Breakfast was a minor disaster. After convincing Allen to come get something to eat the boy had taken one look at the masses of people eating in the cafeteria and turned tail to run. Unfortunately for him Kanda caught him by the collar and dragged him to the counter where he forced the boy to order his food from the eccentric cook.

Though fearful of the pink haired man at first, Allen took to Jerry quite quickly. He'd been reluctant to eat anything for fear of the food being drugged like it had on several occasions in the past. Upon determining that not only was the food drug-free but it also tasted delicious, Allen went back and ordered a ridiculous amount of food which he devoured as if he'd been starved for decades.

Kandahad been stunned speechless at the boy's ability to consume more than five times his own body weight but said nothing, as he was content with the fact that Allen hadn't tried to run away even when Lenalee came to sit with them.

After breakfast Kanda dragged Allen with him everywhere, to check for missions which he knew he wouldn't get until the problem with the white haired boy was over, and to the training halls. It would be less of a hassle to just keep Allen locked up in a room out of the way where no one could accidently frighten him. However, Kanda rationalized that the sooner the brat got used to the place and the people, the sooner he would be free of him.

While Kanda was meditating he kept thinking over how Allen kept trying to run away and hide. Surely the boy had been used to people if he'd been an item for auction. Even so there were moments when Allen seemed much too complacent, especially after Kanda snapped something or shot him a violent glare in his annoyance.

Allen took Kanda's meditation as his chance to sneak away. He'd resigned to his fate of living within the Order's walls and serving them when they finally told him his reason for being there, but hell if he was going to play nice when he wasn't given any orders. Or stay around countless people he knew he'd never be able to trust.

Humans were creatures born into sin, in desperate need of solace for their grievances. They were all two faced creatures, much like he had been not a good four years ago. Always smiling; must keep up pretenses, never show them your pain lest somehow they feel it upon their own.

Akuma were creatures born from a human's sin, their regrets and loss are chained to the black skeletal forms – now weapons to cause further desperation and anguish. How was he to believe in any creature that would willingly subject others to such a damnable fate?

The Noah were human and it is through their guidance that the poor damaged souls are forced to fight and slaughter their kin – a violently befitting end for a fool who thinks that they can bypass their grieving and bring their loved ones back to life – a fool like him.

Escaping as far away from these many people was Allen's only means of retaining some form of sanity, though it seemed far from that through an outsider's perspective. They couldn't understand. They would never understand.

"Can you believe that last mission?" A male finder asked. Silver eyes widened in shock, having not expected anyone else to be in the training halls. Pressing himself behind a pillar to hide and gather his bearings Allen couldn't help but over hear the conversation.

"That kid was an accommodator but when we went to get him he'd gone berserk," the other finder muttered. "His parents were killed by akuma even after he was told about innocence and how it was meant to destroy those creatures. His body completely rejected the power of the innocence in fear and hatred."

"A fallen one at such a young age?" The taller finder asked.

"No he killed himself, it was horrible, no one could stop the kid," the male's tone was rather somber, "he kept going on about how sorry he was until he died. At least he didn't turn his folks into akuma, that would have been a whole other mess to deal with and the exorcist hadn't even shown up yet."

'Lost his parents…how sad…' Allen thought as his own memories were stirred about.

"Oi, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Kanda growled as he found Allen leaning against a pillar not too far from where he'd been meditating. Silver eyes turned to the source of the sound and Allen quickly made his way to Kanda's side, head down in silence.

"You alright?" Kanda asked, having not seen the boy act like this before. Still Allen said nothing, instead running towards the doors that led into the hallway. Glancing back to make sure Kanda was following, Allen couldn't help but feel a strange warmth blooming from his desperation – a familiar longing – but quickly quelled it.

"The hell is wrong with you?" Kanda asked grabbing Allen's upper arm in annoyance.

"All my fault," Allen whimpered softly as he tugged at his arm, in attempts to pull the male towards the direction he assumed the room to be in. Kanda's brows furrowed in confusion at Allen's statement wondering just what Allen thought was his fault and where he was trying to go.

After a bit more fussing, Allen managed to get Kanda somewhere in the vicinity of the living quarters, though from there he had no idea how to get back. Looking around hopelessly Kanda got the idea the he wanted to go back to the room.

"If you wanted to go back all you had to do was say so," Kanda muttered as he took the lead, pulling Allen down the halls 'till they reached their shared room. Once the door was open Allen scurried over to his bed and dove under the covers, reduced to a small shaking pile of sheets.

With no idea what had happened and no real interest in inconveniencing himself further Kandaleft Allen alone in the room to clean up after his intensive training.

xXx

"No more daddy, no more mommy, everyone's dead…it's all your fault…" Allen mumbled as he scrunched himself up in a corner.

"Oi, stop talking," Kanda said. When he'd come out of the shower he'd expected Allen to have cried himself to sleep or to be AWOL. Though neither assumption had been correct Kanda would much rather have had to search for the unreasonable runaway than to listen to the sobbing child.

"Obey without question and it won't hurt," Allen looked to Kanda, cobalt eyes seeing the most apathetic look settle into the boy's features as he crawled towards him.

