D. Gray-man Fan Fiction ❯ Grandpa Bookman ❯ Kanda Tai ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Jin stared softly at the hourglass in the corner of her lover’s room, the glowing lotus floating within as to constantly remind her that Kanda would die way before his due time in old age. They mocked her, one more petal having fallen to the bottom just the other day. Kanda was out on a mission while she was left at home to worry. And she did, constantly. Because of her worries about him, she was neglecting herself. She’d taken up the habit to stop eating as soon as he’d leave for a mission and lock herself within his bedroom, staying huddled on the bed to watch the hourglass and pray to whatever gods there were out there that no more of Kanda’s life would fall away. It was painful to her; she knew she couldn’t do anything about it…
The handle to Kanda’s door jiggled slightly, causing her to jump and quickly look to it as she waited to see if whoever it was, was going to leave. She heard a familiar male voice scowl upon finding it locked and quickly shot up from the bed, running over to the door to throw it wide open and tackle the person on the other side. The force of her smaller body slamming into theirs sent them crashing to the ground with a small aggravated yell.
“What the-!?”
“You’re finally home!!” Jin exclaimed, sitting up to smile down at Kanda Yuu himself as she sat on him, where she landed after tackling him, and quickly wiped at her eyes as he scowled softly up at her.
“I missed you…!” She continued, giggling slightly while he continued to watch her slightly. She was wiping away tears…he knew why, too. Jin was far too readable to him now, an open book that he knew he could easily destroy if he wanted to, but the two had known each other since they were but children…there was a bond between them that was strong, he couldn’t do that to her. Kanda had seen her in the mental form of a broken doll before; it wasn’t something he thought he could stand dealing with again.
“Did I worry you again?” He asked, sitting up while resting all of his weight on one arm while brushing her odd and beautiful light blue hair out of her face. Jin just smiled and he knew she was going to lie about it again, she was always worried…she’d been that way even as a kid.
“Nope, I was just getting impatient!” She exclaimed, giggling. He gave her a stern look, causing her to become confused as he cupped her face.
“Don’t lie, it pisses me off when you do and you know I can tell.” Her expression fell away to a saddened one and she let her head rest against his hand, her eyes locked onto his.
“Sorry…I was worried, Kanda-senpai…but I can’t help it if I’m not by you and know you’re, in fact, perfectly okay…!” He glanced passed her for a moment, looking to his cursed hourglass before looking back into her eyes…those deep silver pools that he would drowned in from time to time just to relax and escape from the world that pissed him off so much, only to come back perfectly calm with her smiling face to greet him upon exiting his blissful daze. She was so unique, no other person could compare, even if she got her odd characteristics from a mutant gene in her DNA…she was one of a kind, and he was the same unique being in her eyes.
“…You were watching it again, weren’t you?” He asked lowly, Jin nodding in reply.
“The whole time you were gone…another petal fell…” She whispered, tears springing to her eyes again, causing him to sigh and lightly bop her on the head.
“Don’t cry about it…you know I can’t stand that.” He grumbled, standing up as he took her with him. Jin, of course, didn’t mind or complain as she followed him into his room, closing off the outside world with its deserted hall. Kanda’s domain was Kanda’s domain…no one really ever dared to enter or go near it, so the hall around his door was nearly always empty. The two preferred it this way, though Kanda never really admitted the reasoning behind his enjoyment was Jin’s warm and welcoming hugs. He usually hated things like that, but things in his opinions always seemed to twist and shatter at the sight of one of Jin’s smiles or the sound of her giggle.
“How did your mission go?” She asked gently, undoing his uniform top for him as she always did when he returned. After the first few arguments over it when they were younger, Kanda just gave up, finding that he couldn’t win against her snappy remarks and good points.
“Like how most of my other top-class missions go…damn swarms of Akuma at the orders of a Noah this time, though.” Jin froze at the mention of a Noah, her past flooding into her mind before she shook her head to clear it and removed his uniform top for him, beginning to fold it when she caught sigh of the bandages around his stomach.
“You were hurt…?” She asked, letting his shirt fall to the floor as she stepped closer and placed her hands gently over it, Kanda looking down at her face…she was feeling guilty, even though she had nothing to do with the wound he had attained.
