missinglink | Inbok for @sticksandbones

Oh...I didn't realize.

[His autism...]

I will just call her Moder from now on, then.

[ Allen laughs, bright and light like - that usual laugh of his that he forgot he even had. It's been a while, hasn't it? ]

Is that all it takes with you? Geez, had I known, I would've pestered you for it ages ago. Oi, so you'll call me by my first name from now on, too, right?

I- ...er. Well. That would be terribly improper of me, considering...

[Considering the. Gestures. Situation.]

Would you really prefer that...?

Well, I did just say being too formal feels distancing, right? So, yeah! I would! 'Cause we're closer than that, aren't we?

...yes. We are.

[Mmmm that's kindof gay!]

Alright then. Allen it is.

...ah, though. Do keep calling me Link, please...no one calls me Howard.

Boo! Ugh, you and Kanda both, huh?? Whatever, I'll just have to annoy you with a nickname someday. I'm sure some of Lavi's nicknaming skills might've rubbed off on me.

I mean...would you actually prefer calling me Howard...?

I mean... I don't really mind? It's your name. I like it because it's yours.

...Do you not?

[I like it because it's yours

What do you MEAAAAAAAN you've never called him Howard! Not even once!!

Link sort of stares past Allen for a moment.]

I...

[...]

I guess I've never thought about it. Even the others always called me Li.

[ Because you asked him to call you Link!!!! He hasn't called Kanda "Yu" even once! But he likes his name, too! Allen is just a Very Good Boy and respects people's boundaries!!!!!!!! ]

Li? Li is cute, too. Oh, but if it's too weird, I can keep calling you Link! Sorry, I don't want you to feel like you have to grant me special name permissions or something - I was mostly teasing you about that.

You're still you to me, no matter what I call you!

[…

Link lifts a hand and kindof smudges it over his mouth, glancing away for just a moment.

He can feel his face and neck getting hot, but it’s a feeling that passes pretty quickly.

Strange.]

It isn’t weird. Link…or Li. You can call me both.

[ Allen hums a moment, popping another dumpling into his mouth and using his other hand to pat Tim, who is still hanging out on Link. A happy golem :)

After his swallows, he smiles at Link again, warmly. ]

Brilliant, then, Li! You'll remember to call me Allen, won't you?

[Its like Allen reaches right into his chest and squeezes his heart, hearing that. Oh, Lord, help him.]

I might slip up, so you’ll just have to remind me…Allen.

[ 🏳️‍🌈❓ ]

You're alright! So long as I can see you're trying, that's good enough for me. Besides, I have full faith in you! You're always so diligent with the things you do!

[ And, for what it's worth, Allen's heart also has the flutters when Link says his name like that. He knows it's silly to be so embarrassed by such a small thing, but... ]

But I will if you do. And you'll have plenty of time to adjust! It seems, no matter where we end up, our paths keep tangling together. I am glad we get to walk it together.

[Link feels...lucky, that he met Allen the way he did, even if the circumstances have been less than ideal. Most people would detest him, hate him even, for being positioned to guard him when Allen is very much smart enough to know that Link's job has been to keep an eye on him as much as protect him. Too watch for signs of the Fourteenth on Central's command. But now...

Well. They're friends. And Link doesn't have very many of those.]

Even if I assign you homework to do?

Urk— h-hey now, why do you have to bring up unpleasant things while I’m eating. Can’t that wait??

[ He’s pouting now as he stuffs his face more— ]

It can wait, so long as you don't forget about it.

If you do well, I will bake you any flavor pie you'd like.

How cruel to use bribery against me.

[ Will it work? Yes. Absolutely. But it’s still cruel— ]

Not bribery. Just consider it a little incentive, mm? The more you learn, the more I get to use you as my taste-tester for all of my new recipes. Doesn't that sound fair?

[ Allen sighs, very exaggerated and dramatically. ]

You sly dog. You’ve cornered me…

[ Bumps his shoulder to Link teasingly. ]

I’ll do it. I might be asking you for help. Some of this stuff you showed me still doesn’t make sense.

I'd be disappointed if you weren't asking me for help. I wouldn't be a very good teacher then, would I?

…? Would you?

[ Link think. Link think who his mentor is and say that again— ]

[He doesn't like to think about your mentor if he can help it-]

Well...a rather inattentive one, at the very least.

I just think that I was very hands-on with learning stuff, is all. Paperwork and memorizing stuff is... harder, I think? I'm not good at it. I know there's really not a better way to learn literacy, though.

In my experience, the best thing for it is practice. You'll get better at it with time...but I promise I won't make you do too much.

[He doesn't want it to feel like he's back with the Order TOO much.]

Inbok for @sticksandbones

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