"I'm not asking you to do anything like that, so just quit looking at me so pathetically," Kanda snapped as he shoved the boy away from him, only for shivers to overcome him.

"Can't touch me anymore?" Allen asked, face buried in his palms as he curled into a ball again.

"No, they can't touch you anymore," Kanda sighed not even sure why he was answering the stupid questions.

"Can't hurt me?" Allen asked hopefully.

"No they can't hurt you, but if you keep this up I'll hurt you," Kanda said menacingly, unable to deal with the idiotic questioning from the younger male.

"Kanda!" Lenalee shot the Japanese male an angry look, hoping that Allen wouldn't start crying again. She had just arrived to walk down to the cafeteria with the two and had listened to the interaction form the other side of the door only to burst in when Kanda's patience had reached its zenith.

"He's kidding, you're safe here Allen," Lenalee smiled as she outstretched a hand to rest on Allen's head in a friendly gesture of comfort, frowning as the boy recoiled from her touch.

"Come on brat," Kanda sighed as he followed Lenalee into the hall.

"Please go without me," Allen asked pleading in his teary silver eyes. "I promise I won't go anywhere."

"What's this all of a sudden?" Kanda asked, brow raised in questioning as he approached Allen.

"Please Kanda, I don't want to go," Allen insisted as his grip on the sheets tightened.

"Wow Kanda, he sounded rather civil just now," Lenalee said in surprise.

"Fine whatever, but if you run away, when I find you there will be hell to pay," Kanda growled, "and I will find you." With the threat hanging in the air Kanda left with Lenalee badgering him about how he'd been too harsh with Allen.

xXx

A couple weeks later, found Allen more accustomed to being around the Order. He was still weary of others and that was something that was probably not going to change, but he had fewer breakdowns and didn't run off to hide as often. Despite his preference to avoid physical contact with others, Allen had started to speak more freely.

Allen was probably most comfortable around the Japanese male because of how Kanda seemed to treat everyone the same – threats and curses all around. He had gotten used to the navy haired male's violent tendencies and found it to be rather refreshing. Unlike the cheer everyone seemed to put on to make Allen feel at home, nothing could calm the boy quite like being yelled at by Kanda – the irony of this was not lost on him.

Allen often found himself arguing with Kanda about the stupidest things, especially his name. Was it so difficult to remember a five letter name? After the first day of the ridiculous nickname, Allen came to the conclusion that the older male was just trying to get a rise out of him. And despite himself Allen had begun to expect the playful banter and even look forward to it.

Kanda had no idea when he'd come to enjoy the younger boy's presence but even so he couldn't think of a day going by without provoking the boy into a fit of quarrels. He often told Allen to shut up, 'cause his voice was just too damn annoying but that wasn't entirely true either. Kanda knew Allen would fire up at such a statement and he welcomed it.

Kanda found that the boy was a bit too spirited to be sold about, what with the defiance that he found in those stardust eyes and the way Allen constantly bickered with him about trivial nonsense. The navy haired male looked fondly on the interactions, glad to have the defiant little brat over the broken crybaby any day.

xXx

With dark ominous thunder clouds hovering around HQ, nature seemed to be mimicking the arrival of Inspector Malcolm C. Louvelier, representative of the Vatican. The man had been sent to appraise the situation with the Vatican's newest little pawn.

"Allen this is Inspector Louvelier," Komui said, watching carefully for any sign of trouble should the inspector decided to test Allen in any way. It was no secret that Louvelier was a cruel and unreasonable man. He had no problem torturing people he suspected of being disloyal, or restraining those which don't wish to be a part of the Order despite being accommodators for the innocence – like Lenalee.

"Has he been stabilized?" Louvelier asked.

"Allen has made definite progress," Komui said.

"What is progress without results? How goes his training?" Louvelier asked glancing at the rigid boy.

"He hasn't been training much – he's only recently grown accustomed to life here," Komui said, noting Allen's stiff posture, clearly he was uncomfortable standing beneath Louvelier's scrutinizing gaze.

"Allen Walker," Louvelier said.

"Yes sir," Allen responded quietly.

"Do you know why you're here?" Louvelier asked.

"To lend my skills to the cause sir," Allen said, the unsettling feeling within him growing rapidly.

"Good, and what skills do you have?" Louvelier asked.

"My innocence is parasitic and my eye is cursed," Allen said tensing up as the man approached him.

"Can you fight?" Louvelier asked.

"Yes sir," Allen said.

"Then why aren't you out in the field?" Louvelier asked his voice stern and his gaze hard. Allen was silent, unsure of how to respond. Komui had told him about innocence and akuma and exorcists, though he'd known about akuma long ago and had fought them for a long time because he could do nothing else. Even so he was still sketchy about the inner workings of the Order and how they were sent on assignment.

"You are useless as a weapon if you remain here during the battles," Louvelier spat.

"Inspector, Allen has-" Komui was cut of by a sharp glare from the man before that condescending look turned on Allen.

"You are the prophesized Destroyer of Time and we are just about out of time. The Earl is planning something and we can't afford to be babying a useless whelp if he isn't going to fill his function," Louvelier said.

