Truth be told, Allen would rather have spoken to each of his friends, separately, before this meeting, but he hasn't had the chance. He does, however, find some comfort in the thought that it would have been hard (not to mention confusing and extremely awkward) for him to explain everything without mentioning Alma at all. He has never been comfortable with telling other people about Alma, not even when, or maybe because, they're other Order members (scratch that 'other', Allen). It involves too much of Kanda's personal history and makes him feel like he's giving something important away. Something that doesn't belong to him, something he's still half-convinced he was only entrusted with because Kanda had been too sick to know better at that time. This sentiment has only gotten stronger after his trip home, where they were both forced to relive Kanda's past in livid detail.

He can tell from Kanda's nervousness that this talk is primarily going to be about Alma. That's fine by Allen. He'll listen to what Kanda has to say, how much he wants to say, then take it from there.

Hearing Lavi and Lenalee outside the door makes him turn. He's already pulling a smile on when it strikes him, very suddenly, that it's been exactly half a year for him since all four of them were last in a room together. Even longer than that for Kanda. Maybe never again for Kanda.

"Lavi, Lenalee--"

So if his smile turns out genuine in its understatement, if a tad raw from suppressed nostalgia, that'll be why.

"--you're right on time."