Disclaimer: Are disclaimers still a thing? I don't own DGM.

A/N: I think this is my first time writing a bl fanfiction and posting it. I've had a couple ideas but never took the time to sit and write them out...until this. So~ Without further ado, I hope you all read and enjoy.

Chapter 1: The way we are now

-oOo-

The door knocked softly, and Kanda almost missed the sound. If it had not been for the quiet room during his mediation, he would have. Though, the knocking was inconsequential as Kanda stayed in his current lotus position. His mind slowly drifted back into a state of ease and peace before the knocking sounded again; much louder to where it seemed to rattle the door frame.

An irritated growl rumbled in the back of his throat as he stood heavily to his feet, and stalked his way to the front door. It took him ten full, long strides before he got to his destination. The third series of rapid knocks had already started, and Kanda gripped the doorknob yanking it open.

He had every intention of punching who or whatever had been on the other side, and saw the person's hand formed into a fist, poised in the air ready for another knock.

Now that the door was opened, Kanda could see the thick ashen gray strands of hair atop the perpetrator's head. The strands falling to the side following the innocent tilt of head. There was only one person it could belong to, only one person brave enough to disturb Kanda in the morning -or ever- and stick around for the aftermath.

The perpetrator lowered their hand revealing an equally innocent expression, sweet smile plastered upon their lips. Kanda knew better.

He slammed the door.

No sooner had the door closed than there was more knocking. The disturbing thing was the gentle, measured control of the knocks. Kanda could almost see a blackened aura seeping in from every space around the door. Only a few seconds passed before there was silence, but the presence did not disappear.

Kanda 'tch'ed before reopening the door to see all the innocence gone and replaced by a deadpan expression. Gritted teeth, and a twitch in their left eye.

Kanda was not threatened by the expression. It didn't fall into the range of "adorable" like it tended to when the white-haired teen tried to look angry but only managed a pout, but compared to Kanda everything else was mild. Or so he liked to think, Allen never truly seemed fazed.

"Oi, Moyashi. Wanna die?"

"It's Allen!" Another twitch. "Oh Bakanda, your threats truly get more original every time I see you." The boy lifted a gloved hand and waved it dismissively. His nerves calming as he finished speaking.

Kanda thought that it was too early to exert the amount of energy that was needed to even look at Allen's face and grew more pissy the longer the younger boy stood in front of him.

"What the hell are you doing here, Moyashi?"

Allen's visage faltered, and it looked as if he himself didn't have the will to go into arguments and whatever else usually happened between them.

"I didn't know what else to do. I think Cross may have finally lost his mind."

Kanda knew of the man. He doubted the man's lack of brain presence was a recent development. Allen continued at Kanda's silence.

"When I got back the house was gone. Nothing but charred remains."

Kanda's eyebrows drew a little higher into his hairline. Had Allen not known Kanda the way he had, he would not have caught the action and known it to indicate interest and inquiry into the topic at hand.

"I think he may have bloody well burned the house down to escape the debts he's accumulated. And maybe hide his trail." At that moment, Allen bent over to pick up a small duffel bag that had been placed at his feet. "This is the only thing that made it out."

Kanda eyed the bag, his curiosity mounted over the fact that he knew Cross' character, and nothing more. "The drunkard womanizer actually cared enough to gather your shit?"

Allen sighed exasperatedly over the day he'd been having. "That's what I thought." At that moment he carefully unzipped the bag, which Kanda had noticed hadn't been fully zipped to begin with. Upon opening, the two males had a clear view of a small golden retriever sound asleep upon a bed of clothing. "Apparently my things were only good to keep Tim comfortable. Not that I don't think Tim deserves the best. He's the best dog in the world."

Allen got sidetracked and began cooing at the sleeping puppy. It was at the point that Kanda regained his senses and snapped. "I don't give a damn about your dumb dog, or your problems, Moyashi. So take your ass somewhere else."

"Kanda." Allen gently placed the duffel back on the ground beside his feet before turning his attention back to the older man before him. "We have nowhere else to go. If not me, the very least you can do is look after Tim for a while."

"Damn right it's the very least I can do. Bottom of the list right below taking care of your old ass."

Allen took a deep calming breath before once again picking up the bag, and taking a step toward Kanda.

Kanda would have none of it, "If you cross that line, Moyashi, your ass is mine." He spoke indicating the door's threshold.

"Kanda. I have nowhere else to go! What is the matter with you!?" And with that he brushed past the older man, and more than likely sealed his fate.

Kanda grit his teeth and closed the front door in harder than necessary. Possibly hoping to rouse Allen's dog from slumber, or to show the white-haired male how much his presence was an inconvenience. Neither worked.

"Why the hell didn't you call someone else." Kanda wanted to know.

Allen placed the bag on the living room couch and turned to face the dark-haired man. "Kanda." He began meeting Kanda's gaze. "When this happened... After seeing the house I'd come to think of as a home reduced to nothing more than charred remains, and thinking what I had to do next, you were the first one that popped into mind."

"Che' sure it wasn't Cross?"

Allen tried to suppress a twitch that fought at his jaw muscle. "Of course I thought of Cross. But the things I thought of weren't along the lines of 'he's the one I want to stay with' I assure you."