"I-" Allen started trying desperately to keep his composure. His heart was beating rapidly with his fear, like a small animal he could sense that this man meant as much harm as it seemed and that thought was highly unsettling. There were people within the world who enjoyed watching others suffer and Allen could tell that this man was one of them.

"You what?" Louvelier asked. "This boy is useless as he is now. I'll be taking him back with me where he'll receive proper training."

"Inspector, surely you'll sympathize with his situation," Komui tried to reason with the brutish male, "he's only just grown accustomed to living here-"

"We're in the middle of a war!" Louvelier said having no problem with exercising his authority. "We don't have time for waiting. We need him out on the front lines now and he's not going to get there with you pitying him because of whatever pain he may have been going through. His pain has nothing to do with your job."

"No," Allen said drawing both male's attention. "I'm not going with you."

"You will do as you're told," Louvelier said menacingly.

"I'm not leaving here," Allen said, hands balled into fists at his sides trying to cease his trembling.

"You are a tool, so shut up and act like it!" Louvelier slapped Allen forcefully, leaving a violent flush of red on his pale skin. Silver eyes were wide with shock as they narrowed to pinpoints, his whole body trembling with fear and rage.

"Inspector, that was uncalled for," Komui said as he went to Allen's side only for the boy to recoil and run out of the room in a panic.

"Find him and bring him back, I'm leaving in the morning and I'm taking the boy with me," Louvelier said.

xXx

Stormy skies churned in accordance with nature's volatile wrath. There was unrest at the Black Order and the gods themselves reflected their discouragement in the crying heavens and clashing storm clouds. Drops of liquid vengeance drenched the earth, beating down upon a frail white figure. High upon the Order's roof Allen took refuge amidst the storm, feeling safe engulfed in the chilled rain. No one would think to look for him here. No one would be willing to brave the elements to find a single little useless brat.

As the thunder boomed and rumbled Allen felt his fear abating. Even as the lightning flashed in dangerously close proximity his worries evaporated. And in a brief moment of delirium he could swear he felt the rain turn to arms to caress his shivering form.

xXx

'He should be back now,' Kanda thought, exhaling slowly as he pulled himself off the bed, springs creaking slightly with the shifting of weight. Reever had passed by over an hour ago saying that Komui had requested Allen's presence. Not thinking much of it Kanda had let the boy go on his own. Unless Allen had somehow managed to get himself lost or one of Komui's inventions had gone awry and was at this very moment chasing the poor boy around the science labs with some ridiculous goal, Kanda saw no reason what could be taking the boy so long. Komui never needed to speak to him for more than a couple minutes about how he's doing and if it had been a check up on his innocence Reever would have mentioned it and Kanda would have been there to restrain Allen if need be.

"Inspector please listen to reason, Allen is in no way mentally prepared to be moved elsewhere," Komui said, "the change of environment could send him back to square one." Cobalt eyes narrowed as Kanda heard his supervisor's voice from around the corner. 'Inspector?' Kanda thought for a moment wondering what was going on.

"That boy needs to be going on missions now!" Louvelier said, the familiar voice chilling Kanda's blood – he truly hated this man. Not only was his attitude infuriating but he was a lapdog to the Vatican and took pleasure in rattling his damn authority everywhere he went though he didn't do shit else. "I've already told you that my decision is final. I will be taking Allen Walker back with me and he will be whipped into shape in no time I assure you."

'That bastard,' Kanda thought, hands unconsciously balling into fists.

"Stop wasting time and have someone find him," Louvelier said arrogantly. "I'll not let the boy make me late in leaving this place."

"Inspector Louvelier, Allen has made significant progress in becoming a functional member of the team and I will not allow you to ruin all that in order to sate your ego," Komui said firmly. He knew it was a bad idea to incur this man's wrath but he'd not let Allen be subjected to the same degrading isolation that Lenalee had – if she only knew that this man was here Komui was sure she'd have regressed to her childhood-self and sought refuge meditating with Kanda.

Having heard enough, Kanda trusted that Komuiwould eventually convince that bastard representative for the higher ups interfere with Allen any more than he undoubtedly has done. Komuiwas a fickle person and strangely childish at times but when it came to the administrative side of the Order he was rather trustworthy. 'Moyashi, where are you?' Kanda wondered as he went off in search of the younger boy.

xXx

"Where the hell are you?" Kanda growled in frustration. Allen wasn't in any of the places he normally hid. Kanda had been around most of the Order by now and had successfully found that Louvelier had left rather huffily, but no foolish Moyashi who should be celebrating and thanking Komui for getting rid of the bastard.

While stalking past the stairs up to the roof Kanda paused wondering momentarily if Allen would have gone out there in the storm. Deciding that the boy was just stupid enough to do something like that Kanda made his way up the stairs pausing as he found a completely drenched and trembling white haired figure.

The boy's clothing clung at his lithe form, hanging off as water dripped unceremoniously from the clothing; his white hair was just as wet of not worse, plastered against the boy's head, bangs shading his eyes in wet silk curtains. Allen was standing, appearing to have just come inside, indicative by the open roof access door just behind him.

