TITLE: THE CAVE (Part 4 of 4 Parts)

AUTHOR: darket15

RATING: T

PAIRING: Kanda/Allen

THEME AND DAY: PART IV — LIVING ON A PRAYER

GENRE: Romance/Humor

BETA READER: yullenai – Thank you for reviewing at the last minute.

WARNING: Boy/Boy; Not Canon

SUMMARY: YULLEN WEEK 2012 – Part IV – 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.'

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

A/N: Yullen Week 2012 – Day 7 ~ Theme: LIVING ON A PRAYER ~ Happy Birthday Kanda and Allen. Thank you everyone who have read and supported me with this story. Your comments have been received whole heartedly.

THE CAVE – PART IV ~ LIVING ON A PRAYER

Running blindly, not wanting anyone to see him, he 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 just my imagination running away with me?' He strains his ears and eyes, breaking out in a cold sweat. 'It must be the fever. I'm sure they didn't see or sense me,' Allen's mind is frantically thinking.

Footsteps! Far away but are getting closer, 'they're coming for me.' A shiny, gleaming object is in their hands. 'Who are they? I hear the footsteps, see the gleam, but see nothing or anything! What's happening?' Allen strains his eyes to see in the darkness, sweat running down his fore head, and his heart pounding in his chest.

Allen flees from his hiding place frenzied, drops of rain strike his face as he walks quickly, stumbling as he looks back through the thick, gray fog settling. 'I'm bleeding again.' Allen notices as dark, red blood stains his shirt. The gauze bandages he stole, he places beneath those that are already there and pushes on the wound.

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

'Everything around me has an eerie feeling about it. 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's ready to burst.'

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

Looking 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 staring at him. Allen backs away from her, tripping on the cobble stones, he turns and runs.

He stops to catch his breath again, his chest tight and painful inhaling the damp air. It's 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.

Go he tells me … get out of here … this should be enough money to get an apartment until Kanda can find you. Don't contact me, don't let me know where you are, it'll be too dangerous if they truth serum me. Go … go find the one you love and have a life with him … 'he smiled at me; Link, he smiled – I've never seen him smile before.'

Tears fill Allen's eyes, tripping over a shiny can. It sparks as it rolls around. 'I can't believe this is happening, Kanda, please find me.' He stumbles, and again starts to run.

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

Reaching his landing, he turns to walk down to his apartment. The scattered beer cans and wine bottles he steps over, and kicks personal items away from his door. 'I need to lie down. I'm feeling faint, my stomach sick.'

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 finding the switch, flicks it on. Light swells quickly in the room. Looking around he sees no Kanda waiting for him. Everything is here, nothing has changed. He walks in and without turning around, closes the door. He stands there 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 sitting 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. 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 its too late, but he can't. 'What if by some miracle it's Kanda.'

Slowly he approaches the bedroom door, his heart pounding against his chest. He rests his hand on the cool, brass knob, and slowly turns it clockwise and pushes it wide open.

A streak of light shines across the bed to where a body lies atop 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. Suddenly, the body rolls over facing him – his 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?'

Slowly, Kanda's eyes open, blinks twice as if to see if Allen is real. He keeps gazing at him as he slowly sits up, fearing if he takes his eyes off him he'd disappear. His beautiful dark blues eyes widen with surprise staring at him.

'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 his long, black hair glow in the darkness of his room. He raises himself from the edge of the bed, his well built body projects as a silhouette. 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 didn't advance to each other; it's as if both are held in a trance. No words are necessary. They communicate with their eyes, their hearts.

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

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

Kanda lifts Allen 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 his body next to his as Kanda's long, slender fingers stroke his hair, gazing at him.

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

'I'm dazed, this moment feels surreal, but it is real, my beloved Kanda's lying next to me,' Allen sighs, gazing into Kanda's eyes.

"I'm sorry if I frighten you. I wasn't sure I trusted my own eyes," his low, but 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'd promised to come find you. I keep my promises," Kanda says, emotions of his own swelling 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 the 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?' My 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, cradles him and kisses the top of his head. 'I didn't realize I was crying. With his strong arms around me, I feel safe. Kanda's here, with me again, everything will be easier now.'

I search for his 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. Looking down, the wound has opened up and is bleeding again as fresh dark, red blood seeps through the bandages, re-wetting his shirt.

Kanda quickly sets up tearing the sheet covering them. Opening Allen's shirt, he unwinds the wrapping holding the bandages in place, panic shows on his 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 leans down and kisses him.

"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.

"Okay … I'll wait … I won't go anywhere," Allen smiles, trying to tease him, though Kanda could see the anxiety in his face.

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

One last, long passionate kiss he leaves me with, 'I'm tired, actually I'm exhausted.' Kanda puts his hands over Allen's eyes closing his lids and he falls asleep.

'I must have slept all day, because Kanda's not in the room and its dark', except for the flashing on and off of the neon light.

'I'll rest my eyes a minute longer – 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 becomes stiff from staying in one position too long listening. Beads of sweat run down his forehead as he sees the door slowly opening.

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

Before Allen could react, the slim figure comes at him grabbing his neck, choking him. Allen fights, kicking and hitting at him, but he's too weak. The sharp stabbing pain in his side is intolerable, only weakens him more.

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

Kanda and Komui enter the apartment only to hear commotion going on in the bedroom. Kanda rushes to the door to see a silhouette of an intruder's hands leaving Allen's neck, and the butt of a gun handle come down hitting him on the head.

A growl escapes Kanda's throat as rage overflows in him seeing Allen's lifeless body laying on the bed with blood oozing down his face, brought on insanity.

In an instant, Kanda sprang at the intruder from where he stood. Grabbing him by the back of his neck Kanda turns him around to face him. All you could 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 stands 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 who's ready to kill his prey. Kanda's eyes flash "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 the Order. Let him go."

Kanda slowly and carefully pulls his sword away from the intruder's throat with all the control he could muster. Through gritted 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 are whirling 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 laid 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 has never seen before, "I almost lost him … forever Komui. I can't lose him again …"

Kanda looks over at Allen, "Komui, I've decided I'm taking Bean Sprout 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 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.

Awaking again, Komui is sitting 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.

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

Kanda tries to make light of the situation, saying, "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 disheartened.

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 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 says, reminding him 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.

"Uh, sure Kanda," Allen says, smiling, hardly believing his ears – Kanda wants to live with him.

"Now, what I was going to ask … 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 angrily shouts 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 them? 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 for Allen pulls him 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, blushing, 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 says, in his superior voice, one that doesn't bother Allen at all today.

After the ceremony, Komui and Link wonder if their kiss would ever end. It's as if they forgot the other two were in the same room.

"Ahem!" Komui clears his voice.

"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, at least until we can get this mess with Rouvelier straighten out."

"Right Komui," Kanda says, still gazing into Allen's eyes.

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."

To be continued as The Cave: Continuum