Written for Yulma Week 2023.
Day 1 (Mon 6/5): Silver — Moonlight | Elegance | Trickery | Mirage | Darkness
Title: The Rose Cross.
Fandom: D. Gray-Man.
Pairings: Yuu Kanda/Alma Karma.
Rated: Explicit.
Words: 8.2K+.
Tags: Vampires, Canon Elements, Exorcist AU, Vampire Hunters, Angst, Romance, Reunions, Lemon, Blood Drinking, Blood Loss (Please see AO3 for full list of tags and warnings).
Chapters: 1/1.
Summary: Returning to the very woods where he lost his partner, Kanda finds that not all that is lost is truly dead.
Excerpt:
Lenalee kept quiet, also scanning the area. Not a sign of movement could be seen, the shadows of the forest dark. “I don’t see anything,” she said. She turned to Kanda. “Should we look around?”
Kanda didn’t answer at first. He was still scanning the woods, his focus lingering on the trees — the low fog, the shadows. Shapes of darkness that blended together, that for months now had haunted his mind…
“Yuu, help!”
A chill threatened to ripple down his spine, nausea curdling inside him as horrific memories threatened to resurface.
Kanda straightened his posture, exhaling. He turned to Lenalee. “Fine,” he finally answered. “Go with Toma. I’ll head north.”
Lenalee pursed her lips, worried. “Kanda, are you sure you’ll be okay?” she asked. “After last time—”
“I’ll be fine,” Kanda snapped. “Just keep your fucking eyes out.”
Lenalee exhaled through her nose, but didn’t say anything more. Instead, she turned to Toma. “Come on — let’s go this way.”
They split up, Kanda starting north as he wandered farther into the woods. He was careful to keep his steps light, the earth soft beneath him as a few puddles remained. Periodically, water and mud would splash, but he remained unbothered, his mind alert as he constantly searched the shadows for any signs of movements. For any monstrosities, abominations—
Vampires.
The word alone sent a flurry of something fearsome throughout him. Disgust, hatred — Kanda had been an exorcist for years now. An extension of the Church, with the purpose to hunt down and kill such unholy creatures. Kanda had never held any remorse for his actions, either. After all, vampires were mindless, bloodthirsty demons. Wicked and cursed to damnation, with no sense of their humanity left. They were only killers who took humans without a second thought.
Kanda had learned this well enough.
