Kanda and Alma waited along with Link when Allen disappeared during the school day on Wednesday. They discover something is… off about the way Link treats Allen, but are made to leave before they can dig deeper. Thursday, Allen took advantage of Lenalee's curiosity to avoid Kanda and Alma, but they're tired of waiting, now.

Cave of Poppies

Chapter 13

Thursday

"Fucking asshole!"

Kanda threw another stuffed animal against the wall, grasping a book next when the impact wasn't satisfying enough. He chunked that and it slammed against the wall with an echoing thwack.

"I can't fucking believe him!"

He reached Alma's shelves of knick knacks and forcibly stopped himself, grasping the ledges with his hands, chest heaving.

"Are you done?" Alma asked icily, watching him from his seat at his desk.

That inflamed Kanda's anger and he grabbed some strange ragdoll Alma had made and aimed for Alma's head. Alma easily caught the stuffed creature, settling it in his lap.

Kanda stormed to Alma's bed and sat roughly, palming his face.

"He's so fucking aggravating, I can't stand him!"

He could hear Alma move, and the bed dipped beside him. Kanda allowed Alma to remove his hands, meeting his blank face. No anger, no smiles. Simply there.

"I'm going to grab some water," Alma said when the moments stretched into minutes. "Pick this up."

Kanda was tempted to snap 'no', but the anger that'd exploded had finally collapsed, and he looked at the mess of Alma's room he'd made. Right.

While Alma was gone he carefully replaced every thing he'd thrown, reaching for the ragdoll last. It was hideous. Some weird creature or person, Kanda couldn't even tell. He'd almost set the thing on fire when Alma said it was meant to represent him. Then he'd started a fistfight because surely that'd been meant to be insulting.

He could hear Alma trooping back upstairs and left the doll in the seat, making his way back to Alma's bed. The anger had left and exhausted him, leaving him almost embarrassed. It was like he was thirteen years old again and raging at the world over every little thing. Meditation and exercise only did so much to calm him down, but even after years of practice his anger sometimes overwhelmed him, controlling him.

Alma eased the door open with a hip and shut it with a foot, juggling two glasses of water and a plate piled high with sandwiches. Kanda squinted at them, scowling when he realized they were chicken salad.

Really, he could live the rest of his life without ever tasting mayo again and still it wouldn't be enough.

"Want some?" Alma asked, already halfway through one.

"No," Kanda snapped, taking his glass to down in one go. He thought about saying thanks, but Alma had already turned back to his desk and whatever project he had set up there, so Kanda just set the glass on an end table and collapsed backwards on the bed, stretched out. He threw an arm over his face, finally sorting through his thoughts now that his emotions had settled.

It took him a few minutes to understand what he was waiting for. He peeked at Alma and found him engrossed in his eating and crafts. There wasn't going to be any snide remarks about Kanda's temper, no matter how often Kanda expected them. Alma somehow understood that Kanda's rage sometimes escaped him in ways that were almost terrifying.

It left his mind nigh blank with only the need to do something, achieve something, exist outside of himself and be physically in the world. It was a galling loss of control and Kanda tried hard not to have setbacks. He was grateful Alma didn't ever call attention to it like Daisya or Lavi might have.

Then again, Kanda thought, considering Alma. Sometimes there were moments where Alma was almost frightening. They got into fights that occasionally got physical, but Alma's outward temper was quick to come and easy to go. Yet, there was a vengeance and a cruel streak in Alma that alarmed Kanda at times.

Kanda got over things, but Alma would hold a grudge until his dying days.

It was lucky, then, that Allen hadn't pissed off Alma. Yet. Probably.

All day his anger had been building steadily, and after stepping foot into Alma's room he'd finally let it loose, raging until it was gone. He couldn't even go and demand more from Allen again because he'd made like magic and disappeared after school had ended.

He exhaled gustily, considering the day's events.

