Chapter 9-
Nina sighed as they entered the Black Order. Mai was instantly surrounded by her sister and brother, who were obviously very relieved to have her home.
It reminded Nina of her own family. The same family that thought she was cursed. Honestly, she didn't think of them as her family anymore…but it didn't change the fact that she still missed having one.
Nina wiped her teary eyes and turned away. Her shoulders felt heavy from the grief and guilt of Hue's death, and she only wished to go to her room to cry her eyes out.
She was surprised when someone took hold of her shoulder. She looked back and Lenalee gave her a great big hug, "I missed you, Nina! I'm so glad you came home safely."
Nina felt her lip quiver and she bit it. This girl in front of her couldn't mean it. She couldn't accept it. Nina couldn't cry. She refused. Instead, she decided she'd return the hug, although a little less than halfheartedly. "I-I'm tired. Please...excuse me."
She then swiftly walked away from the "family" that had been forced into her life since she had gotten there. She had never asked for them though! Why? Why did they all try so hard to be around her?
Nina hadn't even realized tears had started running down her face. Couldn't they all just go away?
...
It was nice to be home again. Weird, but nice. She had really missed her brother. The only downside of being home was Lenalee...
Lenalee looked sadly at Nina walking away. Allen decided to speak up after Nina was out of earshot, "Should someone go after her?"
Mai shook her head, "No. She needs to be left alone."
He nodded reluctantly and turned towards the group. Mai sighed, and Komui smiled at her, "I'm glad you're safe, Mai."
She smiled and joked lightly, "Yeah me too."
Lavi elbowed her, "Do I sense some humor coming from you?"
She stomped on his foot and smiled brilliantly at him, "Yes, that was hilarious."
He cringed from the pain but baffled her by smiling friendly back. She huffed and stomped away angrily from him.
Suddenly Bookman appeared in front of them and Lavi smiled, "There you are you old coot!"
Bookman struck him in the gut with his fist, "Don't call me that idiot."
Bookman then stared at Mai in a way that creeped her out. Before she could comment, he looked at Komui, thoughtfully. Komui was smiling but he looked almost nervous, Mai could tell with her special sibling powers. But why?
Bookman then informed Lavi, "Come, Lavi. There are things I need to discuss with you."
He waved at the group, "Well see you later guys!"
Lenalee then suggested, "Well you two must be starving! Come on let's go get some dinner!"
Komui nodded, "Yes~! It's been so horrible being away from you my dearest Mai!"
Reever snuck up and grabbed Komui by the collar of his white coat, "Not so fast Chief."
Komui cried as Reever pulled him away, "MAI!"
Mai shook her head at his silliness and stated looking towards Allen, "Well I guess it's just the two- I mean three of us!"
She laughed nervously and smiled. Allen seemed to be out of it nodding slowly, "Yeah."
The two blue haired sisters and the white haired boy left towards the cafeteria. Mai sighing and having a pretty good idea what Allen was thinking about.
...
Nina stared at her ceiling. Her eyes were red and itchy from crying. She hated that she had allowed herself to do that but supposed that she did feel a little better.
Suddenly her stomach growled and she realized she hadn't eaten for a very long time. She reluctantly hefted herself off the bed and started walking down the hall. The purple haired girl soon realized that she had absolute idea where she was going.
"Wait? What!"
Nina's ears pricked up at the sound of Lavi's familiar voice. She froze and listened.
"You heard what I said." another voice returned calmly.
Lavi asked, "Why?"
Bookman told him bluntly, "Because I said so. Now stop being useless and go do what I have asked of you."
He started, "But-"
Bookman stated commandingly, "Go!"
Nina's heart quickened as she heard him move towards the door. She quickly ran away down the hall and around the corner. She breathed in heavily; Nina had had no intention of eavesdropping of course. It had just...happened.
She peeked around the corner and Lavi was clearly in deep contemplation, probably about what he had just been talking about. What had that been about anyway?
Lavi rounded the corner and right into her. He laughed awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, "Oh sorry, I didn't see you there, Nina."
She blushed and looked at the ground, "Ahh yeah. It's fine. I'm actually kind of lost..."
He cocked an eye brow, "Oh yeah? Where you headed to?"
She looked up, "Well I was hoping to get some food."
He nodded, "Yeah me too. I'm starving. Here, I'll walk with you to the cafeteria."
They walked on in silence. Nina rubbed her arm insecurely wishing she had even a hint of an idea of how to start a conversation with him.
Fortunately, he did it for her, "So Nina, how are you, uh, feeling?"
She blinked at him and the looked away, "Fine."
He looked down at the sixteen year old girl, "...You sure?"
She awkwardly nodded, "Yep."
Nina glanced over at him quickly, and he was looking at her skeptically. She bit her lip and looked back down at the ground sighing.
He then asked, "So what did you think about your second mission?"
"It was..." She trailed off and sighed
He took a deep breath and realized he hit a soft spot and changed up the conversation some, "It was cool how the Innocence defied physics itself, huh? Like when the water I tried to drink fell up rather than down. I will be interested to see what accommodator will be able to control such a strange power."
Nina replied with a simple, "Y-yeah." She looked up and met his gaze only to see him staring worriedly at her.
"Sorry Lavi…" She told him softly and walked ahead of him to order food.
Once they grabbed their food they sat down at the table Allen, Lenalee and Mai had been at. In the corner of Nina's eye she watched Lavi glance at Mai intensely. She frowned and stared down at her food while Lenalee tried to gab her ear off.
Mai sighed. Ugh, as soon as she walked in, Allen wouldn't take her eyes off of her. Mai had nothing against Nina personally, but right now she wanted to strangle her. Mai was fairly sure Allen wasn't thinking about her night and day just because he felt protective of her. He- he must like her.
Mai got up suddenly and stormed off. She couldn't handle this right now. No one would probably notice she left anyway.
She thought jealously, 'Why, do I never get what I want? Why am I the girl who never is noticed? Brother loves Lenalee, and now Allen loves Nina. I love Brother, and Allen. Why won't they love me back?'