"Baka Moyashi," Kanda muttered as he shrugged off his jacket, moving forward only to stop as Allen stumbled back in fright, movements sharp and uncalculated.

"Oi be careful!" Kanda exclaimed as Allen continued to retreat back, tripping on the door frame and landing in a puddle with a splash and yelp of mixed pain and surprise. Sighing Kandawalked over to Allen and crouched at his side tilting his chin up to make eye contact. Just as he'd suspected, Allen's eyes were glassy and dilated – not entirely aware of his surroundings but acutely attentive to movement.

"Listen, it's me Kanda and I'm going to take you back to the room now," Kanda said slowly, pausing as he noted the bluish tint on the boy's left cheek. Carefully Kanda brushed a calloused hand over the flesh, anger boiling within him as the boy cringed from the touch. 'That bastard hit him,' Kanda fumed.

Draping his jacket over Allen, Kanda scooped him into his arms, relieved when the boy didn't start flailing. Allen shivered in his arms, pale hands fisting in the folds of the older male's shirt as he was carried through the halls.

xXx

"You should have come back here instead of running off to hide in the damn storm," Kanda reprimanded as he stripped Allen of his soaked clothing, eyes tracing the soft milky skin as it was exposed. Allen was beautiful Kanda mused briefly as he toweled off his damp skin and slid his arms through the sleeves of one of his shirts, quickly buttoning it up and smirking at his handiwork. Allen was really petite, Kanda's shirt reaching him almost to his knees and the sleeves covering his small hands.

"Louvelier's a bastard, but you could have handled the situation better," Kanda said as he placed Allen on his bed and pulled the covers up over him. 'You probably aren't even hearing a word I'm saying' Kanda thought as he ran a hand through Allen's still rather wet hair.

"I'll be back soon," Kanda said as he stood, heading to the door. The boy needed to warm up or else he was going to get sick. The navy haired male made his way through the halls towards the cafeteria, wondering whether to get Allen soup or tea – the most baffling choice of the day.

xXx

"Kanda," Allen groaned softly as he sat up in bed, brows knitted together and lips drawn into a frown as he noted several facts: he was on Kanda's bed, there was someone knocking at the door, and Kanda was no where to be seen. As Allen pondered over his situation an image of Louvelier flashed in his mind and the panic overtook him. Sliding to the floor, bringing several sheets with him in his haste Allen crawled under the bed, curling into a ball as he tried to calm his racing heart and control his breathing which had begun to come in erratic gasps – fear was a rather incapacitating emotion.

After a few minutes Allen noted the footsteps fading as they descended down the hallway and his breathing slowly returned to normal. Still he remained where he was, too frightened to move. If that man found him, he'd be taken away from this place and these people.

xXx

When Kanda returned he almost dropped the tray in his agitation at the rumpled bed and empty room. Resting the tray down he dashed out in search of the young boy feeling far too annoyed to be safe for anyone who happened to cross his path. 'Where'd that damn brat go off to now?' Kanda wondered as he searched the Order for the second time in less than two hours.

Having had no luck in finding Allen, Kanda returned to the room in a foul mood, glaring heatedly at the empty bed. 'Damn kid couldn't stay still for ten minutes' Kanda mentally cursed his annoyance as he went through all the places Allen could have been.

As he thought Kanda heard a soft panting, rupturing the silence of the room and followed the sound to the bed. Lifting the fallen sheets he peered beneath it to see Allen cowering in a small ball, teary silver eyes clenched shut and hands over his mouth as if trying to stifle his sobs.

"Moyashi," Kanda said drawing the boy's attention.

"I thought it was that man," Allen whimpered, sobs chocking his words. Sighing with an unchecked relief at seeing the boy safe, albeit rather out of sorts, Kanda reached under the bed, hand outstretched for Allen to take it.

"He's already left," Kanda said. "Komui already kicked that bastard out of here." Silver eyes sought clarification in Kanda's uncharacteristically soft cobalt eyes. Tentatively Allen reached out, taking hold of Kanda's warm, calloused hand, allowing himself to be pulled from the dark confines.

"Sorry," Allen whispered as he was placed back on the bed.

"Shut up," Kanda grumbled, "just drink this and get yourself warmed up."

It was at that moment that Kanda could have sworn this child was favored by the gods. A soft smile illuminated his tear streaked infantile face with such sincere gratitude that Kanda would have chocked on the glow the boy was emanating had it been physically possible.

xXx

Later that evening a finder came by to inform Kanda of a mission that he and Allen were to be sent on soon and to see Komui for the details.

Komui hadn't wanted to send Allen out on a mission so soon but it was the only way he could get Louvelier to leave the cursed boy in his care.

"If he's making so much progress then prove it, if he doesn't start wracking up missions then I will be taking him back."

If Allen had been taken away he'd undoubtedly regress and if a couple easy missions could keep the boy in a healthy environment Komui would send him on them – it was far better than letting him get tortuously trained and forcibly isolated when he tried to run away.

xXx

"Stop fussing will you," Kanda sighed as he took a seat beside Allen. The young boy had been fidgeting since they'd gotten on the train. Why Komui believed the boy should be sent anywhere, Kanda would never know. Sure Allen had gotten used to being around the Order and had become marginally stabilized but he was in no way ready to go anywhere, especially after that shit with Louvelier.

