Brain Damaged
Epilogue

"That's the eighth time the two of you have gotten into a fight today. Two of which turned into a full brawl. Can you two not behave for at least the duration of the mission?" Howard Link scolded, sitting between the two on the bench. He could feel the violent electricity jumping between them as they glared each other down, leaning forward to go around him.

"He fuckin' started it."

"I did not. That was your fault. It's not my fault you missed."

"It's your fucking fault for reminding me to kick your ass for being so goddamned slow. If you had actually been there on time, I might not have missed!"

"You missed because you suck!"

"I missed because I was flanked and no thanks to your stupid ass for getting lost."

"I wasn't lost!"

"That's not what Timcanpy showed."

"Maybe you have comprehension problems, BaKanda!" Allen huffed, turning his head to overlook the sun light sparkling over the water.

Kanda jumped up and glared down over Link's head, fists curling and ready to toss the damn beansprout in the river. "Say that to my face, you little fucker."

It wasn't long before Allen had hopped to his feet as well, his face turning red from the building annoyance. The dark haired bastard had a magical niche for crawling under his skin and poking him with sharp objects until he snapped. "You heard what I said, or are you deaf and slow?"

"Both of you, stop this. This is the reason you were separated to begin with," Link groaned in between them—standing and folding his arms. He was promptly met with both men's glares. Despite this, he gave them both looks and continued, "this mission is more important than your childish bickering."

"Tch," Kanda's face contorted into that scowl he was so good at and he sat back down on the bench, giving Allen a glare. The silver eyes returned the same feeling back and he also sat down. They looked away in their irritation; both of them unknowingly mirrored each other's posture and aggravation.

Timcanpy fluttered about Allen's shoulder before hopping around and moving along the back of the bench, going straight for Kanda. The little golem poked around by Kanda's neck before it floated around his face and bounced its body against his target's cheek—also prodding him with his tail. Kanda's expression steadily soured until he snapped a glare at the golem.

The golden ball rolled off his shoulder and hopped back across the bench toward Allen, repeating the same actions for the other, until Timcanpy had then both looking silently in each other's direction again. Tim hopped to Link and bounced around on Link's shoulders, giving the younger boys a moment to pass the concerned expressions they were keeping bottled in.

Allen's silver eyes studied Kanda's and he took a breath. Kanda was still alive. He had taken a nasty claw to the back, but all that remained of that was the shreds in his uniform. The younger man was angry with Kanda for going ahead like that, but he was also angry with himself for not getting there quicker.

Kanda, on the other hand, was angry that Allen almost let himself be cleaved in two on an impulse. The swordsman missed his mark because of the fuckers that showed up behind him and Allen was nearly in the direct path of those sharp claws, because the little shit was a giant idiot and thought jumping in between would actually help anything. Kanda could heal. Allen wasn't as able to.

Their eyes reflected each other's for another moment before Kanda turned his head and scoffed, leaning back and resting his arms up on the metal back of the bench. They had their own way of showing they cared… Even if it had gotten them in several massive fist fights since the actual incident.

Dark eyes closed and he simply breathed. Calming down was important now, since it was done and in the past. As long as the stupid beansprout knew not to jump in between an enemy attack on him, they would be fine. He could shrug that shit off, no problem. Allen didn't need to go thinking he needed to be saved like a damsel in distress.

His face contorted into annoyance at the thought of being that damsel in distress and the direction his thoughts took him ended up with him wondering what wearing a dress would be li—

—No.

Unthink that. He growled internally to himself, nearly choking his internal thoughts.

In the midst of pissing himself off again, he felt a hand brush his own behind the bench. He made no indication he felt it, but his fingers wound up with the course fingers that he knew belonged to Allen. No one could see the hands behind the bench and Link was being pestered by Timcanpy, so he closed his eyes and took the moment for what it was.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that every day slipped closer to the catastrophe that was being laid out for them. He wasn't a sentimental man, but it sent an unpleasant wind of anxiousness through him and he silently relished in every safe step they took on the cracking ice.

He and Allen would be walking down the path of disaster ultimately.

So, he didn't feel any shame in taking his hand.

The soft squeeze from the younger man's hand was all the reassurance needed.

COMPLETE

See the sequel! – prologue posted
Titled: Cacophony

A/N: Thank you, everyone, for following the long trek to this beast's completion. It's just the beginning for the next part. It's the first time I've finished something so huge in such a moderate amount of time. About 3 months. Go me! So I wanted some of your ending input, if you're up for it.

What was your favorite part/scene?
What part did you least enjoy?
What part surprised you most?
What would you have liked to see, but wasn't [aside from between the sheets hay-hay]?
What do you expect of the sequel?

Again, thank you guys. The sequel's prologue is posted now.