Allen had smoothly avoided talking to Kanda and Alma for the rest of the day, clearly considering their anger or complaints unimportant. Asshole. Kanda was this close to just letting it all go, but there was that sneaking feeling he had, that suspicion that he and Alma were somehow involved. No matter how frustrating or difficult Allen made it, he wasn't just going to forget and let it go.

He focused instead on controlling his thoughts and anger, trying to replicate what he'd failed to do earlier. Measured breaths, clear thoughts, slowly sinking into a calm like the stillness of a placid lake. No wind to disturb it, no people, nothing. Just existing.

Thoughts came and filtered out and he let them.

Kanda wasn't sure exactly what set the memory off. It might've been Tiedoll forgetting his tie or the coffee stain on his shirt this morning, or that he left the burner on and Marie frantically had to turn it off. Watching the entire mess, Kanda had grumbled then, over Alma's laughter, "Have you lost your damn mind, old man?"

Tiedoll only chuckled, patting Marie fondly on the shoulder. "Not quite yet, not yet."

Then, he remembered. Sitting at a table too tall with Alma beside him, Allen lecturing his father in the kitchen over leaving the oven on. One of the very few times Kanda and Alma had visited Allen instead of the other way round.

A bit touched, someone had said. A voice just shy of gravelly, someone much older than him. Who had it been?

"Do you remember?" Kanda asked abruptly. The different angle of the sun told him some hours had passed, and Kanda was amazed Alma had left him in peace for so long.

Alma hummed inquisitively, bent over his latest hobby. They were a dime a dozen and Alma's room was littered with the evidence. Photography, sculpting, art, gardening, baking, running, swimming — he completed a task and then dropped it for another. Kanda was still laid stretched out on Alma's bed, and he tilted his head to figure out what Alma was working on. It looked like he was writing something.

"Remember what?" Alma finally asked when Kanda didn't elaborate.

Kanda frowned, dredging up an almost forgotten name. "Mana," he said at last to the ceiling, eyes locked on those stars. Alma made a noise, chair squeaking and paper rustling.

After a long moment he heard the scratch of a pen start up again. "Not really," Alma murmured. Kanda glanced down and found him staring blankly at his paper. "We only saw him a few times."

"He never wanted us over," Kanda said, like an accusation.

He could practically hear the dots connecting. Alma straightened and turned to face Kanda, eyes wide. "You think it was because of his dad?"

"You always said it was because of our houses or some shit," Kanda turned onto his side, arm folded and pillowing his head as he scratched a nail over a loose thread in Alma's bedspread, "but I don't think so. I think that asshole let us think that." Allen was sly like that, even as a child.

"You think… he was abusive?"

Kanda snorted, rolling onto his stomach and resting his chin on his arms. "No. They adored each other," Kanda knew a doting father when he saw one, "but I think something was wrong with him. A bit touched."

Alma repeated the words, brows furrowed. "He never did tell us about Mana. Like, if he's around or anything. Isn't it weird? That it's just Link and Allen?"

Kanda's mind was still stuck on those words. Who would have even known Mana well enough to say them?

As soon as the question crossed his mind the answer reared forward, obnoxious and arrogant. Cross. Cross had said it. The memory flashed vividly, a cigarette pressed between lips, side-eyeing Kanda as he stood at the gates of their school. Waiting for Allen, Kanda reasoned now. Back then he hadn't questioned Cross' appearance, but now it made him wonder why Cross had come to retrieve Allen from school when Mana normally did.

"Today's an off day," Cross had said, eyes drifting past Kanda. He followed the stare to find Alma and Allen making their way over, conversing eagerly. "That man… he's a bit touched." Then, Cross had looked down at him, derisive. "But you don't know what that means, do you?"

Arrogant ass.

"Do you think Lenalee knows?" Alma asked aloud, and Kanda shifted to his forearms to send a questioning glance over his shoulder. Alma smiled. "She went over to his place today for homework help."

Kanda cocked a brow. "Doesn't she have a brother for that?"

