A/N: Hey! *wave* Back to my usual plotless nonsense, more or less. *grin* Transitions. My specialty, apparently.

Thank you to jy24, Ern Estine 13624, amenokuma, Candy Crackpot, karina001, WindBear47, Alaia Skyhawk, Shadow Spears, Amelia Loves Anime, Shadow-X1999, and pikaree1 for reviewing!

Title: Blackberry Bushes

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Adventure

Warnings: AU

Summary: That night after Allen turns Mana into an akuma, it isn't Cross Marian who picks him up. It's Tiedoll.

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man.

Tiedoll was where he'd promised Allen he'd be – outside by the forest, drawing. Allen knew that Tiedoll had a training schedule, but he'd only rarely seen his master at it. Instead, drawing, talking, helping his apprentices train.

Allen's master was a very frustrating person.

Allen silently approached Tiedoll and knelt down behind him, watching him draw a half-finished picture of the forest before them, with a figure added in. After some thought and examination, Allen identified it as Kanda – swinging his sword, if Allen had to guess from the lines drawn in already.

A few more minutes passed in silence, though Allen knew that Tiedoll knew he was there. Finally, Tiedoll, still sketching the bark of a tree, asked,

"What's wrong?"

Allen accidentally let slip a soft, startled sound. "Nothing."

…Allen normally lied better than that.

Tiedoll, in turn, put down his pencil and looked over to give Allen a disappointed, worried look, which made Allen wince. "Allen, please. Did something happen on your way to Komui's office?"

Allen shrugged. "Is that Kanda?"

"Allen."

Allen dropped his gaze and sat down, sticking his hands in his lap. "General Cross thinks that you shouldn't be my master."

Tiedoll went very, very still; Allen didn't have to be looking right at him to see that. It took a few moments for Tiedoll to speak after that, but Allen certainly wasn't going to break the silence.

"Does he, now," Tiedoll murmured. And then he shook his head. "I've never liked that man."

Allen looked up, eyes wide and startled; Tiedoll never admitted to disliking anyone.

Tiedoll caught his look in the moments before Allen wiped it away, to Allen's frustration, and smiled wryly and explained, "Somewhere along the line, Cross forgot that the people around him were truly people, and not merely puppets for him to use to his advantage." His smile faded. "I'd rather keep you as far away from him as I can, if I'm entirely honest."

Allen let his expression turn serious and nodded. "He wants me to be his apprentice," he offered quietly. "I don't know why. He wouldn't say."

Tiedoll frowned. "Was he talking to you about this?" he asked, worry growing visibly.

Allen shook his head silently. Tiedoll let out a soft sigh.

"Please keep away from him," Tiedoll requested, and Allen nodded again. More seriously still, Tiedoll added, "Don't worry, Allen. I won't let anyone take you away from me."

Then Tiedoll offered a small, reassuring smile, and Allen, in return, let a hesitant one grace his face in return.

"Okay," Allen replied, keeping his voice just as soft.

Within fifteen minutes of arriving at the lounge, Allen decided he didn't like it.

He didn't, at present, know anyone in it, and he was getting strange, wary looks – probably because of his uniform, given that his left arm was covered up at the moment. He also wasn't sure what to do without company, and he didn't really want to approach the finders in the room. And all of the people in the room were finders.

Luckily, just as he was deciding that, a familiar face appeared.

"Hey, Allen!" Daisya called loudly, ignoring the attention this attracted. He waved and gave Allen a grin, eyes glittering with amusement. "What're you doing in here?" Allen shrugged. Daisya stared at him expectantly for a moment, and then decided, "Whatever. C'mon!"

Allen gladly followed him back out, ignoring the stares at his back, which disappeared once the door shut behind him.

"Lenalee showed you that room, didn't she?" Daisya asked knowingly.

Allen nodded. Daisya snorted.

"The exorcists don't really hang out in there much. We usually meet up in one of the training rooms and just stay there." He grinned at Allen. "If you're looking for company, just go train."

Allen let the corners of his lips tip up in a smile even as he protested, "I'm not allowed."

"…That would be a problem." Daisya seemed to find that pretty funny, given the size of his grin.

After a few moments of no further explanation, Allen asked, "Where are we going?"

"To one of the training rooms!" Daisya explained happily.

Allen stared at him. "I'm not allowed to train," he pointed out, wondering if Daisya was especially forgetful.

Daisya made an exasperated sound. "What's wrong with all you people? We're not training. We're gonna play, you little workaholic."

Allen stared at Daisya, mouth slightly open, fully aware of how stupid he must look. As soon as h snapped out of it, he closed his mouth, bit back his instinctive response (which was something along the lines of 'You actually want to play with me?') and asked, "What are we playing?"

"Football!" Daisya declared proudly, and then paused. "Well. Not really football, because we don't have any goals. But basically football."

Allen considered him, considered his history with people who said they wanted to play with him, considered Tiedoll, and smiled. "I've never played that before. Can you teach me how?"

"What?" Daisya sounded very indignant, and Allen was worried for a short moment, until Daisya launched into an explanation of the gameplay and rules, interspersed with incredulity and frustration with Allen's apparently deprived life.

So that's that - it's a little short, but Tiedoll now knows and is making plans to take care of business as we speak, and also, Daisya and Allen. We'll see a little more of Daisya next week, and if there's room... Idk, honestly, because I don't remember my outline. *nervous chuckle* Komui, I think. Thanks for reading, and please review!