"Dammit, Moyashi. You're not here for thirty minutes and your accent is grating on my nerves."

"I love you too." Allen responded nonchalant, which only served to rile Kanda more.

"I'm going to have a shower-"

"I'm good. I had one before this dreadful incident." Allen gave a bright smile in response to Kanda's scowl. However, the elder forwent any other words and turned his back, making his way to another part of the apartment, no doubt the master bedroom so that he could have his shower.

Allen glanced around him wondering for a moment what Kanda could have in his kitchen that Allen would like to eat. Their eating choices, among other things, varied to the extremes. While Kanda tended to be picky, health conscious, and ethnically oriented, Allen ate just about anything that came his way. Though even he had preferences, and some of Kanda's were not that.

A buzzing filled the silence seconds after his arse started to vibrate causing Allen to struggle to retrieve his phone from the depths of his well fitted jeans.

When he got the device in his gloved hands, he slid the green talk button and proceeded to place the phone at his ear.

"Ello."

/Allen! How're things? I'm free now to help with what you asked about earlier. Sorry 'bout tha' by the way./

"It's absolutely fine. Everything's sorted now."

/Really? That was quick./

"Well. What can I say. Kanda, the bloke, came through." Allen's free hand reached up to his head and he grabbed a lock of hair, twirling the strands between his fingers.

/Whoa. Well...that's great. Especially b'cause no matter what Lena said. Staying there would not 'ave been an option./

"I know. It was silly to ask her, huh?"

/But I'm still a bit surprised Yuu agreed. How much a ya soul'd ya give up?/

Allen sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as an automatic response. "Not any more than usual."

A low whistle met his ear, but the phone amplified it which caused Allen to temporarily move the device away. It was at that point that he also heard the footsteps closing in on him and gave a quick "Keep you posted," on the phone, and hung up. Just as he did so he caught sight of Kanda from the corner of his eyes and turned fully to face him.

The sight that met him was one that he would not complain over. Kanda stood before him, hair still loose, wet, and combed over his bare shoulder. It hung, hiding sections of the large "OM" -esque tattoo on the left side of his chest. Allen liked that tattoo. The water still clung to the taut muscles of his chest and torso, running along every available skin surface along the way to the band of his pants. Pants which hung low on his hips, and though they were loose it wouldn't be hard to imagine the muscled legs beneath them, revealing the "V" shape of his pelvis.

"Oi Moyashi. Why are you still here?" Allen simply hummed in response. It was obvious that there would not be an answer to his question but Kanda would not wait either way. What broke the pause between them was a small whine that came from the couch. They both looked to the sound and there was a little golden head that popped up out of the bag. "The hell is that dog still here?"

Once again Allen chose not to say a word, but Kanda did not let the issue go. A warning growl rumbled at the back of his throat. Allen decided to ignore the sound and sauntered up to the taller man. He inhaled, closing his eyes as if the moment was complete bliss, then exhaled slowly.

"You smell nice." Were Allen's words as he moved closer to the man, pressing his body close. The next move had him with his arms wrapped around Kanda's neck, and on tiptoes because he was -on a bad day, begrudgingly shorter than Kanda. On a good day, he was just short enough that he could press into the man to get what he wanted.

Allen tilted his head into the crook of Kanda's still damp neck and inhaled deeply, his nose touching skin. "You smell really nice." Allen allowed one of his hands to slip into the hair at the nape of Kanda's neck, and thread his gloved fingers through. A stray thought telling him that he should have discarded his gloves prior to his actions ran through his mind before he continued. "What is that? Jasmine and a hint of lotus root? I like it." Allen's voice was low and husky. His accent strong and enticing. He stepped back just enough that they could still share body heat.

It was when his hand began to trail over the exposed tattoo that Kanda grabbed his wrist. The darker haired man's eyes were narrowed and heated. Allen's lips tugged to smile until he heard a grounded out "the dog," through Kanda's gritted teeth.

Allen just watched as Kanda lifted his hands becoming aware of the shirt in his hand when it was already halfway over his head signifying the end of the ruse. Allen's lips lowered into a pout. "Kanda! I can't get rid of Tim."

"Too bad. I'm not having some flea ridden drool rodent in my place."

"Tim's not a... Kanda... He's got nowhere to go. Master just left and-"

"Not my problem." Allen let out an unconscious whine of frustration. Kanda ignored him and brought a hand to rest on Allen's slender hip. "But I'll show you what is."

Allen tried desperately not to roll his eyes, and pressed his hand on Kanda's chest to keep him at bay.

"I know it's hard for you to extend your brain capacity beyond the five things you do daily but try to work with me here." Allen spoke and looked into Kanda's dark eyes with purpose. "Timcanpy. Focus."

"Che' I'm sure I said I don't give a damn about you or your dog."

"Gee Kanda. You're so sweet... I'll see if I can call someone to take him for a while then."

"Are you included in the 'him'?"

"I'm not going anywhere." And with that Allen once again reached for his phone. He touched the 'l' key on the screen and the names "Lavi" and "Lenalee" showed up. He pressed the latter and waited as the phone rang. As he stood poised with the phone at his ear he turned and saw Kanda taking up residence on the couch, staring back at him.