Alma laughed lightly, tucking his feet into the chair to sit cross-legged, swiveling to fully face Kanda. "And would you ask Daisya?"

Good point.

"It'd be a cold day in hell," Kanda swore, and Alma laughed again.

"Besides, I think she wanted to talk to him about what was happening between us. You know, we really shouldn't leave them out like that. Lavi and Lenalee, I mean."

Kanda thought about saying It's none of their damn business but that'd just earn him a fight with Alma, and he didn't much care to start one right now. Instead, he tucked his chin back on top his arms, resting flat on Alma's bed again.

"I'll text her," Alma said, and Kanda tilted his head to lay it down, closing his eyes.

Who was Mana Walker and what was wrong with him?

Friday came and Alma forcibly hooked his arm through Kanda's and dragged him over to the administration building, knowing Lenalee would be there; she always came early with Komui and sat there until classes started. The secretaries gave Alma a smile as he headed in, used to his frequent visits.

Komui's office was always a dangerous place to head to because if he caught sight of you he'd try to foist whatever work he could onto you. Alma generally didn't mind because he liked to help, but now wasn't the time to run errands for their strange principal.

It took a few peeks in different rooms but Alma eventually found Lenalee in a lounge in the very back of the building, where she'd moved the tables and chairs aside to do some morning yoga. She'd laid out a purple mat and was doing a split, arms raised above her head in a back-arching stretch. Under her skirt she had leggings on, but Alma was willing to bet that had the door been closed she would've done without them.

Still, she had earbuds in and Alma politely knocked on the open door to grab her attention. Behind him Kanda quietly rested against the side of the wall, arms folded and prepared to let Alma do the majority of the talking.

Lenalee lit up when she saw them, removing her earphones but still remaining where she was.

"Alma! Kanda! Good morning. What're you guys doing here so early?"

They had come earlier than normal, eager to find Lenalee and get the talk out of the way. Alma smiled and went further into the small break room, snagging a chair to sit cross legged on. He dumped his bag beside it and grasped his ankles, a little nervous.

"Well, we kind of wanted to ask you something," Alma said, nodding towards Kanda, who shifted minutely but otherwise didn't comment. "Yesterday you went to see Allen, right?"

A peculiar look crossed Lenalee's face, like she was smiling but what she really wanted to do was scowl. Not an angry look, per se, but a weird one. "Yeah."

Alma rocked slightly, rubbing the bone of his ankle with his thumbs through his socks. "We uh. Wanted to know how it went."

Lenalee's face creased into a complete frown. She languidly withdrew her legs until they both stretched in front of other, pointing her toes straight and leaning back on her arms. "What are you asking me, exactly?"

The tone of her voice indicated she didn't like where she thought Alma was going with it and he laughed nervously, waving his hand. "Nothing bad! I swear, not like. Gossip or details or anything."

Lenalee's shoulders relaxed, and she moved forward to grasp her feet, hands settling into the arch of her soles. "What do you want to know, then?" She asked, voice muffled into her knees.

"Well," Alma said, glancing towards Kanda. He met his eyes, and though he made no indication Alma still relaxed. "Did he talk to you about anything?"

Bent over as she was, Alma couldn't see Lenalee's face, but the muscles in her arms flexed.

"He told me about his dad."

Alma nearly launched off the chair in his enthusiasm to know more, but he just gripped his ankles tighter, shifting excitedly. "What did he say?"

Lenalee finally lifted from her stretch and Alma felt all his energy die at the look in her eyes. They were set with a calm resolve, an understanding, and Alma wondered, distantly, what it meant.

"He said he died when he was eleven."

Alma stared.

Mana had died. Mana had died, and they had no idea.

But then, hadn't Alma assumed something similar? That Mana was simply… gone?

"What?" Alma breathed, swallowing past the immense guilt crowding inside him, closing off his throat. "He died?"

Lenalee nodded, looking down at her hands. "Yeah. He didn't really wanna talk about it, so I don't know how. But it's why he and Link live together. They're both emancipated by the state, he said."

