Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray-man.
Chapter 4
The library was quiet, and only a few candles, held or set near those in the room, lit the large room. Miranda and Marie, having snuck out of the infirmary again, were enjoying their temporary peace by sitting in the quiet library. Miranda read aloud, quietly, to Marie. Her back was leaned against his arm, her knees were positioned under her so her feet poked out from beneath her pointing to the left. She turned a page and continued her quiet reading.
No one else in the library seemed bothered by Miranda's aloud reading. There were only three or four other people in the library, and among them were Lavi and Bookman. A finder was sitting in another corner of the room, tucked comfortably into a corner between two shelves as he read.
Miranda turned to the next page and continued to read. After the first day they snuck out of the infirmary, Miranda and Marie had begun to sneak out more and more frequently. This was their third time to escape the infirmary that week. The other two times had been spent walking through the halls and talking. Miranda tried to stifle a yawn while reading, but couldn't keep herself from yawning widely. She wiped away the tears that had accumulated in her eyes from the yawn and continued reading.
"Do you want to go back to the infirmary?" Marie asked the next time Miranda paused to turn a page.
"Yes, that's probably wise. I'm beginning to dose off," Miranda laughed quietly as she marked their page in the book, "And the Head Nurse will probably notice we're gone soon."
"Do you want me to hold onto the book for you?" Marie offered.
"Yes, please. I don't want to lose one of the Order's books," Miranda nodded. She straightened her legs and took a second to let them wake up a little before she stood up. She gave the book to Marie once had had stood up from his seat on the floor, and then, once he had transferred the book to his other hand he took Miranda's hand.
"So, should we go get lunch tomorrow?" Miranda offered.
"We should probably wait a day or two before sneaking out again. The Head Nurse will probably notice if we leave too much," Marie pointed out, "Maybe the day after tomorrow."
"Alright," Miranda smiled. Soon they had reached the splitting halls that led, separately, to the two different wings of the infirmary, "I'll see you later, Marie. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Miranda. I'll see you the day after tomorrow?" Marie offered the idea.
"Yes, how about we head towards the cafeteria at half past noon," Miranda nodded.
"Okay," Marie nodded. He turned and walked down the hall.
When Miranda reached the door to the wing of the infirmary where girls were staying she opened the door carefully. She was trying not to make too much noise as she closed the door behind her and crept across the room, which was unsurprisingly dark, to her bed.
Lenalee stirred slightly in her own bed, across the room from Miranda's.
"Miranda?" Lenalee questioned, "Where were you?"
"I was in the library," Miranda answered.
"Oh, if you're going to leave you should really tell the Head Nurse," Lenalee said, "She might get worried if she comes in and no one knows where you are."
"Well," Miranda began, "I don't really think that she would let me leave, if I asked. She isn't really as lenient with most of us as she is with you."
"I guess you're right, but you really should sneak out," Lenalee shrugged as she rolled over to go back to sleep.
Once Miranda had lay down it didn't take more than ten minutes for her to fall asleep.
Marie did his best not to draw the attention of the other exorcists in that wing of the infirmary. He and Miranda had agreed to sneak out for lunch, and he didn't want to have to come up with any cover stories for why he was leaving. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice as he left.
Halfway to the cafeteria he heard a familiar voice, "Marie, please slow down." Miranda scrambled to catch up to him down the hallway, "S-Sorry, I just thought it would be nice to walk to the cafeteria together."
"Of course it would be," Marie smiled.
"Maybe, after lunch, we can go to the library again," Miranda offered with a small smile, "It was nice when we went the other day."
"That sounds good," Marie nodded. Miranda had sounded like she was smiling, Marie wished he could see her smile. He wondered if her smile was as nice as it made her voice sound.
Soon they had reached the cafeteria. After they had gotten their food and sat down they fell into a comfortable silence as they ate.
Miranda giggled softly, suddenly.
"What?" Marie asked.
"It's just, I think is the most normal my life has been since my clock began resetting the time in my home town," Miranda continued to laugh softly, "It was just funny to think about, I guess. This does seem normal, right?"
"It is a rather normal thing, getting lunch with a friend," Marie nodded and smiled.
"It's nice. I never really had anyone to spend time with before I came here. I like spending time with you," Miranda smiled too.
"Before I joined the Order I was always around other people. It actually got very tiring, after awhile, going somewhere every other day and staying out late. After I joined the Order I had to cut my connections with all of my friends and acquaintances, though," Marie said, "But I tried to avoid getting very close to any of the other exorcists or finders. It's nice to have someone be around, again."
"Didn't you spend time with Kanda and Daisya and Teidoll after you three became Teidoll's students?" Miranda asked.
"Yes, but before you were brought to the Order I had been seeing less and less of them. For a year, about, I hadn't talked to Daisya or Teidoll," Marie answered.
"Is living at the Order lonely, usually?" Miranda asked thoughtfully.
