Gravity of Souls

A/N: Hello again. I have the second part ready for you all! Here's something new...action! Well, to a certain extent. In any case, I hope you like it. I worked especially hard on this story. So if you read, take a minute to review. Doesn't matter if it's anonymous or logged in. I'd just like to know how I'm doing. Anyhow, just to get you re-oriented...it's the same night, just later. Close to dawn, actually. This chapter, as well as the next, were written primarily while listening to the Hackers Soundtrack. So now, on with the show.

"Gravity of Souls"

Part II: Fight or Flight

Kanda’s eyes shot open. That whining sound! It was a high-pitched almost wailing, and he nearly gasped. In an instant, he was bolt upright in bed, and hissing as loud as he dared, “Incoming!” Then, as the sound grew louder, he gave up being quiet, “Wake up! Incoming Akuma artillery!” The sounds of people scrambling out of bed filled the darkness. A dim glow rose from his side, and he found that Walker’s weapon had taken on a pale white sheen, casting the room into strange shadows.

Miranda was still unconscious, but Aleister had her in his arms. Renali was grabbing all of her things from a corner while the Bookman had collected everyone’s coats. Kanda sneered. Attacking while they were supposed to be asleep was a dirty trick, but not one that he would put past the Earl. Rabi…looking around, he did not see the man. After a long moment of annoyance, he found Rabi completely dressed and standing near the door. His eye glinted dark green in the dim light. “Everyone, come here,” he called. “That side of the room is going to get blasted away!”

No one questioned. They just moved. There were times when Rabi’s instincts were off, but where trajectory was concerned, it was rare. In half of the time it takes for an eye to blink, Kanda was standing at the door itself, his hand on the thumb lock. “Not yet,” he heard, and he turned his face to the right, only to find Rabi very close and whispering. “Don’t go yet. We need the bullet to hit first.”

“Are you insane?” Kanda hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously as the whine became a hum, oscillating as it neared the building. He knew as well as anyone that shrapnel from an Akuma bullet was deadly, and it went double for the larger artillery, since they were made to explode upon impact. “We have to get out of here, Rabi!” When he tried to turn the lock, a strong hand fell onto his, holding it where it was. Blinking in angry confusion, Kanda tried to pull away, but it was all in vain. Rabi’s grip was like steel.

“No.” That was the last sound he heard before the deafening crash of the artillery shell breaking through the outer wall. Renali gave a startled scream from further along the wall, while Allen’s yell was a bit more expected as he apparently batted away flying bits of masonry. Kanda felt his body being thrown against the door by the blast, and anticipated the shower of debris and brick rubble that would undoubtedly rain down on them. He didn’t feel any of that, though. Instead, he felt something that he had not expected.

A warm body pressed against his back, and an arm encircled his waist. He felt a hand on his head, pushing him down into a hunched posture. Gasping at the unwished contact, he tried to push away, to protest, to free himself. “Stop that, Yuu-chan…” Rabi’s voice growled in his ear before his arms loosened and let him go. “Ten seconds. We have ten seconds before…the dust starts to settle. Open the door.”

He did not need to be told twice. They ran into the hallway, which was lit by a single naked bulb. Rabi immediately spoke, “Bookman, take them out of here. Kanda and I will draw off anyone who doesn’t think we’re dead.” The older man blinked for a moment, then opened his mouth, but Rabi forestalled any questions or protests with a raised hand and a crooked grin. “Do as I say if you don’t want to be dead, you old panda.” He looked over Bookman’s shoulder. “Renali, Aleister, Allen…make sure nothing happens to Miranda.”

Allen’s mouth hung open for a second, but Kanda didn’t get to stick around for the little pleasure of seeing him out of his guard. He was instead taken by the arm and hustled to the hallway window. Something soft and heavy hit him in the back of the head, and when he grabbed it, he found that it was his coat. Casting a glance over his shoulder, he saw the Bookman handing everyone their coats as well. He nearly snorted. Shoving his arms into the protective clothing over his bare skin, he followed Rabi, who ran at full-tilt toward the large window. When the man broke through the glass, it was like shattering a pane of moonlight, the glass flashing brilliantly in a thousand tiny points of light.

Rabi fell half a story before he pulled his hammer. Kanda was already out of the window and falling himself when he felt his coat suddenly take on most of his weight. All he could do was grip his sword and try not to slip out of his coat and fall six floors down. When Rabi’s hammer finally shrank enough that he could put his feet on the ground, he heard it. The sounds of feet. Turning, he saw six level-two Akuma entering the alley. He looked at Rabi, who shook his head. As one, they turned and bolted in the opposite direction, away from the fight. “Thanks for volunteering me, Rabi. This is so much fun.”

“If you have enough breath to bitch at me, then put it to better use. Save it for running!” Rabi grabbed the front of his coat and hauled him along, never slowing down until they were about two miles away from where they had been. The Akuma seemed to have given up for the time being, but now they had no clue where they were.

Kanda sighed and pulled Rabi into a darkened alley. “What now, genius?”

“Shut up and let me think.” Rabi’s voice came out as a soft growl, and Kanda made a face.

“Got you…” came a voice from behind Kanda, its low grating tone a dead giveaway. Something hard pressed against his back. “You didn’t think I would give up so easily…did you, little one?” His blood chilled at the thought that he might be skewered. “I am not lazy like my friends…they gave up after the first mile. But me, I like the chase.” Kanda’s eyes widened before he smiled. Rabi was standing in front of him now, hefting his hammer. “What are you going to do with that? Move again, and your friend dies.”

