Don't Call Me That
AN: Because I couldn't resist a happy ending, either. (And I wanted to write Lavi!)
By the way – I just realized, I don't think Lenalee even knows about the 14th, does she? Oops. Pretend she does? (And if she actually does and I've just forgotten, ignore this.)
Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray-man.
When Allen emerged from the records room, Lenalee wasn't waiting for him. Even though he hadn't expected her to – he'd hurt her, and she was obviously not going to get over it easily – it still pained him to walk to the cafeteria of the new Headquarters alone.
Of course, there was also the fact that Allen still wasn't sure where the new Headquarters' cafeteria even was.
Listening to the tapping of his feet as he walked down the hallway, Allen's mind returned to the conversation he'd just had with Komui.
"Allen? Oh, good, come in, come in." Komui set down a sheaf of papers and pushed aside a pile of tomes, gesturing for the silver-haired Exorcist to take a seat on one of the moth-eaten chairs. "I presume Lenalee told you I wanted to see you?"
"Yes, sir," Allen replied, feeling uncomfortable at the mention of Lenalee's name. "She didn't say why you wanted to see me, though."
"Yes, well, I didn't exactly tell her." Komui looked grave as he cast a glance towards the papers he'd just abandoned. "I'm sure she's as curious as you are."
Allen didn't reply.
"In any case," the supervisor continued, "the matter I wish to discuss with you is of utmost importance. You mustn't breath a word about it to anyone else."
His curiosity piqued, Allen nodded slowly. "Of course not."
Komui looked pleased at his quick reply and opened his mouth to speak – but just then, a playful breeze swept through the room, scattering the papers Komui had arranged so neatly. Looking startled, Allen leapt to his feet and chased after the wayward sheets, leaping up to catch a few that fluttered teasingly out of his reach.
"Oh dear," Komui groaned, watching Allen collect the papers, "I'm sorry about that."
If you're so sorry, Allen thought, why don't you help me gather them up? He reached down to pick another sheet off the floor and stared at the names written across it in puzzlement.
"Um, sir… why exactly are you looking up records on my master?"
Komui snatched the sheets out of Allen's hands and harrumphed. "Not that it's really any of your business, but you do know that the search for him is still on? For some reason, the people at Central think that information about General Cross would help in the investigation – something about old habits." He waved a hand airily, and Allen almost admired the elder Lee sibling for his lightheartedness.
"In any case, that's not the only thing I'm researching – but that's none of your business, Allen, so you'd best sit down and I'll tell you why I called you here."
Still itching to know about the details of Komui's research, Allen nonetheless took a seat once more and watched Komui carefully. Was he going to question him on his master? Was that why Komui had called him here? It probably wouldn't help – the things Allen knew about his master were probably present in the records room, unless Komui wanted a list of Cross's numerous debts.
"I've noticed," Komui began sternly, "that you've been spending a lot of time with my Lenalee lately."
Allen stared at the supervisor, fighting to keep his jaw from dropping. Komui had requested an urgent meeting with him just to tell him to keep away from his sister?!
"In any case," the bespectacled man continued, "I've also noticed how you've begun to act differently around her. You're far more casual with her than you used to be." He peered suspiciously at Allen over the top of his glasses. "Needless to say, this concerns me."
Allen opened his mouth to speak, but Komui raised one hand to silence him. "Now, I can understand that you probably do not want me to talk to you about this." Komui's lips thinned, and Allen noticed how he hadn't beat him over the head with a paperweight yet. "Admittedly, things at your age can seem very, ah, complicated…"
Allen's eyes bugged out of his head. Where the hell was Komui going with this?
"Wait, wait, wait!" Allen interrupted, flailing his arms comically. "What are you talking about? Why aren't you attacking me?" As soon as the words escaped his mouth, he flushed a dull red and mentally cursed himself.
"Attacking you?" Komui looked perplexed. "Why would I attack you?"
"Ahh… no reason," Allen muttered. Komui stared at him oddly.
"Oh – I suppose you mean because of my Lenalee." Komui sighed – it was a mournful sound. "I always knew I couldn't keep her forever… and indeed, Allen, at least I know you won't try anything with her." He raised his eyebrows quizzically. "You won't, will you?"
"N-no… of course not…"
"Good!" Komui reached across the table and patted him on the head. "But be warned, boy – I don't give second chances!"