“It wasn’t too serious. Probably completely healed already, don’t worry about it.” He replied as he ripped the bandages away to show his perfect and pale flesh. Jin was silent, inhaling barely as all sorts of crazy thoughts ran amuck within her head. She had to do something…she didn’t want to lose Kanda, or have him leave her behind completely alone when he finally did run out of time…she had to do something, and do it quick. The lotus flower was merciless; Kanda’s next mission could even be his last.

Kanda watched Jin as he lay perfectly still beside her, with the exception of his steady breathing, knowing that she didn’t even notice that he was awake still as she just continued to stare sadly at his hourglass. She had been doing this for at least an hour now, just staring at it while its soft pink light it gave off caused her features to glow in a strange way. Neither of them had had a mission for about two weeks now, and the entire time Jin had barely left his side at all. He knew she was afraid…she had always been afraid of losing him, but never said a word about it like she knew she didn’t have to. He noticed that her fear had increased over the past few days, though, and he hated how it stirred the unwanted feelings of concern within his stomach while he was just trying to enjoy what time the two would have together before one of them was sent out into the field of battle again. Silently, he shifted into the sitting up position behind her before her gently placed a kiss upon her bare shoulder, resting his chin there a moment later.
“What’s bothering you this time…?” He asked, voice low and like silk to Jin’s ears. She was still silent, though, blinking slowly and he finally noticed the tears begging to come out.
“Oi, what’s wrong, Jin?” He asked more forcefully, getting her to look away from the hourglass and stare into his own eyes as her mouth opened slightly, her lips quivering slightly. She took in a deep breath, tears still not falling as she held them back. She hated him seeing her cry, she personally thought it was pathetic since she usually couldn’t help but cry in certain situations.
“Senpai-”
“I said you could call me by my real name when we’re alone, I hate the whole ‘senpai’ thing. It’s annoying.” He interrupted, her muttering a small ‘sorry’ before she started ever.
“Yuu…they’re transferring me to the American branch tomorrow…I wanted to tell you sooner, but I couldn’t…!” She whispered out, answering him honestly. Time seemed to stop for a moment, Kanda’s eyes widening slightly. Transferring? Her!? They only transferred the troublesome people, and if either of the two of them were to be transferred, it would most likely be him!
“What?!” He growled out, Jin nodding mutely as she turn and wrapped her arms around Kanda’s waist, tears finally falling from her eyes as they fell onto his chest.
“I’m so sorry…” She whispered with her head nestled under his. He couldn’t believe this…the higher-ups must have wanted him to go insane.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> They must have <i>wanted</i> him to finally snap a go off on a killing spree of the order. Jin’s much calmer personality around him was what had kept over a hundred people alive throughout the years. She had saved them from Kanda’s wrath, and then she had calmed him. She was everything he wasn’t, he was everything she wasn’t…Kanda could probably handle being separated from her, but Jin would crumble, she’d completely shatter without him around. She was far too dependant on him, and they both had known since the beginning, but neither of them really did anything. Jin needed Kanda to survive…he was what made her strong, he was the one that guided her…he was all she had…
“Don’t apologize; none of this is your fault.” Kanda told her as he held her to him, Jin’s warmth spreading to him. She would be gone tomorrow; they only had now to be together and enjoy each other’s company.
“It is, though.” She sniffled out, getting him to scoff softly.
“It isn’t, so just…be quiet and enjoy your last day here...” He muttered, adding the last word he wanted to say only in his mind.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> <i>Enjoy your last hours with me…I want to remember this warmth you give me, Jin…</i>

He couldn’t stand it…watching Jin standing at the entrance of the waterway with an upset smile on her face and holding her small suitcase in front of her with both hands. If he had a choice, Kanda would have stayed locked away in his room, but Jin asked him to see her off…even if he was standing at a distance, scowling at her, she would have been fine with that. But he came, and, for a moment, savored the perfect way her eyes lit up at the sight of him rounding the corner. Jin’s suitcase clattered to the floor as she dropped it, instantly running and attaching herself to him in the tightest hug she had ever given him, tears streaming down her face.