Kanda’s smile widened and he opened his mouth to speak. “What…you think you can beat both of us alone? You couldn’t even defeat me, let alone take him on too.” Taunting Akuma was always fun, especially when they were so low in status.

“Do not underestimate me, you little insect!” Whatever weapon was pressed to his back drew away, obviously for a strike. In that instant, Kanda dropped to the ground, sweeping his leg around, setting the Akuma off-balance. He moved fast, avoiding any unnecessary sound. Sheath thrown momentarily aside, he activated his weapon, delivering an efficient downward slash, and the Akuma died, choking on its own poisonous blood.

Picking up his sheath, he shook the blood from the sword and put it away, grabbing Rabi on his way out of the alley. “Now, we’re not being followed. Let’s go.” The flame-haired man stumbled alongside him for a moment before regaining his footing. How were they going to find the others? The entire situation got on his nerves, and it was enough to have him grumbling as they flitted from shadow to shadow.

--

There was nowhere for them to take shelter when it began raining. Rabi’s head-wound was stinging, and blood had started seeping from under the bandage again. Kanda didn’t show any signs of being affected by the steady downpour, but then again, not much affected him outwardly. They kept moving, soon being drenched to the skin. After about two hours of this, Rabi just yanked the bandage off. It wasn’t doing any good, anyway. The water stung, but it kept him aware. He was so tired…

Kanda stood at the corner of a building, and peeked around the edge, while Rabi leaned against the slick wet wooden wall. “Not this way. There’s a level-four. We’ll double back and try the next street.” Rabi groaned as he pushed himself off of the wall. Kanda cast an appraising glance over him. “You going to make it? Or do I have to carry your sorry ass?”

Shrugging the other man’s comment off, Rabi started walking back the way they’d come. His head was starting to throb. Wet footsteps splashed up behind him, and he saw Kanda out of the corner of his eye. They walked in silence, close to the buildings on the left of the street. Rabi felt like his head was going to explode, it pounded so fiercely, and Kanda’s pace didn’t help at all. He always walked quickly, but now, he had some unknowable haste driving him. Neither of them were in any shape to fight right now, but Kanda was better off, since he didn’t have a still-bleeding head wound.

The wind began to blow in off of the ocean, cold and salty. Rabi’s stomach lurched, and he fell to his knees, feeling his dinner coming back to haunt him. Slender hands pulled him to his feet, and he was dragged into a very dark alley. “No puking, moron. It’ll draw attention.” These words hissed at his ear, and he felt himself being settled onto the ground. After his eye adjusted to the dimness, he saw Kanda’s dark eyes as nothing more than black blurs in a larger white blur. Blinking did nothing to clear his vision. His eyes started sliding shut, and the dizziness of near-blackout threatened to envelop him.

“Kanda…I’m tired…” his voice sounded hollow in his ears.

--

His eyes widened in alarm. Rabi was delirious. He’d even called him Kanda, rather than Yuu-chan. “Shit…” he growled, and grabbed the front of Rabi’s shirt, pulling at it until his face was very close to the other man’s. “Don’t you dare pass out on me, Rabi. I’m not carrying you.”

His visible eye looked like smoky glass as it looked at him, unfocused. Rabi smiled dazedly. “But you offered…” Oh, God. No. Kanda’s grip loosened, and he nearly dropped Rabi. Swallowing hard, he set the injured man down gently, and took Rabi’s red-haired head in his hands, combing his fingers through unruly wet hair to find the six-inch-long cut that was bleeding even now.

“Damn it, Rabi,” he growled, “why did you take the bandage off?”

That one green eye opened lazily, “Wet…not working…” Weak hands grasped at the front of Kanda’s coat, the material squelching as Rabi made fists. “…hurts…God…so tired…Kanda, I’m going to sleep…” The grip on his coat became slack, and suddenly, Rabi’s entire body went limp and began to slide down the wall. Catching him easily, Kanda stood and dragged him deeper into the alley while cursing softly under his breath. Further back, he found an overhang, and propped the other man against the wall, atop a wooden pallet. Once he had settled down next to his companion, he unwound Rabi’s scarf from his neck.

After wringing as much water from it as possible, he tore the cloth into strips and used one to bandage that gash again. “Honestly, Rabi. You should have said something.” The other two strips were hung quickly around Kanda’s neck for later use, and he pulled the unconscious man against his chest, trying to gain some warmth. Wet hair pressed against his neck, and warm breaths puffed against his bare chest. Sighing slightly, he put his arms around Rabi to keep him securely in place. Laying his face against the uninjured part of Rabi’s head, he muttered, “I’m still not carrying you.”

--

A/N: Don't you just love Kanda? He is delightfully angsty, and so very in denial of being a good person!

BONUS: next time...

...Only when a soft gasp came from his friend did he realize just how close he had gotten to him...“Rabi…what are you doing?” Oh, God. Awkward…so very awkward…

...You could have asked before you invaded my personal space.” Kanda raised an eyebrow at that. The concept of personal space was not something he thought Rabi understood. Right along with tact, and discretion...

...Gently pushing the shock of red hair onto his chest, he said, “Sleep, now.”...“Not tired…” Rabi whined, trying to sit up...Kanda chuckled, but held him where he was. “Liar. You lost a lot of blood last night. You’re not going anywhere.” After another bout of squirming, Kanda felt Rabi relax. “Go to sleep, idiot.”...