Re: Cece & Allen | At the Clinic CW: Homophobia
Frivolous? Allen hoped that, in the future, if Cece were to look back at any point in their acquaintanceship, she would never have cause to doubt his admiration for her. The thought alone made the tips of his ears feel warm. He feared they might already be turning pink.
It was deeply kind, really, for Cece to share her expertise with him without making fun of him for trying. She was beautiful when she spoke from a position of expertise, even about something that, under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn't ever care to learn.
None of this was anything he could say frankly to her, of course. He'd frightened her off at Carnivale when he'd tried to compliment her before. Rich people played a different game than the poor; he'd have to try to fit her mold if he was going to catch her eye.
So, ears still pink, Allen swallowed his appreciation and praise and shared a modest smile with her. "Terrorists, yes, and also keeping my own fool head in check. None of this came from chasing terrorists -- and you're right that that's what I'm here to do." He took a quick breath in through his mouth and pushed it out his nose to dismiss his frustration with himself. "Did you ever read the Sylvestre Houle story Strangers on a Train?" Allen asked mischievously, referencing the story in which the great detective's friend Wadsworth was first introduced.