“Kanda…!” She murmured into the fabric of his shirt, burying her face into his chest. He was still, but not at all stiff or rigid. From now on, the two would see each other when they were out on missions…set up a few meeting places, visit each other during their free time. Kanda glanced to Komui, getting a nod from him, but scoffing softly...as if he needed permission with dealing with his partner. Kanda’s arm wrapped around Jin, holding her close as he bent down to whisper into her ear.
“Take care of yourself…I’m not going to be around to keep your sorry ass out of trouble.” Jin laughed softly, sniffing.
“Behave while I’m gone…I won’t be around to make sure you don’t kill anyone.” She replied, causing him to let out a soft chuckle before her let her go. Jin also let him go a moment later. They were silent now, Kanda nodding slightly to her, Jin nodding back and smiling as she stepped closer to him once more, leaving one last sweet kiss upon his lips.
“I’ll keep in touch, Yuu…” She whispered, stepping back with her eyes closed as she turned and walked back to pick her suitcase up and get on the boat. She looked back at Kanda one last time, smiling sweetly as the boat pushed off and the current swept it away, and swept her out of sight…

Jin had been writing Kanda letters for months now. He had written back, and the two would often sit and talk on the phone for hours. They both, however, seemed far too busy to actually see each other face-to-face. This weekend was different, though, since it was so close to Kanda’s birthday, so they were both free and Jin had arranged to actually meet Kanda back at the HQ he and nearly everyone she grew up with were still stationed. He agreed, rather eagerly as a few noticed, and prepared himself to wait. Kanda Yuu, however, was rather impatient with things…
“Where is she…?!” He grumbled, pacing back and forth. He’d been doing this so long, it seemed, that he was surprised he wasn’t actually wearing down the stone floors. He gave up pacing, instead deciding to flop down and meditate to try to calm down a bit.
“Kanda!!!” He instantly looked up at the female voice, Lenalee landing softly with an urgent look on her face.
“What?” He asked, standing up once more.
“It’s Jin, she just arrived by train only a few minutes ago, but something happened and she’s in the hospital!!” She said. Alarms and sirens went off in Kanda’s head, his body tensing and he quickly began running as fast as he could. What could have happened? Was Jin injured? If so, how? All of these questions and many, many more rushed through his mind like the adrenalin pumping in his veins. Kanda ran into the hospital, about to grab a random doctor and demand where the hell his woman was, but he soon spotted a familiar head of short black hair and the feeling he’d gotten with it. He approached the woman, Samantha, even though she still only looked in her late teens due to being what she was, and found that her three year old daughter, little Risa, was resting on her lap. The young girl looked far too muck like her father, the successor to the Bookman clan…she was like an adorable clone without the eye patch, but she definitely had her mother’s face.
“Kanda…!” Sam said, noticing him approaching her. Risa giggled as she saw him.
“Uncle Yuu-tan!”
“Where is she?” He asked, breathing heavily as he let Risa know he heard her by gently ruffling her hair. Sam pointed to the doors next to them.
“They just took her back there; I told them you were coming.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know, go!” She urged, him scoffing as he ran in. Kanda instantly heard Jin’s voice, in pain, and booked it in the direction it was coming from, looking at all of people that rushed about as soon as he followed Jin’s cries into a room.
“Are you the father?” A doctor asked, Kanda instantly becoming confused. Father? Father of what? What the hell was going on?!
“Doctor, that baby is coming, and fast!”
“Just deep breaths, sweetheart, deep breaths.” Kanda looked over to the bed, finding Jin laying there while gripping the sheets, her stomach huge.
“The baby can’t be born yet…not until <i>he</i> gets here!” Jin snapped, crying out as another contraction hit. Kanda was silent, frozen to the spot.<br style="display:none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved=""/> Jin was giving birth…it was the first time he had gotten to see her in nearly nine or so months, and she was giving birth…he couldn’t exactly believe it, but he knew it was real, and he knew that the child about to be born <i>was</i> his.
“Ma’am, he might not get here in-”
“I am here!” Kanda snapped, instantly appearing beside Jin to take her hand. She smiled up at him, even though she did look like a mess, but he smiled faintly back.
