Chapter Text
Now where would the innocence be if it was of parasitic kind?
—
Allen drowned the need to fidget with his gloves, wiping down the tables with the eyes of three exorcists on his back.
It was nerve wracking.
‘They’re still watching you.’ Nea mentions from the reflection on the table, staring up at Allen. Said boy scowls in response. 'Why are they watching you?’ Humming, Nea travels through the mirroring surfaces, blatantly observing the trio.
The action has the white head stressing™ out.
He gets a glass of water and makes his way to their table, placing it in front of Lenalee with a nervous smile, trying to discreetly shoo the man away. “Sorry, thought you might like some water.”
Grateful, she ushers him to take a seat next to Lavi, which was taken to make sure nea doesn’t do anything stupid. With little protest, he slips next to the ginger, ignoring his headmmates smirk.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Lenalee puts down the skewer, devoid of any fruits now. “Have you made these yourself?”
“I have.”
“Now where did you learn to do all of that?” The ginger asks, mouth full with cake, it has Kanda lean back in disgust.
“Used to travel a lot, learned the art of desserts along the way.” He laughs lightly, waving off Levi's attempts at stabbing him with his fork playfully. “Travelling around huh?” Rabbit pokes with a grin. “I’ve been travelling around too with Gramps, he looks like a panda, before we settled down here for now!”
The image of the old bookman being called panda? Allen wonders when his old mentor had gone so soft for such nickname to stick. He must be attached to Lavi, a difficult thing to get out of, inevitable.
It's what had gotten Allen where he was now. Attachment.
(Nea gave him a knowing look, it was one of the moments where he’d wish not to be imprisoned in every other surface. Give comfort for just a single moment.)
Taking the brief silence as means to escape, he excuses himself, taking along Kanda’s empty plate and leaving to the kitchen.
‘Allen?’
Plate in the sink and leaning against the counter, Allen exhales.
‘Allen.’
Nea’s insisting call has him looking up, meeting his worried gaze. “I’m okay.” The adolescent sighs.
‘'You're not.’
Allen hates it when the Noah is right.
“Is it bad that I'm glad to have white hair?” The person clad in shadows says nothing.
“Is it bad that I'm glad to be here now, different, and basically changed the entirety of our plans just because of a mistake? This— body, not the same, never the same anymore.”
‘That wasn’t a mistake—’
“Don’t lie to me, please.” he slides down, knees buckling under his weight, forehead pressed against the cupboard.
“I jeopardised the entire plan, the mission, for a simple mistake.”
‘Neither Mana, Cross or I had seen it coming, Allen! This wasn’t your mistake but a blind spot we hadn’t planned for!’
It's silent, Nea sliding into the dirty butterknife next to Allen’s form, staring with bright golden eyes, brows knitted. Worried.
‘It wasn’t your fault.’
“...I know.”
And that was it.
—
(Crown Clown had woken up in the presence of another of its sibling, two, three even, pulsing in greeting.
It greets back, weak, but doesn’t get far for the white gloved hands suppressing it. Crown Clown likes its holder but not the memories he carries, such as the Noah that silences it with means of war.)
—
“His gloves.” Kanda nods towards the retreating back of the waiter.
“His gloves?” Lena and Lavi repeat confused.
“He could be hiding his innocence beneath them.”
Stubborn, Lena shakes her head. “I still believe he might have an equipment type.”
The holder of Mugen looks at Lenalee, eyes narrowed and piercing. “I understand your discomfort of the thought, but don’t let them cloud your judgement.”
She sits there, looking down at her plate now that Kanda moves from the booth to search for any hints of said innocence, leaving the space for Lavi to slide in.
“Don’t take his words to heart, lena.” The eyepatch wearing bookman comforts, yet the greenette shakes her head.
“Kanda is right,” she looks up, violet meeting green. “I shouldn't let my past hold me back, something bad could happen if I let it lead.”
She joins the Samurai in his quest, not noticing as Lavi whispers ‘atta girl’ and follows behind.
Their fourth companion comes out not long after their inspections, blinking owlishly at them.
“You guys good?”
Brightening up, slinging his arm around the small shoulders, Lavi has Allen wrapped up and on the other side of the building, distracting him as his two partners went into the kitchen.
(Unbeknown to the exorcists, his headmate had followed after.)
“I've been wondering, Allen. The name, Walker, is of British origin right?”
Another couple of blinks has the white head nodding slowly. “Yes, I'm british.”
“Knew it!” The man tsks playfully. “You dress way too formal, always polite and that accent!” he bemoans.
Allen laughs at that, following his lead, blind to the way Kanda and Lena re-appeared with frowns. Despite the closeness between the two, Lavi still communicated in glances with his partners, frowning as well.
“Ah! Look at the time,” With a head pat, the rabbit dances away and back to the duo. “It’s so late!”
Lenalee faux pouts. “We’re so sorry Allen, but we have to go now!”
Allen barely gets a word out before the trio of exorcists leave in a whirlwind of limbs, confusion stretching along the emptiness of the room.
‘Might have to do something with the investigation.’
Snapping to Nea, Allen scowls. “What investigation??”
‘Congrats, your innocence ratted you out. They know you got one, now they know it's a parasitic type.’
Looking at his arm in disbelief, Allen whispers. “Crown Clown? What?”
—
“There is no denying that the beansprout has a parasitic innocence.” His own scowl is firm, arms crossed and ponytail swaying amongst the wind.
“We have to open a new case— Bring this to Komui.”
“We’re doing no such thing.”
Both young men look at their female companion with pinched expressions.
“Lena–”
“No, Allen is under our protection and investigation. If the order finds out about him and his location they’re going to send higher people to fetch him.“ She sighs, hand on her scalp, massaging.
“We all know how far the order would go. Tim was lucky that General Nine had taken him under her wing so fast, children his age don’t usually see the light of the sun the next day.”
Mugen’s wielder says nothing, scowl replaced by a frown. Clearly thinking.
The way to HQ is uncomfortable for all of them.