Emancipated? Alma had heard the term before but he wasn't quite sure what it meant. He was still reeling though, caught up in the realization of what Mana's death meant. Allen had disappeared six years ago and Mana had died. Was it because Mana died? Did it happen later? Was Mana's death the reason Allen hadn't come back for so long?

All of a sudden, Alma's guilt clawed up his throat, gathered under his tongue, made him sick with it. All this time Alma had been blaming Allen for staying away, and the thought that Allen's reason was something so heartbreaking made Alma feel worse than dirt.

For the first time, Kanda spoke. "Was that it?" He sounded particularly blank and his face was closed off, and Alma wondered what Kanda was thinking.

Another strange look crossed Lenalee's face, equal parts confused and embarrassed. "Link actually left us there at the apartment. It was a little weird," she admitted, laughing lightly. "I've never seen Allen without Link."

That was true, Alma thought. Link was always with Allen. In a way, it was a relief, now. Allen wasn't alone.

'I need all these details Walker. I've already informed Chief Secretary Leverrier of your break away and subsequent disappearance — don't think this is staying between us.'

'Of course I don't think that, Link. I never have. You've made it very clear.'

No, no it wasn't. Link wasn't Allen's friend, no matter how Allen acted. Not by the way Link cut Allen down on Wednesday. Alma drummed his fingers on the seat, chewing the thoughts over.

It stung a little, if he was being honest. Allen told Lenalee all of this, but not Alma or Kanda, friends he'd had for years now. Was it because they never thought to ask, or Allen simply hadn't wanted to tell them? Would Allen be angry if they knew?

He tongued his cheek, biting down to forcibly drive the thoughts away. He was being selfish again. This wasn't about Alma. It was about Allen being safe, and happy.

If Allen was emancipated, how did Cross factor in now? Was he Allen's legal guardian? Did Allen even need a guardian now? What was emancipation, exactly?

Alma's fingers drummed rapidly to a stop, and he lifted his eyes to meet Kanda's steady gaze, face still unreadable.

"Okay," Alma said, giving Lenalee a smile, "thanks for telling us. We were worried, you know? He just disappeared Wednesday and—"

On and on Alma prattled, both to put Lenalee at ease and to lighten up the sudden heavy mood. The topic went from Allen, to the upcoming day, to homework, and so on, small talk Kanda didn't care to take part of and that Alma didn't begrudge him for.

Soon enough the school day started and they parted ways to their classes. Kanda and Alma trailed together for a while longer, making the most of the time before their first class before Alma stopped short, grabbing at Kanda's arm to pull him to a stop.

Forcing Kanda to face him, Alma said, "Don't go bother Allen about this. It's only going to make him mad."

"Right," Kanda said.

Study hall came much quicker than Kanda expected, and if he was being entirely honest, he had given Alma's parting words a thought or two.

Those thoughts vanished the moment he laid eyes on Allen and Link sitting docilely beside each other, like Wednesday had never happened.

Storming up to the table, Kanda slammed his bookbag down on it, startling Link who gave him a prim scowl. Allen was less reserved, cocking a brow, as if to ask 'and who pissed in your cereal this morning?'

Ignoring the searching look and expectant gaze, Kanda gruffly sat, crossing his arms and legs at the knee, regarding Allen down his nose, knowing the look would piss him off.

Rolling his eyes, Allen set his work down and leaned forward on his elbows, cupping his chin with one hand and fixing Kanda with a wary look. "Can I help you?" Allen asked, voice thin enough to be condescending.

"What the fuck is going on?" Kanda demanded.

Allen huffed a dry unamused laugh. "I'm afraid you're going to have to be a bit more specific than that."

"You two," Kanda said, lifting on hand to point with two fingers at Link and Allen, "are not fucking roommates or friends. So what's going on?" He tucked his hand back in, shoulders tense.