"Sorry," Allen mumbled as he stilled his hands, trembling slightly from restraining his anxiety from taking a physical form. Kanda's eyes hardened at the piteously apologetic look on the boy's infantile face.

"You're really quiet today," Kanda observed. Having been the boy's keeper for the past two months Kandahad come to realize the boy was far from submissive, sometimes seeming to do everything just to piss him off. The challenge in the silver eyes had made Kanda's heart race – a rush of adrenaline – and the older male found himself seeking a rise out of the smaller boy. There was nothing that caused the cursed boy to flame than calling him Moyashi. Kanda had more than once mused on how entertaining the boy was, lips pursed, brows furrowed and cheeks flushed a flattering pink. Despite being highly spirited Kanda noticed when Allen's behavior would mellow out. At first the Japanese male had thought the boy was just ill but it became clear to him that something had brought up some unwanted memories. At these times Allen would usually hide himself away somewhere where nobody was able to find him.

"Why must I go to London as well?" Allen asked. Another thing Kanda had noticed about his charge was that he tried not to inconvenience anyone – always suffering alone. Here he was heading out on a mission to a place that, Kanda now realized, he was weary about going to.

"It's an easy mission and Komui felt it was time that you got away from the Order for a bit," Kanda said. Allen was silent as he mulled over the response.

"Is there something about London that you dislike?" Kanda asked. His tone was distant, as if he didn't really care if his question was answered or not. He'd be lying though, if he said he wasn't even the tiniest bit interested in the boy's past and how he had ended up as an item for auction.

Kanda hadn't expected the boy to answer so it wasn't much of a surprise when Allen's gaze was drawn to the window and silence once again settled over the compartment.

xXx

The mission was simple: get in collect the innocence from the finder and get out. There hadn't been any reports of akuma involvement so there shouldn't have been as many as there were. The swarm of creatures had descended on the two exorcists as they had retrieved the glowing fragment of God's cube. Kanda had set straight to destroying the creatures, hoping that Allen wouldn't do anything drastic having assumed this was the first time Allen was seeing the creatures. Much to Kanda's surprise Allen was fighting more capably than he thought possible.

Allen was no stranger to akuma, nor the tortured souls writhing within them begging to be set free. He was out of practice but such things weren't easily forgotten and he soon had no difficulty eradicating the pitiful creatures. Pity twisted the sinews of Allen's heart as he released the final soul from its violent imprisonment.

"You did pretty good out there," Kanda said as he walked ahead of Allen on the way back to the inn they were staying in. 'A successful first mission,' Kanda mused, 'who'd have thought that he'd be so used to fighting these things.'

On the way back to the inn Allen caught a whiff of something familiar on the breeze, like petroleum and burning asphalt. The anxiety slowly began to creep up on him, chocking on the bile that rose in his throat. Before he could turn away and save himself the building hysteria, silver eyes caught a glimpse of a frightfully familiar building through the narrow alleyways.

Dark rust red brick walls chipped and worn with age, hollow dirt encrusted windows hiding the darkness that it held inside. Allen could almost hear the screams resounding through its abandoned structure and into the surrounding city streets – an unholy testament of shame and innumerable hours of torture.

Hastening his pace, Allen passed Kanda, head down and heart pounding with the rising feelings of nausea. Cobalt eyes followed the boy with an unspoken question, glancing around briefly in hopes of seeing what had made the boy so tense. As far as Kanda could see, the only things in the vicinity were abandoned buildings and old cobblestone streets.

xXx

Upon returning to the inn, Kanda went to take a shower in the adjoining room. Allen hadn't said a word since they'd returned and he supposed the boy needed some time alone to think, seeing as there was little to no chance that Allen would chose to confide in him.

'Why now?' Allen wondered as he lay upon his bed, eyes clouded by the fear encroaching upon him through the darkness of the room. When Kanda opened the door, light spilled into the room, illuminating everything in a strange glow.

"You should turn on a light or two or else you'll fall over something," Kanda said as he walked out, long inky locks hanging over his shoulders. Allen's eyes narrowed momentarily before widening as reality fragmented with images playing in his mind – the figure obscured by the darkness of the room and him on the bed, slightly disoriented from the clawing fear in the back of his mind and the delirium dragging him under its deceptive veil.

A scream pierced the stillness of the room as Allen flew into hysterics.

xXx

"Let go!" Allen yelled as he struggled with bruising force to escape Kanda's arms.

"Calm down," Kanda said as he held the boy tightly against him.

"No!" Allen cried. "Let go!" The boy continued thrashing wildly in Kanda's arms, tears streaming down his face. Kanda had absolutely no idea what had set the boy off or what he could possibly do to calm him down.

"Please," Allen begged brokenly as he futilely continued to resist. "Let go!"

"Stop struggling damn it!" Kanda hissed pinning Allen to the ground, using his own body weight to keep the boy down.

"Get off!" Allen cried as his silver eyes widened to large silver discs and his breathing became heavy and labored.

