twisteddelights | (no subject)

[That was certainly an eventful start to the school year. Allen would've liked if it was slightly less eventful.

He would've liked to stick around to help when Riddle Overblotted, but in a fleeting moment of forcefulness, Marzell had dragged him off. Now that the whole mess was over, the upperclassman couldn't stop him from making a beeline to the infirmary.

Even if Riddle didn't know who he was, Riddle was still family and Allen was going to check on him!

Allen... pokes his head in the room. He's not going to say anything immediately... he's not really sure what to say...]

[Riddle has one of Trey's cupcakes and a thermos if tea on the table beside him as he finishes up a conversation with someone on the phone.]

--yes, Dad. Mhm. No, I haven't told Mother and I don't plan on it. [Longer pause.] Exactly. ...mm, I'd like that, I think. I missed you too, Dad. Mhm. ...ah, I--mm. Thank you.

[And he hangs up, utterly unaware of the first year poking his head in.]

[Ah, good thing he'd kept his mouth shut.

Allen... quietly debates whether he wants to say anything or just quietly duck back out.

Well. Now or never, he guesses.]

... Um. Hi. [A beat.] I guess asking how you're holding up is kind of a dumb question, isn't it?

[Riddle looks up and just. Blinks.]

Yes, so don't ask it. Aren't you one of the first years?

[... He's just going to... actually enter the room properly. Still going to hang near the door, but.]

Yes. I'm Allen. [... It's a little weird leaving off his last name, but, uh. He's pretty sure that's going to make this more awkward.]

Allen, Allen...

[Riddle reaches for his phone again to dig out the list of first years he has on it.]

Allen R., Allen X., or Allen A-W.? [A beat.] We have three Allens in the dorm?

We sure do... That's been an experience. [He laughs quietly and rubs the back of his neck.] Anyway, Allen R..

Allen R....

[Riddle taps on the name to get more information about the guy.

He stops.

Stares at his screen.

Looks to Allen.

Looks back to his screen.

Once more to Allen.]

Auntie Livna has a kid?!

[--Well. That saves him the awkwardness of bringing up the thing himself.]

Yes. Mom, uh... never mentioned me to Aunt Raven... [Before Livna stopped talking to her sister entirely, at any rate.]

Yeah, I...can imagine.

[He sighs.]

I can imagine very well.

... Mom's been worried about you.

[And, uh, after the Overblot, Allen can kind of see why!]

[Riddle just stares for a moment.]

Wha--I've never even met her. Why is she...?

Aunt Raven mentioned you, before Mom stopped talking to her. Mom wanted to be there for you, but...

[Uh. Well. There were a number of reasons why that wasn't going to work out.]

...mm.

[Riddle looks away before reaching for his tea and cupcake.]

Mother wouldn't have allowed it, anyway.

Yeah, that's about the impression I got.

[Eesh.]

Mom eventually told me that you existed, so... I've wanted to meet you for a while now.

...sorry it had to be like this.

[Riddle sort of. Shrinks in on himself.]

Though before I don't...

[That just earns a questioning headtilt.]

I don't think you'd have wanted to know me.

... Oh.

[Allen rubs the back of his neck and glances away briefly because, well, it's not like Riddle's wrong about that, but... it's not going to do either of them any good to dwell on the matter.]

Well, I don't think we should really worry about that, you know? That was before.

It was literally this afternoon.

Yeah, but what's done is done. [Shrug.] There's not a lot of point in dwelling too much on what can't be taken back... You just move forward and try to learn from your mistakes. That's what I think, at least.

[Not that he's too sure that's worth a lot.]

Besides, it's not like I really approached you before, anyway.

When would you have had a chance before today? When I was--

[He cuts himself off. The nurse told him to avoid strong emotions.

That is easier said than done with him.]

[...]

Right, so! No use dwelling, and first impressions aren't everything. And... we have plenty of time to get to know each other.

[That gets Riddle to look over, bemused.]

Is Auntie Livna this...easy-going?

[He can't help but chuckle a little.]

Most of the time, yeah.