"Sometimes. Sometimes you'll have friends, and others you won't. Sometimes you'll go months without having a regular conversation with someone, and sometimes you'll have one everyday for months," Marie explained, "It really just depends on the situation, but it seems like you've had good company since you arrived."
"Really? It can be that different?" Miranda asked.
"Yes," Marie nodded.
The rest of their meal was spent in another comfortable silence, and after they had finished their food they put their dishes on the dirty dishes table and went to the library.
"What do you want me to read?" Miranda asked as she looked at one of the shelves full of books.
"Are there any books you want to read?" Marie asked.
"A few, yes," Miranda nodded.
"Choose one of those," Marie suggested.
"Are you sure? Because if there's anything you want me to read to you I wouldn't mind," Miranda said.
"I know, Miranda. But pick a book you want to read," Marie said.
"Okay," Miranda looked at the books on the shelf again before she picked one. Soon her and Marie were sitting as they had been a few days before when they were in the library. Miranda leaned with her back against Marie's arm with her legs tucked under her.
Miranda read in a slightly louder voice than the last time, seeing as they were the only two people in the library, and she wouldn't be bothering anyone else.
And, before either knew it, two hours had passed.
The door to the library banged open, loudly squealing on its hinges.
"There you two are!" it was one of the nurses who worked under the Head Nurse, "We've been looking all over for you! Come on, both of you."
Miranda, at that moment, seemed as if she wished she could be anywhere but there. She followed quietly behind Marie as he followed the nurse back to the infirmary.
"You two have caused us so much trouble!" the nurse scolded, "You should have asked to leave, instead of making us look for the both of you!"
Neither Miranda nor Marie got off without a long, long lecture, but by the end of that day the Head Nurse decided they were both well enough to return to their own rooms.
Marie was more that a little happy to have some peace and quiet that night, as opposed to the endless bickering and noise from the infirmary wing. The endless headache that had plagued him since he had been forced to share a room with Allen, Kanda, and the others had finally left, leaving him to sleep peacefully that night. The next day, like the many days before it after the fight in the Ark, was uneventful. He went to the library with Miranda, they ate lunch, he went and talked to Kanda.
As Marie was going back to his room he heard someone running down the hallway quite a ways behind him.
"S-Sorry," Miranda apologized as she caught up to him, "I just wanted to say hi."
"You shouldn't apologize for nothing," Marie chuckled, "Well, hello to you too. How have you been doing since lunch?"
"I've been doing good," Miranda smiled, "How has your afternoon been?"
"It's been very good. I went and talked to Kanda, it was nice to talk to him even though all he did was complain about still being stuck in the infirmary," Marie answered.
"The Head Nurse is really cautious, isn't she?" Miranda laughed slightly, "Most of the others' injuries have already healed, but she still won't let them leave."
"It is her responsibility to make sure we're all healthy, I can't really blame her. Most of the other exorcists are so young that they really do need to be more cautious about their health," Marie pointed out.
"I guess you're right. It's really hard to think about how most of the others really are so young. They never act like it," Miranda's voice grew slightly sad at the end of this statement.
Marie frowned slightly at the change of tone in Miranda's voice, but then he got an idea, "Miranda, come with me."
"Where?" Miranda asked as she followed him.
"Once, before my eyes were injured, I found an old garden just outside of the Order. It was never really kept well, but most of the plants were allowed to grow wherever they pleased. I think, it it's still anywhere near the same, you'll like it," Marie smiled.
"Oh, really?" Miranda was surprised by the sudden topic change, but she wasn't going to argue. She even reached out and lightly held Marie's hand. It didn't take long before they had left the Order's building all together.
The path that Marie led her down was overgrown, and it looked like no one had gone that way for a very long time. Miranda had to watch her step to avoid tripping over tree roots that were growing out and over the path, but soon the trees thinned slightly and she could see a cracked, stone fountain. Around the fountain was a marble bed, meant for the water of the fountain to run over into. Different flower plants, vines, and weeds grew wildly, unkept and were left to grow wherever they wanted. There was a marble bench, in the middle of the garden. Rose bushes scaled trellises that were arranged around the garden. Miranda couldn't help but quietly gasp at the sight of the garden. Light filtered between the twining branched above and dappled the ground, giving the entire garden an otherworldly feeling, "This place is beautiful, Marie."
"I'm glad it still is," Marie smiled. Though he couldn't see it he could still imagine how it had been the time before when he had seen it.
"It's so peaceful here," Miranda whispered, as if speaking at a normal volume would disrupt the tranquillity.
A bird hopped between branches overhead, causing the leaves to rustle.
"Thank you so much for bringing me here, Marie," Miranda smiled. There were happy tears in her eyes as she lightly hugged Marie. It was an awkward hug, Miranda's arms couldn't even wrap all the way around Marie's chest.
Marie simply smiled in response and returned the hug.
"Maybe sometime we can come here and I can read to you," Miranda offered.
"That would be nice," Marie agreed.
A/N: Aw, look at that fluff! Thanks so much for reading y'all. Please review~