"Listen to me," Kanda said stiffly as he continued to restrain the boy. "You're safe with me."

"No," Allen whimpered even as his strength was leaving him.

"Allen, you're safe with me," Kanda said again more firmly. Allen's movements stilled as he felt Kanda's reassuring words wash over him. Even so his sobs didn't cease. After a few moments Kanda was sure that Allen wouldn't start fighting again and he sat up bringing the sobbing boy into his arms. He offered no more soothing words, simply holding him.

After what seemed like hours, Allen's sobs died away and he just remained in Kanda's arms, clinging desperately to the older male's clothing.

"You okay now?" Kanda asked though he didn't attempt to move for fear of setting the boy off again. Allen said nothing, grip tightening on Kanda's shirt briefly before he roughly pushed out of his arms, huddling his knees to his chest, back facing the navy haired male.

"Do you need anything?" Kanda asked making to stand, noting how Allen tensed up at the movement. Kanda caught the response wearily wondering why something as simple as standing would cause the boy any further discomfort but stilled himself none the less.

"N-n-no," Allen stuttered softly.

"You should get some rest," Kanda said glancing over at the bed wondering how to go about getting the boy to move that distance when clearly he had no intention of budging unless to shuffle closer to the wall and farther away from any sort of living organism. 'He'd probably fly into a panic if a mouse ran past him' Kanda mused as he fixed his gaze upon the cowering boy. "Go over to the bed, you'll catch a draft if you fall asleep on the floor."

"No," Allen said quickly, "can't sleep."

"Fine, I'm going to go get dinner so you just wait here," Kanda said turning to the door.

"No!" Allen exclaimed, shocking Kanda into ceasing mid-stride and turning back to look at the boy, "don't leave…please." When Kanda didn't say anything Allen seemed to think the older male was going to leave anyway and stood, delicate white brows knitting together as an utterly desperate look set into his infantile features.

'Where am I?' Dazed silver eyes scanned the dark room. Head throbbing with a mind splitting pain, pale hands clasped over his ears in a vain attempt to block out the white noise blaring about him. 'A bed' he thought as he took in the soft yet firm mattress he was on, and the metal bed rails his leg brushed against as he moved.

"This place…don't want to be alone here," Allen said, an urgent plea shimmering in silver pools.

A click sounded and silver eyes became very aware of the madly grinning male, whose features were obscured by shadows. Dangerously maniacal aura crackling, pale legs drew closer to a thin body, shuffling back against the headboard in fearful apprehension.

"Good, you're up," a rough insanity drunken voice said, spurring the need to flee as the pale boy slid from the bed and dashed for the door in a blind panic. A balefully psychotic look crossed the man's face as solid metal came into contact with his skull, vision becoming fragmented as he fought off the wave of nausea that comes with vertigo.

"This room?" Kanda asked. If it was just the room that was making the boy so uncomfortable, he had no problem going elsewhere. Though it would be a hassle, he was willing to try to accommodate the younger boy if only to put his mind at ease.

Flung unceremoniously onto the bed, metal clasps around slim wrists. He tries to move, tries to bring his limbs closer to huddle against the headboard or hide beneath the sheets, a stabbing sensation ripped through his body as violent jerks did nothing to retract his limbs from their chained position. Metal biting into pale flesh as he refused to register the fact that no amount of struggling would get him free. Damnable laughter echoed through the room as the grinning face came into view again.

"London," Allen answered after a moment of contemplation.

Dread fills veins, adrenaline pumping violently as the fear increased. Hands roaming, gripping, bruising – feeling every contour of the porcelain skin as cries of agony tore from pale lips, tears freely flowing down pale cheeks.

"Please stop!" the words fall on deaf ears as the man laughs only louder as he continues exploring every inch of his specimen. A slim silver scalpel is retrieved from the rustic dresser.

"It won't hurt if you hold still," the grin grew.

"No! Let go of me!" Screams of terror ripped from raw throat as the body thrashed violently against his bindings, skin splitting against the unyielding metal.

'What the hell happened to him here?' Kanda wondered but nodded and moved away from the door. Allen had yet to make a show of what he wanted so Kanda remained still, watching the emotions flicker across the boy's face.

"Shhhh just hold still," the blade is placed down on the dresser again; a syringe is fished out of the drawer, a small rusted box accompanying it. Silver eyes dilated to pinpoints as all encompassing fear raked over him in violent waves, manifested in physical and verbal hysteria.

"Yellow makes you weak," the syringe is filled with liquid from the amber bottle with the yellow label. The needle pinches as it is inserted into the boy's arm, and the fluid is injected into him with a deliberate sort of slowness. The thrashing becomes less the breathing becomes slow, his eyes glass over.

"Do you want to sit down?" Kanda asked frowning as he cautiously approached the younger boy who had become despondent, as if lost in thought.

"No, get off," the plea causes the man's face to split with unbridled amusement as he has mounted the boy and brings the blade to his face, tracing over the already existing scar with a sick kind of precision.

"Shhh hold still, it'll be over soon," the sound is lost to the screams of agony reverberating off the hollow walls.

"Moyashi," Kanda prodded before resting his hands on thin shoulders gently.

