For those of you who read my other fics, those shall be updated shortly, it's just been a busy couple weeks and I wanted to do something cute and fun.

Disclaimer: Self exploratory. I am not claiming D-gray man is my own.

Please do not replicate without my permission.

"Allen, what are you looking at," Mana said, bending over the little boy who was looking into the store window, face pressed against the glass. The brown haired child looked up at him, eyebrows pulling together, before frowning as he stepped back from the glass.

"I ain't looking at anything….." He said rudely.

"I am not looking at anything," Mana said patiently; he'd only had the young child with him for about three weeks and – while his grammar had improved leaps and bounds – he still had some ways to go. But he was getting there and soon enough, you would never guess the boy was raised by a circus and hadn't even gotten a proper name until Mana had let him borrow the dog's name.

Well, you would almost never know that the boy had been raised in a circus. The scruffy clownish clothes were very much a giveaway.

Really though…Red? What sort of name was that? He was much better off with the dog's name then that. Besides, the boy was sort of like a puppy in any case; scruffy, a bit rude, curious about the world and endearing.

He gently patted the boy's head, looking at what Allen himself was looking at – a small, checkered jacket. Just about the boy's size. "Hmm….do you like it?" He asked the boy.

"No! I told you, I ain't," Mana made a small, yet stern sound in the back of his throat, "I am not," Allen muttered, "looking at anything….." He insisted. He still was a little disturbed by the older man acting so much like a father. It was weird.

"Oh, maybe I should buy it for me then," Mana said, smiling at the little boy with a clownish smile. He ruffled Allen's brown hair at the look of frustration he displayed at Mana's antics. "I'm teasing you, Allen," He reminded the boy gently. "It's better to laugh then to get angry," He said.

Allen still looked mildly upset, so Mana stood up, gently taking the little boy by the hand and into the store. "Allen, if you like something, you have to tell me," He continued to talk to the still obviously caught somewhere in frustration and longing for the jacket. Mana didn't have a lot of money, but that didn't mean he couldn't afford the odd trinket or two. He picked up the jacket – and was pleasantly surprised to see that it came a small pair of slacks. Mana rubbed the fabric for a minute – it felt like it would hold up until Allen outgrew it…children grew fast but the way the Boy was currently eyeing the jacket, he could tell it wouldn't be a waste of money. He spent a second to hold it up against Allen, "I think it will fit, what about you?"

Allen took a second, before nodding furiously. "So….do you want it then," Mana asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," the brunette muttered.

"Yeah what?"Mana prompted, having spent the past four days attempting to teach Allen to be polite.

"Yeah, please," Allen said, reaching out for the jacket. Mana smiled one more time, handing the boy the jacket.

"Put the jacket on then…the pants look a little big…but I'll think you'll grow into them eventually, beansprout," He teased the child, who instantly turned bright red, "I'll go ahead and pay," he said, rubbing Allen's head once more, before heading to the cashier. He pulled out his wallet and – after a little bit of bargaining – paid out a frustrating twenty-two pounds for it.

Mana sighed – having a kid was expensive. "Allen, come on, we need to keep walking," He called as he opened the door to the shop. He turned his head a bit to see Allen standing right behind him a look of embarrassment on his face – but a look of glee tucked underneath there as well.

Mana smiled –expensive? Yes….worth it? Also yes. "Come on Allen, keep on walking," He said, pulling the child along by his hand.