After Allen had returned to the Order, Link had walked in with him. There were whispers and people looked uncertain about what had truly happened when Allen escaped. Allen himself was uncertain what happened to Link, and he won't ask now.

"You're alive, Link." Allen breathed, "Kanda told me you were dead."

"Yes, Walker, I am alive." Link faintly smiled. He didn't have enough time to steady himself before he found his arms full with a sobbing Allen Walker.

"I'm glad you're alive." Allen hiccupped into his shoulder, and for the first time since Link had seen the Third Exocrists he felt whole.

"Me too." Link muttered softly, rubbing circles on Allen's back as they laid on the floor of Allen's hotel room.

Shaking off the memory, Allen couldn't help but sigh when Komui rushed past the groups of whisperers, Lenalee, Kanda, and Lavi right behind him. But as they got closer, he could not stop the genuine smile that slipped onto his face.

"Your mask is cracking." Kanda points out when he first sees Allen genuinely smile and recovers from his shock.

"Ah," Allen blinks, a hand coming to lightly touch his cheek, "I suppose it is."

"You should smile like that more often." Johnny hums.

Allen scratches his cheek, a light blush on his face, "Maybe."

Lenalee pauses in brief shock before barreling into Allen for a hug. "Welcome home."

Allen pats her back, Lavi wrapping an arm around his shoulders, "I'm home."

"I want to check up on your arm after you've eaten." Komui smiles, resisting the urge to maul Allen because Lenalee hugged Allen not the other way around. "I'm glad you've come home."

"Me too." Allen serenely replies before Lavi traps him in a bear hug when Lenalee steps back.

All he knows is it started after he came back from interrogation. He'd come back to his room to find Lenalee, Lavi, Yuu, or some combination of them on his bed. He thinks it's because they missed him and their bonds to one another are strong. Komui doesn't stop them, doesn't mention it, except for his vague 'treat Lenalee well'.

This time when he comes back they're all on his bed. Allen's feeling happy today, so he picks up a stray pillow and it hits Yuu straight in the chest.

"Oi what was that Beansprout?" Yuu growls.

Allen picks up another pillow and smirks, "Fight me, BaKanda."

It's starts off as soft hits, Allen laughing like the other's haven't heard before. Carefree, Happy. It's a bubbly kind of laugh, and makes Allen's face light up.

Lenalee hums, "Your laugh is cute Allen."

The pillow hits Yuu harder than he intended it too and Allen is blushing a bright red. "It- it's not."

"Allen Walker, a mighty General, can't take a compliment." Lavi says the words slowly, like he can't comprehend them, before bursting into a laugh that leaves him in tears.

Even Yuu's smiling, but Allen hits Lavi dead in the face with enough force that the rabbit almost falls off the bed. "Shut up Lavi."

"You'll pay for that!" Lavi yells, tossing the nearest pillow into Allen's torso.

Soon there are pillows flying in every direction, Lenalee joins in when Allen hands her a pillow, and Lavi's hurling insults at everyone's throws.

Lenalee has the meanest throw until Lavi pushes Allen to use his innocence hand and everything descends to chaos. Lena starts kicking the pillows, and if they weren't some of the stronger exorcists they would have burst into tears.

When they finally grow tired, they're certain that between Allen's throws and Lena's kicks that everyone would have bruises. All the pillows are thrown onto Allen's considerably large bed, the exorcists landing in an content mess of tangled limbs. They'd finally released some stress, and when neither Allen nor Lavi have nightmares that night, it's deemed a success.

Everyone pretends they don't know that Allen took Judgment when the Upper Church decided to interrogate him. No one mentions it and it they catch Allen briefly touch it, they assume it's because he misses Cross.

So when Marian Cross walks through the doors, their heads snap to Allen's reaction. He's ordering food, but he knows the sound of his Master's boots anywhere. He cancels his order, and turns on his heel. At least his Master looks worn out. Like he's gone through as much hell as Allen has, and the part of him that sees Marian Cross as a father dies a little on the inside from concern. They make eye contact, and part of Allen swells in anger fuel by the betrayal of Cross acting dead. But the other part of him makes him turn around and ask Jerry for his Master's favorite meal.