"Brown makes you sleepy," bloody blade lying haphazardly on the table, tears stinging against the mutilated flesh as the syringe is filled with liquid from the amber bottle with the brown label. The needle pinches again as it is jabbed into bruised flesh, fluid injected into the sedated boy.

It doesn't work immediately first the pain is unbearable, sobs wracking the minutely convulsing body.

"Shhhh count backwards, 10…9…8…" the man coached as silver eyes fluttered closed, consciousness escaping him.

"Oi," Kanda said more urgently when the boy not only didn't scramble away from his touch in a panic, but had his legs give out beneath him. "What's wrong?"

Blinking as silver opens to the same hollow darkness, he curls into a ball, hands no longer bound to the bed rails…wait….no bed. The floor is cold and smells of grease and the bitterly metallic copper laced rust – blood. The man is nowhere to be seen. The first rising of a naïve hope rushes through the boy, giving life to his frail body as he attempts to escape the ruddy old basement.

"Hurts," Allen whimpered.

"Think you could get out did you?" The laughter is low and frightfully joyous as a pale hand is wrenched behind his back head lolling backwards as a scream pierced the stillness of the room. Tears spilling from tarnished silver eyes, the man's tongue licks up from the base of the pale neck to the scar, saliva and saline streams burning in the freshly opened scar.

"What hurts?" Kanda asked carefully lifting Allen and placing him on the bed.

A yelp of startled horror falls from blood painted lips, white locks gripped violently wrenched back as the man drinks in the anguish with blissful abandon.

"Won't try to run away again…please don't," Allen whimpered.

"I know you won't," the laughter erupts from the man – he knows he's won. Fearfully trembling disgusted and utterly degraded a collar is slapped around the blue-black skin of his once unblemished neck.

"Come bitch, there's work to be done," the laughter stops but the devilish grin is sill there.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kanda asked.

Flashes of his time spent under that man's rule spun through the endless reel of torment playing in Allen's mind.

"It's cold…so cold here," Allen said curling into a ball.

"My murderer, you know it's all your fault," painfully familiar laughter resounded as the chain is yanked forward lips crushing violently against pale dusty ones. "What a beautiful little glutton for punishment you are."

"No it wasn't…I didn't-" Allen cut himself off as his head whipped to the side, eyes clenched shut as if he'd been hit.

"Liar!" A hand drew back smacking Allen deftly across his cheek, leaving an angry red, somewhat hand shaped mark in its wake.

"No! Stop!" Allen screamed as he scrambled backwards 'till his back was against the wall and began slamming his head into the dry wall.

"Punish yourself," the man snarled, silver eyes staring down the barrel of a forty-four caliber magnum revolver.

"Baka!" Kanda growled as he shoved a pillow behind Allen's head to prevent the loss of any more brain cells. Kanda had no idea what was going on. Allen wasn't violent in anything but avoiding contact, so why did he suddenly start ramming his skull into the wall?

"I got into some shit but you turned out to be quite useful," the man laughed "I sold you, all your wounds are healed up so no one should be able to tell the difference."

"Let go!" The yells, the cries and the apprehension was awakened all anew as the boy was roughly dragged from the laughing maniac.

"Kanda," Allen cried as he held his head as if in pain, "want to go back." Feeling furious, unfamiliar emotions of concern and pity Kanda drew the boy into his arms, pale hands latching onto him as if trying to hide away from the phantoms haunting him.

"We'll go back tomorrow, just hold out until morning," Kanda said rubbing circles on the small of Allen's back in attempts to soothe him. And for the first time in several years Allen found himself seeking out comfort in another's touch or presence. Silver eyes stared up into cobalt with a well of uncertainty as he curled against the Japanese male, eyes closing as sleep claimed him.

Kanda stared down at the pale boy in his arms and sighed in relief that Allen had finally settled down and would get at least some rest.

xXx

Morning came, bringing with it millions of questions that had a chance to from in Kanda's mind as he held Allen. Over the course of the night he'd shifted on the bed and woke to find Allen was still nestled into his arms, slack fingers still somewhat griping his clothing. The biggest question was what had happened to send the boy into such a fit? He'd been fine albeit a bit antsy until Kanda had come out of the shower. And as far as the navy haired male could tell, no one had been in the room but Allen.

The unbridled fear that had been present in Allen's eyes and actions had been so disconcerting that Kanda had felt his own sort of panic rising within him. He hadn't even realized how tense he'd been until the relief came when Allen finally fell asleep.

Allen stirred in his sleep, shifting into the warm arms encasing him and nuzzling his face into the crook of Kanda's neck. The soft breathing tickled the older male's skin causing an unfamiliar heat to course through his veins. Brushing it Kanda realized Allen was awake when the boy mumbled an apology groggily.

"You don't have any reason to be sorry," Kanda said arms slackening in case Allen felt the need to distance himself.

"But last night-" Allen started.

"You were terrified of something," Kanda finished. "Are you alright now?" Allen nodded, snowy locks brushing against Kanda's skin.

