A/N: Hey! *wave* Sorry I missed last week. CC's chapter was super stressful and it screwed with everything.
Thank you to PoisonousDemon, WindBear47, jy24, Ill-Fated-Wish, Candy Crackpot, bibliophile030, Alaia Skyhawk, Shadow-X1999, Amelia Loves Anime, karina001, newby6320, Shadow Spears, pikaree1, Saimiri, and MukuroLeonheart 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.
Allen was nervous.
He hadn't wanted to let Tiedoll know this, because Tiedoll would try to fix it, and probably, in this case, make it worse. But he was nervous.
What was going to happen this time? Surely it wasn't just the akuma. All apprentices were at risk of being killed by an akuma; Allen was actually less likely to die that way than most, because of his immunity to akuma poison. He wasn't special.
But Cross thought so. Cross knew something.
It wasn't like Allen hadn't faced death before, obviously – time and time and time again, in many and varied forms and incarnations – but he hated not knowing what form it would take this time. What to look out for.
He was wandering the halls now, aimlessly. Tiedoll had gone back to researching, and Allen was too distracted to find a way to entertain himself.
"Allen?"
Allen started and half-turned around, silver eyes landing on- "Marie?" he echoed, surprised.
Marie smiled, speeding up a little to catch up to Allen. "I'm glad I came across you," Marie said when he'd reached him, and Allen tilted his head in confusion. "I heard about what happened. Lenalee told me."
Allen was confused for a moment – how would Lenalee have known? – before he let out a startled hum of comprehension. "About what General Cross is trying?" he clarified.
Marie nodded, his brow furrowed slightly in clear concern. "Yes. Is there something else I should know about?"
"No," Allen said, and then, "Master said he doesn't think General Cross will succeed, since he doesn't have a history of being very responsible. It'll be okay."
Marie smiled at him wryly. "And what do you think?" he asked.
Allen dropped his gaze. "…I don't want to leave Master," he said after a moment.
Marie's smile softened and turned a little more reassuring. "I know. And Master knows, too. He'll do his best to make sure you stay with him."
Allen nodded reluctantly. "General Cross doesn't seem like he gives up easily," he said carefully.
Now Marie's smile vanished altogether, and he looked as serious as Tiedoll ever did when he was addressing a concern of Allen's. It was… nice, to not be dismissed, or derided.
"He doesn't," Marie acknowledged. "It's one of the things that gives him his reputation as a difficult man. But, Allen, Master doesn't give up easily, either." He smiled again. "Besides, I'm sure Komui will help."
Allen tilted his head. "What makes you say that?"
"Komui has always tried to act in the best interests of the exorcists," Marie explained. "I'm sure Master's mentioned Central to you?"
"Yes," Allen confirmed cautiously.
"Komui has been acting as a buffer since he came," Marie told him. "Things are better than they were because of him." Smile. "He won't let General Cross harm you any more than he would Central."
"…Okay," Allen agreed. "Thank you."
"Anytime," Marie replied easily. "By the way… Are you lost?"
Allen suppressed a noise of surprise, and then smiled sheepishly.
"No," he admitted. "I wasn't really trying to go anywhere."
Marie chuckled. "Would you like to go outside? The forest is very nice."
"I'd like that, thanks," Allen decided, giving Marie a curious look. Why did he care?
Marie was quiet as he led the way to the back door of the Order, which led into a forest. Allen spent some of the time watching him thoughtfully and most of the rest counting doors, of which there were so many he couldn't help but wonder how many there were in the entire Order. He wondered if Lenalee had ever counted.
It wasn't until they were in the forest, with its rustling leaves and dappled shadows and occasional chirping birds, that Marie spoke again.
"Master cares about us very much."
Not expecting it, Allen was startled enough to jump, eyes snapping back to Marie. After a moment, he frowned and nodded slowly.
"I know," he answered, voice slow and questioning.
Marie looked at him and offered a small, understanding smile. "He's had a lot of apprentices; it's made him a little paranoid, I think." His smile turned a little wry. "While you're a great deal more polite than he is, you remind me of Kanda."
Allen scowled. "Hey, I'm nothing like-"
"You seem like the independent sort," Marie cut him off, surprising Allen enough to silence him. "Kanda finds Master bothersome because Master tries to handle everything he can before Kanda has to."
Allen stared at Marie and did not speak.
"I want you to know," Marie continued, smile softening, "that if you feel the need – I am available if you need advice but do not want help." He chuckled softly. "Of course, if you want help, I'd be willing to offer that, too."
Allen stared at Marie for a few moments longer, and then smiled, dipping his head so he no longer met Marie's eyes, gazing at the ground.
"Thank you," he said politely.
Perhaps, if there came a time when Allen was willing to go to Marie for advice, he would even take him up on that.
He started as Marie reached over to ruffle his hair gently, and then the older man stepped back.
"But enough of that," Marie said, and Allen glanced up to see Marie smiling almost humorously. "Kanda likes to use this forest to train sometimes, and Master likes to draw here. What do you think you'd like to do?"
Allen considered, and then said, "I think I'd like to listen."
"Funny," Marie told him. "That's what I like to do, too."
Allen smiled, letting out a soft laugh, and sat down. Not far away, Marie sat down as well, and Allen closed his eyes and listened.
The sounds of a forest, he decided, were very different from the sounds of a city.
He liked it.
This was a little filler-y, but, well, Marie. *laugh* I'll try to get the plot moving along again next chapter, because Cross is still unprepared to give up, and that never bodes well. *grin* Thanks for reading, and please review!
