Demon's Kiss

Wicked Games

Allen POV
We walked out of class together. The brooding silent Kanda had been in many of my classes. Now I walked between the pair. Their differences couldn’t be more highlighted. Lavi, bright red hair, gleaming green eyes, skin pale as snow, was jabbering away about the history report he had to do.
“I mean we have the whole semester. There are just so many choices.” The hand holding mine was the only one that was still. He was waving the other around twice as fast. I grinned at his enthusiasm. Krory walked on the other side of him. The tall vampire looking teen appeared to be hanging onto Lavi’s every word. The perfect audience for my insane boyfriend.
Then there was Kanda. Aside from inviting me to live with him, and later asking to borrow a pencil, the guy hadn’t spoken a word. Not just to me but anyone as far as I could tell. He appeared at my side throughout the day. Being new I wasn’t sure why he wasn’t assigned someone to show him around. As I told Krory about the school Kanda was there listening.
It looked like everything was dark about him. He wore black clothing. His long shiny hair, looked soft as midnight silk making my fingers tingle to run through it. I shook the thought from my head. Steel grey eyes were set in a perpetual scowl. His white skin even seemed duller than those around him. He looked like a shadow, a ghost hidden in the dark. A part of me wanted to reach out, pull him into the light. I sighed, what would living with him be like? I wondered, not for the first time.
Reaching the parking lot we all turned to head toward Lavi's car. A hand fell to my shoulder. “My bike is over here. Just follow me.” Kanda stated in a soft tone. I nodded relaying the information to Lavi. Krory walked off toward the sidewalk with a parting wave to us.
We saw him pull out, was that a sword on his back? Who was this guy? He looked dangerous. Maybe that’s why nearly three quarters of the schools female population was hanging out watching him drive away. Yu Kanda was becoming the schools top bad boy. I felt a thrill race up my spine at the thought of it. Living with him, hmmm, just what would Cross say to that? I giggled.
A hand fell onto my thigh. Lacing my fingers through his I smiled up at Lavi. It had been too long that I was deprived his touch. “Penny for your thoughts?” he raised an eyebrow at me. I laughed out loud at him.
“Just thinking what Cross would say to this situation. Moving in with the schools bad boy, dating the hottest pirate in town, you know the life of a clown.” I tipped my imaginary hat. He chuckled.
“He would beat some sense into you.” His words filled me with dread. I knew Lavi had seen my dark secret, yet he had stayed by my side. His fingers tightened on mine. “Never again, Allen. He will never touch you again. I swear on my life, he won’t.” I gave him a smile that I hoped didn’t look as fake as it felt.
We drove down town. Circling the library, Kanda pulled into the back parking lot. Along the far side sat a house hidden in trees. I hadn’t been back here before. The long slender leg swung off of the bike. He stood, hair blowing across his back, waiting for us.
I jumped out of the car. “This is rather…”
“Creepy?” Lavi arched his eyebrow again. I chuckled.
“A bit.” We followed our dark and silent tour guide. He walked up the leaf strewn sidewalk to the cement steps. The stone slabs were broken, loose or missing. Gracefully, Kanda dodged around them making it to the spotted painted porch. There were two doors here.
Moving to the left, he unlocked the door. The screen door banged behind us. The teen in front didn’t even flinch. He just turned to look very disapproving at us. “Sorry.” Lavi mumbled. Kanda simply turned away to lead us up a flight of freshly painted stairs. The door at the top was also newly painted. Kanda inserted a key into the gleaming golden knob.
I glanced at Lavi. He was looking around. It was apparent that Kanda had taken measures to make the place look better. The kitchen we stepped into was a light mint green color. The one window illuminating the scene was free from grime. A soft ivory curtain hung over it. There was a wooden table with twin chairs pushed under it. It wasn’t new but looked like Kanda had resurfaced it. The appliances were all a gleaming silver.
“This is the kitchen. You can put your shoes on the mat.”  He pointed to a black mat beside the door where his shoes already sat. Lavi and I quickly slipped ours off setting them next to his. When he deemed us ready, he lead the way through a door on the other side of the room.
The next room was a living room. There wasn’t much here. An overturned crate sat next to a very uncomfortable looking easy chair. A floor lamp sat on the other side were a grey circle rug sat under all of it. These lonely items sat before one of the two windows in the place. No curtains covered the clean windows. The wall behind them was painted a light grey as was the wall across from them.
“I’m still working on painting this room. It will be done before this weekend. I don’t have a TV or anything like that.” He stated.
“Neither do I.” I told him. The starkness of the room screamed Kanda. It was almost as intimidating. I flinched closer to Lavi.
“We have one in the basement, along with a matching couch and chairs.” He said. “I’m sure Bookman wouldn’t mind you guys taking them. I will ask him tonight.” He flashed his trademark smile. Seeing that here filled me with hope. I smiled back.
“Thanks Lavi.” I turned to see the shrewd eyes of Kanda watching us.
“Uh, you don’t mind, do you?” I asked a bit worried it maybe too much. He shrugged.
“No.” with that he spun agilely away from us. I didn’t see the hall shadowed in darkness behind him. For the first time he flipped the switch to turn on the light. Here you could see the barren walls. Cracked black paint with graffiti all over it.
“I will get to repainting this.” He stated.
“We can help.” I offered Lavi's services as well. I was sure he wouldn’t mind. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him nodding.
“Thank you.” Kanda reached the first door. It was a light brown wood grain. It looked new. “This is my room, stay out.” He said.