The two fell into silence again as Kandawondered how to approach the subject without Allen becoming defensive. From the time he'd spent with Allen, Kandacould tell that he was very secretive about his past. Even when Komuihad tried to givehim counseling sessions to find out more about him and perhaps give the boy some peace of mind, Allen hadn't divulged anything about how he came to be an auction item or what his life was like before that.

"Kanda, can we go home now?" Allen asked softly as he pulled away from the older male, silver eyes shinning with mixed emotions of anxiety, desperation and hope.

"Yeah," Kanda said as Allen slid from his arms. "You won't tell me what triggered that panic-attack last night will you?" Allen froze at the posed question as his mind reeled from the images and memories he'd managed to suppress.

"Please," Allen said sounding much too broken to not be pitied. "Want to go home." Sighing Kanda stood from the bed resting a hand on Allen's shoulder as gesture of understanding before heading off to deal with their departure.

xXx

The train ride back to HQ was rather quiet, Allen choosing to keep close to Kanda's side even as there were only the two of them in the compartment.

"About last night," Allen said unsure of how to breech the subject but knowing he owed Kanda some sort of explanation. "I…when we were…argh…" Allen ruffled his hair in frustration. Kanda sat patiently awaiting whatever the boy had to say, realizing that he must be damn lucky to have Allen decide to confide in him of all people – not that it was such a surprise what with him being the closest one to Allen since he'd arrived at the Order.

"I wasn't always like this," Allen said after much deliberation. "Up until four years ago I was doing my own exorcist work. I had known of akuma and the Earl and that my arm was an anti-akuma weapon but I hadn't known about innocence and the Black Order."

'Well that explains his fighting skills,' Kanda thought.

"Then while I was out visiting my foster father's grave I don't really know what hit me but by the time I came to consciousness I was in some old building. There was a guy...he was my first master. I was used to fighting akuma and because of my cursed eye I can see them and don't have to worry about regular humans. I'venever once had to suspect another human of being dangerous and I suppose that was my biggest problem," Allen paused as his hands clenched into fists before loosening again in a repetitivemotion. "Things are all fine when they follow normal patterns, but I was so thrown by the fact that I was being attacked by a human that I just could function…I forgot about my innocence and about how to protect myself…it wasn't difficult to break me. Even so, he'd been the only one I'd ever been even marginally submissive to."

Allen sought out Kanda's hand, after finding no comfort in the empty motions, relief washing through him as he took courage from feeling the warm calloused hand gripping his own.

"In the first couple of hours of being in that man's presence he traced over the scar on my cursed eye with a scalpel and that just threw me as far from my senses as one could imagine. That was all it took for him to have complete control over me. I tried to escape when I woke up but that was a bust," Allen almost laughed at the memory of how futile his attempt had been. "I was that man's lapdog for three years until he got into some debt and decided to sell me to clear it. After that I was shuffled around about ten times before I ended up in the auction house. Each time the person would get fed up of me because I wasn't the obedient little bitch that they'd been promised. And then I was sold to the Order and you know the rest from there."

"But last night you went crazy," Kanda said carefully gauging Allen for any sign that the boy would up and run away.

"When we were coming back from collecting the innocence I caught a glimpse of the building I'd been holed up in for those three years," Allen muttered. "London is a place I'd rather not return to if I had a choice."

"Baka Moyashi," Kanda said pulling Allen to lean against him. "Next time just say that you don't want to go back to the place where all your damnably dark memories were born. No one's going to hold it against you if you don't want to go back but how the hell are we supposed to know if you don't tell us shit."

Allen was silent as his grip on Kanda's hand tightened as of to assure himself the male was real.

"This is the first time you've said so much," Kanda said, "you sure you're not dying or something from the shock Moyashi?" Allen blinked as he looked up to see the same condescending smirk on Kanda's lips and a smile blossomed on his features to match.

"BaKanda, are you sure all this concern isn't going to kill your image?" Allen countered feeling more comfortable with the Japanese male than he even remembered being with Mana. "Who knows, if word got out that you're not a cold hearted bastard then maybe you'll have more people crying on your shoulder."

"Che, you better hope not, else I'm blaming that shit on you," Kanda growled none too pleased by the notion of having more whiny people to deal with. One was more than enough.

Though much of Allen Walker remained a mystery Kanda had been gifted with a certain level of trust that he was sure didn't come easy. Though the path ahead promised many more unsettling memories and tough trials arising from the situation with the Earl, Kanda was willing to stand beside Allen through it all – unfortunately for him, he'd grown much too fond of the boy to let him out of his sights.

No matter the pains or struggles the sun always rises to dispel the darkness. Sometimes it just takes a little longer than usual.

End

A/N: As it turns out I had a sudden burst of inspiration and my fingers were struggling to keep up with the words that were waiting to be typed. I don't know where this one came from but it pretty much wrote itself after I drafted out the skeleton. I didn't even know how I was going to end it until the word end appeared on the screen.

I was trying to go for some serious desperation, though I had in mind more plans for this one it came to a startlingly optimistic conclusion with allusions of yummy perils and obstacles ahead. There wasn't much in the way of love between the couple I adore throwing into random situations, but hopefully it was satisfying enough.

Anyway thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed my works.

Comments are welcomed – they make me happy :)