#randomcuteotaku

There’s blood everywhere. So much blood. Enemies, comrades, anyone close to Allen has fallen at the former exorcist’s hands.

No, he’s not Allen anymore. It’s not even Neah. It’s the Noah, the all-consuming Noah. The destroyer of time. The destroyer of everything.

The scene overlaps with another – one from so, so long ago. Blood, bodies, AlmaAllenAlma smiling and killing and the stench of blood. Oh god, the stench of blood. And the lotuses. The damnable lotuses. He almost wishes they could drown out the scene before him now.

Lavi and Lenalee have long since fallen to Allen, no, Neah’s, sword. Johnny, Komui, so many others that Allen cared about. That Kanda cared about, in his own way. In the center of it all remains the two of them. Kanda knows he owes the beansprout this last promise. He deserves this much from him. 

‘I don’t want to be the only one left alive.’

The noah – Allen? Neah? – turns to him. Desperate and crazed and consumed by fate. He raises Mugen.

‘Goddamnit, beansprout. Goddamnit.’

This thing is no longer Allen. It’s an enemy that needs to be cut down. And he will do it without hesitation. He knows this with absolute certainty as he looks into gold eyes.

Suddenly gold is silver – familiar, damningly familiar silver.

“Kanda… please.”

‘Dammit dammit dammit.’

He was prepared to kill a noah. But not him. Not when he’s Allen.

Allen moves – everything is almost in slow motion – and he’s throwing himself on Kanda’s sword. Just like when Neah was awakened the first time. Except this time Allen’s skin doesn’t turn grey. He just leans against Kanda, and brings his face close to Kanda’s ear.

“Thank you. I’m sorry.”

And then Kanda pulls his sword out and Allen collapses in front of him. The smell of blood-drenched lotus clings to him, follows him, clogs his nose and mouth until it’s hard to breathe.

His hands are soaked in crimson, and he doesn’t know if it’s an illusion or reality anymore.

“Goddamnit.”

"The red-faced guy who just flew past? Yep."

"Why was he hopping like that? Was that a limp? I hope he and Kanda weren't fighting again…" The clipboard previously held firmly to her chest dropped loose at her side.

"It might be a little more complicated than a 'fight,' from what I can tell." All Lavi had to go on were first impressions, but his eye was keener than most. "I expect they'll be back to normal in a minute, though…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She narrowed her eyes. "Spill it, Lavi."

Mugen drawn, a wrathful Kanda stumbled through the hallway now, evoking all the warmth and calm of a rain of hailstones. "IDIOT BEAN SPROUT, COME BACK HERE!"

"Now there, that was almost normal."

"Uh huh," Lenalee sighed. "I bet you think I didn't notice."

Lavi's eyebrows perked up with interest.

"His clothes. They were too short— in the arms and legs."

"Yes. Yes they were. Very good eye, Miss Lenalee Lee."

She poked a playful, accusing finger at her counterpart's chin; "Don't you underestimate me, Lavi Bookman… Junior."

***

Finally managing to reach his room, Allen sighed in relief.

Now what the bloody hell am I supposed to do with these clothes?

"Goddamnit, Beansprout!" Kanda was closing in fast. Well at least they could do something about the situation now.

"Shut it, Idiot Kanda!" He shouted through his door. "If you do, I'll let you in here to change clothes, okay?"

Oh what am I thinking, it’s Kanda! He'll just— Allen opened the door just in time to block Kanda's slash at it with his left arm. "What do you think you're doing to my door?"

"Give back my clothes!"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up and I would do that? Oh never mind, just get inside, will you?"

He made room for Kanda to enter. Thankfully, he finally resheathed Mugen at this point.

"The hell are you doing wearing my stuff?"

"Obviously I couldn't see what I was putting on when the light went out in the baths, you git!"

"It's your fault it went out in the first place!"

"Your sword cut the lantern apart."

"You pushed my arm that way."

"Okay it's both of us at fault, all right? Now take your clothes and go!"

"You… have to get out of them first… loser…" Kanda grumbled at the floor.

"Gladly… so get out of mine… y-you ass."

"Tch. As if you need to ask!"

Without further words, they turned backs to each other and began to undress. Once Allen was down to nothing but Kanda's dress shirt; Kanda only left trying to peel Allen's pant legs off again, Allen couldn't help looking (again), only to find Kanda staring right back.

Kanda smirked, eyes darting below and back up to Allen's eyes again. "My shirt is like a dress on you, bean sprout."

"Says the guy who's all bent over, trying to pull off my trousers." His face reddened in his horror at what he said. "And I told you downstairs, it's ALLEN!"

Though not the best idea at the time, the young Exorcist lunged in a fit of embarrassment and frustration, pinning his rival to the floor with his own pair of pants. Yet Allen had barely a moment to relish this triumph before he was flipped right over; arms now bound with Kanda's shirtsleeves. Allen gulped a little as he realized he was liking this position a little more than he probably should. Yet he also noticed the intensity of Kanda's stare and the way it kept wandering all over his body. He swallowed hard while Kanda chewed at his own lip.

Kanda biting his lip?

***