“Sorry…I wanted to tell you sooner, Yuu…but I also wanted it to be a surprise…since your birthday is so soon…” She muttered, Kanda shaking his head.
“Just concentrate on the baby, Jin.” He replied just as another contraction hit.
“Alright, here comes the baby! Push!!”
“Come on, Jin, you can do it…!” Kanda urged, Jin gripping his hand for dear life as she grit her teeth.
“Almost there!!” Jin gave one final push before collapsing, the doctor cheering as he held the small and bloody form in his hands.
“It’s a boy!!!” He said, the little new born child beginning to cry a moment later.
“Did I do it…?” Jin muttered, trying to breathe properly. Kanda nodded, kissing her on the forehead.
“Yeah, you did it. I knew you could.”
“Well, would the father like to cut the umbilical cord?”
“Huh?” Jin giggled at Kanda’s face and he looked at her, still confused.
“His umbilical cord, you dork…go ahead and cut it, just don’t use your Mugen, okay…?” He snorted slightly, a small smile on his lips as he stood and cut where the doctor told him to, his son being carried off to be cleaned as he sat down in the chair next to Jin. He held her hand in his as the two waited a bit, his thumb rubbing gently over the back of her hand. A nurse finally brought their son over, placing him in Jin’s arms as she cradled him, smiling warmly. Kanda was right next to her, finally getting a good look at his son. He had Kanda’s black hair and dark blue eyes, but the instant his little arms reached out for him and he smiled while making those adorable noises babies to, Kanda knew that this was definitely his and Jin’s child…he may have looked like his father, but he had his mother’s smile. Jin passed the newborn to his father, Kanda carefully cradling the boy in his arms as he continued to stare down at him. He would have been pissed that Jin hadn’t told him something this important until now, but as he continue to see the both of them in the baby in his arms…he couldn’t stay mad. He and Jin had talked about the possibilities of kids…they were both fine with a son, and he had that now.
“Happy early Birthday.” Jin whispered out, giggling as Kanda laughed slightly.
“He has your smile.”
“Yes, but he looks like you.” Jin replied, watching as her son reached up slightly, took hold of Kanda’s long hair…and yanked.
“Ow! Damn, he even has your habit of pulling on my hair…!” He grumbled and Jin smacked his head lightly.
“Kanda Yuu, watch your language…you can curse like that around the baby!” Kanda shut his mouth, not wanting to say anything just in case a bad word slipped out. If he swore like he normally did at people…his son would curse worse than a freaking sailor.
“So…what are we going to name him?” Kanda asked after a moment, looking to Jin as she leaned her head against his shoulder to smile at the life they had both created.
“You can pick the name, but for so long, I had been praying for so long, even to that lotus, for something…anything…that would always allow a piece of you to be with me, no matter what happened…” She said softly, a gentle laugh coming from her lips. Kanda was silent, thinking about what he would want to call his child.
“Tai…lets name him Tai.” He said after a long moment, Jin thinking about it before giggling and kissing his cheek before she kissed Tai on the forehead.
“It’s perfect, Yuu…absolutely perfect. Kanda Tai…cute…!”

It was silent, Jin sleeping soundly as Kanda lay beside her, shifting his head slightly to look at the crib right across their room. He looked to Jin’s sleeping face before he slowly got out of bed and made his way over to the crib. Tai was considerably quiet for a baby, even while seeing his father smiling down on him, when both of them should be sleeping. Kanda lowered his hand into the crib, letting Tai grip his finger tightly.
“You’re going to be strong when you grow up, Tai…” He said softly, chuckling as he smiled warmly at his son. His son…his child…his and Jin’s child…
“You know what; I’ll tell you something that you’d better not ever forget…you’ve got the best mother alive.” Kanda said, Tai giggling and reaching up to Kanda. Jin cracked one eye open, smiling warmly as she opened both eyes to watch Kanda pick up and hold Tie, bouncing him ever so slightly so he’d laugh. Her smile grew slightly as she continued to watch both of the most important people in her life generally just be father and son. It was heart-warming to watch…Kanda was the best father there could be around…