The phone finally picked up on the fifth ring with a harried /Sorry Allen. Brother hid my phone./

"It's fine." Allen spoke, and as he said so a screech that sounded suspiciously like "Lenalee!" echoed on the line. "Perhaps this is a bad time?"

/No, no./ There was a bit of shuffling and muffled voices before a distant slam of a door rang out over the phone. When Lenalee spoke again her voice was clearer and her line sounded quieter.

"Are you sure this is a good time?" Allen wanted affirmation.

/It's fine. Besides I wanted to know. What are you going to do about your living arrangements?/

Allen wanted to put her mind at ease immediately. Her voice was filled with guilt and concern, and he loved her like a sister and wanted nothing but her happiness. "It's already taken care of."

/Are you sure?/

"Yes. I'm staying with Kanda." As Allen spoke the name he turned halfway to see Kanda's face. Said man was still staring at him as if trying to figure out what was being spoken about him. Not like he wouldn't ask if he really wanted to know. "I was actually wondering if you could possibly take care of Tim for a while."

/Of course! Anything to help./

Allen let out a relieved sigh. "I'll buy everything he needs. Can I bring him over today?"

/Allen let me help./ He heard her voice take on a stern edge as if he were being reprimanded by the girl. /You just lost everything. Brother and I can take care of Timcanpy and his supplies./ Allen was about to refute her saying he couldn't allow her to take all the responsibly but she quickly dismissed his concern. Even telling him that Komui secretly loved animals when that became the bigger issue. Allen somehow doubted that, and if it were so he wasn't sure he wanted Komui anywhere near his precious pup, but he trusted Lenalee. The girl also said she'd stop by to see Allen as she needed to get out of the house anyway.

It was with that that Allen ended his phone call and made his way to the couch and plopped down beside an ever disgruntled Kanda. Allen made himself comfortable pressing his back into the couch back, and leaning his shoulder against Kanda's.

"If you don't cherish your ass, Moyashi, just keep doing what you're doing."

Allen rolled his eyes and placed his head on Kanda's shoulder. The couch was a lot more comfortable than he remembered, though he supposed it was because he never paid attention to it before. "Oh. Kanda. In case you didn't hear, Lenalee will be here today to pick up Timcanpy."

"Tell me she's taking you with her."

Allen let out a short chuckle. "You know Komui would never allow that. I'd turn into one of his experiments before I ever crossed the threshold."

Kanda picked up the tv remote from the end table next to the side he sat. "And the problem is?"

Allen pouted and shoved Kanda's shoulder with his own. "Gee Kanda. We were having such a nice chat and being civil. Must you ruin everything?"

Kanda gave Allen a side glance wanting to know if the white-haired teen was losing his mind. Kanda and 'civil' didn't exactly fit into the same category.

"Though~" Allen extended the word as if he were dangling a treat at the end. "Now that I'm here there's a lot that can happen."

"Yeah." Kanda was quick to say. "I can finally get rid of you and since you live here, it won't matter that your fingerprints are all over." Kanda had the audacity to smirk after his statement causing Allen to frown.

Slightly put off, the white-haired teen plucked the remote from Kanda's outstretched hand. The action made the thought of murder more prominent in Kanda's mind before he tuned into Allen's channel surfing. The younger of the two was quick to find the food channel and seemed satisfied with his choice of entertainment. Kanda didn't feel the need to do any immediate damage control as the programme centred around Japanese cuisine.

The two got a bit more comfortable as the show went on. For one, Kanda no longer looked as if he were being both mentally and physically tortured. His face now set in its default scowl, and his arm extended along the back of the couch. Allen lifted his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees. His head still supported by Kanda's body.

"Kanda, can you make that?" It was ten minutes into the programme where a new dish was being made. Some sort of chicken and egg meal that left Allen's mouth salivating.

Kanda's reply was a solid, "No." The response had less to do with Kanda's cooking skills and more with his lack of wanting to make anything for the white-haired annoyance at his side. And he had to wonder why he had still been seated next to the white-haired male in the first place.

He got up without warning, which resulted in Allen tumbling over onto his side as he had mostly been supported by Kanda anyway. The action also caused a helpless whine to escape him before he groaned at the lack of warmth and comfort. "What was that for?"

"If you're here, I'm leaving." Was Kanda's response.

"Come now, Kanda. Must you always be an arse?"

Allen's question went without an answer as Kanda made his way to the door. Seconds later, the door slammed shut and Allen heard a small bark at his side. The sound startled him and he turned to see Timcanpy with his tongue lolled out of his mouth, eyes shining with excitement.

"Hey boy~ it's just me and you now." Allen opened the duffel wide enough so that the dog could get out, and it scrambled out of the bag as if it were escaping prison. Allen laughed when Tim bounded into his lap and tried to lick at his face. "Sorry Tim. I couldn't get Bakanda to let you stay. I know I'm already intruding so it'd be wrong to have him take us both in. At least for now."

Timcanpy whined and Allen ruffled his fur. "I know boy. We'll work something out. I promise."