Allen watched him, face carefully blank. Link was a little less practiced in lying, eyes immediately lifting from his book to fix Kanda with a frown.

"Lena said you're emancipated," Kanda continued, meeting Allen's eyes as he said the next words, "and that your dad was dead."

He could see the moment Allen's jaw clenched, mouth taut and eyes icing over, even as he determinedly fought to keep his expression void of what he was feeling. Ignoring Link, Kanda barreled on, mouth forming words that he knew, already, were going too far. "Is that true? Your crazy ass dad is dead and—"

The sharp screech of Allen's chair shoving back cut off his words and Kanda barely reacted quickly enough to register the furious twist in Allen's face, his left fist catching on Kanda's cheekbone with enough strength to snap Kanda's head to the side, throwing him back and sending him and his chair to the floor.

He landed hard, hitting one elbow on the floor at just the right angle to send the entire arm into a jittery mess. Kanda had barely twisted to his side before Allen was there again, grabbing his shirt collar to haul him up and sock him in the same place again, teeth splitting his cheek on the inside.

It was that sudden taste of blood that jerked Kanda back to reality, and before Allen could punch him again he grabbed his wrist, other hand coming up to clamp on the arm holding him.

"You goddamn asshole!" Allen furiously pulled at the hand Kanda held, strong enough to nearly wrench himself free. "You're a real fucking ass, you know that? Do you ever even hear yourself? How can Alma fucking stand you?"

"The same fucking way he looks at your goddamn face every time you lie to him!" Kanda snapped. He forced his feet back under him to finally stand, letting go of Allen's right hand to shove him back. Allen stumbled into the table, grasping at the edge of it to steady himself. Kanda grabbed his shirt, hauling back to crack his own knuckles against Allen's face.

The worst goddamn thing was that Allen had never been weak, no. He rolled with the punch, finally wrenching his own bloodied hand free of Kanda's grip and using that momentary distraction to kick Kanda's knee in, nearly snapping it back.

Cursing, Kanda backed off, favoring his right leg. He could see the moment Allen lurched forward only to suddenly stop.

Link was holding him back, arms around his chest, dragging him away from Kanda. Over the dull roar of his own blood in his ears, Kanda finally registered the angry, nearly frightened, yelling of their teacher and classmates, and Link's own steady condemnation.

Kanda gathered the blood in his mouth and spat it out, meeting Allen's frenzied glare, unapologetic.

In Komui's office, framed by the towering levels of paperwork, Komui sat, head in his hands. Kanda and Allen sat in straight backed chairs before him, Allen nursing his cheek with an ice pack a secretary gave him as Kanda steadily ignored both of them.

Komui took a deep settling breath before looking up, piercing them with a deeply unhappy look. "Unbelievable."

As if that single word had finally broken the dam, Allen surged forward in his seat, hand dropping his ice pack, "Oh, Mr. Lee I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to scare the teacher—"

"That's what you're apologizing for?" Komui demanded, brows shooting to his hairline.

Allen faltered, and after a long second his hand finally drifted back to tenderly press the ice against his cheek again.

Kanda scowled.

"You are literally bleeding on my floor," Komui said, jerking a hand haphazardly towards Allen's left fist. Kanda's own right hand had split over the knuckles, too, but the bleeding had already clotted. "And you're apologizing for scaring my staff."

A beat passed in silence.

"Honestly," Komui continued. "I shouldn't even be so harsh about it. According to her, you two are the most savage students she's ever seen."

At that, Allen cracked an amused smile.

"And I don't mean that in a good way, Walker."

"Uhm," Allen said.

"I don't even know what to do," Komui muttered, shuffling through paperwork between their files he'd pulled. "Tiedoll, of course, is going to be informed," Komui said, speaking louder over Kanda's groan, "but there's no one I can call for you. And I'm definitely not reporting this to the Order."

"I really appreciate that," Allen said, sounding so genuine it took Kanda aback.

"I can't speak for your worser half, though."