You don't have to worry about that, Allen thought dully. I won't get even one chance.
Lenalee most probably loathed him, and he couldn't blame her. Komui would be thrilled to be able to keep his sister to himself.
But as long as she's safe…
Allen sighed and turned a corner, his eyebrows lifting and his nose twitching as he smelled a familiar scent.
The cafeteria! Oh, joy.
He made his way into the room and immediately approached Jerry. The cook beamed at him fondly and brought out a notepad and a pencil from somewhere, setting the graphite tip to the paper in expectation of Allen's huge order.
"Ahh… I'm sorry, Jerry-san… I'm not very hungry today." Allen offered him a faint smile. "I'll come back later, though." He turned and walked towards the tables, leaving behind a stupefied Jerry.
Allen was about to sit at an empty table when he heard his name being called from across the room – "Allen! Hey, Allen!"
He turned, a faint smile crossing his face at the sight of Lavi waving his arm in the air. The junior Bookman grinned in his direction and gestured for him to join his table. Allen changed destinations and headed towards the red-haired Exorcist, not noticing the girl sitting next to him.
"Hey, Lavi," he greeted him with a smile, settling down across from him. "How are you – "
Oh, damn.
Lenalee fixed him with a detached gaze for a heartbeat and then returned her eyes to her food. Allen flinched and jerked his head away, his cheeks heating up. Lavi stared at his friend in confusion.
"Allen? Hey, what's up, man?"
"Nothing," he mumbled, turning back to face Lavi. "I'm fine."
Lavi cocked his head. "Sure, whatever you say," he replied skeptically. "Anyway, hey, I heard you went to see Komui. Did you tell him about the mission?"
"Did I… oh, no, I forgot," Allen admitted. While what had been occupying his mind wasn't necessarily more important than the retrieval of Innocence, it was slightly more interesting – if heartbreaking – to think about.
"Sorry, Lavi. I'll let him know the next time I see him, although one of the Finders might've already told him."
"Oh, yeah." Lavi gave a quick, easy grin, his thoughtful green eyes moving from Allen to Lenalee. "Of course."
The tips of Allen's ears felt uncomfortably warm. "So, what did Bookman have to say about that akuma?"
"Oh, nothing at all – the old geezer's totally unconcerned, says it's nothing unusual." Lavi began regaling them with tales of Bookman's indifference, and Allen took the opportunity to sneak a glance towards the female Exorcist.
Lenalee stabbed a piece of bread with her fork and raised the utensil, her eyes firmly fixed on her food. Allen's stomach flipped. She's obviously still annoyed.
Why couldn't she understand that he just wanted to protect her from himself?
I don't know how the 14th thinks… I don't think he's evil, not if he wanted to get rid of the Earl… but… can I say that for sure?
"Allen?" Lavi stared at him again. "Are you listening to me?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah," Allen replied absently. A secretive smile crept across Lavi's face.
"So, what do you think, huh?" the junior Bookman asked playfully. Allen blinked, fumbling for an answer that wouldn't betray his attention span.
"I, uh, think you're absolutely right."
Lavi gave a hoot of laughter. "Hear that, Lenalee?" he crowed, elbowing the girl playfully. "He agrees!"
Lenalee looked faintly amused. "C'mon, Lavi, you know he wasn't paying attention," she gently berated her friend. Lavi grinned widely.
"Who's to say he wasn't?"
"Wait, what?" Allen felt a brief flare of panic. "What are you talking about?"
Lavi merely shook his head and grinned again. Lenalee sighed.
"Immature Lavi here just said that he thought you have feelings for me," the dark-haired girl spoke coolly. Despite her obvious attempts to remain indifferent, a faint flush of pink colored her cheeks. "And you, obviously, just agreed."
Allen felt his insides squirm. This wasn't getting any better. He abruptly got to his feet, giving Lavi a slight nod.
"Sorry, I should be going."
"Wait a minute – did I offend you? C'mon, man, you know I was just joking around!"
"I know." Allen flashed him a quick smile. "I know, believe me." Gathering his nerve, he turned to Lenalee. "Could I have a word with you in private?" he asked her, half-hoping she would say no.
Lenalee looked up. "Yeah, sure," she replied, shoving aside her almost-empty plate and getting to her feet. "I'll be right back, Lavi."