Across the hall was another new door. This one he pushed open. The room inside was… well in a word, disturbing. Red hand prints covered the wall. Some looking like long scratches down it. In between was brown splotches just thrown at it.
“It's all paint.” Kanda confirmed from the door way. The window here was clean without curtains. I walked across the room to look out it. I could see the library parking lot through the tree branch.
“We can buy whatever color paint you want. Probably will have to prime it first.” Kanda continued. The room was small but I didn’t have much. I turned to the doorless closet. “That door was busted I have another on order. It should be here early next week.”
I turned back to him. He stood leaning against the frame, his booted feet crossed, arms folded over his chest. Those grey eyes were following me as I looked around the room. I smiled.
“Its great. We can help you paint.” I offered again.
“Actually, I just texted Lenalee. Her and Miranda can help Wednesday after school. Komui too. Oh and Krory.” Lavi said looking at his phone. Then he gave a wicked grin. Only one person I know of could put that look on his face. “Ah, Tyki is even willing to help.” He looked up to Kanda. “Is that alright with you?” he asked.
One muscular shoulder lifted then fell back into place. “Sure.” He pushed off of the wall a wave of his hand indicated he wanted us to follow. The door beside his room was a pretty decent bathroom. There was a shower stall, a sink, toilet along with an apartment sized stackable washer and dryer. This  room was left to its natural wood state. The shower was tiled to match.
“This is really nice.” I said looking around.
“I've always been good with my hands.” Kanda commented. He backed out of the room to open the last door next to my room. It was a small closet. There were extra towels, toilet paper cleaning supplies, bottle for aspirin, wraps, bandages of various sizes and healing ointments.  There was one finale window at the end of the hall.
“Its not much, but you will be safe here.” Involuntarily my eyes flashed to the sword hilt poking out over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed. “I won’t hurt you. I will protect you, if ever you need it.” He said. “Maybe you should tell me about this Cross guy. Is he the one that did that to you?” he pointed to my slinged arm.
“Yeah, broke my arm.” I blinked looking away. I hated telling people about my stepfather. Kanda just stood silently. Lavi attempted to speak up for me but the dark-haired teen held up a hand. Waiting for me to tell him. So, I did.
His face darkened with each new injury I confided in him. When he found out I was seventeen and this had been going on for over a decade, fire shined in those silver orbs. He didn’t like people hurting others. His body was a tense spring by the time I finished.
“You will be safe here, that I can promise.” He stated.
“How much do you want for rent?” I asked. He blinked at me. “I have a bit saved…” I said.
“Don’t worry about that right now. You said you cooked and cleaned for him?” I nodded. He dipped his head up and down.
“Until you get a job, that’s all I will ask of you. Do what you can until your arm heals, don’t go hurting yourself. I can help out until your healed.” He marched back out to the kitchen. Lavi and I looked at each other.
“Not real friendly is he?” my boyfriend asked. I giggled shaking my head. Yet something tugged at my heart when I recalled the lost look in his eyes as I told him about Cross. Kanda was a world of deep caring, a well that once sprung, I felt it could drown the man. I followed Lavi out silently.
We made plans to meet on Wednesday to finish painting the apartment.  Lavi and I left. He yawned hugely as we reached his car. With a grin I slipped my arms around his waist. “Coffee time.” I said pressing my face into his chest. He halted.
Turning me in his arms he lifted my face up to look at him. “I am so sorry for that night Allen. The last few weeks…” his voice trailed off as his green eye began to sparkle with tears. Standing on tip toe I pulled his head down to me. Pressing our lips together I wrapped my arms around his neck. He lifted me. My legs encircled his waist. I felt the car gently press into my back as he clung desperately to my lips.
When I needed air I pulled back. “You did the only thing you could have.” I said wiping the tears from his eye. I pushed his headband back to tame some of his wild mane. “He would have killed you if you had come after us.”
“For three weeks I didn’t know if you were alive or dead. I wasn’t sure if he just up and left like you told me he does…” He pressed our foreheads together. “I was so scared!” he whimpered. I hugged him.
“I drove by as often as I could. It always looked like his truck was there. I was too afraid to cause you more pain if I tried to sneak down to the house.” He confided.
“I’m telling you, you did the right thing. Now I’m free of him. We are free to be in love together!” I rained kisses over his face burying mine into his neck. I breathed in the scent of my home. His arms were always open to me.
“I love you,  Lavi! Thank you for staying away!” We kissed again before getting in the car. Neither of us saw the two dark shadows watching from separate corners of the parking lot. Lavi took us to the nearest coffee shop. There many of our school friends were seated around a table. Once we got our order we went to join them.
Lenalee smiled at me. “Saw the pictures, you sure it isn’t a murder den?” she teased me. I laughed.
“Not any longer.” I grinned as she tossed her head back to laugh.
“Have room for one more?” I looked up to see Krory standing between Lavi and I. I grinned moving closer to Lenalee so he could sit. Lavi was in a discussion with Tyki about some band I had never heard of. Looking around I felt filled with love.
These were my friends. No my family. They had been the ones that have stood beside me through the last year. Without them, would I have had the courage to stay with Cross? I had been thinking of suicide for so long that it had been a constant place to run to. Now all I wanted was to live. Nothing could ruin this any longer.
Looking out the window I saw Kanda standing there looking in at us. I ran to drag him inside. As he sat beside Krory, separating me from Lavi even more, I just smiled happy that he joined us. Even if he looked like a sour frog!.