Allen cradles the wine in one hand, but hands the tray of food to Cross. It's a sentiment to how much Allen has grown when he leads them to Cross' room. Cross settles on his couch, eyes spotting his innocence on Allen's right thigh. His apprentice is getting two glasses for wine, humming in appreciation at the bottle in his hand. It's when Allen begins to pour the wine that Cross speaks.

"You've grown." It's a statement, but the one part that loves Cross so much purrs in pride.

"You're not dead." There's a strain to Allen's voice, and Cross' eyes widen a bit.

Cross pauses, fork halfway to his mouth, his eyes flickering to Judgment before returning to Allen's eyes, "You missed me?"

Allen rolls his eyes and drinks some wine, "No, I just thought of you as my second father but didn't care when you appeared to have been murdered in your own room."

Cross watches as Allen turns away like the petulant child he used to be, and puts down his food. He grabs Allen's free hand and pulls him up, uncaring of the wine threatening to overspill. Allen yelps in surprise, steadying himself before Cross finally pulls him all the way into a hug. Allen manages to put his wine glass down and relishes in the unusual display of affection.

"Sorry Allen."

Allen bursts into tears.

The next morning Allen walks up in his father's- it was refreshing to use that word- arms with the taste of wine in his mouth. He frowns and rolls onto the ground, before getting up to shuffle to brush his teeth.

He remembers screaming after the tears, being angrier than he has ever been in his life. He remembers Cross waiting him out, before declaring, "You are my son."

He remembers more tears and soothing wine.

"Mornin' Dad." Allen mumbles when he sees Cross on the couch, finally eating the rest of the food.

Cross looks a little startled to be called dad, but smiles, "Morning, brat."

Allen sticks his tongue out.

They spend the rest of the day in that room, simply sharing stories of their time apart over the rest of the wine. If one or two stories of their travels together comes up, they don't mind.

If someone notices Judgment missing from Allen's leg or that the cursed teen is much happier, they keep their mouths shut.

Allen honestly should have known. After living with Johnny on the run for two months should have taught him.

The science division was troublesome. Loveable, loveable trouble.

Why did they have more of the liquid that turns people into children anyway? They said they used it all in the Zombie fiasco on Lavi and Yuu. Allen was being smothered by everyone even Yuu Kanda and honestly he was going to kick in someone's shins.

"You can't reach anyone's shins brat." Cross laughed as he picked up his small apprentice.

"I'll kick in your teeth Master." Allen hissed, but made no moments to be put down. He gave up on that after Lenalee carried him for two hours.

When Cross walked into the dining hall, Allen swore that someone cooed over him being carried by his Master. In fact, he's pretty sure it was General Tiedoll, who was in tears.

"Allen, I love your natural hair color!" Jeryy grinned, "You look like General Cross' son!"

All commotion stopped. That was the one phrase everyone refused to utter. There was deadly silence in the hall. In one fluid motion, Cross threw Allen across the hall at the chef. Allen flipped midair, and landed gracefully on the window sill.

Allen glared at Cross, opening his mouth, but Jeryy suddenly cradled him close.

"How could you throw sweet Allen!" Jeryy whined, ignoring all Allen's attempts to reassure him that he's fine.

Jeryy sniffles, handing Allen off to Lavi who apparently was next in 'how many people can hold Allen before this wears off or he starts threatening everyone'.

Lavi ran into their shared room, where he promptly threw Allen at Lena.

"I'm not a ragdoll to be thrown!" Allen huffed, glaring at the redhead.

"Shut up, Allen." Yuu rolls over, hand poised to hit him, but rethinks his action when he remembers how Allen's a kid now.

Later, when Lavi reads Allen a bed time story and Lena curls around him protectively when they finally go to sleep, Allen complains but basks in the affection. He's happy with his three exorcists.

He does not share the sentiment for the science division when he sleeps in two hours and wakes up in more pain than he does after a battle.