Allen laughed, dry, entirely humorless, and self-deprecating. "Of course."

Komui flipped one page back and forth in Allen's file, extremely small when compared to the packet in Kanda's. What the fuck?

Sighing, he closed their files and set them aside, steepling his fingers and regarding them morosely. "You two," Komui said, closing his eyes, "stress me more then all this paperwork in front of us does."

That's a lot of paperwork, Kanda thought.

"Just… just go home. You can't go around school looking like that, and frankly, I'm considering in school suspension, at the very least."

What bullshit, Kanda thought, scowling. At least let them stay at home.

"Alright, you two are dismissed. Please don't scare my staff and students like that again."

"Yes sir," Allen said.

After texting Alma that he was going home, Kanda headed to his class to grab his bag. He passed Link as he left Komui's office, glaring at the blond who merely met his gaze, held it for a moment, and then purposefully glanced away, starting towards Allen who had left after Kanda.

Kanda walked quickly enough to ignore Allen's calls behind him.

Unfortunately, lunch ended right around when their meeting with Komui had, and the crowded halls weren't enough to deter Alma, Lenalee, and Lavi from finding him.

Groaning from the headache that had started from the throbbing pain his cheek, Kanda ignored Alma's frantic demands, Lenalee's scolding, and Lavi's curious insistence about what all had gone down.

"The entire school is talking about you two," Lavi said, scrolling down something on his phone. "Yuu, what did you do?"

"I punched that asshole in the face," Kanda said, finally making it to his class. The teacher stiffened at the sight of him and Kanda rolled his eyes, collecting his bag and leaving.

He was just about to grab Alma by the arm to finally stop the endless whining when something Komui said registered, and he pulled up short, whirling on Lenalee. She blinked at him, taken aback.

"Komui knows."

She stared at him owlishly. "Knows what?"

Huffing, Kanda gestured shortly towards Alma. "About that asshole. He has a file on him." He hesitated, words crowding his head and forming no actual discernable sentences, before finally glancing at Alma.

Immediately Alma took over, dropping his questioning for the moment. "We think Allen's really in trouble and that… Link isn't his friend. Something really weird's going on, and we don't think Allen's… safe, with Link."

"Not safe?" Lenalee echoed, alarmed.

Kanda watched as Alma pinned Lenalee with a beseeching look, wondering, indeed, why Alma had ever attached himself to Kanda. "Can you help us?"

Lenalee mulled it over, hugging her chest with one arm and resting her elbow on it, fingers on her lips. They were near a row of lockers, close enough that the general flow of students ignored them, but Kanda knew the passing period was nearly over.

Slowly, as if already regretting it as she said it, Lenalee murmured, "On the first night of school, my brother told me to avoid Allen. He said Allen was nothing but trouble. Of course, I didn't listen." She laughed humorlessly, then. "And now it's too late. Allen's the kind of kid you can't help loving, you know?"

"Bullshit," Kanda interjected, earning a jab in the side from Alma. Lenalee quirked a smile.

"Funny that," Lavi said, crossing his arms behind his head, "my grandpa said the same thing — about avoiding Allen, that is."

They all exchanged a look, wary. On the very first day of school both Lenalee's brother and Lavi's grandfather told them to avoid Allen, and the moment the Chan's knew he was back, they said the same thing.

"Okay," Lenalee said, dropping her hand. "I'll help. There's something… not right about this."

Alma grinned, pleased.

A/N: Annnnnd finally, an update! Kanda and co still aren't minding their business, but they're finally drawing closer to the truth. Why is Link with Allen and how did Mana die?

Thank you for your patient wait, and I hope the summary at the beginning was sufficient enough... to remember...

July 27th is the anniversary of this fic! It's now a whole year old! Still a baby, but I love it. For those who've been here since the beginning, and the ones who tagged on along the way, thank you for reading! I hope you continue to enjoy and follow me on this journey together

You can find me on twitter at nea_chi nowadays ^^