"Take your time." Lavi offered Allen a wink and leaned back, his arms crossed behind his head. Allen felt himself flush again.
Darn my red blood cells…
He led Lenalee towards the cafeteria doors and exited the room, pausing a couple of feet away from the doors. People bustled about, but most of them were too intent on their destination to offer the two teenagers any more than a cursory glance.
"Lenalee…" Allen inhaled deeply. "Look, I know you're still mad at me…"
"Mad?" Lenalee blinked and raised her eyebrows. "Oh, I'm not mad, Walker-san."
He winced at the formal name.
"No," she continued, and here her voice acquired a tinge of sadness, "I think I'm more disappointed than anything else."
Disappointed? Allen stared at her in complete bemusement.
Lenalee noticed his blank look and shook her head slightly. "It's just – I never thought you'd be so afraid of something that you'd foist the blame on someone else," she clarified, looking tired. "I never thought you were such a coward, Al – Walker-san."
She bit her lower lip, folding her arms and looking at him challengingly. Allen narrowed his eyes at her, unable to grasp her meaning.
"What are you talking about?"
Lenalee sighed, sounding like a harried mother. "I mean," she replied slowly, "that I think you're afraid of caring for me, and you're trying to blame it all on the 14th so I'll forget about you."
"What?!" Allen squeaked, far too surprised at her words to care about the fact that his voice had just gone up an octave. "What the – what gave you that idea?"
She closed her eyes. "Because what you told me doesn't make any sense," she explained wearily. "The 14th isn't interested in me. Even if he was – on the off chance that I could help him defeat the Earl, or whatever – do you really think he'd make you go this far to follow me? He wouldn't have needed to do anything. We're friends – of course we're going to be close. Why would he make you think you had feelings for me?"
"Wait a minute – I never said I had feelings for you," Allen protested weakly. She opened her eyes and stared at him pointedly.
"Oh, wait – yes I did," he muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up again. Lenalee gave a small smile.
"I don't think you're giving enough credit to yourself," she said. "Just because he somehow implanted his memories into you, doesn't mean that he's been controlling you all along. You're still you."
He swallowed, acutely aware of her gaze on him.
"I've known how I feel about you for a while now," she admitted, leaning back so that her back rested against the wall behind her. "Once I came to terms with my feelings, I didn't see any reason to hide them from you – except for the fact that we're in the middle of a war, and telling you might have caused problems. So I didn't tell you. I figured – I'll tell him after this is all over, so that if he feels the same way, we can have a chance at happiness." She shrugged. "But circumstances have led to this, not to mention the fact that you are extremely thick-headed sometimes."
"I'm not thick-headed!" he protested. Lenalee laughed softly, and he felt himself grow warm inside at the sound – but it was a different kind of warmth from the hotness he felt in his cheeks. This warmth was comfortable.
"You have no idea," she said affectionately. "No idea at all."
Allen swallowed again, moving a fraction of an inch closer. "Lenalee, listen…"
"Ssh." She shook her head. "When – if – you say it, I want you to be sure about it, okay?" She gave him a faint smile. "So make it good, Allen Walker." She pushed herself off the wall and headed towards the cafeteria once more.
She'd called him Allen.
Allen blinked and ran after her, catching a hold of one hand. "Wait!" he spoke, tugging gently on her wrist to bring her to a halt. Lenalee stopped and turned to look at him, confusion evident in her gaze.
Allen responded by pulling her closer. He didn't try to kiss her – not yet, in any case. He just hugged her to him, shutting his eyes and enjoying her closeness. Her startled exclamation went unheard, and a few pointed whispers from passerby were deemed unimportant as well.
Finally, he pulled away, his hand still around her wrist. "Just give me some time," he said quietly, feeling a little awkward after hugging her so intimately. "And I promise, when all this is over, I'll find you."
AN: Probably not the best ending. I think the first part was better. ^^;; You were right, Swift-Star9 – the 14th really isn't that malicious at all. I'm sorry if I portrayed him like that earlier, and I'm sorry if I portrayed him like that in this piece. I'm just not sure what to think of him, or how to write him!
Please, let me know about my characterization! Did I make Allen too idiotic? Did I make Lenalee forgive him too easily? Did I make either of them too sentimental? Did I make Komui too reasonable? (Ha, ha…) I'd like to know!
2,338 words.